and especially in the book of Revelation, (See Isaiah xxiv., xxxiv., lxiii., lxvi.; Ezek. xxxviii., xxxix.; Joel iii.; Mal. iv.; 1 Thess. iv. ; 2 Thess. i. ii.; Rev. xvii. 14; xix. and very many other passages).

From these, it appears, that there will be an open, avowed, and daring rebellion of the nations of the earth against our Lord Christ. This rebellion brings down that day of wrath with accounts of which the whole Bible abounds. The Apostle puts it as a searching question to every soul, Despisest thou the riches, and forbearance, and long-suffering of God, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds. Rom. ii. 4—6. The seven vials are Those vials began to

farther particulars of this wrath. be poured out at the opening of the sixth seal, as we may see in the terror manifested by the exclamation, the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? or, as the angel expressly states, 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, or as it is afterwards expressed, thy judgments are made manifest. Rev. xv. 1-4. Six of these vials have already been poured out as a solemn warning to the nations. This conflict is more fully described in the nineteenth of Revelation :-Out of his mouth goeth a sharp

sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. We have then a farther account of their complete overthrowRev. xix. 11-21, as we shall notice afterwards.

THE JUDGMENT OF THE DEAD is another part of the great events near at hand, and the time of the dead that they should be judged. Rev. xi. 18. We see, in the twentieth chapter of Revelation, that there are two resurrections. There is the first resurrection of the saints at the beginning of the millennium, belonging only to the faithful witnesses for Christ; and there is the resurrection of the rest of the dead, who lived not again till the thousand years were finished, when the dead, small and great, stand before God-Rev. xx. 12. But, under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, that unutterably glorious event, a resurrection from among the dead of the servants of God takes place with their judgment according to their works. We have this described in various parts of the word of God. We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad-2 Cor. v. 10. The fullest account of this judgment is given by our Lord in the twenty-fifth of Matthew, where we have the gathering of all nations before him, (including necessarily the resurrection of the dead, 2 Thess. ii. 1.) and we have their entrance into the kingdom, before the wicked are judged and sentenced to

their final woe. The time of this is here fixed under the seventh trumpet. The period of delay of which the souls under the altar of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held, complained, then ends. They cry out, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? They were bid to rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. This season is fulfilled under the seventh trumpet, and then the judgment of the dead begins, distributed as in the words that follow, into two parts, the reward of God's servants, and the destruction of those that destroy the earth.

Another distinguishing feature of events before us is

THE REDEMPTION OF THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD.

At present, the kingdoms of this world have all grievously departed from God; so much so, that Satan is called the God of this world, blinding the minds of them which believe not: the Prince of this world, who is to be judged (John xvi. 11.), and cast out (John xii. 31). The Church of Christ too, which was called to be the salt of the earth, has, to a fearful extent, lost its savour. The apostasy of Eastern, African, Greek, and Roman Christendom, is marked and general; and alas! the Protestant and Reformed Churches have also grievously fallen away; neology, secularity, ungodliness, revived superstition, and infidelity, widely prevail amongst us.

God hath concluded all in unbelief. The guilt of our own highly-favoured land is fearfully great. Blessed beyond all other countries, and with advantages such as were never intrusted to any other, Britain, though again and again called to her duty, has, as a nation, been unfaithful to God, and ungrateful for her privileges; she has refused to do the Lord's work of evangelizing her own land, her colonies, and the nations of the earth; and a little flock is yet struggling with mighty difficulties, cheered chiefly by the Saviour's promises. Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the world. Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Oh, it is awful to think how, as the world now exists, men shut God out of their thoughts, and yield themselves willing captives to sin and Satan! It is yet true of our earth, the whole world lieth in the wicked one. 1 John v. 19. Not only the pagan nations, and the Mahomedan nations, and the Jewish nation, but the ten European kingdoms and professing Christian kingdoms among the Gentiles everywhere, are still the kingdoms of this world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, all that is in the world are the prevailing and governing character of the great majority. Amid all the growth from age to age of the real kingdom of Christ, and the assurance of its speedy triumphs, the kingdoms now ruling are still, in their leading and prevailing character and influence, the kingdoms of this world, and

will continue so, till the seventh angel sound the last trumpet; the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, and not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

The Scriptures are full of promises of this happy redemption of the world by the direct power of God at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the vanity of all other hopes is set before us. Behold, is it not of the Lord of Hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and weary themselves for very vanity? for the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. This passage is immediately connected with the return of our Lord from heaven-the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not tarry: quoted thus by the Apostle, For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Our Lord returns from heaven to accomplish this glorious object. The Holy Scriptures frequently set before us the world's redemption, as connected with his coming in glory. Thus, in Zechariah (xiv. 3—9.), The Lord shall go forth and fight against those nations (coming against Jerusalem) as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem. And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee.