e, and out
of holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Vs. 18, 19.--"For I testify."--He who is "the faithful and true Witness"
closes this book of prophecy, with a solemn and awful sanction. These
tremendous threatenings by the "Lord God of the holy prophets," may well
cause all who read or hear to tremble: for who can abide his
indignation?--While the "prophecy of this book" is primarily intended,
all other parts of the Bible are included in this solemn conclusion: for
doubtless our Lord intended the Apocalypse to be a close to the whole
canon. The threatening is twofold, corresponding to the criminality.
Learned, bold and irreverent biblical critics; enthusiasts and
pretenders to new revelations, are in danger of these judgments. "The
plagues that are written in this book," are such as will utterly destroy
the presumptuous sinner who "adds to these things." And he that
impiously "takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy,"
exposes himself to the like awful punishment. "God shall take away his
part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the
things which are written in this book."--Tremendous doom! All that which
he seemed to have shall be taken away. (Luke viii. 18.) Great will be
the sudden and unexpected loss!--These awful denunciations, however,
have special reference, like the rest of the threatened judgments in
this book, to the great, continued and defiant impieties of the apostate
church of Rome. She has "added" her _traditions_ to the Scriptures, as
part and principal part, of the "Rule of Faith!" She has "taken away"
the Scriptures from the body of her people; or shut them up in an
"unknown tongue," so that "every man may" _not_ "hear in his own tongue
wherein he was born, the wonderful works of God." (Acts ii. 8, 11.) This
is one of the articles in Rome's indictment here; and whatever modern
infidelity or spurious charity may suggest, this theft of God's word,
and robbery of his people, is not to be expiated with burnt offering or
sacrifice. And he who scans all time, foresaw this attempt of the dragon
and his allies to deprive the church and the world of the "lively
oracles;" therefore, as he promised a blessing on the reader of this
book, as it were on the title-page, here in the close he appends a
malediction, that all who read or hear, may be deterred from such
sacrilege.

20. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly: Amen.