1841 William Miller Evidence from Scripture & History - A2Z.org

EVIDENCE 

raox 

dCRIPTURE AND HISTORY 

SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, 

* k 

ABOUT 

THE YEAR 1843; 

EXHIBITED 

IN A COURSE OF LECTURES. 

BOSTON: 

1 PUBLISHED BY MOSES A. DOW, 

107 HANOVEB STREET. 

1841.

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INTRODUCTION. 

In presenting these Lectures to the public, the writer w od J 

complying with the solicitations of some of his friends, who have 

requested that hi views on the Prophecies of Daniel and John 

might be made public. The reader is therefore requested to give 

the subject a careful and candid perusal, and compare every part 

with the standard of Divine Tmth; for if the explanation the writer 

has given to the scriptures under consideration should prove coneet, 

the reader will readily perceive that it concern us all, and becoma 

doubly important to us, because we live on the eve of one of tbe 

most important evenu ever revealed to man by the wisdom of God 

-the judgment of the great day 

In order that the reader may have an understanding of my manner 

of studying the Propheeies, by which I have come to the following 

result, I have thought proper to give some' of the rules of 

interpretation which I have adopted to understand prophecy. 

Prophetical acripture is very much of it communicated to us by 

figures and highly and richly adorned metaphors ; by which I mean 

that figures such as beasid, bird6, air or m'd, w&r,Jire, candlcsticb, 

Lmp, mountains, islands, kc., are used to represent things prophesied 

of-such as kingdoms, warriors, principles, people, judgments, 

churches, word of God, large and smallergovernmene. ltu 

metaphorical also, showing some peculiar quality of the thing prophesied 

of, by the most prominent feature or quality of the figure used, 

as beasts-if a h, power and rule ; if a leopard, celerity ; if 

bear, voracious j an 03, submissive ; aman, proud and independent. 

Fire denotes justice and judgment in its figure ; in the metaphor, 

denotes the purifying or eocsuming up the dross or wickedness ; M 

pre has a cleansingquality, so will the justice or judgments of God. 

id For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of tbe 

world .sill learn righteotwaem!' Therefore almost all the figurer

4 INTSODUCTIOII. 

ursd in prophecy have their literal and metaphorical meaning ; aa 

bend denote, literally, a kingdom, so metaphorically good or bad, 

as the case may be, to be understood by the subject in connection. 

To understand the literal meaning of figures used in prophecy, I 

have pursued the following method :- I find the word "beast" 

used in a figwatim rase j I take my concordance, trace the word, 

and in Daniel vii. 17, it is explained to mean kings or kingdoms." 

Again, I come across the words "bird m fml," and in Isa. dvi 

11, it is used, meaning a conqueror or yamor,- Cyms. Also, in 

Ezekiel uxix. 4-9, denotes armies or conquerors. Again, the 

words " a+ a wind," as used in Rev. ix. 2, and 16, 17, to understand 

which I turn to Eph. ii. 2, and 4-14, and there learn that it 

' is used as a figure to denote the theories of worldly men or vain 

philosophy. A e y "to& or riwrs" are used as figures in 

Rev. xvii. 15, 11 1s explained to mean "people or nations." 

" Riders" of course mean the nation or people living on the river 

meationed, as in Rev. xvi. 12. Fire " is often used in a figurative 

sense ; explained in Num. xxi. 27-28, hut. h i . B, Psal. luviii 

21, Heb. xii. 29, to mean justice and judgment. 

As prophecy is a language somewhat direrent &om other parts 

of Scripture, owing to its having been revealed in vision, and that 

higbly figurative, yet God in his wisdom has a, interwoven the 

several prophecies, that the events foretdld are not dl told by cne 

prophet, and although they lived and pmphesied in direrent ages of 

the world. yet they tell us the same rbign ; so you take away one, 

and a link will be wanting. There is a general connection through 

the whole ; like a well-regulated communify they all move in unison, 

speaking tho same things, observing the same rules, so that a 

'Bible reader may almost with propriety mppoae, let him read in 

what prophecy he may, that ho is reading the same prophet, the 

same author. This will appear evident to any one who will compare 

scripture with eeriptum. For example, see Dan. xii. 1, Matt. 

xxiv. 21, Isa. dvii. 8, Zeph. ii. 15, Rev. xviii. 7. There never was 

a book written that has a better connection and harmony than the 

Bible, and yet it haa he appearance of a great store-house full of 

all the precious commodities heart could desire, thrown in promiscuously; 

therefore, the biblical student mnst select and bring together 

every part ofthe subject he wish to investigate, from every 

part of tbe Bible j then let every word have ita own Scripture meaning, 

every sentence its proper bearing-, and have no oontradiction, 

&d yw theory will and must of necessity be comb Trath ~LI

One deviating path, that grows brighter and brighter the mom it 

is trodden j it needs no plausible arguments nor pompous dress lo 

make it more bright, for the more naked and simple the fact, the 

mnger the, truth appears. 

Let it be noticed that God has revenled to his prophets the saw 

events in divers figures and at diaerent times, as he has to Daniel 

in the second, seventh, and ei&th chapters concerning the four 

kingdoms j or to Peter, (see Acts I. 16 j) also Isaiah and Job. 

Tben, to get the whole truth, all those visions or prophecies must 

be concentrated and brought together, that have reference to the 

subject wbich we wish to investigate; and when combined, let every 

word and sentence have its proper bearing and force in the grand 

whole, and the theory or system, as 1 have before shown, must be 

correct. 

I have likewise no~iced that in those epents, visions, and 

prophecies which have had their fulfilment, every word and every 

particular has had an exact and literal accomplishment, and that 

no tno events have ever happened, that I can learn, which will exacUy 

apply or fulfil the same prophecy. Take, for instance, rhe 

prophecies concerning the birth, life, and crucilixion of our Savior, 

and in his history .we find a literal fubent ; yet in the birth, life, 

or death of any other individual it would be in vain to find a parallel. 

Again, lake the prophecies which have been admitted, by 

Protegtants at least, to apply to Cyrus, Alexander, Julius Caesar, 

destmction of Jerusalem, and the church of Rome, and I have never 

been able to trace even a resembl8nce to the prophecies in question 

in any historical events except the true ones. If this is true, may 

we not suppose that the unfulfilled prophecies in their accomplishmenla 

wiU be equally as evident and literal 1 

There are two important points to which all prophecy seems to 

centre, like a cluster of grapes upon its stem - the first and second 

coming of Christ ; the first coming to proclaim rhe gospel, set up 

hi kingdom, suffer for sinners, and bring in an everl~sting righteousness. 

His second coming, to which the ardent faith and pious 

hope of the tried and tempted child of God centres, is for complete . 

redemption from sin, for the justification and glori6cation promised 

to all those who look for his appearing, the destruction of the wicked 

and mystical Babylon, the abomination of the whole earth. 

His 61x1 comingw6s as a man, his human nature being only visible, 

his Godbead known only in his miracles. His second coming will 

be as God, his divine Godhead and power being most visible. He 

fint, like tbe ".bt man 6f tbe earth, earthy ;" bia d 

1

coming is tbe Lord from heaven." Hi8 hrst aomlngm literally 

according to tbe prophecies. And so we may safely iufer will be 

his second appearance, according to the Scriptures. At his advent, 

hie forerunner was spoken of -'I one crying in tbe wilde- j " cbe 

manner of hi8 bitb -" a child born of a virgin j " tbe place wbre 

-" ~~m of Judea j " tbe time of hi den& - when aeventy 

weeb should be fuhlled j for what he should der -" to mako 

an end of sin#, to make retonciliation for iniquity, and to bring iu 

uverlasting ngbteouswrs, to Mal up the vision and prophecy, and 

to anoint tbe Mat Holy." Tbe *tar that appeared, he aLripc8 he 

received, tbe dmdu be performed, tbe tading~ of his foes- all 

were literally fi~l~illed. Then, why not suppose W all rhz propb* 

oiea concerning hi md coming will be as literally aecompli&ed 

a8 tho formcr Can any man show a single reaeon why it will 

not If rhi be trus, we can obtain much ligbt by reacli cbe 

Ucriptures. We am tbem informed of the manner of his second 

edming-" suddenly, in he clouds, in like manner as be ascend* 

ad ;" che majesty of his coming -" ou a great white throne, with 

power and put glory, and all hi8 Mints witb him j" the object of 

him corning -" M tho Aoeieat of Days, to end bis angels into hn 

fob win& of beavcn, g , b hi elect, raise tbe righwa dead, 

change tbe nghleo~s I~v~ng, chain &tan, destroy antiChrist, tba 

virkad, and all those who Qslmy tbe d, judge, justify and 

glorify hh people, elennae hi8 churcb, present her to his Father, live 

d rci(lawith ber on Ihe new beavcna and new cad,'' he form of 

tba nld having pused away. 

The time when h thingo shall take place ir a h specified, by 

Mmo or tbe proppbeu, unto !BX days, (meaning ye~l 

j) lben sl~all 

tbe m~ctuuy bo e k d , &r he antiChrutian beas bas reigned 

hcr time, limes, and a half;" a h tbe two wiloesses have 

propbeaid " a huaaod tuv buudd and bore days, clolhed 

in uckcl& j" mAsr tbe churrh captivity in tbe wildernew, " fortytwo 

moab j ' after ha "pspel dwuld be prearbed in all I& 

mrMf~avi~~h.b.ll !be end.com.'' Tbe sip of dm 

times am also given, wbrn wo may b w , be u war, even at he 

door. Wben Ibem am nwa y " lo hare's a d lo tkR'a ;" abcn tlm 

way of ml)l b evil spokea of; wben many sodueen an abmd in 

hlud ; when wdibn disbelieve in hia h~iag,aal nu, O' ~~~ 

b cba pranm d bii coming ;" when tbe wix and fuolisb virgiw 

am cakd lo vim hir lamp, and th poiee of the lriend oT hc 

~is,"BbokllbcorabjJ' nbso t b e e i t y d t b ~

ls divided into thia parts; when the power of ke holy peopb 

scattered, and the kings of the east come up to battle; when hem 

is a time of trouble, such as never was before, and Lhe church in 

her Laodicean state; when the seventh seal opens, the seventh vial 

is poured out, the last woe pronounced by the angel dying through 

the midst of heaven, and the seventh and last trumpet sounds;- 

then will the mystery of God be finished, and the door of mercy be 

closed forever; then shall we be brought to the last point, his wxond 

coming. 

Again, prophecy is sometimes typical ; that is, partly fulfilled in 

the type, but completely only in tbe antitype. Such was Iha 

propbecy concerning Isaac, partly fulfilled in hi, whdly so in 

Christ; likewise concerning Israel, partly fulfilled in them as a nation, 

but never fully accomplished until the hal redemption of 

spiritual Israel. Likewise the prophecies coneerning the J e d 

captivity in Babylon, and their rehun, are only partly aceomplilhed 

in the history of past events. The description of those things in 

the prophets is so august and magnificent, that if only applicablg 

to the literal captivity of the Jews and their return, the exposition 

would be weak and barren; therefore I humbly believe that the 

exact fulfilment can only be looked for in the captivity of the church 

in the wilderness, under the anti-Christian beast, destruction of 

mystical Babylon, and glorification of the saints in the New Jem 

salem stale. 

There are also m the 24.th thaptel of Matthew many things pmphesied 

of, which were not fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem J 

such as the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds, the gathering 

his elect from the four winds of heaven, his taking one and lea* 

anoher. This shows a typical meaning in this prophecy, and hat 

it will not all be fulfilled until the end of the world. Also, the 

transfiguration of Christ on the mount, prophesied of by himself 

eight days before, is noticed by Peter, 2. Epistle, i. 16-18, as 

being a type or figure of his second coming. 

Who, thnt has read the prophecies with any degree of attention, 

will not acknowledge the great agreement between the Old Testament 

prophecies and the New Almost every prophecy given 

by Christ and his apostles may be found, in the'Old Testament 

prophets, represented by figures, ~4iich were familiar to the writers 

and readers of those times. The foregoing rules are some of the 

principal ones which I have observed in attempting to explain the 

popheem of Daniel and John, and to give the time when the

mystery of God will be finished, a, I humbly believe it b revealed 

to the prophets. 

If I have erred in my exposition of the prophecies, the lime, being 

so near at hand, will soon expose my folly ; but if I have the truth 

on the subjects treated on in them pages, how imporlant he era in 

whiah we live! What vast and important events must soon be 

realized! and how necessary that every individual be prepared, 

that that day may not come upon them unawares, while they are 

surfeited with the cares and riches of this life, and the day overtake 

them as a thief! " Rut ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that 

day should overtake you as a thief," 1 Thess. v. 4. In studying 

the~e prophecies, I have endeavored to divr.1 myself of all prepossessed 

opi~~ions, not warranted by the word of God, and to 

weigh well all the ~bjections that might be raised from the Scrip 

lures; and aner fourtcen years1 study of the prophecies and other 

parts of the Bihle, I hove come to the following conclusions, and 

do now commit myself into the hands of God as my Judge, in 

giving publicity to the sentiments hcrein contained, conscientiously 

desiring thnt this little book may be the means to incite others to 

study the Scriptures, and to sec whether these things be so, and that 

some minds may be led to believe in the word of God, and find an 

interest in the offering and sacrifice of the Lamb of God, that their 

sins might be forgiven them through the blood of the aonement, 

"when the refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, 

and from the glory of his power," Ii whon be comes to be admired 

in all tbem that believe in that day." 

And now, my dear mlers, I hcg of you to lay aridc prcjudirc ; 

examine this subject cnndidly and camfully for yourselves. Your 

belief or unhelicf will not affect the t ~th. If it is so, whatercr you 

may think or do will not alter the revealed purposes of Gal. Not 

onc jot or little of 11is wunl will fail j" but you may, by your ohdienre 

in the faith, serure you an interest in Ihc first rrcurrertion, 

and a glorious ndmittanee into the Sew Jsrusalom, and nn inheritance 

among 111s Justified in glory, and you may sit down with 

Abraham, Isaac, md Jacob in the Kingdom of God. Itlay this be 

your lot-i~ the prayer of your wrv&nt, 

WM. BIlLLF.R. 

HAUPTON, ll'uahingfun Cmmfy, N. Y.

INDEX. 

LECTURE I. 

Tan Sncorrr, Arrr~ar~o OF CH~IST. Titua %. 13.-Lookin 

that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God, anfour 

Savior Jerus Cllrint ............................................. 11 

Tam FIMT B~~~UI~CTIOU. Rev. 11.6. - Blesmd and holy ir be that 

llach part in the Br8t murrection: on such the wwnd death hatb 

no power -shall reign with him a thousand years.. ............. 28 

LECTURE 111. 

Tux TWO TUO~~AUD THaar Hur~ne~ DAYS. Dm. rill. 13 I4 

-And he mid unto me Unto two thousand thraa bundred days: 

then shall the sanctuary'be cleansed. ......................... ..39 

LECTURE IV. 

Daniel 11. !Z4.-8eTenty weeks are determined upon thy people and 

u n thy boly city, to Blhieh the tnnspreoim and to make ad end 

zsins and to make reconciliation for lniqiity, and to bring in 

evarla&lng lighteot18lle~8 and to seal up the vision and prophecy 

and to anoint the Most ~ily.. .56 

................................. 

PAOARoxr rmusraro. Rar. xiii. 18.-'And his number b six 

hudred threescore and 011. .................................... 76 

LECTURB VI. 

DAUI~L'I VISION OF THB LATT~I DAYS ' Oa AN EXPOSITION OF TAB 

ELEVENTH CHAPTER OP DANIEL. D ~I. 2 14.-NOW I am come 

to make thee underatand whdt shall befall thy people in the latter 

days ........................................................... 80 

LECTURE VII. 

DANIEL's Im 1190 ArD 1% DAYS EXPLAlReD. Daniel xii. 8.- 

And I heard: but i underatood not: then said I, 0 my Lord, what 

shdl be the end of thew things ............................... 100 

LECTURE VIII. 

THE THREE Won TUUMPET~. Rev. viii. 13. -Woe, woe, woe, to 

the inhabitants of the eafth by reaeon of the other voloes of the 

115 

trumpet of the t hm angels wbich are yet to eound .............. 

' 

for

10 InDm 

L E m IS. and X. 

TRI EIIIHZI TO TR. 8 x 7 ~ CSU~CRES ~ 01 h14 00mlDILLD AI 

rrrLrlao TO 81rr11 PESIODI or ran Goi.cb Cncmcn. Ber. 

I. 20. ....., 145 

............................................... 

LECTURE XI. 

TRI NEW 80~0. Rev. V. 8. -And Lbey sung a new mng, ca ink 

Thou art worthy to cake the book, and to opera the nals them6 for 

thou w ~ slain, t and hast redeemed us to Qod, kc.. ,161 

............ 

LECTUBE XII. 

TRE EVER ~EAW A8 RSPIIESENTINO EIE~TB TO TRI END OF TIM.. 

Rev. r. 6. - ~ ehhd the Lion of tbe tribe of Jndab bath prevailed 

to open the book, add to lawe the aven seal. thereof.. .I76 

........ 

LECTURE XIII. . 

THI TWO WITCII~ES AI HATINO BIER BLAIN IN TRE F~NCH 

R~ro~orlor. Rev ki 3 -And I rill lva power onto niy two 

witn-8, and theg ;hi1 pmpheny ld daym, EMbed In ackclolb. 

.I'JO 

....................................................... 

LECTURE XIV. 

TRI WOYAC IR TW. WILDLINIIB. Rev. dl. &-And the womau 

fled lnlo the wlldnmep whan whe bath a plate pnpred ofQod, chat 

he). mhdd fwd br d m days. ......................... .901 

LECTURE xv. 

Tm Bmrnn LAST hema, or 8.r~~ Vrru. Rev. xvl. 17. -And 

the nrenth angel pound out hls vial Into (be air. and tben tame a 

y t V O out ~ ot t b wrnp~e or heaven, imm (Is Umne, nyinc 

la done 

9d 

, 

..................................................... 

LECTWE XVI. 

Tsr Prnrn~m or TRX TER V~anrns. Matt. m. 1.-Then mlmll the 

kinpiom of hcaren be llkensd unto ten rlrginl, whlcb Look tnelr 

Imp, and wsnt forch to meet the bridegroom 933 

.................. 

T E XVIL 

ON PvIIIIIIY.~ Or TRI PLO- 01 &D BETIN TIMBS TO. 

2250 

rum. Blm. Lw.ntl.09,% .............................. 

LEcrum XVIII. 

Bohnnan'r Lha rill. S. - Who b rhh LbU uwetb op lhn (he rllde- 

lmnkg u p ber beloved !............................96( 

LECTURE XIX. 

lrar8 or an Pa~ssn Trrsa. Mat. xxvL 8.-But enn ye na 

~ r o 

tbr .LloroCtbr Umm ................................ OLO

LEC'TURE I. 

Looking for that blessed hope, and gloriorm appearing of the 

great God, and our Savior Jesus Christ. 

WHE~ we take a view of the trials, pains, afflictione, 

persecutions, poverty, and distress, which the people of 

God suffer in this world, we are almost led to exclaim 

with the apostle, If in this life only we have hope, we 

are of all men most miserable." But no; we will not 

complain; for to suffer the short period of threescore 

years and ten, at most, will only give a greater zest to 

fhe glory which shall follow at the ap earin 

Lord and Savior the great God and Aua 8hgCy 

know the world are taunting us with tho inquiry, 

Where is the promise of his coming for, since the 

fathers fell asleep, all things remain as they were, even 

from the creation of the world ;" for they will retend 

to be i orant as the apoatle Peter expresses Rimaclf 

of the guge) &at the world that then was, being overflowed 

with water, perished ; and still more do they pre 

tend to be ignorant, that the same earth is in like manner 

to be destroyed by fire, "reserved unto fie against 

the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 2 

Peter iii. 7. Also, my brethren, there are some even 

among us, who G'are spots in your feasts of charity, 

feeding themselves without fear ; clouds without water, 

carried about of winds ; trees whose fruit withereth; 

twice dead, plucked up by the roots waves of 

the sea, foaming out their own LTwandering

12 LECTURE 1r - 

atam, to whom is reserved the blackness of darknes~ 

forever. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, 

, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometb 

with ten thousand of his saints, to execute 'udgment 

upon all; and to convince all that are ungodiy among 

them of all their u dly deeds which they have ungodly 

committed, anyof all their bard pwhe8 which 

they have spoken against him. These are murmurera, 

complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their 

mouth speaking great swelling words, having men's 

ersona in admiration, because of advantage. But, 

feloved, remember ye the words which were spoken 

before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Cluist ; how 

that they told you there should be mockem in the laet 

time, who should walk after their own ungodly lush 

These be they who separate themselves, sensual having 

not the Bpirk But e, beloved, building up yourselves 

on you, most holy Faith, praying in the Holy Gbw 

keep youraelves in the love of God, looking for the 

niercy (or glorious appearing) of ow Lord Jesus Christ 

unto eternal life." Jude 12-21. Or, as Peter s:lys, 

2 Pet iii. 12, "Looking for and hasting unto the coming 

of the day of God." And again, Paul enys, in Heb. 

ix. 26, UAnd unto them that look for him &all he 

appear the second time without sin unto salvatitmn 

And Paul further saith, to his I'hilippinn bretlucn, For 

our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we 

look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Cb&, who shall 

our vile body, that it may be fashioned like 

%:& dorioua body: 

Iialring thus proved thnt the apostles directed our 

hope to the coming of CWt for the fulfilment of all 

our trials and persccutionq and tho cornplotion of our 

faith, 1 shall now take up our subject in tho following 

order:-I. I &all endeavor to prove tlint it ia yet 

future; viz, the coming of Christ, spoken of in the text. 

II. The certainty of his coming. I1L The object of 

his coming. 

I. We are, according to our design, to show tht 

the appearing of the Lord Jaue Christ, rpoken of in 

t b ~ h y e t ~

Borne teach us that he came at the destrnction of 

Jerusalem, and quote to the 24th chapter of Matthew 

as proof. Let us examine their evidence. As Jesw 

went out of the temple, hie disciples came to him for 

to show him the buildings of the temple, where Christ 

delivered his memorable prophecy, which was exactly 

fulfilled in little more than thirt.4~ years afterwards, 

"There shall not be left here one atone upon mother 

that shall not be thrown down" 

And it a pears that, afterwar&, as Jam sat upon the 

Mount of Alives, the ditxipla came to him privately, 

having, as map reasonably be supposed, been mminating 

in their minds, or conversing among themelves, 

on the prophecy, and had, perhaps, supposed that. no 

power on earth could destro those strong buildings, 

and concluded that, when dis was .ccomplished, it 

would be the judgment-day. They therefore inquire 

of him, "saying, Tell us, when shall these thin be " 

that is, what he had prophesied of; '6 and wEt shall 

be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the 

world" They might not have intended to ask more 

than one question; yet they did ask three, and Christ 

snsmered them accordiu ly. He had before told them 

of the destruction of ferusalem, 4th, 5th, and 6th 

verses ; he cautions them against being deceived with 

false Christs, and not to be troubled at wars and rumors 

of wm, - and yet Jerusalem was destroyed in the 

first war of an note after this prophecy,-and then 

says plainly,

the disciples of Chriat did not de.r aftsrwarde the 

same things which Chrkt said they would. From the 

15th to the 28th verse, Christ instructs his dhciplea 

into their duty during the aie e of Jerusalem, and also 

down to the coming of the Eon of Man. Tb, you 

will see, must mean Christ in person; because neither 

the Holy Spirit wr Father is any where called Son 

o Man. He likewise speaks of the signs which should 

fJ ollow the destruction of Jerusalem. From the 29th 

to the 35th verse, inclusive, Christ explains the signa 

in the heavens and on the earth immediately after the 

tribulation of the people of God, which had been 

spoken of as the common lot of all his followers, and 

which he had promised to shorten for the elect's sake, 

and of his coming in the clouds with power and 

flory ; the gathering of his elect from the four winr$ 

eaven ; gives hie disciples the parable of the fig tree, 

as an ill~lstration of the end; and then says to his disciples, 

Verily, I say unto you, This generntion shall not 

pass till all these things be fulfilled; heayen and earth 

shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." 

Here ia the great stumbling-block to many. Christ 

m talking about his elect, his children, and his generation; 

and not, as some will have it, about the generations 

that then lived on the earth; for they did undoubtedly 

pass off, a large share of them; for it was 

about thirty-six years before the destmction of Jerusalem. 

But his kingdom has never been taken from 

the earth. Although they have been hunted from one 

part of the earth to another; although they have been 

driven into caves and dens of mountaim; 11ave been 

tion" Psalm xxii, 30. I humbly believe that Christ 

bu qooLed the mntkrrent contained in the 102d Plllm,

25th to last veme : Of old haat thou laid ihe foundstion 

of the earth; and the heavens are the work of 

thine hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; 

yea, all of them shaC wax old like a ,garment; as a 

vesture shalt thou chan e them, and tl~ey shall be 

changed; hut thou art tie same, and thy years shdl 

have no end. The children of thy servante shall continue, 

and their seed shall be established before thean 

Here we see the Psalmist haa expressed the sane 

sentiment that I understand Christ to have given 

in these two verses, which I conclude is the proper 

ex,~lsnation And then the parables which follow 

in the remainder of the 24th and 15th chap 

tern, are easily understood aa having reference to 

the end of the world; and in that way will exactly 

compare. See the 31st verse of the 25th chapter: 

When the Son of Man sHall come in his glory, and 

all the hol an els with him, then ahall he sit upon tl~e 

throne of {is Jory ; and before him shall be pthered 

all nations," &c. This verse mu not fulfilled at the 

destruction of Jerusalem, for the "Son of ManU waa 

not seen in the clouds with power and great glory; 

and yet the words are, "every eye &all see him ; and 

as sudden and as visible as the lightnin that ehineth 

from the east even unto the west, so sha8i the conling 

of the Son of Man be." Can thi have sed, and the 

history of the world have been silent Could all 

nations be gathered before him, and there be divided, 

the rightmus from the wicked, and the one par sent to 

everlasting punishment, while the other is received to 

life eternal, and none know it No. Were the elect 

gathered from the four winds of heaven at the destruction 

of Jerusalem No; they were commanded to 

flee to the mountains; and history says they did leave 

that devoted city when the Romans encompassed it with 

their armies. Then, could the prophecies contained in 

these chapters have been fulfilled, and the world remain 

ignorant of sorne of the most important events I 

answer, No. Then the $6 Son of Man " did not come to 

the destruction of Jerusalem If he did, where is the 

evidence None, none, not a palticle. But if he did

come to the dednrction of Jernealeq then it nmat have 

been his second coming; for Paul sa e, Heb. ix. 28, 

UAnd unto them that look for him shalr he appear the 

second time without sill unto salvation." Can this be 

true if he came to J eruealern The passage certainly 

implies that his ople would have no more sin, or 

aflerwards would Uaithout sin." Experience teaches 

us to the contrary. Again it is said, 1 Thes. iv. 16, 17, 

For the Lord 7tidf shall descend from heaven witb 

a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the 

trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall arise ti&; 

then we, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up 

together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in 

the air ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Who 

saw this great transaction at Jerusalem Were there 

no witnesees Yes, the apostle John lived many years 

after this, and wrote his Gospel, hie Epiatlea, and his 

Revelation, long after the destrnction of Jerusalem. 

And what does he testify In his Gospel, 14th chapter, 

3d verse, "And if I go and prepare a lace for you, I 

will come and receive you to myself, &at where I am 

there ye may be also." Again, 28th and !29th verses, 

uYe have heard how I mid unto you, I go awa and 

come ugh unto yoo. If ye loved me, ye wo& reoice, 

beosuse I mid, I go unto the Father; for my 

ather in greater than I. And now I have told you 

before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye 

mi ht believe." A ain, 1 John ii. 28, And now, little 

chfdren, abide in &m. that, when he shall appear, we 

may have cor&demce, and not be ashamed before him 

at his coming." And iii. 2, Beloved, now are we the 

mna of God, and it doth not et ap what we ahall 

be ; but re know that when le shCppear, we shall 

be like him; for we shall eee him an he is." And, 

again, in Rev. i. 7, Bebold, he cometh with clonds, 

and every eye nhall see him; and they also whicb 

ierced him, and all kindreds of the earth. shall wail 

a o n Many more places mi ht he mentioned 

in John's testimony, but not one aors that he had 

already ctvne +n, as mme mpposed. Let thin, then, 

mffice to prove, tbrt the 'gfunow upparing," rpoken 

ofinmtext,LotiUfutwe. 

' b

And now we will examine m e of the evidence of 

the certaintg of hi coming, which is our second 

proposition. 

IL The certainty of it: 

1st Because the ancient prophets all 

Jude tella us that Enoch, the seventh x m Adam, Of " 

prophesied, sap, Behold . the Lord cometh, with ten 

thousands of aunts, kc. Balaam was constrained 

to admit, Out of Jacob shall come he that aha11 have 

dominion, and shall destroy him that rernaineth of the 

city," plainly referrin to the judgmentcday; for he 

says, Alas! who sh& live when God doth this" 

See Numbers xxiv. 11-23. And Moses as plainly 

refers to this day in Deut xxxii 43, Re'oice, 0 ye 

natiom, with his people, for he will avenge de blood of 

his servants, and will render ve eance to hia adversanes, 

and rill be merciful to hisxnd and to his p~ople!~ 

David says, Psalm L 3, 4, 'LOtu God shall come, and 

shnll not keep silence ; a fire shall devour before him, 

and it shall be very tempestuous round about him ; he 

shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, 

(that he may jildge his people.") And Isa xl. 5, '' And 

theglory of the Lord sbail be rkvealed, and all flesh 

shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath 

spoken itn In the 39th chapter of Ezekiel, you will 

see the same day of 'udgment prophesied of in a clear 

and plain manner. Dam vii. 9,10, 1 beheld till the 

thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did 

sit, whose nnent was white as snow, and the hair of 

his head lfae the pure wool: his throne was like tho 

fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery 

etrearn issued and came forth before him: thousand 

thorleands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times 

ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, 

and the books were opened!' Joel iii. 14, Multitudes 

multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the 

Lord is near in the valley of decisionn Zeph. i. 14, 

uThe great day of the Lord is near; it is near, and 

hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord; 

the mi hty men shall cry there bitterly." Zech. xi 5, 

a~nd$~anlth~~odshell comq and all the scus&

t 

with thee Mal. lv. !2, u But unto pd that fem mf 1- 

r e 

the Sun of Kighteousness anme with heal' 

wlngs, and ye shall go forth, and grow up as c Y". veee in 

the stalLn And Christ himself says, in MatL xvi. 27, 

(&For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of hie 

Father, with his angels ; and then shall he reward eve rp 

man according to hi. worka." The angels that Btood 

by the disciples at the time Jesns aacencled up, and a 

cloud received him out of their sight, said, Ye men of , 

Galilee, why stand ye gazing a into heaven Thi 

mne I-, which is taken op ifom you into heaven, 

shall so aome in like manner as ye have seen him 

t o heaven." Let us take particular notire of g 

phrase Uir same knu, and compare witb other parallel 

peagee, as, our God ah& come, and it will prove 

to our mtiafaction that Jesus Christ is God, as well as 

man, and we may have strong consolation for our hope 

in hie appearing, for his promises can never fail, 

"Heaven and earth may pass awa but not one jot 

or tittle of his word shall fail." ~Ps)o take notice of 

the words alike manner," which agree with the ofte~ 

expressed sentence, He ahall come In the doudc ef 

hwml' Weshdl be led to adlnire the general harmoni 

of the Scriptures, and the agreement of the 

prop eta In their descriptions of future events. Apio, 

Christ says to the cburch of Philadelpha, Rev. i i 11, ~ 

* Behold, I come quick2 : hold that fast thou hagf that 

no man take thy crown For ot a little while and 

he that shall come rill come, ani will not tarry," Heb. 

x. 37. And will not the evidence I have brought from 

the word of God be ~ufficiento prove tbe certainty of 

Bis future coming And if I should argue the tradition 

of nations that never mw the word of God, the convic- 

tion on the mind of men enerally, that there must be 

a day of retribution; co3d I open the breaat of the 

reader, and show the thundering of onr conecience ; 

yes, could I see and expose the trembinga and fdqa 

of heart, which you have had, while you have been 

loohg with fear for those thinp that are coming on 

the evth -of what nae would it be Would you be- 

1.i- it if I could rabe a doad friend who would Idl

f 

on to prepare to meet your God No. If tbey beleve 

not Moses and the pro h&, neither would they 

though one rose from the lead. How foolirsh, then, 

Muld it be for me to try to prove m any other manner 

what God has revealed or promised, than by the means 

which God has appointed. By his word you will be 

judged; and if this condemns you now, (bnlese you become 

reconciled,) it will condemn you hereafter. . 

111. The object of his coming. 

1st. He comes to raise and dther his saints to him 

in the air. L6 AS in Adam a11 ge, ao in ChriBt shall all 

be made alive; but every man in hie ownorder - Christ 

the first fruit, afterwards they that are Christ's at his' 

coming," 1 Cor. xv. 22, 2.3. Again, "For if we believe 

that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also 

which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him, For 

this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we 

which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the 

Lord, shall not prevent them that are asleep. For the 

hrd himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, 

with the voice of the archangel, and with the tmmp of 

God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we; 

which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together 

with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; 

and SO shall we ever be with the Lord," 1 Thess. iv. 

14-17. KNOW we beseech you, brethren, by tho 

5oming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering 

together unto him," 2 l'hess. ii. 1. "Blessed and holy 

is he that hath part in the fuet resurrection: on such the 

second death shall have no power," Rev. xx. 6. In 

Psalms we have the same account of the gathering of 

his people. 4' Gather my saints together unto me, those 

who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice," 

l'salm 1. 5. Again, see Isaiah Ixvi. 18, "It shall come 

that I will gather all nations and tongues ; and they shall 

come and see my lory." "For thus saith the Lord God, 

Behold, I, even f will both search my sheep and seek 

them out As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the 

day that he is among his sheep that are scattered ; so will 

I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all 

ces where they have been scattered in the cloudy and 

ark day," Ezekiel xxxiv. 11, 12. 

S"

And now I refer n to om more passlge, and then 

pass on. ~ s ~ iOrw d , yon a mystery; we *d nat 

all slee~ (that is, die, but we ahdl all be changed, in 

a moment, in the twin& of lo eye, u the last trump; 

for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raked 

iocorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this eorruptible 

muet put on incorruption, and this mortal must 

put on immortality. So when this mod shall pat.- 

~mrnortality, then shall be brought to pass the sa 

that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." 

texts, to which I have called your attention, will apply 

only to the people of God, or those rho are in Christ 

Jesu I have, therefore, only been proving to you the 

object of Christ's coming, as it respecta his people. And 

1 think I have plainly proved that when Chris-t shall ap 

pear in the clouda of heaven with power and great 

glory, he will raise the righteous dead, cbange the 

righteous living, gather them from among all nations, 

where they have been scattered during the ages of persecution 

and trial, "in the dark and cloudy day," and 

receive them 11nt.o himself in the air, when they will ever 

be with the Lord. - I will, 

2dly, Show that the wicked will be destroyed from 

the earth by fire, and the world cleansed from the curse 

of sin by tlre same means, and prepared for the recep 

tion of tlre New Jerusalem state, or the glorious reim 

of Chrid with his people. That the wicked will be de. 

stroyed by fire, at his appearin we prove by the 6)llowing 

testa: Deut xxxii. 22, '&or a fire is kindled in 

mine anger, and shnll burn unto the lowest hell, and shall 

consume the earth, with her increase, and set on fire the 

fou~rdations of the mountains." 2 .%muel ssii. $1, 10, 

cr There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, al~d fire out 

of his mouth devo~~red: coals were kindled by it Ho 

bowed the heaveru and canln down. and darkness was 

u~lder llis feet Tlrrough the brightness before him 

werr coals of fire kiudled.' Panlm xcvii. 2, 3, Cloude 

and darkness are round about Itirn, r&I~teor~snew and 

udgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire pth 

C fure him, and burneth up hb onelnicer nmnd aboutw 

Im lrvi 15,16, "Far, bchold. the lanl will cmae ritb 

TE

h, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render hi 

anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 

For by fire and by his sword will the Lord lead with 

811 Bnh; and the slain of the lard shall ge many." 

Dan. vii. 11, '$1 beheld then, because of the voice of the 

at words which the horn spake; I beheld even till 

ir e beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to 

the burning flame." Again, Nahum i 5, "The mountains 

quake at him, and the hills melt, and the eartll is 

burnt at his presence ; yea, the world and all that dwell 

therein." Habakkuk iii. 3 - 5,' God came from Teman, 

(south) and the Holy One from Mount Paran, Gfrom 

glory.) Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the 

earth was full of his praise: and his brightness was as 

the light; he had horns coming out of his hand; and 

there was the hiding of his power. Before him went 

the pestilence, and huming coals went forth at his feet. 

He stood and measured the earth ; he beheld and drove 

asunder the nations, and the everlasting mountains were 

scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting." 

Also, Malachi iv. 1, '' For, behold, the day cometh 

that shall bum as an oven ; and all the proud, yea, 

and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day 

that cometh shall burn them up, saitll the Lord of hostg 

that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Matt. 

iii. 12, Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly 

purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the 

arner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchahle 

re. Matt. riii. SO, Gather ye together first the tares, 

and bind them in bundles to burn them ; but gather the 

wheat into my barn." 40, "As therefore the tares are 

gathered and burnt, so shall it be in the end of the 

world." 49th verse, "So shall it be in the end of the 

world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked 

from among the just." Again, Paul to the church of the 

Thessalonians writes,

ence of the Lord, and from the glory of hi power." 

2 Peter iii. 10, "But the day of the Lord will come as a 

thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pam 

away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt 

with fervent heat ; the earth also, and the works that are 

therein, shall be burned up" Rev. xviii. 8, L6Therefore 

shall her plagues come in one day - death, and mourning, 

and famjne; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; 

for strong is the Lord God who jud eth her." These 

passages are but a part of the word of~od 

which prove 

the destruction of the wicked - of the anti-Christian 

' beast - and the cleansing of the world b fire. Yet if 

Scripture proof can be suEcient, surely {have brought 

enough ; and where that can have no bearin on the 

mind of men, how vain should I be to searc% the archives 

of natural philosophy to give you more evidence! 

for He who hath all wisdom in heaven and in 

earth, and who knows what is in the mind of man, hatb 

used the best arguments, the most persuasive means (1 

had like to have said in the power of a God to use ; and 

indeed he says, W b at could I have done more than I 

have done fur my vineyard." He has taught us by hie 

own word, by the mouth of his prophets, and by examplea: 

witness his word on Mount Sinai, where the peole 

helvd his voice and saw the fire ; witness all the dec- 

P arations of the prophets which I have read; witnem 

Jesus Christ himself, in the parable of the tares and 

wheat, and the harvest ; witness, also, the destruction of 

the old wurld by water, and Sodom and Gomorrah b 

tire ; Jerusalem b famine, sword, and fire. These are aE 

~ eforb t aa smPres to warn Y of the approu.hil.6 ju 

menr And yet who believes the report Who is w% 

ing to examino the evidences- to reason candidly and 

to reflect seriously on these things Who a~nong us 

puts implicit confidence in the word of God, eapeclally 

In that which is unfulfilled Any may believe in so 

much as hae been accomplished; but ahcre is the virtue 

ill such Faith Where is the blrsrdneas of our hope 

in the glorious q-qearing of Jesus Christ If we arc 

a loolun fw that blemwd hope, and the glorious ap ari~gd~gre~Godudw~.vior~mw~hriat, 

lp we

shall examine the word of God faithfull we shall 

compare scripture with scripture ; we shd'take notice 

of the signs which Christ has given us of his coming. 

That the day may not overtake us as a thief, we should 

live with a steady reference to thfrt day, and rejoice 

more and more as we see the,day approaching. 

3d. I will now give some of the evidences concerning 

the glorious reign which must follow his coming. The 

earth, being cleansed by lire, will, like the phaenix, be 

revived from its own ashes. The destn~ction of the 

wicked, the end of death, sin banished, it will lighten 

the world of a load of crime which has made it reel to 

and fro like a drunkard; the internal fires will have 

spent their force on all ~0~b~Stible matter, and have 

gone out ; volcanoes will cease ; earthquakes, tornadoes, 

and whirlwinds can no more be expeiienced or needed, 

for the cause is gone; the earth or the heavens can 

no more be shaken, 1L that those things that cannot be 

shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom 

which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby 

we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and 

odly fear; for our God is a consumin fire," Heb. xii. 

&7--29. Then, when this earth shall %ecome new, by 

being cleansed and pi~rified, the New Jerusalem will 

Ucome down from God out of heaven, prepared as a 

bride adorned for her husband. And I heard ct great 

voice out of heaven, saqing, Behold, tbe 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 he their God," Rev, xxi. 2,3. And he carried 

me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and 

showed me that great cit , the Holy Jerusalem, descending 

out of heaven from Ad, having the glory of God," 

10th verse. "And the city had no need of the sun, 

neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the glory of God 

did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." 

, 61 And I saw thrones and they that sat upon them, and 

judgment was given unto them ; and I saw the souls of 

them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and 

for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the 

beast, neither hie image, neither had received hie mark

in their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived 

and reigned with Christ a thousand yeam; but the re& 

of the dead lived not again until the thousand yesn 

were finished." 

Much more evidedce might be brought to prove the 

personal reign of Jesus Christ with hie people ; but thii 

18 enough to prove the glorious and personal reign aRer 

the resurrection; but few dispute it But, say some, do 

not believe in a spiritual reign of a thousand yean 

efore the resurrection I answer, I believe in a reign 

of grace, by the ihence ef the divine Spirit, for more 

than 1800 yeam past; but when you speak of a thousand 

years, I suppose you mean the same time that 1 , 

call the glorious rei n after the resumtion of the 

righteous, and before ke resurrection of the wicked. 1 

know of no spiritual reign, mentioned in the word of 

God, and especially of that duration. We argue that 

there cannot be a reign of peace and glory until the 

world is cleansed from all w&kedness, Satan is chained, 

and rightcousnejs fill our world ; nor until " the glorioua 

appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Chriat," 

evcil the anti-Chrietian beast will not be destroyed, according 

to the tertr we hare already quoted,) until key 

nre destroyed by the brightneea of his appearing." All' 

thoae passaw which speak of this happy period of rest 

to the people of God, or which in any manner allude to 

it, describe it as being atter the resurrection of the 

mints, or aRer righteousness fills the earth, and after the 

anti-Christian beast is destroyed. And even our text 

more than implies that we ehall not realize any gent or 

frlorioue resul~ from our hope, or collectively in a body 

the church will not receive an importnnt dclivernnce 

lintil Ule ~lorious ypearing oP~le great God and our 

Savior Jesua Christ Is thia true I say the passagof 

Scripture already named fix it beyond a doubt 

Ant1 any one who will examine the scripture for himself, 

will 6nd that the eecond coming of Christ b the point 

to which Jesus ChrLt, the prophets, ant1 the aptlea diroctcd 

their dieciples, as the termination of their truth, 

persecutions, and dictions ; and Jcsus Christ saya, *In 

the world ye .hrll hve tribuhtion." my, I cm fipd

nothing in the word of God to warrant me to believe 

that we ought to look for or expect a happier period 

than we now enjoy, until he who has promised to come 

shall come the second time without sin unto salvation, 

and cleanse us, the world, and make all things new. 

These thin s are abundantly proved in the unemng 

word of GO%. And now, Chriatiane, if these thin 

lo, what manner of pemm 0ught.w~ to be in $hey 

conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto 

the day of God, for that blessed hope and the 

lorious appeaA1O~!%e great GO^ and our savior 

fesus Christ " #hen let our conversation be in heaven, 

from whence we expect our Savior, and Btir up each 

other's pure minds b way of remembrance of them 

thinq ; for the time 0; the promise drawet. nigh, when 

he d l come and receive us to himself, that we may be 

with him. How necessary, my brethren, we sl~onld 

examine the word of God diligently; see if it does not 

give some indications, some signs, by which we day 

know the Son of Man is near, even at the door," and 

our Ublessed hopen is about to be realized in the 

Kglorious appearing of the t Ood and our Savior 

the Lard Jesus Christ" If Tcomea and finds us, or 

some of us, in this lukewarm state, hard1 having looked 

into his word, and, making our want of dents an excuse, 

have neglected to trim our lamps, and have been very 

spare in holy conversation, and are crying peace and 

safety when sudden destruction come* and perhaps 

have sneeringly mocked and laughingly ridiculed the 

idea of Christ being near at the door, and perhaps 

have joined the infidel and unbeliever in their unholy 

remarks on this 'subject, and although we have heard 

the midnight cry, Behold, the bridegroom cometh," yet 

we treat it with neglect or disda~n, or some of us, perhaps, 

with reproach, - I ask, if the Lord of such servants 

come and find us so doing, what will he do with us 

He will come in an hour that we think not, and cut u'8 

off, and appoint our portion among h pocrites and unbelievers, 

where shall be weeping, wdng, and gnashing 

of teeth. But we will suppose that he will not come in 

00 llhort 8 time aa your speaker believes ; still what do I 

3

ask of yon, my brethren Nothing but what Sema 

Christ and the apostles required 1800 years ago. I ask 

you to compare these views with the Bible. Is thin 

wrong No. I ask you for holy conversation L 

this wrong No. I ask you for heavenly-mindedneea 

Is this wrong No, no. 1 ask you to stir up each 

other's pure minds, to make improvement on your one 

talent if no more ; to come out of this cold and lukewann 

state; to trim your lamps and be ready. Are these requirements 

wrong Certainly not; no, no. I ask you 

again to compare scripture with scri ture; to read the 

prophets ; to stop your reviling8 ; to &e warning by the 

old world; to flee from sin and the wrath which is to 

come ; to hide yourselves in Christ, until the indignation 

be over and past; to look for that blessed hope and the 

florious appearing of the great God and our Savior 

esue Chnst" Is this wrong Then be the wrong on 

my head. 

And now, my impenitent friends, what say you We 

say, 4 You know nothi about it' " Do you believe the 

old world was deluged48 Why, yes." What makes you 

believe it Becauae our philosophers tell us there are 

a qcat many signs remaining of the flood, and we can 

believe them" And are there no signs of the near ap 

pronch of the Judgment Day What say the prophets, 

apostles, and Jesus Christ Are they not equal to your 

philosophers Examine your Bibles, and see; weigh 

well the evidence; your eternal hap iness, the salvatipn 

of your immortal souls, ma depen! on your decision. 

Bat whatsay you more ul~eea~, $YOU were very m- 

wise to fix on the year 1M.3, or sooncr, for this day to 

come; for it will not come; and then you will be 

ashamedn And I hope I may be able, by the grace of 

God, to repent But what if it does come Sou connot 

with an propriety say poeitively it will not come, 

for you male no pretence to divination. But 1 say, 

What if it dooe come Where will you be No space 

then for repentance. No, no-too late, too late; the 

harvest is over and past, the summer is gone, the door 

ie shut, and your mu1 ie not saved. Therefore it can do 

you no hum to beu, end believe, .nd do those tbmga

which God requires of you, and whch ou think you 

would do, if you knew he would appear. &rat, I ask you 

to repent of your sins. Would this be right Yes. 

Next, I ask you to believe in God. Is this right Yes. 

And I ask you to be reconciled to his will, love his law, 

forsake sin, love holiness, practise his prece ts, obey hie 

commands. Would these thinp be right! Yes, yea 

And last of all, and not least, I ask you to look for that 

~lessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great 

God and o~u Savior Jesue Christ." Amen.

LECTURE 11. 

REV. u. 6. 

Blessed and holy is he that halb part in the first resurrection . am 

such the second deatb bath no power; but hey shall be 

of God and of Christ, and shall reign with hi a thousand yean. 

TFIE term ((blessed and holyn is often used in Scrip 

ture, and in many places is applied to man; but in no 

lace without giving some characteristic mark of hb 

[.ing born of God, or inheritmg the fruits of the divine 

Spirit; and very often the word blessed is used stan 

~n immediate connection with the resurrection ""% an 

coming of Christ, either expressed or implied, as in Isa 

lxii 11, 12, Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the 

end of the world, Sa ye to the daughter of Zion, Beliol J 

thy salvation come::; behold, his reward is with him, 

and hie work before him. And they shall call them The 

holy people, The redeemed of the Lard ; and thou ehnlt 

be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken." 1st~ xxx. 

18, And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be 

ious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that 

f- le may have mercy upon you ; for the Lord is a God of 

jud,ment. Bldare all they that wait for l~im" Dan- 

]el says, xii. 12, B l d is he that waiteth, and cometh to 

the 1.%5 days." John snys, Rev. xiv. I:$ LLRl~d are 

the dead which die in the Lord." Write, Blwscd are 

they wh~ch are called to the mnrriage supper of the 

Lamh." Behold, I come quickly; blessed IS he that 

keepeth the snyinp of the prophecy of this bookn 

u B l d an they that do hie commandmente, that they

may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in 

through the gatea into the city." By these passages I 

show you that all the children of God are included in 

this blessing, and not the martym only, as some will 

have it The next thing which will claim our attention 

will be to explain the resurrection spoken of in our 

text, called the first resurrection The word tern* 

signifies to revive, or resuscitate, or bring to life again, 

one now dead, who was once alive. It nowhere in the 

word of God conveye an idea of a new creation, and 

the word is nowhere used in the Bible expressing any 

thing less or more than a union of soul and body, and 

deliverance from natural death. The word median 

is nowhere wed in a figurative sense; it in all placerr 

has its own simple meaning, unless our text is an exception. 

And without the objector can show eome rule 

of interpretation by which we shall be warranted to 

understand the word in a dxerent sense, we must bog 

leave to attach to it the simple meaning, coming to lqe 

jbm t7u grave. I know some have su posed that regenerahon 

is resnrrection ; but 1 cannot gelieve this unless 

the show some rule. 1 know some pretend to show us, 

in john v. 25, UVerily, verily, I any unto you, Thr hour 

is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the 

voice of the Son of God, and they-that hear shall live,l 

as a rule; but in order to make this a rule, they must 

prove that Christ meant regeneration; until this is shown, 

we cannot admit it ss any proof. 

We shall, therefore, consider the word mwmctwn 

as comt up out of the grave, and pass to the word 

fid. uyh e first resurrection" The resurrection of the 

saints is first as it respects order and time. Wherever 

the word rmrrection is usod in connection with life or 

dam&n, the one unto life always comes first; as in 

Daniel xii. 2, Some to everlasting life, and some to 

shame and everlasting contempt;" John v. 29, "They 

that have done good, unto the resurrection of life ; and 

they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of 

damnation." Here are two samples as it respects order. 

One or two as it respects time : 1 Cor. xv. 23, Chriet 

fie first fruite, the: atbrwurd thev that am Christ's at 

3

&la coming. Then cometh the end" And a& 

1 Them. iv. 16, For the Lord himself shall descend 

From heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel 

and the trump of God; and the dead in Chriet 

shall rise fimt." And then our context and text show6 

that the blemed and holy 'are raised a thousand yem 

before the rest of the dead. If we are correct, then, 

Christ will come before the millenni~un instead of &- 

wards, as some believe ; and the milleanium is a state of 

personal, and glorious, and immortal reign on the new 

earth, or this earth cleansed by fire, aa it was once 

by water; and it will be a pew dispensation, new 

heavens, and new earth This will be our next prop 

sition to prova And, first, we will examine the 20tb 

chapter of Revelation, let verse: 'And I saw an 

angel come doton rom heaven ;"- th~s angel I coneider 

no less a being d an the Lord Jesus Christ; for it only 

can be said of him ;- hamng the key of the kttanrlcsr 

pit and a at chin in his hand." See Rev. i. 18: 

" I am he tg liveth and was dead ; and behold, I am 

alive for evennore, amen, and have the keys of hell and 

of death." And Christ only has power to bind Satan 

"That he might destroy him that had the power of 

death, that is, the devil," Heb. ii 14 2d verse : U.9nd 

he W h~ld on the drugon, that old +, which w the 

deoil, and Sa!un, ad bound him a thowand yems." I 

,suppose this verse needs no explanation It can only 

be understood in a literal sense, for it explains itself in 

the figurea wed; as dragon and serped, often used 

ae figures, are explained to mean the dad and Satan. 

If the thousand years had been used, in this chaptor, 

or any where elso in the word of God, in a mystical 

or figurative sense, it would have been somewhere explained; 

but, aa it is not, I consider wo are to place 

upon it the most simple construction, and I shall therefore 

understand it literally. 3d verse : And cud hin, 

into the bo#omlcsr ;"-by bottomless pit, I have 

ahom, by the proo p" on our fYst verse, that it is hell; 

see Rcv.~. 18;-uandshuthimupandaet a ruJ 

&n, h t he 8hould dwtioe the miions M m, tix 

~ y # a ~ k @ ( @ d@rthdhmd c d ~

t lsased a tit& mmmw Thia passage must be understood 

in its simple, plain meaning ; no mystery in thia 

4th verse : *.@mi I mw thrones, and t sat on than, 

uatd jrulgment roaa gitren undo them ;"- 

I ere we have 

a prophecy or the tul6lment of a promise that Chnst 

made to his disciples, in Matt. xix. 28: YAnd Jesus 

worshipped the beast or his image, or received a mark, 

and, in one word, all that were not the aervantv of Satan 

w sin, lh-ed and rei d with Christ a thousand years. 

5th verse: UBd rrest of the dead l i d notapin 

until the thowand years tcere J%AxL T7u'd is t@f% 

remwwbk" The rest of tL dcad means the w~cked 

dead, who do not have part in the fimt resurrection. 

lived not again, showing conclusively that it is a natural 

life and death spoken of. The jrst remnection is the 

resurrection of the saints at his coming. Then comes 

in our text, which has and will be explained in the 

lecture. 7th verse : .fhad when the lownd years are 

~ ~ nSatan d , 8all be loosed cnd of his prison." We 

may reasonably expect that, when Satan is let loose, 

all the damned spirits are let loose with him; and it 

has been strongly im lied they were to live agnin in 

the body, at the end ofthe tho~lsand years. 8th verse: 

U And ahah! old "- that is, Satan - LL to deceive the 

ncdio~ ~,~8"mintte our qvartwsoftheeorth"- 

.ashes mder the feet oithe mints," as Malachi tell# 

us : And ye shall tread down the wicked ; for they 

&all be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day 

that I shall do this, eaith the Lord of "- Gog 

d &gwjf"'the amlie3 of (he wicksel that rere

slain at the commencing of the thousand yewu, a 

coming of Christ, at the supper of the great God, md 

battle of Armageddon ; see Ezekiel xxxviii, xxxk - 

Ulo gather. them together to battle ;"-this is their 

design, but there is no battle, for God himself is with 

his people to defend them ; and he deetro s the wicked 

host,uthe nuder ofwh ia as the aadofthe 

evidently including the whole number of the wicked: 

for the figure, sand of the sea, is never wed, only to 

express the whole class of the people named ; as, the 

children of Israel, the whole host of Jacob. 9th verse: 

And they wed u on the bredh of the emth ;"-that 

is, this army of gog and Magog were raised up out 

of the s~irface of the earth, that only being the brendth 

of a globular body ; - $6 and compscd the camp of the 

saints about, and the beloved city ; " - plain1 y showing 

that the New Jerusalem, the beloved city, is on the 

earth during the thousand years, or bow could this 

wicked host encompass it about they have not climbed 

the celestial walls of heaven -no; for it says, and 

$re came dorm from God oui of heam and deoaund 

them" This is the second death, represented under 

the fiuure of !ire coming down from God out of heaven; 

not &e conflagration of the world, -for that waa in 

the ~omr~lencing of the thousand years, when Chriet 

came and cleansed the world from all the wicked, and 

the works of wicked men,- but the justice of God, 

under the figure of fire ; " for our God is a consuming 

fire." Heb. xii. 29. 10th verse: UM tk devil that 

&mCCIved them toas coai into the lake of Jin and brimatone, 

where tk beast and abe prophet nn, and shU be tormented 

doy and n& and nn." In thls verse, 

thc final condemnation of the wicked, soul and body, 

is given; and the last that God hns seen fit to reveal 

concerning them to us is, that they are cast into everlasting 

torment In the next verse, John tus another 

vision of the same things which he had before told uq 

only in a different point of view, or some circumstance 

not before clearly described. And I aaw always imlica 

a new view, or another vision. 11th verse: "&

~ ~ ~ t h c e n a d ~ ~ c a a c l ( ; a n d t h e r a 

uns ns plucejbd for t k n This is the rame throne 

that Ddel saw, vii 9--14 : I beheld till tho thrones 

were caet down and the Ancient of days did sit, whose 

ent was white aa snow, and the hair of his head 

=the pure wool : his throne was like the fiery flame, 

and hia wheels as burning fire." 12th verse: L6.&nd 

Isaw tAc dead, mall and greot, dad befem Qed; am 

ihe boeke tam opened; and adher book was opened, 

which Y the book of lye; and the dead wen jx&ed out 

of the things which rams raritten in the bovka, according 

&I their works." This is the same aa Daniel saw, vii 

PO : A fiery stream issued and came forth from befare 

him ; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten 

thousand times ten thousand atood before him The 

judgment waa set, and the books were opened." It ia 

very evident that this js the be ning of the judgment, 

when Christ comes in the clourof heaven, ait.11 power 

and pat glory, to raise and judge his saints, and to 

reward every man as his work shall be. lst, because 

it is whe~thc judgment first sets; 2d, because the book 

of life ia there, and open; and, 34 because it was at 

the time or befbre antichrist was destroyed; and no 

one can believe that the dchrist~an beast can be on 

the e h during or in the millennium. 13th verse: 

uAd tkc bea gnve up tlte dcad wk& r e in it; and 

dLath and hell & i d up the dcad cohich were in tkmn 

I conclude the apostle, after he had seen the righteoum 

dead raised, small and great, and stand before God, 

and saw the book of life n to justify them, and saw 

them judged md rewardrhe then glides down to the 

end of the tkousand years, and beheld the wicked dead 

given up by those elementa and places wherein they 

had been confined during the milleanial period, to be 

judged in the &ah, every man according to his works. 

This only can reconcile some of those conflicting 

passages lor seemingly so to us) concerning the resurrection 

; and 1 cannot see any impropriety in thus underetanding 

these prophecies ; for it is the common manner 

of the prophets, a little here and a little there. In all 

tbe bvaptiom of the rewurection of the righteow

dead, they are represented ae being gathered by tbs 

angels of God, from the four winds of heaven, when the 

seventh or last tmup ehall eound; and it is equally M 

evident that their works are brou ht into judpent 

Althou h they may not be jnstified fy their work but 

out of tfe book of life, yet the apostle Paul says, speaklng 

of his brethren, We must all atand before the 

udpent seat of Christn Rom. xiv. 10. And again, 

i Cor. V. 10, Lb For we muat all stand before judgment 

seat of Christ; that wery one may receive the 

things done in his body, according to that he hath done, 

whether it be good or bad." And, 1 Cor. iii. 13-15, 

Every man's work shall be made manifest ; for the 

day shall declare it, because it ehall bc revealed by 

fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what 

sort it is. If any man's work abide which he bath 

built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any 

man's work ehall be burned, he shall suffer loee: yet 

he himself shall be saved, so as by fire." We see, b 

these tern, that the books of every man's rorka wii 

be open, aa well aa the book of life, in the first resurrection; 

but, in the second resurrection, there ia no 

book of life open in that part of the judgment, neither 

are they pthered by the angela of God; but the sea, 

death, an hell, delivered u the dead which were in 

them, and they were every man accordin 

their wo*; and Satan in the meam of gathering 

around tbe beloved city, where they are judged in the 

flesh By the reel, dmlh, and hdl, I nnderstand the sea, 

grave, and place of punishment The eea aod the 

grave would 

- 

give up the diseolved particles of the body, 

and hell (or Hades) would give up their departed 

8p rib; h a would constitute the aecond resurrection. 

u And 

eyly man aaordiw to Ucir 

d . n hey had 'T c oscn, In this life, to stand on their 

worke ; the had refused to believe in a Mediator ; they 

had not fofiowed his eonrmands, neither had they pro 

f d his name before men, or sufeml pernution 

for the tlahe of hie teatbony. They bad treated hia 

word with tot41 neglect, or called hm m e tyrannp 

Theyhad rid he ruahsrd mukr,.odbmi.dtha~

talent in the earth. They had placed the~r supreme 

affections on the world, and made tine gold their trust 

They had persecuted the children of God in this world, 

and showed that they were the children of that wicked 

one who slew his brother. They had prostituted their 

bodies to whoredom, and sacrificed to Bacchus and 

Venus their fimt-fruits. They had professed damnable 

heresies, and filled the world with their delusive 

schemea and sects. They had worshipped the creature, 

and neglected prayer to the Creator. They had filled 

the world with their lies and abominations, and gloried 

in their shame. 14th verse : U And death and hell were 

wst into the lake of @. This ia the second death." By 

&dh mrd hell I understand the body and spirit 15th 

verae: And whsoever wan not oar& written in the 

Lamb's book of life, toas e&pj into t L lake nf fie." * But 

the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and 

murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, 

and all liars, shall have their part in the lake 

which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the 

second deatL" Rev. xxi. 8. Blessed are they that 

do his commandments, that they may have right to the 

tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the 

city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, 

and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever 

loveth and rnaketh a lie," Rev. xxii 14,15. Then our 

text says, "Blessed and holy is he thai haih part in tlte 

jEr.d.resurrection." This we have proved is the resurrecuon 

of the ri hteous dead, who died in. faith in 

Jesus Christ, anf who should live with him at his 

coming; on them the second death should ha e no 

power, Ubut they swl be yriut. G d ad qf Xnn: 

Cgtd sW reign with him a thowand yems." 

To be priests unto God and unto Christ, is to be holy; 

to be a kingdom of priests of a peculiar people, that 

ehould show forth his praises by declaring to the universe 

that out of nature's darkness they had been redeemed 

by his blood, called by his grace unto his 

glorio~ls, happy, and holy kingdom, and that they 

ahould dwell on the earth. See Rev. v. 9, 10. "And 

they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take

thb book am3 to open the seal8 thereof; for thou wst 

slain, and hast redeemed ua to God by thp blood, out 

of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 

and hast made us unto oor God kings and priests, and 

we shall reign on the earth" See, also, Rw. L 6, uAnd 

hath made us kings and prieets unto God, and 

- 

his 

Father." Agajn, 1 Pet ii 5, 9, Ye also, a~ lively 

etoncta, are bult up a spiritual house, a ,holy prieet 

hood." "But ye are a chosen enerat~on, a ro 

priestho4 a holy nation, a pecnfiar people." & 

ptwsages to which I have cited your mind4 prove, beond 

a reasonable doubt, that the thousand years 

Ken of in the text is between the two resurrections . r 

etate of happiness, of glory, of holiness, and that it 

shall be on the earth. It ie a state of immortality, ne 

abundant scriptures evidently prove. Where, then, you 

may inquire, is the spiritual millennium which our theorists, 

in the present age, are tnaching us to expect 1 

answer, There is not a thowand years spoken of in 

Scripture, except in 2 Pet, 3d chapter, and in which the 

judgment day is the subject of discussion, and in the 

chapter of which om text ie a part; and in neither of 

thecle places is any thing said about spiritual reign; 

neither can we find any thing in the word of God by 

which we could fairly draw the conclusion of such a 

reign; and ae it ie not proper for me to show the negative, 

I call on all of you to show where we may find 

the evidence, that is, all of you who believe in a 

spiritual reign. If there is such a reign, it mrlst be 

before the second coming of Christ ; for when he comes, 

he will receive ns to himeelf, that where he is there .we 

may be alm; no more away from his people, for he 

says he will be with them, and make his abode with 

them, and he will be their light, and will dwell with 

them, and make hie abode with them, and they shall 

dwell on the emth. Where, when, or how the idea of 

spiritual reign of a thousand years should or could 

obtain a place in our faith, having the word of God 

rrs our evidence, I cannot tcll. Some ea that the 

~phw o*n of times or thinga whici have not 

d in om day, a under the prcnant dbpenr-

@on, and which would be too grow to be admitted into 

a state of immortality. There may be such-yet I 

hd no difliculty in underatanding all those pawages 

which have been presented, or come under my con- 

sideration, to refer to the gospel da 

But how long do 

the propllefe say that time shall be 7 Do they designate 

any time No ; neither one, ten, one hundred, or one 

thousand yeam are mentioned in my of those%""agea 

Why then call it a millennium Becaw eter and 

John have mentioned a thousand years. This carmot 

be adrnifted to mean any state this side of the state of 

immortality ; for Peter says plainly, '' Yet, neverthelese, 

we look for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein 

dwelleth rig%teousnesan This wdd be a new state, 

surely - nothing gross or vile in this ki dom, whoeve 

may be kin ; and John expressly says, '%ey lived and 

reigned wit% Christ a thousand ye.qn and says, "Thia 

is the first resurrectionn Now, admit there is such a 

time, how or by what rule shall we call it a thousand 

years , 

Again, where, in all the prophecies, can any one show 

me that the church will be blessed and holy, or happy 

and righteous, as it may be rendered, until he cornea, 

that is, at Christ's second appearance And where ia 

the word are we to learn that th'e kingdoms of this world 

are to be destro ed before the coming of the Ancient of 

days Do we celieve that the anti-Christian belet, or 

mystical Babylon, will be on the earth during this mil- 

3ennial reign No, it cannot be ; yet all muat acknowledge 

that she is only destroyed by the brightness of 

his comin~ Who cnn read the 19th chapter of Rev- 

elation, w~thout being convinced that the marriage supper 

of the Lamb, the treading of the wine-press of the 

fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, and the supper 

of the great God, are events which must take place 

before the millennium And if so, d o can believe that 

after the marriaue of the Lamb to the bride ; after she 

is arrayed in Enen clean and white, which is the 

righteousness of the saints ; after they have received a 

crown of righteousness, which the righteous Judge shall 

give to all them who love his 'appearing in that ci,~y,,- 

4

Christ will not be with her in person None. But 

our text tells us he will live and reign with them, and 

the shall be priests to God. 

Xgain: whlle in thia state of meaty and e, we 

are called the servants and ministers of C M ; but 

then, in the millennia1 blessedness, we shall be called . 

priests of God and of Christ You may ask, a Why this 

distinction in the lang~age~ I answer, There is a 

great difference between the kingdom of Christ, aa it 

was established when Chfi waa here on earth, and the 

kin dom given u to G 4 &en the Father. The subjecta 

of Ehriat's kinggm, in this state of thin may be, and 

in fact are, imperfect Hypoeritea and gse professom 

ma and do obtain an entrance into it; for an enemy 

htg sown tares. But the Yngdom of God, no man, 

says Christ, can see, or enter, without being born of 

God. Here they may deceive the sentinels which 

card the kingdom of Christ; but in the kingdom of 

od there shall in no w k enter into it any thing that 

defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or 

maketh a lie ; but they which are written in the Lamb% 

book of life." Here the chiidren of the kin dorn are 

ecotad, tormented, perplexed, cast down ; fut in the 

Gdom of God their enemia am all slain; they are 

comforted, glorified, 'ustilied, exalted ; and not a dog to 

move his tongue. kern they weep, but there will nrjoice 

: here they sin and repent ; th there will be holy 

without fkdt before hin throne. u~e%Bed and holy r 

he that hah part in the first mmurectionn i9mm

LECTURE 111. 

DANIEL viii. 13,14. 

"Then I heard one saint speaking, and another samt raid ~mto U 

certain saint which S~ake. How lone shall be Ihe vision concerning 

the daily sacri6&, &d the tr&@on of desolation, to 

.ve botb the sanctuary and the host to be trodden ander foot 

%d he said unto me .Unto two thoruand three hundred &ys: 

&en shall the sane& be cleansed ;" or justified, as it rmght 

have been dated 

THI hearer will, at the 6ret view of our text, perceive 

that there is eomething v y important communicated in 

the question and answer even; or why are saints commissioned 

(as we ma reasonably suppose) from the 

courts of heaven, to asg and answer the question contained 

in the text, in presence of the prophet And 

that it concerned Daniel, and nu for whom the prophet 

wrote his prophecy, to understand, is evident from the en- 

ewer bein given to Daniel - u and he eaid unto me" - 

inatead of%eing given to the U lint," who made the in- 

Then we are not treading on forbidden porn 

quiT my ear hearer, to search to understand the meanmg an i 

truth of our subject. 

