impure spirits are said to issue, it appears, that the beast and the false prophet, for a season at

variance

have commenced, even since this Work was first published in the beginning of the present year. Among the other signs of the times by which the passing generation is so awfully marked, there is one of so gigantic a magnitude, so peculiar a nature, and yet of so very recent an origin, that it painfully arrests the unwilling attention even of the most careless observer; a sign so closely connected moreover with the downfall of the Ottoman empire, that one can scarcely avoid prognosticating that downfall not to be very far distant. It is predicted, that, at some indefinite period after the exhaustion of the Euphratèan waters, three unclean spirits should go forth to gather the kings of the Roman world to the battle of the great day of God Almighty: and it afterwards appears, that these kings are associated together subject to the guidance of the beast under his last or Carlovingian head, and in close connection with the false prophet (Compare Rev. xvi. 13-16. with Rev. xix. 19, 20.). Here we may observe, that the three unclean spirits are not said simply to gather the kings together or to form them into a confederacy, but to gather them together to the battle of the Lord: whence we may, and indeed must, conclude, that the confederacy itself is formed previous to its being gathered by the unclean spirits to Armageddon; and that these spirits use it unconsciously as their tool, when it is thus formed. At what precise period it will be formed is no where said. For any thing that appears to the contrary, it may be simply formed either before or after the exhaustion of the Euphratèan waters. The event alone can determine: but the previous probability is, that it will be formed at no very remote period from that exhaustion, either prior to it, or posterior to it. Now the chief of this confederacy is declared to be the Roman beust under his last or Carlovingian head; and one member of it is declared to be the false prophet or the Papacy. But, unless I greatly mistake, recent events have identified the infidel king, who is

to

variance by reason of the atheistical principles adopted by the former, will then be more closely

leagued

to undertake an expedition to Palestine at the time of the end, with the Roman beast under his last head, who is to do the very same in conjunction with a formidable confederacy. Do we behold then any appearance of such a confederacy as that described by St. John; namely a confederacy of the beast under his Carlovingian head, the false Romish prophet, and the vassal kings of the enslaved Lutin earth? Do we behold it likewise at the very time when we had reason to suppose it would appear; namely, when the exhaustion of the Euphratean waters seemed to be at no very great distance? Is there any answer necessary to these questions? If there be, view the modern Charlemagne first leaguing himself with the Papacy, and then creating at pleasure a host of vassal kings. View him extending his dominion over the greatest part of Germany, over Holland, over Italy, over Spain. View him surrounding himself with regal slaves, who depend upon his nod, and exist only by his will. Lastly hear him, as if unconsciously impelled to bear his testimony to the truth of prophecy; hear him unreservedly avow himself to be the federal head of his creatures, hear him proclaim to all Europe that their mock sovereignities are mere federal estates of France, hear the political system of which he is the author expressly styled in his degraded senate a confederacy and a pious league. What other idea can we form of the coalition described by St. John? In every particular, local and chronological, this new coalition, unheard of, unthought of, but the other day, exactly answers to it. Even now rumours are afloat, that the seat of the false prophet is to be removed from Rome, and that the new empire is to be inaugurated by another imperial coronation in the seven-hilled city. If so, what title will be chosen but that of Emperor of the Romans? And for what purpose would that title be chosen, but as authorizing all the ancient claims of the Augustan emperors? The demands made upon Turkey by the VOL. II. sovereign

EE

leagued together than ever; and that they will jointly meditate some grand expedition against the woman and the remnant of her seed, which however, as we shall presently see under the succeeding vial, will end only in their own confusion and utter destruction*.

SECTION 111.

Concerning the vial of the vintage.

We are now arrived at the vial of consummation, which Mr. Mede very justly supposes to synchronize with the vintage. The reason is manifest:

the

sovereign of Venice will be as nothing, if we may judge from ́ the inordinate ambition of the man, when compared with the demands made upon the whole world by the Emperor of the Franco-Romans. June 4, 1806.

* Since these three unclean spirits are said to work miracles, the great boast of the apostate man of 'sin, it is not improbable that the visible agents, whom they will employ on this occasion, will be certain popish emissaries, who partly at least by false miracles will induce the infatuated adherents of the Church of Rome to embark in the expedition. "Pugnare se putant pro "Christi vicario, pro gloria Dei, et pro ecclesia: revera autem "pugnabunt cum Deo" (Pol. Synop. in loc.). Mr. Mann of the Charter House conjectured some years since, that the three unclean spirits were the Dominicans, the Franciscans, and the Jesuits (See Bp. Newton's Dissert. on Rev. xvi.) I should rather have said, that these, or some other orders of monks, may hereafter be the tools of the three unclean spirits.

the vintage is the last event predicted in the little book, which extends, as itself repeatedly declares, through the whole 1260 years; and the last vial is poured out at the expiration of that period: consequently the last vial can only contain an enlarged account of the vintage: for, as Mr. Mede naturally observes, there cannot be two different catastrophes of the same drama*.

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into "the air: and there came a great voice out of the "temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It "is done. And there were voices, and thunders, "and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great. "And the great city was divided into three parts; " and the cities of the nations fell: and great Baby"lon came in remembrance before God, to give "unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of

his wrath. And every island fled away, and the "mountains were not found. And there fell upon "men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the piague of the hail: "for the plague thereof was exceeding great."

Bp. Newton very justly observes, that, "as the "seventh seal, and the seventh trumpet, contained many more particulars, than any of the former seals, and former trumpets: so the seventh vial

* See Mede's Comment. Apoc. in Vindemiam.

" contains more than any of the former vials." It is the vial of the vintage; the conclusion of the grand drama of 1260 years; the time of the end. When it shall be poured out, the great controversy of God with the nations will commence ; his ancient people will begin to be restored; and the sentence of destruction will go forth against the beast and the false prophet, even while they are in the very midst of their temporary success, and while they are vainly flattering themselves with the hope of a complete victory over the Church of God. Such being its contents, it is said to be poured out into the air, in allusion to the dreadful storms of political thunder and lightning which it will produce*.

Four important events are comprehended under it: the earthquake, by which the great city is divided into three parts; the symbolical storm of hail; the overthrow of Babylon; and the battle of Armageddon, to which the kings of the earth had begun to gather themselves together under the preceding vial.

proper

Here it to remind the reader, may be that the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth, chapters of the Apocalypse, all belong to the last vial; and are in fact only a more enlarged account of some of the most prominent events contained by itt-The seventeenth chapter opens with a descrip

See the preceding chapter on the symbolical language of prophecy.

See the introductory chapter of this work.