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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 Uk 1 2 3 4 S 6 N ( ( t # B COMING WONDERS EXPECTED BETWEEN m AND 1875 V.XTlAlSISa THK FIJTUJU: LlTKRAL Fin.FrLMKS'T OF THr SCALS, TrI'M- PF.TH, VlAI-S, A\D OTHKn PlidPlfEf (KS OK Kicvk r ATIOV ANJI DAMRf,, WITHIN TIIR KI\AI, Srvi'V VlOAltS ; cu.MMKNCIXa wnu A NaVOMO- ON-I.^Jl'DAIt; SkITKNMAL COVIINANT FOR TIIF, NATIONAL J{rsTOi;\. T 0\ OF THK JkWS; srnsKiJlTliNT KX TKNsl VI: KfvIVALK ov IJfUOION ; TiiK FiiisTFitiTrs Ascension- ok 144,000 TnANsr.ATi'.n Ciiur.sTiANs ; ■IIIK l..\TTKIt-nAY WaHS, FaMINKS, ?|;sTrLr,Nr|;s. ANO EaUTII- VIAKKS; KlKl;V OliliKAI, OK ItlUrAIN AM) A.MKIIK A ; TIIK GUKAr 'riuiin.AnoN AM) Antkiikimian I'Kii.sKcriioN Koi; riimcK and \ HALF VFAIIS THK Sl.AUf; MTKU OF TIIK WiTNFs.Sl'.S- -TIIF. SkcoNO" Ascension ok iNNtiMFHAm.i; ('iuiistians--tiii: closini* Conflk r AT AllMAaFDDON— TIIF PriiSONAI, IIf.KjN OK ('lM!ISTt>N KviVIH FOR A THOUSAND YEAIIS. WITH t^UOTATIONS FH(1M THK THKATI8KS 0^• AiRiinisiior CYi-niAN, (JKoiuiK Uiikf- of Manchestki!, hoi! I) Con- OLF.TflN. IToNOITlAIlIF, (jF.RAIU) NoFI,. IIFV.s. Di!. A 1,'X AN DFll MA(!- i.Kon, Dit. Hai.fs. Dri. CJiij,, Un. (;i!aiik. Dis. Hoos, Du. Sjciso, AMI Hf.VS. 'I'lIOMAs HCOTT. lloLLls KkAII, K. NaNOI.K, 1{. SKKEh, I. (J. (li!F(H.nv, |{. A. I'rnnoN, K. Oovftt, 1!. I'olwjiklf, Tilson AlAllsil, C. .1. (looPIIAllT. .1. (}. ZllTFL. M. W. NkWTON, C. HeaLF, 1). N. Loud. (Vir.ovKi, |{o\vi,ANnso\. ]\1a.!oii Tni-viMAs, Matok Hou'oN, F/rc. m WITH MKJIITKKX FUl.L-l'ACiK ILLUSTRATIONS. j BytheKkv. M. liAXTKH, autiiok of "Tiik (Jominu Hattle." FOURTH TIIOirSANI). * TORONTO, (J. W. M . S H K WAN. I» U H L I S H K li , NO. 1 ST. LAWUKNCK ARCADE. 1807. t 6782: » " How long sliiiU it III' to the end of tlioso woxDEKs ?" (Dan. xii. 6>. •' He WDiketli si^us and wonokuh in Iwavt'ii and in oarth. . . How Kieat art' liis si>^n.s ! and how mighty avc liis wonukkh ! " (Dai:, vi. 27; iv. 3). " In thosi! day.s will 1 pour out of n»y Spirit. And I will .show vvondrhs in the heaven.s and in the earth" (Joel ii. 29, 30). "Who i.s like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who in like thee, glorious in holine.ss, tearful in prai.ses, doijig W()Nl)KR,s?" (Exod. xv.'ll). "Thou art ti»e Oodtlmt doest wondkus" (P.sa. Ixxvii. 14). "Sing unto the liord— declare his glory among the heatht^n, hi.s WON- UURy, among iill people. For he eometh, for he <'(>meth to judge the earth: he shall jndge J lie world with nghteoUHUeiW, and the people with his truth" (Tsa. xevi. 2, 3, 13). "Ogive thuuk,s to the Lord of lords,— to him who alone doeth great woNDEKs" (I'sa. cxxxvi. 3, 4). "Th(!y that dwell on the earth Nhnll won df.u, when they behold the wild beast that was, and is not, and yet is" (Hev. xvii. 8). " And there ajipeared a gn-at wosDi'.li. in heaven.— And there appeared another wonih'.h in heaven" ^Kev, xii, 1, 3), " And I beheld another wild beast eotning u]) out of th« oarth. And ho doeth great vvondeki*" (Uev. xiii. 11, 13). oi,o»r pniNTiNo com'v, kino hthfkt kaht, TonONTO ?" (Dan. xii. 6). liarth. . . How (Da,:. vi.27;iv.3). nil .show VVDNDKI'.S who i.H like then, ?"(Exod. .xv.;ilV ii. 14). Iioatlitui, hi.s WON- to judge the earth: p ])eo])le with his a'loiie (loeth urcut I they behold tlie And there appealed r the oarth. And r*Tu PBEFACF TO FIEST EDITION. TiiK outlino of tho pre.<5cnt treatise on Comino Wonders was drawn up by the author three years ago, in tho latter part of 18G2, and has been in preparation ever since, but it has been hitherto delayed in its rtt^L/lRPri?T% '^^^'^ *yP°-«'^"ing of it was eommenced n rMovcPibci, 1805 Its leadin- views were, however, briefly stated in authors pamphlet "TIic Coming Battle," in 1860, and in his treatise on Loins Napoleon in 1861-2. n,.I'f*;/-"'°'' ''^■.^'''' ^°".'' f ^ enriched with valuable quotations from piophe ic e.xposi ions, which are not within the reach of many people owing heir high price or from being out of print. It BhShe particularly observed tliat these extracts are invariably, according to customary usage, enclosed between inverted commas to distinguish abbrcviXl °'''" lemarks, and are in some cases necessarily The p-ayers of Christ's people are requested for the Holy Spirit's inHuence to accompany the teachings of these prophetic works, and liieir author. ' Rnnio''''Ja9"' *'"'° oiT' ''''." ^"'^ ^^'^ pamphlets-" The Coming Snnn? ^P F-'^'^'n.^'''^' ""^ *^° thrccpcnny abridgment of tho Napoleon treatise (96 pages) very useful for distribution in their respecivo neighbourhoods. It may also be mentioned that as it is tho author s aim and desire o se..d gratuitously one or other of those pami)hlet8 to as many ministers as possible, especially in country !• aces and distant colonies, wliero such information is not easily obtaiimblc, and particularly during tho present postal facilities for spreading iiitormation, before they are greatly impeded by approach- ing wars and rcvolufious ; with tliis object, any sum of money can be Bent to Messrs J. Wnght and Co., printers, Thomas Streot.^BristoI. J.ngland, tor tho gratis circulation of those prophetic works by nor- Bons who may wish thus to help in disseminating these views, 'rho author has received many applications from ministers in tho Southern fctatcs ot (\merica for a gratuitous 8ui)ply of copies of his books Any communications for the author, who is in England, will roach h.m, If directed to tho publisher of this book, or from American S'sK^ pri ' f'\"'^'i\ \? ^^'''''' J- ^'l''^^"" '^"J t;o.. GOG, Chest- nut btreet, Plvladolphia, U.S. December, 1805. tr£Zi7'''^ m vl^^7".^^18GG.-Tl.o printing and publication of this treatise has not been i ally completed until Au-ust, Um, but tho com- wencing portion, comprising tho first six wonders, was all stereotyped ♦Enf *i ■ /''".r'"l'''«tic conclusion, expressed in the second wonder, that tho Austrian cmpiro would ero long bo broken up, and Venctia ro-nnnexod to Italy, was also stated and maintainr,,! ;., *!,« nn.,„.wi:. on M,.„anng Penis in Britain and America, added iu April, {666. to m author a Nap dcon treatiso. i , «cr, « SYNOPSIS OF FOETY COMING WONDEES, TO BE FULFILLED DURING THE FINAL SEVEN YEARS AND SEVENTY-FIVE DAYS, WHICH COMMENCE V/ITH A NAPOLEONIC-JUDAIC SEPTENNIAL COVENANT. FIRST YEAR. First Wonder. (Taking place Boven years and two and n half months before the Battle of Armageddon and descent of Christ on Mount Olivet, and the Millennium.) Inaugurated National Eestoration of the Jews to Palestine by a Seven Years' Covenant or League to be made between many of them and the Emperor Napoleoji, in final fulfil- ment of Daniel's predicted seventieth week of years. (Dan ii. 27; xi. 22,23) .... 41 to 54. (Archbishop C^'pnan, A. Bonar, Hev. J. Brooks, &c., quoted— altogether more than eighty expositors show that according to Dan. ix. 27, there will bo a seven years* Jewish Covenant made seven years before the Millennium. Second Wonder. (Occurring shortly before or very soon after the Covenant.) Convention of a European Congress of the Heads of Nations under Napoleon's auspices, and ensuing rapid progress of the Koman-Imperial v.orld toward its final ten-kingdomed division, involving a complete reconstruction of the map of Europe. (Dan. vii. 7, 8; ii. 41; Eev. xvii, 12, 13, 17; xui. 3, 7 ; Joel ii. 9—11) . , . 55 to 63 Third Wonder. (During two years and from three to Ave weeks after the Covenant.) The Painful Travail of the Sun-clothed Woman ; in other words, a grout agitation throughout the Church Militant : and the raising of tlio midnight cry, "Behold, the Bride- pnx.m Cometh ; go yo out to meet liim." (Eev. xii. I, 2 ; Mutt, ixv, C, 0) = . ^ Q4t to 73 (UoT. ,E. Biukerstoth, D. N. Lord, quoted.) (1 c Ii G Tl SYNOPSIS OF rOETT COMINa WONDEES, y Fourth Wonder. (Beginning fully about nine months and twentyfivo days— and perhaps partiahy about eight months and ten days— after the Covenant.) Commencement of Daniel's great Prophetic Period of two thousand three hundred literal days, which here begin with the restoration of the sacrifices and oblations in the Jewish temple, between eight and ten months after the Covenant and which terminate with the cleansing of the Sanctuary at the Lord's descent on earth at the introduction of the Millennium. (Dan. viii. 13, 14 ; Isa. Ixvi. 3) . 74 to 83 (Rev. W. B. Saville, Maramensis, A. Bonar, Judge Noah, Eabbi Adler. Sir M. Montefiore, Rev. T. Parker, quoted.) SECOND YEAR. Fifth Wonder. (Progressing during all the first three and a half of these seven years.) Increasing activity of tlie three unclean frog-like wonder- working Demon-Spirits of Antichristiau Infidelity, Eovolu- tionary Democratic-Despotism, and Jesuitical Propagandism. which are predicted to go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather tliem together to the War of Armageddon. (Ycarday, llev. xvi. 12—10- 2 Thcss. ii. 9) 84 to 92 (Rev. Dr. Seiss, C. Bcale, Rev. Dr. Gumming, Rev. B. Slight, quoted. Sixth Wonder. (Commencing some time within tlie first three and a half years-most lirobably a year or two after the Covenant.) Great War by Daniel's Wilful King, the revived Napoleon, against the Xmg of the Soutli, the Sovereign of EKVpt 5^^«^°g^i«ary defeat of tho Egyptian Army. (Dan. xi. (Aluon's Description of tho First Napoleon's Battle of the Pyramids^ quoted, as a typical illustration of this coming war.) Seventh Wonder. (Within about two years after tho Covenant.) The Dissolution of tho present Turkish Empire-accompanied hy the governmental severance of Syria from Turkey, and the termination of tho existing Ottoman Government /^"ir ^^' J' ^'''' ^^^ • _ • _ • i03 to 100 (TOiiBghast, Galluwny, Lamavtine, Kev. O, A. Purdon, quoted.) ti BTK0PSI8 OF rOETY COMIKO WOKDEES. Eighth Wonder. (Occurring between two and three jears after the Covenant.) Ee-establishment of the Four Horn Kingdoms of Greece and separate kingdoms, aa m ancient tunes. (Dan. viii. ' L""/.: ^ • • . . 110 to 116 (KoUin, W. Eeade, Alison, Leibnitz, Addis, quoted.) lixhortation on the Love of Christ . . 117 to 222 THIRD YEAK. Ninth Wonder. (Taking pla^ about two years and between three and five weeks after th« Covenant ; that is. in general terms, about five ytars before Ohnst s descent on Olivet at the Millenniun..) The Fvst Ascension, or first stage of Christ's coming, con- sistmg m the resurrection of the bodies of all deceased srunts, and in their being caught up together >nth 144,000 iiving watchfu Christians, to meet Christ in the heavens. (1 Thess. IV. IG, 17; 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52; Eev. xiv. 1-5 ^ xvn. 28—30 ; xxi. 3G ; 1 Pet. v. 4) . , 123 to 1G3 '^l/v: ^^"''l''V'^*,?^- ^°^''^' ^'•- Seisf., Sabin, Mr. Evill. Ecv R . Polwhele, R^v Tdson Marsh, W. Cunmngh ..c, C:,lo„el Snds'oV' Kev. C. D. Maitland, Lord Congleton, quoted.) Tenth Wonder. (Commencing about two years and from thre. to five weeks after the covenant, and contmumg for about nine months ) The First Seal and the First Angel Message, causing an un- unparalleled EeUgious Revival and wide-spread preaching of the Gospel throughout all nations, with a renewed Pente- costd outpouring of the Holy Spirit. (Rev. vi. 1, 2 • xiv 6,7; Joefii. 28-32 ;P.a.xfv.)' .' . iVto 180 (Rev. J. Hooper, D. N. Lord B. W. Newton, Judge Strange, Mr. Evill. Kev. J. G. Gregory, Dr. Grabc, quoted.) ' Eleventh Wonder. (Beginning about two years and eight months after the Covenant, and withinlthe next four months.) * The FiTBt Trumpet, causing hail and fire .ningled with blood en ant) of Greece, bur distinct (Dan. viii. 110 to 116 >d.) 117 to 122 ccks after th« before 3ming, con- ill deceased ith 144,000 be heavens. xiv. 1 — 5; -41; Luke 123 to 163 Ivill, Rev. R. owlnndson. cks after the ) ing an un- reaching of ved Pente- 1, 2 ; xiv. 103 to 180 ;e, Mr. Evill, 'ovenant, and with blood SYNOPSIS OF rOETT COMINO W0ND1!B3. tii to fall upon the earth and to burn up the third part of t^^ees and all green grass, after there have been voices and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake a few days previously. (Rev. viii. 2—7; Joel i. 18—20: ii. 30; Job xxxviii. 22, 23) .... 181 to 185 Twelfth Wonder. (About two years and eleven months after the Covenant.) Great war between the Archangel Michael and Satan, and the casting down of Satan and his evil angels from the aerial heavens to the earth. (Kev. xii. 7—13) . 185 to 193 (Rev. T. R. Birks, Beale, Charlotte Eh'zabeth, quoted.) Thirteenth Wonder. (Beginning pariialli/ about two years and two months, and fullj/ about two years and eleven months, after tlie Covenant.) Flight of many Christians into a wilderness, into a place pre- pared of God, wliere they are afterwards miraculously fed during the tlirce and a half years of great persecution (Eev. xii. 0, 13-17) . / , ^ . 11)3 to 109 Fourteenth Wonder. (Commencing about two years and ten months after the Covenant.) The Second Seal, introducing a season of universal Warfare for about eight months, during which peace shall be taken from the earth, and men shall kill ono another— at the same time as the first expedition of Ezekiel'a Prince Gog against. Judea. (Rev. vi. 3, 4 ; Ezek. xxxviii. 1—16) . 200 to 202: Exhortation to the Unconverted . , , 203 to 208. Fii[teenth Wonder. (Commencing about three years after the Covenant.) The Four Years' fiery ordeal of Great Britain and Anglo- Saxon America, from which they ultimately emerge, purified, ennobled, and disenthralled, to enjoy the thousand years of millennial peace and prosperity,— this ordeal partly resulting trom Britain being a portion of the original Roman Empire, and therefore being one of the future ten democratic-despoticr Kingdoms that are to give their power and strength to the final Roman-Imperial monarch, who is to have " power civen „ — ^.,^.^ „,, ^luuicuE!, uuu tongues, ana nations." (iiov. xiii. 6—7; xvji. 13, 17 J xviii.; (Yearday) xi. 7—13; Dan. ii. Vlll SYN-OPSIS OF FORXr COMIXa WOKDEIia. 41-45; vii. 8, 25; xii. 1-7; Matt. xxiv. 21, 22; Isa. ii. 12-lG; xxxiu l_i4..sxi,,. 1-3; Jer. xxv. 32, 33; -fcizek. xxxviu. 13) . . 209 to 248 (The Commentators Rev. Dr. Gill and Thomas Seotfc, Rev. Dr. Alexander Macleod. Dr. Livuigstone, Dr. Hales, D. N. Lord, Edward Nangle, Dr. Uorg, W. Lunningliarae, Major C. Trevilian, Major Boltori. Rev. Hollis Read, Alison, quoted.) Sixteenth Wonder. (About three years after tha Covenant, and probably continuing for a month or two.) The Second Trumpet, causing a great fiery mountain to be cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea to become blood, and the third part of the fish to die, and the third part of the ships to be destroyed. (Eev. viii. 8, 9) ., 249 to 252 Seventeenth Wonder. (Beginning about three years and two months after the Covenant, and con- tinning about t\''o months.) The Third Trumpet causing a burning meteoric star, called Wormwood, to fall from heaven upon the third part of the nvers, and upon the fountains of waters, embittering them and producing the death of many men. (Eev. viii. 10, 11) ' m n, , n . 252 to 255 (D. Clarke and J. Kelly quoted.) Eighteenth Wonder. (Some time between three years and four months and three years and seven months after tlie Covenant.) The Toiirth Trumpet, causing the third part of the sun, moon, and stars to bo eclipsed, and the third part of the day and night to be unusually darkened. (Rev. A'iii. 12) 255 to 258 (Revs. Dr. Burgh nuu J. Kelly quoted.) Nineteenth Wonder. (Just before the end of tho first tlu-ee and a half years after tho Covenant.) The tenfold subdivision of the Eoman Einpirc's territory into \Z *'^\ ';'"ff^^o}"8 of Britain, i'rance, fSpain-with-Portugal, Ita'y-with-bouthern-Austria, Alge-ia-fivo in the Westtn Koman I^mpire; and Tripoli-with-Tunis, Egypt, Greece. byria, and Northern Tnrkev— fivA ,« fiJ T?°fZ± ■o^Z.J ii-mpire; and the confederation of their ten democratic- SYNOPSIS OP FOETY COMING WONDEIIS. IX despotic kings in a Congress under Napoleon, as tlieir Feudal Head. (Eev. xvii. 12, 13, 17 ; Dan. ii. 32—42 ; vii. 24— 26;viii. 9,22, 23). , . . 259 to 265 (Rev. E, Skeen quoted.) Twentieth Wonderc (Fully effected by the end of the first threa and a half years after the Covenant.) Complete resurrection of tlie Napoleoa empire — its entire recovery from the deadly wound inflicted on ifc at AVaterloo, and restoration of its supremacy over Europe; and the con- sequent reconstruction of Nebuchadnezzar's prophetic imago. (Dan. ii, ; Eev. xiii. 3 ; xvii. 8, 11) . . 2G6 to 273 (J. H. Frere, Eevs. G. S. Faber, C. J, Goodiiart, Mr. Hutcliison, Lord Alvanley, JProfessor Siddons, Bishop Simpson, quoted— with brief biography of Napoleon III. Altogether more than roBTX expositors show Napoleon to be the seventh-eighth Head of the Roman Empire.) THE MIDST OF THE SEVEN YEARS OF THE COVENANT WEEK. Twenty-first Wonder. (At the end of the first three and a half years after the Cove-:ant betn-een Napoleon and the Jews.) The completed capture of Jerusalem by Napoleon's armies, and the commencement of the three and alialf years of Great Tri- bulation and general persecution of Christians, at the time of the setting up of the imperial image in the Jewisli teni^)le. (Dan. ix. 27 ; xi. 31 ; xii. 1, 11 ; Luke xxi. 20—21 ; Eev. xi. 2 ; Zech. xiv. J.— 4 ; Mntt. xxiv. 15—29; Mark xiii. 11; Dan. vii. 25 ; xii. 7 ; Eev. xi. 3; xii. G, 11 ; xiii. 5 — 8; Ezek. xxxviii. 1—16 ; Dan. xi. 40—43) . . .274 to 280 (Duke of Manchester, and Alison, quoted.) Twenty-second Wonder. (Taking place towards the close of the first three and a half years after the Covenant.) The Downfall of Babylon, or national confincation of the Romish' Church prf./crtv, and decline of Homanism into open idolatry, by its institution of the public worship of Napoleon's imago, and the imprinting of his name on peo- X • bINOPSIS OF FOUTT C021ING WONDERS. pie's foreliea48 and hands. (Eev. xvii. 7, 9, 12, 15—18 • xviii < xni. 11-18; xiv. 8-13 j Dan. xl 31; xii. 11 ; Matt. xxiv. 15) 287 to 206 (Padro Ventura, Dr. Manning, Las Cases, quoted.) Twenty-third Wonder. ((Commencing exactly tlirco and a half years after tlic Covenant, and con- tmuing d'ring tlie ensuing second three and a lialf years.) ■The Appearance and Ministry of the Two Sackdothed Wit- nesscs, who are to prophesy during tho t.vdve hundred and sixty (lays ot Antichrist's persecution ; and after being slain by him and l^-uig dead for three days and a !mlf, are to be raised to hie, and ascend to heaven iu a cloud. (Rc\. xi. 3-12; Mai. IV. 5) .... 207 to 305 (EuBchim, Simpson, l]i8lu,p Hippolytus, TerlulliMn, St. Anibrofo, St. Jerome, Arehb.s hop Cyprian, Ephreni Syrii., Kidl.y Ilorsohell Dean Allord, tlic iJuKe of Munclicster, Meyer, quoted.) Practical Go.'^pel Exhortation , , . 805 to 311 FIFTH YEAR. Twenty-fourth Wonder. (Beginning three and a half years after iho Covenant, and eonl inning, molt probably, about ei^-litcen months to the end of the tiftli year of t'ho Covenant seven years.) The Tiiird Seal, accoinpanied by a season of geneial I'auiino for eighteen uwuIUh, and of inerea«'d degeneiacv and apostaBv ot the outwardly professing ChrisLiun Cluudi. (Kev. vi 5, ; Isa. X.MV.) . . . .312 to 818 (Dr. Qroswell, Dr. Burton, B. W. Newton, TJi«liop liippcKtu., Ksdrni. quoted.) Twenty-fifth Wonder. (Commencing about, three years and clfM and a half months after Iho Covenun:, and mtrodueing the Loeunt Woe for live niontln.) The Fifth Trumpet, ushering in the opening of the hottomloBs pit, Irom which u great s.uoke arises. darkoniuL' Iho sun nnd the uir ; ana about ihreo weoks afterwards, Deuion Locusts coino out from tho smoke and dreadfully torment the uu- godly for five months with their scorpiou stings, so that men BXNOPSia OP FOEXr COMINa WONDERS, li seek death but cannot fin a it. This constitutes the First Woe. (Eev. ix. 1—12 ; Joel ii.) . . 318 to 328 (Bakewell, Dr. Todd, Dioscorides, Paxton, Laborde, Zippel, R. Goyett, quoted.) Gospel Exhortation , . , , 328 to 330 SIXTH YEAR. Twenty-sixth Wonder. (Beginning about four years and eleven and a liulf monlJis after tha Covenant, and continuing for tliirteen montlia.) The Sixth Trumpet, introducing the Second Woe of two hu.*- dred million preternatural Demon Horsemen and Horses, which, by breathing forth firo and smoke and brimstone, slay the third part of men during a year and a month. (Rev. i\. 13—27) 331 to 337 (E. Gorett quoted.) Twenty-seventh Wonder. (Accomplislied during tho whole of tlio sixth yenr following the Nnpoloonic- Judaic Covenant Week of seven jeurs.) The Fourth Seal, introducing a period of gencrnl war, famine, Pestilence, and ravages of wild beasts ; prefigured by Death and Hell— Pestilence and Hades— going forth upon the palo horse during tho space of about a year. (UeV. vi. 7, 8 ; Jer. XXV. 32, 83) . . . 337 to 343 (Ephraim Syrus quoted.) SEVENTH YEAR. Twenty-eighth Wonder. (About iix yenra aftor tho Covenant.) Tho Fifth Seal, exhibiting tho souls of Christian Martyrs under tho altar in heaven crying for vengeance— tho Anti- christiau persecution having now reached its climax, ond beginning gradually to subsido. (Kov. vi. 0, 10, 11) 344 to 350 (Illuitrativo former periooulioni quoted from Fox'i •' Book of Martvri.") Twenty-ninth Wonder. (Oommcnoing six years and two and n half month* after the CoTcnant.) Beuewed religious Hevival and Koforination, ond increased xii SINOPSIS OF FORTY COMING WONDEBS. N Protestant testimony by Christian witnesses against Anti- christian apostasy during the final year. (Rev x. 1— il) nu , .• . 351 to 864 (Illustrative former revivals quoted from Dr. Jonathan Edward*'. J. Carrolh', F. Stevenson's treatises.) Thirtieth Wonder. (Beginning seven years after the Covenant.) Tlie Si.xtli Seal oponing with a great cartliquake and eclipse of tfio constellations, overwliclining mankind with terror, simultaneously with tlio slaughter of tho individual two witnesses ; alter nhieh tlio sealing of lli.OOO Jews is com- plotted, and all tho living righteous removed to heaven, prior to tho utter overthrow of tlio ungodly at Armageddon, ilus seal coiuiiK.iu-es at tho end of the three and a half years of Great Iribulatioii, and continues for Boventy days. (Rev. y. 12-17 ; vii.) . . , . 3G5 to 371 Gospel Exhortation . 872 to 878 END OF THE SEVEN YEARS OF THE COVE- NANT WEEK, Andcoiuniouoomcnt of tho additional coneluding interval of soventv-h vo dayH--tli(' prolongation of tho 1 ,335 days beyond tho 1,200 days, which is tho latter half of tho Covenant week. Thirty-first Wonder. (At (ho end of tho Covenant sovon years.) Tho First Vial poured out on tho Earth, and bringing a noiaome and grievous Horoui)on Iho men who have received on their loiehead or hand tho mark of tho Antichristian Emperor. ouU upon those who worship his imago. (Rev. xv. ; xvi: 1, 2) 870 to 882 (Kinobiiu quoted,) -J. -r^vvuixii ?y UiiUCF. (About twodnyg after tho Firit Viol.) The Second Vial poured out upon tho Sen, and making it to SYNOPSIS OP FOETT COMING WONDERS. • •• ZUl become like the blood of a dead man, so that every J'ving creature in it forthwith dies. (Eev. xvi. 3) . 383 to 385 Dr. Grabo quoted in agreement with Dr. De Burgh, Zippel, Tjbo, &c.) Thirty-third Wonder. (About four days after the First Vial.) I'h6 Third Vial poured out upon the Eivcrs and Fountains of water, turning them into blood ; and the consequent angelic ascription of praise to God for this righteous retribution, in giving blood to drink to those who had shed the blood of prophets and of saints. (Bev. xvi. 4—7) . 385 to 388 (Revs. J. Kelly and R. Govett quoted.) Thiriiy-fourth Wonder. (About eight days after the First Vial.) The Fourth Vial poured out upon the Smi, causing it to scorcti men with fire and with groat heat ; but they still blaspheme the name of God, and repent not to give him glory. (Rev. xvi. 8, 9) 888 to 891 (Rots. J. O. Zlppcl and E. Govett quoted.) Thirty-fifth Wonder. (About eighteen days after tlio First Vial.) The Fifth Vial poured out upon the Tlirono and Kingdom of the wild beast, that is, tho Roman Empire, covering it with dense darkness, amidst which tho Antichriatinn apostates gnaw their tongues for pain, and utter blaBphemiea bocauRo of their pains and their sores, and roi)ent not of tlieir deeds. (Rer. xvi. 10, 11. 12) .... 391 to 31H (C. Deals quoted.) Thirty-sixth Wondor. (About thirty days aflor tho First Vial, and about soron years and s month tfter th« Covenant.) 1.V...1.. drying it up so as to proparo tho way for tho return to Judoa of tho kings from tho East, that is, of tho ton triboa of Israel, at the same time as tho gathering of the natious to 1 I Xi? SYNOPSIS OF FOETT COMINO WONDEBS. Armageddon (Eev xW. 12-16; Isa. x\. 15, 10; Zecb. X. 10, 11 ; Jer. ixm. 7, 8) . 394 to 899 ^'^toS'- Tb'^'& ?^T ^.'^T^ ?^°»"«-^' ^""»o". Marcel, fiSu. Vi'S'~^ " *^® "'*""*** literalday fulfJlment of the Buth Vial-it8 precursory yearday fulfilment is described under the Sixth Wonder.) Thirty-seventh Wonder. (About seven yeirs two months and ten days after the Covenant.) The Seventh Trumpet, accompanyinff the onenlv vi'«ihlA appeanng of ChriHt in the clouds of heaven! anfcSinTthe Second Ascens on, that is, the ascension of all true Chris- JZrt'^''' 'T ''^'^i^'^^Son the earth, as weH as the resurrection and ascension of all deceased saintn nnf %,».« Jiously raised. The Third Woe theiren 1 aclmpl shTn^ Wthrow of Antichrist and his hosts" t Ara^edfe iuknrJi" lr~l2 ' ^''^K''^''' ^^> 31 ; Mark xiii. 24-27; Z r r^J ' ^*'"- '"• ^-^^ ' ^^^- ^^-10) 899 to 410 (K«v.. J. a. Zippel, Josiah Priest, Judge Strange, quoted.) Thirty-eighth Wonder. (During the fl„„l Ove day, of the .even year, and tw. and « half month, lollownig the Covenant.) • Jhe Seventh Seal at the opening of which the Marriage of the pariiions ()t the New Jerusalem, the golden cltv whirl descends from the highest, heavens and rem nMirLn^ntlv juspendod ,u tho air within night of this Sliirra^^^^^^ . tenng constellation. At tho same timo he c ty of Itonfe t ?oS nf^ ''-' !'''' ^""^ *•'« ^"">« °f Ar^.Sgedaon S of §; Ivi^K n \u ^'' •••'•'t"^- 2-27; Tsa. xfv. ; Song 01 aoi. VI. 8, 0; Itev. xvni. ; Ifx xxxiv.) . 410 to 417 (Rev. R. A. Turdon quoted.) Thirty-ninth Wonder. (Dunn, tho final five day., .imuitaneou.Iy and parallel with tho a.«„th Tlie SOTotitiVml poured into tlio Air. during which tiio arm. tl.ro,r ol tho Autichri.ti»„ Emperor nnd\T, hoBtaat X SYNOPSIS OF FOETY COMING WONDEES. XV battle of Armageddon will take place at the same time as an unparalleled mighty earthquake and great hail, and the visible descent of Christ on Mount Olivet. (Rev. xvi. 15—21; xix. 11— 21;xi. 19; xiv. 20; xvii. 14; Zech. xiv. 8, 4, 12, 13 ; xii. 4 ; Ezek. xxxviii. 19—23 ; xxxix. ; Isa. Ixvi. 15—19 ; Dan. xi. 44, 45 ; ii. 34, 35, 44 ; vii. 9—14 ; viii. 25 ; 2 Thess. ii. 8 ; Psa. ii. ; Joel iii. 1—18) 417 to 429 (Rev. Dr. Rooa quoted.) Fortieth Wonder. (At the end of povon years and two and a half months after the seven yetrt* Covenant between Napoleon and the Jews.) The Consummation or End of this Gentile dispensation and commencement of the Millennium and visible personal rei^n of Christ over the earth for a thousand years, during which period Satan will be bound — those who are spared and survive the consummating judgments will be all nominally converted to serve and worship Christ — warfare will be no longer practised — beasts of prey will be tamed — the ground rendered unprecedentedly fruitful — the restored Jews constituted the holiest and most powerful of the nations, and the Son of man, with his glorified saints from heaven, will frequently visit tluB earth, to govern and instruct the successive gene- rations of its mortal uuglorified inhabitants. Then at the end of this Millennium, a renewed outbreak of rebellion on the part of the Gog and Magog nations is crushed, and thn fiual judgment of the resurrected wicked before the great white throne taltes place. (Christ's millennial kingdom, Rev. XX. 1—0; v. 10; xv. 4; xi. 15; llab. ii. 14; Psa. ii. 8; Ixxii. 8; Isa. ii. 2, 8, 18; xi. 9; Zech. h. 10; Dan. ii. 44; ^'ii. 14, 27: over the spared nations, Im. Ixvi. 16; xxiv. 6 ; Ezek. xxxix. 6 ; Rev. xxi. 24 : war abolished, Micah iv. 8, 4 ;, Isa. ii. 4 ; IIos. ii. 18 ; Zech. iii. 10 : wild bea f ,•* ^« i- » , balances in his hand. And T^ :. ' ;*i "^^ ^'°* H a pair of ™at lor a penny, and three n «■ o. f^u^"/' -* ™ea8ure of (if, v,l, VII.— THE FOURTH SEAL~DEATH AND -fltADES ON ^HE PALE HORSE. —-•••••• « F^.Jtj uujnc : nun uis u,ime tnat s.-ir on mm was JJeaili^ •nd Hades follovptd with him ... to kill with sword, nnd with tunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth" (T'av. VI. 8). Deepening apvistasy of nominal Christendom. ancT a period of war, famine, and pestilence for about a year.— 27th Wondgr. \lll.-TilK SKOM) rUI'MPKT-TnE FIKKV .MOi;.\TAIN. " Ar it «,.rr M umii iiiminfnin burning? wiili IWe wn« taut in(o tlio n.Mi: n„, tl... thinl port of tho pc/i bornnip blood; nrul l».r third rmrt o( llio tn-aturcd in llio ppi died; nnd thp third r«rt nf fhi. Bhii-s wore d.'Ntrnyod •' ([{.-r. viii. H).^ir)th Wonder. IX.-THK TIITRD TinTMPKT-TITK TlllUNINO STATl. " Thcr* fi'll a groat star from ht'sven= l>«rning nn it were a lamp. Upon tho third imrt of tlio rivors, nnd lountuiim of wfttcrs ; . . . and many men died of tlip wntors, boi'uuue llioy were niRdo bitter" (Eer. viii. 10).— 17th Wonder. XI.— THK T\V()-TTOT?NF-n WTLT) BE A ST. OH KCCl.KaiASTICAL KOMAN JCMIMUK. •nd ho had two hrtrnn like n. ln»nb, nnd ho ppako like a (lpnf;on," Ao. (Uev. xiii. U— 18).— 2lBt Woudor XII.-FTFlTf 'nUTMrET-SCORriON-LOCUSTS FIIOM THE BOTTOMLESS PIT. A fallPn Rn«H oprnH tlio boHoinlrg« ini, out of which demo •moke ariRrs. iimi ovil HmnU in (hs f"-~ -.<• ,:— 1 ---1- ,^ XIIL— THE ANGEL STaNDTNG ON THE SEA AND THE KAHTII. •' And 111© angof which I hjiw atmul upon tho sei* ntul upon tho rarth liftod up liin hnnd to heaven, and itwaro by Ilim thnt liTeth for ever and over . . . that thcrQ luouid bo lim© no ionge?'" (Ker. X.).— 8e« UUth Wonder. \^ f XIV. TjiK lansT VIA I. pottiiei) on tiik earth. K EARTIT. (ho men xrhwh oh wonhipprd XV.-THE FOURTH VIAL POURED ON THE SUN. "And the fourth anj(ol poured out his viul upon the gun; and .-powrf T?a3 girea oato it tn soorcl* Ribq with fire; and lUeii Were bcorched with great heat" (llor. ivi. 8).— 3lth Wonder. XVI.-iqi'Tn VIAL UPON ANTICHRTSTa KINGDOM. wi!d^b««*t' ^/i!i ^"?i''^^!!5l«l_'"i_T!'^' i«P9" *'»« throne of .the gnawed their ior:snon (^^P (U^. '^^^, lS5.^h Wond^ '"'' NODOM. irono of the ; and ibey onder. XVII.-THE ANGEL Bl IS DINO -SATAN. "He « t « « laia noui on tne araKoa, Umi <>i.i H'Tpfni, which is the Devil, nnrl Satan, and bound him atlinn and years, and cast him into the bottomless pit" (Kev. xx. 2).— 40Lh "VVoador. Convergent Ending of the Principal Prophetic Periods. . Tlie r-ord Jesus trnnsidtes tli> ,000 Wiso Virgins to the )u'a- vcns about 2 yeurs hiuI fiom .i t-i .■ weeks altar tlio soveii-ycars' ct'-r. UHUt, and the romiiliiiii)} s;ilii. about 7 years and 'J.j nioiiili!i nl'i ur, the eovenanl. and then dB«ci!iid< wltliihematArni«g«dilou,iiii(l,si;,js tlio InconlRiblo, and comuienc s the Millenium by cwiivei ting many H.B. The above-mentioned period* of MOO, ISM, 1290, 1280, and JMo dars hav* • "on'i'8 f»J«ltnent— both year-day and literal-day— In common with theVieater part of J)anl.il and Kevelatlon. And although fulfilled tyi.lcally as year, accord- , . ., , "hough fulfilled tyiilcally as years accord- ing to » he preeedent lu Numbers xlv, 81, Eielc. Iv. C, yet »Uelr chief fulfllmont i% "I literal days dunng tUo llnal 7 ycaii foilowlnit Hio CvTwaut.— Dan. tx. V7. /■ DlAGjSAia 3. '.:. FULFILMENT Or THE SEVENTY WEEKS " As subdivided into Three Parti of 7, 62, and 1 Wak. B. C. 457 or 455 Tho going forth of.tho comtnundmont to restore and build Jorusuloin.-- (Ezra vii., Neheiuiah iij Dan. ix. 24. Seventy weeks (sAa- biia, weeks of yeaVs — Gen. xxix. 27) are de- termined (or cut off) \\\)on. thy people and upon tJiy holy city, to finish tlio transgres- sion, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for (or, cover over) in- tf*. iquity, and to bring in everlasting righteous- ^ ness, and to seal "p J5^ (i. e., ratify by fulfil- " ment) the vision and prophecy, and to an- oint the Most Holy (place not person, i.e. the Holy of Holies). Messiah tni off in A.D.29or33. A.D.2ror29.- Dan. iz. 23. Know, therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the com- ^ mandment to rest»)re and to build Jeru- ^ salera, unto tho Messiah the Prince, •<^ shall be seven weeks and threescore g and two weeks; the street shall be built ^ again, t^nd the wall, even in troublous • times. • B tT* g: 5* • g S- g^ c; . 2. & 5^ o . p- d 1=; p .acq o 5 • CD I "< (D 2. " H SB O a p. o « * ^ ^ tr 3 o m » •< fr^ **. r,#* ' IiouIb Napoleon ") mukesthecoTenant. > nialmaiteMtupln the temple. _ He p«rlihnii kt CbrlRt'8 descent } o: ►♦- K M^ ■ V ?•'*«.. ^♦w.diJ, !«\ bscan will, ?n,t;»li i. : ;£«.?, .u ,i,o !.7,i||, ve.ir U4 /U> », ... 4Jl-l',m the SaiiL year. "S^?.-''l''y ''"""me"* of Dan. it R«t. imlae th« liii 25'J3 day, (SiiO+76), Dau. ix. 87 j xii, 1?, c?n,m.n" liiS with tdu data of the Covenan t between LodIi Niipolenn and tho Jew.. The dittance of each cvout from lUu t' -.nninij of theJ3U5 dayiligWen : to auj The TV» Han<>hllc1 canght up (Uov. xil, S). S«il 1. rrjiiiitive Zeil of fllurch (tJ to 9«), 759ih to lOSUlh yAr. 4K V >3-4. »i.. tween ttia 764ih ic 7itlih year Tramp. 1 (SSO to 395), 976lh to i031«t year. Drnjon fait down (354), losnth year. Seal 2 (3S4 to 634). Idotith to Ijeiiih yoar. Trump, a (3(i5 to 41li). lOSIr.t to 1 distil vunr. " In^i given to Woinaii (;I79), IlOStii Cem rruaip. 3 (419 to 470), 1 lJ8th to r.'Ui'ii yr, Trnmpet 4 (476), 12n5d year. Pope euprp-ne over 10 lilncilnmn. 21 dayi or teven yeara of the Covenant weeli (Oan. ii, S7) becin heroi th^r Jatter half .vnchronTM, with the Peraonal Antichriat'a (Loufi N*poleon'«) 1860 daya, or 3>i v»»ra univeraal ittjirtuaKy. TIm> 2.100 day» (Dan. *III, 14) begin with _ the renewal of the Jewiih eacrlficM parliiilly.ahout the 870th, «Dd /oUv •u the 2«iUi day. ' ' Seal* (sai to 1073), Spiritual I F a m i n e o I Trumpet 6 Church, 1260th (6il9to93C), |lol799lhvear. I.135thto 1602d year — Firf. \Voe of Mahnmedan Incur (loot, laCiU to lOdJid year. r/i h^ ^ 4" "5 g Tntmpot t. fitftiriA H'oa of Seal 4 (1073 to 14 38), .Splrttual iJcaolftti o n of Church, Vmk to 2164th year. Turkiih Inva- «ionj (1003 t(i lti44),178!»thto 2S70th year. «1UU ?':" 1980 9310 9340 9870 9400 9430 •ieo 9490 9S9Q tteo urn .Mil C5 ^5eat5 (1433 to 1794), Reaaon « _ I ofUoloy bufiro ••raiHrvir. I nn,.l J,„|^. a of Ileli- meut, SllUth (tlon, com- to 25i'0th year mencUiR at | I(oform»tiou 1q 1517— 2943d year. b;: •^ £ ^ tr- .- The Mitnchlld tatigti tip (R*r. »t|, i\ !>eal 1, Church full I Aacehflon of the of A Ruvivul 144,000 WiM Vir. Spirit, 769th to | f '°><>at or ■>«• lOSOth dav. I ''"^>' ih'MSUi aol ' ' 762lh dajf. • Trumpet t, Hall, »7eih to lOSlttday. Prafton caat down, 1050th day. * Seal 2, War, lOSUih to 1260th day Trumpet 2, lOOlut to 1133th day. W iii(r< given to Woman, !10.'ith dar. .Trumpet 3, 1138th to 12«2d day. Trumpet 4, partial daikncM, I208d day Napofaion aiipreme over 10 kingdome. Seal 3, ii'amine, l^GUth to 1799th day. Trumpet 6, ISSSlh to 16«9d day. FIret Woo of Literal l.<'cuiti, ISeSd to 1662d day. Seal 6 (17U4), SSWth to 9590th7-7.l— lal' "i"!!'''' '• ^'»' ' (186--f to JJ1>—). UmU to 959611 SI91II Trumpet t, Second Woe— Seal 4. War, Asiatic Ar- I'eatlle nee A Famine, noiiih to 3164th day. niies Invad- ing lioinan Kliipire, l;>j!lth to 'lit'*'* 'i SSTUth day. Sell g, Smiinn of Delaj-, SlS-ith to rimih .i.i,. CIreat Uevlval of liellgl (Ho/. K), Gommouciofr lout 2943a dii^". n V ^ CO §'^ ■? secondarily from Nebuchadnezzar's birth in B.C. 647 to 1874.6. THE HEAD OF GOLD, OB BABYLONIAN EMPIRE. Modo-Persia conquered Bfibylon B.C. 538, when Cyrus sFew Bolsbazzar. THE BREAST OF SILVER, OB MEDOPERBIAN EMPIRE, Which reached its full strength under Cjnu. Greece conquered Persia B.C. 831, at the Battle of Arbela, when Alex* ander the Groat defeated Darius« ' THE THIGHS OF BRASS, OB • GRECIAN EMPIRE. Tho Romans conquered Greoco a.d. Bl, at the battle of Actium, when Augustus Cinsar defeated Antony. THE LEGS OF IRON, OB ROMAN EMPIRE. The Roman Empire was bounded by the Jlij^hlandi, Khino, Danube, LuphratcR, and Desert of Sahara. The two logH represent the Western hftlf and Eastern half of the whole Itoinan Empire, and each of them is to iKt formed into (Ivo denuicratio-despotio kingdoms (five olay-iron toes) during the final threo-and-a-half years (Dan. ii. 41 1 vii. 24, 25 j Hev. xvii. 12). Their ton kings will rule in a oongroM under Napoleon, and make war against Chrintians, during tlie final ihri>e-and- a-httlf year* (It^v. xiii. B; xmU. 12), and then perish at C'hrisl's detornt NKBITCHAPNEZZAU'S IMIOPHBTIO IHAUK. .v^ft!*..^^")""--"?- i'i-^'''""''i'l"?»"""'»J!!'«''^' L«'l'"«'n*»"ilJ'"' history of stand reoonstnicted and oemonifled in Napoleon, as the modern Nebuchad- neiiar, at i«j dissolution at Ajrmageddon. Thm follows the Stone Kingdom, or MiUsoniutn (Dan, U. M| ril. 18, 87; Hot. M.).-8ee 2nd, lOtb, 20th Wonden. COMING WONDERS. I i PUOPUBTIO Ihn hiiloryof iiOiFif^. il wiii rn Nebuchkd* 9 Kingiloin, or K)f h W(»nder». At no period m the history of the wo.:i have mankind eve? stood on the threshold of more eventful changes and mightier revolutions than at present. Empires that have long stood un- shaken are about to be dissolved ; thrones that Lave been hrmly consolidated for many years are on the point of beiui cast down ; and institutions that have been regarded as of im- moveable stability are on the eve of their destruction There la a visible approach of distress of nations with per- nlexity: thd hearts of thoughtful and reflecting persons are tailing them for fear of those things that are coming on the earth ; and the inquiry instinctively arises, "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders P " But no satisfactory reply can be obtained except from the prophetic predictions iii iJamel and llevelation; which conclusively and irresistibly demonstrate that " there is a God in heaven that revealeth aecrets, and maketh known what shall be in the latter days " ^ Inexpressibly exalted is the position occupied by that indi- vidual who taking Uieso unfoldings of the divine mind as a lamp o his foot and a light to his path, is ona))led to contem- plate tho impressive scone of wiiich this earth wiil soon bo the arena, with hopefulness and undisturbed composure, seeing tho end Irom the beginning. It resembles one of the venerable Beers of ormor ages bc^holding, from tho summit of some dis- tant rock, the accomplishment of one of his own predictions. While with solemn awo ho rivets hia gar.o upon tho dismantled temples and tho desoloted habitations of those who oneo e2orned his admonitory voice, but whoso pride has been brought low by tho rctrihutive judgments of famine, pestilence, or tho H word. It transcends tho powers of conception to imoHno the sublime elevation of hit smrit as ho witnesses tho roaliza- ■n"'!_„ /^."^l"!'* ^""'•'anu been portrayed to hii divinely hju;;:-!!;su:a ...luu, .11,,! riiarkB tho futiiity of human opposition to the onward-ro ling ohariot.whools of Jehovah's purposes. Most sublime is tho attitude of those who owi courageomlj 40 COMING WONDEnS. I overstep the rubicon limit of tlie present, and, passing into the unexplored regions of the distant future, can, with the torch of prophetic truth, discover the predestined arrangement of the starthng changes that now await this eartli. . Soaring lijce eagles above the dense atmosphere of liuman ignorance and inspired with the heaven-born gift of proplietic foresight they pierce with steady gaze into the darkness of futurity, and re- cognize a systematic and intelligible order in the spectral forms and mystic characters which, to the carnal and gross perceptions of the unenlightened, appear indistinguishablv chaotic and confused. '' Many ignorant persons suppose that the time of the end of this di3])en8ation and of the. second coming of Christ is altogether hidden from" human discovery, but " they err, not knowing the Scriptures," which distinctly intimate thut the time of the end shall be revealed to watchful Christians by the prophecies.* And in addition to the chronological dates and propheiic signs of the times which convcrgently point to this epoch as the period of tlio lliiul crisis, Iheie is especially to bo a soven-vears' covenant made between the Jews and the last universal king, exactly seven ^cars and two and a half months betoro the End, so that the epocli of the consummation will then become very precisely foreshown. And within this prophetic jjcriod of seven years and two and a halt months, the greater part of Daniel and Kevelntion will undergo its ultimate literalday fullilment, which has been hitherto foresliadDwcd by its typical yearday nccomplishment by way of rohoarsal on the larger scale. The wonderful events that will then come to pass may bo suitably considered under the classified arrangement of I'orly Coming Wonders. 'Amos iii. 7j MnU. xxiv. 82—43, John xv. r. , 2 Vet. I. 19 j 1 llicM. T. 4. The text in Mark liii. 83, "Of that dity and that hour knoweth no mnn, no, not tlie niiKola which m-o in hoRvcn, neither the Son, but Uio Futlier," was spokon in tiio prtaont tcnno boluro tlin nsronPion and Rlonfloation of Ciirist, and hcforo the IVntotwtui* .1.-, ,.iit of tlio Holy Hpint, ond before tU<> gift of Hi. Hook of Hbv -ktion rhiy .ycara afterwards. It is a text that cannot n|)i)ly to the present time, bccniiiio"it cannot now bo said that tho Hon does not know the day «nd h'.nr of his own miv.nt. Tlio words, "it ia not for tou to know tho times or soiinons," liknwiso were ■pokcn oidy to tho peoplo of (hose davs fAots i. HV Tha «irion nnd tho Holy ftorwardi. lol now bo n-nt. Til* twiio w«i*t inMn rlflt^fi ud to end I Tiii. 14 1 FIRST YEAR, FIRST WONDER. (Taking place seven years and- two and a half nionths before the Battle of Armageddon, and descent of Christ on Mount Olivet, ond the Millennium.*) INAUaUBATED NATIONAL RESTOITATION OP THE JEWS TO PALESTINE HY A" SEVEN YEAKS' COVENANT OR LEAGUE TO BE MADE BETWEEN MANY OP THEM AND THE EMPEROa NAPOLEON III. IN FINAL FULFILMENT OP DANIEL's PBE- niCTED SEVENTIETH WEEK CONCEBNINO THE JEAV8 AND JEHUSALEM. It will indeed be a wonder to behold tho children of Israel, who have for many centuries been downtrodden and treated as outcasts among 'hp nations, again flocking to their fatherland, and their nationality recognized by tho European powers' whose governmefita in past ngcd have bo grievously oppressed' them. Yet, according to various Scripture predictions,] this astonishing spectacle must soon be witiu'HBeti, And in connection with its occurrence, tlio prophetic events that will now bo mmarkcd ujion, may be brieily expressed in tho fol!owii\g syllogistic form : — The Last Head of the lioman Empire is to make a Soven- years' Covenant with tho Jews, in fullilmont of Daniel's Sevcnlioth AVeok. But Louis Napoleon is the Last Head of tho Roman Empire. Therefore Louis Napoleon will make a Hoven years' Cove- nant with tho Jews. • The BCTon vears is of oour«o (lio period mp-ilioncd in PftU. ix. 27, h reaching from tho covonnnt to thoronr.irnmntion, nnd tho cxtm two and r i»»lf month! ii the •crptity-llvn ndditionnl davs mentioned in Dan. xii. 13, where 1,835 days am nimtiotipd l)cinH 75 days more than tho l.atiO dava' «»» 1-H»- *t--rn • - '— "" iii _i -1 - . _.. . - _-' "V"! The vliolc prophpoy of novoiity wecka is eiplaincd inuoh more fully in the third chapter of the Aulhor'a trMtiie on Louia Hapoleon. Y 4f FIRST WONDER. The notable Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks of Years m Daniel ix., 24 to 27, reads as followo, and it is m its last para- Kraph regarding the final seventieth week thit the prediction of Kapolcon'8 coming Covenant with the Jews is found. (Some authorised marginal readings are inserted in brackets. ) " Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thv holv city, to linish the transgression, and to make an cud of sins, and to make reconciliation for (or cover over) inuiuity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision aiul prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy, {m the Hebrew the Most Holy -riace). 25. Know therefore and understand, that fi.ni the going forth of the commandment to restore and to buiU. Jcrusa'.Mu unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, .md thrros.x.re ond two weeks : the street shall bo built again, and the wall, .-ven mi troublous times. 26. And alter three- Bcore and tuu weeks shall Messitvh be cut off. but not for himself: and tlu- people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the ci^y ar.d the run: ta.iry ; and the end thereof shall be with n Hood nnd unto the end of the war desolations are determinod. ?7. And ho elmll confirm the (or. a) covenant with many lor one weol. • end in the midst of the week he shall cause the Bacrific^ an-' tlie i»biation to cease, and for the ovovsprcading of abominaix'.^ he shall make it desolate, {or, npon the batt o- mf^nts shall bo the idols of the desolater,) even until the ^.onsuuunation, and that detormiucd shall be poured upon the deaolat?, ^o/, desolater)." In OApiunation of i-hcse seventy weeks of years, or 490 yoara, which they are universally understood to mean, it has genera ly boe- t.d nutted by expositors that the first seven and sixty- ►wo v'-Hks, or altogether sixty nine weeks, amounting in fact to 183 years, were fulfilled before the first C:oming ot Christ, and that they began ^^ith the going 1<»J » «< '; '''i^Jf in Artuxerxos- reign and ended just before the Messuihs crucifixion— according U) the plain statement, " from the going forth of the comnuvndn»ent (or decieo in Artax.nxes rcign) to restore and build J.-rusnlem unto the Messiah the 1 ruuv<3 shall be seven weeks and threescore a. d two weeks (i.e., sixty-nine weeks or 4H3 y.ars) . . • and after threescore, and two weeks shall Mewiuh bo cut off, but not for Himself (at hk Drucilixion)." . , , « .i «„». . , Thiw the fulfllmen f sixty-nme weeks out of the seventy week^ is easily discon.cd and understood horn tlio plwa teniM of wapoleon's jj;wish covenant. 48 Years in last para- liction of . (Some aid upon ixn ciid of [uity, and ,ho vision ihrew, the and, that and to 3n weeks, lilt again, tcr three- r himsolf : ;sti'oy the he with term in od. many for cause the eading of lie hattle- uutil the upun the 190 years, generally ml sixty- uiting in oming of a decree Messiah's tlio going reign) to inte shall sixty-nine and two If (at hk le seventy laiutermi of tne text itself, and has been agreed upon by most expositors, as having taken place previous to the cutting-otf of Messiah upon Mdiint Calvary. After this it is said in the twenty-sixth verse, '* And the people (the Komans) of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end tliereof shall he with a flood : and unto the end of tlie war de^iolations are determined." Here is described the well-known destruction of Jerusslcm in A.D. 70, forty years after the cutting-off of ^fessiah ; and the Romans its destroyers are called " the people of the prince that shall come'," that is, the people of a coming future latter-day Koman Prince, who is hei-e mentioned for the first time, and concerning whom it is immediately added, " And he shall con- firm a covenant for many for one week, and in the midst of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease even until the Co;isumraation," etc. Hence it is manifest that some future Roman prince " that shall come," is the person who shall confirm a covenant with the Jews for seven years : and that such covenant could not have been made before the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70, because ia the regular order of the prophecy, it is detailed as taking place after that destruction, and raoveover is described as occurring seven years befoi-o the Consummation or end of this dispensation.' Hitherto, there has never been any record in history of such a covenant having been made, and in any case, it would have to be followed by the abolition of the restored sacrifices in th^ midst of the week of seven years, and by the Consummaticn at the end of the week. It is manifest, then, that this covenant transaction has yot to bo accomplished; and "the Prince that shall come" and shall confirm it, is understood by many exi)osit()rd to bo obviously the Last Head of the Roman Empii-o, who ia also generally called the " Last or Personal Anticlnist," There are .mentioned by name in the author's > In addition to these self-evident rpiwons that Christ could not Tia\H confirinoil lliis covoimnt, it is v.vrUxiu tliat iifitht-r Ho norhisdimoinlcs i«vit iiiadj) liny so vcn-y oars' covenant whulovor with the hwia, nnich leHs th(jt tln^v ovor nmd» a oovonant and ftf'toiwitiiln InlthloMly brnko it in tho inidNt of the wo(!k— 11 diNoro.Hliiblo iwt, ol wliioh it would bo impious to suppose ,",•••• j • ".-. ~ -!—- 1-. "f,-.-'-ti ns irir=r.:ai: 13 (UKtUClI J Oe^ cinifil to hnvu Ihhmi cut oil at the end ot the sixty-nine weeks, he could not be onmioMHl to bo the conllnntfrof a covenant that was to be umdo ntaonio period nft«r his d««th At the bednnlng of the subsequent seventieth wei-k. ¥ 44 FIRST WONDER. treatises altogether more than EIGHTY expositors or exposi- tions, which distinctly maintain Jhis view, that Daniel's seven- tieth week is the final seven years of thiS dispensation, just before the descent of Christ and battle of Armageddon and Millenium, and that the latter half of the seven years will be the three-and-a-half years of the Antichrist'^ desolations. Amon^ these eighty writers are Archbishop Cyprian, and five Bishops — Irena;ns, Hippolytus, Victorin.:s, Appollinarius, and Trima- sius— Fathers of the corly church, in which tliis inleipretation of the seventieth week appears to have been quite prcivalent ; also in the Church of England Canon H. Erownt>. and the Reverends Dr. De I5urgh, Edward liickersteth, T. IJirks, C. J. (Joodhart, Capel Molyneux, C. Maitland, A. Fausset, J. IJaillie, J. G. Gregory, F. Fysh, AV. jMarrable, James Kelly, etc. ; also in other bodies, the llevs. Dr. J. Seises, E. E. IJeinko, E. Guers, H. G. Guinness, K. A. Purdon, A. A. Kees, J. Da: by, W. Kelly, and Sir Edward Denny, Judge T. Strange, Dominick McCausland, Dr. Tregelles, B. W. Newton, i^Iajor riiillipa, etc. Archbishop Cyprian, in his Computus de Pascha, explained this seventieth week in Dan. ix., 27, as follows : — '• This is one week which the angel has divided off from the seventy weeks, and placed it at the latest period of tliis dispensation. And this hebdomad or week we rxjcognise as containing sev(!n years, in which Enocji and Elias ajre to come. And in the midst of the week, ho says, the sacrifice and oblation shall be taken > In tlie author's tnjutisi! on Louis Napoloou, in the third chapter, the names of fifty -.SI' von expoHitora or expositions iirc givor, and now twenty- five more anMuldml, nmkini.; more tluui Kt(!llTV wvit^js that hold thU view. Arelihisliop Cyprian, Computus tie, Pcisclin; Cnnon If. IJrownc, Ordo Sivaifonmi • lU'v. A, l"'uussi:t, ('i>Nin\i Ulasqow C'immn>tnrii ; llev. J. liaillio, Prefncc. to Omif. /u-evtn of J'rophcci/; lU'V. J. U. (ivemi-y, l'arth*t Eventide: 'J{ev. F. Fysli, The Cnmina of' Christ; IJov. J. C. Clmse, Approachliui Crisis; l!ev. Wyndluim ^lathicn, Sketch of Last I)(v/s; Key. W. ]). Moin'ctt, 7'he Emperor Nupolccn: 1!<'V. I,. 0. Halcer, J'rophetio Times; Rev. 0. J. (Joodliuit, (various pampliffts) ; Dr. C. Cow in, Iteading, Thowihts oil Prophceti; .f. Coleman, Pniphecji unfolded; Andrew ISonnr, Ymi.,' neiYlopmcnt of Antichrist; h. A. 1). PukcIz, Chronohtrij; Dr. D. M. Hvd, Napokon'll/. in Prophrey: tlie J'Mitor of tlio London MoiUhly Rmewun- Feb., ]8r)7; H. I.edeivr, The. hmcl He Indeed; Dr. Muson; W. 1 Ilarristtr, Prophefin Urief's; the. Crisis; Pernr: Xoteaon Baker; a IJosion Ilarristtr, Proph JtWtlalion; Christ's Second Cowimj. ^ » ^ ,. ^i i BXpositioi'S which tho .-nitiior \i7iH not met witlt. Mor:t oi thosr '^i\>r aic loniellnieseaUed "tlie lhethrpn"hold thisfuturefuirdment oftheSeveii Wcek» Ciinon llrowne eonsiders tliat it had a mere tyiiicul fitltllmunt at the diitruttlon of Jerusalem, and will chiefly lie fuUllled in tlic future. riiere are doiihllcss other similar ..I... «. rrjl-r ztx h'cntieth napoleon's JEWISH COVENANT. 46 away. Bat lialf of tlie week is shown to be a time, times, and half a time, which is three years and six months ; which become a thousjxtid. two hundred, and three so ire days, ajcording to tho Apocalpyse' ; in which days that Antichrist shall comniit great devastation, and Avill begin to sit in the temple of God, and to assert himself to the ignorant to bo God ; whom Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, must destroy by the spirit of his mouth and by the brightness of his coming', and bring tho world to its Consum- mation, as it is written, 'even unto the Consummation, and that determined, shall be poured upon the desolate.' " Andrew Bonar remarks upon these seventy weeks, " The break in the prophetic history of the Jews may be seen in the seventy weeks of Daniel. Is it not evident that that prophecy must reach to the end of this dispensation from the mention of its terminating in the everlasting righteousness and anointing of the Most Holy, which are yet to be seen in times as unlike the present, as prevailing evil is to prevailing righteousness 1 It is true, tho price was paid on the cross, but • the redemption of the purchased inheritance' is still future, and until it is com- pleted, tho prophecy cannot be said to have been accomplislud in all its parts. Yet as so largo a portion has without contra- diction been already fulfilled, how is it possible, without admitting the break spoken of, that the seventy weeks with the cutting-oif of Messiah occurring at the close of the 69th, (ver. 25,) could reach to tho times of everlasting righteousnoas which aro to be only when 'the kingdom' is sot up which ^lall never be moved? (Dan. ii. 44.) '• In fact no other solution can bo given of the difficulty than that which will bo found to bo in harmony with all else, namely, that Daniel, giving as ho did, tho future history of Ids people to tho end and the promises which aro yet to be made good to ' * Ht. Cyprian here evidently refers toKevelation, t.«., Apocalypse xi. 3, and xii. 6, 14, and Dan. vii. 25, xii. 7, whcrn Antitduist thiou-aud-a- halt' years, or latter half of the seventieth week, is described. * 8*;. Cyprian is here (piotiny 2 Thess. ii. It is important to notice, tlmt whila it appwirs quito certain that lome Ntinoleon must bo tlio icvcnth-ei^hth hoad of the Roman I'lmpirp, who ia to make tho sevon-ypars Cpvonant with tiie Jews \ it alio seems in the highest degree prohahlo that it is to bo Louis Napoleon for tho roiuon staled on king's portrait in Dan. viii. 23, 25 i xi. 21. Ilencc, in tho improbahio erontof Loui* Napoleon's death, lomo other Napoleon, t^ntUing in hit place, would hare to fulfil tliese prophecin. 40 flftST WONDER, ■ them, spoke of them as he was moved by the Holy Ghost ordy aa a nation, which they ceased to be when their Messiah was * cut off' at the end of the 69th week, and when they themselves were scattered (as predicted elsewhere) and the gospel s(mt to the Gentiles. As their ' times' draw to a close, Scripture indi- cates the return of the Jews again as a nation, although in unbelief, (Ezek. xxii. 19 — 23,) when the last week, shoAvn to be a week of years from the portion of the prophecy already fulfilled, will remain naturally still to be accomplished before the happy days of universal righteousness and the anointing of the Most Holy are seen, which, as we are told, ''seal up the vision and prophecy.' And here it may just be noticed, that tbe word ' week' is in the original simply a hebdoma4 or sev«n, arrophecy that eventually "the Ethiopians and the Libyans shall bo at his steps," and that " the king of the south" (Egypt) and " the king of the north" (Syria) shall be overcome by him. (Dan. xi. 21—45.) Thk prospect of Louis Napoleon talcing the Ji ws under his patronage, and helping them to recover possessien of their long- set him by Napoleon I., who, in May, 1806, issued a decree for a Convention of Jewish Deputies to meet at Paris in the napoleon's JEWISH COVENANT. 51 h to hita.' ■13,17)i 5 develop with th« ain, Ital; reece, and LO basilisk I capital, aintained, ' headship s, it may, atrary, be steadfast ontifF and ir .Roman nic head, L and the Is of the sn horned ^ery where sal King 3, under- craft to id at his apoleon's ul subtle bat « the vonderful viii. 23, the north with the r-ans shall jypt) and by him. under his leir long- lecroe for I in the following July. It was decided at this Convention, at the Emperor's suggestion, that a Grand Sanhedrim should assemble in Paris, on February 9, 1807. The proposed Sanhedrim w^ held, and the Deputies left Paris in the foUowing June, 1807, after 1*800 francs— about 72 pounds sterling— had been paid to each of them for their expenses by the Minister of the Interior. The terms of their relief from many civil disabilities were settled, and important rights and privileges were granted to them not only in France, but in other places as well, as, for instance, in Frankfort, where, until" August, 1806, they were confined to the most unhealthy a ud unclean quarter of the city, and a notice was fixed in the publi« gardens and walks of the city, « Jews and Swine are not admitted here." The historian Alison thus refers to this Convention in his History of Europe (vol. vii., p. 494, and vol. x., p. 418) :— . , _ " Early in March, 1807, a grand Convocation of the Jews assembled in Paris, in pursuance of the commands of Napoleon, issued in the July preceding. Seventy-one doctors and chiefs of that ancient nation attended this great assembly, the first meetin'' of the kind which had occurred since the dispersion of the Israelites on the capture of Jerusalem. For 1 ,700 year.=t the children of Israel had sojourned as strangei:s m foreign realms ; reviled, oppressed, persecuted, without a capital, without a government, without a home, far from thb tombs of their fore- fathers, banished from the land of their ancestor u. ^re- serving unimpaired amidst all their calamities, tht.. traditions, their usages, their faith ; exhibiting in every nation of the earth a lastin" miraale to attest the verity of the Christian prophecies. On this^'occasion, the great Sanhedrim, or assembly, published the result of their deliberations in a variety of statutes and declarations, calculated to remove from th.> Israelites a portion of that odium under which they had so long laboured in all the nations of Christendom ; and Nap.- eon, in return, took them !indor his protection, and, under certain modifications, admitted them to the privileges of his empire. • » xv t " This first approach to a reunion and settlement of the Jews, impossible under any other circumstances but the rule of so great a conqueror as Nanoleon, is very remarkable. The imme- diate cause of it, doubtless, was the iety, zeal, and submission. This is the temple, m> brethren I where every ono offers up an agreeable incense to the common Father of all mankind ; and, such is the grandeur of this phenomenon, that he has, as it wore in a moment, bound up all our wounds, and made us forget the calamities of eigliteen centuries." Eulogies similar to these will in all probability be expressed regarding the third Napoleon when ho shall enter into a Covenant with the Jews ; and his patronage of their " Universul Israelitish Alliance" seems already a step in that direction.' > Among Qt\m», thn Hev. R. A. rurdon, \V. 11. MolTctt, r.oiilf, ^rlljol rhlUiiw, Timntoii, and P»)rtorihavt a'.l distinctly furc^sliowu in tlitir writinjjb that liouis Nai)oIc(in will niako this sevim-ycavH' Covonaut with tin- Jews. U. A. ^'urdon pnbliHlx'd thcso words iu ISrifi—ttn yearn ago •.,-'"'''"' -'^wf will fofrti ft loagut) with soino grAat I'ower for a lu-nod of 'sovcn vnus.' at dcscribnl in tho ninth of Duniol. TIiIh I'nwir. we fully oxiuicT. will bo the imperial monarchy of France, and even tiic present Kmiwvmof France. JIaving got possession of Jemsalcni xinder the ])ntronagt) of tlie'lMiropoan soverefciin, they will noon rcconimcn''o their snerillcpH, build theiRilturs, and renew the U'niplo. In thn midst of tho seven-years' lengno, the Kinperor null tho Jews will quarrel, and wars and perseentions of the niost terrible kind wli! immediately follow, and continue for three years an«la half down to tha and of Mven veari— to tho iHMsonal eoniing of the Lord, when llii feet •hail stand upon the Mount jf Ullvu» ^iiech. xu. ^).'' i'nrdon aiiQ lien now the Continent seems to be progressing toward this final ten-kingdom shape. There appears scarcely any doubt but that the five kingdomi m the Western half will be, in the main. Groat Britain, France Spain with Portugal, Italy with Southern Austria, Algeria : and the five in the iilastern half will bo Tunis with Tripoli and the four kingdoms of the successors of Alexander the Great, namely, Egypt, Gree o, Syria, and the rest of Turkey. But these leading ton kingdoms must have thoir boundaries considerably altered in order to include all the other countnes that fall witiiin Uie Roman Empire : and also to exclude all countries that fall outside that Empire. Its boundaries com- nrised nearly all the northern coast of Africa aa far south as the Desert of Sahara, and it was bor >dod on the oast by the river « Tlie name iUvIhIoti of the ten kinploins Into two olunU™ or bmnohta of five kln« Nor is America uninterested in tha coming combination of the Latin nations under Jfapoleon. He can never be expected permanently to relinquish Mexico, for it is merely abase of operations for. the acquisition of much more Transatlantic territory. Any attemjit on the part of the United States to drive him from Mexican soil can only draw upon them sooner than otherwise those ruinous calamities which must shortly befall overy Protestant community, in order to establish everywhere the three- fcnd-a-half y 'ars' Napoleonic and Romish dominion. Without the addition of a disastrous stnicgle with so po\jerfnl and wily a monarch, they are alrefdy confronted by quite sumcient difficulties in the com- plioations and heavy burdens bequeathed by the late war — the unabated strife of [Mjlitical parties^and the portentous growth of Fenianism, the most threatening organization of modern times, and which, by knitting all the Irish into a compact coalition, bids fair to give them predominating power in the If nitod States, and in the end to bring it under the supremacy of Napoleon, to whoso uff vice the »on» oi Ei-iii wiil ardently devote themselves, when his European projects shall t>e Men to correspond with their aspirations vegan' ing Ireland^ ftmim ei tniBD WONDEB. mi Ml I I' L THIED WONDER murin. two years and four to sU weeks after the- Covenant). BB,D OBOOM Cometh . Go ye out to me.t H. . This is inmouneed l>y the Apostle John himself to be agteat ,v„Sler for he says inUe twelfth f JR-^'i; ^ " , , „„,„ " And there appeared a great wonder '"''f""- ■( „ „ clothed with the sun .nd the .noon ™ - '^ °'^ ^ Tld her head a erown of twelve stars : ^ , And »he ton, cried, travailing i.L birth ""'IP^^f tobed.hvo.ed _^ brou"ht forth a manoh.ld, who was to , rule a.l i»"™ jjj Siron, and the child ™» -"8^' J^.^ ^^omlwhere^le throne. 6. And U'»:>™™" tta" thev *mdd teed her there Vinth a T)lace proparo.d ot (»od, tual iney auvju that th» sun-elothed ™"«" '''"X At An to^^ ifS^ithtCetn'^fKU™^^^^^^^^^^^ :'i:rde:otrthrtwelveVstle. and w^^^^^^^^ fvinc the suporseded Jewish ordinances, "^^^,^;. f \, '"^^l -,^1, of Csymbolical langmigo of the ancient P-PJ-^^^^^;' Vm the manchild denotes the setting ^^^f ^vb J^e^^^n^Lled ; Chmtians who are to ^^^ -^tt^an Ihhp torSe^^hib 1260 literal days that is to say lov tl^r«^««^-';^^'Xnchiid *' the Last Antichrist's persecution. Hence ine ixi» , signi- . " lu lirth of 11 PAINFUL IBAVAIL OF THE CHURCH. 66 manifestly the body or company of wise, waiting, And watchful Christians who are to bo caught up to heaven to meet Christ at the first act or ' stage of His coming' to raise the deceased saints and to take them up to God's throne together with livinf^ watchful Christians at some period shortly before the final three*^ and-a-half years' persecution. On various conclusive grounds there is the strongest reason to believe that the exact period of this removal and ascension to heaven of watchful Christians at the first act in Christ'-^ advent will be about two years and from four to six wee!, , aU( ^ the date of the Covenant.' Thus, as the birth and ascension of the Manchil. s.- ntfies , He ascension of a body of prepared Christians to nit oi Christ at His coming, therefore the painful travail of the W.. -^ (the Church Militant) previous to the Manchild's birth and ascension must denote a season of widespread and painful commotion trial, and agitation throughout the Christian Church preparatory to the ascension of Christians at Christ's Advent. And this season of painful difficulty and perturbation within the Church Militant, will evidently bo the above-mentioned • 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17, Eev. xir. 1—5, Matt. xxv. 1—10. A.O ■ IWt ^T^^^. fulfilment of the twelfth of Revelation, the Ascension of t!ieManchild IS manifestly the Asconsion of Christ, in A.n. 29-33 about 600 years before the 1260 years of the Papal Antichrist began ; theiefore in the counterpart literal-day fulfilment, the Ascension of tlie tZfl\ Voln'^ *^° 4«f "r^^ of the Body of Wise Virgins about 500 days before the 1260 days olthe Personal Antichrist, which Lgin in the midst of the Covenant seven years. Therefore, the Ascension of the Wise VivS urn take place about 600 days, that is, about one year and foiu S a ha.f or five months before the midst of the Covenant-spven-years in othto words, about two years and from four to six weeks aft.n- the beginning of the Covenant-seven-years. Thus, the Ascension of the Wi sol'irS Sgram/li ^ ""nihers, about ixve years before the E..1. f^ee «»l«ll''-'^i'°?l''*'^°^y *^° yearday seventh seal, seventh trumpet, and iSt/'^J^'f %™'°''^?"'8 with a Coming of Christ about five 'yean before the End-(Rev. vii. 1-9. viii. 1, xi. 15-18, xvi ir)-17)--we are sTxth Z^ ^t S 'Y '^r '^ ,*^° r^^'^^'^y ''^^^ «^^1' «'-^tl' trumpetT and rnSlrf; 1 '^js^^sliown by the types of Moses being mysteriously 37wt ,r7?ryT"T ^''^'''^ tho'dividing of the Promised La 3 and the reign of the Judges (Deut. xxxiv., ]?umh. xiv. 30-33, Josh XIV. 7, 10 ; and by the type of Joseph manifesting himself to his brethren and removing them to Goshen. aboAt five vear?. ytf.v. tJ,„ »n,i .V ." „ :i..!"' Kd of thrC wl; V- '^'^r ^'^^ ^'■^ furtherVxplainc'd underthe" WhoJ-^S^arol^^^^^^^ ™°^^ ^""y "' ^^- ^-"' ^^^Pter 0, X 66 TIllUD WOKDER. interval of a little .uore tbau i^ y^- '^Z,^^::^^^ the Covenant and thoAscxnsionrmt^^«;^«^^^^ ^^^ ^l,e Covenant bet^veen Nnpo^con ami tho J^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^^,^ ^o ringing of an alarum ^^11 or tjio blowin o « iti^ely varn all Christians ^^l^o uve ears ^^ J^^^^^^^^^ persecution and within about three years ^fte^^^^^^^.^l'^.f ^f^T shall be, .vill bo tribulation that ev^er ^.^^^/;,^"'(?^^',tndon ith bloodshed, Commencing, and flooding ^\\ ^J^^^^^^^^^^^ during that pre- carnage, and -^^\;^^^^^ thole >vho are liminary pause Christ is comino looking for Him. i „^ ^f r,f.r-nn«i -will bo stirred up Heiico a considerable f"^^^^°f,P'':v"iu;'„ truths, d Iho to proclaim bohily these tr^-cbu^ly ^n^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ violent opposition, «^'^™' ;;'';^"\'(,',"v th the powerful emotions the travail of the Bun-clad Woman. „.ent that is to Pvovail l.roughout t e C^^^ ^ .^ ^.^^^^^ anticipation of Chml^sM^^^^^ in the parable of the lenVU{,.s , ^^ /^iijcncd unto ten ..Then shall the kingdom "^ \«"y^" ^^^ J^'^.^h to "meet the virgins, which took ^l-.J ^amp^. a^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^,^^ ^^.^,, bridegroom. 2. And I'^^.^VlAv^k their hunps, and took no fooli«l). 3. They thnt were 1?'>1;^^ ^cok ^^J ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^j.^ their oil with them : 4. lUil the wise took oi in t eii vt ^^^^ lamps, r,. While tin, bridegroom ta^^^^^ ^,^^^^1 ^1^, Blept. C. And at >">'i"'«^'\ '^^"^^"^(i^ 7 Then nil these bridegroom ometh ; go yo out to in^et him. . ^^^^^^ virgi^ arose, ""'^^'-^V^l^i^ d ibfot tip. luwe gone unto ll.n WW", t'ly" >" "' I; "]' Not 80 ; lo:.t there Im ""t out. 9, But tho mm an.w,>™a, » y"*'^""", ;„, o.at srll, .uul .,„„,«,. for «» and you : Jf,«», „V, ^^^ .I'l^'tay, .1,« b>i,U,. on«werod ami said Verily ^ «ay*vuao r\^ j^^^^J,,,^y,yiu The period to which thjf» p.wftblo tt uob, w 24f %':■ num PAINFUL TKAVAIL OF THE CHUUCII. 67 initial word, « Theij," which proves it io refer solely to the period of Christ's Second Advent, which had been described in tlie preceding chapter. It compares the state of the Christian Church on earth at the time of the Second Advent to the con- dition of ten virgins— five wise, and five foolish— who liad previc sly taken their lamps and gone forth to meet the Eride- groom, but had fallen asleep while ho tarried. *« While tho Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the Bridegroom rometh • go ye out to meet him." No words can well be more expressive than these, to show that shortly before the personal i-etur:< of Christ, all true Christians are in general to bo completely Ignorant, indiireront, and silent regarding tho positive and definite nearness of his return: and that although as believers in Scripture, they must undoubtedly, suppose that Ho will re-appear somo day, yet they will have no doep-rooted conviction and realization that His return is absolutely and immediately without any further delay, at tho very door : and therefore in refyenco to His im uediate return, they Avill all practioallv "bn SLUMBERING AND SLEEPING ; and in a stafeot sSual Uarki)ef!.s, coldness, and silence described by ins])iration as that of MIDNIGHT. They may indeed bo at the same time extremely active, zealous, and successful iu preaching other parte of tho Gospel, and in the conversion of souls, but in regard to tho positive expectation of tho instant personal Coming of Clirist, to which particular point (he parable solely and exclu- sively refers, they will bo in a condition of midnight slumber. ' And this 18 most remarkably tho case, oven in tlie present year of 18(55. In Great Britain and tho United States scarcely oijo leading influential preacher can bo found who is .lelivoring 80 clear and delinito testimony in relation to tho immediate Advent of Clirist, as to excite general attention to it within tho sphere of his inlliienco : and in moat towns, very few, oven of intelligent and religious person.^ Iiavo so much at. 'hoard of these l)rophotio views regarding tho coming Napoleonic Autichrist. and the (ma crisis in 18G8 to 1875. Public attention hm not at all been drawn, as yot, to this subject, bscauso the teslimonr roiscd by tho few believers in it lius, hitherto, hvmi corapftTativc^ly so foebl(». The great niaiority nf ihos" whft s^nr!!!-.: .^.i i\— numorouH evangelical congregations througlTout Britain and the Unit-jd btalcB, uro not even aware that it is Huriously demon- strated by standard p-ophotic authorities that tho Ad«««t of ^fSBafex 68 THIRD WONDER. tl • Christ and an unparalleled Ihree-and-a-half ytars' Great Tribu- lation of Avar?, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and persecu- tions, -will most probably usher in tlio end of this dispensation between 18G8 and 1S75. There is, indeed, a considerable number of persons who believe that the personal pro-millennial Advent of Christ may take place at any time, oven to-day ; such a testimony is, liowover. practically vague and pointless, unless accompanied with a distinct warning of the certainty of its occurrence within the next five ov ten years at the fartliest, jpon the evidence of the proph^itic dates, and septeuaries, and signs of the times. But in the very midst of the present midnigiit darkness, cold- ness, iudifl'crence, and silen-eof the Christian Church in relation to the delinito immediateness of Christ's Advent, there is suddenly and abruptly to arise, on ov<-.ry side, a piercing, irrepressible, tiumpet-ton^ed cry of warning that sliall awaken ALL Christians, foolish as well as wise, to the definite consider- ation of these truths concerning Christ's return, and concerning the astounding events conuccted with it. For the prophetic parable states that "At midright there was a cry made, Behold the Bridegroom cometh ; go yo out to meet him. Then ALL those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps," Tt is scarcely necessiu-y to say, that in the present year of 1865, there is no mighty movement or loud-sounding proclama- tion in reference to the instant expectation of Christ's appearing, in the leant corresponding to this predicted .Midnight Ciy, the otfoct of which is to bo so marvellously awakening, as to cnusu ALL Christiana, foolish as well as wise, backsliding as well aa watchful, to givo diligent heed and earnest attention to the nrojihecii'H respecting the Second Advon^,. In fact, those who know from experience the unbelief, dislike, and antngonism generally manilosted by even truo Christians to those projjliotic views, could not believe it \nmil unless it woro hero ]'rfldicted, that nearly all of tbn(a arc soon tu give anxioun con- iidoration to those hitherto rejctod and unheeded doclrinep. And what will lead to tliis eictraordinary ory being raised 1 Evidently, tiik making of tiik Covenant for seveii years betwgen Napoleon ond thf Jews^, and the coniioiiuont iiomkwaiu) uiaiu- TiON ov Tiiw .h va will cause tup MiuNiariT cry. For thereupon many devoted (Christians will at onco boliovo that the final ■even years of this difODnantiQii have commfinesd- with "' " II «i varied Bceues of joyful waiting for Chrisfi coming, wii i m TUB MIDNIGHT CRY PROCLAIMED, CD •cat Tribu- i persecu- spensation nsiderablo millennial lay ; such 3SS, unless ity of its lest, jpon and sig)ig less, cold- n relation thore is piercing, 11 awaken consiJer- oncorning prophetic I), Behold hen AJ.L t year of proclama- ppearing, Cry, the to cnusj 18 well aa 1 to the 1080 who tiigonism • prophetic cro hero ioiw con- rinpp. ^ raised ? between ) Miaru- lioroupon Iho (itial ..It «!...:_ and (tf iXlv^? ^ '^ V^' Accompanying Great Tribulation. And many ot them will go lorth in every direction into the cities, towns, and villages of Britain and tlie United States, a I Zno^^t ""t"f.' "■^' ^'?