Hebrew and Greek text itfelf, which was written by the prophets and apoftles. In short all things are Latin; the pope having communicated his language to the people under his dominion, as the mark and character of his empire. They themfelves indeed choose rather to be called Romans, and more abfurdly still Roman Catholics and probably the apostle, as he hath made ufe of fome Hebrew names in this book, as Abaddon (IX. 11.) and Armageddon, (XVI. 16.) fo might in this place like wife allude to the name in the Hebrew language. Now Romith is the (5) Hebrew name for the Roman beaft or Roman kingdom: and this word, as well as the former word Lateinos; contains the juft and exact number of 666. It is really furprifing that there fhould be fuch a fatal coincidence in both names in both languages. Mr. Pyle (6) afferts, and I believe he may affert very truly, that " no other word, in any lan

guage whatever, can be found to express both "the fame number, and the fame thing."

CHA P. XIV.

ND I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood

ANI
A

on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thoufand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

3 And they fung as it were a new fong before the throne, and before the four beafts, and the elders and no man could learn that fong, but the hundred and forty and four thoufand, which were redeemed from the earth.

4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins:

these are they which follow the Lamb whither foever he goeth: these were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God, and to the Lamb.

5 And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God.

After this melancholy account of the rife and reign of the beast, the Spirit of prophecy delineates, by way of oppofition, the state of the true church during the fame period, its struggles and contefts with the beaft, and the judgments of God upon its enemies. Our Saviour is feen (ver. as the true lamb of God, not only with horns like a lamb, standing on the mount Sion, the place of God's true worship; and whith him an hundred forty and four thousand, the fame select number that was mentioned before, (VII. 4.) the genuin ofspring of the twelve apoftles apoftolically multiplied, and therefore the number of the church, as 666 is the number of the beaft; and as the followers of the beaft have the name of the beast, fo these have the name of God, and as fome copies add of Chrift, written in their foreheads, being his profeffed fervants, and the fame as the witneffes, only reprefented under different figures. The angels and heavenly quire (ver. 2, 3.) with

loud voices and inftruments of mufic fing the fame new fong or Chriftian fong that they fung before (Chap. V.) and no man could learn that Jong, but the hundred and forty and four thoufand; they alone are the worshippers of the one true God through the one true mediator Jefus Chrift; all the rest of mankind offer up their devotions to other objects, and through other mediators. Thefe are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins; (ver. 4.) they are pure from all the ftains and pollutions" of fpiritual whoredom or idolatry, with which the other parts of the world are miferably debauched and corrupted. These are they which follow the Lamb whither foever he goeth; they adhere conftantly to the religion of Chrift in all conditions and in all places, whether in adverfity or profperity, whether in conventicles and deferts, or in churches or cities. These were redeemed from among men, rescued from the corruptions of the world, and are confecrated as the first fruits unto God and the Lamb, an earneft and affurance of a more plentiful harvest in fucceeding times. And in their mouth was found no guile; (ver. 5.) they handle not the word of God deceitfully, they preach the fincere doctrin of Chrift, they are as free from hypocrify as from idolatry; for they are without fault before

the

the throne of God, they refemble their bleffed redeemer, who, (1 Pet. II. 22.) did no fin, neither was guile found in his mouth; and are, as the apostle requires Chriftians to be, (Philip. II. 15.) blameless and harmless, the fons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverfe nation. But poffibly it But poffibly it may be asked, Where did-fuch a church ever exift, especially before the Reformation and it may be replied that it hath not exifted only in idea; hiftory de-' monftrates, as it hath been before evinced, that there have in every age been fome true worshippers of God, and faithful fervants of Jefus Chrift; and as Elijah did not know the seven thousand men who had never bowed the knee to Baal, fo there may have been more true Chriftians than were always vifible,

6 And I faw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gofpel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the fea, and the fountains of waters.

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