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people, kindreds, tongues, and nations. It seems to embrace all nations, the whole world, as it is said in addition to this, And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry, &c. The beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit, or papacy, is the beast that goes into the pit, and is bound there, as we shall see hereafter, for a thousand years. It is the Roman government. The two witnesses tormented this government, as well as all that dwell on the earth; and at the close of these two witnesses' testimony on earth, this beast, or government, takes the lead in killing their testimony, and spiritually crucifying them, not suffering their dead bodies to be put in graves. This is an event still future, and harmonizes with that spoken of in the twentieth chapter, where it is said, The Dragon, or Satan, is loosed from the bottomless pit, and goes out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to battle [against the saints,] the number of whom are as the sands of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved. city, and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

There is a time and event in the future, according to this testimony, when the camp of the saints will be surrounded, and the two witnesses spiritually slain, and a supposed victory gained, but in what manner, is not yet made clear to our minds.

The triumph of the wicked is short. After three days and an half, the Spirit of life from God enters them, [these two prophets,] and they stand upon their feet, to the astonishment and terror of their enemies. A voice from heaven calls, and they ascend in full sight of their enemies. This is a sudden revival of their power, and influence, and exaltation, by the immediate interposition of heaven, brought about by an earthquake, or great political revolution, in

which a tenth part of this great city, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, embracing the whole world, falls, and with it seven thousand names of men, or men of honorary title and distinction. The remnant are so affrighted, that they are forced to give glory to God.

The church, nationally, has always been delivered when down-trodden by political revolutions, and God will continue to turn and overturn, till He whose right it is shall come, and the saints shout victory, as they are caught up to meet Him in the air, and rise to immortality, honor, and glory. It is not wisdom to speculate on those events and prophecies not yet fulfilled. The church will understand her position and duty, if she walks in the light constantly shining upon her, whatever be the events, and however great the change effected. This ascension of the witnesses, and the great earthquake and fall of the tenth part of the city, closes the history and events of the sixth trumpet, and second woe.

The third woe, and sounding of the seventh trumpet, we are informed, cometh quickly, and from the nature of the events, we may infer, will be quickly executed. We were previously told, that in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished-the whole plan of redemption developed and completed-probation ended-and the administration. of mercy closed forever. Consequently it is said, when the seventh angel sounded, There were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake, and great hail. The voices proclaimed the kingdoms of this world to have become the kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ, and his reign from this time forever and ever. The history of the kingdoms of this world now terminate. Now God gives to his Son what he asked, viz.: the heathen for his inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession; and the time also for him to dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

The nations, at this time, were all declared to be angry and the wrath of God come-God's day of wrath reserved for the wicked-and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and reward given to all the saints, and destruction to the wicked.

By this is the temple

The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in this temple the ark of the testament. meant the church, which the Apostle says, is of the living God: it is opened to discover and bring out to the world the ark of sacred truth, and word of God, which is deposited there, and by which every man is now to be judged. It is the ark of testimony: the word and truth that the church or temple of God has given, and that the wicked have despised and trampled under foot. It is in this way the saints will judge the world; by the truth they have spoken. Each generation and age will be condemned or acquited, according as they have believed and obeyed the word of God given them, or rejected it. The Antideluvians will be judged only in accordance with the light and truth given them in their day; the Patriarchal age, by the revealed word given to them; the Prophetical age by the same rule; the Apostolical and Christian, or Gospel age, the same. The temple, therefore, is open; the whole of the truth and testimony that has ever been given to the church and the world, in every age and generation, will be distinctly brought up, presented, and seen by every eye, at the judgment.

The seventh, and last trumpet, will awake all the dead, small and great, and summons them to the bar of God, to hear and receive their final doom. The last woe is the final judgment woe, and will result in the everlasting destruction of the wicked. And well might the elders, and the whole family of the redeemed, fall down and worship, and give thanks to the Lord God Almighty, because he had now taken to himself his great power, and had reigned. He

had out-marshalled all the armies of earth, overthrown all the kingdoms, and given his church a complete victory over all their enemies, and preserved them to inherit the kingdom and reign with Christ their redeemer, forever and ever. This terminates the third lesson given to John, in the prophetic history of the church. The seven churches were the first lesson; the seven seals, the second; and the loosing of the four winds to blow on the earth, or the seven trumpets, the third lesson; in each of which, new and additional instruction is given.

CHAPTER III.

In the twelfth chapter we commence on the fourth les son, and have introduced a new class of symbols, which more distinctly mark the events connected with the history of the church during the gospel age.

The woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and the crown of twelve stars upon her head, is a symbol of the true gospel church, clad with the righteousness and light of the gospel. Christ is her sun, the twelve apostles her bright stars that crown her head, and the moon under her feet the typical law and worship.Previous to the rising of this moral sun of righteousness that now adorns her, she was clothed with the light of the moon, and guided by types and shadows of the good things that have now come; consequently, the old covenant and ceremonial law answering to this moon, was to be done away, and is represented as under her feet. The apostles were a crown and ornament to the head of the church, and with Christ the sun, clothed the church with such a gar ment of moral beauty, purity and truth, as she had never worn before, or the world ever beheld.

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