say, that in a certain sense our Lord came to destroy Jerusalem.

What were the Scriptures given to be interpreted in a certain sense, and that certain sense to be regulated according to our own discretion? There is no absurdity of which the Scriptures may not be made capable upon such a system of interpretation. There is no doctrine which may not be levelled to the particular views of a particular party.

Upon such grounds the great doctrine of the Atonement may be curtailed to include only the Jewish nation; and the death upon the cross, according to an ancient heresy, be interpreted to signify only a semblance and appearance of death. If men are to interpret the Scriptures in a certain sense, there is no truth, however deeply affecting their eternal interests, which may not be curtailed and levelled to the standard of human apprehension; there is no doctrine safe in the whole Bible. The Father may be, in a certain sense, the Creator, and the Son may be, in a certain sense, the Redeemer of the world. I do not say that Scripture is to be interpreted upon particular views founded upon particular texts, and that one or two texts, explained perhaps without due reference to their legitimate context, are to settle great and important truths; Scripture must ever be interpreted according to the analogy of Scripture; but this I do say, that when the analogy of Scripture flows in one particular direction, it is not for us to interpret that Scripture according to a certain sense, which has no deeper foundation than our own opinion.

Neither again is it a complete condemnation of these views, that they contradict opinions held by the majority of Chris

tians.

The opinions of the majority of Christians have not always been right. In the days of Athanasius the whole Church was infected with the Arian heresy. In the time of Martin Luther the whole body of the Church believed in the infallibility and the supremacy of the Pope. In our day the endless sects and divisions amongst men of unquestionable piety, and the contradictory views held by parties whose religious honesty is not to be doubted, show that the truth is not as yet incontrovertibly ascertained. It is a wonderful fact, that the Scriptures written for our learning are not yet understood, and that in the

nineteenth century there should exist such a diversity of opinion respecting them ;-not that the Romanist has much to boast of, when he pretends to a uniform exposition of the Word of God; that very uniformity is, in a certain degree, a proof of want of investigation and examination. Better to hold Protestantism, with all its divisions and searchings after truth, than a religion hood-winked with a monk's cowl. Better be tossed about upon a sea of wandering opinions, than do gross violence to the noblest gifts bestowed on man, and which distinguish him as the masterpiece of God's creation.

But I believe the day of light and truth is coming fast, and that men will throw aside opinions which cannot be based upon the Word of God, as their forefathers threw aside the bows and arrows and the chain-armour which had become useless. I believe the day is at hand when no mystification of the truth will be any longer tolerated; when an enlightened population will demand, as they have a right to demand, not infallibility in their spiritual guides, but argument and proof instead of assertion and conjecture. I believe that even the sanctity of antiquity will not screen religious opinions from that searching examination to which they will be subjected, and that the inviolability of the dogma, "quod semper, quod ubique, et ab omnibus," will not stave off the rude yet necessary hand of penetrating inquiry. All is progressing-physically, mentally, morally. "It has pleased the Giver of our thoughts, and the Disposer of our lot, to enlarge on all sides the boundaries of human knowledge. There is no science of the heavens above, or of the earth beneath, or of the waters under the earth,

which has not revealed mysteries of its own.' Is spiritual knowledge the only knowledge that is not to share in the general development? Is the science of religion the only science that shall not profit in the general advance? I believe that floods of light will yet burst upon the Church, not from any new revelation, but from a more careful examination of that which we already possess, and that religion will be shown. to be not only a theme worthy the attention of the highest range of human intellect, but the noblest and the grandest subject which can occupy the thoughts of man. Only let us

1 "Rational Godliness."-Rev. Rowland Williams.

assume nothing rashly; let us look at the Scriptures as a great and continuous whole; let us interpret according to the analogy of faith; and let us rely, not on our own wisdom, but on the guidance of that Holy Spirit who is able and willing to lead us into all truth.

An identity, complete in all its parts, has been established between that part of the Seventh Trumpet and the Seventh Vial which we have as yet considered. This identity is preserved and continued in the Song of Victory which now proceeds from the conquering Church of God.

Trumpet. "A Lamb stood on the mount Zion."

Vial." He shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem.” T." And with him [the Lamb] one hundred and forty-four thousand."

V." The Bride, the Lamb's wife.”

T. "His Father's name written in their foreheads."
V. "His name shall be in their foreheads.'

T. "I heard the voice of many waters."

V. "I heard . . . the voice

the voice of many waters."

T." And as the voice of a great thunder.”
V." And as the voice of mighty thunderings."

T. "The voice of harpers harping with their harps." V. "Saying Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

T. "And they sung as it were a new song."

V. "And again they said Alleluia."

T. "Before the throne and before the beasts and the elders."

V. "The four and twenty elders, and the four beasts, worship him that sat on the throne."

T. "And no man could learn that song but the one hundred and forty-four thousand which were redeemed from the earth." V." This is the first resurrection: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection."

T. "In their mouth was found no guile."

V. The Bride "arrayed in fine linen clean and white."

T. "For they are without fault before the throne of God." V. "The fine linen is the righteousness of the saints."

T. "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark.”

V. "The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that had received his mark, which deceived them that had received and worshipped his image.

T. "He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone." V." Cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."

V. "For ever and ever."

T." And they have no rest day nor night."

V.

T. "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write."

V. "And he saith unto me, Write."

T. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord."

V. "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb."

T. “ Yea [vai, compare Rev. i. 7, vài cuýt, yea, truth], saith the Spirit.'

V. "These are the true sayings of God."

T. "I saw a sea of glass [the crystal sea before the throne, Rev. vi. 4.] mingled with fire."

V.

"I saw thrones ["therefore are they before the throne of God," Rev. vii. 15.], and they sat on them."

T. "And them which had gotten the victory over the beast."

V. “Which had not worshipped the beast."

T. Neither "his image," neither had received "his mark."

T. "In his forehead or in his hand."

V. "Upon their foreheads or in their hands."

T. "And they sing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb." V. "A great voice of much people saying Alleluia."

T. "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty!'

V." Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God."

T. "Just and true (Síkaιaι kaì åλnowai) are thy ways, ἀληθιναὶ) thou King of saints."

V." True and righteous (aλnowai Kai Síkαiai) are his (ἀληθιναὶ δίκαιαι) judgments."

T. "For thy judgments are made manifest."

V. "For he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the earth."

If you add this to the points of identity already established between the Trumpets and Vials, it will be found to be the finishing link in that chain of argument upon which I have conducted this interpretation. Had the resemblance only existed between a few of the Trumpets and Vials, and had it been of a doubtful and ambiguous character, it might have left room for question; but the identity, as far as it is possible in an allegorical book of this kind, has been perfect and complete throughout. The Vial has been an echo of the Trumpet, and, like an echo, has not failed to repeat the same notes; sometimes indeed the sounds, as is not unusual in the natural echo, have been doubled and repeated,—yet still the original quality of the sound has been in every case preserved. Nor does the resemblance cease until the judgments denounced under the Seventh Trumpet and the Seventh Vial receive their full and complete accomplishment-till Babylon has fallen, the Son of Man has come, and the elect are saved.

Our present Lecture comprises some of the most agitated questions in the Apocalypse-THE MILLENNIUM, THE JUDG

1 It will be seen that the view now taken of the Millennium is different from that previously adopted. The present notion inclines to that of the late