thou sawest, we read, where the Harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues *. These waters are now described as a Sea; and this Vial appears to portend the outpouring of divine judgments on those Nations which communicate with Rome, and are corrupted by her superstitions. It foretels that they will be agitated by the winds and waves of revolutionary tumults, and be deluged with blood. The Third Vial is poured on Rivers and Fountains; and they become blood. The Rivers and Wells of Christendom are Holy Scripture and the Sacraments; which are designed by God to give life and health and refreshment to man. But in the spiritual Empire, which is the subject of these plagues, these waters of Salvation have been empoisoned by false Expositions-such, for example, as those by which the words of our Lord-Tu es Petrus †, &c.; Pasce oves Meas ‡, &c.; Oravi pro te §, &c.—are made to justify the Papal assumption of Infallibility, and of spiritual and secular Supremacy. And by the enforcement of the Doctrine of Transubstantiation, the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper has been abused for idolatrous worship, and, by the withdrawal of Christ's Blood from the Lay Communicant, it has been made * Rev. xvii. 15. See also Jerein. li. 36. Matth. xvi. 18. § Luke xxii. 32. John xxi. 16. an occasion for disobedience to Him Who instituted it *. The Fourth Vial is poured upon the Sun; and it scorched men with fire; and they blasphemed God, Who has the power over these plagues; and they did not repent or give Him the glory. Here we must bear in mind that all the corruptions of Rome, in which she glories, are, in truth, her punishments. Of Jezebel, the figure of a corrupt Church, it is said by Christ, in the Apocalypse,-She calleth herself a Prophetess, and seduces My servants to commit fornication. And I gave her space to repent, and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation; that is, I will choose her delusions ‡. Her own wickedness shall correct her, and her backslidings shall reprove her §. Her sins shall be her punish ments. So, the corruptions of Rome are indeed works of Satan, but they are also scourges in God's hand for her punishment. He has power over these plagues. Shall there be evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it? I form the light, and create darkness ; * See other examples quoted in the Author's Letters to M. Gondon, Letter VI. + Rev. ii. 20. § Jer. ii. 19. Isa. lxvi. 4. Amos iii. 6. I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things* Listen to the words of God by the Prophet Malachit Now, O ye Priests, this commandment is for you If ye will not hear, to give glory to My name, I will even send a curse upon you, and will curse your blessings; yea, I have cursed them already. So God in Scripture represents spiritual famine as sent by Himself. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord ‡. They tempted God in the desert, and He sent leanness into their soul §. Because the land is full of crime, the law shall perish from the Priest, and counsel from the ancients ||. He blinds the eyes, and seals up the ears, of the ungodly, that they may not see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and He should heal them **. He maketh the diviners mad ††. Christ Himself, the Prince of Peace ‡‡, says, I came not to send peace on earth, but a sword §§. I am come to send fire on earth, and what will I if it be already kindled ||||? Therefore, we may be sure that what is true of * Isaiah xlv. 7. || Ezek. vii. 23. 26. + Isaiah xliv. 25. §§ Matth. x. 34. + Mal. ii. 1. § Psalm cvi. 14, 15. ** Matth. xiii. 15. ‡‡ Isaiah ix. 6. ++ Luke xii. 49. the literal Egypt and her King will one day be seen to be true of the Spiritual Egypt and her Pharaohs. In very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee My power; and that My name may be exalted throughout all the earth *. To return: The Sun of the Church is Christ. Hence the faithful Church is said, in the Apocalypse, to be clothed with the Sun †. And Christ has His face like the Sun. As the natural Sun is God's glorious handy-work in the tabernacle of the world 6, and is designed to be the Source of light and heat and health and joy to all, so CHRIST is the Light of the World. He is the Sun of Righteousness **. It was given to the Sun to scorch men, and they blasphemed God. To all who believe, CHRIST is the fountain of grace: but to all who disobey Him, He is a consuming fire ††. Let this be a warning to all the inhabiters of Egypt, who make other Mediators besides Christ; who adore other Beings besides Him; who even place their own Pharaoh on Christ's Altar ‡‡, and who adore a man in the Temple of God. Let them take heed lest Christ Himself,-Who, as the * Exod. ix. 16. Rom. ix. 17. Rev. xii. 1. Haymo ad loc. Sol in sacro Eloquio aliquando Christum significat. § Psalm xix. 4. ** Mal. iv. 2. Rev. i. 16. x. 1. || John viii. 12. †† Heb. xii. 29, and Deut. iv. 24. See above, Lecture XII. p. 403, and Appendix H. aged Simeon declared, is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel*; and as Isaiah, and Zechariah, and St. Paul, and St. Peter, describe Him, is a stone of stumbling and rock of offence to the disobedient,should be to them an occasion of woe, instead of weal; of death, instead of life: yes, lest the Sun of Righteousness should scorch them with His beams, and be the cause to them of everlasting burnings. The Fifth Angel poured his Vial upon the Throne of the Beast; and his kingdom was darkened, and they gnawed their tongues for the pain, and blasphemed God, by reason of their pains and sores, and repented not of their deeds ‡. This represents a state of perplexity, panic, anguish, and despair, in the very heart of the mystical empire. Because it hath despised the light, therefore it is full of darkness. In the words of which make My God,-Concerning the Prophets People to err, that bite with their teeth, and cry Peace, -therefore Night shall be upon you, that ye shall not have a Vision; and the Sun shall go down upon the Prophets, and the Day shall be dark over them. Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded; yea, they shall all cover their lips, for there *Luke ii. 34. Isa. viii. 14. Zech. xii. 3. Rom. ix. 32. 1 Pet. ii. 7, 8. |