successions of these last plagues, vet, in their progress, they will be gradual, and parallel, and now this, and then that object will be affected; so that the pouring out of the vial upon the sun may be supposed to have commenced when despots and despotism first experienced, since the symbolic earthquake, some signal blow, and that the wrath is passing from one to another. This I think to be partly true, and that most of the vials will, in a degree, synchronize, and for a considerable time run together; but still, I apprehend, there will be some special calamities, and such as are of unusual magnitude, to distinguish each; and that, as there will be some signal calamity, or calamities, fall upon some maritime countries and naval powers, between the vial on the earth and that on the rivers; though, in some degree, these vials may all run together; so there will be, I think, some singular judgments fall upon the sun, at once unusual in their kind and of extraordinary magnitude, between the execution of that wrath, which is destined against the countries of the rivers, and of that which is to fill the kingdom of the beast with darkness. But events are the best interpreters of prophecy. Our duty is to watch, and run to and fro, and inquire; but all we can do, with certainty, before their complete fulfilment, is to discover their general intent, and, as they approximate to their full accomplishment, to guess, with an increasing degree of probability, particular and discriminating circumstances. †

*

* Daniel, xii. 4, 10. Rev. i. 3. xvi. 15.

On more mature thought, the above ideas appear to me to want some correction. It is true we must expect some events to distinguish the commencement of each vial of wrath, but it does not necessarily follow that these events must be so very signal as I have supposed. All the vials seem to mingle their streams in one current, and to run on to the pouring out of the seventh; and then it is (after the general combination of the party of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, under the sixth vial, as intimated ver. 13.) that we are to expect that signal wrath, and that general crash, of which the prophets of God have spoken. 2d Ed.

We have now reached the year 1808. Let us compare the past with the present. To what but a vial of wrath from God can we attribute the mortifications and miseries which have overwhelmed the sovereigns of Europe? To what, but the avenging anger of God, can we ascribe the awful visitation which has already extinguished-or nearly so→ almost all the ancient governments of Christendom? They have been enraged with fury by the attacks which have been made upon their pride and power, and have scorched men with fire; but their power and splendor is no more. 3d Ed.

And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast, and his kingdom was full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and sores; and repented not of their deeds, verse 10, 11. The language is highly symbolic. The beast here, is the ecclesiastical beast, to which the dragon (chap. xiii. 2.) resigned the metropolis of the Roman empire to be the capital of the spiritual empire of this new monster, whose power was to extend over the ten kingdoms. These have had one mind, to give their power and strength unto the beast.* Darkness is the well known symbol of misery and adversity, whether from war or any other cause. Pains and sores are but other symbols to signify those political evils which cause distress, and bring ruin on the party affected.

Θρόνος,

But some by the seat, or throne of the beast, understand his power. Ogóvos, it must be admitted, has, sometimes, this signification, as the LXX. in 1 Kings, i. 4, 7. God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. But as the power, and the seat, and the great authority, which the dragon gave to the beast, in chap. xiii. 2. must mean something different, the latter springing from the two former. There, I think, Spóvos, seat, must mean the seat of empire, Rome, and Suvau that power which some interpreters here understand by Spovov. And it must be allowed, that whatever its meaning may be in the thirteenth chapter, it must undoubtedly be the same here. And, seeing that the prophecies teach us to expect some signal judgment to fall upon Rome, the great whore, who has long tyrannized over the kingdoms, it helps to strengthen the argument in favour of the conclusion, that, by the seat of the beast, we are to understand Rome, or the papal government there: But be the meaning of seat this or that, the issue is the same, for what is the darkness which fills the kingdom of the beast, but the general destruction of ecclesiastical power, stripping the whore of all her ornaments, and eating her flesh, and burning her with fire? (Rev. xvii. 16.) that is, seizing her possessions, and utterly destroying her credit, power, and influence, by taking from her those honours and riches she has so long enjoyed? "Flesh, in the symbolic language signifies (says Daubuz) the riches, goods, and "possessions of any person, or subject conquered, opChap. xvii. 13.

*

"pressed, or slain, as it happens. Thus, in Isaiah, ix. 12. "They shall devour Israel with open mouth." See also Isaiah, xvii. 4. The fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. By burning her with fire, the same learned commentator understands the utter ruin of Rome, which he supposes, will be destroyed with fire and sword. But, as has been noticed, this desolation of the great whore is not to take place till after the fourth angel has poured out his vial on the sun, European despotism, for it is not to be effected by one nation, but the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and make her desolate. Rev. xvii. 16. There is to be some great and general change take place in the nations, that, as by common consent, they may unite in destroying all hierarchial corruptions and usurpations. This is filling the kingdom of the beast with darkness. The destruction of Rome, or of the papal government there, is, it seems, to be the signal, or the fore-runner, of this general indignation which is to fall on the subjects of the beast. *

* Yes, some great and general change must take place in the nations; the governments which support the interests of the apostate church, must be overthrown, and the temper of the nations who admire the strumpet must undergo a great and general change, before she will be stript naked and made desolate; but let the reader remember, that it does not hence follow that all this must come to pass before the vial is poured on the seat of the beast, Rome, or the papal government there. We must distinguish between the seat of the beast, and the whorish church, for, though intimately connected, they are not one and the same; for while the former is confined to Rome and its territory, the latter extends through all the Babylonish kingdom; the whole empire of religious corruption and tyranny. The seat of the beast (the papal government) may be overthrown, and all the beast's kingdom be fast filling with that darkness which is to terminate in the utter ruin of the whorish church, although, for the present, most of the kingdoms should continue to be her fond admirers and zealous supporters.

