g

n,

the

I be

ate, and

t in a little religion of of God upon are symbolized it is opened. stage of divided Lich, the apostacy as to be revealed. 1,and its seven comen vials, God's judgage, are shewn; and is filled up the wrath

-tructionfollows; Jehovah, ts, is manifested in judgr of the armies of heaven. tes "the image upon his feet 1 to pieces; then the iron, the broken to pieces together, and freshing floors; and the wind nd for them and the stone that untain, and fills the whole earth." body destroyed, and given to the Le Son of man cometh in the clouds lominion, and glory, and a kingdom, ages, should serve him: his dominion shall not pass away, and his kingdom

glance at those events and awful visita: me to apply to the symbols of the seals, is far as events have disclosed. The date of I agree with by far the greater part of comfallen very short of producing any conviction on my own mind. These addresses, therefore, I look upon as shewing the actual present state of religion in these seven primitive societies, under their respective pastors; and this inspection of "things which are,” with the indications given of the various ways in which corruptions have grown up, and spread in them severally, is sufficient as a sample, and is intended for a caution and warning for all Churches, in all ages; and especially do we learn, the great blessedness that awaits, at Christ's coming, the remnant in every church, whatever the character of the church as a society may be, who have maintained the truth, and been faithful to their Master, in seasons of trials and temptations, from whatever source they arose, in the days of their pilgrimage.

Next, with respect to the main vision-" of things that should be hereafter," I think the order of events, as more particularly developed in the history of the visible transactions of mankind, is arranged in the following manner:

Seven seals as primary divisions, include them all;

The seventh seal, however, is divided into seven trumpets,

And the seventh trumpet, again, into seven vials.

So that, as a primary division, all the seven trumpets, including the seven-fold division of the last, into its vials, are included in the seventh seal. Various visions are shewn besides, affording prophetic symbols of things in heaven and things on earth, and placing in our view the chief agents or characters, at particular junctures, in the rise or fall of empires and states: they form, indeed, a very considerable portion of the whole book; but these visions are introduced, in the nature of proems or episodes, preludes or interludes, (whatever term may be judged most suitable,) and are, except for purposes of illustration, to be kept distinct from the main action of the prophecy-the main action, I mean, as to the occurrence, in their appointed order, of those events and judgments which mark the avenging hand of Providence upon the enemies and corruptors of the visible church, the taking away, especially, and consuming the power of the fourth empire, in the successive periods of its continuation, and under the different phases of its appearance in the world, till the end shall come, and "the day when the Son of man shall be revealed."

The Revelation forms, therefore, but an enlarged history of "the fraying" of the last "of the four horns of the Gentiles, which scattered Judah," *-of the fourth kingdom "breaking in pieces and subduing all," which was symbolized by "the legs of iron" in Nebuchadnezzar's dream,

Zechariah i. 18, &c.

terminating in feet with "toes part of iron and part of miry clay," of the fourth beast in Daniel's vision, "dreadful, and terrible, and strong exceedingly; whose sovereignty towards the latter end of its dominion, is also shewn by particular symbols to be in a divided state when the empire perishes, and the dominion under the whole heavens shall be given to the saints of the Most High.

Accordingly, history has, I think, explained to us,

I. That the sIX FIRST SEALS show Rome in its Pagan state, and mark the eras of its decline and fall in that character.

II. Next, its authorities become nominally Christian; but in a little while, a similar hostility discovers itself against the pure religion of Christ, the heavenly King; this brings down the judgments of God upon apostate Christendom, under the sceptre of Rome, which are symbolized by the SIX FIRST TRUMPETS of the seventh seal when it is opened. These judgments reduce the fourth empire into its last stage of divided sovereignty, as shewn in former prophecies, during which, the apostacy being completed, "that wicked," "the man of sin," was to be revealed.

III. Lastly, when the seventh trumpet is sounded, and its seven component parts disclosed, by the pouring forth of seven vials, God's judgments upon the fourth empire, in this its last stage, are shewn; and they are the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath

of God."

Men still repent not, but blaspheme. Entire destruction follows; Jehovah, Elohim himself, as Sabaoth, or Lord of Hosts, is manifested in judgment, as the avenger of Zion, and as the leader of the armies of heaven. Then "the stone cut out without hands, smites "the image upon his feet which are of iron and clay, and breaks them to pieces; then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold are broken to pieces together, and become like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carries them away, that no place is found for them: and the stone that smote the image becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth." "The fourth beast is slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame;" then, "one like the Son of man cometh in the clouds of heaven," and there is given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that shall not be destroyed."

