THE FALL OF ANTICHRIST,

Or the meaning of the Seven Phials, as far as we are yet permitted to understand it.

And first, Of the Phials generally.

The Holy Spirit propounds the history of the phials, and of the angels who pour them out, in a two fold manner. First, generally, from the beginning of chapter xv. to the end of the fifth verse, where the vision of the seven angels holding the seven phials being related to the conclusion, before he comes to the particular description either of the angels or the phials, the narration of another vision exhibited together with them, is introduced, by which the state of the Church is described while the effusion is going on, cleansed from defilements, and the filthiness of idolatry, in that sacred laver of the temple or sea, not made as Solomon's, of brazen materials, but of crystal, and singing, during the whole time of the effusion, the song of victory over the vanquished beast*, and that while she was but just coming forth from the bath in which she was purified, and while she yet remained on the margin of the laver. He then goes on to the clothing and apparatus of the angels, and to the phials specially, from those words of the 5th verse.

*It is called the Song of Moses and of the Lamb, because the Lord alone is to be worshipped and glorified as God. Which signification of thus song, as equally proceeding from Moses and the Land?, was now promulgated to men.

" And the seven angels, having the seven last plagues, came out of the temple, clothed in linen, pure. and splendid, and girt round the breast with golden girdles; " that is, adorned with the sacerdotal habit and girdle. Ezekiel c. xliv. v. 17, 18.

Take care not to join the words which we leave quoted with those of the preceding verse; for what is there said of the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven being opened, relates not to the beginning, but to the end of the phials; for the temple, which, while the phials were pouring out, "was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power, so that no man could enter therein," (and here there is an allusion both to the dedication of the tabernacle, Exod. c. xl. v. 34, 35, and also to the twice seven days' dedication of the temple, 1 Kings, c. viii. v. 10. 2 Chron. c. v. 13) will be rendered so clear when the phials are completely exhausted, that the Ark of the testimony (Christ) will become conspicuous, as is the case at the sound of the seventh trumpet, ch. xi. with which it has been shown in the third Synchronism, Part 2d, the last of the phials is contemporary.

HYPOTHESIS

Concerning the Phials, one by one.

First, The effusion of the phials signifies the ruin of the antichristian beast.

This is apparent from the text, concerning which see Synchronism vii. part 1st. For as the former, and more ancient polity of the Roman empire was subverted by the plagues of the trumpets, so the last is to be subverted by the plagues of the phials. This is the cause of so great a similarity between them, since the last bears the image of the former Roman polity.

Secondly, The seven phials are so many gradations of its ruin ; for as the beast rose by degrees, so likewise will he be abolished by degrees.

Thirdly, Whatever that maybe on which each of the phials is poured out, it suffers loss and injury by the phials; since the effusion of the phials is the effusion of the wrath of God. No interpretation, therefore, can possibly stand, by which the effusion of a phial would contribute to the good of that on which it is poured out.

Fourthly, The earth, the sea, the rivers, the sun, are something relative to the antichristian beast, which resemble the earth, the sea, the rivers, and the sun. For all the phials are poured upon the beast, and therefore each relates to something connected with the beast, or at least affecting his interest.

Fifthly, The whole body of the beast, or the antichristian universe, is tacitly compared by the Holy Spirit, in the same manner as in the trumpets, to the mundane system, of which the differrent parts are the earth, the sea, the rivets, heaven, and the luminaries, so that the earth in the pontificate universe would be so called from its resemblance to the earth, the sea from the same likeness to the sea, the rivers to the rivers, and the sun to the sun in the natural world.

Sixthly, Lastly (as we have observed more than once), because God employs angels as ministers of his providence, in exciting and directing the movements and revolutions of human affairs; therefore, those things which are per- formed by the hands of many, are yet attributed to an angel, as the president and director of the event to be transacted, according to a common mode of speaking.

AN EXPOSITION

Of the Phials, according to the Rule of these Hypotheses.

Phial the First. On the Earth, the Universe connected with the Beast.

The earth, in the antichristian universe, signifies the people at large, or the Christian vulgar ; the footstool (to its shame be it spoken) of Antichrist, constructed on which, as on a base, the hierarchial papal edifice, like the tower of Babylon, lifts its head to the ethereal regions, "Vertice ad auras aetllerias tendit." On this earth of the beast, the first phial being poured out, it contracted an ailment from the effusion, so as to fill the followers of the beast with fury and violence as with ulcers, and those so fierce and maliganant, that they could not be cured, nay, even a tendency to healing could not be brought on without being broken again, and thereby renewed.

