revolution and it seems to me that we now witness the fulfilment of the vision of the holding of the four winds. After more than twenty years of uceasing convulsions; and bloodshed unequalled in the past history of the world, peace has at length been obtained by the gigantic efforts of a mighty confederacy of the nations of Europe,* led on by the

* This confederacy is, without question, the greatest which is recorded in history, in the extent of its military resources, and also the remarkable and almost miraculous unity of sentiment which prevailed in its military councils, composed of materials which at first view must have appeared so discordant and heterogeneous. Nothing indeed can account for the unanimity of the allies in their operations in the field, but the supposition of a divine influence presiding over their consultations. The strength of this confederacy, and the views by which it was actuated, will appear by the following passages from the report of Lord Castlereagh's speech in the house of commons, on February 19, 1816, which I copy from the Morning Post newspaper of February 20. By the means they had employed "they had contributed to bring into the field a confederacy, so great "and powerful that disaster itself could not have frustrated its "ultimate object. Nay, had the battle of Waterloo, instead of

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a glorious triumph, proved a day of defeat and ruin, the contest "might have been protracted, but not changed in its termination. "The means of the confederacy were so immense that they could not "fail."- “Never had such a confederacy, in extent of military “ strength and ardour of exertion, been witnessed. It appeared, by "returns taken at the time when the British army occupied Paris, that “there was an allied force in the French territory of 1,140,000 men. "The numbers had been most scrupulously checked by the Duke ❝ of Wellington, who was charged with the arrangements with the "French commissioners for their subsistence, and his Grace declared "that the numbers had not been exaggerated."-" Besides the force "brought into action, had the war continued two months longer, “100,000 Austrians, 250,000 Russians, 70,000 Spaniards, and other 66 contingents, would have entered France, which would then have "contained not less than 1,500,000 foreign troops, combating in the "cause of Europe."

"The late government of France was a military government, it "was wholly and entirely impelled, directed, and led by the army,

four great powers of Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia, which after breaking in pieces the vast

"and obliged to answer to it for all its operations. He felt, that although we might now look to repose under the arrangements "that had been adopted, it was only by seconding for a length of "time these operations, by the presence of a strong military force. "Unless for the imposing attitude of this body, till the military spirit The "of jacobinism was extinct, the peace could not be secure. "principle on which his Majesty's government felt the question of war or peace to hinge was, the continuance of an army of the allies "in France. But respecting the dissolution of the army of Bonaparte, “which had now taken place, he should think himself undeserving of "the attention of that House, if he was not prepared to avow, that "his Majesty's government, at the time Lewis XVIII. was at Ghent, “laid it down as a fundamental and positive principle, that that army "should be totally dissolved; and he should have been liable to the "charge of being accessary to the resurrection of that army, if he "had not insisted on its entire extinction. But this grand point was "effected, and it only remained for us to watch over it for a time, in "its state of dissolution; for if any man supposed that it had ceased "to exist, because it no longer existed on parade, he knew nothing of "the deep-rooted principles of jacobinism with which it had been "actuated from the commencement of its disorganizing career.". "The noble Lord, continuing to descant on the attachment of the military conspirators to Bonaparte, observed, that he never had been 66 one of those individuals who had depreciated his abilities; but he "would say, that, if that army had been suffered to exist, it would "have been perfectly unimportant whether Bonaparte were confined or not, for it would not have been difficult to find a chief who would soon have led it into its former career."

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Did my limits permit me to enlarge these extracts, I might add other passages to shew that the great purpose of this alliance was the conquering and securing peace, and also illustrative of the very remarkable union which existed among the members of the confederacy.

Now we know that the expedition of Xerxes into Greece was the subject of prophecy, see Dan. xi, 2. It cannot therefore be asserted, with any colour of reason, that the mighty confederacy, which has broken the gigantic power of Bonaparte and given peace to the world, is not an event of sufficient magnitude to find a place in the Apocalyptic history, for surely its importance is greater than was

power of the French empire, and twice driving its late sovereign from his throne, now occupies France with its armies, and thus restrains the fire of that revolutionary volcano, which has heretofore been the source of such incalculable calamities to the inhabitants of Europe.

