16. Thus also "the Lamb," which had been slain, is represented as "having seven horns, and seven eyes." His seven horns denote the supremacy, and universal comprehensiveness, of his Government; as "having had all power given unto him in heaven and in earth"." And his seven eyes are interpreted by St. John himself to be-the power he possesses of sending forth the Holy Ghost, for the guidance of his Church "to the end of the world:"-they are "the seven Spirits of GOD, sent forth into all the earth." v. 6.

17. Thus, moreover, the Epistles, contained in the second and third chapters of this book, though, in their nature, conveying the most important instruction, admonition, warning, and encouragement, to the Catholic Church of Christ,-are nevertheless addressed to the Angels, or Bishops, of the seven Churches that were then in Asia; the very number being understood to render these Epistles of universal application".

18. And thus, in like manner, the various successive periods, during which "the mystery of GOD" should be carrying on, after the delivery of this prophecy, are all resolved into three grand divisions, each containing respectively a septenary subdivision peculiar to itself, under the denomi

m A horn is the emblem of sovereignty. See Introduction, Sect. V. vii. § 2.

nations of Seals, Trumpets, and Vials. v. 1. &c. viii. 2. &c. xv. 5. &c.

Accordingly, it will be seen,

FIRST, That the opening of the seven SEALS develops, respectively, the leading characteristics of as many successive periods; during the first five of which the Church of Christ would be exposed to the persecutions of Paganism; but, during the sixth, would be called to witness the downfall of those pagan powers, by which she had been hitherto oppressed, and the firm ESTABLISHMENT of Christianity, under Constantine the Great, as the Religion of the Roman Empire: that the opening of the seventh Seal portrays her to us in this new, important, and dignified station, and in the discharge of some of the most solemn duties connected with it; and thence, in that last portion of the sacred volume of "Revelation" which is thus expanded, continues down the view of her various fortunes to the end of time :

SECONDLY, That the sounding of the seven TRUMPETS points out, in succession, the heavy judgments, which would be inflicted by Divine justice, for the prevailing wickedness of the corresponding periods, arising chiefly from the manifold corruptions of Christianity in the empire at large, while the Church was in this state of ESTABLISHMENT; which punishments would only terminate, in the entire subversion of the Constantinopolitan empire in the East, and in the permanent REFORMATION of Religion in some

regions of the West, under the sixth Trumpet,and under the seventh, in those peculiar WOES which would still be the portion of those nations, who should persist in refusing to listen to the reclaiming voice of Divine Truth :

THIRDLY, That the pouring out of the sevenVIALS prefigures so many successive, and most tremendous, judgments of the Almighty, upon those nations of the world, which, after the firm ESTABLISHMENT of the REFORMATION, should still obstinately persevere in their former abominations, or contract new ones; which effusions of the Divine wrath will conclude, with the final and judicial abolition of the superstitious, idolatrous, and infidel principles, which had been the causes of all the miseries that had been inflicted,-and with the general diffusion of the pure Religion of Christ, and consequently of virtue, peace, and happiness throughout the world.

Such is a general sketch of the scenes, which this Scheme of Divine "Revelation" unfolds, in its Seals, Trumpets, and Vials. Whence it will appear, that the sacred imagery, brought to light by the opening of the seventh Seal, must comprehend, at least, all the events denoted by the

P I have said, that the portion of "The Revelation" disclosed by the opening of the seventh Seal "must comprehend, at least, all this," because it comprehends, in fact, much more: for it will be found to conduct us, through the Millenium, to the very confines of Eternity. But, for references to every

sounding of the seven Trumpets, and the pouring out of the seven Vials; and that the period, whose commencement is indicated by the sounding of the seventh Trumpet, must comprehend all those, in like manner, which are signified by the effusion of the seven Vials.

So much for the exemplification of certain passages in "The Revelation," in which the mystical number SEVEN is introduced.

II. “Fire,” having been considered as a refiner and purifier of such substances as will abide its influence, must now be regarded as the destroyer of such as will not abide it. In the very process, indeed, of refining, every base alloy, every thing that will not stand the test of the fire, is neces'sarily consumed. Thus it is in the natural world; and in this point of view, also, the action of this element becomes a very impressive emblem of the effects of Divine wrath against persevering wickedness and impiety. It is accordingly said, that "God is a consuming fire :" and it is denounced in the behalf of the Incarnate Son of GOD, that "his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather the wheat into "his garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire'." And, in the same figura

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part of the above-mentioned arrangement, the reader is requested to consult Section III. of this Introduction.

9 Deut. iv. 24. Heb. xii. 29.

г

Matt. iii, 12.

tive sense, the punishment of impious and abandoned men, by what means soever it may be inflicted, is sometimes compared, in "The Revelation," to the action of fire.

1. Thus,—in viii. 5. it is applied to the denunciation of Divine Judgments upon the Roman Empire, after the death of Constantine, and before its division into the Eastern and Western parts.

2. In viii. 7. "Fire, mingled with blood," shews a still more aggravated degree of calamity, in the Western half of the Empire, until the accession of Honorius.

3. In viii. 8. Rome herself, the ancient seat of the Empire, is described as "a great mountain, burning with fire, and cast into the sea;" Honorius having transferred the seat of the Western Empire from Rome to Ravenna, A.D. 404; and Alaric, with his Goths, having taken, pillaged, and partly burnt that city in 410,-which gave the signal, as it were, to subsequent inundations of barbarous nations, of the same kind, not many years afterwards.

4. In ix. 17, 18. " Fire," or a fiery zeal in the propagation of a false religion, is converted into the means of exemplary punishment for the false professors of Christianity in the Eastern Empire, and of the overthrow of that Empire itself.

5. In xiii. 13. " making fire to come down from the heaven" is employed in the description of a Power, arrogating to itself, and imposing upon the higher authorities subject to its influence, the