^'°^'^ '^'^ Bridegroom cgmeth,' on. preach these (ioctnnes m the open air, in public Imlls, school- houses, market-places, and in various churches and chapels whf^vever they can succeed in obtaining the use of them. r],^v will, no doubt, in some instances meet with the rio.st )stilo misrepre^^entation, -riticism, and even physical vi.Jence, b.icause mS.C^ ftT^"r""V;'^'"^ qui.t]y^en'ou,di to the 'ordina" J nf; "A^f °.^°/^!.' ' ^°'^'-'" extremely displeased whon told 1 at the Advent of Christ and desolating judgments are posi- tuely coming within two or thre« ycara' time.' But in the lace of all opposition, this midnight cry will doLlT \ """^ ^«"^'^'>.«t'''^"«<''' and sl-onger. and\noro detinito and uncompromi.sing than ever. The public journals review.., and periodicals will bo forced by the growing public interest in the subject, to notice the niovemmit, and wiito articles upon it: and probably it will .-rtoi be nttocked with all the artillery 'of thefr satire, logit ami Jw S^p?* ^^^" ""•P^"»^'<^«"y i» ^•^■I'vtiou to such a perio that U. 1 oter predicts " There slmll conjc the last u .f, scoffers t^ithors .ell as eop, all things continno as they were front the begmmng of the creation.'.' This predicts that tbo deS n of worldly mon 1. to bo directed not ho much against tlu G sp" n genor..] as against the doctrine of Christ's immediate perSa t'omn^,, ,n parhcular ; and various philo.Mophors, scientific p feasor.., and politicians will probaMy muintail, it V, bo n r ' nohl r. n 7"^^^ ''""''^« ^^ «^-^"^« i" the material ind po ht.cal world should now bo arrested by so violent and m nauralanmtenuption as these proplienos foretell- and the v Wil Imaintuin that the .orld is in ita'inlancy, just onteted n 2 70 THIRD WONDER. an era of railways, telegraphs, steam vessels, extension of com- merce, education, political reform, cheap literature, and inter- national exhibitions, as pledges of universal peace, and that it will yet progress during countless cycles in the path of- liberty, civilization enlightenment, and commercial prosperity. The idea o^' a fresh religious persecution will be scouted by them, as contrary to the advanced spirit of the ago ; and the predictions about Napoleon's projects will bo Icnounced as uncharitable, notwithstanding the glimpse of his real character that has been afforded by the Paris coiip d'etat. Nevertheless, all Christians will more or less be aroused by the Covenant and the startling signs of the times, so much so that the prophecy depicts the foolish virgins— the representatives of Christians who are ignorant and bewildered in regard to these Second Advent doctrines — as anxiously coming to the wise virgins, who are Christians thoroughly understanding and believing .the doctrines : and earnestly entreating them "Give us of your oil (the oil of propiictic discernment), for our lamps are going out (not gone out). But the wise answer, saying, " Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go yo rather to them that sell (namely, the three persons in one God, who impart knowledge' without money and without price), and buy for yourselves." Here the foolish Christians, who have only sufficient grace to believe in the ordinary doctrines of the Gospel, and wlio hav( not obtained l)y prayer and searching of the Scriptures the more ample supply of the illuminating oil and teaching of the Holy Spirit, which alone can enable them rightly to intori)ret the signs of the times and to understand Prophecy, betake themselves in thoir perplexity to the wise CJiriHtians who have obtained that higher spiritual anointing, and ask them tj impart to them a satisfactory comprehension of tlie subject. Tliis request cannot bo fulfilled by the wise ' ''''"; «n'i>P a?iven to tli<< Laodiceniis, win. i.roi)lid if Uly represent tl.o foolish virgins ill Hov. iii. 18. " 1 coui.sH ilwc to Imy of me gol.l fried in tho fiiT, thiit tlioii iimyest l)e rich ; and wliito ruinipnt, that thou niaycst bo clothca, nnd tlint th(( Nlinnio of thy iiakfchieHs do not at>noar ; and anoint thine pyo« with eyeHnlve, that thou nuiyost we." Coii.para Kev. XVI. IB. Many writurn jii.stly niultiNftiiid tho neven .hiucheB to he prophetic of noven HuceesHivo hUkU'h of tho Church Militant- Hnulis tho ma of tho Heforiuiitioii ; tho ThilmU'Iphia churrli, the wino virdfiiH ; th« Ijwdlcertnchuhh, the chiiivh of the foolish virgin*! who aro left hohlod, l»ut iiiwured ol (orgiviiness, if they will he Kcalous mid repent, and of admls- -I- i" I — ^V~ •'" ""'""'» "'>:»'-'"6»' e^ivUUlnl Ifom cntrruii* wun tno wini Vlrgtiu to the marnagt:. THE MIDNIGHT-CnV PHOCLAIMED, 71 I of cam- ind inter- id that it •f- liberty, ity. The them, as redictioiia haritable, has been oused by much ao entativea I to these the wise ing and n "Givtt ir lamps . saying, ut go yo jiodjwho md buy ive only I of the •ching of iting oil jIo them loretand ho wise lointing, nsion of le wise represent ma Kol«l hnt tlinu appear ; Compare ICH to ))« tidis tlia liiM ; the behind, >r admifl- iho wii-;a Christians, because the argujucnts and explanations which are conclusive to them, prove only vague and inconclusive to tlio^e who have not obtained by earnest prayer and meditation upon Gods word the prophetic tcuclung of the Divine Spirit. Tlie foolish Christians are, therefore, recommended to resort in fervent supplication to the mercy-seat for a furtlier supply of Divine grace and enlightening faith to enable tliem to believe ant their rgt^irnin" Lord ; they liavo not the feupply of Divine trut !. to mal He did not ^crcoivo this in hia first w*it ■ 10 much u in M$ USm ftiid tiiaturer writuign. \ * ti ALT. THE V1RQIN8 ARISE. iidiug, and ' Proraised I not ready ' r'2ti!.rmng vvheii thoy from tho iwakeniig it tho last, tllO fil'St marriages first comes on is pro- gives her id friends a further are ready r in witii eady, and tlio bride- ut out of inow you nd Luke .y.' Tlie nay illus- an open m churcli ' and yet ;ion (tho Ions and door and b'ith tho hat TRDn 3 Sl'KBDY Ht boforo 3u; but onoa, aro r period' 1 liii« IftUr 73 taan many k,i. faithful Christians wlio will bo left behind, and f!;vr\vf>ehne.] 'v;..h terror and dismay, and not bo admitted to the Kin-dom 'M.iii they shall have become meet for it, at a later pcnocl. He says, " It is given as adistinguisliing mark of thoso who mil be ready for admission to Christ's Kingdom that thoy will be cxpocfiig his Advent, and have his name graven on thou- f.vc). ads. and, like tho Wise Virgins who had oil in their lamps, be ready to join his triumphal train. It is given as tho ?:.urf- of o.lhorH that they will not bo fit to be admitted to hi.s pres(-icowit}i those whose redemption is then to bo completed, «'ut will be left without, while the world at largo will bo taken by surprise, and will bo overwhelmed with terror and dismay (3Iatt. XXV. 1—10, Ecv. xvL 1—5.) "It is foreshown in the parable of the Ten Vii-ins, that all tho saints living at the time of Christ's Advent are not to bo changed at the same time, 'i'he Bridegroom represents Christ. I 10 ten virgins were all believers, for thoy were all invited, and all Jiad had oil in their lamps, though fivo of them had not had enough to secure their admission to the mansion of tho Eride- groom. Iho inadequacy of their oil for the occasion, and their exclusion on that account from tho mansion, sliow, therefore that a portion of the living believers at Christ's Coming will' by a want of tho requisite qualilica lions, bo oxcluded from immediate admission to his kingdom. The gift to them of such a redemption will take place at a later period, when thov shall have become meet for it. "Tie true people, the faithful witne8.sea of Cod, are to beliovo and to pi-ocluim tl.o great teachings of the prophecies that Uirist IS to come m person, raise \m aaints from the mwc destroy tho apostate hierarchy symlx.lized by Uabylon, and the persecuting civil powers n-presented by tho wild-boast, establish his throne on tho earth, judge tho nations, convert those of them that are not consigned to destruction, and reign he.o for ever over tho ransomed race. Antichrist and l-.i. party aro to deny it It 18 a subject, tberefore, of the grcte.t pnu'tical moment and IS ero long to atUiut all eyes and agitato all hearts. U- those who wish to bo found „n tho side of Christ beware lunv they tnlle with or neglect it. Let those who reject and opnose Ins sj^eedy personal coming and reign, consider'whwt tlie narK. Y iTu,u wnioii liu-y are arraying tUemsoIve.n, imd what' thi. •loituiy m to wliich ;i is hastening." ■ To «uiu up uU thew n-noctionfl, it will bo seen that m a n FOUflTIi WCNDER. MiDNiGiiT-CRY PERIOD of painful travail of the Church Militant, and of an extensive preaching of the approaching Second Advent, has to intcvveno for some h'ttle time before that Advent, and as wo certainly have not in this year of 1865 yet entered upon any such midnight-cry periocr, therefore Christ's Coming cannot be expected to tiiko place at present until that midnight-cry is raised. Let Christians, then, shake oil time-serving timidity and worklly-minded unbelief of tliese prophecies and faithfully proclaim the midnight-cry, " Behold the Bridegroom cometh : go ye out to meet him," if they would hasten their Eedeemer's return. -.it 1 1 III 1' FOURTH WONDER. (Beginning fully about nine montns and twenty-five days — and perhaps partially about eight months and ten days— -after the Covenant.) Commencement op Daniel's orrvt rnoPiiETio period op two THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED LITERAL DAYS, WHICH HERB BECIIN WITH THE RESTORATION OP THE SACRIFICES AND OBLATIONS IN THE Jewish temple between nine and ten months after THE Covenant, and which terminate with the cleansing OP THE Sanctuary at the Lord's descent at the intro- duction OF THE Millennium. In tho eighth chapter of Daniel a great desolator appears, in a prophetic vision, under tho titlo of a " Little Horn waxing exceeding great," and is described as arising " in the hist end of tho indignation— at tho timo of tho cnd.''^ The first part of the chapter pictures tho ancient IMedo-Persian empire symbolized as a -two-horned ram, being overthrown by tlio siibsequent Grecian empire, which is represented as a one-horned he-goat. Tho goat's ono horn, signiiying Alexander the Great, is after- wards broken up, and in its place there como four horns, eigni- ,., '.^'"'- 7\"- ^'^' ^^- Undoubtedly tliero has been a typical yearday ful- liliflent of tlieao 2,300 days as so many years from about 4'27 B.C., when the JeAvish sacriHces were restored by Nehcniiah (Neh. xiii. 6) until 1873 a d . anil in *Iiii»- riiI(S1..,»»f ♦!,„ I !ij.l_ u »»\.i i • / -. - "•"•» r. .,,„ jjj.^st- ii-j;.. ,,:i;; iiiaiioincaamoin lor iiou years. from A'). 613 to 1873. In 012-13 Chcsroes, King of Persia, took Jeru- salem, and slew 00,000 Christians with tho swonl. Jerusalem has been almost continuously since under the control of the tyrant Powers. 'U signi- JEWISH TEMPLB BEMORED. 75 ^^•!?^-^-lt ^''■'' M"S*Joms of Greece, Egypt, Syria and Thr^.P wituBithynia into which Alexanders" empKs aft^^^^^^^ broken up. Out of one of these four horniingl L the Sle T' an;rn,t';^^°'"' ^^^r '^'' transgressors are con.e to t e luJ, and practising and nrospering durin^ tlio finil tun thousand three hundred literS davs. 11ns Little Horn has bmi understood by n.any of the Fathers and n-.odem expostrs unquestionably to signify the Last Head of the Eoinan Sre " 8. Therefore the lie g,uit waxed very great : and when he ^vas s rong, the great horn was broken ; and for it came in fo„r notable ones toward the-four winds of heaven 9 S Tul one of them came fortli a little horn, which wavfed exceedim leaved md it }1 ^ '^ ''"'''' f «"''^^' ^^^'«» *« the host of him^lf even to the i^-inco '0, the host, and b^h m ff d ^ ^s^r^ir7'''r^ '^" ^''^^^" '' bis'sanctiVw;'s castdo^^n. 12, And an host was given him against the dnJ I v sacrifice by rejison of traiisgressioii,''and it cast down ttS hen i" ''"'"""^^ V '"^^ '. I^'"'^^^^'^^' ""''^ V^'ospovod. 13 Then 1 foot it An.l . 1 ^i''""^ Hi' ^'""'^ *° ^° trodden undei' .i...U 1,0 i„ tl,» last ca,l ;„■ tl'o.V .'.'"^ ^'!,?''J:",'!" ".'"" appoiulud iho end shall bo '?o 'j ..„ "" 1 '■"! 7 '"" ""^""^ having two horM av/thU'lns/J^^'j J ^^'J^;^'/'' aVT! thorough goat ia the king of Orccia : ani'tho ^^t h'oti, «"u 76 FOURTH WONDF.;'., is between his eyes is the first u.ng. Ji. xiow that being broken whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not Ju his power. 23. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding: dark sentences, shall stand up. 24. And his pov ';i.:ii; ^u mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall pi-osper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25. And through his policy also ho shall cause craft i.' prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his h* art, and by peace shall destroy nwny : he shall also stand ivn against the Prince of princes ; but he shall be broken with' i:i hand." Here the Little Horn, who is further described as being a latter-day king of fierce countenance, is represented as casting down some of the stars and host of heaven, that is to sa}--, some eminent ecclesiastical dignitaries, and taking away t^o daily sacrifice and casting down the place of the san'tuary of the prince of the host — that is, of the Jewish highpriost. In con- nection with this it is said " How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, ana the transgression of desolation to give both the sanctuary and the '(ost to be trodden under- foot? " The reply is given, " Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary bo cleansed." Thus we are informed that there will be an ■entire period ot two thousand and three hundred days, that is, six yc rs foup months and twenty days, during whi( ■ the daily sacri' e shall first be restored and continued for i^ome tuae, and ilien bo stopped by the desolation and treading underfoot of the Jewish sanctuary durii'g the remainder of the perio'l, until the sanctuary is cleansed by the ov, rthrow of the d. joiuting power vfc tho descent of Christ to destroy his foes at tho Consummation.' rye ' It is. a fixed rule in the reckoning of prophetical dates that be accounted as consisting exactly of twelve months — ea< ' taining prcc^snly thirty days. Scripture being its own iiiterii this rule to us, lor in J!pv, xii. 6, 14, three and a hoMtivu.^ Luterchanffeably called 1260 uays, — thus reckoning a year ; and in Kov. r' 2—3, forty-two months are spoken nymous tenn lor 1. a days, shewing that aO days were reckoned to a montli. This also appears by comparin;; Gen. vii. 11-24, viii. 4. Henco 2,300 days ciiual (J j <'ais, 4 months, and 20 days. Dr. Tregelles on Daniel similarly explains these 2,300 literal dnya to b','''iu with the restored Jewish sacrifices after the Covenant. a ytit.' is tc -nonth con- fi: lishes are to a jf as a svuo- I I h— JEWISH SACRIFICES nESTORED. 77 And as the whole period from the Covenant to the Consum- mation Avill b seven y.ears aiul two and a half months, there- fore these SIX YEARS, FOUR MONTHS, AND TWENTY DAYS will haVe to begin about nine months and twenty-five days after the Covenant, in order to end with the Consummation. There seems, however, some possibility of their beginning and ending forty-five days earlit r, iu which case they will commence about eight months and ten days after the Covenant.' Hence the JeAvIsh sacrifices which are to he restored at the beginning of these ^ix years, four months, and twenty days, will be renewed either about eight months and ten days, or else nine months and twenty-five days, after the Covenant : -rhaps at the first date, partially ; and at the latter date, fully. The restoration ot the sacrifices is also clearly implied in the words of the last verse of the ninth of Daniel, " And he shall confirm a Covenant with many for one week (of years), and in the midst of the Aveelc shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to n^ase." From this statement it is self-evident that the sacrifices iiiust be re-establisVied, because they are to be made to cease in the midst of the £. m years, and therefore must have been 3ommcnced pre/ious. , and as it would seem, in consequence of the stipuLitions of the T wenant. This, again, is undi 1 by expositors to bo predicted in the hiit chapter of Isaiah The B' v. B. W. Savile, in his treatise on " the Jew," notices this ] He says : — "There are some passages ui t'n Old Testament where a Temple is alluded to, as existing at a time yet future, when the Jews are called upon to undergo that trial, which is described in the twelfth chapter of Daniel, and the fourteenth chapter of Zechariah, but pvovious to the one Avhoso pattern is so minutely given in the last eight chapters of Ezekiel. In Isai h Ixvi. /), G, it is written, " Hear the word of the Lord, ye tluit tremble at 1) 13 Word : Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my nani(>'s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified ; but He shall a{)pear to your joy, and they shall bo ashamed. A voice of ' Manuuonsis, in the Investigator, thinks they \vill end with the 1,290 days, oud not with the 1,835 days — thus ending forty-fivo days earik-r, ttuU, ui com c, uIho "oeginning forty-fivo days earlier. Dan. xii. 7, 11, 12. The 1,290 and 1,335, beginning with the 1,260 .liys in the midst of the seven years, extend 'Tspectively one month and two-and-a-hall months beyond thosr q^ven .ttars. The period of two-aiida-half mouth* U the time of Antich ' ' overthrow. 78 !■ I m FODIlTn WONDER, noise from the city, a voice from the Temple, a voice of the Lord, that rendereth recompense to his enemies." Here we have a distinct allusion to the fact of a Temple standing,' by the mention of a voice proceeding from it; at the time the Lord appears to the joy of His afflicted peoi e, and to render recom- pense to His enemies among the Gentile nations, and which can only be understood by referring it to the time of the future siege of Jerusalem, spoken of by Zechariah, when the Lord goes forth,' against those nations that have been * "atliered against Jerusalem, ^ to battle.' Amos likewise speaks V 'the songs of the Temple as being bowlings of that day.' So also in iJaniel, it is written, as wo have before had occasion to notice, Irom the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken aAvay 1 oon 5 ^^°^i°^^io" *^^iat maketh desolate set up, there shall bo 1,2J0 days.'. As this passage stands in connection with the exhortation to Daniel to 'go thy way till the end be, for thou Shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days;' and also with the promise that ' at that tijne Michael, the great prince, should stand up for the children of thy (Daniel's) people (the Jews), when they should be delivered,' it appears clear that it must refer to some future time ; and as mention is made 01 the daily sacrifice' being taken away, and the abomination 01 desolation being set up for a limited time, somewhat loncrcr than that of AntiochusEpiphanes's desolation, it is reasonable to conclude that there must bo a temple in which these things will occur. I hat such a temple will exist (it may be that the present Mosque of Omar, which stands on the site of Solomon's lemple, will bo used for this purpose, though necessarily not owned by God), upon the restoration of the Jews in unbelief to the land of their fathers, we may also fairly conclude, from our Icnowlodgo that the reason why the Jews are now 'abiding > There is a noteworthy testimony to the expectation of the Jews ro^ Kni"^.*^"M"tHl \*.'^°'iJ^° in unbelief previous to the mill H,.bl temp e descnbed m X-zek. x i. In the apocryphal book of Tobit, wo roat of lobit saying: " Our brethren shalllie scattered in the earth from ha good land, ani Jerusalem shall bo desolate, and the house of God in i shall be burned and shall be desolate for a time. And, a-ain. God wi mve mercy on them, and bring them again into the \md\ofZ' ihe^ Zll luida temple, lut not like to the first, mUilthc time ofthntaqdc fuimcd' Im?].? n r^^' {'^'^ '^^-^ return from all places of -^tlS Tapt vi r^d 101 ever with a glorious buildinc. as t.lm T^vn«l,of<, i.«,r„ „„„i — *i, * ■«iS idoS!'-'"' ''''^^ *'''''' '"^ ^'''' tlip 'Lord^GoTi tmly,"jmd BhaliTmJ )ice of the Here we ng,' by the e the Lord der recom- which can the future . the Lord * gatlierod cs of ' the So also in I to notice, ken away, re shall be with the , for thou lys;' and the great I's) people )ear3 clear n is made jmination lat longer easonable ;se things that the Solomon's arily not ibelief to from our 'abiding 3 Jews re- milleHiiiiil t, wo read from tliat God in it God will they sliall fulfilled; vity, and milt in it » 4.U« X» haJI bur^ JEWISH TEMPLE RESTOIIED. 79 without a sacrifice,' as the prophet Hosea foretold they would do so * for many days,' is, that they cannot attempt to offer one as long as they are excluded from Jerusalem ; and therefore, when restored, one of their first acts Avill be to establish a daily .sacrifice, which must necessarily refer to a temple dedicated to the service of Him, whom they have so long disregarded, wherein it may be oiFered up, thpugh of course it will be no longer recognised by Him who first commanded it, as we know 'there remainoth no more sacrifice for sins' : since < Chri:^t was once (once for all), oflered to bear the sins of many, and to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.' " We '«''• ^l«P'"i<'.l glories and tho fate of their glorious temple. To this spot on Friday "hi, otl.er ; thnt tl.n i,siio ortlmt war w n.n Z^' *"»,"?"» '"^ "'Wls on tlio ai.g«l8 into tho .'art, ?• thrt oJn . ! ^ *"" •"''."*^ "''*"* ""^ ^^''♦'i 'li"" J.11. UrM.ol, or „v.V thoS. iL™'!',"'!'',!.:,,.'";;". .",',"« »''! ■rlin'. "Itb JEWISH SACRIFICES liESTOnL:D, 81 Tews repair, and sitting on the ruins, read th« i)rou(t but (sorrowful history of their race, and pray fo: its restitution to its ancient splendour. One corner is considered particularly sacred, as being nearest the spot occupied by the Holy of Holies. Hero they succeed each other in prayer ; men and women kiss the ruined walls of the temple, and worship the God whoso Sou they rejected, and whoso warnings and prophecies they despised.'" The follov/ing remarTcs were made by Judgo Noah at New York, in an address to liis Israelite brethren, published in the' Jeicish Chronicle of the 19th and 2Gth of Januaiy, lci49 : — " It may not be generally known to our peoplo (said Judge Noah) that since the destruction of our temple, upwar-Is of 1800 years ago, Israel ha« beca without a place of worship, dedicated with all the solemnities of faith, and erected with suitable mag- nilicence, to the Divine Architect of heaven and earth. The Jews, in their own land, on that land Avhich Ciod gave to them n< an inheritance for over, by a dct'il consecrated and confirmed by ages, were not permitted to erect a syiwgogue, from that fatal jnoment of the destruction of the Temple, oven to the present day. The army of the b'oman conqueror cajilured and carried away the natior to be Hold as slaves. A few only ol' the faithful, liid in tombs and ravt rns, i^ecreting thomselvea beneath the huling columns of t!'^ Templi', remained on n spot (uideared to them by so m. uy blissl'id reniinisconcos, and by 'lie promises of their great hereultnr. Tlio lioman centurions pursiu'd them, the >>.r t.H!!>!!!i erected igniflc hristisns ly *ndowod chapels on out soil ; wjii'e our people, the rightful inlicrilort of all thatLanl of Promise, crawled in abject rtibmission to the m nils of iht ea POURTII WONDER. i>.l temple to bowail their liarJ destiny, to pray for tbo peace ol Jerusalem, and weep on tlie solitary banks of tlie Jordan. They never despaired of the fulfilment of those promises which God had made to them ; tliat still small voice continually AVhispered in their ears, in accents eoft as the cherub's voice, ' I^'ear not ■ Jacob, for I am with thee.' ' *• Centuries rolled on, nations arose, ilouri.shed, decayed, and fell; yet the Jewish people still existed, increased in numbers, and, under every privation and persecution, preserved their identity, their faith, and their nationaliij. «' At length a sign is given ; tho thunders begin to roll all over Euroi)o (in 1818) ; tho cry is everywhere heard in desi)otic govornmonts, ' To arms ! ' The people are at war with their kings, and tho kings are overthrown ; priestcraft and fanaticism are overturned ; tho chains of tho Jews are unloosed, and they arc elevated to tlie rank of men ; tho iires of superstition had burned out, and tho ngo of reason had revived. Tho Sultan of lurkey, loUowing tlio march of civilized nations, says to the Jews in Ins domiuKJiis,. ' You are free ; you liavo my permission to erect a synagogue in Jerusalem;' and messengers are des- palchod, as tliey were in tlio days of Solomon, to ask for aid froi i their brctlircn throughout tho world to erect a magnificent place of worshi]!, the first that ha3 been orceted in tho IIolv City since tho advent of Christianity. "I have said tiiat tho building of this now synagogue in Jerusalem would bo considered throughout tho world as a remarkable sign, iiarlicularly among a pcopln who, thougli 8e])arate(l and di.ipi'r,sc(l in tho lour tiuortors of the world, aro muted by tho most extraordinary bonds of 8ymi)athy. • Like the magnetic shock, it readies every extremity ; like tlio llnsli ol oloctricily, which conveys iutelligcnco in every direction, the JewH will hear of il, and will see tho Imndwiiting on the wall Wo have been j)ri-forvcd miraculously for great and startling events. God 8 dealings with his people have In-en moat won- ilerful. Wo havo passed througli tho promised punishments ; snail we not ejyoy tho i)romiscd blessings V Th« chief llabbi Adler and 8ir Moses Montefiore oxplainod in • paBtoial letter fo tho Knglish Jews, iv May, 185i, that iU ■oviJrost want in ralostino h tho pratoction of a Hinmu oQ^eru- ment. They said :-- " Ut us nsRure you that tho peopk am most onxioua to U-ev l.hmiis«(Ivr« from tlie thraldnm of depondpnc© ; th.^t tho Kubbis JEWISH TEMPLE TO UE RESTORED. 83 and tho heads of the congrogations havo proved to Sir Musos Montefiore, who has been at all times tho.atreimoiis advocate of industrial purstiits, the willingness of tho people to till the soil, if only it could bo done with security. But hitherto tho great impediment to agriculture has been, not only tho want of i)ecu- niary means, but tho want of protection on tho part of the (jO'/Crnment, it being absolutely impracticable to labour outside the walls of the cities, owing to tho dt^predations of the roving and lawless liodouins, for wJiatcvcr tho inhabitants sow, is speedily seized by others, " Without, howovr-r, alluding to tho happy restitution that wo anxiously look for, Avhich lies in tho hand of tho Lord, who commaudoth us * not to stir, neither to awake llis love until He please,' tho present war may, by tho Divine blessing, bring about a great and bciirlicial change in tho Holy Land. It is more than probable that tho Govcrnmeut of the Porto will con- lode to our brethren in Pah'stino tho right nf holding land, and tliat this right will bo placed under secure [)rotcction. It will then bocomo tho duty of our lending mon to organize a plan of oporationa, put themselves into communication with the dilleront connnittces abroad to raise tho m^cessary means, to send men of ability properly authoii/cd to Jerusalem, to bring about a unity of action among tho dillerent congregiitions there, to purchase land, to establish farms and factories, and to devote a portion of tho money annually collected as wages to those who will labour ihoroin, under tho charge of tho persons superintending these undertakings. The time for tho realization of such a wchomo nuiy not bo remote, as tho muniiicent lega(;y of tho philan* thropist, Judid» Touro, of New Orleans, was liequenthed for this very purpose, which bccpTest Avill have an imp(»rlant bearing on the improvement of tho Holy Land." ' Moretlinu two Inuulicil veins ii;^(», tlio IJcv, Tlionias Piivkor, of No>«il>Pry, norl<8lilri<, Kn>,'liu»(1, luililiHficil in UMd "PrDpliccicji ol Dimiol," andHiioki* tliUi rpgiuding Antieliri.st'H t'uturo (Nivcnniit in tlio Hcvoiiticth Wcok. Ho said : — " lie, that i% Antichrist, tho I'lin-'o immt'diatoly lipforo Bpokrn of (verse 26), in Iho la,it week or hut scvoii \iiir8 of tUo suventy wpuks shall uufirm ft ('oven<\ut. Whcroforo tlio .Towi.sh HnltliinH Hiiy thu nit'iinintf to lio thU, thiit ' tlio I'riniMi that cliouUI runio' shonlil niuko a fnuuluU»iit <'nr»n«nt with nmny of tlm .Iowm. Antit'hrif«t nhull enust) the tiicriUco nml ililfttionic ('tniHii in rcHpoct of thn tinlilio ivnil opon nolcmnilif!* therpof ; K.tM»Kj»'r liA uliull 11 tiitr? till tit E_*ri'- listr iii!u::t VI :asc wash, to be coutinucJ to tho end thore«f— tho nmct» jtrerUely of thpw vi»t% and ft hftlf—for this end, tlint lie may iprcmt mid diffuso and set up lit all placQi tho worship of hia Antiohriitii^n RbunuuHtious. 64 SECOND YEAE. FIFTH WONDER. « lu-thn last chapter of Zechariah wo are told, " Behold, the day of the Lord conieth, for i will gather uU nations to Je.u .^uu to bait 0, and the uty nhall bo taken :" thi. Zh r «t" with tt spe.-dlc de.senption in tho tliirty-oightli of E/ekiel « f i ..V i f'l ' ''W."'""lM"Mling in an invasion of Palestine i tor the latfrday pnrl.al restoration of tho dews. An^aglh. tho same event is i.r.Mlietod in tlia twent.vJir.f ,.r r ..l, » tlf" ' YO Mil il] BIX. J..i.iio,.l. 1 . •,. • . ., '.' ••■•••.«« ■linos, thou know that wa* not the ftil- tho doHolation thereof in nigli." ' ' TlunlMtniction of .Ummiileniby Titus, about a d 70 wa* not t futurt SriRITUALlSM. 85 Now, we should naturally suppose it to be very unlikely that ALL nations would be at the trouble to go up to battle to so insignificant a place as Jerusnlcni, and at least we should expect some very extraordinary agencies to be at work to produce such a result. The three unc' an spirits predicted to go forth under the .sixth vial, are precisely tlu3 supornatural. agcncie.s by which this astonishing assoniJjliigo of all nations is to be gathered to Ai'Uia- yeddon. The dragon, the wild boast, and the false prophet from whom the three spirits proceed, uro respectively Satnn, Napoleon the peri?onill-called modern SPIinTUALlSM, which is iiotliing ('Ise than revived (uncery, neeronumcy, and ih'mouoloiry. It arosu iu t)io neighbourhood of Ifoehester, Now York, and within the subaeiiuent sixteen years has spread, moro or hkn. -fi: mi ino iniTia oiiUeH, uuii, tn a h-sa degree, in ureat ipon it by Ntiimkoii \\w Wlll\d Khig. ComjmruiK T.ukp xxi. m. »i... ^^.^. ,„„i ji,„,)j ,^(11^ jt iseviilont that thu ehiel' ful- NmnU 0-84 Unfltit 20-84 with Mrttt liUnfltit of tliifi pioiilifcy coticerniiijj tlie abomhiitton of Ue«olRtlo» ia catm-Iy future. 86 FIFTH WONDER. generally in so vioirt a br^^^^^ ' /f^^ "^^' ^^^''""gl^ "ot the Gospels, out of .vhom ' f on oiectcdZ" "T""°"«.^.in Ihpy are expressive] v snolmn // ^J^pted the unclean spirits. much more Ltivo i^^hi da ] nos^ n'f '-''^^'^' ^^' ^'^^'^ ^'^ time, and so niediu^^. oft u n W l T'^^-'f'^ *^^'" "^ ^^'^ ^^y- of light before thoy In obti n n^ Y '.'l •''^^"^ ""^^ "" •^^^J"«'°n The unclean :r:-a ^ Tthese i i T • ''^«^'-''' ^■^'"'" ^^'° ^^Pi»ts. project of al,olis iL n ni ;r"'rV"^ ^^'^^^'^ ^^ tl^« spiritualists ; a. d. hi i' f ', V f ]' entertained by many avow D.cir do«ire to L t) L r • T'^ "^-'""'''^^ '^^ ^'^"-^"^ 0P«"Iy and SI,,.... Y^l^tndlocS^^^ wholly dest^ed: A^n^h^::^^^! t^/^ -aor-wcu-king Spirits of nsual Greek .i-niifieat on r . fn/ ' J '''•''.'"' '''^"'=^^' '" ^^^ ^"ost persons, and no tl !■ sp .'i J'o? sV^' Tn'^ of deceased wicked totally diirerentclaoSi°iH'"T/""'V"^ ''^''' ''' " tho disembodied s,.irils of t^w ii 7 rT '^'"^°"' ^'''' "^ ^"^t, us Paino, Voltaiix. a 1 irl.i ? \^' °^ '^''^''^'^^ "^''J'^J'^. such revolutionists cii is dST^;^^ tlio Inquisitors \to^^^^^^ '^'f "« iKnatius Loyola, and fro amongst n.vn t ^T -"r ^'' ^'. '^^""'''^ *« So to «« shall nvsult 1 .r ,// : ^^^^r "'"^ «ui'orstition I'nncoandXapo n thf "" ^''° ^"'"''^'''''^"1' ^^ In reirard t tl n'l ^^"'" '"•••■"""<'on of those spirit. xvi. IG, "They arc th s Wr >l T "l "' *'V" ^''''''"'^' "' 1^«>^. icarned Dr. Stis 4yl ?^ '^ '^'•''''''' ^^'"'^^'''g wonders," the KeiSi:!;r:nd r <;^;:^,t f-^ ?'!?'^^ ''r '- '^- are n..or n.enti.'ned i a w " t h " 'Vl f'^;'''''"^ ^'f'' '^*'«^ angtls Thoy are never alX, i , ^''\ ^''"^ "^" ^''« f*"^'n ^evil is never called a lomo.n''; 'V"' ""'" ^^'^•''^'' '^'1»« ' T)r SeW r!L t ■'*'" *" ^"■' f-'grotted that our l*pukrly written «-..rk J. ^ ''' A'.""'!^'''pM i« • voiy RUmotlvTMi? > '««ini Md Wonderful C'oi of "h«^' "" '» "^'o h^J'^mble of th» DEMON'S ARE NOT DEVILS. 87 English translators have always used the word devils instead of demons. Demons are indeed, devilish enough, and as descrip- tive of character, the word devils is appropriate enough ; but as a description of nature it is ojTOiieous, and tends to obscure tho evident distinction whicli tho Scriptures everyw'.icro preserve between demons and those other evjl beings who are of angelic origin. They arc simply ' unclean spirits.' Fallen angels are nowhere assigned an affection for earthly bodies, either as habi- tations or vehicles of action ; whilst tliia seems to bo a peculiar and distinctive passion with denions. Fallen angels are noM'hero assigned a predilection for tombs and monuuuuits of tho dead ; bnl wo frequently read of demons loading those possessed by them to burying-])laces, sepulchres, aii'.l graves. " Tho word demon, in its couunouest'aiid best-understood moaning, denotes tho spirit of a dead man, particularly tho spirit of a wicked dead man. With a few exceptions, this appears to bo its import in tho heathen, tho Jewish, and tho early Christian writers. That tho Tharisoes, in tho Saviour's time, so understood it, Iheie tan be but little doubt. Josophus says, ' Demons arc no otner than t,ho si-irits of the wicked, that enter into men.' Thilo says, 'The souls of tho dead aro called demons.' Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Iremeus, Origen, and Augustine have spoken fo the .^amo eilect. Dr. Ai)pleton attirma that this is tlie sense in which tho word was comnioidy used. Jahn refers to numerous authors who liavo maintained liy a multitude of (piotations from Greek, Ivonmn, and Jewish writers, that 'tho demons are the npirits of dead m.n, wlio had died by a violent doatli, partieulaily of sucii as wore known to linvo sustained bad characters while living.' If Jesus, tho apiistlci*, and the New TcHtamont writers, then, meant to bo understood by those to whom they siioko and wrote, tliey could hardly havo used tho word demons in any other Benso than that attached to it by their contemporaries. There ia but tliis ona shade of dilferoneo between the heathen and •scriptural use of the word. The Greeks occasionally applied it to what they eouaiderfd good spirits, Imttho Scnptuica always conlino it to what an> described m bad spirits. 1 thnrcforn uni dis[»used to agree With ^»n able critic and schohir, that 'all Herinturd allu. sions to thii subjiHt authorize the coucIupIou that deinona are tho npiriM, and e.-pe(ially wicked oud ttnetem Kpirita, of dfoU They live in our atmospbaw, wander about our men. world awftitirif' tho final ju l-inont, are ia cloae ndation with 88 FIPIH WONDER. [j It* U men, and constitute, perhaps, the most efficient agents for the aTdToSr rl'^^^^'^ ^^^-^°- '-^^^- against «i;*aJ: and directing the will, inciting the passions, de t oy nt Sf reason undennining tlio healtli, and doing various foras of deplorable mischief. Those infested with them in the SaXn?f 'eTe Telf fff 'I ^''''' "^^'•^- ^"^"^ ^^^ epileptics? sol ere deaf and dumb; some Avero corporeally defomed ■ son e vvere lunatics ; some were furious madmen f some wei^'supe^ natum prophets ; some were disabled, so as^ to be iLomSnt I5ed L tTin/"';" f '['''"''''' ^^"'« - extraordiUri?y aidea as to bo able to do what no mere man could do, and to say what no mere nutn could say. But in whatever firnthn possession ^vas manifested, it was always v 1 di'usin. deplorable, and abhorrent" ^ V^'j uis^usting, Although Spiritualism only arose in 1847-8 yet there aro «aid to be m the United States some twenty li paper and mcrary ti patisra. Mimy persons (it eminence ami lii^h talent ii. var.oi« ,,ro ..ss>o„« ere it, .ulvocate.s and it elaims a to eO ™oie ssrstr- ^'™«"-"'-^n ...roiiS-ors During the last few years other forin.s of Antichristian scepticism, such as IJnitarianisn), Uniyersalism Soiv^^^^^^^ Colensoisn, hay. deliantly held e'roct thc^r t ipl.^'S and hissed forth tlieir profanities, Avowrd Infidelity ms S hall« lec ures, and professors in London and every L go 1 rTti h tol and IS estimated to circulate annually in Britain t'oveT^ht mhon copies of publications, large ami sinall. 1 %„mrX class o*" artisans and mechanics. 'iKuynmungine mrthat u n ?. S i "'''T'''': '"""^y "'"'^"« the nations in the mc nnZ f ^ ^'''' ?^ ^t^'^^y royolutions. Napoleon. reinnua upon tlio convulsions of 1848 :— «»Mo.iii aEVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRATIC-DESrOTI"" 89 cs ; some "Paris, as in every ago, wns tlio centre of impul-iioii to the wliole civilized world ; and disastrous beyond all precedent, or what oven could liavo been conceived, were tho eflccts of this new revolution in Paris on tho whole Continent ; and a very long period must elapso before they aro obviated. The spectacle of a government esteemed one of the strongest in Europe, and a dynasty Avhich promised to bo of lasting duration, overturned almost without resistance by an urban tumult, roused tho revolutionary party everywhere to a perfect pitch of frenzy. A universal liberation from government, and restraint of any kind, Avas expected, and for a time obtained, by tho people in tho principal Continental States, when a republic was again proclaimed in France ; and tho people, strong in their newly-acquired rights of universal suirrage, Avere seen electing a National Assembly, to whom tho destinies of the country wero to bo entrusted. Tho clToct was instantaneous and universal ; tho shock of tho moral earthquake was felt in every part of Europe," Beale also says on this head : — " Thus, liico tho sudden eruption of some huge volcano, tho demoniac miraclo-working spirits simultaneously burst their various prison-houses, and scattered death and misery around them. Atheism, communism, socialism, rod-republicanism, the elements of apparent liberty, but, in truth, tho chains of dark- ness in which Satan binds tho souls of men as with fetters of iron, wero tho accursed fruits of tho working of tho three unclean spirits, the Satanic frogs issuing from tho mouths of tho Dragon, the Boast, and tho False Prophet. Tho spirits of demons wore . tho unseen instruments, and miraculous wero tho results of their agency, results not terminating, but leading to n still darker and more dreadful future, to that last unparalleled timo of tribu- lation, the future great earthquake, such as was not sinco men were upon tho earth, so mij'hty an cartliquako and so great, of Bev, xvi. 18. Stirring up tho apostate nations of the earth to bloody strife, urging them on in fiendish triumph ;o tho ovor- throw of all established institutionss breaking down tljronosand altars in tho name of liberty, and casting titles, honours, pro- pwty, into ono promiscuous heap, at tho feet of that incarnate Moloch of tho day, «• La Ri«pu])liquo domocratiquo et socialo," the Red Republic of Communism, they but prepared tho way for the rise of that lost great Antichristian Anarch who was, a* we have seen, to emerge from it to his predicted supremacy "ovor all kiudredB, and tongues, nud nations." And has 1m do FIFTH WONDER. 11' "I V r f nL ffi ^ 'T'' " •'* ^'''^ ^'''^ ^''^•^^^' '''^'^' ^^ «i« Historian truly affirms, ' promises to rival in cflicicncy and general support the centralised despotism of tlie Augustus of ancicjit days V' ■ ,fT "evolutionary spirit has been actively at work ever rJ!?n ^^f 'cf"^ ^''' P^-^^"^"*^^^ ^1^^ long-continued rebellion in LJima, the Sepoy mutiny in Indio, tlie Druse massacres in Syria, ^tSuitoTq/T'"°'"' it'^^' ?^*^^« tremendous warfare iixtYSiSSic^icr" " ''^ ''''''''''' ^^"^"^^-^ - to w'^JlT ^'''"" of Jesuitical Pro^agandism has also seemed ^'«t1 „ '^^'^'F and strength infused into it, since 1848. rlinifnf °Tf "' ? T^^~'^ '^ ''^ "P^^ *^«° that flourishes in all n Russfa ? f r' '' "^ ^'?i°"'^^ ^" ^^^^"'^'''' ^''^ ^^ autocrat m Ku&sia~it tolerates no other faith when it has power-it nowr %f -T^^ "^'?* ^' is persecuted when it has lost that S iJhnLrr 1!^'°^'^^ '"^"^'^^ ^^^ ^^ republican con- gross , Its hands touch the sceptre, and arrange tlie ballot-box It gives tutors to the children of the great^and opens free^ schools for the children of the poc Tt enters the asvlum and hZtl :na ''' '"^' ""T'^ • ''^^^"-^^ finds aStVthe hospital, and gives prescriptions .,y> tJie Vatican to be blended L Tf Z ^" ^irs-it drinks all . ams-it makes any saeri- In^Ti l-"""'' ^"^^ shape-sleeps or springs-its consuraine and absorbing aim is dominion over soul and body-its eCuf to Itself the energies and influence of both. Its progress and u3rvToV'"%'?f '/ -cry journal-its croakiifgs frheard ITJ. "°"^^'7/*l^° 1«"J. and the foul traces of its trail are seen wherever toleration has opened a paUiway for its presence "« very e^ioter''T?' '^T^ 'i ^''^'''^ ^''' ^"^^"^ ''^'^''^^ ^'^^^ Hjmsition has been reinstated; nunneries and monasteriea ave been multiplied ; the Jesuits have been revived It S v^thlLr''^^ TV'' ¥^^^ P°--«' l^osoZg staismen with tenacious app ication. and with a croaking cry. Its agents SnJT'"**r^ '^T''^^^' ^^*° ^1^° goverLe^nt aS 0? nSns'o?;r P' "f*^ other colonies; into France, and severd uawons of the Continent of Tlnrnno ti,«„ 1, L-.-.x. j ., " »r. Cumming'8 Lectures. » Rev. B. Slight's Lecturer JESUITICAL PROl'AQANDISM. 91 operations with agitators, as in Ireland, and in many other places. It IS doing the work of democracy, or allying itself with the evil spirit which proceeded out of its mouth • and indeed there is a union of the three spirits in action. The Pope saw that the spirit of democracy was prevalent in Europe, and accordingly he allied himself with the democrats of France, and other places. The priests are remarkable for appearinp to act in coincidence with any popular feeling. In several places the balance of power has been with the l^apist party ; and they nave been courted by statesmen, to secure a preponderance. Governments have run ;i mad race for the honour of patronizing Komish Eisliops, and Priests ; and Franco has lent the aid oi Its ships and mlluence to palm them upon the weak inhabitants of the South Sea Islands. "All this has raised their hopes, and they have triumphantly boasted that all nations will soon submit to the Pope " It is thought by many that France will bo the great advo- cate of Eomanism, and will prove the chief secular power employed by the three spirits to take the lead in gatheriii'^ tlie kings of the earth to the battle of the great day of AlmTghty Gc(l It IS remarkable that three frogs is the old coat of arms of France : tliat three each, in two divisions, were on the armorial shield of Clovis : and that three were on the banner of Clovis." ^ The Spirit of Eomish Proi)agandism obtained a great triumph m Europe in 1856 by its concordat with Austria, and it has .been vigorously operating in the United States and Canada during the last twenty years; it has largely increased the number oi Eomish ecclesiastics, churches, schools, and convents and has predominated so as to exclude the liil)ic altogether from many of the public schools In England, according to the Iloma?i Catholic Director;/, the RomJHh clergy in 1854 were 678 ; and in 1864, 1,267— nearly doubled in ten years; and its churches and stations in 1854 were r.78 ; and in 1864 were 907— increase, 229. And in those ten years their increase of convents lu JJritain was 102. la Ireland the Ultramontane spirit IS very active, and is endeavouring to get the direction of tho wlucational institutions in that country. In the Church of England, many (jf tho clergy are d-duded votaries of Ritualism r;— .-•-"=» r-!i'-Ji i=! nnuiJiti-iii;uiiic3iition oiino spuit oi the Jiomish False I'-ophet. Thus, although these thrco Spirits hayo been en'n-getically IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I '- IIIIM |50 ""'^^ ^ m u [2.5 2.2 ?.0 1.8 1.25 u 16 == -= = h- 6" ► w /a ^ji .^ .>> ^.v >»,' m opm, Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WlttSTIR, N Y. 14580 (716) •72-4S03 ^dy fjjt ^ 02 |i I SIXTH WONDER foSms t^Vu'^ ^''^ ''""^'^ ^^^ ^'^^^^I'*!^* going lonti in 1848, yet still an augmented activity on their narf i«a!; be expected during the three or four yerr; urior to ??:^ fi^ three-and-a-half years' Great Tribulation^Tn oK t^ JJhe^ nations, under ^'apoleon's leadership, to Armageddo^s^onfl c^^^ Ibe great swelling utterances, ceaseless \lam?urZoTific luul iphcation, intrusiye pertinacity, slimy contoniinaUorand Sil P P?Jit/<^o-«'^cl^«iastical nature \f therffir-day Inhdel Revolutionary, and Jesuitical Spirits renders tW comparison to FROGS the most life-like an^d graph clhat could be conceived. And as the croakinc^ of frocs in tmnili «i • ♦ is loudest at mi.lnight, so must ^v^expect ^th "croal n« ofXL' nour ot MimiGHr, Avhich, in the Parable of the Virtrins is placed just before the Bridegroom's coming, and Xlfr'tho carkest hour preceding the dawn of the unset ting Sun of A Ukn Sifl'r""^' ''''' '''''' ^°°^' '^^^^ ^^^"^ evening S^- SIXTH WONDER. • (Most probably commencing about a year or two after the Covenant.) GnBAT WAR BY Daniel's Wilful Kino, Louia Napoikon AGAINST THE KlNQ 0. TII. SoUTri, THE SoVEBEIGN oJ SpJ' AND SANGUINARY DEFEAT OF THE JUiVPTIAN AUMY A remarkable history is furnishd in the latter half of ff f n ri''''"'i^^'' <^ .aptx-r, of the pr(,..<.odir.gs of the Last Head of the Roman Kmpno dunng the linal 8,nen yeai«, and the title there given to lum is <;tho King ,v1h, .shall do ac ordLg to h ',^;ie:';¥ ^^^^'"''; '« ^^ T""^ ^^•""'"^» l^y expositors '"Danior Wilful King," and ,s mainfestly, frcm the actions there i^^nput d to him, the same porsonago as ii,o Little Horn, or EJt Ki Christ, in the soventh and eighth of Daniel The first tw.Mity versus of the elevonth chapter of Daniel are jenera ly mlnntt..,! to have been fullilled in past IrLtorv Th« four kings of Persia fi.st niontioned wore CamLln- j^* i- Darius llysta.p..H and Xerxes. ronowSbi' fe^^^ ho unparalle led but unsuccessful arman.ont with which ho e^ tendedttgainstAJexundor the Groat. The subsequent Udo^. noaicv vi xxiu^awurr. ana ine pustnumous diTiiionof hii oiupiro I Isive going fr part may o the final > gather all s conflicts. «", prolific ation, and latter-da}' ders their that could Etl climates g of these he world's l["irgins, is ich is the of Millen- Qg healing napoleon's war against EGYPT. 98 tor the APOLEON, »» Egypt, ■ half of ■ast Head • the title ng to his ' Daniel's imputed wt Anti- aniol are ■y. The Smerdis, , and for hoooa- jredomi. among his four generals is then recorded, and the remainder of those twenty verses are occupied with a recital of the actions of the Kings of tho South and of the North, that is of Egypt and of Syna, for they are respectively north and south of Judea. A long break or interval in the narrative occurs between tho twentieth and twenty-first verses, and then the history of the great latter-day Wilful King, who is sliown to be Louis Napo- leon, commences, and runs on without intermission to the very end of the Book of Daniel, for tlio twelfth chapter ia only a further explanation of tho eleventh. Tho history of the Wilful lung commences, as follows :— Daniel xi. 21 . " And in his- estate (or, on his own basis) shall stand up a vile (or despised) person to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom, but he sliall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdob by flatteries. 22. And with the arms ot a flood shall they be overflown iiom before him, and shall be broken ; yea, also the prince of tho Covenant." These words remarkably describe Louis Napoleon's history at Its outset. He wa? despised by tho political world generally as a person of little real ability, and absolute dominion in France was not at first given to him, but ho camo in merely as Presi- dent, vowing to preserve intact tho libcities of the Republic, and promising to retire at tho end of his throe-and-a-half years' Presidency ; but with tho arms of a Hood they Avore overflown from beloro Jiini by the coup d'etat on Dec. 4, 1851, when he seized permanent Imperial dominion. And in like manner as he made a three-and-a-half years' prcsidc^ntial covenant with the French people, and then broke it just tliroe-and-a-half years afterwards, at tho coup d'etat : so will bo niukn a seven-years' Covenant with tho Jews, and similarly break it (in tho midst of the week) just three and a half years aUvv lie slmll have made it ; wherefore it is added, " Yea, also tho princo of the Cove- nant ;" that is, he will hereafter do unto tho J«ws and their leaders, who covenant with him, tho same as ho dul at the cottp dttat to the French pooplo who had entrusted their destinies to his keeping. Tho interval of nearly twoniy years or so between his overpowering the French with armed forces at ihacoup d'etat '" *^^^and his futuro ovorpoweiidK' «(" llm ,](\wh nnd their chief leaders, who shr covenant with liini, ia parenthetically passed over, as is often tuo case in Scripturo pi'ophecies. ' Th% J ;»',»"'*. '^**''**" ^•"«» 2 wmI 8 of Iwiuh ix., and between varsM • »na lOof Zeoh, ix. H BIX Til WOXUIin. honour of absolute dominion over Judea Will not be riven at first to Napoleon, but ho will come in peaceably X the vZr ru^ '^^- '' \ '-l^' forn^erly obtained domini^ over S^o next verLr " "'"'"^ ^' '''" °''"*"^'' '' *^«- '«"*«d in f..i*//^^ ""^f"' *^,i^"SUo made with him he shall work deceit- fully : for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24. Ho shall enter peaceably even upon tho fattest places of the province ; and lie shall do that Xh lis fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers ; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: 'ea and best forecast his devices against the strong holds, oven for a time " Hence, it seems that the Wilful King Napoleon, after makir... the seven-years' league or covenant with the Jews, will wS deceitfully, and como up to Judea, and " ..hall become st o' '^ yith a small people," that is, cither he shall become strong u influence with tho small number of Jcavs at first settled ther or else ho shall becouio strong in a military point of view wTth only asnmll army of occupation, because he will station il auch judicious positions as to become master of tho sit" ation Some valuable spoils that will fall into his hands ho wil liZ' bubo amongst his Jewish or military adherents there. And hi^ and Wi?r '"";•'' ^'' «"i"'"^' P"^^'^'^^'^" "f tho stronghoh Is and fortihed positions, sucli r.s Acre, Gaza, and Jaffa, will bo forecast and projected by him " even f.r a time." that i lurin" a year following tho Covenant, if tho word , 1850, and the first eleven months of 1851 would verify this statement.' Tho stopping of tho Charivari was one of tho very first exer- tions of tho supreme power seized by Napoleon on the night of Doc. 2, 1851. Even tho suddenness and perfect success of tho blow struck on tho night between tho first and second of December had. failed to niako Paris iliink of him with gravity ; but before tho night closed on tho fourth of December, ho was 8 eltered safe from ridicule by the ghastly heaps on the Boule- vard slain in tho coup d'etat." It has also been truly remarked of him that " Those who pcoffod at his pretensions have learned to admire his prudence ♦, those who denied his possession of common sense, havo been compelled to do homage to liis ability ; and thoso who con- sidered him hair-brained, impulsive, and reckless, havo been forced to admit that lio is a wary and skilful tactician, who never misses a chance, and never has a chanco that ho does not skilfully but quietly turn to tho discomfiture of his opponents and tho furtherance of his own objects." In continuation of Daniel's prophecy of the Wilful King'rt future career, wo read : — " 25. Ami ho shall stir up his power and his courage against tho king of tho south with a great army ; and tho king of tho south skill bo stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army ; but he shall not stand : for they shall forecast devices against him. 26. Yea, they that feed of tho portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall ' Tlie caricatures prodiipotl in 1843 about Louia Xapoleon wore as pungnnt M thoso on Louis I'liillimn' and ('liark's X. before. At one moment tho Trince was dejjijjtcd with long ears an ho stuck a p/oclamation on the walls, and tho Emperor was looking down from thi clouds at him throufjh a telescope, and saying, "My nephew is ])laying stupid tricka again." Another was a (ionlicy, bearing tho boots, sword, hat, and coat of -tho Emperor, with tho motto, " Lilne an r^litiues"— an allusion to La Fon- taine's well-known fable. Tiien, apain. an enormous donkey's head floated in tho clouds ; tho people were looking up at it with admiration and deliuht, and iMjneath was written: — "The most intellectual nation on eartn." Another sketch represented tho Pretender \n a cage, on which an .nr*1ib kinaf A.I ilu^- Preil*!!ilf*r WHS fi?ll!lll H-Ud »*»*» and i 1 rauuu\ the First iNajwiuou's costume, which wai) much too lurge for hiiu. 96 BIXTH WONDER; overflow ; and many shall fall down slain. 27. And both these kings hearts shall bo to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one tabic ; but it shall not prosper : for yet the end sliall be at the tunc appointed, 28. Then shall he return unto his land with great ncli. s ; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant ; and ho shall do exploits, and return to his own laricl. This dqlincatcs Louis Nai^oleon's future war against Ecvpt which IS indicated to take place about a year or two after the Covenant. Loth Cho engaging armies and the consequent slaughter are predicted to be great, and Egypt is to be defeated, partly through the underhand manoeuvres of its officers, many of whom are Inonchmen, and therefore not likely to fight heartily against mpolcon. 'J»ho vanquished Egyptian sovereign then has a deceptive meeting with him, and Napoleon forthwith returns to his own land with great riches, and with his heart set upon soon abrogating his covenant with the Jews. In this Egyptian expedition, Louis I^apoleon will only bo emu ating the example of the first Kapoleon, whose celebrated JJattIo ot tlio Pyramids and defeat of the Egyptians in 1799 may almost bo regarded as a typical picture of Louis Napoleon's future Lattio of tlio Pyramids. The histori'^n Alison thus describes that battle, in 1799 :— - "At length tiio French army arrived within sight of the Pyramids and the town of Cairo. ^ "All eyes wore instantly turned upon the oldest monuments in tJio world, and the sight of thoso. gigantic structures re-ani- mated the spirit of the soldiers, who had been bitterly lamenting their loss of the delights of Italy. _ " Mourad Boy had there collected all his forces, consisting of SIX thousand Mamelukes, and double tliat number of fellahs, Arabs, and Copts. His camp was placed in the village of Ji.mbach, on the left bank of the Nile, which av^s fortified by rude field-works and forty pieces of cannon, but the artillery was not mounted on carriages, and consequently could only fire m ono direction. Between the camp and the Pyramids extended n wide sandy plain, on which wore stationed eight thousand of the finest hor.Temou in the v orld, with their riglit roitiug on tho village, and their left stretching towards tin* Pyramids.^ A few thousand Arabs, asaemblod to pillage tho vanqiiishcu, whoever thoy Miiould be, filled up the space (o the loot of those gigantic monuments, KArOLEON's WAR AGAINST EOYIT, 97 "JS"apoleon no sooner discovered, by means of liis telescopes, that the cannon in the intrenched camp were immovable, and could not be turned round- from the direction in which they were placed, than he resolved to move his army farther to the right, towards the Pyramids, in order to be beyond the reach and out of the direction of the guns. The columns accordingly began to march ; Desaix, with his division, in front, next llegmier, then Dugna, and lastly Vial and Eon. The sight of the Pyramids, and the anxious nature of the moment, inspired the French general with even more than his usual ardour ; the sun glittered on those immense masses, which seemed to rise in height every step the soldiers advanced, and the army, sharing his enthusiasm, gazed, as they marched, on the everlasting monuments. ' Eemember,' said he, * that from the summit ol those Pyramids forty centuries contemplate your actions.' *• Mourad Boy no sooner perceived the lateral movement ol the French army, than, with a promptitude of decision worthy of a skilful general, ho resolved to attack the columns while in the act of completing it. An extraordinary movement waf^ immediately observed in the ^lameluke line, and speedily seven thousand horsemen detached themselves from the remainder oi the army, and bore down upon the French columns. It was a terrible sight, capaljle of daunting the bravest troops, A,-hen this immense body of cavalry approached at full gallop the squares of infimtry. The horsemen, admirably mounted and magni- ficently dressed, rent the air with their cries. The glitter of spears and scimitars dazzled the sight, while the earth groaned under the repeated and increasing thunder of their feet. " Tlie soldiers impressed, but not panic-struck, by the sight, anxiously waited, with their pieces ready, the order to fire. Dosaix's division being entangled in a wood of palm-trees, was not completely formed when the swiftest of tlio Mamelukes camo upon thorn ; they wore, in consequence, partially brokcfn, and thirty or forty of the bravest of the assailants penetrated, and died in the midst of tho square at the feet of the officers ; but before the mass arrived the movement was completed, and a rapid firo of musketry and ^jrapo drove them from tho front round the sides of the column. "With matchless intrepidity, they pierced throu^'h tho IntArVal bAfAVnon nrianiv'a anri l?orrnini.'a .lioi'o.'/^na av..1 ..a/J:..^ round both squares, strove to find an entrance ; but an incessant fire from every front mowed them down ns fast as they pcursd BB SIXTH WONDEft. in at the opening. Furious at the unexpected resistance, thev dashed their horses against the rampart of hayonets, and threw their pistols at the heads of the grenadiers, while many who had lost their steeds crept along the ground and cut at the legs of the front rank with their scimitars. In vain thousands suc- ceeded, and galloped round the flaming walls of steel : multi- tudes perished under the rolling fire which, without intermission, issued from the ranks, and at length the survivors in despair fled towards the camp from whence they had issued Here however, they were charged in flank by Napoleon at the head of pugna 8 division, while those of Vial and Bon, on the extreme lett, stormed the mtrenchments. "The most horrible confusion now reigned in the camp ; the horsemen driven-in in disorder, trampled under foot the infantry who, panic-struck at the rout of the Mamelukes on whom all their hopes were placed, abandoned their ranks, and rushed in crowds towards the boats to escape to the other side of the Nile J^Jumbers saved themselves by swimming, but a great proportion perished in the attempt. The Mamelukes rendered desperate seeing no possibility of escape in that direction, fell upon the columns who were approaching from the right, with their win-s extended in order of attack ; but they, forming square agafn rapidly, repulsed them with great slaughter, and drov^ them hnally ofl^ m the direction of the Pyramids. "The intrenched camp, with all its artillery, stores, and baggaoe fell into the hands of the victors. Several thousands ot the Mamelukes were drowned or killed ; and of the formid- able array which had appeared in such splendour in the morning not more than two thousand five hundred escaped with Mourad Jioy into Upper Egypt. "The victors hardly lost two hundred men in the action : and i;9veml days were occupied after it was over in stripping the fliain of their magnificent appointments, or fishing up the rich spoils winch encumbered the banks of the Nile. J'.'^^'^ S^*^'' "^' *•'« I'yiamids struck terror far into Asia and Atnca. liio caravans wluch caiiio to Mecca from the interior 01 those va^t regions, carried back the most dazzling accounts of the victories of the invincible legions of Europe ; the destruction ot the cavalry which had so long tyrannized over Egypt excited the strongest sentiments of wonder and admiration : and the Urientdla. Wlinan ilnt>rrl'•lot.^^^_ ,. _i 1 . ' . . flaunng citadels which hnd dissipated thei/ terrible samLm named Napoleon, Sultan Kebir, or the Sultan of Fire." ^ WAPOLEON's war against EGYPT. 99 AwER THE Wilful King has vanquished the Egyptian armv and has gone back to his own land, he returns a^x^n wTthTn J short period on a second expedition against E^ypt but is thwarted by he ships of Kittim, wherefore he turns back with increasnig determination to break the Jewish Covenant for the narrative proceeds : v^^aut , aor lae ^he' foutif ^ h^?f *!-ri?^?°'"J'i ^' '^"'^ ''*"'•"' ^»d come toward tn T.i! 1 • '* ^¥^^ "°* ^° «s the former, or as the latter, 30. lor the ships of Kittim shall come agains him : therefore SieHolr ^"''f -nd return, and hafe indignation agan? the Holy Covenant .-60 shall he do ; he shall rmm return and have intelligence with them that forsake the Holy Covemu t '' It IS evidently at this period, which is the b^innin^. of the oU:L%':o^^^^^^^ refogreJsive narrative war of tL Wn<^,l ^/"^^'^^^^' containing a narration of a third « a\ ! Y M ^'"^ '*^^'"'* ^«.yP* '^"ied with Syria. 40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him : and the king of the north shall conte against lim like a whirlwind with chariots, and with horsemen%nd with many ships ; and he shall enter into the countries/and shall overflow and pass over. 41. He shall enter alsi into the glomus land, and many countries shall be overthrown : but {. I W 1 1 " '^'^il^'' °^ '^°^°^°"- 42. Ho shall St retch forth his hand also upon the countries : and the land of E-vpt shall Sots:-! ''• ^f' ''' 'Y\ ^^^« P°^^- -- t'- trcJi; reso gold .uid Sliver, aiid over all the precious things of Egypt : and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.'* ^ Iho above verses declare that at the time of tho end com- ZaT^fr'^"'''''^\'fy''^ '^ «•« abomination in the nil 1st of the seven years,' both the Egyptian King of the South and the Syrian King of the North shall come" against ° the King who shall do according to his own will," an l"who in the wS K?n'. m„' r^' ','^'frod pei^on, but nevortheloss t e into L .^^^^ (N'^Pol««") «hall overflow and pass over and enter into the glorious land, that is, Judoa, and stretch forth his «id«t n "fl "' '" ^^''' "r* '^^^«"tly be previous to the b«l! f. > ' ''T y'"^'' *"^^ '' *bc very snmi event as when hejs fmind, accordmg tothe thirty-eighth of Ezckiel. with 7hoT. ^uiuu o^iuyans ana Jitiuopiuns in the Uog and Magog confederacv ' Dan. ix. 27, xii. 11. 100 SIXTH WONDER. uivading Judea Having then captured Jerr.saleni, he sets un his .mage the abomination of desolation in the Jewish temp^^^ 01. And arms shall stand on his part and thev shall nollnfo the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away t Shv ^^^^^^ and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate ^' bv flZ' ! '' ^?. Tt"^^^ T'?' ^^' '^^^^^^^t «^^^11 he corrupt bj flatteries ; but the people that do know their God shall be To2 rf, ^' t"^Y''- ^"'^ '^'y '^'' understand amc^gth people shall instruct n.any: yet they shall fall by the sword and l.y flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many davs 34 Cw when they shall fall, the/ shall L ^holpeTw^itK- little hJZ bu many shall cleave to them v" ^ flaLrics. 35. And some of them of understand ng shall fall, to try them, and to pu g It 13 yet for a time appointed. 36, And the king shall do according to his wi^U ; and he shall magnify himself ^oveTvcry god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of g(2 ?hatLdifP'°'P'V^i^Vl° ij^di^'^-tioifbo accomplished' forS r^^ Z^'^'^rT^ '^^^^ ^l ^°"«- 37. Neither shall he regard ihl God of his fathers, nor the desire of women (that is, Messiah tc whom women desired to give birth), nor regard any god fOr' 1 fon uX^JZff ''°'^^^!i ''■ -^^"tlnhiscSshaUh not shall ho honour with gold, and silver, and with preciW 6 ones, and pleasant things. 39. Thus shall he do the mo strong holds with a strange god. whom he shall acknowledge S incma^e with glory ; and he shall cause them to rule oveEmafiv and shall divide the land for gain." ^ ' Hero is depicted the great persecution of those Jews and luths ot the Gospel, an.l who -shall fall by being beheaded or irnl^hri2G0l"'"' captivity during '4any°days " that i auringtho 12G0 days, or imal thre>and-a-half years of Anti Christ 8 exaltation of himself as god of the world.^ Lut lis fote ' after the close of the tnree-and-a-half years is de inea tod n « two concluding verges of the chaoter. ^e^^neatca m the "44. Eut tiduigs out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him : therefore lie shall go forth with creat furv t destroy and utterly to make away many 45 Hid hi^?h«n P^ant the tabernacles of his pala^ce between tJ^seL S Mediterranean and Dead Seas) in the dorZ^b.w „?.!l.i??! yei m «ii«ii come to his end. and none shalf help him?"''"""' ' _9>a NAPOLEON'S WAR AGAINST EOYPT. 101 he sets up ih temple, liall pollute ly sacrifice, olato. 3^. he corrupt Jd shall be among the the sword, 34. Kow little help : And soiue d to pu^ge 1 ; becattse : shall do bove cAxry Q shall he hers know 1 precious I the most dedge aod ver many, Jews and " in the leaded or I," that is of Anti- t his fate :jd in the )rth shall b fury to he shall saa (the ountaia ; Then in the following twelfth chapter of Daniel, further details of the history of this Wilful King are given, and the period of his persecution, during which he shall " accomplish to scatter the power of the holy people," is defined to be a tme, times, and half time, that is, three-and-a-half times or years ; and it is stated, that from the date of his image, the abomina- tion of his desolation, being ^set up in the Jewish temple, there shall be 1290 days, and that measuring from the same date 1335 days, the epoch of miUennial blessedness will be reached. Hence the two-and-a half months, or 75 days, which constitute the excess of the 1335 days beyond the three-and-a-half years, are manifestly the short season, wherein the Wilful King's overthrow will be completed^ by the literal fulfilment of the seven vials. Thus do the 'ei^eiith and twelfth chapters of Daniel furnish a comprehensive "outline of the future astounding exploits of the great Wilful King, Louis Napoleon. With such prospe tive tribulations hasting to their fulfdnient, how gratifying is it to reflect, that if perspris' haiv6 obtained for- giveness of their sins through prayerful; faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, they are sure ultimately to be numbered among His saints in glory everlasting, although in some cases they may previously have to suffer grievous afflictions in mind, body, or estate. To have Christ in the heart as the hope of glory, and to acquire by believing prayer to H-im, salvation from the pre- sent power as well as from the future punishment of sin, is the greatest of blessings. For by nature we " all have sinned, and Home short of the glory of God," and are perishing, guilty, ruinQd transgressors, justly sentenced to irremediable perdition, on account of our original and actual iniquity.* But the Lord Jesus has come into the world to seek and to save those that were lost — not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance — not to be ministered unto but to minister, i i to give his lifo a ransom for many.* Ho was wounded for out transgressions ; he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Ho was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. « Eomans iii. 23 ; Gal. iii. 22 ; 1 John i. 8 ; Psal. Iviii. 8. * Luke xix. 10 ; Matt, ix, 13 ; Mark, z, 46 ; Isaiali liii, 6, 6* 7* |! ;i 102 COME TO Ji'SUS. And it is not by our good works but only by grace that we can be Baved: for St Paul says, "By gra/e are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of Uod : not of works,, lest any man should boast '"—and " to Inm that worketh not, but believetli on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness "'''—" therefore being justified by faith we have peace with Godthrough our Lord Jesus Christ," and " God commendeth his love to usward, ia that while wo were yet sinners, Christ died for us ;'" for " God was m Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them ; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us : we pray you in Christ 8 stead be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made bim LUirjst] to be em for us, who knew no sin ; that ^vB mijrht be made the righteousness of God in him."* The Lord Jesus having substitutionally suffered for our sins, now offers salva- tion to the w'orst of sinners, and invites them to come to him in praver and faith, and they shall on no account be rejected ' And when once a person has come to Jesus iu faith and prayer for forgiveness of their sins, so as to become tru! ' con- verted and born again, they then feel and know that their sins are forgiven; they have a distinct inward consciousness that their iniquities are pardoned— a consciousness which no one can linderstand unless they have personally experienced it : lor then "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that l^-^^l^^® chi dren of God ; "« and « hereby we know thit he abideth m us, by the Spirit which he hath given us "^ And when we are once thus really converted and pardoned, we are certain to be finally saved, and can never perish, according to St. Pauls persuasion, "Being conudent of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."« May every reader of these pages Beek bv fervent prayer for this inalienable gift of salvation" remembering the won^g of Jesus, " Whatsoever ye shall ask the ±ather m my name, he will give it you. Wiiatsoever ye shall ask m my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified m the Son. If ye shaU ask anything in my name, I will do it." I Ephes. ii. 8. » Rom. iv. 5. » Rom. v. 1, 8. * 2 Cor v 19 in SW V' / St- ^"'' ^^- ' ^ J'*''" "'• 24. ' Phil. i". 6 ; .Ter. ill. 14 } 1 John V. 4 j John v. 24. • John xvi. 23 ; xiv, 13. ■ISK™vv DISSOLUTION OF THJ5 PEEBENX TUEKISH EMPIBE. 