næ.

Ver. 7, &c. The great city, the Romish community.--The witnesses of Christ to be struck dumb for a short time, and after that, to have a political revival. Most natural to understand by the tenth part of the city, some illustrious kingdom among the ten kingdoms, of Europe, subject to the Papacy, and hitherto a supporter of its superstition, but to be shaken off by this earthquake, in a mystical sense. "Casus, qui Ecclesiis Galliarum nostro tempore contigit est plane singularis & notabilis. Gallia potest esse forum civitatis magTestes veritatis ibi verè dici possunt mystici victi & occisi novissimâ hac persecutione .... Prudentis itaque interpretis esse putem de implemento hujus prophetiæ circumspectè loqui, quia exitus viarum Dei nobis hactenus non patet: quod egerint Medus et Launæus. Si enim historia quosdam demonstrat casus, in quibus implementum hujus vaticinii adumbratum est; nescimus tamen, quid serus vesper nobis forte advecturus sit novi, in quo implementum prophetiæ demonstretur. Quamdiu enim superest in mundo imperium, quod Apocalypsis Bestiam vocat, tandiu expectari vel metui potest quod hâc prophetiâ declaratur. Et certe, quanto faciem verum Europæarum magis contemplor, tanto mihi certius persuadeo fore ut Europa videat (quod utinam Deus, quatenus id cum suâ gloriâ, et Ecclesiæ commodo consistere queat, diu avertat). Partes in religione inter se collidi. Crevit Pontificia sectæ zelotis animus, nee desunt impuri spiritus, qui potentis Europæ principes Roma obnoxios ad hoc bellum suscitant & inflammant."

Ver. 15, &c. The seventh trumpet still future. It refers to the final triumph of Christ over all his enemies, and a glorious state of the Church upon earth.

Ch. xii. It is certain that the beast, in ch. xi. 7, is the same with

the beast in ch. xiii. and consequently, that ch. xiji. precedes in time ch. xi. 7.-The birth of the manchild, is either that of Christ or of Christian emperors.-The dragon is the devil, as president of the Roman empire. The flight of the woman into the wilderness of Paganism, is proliptical.-That Michael is Christ, is proved by Zech. iii. 1, and Jude, 9.-The war here described is the fulfilment of Genesis, iii. 15.-The woman is persecuted by the Arians.-The wilderness, into. which she flies, signifies the barbarous nations, hitherto strangers, to Christianity.The place of the woman in this wilderness, the country of the Waldenses, Picards, and Bohemians, particularly that of the Waldenses; with a reference to the decay of religion in the East, and its preservation in the West, during the night of superstition and idolatry. Athanasius, flying into Gallia from the Arians, and the recession of many pious eremites, may be comprehended in this emblem.

The river signifies false prophets, viz. the Saracens, who penetrated into France, and were defeated by Charles Martel. The chapter closes with a prediction of the antichristian persecution of the Church in the West, after it had disappeared in the East, and after the failure of Satan's instruments, the Saracens. The remnant, the elect during the reign of antichrist.

Ch. xiii. Antoninus and Severus represented Rome on coins, as sitting upon a lion.---The first beast, Rome Papal, or the Roman empire, consisting of ten kingdoms. "Romæ instaurata passim laudatæ a Bellarmino Dictatorem nunc perpetuum, non Cæsaris, sed Piscatoris Petri successorem, et Imperatoris prædieti vicarium, Pontificem summum principes orbis adorant." Blondi, lib. 3. " Sic omnino Augustinus Steuchus, Everso, (inquit). Imperio, nisi Deus pontificatum restituisset, futurum erat, ut

Roma, a nullo excitata et restituta inhabitabilis posthæc fœdissima bovum et pecorum futura esset habitatio. At in pontificatu, etsi non illa veteris imperii magnitudo specie certe non longe dissimilis renata est, quia gentes omnes ab ortu et occasu haud secus pontificem Romanum venerantur, quam olim imperatoribus parebant."The similitudes of the beast denote its resemblance to the former beasts, Dan. vii. The seven heads, seven popes; of whom five were before the Reformation. Alexander III. the head wounded. The second beast, the community of false prophets. The two horns, Franciscans and Dominicans. The fire, fulminations. The image of the beast, the inquisitorial tribunal. In the number of the beast, a cabalistical mystery. Ezra, ii. 13. signifying the adversary of the Lord, the number of the name of the beast.

X

Ch. xiv. 1. These first angels, the Waldenses; the second, Luther; the third angel, the first fall of Babylon, by means of the Reformation.

Ver. 12. The reformed Ministers suffering under Louis XIV. and others yet future, who are to suffer in the last persecution; after which come the glorious rest and prosperity of the Church for ever and for ever.

Ver. 14. This is the king prepared to effect the vengeance of God upon his enemies, or the kings and heroes of the perilous time, whom God shall raise up as his instruments in accomplishing his judgments. This is not a spiritual harvest.