I shall then treat our subject in the fdlowing manner: 

I. Explain some of the 6gures - and expressions used 

in the t6xt 

11. Show what the udaily eacrifice visionn is, and, 

IK The time or length of the vieion a unto two thousand 

three hundred days: then shall the eanctuav be 

cleansed" 

L I am to explain eome of the figures used in the 

text; and,

40 LECTURE III. 

lst, the "daily am*." This may be understood, 

by some, to mean the Jewish rites and ceremonies ; and 

by others, the Pagan rites and sacrifices. As both Jews 

and Pagans had their rites and sacrifices both morning 

and evening, and their altars were kept smo!i

CHRIST'S SECOND COMSQ. 41 

tnary and host" By sandmy, we must understand the 

temple at Jerusalem, and those who worship therein, 

which was trodden under foot b the Pagan kingdoms 

of the world, since the days ohmiel, the writer of 

our text; then by the Chaldeans ; afterwards b the 

Medes and Persians ; next b the Grecians ; and hdy 

b the ~omans, who destroyedUle city and sanctuary,leveied 

the temple with the ound, and caused the plonQ 

to pass over the place. %s people of the Jews, too, 

were led into captivity and persecuted by all these kingdoms 

successively, and finally by the Romans were taken 

away and destroyed as a nation. And as the prophet 

Isaiah, Ixiii. 18, says, "The people of thy holinesa 

have possessed it but a little while : our adversaries have 

trodden down thy sanctuary!' Jererniab, also, in Lam. 

i. 10, 66 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all 

r her pleasant things ; for she hath seen that the heathen 

entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that 

they should not enter into thy congregation." The word 

hoet is applied to the people who worship in the outer 

court, and fitly represents the Christian church, who are 

said to be strangers and pilgrims on the earth, having no 

continuing places, but looking for a city whose builder 

and maker is God. Jeremiah, peaking of the gospel 

church, says, iii. 19, "But I mid, HOW shall I put thee 

among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a 

oodl heritage of the host of nations " evidently mean- 

!& de church from the Gentiles. "Then shall the 

eanctuary be cleansed or justified," means the true sanctuary 

which God has built of lie1 atones to his own acceptance, 

through Christ, of whict the temple at Jerusalem 

was but a type, the shadows having long since 

fled away, and that temple and people now destroyed, 

and all included in unbelief. So whosoever looks for 

the worldly sanctuary to be built again, will find themselves 

as much mistaken ae the unbelieving Jews were, 

when they looked for a temporal prince in the Messiah. 

For there is not a word in the prophets or apostles, after 

Zerubbabel built the second temple, that a third one 

would ever be built ; except the one which cometh down 

from heaven, which is a spiritual one. and which ia the 

4 *

42 LECTURE 111. 

&r of as all, (Jew and Gentile,) and which is free . 

and when that New Jen~alem is perfected, then shall 

we be cleansed and justified; for Paul says to the 

Philippians, iii 20, 21, "For our conversation is in 

heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the 

Lord Jeeus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that 

it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according 

to the working, whereby he IS able to subdue all 

things to himself; that is, "they that are his at hm 

commg." We see by these texts - and many more 

might be quoted -that the spiritual sanctuary will not 

be cleansed until Christ's second coming; and then 

all Israel shall be raised, judged, - - and justified in hie 

"& We shaIl now try to anderstand what is meant by 

the 6: visiolo;" in the text 

The vision, spoken of in the text, anudes to three 

=parate times m which God revealed unto Daniel alI 

that may be considered a prophecy in the book of Daniel, 

which vision was explained to Daniel by a heavenly 

messenger, called Gabnel, at three separate times, the 

last of which closes the book of DanieI ; which lost 

instruction will be the subject of a future lecture. 

Daniers fbt vision was the dream which Nebuchadnezm 

had, and which troubled him; but when he 

awoke, the dream was one from him. He then called 

for tbe magiciaas, astrofi em, sorcerers, and wise men 

of Chaldea, to show him% dream, and the inte reta 

tion thereof; but they could not. The liing,,%ein; 

commanded that all the wise men of Babyloo 

z!~ be destroyed. Then Ariah, the captain of 

0 guard, went forth to execute the king's decree; 

Y an among the rest he sought for Daniel and his three 

friends, oung captive Jews, to execute the pu 

king ~e~uchadnezzru u n them also. Danielrl f$ 

the firat , he, bei* rnx ecquainted with the decreg 

went in unto the lung, and desired time, and promised 

that he would make known the dream, and the iuterprctation 

thereof. Time being granted, he and his three 

Hebrew friends held a prayer-meeting, (not a cold and 

f h d one, M we may reesonably wpm) for their

hves and the lives of their fellow-creatures were in 

danger. They cried for mercies from the God of heaven 

God heard and answered their prayers, and revealed to 

Daniel the dream and inte retation After renderin 

suitable thanksgiving, ~ anixrent in unto the king an% 

told the dream and visions of the king. " As for thee, 0 

king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, 

what should come to pms hereafter; and he that revealcth 

secrets maketh known to thee what should come to 

pass ; but as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for 

any wisdom that 1 have more than any living, but for 

the intent that the interpretation ma be made know 

to the king, and that thou mightest Low the thoughts 

of thy heart. Thon, 0 king, sawest, and behold, a great 

image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, 

stood before thee, and the form thereof wae 

terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast 

and his a m of silver, his belly and hi thighs of brass, 

his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 

Thon sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, 

which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron 

and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, 

the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to 

pieces to ether, and became like the chaff of the summer 

thre%ing-floors, and the wind carried them away, 

that no place mas found for them; and the stone that 

smote the image became a great mountain, and filledthe 

whole earth," Daniel ii. 29-35. 

This was the dream, and the interpretation was clear 

as given by Daniel; and the history of the world proves 

it to be true, a large share hav~ng already been fulfilled. 

All that remains to be accomplished is for the stone to 

smite the image upon his feet, and to become a great 

mountain, and fill the whole earth. 66 The head of gold " 

represented the Chaldean kingdom ; LL the breast and 

arms of silver" represented the Medes and Persians; 

66 the helly and thighs of brass, which were to bear rule 

over all the earth," the Grecian. Alexander, a Grecian 

king, conquered the world ; the legs of iron, and the feet 

yt of iron and part of clay," fitly represent the Roman 

ingdom, which still eriste, although in a broken state;

4-4 LECTURE I11 

like iron and clay. Thia kingdom haa been divided between 

Pagan Rome, the head wounded to death, and 

Papal Rome, the dead1 wound healed, both "mixing 

themselves with the aeelofmen,. that is, uniting church 

and state, ecclesiaetical and civil, in the government 

The stone denotes Christ, the God of heaven ; and the 

mountain the kingdom of God. His breaking the image 

to pieces, shows that all the kingdoms of this world are 

to be utterly destroyed and carried away, so that no 

place can be found for them. And the kingdom of God 

fillin the whole earth teaches us that the beloved city, 

the &ew Jerusalem, will fill the world, and God will 

dwell with his people on the earth. Read Dan. ii. 37- 

45. This dream was in the second year of Nebuchadnezaar's 

reign, GO3 B. C. Forty-eight yeaw afterxvarda, 

in the first year of Belshazzar's reign and 555 B. C., 

Daniel had another dream, yet the same in substance. 

Daniel spake arid eaid, I saw in mp vision by night, and 

behold, the four winds of heaven strove upon the ,mat 

sea, and four rreat beasts came up from the sea, diverse 

one from anotker. The first was like a lion, and had eagles' 

wings ; I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, 

and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand 

upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was gircn to 

it. And behold, another beast, a second, like unto a 

bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three 

ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it ; and the 

said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After tliisf 

beheld, and lo, another like a leopard, which hnd upon 

the back of it four wings of a fowl ; the beast had also 

four heads, and doniinion was givcn to it After this I 

saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth bcaqt, 

dreadful, and terrible, and strong exceedingly, and it had 

groat iron tcetli ; it devoured and brake in pieces, and 

ntsmped the residue with Uie feet of it; and it was diverse 

from all the beast4 U~at acre before it, and it hnd 

ten horns. I considered the horns, and behold, there 

came up among them another little horn, beforc whnm 

them were tlirce of tlle first honls plucked 11p by the 

roots ; and behold, in Uiig horn wero eyes likr the eve 

of man, and a mouUl spenking great things. I beheld

till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days 

did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair 

of his head like the pure wool ; his throne waa like the 

fiery flame, and hi wheels as burning he. A fiery 

stream issued and came fofi from before him ; thousand 

thousa~lds ministered unto him, and ten thousand times 

ten thousand stood before hi: the judgment was se 

and the boobs were opened I beheld, then, became 0) 

the voice of the great words which the horn spake. I 

beheld, even till the beast waa slain, and his body destroyed 

and iven to the burning flame. As concerning 

the rest of &e beasts, they had their dominion taken 

away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and 

time. I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like 

the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and 

came to the Ancient of days, and they brought hi near 

before hi. And there was given him dominion and gloand 

a kingdom, that all people, nations, and langua es 

Zould serve hi; his dominion is an everlasting 50- 

minion, which shall not pass awap and his kingdom 

that which shall not be destroyed, Daniel vii 1-14. 

This ends Daniel's night vision, exce t the instruction 

he received from some one standing ty. Lg So he told 

me, and made me know &the truth of all this,' or the 

interpretation of the things, These eat beasts, which 

are four, are four kings which shzarise out of the 

earth. But the saints of the most high shall take the 

kingdom, and possess the wdom forever, even forever 

and ever." We see in this instruction that this vision 

and Nebuchadnezzar's dream agree in the most prominent 

parts; the four beasts representing the four kingdoms, 

and the saints possessing the kingdom, the same 

as the stone becoming a eat mountain and Wing the 

whole earth ;"forever anyever" shows 11s that it is an 

immortal state in everlasting life ; the saints" evident1 

includes all saints, "for they shall live and reign witK 

him on the earth," Revelation v. 10,20. iv. 6. CL Then," 

Daniel says, vii. 19, 20, "1 would know the truth of the 

fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, 

exceedin dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and hie 

naile of fms, which devoured, brake in pieces, rod


stamped the residue with his feet; and of the ten horn 

that were in his head, and of tho other which came up, 

and before whom three fell, even of that horn that had 

eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, wiose 

look was more stout than his fellows." 

In these verses we learn that the fourth beast would 

be diverse from the others. This was true with Rome; 

that kingdom first rose from a small colony of adventurers 

settled in Italy. Rome, also, had seven different 

forms of government, while the othere had but one. 

We learn that this kingdom would devour, break in 

pees, harass and perplex the people of God, whether 

ew or Gentile ; that it would be divided into ten kingdoms, 

and afcenvsrds there would arise anothefpower 

which would swnllow up three of the ten kingdoma 

This was all true with the Roman government Ln A. D. 

476, the Western Empire fell, and was divided into ten 

kingdoms by the Goths, Huns, and Vandals, - Frabce, 

Britain, S 'n, Portn al, Naples, Tuscany, Austria, 

Lombardy,rome, and %avenn~ The three last were 

absorbed in the territory of Rome," (E. Irwin,) and became 

the States of the Church, governed by the Pa 

chair, the little horn that had eyes and a mouth g 

apake very great things, whose look was more stout than 

his fellowa This description cannot apply to any other 

power but the church of Rome. "Had eyes," showin 

that they made $retence at leaat to be the houaehol$ 

of faith ; eye6 meaning faith, and a mouth that s&e 

very p at things," showing that the church would claim 

infallibility ; whose look would be more stout than his 

fellows," showing that he would claim authority over d l 

other churches, or wen the kings, the other horns. See 

Rev. xvii 18: "And the woman which thor~ sawest ia 

that eat city which reign& over the kin of the 

earthF That the little horn ia a part of g fomh 

kingdom ia evident, for it wae to come up among the ten 

horns which were upon the head of the beast; and there 

cannot be a shadow of a doubt, even in Scripture itself. 

but that Rome is meant by this fourth beast; for aha 

power but the Roman will answer the drscription here 

uld elsewhere given in Daniel *I beheld, and thc

same horn made war 'with the saints; and prevailed 

against them, until the Ancient of da s came, a d judgment 

was given to the saintr of the Idost High; and the 

time came that the saints possessed the kingdomw 

Daniel vii 21,22. In these verses we are taught clearly 

that anti-Chriit will prevail over the church of Christ 

until the first resurrection and the fist jud-pent, when 

the saints are raised and judged, which uperly destroya 

the modem idea of a temporal millennium, a thousand 

years before the dead are raised and judged. This also 

agrees with the whole tenor of Scripture ; as, "judgment 

must first begin at the house of God," and "whom he 

shall destroy with the brightness of hia coming;" when 

the Ancient of days shall come in the clouds of heaven 

with power and great glory, L' to give reward to his servants, 

the prophets, and them that fear his name, small 

and great, and destroy them who destroy the earth," 

described next verse, 23. 'L Thua he said, The fourth 

beaat shall be the fourth kingdom u n earth, which 

shall be diveree from all kin doms, anEhall devour the 

whole earth, and shall trea$ it down and break it in 

pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten 

kings that shall arise ; and another shall arise after them, 

and he shall be diverse from the firat, and he shall st& 

due three kings. And he shall speak reat words 

against the Most Hi h, and shall wear 0111 &e saints of 

the Mast High, and $ink to change times and laws ; and 

the shall be given into his hand until a time and timea, 

anithe dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, 

and they shall take away his dominion to consume and 

to destroy it unto the end," 24-26. In these verses 

we have the history of the fourth beast, or Roman power, 

during 1260 years of the close of this kingdom, which 1 

shall in some future lecture, show is the meaning of 

time, times, and a half. We have also another clear description 

of the Papal power: "He shall speak great 

words," &c. - the blasphemies against God, in the pretensions 

of the Roman clergy to divine power, workof 

miracles, canonizing departed votaries, changing 

xinancea and laws of God's house, worshipping ~ a~nfs 

and imagee, and performing rites and ceremonies too


foolish and ridiculous to be for .a moment Indulged in, 

and which any unprejudiced mind cannot for a moment 

believe to be warranted by divine rule, or example of 

Christ or his apostles. And we are again brought down 

to the time when the jud,gnent shall sit: And the 

kingdom, and the dominion, and the greatness of the 

kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the 

people of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting 

kingdom, [not tempornl, as some sa or a thousand 

years, but an mortal and eternal,) an2 all dominiow 

shall serve and obey him." It is very evident that this 

verse bringa h.s down to the time when the kingdom of 

Christ will be com lete "in the catness of the kingdom!' 

Every worlin Scripture fm a meaning, and ita 

own proper meaning, unless used figuratively, and then 

explained by Scripture itself. Hitherto is the end of 

the matter. Ae for me Daniel, my cogitations much 

troubled me, and my countenance changed in me ; but I 

kept the matter in my heart" 

This ends Daniel's niplit vision. Two years afterwards, 

in the year 553 bcfore Christ, Daniel vii, he had 

another vision in the day-time, at the palace of Shushan, 

like the one which we have just described, and Nebuchad~~ezzar's 

dream. 

"Then I lifted up mine eycs and Saw, and behold, 

there stood before the river a ram wl~ich had two horns, 

and the two horns were high ; but one ma* I~ighcr than 

the other, and the higher came up last I saw the ram , 

pusliing westjvard, and northward, and sol~thrvartl, so that 

no beast might stand beforc him, neither wnu there nny 

that co~~ld deliver out of his hand; but Ite d~cl according 

to his will, and became great" In th~: 20th versr, the 

angel Cabricl cxplai~u to Daniel what killydoln wiu rcp 

rcscntcd by tl~c "ran1 with two horns," a!~d say

CEBI~T'B SECOND COMING. 4@ 

horn denoted the Peraian line of kings, under and following 

the reign of Cyrus, the Persian, son-in-law to Dariua 

the Mede. "And as I was considering, behold, a hegoat 

came from the west, on the face of the whole earth, 

and touched not the ground; and the goat had a notable 

horn between his eyes." In the 21st verse the angel 

says, "And the rough goat ie the king of Grecia: 

and the eat llorn that 1s between his eyes is the first 

king." Fhis king was Alexander, that conquered the 

Persians. He was not the h t king of Macedonia, but 

the first that had all Grecia under his control, and that 

conquered the world. "And he came to the ram that 

had two horns, which I had seen standing before the 

river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. And 

I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved 

with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake 

his two horns ; and there was no power in the ram to 

stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground 

and stamped upon hi, and there was none that could 

deliver the ram o ~ of ~ his t hand. Therefore the he-goat 

waxed very great; and when he was atrong, the great 

horn was broken, and for it came up four notable ones, 

towards the four winds of heaven' We have in these 

verses a plain description of Alexander's life, conquests, 

death, and division of his k'ingdom into four parts, towar& 

the four points of heaven-Persia in the east, Syria 

in the north, Macedon and Europe in the west, Egypt 

and Africa in the south. And the angel, when he gives 

Daniel instruction, says, 22d verse, "Now that be' 

broken, whereas four at0013 up for it, four kingdoms s a 

stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Then 

the vision seems to slide down to the little horn. "And 

out of one of them (that is, out of Europe) came forth a little 

horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south 

and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. And 

it waxed great even to the host of heaven; and it cast 

down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, 

and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified himself 

even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice 

was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary 

was caet down, and a host waa given him against t. 

5

50 LECTUB~ rrt. 

daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and ~t ead 

down the truth to the ground, and it practised and prw 

pered." Two or three things in the above deecription 

clearly show that, by the little horn, in this paasage, we 

are to understand the Roman power, viz., Its conquering 

to the south, and east, and pleasant lands, stam ing on 

the host, magnif ing himself against Christ, and d)estroyinp 

Jerusalem, L place of his sanctuary, and his practislng 

and prospering. All this description agrees with 

the history of Rome, and cannot apply to Antiochue, aa 

some writers have supposed. But let us see what Gabriel 

says, 23: "And in the latter time of their kingdom, 

(that is, the four kingdoms,) when the transgressors are 

come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and uuderstanding 

dark senter~ceq shall stand up, and his power 

shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall 

destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and practise, 

and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And 

through his policy, also, he shall cause craft to prosper in 

his hand ; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and 

by peace shall destroy many; he shall also stand up 

against the Prince of princes; but he shall he broken 

without hand. And the vision of the evening (in the first 

year of Belshozzar, Daniel vii.1 and the morning (in the 

third year of Belshazzar, Danie vin.) wh~cll wau told, is 

true; wherefore shut thou up the vision, for it shall be 

for many da 8." How many days Our test answers, 

fi Unto two tlousand three hundred days ; then shall the 

be cleansed. And it came to pass, when I, 

had seen the vision, and sought for the 

meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the ap 

peamnce of a man. And I heard a man's voice between 

the banka of Ulai, which called and said, Gabriel, make 

this man to understnnd the vision. So he came near 

when 1 stood, and when he came, I was afraid, and fell 

u n my face; but he said onto me, Understand, 0 son 

orman, for nt the time of the end shall be the vision. 

Now, as he wm speaking with me, I wau in a deep sleep 

on my face toward the ground ; but he toucllcd me, and 

sct me upright And lie said, bchold, I will nnke Lhee 

know what nhll be in the last end of the inJlpartio~ ; 

for at the time appointed the end etull be

Then comes the instruction of Gabriel, which we have 

before iven. 

111. !he time or length ofthe dsion-the 2,300 days. 

What must we understand by days In the prophecy 

of Daniel it is invariably to be reckoned years ; for God 

hatlk so ordered the prophets to reckon days. Numb. 

xiv. 34, 4' After the number of days in which ye searched 

the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall you 

bear your iniquities, even forty years." Ezek. iv. 5,6, "For 

1 have laid upon thee the ears of their iniquity, according 

to the number of the 1% three hundred and ninety 

days ; so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 

And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again 

on thy ri ht side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the 

house of5udah forty days ; I have appointed thee each 

day for a ear." In these passages we prove the command 

of dod. We will also show that it was so called 

in the days of Jacob, when he served for Rachel, Gen. 

xxix. W: "Fulfil her week (seven da s) and we will give 

thee this aleo, for the service which dou shalt serve with 

me et other seven years." 

dothing nor remain. to make it certain that our rision 

is to be so understood, but to rove that Daniel has 

followed this rule. This we wif do, if your patience 

will hold out, an$ God permit 

Now turn your attention to the ninth chapter of Daniel, 

and you will there learn that fifteen years after Dnniel 

had his last vision, and sixty-five years after Daniel 

explained Nebuchadnezzar's dream, and 538 years B. C., 

Daniel eet his face unto the Lord God by supplication and 

pra er ;'and by confession of his own sills, and the sins 

of {he people of Israel, he sought God for mercy, for himself 

and all Israel. And while he was speaking and 

praying, aa he tells us, Daniel ix. 21, '' Yea, while I was 

speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had 

seen in the vision at the beginni Daniel viii. 16, 17, 

being caused to fly swiftly, touch3 me about the time 

of the evening oblation. And he informed me and talked 

Kith me, and said, 0 Daniel, 1 am now come forth to give 

thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy 

rnpplicahon the commandment came forth, aad I am

LEC'IPBIC nr. 

come to show thee ; for thou art greatly belwed ; therefore 

understand the matter, and consider fhe * 

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and 

upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to 

make an end of sing and to make reconciliation for iniquity, 

and to bring in everlasting riohteowness, and to 

seal up Urc oision and prophecy, anb to anoint the Most 

Holy. Know, therefoie, and understand, that from the 

ping forth of the commandment to restore and build 

erusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven 

weeh, and threescore and two weeks; the street shall 

be built again, and the wall, even in troublous ti~nea 

And ~fter threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be 

cut 06 but not for himself; and the people of the Prince 

that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctu . 

and the end thereof shdl be with a flood, and untoxi 

end of the war desolations are determine& And he shall 

confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in 

the midst of the week, (or last half, as it m' bt have 

been rendered,) he shall cause the . 9dce a 3 the oblation 

to cease, and for the overspreading of abomination, . 

he shall make it desolate, wen until the consummation, 

and that determined shall be p o d upon the desolate." 

What do we learn from the above pnssage We 

lea our duty in prayer, and God's goodness in snrwermg. 

We learn that the angel Gabriel was sent to 

instruct Daniel, and make him understand the oicimr 

You may inquire what vision I answer, The one Daniel 

had In the beginning, for he has had no other. We 

also learn that seventy weeks, which ie 490 days, (or 

years, as we shall show,)h the going forth of a certain 

docree to build the &eeta and walls of Jerusalem in 

troublous times, to the crucifixion of the Messiah should 

be accomplished. We a h learn that this eevepty 

weeks ie divided into three parts; seven weefe be~ng 

employed in building the streets and walh in troublwr 

times, which is forty-nine years, 8 -two week^, or 

four hundred and thirty-four an toTe preachg of 

John in the wildenma, rhici twost together, make 

Irixty-nine weokg or four hund and eighty-three 

yeua, and ow week the gapel M percbsd; Johrr

three and a half years, and Christ throe and a half 

gears, which makes the eeventy weeks, or four hundred 

and ninety years ; which, when accomplished, would seal 

up the vision, and make the prophec tme. We also 

lenrn that, Bfter the crucihion of Cirist, the Romans 

would come and destroy the city and sanctuary, and 

that wars will not cease until the consummation or end 

of the world. "All that may be true," says the objector; 

Ubut where hnve you proved that the seventy weeka 

were four hundred and ninety years " I a p e I have 

not yet proved it, but will now do it 

We shall again turn your attention to the Bible. 

Look at Ezra v~i. 11-13 : " Now tllis is the co y of the 

letter that the king, Artaxerxes, gave unto era, the 

priest, the scribe, a scribe of the law of God : perfect 

peace, and at such a time. I make a decree that all they 

of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites 

in my realm, which are minded of their own free will 

to go up to Jemsalem, go with thee." This is the 

decree given when the walls of Jenialem were built in 

troublous times. See, also, Neh. iv. 17-'23. Ezra and 

Nehemiah being contemporary, see Neh viii. 1. The 

decree to Ezra was given in the seventh year of Artaxerxes' 

reign, Ezra vii. 7, and that to Nehemiah in the 

twentieth year, Neh. ii. 1. Let any one examine the 

chronology, as given by Rollin or Josephw, from the 

seventh year of Artaxerxes to the twenty-second year 

of Tiberius Cresar, which was the yew our Lord 

was crucified, and he will find it was four hundred 

and ninety years. The Bible chronolo y says 

thnt Ezra started to go up to Jerusalem on t%e 12th 

day of the first month, (see Ezra viii. 81,) 457 yeare 

before the birth of Chriit; he being 33 when he died, 

added to 457, will make 490 years. Three of the 

evangelists tell us he was betrayed two days before the 

feast of the assover, and of course was the same day 

crucified. &e passover was always kept on the 14th 

day of the first monthsforever, and Christ being crucified 

two days before, would make it on the 12th day, 490 

years from the time Ezra left the river Ahava to go 

unto Jerusalem. 

5*

If this calculation in correct, - and 1 think no a 

can doubt it, - then the seventy weeks was fulfilled to a 

day when our Savior d ered on the crosa Is not the 

mevent weeks fairly proved to have been fnlfilled by 

7 And does not this ve that oar vision and tbe 

=iaYs ought to be so Ged Yee, if 6- m t y 

weeke are a part of ihe maon. Does not the angel my 

plainly, I have come to show thee ; therefore understand 

the rncrtter, and consider the vision Yes We$ what 

cm a rnan ask for more than plain positive -y, 

and a cloud of circumstances agreeing with it 

But one thing still remains to be proved. When did 

the 2300 years be 'n Did it begin with Nebnchadnezzafa 

dream KO For if it had, it must have been 

fulfilled in the year D. lW. Well, then, did it bein 

when the angel Gabriel came to instruct Daniel 

k to the 70 weeks No, for if then, it would haye 

been tininlred in the year A. D. 1762. Let us begin it 

where the angel told ue, from the going forth of the 

decree to build the walls of Jerusalem in troublooe 

times, 457 yeam before Chriat ; take 457 fium and 

it will leavo A. D. 1Bd3; or take 70 weeks of years, 

being 4!)0 years, fro111 2300 years, and it will leave 1810 

sbr (:l~ritrt'a death Add his life, (because we bepn 

to reckon our time at his birth,) which is 33 yeare, and 

we come to the same A. D. 1843. 

Now lot us examine our subject, and see what we 

have learned by it thus far. And, 

I. Wc learn that there are two aborninationa spoken 

of by Daniel. The fimt is the Pagan mode of worship, 

which wos performed by the sacrificing of be- upon 

altam, similar to the Jewish rites, arid by which meuna 

the nations around Jerusalem drew away many of the 

Jews into idolatry, and brought down the heavy juclglncnts 

of (id upon idolatroun Ismcl; and God permitted 

his people to be led into ca tivity, and persecuted by 

the "cry nations that they, the Pews, had been so fond of 

wpyi~~g aRer ill their mode of worship. Therefore were 

the sanctuary nr~d plnce of worullip at Jerusalem trodden 

down by l'agan worshipl)enr ; und the altnra, erected 

by the command of God, and according to the pttern

nnd form which God had prescribed, were broken down, 

and more fashionable altars of the heathen erected in 

their room. Thus were the commands of God disobeyed, 

his laws perverted, his people enslaved, the 

sanctuary trodden down, and the temple polluted, until 

at last God took away the Jewish rites and ceremonies, 

instituted new forma, new laws, and set up fhe gospel 

kingdom in the world 

This, for a season, was kept pure fmm the world1 

anrtuaries and policy of Satan, But Satan, lm arcb 

enemy, found his P abominations could have but 

little or no effect tozw the followers of Christ into 

idolatry for they believed the bloody rites and sacrikes 

had their Ailfilment in Christ. Therefore, in 

order to carry the war into the Christian camp, he auffers 

the daily sacrifice abomination to be taken out of the 

way, and sets up Pa acy, which is more congenial to 

the Christian mode o!womhip in its outside forms and 

ceremonies, but retainin all the hateful qualities of 

the former. He permafes them to erect ima es to 

Borne or all of the dear apostles; and even to Ebnat, 

and Mary, the 6' Mother of God." He then flatteem them 

that the church is infallible. (Here was a atron~ cord 

by which he could punish all disputere.) He 1 ewlse 

gives them the keys of heaven, (or Peter, as they call 

it) Thii will secnre all authority. He then clothea 

them with wer to make laws, and to dispense with 

thwe wbicp~od had made. This capped the climax. 

In this he would fasteh many thousands who might 

protest against some of his more vile abominations ; yet 

habit and custom might secure them to a willing obedience 

to his laws, and to a total neglect of the laws of 

God. Thi~ was Satan's masterpiece ; and, as Daniel says, 

he would think to chan e times and laws, and they ehould 

be given into hla hand kr a time, time^, and a Mf; but 

they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy 

it unto the end' Therefore, when this last abomination 

of desolation shall be taken away, then shall the 

sanctuary be cleansed. 

11. We learn that the vision which Daniel saw waa 

revealed at three separate times- 1st. In Nebnchad-

neds dream, which carried us down through bur 

reat kingdom, until they should all be swept away 

ff ke the chaff of the sumner threshing-floor before the 

wind, and no place found for them, and the glorious and 

everlasting kingdom of Christ fill the whole earth. The 

next vision Daniel saw was similar to this ; he saw four , 

great boasts, representing four great kingdoms, as before ; 

and 11c Raw the fourth beast to be diverse from all the 

others, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong; 

he had eat iron teeth, and nails of bra* which devoured, 

fhce in pieces, and stamped the people of God 

and the whole earth under foot This beaat contained 

the two abominations which we have before spoken of; 

tho leaf under the figure of a little horn, he saw until all 

these thrones were cast down, till the little. horn waa 

destro od, and his body given to the bu flame. 

~anidsauntil the Ancient of days did ai>he Son 

of Man came in the clouds of heaven, and came to the 

Ancient of days, He saw thousand thousan& ministering 

\Into him, and ten thousand times ten thousand 

stood before him; the jud ent was set, and the books 

wen opened. Ho saw the Eminion, and glory, and kingdom 

given to the Son of Man, and to the people of the 

sainb of the Most IIigh, whose kingdom is an evedast 

ing kingdom. In the third vision, which Daniel has 

col~plod with the former, by saying that it was after or 

like) the one which appeared unto him at the firat,he 

saw tl~c three last kingdoms ; gave a particular description 

of the two first, even naming them-the Mcdes and 

Persians, and the Grecian. He then gives a sl~ort 

account of the little horn, (having given a more general 

view of tho fourtl~ kingdom in the other vision,) how he 

would cast down the hwt of heaven, and the stars, and 

stamp upon them ; also that he would mugnify himself 

against the Prince of the host, Jwua Christ, and cast 

down tllc place of hL sanctuary, and practise and 

prosper, but shall be broken without hands, showing 

ttfat the stone cut out without hand should break him to 

pleccw. Daniel, then, in the '26th versc, couplea the 

two visio~m, UIC one in tho eveninq, 7th chapter, nnd 

tbe one in the morning, 8tb chapter, and eays, 'The

mion of the evening and morning, which wae told, is 

true." 

III. We learn tllat this vision ia two thousand three 

hundred days long; that days are to be reckoned yeara 

- lst, By the command of God ; 2d, By the example of 

Jacob ; and 3d, By the fulfilment of the seventy weeks 

of this vision, at the crucifixion of the Messiah. We 

learn by the instruction of Gabriel that the seventy 

weeks were a part of the wkh, and that Daniel waa 

commanded to begin the seventy weeh at the ying 

forth of the decree, to build the streets and wal s of 

Jerusalem in troublous times; that this decree, given to 

Fha, was exactly 490 years, to a day, before the crucifixion 

of Christ; and that there is no account, by Bible 

or anp historian, that there was ever any other decree 

to bu~ld the streets or walls of Jerusalem. We think 

the proof is strong, that the &&I of Daniel begh 457 

yeam before Christ; take which from 2300, leaves 1843, 

aRer Christ, when the vish must be finished. But the 

objector may say, Peiha s ow vision does not begin 

with the seventy weeh. L t me ask two or three 

questions. Does not the angel say to Daniel, ix. 23, 

U Therefore understand the matter, and consider the viaion 

" '' Yes' Does not the angel then go on and ive 

his instruction concerning the seventy weeks '' &s." 

Do you believe the Bible ie true We do." Then if 

the Bible is true, Daniel's 70 weeks are a part of the 

eon, nnd 490 years were accomplished when the 

Mesiah waa cut off, and not for himself. Then 1810 

ears ahrwards the vision is completed; and we now 

Eve about 1803 years ahr; of course it must have 

begun within seven years of that date. But it is very 

reasonable to suppose it began with the seventy weeks ; 

for the angel said it would establish the vision, that is, 

make it sure ; for if the 70 weeks were exactly fulfilled 

nt the death of Christ, then would the remainder be in 

1810 yeara after, which would be fulfilled A. D. 1843, 

as we have before shown. 

And now, my dear hearer, are you prepared for this 

pat and important event Are you ready for the 

judgment to set, and the boob to be opened Let this

.68 L E C IIL ~ 

eubject sink deep into your hearte; let it follow you to 

your bed-chambers, to your fields, or your shops. Not 

one jot or tittle of the word of God shall fail. If he 

has spoken, it will come, however inconsistent it may 

look to ua Be admonished, then, and see to it that you 

are prepared. Corn e the vkim with the history of 

the kingdom. and wEe can you find a failure Not 

one. Then, surely, here is evidence strong that the remainder 

will be accomplished in its time, and that time 

but seven years. Think, sinner, how good God is to 

ve you notice, and prove it a thousand fold Rernempi 

er the old world; they thought Noah waa a maniac; 

but the flood came, and they were reserved in chains 

of darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Bemember 

the cities of the plain Lot was unto them 

like one that mocked ; but the same day God rained fire 

and brimstone upon them, and they are suffering the 

vengeance of eternal fire. Be warned, then; fly to the 

ark, Christ Jeaue, before the door is shut; esca 

mountain of the house of the Lord before gDz 

ohall rige u to the prey, and you be driven away in 

your nolieL

LECTURE IT. 

DANIEL Ix. 24. 

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy 

holy city, to finish the transgression, anB"P,P2akd,":d 

sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in 

everlasting righteousness, and to seal up tbe Asion and prophecy, 

and to anoint the Most Holy. 

Oun text is one of the many found in the word of 

God, which prove the authenticity of the Scriptures, 

gives us a powerful weapon against Judaizing teachers, 

and meets the infidel on his own ground -the history of 

the world. 

It sets a seal to prophecy that it is true, and shows 

that the prophets were inspired. 

It gives incontestable evidence a the Jew, and 

proves that Jesus of Nazareth was r true Messiah. 

It unlocks the wonderful vision of Daniel's four kingdoms 

; also the vision of the ram, the he-goat, and the 

little horn. 

It brings to view the great blessings of the sacrifice 

of Jesus Christ, reveals the exact time of its accom- - 

~lishment, and shows the source of the gospel, proclaiming 

good news to lost man, even in anticipation of 

that important era when the Gentiles should be fellowheirs 

with the Jews in faith. 

It establishes the wavering, and gives hope and confidence 

to the tried and tempted child of God, that he 

will fulfil all his promises, according to the letter and 

spirit of his word. 

Tb text furnished Simeon, Anna, Nathaniel, and 

tf


others, with a strong faith that they should see the con 

solation of lsrael 

By this text the high priest convipced the council 

of the necessity of putting to death Jesus. Then 

gathered the chief pfieats and Pharisees a council, 

and said, What do we ! for this man doth many miracles. 

If me lef him thus alone, all men will believe on 

him; and the Romans will come, and take away both 

oui place and nationn 

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being high priest 

that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 

nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man 

should die for the people, and that the whole nation per-' 

ieh not And this apake he not of himself, (not his own 

pro hecy ;) but, being high priest that year, he prophesieB 

(from Daniel's seven weeh ; for then is not 

another prophecy in the 0fd Teatarnent which shows 

what year Christ should suffer) that Jesus should die 

for that nation ; and not for that nation only, but that, 

also, he should gather together in one the children of 

God, that were scattered abroad," John xi. 47-43. 

The high priest argues that Jesus must die for the 

peo le. 

$he seventy weeka shows that the Measiah mu& be 

cut off at the close of the last week, nnd not for himself. 

Also Peter had occasion to say in his epistle, U Of which 

ealvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, 

who prophesied of the grace that should come 

unto you, searching what, or what manner of time, tlie 

spirit of Christ, which was in them, did siplfy, when it 

testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the 

glory that should follow," 1 Peter i. 10, 11. 

Where was the exact time of Christ's sufferings 

prophesied of but in Daniel's seventy weeks Again, 

to this Christ alludes when he says,LbhIy time is not et 

fully come ;" and, &&Then they sou lrt to take him, gut 

no man laid hands on him, because%is hour was not et 

come:" that is, the ieventy reeks were not yet ldfilled, 

John vii. 8, 30. Mark telle us, xiv. 41, "The 

hour is come; behold, the Son of Man ia betrayed 

into the hnn& of sinnera"

The seventy weeks were now bein fulfilled And 

then, at last, when Jesus had completef his work, when 

the fulnesa of time had come, he finished tranegression, 

and made an end of sin: he then cried, Ult is finished, 

and gave up the ghost." The seventy weeks ended, our 

text was fulfilled; Christ had now become the end of 

the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth ; 

he that knew no ein had become sin for us, and Death 

had struck his lsst blow that he would ever be able to 

give the Son of God. Daniel's vision is now made 

sure - the Messiah cut o& the time proved true, as given 

by the prophet DanieL 

Now, ye infidels, can this be priestcraft And, ye 

Judaizing teachers, kaot this the Christ Why look 

ye for another 

I shall now take up the text in the following manner: 

I. 1 shall show what is to be done in eeventy weeks. 

11. When the seventy weeka began, and when they 

ended. 

I. The text tells us, weeks are determined 

th ad upoi %%y ; that is, upon 

e Jews, w o then were the people of Daniel, and also 

in Jerusalem, which then was called the L'holy city." 

The first question which would naturally arise on the 

mind, would be, What for to do The text and its context 

must tell us. 

1st. ToPnish the trawgresaion* When was transgression 

finished I answer, At the death of Christ. 

See Heb. ix. 15, UAnd for this cause he is the Mediator 

of the new testament, that by means of death, for the 

redemption of the transgressions that were under the 

first testament, they which are called miqht receive the 

promise of eternal inheritance." Isaiah 111. 8, "For he 

was cut off out of the land of the livins; for the transgression 

of my people was he stricken. 

2d "And to nde nn end of si1u1.~ This was also 

performed at his death. See Heb. ix. 26, "But now 

once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put 

away sin by the sacrifice of himself." And 1 John iii. 

5, " Ye know that he (Christ) was manifested to take 

away our sinan 

6

6a 

LECTO~ IT. 

3d U&nd lo makc rediah'on fm iniqdy." Was 

this also performed at hi death Yes. See CoL i 

20, And having made peace through the blood of his 

cross, by him to reconcile all things to himeelf." . Heb. 

ii. 17," Wherefore in all thiw it behooved him to be 

made like unto his brethren; that he might be a merciful 

and faithful high prieat in things pertainingtoGod, 

to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." 

4th. "And to bring in everlnating 'iphkows." 

"This must be by Christ's obedience," says the objector, 

and cannot be at his death." Not sofast, dear sir ; let ne 

hear the testimony. Romans v. 21, That as sin bath 

reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through 

righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our 

Lord." And, '[By the obedience of one shall many be 

made rigltteo~~a." Again, see PhiL ii. 8, And being 

found in fashion tm a man, he humbled himself and became 

obedient unto death, even the death of the cross 

Paul snys, (6 I do not frustrate the p e of God; for if 

righte:,usncss came by the law, then Christ is dead in 

valn ;" evidently showing, that by Christ's obedience 

unto death, he brought in everlastin righteousness. 

5th. To red up the &on nnf What 

does 6' to seal lip " mean I answer, It means to make 

sure, crrtnin, unnlternble. Con~lilt Esther iii. 12, viii 

8. Solotnon says, ('Set me nr a seal up11 thine lieart, 

as a sen1 upon thine arm ;" that is, make rrte sun in 

thy low, anti crrtnin by thy power. John says, UIle 

that l~ath rccrived his testimony ltath set to l~iserd that 

God is tnir." John iii. :%3. Pultl to Rotne, xv. 21 

Li \Vl~cn I Ilnvo pc.rli)r~ned this, and sealed to them tl~ir 

fruit ;" tltnt in, ~natle sure thr contriht~tions. ' Again, 

to Timothy, 2 Epistle, ii. 19, Navertl~eleas, the foundstion 

of (iotl shndeth sure, having thin seal, l'l~e llord 

knowctl~ tho~tt tl~nt are his." Theretijrc tl~c death of 

Christ wor~ltl make 1)aniel's vision sure; for if a part of 

tllr vinion nl~o~~ltl be exactly fulfillecl, na to t~ttie and 

mnnnt-r, th1.n tho remainder of the vmion wottld be accot~~l)lialt~~tl 

in tllnnnrr and tirnr, as litemlly as the 

ue\.c.llty ~v~oks hnd beon. 

6th. And atmint Lhc Nort Holy." The Moclt Holy,

in this passage, must mean Christ; for no human being 

can, or ought to claim this appellation, save him whom 

God hath anointed to be a Savior in Israel, and a King 

in Zion See Acts x. 38, "How God anointed Jms 

of Nazareth with the Holy Ghoat and with power." 

Also, Acts iv. 27, For of a truth against thy hol child 

Jesus, whom thob hast anointed, both Herod a d Pontius 

Pilate, with the Gentilea, and the people of Israel, 

were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy 

hand and thy counsel determined before to be dona" 

Heb. L 9, "Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed 

thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." 

It will next be requisite to inquire, When was Christ 

anointed 

I answer, Whenthe Holy ~host'descended upon him, 

and when he was endued with power from on high to 

work miracles. See Isa Ixi. 1, "The Spirit of the Lord 

God is upon me ; because the Lord hath ahnted 

me to 

reach good tidinga unto the meek : he hath sent me to 

gind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the 

captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are 

bound" 

After Christ was ba tized by John, and after being. 

tempted of the devil grty days in the wilderness, he 

went in the spirit into Galilee, and on the Sabbath day 

he went into the synagogue, as his cuetom was, and he - 

stood up to read They. gave him the book of Isaiah. 

When he opened the book he found the passage which 

I have just quoted After reading it he shut up the 

book and sat down. He then began to say unto them, 

cL This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears," Luke 

iv. 1-21. This pass plainly proves that Christ was 

anointed on or beforex day. 

Other things were to be done in the seventy weeks, 

such as, The cutting off of the Messiah, but not for 

himself. This can mean nothing less than the crucifixion 

of Christ See Luke xxiv. 26, 46, Ought not 

Christ to have suffered these thing^, and to enter into 

his glory " bL Thus it is written, and thus it behooved 

C b t to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third da ." 

RMI v. 6, "For when we were without &en@, h %

t# lPCTUBP IV. 

tim or according to the time of seventy weeb) Chmt 

died b or us." 

And he (Messiah) shall confirm the covenant with 

many for one weekn What covenant is thie to be confirmed 

I answer, It m o t be the Jewish covenant, 

for that wae confinned by Moees many hundred yeam 

before Daniel lived There being but two coveit 

must of necessity be the new covenant of which 

Christ is the Mediator; Moses having been the mediator 

of the old, and Christ atbrwards of the new. If 

these things are so, and the gospel covenant ia meant 

by Daniel, then the time the gaspel was preached by 

John and Christ is here called a week; for Chriat himeelf 

preached more than seven days. Christ kept three 

passovers with the Jews after he be his ministry, 

and oefore he nailed the ceremonial % to hie c- 

This is ntrong avidence that a week ia seven years, and 

that Daniel'e 70 weeh are to be m d e W M meaning 

490 yeara 

Again, "In the mi& of the week he should cauee 

the sacrifice and oblation to eeane," or, M all Hebrew 

scholars agree, "In the last half of the week," dm, is 

the more proper trannlation; and it ia evident that thia 

trrnslation would harmonize with the other parte of the 

paesage, the sacrifice and oblation to ceaea" 

What aacri6ce and offering is thin, which the M W 

nae to cause to ceaae I anwPer, It muet of courw be 

that one offering and sacrifice for sin of which all other 

offerings and .acrScea were but typer It cdd not 

be the Jewish sacrifices and offe'eringq for two good 

re(LBOIl8. 

let Thin in but one sacrifice, and the Jews had many. 

It does not say sacrifices; therefore it canwt mean 

Jenieh sacrifices, nor offerings. 

2d reaeon. The Jewish sacrifices and offerings did not 

cease in, nor even iery nigb, the laet half of the week 

in which the Memiah continned the covenant with mmy; 

and, wen to the present day, they mah oblations, if not 

racrificea It mtmt mean that sacrifice and oblation 

whkh the Morriah WM to make to God for sin, once for 

hrnurtamatbatrscri6cewhichwtbe~

of all the le a1 sacrifices from the days of Abel to the 

days of the Iv'femiah. Let us hear what Paul a9s, Heb. 

vii 27, bL Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, 

to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for 

the people's; for this he did once when he offered up 

himself." 

See also Heb. x. 11, 12. And every priest standeth 

daily ministering, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, 

which can never take away sins; but this man, 

after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat 

down on the right hand of God." Many more passages 

might be brought to show that all sacrifices and oblations 

which could take away sin, or in which God the 

Father could be well pleased, ceased in Christ's one 

sacrifice and oblation But 1 have given enough to satisf 

every candid, unprejudiced mind ; therefore I shall, 

{I. Try to prove when the seventy weeks began, - - and 

when they ended. 

The angel Gabriel tells Daniel ix. 25. "Know. therefore, 

and understand, that, from the forth 'of the 

commandment to restore and to bulld Jerusalem, unto 

the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore 

and two weeks; the street shall be built again, 

and the wall, even in troublous times." 

In this passage we have a plain declaration when the 

seventy weeks began: bL from the going forth of the 

commandment" But what commandment we may 

inqwe. I answer, A command that will finally restore 

the Jews from their captivity under which they then 

were held in bondage ; also to prepare the way for them 

to rebuild their city, repeople the same, and raise up 

the decayed walls, settle the streets, and cleanse the 

city of Jerusalem ; and these thngs would be done in 

troublous timea So much is expressed or implied in 

the declaration of Gabriel, which I have just quoted. 

Who would give the command is the next question 

I answer, It must be a king who had power over the 

Jews to release and restore them. It must of necessity 

be a king over the Medes and Persians, or it would not 

be in agreement with the vision in the 8th chapter of 

Daniel; for he is'e'xpressly told by Gabriel that the ram 

6 *

""k 

he saw, and which waa the first he &d me in th~ 

viion, were the kink of Media and e& And now 

this same angel Gabriel hss come the second time, and 

tells Daniel, plainly and distinctly, that he has came to 

make him U underatsad the vision" What vision % 

one Daniel had in the beginning, in the 8th wpter. 

See Daniel ix. 21-23. 

Then Gabriel begins hie inehection8 by giving him 

seventy weeks of the vision, and then &owe him, vase 

!24, when hi seventy weeka begin ; or, which ia the 

aame thing, u th &ion." To read and underatand the 

matter thua far, infidelity itslelf must b W to deny the 

premises. 

Then, if we have settled this question, the next quee 

tion would be, Which king of Persia, and what commandment 

I answer, It mast be the 6flh king of Persia 

noted in the Scnptnre. of truth; for the rngel Gabriel, 

the third time he visited Daniel to give him &ill and 

understanding into Utke aietom," says, But I wil ebow 

thee that which is noted in the ecnpture of truth," Dan 

x. 21. This shows that he was instructing Daniel into 

a vision which he before had seen, and written in tbe 

Scripturea See Dan vii 1, "Then he wrote the 

dream, and told the sum of the mattera" Dan. x. 14, 

'( Now I am come to make thee understand what shall 

befall thyrple in the latter days ; for yet the oi.ion is 

for many aye." What vision The one noted in the 

Scripture of truth, says GabrieL Then, in Dan. xi 2, 

he begins llis instruction to him of the aision, which be 

was comma~~ded by the voice between the banks of Ulai 

to tnnkc laim ~~nderstand, by saying, "And now rill 1 

sllow thee the truth. Beltold, there slrall stand up vet 

three kings in Pemia; and the fourth shall be far richer 

than they all." Thiu fourth king waa the nun pushing, 

al~tl was the fifth king of Persia, being the fourth from 

Cyrus, wlto was then standing up See Dan x. 1. 

The kings, as bra has named them in his 4th chap 

ter and 7th chapter, were, lst, Gym; 2d, Ahasuerua; 

;W, A-erxcs, the fimt ;) 4th, Ilarius ; 5th Artaxcrxea 

(Lnng~tnanlu; ha lut being the king rho gave a cumma-* 

to)EP1 to restom a11 the captive Jen rho 

wen rilliog to go to Jeruerlcm.

What commandment is our next queetian to 

The decree given b CJNB (see Jka i 1-11) ama( 

be the decree meant y e angel, fir the four follomng 

re880118 :- 

let C~NE waa the first king;of Persia, and of cowae 

cannot be the fiRh king, as we have already shown. 

26 reason. me decree of Cyrus waa two years before 

the angel gave his la& i- b Daniel, and 

he would not have spoken of a as be' future, if it had 

already pard: Tbwe shall yet a ~P three mW 

Cc. 

3d reason. Cyrus's decree was not given to build 

Jerusalem, bat cc the hcrnse of God which was at Jerusalem 

;* neither were the walk built in troubloue time#, 

under the decree by Cyms. 

4th reason. This decree by C p was en 536 

gears before the birth of Christ, or 569 %fare hi. 

death Therefbre no rules of interpretation given in 

the Scriptures 4 d gossibly show how thoae thing6 

were accomplished in seventy weeks, whiK Gabriel 

has shown, in our text and context, were debmined to 

be done. This, then, cannot be the commandment, and 

harmonize with either B.ible or fwts. 

Again: the decree ven by Dariua, Ezra vi 1-14 

c'annot be the oommun&nt to wbich the angel alluded, 

for the same reasom we have shown t&atCpru$s decree 

could not be the one ; for this wss only a renewal of the 

former, wd this decree was isaued 552 years before 

Christ's death 

The next decree or command of any king of f ereis 

we find in the seventh year of Artaxerxes (Longhanua) 

See Ezra vii. 6-28. In this decree we find the 

last command of any king of Persia ta restore the cap 

tive Jewe. We lem that, in this decree, the king furnished 

them with money and means to beautify and 

adorn the temple which had been built by Darius's o& 

a number of years before. We find that the interdict, 

Eznr iv. in which the Jews were commanded not to 

build Jerusalem, is now rewd by its own lirnitatia8, 

dc until another commandment be given from me." 'I3h 

decree, therefore, bdr off this command. We learn 01J

Ezra's prayer, ix. 9, that Ezra understood that the decree 

to which we allude did give them the privilege of building, 

in Judah and Jerusalem, the wall which had been 

broken down After Ezra had been hi 11 prieat and 

governor in leruea.lem thuteen years, i&ehemiah wu 

permitted to go up to assist Ezra in buildmg Jemsalem 

and repairin the wah; which was done in troublous 

timea, under 5 ehemiah's administration, which lasted in 

all 39 years. See Nehemiah, 4th to the 7th chapter 

Ezra and Nehemiah, both of them having served as governors 

49 years. 

Here, then, we find the fulfilment of what the angel 

told Daniel would be done under the command that 

would begin the sevent weeks, and which is the same 

thing - 11 the viriorr" *his decree waa given 457 yeam 

before Christ: the seventy weeks began, and if they 

ended at the death of Chrlsf which we have proved did 

end them, then the seventy weeks ended after Christ 33 

years, making, in all, 490 years, which is 70 weeke of 

years. 

But it is evident that Gabriel h divided the seventy 

weeks into three parts, and I think clearly explains the 

use of this division 

Shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two 

weeks." Then, as if you sho~rld inquire, What is seven 

weeks for he explains, '&The etreet shall be bnilt 

n, and the wall, even in troublous times." hand 

xemiah were 49 years, or seven weeh of years, prformin 

these very things, which ended before Chnst 

408 k e l~ edition of Polyglot Bible. What Y 

eixty-two wee s for The angel has already told us, 

Unto the Meuainh, the Prince ;" that is, to the time 

Chriat wae anointed to preach, the meaning of Messiah 

Sixty-two weeks are 434 days; or weeks of yem would 

be 434 yeare, which, beginning where the seven weeks 

ended, 408, would eud 26 yem after Christ, the year 

John be n to preach as forerunner of Christ 1 hen 

he slurl~onfinn the covenant with man for one weeku 

making in all the seventy weeks. '{hue the seven 

reeks ended with the administration of Nehemiah, B. 

C. 408. Then the sixty-two reelm ended when Joha

egan to preach the gaspel, A. D. %; and the one 

week was fulfilled in A. D. 33, when Christ offered himself 

upon the cross, as an offering and sacrifice for sin ; 

uby which offering we are sanctified once for all." For 

he need not offer himself often, as the high priest did, 

under the law. But now, once in the end of the world, 

hath he ap ared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.'' 

~ eix. 26, r Therefore, Uhe shall cause the sacrifice 

and oblation to eease." That is the only and last 

sacrifice and oblation that will be ever offered in our 

world, which can take away sin ;'for there remaineth,", 

says the apoatie, no more sacrifice for sin." 

Then let 

me inquire, What is the sum ofthe ineguction of the anel 

to Daniel L will sum it up in as few words as 

f can. 

ARer Daniel had a certain vision, common1 called 

the vision of the ram, the he-goat, and the lid hornyn 

Daniel heard one saint inqh of mother, how Ion tfld 

vision ~hould be. The answer M given ~anief that 

it should be unto 2300 da a, when the sancbnary should be 

cleansed or juaieed & than bsud a man's voice 

between the banks of mai, which called and said, Ga- 

briel, make this man to underatand the vision. Accordingly, 

Gabriel came to Daniel, and inhmed him that at 

the end of the world, or time appointed of God, the vision 

should be fulfilled. He then tells him that the ram 

repreeented the Mede and Persian kingdom ; and that 

the rough goat represented the Grecian kingdour, @vee 

a short hiatory of that kingdom, and its four divialons; 

then shows, at the close of these kingdoms, that another 

king would arise, (meaning the kingdom of the little 

horn, or Roman,) describing him exactl aa Moses had 

deecribed the Ram- many centuries b&re. See Deoteronom 

mviii 49,50. UThe Lord shall bring a nation 

against thee from far, from the end of the earth, er, 

awift as the eagle dieth ; a nation whose tongue thou 

shalt not understand; a nation of fierce comtelurnca* 

This, no person will ilispute, mema the Romana Then 

why not a similar description in Daniel, viii 23 u When 

the tranagreasors (meaning the Jews) are come to tbe 

kll, a fig of fierce countenance, and tmdemtandiug

70 LECTmE IT. 

dark sentences, shall stand up, and his power &dl be 

mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destro 

wonderfully, and shall prosper and practise, and d 

destroy the mighty and the holy people." 

I think the reader, divested of prejudice, cannot ap 

ply the description given in the above quotation to any 

other nation but the Romans. And through his policy, 

he shall cause craft to prosper in hi hand." This description 

aqrees with Paul' s man of sin, the myste of 

iniquity which worked in hi6 day, and which wovz be 

destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming. See 2 

Thess. ii. 3--8. "So that he, as God, sitteth in the 

temple of God, showing Ilimself that he ia God." Gabriel 

says, "And he shall magnify himself in hie heart, 

and by peace shall destroy many; he shall also stand up 

against the Prince of princes;" that is, against God ; 

the very same character which Paul has described. u But 

he shall be broken without hand," that is, Uby the brightness 

of his (Christ's) corning," as says Paul. But as Daniel 

has said, '' By the stone cut out of the mountain with 

out hand ;" or, as he says, Daniel vii. 21, !&, I beheld, 

and the same horn made war with the saints, and pm 

vailed over them, until the Ancient of days came, and 

judgment was given to the sainta of the Most High ; and 

the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom" 

After Gabriel had instructed Daniel thus far, he left 

him. Sixteen years afterwards, Gabriel came again to 

Daniel, and informed him that he had come to instruct 

him, and give him skill and understandin into the vis 

ion, of which we have been speaking. he then gives 

him the seventy weeks, shows what would bc accomplished 

in that hme, the cutting off of the Messiah, and 

the ccasin of the sacrifice and oblation. He mentiom 

the dlestruction of Jcmsalcm, and the n-ar of Uie 

little horn; the desolation of tho people of God, and 

overspreading of abominatio~. He carries us to the 

consummation, destruction of the little horn, called hem 

the desolator. 8ee marginal reading. Gabriel, aAer 

ivinn the history of the seventy weeks, dwells not in 

$etairon the remainder of the viaion, but mervea a mom 

detailed account for, the next vieit,which ie given unto

us in the 10th to the 12th chapter of Daniel inchsive. 

But the seventy weeks, of which we are more particularly 

speaking, the angel Gabriel has told us when 

it began : at the going forth of the commandment to restore 

and build Jerusalem, kc. We have found no command 

that will apply in all its bearings, but the one given 

to Ezra, which was given in the 457th year before the 

birth of Christ and 33 yeam afterwards Christ was crucified; 

which two numbers, if added, make 490 years, 

exactly seventy weeks of years. We learn that Gabriel, 

in order to make the vision doubly sure, divides the 

seventy weeks into three parts, seven, sixty-two, and 

one, making in all seventy. He then tells us plainly 

what would be accomplished in each part separately. 

1st. Seven weeka. UThe street shall be built again, 

and the wall, even in troublous times." No man can 

dispute but that this was accomplished under the administration 

of Ezra and Nehemiah. And it ie very 

evident that these two were governors over Jerusalem 

40 years, which makes the seven weeks of years, and 

cames us down the stream of time to the year 

408 B. C. 

2d. Sixty-two weeks. Unto the Messiah, the 

Prince;" tliat is, unto the time that Jesus was 

anointed with the Holy Spirit and power to preach 

the gospel, either in himself or forerunner John. See 

Mark i. 1. Sixty-two weeks of years would be 434 

years. This would carry us down to twenty-six yeas 

after Christ'a birth, and brings us to the very year of 

"the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son 

of God." Mark i. I. 

36 One week. "He shall confirm the covenant with 

many for one week." One week would, of course, be 

seven years, which, added to twenty-eix, would make 

thirty-three years after Christ. Here, too, we find an 

exact and literal accom lishment of the angel's declaration. 

Tho gospel of resus Christ preached by John 

three and a half years, and by Christ three and a half 

ears making seven yean, called one week, and then 

Leadah cut off, 'and not for himself, Christ crucified,

ends the fmexity weeks, proves Daniel% prophecy hue, 

establishes the vision, confounds the Jew, confutee the 

infidel, and ought to establish the mind of eve.ry believer 

in the remainder of the vision. 

Here, then, is a combination of facts and ekmmstances, 

together with dates and times, which thmm 

mpon the mind such strong m y of testimony, that il 

would seem no ratid beii could wi-d the 

And methinks I hear some say, Wh all th~ 

argument 

No one but a Jew ever disputed, tut that the BeventJ 

weeks were Wed at the death of Christ, and that a 

da in this pro hecy was a figure of a year. 

f should not gave been thus particular, and have tRc 

passed so much on your time to prove a given point in 

Christendom, had 1 not recently met with more than one 

Christian professor, and even teachers in Zion, who deny 

that the seventy weeks ended with the death of Chn&, 

or that a day in this prophecy means a year. Some have 

gone so far in infidel; as to deny that Most Holy," in 

our text, and UYai&" m . our context, means Christ 

This surely would make a Jew blush. I agree that I 

never anticipated that any ob' tion could be raised on 

those points, without a ai~ul"~rversion of language, 

and a total disre d of the word of God. 

But man, in fallen state, is an unaccountable, 

ahqp bey; if hie favorite notions are crossed, he 

will, to avo1 conclusions, deny even hie own eensea 

Therefore it becomes necessary for me to prove, what 

has been considered by many, even of the objectom 

- themselves in previous time, pven points in Mom. 

h ia qot more than four years ,since many of the 

clergy and L).Ds in the city of New York met a deletion 

of the Jewish patriarch8 from ae East, and in 

tE6u conference the clergy and doctors brought forward 

the seventy weeks in Daniel, aa proof poeitive of Jews 

of Nazareth being the true Meeeiah. They explained 

tbe seventy weeks in the same manner I have to you, 

and asked the Jem how they could avoid the conclurion 

and I undoretood the could t no amwet. 

NOW, Boppas thae ume ciergy .ZD.D~~ ~ o ~ l d 

r~& me on the quedon now pending ; I should not k

patly dlsappinted if they &mfd deny my premise& 

Why would they do &as " my you. I answer, Forthe 

same reason that the lawyer hesitated, when he learned 

that it was his bull that gomd the fanner's ox. 

LL But might we not unhtamd the seventy weeb to be 

ao man lhl. weeh, that is, 490 mmmotl days" say 

you. answer, If a, then tIre command m build Jemsalem 

must have been given only a year and a thud 

before C%rist's death; and it would have been very 

improper for Gabriel to have said, "Unto the Meesiah, 

the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and 

two weeks," when he had already come, and had been 

reaching more than two yearn before the weeks began. 

KO, my fiends; every reasonable conhoversialist must 

acknowledge there is no pbible wa to et rid of 

our conclusion but to deny that dost b.toly, and 

Messiah, meam Christ, in our text and context And 

I pity, and leave thk man in tJ~e hands of him who 

knows all hearts, that is forced on to ground so nntenable 

as this. 

If I have got a right understanding of the seventy 

weeks, that a day Rtands for a year, - and I have never 

been able to find a Christian expitor who disagreee 

with me on this point, either modern or ancient, - then 

the conclueion is, as far as I can w, unavoidable, that 

the vision of Daniel is 2300 years long, and that the 

490 yeam before Christ's death is not only the key to 

unlock the commencing of the vision, but rrhows conclusively 

how and when, and ma~er 

and time, the kingdoms 

of this world will be broken to pieces and camed 

away, and no place found for them, by the stone which 

will become a pat mountain aad fdl the whole earth. 

For the seventy weeks must seal up the vision and 

make the prophecy of Daniel true. Then, if 2300 days 

is the length of the vision, and 480 da s of that vision 

were fuhilled in 490 years ending wiJ Chriat7s death, 

so muet 1810 days end the vision, which, upon precisely 

the same mle, will be faldlled in 1810 years after 

Christ's death, or in 1843 aft& his birth, which ie the 

mahe thing. 

But, my eome, Daniel did not underetPod the vision 

7

wa enkW Then the angel Gabriel wau nd obedient to 

the heavenly command; for he waa commanded to make 

Daniel Uunderetand the vision," and the vision d end 

ore connected by the angel himself. He sap, u At the 

time of the end &all be the visionm 

Again : if Daniel did not understand, the an 1 must 

have Seen dieappointed ; fa the angel Bays, U ghold, I 

will make thee know what shall be in the la& end of the 

indignation ; for at the time appointed, (fMOO dam) the 

end shall be." 

Again: if Daniel did not underetand the vieion and 

time, then his own words cannot be taken ae evidence. 

"A thii wae revealed unto Daniel, and the thing was 

true, but the time appointed (2300 days) was long." 

This shows that Daniel understood the tune; for he sap 

it was long. For no man would hnre called 2300 common 

days (not quite seven yeam) a long time for ao 

many great and 1m-t events, as are noticed in the 

vision, to transpire m. u And he understood the thing, 

that is, the time,) and had understanding of the vieion" 

b aniel x. 1. 

Now, let the objector quarrel with Gabriel and Daniel 

if he leases. I have their testimony, and &all give 

them tte 

Some say, God baa not revealed 

the time. I ask, then, Who revealed this vision to 

Daniel By whose command was the answer given, 

2300 days Who revealed the seven weeke, the 

time, times, and a half" How came fianiel by hie 

1290 and 1335 days Who said to Daniel, But go 

thou thy way till the erd be, for thou shalt rest and stand 

in thy lot at the end of the daysn Read Daniel ii W, 

23, and 28th verees, and let the objector lay hie hande 

upon hie mouth and be silent. Haa man become so bold 

in sin thnt he will contradict angels, defame the prophets, 

deny the word of God, that we may cry peace 

""'7 when sudden deetruction c o d 'But 

if ye KI mt hear Moeee and the pro bets, neither 

would you though one rcwe from the deadB Peter lays, 

There shall be sooffera in the laat day, saying, Where 

b the promire of hb coming" God haa not revealed 

tbe tinraftha ad, my JW; tbersfiae it will be no

CWIIIT'II IIECOIPB canna 75 

-ham for you to usay - in your - hearts, . My - Lord delayeth 

clis~%L tell the fiend of the bridemaom ;hen 

60 give the midnight cry, U Behold, theo bridegroom 

cometh * For this must be before he cornea - no time 

then to c ; for it vill be as eudden as the lightning, 

sap the gar sa~or. 

Let the objectorslook to it, tbat they do not reject the 

council of God agamt themsel~ea 

cc But ye, brethren, are not m darknese, (ignorant of 

the revelation of God,) that that day &all opertake you 

aa a thief *L

' LECTURE V. 

Hem is windmr. h him that bath undeptardiog ceaDt mrm 

berofh beast; for it is h e numberofamanj and bynlrmbea 

m six hunbed cbreeseom and six. 

THIS text has caused aa much spocuLtbm as any 

text in the whole Bible; rivere of ink bare been nhed 

to explain ita meaning, brains have been addled in 

trying to find Borne great myste which the wisdom of 

thia world, as was supposed, cot% only discover; and in 

tryin to be wise above whnt was written, men have 

loa &ir U e , and fell into absurdities too ridieuloue 

to mention. Some have searched through all the vocabulary 

of Greek narnes, to hi om whoee nmnerical 

letten woukl make the number 666, and they have beem 

wonderfully blest, for the found a number; But here 

again there remained a &iiculty m -mount, which 

required an much ingenuit as the former; but tn 

remedy the oil, every Greel rbolar cbos the one hr 

fancy dictated, mote his book on the number 066, and 

then died, and hie woaderfrrl m e died with him ; for 

every wise Greek had his om favorite name. Also, the 

Latin book-worms, not wishin to be outdone by their 

(iree* brstbrro, mmmpd dtbe goatab parchments 

and musty books In the clo~stere of all the monks 

m Christendom ; and behold, a much greater harvest was 

the fruit of their labor; for now every L a w had three 

u more names to hi ahare ; and in all this wisdom, aU 

ether natiooll wore laft without any nisdum, exc-

CHRIB.~'s srcono comw. 

what they borrowed frora their neighbom, the learned 

Greeks and Latina But I hope, my dear hearers, that 

you have learned that if there is an mystery of God not 

explained by the Bible, it is not %r us to underatand. 

Therefore, in treating upon thie subject, I shall endeavor 

to present the Scripture on the point, and then 

leave you to 'udge whether we have light or not. 

I. Show want wiadom this is spoken of in tho text. 

11. Speak of the beast numbered, and show what 

beaat. 

111. The number, and whet we may understand by it 

I. The wisdom spoken of in tbe text. 

1st. Is it the wisdom of men, or of this world I 

an9 wer, No. For Paul says, 1 Cor. ii. 413, L6 And my 

speech and my preaching was not with enticing words 

ofman's +dm, but in dmonstrntion of the spirit and 

af power ; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom 

of man, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak 

wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wiadom 

of this world, nor of the princes of thii world, that 

come to nought. But we speak the wisdom d God in a 

mystery, even the hidden wiadom which God ordained 

before the world unto our glory." Now, if Paul would 

not preach the wiadom of men or the world, surely the 

angel would not instruct John to we the wisdom of 

man or of this wodd, " for the wisdam of this world is 

foolishness with God," 1 Cor. iii. 19. And if Paul said 

our faith should not &and in the wisdom of men, neither 

would John have given any thing that depended on the 

wisdom of men for a foundation of our fhith. But Paul 

has taught us what tnie wisdom is, by eadmg, Christ, 

the power of God, and the wisdom of God; But God 

hath revealed them unto us by hie Spirit, for the Spirit 

searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." And 

Paul tells us how we may exercise thur wiadom, 1 Cor. 

ii. 13, Which things also we speak, not in the words 

which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost 

teacheth; comparing spiritual thinga with spiritual." 

Here, then, my dear hearer, is the eat secret of wisdom, 

to compare spiritual things wi#spiritual ; and then 

we have the mind and will of the Spirit, and ahall not be 

7 * 

I

very liable tb en. Let ue, then, follow tk~mIe while 

re try to explain. 

