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L E C T U R E XV.
REVELATION XII.
Ver. 13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the
man-child.
14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might flee into the wilderness, into her place,
where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
In the sketch given in this twelfth chapter of the Revelation, of the struggles between the church and Satan, from the
commencement of the Christian era till near the battle of the great day of God, we are in our text brought to events
of the latter part of the sixteenth century, and of the former part of the seventeenth. Satan, in the events of the
antecedent verses, found himself and his legions cast out, by the Reformation, from the symbolic heaven of high
popularity in the Romish church, to the earth of open opposition to Christ. This forced upon him a keen conviction that
his remaining time on earth was short. The devil now therefore set himself to invent new forms of opposition to Christ.
And his infernal court soon gave birth to that most detestable order, the Jesuits, who proved powerful supporters of
the sinking popery. See fourth vial. This code of imposition was the masterpiece of the kingdom of darkness, till the
still deeper scheme of illuminism arose, as copied from it with vast improvements, and having infidelity, instead of
popery, for its latent object. By the aid of the Jesuits, the dragon now instigated new and horrid persecutions; to
which the first verse of our text alludes. He "persecuted the woman," -- the Protestant church; a sketch of which
persecution shall here be given.
Louis XIV repealed the edict of Nantz, in which tolerance had been given to the Protestants in France; and he in a short
time destroyed and banished two millions of his subjects. The noted massacres of Protestants in France, in Ireland, and
in Poland took place. Also the violent
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and deadly persecutions raised against the pious Piedmontese, and the slaughter of Protestants in other lands, not excepting Britain, the land of our fathers. Many, even there, were forced to seal their Christian testimony with their blood. Scott, upon that period, says, "No computation can reach the number of those who have since the Reformation been put to death for their maintaining of the profession of the gospel, in opposition to the church of Rome. A million of poor Waldenses perished in France. Nine hundred thousand orthodox Christians were slain, in less than thirty years after the institution of the order of the Jesuits. The duke of Alva boasted of his having put to death thirty-six thousand in the Netherlands, by the hands of the common executioner, in the space of a few years. The Inquisition destroyed by various tortures one hundred and fifty thousand, in thirty years." Thus the dragon in his mighty rage at his loss in the Reformation, persecuted the woman, as had been predicted in our text. The flight of the church (in verse 14) followed. The true followers of Christ had, a thousand years before, been; depressed to a state, called a wilderness. at the rise of popery; as predicted in verse 6 of the context. The true sense of the second flight (that in our text) expositors have failed of giving, on account of the duration which seemed to be ascribed to it, which is 1260 years. This was the length of time ascribed to the first flight, verse 6. That first wilderness state was to be 1260 years from the time of the manifestation of the papal beast, to the battle of the great day, when Antichrist should go into perdition; and. to the second flight the same length of time seems to be ascribed, which has led writers on the subject to conceive that the two accounts (one in verse 6 and one in verse 14) must allude to the same event. But this confounds the chronology and the events of the chapter. The difficulty which has led to so great an error, can easily be removed. The account of the duration of the second flight (that in our text) must be elliptically expressed. It is as though the writer had said, the church thus flew to her new retreat, for the 1260 years; meaning for the remaining part of that well-known period. That this is the sense, is evident from the necessity of the case. For this flight, be it what it may, is within several centuries of the close of the noted 1260 years; and hence the sense must be, for the remaining part of that period! And we find language similar to this, relative to the 1260 years, both in the Old and New
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What then was this second flight? To aid in furnishing an answer, let the following suppositions be made. Suppose a new continent had been lately discovered, when those Protestants were thus persecuted; a continent in a part of the world distant from the face of the old papal Roman earth; a vast continent, embracing all the climes,
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* "A new thing," long after the rise of both the secular Roman beast, and of popery, had been shown to Daniel, viz., the rise of a system of infidelity, in the last days. The question was asked, "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" i. e. How long is it from the rise of this infidel influence, to the battle of that great day of God? And the reply is, "for a time, times and an half," which is the 1260 years, which had before (chap vii. 25) been ascribed to the duration of the papal horn; and is afterward, for the same reason, ascribed to the duration of the depression of the witnesses, Rev. xi. 3, and to the same event, as a wilderness state of the church, Rev. xii. 6. It could not therefore mean that this infidel system, after it should arise in the last days (many centuries after the rise of popery), should remain 1260 years; but only to the close of that term. The end of the wonders should come at the end of the 1260 years. This fully answered the design of the interrogator, "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" We have the same elliptical use of the same period, and for the same reason, in Rev. xiii. 5. The secular Roman beast, there given, is noted as continuing 1260 years. But this could not have been designed as the whole duration of that beast: for he had risen before the Christian era. See Dan. vii. 7. Its whole continuance, then, is about 2000 years; and yet here 1260 is the time ascribed to it. The meaning necessarily is (as when the same thing is noted in Daniel, in the above passage), he continues to the close of the 1260 years. This mode of speech we may suppose to have been common in Israel. They had their jubilee, recurring after every lapse of forty-nine years, or on each fiftieth year, as their year of release. When then an Israelite at any period of the forty-nine years fell into bondage; the question would arise, how long has he lost his liberty? The answer would be, the forty-nine years; meaning, to the close of that known period from the present time. None would understand that reply as meaning that such a man has the whole of that period now to serve; but only the remaining part of it, be it more or less. Such is the sense of the length of the flight in our text.
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fertilities of soil, beautiful varieties, and natural conveniences, desirable for the habitation of the greatest and most happy people on earth. Suppose it to have been put into the minds of the best of the Protestants, under their cruel persecutions, to flee over a vast ocean, to form their settlement in this new world, in order to find a peaceful asylum for the rights of conscience, and the rights of man. Suppose them entering on the flight, and by the signal protection of Heaven, safely reaching that far distant continent. Suppose God there protects them, increases them, and causes them to become a great and renowned nation, established in the enjoyment of the rights of conscience and of civil liberty, and on a political eminence which overlooks the old world, and causes the thrones of tyrants there to tremble. Suppose their descendants soon to multiply into a great nation, to become the envy of all other nations, and to bid fair to be the great means of the conversion and bliss of the world. Suppose the church of Christ there to flourish far beyond all other churches on earth, and to form there a seat for the commencement of the special showers of the Spirit of grace in the last days, and to seem to be clearly destined to give a new and correct model to the whole militant church of Christ. Let these things be supposed; and then let the question be asked, What and whither is the second flight of the woman in the Revelation? Would you not immediately point to this new region of the church, and say, thither was her flight, and there is her gracious lodgment, assigned by propitious Heaven? This is all reality, as the American church can testify. The thing was transacted by our pilgrim fathers. As this exposition of the text is wholly new, and as it gives an interpretation of great interest to the church on earth, if correct; I shall here adduce my arguments in favor of the correctness of it.
1. The time of the flight of our pilgrim fathers to this continent accords with the flight in our text. The latter
was after the dragon saw that he was cast out from his papal height of impositions by the light of the Reformation
in the 16th century; and after his subsequent persecutions of the church of Christ. And this was the very time of
the flight of our pilgrim fathers to this western continent.
2. The occasion of the flight of our pilgrim fathers hither, most fully accords with the occasion of the flight
in our text. About the commencement of the seventeenth century, numbers of devout Protestants in Britain, being
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deeply pained with the relics of popery, which they found to be still held in the established English church, entered into covenant with each other that they would take the liberty to regulate their faith and religion only by the word of God. Several large churches thus united under their own pious pastors. But this liberty taken, so offended the established English church, that a spirit of persecution soon rose upon these Dissenters with fury, which did not content itself with cruel mockings merely, but it proceeded to cruel prosecutions and imprisonments. Some of these pious people were now forced to flee, and leave their families and means of living; and new scenes of persecutions commenced. It would be affecting, and much to my purpose, to give here a full history of the trials, emigrations, and perplexities of the Puritans in Britain, which led the way to the flight of this people to America; but this would exceed my proposed limits. I will content myself then, just to notice, in the old well-known track, their removal to Holland, and thence over the Atlantic.
The trials and vexations of these our fathers, before they left their native land and continent, were such, as were kindly designed of God to lead them to "cease from man," and trust in him alone. They were especially calculated and designed to lead the Puritans to the knowledge of the civil and religious rights of man. Of this rich benefit they would have failed, had their various entreaties for some degree of lenity been listened to by their oppressors; -- even as Luther (the great reformer) would have failed of accomplishing the designs of Heaven in the Reformation, had the pope listened to his proposals for accommodation. But, as in the case of Luther, the Most High designed to make thorough work in reformation, and hence permitted not the pope to comply with Luther's conciliatory proposals; so, in the case of the Puritans, whom God was preparing for a flight to America; he designed effectually to shake them off from all papal superstition, and to bring them to a new and distant retreat; that a cradle might here be formed for the knowledge and enjoyment of the rights of conscience, and of civil liberty. Such was the cruel conduct of the persecutors of these Puritans, that they were driven to determine on fleeing their country. After much prayer and consultation, they resolved to escape to Holland. But the English government forbade their departure, and barred the vessels of their harbors against them. They however found means to get on board
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a vessel for Holland; but the captain betrayed them. And, after being robbed of their clothing, and their females being insulted, they were forced back, and some of them were imprisoned. Such horrid barbarities increased instead of diminishing their numbers. They were again attempting to enter on board a ship for Holland; when a British armed force was seen rushing upon them. The captain of the vessel, with some on board, slipped away, as the wind was favorable, and was gone. Some husbands had got on board without their wives and children, as the latter were up a creek at a little distance. All on shore fell into the hands of this armed force, who brandished their swords over the heads of this defenceless band with savage voices. This furious armed band led off these helpless captives, hurrying them from place to place, and delivering them from one officer to another, till their fury was allayed.
But these persecuted Puritans found means to flee from their cruel country: and they arrived in Holland. In Leyden they found floods of vice, and soon learned that this was not their home, that they must seek another region. After twelve years' residence there; they mutually conceived a strong desire to seek a home in a remote part of the world; and, with much prayer and mutual counsel, they resolved to brave the Atlantic, and to fly to the new continent, then lately discovered in the west. Says a noted writer, "They became satisfied that they had as real an indication of the Divine will, that they should thus do, as had Abraham that he should leave his Chaldean territory, for the land of promise."
3. The character of this band of the worshippers of God who fled to America, was such as fully to accord with the
sublime figure in our text. They may be said to have been selected of God from the mass of even the Protestant
multitudes, to people a new world, and to commence what was divinely determined here to be done; even as a husbandman
selects and cleanses his best wheat, to seed a new and peculiar field. They were most barbarously slandered; but
were the very best of people. The evidence of this is full, and is given in a periodical publication in the following
description of our pilgrim fathers: "They were the most remarkable body of men the world ever knew. For many years
they were the theme of unmeasurable invective and derision. They were exposed to the utmost licentiousness of the
press and of the stage, at a time when the press and the stage were licentious. The public would
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not take them under their protection, but they were abandoned without reserve to satirists and dramatists. The Puritans were men whose minds had derived a peculiar character from their contemplation of eternal things. Not content with acknowledging in general terms an overruling Providence; they ascribed every event to the will of that Being for whose power nothing is too vast, and for whose inspection nothing is too minute. To know, serve, and enjoy him, was with them the great end of existence. The ceremonious homage which too many substitute for the pure worship of the heart, they rejected. Instead of being content with occasional glimpses of God; they aspired to gaze fully on his brightness, and to commune with him as it were face to face. The difference between the greatest and the least of mankind, seemed with them to vanish. They despised all the dignitaries of this world. If they were unacquainted with many works of philosophers; they were deep read in the oracles of God. If their names were not found in the registers of heralds; they believed them to be recorded in the book of life. If their steps were not accompanied with splendid trains of servants; legions of ministering angels had charge of them. Their palace was a house not made with hands. Their diadems were crowns of glory. On the rich, on nobles, and on priests (so called) they looked down with pity; while they deemed themselves to be richer in more precious treasures; eloquent in a language more exalted; nobles by the right of grace; and priests by the imposition of mightier hands. The meanest intelligent was in their view a being to whose destiny a trembling importance belonged; and on whose slightest actions the spirits of light and darkness looked with anxious interest. Events which short-sighted mortals ascribe to earthly causes, had in their view been ordained from above. The same Puritan seemed to be made up of two different sorts of men; the one all self-abasement, penitence, gratitude, and love; the other inflexible, sagacious. The one could prostrate himself in the dust before God; the other feared not to set his foot on the neck of a tyrant. In devout retirements the Puritan prayed with groans and tears, and seemed to hear the lyre of angels, and the tempting whispers of fiends. But when the same Puritan took his seat in council, or girded on his armor for war, -- how changed! People who knew nothing of these godly men, but their plain visages, might laugh. But they had little reason to laugh when
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encountering them in the hall of debate, or on the field of battle. These fanatics, -- falsely so called, -- brought to their civil and military affairs a coolness of judgment, and an immutability of purpose, which some people thought inconsistent with religion, but which in fact were the fruit of it. The intensity of their piety made them tranquil to every thing else. This their ruling sentiment had subjected to itself hatred, ambition, and worldly fear. With them, death had lost its terrors, and pleasure its charms. They had indeed their smiles and their tears, but not for things earthly!" Such were our pilgrim fathers, who fled from dire oppression for righteousness' sake, across the Atlantic, and peopled New-England. No people on earth, if the Jews be excepted, ever had equal reason, with us, to venerate and to rejoice in the character of their ancestors. Happy are those of their descendants who possess the mantle of their evangelical spirit!
4. The trials of our pilgrim fathers, even after those which have been noted as occasioning their flight to those wilds of America, were such as well to accord with the figure in our text, of their flight being into a wilderness! They set forth for their distant retreat. But they must be made to feel, at the outset, that they were indeed entering on trials; such trials as we can perceive were well denoted by the figure of a wilderness state. Though their coming hither has proved to have been of such vast importance to the church, and to the world; yet almost every thing seemed to withstand the event. One of their vessels, soon after their voyage was commenced, sprang aleak; and they must return from sea, to refit. In a second attempt of the voyage, they must be driven back from sea by a tempest. They put to sea a third time; and another tempest seemed to dispute their passage; insomuch, that they began devoutly to fear that Heaven was against them; and that they must relinquish their enterprise. But God meant not so. He designed to try them indeed, and to a degree which should bear some proportion to the importance of the occasion and of the state on which they were entering. But Heaven would see to it that this flight of such deep interest to the church in the last days, should not fail! God would bear this select band of the woman's seed to the place of their distant retreat, on the eagles' wings of his special providence and grace, though it were over a dangerous ocean. They should safely reach the place of their destination; and the rock of Plymouth
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should receive them from the watery element. They were brought to this place without their own design; having agreed
with the captain to land them at the mouth of the Hudson (New-York). God led them by a right way; yet no thanks to
the treacherous captain." There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall
stand." The band of pious Pilgrims must first people New-England. And God had here prepared the way for them, having
by a plague the year before cut off nine-tenths of the natives; while at the mouth of the Hudson the natives were
very numerous and powerful, and might soon have destroyed the feeble band of the Pilgrims.