This was fulfilled, when the lower orders of Christians, whether known by the names of the Waldensians, Albigensians, Wicliffites, Hissites, or by any other names, began every where to renounce the authority of the beast, crying out, that Rome was the apocalyptical Babylon, and that the pope was Antichrist. By which vapour on the earth, now glowing with the wrath of God, the followers of the beast being affected, grew all very hot with the sores of grief and indignation, by which, excited to rage, they dealt most cruelly with fire and flame against their opponents, in a wonderful manner for many years; but in vain, for they were disquieted by a bad and incurable ulcer, which the more they agitated themselves, became so much the worse from day to day. So formerly the land of Egypt, sprinkled by the Divine command with ashes of the furnace, rendered all the servants of Pharaoh, and their cattle, full of ulcers.

Now the world of the beast is in ch. xi. spiritually called Egypt, and therefore this plague of the ulcers is to be spiritually interpreted, that is, mystically, and by analogy, and this likewise in the figurative representation of the two following plagues, is to be diligently observed.

Phial the Second,

On the Sea of the Bestial World.

The sea, in the antichristian world, is the compass of the pontifical communion; by which not only individual Christians, but whole nations, peoples, kingdoms, provinces, dioceses, otherwise disjoined and separated from each other, are collected into one. Or, the antichristian sea, is the circumference of the pontifical jurisdiction or dominion, enclosing and enfolding Christian nations, as the sea does the earth.

The second phial being poured out on this sea, it becomes thereupon " as the blood of a corpse," or cold and coagulated blood, as that of dead and slain persons, or of a member cut off, when the connexion with the fountain of life being dissolved, it is deprived of the influx of spirit and warmth. The sense is, the pontifical sea was made a sacrifice of by death, dismemberment, and butchery.

Now this was fulfilled, when by the labour of Luther, and other illustrious reformers of that age, while God in a wonderful manner favoured their undertakings, no longer some individuals only of the Christian community, but whole provinces, dioceses, kingdoms, nations, and cities, renounced communion with the beast; and having made a great mutilation of his ancient most extensive empire, forcibly wrested from the body of the beast, withdrew from it. By which event, the sea of the pontifical dominion became in great measure dead, and like the blood of a dead man, in which the pontifical animals could no longer breathe and live.

Phial the Third,

On the Rivers and Fountains of Waters of the Bestial World.

The rivers and fountains of waters in the world of the beast, are the ministers and defenders of the antichristian jurisdiction; whether ecclesiastical, as the Jesuits, and other emissary priests, or even seculars and laymen, as the Spanish champions; to each of whom an office is committed by that jurisdiction, of managing and promoting the cause, which they call Catholic. Since, as rivers derive their origin from the sea, so likewise they apply their service and assistance to increase and maintain the same, in like manner as the rivers return into the sea.

Now these rivers, while they rashly pursue their courses, where it was no longer safe for them to go on, become tinged with blood by the effusion of the third phial, as they likewise lead formerly imbrued with blood the saints of God, and his prophets. In fact, from this phial, the affairs of the beast were to fall into such a state, that his ministers and defenders, having changed places with those whom they persecuted, were compelled to undergo the same death, by which they had been accustomed to sacrifice the saints and prophets of God, while their dominion flourished; as is clearly explained in v. 5 and 6, being the key for unlocking the parable.

And this I am inclined to think was then completed with regard to ecclesiastical emissaries, and their attendants, when in our kingdom of England, during the reign of Elizabeth, of glorious memory, and even afterwards, those sanguinary managers of the authority of the beast, even by laws published for that purpose, expiated their administration by their blood, (a circumstance which lead never befallen them before.) And not they only, but those who were much more formidable than them, the Spanish champions of the cause of the beast, in the endeavour to recover his dominion for the Roman Church by arms, while they thirsted for blood, drank blood in large draughts, especially in that memorable slaughter of the year 1588, and the following years, the English and Belgians, by sea and land, pouring out copiously the cup from the powerful hand of God. So that there was a wonderful cry of applause to the just and true judgments of God, not only from those islanders who were now revenging the blood of their own people formerly shed, but also from the neighboring French, who were still groaning under the cross, and the altar; nay, in the recent butchery of the year 1577.

And thus far the phials seem to leave proceeded ; the rest yet remain to be poured out.

Phial the Fourth,

On the Sun of the Bestial Heaven.

That we may discover what the sun is in the world of the beast, we must first see what the heaven is in that world, lest otherwise, destitute of the clew of analogy, we wander too much from the mark. For the sun is not to be placed, or conceived to exist, but in a heaven suitable to it. "The heaven, then, of the antichristian world is the supreme and universal pontifical power itself, or, in short, whatever exists of more sublime and regal authority in any part of the bestial world; that is, in the whole community of provinces acknowledging the Roman pontiff' as their head. For so, in the natural world, all that is on high, and above the earth and waters, is called heaven, in the acceptation of the Hebrews, and of the Holy Spirit.