11. The berut nmnbered in the text. Ad, 

lrt. Let ua iaqwe what beast it ie. I anewer, It is 

tbe k t beast Slee our context, 12th verse, *And be 

.exercirath d l the power of the be& .before him; * 

that is, the beart wbiab John saw come ap out of the 

sea, (the Roman governme*) having wren he& md 

ten horns, nnd upon hie horn ten crowne, and upon his 

head the name of blasphemy ; and the beast which I saw 

wae like urn a leopard, and hie fen sd .e the feet 

of a bear, and hi mouth aa the mouth of a lion ; snd the 

dragon gave him hie power, and hie seat, and great 

eutl~ority." By this beast, I widerstand Dbe oamo m 

Daniel's fourth kingdom, the Roman govennawt; by 

@ names of bhephemy," I lRlderstRnd a mode of wonhip 

which wwld be idolatrom or blaephemous; by the 

dmgon, we must understand the civil power of the eame 

government giving its power to the ecdemaatical beast, 

whether P a p or Papal. 3d verse, And I mw one 

of hie heade, of blasphemy, Pap) as it were, wounded 

~o death; a ,!I hia dead1 wound wao healed, (by the 

rsaitution of the Papl & u p b bad ~ ;) and all tbe 

world wondered a h the beast" 

John then goes on to describe the civil pwr of thie 

Roman overnment under this last head, and ahorre the 

length ofjtime *rey wwld exercise this last pewer-u forty-two 

montheV- which ia the enme ss Melg time, 

Wmq and a Mf, or Jobn'e I260 day% mentioned Rev. 

xi. 3, xii 6. His pow- to make war and wercome the 

mints is foretold. In the tenth v~ee he hwa un how 

this civil power should be datmyed; by captivity and 

the word ; and tbir was fulfilled in 1798, when the 

ram carried a captive into Fnqce, and the *ta of 

were conquered by the sword of the French umy. In 

the 11th verse he girer m a diecooerg of tbe anme beast 

in his ecclwiastica er; Pagan Rome in the 6m 

bat, and Papncy in Emage baa& ; and it will beevident 

to any one wbo will examine the chapter cuefully, 

that Jolrn wss not comnnnded to number the imap 

beut - far Um civil power of tht beut IW bfora

mbered in the 5th vers%- but the beast which existe'd 

before him, which the Papal ecclesiastical beast is an 

image of, or Daniel's daily sacrifice abomination, (Dan, 

xii. 11,) the one which Paul said, Uhe who now letteth 

will let, until he be taken out of the way." 

In this passa it is evident the apmtle alludes to the 

eame power, al%ugh he calls it the LC working of Satan." 

John also gives a similar description in, Rev. xii. 9, 

And the dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called 

the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: 

he waa cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast 

out with him." 3ut I have another evidence that the 

beast numbered was Pagan Rome, and I think it must 

be conclusive testimony, in Rev. xvii. 3. In this chapter 

one of the seven aageh that had the seven vials came to 

instruct John, and to show him "the judgment of the 

great whore with whom the kin of the earth hnd committed 

fornication, and the inhaetants of the earth have 

been made drunk with the wine of her for~ricntionF 

USo he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness, 

and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-colored beast, 

full of names of blasphemy, having seven lieads and ten 

horns." 

Here the m e idolatrous bead, having seven hends 

and ten horn, is described; the woman sitting upon 

this bedst is the same as Daniel's little horn which came 

up among the. ten horns, and shows plainly that it was 

that part of Roman power which was prior to the woman, 

and was of course called the &st beast. When John 

saw this woman on the scarlet-colored beast, he wondered 

with ,mat admirrtion, and says, Rev. xvii. 7, "And the 

an 1 said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel I 

wil$tell thee the mystery of the woman nnd ot' the bed 

tllat canieth her, which hath the eeven heads and ten 

horns. The bed that thou saweat was, and is not; and 

shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition, 

and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, 

whose names were not written in the book of life from 

the foundation of the world, when they behold the be& 

that was, and is not, and yet is." That was," Pagan 

Rome before John saw his vision, "and is not," yet in

its last sta e of Papal Rome, u and yet is,'' In the oamo 

spirit. for Fapa Rome ia but an image of paganism, u 

says the Apostle, 2 Thesa ii 67, U And now ye know 

what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time, 

for the myster of iniquity doth already work." And, 1 

John ii 18, "Lttle children, it is the last time, and aa 

ye hnvo heard that anti-Christ shall come, even ww an, 

there many anti-Christs, whereby we know it is the last 

time." And aqnin, Rev. xvii 9, ((And here is the mid 

which hath wlsdom ;" evidently refemn John right 

back to our text, &Here is wisdom; let %in that h.th 

understandin the same as mind in the above quotation 

UThe seven !:a& are seven mountains on which the 

woman sitteth, and there are seven kings ; five am fallen, 

one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he 

cometh, he must continue a short space, and the bcd 

that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the 

seven, and goeth into perdition." These texta explain 

the whole matter; fur it in evident that the h t hem 

alluded to was the seven-headed monster who was then 

in existence when Jolln wrote, for five of its executive 

forms of government (of which kings and mountains are 

figures) hnd fallen. Republican Rome had five differea 

offices under that particular form uf government her 

aenaforiol, bilrcnatc, anrsular, deccmvir, sad triwrmvolc. 

These were fallen. One k, that was when John wrote 

his prophecy,) and t 6 e other had not et come, 

A, I which is the same as the ten horn $or when 

thevestern Empire fell Rome was divided into ten 

kingdoms, "And the ten lrornu which thou =weat are 

tonskings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but 

receive power as kings one hour with the beast." Tllaae 

have one mind, (that is, were all converted to the Catholic 

faith,) and shall give their power lu~d strength unto 

the benpt, Papal Rome. cLl'hcse shnll wake war with 

the Lamb, and the Lamb shdl overcornu them ; for he is 

Ilord of lords and King of kings ; and they tint are with 

11i1n are called, and choirrn,ana faithful." And altimgh 

thia beast, whntcver forni it [nay aesulne, whether 

Pow or Papnl, may for a seaJon tyrnnniza over and 

trample on the followcra of Christ, tllrough LLc agency

01 .the evil power of empires, kingdoms, stateq,or repuh- 

Iics, yet He who rules over all, will, in the end, destroy 

all these powers, and himself reign King of kings and 

Lord over all. 6c And the ten horns which thou sawest 

upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and sliall 

make her desolate and uaked,and cut her flesh, and hurn 

her with fire.n 

This text has been literally accomplished within a few 

yew ; and those kingdoms whicb were of the ten, kingdoms 

which first ve power to the beast, have of late 

persecuted and !keyed her, who is the abomination 

of tlie whole earth. Witness the transactions of Great 

Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Naples, and 

Tuscan the Seven Kin dorns which were not plucked 

up by little horn ; ew% of these nations have in their 

turn resisted the power and pretensions of the Pop6 of 

Rome, until his' civil authority is reduced to a cipher in 

all these kingdoma "For God hath put in their hearts 

to fulfil his will, and to agree and eve the~r ki 

unto the beast, until the words of (3od shall he ruled 

Then must the Papal beast, the image of Paganism, be 

numbered and finished, and like a weighty mill-stone 

gunk in the deep,, he must with +e Pagan beast sink 

forever and ever. 

Thua we see the two beasts, although supported by the 

&me power, gL the great red d~gon or Roman kingdom," 

exercming the same autksr~ty over the bodiek and souls 

of men, partakhn of 'he same epirit of Satan, made like 

each other, ow Cein but an image of the other, havi 

the Bame namesof bTasphemy on their heads, and box 

having, at the close of their times, the aame ten horns, 

and both, have, and are to have, their civil power 

destroyed' by the same ten h. Yet we see them kept 

separate and distinct Pagan Rome must reign his 

time, and then the ten horns, or kings, would take away 

the daily sacrifice abomination," and lace in his stead 

the Uabomimtion that maketh desoyate." The la~r 

abomination was numbered in the same chapter where 

our text is found, "forty and two months." And why 

not give us the number of the firat beast He has: 

"kt him that hath undexstanding count the number of

the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his nmp 

ber is six hundred threescore and six." This brings rpr 

to our next propition. 

IIL To show what we may undeRtand by the nmn 

bering of the beast And, 

1st What may we understand numbering my 

thing of this kind in scrip+me or b scrim must 

be our guide, as we have before said. 

I anewer, It ia to count, to finish, or to deetroy, when 

used in a 6gurntive sense, or in prophetic Scripture, as io 

Isa. xxii 10, 66 And ye have numbered the houeee of Jerusalem, 

and the houses have ye broken down to forLifjr 

the wall." They were accused by the prophet of destroying 

houses, by numbering them or counting them 

for destruction. Also see Isa lxv. 12, L6Themf~re will 

I nurubet ou to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to 

the s~au~gter.~ Here again it is uaed in the m e urn: 

I will reckon or count ou to the eword. Again, Dan. 

s. 2526, u ~ n this d is de hand-writing that ma witten: 

MENE, aEne, TEXEL, UPEARSIN. is the inte 

tion or the thing : .Em, God bath n d thy%: 

dom and hath hhed it." 

As, therefore, the idolatrous and blaephemow k' 

dom of Babylon was numbered and finished by G% 

whose decree waa conveyed by the hand-writ* on the 

wall to the knowledge of Daniel and others, im aae 

John commanded, b the inspiration of the Holy Spiit, 

to write in thia last look of prophecy, the Hem, mu& 

of this last idolatrous P beast "Here is wied~m.~ 

Let a wise Daniel, or% that hath the wisdom of 

God like a Daniel, or let him that hath undenrtandingn 

in the word of God, or him that will compare scnp 

ture with scripture, "count the number of the beast.," 

or the number of his name. 

Let us inquire what is the name of this teaet Hie 

because he causes all, both 

tTriEh"a%; bond and free, to wonhi g: 

Mnq idols of fld, and silver, and wood, &at can neither 

see, hcar, nor talk. See the 1st verse of our context, 

" and upon his head the name of b++my," which 

~erurrwlutthenuneof thie beast y andohorn P.

that re are to count, or reckon, how Ion before the , 

blasphemies of this P a p power will be kished; 6 for 

it is the number of a man." And what, you may inquire, 

is the number of a man I answer win, We muat apply 

to God's word the number of a man I 

Moees says, Exodus xxiii '26, The number of thp 

days I will fulfil." Job, speaking of man, says, xiv. a, 

'&Seeing hi da s are determined, the number of hi 

months is with thee, thou hast a pointed his bowdm that 

he cannot pass.' David says, !a. xc. 12, "90 teach us 

to number our days, that we may apply our hearta unto 

wisdom." Therefore, we may reasonably conclude that 

the number of a mann iathe number of his days; and 

the Scriptures often speak of man in connection with hie 

time of so'ourn on the earth, calling it days ; as, few and 

evil bare been the of my pilgrimage ;* 6 died, being 

old and full of d u y s length ~ ~ of s ia in her right 

hand; " "all the days of thy life ; " '9' will wait all the 

dys of my appointed time until my change come." If 

thls is the understanding of this part of our text, which I 

cannot see any reason to doubt, then our text has this 

lain meanin Here is need of spiritd wisdom. Let 

Rim that ha8 understanding count the number of his 

doys; for his days are numbered as a man's; they are 

six hundred threescore and six. This power (Rome 

Pagan) would be taken away when his six hundred and 

suty-SIX prophetic days should end ; and this brings us 

to show when those days began, and of courae when 

the ended. 

Xey must have begun when the Jewish rites and 

ceremonies were in being; for this was the sole object 

of Paganism, to cormteract the Jewish rituals and draw 

the Jewish worshippers into idolatry, and to blend the 

heathen rites with theim They must have begun before 

Christ was born, for the great red dragon having 

seven heads and ten horns was tostand before the woman, 

(the Jewish Church,) ready to devour the man child as 

soon as it was born. They could not have begun before 

they became connected with the Jews, for the reason 

that no nation is prophesied of, or noticed in the prophecies, 

except they are somehow connected with the

people uf God ; and for the ve reason that th be& 

WY to tread down the Jews, anTfinally, by cunnmg, deceit, 

and intrigue, destroy the city and nation of the ews, 

then I think the fairest conclusion is, that when they became 

connected with the Jews by lea ue, and whenthey 

had conquered Daniel'e third kin fom, the Grecian. 

Then, and not until then, h d the kornans any part in 

this prophecy. This agrees with the angel's statement, 

Dan. xi. 23, L6 After the league made with him, (that is, 

Romans,) he shall work deceitfully, and become strong 

with a small (republican) people." This league was 

made between the Romans and the Jews, ratified and 

carried into effect when the Greeks under Bachides left 

besieging Jerusalem, upon the command of the Romans, 

and, aa Josepllus and Maccabees tell us, never returned 

to trouble them (the Jews) any more. This league, 

then, took effect when the third kin dom in hel'e 

vision ceased harassing the Jews, an8 the fourth kiqdom 

began its rule over the Jews and the world. The 

wrrs in the year B. C. 1%. Let those who wish to be 

satisfied of the correctness of the foregoing statements 

read the 8th and 9th chapters of the 1st Maccabees, 

and Josephua, B. XII. chapter x. sec. 6, of his Antiquities. 

Then, if this be correct, that Pagan Rome began his 

power in the year-B. C. 158, and was to continue 666 

yem, when would Paganism fall in the Demo_, in_mJnm _..---. 

and the "daily sacrifice ahomination" be taken out of 

the way to make room for the abomination of desolation 

I answer, Take 158 from M6 and you will have 508. 

Then in the year A. D. 508 Paganism ceased. 

What is the history of that time I answer, that 

about the year A. D. 476 the Western Empire of Rome 

cmmblcd to pieceq and the Pagan nations of the north, 

crossing the Rhine and the Danube, established ten 

kingdoms in what was considered the Western Empire. 

France was the principal kin d~m of the ten. These 

kingdoms were all governed%y Pagan kinp ; and hiitoy 

informs us that in the city of Rome andother places 

in the empire these Pagan conquerors sacrificed men, 

women, and children to their supposed deities; and 

that in tho year 496 Clovie king of France wae converted

and baphzed into the Christian faith ; and that the remainder 

of these kings embraced the religion of Christ 

shortl after, the last of which was Christianized in the 

year L8, and of course Paganism ceaaed, having lcet 

ita head by the power of the sword, or kin who wield 

the sword. Here, theqwra the accomplisgent of two 

important prophecies - the dail sacrifice abomination 

taken out of the way, and the gagan beast receiving 

its deadly wound by a sword; since which time we have 

no account of any Pagan rites or sacrifices being offered 

within the bounds of ancient Rome. HOW exactly hae 

the word of God been accomplished! How just and 

true are all the ways of the God of heaven! And how 

blind are mortals that they cannot see their own destiny 

in the rise and fall of others ! I am aatonjshed sometimes 

when I reflect on the simple truths of the word of God, 

the exact fulfilment of the pro hecieq that more do not 

believe, repent, and turn to d 

8

LECTURE VI. 

DANIEL x. 14. 

Now I am come make h e understand what shdl bahll tby 

people in tbe latter days ; for yet tbe vision is for many &ya. 

Tars is the thud time the angel Gabriel came to instruct 

Daniel. The first time was when Daniel Id the 

vision of the he-goat, Daniel viii. 16. This was 553 

years before Christ. The second time he came wan 

when Daniel was praying for the deliveme of his 

ple from their Babyionish captivity, fifteen years after 

the first visit, when he instructed him into the seventy 

weeks, and crucifixion of the Messiah. Now he has 

come in tile third year of C s the Persian, in Ule .5;U 

R. C, 21 years after ~aniecad his vision of the four 

beasb, nineteen after the he-goat, and four yeam after 

the seventy weeke' instruction. 

After informing Daniel his p~irpose, as in oor text, 

and making some prcliminay observations concerning 

the aision in the remainder of the tenth chnpkr, he begins 

his tmchings to Daniel, and through him to ua, 

with the first of the 11th chapter. 1st verse, he tella 

who he, the heavenly messenger, is-the same who 

confirmed Daniel in the seventy weeks. See Daniel 

ix. 1,21. And in the second verse he begins with the 

fiRh king of Persia, the ve same king who issued tho 

decree to Ezra to go up an~build the walls of Jenulem, 

which began our seven weeka, Daniel ix. 25; 

Ezra mi. 1-14. For tho fint%eraian king wu then on 

the throne, Daniel I. 1, which wns the third year of tho

eign of Cyq king of Persia. Thia was the same 

C rua who was general and eon-in-law to Darius the 

dede, that conquered Babylon. Besides whom there 

should be yet three kings," which three kings were 

Artaxerxes, Dariug and Ahasue~s, as they are named 

in Scri ture. See Em, iv. v. and vi. cha tern I am 

arare %t history haa named four where &cripturo has 

only named three. History -names, 1, Cambysea ; 2, 

Smerdis, same as Artaserxes above named in Scripture ; 

3, Darius, son of Hystaspes, same aa above ; 4, Xerxes, 

same as Scripture calls Ahaauerus. Why the Scripture 

did not name Cambyaes, if there was such a king, I am 

not able to ten, unless his reign was so short (which all 

historians a ree in) that he had no hand in building or 

aindering d e bullding ' of the temple at Jerusalem, se 

the other three kings had, which Ezra has named. But 

as Gabriel did not come to tell Daniel any thing which 

was not noted in the Scripture of truth," (eee Daniel 

x. 21, L'But I will show thee that which is noted m the 

Scripture of truth,") therefore the langua of our 

text now under examination will be thia- UEere shall . 

atand up yet three kinga in Persia, (noted in the Scripture 

of truth,) and the fourth ahall be far richer than they 

all," &c. This fourth king was Artaxerxes Longimanus, 

and is the same king noted in Ezra vii., and the first and 

only king of Persia noted in the Scriptures," who ever 

gave a decree to rebuild the walls and streets of Jerusalem, 

especially in troublous timea We may therefore 

reaeonably and conclusively determine that the measenger 

Gabriel begins his instruction with this king's 

reign, the 5th king noted in Scripture. And if so, we 

have another strong and forcible evidence that Daniel's 

vision of the ram and he-goat began with the seventy 

weeka, 457 years before the birth of Christ, and 490 

yew, or 70 prophetic weeks, before his death, Dan. xi. 

3,4. We have the plain history of Alexander, the conueror 

of the world, his death, and division of the king- 

!om into four great empires Hear what Gabriel says 

of him more than 200 years before the event happened, 

and learn, ye skeptics, the evidence that this prophecy 

is of divine origin And a mighty king shall shrsd up

that shall rule with great dominion, and do sccord' 

hjl ~ai. and when he shd und up, hj. . 

shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the fom 

winds of heaven, and not to hs posterity, nor accordin 

to hk dominion which he ruled; for his kingdom h.8 

be plucked up, even for others besides those," (that is, 

his osterity.) 

Jeed I, then, tell my hearers that history tells IM that 

.. Alexander conquered the then known world in aboot eix 

years, and that he died 323 years B: C. at Babylon ; that 

hi kin dom waa divided among hie greatest 

fmm wfich division arose 

the south, Persia in the 

Macedonia in the west, 

conquered by the Romans 

30 B. C. nearly all these kingdoma became Roman pv- 

inces. From Daniel xi. 5, 13, inclrmive, we have a 

prophecy of the two principal kingdoms out of thee four 

-Egypt and Syria; and any one who may have the coriosity 

to see the exact agreement between the prophecy 

and history, can read Rollin's Ancient Hbtory, wherehe 

,has not only given us the history, but applied this prophecy. 

And aa I see no reason to disagree from him in hie 

ap licstion of these texts, I shall, therefore, for bmity's 

saIe, p~ss over these texts, and examine the text, Dan xi 

14, And in those times there shall many stand up againat 

the king of the south; also, the robbers of th people 

shall exalt tbnnelvea to establinh the vision; kt they 

shall fcU!' The king of the south, in this verse, without 

any doubt, means king of Egypt; but what the mbhm 

$thy& means remains yet a doubt perhap to eoma 

hat it cannot mean Antiochua, or any king of SyM, it L 

plain ; for the angel had been talking about that nation fi* 

a number of vemer previo~~s, and now mya, uah the 

robbela of thy pca le," &c, evidently implying 

other nntion I xilr admit that Antiochue did primp 

rob the lows ; but how could this establish the vision,' 

M Antiochun is not spkcn of any where in the viaion M 

perfornlin an act of that kind ; for he belonged to what 

u callcd tfe dmian kingdom in tk Again, 'to 

~~Ucubha,nmmtmean tom& mre,oomplatq 

or fulfil the -. And if it cannot be &om that th

Grecinn kingdom was to rob the people of God, 1 think 

it must mean some other nation whlch would do these 

actq to which every word will apply. And-to this we 

need not be at a loss 5 for at this very time of which the 

an,ael is speaking, Rome, the least kingdom in Daniel's 

vis~on, did exalt itself, and this kingdom did have the very 

marks in the aision, and i~ the events following. This 

kingdom was to have great iron teeth; it was to break in 

pieces, and atamp the residue with the feet of it. The 

vision also says, "He shall destroy wonderfully, and 

shall prosper and practise, and shall destroy the mighty. 

and holy people, and that he should magnify himself," 

&c, the same as exalt himself, Daniel vii 7,!23; viii. 

10-12,24,25 verses. And it cannot be denied but that 

the Jews have been robbed of their city and sanctuary 

by the Romans, and the Christian church has been persecuted 

and robbed by this dreadful beast, the Roman 

Kingdom. It is evident too that when this kingdom falls, 

ihc oiaien will be completed, fulfilled, established : but 

they shall fall," says -the angel in the verse under our 

present examination ; "they shall fall ;* that is, the ten 

horns in this fourth kingdom, when the vision is fulfilled 

or mtablished, and when the stone cut oat of the mountain 

without hands sl~all grind them to powder. ,We 

will take the 15th, "So the king of the north " (Rome 

is now the king of the north, because they had conquered 

the Macedonian ki dom, and had become masters of the 

muntria north my east before they attncbd Egypt) 

Ushall come and cast up a mount, and take the most 

fenced cities ; and the arms of the south shall not withstand, 

neither his chosen people, neither shall there be 

any strength to withstand." This was about 6fty yeam 

before Christ, when Pompey, a Roman encral, conquered 

Egypf and made that kingdom trifutary to the 

Romans, and afterwards entered Jerusalem, and made 

them subjects of the Roman government See verses 

16 and 17, But he that cometh against him * (Pompey 

coming against E,vypt) shall do according te his own 

will, and none shall stand before him, and he shallstand 

in the glorious land which by his hand shall be consumed 

He shall ale0 set hi fwe to enter 'with the 

8 + 

.

strength of his whole kingdom, and upright onw with 

him," (or men of equd conditions, aa it might have been 

rendered.) The Roman army, of which Pompey had tbe 

command, when he went into Egypt and Paleutine, were 

composed of the eons of all the principal citkna of 

Rome, who were, according to the laws of the republic, 

to serve ten ears in tlte service of their countrg belbn 

they were almitted to receive the high omca which 

they mi ht afterwards be candidat- for. Thin accounb 

for the fawage just read in the text-"upright ma 

with him." And GL tltw shall he do : he shall 're him 

the dau lttcr of woman, corrupting her; but %s .hall 

not stan8 on his side nor be for him." When Pompey 

went into Egypt, he found that country divided between 

Ptolemy and Cloopatra. Pompey, atter he had made 

them tributary to the Romans, compelled them to settle 

their differencecl by marriage. Atterwardq when Juliur 

Ct~sar came against Pompey with hi wwtern vetenma, 

with whom he had conquered the west part of Eurnpe, 

and in the battie fought between these two contending 

rivals, Pompe and Julius Clesar, Cleopatnr had the 

command of de Egyptian fleet on the aide of Pompey ; 

but in tlie midst of the action she deserted over to Cksar 

~vith her whole fleet, which turned the fortune of the 

day in favor of Julius Cresar. Pompey then fled into 

the Grecian isles, where he compelied many of them to 

&clore in IIL favor. But Cesar soon followed hilo, nnd 

nt the baltlo of Pharsnlia con~pletely defeated Pompv, 

w11o wan slain by a banti of pirntes or rubbem '1'1;s 

part we have in tl~c I8lh verso, UARor thie elldl he 

(Poml'cy) turn his face unto the ialea, and shall take 

many; but a prhtco Lacanr for his own beltnlf ehdl 

cause the reproach okkd iy hint (Pompey) to c- ; 

without his own (Ctesar) reproncll he shall cause it to 

turn upon him, I'ompcy :) 1'3th vene, Then Iic (Cusar) 

sl~ull turn his I( nce towanh the fort of Itie own land ; 

but Ile ehnll stun,blo nnd lkll, and not be fountl." The 

llistorg of Ceanr's dent11 ii tiunilinr to every uchod-boy. 

ARer he Ild contlut!rctl Polr~pry, he returnotl to Houir, 

el~terod tl~c city ill triumph, und u fi!w tl~ys attr!r, wh1.n 

he WM about to Iw! crowncd E~nyeror, ho WM slain in

the senate-house, before Pompey's fllar, by his own 

friends ; "he stumbled and fell, an was not found." 

20th verse, " Then &all stand up in his estate a raiser 

of taxes, in the lory of the kingdom ; but within a few 

day* he shall %e destroyed, neither in anger nor in 

battle." This verse describes Octavius Cesar, who first 

taxed the Roman provinces, Judea being taxed (see 

Luke ii. 1,5) when our Savior was born ; but Octavius 

Cesar, afterwards called Augustus Cresar, wae not 

slain lie his uncle Julius, nor like his successors ; but 

died peaceably in his bed 21st and 22d verses, And 

in hi estate sl~all stand up a vile person, to whom the 

shall not give the honor of the kingdom; but he shag 

come in peaceably, and obtain the kmgdom by flatteries. 

And wlth the arms of a flood shall they be overthrown 

from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also, the 

prince of the covenantn In these two verses we have 

the history of Tiberins Cesar, who was the successor of 

Octavius Cessr in the Roman empire ; and was one of 

the most vile, profligate, bloody tyrant4 that ever sat 

upon the Roman throne. History gives. us tlie same 

account, that he obtained by flatteries the kingdom, and 

afterwards ruled it by tyranny. He also assumed the 

name of Augustus. In his reign Christ was crucified, 

"the Prince of the covenant was broken." Here ends 

the history of the seventy weeks. This prophetic history 

being divided into four'divisions, the first port is 

the history of the seventy weeks, to which we have been 

attending, which began in the seventh year of' Artaxerxes' 

reign, and ended in the Md year of Tiberius 

Cesar's, beinv four hundred and ninety years ; the second 

part will be ihe history of Pagan Rome, which begins 

wit11 the first league made between the Romon~ and the 

Jews, and will carry us down six hundred and sixty-six 

You will likewise observe that the an el goes 

{:and begins thii hiitory with the league. d d verse, 

IL And after the league made with him he shall work 

deceifilly : he shall come up, and shall become strong 

with a small peo le." 

Let us in the &st place inquire, Between whom i: thi. 

league made The Romans must be one of the contract-,

ing parties, from the fact that the angel is talkin about 

that government befvre and afterwards, and &t the 

fourth or Roman kingdom was to workdeceitfully, "and 

through his policy also he shall cause crirR to prmper in 

his hand." See Daniel viii 25. And also from the circumstance 

of their being a small orrepublican people at 

first, Rome, too, was small in temtory at this time, althougli 

many nations and kingdom were tributary unto 

them ; but who was the other contracting pan in this 

league I answer, It must have been some whom 

the angel had in view; and he, Daniel, had the m e in 

view, or he ~voold have given some mark by which Daniel 

or the reader could have come to a 'ust conclusion. 

Yes, this was the case; for he had told Daniel in the 

very outset, L' Now I am come to make thee understand 

what shall befall Ucy wple in the latter days." See our 

pxt. This, then, is i e key that unlock9 the whole subect, 

and explains two important points in the vision 

$kt, it teaches who are the subjects of thb &ion; and, 

secondly, when and how the Roman kingdom became 

connected with he vision. If I am thus far correct, then 

the angel has reference to the league mnde with the Roman3 

158 years B. c., when the Grecian eneral Bachides 

withdrew his army from before Jew f em, and never 

returned to vex the Jews any more, ae says 1 Bfaccabecs 

ix. 72. For the Itistory of thi len e, you can mad I 

Maccabees viii. and Josepht~s B. %I. chap. x. see. ti. 

This league \vos tlle first ever made between the Romans 

and the Jews, according to Josephus. It took effoct 

158 yearn B. C., when the Grecian kingdom, at tllo 

comnland of the Romans, ceased to trouble the Jewa, and 

the Romans begun.to work deceitfully. Then began tlm 

Pagon beast to exercise his influence over the people 

of God. And now let us pursue his history a8 given by 

tl~e angel Gabriel, 21th verse, UHe rhall cnter peaceably, 

even upon the fattest placm of the province ; and 

he shull do that which his fothem have not done, nor IIW 

&them' fathers; hc shall scatter among the111 the prey, 

and spoil, and riches ; yea, hc rl~all forecast his devices 

again~the strong holds even for a time." Thin rem 

'

ia a kue hist.org of the rim of the Roman.power ; they 

did scatter the prey and s il among the provinces, d 

conquered more. naGons 90 their munificence and benevolence 

in the outaef &n by their urns or battler 

Rome bought more nations b riches and intrigue than 

she conquered in war ; and rde compelled the Jews to 

submit for about two centuries to that which no nation 

before had been able ever to do, viz,to be ruled b kinge, 

governors, and high ri-, appointed by the &mans, 

and not chwen by Jemwlses. %th verse, l1 And he 

ehall stir up his power end his coumge ageinst the king 

of the auth with a great amd; md the king of the 

south shall be stirred up to ba e with a very 

mighty army ; but he shall not stand ; for ctG"l 

forecast devices againat himn This is a description of 

the war in Egypt, under the government of Mark Antony 

and Octaviua Cew. UYea,,they that feed of the 

tion of his meat hall destroy him, ~nd his army 

overflow, and may shall ,fall down slain." ,When An- 

Egypt became an easy prey to the Romans ; so that a 

' part of the. Egyptian army, that fed of the portion of the 

king's meat, were the meaw of destroying the kingdom. 

AXd both of thew kings' hea& shall be to do mischief, 

and they shall speak lies ,at one table ; but it shall not 

prosper; for yet the end shall be at the time appointed!' 

These two kings are Antony and Octavius, their characters 

agreeing with the descliption given in this passage 

; htorg agreeing that they ruled over the Romam 

for a season jointly, and that they were both of them 

great deceivers and liars. History also informs us that 

after Antony had conquered Egyp

irth of Christ. 28, UThen shall he return into his b d 

with great riches; and his heart shdl be the 

holy covenant ; and he shall do exploits and return to 

his own land." Then Octavius returned to Rome. 

And the next exploit that this fourth k' dm would do 

would be againat the holy cove-t.%ey, by si 

authority, crucified our Savior, persecuted the aainta, 

and destroyed Jerusalem ; and thla fib up tbe acts of 

history until towarda the cloee of the re' 

PZYw seaat 4 uht the time appointed,% 

rhall return, and come toward the south ; but it nhll not 

be aa the fonner, or 88 the latter." Tbe time appointed 

must mean the length of the reign of this beset, whom 

Iliatory tho angel ia now giving, which 1 have shown, in 

a fornlor lecture, is 666 ears. He shall return, and 

come towards the eonth, r not aa the former or latter. 

Not BH tho Romw going into Egypt, the latter; nor 

tho Syriana going into Egypt, ae the fbrmer; but Italy 

must now toko her turn to be overrun by the oQtbern 

barbarians. Therefore the angel cap, in the next veme, 

roe :HI,( For the ship of Chittim shall come against 

him;") tho meani of which is, that the Hum, which 

lived on the north3 the Adriatic Sea, the pbx where 

it m a anciently called Chittim, under their leader Attila, 

(mrnnmed the Scourge of God, should ra the Rcb 

man empiro. This waa PIfiUe '!I 447 y-% Cluia~ 

*Thomiore he shall be ieved and return, and ha6 indignation 

againat the her mvenmt ; a shd be do ; he 

shall return, and have intelligence with them t&mt fordio 

tile holy covenant" 

About the time that Attila ravaged the Roman empire, 

Christians conceived it to be a judgment of God upon 

the Romm for their idola and wickodneuo, refwed 

to benr urn in favor of theomm wpmn, w W led 

to a bloody pereocl~tion of Christians, and a renewal of 

Pagan ritee and sacrifices, which had been y" 

pended during tho reign of Conatantine an d m g 

,emperom, except in the cane of Julian the A 

and a m shall atand on his p+,n th.t is, tb C2 

the empire would be on the a~de of Paganinn 

u A+ 

they rhall pdlute the rmctnup of rbsngtbn m

CHRIST'I SLCOXD COMING. 95 

thia mean the guvements or kinge, e~tabliehed 

on the f of the Roman empire in the west, by the 

Huns, Gotha and Vandab of tho north. U By sanctuary of 

strength," is meant Rome. And it is said that at the 

time that Rome was taken, men, women, and children 

were'sacrificed to their P deities. "And shall 

take away the daily sacrilicey~he angel ia giving u 

a history of what these kinga would do, when Rome 

should be divided into its ten toea, or when the ten how 

should arise, which the 1 has heretofore explained 

to mean ten kings, ~aTvii. l. This ia evident by 

his using the plural pronoun instead of the singular, as 

before, or as he will follo~ving, when the little horn obiaim 

the power. To 6 take away the daily sacrifice," 

means to destroy Paganism out of the ki dom. - Thia 

was done by those ten kmga who now rulsthe Roman 

empire, and would for a little seaeon, until they should 

give their power to the image b& "And they shall 

place tho abomination that maketh desolate." They, 

meaning the ten kings, ahdl place, ahall put in the room 

or p h of the &1y m$ce or Pagan beast which would 

now receive its death wound by the sword, that is, by the 

civil power of this fourth kingdom, under the reign& 

power of these ten kings ; for John tells us, Rev. xvi~ 

l2,13, U And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten 

kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but 

ohaU receive power as kin@ one hour with the beast; 

these have one mind, (being all Pagans,) and shall give 

their wer.and strength unto the beast ;* that is, to sup 

port $.gam Now, thia wu evidently fuliilled ; for 

after the fall of the Weetern Empire, A. D. 476, and before 

A. D. 490, ten kinq had risen upon the ruins, and 

formed ten separate k~ngdom, the names of which I 

space of twent years, Clovis, the king of France, having 

beep converdand ba tized in the year A. D. 496. By, 

the year A. D. 508, de remainder of the kinga were 

brought over and embraced the Christian rebon, which 

closes the history of the Pagan beaat, whom number

90 L P C PI. ~ 

wm 666; which, be inning 158 years B. C., would end 

the beaah reign A.S. 508, having reigned but a ah& 

time, (om how, says John,) with the ten kin$. We 

hve now gone through with the angel Gabriel s ~eowd 

part of the history, aa we promised. 

I shall now go on with the illustration of the third 

part of his pro hetic history, which ia the history of the 

lmage baa&, $ deadly round healed, or what hie1 

calla '' the abomination that maketh deeolate." This 

beast would rule over the kinga of the earth, and tread 

the church of God under foot fort two months, or time, 

times, and a half, which ia twece hundred and sw 

years, in common time, or, as the an I tells us in Daniel 

xii 11, from the taking away the Gy abomimiauion to 

set up the abomination, that maketh desolate, should be 

a thousand two hundred and ninety days, showing a 

difference of thirty yeam from the statement of the 

actual reign of the image beast and the other, which includes 

all the time from taking away down through the 

eetting up or reign of the image beast Therefore, to 

reconcile these two statements, we must conclude then 

were 30 years from A. D. 508, when Paganism ceased, 

before the image beast, or Papal Rome, would begin her 

reign. If thin ia correct, then the 1290 be n 508, and 

would end us in 1798. But the reign of 8ecy would 

not be set up until A. D. S*, and would ena us in the 

same year, A. D. 1798, being 1Wi. This, then, is the 

hbtory the angel will give ue next X2, And mch m 

do wickedy against the covenant ehall be conupted b 

flatkrem ; but the people that do know their God aha; 

be strong, and do exploits." The cccleainstical historians 

tell us that in the beginning of the sixtll cent~lry, 

about A. D. 538, a number of writers in that day nndertook 

to prove that the Papal chair, togctlrr with callncile 

of his approval, were infdlible, and their larr werc 

bindin on the wl~ole ctlurch. Thew writers were 

highlyionorod and fla-d with promotion by the reising 

powers ; while on the other hand there were many 

rho o ped this power of tho Pope and clerg, who 

were fenounced ss lchismatica and Arians, and driven 

out of the hgQrm uoder the conM of the Romhb

CHIUBT'S SECOND come. 97 

church. 33, 4nd they that understand among the 

people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the 

sword, and by flame, by cawvity, and by spoil many 

days." Those who instructed the common o le, and 

oppomed the worahippiuo of imagea, the i&i!ility of 

the Pope and councils, &e canonizing of departed saints, 

were ersecuted by the civil power, (the sword,) were 

bvmeBby order of the ecclesiastical courta established 

by the laws of Justinian, emperor of Constantinople, 

whose code of laws, published about A. D. 534, gave 

unto the bishop of Rome power to establish courta for this 

purpose,. and many in the sixth century and subsequent 

down to a late period, "mny dcrys," suffered death, imprisonment, 

and confiscation of goods, in consequence 

of a difference of opinion in mattera of religion, b the 

tyranny of this abomination, the bloody city whicg has 

reigned over the kings of the earth." 34, "Now, when 

they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help; 

but many shall cleave to them with flatteries This 

text agrees with one in Revelation xii 16, "And the 

earth helped the woman' "But man shall cleave to 

them ;" that is, man men of the worldTwould cleave to 

them, and professed& would flatter the true people of 

God that they were friendly at least to them, and by 

these means Satan carried on his wars against the children 

of bod. 35, And some of them of understanding 

shall fall, to try them, aua to pur e and to make them 

white, even to the time QF the endj because it is yet for 

a time appointed." This verse shows us that even Christians 

would be led into some of the errors of Papacy, 

and would be tried and purged, even to the end ot' this 

image beast's rei n, which time ia appointed, as 1 have 

already shown, to %e"time, times, and a half," 1260 years, 

ending A. D. 1798. 36, "And the king shall do according 

to his will ; and he shall exalt himself and ma 

himself above every god, and shall speak marve VY lous 

. things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the 

indignahon be accomplished, for that that irr determined 

shall be done 

here spoken of is the samo 

aa Daniel% liltIe cp%ich came up among the ten 

horns. It it the same that blasphemed the God of 

9

98 LECTURE VI. 

heaven It is mystical Babylon Isa. xiv. 12--15; 

Rev. xiii. 5,6. The same Paul has described in his 

Epistle, 2 Thess. ii. 1-9 ; the same image beast which 

we have been examining the history of; and one thing 

is evidentythat this beast ~vill continue until the day 

that God pours out his indignation upon a 

in some form or other. S, L6 Ncither shadY6reW$ 

the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard 

any god ; for he shall magnify himself above allp 

In this passage we have a plain descri tion of Papacy; 

they do not worship the sane gods ge pagan^ did - 

'Ltheir fdhere." And their clergy are forbidden to 

marry; the Pope calls himself the vicegerent Of God, or 

God on earth, having the keys of heaven, &c. 38, But 

in I~is estate sl~all t~e honor the god of force3 ; and a god 

whom his fathers knew not shull hc honor with gold. 

an11 silver, and precious stones, and pleasant things." 

It i3 true that the Pope,.for yes past., has had large 

armies at his command, and always a body-guard to attend 

him in his capitnl ; also, that they adorn their 

pictures wit11 gold, and silver, and recious stones, and 

plessnnt things, and that the gods tl!e worship, slicl~ u 

the images of Christ, apoltles, and $irgin Mary, and 

canonized saintg were not known to Pagan \vorship 

pcrs. 31), Thus shall he do in the most strong Ilolde 

with a strange god whom he sl~all acknowledge and increase 

with glory; and he shall cnuse.them to rl~le over 

Inally, and shall divide the Ian for gain." 

These patron saints, which $, c Po e divided nnlong 

the sever111 nation. of the earth, an! in aln~at crery 

Fd~nily, each one having their patron saint to ~ l over e 

tl~e~n, by the appointment of the Pope, were strange gods 

i~ldecd; and rational being3 might truly \vender ~ I I ~ I I 

tlley beheld the power of this last abo~nination over the 

minds and judgmmb of mankind. And tlicn, again, to 

Nee the number of kingdoms, provinces, states, and territories, 

which the Pope 11ar old to enrich his coffers, 

without any more right or title to them than we have to 

thc land in the moon, must convince evcry onc that the 

description given must apply to the cllurch of Rome or

the Pope, who claim to exercise this great authority by 

hi crazy title to St. Peter'a chair. 

We have now arrived to the end of the third division 

of the angel's history ; for the next verse tells us, * and 

at the time of the end," meanino the end of his power, to 

tread on the church by his cizl authorit , or reigu over 

the Lings of the anh, and to dispose ofYland. for gain 

1 have brought you down, my kind hearer, through n 

long rophetic history of more than 2200 years, md 

landelf ou to the year -4. D. 1708, when the Pope of 

Rome foBt his civil power. In the beginning of the 

year 1798, on the 15th of Feb~ary, a French general, 

Berthier, entered Rome with a French army without 

resistance, deposed the Pope, abolished the Pa$ government, 

and erected the republic of Italy. The Pope, 

being taken prisoner, was carried a prisoner by them 

first to Sienna in Tuscany, from thence to Florence, 

afterwards to Grenoble, and then to Valence, in France, 

where he died on the 1% of Auguef 1799, since which 

time the Pope of Rome hw exercised no more of his 

former power over any of the kings in Europe, or the 

Protestant church. We shall now close our lecture on 

this history for the present, resewin the remainder of 

Gabriel's Wresting bibtory for moier lecture.

LECTURE VII. 

DANIEL rii. & 

And I beard but I understood not: lben said I 0 myLord, 

P;hatsba~ be bendof tbereIhbpi 

Pa~vrous to Daniel's asking the question contaimed 

in our text, he had been tau ht, as we have eeea in OW 

former lecture, not only the %- of f ~w u 

they would mcceed each other down to the end of the 

world, but he had the replar order of time specified 

in the duration of the little horn, tint; tinru, d a 

hafc'l as in Daniel vii. 4 and xii. 7. But he had boa 

in ormed of many events which should Ire rfter 

his * time, h*u, ,cad a " should be fin='& I I ~ 

having the len of the *tr agan beast, or daily abomination, 

given to g at a& he codd not tell or understand 

whereabouts in his grand number of 2300 days, the 

end of the civil power of the little horn, or Papal Rome, 

carried him: there was no rule given Damel yet by 

which he could tell when or how long after the cmcifixion 

of the Messiah before the daily sacrifice abominotion 

would be taken out of the way, and the power of 

the little horn be established, and the abomination of 

desolation set up. Be sure, Daniel had heard the whole 

histo down to the resurrection,and had the whole viaion 

apcriyed in his 2300 days But as be uw then were 

evidently three divisions of tlic ti111e after the crucidxion 

or cutting off of the Memiah at the fultilment of his 

400 yea- or 70 weeke, down to tile end of hL lalo 

years, which would be the remainder of his total number 

of !BOO yeare, after his 70 weeks should be NfrlledP

and having only 1260 of those yeam accounted for by 

the reign of hls little horn, leaving five hundred and 

fifty years to be applied on the Pagan beast, and for the 

events which we are to attend to after the Papal beast 

lost his civil power, - therefore the pro riet of Daniel's 

saying in our text, "Then I heard, but DunLrstuod not." 

He understood not how this time was divided, and especiallr, 

how much time would be taken up in the last 

divislon of the angel's history, beginning with the 40th 

verse of the 11th chapter, where our last lecture ended, 

and finishing with the context of the 12th cha ter, the 

verse previous to our text That thia is the rain and 

significant meaning, is evident from what fo!ows our 

text, triz, the angel s answer to Daniel's queetion, U What 

shall be the end of these things" And he said, Go 

th way, Daniel ; for the words are closed up and sealed 

ti9 the time of the end ;" that is, my &ion is closed, 

the words are !bbhed, and registered in the roll of God's 

word, they are sealed, that a, made sure, unalterable, 

will stand until every word has its fulfilrnenf, which in 

the end shall be accomplished. not, as eome suppose, 

that Daniel's prophecy is Jeald closed up, out of sight, 

and cannot be understood. This is not the way of God's 

dealinga with us ; for if this had been the angel's meaning, 

he would have said to Daniel as he did to John in 

similar circumstances, Rev. x. 4, Seal up those thin,% 

and write them not" But it is the reverse ; for he says 

in the next verse, 10, Many shall be purified, and made 

white, and tried ; but the mcked shall do wickedly, and 

none of the wicked shall understand." None of the 

wicked ahall understand what Why, the thin before 

ken of - llaniel's vision and instruction. 8ry well, 

E n the wicked do right for once. Certainly, ~f your 

exposition of the former text is correct, that it is hid, and 

cannot be known, they are obeying the command of the 

angel, close up and seal the words; and surely they will 

not be condemned for obedience. "But the wise shalt 

understand;" sa s the angel. 

What shall the wise 

understand dey shall underatand ihc airion; or the 

words before spoken by the angel at least But say you, 

Daniel waa commanded to seal up and close the war$ 

!t *

so that they may never know them till the end, and the 

wise underatand them How can these things be " I 

answer, These texts explain each other. There ia a c h 

connection in the word of God which must always be 

kept in view, and if our exposition of one contradicts 

miother of the snme connection or of like import, we may 

know there is a wrong in ua Now, one thin ie certain, 

-"dl Scriptvre in grren by inspiration of &d, and in 

profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction 

in righteousness, that the man of God may be 

perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good workam 

And "secret things belong to God; but things revealed, 

to us and air childrenn And when I see pretended 

servants of God, men of great pretence to piety and 

knowledge, displ~ting long and sharp an some metapbpsical 

point in theology which they nor their hearers can 

bever understand, and when tl~y 

are asked to explain the 

plain declarations of God, put it off, by saying, it IS sealed 

up, and we ought not to try to understand it, it makes me 

think of Bsop'a fable of the do in the manger; of 

~hriat~s reproof to the scribca and Aariseea, u woe unto 

you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up 

the kingdom of heaven against men ; for ye neither go 

in yourselves, neither suffer ye tliem that are enterin 

in;" and this pavsgc in Dmiel, The wicked 

% wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; 

but tlic wise shall understnnd" You may depend upon 

one thing, when you hear such declarations as the above 

from the pulpit, that the spcukcr docs not love his Bible 

as well ns 11c loves liis own popularity, and studies to 

ltupport his firith, the popular writers and etnndard authors 

of the day, more tlian tllc divine revelation of God. 

But God is now trying his peo le ; he is now giving them 

a great rule to know their Lve for his word. If the 

word of God is to tlieni foolisli~iesa, nnd tlley tnkc more 

deli Ilt in the ppulnr mitrrs of tl~e day, tl~e may deupon 

it they arc stumbling at that rtunildn -stone. 

ut tlic nngel tells UB tllnt w3sy rllall be purifh and 

mnde wllitc. l'l~is was goo41 Ilc!aa to Daniel, and ought 

tu bc no ~ I11s; I for it is tl11. cl~'c.lilri~tiv~~ 01' ~IITOU rh 

tho medium of Gabriol, hia Illeareoger. u Ind frum $e

hme that the daily sacriiiceahall be taken away, ead the 

abomination that maketh &date eet up, then shau be 

rr thousand two hundred and ninety daya Blessed is he 

that waiteth, aad corneth ts the thornand the bundred 

md he and thirty d~ys: butp thou .thy way till the 

end be, for &XI shalt reat, aa otsnd m thy lot at the 

end of #e dayan Now Daniel had dl he could ask for ; 

now he could unders&nd the time, srrd the length, and 

art otevery Bipision which the age1 had even him in 

%s imrtructlon, so far aa b 6ll up his vision of 2300 

years, (as we -ahall call them, having proved in a fonoer 

lecture that they ought to be m reckoned,and have been 

so fulfilled.) He Bas now learned that, to begin and 

reckon back from the resrurection, which he well knew 

would be 1810 ears after Christ's crncitkion, he might 

6nd out den de daily sacrifice abomination would be 

taken away. Therefore take 1335 gem from 1810 

years, wuuld leave 475 yew; and he could reckon from 

the end of the 70 weeks, or 490 years, to the end of Pagan 

Rome, would be 475, Frwn thence to the time he should 

stand in hi8 bt, would be 1335 years. Then by adding 

490 

475 

1335 

wodd mht~~e' sum tota~ OT his wh~e 

vision ZG yeara 

And now, let us suppose he wished to know when the 

abomination of desolation would end, and when it would 

begin. He has only to take his nunher, one thoosand 

two hundred and ainetg, as 'ven him by his angel, from 

his 1335, thus,- I& 

la90 

- 

45 

and he finds that 45 years befire the resurrection the 

little horn would lose his civil power. Now, let him 

take his time, times, and a hfl, and add, say 1260 yewe 

to 45 years, and he will find that the little horn began 

his reign 1305 years before the resurrection, and 30 

years after the daily sacrifice abomination was taken 

away. And now he is prepared ta give his vision and

the umtruction of the angel Q tbeir plop beuhg#, 

and prove it thm : - 

Ist The seventy weeks or 490 yeus to the croci- 

fixionof Cb&. ........ 490 

h m cmcitixion to taking amy daily &nation, 475 

From taking away Pagan rites to the dug up 

abomination of desolatioq . . . . 30 

om setting up papal power (time, ti- .nh r 

half) to the end of hie cnil reign, 

. . I260 

Rom the taking away the Papal cid nle to'the 

resurrechoa,. .......... 45 

- 

Now add these together, and you win havethe whole 2300 

yeara of Daniel e vision Do you not, bind hearer, 

eee by thii mode, and by these last numbas given him, 

Daniel could learn every part and division of the whole 

hietory down to the time when he &odd &ud in hie 

lot But now, for his instruction, we will snppme Daniel 

underetood ow mode of recko 

have given it to oa in thi~ way :-%% Jtec: 

490 yeam, will be accomplished A. D.33. The pagan 

abomination will be taken away 475 yeare afterwards, 

which will be A. D. 503. The papal abomination will be 

eet up 30 ears after, A.D. ,538, and will continne 12ti0 

y q A. 6.1798. A(ler thie 45 pars,I &all aud in 

my lot, and all that cane forth to this resurrection rrin 

be bleeed, A. D. lWw Blessed is he that naiteth 

and cometh to the thowand three hundred and five 

and thirty daya* Rev. xx. 6. L'Bleswd and holy is he 

that hath part in the first resurrection" 

We are now prepared to give you the remainder of 

the anpl'e instruction to Dmiel, beginni where we 

left OR in our llst lecture; and you rill Zewise nor 

hke notice that it in the last division, and what we mu 

ahdl rend to you muat all take place in 45 yeam, between 

the ears 1793 and 1843. So that you may, alt 

1 o y o j u or ourse~vsr, upon your own 

observatiorq whether these are so or not. 

Wc thcrcforc begin at the 40th vcrse of tbe 11th 

chapter of I)anioI, and at the the of the end " of tbe 

papal civil power. Now, udher penon bu obtdd

cbis civil power : this aas Banaporte, the ruler of the 

French netion This year d which we are now twae 

ing waa the very year that the French destroyed the 

power of the pope, und Boqmte began his extraordinary 

caner in conquest and aatherity; and it was evident, 

by hi success and fortune, that he waa daed up by 

God himself for some qext and spscial m e ; and 

through him, aa an imtmment, and by mew of the 

French revolution, the shsckles that had bound more 

than half of Eurepe in bigotry, superetition, and tyranny, 

were borst asunder, and the inqaisition and Papac lat 

*heir power and tenor orer the bodieu a d mint& of 

men At thin time, then, oar p ecy begine, ond Bonapcute 

ia the pelson designated T y the pmaoune he and 

him in the prophecy : And, at the 'time of the end, shall 

Ihe kuy of the south p h at him ; and the king of the 

north s all come t him like a whirlwind, with 

ehariots, and with~emen, and with ouny shlpa* 

This is a description of sn alliance entered into by the 

king of Bardinia, Italy, and Spain, in the south, and 

Great Britain, in tbe north, tkr six years. Englaad engaged, 

in thii treaty, to pay the king of Sardinia 200,0001. 

per amam te fumkh aa army of horse and a 1 e fleet 

The command of the feet my given to Lor%elson. 

Various was the saccese of the allies in tJae south. 

Spain had to recede, and iinally joined the French. The 

k~ng ef Sadiaia had to leaae lua territories on the continent, 

and shut himself up in the island of Sannia. 

The king of Naples fled to the islaad of Sicily, after 

making a vigoreua p h at the French, in November, 

17'38, and getting possellsion of Rome, while T~rd Nolso~ 

took and destroyed the French fleet, near t~ mouth of 

the Nile, the same year. Bat the French seon retook 

Italy ; and this broke up this league, and the French 

remained maaters of almost all that belonged to the 

Weetern Empire ef Rome, except Great Britain. " And 

he shall enter into the countriem, aad shall ouedow, and 

pass over," waa literally accomplished. "He shall enter 

also into the glorioua land," (or land of delight, as it 

might have been translated) This, I have no doubt, 

areur~ Italy- Bonspartb fought af hie moDt .bd-

" And many coantriee shall be overthrowas It is said 

that Bomparte conquered three kingdoms at the batdo 

of Marengo. " But these shall -ape ont of his hmb, 

eren Edom and Md, and the chief of tbe children of 

Ammom" Bormparbe, when be went into E m calcu- 

lated to march into the East Indies: he advanced into 

Syria, where, &.er gain in,^ swe adpanEagee, he received 

a decisire check before St John d'Acrq when 

he was obliged to mise the siege, and retreat back to 

Egypt with the shattered remains of hie army. & the 

country once inhabited by tbe Edomiteq Moabitea, and 

Ammonites, escaped ottt of his handt~." 42, "He rhall 

stretch fbrtb hk hands a h upon the countrka ; ad tbe 

land of Egypt shall not eeca U Handrn signifies 

wer; and what country on gilobe did not mas or 

L feel the e&8 of Boaput81 power Egypt, 

surely, did not eampe; fbr all Lower 

quered by hie arma 43, " But he eh '3EW* re power 'Onover 

the treasnnts of gold, and of silver, and over all the 

the country sufticient to support and y hia trqop, 

- 

sod 

brought awa much with him. "~n8"the Lyb- and 

mio i- abu be at hb stepn when he .at re4 

into $pt, he landed hi. arm, on the con& of what 

ancientl called L big and he la& battle was fought in 

U y Ept - wiat the amienta called Ethiopia. 80 

bo of ese places were at his etem although wither 

of them was fairly conquered, as wne Egypt 44, But 

tidiuge cmt of the east, and out of the north, shall trouble 

him" Thia was what was at tbat time called the Hdy 

Miam Thie waa composed of mcet of the kin on 

the north and east of France, which hlly pmvs the 

overthrow of the power of Bonaparte, and the reetora 

tion of the Bourbons on the throne of hmce. 

The aem of this alliance can4 him mach trouble, 

.aB~hirinrmsdi.tereclrmto~ *Tb.l.bon

he shall go forth with great fury to destmy and utterly 

- b make away many This ia a plain description of 

Bonaparte's campaign into Russia He went forth with 

on army of 400,000 men, with fury, in order to break up 

the Holy Alliance. He did utterly destroy Moscow, 

and laid desolate the county through which he passed. 

He made away with more than 200,000 of hi ownarmy, 

besides the destruction of his enemies, say many thousands 

more. Such a destruction of life and property in 

one campaign was never known since the days of the 

Persians and the Greeka 45, And he shall plant the 

tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the glorious 

hol mountain," (or mountain of delight) This was litera& 

fuliilled, in May 26, 1805, when Bonaparte wu 

crowned kin of Italy at Milan, - Xtaly lying betwee; 

two seas. 7% "plant the tabernacle of his palace 

would be to establish him as kin 6 Yet he shall come 

to his end, and none &all help%imn This closes the 

history of one of the most powerful monarchs - the most 

ambitious and fortunate of waniors, and a man of unbounded 

sway -that modem times had ever produced. 

He had destroyed, perhapa, more than 3,000,000 lives ; 

he had dethroned more than one half of tl~e kings of 

Europe ; he had disposed of kingdoms at his will ; all 

nations had been under the control of his decrees; he 

had commanded more than two millions of veteran soldiers 

; the treasures of the four quarters of the globe lay 

at his feet Yet he shall come to his end, and none 

shall help him." How soon the tale of his end is told! 

X breath, and his end is come ; a vapor, and he is gone. 

0 God! the breath of kings ia in thy hand; thy word 

goeth forth, and it is done ; tl~y decree passeth, and it 

stands fast "He shall come to his end, and none shall 

help himn Where are those kinp that conrted his alliance 

Where the twent milliona of French who 

idolized him as a god &em are those two millione 

of veteran soldiem whose bodies had been used as ramp~ 

to mount him to glory Where are his five brethren 

who sat in the seat of kings by his power Where 

1s his mother, made a rich dowager by his munificence 

Where, 0 where is the emprese Maria hub, and the

VAHd none ehall beIp hiInu 

~ ~ & the Brit&& ~ afpr he had ~ mt.' f ~ ! 

hiilf into their lamb, carrid a pneoper to the 

of St Helena, in the Atlantic Ocean, where he died 

in exile. He &all come to his end, and none shall 

help h i 

By this history the kin* of the enrth may learn, that 

God can, with perfect ease, when the set time shall come, 

break them and their dome to pieces, eo that tbe nind 

may carry them awa3e chg. that no place .hl b 

found for them. 

I shall now examine the remainder of Gabriers message, 

contained in Daniel xii 1, U And at that time shall 

Michael stand up, the great Prince which Btandeth for 

the children of thy people." Michael, in thia paspage, 

must mean Chnst; he is the great Prince, and Prince 

of princes. 

The time here spoken of is when Bomprte shall 

come to his end, and none to help him. Tliie was in 

the latter part of the year A. D. 1815. Then arc two 

things for which Christ slrmds for hie people to accomplish 

; one is their faith, a x the other their judgment. 

Jer. iii 13. Now, it is evident he did not then 

stand up in 'udgment; therefore I shall chooee the 

formcr, that ie stood up to plead the cam of his 

people, to restrain backsliders, and to add to the church 

of God many who should bc saved. And blessed he 

bis holy name, Ire accomplished his purpose ; for in the 

years 1816, 17, 18, more ple were converted to tile 

faith of Jeaus than had E n for tbiq ynn before. 

Almost, and I know not but wery town in these states 

waa visited with a shower of mercy, and hundreds and 

thoueanda, yea, tens of thouman& were born into the 

invisible Ydom of the dear Redeemer, and their 

names reco ed among the members of the church of 

the first born. Th is lasted in a great measure for 

M yeare, and has epread over a large share of the 

Chnetian world ; even the islaode of tbe sea have lifted 

n their voicw to God, and the wildernew has bloomed 

lie, the , and the heathen have ,n of bin ,mt 

k Tbegrweofaod hrdistilled oponwliltetb

morning dew, and like showers upon a thirsty aoil. 

Surely this must be by the power of Michael, the 

pkt Prince of the covenant "And there shall be a 

time of trouble, such as there never was since there 

was a nation, even to that same time This time of 

trouble is yet in fiiturity ; but is hanging, as it were, 

over our heads, ready to break upon us in tenfold 

vengeance, when the angel of the gospel, who is now 

flying throu h the midst of heaven, shall seal the last 

child of h of in their foreheads. And when the fodr 

angels, who are now holding tl~e four winds, that it 

blow not on the sea nor on the land, shall cease their 

holding ; when the angel, standing on the sea and land, 

shall lift his hand to heaven and swear by him that 

liveth forever and ever, that time shall be no longer, or, 

as it might, and, perhaps, wght to have been translated, 

"that there ehould be no longer delay ;" that is, God 

would wait no .lonpr for repentance, no longer to be 

gracious; but his spirit would take its flight from the 

world, and the grace of God would ceaee to restrain 

men He that ia filthy will be filthy stilL Mankind 

will, for a short season, give loose to all the oorrupt 

passions of the human heart. No laws, human or 

divine, will be re arded ; all authority will be trampled 

under foot; anarch will be the order of governments, 

and confusion fill the world with horror and despair. 

Murder, treason, and crime, will be common law, and 

division and disunion the only bond of fellowship. 

Christians will be persecuted unto death, and dens and 

caves of the earth will be their retreat All things 

which are not etern~l will be shaken to pieces, tliat 

that which cannot be shaken may remain. And this, if 

I am right in my calculations, will begin on or before 

A. D. 1839. "And at that time thy people shall be 

delivered, every one that shall be found written in the 

bookn Now is come' salvation indeed. The people 

of God are now to be delivered from outward foes and 

inbred lusts, from the corruptions of the grave and the 

vileness of the flesh Every one, the poor and despised 

child of God, will then be delivered when he makes up 

hie jewels. And many of them that sleep in the dust 

10

of the earth shall awake, eome to everl 

some to shame and everlasting contempt" 7lik...l his verse 

brinw us down to the remection of the dead, when 

the 8wt will give up the bodiea of the saints, and they 

shdl awake to everlasting lie, when death ahall be 

finally conquered, and the grave resign up her captive 

mints to victory and glory. 

the resurrection of the wicked, an y1 speaks mntiOoa of their 

shame and everlasting contempt He dwells not in 

detail on this second resurrection, as though it was too 

painful for thought, yet tella enough to let the wicked 

unbeliever know his awful doom, and is silent. And 

they that be wise shall shine as the brightnew of tho 

firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness 

as the stars forever and ever." Thia verse needs no 

comment; it is a beautiful fi of the righteous in 

glory, and the dumbilitg of chappins. in the invisible 

and immortal dom of God. " But thou, O 

Daniel, shut up the w x and seal the book, even to 

the time of the end" Some have taken occasion, fro111 

these words, to say, that this prophecy was to be shut 

up and sealed, that none q h t understand it until the 

end. If it was so, why give ~t to Daniel at all Why 

note it in the Scripture of truth Why ive to ua thc 

same instruction which made Daniel unfieretd what 

should befall the people of God in the laUer day But 

the plain and obvious meaning of the first part of this 

verse is, But thou, 0 Daniel, close up your proph)., 

and set your seal to the truth of it, for at the time of 

the end man shall run to and fro;" that is, at the tin~c 

of the end & meana of truvel would be greatly extended, 

so that many would travel into all parts of the 

earth, and would increase in knowledge of places, men, 

"And know1 shall be incrcamdw Cnn 

E; ~ P be more ~ lite 2%' ~ y fulfilled J than thia The 

increase of travel, and the meene of conveyance, and the 

improvement in the arts ad sciences at the present dtv, 

have arrtoniahed the projectore themselves. But if 'it 

&odd mean holy thingn, ihen look at the great number 

of ~niesionariee gent into all of our world. There 

are but ~im natiwq civdLtmmtu, CbliLYn (I

~~ll1.9~'~ BECOMB COBIIXO. 111 

Men, but what are visited by the profeesed minieten 

of Cfuist, and knowledge of the word of God has increased. 

And within thirty years, the Bible has been 

fmmlated into one hundred and fifty languages, more 

than three times the number of all languages that had 

received a nslation during 1800 years before. Millions 

of copla of the Bible have been circulated within 

the thirty years past, where thousand8 only had been 

circulated before. "Then 2, Daniel, looked, and hebold, 

there stood other two, the one on this side of the 

bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank 

of the river, and said to the man clothed in linen, which 

was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be 

to the end of these wonders " Here Daniel saw the 

two holy ones inquiring of the man clothed in linen, 

which stood u n the waters of the river. This man is 

the same as ghael &ding up for tbe children d thy 

people. The reason I aslsign B, he is clothed in linen, 

which shows he is the h' h nest for the people of 

God. It is the une -3 $1 John describes, Rev. 

x. 1-6. This angel ia repreeented ae being the messenger 

of the coveaunt, by having a rainbow on his head 

He was clothed with a cloud pure and white like linen 

He, too, had a little book open, showing what he should 

do, a eeing with our explanation, spreading the gospel 

for %. last time through the wmld, -ding one 

foot on the sea, and the other on the earth, to keep 

down the power of anti-Christ, who Pita on many waters 

Rev. xvii 1,15 and the power of the kings ufthe earth, 

until the whole elect should be sealed See Rev. vii 

13. And that this Angel is the Mediator h evident 

And now he closes up the mediatorial kingdom, when 

he says, Rev. x. 6, "That there should be time no 

longer," or, as some tramlate it, that &re ahodd be no 

bnger delay, which must of course have one of two 

meanings-either God will no longer delay hie judgment, 

or he will no longer wait to be gracious. See 

next verse, and 2 Peter hi. 9. Take either one or both 

positions, and it proves my object, that a part of the 

45 years, the history of which we are now considering, 

M taken up in spreading the gospel, and bringing the

last remnant into Christ's fold. For this gocrpel of ik 

kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness 

unto all nations; and then shall the end come ;' Matt. 

xxiv. 14. But the question, How long to the end of 

these wondera means to the end of the reign of the 

beast, which the world wondered after. Rev. xiii. 3, 

7th verse, "And I heard the man clothed in linen, 

which was upon the waters of the river, when he held 

up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven." This 

languawe shows ns plainly, that it is the same angel 

which fohn saw in Rev. x. i. 1-7. And the same time 

is indicated in Revelation as in Daniel. Here in 

Daniel it is in the last 45 yeare, and in Revelation 

immediately preceding the time when the mystery of 

God shall be finished, all that had been declared by his 

aervnnts, the prophets, the whole prophecies would be 

accomplisled. UAnd aware by him that liveth fom, 

that it shall be for a time, times, and a half." Thie is 

the same length of time given in Daniel vii 25, 'which 

is there given as tbe reign of the little horn. It ia also 

the same time which is given in Rev. xi 2 FoQ-two 

months, (three years and a hg) 

to give the holy clfy to 

be trodden under foot. Agaln, the eame m e IS eves, 

Rev. xi. 3, for the two witnesses to prophesy, clotbed in 

sackcloth, 1260 days. Also, Rev. xii. 6, 14 for the 

church in the wildernew, and, a in, in Rev. xiii. 5, 

- where the anti-Christian beast hafiis delegated yro 

to continne ferty-two montha. All these times en ed ln 

A. D. 1798, as we may hereafter show; when the 45 

years began to accomplish the thinga which 1 have been 

attending to in this lecture. UAnd when he shall have 

accompl~shed to scatter the power of the holy people, 

111 these things shall be finished!' 

This brings us down to our text, and gives ne another 

important and conchsive sign by which we may know 

we live on the eve of finishing the prophecies, and on 

the threrrhold of the immortal and eternal state. Let us 

be wise, then, and secure an interest in the inheritance 

among tlie jwt, that when we fail on earth, we ma 

received into everl- habitation prepred fa 

who love ChrLt

CHIUSTTB sscom COMIIQ. 113 

But the last si u the scattering of the holy people ;" 

apartofthe$ ow tirnea. How are thcy to be scatered 

I anawer, By the errom of the anti-Christian 

abomination, and the lo heres and lo theres, by dividing 

the people of God intoparties, divisions and subdivisions. 

And methinks I hear you say, "Surely these things 

are a W y mcomplished" Yes, you are right, in part, 

but not to its writ; the sects are all divided now, but 

not crumbled to pieces; eorne are subdivided, but not 

scattered. The t@e ie soon coming when father will 

be againat the son, and son inst the father. Yea, the 

sects are all divided now. Tresbyteriana are divided 

into Old and New School, and then again into Perfectionists. 

Con gationaliata are divided between Orthodox 

and xtarian, old and new measures, Unionists, 

&c. Methodists are divided between Episcopal 

and Protestant. Baptists are divided between old and 

aew measures, Antimaeons, Campbellitq open and 

close communion, &c. &c. Quakers are divided between 

Orthodox and Hicksites ; and thus might we go 

on and name the divisions and subdivisions of all sects 

' who kve taken Christ for their captain. 

