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will be poured out upon the sea, and may intend the maritime powers belonging to the Church of Rome, particularly Spain and Portugal and as the second trumpet brought the Vandals into these places [so the Dr. explains it], so this vial will affect the same, and bring wars and desolations into them..... The third vial will be poured out upon the rivers and fountains of waters, which may point to those places adjacent to Rome, as Italy and Savoy: and as the third trumpet brought the Huns into those parts, so this [third] vial will bring in large armies hither, which will cause much bloodshed, and a great revolution in church and state." (Gill's Serm. on the latter-day Glory.)

"This comment on the vials, founded on their analogy to the trumpets, bids fair (says Mr. Fuller, who quotes the same passage) to be the true one." Dr. Gill adds, "As yet, I take it, none of them are poured out, though some great and learned men have thought otherwise. As yet there have been no such devastations on the Continent, as in France and Germany, as to produce the above effects; nor in the countries of Spain, Portugal," &c." This [remarks Mr. Fuller] was doubtless the case in 1752, the year in which the Sermon from which the above extract is made was printed, but this is more than can be said in 1810."-We may add, far more than can be pretended in 1827 !

When we calculate the evils produced, and the blood shed in the French Revolution-the wars of Napoleon-the last great contest of the Allied Powers-and the various Revolutions in Spain and Por

tugal, we may see a full justification of all the strong images here used. The first vial produces a noisome and grievous ulcer, which rendered the whole body politic a mass of corruption and putridity. A circumstance of peculiar horror occurs under the second vial: the sea-the maritime powers are not only dyed with blood, but that blood becomes stagnant, like the blood of a dead man." So that every soul living in those countries died. This is strong language; but seems fully justified in considering that, as different parties prevailed in the various revolutions and counter-revolutions, they successively destroyed each other.

fall?

But upon whom did those judgments Upon "the men that had the mark of the beast, and which worshipped his image; upon those countries, for the most part, which were peculiarly bigotted to Popery and the Inquisition: as France and Italy, Spain and Portugal. And this circumstauce is made the ground of a sacred anthem: "Thou art righteous, 0 Lord, because thou hast judged thus: ... For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy."—“ And I heard another"-that is, another angel, as it is generally understood; but perhaps it should be another voice out of the altar, namely, the altar of burnt-offerings, from whence (chap. vi. 9) had issued this cry,"How long, O Lord,..... dost thou not judge and avenge our blood?" But the blood is now avenged, and the call for vengeance is changed into a song of praise "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments."

NOTES-Chap.

Ver. 9. Scorched.-Marg, "burned;" but it is the same word as is used in verse 8.

Ver. 10. The seat.-Gr. " throne."
Ver. 12. Euphrates,-See Note on chap. ix. 14.

XVI. Con.

-Kings of the east.-Doddr. and Woodh. (more literally)," from the rising of the sun." Ver. 13. Like frogs.-That the frog was a sacred representation in Egypt, is certain; as it is found

Three unclean]

CHAP. XVI.

the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

[spirits like frogs.

18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. (C)

EXPOSITION.

(C) Ver. 8-21. The next three vials poured out.-Under the fourth trumpet the sun (as well as the moon and stars) lost a third part of its power and influence; here its influence is increased, and he has power given him to scorch men with fire. Mr. Fleming (some of whose successful predictions on chap. xi. have been already mentioned, p. 828) considers this as an humiliating judgment on the French empire; but increasing heat must, we think, imply rather an augmentation than diminution of power in the solar flame: nor can this scorching heat "be understood of the persecution of the faithful; for (as Mr. Fuller remarks) they would not blaspheme under it. It would seem, therefore, to be the galling tyranny by which the adherents of the beast will be oppressed :" we should rather say, have been oppressed: for if we refer the judgments of the three first vials to the wars of the last century and the beginning of this, may we not refer this to that increase of power in the sovereigns of Papal Europe, and particularly of

France, whereby the French themselves were aggrieved, and murmured, and blasphemed? Even the French clergy themselves, as is well known, murmured and repined at the tyranny to which they were subjected; yet they reformed not, but blasphemed and this applies, not only to the tyranny of the Bourbons, but also to the more recent tyranny of Napoleon.

