eousness, according to the prophet Malachi: (iv. 2.) 'which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (John i. 9.) But he enlightens, not as a shining

body, in a manner obvious to our senses, but after a spiritual manner. Therefore also it is added: In his strength: as if he had said, that the light of Christ works by its own inherent energy, not enlightening the countenance in a bodily manner, but spiritually illuminating the eyes of the soul.'

SECTION II.

THE next passage, which will illustrate the original interpretation of the Apocalypse, is part of the Epistle addressed to the angel of the church in Philadelphia.

Ch. iii. ver. 9. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.] The remains of Victorinus and Tychonius contain nothing on this passage. The earliest commentator, who has explained it, is Primasius: and he distinctly refers it to the future general conversion of the Jews. This interpretation is also adopted by the two Greek commentators, and followed by Ansbertus, Haymo, and other writers of the Latin church. Bede alone is doubtful, whether the general conversion of the Jews, or particular

δικαιοσύνης, κατὰ Μαλαχίαν τον προφήτην, φωτίζων πάντα ἄν· θρωπον ἐρχόμενον εις τὸν κόσμον. Ουχ ὡς σῶμα δὲ φωτίζει διαφανές αἰσθητῶς, ἀλλὰ νοητῶς. Διὸ καὶ

επήγαγε, Τη δυνάμει αὐτοῦ· ὡσεὶ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι τὸ φῶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ δυνάμει ἐνεργεῖ, οὐκ ὄψιν σωματι κῶς, ψυχῆς δὲ νοητῶς καταλάμ που ὀφθαλμούς.

conversions of individuals from among them, be intended.

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· unto me.

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PRIMASIUS. "This new promise was then made only to the church of Philadelphia. For it predicts 'future times, and chiefly those, which are near the ' end of the world; when the Jews, believing in 'Christ, shall become subject to His Church: which may truly say: Strangers have submitted themselves (2 Sam. xxii. 45.) For concerning the Jews the Apostle also says; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the 'Gentiles be come in. And so shall all Israel be 'saved. (Rom. xi. 25, 26.) And thou shalt know that I have loved thee, when I shall cause those Jews, who were formerly exalted on account of the nobility of their descent, to humble themselves 'before thee in faith; and both thou and they 'shall understand how great is the love I shew to • thee."

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2 ANDREAS. Thou shalt receive, saith He, this reward for the confession of my name, the con' version and repentance of the Jews: who shall fall ' down before thy feet, earnestly asking for guidance 'towards me, and illumination from me; and be

1 Hoc novum ecclesiae tantùm Philadelphiae tunc promisit. Reliquum enim tempus, et praecipuè illud circa finem mundi, praenunciat; quando Judaei, in Christum credentes, ejus ecclesiae subjungantur; quae veracitèr dicit: Mihi alienigenae subditi sunt. Nam et de Judaeis Apostolus dicit: Quia caecitas ex parte Israël contigit, donec plenitudo gentium subintroiret, et sic omnis Israel salvus feret.

Et scies quia dilexi te, cum tibi videlicet Judaeos, qui de nobilitate quondam generis extollebantur, humiles in fide subdidero, et tu cognosces et ipsi qualem tibi dilectionem exhibeam.

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Ἕξεις (φησί) μισθὸν τῆς ὁμολογίας τοῦ ἐμοῦ ὀνόματος τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐπιστροφήν τε καὶ μετάνοιαν οἳ προσπεσοῦνται τοῖς ποσί σου, τὴν πρὸς ἐμὲ προσαγωγὴν καὶ τὸν ἐξ ἐμοῦ φωτισμὸν

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coming Jews no longer in appearance only, but in the secret thoughts of the heart.'

BEDE. This promise was then made to the whole Church: for it was not only at Philadelphia that some of the synagogue of the Jews believed; as we find in the Acts of the Apostles....Possibly, however, the humiliation of the Jews in the time ' of Antichrist may be here signified.'

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Ver. 10, 11. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.] Here also the older writers are silent; and Primasius is the first commentator who explains the passage. He and the Latin wri-. ters who follow him remark, that, though the Church is always harassed by inward and outward conflicts, yet the persecution of Antichrist is here specially intended. As Primasius has been quoted in other instances, the present passage, for the sake of variety, shall be illustrated from the comment of a later writer.

HAYMO.

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By the hour of temptation is understood all the present time: in which, although the Church is tried by various temptations, yet it is not overcome. From this temptation we daily

αἰτούμενοι· καὶ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ τῆς καρδίας, οὐκ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ λοιπὸν, Ἰουδαΐζοντες.