103 SEVENTH WONDER. ("Within about two years after the Covenant.) The dissolution of the peesent Turkish EMPiriE, — accompanied with the goveenmental seveeance of Stria feom Tuhket, and the teeminatton of the ExisTiNO Ottoman Government. "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 from the east might be prepared." — Eev. xvi. 12. The seven vials in common with most of the prophetic visions of Kevelation are understood to have a figurative year- day fulfilment, as well as a future literal accomplishment. On the yearday scale, the first four of them describe the commo- tions, bloodshed, and Bonapartean wars of the French Eevolu- tion, from 1793 to 1815. The fifth depicts the dark cloud of humiliation, which overspread Trance during its occupation by the Allied Nations, from 1815 to 1818, after the Waterloo eclipse of Bonaparte ; and the sixth vial commencing in 1823-8, according to the agreement of nearly all yearday expositors, denotes itiio drying-up or dissolution of the Turkish Empire — ■ the mystical Euphrates, — although, undoubtedly, the actual river Euphrates will be really dried-up during the future literal second fulfilment of these vials. ' Two hundred years ago, when the Turkish Empire was at the summit of its power, and then included in its dominions, Algeria, Tunis, Tripoli, Barca, Egypt, Syria, Greece, Moldavia, and Walhichia, Tillinghast predicted that the sixth vial must e' entuallv efiect ita ruin, although there was no prospect of it at that time. He wrote in 1655, — " By the river Euphrates, wo are to understand the Ottoman or Turkish empire. It is called the great rivers because of the great multitude of people and nations therein. The people who at this present time are of all others accounted the greatest, are the Turks, who therefoie, and no other, are here to be understood ; especially as the river Euphrates, in the ninth chapter, under the sounding of the sixth trumpet, by general co: sent of expositors, has reference to tho Turkish 1U4 SEVENTH WONDEE. i ?Pwf wl.?^ -^r-^* "-^^^^^ -^"*^' ^^« ^r« *o understand the tWnl i T *}^ P°""°S forth of this vial shall return to then- own land and be converted to Christ : the pourin;^ out of the' Ea^V^'/P"'T.^ "r^ ^'' ^''^- T^^J are called King of the East from the honour and dignity which God will nnf upon his people (Micah iv. 8; fsa. hi 9 kch y^i 23 ) God, m h,s wonderful providence, will so order that at the iTJe'otthe band's' '^"^' ^f "^^' '''' Powerln'd the mult tudoot the Grand S.gnior, who is now the greatest mona-ch WouJerful ns then seemed the prospective overthrow of so ■ iTaf lnS?"'h' '^ '^'' 0."on.an^,o;er, yet since 1T23 8 i? Gallowavin f^oo'"" '""'5^. >° i'"'^' ^^'^^ commentator, wn, l?i i7' 1 ^' ^^P^essed his surprise as to how this vial would hring ahouc so marvellous a result: he said, "irrhaDs e means wil rema n concealed, until the events themselvL i^P l"d"ri82r"V' Vr -y«^-)V>owever,\eg:nto b^ f, iL n f 1 r u J i' .'''^J''" ^^®^co seceded from Turkey and f^^llyostab .shed Its independence after the battle of Namino n 182/, at wnich the Turkish ileet was destroved The Ottoman government was further weakened in lS« iw ! :nd?n\"o°o^K{ ^''^T-' JanizarresSfloJ^r i?ft' Z^ Jn Z V J ^^S«''i^^»°fi: wrested from it by the French and WaSfL'"'"''' ""^ '^^^^"^ ^A' ''' '^^thority. Mo davia lu on . il? ''''''*'• " '° separated from it in 1857. The poni* rfdZdltth/''""'""'^'!^"^*' of Turkey has been feaSy reduced at the same period by unparalleled pestilences confla grations. mihtar^ conscriptions, and misgoJornment 'so tlmi Lainartme sa d in l«'li ^'tu^ n»^^ """M^vcinmtni;, so thai nf all ■ ,-f 1 „ /"/**^*» Ihe Ottoman Emi)iro s no omniro A m ,"lV'^ '' perishing fur want of Turks." ' Although the process of tho dryitig.up of the Turkish Em P-ro h„8 ,eaehed a very advanced itago, yet it ovicUm v is t ni yet fully accomplished : for th^ Turk;-*!. \LllzVT}l:^, '!."°* uot^itj^stan.iing the fact thaTnoTe" than luUrofli; fomer'S ntory h«„ been torn from it, and thai unparalleled d^opl! DISSOLUTION OP THE PllESE^T TUHKlSll EMi'IBE. 105 'Stand the return to 'inp out of I Kings of 1 will put viii. 23.) at at the ho multi- monarch be much OW of BO 1823-8 it n&ntator, this vial ' Perhaps cmselves an to be :ey, and favarino, 3cl The i by the 8 forces : French, kloldavia le popu- ['oarfuUy I, confla- so that ' empire es with- ithout a unity or liat ani- its fatal querors sh Em* f is not I qzistg, nor ter- popula- I tion has taken place among the ^es^ of its subjectfl. Its com- plete desiccation or drying-up will apparently consist in the displacement ofthe present reigning dynasty and Mohammedan government, b} a totally different one — probably a more Europeanised one chosen by the voice of tho people — and this- is quite as likely to be the result of national bankruptcy and popular revolution, as of foreign invasion. The entire separa- tion of Syria from Turkey is also indicated to happen at tho same time, leaving the northern parts of Turkey adjacent to Constantinople, which correspond with the ancient Tlirace- with-Bithynia, to form the fourth distinct kingdom in addition to the throe kingdoms of Syria, Egypt, and Greece. The present Turkish government is the most dospoiic ima- i,Mnable. The Sultan has practically almost absolute dominion over tne lives and property of hJs subjects, f"d his pachas, viziers, and cadis administering the govcrnme are generally corrupt, rapacious, and tyrannical. According to Alison's history, there are in European Turkey ten million ])eople, of whom scarcely more than three millions are Mohammedans ; and in Asiatic Turkey there are about three million nominal Christians of the Qreek Ch\u'ch, in additicm to twelve million Mohammedans. Thus, out ot'.tho total population of twenty-five millions, only tlfteen millions belong to tho doniiiiant Mosleiu race and religion, which tyrannize over that country. Hence, as the Turkish woe. under the yearday sixth trumpet, consisted in tho conquest of Turkey by the IMoslem Eiiphratean horse- men, in lir)H, whose descendants are now despotically ruling it, HO tho abolition «iul ending of that Turkinh woe by tho iigiiia- tive drying-up of the JCuphrates under the yearday sixth vial, will consist in tho overthrow of their supreme jiower, luul in the establishment of a new government over Turkey, which shall be more in ngreement with the desires and principles of its millions of nominal Christians, as well as M« hanuueunns. Tho overthrow of the Ottoman Oovernment»is tho IjMMI'1- DIATK FHKCUHSOll of the Advent of Christ in its first stage to raise the deceased saints, and to remove them with I4i,000 watchful living Christians to tho heavens, lleeauso just at the end of the sixth vial, after tho drjing-np of tho myBticttl Euphrates, tho wnrning words are given, " Heboid, I come H8 a thief Ulossedisho that watcheth,*' and then iVllows the seventh vial, which in its yearday fultihnent, describes the three-nnd-a-half years' Tribulation. Theao warning words are »■. n 108 BEVENTH WONDEB. the direct anuouncement of Christ himself, that he will come ju8t at the point of time between the sixth and seventh vials, and in their double fulfilment they apply to the two stages in his Advent. Many politicians have expected that Russia would annex Turkey to. its dominions, but prophecy entirely contradicts such a supposition : because all the present Ottoman Empire lies within the original Eoman Empire, and therefore must be includ-d within Napoleon's future ten Eoman-Imperial King- doma, wliich are to give their power and strength to him for the final lliree-and-a-half years.— Rev. xvii. 11 — Id? Napoleon has yet n very important part to ])lay in con- nection with the future of Turkey. He will yet see his favourite democratic despotic principle of government, by virtue of which he Bits upon the throne ot Franco, established throughout the Ottoman territories: and hia widening supremacy extended over them. A brief season of increasing prosperity and revival of commerce and projection of schemes of improvement, may accompany these ch'angcs, especially in consequence of the return of the Jews to Palestine : and shortsighted men of the world will anticipate the rise of a new era of freedom and hap- l)Uieas in the East, but the three-and-a-iialf-years' Groat Tri- luilation will soon follow and make manifest the unsubstantial foundation of such hopes. It has been well remarked l)y the Rev. R.. A. Purdon, that "There are three great elenicnts of Napoleonic strength :—tho occupation of Romk, the Suez Canal, and the Iron Fleet. Wy the occupation of Rome ho becomes the representative Ilcad of the Komnii J'^mpiro. By means of the Sue/, Catial ho b#)nieH master of the connecting link of the West ami the Etet. The possession of that canal gives him a firm hold upon all his allies, his oolonicH, hia niilitjuy and naval stations, and his conquests from the Oulf of Oenoa to the extremities of the globe, from the* coasts of Italy to New Caledonia in the f^outhorn Ocean. That lino runs straight acros.^ through Egypt to the Indies, ..nd its starting-noint is in tho central shore of tho Mediterranean. In the third place, tho iron fleet is a grand clement of Napoleonic power. It is constantly said that if Napoleon has an iron fleet, so has Enghmd j and our London Times of Sept. 28, 1805, an able article shows that tho French iron fleet is ot present undoubtedly eoniowhat euperior DISSOLUTION OP THE PRESENT TURKISH EMPIEE. 107 to the English fleet in strength and efficiency. It also hag far greater facilities for manning, docking, and refitting, which practically doubles its strength.) " JVapolcou lia.s risen again, and tlie scene of to-day is more wonderful th.-ui the scenes of the old Napoleonic day. We sco one man with an immense army, which, in a month, can be raised to two millions of disciplined men. We see him pos- sesacd of a licet the most powerful in the world. Not satisfied with this, he exhausts every resource of genius and scienco to bring Ihose terrible machines still nearer to perfection. His army is trained to a ])oint never reached before by any host, either ancient or modern. His troops arc taught to chmb, to leap, to swim. They are taught that bayonet exercise which was formerly .thouglit impossible. Tiiey are assembled in vast encam]imcnts, and manoeuvred on the scale of armies on tiio field of battle. Tiicy are kept nnder canvas on lofty hills, and even in the miilst of witiler— and they cnduro all without a murmur — for the Eni])er()r comes down to their encampment and says — " i'ou must endure these hardships. for Mv sake, for MY troops must be capable of everything." They bear it ail for his sake, and they b(\'oino liard as iron, and more ellicient than the ]tt)man legions. " But wo witness hLIU stranger things than these. Wo see ONE MAX. ihus all armed and all-accomplished, conxpleling tho circii'uvallalion of the globe. While lio is perfecting his jirma- nuMits, ho is ecpially jjcrfeeting jiis lines. Beginning at Jtoims and I'.irii (lie centres of empire — ho has drawn a cordon round tiK! world, l-'rance, Savoy, the Alps, Jlonie, Haly, Cor. sica, Sicily, Tuni.'^, (i recce, Ionia, Syria, Egypt. Ho crosses tho Isthmus, and enters (ho Ked Sea. Abyssinift, IMadngaHcor, Bourbon, Cochin, Cambodia, China, follow next. Ho then •i)luiige< into the depths of tho Southern ocean, and grasps New Caledonia and Tahiti. ]lo crosscH right through tho Southern ocean, und ascends in latihido to Guiana, tlio French West Itulics, Mexico, and the United States. He tiien traverses tho Atlantic, and arrives nt home, after tho completion of a cii-elo of LM.OOU miles, He then throws out his connecting lines and draws in Spain and Alorotco on tho South; Hennnirk, Sweden, &nH ir.»ll.....I ^., 41..% ..„,.! 1. TJ- t 4.1-- _i«it._ ii- rinu n--t!tiiiti tni ir.it-- jiui tjl. iic iruvcrscs msc sujut; vi ifiu cartn from the South Temperate Zone to tho Arctic Circle. Almg this vast circumference every spot that wo have named is sub- ject to hi-i influence. Somo by strict alliance, some by fear; ! I 108 SEVEKin WONDEIt. some as provincea of his empire, and all by iNTEiiEdT. He caJIa to his aid the master pasbions of the human breast, ambi- tion and revenge ; and holds out to each its object until his own objects have been gained. In this immense circle each point 18 so arranged as to support the .other. He disposes his alliances with military precision, and by strategic rules. Every position that ho has seized upon commands some vital point. .Savoy commands Italy~-Egypt commands the highway if the J'.ast-his American alliances command our own American possessions. hpam commands the Straits-Dcnumrk the iialtic. ^ew talcdonia IS an outwork against Australia. Ob erve the mditary skill of these arrangements-there is othing insu ated, nothing left unsupported. And at each of heso points ho has a military or naval force, either his own or his ally s, ready at a signal to co-operate with the next. Are thcso tlungs merely accidental ? Are they a childish display or power ^ They are parts of one vast scheme, the object df whu-h IS Universal Empire. 8hould he think fit to attack England, or Austria or Prussia, or Turkey, or even- to invade India ni every case he has provided himself with allies in the munediate v.nimty of the country to be attacked. In one case. h V"'/.«'i, states ;m another. Italy; in a third, ttussia, Persia and Iiidm beyond the Ganges. By this admirable provision he will never bo alone, go where he will. And vet he has also so arranged that no one of his allies shall be able to over- ?!;'.?;. !""!;• "°n''l^^ ".y °"' ''' ''"y elven point bo stronger than himsolt. IIo has their co-opeiiation, while ho precludes then. coMBiNATroN, and makes all subservient to his Wrests, while they appear to be contending for their own. The aggregate strength ot his allies is greater than that of I'rnnco yet I ranee is stronger than any one of them at any dotermined point;, so that he carries out with nation* the military princ-ples of th« First Napoleon when dealing »t I ill III lillCnt "Alexander, limited views, j neir cireJo ot empire „.,„.., ^„„ ^^^via of the globe. Alexander wept for new worlds to con.iuer, but ho neve, njmroached to the circumvallation even of tl.o ^orld on which iio lived. Their ambition fl"d <>.«!. ., ._„_ limited by a JJ;vine decree, because their destiny wnsTiot'tS of universal empire. But there is one max who is destined for universal empire AVonderful to tell, after all our ' balance Crosar, and the First Napoleon, were men of J heir circle of empire fell fur within the circle i KAPOLEON S OROWINO EASTtBN INFLUENCE, 109 of power' — after all our ' holy alliances'- of intellect' — after all our decrees again! -after all our ' march igainst the Napoleonic race — we see one man rising to universal empire, and that man the head of the Napoleonic race — a just judgment upon pride and malignity I One man has thrown a girdle round the globe— One man has forged a chain of iron — he has connected the links, and holds the extremities in his hand. Evcij^y separate link acts upon every other, and when one link is moved ail will move along with it. There is no limit to his power but the limits of the globe. Less brilliant than Alexander and Caesar, he is more subtle, more patient, and, by far, more ambitious. As the last, so he aspires to bo the greatest of monarchs, and takes in within his grasp regions of the earth whose very ex- istence was unknown to Ca;sar and Alexander. " A power is now rising in the world which threatens uni- Tersal dominion ; and which no man is able to. counteract. Every nation in Europe is occupied at homo — liuwsia with her serfs — Austria with \ enetia and Hungary — Prussia with the Germanic question — England with her public debt and cruel taxation. Iranco alone is free to act ; for her army and fleet are all but completed, and her people have still ninety million pounds sterling, which they oflered to the Emperor in 185f), and which they would offer again to-morrow, at the first hint of a war with England. France alone is free to act, and she alone is prepared at every point. The Napoleonic race is master ot the afje. "The Korven 18 rising from the bottom of the deep. Tho Midgaard Serpent has embraced the world in his enormous folds. The stormy visions of the North have passed from imagination to reality. One powerful mind encompass 3 the globe. Onk will plays with tho will of all mankind as a giant with ft dwarf. The world is invested like a belcnguered city. It is bound by a chain whose links are empires. The last link of that chain is held by one inscrutable man. Ho waits hisi time, lie prepares his opportunity. When tho (it hour has come ho gathers un the liiiKs. In moving one lie moves them nil. lie lixca the lant link to his throne — compresses it with rclcntlcsH hand— and the world becomes his sr,A.VE." nr* i.„. «fc il... „...! ..C XT > f, au ixic futi ui j.-s:ij;uicu!i a three-and-a-half }t>ara' universal empire, tho Sou of mana millennial empire will be established upon earth Cora thousand yean, 110 HlQUTH WONDEE. EIGHTH WONDER. (Eebween two and three years after the Covenant.) Ee-establishuent of the Fovu horn Kingdoms of Greece, -boTPT, Syria, and Thrace-witu-Bithtnia, as Four DISTINCT AND SEPARATE KINGDOMS, AS IN ANCIENT TIMES. In the eighth of Daniel, the one-horned he-goat> denoting the whole Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great, had lour horns rise afterwards simultaneously on its head, in the place ot Its broken single horn, and these four horns represent, accordmg to the general agreement of expositors, the four sub- divisions of that empire at his death among his four generals Cassandcr, Ptolemy, Seleucus, and Lysimachus, who respect- ivelv became the kings of Greece, Egypt, Syria, and 'xlirace- witn-Uithyma— with outlying provinces annexed to each. The ancient historian, Eollin, says (vol. iii.) :— " The empire of Alexander was -divided into four kingdoms, of which Ptolemy had Egypt, Libya. Arabia, Calo-Syria, and Palestine ; Cassander had Greece and Macedonia ; Lysimachus had IjiRACE, BiTHYNiA, and some other province beyond the liellespont, with the Bosphorus ; and Seleucus had all the rest oi Asia (mcludmg Syria) to the other side of the Euphrates, and as far as the river Indus." But these four subdivided kingdoms have long a^ro dis- appeared, and were absorbed and merged into the huge Turkish empire for nearly seven hundred years, until very recently. It might t lerelore bo asked what reasons are there for expectinsr them all to reappear in separate distinctness as in ancient times! Ihe hrst reason is, because these four kingdoms are spoken ;,V"r 1 l"S existent at the final crisis, during the career of the Wilful King; for in Daniel viii. 22, 23, wo read conccrniiiff tliem— ' I'our kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation (but not m Alexander's power). And in the latter time of their kingdom (that is, in the latter time of their existence as kin-^- doms), when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of lierce countenance and understanding dark sentences shall stand up " (and the career of this Wilful King is then described. until he in lirnkon wifknuf lion/l «4- ♦!,«% U-*.*.!.. _x« * jj-_\ llenco these four kingdoms are to be re-existent in their ancient uurfold form shortly before tho AVilful King's universal rcign during the final threc-and-a-half years. EE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FOUE HOBN KINOD0M8. Ill The second reason is, because in the eleventh of Daniel both the King of the North and the King of the South, signifying the sovereign of Syria and the sovereign of Egypt, are fore- shown to make war against the Wilful King at the time of the end, when the resurrection shall take place, which will begm about five years before the very end itself. (Dan. xi. 40, xii. 1, 2. Therefore we must expect Syria and Egypt to become separate kingdoms some time about five years before the end of this dispensation; and as Greece is already an independent kingdom, the northern part of Turkey will be then left stand- ing°apart, and it will constitute the remaining one of the four kingdoms, and will, in the main, correspond with the ancient kingdom of Thmce-with-Bithynia. Thus will the four horn kingdoms of the eighth and eleventh of Daniel reappear ; and even already the separation from Turkey of Greece in 1822, and of Egypt in 1840, are remarkable movements of approxi- mation to that result, showing that the time of the end is cbse at hand; and it only requires Syria to be disjoined from Turkey, and then the quadripartite division will be accom- plished. ^ -T-. , n • J It must be remembered that while Greece, Egypt, Syria, and Thrace-with-Bithynia, will be the main and central parts of tho four horn kingdoms, yet they may bo more or loss enlarged by the addition of contiguous outlying provinces ; for it is not quite certain whether the Koman empire did not include countries even beyond the Euphrates, and nearly all of Alex- ander's empire. Louis Napoleon, as the Wilful King, will of course have dominion over all these four kingdoms ; and it is very observ- able how by tho French occupalion of Algiers, and by tlio Suez Canal undertaking, he is now advancing toward tliat result. It has been said by W. Ileade, who was formerly United States ambassador to China, "In Northern Africa, France already possesses the germ of a great military empire. Sho will ally herself with tho Mohammedan powers. With a Mohammedan army she will overrun Africa. Sho will pocket tho Gambia, which she has already surrounded ; annex Morocco ; and by planting garrisons in Segou and Timbuctoo, will command tho commerce of Northern Central Africa, tho gold-miuos of Wan- ,.U:.rescnJ r/'jime, whose for- tune has been w-ttitched to the Eapci'or's lu.' the last twenty years. Hearing ji e state au opinion that Louis Napoleon would feel unwilling to enter upon any new complication, he replied, ' Unfortunately, I am forced to differ from you ; you are mistaken in the man, and I regret it. After his long fits of torpor, he suddenly plunges into action; the man of the coup d'etat is still alive, as he will probably too suddenly prove to 1/ou one day. I would give more than you can imagine to think as you do about the Emperor, but too many things for- bid my doing so. Of course, «?y lips are sealed, and I cannot give you all my reasons for what I believe and fear; but Heaven grant tliat you, and not I, may have judged rightly in our anticipations of the future.' " The Emperor's declaration, " The Empire is peace," is already regarded by many as the utterance of a Machiavellian and ^elilah-like policy, designed to lull the nations into a false M umber in order to rivet upon them more easily the chains of Napoleonic conquest ; and it has been glaringly at variance with the colpssal naval and military armamc^^Vi, which he has carefully created and maintained. Tuus ABE THE PROPiiEciEs being continuously fulfilled, and when, in their progressive course of accomplishment, we presently arrive, as here indicated, at the end of the second year of the covenant week, how unspeakably solemn and thrilling will be the emotions of watchful Christians, to know that between three and five week- afterwards they have tlie strongest ri-n:,on to expect their sudden removal by translation from this earth ! AVhat heavenly-mindeduess, what deadness to the world, what outspoken boldness in warning their unconverted rela- tives and acquaintances, will not such a belief produce! pliygiognomy, Tho faon of the man with tho iron mask is not more dnvoid of expression than is his. One may study it for liours without deriving tho slightest patisfaction as to the Emperor's mental characteristics. Those fishy, raylost eyes, ''.. pnrclimout-likc cheeks, the stiff pointed moHstache, all suggest a sort ol '.'^I-iialf face prepared for the occasion, while the real man, liito the priet^h < f. UojMi's hidden and dehvers short oracular rosponies behind it, ^.. : thor' a stature, though his body is full the average size. Heaoft m i^f,, rn: i greater ac^'antage in a sitting posture." BEFLECTIO^•fc^ ON THE lOVE OJ? JVAVS. 117 * Undoubtedly at this period the intcnsest excitement regardiDg these second advent propheeios will prevail in Great Britain and Protestant America. Tracts and pamphlets and books relatmg to the subject will have been widely scattered, like leaves m the autumn fall. Numerous preachers, regardless of the .increasing .oncut -+' opposition and ridicule, will be loudly pi^claimin- thrnugLo..t the lengtli and breadth of the land, * Behold, the J^ndegroom cometh." JS^ot a feAv persons will have r^^linquion J their secular occupations after the example of tho r-rimitivo disciples ; and, weeing that " the harvest truly 18 piauteous and the labourers are few," they will have dedi- cated themselves entirely to go, like the Son of man, " through- out every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God." The masses of population securely slumbering in their sins under the monotonous sound of classical, historical, and literary preaching bv learned pro- hcients in religious philosophy, falsely so called, will be startled by the occasional a])i)arition of evangelists roughly warning them, after the mauucr of John the Baptist and "Elijah, to repent, for the day of jiid,gment is at hand, and to flee from the wrath which is immediately coining upon them that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many false and hypocritical professors will doubtless stir up men of the baser sort to oppose such laithful preaching, just as the craftsmen of the temple of Diana of the Ephesians en- doavoured to crush and overthrow the apostolic testimony. But nevertheless, the announcement of the immediate personal coming of the Son of man will be widely made known— a goodly number of unconverted persons will be led to seek for salva- tion, and to resort in earnest prayer and faith to Jesus, whose blood cleanses from all sin,— ;ind tlie watchful believers them- selves will dailv grow :n grace and holiness, riper and readier to h'> c*^nghL up to meet their returning Lord, and to be made like xiim when they shall see Ilim as He is— the brightness of His Pather's glory, and the express image of His person. And even now wo may measurably become like Christ, by manifesting the fruits of the Holy Spirit— love, joy, peace, longsuifering, gentleness, goodness, taith, meekness, tem- aiil iU vllt thia will result from being filled with the love of Christ ■iiii oxtu (( < The love of Christ paeseth knowledge.' ' It is like the blue ^ Ephes. iij. 9. Tlie next fire pages are by Mr. Chey:". 118 EIQlITn AVONDEB. sky, into which L'lcarly, hut th jal. of rastness _ which you cannot measure. It is lilio tlie deep, deep sea, into whose bosom you can look a Jittlo wny, but its depths are un- fathomable. It has a brcadtli witliout a bound, length Ayithout end, height without top, and depth without bottom. If holy Paul said this, who was so deeply taiiglit in divine tilings — who had been in the third heaven, and seen the glorified fa'ce of Jesus, — how much more may wo, poor and weak believers, look into that love and say. It passeth knowledge ! . " Christ's love toward us began in the^past eternity ; ' for even then His delights were with the sons of men. This river of love began to How before tho world was— irom everlasting, from the beginning, or ever tho earth was. Christ's love to us is as old as tho Tather'a love to tho Son. This river of light began to stream from Jesus towards us beforo the beams poured from the sun ; beforo tho rivers llowed to the ocean ; beforo angel loved angel, or man loved man ; before creatures were, Christ loved us. This is a great deep, who can fathom it? This love passclh knowledge. "And lie who thus loves us is Jesus, the Son of God, tho_ second person of tho blessed Godhead. His name is ipresa unngo 01 Jiis ]) ., tho purity, majesty, and lovo of Jehovah dwell fully in Iljm. Ho is tho bright aiul morning Star ; He i.s tho Sun ofrighteous- ness and tho Light of the world ; Ho ia tho Koso of Sharon and the Lily of tho valleys— fairer than tho chiUlren of men.* Hia riches are inHnito; Ho couhl say, 'All that tho Father hath is Mine.'* Ho is Lord of all. All tiio crowns in heaven were cast at His feet; all angels a. id seraphs were Hia servants; all worlds His domain. His doings were inllnitcly glorious. By Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible. Ho railed tho thiugd that are not AS though they woro; worlds started into being at Hia word. Tci Ho loved U8. It is much to bo loved by one greater in Tnillc f)in». o j . ' P,'^"/* \3 o"^ refuge and shield, and CHBIST IS GOD. It IB said of Him, ' In the beginning was the AVord, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' ' Again, it is said of ±iim, Ihy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness 18 the sceptre of Thy kingdom.' » Again, it is said A^' ^ .^ "^^^'^ "^^ *^»'"S'* created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers : all thingB were created by Him, and for Him ; and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.' » Again, it is said of Hin>, that He 18 over all, God blessed for ever.' * Again, Thomas saith unto Him, My Lord and my God.' And He is called ' God manifest in the flesh.' » So, then. He is indeed ' Immanuel, God with us. He 18 the Maker of the worid; the God of provi- donee ; the God of angels. And this is the Being who came to bo the Saviour of sinners, oven tho chief I "Now the whole comfort and joy of tho believer is founded on tho fact of the Saviour being God. Everything that God does 18 inHnitely perfect: Ho never fails in anything Ho umlortakes. iliverythmg, therefore, which tho Saviour did was infinitely porloct. Ho did not, and rould not, fuii in anything which Ho undertook. Ho undertook to boar tho wrath of God in the stead 01 Binners. His heart was sot upon it from all eternity; for before tho worid wos made, Ho tells ua. • Mv dolichta were with lu6 Buiis oi men.^ ' For this end Ho took on Him our nature ; 'IJohuLi. ;«•!■'• i. 8. • Col. i. 18, 17. ♦Koiii.ii.5. 'llim. hi. 10. • Col. i. 18, 17. • Pror. Tlii. 80. f 122 EiailTH WONDER. became a man of sorrows, and acquainted witb grief. From His cradle in the manger to the cross, the dark cloud of afilic- tion waa over' Him ; and especially towards the close of His life, the cloud came to be at tlic darkest, yet He cheerfully Buflered all. ' How am I straitened till it be accomplished ! ' The cup of God's anger was given Hitn without mixture ; yet He said, ' The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it ? * Now wo may be quite sure, that since He waa the Son of God, Ho hath sullered all that sinners should have suffered. If He had been an angel. He might have left some part unfinished ; but since Ho was God, His work must be perfect. Ho himself said, ' It is finished ; ' and since He was the God that cannot lie, wo are quite sure that all sufi'ering is finished— that neither He nor Ilia glorilied. mystical body can Bufler any more to all eternity. But, ngain. He undertook to obey the 'law in tho stead of sinners. Man had not only broken the'law of God, but ho had failed to obey it. Now, as the Lord Jesus came to bo n complete Saviour, Ho not only suftcred the curse of tho broken law, but He obeyed the law in the stead of sinners. Through His whole life Ho made it His meat and drink to do the will of God. Now we may be quite sure that since He was the Son of God, He hath done ail that sinners^ ought to have done. His righteousness is tho righteousness of God ; so that we may bo quite sure that every sinner who puts on that righteouimcss is more righteous than if man had never fallen * more righteous than angels ; as righteous as God. ' Who shall condemn whom God hath justified ? ' " careless sinners! this is the Saviour who is preached to you ; this is tho divine liedccmcr whom you tread under foot, lou would think it a great thing if tho king left his throne, and knocked at your door, and beaought you to accept a little gold; but oh, how much greater a thing is hero! The King of kings has left His throne, and tlicd, tho just for tho unjust, and now knocks at tho door of your heart. Careless sinner, can you still resist His entreaty to give your heart to His Bervice, and truly to love Him because He hat: first loved you P" Ecadcr, have you ever yet become truly converted ? l)o you certainly know and sensibly feel that your sins are nil forgiven? Have you yet obtained this blessing by faith aud earnest prayer to the Lord Jesui. who is now ofl'eriuir salvation to you F 123 THIRD YEAR. NINTH WONDEIi (Occurmi-j about two years and between tlirco and five weetfl alter tbe Cov;enP.iit ; that is, in j^^enoral terms, about five years before Clinst'a descent on OJivet at the Millennium.) The First Ascensioi^, or Fiust btaqe op Christ's tOillN-a, CO^SISTINO IN THE RESURRECTIOIf OP THE BODIES OF ALL DECEASED SAIx\T3, AND IN TUEIR BEING CAUailT UP TOOETUER WITH 114,000 WATCHFUL ClIRIS- TIANS TO MEET ChrIST IN TUB HEAVENS. wiZ\". wlV"f\f ^'^'",^^ ^''f °^ ?°"^ '^'^'^'^^^ ^^ith a Shout, Tn 1 fi ? "^ H\? F^l^'-^^Sel, and with the trump of God wnnl ° '"'^ ?■ ^'^""^ f>"^^ ^''^^ ^"•^'^ •• t^>^» (^''^"-«. after- wards; wo wueh are alivo and remain shall bo cauc^ht up tofe^ther w.tli them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the ai"- and 80 shall we ever bo with the Lord."— 1 Thess. iv. 10, 17. wn J il I ' J ' ?''' ^'""^ a mystery ; Wo shall not all sleep, but Tvp !? 1 1 .f''"^'''^'/'^'"^'"'"*' ia tho twinklincj of an . dead sliall bo raised incorruptible, and wo shall bo chanced."— 1 i>or. XV. 51, 52. Jr,t^ "\ H'"^ Z-'^^'' *^^''''* '^^^^ ^^f*^'"" ^1^0 flood they were iU.l ''"I d/'» ^"iff. marrying,, and giving in marriage, until the day 1 hat Noo entered intu tho arlc,"and knew not until the flood eamo, and took them all iway ; so shall also the commg the «an of n.an be. Then shall two be in tho Seld! hn Tn r " P?/'''"^?l; ""^ *''° ''^^''' ^^^'^' '^"'^ >vomen shall bo gnnding at the null ; tho one shall bo taken, and tho other ielt. — Matt. XXIV. 08—41. tr«ni»fi'!i '/T'"''"-""'^ to obaervo tl.ai tlic Greek word (irnra, epeUa,lm9 luTcnrKi "\ '?. S"^ 'T *r t^"* "/'"'•''""•'A and include; ifsOO yra a Lt h?Z\ ' ^^' i?^"^*' ^''•', "'•''^'^'•"•ti , nrterward they that aro Christ', at hii coming." Tliont^foro thi.. text docs not at all prove that " wo which aro ahvo and remain " .hnll b" «....-!.* i* ". -J °. !. wo wmcn f'^on wlu.„ tho .load in Chn«t;i;;:W o^dnli^^^^^caShing J^LS pIuoQ at .omo i.cnod qflenvard, subic'iuent ti the dc«d in St Sing. 121 NINTH WONDEB. ( " Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot ; they did eat, they drank, they bought, thoy sold, they planted, they builded ; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it bo in the day when the Son of man is revealed." — Luke xvii 28—30. (Eead also the Prophetic Parable of the Ten Virgins, Matt. XXV. 1 — 10, quoted on page GG of this treatise.) •"And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder : and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps : 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders : and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from tho earth. 4. These are they which were not defiled with women ; for they are virgins. These are they which foljow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being tho FIESTFRUITS unto God and to the Lamb. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile : for they are with- out fault before the throne of God." — Eev. xiv. 1 — 5. " And she (tho woman) brought forth a man child (the col- lective body of watchful Christians), who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron : and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."— - Kov. xii. 5, 0. TiiESB PASSAGES of ScripturD predict the plain fact that Christ will personally return to raise up the bodiCa of departed saints, and to take them to tho heavens together with all ready and prepared living Christians; and it should especially bo noticed that the precise time of this event is foreshown with mathematical certainty, by an inductive comparison of tho litoralday with tho yearday fulfilmmt of Revelation, to be two years and between three and five weeks after tho eevon years' Covenant ; or, in more general terms, to be about five years before the Final Consummation, when Christ descends at A„^^ »1__^ _ J'^ 1 1 jl-_ 1 Jl_ I iLriiitigGUuCu, Ho lurcsuowQ vy mo ycuruajr scvcubU sssi, seventh trumpet, and seventh vial. This will be subsequently THE FIEST ASCENSION AT CllUlsr B COMlNa. 125 explained, but first we will endeavour to realize the startlinir and unparalleled natuee of this momentous event. It is evidently described, in these portions of Scripture, as taking place in a season of prevaihng peace and prosperity when people m general will have no cx|jectation of any par- ticular interruption of the usual course of things; and will be actively pursuing the ordinary business and pleasures of this Jite-buying and selling, planting and building, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. This statement alone strongly establishes .the conclu8ii)u that the coming of Christ here spoken of. must bo previous to tho three-and-a- halt years Great Tribulation, during which the unparalleled wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and antichristian per- secutions, described under the litetalday seals and trumpets, are to take place : for it is not credible that during those ter- rific three and a half years, people will be unconcernedly revelhng m the enjoyment of earthly pleasures, while reduced to the utmost extremities through every species of aflliction, so that " the curse will have devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate/'—Isa. \xiv. 6. There are, in truth, two very opposite descriptions given of the state of society at Christ's coming. Some texts. declare it to take place ma season of ordinary tranquillity, and freedom from outward disturbances, when people dre crying Peace and safety, and are saying, All things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.' Other texts, however, describe it as happening just after a season of such unequalled tribu- lation, that no tiesh scarcely will bo left alive, and when men's hearts will be failing them for fear, and all nations will be gathered to battle in a crusade against Jerusalem.* Hence it 18 perfectly evident that there will bo two stages or actions or crises in Christ's coming— the first stage before tho Great Tribulation, and the second stage after that Tribulation. And it is mest essential to distinguish carei'ully between the events respectively connected with its two stages. This dis- tinction is now very generally recognized by a considerable number of eipositors, who admit that tho first stage of Christ's Advent to raise up und translate saints to tho iieaveus will * Mitt. sxir. 07 1 Luke xvii. 28 1 xxi. 85 j 1 Ihctt. r. 2. 3 « 9 Pet. Hi. A. T^ «l"flf% ^i\ ^^' ^- i o"^** *^* ^^' "' ZcclLXiv. l/4| lea. Mir; J«r. SIT. 92, 83 ) Daw. iii. 1, 2. 120 NINTH WONDEE. come to pass several years before the second stage, when he afc last descends on Mount Olivet, as narrated in the fourteenth of Zechariah, » The Lord's Second Coming will not occupy merely a few hours in its accomplishment, as is popularly and ignorantly supposed, but will occupy about five years, commencing with his descend; from the highest heavens mto the aerial heavens near fro the earth, and the instant resurrection of all deceased saints, and their removal with 144,000 watchful living Chris- tians to meet him in the heavens : where they remain during that interval of about five years, and at the close of that inter- val all the Christians on earth who die during those five years are raised up, and together with all surviving Christians are translated to heaven, and then forthwith in a few days Christ descends upon Mount Olivet with the whole of these resur- rected and translated saints to destroy Antichrist and usher in the Millennium. Thus Christ first descends into the aerial heavens, and remains there for about five years, and then com- pletes his coming by descending upon the earth; and the whole of this transaction must be regarded, not as two comings, but as one single progressive coming, accompanied with two stages, in the Kesurrection and Translation of his saints,— one at its beginning, and another at its termination.' The whole period thus occupied by the Second Coming of Christ is called by St. Paul the Day of the Lord, in 1 Cor. v. 5 : 2 Cor. i. 14 • 1 Thess. V. 2. ' Fence viewing it as one single event, extending in both its stages over several jcars— there is no disagreement whatever between those texts whicli speak in general terms of all the living saints being cauglit up to the heavens at the Coming of Christ (1 Thess. iv. 17 ; 1 Cor. xv. 23, 52), and those texts again wliicli speak more particularly of only a taut of tlio living saints being cauglit up at His Coming ; because, fn fact although only the few wise and watchful Christians— the Pliiladelphiaii flrstfruits— will bo caught up at the first stage of His Coming, yet all the remaining Christians, tlio Laodicean harvest, will bo caught up some years later at its second stage, and so all Christians will from first to last ije caught up during the wliolo accomplishment of that coming. It is most essential that Backslidincj Laodicean Chkistians should be warned that they will bo sliut ouf of the door of the marriage at the first stage in Christ's Appearing, altliougli the door of the Marriugo Supper will still remain ojicn to sucii of them as are zealous and repent, and do their first works^ There are undoubtedly at present many backsliders wlio were once true Christians, but have fallen back more or less into worldli- nets or sin (Matt. xxv. 10 j Eev. iii. 19, 20} xix. 0). THE EESUEIIECIION AND FIUST ASCENSION^ 127 " The Day of the Lord is the period wliich includes the whole epoch of the consummation ; — The true fulfilment of all the visions of St. John — the reign of Antichrist— the last Apostasy of the Jews, and the Great Tribulation. "With the terrors of the ungodly, in that day, we may contrast th^ triumph of the righteous. The day of the Lord shall be imme- diately preceded by the Eemoval or Eapture of w\atchful Christians. In a moment, perhaps at midnight, they shall bo summoned from the earth ;— then ' this corruptible shall put on incorruptibn and this mortal shall put on immortality.' In a moment they shall pass through an eternal revolution ! The feeble shall put on immoveable strength — the dying, per- Setual life — the old, unchangeable youth — the man who lay own to sleep, anxious for his daily bread, shall suddenly become possessed of unsearchable riches. All the cares and fears — the world-wide agony of life— shall in a moment be shaken off', never to return again. All the miseries and agita- tions of the earth shall shrink away from such Christians on every side, like a mist, and leave unbroken serenity behind. Deformity shall be succeeded by glorious beauty. The body of disease and sin shall assume a form of sun-bright light and aerial purity. From the mire and gloom of these dreary climates it shall pass away, to float along the amber clouds of the empyrean sky. From the mean and grovelling anxieties of the world, the believer shall bo summoned to take part in the all-embracing councils of the Great King. ' For the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and shall possess the kingdom for ever and ever.' What a wondrous change, and in how short a moment ! All the ambitions of men — all the triumphs of Crosar — when compared with it, are less than nothing and vanity. " In that great "day p.ume forgotten saint shall arise alone, in the deserted churchyard, amidst ruined walls and lonely woods. His companions and friends still sleep around him, and he only is counted worthy of the resurrection of the just. The fields in wliich he toiled are possessed by strangers— the homo where he lived and died, with all its tpuching recollections, is trodden into dust. As the hilla and vales and rivers of hia birthplace present their well-known forms, the shadows of departed ages steal across his breast. The sports of childhood, the passions of youtb^ the cares of manhood.'the tranquillity of age, are all associated with tho scene before him. With no i2d NISTH WONDEB. unholy thought he turns backward to the past, and still feels a natural interest in all natural things. IJis resurrection— though it has equalled him with angels, — has left him still a human beicg. The brightness of the present does not quite efface the long-loved reminiscences of the past. How ap- propriate will it be in the subsequent Millennium for that glorified saint to be appointed ruler over that very spot where he once" dwelt — to govern, where once he served ; to be honoured, where once he was despised; to manifest himself in incorruptible power, where his corruptible body was once struck down ; for the immortal to live, where once the mortal died!" " The first great act Christ is to exert on his coming is the raising of the holy dead. ' For the Lord himself shall de- scend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first' (1 Thess. iv. IG). His approach thus to recall his holy dead to life with shouts from the infinite hosts of his attendants of ascriptions of power and wisdom, and of utterances of wonder and joy at the graciousness and beauty of his design, and his victory and triumph oveir death, is inexpressibly grand. H.s hovering armies are not to be silent spectators of the scene. That wero unbefitting the greatness of the moment. Their hearts are to swell with an* irrepressible sense of the grandeur of his attributes and purposes, and are to breathe their fervid homage in ascriptions of might, and wisdom, and love; in bursts of adoration and joy at the redemption he ia' to accom- plish for his saints. What an epoch will it bo to the conscious universe ! what a moment to the rising dead ! What a mani- festation will it present of Christ's deitj^, of the fulness of his perfections, and of his dominion over his works ! No other display of the beauty of illimitable power and knowledge, all- perfect goodness and grace, can transcend that which the nistant summons of myriads and millions of human beings from the ruins of death to a glorious and immortal life will form. They are to bo raised incorruptible and spiritual. * It is sown in corruption ; it is raised in incorruption : it is so m in dis- lionour ; it is raised in glory : it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power : it is sown a natural body ; it is raised a spiritual itnrt'n' » "I Vltr flii'o nnfiit«n f Jioir ■nriU llA frOpA ffnm tllO laWB of 5,-vwjr I -^'J *'-*^f' '^tvtiitt.- — ""^ ^" — — — " — — « I Cop. X7. 42-44. riiE Hesuebection and first ascension. 120 s ou? present bodIcs,anu be fitted like the transfigured saints to ascend into the atmosphere to. meet the Lord/ and for pass- ing like Gbrist, if need be, from this world to others.' " They are to bo constituted kings and priesis unto God and to Christ, and aro to reign with him lor n, thousand years. Those offices, and the beauty aud glory of their nature, indi- cate that the sphere they are to fill is to be of 'great dignity aud power. It ia to lie especially in this world, it would seem, and in the swajr of the nations ; as they aro to reign with Christ, and are—it is foreshown in the aeveulli of Daniel —to take the kingdom, and possess it along with hiin for ever and ever. And it seems eminently suitable that Chr'st should unfold to them such a scene of activity, in which their lofty powers may find ample scope for exertion, aud they may tes- tify their love to him, and joy in the redemption of the human race, by taking a share in the instruction and government of ♦^^hpi crowds that aro to come into existence, and bo made par- takers of his grace from age to age. They may, also, not im- proba'^iy fill important 'offices of authority and love to other orders of intelligences, anu carry the knowledge of the work of redemption, as .it advances from period to period, to all the countless -vvorlds that wlieel in the realms of space. They are "not to be 'die spectators of the great scenes Christ's kingdom is to present. They are not to be debarred from testifying, by an active service, the sincerity of their allegiance, and the fer- vour of their love. A theatre of activity is to be opened to them commensurate with the greatness of their powers, and the intimacy of their union 'to Christ; and they aro to fill offices and render obediences that will form a fit expression of their gratitude and devotion to him : and carry to the universe who witness their allegiance, indubitable proofs of the reality of their restoration to holiness, and fill all hearts with a sense of the grandeur of the redemption which Christ accomplishes. " Christian parent, that sainted child which, so suddenly sickened, withered, and faded in your arms, and which, with so much sadness you yielded to the cold dark grave, is not lost and gone eternally. It only sleeps—sweetly sleeps— in the arms of its Maker. You buried it ; but you buried it looking ' 1 ThMs. iv. 17. ur LtT- 1 .i' ,°","P"' preeeuing una ono aro quoted ivoxa I'apdon'a Last Vials,' ond ihis and next paragraph aro quoted from D. N. Lord'i toming and Koign," and ibh next three paragraphs from Dr. Seiss'a " Last Times." ^ 130 KINTU WONDEB. for the resurrection of the last day, when it shall awake to bo yours for ever. A\reep not, .0 daughter, as if that sainted inotlicr ^vliom you last saw dressed for tho tomb shall never look upon you again with her wonted love and tenderness, ISho is tliy mother still. She is not dead, but sleeneth. She will awake again, and take you to her heart as fondly as ever. Sorrow not as they that have no hope, O stricken one, mourn- ing over a Christian husband's grave. He has only laid him down to rest in soft slumber. G-od's eye is on that prostrate buried form. And when thy loved one's Saviour comes he will shake off his sepulchral covering, and be thy constant friend as in the days gone by. " Soon Blmll you meet again, meet ne'er to sever ; Soon will love wreathe her chain round you for ever." "And what a reunion of hearts and exchange of happy gartu- lations shall crown and crowd that day! AViiat glorious meetings and triumphs will then be celebrated ! What devout and anxious hopes shall then be consummated! Tlien shall Jesus say, " Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust ;" and they shall obey his call, and rise to praise him for ever. Then ■will the once afflicted saints of every age aod clime " stand drest in robes. of everlasting wear." Then shall those who denied themselves and took up the cross receive their crowns. Then shall tho wdsdom of their " respect unto the recom- pence of the reward " be vindicated for ever. Then Bhall God glorify his Son by transforming millions into his glorious image. And " then shall bo l^rought to pass tho saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.''* " Earth has been the theatre of some splendid victories, the fame of which has filled the world and echoed along the corri- dors of ages. But never has earth beheld such a triumph as that which shall be realized at the resurrection of the just. Then shall be enacted another genesis, more glorious than the first. Then 'shall be performed another exodus, more il- lustrious than that which Moses led. Tiieii shall truth triumph over error, and faith over unbelief, humility over pride, life over death, aud immortality over the grave. Then shall the cross give way to tho crown, and corruption to glory ; aud from the mould and ashes of every Christian's tomb shall come forth an undying form, radiant with the transforming touch ot Deity,— a dear-bought but sublime and imperii^hable monu- ment to tho resurrection aud tho life. The graves of the \ Then stand ' THE FIRST ASCENSro:f AT CURIST's COMIKO. 131 patriarchs shall opeu. The scattered dust and ashes of pro- phets, apostles, and martyrs shall bo gathered. Unknown saints of God that have died in garrets, and cellars, and bani3, and dungeons,— and lowly and despised poor in Christ uho sleep m potters' fields,— shall spring fortli from their nnnoticed graves m snblimer glory than ever adorned tho illustrious (Solomon. Precious innocents, whoso names were never heard, and lamented children, that moulder in their little tombs, and pious atllicted ones, who spent their days in pain secluded from the gay world,— all, all shall then forsake their resting-places and shine as. tho^ stars for ever and ever. Then shall all tho waiting saints of all lands and ages, mysteriously transferred to the bridal halls of heaven, join in holy fellowshij) to ct>le- brato-with untold joy the sublime epiphany of their redeeming Lord, with all their varied tongues in heavenly concord singing the triumphs of that salvation for which they 'lived, and hoped, and suft'ered. And those of Christ's waiting and watching people w'ho are living when he comes, shall of a sudden feel tho thriJlof immortality careering through them, and find them- selves transported to join the children of-tho resurrection." In addition to the above-mentioned Eesuhrectiox of the deceased righteous, there will likewise bo at this first stage in Chriat's coming, the glorification and ascension to tho heavens of 144,000 Christian believers in their Saviour's im- mediate Advent, and each of them shall undergo their ap- pointed change in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Then icomcs our full redemptibn ; those of us who are trno believers are indeed redeemed now,* but the fulness of redemption is not yet sensibly experienced. We are " complete in Christ,"^ but the completeness is not at present fully felt or realized. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit dwell in us, and we are sealed unto the day of redemption,^ but still even " wo our- selves also which have tho firstfruits of the Spirit groan within "ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Hence wq lift up our head, knowing that our redemption draweth nigh " at our Saviour's Advent. At the moment when the signal is given by the voice of the ' Gal. iii. 13} Ephee. iv. 80. i. 13. 14! 2 Cor, i- 22. ' Coi. ii. 10. . ■ ■ ^,!} "^S?"^ "'••?.*' ^''- ^2. 15, 16 ; John xvii. 21, 23, xiv. 17 ; Gal. ii. 20, ir, la, 6 ; Bom. vui. 9, Hi 1 Cor. iii. 16, vi. 19 j Luke xxi. 28. 132 NINTH WONDEE. archangel and tho trump of God, for the resurrectiou of the deceased sanits and tho ascension of the 141,000 watchful 1 iV'-^n^^"^' ^^^'^^SO 'ind unheard-of scones will transpire. Those 111,000 persons will bo caught away from the earth to the heavens, whatever may be the circumstances in which they mav bo found, or tho position iu which they may be situated- whether waking or Bleeping, riding or walking, or sittino witlun habitations, or even if they c.vq far underground in the deepest muica or tunnels, or loaded with heavy cliains in tho most secret dungeons. At that moment, railway trains may be swiftly speeding upon their accustomed course at tho rate ot torty miles an hour, and instantaneously all their passengers who are truly ready for Christ's Advent will be supernaturally caught up to the skies to meet their coming Lord ; and if they should happen to bo persons upon whose presence and mana^re- ment tho safety of tho train depends, their sudden removal may causo somo calamitous accident to thoao who are loft behind In liko manner, all who aro really prepared for the Ifedeemer's return wil bo snatched awviy, whether they aro in vessels nZZr- ? "''""' ''•'"'''"'' ^^'"y ^° ^■^'""'^ ^'"°"g tho ship's officers, or sailors, or i)a9sengor8 ; or whether they are in cotta-rcs acacomics, workhouses, prisons, penitentiaries, or iiospitals —tho' surgeon. It may be, while in tho very act of perfonning'somo most critical operation, or the patient who. is tho sulnect of that operation. M.instors may be thus translated to heaven r 7-7 i!"'""*^ ''''"'" ^^'^3^ "'•" a«'"ng ^ l^lt'ssiiig upon a UK^al which thoy aro never to tasio. or while engaged n?he crformanco ot a marriage or burial, or baptismal 1ervi"e, or just as they aro in tho midst of tho delivery of a m-rmon Or a mari-ingo ceremony may just have been Holomni/,c«.l, and sud- only tho bridegroom or tho bride translated to heaven, leu i l tl^ other in forlorn bereavement upon earth. And thus prt bably, in nmnv instances, wives will nt that period bee ome c in dlcss by ho Enoeh-hko translation of th.Jwiso ChrLinns and tho ioo.sh Christians who have only faith in Christ as^i Saviour, but not as an instantly roming'uridegruom. w 11 bS oft bolnnd w. h t ,0 hypocrites and the ungodly to lu ion? their oily ; and truly there .yiU bo weeping, and wainiff ami cies has brought upon them. Advent propUc- ou of the watchful re. Those til to the they may lituated— )r sitting lid in tlie ins in the 'ains may tho rate asaengers naturally id if they . nianage- loval may 'fc behincl. 'deeuier'a II vessels ho ship's cottages, als, — tho ng some ibject of hea^'cn : upon ji d in tho rvico, or ion. Or md Slid. , leaving hn8 pro- bcoonic ])arents i*i8tinns : rist as n >viii bo lament ing, and hustiae- prophe- /I THE FIKST ASCENSION AT Camsx's COMING. 133 of'S^ll^f^-*^ '^^^'i?^' >''^^ '°"^« ^"^'l^^^y. i^ an instant of time, all things continuing as they were thromh the v> u preceding tnstant, aU things In the world, sun. moon sto dew. rain, beas s. birds, men, women, each and aTfoind in their ordiuary track, following their ordinary calling! up o the very instant of the burstini in of the Lord upon tlfe wLd You ai^ ga^.„g unon the sky-y, . «ee a lightnfng-light aC it-it 13 tho Lord. You are speaking to your wife or you? k^lYiT' ^.^^"^^^-r «^f"l thunder breaks upon you-" IS the Loid. lou are sleeping in your bed-you hear a fear- niihTlT' '' '^' ^'\\ You are'awake in L hour o? Z- night darkness-you beholda fearful stream of brightness blaze in unon you~it is the Lord. You are riding upon youJ horse, or buying in the market, or working in the fieia. or f Jn^K "7?"'' ^'''^V'' '?f ^°°^'"S over your accounts, or get- tmg bread fervour family, or eating it with them, or reading a book-you feel the earth tremble with a fearful shaking unde? your feet~it IS the Lord. You go to the door to meet a mother, or a brother or a friend-you meet the Lord. You open the window to hear tho chime of the evening boUs-you hear the Lord. You hasten to see something that calls your attent,on-you see the Lord. Awful day ! awful coming ! awful Lord! a^yful suddenness ! awful judgment!-' Prepare to meet your God '-prepare to meet his day-prepare to meet his J irdgments— prepare— prepare. "That Advent will oome when tho world is full of livinc men, women, and children. No universal blast of death will .n rn'n •"'''T*^'^ ''^''^''' ""^^ '^'''^''^ "Pon it tho car- CMsos ol the slain. Living men and women apd children will bo a over the world whoa tho da^ con.es. as fu 1 of strenjt Sn''fr';.T**'l ^',*'""«''^' lirethought. as at any peHol since God first breathed into man's nostrfls tlio breath of life • It will como wlicu men are blind to its coming, each m his own blmdncss.-asleep, each in his own dream Tho «tronomer will be calculat^ Ihb eclipses for years ye? to C(,mo-tho physician will bo studying his arts, to add length of 5ays to nuin's body~the i^ulosophoT with enhghfe ung his spec.es-the politician will L planning Doautiful schemes for man'a ttnlfiii-A in n.,«- o«„«..i '• ** 4L- di.'r.^i!!n ""/.i"^" P'MRraphi nro adapted fram an «M troati.o by • CJwgyman, and the luW-nient tlirre paragraphi from Mr. fi»Ur. trt.tiH, i8i4 NINTH WONDEK, ^LlV / ^^' '^^'"S to his soul, 'Soul, II.OH hast nuich Roods laid up for many years ; take thine ra^o, cat, drinlc and •bo merry '-the man ' that will be rich' ^ wil bo toHinff and la our.nga tor his ' filthy lucre/ rising up carl? and s' t'nl ip late —the man that 'iiveth in pleasure'^ mil ho sending bo in his ' .mst,' renjarding 'not the work of the Lord uoither considering the oneration of his hands ' '-blind preachers will bo speaking tLir smooth things and prophesv- Hjg their deceits,' each in his own delusionrbut al/ of" them blinding men's eyes to the day-the king, and the nob o an^ he magistrate, and the farmer, and th?' trade n'an, and tSo labourcr-the mean man and the mighty man,^ the married and the unmarried, the people and the%rk^st, Sle s rv^t and hi master the maid and her mistress the buyer and the seller, the lender and the borrower, the taker of usury and the giver of usury to um,«~-sha]l all be wem'ing their webs ot' dis! tant years and distant things, turning thi.e into etemitv thinking and sneaking of time's world as never-endin ' at tlfo aZT "^^'^ ''"* '^'^ ''' '•" ^"^^ ^°'"^'^I^ upon "thSm as "Sinners of this generation, as it was in'tho days of Lot so sjall It be m the day when the Son of man ^is revealed . housands and tens of thousands of living nu'n. eafL and like the buttcrllies in a summer's day. about the nerishinff fsrb.?siE'';f^,""''^-^*"?'"^' "^ ^'^-■^' ^ensSrz uiruuy tjiisuiesa ot the passing hour— makin-' cvcrvthino ,i nuural appetites, even 'eating and drinking,' JoryiZ^ made a business of. and the soul absorhe.l and , km S thovem-' whoso end is destruction, whoso God is the r be Iv vhoHO glory is ,n their shame, who mind earthly tlincJ^i Iho lurmer at hia market! the j.lanter will, his^tr'r' tl'o bmldernt hm house ! the trade-man in his shop tie student at h.H books! thM reveller at his feast! the iamblor a hi cards! the rako at his revels! tho usurer at his Zw ! *hl Tutr'" "\ ir rr'- ^''« '^-^' "^ ^mb 'our ' tL iidt m his camp! the labourer at his (oil! the idler at his iUTy » ' Llikc Xii. ID, , Uk r. 12. • l,n. 1 Tim. vi. 9. Tii. OMTII. 2. XXX. 10. ' iM. T. 15. • I„. „iv. • 1 Tim. r. 6. a. •riiu.iii.ie. hast much drink, and l:oilin5 fl-id md sitting .)o sending lI wine,' to tho Lord, 3 ' *— blind prophesy- 11 of them noble, and 1, and tho 10 married Jrvant and I' and tho ly and the pbs of dia- eternity, ng, at the 1 them as of Lot, so revealed, aling and fluttering perishing «n »<> .^^t...*. j.'i_i__i_ and Iiavo your proud eves sunk Doneath the high and loftv bearing of that glorious being, upon whom (lod hath stamped THE FIIlST ABrrvSTOV AT rnuiKT'a r.nMiva. 187 •ed! Now -om. iv. 5. the day of appearing ', whilst a 'ofoundest man shall ^oico shall D voice of hear that 'n already warning : V glorious m COTTUp- »o clothed n\a vision, darkness { of their to meet un by the mortality d eternal of penury God. object, it s poor in reluctant le human V only as J none of t in the cause he anco, an •roud and -yo great 1 eyes for naiigured ind loftv ptampeU tUft impress of bis own image j and before whom tbo proudest kings on the earth, could they look upon him ^Yitb an uuquail- ing eye and an unblanched cheek, would fall down and wor- ship ? Well, wo know, in that day, ye would give the honours of successive ages— the wealth of accumulating generations — could ye bring to recollection even a cup of cold water given in love to this disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Can ye not even now, before that change passes, trace the semblance between the eons of a Jcing and the King himself?" Whatever sights or sounds in the heavens may accompany this shigo in Christ's Advent, all visible or audible evidences of so astounding an event will obviously be vcrv transient and brief in their duration. The plain statement that " the Lord himself will descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God," ' certainly con- voYs the idea of some very loud noise being heard on the occa- sion, although it may be a question as to iiow far it will bo audible or intelligible to people in general. And again, another statement relating to this stage in the Advent seems rather strongly to intimate that there will bo a lightuing-liko Bhininj^, although only temporarv glare, in tbo skies at the same tune : " Wherefore if they shall say unto you, .... Behold, he is in the secret chambers ; believe 'it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and ehineth oven unto the west; ho shall also the comlufr [parous in'] ofthoSonof man be. For wheresoovc: the body [Christ] is, there will the cajEiles bo gathered toget'^or." " l^ho most natural iufcrenco frorn tiiese words is that the av(;u8 will be brilliantly lighted up, as with an electric flash, at the immediate period of tho Ascension of tho 144,000 wise Christians, like eagles, to meet Christ tho 8un of rightfousness in tho air: but nevertheless this will practically bo an INVISIBLE COALING of Christ to tho world at large ; for it seems tliut mankind will not dis^ tinctly behold tho Son of man himself, but only a transient, niysterioua, shining glare. Therefore this aiconsion or rapture of tho wise virgins before the tribulation may be called a SECRET KArTUUE: for although there is oonsidcrublo ground to e.xpect, from > iThfii. ir. 10, ICor. XT. 8a. • M«lt. xiir. 26-28. 1 138 KXKXiX WCVltJBit. either silent or secret ; yet certainly it will bo Bampm'nt:»oitf so, in contrast \vith the later second rapture after the tribu- lation, when every eye shall see the Lord coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and sending forth angels to gatlier in the remaining elect. It may, however, be prefer- able to stylo this earlier rapture or ascension of Christians, the rupture of the wise virgins, or the Philadelphian or ante- tribulation, or first^ruits rapture; while the later second rap- ture of the groat multitude, who come afterwards out of the great tribulation, may be termed the rapture of the foolish ^•iroin3 (i. c, such as are surviving), or the Laodicean or post- tribulation, or harvest rapture. Au other even more deeply important point tcr notice in regard to this ante-tribulation rapture, or ascension of the wise virgins, is tlrat so far from removing from earth ALL true Christians, it will only remove a SMALL PEOPOftTIO: of tlicm — a proportion no larger than that of a lirstfruits to its harvest, or than that of a child as compared with its motlicr, — while the groat majority of them will be left behind on ciirth to confront the terrors of the great tribulation, as a chastisement for their backsliding and Laodicean unwatchful- ness and indifference in regard to the prospect of the im- mediate ])ersonal coming of Christ; but yet, being true Christiany, they will be finally saved. This is principally shown in the prophecies about the ton virgins, the Philadel- phian and Laodicean churches, the manchild and the firstfruits and harvest, in the twelfth and fourteenth of Eevelation. And again, so Jar from the day of grace ending, and the converting oprsrnticns of the Holy Spirit ceasii.g when Christ thus comes to take away the wise virgins or watchful Christians, there will then take place after that rapture a more extensive revival of i-eligion, and conversion of souls, and preaching of the gospel, than has ever been known even in the primitive days of the apostles and of Pentecost.' This is mainly shown in the pro- • Tliis fact may tend to reconcile persorn to tlio idea of Christ's instant coming, who urc lotif^itiff fur tho conversion of some particular frirndi, and who, tlicrofurc, ratlier nope tlint Christ will not come vet, bocauso thoy mistakenly suppose that those friends cannot be saved afterwards \ just as a tviifl Christian once ciprecHcd himself to this elfect, — "To bo candid, I do because I have unconverted friends for whose conversion and snlvution I am very anxious t and if Christ were to come now, wliilo thoy ore unoon- Tcrtcd, they would bo otcrnnlly lostt" This disinclination to Christ's initani the tribu- }ho clouds rth angels be prefer- ^hristians, 1 or ante- cond rap- )ut of the lie foolish a or post- notice in f the wise ILL true LTIO: of tfi'uits to with its 3ft behind ition, as a iwatchful- f the im- sing true iriiicipally Philadef. firstfruits lion. And onverting lus comes there will revival of ho gospel, lys of the Li the pro- ist'a instant frirndt, and ocauBo thoy rds : uiBt aa snndin, I do sitlvation I are unoon- ist'a initani THE FinST ASCENSION AT CHEIST's COillNO. 139 phecics about the first seal and the innumerable palm-beavinfr multitude, and ^.he first angel message with the evcrlastin'^ gospel, and the countless martyrs in Eevelation. '^ It is a matteb of great consequence to distinguish between the parousia or actual presence of Christ in the atmospheric heavens at the first stage of his coming, and the cpipUneia or visible manifestation of that presence to the world five j^ears later at its second stage. A significant distinction is appa- rent y observed in Scripture in the dse of these terms— the y\'ovd parousia occurring twenty-four times, and the expression epiphaneia six times in the New Testament.^ The difierence between these two words may thus be explained:— The moon may sometimes have risen on a cloudy night above the horizon for five hours, and yet not be visible because of interposing dark clouds which shut it out from our view; nevertheless there is during those five hours an actual (although invisible) presence or ijarousla of the moon in the ethereal heavens: and when at last the intervening clouds are suddenly withdrawn, the lunar orb becomes at once visible to every upturned eye ■ this is the epiphaneia, or open manifestation of its previous parousia or prosence. Bimilarlv, there will be tha pgrousia or bodily presence of the Lord Jesus in the ethereal heavens when he descends IVoni heaven into the air, about five years before the epiphaneia, or open manifestation of that parousia to the world a t large, by the withdrawal of the intervening clouds oominflr y ould not liavc existed if ho had known that tliero is much moro probabiliry ol hia fru-nds' conversion in tho grout rovivnl afler tlio flrat Btogo in tliriivts fcoiniii^» than even at prt-sent. 'Tiio Oieck woi-i\ parotma (Kapovaia) is used to express the coming o| Chnst, 8ixU-en (nnc8,-in llalt. xxiv. 3. 27, 37,31); 1 Cor. xv. 23 j 1 Thcss, A 1 V {"• •• L'"- ]^\l -'^ ■• 2 '^^''"' "• 1' S ' J""- ^- 7. 8 5 a I'et. iil 1. J 1 jonn 11. ^« And tho rotmnq ot presence of otlier persona or thinirs. o.K ,t tinu.s,-,n 1 Cor. xyi. 17 j 2 Cor. vii. 0, 7 , x. lOj Phil. i. 2G ; ii. 12 2 1 .ess. 11. J 2 Pot. i.i. 12. The Qrook word epiphaneia {l^i^.tviu,) is usei to express the Irighhiess or appearing of Christ'« second CoM.inK lit ri!""- "o '.<'• ^'■' ,"• ^^^i ^ '^'''"- "'■ 1* •' 2 l'i>"- iv. 1, 8 ; and his iirst Comn.g ,n 2 lim. i. 18. Clirislians arc exhorted to look ior and to lovo tl e epiphaneia mthcv than tho paroumt of Christ, bocanso it alono will ho fully anddm uirtly visiblo to uU j and tho complelon.illennial hlesscdnecs of the earth will not ho usiieivd in at iUcparoima, hut nt tho epiphaneia after the tliiTo years and a half Great TribultttiQn. •« Bh-sssil is h:-. fl-.at --vait^th and coineth to tho thousand throe imudrod and five and thirty (irysl''"" The word appearing is conmionly used to cxprcsa cillicr tho pai-oiiaia or 0ptphaneia. r * 110 NINTH WONDER. I of concealment which will have intermediately shrouded him from the observation of mortal mad. There will indeed be a transient liglitning-liko glare in the atmosphere at the first instant of Christ's parousia, but it will be quite temporary, like a lightning flash, and not long continued like the prolonged cpiphaneia five years later. The interval of five years includes tlio three and a half years of Great Tribulation. Various predictions intimate that watchful Christians shall bo kept out of and escapr i\\Q final direful season of Tribfllation, and tliat they may expect redemption even when it begins to come to pass. "Because thou hast kept the word of my ])aticnce [that is, the injunction patiently to wait for my Coming], I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall como upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." ' "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may bo accoinitcd worthy to escape all these things thnt Bliall como to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.'** " AVhcn these things heoin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads ; for your redemption dcaweth nigh." * But a most distinct narrative of the two separate stages in Christ's coming is given in the twelfth and fourteenth chapters of lievelation, which demand attentive consideration. In the fourteenth chapter wo are plainly told that two separate companies of Christians arc to be taken up to heaven at Christ's coming, and that a considerable interval is to elapse between the removal of each of those companies: the first company is called THE FIKSTFllUITS, and consists of pre- ciscly 114,000 watchful Christians, who are taken to heaven brfore the three and a half years of Great Tribulation ; but the second company i.s called THE HARVEST, being much more numerous than the firstfruits, aud is caught up to heaven after the three and a half years.* And during the interval TvCT. iii. 10. •' •Lukoxxi. 30. 