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Roman empire, to suppose that the frequent mention of a third part of this Roman earth, has any relation to the proportion which the Roman empire itself bears to the whole habitable world, would be to introduce the greatest confusion of ideas into the exposition of the prophecy. Mr. Bicheno thinks that the third part, so often mentioned in this prophecy, has an allusion to the division of the empire into three distinct governments or prefectures, and he quotes Dr. Cressener in support of this explanation of the difficulty. But were this idea well founded, it would be incumbent on Mr. Bicheno to show that each of the trumpets affected only one particular prefecture; and as this cannot be done, I must reject the mode of solving the difficulty which he proposes.

The following observations upon the point now under consideration have occurred to me, and I leave it to the reader to judge how far they serve to remove the difficulty. I shall introduce them by a quotation from Mede's works: "I conceive," says that learned writer, "Daniel to be Apocalypsis con"tracta (the Apocalypse compressed), and the Apo

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calypse, Daniel explicated, in that where both "treat about the same subject; namely, what was "revealed to Daniel concerning the fourth kingdom, "but summatim and in gross, is showed to St. John "particulatim, with the distinction and order of the

several facts and circumstances which were to "betide and accompany the same."* By consulting the book of Daniel, we learn that the fourth beast, or Roman kingdom, was to exist in two different * Works, Book iv. ep. 32.

states: first, as an undivided empire; and, secondly, as divided into ten kingdoms, symbolized by ten horns.* This change in the condition of that empire took place, as is well known, at the time of the overthrow of the western empire by the Goths and ·Vandals. After this overthrow the empire was divided among the conquerors, and was formed into ten kingdoms; but the empire itself, though its form was varied, did not cease to exist. The imperial title and power still continued in the eastern empire, and the title at least was revived in the western empire by Charlemagne; and has continued from his time till the present age in an uninterrupted line of princes. From Daniel we further learn that the final destruction of the empire is not to take place till the sitting of the judgment which immediately precedes, or is synchronical with, the second advent of the Son of Man with the clouds of heaven; † and, in strict harmony with Daniel, the Apocalyptic prophecies discover to us that the destruction of the same empire is to be effected by the pouring out of the seven vials of wrath, after the sounding of the seventh trumpet, and immediately before the establishment of the kingdom of Christ.

Now the first four trumpets relate, not to the final destruction of the empire, but to the overthrow of the western empire, preparatory to its partition among the ten kings. After the sounding of these trumpets, therefore, the empire was still to exist, though in a different shape; and hence we discover a reason of their effects being limited to a part of each object against which they were directed.

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There is not that looseness or uncertainty in the language of symbols which many persons suppose. It is capable of an interpretation almost as strict as the language of sounds, or of letters, the representatives of sounds; though it must be confessed, that from our more partial knowledge of the symbolical language, the discovery of the true interpretation is often very difficult to us, as is that of the sense of a foreign dialect with which we have an imperfect acquaintance.

If the first four trumpets had brought ruin upon the whole of the symbolical universe seen by the apostle, it would have denoted the entire and final destruction of the empire represented by the symbolical world: but as these trumpets were designed to represent only the subversion of the Roman empire of the west, and not its entire destruction, it was necessary that their operation should have certain limits assigned to it,

In confirmation of the above observation, we may remark, that when the seven vials of wrath are poured out, which are to bring final destruction on the empire, there is no limitation of the effects of the vials. Under the first trumpet, hail mingled with fire is cast on the earth, and only a third part of the earth is burnt up. But under the first vial, which is also poured out on the earth, the effects reach to the men; i. e. the men generally, which had the mark of the beast, &c. Under the second trumpet only a third part of the sea becomes blood, and only a third part of the creatures in the sea die; but the second vial converts the whole sea into blood, like that of a dead man, and every living soul dies.

The third trumpet affects only a third part of the rivers and fountains; but the third vial turns the whole rivers and fountains into blood. The first four trumpets are thus universal in their extent, but limited in their operation; and therefore they imply the subversion, and not the destruction or eradication of the object. The vials are both universal in their extent, and unlimited in their operation; and thus they signify the utter and final destruction of the objects against which they are directed.

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The above remarks furnish, I think, a satisfactory reason for the limitation assigned to the effects of the first four trumpets. But if it be asked, why the proportion of one-third, and neither more nor less, of the symbolical universe, is the limit which has been fixed to these effects? I confess I can only answer the question, by saying that it has seemed good to the Spirit of God to select that proportion, and if any other integral part had been used for the same purpose, it is quite evident that a similar question might have been put.

I shall conclude the subject of the first four trumpets, with some remarks upon the symbols which are presented to our view under them. All the imagery of the Apocalypse is Jewish. Our Lord himself appeared to John, clothed in the pontifical robe of the high priest, and in the midst of seven golden candlesticks, having an evident reference to the seven-branched candlestick in the tabernacle, which it was the daily office of the priests in the tabernacle to trim, and put in order. We afterwards read of a sea of glass before the throne, in allusion to the brazen sea in the temple, and of the golden altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offerings, and

the ark of the covenant. We also read of the Lamb on Mount Sion.

The general imagery of the book being thus proved to be Jewish, it is probable that the symbolical universe seen by John had likewise a Jewish aspect. This serves to illustrate the justness of the proportions observed by the Holy Spirit in the different symbols. Thus, if the sea seen by the apostle in the second trumpet was borrowed from Jewish ideas, it must have been either an inland sea, like the Sea or Lake of Genesareth, or at least like the eastern extremity of the Mediterranean. A Jew could have no idea of such a sea as the Atlantic or Pacific. Hence we perceive, that there is nothing extravagant in the imagery of the second trumpet: for it is at least within the limits of poetical probability, that a vast mountain, burning with fire, being cast into the Sea of Genesareth, or the extremity of the Mediterranean, should turn the third part of it into blood. The propriety of the adaptation of the different symbols to each other in these trumpets, is also worthy of our most attentive observation. The general idea presented by them, is that of the desolation of the symbolical earth, sea, and rivers, by foreign bodies precipitated upon them, which are used as symbols of hosts of barbarian conquerors. Now what could have been selected as a fitter agent of desolation to the symbolical earth than hail mingled with fire? What a more proper emblem of the destruction of an inland sea, than a burning volcano torn from its basis and cast into the sea? There is also a beautiful proportion between the smaller apparent magnitude of the blazing comet, and the rivers and fountains upon which it fell.

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