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barbarous manner. Those who yet returned to Europe, filled every country in Christendom with the bitter complaints of their sufferings, so as to create a general sensation of compassion for the pilgrims, and of abhorrence and detestation against the Mahommedans, who now had that country in their possession. This general sensation and alarm, sounded by returning pilgrims for centuries, seems to be indicated by the loud and terrible cry of the angel; and being thus limited, stands distinguished from all the calamities of the second wo.

Verse 4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, seal up those things which the seaven thunders uttered, and write them not.

St. John perfectly understood all the sayings of the seven thunders. So deep was the impression on his mind, that he recollected distinctly the voice of each, and would have been able correctly to communicate, and actually intended to reveal the contents of the whole, had he not received a prohibition. But a voice from heaven informed him that he should treasure them up in his own breast, and write them not. The learned Faber, and Dr. Iung are of opinion, that this order from heaven only meant, that the apostle should not write those things at that time, or not in plain words, and endeavour to prove it from Dan. 11, 9. But, if I understand the true sense of that passage in Daniel, the prophet requested an explanation of the angel's prophecy in the foregoing verse, and received for answer: that in those mystical words, in which it had been delivered, it was sealed, or consigned to be understood by chosen persons in that style of language at a particular time, and it would be improper to give any further information. And in the passage now under consideration, the meaning undoubt edly is, that John should only mention, that seven thunders had uttered their voices in consequence of the angel's ery, and write nothing more of what he understood by

them; thus they would be sealed to the time of their ace complishment.

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These seven thunders indicate the seven crusades, which have been undertaken by the Christian powers in Europe, in consequence of the affecting tales, and grievous complaints of surviving pilgrims from the Holy land. I am aware of the different accounts historians have given of these expeditions; some of which have applauded them as pious and just, while others denounced them as fanatical and wicked, undertaken from the vilest motives of the Roman Pontiffs. But I have nothing to do with the justice or injustice of these holy wars, [the object of which might be justified by strong arguments;] the prophecy only considers them as facts, which should come to pass in due season. It is certain, that all Christendom con- . sidered it a duty encumbent on them to assist in rescuing out of the power of the Mahommedans the holy land of Palastine; which had been blessed with the ministry, and consecrated with the blood of the great Redeemer. The first project for this strange and uncommon achievement was already formed in the tenth century, by the Roman pontiff Silvester II.; and A. D. 1093, when Peter the Hermit returned from Palestine, and sounded the alarm through all the countries of Europe, the bloody signal for avenging the wrongs of the Christians, was given. Accordingly a numerous host of 800,000 men set out in the year 1096 for Asia; and during the time of near two centuries, seven different crusades have been undertaken, in which all the princes of Europe were engaged. The Christians took Jerusalem A. D. 1099, and established a new kingdom, where the famous Godfrey of Bouillon and his successors, reigned for 85 years. At the termination of this period, A. D. 1184, the Turks retook the city, and the Christian power in Palestine soon expired. These seven crusades are very fitly represented by the seven thunders, both with regard to the nature of

that phenomenon, and its effects. Thunder is the explo sion from electrified clouds in the atmosphere, echoed back from the inequalities on the surface of the earth.

I. Thunder-clouds are formed by a collection of many, mostly unwholesome vapors from the earth. This is a complete picture of the constituent parts of a crusade. They were motley assemblages of monks, prostitutes, artists, labourers, lazy tradesmen, merchants, boys, girls, slaves, malefactors, profligate debauchees, and the foulest dregs of the multitude, who were animated by a prospect of spoil, and the hope of fortune.

II. Thunder makes a great noise, and does little damage, except that it consumes its own cause. This was truly the case with the crusades to the Holy-land. They collected like thunder-clouds from a wide circumference, into a formidable and majestic appearance, and were looked upon as equal to the most glorious enterprises; yet, as they had neither discipline, counsel, or fortitude, they only spread misery and desolation wherever they came, without ultimately effecting any grand purpose. Historians compute the people who perished in the different expeditions, at upwards of two millions.

III. Thunder purifies the air. And thus by the crusades the church became cleansed of the very dregs of society, which had hitherto polluted the atmosphere of the people of God on earth, by vicious examples in word and deed. But there is another consideration, why Providence should suffer this vehement zeal for what was then impiously termed, holy carnage. It is very probablę, that if the Christians had not then made these exertions of courage and heroism, all Europe would have fallen a prey to the growing power of the Mahommedans; or the Church of Christ at least in Italy, Spain and France would have been buried in ruins. These infidels were thereby effectually opposed in their impetuous torrent.

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IV. Thunder is favourable to vegetation. This also was the effect of the crusades in a moral point of view. Europe at this time was sunk in the most profound ignorance and superstition. The ecclesiastics amused the gazing multitude, by a gaudy spectacle of religious rites and ceremonies, and neglected the culture of the human mind. But when these conquerors of the Holy land again returned, enriched by many valuable manuscripts of taste, & classick erudition, which they had acquired in the East and with the Arabian geniuses, they dashed into fragments the iron bonds of ignorance and vice, by which the vigour of the immortal spirit had been so long depressed and fettered. Arts and sciences again rose into notice. The barbarism in which Europe had been immersed for centuries, gradually wore off, and many began to discover a taste even for a more polished and refined way of life. Verse 5. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven,

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6. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who creat-
ed heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth,
and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things
which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he
shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished,
as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

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Here, this exalted and glorious angel attests the truth and importance of his message, by a most solemn appeal to the creator and governour of the universe. The position in which he performs this awful act, is of great import, to illustrate the objects to which his oath refers. He stood upon the sea and upon the earth, that is, the Roman empire, and he lifted up his hand to heaven, that. is to God; because his oath refers to all these objects, and essentially concerns the whole. This is the field on which great and marvellous achievements are to be accomplished concerning the Priestly-kingdom of Christ, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Verse 6. And sware. In this oath the angel appeals to God as the ever living, and as the creator of all things in heaven, earth and sea; which two characteristics indicate, that he, being the fountain of all life, is the only lawful proprietor of the world, and far exalted above every creature. In consequence of this divine right, the Lord adopts a series of measures by which the old Drag on is constrained, first to leave heaven chap. XII, and at last the earth and the sea; after he has exhausted all his arts of wickedness by the beasts from the sea, from the earth, and from the bottomlesspit. Against these enemies the angel here makes a solemn protest, and proclaims, that the Lord Jesus will maintain his regal right, and dispossess them for ever.

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That there should be time no longer. Both the priesthood and kingdom of Christ, were ratified and confirmed by oaths in the time of David, Ps. cx, 4. cxxxII, 11; and this angel here determines the period, when his priestly kingdom shall be fully established, and acknowledged on earth in all its authority, chap. XI, 15. As the words run here in English, they convey an idea, which by no means comports with the original Greek. οτι χρονος ουκ ες αι #71, should be rendered "that it will not be a chronos more,” viz. till the finishing of the have determined the length of a duction in the first volume, to be 1100 years. Though this computation, considered singly in itself, is only a supposition, yet when compared with the whole system of prophecy, its dates, times and periods, it acquires a high degree of probability. Certain it is, this period must be longer than the whole time of the seventh trumpet; for though they both terminate at the same point, yet this period commences sooner by many years. This is the case with all the other periods which occur under the seventh trumpet; the 1260 days; the time, times and half a time of the woman; the 42 months of the beast; and the 42 months

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