'Luko xxi. 28. These three toxta have often thus been quoted by rsiJOsitoM, ns proving tlmt watchful Christians will bo removed hpfore the Grent Tribulation. * Compnro vcrsps 4 and 15 in Rot. xiv., which chapter la fully quoted at the beginning of Tentli Wonder. The 144,000 Jews in Eor. vii. aro an entirely dilTircnt company from the 141,000 in Rev. xiv. The seventh chapter company are entirely Jews caught up ajier the Tribulation, but llie foiirtopnth chuutcr coumanv aro chiefly Qentiles, und ara caiidst uti htfore the Tribulation, In no 'sense can Jews bo called Firstfruits" Th'a distinctness of tlicso two li'l.OOO'B ii more " tiefh Wonder. fully explained THE riRST ASCENSION AT CIIIIIST'3 .wjIIN(J. 141 uded him indeed be b the first Drary, like prolonged 3 includes ;ians shall •ibiilation, it begins word of it for my inptation, hat dwell ways, that lings that )f man.'*' ^i up, and ito stages burteenth iideration. ) separate lioaven at to elapse the first ts of pre- to heaven . ; but the mch more to heaven B interval quoted by 3 bfifore tho y quoted At vii. aro an .'lie Huvcntli ilaliun, but ruits" Th« r ttie Tliir. of rather more than three and a half years between the ascensions of those two companies, there are to be three par- ticular messages proclaimed far and wide throughout the earth. The following aro some of the expositors who have distinctly testified that according to this passage of Ilevclatiou tlicre aro thus to be at Christ's Coming two ascensions or removals to heaven of Christians— one prior to, and the other posterior to, the Great Tribulation:— tho Revs. K. Polwhele, Tilson Marsh, C. D. Maitland, E. E. Reinke, Dr. Seiss, J. Hooper, J. Baillie, 11, A. Purdon, C. Beale, AV. Cuninghame, Mv. Evill, Mr. Porter, L. A. Do Puget, &c. Tub IIev. Robert Polwhele, rector of Penley, says in hia treatise on "The Sealed People," "That the Great Tribulation spoken of in the sevcntli of Revelation is yet future is ad- mitted, I believe, by all. But whetlicr tho Church will pass through that iicry ordeal or escape it altogether is an import- ant question; and I believe tho true answer to it to be this: a portion of the church will escape it, though comparatively a small number, while by fav the lai-ger portioii, ' the great multitude, which no man can number,' will pass through it, in the case of many, we apprehend, on account of their unbelief and unwatchfulness for the Coming of their Lord. The former of these parties seems to bo typified by tho lli,000, 'the first- fruits ' (Rev. xiv. 4), 'the manchild' (xii. 5); the latter of these parties seems to bo typified by 'the harvest' (xiv. 15), 'the multitude that no man could number' (vii, 9 — 17), * the woman driven into the wilderness' (xii. G), 'the remnant' (.\ii. 17), and 'the overcomers' (xv. 2). TIio fourteenth chap- ter of Revelation commences with a representation of tho first of these two companies standing with the Lamb upon Mount Zion. The second company, described as a countless multitude 'gathered out of all nations, antl kindreds, and people, and tongues,' are expressly said to bo thofo who \m\o passed throiiffh the Tribulation. . . . From uU which, I tlnnk, we arrive at tlic important conclusion that ihoy are t>wo separate bttdies of the redeemed; each doubtless dciving their salvation from the eame source, tho blood of Christ, but with this distinction, that tho former signifies u certain number of the followers of tho Lamb who shall bo exempt from the judgments coming on the earth ; and that the latter with equal nreoiMicm, points to that far larger number who shall be saved after being'purified by passing through their fiery ordeals. Wo find tho same dig- 142 NINTH WONDEB. tmcLum in the account of tlie firsffmits and tie harvest ^ i7:i''!Vi'^~^''^' • • ; The duration of the Tribulation i3 called three years and a half,' 'forty-two months' and twelve hundred and sixty days.' "If Ave turn to the twelfth chapter of the Revelation, I tlunk wo see the same important distinction and exemption from syfform- ni the history of i\v symbolic woman, who brought forth the 'man child,' who was about 'to rule all rations with a rod- of iron,' the very promise made to believers in chap. 11. 2G, 27, and Psalms ii., cxlix., &e. ; the 'man child' representing again, the smaller number who escai^e the iudf;- ments; and the persecuted woman, those of the Lord's people who are left on the earth; for no one,! suppose, will deny tliat the aescription given in the last verse of this chapter can only belong to the Lord's own people: 'And the drac-on was wroth with the woman, aiid went to make war with the I'emnant of her seed, which keep the commandmcuis ot l^od, and liave the testimony of Jesus Christ.'" u-u^]^^ ■^^^'^'' T^^^"^ Marsh also expresses the same view — -Uo iveraiice out of these troubles is secured to the sealed people of God. i\s, in Ezekiel's vision, the man clothed with .imon, with the writer's inkhorn, was commanded by the Lord to go through the midst of the city, and to set a mark on the Jorelieads o( the men that did sigh and cry for all the abomina- tions done in it ; nor could destruction come upon the doomed city until these had been sealed; even so God's sor- vants must be sealed now, unto the day of redemption, by the Pivnio bpirit, that they may be delivered from the destruction which impends upon the apostate nations of Christendom. All the hundred and forty-fouf thousand scaled ones, the del.ml^? and selected number, who shall stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion, will be raised from the dead, or caught ud m the air and changed, when the irapovrjia (the coming near the earth as distinguished from the ATro.aXi^.c, or manifesta- ton) of ho Lord tivJies place- when 'one shall bo taken, and •mother left ; and they will be exempted from entering into . the great tribulation,' or the final development of the Papist- ico-mhdel power, which will persecute unto tho death the remnant ot tho saints of the Most High " W. CuNiNouAMB in 183U, said on this head, " There is a gaiiicring oi nis samta unto our Lord, dur in the air; fii'st, of the 144,000 scaled onoa, nud abode secondly, tlie THE FIRST ASCEKSION AT CHEIST'S COMIKa. 113 whitc-robcd paltn-bearera (Rev. vii. 9 — 17). The former ia at the first moment of the Advent, and the last at a later period. When our Lord ia seen, in Eev. xiv, li, sitting on a white cloud, the 144,000 sealed saints are already loith him; and he is preparing to gather the second company of palm-bearers, who are identical with the harvest. . . . Our Lord reaps the harvest of the earth, which is the gathering of the second body of saints, the white-robed palm-bearers — the former body of sealed ones having been previously received up to meet the Lord before the commencement of the war of 'Armageddon. " There are two events selected by our Lord himself, as the special types of his Advent, and the state of the world in that day. The first is the destruction of the antediluvian world by the flood ; and the second, the overthrow of Sodom. From both these types it ia manifest that the Qoming of the Lord is to find the world in a state of peace. The buying and soiling, the maiTying and giving in marriage, the planting and building, are all images of peace, and not of warfare. In like manner in the parable of the ten virgins, they are all, when tlie Bride- groom comes, found slumbering and sleeping. This image also belongs not to war, but to peace. It is further evident from these types, that as soon as the Lord comes and takes to L mself the wise virgins, the torrent of calamity which is to destroy the prophetic earth shall immediately thereafter break forth; for were io not so, the analogy between the days of Noah and of Lot, and our Lord's Advent, would fail. . . . But I remark that there ia another class of passages, which no less certainly indicate tUat his coming shall be in a season of shaking and alarm and fear, such (is Luke xxi. 25 — 28, &c." This observation by Cuninghamo confirms what has been previously said. about there being two difierent conditiona of the world at the two difierent stages of Christ's coming. TnE EMINENT Db. Seiss similarly says in his able work, " Last Times," " The doctrine of Scripture seems to be that only those who are devoutly looking and waiting for the Saviour's return shall be taken at first, whilst all others are leit to sufier the Great Tribulation, which will continue at least three years and. a half.' " In Bev. xiv. 1 — 5, we read of a certain number of the redeemed from among men." who have reached the heavenly state iu the presence of the Lamb, aud who are called "the ' See Heb. ix, 28 { B«T. xii. 13, 14} xiii. 6 ) xi. 2. NINTH WONDEE. I I firstfruits unto God." There is a difference between tlie firstfruits and the general harvest, not exactly in kind, but in the order of their gathering, and in the purposes to which they are applied. There is always an interval between the gathering and lifting up of the one, and the general reaping of the other. And, answering in this respect to the first- fruits described in the first part of the chapter, we have an account of the reaping of the great harvest in a subsequent part (verses 15, IG). Those that constitute the firstfruits, of course, cannot be the same as tnose who constitute the general harvest. The one is a distinct class from the other, and is separated from it especially as to the precise time of the gathering, whilst, nevertheless, the gathering is of the same kind in both. And as both classes are made up of per- sons redeemed from among men, and "caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air," we must conclude that there is to be a twofold translation. " So, too, tlie parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. xxv. 1—13). Those virgins are the whole company of the saints on earth, and are all true Christians, and real believers ; but only a p or- tion of them go in with Christ to the marriage, whilst the rest are left to improve their virtues under the afflictions attending a loss of their place among the firstfruits, and to receive their redemption at some later stage of the Saviour's manifestation." "To the same effect is the twelfth of Eevelation. In verse 5, the manchild, the woman's seed, as intended to ' rule the nations,' is represented as * caught up unto God and to his throne.' Here then is one ascensien. But in verso 17 we still read of a * remnant *—Xot7rog— a remaining portion of this same woman's seed, which must certainly denote Christian people; for they are nuchas 'keep the command- ments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ,' and are still upon earth suffering the dragon's wrath. And as all must needs be glorified in due time, there must be a second translation to embrace these. They sufler additional persecutions to their brethren, and so are not taken at.thc same time with them, but are saved only by passing through the great tribulation, wliich the more devout and watchful escape b^ means of an earlier translation. Compare also Matt. XXIV. 23, 81, and Luke xvii. 84. 87. "■^a the description of the great woes which are to attend the close of the present dispenB»tion there is a command I ■' 1 THE FIEST ASCENSION AT CHBISt's COMIIfO. 145 giTBn to ' watch and pray always,' that we * may be ac- costed worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pasa, and to stand before the Son of man.' It is here im|lied that there will be persons living when tliese troubles come, who, by peemliar earnestness in their expectancy of the Lord's return, shall obtain entire exemption from them ; and that this exemption will consist in some peculiar intro- duction into the. immediate presence of the Son of man, that is, by being caught up to him in the clouds. Some- thing of the same sort is intimated in Isa. xs?i. 20, where God's peculiar people are represented as called up into some peaceful pavilion, where they are at rest while the waves of divine indignation are rolling over the world. But in Eev, vii. 9—14 we read of a great multitude of the redeemed, who are represented as having had to suffer these very woes, and as having- reached heaven through them. It is specifically said, ' These are they which came out of the great tribulation,'— not out of tribulation in general, but some specific and pre-eminent tribulation,— tv tj/j; OM^^tuc rj/c fieyuXr^Q, out of the tribulation, the great one, which we find described in Dan. ix. 27 ; xii. 1 ; Matt. xxiv. 21, 22 ; Luke . xxi. 24. 'Now, as some are accounted worthy to escape these things, and escape by lli; ;. , noval to the pre- sence of Christ, and as others only aeh their places before the throne of (Jod by passing through the great.tribulation, there must needs be two stages iuthc removal of the Church, that is, two distinct translations." Mk. Evill, who also regards the Manchild as synonymous With the 144,000, spoke aiii.ilnrly regarding the firstfrui'ts and harvest in his treatise, in 1817 :-— " These 144,000 seen with the Lamb upon Mount Sion are but the ^)ledge of tliat fuller harvest which shall be speedily gathered nito the garner of the Lord, just as' the oiiVring of one sheaf of firstiVuits bears no proportion to the abundance of the harvest which follows. The harvest is of the same kind as the firstfruits which are oftered ; and though these two com- panies are alike in kind, being both redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, they may differ in degree, as one 'star dilfereth from another star in magnitude and glory. The same truth m the forty-fifth Psalm. It appears to us clear, that as the 144,000 Been upon Mount Sion describe those who are I lid NINTH AVONDEB. accounted worthy to escape the Great Tribulation, and U stand before the Son of man, bo that vast and iunumerabb company exhibited in the seventh of Kevolution represent those who, not havini^ spiritual discernment to perceive tie signs of the times, or love to welcome the appcarnuce of th«r Lord, are purified hy that bodily surt'eriufj; that tfiey shdl undergo during the terrific conlHct which they h'kiU yet vit- nesB against the blasphemous pretensions of the personal infidel Antichrisfc. AVe can find no other time or place for the gathering of this harvest, of which iho 111,000 arc said to bo only the fii'slfndts. The anomaly of supposing fiirstfruits without the njorc plentiful harvest is too apparent to rajuire any refutation. A portion only of the Church of Christ will be changed at the coming of the Lord Jesus, and the majority will bo left behind to endure the Great Tribulation. " The saints, who are to bo translated at tlie appearing of the Lord, form the exception, and not the ride — they are but the firstfruite of tho harvest that shall follow ; and they are a Solectron from, and not, aa is generally supposed, inclusive of, tho whole body of tho Church."' TiiK E.xi'osiTOR D. N. Loud also understands tho 144,000 to bo translated and transfigured earlier than the rest of the living saints. Ho says, " Tho Apostle docs not declare, in 1 Cor. xv. 52, that thp liviug are to bo changed to immortal at the same moment as tho dead are raised incorruptible ; but ho only alBrrns that their change ia to take place under tho last trumpet, which undoubtedly, from the great number of events that M'o to take place under it, will nound for a series of years. Nor is it certain that all thj living believers will bo changed nt tho same time. It is not improbable that the first who aro to bo rendered immortal aro represented by»tho 114,000 who aro said to be ' redeemed from aniong men, being tho llrst- fruits unto God and the Lamb.' — liov. xiv. 4. That others ' Ttiis writer ooiu'hiBivolj nndwcrs o^jectioiii nbout the two ti-nn-ilationi of Minta causing n (liviaio'i ill tlio niyalii'iil hudy of Clitist, or ]>rt)vttiiliiig tliA olcot being cutnplctril, ur (ho day of grauo oncliiig ut Iho coming ot Chritt. For as ho justly stHti's, tho ('(miiiifi of Christ will not fully and t ^mpietelj haro tnkcn place until the second nnd contumtnating act in that coming, when 1)0 will cinnii on Mount Ulivot, ({ttrf tho Tribulnlicn (Zcoh. xiv. 4) I and by that timo both transliitiona will havo taken placOk and Christ's mystiual i)ody nnd tho number of his elect will be coinpletad. THE FinST ASCENSION AT CUEIST'S COMINO. 147 areuottobo changed till a later period seems indicated by the prediction that it is not until after Christ has come that he is to * send forth his angels with a great sound of a trum- pet, and tley shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another,'— Matt. xiiv. 31 ; and that some who s^e to be invited to the marriage feast are not tc be ready till a later period.— Matt. xxv. 1—13. " As the 141,000 aro to be distinguished from others by the indubitable proofs they exhibit of their allegiance tp Christ, so they arc to bo distinguished by him from others by being the first of living men wh.o are to obtain a perfect redemption. The song they aro to sing accordingly, it is said, none can learn but themselves — showing that there is a peculiarity in God's dealings with them, witli which no others aro to be dis- tinfeaiahed. It swms eminently appropriate that the first of the living who aro thus transformed to glory, and raised to the most intimate relations to Christ, should bo those who have given the most decisive evidence of their inflexible allegiance to him." ® Colonel RowLANnsoN, in the London Monthhf Beview of Frophccti, m Marcij, 1S57, thus expressed his views upon the two distinct periods in Christ's second appeariug : — " Wo have two contrasted states of tlio earth at Christ'e second coming, wiion two distinct and progressive events are to occur,— 1st, tho appearing of the Lord Jeius in the heavens, at a time of general ])eace and tranquillity ; and 2nd, his actual descent upon the en-lh at a timo of extended war- fare and tumult. "If we compare Zech. xiv. 2, 6, with ]\ratt. xiiv. 37, and 1 lliesB. V. 3, wo shall observe a marked distinction between tho state and condition of the world when tho two distinct and, wo believe, (///fr/rwtevents there recorded are to occur. For it is in a tinio of a great and general confoileracy of tho Gen- tile nationi against .Jerusalem, when nil iiations shjll bo gathered against it, that tho descent of Ihe Lord Jesus upon tho earth is t« take* plac(> ; for then wo nro told his foet shaU stand upon the IMount of Olives. Here, then, we are to expect a tune of ettentied warlike preparations ami national tumults and conflicts to precede our Lord's actual desceut upon the uftftii. iiut it iH to bo a time of geni'i-al peace and national repose and trancjuillity, when tli(«y hIiuII say peace aud safety, aud when men aro eating and (lrinking,'nud marrying and 148 NINTH WONBEH. giving in marriage, as in the tlays of Koali; so Bhall it bet at the coming of the ISoii of man. "The watching and wiiitinjj; puoplo dark ages of Pagan and Papal per- secutions, such be' -rs not ai)penr incompatible with the expectation of a muio rapid and ilual terrijlc fulfilment after ^^0 translation of paints \o meet tho Lord in iho air. " Many Christiana have of lalo years been led to study pro- phetic truth, just when tho revelation of tho IMan of Sin or the infidel Antichrist (who was to be elected by the people, and in his person to revive a decayed monarchy) might bo expected; for it is quite clear that again over tho revived Ivoinan empire a Satanic head, tho eighth, is yet to exercise absoluto authority and power. It is evident that with tho prophetic drying-up of tho great river Euphrates there is closely connected the Lord's reappearance. For no sooner has its exhaustion taken place tiian tlie emphatio warning is given,— 'Behold, I come as a thief.'' Turkey has virtually cj^asetl to bo a barrier to tho re- occupation of Palestine by Ihe Jews. (>. S. Fuber, writing in 1818, made tliis remarkable prediction, — ' It is manifest that during tho ellusion of tho sixth vial on tho Turkish Empire, iho I'rench Emperorship will be again in existence.' Again, he said that tho rev iveil French I'iiiiperorship will bo ia cloao ftllianco with tho Ilomish False Prophet." Tub tATM Kev. C. I). Maitl.vnu, in lb32, iu his ablo trea- tiao called " Nohh's Bay," very fully expounds tho parable of ^Vn T>»« v;«...'«n -I !:..« 4i...t i\.^ f„_i' i. ..;— «.•«.. i i 'It it oWrvablo tlint tlio ominoiit Dr. Cutnniing, iu liit sew AnU •ble work. " Tho La»t Warning Cry "—just publiihrd,— iimikrly eipounds t!u5 Parnbio of tbn Virgin?, and nuiintnin* Uio fooliih virgins to bo rvul but unwatcbrul or bncktliiling Chii^lians. It is nlino,«t the bctt of bis books. 150 NlNIir WOIJDEB. Christians, living in i iiuwalcliM or in a backsliding stato, who, although finally ^aved, are yet to bo left to encounter the Great Tribulation, while the wise virgins or firstfruits of the 144i,O0O will previously have been taken to heaven. He saya :— "The foolish virgins are not nominal, but real Christians — yet Christians in n careless, unprepared state. Tbo parablo confers on the foolish the distinction of being virgins as well tts the wise : it classes then? together under one denomination — it descbibes them as being vu'gina, although it calls them foolish. And does not this seem to imply that one condition was common to both, and that one and all of this company were in truth set apart to Christ ? But this is not the case with mere profesaura, for they are joined in heart to that which is not Christ ; bo that they are not only foolish, but faithless — in fa«t, they aro married to another, " Then it may be observed of these, that they not only had lamps, but that their lamps wero lighted, and they did indeed go forth ; which may indicate tho actings of a real faith, and prove, to a certain extent, that they both desired and hoped for the Lord'E appearing. Then again it may bo remarked, that thoy are described as actually going to buy oil ; and tho parable leads us to infer that they did get it, and that their ex- clusion was tho consequence, not of their having no oil, but of their not having it in time. "Ajjain, it must not bo overlooked that tho sentence of exclusion might havo been couched in stronger terms. In Mrttt. vii. 22, 23, the terms were Huch as to determino tho cha- racter of the applicants, and debar nil hope, — ' I never know you : depart from mc, yo that work iniquUy ; ' but hero our "Lord does it in those measured wbrdH,--' Verily T say unto you, I know you not.' Ho docs not say, as in that other casQ, ' I never knew you ; ' neither does ho call them, as ho there does, ' workers of iniquity ; ' but ho adds (and this is important to remiu>k, as declaring the ground of his rejection of thoin), * Watch therefore, for ye know ucitlicr tho tlay nor tho hour wherein the Hon of man cometh.' This precept following up their rejection, loads to tho aimoBt certain inference that Cns d-cnif wilh iiKut- n.cs.insfc iht^it* b^i^iiUiiji th^" waps Tint friund watching. Q^his was their folly, hnd for this thoy wore shut out. And when 1 furthor connidor tho matter, tliis cause of exclusion certa-nly comports bettor with thn description givon of them, ' five were foolish,' than if it had been on account of THE nnST ASCENSION AT CHRIST'S COMING. 161 working iniquity. For had they been workers of iniquity, would not the Holy Ghost havo written their names in blacker characters ? Foolish virgins is (I must admit on reflection) u soft term to describe evil-doers by ; it conveys to the mind want of wisdom, rather than the absence of all right principle. Moreover, it is observable that when the judgment of Chris- tendom is described a little below (vcr. 31), the two porties in the visible church aro represented by different emblems, the ono being characterized by sheep, the other by Roats ; one em- blem is not used for both, as hero, but dilierent animals, having different characteristics. " Thus the ten virgins represent tho true bride, or spiritunl church— th-- entire company of believers then living, to tho excluBion of all mere nominal profession; and our Lord's object in tho parable is the stirring up his people to watchful preparation for his return, by ibreshowing that a vast com- pany of his disciples would bo taken by surprise, and be exposed to tho loss.aud shamo of being shut out for a season, when ho appeared. " Taking this- view of the subject, it will be seen how exactly adapted this parable was to culbrce his previous admonition, ' And tako heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day como u,)on you unawares. For as a snare shall it come oti all tlicm that dwell on tho face of the whoL earth. Watch yo thcn'fore, nnd pray always, that vo may be counted worthy to cheapo uU these ihings that shall come to pass, and to stand belbru tho Sou of man.' Now if this con- stant preparedness, this spirit of praycrfulness and deep vigi- Iquce, bo essential to believers, as this caution indicates, to save them from tne snaro that ia coming, and deliver them from those awful times, is it to bo imagined that the entire body of believers, in a day liko this (except some wonderful alteration and improvement do lirst obtain, which at present, alao I we see no hope of), will be all found in that state which is here required— having 'their loins girt about, and their li/^hts burn- ing,' all of them ' like servants waiting tho return ok' tlieir Lord when ho shall como Irom tho wedding, that so when he Cometh and knocketh, they shall bo prepared to opuD unto him immediately ' ? Is it, 1 ask", to bti concei"od thai the entire company of Christ's people will be in tnis girded postttre ' The very cntition (connected as it is with a peculiar blessing l\ 152 NINTH WONDEE. the prepared,— seo Lulco xii. 37) eeeniB to warn us that tboy will not. And if not, ono of t*hcso two things must happen to them, unless Christ's threat bo vain, — they must either do shut out for a season, or for ever ! But Christ will not shut out for ever.tliom that believe in him and depend upon his grace — his truth and love forbid it ; tho alternative then is, they must be debarred his presence for a season. Such I apprehend tow.be tho case with the foolish virgins, whom I hold to repre- sent this number of the Christian church who shall bo found unvvatchful. "And let mo warn all, that a loss such as wo cannot cal-. culate will bo sustained by those who are shut out of tho superior kingdom. They will forfeit, if not for ever, yet cer- tainly for a season, tho glory of the heavenly state ; and will have to pasa througli a tribuhition, a sea of. trouble, such as never was before, and which is called emphatically ' tho great tribulation,' before tlioy can enter upon the millennial kingdom, or their final state of rest. "The Holy Cihost doth witness that tlicrc is coming * a time of trouble such as never wa^ since there was a nation, even to that same time.' They that aro ready to enter in unto tho marriage when their L9rd appears shall escape these bitter times, but not all shall' escape, who yet eventually shall bo saved. No : prophecy seems clear on this head ; a multitude shall bo left to ' bo purilicd, made white, and tried * in the fur- nace of those troubles ; and these I apprehend are they whom the elder describes to St. John as having * come out of tho great tribulation.' — Rev. vii. 9. "It appears tlio church will bo separated into two companies that day, tho one company comprising 'tliu hundred and forty- four thousand ' wlio escape tho troubled, being scaled ot secured beforehand ; tlio ol her tho palm-bearing multitude, in the seventh of Rovelation, wlio are left to contlict with the rage of Antichrist, but who through grace overcome, and in the issue win their way to glory : yet for a season aro thoy sepa- rated from their more iiriviio^ie'd brethren, and though gathered in at harvest-time, enjoy not tho ])rivilego of being, like tho hundred and forty-four thousand, housed as the firstfruits. "Wo read iuJiev. xiv. 11 of Iho reaping of tho harVest. This reaping is, i op])rebcud, the gathering uf tho ulect from the four winds, from the one end of heaven to tho other. It is the gathering the rcsiduo, the great bulk of the Christian THE rinST ASCENSION AT CnRlST's* COMING. . 15^ ihurch. This is the harvest of which it seems evident the hundred aud fort3f-four thousand, of wliom wo are now speak- ing, are the fii3tfruits. Now tlio very circumstance of these being denominated the firstfruits gives them a specialty, and a preference to the rest of tho company of believers then on earth— it declares a priority on their part, and determines that the harvest was yet to follow after'. Otherwise why is this sealed company called firstfruits ? it must bo with reference to the future harvest, " Some may think this a matter of great indifference, but not one of those who shall bo of this biassed company will, I am persuaded, think it a matter of intlifiercnce. If the Lord of the harvest has in this scripture given us an intimation of his gracious purpose, to secure from tho dark and stormy sea- son, which is coming, such of his people as he flnda faithfully serving him in their day and generation, and diligently noting his words, it is of great value to his people to know it, in order that they may avail themselves of tho grace of such au intima- tion, to get all ready for their Lord. It will bo a grief of no common kind to have the door shut upon us at that season because we gave not hted to our Lord and prepared not our- selves :_ surely they who enlcu* not in with tho wise will pro- phesy in snckcloth all tho remainder of their days on earth. "But If any are disposed to question whether Christ will make such a distinction as is hero implied between one part of his people and another part, I can only say, wo must come to the Scriptures to know what Christ will do, and not sit down alid consult with our own thouglits and imaginations as to the probability of how he will act.' Do any of vou object on the ground ot the difficulty ^f distinguishing ? ho any in- quire what measure of grace shall bo tho criterion of accept- ance P I obgorve that even tho husbandman quickly distm- gnwheB between tho grain that is ready .to bo out, and that which reouires to stand longer ; aud where it is in hin power to do so, he exercises his discretion, and gathers one before the other. But I answer, it is 4iot man that shall make the dis- tinction m the matter before us, but ihe Lord who trieth tho hearts. • '*'\'*'?.^° y^^ ^^"'^ "^1 bcHevcra will be in a waiting posture P Aiiuiedi V iiot. And if not, thoy are on her shut out for a sea- ■on, or lost eternally I But beliovcra cannot bo lost—they have the Lord's pledge, and he will eurcly t '.«dvcm it. What 154 NINTH wondeh. 1^ then ? They must be aliut owi for a season, aud BufFcr tins loss for their negligence. . . . "And are any of my brethren wilhng to incur the hazard oi being denied admittance into the joy of their Lord, on this the first occasion that presents itself, because there will be yet a further opportunity on which that second company, the entire residue of all that believe, shall obtain admittance? It any encourage themselves to slack their endeavours by this thought, they surely betray a spirit which sinks them below the hundred and forty-four thousand which are redeemed fron? the earth. That- thought, if acted upon, will turn away the angel from them with the seal, to seek some more spirit.ually-minded souls, which breathe more vigorous desires after Christ aud prize tho enjoyment of him more. , . "And wil! any esteem it a light matter whether they obtain this priority or not, so long aa they find safety at the last ?■ Is it a light matter to have such a signal token- of Christ's appro- val conferred upon us, as tho being accepted on this farat Occasion will ftff'ord? Is it a light matter to have such a rebuff at his hands— to hear him say, ' I know you not ;' which rebuft they will meet with, and which words they will hear, if they are left behind when the others enter in ? '* Once more. Is it a small matter to bo saved out of a state of things in which tho devil shall be prime mover (lie • having como down with great wrath, knowing thot he hath but a short time'), to be translated from a world of anarchy, and woe, and blasphemy, to bo present with the Lamb before the throne of God ? 6 no, it is no light matter, though it may not be a matter of life and death; and they who love the Lord, and they who lovo their own souls, will not think it to bo so. , « * .1 J' •' My brethren, how shall wo net in tho face of thcso dis- closures? Shall we sit unmoved, and bo coniontcd with the graco wo already have— if grace wo have already F Shall we sit Btill, contented with the attainments wo have already made, and Bfcrive after nothing more than an cvcry-day pi oi'osBion--a prorasaiou which yields us a liope, it may be, that wo aro not 'ptt4 ? but yet which fails to lift us so abovo tho world a« to >a. lifc with Christ in heaven ? Or shall wo n()b rather, in tho raCtt Jl BUen aioCiOSUrcs us x-ms yi-i^n aji-iu/r, irt.r -tj- r ----- — -- to tako hold upon tho grace of these, wlio ivcoive such signal blessing of their Lord j and ' cleansing yursdves from all illthi. THE FIRST ASCENSION AT CIIUIST's COJIING. 155 neaa of flesh aud spirit, perfect holiness in the fear of God ' P — 2 Cor. vii. • , , " ^/^^J^\}h^^ Slopes urge some of you to make advances in the lite 01 laith ? rouse some of you to stir yourselves in the Uinstian race; to throw aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset you, aud to look more intently and more beseechingly towards Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your aith f* Will they not lead you to give diligence that you may be lound of himm peace, without spot, and blameless? to watch and pray that you enter not into temptation? to take lieed to your spirit, that you be not beguiled by the world or •the devil to drink into another spirit than your Lord'i ? to keep your eye upon your hearts, seeing out of them are the issues ot life ? and to maintain a jealous watch over what goes out and what comes in ? to beat down the flesh by such weapons as Christ has provided, mortl/j^ing the deeds of the body through the Spirit, and denying self for Christ, even to the plucking out the right eye, and cutting off the right hand ? JJut one word to them whoso consciences do testify that as yet they have no part nor lot in this matter; that they come not up to the character of the foolish virgins, much less the wise ; that they have not the character of virgins at »11 in keeping tliemselves for Christ, the :6ridegroom ; that they have no lif,hted lamp, and know nothing of what it is to go forth to mefet the Bridegroom ; yet even the foolish had and did all this ! Une word to them. Christ tarries to give them time to seek him. Iho Lord lingereth, and addeth to their day of grace not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.' " Let them haste to seek oil now ; to knock at the door of Tn7'-"^y, Tr^ ^'"Portunity suiting the occasion, for the grace ot Christ 8 Holy bpmt; beseeching God, in his unfathomable mercy to turn- thoir hearts, aud give them repentance unto Jito ; to grant them so to feel the burden of their sins, and their need of Christ's redemption, as shall urge them to his teet lor salvation ; that so they may become as virgins set apart from all to Christ, aud follow in the train witli those who take their lamps in baud, aud go to light him to the marriage." ^ prolound Hebrew scholar, and has written a new and valuable translation of the Psnlms, has for many years deeply studied 156 NINTU WONDEE. the prophecies of Scripture, and his conclLisions upon these important points are entitled to attentive consideration. Ho entertains a settled conviction of the certainty of the personal coming of Christ taking place in its primary stage for the resurrection and rapture of the deceased and prepared living saints before the three-and-a-half years' persecution by the coming' Antichrist. In a prophetic treatise by him, published in 1853, upon the Eapture of the Church, he maintains the view to be scripturally demonstrable that the Hapturc toill pre- cede ilie threerand-a-haJf years' reign of the wild least. And he understands " the time, times, and half time," of the little horn in the seventh of Daniel, and the " forty-two months " of thq wild beast in the thirteenth of Eevelation, to signify unques- tionably three years and a half, and to be the period of Anti- christ's reign or persecution. The fact of there being such a three-and-a-half years' period is indeed an undoubted article of faith among all really enlightened and discriminating expositors of the present day. Lord Congletou also considers that after this rapture, prior to the tribulation, many persons will become witnesses of the Lord Jesus, and will seal their testimony with their blood during the massacres by the adherents of the Man of Sin ; and he says in regard to them, " The witnesses of Jesus mentioned in Kev. xx. ■!, as slain during the reign of the wild beast, and as subsequently sharing in the church's glory, are the slain ones of tliis godly remnant who come on the stage after the church is caught up, and are exposed to the persecutions of the wild beast, . . . and will, after the reign of the wild beast, bo caught up to share the church's glory." Among other remarks upon the Eapture, Lord Congleton observes, " Those who truly constitute the church of God, both ' the living and the dead, will bo * caught up,' for so it is written in the Word.' " Nothing prevents the rapture [that is, the catching up] of the chun'h but God's longsuftering towards the world." Great is the coming wrath. God in His goodness and grace has constituted His Son tho Saviour of the world. Ilia pre- cious blood 1ms been shed tliat He miglit be openly proclaimed as tlio Saviour of siiiuers. Eighteen liundred years has this testimony been i)roclaimed in the earth. What characterized early times characterizes lata times, ' They all with one consenti 1 Thojs. iv. 16, 17. • 2 Pet. iii. 0. IHB riKST ASCENSION AT CHEISX'S COMING. 157 began to make excuse.' But for gracfe that compels to com© in, none would be Baved. But this does not remove the responsibility of those who reject God's love. ♦'On account of this His longsufferiug, it may still please G-od for some years to go on reiterating the testimony of His grace in the ears of a will-be godless world, 'adding to the church daily such as should be saved.' If so, the rapture of the church will yet be deferred for a season ; but if otherwise, if the day of grace is nearly run out, a few days may suffice to make ua know experimentally what the rapture is. " Brethren, are we prepared for this alternative ? Do our hearts rejoice at the nearness of the prospect ? Some eighteen centuries ago an inspired apostle said, ' The night is far spent, the daj is at hand.' ^ How much nearer must it be now ! Are our hearts glad ? ' Every man that hath this hope in him pun- /teth Mmself, even as He is pure.' ^ " But whilst the church has been called to share Christ's throne in the heavens, she has also been called to share one part of Christ's ivork on earth, namely, that of a Avitness to the truth.'l He testified that with the holy God, who hates sin and must judge sin, there in ff race, that is, love to IJia creatures, though sinners ; and that in the riches of His grace He had sent His only begotten 8on into the world to be the Saviour of sinners ; and, still more especially, that the presmt time is a time, not of judgment, but of showing grace, even to the worst, — that judgment is indeed coming, but that now is ' the accept- able year of .the Lord.' * But -men who hate the holiness that testifies that the world's works are evil,' hate still more the grace that 'receiveth sinners and eateth with them." And therefore, Avhilst the church is called to share Christ's work of testimony on the earth, she is also called to share Christ'* sufferings for that testimony ; and, hg suffering for well-doing' and still showing kindness, to exhibit in her walk, as He did in A lis walk, lohat grace means, if by any means some, through faith in God's grace, might be saved. Her Lord's path down here is the church's path,— a path of suffering in testimony to the grace of the holy God. ' If any nian serve Me,' says He, * let him folloio Me ; and where 1 am, there shall also My servant be.' ' This is the service that belongs to those that are ' Kom. xui. la. *Xiukeiv. 16— 21. \ » 1 John iii. 3. • John vii. 7. * John xii. 26^ ' John xviii. 37t * Ijuke XT. a. -oyp 158 NINTH WONDEn. called to sit, upon Christ's throne. It was not given to tbe nation Israet; neither xcill it bo. But nlas ! liow often has the church, ill forgetful aess that her oalling is to suffer on earth, to reign in heaien, been found walking rather as the nation Israel than as the cTiurch, seeking establishment and dominion down here rather than tlio furtherance of this her holy and beautiful testimony ! Hence what disaster and confusion ! ^ " Whilst his coming is still deferred, may wo be found, in all sympathy with his divine love to sinners, giving ourselves to this service of testimony to the grace of God, and rejoicing if 'counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.' 'If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.' " * We now peoceed to notice an important fact,. which can perhaps only be fully understood by those who are able to enter into calculations— namely, the fact that the firat stage m Christ's coming to raise to life the dead saints, and to translate the watchful living Christians, will be about two years and from three to five weeks after the covenant ; because, m other words, it will be sontewhere between 1,840 to 1,84G days (that is, five years and from five to seven weeks) before the end of the final crisis of the covenant seven years and two and a half months— as shown by the following reasons. ' „ , . Because the deepest expositors of prophecy generally admit that the seals, trumpets, vials, and other prophecies in Eevela- tion relating to the 1,200 days,'' have a douule rnLEiLMENx — yearday and literalday,— first during somewlmt more than 1,260 YEAE8 as the chief period of the Papal Antichrist, and again more literally during Bomewhat more then 1^200 lays as the chief period of the last ])ersonal Antichrist. And it is quite evident that the literalday second fulfilment will be, in the relative positions of its dilferent- parts, an exact « 2 Tim. ii. 12. , , -r. w , • u i . . • This view as to the prophecies of Danwl and Revelation, which relate to tho 1,860 days (Dan. vii. 25 ; xii. 7 ; Eev. xi. 2, 3 ; xii. 6, 14 ; xiii. 5), havhiR a twofold accomplishment, has been mdifitained m the " Mornmg Wuteh, Jnno and September, 1832, nnd very fuUy in Evill's "Retrospect" nncl B A Purdon's "Last Vials," in 18413-8, and more or less fully by Dr Be'iss, Beale, Major riiillipa, Edward Bickersteth, W. G-. BArker, B. Pol- whole B. W. Saville, B. E. llcinke, and others. In tho now edition— aO.OOOth— of tho author's '^ Coming Battle" pamphlet (IJl^J. revised at the close of 1865, the two accomplislimcnta, jeafdaj a=d literalday, ^re lengthily explained and contrasted on two opposite octavo pages. See also diagram 4 in the Louis ITapoleon treatise. %i (THE FinST ASCENSIOIT AT CnETSl's COMTNO 159 facsimile or counterpart of the yearday first fulfilment, only on tlie reduced scale of a day instead of a year. Thua^vs the year- day fulfilment of the seals, trumpets, and other prophecies of Eevelation relating to the 1,260 yeardaya, manifestly began at Christ's ascension and the Pentecostal revival,' in a.d, 29-33, about 1,840 to 1,846 years before Christ's descent at Arma-' geddon in a.d. 1873-5, so will the ultimate literalddy fulfil- ment of the seals, trumpets, and other prophecies of Eevelation relating to the 1,2G0 literal days, begin with the ascension of the wise virgins, and with another Pente'- ..-: ' revival in the church militant, at an analogous period r c'abou. i ,840 to 1,846 DATS (that is,^ five years and between fr «; end V3ven weeks before Christ's descent at Armageddon.) But this proves that the resurrection ot "rcpngia saints, and ascension of prepared Christians at the fii. . stage in Christ's advent, will also take place ho bcmmn of that ultimate litcralday iulhlmenl of Kc ation, "itSoT"— f a^d a,ocnsio„ of ^^^^^ placo atout five year, and f™"Vfl>»Xr woX Sout TWO kA-iyrNJ^'SS-'ilSE-S, TS"l■i\^'^n^K9 after the Jewish seven years' covenant.* forllTOith cauglit up to «»« » "'^Xnoss for I 200 (lava, froir. i, left behind to flco mto *° J'^'^J"^ , iiliJ^'i^ Je iiterul tho ticraei'utiou ot Satan, iiei" ^ ^ ""• i' ,4„ „f n,ri«t- za b!;dy .ill be i^i^^n -^^;r;::^i; siJ:^ « the booU« are opened." Hufl "/"""r:" „,,,,,,,„,,„ other cipoKitori. ' There in exactly lovon ycwn and ** " " , ;,,.„fo,„ »„ event wlueh li five yo*"ttnd lromm_ t=j:;^=-- ;:;;^- r" ^^ five week! alter the cut*- *IU neceHiari QftUt. ily bt »wo years and itom three THE FIRST ASCENSION AT CHKIST's COMING. iGl A.D. 29-33 (some time before the Papal 1,2G0 years), and about 1,840 to 1,84G years before this dispensation's end in 1873-5 ; and, therefore, in the analogous literalday fulfilment the manchild, denoting the select body of watchful Christians' will bo caught up to heaven about 1,840 to 1,810' days- -that 18, about five years and from five to seven weeks beforo this dispensation's end.' Thus in the two fulfilments, the Man- ciuld, who IS to " rule the nations with a rod of iron," sifrnifies first, Christ personal, and secondly, Christ mystical, that is! the wise virgins— both of whom are predicted in Scripture to rule the nations with a rod of iron (Rev. ii. 20, 27 ; xix. 15). A third proof of this first ascension of watchful Christians being in general terms about five years before this dispenaa- tion s end, is found in the fact that the seventh seal, soventli trumpet, and seventh vial, in their yearday fulfilment, all begin at the same time— about five years before the end; and it is evident that Christ's coming, in one of its stages, occurs at the beginning of each of them (Hev. vii. 9; xi. 18; xvi. 15). Two iiEMARKABLE predictive typos of this interval of five years bctwe(>n the two ra])turo3 at Christ's coming, are found m the Old T.-stament history of Joseph and Moses. (1) The crisis of seven years of famine in Egypt was ovi- dently a typo of the final crisis of the seven years of the covenant week that are to elapse after the covenant between the Jews and f ho groat wilful king. Now it is particularly declared that it was iust after the end of two years of the seven years— five of those years still remaining— when Joseph manitosted himself to \m brethren, and gave them changes of raiment, and nnnovod thciu in chariots to Goshen, where their nation alterwards escaped sufiering from the plagues of Egypt. i3o will the Lord Jesus, whom Joseph so specially typified, manifest himself at the first stage of his Coming to his watchful and waiting people shortly after the close of two years of tho covenant seven years and about five years before the End, and will clothe thomiu white raiment, and remove them in chariots of glory to tho Qoshon of heaven, whoio they shall escApo the i-gyptian plagues of tho literal trumpctb and vials.» • Uon. x\v. ling was montioned in tho fourth olmptep of tho treatiie on Napoleon'. pvoMhotio oharacfr, and tho ruthor L«. iinoo lUIld lut iuJh """W 162 NINTU AVONDElt. (2) Themvsterloua removal and ascension of watchful Cbrist- ianVtohea^S about five years before the mjle^^^^^^^ the glorified saints shall reign on ^^^^h as judges and J^^^^ Jewish nation again have Po^^ff^fl^^^^t^o^e S^^V^^^^^ fied bv the mysterious removal to heaven ot JNloses i^R^Ji^^^^ yLrs -before tie Jewish nation under Joshua gamca possession of Palestine, and the reign of the Judges began. Eeider will you bo caught up among the 144,000 sealed eairle whios, nncJ in tV.e company of your Saviour, tnaie i «fv duds youl chariot, aid ialk upon tl.o wmg, o tl>« Sf Tako\ccd tl,at you ar. now '™ly;^^'J"g,\%*;'n'' in any position_,^r^ccupatioi^^^ .•Lomlon Monthly Keview" for 18u0 ("°^' "^^^'''JS .. Tlmt our Lord w.U como Pf'^^^^lf.^'^ZlvJZLm^^^^^^^^ hU^brcthron, oprfial in.iiilrMnlion of Clirist to l.n o»n choren '1»"P^' P"» J, ''/,„... .„o„ll„i,.l.. B.,t .1,. :rml.v 'f '.'»' ^^ "J^j'Stt,' ", IroL.. «.. n.i TOntin™. for forty ,vcr.r». f™„i '<»'» /«" '° i" „f ,1,. „i„ .Iriini b. ■ .'. ^n„,b»'' of vsM. HO niBV tlipro bo « bidden V»}.»'I[""\'P"»^'^_j ;:; .u.u l«Vu«t'io"n"o7 nv«-fbolmh vi.R,n,, »''«J 'V?JL'!!l'«Ji^'!n°&«^iidTent: ^""' o1,««ti»omcnt-lbo IntPVT^l between the two itngw m unw* • wTcn ' 1 Jolm U. 28. ul Christ- um, when , and the also typi- about five possession )00 sealed e with the it up upon make the igg of the r in Christ, 3st you bo )eing found I perusal ot CrosB, in the who iaid, — may, 1 1' ink, his" brethren, here itood no thren.'— Oen. i nngelB at tho e in likt man- l\\e oonclusion e j)riiui(ti and -to \n9 forma! Jeru»nlom." ■ xiii. 18, 20 , markably con- liuf," ovitlently I tho Hixll) i)nil rates evidently ciiBUis tl\e flvo n%e virgint bi- ;he Jowi in thi' [ Jordan : then lie five yearn ») i- '• ndrent. THE FIU3T ASCENSION AT CHBISr's COMIKQ. 103 any publication, whereby you would become afraid to behold his sudden appearaDco lie assured that none of the "ailed and chosen, and faithful IHOOO Christians, win are to bo found at that time reading worldly novels or romances or engaging m frivolous conversation, or living in l.uiirjTd o. travagance, or indulging in tho pergonal vafitv of every god, and speaking marvellous tl'-opis against tlic ^od of gods," and "showing himself that he i. God;"^ therefore the common sense of mankind will he aprcaled to hy numerous i^rcachers, to render divine worship to then' Creator, and oofc to one of 'their fellow-crcai lu-cs ; and the iirot fou" litt-al trumpet judgments on the earth, sea, fo>Mitains, a-ui Iho skic;.^ will be pointed to as confirmatory cviden : s that Clu-ist, and •jiot Anticw;if:!, is the divine creator of tic -juiverse. A second an.'Tcl then goes forth and announces tliat " Dabylon is fallen, ia failen, that great city," which i? xplainai in the seventcfj.'ith of llcveuitioTi to bo tho ecclesiastical Eon-an empire, ti.c whole te'> iiiOfidom:; of whicli will become (ae diocese or paiisa of ib. L'ouiri pontiff during the 3,- years ot Napolcon'B nn'i-ers.al suprcfaa- v. The tilatement that " Baby- lon i.'i fallen ' doci* not i-ip''* '^^^ destruction, but only its dcclininc; and m-ikir,;:^ into .ho lowest depth of debasement, by ceasing To be eve a profcsucdiy Cliristian, and becoming openly infidel and anticluistian— a hold for every foul spirit, i'or the llomish ccclesiabtical powers will then publicly command mankind to worship tho imperial Antichrist as their god. A tliii'd angel j'so goes forth and delivers the warning that ai; rt'ho worship An'-christ or his image, or receive his mark in thoir forehead or haui), shall hereafter bo tormented with firo and hrimitouc. Then ensues tho three and a half years ^ of Nupok in'a universal ])ersecution of those who will not worship his imaji • or receive his nmrk; wherefore it is said, "Hero la the paticncn of tho saints.— Blessetl nro tho dead that die in tlio Lord from henceforth^ because it will bo happiorfor the patiently Bulloring saints to die rather than to livo in such 'earli'l times.* in'ter this the Son of man is revealed sitting upon a white cloud, and.forthwith tiie li A HVEST of tho earth, or gouernl ingathering of aurviving Chri^^tians, is reaped by him and taken up into hiu heavenly garner. Tho inuncdiato and li'ial sKiuel is the treading of tho winepress at tho battle of Armageddon, when tlie incorrigible are crushed in tho vint- pgo t'f God's wrath. Thus terminates tho description of the five yonrs of tho second advent of Christ, including tho transla- tion of tho firstfruits-Chrislians at its bcginr.ing, and of tho harvest' Christians at its close. Hbnoe it is a most serious error for well-meaning but iguo- ^ Bau. ii. 06 i • Xhcig. ii. «. - Mf. il. 2 i »il. 8, 14 j Xiiii f ^SP vU.S6| lii. 7. i God of cfore the lumerous , and i?it \" litcal !^ho skict.;, •.I'ist, and 'Babylon HI ia the 1 Eon. an come t :ie J yeai'3 of .t'" Baby- only its smcnt, by 1^ openly irifc. For comuiaiid god. 'iiing that is mark in L with lire years '^ of )t worrthip "Hero is hat die in icr for the e in such ,ed sitting tlio earth, reaped by iimnediato the battle 11 the vint- ion of the bo transla- uul of the but iguo- .::: r. n.~ WORLDWIDE niEiCiriKa OP TUE GOSPEL. 107 I rant (nivistians to neglect the study of these prophccie:-*, and i^' eorsfiii^'cntly to be led to make such untrue and unsrT.ptund staterie? ts as have long been very common ; as, for instance, to the e ect that the moment Christ comes no more mercy will be ofl,?red to the unprepared, but that their doom will be sealed, l^o wonder that even pious people shrink with alarm trom suoa a coming which they erroneously imagine is at once to 3ons' m to perdition the millions of unconverted persons on mrv side ; and no marvel that they compassionately cherish the hope that Christ will not come yet, in order that his con- tmuca absence may afford further opportunity for theun-^odly h„71f "r }^?^'^^r^'' ^)'y k"«^>^^ tl^^«« prophecies teach^ that ino hrst act m Christ's Advent is to be an act of pure love unmingled with the slightest admixture of vengeance or wrath ! Ihe Eedcemer will approach this earth full of grace and com- passion, and having quickly received to himself his Avaitincr people will at that joyous and auspicious season entertain no other thoughts than those of pity and compassion toward the loohsh and benighted ones that are left behind. Instead of instantly pouring out unon them showers of firo and brimstone, as ill-iu lormed persons have incorrectly asserted, he will pour outmost copious Pentecostal showers of diviuo grace, and of ^Lll I r' ' 'Qflucnco, reclaiming and quickening back- Bliders aud converting n great multitude of the unery nation, aud kindred,^nnd t^ui tnd pelle. in regions heretol.,ro untrodden by the feet of them thatbrinr^ good tidings, and that publish salvation/ ^ ihlTJ^^'^'^T^^'' KXPogiTORs, as well as others, understand llie_ first ungel'a mossngo-in the fourteenth of K^velation in ;=«""/» great revivai of true religion on earth after tha tr«u»l«tion of wntchfi.1 Christians at ChrisfB coming i i I 1G8 TENTH WONDEII. The Eev. J. Hoopeb maintaiiw the first angel-message to be a universal preaching of the gospel after the 141,000 sealed ones are translated to heaven. And, in common with other expositors, he understands the Laodicean Church or the tool- ish virgins, to be unwatchful Christiai:s, who will be letfc be- hind at the ascension of the wise virgins, but will have a double portion of the Holy Spirit shed down upon thein, as a prepara- tive for undergoing the Great Tribulation. He says,— "Those that 'escape' the tribulation, and are 'accounted worthy te stand before the Son of man ' when he appeareth, are said to be ' sealed.' But those that pass through tne tribu- lation, being purified therein, receive an anointing subsequent to the sealing of those that are translated. As the sealing i3 a necessary grace and act of the Lord to prepare the farst- fruits ' for the translation, so the anointing is necessary to carry his elect, which remain on the earth at the time ot har- vest, through the great tribulation. And that there will be a great outpouring of the Spirit on the people of the Lord, at er the scaled ones are caught up to meet him in the air, may al^o be gathered from the prophecy of Joe],> which speaks ot the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in ' the great and terrible day ot the Lord.' The abundance of rain, also, which followed the ofiering of * the evening sacrifice ' by Elijali,^' and also a double portion of the Spirit resting upon Ellsha after the translation of Elijali,' may be regarded as typical acts, foreshowing the git b of the II oly Ghost to his people on the earth after the trans- li\tion df the sealed ones. And those who pass through the tribulation, which will bo brought on the whole world by the reign of Antichrist, will need the strength and consolation ot the Spirit to sustain them under it and to carry tliem througli it And tlierofore St. John tells us, i\i the prophetic vision of the tburtcenth chapter, that he heard both ' a voice troin heaven,' and also ' tho Spirit ' administering cons-ilation and sustaining them in their trials. We learn also 'from the opistlo to tho I^aodiceans, that, though they are cast out from the blessing and honour of the translated ones, yet the Lord is still with them in their outcast state. They are his beloved children, though, for wise and gracious reasons, ho suliera them to bo exposed to severe chastiBements. He desires that their Hufffirintra mav Drove instrumental to their salvation ; and they ore taught to regard them as being administered in miiniio » Joel ii. 28-32. • I Kings xviii. 29—46. ' 2 Kings ii. 9-16. i WOHLDWIDE PHEACniNa OP THE GOSPEL. 169 love: for be says unto them, * As many as I love I rebuke and cliasten ; be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold I stand at the door, and kncck : if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, 'and will sup with him aiid he v/ith me.' Moreover, those that overcome throu «'^^^ <^^o ^"'^^^ «f wrath are tntrnatod to their hands, so also uiav bo thp n,,>.:.„p ^f nrSi^c^^n's^'K' wf^f '' T'''^''^ to man;'an?why uui> mi„eiic on sf iho whole earth, moreover, and every ' M«tt. xiiv. ] 1. ' 'IfiT 172 TENTH WONDEE nation on it, could not, by such means as men can command, be reached within the very limited '=ipace of time that remained. * It is through the midst of the heaven, furthermore, and not through the earth, that the messenger has his course." Mr. EviLt explains these angel-messages similarly, but seems to incline to the view that the glorified saints will in- visibly energise and animate Christians on earth to preach the G ospel extensively. He says, — " The astounding fact of the translation of a certain number of the living saints from mortality to immortality — taken away from the sides of their brethren in the flesh, with wliom they had been in tlio habits of the strictest and most familiar inter- course—cannot fail of producing a sudden and fearful revolu- tion in the minds of all other men.; but especially in those Christians who, by the hearing of the ear, were acquainted with the existence of such an expectation; and then, con- science and terror-stricken, they will turn on each other coun- tenances expressive of unutterable anguish, whilst they inter- change the enquiry, * Men and brethren, what shall wo do i* ' The scales of scepticism and unbelief shall then have fallen from their eyes, to be succeeded by the overwhelming convic- tion that tliey have been turning a deaf ear and hardening their hearts against the warnings of approaching judgment, the reality of which has now rushed upon them like a flood. The absence of their brethren, and their own desolate condition, are facts which will prove fearful commentators to tliem of the prophetic truths which those translated saints attempted in vain to urge upon their attention ; and a conviction of the instant consummation of the prophecies will rush into their minds with a power that will then require no arguments to enforce ; and, after recovering from the first shock of surprise and ter- ror, it is reasonable to suppose that those feelings should bo succeeded by a zeal and enthusiasm to carry forward the known purposes of God, which the Church never before manifested, or the world ever witnessed. " A careful study of the characters and commissions of the tlirco angels, in the fourteenth of Bevelation, suggests the following important considerations: — • "Firstly— That the ministries symbolized by these three angels, flying jn the midst of hoaven, clearly puiiiU to another and diff'erent form of preaching the gospel than any hitherto manifested to the world. TnilEB ANGEL ME.SSAGES AKB GBEAT EETIVAL. 173 "Secondly— That that difference consist in a ministry pro- ceeding iroin the heavens, and not the earth ; accompanied moreover, by God's judgments, and attended with super- natural signs and wonders, as far exceeding all former deinon- "•[i^^P^^^.o* Vo^yev aa the heavens are higher than the earth. ihu-dly— That the fruit of the preaching of this gospel is commensurate with the means and powers employed, and results in the conversion of a countless multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people: which ingathering of mankind to God constitutes the harvest of mercy to the world,^ " Pourthly— That these three angels symbolize a ministi-y pro- ceeding from the hundred and forty and four thousand— the risen and translated saints-— under whose direction the Church then on earth will be reorganized ; and, thus marshalled by a heavenly host of glorified men, will be sent forth in power to preach the everlasting gospel, and tq declare to mankind that the day ot God's judgment has begun. "There can exist little doubt but that these three antrels represent the actions of that glorious body who are first slsen in that chapter with the Lamb on Mount Sion— namely, those saints who are counted worthy to escape the judgments which are coming upon the earth, and, by translation, stand before the bon ot man; because, whilst the gospel is preached, it is at the same time accompanied with the declarations of iudgment then begun on the earth, which it is the high and distinguish- mg privilege of that body alone to administer; and, conse- ^"« mi^' *^^^^^ angels can represent none others. Thus we maintain that the prophecy now under considera- tion plainly indicates a declaration of the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, after the appearance o'f Lhiist m the air, and tlie translation of the saints : and more- over accompanied by higher manifestations of the powers of the Holy Ghost than attended its first promulgation; and that there IS every reason to believe from this, and other prophecies, that the risen and glorified saints, ^-hn liave escaped these judgments and stand before tho Son of man vdll prove to bo those supernatural agencies under whose control and direction the Church then on the earth will act, and that such combined mmistraciona Will constitute, par excellence, the heavenly ministry, signified iu the prophecy by the declaration ' Rev, vii. 0, li I 174 mm TENTH WONDEE. tliat these three angels were seen flying in the midst of heaven. " If tlie world is to be subject to the diabolical seductions of those three unclean spirits which proceed out of the mouths of the dragon, and the beast, and the false prophet, and who will possess and control the bodies of men in those days, it might fairly be inferred that there w ould also be arranged, on bclialf of the Christians left on the e.irth, a corresponding demonstra- tion of suprrnatural powers, and that they should manifest themselves in a similar threefold form iu opposition to the triple confederacy of evil of the last days. "As we cannot suppose that these risen and glorified saints should again return to this earth, and fdl resident ministries in the Church ; tlicrcfore, we are left no other alternative than tlie conclusion that tho preachiug of the gospel, referred to in this Bymbolic prophecy of tho three angels, r.cconipaniedby the annoiincemcut of God's judgments begun, is fulfilled by minis- ters of the Church then on tho earth, supported and assisted by these resurrection saints. "So that, though Satan's masterpiece of iniquity — the Anti- christ fi])j)osition that tho consolatory olHcc of this ministering angel will thou bo discharged towards the suiforing Church by tho risen and glorified saints. " Thus it will appear that tho first act of Christ's second advent to translafo watchful believers from sufii'mig mortality into glorious immortality, whilst it is tho indication to tho nti!iujj3 ui HSU crviui li.-;;;. niw unj ui V7UU 3 juugmcni' nas ucgun, will also prove to bo tho harbinger of a period of grace and mercy to tboso who will lay hold of his strength in the day of THREE ANGEL MESSAGE.', AND FIRST SEAL. 175 his .power and who will at kso learn riglitcousuess wlieu hia IZl '\^,f "^'' /'"^ hi3 judgraeuts are abroad upon the earth; for then but not till then, shall Christendom have a witn^esss ero she bp delivered over to the consuming fire; and a voice and that a mighty voice, shall go throughout the bor- dera of her land, sayiug, 'Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour ofhisjudgmeut is come,'" ^ t^ J AV^M,? fV' ^' .^'.^^^^ao^.Y. Hector of Bonchurch, Islo of Wight, takes a similar view in his book, "Earth's Eventide '" lie says, regarding the twelfth chapter of Eevclation.- -t'l;' woman represents the church of Christ. There is no room I thni. :, lor doubt concerning it. But if this be granted. chfld i '' ? 'Tf/ -r^^ ^ ''""'^ "^ explanation. The mm- SJIi 1° ^,];fti'"|t3 ; a certain completed number of the Lord 8 elect. The 9hurch immediately before the groat tribu- lation gives forth this, her firstborn, to the hand of God, who straightway takes it to Himself. uoa, ^^ao " The woman in tho t^yelfth chapter of IJcvelation flod into the wilderness, and remained there for three years and a half nourished and protected by God, after her man-child lad b 'en caught up. Thci-o shall bo therefore, even while tho tribula n^e^Uaflnn/';? f^!'^^ '*.l»? ^'^rpeut caat out of his mouth ™ r , °'^' ^^'^^ '^ ""«'**= ^""«o ^^^» woman to bo carried ZL i;rt^i w^ ^^f''^'' ^^i'"^^" ^"^^ ^^•'■'^^>> ^vith tho which keep 1 1.0 commaiulmcnts of God. and Imvc the testimony 01 Jesus Christ.' But thi ■ allegorical evidence of a ChurcK allegory in tho twontioth chapter. Hero wo find St Jnlin ^heu speaking of the introd.lctiou of ti^) Millennial J g ! ?ll'"?,,:f,T''"^« to certain who should sufler martyr.lo.n hi tho Boole nfl ^"^^r^ ? '\V''''''' J''^'^'^ ^« t''° ^"tfchrist m tho Book ot .UovelatioD). Martyrs, therefore, who aro to * Publithed ct Nisbeff, London (four ihilllnffi). 271 nni,e>» I'^mn TT« ...".•.J"'.'"*"; *'"' titJewiltnn jmn btfors tho md , „.d lJu,.L.. « 17G TENTH WONDEB. suffer death after the firstfruits of the earth shall have departed. — Ilev. xx. 4. " Thus it is evident, that after the departure of the first- fruits, after the man-child shall be caught up to heaven ; after the Lord's waiting people shall ho taken away to meet their Saviour in the air, — there shall bo found (on earth) a church — a people serving Christ in truth, — and against these a persecution shall be effectually directed, even unto death. " But what may we expect will follow if the day of grace bo not for ever at that moment closed ? Most certainly, a great revival of religion. For imagine the sensation which must be produced among the unconverted masses. Two in a bed ; one taken ! two at a mill ; one taken ! two friends conversing ; cue taken ! two men transacting businen^^ ; one taken ! Husband and wife, brother and sister, master and servant ; one taken ! AVill not men begin to think ? Will not many scoffora fall upon their knees and pray ? AVill not the Bible be searched with liCW eyes ? Will not men's hearts fail them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth? Oh, methinka there will be a stirring up of lukewaru' ministers in that day ; a crowding into churches such as never has been witnessed. A change, indeed, will come over nil the face of earth's society. And so, indeed, wo find — when this matter is dealt with in the fourteenth ehai)ter of the Kevclation— that immediately the firstfruits unto Uod and the Lamb are spoken of as being with the Lord above, an angel iliea in the midst of heaven, 'having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on thu earth, and to every natioji, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, bVnr Ood, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come." But cloarljr, though there may bo many who will truly turn to God ni Ihat (lay, yet the devil will find means to blind the maases of the world to tho true state of things ; for as wo per- UBO tho chapter wo perceive that after Babylon is fallen, which is tho next event Ihat will transpire, and Antichrist is established upon his throne * tho patience of tho saints' is brought before us ; and it in added — ' Blessed nro tho dead which dio in tho Lord from henceforth.'* And immediately takes placo tho harvest of the earth, which fteems to be a ^Vlfi "i/vr • B«T. xir. 0, 7. • Hi/Of, xlr. 18. GKEJlT BEVIVAL and aiFT OF T0N(1UE3. 177 tbrougTi the medium of a fearful burst of persecution, which Bhall clear the earth of all who shall refuso the nuirk and wor- ship of the beast,— ami so the number of tho Lord's Elect will Sr®Tx,°iPPl®^' ^^^^ ^^^^ ^""'^y ^^ rendered clear for the treraendoufl VINTAGE OF THE AYllATII OF GOD."' ^'"^"«°^ The FjnaT Seal gives auotl.er representation of this aamo period of religious revival in tho history of the church militant after the translation of saints at tho first 8ta;,'o in Christ's coming, wlueli is delineated in tho fourth and iiltlj chapters of Kevelation. The Lord Jesua having there received from his I'ather at his second advent tho sealed book of lifo containing tho names of all the elect, proceeds to open the peveu seals,' and when tho first seal is opened, there goes forth "a white horse, and he that sat on him liaU a bow; and a crown was given unto him, and ho went forth conquering ami to conquer.'.' The church militant on earth is hero pictured as a milk- white spirited horse, directed by a rider, apparently denotinff the collectivo body of Christ and his glorilied saints, who at that time will visihly or invisibly inlluenco, animate, and strengthen the (liristiaiiH left on earth, to go forth preaching the Goaprl of the king(h)in with new born zeal and fervour, ard with unpaniUeled exteiiHivenesa as a witness to all nations. Tao rider can nignify none other than Christ and his saints, for Ihey aloiio can'be described as iineeasingly victorious, m as tu go lorth conquering and to coiKiuer. 'riio <>r(nvn given to the rider seems to. deiu.lo tho crown of millennial and eternal fiovereigntv given to the Lord Jeans mid his glorilied saints at his fiecond tommg, which agrees with the t\venly~lbur elders at tho saino m-riod being seen with crowns on their heads, ilio bow held by tho ridfsr nvrnxa to stand ci)nne(tod with the arrows of divine vengeance then about to bo diHiharged at tho imj>enitont ; and also tho arrows of divino truth, which in that rcvivnl wjll introduce salvation into tho souls of many liumbkj and contrite ones. Tho forty.flfth Psalm is generally understood to refer to thii lirst sea), in Iho words addressed to Christ, " Gird thy sword Ef ^ 1 ?''•• ^^ '""'^ ""'R'^^r' with thy glory and thy inaiefltv. And m iUv mnJo.f^ J.u .,- .'L..1i„ 'i. /. 'BoT. xir. 80. L^scr 178 TENTH •SVONBEB. truth, aud meoimcss, and righteousueas ; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, God, is for ever aud ever ; the sceptre of thy lungdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, nnd hatest wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath auointcd thee with the oil of gladness, above thy follows." These words are expres.sly declared by St. Paul in the first chapter of Hebrews to bo spoken concerning the Son of God. In Zcchariah there is a prophetic vision, apparently I'elatiug to the second advent of Christ, in which four chariots como forth drawn respectively by red, black, white, and grisled or pale horses, and it is said of them, " These are the four spirits of the Jtcavcns, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. ... So they walked to and fro through the earth." And as we arc informed in the hundred-and-fourth Psalm, that God " maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flaming lire," it seems plain tliat these heavenly chariots and horses represent angelic agencies, or companies of God's ministering servants ; aud this further accords with the sixty- eighth Psalm, where we are told that the chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels. The fact of the charitit-horses being also of the same four colours as thehornei under the first four eealfl, intimates similar agencies to be denoted in both of the visions. Hence we may naturally understand the horses to emblem- atize a iiost or company, and being of a docile, tractable, and gentle disposition, it a|)propriately denotes tlie company of God's people uuon earlh—tho church militmit— like as it was .''aid in the tentn of Zecharinh, "The Lord has vieitod his flock, the houRO of Judah, and made them his goodly horpo in the battle;" while the strongly contrasted opposite emblem, of a luiBshapeu, hideous, and savage wild beast, with seven heads and teahm-ns, suitably symbolizes the organized compnnj^ of the ungodly and apo.'^tate. Thk uift of TONouiis and increased faith to work miracles, and the having all things in common among Christians, and unparalleled lioldmjss in preaching the OoBpel, will characterize thii coniina i'i)atccgstal yutnouriug of the lloly Spirit., during the literalday first aeai, ia i&r greater measure even than dur- ing the Vontocostftl KovitiJ ia the Primitive Church at the GEEAT REVIVAL AND GIFT OP TONOUEa. 