5.

There is a manifeft refemblance betwixt the firft four trumpets and the firft four vials. The refemblance implies, that the power of Papal Rome fhall be reduced gradually by steps, in fome refpects fimilar to thofe which deftroyed the dominion of Imperial Rome. The fubjects affected by the plagues are the fame in both. Thus, the first trumpet brought a plague on the earth, the fecond on the fea, the third on the rivers, the fourth on the fun; fo the first vial brings a plague on the earth, the fecond on the fea, the third on the rivers, the fourth on the fun. If therefore we know what is meant by the earth, fea, rivers, and fun, in the government of Imperial Rome, we can be at no lofs to difcover what is parallel to thefe in the government of Papal Rome. The effects produced are the fame in the fecond and the third of both. The fecond trumpet turns the fea to blood, fo the fecond vial; the third trumpet makes the rivers bitter, fo that they are pernicious to life; the third vial turns the rivers to blood, which produces a fimilar effect, but in a higher degree. The effects of the firft and fourth in both are indeed different. The firft trumpet burns the earth and its productions; the firft vial occafions a noifome fore. The fourth trumpet decreases the heat of the fun; the fourth vial increases it. However, the con

traft

traft here is so striking, that it makes the meaning as obvious as the resemblance in the two preceding.

The three laft vials have no resemblance to any of the trumpets; but to compensate the want of this index to their meaning, an enlarged explication of each is added. The whole of chap. xviii. is a comment on the fifth vial; chap. xix. from the beginning to the 10th verse, is an illuftration of the fixth vial; and from the 11th verse to the clofe of the fame chapter is a farther account of the seventh vial. Add to this, that the earthquake or revolution occafioned by the seventh vial, is expreffed in terms fimilar to that represented at the opening of the fixth feal: Compare chap. xvi. 18, 19, 20. with chap. vi. 12, 13, 14.

6. The agents under God, to inflict the plagues of the vials, are conscious of their being inftruments in his hand to fulfil prophecy; and in this respect they widely differ from the agents employed in the preceding plagues of the trumpets. The northern nations, the Saracens and the Turks, were all ignorant of their being scourges in the hand of God, to punish a degenerate church. It might be faid of each as of Sennacherib," O Affyrian, the rod of mine an

ger, and the staff in their hand is mine indig"nation. I will fend him against an hypocri"tical

❝tical nation; and against the people of my "wrath will I give him a charge to take the

fpoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them "down like the mire of the streets. Howbeit, "he meaneth not fo, neither doth his heart "think fo, but it is in his heart to destroy, and "cut off nations not a few," Ifa. x. 5.-8. They were folely actuated by ambition, covetoufnefs or refentment, thofe felfish paffions, fo natural to the human heart, though the Almighty over-ruled them, for the purposes of executing his counfel. But the angels that pour out the vials are members of the church: " They came out of the temple, they are clothed in

pure and white linen, having their breafts "girded with a golden girdle ;" that is, they are habited like priefts, to intimate that they have no selfish end in view, by inflicting punishment, but perform a folemn facrifice to God. Again, they receive their directions from the minifters of the church: "And one of the four "beafts (living creatures) gave unto the feven "angels feven golden vials full of the wrath of "God," Rev. xv. 6, 7. Now thefe living creatures, first introduced in the fourth chapter, reprefent the minifters of the church. This is confirmed by what is faid of the witneffes, chap. xi. 6. These have power over waters to "turn them to blood, and to fmite the earth

" with all plagues, as often as they will." The witneffes are chiefly the clergy, and their power to fmite the earth with plagues, is during the time which follows their mourning prophecy; that is after their refurrection and afcenfion, which coincides with the feventh trumpet, and confe. quently with thefe vials. Further, the punishment inflicted is procured by the prayers of the church. It is for this reason that the wrath of God is faid to be contained in golden vials, alluding to the golden cenfers under the law, in which sweet incenfe was offered to God. Thus, the living creatures and elders are reprefented having golden vials full of odours, chap. v. 8. The incenfe was obviously typical of prayer; for in the temple-service, while the in cenfe

(1) The whole verfe runs thus: "These have power to "shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophe66 cy, and have power over waters to turn them to blood, "and to fmite the earth with all plagues, as often as they "will." Their power to fhut heaven is in the days of their prophecy; that is, during the 1260 days in which they wear fackcloth; and their power to fmite the earth with plagues, is in the period that follows after. I confider thefe words, " in the days of their prophecy," as inserted to distinguish betwixt these two distinct periods, for if both the powers mentioned were enjoyed at the fame time, it would have been more natural to have placed thefe words either at the beginning or end of the verse.

cenfe was burning, a folemn filence prevailed, and the whole congregation was employed in prayer, fo that the time of incenfe was called the hour of prayer. But to put the matter beyond all controversy, we are told, that the golden vials full of odours are "the prayers of

faints." They are called vials, rather than cenfers, to intimate, that they are transparent as glafs or cryftal, typical of the superior light and glory enjoyed under the Gofpel, beyond that which belonged to the Mofaic difpenfation; for the fame reafon, a fea of glass is reprefented, chap. xv. 2. alluding to that in Solomon's temple, which was made of brafs .

7. An attention to the conduct of Providence must convince us, that an infinitely wife God has disposed events in every period, fo as to refemble one another, whether thofe events refpect the calamities and deliverances of his church, or the rise and fall of empires. It is the obfervation of the wifeft of men, "The દ thing that has been, it is that which shall be, "and that which is done is that which shall be “done,

(1) This account of the agents accords with the parallel vifion of the state of the church at the fame period, but can by no means agree to any time paft. It further affords a prefumption, that the period of pouring out these vials is at a confiderable distance. Chriftian piety and zeal are in our days too fcanty, to furnish agents of the defcription given above.