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period when she shall be publicly acknowledged by her Lord at the marriage of the Lamb. This chapter, as now explained, therefore supplies an important want in the Apocalyptic history; for, according to the systems of most writers whose works I have had access to, it does not appear what becomes of the church after she returns from her secret retreat in the wilderness, till she is exhibited to us in the nineteenth chapter, as having made herself ready for the bridal ceremony.

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CHAPTER XVII.

THE VISION OF SEVEN ANGELS WITH THE SEVEN VIALS OF WRATH.

"AND I saw another sign in heaven, great and "marvellous, seven angels having the seven last "plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of "God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled "with fire; and them that had gotten the victory "over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on "the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, "and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and "marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, "just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints.

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Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy "name? For thou only art holy; for all nations "shall come and worship before thee; for thy judg"ments are made manifest. And after that I looked, "and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the "testimony in heaven was opened; and the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. "And one of the four living creatures gave unto the "seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath "of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the "temple was filled with smoke from the glory of "God and from his power and no man was able

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"to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of "the seven angels were fulfilled."

The fifteenth chapter of the Apocalypse is an introduction to the prophecy of the seven vials of wrath, and it contains some marks whereby we are enabled to assign to the vials their proper place in the Apocalyptic visions. The scene of this passage is evidently in heaven. Those who had overcome the beast and his image, are seen by the apostle standing upon a sea of glass mingled with fire. This is in allusion to the brazen sea in the temple of Solomon, and is the same sea exhibited to John when he was at first caught up into heaven.* glass of this sea is probably a symbol denoting the atoning and purifying blood of Christ, in which all who overcome must wash their robes, and make them white. The fire with which the glass is mingled, denotes the enlightening and sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost, which are usually signified by the symbol of fire. Thus John the Baptist says to the Jews, "I indeed baptize you with "water unto repentance: but he that cometh after

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me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not "worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the "Holy Ghost and fire." In Acts ii. 2, 3, the descent of the Holy Ghost on the apostles of our Lord was announced by "a sound from heaven, as of a mighty "rushing wind,"-" and there appeared unto them

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* Rev. iv. 6.

Dr. H.

"There may be also a more mystical meaning of this sea mingled with fire, the Spirit with the blood of Christ." More's Works, p. 659.

"cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each " of them."

From the passage thus explained we learn, that they who overcome the beast and his image do yet stand before the throne of God, not on the ground of their own obedience, but only in virtue of their being cleansed by the atoning blood of Christ, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. They are represented as having the harps of God, and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb, the words of which have already been considered. These are certainly the heavenly harpers, the voice of whose harps was heard by the apostle in the preceding chapter; and they represent the church triumphant in heaven, or rather that portion of it which had been found faithful unto death during the peculiar time of trial, the reign of the beast. There is a beautiful fitness, in this part of the church triumphant being introduced on the scene of this mysterious prophecy, in the posture and employment here described; for the period is now come when the beast and his image, in whose reign they had fought, and bled, and conquered, are to be destroyed for ever; and their blood is thus to be avenged. Hence they are, with inimitable beauty, described as leading the chorus of the triumphant anthem, which shall in due time be re-echoed from the church militant on earth, and shall swell into louder, and yet louder strains of praise, till at length it shall be heard "as it were the "voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of "many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God Omni

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"potent reigneth."* The song of the harpers is carried on through the whole period of the seven vials.

After hearing the words of the song, the apostle immediately saw the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony opened in heaven. This denotes the opening of the holy of holies, or innermost sanctuary, in which was the ark of the testimony; by which internal mark we learn that this passage synchronizes with chap. xi. 19. where the temple is also opened; and as this was not done till after the seventh angel sounded, we may hence conclude with absolute certainty that the seven vials all belong to the period of the seventh trumpet, and are the constituent parts of the third woe for no sooner is the temple opened than the apostle sees the seven angels coming out of it, having the seven plagues. They are clothed with pure and white linen, to denote the righteousness of the dreadful judgments which they are to inflict; and their breasts are girded with golden girdles, to signify their constant readiness to fulfil the behests of the Most High. The whole ceremonial of this awful vision is adjusted in such a manner as is calculated to fill the mind with holy fear; and to show that the dreadful judgments symbolized by the vials, are inflicted by the immediate hand of God, one of the four living creatures, or cherubim, nearest to the throne, gives unto the seven angels seven golden vials, or bowls, full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

In a former part of this work, I have endeavoured

*Rev. xix. 6.

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