Under the seven seals a series of transactions is related which belong to the seven successive ages of the Church, and which terminate with the great day of judgment. The same course is observed in the trumpet and the vials. But we must however remark, that, after finishing with the trumpets, he does not proceed immediately to the vials: nevertheless he observes the same rule, namely, in returning, after the seventh trumpet, to relate a new series of events, but which are confined to the first, third, sixth, and seventh ages; these ages being the most interesting to the Church, as the three first of them exhibit the history of idolatry, and the last or seventh relates to the general judgment. This narrative is given in the chapters xii. xiii. xiv. and as it is joined to that of the trumpets, it partakes of the nature of them, that is, it describes events that are alarming to the Church, with the addition however of some incidents or promises that administer comfort in those alarming circumstances.

The prophet, having thus carried us on to the end of time, begins again with the first age, and rehearses under the seven vials, in chap. xv. xvi. a new course of transactions that runs through all the seven ages. This narrative being terminated, he returns back, as he had done after the account of the trumpets, to a new course of history, relating to the first, third, sixth, and seventh ages, beginning at chap. xvii, and ending with verse 10th of chap. xix. This piece of history is of such a nature as agrees with that of the vials to which it is joined, that is, it is a rehearsal of divine punishments; to which are annexed exultations on these victories of Christ over his enemies. This being done, the prophet, according to his custom, begins again a new narrative of events, of the same nature as the preceding, and which also belong to those interesting ages, the first, third, sixth and seventh. This narrative begins at verse 11th of chap. xix. and continues to the end of chap. xx. Finally, the two last chapters conclude the prophecy, with an account of the other world, as it will be after the close of all time. Hence then appears the order observed in this incomparable prophecy of the Apocalypse. As the whole History of the Church, therein contained, is divided into seven Ages, so it is related, not indeed all that part together which belongs to each age, but in seven different series of events, six of which reach from the first age to the last day, and the seventh is the description of the next world. The first of these series is given under the seals, the second under the trumpets; the third in the chapters xii. xiii. xiv. the fourth under the

vials; the fifth in chapters xvii. xviii. and part of chapter xix. the sixth in the rest of chapter xix. and in chapter xx.; and the seventh in chapters xxi. and xxii. This sevenfold division is conformable to the constant use made in the Apocalypse of that mysterious number seven, as, of seven seals, seven trumpets, seven vials, seven churches, seven candlesticks, seven spirits, &c.

It is plain from this disposition of the plan of the Apocalypse, that it is necessary to transpose many things in order to form a regular narration: for, as St. John so often travels through the whole period of the Christian æra, at each time relating only a part of the transactions, we are obliged to collect from different parts of the book all those facts that belong to the same age. And we may observe, that the prophet is the most copious upon four of the seven ages, viz. the first, third, sixth, and seventh, as being the most interesting to the Church, and most remarkable for their transactions.

Another help which we found for clearing up obscurities was, a very strict attention to the tenor of the text. The extraordinary nicety in the expressions, the sudden change of tense in the verbs, of number in the nouns, general words used in particular senses, the addition or omission of a word, with several such circumstances, are of great consequence for discovering the true sense, and have not been by the generality of interpreters sufficiently attended to; which indeed we may not wonder at, as such minute particularities are not generally expected, and there never has been seen a book written with that comprehensive precision and exact nicety which are observable in the Apocalypse.

In composing this work we have freely made use of other authors, where we liked their opinions; and we hope to incur no censure, when on other occasions we have substituted our own.-Some few passages of the Apocalypse have been generally understood in the same sense by all the ancient fathers of the Church and modern Catholic interpreters; to these we have scrupulously adhered, and founded our interpretation on their testimony. In other places, where former writers took the liberty of interpreting and differed in their expositions, we have likewise thought it lawful to use the same liberty. We hope for indulgence, if in some few instances we appear to have applied the text of the ancient prophets to what they have not usually been applied. This freedom, we presume, is allowable, when the sense of the texts has never been fully settled. And here we cannot but remark that, whoever will take