The fifth vial is poured upon the seat of the beast, which Mr. Fuller explains of Germany, but Mr. Morell of Rome, and we think more justly; for though it be true that the Holy Roman Empire' formed the secular beast, yet it is certain that the second or ecclesiastical beast, alias "the false prophet," had his residence, his throne, in Rome. Mr. Fleming

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supposed that the events of this period would commence about 1794, and expire about 1848." As to the commencement, it appears that he was not very inaccurate. "Most of my readers," says Mr. Morell (who wrote about 1805), "will remember that, about that time, the French entered

NOTES.

in the Bembine Table, sitting upon a lotos. It was sacred to Osiris Helius. Inspiration, of old, was supposed to arise from fountains and streams. The Muses, who were esteemed prophetic deities, were [like Moses] denominated from water. As frogs were...... engraved upon the basis of Apollo's statue at Delphi, they might originally be characteristic of the priests and prophets of Egypt. "All inspiration [among the heathen] was supposed to

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Rome, plundering the whole country and the city of Rome itself, the throne of Antichrist. The Pope was made captive, and remained in their custody till his death, and most of the neighbouring States have tasted in measure of the same bitter cup." The necessary consequence of this judgment upon Rome, was a great gloom, not only in Italy, but throughout the whole empire of Popery, many guawing their tongues with pain and agony, expecting that empire to be now utterly destroyed; yet "repented they not of their deeds, [but] blasphemed the God of heaven." So far we conceive these prophecies have been fulfilled, but no farther. The predictions of the two last vials are, by general consent, admitted to be future: it will, therefore, become us to speak of them with modesty and caution.

The sixth vial being poured upon the Euphrates, naturally leads us to look to the East for its accomplishment; and, behold, the Kings of the East prepared to meet us. The drying up of the Euphrates is evidently to facilitate their passage westward. But who these Kings may be, and what their errand in Europe, are inquiries than can be answered only by conjecture. Some have supposed them to be the Jews returning to their own land: but then they must have mistook their way, for their land is in the East. It is probable they may be Eastera princes from Russia, or the countries that lie beyond; but whether their object may be to assist the beast, or to oppose him, is not quite so clear. The following verse may lead us to suppose the latter, because, when they are approaching, the beast and false prophet seem to take alarm, and muster all their forces.

The three spiritual emissaries, or demons, which issue from the mouths of the dragon and false prophet, may be either individuals, or orders of men, distinguished by their busy, boasting, and talkative disposition, like the croaking animals here named. These are employed by the old serpent and the false prophet, to cajole the Antichristian powers, to make one more desperate and combined effort against the

cause of Christ, in what is here called the battle of Armageddon, or of the mountain of Megiddo-alluding, as it is thought, to that fatal battle in the valley of Megiddo, in which good King Josiah lost his life (2 Kings xxiii. 29, 30; 2 Chron. XXXV. 22, 23); and which occasioned a mouraing ever to be remembered as "the mourning in the valley of Megiddon." (Zach. xii. 11.)

Verse 15 (Behold, I come as a thief, &c.) is generally considered as a paren thesis; but if we might be allowed to sup pose, that this and the following verse bave been accidentally transposed, and, therefore, to replace them, the passage would, we apprehend, appear much clearer; and the warning perhaps more appropriate, as referring to a sudden judgment, compared to an earthquake, "so mighty and so great," as was never felt before." Blessed is he that watcheth," should be always sounding in our ears. (Compare chap. iii. 3, 4.)

In the preceding verses, we have seen "the kings of the earth, and of the whole world," combined together, as the Psalmist expresses it," against the Lord and against his anointed," and animated by the false prophet and his agents, to attack them with the utmost energy. But, as wher Nebuchadnezzar was uttering the boastful language," Is not this great Babylon that I have built?" a voice from heaven suddenly pronounced his doom (Dan. iv. 30, 31): so in the midst of anticipated triumph, the last drop of God's judgments is poured from heaven, and a voice is uttered from the throne, saying, "It is done." Thunders and lightnings the most tremendous accompany the sound. All their wellconcerted plans, and combined forces, tumble suddenly into confusion, and the great city itself, Babylon, or "eternal Rome," as it has been profanely called, is "divided into three parts," and the other "cities of the nations fall."

The earthquake here predicted certainly intends a mighty revolution, and the language employed seems to imply, that it should be greater than that in the time of

NOTES.

CHAP. XVII. Ver. 1. The great whore.-Doddr. and Woodh. "hariot."- Upon many waters.

This is spoken in allusion to the litera! Baby situated on the Euphrates. Compare Jer. li. 12, 13.

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2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER

[and inscription.

OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus : and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

8 The 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

EXPOSITION.

Constantine-from Paganism to Christjanity; and far greater than that we read of at the death of the witnesses, for then only a tenth part of the city fell-bere the whole establishment of Popery is broken up. The great city is fallen to piecesdivided into three parts; and other" cities of the nations" perhaps other corrupt religions-fall at the same time; or, as Bishop Newton and others understand it, the various dependent states fall from her communion, and from subjection to her authority. But of this great Babylon we must treat at large, under the next chapter.

