and mighty" as was never before seen. From this it appears, that the spirit of insubordination and infidelity which now agitates the nations, will ere long become universally TRIUMPHANT, and produce the GREATEST REVOLUTION THAT EVER WAS KNOWN; and which, in its wild and lawless career, will cause "the great city to be divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations to fall." What is the meaning of the great city being divided into three parts, and the falling of the cities of the nations, time only can fully explain; and we may be assured time will explain it; and that, whether it means the Western empire being divided into three parts, instead of ten, and the cities of nations losing all that gives them importance as cities, it too surely implies very great calamities. Reference is then made to another of the "unclean spirits," as feeling the effects of this revolution-that of Popery, represented by "great Babylon; "--and of this it is said, that Now it " came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the FIERCENESS OF HIS WRATH! In this second "great" revolution, therefore, it appears that this apostasy will FINALLY FALL. And the same inference will be found drawn in a subsequent part of the work, in explaining, from the 17th chapter of the Revelation, where it is said, "The ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, shall hate the whore, and make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put it in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that GREAT CITY, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." And it is an awful coincidence, that these ten horns, on this beast of infidelity, are (ver. 3.) UNCROWNED; that is, the ten nations are in a state of revolution! Another effect of this state of things is, that every one of these kingdoms, large and small, shall "FLEE AWAY, and NOT BE FOUND." Under the former revolution, that of the sixth seal, it is only said they were to be “moved out of their places," and so it happened; but under this greater convulsion they are ENTIRELY TO DISAPPEAR! The remaining verse belongs to the last of the " unclean spirits," Despotism; and relates to a great NORTHERN INVASION, and that of a most terrific description. It is this part of the vial which I apprehend belongs more immediately to the sounding of the seventh trumpet; and that which will in its effects cause THIS "SPIRIT" to triumph over Infidelity, as Infidelity had previously triumphed over Popery. This interpretation also appears to confirm the supposition, which will be found hereafter expressed, that Russia is destined to act an important part in this awful tragedy. And this idea receives additional force from the following considerations : 1st. From the great probability there appears of Russia succeeding to the empire of Turkey, and thereby standing in the same position with regard to it as the "second woe,” as that in which Turkey stood to the Saracens as the "first woe:" in other words, standing in the same position with regard to Turkey, as Turkey stood to the Saracens. 2d. From Russia thereby, whenever this shall take place, becoming possessed of the dominions which constituted the ancient kingdom of Syria; and, in consequence, becoming the "king of the North" of Daniel, chap. xi.; and as such, the king who shall perform the exploits named in the 40th and following verses of that chapter, and whose end is in those verses recorded. 3d. From Russia, whenever she obtains this relative position with regard to the nations of the West, becoming, in connection with the king of Egypt, or the "king of the South," one of the "kings of the East;" if, indeed, real kings are intended by such expression in the sixth vial. 4th. From the Russian kingdom being raised up from those very people who, on the sounding of the first trumpet, overturned the ancient Roman empire, and to which the same symbol of "HAIL," in the case of Alaric, is applied. And 5th. From Russia, as being thus possessed of Turkey, and having thereby a place in the political firmament of the prophetical empire, answering, as was above observed of Genseric, to the exact phraseology of the symbol, in being said to fall "from heaven:" "And there fell," it is said, "a great hail, out of heaven." Dr. Pinkerton, in a work just published, entitled "Russia," and who, from his long residence in that country and his extensive means of information, is well qualified to give an opinion, after enumerating the extent of her military and naval strength, makes the following observation. "Russia has not yet attained the maturity of her strength: remain stationary she cannot : and who is able to predict her future greatness, or to tell how far her limits may yet extend? Had Russia a revenue equal to that of England, her armies, under an enterprising spirit like Peter the Great, might soon overrun a great part of Europe. How desirable is it, therefore, that education and the pure principles of the Gospel should extend their influence among the nations of that mighty empire; so that this colossal power, raised up by the Almighty IN THESE LATTER days to fulfil His INSCRUTABLE DECREES -raised up from the descendants of those very tribes that once overturned the Roman empire in the meridian of its civilization, and which has now assumed such a commanding position on the frontiers of Europe and Asia-may become the minister of peace and happiness, and not of desolation and thraldom to the human race." (p. 17.) I would merely add to this testimony that of the Emperor Napoleon, who is said frequently to have declared, "that the Russian ascendancy would be the destruction of Europe." (See Sir W. Scott and others.) The connexion of the great events which have just been considered with the preservation of a "sealed" people-with "the battle of that great day of God Almighty "with the restoration of the Jewish nation—and with "the kingdoms of the world becoming the kingdoms of our Lord, and of HIS CHRIST" - as these subjects will form very prominent features in the after parts of this work, it will be unnecessary further to enlarge upon them in this Introduction. I will therefore conclude by expressing the conviction of my own mind, that, whilst we should all "sigh and cry for the abominations of the land," and humble ourselves as a nation before God, if so be that mercy may yet be found; yet that in the prospect of these awful times, disastrous and personally calamitous as they will be, it is at once the duty and privilege of every believer to contemplate them with the same composed |