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The first poured out his vial, from whence flowed imposthumes and ulcers upon the worshippers of the beast. The second poured his over the sea, which thereupon bubbled up like coagulated blood, and every living soul therein died. The third poured his over the rivers and fountains, which immediately streamed with blood. The fourth poured his over the sun, and men were scorched, and blasphemed, and repented not. The fifth poured his over the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was filled with darkness, and his worshippers gnawed their tongues and blasphemed God, and repented not. The sixth poured his over the river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up. Finally, the seventh poured out his vial in the air, and a voice resounded out of God's sanctuary from heaven, "It is finished!" Nature now seemed to be reversed, and every terrible phenomenon burst forth in it, to complete the destruction.

xv. xvi. The great whore of Babylon.- One of the seven angels now approached, and leading John into the wilderness, showed him a woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, decked with gold and jewels, and with a cup of abominations and filthiness in her hand. And she sat on a scarlet-coloured beast, having seven heads and ten horns; and John saw that she was drunk with the blood of the saints. And the angels told him that the seven heads were seven mountains, and the ten horns were ten kings, who, as yet, had no kingdom; and that the ten kings should afterwards assist the beast against the Lamb, but be overcome; and should subsequently hate the woman, and eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. xvii.

Her destruction.-Another angel then came down from heaven, and cried, "Babylon is fallen, and become the habitation of devils." Another voice from heaven then said, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. The kings of the earth, and the merchants, and the sailors shall lament over her burning, but the holy apostles and prophets shall rejoice." And a mighty angel cast a great millstone into the sea, saying, "Thus shall Babylon be thrown down; the voice of the musician and the craftsman, and the sound of the millstone,

and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride, shall no more be heard there, for in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." And universal praises arose to God in heaven for his judgment of the great whore, and hallelujahs were sung, for the nuptial day of the Lamb was approaching. xviii. xix. 1-10.

The conqueror on a white horse completes the vision. 701 -John now saw heaven opened, and the conqueror on the white horse appear. His name was written on his thigh; he was called KING OF KINGS, and the WORD OF GOD; and he was followed by the heavenly host, upon white horses, and clothed in white linen. An angel then stood in the sun and beckoned the birds of the air to the field of battle, where bodies of princes and mighty men awaited them, for their last attempts at resistance were unavailing. The beast and the false prophet were cast into the lake of burning brimstone, and the remnant were slain with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of him that sat on the white horse, and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. xix. 11-21.

The second coming of Christ: the two resurrections 702 from the dead.-After these preparatory events upon earth, the inspired apostle saw the second coming of Christ. An angel descended from heaven with the keys of the bottomless pit. There he chained the dragon, that is, the devil, and locked his prison for a thousand years. The first resurrection then took place, that is, of the believers, who, during the period of a thousand years, were to reign with Jesus. After this the devil was to be again loosened for a short time, when he would raise frightful wars against the holy ones, but afterwards be for ever cast down into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were. The second resurrection of the dead then took place, in which all the dead, both great and small, were raised and stood before God, and were judged according to their works. xx.

The New Jerusalem.-A new heaven and a new 703 earth now appeared. A new Jerusalem adorned like a bride descended upon the earth. Its towers, its walls, and its palaces were embellished with characters of

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Christianity; and consolation, tranquillity, peace, eternal
light, and the kingdom of God were there. Behold,
the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell
with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself
shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be
no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed
away.
Blessed are they that do his command-
ments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and
may enter in through the gates into the city."*
xxii. 1-6.

xxi.

III. The Appendix.-There now follows the concluding discourse of the angel to John, and a concluding discourse from John to his readers, in which he denounces a threat against those who add to or take from this prophecy; expresses a desire for the speedy appearance of Christ; and concludes the whole with an apostolic benediction" The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." xxii. 7-21.

* Rev. xxi. 3, 4; xxii. 14.