the parable expresses it, 'receive every man hist But there is another commanding event celebrated • See Toplady's Works, Vol. III. page 470. the children of Israel shall be seven months in burying their slain.* This fearful slaughter is likewise adverted to and described in the subsequent part of this book. (See Rev. xiv. 19, 20; and xix. 17-21.) Thus far, all the information that has been given us respecting the contents and consequences of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, has been indirect or inferential. We are first directed by anticipation to the writings of the prophets, (ch. x. 7); then to what was said by the loud voices in heaven, as its ultimate results, (chap. xi. 15); and then to the subject matter of the Song of the four-and-twenty elders. We now however come to the direct description And the Temple of God seen in his temple the ark “And the seventh Angel sounded! was opened in Heaven, and there was of his Testament. And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." The thing that here attracts attention, and what indeed is of the most consequence for us to know, is, that on this sounding of the seventh trumpet, that which confirms all the preceding conclusions respecting the complete and glorious deliverance of the church by its translation to Heaven, is first mentioned. And the Temple of God-that "Temple of God," which in the beginning of the chapter it is said was measured, or enclosed, by the providence of * Diss. ch. xiii. p. 360. God, whilst the outer court was given up to the "Gentiles,"*-was opened in Heaven! And THERE was seen in His temple the ark of His Testament. We are to understand by all this, not only that the Temple of God, the Church of Christ, was now in heaven-not only that the worship of God, or the standing church, was transplanted from Earth to Heaven, but in that pure and holy temple Christ Himself was seen-that is, what was symbolized under the Jewish church by the Ark of the Testament, and concealed from public view, is now seen open and exposed. There are no longer any shadows, or seeing Christ as through a glass darkly, but we shall see, face to face, even as we are seen, and know as we are known! What I think we are chiefly to understand by it is, that during the sounding of the seventh trumpet there should be no temple of God on earth, but that it should be opened in Heaven. To this purpose was the voice from Heaven unto the two witnesses, saying, "Come up hither;" and the Church which had just ascended to Heaven in a cloud, in virtue of that call, was that great multitude which no man could number, out of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, which stood before the throne, and before the Lamb; and which were constituted the Temple of God in Heaven. After this mention of the safety of the church on the opening of the seventh trumpet, it is added, "And there were lightnings, and voices, and thun * Ch. xi. of this Work, p. 218. derings, and an earthquake, and great hail." This is properly the subject matter of the trumpet itself, as a trumpet. All the rest are its concomitant circumstances, although circumstances of such magnitude that they overpower the event round which they concentrated. With regard to the symbols which represent it, they have all been already so particularly explained, that it must strike the mind of the reader at once, that they refer to the most dreadful wars and overturnings. An earthquake is again mentioned, which must be another great Revolution, distinct from the one which was said to happen just before the ceasing of the sixth trumpet, and which appears to have been confined to one of the ten kingdoms alone. To this, however, there is no such limitation; and it is undoubtedly that which is described in such fearful terms on the pouring out of the seventh vial-the time being the same; for this also happens immediately after the drying up of the Euphrates, or the gradual dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, described under the former vial. The mention of this great earthquake is in both places followed by that of GREAT HAIL. In the latter instance (Rev. xvi. 21) it is thus expressed, "And there fell upon them a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." Now HAIL, as was explained in what was said under the first trumpet, signifies a furious invasion from the north, where natural hail is generated; and, accordingly, that trumpet signified such an invasion, or rather invasions, from the Goths, and other barbarous tribes who inhabit the cold regions of the North. Therefore the mention of hail, and great hail, signifies the same thing in this instance;-it signifies the most furious and dreadful invasion from the same quarter! We will throw the whole into a connection, one part with another, and it will suffice to shew to the intelligent reader, from what human power the tremendous ruin will most probably come. On the fall of Constantinople, and the consequent extinction of the Turkish Empire, the second woe will be past. The third woe will come quickly after, and this will consist of an invasion from the Northern powers, in comparison, like the most dreadful hailstorm, the weight of each stone being a talent; so that men will blaspheme God on account thereof. In other words: "At the time of the end, the King of the North shall come like a whirlwind with a very great army both of horse and foot; and with many ships, and shall enter into the countries, and overflow, and pass over!" (Dan. xi. 40.)* The following warning from Gibbon it would be well if our rulers and all of us would attend to, in connection with this most alarming prospect. Speaking of the overturning of the Western Empire by the Goths and Vandals, he says most truly, that the "awful Revolution which was the consequence, may be usefully applied to the present age." And after * Diss. ch. xiii. |