And now kt me sum up in short what we have roved 

to you in thii diicourse. And finst, I showed the Fength 

of time our history would take up, via., 45 years. By 

the numbera given in Daniel xii 11-13, his 1290 days, 

beginnin when the ten kings, represented by the ten 

toes in P$ebuchadnezzar's dream, and ten horns in Daniel's 

vision, should be converted to the Christian faith, 

and the daily sacrifice abomination taken out of the 

way, viz., A. D. 508, which would end us in 1798, when 

the Pope lost his power to reign over the kinga and 

trample on the holy people, and the abomination of 

desolation ceased his civil reign, by being deprived of 

his civil power by Bonaparte. I then showed you that 

tile number 1335 days, beginning at the same time as 

the 1290 days, viz. A. D. 508, would end in 1843, at the 

resurrection, for Daniel would stand in his lot at the end 

of these days. And you have undoubtedly noticed that 

this brou ht us to the same year that Dan~el's whole 

number, b, brought us, which in forty-five years, the 

10 "

difference between the two numberg laeO snd 1XSk I 

then began at Daniel xi. 40, and gave you the bistorg or 

Bonaparte, h& wonderfnl career of conquecrt and Zw"f 

and his final end. I then gave you the history of rchael 

standing up, and the reformation that followed in the 

ears 1815,16,17, even down to the present time. 

$hen the unfulfilled prophecy which mo* came mrm 

upon ua, the troublous tunea. Next we came to the 

time of the deliverance of the people of God, every 

one that sleep in the dust of the earth, and the rewrrec- 

Con. Then the angelr un a few dgna which would 

happen in the course this time, such aa the mnning 

to and fro, the increase of knowledge, the natiom be' 

restrained from preventing the f,ospl being preaehz 

and scattering therer of the oly people, all which 

YOU have many you witnessed, and can judge for 

yourselves whether these thinga are 80. 

I shall now leave you for the present; and may you 

reflect candidly and seriously on the subject; for . m y 

of you who are now on the earth may live to meas 

this fulfilment; and if unprepared then, with what regret 

will you look back on our present opportnnlty, and 

wish ou had improved these pioue momenta for 

the sagation of pour mule, and for the gl of God ! 

Be wise, 0 ye inhabitnnta of the -"iYor the Lord 

d l come and will not tarry, and the day of vengeance 

will overtake you sa a thief in the night ;*but tbe wime 

shall understandn

LECTURE VIII. 

REV. vlii. 13. 

And 1 beheld aod heard an angel fl 'ng through the midst of 

heaven, sayin with a loud voice, Gee, woe, woe, to the in. 

habitants of tl% earth by re=on of the other voices ofthe trum 

pet of the three angels which are yet to sound. 

In prophetical scripture, the sounding of trumpets ia 

always used to 'denote the downfall of some elppire, nation, 

or place, or some dreadful battle, which may decide 

the fate of empires, nations, or places. At the fall of 

Jericho, the trumpet was the instrument, in the hands 

of the priest of the mighty God of Jacob, which cast 

down her walls, destroyed the city, and a curse pronounced 

against the man that should ever build lip her 

walls again. Again, the trumpet was the instrument by 

which Gideon put to flight the annies of the aliens. 

And the prophet Amos says, "Shall a trumpet be blown 

in the city, and the people not be afraid " Therefore 

we may reasonably conclude that a trumpet is the 

harbinger of destructive wars, and the dissolution of 

empirea, states, or the earth, as the case may be. The 

seven trumpeta mentioned in Revelation, the three 

lust of which are mentioned in our text, indicate the 

final overthrow of the powers s oken of in the prophecy, 

The four first had their accornpLshment in the destruction 

of the Jews and their dispersion, in the fall of imperial 

Rome, in the overthrow of the Asiatic kingdom, 

and in the taking away of Pagan rites and cere- 

monies. 

The laat three -pets 

fl claim our attention in 

'

116 LEcTUEE Vlll. 

thi~ discourse; the first four having their accomplishment 

under Rome Pagan ; to the last three under Rome 

Papal. These three trumpets and three woes are a 

description of the judgments that God has sent and will 

send on this Papal beast, the abomination of the whole 

earNL Therefore we see the propriety of the langu 

of our text, 66 Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of 

earth," meaning the worshippers of this Papal beast, the 

followers of this abomination. The fiRh trumpet alludes 

to the rise of the Turkish empire under Ottoman, at the 

downfall of the Saracens. Ottoman unitin under his 

government the four contending nations of bfhometaq 

which had long contended for tile power during the 

reign of the Saracen empire, viz., the Saracene, Tartars, 

Arabs, and Turks. These, all being by profession Mahometans, 

were ready to follow p daring leader to 

conquer and drive out from Asia (and even make eicursion 

into Europe) all who professed the Christian faith. 

They, having embnced the errors of that fallen star, 

Mahornet, whose principles were promulgated by conquest 

and the sword, became one and perhaps the only 

barrier to the spread of the Papd doctrine and power in 

the eastern world Here the Roman Church had lo 

held a powerful sway over the minds and consciences % 

the Christianor Greek church in the emt, by tho aid of the 

eastern emperor at Constantinople. But the Turks or 

Ottomans, whom the Lord suffcred to rise up in Bithynia, 

on or near the head waters of the Eupl~rates, as a scourge 

against this Papal abomination, now became n check to 

thc Ro~nnn power; and from tlii time we ma 

ably date tho dcclension of Papal authority. 

on tho sounding of tile fifth trul~lpet, Rome Papal be 

to ellow n weahma :vhicb in every .~lcceedinp .p % 

becl~ ~liore and nlore manifested, until l~cr civil power 

lllls cru~libled to ruin, and her ecclesiastical assumptions 

111ust sink, at the sounding of ti~c scve11t.h trump, to rise 

no more forever. 

111 tho description of these trumpets we shall be able 

to apply the propl~ecy, as tho writrr belicrcfi, to those 

evc~ltq tlvsignctl hy tllr: virtio~l sl~lcll Jolln ww. 

Rev. ie 1. And the fifth ugel eoundod, and I uaw

a star fall from heaven unto the earth; and to him wae 

given the key of the bottomless pit" After the downfall 

of Pagan Rome, and the rise of the anti-Christian 

abomination, Mahomet promulgated a religion which 

evidently came from the bottomless pit; for it fostered 

all the wicked passions of the human heart, such as war, 

murder, slavery, and lust . 

2d verse, "And he opened the bottomless pit, and 

there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a 

great furnace ; and the wn and the air was darkened by 

reason of the smoke of the pit" The figures used in 

this text are, the bottonJesspit, which denote the theories 

of men or devils, that have no foundation in the 

word of God. Smoke denotes the errors from such doctrine, 

which serve to blind the eyes of men, that they. 

cannot see the truth. As the smoke of o great furnuce 

shows the great extent or effect of this error over the 

world. 3'he sun denotes the gospel, which is the great 

luminary of the moral world The air denotes the 

moral influence on the mind, which is commonly called 

@t$ As air supporta or gives to the lungs animation 

in e physical world, so does the piety of the heart tothe 

moral. 

This, then, is the me sentiment of this passage. And 

by reason of the Mahometan errors which would be believed 

or followed by a great multitude, the gospel and 

the pious influence of the same would be in a great 

mewive hid or lost to the world. 

3d verse, "And there came out of the smoke locusts 

upon the earth ; and unto them was given power, as the 

scorpions of the earth have power." By these locusts I 

understand armies. See Joel, 1st and 2d chapters. 

Therefore I should read this t6xt thus : And there carno 

out from these Mahometan followers large armies, which 

should have great power to execute the judgments of 

God on this anti-Christian beast, which had filled the 

carth with her abominations. 

4th verse, "And it \sfas commanded them that thy 

should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green 

thin , neither any tree, but only those men which hare 

not &e ~eal,of God in their foreheads." By pus, gna 

a

UGngn, and ffncs, Pa lei 16, Hoeea dv. f3, I understand 

the true church, or people of God. By &we ar* 

hmng not the 6UJ o God, &c, I understand the anti- 

Christian church, or $ apal Rome. Then this would be 

the sense: And it waa commanded them that they 

should not hurt the true church, or people of God, but 

only the anti-Christian beast, or powers subject to her. 

5th veme, And to them it was ven that they should 

not kill them, but that they shsd be tormented five 

months; and their torment was aa the torment of a 

scorpion, when he Btriketh a man" To kill ia to destroy. 

fi wwnthu is in pmphec 150 ears To tornMl 

an a m+m, dlD, i. to m5e miden incursio~l~l 

and irruptions into the country, &e. Then this ia the 

sentiment to me conveyed in the text: And the Turkish 

armies would not have power to destroy the Papal powers 

for 150 years, but would make sudden and quick 

incursions into their territories, and harase and perplex 

the nations under the Papal control 

6th verse, And in those days shall men aeek death, 

and shall not find it ; and shall desire to die, and death 

shall flee from them." About this time the Greek 

church, in Constantinople, was so harassed by the Papal 

authority, that it gave rise to a saying among them, 

that they had rather see the Turhh turbnn on the 

throne of the Eastern Empire, than the Pope's han 

And any one who haa read the histo of the 14th celltury, 

will see that this text waa litera71 y accomplished. 

7th verse, And the shapes of the locuets were like 

unto horses prepared unto battle ; and on their heada 

were, as it were, crowns like gold, and their faces were 

as the faces of men" In this verse we have a descrip 

tion of the Turkish armies. In the firat place they are 

represented as being all horsemen This was true with 

the Turks, and no other ki~~gdorn since Christ's time, 

that we have any knowledge of, whose armies were all 

horsemen They wore on their heads yellow turbans, 

which can only apply to the Turks, looking like crornv 

of gold. 

8th verse, And they had hnir as the hair of women, 

and tbeir teeth were aa the teeth of lionen They wors

long hair attached to their turbans, and they fo&t with 

javclim like the teeth of lions. 

9th verse, And they had breastplates, as it were 

breastplates of iron ; and the sound of their wing wae 

as the sound of chariota of many horses running to battle." 

By their breastplates I understand shields, which 

the Turks carried in their battles; and history tells us 

that when they charged an enemy, they made a noise 

upon them like the noise of chariot wheels. 

10th verse, "And they had tails like unto scorpions, 

and there were stings in their tails ; and their power wae 

to hurt men five months." The Turkish horsemen had 

each a cimeter which hung in a scabbard at their waist, . 

that they used in close combat &r they had discharged 

their javelins, with which they were very expert, severing 

a man's or even a horse's head at a blow. And 

from the time that the Ottoman power or Turkish empire 

was firat established in Rithynia, until the downfall 

of the Greek or Eastern Em ire when the Turks took 

Constantinople, was five propiedc months, or one hundred 

and fifty years. 

11th verse, LL And they had a king over them, which is 

the angel of Ole bottomless pit, whose name in the IIebrew 

tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath 

his name Apollyon." The Turkish government had a 

king when they began, as before mentioned, and he was 

a follower of the Mahometan faith, and truly a servant 

or messenger of this doctrine of the bottomless pit. The 

name of their first king, who is styled in history the founder 

of the Turkish empire, was Woman or Ottoman, 

from whom the empire took its nome, and has been called 

to this day the Ottoman empire. And great has been 

the destruction which this overnrnent has executed upon 

the world; and well may $is empire be styled Ddroyer, 

in prophecy the signification of Abaddon or Apollyon. 

12th verse, One woe is past; and behold, there come 

two woes more hereafter." This closes the fifth trumpet 

and the first woe, commencing at the foundation of the 

Turkish empire in Rithynia, in the year A. D. 1296, and 

lasting five prophetic months, or 150 years, which carries 

us down to the year A. D. 1448. When we take into

view the object and design of God in sending this judgment 

or scourge upon the men who have not the seal of 

God on their torehepds; the anti-Christian beast, who 

profess to be Cl~ristians, but are not; when we compare 

the history of those times with the prophecy -we have 

been exatnining, and the events which have tmspirtd 

concerning the Ottoman empire, with the descriptive 

character given of them in this prophecy, -we cannot, I 

tbink, hesitate for a moment to apply the fulfilment of 

this trumpet and woe, to these evgi~ts, time, and place ; md 

must be led to admire the agreement between the prophecy 

and fulfilment, and to believe this book of Revelation 

to be indited by the unerring wisdom of the Divine 

Spirit; for no human f'orethought could have so exactly 

described these events, dress, manners, custon~s, and 

mode ot' warfare 12W years beforelrand, except the wisdorn 

of God had assisted him. And if these things aro 

revealed by God himself unto us, surely no one w~ll dare 

to say that it is non-essential wlletlier we believe this 

part of' tl~erevealed will of God or not. Shall God 

speak and man disregard it Forbid it, O Father; and 

let us have ('ears to hear what the Spirit saith to the 

cliurches." 

Wt slrall now follow the revel~tion of God into tho 

sixth trumpet and second woe; and nlay rve Lave tlre 

Spirit of God to assist us and lead our n~inds into he 

trudi of tllese tl~ings. 

1Ytli verse, And the sixth nngel aounded, and I lrenrd 

a voice tiurn the four hurus of the golden altar which is 

1)l:fore Gotl," 14th verse, Li Saying to tl~e sixth a~~pel 

which I~atl the tru~npct, Loose tl~c fijur angels whicl~ arc 

bound in tlre great river Euphrotcs!' Ily tl~e so~rnd~ng 

of tl~e trumpet, I undcmta~rd tile commencing of tl~w 

judg~nenb which were to be pourcd out upon tllc eurth 

nuder this trun~pet; nnd by tl~e LL voice from tl~e lour 

I~orns of tire golden altar," tlre ngreclnent of all tllc powers 

of l~eaven and earth to execute the design of Cid io 

this thing: IIy lowiup tlrc fuur angels which are bound 

in tile preot river Euphrntes, I 1111derstandrat God \van 

nllw about b auKer the fuur principal nationa of which 

the Ottoman empirc wre composed, which had in v.iP

CHRIST'S SLCORD COMIN~. 1% 

attempted to subdue the Eastern Empire at Constantine 

ple, and made but little progress in conquering Europe, 

now to take Constantinople, and to overrun and subdue 

one thud part of Europe, which was the fact about the 

middle of the fifteenth century. 

15th verse, And the four angels were loosed, which 

were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and 

a year, to day the third part of men." The four angels, 

we may reasonably conclude, are a representation of the 

four nations that had embraced the Mahometan religion, 

and were now under the control of the Ottoman, viz, 

Turks, Tartars, Arabs, and Saracen~. The time expressed 

in the last-mentioned verse is 391 years and 15 

days. "To slay the third part of men,"cls to destroy and 

conquer one third part of the governments or kingdoms 

of which the Papal beast had the control, which was kue 

in the end. 

16th verae, "And the number of the army of the horsemen 

was two hundred thousand thousand ; and I heard 

the number of them' In this verse the precise number 

of the army of horsemen is given, for John tella us "he 

lleard the number of them!' And if we should understand 

the prophet to mean, as some suppose he does, 

200,000, multiplied by a 1000, then the sum total would 

be 200,000,000, which would be more men than were 

ever on ol~r earth at one time capable of bearing arms ; 

therefore I believe this is not the meaning of the prophet, 

neither do I think that it was a succession of armies during 

the whole period of 391 years, making the sum total 

of 2C0,000,000, for this, too, w0111d be incredible ; for nllowing 

a standing army of 15,.%5,000 to be recruited 

every 30 years, it would only make the two hundred 

millions ; and this sun1 would be more than five times the 

number of all the standing armies in the known world. 

And from these co~;siderations I have for myself given 

this construction, that the prophet John heard the number 

of 200,000 repented, or twice told, which would 

make an arrny of 400,000 horsemen ; and this would not 

be incredible. And what is to me strong proof of the 

fact is, that the hislo informs us that Mahomet 11. came 

against constantino8 about the year A. D. 1450, with 

11

l.22 LEm 

.army of .ulo~ homemew, and aRa a long siejp 

took trre city in the year la and bstqd the Eastern 

Empire, which had stood mxe than ten centuries 

from i@ f&&n by Coostantine 

17th verse: ".hd thus I sawthebolees inthe vision, 

and them that sat on them, having bxeastphtea of fire, 

and of jacinth and brimstone; and the heads of the 

h~ea were aa the heads of lionq and out of their 

mouths issued tire, and smoke, and brimstone." ldth 

versc, By these three aaa the third part of men killed, 

by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, 

which issued out of their mouths." 19th vem, For 

their power is in their molith, and in their tails ; for their 

tnils were like unto serpents, and had heah and with 

them they do hurt." In these verse3 which we have 

now read, we are plainly informed that it was an army 

of I~orses, and men on them, which John saw in the ti*- 

ion. And the implements and manner of 

aa the trapping of thelr horses, and the instruments offenaive 

and gefens~ve, gunpowder and guns, are M exactly 

described as any pmn could deucribe it without 

knowing the name b which we describe it at the present 

dry. Fire, srnole, and brimtone, would be the 

rnwt vinil)le component parts of gunpowder. Fin and 

elnoko we sllould eee, and brimtone we sl~ould smclL 

And who over saw an army of horsemen enmged in nn 

action but would think of Jolln's descripcon, out of 

tlrcir 111outh~ issued tire, and smoke, and brimstone," and 

in tlw brcjech of tile guns were bullets, "like heads, 

ant1 with tlrem tlicy do hurt" Every part of this tlewcril)tiol~ 

id ~!xuctly applicable to an army of horsclnan 

witlr lire-nrrrls ; and what is cqunlly strong in the evidonco 

in, tlmt prns ~d fire-urns were inventcd but n 

rllort ti1110 prcviol~+ to this trump-sounding al~d tlrc 

'I'lrrkw c1nirnc.d tllc lionor (if honor it can be called) of 

irrvc!~~tin gn~~powtler and guns ; and it is equally evido~rt 

lly tlrc Iliatory that guna were firat wed by tho 

'J'trrkr ut tlro ttlki~rg of Comtalrtioople, Uley having one 

weglo CUIIIU)II tl~ut took 70 yoke of oxen to h w it at 

UIU rrugc!, an enye Dr. Gill on thia passage. 

. Baw rulh say SOopOO. 

@-, 

each

20th verse, UAnd the reat of the men which were 

not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the 

works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, 

and idols of old, and silver, and brass, and stone, 

and of wood, whis neither can see, nor hear, nor walkn 

21st verse, "Neither repented they of their murders, 

nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of 

their thefts." In these verses, we have the character 

of the persons or government on whose account these 

' 

plagues were sent In the first place, they are represented 

as idolaters, as worshippin devils, idols of old, 

&c, full of murder, sorceries, $mication, and get. 

This exactly agrees with the description John has given 

of the woman sitting on the scarlet-colored beast, full 

of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten 

horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet 

color, and decked with gold, and precious stones, add 

pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations 

and lilthinew of her fornication. And upon her 

forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the 

Great, the Mother of Hmlots, and the &midions of the 

dn 80 we see that the fifth and sixth trumpets, and 

the two fust woes, were sent as the judgments of God 

upon this anti-Christian beast, and clearly shows the 

decline of the power which she had exercised over the . 

kin of the earth and the people of God for more than. 

eigg centuries, to the commencing of the sixth trumpet, 

when the Turks were let loose upon those kingdoms under 

the control of Papacy, conquered all Asia and about 

one third part of Europe, and were in the end the means 

of opening the eyes of many of the inhabitants of the 

world to see that the Pope's pretensionof being the vicegerent 

of God was not well founded; for, if he could 

not foresee and resist the inroads of the Turks, - that 

infidel nation,- surely he could not perform those great 

miracles which he pretended to perform in order to support 

his ecclesinstical and civil power : and individuds, 

and afterwards nations, began to disregard his authority, 

excommunications, and bulls, until his power is now but 

a little more than a bishop of Rome. 

Here we see the wonder-working ways of our God,

who, in wisdom and providence, suffers the corrupt and 

infidel nations of the earth to puil down each other, and 

to bring about his purposes and designs, and will eventually 

destroy all the kingdom of the earth, by such 

means, and in such ways, as the prophets have foretold ; 

and whoever lives until the year 1839 will see the final 

dissolution of the Turkish empire, for then the sixrh 

mmpet will have finished its sounding, which, if I am 

correct, will be the final overthrow of the Ottoman 

And then will the seventh tmmp and last woe 

ezunder which the kingdoms of the earth and the 

anti-Christian beast will be deetroyed, the wera of 

darkness chained, the world cleansed, and church 

purified. 

See the 10th chapter of Revelation, 5th 6tJ1, and 7th 

verses, And the angel which I saw stand upon the eea 

and upon the earth IiRed up his hand to henven" Thb 

is the angel of the covenant, the great Mediator. See 

the first verse, And I saw another mi hty angel come 

down from heaven, clothed with a cloufn 80 is Christ 

to come in the clouds with power and 

"And a rainbow was upon his head." rF""' his s py. ows 

plainly that it is Christ; for the rainbow is a token of 

the covenant And his face was as it were the sun." 

The same as when he was transfigured, Man xvii. 2, 

"And hL feet as pillars of fire." See Rev. i 15, "His 

feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace." 

Surely this must be Chriit. "And he had in hu, hand 

a little book open." None could open the book but the 

lion of the tribe of Judnh -another strong proof that 

the angel in Rev. x. 5 is Christ. And who but Christ 

could stand upon the sea and upon the earth, and lift 

"up his hand to heaven, and swear by Him that liveth 

forever and ever, who created heaven and the thinp 

that therein are, and the sea and the tbgs which aro 

therein, that there should be time no longern that is, 

pel or mrdiatorial time shor~ld cense. No more timo 

Emercy ; no more Spirit to atrive with you, sinner; no 

more means of pce ; no more repcnbnce unto life ; no 

more hopes of heaven ; for Jesus hae sworn by hinmlf, 

because he could sweu by no greater, that your day of

probation " should be no longer." For he that is filthy 

shall be filthy still." The Bridegroom has come, and shut 

to the door. I know, sinner, you will then cry, Lord, Lord, 

open unto us ; but he will say unto you, Depart from 

me, ye workers of iniquity, for I know you not : when I 

called to you to open the door of your hearts, that I might, 

come in and sup with you, ye rehed ; when I stretched 

out my arm all the long day of the gospel, ye regarded 

it not; I will now laugh at your calamity, and mock 

when your fear cometh. Then will the angel, flying 

through the midst of heaven, cry, with a loud voice, 

Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth; for, 

when the last woe is pronounced, and "in the daya of 

the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to 

sound, the mystery of God should be finished, ss he hath 

declared to his servants the prophets." The second woe 

is past, and behold the third woe cometh quickly. And 

the seventh angel sounded ; and there were great voices 

in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become 

the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and 

he shall reign forever and ever," Rev. xi. 14, 15. By 

these passages we learn that, when the sixth trumpet 

has done sounding, when the second woe is past, then 

the third woe comes quickly. The seventh trump beins 

to sound ; the mystery of God is finished - all that 

fas been spoken by the prophets, that is, all that concerns 

the kingdom of Christ; for then will be brought 

to pass 'the saying, Death is swallowed up in victory ; 

for, when the last trumpet shall sound, the dead in 

' Christ shall be raised: For as in Adam all died, even 

so in Christ shall all be made alive!' But every man 

in his own order. Christ the first fmits, afterwards they 

that are Christ's at his comin ." "The first man is of 

the earth, carthy; the seconf Man is the Lord from 

heaven." 6 As is the earthy, such are they also that are 

earthy; and ns is the heavenly, such are they also that 

are heavenly' "And as we have borne the image of 

the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 

Now, this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot 

inherit the kingdom of God ; neither doth corruption inherit 

incor~upbon.~ " Behold, I show you a mystery : 

11 "

we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a 

moment, in the twinkling of an eye, ai tlae lost tnnnp , 

for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be mkd 

incorruptible, and we shall be chan ed; for this corruptible 

must put on inconuption, anf thb mortal rmat 

put on immortality." Then will be brought to pass the 

saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory," 

1 Cor. xv. 22-54,

Brv. 1. %.3. 

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, 

aud the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the an* 

%Is of the seven churches; and the seven candlesticks which 

ou sawest are the seven churches. 

IT has generally been believed that the seven churches 

to whom the angel instructed John to write, were seven 

different and distinct churches in Asia, and by almost 

all of our commentators at the present day are understood 

to mean seven literal churches. But your speaker 

is forced, from thc reasons which will hereafter be produced, 

to believe that these seven churches of Asia are 

to be understood in a figurative sense, alluding to seven 

periods of the church militant, during the Christian dispensation, 

down to the first resurrection, and the commencing 

of the glorious reign of Christ on the earth, commonly 

called !l'he Nillennium If this view of the subject 

should prove to be the correct exposition of the text, how 

important and interesting is the subject to us who live in 

the last stage of the church! Then we who live at this 

day, are particularly, and solemnly and aw ully, admonished 

in what is said by Christ to the churc i of the Laodieeam, 

that church corresponding with our stage of' 

the church immediately previous to the commencing of 

the millennia1 glory; and how necessary that we should 

know that these admonitions do most deeply concern us ! 

This view of the subject will then claim our first attention. 

Were the seven churches used as a figure of 

the whole ChrMan dispensation, or were they not I

answer, In my humble opinion, they were. Becaw, 

first, the book of Revelation does evidently contain a 

prophecy of things which did not concern'thoae seven 

literal churches in Asia; for those churches have loo 

since passed away and become extinct; yet the book of 

Revelation contains prophecies which are daily fulfilling, 

and have been for eighteen centuries. It is a h 

slid to be a revelation of things which must shortly cove 

to pasa. (&The revelation of Jesus Christ which God 

gave unto him, to show unto his eervanta things which 

111ust shortly come to pass." Not things that have been 

Yet if Christ is only giving admonitory advice to those 

seven literal churches, then he is only relating their characters 

as they then were, and so far as these church@ 

were concerned it mould cease to be a pro hecy, and tho 

very fimt verse in Revelation would be viofated. Again, 

3d verse, 'l Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear 

the words of this prophecy, and keep those thiu 

are written therein ; for the time ir at hand."%:% 

that it is called a pro hecy in this verse, and must 11- 

lude to the whole boo[; but wbo will pretend that the 

three chapters in the beginning of Revelation are a 

prophecy, if we understand them as relatin the character 

of seven literal churches in Asia o& None, 

none. 

Again: the word seuen is often used in the word of 

God as a mystical number, meaning the whole, as seven 

spirits, seven stars, seven angela, seven candlesticks, 

seven seals, seven trumpets, seven vials, scven thunders, 

seven plagues, seven mountains, seven heads, seven 

e es, seven horns, seven crowns, seven kings, md seacr, 

dwh. All these are used in Revelation and apply to 

or concerning the whole Goepel period. If, then, tbe 

number seven is used RO oRen in this book in a figurative 

sense, ma we not reasonably suppose that it is so wed 

in the deJxation of this book to the seven cl~urchea in 

Asia, and the history of those seven churches be prophetic 

for no scripture is given for any private intcrpretation, 

and surely the instr~~ction 

the introduction 

of the book carries us down to the coming of Christ in 

thc clouds - Bellold, he cometh with clou& ; and evcv

eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him ; and 

all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him; even 

so, amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and 

the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to 

come, tile Almighty!' And why all this descriptive pn- 

deur in the address to these seven churches, if they only 

were meant Surely there were other churches of equal 

importance at that day. Where were the churches at 

Corinth, Cappadocia, Galatia, Thessalonica, Philippi, Collosse, 

Rome, Jerusalem, Bithynia, &c. Our text shows 

that the seven churches were to be understood in a figurative 

or mystical sense. "The mystery of the seven 

stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven 

golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of 

the seven churches; and the seven candlesticks which 

thou sawest are the seven churches!' These seven 

churches are represented by seven lamp' See Zach. 

iv. 2, "And said unto me, What seest thou And I said, 

I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with 

a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, 

and seven pipes to the seven lamp which were upon the 

top thereof!' These seven lamps are called "the eyes 

of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole 

earth." See Zach. iv. 10. If this is true, then it readily 

follows that the seven churches of Asia are only used as 

a fi lire representing the church "through the whole 

earti." Again: the seven lamps, which are the seven 

churches, are called the seven apirits of God. Rev. iv. 

5, And there were seven lamps of fire burning before 

the tliroue, which are the seven s irits of God." I have 

clearly proved, and I think it will ge admitted by all, that 

the seven eyes of the Lord," and the seven spirits of 

God," are the seven churches to whom John was directed 

to write or dedicate his book, the Revelation of 

Jesus Christ 

And I will now show that these comprehended the 

whole church through the whole earth. See Rev. v. 6, 

6s And I beheld, and lo! in the midst of the throne and 

of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a 

lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns, atid seven 

eyes, which are the LL seven spirita of God sent forth into

130 LECTURE IS. 

dl the earth." Again: when we compare the severs. 

characteristic marks or events, upon opening the eeven 

seals, with those marks and iwtructions to the seven 

churches, we shall be led to admire the beau harmony, 

and consistency of the Revelation of luus kist to hia 

people. And I think the mind will rest satisfied that thia 

view of the subject is the truth, because it eo exactly 

agrees with Christ's manner of teaching by parablee 

when he was with us in the flesh. 

Some may inquire, '' Why were those eeven churchee 

in Asia used as 6 res to represent the church militant 

in her several congons to the end of her militant atate " 

I answer, ) if we may be allowed to answer the tohy or 

whereform,) Because the signification of the names of 

those seven churches descnbe the spirit and qualities of 

the several periods of the Christian church, which they 

are brought forward to represent, which we shall attempt 

to show in its pro r place. 

I ahall now engvor to take up the churches in the 

order in which they are laid down to ne in Revelation 

(Read Rev. 3.1-7, inclusive.) let The word E~asans, 

desirabk chief. This is true concerning the ht 

the ch~uch, m the apostles' days, when the Haly%$ 

was given the power to work mlraclea, and the power to 

distinguish between ood and evil spirits, and when all 

were of one heart an$ one mind, and the euron of the 

Holy Scriptures were filling up, and the umpired apostles 

were setting things in order, and eatabliehi churches 

through the world. Yes, my brethreqtheee were deeirable 

times surely. But to roceed : This chl~rch ie addreeeed 

by the character &$at holdeth the seven atam," the 

ministers and servants of him who holdeth them in hie 

right hand," under his immediate care and control, who 

walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks," 

and has said, where two or three are pthered together 

in Ilia name, there will he be in the mdst of them, and 

has promised that whatsoever they should ask in hie name 

it should be granted unto them He say% I know thy 

works." In that day they brought forth fruita meet for 

repentance, and they went every where preac- that 

men ehould repent; and Paul said, when pmduq at

' 

Athens, '' But now commandeth all men every where to 

repent" Yes, all, saint or sinner, high or low, rich or . 

poor ; all, all must repent And 0 ! my brethren, how 

much we need these works at the present day! 6' Remember, 

therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent 

and do thy first works." Again he says, '' I know 

thy labor." Did not the apostles labor night and day 

2 Thess. iii 8, Neither did we eat any man's bread for 

nought, but wrought with labor and travail night and day, 

that we might not be chargeable to any of you." See 1 

Thess. ii. 8,9, So being affectionately desirous of you, 

we were willing to have ~rnparted unto you, not the gospel 

of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were 

dear unto us. For ye remember, brethren, our Iabor and 

travail ; for laboring night and day, because we would 

not be chargeable to any of yon, we preached unto you 

the gospel of God." Again he says, And thy patience." 

This, too, will apply to the apostles' days. For Paul sap, 

2 Cor. VL 4, Rut in all thmgs approving ourselves as 

the ministers of God, in much patience, in dictions, in 

necessities, in distresses." Also, xii. 12, "Truly the 

signs of an apostle were wrought amon you in all patience, 

in signs, and wonders, and migfty deeda. And 

again the apostle says to Timo~y, UBut thou hast fully 

known my doctrine, manner of life, urpose, faith, longsoffering, 

charity, pdieme." And wio can read the his 

tory of the first age of the church, but will admit that 

works, labor and patience, were prominent features of 

that age, and virtues which adorned the Christian church 

in its infancy, more than any age since "And how 

thou canst not bear them which are evil." Who can 

read Paul's instructions to his Corinthian brethren, in 1 

Cor. v. 11, without seeing this text fulfilled But now 

I have written unto you not to keep company,if an man 

that is called a brother (as though such a one cou6 not 

be a real brother, but only called so] be a fornicator, or . 

covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an 

extortioner; with such a one no not to eat" And had 

the servants of Christ at the present day the power of 

the apostles to discern the spirits by which we are governed, 

how many in thie congregataon would blush when

dc fmicdor " is mentioned ! How many a coadmun 

would hide their faces ! How many iddaters " wdd 

how their heads, or railers" would begin to murmur at 

the plainness of the speaker ! How many LL drunkarb' 

would not have staggered into this house! And how 

many "&ortionws" would have staid at home ! 0 God, 

thou knowest Or who can read the 2d chapter of the 

2d epistle of Peter, and John's first epistle, Jude, and 

others, and not be convinced that the apostles could not 

bear with them that were evil Again: "Thou haat 

tried them whlch say they are apostles, and are not, and 

hast found them liars." This sentence was fulfilled in 

the apostles' days. Simon Maps, after he was profedly 

a disciple of Christ, was found out by Peter to he 

in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity." Hpmeneus 

and Alexander, whom Paul delivered to Satan, 

that they may learn not to blaspheme. 1 Timn L M 

Also Philetus, L)emas, and Alexander the coppersmith, 

were all found to be lian, and many others who went out 

from them, as the apostle says, because they acre not of 

them. And how many are there now, my brethren, amo 

us, who, when tribulation cometh, will be offended, 3 

go out from 11s ! Lord, is it I And hast borne, and 

llast patience, und for my name's sake hnst labored, nnd 

hnst not Fainted." Yes, my brethren, it was for the nnrne 

of Jesus, that the primitive Cllristians bore the pcmecutions 

of their day. Acts xv. '3, 26, "It seen~ed ,pod 

unto 11s to send chosen mpn unto you, witli our beloved 

Barnabas and I'aul, men that hare hazarded thzir lives 

for tile nalrlc of olir Lord Jcaus Christ" Acts ix. 16, 

For I will show him what gn,at thin,@ he must ai~ffer 

for Iny name's sake." Verse 41, And tllcy departed from 

tl~e presence of the cou~~cil, rejoicing that hey were 

coullted worthy to suffer slla~ne for his .name." Ancl, 

may I not inquire, how many of us are willing and wolild 

rc,joice to suffer shame for the nnme of Christ Perhnpa 

none. We had ruttier be called Rabbi, llcv., Dr, tc. 

\Ve are contendinp for our ncrnws at tllc prcsrnt day : for 

Ik~ptists, Congreptionali*ts, I'w~byteri~ins, hlrtl~trli..ts, 

S'rce-wills, Cahpbellitcs, &c. It' we do not contvnd enrnd 

y for onr eect, they will decrease, and we ahall coma

to nought. And I say, May God speed it ; so that you 

all may fall on the word of God, and rally again under 

the name of Jesus. But we will proceed with our shbject. 

4th verse, LL Nevertheless I have somewhat against 

thee, because thou hast left thy first love." Can this be 

true Did the apostolic church, in its purity, so soon 

depart from the h t principles of the gospel , Yes, in 

Acts xv. 24, Forwmuch as we have heard that certain 

which went out from us have troubled yon with wordh, 

subverting your souls, saying ye must be circumcised, 

and keep the whole law, to whom we gave no sucll commandment" 

Gal. i. 6, I marvel that ye are so soon 

ren~oved from him that called you into the grace of 

Christ unto another gospel." 1 Timothy, i. 19, '' Hdding 

faith and a good conscience, which some having put 

away, concerning faith, have made shipwreck." 2 Tim. 

i. 15, "This thou knoweat, that all they which are in 

Asia are turned away tiom me." And Paul further says, 

iv. 16, 'L At my first answer no man stood with me, hut 

all men forsook me. I pray God lay not this sin to their 

charge." 

Many more evidences might be brought, to prove that 

many,inthat early state of the church, did fall away from 

the doctrine of grace, which Paul and the apostles taught. 

And now, my brethren, how is it with us Are we 

built on the truth Have we a "Thus saith the Lord," 

for all we believe and do Are we built on the prophetr 

and apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief 

comer-stone " Look well to your foundation -the 

day is co~ning that will try every man's works. 

Verse 5, 'L Remember, therefore, frolfi whence thou 

art fallen, and repent and do the first works, or elee 1 

will come unto thee quickly, and will remove the candlestickout 

of his place, except thou repent" In thisverse 

the great Head of the church admonishes the Christians 

of their former sins in neglecting the doctrine of grace, 

and falling into the popular errors of the day, which I 

have before noticed, and warns them of their duty to 

repent, which is the first and great command under the 

gospel. He also gives them notice, that, except they 

repent, he will remove the desirable" state of the 

12

134 LECTURE IS 

church into the next, which would be a state of trial, 

. persecution, and poverty. 

Gth verse, " But this thou hast, that thou hatest the 

deeds of the Nicolaitans, which 1 also hate." What the 

deeds of the Nicolaitans were, we are not able, from the 

word of God, to determine ; but from some things hinted 

at by some ancient authors, we have good nason to belicve 

that Nicolas, one of the seven deacons, departed 

from the doctrine which the apostles taught, and preached 

a doctrine which mas repugnant to the gospel of Christ, 

viz, a colnmunity or plurality of wives, which led Paul 

in his instructions to say, Let the deacons be the hueband 

of one wife," 1 Tim. iii 12 uHe that hath an 

ear, let him hear what the Spirit sBth to the churcli~s.~ 

Ilerc we llave another evidence, that the branch of the 

clr~rrch ut Ephesus was not the only church addressed 

in this epistle and prophecy; for, if so, what propriety 

in using tho word churchw, in the plural, when only one 

church in Asia was spoken of No, it could not be 

proper, neither would it have been, as it is 80 used in 

every epistle through the whole seven, had not Chri. 

designed it for all the churches in a certain age. There 

is also an admonition contained in these lastquoted 

words, to read, hear, and observe the propl~ecy now 

given by the Spirit to John, tlle inspired servant of Chrin; 

~tnd for all the churches of tlie age spoken of, to be curefill 

to upply to tliel~lselves tl~c ad~~ronitions, desianed hy 

the Iioly Spirit for their ir~lmediate benefit u71'o 1ii111 

that overcometh mill I give to eat of the tree of life, 

\vlric.li is in tlie ~nitlst of the parndisc of God." Ilow 

precious is this pro~nme to the fnitllfiil and trictl sor~l, 

wlro ])li~cc~ ull Iris hope, and strc~~l, 

nnd de ndenrc, 

on olle who is iiligllty to save, and on one who Y'- lnr pnniised 

to brin r him off conqueror over all the crie~nirs 

of grace, alrk the powers of hell ! Yes, and, r.on dwn 

nll, he liw ovcrcoine and cnterctl within the veil, nn II 

forcr~innrr for us wlro bclicvc. Alny we all, 11v fi~itll, 

have a right to this trcc of life, thin pnmdis of (>od. 

I will now cxa~ninc the propliery to tlle sccond cl11in.11, 

whicli I ~~ndemtaiid to comnicncc ubout tllc close of the 

b t century, and larted about two hundred yuarm, until 

the daya of Conatantine, A D. 312

CHRIST'S SECOW COMIRG. 135 

8th verse, 'I And unto the angel of the cliurch in 

Smyrna, write." The signification of the word Srnyrna, 

IS myrrh ; denoting that the church in this age would be 

a sweet-smelling savor to God, while she was passing 

through the fiery ordeal of persecution and affliction, 

which always has served to weed out those obnoxious 

plantv of pride, popularity, self-dependence -the bane 

and poison of true faith, piety, and devotion. And 0, 

my brethren, could we learn wisdom, by what the church 

has already suffered in the days of our forefathers, we 

should be more humble, the more worldly peace and 

prosperity we enjoyed. For it is only in the midst of 

persecution and trial, that the church manifest great purity 

of doctrine or life. How well, then, might this age 

of the church be compared to myrrh, when she must 

have been separated from worldly honors, avarice, pride, 

popularity, and hypocrisy, when the hypocrite and worldhg 

had no motives to unite with and destroy the union 

of the brotherhood, and when the hireling shepherd could 

expect no fleece, that would suit his cupidity, to filch 

from the lambs of Christ! "These thinm saith the first 

and the last, which waa dead and is &ve." 1n theso 

words we learn the character speaking to the church. ' 

It is no less than the mighty God, the everlasting Father, 

the Prince of Peace. '' I know th works, and tribulation, 

and poverty." Now, their worL were about to 

be tried ; althoumh God knew them that were his, yet Ile 

designed to maGfest to a world who would bo falthful 

even unto death, and to show that pure and undefiled religion 

would bum with a brighter flame in tribulation 

and poverty, and the richness of that faith, which would 

bring off the true Christian conqueror over the powers 

of the world, the temptations of Satan, and corruptions 

of the flesh. "But thou art rich" Yes, brethren, the 

true and genuine Christian is rid. For charity can suffer 

long in tribulation, and the spirit of Christ will make 

us forsake all for his sake, and endure poverty for the 

name of Jesus. " And I know," says Christ, "the blasphemy 

of them which say they are Jews, (that is, people 

of God,) and nre not, but are the synagogue of Satan." 

Altho~~gh Chr& knew the hypocrites and false profa-

136 LECTURE IX. 

mrs that had rushed into his visible kingdom during r 

time of prosperity that the church had experienced in ib 

Ephesian state, or apostolic age, yet now the time had 

come, when that candlestick must be removed, and the 

next age of the church or candlestick be set ilp ; and the 

same means used by God to purify the silver would 

purge out the dross, so that the kin dom would a 

cleansed of its worldly, hypocritica& and false pm Fin war be 

10, Fear none of those things which thou shalt euffer." 

The true child of God need not fear to suffer for 

Christ's sake, for the sufferings of this present evil world 

will work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal 

weight of glory. Behold, the devil shall cast some of 

you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have 

tribulation ten da s." The devil in this verse means Pagan 

Rome. see Lev. xii D,17, " And the great dragon 

was cast out, that old serpent, called the deviln And 

the drngon was wroth with the woman, and went to make 

war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments 

of God, and have the testimorr of Jesus 

Ch.sV9 How exlctly was this pro hecy fuldbd in the 

days of Nero, Domitian, and other ioman empmra, and 

how faithful has history been to record the ten prsecuhons 

between the da s of John's prophecy and the emperor 

Constantine! fn these ten pereecutions of the Roman 

government, in the text called ten days, we learn by 

the history of those days the church suffered a great diminution 

in numbers by uptasy and fear; yet those 

that remained steadfast made up in graces what they lmt 

in nunrbers; and it was truly a time of trial, for many 

were cast into prison, and nlany suffered torture and 

death, rather than to otier uucrificcs to their P a p pds. 

'Be tllou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a 

crow11 of life!' Yes, my brethren, ifaw can believe the 

history of tlrose days, many of tl~c dear diwiplcs of Christ 

were faitl~f'ul unto death, ~ n lrnve ~ l long enjoyed the 

cmwn of life prornisetl in this proplrccy. 

1 I, Ile tllnt hat11 an c:w, lo! l~iln llenr what the Spirit 

~aitl~ to tlrc ct~urctrea Ilc tlr:tl ovcrcomrth rhnll not bo 

hurt ot'the aecond deatlr." IItve, then, we find eome of 

those chanrctem who will have part in the first rewrtec-

tian, the blessed martyrs who were slain for the witnea 

of Jesus. See Rev. xx. 4. And in this passage we are 

again commanded to hear what the Spirit sn~th to tho 

churches -all, all who have ears; not the branch in 

Sm a only, but all who have ears. We have Ion been 

in chabit of giving away Script11re to othem wfen it 

belongs to us and our children ; let us therefore apply it 

home. 

12, ,,u And to the angel of the church in Pergamos 

wnte. Very earthy elevated is the lrignification of the 

word Pergums ;* and this church represents the age of 

Constantine, which lasted more than two hundred years, 

until the rise of anti-Chrii from A. D. 312 until A. D. 

538. During this age the church became very earthy, 

having her worldly policy, and, like the church in the 

present day, attending more to the outward concern, 

and the worldly part of religion, than to inward piety 

and pees of the spirit, looking more for fom and ceremontes, 

than for the lye, power, and spirit of the religion 

of Jesus, spending much of their time in buildidg ele ant 

chkpels, gor eous temples, high places to educate geir 

ministry, a f adorning them with pictures and pleasant 

thin@, and fillina the hearts of their worshippen with 

high, popular, an8 haughty notions. Yes, my brethren, 

the age of trial was gone ; the holy and secret aspirations 

of piety fled away, and, now she had obtained an earthly 

empcror, her divine Master was forgotten. And here 

w,as the falling away mentioned by Paul, 2 Thess. ii. 3, 

"Let no man deceive you by any means ; for that day 

shall not come except there come a fallin* away first, 

hntl that man of sin be revealed, the son oP perdition." 

This, then, was the age that prepared the church to receive 

that monster, the man of sin, the son of perdition, 

into her bosom, which stung the church with the poison of 

asps, and filled the temple of God with image wowhip, 

and the church with idolatry, selfishness, avarice, and 

wide. 

66 These things saith he which hath the sharp sword 

with two ed es." By the sharp sword with two edgcs, 

we must unferstsnd the word of God, which denounces 

heavy judgments on the wicked, and cub ofthe corrup 

12 *

tions and errors from the church The Psalmist sa 

FxIY. 5-7, let the saints be joyful in glory; 

them sing aloud upon theu beds. Let the high praises 

of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in 

thcir hand, to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and 

punishments upon the rple." Paul sap, Heb. iv. 12, 

&'For the word of Go is quick and powerful, eharper 

than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing 

asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, 

and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of 

the hen* And John saw, Rev. i. 1% UAnd he had in 

his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went 

a sharp two-edged sword." Then this is the mea 

of the passage under consideration, 66 These things 3 

he," which hath the word of God, and showing LIE the 

importance of attending to the subject following, by the 

importance of the speaker, LC He that is Christ." And 

how, while we read or hear, let us keep in memory that 

it is no less a personage speakin than Him of whom 

the propllets did write; who hoydeth the atam in his 

right hand, md crested and preserves all things by the 

word of his power. Hear him. 

6'1 know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even 

where Satan's seat is. Here, awailq we lurvr an evidence 

that this church is mystical, li Bwelling in Satan's seat," 

the fourth kingdom, the great red dragon, imperial 

Rome, whereon the great mystical whore of Babylon 

sittetlr. The church, in this age, became irnmed~atrly 

connected wit11 tlris power calletl Satan, which is thr 

devil, Pugan Hoine. (&And thou holdest fast my naule. 

and hnet not tlenied my faitl~" 111 tlris time of popul~r 

religion, and wlren many, from political and worldly 

motives, united their numes to tlrc people of God, rtdl 

thvrc were sonic wlio held to tho doctrine of Clrriet, and 

did not deny tl~c faith. 

u Even in those days, nl~ercin hntipaa was my faithful 

martvr, wlio waj slain anlong you where Satan daelletl~."' 

It is supposed tt~at Antipas wua not an indiridual, 

but a cluss of men \vl~o oplnsed tho power of the 

bishop or I'olwn in thnt day, I)eing a ccorntri~~ation of 

two rotcle, flnli, O~POBWI, 

and Pqw, fithw or Popq

cmsT's ~LCOIR) coma 

E3B 

a d many of them suffered martyrdom, at that time, in 

Conetantinople and Rome, where the bishops and Popee 

began to exercise the power which soon aRer brnl~ght 

into subjection the kin of the emth, and trampled on 

the rights of the churcrof Christ And, for myself, 1 

see no reason to reject this explsnation of the word 

JPntipas in this text, as the history of those times are 

~rfectly silent respecting such an individual as is 

ere nauied Yet maay, who opposed the worship of 

saints and pictures, and the infallibility of the bishop d 

Rome, were exwmcnunicated, persecuted, and finally 

driven oat from among men, and m the next age of the 

church had to flee into the wilderness. All this happened 

in the kingdom of Rome, "where Satan dwelleth" 

But I have a few things against thee, because thou 

bast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, 

who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the 

children of Is&, to eat thi sacrificed unto idols, 

and to commit fomication~yhe world have always 

been endeavoring to draw the church of Christ into 

fellowship with them, and to a mixed comml~nion of 

idolatry as Balaam tau ht Balak to draw the children 

of ~srah from their of and his commands, by mixing 

with the Jews in deir worship, and, at the same time, 

by degrees, introduce their priests, their altars and 

idol worship into their camp. In Constantine's day this 

mode of warfare was introduced with great success by 

Tagan worshippers, so that in little more than two centunes 

the greater part of the profeseed Christian church 

became the image of the beast of which we are now 

apeaking, viz, Pagan Rome. Here, then, we see the 

rise of Papacy on the downfall of Pagan Rome. Whosoever 

will take the pains of comparing the Pagan 

manner of worship, forms, and cereliionies with Papacy, 

cannot help being forcibly struck with the similarity of 

the two. One deified their departed heroes and poets, 

the other her departed saints and votaries. The one - 

consulted her oracles and priests for laws and instructions, 

the other her Popes and cardinals. The one 

had her altam, imqeq and atatuee, the other her chep

- 

ela, pictnres, and cmeaea Bdh had them aeaed in 

evory public place, for the multitude to fall before nnd 

worship .Both had theii holy 6re, holy water, and both 

claimed to perform miracles ; the one by the res rise of 

her wooden oracles, and the other by her uMrpriest 

hood. liere, then, we see bow the church, in the fourth 

and fifth century, wa~ 

led over the stumbling-block of 

Paganism, to eat eacrificed to idale, and to commlt 

fornication. 

SO, also, hast thou them that bold the doctrine of the 

Nicolaitnns, which thing I hatehaten This doctrine was 

pro~nul~nted in the fourth century. See the church hi* 

tory, and our former observations. 

'~RC nt, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and 

will fi$ ngainst them with the sword of my mouth." 

Again the Lord calls for repentance, and threatem the 

jutl~rncnte of his word upon them that obey not O! 

may we hke warning, my brethren, and tempt not the 

heavy judgrnonte of God upon us, for our idolatry and 

followaliip of that which is not the religion of Jesus. 

" Ilo that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 

nnith unto the ch~irches. Tohim that overcometh will 

I ivc to oat of the hidden manna, and will givc him a 

wfito ~tonc, and in tho stone a new name written, which 

no Itinn kmwcth Having he that receiveth itn Again, 

all tllnt lir~vo onm arc commanded to hear, and thoee 

w110 rolt~niri fnitl~fi~l, that do mt fall awny, receive a 

~~n)~uino 01' nj~iritud food, ant1 a name and righteouenea, 

wlriclr ~rono cnn know but they who receive ~t. 

IN, UAlrtl unto tlic angel of tho church in "l'hyatira 

writ^!.^ '1'110 aipification of T&tira is, a neweet 

rrvor of 11bl)or or nncrificc and condtiorq" aod is a dewr.ril)tiori 

of tlio cl~umh, after sire is driven into the wiltlorrrt~nu 

11y tho anti-Clrristian beak This chnrch lasted 

111rti1 ~il~ot~t tho tolitli century ; and little of her history 

ir k~row~i to tlro world ; but some alitbora have pretended 

k~ tnrc:o licr irrto tlre north-west part of Asia, and in the 

mrtlr-~nnt part of Europe, where they lived until about 

h to~rtl~ cc-ntury, unknown unto the rcet of the world, 

w tnkinq but little concern with the nationa arouul 

Umn. Yet it in maid they ~tainod religion in ib puri 

'

ty, and held to the doctrines of the word of God. At 

any rate this church is represented as being in a state 

of heavy trial, and subject to seduction by some power 

represented by that mnnan Jezebd, of which I shaP 

speak in its place. "These things saith the Son of 

God, who hnth his eyes like nnto a flame of fire, and 

his feet arb like fine brass;" representing, as in all 

the other declarations to the churches,that the character 

addrpssing them is no less than the mighty God, the 

omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent Jehovah, who 

says, I know thy works, and charity, and service, and 

faith, and patience, and thy works ; and the last to be 

more than the first." When this church existed, which 

was when anti-Christ began her reign, there was great 

need of the exerciue of those grnees of the spirit which 

in this passage are enumerated. 1st fn works they had 

to, and without doubt did, combat the anti-Christian 

doctrines which began in the sixth century to over- - 

whelm the Christian world, such as worshipping angels, 

departed saints, subjection to councils and bishops, 

infallibility of the Pope, &c. They, in charity, too, 

had many of their brethren to sustain while combatting 

these errors against the power of this beast They did 

n~uch service in hold~ng up the hands of their pious 

teachers and pastors who were not led away by thiu 

wicked one. How much faith, too, must they have 

been in possession of to have wiChstood the power 

of their councils, the excommunications of the Pope, 

and a majority of their brethren who had fell into 

Papal errors! horn much 'gpaliencen to have remained 

unwavering amidst persecution when driven 

from their homes, their country and friends, into the 

wilderness, where God prepared a place for her! and 

Iiow much more necessary were their last works to sup 

port each other in exile, poperty, and distress, the natural - 

consequence of heing dnvcn from among men! But 

these things were so, according to the best account we 

can obtain of those times. 

20, " Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, 

because thou sufferest hat woman Jezebel, which call- 

8th hemelf a prophetess, to teach and to seduce -my ,

servants to commit fornication, and to est things 

sacrificed to idols." In this verse we have strong 

testimony that the exposition we have given of the 

seven churches is correct; for no character given the 

woman Jezebel will apply so exactly, as the woman 

sitting on the scarlekcdored beast, full of nemea of 

blasphemy, "having a golden cup in her hand fnll of 

abominations and filthiness of her fornication." 

Jezebel is a figurative name, alludin to Ahab's wife, 

who dew the prophets of the Lord, led h husband into 

idolatry, and fed the prophets of Baal at her own table. 

A more striking figure could not have been used to describe 

the Papal abomination. See 3 Kin& xviii riL 

xxi. chapters. It is very evident from history, ea well M 

from this verse in Revelation, that the church of Christ ' 

did suffer same of the Papal monks to preach and teach 

among them. See the history of the Waldensea 

21, And I gave her space to repent of her fornication, 

and she repented notn 22, Behold I dl curt ha 

into a bed, and them that cammit adultery with ber into 

great tribulation, except they repent of their deedan 23, 

"And I will kill her children with d~th; and all the 

churches shall know that I am he whch eeveheth the 

reins and hearts, and I will give unto every one of yon 

according to your works." We canoot be mistaken in 

the character given to this mystical Jezebel, when we 

compare the descriptions here used, and the j 

threatened, with otber paasape of like import ~n f-nb evelation, 

where mystical Babylon ia described and threatened. 

8ee Rev. ix. 20,2l, And the reat of the men 

which were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not 

of the works of their hands, that they should not womhip 

devils and idols of gold, and silver, and brim, and stone, 

and oT wood, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 

neither repented they of their murders, nor of their mrceriea, 

nor of their fornication, nor of their tbeftan 

If these laat texts mean anti-Christ, of which 1 believe 

nono have any doubt, that is, no commentator that I hve 

been able to consult, then it in equally evident that thin 

woman, called Jezebel, in this prophecy of the church im 

Thyarirr meam tbe mne ; and the conclurion im

. - CHBISF'S BECOND COMING. 143 

that the Thyatira church represente the churches in 

some age of anti-Chrii and the prophecy contained in - 

the verses we have already quoted are the judgments God . 

has and will pour out on that great city that rules over 

the king of the earth, and has for ages past trodden the 

church under foot, and contaminated the people of God 

by her seductions, sorceries, and fornicatione. 

24, "But onto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyntira, 

As many as have not this doctrine, and which have 

. 

not known tlie depths of Satan as they speak, I will put 

upon you none other burden." 25, But that which ye 

have already, hold fa& till I come," In these verses the 

church which have not fellowshipped the anti-Christian 

doctrine, and have not followed the practices of the sa- . 

tanic blasphemies of their abominations, are here promised 

to experience no other persecution except what they 

may experience from this beast or woman Jezebel, which 

is another proof of this being anti-Christ; for the church 

in Thyatira has long been extinct, if there ever was such 

a church, and was when the man of sin was revealed; 

and yet they are promised to have none other burden until 

he come, as it is more than implied ; aid this power is 

to stand until he comes. For Paul says, Whom he shali 

consume with the spirit of his mouth and destroy with the 

brightnesfl of his cominrr." This is Daniel's fourth kingdom, 

which was to be groken without hand, and to be 

carried away like the chaffof the summer threshing-floor 

before the wind, that no place be found for it. 

26, "And he that overcometh and keepetl~ my works 

unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations," 

27, And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the 

vwsels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers,) even 

as I received of my Father. And I will give him the . 

morning star." %J, "Ile that hath an ear, let him hear 

what the Spirit saith to the churches." 

In closing the prophecies to the chwches, our divine 

Instructor carries them down to that day when he shall 

come to be admired in ali'them that believe, or to glorify 

his saints, to crown them his in his kingdom of glory, to 

break in pieces all the ki~~gdoms of the earth as a potter's 

veaeel is broken to shivers, as the last text Bays, which

yoves,tbat when Christ comes, he will bnng aII the saint. 

w~t him, and this too when the kingdoms of this world 

and anti-Christ will be destroyed And this proves another 

important pint in which many ood and piolu people 

are greatly mietaken, viz, that 8re will not be a 

thousand years' happy reign previous to Christ's coming 

the accond time witliout sin unto salvation. What happy 

reign can the~e be while tile kingdoms of the earth stand 

as they now do; while the anti-Christian beast has power 

to seduce and draw the servants of God into idolatry, nnd 

lull to her serpentine folds thousands and tens of thousands 

human beings yearly, and deceive the natioue by 

her siren song of &her church; while by means of hcr 

poison, subtle, secret, and deep, she iJ undermining and 

sappiug the foundation of every religious sect but her 

own ; of every civil government but such ati will resign 

their power unto her control And now, while I aln 

speaking. she is exerting an influence in this once Savored 

land, by means of her Jesuits, that will set father apnst 

eon, and son against father, a~ul drench our coulltry in 

blood. Can thls monster of murder, iniquity, and blood, 

retain her life; her standing in society, and we have a 

happy reign No. She must and will sink like a mill- 

#tone in the mighty deep, and God will avenge the bltd 

of his servants. Her flesh must be eaten by dogs; ye+ 

the kine of the earth shall oat her flesh, u d God shall 

consume her with fire before the happy reign comea 

' Come, Lord Jew, comc quickly."

LECTURE X. 

REV. L 20. 

The mystery of (be seven stars which thou saweat in my right 

hand, and the seven golden candlesticls. The seven stars are 

the a els of the seven churches ; aad the seveo candlesti& 

whichxu sawest are the seven churches. 

IIP my former lectures I have given my views of four 

of the churches spoken of in the text Three more remain, 

which will complete the prephetic history of the 

church through all the ages of the New Testament time8 

until the state of trial shall be fulfilled, and the church 

, 

shall enter her glorified kingdom in triumph. You have 

undoubtedly been led, by the comparison of the churches 

with the history thus far, to admire the agreement of the 

prophecy of the four churches with the history of the 

times ; and truly this is one of the greatest evidences we 

have of the truth of the divine inspiration of revelation, 

and this evidence fixes the authenticity of the Scriptures 

beyond a reasonable doubt I shall now claim a few 

moments' indulgence while I attemptto show where and 

when the other three churches have been or will be fulfilled. 

See Rev. iii. 

I, " And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write." 

Song of joy, or that which remains, is the signification 

of Smdis. The lsst signification ia the one which the 

heavenly Instructor has affixed himself to this church in 

the second verse, LLBe watchful, and strengthen the 

thlngs which remain!' The church preceding this 

Lad passed a long, dark, and benighted oge of the war& 

13

and every writer of these times calla them the &rk 

rges ; and truly it was an age of eupembtion, bigotry, 

and Ignorance ; therefore we most reasonably suppoee 

that but few were the true worshippers of God, and 

those few enjoying but a faint knowledge of divine 

thinF But we will pwoe our c o w '& These thinga 

saith he that hath the seven spirite of God, and the 

seven stars, I know thy works, that thou hast a name, 

that thou livest, and nrt dead." The same chamcter 

that hrrs addressed the other church, dll givw himself 

a quality by which we may know that it is he who 

is called God man, having the spirit of God, and as man 

governing his church as the star of Bethlehem. This 

churcb began about the tenth century, and Lsted until 

the Reformation under Luther, Calvin, and others. 

They had a name, were called Waldemea, Valdenses, 

&c, "and art dead;" that is, she n or wo~lld 

be of little use to the rest of the world, hidi her influence 

within her own sphere, and of conrse 3 not manifest 

her light to the world, was inactive, idle, not performing 

the work which God had commanded them to 

perform, to set their light on the candleetand, that it 

might give lqht to alL This was the case with the 

church in the valleys of Piedmont during the time of the 

crusades to the Holy Land; and while the Pope had the 

command of all the armies of Europe, the church lived 

in these valleys of the Pyrenees, nearly in the centre of 

Europe, ullknowing nnd unknown 

2d verse, "Be watchful, and strengthen the thinga 

which remain, that arc ready to die ; for I have not found 

thy works perfect before God." -4lthough the church 

in this age retained some of the leading principles ot'Lhe 

gospel, the ordinances were in part retained among 

them, yet towards the close of this SdL age, the Papal 

monks and priests were eent in among them, and n~arly 

of the Waldenses became corrupted by the Papal beast 

and her dochine. Therefore the admonition, &' Be watcllful, 

and strengthen the things which remain" 

3d verse, Remember how thou l~ast received and 

heard, and hold fmt and repent. If, therelbrc, tl~ou 

rhrlt wt watch, I will come on thee er a rhief, uul tlaou

&alt not know what hour I will come upoa thee." The 

judgment threatened in this verse, I will come upoa 

thee," is undoubted1 a prophecy of the persecution of 

the Walde-s and %llarda, by the Papal authority, and 

through the inquisition, as an instrument, &out the close - 

of the fourteenth centurg, when, for their departure from 

the true doctrine of the gospel, and the commands of 

God, they were persecuted and scattered among tdl 

nations, SO that by the ~udgmenta of God, for their trimsgressions, 

they were made instruments in the hands of 

God of spreadin the knowledge of the gospel among 

the nations, whi$ they ought to ham done in obedience 

to his word, and for the love of souls. And these judgments 

served the double purpose of punishment fir sin, 

and opening a door for a more general display oF sdwatian. 

4th verse, Thou hast a few names even in Sardis 

which have not defiled their game&, and they shall 

walk with me in white, for they are worlthy." There 

were a few even in thle age of moral darkness who folaowed 

Christ in his laws and ordinances, and they 

receive the promise of justification before God, '' walk 

with me in white." 

5th verse, "He that overcomeeh, the same shall be 

clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his 

oame out of the book of lit% ; but I will confess his name 

before my Father and before his angels." Whenever 

the phrase, "he that overcometh," is used, it always implies, 

I think, in the Scriptures, that the persons addressed 

are, or will pass through a time of persecution; and in 

this text the churcK in this age is shorn that those only 

who can endure tribulation and persecution will be 

acknowledged at the bar of God aq the children of faith. 

And then this church is again Warned to hear and believe 

what the Spirit saith to the churches. 

6th verse, He that hath an ear, let him hear what 

the Spirit saith to the churches." 

I shall ww attempt to show to what age we may calculate 

the Philadelphia church should answer, and when 

this prophecy was fulfilled. 

7th verae, "And to the tangel of the church in Phil*

*&- 

&hbethtimhdy,btkt 

is-betht luth~eFdD.d,helLUopcamb 

and no man shntterh, md shutteth and m man openeth." 

Thisverseisadeamiptiw of the cbmcter ddreaa@ 

the c h d ad gives an account of hi. hdkm, ha Veracity, 

authority, ad power, and laves rrr withcat a doubt 

that it is Jesns the son of &rid, the Hdy One of 

Israel, the faiW d true witmms, he tht hth dl 

power in heaven d in autb .bd be t h ddrenser 

tbem, eth v m "1 how thy works: bebdd, I have set 

before thee an open door, .ad m rmn caa h z t it, for 

thouMali& 8Peogth,and hat ke@ my word,u~d 

hast not denied m nam" Tbe of tbe 

mme of thia chum[ Phdd+a, b-baL, and 

this age began about the Qle of the lbhmation ; for 

then God opened an effectual door tbr tbe 1 to k 

prhich no m a set dmen baa c a b l e to 

ut. And the early reformem dgpla a red .ad 

fiwriessness in their cause which &*M 

.nd confounded their eoaniea At tb he, too, Chriotian 

love and fellowehip wvidentl aae of tbe 

~ n g e s t - ~ t b s ~ y ~ ~ d ' t h t t b a w ~ 

was of God. 

9th verse, U Bebold, 1 wiU make them uf tbe -argue 

of Satan which say they are Jewm d are 4 

ut do lie." 'he characters here aphm of are ths 

mame M thaw wbo sit in Satan'r neat, who prof& to be 

Chrietians, but are anti-C-; they are wdppen 

of the Papal beast, professing to be the ndAa dsrd, 

but are only that part which are Men away, an Paul 

h told un, tbere ebould come a away exat, d 

then the man of .in should be -9 who op~th, 

(or is auti,) and exalteth himself (calling tbemmive, Jews, 

rative expreesion, or name for Christian) above 

'2" all mt k called God." 6 Behold, 1 wiU make tbem to 

ewle and worehip before thy feet, and to know that I 

have loved thee." This eentence shows tht antiChrist 

woc~ld be hurnbled in this age of the church d brou t 

p 4aLI, tlm hack round, or in aome measure loge Pa 

rlvll purer over & Protestant church and be hybkd 

at bsr feet. Hu not thir prophet J been wcmphbd

flrictly accordin to the letter Witneea Great Britain, 

Germany, and e& natione. And to tbi day she haa 

not been able to bring into subjection any of the Proteetant 

states, and is only permitted to dwell among them by 

toleration. And dthough within a few years past she 

seems to be making aa effort to regain her lost power 

and authority, yet it is but a last etruggle, a dying gasp ; 

hr soon she mwt wd will fall, to to in civil power no 

more forever. 

10th verse, Because thou hast kept the word of my 

patience, I dso will keep thee from the hour of temptation 

which shall come ugon all the world to try them that 

dwell upon the earth." This part of the prophecy wag 

fulfilled on or before the French revolution, when Athe-, 

ism dnd Deism made such rapid progress through 

Europe or the Roman evernmenf which in pro hecy is 

called the eerth %e%ev. xii 9. And it is a &t, that 

through this age of profligacy and cormphon, the church 

retained her principles as pure and with as little defection 

as any age in modem times ; although men of the 

world were led away by the plausible wntinga of Voltaire, 

Hume, Tom Paine, and others, yet it had no effect 

on the Christian church : and the yomise, U I will keep 

thee from the hour of temptation, was fully and faithfully 

accomplished; and the very means that Satan used 

to destroy the religion of Jesus Christ, or L' the twelve 

fishermen," was the means of bringing the church out 

of the wilderness. And those governments of the world 

which had for more than twelve centuries persecuted 

the children of God, now granted free toleration for all 

men to worship God accordin to the dictates of their 

own conscience. And from tfis period re mag see the 

cLsngel flying through the midst of heaven having the 

everlastin gospel to preach to them that dwell on the 

earth." #ow the church began to awake to the subject 

of missions ;'and while the world was tempted and tried, 

the kingdoms of the earth shaken to their centre, (yet 

not destroyed ;) while the civil power of the mother of 

harlots, the inquisition of Spain, and the homble means 

of torture, persecution, slavery, and cruelty, were all 

wept away in one revolution, -the church, by the power 

13 *

of Him who hsd pomied to "keep tlmn," pod 

though the 6ery ordeal withant the cmeU of fire on bar 

@I'Ulenk 

11th veree, "Bebold, I come quickly ; hold that EBst 

which thou haat, that no man take thy CTOKIL" In this 

reree we have notice of his isond canin& d that it 

would be quickly; by which I nndemtad that the a 

of the seventh church, which ma yet to come, would 

short, and the second eomin of him, who will overcome 

and subdue all thugs, roulf be quickly. He likewiae 

admonishes ua to hold faet that which we havg giving 

ns, aa I understand, warn' that the next age d the 

church would be an age3 invention; of lo heres, of 

departure from tbe true fai* of denying the crown of 

the church, the twelve &us, the apostles' doctrine. And 

amidst the confmion of the doctrinee and rerelatione of 

the present day, if any one should inquire of me what 

sentiment it would be best for them to embrace, I would 

first point them to the Bible, and second, back to the 

fathers and teachera of the last century, and Bay, Hold 

fwt that they held ; let no man take thy crown Let us 

then, my brethren, be watchful, and remember him thsr 

overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my 

God, and he shall go DO more out; and I will write 

upon him the name of my God, and the name of the ci 

of my God, which is New Inuselem, which came8 

down out of heaven from my God ; and I will write upon 

hini my new name." The bleseings promieed in thb 

text are to be realized when the New Jenuralem 

down froni God out of heaven; then shall tho spiritual 

born child of heaven be a pillar in the temple of God, in 

tlrat buildiug lnde without hands; then, too, will Ile 

wceive that rich inheritance tliat is laid up in heaveu for 

tliose that love God, n~id there obtain that eternal crown, 

tli~~t im~nortulife which is ww hid with Christ in (id, 

~ind tlwn and thero realize that blessed hope at the 

gloriou~ appearing of the great God and our Savior 

cmla (:lirid" U And he &all go no more outn of that 

glorio~id temple ; no tcnlptillg tlevil there, for Ile w~ll k 

chained; no ancy sting kill rilo111, fur tllq rill all be 

h y e d an caned arq fjrs the chaff of he

threshing-floor." Th'en will he receive the new 

The Lord our righteousness," for tbe Lord ia them 

Then, too, a citizen of the giorided kingdom, the New 

Jerusalem, married to the Lamb, and shell live and reign 

with him forever and forever. "He that hath an ear, 

let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." 

