let the prophets, my brethren, who were commission'd by the Lord, be your examples; suffer persecution with constancy like them.

when the spirit of Christ inform'd the minds of the prophets of his future sufferings, and of the glorious consequences, they were solicitous to know the circumstances of the times pointed at:

and were answer'd, that it was not they, but we, who were concern'd in the events which they predicted, events which have been now represented to you by those, whom the holy spirit from heaven inspired to preach the gospel to you: a secret which the angels desire to penetrate into.

as obedient children be no longer influenc'd by those passions, which were the effects of your former ignorance.

considering, that it was not by such perishable things as silver or gold, that you were releas'd from those vain rites and customs impos'd upon you by your fathers,

and this they were destin'd to. but you are the chosen race, you are kings and priests, the holy nation, the peculiar people, that you might display his glory, who called you out

of darkness into his marvellous light: you, who formerly were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy,

he himself cancel'd our sins by the crucifixion of his body, that we being set free from sin, might live in the service of virtue. it is by his bruises that you were healed:

for you were as sheep going astray, but now you are brought back to the pastor and overseer of your souls.

the holy religious women of former times were thus adorned, and were submissive to their husbands.

those antient rebels in the time of Noah, when the divine forbearance waited, till the ark was quite finish'd, in which only eight persons were saved by means of the water.

My dear brethren, don't be surpriz'd at your being brought as it were to the test of fire; as if some strange thing had happen'd to you.

we our selves heard this voice, that came from heaven, when we were with him upon the holy mountain.

As there were false prophets among the people of Israel, there will likewise be false doctors among you, who by introducing pernicious sects, and by renouncing the Lord, who bought them, will bring upon themselves swift destruction.

when their language swells with vanity, by applying to the sensual passions of the licentious, they allure those who were escap'd for a while, from such deceivers:

but they are wilfully ignorant, that the heavens were originally form'd by the divine Logos, and likewise the earth, which was separated from the water, and still subsists upon it.

as it were in all his epistles, where he takes notice of these things: in which there are some passages that are difficult to understand, which the illiterate, and unstable wrest, as they do the rest of the scriptures, to their own ruin.

they went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that it might be manifest, that they were not all of us.

not acting like Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother: but why did he slay him? because his own actions were evil, and his brother's were virtuous.

For certain men have insinuated themselves among you, who were formerly proscrib'd to be punish'd; impious men, who pervert the divine favour to licentiousness, and renounce their only master, and Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now, I would call to your remembrance what you once were inform'd of, that when the Lord had delivered the people from the land of Egypt, he afterward destroyed those that were disobedient.

so it was with Sodom, Gomorrha, and the neighbouring cities, who abandoning themselves to the same licentiousness and abominable passions, were made examples by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

of others be compassionately tender, snatching them, as it were, out of the fire: and avoid even the garment of the infected.

his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; his feet were like fine brass,

round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty Elders sitting, cloathed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thundrings, and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.

Before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and towards the throne, and round about the throne were four ANIMALS full of eyes before and behind.

the four animals had each of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within; and they never ceas'd day and night, crying, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, Lord God ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS, WHO IS, AND WHO WILL BE. and when those animals gave glory,

"thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for thou hast created all things, by thy WILL they subsist, and were created."

When he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they maintain'd.

and white robes were given to every one of them, and it was said unto them, that they should have patience yet for a little while, till the number of their fellow-servants, and their brethren, that should be killed, as they were, should be complete.

every mountain and island were moved out of their places: the kings of the earth, the great men,

And I heard the number of those who were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred forty and four thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Isachar were sealed twelve thousand.

of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Then I saw the seven angels who attend in the presence of God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

And the second angel sounded, and a great mountain as it were all on fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood:

and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

the name of the star was wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

and he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkned by reason of the smoke of the pit.

and they were commanded not to hurt the fruits of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree; but those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

the figure of the locusts were like that of horses prepared to battle; but on their heads they had, as it were, crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

they were vested with breast-plates, as it were of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots and many horses running to battle.

and the four angels were loosed, who were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to slay the third part of men.

and the number of the horse of that army were two hundred millions: for I heard them number'd.

the horses I saw in my vision had this appearance: the riders had breast-plates of fire, of jacinth, and brimstone: the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire, smoke, and brimstone.

by these three the third part of men were killed, by the fire, by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

for the power of these horses is in their mouths, and in their tails: for their tails were like serpents, and had heads, with which they do mischief.

