other controverted passages, it cannot be at variance with the general scope of the written Word, nor with that which immediately precedes it, where it is said, that, as the approach of summer was known by the budding of the fig tree, so the approach of these things should be known by the signs that should precede them, and which do Now appear!

The chronological period in question, clear as it now appears, could not, by any possibility, without further revelation, have been ever conjectured, until its commencement had been known by the event; and even after this, a veil appears to have been upon the mind until within a very few years back; so that any event but the right one should have been fixed upon. The late Rev. Charles Buck, in his valuable Theological Dictionary, published above thirty years ago, seems to have seen it aright; and I mention it more especially, as being the opinion of a Dissenting minister of high consideration. "The four angels were loosed, says the prediction, verse 18th, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. This period, in the language of prophecy, makes 391 years, which being added to the year when the four angels were loosed, (prepared) will bring us down to 1844, or thereabouts, for the final destruction of the Mahometan empire."*

I will close with another quotation from the aforesaid letter of Mr. Fletcher, which letter was written

* See the article "Mahomet."

in Nov. 1755, nearly eighty years since; or, be it remembered, nearly three generations ago! "If we are mistaken in forming conjectures-if the phenomena we hear of every where are but common providences—if these things happen not to us, but to our children, (as they most certainly will, before the third generation is swept away) is it not our business to prepare ourselves for them, to meditate on them, and to warn as many people as we can prudently, lest their blood should be required at our hands, were they to fall because of a surprise. Let us pray to God more frequently, that for the elects' sake he would still more shorten the days of the tribulation, and add daily to the true church such as will be saved. But let us not forget to rejoice with Abraham, in seeing by faith the glorious day of our Lord, and to hasten, by our fervent prayers, that glorious kingdom, those happy days, when narrow shall be the way of destruction, when saints raised from the dead shall converse with living saints, and the world of spirits be manifested, in a great measure, to the material world; in a word, when Jesus will be all in all."

"What a glorious prospect is this! let us often think of these words of our Lord, Behold, I come quickly, blessed is he that mindeth the sayings of this prophecy. Let us join the spirit and the bride, who say, Come! O let him that heareth say, Come; and let him that is athirst come; for he that testifieth these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen! even so come Lord Jesus."

CHAPTER XV.

THE

LAST SOLEMN JUDGMENT ON THE

WESTERN NATIONS;

OR

THE THIRD WOE:

LIKEWISE

THE FIRST RESURRECTION, AND THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST.

The preparations in Heaven for this event-Our indifferenceSigns of its approach-Referred to Old Testament ProphetsThey say little of Christian historical times-Of the latter times are profuse-Chief reason because they are connected with the Jewish Restoration-Why called "The mystery of God.". Disbelief and infidelity of the present times-Certainty of the fulfilment of what remains-Song of the Elders—Its subject, the wrath of God—Kingdom of Christ—Daniel's last great vision referred to-And other prophets—Resurrection of the righteous dead, another subject of their song-Proved from Daniel—Kingdom of the saints.-The four living creatures do not join in this song, and why-Extract from Toplady-Destruction of the destroyers-The church and ark opened in Heaven-The wars of this trumpet-A revolution—A northern invasion.

290

CHAPTER XV.

THE SOUNDING OF THE SEVENTH

TRUMPET;

OR

THE THIRD WOE.

AND THE SEVENTH ANGEL SOUNDED!" (ch. xi. ver. 15.) OH! could we see the preparations which are at this moment making in heaven for this surpassingly great event! What, though the pulpits are silent respecting it; what, though all the affairs of the world are going on as if no such event were to happen; and amidst all the dreams of futurity which men indulge, they never contemplate this—yet will it not therefore happen? Will our silence, our schemes, our indifference, turn aside the purposes, the declared purposes of the everlasting God? Oh no! The seventh trumpet shall sound; and soon, very very soon, will it have to be said, "the second woe is past;" and on this happening we are told to behold, to take notice, that the third woe will come QUICKLY!

And does all this indifference arise from no warn

ings being given to us-no signs to prepare us for an event of so much importance? This cannot be said; for, most truly, no event that ever happened in the world, not even our Saviour's first coming, was ever ushered into the world with so many clear signs and warnings as now cluster upon upon us. It is not merely chronological periods which in abstract calculations we point to, although these speak with a clearness which the most sceptical ought not to despise; but it is the great, the marked, the extraordinary events of history that have multiplied upon us for the last fifty years, answering so exactly to the predictions of the "last times," to which we call the ever watchful attention of the Church. Mistakes may have been made in their particular application; but the general application has commended itself to almost every person who has taken up his pen to write on the subject. All see that we are living amidst the all-important scenes of the last times, however they may differ respecting a few years, in respect of chronology; and every new turn of affairs in the political world appears to bring things to that position to which the voice of prophecy points! It may well be asked, therefore, what further do we require, or, indeed, what further evidence could we expect God to give? The age is not one which will attend to prognostications, however ominous they may appear-(at least, not to prognostications of evil!)-nor indeed is it desirable they should, although it is a question whether they should be altogether despised. We