This closes the prophecy to the sixth church; and now 

let us see to it that we do not b e the blesainp promised 

by refusing to hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. 

Hear, and your wle shall lir-,; dieobey, tyn a deaf 

ear, refuse the offered grace, f~nd you will dm ; far the 

mu1 that sinneth shall diei 

It now remains for me to show the age of the seventh 

or Laodicean church,-and the characteristic marh of 

that church or age. And if I am right in oonsidering 

these churches in a mjdcal sem, as our text more 

than implies, and our a:gume& and references strongly 

prove, in my humble opinion, then, this part of our subject 

becomes doubly interesting to us, who live in tho 

very age of the fultilment of this prophecy. Yes, my 

brethren, we live at the very time when the great head 

of the church says, 

14th verse, &'And unto the angel of the church in 

Laodicea write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful 

and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God." 

Laodicea signifies the 'udging of the people, and may 

have reference to the cbrch ~n ita last age, when God 

would porlr out his justice and judgment upon a guilty 

world, and upon a haughty, proud, and self-exalted 

church, and spue them out of his mouth. This idea may 

be warranted from the subject in connection The address 

to this church begins by showing that it iy the , 

closing i ~p of this dispensation, by saying, "These things 

snith the Amen" It also teaches us that it commences 

the judgment, Qr prepares for a judgment, by bringing 

forward the faithful and true witness." It also shows 

the universality of this judgment by the knowledge of 

the witness being "the be,+ning of the creation of 

God." 

15th verse, ''1 know thy works, that thou art neither 

cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hotn To be 

,

neither cold nor hot in religions 

fession of religion without a spiritual qimpliaaf- 

e, or the mi dle 

way between the world and Christ; taking much prune 

after worldly things, to the neglect of spiritual tIunga ; 

endeavoring to move between the doctrine of Christ and 

the doctrine of men ; taking the middle ground, as I have 

often heard it-expressed 

16th verse, gL SO then, beoluise thou art lukewarm, and 

neither cold nor hot, I will spue the out of my mouth." 

For this cause, that is, because they are engaged more 

for show, honors, or profita of this world than for God, he 

would spue them out of his mouth The word p m 

used in three places in Scripture, besides the ,one under 

consideration; in Levit xviii 28, xx. 22, Jer. xxv. 27; 

and in all these places stands connected with the 'udgrnents 

of God upon Israel, or tbe nations spoken o&d 

implies a shaking out or driving from their present 

standing, either among nations or in the kingdom of 

Christ, as the case may be. And this passage, I suppoee, 

alludes to the time when God hath promised, aaying, 

. "Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but 

heaven," Heb. xii. 26. So we may expect a shaking 

of the church of Chriit, if tliis is tl~e age spoken of, thut 

those things which cannot be shnken may remain. Thu, 

too, is the age when the wise and foolish virgins are 

sleeping and slumbering together. 

17th verse, ''Because thou sayost, I am rich, and in- 

crensed with goods, and have need of noth' and knowcst 

not that tliou art wretched, and misenyil and poor, 

und blind, and naked." Our lieavenly I~wtrnctor htrs 

given us in this verse tlie rertsonnl~y they are luke~vm~~; 

becitl~se thou sayest, I nu1 ricl~" The c1111rch in LIIW 

I~aotlicenn &ate, like the rich ulsn, will be laying up 

goods, or making great calculutio~ for the outward or 

worlllly conccrm ot'tho churcli i'or rnmy yenra to colne. 

building places for worship, estnblisliing colleges, hip11 

schot~lu, ncadernies, theological i~wtitutit)na, to raise I I ~ 

a populnr rniuistry, that tlie world III:LY be ~)lsrtscd, IIIV 

ministry well ~rllrl)ortcd, ~triil t11ry becolllc! tl~c 111ilst p!~;)tr- 

Itu sect 01' ~JIC (Jay, il~re~r(ed ~itl~ XOIH~S.'' 'l'l~id, 11) 8, 

u the ch~lrcl~. What #!dl LH: called tli~ go& of the

church ft is those contribdtions which are deposited 

for charitable and pious uses, such as Paul informed his 

brethren to lay by them in store on the first day of the 

week. These will be increased to a great and nstonishtrim 

degree in this age of the church. Theological 

wztings and pnblications, too, are the goods of the 

church : there will be a great increase of these. '6 Come 

see what groat hngs we are doing," will be the generai 

language of the church, and be names of donors and 

the sums they contribute will be published through the 

world. " And knowest not that thou art wretched. " 

The corruptions of the church will be kept out of sight; 

and pride, pqpulnrity, self-righteousness, depravity, will 

be tl~e besettmg sin^ of the members and great body of 

public professors, and few, very few of the ministers of 

the churches will be valiant or bold enough to tell them 

the truth. And miserable." Real piety will be very 

little enjoyed; the ho es of a large body of professors 

will be but the hope ofa hypocrite. Y And poor." Without 

a tried faith, suffering but little or no persecution, 

the church will lack those riches which are more precious 

than fine gold, the trial of their faith GI And blind," 

without faith, living by thin seen more than on the 

promises of Gob And xed," having on their om 

righteousness. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried 

in tho fire." That is, the Amen, the fhithful and true 

witness, counsels the Laodicean church to buy the old 

tried in the fire, which ma mean either that faith wgich 

will sbod the fiery trial of temptation and persecution. 

or that truth which is like '6 apples of gold in pictures 

of silver ;" 6' that thou mayest be rich ;" rich in faith or 

in the knowledge of the truth; $6 and white raiment that 

thou mayest be clothed," that miment which John saw 

the saints in heaven clothed with, which is the righteousnew 

of the saints, the imputed righteousness of 

Christ,"the Lord our ri hteo2csnesa.* If ~t is not so, why 

counsel the church to fuy of him Yes, my brethren, 

we are counselled to buy a raiment without 

wrinkle, (6 md that the shame of thy nakednew btz 

appear." Truly, when Christ comes, and we find we have 

been trusting in self, although we have called d v e a

y his name, we have worn our own clothing, and eat 

onr own bread, and instead of being clothed upon, we 

shall find ourselves naked. Shall we not be ashamed 

before hi at his coming, if we are in this eituation 

when he comes 0, what an awful thought! Therefore 

let w now receive the fiuther admonition, u And 

anoint thine eyea with eye-salve, that thou mayest seen 

To anoint the eyea, in a figurative sense, is to examine 

the truth and evidences of Scriptrue, that we may see 

clearly our state and standing as it respects our charseter 

towards God and our hope in his future aid, promises, 

and blessings. It is to see our sins, and feel the need 

of help, to know our weakness, and trust in him strength 

-in one word, it is to repent and believe in the gospel 

of Jesus Christ For he says, As many as I love I rebuke 

and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent." 

Hem, then, is one comfortable promise to this lukewann 

church. If there is an tried, chastened, penitent spul 

in this church, thk ~aodrcm state or age of the church, 

they have the romise of hia love, his everlnstinp; love, 

his uncbTf:le Lose ; hia lov kindna he wdl at 

*e ti-om m, although he ah%( uvi.it their tM, 

ssions with a rod, and their iniquity with stripean 

Ezealous, therefore, brethren, and repent. 

fLOth verse, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" 

He that is the &enn is now at the door. In this IAodicean 

age of the church he comes; he knocka by his 

door and knock ; if any man hear m voice and open the 

door, I will come in to him, and wilf sup with ha^, and 

he with me." In this passage of prophec we are bro ht 

down to the marriage supper of the Lamb - anoxcr 

and a strong testimony that the churchee are to be considered 

in a m cal sense, and the language or subject 

popheticaL flus is ccrhinly the 6ayhg of laa. 

the faithful and tnle witness ; f'or the tmtmony of Jesua 

b the spirit of propl~ecy." Kcv. xix. 74, Let us rejoice 

and be glad, and give honor to him ; fur the nur.

iage of the Lamb is come, and hie wife hath made 

herself ready. And to her was granted that she should 

be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white ; for the fine 

linen ia the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto 

me, Write, Blessed are they which are called to the 

marriage supper of tbe Lamb. And he saith unto me, 

These are the true sayings of God." We see, my friends, 

by the similarity of the sentiments given in the marriage 

supper, and those admonitions and prophecies to the 

Laodicean church, that they must mean one and the 

same event. To hear the voice of the bridegroom, and 

to open the door, and go out to meet him, is the way 

which the bride makes lrerself ready ; and hie snpping 

w~th them and they with him, shows that it ia when 

Christ shall come, and live, and reign with them. 

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me 

in my throne, oven as 1 also overcame, and am set down 

with my Father in his throne." Here is another expression 

which proves we are brought down to the end of 

time, LL 10 him that mercometh" What can the. faithful 

and true witness mean by this expression He explains 

himself, 6' even as I&o mermme." How did Christ overcome 

when he sat down with his Father I answer, By 

bursting the bands of death, by conquering the grave, he 

arose a glorious conqueror, and was seated at the right 

hand of God. Then this is the true meaning of the text, 

to him, that hath part in the first resurrection, will I grant 

to sit with me in my throne. UBlessed and holy 1s he 

that hath part in the first resarrection; on such the second 

death hath no power; but they shall be kings and 

priests of God, and of Christ, and shd reign with him." 

What light m-y we not receive from the word of God, 

when taken together, when explained by its own langua 

e, when kept unbroken! "He that hath an ear, 

let Eim hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" 

This closes what 1 call, and what Christ, I think, calls, 

a prophecy. '6 Ble~sed is he that, readeth, and they that 

hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things 

which are written therein ; for the time is at hand." 

Thjs Laodicean church began about A. D. 1798, and 

will laat the forty-five yeara When this dispensation

will close, the -udgment will eet, and the boob willb 

opened ; the hypocrites will be epued out of the churcb, 

and the sanctuary cleansed. 

Will the situation of the church, tha character of 

Christians, the doctrines taught, and the signs of tbe 

times warrant ua to believe that we live in the Laodicean 

age of tbe church Let ua for a moment emmine the 

evidence and see. 

1st The situation of the church, enjoyiq peace in 

and among the kingdome of the earth, enjoylq dl the 

privileges of citizens without persecution, malung great 

and many improvements in her worldly concerns, rich in 

this world's goods, having at her command man millions 

of funds, and almost swaying the datiniea of de world; 

great, learned and rich men enlisting under her banners, 

controlling the fashions, ctlatoms, and laws of the day, 

swaying a mighty influence over the education of our 

yo~tth, and giving a general tone to the literatore of the 

world, increasing her demands for power, establishing 

bishoprics, presbyteries, national and state conventions, 

conferences, councils, associations, consociatione, wie 

ties innu~nerable ; and all these controlled almost exclusively 

by her clergy. Nay we not say truly, LL She is rich 

and lncreased in goods" But is this all No. Lcwk 

at her colleges, theological scl~oole, academies, depsib 

ries, public edifices, presses, tlicolo@icd writinp and 

p~~blications, in almost every mtion, kingdom, eta&, and 

territory, and in this country in almost every connty and 

town; ant1 all this by contributions. Well may it be 

said, she 11as need of nothing.' Tliese things, too, among 

all aecb and denominations, one cannot out110 allother 

apparently, yet each is striving for the mtstery. 

2d. The charactera of Christians ~mrully. In speaklng 

of tlie character of our brethren, it bccoruea thc speaker 

to be very careful and unassualinq, for God hila not 

ninde him n jridge over his brctliren. 'herefore,to judp 

this one is right, and that one wrong, we shall leave t b 

the 'udgmelit sent of ('llrist But on a gencrnl scale 

sureb we may be allorrd tn craminc and coin 

~elvea with Uie pmphecie. 

when living godly, have been r poor, despled, permca- 

In all agea back, c G~&

ted people, pilgrim and strangers in the world, plainly 

showing that this is not their continuing city, but that 

they are seeking one to come. But ia it so now Have 

not profmra generally, for mofe than thirty yeare, 

been seeking for the riches of this life, for the honora 

of the world, and following the fashions of the times ae 

greedily as men of the world Yes. And can we distinguish 

a professor of religion in our public amemblies 

from a man of the world, except we are informed No. 

Where, then, do Christians plainly show they eeek a 

better country Nowhere. May we not live in the 

same neighborhood with professors for years, and not 

hear them recommend the religion they profees Yee. 

But do we not hearthe same pereons talk freely, flippantly, 

and zealously about tbe world, the politics and the fashim 

of the day Yes. Is it not a general complaint with 

all of our churches, of coldness, of a want of spirit~ial 

life, and a great failure in active spiritual duties Yea 

Has not a spirit of' sloth and supineness seized upon 

profeesore generally Do not many think, if they have 

a hued servant to talk religion, and visit the widow 

and fatherless, and keep themselves unspotted from the 

world, for them it is enough Yea And does not all 

this, and much more which might with truth be said on 

this point, declare loudly that the professore of Chrietianity, 

general1 are in a lukewatm state Yes. We 

must respond, 2% 

The doetrine taught. Here again your speaker feels 

a diffidence in speaking on this subject, knowing that 

many great, learned, and good men dfler on thie point; 

but we must all strutd or fall to our own Master, and I 

must answer how I speak or shun to declare the whole 

counsel of God Your speaker believes that the depravity 

of the human heart, our dependence on God, and 

indebtednese to ce are abundantly taught in the 

scriptures. See gh.'i. 4-13. But how sands th* 

doctrine with our publia proclaimera at the present day 

Some few may preach it, but there is more than ten to 

one who do not preach it, or, if they do, they eo cover it 

up by their plausible and specious reaeonmg, that the 

force of the doctrine and ths objed d the inspired 

14

, writers are wholly lost We are now taught that man 

can make hielf a Christian as easily as, he can turn 

about in the highway; that obedience or baptiam ia regeneration; 

that works are the medium of acceptance 

with God, and that the righteousness of Chriet ia not 

imputed. How can such doctrine be more clearly 

pointed out than it is b the faithful and true witneeen 

to the Laodicean chur& T And knowest not that thou 

art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and 

naked." That is, they know not their depravity. "1 

counsel thee to buy of me (see here their dependence on 

God) gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; 

and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that tbe 

shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; and anoint thine 

eyes with e e-salve, that thou mayest aee." Grace, 

y e , "m 'B e foundation to the top stone. Surely, my 

ear fnends, no candid observer of the dockme taught 

at the present day, but what muet in his heart acknorledge 

that the doctrine taught by many, among the different 

sects, is the same described by our divine blaster 

in the prophecy to the Laodicean church. 

The signa of ihe iimea. In the cloee of Ctuiitt's in- 

structions to the church under considemtion, he =ye, 

U Behold, I stand at the door and knock ; if any man hear 

my voice," &c. Daniel says, bL At that time shall Michael 

stand up, the great Prince that standeth u for Ute 

children of thy people." And Christ sayr, &r man 

d l coioe in xn name, saying, l am Christ, .nd nhai 

deccive many.'' Ghese were particular aigm given by 

Christ and the prophets. And how have these come to 

paas , Witncsa the great and m y reformatiom wliich 

for tli~rty ears have progressed in our land, in Europe, 

and the isrands of the seaa See also the word 

published, in whole or in part, among all nations. See 

the missionaries of the gospel running to and fro through 

the whole eartl~ Do not these indicate Uurt Christ 

etnnds at the door, and that his voice has gone out even 

unto the ends of thc world, and that Michael haa etood 

of 

up for the children of thy people Yea Again : how 

many new oecw have arisen, how man falae Christa have 

come in thin bhze of goapel light, ud ue drawing away 

God

their hundrede and thomda after them ! It is almaat 

incredible, when we take into view the light and knowledge 

under which we live; but all go to prove that 

Christ is nigh, even at the door. 

In reviewing our subject, we learn by the events of 

the Sardis church, and by the admonibons given, our 

duty to guard against the introduction of errom into the 

church, and to strengthen ourselves in the truth; and 

likewise of being active in all the duties of reliion, that 

we may not only have a name to live, but have the life 

.and power of the gospel, that we may resist all the 

temptations and fiery darts of the enemies of the 

church. 

By the church of Philadelphia, we learn that if we 

keep the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, 

he will keep us from those trials and judgments which 

he sends on an ungodly and rebellious people, and that 

God has opened a door for the spread of the gospel, 

which no power on earth will be able to shut, until the 

angel standing on the sea and on the land, shall swear 

that time shall be no longer. We also learn the im r- 

tance of having brotherly love and perseverance in Ely ! 

things, that no man take from us the crown which is laid 

up for those that love God, and which. will be given to 

them who remain steadfast in Christ Jesus at his coming, 

which is promised quickly tq this church. 

By the Laodicean church, we learn the important lesson 

that we cannot serve two masters; we cannot love 

the present evil world, and at the same time be the servants 

of God ; that to be lukewarm in religion is to be 

cast out of hi presence, and call down the vengeance of 

God's ha1 judgment nponour heads, and, while we may 

flatter ourselves that we are righteous, find to our ever 

lasting shame, that we are wretched, miserable, poor 

blind, and naked. 

Think, 0 think, my dear friends, you that are trustin 

in your own goodness, when that day of justice shdf 

come, and the faithful and true witness shall stand 

against you, when our goodness shall pass away like the 

mo-g cloud, andthe righteous Judge shall pronounce 

'

the dreaW sentence, Depart- what rnnet be 

feelinp! The world, which ou here wanbippec 

burning up ; the friend. with rim you here ~uri.od 

are gone to meet the Lord in the air, or are sinkin with 

you into endless and hopelass misery. The &vior, 

whose name you are now ashamed to own, or wbw 

righteousness you think you need not, is now your Ju 

seated on a great white throne, from whose face "9: 

heavens and the earth shall flee away. Think, 0 einner! 

, where wilt thou be found!

LECTURE XI. 

REV. v. 9, 10. 

And thdy sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the 

book, and to open he seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and 

hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, 

and tonguc, and people, and nation ; and bast made us into our 

God kings and priests ; and we shall reign on the earth. 

THERE is such harmony, beauty, and knowledge In 

every part of the word of God, that the Bible student, 

whose heart is interested in the same, has often, while 

, reading, been led to stop and admire the order, wisdom, 

and light which burst upon his enraptured vision, at the 

unfolding of the figures and truths which until that moment, 

perhaps, lay in darkness, doubt, and obscurity, and 

seemed to be wrapped up in a mysterious veil that almost 

makes the reader quail, and come to the conclusion 

that he is treading on forbidden ground; but, perhaps, 

in an unexpected moment, the inspired penman, seemingly 

having anticipated our ignorance or darkness, 

throws out a spark of that live coal which had touched 

his lips, and our darkness is dispelled, i orance vanishes 

before the fulneas of knowledge of word of God, 

and we atand reproved and admonished for our stupidi 

and ignorance in the figures and truths before explainel 

Our text is a brilliant s ark of that fire which IS upon 

the altar between the ckerubims, and gives us a clear 

ray of light to discover the dlusion of the fi ures contained 

in the fourth and fifth chapters of this fwk. it is 

conveyed unto us by way of a chorus, like the angel'# 

14 *

song at the birth of our Savior in Bethlehem of Jndea, 

It explains to us in a divine song what the four beastr, 

are, and gives a key to unlock the myetery of the twentyfour 

elders, and clearly shows who opens the eeals of 

the book. I shall, in illustratin this subject, inquire 

I. who they were that sung %is new song ; 

11. Show the song, and #e occasion of it ; and, 

111. Speak of the reign and the place where. 

I. We are to inquire who are the singere in thie 

nd chorus. The rophet calla them "the four 

Gts," or, as it mi ht gave been more roperly translated, 

jmu mimute icings; and the U g u r &d twenty 

elders," he also calls them saints," See the 8th v 

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts2 

four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having 

every one of them harps and golden vials full of 

odors, which are the prayers of the saints." Thencomw 

in our text, And they sung a new song," &c. The 

four beasts is a figurative representation of the whole 

New Testament church, not only in character, but in 

chronology, representing the four different stages of trial 

through which the church should pass in her pi 

in the wilderness of this world, before she wo p d enter 

the visible kingdom of her glorious Redeemer, the New 

Jerusalem, and reign on the earth. And every individual 

Christian, who may live any length of time &r hie 

conversion, asses through some or all of these stat= of 

trial. The !our and twenty elders are the twelve triuehs, 

which arc sorncthncs called propkl,, a&e 

twelve apostlcs of the IAamb. For it is said, we an 

built on the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ. being 

the chief corner-stone ; and figuratively it may represent 

the firitliful and true n~inititcrs of Jesus Christ, the mu! 

as the twenty-fulu courses of tl~e priesthood uuder tlrr 

Jewish economy. See 1 Cliron. xxiv. 7-19. A~ul the 

four beasts nre typified b the four grand division8 of 

the Jewish cam under doscs. The fin&, on the eaet, 

was to follow & standard of Judah ; tht on the wulh 

rido, and second in the nrnrch, was the stnndard of Reuben; 

on tl~e went nidc, Ephim, and I&, was the third 

standard in the march; on the north aide WM Da'r

etandard and Dan brought up the rear in the march of 

the Jews through the wlldemeae. What their several 

standards'were, I cannot tell, except that of Judah, 

which marched in front, immediately after the ark, whick 

in all probability was a lion. Ana our &'first beast 

under consideration wa8 "like a lion, and the second 

beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face os n man, 

and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle." These 

re resent the four grand divisions of the gospel church. 

~ g int e represent^ the church in the apo&lic age, 

when the church went forth, bold as a lion,, preaching 

and proclaiming the gwpel among all natlons. The 

second state or division of the church warr the times of 

persecution and slaughter by the Roman emperors, 

represented by the calf. The third state of the church 

was in Constantine's day, when the church enjo ed 

privileges ru a man, and became independent, and &te 

a natural man, proud, avaricious, and worldly. The 

fourth and last state of trial was when the anti-Christian 

beast arose ; and, under the acowge ofthis abominetion, 

the church havin two wine given her, like the wings 

of an eagle, she !ew into the mldemea, where, a place 

being prepared for her, she is nouriihed from the face of 

the serpent a thousand two hundred and threescore 

da s, Rev. xii 614. 

!hie of course would include the whole Christian 

church until Christ's second coming, when ad-Chriat 

will be destroyed, and the church delivered fiom all 

her foes, and brought into her New Jemaalem etabe, 

where John now sees in his vision the whole family of 

the redeemed, singing the grand chorus aa in the verses 

our text. &'And I beheld, and I heard the 

%:many an eis round about the throne, and the 

beasts, and the elfera ; and the number of them waa ten 

thousand times ten thousands and thousands of thou- 

@an&." In thii vision John has the same view which 

Daniel had in his vision. See Daniel vii. 10. Daniel 

eaw the same throne, and the same numbers stood before 

it; which proves, almost beyond a doubt that Daniel's 

virjion carries us into the eternal, immortal, and glorified

&ate; for John, in the next vweq carriea um mto the 

eternal atate of the righteous 

12th verse, Saying with a loud voice, Warthy is the 

Iamb that was slain to receive power, and richea, and 

wisdom, and strength, and horn, and glory, and blaesing. 

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the 

earth, and under the eruth, and mh M are in the seq 

andallthatare inthem,heard I aTeemiq,and 

honor, and glory, and power, be unto that mtteth 

upon the throne, and unto the Lamb fmer and ever. 

And the four beasts mi4 Amen And the four and 

twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth 

forever and ever Nothing can be more evident than 

that John here saw the whole family of the redeemed, 

as they will be after the first remmection; for he gives 

the seven1 sitnabom of every part of the whole fhmily 

aa they actually were, that b, m body, or the situation 

of their bodies at that very time when he waa writing, 

*every creature," that is, in pemn, in their bodies, as 

they will be after the resurrection; not all mankind, as 

Home vainly suppoae, but those who are redeemed, or 

who may hereaRer be redeemed, out of every kindred, 

and tongue, and people, and nation." See our text If 

it had been all naaom," &c, he would not have enid, 

"out of," &c. Therefore we must take the whole in 

connection But John saw every creature whom bodies 

then were some of them in heaven, as Enoch and Elijah ; 

every creature who was then alive on the earth, like himself 

and brethren; every body of the saints that had 

slept and been buried under ground, or in the sea, and 

all the saints who were yet in the loins of their fathem. 

In ono word, he saw the whole general sseembly, and 

church of the first born, whose names wero written iu 

tho Lamb's book of life. These four beasts are the same 

living creaturea which Isaiah saw when he had a view 

of tho glo of God. lsa. vi. 1 4 "In the year that 

king mix died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a 

thmno, hi~h and lined u a11d his train filled the temple. 

Abovc it stood tho ucrapkms; each one had six wi 

with twoin t~e covered his face, and with twain%

covered his feet, and with twain he did fl And one 

cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, hogis the Lord 

of hosts ; the whole earth is full of hie lory." Ezekiel 

also saw the same living creatures thatgeaLab calls useraphima," 

and John LLfour beasts" Ezekiel calls them 

" cherubim" See Ezel~ i. and x. chapter& John Bays, 

Rev. iv. 8, And the four beasts had each of them six 

wings about hi" tAe same as Isaiah's ueeraphims.n. 

These wings are the graces of the Spirit, as is strongly 

implied b hekiel i. 12, U And they went eve one 

8traight Jrward; whither the spirit was to .go, thy 

went ; and they turned not when they wedn With 

two they covered their face 77--humility and repentance; 

with two they covered their feetn--that ig they walked 

by two of the graces, faith and patience, fiaith in God 

and patient in tribulation ; LG and with two they did fly 

hope and love. They L'mount up with wings as eagles ; 

they shd run and not be weary, walk and not faint," 

says the prophet lsaiah, xl. 31. And again John anye, 

they were "full of eyea before and behind, and they 

were full of eyes within;" showing that they would 

have just views of sin, of God, and his word, aad of 

themselves: they could look b k and see their sins, 

and the pit from which they had been delivered, and 

with grahtude remember their Redeemer. They could 

with eyes of faith look forward and believe in the 

promises of God, and have a view of the glory that 

shall be revealed at his second coming. With eyea 

within, they could look into their own hearts, and sce the 

re- corruwon and hidden depravity that lie 

in every corner of the sod, and by this meam 

:%the old man with his deeda They are repreeenb 

ed by John as being praying souls, "and golden vials 

full of odors, which are the prayers of saints." Every 

Dne had these vials, says John. HOW then, I ask, can 

the prayerlw man or woman think to join thie celestial 

2 6L Having every one of them harps ;" &owing 

E% of them would hawe-new bearb, be born of God; 

so they would be enabled to sing in the New Jedem 

etate the new so 

~ h a ue o theLtere pnans wii* ~hoi ur

tp~sentedbp fAej%w d kardJddcn sndfkjbvr 

beds. I6ballmw, 

IL Show what we may nndemtzd by the nea song, 

and the oceagion of it 

The propbet John had been led by the angel thm 

eeren di~Emnt stap of tbe church, by the mion of te 

rnnwrv of the seen stars and seven lden eamllesticks, 

&der ihe name of tbe sewn ehmcres of Asia, which 

ought to be noderstood symbolically down to the time 

when the jndae stands at the door ready to enter in to 

tbe supper of be great God, when all wicked flesh wiIl be 

dm~ed, and till the marriage wpper of the Lamb 

arrk&, whcn all'the righteous wilI be raised, enter into 

' 

the glorified state, and lire and with him on earth. 

Then it is rfectly nahnal d y e r we had read the 

bktory of church through d ber trials, pmntiom, 

md imperfectionm, re ehoold be led to see her delnerawe 

on the other side of the banha of Jordan, or beyond 

the power of deatb, and to hear a part, at le&, of that 

ww mng which no man can eing unl- he ia redeemed 

from the earth. 

In the second and third chapters of Revelation, we 

bave the history of the church, ae I have endeavored to 

low in my lectaRs on the chnrches. In the fourth and 

fiffh chapters we have a view of the glorided state, and 

the charactem given of those who will en'oy the privilege 

of that sta@ the mug which rill employ &e Iden haqm, 

and the place where. The charactera I cve already 

'ven. The gong is represented aa a new 

Lawe it ia su30nly in that state wberye igg6: 

made new. See Pet iii 13, u Nevertheless we, according 

to his promise, Inok for new heavens and a new earth, 

wherein dwelleth righteouenm." Rev. xxi 5, And he 

that sat u n the throne said, Behold, I make all think 

new." $w John aw, in Rev. iv. !2, the ame throne, 

and him that sat upon i and in the veme above quoted 

be speztk~ u though$b.d mentioned belore him that 

sat opn the throne. And as he has not mentioned him 

in tale lao$age in any other place, we may hare strong 

rewn to eLeve that the time and eubjact matter in the 

same in the 4th chapter of Bevelntion aa in the 2ld

chapter. Again: we are expressly told that no man 

could learn the new song, but those who am redeemed 

from the earth, Rev. x~v. 3. And redemption from the 

earth is no where spoken of until the resurr~tion of the 

body. Christ says, in Luke xxi. 27,28, '' And then shall 

they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power 

and great glory. And when these things be in to come 

to ass then look up, and lift up our he$ for your 

refemhon draweth nigh." And Haul says, Rom vi. 

23, '' Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waitin 

for the aiioption, to wit, the redemption of our bodie% 

In this state they can sin For thou wast slain, and 

hast redeemed ul to ~ o f thy b blood, ~ out of every 

kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." It is also 

a holy song ; for they cry, '' and rest not day and night, 

saying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which was, 

and is, and is to come." The church m this state are 

not all holy ; they have but a faint view of the holinesa . 

of God's character, his law or gove~aunent ; neither could 

they endure the sight ; for when God has seen fit to reveal 

a small part of hi holiness, men have fainted under 

it. Isaiah cried out, " Woe is me." Ezekiel fell upon 

his face, Ezek. L 28. Daniel's comeliness was turned 

into corruption, so that he retained no strength, Dan. 

x 8. Therefore it is evident that this holy song can 

o~lly be sung in a state of immortality, when we shall 

be holy, even as God is holy. This new and holy song 

will not cease, for they rest not day and n*t, which 

proves it to be in the eternal state. And the dress and 

crowns of the elders, "clothed in white raiment," and 

they had on their heads 'Lcrowns of gold," a d they 

Ucast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou 

worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power" - 

all proves that the new song is sung after the second 

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ ; for Paul tells us, that 

a crown is laid up for him which the ri hteoua Judge 

shall give him at that day ; and not only fim, but to all 

the~n also that love his appearing. So neither the elders 

nor the beasts can pin this new song until the New 

Jerusalem is formed, tfeir bodies redeemed fmm the 

earth, and they brought into the eternal otab of the

ighteous. 

It will not be sung until the lset chid io 

born into the kingdom - the last enemy conquered - 

the elect gathered froni the four wid& of heaven, and 

the cap stone brought forth, when the heavens will 

ring w~th this general chorus. U Holy, holy, holy is the 

Lord God Almighty : blessing, and honor, and glory, and 

power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and 

unto the Lamb forever and ever ; and the four beasts will 

may, Amen." 

111. I shall now show the reign spoken of in our text, 

and the place where. 

There is much peculation at the present da on the 

reign of Christ on the eiwth, which is promised in hi 

word, and in the text Some have suppoeed that it 

would be purely spiritual, by the Holy Splrit's influeme, 

when all, or a lwge share of mankind who then sbould 

be on the earth, would be regenerated and become the 

subjects of his spiritual kingdom; that there would be 

no tern ting devil to deceive, nor any kingdoms on the 

earth, put what would be ~ubject to Christ9s spiritual 

reign, and the church would enjoy a long Sobbath of 

red; and the long-desired period of eome who profto 

be the servants of Christ would come ; when ctlurch 

and state would be united, and war would cease to the 

end of the world, and the world would increase in riches, 

arts, and science to an amazing degree, beyond an thin2 

we have yet conceived; thousands would inhagit the 

earth where there are but tena now, and man would live 

Lo P good old age, nnd nations be born ill a day. Thin 

theory is tile Inoat rntional one I have been able to db 

cover, aside from the glorious reign of Christ with his 

people in a state of hnmortality. 

To the above theory I have mnny scriptural objections. 

Altliough the advocates of this theory call it spiritnal, 

yet a luge 8hare, if not all, are temporal bleseinp of 

this luogdom, and are exactly the samo that tho Jem 

believed they should potmess at Christ's first coming. 

A ain: tliey must suppose, if this bc trur, that tbe 

ruferu of tho world must all be Christians, or pmfclaedly 

m. Then what must we say to Chrisl's words, hfy 

kingdom b not of this world" and again, UIn the

CHRIBT'S srcom comae. 189 

world ye shall have tribulation * The world hate you, 

and if ye live godly, ye shall mffer persecution, and 

these (meaning the whole farnil of the redeemed) have 

come out of much tribulation. how could those mlllione 

who are born or live in this happy period, come out of 

great tribulation But where do the advocates of the 

above system prove theit doctrine Some pretend to 

bring the same passages in the Old Testament that the 

Jews did, to prove their temporal kingdom over the 

Gentiles, and do not see that much of the Old Testament 

prophecy was, and has been fulfilled in its typical 

sense. And it is very easy to show that the passages 

they pretend to bring in the Old Testament were all 

fulfilled 1800 yeare ago. 

But, if the had believed in this theory, would not 

some of the dew Testament writers have mentioned this 

importnnt period I remember, when I was but a child, 

of hearing an old minlster of the gospel make a remark 

like this :-I6 

All the Old Testament prophecies," said 

he, 'L which were not fulfilled when Christ came in the 

flesh, are carried into the New Testament, and further 

explained." 1 then thought there was reason and propriety 

in the remark; I think so still, for the two witnesses 

must and will agree. And where do the believers 

in this system bring us one word from Christ Not 

one. But we can show much to the contrary. The 

parable of the tares and the wheat carries us to the end 

of the world; and he expressly says, '&Let them grow 

together until the harvest" His prophecy andparables 

in Matt. xxiv. and xxv. give us a prophecy until his 

second coming, and not a word about a happy period 

previonsly, but much about lo heres, and lo theres, and 

wicked servants beating and bruising their fellow-servants, 

and eating and drinking with the drunken, saying 

in their hearts, My Lord delayeth his coming. Can this 

be 8. millennium No. Too much devil in such conduct 

as this. Where does Paul, avery prominent writer, 

give us a hint of these important things He must have 

understood the Old Testament as well as some, if not 

all, of our modern divines. But he, too, has given the 

reverse. In his epistle to the Thessalonians, he tells us 

15 

v

f"~, Then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the 

ord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy 

by the brightness of his coming," 2 Thesa i. In 

his 2 Thess. i, he tells them of the necessity of patience 

and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations ; which, 

he says, is a manifest token of the righteous judgment 

of God ; and then goes on to show Christ's coming, and 

destruction of an nngodly world; nothi that looks like 

a millennium in this, or any part of pass writings, be- 

after the personal and second coming of the Savior; and 

all the arguments to do away or destroy the word murnction 

are so futile and weak that it needs no argument 

to refute them; for what could do it in that place might 

in every other case, and we should be Sadducees at 

once. James, Peter, and Jude mention the last days in 

their epistles, and describe tliein as being ver wicked, 

yet make no mention of a day of the spread o!tlle aspel 

in this wonderful manner. Jnmes speaks of 8eir 

heaping up treasures for the last days. Behold, tlre 

hire of the laborers who hove reaped down your tiel&, . 

which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth ; and Uie crica 

of them wliicl~ linve reaped are entered into the earn of 

the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasore on tllc 

earth, and been wanton: ye have nourished your hcortj 

us in a day of slaugl~ter. Ye.havc condemned and killed 

the just; ant1 he dot11 not resist you. Be ticut, tllerc- 

Lxe, brethren, unto the coming of the ~ orrfor Ule coniing 

of tl~e Lord dmweth nigh." Can tl~is be the ~nillcu- 

~iiu~n No! u~~lcss pn)ud, earthlv plearure, wantonnmj, 

and ~nurtlcr, are tile spirit of their millennium. Yet, if 

it is temporal, tliis would be the most likely fruitq, if we 

judge of thc future by tlie put; for the greater he temporal 

blessings, the grcator is man's rebellion Read 

tl~e second and third cllnpters of 2 Peter, rherc he expressly 

spalw of the Inat daya UKnowi~ig Ll~ia first, 

that them rhall oome, in the h t days, ecofferq walking

after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promlse 

of his coming" &c., agreeing with what Christ said the 

wicked ministers would be doing when he comes. They 

would say in their Iiearts, My Lord delayeth his coming. 

Can there he this happy time described in the above 

theory All must answer, No. Then let this suffice as 

answer to the above theory, until our opponents prove 

their own sentiments hy the word. There are many 

more branches of the above system, but none that I have , 

seen but are liable to the same objections. 

I shall now undertake to prove that this reign is in the 

immortal state, after the resurrection; that Christ will 

be present with his people, and, of course, personally, 

and that it will be on the earth. 

I. Then I am to prove that it wil be immortal after 

the resurrection. 

The present reign is called, in Scripture, a reign of 

grace; "So might grace reign through righteousnew 

unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord." This rei 

has been ever since Christ waa in the world, for 18% 

years past. We shall now show that this rei n must 

continue until after the resurrection of the dea%. See 

1 Cor. xv. 23-26; &'But every man in his own order; 

Christ the first fruits, (resurrection ;) afterward8 they that 

are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when 

he shall have given up the kingdom to God, even the 

Father ; when he shall put down all rule, and all authority 

and power. For he must reign till he hath put all 

enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be 

destroyed is death!' Here we have plain Scripture that 

the eame reign of grace must continue unto eternal life ; 

and. In the other text, until the resurrection of them that 

are Christ's, and death, the last enemy to the church, is 

destroyed. Where, then, shall we get in a spiritual or 

temporal reign We see evidently there is no change 

of the re' n of Christ in the gospel or grace, from the 

apostles* YE s until the time comes when the sainta shall 

possess the kn dom in the immortal atate. Paul says, 

Rom. s. 17, "rkr if by one man9s ofence death reigned 

by one, much more they which receive abundance of

and of the gift of righteoames~, &all reign in life 

c e , Jam Christ-" Here the UjOY are promised to 

re' n after the gift of righteowneas, (which the righteon 

luYge shall give 111 tbas who love hu appeamg at tImt 

day,) in life, that is, eternal life. See 2let verse. 1 Peter 

v. 4, And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, 

shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.* 

his muat, of couree, be in the immortal state, for it 

fadeth not away. 

11. That Christ will be present with his le in a 

Mte of immortality, can hardly be d o u b a n we 

read such texts as these:- John xii 24, "If any man 

sene me, let him follow me ; and where I am, there a h 

shall my servant be." Again, John xiv. 3, YAnd if I 

go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and 

receive you to myself; that where I am there ye may be 

plea." So much for Christ's promise to his disciples 

And now let us read his prayer to his Father on thin 

point, John xvii, 24, "Father, I will that they, ah, 

whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that 

they may behold my glory." Paul eayg 1 Theea iv. 17, 

&$And so shall we ever be with the Lord." "For it doth 

not yet appear what we shall be; but we kmw that 

when he ehall appear, we shall be like him; for we sh.l 

see him as he is. Our text sage, " And hast made ua 

unto our God kinp and priests." Rev. a 46, '

ths New Jerusalem state, prepared as a bride adorned 

for her husband, where we shall reign with hi forevet 

and ever on the new earth and in the new heavens; 

"and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, 

and there shall be no more death, neither orr row nor 

crying, neither shall there be an more pain; for the 

former thiogs are passed awayT Then the whole 

earth shall be full of his glory ;" and then, as sa 8 the 

prophet Isaiah, liv. 5, "For thy Maker is thine husgand ; 

the Lord of Hosta is his name; and thy Redeemer, the 

Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall 

he be called." 

And then, my dear hearer, if you have had your heart 

broken off from sin; if you have by faith been united in 

spirit to the Lamb of God ; if you have patiently endured 

tribulation and persecution for his name,-then you WIU 

live and reign with him on the earth, and this earth will 

be regenerated by fire and the power of God, the cursed 

destroyed, sin, pain, crying, sorrow, and death banished 

from the world, and morhlity clothed upon by immortality, 

death swallowed up in victory, You will rise n 

in that general assembly, and clapplng your hands wifR 

joy, cry, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, 

which was, and is, and is now come." Then yon will be 

in a situation to 'oin the grand chorus, and sing the new 

song, snymg, u!dhou art worthy, for thou wast slain, and 

hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every 

kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast 

made us unto our God kings and eats, and we shall 

reign on the earth, saying, with a E d voice, Worthy ia 

the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, 

and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and 

blessing." And all who meet in that grand assembly L 

will be then heard to shout, L6Blessi and honor, and 

glory, and power be unto him that sitt%upon the throne, 

and unto the Lamb forever and ever." And methinks I 

can now see every one who loves our Lord and Savior 

Jesus Christ in this assembly, rising upon their feet, and 

ill one united pra er of faith, crying, Come, Lord Jesua 

0 come quick1 . 

X 

f. *

But you, 0 impenitent man or woman, where d 

you be then When heaven shall resound with the 

mighty song, and distant realms shall echo back the 

sound, where, tell me, where will you be then b Ad! 

0 think! In hell ! a dreadful word! Once mom tbinl~! 

Zn heU! lifting u our e es, bei in torment Stop, 

.inner; think ! R L ! wgere shy be weeping, wai~- 

ing, and yashing of teeth. Stop, sinner, stop,; coneider 

on your atter end. In IteU! "where the beast and 

false prophet are and shall be torniented day and 

forever and ever I entreat of ou to think - ins! 

I know you hate to hear the wori It sound. too huJI 

There is no music in it. You say it grab u n the 

ear. But think, when it grates upon the soul, conscience, 

and the ear, and not by sound only, but a dread 

reality, when there can be no respite, no cessation, no 

deliverance, no hope! You will then thmk, yes, of thin 

warnk, of a thousand others, perhaps of thia hour, with 

many more that are loat; yea, worse than lost, that 

have been squandered in earthly, vain, and trarmitory 

mirth, have been abused ; for there have been many how 

the Spirit strove with you, and you prayed to be excused. 

There was an hour when conscience spake ; but you 

stopped your ears and would not hear. There was a 

time when judgment and reason whispered ; but you soon 

drowned their cry by calling in some aid against your 

own soul. To jud ent and reason you have opposed 

will and d, and a$ in hel,' was only in the grace In 

this vain citadel, on this frail house of sand, you will 

build. until the last sed is broken, the last tnunp will 

sound, the last woe be pronounced, and the last vd be 

poured upon the earth. Then, impenitent man or woman, 

you will awake in everlaatin woe! 

Be warned ; repent ; fl ffv for succor to the ark of' 

God, to Jesus Chrief the b that oncc was slain, that 

yo11 iniglit live, for he is worthy to receive all honor, 

ywer, and glow Believc, and yoti shnll live. Obey 

11s word, his spirit, Ilk cnlls, Ilia invitations ; there is no 

time fix delay ; put it nnt off, 1 hc nf yo11 ; no, not for :r 

rnol~rc~rt. Do you want to join Lllat heavcnly cl~oir and

sing the m song 3 Then come in God's appointad 

way; repent Do yon want a house not made with 

hands, &mal in the heaven8 Then join in heart and 

soul thii happy people, whose God ie the brd. Do you 

want an interest m the New Jedem, the beloved 

city Then aet your face as a iht Zwn-ward ; become 

a pila& in the good dd wa Seek fmt the lnngdom 

of heaven," sap Chd, dthen all the tlung~ ihall 

be ctdded unto yoa"

LECTURE XII. 

- 

tba tribe of Judah,lhe mot of Darlb. Path pnrrUedto dm. b 

and Lo loose tba mren esata U M ~ . 

And one of tbe elders rakb unto me Weep no( : kbdd ~ & 

THE book of Revelation baa been called by 

a sealed book ; and many a dear mint, while in imrfect 

state of vision and knowledge, has wept much, 

Lause they co:~ld not read and uoderetaod the book. 

For it is very evident that the book of Revelation is not 

only ideresting in its symbolical and mystical descriptions, 

natural scenery, and figurative laoguage, but it ie 

rich in truth, and the communication of we& then hid 

under the veil of futurity, and would only be unfolded 

to the natural visiom of men, many to come. J& 

b.s written this book after the lawe ynature; th.1 iq 

he has seemed to copy after some of the richeat and 

most picturesque scenes in nature's lawa Ife has, in 

revealing truths to our minds, followed the same steady 

course that fountains of \vnter do in their cwrse to the 

sea. He begins as it were back upon the Inonnhms, 

where the head may be but a fountain, and there gwes 

us a description of the source. He then glides ntly 

dong 

- 

through the vale belor, winding between hiE md 

mountaim, visiting in his course the hamlets of the 

peasant, the villages of men, the populws tom and 

cities of commerce, until he lands us or leaves us in the 

ocean of etemit At finrt, he appears to be describing 

bubbhng LW or geatle spring, and ewsnYp

in importance as he proceeds, brings in and adds every 

important stream of event, deepena and widens in his 

course, until he mew hie prophetic history like a deep 

flowing river, beanng upon its bosom the gallant shlpe 

and galley with oars. At first, he describes a pebbly 

brook mumring along the hills, now snd then bursting 

into view with some gentle fall, then lidi softly 

away, until it meeta some rugged head-&d,L its 

course, and almost seem to retrace its path ; then, euddenly 

bursting from the hills in cataracts of foam, bounding 

from rock b rock, leaping into the vale below, he 

again seem to follow the alluvial flats and recelves hie 

tributary &reams, winds on his way, until it falls at its 

mouth by a tremendous leap into a gulf of waters, and 

is swallowed u in the waves of the aea. 

Four times % Revelation seema to brbg ua down in 

thia manner, ria though he had begun on one mountain, 

and traced four different stream of hiatoTy down to the 

great oceaa of etemitg ; like the river of Eden, which 

watered the garden, ecoming four headeof four 

rivers, rbich waked and encompassed the whole 

different points of the compass, but falling at last 

2% e ocean, Gen. ii 10-14 ; and all these having 

seven tributary stream in their course. The seven 

churchee of Asia ia a hiry of the church of Christ in 

her seven fom, in all her wind- and in all 

her prosperity .ad advenity, from the day%: apos 

tles down to the end of the mrld. The eeven eeals are 

a history of the tramactions of the powers and k i i of 

the earth over the church, and God'e protection of hie 

people during the same time. The reven trumpets are 

a W r y of eeven peculiar and heavy jud enta sent 

upon the earth, or Roman kingdom Anf%e seven 

vials are the seven last plagues sent upon Papal Rome. 

Mixed with these are many other evente, woven in like 

tributary streams, and IUliing up the grand river of prophec 

, until the whole ends ue in the ocean of etemt 

Ghii b me, ia the plan of John'. prophecy in the & 

of Revelation. And the man who d e s to undemtand 

this book, must have a thorough knowledge of other parts 

of tbe wwd of God. The figum and metaphors ueed

in this prophecy, are not all explained in the wrme, bat 

milst be found in other prophets, and explained in other 

paasages of Scripture. Therefore it is evident that God 

has designed the study of the whole, even to obtain a 

clear knowledge of any part I shall then pursue the 

following method :- 

I. Explain the book which waa in the right hand of 

him who sat on the throne. 

11. Give the history of the seven seals, and their 

opening. 

I. I am to explain what is meant by the book. 

The book is often spoken of in the word of God 

Sometimes we hear it @en of as a little book, open, 

in the hands of the angel ; and sometimes it is commanded 

to be sealed up ; and sometimes to be unloosed, an is 

our text. The question arises, What can this book mean 

It cannot mean the book of Revelation, for John wau 

commanded not to seal the sayinge of this book, Rev. 

xxii. 10. Neither could it be the pro heck, for they 

were commanded to be read every ~ abkth day by the 

Jews, and were so read. Yet John telle us, in our context, 

"That no man, neither in heaven, nor in earth, nor 

under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to 

look thereon ; and I wept much, becauee no man war 

found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to 

look thereonn We see, plainly, that it could not apply 

to the law, nor the prophets, to the OM or New Testamenb, 

for these were committed to the Jews, and also 

unto us Gentiles, and were to be read by all men; but 

this book they could not o n, read, nor look thereon. 

There is one more book wcch anewere to John9a description, 

which no man, neither in heaven, nor on earth, 

nor under the earth, has yet been able to look thereoq 

or open and read, as we have any account of; and which, 

according to the whole tenor of the Scripture, will never 

be opened, read, or looked upon, until the bt seal ia 

broken, and the judgment sits. And I saw tbe dead, 

mall and great, stand before God ; and the boob were 

opened ; and another book rws encd, which u the Ikd 

fl .l*; and the dead were juTEed out of thoe 

rlnch nsre rrim in the boaka In thir book, rbich

B called the book of kye, the names of all the redeemed 

in heaven, in earth, or under the earth, are written, 

which are not known to any man, neither will be known, 

until the last seal is broken open ; for the judgment will 

declare who is on the Lord's side. For the apostle tells 

us, plainly, Our lives are hid with Christ in God ; tliat, 

when he appears, then we shall appear with him in glory." 

And John tells us, Rev. xxi 26, 27, "And they 

shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it, 

and there shall in no wise enter into it say thing that 

defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or 

maketh a lie ; 6ut they which ate witten in the Lad's 

book of lfk" UAnd whosoever was not found written 

in the boo of life, was cast into the lake of lire." A in : 

And they whose names were not written in the Took 

of life, from the foundation of the world, shall wonder," 

kc. This book, although we are abundanv informed 

there is ow, in the right hand of him that s~tteth upon 

the throne, no man, as wo are any where informed, has 

been able to look upon it, or open it, or to read its contents. 

This, then, is the book, on account of which 

John wept to know its contents. And tm it has been 

with all Christians. They are anxious to know whether. 

their names are written in the Lamb's book of life. But 

you must k t learn, my dear brother in Christ, to live by 

faith ; and faith, too, founded on the book in which you can 

look - of which you may read the promises, the propheciea, 

and commands. But into the book of life you can 

never look, until the Lamb of God shall open the seventh 

~eal, and the righteous dead be raised, to meet with the 

dear Savior in that world of glory, when the book will 

be opened in the presence of the universe, and he will 

own you as his, and crown you with joy unspeakable and 

full of glory. 

11. I shall now give the history of the seven seals, 

with the time of their opening. Akr the prophecy of 

the seven churches, in the 2d and 3d chapters of Revelation, 

John has a view of the heavenly host, singingthe 

grand song, and gives us a description of the heavenly 

choir, and a part of the song. He likewise introduces 

the book, sealed with seven seals, and shows who caq

open tho book, in the foarth and fifth chaptenr Thsre 

we have attended to, in a former lecture. 

We shall now be with the eixth chapter, 1st verse, 

u And 1 saw when $O e Lamb opened one of the wale; 

and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the 

four beasts, eaying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold, 

a white horse, and he that sat on him laad a bow; 

and a crown was given unto him; and he went forth 

conquering and to conquer." The beast," in this pak 

sclge, is the first, which was like a lion, representing the 

church in its first state, in the. daya of the apostles, when 

the church went every where, p c h g the word, bold as 

a lion The white horse, and hm that sat upon him, rep 

resent Jesus Christ oing forth in the power of the goepel. 

This is prove! by the pasage, Rev. xix. 11-18 

(( And I saw heaven opened, and behald, a white horse ; 

and he that sat upon him waa called Faithful and True, 

and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His 

eyes were as a dame of fire, and on his head were many 

cmwm ; and he had a name written that no man knew 

but he himself, and he was clothed in a vestnre dipped 

in blood; and his name is called The Word of God." 

This is the same personage as the other, and both places 

represent the same thing, only the fir& description 1s rep 

resenting the spread of the ospel in the beginning of 

the ppel day, the other at &e end of the gospel period, 

under which we are now living. Therefore the firsteed 

opena with the promulgation of the gospel, ae the last 

will be closed by the same. 3d and 4th v- u And 

when he had opened the second seal, I head the second 

beast say, Come and see. And there went out anotlrer 

horse, that was red ; and power was ven to h~m that 

Bat thereon to take peace from the e& and that they 

should kill one another; and there waa given unto him a 

great sword." The red horse denotes blood and camag~, 

and has reference to the times of persecution in the da 

of Nero and other Ranan empemq and urwera to 

same time as the Smyrna church. u Given unto him a 

at sword," shorn that the power wwld have great m- 

%"ty. The second beast spoken of in thia y-- 

the repreclentation of the church, which waa ~lre r a&

c~ms& 6-e coxrno. 18l 

rho*@ &it it cchdrCh mid be given to the slaughter, 

like a d f fatted fce the mazket, during the period of the 

opening of this Heel, which period lasted until aboot A. 

D. 318, when Constantine put a Wod to the persecutions 

of t8e Christiaas. 

5tkand 6th ma, "And when he had opened the 

third sea L heard the third beast say, Come and see. 

And I beheld, and lo, a black horse ; and he that sat 

apon him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I 

heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A 

measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of 

btvle fbr a penny, and see thou hurt not the oil and the 

wine.I The beast, which represents the church, 

under this seal, had a face as a man, and shows that the 

church would be like a natural man, proud, haughty, 

independent, selftsh, ambitious, covetous, and worldly. 

Thh seal wae opened in the days of Constantine, when 

religion became popular, and was a stepping-stone to 

power; and this seal agrees with the Pergamos church, 

as to time and place. The black horse denotes error 

and dsrkneas; and when the church became connected 

with worldly power and wisdom, she lost her urity of 

doctrine and practice, and adopted, in her cree%maxims 

and principles congenial with the natural heart, and 

forms and ceremonies for show and parade, rather than 

the humbling an4 cross-bearing life of the followers of 

Jssas. The balances denoted that religion and civil 

pwer would be united in the person who would administer 

the executive power in the government, and 

that he would claim the judicial authority both in church 

and state. This was true among the Roman emperors, 

from the days of Constantine until the reign of Justinan, 

when he gave the same judicial pwer to the bishsp 

of Rome. Tlle measures of wl~eat and barley for a 

penny denote that the members of the church would 

be eagerly engaged after worldly goods, and the love of 

money would be the prevailing spirit of the times, for 

they would dispose of any thing for money. The oil 

and wine denote the aces of the Spirit, faith and love, 

and Yere waa great %nger of hurting them, under the 

influence of eo much wmldly spirit And it ia well 

16

' 

pat+, by all historiane, that tbe pnqerky of tb churcb 

in th age produced the corruptions which finally terminated 

in the falling away, and setting up the anti- 

Christian abomixmtiom. 

7th atld 8th verses, '&And when he had opened the 

fourth seal, I heard the fourth beast say, Come and eee. 

And I looked, and behold, a e horse, and hk name that 

sat on him was Death, andel followed with him; and 

power waa fiven unto them ova the fourth pat of the 

earth, to kil with sword, and with h and with 

death, and with beam of the earth." T e fourth meal 

opened in the year A. D. 538, when anti-Chriat first 

amse, for the fourth beast wes like a fl jing . "And 

to the woman was given two win@ of an 3: that she 

might fly into the wilderness, into her lace, where she 

is nourished for s time, times, and a ha& from the face 

of the serpent" The ge horse ia named, in this p 

eage, death. And hell ollowed, show ua lainly that 

it is the anti-Christian power which woul~! have the 

ascendency over one fourth part of the earth, during the 

opening of thh seal. * Power was given unto them," 

ehows conclueively that it ia the same power mentioned 

in Rev. xiii 2-4, U And the dragonpve him his power, 

and his seat, and great authority. UAnd there was 

given him a mouth speaking great and blae bemiea 

; and power waa given nnto him to continua krty 

and two months." Again, 7th verse, '4 And it was given 

unto him to make war with the mints, and to overcome 

them ; and power wss given him over all kind* ad 

tonguea, and nationan In our text be cap "Power was 

given them to kill with the sword," that le, to make wu, 

which was fulfilled in Europe, when the papal power 

ant out large armiea to exterminate the hereti- ae 

they were called, who would not worship the beast or 

his image. u And with hunger ;" thk wan fulfilled by 

the same power imprisoning and starping to death ~y 

thousands of reom who were suspected of o 

m her ongodP; pncnaion And with dear% 

venting the moat cruel and blondy means of torture that 

were ever imposed upon ow world i tp inflict death, in 

every porrible shspe tbat men or devlb could inveot

t l h d and tens of th8+dB suffered death under 

the moet excruciatin tormenta that de Inqdsitio~,could 

devise. And wid the beasts of tbe earth; after 

they had glutted their thjrst for blood in ~rery.possible 

shape that man conld inflict, thousands were thmwn to 

ferocious be- to be destroyed b them The time 

and place of the opening oft& lsdwe cannot be mistaken 

in. It must have been during the Moody and 

pernutin reign of the papal church. 

~thillg verses, 'And when he Bad opened the fit& 

seal, I saw onder the altar the souls of them that were 

slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which 

they held ; and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How 

long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost thou not jud e and 

avenge ow blood on them that dwell on tbe e&$ And 

white robes wep given unto eve y one of them ; and it 

was raid unto them that they should reat yet for a little 

eeason, until their fellow-remanta also, and their brethren, 

that should be kiiled ss they were, ehould be fulfilledn 

On the opening sf the fifth real, there is no beast 

to say, GL Come and see for this very good reason - the 

church hm not ehanged her position, and is yet in the 

wilderness, like the flyiv eagle. Therefore, under the 

fourth beast, the church m likewise under the control of 

the same anti-Christian power as under the fourth seal, 

but the difference appears to be only in one thing - the 

church appears to enjoy a little respite from her pensecuting'enemy 

; and it would seem by the language of the 

souls of the martyrs that they are now iooklng for a day 

of vengeance, which God hath promised u n them who 

wonhipped the be& or his image; and inquiry ie, 

How long beh 

this day of vengeance will come The 

answer is given to these pra ing souls to rest a little season, 

and they are informed &re must be one more day or 

little season of persecution, when their brethren mnst bp 

killed in like manner with themselves ; and when that io 

accomplished, they would then experience the laet promise 

of God, the resmtion. This sed was opened , 

about the beginning of the 18th century, A. D. 1700 

when the bloody persecutions ainst Proteetants ceased, 

and the n a h of the wor~d%~an to enjoy idigioma 

thwdom.

12th-17th vereee, a And I bebeld when he had 

dthesixth.al,lodlo,there-agreatearthq= 

On the opening of this seal there is a t eartbqnabe 

Thu earthquake ia -ken of in 0th pE in thb book 

and alludes to the French reuoluticm ; and .of cuwoe thir 

seal opened about A. D. 1790. And the sun beeam 

black ae ~ackcloth of bair, and the moon bearme am 

bloodP Sun sometimes d e m rulere or kings, as in 

the case of Joseph's dream, when the wq mam and 

&am made obeisance to him, meaning hir, fither, head 

over all Isael, his mother, and his bretbmm ; foz where 

the k' ie called the sun, the queen m on, 

and Xrior rulere are called dms, as Chnst ia called 

nur of rig- because he ia king of Zion The 

church is called the moon, became she icl the bride of 

Christ. Ministers are called sium becawe tbe are inferior 

mlem in Cbri.1'8 kingdom. Therefore < understand 

this to mean in that revolution when the king lod 

his authority, and tried to diegnise himself, and snd ~IWKI 

his own subjects, &erwda aaa beheaded. The queen, 

toq became blood, and all the nobili of h e fell to 

the earth. One decree levelled all tiaw and distinetionr 

with the commonalty, like a %-tree casting ber untims 

ly fip And the stare of heaven fill anto the eartl~ 

even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figa wben she ir 

shaken of s mighty wind. And the heaven departed as 

a scroll when it is rolled 

The heavens mast 

mean that circle in which tho p l m move ; and if that 

is to be understood figuratively, BO must thia tkamu 

most then mean the lam and government of hnce. 

These were all awept away, or rolled up ad hid aaqp 

like an old parchment out of date or om. And eren 

mountain and island were moved out of their 

Mountsine and islands are figurea of large and dl 

governments, and in the French revolution every government.- 

removed from their lepbate eorereiffy

'm the esme situation they were in before the revolution. 

"And the kiags of the earth, and the t men, and the 

rich meq and the chief captains, anKe 2hty men, 

and every bondman, and every freeman, hid emselves 

in the dens, and in the rocka of the mountah, and said 

to the rocka and monatains, Fall on ns, and hide ns from 

the face of him that mtteth on the throne, and from the 

wrath of the Lamb." 

It is a rell-known fkt to all who are conversant with 

the history of the Fmch revolution, that almoet every 

king in Europe had to flee from his kingdom during the 

space of aboat five and twenq years : the kin of Portud 

to Brazil ; the log of S ul to -France ; tfe kin. of 

France fled to Evland ; the gpe died in exile ; the eoP 

of Sardinia left hls kin domand fled to the island of Sardinia 

; the lng of Na e totbe islandof the same name; 

the king of ~ustria leghis ca ital ; and the of Pmsia 

took shelter under Ruseia ; ge emperor of % all e Russiaa 

left Moscow to its fate ; and Bonaparte himself fled to the 

island of Elba, and died a prisoner on St Helena The 

great men and chief captains, and all orders and de ees 

of men, had to flee from the land of their fathers, an8eek 

an asylum among strangera So true was this passage of 

Scripture fulfilled that many writers and divines actually 

supposed that it waa the last great battle and supper of 

the great God. "For the great day of his wrath is 

come, and who shall be able to etand" The sixth seal 

is not et wholly o ned; for it is evident that we are 

earriel down to tE last day, the pat day of mth 

which will immediately follow the sealing time which 

he ives 11s in the next chapter. 

lfev. vli. 1, ''And a& these thing6 I &four angels 

standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the 

four winds of the earth, that it should not blow on the 

earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree." Daniel tells W, 

vii. 2, &&I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four 

winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea." The 

four d, then, means the opposing elements, war and 

contention These principal elementa of war and contention 

God would restrain for a little swon, so they 

should not fnn up the spirit of war and strife, neither in 

the Roman government, (called earth,) nor on the p t 

16 *

o.tions,(called graot sea,) ooroo bdmdaala ar adl 

societies of meq called w;) nod this haa been remarkably 

folfilled I a twenty yean past, Not a prtrcle 

of opposition baa been expsienced against the hda- 

tion and spread of the Bible, or the rnireioay ause 

Kings have been wrei fatbaq apd q 

mathem, to help forward% awe of ~ A-df 

of Papacy haa been kept down by the angel, w that all 

the oppoeition they could mime has been weak and inefficient. 

The Mahy%n wind hse not blown a blsst 

for twenty years; the idolatmas and pagan ntioes of 

the East bave, b some invisible power, been kept in 

check ; the intide{ and deieLicPl rincipla of the West 

have been held in complete su&ecti01~ by tbe ra 

invisible hand, until the serpants of God should be 

eealed. Therefore, since the French molutio~, none 

of theue four wind9 of opposition to Christ have been 

permitted to use any physical force, ae former] to mp 

raw the s ad of the gapel through the end "And 

f aaw a n z nngel wending from the ea&, having the 

seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice 

to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth 

md the sea" The angel here spoken of ae mending 

from the east, is the angel atanding on the I d and on tbe 

ma, with &little book open, and the aame that is re 

ed in another place as flying through the midat o p""Pt- Iremen 

having the cverlwting ppel to pmh 

to h who dwell 

on tlie eart.11. Coming from the enat,the plrcc of 1' hf and 

having the sen1 of the living God,.hors plainly #at it is 

tlre angel of the gospel. The four aqeh arethe four n l ~ 

sengcm of God, who suppress thm fouroppsition principlea, 

until the sealing time shall be over, unsying, Hurt not 

the earth, ncither the sea, nor the trees, till we have 

sealed tlre eervants of God in their forel~eada" The 

four angel8 are here comnmded not to let tha~ fair 

windr of opposition hurt tho earth, sea, or trees, until 

the nealin time in paat, which is the same time npken 

of, ~)anie$xii. I, "Then shall Michael otand up, cha 

pat pir~co which standeth for the childrrn nf thy 

]ice )la. UA~rtl I lreud tho nu111bcr of them whic.lr acre 

soai~ul; wid tlrc .rc! wore seuled u huudrcd forty rod 

four thou of all the bib- of' the childtenof I d g

John first gives us an account of the number that were 

sealed in his day, out of all the tribes of Imel. They 

were scaled, as he tella as when he wrote, it bein fin. 

hhed in the close of the Jewish diepewation. It fing 

a complete number, 144,000, and therefore could be numbered; 

and as theme were sealed at the close of that 

dia~tion, so John now saw in vision a great nomber, 

nhch no man could number, sealed at the close of the 

Gentile diepensation, of which he has been pro hesy- 

Q; fa .An he ha. gone t h h with numgering 

twelve thousand in every tribe, he $en says, Rev. vi~. 

9, UARer this I beheld," that ia, after this sealing, by 

which 144,000 had been sealed among the Jews, he 

beheld, Y and lo, a great multitude, which no man could 

number, of all nat~ons, and kindreds, and people, and 

tongues, stood before the tbrone and before the Lamb, 

clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." 

This evidently refers to the last sealing time among all 

nations; for he again hears them slnging the gmnd 

chorus song, as at the cl~e 

of the history of the seven 

churches, "And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation 

to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto 

the Lnmb. And all the angels stood round about the 

thyone, and about the elders and the four beasts, and 

fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped 

God, saying, Amen: blessing, and glory, and wisdom; 

and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be 

unto our God forever and ever, amen." 

This shows us that we are again brought down the 

stream of time, to hear a part, at least, of the song 

which no man can sing, but those whose bodies are 

redeemed from the earth. "And one of the eldem 

answered, saying unto me, What are these which are 

nnnyed in white robes And whence came they And 

I said 11nt.o him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto 

me, These are they which come out of great tribulation, 

and have washed their robee, and made them white in 

the blood of the Lamb." This passage shows who 

thosc were that John saw, and how they obtained the 

honor and glory, which John saw them possessin 

through great tribulation, and the blood of the ~amf 

ilTberefore are they before the throne. of God, and

em him day and night in hi temple: and he thrt 

sitteth on the throne shall dwell amon them ;" the 

ume aa m Rev. ~r 6, "And they livef and reigned 

with him," in the New Jerusalem etate; for he goes on 

to descrihe this state of happiness, which John does in 

Rev. xxi 1-45, compared with the two following, 

and there can be no doubt on the mind that John is de 

scribing the same in one place as in the other. They 

shnll hunger no more, neither thiit any more; neih 

shall the sun light on them, nor any hest For the 

Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed 

them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of 

waters; and God shall wipe away all team from their 

eyea" There can be no doubt left on mind of any 

man, that John has, in these passagea, gwen M a view 

of the New Jerusalem in the immortal state. We have 

been permitted to hear a part of the new son and have 

received, in the passage '"at read, the bleseef p& 

~ontained in that beloved city. And now, re only wait 

for the last seal to open. QAnd when he had opened 

@e seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the 

space of half an hour.n Zechariah says, ii f3, Be 

silent, 0 all flesh, before tlie Lord ; for he is raised up 

out of his holy habitation !" IIabakkuk says, u ZO, Bur 

the Lord is in his hol tem le; let all the earth keep 

silence before him!'7 F~ tliese pamgea I should 

infeh that when God arises up to the prey, when hb 

great white throne is set in the heavens, and when the 

Son of Man shall come in the clouds of heaven, with 

wcr and great glory, tiicn will all flesh be silent 

Cfom him And it is reavlonnble to mppoee that the 

wliole universe of rationnl beiV who ma bo permitted 

to witness thni pnd scene, rill be so filid with wonder 

and awe at the sight of thc glo of God, that they 

will be silcnt. Then, too, will ge rcdeomed souls, 

while the at Judge is separating them from he 

nicked, whcthe are risin to meet their Lord in tho 

air, be dent. rrLY will, [kc the children of Iml, 

etunrl still, (be silcnt, and R ~ O the ualvntion of Gt~l. 