As for the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues, they did not repent of their evil actions, so as to forbear worshipping demons, and idols of gold and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk:

at the same time there was a great earthquake; the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake seven thousand men were slain: and the remnant were frighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

The seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, crying, "the kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."

the nations were enrag'd, but the time of thy vengeance is come, and the time when the dead are to be judged, when thou wilt reward thy servants the prophets, the saints, and those that fear thy name, small and great, and exterminate those who have corrupted the land."

THEN the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Then there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; on the other side fought the dragon with his angels: but these were defeated,

the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, call'd the devil or satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were precipitated with him.

but to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to her place, where she is to be maintain'd for a time, and times, and half a time.

Then I saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads, and ten horns; upon his horns were ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

and the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.

and I saw one of his heads, as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world went wondring after the beast.

he had power likewise to animate the image made for the beast, so that the image was made to speak, and as many as would not worship the image were order'd to be killed.

and a new song was sung before the throne, and before the four animals, and the elders: and no one could learn that song, but the hundred forty four thousand, who were ransom'd from the earth.

these are they who were not defiled with women: for they are virgins: these are they who follow the lamb wherever he goes: these were ransom'd from among men, being the first fruits unto God, and to the lamb.

and the grapes were press'd without the City, and blood came out of the wine-press, even to the horse-bridles: for the space of sixteen hundred furlongs.

and I saw as it were a sea of glass, mingled with fire; and those that had been victorious over the beast, and over his image, and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, with their divine harps in their hands.

the temple was filled with smoke from the emanations of divine power; and no one could enter into the temple, till the seven plagues were executed by the seven angels.

and men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who hath power over these plagues: and they repented not, to give him glory.

and there were voices, thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great.

and every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

the beast that thou sawest, was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, shall wonder when they behold the beast that was, and is not, but shall be.

of these wares who were enrich'd by her, shall stand afar off, under the dread of her torments, with tears and lamentations,

the lamp shall no more be lighted in thee; the bridal-song shall be heard there no more: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; all nations were seduc'd by thy enchantments.

here it was, that the blood of the prophets, of the saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth, was found."

for just and right are his judgments; for he hath condemned the grand prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her licentiousness, and hath avenged the blood of his servants that were shed by her hand."

and I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, which was like the sound of many waters, or like a volley of thunder, saying, "alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent does reign."

his eyes were as a flame of fire, on his head were many crowns: and a name inscrib'd which no one comprehended, but himself:

and the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles in his favour, by which he seduc'd those that had received the mark of the beast, and those that worshipped his image. these were both cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

all the rest were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were satiated with their flesh.

I saw likewise thrones, where persons were seated, to whom the power of judging was given: and I saw the souls of those that were beheaded for the testimony they had given to Jesus, and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast, nor his image, nor had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

and I saw the dead, small and great, stand before the throne; the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out. of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

the sea gave up the dead which were in it; death and the grave delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every one according to their works.

and death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire: this is the second death.

Afterwards I saw a new heaven, and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were vanished; and there was no more sea .

her walls were large and high; the gates were twelve; and at the gates twelve angels, with the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel inscrib'd thereon.

on the east were three gates; on the north, three gates; on the south, three gates; and three gates on the west.

the city was a square, the length being as large as the breadth: he measured the city with the reed, and found it twelve thousand furlongs: the length, the breadth, and the height of it were equal.

the foundations of the citywall were embellished with all manner of precious stones. the first foundation was of jasper; the second, of sapphire; the third, of chalcedony; the fourth, of an emerald;

the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each single gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as splendid as glass.

in the midst of the area, surrounded by the river, was the tree of life, which had twelve fruit-seasons, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.