1 Hoc omni ecclesiae tunc promisit: quia non Philadelphiae tantum crediderunt ex synagogâ Judaeorum; sicut in Actibus Apostolorum invenimus. . . Potest

tamen hic humiliatio Judaeorum sub tempore Antichristi significari.

2 Hora tentationis intelligitur omne praesens tempus, in quo etsi ecclesia variis tentationibus exercetur, tamen non superatur. De quâ tentatione precamur quotidie

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pray to be delivered, saying: Lead us not into temptation....But since this hour is not described as already past or now present, but predicted as 'future, we may better refer it to the times of Antichrist. For then shall come that temptation, which 'will try not particular parts, but the whole world ' at once; and here tortures will rage, there miracles 'will persuade. Of that time, therefore, it is deservedly said by our Lord: Then shall be great 'tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. ' (Matth. xxiv. 21.) From this temptation the elect 'shall be preserved.'

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This is the general tone of the Latin writers. The Greek commentators, however, though they acknowledge that this prediction more certainly relates to the persecutions, which are to arise at the revelation of Antichrist, yet conceive that it may be referred to the barbarities inflicted on the Christians by the Pagan Roman Emperors. And their remarks will enable the reader to form a very correct idea of the manner in which detached and insulated passages of the Apocalypse were from time to time applied at random to some striking events in the history of the Church: till at length these applications became so numerous, that they were ultimately reduced to a system of interpretation; which superseded the ori

liberari, dicentes: Ne nos inducas in tentationem..... Possumus et hanc horam, quae non jam venisse aut in praesenti esse, sed futura esse praedicitur, referre melius ad tempora Antichristi. Tunc enim veniet illa tentatio, quae non partes, sed totum simul mundum

examinabit; et hinc tormenta saevient, illinc miracula suadebunt. Unde merito de illo tempore a Domino dicitur: Erit tunc tribulatio, qualis non fuit, sed nec fiet. A quâ tentatione liberabuntur electi.

ginal views entertained by the earlier Fathers of the general subject of the Apocalyptic visions.

ANDREAS. Either the hour of temptation here spoken of is that which was on the very point of arriving, namely, the persecution of the Christians by those who at that time impiously held the supreme power at Rome; from which He promises 'that the Church shall be rescued:-or else he means that universal assault of Antichrist upon the believers, which will take place at the end of the world: from which He promises to deliver her faithful members; who shall be previously snatched away by death from thence, that they may not be tempted • above what they are able to bear. are able to bear. And He well adds; Behold I come quickly:-for immediately

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after the tribulation of those days, as He saith, • (Matth. xxiv. 29.) the Lord will come. Therefore He exhorts them to keep the treasure of faith inviolate, that no one may lose the crown of patience.'

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26 ARETHAS. By this hour of temptation He means either the persecution under Domitian, which was the next after that of Nero, as Eusebius Pamphilus has recorded; when the Evangelist himself was condemned to the isle of Patmos by this very

1 Τὴν ὥραν δὲ τοῦ πειρασμοῦ, εἴτε ὡς αὐτίκα μάλα παρεσομένην, τὴν τῶν ἀσεβῶς τῆς Ῥώμης τὸ τηνικαῦτα βασιλευσάντων κατὰ Χριστιανῶν δίωξιν εἴρηκεν· ἧς λυτροῦσθαι αὐτὴν ἐπαγγέλλεται. ἢ τὴν ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος παγκόσμιον κατὰ τῶν πιστῶν τοῦ ̓Αντιχρίστου κίνησιν λέγει· ἐξ ἧς ἐλευθεροῦν τοὺς ζηλωτὰς αὐτῆς ὑπισχνεῖται, προαναρπαζομένους διὰ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ἀναλύσεως, ἵνα μὴ πειρασθῶσιν ὑπὲρ ὃ δύνανται,

καλῶς δὲ φησὶν, Ἔρχομαι ταχύ μετὰ γὰρ τὴν θλίψιν τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐκείνων εὐθέως, ως φησὶν, ὁ Κύριος ἐλεύσεται· διὸ παρεγγυᾷ κρατή σαι τὸν θησαυρὸν τῆς πίστεως ἄσυλον, ἵνα μή τις ἀπολέσῃ τὸν τῆς ὑπομονῆς στέφανον.

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Ὥραν πειρασμοῦ, ἢ τὸν ἐπὶ Δομετιανοῦ διωγμὸν λέγει, δεύτε ρον ὄντα μετὰ Νέρωνα, ως Ευσέ βιος ἱστορεῖ ὁ Παμφίλου· ὅτε καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς εἰς τὴν Πάτο μου ὑπ ̓ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Δομετιανοῦ