Ant1 tho wicked wor 1 tl, wllo I~:rvc! ~cofft-11 at the idm 

of Cht's second comirlg, who have said, Where ia 

Cbr pnwnise of hia coming" and laoghed rad ridi-

culed the servants of Christ, who have cried to them, in 

their midnight revels, '' Behold, the br~degroom cometh," 

will be silent. Then will those servants who have said in 

their hearts, My Lord delayeth his coming," and ti begin 

to beat and bruise their fellow-aemants," who have 

proclaimed his coming, "and to eat and drink with tho 

drunken," be dent. Then, too, will all the false 

prophets, who have cried Peace, peace, when there waa 

no peace, be silent, when they see the frowns of an 

angry judge whom they have disregarded. Then 

shall those who have promised the wicked l~fe, though 

he should not turn from his vickedness, be silent. Then, 

every one found in that great assembly, when the Son 

of Man shall come in the clouds, and all the holy angel8 

with him, and all the saints who have slept, and all nations 

then shall be gathered before him, and every eye 

eball see him; then, T say, will every one found in 

this vast multitude, not having on the wedding gar- 

ment, be &&; for the Scripture eayq ' He cwls - 

Icean 

And now, my dear friends, what say you Have you 

wept much to know whether our names are written in 

the Lamb's book of life u&eep novfor behold, the . 

Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed. to open the 

boot" And he says, "He that overcometh, the me 

shall be clothed in white raiment ; and I will not blot 

his name out of the book of life, but. I will oonfess his 

name before my Father, and hefore his an@. 

There- 

fore, L'rejoice, because pour names. are written in 

heaven," says the dear Sav~or. 

But you, my impenitent friends, who have never wept, 

nor confessed your sins to God, who have been more 

anxious to have your names written in the book of b e, 

of worldly honor, of the riches of this world, than in 

the book of life, remember, you too will weep when all 

heaven is silent - when the last seal is broken - then 

you will see the book, and your name blotted out. 

Then ou will weep and say; "Once, my name was 

there ; % had a day of probation ; life m a proffered ; but 

I hated instruction, I despised reproof, and my part is 

taken from tbe book of life. Farewell, happinase , 

farewell, hope! d m

LECTURE XIII. 

dnd I will give power unto my two witae9es, md b y rbdl 

esy a thousand two hundred and theseme days, & 

saekclo~ 

TEE two witneseee in our text have uuaed an moch 

mpeculation among the writers on the New T- u 

anyother paesage in the word of God. &me have wp 

posed that it was a succession of orthodox divines, rbom 

God had raised up to witness to the trnth, dnri the 

b e specified, which all ia twelve bondad 

sixty years. And those writers who have taken thin dde 

of the question, have endeavored to find some fimrite 

divinee, among their sect, answering to the description 

given of the two witneesea. Upon this comtmction every 

mt might claim the honor of giving tothe world tbe two 

witneesea And were thk explanation tme, inatead of 

two witnesses, we should have more than eight bondred; 

Lr every eect must have a set, and I dare not praf 

erence to any. Thia would destroy the idea tmtlud8ed 

at once 

Other writera have fixed on the church as the two, 

clergy and laity; but hew are many difficulties to encounter, 

the Bame as above. Every eect must have tbeir 

own church and cler or admit at once that thq are 

not the true churcl~ %:t let us now come to the word 

of God. And if the word of God does not explain the 

u two witaessee," I shall despair of ever coming to the 

truth on thb subject, for I am commanded by Chrid himrslf 

to call no man master. I ahall, then,

1. Attempt to show what the Bible calls the two witnesses. 

11. What we may understand by their being clothed 

in sackcloth. 

111. Their hletory, prophecy, and time specified. 

I. What is the Bihle account of the two witnesses 

And, first, What is a witness I answer, A witness is a 

person, or legal instrument, testifying to the ttutb, the 

whole truth, and nothing but the truth, on mattem of fact 

which are supposed to be horn no way but through testimony, 

either oral or written. Oral testimony is given 

by a person who is sworn to tell the whole truth, as above, 

and relate what he actually knows, by the medium of his 

own senses, and no more nor less. The apostles were 

such witnesses; for they teutified to the things which 

Christ did in public. And when Judas fell by transgreesion, 

Peter informed his brethren that one must be chosen, 

"of these men which have companied with us all the 

time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning 

at the bapbism of John, unto the same day that 

he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a 

dm with ue of his resurrection." But these could not 

be the "two witnesses.;" for here were twelve.' But we 

learn by this history what a witness must be. He must 

o in and out; he must know by actual observation, or 

%e could not teatif any thing concerning Christ That 

was the manner oibnl testimony in that day, and so it ia 

at the present. This, then, precludes the idea at once 

of any men, or set of men, being Christ's witneeses at the 

present day, or since the days of the apdes. But, says 

the objector, does not. the word of God call all Christians 

witnesses for Christ I do not know of any scripture 

where Christians are called zdtnes, except the prophets 

and apostles, or inspired writers, that is, concerning 

Christ. They may witness a good profession, or they 

ma witness for themselves, that they believe in Christ 

or & word ; but further they cannot go. They are not 

witness either to the person of Christ, to his works, death, 

miracles, or resurrection and ascension ; and if there wns 

no other testimony but oral, we should be no better off 

than the darkeat Hindoo or moet ignorant Houentot.

But, thanks be to God, he has not left ua without a witness. 

There is a better testimony than all Christendam, 

which is written; and it is this which I bold in my hand: 

it is the word of God. It tells the truth; LL for not one jot 

or tittle of this word shall fail." It tells the whole Wth, 

u that the man of God may be porfectl furnished to 

every goad work.', It tells nothing but tk truth; for it 

is the truth indited by him who canaot lie. 

You are well aware,.my friends, that written teetimony 

is considered in all courts, under all laws, to be stronger 

than any oral testimony whatever. For instance, take the 

last will and testcunent of any man; if it was written or 

indited by himself, signed by his own hand, sealed with 

his own seal in presence ofwitnesees chwen by himself, 

and ratified by his death, no oral testimony can be brought 

against it; unless tlie instrument itself shows ~wre contradiction 

or discrepancy, it cannot be destroyed. So it 

i13 with these two testaments, revealed, indited, confirnmed 

witnessed, and ratified, by the death of the testator, Urt 

Lord Jesus Christ And although wicked men and devils 

have endeavored to show some contradiction or dis 

crepancy in ita testimony, it has stood the shock of 

ages, the.wreck of kingcloms, and will stand when tbcm 

heavens and this earth shall pass away with a at noise 

and the elements melt with fervent beat; by this 

word we must all be judged; by these witnesses we abd 

be justified or condemned. Christ says, ~~Senrch t l ~ 

Scriptures ; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and 

they are they which testify of me." The angel telb J~III, 

ill die next verse following our text, that tl* two rib 

nessoa "are the two olive treea, and tllc two candlcaticb 

s~nnding hetbre the God of tho earth." Tho angel, in his 

allusion to the two olive trees, quotes the propllet 'Lt.ci~arinlq 

iv. 3, U And two olive trees by it, one upolr the right 

side of the bowl, and tllc otl~er upon the 1eR side tlicrcc.Kn 

Ilere tile olive trees an uscd in a figurative senw, ud 

properly denote the " 13011s of oil," or the two cllerubirus 

wllicll stood over tile ark, and sprcad their wings over the 

mercy seat. The wings of the chcrubiws atretched from 

either ~ide of the l~ouee to the centre over the ulercy sta5 

md their facm turned inwarda down upoir the mercy

and the lory of the God of 1mkl was above the c h - 

birns &we cherublna are a lively type of the Old and 

New Testament. The sigxdlcation of c M is ufulness 

of knowled e;" so ia the word of God, athat the 

man of God my %e thomughly hrnished, perfect in every 

good work." They have the whole truth, all we can 

know about Jesus Christ hihis state. They stand oil 

either hand of Christ, one before he came in the flesh, 

pointing to a Messiah to come, by all its types and shadows; 

and like the cherub whose wings touched the outer 

wall of the room and reached to the centre over the mercy 

seat, so did the Old Testament reach from the creation 

of the world down to John's preaching in the wilderness, 

an& like the cherub looking down on the mercy seat, it 

testified of the Messiah. The other cherubim% wings 

reached from the centre over the mercy eat, and touched 

the other wall of the 'room, while his fim was turned 

back upon the mercy seat So does the New Testament 

begin at the preaching of John, and reveals all that is 

necesauy for us to know, down to the end of the world. 

And all the ordinances of the New Testament houee look 

back to the sufferings, death, and resnmtion of Jesua 

Christ, and are to continue until his second comin and 

end of the world. These cherubim were made ofolive 

trees, and overlaid with nre gold, 1 Kinga vi. 23-28. 

again: the angel tells bechariah what the two olive 

trees are, Zech. iv. 4-6, "80 I answered and spake to 

the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, 

my lord" (the two olive trees.) "Then the and that 

talked with me answered and said unto e, &owest 

thou not what these be And I rid, $0, my lord. 

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is 

the word of the Lord unto Zerubabel," &c. Here we 

are plainly told that the two olive trees are the word of 

the Lord, and the angel tells John, Rev. xi. 4, that "the 

two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks." 

As candlesticks are the means of light, so is 

the word of God. Camhtkks are used in Scripture in 

the same sense as lam And David says, "Thy word is 

a lamp to my feet anxligbt to my path." Therefore L 

humbly believe that I have fairly and conclueively proved

that the two witnesses are the Old and New Testament. 

And I will, 

IL Show what we may understand by the two wit. 

nessea being clothed in sackcloth. 

Sackcloth denotea a state of darkness, se in Rev. vi 

12, GL The ,sun became black as sackcloth of hair ;" that 

is, the sun became dark, idvisible, and did not give ita 

light Just so duri 'the dprk ages of ppal rule, the 

word of God was dsened by monkish super&ion, bigotry, 

and ignorance in its sacred principles It did not 

give its true li ht, beoause the laws, doctrinee, and ordinances 

were c%aoged by the lam of the Latin church; 

its doctrine was perverted by the introduction of the dootrine 

of devils and the anti-Christian abominstiom: L 

ordinances were so altered as to suit the convenience of 

o~lllaI men ; and it was obscured, becauee the common 

people were forbidden to read it, or even b have it in 

their houses, by the Papal authority. It waa hid from 

the world in a great measure; for the Papal beast, the 

church of Rome, forbade its tramlation into any lanyaqe 

except the Greek and Latin, which languages ceaaed to 

be spoken in the Roman government in the middle of the 

sixth century. Sackdo& denotes great calamitiea and 

troubles, as in the days of Hezekiah, 2 Kin,% xix. 1,2, 

u When king Hezekiah heard (the threatening* of tbe 

kinw of Assyriq) he rent his clothes, and covered him 

eelrmith sackcloth ;" also, the Ninevitea pot on aackcloth 

at the preaching of Jonah, when their city waa threatened 

with a final overthrow. So with the two w i w ; 

while they were clothed in sackclotlq it was a time of 

great calamity and trouble to tLe people of God 

cntion raged without any miti tion in some or fl$ 

of the Roman government, nn%e c l ~ of ~ God, ~ h whvh 

was fed and nourished by the two witnetma," during 

her residence in the wilderness, was threatened with a 

final destruction by the Pa@ armies! the inquieition, aM1 

every other meam that could be devlsed by wicked men 

or devila But God has preserved his word, tllrough all 

the raocutiom of the Roman power. I &all now, 

19 Show their irutory, prophury, and h e apeclTs( 

in rhe text.

let Their history, contained in Rev. xi 5-13, incln- 

- 

sive. Let me read and explain. 5th verse, L' If any man 

will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and 

devoureth their enemies, and if any man will hurt them, 

he must in this manner be killed' If any man shall add 

or take away from the book or revelation of God, U God 

shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out 

of the holy city ;" and "God shall add unto hi the 

{lagues that are written in this book." This verse has 

een verified in our day in the history of deistical France. 

The rulers of France, in the revolution, proclaimed a 

war of extermination against the fishermen's Bible, err 

they were pleased to term it ; and within six yeam they 

exterminated thernselvee, the republic, and almost thew 

principles. The kingdom was deluged in blood ; anarchy 

was the law of the land ; and the jud en& denounced 

by this word were literall accom lit&, so that deiata 

themeelves ~tood appallel at the L o r and confusion 

their own principles had brought upon their heavendaring 

crimea 

6th verse, LL Theee have power to shut heaven, that it 

rain not in the days of their prophecy' Allusion is here 

had to the three years and a hal$' inthe days of Elijah, 

when the heavens were shut up, Luke iv. 25, which is 

the same time the witnesses prophesy clothed in sackcloth, 

1260 days, forty-two months, thirty days to a 

month; that being common time, and this prophetic. 

The Scriptures are the means which God haa made use 

of to convert sinners from error to truth, from sin to 

righteousness, and to convey the knowledge of grace, 

(which in this verse is compared to rain,) to a lost and 

perishing world. During the reign of anti-Christ, 1260 

years, the church in the wilderness, and the two witnesses 

clothed in sackcloth the same 1260 years, the 

doctrine of grace in Jesus Christ was b,ut partially 

taught. Much of the professedly Christian world have 

been taught that doing penance, purchaeing indulgences, 

obeying the holy Catholic church, or performing 

some outward act for pardon, would answer them heaven 

and hap inesa But when the Scriptures began to be 

mad am! understood, and *ere the dcctrine of p e in

Jews Chriet has been pubbhed by the tramlation and 

circulation of the word of God, how di5'erent the m e ! 

Now, we can hardly find a Roman Catholic who will pre 

tend that heaven is purchased by infliction of bodily t ~ - 

ture, by doing penance, or by a monastic seclusion fmm 

the world ; neither do we see them selling inddgenceq 

and promising the holders pardon for the moat aborriinable 

crimea And but rarely do we hear the Wlibility 

of the mother, or holy Catholic church, advanced from 

pulpit or press. Why this mighty change in public sentiment 

Because the rei of grace IE not withheld; 

Le two witnesses are no 6ger c l o in ~ -kclo*; 

Michael has stood up, that standeth for the children of 

thy people." And the Uangel is flying throngh the 

midst of heaven, having the everlasting goape1 to preach 

to them that dwell on the earth." "And have power 

over the waters to tnrn them to bldW B twfas, we 

ondentand people; and by blood, NL '&a text ha 

been amply fullled in the wars of Earope, figh% 

religious tenets and ecclesiaetical power, claiming 

prerogatives from the two witnesees, and wrentmg and 

perverting the word of God to their own deatmetion. 

And from thence come wars, tumdte, fie;bting~,~ because 

they understand not &'And to mte the ear& 

with all plagues, as ofien as they will." In Old Testament 

times, it was the word of God, through M~aees and 

Aaron, that smote Egypt with the ten pl 

through Joshla the Canaanites So, in NsrF&", 

times, the seven last plagues, and the three woeq an, 

denounced against the anti-Christian beast, who dweh 

on and has great power over the earth. u As often M 

they will," meaning as often aa they have phesied of 

them, u, often will the plagues be sent Kt one jot or 

tittle of thc word of God will faiL 

7th verse, And when they shall have finished their 

teaimony," that is, when the l2GO years are ahoat hl- 

Wed, the 'beast that mendeth out of the battomla 

it." this bcast is the same w the little horn, Papal 

ko~e, and is said to ascend out of the bottomla pit, 

be- it L founded on error. The principlem tau@ 

bythbeutrs.eilntPaknirm,dendbd in-

which are not built on the word of God ;' and, therefore, 

hve no foundation, and may truly be aaid to be L6 botlomless." 

LL Shall make war against them." The governments, 

under the authority of Papal Rome, shall endeavor 

to exterminate the u two witnesses," the word of 

God " And shall overcome them, and kill them ;"have 

power over them, pass laws or edicts against them, and, 

b this means, destroy their usefulness, life, and activity. 

d r where the Scripturea are not read, and believed in, 

they become a dead letter; but when read, and believed, , 

LL they are spirit, they are life," John vi. 63. 

8th verse, And their dead bodies shall lie in the 

streets of the great city, which spiritually is called 

Sodom and Egy t, where also our Lord was crl~cified" 

This veme teAes ua, that the word of God would be 

made a dead letter, by the authority of one of the principal 

kingdoms out of one of the ten into which the Roman 

government mas divided, and that the would be 

guilty of the same sins that Sodom and .gypt were 

guilty of; and, also, of crucifying our Lord, &at is, in a 

spiritual sense. This will apply to France in particular. 

France, previous to, and in the French revolution, was 

guilty of Sodomitish sins ; she also had held in bondage, 

like Egypt, the people of God ;. and, in France, Christ 

had been cmcified afresh in his people, on St. Bartholomew's 

eve, A. D. 1572, when 50,000 Huguenots were 

murdered in one night The people of God are called 

Christ's spiritual body, 1 Peter ii. 5, Col. i 24. 

9th verse, And they of the eople, and kindreds, and 

tongues, shall see theit dead fodiea three days and a 

half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put 

in graves." This decree, or edict, should be generally 

known among all nations ; and akhough they co111d not 

prevent the witnesses from lying in the streets of the 

great city three years and a half, yet the nations about 

them would prevent the Scriptures from being buried, 

or put out of sight 

10th verse, L6 And they that dwell upon the earth shall 

rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts 

one to another, because these two rophets tormented 

them that dwelt upon the earth" d e learn by this text 

17 * 

P

that the nation, who would suppress the reading of tb 

word of God, would make great rejoicings upon this ow 

casion, end congratulate each other upon the destruction 

of the Bible, as they would suppose, for this reason, be 

cause the doctrine and precepts of the Bible wwuld be 

hateful end disagreeable to them 

11th verse, And after three days and a half, [years,] 

the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they 

stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them 

which saw them" After the Bible would be darmant 

three years and a half, God would rn order in his providence, 

that they would again be permitted to be read 

and enjoyed as usual, and the Bible would again stand 

upon its own foundation, or merits, and wo~lld spin 

have their bearing on the hopes and fern of manlund, 

and the governments of the world, and their enemiee 

would see it and tremble. 

12th verse, "And they heard a great voice fmm 

heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither ; and they a ~- 

ccnded up to heaven in a cloud, and thev enemiw beheld 

them!' This verse shows us that many voicer 

would unite in calling for a neral spread of the Bible 

through the world, and that ge Bible would be exalted 

among the nations, and great multitudea of them circulated, 

and the enemies of the word of God could no& 

prevent it Here we hevc a plain and distinct prophecy 

of the Bible societies. 

13th verse, "And the same hour was there a great 

earthquake, and tlie tenth part of the city fell, and in the 

enrthquake were slain of men [narncs or titles] scren 

thousand, arid the remnant were afightod, and gave glory 

to the God of Ileaven." At the same hour tho wit- 

~iet~cs would be slain, there would be a great rovol~ation, 

and one of tile ten kingdoms, which had p;ivcn their 

power and support to tlie Pnpal beast, would fdl; and 

seven thousand names, or titles of nobility, in chnrch 

and state, would be destroyed; nnd this revolution 

would produce reat fear among the nations, and wme 

would aeknow~ed~ that the word was Wfilling, and God 

was producing time wonctertul events. Here we awn 

ace cxuctly depicted tho French revolution, and ite el:

few; and we cannot but see that the whole of thir 

prophecy hae been literally fulfilled. 

In the begindg of the sixth century, about A. D. 538, , 

Justinian, emperor of Constantinople, in his controvenr 

with the Ari-, and other schismatics in the reel 

church, constituted the bishop of Rome head over all 

others, both in the western ahd eastern churches, who, 

by his authority, suppressed the reading of the Bible by 

laymen, pretending that they could not read and understand 

without the assistance of the clergy. About t h ~ ~ 

time, too, the Latin language ceaeed to be spoken in 

Italy, and the Greek and Latin both became dead languages. 

The Bible at that time not being written or 

translated into any other languages in Europe, it became 

an easy task for the bishop to obscure the doctrine and 

discipline of the word of God, so far as suited his conveqience, 

and to obtain universal power over the minds 

and consciences of men, and clothe the Scriptures in 

sackcloth. If, then, the Scriptures were first clothed in 

sackcloth in A. D. 538, and were to prophksy 1260 yeam 

in this situation, their prophecy would end in 1798. 

About the close of the eighteenth century, in comequence 

of the abominable corruptions of the church of ' 

Rome being exposed to public view, the men of the 

world began to treat revelation as a fiction, and relieon 

PB priestcrd ; and instead of searching for the pllar 

and ground of the truth, "their imaginations became 

vain, and their foolish minds were darkened." They 

declared war against the Bible, the &two witneemi," 

which war became general all over Europe and America 

Some of tile most eminent and principal writers in this 

controversy were in France, the principal kingdom 

among the ten, into which Rome had been divided at 

the close of the fifth century ; and so successful were 

these miters, that almost the whole nation of the French 

became Deists, or Atheists, in a short time. This nation 

had long been guilty of the abominations of the 

unti-Christian beast, the sins of Sodom sad Egypt, and 

the persecution of those who protested against her national 

corruptions : the slaying of the witnesses ; their 

lying in a dead-state three years and a half in the street

of the great city; the revolution spoken of in this pro* 

ecy - all happened in the F'rench revolutiou, bethe 

years 1793 and 11798. A decree wae passed by the 

council and directory of hce, prohibw the Bible 

to be iead in public, in any of the chapels in Fnmce, 

and Bibles were gathered in heaps, and bonfires were 

made of them, and great rejoicings were had all over 

the kingdom at the downfall of priestcraft, ae they called 

it; and particularly at L ons, where the Scripturea were 

publicly dragged through the atreeta, with circumhnco. 

of the greatest contempt, and other things transacted in 

the exultation of their triumph, which are too shocking 

to narrate. Let it suffice, then, to say, that after three 

yearn and a half the Bible wae again permitted to be 

read, and religion had free toleration in Fhme; and 

what is equall ae remarkable, is, that the same year 8 

few individuars in London established what has since 

been styled the Bible society, which has beh instrumental 

in sending Bibles among all nations, and of tram 

lating them into more than 150 1 

riod; and ahon all the writem,~0~~%1"$ & 

Bible to be the two witnesses, do agree that the evenhi, 

prophesied of in this passage, were literally accomplished 

in the French revolution. Now, the Bible is 

more than restored to its former state in society ; it m 

exalted, and every person can have, and read, and examine 

for themselves into its sacred htha It is alm 

fact, that the progress of the Bible society has exceeded 

the most sanguine expectation8 of its advocates ; and the 

Atheists and Deists of our day appear to be perfectly 

confounded at these events. Instead now of declaring 

open war against the Bible, they make pretence nt least 

of drawing their rules of morality from this bled 

book ; and the man who should now undertake to write 

down the word of God, would be considered either a 

madman, or a fool. One thing more: In the F'rench 

Revolution, the names or titles of men werc abolished ; 

and it is said by some writers, that, in the lon list of 

Utled nobility, and the &Tea catalogue of pri&fY orders, 

them werc seven thousand destroyed at once. Well 

might the mmmt be sffrightad, and give glwy t9 th. 

Qod of heaven!

Let tm now ibr a moment see what Horn the d&ry 

of the two witnesses. 

14th verse, a The second woe is past, and behold, tbe 

third woe cometh quickly." The second woe began by 

the civil wars in France and Germany, and ended in the 

French revolution; and the third woe will come quickly. 

It is the last great woe denounced against the woman 

sitting upon the scarlet-colored beast, and against the 

earth, which she hath filled with her sorceries, and the 

kingdoms of this world, which must dl be destroyed under 

this woe. 

15th verse, And the reventh angel sounded, and 

there were great voices in heaven mying, The kingdom 

of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and 

his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." The 

third woe and eventh trumpet are both the same thing, 

(see Rev. viii 13; and the eeventh trumpet is the last 

trump, when the h ead shall be raised. See 1 Ca. xv. 

52. It is &den% also, that we are cauied into the 

eternal state forever and ever. 

16th verse, GL And the four and twenty elders, which 

eat before God on their eeats, fell on their faces and 

worshipped God." By the four and twenty elders, I 

understand the true miniatere of Chrie alluding to the 

twenty-four courses of the priesthood appointed by 

David, I Chron. xxiv. 

17th verae, U Saving. We Bive thee thank 0 Lord 

God ~ImighG, wh;ch &t, andkast, and art to come, because 

thou haet taken to thee thy great power, and hast 

reigned." This ia the language of every humble and 

devoted minister of Jesus Christ, who maker the word crf 

God his study, and believes in the overmlillg hand of 

God as accomplishing the great designstherein ~evealeb 

18th verse, U And the nations were angry, and thy 

wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should 

be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy 

semnts the prophets, and to the saints, and them that 

fear thy name, mall and ,pat, and shouldeet destroy 

them which destroy the earth." 

Thi verse shows us what takes place at the soun 

of the menth trumpet a d third roe, which the 

'

says will come quickly after the French nn,lutim, if1 

am ri ht in my explanation of the two rirwcsea It i 

morn& certain that the word of God is now in m 

obscure st.; it is not hid finm tbe world, witber i 

clothed in sackcloth. It is tme thst many voices haw 

united in the Bible eocieties to spread the knowledge d 

the word of God ; and that it is translated into rboot aU 

the known la ages in the world. .It ie rlmost abeolutely 

certain% the French people are the nation tht 

is compared to Sodorn and Egypt, in the paasage we 

hnve been examinin ; and likewise the earthquake qm 

ken of is the ~renc% revolution. Then if the two witnesses 

are the Old and New Testament, we are certain 

the third woe is coming quickly, and the seventh tmmp 

must shortly begin to sound, as I have already proved in 

niy lecture on the trumpets, in the year 1839. You 

have undoubtedly seen, my friends, that we are hked 

brought down to the jud ant, when God will reward the 

righteous, and destroy %m e wicked, who have pereecuted 

the sainta and trampled them under foot 

And once more let me inquire how it .stan& with yon, 

my dear hearer. Are you prepared for that great d 

solenln day Are you ready to meet the judgment 

The two witnesses wdl ap ar for or against you. Tbeu 

tedimony will not fail. you believe them He that 

belicveth shall be uaved, and he that believeth not shall 

be damned. The word that I have spoken," says 

Chrht, the same shall judge you in the la~t 

day." Wh 

will ou not be warned If half the evidence that 

)lava bugtlt of our being on the end of t b dispenntion, 

was brought to prove there waa a great treasure hid 

how soon would you search and how diligently 

woul ""% ou seck until you found it! 

In thin bod, of which re have now been epeaking, 

am durable riches, gold tried in the fire, seven timer 

p~lrified. tL Search for it as for hidden treasures; seek 

and you shall And Can you tell me where the word 

of Gnd, the Bible, has fbiled of being accolnplished lit 

rrally, and in the time specified Many events ham 

been foretold, the times ven, and not one failed. How 

w yw dibino ff or can you but your eya

so much light Where will you have an excuse 

in the day ofjudgment I have repeatedly brought 

you down to this tune, and shown, b Scripture proof, the 

judgment must commence immeiately. You are in 

your hearts convicted that what hw been declared con- . 

cerning the two witnesses, in this discourse, is true. 

And if so, your reason must teach you that what follows 

under the third woe must be equally as true. LL And the 

nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the 

time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that 

thou shouldest give reward unto thy sorvants the prophets, 

and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small 

and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy 

the earth."

LECTURE XIV. 

REV. xii. & 

And the woman Bed into the wilderness *re she W a 

repared of God. that the" should feed her there a howan% 

gundred and threescore days. 

THE history of the church, in all ages of thii preeent 

world, is but a history of persecution and blood, when we 

follow her through all dispensations from Adam to Moses, 

and from Moses to Christ; so likewise from Christ's first 

coming down to his second appearance, the church have 

experienced, and according to the whole tenor of Scrip 

ture, must expect to realize from the kingdom and men 

of this world, this one promise at least, "In the world 

ye shall have tribulation." These facts are so plain and 

obvious, that it has given rise to a common saying 

among almost all writer% that LL the blood of martyrs ia 

the seed of the cllurch." Yet there is a bright side to 

her history ; for she has come out of all her pemec~itiolu 

more purified, more faithful, and wit11 more energy, to 

prosecute the work her divine Master has IeR her to 

perform. And one otherthing is certain -God has preserved 

her, whether in the wilderness or among tho 

nations of the earth, in an extrnordin and miraculous 

manner ; oven her enemies themselves "is. emg her judges. 

Where has a kingdom stood when all the nations about 

them have conspired their overthrow Where ie the 

A~nyrian and populous Nineveh Where is Chddea, 

tbo queen of notions Where is the Grecian e~npire, 

once the coloseue of the world Whero ia imprid

Rome Gone, one, by the power of earthly foes. 

But behold the cfurch of Christ and of God, delivered 

first from Egyptian bondage by the mighty arm of 

the God of Jacob, led by miracles thro h the wilderness 

forty years, brought into the p ~ ~ l a nalthough 

d , 

all the natiobs of the earth were her enemies, preserved 

as a nation through the rise and fall of hty empires, 

and experiencing a revens of fortune %y when she 

courted the aid of worldly kingdom, or suffering diminution 

only when she adopted the more popular worship 

of heathen idolatry. Yet in her lowest estate, God told 

hie servant the prophet, that "he had reserved seven 

thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal'' And 

if men wadd reason on the sub'ect of religion as they 

do on other subjects, there cod not be an infidel in the 

world. For nothing is or can be more manifest than 

the miraculous intorposition of Providence in the preservation 

of his people through the most severe trials, heaviest 

afRictiona, and deadliest hatred of all men, that men 

or societies ever endured. 

Our present discourse will show us the history of the 

church by prophecy, through the darkat age the church 

has ever been permitted to experience since the days of 

Abraham. 

I. I shall show what we may underatand by "the 

woman " in our text. 

11. I shall show what we are to understand by the 

great red dragon and beast. 

III. I shall give the history of the woman given in the 

chapters of our text. 

IV. The time specified in the text, 1260 days, their 

beginning and end, 

I. What may we understand h wonan in our text 

I answer, we must understmithe people of (iod, in 

all ages of the church, whether amo the Jew or Gentile 

: she is called a rmn*m becaue %e is the rpouse of 

Christ ; she is likewise called a woman because of her 

dependence on Christ for all things. As a man is the 

bead of the woman, so is Christ the head over all thin 

to the church, says the apostle. A. the wcmm &pen% 

on her husband for a name, for food, and for raiment, so 

18

Jma Chi& haa been published by the trawlation and 

circulation of the word of God, how different the m e ! 

Now, we can hardly find a Roman Catholic who will pre 

tend that heaven is purchased by infiction of bodily torture, 

by doing penance, or by a monaatic eeclusion fmm 

the world ; neither do we see them selling inddgencea, 

and promising the holdere pardon for the most abominable 

crimea And but rarely do we hear the Wlibility 

of the mother, or holy Catholic church, advanced fiom 

pulpit or press. Why this mighty change in public at=* 

timent Beuuee the rei of grace 16 not withheld ; 

the two witnesses are no gnger clothed in ackcloth; 

Michael hae stood up, that standeth for the children of 

thy people' And the "angel is flying through the 

mdst of heaven, having the everlasting gwpl to preach 

to them that dwell on the earth." And have power 

over the waters to hnn them to blood." cwLea, we 

understand people ; and by blood, wara 7 hie text has 

been amply fuliilled in the w.n of Europe, 6ght3fb; 

religious tenete and ecclesiastical power, claiming 

prerogativee from the two witnesses, and wreoting and 

perverting the word of God to their om destmction. 

u And from thence come ware, tumults, Rgbting~~," because 

they understand not. And to mite the earth 

with all plagues, ae often ae they wilLn In Old Testament 

times, it was the word of God, though Mclses and 

Aaron, that emote Egypt with the ten pl 

tbrough Jcmbua the Canamitea 80, in NewTZLnz 

times, the seven last plagues, and the three woes, are 

denounced against the anti-Christian basst, who drelb 

on and has great power over the earth. u As often M 

they will," meaning aa often ae they have pheaied of 

them, n ollpn rill the plapes be sen Kt one jot or 

tittle of tho word of God will faiL 

7th vem, And when they shall have finished tbeiu 

teaimony," that is, when the l2GO years are aha 

fol- 

BUed, the beast that ascendeth out of the battomlem 

;" this beast ie the Bame ae the little horn, Papal 

e me, and is mid ta ascend out of the bottomlesr pit, 

became it u founded on error. The pr-i la, tanght 

b,thiabu-m*P-.,,,,d.l*Pbai

CHBIST'B SECOND COMING. 197 

which are not built on the word of God ; and, therefore, 

have no foundation, and may truly be said to be botlomleas." 

Shall make war against them." The governments, 

under the authority of Papal Rome, shall endeavor 

to extenninate the two witnesses," the word of 

God. '6 And shall overcome them, and kill them ;"have 

ower over them, pass laws or edicts against them, and, 

! this means, destroy their usefulness, life, and activity. 

dr where the Scripturea are not read, and believed in, 

they become a dead letter; but when read, and believed, 

they are spirit, they are life," John vi. 63. 

8th verse, UAnd their dead bodies shall lie in the 

streets of the great city, which spiritually is called 

Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucifiedn 

This verse teaches us, that the word of God would be 

made a dead letter, by the authority of one of the principd 

kingdoms out of one of the ten into which the Roman 

government was divided, and that they would be 

guilty of the same sins that Sodom and Evpt were 

guilty of; and, also, of crucifying our Lord, %at is, in a 

s iritual sense. This will apply to Fnrnce in particular. 

k c e , pievious to, and in the French revolution, was 

uilt of Sodornitish sins ; she also had held in bondage, 

Eke Egypt, the people df God ; and, in France, Christ 

had been crucified afresh in his people, on St Bartholomew's 

eve, A. D. 1572, when 50,000 Huguenots we* 

murdered in one night. Tlle people of God are called 

Christ's spiritual body, 1 Peter ii 5, Col. i 24. 

9th verse, '6 And they of the eople, and kindreds, and 

tongues, shall see their dead god~ea three days and a 

half, arld shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put 

in graves." This decree, or edict, should be generally 

known among all nations ; and although they could not 

prevent the witneseea from lying in the streets of the 

great city the yem and a half, yet the nations about 

tl~em would prevent the Scriptures from being buried, 

or put out of sight. 

10th verse, '6 And they that dwell upon the earth shall 

rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts 

one to another, because these two rophets tormented 

them that dwelt uppn the earth." d e learn by thin ten 

17

that the nation, who would suppress the Rading of tb 

word of God, would make great rejoicings upon this occasion, 

and congratulate each other upon the destruction 

of the Bible, as they would suppose, for this reaeon, be 

cause the doctrine and precepta of the Bible would be 

hateful md disagreeable to then 

11th verse, And after three days and a half, [yearq] 

the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they 

stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them 

which saw them." ARer the Bible would be dormant 

three years and a half, God would so order in hie providence, 

that they would again be permitted to be read 

and enjoyed as usual, and the Bible would again stand 

upon its own foundation, or merits, and wo~lld apin 

have their bearing on the hopes and f m of manluod, 

and the governments of the world, and their enemiee 

would see it and tremble. 

12th verse, &&And they heard a great voice fm 

heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither ; and they ascended 

up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies bebeld 

them." This verse shows us that many voice8 

would unite in calling for a ned spread of the Bible 

through the world, and that ge Bible would be exalted 

among the nations, and great multitudes of them circulated, 

and the enemies of the word of God could not 

prevent it Here we havc a plain and distinct prophecy 

of the Bible societies. 

13th verse, LL And the same hour wan there a great 

eartllquake, and tile tenth part of thecity fell, and in tl~e 

earthquake were slain of men [namca or titles] seven 

thousnnd, and the rcuinant were affrighted, and gave glory 

to tbe God of 1ir.tlvclz" At tile srune hour tile witneean, 

would be &in, there would be a great revo111- 

tion, and one of the ten kingdoms, wl~icl~ had givcn their 

power and support to the Papal beast, would fall; ad 

seven thousand names, or titles of nobility, in chnrch 

and state, wo~iltl be destroyed; and this revolution 

would produce reat feur among the nations, and wme 

would acknowlefgc that the word was tbltilling, and God 

was producing tllese wonderful events. Here we awn 

ec* cxactly depicted the French revolution, and its. sf.

fats; and we cannot but see that the whole of thii 

prophecy hae been literally fiilfilled. 

In the begi- of the sixth century, about A. D. 538, , 

Sustinian, emperor of Conetantinople, in hia controvers 

with the Aria- and other schismatics in the ~reeg 

church, .constituted the bishop of Rome head over aJ1 

others, both in the weatern ahd eastern churches, who, 

by his authority, suppressed the reading of the Bible by 

laymen, pretending that they could not read and understand 

without the assistance of the clergy. About thls 

titie, too, the Latin language cewd to be spoken in . 

Italy, and the Greek and Latin both became dead languages. 

The Bible at that time not being written or 

translated into any other languages in Europe, it became 

an easy task for the bishop to obecure the doctrine and 

discipline of the word of God, so far as suited his wnveqience, 

and to obtain universal power over the minds 

and consciences of men, and clothe the Scriptures in 

sackcloth If, then, the Scriptures were firat clothed in 

sackcloth in A. D. 538, and were to proph&sy 1260 years 

in this situation, their prophecy would end in 1798 

About the close of the eighteenth century, in consequence 

of the abominable corruptions of the church of ' 

Rome being exposed to public view,' the men of the 

world began to treat revelation as a fiction, and religion 

pa priestcraft ; and instead of searchug for the pillar 

aiid ground of the mth, &&their imaginations became 

vain, and their foolish minds were darkened." They 

declared war against the Bible, the "two witneatwe," 

which war became general all over Europe and America 

Some of the most eminent and principal writers in this 

controversy were in France, the principal kingdom 

among the ten, into which Rome had been divided at 

the close of the fifth century ; and so successful were 

these writers, that almost the whole nation of the French 

became Deists, or Atheists, in a shd time. This nation 

had long been guilty of the abominations of the 

unti-Christian beaet, the aim of Sodom and Egypt, and 

the persecution of those who protested against her national 

corruptions : the slaying of the witnesses; their 

lying in a dead-state three yecus and a half in the street

Verse 9, And the great dragon was cast out.,*-- Bomr 

Pagan was deprived from having any authority in the 

gospel kingdom, as Christ says in John xii..31, Now 

shall the prince of thissworld be cast out "- that old 

serpent,"- Rome Pagan is compared to the dd acrpad 

because he works deceitfully and deceives the chm4 

(roomun,) as the serpent did Eve, the woman in the garden,- 

called the devil," because they devour and per- 

secute with a devilish spirit, - " and Satan," beem 

satan-like he claim power over all kingdoms 'of ths 

world - u which deceiveth the whole worlLn - Thia 

may be said of Rome, for she conquezd mom natiom 

by deceit and flattery than by fair warfare. - He mu 

cast out into the earth, and his angels were cab out 

with h." This was literally fulfilled when Christ cut 

off the Jews and .all unbelievers ; when he said, UIKy 

kingdom is not of thia world ; when he exclnded tbe 

kingdoms of this earth from participating.in the apiritd 

kingdom which they claimed on account of their wtbority 

amon men. 

verse f ~, 

6. And I heard a loud voice my& in W- 

en,"-many voices in the church under the goepel diepensation, 

- Now is come salvation, and strength, d 

the kingdom of our God, and the power of his ChriBn - 

This represents the grand chorus of all the saints, when 

the discover the true principle on which the kingdom 

of 64 is bu~t. ~b vu litedl tnn at ~a day of 

Pentecost. - 66 For the accuser ofYour brethren is cast 

down, which accueed them before our God night and 

day." The Romnna had, by drawing the Jews into 

idolatry, caused them to sin against God in all their 

evening and morning sacrifices. And b these meam, 

they were accused before God, Uiat i., dbd wan angry 

with them, and destroyed our brethren, the Sewa 

Verse 11, And they overcame him by the blood uf 

the Lauib," - by the blood of ato~~ement, all believers in 

Christ do finally overcome tlie pwcm of darkness and 

princes of thia wo~ld,-~~and by tlie word of thou bti- 

~nony," - preaching and testimony of the apostlra - 

UAnd they loved not tlir~r lives unto the deathP-

WTered martyrdom. Thie waa fakilled ia the death of 

. the apostles and *era. 

Verse 12, Therefore rejoice p heavens, and ye that 

dwell in them" It waa a matter of great joy among the 

primitive Christians, to be counted worthy to suffer per- , 

secutioa for Christ's sake. a Woe to the inhabitants of 

the earth," -those who live under the Roman 

anent,- md d the sehm - memi the princip$~~~ 

dom among the ten kingdoms Xce ia neral y 

meant by sea in thu prophecy. For the d s m come 

down uato you, having at wra because he knoweth 

that he hath bat a sc* a The dud meana 

destroyer, and the three woee, and seven la& plagues, 

were all to be sent n n the earth and sea, which denote 

wan, revolutions, an~hanghg of governments Thew 

things woilld prevail in the close of this Roman kin 

dom, and war rald be the dosing up of the euthfi 

scene of this fourth kingdom whch Daniel saw and 

John has been describing under the figure of the great 

red dragort" 

Verne 13, And when the dragon saw that he was 

cast unto the earth," - when the Roman government 

saw they could have no control in the things of Christ's 

kingdom, they hated the church and the doctrine that 

taught that Christ's kingdom was not of this world, and 

the "persecuted the woman that bmght forth the man 

third," which is the church that had a Savior born unto 

her, Chriit Jesus, the Lord of life and glory. 

Verse 14, "And to the woman was ven two wi 

of a great eagle,',- by which klunderrtand % 

means God used between the Arian and Papal controversy, 

at the time of the division of the Greek or eastern 

church from the west or Roman church, which happened 

in the reign of Justinian, emperor of the east, about A. 

D. 538, when the controveray a m coaoernin~ .t+e 

worshipping of departed saints, images, and the inf libllity 

of the church at Rome. In' tbs controversy, many 

privately withdrew themselves, and settled in the northwest 

part of Asia and in the north-east part of Europe, 

and after a number of yeara colonieo were sent by them

into Piedmont and valleye of the Alpe, where it v 

eupposed the true worship of God yaa retained during 

the dark ages of Papa ignorance, bigotry, and T- 

stition. (See Milner's Church History, and Benedlct'r 

History of the Ba - 6 that she might fly into the 

wilderness, into !"\ er p ace,"-a sapamtion frrm the 

world, as says the voice from heaven, Come out of her, 

my people, that ye be not partakers of her sine, and that 

ye receive not of her plagues," Rev. xviii. 4. - where 

she is nourished for a time, times, and half a time," - fed 

and nourished by the spirit and word of God 1260 yeam 

from the face of the serpent" -from the bowledge 

of Papal Rome. 

Verse 15, And he serpent cast out of his month wators 

as a flood after the woman,"- waha, in prophecy, 

means people, Rev. xvii. 15. Thefore I understand 

this prophecy to have been fulfilled when the Pope, the 

head of Papal Rome, sent forth his armiee and iquieition 

to subdue the heretics, as he called them, who dwelt in 

the valleys of the Alps, which was about the beginning 

of the krteenth century, - that he plight cause her to 

be carried away of the flood "- e xterminsted and deetroyed 

by his armies and inquieitioa 

Verse 16, 6 And the earth helped the woman, and the 

earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood 

which the dragon cast out of his mouthn Thin verse 

was fulfilled in the wars which followed the aboven~entioned 

time of persecution, in which the Germ 

inces he1 d their subjects against the armia of the 

ape, nnd Gtroyed and swallowed up many of the Papal 

armies, froin the thirteenth. to the fifteenth century- 

Or, as some authors have supposed, the water8 which 

the d on cast out of his mouth waa the flood of 

rrrors%ch amse about the time of the French revolution, 

under the name of Deism, which war, calculated tb 

dwtroy the doctrine of the %pel, aa. the vainly 

*upped, backed up by the mpu 11can amun o{hoc+ 

r~nd afterwards by the power of Bonaparte, who ru 

Enally rubdued by the combinationn of the kings of the 

d But, M thk tranrnsaction Reenls to me to be loo

Pate ts affect the woman i~ her exiled stste, I have inclined, 

in my humble opinion, to my &sl exposition of 

these texta 

Verse 17, L'And tbe dragon wae wroth with the woman," 

- Pa@ Wome was angry with the h e church, - 

4' and went to make ww with the remnant 0f her seed.)) 

This war .has not yet come ; for it ie evident b t8e expresamonU 

remnant of her wed," that it mede e*~ of 

the church who keep the wrmmmbents of God, and 

have the teatimeny of Jeerre Christ." This ie the last 

struggle of this anti-Christian beast, and ia described in 

many places as the laat great battle,or the mxper of the 

great God. Such expressiw as "arid we^& as though 

this power would o to some place out of their own 

terntory, and 6 the fmg~ of the g.t might be prepared,. 

Bhow that they will go weat I om, thenfore, constrained 

to believe that this battle of the dmpds last 

power will be in America; sad if so, it must be mainly 

in these United Sltates. It will be a battle on 

principles, aa we may learn by tL. passage in ZS 

13--16, &'And I IE+W Wee unclean spM like fro 

come out of the mouth of t8e dmgq and out of 

mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the fake 

prophet ; " - the 6' unclean spiritsn showa that it is political 

principles ; and, like the frogs in Egypt, it will pet- 

vade all the departments of life - the sooial, civil, and 

mli 'ous. By dragon," we must understand the kings 

of #e nnb ; by the Y beqn Papal principles, or the 

church of Rome; by the "false prophet," Mahometan 

power ;- " for they are the spirit of &vile, working mi* 

cles," -that is, splrit of deceit, separating frienb, dividing 

kingdoms, et.s, societies, churches, and families, 

and crumbhug every man-made institution, and levelling 

to the dust all law, order, and bond of union, which the 

wisdom of man may hare invented, - which go forth 

unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world." 

This shown the universal spread of this fanatical spirit 

of disorganization, and it will haUy lead to U gathe 

them to the battle of thst great day of God Almighty." 

"Behold, I am come as a thief. Bleaeed ie he that 

rotCaeth and keepeth hie garmen& lest he walk naked

md tney see his shame." We are here notified W 

his comin will be like a thief to those wbo are engaged 

in this po/%ical warfare, and in those popular and menmade 

societies of the day ; and mw are told that thoee 

will be blessed who watch, that is, for his coming, and 

the signs of the times, and that keepeth his'ganwnte 

unspotted fnxn these worldly institutions, which engender 

strife and animosity among brethren. Be warned, 

dear Chrietian, "enter into thy chamber, and hide thyself 

for a little moment, until the indignation be over 

and past, that ye need not be ashamed before him at his 

coming." It will a h be a.battle of religioas principles, 

as is evident by the followin scriptme, Rev. xix. 11-16, 

And 1 saw haven ope!, and behold, a white baa; 

and he that sat upon hm was caned Faithful and True, 

and in righteonanew he doth judge and make war. Hm 

eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many 

crowns; and he had a name written that no man ine~r 

but he himself, and he was clotJmd with a reeture 

dipped in blood ; and his name is called The Word of 

God And the armies which were in heaven fonowd 

hi upon white homes, clothed in fine linen, white and 

clean And out of hie month goeth a s sword, that 

with it he should smite the nations ; and 9 e &all rule 

them with a rod of iron ; and he treadeth the wineof 

the fierceness and math of Almighty God." 

passage proves that tbere will be at the close of tbim dismation, 

immediately precedi the marriage of the 

L b to his bride, a great and%& mggle between 

error and truth, between infidelity and the word of Gob 

And you may inquire, perha and with propriety tm, 

How dm11 we know on whiEide re are e.ly.@ in 

this great war of principle I anewer, In nghteomness, 

he doth make war. But, say you, we am so prow 

to follow tradition or preposeeased notions, and think re 

are right, that, like Paul, we may be found at last 

. againat God. You rust see to it, that you are u%k% 

and true," have faith in his name, ad him name is The 

Word of God." This is your only rule - The Word of 

God. Be careful ; lay your#elvea on this word. 

ya~elvembythiratandd. Ifyomm,fhitb,apa,

C~BIST'S SECOND COMIIQ. 21'3 

and hope, are built on thi foundation, you can 

never fail ; for he that is The Word of God, is La KING 

OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." A&: it 

isto be a literal battle with the sword, for ~h&t sap, 

He that taketh the sword shall die by the sword." 

And kings, Papal Rome, and the Mahometans, have 

ruled the world by the sword, and their swords, durin 

all the days of their pore, have been red with the bloof 

of their subjects, and the innocent victims of their hate. 

And in Rev. xix. 17-20, it is evident, by the nfowlem 

spoken of in the 17th verse, is meant, wamom in favor 

of liberty who are to eat (destroy) the flesh (strength or 

power) of kings, and. the fleeh .of captains, and the flesh 

of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and them that sit 

on them, (armies are undoubtedly meant in this passage 

and the flesh of all men," who are e d in favor o 9 

kings, pa d Rome, or false prophet, .%ffre and bond, 

both smaE and great." And I saw the besat and the 

kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together 

to make war against him that sat on the h e , and 

-inst his my." 6' And he gathered them to ether 

~nto a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageidon," 

(awake to the spoil,) Rev. xvi. 1621. 

These will be the means the dragon will use in his 

last great struggle to gain ascendency over the minds, 

consciences, and bodies of men He will fan up their 

political animosities; he will stir up strife and division 

among relioious communities ; and, last of all, and not 

least, he w8l encourage an intolerable thirst for blood. 

In which battle Christ will come, chain the dragon, give 

his body to the burning flame, confine the spirits of all 

who worship the dragon, beast or false prophet, in the 

pit of woe ; raise the saints, purify, cleanse, and glorify 

them with his own glory. 

IV. We are to speak of the time the saints, or church, 

were to he in the wilderness, one thousand two hundred 

and threescore days." I believe all comrnentntors 

agree that these days are to be understood years; 

and, as I have proved this point in a former lecture, 1 

geed not stop to argue this given principle at this time, 

wt will proceed to give some proof when thia time be-

pandwheaite~de~L Theiane inmrtexts 

trsamehgthottime~~venby~ 1 for the 

dtl*latle- s~e~.ndvii.~ itis,*T 

ame time Job bas given fos the image beast to have 

power to conhwe forty md 

- 

two rnontha.' Thirty days 

toaroonth hr l260 days, Eeq. xiii 5. 1t.k slsqthe 

same length of time that rre even the Ge& to tread 

the holy city under fa& See Rev. xi. 2 Aleo for the 

rimesea to prophesy, clotbed in &loth. Ber. xi. 3. 

And there can hardly be a shadow of a doubt but that 

all these times hs$ their beginning and ending at one 

and the same time. if ao, then the ugmoenta used heretoh 

may have their proper in thLe plnce. 

But let ua consider a few things in addition to our 

fonner reasona 1st What my we udemhd by the 

woman fleeing into the ~iklerneas,~ and from the face 

of the serpentn We must comider it in a state of obscurity 

; thie was tme in tbe time we have stated, A. D. 

533. Historians tell us but little abaut any re 

cbxch but the R- church, and this bu neverei 

ill on obscure state; of course the Roman is not the 

clturcl~ in the wilderness. But they do tell os that, in 

the :l;1y3 of Justinian, emperor of Constantbple, them 

werd many schismatics, aa they were called, wbo oppoeed 

the power of the bishop or pope of Borne, and doings of 

councils in the east and west, and a large share of the latter 

part of Justinian's Me waa spent In religious broib 

and expelling from his kingdom these schiematica ; I& 

the code of laws which be published about A. D. 5;a, 

forbade any Christians any rights or privileges w citizens 

in his empire who would not acknowledge the bishop of 

Rome as head. And in these laws he gave tbe biAhop 

wer to bold courts and try all matters of faith within 

r. la k~ngdoa These, and other thmgs of like import, 

drove all true followera of the word of God to seek a 

rest out of the jurisdiction of the city of natiow; and, 

of couree, became outlaas to the Roman vernment 

Then, if we 6x the beginning of the exile orthe church 

at the m e time of setting up anti-Christ, A. D. St!, 

then the church ms in ita exiled state until A. D. lkl, 

which would be tbe W yeaa It m here worthy of

italy a ~epabliu; when.free tderation was given fbr any 

religious opinion a 'pridw whatsoever. Here, then, 

the chumh, ia whatover f- abe might appoer, was permitted 

to enjoy the rights and privileges of cjtieens, and 

to worship God as their conscience might dictnte. This 

is the 6rst time, during the 1260 years, that free talerstion 

of religion was granted in an kingdom where the 

Catholic church had power; and: although Catholic 

rimes and popes have since had rule in Italy and 

kame, yet they have never dam4 as yet, to pums 

their former intolerant course of conduct towards Protestants. 

And it is very evident, my dear friends, that 

the church is now out of the wilderness ; that is, if she 

ever was; for there never has been a time since the 

days of the apostles, no, nor even then, that the church, 

in all its several branches, has enjoyed greater privile es 

than for nearly forty years past. She has spread ter 

wings over every land, and carried the news of salvation 

into every language on the known world. Her reapers 

have followed the sowers of seed, and there is handsfull 

of corn in the tops of all the mountains ; but the harvest 

is short. The church has had rest as long as she has 

ever had since Christ left her and ascended to his Father. 

The dragon begins to shqw his anger; the trumpet 

begins to sound to the onset; the armies of the 

beast begin to muster for the battle, they are furbishing 

their swords for the slaughter; the kings of the earth 

are combining a ainst the freedom of their subjects; 

the great men an! nobles are riveting cloaer the chain. 

of their vassals ; tyrants are braiding in firmer knots 

their scorpion whips for their slaves; erpedicney haa 

taken the room of moral law, and annrch has crowded 

order from his seat ; moba have taken the Jace of judges, 

and law is popular will; the liberty of the press is but 

the nod of demagogues, and the fmdom of speech i 

19

ale ~C~ IR. 

aIlal fLarticism. Dnisian meam to be tbe aader of 

the day, and our valuable htitutiom are tottering to 

tbair base. Be wuned, then, 0 my frieDdq to aeek 

der tbe banoar d the goepel before the armieu 

m%ed y UAnd the dmgm ran Kmth with tba 

mmq and rent to mrLe war with the remnant of Lr 

aeed which k~ the comr~andmenta of God, and kve 

tbateaimm,J~- arimt.* 'TI. mpgtofp* 

=Y *

LECTURE XV. 

And the seventh angel poured out Bi vial into tbe sir; sad h m 

cnme a ffeat voice out of the temple of beam, from the hone, 

saying, t is he. 

Tars text is the account we have in the word of God 

of the last pl e that will ever visit our world, ar the 

inhabibnu hereafter will be permitted to dwell 

thereon. That is evident, because it is the seventh of 

the last seven. For John says, Rev. xv. 1, And I saw 

another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels 

having the seven Zast p- ; for in them is filled 

up the wrath of God." And the wrnth of God is tilled 

up, that is, the cup of God's wrath of which he will make 

all nations drink; and he will give unto Bab~lon the 

cu of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath 

khen it cannot be uninteres to *me who wish or 

who may desire to learn where "g an when the last plagues 

have been poured out, and how many yet remain for us 

to experience. These seven last lagaes have had their 

shadows in the plaguea whlch ~ Jsent on slave-holding 

Egypt, when he delivered his peo le, the Jews, from their 

Egyptian bondage, the least of wkch plagues destroyed 

Pharaoh and hie host, just in the moment when Israel 

were shouting deliverance on the banks of the Red Sea 

So likewise, in the seven last plagues, the are poured 

out upon apiritual Egypt, slave-holding Habyloo, who 

ha8 enslaved the peo le of God for centuries, and has 

trafficked in the bo8es and aouls of men. She, like 

'

Egypt, has appointed task-masters over the thmcb, d 

has endeavored to strangle her children in the birth. 

She has commanded the km and rulera of the earth to 

destroy the cbidren of the cRrch, as did the Egyptim 

the Hebrew midwives; but the clmrch baa f o d favor 

in the eyes of some of the kings and phcea of the earth, 

and the earth has he1 d the woman, and ber children 

are not all dead. ~nr&eir cry has gone up to the Lad 

of Sabsoth, adhe has come down m these seven last 

plagues to deliver his people from tbe band of the spoiler, 

and from the power of the beast, the anti-Christian 

abomination ; and when thb laot vial is poured into the 

air, all the doctrines of men a d devils, and all the theories 

of men and tbe wisdom of tltia world will be confbunded 

and brou t to nought The Lord will overwhelm 

with the re%d Lry wrath of hi. &judgment 

tbe kings of the earth, the beast or Cathdic church of 

abomination, the falee prophet and all hie followers, the 

pat men af the earth, mighty men and ca am, tyrants, 

slave-boldem, rich and poor, bond anrh;e: d 

who have worship ed the beast or hia image, will, like 

the boat of ~ h n o be k datroyed in the genenl can&- 

gration of the world, and the &in@ will shost deliverance 

in the New Jerusalem state. I ahall, therefore, 

I. Give tbe history of the seven last plagues or the 

#even vial8 of wrath. 

11. Show what may be anderstood by 'LA u hn 

I. Then we are to give the history of the seven vials 

or last plagues ; and for thk purpose we muet give a comment 

on the sixteenth chapter of Revelation. Veree I, 

And I heard a great voice out of the temple, mying to 

the men angela, Go your way4 and pour our the vds 

of the wrath of God upon the earth Thie verse show, 

ua thnt these plagues ate poured upon the emih at (be 

command of lum who sits in the temple of God. Vem 

3 And the first went, and poured out Lis vial upoo the 

earth ; and there fell a noisome and grievous wre upon 

the men wbicb had the mark"of the beast, and upon them 

which wmhi ped his im Thia first vial war poured 

m n the 4 meaning% kingdom of the be& or * 

A mhme, a gricvou more, i&

mtes the diesolution of the body dieted, and thst the 

constitution is laborin under some inward diseaee, or 

affected by contagion &m without It is therefore a fit 

emblem to re resent the exposure df the corruptions of 

the church of~ome, and breaking out of those Mhsome 

diseases of internal abominations which had been 

hid for agea from the world by the cunnin craftiness 

of thia Papl beast The msn apoken of in &a paasage 

are those who worship the beast, and who are the professed 

followera of th~a corrupt society, and all who live 

under the influence and control of the idolatrous city of 

nations, and who tra5c in her indulgences and abominable 

practices. This vial then began to be poured out 

when the Proteatants first published to the world the 

corruptions and abominable practices of the ahurch of 

Rome, when the world be n to see the noisome and 

grievou. sores that coveregthe men who pretended to 

preach or proclaim the doctrine, lam, or commands of 

this beast. And of course this plague was sent on the 

Romieh church about the year A. D. 1529, under the 

preaching of Luther, Calvin, and others who opposed and 

ex osed the corruptions of the church of Rome. 

terse 3, And the second angel poured out his vial 

upon the sea, and it became ae the blood of a dead man; 

and every living soul died in the sea" The sea, in 

prophetic language, is the centre of some 

at nation, 

or society of men, as in a reatlew aod turEent state; 

and the things living in the sea, are the persons living 

under the power or control of this nrrtion, or society. 

Liwing sod denotes those persona who have been born 

of the Spirit, and are in possession of that living faith 

in God, and love for all men L1 As the blood of a dead 

man" There is something very striking in this figure - 

wt an ordinary figure of blood, which denotes war and 

, mortal controversy, but cold, congealed blood ; the blood 

of a dead man denotinu a massacre in cool blood, without 

any resistance on &e @ of these murdered. Thia 

vial was, then, poured out in France, the principal kingdom 

in the Roman ton horns, in the year A. D. 1572, at 

the massacre of the Huguenots on St. Bsrtholomew's 

eve, when 50,000 were slain in (we night, and the streeta 

19 *

as 

mmruAn X. 

or ma, ae it waa called in the p c vial B u blood," 

I understand as.trrtive war. I dtbe 

-1 

of the waters sg, Thou art righteous, 0 Lord, whlcb 

art, and mst, and sldt be, becaw thou hast judged 

thua For they hve shed tbe blood of eainta and 

prophetq a d thou hast ven them blood to drink, for 

q me 0 . Ad beard a m h aut of the altar 

hy, Even 60, Lord God Almighty, true and 

am thy judgmentan In these ve- we have* 

rone ven, why they 'were visited with thii eco 

war, kt~me,L. the precedi vial, they had &T$ 

blood of rinta ; which pm~O% the eq&tion( +at 

tial, which I have already given, ia correct Tlw vd, 

then, was poured out upon the nation8 that had 'ven 

their Btrength and their power to the bed; dthe 

pernmenta were Wed with war and blood. Thin vial 

ma poured out about A. D. 1630, and laeted nearly fitly 

pm. Spain and Portugal carried on a blood d demctive 

war for more than ~ n y- y of k tim. 

' 

Frame waa tom by civil and intedine ware d 

long period. The ciril ran in Wlud began=: 

kbg Charles I, 1642, which lasted with but little cemation, 

until king George I. ascended the throne, in 171.1. 

&man waa filled with blood, between the caatcntions 

tbs 3-w leap nmi catholic which 

rise to a minourn war, which lasted Yf irty yeam" 

Outhriq vol. i, pap 443. Thie war ars headed, on 

of tho htmtantn, by Gustavus Adolphue, king 

en, who waa killed at the battle of Lutzen, A. 

2G

CHB~ST'S mom cane. !a8 

8. i632, which war lssted until the peace of MW 

lG48. The other ki doma of the ancient empire of 

Rome were more o!es drenched in blood, and civil 

wars, on account of their religious tenets, and contention 

of their rulers and mere^ princes. These were 

the hea judgmenta which 8 d saw fit to idict upon 

the -%ms and states of the,church of Rome, for the 

innocent blood which she had shed of the Protestante 

who had protested against her cruel and blasphemow 

practices. For they have shed the blood of saints and 

prophets, and thou hast 'ven them blood to dnnk, for 

the are worthy." u And & fourth angel poured out hh 

$idupon the sun, and xwer TU pven unto hk.to 

scorch men with lire. d men were scorched 

great heat, and blaqhemed the name of God, which hath 

wer over these plagues ; and they repented not to give 

Em glory." The sun is the great source of light and 

heat, and, in mphetic language, is an emhlem of the 

fgpel, .a ex&ed in the 19th Psalm, CIO. a Their 

e has one out through all the earth, and their words 

to the enf of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle 

for the sun," &c. To '(scorch men" with fire, sigpifies 

to make men angry ; reat heat," unrommonly angry, 

vengeful, malicious. l%s vial was poured out in the 

last century, when the ospel was proclaimed in these 

kingdoms of the beast %ow, during the greater part 

of the last centory, and in all the kingdoms where the 

gospel was preached, there were manifested insidious 

attempts and a systematic opposition against the goepel 

of Jesus Christ, or the Holy Scriptures. This opposition 

was headed by Frederick, king of Prussia, and aided 

by all the wits, men of enius and learning, as they 

boasted, of all Europe anf ~merica ; and in their secret 

assemblies, or clubs, they went so far as to calculate 

about what length of time it mould take for them to destroy 

and exterminate the religion of the Galilean and 

his twelve fishermen ;" and no writers that ever wrote 

took such unwearied pains, showed so much vimlence 

and anger, blasphemed the nrrme of God to such a deec, 

as these writers ; and none, either before or since, 

ave ever dared to exhibit the like. LL And they re- 

%= 

'

fB.4 

LECTUaE XV. 

nted not to give him the glo ." I believe it is not 

gown, that any of these pinciz deistical writ. wem 

converted tothe religion of Jesus Christ before their death, 

to give God the glory. Yet I think we havg eome account 

of many of them dying in horror, at the frightful 

view of the future, in consequence of their blasphemow 

lives against the majesty of the King of kinga Themfore, 

in the history of the Deists in the eighteenth century, 

we. have the history of the plague of the f d 

vial. 'c And the fiRh angel poured out his vial upon the 

seat of the beast ; and his kingdom was full of darknq 

and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed 

the God of heaven, because of their paina and their 

sores, and repented not of their deedan The seat of 

'the beast" must mean those ten kingdom on which the 

woman sitteth, which is ancient Rome. U Full of darkness" 

must mean full of wickedness, confueion, and 

every evil work. Gnawed their tongues for pain * 

shows shame, dispe, and disappointment. Thie vial 

was poured out m the French revolution, about 1796. 

When Bonaparte began his extraordinary career, exalted 

to the pinnacle of power, he dethrones tbe pope, (whoee 

power and authority had made kings and emperors quail 

at his feet, who had ruled over the nations mth despotic 

sway for more than 1200 years,) nnd makes Rome the 

second city of h c e ; conquers the ancient monarchies ; 

deluges every country with blood ; masters every kinq; 

fi"ther3 spoils from every land, and humbles cities in the 

ust; chan es the laws of kingdoms, and destroys the 

most sacrefconstitutions of the Roman statea In thii 

revolution among the Roman kiilgdom, and under this 

vial, the bwtile was demolished, tl~e inquisition destroyed, 

torture suppressed, and the power of the Papal clergy 

restrained. Their kingdoms were full of darknesa ; they 

were troubled, chafed, and grieved; a tho~lsnnd plota 

were laid ; many times they confedcroted ngaimt Iim, 

the master spirit of the ti~nes ; but they retniled not, 

until this vial hnd its acco~nplishn~cnt on $13 k t of the 

beast Yet, ~nor all this wonderful tlisplay of G ~ J 

udplents Iyon the beast nntl kingdoms of ancient 

home, U~ey repented not, but, Phunoh-like, they blu

phemed God, because of theii pains and their sorea 

a And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great 

river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, 

that the way 6f the kings of the east might be pre- 

The scene has now changed from Europe to 

. The "river Euphraks"means, in prophecy, the 

people of that coun bordering on the nver, and, of 

course, refem to th3urkish power, Y I have formerly 

shown in my lective on the 6ft.h and sixth trumpet 

"Water thereof was dried up," ia an emblem of the 

power and strength of that kingdom being diminished, 

or taken away. This vial was poured out on Turkey, 

by the loss of a great share of the empire ; fmt, Russia on 

the north, in her last war with the Turks, took away s 

number of provinces ; then, by the revolt of Ali Pacha; 

then, by the rising of the Greeks; since, by the Allmians 

and Georgians, and other distant ofthe empire, 

becoming disaffected ; which, all together, have ,so 

wasted the power of the Turks, that, now, it is very 

doubtful whether she can maintain her power against 

her own intestine enemies ; and, to compare kr now 

with her former greatness, would be like comparin 

fordable stream with the great river Euphrates ; 60 99 

the way now appears to be prepared for the kinga to 

come up to the battle of the great day, in which the 

false prophet is now to take his part, as we shall we in 

our next verse. 

'L And I saw three unclean s irita like frogs come out 

of the mouth of the dragon, an! out OF the mouth of the 

beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet; for 

they are the spirits of devils worki miracles, which go 

fbrth unto the kings of the earth a 3 of the whole world, 

to gather them to the battle of the great day of God . 

Almighty." Now, if we can deci her this passage, we 

can tell what are now and what wit be the signs of the 

times. "Three unclean spirits!' By this we must understand 

three wicked principles. Frogsn I undebtand 

to show us that it is political. As fro came over the 

land in the judgment on Egypt, anfpmded every 

house, even the palace of the king, so do politics. 

Mouth " denotes ordera or commaslta !$'he Chgon is

a6gureofthekingsoftheeart.h. Tbebeastisaeedto 

represent Papacy.. The false prophet evidently repreeenta 

Mahometamem. These have all the spirit of 

devils. The devil pretends to claim power over all the . 

kingdoms of the world, (see Rev. xii. 9, there called the 

devil. Papacy is said, in Rev. xiii. 4 to receive iD 

wer 6wn the dragon, and to come out of the bottom- 

/& pk, d S hd @3 kt0 plditioll; of CO- IDU* b 

long to Satan's kmgdom. The false prophet, too, ia to 

be cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstoncn 

All these powers have pretended to work minclea, 

to establish their authority over the bodiea and 

souls of men. But what are the princi lea which each 

of these teach their political followen! The dragon 

and his political party, in whatever nation they may 

appear, (as all three of these political principlee mwt 

pervade the whole earth,) will support tyranny, slaveq, 

and aggrandizement of the few at the e me of many. 