the pains to study the Apocalypse, we apprehend he will perceive that it throws a new light upon several dark passages of the ancient prophets. Besides, it must be observed, that a prophecy is not always confined to one object, but often relates both to the figure of a thing and to the thing itself, and consequently has two accomplishments, the one inadequate and in part only, the other complete and perfect. How often, for example, is the same scriptural text applied in an imperfect sense to David or Solomon, which is fully completed in Christ, of whom they were figures? Thus also the return of the Jews from the Babylonic captivity may be deemed a figure of their return from a much longer captivity in the latter period of the world, and both may be intimated together by the prophets and so of other instances. On these grounds a text, that has been generally applied to the figure, we have sometimes transferred to the thing itself, to show its full and ultimate completion. That part of the Apocalypse, which gives the prophetic history of past ages, we have illustrated with the real history of those times, that the accomplishment may clearly appear. If we have not always mentioned our vouchers, it is because we thought it unnecessary in the case of such short abstracts of history, especially as they are taken from the well known ecclesiastic historians of the times. In regard to the text of the Apocalypse, we have made use of the commonly known English translation made from the Latin vulgate; at the same time taking notice of any difference, worth observing, between the translation and the original Greek. In fine, we here make our acknowledgments to those friends whom we have consulted, and who have assisted us in discovering and unfolding the mysterious senses of the Apocalypse. As to the time when this prophecy was delivered to St. John, it is generally understood to have been in the year 95 or 96 of the Christian æra. This holy Apostle, after being immersed in a caldron of boiling oil at Rome, from which he came out unhurt, was banished by the emperor Domitian into the isle of Patmos in the Egean Sea or Archipelago, where, as we learn from himself, Apoc. i. 9. he was favoured with this most admirable and most comprehensive of all prophecies. "St. John was a prophet," says St. Jerom, "because being in the isle of Patmos, whither he had been exiled for the faith by the emperor Domitian, he received the Apocalypse or a revelation containing an infinite number of mysteries appertaining to future times." Lib. I. contra Jovin. He always enjoyed erior share in the affections of his divine Master, and

among many proofs of it, he was indulged with this singular and extraordinary favour, not granted to any of the other apostles. This most instructive book we cannot but earnestly recommend to every Christian, and we hope our recommendation will have the more weight, as it is grounded on the words of the divine book itself: Blessed is he, that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy; and keepeth those things which are written in it," Apoc. i. 3. The obscurity, which covers the Apocalypse, has been the occasion of its having been so little attended to. We have therefore attempted to remove that obstacle: but if we have not totally succeeded, we plead indulgence from the difficulty of explaining a prophecy so sublime, and the most mysterious that is extant. Besides the advantage resulting from a general survey of the history of the Church, another motive for attending to the Apocalypse, is the particular interest every Christian must take in that part of the history, which relates to the present time, and those scenes which are approaching. Much instruction may be drawn from the present state of the Church, as described by our prophetic writer, and caution ought to be the result for what we find is to happen hereafter. If God reveals to us mysteries, it is for our instruction: if he discloses to us future events, doubtless he does it to give us warning to prepare for them. This kind of economy almighty God observed towards mankind from the beginning, that in consequence of such previous admonitions, his faithful servants should withdraw themselves from approaching calamities, while the wicked might impute to their own obstinacy the punishments that fell upon them. This bountiful administration of Providence appeared very conspicuous in favour of the Jews, who were generally forewarned by the prophets of the great events that concerned them. The same course we find the Almighty has pursued in the Christian age of the world. He has not indeed sent a succession of prophets as he did to the Jews. The only considerable prophet Christianity can claim is St. John the apostle; but then he as far excels any one of the ancient prophets, as his Apocalypse contains more matter, and comprises a larger field of history. He grasps the whole period of Christianity. He describes the birth of Christ's Spouse, his Church, and gradually conducts her through her whole progress, till she arrives at the full possession of her Lord in everlasting glory and bliss. The finger of God appears plainly stamped upon the book of the Apocalypse, it so far exceeds the reach of human composition. The divine pen is

visible in every line, as each sentence is apparently written with such precision and accuracy, that a word cannot be added or retrenched without derogating from the sense. The figures and allegories here employed are truly sublime, grand, and beautiful, and closely adapted in all their parts to the subject. Some of them are borrowed from the ancient prophets, but heightened by superior strokes. St. John's subject, the history of Christ's kingdom, as it surpasses in dignity the object of all preceding prophecies, so he exhibits it in colours that outshine all former prophetic descriptions. This kingdom of Christ, the greatest of all kingdoms, and his government of it, the most perfect of all governments, are described in a style proportionably exalted. The ancient prophets announced the orders and instructions they received from God, and were only favoured with visions in some particular cases: but the beloved disciple of Christ, not only receives from his Lord the verbal account he delivers, but is admitted to see transacted before him every scene of the history which he writes. Again, the ancient prophets chiefly confined their accounts to the temporal transactions of kingdoms; but St. John, after giving the history of the Christian Church, for the whole time of her existence in this world, describes her future triumphant state in the heavenly Jerusalem, the period of which will be equal to that of eternity. Besides, the picture which he there gives of the heavenly Jerusalem is drawn with such exquisite art, is painted with such striking colours, and enriched with such charming scenes, and with such a collection of the choicest, the most valuable, and the most shining objects in nature, that the whole surpasses greatly whatever human conception is capable of imagining or combining together. Such then being the extent, the usefulness, and the excellence of the prophecy delivered in the Apocalypse, what can be more curious or interesting than a history founded upon it?