The destination of this people of God was indeed to a wilderness. Grant that the term is found in a figurative passage,
and means a wilderness of trials: nothing is abated from the beauty of the figure from the fact, that near the front
of their mystical wilderness must stand a literal one; and such an one as the world besides could not furnish, -- a
wilderness of nine thousand miles in length, and filled with savage beasts and savage men; -- and this feeble band
thrown into it just at the setting in of winter! On this literal wilderness they must enter, and convert it into a
habitation for themselves and their descendants. Vastly greater and more terrific was this their literal wilderness,
than was that of the church in her first flight, -- the wild alpine valleys of the Waldenses and Albigenses. The
terrors of this literal wilderness of America, uniting with the other trials , dangers, deaths and privations, which
our fathers here experienced, most strikingly exhibit to us the fitness and the strength of the figure, that this
flight of the woman should be to a wilderness. The early history of this band of' God's worshippers further illustrates
the strength of the figure. * Read their trials from the natives; their
* To see something of these trials of the woman, recollect the following items. The first company of the Pilgrims was
101: and in less than four months, 46 of them were no more. The Pilgrims early purchased land of the natives, and
made friendly arrangements with them, which continued for fifty years, with the exception of one short war with the
Pequots in Connecticut, which closed in 1637: but in 1675, a tremendous war, called Philip's war, commenced. This
noted chief (living in Rhode Island) foresaw the extinction of the natives of the land unless a blow could be struck
to prevent it, by the extermination of the new inhabitants. To accomplish this, he laid a deep plan, and combined in
union all the Indian tribes in this part of the continent, to make a united attack upon the settlements of our fathers:
and with such vast secrecy was this plan laid and kept, that the
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early wars with them; their subsequent wars with the French and Indians from Canada; and the revolutionary struggles with the mother country: and from these afflictions, the figure received further illustrations. And what further illustrations may be given to this figure, in trials still awaiting the American church, from infidelity, licentiousness, and from local national interests and jealousies, -- the prevalence of Romanism, the deep system of the infidelity of the last days, and the wars of Satan against "the
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infant colonies learned nothing of it till the tempest began to burst upon them. It opened upon the Plymouth and Massachusetts colonies, and soon after it burst upon the New Hampshire settlements, upon the banks of the Piscataqua river; where men, women and children were cut in pieces, houses burnt, flocks destroyed, and many people dragged off into the wilderness by savage bands. After three years of much horror, the noted Philip was slain, and a peace was obtained, which continued ten years.
Philip was a son of Massasoit, the noble Indian chief, who was a great friend to the Pilgrims. The latter gave his youngest son the name of Philip, who after his father's death became a great warrior and enemy to the English. The last and great battle with him was fought Dec. 19, 1695. His head-quarters were in a swamp, in the middle of which were several acres of high land, where were many Indian families and their provisions. A battle of three hours was here fought, in which 700 Indian warriors fell dead, and 300 more died of their wounds, and their chiefs were slain: 600 wigwams were burnt, with many of their aged, their women, and their children. The loss of the Pilgrims was considerable. Philip escaped; but was the next July shot through the heart, and his tribe became extinct, as did many other tribes in those regions. In this war our fathers lost about 600 men of the flower of their strength; 12 towns and 600 dwelling-houses were destroyed. In 1688, the French and Indians combined in a war of eleven years which occasioned vast horrors. In 1703, another war of ten years commenced with redoubled fury. After this a peace of nine years ensued. Another bloody struggle of three years commenced, called Lovell's war; who, at the head of a band of volunteers, flung himself into the head-quarters of the warlike Pickwackets; and though he and most of his heroes fell, the scene filled the Indians with terror; and a peace ensued. Thus out of fifty years, twenty-seven were consumed in bloody contests. In 1737, a throat-distemper commenced, which continued long, and was vastly fatal. In Kingston, N. II., 40 were attacked, and not one of them survived. One town buried 113; another 100; another 127; another 88; another 99; another 122; another 210; and another 104. In 1744, commenced a war between England and France, which brought the French and Indians from Canada, against our infant settlements, for sixteen years, called the old French war. In this, the sufferings of our frontier settlements were great and perplexing; none could safely labor in their fields. The trembling mother, when committing her children to rest, felt a torture of soul, lest before the next morning both she and they might be slain or burnt alive. In 1760, peace was restored: but the horrors of the war of our Revolution soon after occurred. These are a few hints of the wilderness state of our pilgrim fathers.
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remnant of the woman's seed here that keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ;" -- time and events will decide. It would not be strange, should they see yet trying days before the Millennium. Most interesting was this flight to America among the events of the last days, and towards the conversion of the world; wonderful in relation to the rights of conscience, to civil liberty, and to the introduction of the Millennium! "So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west," says Isaiah, in predicting the commencement of the Millennium. It then follows, "and his glory from the rising of the sun." A church in the west then, was to be planted to commence the Millennium; from which church light should roll back to the most distant east; and to the various extremities of the world. We may hence be assured, that whatever calamities may befall our national government (in which but too little concerning God is maintained), the remnant of the woman's seed here who keep the commands of God, God will keep as the apple of his eye.
5. It is believed no valid objection can be made against this view of the flight in our text. Should a latent murmur be heard that this is doing too much honor to the church in America; and should it be asked, Is this the only people of God on earth? Reply; -- The view given of the figure does not say thus. But it does indeed honor this new and modern germ of the church of Christ, as being blessed with the signal display of divine grace and protection, as being destined to meliorate, essentially, the state of Zion on earth; to form here a nucleus or a renovating point, for the conversion of the world. It shows that the pilgrim fathers were brought hither to form a cradle for the liberty of conscience and the rights of man; to be as a beacon on a mountain which overlooks the world, and shall catch the eyes of distant realms, and teach them lessons never before known. A branch of the church so signal may well be denominated the woman (the church), -- at least by that well-known use of speech, the synecdoche, which elegantly puts a part for the whole. And when such a part is in fact a peculiar embodying of the original essence of the whole, after the other parts had become vastly degenerated, and this new branch is going to give a new complexion to the whole; it may well be honored with the name of the whole. And such has been the destination of the
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church planted in this western world. Already has it shed a benign influence over the churches of Christ in the old continent not excepting the church in Britain.
6. So signal an event as this, might most surely be expected to be found in prophecy. A great object of prophecy is to give an antecedent view of events in and contiguous to the church, in which she has a deep interest: that she may be prepared to meet them; or at least may see in them the faithfulness of God, and the truth of his word, when the events are fulfilled. For these objects, the outline of the most interesting events from the commencement to the close of the Christian era, was antecedently furnished in the figurative language of the Revelation. And could so vast an event as that under consideration be overlooked in the details of events in this book? and this too, when things far less interesting are found in this predicted line of events? It is incredible. The celebrated President Edwards was confident that the church in America must have a place among the prophecies. And we have in one of his volumes a labor of seven pages, to find something in the prophecies clearly alluding to it. But he and all others, strangely failed of fixing their eye upon our text.as a striking prediction of it. This twelfth of the Revelation, which sketches the course of the most interesting events for the part of the Christian era antecedent to the Millennium, is the part of this book where the prediction of this event might be expected. And it is found in the very part of this chapter where it might have been expected; -- an event following and occasioned by the persecution which followed the Reformation in the 16th century. Place your eye then, -- as I attempted to do, -- at the place and time when the Puritans were driven to extremities by the persecutions of Jesuits, and other enemies of the pure evangelical truth; and see to what region the body of the best of that people did in fact flee from the face of the papal dragon to some far distant realm. You will find no other event so well answering to the figure as this; and none that has even the least degree of claim to it compared with this. And this great event then occuring does most fully accord with the prediction in our text.
7. Let us listen to some remarks of celebrated writers relative to this flight of our pilgrim fathers to America; and learn how fully the event did in their opinion accord with this figure, while yet they had no idea of our text as
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alluding to it. Says Mr. Owen, -- "Multitudes of pious peaceable Protestants were driven by severities to leave their native country, and seek a refuge for their lives and their liberties in the worship of God in the wilderness in the ends of the earth." Says Dr. Mather, -- "They were driven to seek a place for the exercise of the Protestant religion according to the light of their consciences, in the deserts of America. The church of the exiles were driven out into the horrible wilderness, merely for being well-wishers to the Reformation." He adds, "they were now to transplant themselves into a horrible wilderness." "Our Lord Jesus Christ carried some thousands of reformers into the retirements of the American desert, that he might give a specimen of good things to which he would have his people elsewhere aspire and rise. This is at last the spot of the earth which the Lord of heaven spied out, for the seat of such transactions as require to be noted in history. Here it was," he adds, "that our Lord intended a resting-place for the reformed church." This great man speaking of the miseries of the exiles while they had been under the English hierarchy, says, "The mountain of ice lying then upon them was now broken by the opening of a retreat into a wilderness." Thus wrote that great observer of divine Providence, Dr. Mather, upon this flight of our fathers. He adds, "198 ships were employed in their passing the perils of the seas in the accomplishment of this renowned settlement; and but one miscarried." An early writer in New-England says, "The charter obtained by the Pilgrims here, soon after their arrival, seems to say to the pious in old lands, "Desert your seats; flee your country!" And concerning the many who did thus, he says, "Gentlemen of ancient and most honorable families, ministers of the gospel, merchants, artificers, and husbandmen, to the amount of some thousands, for twelve years, carried on the transplantation." "And it was a banishment," he adds, "rather than a removal." To men of education, and of property, it was afflictive. Their hazard was of an extraordinary nature. And nothing less than a strange and strong impression from Heaven could have produced such movements. God seemed to have served a summons upon the spirits of these his people in England, stirring up thousands who had never seen each other with a most unanimous inclination to leave all the pleasant accommodations of their native land, and to pass a terrible ocean, into a more
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terrible desert, for the pure enjoyment of divine ordinances. *
8. Let the language of the Pilgrims themselves be heard in testimony. Stating the reasons of their flight to America they say, "It will be a service to the church, of great consequence, to carry the gospel into those parts of the world, and raise a bulwark against the kingdom of Antichrist, which the Jesuits labor to raise up in all parts of the world. All other churches in Europe have been brought under desolation. And it may be feared, that the like judgment is coming upon us. And who knows but God has provided America to be a refuge for many whom he means to save from the general destruction? The whole earth is the Lord's garden, given to be tilled and improved. Why, then, should we stand starving here? Why should we suffer whole regions to lie waste! What can be a nobler work than to erect and support a reformed church? If any known to be godly who are rich and prosperous should unite with this reformed church at the hazard that must attend, the example would be of vast benefit, and would add vigor to faith and prayer in behalf of the new and remote plantation." Thus ample is the evidence, that this flight of the pilgrim fathers fulfilled the prediction in our text.
This transportation is noted in the text as being on "two wings of a great eagle." God said to Israel relative to their flight from Egypt to Canaan; "I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." Exod. xix. 4. This
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* In Dwight's Travels, we have the following, in his remarks on Plymouth and the Pilgrims: "When I call to mind the history of their sufferings on both sides of the Atlantic; when I remember their preeminent patience; their unspotted piety; their immovable fortitude; their undaunted resolution; their love to each other; their justice and humanity to the savages; and their freedom from nil those stains which elsewhere have spotted the character even of companions in affliction; I cannot but view those illustrious brothers an claiming the veneration of all their posterity. The institutions, civil, literary and religious, by which New England is distinguished, here began. Here the manner of holding lands in free soccage, now universal in this country, commenced. Here the right of suffrage wan imparted to every citizen, not disqualified by poverty and vice. Here was formed the first establishment of the local legislature, called town-hirelings, and of the peculiar town executive, styled selectmen. Here the first parochial school was set up, and the system for communicating to every child in the community the knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic. Here was the first building, in our country, erected for the public worship of God. The first religious assembly of New England was here gathered; and the first minister called and settled by the voice of the church and congregation On these simple foundations has since been erected our structure of good: order, peace, liberty, knowledge, morals and religion."
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proverbial speech might arise from the fact, that eagles are said to bear their young on their wings just before they are able themselves to fly. And hence arose the promise, Isa. xl. 31; "They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles!" *
As there is a beauty and strength in the figure of God's bearing Israel on wings of eagles, in their transit from Egypt to Canaan; there is no less beauty in the application of it to our pilgrim fathers. And their being planted in this land may be viewed as having a special interest in the following sublime passage, alluding primarily to Israel as planted in Canaan; but ultimately to us in our pilgrim fathers: "Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt; thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it; thou preparedst room before it; and didst cause it to take deep root and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it; and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedar. She sent out her boughs unto the sea; and her branches unto the rivers." The pious in our States may read this passage with the same interest as did ancient Israel. It may be viewed as having been no less really fulfilled in our case (as to the peopling of this new world), than in theirs. Such is the evidence that our first settlement of New England was in fulfilment of that second flight of the woman in the Revelation.
Great then, is our debt of gratitude to God which should be most deeply felt by the descendants of the Pilgrims. Such rich blessings call loudly for equal improvement and
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* If it be true, as is attempted to be shown in my "View of the Hebrews," that the address of the prophet Isaiah (chap. xviii.) is to the good people of our United States, -- "Ho, land shadowing with wings," &c., -- this prophecy may reflect light on the "two wings of a great eagle," in our text. The appellation of "land shadowing with wings," may allude to the figure of our continent; or to the protecting form of our government, or both. The figure of North and South America is like the two wings of a great eagle; as the map of them will show. And the form of our government, as well as our distance from the tyrannies of old lands, may well suggest the two wings of a great eagle, as our most fit national emblem, or coat-of-arms. The following sentiment has been expressed upon the floor of Congress, as well as felt in the civilized world; "Our government was the first successful effort among men to establish rational liberty. Our fathers instituted, upon the broad principles of equity, the system of equal representation; trial by jury; freedom of speech; freedom of the press; and religious toleration. And, to this hour, the system stands a proud example to the world, unsurpassed, unequalled. As ours was the first, so it may be the last hope of civil liberty. No other considerable place remains on the globe where a second effort can be made under like auspices." -- (Committee of Congress.)
