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"YE shell weep and lament," said our Lord to his disciples, referring to his approaching death and burial, "but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." When Christ is again slain in the persons of his witnesses, the saints that are left in their hiding-places have a dark night of sorrow and distress. The three years and a half, however, pass away; the night of sorrow comes to an end, and joy cometh in the morning. The morning has at last dawned, the morning of that day for which the whole creation earnestly longs, groaning and travaling togeather in pain until now, when the people of God shall be finally delivered from oppression when the saints shall began to take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom even for ever and ever. At the predestincd time, after the witnesses have lain dead three days and a half, "the spirit of life from God enters into them, and they stand upon their feet." The testimony that had been suppressed is again openly borne in "the broad street of the city," where it had been put down. It is not necessary to suppose that those who bear aloft the banner for the truth are any considerable number. It is easy for "the Lord to save, whether by many or by few." We find, that when all testimony for the truth lead been put down in Israel, for three years and a half-the very time during which the witnesses are silenced-Elijah was commissioned at the end of that period, alone to go and testify before both king and people, for the God whom they had cast off. "Go, show thyself to Ahab," said God to his servant; and strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, he went, and,single handed in the face of an apostate nation, pleaded, and successfully pleaded, the cause of Jehovah. So will it be with the servants of Christ. Few they may be, but however few, when "the spirit of life from God" comes mightily upon them, they will not be able to keep silence; they will again openly testify, and will not "fear what flesh can do unto them."
But though they are undaunted, it is not so with the people whose sins they are sent to bring to their remembrance. Great fear fell upon them, which saw them. During the whole 1260 days the testimony of the witnessses had "tormented" them that dwelt on the earth. Now, when that testimony, after so complete an extinction, so miraculously revives, and becomes bolder, clearer, and more powerful than, ever, we may well suppose: that great will be their astonishment and alarm. The analogy of the three years and a half in Ahab's time, when Jezebel had slain the public witnesses of Jehovah, may lead us to another circumstance that may account for thier terror. As soon as Elijah, by God's command, had hid himself by the brook Cherith, the heavens over the heads of the apostate Israelites became iron, and the earth under their feet brass; the hand of the Lord was stretched forth in righteous judgment against them and cut them off in thousands by sore and wasting famine. And can there be a doubt, if Great Britain be indeed the "broad street," where the slain servants of Christ shall be exposed to insult, that the providential judgments of God will speedily and terribly overtake it. When, therefore, the witnesses of Christ appear anew, the providence of God without, and the Spirit of God within, will alike bear testimony to the truth. Conscience will be quickened; many will be pricked to the heart; many who, during the time of persecution, had temporized, will feel that they can temporize no longer. Be the consequences what they may, they will feel that now it is no time to Halt between two opinions, between the Lord and Baal but will boldly exclaim, "The Lord, he is the God ! the Lord, he is the God !"
Most manifest it is that the testimony of the witnesses is now attended with extraordinary power, and that, as it was In Israel of old, "The Lord hath turned the hearts of the people back again;" for it is said, "they (the witnesses), heard a great voice from heaven, saying unto them, Come tip hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them." No longer are the witnesses of Christ to be depressed, no longer are they to wear sackcloth; the days of their mourning are ended. They are called to influence and power, both in the church and in the state. A question of some in terest here presents itself: Will not the testimony of the witnesses take a historical form, and will not that be one grand element in their success I am persuaded it will. It was a memorable incident at the execution of James Guthrie, the martyr, when, on the point of behig turned off the ladder, with the light of eternity already bursting on his soul, lie lifted the napkin from off his fitce, and exclaimed, "the covenants, the covenants shall yet be Scotland's reviving!" What if these covenants, long despised and generally forgotten, in the hands of the risen witnesses of Christ, be the reviving, not of Scotland only, but of England too? Certain it is, that both England and Scotland be under the bond of these covenants, and that no long-continued neglect, no lapse of time, can nullify their binding obligation. Yea it is the high and distinguished privilege of these realms, that God condescended 1n ancient, times to enter into covenant with them. The grand bojects for which they were sworn, were just to secure the supremacy of Christ, alike over the church and the nation; and as they were agreeable to God's word, and entered into 1n defence of his cause, so they were attended by the host abundant evidence that they were ratified in heaven. "The Lord from heaven," says the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland of 1640, "did testify his acceptance of the covenant, by the wonderful workings of his Spirit in the hearts of both pastors and people to their great comfort, and strengthening in every duty, above every measure that hath been heard of in this land."