Ver. 18. This angel denotes the kings and generals, the Ministers of God, who are to cut down God's enemies, especially the kings whose wickedness is filled up. Here then there will be a bloody

of his Church, and shall besiege it; but God shall assist it, and raise up heroes, who will slay its enemies; and the persons who fall shall not be merely insignificant persons. "Botri denotant principes iniprimis, nobiles, ductores gentium quos botros vindemiare est impios Ecclesiæ hostes & persecutores dudum divinæ destinatos vindicta, tempore suo, a Deo definito, magnâ strage exscindere." (pp. 75. 13.) The wine-press will be trodden by our Lord himself, at Armageddon, and the slaughter will be exceedingly great. If I departed from the numerical meaning of the number, I should think the land of Canaan to be intended. We may here observe, that the enemies of the Church are to receive two destructive judgments, of which this is the last, to be consummated by our Lord himself. Comp. ch. xvi. 13, 14, 16.

Ch. xvi. The first vial, inflicted by the Waldenses; the second, the crusades; the third, persecution by Popish ministers. The fourth vial, Emblema hoc nobis repræsentat principem quendam potentem (vel principes plures ejusdem generis) magnâ in orbe bestia fulgentem majestate." This vial, poured out upon Rome, in the 15th century, by the French. The fifth vial, immediately before the Reformation, when the Papal throne was darkened and disgraced. The sixth vial, the depopulation of France, in the 16th century.

A

Ch. xvii. A vision explanatory of the fall of Babylon, above described.

I have now, Sir, offered you a short view of Vitringa's scheme of interpretation; and, should it interest your readers, I shall have pleasure in communicating to you, at a future time, similar abstracts from the more esteemed and scarce commentators on the Apocalypse. I am, Sir,

Your obedient humble Servant,

B

RESOLUTION.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, never to speak muck, lest I often speak too much, and not to speak at all, rather than to no purpose. IT is the voice of fools that is known by the multitude of words. Eccl. v. 3. In which there are divers vanities, ver. 7; and sin too, Prov. x. 19: whereas, he that refraineth his lips is wise. This is that piece of Christian wisdom, which I am now resolving to look after; and, therefore, never to deliver my words out to the world by number, but by weight, not by quantity but quality; not hiding my meaning under ambiguous terms and expressions, but fitting words exactly to express my meaning; not amusing those I converse with, with circles of impertinence and circumlocution, but coming directly to the matter by the straight line of apt expressions, so as never to speak more than the matter requireth, nor to speak at all when no matter requireth. For why should I spend my breath for nothing? Alas! that is not all. If I spend it ill, it will be far worse than spending it for nothing; for our blessed Saviour has told me, that I must answer for every idle and unprofitable as well as profane word, Matt. xii. 36. But

now if all the vain words I ever spoke should be written, as I have cause to believe they are, in the book of God's remembrance, how' many vast volumes must they make! and if an index should be made, where to find profitable and where idle words, how few references would there be to the former! what multitudes to the latter! And (what is yet more terrifying) if all these words should be brought in judgment against me at the last day, how would those very words then make me speechless! and what shame and confusion of face would they then strike me with! But I trust, through the blood of my Redeemer, they will all be

washed and blotted out, before I come to appear before him. As I heartily bewail and detest my former follies in this respect; so I firmly purpose and resolve to use my utmost endeavours, for the time to come, not to give way any more to such idle words and expressions, as are likely to be thus prejudicial to my eternal interest; but always to consider well beforehand, what, and how, and why I speak, and suffer no corrupt communication to proceed out of my mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. Ephes. iv. 29. Extract from Bishop Beveridge's Private Thoughts.

4

To the Editor of the Christian
Guardian.

In lately reading over the " Private Thoughts" of the pious Bishop Beveridge, I was much struck with the above Resolution, which, if formed and acted upon by professing Christians of the present day, would tend to keep within due bounds, that useful, but (as St. James styles it) unruly member, the tongue. If the Editor of the Christian Guardian thinks it worthy of a place in his useful Miscellaney, the insertion of it will oblige

A constant Reader, But, alas! too voluble a Talker. York, 29th Dec. 1811.

SUPPORT.

FIGURE to yourself a man, trembling on the verge of an immensely high precipice, at the foot of whose perpendicular height, the sea dashes with sublime but awful fury. Imagine that you see that man, clinging to the branches of a tree, that hung over the fearful abyss, and which assist him in gradually withdrawing from the danger of his situation.

In this you have a specimen of the Christian in temptation, in

adversity, or in any difficult or distressing undertaking. Aware of his danger, he clings to the love and mercy of his God, for security; and finds in such a moment, a peculiar comfort in the steady belief of the omnipresence and omniscience of his heavenly Father. "Thine eye seeth me!" seeth my motives and views upon entering into this situation; seeth my repentance for all my errors which have accompanied ny course in it; seeth my ardent desire to cling 66 nearer and yet nearer" to Thee, the Source of life and happiness, and to draw from Thee fresh grace, fresh strength, renewed vigour, increased hope, and final success. With confidence I rest my faith on this: Thou who hast given unto us thy Son, shalt Thou not, with Him, freely give us all things? O, yes! "Thou wilt give grace and glory, and no good thing wilt thou withhold from them that walk uprightly." Thou wilt, I trust and pray, withdraw me from this trouble, and bring me safe to a land, where I shall receive power from Thee, to praise Thee in a more adequate manner.

