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not the actual words of sinners, their persecution of the truth speaks it for them. St Paul describes them as "having consciences seared with a hot iron, speaking lies in hypocrisy," and in short, as every way destitute of all can◄ dour and truth.

It is hard to believe that men professing the gospel of Christ, in almost any shape, could possibly arrive at so great a perfection in the mystery of iniquity.* But history has

*If it should be thought that the features of the popish apostacy in this portrait, are drawn too hard, and are too hideous ever to have had a real existence in nature and fact, it must be considered that this is a collective view of all the prophetic drawings of the beast, in various attitudes, and with the different contortions of his features, at different periods of his age. And that, in order to draw likenesses by anticipation, or with a prophetic pencil, such a portrait must be finished as shall give an accurate representation of what the subject of the painting will be upon the whole, that in every age it may be known.The countenance of a Nero doubtless would not at every period of his life have betrayed all the sanguinary ferocity which lurk. ed in his nature, and in due time would be conspicuous in his aspect, by corresponding features. This prophetic coNSPECTUS of POPERY is no more than what, upon the whole, that systematic wickedness would actually attain to, but not what

furnished too many lamentable proofs against popery, in respect to all the charges brought against her by the protestants, from the prophetic writings in particular, and the whole scripture in general, to admit of the plea of the romanists, that those descriptions of the prophets do not apply to the church of Rome, or if they do, are to be considered as mere hyperbole and figure. Their own writers bear evidence what spirit they are of, and what

it continued to be at all times, or what it may be upon an estimate taken at the present day. The MODERN BEAST has not been gorged with human flesh latterly, and his vegetable diet has wrought a corresponding mildness in his aspect, by attemperating his atrabilious humours, but his constitution is not alter, ed materially.

Cor tibi restat idem-non tibi præsto fidem.

The blood of saints she doth not spill,-what then?
This is no pledge but that she will again.

The contrariety of names and characters under which the popish system is represented in prophecy, is agreeable to the usual licence and metaphorical stile of the prophetic writers; and if it wanted any justification, it has received it from the adoption of the same by the papists, who call the POPE the church's son-father-mother-spouse-head-servant, &c. See Section ix. P. 251.

doctrines popish zeal was capable of advancing, and what practices the cause of holy church could justify: the most candid of their apologists being found, on almost all the points in controversy, in direct opposition to the apostles, and having as little scruple, when their hand was in, to contradict their Master

too.

SECTION XXIII.

The sixth vial makes preparation for the RESTORATION of THE JEWS, by the fall of the TURKISH EMPIRE, and in its consequences becomes a plague of the PAPAL APOSTACY--The state of the world at this period a general subjection to an universal tyranny.*-The head of the apostacy (ejected from royal and independent sovereignty by the effect of the fifth plague) is stiled from henceforth THE FALSE PROPHET.-An hopeful scheme set on foot against the church of the witnesses ostensibly, but against christianity itself in design.

"AND the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared." Late events have enabled us to give a better account of

* I am very desirous of reserving one exception to the universality of this new empire.

can as yet It will be

the five preceding vials, than we do of what follows in this vision. clearly understood by the event, in no long time hence, who these figurative KINGS of THE EAST really are; and what the mystical RIVER EUPHRATES is, which at present opposes an insurmountable obstacle to their passage. For God will once again "finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth," when the time of ISRAEL'S REDEMPTION draweth nigh.

The holy land is the lot of their inheritance. They were ejected out of it for their sins and unbelief, yet not without many infallible promises of a return, the glory and happiness of which should exceed even the sorrows of their departure. "The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the gentiles, and shalt suck the breasts of kings, and thou shalt know that I fehovah am thy Saviour, and thy

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