V. Æ. 96. J. P. 4809. fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of Asia Minor. the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the 19 angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of God. And the wine-press was trodden without the city, and 20 blood came out of the wine-press, even unto the horse-bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. And I 1 saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: 2 and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they 3 n Ex. xv. 1. sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord o Ps. exlv.17. God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of • Or, nations, * saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy 4 name? for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. or, ages. n § 36. REV. XV. 5, to the end, and xvi. 1. The seventh woe trumpet, which was described, in the first part of the vision concerning the 1260 years, as sounding after the completion of the progress of the Mahometan powers, (which finally ceased in 1698, Rev. xi. 15—18.) and which closed the prophetic history of the eastern empire, till the time of the overthrow of that religion, now sounds; and seven angels are represented as preparing the vials of God's wrath, to punish the earth, the Mahometan, Papal, and infidel powers, before the day of universal Christianity begins. 1698 to 1860. And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the taber- 5 nacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: and the seven 6 angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the 7 seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke s from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. And I heard a great voice out of the 1 temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. § 37. REV. xvi. 2. The first vial is poured out, and the harvest of the wrath of God begins-Some severt calamity, between the completion of the progress of Mahometanism and the approaching end of the 1260 years is predicted-We consider the pouring out of this vial to be predictive of the French Revolution; that event being the most terrible calamity which has hitherto happened to the votaries of the Papal religion, which in its effects is still agitating the whole civilized world—The sore, which is predicted as afflicting the Papacy, may be Infidelity. 1789-1791. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; xv.] FRENCH REVOLUTION PROBABLY PREDICTED. 451 V. Æ. 96. and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which J. P. 4809. had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. $ 38. REV. XVI. 3. The second vial is poured out-The sea becomes blood-This figure may describe the sanguinary wars and massacres which then afflicted the world. 1791-1794. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea. The third vial is poured out, the rivers and fountains become blood-By these emblems may be denoted the pollutions of Infidelity on the sources of knowledge, and the devastations of the lesser states of Europe during the revolutionary wars. 1794-1801. 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and 5 fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which 6 art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast 7 given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. The fourth vial is poured out-The world is represented as scorched with the heat of the sun-As this is the well known emblem of sovereignty, the empire of Napoleon may be represented. 1801-1814. 8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and 9 power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men Asia Minor. were * scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of • Or, burned. God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. The fifth vial is poured out-The votaries of the Papacy are represented in a distressed and agonized condition-We are now living under this vial-Possibly by this emblem may be intended the hatred of Papal Rome to that increasing and irresistible progress of knowledge, which demonstrates the absurdities and errors of the Papal religion, without producing reformation and repentance. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed 11 their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. The sixth vial is poured out-By this time the end of the 1260 years approaches-The emblems under this vial represent the nearer, though still gradual downfal of the Turkish empire, the preparation for the restoration of the Jews, and the commencement of the great confederacy of the Antichristian powers against the Church of Christ in Palestine, under the influence of evil principles or false religions. 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river J. P. 4809. Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of V. E. 96. the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three un- 13 Asia Minor. clean spirits 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, 14 which 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. 4 Matt. xxiv. 4 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and 15 keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in 16 the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 43. ch. iu. 3. The seventh vial is poured out—The 1260 years are now past—The vintage of the wrath of God, long predicted by the ancient prophets, now begins-Great convulsions, lang wars over the earth-The decision of the long contest between good and evil now arrives-The union of the false religions of the Papacy and Infidelity, against the remnant of the Church, against the Jews who assemble for their long-promised restoration, and against the great maritime nation, probably England, till the battle of Armageddon, in Palestine, now takes place. It is probable that many years may be included under this vial. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and 17 there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thun- 18 ders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three 19 parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came r Jer. xxv. 15. in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, 20 and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men 21 a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. After the general annunciation of these great events, the prophet is shewn the history and state of the Papacy before its final overthrow. And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven 1 vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters with whom the kings of the earth have 2 committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he car- 3 ried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman 4 Gr. gilded. was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: and 5 XV.] go 453 * Or, forni THE DOWNFAL OF THE PAPACY, ETC. DESCRIBED. upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABY- J. P. 4809. LON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS V. E. 96. 6 AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I Asia Minor. saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with cations. the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I won7 dered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the 8 seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is 9 not, and yet is. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman 10 sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he 11 must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into 12 perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but received power 13 as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and 14 shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they s 1 Tim.vi.15. 15 that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, 17 and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be ful18 filled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. S § 45. REV. xviii. The downfal of the Papacy and irreligion is described at length. 1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with 2 his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, t ch. xix. 16. * Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habit Ch. xiv. S. tation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of 3 every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her + Or, power. 4 delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, J. P. 4809. u Jer. li. 6. x Is. xlvii. 7,8. 17. 27. * Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have 5 reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her 6 double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, 7 and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in 8 one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who y Ezek. xxvi. judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have com- 9 mitted fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, 10 alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour z Ezek. xxvii. is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall 11 weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: the merchandise of gold, and silver, and pre-12 cious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, ⚫Or, sweet. and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, and cinnamon, and odours, and 13 ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and + Or, bodies. † slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted 14 after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which were 15 made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, Alas, alas that great 16 city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! for in one 17 hour so great riches is come to nought. And every ship-master, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of 18 her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and 19 wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her, thou 20 heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like 21 a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers, and 22 musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall |