whole world, and the wicked have followed this evil voice-the result is to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. When the seventh vial is poured out, it is said, there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great. And 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 his wrath. This subdues not however the wickedness of men; it is still declared they blasphemed God, and then in the 19th chapter of Revelation we have their full overthrow. The images and figures and descriptions of this Gentile tribulation are some of the most awful passages in the prophetical writings. Isa. xxiv. xxxiv. lxiii. Mal iv. 2 Peter iii. Rev. xiv. 19, 20; xix. Some of the particulars noticed in the sacred writings are these :

THE RESTRAINTS NOW UPON THE WICKED WILL BE REMOVED. Popery, that man of sin, could not manifest itself because, as the Thessalonians knew, the Pagan Roman government hindered it; ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time. In due time that Roman government was removed and the man of sin (whose type was Judas, the Son of Simon, the son of perdition) opposed and exalted himself above all that is called God. But there is a farther withholding of evil; he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way, and then shall that wicked, or lawless one, the full grown Antichrist, like Judas in his last stage, shew himself, and be revealed before his destruction. By the overthrow of governments, as in the reign of terror in France, the restraints on the wicked will be removed, and if other restraining influences be also withdrawn, we may easily suppose the enormous evils on every side that must then abound.

and shall eat her Thus Popery, as

POPERY AS A SYSTEM OF RELIGION WILL BE STRIPPED BARE. The ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, flesh, and shall burn her with fire. Rev. xvii. 6. a system of iniquity, shall be manifested, and the powers of the earth shall really hate her. Much of this has had its beginning in the plundering of church property in many papal countries.

There will be A VISIBLE, SUDDEN, AND ENTIRE OVERTHROW OF THE SEAT OF THIS APOSTACY. Our Lord's prediction in Reve

lation is very plain. Her plague shall come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, and she shall be burned with fire; for strong is the Lord that judgeth her. In one hour is thy judgment come. With violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. Rev. xviii. Infidelity may scoff at these statements. He who believes God's words will stand in awe of them; and such passages clearly show a violent and sudden visitation from heaven, on the head and seat of the apostacy. And no wonder infidels scoff beforehand, when even these judgments will not bring the kingdoms of this world to true repentance.

THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD SHALL after this MAKE OPEN WAR AGAINST OUR LORD CHRIST. The gatherings for the war seem already beginning to take place. The kings are gathered together by the three unclean spirits which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. Rev. xvi. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb. Rev. xvii. 14. The war itself is described in the 19th chapter.

ALL THE ENEMIES OF CHRIST UNITE TOGETHER AGAINST HIM IN THIS LAST WAR. One passage may shew this. I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army: and the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet.

Without enter into explanations of these predictions, the general aspect is suciently clear. They all shew a violent conflict and struggle yet to come, carried on by the enemies of our Lord against him and his people. The general tendency of all these predictions is clear, and their near approach to our times, must, to those who hold the Protestant interpretation of the Revelation, be manifest. THE FEARFUL ISSUE OF THESE CONFLICTS is an unparalleled vintage, the great wine-press of the wrath of God, Rev. xiv. 18, and an unparalleled supper, the supper of the great God, filling all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, with the flesh of kings-captains-mighty men-and all men both free and bond, both small and great. Rev. xix. 7, 8. After this comes THE MILLENNIUM. Rev. xx.

Such are the plain predictions of the word of God, as to the day of tribulation yet to come, and they are here stated that the reader may see the special reason in these days for seeking to bring men to a prepared state for trials; and that Protestants who hold the

pure faith of Christ, may be ready for the peculiar difficulties of this time, and be fully blessed in them. Let us next consider,

THE SITUATION OF GOD'S CHILDREN IN THESE LAST TRIALS. There may probably be A SEALED CLASS (compare Ezek. ix. and Rev. vii.), remarkably and altogether preserved from these judgments, possibly by an early death, Isaiah lvii. 1, 2. as Josiah, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 28.

It is clear that MANY OF GOD'S SERVANTS WILL BE SHARERS IN THE TRIALS. As Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and Daniel shared the trials of the first captivity; as the first Christians, though preserved from the horrors of the siege of Jerusalem, had suffered much previously (1 Thess. ii. 14), so we have reason to think the church, represented by that of Philadelphia, while preserved, will yet pass through the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. It will be seen, by their burning lamps and readiness to go out to meet him, who are wise virgins and who are foolish. Every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is.