The beast and h political party will bexown only bj 

their hypocrisy, bigotry, and superstition. Their pnnclpal 

object wil be to operate on the hop- and hm of 

men, and so an ascendency over the rninda of the 

indkduale wrma be so unfortunate u to be fiid in 

their mh. The b prophet will 6LI his 

notions of infidelity, lust, and conquest. An CP the virit 

of all these parties, workin at one and the eame tune. 

r all natiom, and among afi people, wi~ 

produce .n elfect 

which only can be known to mortals in experiencing 

the conflict. Behold, I come as a thieE B l d ia be 

that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk 

naked, and they see his shame." This verse 

notice of the near a p p d of him rho hth %FgwZ 

in heaven and earth. For when they say, Peace md 

safety, then sudden destruction corneth upon them, md 

the shall not esca But ye, brethren, are mt in 

darf&se, that that gi &all overtake yon u a thictn 

Watch, therefore, for if ye have put on the Lord Jemm 

Christ, keep your garment, and let none trike yom 

crown, that you may be found of him without apot and 

blameleea And he gathered them together into a 

phEe uUed, in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon ;" tb.t

CHRIS~'S SECOND COPING. !a7 

b, urnere the Lord will declare his precious fruitw 

This gatherin is the same spoken of in Matt. wv. 32, 

6 And before fim shall be gathered all nations ; and he 

shail separnte them one from another, aa a shepherd divideth 

his sheep from the goats." In the place Armageddon, 

the Lord will manifest who are his; he will 

sepruate the chaff from the wheat, the wicked from'the 

just The wheat he will ther into his garner; they 

will be caught up fo meet % Lord in the air, rhiie the 

chaff will be burnt with unquenchable fire. Hi om 

right hand shall save us- while his last plague shall be 

poured out upon the head of his enemies. And the 

seventh angel ponred his vial into the air; and there 

came a great voice out of the temple of heaven from the 

throne, saying, It is done." The seventh and laat vial 

of God's wrath will be poured into the'air about the 

pear 1840, if my former calculations are correct, when 

this judgment will have a quick and rapid circulation 

over the whole globe. Like the air, it will pervade 

every kingdom, circulate into every nation, sow the seeds 

of anarchy in every society, and disorganize every 

bond of union among men, except the -1. "And 

there were voices, and thunden, and li3%tninp, and a 

great earthquake, such as waa not ewe men were 

, n n the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great" 

Fd, political &rife. Thunders is an emblem of divisions. 

Lightmi is a representation of anger and 

war. h t em& denotes a great revolution. 

And there will be, when this vial is poured out, political 

strife among all natioils, divisions among all sects, societies, 

and associations of men upon earth. Anger, war, and 

bloodshed will fill the countries with horror and dismay ; 

and a great revolution, such as was not since men were 

upon earth, so mighty a revolution and so great Aud 

the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities 

of the nations fell ; and great Babylon came in remembrance 

before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine 

of the fierceness of hm wrath." 

woman which reigneth over the king The o prrnteis the earth, says the 

the angel, Rev. xvii 18. And the wman is Papacy. 

Papacy muat also be divided into three parties, to show

her dissolution And the cities of the mtbm fell Aa 

city denoted the papal power a d religion, ao Qas dia 

represent the power aad relqion of all other natiom 

Therefore all the power, 8nd all natiod religion, will 

fall in and under this vial, and the anh-c-hmth power 

will be judged; all their sine, cruel persecutions, d 

bloody deeds, will be brought into judgment into remembrance 

before God, and he will fiu to her the cup 

which she has made 0th- dm&, and abe in her turn 

must drink the dregs. 'And every iehnd fled away, 

and the mountains were not Eound." Idan& and rwurare 

figures of great and small *dome and p- 

ernmenta This text alludee to the ane time and 

circumstances which Nebuehadndo dreun doer, 

Daniel ii 35, 45- when the etone cut out without 

hands shall mite the image upon hie feet, and all the 

kingdoms of the earrh be carried away, tbt M place 

shall be found for them. Ln this verse it irr, the a mountains 

were not found." uAnd there fell upon men 

great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight 

of a talent, and men blasphemed God because of rhe 

plague of the hail; for the plague thereof waa weedmg 

great" Thk cloees the ktory of the wven lust 

plagues, and this storm of hail is the lant part ot' the 

seventh vial ; it is t&e closing up of the judgments of God 

on an ungodly world Whether we are to undelutmd 

this hail figuratively or literally, I am not able tu my i 

but my revailing opinion k, that we are to underatsud 

it lited~y, for thk reamxi - 1 havepver been able in the 

word of God to h d any fiytive oxpla~tion, dU1~1gb 

it is used in a number of p aces with cular refercucc 

to the last day. Isa. xiviii. 17, UJuGnt a h rill 1 

lay to the line, and righteo~lsness to the l~uunlet, UMI 

the hail 1aI1 sweep awa the refuge of fin, ad Uw 

waters sld overflow de hiding-ph" 

*' And tho Lord shall caw l~io glorioue voice to be 

heard, and shall ehow the kghting down of his arm, 

with the indi nation of hie anger, and with the flame of 

devouring ilr, with watteriig, and ternpee tmi~ 

UOIICM.~ hzek. xiii. 11, 13, "Say unto them wllich 

durbitwithuntarPparOd mortrr,thlitrhUhUilbsn 

XXX. ilU.

shall be an overflowin ehower ; and ye, 0 great hailstones, 

shd fall; I Mrmy rind shall rend it 

Thereforq thus saith the Lord God, I will even rend it 

with a atmy wind in my fury; and there shall be an 

overflowing shower in mine an er, and great hail-stones 

in my fury, to conarrne it" Srek. xxxviii. 22, "And 

I will plead against him with pestdcnce and with blood; 

.and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon 

the many peo le that are with hm, an overflowing hi, 

mid great hagstones, fire and brimstone." Also, Rev. 

xi. 19, '' And there were lightnin and voicee, ad 

thunderings, and ndn earthquake, g &at haiL9* 

B reading the connection of these texts, you cannot 

but Ee struck with the agreement of the pnapbeb in their 

descri@ons of this last and dreadful judgment of God , 

upon the world All of them evidently fix it on the last 

thy ; all call it apparently a rain of great hail-stones, 

like those which M1 upon Egypt in the days of Moses. 

Exodus ix. 23-25, And Moses stretched forth his rod 

toward heaven; and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and 

the fire ran along upon the ground ; and the Lord rained 

hail upon the land of Egypt Sq there was hail, and 

fire mingled with the hail, very evous, such as there 

was none like it in all the lxof Egypt since it became 

a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the 

land of Egypt, all that waa in the field, both man and 

beast ; and the hail ' smote eve herb of the field, and 

brake every tree of the held." This, it is evident, is the 

type of the last part of the seventh lague. 

Aad now, my frienda, will you beyieve Six of these 

plagues have been accomplished in as literal a manner 

as we could expect, &r a fair and scriptural explanation 

of the figures and metaphors ased And again I 

ssk, Do you believe You think, perhaps, you will wait 

until you see the hail come, and then you will believe. 

But will you not recollect that our text says, And they 

blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail " 

Will you thus tempt God through six successive judgments, 

and wait for the last before you will belleve 

What ho or prospect have you that the seventh will 

dorimt Eaixpreciq s~ld not~-~rtimiw

you believe Is there one rational convichon that you 

will be then convinced No, not one. Then will you 

not see and learn wisdom by what ie gone before 

Pharaoh had no space for re entance under, or even just 

before the lut lague. An! so it will be with you ; the 

door will have geen shut before any part of the sesenrh 

vial will be poured out, for then will be heard a great 

voice reverberating through the upper vault of heaven, 

and, sounding even to the dark cella of the pit of woe, 

shaking the middle air with itj deep-toned thunder, and, 

like the lightning, darting its vivid flash of fire from eaet 

to west, wlll pierce the deafest ear, and make the hardest 

heart to break, although a thousand fold more hard than 

the adamantine rock, saying, U It u dod This bhga 

me to sl~ow, 

11. What we may understand b It is done." 

The 6nt question which nadly arise% on the mind 

ig What h done When Christ was about expiating 

for the sins of the world; when he waa closing up the 

work which his Father gave him to do on earth in the 

flesh; when the spirit was about leaving the tenement 

of clay which it had inhabited through a life of thirtythree 

yeam of pain, sufferings, de rivations, eorrowq 

promy, and team, made more acute iy to~~~pt~tions trylog 

as the arch-demon of hell could invent; suffering 

reproach from the haughty Pharisee, and the more obatinate 

Sadducee, and contempt and ridicule frorn the 

base rabble of his own people; persecuted even until 

death by the envy, malice, and hatred of tl~oae who had 

received boons and blessings of life at his hands, - he 11rd 

laved them froin disease, death, and the rage of tleii~oiis; 

yet, in this lnolnent of great need, he waa foreak+.n of 

dl; they stood afar off; and when he war about giving 

opthe ghost, he cried, It ia finis!ied !" and bowed hu 

head, and died. The fratricide man could do m more; 

he had followed hiin to death ; beyond that the envy of 

Iie brother could not reach him The mbble, wlm r

their object; but into the dark recess of the tomb 

they dare not, they would not, follow. 'The great red 

dragon (the Roman power) had sou ht his life when a 

child, but the hour had not come. &rod sought his life 

when a man, but he could not succeed until the last day 

of the seventy weeks should be accomplished. Then 

the powers of earth, wickebmen, and devils, could combine 

to take the life of the Lord of glory. Then, while 

these powers had control, the heavens hid their face; 

nature stood back aghast, and the material world shuddered 

with a groan Then, at that awful, fitful period, 

he who had been the object of all this malice, cried 

with a loud voice, LL It is finished !" The work on earth 

in the flesh is finished ; the temptations of Satan are 

finished ; the persecution of his brethren am finished ; 

envy, malice, and hatred towards the person of Christ am 

finished ; the power of earth, hell, and wicked men to do 

any thing with him, is finished ; death has no more t e ~ 

rors over him. It wjE&hcd 

Although Chriit had finished his work, and had endured 

all the sufferin which he wae to finish; yet in his 

spiritual body, tf e church, the measure of his sufferi 

wa to be wed up is pople mwt pe ~ noug X 

same scenes in the world as their divine Master had experienced 

from satanic temptations and the hatred of the 

world. The world will hate you and persecute ou 

for my name's sake, even aa the hated me before liey 

hated yon," says our bleesed ~eieemer. Therefore the 

same manifestations of cruelty, contempt, persecution, 

and death, were to be acted over again in the church 

until the 2300 years should be accomplished, wheh 

Christ would come again, receive home his weary, persecuted 

people, conquer death, end him that had the 

power of death, which is the devil. U And there came a 

great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, 

saying, It is done." The power of earth, hell, and wicked 

men over the dear people of God, is done. Their 

temptation in the flesh is done; their triale, pemecutiona, 

sufferings, darkness, fern, and death itself, are done. 

As the sufferings of the head was finished in Christ, so 

will all the pains of the body be completed when the 

seventh and krt vial nhall be poured into the air, and

cleanse the atmosphere from dl nordm vapors, pee 

tilence, and death. U Then shall the sanctuary be 

cleansed," and then will the t voice from the throne 

my, It ia done. These old and this old earth 

will have pawed away, and the New Jerusalem come 

down From God out of heaven, .prepared aa a bride 

adorned for her husband," Rev. XXL 3-6. 

L6 And I heard a great voice out of heaven, ssying, Behold, 

the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell 

with them, and they shall be hi peo le, and God -lf 

ahall be with them and be their G$ and God &all rlpe 

away all team from their eyea; and there ehall be m 

more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there 

be nny more pain, for the former things are 

And he that sat o n the tluone aaid, Behol=& 

thin new. J h e said unto me, Wdte ; for these 

lo$ we true and faithful And he scud unto me, It i 

don%" Here we have the same explesaion os in our 

text, having the eame identical meaning, the rame 

mice," inoneuintheother;thermathrau,~ 

uame voice epeaking, alluding to the same period of h e 

when the old things are done away and the new hearem 

IVB liniahed, to the m e point in pro ecy, the end." 

Therefbre, aa we have peaed the sixtl vial, the seventh 

and last hanp trembling in the air. The drop of thir 

vial are already contaminating tl~e minde of men ; already 

wo me the unclean s irit going forth ; the great city L 

divided, and .de sip of the heaveno demta a 

eonfl~ct, and on the earth a speedy revolution 

Then, my friendn, let ua bo wiee; let ur make peace 

with Him who has power to eave or to destro . For we 

learn by our suhject tl~athe world and worhy scenn 

am passing away; every vestige of mod grmdeur, 

every form of carnal pride, every fashion of h- glory 

will soon be eclipeed by the dew of thrt great white 

throne from whose face the Evens and earth rill Bee 

am , and the great voice from the thmne rill aund 

tb. L requiem, 6 ~t c done." 

" Yet wben the mod shall tcar lhc ski-, 

And lightning burn the @be helow, 

&ib, you may liR year p 

w m . " . bY(12ZdmS

LECTURE XVI. 

, MATT. uv. I. 

l'hen shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virginr 

which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 

PARABLES are always given to illuetrate some doctrine 

or subject which the speaker wishes to communicate, 

and is an easy or familiar manner of making his 

hearera or readers underatand the subject, and receive 

a lasting impression. Nothing has so good an effect on 

the mind as to teach by parables moral precepts or 

spiritual truths. In this way we are taught by visible 

things, or familiar objects, to realize, in some measure, 

the truths and sub'ects presented. Thii was the manner 

~hrist taught his disciples and followera, that their 

memories might the more easily retain, and be oRen 

refreshed, when they beheld any scene like the representation 

of the parable; and in this way, they might 

alway~ keep in view the important truth that is likened 

to the parable. A parable, rightly applied and clearly 

understood, gives good instruction, and is a lasting 

iiiustration of the troth But if we apply the parable 

wrong, if we put on a false construction, it will serve 

to lead us into an error, and blind us, instead of producing 

light, -as Christ said of the Pharisees, he spakc 

to them in parables, that, "seeing, they might see and 

not perceive, and hearing, they might hear and not understand." 

Men often explain parables by fancy, to 

suit their own notions, without any evidence but their 

own ingenuity ; and by thii means there will be aa many 

20 *

different explanations u there are in nioua men. But 

I dare not trifle thus with the word oCiod: if we can. 

not, by the word of God, explain, we had better leave 

the same 8s we 6nd it, and not attempt what must only 

result in guess-work at last; but follow Scripture rule, 

and we cannot got far from the truth. Cluist has given 

us rules by which to explain parables, by explaining 

some himself. The explanations given by Christ of the 

ble of the tam and the wheat, is a rule that will 

in about all cases. That he haa given rules, is 

very evident in his answer to hi disciples, when they 

asked him concernin his parables. Mark iv. 13, 'And 

he said unto them, #now e not this parable How, 

then, rill ye know all para&ea " That in, if ye under- 

&md how I explain b parable, you wil know how to 

explain all others; but if you do not underetand how 1 

ex lain this, you cannot axplain all otheran Thia ie Qe 

rde. Christ made all the prominent of a pamble 

%res; such u the hewer, 800 o P" rmn; good al. 

c dren of the dam; tam, children of the wicked 

one ; kmmt, end the world ; napot, the angele ; aa, 

therefore, the tares are gathered and burned, m .hall 

it bo in the end of the world," &c. Here is a ruunple; 

good seed, tares, harvest, and reapers, are figuree rep 

reeenting other things, aa we have shown. UBut bow," 

any yo~~~shall we alwafi know what these 6,- rep 

resent I answer, BY the explanation given in otber 

parts of the Bible. Eor the word of God is its own 

expositor, or it can be of no manner of use to us; for 

if we have to apply to any other rule, to explain the 

Bible, then, the othor mle would be tantamount, a~ul 

have a precedence, and the Bible muet fall of coum. 

But it ia not so. Then, to explain our rubject, 1 

dl, 

L Show what ia meant by the figurea uaed in the 

parable. 

IL The time to which this parable L applidla 

.nd, 

111. Make an application of our eubm 

I. I will ex lain the figures in the parable ; and, Imt, 

~lrinpdornofk ven" means the gmpel dsy, rn oLcb

of God's overnment under the gospel dispe.+tion. 

This I shaf prove by the word of God. Matt. lu. 1, 

%In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the 

wildem- of Judea, and saying, Repent ye, for the 

kingdom of heaven ia at hand." That is, the gospel 

day is come. Again : u Jesus came into Galilee preach- 

% +e aspel of the kingdom of God, say' The 

tune a fuklled, and the kingdom of God ia a%-&; 

Luke xvi 16, *The law and the prophets wen ontd 

John; aince that time the kingdom of God is preached." 

That is, the gospel day commenced with John, since 

which time the gospel is preached. 

Ten virgins means mankind in neral, in a probationary 

atate, liable to be wooed a.n&betrothed to the 

Lord, under the gospel, and during the gospel day. See 

Isaiah lxii 145, "For as a oung man marrieth a virgin, 

a shall thy .oxG &; and cia the bridegrwm 

rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over 

thee." It is evident, by the second verse, that Gentilea 

and Jews are both included in this propheoy. 

"Five wise virginsn is a fi e of believers in God, 

or the children of the kingE Psalms xlv. 13, 14, 

The king's daughter is all glorious within ; her clothing 

ia of wrought old. She shall be brought unto the 

king in raiment ofneedle-work; the rir 'ns, her companions 

that follow her, shall be bmug8 unto theen 

That I might comfort thee, 0 virgin daughter of Zion" 

Lam. ii 13. 

6' Five foolishn represents tlie unbelievin clam of mankind, 

while in this probationary state, under the meana 

of grace. This will be sufficientl proved by the following 

pas- - h rlvii. 1, "%me down, and sit in 

the dust, 0 virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the 

ground; there is no throne, 0 daughter of the Chaldeans." 

Jer. xlvi. 11, U O virgin, the daughter of 

Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines ; for 

thou shalt not be cnred." These texts prove, beyond 

a doubt, that the wicked cha of men are called oi7gin 

by the Scri tures. 

"Lamps R ia a figure of the word of God; for that 

enly can MI us about the New Jedem; that only 

1

can inform us when Christ will come agaln to the mar. 

riage supper of the Lmb. The word of God ia the 

means of moral light, to light our step6 through moral 

darkness, up to the com' of the bridegroom to receive 

the bride unto himself. ! his I shall prove by the cxix, 

Psalm, 105, gL Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light 

to my path." Also, Prov. vi. 23, For the cornmad 

ment is a lamp, and the law is light; and reproofs of 

instruction are the way of life." 

b' Oil " is a representation or emblem of faith; as oil 

produces li ht by burning, so doe& faith, in exercise by 

the fire of fove, produce more light, and gives comfort 

in adversity, hope in darkness, love for the co 

bridegroom; and the light of faith uri.ta ua to 3 

for his coming, and to know the time of night, and to 

go out to meet him: such are called the children of 

light, because they are believers, children of faith, 

U sons of oil." Because of the savor of thy good ointmentj, 

thy name is as ointment poured forth ; therefore 

do the virgins love thee," Sol. Song, i. 2 "Faith 

work by love." See 1 John ii. 27, But the anointing 

which ye have received of him, abideth in you; and ye 

need not that any man teach you; but as the mame 

anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is 

no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ,ye shall abide in 

him." it is evident, that the ano~nting here, and 

elsewhere spoken of, means faith, faith In his nunc, 

&c. 

bLVeasels" represent tile persons or mind that believes 

or disbelicvcs in the word of God, as in 1 Thess. 

iv. 4, "That every one of you nitould know how to peesess 

his veasel in sanctfication and honor." Alm, 2 

Tim. ii 21, LL If any man, therefore, purge himself from 

these, he shall be a vessel unto honor." 

UBride,mm" is the figurative name for Christ; an 

the prophet Isaiah says, "And as a bridegroom re'oiceth 

over tho bide, so sidl thy Cod rejoicc over thee> A d 

Chriet says, c'liow can the c11ildn.n of the bride-chamber 

mourn, while tlrn bridcpoorn in with them 2" alluding 

to himself. This ])roves thnt Christ meam himsol( in 

panon, by the bridegroom in tho parable.

"The door waa hut," im lies the 01- a of the 

medianrial kingdom, and i&uhing the gapefperk. 

1 sball prove this by Luke xiii 25-28, UWhon once 

the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the 

door, and ye begin to stand withouh andto lrnock at the 

door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto ua; and he shall 

answer and say unto you, I know ye not whence e are 

Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and &mken 

in thy presence, and thou hut taught in aur etreeta 

But he shall say, 1 tell ou I know you not whence ye 

me ; depart horn me, d ye workers of iniquity ; there 

shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 

Mamage " IE the t~m when Chriet &all come the 

second time without 8in unto salvation ; ther hie ekct 

fiom the four win& of heaven, where gy have been 

scattered during the dark and cloudy day; when he 

comes to be glorified in his sain@, and to be admired in 

all them that believe ; when the bride hath made hereelf 

d y , and the mkmage of the Laanb is come, then he 

will present her to Father witbout spot or wrinkle, 

and there marry the bride before his Father and the holy 

angels ; removes her inte the New Jerusalem etate, eeata 

her upon the throne of his glory, where she will ever be 

with the Lord. When-thia takes place, the whole body 

will be present; the whole church must be there, not a 

member miming, not a finger out of joint. She will he 

perfect in beauty, all over glorioua See Rev. xk 7-9, 

6' Let us rejoice and be glad, and give honor to him, for 

the marriage of the Lamb is come, and hie wife hat4 . 

made herself ready. And to her was granted that she 

ehould be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the 

he linen is the righteousness of saints. And Be said 

unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called to the 

marriage supper of the Lamb." Daniel sa a, " Bleaeed 

is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 gayam John 

says, 6' Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first 

resurrection" All these are at one and the eame time; 

and how can we ex ct to be free from sorrow, mourning, 

and tears, uotil the ridegroom come. and mores u into 

the beloved city Rev. xxi. !2+, And I John saw the 

holy city, New Jerusalem, cormng down from God out

of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, 

the tabernacle of God ie with men, and he will dwell 

with them," &c. 

Y Midnight cry " is the watchmen, or eome of them, 

who by the wwd of God discover the time as revealed, 

and immediately give the warning voice, Behold, the 

bridegroom cometh ; go ye out to meet him" This he 

been fulfilled in a most remarkable manner. One or two 

on every quarter of the globe have proclaimed the news, 

and agree in the time- Wolf, of Asia; Irwin, late of 

England ; Mason, of Scotland ; Davis, of South Carolina ; 

and quite a number in this region are, or have been, giring 

the cry. And will not you all, my brethren, examine 

and see if these things are so, and tnm your lamps, and 

be found ready 

Trimming the lampa" You will recollect, my 

friends, that the word .of God is the lamp To trim 8 

lamp is to make it light, more %ht, and clam 

light In the first pace, to translate e Bible would 

make it give light, in all lan ages into which it should 

be translated Then, to sengto or give eve 

the mom world a Bible would make 

more light. And thirdly, to send out true sen- of sod 

who have made the Bible'their atudy, and tme teachem, 

who would teach the holy precepts and doctrines contained 

therein, and to employ many Sabbath sehool 

teachers, would in the hands of God be the means of ib 

giving clearer light Thia would be trimming the lamp; 

and so far as the foolish virgins assieted in tram1 

tbe Bcriptures, in sending them among ill otiom%! 

employing missionaries and teachera to teach mankind 

its principles, so far would tho trim their lamp ; but if 

the had no faith in it, their fight would be dut.q 

andhe lamp to them would p out ~f the friend of 

the bridegroom ahould proclaim the approach of him 

whom they all expected, and should prove it era mo 

plain by the lamp, but having no faith, the lamp would 

go out ; they would not be read to enter in to the w- 

su per and the door wourd be shut Thir in urn 

;:~dy th; which Chria intah to 

in thu -e.YK%, tberefare, abow, -

11. The time thia parable is applicable to. 

In the chapter previous our Savior had anewered three 

questions which hie disciples had put to him on the 

mount of Oliveg, when they came to him private1 "say- 

ing, Tell us, when shall these thing. be " 

ghat is, 

when Jerusalem should be levelled with the r .d. 

And what shall be the sign of thy coming * hat 14 

his second coming in the clouds of heaven with power 

and great glory, 8s he had before informed them, which 

is yet future. 'And of the end of the world," or, as some 

translate it, "end of the age," to which 1 am perfectl 

willing to a-oree; but what age is the question P 

answer, The gospel age, or the lungdom of heaven See 

14th verse, "This gospel of the kingdom ehall be 

preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations ; 

and then shall the end come." "The law and the 

prophets were anti1 John, since which time the lnngdom 

of heaven is preached" The Jewish economy 1s no 

where called the kingdom of heaven; but this expression 

belongs exclusively to the gospel ; and of course my 

age in which the gospel or kingdom of heaven is preached 

can never be applied to the Jewish a e. 

Any nov- 

ice in Scripture interpretation #mu& r eAY admit thia 

These were the questions proposed by the disciples to 

their divine Master, and were answered in the followi 

manner : From the 4th to the 14th verses inclusive 3 

the 24th chapter of Matthew, Christ informe his disciples 

of the troubles, trials, persecutions, and distress which 

they and his followers should -suffer, down to the end of 

the gospel age. He also infonns them by what meam 

they must suffer - by false brethren, by deceit, by wars, 

rumors of wars, clashin of nations, earthquakes, afflictions, 

death, hatred, o&nceq betrayals, false prophets, 

coldness, iniquity, famines, and pestilence, and these to 

the end of the gospel From the 15th to the 22d 

inclusive he alludes toEdestruction of Jerusalem, and 

particularly gives his followers warnin of what they 

shall suffer, and informs them what to fo at that time; 

he tells them what to pray for, and how to escape from 

the siege, aud how to avoid certain consequences which 

muat follow this great tribulation.

940 ~~CTUBE xvr. 

From the !23d to the 28tA inclusive, he warns his digciples 

against the error that false teachers wmld pnwule, 

that Christ did or would come at the destruction of 

P erusalem. He told them plainly to a believe it not," hr 

his second coming would be aa visible as the lightning, 

and then every man would be gathered to his own company 

; so there would be no room for deceit 

In the 29th verse he pro hesiee of the rire of mti- 

ChnG the darlnesl and thg of many into superatition 

and error, and the mecution of the true church. 30th 

and 3ht vem, zgives a sign of dbi. comin 

mourning of the tribes of tAe earth, and then ape& 2 

his coming and what he .will do. 32, Is the parable of 

the 6fre 33, He enforces it by say' LL So likewisc 

ye, w en ye shall see all these thinm%or that it Y 

near, even at the door." 34th and 35th verees, He gives 

his disciples a comfortable promise, which was to thin 

amount, that his children should not be all destroyed 

from the earth. But this enemhbn shall not till 

all them thinga be fulflleds To prove the rrdon 

is so use4 I will refer ou to Psalm xxii 30, 'A 

8eed shall serve him; it shall %e accounted to the I d 

for a p*tqutioan 1 Peter ii. 9, A chosen RenaalioR, 

a myalgsthmd, a hol nation." The word gmmtion, 

in e ilcnptum, wbn used in the singular, I believe 

almost invariably means the children of one parent; 

as the genetntim, of Adam, children of Adam, choeen 

ptrg children of God, pmdion of vi rs, 

children of the devil. So Christ, talking to his chilKn, 

and in6tnrct.y them only, says, This pwafkm shall 

not hll 1 thew th~nga be fulfilled. Heaven aud 

x h a l l pr away, but my word. dud1 m y-s 

any." Hie kingdom shall not be deetroycd nor gven 

to another peo la 

36th verse, I$e informa his disciples that the day ad 

hour of hie corning is known only to God, haa never been 

revealed, meaning clay and hour only, whether at midni 

t, at cock crowing, or in the morning. 

9- 37-44, inclusive, He informa thm that L* 

m i will be like the deluge; anexpectod to the 

rickqvthea HeLdbthemthemraosr;thtborill 

.

separnta the righteow Bom the wicked; one shall be 

taken and another leR He' then givea them a char 

watch, and repeats, "they know not the hour." &: ' 

illustrates hie warning by the figure of the ood man of 

the houae, and then chargea them to be &a ready,.^ 

the good man would, if he knew in what watch the &ef 

would come, ehowiq us plainly that all tnre believere 

will know near the tune, as Paul sap, But ye, brethren, 

are not in darkness, that that day ahall overtake you M 

a thief." 

From -7, he tell ue of the f&ul and wiee eervant 

who watchee and gives warning of his coming, and 

speaks of the bleseinp that eewant shall inherit when 

he cornea and finds hun so doing. 

M1, Christ gives us the marka of an evil eewant : let 

mark, he will "say in his heart, My Lord delayeth hie 

coming." He may not preach or speak inst Christ'e 

coming; no, he will only say it to hi-r But he will 

not say he will never come ; no, he will only think in hi 

heart, "My Lord delayeth his coming." When he 

hem the voice of the faithful eervant ea ing, " Behold, 

the bridegroom comw he wiu u ding in public 

agaimt it; no, not a bad u that. beither will he may 

any thing in favor of the cry ; but mutter in his heart, 

My lard delayeth hia c o y The mcond mark, 

K And shall be 'n to emite b fe low-servants." It doe6 

not say he wily beat and bruiae hia fellow-sewan*, or 

the fa~thful servant who watches and oriea ; but he ehdl 

begin to smite, &c, meaning he will begin the pemecution, 

set othem on, and himself he will keep back, in hie 

heart deceitful. 3d mark, And to eat and drink with 

the 3runken9* 90 eat and drink with the drunken- it 

does not say he geb drunk ; no, it only says he eats and 

drinks with them that are so. By this I understand he 

fellowshipe with them, and ie e ed in, and employe 

hie time, his talents, his mind, bE1d up some popular 

and worldly object, which men of the world would be 

pleased in promoting. He courts pular applause ; he 

seeh to plew men more than GO^ "The Lwd of that 

servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, 

and in m hour he is not aware oE And $hall out hi 

21

d, and appoint him his portion with the hypoch ; 

there shall be weeping and gnadiqu of teethn 

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto 

ten viqins, which took their lampa and went forth to 

meet the bridegroom* I think we cannot be mietaLeo 

in the application of this parable. 

' Then," that is, 8t 

the time when the wise semta are looking for and 

proclaiming hia coming, and when the frvil servant saye 

in hia he- My Ilord delayeth his c Then, too, 

when he rill come, md they that ~3~ 

go in to the 

marriage, and the door is shut. Thie most mean the 

time when Christ comes to jud-pent, for he cuts off the 

evil servant, md appoints hm hL portion, and shuts the 

door against the fookh vu ; and when they kmck, he 

opens not, but teb them, Kow you not. 

Where, then, is the millennium r say some. After the 

judgment sits, and not before; after the bridegraxll 

comes, and the beloved city is completed ; when Christ 

shall move his saintJ home, and live and reign with them 

on tile new lleavens and new earth, wherein drelleth 

righteousnes If there could have been a inillenmu 

before Christ should come and gather hia saints into one 

body, it must be a very imperfect one. A part of the 

body in heaven, a part in the earth, and the remainder 

under the earth ; separated, divided, wounded, and torn 

by enenlios and death, abaent from our head. So, it 

cannot be ; if in this life only we Iiave hope, we are of 

all men most miserable. if we are to have a temporal 

millennium, why did not our Savior mention it on the 

mount of Olives, as preceding his comin fle did 

not, neither bas any of the apglcs ; but $speak of 

~ublouu times, departure tio~n the iilitl% il~iquity 

abounding, and the love of Inany waxing cold ill the 

latter daya. Our parable, to whcl~ we are now attending, 

says, at rnldnight there wae a cry made, Bclrold, tile 

bnde~oom comcth ; go ye out to mml him. Lb At 111idnight;" 

tllis teaches un that at tbe time of hiu coniig 

thcre will be much a athy a!ld durknea on thk subject; 

that is the corni~lg orthe bridegroom. The prablc iw- 

plies tl~e same. *For while the bridegroom tarrid, 

J1 dudered .rd elept" Can wa not beu nibam tht

~s has been the true &ate of the church for a number 

of years past The writers on the word of God have 

adopted in their creeds, thst there would be a temporal 

millennium before Christ would come. I call it temporaJ, 

because they have all of them taucht that it would be in 

this state of things, not in an immortal state, neither in 

a glorified state ; and that Christians would have all 

kingdoms under their control ; that is, in a temporal 

sense ; and that they would be married and given in 

mamage, until the coming of Christ after this 1000 

years, or, as some say, 360,000 years. 'This has been, 

* 

and is yet, the prevailing opiniorl among our standard 

writera and great men. No wonder, Christ says, they 

will say in their he& My Lord delayeth his coming, 

and that the wiae ahd Coolish are all sleeping and slumbering 

on thie important subject For while we look 

for a temporal kingdom;behold, he cometh and destroys 

all that is perishable, dl that is temporal, and erecthl 

upon these a new heaven and a new earth, which is immortal, 

and that fadeth not' away, eternal in the heavens. 

I shall now, 

111. Make an application of our subject. And, 

1st The time of the fulfilment of this parable ie 

evidently come, in part at least The world for a number 

of years have been trimming their lamps, and the 

wise and foolish have been engaged in translating the 

word of God into almost every language known unto us 

upon the earth. Mr. Judson tells us that it has been 

translated into one hundred and tiRy languages within 

thirty years ; that is, three times the number of all the 

translations known to us before. Then fourfold light 

has been shed among the nations, within theshort period 

of the timeabove specified ; and we are informed that a 

part if not all of the word of God is now given to all 

nation8 in their own language. This, surely, is setting 

the word of life in a conspicuous situation, that it may 

give light to all in the world. This has not been done 

by the exertions of Christians or professors only, but by 

the aid of all classes and societies of men. Kin have 

opened their cofem, and favored those engagerm the 

work ; noblea have wed their infiuenoe. and have caet

into the mamy of the Lord of their abundance; rich 

men have bestowed of their riches ; and in many m 

the miser has forgot hie parsimony, the poor have replenished 

the funds of the Lord's house, and the widow 

has cast in her .mite. How easy to work the work of 

the Lord when the hearts ofmen are made will' by hm 

pow ! But shell we forget thae who havekden 

the land of their fathers, the home of their nativity, and 

have spent lonesome years of toil amon strangers, yeq 

worse than strangen, among heathen ifohm, and b 

eavage of the wrldernesg In the cold regiona of the 

north, and under the ecorching rays of a vertical sun, 

among the suffocating eands of the desert, or in the 

pestilential atmosphere of India ; who have risked their 

lives to learn a language, and prepare themeelva to 

trim a lamp for those who sit in darkness and the oh.dm 

of death No, we will not forget them; the pra en 

of thousand. have ascended before the golden afty 

morning and evemng, on their behaf, and hd9m God 

has been their protector. Surely we may hope tb.r 

these have oil in their lamps, who have mcriticed m 

much to bestow a lamp upon othem. But member, 

my brethren, the Lord he is God, and let him have all 

the glory. This is the time, and the same time tht 

Gabriel informed Daniel, 6 man should run to and h, 

and knowledge shouldincrease This,tm, is the arm, 

time when the .anget flyin through the midst of bsrven 

had the everlutiz gospto p d to them rb. dwelt 

upon the earth. ere are Christ's worda Willed, wbere 

he says, And this pel of the k i i h shall be 

preached in all the wogfor witna unto d ufiol.; 

and then shall the end come." 

2dly. It is plain to any diligent ohewer of tbe cigm 

of the times, that all the societies for mod reform in 

our world at the present day are parts of the fulfilment 

of the parable, giving more light What of our Bible 

rocieties Are not these trimming the Imp fbr million~ 

of human bei Thirty eare pat, mom th. 

three fourthe of the%iea in wbat we call Cbri.ti.n 

IenC were without the lamp of life, and now Dari 31 

mpplied. ~afthooerhortinhe~u&

Iless then, are now rejoicing in the light of God's book 

And much of this has been performed throu h the instrumentality 

of Bible mcieties, and not through 

the agency of the church, but political men, men of the 

world, the great men, merchants of the earth and those 

who trade in ships, all who live under the influence of 

the go~pel, the " kingdom of heaven," have engaged in 

the work. Will not the most skeptical acknow>edge, 

that this society has succeeded beyond the most sanguine 

expectation of its most ardent advocates And 16 not 

this ahmg circumstantial evidence that the Bridegroom 

ie near, even at the door 

36. The missionary societiee of' all sects and denominations, 

which have been established within forty years, 

have as far exceeded all former exertions of this kind ad 

the overflowing Nile does the waters of the brook Kidron. 

See the missionary spirit extending from east to 

we84 and from north to soiith, warming the breaet of the 

philanthropist, giving life and vigor to the cold-hearted 

moralist, and animating and enlivening the social cirde 

of the pious devotee. EvW nation, from India to 

Oregon, from Karntschatka to New Zealand, have heen 

visited by these wise servants (as we hope) of the cross, 

proclaiming the acceptable yem of the Lord, and the 

day of vengeance of our God," carrying the lamp, the 

word of God in their hands, and oil, faith in God, in 

their hearts. All classes of men are engaged in thie 

eause, fmm the gray hairs of old age down to tlle 

sprightly youth of ten years. Who, tlien, can doubt but 

that the virgins in this sense have and are trimmin 

their lamps, and the bride is making herself ready. 8 

Go ye out to meet him." 

4th. The Sabbath schools and Bible classes are hut a 

part of the fulfilment of the parable, yet clearly an evidence 

that the virgins are now trimming their lamps. 

This system of teaching the young and ignorant took its 

rise between forty and fifty years since, at the very time 

that the Christian world were praying, and ardently 

rayin , for the coming of Christ, before that part of tho 

kviori pra er was forgotten, L"Fhy kingdom come." 

F- a lid fountain this stream of water has be- 

21 *

ca~ca&rut~,,.d~~i&rbaLch.L 

u e l ! ! g 8 t thhLamt.h 

trimtbeiu- Mrhertbe . Ua-9 

m a y n n o t ~ b ~ ~ T ~ ~ * . 

rano rbo Inwe .aiaed in 

- 

with ten tborndTtheir papila, rb nll 

none in the New lerwalem f- 4 -2 

tbe ~.s. 

diligently, my young fiieods, and eee to it tb.t ye believc 

in this word, = which m able to & yoa rm 

unto ral~ation.~ 

5. Tract mcietier are of much use, and are an &isd 

[new to help trim the lamps; like muffera tht take 

away the preventives to the light, so are tncta 

take away from the mind the pre'udice that tho2z 

have a g ~ reading ~ t the word O* ~od. They rrnas 

those rooted and groundless opinions which many hre 

that they cannot understand the Bible; they serve to 

excite the mind to tbi kind of reading; they cnhghtcn 

tlle undcmtanding into some ecriptural truths ; they ue 

pioncere, in many instanceq to conversion ; they can be 

norit whcro the word of God cannot a. firat be received; 

111 one word, they are the harbingers of light, the faenlnrlorn 

of the Bible. And in this, too, all men in thia 

prohatiorinry state ocrm to be more or lew engaged, 

from tho king on tl~o throne down to the poor peasant 

in 910 cottage writing, printin folding, transporting, 

Iihytng, or tcadinr, these Bilent fde mesengem d t.be 

vir~i~' lanip. Thp all those vigine amee ud 

tril~~~rtotl thoir lamps. Has not God's hand been seen 

In nll tl~ir Yon, glory be to him who hath disposed 

tlio hrnrtr of nion to work the work that God bib them, 

UIIJ 10 hlnl Lhu blessed word wlrich he hath given 

~IIUIII. Tltiu iiistitutioli took its rise about the sams 

tir~lcr witli tliu Biblo aociety. 

(L T~~~~~l)orollco societies. Thosc m e one p~rpac 

In hUng tlbe lamp and prepring thc wmy fat tbo

pl%lns to go out and meet the Bridegroom Om world, 

twenty yeua ago, be c W a worid of bhionable 

t+u~r&; b t y men drank of dm intoxicating 

, bowl, and thought it nobana But when the lamp began 

to dart its rays around our tabermeclee, it wa~ fbund by 

wow experience that thoee who drank of the poisonous 

cup were totally and wholly unpre d to receive the 

warning voice, or hear the midnig6;rrry, Behold, the 

bridegroom caareth." No, "they that were drunken, 

.were drunken in the night," says tbe apoatle. U Therefore 

let us watch and be sober." And Peter tells nrr, 

But the end of all things is at hand ; be ye therefore 

sober, and watch uuto prayer." How foolish would it 

have been tbr a hnken man to be set on a watch, or a 

praying rrmn to be found drank! Therefore, in order 

Ohat men might be in a suitable frame of mind to receive 

ktruction at 'the close of this dispeamtion, and be in a 

situation to listen to the midnight cry, God ordered the 

Pugins, and they arose and trimmed their lamps ; and ,in 

all human probability thousaade who would have met a 

drunkard's grave if this soci&y had not arose, are now 

watching, with their lamps trimmed aad burning, ready 

to meet the Bridegroom at his coming. Perhaps this 

temperance soc~ety ia the virgins' hut resort. The 

Judge stands at the door; go ye out to meet him. Thia 

society, lie the othenr before mentioned, is a general 

thing, and all sects, denominations, and classes of men 

are enpd in it, and it b an important influence 

upon 1 men who are m this probationary state, and 

who may be termed, as in om text, uvirgins.* This 

society is of later origin than the others, and seems to 

be a rear gud to wake up a few stragglers which the 

other societies could not reach. And now, drunkards, 

is your time ; Wisdom stands at the door and knocks ; 

let go the intoxicating bowl, be sober, and hear the 

midnight cry, Behold, the bridegroom cometh" For 

your souls' s&e drink not another draught, led he come 

and kd you drunken, "and that da come upon yo11 

unawares, and find you deeping." 6, be wise, ye ~ntemperate 

men, for the only went in to the marriage 

uami door ru ~*lt+. 

who were M dy, 

'

@Then came also the other virgins, sayin Lord, Lord, 

open to us But he answered and said,kerily, I ma, 

unto you, I know you not Watch, therefore, hr ye 

know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of 

Man cometh." *But the wiae shall undere&nd," mpl 

Daniel, xii. 10. 

And now, my Christian friends, let a~ ibqnire, Are 

your lamps trimmed and burning And have you oil 

, in your vessels Are you preparod for the coming 

Bridegroom And are you awake to this important sub- 

'ect What say you If this parable, to which I 

have directed your minds, has reference to the last day 

and the coming of Christ ; if the virgim ' has reference 

to all men in thie probationary state, and dividing them 

into two classes, wise and foolish; if the lamp" is tbe 

word of Go& and oil " means ftith in his word, or grace 

in the heart, as some my,-then my conclllsiona are 

just, and the evidence is strong that we live at the end 

of the wospel kingdom, and upon the threaho1d of the 

l6rifid state of the righteous. Then examine your 

Bibles, and if you can aa fairly rove any other ex+ 

tion of thie parable, as I have $is, then believe you* 

and time must settle the issue ; but if you can find mtbing 

in the Scriptures to controvert plainly my explanation, 

then believe, and prepare to go out to meet the 

Bridegroom; for behold he corneth. Awake, ye fathem 

and mothers in Zion ; you have 1 looked and prayed 

for this day. Behold the signs!%e ia near, even at 

the door. And, ye children of God, liR up your heaQ 

and rejoice, for your redemption draweth nigh. For 

these things have he un to come to pasa And ye, 

little lamb. of the fl& remember Jesus hu p r o d 

to carry you m his arms, and that he will come and 

take you to himself, that where he is there ye may be 

also. But remember, all of you, the wise had od In 

their lamps, and they were trimmed and burning. Search 

deep ; examine yourselves closely, be not deceived ; and 

may tile Spirit which searcheth all thinge, and knowetb 

what is in the mind of man, nssist you. 

But, my hipenitent friends, what shall I say to ou 

8b.LL I my, u the master in the parable,d~~tbe

CHIIII$# SECOND CBIIRQ a4p 

bridegmom cometh : go e out to meet him * Prepare 

to meet your Judge. ,dw he has given you a time for 

repentance ; you have had a probati- season, and 

possibly now the sceptse of mercy is held out to yoa . 

Repent, or it will soon be said ta ym PI Jeremiah said 

to the virgin, the drughtu of Egypt, "In vain ddt 

thou use many medicines ; for thoa shalt net be cured ; 

or as in t8e parable, "1 know you ndn Have you no 

oil in your lamps Dday not a moment; believe the 

gospel, and yott will live; believe in the wsrd of God; 

receive the love of the Bridegroom, and make no delay ; 

for while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and 

they that were ready went in with him to the marri 

and the doer am shut 0, tbink what must be % 

exercise of your minds when these tliags shaU be real; 

when you will stand withoat and knock, saying, Lord, 

Lord, open unto us. Again I arrk, Wil! you repent, behve, 

and be wived Are you demnrrned to res~sthe 

truth until it is too late Say, risaer, rbat tkiuk ye 

4' We will risk the coaeequenca We do not believe 

in your day you tell us of. Tbe nd 

ie the same it 

always was; no chge, mar ever will be; but if it 

should come, it will not this ten thowand yeam ; not in 

our day, cestpinly. Youdo notbeiieveyoumelf. If you 

did, we should call you a fool* 

Are these your argumente, sinner Yea Well, if I 

had brought no more, no stronger arguments ban them, 

I would not blame you for aot believing, for not one of 

yours can yon or have you supported with a particle of 

roof. They are mere .esertiona your believing or not 

gelieving wdi not alter the h i g of ~ God. The mtdluvians 

believed not. The citizens of the piain laughed 

at the folly of Lot. And where me they now Rutf* 

ing the vengeance of eternal &a

LECTURE XVII. 

WE are in the habit of Rsding the ju- and 

timatenings in tbe word of God, as denunciatlomr agairst 

a~oe other people but owselvea We are very fond of 

throwing back upon the Jewa what, upon the principle 

of equity md justice, wdd equally belong to ua Gem 

tiles. By this mode of reasonkg, wicked, mbelievi 

idolaters, mmde- wbarrmongen, addterexa, lad 3 

hm, may and do resist the force of God's word, lad flatter 

themselves, in their lustful career, that the judgment 

is past, and that they may go on in sin with impunity. 

Wrt it is not only this abominable clrss of mankind who 

rvert the word of God to their own condemnation, 

r ot many of thoee who pmfese to be ioq and even 

teachers and expounders of the word, Bo take the m e 

unholy ground, to limit the Holy Ooe in his justice and 

judgment. And by this means they not only wrest tbe 

Scriptures to their own condemnation, but otberq rbo 

follow their pernicious ways, are led into the same errors, 

and the way of truth is evil spoken of. 

Tbia manner of expounding Scripture has been used 

M the laet resort against my appeals to the heart and 

coneciencw of sinners, to preparo to meet God in 'udgmerit. 

LR me we rh.1 age i p ~ a in r th dmp 

turea, whether in tho 0 K r New Testament, tbta .

wicked, lustful flatterers of mankind, are ready, with a 

host of learned commentaries, to show that it wns applied 

to the Jews, and to them only ; and then taunt me with 

this witty saying-" What! you, an unlearned man, 

think to teach us, contrary to our great and learned 

commentators!" This, my friende, rs the only argument 

that has ever been produced a-oainst my warnings, 

and proofs of God's near approach to judge the world in 

righteousness. And here, too, I pledge myself to show 

that many, and perhaps that, in many cases, a major part, 

of these commentatora are on my side of the question. 

I know that, in the subject now about to be presented, 

this argument will be used - 0 ! that had reference to 

the Jews only ;" and you will, llke the wicked Jews, 

put far off the evil day, until you are caught in the snare, 

and perish in the pit. .The Jews in the days of the 

prophets sai* Ezek. xii. !27, ''The vision that he seeth 

is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the 

times that are far OK" You see, in this sample given 

us of the Jews, that the same ungodly, wicked perverting, 

putting off on to others what belongs to us ill the 

visions and threatenings of God against sin, waa manifestly 

the character of the Jews in that day, as it is 

in ours. The difference is only cimumstanbal. 

They put it off a great wliile to come ; we, a great while 

hack. They cast it forward on to the backs of the Gentiles; 

we throw it back into the faces of the Jews. 

This is the wicked disposition of ,man In his natural 

state -self-righteous and self-justificatory. Therefore, 

use this weapon if you please; it will only discover to 

angels and men your true character, and God's justice 

In our condemnation "He that covereth h~s sins 

shai not prosper; but whoso confesseth and for~aketh 

them shall have mercy," Prov. wviii 13. Yet we shall 

find some thing^, at least, true,- that the law of God 

and punijhment for sin are the same in all a es, and 

rill be the same in all eternity. If the sins of the old 

world brought the flood and destruction upon the ungodly, 

so will tl~e sins of the present world, if committed 

tbe same ungodly spirit, bring down similar jtldpente

and deamction upon UR If Sodom and Gomorrab, and 

the cities of the plain, were destroyed for their abuse of 

the blessi m which God had given them, so ehall we be 

desboyed>or om .blue of similar one& And if the 

Jews, for theii , arrogance, eelf-sdkiency, idolseg, 

and departure t!zthe kmwn commends of God'e house, 

were punisbed with the sword, p&ilence, ca tivity and 

pmecution; la, mwt wured~y, wi~ -Ye of 

in every age, whether under Jcwe or Gentilee, d r the 

like or similar judgments. This can be proved abundantly 

in all pa* of tbe word of God, and 

+- 

m the hietory 

of the church in every age. And did we mot pemert 

the word of God to eupport our eectarian ipleg aod 

to gratify our lustful appetites, we rn' t foreoee the 

consequence of apoetasy from God, his awe and COIDmands 

; as we can foresee the effects of any or dl tbe 

laws of nature, with which we are so well acquainted. 

When leaves put forth we koow that summer ie nigh. 

When the wind blows long from the sourh we bow it 

will bring rain Just eo true are all the mod lare d' 

God. Sm will brin death, and pride mnst bring a fdL 

The lawe of ~od'e %use are eqdy ata pentmwnt as 

the lam of nature; and grace or mercy, call it which 

you pleaee, are founded upon the law of cause and effect 

w strong as tbe lam of adhwion and ref"h.im 

Go where you will, - climb u to heaven, a ~g into 

the depb. of hell,- you will &d an immovable, fixed, 

and an eternal law of cause and effect Let a mu, love 

bia Maker, obey his laws, and he is py. Iet him 

bve self only, and dieobey the laws an "7' comumnda 01' 

God, and mieery ie the lot of his ioheritaoce, .Ithe 

world was at his command. Here, then, is tbe great 

secret, that mankind must be ref 9 l - Y - 

never be happy ; in one word, they must born of tbe 

Spirit, or they cannot enter the kinem of 

The text le a prophec of God hmeelf, Pan to Moam, 

and by him mededto the people; any* a prt d 

tboee lively oraclm which hse been continued M bioding 

upoo un, who live under the goepel 1' M upon 

them who Lved in the days d the typicf$ir(&l

It is a prophecy of what would ha to the people of 

Ood arr a punishment for conduct =in specifid. 1 

shall, therefore, in explanation of our subject, show, 

I. For what the people of God are pmmhed ; 

IL Show how they are punished ; an4 

111. The time they will be punished 

I. First, then, we are to examine the cause of their 

punishment. The text tells us that it is because the 

will not be reformed by me by these w, but u& 

walk contrary unto me;" that is, unto God 

1st. A perverse wilL We should suppose that a man 

who has had his will subdued by the love and Spirit of 

God, could not be in possession of a will so dimetrically 

opposed to the will of God. Yet history and facts 

show us plainly that it is so. David, a man after God'a 

own heart, did perform, by hia own will, that which waa 

strictly forbidden in the law and commands of God 

Par, too, after his Lord told him he was every whit 

clean, and after he boldly asserted that, if all uten should 

forsake Christ, he would not, immediately and willingly, 

as it is implied, cursed and swore, and said he knew not 

the man. I am aware that the theory of the present day 

is contrary to the idea that the Christian has two wills, 

carnal and spiritual ; but, npon this theory, I cannot account 

for the idea of Christians being punished at all, 

either on the principle ofjustice or equity. Therefore I 

am constrained to believe that, in the heart of a Chriatian, 

there are two wills. Sometimes he is in subjection 

to the will of God, and enjoys the sweets of reconciliation; 

and again him own will govern and controls his 

acts, and he must feel the chastising rod of his heavenly 

Father for his wilful disobedience or neglect of his religious 

duty. It cannot be the will of God that his people 

16will not be reformed by him" Here is another 

idea conveyed in our text, which shows that the heart of 

a Christian is not wholly pure, - mill not be reformed 

by God;" &owing the same independent spirit that aur 

primitive father and mother did in the fall, to be a% 

gods." We cannot bear the idea of being dependent 

on God for our reformation Let us have the power of 

doing it ourselves, and we will not m@ct it; but to rray 

!22

we am wholly dependent on God is a hard doctrine: we 

will not subscribe to such humiliating terma How can 

we tell sinners to reform, if they cannot do it Wbere 

is my guilt If I cannot reform myself; aurely God 

would be unjust to condemn me for not doing what 1 

cannot do." And thus yoa argpe, throwing all tho 

blame upon God, when all that God bas required in the 

text, is, that you should be willing that he should do the 

work of reformation for you. And wrel God must be 

best worban of the two. God says Ce +a us, 

fy ye will not be reformed by me." Thie, my Christlan 

lnend, is our crime, for which tbe church has been 

and will be punished seven timea And if ye will not 

be refonned by me by these thingan What does God 

mean by uthese thii " I answer, It is God d m the 

work, and he meana ha people shall give him the glory ; 

and when they have passed through the furnace of affliction, 

and when seven times has passed over them, as 

it did over Nebuchadnezzar, then will the church, Ue 

that proud monarch, learn that God rules in heaven and 

earth. But could we be willing to learn this lesson 

without this punishment, Uby these thinyn that is, by 

the word of God, by the preached gospel, y the merctea 

of God, by blessings of heaven from above, by Mossingo 

of the earth beneath, by the love of God, by the death 

of Christ, by the ministry of angels, by the etrivinp of 

the Holy Spirit; in one word, by all the meam of pace ; 

if all these things could teach ua that God WM the Author 

and Finisher of our faith, end make us willing to 

be reformed by him, - then, indeed, he would not bve 

punished us. But, alas! without chastiae~nents we 

should be baatarda, and not s o d Therefore the 

cauqe why the Christian must be punkbed,-to subdue 

their proud, rebellious wills, to humble their haughty 

and selfish he&. They must suffer all that wicked 

men or devils can, heap upon them, they lust fill up the 

measure of Christ's sufferings in his body, which in tbe 

church, in order to make them Et for heaven or happiness. 

They must, like pld, be wven times purified 

Ae I have before mid, all the merciee of God, and bleac 

of heaves .rd earth, could not w e tbe chvch

caara~'a IBCOIR) COMN~. %S 

without the curse aad punishment denounced in the 

word of God. And these, too, must be managed by that 

all-powerful Arm, the great Jehovah, who, by his wlsdom 

and power, by his grace and rod, will make all things 

work for the good of his church, and will tjnallv redound 

to his glory. And at laat it will be said, "These have 

come through great tribulation, having washed their 

robes and made them white in the blood ef the Lamb. 

11. I am to show how th are punished 

1st They are punished% their own deeds. David 

went with broken bones to hi grave ; and Peter, when 

his Lord looked upon hi, went out .and wept bitterly. 

Paul hod a thorn in his fled le* he should be exalted 

above measure. The Jews courted an alliance with 

-Babylon, and by that means were led into bondage and 

napt~vity many years. They, contrary to God's express 

command, afterwards made a league with the Romans, 

and by them was their city and sanctuary destroyed, 

and their nation scattered to the four winds of heaven. 

The church, after the Christian era, courted the popular 

favor of the kings of the earth, and immediate1 suffered 

the ten persecutions. She afterwards sought fZlr secular 

power for her bishops, and by the same power was 

driven into the wilderness, and passed through a thousand 

two hundred and sixty years of torture, darknew, 

and death. The churdq recently, has been courting 

popular~ty from the world, raising up a learned ministry, 

worshipp~ng at the shrine of ancient and modem philoaophy 

; and already her ranks are broken, her piety on 

the wane, ber effort. paralyzed, and infidelity gaining 

ground. 

2d. By wicked and designing men. Let us remember 

how Balaom taught Ba!ak to east stumbling-blocks 

before the children of Israel. Witness the false prophets 

in the days of the k' s of Israel; also the wicked 

and designi men in%e days of Jeremiah and the 

prpbeb ; mT finally, the division and subdivision by 

wicked men at the final destructioa of Jerusalem See 

some, also, in the apostles' days -U false apostles, de. 

ceitful workera, transforming themselves into the apostlao 

d Christ, 2 Cor. xi B; me, ale% "who eubvert-

ed whole h& terchq thiaga they ought nat br 

fthy loere's sake Tim L 11 ; otberq who crept into 

houses, leading captme silly women laden with divers 

lusts ; wme, teaching the doctrines and commaodmeab 

in damnable heresiee, and denying tba 

wicked, and d r n g profewom 

3d. The chu has been poni&ed by the lrinp and 

mlers of thie world. There w& a seaeon, in the days 

of David and &low,n, and after her deliverance from 

Egyptian bondage under Moaea and Joshua, and eo on 

down to the dap of Man& when the church, tbe 

habitante of Jerusalem to en; and to do roree t h the 

heathen." Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the 

captains of the host of the king of Asayria, which took 

Manaeseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, 

and carried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, 

he beeought the Lord his God, and humbled 

himself greatly before the God of hie fathem," 3 Chroa 

xxxiii 9-12 Wo learn in this passage the cause and 

erect The cause of their capbvity was their e m 

and wicked conduct The &ct was their captivit to 

the kin of Babylon, and their humility in tbcir Jictioa 

E d altbough Maaeseh was ramsd t. h l kingdom 

again a h lus humdiation, yet the children of Ju- 

QbmdJeruralsmwemneverfmefkmthsrc.bykmhb

CEBIS'C S SECOND COBfEf€h 

a57 

yoke again while the kingdom of Babylon stood, bnt had 

to pay them tribute until the Medee and Persians conquered 

Babylon, which was about one hundred and forty 

ears aRer the first captivity ip Babylon of Judah and 

ferusalem. Then the Ye& and Persians reigned 

over the Jews, and ma& them pay tribute, and put 

a yoke of bondage upon them, until Alexander the 

Grecian conquered them, about two hundred and two 

years afterwards; when the Grecians became the masters 

of Judea, and continued the yoke of bondage, carrying 

away bto captivity many of the principal citiwna 

of Jerusalem, a d obligin them to pay tribute, and their 

young men to serve as sofdien in their armies ; destroying 

their riches, defiling their sanctuary, and compelling 

them to worship their gods, and sacrifice to their idols, 

This government lasted one hundred and seventy-seven 

ears, when the Romans made the Grecian general 

fiacchides withdraw his army h m Jerusalem, and never 

trouble the Jews any more, as Maccabees tells us in 

his first book, viii. 31,32j also, k I, 72, 73. This was 

one hundred and fifty-e ht years before Christ; the 

Bdylonuns, Medes and yersiane, and Grecians, having 

each in their turn ruled over and led into captivity, 

robbed and spailed the children ofJudah and Jerusalem, 

and scattered them amon all the nations of the earth, 

as Moses and all the prop%ets had foretold ; in all, from 

the captivity of Manaaseh, five hundred and nineteen 

years. 

No man can read this prophecy, from which our text 

is @ken, and the other prophet8 who have spoken of 

these things, and understand them literally, and then 

read the history of the world, and compare them together 

carefully, and let reason decide, and be an infidel. It 

would be impossible. The devil knows this ; and, therefore, 

he uses all the art he is master of to prevent those 

whom he wishes to destroy from reading the prophecies. 

He tells them they are dark and intricate. And if this 

argument succeeds it ie well; he is sure of his pre% 

But if they reason on the subject, and say, If God h& 

revealed himself by the prophets, it rnust be for our 

is wise, pe all agree he is, if there is

a God, then it mnet be in the beat poeeible uumer 6 

man to mdemkd I will examine and eee." Ha then 

tails them it is ~ o tolookinto n futmity. .If 

yon succeed in venog the things to come, it will 

only make you misenblaa Sbould thie temptation prerentpwh 

is sure ,his p ~ ~ w " $ " ~ \ % ~ b ~ ~ 

thign Bat suppose yon kt reaeon work, and think, 

uIf God ia sperling by his propbets to ria, wrely it 

ronldbesinndtobear; fwhebaaaleg.lrighttowr 

eusad.tteatioo; andody ifwreqnalspeaLatous,on 

any good or in* subject, it is a piece of ill mamma 

- not to listen I rill rad and hear what God ea by 

the mouth of his serp.abxq Thee tbe devil r1S"tell 

pu that it iP a waled book, - not to be understood unbl 

it is Mfilleb But reaeon will tell yon, What God 

has given for om frith and hope cannot be sealed in 

this senae; hr it wuuld all be locrt labor in the prophet. 

of God, and perfbct filly in tbe Giver; for the history 

itself would reveal it as soon and as well M tbe prophecy 

conld. Aad, in that ease, sap reaeon, faitb and 

hope would have no food; ku, +Kitboot prom, neitber 

the one nor the other could be exercised ; fbr in what we 

how, how can it be d d we have faith or, in what % 

past, how can it be said we hope for it Then, if them 

temptations do not prevent you from reading and trying 

to understand the prophecieg Sat- hes one more weap 

on, and it ia his last resort. But," says the arch eoemy, 

"if yon are but prepared for happoem or heaven, 

it is no matter whether you understand propbecy or not" 

This secures and chains down the hypocrite and Pharisee 

forever ; this is turning things opide down at oacc 

For there never were hypocrites or Pharisees bnt what 

vain1 imagined that they were, of all men, best R- 

paredfor heaven; and rn the wu neik try L 

frith, nor examine their hope, $ they follow thia temp 

tation, until they awake in eternity, forever too lata 

While, on the other hand, there never were real childrcn 

of God, but what considered themeelvw unfit fb 

heaven, the vilest of the vile ; and if the should take 

9withib~dniced-*-&,.rdi.

despair; for they could gain no additional evidence of 

their faith or hope, only by a diligent study of God's 

prophetic word. So that I can boldly say, that reason 

ltself would teach us that we ought to apply ourselves 

dili ntly and faithfolly to try our faith by every word 

of gd, and examine our hope in every possible way in 

searching deep into the revealed truths, whether prom- 

Ises or prophecies, that the day of vengeance may not 

overtake ue unawares. 

But not only the church under the Jewish di 

tion must paas through her scenee ef tribulation,%:& 

also, must the church under the gospel; for John saw 

not only the elect Jews in his vision of the glorified 

state, but also n great number, which no man could 

number, f6m among all nations and languages under 

heaven, "who had come through great tribulation, an8 

wha had washed their robes and made them white in 

the blood of the Lamb." And, again, it is also evident 

that, like the Jews, the must suffer persecution from 

the kings and rulere olthe earth, and from spiritual 

wickedness in high places. For John "saw the beast, 

and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered 

together to make war against him that sat on the home, 

and against his army," Rev. xix. 19. And Daniel saw 

the same beast make war with the saints, and prevailed 

over them until the Ancient of days came, and jud 

ment was given to the saints of the last Hi h; and 8: 

time came that the saints' possessed the bingfom. Thus 

he said, "The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom upon 

earth," Dan. vii. 21-23, meaning the Roman kingdom. 

We nlust also notice that, like the Jews, they must be 

scattered among all the nations of the earth; for here 

. they are to have no continuin city, for they seek one 

which is to come, whose ~uilfer and Maker is God," 

Hebrews xi. 10 ;that is, the New Jerusalem, which cometh 

down from God out of heaven. The proof I bring you 

that the church among the Gentiles were like the Jews, 

you will find in the prophecy of the high priest, when 

our Savior was crucified, John xi. 52, 6' And not for tlint 

nation only, (that is, the Jews,) but that also he should 

$ather together in one the chlldren of God that wen,

scattered abroad." Also it @ sdd, Mark xiv. 27, Yemila 

tlie shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." And 

when Christ comes to judge the saints, at the resurrection 

of the just, he sends his angels into the uttermost 

yta of the earth, and under the uttermost part d 

eaven, and athers together hi3 elect, who have been 

scattered by 8 e kmp ' and beasts of the earth durin the 

dark and cloudy day of persecution, from hL cru&on 

to hia second coming. 

And if, in view of all that Chris5 the prophets, rqd 

apostles, have maid in relation to thle aubject, there u 

one doubt remaking on your mind as to the truth of 

these remarks, I beg of you to read but the past 

of the church, and you cannot but acknowledge, that, 

thus far, it has been literally fulfilled How soon after 

the Romans had crucified the Lord of lory, did they 

attack his church; and for marly thee fundred geam 

the apostles and eminent servants of Christ suffered all 

the horrors of ersecuhon by the authority of the Roman 

einprom andRings of the earth. They sfleered in all 

manner of ways which the prophets had foretold they 

would- by the sword, by wild beast.% by flame, by cap 

tivity, and by spoil. This was almost constantly until 

the days of Constantine, who for alittle season put a stop 

to these bloody scenes; but it was but short ; for in rhe 

days of Julian the Apostate, it was renewed, and continued 

until the barbarians of the north overran Italy, 

and conquered the Roman empire. Then the churchsuffcrcd 

the same trials under her new masters, the ten 

kings, until they were converted to the Christian faith, 

when she enjoyed another respite of about thirty years 

idler the downfall of Paganism, and before tl~e rise of 

l'apacyi between the years A. D. 5013 and 538. But nor 

arose the little horn, (Papacy,) which was to mJe w u 

agninst the saints, and prevail over then1 uutil the 

Ancient of days should colnu, and tlie judg~r~e~~t should 

it. This little horn was to rrilc over tlie hq-3 of tLe 

(!ilrtl~, a time, ti~rles, :tud a half, or 12ii0 years : all which 

llna ]wen ucco~npliehed to the letter. 

IIL I ahall now show what is llicant I I ~ acve~~ tinled,'' 

m the text.

' 

1st. '4 Seven times," in Nebnchsdnezzat's dream, was 

fultilled in seven years. Nebuchadnezzar, for his pride 

and arro ncy against God, was driven among the beasts 

of the fieg, and was made to eat grass as oxen, until 

seven times passed over him, and until he learned %t 

the Most High ruled in the kingdoms of men, and gar$ 

it to whotnsoever he would. This being a matter of 

history, and as an alle ory or sample to the people of 

God for their ride anf arrogancy, in reliming to be reformed 

by GO& and claiming the power and will to do 

theae th~ngs themselves,-they, too, like Nebuchadnezzar, 

must be driven among the beasts of the field, 

(meaning the kin doms of the world until they learn the 

wuereignty of dod, and Uut he kpenaes hie fivers 

to whomsoever he will. That, being a matter of history, 

and a sample only, was fulfilled in seven years ; but this, 

' being a prophecy, will only be fulfilled inseven prophetic 

times, which will be 7 times 360 years, which will 

make 2520 years ; for one half of 7 times, that is, 3 times 

and a half, is called, in Rev. xii. 6,1260 days, (fulfilled in 

so many yeara.) See also Rev. xii 14. xiii. 5. Forty-two 

months is the one half of 2520, for twice 1260 is 2520. 

Therefore the sum and substance of the whole is, that 

the people of God would be among the beasts, or kinof 

the earth, seven times, which is 2520 years, one half 

of which time they would be under literal Babylon, 

which means the ruling kings of the earth, viz. I260 

years ; and the other half under mystical Bab 10% the 

mother of harlots, the abomination of the whoqk earth, 

1260 years; making in all 2520 yeara. Therefore 

seven times would the people of God be punished for 

their sins, to fill up the measure of the sufferings of 

Christ, before they would be delivered from all their 

enemies, and come into poesession of the glorified kingdom 

which was prepared for them from the foundation 

of the earth. And Ezekiel alludes to the same "m)en 

times," Ezek. xxxix. 9, 10, "And they that dwell in the 

cities of Israel shall go forth, Jerem. xv. 1-3, and shall 

set on fire and burn the weapons, Jer. v. 14, both the 

shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and . 

the handetavee and the spears, and they shall burn them

ihike~erea~;mbttiqslnIltakemrood 

ootaftbebcl~~an&m~oatofthef~;f~ 

tbe~dd b u r n t h rithhe;d ~ 

theyshall 

qcii tbse th spiied tkrq d rob tbaae that robbed 

Pbem,aithtbeIanfGaL" ~heregireaasto 

mdesad t k br of the people of God king 

driven out of tbei; cities, lPd by the word of God, they 

rdd be dkd 

to desmy or be --% their enemies, 

d to spoil dwe rho hd been Ppoiling them, 

ad rob t h wbolnd lobbed them ; d this, toq would 

take seven ravg or -= dads; and, Ezeiiiel being 

commanded to reckon d &y for 8 year, iiv. 4-6, then 

a 

. 

be -zm peug 

The pmper qaeaion roald nor be, Wben did those 

yeus begin " 1 mer, Tbep mast ham begun with 

the first captivity of tbe tribe of Jed.h, the inhabitante 

of J&em, in Babyloo; for all tbe phets 

G thing, t~ ~ylon -odd the &om rE 

would cuy the Jers into captivity. See Jeremiah xv. 

