DIGRESSION I. THE TWO ARMIES OF SAINTS FROM THE CREATION TO THE SECOND ADVENT. SECTION I. The First Fruits or First Army of Saints from the Creation to the Fall of Paganism. The four Prætorian Præfects, of the East, of Illyricum, of Italy, and the Gauls, instituted by Diocletian, in whose power it is to restrain the Barbarians, which surround the Roman Empire, from invading and destroying it, will not suffer it, or the "eternal city," or the nobles to be injured by them, before the first army of the saints from the creation to the fall of Paganism are made up. The Sun of Righteousness rises with healing in his wings at his first advent, and seals them that are his, viz. those who are Jews not outwardly, but inwardly. The gospel is : preached also at the first advent of our blessed Lord to them that are dead, that they might be judged at the day of judgment according to men in the flesh, but live until then according to God in the Spirit. Of these are the spirits in reserve, who died before the flood. For it was destined, that the dead should hear the voice of the Son of God as well as the living, and they that heard should live."He that believeth in me though he be dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die." John xi. 25, 26. Those therefore who died before the first advent, are also now sealed; for not even the gates of Hades could prevail against the word of God. A.D. 33-312. VII. 1.—And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor 2 on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the 3 sea*, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the ser4 vants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of 5 Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were 6 sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thou7 sand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were 8 sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon • It is said here, that it was given to the four angels to hurt the earth and the sea; but just before they are represented as those who were to protect them. The meaning of this latter sentence then is, according to a phraseology to be met with in all languages, that it was in the power of the four angels to suffer the earth and the sea to be hurt, they who afforded the occasion of the action being regarded as the cause of it, in the same manner as God is said to harden Pharaoh's heart, when he only suffers it to be hardened (compare Ex. iv. 21, with ix. 34). See also Matth. x. 34; Luke xii, 49, 51; Rev. xi. 6. And so again "Hurt not the earth, neither the sea," means suffer them not to be hurt. were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. SECTION II. The Combined Army of the First-fruits or Seed with their Fellow-Servants or Remnant of the Seed, the Victors over the Beast and his Image. A view is here given, in this digression, of the whole church completed, in possession of eternal blessedness in and after the Millennium, who are come out of the great tribulation of this world, and are in company of their blessed master, the Lamb, for evermore, who shall feed them and lead them to living fountains of waters. 9 After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with 10 white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the 11 Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four living creatures, and fell before the throne on 12 their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen ; Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto 13 our God, for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and 11 whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them 15 white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth 16 on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither 17 shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. CONTINUATION OF PART II. SECTION VIII. Seventh Stage of the Manifestation of the Mystery. The religion of Jesus is at length accepted, being completely made known to the Roman world for the obedience of faith; the anger of God is appeased; there is no more occasion for divine judgments; and the earth may experience repose, however short, so long as it can preserve the truth, which it has gained, immaculate. Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation. Zech. ii. 13. VIII. 1.—And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. PART III. THE SEVEN STAGES OF THE PUBLIC SOUNDING OF SECTION I. The Accession of our Lord to the High-Priesthood of the Empire. By the overthrow of Paganism our Lord at length accedes to the high-priesthood of the Empire, which had been hitherto filled by the Pagan Imperial Pontiffs; and in that capacity He is seen standing as Mediator between God and man, offering the prayers of the church, which through him are accepted. But most probably through its subsequent corruptions, instead of sending peace, he sends fire on the earth by the Council of Nice, which was held A.D. 325, in which the doctrine of the Trinity was first imposed upon the church as a necessary article of faith, concerning which, for 300 years past, every one had been left to his own private opinion. By this council, much bitterness was occasioned between the so-called orthodox and the dissentients. Four distinct systems existed concerning the nature of the Trinity, that of the Arians, that of the Tritheists, that of the Sabellians, and that of the Orthodox; and eighteen creeds were formed out of the Arian opinion. A counter-revolution of religion also happened in the Empire, the restoration of Paganism by the Emperor Julian, A.D. 361-363. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. |