Above all, I am not aware of anything which justifies the use of this year-day principle in the Apocalypse, a principle which, if it is to be applied to one portion of time in the Apocalypse, must be applied to all. I know of nothing to make us suppose an Apocalyptic half-hour different from any other half-hour; or to justify the statement, that a Lord's day is a "miniature chronology of the world."

According to this principle, the visions of the Apocalypse did not pass in "chorographic procession" before St. John in the space of twelve literal hours, as Dr. Cumming says; but, on his own showing, they must have occupied a year.

According to this principle, the bodies of the witnesses lying unburied in the street of the city where our Lord was crucified, must have lain there for three-and-half years, instead of threeand-half days—a palpable absurdity; for the climate of Palestine would render such a thing impossible.

According to this principle, the 1000 years of the Millennium must extend over a period of 360,000 years—a period of which Moses Stuart says, "I had almost said I hope it is correctly made out.”

According to this principle, the holy city must be trodden under foot 1260 years. "The holy city shall they tread under foot forty-two months;" which, if it be referred to the treading down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles in the ages subsequent upon its destruction, is manifestly untrue, for it has been trodden down for a much longer period.

I hesitate not to say, that this year-day principle is unsupported by a particle of common sense, or scriptural argument. Besides, what right have we to interpret the time designated in the Apocalypse in a different manner from that in which we interpret the time mentioned in all other prophecies? I know not why one solitary case, or, at the most, two (if Dan. ix. 24. should be reckoned), should establish a principle for the interpretation of all prophecy where time is concerned. In Gen.

to 2 Chron. xxxvi. 21. it will be found that the land lay desolate until she had enjoyed her sabbaths. "To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths, for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath to fulfil threescore and ten years." Upon this principle it is perfectly easy to understand why the period of desolation should be called 70

vi. 3., God announces that the days of men shall be 120 years before the flood comes upon them. The rule in question (one day for a year) would make a respite for the antediluvians of 43,200 years. In Gen. xv. 13. it is predicted, that Abraham's posterity shall be bondmen in Egypt for 400 years; does this, then, mean 144,000 years? Gen. xli. 1. predicts seven years of plenty, and seven years of famine in Egypt. Can this mean 2520 years to each? Ezekiel threatens forty years' wasting to the Egyptians; Jeremiah, the seventy years' captivity in Babylon; Jonah, the destruction of Nineveh in forty days; and so, with an infinity of other cases; and yet, did any one ever think of any other period of time than that which the literal and obvious sense of the words conveys? According to this principle, our Lord must have been in the tomb three years: Nebuchadnezzar must have been mad and ate grass 2520 years— "discipline enough," says Moses Stuart, "to humble a king even as insolent as he."

You will look in vain throughout the annals of prophecy for a precedent, or for a valid argument to establish so monstrous a system. You will look in vain in the book itself for any kind of argument to justify it. Supposing that the world should not come to an end so speedily as Dr. Cumming asserts, what becomes of his division of a literal Lord's day of twelve hours into periods of 150 years per hour, and his half-hours into 75 years each? It was droll enough to explain the terrible phenomena of the Sixth Seal of the prosperity of the Church in the days of Constantine; to represent Paganism as fleeing from the wrath of the Lamb; to seal the 144,000 Christians out of the twelve tribes in Constantine's day. But to make "the silence in heaven," "ws yμiópiov," somewhere about half an hour-meaning evidently a short pause-signify the rest and repose of the Church for seventy years from the time of Constantine to that of Theodosius, is too ridiculous to need comment. I wonder that it was not explained of the Millennium, which some have actually done. But no, it would not suit the system of chronology. The world must just last long enough to be divided into convenient portions of time, so that Alaric the Goth might be introduced with the sounding of the first trumpet. Not that there would have

been the least difficulty in postponing his coming for another century; for, from the loose style of such exposition, there could not be any great obstacle to prevent "the silence" lasting for one hundred and seventy instead of seventy years.

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What, then, is to be understood by this "silence in heaven about the space of half an hour?" To my mind, it means simply this, the Seventh Seal is opened, the last of the seals, for the book is sealed with seven seals. This introduces the consummation the conclusion the awful winding-up of God's judgments upon a guilty nation. Before those judgments are denounced, there is a pause in heaven; this pause expresses the deep sympathy of heaven with the expected sequel, and introduces, with peculiar majesty, the subject about to follow.

And let this pause, this silence in heaven, speak to us of the mercy and the long-suffering of God. God's judgments might have fallen at once, but mercy delays them over a period during which seven trumpets are sounded, and seven vials poured forth; and not till then comes the vengeance upon guilty Babylon, and the coming of the Son of Man. It is like the pause before the flood, when "the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was a-preparing." It is like the pause between Christ's ascension and his coming again to destroy Jerusalem,—a pause of nearly forty years, during which his witnesses preached repentance to Israel, and remission of sins." It seems to say, in the very language of the prophet, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man.' " 1

Before the trumpets sound and the vials are poured forth, it will be necessary to call your attention to the machinery employed. The scene is the temple of God in heaven. The agents employed are "The seven angels who stand before God." There are given to them seven trumpets, indicative of woe, contest, and battle, and seven vials, explained in the book as "The vials

L

of the wrath of God." The giving of these trumpets and vials is accompanied by the prayers of the saints for vengeance upon their enemies; and, as an answer to their prayers, this vengeance is cast upon the earth (Judæa).

This will be made evident by comparing the scene which introduces the trumpets, with that which introduces the

vials :

It is impossible not to recognise a marked and striking identity.

The seven angels who stand before God.

The seven angels which came out of the temple.

To them were given seven trumpets.

One of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials.

The seven trumpets, indicative of woe, and contest, and battle.

The seven vials "of the wrath of God."

The smoke of the incense ascending out of the angel's hand. The temple filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power.

The fire from the censer cast into the earth, accompanied by "voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake," i. e. great and terrible commotions.

The great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth."1

From this minute and striking identity, there is a presumption we have struck the right chord in this interpretation. The opening scene of the trumpets and vials is confessedly similar. But I would have you lay no weight upon this; the identity must be preserved throughout, or else be rejected altogether; and remember the Seventh Seal is the last seal, no other seal remains; it is unfolded under seven trumpets, and the vials are expressly called the seven last plagues. When the seven angels have sounded, and the seven vials have been poured forth, no other plagues remain; the angels who execute the wrath both of the trumpets and vials, are the "Seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath of God."

To bring this identity more conspicuously before you I enclose within parallel lines the chief features of resemblance :Trumpet. The first angel sounded.

Vial. The first poured out his vial.

T. Upon the earth. (Judæa.)

V. Upon the earth. (Judæa.)

T. There followed hail and fire mingled with blood. (One

of the plagues of Egypt.)

V. There fell a noisome and grievous sore.

plagues of Egypt.)

(One of the

1 The woes of both trumpets and vials are sent " upon the earth," (Judæa,) compare Rev. viii. 13.-where woe is predicted to "the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are yet to sound."