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LECTURE V.

THE SOUNDING OF THE SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH TRUMPETS.-
GENSERIC THE VANDAL.-ATTILA THE HUN.-THE BARBARIANS IN

ITALY.-ODOACER.-THEODORIC.-PROCLAMATION OF COMING WOES.
-FOREBODINGS IN THE CHURCH.-POPE Gregory I.—THE COMING
OF ANTICHRIST.-REVELATION VIII. 8-13.

THE scene of the first trumpet-vision was "the earth”- -on which descended a storm of hail and fire mingled with blood, destroying the third part of the trees and grass: prefiguring, as was shewn, the incursions of the Goths from the north and north-east, who precipitated themselves on the western portion of the Roman empire, ravaging Italy, Gaul, and Spain.

The second trumpet sounds, and the Apostle sees a burning mountain cast into the sea-indicating a distinct locality from that of the action of the first trumpet. And in the third trumpetvision, the scene as well as the symbol is again changed—a burning star, or blazing meteor, falls upon the rivers and fountains of waters.

We have already considered the singular propriety of the figurative language of the first trumpet-vision, as fulfilled in the events which occurred in the western third of the Roman empire, during the interval which elapsed between the death of Theodosius the Great, and that of Alaric the Goth,—a period of time not exceeding sixteen years. The western division, the original third of the empire as it existed under Constantine, is still the grand theatre on which are exhibited the judgments of the Lord, during the sounding of the three following Apocalyptic trumpets.

Our attention will afterwards be called to the remarkable similarity of the language and figures used by the Holy Spirit in shadowing out to St. John, for the instruction of the Church, similar judgments which would come upon the same portion of

the world; when THE VIALS of God's wrath should be poured out on the earth, on the sea, and on the rivers and fountains of water. But though these events are similar in language, in locality, and in effects, they are widely apart in the paging of the world's history. The first three Trumpets were heard sounding in the fourth and fifth centuries. The first three Vials were poured out during the sixteenth and seventeenth. The one commenced soon after the establishment of Christianity by the Roman emperors; the other soon after its reformation and re-establishment in the time of Luther: as I trust to be able to shew when we come to the consideration of the 16th chapter. I call attention to it now, that you may examine for yourselves what St. John says of the pouring out of the vials, and compare the figurative prophecy with the recorded history of the world from the era of the Reformation to the present day. I do this, partly because some commentators believe that the trumpets and the vials synchronize with each other; but chiefly, because the vials belong to the age in which we now live; that they prefigure events which are being rapidly disclosed; and that the seventh angel will suddenly pour out his vial into the air,— when the great voice which St. John heard from the temple saying "It is done," will echo through earth and heaven.

In the second trumpet-vision, a burning mountain is thrown into the sea, prefiguring the devastation of the sea coasts and islands of the third part of the Roman empire. And this was fulfilled in a precise and wonderful manner by the Vandals, under Genseric; "a name," as Gibbon observes, "which, in the destruction of the Roman empire, has deserved an equal rank with the names of "Alaric and Attila." In the year 428 he acquired the dignity of King, and accepted the invitation of Count Boniface, the governor of Africa, to join him in his contemplated revolt against the Emperor Valentinian. The ships which the Vandals found in the harbours of Spain, had already carried them to the islands of Majorca and Minorca, and now formed part of the fleet which transported them across the Straits of Gibraltar to the coast of Africa. They were joined by bands of the savage Moors and the

persecuted Donatists. And "on a sudden," says Gibbon, "the seven fruitful provinces from Tangier to Tripoli, were overwhelmed by the invasion of the Vandals,-whose destructive rage seldom gave quarter,”—and who "expiated the death of their countrymen by the ruin of the cities under whose walls they had fallen." Like the destructive course of a torrent of burning lava, they even extirpated, it is said, the olives and other fruit trees of the country. Carthage and Hippo were taken and plundered by the licentious troops of Genseric in 439, and the territory he had conquered extended above ninety days' journey along the African coast. But he found the interior a desert, and resolved to create a naval power which should render every maritime country accessible to his arms. “And,” says Gibbon, "after an interval of six centuries, the fleets that issued from the ports of Carthage again claimed the empire of the Mediterranean." When the formidable navy of Genseric was ready to sail, he was asked by his pilot what course he should steer: "Leave the determination to the winds," he replied, "they will transport us to the guilty coast, whose inhabitants have provoked the Divine vengeance." The barbarian king seemed conscious of the mission to which he had been appointed by the decrees of heaven. And well he fulfilled it. The fiery streams from the burning Vandal mountain were poured with devastating fury on the coasts of Spain, Italy, Greece, and Sicily,-the islands of the Mediterranean were subdued or plundered,—and terror or desolation spread from the columns of Hercules to the mouths of the Nile.

