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ly marked in the text, as a time in which a judgment should fall upon one of the ten Papal kingdoms, in the course of which judgment the names of men should be slain; that is, their titles of honour and distinction annulled. This circumstance being related, the text immediately proceeds to declare, that the second wo is past, and that the third and last wo cometh quickly. This last wo, as it has been already explained, seems nothing less than the final destruction of the ungodly, at the coming of the Son of Man in power and great glory.

Chapters xii. xiii. and xiv. intervene between the trumpets and the vials; and the reason of this arrangement is obvious. The vials exhibit the outpouring of God's judgments upon the Papal persecutors of his Church, and as the Papal power had not been spoken of very distinctly, it was necessary to describe it more particularly before declaring its desolation. In considering these chapters briefly, it seems sufficient to observe, that chapter xii. is introductory, that chap. xiii. shows a power symbolized as a wild beast, which afterwards associates itself with another similar power, and these two (the civil and ecclesiastical rulers of the Papal kingdom) acting together as one, and with one mind, persecute the Churh of God for forty-two prophetical months, being the same period of 1260 prophetical days, or natural years, during which the two witnesses already spoken of were appointed to prophecy in sackcloth : and that chapter xiv. after exhibiting the Church as placed in circumstances of protection and safety, intimates the final overthrow of the persecutor. The ingathering of the Church, and the destruction of the enemy, are described as God's harvest and vintage, and are related somewhat in the same manner, as in the parable of the wheat and the tares. The corn of the harvest is reaped and deposited in the garner, and then the vine of the earth is cut up by the roots and thrown into the wine-press of wrath.

The seven vials come next to be considered; chap. xv. introduces them, and chap. xvi. relates their outpouring, and the effects of it. The vials, like the seals and the trumpets, are divided into four and three; the four first being of a more general character than the three last; and the seventh vial announces the final overthrow of God's enemies, the angel who pours it out declaring, "It is done"

finished. The judgment which thereupon takes place, is evidently the same, which has already been described under the sixth seal, the seventh trumpet, and the vintage, in chap. vi. 12, xi. 15, and xiv. 19.

The next symbol embraces chapters xvii. and xviii. forming another prophecy, and showing the judgment and overthrow of the great persecuting power mentioned in chap. xiii. which is here termed the great whore. This power is now exhibited under a type, which varies a little from the former one, and represents it as in its last estate, that is, under the form of government it must ultimately assume before it is finally destroyed. The destruction itself is related with some detail, and in the words of the prophet Jeremiah, when prophecying of the fall of Babylon.

After the judgment of the great idolatrous and persecuting church, another symbolic representation describes the judgment of the rest of the ungodly-the remnant of Messiah's enemies-which, according to chap. xix. seems to be brought to pass by the personal manifestation of the Son of Man, coming in the greatness of his strength. It should be particularly remarked, that two judgments are here declared, or that (perhaps to speak with greater accuracy) the great latter-day judgment is divided into two branches, one upon the Papal Church, and the other upon the ungodly who remain. It should seem that the corrupt church is first judged separately by itself, and that afterwards the rest are judged. These three chapters, therefore, xvii. xviii. and xix., may be considered as the more particular revelation of the great latter judgment, which will fall upon the whole of the ungodly, and which has already been spoken of in more general terms in the former parts of the Apocalypse.

The things which are ordained to come to pass after the great overthrow of God's enemies, are treated of in the three last chapters of the Revelations. Chapter xx. describes the setting up of Messiah's kingdom, and the shutting up and binding of the Evil One, during the time of Messiah's reign; so that in this most blessed era there shall be no sin, no sorrow, no death, nor any evil; and they who have the privilege of living in those glorious times, may taste of happiness without alloy, and partake of joys unspeakable, such as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nei

ther hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. The symbol here shows plainly the resurrection of the righteous dead, which shall take place at the coming of the Son of Man; and passing forward, as it were, with a rapid and hasty glance to those things that shall take place hereafter, when the appointed times of His reign being completed, Messiah shell, according to 1 Cor. xv. 24, be about to deliver up the kingdom to the Father, it describes a new apostacy-another rebellion and falling away of man from God-which in consequence of Satan being loosed from his prison-house, so that he may again traverse the earth, as now, shall take place amongst the children of men in these last times, for a short season, through the agency of that subtle tempter. The symbol marks the destruction of those who thus rebel, together with the final overthrow of the Evil One, by whom they have been seduced from their duty: and the text then declares the utter passing away of the present mundane system, together with the second resurrection, which includes all the dead; and it reveals the second judgment which shall then take place. Then shall be set the dread tribunal, before which every son and daughter of fallen Adam must be brought, who has not been found worthy to taste the blessings of the first resurrection, and to partake of the joys of the millennial reign. At this judgment every one shall be judged according to his works, and every one whose name is not found written in the book of life, shall be cast into the lake of fire with the Evil One.