Now in this antichristian heaven (according to the type of the natural heaven) there are many stars, and of different magnitudes, princes, governors, presidents, rulers, kings. There are likewise great luminaries like the sun and moon, which all appear to move round with the motion of heaven itself, and undergo their vicissitudes, from the law which governs it. Of this, indeed, the most splendid, and by far the greatest lumiary which shines in the Papal firmament, is the German empire, which has been the possession of the house of Austria for about two hundred years. Is not this the sun of that heaven * ? Now on this sun is the fourth phial forthwith to be poured out; so that he, driven out of his usual course in the heaven of the beast, and shining in a different manner, may scorch and torment with heat and fervour, even to blasphemy, the inhabitants of the antichristian world, whom he was formerly accustomed greatly to cheer with his warmth and radiance. And to while I am publishing these remarks, on which I had long ago written a Commentary, a report has filled the whole Christian world, while the pious are offering up their gratulatlons, that an avenger from God has come from the North, to succour afflicted and depressed Germany a king pious and fortunate, and a conqueror wherever he has come, whose successes surpass the flight of the eagle.

*With all due deference to the foresight of the venerable author, but with greater facilities of judging from the lapse of time since this conjecture was formed, may we not suppose France to be the country more peculiarly designated? Of thus kingdom, which assumed the emblem of the sun as the mark of its dignity, Clovis or Louis was the first Christian king. In the reign of the XVIth Louis did this kingdom undergo the most stupendous revolution which has taken place for many centuries; overturning the throne and the altar, setting on fire, as we may say, the Papal world, destroying vast armies by the valour of its troops and the force of its artillery, devastating other countries, and at length exciting the most violent opposition to its progress in surrounding nations. It was this kingdom which in Charlemagne gave the first emperor to the Papal Roman empire, though the seat of his dominion was afterwards transferred to Germany. It was in a soi-disant emperor, who copied his example, that the Pope was enthralled, and compelled to adopt the suggestions of this temporary ruler.

The author of this note cannot help adding, as a remarkable circumstance, that on the 19th of January, 1793, the day on which the king of France was condemned, he saw, without the help of a glass, through a thin fog, large spots on the sun's surface, one of which appeared as a fissure of many digits in extent; such as he understood from Mr. Vince, Plumian Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge, were never recorded to have been seen before by the naked eye. Vide Ann. Reg. 1793.-R. B. C.

Is not this he whom the Lord of Hosts has destined to execute the work of this phial ? So I hope and pray from my soul, "Gird thee then with thy sword, O great King! proceed prosperously and reign, for the salve of truth, of meekness, and of righteousness; for thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things*

* This relates, I suppose, to the king of Sweden, and is surely a proof how careful we should be in the interpretation of proplictical scripture, when we see so enliglitencd end cautious a commentator as Mede led to apply an important part of the great scheme of prophecy to passing events. R. B. C.

Phial the Fifth,

On the Throne of the Beast.

The fifth phial is to be poured out on the throne or seat of the beast; that is, on Rome itself. And now the Holy Spirit no longer conceals the subject under the veil of figures or allegorics, perhaps on account of the great light then to arise on those prophecies; when this sort of Mercurial sign being seen, it will no longer be ambiguous how much progress the phials have made, and how much yet remains to be completed by them.

By this destruction of the Roman city, (which I think to be the very same as is said ch. xi. 13, to follow the resurrection and ascension of the witnesses) the name of the pontificate will not utterly perish, but will then be despoiled of its glory and splendour, so that "they shall gnaw their tongues for pain." In the meanwhile, however, still persevering in their impenitence, with obstinate minds, they will abuse their sufferings by additional blasphemy.

Phial the Sixth

On Euphrates.

The sixth phial will be poured out on the great river Euphrates; so that, being dried up, a passage may be prepared for the new enemies of the beast to come from the Last, that is, for the Israelites, wonderfully converted to the pure faith and Worship of Christ, and now become candidates for the kingdom promised for so many ages. Whom the followers of the beast, perhaps, may be inclined to consider as the army of their fictitious antichrist, to arise from the Jews, of whom they do not Hesitate to assert, that even we of this day are the forerunners. God thus avenging their obstinacy in error.