The testimony of the godly Livingston on this subject, is very express. "I was present," says he, "at Lanark, and several other parishes, when on Sabhath, after the forenoon's sermon, the covenant was read and sworn; and I may truly say, that in all my life time, excepting at the Kirk of Shotts, I never saw such motions from the Spirit of God." In England, there seems to have been more of the earthly mingled with the religious element, but both Scotland and England were solemnly dedicated to the most High God. The Lord plainly accepted of the dedication; and Great Britain, by that solemn deed, became "holy to the Lord." Defection and apostacy have long prevailed, and that defection and apostacy shall draw down sharp acid severe retribution, but the covenant on God's part still stands, and he will, in due time, vindicate his own claims, as covenant God and king of the nation. Now the terms of the prophecy before us, recognise the existence of one, and only one such nation within the bounds of apostate Christendom. The great city, or European commonwealth, in the general, is destined to utter desolation, but a tenth part of that city, the tithe, as holy to the Lord, after being judged and severely chastened, shall be saved from the general ruin. When the witnesses arise from the dead, may we not .suppose that the breach of covepants, as well as the transgression of commandments, will form the burden of their testimony; and that the repentings of the people will be kindled within them, when they compare the then wretched condition of the land, both in a temporal and spiritual point of view, with what it was when the Lord was honoured, by it as the alone King of saints, and King of nations? When therefore the witnesses are called to positions of influence and power, it is, of course, that the principles for which they1 contend may be fully carried out. But this cannot be done without vast changes, especially in the whole framework of the church. Bishops and archbishops, deans, and prebendaries, and canons, and archdeacons, patrons, and rectors, and curates, and all such "names of men" as have no warrant in God's word; must be for ever abolished. The witnesses of Christ have no worldly, no selfish objects to promote. If therefore they receive power, it is only that the glory of Christ may be promoted, that the authority of his word may be exalted, that every plant in the professing church that their heavenly Father hath not planted may he rooted up. Every corruption, every abuse, must be swept away. But will such a reformation be easily effected? No: corruption has taken deep root in the son; and those who have an interest in the maintenance of it, will at once be aroused. The consequence is, there is a "great earthquake," a great intestine convulsion. The men who seek to reform the church and the nation, by the standard of God's word, will be denounced as the troublers of Israel, and anew the attempts will be made to cut them off. They maintainers of abuses will think, that "what firmness has done before, firmness may do again." But now "the hour and the power of darkness" are gone for ever. The Lord fights for his own servants, and at once delivers them from the hands of them that hate them, and avenges on the persecutors all the innocent blodd they had shed. "The tenth part of the city falls," is finally separated from the Antichristian community; "in the earthquake are slain of names of men seven thousand; the remnant are affrighted, and give glory to the God of beaven." Here the reign of righteousness is commenced, the authority of God is exalted; the sanctultry is cleansed, the nation is regenerated.
Almost immediately after, the wrath of God is poured out on the Great city. There is no repentance there, no giving glory to the God of heaven. When the "seventh vial" has been poured out to the very dregs, the wretched inhabitants, instead of repenting, "blaspheme God because of their plagues." It is not reformation then, but destruction, complete and utter destruction, that awaits the Antichristian-nations of continental Europe, and that both in a secular and ecclesiastical point of view. Rome, as a church, like Sodom its prototype, is destined to fiery destruction: "She shall be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God which judgeth her." Rome,as an empire, is to be given over to the same fate: "I beheld," says Daniel, "till the beast (the secular empire of Rome) was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the devouring flame."
And in exact accordance with this view, we find that in the very last passage of the Apocalypse, where both are mentioned, Rev. 19:20, the false prophet and the beast, the harlot church, and the Antichristian empire, are alike represented as judged with fire: "These both," says John, "were cast into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone." Now, how comes this dreadful destruction on the great city the doom of Jerusalem casts light on the subect. Let it not be forgotten, that the city which spiritually is called Sodom, is also "the holy city" Jerusalem, "where our Lord was crucified;" and it can be demonstrated, that when our Lord predicted the doom of the literal Jerusalem, he, at the sank time, predicted the fate of that spiritual Jerusalem also, of which the former was a type. The guilt and doom of both cities are expressed in the very same language. The grand consummating guilt of the ancient Jerusalem was expressed in these words: "That on you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, the son of Barchias whom ye slew between the temple and the altar." In like manner of Babylon, it is said, Rev. 18: 24, "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." Now, as the guilt of both cities is the same, so also is their fate. In reference to the destruction of the literal Jerusalem, thus spake our Lord, Matt. 24: 21, "Then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to that time, no, nor ever shall be." This is very express. But, be it observed, the very same language is by the angel in Daniel applied to a period still future, to the period of the restoration of the Jews, a period which, as all admit, synchronizes with the downfall of Babylon, Dan. 13:1. "At that time shall Michael stand up; the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble such as there never was since there was a nation, even to that same time." Now, how can these two statements be reconciled? Only on one supposition; that the destruction of Jerusalem was the image and the type of the destruction of Babylon. And how strikingly does this accord with the prophetic language of the Apocalypse in regard to Babylon's fall! 1st, When the sevnth vial is poured out, immediately there is "a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." What is this but another way of expressing, in symbolical language, what our Lord expressed without a figure, as attending the destruction of Jerusalem, "the great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to that same time" Now, 2dly, How was it that the great tribulation came upon the guilty Jews? It,was, in the first instance, and pre-eminently, from their own ungovernable passions let loose upon, themselves it was in the streets of Jerusalem; within the doomed city itself, that the tribulation was felt in all its intensity.
