spoken of by the prophet. The gospel contains all that is necessary to its full success. It is perfect. It needs no human amendment.

To sum up the whole, it appears that at the happy time alluded to by the prophet, the power of the gospel will prevail against and consume, or eat the flesh of mighty men: it will reduce human power of every kind to a skeleton. And the flesh of horses: do away with evil principles.-See reflections on Rev. 6: 2-8. And then will the true light, purity and power of the Redeemer's gospel be universally known.

Verse 19: "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.”

Verse 20: "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."

These two verses point plainly to the last struggle between the antichristian powers against the Redeemer and his saints. They show the last effort of an expiring cause, in which the beast and all in connection with him, shall be totally overthrown, and the beast and false prophet consigned to everlasting misery.

Now, ye Protestants of every description, be pleased to examine with care, and see whether ye have built on the same foundation which so long has supported the beast. If your instructors have established any ceremonies, or taught any doctrines, contrary to those ordained by Christ, and established under the apostolic government, ye come under the denomination of miracle-workers, deceivers, and false prophets. And I sincerely exhort all my brethren to stand in the sun, or pure gospel light, and fly from the wrath to

come.

Verse 21: "And the remnant were slain by the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." This verse shows the power for conversion which the sword of the Spirit will exercise when popery is removed; and the agency which the saints will have in removing every vestige of evil and error.

CHAPTER XX.

IN the eighteenth and nineteenth chapters, the prophet has shown us the removal of the obstructions to the establishment of the Messiah's kingdom, with the causes of it.

In this chapter, he opens to our view that happy kingdom; the glorious effects of it, and its duration; and even stretches our views to the last judgment and general resurrection.

Verse 1: "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand." Let it here be noted that it was a star or governing power, which the church assumed, that fell from heaven to the earth, received the key of the bottomless pit, and opened it. It is now an angel or governing spirit of truth and holiness engraven on the minds of true believers, who shut it. By these means, the efforts of Satan cannot succeed, his kingdom is ruined, and religion being now founded on the firm basis of the law and the gospel, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.-Matt. 16: 18. great adversary of man, cannot go about as ing whom he may devour.-1 Peter 5: 8. armor, in those days, will be proof against Thus we may easily see that the law and gospel precepts are the links of that great chain by which Satan shall be bound by millennial Christians.

Even Satan, the

formerly, seekThe Christian him.—Eph. 4.

Verse 2: "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old ser

pent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thous

and years,"

Verse 3: "And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season."

This heavenly kingdom having at last subdued that of Satan's, he is represented as being bound for a thousand years. Whether this be a real prophetic number of three hundred and sixty-five thousand years, or a representation of a Sabbath of rest, when the children of God are to enjoy a thousand years of tranquility from the persecutions and afflictions which they have undergone since the creation, it is impossible to determine. However, it is highly probable, that as six thousand years are now nearly elapsed, in which the wicked have been the principal actors on this earthly stage, that the next thousand will be a Sabbath of rest, when they will cease to do evil and learn to do well.

Why the devil should be confined in the pit from whence an established clergy came out, should be a matter of great surprise, if our Savior and his apostles had not solved the difficulty. Covetousness being the root of all evil, see how the Savior condemns it in the most severe terms, in Luke 18. But when he applies this abominable vice to the Jewish teachers, he passes on them a sentence of damnation.-See Matt. 18. Peter shows the covetous practices that would arise among the teachers of Christianity, and also their dismal doom. See at large 2 Peter 2: 15. Paul's advice to Timothy, against covetousness and the danger of riches, is given in a masterly manner.-1 Tim. 6. He also calls it the root of bitterness.- Heb. 12: 15. James condemns this vice in severe terms.-James 1: 1 4. Jude pronounces a wo against all false and covetous teachers.-Jude 2 : 13. From these joint testimonies, it is plain that no hireling clergy were to exist by the gospel dispensation, and that in this

happy age, Satan and they will be considered as fit companions for each other.

The prophet further informs us that Satan is to be shut up, and a seal set upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years shall be fulfilled. The nature of this seal may be easily discovered. The Christians of those days will abide by the law and the gospel precepts, and what occasion will there be then for either clergymen or lawyers false instructors? Those emissaries of Satan will by these means be easily detected; there will be only one great church established under the Lord Jesus Christ, its true and lawful Head.

Covetousness, ambition, and persecution, those dangerous tools of priestcraft, will be all destroyed by the gospel plan of salvation, and by mankind imitating apostolic purity. This is the broad seal or determination of the Most High; and thus shall Satan's empire be trampled under foot by that of the Redeemer.

Verse 4: "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

Verse 5: "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection."

Christ now reigning over his church without a rival, his promise to his disciples will be fulfilled. "And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."-Matt. 19: 28. From these words, it is plain that the Jews will be guided