179 the yearday first seal.* Indeed it is only by the gift of tongues, and by their being miraculously removed from one place to another, like Philip or Elias i" that Christians on the earth would bo able at this time to preach the gospel to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, within the shore space of a few mouths: unless that widespread preaching is to be accomplished entirely by heavenly beings. This coming restitution of the gift of tongues, and other spiritual gifts and miraculous powers to the church militant, has -ong been foreseen by some deep students of Scripture. £he eminent Dr. Grabe, writing 150 years ago, 1713, upon tlie «mt '^^ ^ Iialf.ycar's persecution by Antichrist, said,— Those who have been long exercised in the discipline and patience of the cross, shall before the appearance of Antichrist, go forth preadiiu./ the kingdom of God and foretelling' the sudden coming of Antichrist. So mya Abbot Joachim, ' Book yn. do Tribulatione.' The persons whom God sliall (lesi<>nfor this high ollico and qualify to bear it, shall probably bo chosen hero and ther^, whom the Spirit of Wisdom shall instruct an 1 teach enter into tliem and fully possess tlicm, making them thereby friends of God, and prophets. At first sho will walk with them by crooked .ways, and bring fear and dread upon and torment thorn with her discipline, until she may trust their souls and try them by her Jaws j then will she return :ho etraiglit way unto them, and show them her secrets, To them also docs tlio great cliarter of the apostles extend : ' They shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if tiiey drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them.' For it is not said that thcso signs should fol- low tho apostles; but in gonernl all them that believe, and have the Pamo huth that thoy had, according to what is said, that all things are possiblo to them that believe.* So also St Peter doclaros that tho Promise of tho Spirit was not to themselves lud that generation only, but 'to their children also, and to all rm^iXi!'' '"• "Apo«tolio School of rro,.l,o(io Tntcrprotatio,.." .oui?B«vr?!i P 'l';'^'""!'«.';" yf"i«y oxpo^llor.. «uoh ttiDcnnWoocl. ijouio, myr,m\, h. lUckcrslolii. Cuiiinwlioni... iLmh, ..i.^ nt -/...--« .u^ |..,. ,«u» iuoraldity rulUlmont will be a similar event during • •hortei' Marl !»,. 10, XI. 23 , Mfttf. i>j. 21 , ;Ao xvii. 0, Act, U. 80. li •Si 180 a'ENTlI WOUDEB. thnt were afar off, oven to ns nimiy ns the Lord God should call.' It wns the opiiiioii oi" many of tlio lafhera, and the learned Mr. Dodwell as,-rr(8 itio have boon thn doctrine of the church (Dmcrf. C,/pi-ia;i), that miracles and gifta of the Holy Ghost would always accompany the church, and by conse- quence were never to cease, unless (which was hinted by many of thcli .Apressions) there should bo -van ting iit persona to ro- coivo cvd cxccnto thoso great commissions. Eusehius eayo, *Tho gift of prophecy mut^t conliuuc in the church till tiie samd coming of our Lord.' So Vojetan jjuts a question, why i/!p gifr of tongutM is not continued iu the church P And he iH,a.. Lhat the chief and groat reason seems to bo our luke- warmncs.^, and neglect in^' to fulfil that commaud of our Lord, of praying the Lord of the Harvest to send more labourers into his Jlarve.-t." Di. (Irabe also arguea from the fourth of Epliesiana, that these various gifts of tho Holy Spirit were bestowed upon apostle.s ju-ophctti, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, for t»»o endof perfecting tlieeaiuts, and of gathering anjl comploliinr a perfect cluuvh. iJut that this end is not vet attained, thore'- foro these gil'la cannot nltogetiier have cease'd, or been entirely withdrawn, aUhou-li they have cvidc^itly. been suspended and temporarily withdrawn as a mark of displeasure for the apos- tatizing of tho church froai her.iirst love, llo nevertheless expects a restoration of such gifts shortly before Antichrist's pcrdccution. Ukxc£ in rnosi'KCi' of these approaching Peutocostal out- pourings of Iho Holy Spirit, we may now bo oncouragod to sow widely the gospel seed tluit will then bring forth bo abuu- flaiit n Harvest in tho conversion of many Bouk, Tho shameful timidity which many CMiristiana now manifest in fearing to apeak of the coming persecution by Napoleon and tho delinito netrne?s of Christ's advent will then have vanished ; and the prophci.c truths advocated iu this volume will then be ffcnorally acknowledged and believed by true Christians. The present ignoraaco of tho Christian Church in relation to these oventa, which partly nr ,.^from its timc-scrviiig ministers being afraid of losing their salaries, or being exposed to ridicule ir tlj«y should give ii faithful warning, will then bo removed -: and unaroidabie (onvictiou of the reality of these fucti will in^iii* tibly fortM s?self ui»on the mind of every Christian believer. HAIL, FIEE, AND BLOOD TO TALL ON THE EAttTH. 181 ELEVENTH ATONDER. (Beginning about two years and eight inontlis after Iho Cove- nant, and fulfilled within tho next four months.) Thb FrnsT Thumpet causino hail and fire mingled with BLOOD to fall ON THE EATITII AND BURN UP TUE TIIIItT) paut op tkees and all gueen oibuss, after tiieue have BERN VOICES AND TIIUNDETIINGS AND LTGUTNINGS, AND AN EAETIIQUAKB A FEW DAYS PUEVIOUSLY. "And I saw tho seven anp^ela whicli Btood before God ; and to them were p;iven seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer ; and there was given unto him much incense, that ho should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon tho golden altar which was before the throne. And the snioko of tho incense, which came with tho prayers of tho saints, ascended up before Ciod out of the angel's hand. And tho angel took tho censer, and filled it with fire of tho altnr, and cast it iuto tlu) earth : and there were voices, and thunderinga, and ligiiluings, and an earth- quake. And tho seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. Tho first angel sounded, and there followed hail an 1 firo mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth : and tho third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up." — llev. viii. 2 — 7. The SEVEN tuumpets euccessively introduce God's judg- menis on tho world during tlie live years' interval between Christ's coming into tho air and his descent upon tlie earth at Armageddon. Tho seven seals, ruiming parallel with t.ie trumpets, depict God's providential dealings with tho church militant during tho same period ; and tho seven vials describe the concluding judgments poured out upon Antichrist's power and people.' • The ticicription of the iovon scalo (tops at tho cml of the first veno ol the eighth chapter of BeTclation, ami is coaimoncod again with tho nine- teenth ctiaptei. Tho trurapotn Ixiii;! an cnlirely no\Y lutd dilTtfircnt Berip» of •Tents iVom tho »eal», arj fnllilliut iliiring i\w »aino final live ycar^, ond run iiarullc: witli tho «eu!«. Ihpro aro five ditlVront visions—tho ■eMRi tlio trumpet*, the woiucu nml drgetou (Smv, 5.ii.^. tha tv^a wild beult (Ker. xiii.), tho 144,CX) and angel niPMatrea vB«v.xir.)— which all runpareUol with e»ch other in th«4p .respective fu.ulmenti during the ami fire yean. 182 ELEVENTH WONDEB. ThcBo trumpets bring down punishment upon the ungodly in answer to the prayers of tho saints, which are previous] v depicted as being presented befo'-o God with the much incense of Christ's atoning merits in a golden censor by our Mediatorial Higli Priest, tlio angel of the Covenant. The first four trum. pets respectively affect tho four leading departments of inani- mato creation— the earth, sea, fountains, and luminaries : then comes the cry, Woo to tho inhabiteiis of the earth, and tlioreupon tho remaining three trumpets specially afflict man- liind, as the leading portion of animate creation : and they also progressively increuao in severity and destructivenesa. But before tho lirst trumpet sounds, there will bo loud voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an EARTH- QUAKE, wliicli may bo expected by deductive inference from its bygone y«^ar-day fulfilment, to happen some time about two years and a half after the Covenant. Some idea of tho oflect that will bo produced upon iflen's minds by this coming Carthquako may bo conceived from tho following description Df a former one by an eyewitness. "Tho tottering buildings, the crashing of the timbers of the roofs and the faUing of tho tiles, together with tho loud rum- bling noiao underground, completely distract tho senses. I'oopio rush out of tho houses, but too frequently not to find ■lafety out of doors. They soon find that they cannot ke^p thoir footing without support ; they cling to one another, to Iroos, or to posts. Some throw themselves to the ground, but, the motion of the earth is so violent, that they are compelled to stretch out their arms to prevent thomselves from being Lo&cod over. ] lore and there the earth opens, and deep chasms present thotnsoives to their cyos. There are no moana oi pscaping from these throjitening dangers. PcrBons may retire in safety out of tho reach of an eruption of a volcano, they may easily avoid tho current of tho burning lava advancing towards them, and oven when suddenly overtaken by an inundation, liiey soon perceive in what direction they have to fly, to avoid being overwhelmed by the rushing volume of water ; but during an earthquake every one is impressed with the conviction, that wherever ho goes he places himself over th« focus of destruo- tion. " Feopie applkd iheinselvos to iuo exeroise of thoae religioui autiei, which m their opinion were most fitted to appease the wrath of heaven. Many nsacmblccraud passed through the otreeti HAIL, riBB, AND BLOOD TO FALL •;-< THB EAnill, 183 ia processions singing funeral byinns ; others thrown into a Btato of distraction by theso calamities, confessed their sins aloud in the streets ; numerous marriages were contracted between persons who for many years had neglected to sanction their union by tho sacerdotal benediction; children found parents by whom tlioy had not been acknowledged up to that time ; restitutions wero ])romised by persons who had never been accused of fraud or theft ; families whicli for many years had been estranged from one another by enmity and hatred, wc"e drawn together by the tie of common' sudering. Though these feelings, by which tho passions of some wero soothed, and tho hearts of others were open to pity and humanity, wero l)rcvalent, there wero not wanting otlij,r persona whoso indu- rated minds wero rendered more inhuiuiui and cruel." Afteb the Earthquake^ shall have liikcu place there will commence iu a month or two tho first trumpet, causing hail and fire mingled with blood to bo cast on tho earth and tho third part of trees, and all green grass to be burnt up. Thi»will be a literal repetition of one of tho plagues of Ijgypt, with tho superadded phenomenon of tho raining down of blood. In tho ninth chapter of Exodus, tho seventh Egyptian plague is thus described — " The Lord sent thunder and hail, and tho lire ran along upon tho ground ; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail and fire minged with tl^e hail very grievous, such as there was iiono like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all tho land of Egypt all that was in tho Held, both man and beast ; and tho hail smote every herb of the field and brake every tree of tho Held, Only in the land of Goshen, where tho children of Israel wero, was there no hail. . . And the flax and the barley was smitten, for tho barley was in th > ear, and the flax was boiled. But the Avhoai; and tho rye wero not smitten, for they wore not grown up." ' Id the year-dfty fulfilment this earthquake signifies mighty poll! -al conrulaions in tlio Koniari Empire between A.D. 180 ond 2oO, and tho Ilrst trumpet denoted Gothic inTusions from A.D. 250 to 305 ; the iocond trumpet, barbarian aasaulta and tho lack of Rome, 3G5 to 412 ; tiio third trumpet, poiioniuff oi' tho channels of rclisious tcaohing by NoBtoriun hereaioi, 412 to 476 { the fourth trumpet, cciipio of Eastern Empire, 476 to 612. Hence their position in tho literal-day fulfUroent h d-^ductirBly discoverod, as here Btated. (See diagram 4.) 11 184 ELEVENTH WONDER. i I :i IP' Very similar to this Egyptian plague will be the effects of the first trumpet ; and the Prophet Joel seems evidently to refer to it in his predictions : — " Alas for the day ! for the day of the Lord is at hand : and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. . . How do the beasts groan ! The herds of cattle are perplexed because they have no pas- ture ; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate. O Lord, to thee will I c j, for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness and the flame hath' burned all the trees of the field." This agrees with another prophecy in Joel — " I will show wonders in the heavens, and in the earth blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the gi'eat and the terrible day of the Lord come." The descending showers of fire mingled with hail will some- what resemble tlio fire that fell upon Job's sheep and consumed them. The hail, too, is probably the same which was spoken of in the thirty-eighth chaiiter in the book of Job — " Hast thou entered into the t»v , .;i 'es of snow (saith the Lord) or hast thou seen the treasv. •,:< of the hail which I have reserved against the time of troi ' \ < inst the day of battle and war." The result of such a dor i,,ouring of flakes of fire upon the terrified inhabitants of tlie \:xi\\ may be better imagined from the following statement by a South Carolinian ' planter about the fall of fiery meteors in his ueiglibourhood in 1833, as related in Dr. Dick's " Sidereal Heavens " : — "I was suddenly awakened by the' most distressing cries that ever fell on my cars, IShrielcS of horror, and cries of mercy I could hear from most of tho negroes on three planta- tions, amounting in all to fi;x or eight hyindred. While earnestly listening for the cause, I heard a;^iat voice near the door calling my name. I arose, and takirnj.my sword, stood at tho door. At this moment I heard the;s|fie voice beseech- ing mo to rise, and saying, 'The world ' is; Ott firo!' I then opened the door, and it is difficult to say whi-ch excited mo most, tho awfulneas of the scene or tho dist'resscif cries of the negroes. Upwards of ouo h uudrod lay prbstrfjt^o^ ^% ground, some speechless, and some uttoring the Vitieicj^t' cries; but most, with their hands raised, im|)loring,Godi(o.8avo the world and them. Tho scene was truly awful, for never did rain fall thicker than the meteors fell' towards the earth: east, west, north, and south it was the same I " GEEAT WAE BETWEEN MICHAEL AND SATAN. 185 Thus similarly under this first trumpet will there be indis- putable tokens of the arrival of the day of vengeance which the most l^ardened sceptics will be unable to gainsay ; and what a scene of devastation will those regions present which are affected by this judgment. The verdant pastures, the waving fields of wheat and barley, the trees of the forest with their luxuriant foliage, and the flowery meadows with their variegated hues, will be at once transformed into bleak, charn and blackened ruins, with thick clouds of smoke here and thei u rolling upwards from the earth, as if from some vast sacrificial holocaust in adoration of Antichrist as TWELFTH WONDER. (About two years and eleven months after the Covenant.) Great War between tub ARcnANGEL Michael and Satan, and the casting down op Satan and his ANQELS FROM THE AERIAL HeAVENS TO THE EaRTH. "And there was war in heaven : Michael and his angels fought against the dragon ; and the dragon fought and liis angels, and prevailed not ; neither was their place founH. any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which doceiveth the whole world : he was cast out into the earth, and hia angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come sal- vation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ : for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcamp him by the bloodof th(^Lamb,and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye hoavens, and yo that dwell in tliem. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea ! for the devil is cone down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the womaUj which brought forth the man chill."— Eev. xij. 7— 13. In THE SECOND and sixth chapters of Ephesians, Satan isciUed, "The Prince of the power of iho air,'' uod evil spirits are IMAGE EVALUATIOh; TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 J2 I" m M i.8 U III 1.6 y. v; Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREIT WCBSTER.N Y 14580 (716) iri^sos fd .^\^ C\ \ ^ ^\ '^:%% ^ \ '^ UN 186 TWELFTH WONBEB. I described n3 being " wkkcd s\)[ritain7icavenJi/ places.'*^ Com- ' paring these statements with the account of Siitan presenting himself before the Lord in lieaven, and uttering insinuations against Job, and again* with the narrative of the lying spirit entering into the presence of the Lord on his throne in heaven, and declaring its intention of enticing Ahab to Hill at Ramoth Gilead, we cannot avoid the conclusion that Satan and his angels, have mysterious access to the heavens, as well as to the earth, during these probationary dispensations. And this conclusion is further confirmed by the incidental assertion made at the time of his war with Michael, that " he accuses the brethren and people of Christ before God day and night," obviously in just the same way as ho accused Job. It ia unquestionably stated in the epistles of Peter and Judethat certain fallen angels, who were specially instrumental in causing the antediluvian apostacy of mankind, have been already oast down into hell, and are at present reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of tlio great day ; but they are obviously only a particular part of all the innumer- able evil angels, legions of whom are ovon now restlessly going to and fro about this earth, under Satan's leadership, seeking whom tliev may devour. This conclusion is maiutalued by Birks, Beale, Kitto, and other profound Bible students. The llev. T. E. Birks says : — •' The view which has long been current in pbpular theology that the great adversary and his angels were instantly cast down from heaven into tliO lo\-.est pit of hell, and there tor- mented with fiery judgments, is chielly founded qn two passages of the VVcrd of God in 2 Peter ii. 4, and Jude 6. But these are very far from bearing the weight of bo vast an inference. Angels in both cases are mentioned indefinitely ; so that the words do not apply by any necessary construction to all the angels who have sinned. And besides, while both passages evidently refer to the same event, the second, in its further mention of the cities of the plain, afllrms the sin of these angels to have been some form of unnatural sm". Accordingly, in the early times of the church, they were \i8ually applied to the event in Gen. vi. 2—4, and viewed as a luUer statement of the tin of the sons of God, with its de- Horved puniBhmont. This view of the meaning has been revived in modern times, and is Buppurted by the Bimpieot iaws » Epb. u. 2 » TJ. 12, nmrgiiml r«juJipg. » I Klngi ixli. 2X j Job i., U. I GKEAT AVAU BETWEEN MICHAEL AND SATAN. 18/ ?L*''*iu*''"?' }"" °^Vx^ t'^^ passages, while it agrees with all the other features of the eacred text. It will follow that thia was a second and not a first angelic apostasy; and because of the unnaturalness of the crime, and its more external andvibible character, was visited with instant judgment." Hence although some fallen angels aro at present bound in chains of darkness, yet many others are still with Satan roaming at large through the aerial regions, and the deliverance and purification o| these regions from their hateful and rn®fnfi^^'"^'^''f '^'^^^^'"T necessary when Christ descends into the lower heavens, and gathers his saints raised up and translated from the earth to meet him in the air. Therefore wiihs'it^n^n^'r^f^'-'^^" then engage in a violent conflic? with batan and hia legions, and drive them down altogether to the surface of the earth, and no longer allow them to rise above It.; The furious rage of Satan, in consequence, is the prime origin and secret mainspring of the great tribulation. TtV.Tvv^'T^''''^'' »'« «°"rse. An able writer named Charlotte Elizabeth, in a treatise on "Principalities and Powers," has thus sketched these future occurrences _ 'In various parts of Scripture, but more particularly in the discourses ot our Lord, shortly before his crucifixion, we are ^J^'l'^''^ ^l ? Vonod -immed-mtdy preceding the commence- S »;fL " ^ S^r°''' ''^'S'' "P°" «'^''*^^'' '^^•''^^ tribulation such as the world have never yet seen shall prevail, if not universally, at least in those parts of the eartl/ to wl ich To rather, the celestial Being who came to instruct Daniel : 'At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which time of troub 0, sfteh as never was since thcrQ was a natior even to that time.' « This is mentioned as taking pla^eat tA' ime^f the destructaon of what we have every reason to boHovi 18 he Purk-sh empire; ot tho end of which wo are tdd lher(. was war m heaven, Michael and his augcls fought of liaan Jm in Tiq'"^ fulfilment of tho twelfth of lloTelaticn, the downikU 01 1 agai ism m 823 ib generally admittfld to havo been proflffurca bvth« o«Ungdownof Satan ,a,ul a, 828 w«. 215 year. boA.ro tK ? iuLnS begtum eaSA.!, therrforotho literal-day c.«ting .lo«n ofk I tJl bJ tha'Jny f 'S*' "'*t *^«l'«"l««ve„ monL before iLo 1200 day. , « » L l!!!.™'^*°f.^'»^^«°''."L"^''»y«"». ttn matter of boi^Bting among nations professedly Christian. One of his first achievements in this closing convulsion will be to put the nations in battle array, ono against another, and all against God. Earthquakes, famines, pestilences, fearful sichts, and supernatural signs, domestic treachery, and public nostility, are all enumerated as concurrent evidences of tho timo when tho three ' spirits of devils ' * shall have entered upon their in- fernal mission. The ' fearful sights ' which are spoken of in luch * Bpt. xii. 13, * Kov. ill. 10. » B«T. xvi. 18t BATAN CAST DOWN TO THE EAETn. 180 connexion as to make it plain tliey will be of a supernatural character, are hero represented as the performance of miracle- working deyils.^ The great Antichrist is described as him whose coming 18 after the working of Satan, with all power and signs, and hing wonders, and all deceivableness of un' nghteousness ;" and though in a measure thft has been characteristic of the Papacy from its first rise, still we are led to expect a very great accession of devilish power at that time. When the Lorflis approaching to destroy the deceiver with the brightness of his coming. There is, so to speak, an antagonist • "^T"'^ /f ^°^^''^' described when the Lord himself comes to judge and to reign ; when the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, each contribute a seducing devil, invested with extra- ordinary powers, to tempt the kings and nations of the earth to battle against the Lord God Almighty. Great indeed must bo the liberty given to the evil one when he will thus far prevail • and that he lacks only liberty to accomplish it, is clear enou-h! J or when leave was granted him to alUict Job, wo have seen " now his herds, flocks, servants, bouses, children, and health passed away, as it were, in a moment: 'like a rolling thin'' before the whirlwind.' Let Satan, therefore, receive a tem° porary power to convulse our globe, and what fearful 'earth- quakes will ensue ? Let the ripening harvest be delivered un to his disposal, and * famine' wUt stalk abroad in forms never betore witnessed; while the 'pestilence,' in his fierce, maUg. nant hand, will transform the healthiest population into heaps 01 loathsome corruption. ^ " God can arm his spiritual creatures with a terrible power over mortal life. The destroying arg;l who smote the Egyp. tians 18 an instance of the rapid movement with which a multi- tuae may be mown down ; and it is remarkable also in being not a protfiiscuous slaughter, like that of Sennacherib's army. but a caretul selection made from every family in every house. jngel. too, smote tho people of Israel when David had numbered them, the description of whose prociH-diiigs is awfully grand. (1 Sam. ixiv. 26.) And in tho next verso we are tolcl, Uavid saw the angel that smot-a tho people ;' iherofore to resolve it, as some attempt to do, into a figurative inodo of expression, ib unwarrantable ; it was a real angel of God ; aud even such was Satan before he fell ; and what a holy angel caa 00 by divine command, that can tho foul auostats nisif dn \\v diviiw permiiyiion. '- - — >^^ ' B Theti. ii. 9, i 190 TWELETn WONDEE. I ! " But a far more perilous feature of theae predicted times of trial is the seduction to bo practised. Satan understands the varieties of the human character ; he knows there are niany whom open persecution would rouse rather than intimidate, and for lliem, and for God's true people, he has snares in reserve. He can make Ins own murderous acts appear as the righteous judgment of the Most High. In the Revelation we are told, that the Papal wild beast ' doeth great wonders, so that ho maketh fire to come down from heaveh on the earth in the sight of men ; and that he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he hath power to do.' (Kev. xiii. 13.) We may naturally conclude, that his object is to assume divine authority for what he does, by bringing the destructive element down, as when the Lord rained fire and brimstone upon the cities of the plain ; for even 80 he wrought to terrify Job, while he stripped him of his pos- sessions.^ "Domestic treachery, arming kindred hands, is also pre- dicted (Luke xxiv. IG), so that *a man's foes shall be they of his own household.' This is a very ancient device of iSatan ; he first rendered Evo *}\o deadliest foe of her husband and of her whole posterity, ay lead'ng her t: transgrewi; he then guided the hand of the first man born into the world to slay his brother ; and history, sacred and profane, is but a record of. bis successful plots against the peace of families and of kingdoms, by means of «very species of treachery. Here, as of old, ho will make his delusions -avail to draw the . deluded into all cruelty and bloodshed. His terrible crafc is able to persuade a man that falsehood is truth, and that in slaying the righteous, * ho doeth God service.' Hence the snare against which tho Lord most fully and emphatically warned his first disciples, and against which ho also fore-arms us — false Cbriats and false prophets. Wo know that just previous to the destruc- tion of Jerusalem, where, no douut, Satan hoped to involve tho Christians in the general ruin, several deceivers assumed the name of Christ, and drew away many after them : it is plain that, in some way, these pretensions will again be put forth ; and wo have reason to lock steadily at thit which is already written, lest any seeming revelation, contradictory to what IS given to be our guide unto the end of the world, should be contrived, to deceive, if it wero possible, the very 6iC'ct. Tho gtjQt-rul eipuctatioa, pfevtuliiig moj/o uud uuiid SATAN CAST DOWN TO THE EAETIl. 191 throughout the church, of our Lord's promised comiiier, will douhtless furnish the cunning adversary with an additional means of annoyance and destruction. Already, and for cen- turies past, he proclaimed, ♦ Behold ! he is in the secret cliam- , bers !' to the eternal loss of unnumbered souls, who, believing the lie, have worshipped an idol enclosed in a box upon the Papal altars ; deifying the senseless paste in Christ's stead, and perishing in their sin. Literally and distinctly is a ' false Christ* held forth for public worship Ijy the ' false prophets' of Eome to this day; and no one is justified in questioning the express fulfilment, to the letter, of all that our Lord has foreshown. Here, too,- there is warrant enough in the Old Testament to satisfy the most incredulous. When the King of Israel was to be enticed to battle at Eamoth Gilead, where he fell, a ' lying spirit' possessed the whole company of his prophets, so that they all predicted his success in the name of the Lord. Tie ' who was a liar from the beginning' put into their mouths this unauthorized ])rediction ; even as he tempted the old prophet of Bethel to deceive thq man of God who came out of Jndah ; and in like manner tlie Jewish people were continually trangressing through the perfidious words of their ungodly teachers, saying, 'Peace, peace,' where there was no peace. There seems to bo a prevailing belief among Christians, that the enmity of the last day will break forth in the form of open, outrageous infidel defiance of God and his Christ ; and so it probably will to a great exte^jt, but surely not exclusively so ; Satan will not wholly give up his old craft of forging God's name and authority for deeds most desperately subversive of his laws, and insulting to his majesty. ' That old serpent* retains the designation, and, no doubt, the deep, subtle plausibility which it implies, to the very moment when an elect angel lays hold on him, and binds him, and shuts and t-eals him -up, « that he should deceive tho nations no more till the thousand years should bo fulfilled.' " Such considerations would render us more watchful against forms of error, creeping with serpent-like guile into tho Church liaelf, and stealing on tho unguarded points of tho citadel, where, as no open enemy la descried, no adequate dei'enco is prepared. • ''-^nd the preaching of the cross is a cross to tho preacher, wuat !• highly CBtoemed 'ftmong men, and ift be nothing that Id2 TWELFTH "WONDEB. Christ may bo all. Line upon line, line upon line; precept upon precept, precept upon precept ; tbe wearisome repetition of that one story, ' Jesus Christ came into the world to sare sinners ;' that one warning, ' He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him ;' that one direction, ' Eepent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out :' such a mode of dealing with a world dead in trespasses and sins, will never give the preacher undue pre- eminence among men, but it will glorify his Master, and save 30uls. , . , - , . . , " Oh that ministers and congregations would bear m m-nd, equally bear in mind how great a stake the enemy has m drawing away their minds from the unadorned simplicity that is in the doctrines of the cross. , . , , " But the doctrine of the crown is another which he now struggles with all his infernal might to suppress. A crucified Saviour, an atoning sacrifice, a mediating High Priest ui heaven, he loathes to think on, or to 8uff"er his bond slaves to hear of; but a reigning king, about to rescue the earth from all his usurpations, to plant his throne in righteousness in tho midst of his people, to send forth his word from Zion, and his law from Jerusalem, this is the very knell of Satan's departure ; and to stifle tho sound he will foster humility itself, any grace by the perversion of which he may hope to seal the preacher's lips on that fearful topic. For eighteen centuries he has heard the petition resounding on all sides, 'Thy kingdom come;' and he cares not bow often ic is reiterated (as witness the Papacy, with its everlasting repetitions of Paternosters), so long as men do not inquire into the nature of that 'coming kingdom, or watch for its approach . An imi)erfect G ospel he can tolerate, and in our day that is an imperfect Gospel which omits tho great truth ot a speedy manifestation of the Lord from heaven. Tho sound of his conqucror'n chariot wheels is a fearful sound to Satan ; and knowing that nothing will so surely turn tho attention of the Church upon himself as the heralding of Christ's npproach, ho will strike almost any bargain, ot which a con'ditiou is tho silencing of that ominous voice. " In connection with this part of the subject, we may call to mind tho parablo of our Lord, where ho describes the pro- ceedings of the unclean spirit, who has left for a time his r iluDitutiuii, OB aistingUiSiicu iXv i.'U^i. fiACunfiial nmiilninn 'li.1 CXIUL- which God only can accomplish. We may be oBsured that FLIGnX OE CnEISTIANS INTO A WILDEBNESS. 193 attempts at such re-entrance, under aggravated forms, into every, person who may appear to have been delivered from the power of Satan, will be made as the time shortens, and the enemy's rage increases; and hence the cruel treachery that Christ's people must look for at the hands of their nearest connections and dearest companions. Many an Ahithophel will be found ; many a Judas to revolt from his friend, and to betray his Master: and many an unsuspecting Christian will have to take up thO; prophetic, complaint of his betrayer, ' It was thou, a man, mine equal, mv guide, and mine acquaint- ance' (Paa. Iv. 13, 14)." '' ° ^ ^ n-rmilainn THIRTEENTH WONDER. (Beginning partially about two years and two months, and fully about two years and eleven months, after the Covenant.) Flight op many Chbistians into a wilderness, into a place peepabed op god, wueke they abe aptebwaeds MIBCULOUSLT FED DUBINO XU£ TUBEE AND A HALF YEAB3' GUEAT PEB8ECUTI0N. " And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place p»epared of God, that they should feed her there a thou- sand two hundred and threescore days And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great ea^le, that she might fly into the wilderness, luto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and tmies, and half a time, from thg face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood alter the woman, that he might cause her to be carried awav of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood wh* -h the dragon cast out ot his mouth. And the dragon was wrath with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which ^eep the commandjnents of God, and have the tcotimouy of Jeaus thribt."— Kev. xii. G, 13—17. inciubivo. Ix IS NAiuuAL that many of the Christians that are left on 194 TniETEENTH WONDEE. the earth after the ascension of the \vise virgins, should ttxirr measures to escape, as far as possible, from those regjions, which they foresee to be the appointed scene of Antichrist's persecu- tion ; and it seems that a very largo proportion of them will be led by divine guidance-, and probably by some direct super- natural commiviication. to -flee to a wiMerness, into a special place that will have been prepared of God for them ; and thus their minds will be delivered from perplexing anxieties as to the direction in which they fihould bend their steps m order to' secure a safe refuge. There will proball^ ,.p at least between half a million and am'lliontrue Christians in the British Isles, flad about the same number in the Unified States and Canada at this period ; and the exodus and conveyance of even halt of them to some distant wilderness will be a very formidable and difficult under- taking, for only a small proportion of people in general are capable, in these days of pcysical and muscular degeneracy, ot travelling on foot ten or tiventy miles a day for many days together, and camping out in the qpen air at night, while living too upon fare of the commonest description. Here, then, appears the need of that special miraculous aid which is predicted to be bestowed : " And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness." These words seem to point to similar assistance beincr vouchsafed ns was granted to the Israelites in the wilder- nc?s?of whom it is -mid, "There was not one feel^le person amidst their tribes*/' and " thy foot swelled not, nor did thy rniment wax old upon thee these forty years" (Deut. viii. 4). In reference to them also God said, **Te have seen how Ibare you on eagle's wings, and brought you unto myself • (lixod. six. 4). Hence the giving of eagle's wings probably signifaes the bestowmeiit of supernatural vigour and powers of endur- ance for travelling the long journey to the appointed place in the wilderness ; and there may be help extended to the escap- iuj ful eaiuts, i ril&HT OP THE STMBOIICJ VOMAN. 157 and immortal world *''"''""o 01 an eye into the b^iritual J spTift 53,ss«5:- 'srir,K; unfaithful wife in C hnn " i ^^^ P''^''®^ ^^"^'^ but an alone in hrrUpless state 1A''^'"'T'-,"A'^ ^°^ «^^^ ^^ ^^^ menials. ^ ^ *° *^® unskilful care of hired ^^^e.tml^Ti^!;^^^^ ^^sb Ho will upon thee in this the hour^of S trt 1 iSt ^ "' '?;^V^^^on ' the woman fled into the wilSnei 'where 3^^^'°' ^'^'^ joy itself to the dread reality' O ChnrI f tf ^ symbol is of this symbolic prophMT of thf r^f, '? ""« '■"'■■pretaboa extinction. AnS ^rf Jl'L'ljMTffiP'",?' <^<"!^ »f -tter ff .pi«e, if aod hadnot .ti^wrgCVS^rd g?.t 198 TKiaTEENTH WOJTDEH. towards her, intimated in the prophecy by extending towards her hia own helping hand, and still preserving her life, sym- bolized by the woman's flying into the wilderness on the two wings of a great eagle, where she hath a place pi'epared of G-od for her, that she may be nourished with care and her strength gradually restored ; for God hath still work for her to do. " We are quite aware of the eifects of such an interpreta- tion, and that the unqualified avowal of these convictions must almost of necessity offend all, simply because every man has a secret reservation in his own mind, having reference 10 that particular section of the whole body to which he is hiinself attached ; so that, whilst he views with comparative complacency the possible application of the severest denun- ciations against all others, he fondly indulges the hope that his own party in the Church may prove an exemption to the general rule. \f^o pause but it is only to reiterate with more emphasis and deliberation our own solemn convictions, as derived from the light of the prophecy now under conside- ration, that evert/ form of ecclesiastical government, as now existing ni the universal Church, will dissolve and melt away under the ell'ects of that shock which they will receive by the translation of a certain number of her members from mortality into immortality, whilst they themselves are left beliind, in the * outer darknesj' of that great day of God Almighty. "What all ? — yea, all — all dissolved, in order that all may bo reconstituted — all broken to pieces, to be rebuilt upon a firmer foundation — disjointed, that, with the materials thus broken, the more perfect mosaic may be formed — a still more glorious temple of God may arise out of the ruin — even that taber- nacle against which the triple confederacy of evil shall direct its rage in vain— a tabernacle of living men, raised into a spiritual temple after the pattern of that heavenly one which shall then bo in the cloud of glory, and in which nothing that is unholy or unclean shall bo able to abide ; ond, therefore, noyorwi of sectarlauism or spiritual pride shall stand before the goze of those, who rule in that house, for thov have the eyes of fire to ' disce.n between tho righteous and the wicked, between him that servcth God und him that serveth II im not.* " It is impoBsible not to bo struck with tho wonderful accu- rncy and significance with which these events correspond with the rt'ality in tho figure itself, if there be any moment when a huBbaud'i<« heart }» drawu out in Ioyo towarus his wife more FLIOHT OP THE SYMBOLIC WOMAN. 19a than any other, and when jo has jf Vr+r";'!, .•' """ "'^^u uo lias no remembrance of herfaultq It .8 that hour imrnediately after she has.pasaed through the cr s of parturition and when she is thereby reduced to much S ' ^Zl r" V? °^ ^'^'y adventitious' claim to his roRard ai unadorned with any outward embelli.hmenta. yet stilfl i 'Co revives, and he remembers only the days of their youth Vl^u first heir mutual pledge of love was exchanged.^ Ad tu Cmrl Tl"" '-"J ^»y>,«*^een God and his frail spo so. "o -the tearsZff'iT^^'^ escape from her overburdiucd ea ? down her cheeks n^? T^ '''^'' '\r'^ ^""^'^^ «^«««««io^^ !;!;?.»« cheeks— and her groans, tho utterance of dccn IZThrT ^"''r "^"^ ^^^P'*^'^ to be mistaken, uu I iml cate a broken and contrite spint, which in tho si- 'ht of Go are of great price, far more acceptable to Him than \X! decked cut in all her habiliments if "do and glorv ! Wa transcendent grace he turneth no mo. . from the vofce of 1 c ThoE'T' f ^"T ^'.""''^^ ' ^>^'^«"" bemoaning hin.self L ' Thou hast chastised me, nncl I was chastised, a. u bu o^k unaccustomod to the yoke: turn thou me. and I sIkU bo turned, for thou art tho Lonl my God. iSu I'dv, after t nt I was turned, I repented ; and affcr that I wal' in traced I smoto upon ,»y thigh: I was ashamed, yea. even ^onSded because I d.i bear tho reproach of my youth. rS-'i m my dear son ? .. he a pleasant child ? for since I spake a '^ [ S a^; rn t fl^'^'fy remember him still ; therelori my to oh eve7?l!i ?f r tl^\ '*"\ V^^rposcB of lovo and mercy towards even tlid unhuthtul and unlov iig Church left bphirul u- .;? hough «he had sufficient SRiritual^strcngth to give bh nto ' uto thi'JlT "°' Posf«B energy to sustain \er of g? ^eatt'^r-tTT ^^'^^.^°"St»^" «iJ of the ' two wing. oVo great eagle, which are given her to en- "jIo her to rc.iHi f I.n . f',?.^" "«MAi''n'o in tho ^ilderncs. durine tl,« .l.r„. -j tr.hether Komani;t8^;;Sc^;an^ "ul SZ headlong mto sanguinnry strifes about disputed 'pointi,7o! I ^ ^i Ml If 202 FOTJnTEENin WONDEB. ducing internecine, as well as international conflicts; and civil as well as foreign wars will combine to take peace from the earth. The state of things will be similar to 'that in Asa's time, when •' there was no peace to him that went out, nor to liim that came in ; but great vexations were iipqn all the inhabitants of the countries; and nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city, for God did vex them with all adver- eity."— 2 Chron. xv. 5, 0. Some further conception of the coflditiou of alFairs, when peace shall bo taken from the earth, and men shall kill one another, may be obtained from reading of past events in Josephus's time, when — "The disorders in all Syria were terrible, and every city was divided into two armies encamped one against another, and the preservation of the one party was the destruction of the other : so the day-time' was spent in the shedding of blood, and the night in fear. There were besides disorders and civil wars in every city : and all those that vvere quiet from the Romans turned their hands one against another. There was also a bitter contest between those that were fond of war, and those that were desirous of peace. At first this quarrelsome temper caught hold of private families, whd could not agree among themselves ; after which tiiose people that were the dearest to one anotlur, brake through all restraints wii/h regard to each other, and every one associated with those of his own o_pinion, and begun already to stand in opposition one to another, so that seditions uroso everywhere, while those that were for innovations, and were desirous of war, by their youth and boldness, were too hard for the aged and the prudetjt men ; and in the first place, all the people of every place betook themselves to rapine: after which they got together in bodies, in order to rob the people of tlio country, insomuch that for barbarity and iniquity, those of the samo nation did no way diller from the lioinans ; imy, it scorned a much ligiiter thinj» to be ruined by the Koniana than by themselves." — Wars, book iv., ch. iii. 2, G; and ii., xviii. 2. This BOCond-SDal-period of universal pniguinary strife ia simultaneous with the casting down of Satun aild the first exi)edition of Ezekicl's prophetic Frinoe Gog (Napoleon) ; and it will CQutiuu'j for uearlv "ovon op cijrht mouths-, uiitd tho midst of the seven years, when Antichrist's three years ami a half begin, and the third soul ia opened. DANGEE OP THE UNCbKVEIlTED. £03 peril of those who ffvfl ,T„i. . "^""fd minister, as to the iyrepent^^tdtrrthrLr/e '" '"''' '^™°°'' |iot spnro, noitirSl" jK-' 'T^.^o! tr ?,"'' ""' headed rcrdong finf i,n.r-. r ^i-- "'■."'"'^ oi this, old crey. Christ j^fyou'dietLsvouw^^^ '" f "-S "^^^' '''''' ««»?« t^o merchants and labouro f'Jhn ,"'^"^ P"'''^"^' ''«'-d-«orking for Jesus, tlfeVcarl of '^reTt^^ ^° "«^^^" all who are carefSl and fronblo 1 oh . ""^ ""^ *^,'^>' •^^'^ ^^^^^I'^^. forget the one tl in " h^ s noodf,?! "^'"f *'''"-"' ^''^ ^''^^ sore slan.hter. Thin .r ?iJ '1^"!'/°" ^'«° ^^^'I ^«" in the out prayer, yet in mirth "f' . •>"/.'"- Porsoiis, who live with. and I liappj ^/Sabbau! ^^^ ^ton^iillttSl-t^^ *^''?f or your own ove^" voiu inn w;ii I- ii • "'' '" '"^ sight Think of tin-s'-littirchid^n vou Lr "'^f ^-^^'^ ^^""Sht^er. mother'H heart l-t wh/. 1 u l^gon 'tt^K '' 'T spealung ii.s. Little children, wim arc Ld of vi? ""r"^' but are not fond of cominir to Jo.us Chr st ul.nf /, c ^ •''^'' of litt e children the sunivl u-i i ^"^^s"^' who is the Saviour a sore shunW er t^at vvi n T, °" ^^^ ^^«^- ^U ! it i« make mirth? la 7^1 n^Ll? . ?,° ^"^''t'on, should -^vo rationalbcin's? Conv ./"""• ^'^ / '^ ''^'^^'Y oi' for mirth and auiusem l SuTf''"""^'',^ !"^^^ ^° «'"t^'^ when you an/i.rsuch a cn^P ^ 1 T." '"",• ° '"'^^'' *°8^ther tra«t L Nvhon a'd-eavs J]lnf ; ''^ ^T'^J ^111 thS con- them!' ^^'^ '^ajs, JJmd them in bundles to burn iin.u 10 Keep to cominandnicTif^ /»f r3,>.i w < " koq. your OS Iron, u,Zv 1 h^ t ' ™ ,r ^17."'' '™'' '." ami ciiTj, ouil luKitousnoss ! if over von" l,n7.'.V ^ ; •... ...aucc, I fane, most uncoonTtcJ .„c„ J,:;e"ta i'tTrf ov^r yt'tovo pirr--=-= 204) NECESSITY OF ABIDING IN CHEIST. tried this, did you not fiud it impossible ? It was like rai8inj» the dead. Did you not find a struggle against yourself? O liow plain that you are dead — not born again. Marvel not that we say unto you, ye must be bom again. Tou must be joined to Christ, for Christ is the life. Suppose it were pos- sible for a dead limb to be joined into a living body, so com- pletely that all the veins should receive the purple tide of livinj? blood ; suppose bone to join on to bone, and sinew to sinew, and nerve to nerve, do you not see that that limb, how- ever dead before, would become a living limb. Before, it was cold, and stiff, and motionless, and full of corruption ; now, it is warm and pliable, and full of life and motion. It is a living limb, because joined on to that which has life. Or, suppose it possible for a withered branch to be grafted into a living vine, so completely that all the channels should receive the flow of the generous gap, do you not see that that branch, however dead before, becomes a living branch ? Before, it was dry, and fruitless, and withered ; now, it iS full of sap, of life, and vigour. It is a living branch, for it is joined to the vine, which ia its life. "Well, then, just in the same way, Christ is the life of every soul that cleaves to Him. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Is your soul like a dead limb— cold, stiff, motionless, and full of corruption ? Cleave to Christ ; bo joined to him by faith, and you shall be one spirit ; you shall bo made warm, and vigorous, and full of activity, ia God's service. . " Is your soul like a withered branch, dry, fruitless, and withered, wanting both leaves and fruit? Cleave to Christ; be joined to him, and you shall be one spirit. You will find it true that Christ is the life ; your life will be hid with Christ in jQod. You will say, I live ; * yet not I, but Christ liveth in mo ; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved rae, and gave Him- self for me.' " Ilouiembcr, then, ray unbelieving friends, the only way for you to become holy is to become united to Christ. And remember too, my believing friends, that if ever you are relaxing in holiness the reason is, you are relaxing your hold on Christ. ' Abide in mo, and I in you,' he says, ' so shall ye I ear much fruit :' severed from me, yo can do nothing. " if you have eouio to Jcbuh, God lovea yoii frueiy. IfyOii believe on him that justifleth the ungodly, your faith is KEEP TOUnSELVEa FROM IDOLS. 205 counted for righteousness. As long as you came to God ia your own righteousness you were vile, loathsome, condeinued; mountains of iniquity covered your soul ; but blessed, bli'st^ed, blessed be the Holy Spirit who has led you to Jesus. You have come to God's righteous servant, who by his knowledge justifies many, because he bears their iniquities. Tour sins are covered, God sees no iniquity in you ; God loves you freely, his anger is turned away from you. What have you to do then any more with idols ? Is not the love of God enough for thee ? The loving and much loved wife is satisfied \\\t\\ the love of her husband ; his smile is her joy, she cares little for any other. So, if you have come to Christ, tl^y Maker is thine husband ; his free love to you is all you need, and all you can care for; there is no cloud between you and God; there is no veil between you and the Father ; you have access to him who is the fountain of happiness, of peace, of holiness ; what have you to do any more with idols? Oh ! if yjur heart swims in the rays of God's love, like a little mote swimming in the sunbeam, you will have no room in your heart for idols. " Oh my friends, have you felt the lovo of God ? Do you feel the sweot, full beams of his grace shining down upon your soul ? Have you*received the dew of his Spirit ? How can you, then, any more love a creature that is void of the grace of God ? AVhat have you to do any more with idols ? Dear young persohs, abhor the idea of marriage with the uncon- verted. Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Marry only in the Lord. Remember, if it be otherwise, it is a forbidden marriage. There may be none on earth so kind or faithful as to forbid the banns. Earthly friends may be kind and smiling ; the marriage circle may be gay and lovely : but God forbids the banns. But may there not be a lawtul attachment? I believe there may; but take heed it be not an idol. They are happiest who are living only for eternity, who have no object in this world to divert their hearts from Christ. ' The time is short; it remaineth that they who have wives be as though they had none.' ' What have I to do any more with idols F' " Earthly pleasure is a smiling, dazzling idol, that has ten thousand worshippers, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. What have you to do any more with this idol P Some- tioiei it IB a gross idol, ibe theatre it one of its temples, 206 LOVE NOT THE WOULD. there it sita enthroned. The tavern is another, where its reehng staggering votaries sing its praise wTat have yo^^^ to do xy.th these ? Have you the love of God in your sJul the Spirit ot God m you ? How dare you cross the threshoW of a theatre or a tavern any more ? What! the Spirit of God mit : taT':?t'°SP '' " *^^^^ °^ '"^^ boiste'rous Lrr' meiit o a tavern ! Shame on such practical blasphemy ! jVfo • leave them dear friends, to be cages of devils and of even'' unclean and hatefu bird. You m°ust never cross the^ ^^l dani-nT? T% ^^"^^ 'V?^ ^ '^y °f ^^"^^'^ cards, dice, nevpr i!f J 1?7" -"^^ '^^ * "'' *^^*= ^f y°^ love them you have fnl % ?^ / *']^ f^" ^* *^^ ^e^ creature. If you feel the love of God and the Spirit, you will not lightly sin these iovs Sf dice WuT r,f f ^« °f T^s, or t& ra'ttling of se S less dice. What shall I say of simpering tea-parties, the meZZ" IfT""' g°1'.PP^??. and' useless cafls w hout meaning, s ncerjty, or end ? I will only say thev are thp happ.est of God's cnildren who -have neither tim7norheart for these things. I believe there cannot be much of the f^^'l%'"^'^ ^^''''. \' "'^^ °f *bese. What shal I say of dress ? A young believer, full of faith and joy, was oVred a present of flowers for her hair. She would not take them bhe was pressed to accept them ; still she rrfused. Wiiy wS you not ? Oh,' she said, 'how can I wear rosea on my bro^ when Ciinst wore thorns on his ?' The joy of being in CiS 13 so swcef that it makes all other joys*' ii8ipid,Tu?lliklef le" .Ui o?dav ""h"' "^'^^ and^Lursffi hu' left'rre his'pnthtir^'p'iac?' ^'''' ''' '''^' '^ Pl^aeantness. and all " Come to Christ the smitten Rock, because his blood has llTe IZui T ^'' '^?:- .(^•) ?^^ ^°^^ ^«« elrl be?ore gave out t e stream So is it with Christ. He was smitten of God and afflicted. He bore the wrath of God; and tlieS)r hsb cod gushed forth, and cleanses from all in? O you that fear to be smi ten of God, wash in this blood ; i^ loJe Irn I^fn;'"'"' "T^:^ ^^'^ The water gushed forth abuuS when Moses smote the rock. . It was no scanty or insulTicient 8 reani , , was enough for all the thousands of Wl Saviour *u^' cattle; and so is it with the blood ofjhe wnTn^V . '' "° '"'''*^ '^'^«™- There are no sins it cannot " W Inn 'ii fi'® ?u"^ ^'^°^'' ^^?°"^ ^*» ^cach ; there is enough here tor ail the thousands of Israel. fHA u .m- « .nr^.J!: II COME TO CBEIST, THE SMIITEN EOCK. 207 supply : * They drank of the spiritual rock wliich followed tliem, and that rock was Christ.* We are not expressly told iu the Old Testament that the waters of the smitten roek did actually follow the camp of Israel, but some learned divines are of opinion that it was so— that the water continued to flow wherever they went ; so that it mi<];ht be said the smitten rock ibllowed them. So is it with Christ. He is a rock that follows us. He is like rivers of water in a dry place. You may wash, and wash again. " All are invited to come to Christ and drink : * If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.' John vii. 37. Men in their natural condition are quite careless about their souls and about Jesus Christ. They thirst at'te.'? pleasure, they thirst after money, and they thirst alter the world ; but they do not thirst after Christ or heavenly things. Yet Christ wishes us to cry aloud in the hearing; of such : ' If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.' Let me speak to such. You have no anxiety of soul, no desires alter Jesus Christ, no wish to receive his Holy Spirit. You are not thirsty for anything beyond the waters of this world ; you aro quite happy where you are, and as you are ; yet the day may come when you shall be a weary, thirsty soul. Oh that it may come soon! Now Jesiis says: 'If ever you icel thirstv, remember, come unto me, and drink.' 'How lonp;, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity ? and ye scorners delight in scorn- ing, and fools hate knowledge? Turn ye at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you; I will nialie known my words unto you.' " Anxious, thirsty souls, are especially invited to come unto Jesus : * If any man thirst, let him come unto mc, and drink.' Souls awakened by God are thirsty in two ways. (1.) They thirst after the forgiveness of sins; they have been awakened to know their lost condition ; the weight of God's anger lias been revealed to them. They go about seeking a rcsting- jdace, r id finding none. At last they sit down, weary and thirsty. They feel that all they do, signifies noihing— that they cannot bring themselves nearer to peace. Tiiey feel as if already in that place where they Bhall ask in vain ior a drop of water to cool the tongue. Do any of you know what this" condition is P Then you are here spoken, to by Chribt. (2.) They thirst after deliverance from sin. Awakem-d persons generally put away all outward sin. When a drunkiu-d or c I: '■"I f 208 lEAT WITHOUT CEA8IN0. swearer is awaKencd, he puts away his outward sin ; but he is far from being able to change his heart. On the contrary, most wicked and hateful thoughts sometimes rise into the soul. The heart is filled with such vile desires that-the soul is almost driven to distraction. He goes about seeking a new heart, but finding none. He sits down, at last, weary and thirsty. Do any of you feel this ? It is to you Christ speaks : * If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.' " How few Christians are like a tree planted by the rivers of water! "What would you have thought of the Jews, if when Moses smote the rock, they had refused to drink ? or what would you have thought if they had only put the water to their hps ? Yet such is the way with most Christians. It pleased the Father that in Christ should all fullness dwell. The Spirit was given to him without measure. The command IS given to us "to draw out of his fullness ; yet who obeys ? Not one in a thousand. A Christian in our day is like a man who has got a great reservoir brimful of water. He is at liberty to drink as much as he pleases, for he never can drink It dry ; but instead of drinking the full stream that flows from it, he stops It up, and is content to drink the few drops that trickle through. Oh that ye would draw out of his fullness, yetnat have come to Christ! Do not be misers of grace. Ihere is far more than you will use in eternity. The same waters are now in Christ that refreshed Paul— that gave Peter his boldness— that gave John his affectionate tenderness. Why IS your soul less richly supplied than +heirs ? Because you will notdriuk: 'If any man thirst, Iti aim come unto me /rnddnuk.'—' Abide in me, and I in you; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye Will, and it shall be uone unto you.' " (John xv. 4, 7.) ** O Jeaus ! mate tLyself to mo A living, bright reality : Mo e present to faith's vision keen Than any outward object «een : More dear, more intimately nigh, . Than e'en the 8 weeteit earthly tie.** FIERI OEDEAI. Or ENGLAND. 209 FIFTEENTH WONDER. (Commencing about three years after ihe Covenant.) The FouE-TEAEs' fieey ordeal op Great Bbitain and ANGLO-SAXON AmEEICA, ITEOM wnicn THEY ULTIMATELY EMEEGE,PUBIPIED, ENNOBLED, AND DISBNTHEALLED, TO ENJOY THE THOUSAND TEAES OP MILLENNIAL PEACE AND PEOSPEEITY. "At that time there shall be a time of trouble such asi never was since there was a nation, even unto that same time "— Dan. xu. 1. " Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved ; but for the elect's sake those days ..hall be Bhortened."--Matt,xxiv. 21,22. ^ « ue " Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and jcattereta abroad the inhabitanta thereof. The land shall be utterly emptied' and utterly spoiled, for the Lord hath spoken this word."— Isa XXIV. 1. 3, etc. " Thus saith the L.rd of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up trom the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth, even unto the other end of the earth : they shall not be lamented, neither gathered nor buried ; they shall be orduro upon the ground:"— Jer. XXV. o2, oo, " These (the ten kings) have one mind, and shall cive their power and strength unto the wild beast. For God hath put into their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their ?T#,, Tm^'^I? *^® "^'^^ ^^»«*' ^'^til tl^e words of Gcd shall be fulfilled."~Rev. xvii. 13, ] 7. I, A ^?^J^ was given'unto him (Napoleon, the revived seventh head of the wild beast or Koman Empire) to make war with the aaints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and natioa»."— Et 17 T t The GsiAT Tbibulatiom principally takes place during p ,H Mo FIFTEENTE -WONDBB. It th« second three and a half years, after the Covenant between Ifdl^jleon and the Jews; but as it is preceded by a preliminary eeaiiuu ut several. months of univei! I warfare, therefore the fiery ordeal of Great Britain and Anglo-Saxon America will altogether occupy the final period of foui* years. This great tribulation, or time of trouble, is to be of such universal prevalence, that *' except it were shortened, no flesh should be saved ;" and of such severity, " as never was since there was a nation, even unto that same time ;" so that these circumstances alone would indicate the approaching ordeal of England, in common with the other nations of Christendom, to be of the most, afflictive character. And besides this, it necessarily will suffer grievously from the earthquakes, faminea, pestilences, and wars that will be of such general occurrence at that epoch. But the worst element of the tribulation will be RE* LIGIODS PERSECUTION, for we are told that the wUd beast, denoting the Roman Empire controlled by the great Antichrist, is to MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, 4ND TO OVERCOME THEM, for forty-two months, or three and a half years !^ All standard literal i i iterpreters of the pro- phecies agiee that this three and a half years' persecution of Christians is yet to come, and is to prevail throughout all the Roman Empire, which in its fullest extent included England. And various year-day interpreters also consider that toe slaughter of Christian witnesses for three and a halt years is foreshown in the eleventh of Revelation to take place ere long. The case may be stated in a syllogistic form thus : — -4 n exterminating persecution of true Christians is to take place throughout all the Roman Empire, during the final three and a half years. But England is undoubtedly par^i of the entire Jiiouma Empire. Therefore an extprminating persecution is to tako yluca throughout England during the final thre» and a hMf years. Tni-:! coxctirsiON- may appear startling to superficial thinkers, ^o have no adequate idea of the united strength of the cottiu- V >i lowors, as compared with that of Euglaad 1 Ej,v. xu 5, 1 , xii, 6,V • xi. 2, 3; Dan. yii. 25; xii. 7. FIERY OBDEAL OF ENGLAND. 211 alone. But even now the signs of tbe times, as well as the predictions of prophecy, indicate that the continental powers— rrance, Spam, Italy, Greece, Egypt, and Turkey— will soon be united in a congress under Napoleon ; and as their iron-clad fleets are conjointly four times as powerful as the British navy and tbcir combined armies ten times greater than the English regivlfir^md t Irish or liD of its men are of u prophecy ami Trelaml, ig oitflgoihpr ut of 70,000 213 to forePee what a disastrous, Sepoy-like mutiny is nnminent from such a state of thin-s. The indefhticjublo activity of. the Icnian agitation in America forbodes inevitable calamities of ti.e most grievous severity to C.mada, whicli, from its extended frontier, IS pronounced by the highest military authorities to be unavoidably exposed to devastating invasions from any hostile forces in the United States. There seems no prospect ot Canada enjoying exemption much longer from such a calamity. ° , Another deplorable source of danger to England is the nnmeuso extent of its commerce, exposing it to the most ruinous financial embarrassments, in event of its commercial transactions with other nations being followed up by a foreitrn war ; and in such a case, British merchant vessels would everV where fall a prey to swift privateers. Multitudej of operatives, incliidmg m most manufacturing towns numerous Irish lenians, being thus thrown out of employment by the sudden stoppage ot the import and export trade, would cause scenes of general anarchy and revolutionary desolation, and the whole Jand would bo overspread with violence and lawlessness, bringing in thnp train iamino and pestilence. Britain depends for OJ^E-TIIIllD of its supply of bread upon its aimual importation of nearlv six million quarters of wheat from ItuBsia, Irussia, and America, and is therefore at the mercy of those nations, which nn-ght at any time endeavour to starve it into submission by witlUiolding such indispensable supplies. In the words oi the historian Alison, " So large a portion of its food has come to bo dcriycd from foreign nations, that the more threat of closing their harbours may render it a matter of necessity lor Great Britain, at some iVituro period, to submit to any terms which they may choose to (>xact." And, indeed, the day seems not far distant when the merchant vessels cenveyiiig these supplies by sea may bo destnm'd by the ravages ot privateers, for which I'^ngjand has suicidally fur- nishod the precedent in the Alabama. The result of all thijso crushing calamities ui)on England is prophetically foreshown to be tho triumph of Komanism, of m,d''i'l*rnno'^''i'',''^""* l-^"^'^^. '■'•«"'"•• ""''"•"•'' '^'"' 100,000 militia. and 120,000 vohnitcpr*. l-rniic© lins noiiilv (iooooo wuTulnn .oi.i;,. i U,wre iimii 1 OtiU.WU INufiomil (Innrdi. Unwi.., .\uMiiurni,.l I'ruwitt cacii h«Te»bo«t (K 0,000 trained .nldier.. ,uul I,„iy JRIO.OOO, The Fmu iron- cUd fleet » admitted to bu a, iu,«erlul as that of lii ngliuid. 214. riFTEENin WONDEB. i I 1 1 ■ i'l 1 'l infidelity and of democracy electing a monarch of its own choice, who IS to be one of the ten subordinate kings confede- rated m a congress under Napoleon, as their imperial bead ; and Po^ver IS to be given to Napoleon over all nations," as narrated in the thirteenth and seventeenth chapters of Reve- alion and he -shall make war with the saint^.and overcome them lor forty-two months." The Roman Pontiff will make use of the universal dominion of his eldest son to carry on a crusado agamst true Protestants, and to attempt the eitirpa- tion of so called heretics, until at last the blood of the martyrs crying froni the ground for vengeance shall bring down the consuming fire of retribution to destroy them that destroy the The prediction in the thirty-eighth chapter of Ezekiel, Uoscnbing the inefi-ectual remonstrance of the merchants of Ini-Hliish against the latter-day invasion of Judea by Napoleon's «nM l,!nT'' """* obscurely to indicate that a disastrous^ eel ipse «ill then have overshadowed the sun of England's commercial geatnes. and that the prophetic denunciations against England Tarslu.h, the symbolic term for England, will then be undergoing their accomplishment.* l^iiB FOLLowpa TESTIMONIES as to tho Certain approach ot a season of unexampled tribulation throughout Great 3n J nf ]r\ \ ^"Z °'«'-t'"'«^ '« • J'f 'oby additionally foretold. " For o(>v ?n / " ^"'^ ''^ ''""f "'"*" ^« upon every one that i. proud and lofty, and ,,„,„ every one timt is liftod up, and ho shall be brSuitht W ami j.pon nil tho sh.ps of Turshish." (Isa. il. 12-10.) V IIowUo s p, of Iur*ln«l, for your nlrcngth is hud wa'to. I'ass ovt-r to Tttr«hh.h iLl mlmbuants of tho isle." (ha. xxxiii. l-U.) In this caso, the ultimato s orms ^Z,T'K' TTf^ 1°. ^° ^••'"""'l ^'''""^ ^y f""""' g"^'™ and X Iv r? ^ T. ^"•'^'•«*^!''« fl'ips of Tarshish with an east wind." (Pso l.o!. i-J .nil. r '^«"""K "»^'«"al.i''''" «">^»^^"'">fc-«c«k. and also again at UioSr aestruction at the close of that aovon vnar. w,l.on e..„i....,i -„j _.i.-_ n«Uon, w,u DO Uclirerod from Autichrisfi three and a half year.' despouJ I of its own inga confede- iperial head ; nations," as 5r3 of Beve- id overcome If will make to carry on a the extirpa- the martyrs ng down the destroy the of Ezekiel, nerchants of r Napoleon's trous eclipse commercial )ns against d, will then n approach bout Great ngland is tho •etold. «' For i« proud and brought low, vl, yo ships of ihish. Ilowl, , tho ultimate >us gales and wind." (Pio. butive for the of the upper »\i or modora ) to Palestine e commonoo* (ain At their Antiohrist't rl -,„J ..»1 }ars' dospoUo riEET ohdeai op enqland. 215 EXPn^TTnpS}'"l*^''u^°"'' ^^® liereunder quoted from TEN EXPOSITORS who have written largely upon the Scriotura Prophecies: the Kevs. Dr. Gill and Thomas -Sco' theS Hales r^'^'f °'?.' ^^'S ^'''- ^•'- ^l^^-^^^r M'acIeo.l. Dr. Hales. E. Nangle, Dr. Burg, Hollis Read, D. N. Lord W exnTf r'' -V'^''- ^''''^'''''- ^'^'^ ^'^P°«itor8 have a so expressed similar opmions. These are expositors of the year-day system of interoreta. iTSJ}^ ''^' ^T' ^-'S":* °f them understand the 7200 dXt ff tn « r? • ';-^' ^''-\ ^' *? «'S"^^y 12(30 years of the oppres ion of true Christian witnesses by the Papal Antichrist, bdinuin^ l^alZlT^fr.T'X^'V^'' ^^^P«'« "mversaUuin.;..Cy was fully established by the Roman Emperor Phocas' decree and ,^°J;^°?',f^<^^^/7\«"'"f vhero about or soon after ISGC,' and to be iollowed by the three days and a half, that is three years and a hal of the slaughter' of Christian wi ne^sos or believers generally, whom they understand figuratively to bo denoted by the two Witnesses. (Rev xi j, x ''""'"' ^^J' ^° ^^ vJrfrr''"''''''''"*''"^*^^^ ''' ^12 was the more likely jeartor the commencement of the 12G0 years as the Anfi crist.an creed of MahometanisaMvas uot fo^d"^^ m the Eastern Roman Empire until GIO or 012 and the Mahometan and Papal Antichrists app.ar both to have nriae^ !.„?«!r'"?orn'"''""^.^^ expected si.nultaneoi.sly to termi- v.nrAT^^'^^''';r^°"\l^^^- -^^ ?PP""'*« that the 12G0 years of Popery could scarcely have beg.n, earlier than G08-0. intil'tlLuimr "' ''""" "" "^' '^'''^''^ *^ ''^ ---« Thus a future three and a half years' religious iirrsecution 18 expected by tiu^e year-day i.iterpreters of pronhccv just as ?S'dav«^o''^ 'T^-'^'y ^^P«^''^«". who'inlderstaff tl^' IruuJT' I "'°f't''«;, '^'^'1 time times aud a half ti.no to bo winch all Antic irist.an powers will make war against Christians and overcome them.' The belief is now incnnsindy I e d "t there ,s a double fulfilment of nearly alL Daniel auKvda ton -both year-davr and iteral-day-during rather more t an 12G0 years of tfio Pupal Antichrist's power, uud h1«o dur "t^ rather more than 12G0 literal days of the final I," uill A "..^ cnnsta power; bo that both tho year-day and iiteml-day « Dan. Tii. 25, xU. 7 , Ber. xi. 2, 8, xii. 0, 14, ,iii. 6 , Dan. ix. 27. 216 FIFTEElTTn WOITDEB. ia I ;a f iJ I systems of prophetic interpretation are correct. The three years and a half of the slaughter of Christians will evidently be the second three yer.rs and a half after the seven years' Covenant between iNapoleon and the Jews. The Rev. Db. Gill, the celebrated commentator, expected the slaugliter of tlie Witnesses for three and a half years about or a little time after 18GG— preparatory to the per- sonal reign of Christ upon earth during the millenium. Ho said in 1750, in his sermon on "Watchman, what of the night:" — " The witnesses have not yet finished their testimony : they ore still prophesying, thouglr in sackcloth, or under some dis- couragement : whereas it will be when they have finished their testimony, and at the close of the 12G0 days or years of (the Papal) Antichrist'."* reign, that they will bo killed.* Had they been slain at any former time, tlicy would have risen lon^ before now, for tlie time between their death and rising is but three and a half days, that is threo and' a half yei'rs; they would have ascended up to heaven before now, which denotes a most glorious state of the church; and the ruin of Antichrist would have come on long before this time— nothing of which has yet been done : to which it may be added, tha? upon the fulfilment of the above thi'igs, the second woe will pass away— the passing away of it relates to the destruction of the Turkish empire— whereas, it is still in being and in great power ; and the third woe or the seventh trumpet will bring on the king- ' Dr. am 8«iaiu ins Boily of Divinity in llio urliclo on the second coming Pf Clinst, rcgnrilin« the 12f;0 years of Vopnry'a chief Bunrcnmcv. llioro IB another cm wliich bids fuir to l.o tlio beginniiiR of it j and that 'is wlion the emperor Thoeiis jiiivo tlio Rrnnt of Universal Uislinp to the I'on« of Roma : and tliia waa done in lh.> year six hundred and six (60t)) ; und the ruthcr tins diilo should be attended to, since within a little lime nftcp, Mahomet, the Kaslorn Antiuhrist, arose; so Mmt ns.thoy appeared about the samo time, and go on together, they will end together. Now if to the above date are added 12(50 years, the end of (the Papal) Antichrist's reign will fall Hi the year 1806: neeording to thts computjition, he has almoit ft hundred years more to reign." Dr. Gill's view that the 12 yonr* began sinndlnneowsly with Poporf in the west, and Mahonielanism in the cast it held by other expositon, _"i:/?l^'''"'".*''? K"''"'»»'"* written, or 013 when Mahomotiinism wai piitsiidj prcac'nrd seems a more oorroct conimciicomoat of the l'Z6\) voari which thui should end ;n 1870 or 1873. ^ ' flEEt OBDEAL OF ENGLAND. 217 The three I evidently iven yeara* ', expected iialf years ) the per- tnillenium. , what of ony : they some dia- shed their va of (the Had they •iaen long ing is but 'ITS; they h denotes A.iitichrist of which upon the ss away — e Turkish >wer; and tlie king* the second •upremacy. atul that is to the I'op'^ (<)0(5) ; und ! time after, •iircd about w if to the irist's roigu has almoit ith Poporjr ex rf. pOdito: tiinigm was IZW year*, dom of Christ; but aa yet there is no appearance of the kincr will be onco n>ore the reigning prevailing rXion inChrSe'w dom, and indeed how should it be othenvise1> fo^ whe'f t e progress of it : there will be a universal triumph • the Ponish &r V,"P°^ ^''> /^•J"^^'^ ^"^ «^"d gifts one to another And that the mystical Babylon or harlot of Eome wiS be in no widow and shall see no sorrow; every thinff beinir now no cord,ng to her wishes : having regained all h?r Ser power" hl?iT^''"^.5'f^'°S,*° ^"'' f^^'" the ^yitncssos whS had before tormented her, they now being slain, but her plaZs shall comejnoue day, death, and mourning, andfamiZ, and she shaUbeuiterlylnrnttvithJlre, even in the height ol" all he glory, which does not seem to c6mport with her present state and circumstanfies. (Kev. xvii., xviii.) ^ ^ "And I am the more confirmed in all this, by the present appearances of tlnngs in the world, as the ve;y great iScreee Pnno R '" °"' ^'"^ r^^ ^^ ^^l'^'' ^"""^'•i^"« ; 1""^ though the 1 ope ot Rome as secular princo, and with respect to the ex- 7flt in r"^';'"'^ '•''," "°*= *'i^^ ''^''"^ P'"*^ '^i'" by tho kings of the ear h as formerly, yei Popery itseJf is lur Lm b.ing on the decline, or os.ng ground; as also tho great departure of the relormed churches,' so called, from tho doctrines a.id principles of the Kelbrmation, and even of Protestant Dis. Benters, who are gone and »ro going more and more into doctrines and pru^^ticta. which natural?/ ver-o and lead to popery. I am very much oi' opinion thut the«o things will at last 188U0 in Popery, both hero and in all our colonics abroad." lUB liEV. Tiif>MAs Scott, tho celebrated commentator, in With how much more roiison iniRht Di than a hundred yonr* lltn^ gny (!.-> H:i:'.'.:: V..-.W and llonmnism recently iu the liuited Stiilcs colouiei. Qill, who wrote this more ri:":vu ! u; ttud Orcut Ufitoiu aud her 218 FIFTEENTH WONDEH. '1 ^?^'i°r!"'^^®^''"^^^^ °^ *^e seventh chapter of Daniel Bidered Great Britain to b " ■ ' con< the wild beast and said, " Probably at the end of 12G0 years from A.I, 6U6, the events predicted will begin to receive a remarkable accomplishment." He also said in regard to the &:f ' ^^^'^'"''^ ^" ^^' '^''^''''^ chaptfr of Reve! nT^lTf'^S f^/'.'^f'^^essc^ 'shall have finished '. or 'shall be oS? nf H ^T^. *¥"' *^«t"«o"y. the wild beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit. that is, the persecuting power shall fight agamst them and • kill them'. ' I cannot but Sk that this passage relates to events yet future. The prevdence of inajeh y,n different forms throughout Europe,^ he 'eai with which principles of that tendency are everywhere pro- P ga.ed when contrasted with the declining state of prpal superstition renders it not wholly improbable that the wUd beast may change his ground and method of attack before he thus prevails against the Witnesses; for that time approaches 'It appears irom the prediction that the temporin?ctory extPnt n??r^ 'T '^' ^"*^u^j^^ ^'^^ ^^tire throughout the that theL wmT'*'''' '^,"''^ ^"^ '^" ""''^''^ ^^^^^ empire) that there will be scarcely any open profession or preaching of the true gospel or steady oppositioi to the prevailing A?ti christiamty m all that part of the world,' The fulSnt of the prophecy seems to me indispensably to require he Mow ing particulars: First. The general suppressioTof the So testimony for the truth in doctrine and Vorahip throughout all the kingdoms of the western Eoman empire; but no such general suppression has taken place, especially in the latter S. as'?f 'ih'o I't r"' "''''f^ '^^^•^'^^-^ tLmph 'of ent ?S;i bSir f^ '""'° °^*^'^^ Christianity were finally ruined; but this has never yet been the case throughout the ten kingdoms Third. Tiio very speedy and unexpected r^ ■ aniel, con« ntrdoms of L2U0 years receive a ird to the ' of Reve- ' shall be ascendeth )wer, shall liink, that ralence of I the zeal here pro- of Papal I the wild before he •preaches. vy victory jhout the I empire) aching of ing Anti- Iraent of e foUow- »e public ghout all no such he latter t of ene- •e finally hout the jcted re- aud ex- rountriea nt ediUoiit I the firtt yean, the "prctation. iniaotioni, riERT ORDEAL OP ENGLAND. 219 ^^Z^elS^^^^J!^;^^ be f=; , , of vast- eordingly. It does noTfl'^^it'ZT'^ ''' '"^"^ ''' '" public testimony, namelv fll T. .f oppression of the i"iuisters, and inhibftrii ^.^^^^^^ ^'^"'^^"1 Dances, in the r.nrif,r " j • ^\. '^^ministration of ordi- through the teSk Ldi'i'TiP^'^;! °^' Christian worship Chriiianity in tiiose klni^^^t ^^^^^ • "^^ ?^ "° ''^' that the prevalence of true Chrii'.^.',-/ ''-if °^ ^'^Probable persecution; that th^re wfll £ h "^^ 7'^^ P^°^°'^e this hundreds ot^housandrwL ,.t/ i°"^^^,^\-"d tens, nay, lives, will meet together for H.l . "^i • ^ }« ''•''^ard of their previously circulat^ed, contain^^^ ow"^ f ^"^■' *''^^ ^^'^'^ instruction, will in a very "-off ^^ ^'''^"'' ''^'"'''^' public ordinances durin J tTisshnf.'"^'P^^ ^^'' ^^''^"^ °^ persecution itself and h« I • interruption ; that the «o show the odiousness of Z^r'''°? "^' '^'' '^^^'^^^^ony, will of true Christians as bv thl^T'- '"^?i'' °."^ *''« excellency "mltiply real bdieVers dnrfn^ f i"'"^". ^^^'^^°- exceedingly to testimony shall be sumfrptp . .,^i° '^">'' ^" ^^^''^'^ the with which it hall thTburi'" fwh'^/ '"'^^'^ ""^ «"^^^'««' which it had been smo W n f^; ''°? *^° "^^^'-^^ ""'^^'r Jiingdoms-apperrs o S« ^" ' ''"^'^ "'^ ^^^ *'" thisWewof tKbiecraawTn"'' "^'^'^l^'^S i"tcre«t to nov.' to sow to tlPm most iTmf n '''?'* «""'•"' i"g motives produce the olori us hanw t ^°'f'^^ '^'^'^ '''"^•'^ ^^'^ t''en "rojoice.^.ith^ tre .biint •' :. f ^" T'^ ""'h' '^''' ''' «^^o"ld Chri.tia.,, timt t'bJflnS S;il',.."i'i .,°""";" '.I'" ".tciligeut uveo at tiio door." '-'■■■t-" "i .i» uauren am at iamid, 220 FIFTEENTH WONDEE. J* The Eev. Dr. Alexandee McLeod, an eminent Presby- terian Minister in New York, United States, and originally a native of Scotland, delivered a course of lectures on Revela- tions, in New York, in 1814, in which he said, regarding the slaughter of the Witnesses in the eleventh chapter of Revela- tion : and of the vii. age of wrath ^ — " Let true Christians cherish the hope of a speedy release from Antichristian bondage. The time, in which this last judgment is to be inflicted, is very distinctly declared. It is at the close of the period of 12(50 years. They are to be dated from the year 600 (at the decree of the Emperor Phocas)— from the year GOQ until the year 1866. " For three and a half years there will not be found within the bounds of the Roman empire any Witnesses to bear a public testimony against the man of sin. This period is not yet arrived but is fast approaching. That the death of the Witnesses has not yet come to pass appears from the fact that it is caused by the last great struggle of the wild beast against the saints. This is obvious, because the war is peculiarly mentioned in the prophecy, and be(j^use at the resurrection oi the Witnesses, the power of the enemy comes to an end- ** On what street, in what kingdom of the ancient empire, shall the Witnesses of Jesus Christ lie dead, and unburied, the sport of the sons of darkness ? In what land are to be found the victims, the last victims, to be offered upon the altar of the man of sin ? *' You anticipate my reply. There is one nation to which the eye is irresistibly turned. It is not a secret to the Christian world, in wliat country dwell the AVitnesses of our Redeemer, at the present time, in the greatest number, with the greatest zeal, intelligence, activity, and usetulness. There too, they are likely to continue in the greatest notoriety, during the few years which remain of the time necessary for them to complete their testimony. It is painful, brethren, to anticipate this event. It embitters the heart. Heavy are these tidings from the little book : but we must receive it out of the angel's liand. Shall our fathers, our friends, our brethren in the faith of God's elect, bound with us in tlie most sacred ties, for the promotion Of the Lord's cause, be opposed, and persecuted, and put to death in the British dominions? « mu^ ■o»:4.;„u -•lie la Tviii-tixi tiic uvitiiuo \:i v!>-. -T lt!!U"_-J!'!.tr» eartb. Should that wo be permitted iu the providence of God riEET OBDEAL OP ENGLAND. 221 ; Presby- ginally a . Revel a- ding the ; Kevela- y release this last d. It is be dated hocas) — id within bear a >d is not h of the fad that ;t against peculiarly ectiou 01 snd. 3 empire, ified, the be found 1 altar of to which t to tho 33 of our ber, with ). There lotoriety, 388ary for jthren, to !eavy are ve it out 3nds, our the most opposed, ;iions P e of God to break over the cliffs of Albion, and its foaming billows roll along to the high mountains of C;iledouia, where the old Eoman legions were stopped in the days of other times, the war of the wild beast against the Witnesses must >jcome matter of history. The best of the saints, and the ttost mag- nanimous, intelligent and faithful of that land, as they would not be silent, could not be safe. "Men of no religion— men inclined to a splendid form with- out life or reality— the avowed enemies of evangelical doctrine —the high advocates of arbitrary power and prdatical pride— those who excommunicate from the pale of the church of God all hut themselves and the church of Eome, would easily em- brace the views of the Antichristian conqueror.' But thousands among the several religious denominations of the British Isles would seal their testimony with their blood. " Such an event— 'sufferings extreme from the hand of France —sufferings approaching to desolation, have been expected for ages by the pious people in that country. What is to prevent such a catastrophe ? Britain, first in crime, because sinning against the clearest light, and the greatest mercies, deserves the scourge. Britain, possessing the most active, useful, and important part of the church of God, will be preserved from wrath until the work as^gned to her pious sons shall have ^en accomplished. Let that work be done, and then though Noah, and Daniel, and Job, were there, they cannot prevent the evil to come. In adopting this view of the subject, I confess I do not follow where inclination would lead. Could I find it con- Biatent with the word of God, I should rather exhibit our calamities as past, than hold out to your fears tho gloomy side of the picture. Even in this case, however, the friends of God ought not to be discouraged. Although the slaughter of the Witnessea is yet to come, the cause ot religion will generally prosper henceforward Ijiroughout the earth. Tho immense exertions which are at present made to send tho word of life among the nations, and the state of Christianity already in places to which the power of the wild beast does not extend, secure under the divine blessing and protection, tho progress "Eigh churchmen, contending for tlio divine rinht-of prelacv, consiirn claim _ii i._ nil rriju olaim a nearer connexion with tho Panistn, tliaa tlioy do l€»tftnt»." (Thui wrote Dr. M'Leod m 1814). uo iiGi Biiomic io laeir Disnops. Xiiey ' ■ with other Pro* 222 FIITEENTH WONBEE. fl! of godliness over the earth, although iniquity shall have a ehort-lived triumph on the street of the mystical Sodom. The nations, within the symbolical earth, which are to-be imme- diately affected by the approaching catastrophe, will be spared until they have done their work. The religion of Christ shall still continue to move with accelerated velocity, and the number of its votaries shall continue to increase, as shall afterwards be made to appear from other prophecies, at the very time when Satan descends in extraordinary wrath, because his time is but short, to animate his servant the beast to kill the Witnesses of Christ. In a very short time after , their death shall they rise where they fell, and even there obtain the power over their enemies. " 'Many good and great men,' said Dr. Livingston, venerable for his age, his learning, and his piety, 'entertain serious apprehensions of approaching evils, and cannot divest them- selves of anxious fears, that the gloom will actually thicken at the close, that the number of believers will be greatly diminished, errors overwhelm the church, and true religion be reduced to an extreme point of depression.' In thex^ senti- ments we acquiesce, and we maintain the death of the "^IVit- nesses to be still a future event." The Eev, De. Hales, an Irish Eector, and an able and voluminous writer on chronology, expected the slaughter of the Witnesses to occur about 1878. He said in his " Synopsis of the Sings of the Times," in 1817 .— " Prom the days of Mede, this tremendous prophecy has been generally understood literally to indicate a final sup- pression of the reformed churches and massacre of their pastors for a short time of three and a half years, before the expiration of the persecuting period of 1200 years: during which every religious establishment shall be apparently extinguished to tho ^reat joy (Jf the apostate faction and infidel persecutors. The uncommon atrocity of this last per- secution is marked by the refusal of the pel. 'tutors to permit tho burial of the Witnesses after their massacre which was usual in other persecutions, thus the bodies of John the Baptist, of Christ, and of Stephen, were given up to their disciples and friends to be interred, by Herod, Pilate, and the High jfriest. " There is abundant reason to dread that as the persecution riEET OBDEAL OP ENGLAND. 223 of the witnesses by the Jews, and by the Pagnn Eraparors of Rome, began with the house of God, with iStephr^n, /fames the elder, James, the Lord's brother, Paul, and Peter, as Peter himself foretold (1 Peter iv. 17), so will they end with the house of God under the reign of bigotry, infidelity and their common offspring fanaticism, so strongly implied in our Lord's desponding question, 'Nevertheless when the Son of man comvith (in the clouds of heaven at his next appearance) shall he find faith on the earth ?' or Christianity anywhere estab- lished in its primitive purity (Luke xviii. 8;, "This last persecution is to take place wit'iin the precincts of 'the great city ' or territories of the mightv Eoman empire ; the particular scene is called * the street of' t-he great city : ' the article rrip TrAaretas expressing eminence. We are after- wards told that in the ensuing judgment and earthquake * the tentji pr.rt of the city fell ' to SiKarov : whence we may collect that this persecution will take place in one of the * ten horns of the beast ' or ten kingdoms into which the Eoman empire wafi split. Of these kingdoms the most eminent for vital re- ligion is unquestionably Great Britain: where the remnant of the faithful Witnesses that survive the dreadful persecution of the superstitious and infidel powers which have so long ravaged and are still ravaging on the continent, may be considered as no' ,'■ collected. " To England, therefore, ' the tenth part of the great city,* are we compelled to look for the last scene of persecution, and principally to her * street,' or most populous region. And the •street ' by way of eminence mhy perhaps chiefly denote London and its environs— that greatest seminary of religion and vice; where we verily believe there are to be found more intelligent and enlightened Witnesses to suffer persecution that m any part of the world; and a multitude of bigots, infidels, and fanatics, to inflict it. And where, from her boundless com- merce as queen of the ocean, spectators cannot be wanting of 'peoples and tribes, and languages, and nations,' from the lour quarters of the world to witness the catastrophe. The resemblance indeed is so striking that though we shudder thereat and depreciate the doom, we are forced most re- luctantly to proless and maintain it. " Ilonever gratifying, therefore, it wouldJ)e to our own and the nnhll<» fpplinnra few ontr iirifK B/\m^ J.U_4. T? 1 I !- tbat Great JBritam and Jreland have npthiog tp fear from this 224 PIFTEENTH WOITDEB. r jy fatal persecution of the "Witnesses * because (as erroueously alleged) tbe time ot this great persecution is already past.' We dare not * speak smooth things,' nor * prophecy deceits,'* because * the Lord is against the prophets that smooth their tongues,'* and * Woe to the prophets that see visions of peace' and ' sew cushions under every pillow.'^ " These countries and their united church we are strongly and irresistibly persuaded huve much to endure, much to suffer under the remaining yials of wrath, though we humbly trust they will pass through thei ? last trial like gold, purified and refined in the furnace of affl ction a little while and we shall not see her during a short suppression beneath the troublesome" waves of this world, and again a little while and we shall see her emorging much purer and fairer than ever alter her last baptis- mal purification. • The exposttob D. N". Lobd in his work, in 1858, " On the Coming and.Eeign of Christ," states that a great number of expositors expect the 1260 years to end about 1868, or within a few years after. He says regarding the coming .slaughter of the Witnesses during three and a half years v — " The wild-beast is at the end of its twelve hundred end sixty years, probably in some great political convulsion, again to rise from the abyss of hades to a new life in a modified form, and after a brief career go to perdition. In that revolu- tion the old monarchies are to fall, and be succeeded by an imperial chief who shall reign over the whole empire, with absolute sway like the efnperors of the old Eoman empire ; and by ten subordinate chitfs who shall receive authority much as though they were kings ; but who perhaps after rising to their stations, by popular choice, or usurpation, shall give over their power to that imperial chief, and hold it thereafter as his subordinates. And in this relation, they are to make war on the Lnmb, and to be conquered by him. " This great revolution in the governments of the ten king- doms is clearly yet future. Though the monarch? of several of thd Catholic kingdoms lost their power for a short time in 1848, and the beast appeared to have perished, and to be followed by elective chiefs, yet the old monarchies soon recovered their former power in all the kingdoms except Prance, where a new rule was established. That may perhaps ^ iUaiah xxz. 10. ^ iTer. uxiii. dl. ^ £sek. ziu. 16— ao. ueously J paat.' leceits,'* th their f peace' strongly ;o suiter ly trust 6ed and •hall not blesome" I see her i baptis- Ontbe nber of p within ;hter of red end D, again nodified revolu- [ by an re, with empire ; by much itfing to ive over r as hia war on m king- several time in [ to be ;b soon except perhaps Ld. FIBliT OEDEAL OP ENGIASD. 225 CVot'fallfoS?.:V?' '^'''^'' -^^ ''^''' monarchies may not laH together but in succession; as they oricrinalW ' nr^l^ f ''T^''"'°\^'*^' ^'^^ ^* diflerent' period/ Itt e"^ pressly foreshown, chap. xi. 9, that it is the beast from th^ ttr in If ^ ''')' '''' °^ *'^« Witnesses and ove^co e them ; and that is indicated also by its bloody hue and Thp shZI'hv??'^'''*- ^"""^ P^secuting heirarchies are again, it is shown by this vision when the beast rises from the abyss to Its new career, to be exalted to supremacy throuohoutthn ten kingdoms The station of the womrn^BaE Z beast shows that the hierarchies which she represents are o meats o7Sr> *'" "/'^ ''''' *^^ Protect eL"i«h! Sflfr^f. I'-^'I^^'V?^ *¥ continent will then have fallen, and the Catholic church have succeeded to their power T e holdh^tfo r"''f If '''I '""'''^^'y '^ that^irSn He? that sL ^^ ?^ ^^ ^?- ^''«"'"|"t'"^'8 in her hand, indicates that she 13 to be active m the dissemination ot her false doctrines and superstitious and idolatrous rites ; while her n! toxicat.on with the blood of the saints and mai'tyr3 ofj'Z l7:!;:t:]oy!' ^'^ " *° ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^-'«^^- 'bVm lun s "/Ihe notion is generally entertained that the davs of perse- asinedTnr'"' '-"i'l^' t""'.'^' ^'''^''^''''^ instead of Eg S .Pr Ji should very generally prevail with tho pennio of (lod. iUut luu cuutin;^ ut Uhiitii was ui baud, and great iiutubcr« shoulJ past, t!iey Witnesses st's king- have ever as having \T0 to be nockerics, oody and I of their ited, who laimed to ;h a form I, and the nate. s such ns 10 indica- n fifty or Denmark, gone into lautheism, epread in ales. ;hat many to tako )lution in •e riao to •red, Bome lonapaito, 'uuito tho a ricBpot* lea for tho prompt- ou of the ;hem, wlio ■ho abyaa, Chriar. to ho earth : land, and lion : and J --'^ !o of (loil, em should riEET OBDEAL OP ENQLASD. 227 !? fu^'^n *'' r*"'^^^''™ *^^* belief and bear the And tidm^a ot tho Gospel to the nations of tho «nrfr, mi ^ , ''"'n?8 ,1.Z"? ?"; EowiitD NANaLB, Rector' of Sltreon nalliso 1200 years is 11 Xf^^^nri „-fc® ^^^^ *° considop tliut the i-uLf^ears 13 iiKeiy to end withm a few vear^ nK i^wt u^ 2^-0 Witnesses to show tho paucity of true believerrdurin.itImS pcriod~t«'p being tho smallest number of w ?ies es reS^^ o prove a lact according to the law. They are descrTb^ as mSS'^Sfat^'^ 'tft\ '"'"^i^^ Pe'iodrto'hottti Sod's tn.tl, nil tl- ^Y'*°^"?« . I'oing the mouthpiece of enemies stll uL1T\ denunciations of their implrtinont ntro nccompiisbed ot tho very moment of their ultcranco BWvsthafcH ^^^"f'V.^he, death of the Witnesses ake pac:; /triin ' •''^^'°» "to be accomplished by tho w.ld bS OlioKoinan empire) under its seventh rovivcU head* or tha beThri?'"nV- 1^^°^^?^° that if thisVorse m i,ria o vlr-^T "!"'".,■ '^'°"' '^ only lasts for hreo and a half fS*„ '"T^ * "' '""^' *^« Antichristina faction re oL in 01 tliose who abido m impcnitoucy oud unbelief, lormuut tho tioiiBlfuWlltuonf' notlninrW^!*?^!^"^?'*/'"^ """ '"<'8"do(i u an »ddi.' 228 riFTEENXn WONDER. conBciendcs of worldly men, and hence tliey will rojoice and coiigraiul.-.te each other on the suppression of the ti-stimony of the Christian church, as the extiiiciion of viial Christianity. The wide extent of this unholy rejoicing, exactly agrees witli our LovM "^ ^''" ^'"I'"' P""*""-' «"J the tenth pan tails, tlmt is. ono ot iho ten ki'.<'.i'»>- i-.i ;-.. *_ x.._ iiuman empire is overthrown in the couvuUiun typUitd by the riEEY OBDEAL OP ENOIAITD. 229 claimed to be theSad vav ^f ^« ^^ ^'''^ ^^"Sland Jms great com mere tforoxJ^'Loon "-^^'°^ '"' *^° that England i8 desiCth ^tJ^^- ^ ' ''^ "^^ ^''^'^^^ which the dead bod e of tbe TV^^fno ^''^Pf ^?:^' .«« fhe street in nnd that Euc^l^d Ithe t.*nfh .1 f T!,'''"^^^ Ite^vithout burial, iutbutgreat%";?,;;lt*"N PoThl'^^ ?e^^ «^«i^ '^' can answer the prophetic descrintion V J ''"* ^reat city Broadway of thJ nLons In n^o otVrtf tlVnT ''. '^' would the victorv of tho PoLi a\- ,. • ^^'^ kingdoms despotism with au^. ttasy oWli.t.ri? ^',^'f^^^ ^^^ gratulatioua which arfl Jrh/w °!j ^''® predicted con- the earth. arJ ho t?Lnnh8o7 an^ong the despots of that has long def^l he rnower i, .?? '""f^ ^.^^° the citadel "For conhiripri'n!i i u ^' ^* ^"Pt'ifed and destroved. government, it has been the n«f Zl J r. *^^5°** ''^ '»er . she alone has mahitS hoii'',f^n? ^ °^-^'"'* ^"*»^^ that with all the imperlSnVo? h^^s r^hrh^s^r^^^ "^^^ advance among the ten kinmlomn oa !:» ' l ■ "°°^ ^'^'' '^ and has opened hL coast a, 7^'^" *' champion of freedom, oppressed 'of other anSsmi'htliee^ ShflTv'" ""'h''^ '^^ of the tyrants of Europe Thoflij^ h«8 been the bane chafed hei white clift ir^he^^y ^tes ,f a^ ^"*^° but thev have onlv unoi,«.i li ^"^U waves ot a stormy sea. have not mo"^d ?tLrLde^^^^^ '''S^. ^'"«'» ? they centuries defied the world anZfc ^rimn'^"', i ^f'^^ ^"^ *'°^ isolated position and her cimLritivn I '^ '''^'^^ ^°°^'°S at her on tho n.ap of Europe to douK^^^^^^^^^ dnninutivo proportions denco prote^ed Z^nresorv^d l-i *? ' H-'^^'"'''^ P''ovi. right./ Britain is ?/thrda^h«'/''' S"""^'"" of human wEich a freeman caSlttrattfai^o ""'' '^'' '" '^ ^^^°P« ^^ tho S;; fiitatrto'ri" ^''-'^ t^ ^-^^^ van or name. If wo u dtJam/n.; "^'^'^.-e^®? thousand men of throw ul- her a i ttmo; TlJTn^T' ^*J«""^^'» the over. the(>ear.davw'"?fre:., V"^]!"^'^'''^^^^-^ depicted in thrones and Drini.inniif.-.- ' I "" o"^^" '"^t^i^r mat oasts down fm 230 FIFTEENTH WONDEB. wtrhl'^ J?'"''P®' ^.^'** Broadw-ay of the nation., we infer wH be m the possession of cruel enemies. T/re homp nffhl mtnesses will he made desolate. Tub land, which if all LUKOPE IS PBE-EMINENTLT THE LAND O; BiblU Avi feABBATUS. AND CheISTIAN SANCTUAKIFS WILT T^r r^^n WASTE, AND THE GLOKY o/EJNfGLANj5 wfrr nS TRODDEN IN THE DUST. ^^^^^^^-L* ^MLh BE '• How this dire result is to be accomnlUliPri «.« 7,« i. but the signs of the times are full of tL^ dlnlrc-^ "''^' Kossuth has ventured a predictlln wh eh Xs Tst^ prove a signal fai ure. Ho has said snPJiHn^T/*? • power of Russia, which tJ.reatened a Sw '"4 lo' oTaS pared to. ater his horse atlh^Dalube^'lli:^?; J^ ^Jl?; . Iiourth.dommant power in Europe. England^s alliarce with tiance is the prelude to her ruin. She is tho to ,? !f *i craftiest despot that ever filled a throne in the ten I'l f *^° ..mU^. is at this day at the merTo^l.e per fid uf X' Whispers of anxiety and distrust are olreadrhcard in lior' borders ; but her sorrows are only beginning To knmv ii?« we need not the spirit of prophecv ThoV n" IT a V' cannot, «eo it. It ia^ossibleTofet U^^^^^^^^^^ ot Europe, and at the Drevaiiinn- fonmnn ,.i;,''°'-"''*-"""i"pn occupy t'ho throne, of coE 'n'L°„ ,?i". ° .'? ..''''"'"^ "I"? laro ot the world, the homa ni' lint]'a AV,f„ • '-'7, ^" becomes probablo '.part Zm LvM'o^^'ilSlZ.f'TL »boU bo ,uch a Blmightcr; and wo havo already Wven tu reason, tox rcgardingi-ngland .. tho tbeatro uZ ;v ™l ho uim wo uiess uoa tliat with this sanguuinry scene thn ««nrir ,^t the wrongs of the .hurch of Christ shdl be eidcl u u tho " iv.hk :' . , w^^^ ^^'«» ^"'' ^'v«r and over. I'orthre© and a hali years the uersocuiinirnnuon -„».i,„i;.„j By ^ce wiiu ucaat, tiioc cornea out of tho bottom Wpit^sS flEET OBDEAL OP ENGLAND, 231 efijoy ita BhoTt-Uved eeason of triumnTi Tha «« there » special allusion to ita rcimins dvnn,?v ™ ,i ' wondep (whose name; ^ore not written in the book of hT, &t'tETatraltt"rJ:i^:t^''^''•'fr?'''°;''•' regard ^,is as „d,ca.i„r«;e°Na,^Tco"ie /yZy'^Tjl^LT' mc. r^owr the Napoleonic dyaasty was the oiYamin^r nf t In Euione and rc.tor» .l,rT °' "■ •"' •'«=«'«<"•. Wster of for « !Crf . 'J» Human empire over the ten kingdoms mtoVt?o„'! ^""- ^'" '™'*"^y '«"- t» mJi-te- th" III^^:!',!.'""''* '" 'i°T *''* K"" '''■"'sn »nd um of pronhecf r:„!!:.°.!?"';fL'.'!°_ri';'',«"M''?«'; " 'bow. the iailt b/ i^reirigable t;..7„;;nr.Te%erty ".•''a t ',' ir -J p»..« uvou the ce«.c.e/c» of .^^ U' wt lU° hi ^ \^ 282 rrPTEENxn wonder. he that watcheth anrf h^t^r^cri^. i>;„ ^"' * -i^'essed is as a thief.' The .Tenes on^J rf ^^^^^ I ^'^'"e picture, are flittin.. bofV,r« vn.f' l\?'^ ^'"'Sos of a passing calling to men evervwheil to reZfc^ blood of Jesus Christ TIip S and seek salvation in the the tempest is nursin, its wrath t?^f If ?'« ^fT''^' ^^^ that hang brooding Hke tl^ nnf ' *'? * '^^'^ ^''^'•^^' volumes angel ove^rtlfistremWnpeatha^^^^^^^ "'"? °^" ^'''^ '' '^^J^' iniquity abounds: tl^loH J^VfuK "rrt''^ T ' ^^^^^ ^ glued to it: they care onlv for, >««L "'^"^ ^'«''"*« are glory. And thrcK C^ 0'^*%^, !";^^^' '' ^'^''^«' a«d its ehurch of Christ is slumbeHnVanr 1 row/^ '■'? '^ solemn profession hear him not n,. 1 T ^ ''^'Ples by 'Behold;ico.measathW' Wha/ if h «° ^'' ''^1%'" ^hem ^leei^ing, and you flee wh n thTgafj ot' heZv 'f r*"^ ^''' turning upon their hinw- „^a ?• , *^'^^ "^ ^''^"S^" are lookinlwithdvin'eSvVnAi ""' ''^'^°'* ^I'^"^ ^'^ lost in he that watcheth and kef^neth IWm „„J . ^^»j blessed is bccdiess man. ChrL ha^e ^ y'^ron '' ^'f ^''^ ^'^"' bour of agony voutremhonnT/u^ -^^^ ^°"' ^^'''^" >" that merer, whit isTt P^'lt iililJ; t^;e. Penshing sinner fo? wretch, who looks out fton a bi.rn!?, ' "''^ 1 ^'^^^ ^««I'«""g to its fall. What pLns bp«p ' r? ^^'^ ^''"*= '« ^^^^^rini amid the flaminrt mCs nnd tL 'jtP"'"^^"^ ^^^ap ^roni are light, if wSraSff 1 f ^''"'"J''n^' avails. Uut they earthly house ar:dl;l'"4l^^^^^^^^ J ;--!'« of th.^ ou the isBue." "tuvca or Hell is trembling equally 0x^6^?!! Z^. "^^^ '"^ voluminous expositor. »^...ij^u"'.,™\*'^".'" 9ther reasons that nr,.nh nj.^.u":' ' -■=^-« bv,aa England. In h,. truut.«o " On t& ApocaFy^se/' FIEET OBDEAI 01" ENOEAND. 233 publidbed about the year 1817, ho maintained the epoch of the cutbt ISCtW ^^f ^'r---d nation, are much' mor aSilLn ?^^I^^^ V ^''^ amidst- Popish darkness and bo oh !/,;«- fi' therefore, see no scriptural ground for bel.e^ ,ng that they ;vill be more favourabl/ treated But as \t:Hr^ 13 new unquestionably the focut of Evangelical J^gl ( or the whole world, and as there is also reason fo I ophccy lor couimencuig the conversfou'aud restoration li' nlH : ^7 ^'''""' '''''^ probably think that, for the sake of all this sood, we as a nation shall be snared Bnf {^nn.lt- T be considered that, m like nu^nnert^Divine lightt 'tl^ ral^"'' ^r'T'^ ^'T *'^« J^^^i^l^ i.at,on t>tl e who e ^entde world and vet the main body of the Jewish people ^ ch bc-lieved not wero given up to destruction. The Cn- Z T,f *''f ? ""'^^^l cala.nities, which are to visit he wcU any imitation particularly as it respects the nations of the '"'r ll" • t h7 '^;- ''? "^^^7''^^ '' ''' I-'-'l i« -Try whe to lall Mth pain on Mio head of the wicked ' (Jer. zlx. 23 > a tor wi: '7r °"'^' r^^f'[''^!''''^ '^' l^l'^'^OO sealed ones and aftor^^ aids the groat multitude whom no man could number wTro T'\' T' '^'.f ''" r'' ^''^^^''^'i^"' «^ ^J- Sr 'tian le vs were saved from the destructiou of Jerusalem. The gront progro.s ot roa religion in this country allords indeed m' ch cau«o ior consgHion ayd thankfulness ; and without doub i has boon already instrumontal in averting from na the eu, of deso ul.on, ^vhich has passed from nation to nation on ^ he i^cmrlVdl^'^^lf;^ ^? ^""^'^•'1 ^ysor^'^'^^ repentance! mnfotnl n ^^'P-f<^"»Jod expectation that we s^udl ulii- ate y escape the judgments which are about to overwh,.lm an unbel:evmg and apostate world. I Lave observed in a fonne? passngo that there are at present vorv far frnm K. ;.^ " - iuuicuuons of Btich national '^^-entance; and that 'on The contrary, there is melancholy and growing evidence of the f 234 riFIEENIH WOlfDEB. rapid increase of wickedness and profligacy in tin's kingdom. Unless, then, we avert our eyes from the plainest declarations of Scripture, we cannot fail to perceive that our prospects are of a very alarming nalure. These considerations ought surely to awaken the Christian to pray more earnestly for his country, and to quicken his diligence, that he may individually be accounted worthy to escape the approachiug wrath, and to stand before the Son of Man. These views will also lead us to Jook With some degree of suspicion upon those interpretations nt prophecy, so flattering to our national vanity, whereby we are taught to identify the British nation with those that are to he preserved from the calamities of the third woe, and with 1 he harpers standing on the sea of glass, who sing the son"- of Moses and the Lamb. To say the least of these interpr°eta. tious. It la neither easy to reconcile them with the present laoral and religious state of this country, nor with the einphatical declaration of God to the children of Israel con- tamed m the prophecies of Jeremiah, " I am with thee, aaitU the Lord to save thee: though I make a full end of all the natiocs whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a lull end of thee: but I will correct tliee in measure, and wiU not leave thee altogether unpunished." (Jer. xxx. 11 ) ' It, indeed, we saw any appearances of that deep Im mil iation and repentance which are the genuine and blessed fruits of iiatio.:al aflliction, when duly improved, we might gladly listen to the tale of peace, and, even amidst the appalling prospects which surround us we might take down our harp^ from the willows, and tune them to one of the songs of our Zion. But until such fru, 8 are discernible, it is a rash and dan-eroua prr version ot the Scriptures to take to ourselves pruumes to wliK-h our national character does not correspond." . Major Teeviltan, in his diflasivc treatise on " Therion " oresees grievous trials to be coming on England, in connection He sa 8 .- ''*"""^' resurrection of the Kapoleunic Empire. ex(«!iivi'^r^^ r^^*"' ^'J7°"' 'P'"^^""^ *^''«^«- «3 well as the cxle.isne disconihturo ot her arms, that England will bo raided trii.mpimnt seventh trumpet asserts the victory of the saiut., X;r''„"nP''l*'^?''*'"' eimudenngatthe mterminablo prospect— auov© all, at its most malignant feature, which testifies that M riGBT ohdeal of englaud. the 235 rost amiciUas,- the 'Man of Sin,» shall overthrow Church and Government (Dan. xi. 23, 31) -must seek her consolation lu the thought that the cleansing judgments thus foresliown (for it is of the nature of * thunder 'to cleanse) are represented in a peculiar manner under the control of the Lord Jesi.g It is He who, when Ho would award victorv, bids the thunders speak;' and when He would purifV, « scatters the power of his people. It is e7er Christ dealiiff with his own. ° •• The period of the laat forty years has been peculiar in prophecy : it is ever Napoleonic : mankind have lived in the )a\v8 of the great cut, or * deadly wound,' by which the imperial power has been divided, and which is scarcely yet healed. On the heahiig of the wound, when Levis Napoleon shall assume the imperial crown of Kome, then will arise the ten last horns, m spiritual as well as secular independence— the toes of the great image sustaining the tread of the imperial wild beast, and giving to him their power until the words of God shall be tulhlied, i e., m the rise of the kingdom of the stone (Kev. xni. 3; xvii. 10— J7; Dan. ii. " As to the great event of the revivification of the wild benst (tliough not yet fully accomplished,) the case is this— that, contrary to ail calculation or precedent from history, the power wrenched from the grasp of the wild beast it 1814-15, begaa suddenly to be restored to the same wild beast, after many years and two intervening dynasties, in a.d. 1848. As the figure is of a • head ' restored to life, the identity consists, not in tlie resurrection of the bodily frame, but of the name and spirit (thonumen) of the great Napoleon. We must look for something here to certify tho spiritual presence in which, more than in bodily presence, identity consists— aomething, too, in which is made r,mnijest the suppressed power of him who 13 departed. Personal identity may be predidlited (says iJiahop IJutlcr) ' when tho material part is in a state of flur, provided tho immaterial part remain unchanged ; and of such a bou^ only is a resurrection from the dead possible.' Upon this ground we infer that, when prophecy speaks in figure of a resurrection from tho dead (' jiis deadly .wound was healed '), It H to bo uuduratood that the very #a»ifl «pm/— sanguinary, njercsless, and ealeulatiug— is restored ; and that a quasi- identity, such as consanguinity omounts to, may be expected even of tho external form. . liut, further, the revival of tho 236 FIFTEENTn WONDER. ill name on such an account as the present, may be viewed (as heaZJtnhJZ 'pP''""' ^"^ ^'^ ^^^° '' recognized as S«^ml£ nf f ' '^ ?°, ^e^og>"zed on account of^o fore- existence. Ihis 'name,' reconstituted by the hinds of ll cl Jm Tn'voS\?°^V^r ''''''°"' °^-^^^ «'"8'« foundation of Major Boltox, although not an extensive writer unon tJm wdl M them with uproar and trouble ; and that about the same tune, the times of the Gentiles 'will be &ied b/a I^u-opean war and revolutions, as mentioned L Luke xxf "Look now at the state oF Europe, and hear whnf l.no Englam 8;,avnl8upm„acy; a„te° tion Z .ill" '^tlr"""" "" '''•"'''' ""^' "^ "™i"S*l'em "Jilh in tl',;f!'f'"''fj''."r°'''_f '"''"' *'"" Napoleon cipecteJ to bo shot Un cue 2.WrfJ nf Onf^Ko^ locn .•_ ^n ^i .-., .. . •' , JnsnjournalB the following appeared:—- riEET OBDEAL OP ENGLAND. 237 "'Sevoral of tlie Trpncli provincial journals pulilisli Pitnnl- fancously a. violent article against Eiiglaiid, which is known to be supplud by a Government official England is warned that an honr of trial a[)|'roaches, which may put an end to lier greatness for ever.' " Could it be that the gunboats lately built in Frar^oo, carable o'f resisting cannon-shot, armed with /iflcd cannon, about ten in number, and of euffidtnt size each to carry six thousand men, Avith all their military appointments, may be intejulcd to convey Napoleon's victorious army up the Thames to sack London, and return to Cheibourg with their booty, evading or defeating the English Channel flt:et? The fate of England depends on the first naval engngcment. "Etsides the preceding threat, that which follows also appeared in all the English and lri=ih journals, under the head of ' EllAKCE ANT) ExULAND' : — "'The Tim'f devotes a considerable space to an article showing the prevalent feeling in France on the qnestion of a war wiih England. The chief authority for the opinions ex- pressed is a respectable French review, published in Ijondon. It is stated in France that the project of a war with England is incessantly dis-cussed in the places of power— iu the public offices, in +'ie army and navy, among the working classes, and among men of business. The army is reported to be uuiini- mous for war. In the navy, the desire for it amounts to a frenzy. And the church is as eager for it as either the army or the navy.' " It might not be prudent of the author here to express his own opinion concerning those threats, as to whether they may be realized or not, and to what extent ; but from the words of the Archangel Uriel apparently concerning this small kingdom,^ he would suggest to the people of Lc-ndon principally, and of Dublin and the princij;al seaports, to bo prepaied for resistance. For if the foregoing calculation is curirct, the time mus^ be near when the sea and the waves \m11 be heard roaring,, and the powers in high places be shaken throughout all Europe. Then England and Ireland will be. full of trouble and uproar, which could only bo caused by an inviision of both at the same time, to prevent a concentration of loreea in any one place * " These are they whom the Higheftt hath kept unto their end j tbii U the small kingdom, and full of trouble." (2 Esdroa L and zii.) hi I i t 238 PIPTEENTH WONDEE. sufficient to reqinf •>« ;««„j' or kin/dom /': 'c'omrto^?! ?Tl' '''' *^^ ^^-^n Empire ?:in incl.de every ZVdor^\%^y ^ eonflugn.tio., wS I^i-ance nor England Thi ? J ^"^?Pe. excepting neither that flame, fui Wifng also tLT^^^^^^^^ ^^ /eet may ca so waves roaring; men's hirtaJamn/ f.'^^ ooknig a/ter'the thingsThich! ' fni.-'"" ^'' ^''''' «^d for the po«-er« in heaven rl,S f '"''^'^S: ^^^ ^'^ earth; for s uncle before him InS like ^.\.^uT' °^ Europe, as was ^ent ^s inflicted, and The powers In hiX' 1^'^'° *'^''" P"'"^^^- whereby the nations are unfuX n« ^^ ?''T^ ^""^ ^'«"'»ved removed, as the archrngeP Ur el t?r''^S ^" "^^° ^i^l be Babylon the great shall ^come To t^ TK^""' ^'^^^ a'^o violt-nce" (Rev! xvii 2lT fo^ -J ^®^ ®°'^' John says. " b^^ *' But that will '^ Trance, in 1793 ^ present possessors, the^'LX ?o whn^^'S'"/ ^' '^''^'''^ °f ^^3 ^ should occupy it until h[s;!rllT.?°^TS^^^ ^^' that they by Daniel aTdtJ^I S^ll^.^r ^°^^"^^^^' ^ ^-^^'^ revolt and free themselves fSJ/ru''' °^>^^ S"'^^" will Africa.haIlgou;1oPa^ t^^^^^^ «^'- in Asia and and s.iver, wheu God will destVv f h?° ?^ *'''^^' «^' ^l^^ir gold £f Israel by the seventh v?a of ^^^,"^1?^°" ^'^^ '»°''"t^'»« uXi: ''■' ^^^^- --"C^«i';rr.''-ri/ii^^^',i^ m llev. xvi. 19. "^'^^ fierceness of his wrath, spok, u of ■■'iT^^riir '""^' '»"-■' «-»'^. -a .e„ PIEllT OBDEAL OF AMERICA. 2a9 learn war no more, and the everlasting gospel be preached to every tongue and people in all the earth, till all, both Jews and Gentiles, shall turn unto the Lord, and the earth be filled with the knowledge of the Lord aa the waters cover the deep ; and thus bring iu that happy period called the millenniuni, when not only in Europe, but in all the world, there will be a revival. And so shall be fulfilled the saying of Paul, " If the casting a' ay of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead." Anglo-Saxon Amebica cannot escape from falling under the despotic dominion of the Antichristiun powers headed by Niipoieon, peeing that "power is to be given him over all Jcindred, and tongues, and nations'* — a comprehensive expres- sion, which must surely include so important a part of the world as the western hemisphere. And, n^ain-, in the same part of the thirteenth chnpter of Eeyelation ic is stated that that revived 'Napoleonic head of the Roman Empire is also to "make war with the saints" — that is, Christians— and to overcome them for forty-two months, or three and a half years. Nor are these saints defined to be merely such as shall be found within the ten kingdoms, although the (•. kingdoms are to be the chief persecuting powers, but they will be saints generally through- out all Cluiatendom ; and probably Anglo-Saxon America con.tains nearly half of the entire number of true saints upon tiie earth at the present time. And 03 the Eoamnists, who are principally to compose the persecuting body of which the Napoleonic Antichrist is to be the Head, ate very numerous in Canada and the United States —some of lie Southern States consisting largely of French Eomnnists— such a fact is of itself a sufficient indie itiou of the prospect, apart from other grounds, of matters being in such a train asi to render a persecution of American Protestants no improbability. The destinjr of a country in times of revolution usually depends upon the issue of the popular disturbapces in its central towns, and it is particularly lu the leading cities of the United States and Canada thai the Irish and other Eomauiats are proportionately very nutnerous, and constitute a compact and systematically organized body, so as to render iU increasing encroachments iblft. Thsir as')irations &!id long aimed at the ultimata 240 riFTEENTH WONDER. t;{. i:i folLfn/S^^^^^^^ and of tLis the ^ort7 years aco a S!n r ! ^ -^ ^"ustratioD :- one of th/courts^°er: walS dotnlheK ^^n^^'^^^ °^ together, when the priest saTd >n f J^i • ^ ^'-^ ?^ Cmeinnati ^Tould come when the irrnan r„H ^^i"'^"^ ^'^^<= ^be time ruhng power in this count^v Ld t f' ' ^'^^ ^""^'^ '^^ ^^^^ "But." said theTuTl^avi/rir ''^"''^^^ estabJished religion." ^ ' ^ '^''^'-'°" ^»" ^lever be the ;; Why not?" said the priest. -Ine priest replied— time :il? c^itLTECn^^thlr^S T^^^^^^--. The your Legislature and jZ CW^^^^ a i.njority in laws to suit themselves and mn^A o ' u ^'^'^^ '"^'^ "'^''^ the ond National Con?titufions „7 tt n, ""^^"^'"f ^s to State prevent tbe Eoman Catrolic ftS fe'n"^' "''"* ^^'^^ religion, when they who !,■ vern in tZ ct l ^\'' f«tabli«hed ^ " That time can never come " sai?! ^^;"''9^'"J° ^I'e State ?" of ?urpopuIar instibtioLTagai'fit "' ^"'^^' "^'^° ^^-^ The genius of the Church i« n L f »"ny come, and must come S«;Vl.^''^r ^'^« *''"« g.oafc detcrunnation wrhJ^^in f 'n 1 '""' "'' ^•'''^^^' ^* '"» and would bring all that Va ,«-i^®^""'*^' "'^ '* ''o could "ntion. It was?houg It t'leTimn r . ^"''^'1''^ "I^°» ^''^ ^'^'oted priest, when he added "Z n^' T " ''^>"«<^ «^" «* But as an American has saW in 186'i in n^^^'V'^'I''^ ^'''^^''"•" the state of things n^w WL u ^f '", ^^''^' " ■^O'^k at . who are bigoted^o.u^nistr^ailT.^lft'V '' ^" ^""'^^^ brancheH of our general nnH .7„1 ^'^ "'^^ Powor in all tell what our da^te whl ^T'""''''''''^ ^^ho can vote away the monoi ofTlfn Iv "'"" ''^«'"' "« '» this city to «nd Jo b..ild- monnZntl^^l^ZZt^t^^^^ OMght to pray for the overthJo^r^" H •'"'"' '^'^^'^^^ ? ^^ d.no.u.ce. every step ofW^^^^^^ ^'''^t cur.es and the dark ages. I am rrL,! f f i '"^^ ^'^^" "'"^'e since overthrow ol" this deZiSn and tCVT r'' '•^'^>' ^°^ ^^e ft" unfH.-ndIv to the SDmad a'ihl ^^'^truotmn c.f this power, of tho wnri.i Al "^'*'^^. ^^ .*re gngpel and the evnnm.i;,,.* u J -• -'- vc« onuuia not be shut. We must" know FIERY OBDEAL OP AMEIIICA. 241 vrh&t our danger ia, and guard against ifc. We mu.t resmf «ii abuse of power at the outset, or we may be lost '" ' "" sent to aid Maximilian in subiuffatiV.' £ co 't? ZT -1^ not a verv pleasant prospect )rany%u":?'Ame La tl^ conqueredfand governed by black Mal/omnu^ant ' ° ^' IT IS very remarkable that the Alexicau Governor nf Guerrero, m a letter to a Sii a Francisco nmnr in l ftr« i If ?• a penetrated the designs of ^ITn ^l itVS"co^ Vict,on« tlmt the latter was indoubtoclly ai.LVat unTversd ZcTerll bTrlS'''^ scarcely any l,oliticians ha" f-l,«f"i?'t!'nI'®'^l?*'u^"P°'*'^" "' *''o occupation of Mexico are that It will enable hun to place his foot on China and extract Jrom thence its accumulated treasures. uZaToZZl means to reach another end, and tha^ end is the " Y.SmS I ;;;":7«''''f«'''';%.extir,)ati,.. all thUmerican it S^^^^^^ ni order to enable him to con«oliua(o his own dviiastv H« Cf h!; 11 think unposs.ble ui t^.o preset a«o wo live in. this ivln. r*'' ""* ,''"f ^''"""''♦^ '" ''i* it^ 1<'^'»«. which O th^^dayhos been marked out during his rei;,n. is 'assuredly • Com^n!^-"''''M',^?^"'»" '"'« prophetic trcalise, "The So%?';;:iCr"^ "* Columbus/Ohlo, United 'states! of ( WjI', rr Ji"' ^'"'*' r' ""P'^-al'^-^led reliKious persecution of ChnstiauB for three and a half years, is ibrcshown to inl^ tv:z tz i«^'«/''-".«'-''aii ch;-st;::iX nc ud^; the United 8tato«. He arrives at this ronolusio, from t 5 prophecy of the slauyhler of the Witn«««,- ;.. ...„ IliJ. . "!u 'i*!- Koveiat.on which ho understands in miirh tlm^nme way m Dm. Jlerg, M«cleod, Hales, V. N. Lord, Nangle, the comiJen! n 1 1 t-L ' " 242 riFTEENin WONDEB. .tator Thomas Scott, and others; he explained • ifc on the year-day prii.ciplo of interpretation to mean that, at the end of 1200 yeara, from the full establishment of Popery about a.d 00(5, there will be a general slaughter of Christian Witnes^ses during three and a half years, signified prophetieally by the three and a half davs of the exposure of their dead bodies, lie also J3 of opinion that .the great revival of religion in Amer.ca in 1857 will eventually increase the hatred and opposition of Satan and the ungodly against the people of Ood, and tend to accelerate the coming persecution. He J * "As light increases, as divine influences are more aclire, and their ellecta more ostensible, and as the ranks of the adversary are seen to be thinning, and his cause waning, he is wont to come to the rescue. The only wonder is, that he has tnus lar,durmg this extraordinary religious interest, kept so qniet. Men of all janks and conditions in life, in great numbers, deserted his rai.ks, and we mav be sure he will not quietly submit to his disasters. He will ere long rise in his great wrath, knowing that his time is short. He will stir up wicked men to do more wickrdlt,. • The wise shall understand: but the mcon'u/iilu loicked shall not unaerstnnd, but be allowed to go on to their own eternal undoing. We shall see if the great enemy of all good will allow his vassals to succumb without a struggle to the new order of things which the Lord, by the ate woudcrlul ellusiou of his Spirit, is now inaugurating in our land. o » "^b ''What is mant lyile slaying of the Witnesses m the eleventh chapter ot iCevviation and ivhen bhall this event take place, and by whom? Ihcir d^ath is the violent and complete sup- l>re88ion ot their t(j«timony. If by the Witnesses bo meant the Hucoessiou ot those who profess and contend for the faith once delivers, to the ^aints, then the suppression of their testimony must ho their death. The people of God will then bo pro- hibited fron- bear-ug witness to the truth. MiniBters may not preach, t hardier may not bo opened, Christiana may not assemble tor worship, Bibles may not bo published, circulated, or knowingly read, all berevolent .^oeioties will bo Biippressed. the Chii«tiau press prohibited, Christian Bchoola abandoned, and all religioiiH instruction interdicted, llightoousnoss will be sent away iato the waste howling wildfirnpig tn .if. .nlifa-" anu to mourn. AVickcducBi wilf lit ia high pUwe*, «u^ « FIEnr ORDEAL Or ENGLAND. 043 nir^^.?''''"^^'^'".'^ P'^*y- -Everv remninin- vestige of piety or tho p,ous, shall be treated with savage co^nZTt^^ d.w'^TJ^nrH"''"''""-^ '^'''' '' ^° t''« ''^- of this SIT; ; l\''^'^^'^y Pa«^ or ia it vet to come ? I have no Italy. But there wa. in none .of these instances hat 2,. " E?ra^d1/'" ^uf T^ of. the people of" od^rti o^SLa J In r"^^'? ^''"'".?'' °^" "'' tl.o enemies , n,-nf ,^ \ .u •' '?° described. But what w more in pont none of the mighty conflicts of iniquity n^n st the Church ol the hvin- God occurred at //.. ^W'/zm. to ma o them comcide with the event spoken of in ourleVt ° . Ihis dread overthrow is to take place as the resuli of tlm lfsl.L;S'°'.*'?''^^"^"^^^^^^ Ho is then tfar^^^^^^^^ ■ at or.^ar the^^dltflho ^Zi^^;i^,:Z.^ attmldVnn^'Z' ^'^° ''?y"'^ "^ *^'° \VItncsso9 shall bo tJinri/, ana a jubilee of trmmpli over its Bunnoand tinnl Cttuo^ s!h Tr '''''' "''''*'^*^ ^'""^ overthrow of tho hated cause, buch a timo eeoms yet to come. defeLo. fin lin •' ?nT ""•'^ ^"♦^''y raise his voic'o in her proas u'luzlefiw *'"'* ^'^ P''o«cribed. the pulpit closed, the iCnbied tin 'fl "?""''''' ''^''"•^^'' ''^J*«!""« instruction ve til n^^^ liRl.tcd.nnd almost every roSl ^''°" doatroyed. Y«t tho good ^eed shall still "If it. be ^''fi'' *' -^ jf.«_ » n . _ -. rszt :r''^' "'■'?f '"^' ^' "°^ " -""i--rs 244 FIFTEENTH WONDEH, m the diflerent dr criptlonn we linve of tlie great battle every up. pearance of it 'i here seems ' •«.• ana ovcrwiiel'ued beyond the hop«'of recovery, and thoi^the/ riERY OEDEAL OF A31EJIICA. 245 3 ever jap. t vill he a tichristian will be a 383 w'U be rcome and nuch fls it on. And t taste of fore be ye ipoKen of, an infidel J8, ratlier lis better e Apoatle le Papacy latioDB of irow, and jwer, the I miglitv, ' which I lajl 101186 ueas, and ; as woll preaolied 1 that it followed If )i'ars, IV of the Ho wiil t it has vd ill &o 111 id and )»t8 that lie other ontrast ! rth over i„:.i I JBO they ^u-^u J*"? "f'*^'" »''^e~tl,eir strength renewed?, and they shielded by the arm of Omnipotence. ^ " The slaying of the Witnesses, as I hare explained it. extension nf';;^'Ppr''T "S ^-'^ '^^''''' '''' the instruction and of a ZS ? ?'"''•', ' ^^'''' '^^^ov^tlon, the re-establi^shment tUJ R f J^^ r?f ^" '^'"'"'^ lavonrMbie allspices than ever. Before, they had been clothed in sackcloth, d velt in the ?h V hn'r' ^''""J'T'-''^^ ^««^ ^own, alH.cted, and tormented tlferZn, /°'T '^'^ ^•^'^ Beloved-appeared and lifted up hi'h nln . ' H ^'^^ ^^,^'-««n upon them, and set them in a ingh pla',e and made them knigs and priests, and put their enemies under their feet, and put\ new «ong n theJmouths even praise to Him that sittcth on the throne. ' Antilhrir-"^' f f" ^^°^^^I1*SH now have the kin,.rdom. Antichrist is put down, and it is proclaimed, ' The kingdoms n, «f "^ 1^ r ^r?r ^''«.'^'""gdom3 of our Lord and of his Lhnst; and He shall reign ior over and ever.' This is the h« r°fi"'°'"' i'*''"^^ '^'^ clay when God shall lift up the heads of his people-when the New Jen-salem, come down from heaven as a bride prepared for the bridegrooni, shall shine forth in her beautiful attire as the glory of this louer world. Alay wo all be faitlitul witnesses for tlie truth, that ar unwojthy name* mnybo found written m the Lamb's book FnoM THE OPINIONS nbovo quoted, it will be seen that a considerab e agreement exi.sts among both year-day and literal- day exposUPrs as to there being a great persecution for thretf and u halt years near at hand. And the increasing activity of the three LnclcTin ppirits of infidelify, democratic despotic revoIutK>p, and Jesuitism in America during the last few years toTn"! «t' ^'i°:r' '' .^^'''^ l'''"f? "'"'1» "' gathering people to tho wrr of the great day of (3od Almighty, which is pre dieted ui'drr the .ixth vinl to be edceted bv tl.n;,, three spirits S'l f T "i' ^"*-'" • ^'"P°l^'"". a»^» the i'ontiff, and wofking n »rach>». Jnily spiritualism, which is chiefly revived demon^ ology, or witchcraft, i. u manifestation of the ujiclean si.irits >^orkmg niiracleB, for no person who ha. fairly examined J op'irations can denv that it i- pj-a.- -"": \ i. I TZ,Zi T^'V ^""'^ supernal ural. It is aVappenrance OT VJ« dark arts ot sorcery, i^ucb as were practised by the 246 FIFTKENTH WONBEB. Sin, IS about to be fully develoned «' uhlt ^^ • '• r^°, workiog of Satan ^n^'^r;^^^^^^^^ bi thpTi^anderal*'; ^^^^^^ Stated became' inTs^sTho nervad.H vrM '. -^ n^ 8pi"tuali«m, and is now leavened and iiXreT^nn^*''''^,' '°?^ becoming included within the The Xr ""f """"'^T'^ °^ '^° ^'^P^"^' Antichrist. another of tho ?hL 'T^'^^'T'^ dernocraticdespotism, in.thtPrl Iwi ?^ wonder-working spirits, have also been K t r ,t to tl.r:''''^ fV^^ ^" 'l^^ ^''"*^d Statea. The mte.nal conflicts. T.e^battle^lrthTtt fno^^ tnTom !ml uuL /^"''^ y""''' '"f^°'« ^''^1 "ot submit to be quieteT vrnln ? ?'"-■''''" '^'"^ ^'^^«^'°^ i" which to expend its r«J I? I'enian.sm is an organized embodiment ^ofths Ca mda'r/i'P'''' V"^ ^'^•^ ^^^^^ '^PP^^^^'^^^ of soon maldng S ,1. « nn ; ir ' •sanguinary strife, and obtaining a most S"SS^^ ^^^t!^^poi^^^e;:S^or^ n .L^ "''» 'ersal empire. It is naturally eager for his counte r, ' T^ l"ig and, which prophecy shows to bo on the fIi /' °r«'"P''?'^">'^nt, because Inland was not 1 ke ^^e\:^t i^''''''] '''"'''"• I'^-n-^eratioTof th promiso o JNapuleon a assistance sooner or later in estahllsl.in™ Ireland's independence, the Fenians would doVbLsSvete^? uS ItiS'^" :^'\ in extending his dotiX^er'" CM «Vjo » •,r^'''''n bi'otherhood is believed to number H ch IS no inconsiderable proportion of the thirty-three a.J bona of ponulntion in the United Stotc-s and Cana la' A,?H It shou d not k forgotten that a comparat vdy sma 1 but yet revolution ol 1703 to be crpablo ol thorongV r 'volutioSg V riisar objoeal of amedica. 247 ;he hentheu 'bich it has isanda fur- the man of is after the ' wonders." 1848 the ivened and !r country, kvithin the Antichrist, despotism, also been ites. The 5 with the i, and the into the ho recent isen irom B quieted, cpend its • of this n making ^ a most and the anizatiou I of gain- s counte- Ireland on the not, like >n of the !iblishing ive their over the number of 18G5, ■tj-three A. And but }'et irencii ionizing & country. Tne historian Alison, remarking upon the astonish- ing ease with winch the smallJacobin faction tyrannized over France m the Eeign of Terror, says, in 1794, in chap. xv. " The facih'ty with which a faction, composed of a few of the most audacious and reckless of the nation, triumphc-d over the immense mnjority of all the holders of property in the kingdom and led them forth like victims to the sacrifiJe, is not the least extraordinary or memorable fact of that eventful period. The active part of the faction at Paris never exceeded a few thousand men; their talents were by no means of the highest order nor their weight in society considerable; vet they trampled under foot all tho influential classes, ruled mighty armies with absolute sway, kept two hundred thousand 5!L5"Ii IJ'"''!"?' "' captivity, and dailv led out several hundred, and at la«t perhaps, taking the whole country together some thonsand persona, of the best blood in France to execution. Such is the elfect of the unity of action which atrocious wickedness produces-such the consequence of rous- ing the cupidity of the lower orders-such tho ascendancy which, m periods of anarchy, is acquired by the nio.t savagi and lawless otth6 people. Tho peaceable and inoftensive citizens lived and wept in silence ; terror crushed every attemut at combination; the extremity of grief subdued even the Hi-mest hearts. In despair at ellecting any alleviation of tho general sullerings, apathy universally pre'vailed, the people sought to forget iheir sorrows in the delirium of present enjoyments, and the theatres were never lulier than durin'r the whole duration of the Reign of Terror. Ignorance of human nature can alone lead us to ascribe this to any pecu- liarity in the French character; tho same effects have been observed in all parts and ages of the world, as invariably ottending a state of extreme and long-continued distress. 11 ow then, did a faction, whose lenders were so extremely contemptible m point of numbers, obtain the power to rule JJrance witli such absolute sway ? The ansv^er is simple. Ifc was by an expedient of tho plainest kind, and by steadily lolJowing out one principle, so obvious, that few have muaht lor the cause of such terrible phenomena in its application. . ,, ^••, ! ; o' •• '« ^icEi/ £v.-.cisi, autuauv g]V!nff, to the workmg-classes tho inlluence and the posnessions of all the other orders in the State. i^M/w cuj>ida novarum rertm 248 FrriEENTn iroKDm. it^TlJ T^^""""! °^ ^ *^'^^°S^ ™ t^« »»axitn on winch t ey acted ; it wan to tins point, ti.e cupidity and ambitio of those to whom fortune had proved adverse, that alltbeLr nieasures were directed. Thcit principle was o kc n S revoutionnry passions of the people coistantfy awake by le display of Iresh objects of desire-to represent all the present imsery which the system of innovation 1 ad occasioned ^as the consequence of the resistance which the holders of tope tv ad opposed to its progrcss-and to dazzle he populace by the prospect boundless felicity, when the revolutionary en uditv a Id spoaation for which they contended was fuHy esihTshed % tins means they effectually secured, over theVrSe pari ot Irance, the co-operation of the multitude; aud it warbv their physica strength, guided and called fokh by the revo^ lutionary clubs and con.mittees universally established and Sn'TatTi::^";;' °'r"" "°^^ "^^-' " the Jaeol.m uphS" extraordinary power of the Terrorists was Hknce, just as the Jacobin faction gained supremacv over Prance 80 may the Fenians acquire predomin u^cro^eVthe Unuod States, notwithstanding their only beino numericJllv a small part o its inhabitant, f and it is eas; to erSow ^in Buch a case, Prot^cstant freedom and toleratlc n would at onJe be overthrown. To this result also the ceuseles. encroachments of Eoman propngandis.n and Jesuitism^tho third ot' the th?ee Bpints— are materially teiulin^. ^^^ The impossibility of PxMteslant .\merlca escanin- the predicted per.secut.ou is further shown by tho fact tint"' tbit hour of ten.ptatmn is to come upon all til worl toS-y them tnat dwell upon the earth ;"• and tho great tribulation is to be 80 umversal, that except it were «ho'?tened, •'no f e h (not a smgle human being) should be ^aved ''^-plainly imflvii^ as Daniel has foretold,' a time of trouble su4 as ne;'cr SSuce there was a nation, even to that same time; « Hot. iii. 10. ■ I Mutt. xiJv. 21. » D^,., ^H. i. I A riEBT MOUNTAIIT CAST INTO THE SEA. 249 SIXTEENTH WONDER. (About three yeara after the Covenant, and probably continu- ing for a month or two.) The Second Trumpet cAusiNa a gueat riEKT mountain . TO BE CAST INTO THE SEA, AND THE THIED TART OP THE SEA TO BECOME BLOOD, AND THE TIIIKD PART OF FISH TO DIE, AND THE THIRD PART OF SHIPS TO BE DESTROYED. "And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burnmg with fire was cirt into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the tturd part of the ships were destroyed."— Rev, viii. 8, 9. ^Kn'f ,y^^^\TR^f^rET is principally a severe blow upon those who follow the inland pursuits of husbandry and asriculture. such as farmery graziers, proprietors of landed estates, and cultivators of the soil ; but the Second Trumpet chiefly afflicts thf fishing population, and th6se '« that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great water.^ that see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep." AVhTIe the inhabit- antsot the eeacoast are congratulating thems.dves that how- ever much the fruits of the earth may be de.stroyed, at any rate the fish, which constitute their chief source of support remain untouched, they will auddi-nly find themselves bereft ot this, their accustomed means of suhsi.Htciice. There seems every reason to believe that the sea, one-third ot which 18 here to be sanguinefied, is'the entire ag-regate mass of salt water in general, including, tlie Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Antarctic, Indian Ocean, as well as the Mediterranean although the latter, being in the very heart of the Koinan i-mpire, and being called in Scripture " The Great Sea," has been thought .ti? be more especially intended as the scene of this calamit;^. But as the preternatural eclipse and subse- quent scorching of the sun at the fourth triinipet and vial must necessdrdy aff-ect the whole ..f the earth, anJ not merely the trumpets and via 8 will Huii.larly nflliot the whole globe, although Christeiidom and the llomau Empire may suffer mora m ! i 250 SIXTEENTH WONDED. severely than other regions. This second trumpet plasue is similar to one of the Egyptian plagues. ^ ^ ^ " • And the Lord spake unto Moses, say unto Aaron take n/nnfh' ^"^^^^^^^^ °^<= ^hine hand upon tL watrTo? Egvpt! upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their pm4 md tTt \hlV''" T^l'' water,-that they ma^ become Slood ;' that there may be Wood throughout all the land of Egypt . . .And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord com- ZHZV'^Z 'V^'f ''Sht of Pharaoh and in the sight of his savants, and all the xvaters that were in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that was in the river died and the rnrer stanlc. and the Egyptians could not drink of the water E.ypt"7Ej 'v^^o'oi?^ ^1?°^ tbroughout all the land of ■^gypt (Lx. vii. 19—21). The only dilFerence between tho plague thus recited hnd that before^ us, isTn regard to the ployed. In Egypt they were the inland waters that underwent this appalhng change. Here it is the sea. The rod of Moses was then u.ed ; now it is the injection of a burning mountan J. Kelly remarks :-- A s to the great mountain burninTwTh fire, marvellous though it be, what^'forbids but that we slioild suppose It to be some combustible material body conlnsed hi he aboratory of the atmosphere by Divine power oi some la h'et'^n"' Tof ^°"'ft''r '''^'^'^ anrSitated Lto we S t! r •V'^f.^^^'r'"'"" S°'°S o^ around the^m May nesses to Goi .vho ^*''''" V'^ *^'"'. Proportion of t»ue wK un nt m dated 1 f 1 n ^- """"i ^^^' ^^^^ ^^and unharmed and uninrimidated by the Divine demonstrations acainst the inn\tv ^mpnthuing .ith the two illustrious witn sSoVai, wlf^ will then be occupied in Jerusalem with their mir^uroui testimony, may not these fniihlnl nr... «..J;fJ:....T''^'^'"'''"* aamiaistraiion of this very judgm^t;thu8 iulfillii^' ill end THE SEA tuhned into blood. 251 in? intimation of our Lord, when on the occasion of I,,', ye shall ask in prayer believin.Ji ^.f^^'Ofe^^. ^vhatsoever xxi. 21 2'>) P'^'^yer, DelieviDg, ye shall receive' (Matt. of some naval engairementa SUM vil^ulu . "° '^^^"^'^ to nf «7i,of ^„ ^ T- T^ ^'^'"' ^"'^ theprecedeut referred in the vision, beyond what occurs in the npvt- ouZt i- i n.^y Bpoak, of mortality epuiag'amo'ugT'alf T/ '^S mdi"c5'lfl "ri ^Z'- "f"'" """t""" "hid were m tie ,ea qulceoffhk :^it™".'r^ ^' regarded aa a natural oo„7: nea«^.„d^r.ar.Ztre"US i: r^rrS'^'^ tivP.7ofthe'tn::'il"i!i ..,^°1- ':'•"■"'. "-. genera, tbe energy of .t, Antiehri,tian rulers-wUl not bT uuvtifed 252 SETENTEENTn WONDEB. by tbe spirit of oommercial enterprise. Accordinffly, we read 01 ^il^e elnps of IMhh' amongst otlier objects orproud cominacency, upon which the coming day of the Lord ^Zll empty its^burden of woe' (Isa. i.^lG) f and it may be J means of this very judgment, under the second trumpe^t whS these .hip., with others, shall be waiting to discEe the'r merchaadise into various ports," u««.uurge ineir SEVENTEEIv[TH AYONDER. * (Beginnipg about three years and two months after* the Cove- nant, and continuing about two months.) . The Tninp Teumpkt cafsino a burning meteoric stab CALLED AVOKMWOOD, TO FALL FROM HEA^ VPON THE TniBD PAEX OF THE RITEns AND UPON THE FOUNTAINS . ."AT^r/LrMr"" '"^"' ^^^ ^-O..ZlT.l Prnl^?^ the third angel sounded, and there felt a m-eat star aT.dthr^! of-the rivers, and upon the fountains of later"^ n«^ nf r'"^ f *'l^ '^^^^ ^^ ^"^^^'^ Wormwood : and the th rd partof the waters became wormwood; and many men died r? the waters, because they were made bitter. "-Bev.^iii" Jo, li! An immense aeroHfe is here brought into view ran'idiv wmging Its vvay in all directions th'^rdugh the 2iaZS ether of earth's atmosphere, and at the same time exnlosS Bhooing forth splinters and showers of its buZrparSs wh eh fall upon the lakes, rivers, streams, and fountSfns and instantaneously impart to them a nauseous bitter and poison 0U8 flavour,, through which many persons ire killed s3" i«eteors ihrowing^lf, i„ their^flLingpra.e through h^ "On the 24th of July, 179f), between nine and ten at ni-ht ^estarie of r' ^ ^"p" '^^"' '' ^"^'^""«' near the soui: west angle ot irance. Pirat n lun.in""- k„ii ^i' « imeraing the atmosphere with-griat" rapWity, "iVlea^Sg PALLINa OP A METEOniC STiB. 253 ^^J^^f^ J tram of l.crj.t which lasted about fifty secdbds • w;»,i% -n ? ? *^^ dif-ections. Tt.i. wns soon aft/r tollovfed by the fall of stones over a considerable extent of ^.ound Tnd at various distances from each other. These were'all a ike^n appearance but of many different sizes, the 'Z^ number ieu wiiu a Hissing noise, and ente-'u j ffrnund hnf- +!,<» soft half-melted state. Such ^ft on ' ■■" .hi If !." * there is ^f iV'T'^'"^^" *'" °*' "^^^''^^^ ^^^ E.-.rope,^of which by a violent explosion, which lasted five or six niinnfp^ 5 Son nV « 5 , "j ^'''^"^ ^"'^ *^e ^'^T serene, with the excen- tion of a few clouds such as are communis observed tL Sr-'^'u'^ ^'9^ « ««»^" <^J°^^ of a r^.tLgu a form ^ho of wS if w„! ^ *¥ phenomenon lasted, but the vapour fSs\rh;z:fc%R:^;t^^^^^^^^^^^ cloud was about half a leamm fn ♦!,; AT vx^^'L'. !["°'; ^^'1 ""' » hl^r^l" ^"f ^ eiovatiour^ar^^^illiS.?^ » hamieti, a league distant from each other, saw it it the of 964, SEVENTEENTH WONDEB. eame time over their beads. In the whole cfinton over which t.us cloud hovered, a hissing noise, like that of a stone dis- cherged from a sliu-, wns heard, and a multitude of meteoric stones vvere neen to tali at the same time. The district in which they fell forins an elliptical extent of about two leaffuea and a hall in length, and nearly one in breadth; the ffreatest dimension being in a direction from S.E. to N W The number of these stones was reckoned to exceed 3000, and the Jargest ot them weighed nearly twenty pounds " The following extracts are from "Kelly's Apocalypse In- uM'preted," vol. u. : — •' r ji " The Greek word rendered lamp, to* which the great star is compared, was commonly employed by the ancients to denote a meteor, and the shooting of such body through the air, with a long horn ot light, is matter of not uncommon observation among ourselves. Let us imagine, then, a great star of this kind tailing from t!ie heavens, and bursting hi fiery fracrments oveMhe Jewish land, and we have the scone here presSd rnli'-'^ '^/'^^I'P^" *t '^'""^^^'-^ "/ *^^ river,, and upon the fountains of waters. The vegetation of the earth was affected under tiie first trumpet ; then the sea, under the second • and now under the third, the inland waters. Upon the salubritv of these we know how much depends, at all times, the refresh- ment of both man and beast. Still, the like moderation obtains, as in the preceding visitations. 'It is only the third part of the waters upon which the baleful influence descends. And t.e name oj the star is called Wormi.Qod. The desirm ot this name seems to be, to mark th. more emphatically t'Se connection ot the star with the disastrous event recited iu the next clause : — *'And the third part of the waters became wormwood. A eomp ote privation, so far, of the healthful fluid would bo mora bearable than this, so that here is an aggravation of the (.•alarmtyot drought. Just as it was an aggravation of their trial to Israel ot old m the wilderness, when, in thdr extremity ot thirst they came +0 water, but loiuil it bitter, that thuy could not drink it. (\«..vod. xv. 2U.) ^ ''Andmanj/ men died of t^o waters, because theu were made outer, aui-li will be ti>Q napr-i-ii-j.-ii .-.t* r-..-.=fVL ^ „? • uauseous draught So eweuwial t life is the element of water, that men will not refrain from t;en this forbidding •uppljj El VERS AND FOUNTAINS OF WATEE EMDITTEBED. 255 and, yet. when they do, there will be death in the indulgence, attended, it may be, with the revolting Bymptoms which accompanied the drinking of the waters of jealousy by the adulteress, for they also were called ^hitter watfirs ' (Num v. 18). Many, wo edn conceive, will he the exploring seai les for the pure stream which shall be made in tliat day, like as when Ahab, in the drought of old, divided the land between him and Obadiah, * to pass throughout it unto all fountains of water, and all brooks, if peradventure thpy might save even the horses and mules alive.' (1 Kings xviii. 5.) But how tan- talizing the result here, when, in many placep, the water found shall be corrupted in its very source. Still, in the merciful reserve in the midst of mU tins of two-tJnrds of the waters, we see that a supply will bo accessible to some ; aud doubtiesa the faithful remnant will be' thence provided for." EIGHTEENTH WONDER. (Sometime between three years and four months, and three years and seven mouths after the Covenant.) The FomiTii Trumpet, causinp tub tuiud paiit of the 8uN, Moon, and Staub to he eclii'sed,. and the tuiud PAltr OP TUB DAY AND NIUJIT TO BE UNUSUALLY DAltKENED. "And the fourth angel Bounded, and the third part of the Bun was smitten, nad the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as tlie third part of them was darkened, and the day rIiouo not for a third part of it, and the uight likowiso." — Rev. viii. 12. Tub judicial chastisement of the guilty nations is now ma'iHested in the solar, lunar, and stellar departments of creation; but still with the same restriction to a third part?; and tho total eclipse of those constellations under the literal tilth seal nud tifth vial will not supervt-no, until the earth's tressors havo flfled up the cun ut iniquity ut tlio cio»e of transgt their tiirco and a halfyearn' ripened apostusy. Tho darkening of the third part of the Buperllcial diic, or 256 EIGHTEENTH WOiTDEE. orb of the sun, moon, and stars, will only diminish the power and intenaity of iiglit, and is not at all necessarily productive of the superadded phenomenon announced in the words, "The day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise." For by this additional feature in the judgment there will beau abridgment in the duration of the diurnal, or nocturnal shining of those luminaries, as well as a diminution in the strength and lustre emanating from them. The unprecedented singularity of this marvellous - visitation will be strikingly adapted to summon the attention of the most hardened sceptics to the portentous character of the crisis, upon which they are then entering. In regard to the length of time during which each of these first four trumpets will continue its action, it is reasonable to suppose that as the iifth trarapet is defined to continue for five months, therefore at least a mouth or so would not be a dis- proportionate length for the rise, climax, and decline of each of the less severn plagues of the preceding trumpets, and they need not necessarily occupy all the interval elapsing before the rise of their respective successors. The Rev. Dr. De Burgh, in his literal-duy " Exposition of llevelation," equally with the Revs'. Dr. Todd, J. Kelly, K. Govett, and J. Tyso, in their expositions, maintains the future literal fulfilment of these trumpets. He says — " And if it be asked what .vwir rant have we for interpreting literally as judgments such efiects wrought on creation? I answer, we iiavo a warrant which we have not for their figurative interpretation-- we have a precedent in Scripture. We have the preredent of the plngiies of Egypt; and very remarkable it is that « ry oiio event hero prophesied did actually and literally occur in Egypt : the plague ojf ' hail, and fire mingled with the hail ' there, Exod. ix. 24, corresponding to ' the iuiil and fire mingled with blood' of the first trumpet here : the turning the waters into blood there, Exod. vii. 19, to the same result of thu second trumpet here, and embittering of the waters by the third: and 'the darkne!*8 over all the land of Egypt,' Exod. x. 21, to the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars, b> the fourth trumpet. And with this precedent, whether, I a^ three angola which are yet to sound." • to n.'i\!''''^''"'''i'^''".J'''^'^'T°^ *'*® ''"'''*'"^ "^'^" o*" ^V^oo refers ♦! Ii'^iV!