Chap. xxii. 10, 11.] The Prophecy not to be sealed. 467

in the remaining part of the chapter to the middle of the twentieth verse; and it seems probable that the divine Saviour again appeared in vision to St. John, to close the prophecy; as he had done at the beginning of it. The Lord Jesus commanded the Apostle not to seal the sayings of this prophecy; but to leave them open, for the use of the Church, to the end of time. In the last chapter of the book of Daniel*, that Prophet is commanded to seal his book: " But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, “ and seal the book even to the time of the end." And again, “ He said, Go thy way, Daniel : for the "words are closed up and sealed till the time of the "end." This may signify, in symbolical language, that the hints given by Daniel of the papal hierarchy, of the wilderness state of the Church, and of the millennial glory, were designedly so concise and obscure, that this part of his prophecies was as a sealed book, and should continue so till the "time of the "end;" that is, till the period of the Gospel dispensation, when another Prophet should be sent to amplify and illustrate these hints. But when it is said to the Apostle, "Seal not the sayings of the "prophecy of this book;" it seems to be implied that no succeeding Prophet should come to unfold the mysteries of these obscure and sublime predictions. The book, therefore, was to be left open for the inspection and study of all; and, as the prophecies receive their accomplishment, it would be understood by the humble, prudent, and studious, under the ordinary blessing of God, without the aid of prophetic inspiration. Daniel's prophecies were to be sealed " until the time of the end;" but John's were

the tenth verse, "And he" (that is, the Lord Jesus, from whom he received the Revelation)" saith unto me," &c. as an instance of the reference of a relative to a remoter antecedent: a figure of speech which, the Doctor remarks, he had taken notice of on many former occasions in his Exposition of the New Testament.

* Dan. xii. 4, 9.

to be left open because "the time was at hand." The time of the accomplishment of the first predictions of the book was at hand when the sacred writer penned the prophecy, and they were actually fulfilled in their time and order: and as the book contains a close chain of prophecies from the days of the apostolic writer to the end of the world, the time is at hand in every age for the accomplishment of some of its predictions. Obscure prophecies can only be fully understood when the events which they foretel have actually taken place, and the predictions may be compared with the facts. But for more than seventeen hundred years the events predicted in the Revelation have been gradually receiving their accomplishment. Hence we enjoy every advantage for understanding those predictions, which foretel events that have taken place previously to the present period. The events themselves are explanatory of what is obscure in the predictions. Those persons, therefore, act not only unwisely but absurdly, who, disregarding this book, would seal it up not only when the time is at hand, but when, with respect to the greater part of its prophecies, it is actually past. Historic events, therefore, will serve to explain the prophecies that have been accomplished, to those who study them with humility, diligence, and candour. Hence our Lord says, "Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book;" and again," Seal not the prophecy of this book, for "the time is at hand."-After this the divine Monitor adds a solemn declaration of the near approach of that period when the characters of men will be unalterably fixed. "He that is unjust, let him be unjust "still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: " and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: "and he that is holy, let him be holy still." This imperative mode of expression, instead of the indicative or declarative, is agreeable to the Hebrew idiom. It is frequently made use of in the prophetic writings,

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especially in the book of Psalms; and it seems to be introduced here with peculiar propriety. It implies, that as, after all these revelations of the will and operations of God, obstinate sinners would be left to their own choice without farther means being used for their conviction; and that as believers would be exhorted and encouraged to persevere in well-doing; so the time would soon come when the former would be placed in an unalterable condition of impurity and misery, and the latter in an immutable state of holiness and felicity. Let the unjust and the filthy, the finally impenitent and the unbelieving, be irreversibly fixed in a state where they will be unjust and unholy still and for ever, without hope of a remedy. There is no change but on earth; no Saviour nor Sanctifier beyond the grave. On the other hand, let the righteous and holy be for ever righteous and holy; without blemish, spot, wrinkle, or any such thing. The justified and sanctified believer will be for ever confirmed in righteousness, holiness, and felicity. - The more strongly to assure the Church of these important events, the Saviour and the Judge declares,

12. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

All things are hastening on to their final issue; and the Judge of the whole world, who has all power in heaven and earth, is coming quickly, bringing his recompense with him, both for his enemies and his people. Jesus, as the mediatorial Judge, will then distribute his rewards of grace on the righteous and the holy; and inflict condign punishment on the wicked and the unholy, according to the nature and proportion of the "works done in the body, whe"ther they have been good or bad."-Still farther to confirm the truth of all his promises and declarations, the divine Saviour adds,

13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

The character here assumed by the Lord Jesus, is that of "the beginning and the end, the first and "the last," as the Greek alphabet begins with Alpha and ends with Omega. This language ascertains, as has been before observed, the true and essential divinity of the Saviour. All the dispensations of creation, providence, and grace, begin and end in Christ. He is the author and finisher of them all. The almighty Son of God eternally existed before them, and will unchangeably continue to exist, when all their mysteries shall be accomplished, and his people shall be fixed in their destined state of felicity and glory.

14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Those who keep the commandments of God, as delivered to sinners in the Gospel, by repentance, faith in Christ, attendance on the means of grace, and renewed unreserved obedience, from evangelical motives, are happy and blessed. These are they who have a right or privilege to all the blessings that are derived from the tree of life. They have a grant to share in the salvation procured by Christ, and are admitted into heaven to participate in that felicity which all its blessed inhabitants receive from him. The word translated right is the same which is rendered power in the first chapter of St. John's Gospel; from a comparison of which passage, the coincidence of these texts will appear. "As many as received "him, to them gave he power to become the sons of "God, even to them that believe on his name: "which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of

"the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God *." Those who are born of God receive Christ; and to those who receive Christ, he gives the privilege of becoming the sons of God. Keeping the commandments of God is the consequence and fruit of regeneration. Regeneration, or a change in our nature, is evidenced in adults by a faith in Christ, or in the words of the text just cited, by receiving or believing in Christ; and it is accompanied by adoption, or a change in our state. But those who are regenerated and adopted receive the spirit of adoption, influencing them to devote themselves to their heavenly Father in holiness and filial obedience. The evidence, therefore, of regeneration and adoption is keeping the commandments of God; and to those who keep the commandments, the blessing is here promised. This is a death-blow to all Antinomianism, and evidently proves, what we are elsewhere taught, that" without holiness no man shall see the "Lord." The promise is not made to any specu lative religionists, nor to the members of any particular church, but to those who "do the com"mandments of God," and who thus manifest their regeneration, faith, and adoption into the family of God by their proper fruits and effects.-But without the city, even in the lake of fire (for there is no middle place or condition), "are dogs;" greedy, fierce, and persecuting characters, such as the Apostle Paul styles" evil workers ;" and "sorcerers," all who use charms or incantations, or who have been employed in drawing away mankind by the lures of the mother of harlots; and all unclean persons that addict themselves to fornication or adultery; and "murderers," who maliciously take away the lives of others, or persecute them for righteousness sake;

* John, i. 12, 13.

+ Rom. viii. 14-17. Gal. iv. 6, 7. Ephes. i. 5-8.

Philip. iii. 2.