Singularly illustrative of the symbol of this prophecy, and of its fulfilment upon France, is the contents of an extract made from the charge of M. de Noé, bishop of Troyes, delivered in the year 1785. Speaking of the ancient churches, he observes," Suppose ye that those churches on the eve of their fall, were in greater peril, or contained more active principles of dissolution, than those that having long lurked amongst us, now break forth with such rage? A contagious disease is spread around-a deadly evil, a subtle poison-which insinuates itself into our souls, blinds our understandings, corrupts our hearts, and (if not arrested by wise precautions, under the signal favour of God) will infect the whole mass, and terminate in the destruction of religious and political society," a sagacious foreboding soon realized!

But we must not lose sight of the most important fact, that this judgment of the noisome pestilence marks a prominent and mighty crisis in the affairs, not of one kingdom only, but in the general state of mankind, a great and all but final revolution in the history of the world; for if this be the fulfilment of the first vial, it marks, as an event, the blowing of the last trumpet.

Now, of the importance of this epocha, in the general history of mankind, and all the years we have lived since tend but to confirm itlanguage can give us no impression more just than that of a political writer quoted by Mr. Cuninghame; "we live at the commencement of an era more distinctly marked, by the great and immediate revolutions by which it has been ushered in, than any other in the annals of the world. No precise line of demarcation can be traced through the twilight boundaries of ancient and modern history; but the outline which separates this new era from that which has ended in our own remembrance, is strongly and conspicuously drawn for future ages. The French Revolution has, as it were, been the breaking up of the abyss; and from our ark of liberty, which rides securely upon the waters, we behold every thing around us laid waste by the deluge."

Ver. 3.-"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea."

Some expositors explain this, of the bloody scenes in France, consequent on the Revolution; others, supported by the imagery of the second trumpet-for there certainly appears a general analogy between

founder of this empire, of the Franks, CLOVIS, when latinized into Ludovicus, as was the case, and written in Greek letters, is found to contain this ominous number,-and he was counted the sixteenth monarch of that name, who became the murdered victim of this strange infatuation among the people of this great and most ancient of the Latin kingdoms.

the trumpets and the vials-refer it to the great and almost total annihilation of the navies of the Roman world, a circumstance of immense importance, in the then situation of affairs. For my own part, I must confess, that I still retain my first impression,-that "the blood of a dead man is a new figure, not signifying the blood that marks the recent murder, but the vital fluid stagnate, and no longer circulating in the corpse or carcase of the dead animal; and agreeably with the analogy of the second trumpet, as to its locality, I apply it to the prostration of the once mighty monarchy of Spain, including probably the fate of her satellite in the peninsula, Portugal.

In all writers of every class, historians, politicians, military commentators, or travellers, who treat of the affairs of Spain, almost from the time she felt the shock of the French Revolution, down to this present hour, a language is used, respecting the governing powers of this kingdom, which cannot fail to remind the careful reader of this extraordinary symbol-that apathy and stupor in every branch of the administration of the Spanish government complained of in circumstances of the most rousing description, both in the violence of the assault, and in the wellknown national character of the great body of the nation, is very remarkable! and what signs can yet be discovered of the restored vitality of the Spanish monarchy ?

The third vial, also, when compared with the third trumpet, and applied to the most bloody vengeance executed in the revolutionary wars, upon that great Roman Catholic monarchy situate on the sources of the Danube, where the descendents of Charles V. and Philip II. reigned, and in the country so diversified with fountains of water, where the slain of "the bloody Piedmontese," still cried for vengeance, has been more and more illustrated by recent authors, especially by Dr. Keith.

By the same analogy, and from the nature of the symbol, I should conceive none can hesitate to apply the FOURTH VIAL, to the strong and violent sovereignty that Napoleon Bonaparte exercised for a certain period, over all, or more than all, the ancient Western Roman empire. A late author has remarked of him, "it is certain that there never existed a man who had greater power in his hand, than he at one time possessed." "I think it will be agreed by people in general-that there never was any man living, who in an age of civilization, produced so much of misery, either taken individually or collectively, as he did in the world."*

The reverse that befel this "burning sun " of the Roman world, and the general character of affairs, ever since, in all parts of the Latin empire, I still believe, to mark the fulfilment of the FIFTH VIAL.

James' Semi-Sceptic.

And that fatal exhaustion of the Turkish empire, at the time referred to, only suspected as a near occurrence, but since fully manifested, and at this time engaging the chief attention of the political world-cannot but mark the pouring forth of the VIAL of the SIXTH angel "upon the great river Euphrates." If this be correct, the world will soon be seen preparing for the last conflict. We are arrived at the eve of "the battle of the great day of Almighty God."-Precisely at that period, when a voice is heard,-ver. 13,-"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."

APPENDIX THE SECOND.

ON THE PROPHETIC NUMBERS.

