Will, and to convey his admonitions and warnings to mankind; viii. 13. x. 1. xiv. 6. 8. 9.

3. In one most remarkable instance, it is evidently applied to some temporal Prince, of great power, and extent of dominion; who is represented, at the time of the pouring out of the third Vial of Divine wrath, as vindicating, in a very particular manner, the righteousness and the justice of God, in the infliction of that Plague, xvi. 5, 6. "Waters" are the acknowledged prophetical representatives of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues,” xvii. 15. and, therefore, this illustrious and mighty Potentate is peculiarly styled "The Angel of the Waters."

4. On every occasion, in which the agency of Angels is introduced, it is represented as altogether controlled by the power and providence of GOD for every thing that is done by them is expressly foretold. The good Angels perform his Will, as his devoted Ministers: the bad ones can do evil only to the extent of his permission.

5. But even the symbolical Elements themselves, the Economy of Nature, as it were, and the symbolical Host of Heaven, are described as the means of executing the Will of God; and of conveying, in a very intelligible manner, his messages to the sons of men; either for the punishment of wickedness, when it has drawn down his judgments; or for the reward of uprightness, when it has been conspicuous. So far, then, they may be said to perform mediately the office of Angels,

although such agents may not be described under this character. Thus, at the opening of the sixth and seventh Seals, vi. 12-14. and viii. 1. 5. and at the sounding of each of the seven Trumpets, viii. 7—12. ix. 1—5. 17—19. and xi. 13. 19., and in other places,--the Elements and various Powers of Nature, either in Heaven or in Earth, are represented as arrayed, in the quality of divine judgments, against certain portions of the human race; and as producing the most dismal calamities, by their mutual discord and collisions.

IV.

66 THE EARTH," &c.

"The Earth," (T) in its primary and more general signification, is the terraqueous globe ; the great theatre of human action, during the present state of probation. In this sense the word is used in many passages of the Sacred Writings. And in this sense, also, under a certain limitation in respect to us, it is frequently used by St. John, in describing the various scenes he has to predict. This limitation will obviously confine its import to the extent of the THEN known world,—a limit, which the penetrating researches of modern discovery have tended very greatly to enlarge.

1. And there is a memorable passage in Mr. Gibbon's "History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," which will point out, with admirable perspicuity, the extent of the surface that

is here alluded to; and will, at the same time, greatly assist in explaining several particulars in "The Revelation," the elucidation of which might otherwise be attended with considerable difficulty, if not be actually impossible.

After a correct and very valuable display of the territorial dominions comprehended within the limits of the Roman Empire, the learned historian proceeds thus

"This long enumeration of provinces, whose "broken fragments have formed so many power"ful kingdoms, might almost induce us to forgive "the vanity or ignorance of the Ancients. Dazzled with the extensive sway, the irresistible strength, and the real or affected moderation of "the Emperors, they permitted themselves to

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despise, and sometimes to forget, the outlying "countries, which had been left in the enjoyment "of a barbarous independence; and they gradually usurped the licence of confounding THE ROMAN MONARCHY with THE GLOBE of THE EARTH.” Hence it appears, that this mighty Empire was confounded by the ancients with "the Earth" itself; and that they knew little with certainty, and cared nothing for any thing, beyond it.

f Decline and Fall, Vol. I. Chap. i. pages 30-43. Edit. 1788.

But we have much higher authority than that of Mr. Gibbon, in proof of the same point. St. Luke, speaking of that particular decree of Augustus, which was being carried into effect in Judæa at the time of the birth of Christ, thus describes

Whence also it follows, that when St. John symbolizes the Empire under that Title, it was an image, which was perfectly intelligible to learned Christians during the early ages of the Church, as, indeed, it is to us at the present time; and was, therefore, the most appropriate that could have been adopted.

But the use of this image will appear to possess still greater propriety and interest from these considerations-that the Roman was a Universal Empire, as far as the Church of Christ in that early age was concerned; and that it occupied the entire space, within which all the various events, described in this book, were destined to be brought to pass.

2. Such was the extent of "the Earth," or Roman Empire, at the time of the death of Trajan. "The peaceful system of his predecessors was

interrupted by scenes of war and conquest; and "the legions, after a long interval, beheld a mili

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tary emperor at their head;" who greatly enlarged the boundaries of the empire, beyond those, within which it had been hitherto confined. This is a circumstance most particularly foreshewn to the prophet, in the very commencement of his chronological visions. And thus, as might be expected, the very first thing displayed to his

the purport of it, and the extent of its operation-άrоypápeσ0αι πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην—“ that ALL THE WORLD should be "registered." Luke ii. 1.

view, was, in effect, the comparative extent of the stage, on which the great operations of Divine providence were to be carried on ".

But we meet also, in "The Revelation," with such an expression as this-" The third part of the Earth" and, in order to give a just explanation of this, it must be recollected

That a great alteration took place, in the dimensions of the Empire, almost immediately after the death of Trajan; in consequence of which, it is probable, at least one third of the whole was abandoned, or given up, by his successor; so that the Empire was intentionally reduced to about two thirds of the extent it occupied at that time_

And that another reduction was afterwards made, under Valentinian and Valens, in the year 365; by which the Empire was resolved into two distinct parts, the Western and Eastern, under two independent heads *.

k

So that, at length, the great theatre, on which the grand scenes described in "The Revelation" were to be represented, became divided into three parts; each of which might very properly be denominated a third part of the extent which it possessed, at the time of the death of Trajan.

And these facts will serve to explain very clearly

h Rev. vi. 2. Decline and Fall, Vol. I. pages 8-10.

i I must here refer, for an illustration of this, to the events prefigured under the second Seal. Rev. vi. 3, 4.

k Rev. viii. 6., &c.