^^!i""''""*"'^'*™'''P'^'^''' whidi are, thererorc, usiialiy termed the three woe-triimppts ; and the woes aro denouneed Bpecittlly aguiuut tho lubabitautB of tho earth, because whereas •I fl 253 EianTEENxn wonder. ir the first lour trumpets had primarily affected inanimate nature, the last three will be directed specially against animate creation — not merely the subordinate elements, but against mankind themselves. . J. Kelly remarks upon this warning cry — " Let us pause here, for a moipent, to admire the mercy of God, in thus interrupting the course of his judgments by an announcement of the further and aggravated woes that arc at hand. For, surely, this is an admonition to the guilty to pauso, in their career of apostacy, and retrace their steps, if, par- adventure, they may find admission amongst the accepted remnant. Thus we know God dealt with Pharoah, in intlieting a similar series of .visitations, an interval between each being D.llowed for the haughty monarch to improve by submission. Before the floou> also, not only was there tho preaching of Noali for one hur.Jred and twenty years, but there wap a lingering process in the execution of tho judgment; for the destruction came not as it might have done, in one fell swoop, but there first occurred a respite of seven days ; and then a period of foriy days and forty nights, during which the avenging element waa reachinfr its appointed height. For some portion of this time there m lat have been opportunity for repentance ; and that it was pot given altogether in vain, wo have a hint furnished to ua in the First Epistle of Peter, when — speaking af certain spirits in prison, to whom tho Lord Jesus went, in Spirit, whilst his body lay in the grave, and prelfched, i. e., proclaimed the great work of redemption which ho had accomplished — the apostle characterizes them as thoso * which eomo tnno were disobedient when onco tho long suffering of God waited in the days ol Noah.' This language certainly encourages tho thought that Bomo of tho antediluvians, after it was too late for their tem- poral preservation, i;ndcrwent the * destruction of the JlcshtJ.ai the spirit iin'on and Lf 'np' i ^'^ 1^ *H° *°? ^^ *''° ^^-'^^ wero p.- of inf p:?tVb"\l.^^^^^^^^^^ Kr """ '^^ ^'^^"^ '^^°"«^' nines uud laws: ajid tliojr sWl be given into his baud until « 260 NiNETEENTH WONDER. time and times and the dividing of time. But the iadgtrent; shall sit, and tliej'- shall take away his dominioas, to consume and to destroy it unto the end."- Can. vii. 2)-- 26. 1 if^ DIVISION of the whole extent of the original ^loman, Eivi|iire into ten kingdoms, ia foreshown by thf teii bomb of the w;'d beost, and the ts^a toes of uae propiietic imnrre, to hapn»'i jnst it Ho time ol' Oie final tl-ree and a half .oara, Tuu teii king'^ .re di.-<(.ijictly explained, under the symbol of ten horns, to iia f recci/fd no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kin<.^e for ' oaf lour" nith the eighth imperial head of the wild beast. T.hi-^ ph^itse, "ONE HOUE," is expressly u'^ed in JviVvlotioi) tc- nignify the final crisis of three uid a half years, nid io also called "the hour of God's judgncat," and " the hoiir of temptation.'" Hence the ten kings a;i> not to be completely elected and receive their power as kings ui\til the final ibree and a half years ; and— what will.be still muTO remarkable- it seems that the term of three and a half yenfs will be the t^j-ecific nominal period, for which they will bo appointed to reign, because it is. said, "They receive power as lun)L,« for one hour," that is, for three and a half years. As a furx fliadowing of this, Louis ^Napoleon's election, as President of I'-e French Empire in 1849, was for the nominal period of three and a half years. The ten kings are also to be chosen by universal suffrage, because the whole body of the wild beast in its last stage ia ►SCAfciLET, signifying that ^he sovereign power cf which scAEiiKT.is the acknowledged emblem, is vested in the whole body of the people : and again, becaiise the two legs of Nebachadiiezzar's prophetic image,' which admittedly signify the two — eastern and western — halves of the lioman Empire, terminate in ten toes, which are partly of clay and partly of iron. But as iron symbolizes despotic monurcliic power, so CLAY is the emblem of popular democratic power ; and con- sequently the intermixture of clay with iron in each of tie ten toes, fch uws that when the history of the prophetic i reaches the end of the foot — the point of the exact tf' . u, division of the Eoman :■ pire just at the final t <» • \ a half yearp — then each the ten kingdoms wi'' ;s i A OLAt-IiiON or DEMuoEATlCDEsrOTIO g ■, nment ' Hov. xTiJ. 12 i xviil. 10, 17, 19 1 xiv. 7 j iii. 10. '*! « THE TENFOLD DIVISION OF THE ROMAN EMPIBE. 2GJ and it is very noticeable; how this popular-monarchic govern- mental principle having been fully established in France is bpginmng to take root in other of the ten kingdoms, as 'in- di.;ated by the clamour for political reform and extension of t :e franchise. • . The geographical position of these future ten kingdoms can in general terms bo definitely foretold from the terms of the prophecy, which show that they are to include the whole territory of the original Roman Empire, and that its eastern half and western half— denoted by the two iron legs of the prophetic i«iage--arc each to contain five of those kingdoms. as signified by the five toes upon each iron leg. Now the Koman Empire was bounded by the Euphrates, the desert of Sahara, the Atlantic, the Highlands, the Rhine and Danube • and the bitiecting lino between its eastern and western divi- sions was near Belgrade and Tunis. Hence it is not difficult to infer that m the western half, the five kingdbms will bo Britain (separated from Ireland), Franco extended to the Khine, bpiu with Portugal annexed to it, Italy with Venetia and Bub-Danubiau Austria' added to it, and Algeria : and this will necessitate tl;e annexation to France of Belgium, Rhenish Prussia west of the Rhine, Luxembourg, Baden, Wirtembourg. and most of Bavaria, while Switzerland will apparently bo divided between France and Italy. In the eastern halfUhe hve kingdoms will be Tripoli with Tunis added to it, Greece enlarged northward, Egypt, Syria, and northern Turkey; the latter lour of these future five kingdoms can with certainty be specihod, because thoy must necessarily be the four horn kingdoms, luio which Alexander's Macedonian Empire was anciently partitioned, and which, according to the eighth of Daniel, are to re-exist at the time of tho end.' Greece and bgypt nave recently become independent kingdoms, and it only remains that Syria should bo separated frooi Turkey to produce these changes. By a comparison of the seven passages, in which the ulti- «. •,w?„rJn- '^' ^^' ?^' *''.""" ^*'"' k''"K«3om. are spoken of a* bdng «f fn l!ni ■" '"""''^'•^"*'°" °f *'•« '"*' A»tkhrist, and. therefore, ore yetto reappear m tl.eir anclcnfc fourfold form.. In the latter time of their k ngdom when the tran-^gressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance rAntwhrUfi x/,n/t ,/^„j ..^ a. .n r^^.^-rW -T. ^/.T. the eastern Konnui Em,.iie, tiurofore they must become four of the fire kingdoms, that are to be formed within that eaatern half. f !^ I 2G2 NINETEENTH WONDEH. i I mate three and a half years* of Napoleon's universal reign and persecution are mentioned, we discover that the period com- mences exactly in the middle of the seven years ot the Jewish covenant week, and is the latter half of those seven years. And it is evident that the ten kings are not elected and crowned until that period, because in the seventeenth of Eevelation they are said to " have received no power as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the eighth head of the wild beast," and consequently the ten horns on that scarlet wild beast are unchowned. But in the thirteenth of Eevelation, which refers to a. later point of time, the ten horns are all crowned, and the continuance of the wild beast or Eoman Empire in that particular form is predicted in the fifth verse to be for forty-two months, that is, three and a half years. Hence there will be, shortly before the midst of the covenant e^en years, a concurrence of five marvellous cir- cumstances in fulfilment of theso prophecies. In the first place, exactly tun kingdoms will be formed out of the vrhole Eoman Empire; secondly, ten clay-iron, or democratic- despotic republican-monarchic kings will be elecied by uni- versal suffrage over those kingdoms; thirdly, they will ap- parently be elected as kings for the stated term of three and u half years, just as formerly, Louis Napoleon's ofiicial term of Presidency over France was specifically for three and a half years; fourthly, this peculiar semi-septennial term of regal office will begin to be exercised by all the ten kings on one and the same day, and that day — strange to say — will be precisely in the middle of the seven years of the Jewish covenant week ; and fifthly, these ten kings will not act independently of each other, but will unitedly in- a Congress " give their power and strength to Napoleon" as an eleventh regal personage, who will thus become an imperial king of kings, eclipsing the earthly glory of Nebuchadnezzar, Alex- ander, Cajsar, Charlemagne, or the first Napoleon.* * Dan.Tii, 25, xii. 7; Rev. xi. 2, 3, lii, 6, 14, liii. 6. * In the remarks upon the Second Wonder — Napoleon's Coming Congress — Ihese points have been further referred to. In the author's treatise on " Louis Napoleon the Destined Monarch of the World," the certainty of a European Congress, to be established by Napoleon, was distinctly dbolared in the revised and enlarged edition in 1863. It also contains csirsvis iroui i>r. .LTCgsiiCB, a. »v. ricwcon, aud oiuoi's, ti&ouii liioau iuturo ten kingdoms being formed out of (he Eaiteru and Western fioman Empire, WIDESPEEAD PEETALENCE OP UNITEnSAL SUFFEAQE, 263 oTT^V"^^* *^®"^ ^^^^^^ *^® establiahment of UNIVERSAL SUIFRAGE m Britain and the rest of the ten kingdoms, as the derelopment of the clay-iron or democratic-despotic element the watchword ami motto of which is " the voice of the people 18 the voice of God," an axiom which is a complete snare and delusion. For it was the voice of the people whicli once conimanded Aaron to make a golden calf, and proclaimed These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." It was the voice of the people which re- echoed with a chorus of murmurs the evil report of the ten false spies, and clamoured for the death of the faithful spies, Joshua and Caleb, thus bringing on themselves merited ex- clusion from the Promised Land. It was the fickle and capricious voice of the people which once ealuted Messiah with the shout, " Hosafina to the Son of David," and a few days afterwards changed its note to the bloodthirsty cry • Crucify him, ci-iicifv him"— «* Not this man, but Barabbas-" thus calling for the death of him, who came to bring life and immortality to light. And it is again the voice of the people that may be expected to elect Napoleon by its universnl vote to be its sole political and spiritual head, its monarch and its god, and to set him on high, nnd give a far-resounding shout. "We have no god but Caesar;" " It is the voice of a god and not of a man ;" thus deifying humanity in the person of the Man of Sin. The Eev. H. Skeek in his exposition on " The Unsealed Prophecy,'/ written in 185G, thus speaks about the ten king- doms :— " Of these' ten kings, it is declared ' They have re- ceived no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the wild beast.' In the connection in which the words stand, it seems that these kings do not yet exist ; but when the eighth head is manifested, then they shall be raised up, and receive power at the same time, or during the same short season. But this manifestation will involve a most astoundiug change th ct-;hout the whole of Europe; and the overthrow of nearly ihe continental dynaslies. And yet, fJ*T .7.P''i°!f • Jf " remarkable that Eberhard. bishop of Salzburg, in l.D. 1*40, at tlie Council of Ratitbon. d««larpd »!'» ♦»" i-"-"- *^\q England, Franco, Spain, Italy, Germanj, Sicily, North Africa, Egypt, Greece, lurkoy , ejidenMy looking for them in the whole, and not merely We western part, of (be . t,man Empire, U VU'J t i •i64t INITKETEEITTn WONDER. it is no more than what the contemplation of the pouring out of the (year-day) seventh vial has led us to expect. The •mighty earthquake,' which is only o ,. . results, will shake to pieces the whole political fabric, rending Europe asunder, and causing the cities of the nations to fall. We may understa;id this more clearly by referring to the changes effected on the continent by the elder Napoleon, who pulled down one iiing and raised up another, according to his plea- sure, and in a remarkably short, space of time. There are raanywu': believe, that the present Emperor of the French \^ destinea to effect still greater changes, which will lead to mightier results ; and tliat he is, in fact, the coming eighth head of the wild beast; to whom the ten kings shall unanimously and voluntarily '-give their power and strength.' It is remarkable, that he even now rules in tio ne, and maintains the Pope in his seven-hilled seat of power, by Frencli bayonets. This, of itself, is a significant proof of his lieadship. 'I As to how tut coming ten kingdoms may be named or divided, we know tliat the elements of change and strife abound in every continental state ; and should the threatened hostilities commence in the East, the smouldering fires of revolution may suddenly burst into a flame through the whole of Western Europe^ and divide it into new king loma, under other names ; and then, perhaps, under th( ieadership of France, to whom, with 'one n -.J, tbf' shall ve their power and strength' (the last and fiuui form af the wild beast), they shall proceed to execute the wonderfuWfcurposes of the Alinightv. "The events thitt are- taking place^ render ^,' highly probablo that Napoleon iJT. will obtain supremacy ovft: the continental states, and thus become the predicttd eighth he d of tlie wild beast ; asin France he already - ubines in himself the whole power of the state, and th^ leoplo arc 'transformed into cyi)her8 with one figure at -iW. er^' ' Franco wan Hio original kingdom of. Charlemagne's .ipi as well as of tho Empire of IVapoleon I.: and tho j -ouuutiit place she now ocn -ies, and tho temper and genius of her present rul r, plai.ily point to more vigorous efforts and a more widely ex- tci;ded policy, thut may* again raise her to sit as a queen among the nations. Her power apparently will bo increased by the fatuity of the other continental uoteutates. and tlia revolt of their subjects, rather than by 'their actual gatioD, >» Bubji The THE TENFOLD DIVISION OT THE HOMAN EUnSE. 265 ^E AUTiioE Of " God's Purpose in Creation," says, respect- lug these ten kings: "In Eev. xvii. 12, St. John Riverthe .ame mterpr.tat,ou of the ten horns as 'is given in Dln^' -i, Viz., that Lhcy are ten kings, and that these are to receive ower .»« .... ^,^tb the Man of Sin, the eighth and last head eL ,f I ^f'^'fn "°^ ''^^ *^^^5 which again shows the the fin ; ;fl "V^ \^^''' ten having coAe into existence at the time uliea tlie Koman Empire became divided by the bnrbariaus irrelve centuries ago," oi at any other period Wl'w f;,''' '? angs come into manifestation, it is the Mgnal ^hat the end ot the Eoman Empire is arriving ; it is the ?n l5l.7'? ^^''i !?• ''''l^'''^ ^^^^ *b« ^l°«k of doom ; i is bell that 13 tolling the knell of Christendom. The old h. hers before Constantine's time knew it; they knew that , r ,^ f f.ff'^^^l^^"g^«'lould appear, Antichrist would be near, h,' tdl^%anse, he could not: nor could the hour of 'ibu. on, that should accompany them, arrive; and which I'inl ';>f ' ^"T"^ /u^'^ '"'»^^ ^' '^'^^ f^^-^- When the ten Z^un ■ ' n^ <-'nipire come, they will come as literally n 1, ' P ^^f.Hv as the four kingdoms, into which Alex- anciei ti. Crreat Grecian Linpn-e was divided : there will be no rooni for o ssions; they will be plain to all. The condrHn^"?''' < '• ■" v1 °^'^ ",^ '^' secondary or penultimate conditun; tlia ,s, ot being divided into several kingdoms ; Its third and ultimate condition is about to come. The kinjr^ ship of the earth, which at the beginning when Daniel .poke, n-onil nlf-l^'"'^'',^ "^*^" metallic image, has descended « I £ '->; V'^ 1"'°'\'^''"''^ gradatio.Ms to the feet; the toe a no f fTi ^'"",' ^''^ /^'"-y "''' "^^ 'J'^- I^^-euts are point- ,M,^!. ""' "^^.^ '^^''^ ^egun to shadow them out, and to Ron nn TVi °U''° ''''"'^^"" "^ ^^*^ P^^P'^^^ic earth-the :;"" 1 r'^'- ■f^'?'''^ ^'^ ^^ P^'c^eut many more than ten crowned heads v.ithiu its circumference ; it needs but a turn ^nZ n I °'' ^''" °^ ^^^ J'^^^^'^^-'l kaleidoscope to make this Lhilf is done ''''"''''' ''°'""' °^ "" *^^^-^»y^'l ^^^^> aiid the •'When these ten hwns come into positive manifoBtation and icceivc their power, it is that they may give that power l^^.S^!^}'f'}!'^.?^ V- wHdVasi W then ?ubTe' -i^i-iiwgr i-criou wiiu Uiu* ac itxQ [(attie of Armageddon," I ii;i I m\ 266 IWEKTIEIH WOirsEO. TWENTIETH WONDER. (Fully effected by the end of the first three and a half yeam after the Covenant.) Complete Resuebectiqn of the Napoleon Empiee, and ITS EN'SriEE eecoveet eeom the deadly wound inflicted ON it at WaTEELOO ; AND THE CONSEQUENT RECONSTEUC- TION OF NeBUCHADNEZZAE's PeOPHETIC lilAQE. " And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death ; and his deadly wound was healed : and all the world wondered after the wild beast." — Eev. xiii. 3. " The wild beast that thou sawest was, and is not ; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go 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 wild beast that was, and is not, and yet is. . . And the wild beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of tihe seven, and goeth into per- dition."— Rev. xvii. 8, 11. '^ The Restoeation of the Napoleon Empiee by Louis Napoleon, must l^e admitted by every reflecting person to be one of the Wonders of the present day. Its Bieth took place in 1806, when its supremacy over Eoman-Imperial Europe was established by the first Napoleon ; but its Death came to pass in 1815, when it was utterly overthrown at the b^fcle of Waterloo, and Napoleon Bonaparte was carried captive to St. Helena. Its Resueeection, contrary to all natural expectation, is already nearli/ accomplished by Louis Napoleon, although it cannot be deemed to bo fully accomplislied until its dominion shall be as great, and even greater, than at the summit of the first Napoleon's power. This will be the case, when just before the final three and a half years, the Roman empire shall become divided into ten kingdoms, namely : Britain, France, Spain with Portugal, Italy with Southern Austria, Algeria, Tripoli with Tunis, Egypt, Greece, Syria, and Northern Turkey, and when their ten democratic-despoti kings shall f/x«ma1l.r in a r?nMn.» UOQ 1 1_J -Kf- °_ jl • imperial head. EESUmiECTION OP THE NAPOLEON EMPIEE. 267 raplt aTv^nckiTo^t^^ ^'PP-' -^-^ » now which has been LtinPflt f ""? ^M ^'^^' '^ " peophetic fact, thirteenth Ster o °ReLw- '°^'*«/? *^" *^'^^ ^«"« ^^ ^he the wild beast!t"ttere"wOUND^^^^^^ Ste" Vh:tl1'r^^ ''' thf^lL^nTef ktt beast with seven hS'«^??r ^' ^T ^^P^^^^^ted as a wild was the seventh and t^fc bead or ST "^"^^^^ °^ ^^°^^*^ over that Eoman Emp?re from i/Sg to i&T'r •''* '".^ °S time the drst l^apoleon's ^ovP^nr^fnf i,^ i^^^' • ^^"°S which and the most centr7Darts^rthT^o '''^•'^°'"'^^?^ °"f" ^^"'^ I'n ifii r 4.U- AT f P , ^ °* '"® -Koman-im penal world Bnf S) DeI™^^^^^^^^^ ^vere WOUNDED This same event is predicted in the eiffhth verse of tU ». teenth chapter of Eevelation, in the words - Thev IhlT^'n on he earth shall wonder when they behold the wfld tT^l that was, and s not, and vet is •" thaf ,'o X^^ lu T, °^°^^^ Napoleon Empire thar/xted ^^^^msVdlli'T'"'''' non-existent, and yet shall be re-existent ' "" ^"'"'"^ From these passages of Scripture, it was predicted by the 1 Tho interpreting ansrel in Uov •w„',t in • i.i." TAe seven heaiare^evennZhS^^^^^^ Jorn^^J"'^'"' S^^'^' «»id, fallen (namely, kmaa, consS ?Wh„?«l 'J °^^T'""^°^)' >« «^« shows), a»rf one is Rmely tt Rorn^^^^^^ history government then exist^s^u. Lr n^^- "'^''^^"''JP--*^'' ^''^^J^ ^oroi of 1806), and the o Lr^f, "?«" ll w "' " "/ "'"'i^ '°""°'"^^ ""^til ehort space (that is t o sSntT ht„ 1.1 't? '' f "''* '' '''»«'' ''°»''««« « come ; but phen at la t it .nmi ^r^^' "'« Napoleon dynasty, is not yet 180G t'o 18lf) L^^S/z^iTril^ ""f ^"'^ ** «hort Bpaeo. frL Napoleonic seventh eovermeninl^.^mfif -i . '?' *h® empire in its existent in IfJlS, airS^olr/ft ^'^i"'^"'^'.*"4 then became non. form, which w 1 bo S "ame as iN^f^^n';^?" ''^^'^1 governmental ..piesUt;. vo^Sr iptreiSintr r r ^- ""^- --- or Germany, until mC^Zen /IZ'u^^^^^^ ^^'*"<"'^ fioman Eo'peror. abandoned "h^.^J-n" IL^^.u^^'"^'^"^' ^^o was calleo became tue imperial head ot the Ran.^n" Empirr'\^9 1,a«"ht" t^T^^ ealiy proved in Fabor'- " ttPTiv«i nt f .,„ V^ u ?^ ' "*' "^^^ histori- "Holy Roman EmpL." t'^ol-ronch Emperorship," and iJryce'i "If I ■'! ! t ! 2G8 TWENTIETH WOVDEB. expositors, G. S. Faber, aud J. H. Frere, aa early as tlie year 1813, that the French Emperorship, which had perished at Waterloo, must bo revived a few years before 18G1— 6, and that that revived French Emperor would lead the armies of the nations to the battle of Armageddon, Their prophetic predic- tion has teen thus far accomplished in Louis Napoleon's elevation over the French Empire. This prediction of the future revival of the Napoleonic French Emperorship was published thirty years before Louis Napo- leon's accession to power in IPiS, and was generally known among students of prophecy, although considered naturally to be very improbable. Thus a v/riter named Hutchison in about the year 1840, said : " Napoleon Bonaparte was, in the llev. G. S. Faber's view, the personification of the infidel kiug, or Antichrist in the eleventh chapter of Daniel ; and though he has departed this life without accomplishing the prophecy to its full extent, yet this docs not discourage Mr. Faber, for ho holds that Bonaparte is to have a successor who will continue to the time' of the end. llis eon was supposed to be this successor ; but as he also is dead, those who hold tliis view must necessarily trust to the chapter of accidents. They will trust, however, in vain." Such was the supposed improbability of tho restoration of the Napoleon Empire, and, with the exception of tho prophetic expositors, Faber, Frere, Edward Irving, Jackson, Gauutlett, etc., it may truly bo said, in tho words of tho Rev C. J. Good- hart, in a diecourso by him in 1853, "nobody ventured to anticipate, nobody ventured to propliecy, such a thing; for (Ircumstanccs were bo much against tho fact that any descen- claut of Napoleon would step into his place. Yet that tre- mendously astounding fact has taken place, and thevo sita at this mouient tho French Emperor, tlius Uiaking tho eif^htU bead, which is of tho seven. Although that head is revived, voM must remember that ho is not yet tho licad of tlio Roinaa !Empire, and thereforo not in jirccisely Iho same position that Ilia uncle occupied. Tho French Emperorship is revived, and all that wo are waiting for now is that circumstanccH shoiild bring about tho further addition of Iiia being distinctly tho heud of tho l?nn!au Eouhio. ThGrs nro. iudoodi 'irouiiblQ modcia indications of tho fultilniout of this prophecy. .1 cannot ihut my eyes to this atrong probability that wo have seen the eighth head, as spoken of in Scri^iturc, and therefore it belioyci 1 tlie year 'riiihed at 1—6, and lies of the ;ic predic- fapoleon's lie French lis Nopo- ly known rnlly to be in about I the llev. I king, or ;hough he ophecy to )er, for ho . continue o bo this tills view They will )ratiou of prophetic xrtuiitlett, J. Oood- ntured to thing; for iy deaccn- that tre- Vo Bits at ho eighth s revived, ho Ilotnau ition that vivcd, and VB shoiihl inctly tho I . I cannot 3 seen tho it behoyei EESUHEECTfON OJ TUB NAPOLEOIT EMHEB. 2G9 us to luolc forward and mark the events of the times. The further fulfilmeiit of the events that are prophesied to occur when the eighth head comes may occur very speedily. We cannot tell how soon all those fearful things that are coming under the reign of this eighth head of Bome, when he does appear, will develope themselves." From these same prophecies more than POETY expositors consider that Louis Napoleon is the representative of the seventh-revived, or eighth head of the Roman Empire, at leai?t ill embryo, although not fully developed.* There are other important points identifying Louis Napoleon as the incipient seventh-eighth or eeptimo-octave head of the Roman Empire, such as his name, NAPOLEON evidently being radically the ^ume as A P0LLYON,the predicted name of the last great deetroyer in tho ninth of Revelation ; and also the number 666 being contained in his name Louis, in Latin Ludovicus ; and in his name ISfapolcon, in tho inscriptive form of the dative caso NawoAeoni, as well as in Louis Napoleon Bonaparte unitedly written iu Hebrew. Moreover, his original obscurity, his mys- terious countenance, his insidious declaration that the Empire is peace, his causing craft through hia policy to prosper in his 'uujd, his great military strength, his possession of Rome, his S!'[/P'"t of the scarlet woman or Romish hierarchy, his growing uuprcan-'y over the future ten kingdoms and over all nations, aro strikingly in accordance with tho prophecies concerning tho eighth head of tl"^ Roman Ilmpiro in the eleventh and eighth chapters of Daniel, and the thirteenth and seventeenth of ifovclation. (Dan. xi. lil, viii. 23—25 ; Rov. xiii. 4—7, 18, xvii. Ji — 18.) • It is nKsrittKADLE that Louis Napoleon, even in tho days t Tho nainrs of «omo of Iheie forty eipositors as well as Fnber, Fm-o, rrvin(f, Qauiitli'tf, iTiicVson, Jones, ero., oro as follows: nbout 1868, lUn«. Mcynell Whitfemoro, 0. J. Qoodhart, A. A. Rccs, L. P. Mcroior, K. A. Piirdoii, W. Morshend, J. C. Chnsp, James Yemer t in about 1868 -7, i'.ilwnrd Flower, E. Tnuiiton, R. Bcalo, Alexander VofUtT, Kcth. Dr. Berg, .1. Uaillio, U ^keen, t'olnnol RdwIiiiuIsoiu, in 185U— GO, Hof. Kdwanl >'itiigln, Mnjw riiillips, T. Ho.k. T. Stephen, K. I'tilen, Paul F«MV«tr, \j. A. ]). I'liKotr, ar J sulwofliu'iitly lleT-i. Dr. Keith, Dr. Seiis, J, Qt. Ore u-)fv, ouuiuei GarraU, Iv. U. Shltucall, A< Fauasnf, ]^tchani Chetter, U. 8ht»pheard, etc. Extraots from soma of them pro pivn in the iiir hr.i«'a book, *' Louis Napoleon, tho destined monarch of the World," 'iOO usget, tmU'tt-vrown, and io a threepenny abridgemeut of it. 270 TWENTIETH WONDEB. of adversity when he was living as a political exile from French sou, entertained a firm conviction that he would some dav r!n^Z\^''''^'T °^ ^T'^; ^* '^ "^^^^^'^ '^ tJ^e published recollections of a recently deceased officer, that towards the close of the year 1848, while calling upon Lord Alvanloy at his house in Brighton, m the course of a conversation on France and upon Prmce Louis Napoleon's chance of heinc. named President o the Republic, Lord Alvanley stated that be had not very long before passed some davs with the Prince at Colonel Darner s country seat, and he observed that ho had never met with a more agreeable person; that the Prince was very communicative, and would sit up until two or three o'clock m the morning and that upon one occasion in a long political discussion, he had said, among other things — ^ ^ It 13 fated that ere Jong I shall become Emperor of France ?talv^°atl fh^'r '^)^1?'^''' ""^/^^- '^- Austrians out of Italy ; and the time for this ir not far distant." noii!f n^T. '''r^^' «P^''^king of Queen Ilortense, afterwards called the Duchess of St. Leu, who was the mother 0?^ Napoleon, says. "The charm of her manners, and the grace of lZlSe7T^ were indisputoblo facts; and I thinkffi.n transmitted to her son, Napoleon III., much of that peculiar ^Z^^^f -'^"^"^^^ -' «"^-^ --^oCZ TnLt'r""'''^ T'''""V «t«'<^d by Professor Siddons of „V„? • ; ^t""""--^^ f "'^ ^" " public lecture in 18U3, that ho was acquainted w-ith Louis Napoleon while residing in Lomba Tr! IT ^'^''' ''° ^^^."'"^ ^'"P«^«'-- ^^-« Evening' the? when NnnnC^' '''' ''"' f ^'^" ^"^^e- that cross tho l^amo.( When Napoleon expressed rcRret that it was his destiny to lav nolnf"' f ^''f f "^ "^f "^'^"^ ° '^^y- ^I« ^^"« '^^•^^'^J ^vlmt Jie meant in reply he sua it was his destiny to become Kn.peror 01 l^ranco some day and .ubseguently to invade lindand in order to avenge tho battle of \Vaterloo. Mr. Siddona'dirt not attnch much importance to Iheso words at tho time; Ixit years ulterwards, when Louis Napoleon had succeeded to tho French tbrone.he was lu Paris, and wasinvited to dino with tho Finp.Mor. fi ^f \fiP Napoleon made a remark to him to tho followujff fuVii' .. "" remember our conversation in London, you see lOftC tut' hrst Dart of mv r>r«rfii»finn ia A.ltttUrl »..- 4 1 ,. •_„_-•-, in|part will ©vcitually meet with its nccnmi>liflhment." Mr Biddons rojt)liea that any attempt to i'lvado Ensli.nd would EESUBBECTION OP THE NArOLEON EMPIttE. 271 only rcaulfc in discomfiture and defeat; upon which the Emperor made no observation, but relapsed into a demeanour of mysterious taciturnity. In like manner it is related in a book upon Napoleon TIT. and his Com't, that when Jerome Bonaparte, ex-king of West- phalia, once visited Louis Napoleon at Arenenberg in Switzer- land, he found him surrounded by maps, books, and chavis. He exclaimed to him, " Why do you bother yourself with all that dry rubbish ? Throw it away and bo jovial." Napoleon looked seriously at his uncle, and said dryly, "I want it." " What for ?" the other asked. " Because I shall bo Emperor hereafter, I know that for certain," Louis Napoleon replied. Jerome greeted this declaration with unrestrained laughter.* In a pamphlet said to have been written by Napoleon III. about the year 1852, the reappearance and resurreotion of he lir.xt Napoleon in the person of tho third Napoleon is thus referred to : " When the Emperor died, the people would not believe in his death ; they repeatedly said the Emperor would some day reappear. This affecting popular legtnd has been realized in this way, for the Emperor reappears in his works, in his spirit, in tho person of his heir, the graudsc/n of the Empress Josephine. It is a miracle of destiny. Here l.o is indeed ; yoil 8co it, you hear it, ho lives, he is before you. Hence salute (ho dynasty of which the Emperor incessantly spoke at St. Helena, and which, in his idea, would eternally secure tho welfare, felicity, and tranquility of France." The snmo belief in the undying vitality of tho Napoleon Empire is also said to be held by a veteran soldier at Metz, of the old Imperial Guard, who has a fixed idea that Napoleon I. is not really dead, but that Napoleon III. is he; that there is only one Napoleon, tho victor in a hundred battles, who cannot dio till ho has fulfilled his mission by making Franco great above all nations, and washing away the dark stains left upon it by tho Vienna treaties ot 1815, and that only credulous persons say that NapoleoA I. is dfcad, whiIo»iu reality ho is waiting fur tho right moment to place himseU* at tho head of his armies again, and to take the loft bank o'f tho Khiuo from tho Gvrmans. 1 It it alio Raid thaf. LouU NapolMn, whaa reiidioff in E'dkIucI for loms ye_-- I- — r--.t- t-- .-,-r-_-, rrr - - -2.tx-s St>iu frauvc, maoc ia OHW of iB5.rr;5^ to an Knglish lady of noblo birtJj, but was rejected by her. *'Mad«moi« lellf," ho iBid» "you hare roluaod » crown." ■y— ^.^ 272 TWENIIEIH WONDEB. fe pTris § rfL?" r'- ^^iJ'^ °° ^P"^ 24, at the Tuileriea in rar s. His father, Louis Bonaparte, was former! v Kino- ot Holland and ivas brother to Napdeon Bonaparte his Ser ™o'lZTa:S:::''r''^ d-ghterof theEl^pJes's JoseThine mmtarv SI ? Bonaparte's wife. Louis Napoleon studied military science for some time at Arenenbercj in Switzerland JstcSc^rn^'Vo'.' ''f'' i^^^"'^^^^ Strasbourg wlSrsomJ MMnnp'., 11 ^V^ ?'TS ^ revolution aifainst Louis Franc? MeZT^^' '"^ ''T^^°^ ^^""''^^^^ ^^e throne of monthr n^/i Y""^^^ ®***^'' ^^^'''^ 'le remained a few hr?a s'of Lnn « PVif "'°'? *' Switzerland. Ov.in. to the nTsq? i. fif Phillippe, he quitted Switzerland for England ome flnrli''^^'' *V'' y''*"' r«'"^^"^^ *J^«^«. embarked°wiUi some friends in a steam vessel on an expedit on to Boulo^no n a second endeavour ta revolutionize France. Ho ad his ment lor lite m the fortress of Ham was pnsaed unon liim Alter 8u years confinement there, he escnp^ed Tn t!^^ d s^ of a workman on May 20, 1816, and safely nJhlSdon m which city he acted as special constable irthefplScd Chartist riots on April 10, 1818. On Decomfepr m<» nf /i i year, after Louis l^hiUippe's overthrow by a /ovohit.ont elected by more than fiVe million votes, to that oftice for three und a halt years, from December 20. 1848, until the middle o? CttliForni . somo S 4« nS'ou.W ''"'' "''f" ''°/i»ifed Oregon anS •wti b.fow."'''" ""' " *"*'*'^*"'" ^nw»i«"noDg •u'tue powm of the EECONSTHUCTION op NEUUCnADXEZZAll's IMAGE. 273 f yjf 2. By the notable political coup d'etat on December 4, 1851, he seized absolute power over France, and the title of Emperor was given to him by universal suffrage on DeZber ^, 1852. He afterwards united with Enclaud in the Crimpjin war agamstEussia which ended with the'fall oTsebastoro in /n l«\o T? ^""^ '"'"'^ T*^ ^^^^y '"^ ^'^ ''^^ '^S'^'nsb Austria Z if?- ^° ^^}l^^^^^^ and adventurous character of his ^rlL^- ''''^'' '^ '^1 °^-°'" ^onAovM that he should be the prophetic personage who is to have " power given hira over a^l kindreds and tongues and nations : and all that dwell upon the ear^th shall worship h,m ;'» except true Christians. [Z7!jxI v:^\'Z^''''''T''''''V''^ ^^ Nebuchadnezzar's prophetic ima-re ^ill necessarily result from the consolidation of the whole Boman Empire in a decem-regal ten-kingdomed form under Napoleon^ oominion.^ That prophetic image, in thZond chapter of Daniel, prefigured in its four parts-its golden hTcf silver breast, brass thighs, and iron liga-tho f?remDires resj^ec ively of Babylon, Medo-Persio, Greece, and IS ^e so fwT "°°Tf^?ly succeeded and displaced one anot "er and\tH "p°"'l'^'^' ^^""^'^^ I'^mpire contains all of the Grecian empire! '"'^"''''' ""^ '"''''^^ "^^ °^" *''° Babylonian Now that metallic image is represented ns standiiirr in com- pact and unbroken unity just at the fiual crisis wl,e;i tlt^stone cEr tL ^'^!^t °r'' thereioro, timt at the final crisis, wh.n S?om Jnf ♦r-'*""^ corner-stone, descends and smitks the kingdoms of tins world with an utter overthrow, all (ho torr'. tory embraced within those four empires ^il be fnmd onsohda ted m compact unity under the 1 cud h of the Last Universal kmg the latter-day Nebuchadnezzar, 1 ho orsmi.l embodiment and representative of their power Tho^aS t fnoti IrM^r r 7'^'^^''^'^, monarch^f all th^ dvi i d uaiums HitJnn tliat unago-terntory under him, aa tlieir head i« J74< TTTENTY-riRST WONDEE. THE MIDST OF THE SEVEN YEARS OF THE COVENANT-WEEK. 1 ! ! TWENTY-FIBST WONDER. [At the end of the • first three find a half years after the Covenant between ^Napoleon and the Jews.) The completed captuue op Jerusalem by NAroLEox'3 AKMIEa, AND TUE COMMENCEMENT OP THE THREE AND A UALF YEARS OE GREAT TRIBULATION AND OENERA-L PERSE- CUTIOX OF CHRISTIANS, AT TUE TIME OF THE SETTING UJ? OF THE Imperial image in the Jewish temple. •' Aiid ho shall confirm a covenant with many for one weet \'8cvai years) : and IN THE MIDST OF TllE WEEK he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations ho shall make it desolate, even until the cpnsuramation, ai\d that determined shall bo poured upon the dcsoiater." — Dan. ix. 27. "When yo shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then Icnow that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Juda;a flee to the mountains. . . I'or these bo tho days of vengeauci^ that all things which are written may bo fiillilled. . . And they shall fall by the edge of the sv.ord, and shall bo led away captive into all nation?, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles (hero the three and a half years — tbolatter half week —intervenes, liev. xi, 2), until the times of tho Gentiles be fulfilled. . . And then shall they sec tho Son of man coming in a cloud with po^\er and great glory." — Luko xxi. 20. " But tho court which is without tbo templo leave out 'and measure it not ; for it is given unto the Gentiles : and tho holy city shall tho\ tread uuderfoot forty ond two months."— Rev. xi. 2. " Behold the dav of tho Lord comoth, and thy spoil Bhall be divided in tho mitlsfc of thco. • Por I will gather all nations ng!»in(«t Joruj'alera to battle: nud the city shall be taken, and tho hoiiB*!* tifled. sp.d ths woniGn yo-viiihsd : sud halt of ths city sbftUgo tortb into captivity, and tho re. lue of tho people THE CAPTURE OP JERUSALEM. 275 tfj'l^ i^P^ ''''^ ""^ h\^^^ "^^y- (Here apparently the three and a half yeara of tribulation intervene.) Then shall tho inThe'?/" fV?.1 figH ngainst the nations as when h fou'ht in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in tha^ dav upon the Mount of 01ive3."~Zechariah xiv. 1-4. ^ TiiE CAPTURE OP JERUSALEM! by tho Gentile armies is dis- tmctly foretold m the last chapter of Zechariah,troSshorr; before the descent of Christ on Mount Olivet to destroy hsfoes^ And the statement that half of tho city shall then S/S Srnhpfnf^ ' "• ''\'''' Jerusalem's desolation shall thus hallbpL/ ' ""'T' ^-T ^^^o'^P^-^^sed it, then the Jews « fnfmi / A'^^^^'^^'^'^'^''^' ^»<;'^ th« ^i'»e3 6f the Gentiles be lilhlled. And tho duration of these events is Xinfv revealed in the eleventh chapter of EevelatTpn where 7 { declared that t/.e Gentiles sjJl tread «;./..%TW/. S .V io y and two months, that is to say, three and a half years ^ tioi nl-t'hrf T"'"' ''-'^'"'^ '^"^ a half years beii . the dum- tion oi the final oppression of the Jews, and of th1) treS^ down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles, coincides with BaS prophecy of tho seventieth week, -the Roman Prince ufte? conhrming a covenant with many Jews for one week of' seven years shall m tho MIDST OF THE WEEK causa Z «acnhce and oblation to cease, and for the mwad 1 of l^omuiahons shall make it desolate even untiUhe Csia ton. Hero the cessation of tho Jewish daily sacrificorand to be at tho begmninff ol tho latter three and a half vcirs of the seven vears, which manifestly are the same as ho^ above- StTSui fr^'-^^^-° "^^"^^^ °^ ''^ *-^-S down of thfhoYy (who nmn ronrlu^K I..1, I the holy lilac©. bo m J,Kl^;; ^Z S:;:^JS;:^- The„ let t„«n ihiA git'ttt tribuJHtion, such into tho mountaiis. as wag not sinco For then shall bo tho bcgiuning of tho '>*A 276 TWENTT-EIRST WONBER. m world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved. . . Immediately after the tribulation of those days. . . they shall see the Son of mant;oming in the clouds of heaven."* Here our Lord particu-larly refers to the settinf^ up of the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION spoken of by Daniel the prophet, as constituting an extraordinary signal (.. the great tribulation ; and when we consequently tvirn to Daniel, we find the abomination of desolation mentioned only in three passages— the prophecy of the seventieth week already quoted, and also the two following passage3 in tlie eleventh and twelfth of Daniel, both of which distinctly refer to the actions of the great wilful king at the final crisis : — *' And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the ahomination that maJceth desolate. . . And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince, which standeth for the children of the people : and there shall be a time of tbouble s^ich as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. . . And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the ahomhuilicn that makcth desolate set up, there ehall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days."— Dan. xi. 31, xii. 1, 11. These pa8s;ige8 are part of one continuous narrative of the history of the liual imperial head of the Roman Empire, who is often called the wiltiil king, because he is termed in that imrrutive, " the" king who shall do according to hia own will."* > Tliosiogo and (lostruction of Jcrusleoi in A.D. 70, by TituB, was un- (loifb'.odly a rcmarkHblo type and representation of the coming eiego and dnsolation of Jerusalem by >'iipolcon, but was cridently not the roul and ooinpleto iKcomplishment of tliij prediction in Matt. xxiv. 16 ; Mark liii. Iti Liilu) xxi. L'O; bfeauso nt Titus* dostruoMon of Jorusalem the idol or ul)oniifttttion of desolation, foretold in Danict xii. was certainly notTsct up lor three and u half times, i.e., three and n half years in the temple, for in fact that tcnij)lo was burnt down at the end of the siege, as tlio Romans were entering Jerusalem ; also there was (hen no tribulation such as was not from the beginiiin(( of the world, and wor»o therefore than the Flood, so Hwit soarcoly any lleih— any man, woman, or child— was »aved ; for indeed thj destruction of Jcrusaloin by Titus, brought no tribulation wliat«'ver HLon the world at lariie. and wus a.uito loeal and not miiveM»L Mor«orcri Christ ia to eome in the clouds ^K\\ his angels immeilialfJ^ »fter tlii» pre- dicted tribulation (Matt. xsir. 29), and as lie did not eotuo then, the tribulation certainly cannot have taken place at that time. « From the twenty-Urst vorf«n of the eleventh chapter to the end of tUo ,^ ABOilTNATION OP DESOIATIOIT. 277 •ept those ved. . . , . they ven.'" up of tho ay Daniel lal (if the ;o E'uniel, y in three i. already eleventh er to the ill pollute the daily li maJceth d up, the B people: wds since Ind fz-otn and the lail be a , xii. 1, 11. ive of the pirp, who 1 in that (srn will."^ B, was un< ; Biego and e real and Murk xiii. the idol ur nuf set up ?, for in fact muns were \» was not Flood, BO for indeed II wliat«'V6r Moreovors r tliis pro- » then, the ;nd of tbo He 13 described as taking away the daily sacrifice and settinc !??i''w/A°^'''.^i"°'' "^^ DESOLATION, and it isafterwardi S loon 5* from the setting up of that abomination there shall • i7??. 'V^"' ^''"'^^ '^ ^^°^* t^^ce and a half years • ard it is said At that tune there shall be ?i time of teoubltj such as never was since there was a nation even unto that same time." Ilus IS manitestly the very prophecy of David referred to in our Lords prediction iibove quoted: "When ye therefore shall SCO the abomination oe desolation spoken of bv Daniel the prophet. . . then shall be GKE AT TRIBULA- llUiN such as was not since the beginning of the world tn this time, no, nor ever shall be." There is' but one and the came abomination of desolation, and one and the same great tribulation or time of trouble, here mentioned in Daniel's and our Lord 8 prophecies ; and the period of- them is declared to' be at the time of tho end, during the final three and a half vears (very nearly 1200 days). uuu a uau years, • Thus the wilful king Napoleon having first made a seven years' covenant with the Jews, will subsequently break that covenant m tlie midst of the seven years, encompass Jerusalem with his armies take away the Jewish daily sacrifices, set up m the temple the abomination of desolation, which accordinS to the thirteenth of Eevelation, will be a scemingiy liv n^ an! speaking image of himself, and then there will be for°three and a halfyears great tabulation and a time of trouble sach T'nHXr''?'f;''#\^'' "."^ ""^^'^ '^^ termination, the cb?rfn' l^f f^'j '"'^ ^Slvc against the Gentile nations, ^k^^^ during tho lorty-two months will have been treadiuff down Jerusalem, and ho will visibly descend on Mount Olivet, and destroy the Imperial Antichrist and his armies at the battle ot Armageddon. The three and a half years of great tribulation, are not only n^entioncd as the atter half of Daniel's seventieth week, but also m the seven following prophecies. ' " He shall wear out tho saints of tho Most High, and shall wilful SUl''^'"? !'''• °^"'\"i^'l » o'?o conlinuoiis doacription of Ui. oxploiter. Hois depicted nrisina ua a ,;/# ,.^,J,.. „„.. ,.« '.(iiH-Kuig tho iiinK ot tho south, scllinff up tlio aboininat' " ,T.«„i.tJ„;.- .•xaltu,g Imnsclf ubo.o ovory god, overthrowing ^any cou^t . tZStZx Koing lorth with gr.at fury and coming to hU ?nd. Thi. cha^/t'.r tmo^ iully eiplnmed under tho head of the Sixth Wonder. ' pcorcanij, 278 T^vENT^-FIIls^ wondee. ! 1 ! Hi SnS tlT v^>''' "^^ ^^^' =' ^^^ *^ey stall be given into 0/ time."— "It shall be for a fme. lave acco"mpii-8h-od to scalSKot''er"„f i,™.^ f''" ^', ''"'" these thingLhaU be IS?stl"-C,.H' *''°'^ "'"P'^' "" fort/i?tt^t^,S!.X(*? «-'"-)■ tread unde, f„„, " Ami lltiJ ''"-eescore daijs."—Kev. lii. 6. is nourished for o to- T.'^^™^'?'"','? 'he place iTlicreIhe of theserpent°'~P . . T" -^^ '"""' ''"" "'«''"™ for^^lTrShT'""' '"'"ij-f °°'"'^™ (" "»''» «-) »ia!/e war with the saints, aidto ve^meS """''.''''" '» r.ft&x^^ntttar^^^^^^ are not writ en^Stbe book of S "f « *? -' -''°'° """""' foundation oftheworid°^Eev.ri^ 6-8™ "" *"" ""f K'«"rtXbL''raTd1sHL«;t"? ''t "'T "v" » ■■«« expressions of three Td » I rtl™"^ op^^^ '""^'" ""» ™™<1 rp"rfd?j.eSfiS^,^^a and tongues and Ss and M°,> ^rj" ^^ »" ''»'''^'', stall worship him, «cepVthe rghteot "ali^^^^^^^^ '=•■'"'' M'orship of NaDoleon wliinl, ^^7u "i ^"^^^^"^g ^ the general given into >f time." — 5n he shall people, all luder foot and they days." — be hath a re a thou. ?at eagle, ivhere she 1 the face ake war) > him to d power 18. And names rom the i a half 3 varied >rty.two Empire 30 forfcy- \ AND indreds earth ige un- of true general rteeuth by the ?» timn tar, two COMING PBESECUTION FOR THEEE AND A HALF YEaKS. 279 Tn Sif . f^® Emperor's image, and the marhing of his name ZfhflT- ''^S^i' ^°^ h^""^'' Siich multitude! of CI ris^fa^g ? i.-^L^'' "" ^^ri.^'^°' ^"^''''^^ a^-i elsewhere thro onfc Christendom and the ten kingdoms, for refusing to be of this Idolatry, that on three different occasions^in ReVeiation *L P.°'i^l '"'' T^ companies of those who are tht^s I' beheaded, because they will not worship the Emperor nor hi image, nor receive his mark in their forehead or Kd '' ^v if*P"°*'"® 13 indicated- to be the principal means bv which the persecuted Christians will be put to dShTi thev , There is every reason to expect that as Napoleon is predicted m the seventh of Daniel - to think to change times aS law " «iat therefore ho will re-establisli the institutions of t'^e French Eevoution of 1794, of which ho has declared hinseS he testamentary executor, that thus tlie divisions of the 3 he names ot the months and days will probably bo ctnS the Christian era and Sundays abolished, and time reckoned bv decadqs or divisions of ten days, and the Calendar dated X other laws ^'P°^°°^ ^O'^'^^ universally substituted for all A MOST DISTINCT ACCOUNT of the latter-day emigration of many Jews to Palestine, and the succeeding attack upon then by the combined Gentile nations,' is given in the th^rty-eighth chri"knK',i'"^'°'*''"* l"" °^^'°r^? *''° di«t''"cliou between tbo Aiiti- LSi „ J 1^ »7° '"P"'**^ "1'°'^'^'°"'^ '^^'"^^ Jerusalem, tlio ono i st jfn'JJl r^ c"jf r J"8t after his three ami a half vears of i nivel a no vm agreatdpoil (Ezek. xxiviii, 1— 16; Lukexxi. 20~''l. • Din ri io nV laMs loSu"?- V''^^ ^^'■'■' ""^ ^r' tabulation, in Aic'i they aJo aic^. Ezek. xxxviii. 18-23). ^^henTe i. smurti g ^idt'th^ x tTal^itl' P agues at the end of his three and a half carl S^ JeJu-o k it rs a I his armies to Arma'»''ddQ" /p-^ — •• ik_-i«\ "'..;'." t>"'''°"'*" !Sd 10 hf letkT"'* ^"'' *'' """''"'^ '''''''''' ^''''''^ ^"""' ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 12.2 M 12.0 1.4 6' 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 93 WIST MAIN STRICT WIBSTIR.N Y 14580 (716) 872-4S03 V <^ 4^"^ V w-^ ^ *1 \ ;^ 4 s> *. <■', v" MP. :<9 C/j * 280 TWENTY-FinST WONDEB. and thirty.nintb chapters of Ezekiel : where the leader oi the attacking armies is called " Gog, the chief prince of JVleshech and Tubal/ This title has been considered by some persons to signify the Emperor of Eussia; but whether it denoLs h^m or Napoleon, it seems that both of them will be leacued PnCfn?^''5\V-^ "^T/.* "^' P^'^°^ °f t^«* attack upon Palestine, and their united forces appear to be denoted by the logarmah of tbo nor h quarters and all his bands, and many people with thee." The merchants of Tarshish, who are lindeZ K?c;f F'''"^* *^ mercantile nations of Britain, or the !in nof fi . •'' ""■ • t^«^,^depicted as ineffectually remonstrating Kw fh ^'^vasion of Judea; and at last the invading armie? perish at the personal descent of the Lord Jesus. The follow- i "a Parfc of tho narrative in Ezekiel xxxviii. — Ihus saith the Lord God : Behold, I am ao-iinsf f 1,p« o Gog tlio chief prince of ]^Ieahech and Tubal ° thou shaS say I will go up to the land of unwalled villages : I w U ro to them that are at rest, that dwell safelv. . ^ to take a^noU and to take a prey: to turn thine hand upon tho deslte pkces that are now inhabited, and upon the people that a e gathered out of the nat ons, winch hate gotten ?atflo-and goods ;«;f. V] 5^°" ^^""^^ ^T^ ^'•"'^ ^^'y p^«^e out of the Sonh ho™J; ™"f^ '"'"^ P'°P'^ ^'^^^^ *^°^' "'' omem riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army ; and thou ehalt iSWn tf'T^.P't° ^''''^'' " ^^«"^ *° covcrthe 1 nd 1.?-;^? *''°i''"^'*^''yf' • • V'^re wtencno the three and a half years ofnreat tribulation). Thou shalt lull upon the The Reion op TEnnoii in Franco in the Revolution of 1793 was in every resi)ect a remarkable Bpccimen on n email soale of 1 18 much more violent and universal REIGN OF TERROR that 18 to overaprcad America and Britain and tho ivat of Christ- cndom, during the three and a half years' great tribulation An 1 th.8 coming roign of terror will bo not only n ;,«///,>./ cusado of democratic reyolut.otMM s ngnin.t tho nristoc/ntic and won thv c awes, as .« o; , but also .ui irreli^ion. cruaado ofon.binea Kojnanists, mfuk-ls, and MohammodanH against true Christians Iho preparation lor this in Britain and North America, is lO nn anon in «!.<« r.^l. 4I.-1. ai.- T— -t -j^ ._._ . v..vm, jo — r .^-.li !u -.ijv ,att i:i;;t msj insn AvwUiUUlolw, WilU HfO to bo leader ox the of !Meshecli ome persons denotes him be leagued attack upon loted by the the Louse of 8, and many are under- tain, tir the nionstrating iding armies The follow- isfc thee, thou shalt will go to take a spoil ho desolate 10 that are and goods f the north riding upon thou snalt Tthelnnd; 7 the three 11 upon the the people )n of 1703, lall scale of FERliOR, ; of Christ- tion. And (tl crusade ul wcaltljy ccnibiued '^hrigtioJis. niorioa, is nro to be ■ - C0m.O TBIBULMION rOB THBEE AND A DALr XEAES. 281 found in considerable numbers in most of f i,« i- j- . those countries, are laro-el^ SS^i • x,.^®*'^'°& *°^8 of organisation of l^niani8^?> Lr„r ¥^'?t^*^^ revolutionary British standing aTmy consist, ffR°''*' ^?^ ^^^^ of the bas been their increaLTn the «rniT^°i-'*'' ''^"' '" «*«'"^"e constitute nearly four-fifths of thln^.-fr'"' ^^^^ ^^'^ "ow majority of the lower c]asp« ^IJ^^ "^<=»"?ry»nen. The great are yet shown frorsta Sch 1 "^^^ nominally Protestant of religious worshiranl're'^n S^^ any plaee A rcvolut onarv snirit is nian ^i- ^""V^°^^'''''ent tore gion. the frequent ^tS^vZllTltlf^^^^ '^^^' ^7 G^nplojod against their emXers fnd bv ,*^ ^'^l^ 9^ ^^^ political reform. F^oyers . end by the agitation for tojn 'J;l;?rat^^^^^^ t^'X 'l T^r ^ -<^ -«-«<^ tribulation ; for then will tl?i 15j I ^^^ ^'"^^ °^ ^^^ great totheinhabitersof?hee rtfandnff^ ««^°"lPli«hed, "Voe come down unto you ImvW Znf m T' ^°' ^^^ ^^evil is that ho hath but TsSorfc Infe^' TI,7''''' ^f''^"^' ^^ ^'^o^^tl* raping fiends, and the horrors of ^t ""^^'^i^ ^"^ ^««°™e like will be enacted over Lain on n n^ \^''"f ^'"'""'^ Kerolution Christendom. The SStine w.TlT • ^''^''* '""^^ throughout' m 1793, to decanitat^e all who rele^'imJr':''^^^.'."^ ^^'^^'^^Y Revolutionary democratic dosnnf^, A^^'''^ obedience to thi evervwhero bo cstabSd aSS h..«''-n'r''^^' ^^"^ *^^^ rigi/test required f.on every oSe of XhI ^^ ^r """^ "^^'^ powers, for pooplo will bo send J T ?'""<=e to the governing sent to render public homaa«fnft^ *•" ^"'^^^ "«'««« they con? ' receive his mpLt'LYr'f^^e i ^adt 3 ^'.^"r'^--' - ^'> Iho following extracts from A^iHon'r' TTi.f V'^^ regarding tho bloodshed in "he French iff T^.-°^ ^"'^P^'" iogJheapp.oachi^X^e'ar^^ tob?';ttl':lt'>;^^^^^^^ l.»TO been di.olo«^ <';em or would not join «ho n. to2;onl ^J\ *"■*'• r""" «''» oppowd e^-rjon. who would no 'ifj^ftSn";';"! ^•"'''*" "~'harhoodTto^ SI ■iinojuu]^ J =^ -• __ - " - ""'" •'"Oin, and liana ni. .I..-^ -L^^ __-■• -^^ . ^public £ lu p?^'jj^l77™7"' vA"'" ''»r'^v;;a«,S^^ 282 TWENTY-FIRST WONDEB. I historian relates . that when the revolutionary government had determined to execute all who were suspected of enmity or opposition to it : — " Ihe mandates of death issued from the capital, and a thou- sand guillotines were instantly raised throughout the towns and villages of FraiDce. Amidst the. roar of cannon, the rolling of drums, and the sound of the tocsin, the suspected were every where arrested, while the young and active were marched oft' to the defence of the country ; fifteen hundred bastiles, spread through the departments, soon groaned with the multi- tude of captives ; and these being insufficient to contaiu their numbers, the monasteries, the palaces, the chateaux, were generally employed as temporary places of confinement. The abodes of festivity, the palaces of kings, the temples of religion, were filled with victims ; fast as the guillotine did its work, it could not reap the harvest of death which every where pre- sented itself; and the crowded state of the prisons soon produced contagious fevers, which swept off thousands of their unhappy inmates. . . . •' The prodigious crowds which were thrust into the prisons, far exceeding all possible accommodation,' produced the most frightful filth in some places, the most insupportable crowd- ing in all. Amidst the scanty fare, deep depression, accumulated filth, and universal crowding of those gloomy abodes, contagion made rapid progress, and mercifully relieved many from their sufterings. But this ouly aggravated • the Bufferings of the survivors ; the bodies were overlooked or for- gotten, and often not rem jved for days together. Not content with the real terrors which they presented, the ingenuity of the jailers was exerted to produce imaginary anxiety ; the tong nights wero frec^uently interrupted by visits from the execu- tioners, solely intended to excite alarm; tho few hours of sleep allowed to the victims were broken by the rattling of chairs, and unbarring of doors, to induce the belief that their fellow-prisoners were about to be led to the scaftbld ; and the warrants for death against eighty persons in one place of con- finement, were made tho means of keeping six hundred in agony. , " Daspair of life, reckloBsnesB of the future, produced their uaual cfieots on he unhappy crowd of captives. Some sank .4.. -..11 „».l .A ... %/^^ n%f\rM£%w»n f and sought to ivmuse life eveu at the loot of the scntiold. Tho IM were comm TmuuLATiON ron thuee akd a dalp ye vbs m thm,t into themXXytZlZ'J:'" *''«,.'»""i'"A »>'«••• 3ir stature fly over 3 ranbe of th Buppli- Nothing eath even nen, most he Ijreast, innocent jnts, filled hej fondly If the last the quay ; he galley, leir backs; jtrokes of hamo, the ictims for 3 terrible in Paris )n to bury he people ith (*qual wn during eilleB, and id not be 8, ardent, merciless rs- every- maacking ido them ^publican the civic qualities ;r of the jstice, to to Glory, •ikin», Qs ond the COMIIW TEIBULATIOX TOB THEEE AND A HALF XEABS. 285 Pierre, J,e appearr t",o moV ''™-^'' ^^^ "^''«"« "^ Rol>es. Pointed tht?S^i%ouLp'';°"'°l^^ ^^''''' '^^^ ever dictated only by the Seaf .n/^ ^' T^^' ^^^^ ^^^'^ There is notLgirnpossibK,!^^^ nio8t elevated feelings, of the wofld exhlbiTsC^l'ny :xatnfe?nf"??'^°" ' '^'' '"^^^^^^ is the nature of fanaticiZ Lf/l^ r ^- '*' occurrence. It produce it. Tlie niquis L of ^ ' '!'u^'°"' °" P^^^^^cal. to Albigenses, the SreZ'tZl^fT' *^' ""'T^' '^^^'' ^^e arose fron/the same p inc p^^^^^^^^^ Castile, French tvrant It ii W„ the daily executions of the results. S^ so flowery anTsel?/°^"'''? '° «"^h terrible dangerijus." ^ ^ seductive a path, that they are chiefly half yearsH)f e^eTtHL.Tnf ''''^a'"^ 1^"'"« *^« three and a Anti^hristran^'overnS^^^^^^^^^ * J Kevolutionary and established, will profeTs ?o innn^ " *^^" ^° ^^^ry where brotherhood of C'e " o" Z / ^'"^ ^'* °^' "^^^versal remorselessly condemn to^th«^^^,ni T^ P^P^rity, and will stubborn iaLtics and ro£^„^:i^^^^^^^^^ true Christians as authorities. "S'*'"^*' ^^'^ ^<^«^ly constituted posKr^d^^'ttTbrnrn:^^^^^^^ °r - tribulation to be altogethtTtIt^tfZ^^^^^^ and great refer toreeStran^tS^^^^^^^ - to phecyto which our Wdad^-^^^^^^^^^^ Daniel, as the pro- "And if so, thTn seet. w "hi ,• ^ probably 1290 or 1335 litfrJl in *, ""^ °*. ^.'^^ ^"^ ' '« » Period Jection,^it follows that he '^urr'^^^^'/ir'l^'^' genera/resur- lation is yet future T/e "'"^ "P .<>f % abommation of deso- indeed, selmVtofrr^e us to tr"'''T-'" ^^""'^^Ws .ospel, declared what must lake nll« ^^^"clusion. Our LordTmving ' And then rhaU "^t enj come 'IT"'^^ *" '1'" ^"'^' '^""^^^^^^ the abomination of desolu^Sn' ZIT ^' fr^^""" «'>"'l ««« prophet.' The preachme o hn'n '" .° ^1 ^"'"'^l ^^e preceeds Hhe en^ unHh^ * W??'' '" *''" ^'f^'" ^'^'"'^ t».«-K ;__x:_„ .. ? ".'''^® therefore' eoema tn nn»:o fi.-* -._......,„,«,,„„ ,, acBoiuUoa doea not precede the"end,"but 28G TWENTY-FIRST WONDEB, beloiif|3 to the end; |the time of the end' will then ha^e actually arrived, the crisis will have come. ... "Clearly there cannot be more than one tribuiation which can truly he designated the most severe that ever was or ever shall be ; the verity of Scripture therefore requires, that It the same language be. elsewhere used, it must refer to the same tribulation; this passage is therefore parallel with that prophecy of Daniel to which we supposed our Lord had referred us : ' And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation (even) to that same time ; and at that time thy people shall-be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book, and many ofthem that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake,' etc. This intensity of trouble 13 therefore connected with the times of the Jews' deliverance, and the resurrection from the dead "In accordance with this interpretations, the two pro- phecies mutually confirm each other ; our Lord says that when the abommation of desolation shall 'stand in the^lioWphce that hen will be the time of intense trouble, so does LnLT.' our Lord connects it with the close of the times of the Gentiles, Daniel says it will be at « the time of the end " iten have on which 3 or ever ires, that refer to illel with ^ord had I such as me time ; oue that lem that intensity be Jews' two pro- liat when ly place, Daniel ; of the d.» SPPIUTION OP STATE CnURCHEa. TWEOTY-SECOND WONDER. 28? (^...plaeetowa^theehW^^^^^ INTO OPEN IDOLATEY if. ^.S ' ^^ DECLINE OP KoMANISai woB.nrP OF Napoleon's iln'.'"'"''^^"^^ °^ '''' ^^^"« HIS NAME ON ^^oZ7 ^^^^1:!,^^^^^^^^ OP ^^"ott'tzzLZ-i '^! r^' ^^°-^^' -^^-^ ^ad the I will she; unto thee tSitdlt?"^."!?*" '""' ^^'"^ Either; sitteth upon m^,y watt' ^^^^^^^^^ '^'' ^''^^ ^''^^' that the spirit into theVderness'. and ? saw n'''"'^ "^l"^"^ ^" ficarlet-coloured vvild beast L'llnfnn Vy?™ ^'^ "P^^ « ?even heads and ten hSs AnS Z '^^ '"^' ^™° m purple and scarlet rolnn?'o„r, , °. ''^"'^''^ ^^^ arrayed cious stones miTpear^^^^^^^ ""^'^ ^'^^ ^""^ P^^" of abominations a^ndfiS^^^^ "^ ^7 ^^^^ f'^" was a name written MTsTEnv * T?'. n.'^ "P°" her forehead MOTfFER OP nAELOTS AKn .1' ^''^^^'^^^ ^^^ OUEAT, THE AndlsawthewomrdrXt^rr^n °/ ^"^ ^^«™- and with the blood of the maXrTif f^ ^'°°^ °*' ^'^^ ^^'nta, horns which thou sawest are ten W v.i • i .'^"'^ ^^^ .*'" no kingdom as vet • hnf r^o!.v ^ ' Y'"^^ ^'^^o received the wild beast.^ ^'^^ ^^J7°Power as kings one hour with which thou sawest; where the whoreILT "^'^ ^'", ^«*-'^ multitudes, and nations nr^5 * *7 '^^^ peoples, and which thou sawesruPtbe'tid^ ttt *^,f .^^o-^ whore, and make her desokfr„n^!ii®'®,^''^" ^'^to the flesh, and burn herwithTre Co 'J^^^^ ^«t I^er +« ^..iflj u: M. ^* J*"-" ure. J^orUod hath nii<;inf»i«.»j f_ »i I !f < 288 TWENTY-SECOND WONDEB. the woman which thou aawest ia that great city, which relgneth over the kiugs of the earth."— Rev. »Vii. 7, 9, 12, 15—18? • r n °*^ *?®^® followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen 13 tallen, that great city, because ehe made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornicatron. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loui voice, If any man worsinp the v.ild beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, whicb is poured on*- -f.hout mixture into the cup 01 his indignation ; and he shall be tormented with fare and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of thiB Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ewr : and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the wild beast and his image, and who- soevor receiveth the mark of his name. Hero is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the con^mandments of I- od, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice fj-om heaven sav- ing unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth : Ten, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; andtheirworks do follow them."— Bev. xiv. 8—13. _ The fall or the Roman Cnuncn— the raodern Babylon- is predicted m the seventeenth of Revelation, to take place as soon as ten kings are duly elected by democracy over ten subdivided kingdoms of the Roman Empire ; and this decern- regal election will not come to pass until the closing " hour " or season of three and a half years, for we read that " the ten horns are ten kings, which have received no kingdom, as vet • but receive power us kings one hour with the (eighth head of thv3) wild beast." But as soon as these ten king? receive their coro^ation. and simultaneously mount their thones, they will at once inaueu- rate vheir reign by secularizing and confiscating all state-church property, and other revenues of the Romish, Greek, and Anglican churches, in mlfilment of the statement, "The ten horns shall uote the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire." This confiscation of ecclesiastical revenues has already commenced m some measure in Spain, Italy, and Mexico, since the French Revolution in 1793; and the so-called progressive ideas of the present age, manifestly tend towards deprivine the 1 reigneth -18. lis fallen, ions drink the third any man mark in the wine tture into ited with 9, and in torment rest day and who> patience menta of !avensay- the Lord rest from V.8— 13. abylon— ke place Dver ten s decem- "hour," * the ten as yet ; head of ion, and inaugu- e-church ek, and The ten late and .» This (imenced I French ideas of ing the > rt;uder* . '^' '''^''' wo^.K-TnB cHrncH cp bomb. 28^ "oier. ""''''' ' ^P^^'"*^ power subordinate to the State r'^^^^^^^^ -^^ ^east, .pre. Empire during the few fin,U S of ^f*^" ,"•"? ^^^ ^^»° ntroduced by the words. "I wSnhPw il"'" Ju'*'.''^» ^^"^ '^ « the great harlot," prcvinj? tLT i 1^?® ^^^ judgment of th6 woman and'wifd beasf, IfheS' X^'"°? -^^^ ^*^i*"de of be looked for at the period Jf the fiS^- '^^' 's principally to shown by six marks in her descrinSon T''' -T'"^ ^oman is oi Rome. ''' aescnption, to pignify the Churcli ^'^io'li^^^^^^^^^ in the pro. ecclesiastical robes of tC^rnVh chitl'"!?— '°'°""^ ^" ^he IS also decked with gold a^d p 'L^^^^^^^^^^ and she have been lavished in such prSlus on ».n ^' """'^ P'°'*^«' ^^^ich chapel, and churches in iXnnd^f^P?'' ™^"^ °^ ^'^e Romish the jewek, precious stone? and ioM ''"' ^^/\ *^« ^^^''^ of « Ho.n.a^toSrp^ tr anf;iT •^'"'"^'^ --H attitude, in which the Church if 7? ^'""^ ''. ^^«ctly the ^edal struck at the last Slee at T?? "^ • V' P^^tured^n a Pope Leo XlL, bearinghra kene^n n?^ "^ ^^?' ^ '"^^ of other side, the picture SfTwlrn h n- ^''^ ''^^' '^^ ^ on the and seated on a globe wiUtZ n'"^ '^ 'VP '° ^er hand ^^^./f «./,.. ««^-^^m.t\hatl "shr^T"^'"^ inseriptio:., Thus does the Church of l?n Jf' ^'^^ "PO" the world." medals, by the very -dml ?°"-«jeprP8ent herself on her own J-ted bjia proTZeTefcrhL'^'^^^^ there is still a 'lurther sense irlhiVif''''^ y'^''^ «-o. And aud borne up, and su«ta ^d by the H t:' "^^ '''''^ "P«". Po. thcalluad of the Church of kn..^"" ^'"P""''' ^*^r\he '1 200 TWENTY-SECOND 'WONDEB. i i ! ( and ** THAT GREAT CITY, which rei'gneth over the kings of tlio earth,'" and is said to "sit upop seven mountains." Now Eome is well known to be built upon seven mountains or hills, and is proverbially referred to by ancient and modern writers as a seven-hilled city.' It might appear strange, that an ecclesias- tical system should be here represented both as a wotnan, and also as a city ; but yet this ia exactly the case with tho Church of Eome, which is not only commonly called " Our Mother tho Church," l)ut also is frequently spoken of by tho single expression of the city itself — Eome. Thus, if a pervert has joined the Church of Eome, he is spoken of as having *' gene over to Eome ; " or such a phrase may be heard, as, " Eome is unchangeable," by which everyone understands the unchangeableness of the Church of Eome, and not of the actual city, to be signified. And no other church can be named which is thus interchangeably designated by the name of a city, as its synonym. Fifthly, the scarlet woman ia called in this prophecy a MOTHEB, "the mother of harlots," and it is very remarkable that the church of Eome in its own Tridentine Council styled itaelf '* liomana ecclesia aliarum omnium Mater £t Maffisira," (in English) " the Eoman Church, Mother and Mistress of all others." Its adherents also often speak of it, as " Qur Mother the Church." Sixthly, the symbolic woman is depicted as being " drunken with the blood of the saints, and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." History abounds with numerous proofs of the Eomish * WjBre the presonf; tense ia used throughout Revelation xvii., it in* rariabiv^eans, not tho time when tho angel spoke to John, but tho time sf the prophetic vision, when events will appear as there represented — namely tho time when the retributive judgment of the harlot Eomish Church begins just before the fir al three and a half years. _Liiat judgment tias not even begun yet in 1865, but affairs are rapidly hastening to that point. Henco tho words, " the wild beast that was and is not and yet ihall be," and the words " that great city which reigneth over the kings of tho earth," refer in the present tense to a period just befi^ro the final threo »nd a half years, when the Romish Church will bo more miirersally power- ful than she ever has been, and when tho Napoleon cnnoiro that '• was," and even now iv 1865-6'" is not," just then " shall be " re-exisiont in all the plenitude of its predicted universal dominion. * 6ed quoB de septem totucn circumspioit orbom • A., tVI/-l11£\ I/-1AI1I , nirrn. nf^». Dii quibus septtm ylacuere coWcf.—IIoaACB, wa3, THE WOBSniP OP KAPOLEON'S lilAGE. 291 • f'^F^^ having plentifully shedHhe blood of Chrisiton^ a nn instanca of this, it ig tp^f Jfip,! Ktt t u x ^^il^'^'tans. As tiraated in proDheev vpt n(»o;« +« ^ • , j"^'^?» ^^a eUe is m- before her CfSrow^ ' "°^ ^^^'^^^ "^ *^^^^^ .^^^^^^ d.iion of";;?,^; J'"'" P°»««»™"9. l?"* al^o its fall intoTco" and hateful bird." (Rev xv?i 2 ) ""^ ^^'''•^" '''' anothei angel to warn men against a new form of idoinfSJ„« Sn A J,? ! „ "" '-'"T '',';^ " '=""''• ""^ h" spake as . firn />rk,»Q ^„^ I'll 1 ° '••'«JUi;io, CLT luiiij no maKcta An^Sii!- TA?'''^ ^^^^'^^ °^ *^« ««th in the sight of men! And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means S m 292 TWENTI-SECOND WONDEB. those miracles which ho had the tjower in ,u ;« *t, • i i. , t ""i" \T'-', ""-""S '" '"™ CI- ?1 t the o^rtT LI tliey should make an imao-e to thfl wiM i,L^ u- , , ', ^"^*^ wound by a sword, and did live A^ d h.T\ ''^''^' ''"^ *'^^ aud Lis nu,„ber i. Six ImS'th:; ;„^e'':nZ^r "' "'"'"' ' headship „?N„p„|e„P;Xl,ar"'^p'^C3°wlP''S,:"''"''" part of the thirteenth chnnfpn " /'^P'osented m tlio previous represented as a two-horned wilH Lf ^^V^'"' ""S^ ti.ey are p.^.bablytothefutuTetwo7oldunln^f;^'p'' " '"^''^P '"^^'^ churci.es Thui f h[« IT i "i °^ ^'^'^ JJoimah and G reck hood will per«S tWS? ^f^-^^omish Pontilland pricat- The woiCn Vnnni ^°'^^ "« follows:- him us one raised frou, the 5.^1 l ""'' '^''?" ^''*^''^'"' *'' ^^"'"'^h'P personification o? rresurrccrod N "'1 ''" •^'^'1.'^^ -"'^ ^'^'■"i' or its deadly wlVoo" o^ 'd tfruJiifS"!- /'"'•"' become possessed of mir„,.,.i. poiitilt will bkowise wordoraLd tomakofi?e?om^^^^^^ ^ "' ^'^ ^« «'-«'^«^ in the sight ofW and hnTiif 7" -^'"'^ '^"''^'"" °'> ^^'"^ ^'^'t'* earth by''tl,o Vn.Ss wlWch l! VT.'' ^ '^'''" *'''* ^^^ «'^ "" ^^o sight of NapoHn 8 W ^^^^^ P"^^'' *° ^" '" ^''O th..t they .1 Id m„K ^ • *''*'"' *''"^ '^"'^'" on ^l'" t'ft»-lh. man, beJa, St riU L";V"r«' '° ^?°'«"" "» «» rosurroetion ^ ; uij.i»iioi- tio Will Do the livinof cm b'^d •»■'»-«■ -* ■i'- '^^ ^.oaia ii.u,i,.re, which had tho wou„a"atmt;;ioc;rb;X I THE WOESniP or NAPOLEON'S IITAOE. 293 Idlled/AndtLLna;'p?^t?ff Jn^^^ of Napoleon Bhall be both emaJI and great, rich and Inr f^^^? "^'^ cause all, a mark in their Vt hind o^^irthplP^^ ^°°^.' *^ ^'^'^^ivo may buy or eell save Khat L Z V^^' *'l^^ ^° ">a« either the name of Napolon or th^tim W^nf r '""'^ ^"^ ^° Any person who shall then worshin N-^.i ^ ^''■ °^"^' ^C<5. receive his mark in their forehead or Zi""'' ^' ''""^'' °" heaven in the fourteenth chapter of Slit" '''°""''4, ^oni an unpardonable sin, and doomed ?o Pff ^"<=^^°' «? guiUy of and brimstone in the presence of th« h% "''"^^''^^^ ^^th fire Lamb. And the smoke of fhpl.fn ^°'^. ^^^^ «^ ^^ the ond ever. *"' ^^""^ *°'^*^"*> ^^ to ascend up .or ever literal image of^rii: "SYntbrTsr LW^'T V ^'^^ . abominat on of desolation Hp Jiii!!^ • .', , '^'^^ *« bo the Daniel, and the tSXrth of M„hi*^' '^°f ^>? ^''"P^^^^ of in the holy placo of ?hVreb»iH W^^^^^^ '« *« stand of Sin also^ himself win sTts^^^ The mnrking of K^^^^^^ ^'^^'^ »^« is God.' Iiis worshipper's ri"ht hands op f^.^f ^° ''"'J',^®'' ^'GO, upon revival of the usuarcustom of tL«n''^-f,'''" "^'"'^y ^o a the name of their dc7tv or nrnnl ''^"* ?°.'"''"« ^^ "marking heads. Even at he m^sent7mo Mr ^^7 ^^'^^^^ «^ ^^^^^ Btantly wear the n3rf h ^.^e^t fe ^^ ^^''V ^^^^ ancient book vaUoii *' Ti,^ a • ^ „ '* tnanner. In an "l^hen Xalltife whole worM IT'' ' V?^'^'^'" ^^ '*« ^'^id! thej shall servo hirBavin?lT«L^n^^^^^ '^^,'"' (Antichrist) is no other Go^ AnTthe ' ?^Vr 5 v' " r'^'"^'' '"'" *^"^° played in every citf and comit^f t ^'' P'^'^'^^*^" '^'^^ ^^ dis- imajre bo erected.''^ ^*'^' ^'^ ''^^^^ ^'^y also shall his PapaTA^cirLS^ rf' ^^ ^^- ^^--nff» " the Holy See •' hold f W A ;• ? '•"! ^'■*^''*''®» " Present crisis S the Chri^tSfa th ana A'« 5 •'' ? ^'' *" '"'"" anddestJoy Dr. Manning ^fyVt^aVtr t^ .f i?«^^^ l^^^^^^^^^^^ Dm. xi. 81, ^. u , Matt. Mir. ib , 2 Ihw^ ii.4 204 TWENTT-SECOND WONDEK. ^^'<&n.l'V^ Bellarmme, and BosJus that Jiome Itself m the last times . of the world will return to Its ancient idolatry, power, and imperial greatnesT It wlu CIS out its pontiff, altogether apostJtizo f?onf ?he Chr stTan laith, terribly persecute the Church, shed the blood of he ZUn^TTT^'^^^^"" ^^^'' '^^d ^i" recover its former first rJet'^'"* '''''''' '' ''''' ^''''' ^'^^^ ^' had underT nUnM "„!^f»^ sioNiFiCANT that whereas this thirteenth w itmlSn"^^^^^^^ P^^^^'^ ''''' *^^ Romish cS h^A ,?f "^^^d.^jen to make rn image to the emperor which «.hni^^5y''^^y';«"'°'''^ («* Waterloo) and di5 live an! whose deadly wound was healed," that is, to worsh d Mm n« J resurrection man raised to life after receMng a 3a lunrf alreadv a noted Romish ecclesiastic. Padl^e VentLr ha^' publicly set lorth this idea in a sermon delivered bS«T n • the Napoleon Empire at Waterloo, and buried t n tlf^ tomb ISIR Mt°'''M"^^^^"^^^^'"««^^ ^y tfao Vienni trcSios 01 nftlf '„n '* '**' Napoleon ihould ever sit on a throne cm, I not III ThrSr*-'*' ««""«^tion in the persorof I?a^Icon III Thp fo lowing were some of Father Ventura's romarS. !! h-n«,>yT ,^«''' r minds which have not enough o?Ch;^ v?nt Jof tSfr^r^ "° V^ ^^'••^"«"««« *° <^°"«i J r ?le great events ot the dorth, except apart from the osroncv of linnvon -y^^-j rvsuueeuofi, which ii not a mere figure, but"wWoh '^^ L £e NAPOLEOir ENTITIED A BESUBBECTIOlf MAl^. 295 tt%ri!th?:iit^^^^^ % fuf / ^e aecompliahed without con&ioninotSdSh/^^^^^^ ^^ «^^°- That "One would sarthlfthTrn/^'c^TS'^^^'-'tention. i^eglected nothing to hindpr ?!,?•''. ^'"'^^^ '^"^ Pharisees killed a seeonnme with f L*- '\?'*'^^/"^P'^^ ^^"^l» they bad the purpo3je of God ^ ® regarded aa his Sou to go forth frmn ihlt ^Z • v, ^°^ ^'^^^ causiog arrangeracnta of mod;.?n <^ ?? between the two events, these vidence of Go5 f^om rlfn^ Z't? ''v^ ^^^ binder the pro- ruins. SothatwhZoneeaveyn^ ^f'^^ ^-'"P'^^ ^^^'^ it« have passed for aTidio A^^^^^^^^^ bum Jf.resight, "apta^^^^^^^^^ moru^rthThead "^) Europe saying, • Behold, hero I am.' " ^ ^*^°^ °^ emperor." Itaco^?^^r,,c™ " I'l t''" "'«'" "' .*''° , "■pt la iu» ptMeaw. How it i, remurkaWs among f 296 TWENTT-SECOND WONDER, . Ca:^f^ttr^^^^^^^^ f^Voleon L to La. wouldhaveobtainedthe impoTnt obW^^^^ dommions, I temporal from his spiritual auSL^S i ?