Three several ,factions,--the Zealots under John of Gischala, the robbers under Simon of Gerasa, and the small but powerful band of the men of wealth under Eleazar, waged incessant war upon one another, and filled every part of the city with carnage. And look at the prophetic description of what followed the great earthquake : and what do you see? "The great city was divided into three parts." For a time, the discordant elements of which the great European commonwealth was composed, harmonized sufficiently in opposition to the truth. But now, that the time of retribution is come, the outward union is dissolved, and intestine strife in . the most deadly form rages through all the streets of the great city. The three unclean spirits from the mouths of the false prophet, and the dragon and the .beast, have not been labouring in vain. Three parties full of fury 225 and mutual hatred are found marshalled, to wage exterminating war againet one another. It is, if I mistake not. no geographical tripartition this. In every kingdom of Europe, the three principles of evil, arm citizen against his fellow-citizen. Except in the single case of the ancient Jerusalem, the world has seen no such civil war as this. There the most deadly elements were brought into collision, but the sphere was limited. Here wide Europe is the theatre, in which the hellish passions of ungodly men are left to give vent to themselves in reiterated and frightful vulcanic explosions. Now is the cup of the wine of Jehovah's wrath put into the hand of great Babylon. There is no remedy, no escape, but drink it she must. High and low, rich and poor, rulers and subjects, priests and people, lead combined to cast off the yoke of the King of kings, and to exterminate all who testified for his rightful authority. And they have been allowed to succeed. The saints are rooted out from the Continent of Europe; the salt of the earth is gone. The wicked are allowed to govern themselves. And what, is the result? Hell is enacted upon earth. The flames of civil war and universal anarchy spread in every direction; and there is no power on earth to quench them. Society is dissolved; government is extinct: "Every island flees away, and the mountains are not found." Small states and great nations are alike involved in the social conflagration.
But foreign power also interposes to consummate the desolation of the great apostate city. The Roman armies were commissioned to sweep Jerusalem, after it had suffered dire calamities at the hands of its own sons, from the face of the earth, with the besom of destruction. When it had become a dead carcase, then were the eagles gathered together to devour it. Now, if the principle I have been endeavouring to establish, in regard to the typical character of the predictions con- cerning Jerusalem be correct, there must be something analogous to this also in the final ruin of the great city Babylon. And is it difficult to see whence to "eagles" may come, that shall do for apostate Europe what the Roman armies did for ancient Jerusalem? The Russian "eagles" are watching every movement on the Continent, with as intense interest as ever the Romans did the doings of the rebellious Jews. Can it be imagined that of so strong and tremendous a despotism has been raised up by Providence without some important design? And what can that design be, but that like "the Assyrian, the rod of God's anger," it may execute the fierceness of the Almighty's wrath on apostate nations who are ripe for judgments? And the language of the Apocalypse itself points ill the very same direction as the words of our Lord. The last judgment upon the great city, is a desolating firestorm of hailstones, "every stone about the weight of a talent; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail: for the plague thereof was exceeding great." Now whence comes the hail? Plainly from the real north, the region of frost and snow. Under it the first trumpet, the hail symbolized the wars of the harbariains, who burst, ln desolating fury from the frozen north upon the fertilr fields of Italy; but no hail, no northern warfare was ever so desolating as this. rhe civil warfare of the great earthquake dissolves the framework of society. This seems destined to involve it in final destruction, and to sweep it clean away, or to leave only a smoking ruin. Now is fulfilled what Nebuchadnezzar saw in vision; when the stone cut out of the mountain without hands smote the great image on the toes, "Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors, and the wind carried them away, and no place was found for them." How long Europe will be scorched with the fires of civil and foreign warfare, I presume not to say. It may not be improbable, however, that the thirty supplementary years, which in Daniel are added to the 120, may be filled up with the last judgments on the Antichristian nations. It is not in Europe only, however, that judgment will be inflicted. There is the centre of the earth quake, but the shocks shall be felt to the world's circumference. "The time of trouble such as there never was since there was a nation;" will affect men in every country, and every clime. "All the tribes of the earth shall wail." The saints alone shall be safe. All else in the remotest parts of the world will be exposed to the anger of that God who cometh out of leis place to smite the nations "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, behold evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth, even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be gathered nor buried, they shall be dung upon the ground."
When the Lord hath thus made bare his holy arm before all the nations, then shall men begin to learn, that verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth. Their shall the word of the Lord leave free course and be glorified. Israel shall look on Him whom they pierced, and recognise and acknowledge their long rejected Messiah. The idols of the nations will be utterly abolished. Men shall be blessed in Christ, all nations shall call him blessed; and the probability is, that when forty-five years, in addition to the thirty, shall have passed away, the full glory of the millenium kingdom shall have commenced; the whole "kingdoms of this world" shall have "become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ." "B1essed is he that waiteth and coineth to the thousand three hundred and five-and-thirty days."
1See Isaiah 6:13