This interval of tranquillity, has also been marked by another circumstance, which precisely corresponds with the description given in the vision. The four winds are held or restrained in order that the servants of God may be sealed, and we have already remarked, that the word of God is the instrument used for this sealing. Now the re-establishment of peace has given occasion to a new activity, and far more widely extended exertions, in circulating the sacred scriptures throughout the European and Asiatic continents, as I shall show more particularly in another part of this volume. The measures taken for these purposes are also evidently upon a scale of such magnitude as to mark that they belong to a period of the extraordinary operations of the Almighty."

We are no where informed, how long this interval of peace shall continue. But if the interpreta

that of the expedition of Xerxes. I mention this argument, merely to anticipate an objection which, I foresee, may be made to my interpretation of this vision.

* The vision of the holding of the four winds is, by Bishop Newton, referred to the peace of the church in the reign of Constantine. This is a natural consequence of the common, but as I have shewn erroneous, interpretation of the earthquake, in chap. vi. When it is considered that the triumph of the church at that time was immediately followed by the Arian controversy and the schism of the Donatists, it will be seen how little the language of this passage can justly apply to such a state of things.

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tion of the vision which is here given be correct, we may expect, that as soon as the allotted period is past, the commission to hold the winds shall cease, and the calamities of the earthquake shall be renewed with an overwhelming impetus. From these final judgments, which are to bring utter destruction on the Bestial empire, the sealed servants of God are, however, to be delivered, and there are many passages which seem to indicate that their preservation shall be effected by the immediate hand and power of God, exerted in a miraculous manner.* Our Lord assures us, that after the signs in the sun, moon, and stars (which are, as we have seen, parallel with the earthquake of the sixth seal), and at his second advent, he shall send his angels to gather together his elect from the four winds;† and he commands his disciples to watch and pray, that they may be accounted worthy to escape those things which shall come to pass at that period, and to stand before the Son of Man. And since it may be laid down as a principle, that whatever we are commanded or exhorted to pray for, will be granted in answer to prayer, we may infer, that the preservation which the disciples of Christ are directed to make the subject of their supplications, will be vouchsafed to them in the awful period mentioned by our Lord.

The above interpretation of this vision was adopted, before I was acquainted with Vitringa's commentary. I am happy to have it in my power, to confirm my view of the passage, by the authority of that learned

* Joel ii. 81, 32. Isai, lxvi. 14—16. Ps. lxxvi. 8, 9. Mal. iv. 1—3. + Matt. xxiv. 31. ‡ Luke xxi. 36.

writer, who thus expounds it. "A remarkable ad"junct of the judgment shown forth in the emblem "of the great earthquake is here described, viz. "the preservation of the elect, professing the pure "faith of Jesus Christ, from the stupendous calami"ties which fall on the enemies of the church, in "the last time. For although there shall be great " and terrible commotions in the world: and through"out Europe, which shall strike the elect themselves "with fear, yet the Lord assures them in this vision, "that he will keep them by his providence, so that "they shall receive no injury, and that he will " mercifully preserve his church, which shall shortly "triumph over all its enemies." Vitringa afterwards explains the four winds, to signify the awful commotions of the sixth seal. He supposes that the four angels may denote the princes, who shall be the authors of these calamities, and adds,

By this emblem it is signified, that when these "winds are loosed, and break forth from the clouds, "the whole European world shall be most violently agitated and disturbed. That great empire of

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Europe,* which has opposed itself to true reli"gion; the free cities and republics of the empire, "and the kingdoms of Europe, and the kings, princes, and nobles which govern them, shall be terribly shaken and suffer damage."

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After the vision of the sealing of the elect, the apostle "beheld, and lo a great multitude, "which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before "the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with

* The Germanic empire.