WITH respect to the time of our Lord's appearing, it was not my intention, on this occasion, to enter into a particular consideration of the several schemes and chronological calculations that have already been advanced. I cannot, however, but remark on the gross impropriety of the check which, in certain quarters, is attempted to be given to all inquirers of this kind, by a quotation of Acts i. 7. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put into his own power." What, has it been overlooked, that since these words were spoken, the Holy Ghost has been given to the church, respecting whom our Saviour promised, "He shall shew you things to come?" Has it been forgotten, that since this address, which was made at the moment of our blessed Lord's ascention, other divine oracles have been affixed to the "pillar and ground of the truth," and proclaimed in "the church of the living God?" That one of these oracles, containing no small proportion to the whole body of scripture prophecy, bears the title, "The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him, to shew unto his

servants things which must shortly come to pass." Has it not been noted, how all creatures in heaven and earth are represented in the holy vision, as bursting forth in one common song of new joy and congratulation, because the Lamb had prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof, and shall a follower of Jesus Christ feel no ardent zeal to possess the blessing with which this, perhaps last behest to the church militant here on earth, invites his attention? "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things that are written therein for the time is at hand."

Now we find the times and seasons, and the numbered days of the ancient prophets again mentioned and marked as it were afresh, in this last prophecy. We can hardly, therefore, suppose that these numbers and periods-whatever obscurity still may seem to rest upon the dates of their beginnings, and by consequence of their ending-were given for no purpose, or practical use to the waiting people of Christ.

True, these periods have been antedated by some, who have preceded us in our inquiries as the event has proved; the best grounded hypotheses of the present day, may possibly, though they cannot but have approximated nearer, be found at last somewhat wide of the mark. But is there no danger, that we may not be post-dating in our best argued schemes, and so that day come upon us unawares?

From some views of futurity rendered distinctly visible by the glimmerings of the prophetic lamp, this certainly will be the fact : as a snare will it come upon all the inhabitants of the earth." Whether this shall arise from the negligent observations of the watchman, from some error which runs through his calculations, or enters into them somewhere unperceived, or that we are too inattentive to the subject, and exercise no becoming skill or caution, when we receive the various reports that are laid before us, so that after all, the best observations and calculations have not had in the greatest degree our credence and confidence: from whatever cause it may arise, this inadvertance and surprizal with regard to many, is too plainly predicted.

We know it is the mind of the Spirit that the Church of God "should not be in darkness, that that day should overtake them as a thief in the night;" but it is not altogether and universally independent of their own watchfulness. Though he has, we may safely argue, afforded sufficient light, and will, as the times require, give the requisite skill of observation; yet, after all, the admonition is, "Watch, therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour”—“ at such a time as ye think not the Son of man cometh." The navigator, with all the astonishing accuracy of the tables of his calculation, which, from experience, he knows he may trust, notwithstanding the utmost nicety and exactness of his chronometers, and other

instruments, neglects not the duty of the watch; when known especially, to be approaching the shore-and it'may be a dangerous shore to near— the orders are to keep a good look out a-head; and happy the simplest mariner in the tops, whose penetrating glance into the dusky horizon, is first enabled to raise the welcome shout of "land!”

In closing this volume, I will venture a few observations, as to what has struck my mind most, in considering the times and seasons," and the mystical numbers contained in the prophecies of holy scripture.

There is one induction, from the mention of dates and numbers in the text of the holy scripture, which corroborated by events recorded in general history, has much fixed my attention and excited my expectations.

In the seventh chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah, we find this chronological prophecy delivered to Ahaz, king of Judah, on a very memorable occasion, when from the alarming tidings he had heard, of the combination of his enemies, it is said, "and his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees are moved with the wind.”

Isaiah, a few years previously to this, had seen the vision of THE GLORY OF CHRIST, in the character of THE KINg, of the Lord of Hosts; it was then that the approaching desolation of the kingdom of Israel was clearly announced to be at hand. "The Lord would remove men far

away;" "there would be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.” 'But yet there should be a tenth, and it should return.”—The holy seed was to be like the stock of a tree in the soil, when its leaves were shed, and all its boughs were eaten; of Judah especially, it was ever the prophetic characteristic, a remnant shall return."

The immediate cause of alarm to king Ahaz, on the occasion before us, was the report of a confederacy between Resin, king of Syria, and Pekin, king of Israel, having for its object the destruction of the house of David; for with kings and people, a present danger which alarms the public, will often have a deeper impression, than the most tremendous calamities declared in the word of God, as soon to involve the doom of a guilty nation. The prophet, as he was commanded, taking in his hand his son, who, in view of the approaching judgments, bore the auspicious name for Judah, a remnant shall return," was sent with this message to the king, In three score and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people." This, too, was the occasion of the delivery of that more momentous oracle of mercy, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name IMMANUEL."

But, to pursue our present object, surely we have an epocha pointed out here when the kingdom of Israel ceases, and the kingdom of the Gentiles begins to bear rule.