trumpets, has, I think, been rendered probable by the connexion of the Seventh Seal with the sealing of the tribes in the preceding chapter, independent altogether of the evidence from the parallelism with Joel's or other prophecies. For, when it is borne in mind that, previous to the opening of the Seventh Seal, which includes the seven trumpets, a certain number of the servants of God are sealed for preservation from its judgments, and that those so sealed are exclusively selected from "the children of Israel," the natural conclusion to draw is that these judgments affect only that nation. But in the instance of this trumpet it would seem to be put beyond doubt by the fact that it is commanded the locusts "that they should not hurt the grass of the earth” (or "the land," as it may be translated throughout), "neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men "which have not the seal of God in their foreheads." Now, it follows either that there are no other servants of God" on earth at the time but the sealed of Israel, or that the trumpet is confined to the land of Israel, and that it is only intended to say that there are none others of that nation found faithful, and so exempted from this judgment. And this, it may be remembered, is further confirmed by the subsequent context-the intervening of chapters x. and xi. (of which, we shall see, the Jewish people are undoubtedly the subject) between the sixth and seventh trumpets: which, on the supposition of the prophecy from the commencement of ch. vii. referring to Israel, gives us an unbroken thread of God's

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dealing in judgment with that nation previous to the judgment of the Gentiles, which, with its causes, occupies the sequel of the book.

The period of "five months," I need scarcely say, I also take literally; the other interpretation of them, as 150 years, being made necessary only by the supposition of past fulfilment.*

It is

Of the next trumpet-the "sixth," or second woe," ver. 13-end, I am not able to speak so decidedly. evidently a judgment more severe than the last, inasmuch as the commission is "to slay the third part of men," the Jewish nation being still, I conceive, the objects. Its being announced by an order to "loose "the four angels which are bound in the great river

* The opinion of Dr. Todd on this trumpet is worthy of notice, who argues, especially from the locusts being said to have issued "out of the smoke of the bottomless pit," and from the fact that their king is expressly stated to be "the angel of the bottomless pit," that they are "evil spirits again permitted to come forth upon the earth, and to afflict men with various plagues;" in which view he has the support of Cornelius a Lapide, and, among the ancients, of Andreas, Bishop of Cæsarea (A.D. 500), who gives it as the opinion also of older commentators: (See the quotations in his note.) And he too observes that the limits set to their power-"That they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing;" and only "torment" not "kill" their victims, seem decisive of their not being an army of men.

He also notices the variety of conflicting opinions respecting them, on the supposition that the prophecy is fulfilled; some holding that they denote heretics :-Romanists, who see in them Luther and the Protestants; and Protestants, on the other hand, interpreting them of the Pope, the monks, the Inquisition, &c. : Some applying the prophecy to the Vandals, A.D. 441-536; others, among whom are the more recent, to Mahomet and his followers.

Euphrates" plainly points out the quarter whence this invading army (as it appears to be) comes; and which other prophecies not obscurely intimate will yet harbour an enemy to that people as formerly, and to accomplish a like purpose-to be, like the Assyrian of old, "the rod of the Lord's anger" for their correction, and the instrument of His "indignation," after which he, in turn, becomes the subject of judgment. See-to take only one instance, Isa. x. 12—" Wherefore it shall 66 come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his "whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will "punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of "Assyria and the glory of his high looks," &c.: followed by a prediction of the conversion of a remnant of Israel, which undoubtedly remains yet to be accomplished, ver. 20, 23—“ And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house "of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote "them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of 'Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the “remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a rem"nant of them" (i.e. only a remnant) "shall return: "the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteous66 ness. For the Lord God of hosts shall make a con"sumption, even determined, in the midst of the land:" -a "consumption" inflicted, it would seem, partly by means of these Trumpets in the vision before us, and especially by the three last "woes;" though not by them completed to the full extent of the "desolation deter

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mined," as stated, ver. 20, 21—"And the rest of the

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men which were not killed by these plagues yet re"pented not of the works of their hands," &c. Further judgments are yet in store for them, of which we shall read in the sequel.

LECTURE FIFTEENTH.

THE LITTLE BOOK: THE TWO WITNESSES.

REVELATION, Chap. x. and xi. 1-18.-" And I saw another mighty angel come down from Heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: 2. And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, 3. And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write and I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. 5. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to Heaven, 6. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created Heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer : 7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. 8. And the voice which I heard from Heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth he sea and upon the earth. 9. And I went unto the angel, nto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall