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LECTURE XLVIII.

THE INNUMERABLE MULTITUDE.

REV. vii. 9-12. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands ; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

THIS chapter contains a satisfactory answer to the insulting question which has been often proposed to Protestants, viz. In what region of the earth did their church exist before the time of Luther? Her limits were not circumscribed within those of any particular district, or bounded by the rivers and mountains which separate one political association from another. Her members were scattered over a widely-extended surface, among all those numerous tribes and families which bore the name of Christians. And it is much easier to trace up her extraction to the true apostolic church, than for the bishop of Rome to shew that he has received the keys, either of doctrine or of discipline, from Peter; or that the church of which he is the head is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Though the records of the dark ages are exceedingly imperfect, they are, nevertheless, sufficient to shew, that, even in the most

benighted state of Europe, there were some who maintained the same great and cardinal doctrines which were so generally embraced at the Reformation. The prophet was assured by this vision, that a succession of witnesses would be maintained; he was at the same time comforted with the prospect, that these times of great calamity would pass away, and that the friends of truth would be increased into a multitude which no man could number.

Before we enter upon the explanation of the verses, it will be necessary that we endeavour to ascertain their chronology, and shew in what period of the church she might expect to receive this vast accession to the number of her members.The way in which John introduces this interesting part of his narrative seems intended for our information on this point. After this, says he, I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude. If the introductory clause were meant only to describe the order in which the different symbols were noticed by the prophet, it could not suggest any new idea to the reader; because the limited powers of which he was possessed could not otherwise contemplate the different representations than in the way of succession. Had he tried to fix his attention upon every thing at once, he could not have had a distinct apprehension of any thing. Omniscience only is competent for a task of this kind. The expression, like the one in the beginning of the chapter, is intended to mark the order of events, as well as the order of manifestation. Immediately after the earthquake described in the close of the preceding chapter, John saw the forebodings of a tempest, the symbol of those calamities which were to follow upon the earthquake. And, in like manner, after the hundred and forty and four thousand were sealed out of the tribes of Israel, to be preserved as witnesses for Christ during the period of this storm, he saw them succeeded by a multitude which no man could number. This multitude, then, appear to be the successors of the witnesses, and flourish in a time which is subsequent to theirs.-The full accomplishment of the prophecy is not to be expected till the latter days; but its commencement must be

dated from the period of the Reformation, when the interests of the false church began to decline, and those of the true to revive. Viewing the subject in this light, we may consider the account which John gives of this multitude.

He calls them a great multitude, which no man could number. The history of the sixteenth century contains a remarkable illustration of this prophecy. No one can reflect upon the work of the Reformation, which happily commenced in this century, without being struck at the rapidity of its progress, and the readiness with which multitudes in every country came forward to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Luther began his attack upon the more glaring evils of Popery in the year 1517; and within the short space of ten years thereafter the great body of the people, together with the princes and rulers of different states of Germany, openly renounced the authority of the See of Rome. Neither Luther, nor those who were associated with him, could have imagined that a revolution, the most remarkable in its consequences to society, would have been so speedily accomplished. After the period mentioned much still remained to be done; the victory was yet in a great measure undecided. But, when they had proceeded so far as to renounce the authority of the Pope, and to mould the external frame of the church, without any regard to his threatenings, and independent of his authority, the work of reformation was considerably advanced. These hopeful beginnings in Germany were followed with similar attempts in other countries, which were crowned with equal success. And even where Popery continued to be the religion of the state, the friends of the Reformation, in different places, were permitted to worship God according to the doctrines and rules of the Reformed church. Thus the friends of truth were suddenly increased into a multitude. Every day added some new converts to the cause, till it would have been impossible to calculate their numbers.

This multitude is described from their origin. They are said to have been of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. At the time when Luther began to preach against

the sale of indulgences, he was at the head of the university of Wittenberg. Melancthon, his intimate friend, and whose religious sentiments were congenial with his own, had a chair in the same university. They were justly esteemed for their learning as well as for their piety. The celebrity of their characters as public teachers collected students from all the different countries of Europe, who drank in the principles of the Reformation at their source; and who, upon their return home, could not fail to impart the instructions they had received. This was one special occasion of the principles of the Reformation having been so widely propagated in so short a space of time, and of so many learned men having appeared in different regions at once, who were eminently qualified to illustrate and defend them. But this was only the primary accomplishment of the prediction. We must look forward to the final subversion of the Papal interest, when, from the rising of the sun to his going down, the name of Christ will be great among the Gentiles. All nations, kindreds, and people, shall serve him. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him,' Ps. lxxii. 10, 11.

The station and posture of this multitude did not fail to attract the notice of the prophet; they stood before the throne, and before the Lamb. As the throne of God is the church, and as the Lamb is in the midst of the throne, when they stood before the one they must also have stood before the other. The members of the corrupt church of Rome may be said to stand before the throne of angels and departed saints, rather than before the throne of God and the Lamb, because they worship and serve the creature more than the Creator and Lord of all. They take their warrant both for faith and practice, in the matters of religion, from the authority of the church, and not from the authority of God speaking in his word. But this multitude acknowledge God to be the only Lord of the conscience. As his worshippers, they appear before his throne. They acknowledge his Son to be the only

Mediator, and, therefore, improve him as the only way of access to the Father.

The appearance of this vast assembly must have been very splendid and beautiful; for all of them were clothed in white robes. The import of this figure was formerly considered; and, as it is here mentioned in connexion with the palm of victory, this determines it to be meant of the snow-white splendid robe of the conqueror. No tree is more useful or more highly valued in warm. latitudes, than the palm; it is covered with perpetual verdure, has a very tall stately appearance, and affords an agreeable shade from the heat; it likewise bears a rich nourishing fruit, and yields a juice which is peculiarly pleasant to the taste. Hence branches of this tree are always used as the symbols of joy and victory. In allusion to those that triumph, this multitude were clothed in white robes, and held branches of the palm-tree in their hands. The condition of the hundred and forty and four thousand was widely different from this. They lived in perilous times; whole period of their existence was a time of warfare. But when those that succeeded them appeared in the church, the battle with Antichrist was either over, or drawing to a close, and victory was manifestly terminating in their favour. They were accordingly presented to the view of John, as wearing the badges of conquerors.-But as nothing is more common, when a great victory has been gained, than for a song of victory to be sung, so these conquerors are represented as lifting up their voices in the loudest acclamations of praise, as in ver. 10.

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They cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, &c. They sung of salvation; they sung of a temporal deliverance so great, that we cannot form any suitable conceptions of it, unless we had felt the weight of that yoke under which they groaned. Anterior to the Reformation, both the bodies and minds of men were enslaved: the Feudal system prevailed over Europe, and the haughty barons imagined that they might do with their vassals and dependants as they pleased. By the extraordinary powers which they exercised over them they compelled them ot gird on their armour, and to march wherever