whom we learn, that government will at length be admi. nistered by men of religion and of probity.

The parallel places occur in ch. vii. Some of them have already been brought forward, and shall not be repeated; but verses 18 and 22 have not yet been alleged. That the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, is the declaration of Daniel in v. 18; and in v. 22 he says, judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came, that the saints possessed' the kingdom. Still more perspicuous is v. 27, where it is said, that DOMINION shall be given unto the people of the saints of the most High. At length Europe, and afterwards the world at large, will be governed and inhabited by men of pure morals and uncorrupted Christianity. Such at least will be the character of a decided majority. To these passages of Daniel St. Paul, says Vitringa, manifestly refers, where he says, do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world". That is, says Dr. Lightfoot, 'know ye not, that there shall be a Christian magistracy.' This is probably the true interpretation: but what particular period, and what description of persons, does the reader conceive, the doctor regards as here designated by the apostle ?—The princes and other men in power, who have plundered, or governed, the European world for these last fourteen or fifteen centuries!!

17 I. Cor. VI. 2.

18 See Lightfoot's Works, vol. II. p. 1058. This is from a complementary sermon preached at the Hertford-Assizes. A passage or two from it may not be unentertaining. And now, my Lords and Gentlemen, you may see your own picture in the glass of the text; for you are of the number of those of whom it speaketh. In it, you may see yourselves, imbenched, commissioned, and your work put into your hands.' A little farther he asks, what sober man does or can deny, kingship and magistracy to be of Christ's ordaining;' but he discreetly declares himself unwilling, to undervalue the judgment of any in the congregation so far, as to think, this great and important truth needs any proof, to him.' In his catalogue of the principal gospel-mercies, he accordingly omits not to insert Christian kings and rulers: and, in evidence of the fact, appeals to that patriotic prince and pious Christian, Charles II; who accordingly, with exquisite

In the xith chapter of the Apocalypse we peruse the account of the figurative resurrection of the inhabitants belonging to the Tenth Part of the symbolic city. In ch. xx. we read of the resurrection of those, who had been oppressed and persecuted by the beast, which description differs from the other, in being of a general kind, and unrestricted to any particular country. That this also is figurative, Dr. Whitby has largely, and, in my opinion, decisively proved. I repeat the words of St. John, And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Fesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ A THOUSAND YEARS.

It has, says Mr. Lowman, been correctly observed, 'that all these expressions may very well be understood in a figurative sense. The souls of them, which were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and which had not worshipped the beast, may easily, according to the manner of prophetic language, signify persons of like spirit and temper with them, of like faith, patience, constancy, and zeal.-It is a very easy and natural figure, as well as very common in this book of prophecy, to describe persons by the names of such, whose tempers and characters they imitate and follow. Thus the names of Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon, are so

propriety, has been recently placed (in a well-executed statue), in the centre of the Royal Exchange, as at once an apt specimen of the past kings of England, and an exemplary model for their future imitation. We need not,' says Dr. Lightfoot, go far for proof of this.-The universal joy and acclamations of all the nation, upon the happy restoring of his sacred majesty, speaks the sense and attestation of the whole nation, nay of the three nations, unto the truth, and their sensibleness of this mercy. The shout of a king, of a most christian king, was among them.' But, in justice to this celebrated rabbinical doctor, it should be observed, that this discourse was preached in 1660, the year of Charles's elevation to the throne.

19 Johnston of Holywood, speaking of these two passages, and against the literal resurrection of the martyrs, asks, whether it is not contrary to all the rules of just criticism, to understand two similar descriptions in the same book, in opposite, or even not in similar senses?

often ascribed to Rome, on account she nearly resembled them in corruption, pride, and cruelty.' The true meaning of this symbolical representation,' says Dr. Johnston of Holywood, is this: at that period, the world shall be peopled with men of the same spirit and character, with the real martyrs of Christ; with men, who like them, shall call no man on earth master in matters of religion; who, free from the fetters of superstition and idolatry, and regarding the sacred rights of conscience, shall regulate their faith, worship and conduct, by the infallible standard of the word of God. Men of this character shall in succession live on earth, and enjoy a state of great purity and joy.' The martyrs may also be said to live and reign with Christ, 'on account of the very high but unsuperstitious respect, which the inhabitants of that age shall pay to their memories, and the warm gratitude, which they shall feel for those good and undaunted men, who, adhering to the testimony of Jesus and the word of God, at the expence of their fame, fortunes, liberty and lives, were the intelligent and voluntary instruments, in the hand of God, of transmitting to them—that divine religion, which they enjoy in such purity, peace, and plenty.' With respect to the prophet's expression, says Mr. Lowman, that they shall reign with Christ, it may well be understood in a figurative sense, as we are said to be crucified with Christ, and to live with him; or as Christ himself is said to live in us, Gal. ii. 20.'