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praise. What other people on earth are under so great obligations to God? Surely then, they ought to attempt by prayer, alms, and all their talents and influence, great things in behalf of the kingdom of the Redeemer. Great things are to be accomplished for the conversion of the world. And great should be the zeal, piety, faithfulness and perseverance of the seed of the woman here, to have a most exalted agency in the great work of salvation at this momentous period. The people of God here, -- being exalted to heaven in privileges, -- should, in heart, tongue and life, utter this song, sung in our context upon the Reformation; "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the glory of his Christ." If this song befitted the Protestants three hundred years ago; it as well befits the present children of the Pilgrims borne hither as on the wings of a great eagle, by divine grace. The church in our nation is indeed as a city set on a hill; -- a standard high upon a mountain that overlooks the world. It is a light to shine to the ends of the earth. May its rays fall propitious not only upon the remote heathen world, but upon the remnant of the natives of our continent; and upon the ignorant and wretched among ourselves! May it thus prove a fact, that we are destined to hold a high rank among the means of converting the world. Let this be our motto, "Arise, and build; and the Lord be with thee." May our agency bear as conspicuous a part in the introduction of the Millennium, as our origin (in the text) has done among the wonder of the last days. May it occasion a speedy and universal emancipation of slaves; and thus blot out this disgrace of our nation, and of humanity.
L E C T U R E XVI.
REVELATION XII.
Ver. 15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
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When the dragon saw that the woman was thus safely conveyed to her new and distant retreat, he with new rage commenced furious efforts of opposition. He clearly perceived that the influence of her civil and religious institutions would not only till her own vast region, but also would endanger his kingdom of popery and despotism in old lands, and even his dominion of the vast pagan world. Something the devil now saw must be done to prevent this; or all was lost. There was now therefore produced in his infernal courts that masterpiece of infidelity first known to the world under the name of Illuminism. This was an improvement made upon the code of the Jesuits, which had been the vast annoyance of the Protestant cause, till the Jesuits were banished from the courts of Europe, as a murderous band. This new system of boasted philosophy was conceived and brought into operation by Voltaire, the noted infidel philosopher of France, who combined in this impious design a group of infidel philosophers, and a number of crowned heads in Europe. His first and sworn object was the destruction of the Christian religion. His scheme, after it was conceived and brought into operation, was improved and brought to a kind of perfection by the celebrated Wheishaupt of Germany, as a system of light. And it was propagated and carried into effect in those despotic countries under the cover of speculative masonry. This new system was by far the most subtle, deep, and efficient of any which ever was devised among men; and it was propagated over the world by floods of secret agents, called propagandists (propagators) who were furnished with ample funds for their purpose. Their dependence was on poisoning the sentiments of mankind; obtaining the management of the means of education, of governments, and of armies, to promote their designs. They managed the revolution in France in 1789, and their numerous armies took the field. A military empire soon arose, and floods of terror poured forth with a velocity which seemed like a flood indeed from the mouth of the infernal dragon. It was designed and calculated to revolutionize the world, overturning all true religion and morality, and all virtuous civil government. Its professed object was to render the human race happy, by freeing them from all restraints upon their lusts and passions. But the real object of this horrid scheme was cautiously concealed from their candidates, and men in the lower orders of their system; and it was gradually revealed to candidates for the higher degrees,
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as it was found they could endure it without alarm. This execrable scheme of Voltaire, under the express design of showing that "one man could overturn the Christian religion," took effect in old Catholic countries like fire touched to a trail of powder. Their noted watchwords were, "Crush the wretch!" -- meaning Christ; "Strike deep, but hide the hand!" "The world must be bound by invisible hands!" The development of this system is to be found in the "Proofs of a Conspiracy," by Dr. John Robison, Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Edinburgh; in the Abbe Barruel's "Memoirs of the French Revolution;" and in Dr. Payson's "Modern Antichrist." These horrid floods Satan found means to roll over Christendom. Lodges of illuminees were planted throughout the civilized world; grasping and polluting the means of education, and laboring by sly intrigue to fill with men of their own order all places of trust and of interest. In these movements of the dragon, the United States of America were by no means overlooked. So fair a seat of Zion was the first object of Satan, though his plot commenced in old lands. This is learned in our text and context, where the woman in her distant retreat is represented as the great object of Satan's rage. This scheme was formed in the hotbed of papal corruption; or in the infidelity resulting from it. The flood must there be first collected, and thence poured forth over Europe, and over the Atlantic. As masonry had been its successful cover in old lands; it was still depended on as its successful vehicle through the world. This system of wickedness s]yly planted itself by the side of speculative masonry, with a view to lead its members, through degrees before unknown, under the notion of finding exalted wisdom. Masons of high repute saw and deplored the fact, that their order was capable of such a horrid use; and they sounded the alarm and fled from it, as we find in the aforenamed European authors. Lodges of illuminees were early planted in our States, as has appeared from ample evidence, though they were cautious to conceal the name. President Dwight, in 1798, wrote thus: "Illuminism exists in our country. And the impious mockery of the sacrament described by Robison has been acted here." He again says, speaking of the rise of this order; "Under these circumstances were founded the societies of Illuminism. They of course spread with a rapidity which nothing but fact could have induced any sober mind to believe.
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Before the year 1786, they were established in great numbers through Germany, Sweden, Prussia, Poland, Austria, Holland, France, Switzerland, Italy, England Scotland, and America." In all these places (adds Dr. Dwight) was taught the grand sweeping principle of corruption, "that the goodness of the end sanctifies the means." This writer said he received his information from a principal officer of the American masons. A letter was intercepted from a lodge of Illuminism in Virginia, to a lodge of the same order in New-York, in which were emblems of carnage and death, and things unknown to the grades of masonry which had previously existed in this country. This letter was from the lodge Wisdom, which was a branch of the Grand Orient of Paris, and was the 2260th descendant from that parent stock. This great number then of lodges of their order, must have been planted at least in the twelve afore-noted different nations. And in this letter it appeared that there were many lodges of this order in our United States. A mason of high standing at the south, in a letter to President Dwight, dated March 3d, 1800, says, "The lodge in Portsmouth, to which you allude, called the French lodge, was considered by me as under the modern term of masonry" (Illuminism). In another letter to the same, he says, "That you had good grounds to suspect the designs of the lodge at Portsmouth (Vir.) I have no reason to doubt. Their work was to effect the plans of France in this country." A member of that lodge was heard to boast that he belonged to a lodge in Europe in which the French revolution of 1789 was planned. A gentleman of the first respectability, who had been grand master of all the lodges in the State in which he lived, informed me, upon reading my Dissertation on the Prophecies, that while he was thus a grand master, a bundle of papers from the eastern continent came by a natural mistake into his hands. That in it were masonic emblems, masonic language, and things apparently of great design, but all perfectly above his comprehension. This was before he had heard of Illuminism. He knew not what to make of it; and said, when Illuminism was disclosed by Robison and Barruel, he was fully prepared to believe the account. And his influence with his masonic brethren in the State where he lived was so great, that when they began to express resentment at the disclosures of these things, he hushed them to peace, -- telling them the disclosures were true, and they ought to know
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it. In a printed oration delivered before the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New-York, Feb. 1801, by their grand chaplain, Rev. John Earnst, is the following warning: "The deep designs of masons, called the Illuminati, who have almost inundated Europe, and are fast gaining ground in America, have clearly demonstrated the abuse which untiled masonic lodges have met with, and how they, when not guarded, can be revolutionized and moulded at pleasure." Happy, had such warning been taken! A man of name, who with his wife was a professor of religion, informed me that their son had occasion to reside some years in one of the middle States, and he returned a gross infidel. He told them he had learned this in a society there instituted from France; and assured them that such societies abounded in our nation, and soon a gospel minister would not be supported. If any of them existed, they would be objects of scorn. The Christian religion (he said) was all an imposition, and soon would be no more. Gertanner, in his Memoirs of the French Revolution, said, that the propagators of the French masonry were (in 1791) fifty thousand; and that their funds were at that time, six millions of dollars. These men were sent over the civilized world, and liberally dispersed in America. It was a maxim in their code, that "it is better to defer fifty years, than to fail of success by too much precipitancy." Such notices should not be misimproved by the friends of religion and of liberty. Robespierre declared that revolutionary designs were the object of the diplomatic mission of Genet to this country. His haste and imprudence to effect these designs, soon, by the faithfulness of Washington, occasioned his recall. He however took up his residence in this country, and no doubt learned that greater caution was needful in this nation. In an intercepted letter of the noted French Fauchet, this object of French Illuminism in our land was fully exposed. The insurrection in the west of Pennsylvania was occasioned by it; to suppress which, required an army of 15,000 men, and a million of dollars, -- precious fruits of the infidel system planted in our country. Even Washington himself was denounced by this hateful foreign influence, and was declared to be an enemy to his country! That best of men noticing this base treatment, in a letter to a friend, said, that their abuse of him was in "such indecent terms as could scarcely be applied to a Nero, or to a notorious defaulter." In another letter to a friend, he said, "They
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(the French) have been deceived in their calculations on the powerful support from their party here; though it is doubtful still, whether that party, which has been a curse to this country, may not be able to continue their delusions." He said again, in a letter, "That those self-created societies which have spread themselves over this nation, have been laboring incessantly to sow the seeds of distrust, jealousy, and discontent, -- hoping thereby to effect some revolution in our government, -- is not unknown to you. That they have been the fomenters of the western insurrection, admits no doubt." When this father of his country retired from the presidential chair, he was most shamefully denounced and insulted by this same hateful influence; and the friends of the nation were called upon to keep a jnbilee on the occasion. The language thus boldly used against this best of men and father of his country, was abusive, cruel, and false. No wonder then, that that great and good man, in his farewell address, warned his beloved nation as follows: "Beware of all secret combinations, under whatever plausible character."
Such were the floods which flowed from the mouth of the infernal serpent, and which rolled even over the Atlantic to America. On the old continent these floods were vaslly terrible, as is shown in lectures on chapter xvii., to which the reader is referred. The floods of horror there rolled mountains high, rolling in seas of blood and revolutions, rolling for a quarter of a century, and plunging ten millions of the human race, as has been calculated from high intelligence, * in premature death. The French armies which swelled these floods were vast, most successful, and terrible. Zion trembled for her ark, and said, "These be the days of vengeance!" An army of 400,000 men (as has been shown) were finally seen moving with the most powerful preparations, into the north of Europe, with a design to sweep away the last barriers against a universal military despotism. But this was overruled to bring things to a kind of crisis for the time then present in favor of Zion and of liberty.
Ver. 16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
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* President Dwight.
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The church's necessity is God's opportunity. When the floods of dangers seem about to overwhelm the cause of Zion, God interposes like the earth's opening her mouth, and burying every enemy; as in the case of Korah and his company. When they seemed about to destroy all the order and peace of Israel; the earth under their feet clave asunder; and they went down alive into the pit, which closed again upon them. This was an emblem of God's protection of his cause. And though but one exactly such a case ever occurred; yet multitudes of events have occurred in a measure similar; -- like the destruction of Haman, which set at liberty the Jews from the effects of his vile decree. God often causes some providential event to occur, to confound the enemies of Zion, and to protect his cause; as in the case of the Egyptians plunged in the Red Sea; while Israel moved in safety through the deep. In this point of light, our text assures that the church shall be safe. And though her enemies rise and roar like a flood; Christ sits on the whirlwind, and directs the storm. And heaven's high arches scorn the swelling ocean. The foe is confounded; and Christians rejoice. When creature help fails, God's arm brings salvation. So it has been from the beginning; and so it will be to the end of time. In this general sense, our text has had a thousand fulfilments. But it was designed for one, and only one, great chronological fulfilment; a great fulfilment in its order of events. For this we must inquire. The order of events, already noted in comments upon this chapter, shows us where to look for it. The great emperor of the age (it was generally said) exulted, that when several obstacles in the way of his universal empire were removed, "he would henceforth trample on all the rights of neutrality!" His army, the best appointed possible, of 400,000 men, was put in motion, himself at their head, to remove these remaining obstacles. He would first move into the north, and take up by the roots the empire of Russia. England then would easily fall. And America would of course lie prostrate at his feet. And the dragon imagined that this would accomplish the designs of the great infidel system.
But the rod of iron, formed for judgment on the Roman earth, was now overleaping the bounds of its providential commission: and his plans were lost. That vial of divine wrath on the seat of the papal beast, and filling it with darkness, was now going to draw towards its close. The army of the north was accordingly annihilated, and swallowed
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up as floods indeed; as was shown in particulars of the event in Lecture x., which see. The accomplishment of the judgment in our text may well remind us of that of Korah and his company, when the earth under their feet began to part asunder. And the language of our text. we may conceive, was borrowed from the catastrophe of those ancient enemies of Israel in the wilderness. It is, accordingly, predicted of the infidels of the last days, that they shall "perish in the gainsaying of Korah." Any thing that should providentially destroy those efforts of the kingdom of darkness, would amount to an accomplishment of our text. The figure alludes to all that actually did confound those efforts of the enemies of the church. The French army fled, and fell by the way, -- as has been shown. Their bodies were indeed literally mingled with the Russian earth, as though swallowed up in it. The horrors of that retreat exceed everything else found in history, if we except the destruction of Jerusalem. The emperor escaped; and with only one man accompanying him reached his capital. His vast army, by these terrors and the scenes at the river Berezina, were literally destroyed. New armies were raised by this emperor; and subsequent tremendous battles were fought; in which the French, from time to time, were vanquished, till the battle at Waterloo concluded the empire of Bonaparte. The swelling of the floods of the dragon on the Roman earth was here swallowed up. The confederation of the Rhine had been broken; and the remainder of its flood here sunk. A striking exposition thus appears given of the feet and toes of the great Roman image -- being "part of iron, and part of clay; partly strong, and partly broken;" and the parts not cleaving to each other. The long predicted coalition, like a whirlwind from the north, had prostrated that dynasty. See Dan. xi. 40. The earth opened her mouth, indeed! Earthly or national motives had induced this coalition of the powers of Europe to combine in self-defence for the swallowing up of these floods of the dragon. One strong pillar, on which hung the confident hopes of the infidels of the age, crumbled, and was lost. The beast from the bottomless pit, with this new wound in his head, now fell (for a time at least) into his characteristic non-existence. For he is "the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." Zion had been marked out for a prey. Her enemies had predicted her ruin; and appearances seemed to favor it. But a cloud by day, and a fire by night, moved between Israel and the Egyptians,
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while passing the sea. This cloud flung light upon the church, and darkness upon infidels. "The Lord thundered; the Highest gave his voice; hailstones and coals of fire. His lightning lightened the world; the earth trembled and shook." The abominations of that system of infidelity had been much unfolded, and its first and general efforts confounded. Its workmen were now forced to descend to deeper caverns, and to operate with greater caution. And to this they no doubt, betook themselves with great vigor. The friends of Zion rejoiced to find the snares of death thus far broken, and a sudden and wonderful reverse of things blessing the church, and the world. This lit up a smile on faces long petrified with horror. The sun of general peace broke through the cloud, smiled on the nations hid long from its rays. And many fondly hoped the sun of the millennial kingdom had risen. Here their fond hopes were clearly premature. But wonders of salvation had indeed been wrought.