The sea, according to the prophetical vision, became the theatre of war during this period of the Roman history. "The third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of those who lived in it, (or on its coasts) died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed." The Romans with incredible labour had collected a fleet of 300 large vessels, besides a number of transports; but Genseric surprised them in the bay of Carthagena, -many were sunk, taken, or burnt; and, says the historian, "the preparations of three years were destroyed in a single day." Afterwards the Romans attempted to retrieve their misfortunes, and despatched an armament of 1100

K

ships, and above 100,000 men against Carthage, the capital of the Vandals,and again Genseric surprised them. As the vessels lay at anchor in the bay of Bona, he sent against them a number of fire-ships, and then attacking them while in remediless confusion, gained a complete and decisive victory. Till his death he remained the tyrant of the Mediterranean. In one of his marauding expeditions he took the city of Rome itself; and pillaged it for fourteen days. Among the valuable and venerable plunder were the Jewish seven-branched golden candlestick, and the golden table, which Titus had taken from the temple of Jerusalem and afterwards deposited in the temple of Peace. But it is said, that the vessel which transported those sacred relics was the only one that suffered shipwreck when returning from this expedition.

Our own island of Britain did not escape the judgments inflicted on the western empire, of which it formed a part. The Romans, who were hard pressed at home, withdrew their legions in the year 448, after an occupation of about 400 years. The northern tribes immediately attacked the defenceless and enervated Britons, laying the southern portion of the island waste with fire and sword. In their distress they applied to Rome for help, in a letter which they entitled "The Groans of the Britons.”—“The barbarians," they said, "chase us to the sea, and the sea throws us back on the barbarians; we have only the hard choice left of perishing by the waves or the sword." But the Romans could give no help-and the Britons were obliged to call the Saxons to their aid. This warlike race from the north of Germany soon drove back the Caledonian invaders, and took possession of the country for themselves; eventually confining the Britons to Cornwall and the mountains of Wales. No part, therefore, of the sea-coast, or of the islands in the sea, belonging to the western empire, not even the most remote, escaped that visitation of blood which was prefigured in the vision, when the second angel sounded his trumpet.

When the third trumpet sounded, "there fell a great star from heaven burning as it were a lamp (or a burning meteor), and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of

waters." The scene is now changed from the sea to the landfrom the coast to the interior of the western empire. This vision seems to have been fulfilled in the ravages of Attila, the king of the Huns—and, as he called himself, "the Scourge of God." He united under his sway the two mighty kingdoms of Germany and Scythia. He was feared as something greater than human; and the barbaric princes who waited upon him could not presume to gaze with steady eye on what they deemed his divine majesty. "He was," says a distinguished writer, "in their eyes like a meteor of theheavens." And meteor-like was his course athwart the western provinces of the empire. In the year 450, with 500,000 men, he crossed the Rhine at Basle, and thence tracing the course of that river downward to Belgium, he made its valley one scene of desolation and woe. On leaving the valley of the Rhine, he advanced into the interior, but was repulsed in the tremendous battle of Chalons, in which fell above 160,000 men.* Attila then retraced his steps, to fall on another destined scene of ravage,-"the fountains of waters," in the Alpine valleys of Italy--burning the cities, massacring the inhabitants, and laying the country waste. All was slaughter, despair, or flight. He marched on Rome, and nothing seemed to stand between it and utter destruction,-when the venerable bishop, Pope Leo the First, at the head of the Roman ambassadors, went out to meet him, and succeeded in deprecating his wrath with promises and presents. Attila granted the Romans peace, and re-crossed the Alps. On returning to his own country, he was suddenly cut off in the year 453. The meteor was extinct, but its predicted course had been accomplished.

It is added, as a peculiarity in this trumpet-vision, distinguishing it from the previous plagues which had afflicted this third part of the earth, that the star was called Wormwood, embittering the waters and causing death to many. This has been interpreted as

* After the battle of Chalons, on perceiving the retreat of Torismond, king of the Visigoths, Attila exclaimed, "A star is falling before me, and the earth trembling. Lo, I am the hammer of the world!"

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