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Roman Empire, by the victory of Charles Martel; and the Turkish plague by the heroism of Prince Eugene. Of these "men," (in the number of which, we as a nation are included,) it is here expressly declared, by the unerring voice of Almighty God, that these long and tremendous visitations produced in them no repentance of the works of their hands, that they should not worship idols, nor repent of their most wicked and deeply immoral conduct. The nations of the West therefore, in the eyes of God, are guilty of idolatry—and idolatry of the most revolting description; for nothing more strong could be said of the idolatry of Paganism. It matters not what construction is put upon the possession of images or pictures for religious purposes, by those who use them; it matters not how they gloss over that use by various pretences; such images and such pictures, the works of their hands, for such purposes, they avowedly possess; and that God who wrote the Second Commandment, which they consistently enough expunge from the Decalogue, calls all their images, represent they what they may-He calls them idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk. A crime which could thus be denominated by Him who alone is entitled to the homage of His creatures; a crime which could call for such a notice as this, having evidently a respect to that third woe which is yet to be inflicted-that seventh trumpet which is yet to sound-must be a crime of the deepest dye. Like the idolatry of heathenism, both ancient and

modern, men who practise it are given over to a reprobate mind, and trample on the other commands of their Maker. They commit murders, and sorceries, and fornication, and thefts; and that under the license of their priests. How great the guilt no tongue or language can express! nor how great will be the punishment! It is a fearful, most fearful warning ; nor do I see how its force, in its application to the ten Latin or Papal kingdoms, can be evaded. Contrary to the express command of God they continue to make images of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood; contrary to His equally distinct and express commands, they dare His vengeance by granting indulgences and absolutions for the commission of all descriptions of crimes. Thus far it applies not to the Jews, nor to Mahometans, for they are neither of them idolaters. Respecting the latter, Gibbon observes on the subject, that "the intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol!" It therefore indubitably applies to those men who were not politically killed by the Mahometan plagues or woes, and which, let it be again repeated, are the inhabitants of the ten kingdoms of the Western Roman Empire; for they alone make images, and bow down thereto.

In this tremendous guilt it is most painful to reflect our own country and dependencies are again fast participating. Well would it be if our rulers would look at these things, and judge of them in the light of the Holy Scriptures, and not through the medium of a mere natural understanding. But the

hope is vain. All that can now be done, is for those that truly fear God to take warning and stand firm,— and instant warning; for this denunciation of the sins and idolatry of the Western nations is as much as to say, that their turn will come, and that on them the next and last woe will fall!

CHAPTER X.

THE

FALL OF THE PAPACY,

IN CONNECTION WITH

THE CEASING OF THE SIXTH TRUMPET ;

AND WITH

THE OPENING OF THE SEVENTH SEAL.

The mention of the second woe being past, deferred-Re-appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ-His description same as in Rev. i., and for what purpose-As the Slain Lamb, and for what end— His opening the seventh seal, or the "little book”—The purpose of His present appearing―The seals and trumpets here unite their histories—The seven thunders—What is to be generally understood by them-Christ's solemn asseveration--Same as described in Daniel-Import of it explained to signify the end of the Papal power-Awful warning given against this apostacy-History of Redemption us connected with it, finished—To be deeply studied and digested-Different characters in which Christ appears— Observations on the little opened Book, and the prophecies yet to be given.

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