Ver. 17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Satan is ever ready when one of his plans fail, to renew it, or invent another. When the power of the persecuting Jews failed; he instigated the pagan Roman persecutions. When paganism in the Roman empire ceased, and the government became Christian; the devil got up first his Arian heresy, and then his papal throne. By the formation here of an image to the pagan beast, in the false religion of popery under the Christian name; Satan more than restored his beloved paganism. And when he was ejected from his papal heaven by the Reformation; he soon brought forward his code of the Jesuits, and hence raised his new persecutions, as has been noted. When the woman fled as on her eagles' wings; Satan brought forward his system of Illumimsm, as has been shown. With this, he was going if possible to destroy the cause of Christ from the earth. And when these floods are thus far swallowed up; may we not believe new and mighty efforts will be made? What then, is the sense of this warning in the text? The flight of the woman, to a distant retreat from the face of the dragon on the papal earth, had much enraged him: and this rage is heightened by the failing of his floods thus far. Whither
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now does Satan betake himself, to make war with the remnant of the woman's seed? Does not the text give intimation? He now goes away from the old Roman earth, probably to the place to which the woman fled. And is not this a most natural event? -- Is it not the church here of which he is the most jealous? Why should he not then, next go where she is? Three marks are given in the text of the character of the people, with whom he goes to make this new war. "The remnant of the woman's seed." This is the pious part of the descendants of the woman in the region whither she fled. A part of them are hostile to Christ; but a remnant are indeed his friends. "Who keep the commands of God." They maintain a signal degree of evangelical purity, and holy obedience. No other brunch of the Christian church is equal in this to the pious remnant of the seed of the woman in our United States. "And have the testimony of Jesus Christ." In some special way, this remnant of the woman's seed have the tokens of the presence, gracious power and approbation of Christ. And is not this a fact with the remnant of the descendants of the Pilgrims here, who are indeed pious? Does the testimony of Christ equally attend any other part of the Christian world? This is the part of Zion, selected of God for the showers of his grace. Christ here peculiarly seems to say, "Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow forth." This is noticed by the Christian world; and inquiries have been publicly made across the Atlantic, why it is thus. And this fact not only identifies the American church with the seed of the woman in our text, but it affords an additional reason why Satan should now turn his first attention to this region, as the principal field of his operations. Between twenty and thirty years ago I was led to view this text as of deep interest to this nation; that Satan would ere-long excite new troubles here. This sentiment I gave then to the public; and it is now manifestly fulfilling.
But what mode of warfare would Satan be likely here to instigate? It is manifest, from what has been said, that his economy long has been to labor to repair broken systems; and under some new or specious pretence, to render them more efficient than ever. His old systems then, of popery, of French infidelity, and of gross licentiousness, he may be expected to labor to bring here into more effectual operation. It is at a time not far from the present, that we read of the three unclean spirits like frogs, coming from the
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mouth of the dragon, of the beast, and the false prophet; spirits of devils, working wonders, and going forth unto the kingdoms of the earth, and of all the world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty! Rev. xvi. 13, 14. These denote three powerful kindred influences to pervade the world equally under the agency of Satan. That from the mouth of the dragon (the devil) means a general spirit of licentiousness, either in sentiment or practice, or both, -- any or all kinds of blasphemy and wickedness. That from the mouth of the beast, is the scheme of infidelity first known as Illuminism; which is shown to be the beast from the bottomless pit full of the names of blasphemy; -- operating in dark and crooked schemes of government, or policy, in dark and mysterious caverns. This is to lead the van in the battle of the great day. See chap. xix. 19, and Dan. vii. 11. It will be found operating in the devil's war with the American church. And the spirit from the mouth of the false prophet, is a new effort of popery; falling in Europe, but attempting; great things in America. The church in our States has much to fear from these three kindred systems. Two or them are deep, and systematic; while that from the mouth. of the dragon, will affect vast classes of people who will! work in no deep system, but will be abandonedly wicked in their own way, -- licentious, Sabbath-breakers, profane, riotous, oppressive and cruel, intemperate, brawling, scoffers, and formers of mobs, proudly and maliciously torturing fellow-creatures. These three classes, the old serpent will manage in his war against the true people of God in our land. If they have no concert in view; their invisible manager has his object in view to be by them effected. And much is to be feared from them. * See lecture 28, on.
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* A fruit of the same spirits was the driving of the missionaries from their stations among the Cherokees, and Choctaws; immuring them in prison, in open violation of our national constitution; as was decided in the national court; holding them in prison a year; violating national treaties with those natives; robbing them and driving them from their own lands. For this, God will reckon with our nation. See 2 Sam. xxi.; where a three years' famine was sent upon the land of Israel for violating their treaty with the* Gibeonites, which yet was fraudulently obtained; but should have been kept. Repentance and restitution alone removed the national calamity. God will plead the cause of the oppressed, whatever be their state of civilization, ot their color, or should they be claimed as property. Christ has his eye upon' all the human family, and wo will be to those who dare to oppress beings made in the image of God, and for whom Christ died. He will recognize all abuse done to them as done to himself, and will show to revengeful oppressors that he has an arm of vengeance.
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chap. xvi. 13, 14, on these unclean spirits. They have been planted in our land. That from the mouth of the beast, was more than fifty years ago here planted; and not for amusement; but for great effects. It has been most active in dark recesses, from the time of its introduction into our States; which was before the year 1786. It was not formed for inactivity or amusement in Europe; nor is it so in America. In Europe their real designs were perfectly curtained from their candidates in the lower degrees of masonry. While they were amused with various things; they were as ignorant of the real designs of their higher orders as a child unborn. And when the designs of their leaders burst out in bloody operations; honest members of the lower degrees fled. One of them, in an address to his masonic brethren, said, "Brethren and companions, give free vent to your sorrow. The days of innocent equality are gone by. However holy our mysteries may have been, the lodges are now profaned. Let your tears flow: attired in your mourning robes attend; and let us seal up the gates of our temples; for the profane have found means to penetrate into them. They have converted them into retreats for their impiety; and into dens of conspirators. Within the sacred walls they have planned their horrid deeds, and the ruin of nations. Let us weep over their legions, whom they have seduced. Lodges that may serve as hiding- places for conspirators, must for ever remain shut to us, and to every good citizen." The celebrated Professor Robison of Edinburgh, who had been a first-rate mason, sounded the same alarm. He renounced the order; and advised all his brethren in the masonic world to do the same.
We are thus warned of dangers attending the seed of the woman, in these States. May the Christians of our land awake
to their dangers, and their duties. May the warning voice of heaven arrest their hearts; such as the following, --
"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about, seeking whom he may devour."
"The devil is come unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time." "Whom resist steadfastly
in the faith." "Resist the devil, and he shall flee from you." Christ says, of these very days, "Watch!" -- "Watch ye,
and pray always; that ye may be accounted worthy to escape those things which shall come to pass, and to stand before
the Son of man." "Come, my people, enter into thy chambers."
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"Seek the Lord, all ye meek of the earth. Seek righteousness; seek meekness; it may be ye may be hid in the day of
the Lord's anger." "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her
plagues."
L E C T U R E XVII.
REVELATION XIII.
Ver. 1. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten
horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the
mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered
after the beast.
4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like
unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue
forty and two months.
6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell
in heaven.
7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all
kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world.
9. If any man hath an ear, let him hear.
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10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the
sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Having attended, in several preceding lectures, to a description of the church, and of her grand adversary the devil, and to some outlines of events between them for nearly two thousand years; we now come in this thirteenth chapter to contemplate more particularly two great instruments of her annoyance, under the figure of two beasts -- the secular Roman beast, and the papal beast. The events of this chapter are synchronical with those of the chapter preceding, and comprise the period from the commencement of the Christian era, to near the Millennium. We have here first the secular Roman beast, which Daniel beheld rising out of the sea; and which is never to be confounded with the papal beast, which is in this chapter distinctly given. In the language of prophecy, a notable power hostile to the church is represented by some great ferocious beast. And the properties of that power are described by properties of that beast, natural or ideal. In Dan. vii. we have a number of such beasts. The Babylonish empire is denoted by a lion with eagle's wings; the Persian empire, by a bear with a piece of his prey in his mouth; the Grecian empire, by a leopard with four heads and four wings; and the Roman empire, by a nondescript fourth beast dreadful and terrible, with great iron teeth. The first part of this thirteenth chapter gives a further description of this fourth beast denoting the secular Roman empire. The beast in our text is the same with that given in Dan. vii. 7. In three different passages of Scripture, we find this secular Roman beast: in Dan. vii. 7, to end; in our text; and in Rev. xvii. In some other texts allusion is made to this beast. In each of these three principal passages, the secular beast is kept distinct from the papal power, which is likewise given: and we are never to blend them. The consideration of this will be important to a right understanding of these powers, -- the secular, and the papal.
A beast is a ruling power, and not a subordinate one. There can be but one such ruling power on the same ground at the same time; and hence we can have but one beast on the same ground at the same time. Subordinate powers are but horns of the beast of that region. The secular power on the ground of the Roman earth, from the
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time of the subversion of the power of Greece before the Christian era, till the battle of the great day, is given under the figure of a great and terrible beast, rising from the sea; meaning the contending state of the nations at the time of its rise; as in the text, and in Dan. vii. Though his rise had long been past when our text was written; and though the main object of the writer was to foretell events then future; yet as. those future events of this beast, or things to take place towards the close of his existence, must be known as the deeds of the Roman beast; -- so the account must revert to the origin of this beast, to show that he is (first and last) the same. This is a liberty repeatedly taken in prophecy, as has been shown. So in Rev. xvii., describing the last head of this beast, as a new beast from the bottomless pit; in order to show that this is the old Roman beast, his seven heads are given, though five of them were then past, when John had his vision. In our text additional appendages are given. Both in the text, and in Daniel, he has ten horns. Here he has also seven heads, to denote seven hills on which Rome was built; and also seven forms of government from the origin to the end of that power; viz. kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, military tribunes, emperors, and an atheistical republic. The sixth, the imperial, was in existence when John had his vision. This imperial form was to exist twice, and at two distinct and distant periods, as will be shown on Rev. xvii. The first reign of the imperial head was in existence when the Revelation was given. It was under this, that the Christian era commenced, that Christ was crucified, and that the ten pagan persecutions of the Christians took place. It was this imperial head that then received a wound under Constantine and died as a pagan beast, by the empire's becoming Christian; as is noted under the sixth seal, Rev. vi. 12 to end. This beast lay dead, in symbolic language, from that time for many centuries, and had only a mystical existence; "that was, and is not, and yet is," because he would rise again in the last days in his own hostile nature. The literal facts were, that paganism was overturned by Constantine in the fourth century; and Christianity was established in its place. But at a period far future of that revolution, and before the battle of the great day of God, a terrible power should rise on the Roman earth, similar to the ancient pagan beast. And in the language of prophecy, this should be noted as the old pagan beast recovered to life; or his head
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(anciently put to death by the sword) having its deadly wound healed, and living again, with the Roman world wondering after him. This healing was to be fulfilled by a mighty power rising on the Roman earth in the last days, of utter and avowed hostility to the cause of Christ. This took place in the breaking out of Illuminism under the cover of masonry in France, in 1789, and an antichristian power was there established. This will be more clearly shown in lecturing on Rev. xvii. -- the beast from the bottomless pit, which is but the healed head in our text, symbolized by a new beast from the world of darkness. It seems, from the various descriptions of that beast, or power, that something like that ancient wounding, and modern healing of that head of the beast, may be more than once verified; that it is a characteristic of this power which may be verified in different instances. This power, being part of iron, and part of clay, as in the feet and toes of Daniel's image, seems designed to convey the same idea. This beast may repeatedly appear partly strong and partly broken, before its final crushing under the wrath of Christ. Its being the beast thal was, and is not, and yet is, indicates the same thing. It seems sometimes out of existence, and sometimes in existence. A prime leader of the order said, Let the whole system go to ruin; I will engage to restore it in a short time, and that to a more perfect state than before! One thing of this beast is certain; he is spoken of as having an existence, either visible or invisible, till he goes into perdition, in the battle of that great day of God, -- the last vial; at which time he comes forth in his war with Christ, in awful hostility, and vast strength; as Rev. xix. 19, and Dan. vii. 11. The body of this beast is said, in our text, to be like a leopard, or like the Macedonian empire, led by Alexander the Great; his feet are like a bear, or like the Medo-Persian empire; his mouth like the mouth of a lion, or like the Babylonish empire; as though all the terrors of these ancient powers combined, should be found to centre in him. And the dragon (the devil) gives him his power, and seat (throne), and great authority. This preeminence is thus ascribed to the agency of the devil; as it is indeed the devil's most signal instrument of hostility to Christ. This same secular Roman empire we have seen to have been in most active and powerful hostility to Christ, in the origin, and in the first ages of Christianity, -- crucifying the Saviour, and persecuting his followers. And upon the healing of his deadly-wounded head in the last days, the
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world is said in our text to wonder after him. The tide of his influence is noted as thus extensive. The world (the Roman world) is here said to worship the dragon (the devil) who gives power unto the beast; and to worship the beast; -- most highly to admire this system, and to deem it invincible: "who is like unto the beast? or able to make war with him?" The worship in the text denotes overwhelming admiration. A mouth speaking great things and blasphemies is given him; and power to continue to the end of the noted 1260 years.
