quently expect it will be overturned, and his intereft vifibly deftroyed, in its operation and effects. Upon the pouring out of this vial, there were voices and thunders and lightning, the ufual attendants and fymbols of divine majef ty in the execution of judgment; and a great earthquake, the common fymbol of convulfions and revolutions on earth, with this mark of distinction, that it exceeded all that were before it. Such as was not fince men were upon earth. We may confequently expect that of all the convulfions which ever shook the world this will be the greatest, as it may be the laft. As this fcene is future, we cannot affirm any thing pofitively concerning it, except that which is clearly expreffed by the fpirit of prophecy. In the diftreffing fcene which will exift under this vial there will be two capital events. First,-The deftruction of the beaft or popish antichrift. This is denominated the Fall of Babylon. The way of the kings of the eaft having been prepared by the fixth, under this vial they will enter and deftroy the city. Then this fpiritual Babylon will fink, as a mill ftone into the fea, and never rife any more. The holy city will no longer be trodden under foot of the gentiles, nor will the witneffes prophefy in fackcloth. The woman will return from her retirement in the wilderness, obtain joy and gladnefs, and forrow and fighing fhall flee away. Though this be the proper period of antichrift's deftruction, and that great event to which the prophecies primarily and chiefly relate, yet may it not be expected that after it fhall be confummated, there will exift great remains of antichriftian fuperftition? Is not this the im port of chap. xviii. verse 9—20, which fuggeft, that many kings and great men who had been af fectionately attached to the idolatrous worship of the falfe church, would be the aftonished spectators of her conflagration, and be grievoufly afflicted that her deftruction had come like a whirlwind? Is it not rather unreasonable to conclude, that such an horrid fcene of impiety fhould be terminated in fo abrupt a manner? Is it not reasonable to fuppofe, that as there were lamentable corruptions in the church before the twelve hundred fixty years commenced, fo there will be great remains of them after that term fhall expire? Agreeably to this hypothefis may we not confider the taking of the beaft and falfe prophet, chap. xix, verse zo, as denoting the total and ultimate extirpation of all popish idolatry. The other great event is, Secondly,-The victory over the kings of the earth and all the world who had been inftigated by the spirit of devils to wage war with God Almighty. We faw them under the fixth vial entering the palaces of kings and pervading the world, to excite high and low, rich and poor,bond and free, fmall and great, free,fmall to an open and decifive conteft with heaven. They were gathered to a place called Armageddon, the mountain of destruction. And here we fee the king of kings with his glorious army going forth to meet them. But no fooner does the battle commence than the victory is won. They are given to be meat for the beafts of the field, and all the fowls of the air are filled with their flesh. Here the extended conteft between the feed of the woman and the ferpent, which began at an early period, termimates in the with his bride, the church, will produce it in connection with the deftruction of antichrift; and the beaft and falfe prophet are accordingly reprefented as exifting and active in that laft fevere conteft, and as being then taken and caft into a lake of fire burning with fire and brimftone. But this unites the two events in one final scene, which will finish this myfte rity and doubt, refpecting thefe fubjects, fhall we not fufpend our judgment, and wait in faith and hope until divine providence shall unravel the intricacy and give an infallible explanation of thefe predictions? Whether thefe prophecies have reference to distinct and fucceffive events, or will be accomplished at the fame period, certain it is, that the judgments upon antichrift conftitute the third woe which introduces the voices in heaven proclaiming, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Chrift and he shall reign forev er and ever. fuppreffion of Satan's vifible kingdom in the world. Although Although thef events are diftinctly and feparately related, it is not eafy to decide, whether they will not be combined and united in the fame event. Each fide of the hypothefis poffeffes great plaufibility. It is faid of the kings of the earth who had committed fornication with the great whore, who had patronized and fupported the a-ry of God. In a ftate of obfcudulterous, or idolatrous church, that they stood afar off and lamented and bewailed her burning. This most clearly implies, that they furvived her deftruction, and it should feem afterward united with the dragon in his great conflict with God Almighty, when with him they would be overcome and fubdued. This relation clearly implies two fucceffive events; one being the fall or deftruction of fpiritual Babylon, the other, the final victory over Satan and his adherents, which will deftroy his vifible kingdom on earth, and introduce the millenial ftate of the church. This notwithstanding, it is faid of the ten kings chapter xvii. 14. Thefe fhall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb fhall overcome them and kill them; evidently referring to the great battle defcribed, chapter xix, combining the fall of Babylon and the victory over Satan in one event. So the celebration of the marriage of the Lamb with fuch joy and gladness, though it be related previous to the great battle, really fucceeds it; as we may rationally fuppofe that it would not be celebrated while it was fo formidably oppofed, nor while the difpute concerning it was pending which was to be terminated by a great and decifive battle. To fuppofe this conflict will precede the nuptial folemnity of the Lamb It would confequently be next in courfe to confider that great and blessed event expreffed in the text, fo defirable, and happy for the church; but this hath been fo ably defcribed by pious and learned pens, and is fo conftantly the fubject of the meditation, faith, hope and prayer of the benevolent friends of Chrift's kingdom, that the neceffity of it is entirely fuperceded. Let it therefore fuffice only to remark, that as under the fixth vial we faw the unclean fpirits go to the kings of the earth, and ftimulate them to wage war with heaven, and were amazed at their impiety, their efforts and fuccefs, as we had the moft demonftrative evidence of the accomplishment of this before course of events; and by thefe is he who fitteth on the white horfe preparing to make fignal difplays of his invincible power, his confummate fkill in war, and his infinite fuperiority over his enemies, and to vanquish them forever. After