The two remaining chapters, xxi. and xxii. are confined entirely to a description of the beauties and the glories of the New Jerusalem, the chief city or capital of the millennial kingdom and by reference to the early part of the book of Genesis, it will be seen that whatever was lost by the first Adam, will be more abundantly restored to his posterity in this time of blessedness, by Him who is the Second Adam, in whose immediate presence the children of men who are redeemed, shall partake of the fulness of joy,' and of pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore. It remains only to add, that if the reader is desirous of seeing, how the current events of history adapt themselves to the plan of interpretation which has been suggested, he may refer to the publication entitled "Messiah's King

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dom" and the writer is well assured, that if what he has writen on the former or the present occasion, be according to the mind of the Spirit of God, it will not fail to commend itself to those who are under the teaching of that Spirit. It is not to maintain a point of controversy, but to elicit and to establish truth, that he ventures to resume the pen, and he earnestly entreats every Christian reader to examine and to judge for himself, rather than adapt the opinion of any commentator, however distinguished by name or talent. One great truth as applicable to the present era, every writer upon prophecy seems to confess without reserve; that the time is now come for great and momentous changes, which are at hand, even at the doors: and that the day of the Lord cometh, even as a thief in the night.

J. B-YF-RD.

II. Remarks on Mr. B-yf-rd's Scheme of the Apocalypse. From The Jewish Expositor, for September, 1827.

From the general similarity which obtains between the books of Daniel and Revelation, and their having relation to the same events and times, Mr. B. argues that their structure is alike, and since the book of Daniel confessedly consists of a number of distinct prophecies, therefore he maintains that the Apocalypse is in like manner to be considered as a series of different prophecies.

But the five prophecies of Daniel, enumerated by Mr. B. were given to him at different intervals of time spread through a period of nearly seventy years. The vision of Nebuchadnezzar, in the year A. C. 603, that of the four beasts in A. C. 555, that of the ram and he-goat in 553, that of the seventy weeks in 538, and the prophecy of the latter days in A. C. 534. Although therefore one and all of these visions possess certain features of similarity and mutual relation, and belong to the same great period of time, (not however covering all the same space in it,) being that called by our Lord the times of the Gentiles, yet they are manifestly distinct prophecies, reflecting light indeed upon

one another, but capable of distinct and separate interpretations. They are also no where termed one prophecy.

On the other hand, the visions of the Apocalypse are always and invariably described as one prophecy. (See ch. i. 3. xxii. 7, 9, 10, 19.) The whole was given at one and the same time, being on one Lord's-day. The volume itself is called the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ,* which God gave unto him. It is frequently mentioned under the general title of this prophecy, (ch. i. 3.) or the prophecy of this book-both words being in the singular number-(ch. xxii. 7, 10, 18;) and in order that there may be no mistake as to what are its contents, the volume itself, sealed with seven seals, is exhibited to John in the right hand of him who sitteth upon the throne. John then learns that the Lamb which had been slain, is alone counted worthy to open the book and loose the seals; and we are next informed that the Lamb came and took the book out of the right hand of him who sat upon the throne. Here then we have a symbolical action referring to, and corresponding with, the title prefixed to the whole prophecy, that it is the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, WHICH GOD GAVE UNTO HIM. The book with seven seals is by this action identified with the Apocalypse, or, the book of this prophecy; and the hypothesis of Mr. B. which dissevers the trumpets and vials from the seals, is at once negatived. For it is plain, that if the seven trumpets and the seven vials are prophecies (as Mr. B. thinks) distinct from the seals, then are they no part of the book with seven seals, i. e. of the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him. Then are they separate books, or volumes, of the delivery of which to the Lamb we have no record whatever; and the various passages already referred to, wherein the whole prophecy is de scribed as the book, are falsified; seeing that there are more books than one; all which conclusions being evidently untrue and impossible, the hypothesis from which they flow is also false.

I remark, in the next place, that the hypothesis of your correspondent is altogether opposed to some of the leading symbols of the book. He refers the seventh seal, which his scheme necessarily limits to chap. viii. 1, to the millenial

Aron," Patefactio rei operta," "remotio velaminis et legumenti."--SCHLEUSNER,

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