The passage of his "continuing forty and two months," has perplexed and misled commentators. They have been led to suppose that as this is the time allotted for the continuance of the papal power; so the power here described must be the papal power, and not the old secular Roman beast; and they have thus thrown the two powers into confusion, and rendered the subject inexplicable. Their mistake is, in taking for granted that this "forty and two months" gives the exact time from the rise of this beast to his fall: but this is not the sense. It is designed simply to give the time of his fall, which is at the end of the noted 1260 years. His rise was before the Christian era. This sense of the passage is decided in Dan. xii. 6. Daniel here having described the wilful power (the same with the healed head in our text) heard the question, how long it should be to the end of these wonders? -- meaning these calamities; -- the very question which would be of interest in the case. The Angel of the covenant answers with an oath, that it shall be "for a time, times, and an half;" or the 1260 years: as though he had said, the end of these wonders shall be at the end of the 1260 years. He had no occasion to give the whole time of the existence of this horrid system; but simply to tell the time of its end. This period -- the 1260 years -- had been before given as the length of the time of the saints being given into the hands of papal power; Dan. vii. 25. And the end of that noted time gives the period of the destruction of this secular beast. The phrase that he hath power to continue forty and two months, is thus elliptical; giving a part for the whole. This well accords with the language of prophecy. As to the blasphemy of this beast; should he at any one time assume the characteristic mark of direct and open blasphemy; it is sufficient to form this character, even if he should afterward from motives of policy learn greater caution and assume his nominal form of godliness; a thing
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long predicted that he would do. But his fixed character notwithstanding this is that he is a blasphemer; as Rev. xvii. 3; "full of names of blasphemy." It will be there shown, that this characteristic was by him most fully assumed. He is the beast of ten horns, as well as of seven heads; though his ten horns were not of continual existence. If at any one time they were found to exist; it gives him this permanent character: and so with his blasphemy. But the latter will be found to be abundantly manifest, under whatever adventitious form of godliness, or cloak of goodness. He is an infidel -- denying the Father and the Son.
Our text informs that this beast has power "to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. And power is given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." This was in a terrible sense true of this secular beast in the ten primitive pagan persecutions, before he received his deadly wound in his imperial head from Constantine. But the event in our text seems to be after that wound is in the last days healed. The predicted slaying of the witnesses, by the beast from the bottomless pit, may tell the secret of this clause in our text. The eventual popularity of this resuscitated beast in the last days is great. In addition to what has been noted of all the world wondering after him and worshipping him; and the dragon that governs him; exclaiming, "Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" -- it is added, "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him (or plead his cause) whose names are not written in the book of life." Our Lord upon the same period says, -- "If it were possible, they would deceive even the very elect." Then it is that God will search Jerusalem (his visible kingdom) with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees. When things shall have come to this pass; this power will soon go into perdition. To this our text alludes when it says, "He that leadeth into captivity, Shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword, shall be killed with the sword." As he thought to do; "so it shall here be done to him." Their judgment lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not; as in laa. xxvi. (of this very event) -- "For the fire of thine enemies shall devour them." "And the beast was taken and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame." The account closes -- "Here is the patience and the faith of the saints!" Or these their graces having been most deeply tried, shall
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find full relief; as did the patience and faith of the chosen tribes, when they found themselves safe on the eastern bank of the Red sea, and the Egyptians "sunk like lead in the mighty waters!" The papal beast follows, but must be deferred to the next lecture. Further particulars are given of this secular Roman beast in chap. xvii., where the new beast there, will be shown to be the same with the healed head which has been given.
This power on the Roman earth, it is believed has appeared and terrified the world in these last days, as has been shown of Illuminism breaking out in the revolution of France, in 1789. To the joy of this age of the world, it fell, after the most horrid scenes of a quarter of a century, into its characteristic nonexistence. But it will be found that it "yet is! "For the going of this power into perdition under the seventh trumpet, and seventh vial, is manifestly now future; and to prepare the way for this, it will again appear in vast strength and terror, under some new form or occasion. In this, the prophecies of this period do fully agree; as has appeared, and will in future lectures be more fully shown.
Behold the depravity of fallen man, that millions of the human race should be of such a character and conduct, as to be justly represented by a ferocious beast, governed by the devil, as has appeared! How fully is fallen man, though created in the image of God, now justly said to be of his father the devil; and the lusts of his father he will do! Sensual and base must be the heart of the millions thus represented! How utterly unfit for heaven! How wretched if admitted there! Marvel not, then, O fallen man, that you must be born again. This renewing act of grace you must receive, or eternally perish. Where now are the ancient Roman heroes, denoted by the nondescript beast which has been considered! Where are those blaspheming French atheists who brought again that beast from the bottomless pit! O infidels and sensualists! will you to idolize self and the body, forget and destroy the soul? Will you for time, forget eternity? Eternity will not forget you. Your eternal hell will not forget to receive you as its prey. Multitudes, in regions far from the old Roman earth, carry the mark of this beast; some in their foreheads, and some in their hands. And such, unless repentance prevent, will receive of his plagues; and must drink of the wine of the wrath of God. Happy it is that the prophetic Scriptures do furnish us with a clear admonitory
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view of the calamities and dangers through which the people of God must pass, from their present to their millennial
state. Such premonitions do most solemnly demand devout attention, study, and practical improvement, to meet their
events with due discernment and preparation. And most blessed is the fact, that the prophecies furnish the church
with a blessed Pisgah's top, whence to behold the Millennium, and also the glories of heaven. We will not fail to
ascend this height by faith! -- We will not idly sleep at the foot of this mount of God!
L E C T U R E XVIII.
REVELATION XIII.
Ver. 11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as
a dragon.
12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth, and them which dwell therein,
to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth, in the sight of men.
14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles, which he had power to do in the sight
of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the
wound by a sword, and did live.
15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and
cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand,
or in their foreheads:
17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had
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the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six.
A delineation is given in the preceding lecture, of the secular Roman power under the figure of a terrible beast. In our text, we have the papal apostasy denoted by "another beast," the description of which the papal hierarchy perfectly fulfils. This second, or papal beast, is the same with the "other little horn," in Dan. vii. 8; having eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. It is also the same with the woman, "the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth," mounted on the secular beast, Rev. xvii. 3-6. In these three collateral passages, we have the same secular power, and the same papal power, in contiguity to each other. In the first, the papal power is a horn of the secular power: in the second, it is another beast: in the third, it is a woman of horrid fame, on the back of the secular beast, going to execution, as will be shown in chap xvii. These three inspired representations give great facility to their exposition.
While the secular beast lay dead of his wound, received from Constantine, in the revolution in the Roman empire from paganism to Christianity, in the fourth century (and thus "was, and is not, and yet is"); the papal beast arose on the same ground. This beast arose not from the "sea" (the revolutionary state of the secular world), as did the secular Roman beast (Dan. vii. 3, Rev. xiii. 1); but from the "earth;" the earthly and carnal policy of the church and pontiff of Rome. This beast had two horns, like a lamb; but he spake like a dragon; or was a dragon in sheep's clothing. He goaded and tormented the true witnesses of Christ with his two systems of tyranny, -- ecclesiastical and civil; and was himself a prime instrument of the wicked one, under the highest professions of Christianity. This second beast grew, till it came (it is said)
"to exercise all the power of the first beast before him:" -- became as that was a perfect persecutor of the church of Christ. The establishments in the church in Christian Rome by Constantine, operated as a source of corruption to the bishops of Rome. To obtain and to enlarge these honorable and lucrative establishments, became a prime object of ambition and intrigue. Two things operated to
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throw power into the hands of the Romish pontiffs; first, the factious citizens of Rome often found it convenient, in their contentions, to apply to the ambitious bishop of that city, to decide their disputes; which thing the aspiring pontiffs did not fail of improving to their own aggrandizement: secondly, the idea had been conceived, and after long struggles confirmed, that the commission of Christ, given to his gospel ministers, had instituted different grades of men in this office; or had given the official right to some to rule; while the same commission gave to others to be ruled. Long had the faithful witnesses of Christ piously struggled against this innovating corruption. Jerome and many others contended for the well-known fact, that those who had come to be called bishops, were never in early times viewed to be of an officially superior order, but only as first among equals in office, and received all their supremacy only from the customs of the day: and not from any superior commission from Christ. We find in authentic church history, that the early bishops had no superior power allowed in the church to enact any thing but in union with both the common pastors, and the brethren of the churches. But the long pontifical exertions to be received as being of an order officially superior, prevailed; and they assumed a power to act independently of the common pastors and brethren. And these lordly pontiffs soon came to exercise influence in proportion to the city in which they dwelt! The bishop of Rome, hence, soon found himself able to rise from one degree of ambitious power to another, till the emperor Phocas declared bishop Boniface III to be universal bishop of the Christian church; and himself to be judged by no man. And this pretensions and influence of this bishop rose still higher and higher, till the full-grown man of sin became manifest; and the saints were given into his hands for 1260 years. The long wilderness state of the true church under the blasphemous papal horn here commenced, Dan. vii. 8, 11; also the papal harlot, Rev. xvii. 1-5. And here, at a period which will receive further attention, arose the second beast in our text. This spiritual beast was to reign over the kings of the earth (chap. xvii. 18); while the secular Roman beast lay dead. Prophetic imagery cannot admit of but one beast on the same ground at the same time. A beast is the great ruling empire; and two such powers cannot at the same time exist.
This papal beast was "diverse" from all other powers,
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Dan. vii. 24; or, he was ecclesiastical. The secular Roman beast was said to be "diverse" from other beasts that had gone before, verse 7. But the papal beast was still "diverse" from this, as professing to be a spiritual power. For many centuries this papal beast did govern with a mighty sway, and reigned indeed over the kings of the papal earth. These kings formed one of his horns; and his armies of priests the other. The pope assumed power to crown kings, and to strike off their crowns at his pleasure, as is well known in history. Says bishop Newton, "The pope was the head of the state, as well as of the church." A bishop, of the council of Lateran, styled the pope "the prince of the world." A Catholic orator called him "king of kings, and monarch of the world." A prelate said of him that "he had all power, above all power, both of heaven and earth." Pope Innocent boasted that the church was his spouse who brought him her dowry of absolute power, in temporals and in spirituals: -- that she brought him his mitre as priest, and his crown as king; and she constituted him vicar to him who is King of kings, and Lord of lords! This was the papal power, which was claimed and acknowledged for many centuries. It was then the highest power on earth for the time; and was a beast indeed. "Mystery, Babylon the Great!" The views given of popery, in the collateral passages, militate nothing against this. It was a horn of the secular beast, in Dan. vii., as it rose on the same ground with the secular beast, and remains in existence after the secular beast recovers his life. But this does not hint that it was not itself a beast, part of the time, on the same ground, while the secular beast lay dead. And in our text and context, we find it did thus become a beast; and facts from history testify the same. The view given of the papal harlot, in Rev. xvii., as borne on the back of the secular beast, does not interfere with our view given. For this her position on his back is after he recovers his life in the last days, or ascends from the bottomless pit, -- takes the ground as a reigning power; and popery becomes a merely subordinate being, -- a false prophet, -- a harlot on the way to execution.
This second (the papal) beast is said to exercise all the power of the first beast, or of pagan Rome; meaning before the revolution from paganism. This implies what has been stated, that the pagan beast had for the time ceased to exist. "The first beast before him," says the text. The pagan beast was before him; but was not now in real.
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existence. The papal beast exercised all the power of the first, by occasioning as much annoyance to the true people of God as did the pagan beast. He caused the people ol the papal earth to worship the pagan beast, by making them submit to a system of false religion of his own invention, no better than the religion of the antecedent pagan empire noted by the beast in the first part of this chapter. And the papal power thus makes an image to the pagan beast, and enforces the worship of it upon all men upon pain of death. This explains his causing all men to worship the beast. They do it by worshipping his image in the hands of popery. This image of old paganism must mean that in popery which resembles paganism. But this is the body of the papal religion; that mummery of delusion, which is nothing better than paganism under the Christian name. It is striking, indeed, that this should be called an image to the first beast. Ordinances of religion of human invention are nothing but an image of pagan mythology. If it nearly resembles the Christian religion, it is so much the worse, as being more dangerous. Counterfeits well executed are counterfeits still, and are more dangerous than those badly executed. The whole mass of popery is but an image of paganism, as our text and the whole genius of the Bible decide. One essential feature of old Roman paganism was, paying adoration to great characters who are dead, and applying to them as demigods, or mediators between them and their highest god; and venerating them in images. And a complete image of this idolatry was established in popery. Deceased saints were there constituted their intercessors with God. And worship directed by the fancied mediation of such saints, was there "established by law." (Scott.) And "the worship of images was there established by the second council of Nice." (Faber.) In pagan Rome the names of these demigods were selected from great civil or military characters. In papal Rome, they were selected from the apostles, or eminent Christians. The virgin Mary is with them a most worshipful demigod. Her image with that of Christ and favorite saints, must be before them for remembrance and veneration. These, and a hurdle of rites of human invention, constitute the false religion of popery, -- the papal image made to the pagan beast. To accommodate which, and to sanction the blasphemous supremacy of the pope, the Bible itself is by them altered and made to read according to their impious and abominable system. Giving life to this
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image, -- making it to speak, and to cause that all who would not worship it should be put to death, -- is a
striking representation of the real management of popery. This was aided by false miracles, dogmas, and gross
impositions. By a bloody usurpation, and abuse of power, all who could not submit to this impious mummery of papal
religion, should be excommunicated and delivered over to the civil sword. The popes managed the civil powers, and
especially the German empire (which was designed for this very purpose), as a mere puppet in their own hands, to
enforce their laws, and to execute their bloody bulls and thunderbolts. This beast is noted in the text as making
fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men, and deceiving them that dwell on the earth. This alludes to the
papal system of false miracles. Let one instance of these serve to illustrate this portion of our text; -- an
instance given from good authority. A Catholic priest had found on a tree the nest of a very loquacious bird. He now
formed a design to work a papal miracle, to strengthen their system. He placed under this nest a bomb of powder, with
a trail; which he induced some arch accomplice to manage. He then notified a religious meeting to be holden in the
shade of that tree. In the midst of their religious exercises the bird being disturbed became clamorous, as he well
knew would be the case. After bearing with her noise for a time, he affected to be out of patience, that she should
thus disturb their devotions; and he prayed that the fire of heaven might destroy her. His accomplice now slily fired
the trail of powder, which caused the bomb under the nest to explode. And here was a notable miracle to vindicate
the papal religion. And multitudes of miracles equally divine confirmed their deluded millions in papal superstition.