the expreffions of joy and gladness, of thanksgiving and praife in heaven, that the Lord God Almighty had taken to himfelf his great power and reigned; it is added, And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they fhould be judged, and that thon fhould'st give reward unto thy fervants the prophets and to the faints, and to them that fear thy name fmall and great, and that thou shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth; in this very concife and fummary manner including and completing the whole fyftem of divine government, with the folemn retributions of the day of judgment. our eyes in the occurrences of the prefent day; fo we are equally aftonished at the methods of the king of kings to fruftrate their nefarious defigns. How marvellous are the administrations of his providence to vindicate his own cause, and difconcert the devices of his foes, that wherein the enemy deals proudly he may fhew that he is above them? Was that facred paffage, When the enemy fball break in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him, ever more fignally verified than in this period of agitation and conflict? How wonderful are thofe difpenfations of his providence by which the light of the gofpel is diffused? How admirable the fpirit which he hath ftirred up in his children, by miffionary inftitutions, contributions and exertions to give extent and ftability to his caufe? How marvellous it is, that amidst all this fmoke of the bottomlefs pit, thefe infernal inftigations, even to rage and madnefs, against the Lord and against his anointed, that Chrift should be more extenfively preached and known, and his cause more deeply riveted in the fouls of men, than at any other period fince the foundation of the world? Surely from this, infidelity must forever defpair of fuccefs; but the spirit of blindness and madnefs is in it. How manifold and wonderful thofe influences of his fpirit (as the dew of Hermon and the dew which defcended upon the mountains of Zion) which he hath communicated to refresh and animate the fouls of his people and collect his chofen, by these making him-lating to the church and world, felf ftrong against the day of bat- which are the fubject or matter tle and war? These though not of the Revelation. The fixth particularly specified were to have commences the prophetic feries. been apprehended from the necef. The feventh, eighth and ninth fary nature of the fubject and continue it. The tenth containe In a review of the preceding remarks may we not analize and methodize the Revelation of St. John? Upon a critical examination will it not be found to confift of the following fubjects, reducible to the subsequent order? The first chapter contains a very awful vifion of Jefus Chrift, introductory to the directions and vifions contained in the whole book. The fecond and third chapters are epiftles to the feven churches in Afia. The fourth a vision preparatory to the Revelation itself. The fifth of the book fealed with feven feals, infolding the counfels and defigns of God Almighty re nation extended through the next a vifion of the little book, intro- | prized a term of about 30 years, death or the peftilence, and the If we enquire for the fubjects of this prophecy, will they not be found to confift of the following, related in the following manner ? Applying the firft feal, or the vifion of the white horfe and his victorious rider to Vefpafian, Ti-ed to found. The founding of tus and their conquefts, the prophetic feries commenced about A. D. 70, and the firft feal com the first four typifying the feveral 3 empire, by which they fubdued, depopulated and diffolved it, when the third part of the fun, moon and ftars, was fmitten, that the day fhone not for one third part of it, or the ruling powers of one third of the world were entirely extinguished, 476. The fifth trumpet and firft woe, by the figure of a ftar falling from heaven, the opening of the bottomlefs pit and the afcent of locufts out of it, denoting the impofture of Mahomet and the conquefts and cruelties of his followers, the Saracens, or Arabians, 612. The fixth trumpet and second woe, by. loofing the four angels which were bound by the river Euphrates, prefiguring the incurfions, depredations and conquefts of the Turks, which commenced 1280. With this we may connect the vifion of the beast and the witneffes prophefying in fackloth. We have laftly, the feventh trumpet and third woe, or God's judgments upon antichrift fucceffively inflicted under the pouring out of feven vials, of which we live in the conclufion of the fixth, or the beginning of the seventh and laft, under which divine judgment upon antichrift will be confummated in his complete and final deftruction, and Satan be difpoffeffed of his vifible kingdom in the world, which will be fucceeded by the happy condition of the church on earth and its glorified ftate in heaven. What a wonderful fyftem of vifions is the Revelation, containing a prophetic feries of events which commenced about the time of the apoftle, and will extend to the end of the world! How appofite the figures to fignify their various events? How admirably connected and harmonious? What evidence does the Revelation involve in itself of its divine inspiration and authori ty? What external, vifible evidence has it received from the difpenfations of divine providence? How full of important inftruction, fupport and comfort to those who are looking for redemption by Chrift Jefus ?-With thefe vifions before our eyes, and the hiftory of divine providence in our hands, we begin with the first seal of the divine volume. We examine all the fubfequent vifions, comparing the event with the prediction, and are furprised at their connection, their concert and exact fulfilment. We arrive at the period in which we live. We fee the fpiritual Euphrates dried to its lees, the refources of Popish antichrift exhaufted to their very dregs. We perceive from their tenets and infinuations, that the unclean fpirits, like frogs, are gone out into all the world. We fee them every where, in the palaces of kings and the cottages of peafants, and we hear them croaking from every corner. Filled with confternation at finding the events and circumstances of the times in which we live fo accurately defcribed, we demand, how can these things be? We reflect that known unto God are all his works from the beginning. Our doubts are refolved and our faith confirmed. This si the revelation of Jefus Chrift which God gave unto him. Convinced from the past we anxiously enquire for the future. We are informed that the conteft will progrefs. We fee the combatants marfhalling under their respective leaders. We look to the captain of our falvation and fee his name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. We are affured that he will vanquifh, confound and put all his foes to fhame, and triumph |