first beast." Signified that that political govern ment supported all the claims of false religion.

Verse 13, "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven in the sight of men." Signified as the testimony of truth comes from heaven by the testimony of Saints; the commands of the political government caused the words of the false church to appear sacred, as if they were the testimony of truth, which is like fire# and for that reason it is said.

Verse 14, 66 And deceiveth them that dwell upon the earth by reason of those miracles, &c. Saying to them that they should make an image to the beast." Signified that the political government required of the people to have the spirit of deception and enmity, which were the image of the beast.

Verse 15, "And he had power to give life unto the image, &c. that it should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image should be killed." Signified that the political commands could give power of action to their enmity, so as to set them to persecute all who would not praetise the same wickedness.

Verse 16, "And he caused all to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their forehead." Signified that some carried the mark of their enmity in their most ready exercises, though with subtilty, while others carried it openly, in the forefront of all their movements.

VERSE 18, "Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and it is six hundred and sixty-six." Signified that the movements of false religion, can go no further than the abilities of man, or the wisdom of this world can teach, and cannot exercise that wisdom which is in the seven spirits of God.

Note. The beast of false religion began to rise in the second or third century, and obtained his greatest authority in the seventh. This wicked political government began to rise in the Roman empire, and obtained its greatest authori

ty when it fixed the authority of false religion, both of which were in the seventh century.

CHAPTER XIV..

Verse 1, on to 5, "And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty-four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." "These were redeemed from among men, the first fruits unto God, and to the Lamb." Signified all those who believed in Christ in the present world, as being the first fruits of the rest of mankind.

Verse 6," An angel having the everlasting gospel to preach," &c. Signified that good news of salvation was still preached to every creature.

Verse 8, "An angel proclaiming, Babylon is fall en." Signified that the inventions of false religion were already overthrown in the counsel of God.

Verses 9, 11, "The third angel proclaiming that those who worship the beast, &c. shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb, and that the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever," &c. Signified that those who practise false worship, &c. are tormented by the testimony of truth, which is like fire, and the reproofs of God's Spirit, which is like brimstone, in the presence of the messengers who preach against their errors, and in the presence of Jesus, who now reigns over all nations, and as Christ's reign is forever and ever, or to the ages of ages; therefore the torment of those who worship the beast, must continue from one generation to another as long as he reigns, and they rebel.

Verse 13, 66 Blessed are the dead who do, in the Lord," &c. signified those who die to sin," they rest from their labors :" as it is written, Heb. Iv, 3, We which have believed do enter into rest."

VERSE 14, "And I looked, and behold, a white cloud," meaning the cloud of witnesses; " and upon the cloud One sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." Signified Christ sitting by his Spirit on the christians with his quick and powerful testi

mony.

Verse 15, "And another angel came out of the temple, crying, &c. to him that sat upon the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the time is come for thee to reap. "Signified a dispensation of prayer from the spiritual temple, to Jesus Christ to use his testimony of the spirit for an ingathering, being assured that it was the proper time for reformation.

VERSE 17, "And another angel came out of the temple, &c. He also having a sharp sickle." Signified that the same spiritual testimony was now given to the christians in the spiritual temple, and they came forth with it.

Verse 18," And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire," signified a dispensation from the spirit of devotion, (called the altar,) which had power over the testimony, (called fire,) and therefore commanded that it should be used according to the signification of the fol lowing words: "And cried to him that had the sharp sickle, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth," &c. Meaning those things which grow in the minds of men.

Verse 19, "And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth," signifies that the word of truth entered the minds of men; "and gathered the vine of the earth," signified that the works of the people were so gathered that they could see how wicked they were, according to Matth. Xiii, 30, 41, 49, where the harvest and the reapers are described.— "And cast Them into the great winepress of the wrath (or ardor) of God." Signified that the people were brought to judgment, so as to separate their works,

the precious from the vile; which we know is the use of a wine-press, viz.: to separate the juice of the grapes from the useless mass which had grown with it.

Verse 20, "And the wine-press was trodden without the city," Jesus Christ himself treadeth the wine, press, see Isaiah Lxiii, 3, and Rev. Xix, 15.— Therefore it signified, as Christ suffered without the city, Jerusalem, so he now brings man to that judgment which separates his evil works from those which are good without the holy city; that is, before the man enters into the spiritual habitation of the Saints; "and blood came out of the winepress, unto the horse-bridles," &c. Signified, as the blood or juice of the grapes comes out of the winepress when it is trodden, so in the spiritual vintage, as bad works are by the judgment of Christ destroyed, the good ones flow out like wine; "even unto the horse-bridles," I have showed that horses represent the faculties of men; therefore" horse-bridles," signified those powers of selfdenial by which the faculties are governed as you may see by Ps. xxxix, 1: James I, 26, and JAMES III, 2. This passage, therefore, signified that those who pass through the wine-press, or judgment of Christ, such good flows from it as to enable them to govern their faculties so as to walk in the truth.

Note. Such events as are prophesied in this chapter, not only came to pass in the early ages of Christendom, but may be accomplished, and doubtless are accomplished in almost every age of the church.

CHAPTER XV,

Verse 1, And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath (or ardor) of God." Signified the same seven which had the seven trumpets.

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VERSES 2, 4, " And I saw those who had gotten the victory over the beast, (false religion,) stand on a sea of glass mingled with fire," signified their clear spiritual standing; "having the harps of God," signified a spirit of mind that was turned to sing by the spirit of God; " and they sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb," Signified that they sing victory, as Moses did over the Egyptians, and ascribe their victory to the Lamb.

Verse 5, "And the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened." Signified that the place of spiritual worship in the witnesses, of the tabernacle Christ, of his pure testimony, was opened in the heavenly spirit of truth.

Verse 6, "And the seven angels came out of the temple," signified that the seven degrees of understanding in the Saints, which received the testimony, came out to the people; "having the seven plagues," signified that every degree of the testimony of truth was a plague to mystery Babylon, which is spiritually called, Sodom and Egypt, to deliver from her bondage, the same as God sent plagues upon Egypt to deliver his people from that bondage; "clothed in pure linen," signified the purity of those who receive the testimony; "and having their breasts girded with golden girdles." Signified that they were girded with faithfulness and love to all men, which afforded them spiritual privileges.

Verse 7, "And one of the four beasts gave unto them seven golden vials, full of the wrath (or ardor) of God." As the beasts represent all fallen creatures, it is signified that a view of the wretched state of man in the bondage of mystery Babylon, gave them the wrath, ardor, or determination of God to destroy mystery Babylon.

Verse 8, "And the temple was filled with smoke, from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man could enter into the temple, till the seven plagues, &c. were fulfilled." As soon as the glory and