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I think, with Mr. Faber, that the treading of the wine-press, predicted in this vision, is the same with that mentioned in chap. xix, where the Almighty Word of God is represented to us, as treading the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. It takes place when the Beast and False Prophet, and kings of the earth, are gathered to the battle of that great day of God Almighty at Armageddon.* It is the same with the dreadful destruction of the nations in the valley of Jehoshaphat, mentioned by Joel in his last chapter; and I agree with the above learned writer, that the scene of this awful catastrophe is to be in Judea. The same events are also predicted in the prophecies of Isaiah; particularly in that vision where he sees the Redeemer coming from Edom, with garments dyed in the blood of his enemies, after having trodden the wine-press.† But I shall defer the further consideration of this subject till we come to the effusion of the vials of wrath.

In reviewing the fourteenth chapter I have thus endeavoured to show, that it refers wholly to the period of the sixth seal and seventh trumpet, and contains a general account of the state of the Church during that time; of a great and unusual promulgation of the Gospel, which is then to take place; and of the warnings which are to be given of the fall of Babylon, and the awful punishment which awaits the worshippers of the Beast and his Image. It then goes on to state the appearance of our Lord in the clouds of heaven, the gathering in

* Rev. xvi. 14, 16.

Isa. lxiii. 1-6.

of his elect, and the treading of the wine-press of the wrath of God in the day of Armageddon. But for this chapter we should have had no account of the state of things in the Church between the time of her emerging from the wilderness, and the period when she shall be publicly acknowledged by her Lord at the marriage of the Lamb. This chapter, as now explained, therefore supplies an important want in the Apocalyptic history; for, according to the systems of most writers whose works I have had access to, it does not appear what becomes of the Church after she returns from her secret retreat in the wilderness, till she is exhibited to us in the nineteenth chapter, as having made herself ready for the bridal ceremony.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE VISION OF SEVEN ANGELS, WITH THE SEVEN VIALS OF

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WRATH.

"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. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled "with fire; and them that had gotten 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. 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,

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just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints. "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 judg"ments are made manifest. And after that I looked, "and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the "testimony in heaven was opened; and the seven "angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and

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having their breasts girded with golden girdles. "And one of the four living creatures gave unto the "seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath "of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 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.”*

The fifteenth chapter of the Apocalypse is an introduction to the prophecy of the seven vials of wrath, and it contains some marks whereby we are enabled to assign to the vials their proper place in the Apocalyptic visions. The scene of this passage is evidently in heaven. Those who had overcome the Beast and his Image, are seen by the Apostle standing upon a sea of glass mingled with fire. This is in allusion to the brazen sea in the temple of Solomon, and is the same sea exhibited to John when he was at first caught up into heaven. The glass of this sea is probably a symbol denoting the atoning and purifying blood of Christ, in which all who overcome must wash their robes, and make them white. The fire with which the glass is mingled, denotes the enlightening and sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost, which are usually signified by the symbol of fire. Thus John the Baptist says to the Jews, "I indeed baptize you with "water unto repentance: but he that cometh after "me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not "worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.” In Acts ii. 2, 3, the descent of the Holy Ghost on the apostles of our Lord was announced by "a sound from heaven, as of a mighty

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+ Rev. iv. 6.

*Rev. xv. "There may be also a more mystical meaning of this sea mingled with fire, the Spirit with the blood of Christ." Dr. H. More's Works, p. 659.

"rushing wind,"_" and there appeared unto them "cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each "of them."

From the passage thus explained we learn, that they who overcome the Beast and his Image do yet stand before the throne of God, not on the ground of their own obedience, but only in virtue of their being cleansed by the atoning blood of Christ, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. They are represented as having the harps of God, and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb, the words of which have already been considered. These are certainly the heavenly harpers, the voice of whose harps was heard by the Apostle in the preceding chapter; and they represent the Church triumphant, or rather that portion of it which had been found faithful unto death during the peculiar time of trial, the reign of the Beast. There is a beautiful fitness, in this part of the Church triumphant being introduced on the scene of this mysterious prophecy, in the posture and employment here described; for the period is now come when the Beast and his Image, in whose reign they had fought, and bled, and conquered, are to be destroyed for ever; and their blood is thus to be avenged. Hence they are, with inimitable beauty, described as leading the chorus of the triumphant anthem, which shall in due time be re-echoed from the Church militant on earth, and shall swell into louder, and yet louder strains of praise, till at length it shall be heard "as "it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the "voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty

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