The papal beast called to his aid also the fire of persecution, to afflict the true witnesses of Christ. And thousands
almost beyond number, he caused to seal their testimony with their blood.
In verses 12, 14, it is said of the secular beast (to which the papal beast made an image) "whose deadly wound was
healed;" "which had the wound by the sword, and did live;" which passages have led some incautiously to imagine that
the secular beast alluded to is here represented as actually alive, in the time of the papal beast; and that hence
the papal power must be himself this beast raised to life. But the text says no such thing. And the figure in the
text can admit of no such thing, as has been
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shown. Two beasts cannot exist at the same time in the same place. The text no more says the secular beast was already alive from this deadly wound in his head, while the papal beast lived, than it says he was thus alive while John was writing the passages. The two passages are simple references to the figure of the first beast presented to the eye of John. In this, it is found that the secular beast, at some time between his rise and his final ruin, dies by a wound in the head, and yet afterward lives again; this deadly wound being healed. And now, in describing this beast, as distinct from the papal beast and all others, this part of the description is taken, as being singularly prominent among his features; but not to decide any thing as to the time, when the healing of his head takes place; whether in the days of papal predominance; or in the revolution in France, in 1789. It could not take place in the former, and yet popery be a beast. But it could in the latter, and thus destroy the papal beast, and take his place as a supreme power; as was the fact. The making of an image by the papal beast to the first, -- the pagan, -- implies that the pagan beast was not himself on the ground, but lay dead. In verse 14, the papal miracles are said to take place, "in sight of the beast," probably meaning the pagan beast. This also at first view seems to indicate that the pagan beast was then alive. But for the reasons which have been stated, this cannot have been the fact. John beheld in vision the two beasts standing in his view together. Of course what was done by the papal, was done (as it might seem to him) in sight of the pagan. But this was not designed to teach that the two beasts were actually to exist on earth at the same time. It has been shown that such could not have been the case. The miracles being "in sight of the beast," means also that when this image was made, the old pagan beast was in clear historic sight, and therefore the papal beast must make an image to it; as it follows the words, "saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast," -- the pagan beast. This is given as explanatory of his working miracles in the sight of the beast: hence says Pool, "in sight of the beast, i. e., to his honor and to gain him reputation." If this were not the real design in the mind of the pope, but to gain his own reputation; yet it operated as a gaining of reputation to paganism, as it is itself no better than paganism. The fact was, paganism in the revolution under Constantine died.
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Popery afterward rose, and reigned long over the kings of the Roman earth. It supported a system of false religion,
by false miracles, and by persecution, no better in reality than paganism. This it did in the full sight of the
history of the abominations and cruelties of the antecedent paganism; and it continued thus to do, till the pope
lost his supremacy in the revolution occasioned by the bursting into power of the system of the Voltaire infidelity
in 1789.
The papal beast in our text causes his subjects to receive a mark in their foreheads, or in their hands, which was
essential to their title to civil or social rights. In various passages this fact is noted. (See Rev. xiv. 9-11,
and xv. 2, and xx. 4.) This mark is expressed in allusion to an ancient custom of masters affixing a mark at their
pleasure on their servants in their forehead, or hand, or where they pleased. The papal beast placed no such literal
mark on his subjects, but did what is well thus denoted. The mark in the text was such as follows -- the sign of the
cross must be received -- all devotions were performed in Latin, a language unknown to most of the common people.
They must be kept in ignorance of their Bibles; being taught that "ignorance is the mother of devotion." In the
Catholic church, every thing used to be performed in Latin, -- mass, prayers, hymns, litanies, canons, decretals,
papal bulls, results of councils, reading the Bible (by the few who could read) and preaching; all formerly must be
done in a language unknown to common people. Yet all the people must attend, and hear this trumpery of hypocrisy
and ignorance. All were watched; and if any allowed themselves to neglect these papal duties they were denied the
privilege of citizens, and were persecuted as heretics. We learn here thus far what was the mark of the beast in
those former ages. In subsequent ages, it might vary according to times and circumstances. These things, with all
the abominations of popery, the true witnesses refused, and hence were persecuted. Among the marks of the beast, we
have his number, and that of his name; which number is 666. This, as the number of his name, is thus explained. The
letters, which in Greek (the language in which the New Testament was written) form the name Lateinos, the founder of
Rome (real or fictitious) make 666; and thus assure us that Rome is the seat of the papal beast. And the letters
which form the name of Rome in Hebrew (in which the Old Testament was written) make 666. We have here a double divine
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attestation that the seat of this second beast is Rome. These letters, used numerically (a well known custom of
expressing numbers), give this number thus.
GREEK NAME.
L 30
A 1
T 300
E 5
I 10
N 50
O 70
S 200
----
666
HEBREW NAME.
R 200
U 6
M 40
I 10
I 10
T 400
---
666
The people, then, who glory in the distinctive names and features of this religion, belong to the beast in our text.
When the Jesuits arose with a powerful code of regulations for the support of the sinking papacy, their distinctive
marks, whatever they were, were the marks of the beast. And when the illuminees in after days arose to propagate
infidelity, their peculiar marks of distinction were marks of the beast. If the same diabolical system is now in
operation (as no doubt it is in latent caverns, having been strongly planted in twelve different nations at least)
its distinguishing marks whether open, or covert, are the mark of the beast, papal, or infidel. We find both the
number of the beast, and the number of his name. The latter has been given. The former possibly means as follows.
We have, in different prophecies, several express numbers given; first the 1260 years repeatedly given as the number
of the years of the depression of the church under the tyranny of the papal beast, and extending to the battle of the
great day. In Dan. xii. we have two express additional numbers, -- 30, and 45, -- relative to the close of the latter
of which Daniel says, "Blessed is he that waiteth and Cometh;" meaning no doubt that this gives the sunrise of the
Millennium. But to what purpose are these express numbers given, unless a fourth number be somewhere furnished to
inform of the commencement of the noted 1260 years? for men would never agree when these should commence. But if such
a fourth number be given, it might be expected to attend the description of the papal beast, whose rise commences
the 1260 years. And here such a number is in fact found, and is called the number of the beast, as well as the number
of his name. It is then
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as though God should kindly say to man, so gradual was the rise of the papal beast, that you short-sighted man can
never tell when to date his rise, and to commence your noted 1260 years. Take then, the commencement of A.D. 666,
as the number of the papal beast, and the time of his driving the church into the wilderness, which commences the
1260 years; and add to these sums the 30 and 45, in Dan. xii., and you have the beginning of 2001 as the sunrise of
the millennial day, to which time blessed is he that waiteth and cometh!" -- 666 -- 1260 -- 30 -- 45 -- 2001. And
this is the period in which the best writers have agreed as the commencement of the Millennium, the beginning of 2001,
or close of 2000; finding 2000 years before Abraham; 2000 from him to Christ; and 2000 from his day to his millennial
kingdom. And with this accords the analogy of the natural week, -- six days for labor, and the seventh for rest; one
day here being as a thousand years.
Behold the exhibition made of human depravity by the papal see! a beast of abomination! Blessed be God for the sure
denunciation, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen." May the knowledge and improvement of the event soon bless the world.
And may our religion never be a mere image of paganism; nor a mere image of true religion; but may it be the reality
-- the life of true religion in the soul, to the glory of God, and our own eternal salvation.
L E C T U R E XIX.
REVELATION XIV.
The outlines of the great leading events of the first fifteen centuries of the Christian era, have been given in
the two preceding chapters. In this chapter, events are given which arose early in the sixteenth century; -- the
Reformation; and various events following; till the chapter closes in the battle of the great day, as the harvest,
and the vintage.
Ver. 1. And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount
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Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
We have here a notable appearance of Christ in his church the true Mount Zion, which had long seemed to a distressing degree forsaken of God. The power of popery had long appeared to maintain an impious triumph; and had seemed continually to repeat the blasphemous taunt, "God hath forsaken him; persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him." Long had the man of sin remained in his zenith of impious glory; and had deemed his seat and fortress as fixed among the stars, and for ever secure. But the time of a new era of events for the mother of harlots -- to compel her to a retrograde motion -- had arrived. A climax of fatal judgments was now to open upon this diabolical system, which should close in her being hurled into the burning lake. The events of this chapter were to be synchronical with those of the seven vials, in the two succeeding chapters.
The sixteenth century commenced with vast and portentous events, as will be shown in the lecture on the first vial. Our text assures of a new sealing time, after the dark and horrid papal ages. The mount Zion here, is the true church of Christ. And the hundred and forty and four thousand (a certain number, probably, for an uncertain) were the Protestants of that day. Twelve hundred years before, God's grace had caused a sealing time to bless the Christian empire, as chap. vii. A long and dreary period from that time had lain with dreadful weight on Christ's two witnesses. But scenes of grace at last awoke on Zion. A faithful God will not fail to keep her as the apple of his eye. Martin Luther now appeared, and other powerful coadjutors, by Heaven prepared, to be champions of grace. These, and especially Luther, God girded with his might; and he shielded them as with a wall of fire. These bold reformers drew the horrid veil which long had hid from common view the seas of papal filth and abomination. This caused millions to flee from that sink of pollution, to the firm ground of the Protestant establishment. The name of God inscribed upon the foreheads of the company who now appeared with Christ, alludes to the bold profession and manifest pure religion of those who now renounced the papal see.
Ver. 2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice
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of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps.
3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
We have here the increasing numbers of the Protestants of that period; their evangelical songs of praise; and their utter disconnexion with the idolatries of popery. The kingdoms of England, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, almost half the princes of Germany; large parts of France, of Switzerland, and other realms, relinquished utterly their allegiance to the hierarchy -- the papal monster, -- and engaged to support the pure religion of the gospel. And the voices of their swelling numbers arose from a likeness to the sound of great waters, to that of mighty thunderings! And with sacred instruments as well as with vocal music, they adored the God of salvation in the new song of redeeming love, which none but the new-born could understand. Their freedom which they now enjoyed from the idolatries of popery, is noted under the figure of virgin purity. Inspiration here testifies of these reformed multitudes, "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." The doctrines of the Reformation, and the religious order and rites then maintained by the Protestants, are well known. And they are thus approved of God; -- "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." And what follows confirms the approbation; they are said to be "the first-fruits unto God, and to the Lamb: and in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God." This testimony, borne in relation to the church fifteen hundred years after Christ, is very consoling relative to the known doctrines and order of the Protestants of the sixteenth century. They were the first-fruits to God and the Lamb, as the first ripe fruits offered in Israel of old were an earnest of the harvest at the close of the year. Those Protestant!
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were but an earnest and a miniature of the state of the whole church on earth in the Millennium. But they were only comparatively faultless before the throne of God; not fully thus. For "there is not a just man on earth that doeth good and sinneth not." Inspiration assures us that they who say they have no sin, lie and speak not the truth. But they were by divine grace comparatively pure; and they were justified by grace. "Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not sin." "Thou art pure, my love; there is no spot in thee!" Or, I will behold none to mark it against thee. "Israel was holiness unto the Lord." We have thus a commanding view of the Reformation; -- an event so interesting that we might expect to find it noted in the prophecies of this book. No other event can lay any claim to be viewed as a fulfilment of these first five verses in this chapter. The Reformation has a perfect claim to be thus viewed, both from its chronology, and from its accordance with the figures in these verses. The event is the same with that hinted in chap. xii. 7-12; -- the casting of the dragon from heaven.
Ver. 6. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water.
"Another angel!" as though it were not the first; but it was the first in this series of events. Three angels were to fly in succession; and this was the first of the three. The Greeks in such a case would call each of the three, alias angelos, another angel. But in English, the first in such a case would be rendered an angel. And this is all that is here meant; or the first of several angels. And we here have a sublime figure, importing that a missionary spirit should, at the period in the text or some time after the Reformation, arise - in the church denoted here by the heaven; or a general exertion should commence to spread the gospel over the world.
To illustrate this passage, I will here insert a dissertation voluntary, which I wrote early in 1795, before the
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formation of any missionary or Bible society in Britain or America had reached my ears. This I read before my association, various of the members of which are still living. It was as follows. "Are we not to expect that there will be a wonderful propagation of the gospel through the nations of the earth before the great and notable day of the Lord, which shall aid the opening of the way for the Millennium? In favor of the affirmative, I adduce the following;
1. Rev. xiv. 6, 7 -- "And I saw another angel, &c." (quoting our text). * This has by some been applied to Martin Luther, at the Reformation. But did he preach the gospel so extensively on earth, as is thought shall be the case in this figure? He did not. And he had no occasion to introduce his messages of grace with the appeal to the volume of nature, which is found in the text, and which is most appropriate to missions among the heathen: as though the missionary should say, I am come to teach you the knowledge and worship of God who made yonder heavens, this earth, the sea, and the fountains of water. This introduction indicates missions to the heathen world. And the imagery of the text gives it an extent not realized in the Reformation; an angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, to every nation and kindred, and tongue, and people. And besides, the events of the Reformation were given in the commencement of this chapter, in the appearing of Christ on his mount Zion, and instituting a new sealing time; and not in this sixth and seventh verses. And the thing predicted in our text is found in other prophecies.
2. We find the same in Isa. xi. 11, 12; which stands connected with the destruction of Antichrist, by the rod out of the stem of Jesse; and the introduction of the Millennium. "And it shall come to pass, in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Gush, and from Elam, and from the isles of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth." These things
______
* This text had then never, to my knowledge, been applied to such an event as the present spirit of missions.
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have never yet been fulfilled; and their fulfilment implies such an event as is predicted in our text; and in his setting up "an ensign to the nations."
