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CHAPTER X.

THE FALL OF THE PAPACY,

IN CONNECTION

WITH THE CEASING OF THE SIXTH TRUMPET.

AFTER the particulars of the first woe trumpet were given, the termination was at once announced in these words, "The first woe Is PAST, behold there cometh two more woes hereafter." But the case is very different here; after the particular description of the second woe is concluded, the announcement of its termination is deferred or suspended for near two chapters, in which are related a great variety of events which are to happen before it can be said, "The second woe is past!"

The first thing that arrests our attention is the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ again upon the scene; for the following description, as compared to that in Rev. i. 13-16, can apply to no other.

"And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet were as pillars of fire.” (ch. x. 1.)

As I have above observed, if the symbols in the

first chapter are symbols of the power and deity of Jesus Christ, then must these be also, for they are in substance the same. In the former it is said of His countenance, that it was "as the Sun shineth in his strength :" here it is expressed "and his face was as it were the sun." His feet are said, in the first instance, to be "like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace ;" and in the latter, they are said to be "pillars of fire;" whilst His "being clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow upon his head," are symbols likewise that belong only to God. So that it may be truly said, if the one description represent the "Son of man," as it is expressly declared it does, so must the other.

On this re-appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ, I would remark, how much it will assist the right understanding of the connecting parts of the various lines of this history, to keep in mind the particular parts performed by the different inhabitants of the heavenly world; but especially those performed by the Lord Jesus Christ. And I consider this is particularly the case in the present instance, as an attention to it will cast a flood of light upon what has ever been found one of the most difficult parts of the whole prophecy, and which has exceedingly perplexed all

commentators.

On looking back, therefore, we find that Christ is brought forward in the first chapter with the sublime attributes of Godhead, as exercising an ever-watchful superintendence over the most minute affairs of His church. He next appears, fulfilling all which con

cerns that church up to the time of its translation to Heaven; and the continuance of the Western Empire, in the character of its atoning Sacrifice, as "the Lamb that had been slain." And this he is represented as doing, by being said symbolically to open the seven seals of a Book, in which its "fates and fortunes" were contained, and which, in the presence of the whole hierarchy of heaven, He took out of the right hand of God. The space of time which this takes up runs through the various stages of the church's decay, formed by the respective reigns of Constantine, Theodosius, Justinian, and Charlemagne -through the various scenes of the Reformation-of the French Revolution-and up to what shall be intended by the half-hour's silence of the seventh seal, the seventh or inmost roll of the Book; or more properly, the last of the seven books, and, compared with the former, a "little book."

On the opening of this little book, and the consequent conclusion of the series of events signified by the seals, the subject is abruptly broken off; and Christ, as the slain Lamb, having this little opened book in his hand, is left for the present, for the purpose of bringing up the series of events, signified by the trumpets, to this point! This is now done-the six first trumpets have been sounded; and just on the instant before the seventh sounds, the character of the slain Lamb is suddenly dropt, and the Saviour appears to perform a different work, and therefore in a different character. He appeared as a " mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a

rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as it were the Sun, and His feet were as pillars of fire."

"And He had in His hand a little open book :" or, according to the Greek," a little book that had been opened." (ver. 2.)

Respecting this, it is well observed by Mr. Gauntlett-"The little book having been opened, implies that it must previously have been sealed. It seems therefore to have been a part of the book with seven seals, opened by the lion of the tribe of Judah; or otherwise there must have been two sealed books, which would imply that the original book was imperfect. But this would not comport with its emblematical description, representing it as containing seven parts under seven seals, the number of perfection, and therefore indicating that it would completely reveal the whole mystery of God."

The two streams of prophecy therefore here unite; and we may therefore from henceforward consider the history of the seven seals as now carried on in the line of the trumpets. It is the same thing as if the intervening six trumpets had been left out; and may be read thus," And when the Lord Jesus had opened the seventh seal, there was a suspension of action, or an awful pause for a fortnight; immediately after which, clothed with the attributes of Deity, and showing that the contents of the seventh and last seal HAD BEEN DISCLOSED,

"He set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth."

(ver. 3.)

I should consider that this peculiarity of expression was intended to convey the idea, that Christ's absolute authority and universal dominion over the world will now, by the events that have just taken place in the translation of the church, and which are about to take place in the ruin of the apostate nations, be no longer questioned! Men appear at present to endeavour to shut out God from the world which He hath made; and, because his patience lasts so long, to think they shall still go on with their own plans. It will at this awful time, however, be made manifest to all the world, that "the Heavens do rule." It may, I think, be well imagined, from the contents of the sixth vial, under which we are confessedly living, in what way that voice will speak thus loudly and thus solemnly! But as neither my object nor my wish is to speculate, I will only repeat, that immediately on the seventh seal being opened, and its half-hour's silence ended, God will, by some tremendous providence, make his voice heard, as the loud roaring of a lion! a mode of expression implying intense anger. *

"And when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write and I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." (ver. 3, 4.)

Successive claps of thunders portend a storm: the

* Prov. xx. 2; Hosea xi. 10, 11.

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