At the commencement of this vial, we should have observed, that it was poured out upon the air, as the others had been upon the earth, the water, and the solar flame. This is poured out upon the air, because that is the peculiar element of Satan, who is elsewhere denominated "the

prince of the power of the air." (Eph. ii. 2.) Here he seems to concentre all the vapours of the atmosphere into hail-the stones whereof are said, hyperbolically, to weigh a talent, or 100lbs. weight, as Bishop Newton explains it; and falling upon men like the hummers of heaven, crush them, as it were, to atoms. We do not mean to intimate that Satan has the artillery of heaven at his disposal without divine permission; but, as in the instance of Job, he was permitted to wield the thunder-bolt and the whirlwind, under the control of the Almighty. (See Job i. 16, 19.) So here he is permitted to cast down enormous hailstones from the sky, on those whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain: but his commission is always to be understood with this limit-" Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther." (Job xxxviii. 11.)

NOTES.

Ver. 3. Scarlet coloured beast-i. e. a wild beast, as the word usually signifies.

Ver. 4. Decked with gold.-Marg. " gilded with gold."Having a golden cup.-See Isa. li. 7. In the Table of Ceres, is represented a fair, beautiful, and false woman, having a cup in her hand. She is called Deceit, and seduceth all mankind.

Ver. 5. Mystery, Babylon-i. e. Mystic Babylon. Dr. Woodhouse does not take this word for part of the inscription, but an intimation that this name was to be mystically understood. He renders it"And upon her forehead was a name written, a mystery, BABYLON," &c. Scaliger affirms, that this name was inscribed upon the front of the Pope's mitre, till some of the Reformer's noticed it. See

Bishop Newton, who remarks, that this term can with no propriety be attached to ancient Rome; and that St. John's admiration must imply the same, for he would not be surprised that a heathen city should persecute Christians.

Ver. 8. The beast that thou sawest.--Compare this beast with the first beast, described in chap. xiii. Also with the fourth beast in Daniel, chap. vii. The chief difference between this beast, and that in chap. xiii., seems to be in the omission of his similitude to the lion, the bear, and the leopard, which represented monarchies, described by three separate animals in Daniel, but long since ceased: this regards only the Roman government. (See our Exposition of chap. xiii.)

The seven heads]

REVELATION.

foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

CHAP. XVII.

[and ten horns explained.

14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. (D)

EXPOSITION.

(D) Ver. 1-18. Babylon the Great described. The scene before us is a wilderness, or desert; thither the church had long before been compelled to fly for refuge from persecution, and hither now persecuting Babylon herself is obliged to retreat. We have before intimated, that it was customary to delineate cities, nations, and empires, under a female form, with certain emblems and appropriate inscriptions. Thus was the Jewish nation in captivity represented by a disconsolate female sitting under a palm tree, with this inscription-Juda a capta. So Rome herself, Bishop Newton remarks, is represented in ancient medals as a woman sitting on a lion.

In the Old Testament, both Tyre and Babylon are represented as females debauched, and debauching others; and the latter in particular, as having 66 a golden cup filled with abominations.' (See Isa. xxiii. 17, 18; Jer. li. 7, &c.) But the Babylon here depicted is not the literal Babylon, for that had long fallen into ruins, but mystical Babylon; for so her name is written on her forehead-" Mystery, Bebylon the great, the mother of harlots,” or fornications, "and abominations of the earth." Catholic and Protestant writers are pretty generally agreed, that Rome is here intended. So the Catholic Bishop Meaux (Bossuet) expressly says:-" St. John represents Rome in the name of Ba'bylon, as she had all the characters of

NOTES-Chap. XVII. Con.

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Ver. 10. Seven kings-or different forms of government. The first five forms are thas enumerated by Livy and Tacitus-Kingly, Consular, Decemviral, Dictators, and Military Tribunes.

Ver. 12. Ten horns.-These are differently enu. inerated, as may be seen in our Notes on Dan. vii. 7. And it is certain, that the number of kings, or states, which support the harlot, have, at different times, much varied. So the apostles were still the twelve, though Judas hanged himself. See Note on 1 Cor. xv. 5-One hour: i, e. the same hour.-Lowman. So ver. 13, one mind is certainly "the same mind."

Ver. 15. The whore-or "harlot."The Bishop of Meaux (before cited) objects to this being meant of the church of Rome, or to her being called a burlol; because, having been once a true church, her apostacy would render her an adulteress. To this Dr. Woodhouse replies, that the same term is applied to the churches of Judah and Israel, when guilty of dia try (see Isa. 1. 21; Jer. iii. 1): the reason of which is, such churches are considered as virtually divorced. Jer, iii. 8,

Ver. 17. To fulfil kis will–i. e, his decrees. See Acts ii. 23.

Ver. 18. That great city, which reigneth, &c This necessarily determines Rome to be the place intended. So Lowman.

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