3. The same is found in Isa. xxvii. 13. "And it shall come to pass at that day that the great trumpet shall be blown; and they shall come that are ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts of the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount of Jerusalem." The connexion and language of this passage show it to convey the following sentiment; that, nearly connected with the day of the perdition of Antichrist, given in this chapter, the gospel (called the great trumpet, in allusion to the trumpet of jubilee, and other joyful trumpets blown in ancient Israel) shall be proclaimed through the nations as it never was before; and a remnant of God's chosen seed who had been perishing in paganism over the earth, shall be brought into the circle and blessedness of the gospel church, that they may be hid in the day of the Lord's anger then about to open upon the world.
4. In Dan. xii. 1-4 is the same. Michael (Christ) stands up to plead for his people: and a mystical resurrection takes place, of both good and bad characters. Many now appear in the Christian world in the spirit of former and most eminent saints; and many in the spirit of former and most hateful enemies of God. And the following event opens; -- "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." This is said to be "at the time of the end." or near the end of the reign of sin. Here is the event and at the very period of our text; "The hour of his judgment is come! "
5. In Isa. xl. 3, is the same. Near the return of the Jews, when they are to be comforted, as having received double from the Lord's hands for all their sin; it is said, "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." This passage, John the Baptist applied to himself; which is so far from destroying my argument from it, that it gives it an emphasis. It was fulfilled in him, only as the effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost fulfilled the prediction of the outpouring of the Spirit in the last days, in Joel ii. 28, to which Peter applied it, Acts ii. 16. That promise in Joel stands connected with the restoration of the Jews, and the battle of the great day of God, in the last days, as we find Joel iii. 1; "For, behold, in those days, and at that time, when I
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shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations," &c., the battle of the great day follows. From this we learn that the effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost was only an incipient fulfilment, or kind of type of that event predicted in JoeI. In like manner, this text in Isaiah xl. 2, received only a primary or typical fulfilment in the ministry of John the Baptist. Its ultimate fulfilment is to be in a general missionary effort of the last days in the wilderness of pagan lands; an event introductory to the restoration of the Jews, and the Millennium, when (as it there follows) "the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." John came in the wilderness of Judea to introduce the coming of Christ in the flesh: and the voice of missions in our text is to cry in the last days in pagan lands, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert of pagan lands the highway of Christ in his millennial kingdom.
6. In Mai. iv. 5, is the same. The battle of the great day of God, and the Millennium, are given in this chapter. Then as a thing introductory to these events we read, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and notable day of the Lord." This too (as was the antecedent text) was applied to John the Baptist,-as preaching in the wilderness of Judea; but only as a type of its fulfilment. Its connexion with the introduction of the Millennium -- as in the antecedent verses -- will show the truth of this. Our Lord says; "This was Elias who was to come." John when interrogated whether he was Elias, said "I am not." He was typically, but not ultimately. Elijah was sent to confound the idolaters in Israel in the days of Ahab. And the missionary angel of the last days going forth in the spirit and power of Elijah, will confound idolaters in pagan lands in the last days.
7. In Joel ii. 1, we have the same thing. "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land (earth) tremble for the day of the Lord, for it is nigh at hand." This also stands nearly connected with the restoration of the Jews, and the battle of the great day; as chap. iii. will show. We have here, then, the command of God in his church to blow the trumpet of his gospel through the world, just before the battle of that great day of God.
8. Our Saviour predicted the same, when he said, Mark xiii. 14, "The gospel must first be published among all
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nations." And, Matt. xxiv. 14, "The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (The dissertation here shows, from 2 Thess. second chapter, and Rev. xvi. 15, that the coming of Christ, with which these two predictions are connected, clearly includes his coming in the destruction of Antichrist; and it then proceeds:)
"Just before the destruction of Antichrist then, the gospel must be preached in all the earth for a witness to the world; and then shall the end come, -- the end of the wicked ages, -- or of the man of sin. The chosen of God will thus be gathered in; and others left fully without excuse. God's priests blowing their trumpets must thus surround the Jericho walls in pagan lands, that those pagan walls may fall, and the people of God possess their millennial Canaan. Such means are analogous with the dispensations of God. Christ, to take the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, informs us (Psalm ii. 8, 9), that he will "break them with his rod of iron; and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." But will he do this, without giving them clear and full warning? How did God do in the case of the old world? in the case of Sodom, and in the case of Nineveh? We there learn the kind economy of Heaven in those judgments recorded. And when we read of the battle of that great day of God Almighty, in which it is said, "The slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;" and of the few that are left it is said, "It shall be as the shaking of an olive-tree, here and there one upon the outmost fruitful branches, -- they shall lift up their voices and sing for the majesty of the Lord;" all this is thought to imply, that the gospel will then recently have been preached among them; and its sacred fires lit up in every land; as does the following upon the same period -- "From the uttermost parts have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. Then to the people of God in all nations, just before the battle of that great day, will the following directions apply: "Seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth -- seek righteousness, seek meekness. It may be ye may be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." "Watch ye and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things which shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man." "For as a snare shall it come on all that dwell on the face of the whole earth."
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"Come, my people, enter into thy chambers, shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."
The dissertation then closed as follows: "Now, if such a propagation of the gospel be clearly predicted; surely the blessed event ought to be known, and its accomplishment to be made a matter of fervent prayer, by all the friends of God."
After the reading of the voluntary; remarks were as usual called for by the moderator; which were given to the following effect. "The subject sir, is to me new; I never conceived of such a thing: I know nothing about it." Little did I then conceive that it would be my lot to find the event so near; and that I should behold such missionary operations as have now for many years been passing before the eyes of men. The great meeting in London called the second Pentecost, and which originated their Foreign Missionary Society, was held within half a year from the time of my dissertation above given: and missionary wonders have since blessed the world. The angel of missions in our text has not yet reached the bounds of his destination. "Every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," have not yet heard the joyful sound. But the event has long been happily underway; and it has spread far in pagan lands. The heavenly fire is taking effect, and it is spreading its sacred blaze in the four quarters of the earth.
Behold the sublimity of the figure in our text. An angel appears high in the region of the air. He flies in a course to go round the world. To fallen man with a loud voice he proclaims the glorious gospel. And such is his voice, that it may be distinctly heard on the surface of the whole earth over which he moves. With majestic motion he is wafted onward on mighty wings; and nothing earthly can impede his course. With equal ease he moves over earth and ocean. Mountains, seas, lakes, huge dreary wastes, and deserts: all that obstructs weak man, to him is nothing. He speeds his flight, till all men hear, or might hear; and learn the wonders of redeeming love. Here man on earth is blessed with a new era; with new profusions of a Saviour's grace. Behold, lost man, the wonderful effects. Recount them O ye saints, with grateful souls! The wild
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Hottentot hears, listens, and leaps from his beastly degradation. He receives the Christian heart, and sits clothed in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus. The murderous Sandwich Islander hears; and he burns his idols, and outstrips the Christian. He sanctifies the Sabbath; renounces intemperance and sensuality; and is ready for every greater sacrifice. Savage Americans hear; and their bloody ferocity dies; while civilization and holy love elevate their souls. Who the great Spirit is they now perceive; and learn the living way that leads to him. The filthy devotee of Bramah hears, and burns his ponderous God, to worship our Jehovah. Infidel Jews too, hear the joyful sound. The blinding veil, long folded round their hearts, now slides aside, that grace so long rejected may melt the heart of Jewish adamant. He looks on Him whom long his sins have pierced; he looks, and mourns with penitential grief. Lost souls of Burmah hear and turn to God! And Ethiopia lifts up her hand to grasp the heavenly treasure! Such are the effects introduced by the flight of this angel of missions. The chronology and the import of the figure in our text go clearly to identify it with the missionary events of our day. No antecedent event has ever amounted to it: present events bid fair to equal it: and God's work will not fail of being effectually accomplished. But the flight of this missionary angel is not to convert the world at once, and to introduce the millennial day. This is an event still future of it; and is not to be fulfilled till after the battle of the great day of God, which is given at the close of this chapter; and between which, and the flight of this angel of missions, a succession of interesting events are to occur, as this chapter decides, and as other prophecies testify. Our Lord gives the object of these missionary efforts; -- "the gospel must first be preached to all nations, for a witness unto them; and then shall the end (the end of the dark and sinful ages) come." It is an event connected with the restoration of the Jews, and preparatory to it, as has appeared in the prophecies noted in the dissertation inserted upon the text, and in others which might be mentioned. In Isa. xviii., is a striking prediction of the restoration of the Jews. And connected with this event, it is said, verse 3, "All ye inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth, see ye when he lifteth up an ensign upon the mountains; and when he bloweth the trumpet hear ye i" "All the inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth," then, must hear the call for their
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attention, and see the ensign upon the mountains of the kingdoms of the earth, and hear the blowing of the gospel trumpet, near the time of the restoration of the Jews. This accounts for the stroke in Rom. xi. 25 (on the same event) relative to the blindness of Israel, which is to last "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in! and so all Israel shall be saved." The mass of the gentile nations shall have heard the gospel preached for a witness unto them, and some in every land (as first fruits) shall be gathered into the fold; then, shall the ancient people of God also be brought, and the veil shall be taken off from their hearts. They shall then turn to the Lord, and be grafted into their own olive-tree. All this implies the very event predicted under the sublime figure of the flight of the angel of missions, in our text. This angel testifies, "The hour of his judgment is come." This flight commenced at the early part of the hour of that unprecedented judgment of the French revolution in 1789; the wars and horrors of which terrified the world; and which may be viewed as a new era of judgments which shall lead on to the battle of the great day of God. And indeed, the battle of the great day itself may be said to be then as it were within an hour! As though the angel should say, that great battle is now near; and the great judgments which lead to it are now thundering through the nations. This is a warning, to he given by the angel of missions, as we learn, Joel ii. 1; "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm in my holy mountain (or through the midst of the ecclesiastical heaven, as in our text); let all the inhabitants of the land (earth) tremble for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand."
Ver. 8. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
A second angel flies through the midst of the ecclesiastical heaven, the church on earth, proclaiming the fall of papal Babylon. This is an event antecedent to and distinct from the battle of the great day; as that is given in the closing part of this chapter, after the event in this text, and after several subsequent events of great interest, which intervene between this proclamation of the second angel, and that battle. The event here proclaimed is the falling of the papal see from being a predominant power,
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and thus constituting Babylon. From being such a predominant power, it fell when a vial of wrath was poured upon his seat (throne), and filled his kingdom with darkness; chap. xvi. 10. This was the event given in chap. x. in the first general division of this prophecy; and in chap. xviii. in the second; where it is said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird: "precisely as was exhibited in France, in and after the French revolution of 1789. The notice of mankind is, by this second angel, called to this event, as being a notable sign of the times which assures us of a train of collateral, and of subsequent events, which will lead to amazing results, and to the battle of the great day. This decisive battle is manifestly future of the fall of papal Babylon in our text; as is shown in this 14th chapter, the battle being at the close of it; as is decided also in chap. xviii. 21; where after the fall of Babylon (there noted in verse 2) we read, "And a mighty angel took up a stone, like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall the great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." Here then, after the falling of papal Babylon from its predominant height, and the filling of its kingdom with darkness; as chap. xvi. 10; a Babylon still exists, to be cast at a time then future, as a millstone into the depth of the sea. This is the power of infidelity, known as the beast from the bottomless pit. This beast became the reigning Babylon, when it rose, and hurled the papal power from its predominant station. This beast, with the subordinate remains of popery, will go into perdition at the battle of that great day of God. Very little practical improvement has been made in Zion, of God's thus having taken the papal Babylon in hand, in her fall, in the bursting out of the Voltaire system of infidelity and licentiousness, given in chap. x. and xviii. But this fact, with its train of synchronical and subsequent events, demands particular notice and improvement. And a call to this is the commission of this second angel.
The prophecies, which relate to this event, to the power of infidelity of the last days, the beast which ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, and goeth into perdition, are of deep interest to the church. These things lead on a train of amazing events. Warnings are given of them which God will not suffer long to remain carelessly overlooked. The
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warning will then be heard and obeyed, "Come and see!" Come, behold the works of the Lord; what desolations he hath made and is going to make in the earth! Something will call the attention of the church to these things. The signs of the times will be noted, that due improvement of them may be made.
Ver. 9. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
The signs of the times noted in the warning of the second angel, will soon furnish a third angel with his message; which is to testify the impending judgments of Heaven against all the subjects of the grand scheme of infidelity then exposed, and of popery, which God has thus taken in hand. It will then be clearly understood, that the blasphemous system of the Voltaire infidelity; and that of Jesuitism, the sinking papacy; as well as all the efforts of the licentiousness of the day, are of one and the same diabolical family. And the warning voice, in chap. xvi. 13, 14, relative to the three unclean spirits like frogs, spirits of devils working wonders, coming from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, going forth unto the kingdoms of all the world, to gather them to the battle, will then come to be well understood by the children of Zion. And the warning voice in our text will go forth with power, calling on men to flee from all sinful affinity with them. The call of Heaven will now be urged upon the conscience, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins; and that ye receive not of her plagues." "Ho, ho, come forth and flee from the land of the north; deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughters of Babylon." And the warning, said in the text to be with a loud voice, is enforced
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with denunciations the most terrible. Let them be reexamined, and well remembered. Events at the time of the flight of this third angel, will be found to be such as both to justify and demand the special warnings here given. This will appear, if we consult the warnings given in prophetic descriptions of the chambers of imagery in Ezek. viii., and of the same characters of the last days, in 2 Pet. chap. ii. and iii. 1-5; and in the epistle of Jude. Relative to such characters of the last days, the words of Moses to Israel concerning Korah and his impious company, will come most fitly in point; "Depart I pray you from the tents of those wicked men." Jude says of these infidels of the last days, "Wo unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah." And he says of the vengeance then just ready to light on them, "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them giving themselves over, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." This is given relative to the same impious characters of the last days.
Most happy is every new appearance of Christ on his earthly Mount Zion! -- as, that on the day of Pentecost; that in the revolution in the Roman empire from paganism to Christianity; that in the subsequent season of peace in the empire, when 144,000 were said to be sealed in their foreheads for salvation; that in the first verse of this chapter. The sealing times of the present age, especially in our States, have been rich and wonderful. We behold in them a degree of a glorious fulfilment of the following ancient promise, relative to this very day, "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up his standard against them." This is an event most cheering to the children of God, -- confounding to the enemy; -- and which baffles the confident calculations of Antichrist. Even the papal power towering for many centuries among the stars, and exulting, "I sit a queen, and know no sorrow; "when the Lamb of God appears on his mount Zion in the Reformation, -- must leave its zenith, and commence its fatal plunge. When violent persecutors, like Saul of Tarsus, are smitten to the ground, and turned to support the gospel which they had labored to destroy; -- the enemy are deeply troubled at such appearances of Christ on his mount Zion! Such, O Zion, is the Captain of your salvation.