It is an awakening question put by our Lord, when he is speaking of the sufferings of his people under their last enemies, and that God will avenge them, nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith on the earth: as if the triumph of the adversary, and the delay of God's judgment and their own sufferings were such as to stagger the faith of God's own elect. It is not however asserted that their faith shall fail, but it is put as a solemn caution and warning of the peculiarly aggravated nature of the temptation, and a quickening call to faith, whatever the trial may be, that we may hope against hope to the end. A similar question occurs Matt. xx. 22. See also Matt. xv. 24-27. Mark ix. 23.

But in these trials there will be SUCH A REFUGE AS WILL REALLY SHELTER THE PREPARED SERVANTS OF CHRIST FROM EVIL. This is often brought before us. In the midst of the last troubles, the disciples of Christ are directed to lift up their heads, for their redemption draweth nigh. They can say, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. They are charged, Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. Isa. xxvi. 20. They are assured, Because

thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation. And again: The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.

But it is not merely a refuge and deliverance that will be provided; the tribulation itself will be a TIME OF UNSPEAKABLE AND SPECIAL ADVANTAGE TO THEM. In this great tribulation they have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They who now watch and pray, will then be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. We are solemnly assured, not only that that day shall not overtake them as a thief, and that they are not appointed to wrath; but also that they are appointed to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. In the darkest part of the tribulation they are assured thus: Ye shall have a song as in the night, when a holy solemnity is kept, and gladness of heart as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord. Such promises intimate, not merely a preservation, but a season of peculiar holiness and solemn joy to God's children at this time; a season which rapidly ripens and prepares the saints for their rapture to glory, without that separation of the spirit from the body which has hitherto taken place in the death of believers in general.

The day of tribulation will be THE DAY OF LARGE CONVERSION TO CHRIST. It will give striking advantages to the saints, for manifesting the blessedness of true religion. We have many explicit statements that the time of these judgments will be the time of extended conversion of souls. The great multitude which no man can number, came out of it. Rev. vii. The last gatherings to the great supper are that the house may be filled. Luke xiv. 23. We are assured, when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousness. Isaiah xxvi. 9. The great harvest of the church, possibly in itself a time of trial, precedes the full vintage of wrath. Rev. xiv. Just after Daniel mentions this great tribulation (Dan. xii. 1), and the resurrection following it, he gives the most glowing of all the promises to those successful in labours for the spiritual good of others; they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever. This accords with that which he farther predicts: they that understand among the people shall instruct many, yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by

captivity, and by spoil many days. Thus, as in the beginning, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.

By the great difference of the effects of these troubles, THE DIS

TINCTION BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED SHALL

BE MANIFEST. Now it is often difficult to ascertain the real character of men, and in distinguishing we often make mistakes; then it will be manifest as the sun at noon-day. Now we call the proud happy; then the day comes that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble. Now men say, What profit is it if we keep God's ordinances? Then those who have feared the Lord will be spared as his dear children; and be as his jewels, while the folly of the wicked shall be manifest unto all men. And men shall return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, and him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

The CHARACTER AND SITUATION OF THE WICKED UNDER THESE TRIALS, is also brought before us. There are those who will remain unconverted under these unequalled exhibitions of grace on the one hand, and judgment on the other. As Luther once said, "I believe it will come to pass, that the greater and clearer the light of the gospel is, the more wicked the world will be." Their character will become more and more desperately wicked (2 Tim. iii. 13), and this wickedness more manifest to all. Rev. xix. 19. Even now after their hardness and impenitent hearts, they treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. It appears clear that the tribulation of the seventh vial serves to separate men into their respective classes, and not finally to destroy the wicked. When the great hail out of heaven falls upon the wicked, they do but blaspheme God because of the plague of the hail. Rev. xvi. 21. It is the very mark of Antichrist, with his many followers, to deny that Jesus is coming (Epxoμevov) in the flesh. 2 John 7. Thus Pharaoh in Egypt grew more hardened with each successive judgment, till his last overthrow. They will go on to make war with the Lamb and his followers; and probably will reduce the people of Christ to such extremities, as to make, as we have noticed, their faith ready to fail and their hope to faint. Their continued impunity, and the prolonged absence of the Lord, produces entire unbelief of his return at all in the world (2 Peter iii. 4); and the excess of suffering, and the delay of divine vengeance on the wicked, causes de