^P«^atmg his would have elevJd him beyond \nea8ure'^^^^^^^ 1°' ^ surrounded him with pomp and homZ T wJi A ^^ ^"I® him cease to regret fcs tmporalSority I Jn^M T^^ rendered h m an idol • he olnuJJ i ? IV. ^ ^°"^^ have m!/ person; Parirwould havn W ' ^'""i^"' '''''^''''' ^'<'^ Christian world ; i would have directed ?hi'^', • '^^^'^ ^^ *^« well as the po itical It would h« ^^^^^rdigious world, as uniting all th? pa ta of the e^^Jetd^^^^^^^^^ "^^^^^ °f ever was beyon J it. M, ooZWl'omtX^g^tlTZ:^^^ of the representatives of Christendom'? thrt)onP« ^^''ff ?^^'-^ been nothing but its Dresidents t J. u^f^^^ ^^^^'^ ^a^o closed these assembliesSr^^^^^^^^^ publLhed'y. '^T'^- '^'^^ as. Constantino and ChaEl'L di^ S ^•' ^'^^^^ spiritual and temporal-powers in the hnn^»P ''°'°'' ""^ *^« had been lonff the ohWf nf «, hands of one sovereign, (AlisonV'Eu^t-'cfclx^ meditations and wiahel"' Vot^'Tkl^-^^^:^^^^^^^^^^ the temporal ss^S^ijrte ?^^^^ F wiSr t . of all temporal aXr^ty vet he Hi-"'"''' ' embodiment him. as toWrcise al I'e^tfe^^^^^^ power'^of '^^r^ ^''^ Potentate in his presence and tf !^p1,FoM?. ^*^"* Imperial secular arm in an eXitir '' ,. ^J^ ^^^° ?*''*^"8^'» «f the refuse obedience to thXpolelVS^^^^^ ^'^''^^ ^''« be universally estubl iled ^ ^^^^'^^'' ''^"^°^ ^^»f ^'^ TWO SACKOXOT rr aviwx u.ibu WIIH£SS£S. 207 . TWENTY.THIED WONBEE. (Commendng eisetlj- three and a half years after the Covmnn^ and ™nt,nu,«g duriag the ensutog /oooXtoe afdTha^ twocandlesticks standing SX*^° J:? "te-^^.^'lt'j and have power over watera to turn fin V^T^ ^r^^'^y = then, and shall ovel.e tS'^ ^^d I I tll'^'^lAndT?' dead bodies shall lie in the fifrrif nP *i . .. "^ ^^"'^ spiritually is called Sodom nm/?^ ! *''f S'*'''? ^'*^' ^^^^h ^va« crucified 9 And ^n.*' .^^^P^' '^''*^'^ ^^«° «"'' I'Ord ffizdrs-iS ■£«£?•«. .to7d" oriSrSiSrS:;^^^^^^^^^^ aro goneraH^ under. in fi33-8 to (.1,0 French Horofution in m-ffl^^ °^ 600-12 (coino'ding aJao SVl^o 1., of \,!t^' "'•^'''«;™n» fl'oca.' edict in nnderstood to begin about 17 )n 8 whJn A o '^*'f """^ " '"^^ ^'""••. are Fmnce, or elBo aLuSlULt:!^^^^^^^^^^ n,ppre„ed in iiiore IS probabiy fvpicaltriilb in hmJ, '«;' " """^^J"° .•^*''^''*'"'" Wcmdor.) 298 TWisaxx *XUsa ''ONDEB. in graves. 10. And they that dwell unon th« rejoice over them, and make merry^rnd XLTii „^.",f "^ aHall another: because these two inrSv!? f ^®°^ ^^^^^ one to cUvcltonthe eS,. Tl rn/7ffiL^\ *°™/^^^^ them that the Spirit of life from Godlnterf^Inff^ "^'^^ "^^'^ «^ ^^" upon their feet; Td nreat fiil f!n '^*° *^^. and they stood 12. And they heard HreS voSi "f^" * v^ ^^"'^^ ^'"^^ *'^^"^- in the funereal trarb of snoEninf^ • ^^ "^® *° ^^ a^ired the scenes rflamental-on^^^^^ '" sympathetic harmony with world wm ?Ln preset FoZT'"'-^ "^'^ ^°^' ^'^^'^^ the themselves ogJ^t^T^nnrfeLu^^^^^^ P-^i^ they are to bo armpd xvifU *i.^ - "fegieHaions ot the ungodlv. tire out of thei^lutr where "Kh.r P°^^^ °^ ^^^^^hin^g endeavours to hurt ?hL Sni^wPnl'^'? any person, who ^hall prosper, nor anTaUeniDt,?nnrf>?-'',v''"^'^''°"^^^t them during their twelvrhundS^nn^^°^'''f '' ^'^% P^°^'e successful ^ Th^y al«; *ra;7powt to shut'S^vMt'^'"""'^^^^^^^ the days of their proDhecv" from 1!m?' • '* ^"'" »«* in be inferred, that iHe e/e^cise o? ; w'^ circumstance it is to will to a gr'eat extenrif ToHntS' p^^^^^^^^^^^ T''' *J"^ ram on the earth diirimr nil fkT^i! ^' P^f^®°t the descent of J|;e»«..d..d.ue.''L^-CfrdX^^^^^^^^^ Following the example of Moses and Aaron thev u-ill «o , , vi «»om«iDg cMm from the most carefully guarded IWO FtBE-OBEATBlSO WITNESSES 290 l*nV';LVl,lfi;^K?«»S f^ thrir mouth, will malice of the Wil?ul Kinl wfll'^S'^ ^ half years, the destructive those two illustSfers^ t^^^^^^ P.^T'^ «»^^^°^^ them and kiU them » S Sf^ J J^"i^ ^® f ^^" overcome street or broadwavWtht^pi?'^^^*^^^^^^ «^«" lie in the Sodom and E^y^?^' Ld wS nn^' ""^if «P [jtually is called consjncuoua localitv witMn fi, PP'''".*^^.''"^^^ ^^^ ^o^^ aposLte Roman Empire Thfa S '''^' ^^^^^-t^e unburied corpses to bi^fh; ^oJ-, ^l^"' ^P^""^® ^^ their ^m be in acX dal^^i te^^^^^^ --^^j modern times, of subiectinr.tLw-;*'^^*?''.''' "^^''ent and tion of the unrxodlv contJnuB i^^hl fi^'' unhallowed eiulta. hoavoo in „ .,o„d, i""...;?::!? ^ie'^^of'tfeetLrtlZu^i: "" """•■■ or B«t puvuo pi«,, .. ;Cdi'ou,"ij^~;r S"."' h i h 300 TWENTY-TniED WONDEB. that i, m^n Vf -^ ."' "."'^ *«^™ tliousand men of names .ubscqueutly in the ^^coni.sTc^tT^^'^^.^"'"^^^' it at tlio dS of pS„ Tf '" P"'' '"^o'y- Tlius w,3 of ctriSs bv tW'""'='i?'''' ""''^"'■'"S the persocti^ns fully vratcbinffTem it? r/'JT ^^f^.'""' *" "■« <'°S'. "''<:■ and the fire bowsoerr tif, T "'f^">«.™,' 'oft by ti.e beasts They also fiiaXd tho h™Z f, "''^"f '"'er mangled or bnrnt. tmn\a of t£ bodies w^Jhjf/''^ °"lT' '"K^'l^f >"* the sueeossionia order tinrtven;"''^ watehes, for many daya in indeed raged and cnaalld .1? ° ^}"""J""^ ^^'"- '"'"«<•• »»"'» find out^solo bette ii Tf "''■"m^""''' *''™' "'"'i™' to :an«hedatandmsu LS,e1toKlrerr"i'inl'^''r °=""' to t em the punishment onhe mi'ZS'if.'' "'''''• »"'' ""I""'"8 Ma^,tirL"t"erbtn'dTeT"A'''%"™»"^"'P''- oren ashamed tVCy hoTfeles boS''?", ""'ri ""^'"S™' ulfnatS\rtto'Jfa'''"'W-''"^^^ «lu8ebiu», ▼. 1, IWO SACKCLOin-CLOTllED 'WITNESSES. 801 several days, of such as attended to this savage and barbarous decree, and some indeed were looking o..t from their posts of observation, as ,f it were something ,fortl.y of their zeJuo gel that the dead bodies should not be stolen."* In another persecution in the time of Pamnhilus «Thp sacred and holy bodies of these men, by theVrrr of the crue? and mpious governor, were kept and mmrded four days and nights to teed the wild beasts. ^Bnt as, contrarj^to expeTatfon no lung would approach them, neither beast, nor bird of prey' nordo.s by a divine providence they wer^ aerain taker^; uninjured, and obtaining a decent burL, we?e kSrred acLd mg to the accustomed mode.'" i"icrrea accord- , Simpson, in his " Traditions of the Covenanters " relates a similar circumstance in Scotland; "Mr. BeH ^iiom W knew well enough, earnestly desired but a quarter oHn hou? to prepare for death ; but the other peremptorily refu^edTt sTnep'fi ?K^ Tr^'f '^yj^«* »^«^« yoi not had time to prepare since Bcthwell;' and so jmmediately shot him with the St and would not suffer their bodies to be buried." ' «.oo ^Ir" I'^f -li^^y ^'. ^^^^' *^^ n^artyred corpse of a Christian was publicly laid out in the leading thoronghVe of Consto inop e for three days. A Turkish law, which has since been epealed, condemned him to execution for changing his reliS from Mohammedanism to Christianity. "He feceived" he crown of martyrdom in the midst of one of the most freoTienU d treets of Constantinople. For three davs that body^dres ed n the French costume, and with a Frendi cap, was exposed to the public gnze and the execrations of the fanatic Turks kl^'tTr'"^r'-r^^"°^'''^"'"^^^^°«^^«« t« rouse every latent feelS words of the Old Testa. »um the hea« of the father tX^Sc^ti Z ^^ a wo SACZCIOTH-CLOTHED WITNESSES. 803 the cliildren to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."* ^aiuu. n?'^vvZ^^^ ^''''' ^^ ^^^ PT^''^* ^^y* P^'eserve the expectation Eljahs reappearance by placing a cup of wine at their annual passover least m readiness for his anticipated arrival- and It 13 said that at their marriage feasts, they leave a chair,' «nda vacant place similarly awaiting his return; and also It they cannot understand any passage of Scripture, they utter an expression denoting that it will "be explained to them by Elijah when he comes. Eidley Herschell, a Jew, thus describes their passover feast :— I' In the celebration of the Passover, two large cups are Hlled Zf^^' • ^°' °^ *'^''V' ^^^'"^ ^y t^« »"«ster of the house, and a blessing pronounced. After this blessing, the head of W?; ^f f 7.f ' K J/"P *? ^^^ *^°^« «i*«°g «^°"^d- • He then brings forth the hidden cake, and distributes a piece to each. The second cup of wine called" Elijah's cup. is then placed before him ; the door is opened, and'a solemn pause of expS tion ensues. It is at this moment that the Jews expect that the coming of Elyah will take place, to announce the elad tidings that the Messiah is at hand. Well do I remember the interest with which, when a boy, I looked towards the door; hopiug that Elijah might really enter; for notwith- fo^'pt^tly L'pT^^^^^^^^^^^ '''' ''''' ^^^^' ^^-"-1 - «till There may seem a slight difficulty at first sfght in correctlv understanding the statements of our Lord, regardbrS return of Elijah Wo read that as Peter and Jamfs3johu tC\^T ^^"'down/rom the mount of Transfiguration, where they had seen Moses and Elias appearing with him in elorv they inquired "Why then say \L scribes that Ellas mS hTmL T?i fl , Jesus answered and eaid unto them, Elias truly shall first come and restore all things. But I say unto you that Ehas is come already, atid they knew him not, but ill .? « ''''*? ^'°'' whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall !toorl tL^T °^ "^T^ '"5''..^*' *^^'°- Then the disciples under- dtood that he spaktf unto them of John the Baptist:'' Here our-Lord explicitly asserts that Elias shall come and restore all things, which John the Baptist assuredly never «f tw!»f '""■"'■AW°''1'\';''''*'" ^^^ ^o*^" >° this verse, « turn the heart 804 fWENxl-XniBD WOSDEB. fulfilled, but hs adds "THin- ft. ^« , , spirit and power of ^Aim ' ^ ^®^°'® ' ^"st in the Dban Alfobd in his Greek Tesffflmr^nf this passage in Matthew xyiiUuZT' ' *'°?"^e°ting upon Lord cannot be understood in ehhernffl,'''* ^^' '"^^^ "Rul- ing that the prophecy of Makcb.Wv f « ?? f f.'^'^^ '"^^ "^^^n. you Elijah the prophet/LrecSdl^^^ ^ will send For as in other prophecies ^o?n thi "^ u "'^'^'^'^^o^ '"« John, -^entboth ofthecomW Ki T ^ ^ P^'^t'al fulfil, l^ile the great and co^te ful Jil^ f"'^ °^ ^''' ^^'erunnei, great day Sf the Lord %l"v?''fx"y^<= ^"t^'-e, at the ^vii. la/speaks pJaS in Jf! S' '''' ^'l ^"' I^o^^d in Matt. of the proShecy^n ^Chtv^TThf^^^^^^ '\l "-^'^ ^°^^« the assertion, that the Eliaa r7n ««• •? ^?"^^^ ^^'"^io^i » only our Lord's fiwt cominV^'w^gl^VP;,^ and power) who foreraj prophecy, which annoi™3%r;f7^"i?/^ '^« S^eat Malach- will bearno other fLno ■?^*''* f*^^ words of loreru. his greater^LltonYcoXr' """"^^' "'^^^*^ l^l^^iS^ %styTSi?a^^^^^^ ---' - •n understanding our LorJl «««i!f • "^^'^'^,^^°''^ ''"^ others, of Matthew concernToff Joh^tr « °''.".' ^H ^^^^^^^^^ chapte^ it, this is Elias, whK,s for tn ^^Hl^' ^^, ^^ ^''" receive tion, whether -John wis or w^f-'^^ *V'"P^>'' t^«* the ques- depended upon hisL^pion^rdecl?^ !^'''''^ ^^-«' that this would make all fhA^iff - "^^ ^^^ people; and whether or not hf wou M inlt'"'''^- ?f *^ *^^^ ^^^''^^ a^ to people for the advent of ^t *^/ -'P^'i* °^ ^''^^^ Prepare a cluies from a ct^uLmL^'Zi}^,^^^''^' • '^^' ^^^^ ^on- - Ws "aratio/io^Ct^^dSt^.^.^^^^^ Euthymius. Tertullian HiW J7'?''°S' ^^a'' ^heodoret, Aquinas. Meyei .av^- t fVi°l*^l'"' ^"g°' %ra. Thomas all the rest of the fSVs ' S^Sn '?J^ Hi^'-onymus, so come in the body, Sj the '?"f'f J ^°'^,'»^^<^ ^lias should Jews and oppose^Si^t ' "^ J^'-'^.-'aent, to couver fc the bf \ ran EEirau ov hijad. 30S dllulty rf'tt Sri:i°8/ ^''J\' ' """■<"» "■» peat «ad eeenis to inStf i., ^rj^E?'''"/-''' ,"=° I'"'''! Jesus ■ «tWwUM,i,com4,Velory ' '"'""" '" ''-«'■«''«<'". tte th^fut^i-Ji' sf -Elt wf st^^ r.'"^'^' ^''■'' *° f<"« ■•■» «%<•' iSo that fMstwLl ^''^* '"T """J »•«»'<»■« «« Jewl mention, ItoTme of tt^^^^^^ -"i^^^g '^ «.V, as being immeSlVconnec T^th Vf '^^^^^^ ^^'"i antt-pSvfew'o?EliiZfe^ ^''«e^^'»<' i"-^ t"-" lord;, p^eept, '' B. /hoVrSf SSto tl&fitl *•''' thee a crown of lifp " t «<- +1,1,,, ^ -"^ ^"^ give and inconsistency at whaWpJ * T ^""l^^^ '^^""^'^ ^•"I^ety firs?o?airbecom:iT^^^^^^^ ^^.^^'J^'^' - must justified byTuHn the Kor^T^'"' ^^n,*^^ ^^^^^ Spirit, and become justified by the hZ/Ti'' H'' ''^^t?^' *''^* ^^^ ^hua His obedience imputodto^^ ^'T, "^^-^"^1^' ^"^ have irade untc u^ «Srom ^V. ^^^'^ likewise have Jesua r (emptb^/ ' 'igbteousness, sauctificatioD, and believes^^SVL''cS/^^^"^^ ^?^ «'^^"«ted sinner and the rT^hteZ iu^^e r.l^t t'angressions pass from him, The life ttSZionfeyedZ^^^^ enters his 8pSrreneHnAi?J ^^^J^^^J Spirit from Christ, and thenersniril the li^nf/"^'''?^^ ^^'"^ "'^^ bearfc is remnv./„SJ":.' J„!F'^'' ?* ^is smful estate and conduct .ight-s.i57G;rr4irt^S'"^?,^;t^C«oS ?S 30S TWENTr-TninD wondeb. I rvio"?fcur^S..8'^™- righteousness of U3 God and behevctl, in !,,,„ ahould not porish, but ha^orZm?m^ Ta ruTof'o''".r;/ tr p'™'" 's ?™* t'r tt com" sX:lMm &'flm^°d\z,ilhoT' "'";5? ^«-° nmn stood forth in tbo "/our of reno4tedTr;!' ""^t"" ^^"I^ Son 01 „,a,>, than the iucorrnptiblo ^ud im ul„M„ Tir"'po" e^ rates h.snunost spirit, and ho boooincsanew creatnro crated • u if '"V'f „<"''- Creator, in ri,d,toous„eTnnd hd taes3 st^of dttt; ? si^i„t/?h^"sto"ofT£ '",jis,n'r '"" seacriricejbr si„s, ,h„ .rncinod wfof TifH d K^v 'ul ns for nu .nstaut contou,plato the mighty tra,, CnatTon At ■ one mo„,ont ho sinner stands before God la en w h (.ra,t «::::;rso^rt^^^^^^^^^^^^ everaq^^^^^^ ben aJ, a dmrge of nnquity, eiposing him to tho doom of eiert' yory oHlis power : tho next moment ho is presented to th,, eye 01 d.vn,ojust,co free from all gnilt, ai.d Vrmn a ground ot aeeusatjon, nnehargeablo as' an angel T&ht*^ nay sanding beloro Ood clothed in all tho perfectn™ of tlfe o^'Jl ielf'^t"' ^'6'"°""!"™' "'• "■ ' «"- Sing S ™ 01 una umsclf. At oue instant covered witli dL-filomont fif only to bo excluded from the light of heave nnd o dlvcl evermore annd the darkness of the pit ; tl^nexti slant ukl opt Bpot or stain eanctified nnd set^apa^-t to ho 1 o ^ orv^^^ nothin. Jo n^ ""'^ K''^ ^Z^- ^^^"° inst nt pUnting notuing to the ove of Ood bu<-. a "nf„«„ r..n -r „ii.L.- "9 . heart at enmity against' himsdf;" tho 'n^riSt'created riJACIICAL EXnoHTATIOJT. 207 a;chiiaof wra bfe 4TJ^ ^" °°^ "^on^ont of God, mi heir of God 'nr TV- J''? "^-^^ moment a child instant in which this miVhvni J""^<= '^"^^vith Christ. The measurable and nternfik fZ^"' ^''"°^^* ^"^'^ '-^'^ '^^ ''"- in which man first bo Si^^^^^^ transpi.es, is that And yet, important s the phe 0^*^;^^^ *'n ^°" "^ ^^'^• la impossible to bo -^ivpI n i f i )l^^''' without which it imto us. 'Therefore iti nf/I-n.'^*,^^'"'^ '^ madeof God tl;rouglir;,htco'S^Ts Vy nnd'^J^^^^^^^^^^ 'y S''«^^'' whpin lo glory for eve'raiu'c" ' Kom'^^^^jf.' °"^ ^-^' t° in tl^e^Ll WoZ!;i^t;!^^r;'T° -^^ -^-^ -ho 'was ^vith God. enipl^r«n. L a ui tool "' ' t^'^^^, ^° ^' ^^^ ' servant, and was STnhTiltt ^'7 ^"'" *^^^ ^'*^"n of a be the Saviour of™ mfer. he ni fn u' 'i "l'"*' .^' "''^^' *« ne.Tr obcyed-he nn st Ji n n ?^ ^ *'i? ^^^i' ^^'^'-''' ^^ had but how sLlI the. eat Goa Ao n^r T'T obedience: was ninde-of a womnn ^! 7 ""'^°, ^''° ^'"^'^ ^o tl'is ? Ho redeem thcni ?hrSuStre tV'V^^^;/!';^ '^r■«'^ infinite]/ holy nnnr n?l 7"" ^°^^'' ^^"<= '^o^v shall tho Bccaus/thol^llild S?'^, e"VX ,r'i:f /" ^^^^Vf"'^^^ '"^'^ part of tho Bamc. Ho bcca?n6 un I'pJ ? "''l^ H''''''° *°ok « 'ul and body ; so that ho cZd S "" "" '''''^'' ^'"''^' '>"'^^«n 'Great is the^ lystcry o Voj 1^^^^^ ^'l'' g^oan, bleed, die. flesh.' ^ffnin:1fl,7wi iSo/r^: ^''^ ^'1 'T'^'^''^'^ ''^ tbo Biunors; if ho will Tuow tl^ ^n ''^^^^ ^^''^^^^'cr of sbopherd; homusthnvnn '°T°"'' '^"^^ b» their tender nllt^honi:ilcoV;no ler\t uTn^ 1 \''''' ^'"^''^ ^''t' ^'en ho i. infinitely hoi 1- ''?• .""'^ '^^^^ ^'"^ <''i3 be, became boqo of our bone am '^"'^ *''"°? ^h I ho <'>o tribes of Wl camn fn if ^ m """ "^'^^' ' ^^beu all li.;I.old. we nroThy bono Id'th^^e'el '' ''^'^r' ''^^ «-^ Koin^ to Christ • 'irn,-Hnnnn r ^ J ' ""^' ^'^ ^au wo ia W 0^- our infirmity/ 'A?.Tt'h^^^^^^^^ ^ith a feol' / 308 TWENiy-THIED WONDEB. obedience ; ;Ob'ed:ent unto^IaTh ''^t ^1,^" ^ to^h w^f„,,; » V ® 8™"' Lawgiver— the Judse of ail-before wliom every creature must Btand and be indirp^? m!i „»t i conae„ted to eorae and stand at tl« bar olii^^fcLdl^L," :';«tuaYH?:r.f«a^rtr„° «ir;rLsri'""^ and yet they killed lu,n. Ho Rave in tZ ' Cf ?'°^?' «ie cold grave.. The Tather lo?ed\i£ S ufc^JX- withcufc beginning, or -intermission, or end • anJ voVT, i •• Oil ! herein was infinite love. Infidela sroff nf if f.^i 'tt*]iry^Sp°;af3''e"iii^,7'u:;;r^''™ ™'' '"" «^«^-^- ■oui, and all that la within mo bli.gg h.'- hui- — = »'- - "^ i-oru, U my soui, and lorget notollLiB beuViitrfwhoSrSveth / roug& tlie rycu. It tiore won- if of his Bsfc depth usations ; (lied our 1 — before d yet ho Teatures, ery holy hia feet; mocked, him was tural and things ; lay in mally — Ho was :ed upon it — fools mb that 'lirist is look on lb elain Lamb, m, hav- odours. u wero Li wore Lord? d; has 'God'a J from :hough rf aud O my A\ gireth PEACTICAL EXHOHTATIOW. £09 frZ^^^^:^:^ ^^^ wl.oredeemeth iusuSrSouT.:;ry\Lrr." und^ t'^ ^- -^«^ ^^ your own ; by gracJ, a^ rt^STo C And tf -"^'"VX' cation IS something far inorfifW,il;T- "^ ''"^ J^stifi. as man can never grant to his Sn ^""'S^T'"'' ^^ '« «"^h give another for einSn' a^t ^ ^ T-'' '""-'y ^''^ Suppose a man to bo acSonl^'o^^^^^^^ he is inuoc ^>f • ho is brou^hfini ff ° °^ '""'^®'* ^^ ^I^ich the testimony of various I nil ^i'^P^^s^nco of the Judge, is acquitted by tho Jurt n^i f] t ^!!^'° testimony; the man '»m just. The acc°.3edTs not ^^'/'^"^rT J"^*''^^^' ^'^ declares nothing to requiro ardo" "^t^ '"f, ''''^"'° '^« ^^^ «one fromtl^chargrofSerln^? would say ho was m/i/?.rf Juatify means^simprto Ifc^^^^^^^ '"^' ^^'-''^^^d ^""ocent. only justificatioTpoJsiblo to ,n„n f ''' ^"'^ ' "°^^' ^^'^^ i« ^'^ murdl3rer, brought^•So ho presJ^^ce of ITn' " •""", '^ '^'^^ such, and foundrruilty bv tho fnrl J^^ge^ Proved to be having the powerTpiSJnl'sZ '^'^ '"^ge derer, I do not, for certain rpn,,.r,?^ • i T"^^,^'^" "^«« "lur- death should brexecutcd.'Z; '"'''' ^ of. That would not boTustH catiof fl^''''~~^°^ ^^ pardoned.' the sin Oh his conscS ho ;o M J^'^'^P ^^'^7 ^^^h murderer, frocdfromTl^o an "."^ ^° ^°''^'» branded as a the crimeof murdeT fe mnTl'Vu*'"'' ^'^ «*'" ^"'Ity o^ Bear friends, it ifa bio cd ?S th.t^Vr?^''''^""^^*^^^^^^ pardon, but justify. IIoTot mnr;>l , ^ ''°?' "o'^ '"erely pcnaltv of eii, Ho^not meXSl^ ' "^^"T? ^ -^ ""«'' ^^o"^ *''« to helAo bear' tho^"uVu£tTu* j^;,-^^^^ ^ -^ -nd you Been iuiquit; n Ja ob nor bohoM ' °' ^"'"'''^'•^' ' ^'^ ^'^^<^ how nuiif.{.!;» T?'°^".°^^^''clJporver8one38iul8rnfil.' nu writtmrof ihoLorr'lirJ^'''°-'^' •^'"'"^^' '^"d 7«fc it « 810 TWENTr.THIBD WONDEb. «pon Him the e«.-^Sof t all mJ"" *^''' ' ^'^ ' l^»th S himtobe..>, for us/ r^d ewA^^^ 'Hehathmaie nio^de a curse for us. ' £ has God i;^'T''= ^^ ^P^^^'^^ of as nnd laid them on Jesus » Tl, 1 1 rr^'f^^^ our sins from us that He might bear them on tL P ^' ^'^P"'^'^ *^«'« ^o cli" ' are believers in the Lord J?sut mZ' '^ ''^'' ^^^^ ^^e. who ems imputed to us. Cw th^" de^l^f • T'^ "^°^° ^^^e our sovere.gn grace ! It is It that GolTu'' f '^ ^^^ of God's "nd eajs, ' You are not a s°uner ' wf °°^' ^7^ °° «» P^rsou J^een a sinner, but! havp fmnf.f '^ ® ^^^^ ^"^^er, ' You have l^orne its penalty A Ho T,l^^^ «'" *° J^sus; He has graeo, henceforth', and L etc "^^5^.° W I justify you by' «ct,Tor It 13 written, ♦ It is Gml' f J,of • .•n''*'.°° ^^ Clod's own i^lnn for salvation, and He RArn »« * , '^^^'^^^ Prays to ^om that moment God /7/,SfipHr '^'".^^ '^Jus^ you' God, tho true and only Xif ustifc.""'^ '""^ *^«^ ^'^'^^ ^0 laid to his charge, ia iffs wriHp„ • \l '''?°^^ '• «« "n can Itomans, 'There i., theretoL'l'^ timt are in Christ Jesus ' ? a' „„ ' ^°°^^'°^ation to them f/?" 1'!!-!^^° ,^ar3d;tutTc:u" r. ^!>^}^^^'i^ "i^uauo rnuj, epeakinff of ru.-af • ' ,*'"V oe^'ar. Tiii ;vhom God ha h se lith to h« « ^^' '? -^^^ ^^^h of Romans •through faith in his blood* fln/i,^'^^^^'",*'^"'' ^"^ our sW jvo conclude that a man°^iustld^7^1''^'^^'^ ' ^^^^^^^^^ Jfpw beloved, let me say that /V^^^^ •^^?*^^' ^^thout works' jaith le belief of savin^Yru ihs & in r^^ ^'^'''^' ^^^^ m Crist Jesus ; it ia belief nf^.i" the redemption that is sets it forth in his own wLf „if """^n*^^ ^''^^''^tion. as God as the way. the truth! andXifS^T. '' ' '' ^^^'^^ '» ' j" us I^elieveth shall bo sav^d • vJrhtL ^""^ '^ '? ^'''tten. ' He that cessary to salvation P Jt shows ti.il'' *"• '^^^ ^'^^^^' '« ^o- nerits or deservi„g« of his o^n f '^^ J?^ '» "ot saved by any therefore it is of ihith /w T •', . ?^° Apostle Paul savs J^mn in his senso«V^ .' i^A^.l^^'g^'* bo by g^race ;' becaLX v-v .xiat ms rnvmy beii^yjing in thoLwd God's own God's not the cross ' h»th laid hath made )kea of 03 3 from lis, I to Cbrist, t we, wlio have cur fc of God 3 I a persou JTou Jiave ; He Las fy you by od's own )t bought praya to 'fy you,' liioment ) sin can apter ol to them ified, he uetified, J Perl tin this . The Romans, ir sins, ereforo works.' •Saving that is 9 God ' Jesus fe that is no- jy any says, Ifln nn )JJord rnAcxicAL ExnoniATioN. 3n tha^'^W^^""^ T'*' ^^ ^*'*^^^*° «^^« ^J« 80«1 ; no man can sav ateVHcruntfr'iL"^^^^^^ belienng, and ?herefim Jw a 1""° '""^'"^ ^'^"^'^ ^^ ^^^t^^' ^^ be]ievi-nS\?a ?.!?•• ^'^^^ ^°^ s^^es a man on hia simnlv oeiieving his testimony concerning Jesua Chri^i- r^A ,V}y by sovereif»n prunes v/ v„ ^j^i ^V "t . ^ i^nnsfc, Crod saves hmi pure cS> ^n^nl f • f •^'''''^' '^^^^ ''^ ^'^'^^^'^ ^' ^y 9race ;' by dares^av «n. ??V "'"^'' °'^ 5'°^ *«^^'^4yr«c/alreadv ? I *bv thenrapTnf r?I5 ' j"""":;- you can conscientiously say. feeIwe\~eSb7y^n^f°fr Lt'd"' ^^'^'^^^^^ - peace, because le are/ustTfied; iot ty wo?k?brt\v^"t. T ttt^Tt?htl:t;j^r you billing to be saved bv aracealZ7?> tp 1^ ''7' "^''^ your own works and dLrvinerandf.ff .f- '•' ^^'^^^ ^" all these ca.t yoursellTponTh'e os.' f cti^t'/^^Jir/tf-f So'df^iXt :nd^^^ sacrificf fS^^sfn,- sSf b^Ja good deXasTi^a^^ ^^^itZ^^^::^ ^ feas that death ^d [udLmenf a p In °'''' ^^"'^ ^°^ "»^ ^O"" with that confeSrurandt-le^irth^^^^^^ grace that has laid all^our eina or£ur S"°' ^'".f^" g»v.a you pardon and peace th^uX- Jesus Tl,n F""'^ Ji'^'J jUBtiiies you freelv WlthoIl^ a ^n..? fi , , S'-aco that J«u., »d .go in peace, fo, tb^ f,,,bU:b'La"o thee whJll'" 812 TWDNTr-POlTETH WONDEO. FIFTH YEAE. TWENTY-FOUHTH WONDER. ^"ISX^XU^^ \^ZrV '""'^ '^^ Covenant, and the fifth j'eaLrZ'cotZtj:^^^^^^^^^ '^ '^^ -^ of DEOENEEACr AND APOS^ACT n. ' ^""^ ^" I^CEEASED iTEssiNa Cheistian CnuEc^ ™^ ouxwaedly peo- thi^d^^Wnt^e'a^f rr^t^^ ^^/^^ -al, I heard the and loa.bfack horse- S heThat^'lS'.- "^^^.^ ^««. balances in his hand AnTr L 5 '^i ^^'^•had a pair of four Jiving ereatu?es sa^. A me^Vf wT 'l ^ ^^^^^oHhe three measures of barlev fn^n I '^^^-'^'^ ^°^ ** Penny, and the oil and the wie -fev vi l^g^' "^^ ^^ «^«" hurt not chnst'sthreeandahalSinl^^^^l *° «°^ergo Antl- under the first four sea s^ bv tlffi- '"''°°' ?• ^^'^'^^^^ Pr'^^'ured, as a horse, which 6UPoP.:,V^i? ^^Presentation of that Church to red, an^bfct and pale L^ ^° ^°^^ ^^om wh?te advances, and increasiSfnumfeTrof ^'^ f * ^*^ Persecution from cbout 633-8 t„ 1073*1 ;?i.'r''T' '^"""'" °' "■« Oi.„rd, M JC enanfc, and the end of GENEBAL NCEEASED DLT PBO- leard the I beheld, a pair of dst o^the Jnny,and hurt not lie visible go Antl- t?fi?;ured, Church >m white secution iristiana me per- ve been » world, ■ typical Milifant, n. This > head ! 'ti ocourt I Fourth A SEASON OF GENEBAL FAMINH. 813 Jenkr/rtfve^dfttf^^^^^^ of Eevelation, be provi- of merelf nombal ZflTn°^ Chr.W '"'*' K T* ^^^^^^-^ obtained true conversCofhfnrf^^^^^^^ who have never by earnest prafe? t? God in S ^^^g^^f ^ess for their sina t/tize when^e^s'ecuLn arises andTit'lur^' "'"/Pf* outward observer as if Ih^ v,-?m nl^ -^^^ "PP^*'' *« the becoming more and moL deVn." ^^"'^•'^" ^'^"'"^^ ^«« communities anStiZ that^w^ ^i)'?!'^^'*,"*^' ^^' ^^'^le will be induced to M down ^J^/ ^ ^1 • '^T'" ?« ^'^^''^^^^^^ indeed. wiU the external pressl StT ^°*'^^?^: /-^^b^^. symbol of a horse. gradLllv assSme a lif denoted by the declension and decav whillfi^tf ^^ir?P^,°'°ff ^^^^'i'' of be massacred, orf^themost^'Ti^ '^'•'' t^^ '^'^^^ or elsewhere. ^ ^ ^''^'^^'' "'^^^ ^^ wildernesses spe'^Llfy inSed I^'h;.*?.' J"^^"!?^' P^ ^^^ ^^^^ng been ju'dgmeL of tl^lS uXThe "h'^;d '"^, "°" ?"°- ^'^^ comes the iudement of TVmvjAAf^ Ti//?.^' ''"'* «» 'here PESTILEJ^/cKderthpf^.H ?r^^^P ^^^STS and during thesep^^^^^^^^^^ -We here have judgments— the bwoud La ^h^ t ' , ^ "^"'' sore liEASTs. and the pS/cp^ in th« "''''' "°^ *^" ^°^«°^« dieted in the fourteenth of EzJiie S Z' °J^ ''■ Pf ments are mentioned in nearlr tl « «am« n ?^ "' these judg- great prophecy concerninrthLnH 'A'J^ °^^er m our Lord's fourth^of VaTtheTS ho said "^fu^'Y ,\*^' *^«'^*^- rumours of wars, aid /amikks. and pi^' "Ltl " ' "'" '^^ deJ:t;%-r ^ «a^L"^rrS^^^^^^ ^''' -^ v^hile 8ufler?nVt„,l'a h ^f'lbod^ ?,%^^!^^'^?tern}ng%eo,lo than a coal: they are rtknn-ni l?^^"'''«"«o>«Bi'^CRr.n cleaveth to their bones Tti^^iH ? v^? f^'"^'^-- ^'^^^^^ «kin They that be slain w.tVfV'f"'^' l*= '^ ^^^'>'"<' ^'^e a stick, slain with hunce" for U^.y^ "'" ^'''''' *^"^ ^^^^ that be want of the IXoiZtu^PJ^^^^^ '''''^''^ ^^'°"P^ f°' oven because of the t.irible Ll^e ^ "^'" ^''^^ "''^"^ "''^ ^ , liiender of the black hor«« nn„o„-= * .. „ . ?««M«the nuer of th. ^^^^e^l^' ^elJ^ri^Z't^ 314 TWENTY-roUnXH WONDEB. Bonation of pestilence ThA ««««. n such a personificalion'l- ^^'^ ^"^i*^^ *^»^ represonta *'^\lf' •"'' ^*™'°« 5 «"i^ the meagre fiend ^^o^stlfS^^^ upon the bl.e. specified in the fourth cha^^^^^ by weight i. accompaniment ofTprelSw ^^ *^« Marked Shalt eaf shall be byCS tweT/ . T^,^^ T"* ^'"'^^ ^^ou over he said unto Z Tnf ^ ^'/ f ^^''^^^ a day." « More- of bread in JerusalTm^ and 1^^^^ wilibreak the atoff with care." ' ^"'^ ^''^^ 8^^" eat bread by weight, and ^o^'^^I';";,^^^^^^^^^^ creatures still • gaunt famine.^ ?« A Sure of w>',-^''^"°^^'^ ^^"'^ '''"°" '^* measures of barley for a nennvi^ff \t P^P^^' «°d three and the wine " thirst?! ^ ' ^"'J ^^® ^^^^^ hifrfc not the oil Greek is called a cnLT/Te^ms ' ^t^' "^'^^ ?" ^ -^^-1 four co^y/cp, or modern Uf^^^ V^? contained three or equivalent to a pit and a fe'.?^' J^«^^^°^«' *° ^^^^ been writers on classical antiqu ties hLt^''^'*''''' °"f ^""^^ ^^^bougl, in defining its exact s"zeowfnir*f''P^l^°^^** «°°»e difficulty chcenices in use amongthe G^.L^''! ^'^°^ 'bree different generally considei-ed unnn fi . ^^ ^"^^ Romans. It is also tha£the^c7.«2,o^LaC asitt r'^/^ ^^.^^^''^^^ ^''te^^ moderate day's ^110^0*" of fond f. ^"^^*?'''»ed, was the usual a larger all.ianco mfght! without l^rifr ?f '^f ' *^^"«'' by one person if the/coild offnl ? '^'^'^^^J'' ^" coa.umec] ^fyo, "By cahuUation I bnfthat (^StZ f' ^''f *^P*''^"'°» °f ^erxe. '/''y, and no more, 1 10 000 merlimnf ?f '"L""'"^ °"* '''**»'^ ^/w^a^ J»er witli an addition of 840 moS!" ^'^ ^*'^* ''''° consumed every d'y' oh«„°£''aif,^i'„°^^^^^^^^^^^ consume two and.UIf Atheniaw, eachLacedemonfaa wa,^n h™ ^^"1*''^ Laoedemoniaoi and *0 «pm:'lC.rJrr/dS^^^^^^^^^ -in thcBookof RevelaUon. / w» » aearth, the chooaa, or tbrM half-pint meaiure r i A SEASON ov oenehal tamixe. 315 according to the carahl^ nf +^' • ^' ,^ ^enarms, uhicb. twentieth chapte? Ztltkt wLTheTrdin^^'^rT' ^^ *'- labourer. Hence, a man would onllLKr^ ^^^^ P^^ ^^ a BUPI% of food for' himself by hiaJav^/J^'-, *" l^ " ^^^"^«'* anjtbing remaininc^ over towL ^ day a toil, without having those oflis household or wearfri^^ ofl^er expenses, such af of relatives depeXt upS^ ^^"''^' ^^-^^^ the subsistence would profure siS ch W?oVX^'^ .^ ^'^"*^- ^ ^X or twenty in the time of tS THpL " * I' ^'T °^ C^^^^-o scarcity when a denarius cS onlv ^^l' *^'''^^'^' ^ S^^^t wlieat ; and three chceSces of bnr?ij ^'''''^^'^ ?°^ ^'^«^^"^ of same price." ^«fenices ot barley were equally dear at the ch^Vi^i^f S,^aV^^^^^^^^ a denarius for a higher than usual" Th^fuK stat'ement'^b '"^ '^'''^^ *^-^« rneasures or choenices of barle^for a Zn '• °» • ^'•'' °^ " t'^^ee the scarcity of barley will not h«L ^^"?""«. ^tmiates that because both in ancSirLlderntir,^^^^^^^ ^'' °^ ^'^^^t, only twice, and not three timTs as nl.n^fr','''^'-^ ""^^ generally ;n the seventh chapter of Sd S« i^i '"^'"'^ ^'^^ " To-morrow about this time shflll 7^' '^'^ Predicted that sold for a shekel, and two measu^e« o?^f r'" f ^"" «°"^ ^o thegateofSama;ia.'AndaTa^rdfiS^.fe^^^^^ caijea a caring for one's chcenix " . " ' ""-^ " "'■'■'"" was usual. ^' "'* ^'*'«"' to bo «^'^«« or ^..„/y u^,, ,„g,;,, '[JS;;; Eesnecting tlie barley. B W V««,f„ ■ , Apoculjp,e." "It is 5^n^id b/an anrnr^'..''' ^'f '"rhoughts on the b»r ey.u,eal.Vere sold at Athens for or«K,"*^°^*''?* ^""'' <^^'f^io^'> of oboliin a denarius, it fol ows that " h ^"'"'' *"^ f''^°° tbere Vero sL wen.y.four oJia,ni'ce.. Ulr^L •rl^,^l"^"'." °"S'\t to haro procured tJ"ra..a,." ^i^". the barlo, i^hei^ eigiitSneaSi:^^;^'"* *'- 816 twentt-poveth ttondeb. one third, instead of ono half ther^Zl' J ^f ^^^ ^^^"& o^ly bird seal, shows that the crops of b^H.^^ T^"^ .^"'"^"^ ^hi^ injured as those of wheat ^ ^^ '"^^ """^ ^^^ ^o vitally anftL^wrel'^YnSt^^^^^^^^^ '\'^^ *^- ^-^ -t the oil will escape th^desSuct^ebli^^^^^^^^ '?^ ^"-^-d "loving cause may havT^rol^uth^^^^^ wheat and barley^ Herebv fh«- ?^^°° ^'.'^b the harvest of will be spared, w^ile Ih^ p^duction'rf wh"'. .^-^ luxuries brcHthe staple staff oflifef^tHrsl^^^^^^^^ p4^oU:Z7Z^^^^^^^ describes the waste,3urnett?' uT^df io^-^'V^P^^' ^^^ ^^^^^th it inhabitants thereof. An7 it shaT C '''^'t'''^ ^^^^^^ the with the priest; as witftie servant '-^wT/^'^' P^°P^^' ^« with the maid, so with her misS 'n^ ^i t' T'^^^' «« with the seller.; as with the Tender' with S *k' ^''^''' «« with the taker of usury, so wkh f U ' *i® borrower ; as The.land shall be utter^ emotied Ia ^1^,°^ ^'^^^ *« »^''«^. Lord hath spoken this wor^ Th^? m "^""^^ 'P°^^ed: for the away the /orld languSeth a^d fadP r^'"''''' V°^ ^^^^^^^ people of the earth do W.nth ^?^*^ °'?^' ^^^^ baughty undertheinhabican^sthetol-Ttcause'thlTt^^r '^ ''^''' the laws, changed the ordinance bro?pnff^ bave transgressed nant. Therefbre hath f hi ! ' 5 ^'^ ^''^ everlasting cove- that dwell therein are desoZ^^^^ '^'. ''''''' ^'^ ^^ey the earth are burne5%nf ^ew'^'tft *^T^'^'^^*'^"^^« °^ ttourneth. the vine lanffuisho/hniwi "' ^^® "^w wine The mirth of tabrets cea elh the .n ' "T^J^^arted do ,igh. endeth, the joy of the harp'tt^seth S/l '^r .'^/^ ^^J^^^ with a song; itron.r drink shall };«},,>, { ^''1"" ''"^ ^"'i^^ ^^ne The city o?confu«ion is broken Sown . '^r '^^' ^""^ i'. that no man may come in Th«« "' ^*^®7 ''0"«« is shut up, Bti^ets; all joy i^darke'ned, the' " nh o"f S 1^ '7- "^^^ '^ ^^ the city is leJt desoWon and th« ' f ^'°^ ^^S°°e. la dfestruction." ' ^^ ^^"^ S*'*^ « smitten with ^e price of being only luring this e so vitally not the oil vine jar da tever other harvest of i luxuries tnd barley icribes the maketh it broad the people, so laster; aa >uyer, so ower ; as ' to him. '■: for the id fadeth haughty 3 defiled fsgressed ig cove- ind they itanta of >w wine do qigh. ; rejoice nk wine Irink it. hut up, 3 i». he le. In n with A BEASOir OP OENIKAL FAMINE. 317 ^M^^rX^^^^ in hia treat.. the envy, hatred, and strife tlt Tn^.'/^^^ ^''^^^^ among mankind! The chiidrlu h W VY ''"^^ ^'^^ parenta; the wife chall dpHvnV ^.-^^V"^ hands- oa the r the husband the wife V' If 2^;^^ ^"'^""^ *° ^'^'^' «"d and servants shall be diSfentt^^^^^^^^^^^ their servants, reverence the grev hairs of 1 1 L • f masters. J^one shall youth. ChurciT S be aa'cZTo^n Zlt' ''^'^^"*^ °^ Prices shall be destroyed; theScXuressriTltT^ ?^'°"'^J. terrible li^htni r^s that shnll hn.f ^1 ^ ' thundtrs, winds, dis ress of nations ; the air shall lose its temperature ^rievnn! Seli; '"rr^' r^l;°. ^"^^^'-^ ' '^"'^^"^1 «ort7ofte , i^fo 'erable heats ; sudden lightnings ; unexpected fires ; and, in a word unspeakable afflictions over all the earth." ' The AUTHOB-of the second book of Esdras describes thi« penod m the following words :— aescrioes thia 1,- *!i^j ° '? i^ M ^^"^^ '^^^ *^^era that dwell therein a fire ia Search' ''^\"t'?P"' °"' f' '' consume the foundftL: Bmlhnt..n^t ^"•"^^V^^ P^"Sue, and tribulation, and f?f u'n ff*°^^*'°^'*Se^*'^^"'«pndment, but for ail this they shall not turn from their wickedness. ' One peop?e s lall £1 1.7 Tr^ "''"^'>''' '''^^ «^^^^« i" th^i'- hand..^ There Bha be sedition amongst men, and invading one another- thev tSaTt oSllf?" 'J"^^ r-'"'''' P.'inces,.and the cou;.e 7f li, !• 813 TTTEyTT-PlFrn WONDEB. ""J, but ahjil deatrotE hotesTitt,?' '^ '"""' l"^ » '^h- their goods, bcenuse of the krt „f i? j""" "<»■'*. and sdoQ Jat,on, The cities shall be Ken 5"""*' ""f ■''<»• ?•<"" trTbtt. the._o,™ hiood, ^^roj^c^^z.!:^^^ TWEOTY-FIFTH WOKDER. (Befiinning about three years nnrl n; i,.. . ' after the Covenant, aj usherSl S Jl,^? ^ ^^^^ «°»tfa8 five months.) "saering m the Locust Woe for • Woe. • -^"^^ coNSTiTUTEa the Fibst l^^^^^ni^otl^^^^^^^^ I saw a star fall from bottor^Iess pit. A^d he opened S^eboH^'T '^^ ^^^ «f '^^ arose a smoke out of the pit a?fi bot tomlesspit ; and there «nd the sun and the aL w^^e' dark^lT,"^^ '^ ^ ^'f^ f^rnace^ "f the pit. And there came out of fhl J TT °^ *^« ^'noke earth ; and unto them was rWvp. ^ ^'^''^^ locusts upon the the earth have power And^f to P""'^"^' ""^ ^^^ scorpions ol Bbouldnot burt^hrg^asfof the e-^ them t£at they neither any tree ; but Tly thoso ' e^wV^.'^^^ ^'''^ ^^^^l' ?l ^'? V}"'"' foreheads^ AnS toiht'K^''^'' ^°^ *^« ^^S they shou d not kiM them,buf hat thP^S '\7t' S^^en that - -. death, „„, .bX-otra- Ufaid shSTe AVSS Project, and I his neigh- t and spoil :reat tribu- 'eople shall the moun- and drink thirst of f Months Woe for t THEIB PiBSX 11 from of the d there irnace ; smoke )on the ions of it they thing, ' le seal 1 that lented of a shall 3 die, tHE PLAGUE OP DEMON SCOHPIO.-.XOCUSXS, nO and death shall flee from them Ar^n-u u were like unto horses prenS unirftn? '^^^'I of the locusts were as it were crowns hkeloldanHfl,- '' /"^ °^ ^^''' ^'^^^ faces of men. AndthevhadKffi? I '•''' ?'^' ^^^e as the teetia were as the tee roflionr ]//?!;' '^^T^^' ^"^ '^^^'^^ - «« it were breastplates of iron and ?i^^ ^ad breastplates, was as the sound of chZ\nl^J ^ ^^® ^°^°d o^ their Winc.3 And they had tails like rto^lSs^Z? ^^^^^ '' "^^'"'^ m their tails ; and their nower 2 ° f ' T . ^^^'^ ^'^^^ «ting3 And they had a king over them -r t-^ T"" ^'^ '^^^tlfs. bottomless pit,.whos! nime nth; Hpht 'V'^" '"^^^ ^^ *^« but in the Greek ton-ueTath hi n ^"I tongue is Abaddon, trumpets.' ' "" ^^^'^ "^^^re than the first four oXll^tA'^^^^^^^^^^ for the interior of this earth TKeS ^^ ^^ *b« about a month before theXe^mon U' i"^"""'""- '^ commences IS described as bein/effectP^Wn. P^^?^ «* locusts, and heaven, and whlT^Stfv einifir '''^''^' ^-^ fallen 'from with the use of that term to de^n^- «" ""T^' '° ''^^'^ordance of Scripture.^ 'The c^ L or ape'tu^^^^^^^^^^ egress out of the bottomlesq Tt ;J ' ^^..^^ich means of much to resemble the rrnt^i ^? ^ " provided, seems very Etna. Dense cloud/ofs"^^^^^^^ '"'^'''"i' ^^' Vesuvius or roll upward from the opened pit llmr' ^^'^"^^' *^^^«"P°" the atmosphere, and oV:^^-^^ T.^^S:^^^^^ jear-dayTumtenrde^^^^^^^^^^^ ^'f * the fifth trumpet in ita overunnng of the eastern R^ilS^^^^^^ is. tne i„va4n and fj;-"/:^' \^^ ^"'"' ''>at is abouf. 1238 veTr, Lfn ^?r"°«"«> ^om about 636 the luenil-day fulGlment, i^ will cofJ Jl *^^ tl.o End. Tlierefore in before the end, and abou thr^e years a S'"? '"S^^^''^?'" «^bo"t 1238 dais covenant. But the smoke frZ^Z n^/ ^"'"^ T^ "^ ^'^'^ months after the l! 320 TWENTY-riFin WONDEB. '^tpj':^^^^^^^^'- the u„,„a., .UB case in tUs future instance uT. tleSf,; ' "' 'J'" ''■' "'° report of rriilfe^y ^rtl.e .'nii'"'/' r\ '""™''' '''« ''■» aound was l.eard in Sul?r? °' '';"'"!' """«""• The geograpb,c.„l mUe, dSta't" T h'e rtlco'.f^l ■7'', /-"".v ofasi.es was carried so tl,irf,l J 1 . j ° "''"='' ">» c'""'! was clearly pointed 'out .ntr*? to produce utter darkness, . district of Grisik ,°n Ar« H f ""■ °* '^'''*'"^»' "■"! 'h' seventeen na« i 'al n ile, t ' d r..t (""""n 'T" ''""''-•'^-l »>"I three hundred geog?apK mHes ■' '"'°' "" '""'' """^ ""«' m:tJS:-''"'"""''"'°""'^™™». ™ 1835. i» .1.0 thus obect,V 'frol™i!!i;^',°r™""''y "'"'"' "'■•""S'' the tho explosions and tlo.*' f *" ""P"'""' "",'' ''^""'l'' "=■■» appeare'doSheSuDrel »'"''•''■■ ""' ','»', %'"»inp. that it IVind, ha',', rrsolK-aShHitTl"' ir" 'S"™ "' rd"?:"'trt.;"ritro7r"^^"V''''"'''"^ perceptibly S unTi t >e" ."H? K„ Mtn"T,'"' '"T ""' developed itscIF fn .»,.!, „ a \; "^'''' ^'"'" *he explos on was duKfd i-itran orndtf «"l "k'"''1" ''"o o'clock the skv eleven in the morn W T,o?„'^ continued to d.-.,,en tifl horrible darkues" otr I '^ '"T. !"^'^l°P''d in the mo.t heard, and .ho"'T8o7<.nl^!°>' "^'"''^ ^''''^'' '•^"P^rte were theVco if he countrv An''^ ^"? 7'? precipitated over all at the same ilo 80 df,,.,tr "'""/ ""'V'''' ^''""«^» "«t"''^' '^^~' most terrihU ;^ dreadlul produced m the mindi oi all. the :odly with fist times, ill be the escription related in spa/'e of of three e sky waa 8un was "■ he was •uses, the d, ariiitlst like tlie r. The seventy he cloud larkness, nnd the red and )re than Iso tliua iigh the jle were that it J i ties of Lh corn- aragun, tas not plosion the sky )en till e mott 8 were )ver all al 'wAa \iU, the to tho 'THE PiAGtTE OIT DEMON SCOHPIOIT Tnn. '■ihere seems in fact nott \/7!f '"^'°« ^^thin their reach inflamed and l.ardeied! iS" Jd",^ T. °"?' "'» P'"™ b,"™~ nterval», being now chillr „„„ h., ^'"""O"' "'■d « paioS h, »"!:»," page /23..-'"''P"'"'"' <"» " Hiu.traiion, of Scrip. .ki„ o{,,h„ .„„%?„, ;„p™°--«.a^^^^ 822 TWENTY-FIFTH WONDEH. its tail in which the sting is lodged, and striking at everythini'^M withm Its reach; so mischievous and hateful is thl creaS ^ that the sacred writers use t in a S<»urative flPna« fn« • i I' malicious, crafty men. Such was thrhouge of I«rtl^' h ' Ct*f"'"' /^4°" dwellest,'s:id jZvahtoh 1*;.^^' among scorpions.' No animal in the creation seems endu 'd with a nature so irascible. When taken, thev exerrtboiP utmost rago against the glass which contains^hen wif attempt to stmg a stick when put near the! ^m'stini ammala confined with them, withput provocSn a e hf toLlhf 'T'"' *° r^ ^^^''' MaupLtuis put ; h .nd d together m the same glass : instantly they vented their i^.lp'n mutual destruction, universal carnage! U a few d^y on ^ fourteen remained, ^vhich had killed and devoureJ^lltj. Laborde in his "Journey through Svria " r,n,rn loo relates the following fact about^a scorpfon :-! ' ^'^' ^-^' When a little black urchin belonging to the governor who rna running about barefooted through the chambers and Ta sn^ set uj) the most inhuman cries. It apneared thnf nn 1^ ' out of our apartment, he was stung byTscorpln ife had' o3 upon. He must have suiTered excessive pain : for alt lo U of a race which bears everything with remarkable pat rncf 1^ / S.°" w'^""'^^""^'"^ ']'■« *^«*''' «"d foaming it'tlo ' mouth. Wo knew of no remedy by which wo conM nightr mint *5very one on his Z^a , ?. '^"^r'= «ndt''oy shall m^rch fo'thorshalloneThrusranofl'^'';?" ""^ ^^oal/theirrankt J'-paih : and wheX, Tl ^on i7 '''"" ^^"'^ ^ver/ono „' ^-— Th^«a;^^p-i^^o.,^t^ 824 TWENTT-FIFTn WONDEB. run Bh ins to tie twSh chanter %?^^^^^ l?cu8te,wl,ioh, accord- pit, whose name in thi^ TT^T^^^v^ + . & . , °^ ^"'^ bottomlcDS Orcek to„«,e''hThl.is S ^ E" ThS™' ^1" 'll *'■" who 18 ca ed the anirel of tL tn?/^ i -. ^^^S ApoUyon, the Great Antichrlt whol »• m f ^^/' ^'^' ^^" evident^ bo and seventeenth of lllinf- ''""^fJ^ described in the elevcniii out of thrCttomKt^^^^^^^^^ ^'''' t^^-t ascends •v-rought by Satani7a?encr' fe ^'' "''^''^ *° P"^^'^^ ^^ the el.ct opposfte of S ^IT""^''' ^^ *^^^ Antichrist is which .ign:fios Hree^a St°^ff'*1 of the name Jesus, chi-isc, as the a^oel of the bot/nT '.„ ^^? designation of Anti. ^enth chanter of Revelation ^^ ''°'^'' ^'^^^ ^^^^^^''^ in the 'Tnt '™tt^S^ '^ ^^ inform us, that the proper nal h. t?' uTf rP^^^^^^'n-'ed to '^0 suniamcd and knowrin/ V ""^f^ *^"*^ Antichrist uill the Arfchrist, ef "epTone who J nf ' '° *^*^ ^? "^'^'^ «'^« ^o into Greek becomerXn// a?'^"^*''' '''*'"®^^'*^''n trnuHlalod idom-ty between the thirds mu^tl^.^n.''' /"''.' '''' '''^^'^•'•»^ atnsibio person and is so nh^f . ^" ^^^" ^^ " K''inco by any -ent. ^heTniffa? le t^r^rp^^Vx^rS^T"?^'^ '^"^' "'"' rent y an abbreviation for the ffeek advtib 7 '""V' "^K'" and thus the two words Na. L i i /kt ' ?^'" ^"^'^1/' '^«^y. word M^jwhon. In thH SrAlV f "^1"^ '"^*^ ^''« ""« the present purtic ^^0 f t f v 1 '^'.H' ^^f!^'" ^« A;r«AAr by any ly coni- i nppa- , truly, iiiean- ho ouo uWvwv 1(1 ihis Hohn's luv, or ».,/. . vidual ; because the fnrf- o?l • V^^'^ *° ^^ t^^e particular ind7 although there nem.?eal?5 w!^"'^ '^^^^^ *^« ^^ird Seen" ably agroea with tre tSold for'^^ r''°"^ ^^P°^^°«' '3 teenth of Revelation, ""Thevn J "^f^^^^'o^ ^nthe seven- wonder when thevl3eholdt& -Ml. ^"'^'^ *^» ^^i© earth, ehall • ^etis;" thatis,theXoieLlcl^^^^^^^^ Napoleon I, and is not orTs ^nn i^^ f Y^'' or existed uider and YET IS, or is re-exfs^ent uZf ^*'°*, "°^^^ ^«^oleon II thus indicated, tbat there are on^^^^^^ IV' '^^ seems' respective representatives of th« Hfl ^ u""^^ ^^apoleons, the the Kapoleon Empire « whL ^ ^^' ^f ^*^' «°d resurrection of ^l^^eh then speedy' ^oe^h Tto'°'^ '',°.?*^' "^^ ^^^ ^■«>" and ^apoleon also has the number 66?. ^'t'^'^Y- ^ho third ^'^^»^^^lMin,andLouTj^.Z. .''1'''^'''''^^ '^ ''is name andZ.«^ivr.;.z,,:^:^,;^^^^^^ in Gree^' W It be aaked, how NaSnn f J.°gether in Hebrew.' ^ over these locusts, ti^eSe^rsCnh^'f* *? become king being meroly evil spirits asIumwT? i'"" ^^^ ^"^^ tbat the? assumed the-'shape ^of a serpent In i,^"'* '^'^'' ''^« SaH «nb;ect to his authority. Sseirf^^T' """«<= naturally be be IS to be ' tho angel of the hnff°f^^ character of Antichrist representative or dfnu?y of Sa?nn ?' JP^*'' *^°* "» tbe human power and his thronTLd gJea?' 7 LV^." ^J^^ *° ^'"» b"s It was distinctly held by sSLfnr.^"^^- (^^ev. xiii. 2.) Anj^chnat wouijbo in ^^^i^i^:^::^:^^^:^ ''^' ~ ^^^^^^^ future literal fulfil, these diabolical lociats to be evil «« 1 ^'^Pef ; he considers ''•Tt„i°^k«'» "4^.' Hot;.":'!'" »»■ ■«»«vJti' . * Tho word* ^«a;,'. 1 *. 326 TWENir-riPin wonder. come forth certain living beings called locusts; but tbeir description forbids us to take them as natural locusts. The first impression they leave upon the mind is, that they ascend with the smoke from the pit, and therefore must be infernal beings. Here, then, the question presents itself: whether this vision, so extraordinary in its nature, and so frightful to man, is to be looked upon as a figure of something else, or whether we are to expect a literal fulfilment, just as it is presented to us in the visioii ; Let the question be well considered : Is there any sound reason resting on Scripture which authorizes us to reject a literal fulfilment j* '* At the time of Christ's firat advent, legions of infernal spirits were infesting, not only the land of Israel, but also possessed men — one of them having not less than a legion, or GOOO. What vcas the object of those evil spirits ? To torment men, men who never ofiended them, but who were perhaps in league with them. A most shuddering account of the malicious pleasure they take in tormenting men, wo find in tho fifth chapter of Mark. What, let us ask, was tho cause of their appearing among men 2 Surely not godliness, but a general apostacy of that generation. Now we know thai) the apostacy of the latter days will be such as never was before, nor ever shall be again ; and if so, docs it seem strange that similar fruits of the works of darkness should shew themselves again. Nor can we but expect that, whereas the apostacy is to be of a worse description, and more general than the former, the severity of the judgments will be in proportion. Some objectors,. when drawing such a comparison a° the above, rest their incredulity upon the invisibility of evil spirits. This striking fact certainly makes a great difference. Though the actual pain caused by their possessing the bodies of men, as in the case of tho man recorded in the fifth of Mnrk, may have been so intolerable as to render death more desirable than life ; still there was not that torment connected with it which must be produced by the sight of such hideous monsters as those called locusts. But this is, after all, the only difterence in the two cases. There appears, therefore, rio sound reason, oopecially when contrasted with the two epochs just mentioned, for uiabelioving a literal fulfilment of tho locust judgment. <( rV~1.: i.l.«_ ^U» i}.u.i. ._~^ l.~....>^n4- l^i-^n^nlK. nnrl ^nn'\rinn^ calmly at ull its various features, fraught with important matters, what do we see? Those myriads of evil spirita— DEMON SCOEPION-IOCUSTS FOB FIVE MONTHS. 327 what were they once? and where was their original and blessed abode? Holy apgels, ministering spirits, standing before tbe glorious throne of their great Creator, endowed with wisdom mid excellency, and great strength. What are they now f Where do they come from at the sounding of the first woe-trumpet? Like their jhief and leader, they also fell from bliss and from the perfection of holiness unknown to man, into inconceivable misery and endless woe, known only to_ themselves. They retained their original faculties or spiritual powers. What use do they now make of them ? To injure man and to detract from the glory of God. 1 "T*'^^^ ^yrjo^ds* coming from beneath, do not come as a lawless band of democrats but as a body, well organized under the discipline of a chief, whose official and characteristic names are King and Destroyer. This officer is Satan's minister carrying out his plans of usurpation, extension, and esterminal tion. » "Men now not only desire death, as a mode of escape from the. torment they suffer, but they seek it. That is they use means to effect their purpose. Life is so weak a thread. that it 18 easily broken. The cord, the knife, the cup. the stream, the pistol, the fumes of deadly ingredients, offer many modes of exit from life. And ordinarily it is as easily found as sought. As soon as Samson, Abimelech, Saul, Ahithophel and Judas sought it, they found it. " ^u* t^e peculiarity of these woeful five months will be, that they shall not find it. Here is another supernatural feature. How tins desire of the tormented shall be defeated, we are not ., 1 ^''^°'^^^y *^6 locust-scorpions will prevent it. How terrible the pain, which will make the desire of death universal • How dread the disappointment, that even this disastrous remedy shal not be permitted ! A Roman poet says, ' Sweet IS death to the wretched, but dtafh wished for recedes. It ia worse than any wound, to be desirous to die without the power. It 18 related of the Emperor Hadrian, that on his death-bed ho eaid, • How miserable it is to seek death, and not to find it.' > This and the four next Darnffranlii aro nuntnd ^""m U «.»-«*♦•§ "Apocaijpio Expounded," (atNiebefi, in four volumM at lOs each), which is probably the best hterol-day exposition of ReTelatioti extant, ■peciallT B» to the seals, trumpets and vials, although defective ae to Ilev. xiv and Ueroid of any uuderstftudiug of tho JSajjgigou'e yhw ia grogUwyt 32B IWENTT-FIFTH WONDEB. " Men are herein still more like lost souls. There 19 no refuge, no protection from these winged invaders : nor is death itself permitted them. " These two features of the locust-plague suffice to prove, that this trumpet has never been sounded. 1. Never has the torment of men, and the consequent desire for death, been universal. Never has it been fourfd, save among a very few. 2. Never have there been five months during which death would not come, though coveted and sought. Nothing but the bodily torment of mankind can supply an adequate reason for this. " The apostle addresses himself to depict the appearance of these creatures. So important is this point, that four verses are devoted to the purpose. One reason of this doubtless is, to manifest that these are not ordinary locusts. Common locusts were creatures well known to John and the Asiatics. But who, save one inspired and enlightened of God, could describe to us the shapes of beings of the infernal pit ? There is in humanity an awe and terror arising from the first encounter with new and noxious creatures of strange forms. This is further heightened in the present case, by their coming from beneath amidst gross darkness. What shrieks of terror, what groans of anguish, what swoons of the fear-stricken andieeble, what curses of impotent fury from the strong, will mount up from earth's cities and vales amidst the sable night that overspreads all, and shuts out day ! " What an appallino picture of the miserable sufferings of doomed sinners in hell is conveyed to us by this glimpse of the infernal regions. These tormenting and inhuman demon- locusts are but specimens of the inhabitants of those abodes of despair where the unsaved will be tortured for an infinitely longer period than five months. Unconverted sinner, unless you obtain pardon for your iniquities and a new heart by earnest prayer to God in the name of Jesus Christ, you will have to dwell hereafter in the society of demons and fiends such as the evil spirits that come out of hell during this fifth truranet, and to be unceasingly plagued and harraased by them. Behold in this slight view ot the interior of the bottomless pit, you who are lovers of worldly Dlea«urss mnra than Invf^ra .-.f God, what a dreadful destination is reserved for you, where God will forget to begracioua, where you will be hopeloasly COIIE TO JTESFS TOE SALVATION. 829 consigned to the company of devils, and where you, also, shall aeek for death, and shall not find it. How shall you escape if you neglect the great salvation through Jesus Christ which God has proclaimed to you, not merely by angels or prophets, but by his only-begotten Son who has died for us on the cross tbif il??l5^J¥ BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOuS NOT 1 ;, • ?' ^'^^ ^^^® everlasting life. « He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses : of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace. Por we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will re- compense, saith the Lord. And again, the Lord shall iudf^e his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."* Tou who are theatre-goers, gamesters, lovers of field sports, trequenters of fashionable parties, ballrooms and concerts revelling m luxury, clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day, novel readers, or^ perchance, ardent lovers of the sciences and arts, poetry, painting, and music ; but ^'•T?i i *'"^® *° reading the Bible or prayerful communion with God. Are you aware that unless you repent, and become converted and devoted to Christ, you will soon be cast into the bottomless pit, in which these cruel demons exist for the pur- pose of torm anting all persons within theii^reach. You may refuse to believe this ; you may be persuaded by gay friends that it 18 a cunningly devised fable. You may try to shake off gloomy fears by plunging deep- into buisness engagements or entertaining amuaoments. But God will not thus be mocked. His eye is upon you ; unless you come to Jesus with deep penitence, and live consecrated to his service, you will soon be delivered to the tormentors. With a shriek of surprise you will suddenly sink down from amidst the good thin"-s which you now have in this lifetime, into the n^d hot caverns of the bottomless pit, from which at times there issues a dark smoke as the smoke of a great furnace- awfully indicative of the tre- mendous heat which the unpardoned will have to suffer Then what comfort will you derivo from looking back at the cay parties you resorted to, the amusing books you were wont to read, the merrv friends wlinso r'njnnnnu- wmt r)«i..>K».»^ ;~ — svugtlicu lU. recollections will but add greater bi'tterneaa to your cup of • Hebrews i, ii. 8, x. 29 1 John iii. 19. :. Js if .. 330 TWENTT-PlPTn WOITDEB. f,« J *l ^^^ ^"thing m desperate paroxysms of affonv, crushed under the iron heel of divine vengeancef and vaiufHrnSff against the inexorable decrees of justice you wi II c^oLtSuBlf be constrained to re-echo the doleful lamentation orCaS°Mv punishment is greater than I can bear '" ' ^ But there is yet a ray of hopo, if while you rc-d these obaer vationa you will turn to Jesus Christ with sincere perUenc; and faith, and humbly ask him to pardo^ and saveVcS, "If any one sm, we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Chriif the nghteous, and he is the propitiation for our tins If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to fordve us our 81^ and to cleanse us from all unrighteiusness." Ke is even now' Baying tp the worst of sinners, '' Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give vou rest "^ « T. Af him that is athirstcome, and whosoever^ wilflet him talc« nf the water of life freelv." "HIM TPIAT COMFTH TmTn ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT/'™k^^d 2 opSLte^^^^^^^ '''' '' ^'^^^ ^^^' ^-^^ --^ ^^^ f.l'!'^'."°''^''i' ^^°!u^ P'^^'^/Sal son, and go in fervent prayer to your heavenly Father witii the confession, "I have Sd against heaven and before thee." Then will yoSrSer behold you with tender love while you are yet a great wav off and wil hasten to meet you with the kiss of forfivenesrand you shall.receve the ring of marriage ^^^ clothed m the Jest robe of Christ's righteousness, and be regaled with the feast of spiritual joys which can aloue sa?ia?e the weary soul aud replenish the sorrowful soul. Then shall you be able to say with truth,- " The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He maketh mo to lie down in green iastures. He eadeth me beside the still waters. He restorfth my^sourHe leadeth me m the paths of. righteousness for his name's sake Yea hough I walk through the valley of the shadow of death! f Jv L J ""^ '''^' ^°r,^^°"«^<^ ^^th me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me m the presence of mine enemies : thou anointest my head with oil • my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall folloW me al the days ot my ife, and I wifl dwell in the house of tS Lord tor ever." (Psalm xxiii., Luke xv.) > Luke xi. 9} John vi. 37{ Matt. xi. 28]. 1 John i. 9, ii. 1; Rev. xxU. 17. BECOND WOE OP nnE-BBEAmiNa nongEg. 83.1 SIXTH YEAR, TWENTY-SIXTH WONDER. (Beginning about four years and elevpn inrl o ^«l^ i.. after the Covenant, aJd contTnuhgC tteom nltZ )' angel3 were loosed, whicrwerfpLSl^^^ *''" ^^^ tbcy do hurt and tim r^Kll" "'' i'.^?'''' ■""• "'"' tl'"™ thoft8.''-Kev/ix i3_27 fornication, nor of their fulQlmS''o7tlZTx\M\u3 unainiously to cloCne tho'year-day armies for 390 y a^s (i yrr^a^d'i^'cfnV^/ '"?T'°"« °^ tho Turkish 1453, tho capture of (JomtaVnonirm f''°"' "^out 10G3 to «ont will boKinnbout 812 ?„r&3"A«_i'» ^"'"^e literal day fulQl. ruilii,nent began in a.„. lOCa/about'siryVa^a beS the'eiSt ffi."*^ 332 TWENTT-SIXTH WONDEB. lasuL« nf fV, ^'' T^''^ ^'^ respectively ushered in by the and everitv %l7f V""^'?' -S"'^"/"^ ''''''^'' ^ ^i°l«°«« wmies of dpmon f 'I* ""^t ''"'"P ^"°°^ *^^ bottomless pit armies ot demon locusts, who only torment neonlp fnr fivA r£\lt°"* '""°? -y of themf the's^nd^wot^nt oduci: hor emen nn^'^n'"' ^^^^^^l ^^T" and more powerful demon- Norsemen and horses from the bottomless pit, who kill the fZf P"'5,f ^''''^'^^ ^^"°g t^^irteen months/bjthe fire and tSrd woP^wrT -^^J' ^''^'^'^ °"^ °f *b«i'' mouths': and tho oonsiri;i ?if i' ^''T\'^ \^^' nineteenth of Eevelation! horsemen nnJh'"'"* ['"^ ^"^"° ^^ "^'"'^^ °f ^^^^stia dS ?h«l1l/r'': ^-ho instantaneously overthrow the dragon, the wild beast, and the false prophet, and slay vast numbers of the Antichristian hosts at the battle of Arma^^ddon and elsewherethroughouttbe earth. . ^«t^uuon The woe-mflicting agents during each of the three woes are entirely supernatural beings, and no mere ordinarrmortal creatures would be capable of executing such ti-eme^Soua judgments on mankind. All premillenialists agree iT under- standing quite literally the description of the third woe ^n the nineteenth chapter of Eevelation, as signifying the actual personal descent from heaven of the armies of^ Chris and his saints in their real bodies ; therefore, in common cons,v,?encv lJnl\ ^ '''°^^ ^'°'' ^^ *^^ ^'•'"ie^ of demon-loiusts and nZ,f ;. T-^'"!f 'T^¥ "P ^'^"^ ^^^ bottomless pit. They sends fnrM'> *'^^.*.bird woe, heaven is literally opened and admit (w 'f r ^'^H^^i^^ts on the earth, and so must they Lnds fnl > ! 'r ^''^ ^°"'' ^"" ^^ ^'*«^^"y opened an5 of S Jnf ""''"^Z occupants upon the earth, for the language of hpr ^A ^^■'' r P*?^^.aPd definite in the one case as in the ofcL.t'li ^""'^ *n V "''°^ f ^^ niillennial thousand years' reign hlf il? ' fr ""i^i ^^ ^°S'^' ^^^'^'y ascending and descending betv^ een earth and heaven, go, during the three and a half wears' n«F^° ''*'^^"'*' *'f'o will be devils and demons visibly ascending and descending between earth and hell. ^ . The DEScniPTioN of these Euphratean horsemen under the bi^-'^^h trumpet shows them to be preternatural, imeart hi v IS not at all the case with ordinary horses; and "out ot their "iOuiua issuea nre aau emoiie and brimatone :" a statement THE THIBD PABT OF MEN SLA.IK. 333 that can only be understood in connection with the explanation tnat they are infernal animals coming up out of thepreviousk- opeued bottom ess pit; their tails are also not composed of common horse-hair, but are like a serpent, and terminate la a serpent s head armed with teeth and fangs, with which people are bitten and injured. f i^ ^ This demoniacal cavalry is marshalled and commanded bv four evil angels, who are hosed at the river Euphrates, havini tS ^^A -^ >?Fepai-ation/ "against the hour (of tempta- tion) and against the day of judgment), for to slay the third fSrfi ^f ^/"^^"f .a month and a year." If this denotes the third part of mankind in general, the slaughter will be pro- digious, amounting to about four hundred million during thirteen li"!? S'' "°/^\f^ge of a million persons every day during that K •' ^:t^ /^ ""y}^ the Koman Empire, and 'not the entire globe, IS the locality of this woe, then the slaughter will only be one-seventh of that total amount. ^ t1,i?;T?°r7 ""^i^ ^''^^^''1 *^^e supernatural character of these JiiUphratean horsemen, he says : " The four angels had been, and were still * bound.' Prom this we may infer that they were evil angels. • Binding' is the appropriate punishment of an evil-doer. Wherein I suffer trouble 05 m evildoer, even unto bo,u^ but' the word of God IS not bound.'^ Now while man may wrongfully bind u-nnfr ?'''T°-' i^!?"' '^'J^"'^'^ P^i^«"e/s, cannot but be u orthy of such inn.ction. We read m other places of this punishment being ;nflicted on evil or d isobedierit angels. "For It God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness to be re served for judgment.'" Satan.-as the ApocaS'assures us shall be bound when Christ's idngdom comes.* Xt now when batan s kingdom is come to ity height, some of Satan's angela are unhound by an angel of God. They were bound ^n me?cy they are loosed in wrath. They are more intelli^enTaJd possessed of more terrible powers than the locusts, whiLtheir preternatural figures are more awful than theirs dikSefJuntprrSf '^ '*^"''^"' ^'^^^ ^^^ ' but practically the a 2 Tim. ii. 9 ; Acta xxiii. 29. JJJ.^S^- fj '^"d« 6- See Bl*o Tobit viii. 3 j and the ano.hrv«l,.i h<^v * Kev. XX. 3. 834 •XWENir-SIXTH WONDEB. devastation. Tiiese rush fnrfT f ' ° /^r^'^*^ ^ ■> ^^^ work of Eapb'KS^^ ^.Vl^^S^^^^^^^^^^^^ t fc. ; ^, t,o great river to point out. But this SriiliL play, no inconspicuoua paftTn SS 'k? %'?' ^""^ ^'^ J^t to bindi^^^^^^^^^^^ of tin. their by thefr vehement desire tI?p,Vo ^ -^^'^^ ^^^^^ 'prepared* traction, and the^rproSutv to fF^^^^^ ^^^"'^^^^ ot" del . " "''^ ^'''^ '''^^^ of each other. ^ "^® ^''"^ ^^adcrs are independent of ;tpZ?.?d1sSC. ^^^^^'^^■^'"-^ and c,.„iota boraemon introduca tlie reim nf ,i ' W ^/^I'i'"'! horses nnd these nro the iofermlcavSif'o"//^;?,!^^™'' (»«' xix) But riiond,r8andhW8baveCa»t;k^!.. ^ °.''•°''°''''''"™"''• nop IS the materiaUpedh'ed but tu!' "°' i''"" ■" ""'"l, a-'-colourod, dark Urn, and yellow ST.t „?f f' ■""■™ ">'"''" ' iuu lorms ot tho liorees are torriblo TLi- »,„„ j » Eiri IB not "in." Inofh«««. ,/. , ^'^^^^ '''^ada arc not not THE THIRD PAET OF MEN SLAIN. 335 Ibn""' TL^r'''. ^^^'^V *J?ey are of the shape of the devourine non. Ihe horse's mouth has not a wide openin- • the lionV, if of a mghtj span. But these lion-horses seek nSt to taS flLV into their mouths, hut breathe fumes of death from them TM« 18 tbo main instrument of destruction used. ^'' nnvfi • "* ° i^^ ^^1'^^® '^ ^"«^ creatures ? Wlio ever saw anything resembhng them ?' True it is, that we have no such fl itTvVfSle ^nT' ^P,-^-^^-«- The7are" re erv d lor tiie day of battle and war.' But they who can believe that all things are possible with the Creator will civrSrrpS std ?o?m? "^ 1 "r r^"^ ""^ crearurLTwrXt'ea- yet dispLPed! ' "^''^ wickedness than the earth has onWlf/n 7 "•''''''' '''''^ ^^/'^'^y ""y ^^'^aP^"«: they have thatlHI 1 r.r^ ^''^°^' °/ breast-plates.' It is the /.or7.? that kill : and they slay, not by any of their members but hv their fiery, sulphurous, breath. In the loS k"uo Hin fn? menting insects had lions' teefk : the i.o'rsef 1 S^^^ r Tl ?.'i^ ^^""y '^^y' ^o<= as tl^e lion, by claws and bv fifl but by s lOing and burning their vict mf a X unknow^^ o any creature of earth. What creatures of flesrjo "id I ?.? wiH? are and brimstone abiding in their bodies ? '"' ""'^^^ tio« nf S!J ^'^' ^^'"^^o'?^' fl^eso are foretaslcs of the penal- ticsot the damned: pre batons on earth nf +!,« , " l7"ai- mentioneJ, to i.nprint a salutary Vca/ofO„7, v^U.-'t^ ' This vorsecives us to understand Iinvpr.,ii„;ir i j attack or destrttion tliest s,^ H Sea an^'^ ^/V'"^^''^ "8'^>"«t struck from behind with lilt ^c anger But tllT '"'^ ^° armed with ononsivo woflnnn- in^E^^J^A^J'T ''"fs^s are front- "^ha !f-.-:-.-=i=» eapons in their rear, as well aa in f)iAi ^'^^i^i^s^s^Z'^is^zrst'^ isp of horse hair, which 886 TWENTY-fllXTH WOKDEB. assailants from behind ' ^^^' '''*® ^''^^ *« seize any men :' say three hundS mUltn- *^''^^i' *^*^''-5' ^'^^ ^^^'d of by their fiery breath But The of hi -^^f ' ]^"-^ ^^'- ""^"gbt ^n any nation.' Ex «xiv 10 '^'''' ''^ '^^^ ^'''^ «^^^. ^or ^^riJ^TZ^ij^i;^^^^^ Bredusa and the of hair. Bulla brTath^nrfirrr/h. ''^ *^'^' ^'''''^ i^ place described by Ovid. C^ow ttAoet«' f ^ "^^ ^/?l ^^'^^^ "''^ reahzed in theinfernal moSs1eCwT^^;'L'%''^r'"^^^ Serpents etunff Israel hpfnr« ;„ *i: .f^®^" ">> ^t- John. AnticLrist. AVe see that binn.trH ^ ,"""'''='• 'l'™o. liia by oSd is the brbriL „„ to Z"?'""' ,^'',''.«'«' "'"■"'i «t But they will not 4»t (Be° STo )"' " "^ '"' J'«'8"'»'"»- b.en^uTsJbrwrfamin" rr,"*' ™" ""'"'"'<'»» 'mvin. tr.,oti„n of tKsIfpVf e bUtSrwitr- "^'' '""»^'- ""> "«- of the Euphrates, tLy . "it ^Ts,^ ""«* "'« ""> ''•""on.™ «meT^r/LiXtTut,:r :VtK'''''' ''^ "f ■"-■"»' 'I- mt&, This rpents, but iro fixad to > seize any '0 not slain lie t/iird of I- outright llions may 3r of d'eath a. * The 3,0. 'I earth, nor t aud the 8 in place grass are > fearfully John, heirniur- a copper ced. No » glimpse voted to I's hand 8 up the liese, his limed at Igmenta. 1 having ho des- jrsemen n at the lien the i burst en the XT ■uvro GENEHAL PEaTILENCK, FAMINB, AND WAB. 337 corruption of every kind both between man and man and the Most High, prevails; and murders, the highest of the crimes ot violence, are numerous. Besides this, there are idolatry and ?n!frT?i; P' "^^'"^3 °y° ^°^ ^^""^^ ^« e^'s^^i^g before tue flood. If then, even in that day, and despite their few advan- tages, wrath broke out, overturning the usual course of thinffo how much more at this time. ^ ' "The world has heard the Gospel and refused it. Far greater 18 Its responsibility-far stouter and more deeply rooted is its attitude of resistance, than at any former time '•Things are advancing with no slack pace towards this dismal consummation Beneath the thin crust of formal Christianitr the germs of tL-se trespasses Ii^re and there peep forth. Ido- latry 18 putting forth its feelers; and the givin'''« "^'^^^ ^"d hell- to drink to its dregs' th^Vup^'^ftratr In 7'^ ' ^"^^ ^'^'^ of the smooth and siren toIpp nZl . ^^°-^'' d''^^' ^^stead Bafety," people will bo startTpH I .f ^f^"^' ''^'"S "Peace and persei^uto^^and theX^^r^f^^^^^^^ Instead of songs and music thfJ^^f k ^ "''^''"f "^s^^lants. outraged innocence aniuhT;&M f' ^''''^ **'" «'"'^"1^« ot laugh will give place to the voice of llf,^'!^'''"^''- ?^' '^''^7 and woe. From i.mnv Ji,?!; i ^""^"tation and mourning will be hPard S.e s'Sl ind r - """'^ ^" '''^ '"^ °^" '" "" ^ will full power ess UDon thn ^f^"""',""^ "^T^''^^ ^^ «>«''cy tl^«fc and the hear reLT«irroli°"{. ^f'^' of 'nurderous z^alofs artrenuiug groans ot tormented martyrs will he "'-" ""niJ^^iO will 00 the ^r«nwA plague of lepro.y. " Lor liji 40 ,:„ ' „V " "• * 5 ""« •«» will havo forth with lack horse errand of md hell— - lilty world 7B, instead Peace and ' nierciieas issrtilants. shrieka of L'ho luerry inourniiigr of luxury "rcy tiwt s zca]o^8 ; » will he trans) v*«d ix. 4 ; and "gr.ify llie J, to 11B8, 'in b» f6r literal dBj GENERAL PESTILENCE, FAMINE, AND WAB. 839 lations tl,at are to accompany Christ's coming -l to J n"AT P'^'''^ *J? y°" ^^^^0"* «ghs, nor speak without tears, of the approaching consummation of all thZs and ot' that most blasphemouB and terrible one who shaU^nut tha he should deceive the very elect/ and seduce all minfindbr fehlbv him " F fT."^°"^ appearances that shall hi wrought by him. lor by the permission of the righteous God .e hath power to deceive the world, because tlS^ measure of their iniquities is filled up, and all places are ful of all kinds of abomination And for this cause the holy God wllufferthe nini '.??.*''"P''^ \'^^ ^P'"* ^^ ^"°^ because o heir loved at; m'V"*;? '^''" ^"""^^^ *h^ ^'^ °f truth, and loved a he. My brethreu, great will be the tribulation of the last days especially to the faithful. ® to Godlhn?M,'A'^^ ^""5"^ found at that day, who being dear to God shall be preserved in mountains and hills and desert places, because of their many prayero and terrible complaints lor the holy God beholding their inexpressible mournXs and sincerity of their faith, will showcompassiontonrds theSas a tender lather, and will preserve them where they have bee° hiddon . Fov this accursed one shall be continuaSy searchine after these holy souls bv land and sea, reckoning that he i^ now established his aominions over tho whole earth ar^ brought nil the inhabitants thereof into subjection uX' him SLf"''l H ^T'''JV?f'^ bimselfbut that he shall be ableTo w thatand that dreadful hour when the Lord shall descend from 'Sr. T^^^/r ?^^ weakness and feebleness Ihen shall he rthe Antichrist) disturb the world, and strike L tInTfl ^^'^^^k^he lying wonders of his false ma.Wo in his time there shall bo no rest upon earth ! But groat tribula" emk nf"S'' "?;^ '"P "''""' I'°«tilence8. and famines, toa 1 he ends of 1 10 earth. For t.ms saith the Lord. • There hnc not been tho hko from tho becinnina of th^ nr«of ;«„ -a "f u° _ llmi! Z "'."";,' "" T *"'f ? .e»P«am the exceeding terrortTf thai litne, which tho Lord himself hath told us are inoxpresaible P m IWEKIY.SEVENTU WO.NDlsn. towards us, because of' the exSL"?'"'^ '''^•* '^'"^ "^4 will shorten the days oftb s .ffl^f- ^ ^^"-'^ ^"^^ ^^-^uble, he all, snjin. « p, th fc your ffi^hf r,/^f '"« He warns U3 the Sabbath-day ;• and ai « wnf.t V° *''^ '''"*^^^' "or on inny be thought worthy fop^...?- '^'^^ P'"''^^ ^l^'^y^S that ye before the So°n oS'j '(MaT^.x ^ ^f ^^^^^ ' ^^d'to stl^d " He shall show false tS^i' • ^^' ^^^ ^"'^'e ^^i- 3G.) when many peopTe are « nn^- ''i^'^u?''"''^^ abundance. And for the gre^t ToX^wh ^^1 iCl^ r?,'"?Snif\'ing I,^u claim aloud with a mishtyvT/Jut\ W'^i ^^ «^^^^ P'-o- where they are gatheildtoSp'r''''^'^'''''^^^ ^^^ pJace my power and my might f ' £ ' I i?/°% ^"'^°^'^' ^" P^'e, wor d, and many^huVb^lievoTn hfm l'''/^'^""'^ ^^ nj-gbtyGod. &cn shall everv ^S r^^ glonfy him as the affl'ctod. Then shall all seSm^^l ^°"'" ^'^^''^y> «nd be day and night without agirp e o?onn7 ? '^i'?"^^'^^ '^^^^"^^^ to find bread to satisfy tSCn'erFn'.' ""'' V'^^'^^ "'^^^^"^ flhall be set over all places • and fr „' J^"^"^'^'^^'' governors niarkoftlmbeastinlusrghthandorTr^^^^^^ T^^ ^"'^ *''« presently buv such frodn.^f ,?"'"'' ^''''^'^ead. he shall children faint in the nmther^l tl '"" r\' ^^''^^» «!>«" th ^on her children, auTthof^^^^^^^^^^ ehall pprish in the streets anTfV, J ulV^" and children t.em. l^Vomthemnmtudeofr^,^^^^ '^""^ ^° "°"« to bury B^all a grievous stink a 4 that shall T''' ^'"^ ^" ^^^« «'''^«ts able to the livincr Tn f iff' • "^^ ^'^ noisome and intoler «mi bitter iSatinsAt^rn"^^ «^"J^ Bay withS take a little rest ? AndJZll- ^'■'''''"^' '^^'^ ^^'^ may one to another with bitter ear^ V^'^'^'n^^^'^ «^"" ^P^"^ that we may fly from t,?HrSr'/TJ'.^?. ^'^^ ^^ 1^° raon in.r be ;- Place^for'them to ly^ r, tol"tn '' r^ ^1^^ *''''•« ^'''^^' ^Pball be in confusion, botl tmi„ P?f.'*T' *«^ «1^ *'"'ng8 ^ore. (bus saith the Lokl ♦ Wateh „nT ^''° ?''>' ^""^- ^'^^^re. oflcnpe thin tribulation/ The, e i. „ ^'"^ °^''"^' *'"''*= >'« ">«/ « dreadful stink by land lamina n i'^'T ''"''" «'^«^'». «nd "Pon the earth, terrors a 'sran^'f «"^'^'l"'''ke9, confusion and their gold and thd™'ntnn Tff "* ^'""'- '-^'beir silver tbat day ot' wrath Bu thrivi^" ','^n '^"' "''"'^ ^^t Profit iu de«dthatarodepartcdfh?a'lif!;\;:L:!l:"?VH^^^^^^^ laeir j>oid and thoii. «,i.,„- luT,;;"' ° "-'. 'J"^ f?""a5 'a«r t-W »nd ttor .Uy.r .hall i;,;^c™t foitu'So ipon the holy of his mercy i trouble, he He Warns ua uter, nor oa ays, tfiat ye and to stand Q xxi. 3G.) anco. And nifying him shall pro- > the place , all people, ■ delude the 'i(n as the 'Ij, and be il affliction ^ing where governors ^ him the ^d, he shall shall t.'io 'shall die 1 children I to buj-y he sti'cetB i intoler- vilh tearn fc we may all Bpealc morning, ere shall U things There, t ye may sea, and infusion sir silver profit iu are tho ■§ great rth into GENEEAL PESTILENCE, FAMINE, AND WAB. 341 the streets, and no man shall touch them, but look upon them with abhorrence and they shall all seek for shelter andlZ ,nt?;-hH f • ''^^ ""^ ^."^ ''" ¥°^'°^^^' ^'''"^'^ of the famine fn,. l^'Yu'"''' ^f^ fT°'' *'^" ^vild.beasts and devouring inse ts shall roveabou devourin* all that they can meet with" Within is feai% and wi hout is trembling. Night and day ghall the carcases he in the streets; in the sti^ets shall be a noisome smel , withm doors an intolerable stink. Iluncrer and thirst in the streets, and hunger and thirst in the hous° s. Ilie voice of mourning in the streets, lamentation in the streets, lamentation m the houses. Thev shall meet one another in tears, the father the son and the son the father! and the mother the daughter. l/rierfds and brethren shal meet one another m the streets, and sink down dead with astonishment at then* mutual miseries. The beauty of all flesh is withered ; their once charming ieatures are become like those of a dead man. The beauty of women is become hateful and eS" " ^''''''^ ''''^ *''° "^"^'''^ °f '"®" «^^11 "Then all that have believed the dreadful Antichrist, and received his seal and his accursed mark, shall run to him and say with kmentation, Give us meat and drinh, we are readv to perish with hunger and drive away from us tiie destroying beasts Then shal ho be perplexed, and answer them very roughly saying, AVhero shall I iind meat and drink to give vou ? Ihe heaven will not give you rain, and the earth will not bWnc torth harvest or fruit. A7hcn the people shall hoar this, thev slia 1 wcL^p and anient, having no comfort in their afflictions, liutonemiseryshallcomeupon the neck of another, because tlicv so readi y believed this tyrannical deceiver. Por lie shall not be able to help himself; how, then, shall ho show mercy to them f In those days shnll the tribulation bo very great from the oppressions of Antichrist, from tho terror, tho earthquake, the roaring of the sea, the famine, the drought, and the bitings ol wild beasts. But all they that iiavo received the seal of Anti- Christ, and worshipped him as the great God, shall have no portion in the kingdom of Christ, but shall be cast with fhe dragon into hell Blessed is ho that shall bo found holy and upright in that day, having his heart entirely fixed upon God. lie shall valiantly break through all his temntationn. dfi«n,-«:n» uii uiH snares and treacherous designs, Butheforo these thiuM como to pass, tho Lord shall send Ellas tho Tishbitoand Enoch I V~'l I 812 TW^NTT-SEVENTH WONDEB. manifest hTa am,ii""*JZ 7'" °'"' '''«»»ed Sav-,ur3f ,°' great 4 Td" ^71"/ i-^f",'- ^'"^ "31 ^wW? »el>;ea in mountain, a„d cave, of .T P'"'."'' ""d hide t£' terrors of Antichrist. FoJ to ?hem°,' r,.' ''» *''» ««ns a, d ' ll"der the persecution of M ru ^ ^ ''^ ''''"'^S'^* *<> hare .ome ,,,1^ de ?!""•• ^"'^ 'Aether the wSdom r K t'*'''^« *<> Yl^io'. h« Vn t^ X \"Jj«* t« bring about in fm ^"^ «>?^ "ot ^.^.und at the era of tears hej may be hall fly with hide them- y shall put J % with ge. granted 7 his mercy ■ hidden in ' signs and i-Tstanding, i unawares "'8 life, and hose heart ?h he hear, d instruct rength to <'io general obliged, for nn