Let the faith of the present Christian church be invigorated
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by the testimony borne from heaven to the correctness of the doctrines and order of the Reformation;
"These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth!" "They are virgins. They are without fault before the throne of God! "In these days of error, when many will not endure sound doctrine; but, after their own lusts, will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and turn away their ears from the truth, and are turned unto fables; let us abide closely by the doctrines of the Reformation thus divinely sanctioned. Let us inquire for the old way, the good path, and walk therein. The command is now of deep interest; "that ye contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. For there are men crept in unawares, -- turning the grace of God (the doctrines of grace) into lasciviousness."
This generation have seen the fall of papal Babylon from her predominant height, in which she had reigned over the kings of the earth. The throne of that kingdom has been overturned, and filled with darkness. And though it is struggling, and the dying throes of the monster may wound some of the people of God; yet its certain fall -- its descent to the burning lake -- is infallible. These things mark a most interesting period to Zion. Papal Babylon is already fallen, and is falling; and the events connected with the incipient stages of its fall, are now visible before the eyes of the nations.
Blessed be God that we live to see the flight of the angel of missions. May our prayers and alms pursue the heavenly
object. Wo will be to all to whom the following warning from heaven applies: "Curse ye Meroz, saith the angel of the
Lord; Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the
Lord against the mighty."
Behold the following wonderful providence of Him who came to destroy the works of the devil! Just as the blasphemous
plan of Voltaire seemed triumphant as being about to banish the gospel from the earth; the angel of missions starts
from heaven to go round the world, to proclaim this blessed cause to every nation and tongue. Most easily can our Lord
confound Satan and his prime instruments. At the very period marked out for its ruin, the cause of salvation arises
from its depression, like the healed cripple at the gate of the temple, made perfectly whole; -- walking, leaping,
praising God and spreading its triumphant wings to the ends of the earth. The same press
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which the arch atheist Voltaire had employed at Fernay, to fill his regions with blasphemy, became happily employed
in disseminating the word of life in those same regions. And the hint was taken from the subtle plan of Voltaire and
the devil relative to filling the world with cheap blasphemous tracts, -- to spread over the world tracts of gospel
truth and salvation, after Voltaire had gone to his own place! Your ark, O Zion, will outride the storm; while the
antichristian world will sink in the deluge of eternal wrath. Such is the evidence which attends the divinity of the
ancient prophecies, -- and hence of the whole word of God, in view of the signs of the times of the present day.
L E C T U R E XX.
REVELATION XIV.
Ver. 12. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from
henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.
In the preceding verses, solemn warnings were given against all affinity with the antichristian systems of the day.
This, as might have been expected from the depravity of the human heart, wakes up the ire and reaction implied in
the text, which try the patience and faith of the people of God; insomuch, that a great voice from heaven testifies
that blessed are the dead who have died in the Lord; they being now out of the reach of persecution. This general
assertion is true in all ages. But it is designed to have a chronological and peculiar application here; "from
henceforth;" or from the commencement of these trying days. The truth of these perils of the times is further enforced
by what follows, -- the appearance of Christ on a white cloud, with his sharp weapon of indignation, reaping his
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harvest, and gathering his vine of the earth. These sacred passages imply the terrors of the times, as do other prophecies relative to the same period; such as the bitterness of the little book, chap. x., the slaying of the witnesses, chap. xi., the three unclean spirits, collecting the world to the final battle, chap. xvi., and various other predictions of the same. There is something natural in this trial of the people of God implied at that time. The wicked hate and contend with their reprovers; which has been a great cause of the persecutions of the church in past ages. "The world hateth me; because I testify of it that the deeds thereof are evil." "I hate him (said Ahab of the pious Micaiah), for he never prophesieth good of me; but evil." "They hate him that rebuketh in the gates." And when the wicked predominant powers of Antichrist shall find themselves reproved, as is predicted of the second and third angels in the last lecture, and especially the third, -- so emphatically thundering the eternal fire of God's wrath against all who have the mark of the beast, or of his image; they would of course become outrageous. And when supported by numbers and influence and by hosts of false teachers; their rage may be expected to become formidable and bloody. And God only knows what they may be led to undertake and to effect. The fulfilment will, in due time, give the true comment upon the passages.
Ver. 14. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his
head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy
sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap: for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
17. And another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire: and cried with a loud cry .to him that
had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for
her grapes are fully ripe.
19. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the
great wine-press of the wrath of God.
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20. And the wine-press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine-press, even unto the horse- bridles, by the space of a thousand and six. hundred furlongs.
All this confirms the solemn indications noted in the preceding verses. Such rage of the enemy against the church soon brings down the Captain of her salvation, armed for judgment, to examine the contest, and to give to it such a turn and decision as his word, his cause and his faithfulness may require. When Zion is in trouble, her King is near. "I will not leave you comfortless; I will come unto you." "I will be a wall of fire round about." "In that day sing unto her, a vineyard of red wine; I the Lord do keep it. I will water it every moment. Lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." Jesus Christ now comes on his white cloud of victory and triumph, having on his head his golden crown, as about to vindicate his kingdom. He holds in his hand his implement for the collection of his harvest and vintage; and this implement is noted as "sharp." He comes fully prepared for his work, as King of kings, and Lord of lords. His enemies, through antichristian lands, having been long treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath, -- their measure will now be found to be full. By new efforts of deadly malignity, it will be found that they will have given the finishing touch to their meetness for perdition! The volcano, it will appear, has long been ready to burst: and now its breaking forth will come suddenly as in a moment, and the double figure of the harvest and the vintage uniting, will give to the event its long predicted "decision," fatal to all the camps of the contending foe. Our text is one of the predictions of the battle of that great day of God Almighty. It alludes to several of the ancient predictions of that day; particularly to the fatal treading of the wine-press, in Isa. Ixiii. 1-6, and to the decisive harvest and vintage of the same event, in Joel iii. 1, 2, 9-17. In the process of this final decisive scene, we find something in the agencies employed very interesting. After the description of the Son of man on his white cloud, it is said, "And another angel came out of the temple, crying with aloud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap: for the harvest of the earth is ripe." Who can this angel be, directing Christ to his work of judgment? Did we ever find an angel in heaven thus employed? They fly in swift obedience to Christ: but do they ever undertake to
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direct him? Surely not. The language of this text must be the language of prayer; showing that Christ accomplishes this work of judgment in answer to prayer. But whose prayer? -- that of angels, or of saints on earth? Surely the latter, as may be shown. This angel then, who calls on Christ to thrust in his sword, and reap, must be a representation of Zion, imploring by her gospel ministry and members. The seven epistles to the seven churches are addressed to the angel (the ministry) of each church. And the angel whom John was about mistakingly to worship, He peaks of himself as one of his fellow-servants the prophets. In Rev. xv. 7, one of the symbols of the gospel ministry is presented as giving into the hands of the seven angels their seven vials of wrath; of which the judgment in our text ia one, and the last. That fact gives a clew to the business of the angel in this text. The plain sense no doubt is this (which fully accords with the whole Bible); that at the awful crisis under consideration, Zion led by her gospel ministry, will pour her addresses into the ear of the same Saviour, presented on the white cloud; -- even as Moses, at the Red sea, in the height of that distress (which was a type of the very scene of distress in our text), "cried unto the Lord" for help. Jesus Christ now dashes the powers of Antichrist as with his rod of iron, in answer to the prayers of the saints. He does accordingly, in this very book represent the saints as doing this very work of judgment. Rev. ii. 26, 27; "He that overcometh, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken in shivers; even as I received of my Father." Here is the very event in our text; and it is noted as being done by saints. It is done by Christ, at the prayers of the saints. This, therefore, explains the figure of a messenger from the temple, saying to Christ, "Thrust in thy sickle." The dangers of the times will then urge the ministers and people of God to most importunate prayers; such as the following: -- "Is it not time, Lord, for thee to work, for men have made void thy law?" "Let God arise; let his enemies he scattered; let them that hate him flee before him! As smoke is driven away; so drive them away. As wax melteth before the fire; so let the wicked perish at the presence of the Lord." These, and similar prayers, Inspiration puts into the mouth of the saints at just such a time and occasion as in the text. And they perfectly accord with the prayer of the symbolic messenger in our text;
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"Thrust in thy sickle, and reap; for the time is come for thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." Zion will then urgently cry for deliverance, which Christ will give in the battle of that great day of God, in our text. This explanation of the request of the symbolic angel under consideration, receives further confirmation from the fact, that this, and other works of judgment upon the enemies of Zion, are repeatedly ascribed to the people of God. Thus the two witnesses have power to shut heaven "that it rain not in the days of their prophecies; and to smite the earth with all plagues, as oft as they will." The psalmist says of the saints, "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people: to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all the saints." Certainly then, in so great an extremity as the church will then be, we might expect some special notice would be given of this her power with God against her enemies; alluding to the power of her prayers when in the depth of affliction from the rage of Antichrist, -- beseeching Christ to fulfil his word, in pleading his own cause. "Shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry unto him day and night, though he bear long with them? I tell you (says our Saviour) he will avenge them speedily." This language, as explanatory of our text, is abundant in the word of God. "When the Lord shall build up Zion, he will appear in his glory: he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer." In answer to this request Christ thrusts in his sickle, and the earth is reaped. Another angel is then presented with a sharp sickle, who is probably an instrument of judgment. God performs his works of judgment by the ministry of angels. He did thus of old; and probably will do it in the battle of that great day. In the cups of wrath, the seventh angel pours out his vial, to produce the very scene under consideration. The hosts of angels are in other prophetic descriptions of this very scene, represented as being present; "And all the armies of heaven followed him (Christ) upon white horses." Of the same it is again said, "Thousand thousands ministered unto him; and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him." "Thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord."
Another angel comes from the altar having power over
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fire, and directs his angelic associate to thrust in his sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, with her grapes fully ripe. The deed is done. How far the element of literal fire may be made to have a terrible agency in the events of that day, when the cities of the nations shall fall; time alone will decide. That one of the angelic instruments of the terrors of that day should be said to appear, "having power over fire," may indicate fatal conflagrations in antichristian cities. Whether this will be the case, or not, Inspiration says of the rage of that day, "The fire of thine enemies shall devour them." The wine-press is now trodden; and behold the extensive effect. Blood flows forth as high as the horses' bridles, for the space of two hundred miles. This is a figure; but one of amazing import. See blood flowing from a centre of destruction, and filling a region of two hundred miles; and as high as horses usually carry their heads. This would be a sea of blood indeed.
This treading of the wine-press is "without the city." Or the commencement of the battle of that great day of God, is somewhere out of the bounds of the old Roman earth. It is not to be finished there. The infinite terror will roll through every antichristian land. All that belong to the beast, or have his mark, shall sink. All that partake of his sins, shall receive of his plagues. But the tremendous scene commences "without the city." Some motive will lead the hostile powers of the day to concentrate their forces in some region "without the city" of the old Roman world, or papal territories. And to this the prophecies do expressly agree. Various of them present Palestine as the seat of this event in its first opening. In Joel iii. 1, 2, 12 (which is the parent text of the harvest and the vintage explained) the scene is a gathering of all nations to the valley of Jehoshaphat, when God shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem. The same is expressly decided in the 38th and 39th chapters of Ezekiel. There Gog and his bands perish in an expedition against God's ancient people, restored from all nations to the land of their fathers. In Zech. xii. 2, 3, and xiv. 1-3, we have the same. The gathering of all nations is at Jerusalem. In Rev. xvi. 16 is the same: they are gathered to Armageddon. These passages may have also a mystical import. But we have no right to exclude from them all (if from any) a literal import. The two hundred miles' length of the sea of blood to be shed, may be designed to be bounded
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by the length of the Holy Land. And the figure seems well to accord with the description in Ezek. xxxviii. and xxxix, of the slaughter of Gog and his bands upon the mountains of Israel. But wherever the battle (the harvest, the vintage) commences; it will not fail to sweep over the antichristian world. Jeremiah assures us, "The slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth." In Zeph. God says, "I will gather the nations, and assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." In Isaiah the scene is abundantly given, as having a general and most fatal extent. "The destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together." "He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." "I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease." "The nations shall rush like the rushing of mighty waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, -- and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains." "Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down." "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof." "Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth; and they that dwell therein are desolate; the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left." "For behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." "Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong; for I have heard from the Lord of hosts a consumption determined upon the whole earth." "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the earth desolate, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it." These are a few of the many denunciations in this sublime prophecy which all relate to the same period and event; and which give it a most general and decisive effect. The shorter prophets abound with the same event, and give it as no less general and fatal to all the hostile enemies of God. One passage more from the Old Testament shall be given as a specimen for many. The last chapter of it commences thus: "For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble;
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and that day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord, and shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked, and they shall be as ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts." The event in our text is the same with that under the seventh trumpet; with that under the seventh vial; with the going into perdition of the beast from the bottomless pit; with the sinking of mystical Babylon like a millstone into the depth of the sea, never to rise; and the destruction of the beast, and false prophet, with the kings of the earth, -- being cast into the lake of fire; Rev. xix. 20. Thus we have the scene of the Son of man upon the white cloud; the harvest and vintage; the battle of that great day of God, towards which the world is tending, and into which the affairs of the nations are now fast ripening.
May the people of God be prepared for whatever shall occur to try their faith and patience. These graces have fiery trials yet to pass, before the millennial sun will smile upon the earth. The people of God who may then live, will have a signal opportunity to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, and to brighten their eternal crown. May all professed followers of the Lamb, when those days shall be found approaching, watch; stand fast in the faith; quit themselves like men; and be strong. Let them take to themselves the whole armor of God, that they may he able to stand in the evil day.
And let those who, when the days of trial shall be found rolling on, and coming near, shall find themselves
arrested by some fatal harbinger of mortality, and about to die, after a life of faith; -- joyfully recollect
the testimony borne by the great voice from heaven, relative to that day, that "blessed are the dead which
die in the Lord from henceforth;" or when that period commences. "Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest
from their labors; and their works do follow them."
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