R-, near St. C, the 1st of February 1811.

REVEREND SIR,

PERMIT me, the rector of this place, to assure you, that as I have been a student in Hebrew for twenty years, I could not but take special notice of what the Christian Guardian, some time ago, report ed as your sentiments respecting the true way of reading that very useful language; and, as I have always entertained some doubt about it, I felt a desire to request, that you, whose travels have afforded you some peculiar advantage above others, would be pleased to do me the honour of communicating to me what particular reasons have induced you to adopt those Hebrew points, which Messrs.

Parkhurst, Romaine, and many others, have reprobated as "Rabbinical trumpery." If I have in any degree credited this charge, you will, I trust, condescend to remove all my scruple about it, as soon as ever you see how I was induced to desert the points, and to read my Hebrew Bible without them; and that I may be favoured with full and satisfactory answers from you, I beg leave to state those inducements in a formal manner.

1. I observed, that the famous Dr. Taylor himself, who is an advocate for the points, and who, in his Hebrew Concordance, has nevertheless given us the Hebrew roots without them, was not able to show us any certain way for the Hebrew pronunciation, any more than a rejector of the points; for, says he of the student, "As the pronunciation of the Hebrew is UNCERTAIN, he needs not be solicitous about that, either in the consonants or vowels." Hence, after I had learned the points, I could see no necessity for abiding by such uncertain things; but, in the reading of the Old Testament, was persuaded to take no particular notice of any letters, or characters, besides those which only appear to be of divine invention.

2. I was somewhat confirmed in this opinion by Montanus; who, in the use of points, certainly teaches us to pronounce a variety of proper names, and even some other words, as differently from the common reading of them, as ever I could use by my unpointed way of their pronunciation.

3. As every character, which is invented to teach us some particu lar sound, especially if it be styled a vowel, must necessarily be thought a letter, I could not but take notice how very different the little POINTS are from those very beautiful letters which are con tained in the Hebrew Alphabet, and which consequently one might

4. As some ground for this be lief, I moreover observed, that the Hebrew, being a sort of Brachygraphy, given to us of God, is no more unintelligible to those that have been taught it, even without any points at all, than my own short-hand itself is to as many as understand its characters; and that, although the signification of unpointed words would, by themselves, be uncertain in Hebrew, yet the context, in which they are used, may be expected to remové such an uncertainty, in the same manner as some characters in my short-hand mean different words in different situations, without leaving any ambiguity in their meaning. The sacred language, which Infinite Wisdom itself hath invented, may well be more comprehensive than all other languages.

5. The apparent oddness of borrowing the Greek epsilon, omicron, &c. at which some learned Hebraists are said to have not a little laughed, appeared to me, if the just pronunciation may thus be pointed out, no sufficient objection against the use of such a loan, any more than the conduct of Greek grammarians can be justly thought ridiculous, by pointing out the power of Greek letters by the sound of those that are Euglish; for in learning the sounds of the letters of a language, which we do not understand, we necessarily look for their explanation in a tongue with which we are ac quainted already.

6. My doubts about the lawfulness of the points have further been increased, from the consideration, that their disuse may be traced CHRIST. GUARD. VOL. IV.

almost as far up as to the beginning of the world, but more evidently unto the age of the Apostles. Jews are said to have fixed in China so early as betwixt the years of our Lord 58 and 75; and that, " In a Jewish temple," in that part of the world, various "inscriptions have been found, without any of those vowel points" at all; nay, that "The law, called by the Chinese Fo King, i. e. magne scripturæ, is kept in a place of their temple, named Bethel, containing the five Books of Moses, without any vowel-points, division of chapters, books, or verses, having only a space betwixt each section.", So that the rejection of those Hebrew points has evidently the sanction of antiquity, and not their rise from any modern conceit.

Now if, without good reasons, I have long been reading the He brew in its unpointed state, I trust that you will soon have the goodness to rectify my mistakes about it; for you may be assured, that I am very desirous of reading the blessed word of God in the right way; and that I have in vain been looking for good books of instruction in it. Through the recommendation of Yeate's Hebrew Grammar, by the Christian Guardian, I sent for it I must own that I feel myself miserably disappointed in it, for its great deficiency. I was also greatly disappointed by that excellent Magazine's mention of a "Hebrew. Primer," which truly makes a mock of its purchasers: the former work is an advocate for the points; the latter is a rejector of them! yet both recommended by the same hand! You therefore see additional reasons why I should be very thankful for your kind directions for my study of the Hebrew language. I am,

3 R

Reverend Sir, Very respectfully, Your humble Servant, R P