Now two things induce me to understand "the kings, to come (as it is said) from the rising of the sun," as spoken of the Jews. First, that it is the last phial but one, during which, therefore, if the Jews are not converted, it must necessarily come to pass, that they would be destroyed with the other enemies of Christ, in the number of whom they would still be included, in that great day of universal vengeance and judgment, which the next and last phial introduces. Besides the passage in Isaiah referring to the same event, brings me to this conclusion, from which, in all probability, this part of the Apocalypse is bor- rowed. "And the Lord," says he, ch. xi. 15, 16, " shall destroy (I should prefer, As the Lord has destroyed) the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and (I should prefer So) he shall lift up his hand upon the river, (Targum, the river Euphrates) with his mighty wind, (or Spirit) and shall smite it in the seven streams, so that men shall go over it dry shod." "And there shall be a highway for the remnant of my people which shall be from Assyria, (therefore the Euphrates is meant) as it was in the clay when he came up from the land of Egypt." Let the reader see Zach. x. 10, 11, and the Chaldee paraphrast thereon.

But what then, shall we say, is this Euphrates, whose waters shall be dried up ? Whether it is to be taken according to the letter, especially in that passage of Isaiah, I somewhat doubt. In the mean time, I rather think that something of parable and allegory is sprinkled through this part of the Apocalypse, but not much; so that the analogy of the other phials may remain here likewise, well adapted to the object of the effusion. For It seems we are to understand in the; same manner as the old Euphrates had, the mystical one has its Babylon also. I think the Ottoman empire will be the only obstacle to those new enemies from the Last, and a defence on the part of the beast. Nor will there be wanting an example from Isaiah himself, of Euphrates thus to be understood, who, ch. viii. v. 7, has described the Assyrian army, then a borderer on that river, under the similar allegory of the Euphrates. "The Lord will cause to come up against them (that is, the Syrians and the Israelites) the waters of the river, (so the Euphrates is accustomed to be called, Kat' f~oX"v) strong and many, the king of Assyria, and all his glory," (Targum, his army.) Why should not the Euphrates of the phials he taken, lay a parity of reason, for the Turks, not less than the Assyrians, borderers on the Euphrates, before its desication, nay, inhabitants of the same tract ?

It contributes not a little to the establishment of this interpretation, that we explained the letting loose of that vast equestrian army, long bound on the great river Euphrates, at the sounding of the sixth trumpet, ch. ix. 15, as intended for the Turks, thence to be poured forth on the Roman world, while we were following the series of the trumpets, and the probable truth of the subject matter. By the sixth phial, then, will this Euphratean flood be dried up. Evidently, according to what is said ch. xi. next after that destruction of the city to take place in the great earthquake, (which we have applied to the former phial) the second woe, that is, the plague of the sixth phial, is to pass away. But we shall labour in vain in our conjectures concerning a thing which is wholly future, as to the means by which, or the authors by whom, it is to be effected ; whether by the Jews themselves, (as Ezekiel, perhaps, intimates, ch. xxxviii. and xxxix.) taking possession of the Holy Land by restoration to their former state, or by some intestine dissension, opportunely preceding their return; or by both, perhaps, in successive order, or by some other cause.

Whatever it may be, their obstruction being removed, the way of approach is by some means said to be prepared for these new Christians from the East, and that, as it appears, for the purpose of undertaking an expedition against the beast, to whose destruction all the phials are subservient. For whence otherwise, and for what reason, should such a trepidation and panic seize upon the followers of the beast, and even the demons themselves, from the time of the drying up of the river, as to occasion such a horrible and unheard-of preparation for war as is here described; unless they, with the whole diabolical cohort, feared every extremity from the accession of the new kings of the East ?

Phial the Seventh,

in the Air.

The seventh and last phial is poured out in the air; that is, on the power of the air, or Satan, comprehending and animating in its bosom, not only the dominions of the beast, but of all the enemies of Christ our Lord, in every part of the world.

Now, as the beast drew from him spirit and life, even from his beginning, so the last fortunes of the bestial party will rely chiefly on their power and auspices, which may consist both in the array of so many confederates and auxiliaries, in the war of this last phial, collected together, as is related, by diabolical arts; and also from this circumstance, that the dragon, now Satan, not only intermeddles in their affairs by his vicars, the beast and false prophet, in levying this army of the habitable world, but that he by himself, in the last struggle of his reign, may appear to exercise his own proper and peculiar part; especially in calling forth those to a share in this war, upon whom otherwise the beast and false prophet could by no means have prevailed, either by authority or influence, or even perhaps by a representation of common danger.

Against so many enemies, thus gathered together under the auspices of the power of the air, and enclosed as in a cage at Armageddon, the seventh phial will be discharged, no longer by a human hand, but with a celestial and fullminating vengeance; (for "it is the battle of the great day, and of God Almighty.") By this the ruin of the beast will be fully consummated; not of the seat only, or the city of Babylon, as before, under the fifth trumpet, but of the state itself ; that is, of the Babylonian senate and people, wherever they shall be surviving after the destruction. of the city, until the extermination of all the kings and states, who had hitherto committed fornication with idols and false deities, and of the rest of the tyrants, who opposed together the holy Church of Christ, shall be completely effected.