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(xvii. 1, 10), falls into the middle clause. — The present time is, according to the Divine of Halle, in reference to the vision of John; whence he gives this interpretation : One (that is, Domitian) is, and the other (that is, Antichrist) is not yet come. But this expression, one is, and that, which we shall presently see, the beast is not, cor- respond with each other ; nor can that, is not, whichever way you turn it, be in any way applied to the Koman empire according to the time of the vision : or does the subsequent clause, the other is not yet come , permit that this, one is, should be applied to Domitian. For the particle not yet excludes the interval between one and the other , who are strictly joined together even by the contradistinction between the five kings, and the one and the other. But Domitian was slain more than 1600 years ago; and to the present day that expression holds good : the other is not yet come. The present time, in speaking, is often the present in reference to the series of events itself. Such is the expression, thou didst gird thyself, etc., John xxi. 18. From this the prophets address future persons as if they were already born and alive ; for instance, Ezek. xxxviii. 17. Thus the first and the second woe are said to have gone : Ap. ix. 12, xi. 14. Add the expressions: they lived; who has; they shall be: ch. xx. 4, 6. Comp. ch. xvii. 12, 14. This very method of speaking was remarkably proved by Bossuet, not to mention others, in the general thesis ; for the particular hypothesis, which it supported, is nothing, being refuted by others long ago, and that with more labour than was necessary. So, in this passage, the angel plainly expresses three times, placing both himself and John in the middle of them, that is, in the second ; in order that with a more suitable difference the first time may be declared to be in the past, the second in the present, and the third in the future : nor was there any other cause, why the angel should rather assume for the present, that time in which the beast is not, than that in which it is.
Obs. 9. The duration of the beast is itself divided into the same articles. — rLhe beast was ; he is not; he will ascend out of the bottom r- less pit and perish, etc.: ch. xvii. in ver. 8 twice, and in ver. 11. Between these Yersicles this is inserted as if parallel : five have fallen; one is ; one is not yet come, etc.: ver. 11. The sum made up from both is, the beast from the sea ; the beast not yet ; the beast from the bottomless pit.
Obs. 10. Babylon is Rome. — The name, Rome, 'Yu/ayi, is so called from strength : whence formerly the same was called Valentia. The mighty city, ch. xviii. 10, is so called by Antonomasia [an Appella-
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