the bottomless deep; and locusts arise out of the smoke and darkness, and torment those who had not the seal of God in their foreheads for five months. The fifth vial is poured out upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom is filled with darkness. The sixth trumpet is complex, referring partly to the Euphratean horsemen who slew the third part of men, and partly to the idolatries and persecutions of the beast and his associates in the West, including the prophesying of the times of the Gentiles, and of the witnesses during the latter part of the twelve hundred and sixty years. The sixth vial is also complex; it is poured upon the river Euphrates, which is dried up in order to prepare the way for the eastern kings; and it introduces unclean spirits proceeding from the mouth of the beast and the false prophet, working wonders to gather the kings of the earth to the battle of the great day. Finally, the seventh trumpet introduces a closing scene of joy to the saints, and of woe to the enemies of God; and the seventh vial, poured out into the air, brings a voice of joy out of the temple of heaven, saying, "It " is done;" with unparalleled misery upon the earth, in which the cities of the nations fall, and great Babylon comes up in remembrance before God to receive the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

In respect to the plagues typified by the vials, it seems highly probable that they will in a great measure consist in tremendous and bloody wars; such at least must those be where mention is made of blood, and that especially which has a reference to the "battle of Armageddon, that great day of "God Almighty." The nations which have shed the blood of the saints, will have blood given them to drink.

With relation to the objects on which the vials of wrath will be poured, it is generally admitted that the effusion of the vials is especially intended to

represent the destruction of the ten-horned and twohorned beasts; that is, of the secular Roman empire, and the papal antichrist. It may, therefore, reasonably be concluded that their effects will fall on one or the other, or both of these powers, which in the righteous judgment of God are devoted to perdition. The five first vials seem to refer particularly to the ten-horned beast, or secular Roman empire; although the other beast, or the papal antichrist, is undoubtedly affected by them. The sixth, poured out on the river Euphrates, probably includes the destruction of Mahomedism, as well as tremendous calamities on the two beasts. The seventh, as being the completion of the last plagues of the wrath of God upon the enemies of his Church, will most assuredly consign the ten-horned and the two-horned beast to their destined and complete destruction.

Finally, as one more general remark respecting the vials, it may be observed, that the term does not afford a correct idea of the imagery to the English reader. The pan, or vial, in the temple service, was a sort of patera, or basin, in which were deposited before the altar the offerings of meal or of incense. It was a distinct vessel from the censer, on which the offering was presented. It was not, therefore, a vessel with a narrow mouth, such as we commonly call a vial, or phial, but more like a bowl or large goblet. These vials, or bowls, were made of gold, to harmonize with the white raiment and golden girdles of the angels who bore them; and to represent the holiness, righteousness, and excellency of the dispensations they were to introduce.

SECTION X.

The Vision of the seven Angels having the seven last Plagues. The Saints, who gained the Victory over the Beast, sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb. The Temple in Heaven opened. The seven golden Vials, full of the Wrath of God, given to the seven Angels.

Chap. xv. 1-8.

AND I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

The great and marvellous signs which the Apostle saw in heaven, the scene of his visions, implied that very interesting and important events were about to be revealed. Seven angels prepared to inflict the seven last plagues upon the enemies of God and his true Church. These ministers of the awful providence of Jehovah are to overwhelm his adversaries with seven plagues; that is, with so many blows, or strokes, as the word in the Greek literally signifies. Thus plagues, or the strokes of divine vengeance, fell upon Pharaoh and the hardened Egyptians, who, persisting in their obstinate opposition against God and his people, were ultimately overwhelmed

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in the Red Sea: and it is remarkable, that a striking resemblance is found between these vials and several of the plagues of Egypt, to which Rome may be compared, for tyranny, cruelty, and enmity to the people of God. The number seven implies complete visitation; "When I begin, saith the Lord, I "will also make an end." With the last of these vials, therefore, the wrath of God will be completed upon the enemies of his church militant in the present state; excepting only the final stroke of his vengeance upon his adversaries, when Satan shall be loosed at the termination of the millennium. are not, therefore, to extend these last plagues to the final judgment, but to the end of the wrath of God previously to the glorious period of the millennium, including the complete and overwhelming destruction of the beast and the false prophet. But before the Apostle proceeds to give a description of the ministry of these seven angels, he records an introductory vision, representing the joy and triumph which the Church would express on that occasion. He saw, as it were, a "sea of glass min"gled with fire." This has been viewed by some as an allusion to the brazen sea in the temple of Solomon; and has been considered as representing the purifying blood of the Redeemer, the price of human redemption; and by which alone the vestments of the redeemed are washed white, that they may be presented pure before God. But as the persons referred to stood upon it, we cannot well understand it as the fountain in which they washed away their sins, as we may the sea before spoken of in the fourth chapter*. Perhaps it might be emblematical of the tempestuous times in which believers would then live; of the slippery and fragile nature of their standing, considered in itself; and of the fiery trials which they would endure. They, how

* See chap. iv. 6.

ever, who had "gotten the victory over the beast," who had cleaved to the truth of God, and who had refused subjection to the spiritual tyranny of Antichrist, and to be branded as his slaves-stood on this brittle, slippery sea of glass mingled with fire unhurt and undismayed; as the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea, and, standing on its shore, saw their enemies dead before them. Feeling, therefore, a holy assurance of their own safety, and a triumphant joy in the prospect of the destruction of the enemies of Jehovah, and having the harps of God in their hands, they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb who had bought them with his blood. They celebrated their glorious triumph with a joy like that with which Israel of old, at the Red Sea, celebrated the destruction of the haughty and cruel Egyptians, by the immediate interposition of Jehovah's power. They joyfully commemorated the great and wonderful works of their Deliverer, who had in his sovereign grâce led them to glory through trials and sufferings, and who had in equity and justice brought destruction upon his enemies: "Great and "marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; 'just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints." This song was not dictated from a principle of malignity towards their fellow-creatures as the objects of divine vengeance, but from joy that their God now manifested his works both of judgment and mercy; and from the consideration of the felicity and glory that would arise from the righteous, holy, and powerful administrations of his providence. Anticipating the righteousness which the world would learn from these judgments of the Almighty, they triumphantly ask, "Who shall not fear thee, Ŏ "Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art "holy; for all nations shall come and worship be"fore thee; for thy judgments are made manifest." By the language of this triumphant song of Moses