Since I published the above sentiments the papal government has been destroyed, and a revolution taken place at Rome; the Pope and his college of cardinals are become wandering mendicants, and the beast's kingdom is filling with darkness; the effects, I believe, of the beginning of the fifth vial of wrath. By the movement in the east, the sixth vial seems also commencing.

I acknowledge that I expected the fourth vial, viz. that on the sun, or the civil despotism of the beast's kingdom, to have produced more signal effects, before the pouring out of those which follow, than have hitherto been seen; but this only serves to verify what has often been observed, events are the best interpreters of prophecy.' But though we may have been somewhat mistaken, respecting this inferior circumstance, still, nothing has happened to prove that we are wrong in our ideas of

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared, ver. 12. As there is so general an agreement among commentators, respecting the object of this vial, little need be said; soon after the great judgment signified by the vial of the fifth angel, we may expect to see great calamities befal the Ottoman empire, which will terminate in its overthrow, and thus prepare the way for the restoration of the seed of Abraham; for which wonderful event they have been so long, and so miraculously preserved. Daniel informs us (chap. xi. 44.) that one great enemy, who is to be the instrument of effecting the ruin of this king of the North,* is to come from the East, and another from the North. We may guess, with tolerable certainty, who the enemy from the north is; but who the eastern one is, time must explain. But this, it is likely, will be the most fatal one.

But here is an episode, or an accompanying vision, which contains some things that deserve particular attention, verse 13. And I saw three unclean spirits, (or nasty goblins, as Daubuz has it) like frogs, come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world (not to the people, for very evident reasons) to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. "The mouth, (says the "above learned commentator) is the organ of speech, and

the great outline. All that appears necessary for the accomplishment of this part of prophecy, is, that, the pride of despotism should experience some remarkable humiliation subsequent to God's wrath on the countries signified by the rivers and fountains of water; and previous to the fall of the Roman government; and this has, I think, been most evidently verified (as it respects Germany and Italy) since the victories of the French in the vicinity of the Po. A humiliation this, more general, and more mortifying, than was ever before experienced; but a humiliation which is likely to enrage despotism more than ever; and to bring on a delirium which will end in its annihilation. Rev. xvi. 8, 9. 2d Ed.

The shadow of a Pope has been again set up, since the publication of the former edition. As the puppet of the ruler of France, he has acted the part for which he was created; and we may now expect, from appearances, that he will soon be laid aside. How, or when, exactly, his annihilation will be effected, it is not possible now to say, but that that event is not far off is certain, I believe. 3d Ed.

* The Turk is called the king of the North, I suppose, not only because he came originally from that quarter, but as situate north of the country whence the Saracen plague sprung.

"words, in the sacred style, are the same as commands "and actions, because they imply effects of the thoughts. "To come out of the mouth, therefore, signifies to be "constituted and commanded; to become an agent, or "minister, under a superior power. But frogs! what are these the symbols of? Philo, as quoted by Mr. Daubuz, says, "They They are the symbol of vain opinions and glory, having only noise and sound, void of reason." Artemidorus says, "Frogs signify impostors, and flatter"ers, and bode good to them who get their living out of "the common people." Here, in these unclean spirits like frogs, there appears to be a personification of the malignant and hypocritical policy, spirit and measures, of the several powers and governments, civil and ecclesiasti, cal, signified by the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.* In more modern language, they are the demons of discord and mischief, which go forth to stir up the nations to war and bloodshed; and are said to be three, in reference to the powers from which they proceed, and for which they act. These are the spirits of devis working miracles; not miracles in the usual sense of the word; for cutov, a sign, token, wonder, or miracle being used in a variety of senses, there is no need of understanding it here to mean something supernatural, any more than in Matth. xxvi. 48. where it is used for the token which Judas gave to them who seized Jesus. It may mean something extraordinary, but nothing more.-They go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty

And he gathered them together into a place, called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon, that is, the mountain of destruction. This awful battle (or war) appears to be described in chapter xix. 11-21. It is the war of him whose name is KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS, against the beast, and the false prophet, and the kings of the earth, and their armies. They are taken, and the most exemplary vengeance executed upon them. The dragon and his army are not present, or if they are, he, for the present, escapes.

This being a time of great trouble, and the end draw

* A prophet is one that speaks for, or declares the mind of another; thus Aaron is styled Moses's prophet, Exod. vii. 1. In this sense, the race of French monarchs has been the prophet of the papacy. All agree, that the false prophet here, is the same with the two-horned beast in chap. xiii.