the prospect of death, of all believers at all times, yet, there cannot be a doubt, has here a special reference to those saints who, refusing to worship the Beast, shall be exposed to the death which, it is said at the end of the last chapter, he shall have power to inflict on all who will not worship him. They shall indeed be called to martyrdom, and the suffering of death; but they die with the assurance sounding in their ears, previously indited here and placed in this context for that time,— "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth;" "Blessed" peculiarly and emphatically, and how? Because they die on the eve of his comingof that event for which this book has taught us the spirits of the saints departed in times preceding are waiting with impatience. No delay, however, awaits these, while at the same time they are most sure of participating in the kingdom so near to come, for to them especially is the promise given: (see ch. xx. 4.)

The Apostle proceeds, verse 14,—" And I looked, and "behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like "unto the Son of Man, having on his head a golden

crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." The whole of this chapter to this place, has been preparing us for, and as it were hurrying us on to the event here introduced," The HARVEST and VINTAGE of the Earth." The "144,000" sealed of Israel, and early taken to join the Lamb as a "first fruits"—the proclamation of the Gospel of the kingdom immediately after to test the Nations the last struggle of the Beast for mastery, while the sentence of judgment is already announced

for speedy execution-all this prepares for the crisis here predicted under these most striking emblems. Of which it is to be observed that, though both emblems refer to one consummation, yet there is a difference between them; namely, that "the Harvest" is the scriptural emblem for the gathering in of God's people, whereas “the Vintage" is exclusively the emblem of judgment on the ungodly. Judgment is, indeed, also implied in the work of harvest, when that emblem alone is used, as in Matt. xiii. 30; but "the gathering of the wheat into the barn" is its object here as distinct from the vintage, while the "treading of the wine-press" has no analogy except in the destruction of the wicked: (See the emblem as used, Isaiah, lxiii. 1, 2; Joel, iii. 12, 13; and Rev. xix. 15). Where, again, that fact is pressed on our notice, of which, in speaking of this judgment, we should never lose sight -that it is not on the nations of the earth considered merely as unacquainted with Christianity that the judgment falls;-it is not against them "the Lord Jesus is revealed in flaming fire taking vengeance:" but against those that "know not God," taken in connexion with their "not obeying the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Apostate Christendom, the scene of culture, shall be the scene of vengeance. "The Vine" it is which shall be subjected to the pruning. We indeed are in the habit of speaking of the harvest" as the time of the passing away or dissolution of the present heaven and earth-" the end of the world," in the strict sense of the words. But this opinion has no warrant in the Scriptures; for the words of Christ, on which this notion is grounded, and

which we translate "the harvest is the end of the world" (Matt. xii. 39), are really in the original, "the harvest is the end of THE AGE” (συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος), -a word quite distinct from that correctly rendered "world" (kooμos) in the preceding verse. They occur, moreover, in the exposition of the parable of the tares in the field, which evidently has for its result the establishment of a kingdom on earth—in the same place which had been the scene of the mixed growth of the tares and wheat, by which the establishment of such a kingdom in the field or world was for a time hindered. So we learn from verses 40, 41:-"As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the "end of this world (this age). The Son of Man shall "send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his "kingdom all things that offend, and them which do "iniquity. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the

sun in the kingdom of their Father." The "tares," it is also evident, are the emblem, not of the unconverted heathen who have no standing in the church, but of the counterfeit-Christian-the anti-Christian, properly so called-who, having seen the light, come under the condemnation of "loving darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil," "because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved." Thus,' (in the words of a late eminent expositor, who had more just conceptions of the prospects of the Church than most writers of his own time), the HARVEST 'is the constant image of that season when God shall 'gather his elect from the four winds of heaven, reap

'the field of the world, gather his wheat into his barn, 'and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Images 'which relate, not to the translation of the just to heaven, ' and the burning of the wicked in hell, but to the placing ' of the faithful in a state of peace and security on earth, ' and to the EXCISION of the incorrigible of the IRRELIGIOUS FACTION.'-(Bp. Horsley's Bib. Crit. on Isaiah, ch. xviii. note 9.)

As to the rest, on the mode of many things here stated we cannot pronounce. What instruments may be employed in the preaching of the Gospel here predicted— who the "angels" sent "to gather together the elect of Christ from the four winds" we cannot decide :-but certain events are yet prospectively here revealed with such clearness as precludes the possibility of our misunderstanding them, and renders us most inexcusable if we be taken by surprise by them. Fearful times, it is plain, await the nominal Christian Church: times pregnant with awful events, and the prospect of which says loudly to all who bear the Christian name, "EXAMINE YOURSELVES WHETHER YE BE IN THE FAITH."

LECTURE NINETEENTH.

THE SEVEN VIALS OF WRATH.

REVELATION, Chap. xv. and xvi." And I saw another sign in Heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

2. And I saw as that had gotten

it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. 5. And after that I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled."

Chapter xvi.-" And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the

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