4. ' And I rill curse them to be removed into all the 

kingdoms of the earth, becruse of Yanaseh, tbe son of 

Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Je 

ruealed Alm let three rho wish to read more on 

this subject., read Jeremiah, chapter 2lst to the 2% inclusive; 

and the prophecy of Wel, from the beginning 

of tbe 1st chapter ta the end of the 39th chapter; also 

the chapter in which is our tert;- md re cannot for 

8 moment doubt but that Babylon ia the nation which 

waa to make desolate Jndah and Jerusalem 

Then, if Babylon waa the nation which was to scatter 

the people of God, and this, too, in tlte days of Jlanasseh, 

I ask, When was this captivity I answer, In the year 

677 before Christ; see 2 Chrw xxxiii (9-13; see also 

the Bible chronology of that event ; this beiw the fimt 

captivity of Judah in Babylon. Then take 67 pears, 

which were before Christ, from 2.520 years, which includes 

the wlrole 'seven times," or Useven years,w 

prophetic, and the remainder rill be 1843 aAer Chrbt ; 

rhowing that the people of God will be gathered from 

BU nations, and Ule kingdom and greatneds of 

the mdom will be given to the aainb of the bid

High; mystical Babylon will be destroyed by the 

brightness of his coming ; and sin, and sufferi~g for 

sin, will be finished to those who look for his coming. 

* Aud this spake he not of himself: but being high priest 

that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that 

nation; and not forthat nation only, but that also he 

should gather together in one the children of God that 

were scattered abroad," John xi. 51, 52. 

Yes, dear hearer, to them that look for hi appearinu, 

Christ will come the second time without sin unto sayvation. 

"And can it be possible," says the dear child 

of God, "that that day is so near as 1843 It is too 

good news for me to believe. Yet the evidence is very 

strong; it seems clear. I really believe I shall watch for 

it with a good deal of anxiety. And if it should not 

come, I shall, I feel now, be somewhat disappointed." 

Yes, 1 am satisfied, this is the language of every Christian 

heart. 

L( But," says another, (lit is all visionary. I do not 

believe it. And if I had any idea that it would be so, 

I could not take another moment's comfort of my life. . 

What, the judgment day within seven years * I cannot 

bear the thought I will drive such thoughts from my 

mind. To you, whoever you are, whether ,professor or 

non-professor, who in your heart think such thoughts as 

these, I have one word to say. Your standing is desperate 

indeed. I am bold to tell you, you love not 

Jesus. Every moment, then, you delay coming to God 

through Jesris Christ, may be big with eternal conseyences, 

even as the da'y of iudgment, for aught you or 

can tell. For instance, this may be the last moment 

the Iloly Spirit will ever strive; it may be the last 

moment of reason; it may be the la& moment of life; 

it may be the last moment of time ; and you unprepared ! 

0 God, reform these blinded souls, "who will not be 

reformed by thee, nor by these things," or everlaating 

puaishrnent will be their doom. 

* These Lectures were first published in 1836.

LECTURE XVIII. 

S0M360NsS BONG rill. 5. 

Who is III 3 that cod up from the wilderness, leaning u p ha 

beloved 

TEE text is a Pgssage of divine inspiration, which 

strikes the mind of the hearer or reader with more than 

ordinary power and force; and is propounded by way 

of question, as though in the answer we might receive 

much instruction and useful knowledge. It is truly so ; 

and may the Spirit of God assist us to gather honey from 

this beautiful flower from the wildernma We find it in 

the Songs of Solomon, which am highly figurative and 

allegorical, and were when composed presented in poems 

or songs ; but by reason of the translation they have 

come to us in prose. 

Some have supposed, that when Solomon composed 

this Song, or Songs, they were composed for dramatical 

rformanceq either as preludes, interludes, or rpi- 

. But I am of opinion that it was eompoeed for a 

prophetic song of Christ and his church But be that as 

it may, they certainly do represent, in rich and bautil'ul 

res, tl~e character and love of Christ for his church ; 

icwise, her eharaeter and love towards her divine N u 

ter, her connection to him, and her de ndence upon 

him in this state of trial. That the chur$hae been, and 

will be, in a state'of tnnl as long ps she remaim im 

fecf cannot be doubted by any man of common 2: 

tion, perception, or knowledge. 

She has elljoyed her seasons of roeperity ; and hu 

been #&onply tried in renea of &nity. In tracing

her hiat.org PKrm the patriarch Abraham to the prknt 

day, we find her variable as the wind, and changeable aa 

the weather. 

To-day, she is corning up out of the wilderness leaning 

on the arm of her beloved ; to-morrow, like a young 

roe leaping upon the mountains, and skipping upon the 

hills." 

Now she is seen among the trees of the woo& ; next 

in a palace of silver inclosed in boards of cedar. 

There we saw her in the clefta of the rockg here we 

behold her in the broad way, in the streets of the great 

- city. 

Again we find her among the foxes of the desert; 

and anon we perceive her seeking hi whom her soul 

loveth. 

She ia asleep on her bed by night; and the same 

night the watch finds her in the city. 

Behold her Lord, knocking at the door for admittance, 

while she is too indolent to arise and let him in. The 

next moment she is opening to her beloved ; but he had 

withdrawn himself. At one time the voice of her beloved 

souliding over the hills, and echoing among the 

mountains like the roar of distant thunder, has no impres 

sion; next the soft whisper of love ~aine - all her attea 

tion. 

Here blows the rough north wind and strong south 

wind upon her spices ; yet they put forth no fra ancy. 

And there the lightest breeze makes her mes bgsom, 

and all the air is perfume. 

See her countenance to-day black as the tenta of Kedar 

; and to-morrow comely as the daaghters of Jerusalem, 

and fair aa the purple curtains of Solomon. Today 

she is &&a garden barred, a spring shut up, a fountain 

sealed ;* to-morrow "a garden open, a well of living 

waters, and streams from Lebanon." Now she ia 

weak as a babe ; a sin 18 watchman can "smite, wound, 

and take away her vaif;" ind then she is courageous 

and valiant, temble as an army with banners' Today 

she is made to keep another's vineyard; to-morrow 

she is realizing a thousand pieces of silver from her own. 

&e ia truly a changeable being, carried about by the 

23

sliptest circnmstmce~. This is the description of the 

chorch, as given to us in this Song of Solomon's I shall 

therefore show in explanation of our subject, 

I. What has been the general character of the church 

in the wilderness ; 

11. Her character when out of the wilderness; and, 

then, 

111. Make an application of our subject, by showing 

in what state the church may be considered at the pnsent 

time. 

I. The church in the wilderness. 

It appeam by the word of God, that for some wise purpose, 

God has called his people into the wilderness .state, 

time and again. 1st Abraham was called to go out froln 

the land of his fathers into a strange land, not knowing 

whither he went ; and he obeyed God, sojourning in the 

land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tab 

ernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heira with hun of the 

name promise ; for he looked for city which imth foundations, 

whose Builder and Maker is God." By this 

means, Abraham obtained the name of the Father of all 

them that believe. We learn by the history of Abrsham, 

that the first seed of the church was called into the 

wilderness as a place of promise ; where God took spe 

cia1 cure of them, saying to the kinp and princea of tllk 

world, ''Touch not mine anointed, aud do my prophetn no 

harm." \\'e see them supported and kept through all 

the trials of life ; and, in the midst of ~dolatroua natiom, 

among whom they sojourned, not oue of them lost their 

faith, or became in~pure in their worsl~ip ; but Gd w:~ 

with them, preserving them in war, famine, and the twrvy 

judgnleots of God upon the nations with whom they w- 

journed. 

The next account we have ofthe church being called 

into the wilderness was in the days of hfosw, when tlle 

children of Israel were delivered from Egyptian slavt*~, 

and brought out by the mighty and powerful hand of God 

illto the wilderness, where alle was fed, clothed, and slwrl 

by ~nimcle, and preserved by lnanna fro111 Ileavrn, am1 

flesl~ from the desert ; where the cloud of Ilia gryce 

overshadowed them by day, and the pillsr of fire y mgbt.

The awe1 of the covenant accornpnnied them through 

all the gilderness, u gave them drink as out of the. great 

depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and 

caused waters to run down like rivers." He made his 

own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the 

wilderness like a flock. He led them on safely, so they 

feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. He 

brought them to the border of his sanctna even to the 

mountain his right hand had purchased. ge' cast out the 

heathen also before them, divided them m inheritance 

by line, and made the children of lsrael to dwell in tents." 

Thus sang the sweet psalmist of IaraeL And what could 

God have done more than he did for his people in the 

wilderness 

The next and last proof we have that God calls his 

people into the wilderness, ypu will find in Rev. xii. 6,- 

14, And the woman fled into the wilderness, where 

she hath a place pre wed of God, that they should feed 

her there a thousant' two hundred and threescore days." 

And to the woman were given two winge of an eagle, 

that she might fly into the wilderness into her place, 

(take notice, the wilderness is here called "by) 

where she is nourished for a time, and times, an half a 

time, fmm the flue of the serpent ;" that is, away from 

the power of the Roman beast, or power which is hew 

called the serpent. The prophet Hosea, in his vision of 

the wilderness state of the church under the gospel dispensation, 

says, Therefore, behold, I will allure her and 

bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto 

her; and I will give her her vineyards from thence, and 

the valley of Achor for a door of hope, and she shall sing 

there as in the days of her youth, as in the day when 

she came up out of the land of Egypt," Hosea ii. 14, 

&c. We might quote you more of this prophecy, and 

show you how exactly every word has been literally fuliilled 

in time and manner, as John has told us in Revelation 

; but I have suficiently proved that God has called 

his church into the wilderness, for purposes of good to 

the chrirchea I will now, 2dly, show .what object God 

had in view, so far as he has revealed his object in his 

word, in calling his church into the wilderness. Mosea

nys, Deut viii. 16,17, "Who fed thee in the wildernee, 

with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might 

humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee 

good at thy latter end, lest you should say in your hearts, 

My power, and the might of mine hand, hath gotten me 

this wealth." 

Surely, my brethren, if we would read thi pass 

and apply it home, we must see, unless we are n l f g 

blind, that if we are in the wilderness at this time, the 

object of God is lost upon us. We are not humble 

enough to believe that God is the Author and Fbkher 

of our faith, or that salvation is of God. Are we not mying, 

not only in our hearts, but also in doctrine, words, 

and action, that we can do great things; our might, our 

wisdom, our handa, have gotten us this pat wealth 

Do we not see our benevolence trumpeted forth in 

everj publication of the present day, and om contribotions 

spread far and wide For what 2 To feed the hungry 

and clothe the naked Na, not literally, but mentally. 

Yes, and do we not see that inatead of feeding the pblic 

mind with wholesome food, with the sincere milk of 

the word, we have almost surfeited them with our tvte 

and spices, until the public mind has become so heated, 

nothing satisfies unless it hae been highly spiced with 

some agitated question to more inflame the public pulse. 

More than three quarters of all our contributions are used 

to bloat each other up in self-righteousnes and pride ; or 

to pull each other down, with our excited queatione of 

right and wrong. The moral code which God re to 

man for hie happiness here and hereafter is demshed; 

and Judge Lynch is the order of the day, as well in morals 

as in our civil affaira Where in the word of God 

are we commanded to have our gifb for charitable ptuposes 

published, either before or behind ae, by a public 

gazette or a brazen-mouthed trumpet 2 Yet at the present 

day, we glory in our pride, and excuse ouraelvee in 

the manner of doing it ; for the end, say we 'ostifies the 

means. Why, then, did not our savior ju&#y the Pkieeee 

in the same means for the very same object - to 

make proselytes 

The wildemem then, urrder existbg ch-

~Uculated as the best place to keep the church humble, 

teach her her dependence on God, and to give her a 

gnateful heart. .For there she mixes not with the world, 

there she is not wholly engaged after the riches, honors, 

wisdom, and fashions of this world In the wilderness 

she depends more on the manna 'of God's word for her 

daily fwd ; but in the great city, she seeks for the popular 

learninz of'the world, the vain philosophy of the 

ancients, or the wisdom of men. There God feeds her 

with spiritual bread, living water, and sincere milk of 

the word ; but here she feeds on the old corn of the 

land; she mixes her wine with strong drink, until it 

sparkles in the cup; she pours out her milk as a drinkoffering 

to her idols, and mingles the doctrine of God's 

word with the d,octrines of devils. There she learns, by 

a rich experieoce, her dependence on her divine Master ; 

here she forgets all his mercies, and ascribes all ner 

blessings to her idol gods, or worship of her own hands. 

There the daily presence of God prevents her worshipping 

the idols OF the world, or following after the 

gods which are no gods; but here the presence of 

worldly objects draws her attention from the one living 

and tn~e God ; and she has lords many and gods many. 

In the wilderness,the teachers in the church are more 

pure ; there is nothing to tempt their cupidity, or foster 

their pride ; they feed the flock of God instead of themselves 

; the church is not rich in worldly things to tempt 

the wolf or the fox to enter her folds. But among the 

citizens, she must expect, while Inan is wicked, that the 

false and designing teachers will rush into her ministry, 

to subrewe their own interest, and draw off followers 

after them. In the wilderness, the church has but few 

temptations for the honors and emoluments of the political 

world, for she is nourished away from the face of 

this wily serpent, which has coiled his folds around tho 

heart of many a professor of Jesus Christ, and destroyed 

all that piety of heart and -life, which, separate from political 

strife, they once enjoyed. 

Moses, speaking of the church in the wilderness, says, 

Deut. xxxii. 9-12, " For the Lord's portion is his people 

; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him 

:+

-m a desert land, and in the waste, howling wilhe 

led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the 

apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, Buttereth 

over her young, epreadeth abroad her wings, 

taketh them, beareth them on her wings, so the L d 

alone did lead him, and there waa no ""$ I@ 

him." If the above is a true description o God'a care 

and protection of hie people in the wildemesa, d p 

this must be a desirable state for the church. 

Isaiah, in his vision of the church in the wilderness 

eays, (xxxv, I, !2,) " The wildernese and the solitary place 

shall be glad for them, and the desert ahall rejoice and 

blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundant1 , and 

rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of tba- 

non shall be ejven unto it, the excellency of Carmel and 

Sharon; they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the 

excellency of our God." If' the church had been in the 

city, instead of beholding the glory of God, her eyee 

rmght have been dazzled with the glory of the world, 

an excellency of her great men, or with the gotla of the 

men of the world; so that, while in this state of trial 

and temptation, while imperfection is found m the 

church, tl~o wilderness is a place of greater security 

from inbred lust and outward foea 

Perhaps we have been in the habit of fixing in aor 

knhds quite a different idea of tlie wildemem state aC 

the church, from what ideas I have ven, or froa rbat 

might be proved by the wriw o h e propbeta and 

apostles. Examine for yourselves, and see. 

11. We are to learn tlie character of the church ahen 

it may be said she is out of the wilderness 

1st What does the church en'oy when she io out of 

the wilderness I answer, de eqjoys -na, 

privileges, and laws among the kingdom and p o M 

nations of the earth; kink are her nw' fathers, and 

gueena her nuniop mothem They 8 3 bow dorn to 

thee, with their face to the earth, and lick up tbe dust of 

thg feet," says, lsqah, xlix. 23 That is, the church, 

a en In t h sltuahon, ~ ~ receives the courtly smiles of 

tbe pt, and the sycophantic cringing of the politxai 

dmqoye. But let tbe church hber, dthqh

kings, queene, and pat men of the world may bm 

down, court, and idohze her, and may descend to lick the 

dust from her feet, yet it ia only to flatter and to betra 

for their *Jam" an not Zion-ward, but to the *emtln 

Their mohves are earth1 devilish, lt is a serpent still J 

they feed on the food oFserpents, the dust of your f i 

"They eat the sins of my people as they eat bread." 

Some suppose it will be a goodly time, when kings and 

queene will be fathera and mothem in Zion. But no, 

my brethren ; the true church have but one father, which 

is God ; and but one mother, which is not of this world, 

but she is the New Jerusalem, the mother of us all, 

which cometh down from above, Christ himself says, 

Th: prince of thie world cometh, and hath nothing id 

me; as much as if he had said, By and by the kine 

and princes of this world will come and court you ; they 

will pretend to great friendship for you ; they will offer 

to nurse, feed, and clothe you ; but remember they have 

nothing in me. Yon must, if you wish to win the crown 

of glory, '' contend inst principalities against powers, 

agalnsf the rulen oXe darknee of thu world, agaiM 

spiritnal wickednese in high places ; for he hath nothingin 

me." Again, Daniel says, ii 43, '' They (the people 

of God) ehd mingle themsclvea mth the seed of men, 

(kings and queens, for fathers and mothen,) but they shall 

not cleave one to another, even es iron is not mixed with 

clay." Let thii suffice to show that it is the du of the 

church of Chriit to keep themelves unspotted a rom the 

world ; to be separate, and touch not the unclean thing, 

What is the unclean thing I answer, It is the policy 

of worldly governments; in one word, it is a political 

spirit; that spirit which is not peaceable, pure, oaq to 

be entreated Who, I ask, ever saw a political partiean 

have these fruits while prompted by that spirit 2 * Fmt 

pure, then peaceable, eaq to be entreated' A political 

man, if he had any conscience, would blush with shame 

to claim these appellations. And where, in all the history 

of the chuych, from the days of the apostlea until 

now, have kings, queens, or rulers of this world undertaken 

to nurse the church, and lord it over Qodb heritage, 

but that they have proved, in the end, r curee in-

.stead of a blessing I am bold to say, Nowhere! And 

one thing more I am bold to say - That kind of morality 

which requires the aid of @e political world to enforce 

it, is a harlot in disguise, and her path is the way to 

death ; in her secret chambers you will find war, rapine, 

and murder, and -in her train will be seen revenge, hatred, 

ebvy, and division These are the temptations of 

the church when in the city of the nations. 

2dly. What has been her character when in the 

city Answer : When the Jews left the wilderness, and 

entered into Canaan, their manng with which they had 

been fed while travelling in the wilderness, ceased, and 

they fed on the old corn of the land. This manna was 

a type of the spiritual food given by God to hie children, 

while under his immediate control and care. See Rev. 

ii 17. Old corn is a fit resemblance of the worldly 

rights, privileges, and possessions among the nations of 

the earth. The Jews, almost immediately after they 

took possession of the land of Canaan, began to niu 

themselves with the inhabitants around them, and became 

men pleasem, and a nation of idolaters; and the 

very things which Moses charged them against, became 

the common occurrences of the day; and on account 

of which God suffered their enemies to bring them into 

bondage, and, from a powerful people, that had made 

kings tremble even upon the report of them while in the 

wilderness, now became a weak and degraded people, a 

tributary nation, a band of slaves to their enemies; and 

the prophecy of Moses, Deuteronomy xxxii. 15-'20, was 

literally accomplished in about twenty years after they 

took possession of their goodly land. UBut Jeshun~n 

waxed fat and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art 

grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he 

forsook God which nlade him, and lightly esteemed tho 

Rock of his salvation They provoked him tr, jealousy 

with strange gods ; with abomil~ations provoked they him 

to finger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to 

gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly 

up, who~nrr 

fntliers (while in the wilderness) feared 

not Of c Rock that heoat thee thou art un~nindful. 

lad hast forgotten God that formed thee." The w d

teb ne; Judges ii 11,12, U The children of Israel did 

evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim ; and 

forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought 

them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other ods, 

of the gods of the people that were round about gem, 

agd bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the 

Lord to anger!' They dwelt ,among the Canaanites, 

and, as it is said, Judges iii 6, they took their daughtern 

to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their 

eons, and served their gods." 

. This was the Character and practice of the Jews, 6od9s 

ancient covenant people. They ate, they drank, and 

rose up to play. They were proud, rebellious, and ungodly. 

They obeyed not the commands of God, and 

heeded not the warning voice of the Almighty. They 

regarded not the teach' of the true prophets, but 

followed in the train of%e popular prophets of Bad 

They persecuted and drove into the wilderness the 

true servants of Jehovah, while they fed, clothed,.and 

schooled hundreds of the servants of Baalim. They became 

a stiff-necked and hard-hearted people to their own 

God, and bowed their neck, and were wbsewient to 

the nations and their gods around them. They forsook 

or demolished the altars erected for the worship of the 

true God, and erected under every green tree altars to 

Baalim and Ashtaroth They waxed rich in corn, wine, 

and oil, yet were poor and scanty in their first fruits to 

God. They multiplied in cattle, silver, and gold, and forgot 

that it was God who gave them power to get wealth. 

This, we must acknowledge, is the character of the 

Jews, as given unb-us by the sacred historians. These 

were the people whom God had chosen out of all the na- 

tione of the earth, to be his peculiar people -a 

people 

who had seen and experienced the salvation of God in a 

most miraculous manner ; fmm Egyptian bonda e, h m 

drought and famine h the wilderness, and from tfe power 

of the nations who sou ht to impede their pro 

hinder their-possessing 8s promised land. g$q 

enjoyed the visible presence of the angel of the covenant 

forty years in the wilderness. They had heard the audible 

voice of Jehovah on the mountain ; they ~w his pow-

274 ' LEC~BE zvrr~. 

er and glory on Sinai. Yet the next genedon after 

Joshus, had become so deeply corrupted, by unbelief, in 

gratitude, and rebellion, that they gave all the tory to 

works of their own hands, and worshipped idols o stocks 

and stones. 

This, you say, is a dark picture of man, and could not 

have applied to any other people but the Jews. I will 

agree that no other nation were, at that time, placed in 

like circumstances with them. But dark as the picture, 

and h~deous as the detnil, it is but a shadow of our day, 

a type of the Christian church in the tiines in which we 

live. 

u Who is this comin up from the wildernem, leaning 

upon her beloved " #'he text doea not tell us she ia out 

of tl~e wilderness, but coming out; as though in the wilderness, 

and while she is coming out, she leans upon her 

lord Her affections wek not yet contaminated by a 

love for the world, nor her faith weakened by her vanity 

and self-esteem Thus was it with the Jews ; and so llaa 

it been with the church in ages past Then let me, 

111. Make an application of our subject, by showin 

what may be considered the present state of the 

church. 

I believe all writers and commentators on the Apocalypse 

agree that the church of Christ has been in the 

wilderness more thad twelve centuries past Some have 

fixed the time of the church entering into her wilderness 

state as early as A. D. 534, when the great controveray 

between the orthodox and Arians, which, in the days of 

Justir~ian, shook the religious world into two at divisions, 

like the two of an eagle," from g eonvulsions 

of which mAT:the true senanta of God, or aII 

of them, disgusted with the spirit shown by both of the 

contending parties, who both claimed and used the civil 

authority to exterminate or conquer their heterodox 

brethren, fled into the north-east part of Europe, away 

from the face of the serpent," - the emperors of the eaet, 

and the more powerful bishops of Rome-where for 

numbers of centuries they lived unknowing and nnknorn 

Other writers Ray that it wae as late as A. D. 6W3, when 

the Pope, by the cowsseiona of Phocu, obtained &il

and ecclesiastical power, and that he came out publicly 

wearing two swords. Between these two points I be- 

. lieve all writers fix the time of the church entering into 

her wilderness state, '6 a place prepared of God, that they 

should feed her there 1260 days ;" or, 6' to the woman 

were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might 

fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished 

for a time, and times, and half a time, from the 

face of the serpent," Rev. xii 6th and 14th verses ; 

1260 days being the same as time, times and a halfthree 

years and a half, or 1260 prophetic days - which, 

according to my former proof, must mean 1260 years. 

The question now remains to be settled, Where and 

when this wilderness etate began, in order for us to 

understand the present state of the church. 

And first, let us inquire, What are be Scripture marks 

of the beginning of this period I answer, in the Apocalypse, 

xi. 2, "But the court which is without the temple 

leave out, and meaaure it not, for it is given unto the 

Gentiles ; and the holy city shall they tread under foot 

forty-two months!' This is the same time, three years 

and a half, or 1260 days, as before. A ain, Rev. xiii. 4, 

5, "And they worshipped the dragon, w%ich gave power 

unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, 

Who is like unto the beast Who is able to make war 

with him And there was given him a moud speaking 

great things and blasphemies ; and power was given 

Iiim to continue forty and two monthsn-the very same 

time mentioned again. And we learn, by this passage, 

that this beast, which would persecute and drive into 

the wilderness the church, would receive his power from 

the dragon, -the same as in Rev. xii. 4, stood before 

tile woman, which was ready to be delivered, for to 

devour her child as soon as it ww born,"- and must, of

5m 

~l)or~lu mn. 

thin beast, rhieh ras tb drive into the wilderness the 

ehorch, d tread her under foot forty and tKo 

~thsP 

Vie most lmk, then, for aune law, passed by some 

h m emperor, and sanctioned by the ten kings, (fa 

thep, too, had the same mind to give their wer and 

strength nnto the beast," meaning, as I unr&tand it, 

Rome Papal,) in order to find the commencement of the 

c h d in tlte wildemenr 

We 6nd that Justinian, empemr of Constantiwple, 

formed a code of laws about A. D. 534, which were 

blished and sanctioned, in the Western Empire at 

&me, about foor y- afterwards ; on which code of 

lam, the Pope has claimed his authotity to rule over 

kings, and punish heretics with confiscation of tbeir 

imprisonmdt or torture of body, and even death ; 

rttlch laws continued in force until 1260 years attern&, 

in the year 1798, when the French people, under General 

Bonaparte, abolished the laws, and constituted Italy a 

republic 

Then, in the yew 1798, the church began to come up 

out of the wilderness. What," says the objector, has 

Bonaparte or the wars of France to do with the church 

coming out of the wilderness" I answer, Much; for 

the same power that gave the anti-Christ~an beast hia 

authority, must take it away. The political river Jordau 

must be parted asunder; the law of outlawry 

against the church must be abolished, before she could 

enjoy ~ h tand s privileges in the ,pat city of nations. 

In thia war, under the modem dragon, the emperor of 

tho French, the barnera were broken down. And now, 

the church is permitted to exist in almost all kingdoms 

in the known world. 

This is L'coming up out of the wildernew," for she is 

now permitted to pitblish the gospel of her Beloved 

among all nations. She can now banslate his word into 

every lan age, and send his servants into every quarter 

of the @o%le. By this were the annies of Christ to ronquer 

hie enemies by the CLsharp eword which pmceedeth 

out of his mouth." And as the Jews overran and conquered 

o krge share of the promised land, afbr they

came out of the wilderness, even so, in these days, the 

church is extending her banners over a large slme of 

the earth, the promised land of the Christian. See 

Psalm rcxxvii. 2!2,28, 29, and 34. Prov. ii. 21, 22. x. 30. 

Matt. v. 5. For the apostle Paul tells us, 1 Cor. x. 11, 

" Now all these things happened unto them for examples, 

(or types,) and they are written for our admonition, yon 

whom the end of the world is come It is ve evldent 

that the apostle, in this passage, is qeakli. ofxe travel 

of the children of Israel through the zderness, and 

their entrance into the promised land, or their coming 

out of the wilderness, as a type or resemblance of the 

Christian church in these last days. 

Therefore, we are allowed by the inspired apostles to 

use their journey and acts, to illustrate and show the 

present state of the church, if we can gain any instruction 

thereby. 

The Jews had a promise that they should inherit the 

land af Canaan; the Christian, that he shall inheiit the 

earth -16 For the meek shall inherit the earth ; and 

"The kingdom, and greatness of the kin dom under the 

who e heaven, shall be iven to the eopk of the sainta 

of $ aaoa High." T& Jews usel carnal weapons in 

their wars with the inhabitants; the chtmh are commanded 

to use spiritual ones, to the pulling down of the 

strong-holds, &c. They were led by their temporal 

Joshua ; the church, by her spiritual leader. The Jews 

conquered by sending out their chosen and expert men 

with the sword; the church has sent forth her chosen 

missionaries, expert men with the eword of the Spirit, 

which is the LL word of God." 

The Jews had great success in conquering their 

enemies when they first came out of the wilderness; 

even so the church has had her unexpected success in 

her missionary efforts. The Jews, within twenty years, 

became a proud, haughty, and an idolatrous peo le, ascribing 

all their success to their own wer; an{ mingling 

themselves with the natiotiol. amun80theq they began to 

bow down to their ods, and worship Baalim, and Ashtaroth; 

jut so, anfin about the same time, since the 

cause of miasions began to succeed, has the church 

!&I

ecome proud and haughty, publishing her donatio 

upon the house-top, mixing her mod questions wi# 

the political partizans of the day, and courting the 

applause of men more than obeying the voice of 

God : she is preparing for a sudden overthrow, a signal 

defeat 

The church is evidently worshipping her god Baalim; 

her tenchers are seekin to be called by eat names, 

such as A. B., A. M., %. D., D. D., or Kv., kc; tO 

lord it over each other, and to be called master. See the 

meaning of the word Bsalim, idols, wlers, f&e gods. 

It is equally as evident, that she is howing herself to the 

god Ashtaroth, ficks, the she 

Where, in the history of t z cfgh, can re find a 

time that the people called Christians were, apparently, 

engaged after the riches of this world as now 

Then, the agreement, in almost every thing, between the 

Jews, when they came out of the wilderness, and thc 

church at the present day, holds good, and proves clcarly 

to me that the church is now out of the wilderncss. 

If it is not ao, When, I ask, since the a stles' days, hm 

the church been out of the wildcrneesr Instead, then, 

of being in the wilderness onl 1260 years, she evidently 

lras been 1800 years in &e wilderness; and this 

prophecy has foiled, or has .no meanin 

What Fator privileges did the cfwch eihr enjoy 

than now. Were their privileges amon the natiom of 

the earth greater, even in the days of t%e Roman emperors, 

under the nursing care of Constantine and Ilia 

sons I answer, No. Then, surely, the church ia now 

cut of he milderncss, and has been nenrly or quite forty 

years. IF so, then the 1260 ears of the reimn of allti- 

Christ to give the collrt of tKe Gentiles to Ke trodden 

under foot have ended 

Thpn, the two witnesses, prnphesying, clothed in 

sackcloth, 12GO years have ended. Then, also, has the 

civil power of the anti-Christian beast, to rule over tlic 

king3 of the earth forty-two months, been taken from 

the beast. 

Then, also, has the '(time, times and a half," mcntioned 

in Daniel vii 25, and xii. 7, Lad its fulfilment,

CERIST'S SECOND COMING. 279 

&to the end of these wonders." And now, the anti- 

Christian beast will no longer be able to deceive the 

nations with her false miracles, or make the kinas of 

the earth acknowledge her power as suprcme. Yl'hey 

have eaten her flesh; the have made her drink her 

own blood ; her great men gave departed from her ; they 

are casting dust on their heads, cfyiy " Alas ! alas ! that 

great city Babylon, that mighty city ! or in one hour is thy 

jud ment come!' &&And when she shall have accomplisied 

to scatter the power of the hol people, all these 

things shall be finished," Dan. xii. 7. $his beaat has but 

one more work to perf~rm-~~to scatter the power of the 

holy people ; to divide, that she may conquer. It is the last 

gasp of the expiring monster ; it is the dying struggle of 

the man of sin. And, for a little moment, they will succeed. 

For the church must be humbled; she has departed 

from her Lord, she has grown proud of her worldly 

connections, she has become haughty, and lording it 

over the heritage of the Lord. She must be divided. 

She is already. She must be scattered, shaken like 

grain in the winnowin fan, that that which cannot be 

shaken may remain. i- he will be delivered when her 

Lord returns td the wedding, and sends forth his angels 

to gather his elect from the four winds of heaven, where 

they have been ~cattered in the dark and cloud day. 

Then will he destroy the man of sin by the brigitnesa 

of his coming. Then, too, will the little horn cease 

making war with the saints, and no longer prevail 

against them. The Ancient of days will come, and 

judgment will be given to the saints of the Most High; 

and the time will have come mhen the saints, in union 

with their spiritual Joshua, will enter into that eternal 

Sabbath of rest which remains for the people of God. 

Nothing can be more clear, or self-evident, than that 

the church is combating the eat natural and moral 

evils, which men in this state oKin are prone to commit 

What shall we make of all thqse societies which the 

church have instituted since she came out of the wilderness, 

but so many attacks-upon the enemies of the land 

The Bible society, instituted eince 1798. This has 

proved a powerful weapon to expel the moral darkness 

'

aF'E 

fiom the n;ind of the unenlightened, to open the 

of the votaries of superstition, and to -k 

shackles of bigotry. We have 8een, in om day, Deimn 

humbled from a haughq to a cringing cophaut. 

We have seen BommLm, from a mo-h an. 

the souls and bodies of men with an absolute sway, become 

a slave, a follower in the wake of 

in publiaw and circdating the ~ rioripeor~ 

iets, a few years since, had the control of nine tenth of 

all Europe ; now, not a petty kingdom under their con- 

' ' 

trol : the Roman church, for c past the 

of most of the kings of Europe, now a poor dependant 

on the breath of Binga 

Our missionmy mcidics have carried the has of 

the cross where hope never smiled before, nor faith 

ever lighted the cheerless sky of the heathen's land. 

And we have seen nations hearing the word of God, and 

islands converted to the faith of the gospel of Christ. 

Temperance societies. We have seen the attack upon 

intemperance, the Anakirn of our world, and we have 

beard the shout of triumph from every quarter of @ 

gIobe, Rapid, indeed, waa the march to victmp ! A p 

our moral reform societies, our Sabbath echoole, ~ble 

classes, &c. h., are all so many attacks on mod evil, 

which have produced, in many caaee, wonderful effbcta ; 

M) much so, that it has astoniehed even the projectors 

themselves. 

These aggravated sins are falling before the all-conquering 

weapon of God's word, like the walla of Jericho 

before the blaets of the trumpets ; and it will go on conuering 

and to conquer, until tyranny, opprewion, and 

&very, in every form, .ball be destroyed Perha XIthing, 

at the present time, impeda the pro^ o&ese 

things so much as the popular spirit, the pnde, and arm 

prlce of the church herself. She is, more or less, courtm 

tho applause of the world. She ie mingling her holy 

dgion nth the opiniom and principlr. of mea 8be 

ir roud and self-sufficient, dotlng upon her own works, 

mi forgetting her dependence on God. If this should 

be the true state of the church, God may suffer 

to remain aa a amurge to the church, aa a dPiE 

fool'r back."

This-was literally ,the Lose with the Jewish church, 

after she came out of the wilderness ; and every appearance 

seems to betoken the like s irit in the church at 

the present day. 0 that we couli be wise, and learn, , 

by the example set us by the Jews, that pride and selfsufficiency 

are always before a fall! 

I know the objector wilI say, How can it be he, that 

the church is spreading her banners over a large portion 

of the world, sending her missionaries and the Bible into 

every nook and comer of the habitable globe, conquering 

and to conquer ; and, at the same time, growing 

more and more impure herself, becomina haughty, selfrighteous, 

and ungrateful, corrupt and Pukewarm in her 

faith and practice, idolatrous in her worship, and cold and 

indifferent to her iimt love This, say they, is paradoxical. 

1 answer, Paradoxical as it may seem, it is no less 

tnie. Have I not shown that the Jews were thus paradoxical, 

wben they entered the promised land Do 

not the description Solomon hath given us of the church 

in his Sonm the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians 

and ~alatyah, and the history of the church in the 

days of Constantine, all go to show, that when the 

church has been most prospered in her worldly standing 

with the nations, with whom she may come in contact, 

she has the more deeply corrupted herself 

This does not argue that she ought not to spread her 

banners, send her missionaries, translate and circulate 

Bibles, educate the rising generabon, establish her moral 

societies, and do all, and every work, which God in his 

word has commanded ; but it argues that the church is 

imperfect, and that, in times of prosperity, she ought to 

consider, 

1st. Her proneness to idolatry, her liability to selfrighteousness, 

her excessive love for the world, the 

temptations on every hand. 

2dly. She ought to consider that adversity is set over 

against prosperi that her faith ma be tried, her 

motives si~cd, Ee body purified, anB the sanctuary 

cleansed. 

3d. She ought to consider that the deeigns of God 

!a''

will be accamplish~ that the r& moet be ereeated, 

that all power centcea in Bim; and, dtboagh tbe church 

may be proad, self-riphteoq and dee ly corm 

onbelief and sin, yet God rill nen& 

1 hw kingdom established, ha rill done in earth as in 

hearen ; and tke time is at hand, when the saidts will 

po~seaa the kingdom forever, men foreom .ad ever. 

h 

be gpa

LECTURE XIX 

OUB text ie a quwtion propwed by Chridto the Phslc 

hee and Sadducees, at a time when they came to him, 

tempting him for a sign from heaven; and ia a reproof 

upon tbem for their unbeiief in the sip h d y given 

by the Old Testament writers, which they pfeeeed to 

believe, and which were actually Mfdlhg before their 

eyes, yet disregarded. The Pherieeea and Sedduceea 

were two of the most learned and popular secta among 

the Jews ; man of them were scribes, la em, doctom, 

and teachem dthe law ; yet so pedeclJlinded, that 

'they could not or would not apply the moat simple rulea 

of inte retation to tbe law or propheta They would 

fge rule8 of common observation and common 

I&: to the weather, bat neither the one nor the other 

were used in understanding the Scripturea They were 

well vemed in the skill to tell the weather for the morrow, 

but had no skill in the prom pmpheciea, and 

word of God *When it is evening, ye my it will be 

fair weather, for the eky ie red ; and m the rnorni it 

will be foul weather to-day, for the sky ia red and%wering. 

0 ye hypocrites! ye ean discern the face of the 

sky, but can ye not ty the same simple rule) d h the 

*of rhc PimcoIt 

All the signs given in the word of God, concernin 

the firat coming and penon of the Masiah, were fud 

ling before thev eyes; yet they were demandmg more

lad gmbx signs fmm heaven. Christ had, and WUI 

then performing mhcles which no man on earth could 

om. and they asribed it to the power of Beelzebub. 

IFo eridemre had or could be presented, which they 

rere not ready to elade or deny ; and yet they claimed 

all the IP.W~, 

all the wisdom, and all the piety of that 

day. This nas the character of those whom Christ calls 

hpwrites, and to whom he addresses the question, But 

can re not diwem the magits of the times " And happy 

would it hse been for 11% who live in this day of gospel 

light, when the gospel shines with greater effulgence 

than at aqv other period of time aince the world began, 

if hypocrisy had died with the Pharisees and ,Sadducees; 

but it was not XI. Any man, of common capacity of 

mind, who can divest hinwelf of rejudice, or who will 

b. to see the character of man as kveloped at the presant 

da in matters of faith, will discover the same unbelief, 

the same disre,@, the same taunting, tempting 

spirit. concerning the second c- of the Messiah, as 

the Pharisees and Sadducees rndestqd in thew conduct 

and conversation with our blessed Redeemer. And 

the question may with equal propriety, and I fear with 

tenfold force, be t to at Uus day, if Christ was here, 

as then. And I Eve nneh revan to fear, that many 

may be found among our great, learned, and teachem of 

divine things, who would receive from our divine Master 

the sanm reproof, were he as then a teacher among ua 

Let Ilinl that thinketh he standeth take heed, lest he 

MI." I &all, then, in treating on this subject, use my 

text as a reproof to UB. 

I. I shall show a number of signs which the Jews had 

in that day, as evidences of Jesus being the true Mes- 

SIR h. 

I[. Show the eigna that Jesns Christ, the prophets, and 

apostles have given us of his second coming, now fulfilling 

in this day in which we live. 

Under my first head,.the s i p of Jems being the true 

Messiah, were, 

1. The universal peace at his birth. Of this Isaiab 

ii. 3, 4, had prophesied 760 yeam before, And maq 

people ehdl go md nay, Comt ye, and let ua go ap to

the mountain of the Lord, to the houre of the God of 

Jacob ; and he will teacli us of his way5 and we will 

walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the 

iaw, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he 

shall judge among the natione, and shall rebuke many 

people ; and they shall beat their swords into plouehshares, 

and their spears into prunhg-hooks. Nat~on 

shall not lift up sword a ainat nation, neither ehall they 

learn war any more." %i pro hecy wu accomplished 

at his birth: For the temple of fan"# wu .hut the very 

year our Savior was born, which denoted universal peace ; 

and this must have been known to the Jewish rulers. 

Also the doctrines of Jesus Christ taught that they 

should forgive and pray for their enemies, and learn war 

no more. fi Peace on earth and good will to men," wan 

6Un b the heavenly band when they announced the 

hi18 olthe Savior in the city of David 

2 The star that appeared and guided the wise men to 

the place of his nativi rophesied of by Balaam, Num 

xxiv. 17. "There aha Tp 1 come a star out of Jacob," &. 

3. A root out of Jesse. Isa. xi. 10, In that day there 

ahall be a root out of Jeaee, which shall stand for an ensi 

n of the peo le ; to it shall the Gentiles seek," &o. 

g rat he was a Bescendant of David was well known to 

the Jews, for the were very scrupulous in their genealogies, 

and from $e fact that he was born in the city of 

David when his parents went up to be taxed where the$ 

names were enrolled 

4. Born of a virgin. Isa vii. 14, '' Therefore the Lord 

himself shall give you a eign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive 

and bear n son, and shall call hie name Immanuel." 

This was evidently fulfilled. 

5. At Bethlehem. Micah v. 2, "But thou, Bethlehem 

Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of 

Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that 

is to be ruler in Israel, whose oinga forth have been from 

of old, from everlasting !die waa fuLIPd, according 

to their own showing, to the wise men from the earrt 

6. Herod slaying all the children in Bethlehem, from 

two yeare old and under, pro hesied of by JerumiPh, 

ru~ 1!5, UA voh waa heus i. amah, lamention

and bitter weeping, Rachael weeping for her ~hiIdren,~ 

dLe. This must have been known m all Judea 

7. Land forsaken of both of her -. Isa vii. 16, 

' For before the child shall know to refase the evil and 

choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken 

of both her kings." Herd and his successor both 

died before Jesas was of the common age to refuse the 

evil and choose the ood. 

8. Called out of 3&ypt. Hosea xi. l, Y And Caned m J 

eon out of Egypt" 

9. His forerunner John ha. XI. 3, The voice of him 

that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the 

Lord, make straisht in the desert a highway for our God.' 

AII Judea and hmsalem went into the wildernese to . 

John, and of course most have seen this sign. 

10. Coming suddenly to his temple. MaL iii 1, &And 

the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his tem- 

ple." For the fulfilment of this prophecy, read John vii 

11-14, UThen the Jews sought hlm at the feast, and 

mid, Where is he Am about the midst of the feaat, 

Jesus went up into the temple and taught" 

11. The gospel preached. Isa IXL 1, 'The spirit 

of the Lord God is upon me; became the Lord bath 

anointed me to reach good tidings unto the meek; he 

bath sent me m %iod up the broken-hearted, to pmlaim 

liberty to the captive, and the opening of the prison to 

them that are bound" 

12. The covenant confirmed one week or seven yeam 

Daniel ix. &27, And he shall confinn the covenant with 

many for one week" John preached three years and a 

half, and Christ three and a half 

13. The blind see. 1% xlii. 7, To open the blind 

eyes, to bring out the prisonem from the prison, and them 

that sit in darkness out of the prison-home." 

14. The lame walk. lsaiah. xxxv. 6, Then shall the 

lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb 

sing." 

15 Tho denf hear. Isaiah xxxv. 5, Then the eyer 

of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf 

rhall be uwpped." 

la The dead are nrised. Isaiah xxvi. l9, UAnd tba 

euth ehall cast out the daad"

17. His humility when on trial. Isaiah iiii. 7, He 

wiw oppressed, and he was afflicted ; yet he opened not 

his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, 

and as n sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened 

not his mouth." 

18. The manner and circumstances of his death. 

Psalm xxii 13-38, "They gaped upon me with their 

mouths as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured 

out as water and all my bones are out ofjoint: my heart 

is like wax ; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My 

stren-gth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleavetll 

to my jaws, and thou hast brought me into the dust 

of death. For dogs have compassed me; the assembly 

of the wicked have enclosed me : they pierced my hands 

and my feet ; I may tell all my bones ; they look and stare 

upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast 

lots upon my vesture." This Psalm was indited more 

than 1000 years before Christ's crucifixion, and yet every 

word had an exact and literal accomplishment in that 

transaction, and the Jews saw it. 

19. His resurrection. Psalm xvi. 10, " For thou wilt 

not leave my soul in hell ; neither wilt thou suffer thine 

Holy One to see corruption." 

20. The pouring out ~f the Holy Spirit on the day of 

~entecost Joel ii. 28. "And it shall come to pass afterward 

that I will pour 'out my spirit upon all flesh ; and 

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old 

men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see vision~.~ 

The apostle told them that this scripture was 

fulfilled at the day of pentecost, and this tmaction was 

well known to the Jews. 

21. The fulfilment of the seventy weeks spoken of by 

Daniel, ix. 24-27, which I have shown in a former lecture, 

was accompl~ehed to a day. And the Jews well 

understood it; for Caia has, being high priest that year, 

said to the Jews, " Ye [now nothing at all, nor consider 

that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the 

peo le, and that the whole nation perish not. And this 

spaie he not of himself, but being high priest that year 

he prophesied (or taught the prophecy in Daniel) that 

Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that natioq

on1 , but that also he should gather together in one the 

chihren of God that were scattered abroad" .John xi. 

49-42. 

This evidence was well understood among the rden, 

of the Jews ; yet notwithstanding all this scripture was 

fulfilled before their faces, and all these signe were ac- 

%ally accomplished in the short space of thirty-five years, 

and a cloud of witnesses testifying to ah these facts, and 

they themselves had to consent that notable miraclee had 

been done, they believed not. Well ma you say, dear 

I~earcr, that they dc~erved wrath, and G%d wru just in 

destroying their nation and place. But how is it with 

us Do me believe in that word which we blame them 

for rejecting Are we clear of the sin of unbelief The 

Jews were looking for a temporal kin and kingdom. 

And are not we looking for a temporal m8lenniurn - one 

in which the Christians will have the ~ lof e the world 

Let us see to it that we do not stumble at the same atumbling-stone 

; possibly we may have carnal notions as 

well as they. Therefore, let us inquire, 

n. What signs are now fulfilling, which are given us 

by Christ, the prophets, or apostles, of his second coming 

and glorious reign And, 

1. Christ tells us, Matt. xxiv. 14, This goepel of the 

kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witnesq 

and then shall the end come." Is not this sign alrend 

accomplished Bible translated into more than 200 dik 

ferent languages ; missionaries sent among all the nations 

known to us on the globe, and reformation succeeding 

reformation in every town, nook or comer in this 

land. The gospel has now spread over the four quarters 

of the globe. It began in Asia. In the apostles' 

daye, that quarter was full of light. From thence it 

went into Africa; and, for a number of centuries, Africa 

stretched out her hands unto God. Euro too, hae had 

a long visitation of gapel blessing ; mRow brim, 

the last quarter of the lobe, is reaping a harvest of 

souls for the last day. $he gospel, like the sun, aroee 

in the ea&, and will set in the west 

P The pouring out of the IIoly Spirit, and last reign 

of grace. Daniel tella us, after Bonaparte ahould cow

to his end, and none should help him, xii. 1, And at 

that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which 

standeth for the children of thy people." This 1 have 

shown, in a former lecture, is the eame angel that stood 

upon the waters of the river, clothed in linen, Daniel xu 

6; aleo the same angel that John saw, Rev. x. 1-4, 

standin his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon 

the ea3, and in his hand a little boob open. This nngcl 

told John that he must Uprophesy again before many 

people, and nations, and ton 

." meaning 

that the gospel must again gihbqth!$h%:g \t had been 

in the apostolic daye. And then would this angel lift 

his hand to heaven, and swear by him that liveth for- . 

ever and ever, that time should be no longer. Again, 

James says, v. 7,8, Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto 

the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman 

waiteth for the precious fmit of the earth, and hath long 

patience for it, until he receive the early and latterrain. 

Be ye also patient ; establish your hearts, for the coming 

of the Lord drawetll nigh." And now, can any man, 

who has any knowledge of the present times, deny that 

God has poured out his e irit, in a remarkable manner, 

for twenty yeam past kas not the gospel been spread 

in as rapid and extensive a manner, as in the apostolic 

day Has not opposition and persecution of the kings 

of the earth, of the woman that sitteth on many waters, 

the sea, been in a great measure kept in check and pow- . 

erless, by some invisible power, some mighty arm, until 

the servants of God should be sealed, the latter rain of 

grace descend, and God's p oses completed concerning 

this latter day ~ere>en, we have a clear and 

visible sign, that thecoming of the Lord draweth nigh. 

3. "Many running to and fro." This is another important 

and evident sign of the end. Daniel xii. 4, @But 

thou, 0 Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, 

even to the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro' 

Whether the prophet means to be understood, "many 

shall run to and fro" in a religious sense, or in a civil or 

temporal sense, or whether he means in both, is perfect- 

1 immaterial for my pnrpose. All mu& acknowledge, 

Jet thii text ia remarkably fdiilled in thia day,in either 

25

290 LECTURE X!& 

point of view. If it means missionaries of the croee, no 

man can dispute the fulfilment. See the heralds of salvation 

crossing and re-crossing on quuy part of the habitable 

globe. If it means co .on travellers, or- the 

rapid means of travel, still our text holds good, and the 

fulfilment obvious. No man, unless he is wilfully ignorant, 

can deny that this sign is not actually and literally 

fulfilled. 

4. The great increase of knowledge given in the same 

text as above. LL Even to the time of the end many shall 

run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." View 

this in any point you please, whether theological or scientifical, 

it is literally true; in this day of invention and 

improvement, knowledge increases. What of the fifty 

different moral societies, which have become general in 

the Christian world Is there no increase of knowledge 

in our Bible societies, Sabbath schools, tract societiej, 

temperance societies, and a catalogue of othera for moral 

reform What can we say of all the inventions in 

the arts What of all the improvements in science 

I11 all this, is it not very evident that this sign is now fulfilling 

to the very letter 

5. The great increase of riches, and desire for laying 

up worldly treasures, as described by June3 v. 1-3, 1. Go 

to, now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseris 

that shall come upon you; your riches arc corn~pted, 

and your garments are moth-eaten ; your gold and your 

silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a aitness 

a ainst you, and shall eat your flesh as it were 

fire. f'e have heaped treasure together for tlr last 

days." When, since tlie writer of ~s epistle was on 

our earth, has there been such an increase of gold and 

silver, and trensures of this life, as at tlli3 day Our 

rich men are laying up their mold, silver, and trcaaurea 

in abundance. Bat, as tlioug~ this individual exertion 

for riches would not completely fulfil our text, they have 

entered into all manner of companies and monopolies, 

to LLheap trewure together." When, in the hiatory of 

the world, can there be sliown so many banking id- 

tutiona as now When so much insurance capitll u in 

heaped together at thia day Am not our riclqmn per-

CHR~~T'~ SECOXD COMING. 

!all 

Fectly infatuated with stocks of all kinds And mcrnopoly 

is the order of the day ; to nd down the poor, 

and heap treasurc +opther for the %t dayr Can nny 

man, who has any kn'd:..:!bdge of these things, deny that 

this sign of the last days is not evidently accomplished 

Go to, ye rich men, weep and howl, for your miseries are 

come upon you. 

6. The unwillingness of men to hear sound doctrine, 

taught us by Paul, 2 Tim. iv. 1-4, I charge thee, therefore, 

before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall 

judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his 

kingdom. For the time will come, when they will not 

endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall 

they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears ; 

and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and 

shall be turned unto fables." My brethren, need I say 

one word on this passage There is none of you so 

blind, bht you see that this passage does actually describe 

the most fashionable preaching at the present day. 

How many thousand do run after that kind of preachin 

which is only relating fables, and that docpne whic% 

give8 all power to man 

7. Scoffers, aaying, Where is the promise of his 

coming " as Peter informa us in his 2 Epistle, iii. 3, 4, 

" Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days 

scoffers, walking after their own lustr, and saying, Where 

is the promise of his coming For, since the fathers 

fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning 

of the creation" A right understanding of this 

text would show us, at once, that many of us, who fancy 

we are in the highway to heaven, are belonging b this 

class of scoffers. First, they walk after their own lusts ; 

that is, after tlieir own carnal notions concerning the 

coming of Christ They say all things will continue aa 

they were from the creation ; they must have a temporal 

millennium; man must be married and ' 

riage; the world will not be burnt, and, # ~ r t d ~ ~ ~ ~ 

eth his coming, some sav a thousand years, and some say 

365,000 years, and all the moral change that takea place 

on our earth, will be performed by the agency of man. 

Therefc-s, many scoff and ridicule the ides, that Sorip

ture tells us of the second coming of Christ, the manner, 

object, and time. And many rue willingly ignorant; 

will not hear or read on this subject 

8. Perilous times," as described in 2 Tim. iii 1-7, 

"This know, also, that, in the last days, perilous times 

shall come ; for men shall be lovers of their own selvea, 

covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, dieobedient to 

parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, 

, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despieem 

of those that are good, traitors, heady, hi h-minded, 

lover. of pleasure more than lovers of God, &viW the 

form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from 

such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep 

into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with 

sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never 

able to come to the knowled e of the truth." 

What better description of domestic and public society 

could we expect from the most close observer of 

private characters, domestic circles, and public societies 

of our times, than is here iven One would conclude, 

had he found this in any oier book but the Bible, that 

it was a modem writer, well acquainted with the hum 

heart, and the generations now on the earth. 

9. Departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing 

spirits, and doctrines of denla, speaking lies in hypocrisy; 

having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 

forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from 

meats." Thus Paul tells Timothy, 1 Epistle, iv. 14, 

UNow the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the lam 

times some shall de art from the faith," &c. Thm, re 

mujt acknowled e, gas been, and is now fulfilling. The 

whole, almost, of the Chnnian world have departed, a 

changed their faith within fifteen years ; seduc~ng spirita 

are evidently at work ; hypocrites are multiplying among 

us ; Roman Catholics, Shakers, Pilgrims, Fanny W@t, 

Owen, and others forbid to marry. Roman Csthohcs, 

and many others among us, are teaching to ahin from 

meata and drinks, which God hath created to be received 

with thanksgiving of them which believe and kmw tbe 

truth. 

la ~alse teachera, mkmg rnerchsPdiee of tbe ga-

pel. See 2 Peter ii. 1-3, 'IBut there were false 

prophets, also, anlong the people ; even as there shall be 

false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in 

damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought 

them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction; and 

many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of 

whom the way of tnith shall be evil spoken of; and through 

covetousness shall they, with feigned words, make 

merchandise of you, whose judgment of a long time 

lingercth not, and their damnation slumbereth notn 

The apostle then goes on to show, that, as it was in 

the days of Noah and Lot, so it would be in the days 

of these false teachers ; one generation would not pasa 

off before the judgment would overtake them, who 

make merchandise of the gospel, and like Balaam, who 

loved the wages of unrighteousness. 

11. Jnde gives us a sign, 4 to 19 verses, inclusive, 

"How they told you there should be mockers in the 

last time, who should walk after their own ungodly 

lusts; these be they who separate themselves, sensual, 

having not the Spirit." Some preachers deny the agency 

of the Spirit in regeneration. 

12. Christ gives a sign in Luke xxi. 25-28, "And 

there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in 

the stars ; and, upon the earth, distress of nations, with 

perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts 

failing them for fear, and for looking for those things 

which are coming on the earth; for the powers of the 

heavens shall be shaken ; and then shall they see the 

Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great 

glory. And when these things begin to come to pass. 

then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption 

draweth nigh. 

13. Christ gives another sign in Matt xxiv. 23, 24, 

'LThen, if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is 

Christ, or there, believe it not; for there shall arise 

false Christs and false prophets, and ehall show great 

signs and wonden, lnsomuch that, if it were possible, 

they shall deceive the ve elect" There can be no 

doubt of this sign being fuxlled. 

25 *

14 The ii~lfilment of the parable of the ten rirgitlP 

-the midnight cry has gone forth from every qnuter 

of God's moral vineyard, Behold, the bridegroan 

cometh." The world has been, and are now, 

their lamp;" witness the Bible b.alatedx 

languqes ; the Bible societies se Bibles to eveq 

nation and family on the earth, the % bath schoole ad 

Bible classes studying its sacred precepts. 

15. The scattering of the holy people and divisiou 

of sects, as prophesied of by Daniel, xii 7, UAnd when 

he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the 

holy people, all these thiq shall be finishedn T b 

rophecy is now fulfdhg in a remarkable manner. 

hot one sect, who profess holinem, but are divided and 

subdivided into contending schisms, and that, too, within 

twenty yeara 

16. The division of the political world, as prophesied 

of by John, Rev. xvi. 12-16, "And I saw three unclean 

spirits, like frogs, come out of the mouth of the 

and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth 

of the false prophet, for the are the spirits of devil4 

working miracles, which go 6rt.h unto the *logs of the 

earth and of the whole world, to mther them to the 

battle of the great day of God ~ 1 hty 4 "-and 19th 

verse, c6And the pat city was dindefinto three parts, 

nnd the cities of the nations fell." That these spirita 

are political, is evident, from the fact that they co~ne 

out of the mouth of the dragon, (kings,) and beset, 

(Catholic,) false prophct, (Mahometan,) and unclean, 

signifying they are not holy things. This prophecy 

is now accomplishing. What nation, within o ~u knowledge, 

is not already divided into tliree political parties 

None, which is in any way known to your speaker. 

17. The church ha9 fulfilled her 1260 years in the 

wilderness, spoken of in Rev. xii. 6, 14, LL.4nd the 

$roman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place 

prepared of God, that they should feed tier there a 

thoumnd two hundred and threescore days." Thes 

days were evidently accomplished in 1798, since which 

time the Prokst~nt church has enjoyed privileges e m

In the city of nations, the Roman empire ; and, according 

to Daniel, forty-five pears will complete the whole plaxi 

of redemption. 

18. The two witnesses prove that the 1260 years are 

ended; for it is evident that the Old and New Testament 

are not now hid nor kept from the common people, 

but have arisen from their dead state, and are now performing 

the ofice God designed they should, conveying 

light to the world. They are not clothed in sackcloth, 

but, through the missionaries of the cross, and Bible 

societies, are tedtifying to the world of Christ and hie 

second coming. 

19.\ The civil power of anti-Chriit ia dedtroyed, and 

the 1260 years, in which she was to rule over kinge, and 

tread the church under foot, was completed in 1798, 

when the French army took tbe Pope a prisoner, and 

erected Italy into a republic ; since which time the Po 

has exercised but little or no power over king4 or & 

' Protestant church, and she is evidently sinking by the 

weight of her own corruptions. 

20. It ia very evident that the sixth trumpet hae 

sounded, and the 391 years will be completed in lW, 

when the seventh trumpet will hegin to sound, and the 

mystery of God will be finished, all that he hath declared 

to his servants the prophets. If the fall of the 

Eastern Empire at Constantinople was included in the 

sixth trumpet, which all the principal commentators, 

whom 1 have consulted, agree in, and that trumpet waa 

.prepared to sound an hour, a day, a month, and a year, 

whlch makes, according to the reckoning of time in 

John's prophecy, 391 years and 15 days, then the sixth 

trumpet is almost finished. The whole appearance 

strengthens this exposition of the text; for the power 

of the Turka has diminished more rapidly within fifteen 

than any politician, however anxious he could 

ave been for the event, could have anticipated. 

21. The opening of the sixth seal, revealed in the 

6th and 7th chapters of Revelation, was opened in the 

French revolution, and cames us through a sealing time 

unto the opening of the seventh seal, which ushera ue 

before the judgment seat of God. No one can deny

ut that, since the revolution in France, a sealing time 

has passed; many have been born into the spiritus. 

kingdom of Christ, inore than has ever becn known, in 

the same penod of time, since the apostles' days. This 

seal, then, is evidently opened, and is a sbn evidence 

that the book of life will soon be opened, anf the dead 

mill be judged out of the things written in the books. 

22. The sixth vial was poured out about the year 

1522, when the Ottoman power began to be dried rip 

This is an important sign that we are on the brink of 

the judgment dav. Rev. xvi. 12, "And the sixth angel 

poured out his vihl upon the great river Euphrates ; and 

the waters thereof were dried up, that the way of the 

kinga of the east might be prepared." This preparation 

is for the last great battle, which will take place at the 

pouring out of the seventh vial, in the year 1839 or 40 

At the pouring out of the seventh vial, a voice from the 

throne will pronounce the word, It is donc. The kingdoms 

of the earth and governments of the world wdl 

be carried away, and their races not found. Every 

writer, of any note, will and ave applied this vial to 

the Turkish government, and of course must acknowledge 

that this vial is poured out, for the power of the 

Turkish government is but little more than a name, and 

the ~trength of the Ottoman power dried up. 

21 Another evidence is Daniel's resurrection at the 

end of the 1335 davs. This evidence is very plain and 

evident, for ~aniei says, xii. 11-13, "Ant1 from the - 

time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the 

abomination that rnaketh desolate set up, there sl~all be 

a thousand two hlindred and ninety daya" This cannot 

be the Jewish sncrifice : for if so, then it must have been 

fulfilled about five hundred years past ; and an no event 

took place then which would warrant IIE in so understanding 

it, 1 can see no rational objection to understand 

this daily sacrifice to mean Pagan rites and sacrilicea, 

which was tlie original beast of which the abomination 

of desolation waa only an imape, and, as I have shown 

in a former Icct~rrc, w:w to continue six hundred and 

sixty-six years ; and as l'aul tells us, tliat wlicn he ma 

taken out of the war, the man of sin would be revealed,

agreeing in language with Dunid. I thii the proof 

is strongthat from the taking away of Pagan *omhip, 

A. D. 508, to the end of the Papal civil power, would be 

.I290 years, which would end in the year 1798, and thus 

agree with all of John's numbers in Revelation. And 

then Daniel says, or the angel to Daniel, Blessed is he 

that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred 

and five and thirty days." ' Thus add 1335 to 508, will 

bring us down to the year A. D. 1&a3. 'But go thou 

thy way till the end be, for thou shalt reat and stand in 

thy lot at the end of the days." And Bleseed and holy 

is he that hath part in the first resurrection." Then 

Daniel will stand in his lot, and Job will stand on the 

earth in the latter dny. 

.!24. Daniel's vision of 2300 days lo I have in 

some former lecturea shown clearly that3aniel9s vision 

concerning the four great monarchies which were or 

were to come, included the whole history of the world, 

so far as God saw fit to reveal it, down to the judgment 

day, and the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds. I 

then showed that the question was asked, how long 

should be this vision. The answer wa~ given- 2300 

days. I then proved that days were to be counted ears, 

by the command of God, by the example of ~aco$ and 

by the fulfilment of a part of the vision. I then showed 

you when this vision began by the angel Gabriel's own 

declaration, who was commanded to instruct Daniel into 

the vision. According to this instruction I showed you 

that 490 years were accomplished ofthis vision, to a day, 

at the crucifixion of Christ, both evenfs happening on the 

12th day of the first month, 490 years apart. And then 

I inquired, that if 490 years of 2300 was fulfilled when 

our Savior was crucified, how much of the vision remained 

after his death. I answered, 3810 years. I 

then inquired, what year after his birth that would be ; 

and the answer was, in the ear 1843. 1 then begged 

the privilege, and do now, any plan to shoi me 

any failure of proof on this point, or where, possibly, according 

to Scripture, there may be a failure in the calculation 

I have made on this vision. I have not yet, b 

Meateen yeam study, been able to discover rhem 1 

might fail.

Ladlgc. AnothersignofthelastdayyonwillW 

given by Paul, 1 Thesa v. 2,3, For yourselves know 

perfectly, that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief 

in the night For when they shall my, Peace a d 

safq, then wdden destntction cometh upon them, M 

tmvall upon a woman with child; a d they ahall not 

=cape." Compare 2 Pet ii 17-ZL 

The doctrine of peace and safety, and that there b 

no punishment in the hture state, had but few or no 

advocates until very recently. I am not certain but 

the first preacher of this soul-destroying doc* is mr 

living ; and they now boast of their multitudes of fallowers 

and advocates There have been, in past ages, 8 

few who preached the doctrine of the restoration of all 

men, aRer a witable punishment in hell ; but to modem 

Ummmaliata belongs the invention of preaching peace 

and safety when sudden destruction cometh If thu 

sign is not fulfilled in the preachers of this order at this 

time, I ask, How can it be fulfilled and what must tha 

doctrine of those be who preach "peace a d safetyn 

Surely, no human being can invent a doctrine so full of 

(pmmisedk6cpeace and safety" to the wicked aa the; 

and no o er denomination on our globe ever hare op 

posed the doctrine of the corning of Christ, the judq 

ment day, and future punishments, but the modem Unlversalists; 

and if this is the doctrine that Paul had 

reference to in our text, as, I am fully satisfied, every 

candid and religious mind must and will allow, then 

we may reasonably suppose sudden destruction cometh 

upon them, and they shall not escape." 

Therefore, my dear reader, I shall now, with a few 

closing remarks, leave you to your own reflections. 

The Jews had twenty-one signs in the Scriptures given 

them of the first coming and person of Jesus Christ ; yet 

many rejected him as an impostor. You say, if ou had 

lived in that day, you would have believed; andyou in 

vour hearts condemn them aa a hardened race of unbelievers; 

and notwithstanding their great pretence to piety, 

you say tllcy were justly denounced by our Savior as 

cneration of vipers and a band of h pocritee. But, my 

Roarem, be careful your own hem 6 not condemn you

For your unbelief in the signs which the prophets, Christ, 

and the apostles have given you as tokens of hls second 

coming and the judgment day. I have brought from the 

word of God twenty-five signs of his second coming, end 

of the world, and judgment day, and all apparently fulfilled 

within the age of many present, or fulfilling now before 

your eyes. And do you believe Many of you 

profess to be pious ; many of you say, Lord, Lord ! But 

do you believe his word Are you willin to risk your 

life, your character, your all, on his wort or are you 

fearful and unbelieving Now is the time to try men's 

souls. Now, if you wish to be sure, examine closely, and 

see whether your faith will stand in the day of trial which 

is coming ; yes, haa already come, in a thousand ways, to 

draw you from the gospel of Christ to another new goepel, 

which is not the gospel of God cL Can ye not discern 

the signs of the times " Let me give you one rule 

by which you may know a false doctrine. They may 

have many good things in their creeds, they may be very 

lausible in their arguments, and after all deceive you 

\ut exanline them closely, and you will find they will 

deny, ridicule, or try to do away some prominent doctrine 

of the Bible, such as the divinity of Christ, his second 

coming, office of the Holy Spirit, eternal ponishqent, 

doctrine of grace, election, conviction for sin, regeneration, 

repentance, or faith. And when you heai or see 

them make light or scoff at any thing of this kind in the 

word of God, o not after them, nor bid them God speed. 

Can ye not fiscern the signs of the times " 

And to you, impenitent friend, God has at all timea 

given you warning of his approaching judgments. If 

you repent, believe his word, and break off your sins by 

righteousness, he is faithful and just to forgive you your 

sins. Why not take warning by the past Is there no 

example for you Look at the antediluvian morld, 

Sodom and Gomorrah, Nineveh, Babylon, Jerusalem, and 

the once enlightened Asia, now worse than in heathenish 

darkness. Will God punish nations, and not individuals 

This cannot be, for nations are composed of 

individuals; and God is just, for he hat11 appointed a 

day in which he will judge the world in righteoueneso,

"Can ye not discern the signs of the times" Wia 

God's word fail of bein accomplished Can you &w 

a single instance dy not listen, then, to the warninp 

and admonitions, to the calls and invitations, to the 

examples and precepts contained therein 6 Can ye not 

discern the signs of the times 2" Will God cut off the 

unbelieving Pharisee for not discernino the signs of 

the times, and let you, with twofold rno$light, go free 

No : how can ye escape, if you neglect this great salvation 

Watch, then, "the signs of the times." I say, 

Watch. 

NOTE. 

The anthor wishen to state that Lecture VIII. in this 

work was written twelve years since ; and that the anthorities 

he then consulted fixed the rise of the Turkish empire 

at 1W. He is now satisfied, by the examination of other 

autliorities on the subject, that the foundation of that empire 

was laid in 1299. Hence the things mentioned in 

Lecture VII. (p. 109,) relative to persecutions, &c., and to 

the coming of the third woe,as mentioned in Lecture XII1. 

(p. #n,) which he supposed would take place in 1€3!), according 

to the firat computation, will not be realized until 

the year 1841).

1841 William Miller Evidence from Scripture & History - A2Z.org

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