Without citing any more passages from the xxth chapter of the Apocalypse, or alleging any more extracts illustrative of the words which were last quoted, I shall refer those, who may be disposed minutely to examine this part of the prophecy, to Lowman and Johnston, to Brenius, Vitringa, and Whitby, whose opinions on the figurative import of this prediction coincide, and are expressed at considerable length and I shall here only add what has already been stated", that a symbolic resurrection, according to the Old

:

20 In Apoc. and in his treatise De Regno Eccl. Glor. P. 1. c. 10.

Testament, and to the Oriental Oneirocritics, signifies a recovery of such rights and liberties as have been taken away22

From the xxth chapter of the Apocalypse, I pass on to the first verse of the succeeding chapter, which contains symbols of a well-known import, and is thus expressed: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea23.

Previously to entering into an inquiry on the signification of the several symbols, we are struck with the general air of this passage as expressive and beautiful. A remark of the celebrated Crellius upon it may with this view be quoted. If,' says he, after the most severe servitude, by which the human race has been oppressed, golden liberty should follow; if, after the thickest darkness of ignorance, the clearest light of truth should arise; if, after a mighty contest, and calamities not to be calculated, great joy and a most happy state of mankind should succeed; then the face of all things will appear changed, and, whilst before they seemed to mourn, they will afterwards appear to smile, so that the heaven and the earth will seem to have undergone a change, and to have assumed a different countenance24,"

'The earth,' it has been observed, (I am quoting the words of Sir Isaac Newton) signifies the inferior people; and the reason, as assigned by Dr. Lancaster, is this,In the symbolical language, the natural world repre

22 Dr. Lancaster. Mat. Henry, in agreement with this, says, that the 4th verse of the xxth ch. of the Apocalypse, if figuratively interpreted, signifies, they were in a civil and political sense dead, and had a political resurrection; their liberties and privileges were revived and restored.'

23 That this passage is to be figuratively understood, and applied to the future state of the world, has long been a received opinion. Among other early writers, who maintained it, and who might be specified, were Joa. chim of Calabria in the twelfth, and Ubertinus in the fourteenth, century. 24 Crellii Opera, 1656, vol. II. p. 373.

25 P. 16. See the same observation in Mede, p. 761; and in Vitringa in Apoc. VI. 14.

sents the political: the heaven, sun, and luminaries, represent the governing part, and consequently the earth must represent the part governed, submitting, and inferior.' Of this passage the meaning is plain and unequivocal. The old heaven, the old governments, are removed away; and, what is the natural consequence of this, the old earth also passes away, i. e. the great body of the people, which were involved in ignorance, penury, and wretchedness, are gradually changed, and, at length, succeeded by those of a far different character26. And as the latter change cannot be accomplished without a wise system of education being adopted, this is necessarily presupposed. So clear does the meaning of this interesting verse appear to be, that I shall, perhaps, be charged with the unnecessary introduction of the following quotation. It is, however, from a writer of very high authority. 'The old heaven and earth,' says Daubuz, are removed to make way to a new heaven and new earth, that is, to a NEW GOVERNMENT" and a NEW PEOPLE28, as we have shewn before these symbols signify. Now I say, that the removal of the old heaven and earth, and the introduction of the new heaven and earth, are symbols of a prophecy, which has not its accomplishment in a sudden revolution, or moment, but in progress of time. When the Holy Ghost represents any thing by some single and entire sign

26 That the earth is a symbol, having two significations, has before been remarked. The sordid and antichristian part of mankind it sometimes signifies. Which of these meanings is to be chosen, the context, therefore, must, in every case, determine. However, at the period spoken of in this passage, the symbolic earth will pass away in both senses.

27 That the reader may be more certain of this interpretation, I refer him to the following passages in the book of Revelation, where the word heaven occurs, to ch. VI. 13, 14; VIII. 10; IX. 1; XI. 12; XII. 1, 4, 7, 8; XIII. 13; XVI. 21; and XIX. 17. That in all these places it has a symbolic and political sense, and refers to the government in the state, may be seen in Daubuz. This, indeed, through the ancient world, was the established acceptation of this symbol; and this is the import annexed to it in the Oriental oneirocritics.

28 The words of Isaiah, and the earth shall remove out of her place, cited in this vol. p. 88, 89, have a similar import.