To proceed in taking a hasty glance at those events and awful visitations, which history has taught me to apply to the symbols of the seals, the trumpets, and the vials, as far as events have disclosed. The date of the vision of the Revelation, I agree with by far the greater part of comfallen very short of producing any conviction on my own mind. These addresses, therefore, I look upon as shewing the actual present state of religion in these seven primitive societies, under their respective pastors; and this inspection of "things which are," with the indications given of the various ways in which corruptions have grown up, and spread in them severally, is sufficient as a sample, and is intended for a caution and warning for all Churches, in all ages; and especially do we learn, the great blessedness that awaits, at Christ's coming, the remnant in every church, whatever the character of the church as a society may be, who have maintained the truth, and been faithful to their Master, in seasons of trials and temptations, from whatever source they arose, in the days of their pilgrimage.

Next, with respect to the main vision-" of things that should be hereafter," I think the order of events, as more particularly developed in the history of the visible transactions of mankind, is arranged in the following manner :

Seven seals as primary divisions, include them all;

The seventh seal, however, is divided into seven trumpets,

And the seventh trumpet, again, into seven vials.

So that, as a primary division, all the seven trumpets, including the seven-fold division of the last, into its vials, are included in the seventh seal. Various visions are shewn besides, affording prophetic symbols of things in heaven and things on earth, and placing in our view the chief agents or characters, at particular junctures, in the rise or fall of empires and states: they form, indeed, a very considerable portion of the whole book; but these visions are introduced, in the nature of proems or episodes, preludes or interludes, (whatever term may be judged most suitable,) and are, except for purposes of illustration, to be kept distinct from the main action of the prophecy-the main action, I mean, as to the occurrence, in their appointed order, of those events and judgments which mark the avenging hand of Providence upon the enemies and corruptors of the visible church, the taking away, especially, and consuming the power of the fourth empire, in the successive periods of its continuation, and under the different phases of its appearance in the world, till the end shall come, and "the day when the Son of man shall be revealed."

The Revelation forms, therefore, but an enlarged history of "the fraying" of the last " of the four horns of the Gentiles, which scattered Judah," *-of the fourth kingdom "breaking in pieces and subduing all," which was symbolized by "the legs of iron" in Nebuchadnezzar's dream,

Zechariah i. 18, &c.

terminating in feet with "toes part of iron and part of miry clay," of the fourth beast in Daniel's vision, "dreadful, and terrible, and strong exceedingly; whose sovereignty towards the latter end of its dominion, is also shewn by particular symbols to be in a divided state when the empire perishes, and the dominion under the whole heavens shall be given to the saints of the Most High.

Accordingly, history has, I think, explained to us,

I. That the SIX FIRST SEALS show Rome in its Pagan state, and mark the eras of its decline and fall in that character.

II. Next, its authorities become nominally Christian; but in a little while, a similar hostility discovers itself against the pure religion of Christ, the heavenly King; this brings down the judgments of God upon apostate Christendom, under the sceptre of Rome, which are symbolized by the SIX FIRST TRUMPETS of the seventh seal when it is opened. These judgments reduce the fourth empire into its last stage of divided sovereignty, as shewn in former prophecies, during which, the apostacy being completed, "that wicked," "the man of sin," was to be revealed.

III. Lastly, when the seventh trumpet is sounded, and its seven component parts disclosed, by the pouring forth of seven vials, God's judgments upon the fourth empire, in this its last stage, are shewn; and they are the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God."

Men still repent not, but blaspheme. Entire destruction follows; Jehovah, Elohim himself, as Sabaoth, or Lord of Hosts, is manifested in judgment, as the avenger of Zion, and as the leader of the armies of heaven. Then "the stone cut out without hands, smites "the image upon his feet which are of iron and clay, and breaks them to pieces; then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold are broken to pieces together, and become like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carries them away, that no place is found for them: and the stone that smote the image becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth." "The fourth beast is slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame;" then, "one like the Son of man cometh in the clouds of heaven," and there is given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that shall not be destroyed."

To proceed in taking a hasty glance at those events and awful visitations, which history has taught me to apply to the symbols of the seals, the trumpets, and the vials, as far as events have disclosed. The date of the vision of the Revelation, I agree with by far the greater part of com