Their

and the Millennium, ver. 21, 22, 23. punishment is expreffed by a phrase signifying the torments of hell; Mark ix. 44. 46. 48. That punishment is seen in their carcases; that is, a conviction of it is impreffed upon the mind, by the manner of their deftruction. "And the beaft

was taken, and with him the false prophet "that wrought miracles before him, with which "he deceived them that had received the mark,

of the beaft, and them that worshipped his "image. These both were caft alive into a lake "of fire burning with brimftone ;" Rev. xix. 20. The punishment reprefented here can be no other than the torments of hell; for they are cast alive into the lake, confequently it must be that place where "the worm dieth not, and the fire " is not quenched;" befides it is the fame lake into which "death and hell are caft" after the general refurrection, exprefsly termed the fecond death; Rev. xx. 14. The perfons fo punished are" the beaft and falfe prophet," in other words, the Pope and the Popish clergy looking not to individuals, but to the head and fupporters of the fyftem of Popery. They are faid to be taken at Armageddon, because the finfulness of the. fyftem is there fully detected and clearly expofed by the interpofition of the Deity in the deftruction of its fupporters. The fame punishment is denounced against all those

who

who adhere to the fyftem: "And the third an"gel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "if any man worship the beaft and his image, " and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his "hand, the fame fhall drink of the wine of "the wrath of God, which is poured out with"out mixture into the cup of his indignation; " and he shall be tormented with fire and brim"stone in the presence of the holy angels, and "in the presence of the Lamb: and the fmoke "of their torment afcendeth up for ever and "ever: and they have no reft day nor night "who worship the beaft and his image, and "whofoever receiveth the mark of his name; Rev. xiv. 9.-11. The voice of this angel is coeval with the period immediately following the battle of Armageddon'. This proclama

tion

(1) Mede, Newton, and fome others, fuppofe the voice of this angel to have been fulfilled by the Reformation; but to this interpretation I cannot agree, for the following reafons: 1. This angel follows after the former two, and the first of them points to a period ftill future, as we have feen: 2. It is not true, that the reformers denounced eternal damnation against all that remained members of the church of Rome. They spoke of the difficulty of falvation in the church of Rome, but that is a language effentially different from the peremptory declaration of this angel. But we may easily conceive, that at fome future period,

when

tion being uttered with a loud voice, intimates a public declaration and general conviction, that adhering to the system of Popery, fubjects men to eternal torments.

But notwithstanding this conviction in the members of the true church, fuch as adhere to the fyftem of Popery, fhall make fome efforts to maintain its influence, even after the battle of Armageddon; but these efforts shall prove abortive, owing partly to their own divifions, but chiefly to the Jewish arms. We are told, that "the great city was divided into three 66 parts, and the cities of the nations fell," Rev. xvi. 19.; that is, the rulers of the system divided

1

when the wrath of God fhall come on that devoted fociety to the uttermoft, they who adhere to her communion, fhall be confidered as irreclaimable, and therefore justly configned to everlasting deftruction. This doctrine, which would be confidered as uncharitable at the time of the Reformation, or even in the prefent age, fhall then appear perfectly confiftent with reafon and charity: 3. That the voice of this angel is coeval with the time immediately following the battle of Armageddon, appears from its coinciding in fentiment and expreffion with other paffages, which, without controversy, refer to that period. Compare Rev. xvi. 19. and chap xix. 20.

(1) The city fignifies fometimes the feat of the beast, but most frequently, as here, the fubjects of his fpiritual jurifdiction.

divided into three feveral parties, which induced the nations who adhered to them, either as members of their communion, or as allies, to withdraw their fupport.

The nature and caufe of thefe divifions, the event only can explain. But while they are thus divided among themselves, and deserted by their friends and allies, their fyftem, as far as it is vifible in the world, is finally destroyed by the arms of the Jews, who conquer the countries over which the blafphemous king had authority, as we shall presently fee. They are the inftruments in God's hand, "to give unto

८८

great Babylon the cup of the wine of the "fierceness of his wrath." After all, fome fhall continue fecretly attached to Popery, fo forcible is the influence of fuperftition over the human mind; but these fhall be worn out gradually, by the prevailing power of the Gospel of Chrift, according to that declaration, "And the rem"nant were flain with the fword of him that fat the horse, which fword proceeded out

st

upon

" of his mouth;" Rev. xix. 21.

3 B

SEC

SECTION III.

Conqueft of the Countries in the neighbourhood of Judea by the Jews.

ANOTHER remarkable event, which takes place betwixt the battle of Armageddon and the Millennium is, the conqueft made by the Jews of the several countries over which the blafphemous king had authority. We learn from Rev. xvi. 21. that after the battle of Armageddon, "there "fell upon men a great hail out of heaven,

every stone about the weight of a talent: And "men blafphemed God because of the plague of "the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding "great." Hail fignifies war, as in the first trumpet; great hail, heavy or grievous war to the party conquered; its coming "out of hea"ven," fignifies that it proceeds from the church, under the authority and direction of God.

It appears from the prophets, that this war is carried on by the Jews, who, after the victory at Armageddon, lead their victorious army into the several countries in their neighbourhood, from which forces were fent to refift them. They undertake this war, not to gratify ambition or covetoufnefs, but as followers of him, who "in righteoufnefs doth judge and make

"war,"