seventh vial alone subsequent to the blast of the seventh trumpet, is the true interpretation of this part of the prophecy. The vials are to be poured out upon the beast and those who have his mark; their effusion, therefore, must necessarily take place before the beast is destroyed. But both the beasts will go into perdition at, or soon after, the sounding of the seventh trumpet, about the time of the termination of the twelve hundred and sixty years. If, therefore, none of the vials were to be poured out till after the sounding of the seventh trumpet, there does not appear to be sufficient time for their successive operations; unless the effusion of all should be considered as synchronical and not successive; an hypothesis, which, though sanctioned by some respectable names, in my judgment never can be admitted. It seems, therefore, highly probable to suppose, that the effusion of the vials of wrath, in general, must necessarily take place some time previously to the termination of the twelve hundred and sixty years, and to the sounding of the third woe trumpet; and if this period of time should terminate, as many suppose, about the year 1866, it cannot be considered that seventy or eighty years should be deemed too long a space of time for the events typified by the vials to take place.

Having premised these observations, it may now be considered that Mr. Faber and the other expositors who coincide with him in opinion, are correct in stating that the vials began to be poured out with the commencement of the French revolution in the year 1789; and that, since that period, five of them have shed their baleful contents upon the Roman earth. The scene of the tremendous calamities and wars that took place in consequence of the French revolution, were principally the remaining territories of the ten-horned empire, including in general the nations that held communion with the papal church; and, most assuredly, if any calamities falling upon

the Roman empire merited the notice of the apocalyptic prophecies, the horrible wars occasioned by the French revolution, with all their afflictive tribulations, must have found a place there.-Let us then examine how far the facts of history will elucidate the predictions typified by the effusion of the vials.

2. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

The first angel pours out his cup of divine wrath upon the earth, that is, the Roman empire; and immediately a noisome and grievous sore, like one of the plagues of Egypt*, fell upon the men who lived within the empire, and who had the mark of the beast, and who worshipped his image. Thus the spiritual Egypt is tormented with a plague, which breaks out and afflicts them, like the loathsome and painful boils which fell upon the Egyptians, the enemies of God and his church.

But, perhaps, the term earth, in this place, may have a more limited signification than that of a reference to the Roman empire in general. This immense empire has been considered as a world of itself; having not only its earth, its sea, its rivers, and streams, as emblems of the different parts of the empire; but also its sun, moon, and stars, as symbols of its supreme and subordinate governments. By the earth, therefore, according to the judgment of many eminent commentators, may be understood those parts of the empire which are continental, as France, and the southern part of Germany. By the sea, may be included those countries which are maritime; as Spain and Portugal, and the lower parts of Italy. By the rivers and fountains of water, may be meant other parts of the empire, and especially upper

* See Exodus, ix. 9-11.

Italy, and the countries about the Alps; at no great distance from which rise the Loire, the Po, the Rhine, the Rhone, and the Danube. If, by the earth be meant the continent, this vial must be considered as chiefly affecting France and Germany; and the noisome and grievous sore which fell upon the men inhabiting these countries, must be explained figuratively, as referring to the miseries and calamities which befell them, like the boils and ulcers of the Egyptian plague. The pouring out of this vial, therefore, may be dated from the period when the French revolution broke out in 1789. The calamities predicted by it were for a time confined to France; but, in the course of two or three years, they reached Germany, so that these countries and their wretched inhabitants were exercised with afflictions grievous as the most noisome sores.-Mr. Faber explains this plague of the noisome and grievous sore, as referring to that atheistical infidelity, which for a long time secretly pervaded the nations adhering to the Romish church, and especially France; and which broke out so extensively and fatally at the commencement of the late revolution in that country.

3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

The sea, upon which the second angel pours out the cup of divine wrath, probably signifies the people of the Roman empire who dwell upon the borders or islands of the sea. The vial, therefore, is supposed to have a peculiar reference to the maritime nations, in which Spain and Portugal may be especially included. The particular judgments predicted by this vial seem to be bloody wars accompanied with vast slaughter and destruction. As the waters of the Nile, in another plague of Egypt, were turned into blood*, and the fishes of that great river died; so it

appears, that vast multitudes in this part of the Roman empire, and subject to the papal power, would perish by the judgment predicted under this vial.-There is a circumstance of peculiar horror in this vial which did not accompany its correspondent trumpet. The second trumpet was to affect the sea, and the third part of it was to become blood; but the blood into which the sea was to be turned under the second vial, is described as stagnant, "as the "blood of a dead man:" as if such a quantity of blood was to be shed, as not only to tinge, but to congeal the ocean; converting it, as it were, into a mass of corruption.—This vial has been explained by some commentators, as having a particular reference to the bloody wars that took place in Spain and Portugal, and the maritime parts of the empire, in consequence of the French revolution.- Mr. Faber applies the wrath of this vial to the horrible and longprotracted massacres which commenced in France in the month of September 1792 (the period in which he considers the vial to have been discharged), and which were incessantly perpetrated during what was emphatically called the reign of terror.-Mr. Holmes supposes the sea to be here an emblem of the popish church, and that the imagery predicts the abolition of the sabbaths, and the general prevalence of irreligion and atheism through France and other popish countries.

4. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 5. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. 7. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

Rivers and fountains of water may denote the inferior states of the Roman empire, upon which these

divine judgments were to fall; or, according to some expositors, these emblems may signify multitudes of people in some of the principal countries of the empire. As the streams, rivers, ponds, and pools, as well as the great river Nile, in the before-mentioned plague of Egypt, were turned into blood; so the rivers and fountains here mentioned, whatever they typify, were to become blood. This, and the preceding vial, are undoubtedly emblems of vast slaughter and devastation.--The responsive language of the angels on the occasion of these vials being poured out, is exceedingly impressive, and highly deserves notice. It teaches us in what light the persecution of God's people is viewed in heaven. It shews that their blood has a cry that sooner or later will be heard. It evinces that the judgments of God in this world are retributive. It demonstrates that angels and saints in heaven rejoice when God executes his righteous judgments, as well as when he displays the tokens of his mercy and grace.-It is observable, that the angel of the waters, who was appointed to preside over them, or who was to be a ministering spirit in these dispensations, celebrated the justice of the omnipotent Deity, who had determined to punish with such calamities the bloodthirsty murderers of his people; and who had, as it were, appointed them blood to drink. It may also be remarked, that the other angel from under the altar, as speaking in the name of the holy martyrs, concurred in these praises, and likewise declared the truth of the Lord God Almighty, in thus fulfilling his predictions and promises to his church.

The wrath of this vial is supposed to refer to the bloody transactions and tremendous destructions that occurred in the different states and kingdoms of the Latin empire during the time of the French republican government. At this period the judgments predicted fell upon many of the nations and governments of the Roman empire, and converted them