It does not take place till the second advent of our Lord The application of this vision to the times of Constantine, is strained and unnatural ...... Recapitulation of the contents of the first six seals ....... They give an epitome of the history of the church, from our ....... Scriptural view of the great and solemn importance of the Apocalyptic prophecies ..... Remarks on the interpretation of the first four seals by the above writers, and Bishop Newton's view of the third seal stated.... ib. It is unworthy of the solemn and important nature of the prophecy 47 Archdeacon Woodhouse's view of that seal, commends itself with the native force of beauty and of truth.. CHAPTER IV. THE SEVENTH SEAL. Archdeacon Woodhouse's explanation of the silence in heaven at Seven angels are seen, to whom are given seven trumpets ..... 48 49 ib. ib. 50 51 Incense signifies the prayers of saints ib. Fire is a symbol of the influences of the Spirit, and also of the wrath of God.... In this passage it is used in the last of these senses, and denotes wrath descending on the Roman empire 52 The effects which follow, denote a political convulsion in that empire, and a revolution 53 These events occur before the sounding of any of the trumpets.. ib. of it. ib. 54 CHAPTER V. THE FIRST FOUR TRUMPETS. That which takes place under these trumpets, is the partial de- .... They apply the third trumpet in particular to the corruption of the waters of life ...... Reasons against this application Arguments to show that these trumpets cannot be referred partly Accordingly the first four trumpets are applied by the great body ...... Brief history of the fulfilment of these trumpets-In the year 376 the Visigoths are transported across the Danube, and admitted into the Roman empire ib. They rebel and ravage the provinces, defeat and slay the emperor After this battle the Goths never quitted the empire ... ib. 60 ..... ........ ib. ib. The second period of the Gothic invasions was the fulfilment of the second trumpet ib. The third period of the irruptions of the northern nations com menced when Attila invaded the eastern empire ... 64 Gaul invaded by Attila-and Italy`. 65 These invasions were the fulfilment of the third trumpet... 65 The sounding of the fourth trumpet 66 Rome taken by Genseric ib. The imperial government subverted in the person of Augustulus by Odoacer, who is elected king of Italy ib. ...... ...... Remarks in confirmation of the foregoing interpretation of the Bishop Newton's explanation of this circumstance is unsatis- Mr. Bicheno's solution stated and rejected ..... Conclusion of the subject of the first four trumpets CHAPTER VI. THE FIFTH TRUMPET, OR THE FIRST WOE. 66 69 ib. ib. 70 73 74 In chap. viii. 13. is a denunciation of a triple woe to the inhabitants of the earth, from the voices of the three remaining trumpets 75 The purposes of this denunciation.. ib. It is followed by the sounding of the fifth angel ib. The symbols of this vision belong to things spiritual 76 ........ opening the pit of the abyss... ib. ........ The smoke of the pit is a symbol of false doctrines and ignorance which overspread the Christian church, during the fifth and sixth centuries ...... ib. Description of these false doctrines.. ib. How the sun and air were darkened by the symbolical smoke 79 81 The symbolical locusts denote an invading army 82 These locusts come out of the pit of the abyss, or hell itself, the smoke is only the medium of their ascent ib. The whole hieroglyphical description, applies to the rise of the Mahometan religion and power, and the language of Gibbon quoted to illustrate this.... ib. Gross darkness of Christendom favoured the imposture of Mahummud...... 83 The locusts were not to hurt the grass, but only those men which had not the seal of God...... They had not power to kill, but only to torment men. Other particulars respecting them Remarks on the period of five months, during which they tor Their king 86 Reasons for rejecting the interpretation of the smoke from the abyss, which refers it to the false religion of Mahummud .... ib. Inference from the right interpretation of that symbol, that the fallen star can be no other than the pope CHAPTER VII. THE SIXTH TRUMPET, OR SECOND WOE. 87 89 A voice from the four horns of the golden altar, commands the sixth angel to loose the four angels bound in the Euphrates Remarks on the golden altar, and the voice from the altar...... ib. This trumpet relates to the overthrow of the Eastern empire by the Turks .... Mede and others think the four angels denote four sultanies united under the Ottoman empire, but this opinion appears erroneous Another explanation of the four angels suggested ...... ib. 92 The power of the Turks is symbolized by the four angels 93 The slaughter of the third part of the men, denotes the subversion of the Eastern empire 94 Remarks on the prophetical description of the armies of the Euphratean angels . ib. Concluding remark on the interpretation which has been given of the six first trumpets..... 95 CHAPTER VIII. THE VISION OF THE ANGEL WITH AN OPEN BOOK. After the sounding of the sixth trumpet, a prophetic intimation is given, with a peculiar reference to the Latin church........ 97 A mighty angel descends from heaven with a little book having been opened..... This angel is our Lord Reference to a passage in Daniel, and inference from it, that our Meaning of the time of the end ascertained ib. ib. 99 ib. Reason of the various circumstances which accompany and follow ...... ... 100 our Lord's descent His crying with a loud voice explained, and the seven thunders. ib. Meaning of the expression, that there should be time no longer 101 The apostle commanded to take the little book and eat it ...... ib. Inquiry into what is intended by the little book 102 It is not a codicil or supplementary prophecy, but a part of the CHAPTER IX. THE TWO WITNESSES. ..... 104 The apostle commanded to measure the temple.. 105 An analysis of the spiritual meaning of the different compartments of the temple............... ib. The holy of holies is a type of heaven, and of the millennial ib. ...... The altar of burnt offerings, and the sacrifices offered on it, are symbols of the sacrifice of Christ 107 The outer court denotes the visible professing church of God.... 108 Inquiry as to which of the compartments of the temple is measured by the apostle.... ib. It could not be the holy of holies, but it is the holy place, with the interior court, and altar of burnt offerings ib. Meaning of this measurement ..... 109 What is intended by leaving out the court without the temple... ib. The two witnesses The true spiritual church is here signified by three different emblems, two witnesses, two candlesticks, aud two olive trees... The meaning of this symbolical description...... What is intended by fire proceeding out of the mouth of the witnesses.... And by their shutting heaven and turning waters into blood Argument to show that the death and resurrection of the wit nesses must be already past 113 ...... This part of the prophecy was accomplished in the events which followed the dissolution of the Smalcaldic league 114 |