different sets of symbols: and hence it is shewn, that the wild-beast of the fifth vial stands immediately and inseparably connected with the sun of the fourth. For, as I have already observed, if we inquire into the natural economy of the two successive hieroglyphics which St. John has employed to picture the short reign of the Francic Emperorship, we shall find, that the sun bears exactly the same relation to the world as the head of an animal bears to its body. When the Roman Empire is symbolised by the earth, its existing supreme form of government is the sun: when the same Empire is symbolised by a wild-beast, its existing supreme form of government is the head of that beast. The sun, therefore, of the fourth vial is the very same Power, as the head of the wild-beast which appears under the fifth vial. Whence, in the language of symbols, the scorching heat of the sun is precisely equivalent to the tyrannical rampancy of the wildbeast under his existing head: and, conversely, the dethronement of the wild-beast and the filling of his kingdom with darkness is exactly equivalent, in case the other set of symbols had been employed, to the smiting and blackening and falling from heaven of the solar orb. Thus, had the prophet chosen to employ the same machinery both in the oracle of the fourth and in the oracle of the fifth vial, he might either have said, that, under the fourth vial, the sun scorched men with fire; but that, under the fifth vial, it was darkened and fell from heaven or he might have said, that, under

the fourth vial, the seventh head of the beast arose and spake great things with its mouth; but that, under the fifth vial, a baleful stream descended upon the throne of the beast and filled his whole kingdom with darkness. In each case, the import of the two oracles would be precisely the same: in each case, the fourth vial would predict the military dominance and tyranny of the Roman Empire under its then existing head; while the fifth vial would predict a formidable and successful attack upon that Empire still under its then existing head, which attack should issue in the dethronement of the head and in the subversion of the Empire.

2. This matter being abundantly clear, we have only to ascertain the then existing head of the Empire by a recurrence to the chronological epoch of the prophecy and the whole will stand self-applied and self-explained.

Now we have seen, that, by the sun of the fourth vial, can only be meant the Francic Emperorship or the seventh head of the Roman beast. But the seventh head of the beast is his last head. Therefore the seventh head or the Francic Emperorship must be the existing head of the Roman beast, at the time when the fifth vial is poured out. Hence it will follow, that, as the oracle of the fourth vial described the military tyranny of the Roman Empire under its seventh head, the Francic Emperorship so the oracle of the fifth vial must describe the dethronement of that same head, and the consequent deathlike or dark political state of the

Empire (as an Empire) over which it recently presided.

From this statement it appears, that these two successive oracles set forth the rise of the shortlived seventh head of the Roman beast and its subsequent destruction by the sword. Each of these particulars is mentioned by St. John, both in his description of the hieroglyphic, and in the explanation of that hieroglyphic which is given by the interpreting angel: but nothing specific is there said, as to their chronology; we are simply told, that, in the time of the Apostle, the seventh head was as yet future'. The defect is now supplied: and the two particulars are referred to their proper chronological place; namely, the season of the third great woe in general, and the fourth and fifth riods of that season in particular.

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3. We recently beheld, under the image of a scorching sun, the Francic Emperorship or the seventh Roman head successful and triumphant : we must now turn our eyes to one of the most memorable reverses, that the world ever witnessed.

The fifth vial is poured out upon the throne of the Roman beast, while existing under his seventh short-lived head: and the consequence is, that his whole kingdom is filled with darkness.

It is not difficult to ascertain the abstract meaning of this hieroglyphical prediction: and its actual accomplishment has now rendered the application and exposition of it perfectly easy.

Rev. xiii. 3. xvii. 10.

(1.) With respect to the abstract meaning of the prophecy, if we translate it from symbolical into verbal language, it will plainly enough speak to the following effect.

The throne of the Roman beast while existing under his seventh head, which head events have proved to be the Francic Emperorship, will be violently attacked: and the attack will be crowned with complete success; for, in consequence of it, the whole bestial kingdom will be involved in the darkness of political death, and the military adherents of the throne will be inflamed with rage on account of the eminent calamity sustained by that throne. Still, however, no signs of repentance and amendment will appear.

(2.) Such is clearly enough the abstract meaning of the hieroglyphical prediction: and its accurate accomplishment, in a recent series of events, has removed every difficulty in the application of it.

The fifth vial began to flow in the summer of the year 1808 for then it was, that the throne of the Roman beast was first avowedly and directly attacked; then it was, that the period of his most extraordinary and unexpected reverses commenced. At this time, the whole Spanish nation, irritated by fraud and oppression and insult, rose as one man; and, in singular harmony with those terms of the prediction which form its leading characteristic, struck directly at the throne of the wild-beast, by declaring its seventh head or the Franco-Imperial

government of Napoleon to be a tyrannical usurpa

tion.

1812

As yet, however, the stream flowed with comparative penuriousness; and the throne, at all events, seemed perfectly safe: baffled in Spain, the seventh head was, nevertheless, eminently successful in Germany: the vial had merely commenced. But its baleful effects soon began to be felt by France The autumn of the year upon a larger scale. was marked by Buonapartè's frantic attack upon Russia. Of his vast armament, not a tithe returned to tell the tale of destruction. The campaign of the year 1813 was distinguished by his complete defeat before Leipsic, his loss of the whole of Germany, and his disgraceful flight across the Rhine. Portentous was the rapidity, with which the vial now flowed: but even yet its stream, though copious, was not at the full. In the spring of the year 1814, the allies occupied Paris: and, as the characteristic mark of the fifth vial is, that it should be poured out upon the throne of the wild-beast; so, in exact accordance with the prophecy, the sovereigns declared that they would treat neither with Buonapartè nor with any member of his family, and commanded the vanquished French Senate to call another prince to the throne. Their mandate was obeyed: Napoleon was compelled to abdicate: and the ancient dynasty was restored.

But, notwithstanding these disasters, the seventh head continued to exist: though the sword had been raised against it, yet, hitherto, it had not been