In the first place, then, is it not notorious that, in the present day, the two great Curses of Christendom-Civil and Ecclesiastical Despotism-still hold absolute sway, throughout nearly the whole Continent? Europe, from the Atlantic to the Vistula, is filled with the groans of the oppressed, and the cries of the persecuted. Unquestionably, France, Spain, Austria, and Italy, exhibit not such a state of things, in a political or a religious point of view, as to indicate that Absolutism and Popery had received their death-wound seventy years ago; but, rather, the continued existence of those accursed systems, in almost all their wonted activity. It is true that, during the last few months, the Papacy has experienced a severe blow, in the loss, for the present at least, of the best part of her temporal dominions-but it is extremely doubtful whether this will prove a permanent loss. If it should, the Ecclesiastical Supremacy of the Pope will not be affected by it-and it is this that constitutes (together with the Greek Church) the two-horned beast of the Apocalypse. At any rate, leaving out the events of these last few months, it is beyond dispute that for a long time the whole Continent of Europe, except two or three of the smaller States, has been prostrate beneath a despotism, both Civil and Ecclesiastical, so rigid as to tempt one to believe that the dial of time had gone backward, and that we were once more about to return to the gloom and misery of the dark ages.

It must be confessed that this is a remarkable state of things, if, indeed, the reign of the two Apocalyptic wildbeasts had come to an end seventy years ago. A marvellous contrast does this present to what we should naturally expect if the twelve hundred and sixty years had so long

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since come to a termination. Still more strange, if, as Dr. CUMMING and others assert, the joyful blast of the Seventh Trumpet sounded in 1792.

Surely, no impartial inquirer into the fulfilment of Divine Prophecy, as he thinks upon the forlorn and hapless condition which Europe has presented to the eye of the Christian philanthropist for the last half-century, can believe that before the commencement of that period, the Church of God emerged from the wilderness-the two witnesses no longer prophesied in sackcloth, but occupied the place of power in heaven,-the power to change times and laws was taken out of the hands of the Papacy, and the persecutors of the saints of God ceased to rule.

Secondly, the same thing may be proved by referring to the page of Divine Prophecy. When did the second woe terminate? What event in the history of the past has ever fulfilled the death and ascension of the two witnesses ? When did the third woe, mentioned in Rev. xi. 14, as quickly following the ascension of the witnesses, take place? Where can we find the fulfilment of the plagues of the seven vials, in which is filled up the wrath of God? Yet all these things and many other events plainly happen before the period of the Millennial Blessedness which Dr. CUMMING tells us is so near-viz., in 1867.

It cannot, then, be doubted, we think, that Dr. CUMMING has made a grievous mistake in thus publishing to the world-re-echoed as it is in the pages of the Times —the announcement that the great prophetical period of the "time, times, and half a time," has already ended; that it terminated in 1792; and has since been followed by the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet, and the effusion of the

Seven Vials which are "to destroy them that destroy the earth." He has evidently failed to read aright "the Signs of the Times." He has confounded together two periods as different from each other as light and darkness. He has described as a period of glad deliverance, a time in which as every one can see, priestly bigotry and ecclesiastical despotism have well-nigh crushed Continental Protestantism; and he has assigned to the glorious period of the SeventhTrumpet a state of things in which is dominant a tyranny more hateful than that of the Cæsars.

There can be little doubt, that the mistake just referred to, into which not only Dr. CUMMING but other writers on Prophecy have fallen, is mainly to be attributed to the impression produced on most minds by the events of the first French Revolution. It cannot be denied that many of the results of that unparalleled outbreak of the popular will bore considerable analogy to those which according to the "sure word of prophecy" are to succeed the expiration of the twelve hundred and sixty days. Christian men then living on the earth were thus naturally led to indulge the expectation that a new and brighter era was dawning upon this benighted world. Those conversant with the history of that terrific period, will remember that as one of the results, free constitutions were obtained by some of the European States, the interests of civil freedom were promoted also in many other ways; and the religious benefits which it conferred were neither few nor trifling. It is remarkable that about the same period a great Revival of Evangelical Religion took place in England; and the modern missionary spirit dates from the same era. Various societies were set on foot for the conversion of heathen

nations, and the general diffusion of the Scriptures. Whilst openings for the preaching of the Gospel occurred in many countries of Europe immersed in Papal darkness and superstition.

What wonder, amid such events as these, if men did think that a new and glorious era of light and happiness had at length dawned upon the world!-That men who witnessed these blessed results of that terrific moral earthquake felt impressed with the conviction that the dark millennium of priestcraft and absolutism was passing away, and the long-expected era of light and liberty, truth and righteousness, setting in. There is no reason, however, that we, in the middle of the nineteenth century, should commit ourselves to the same blunder. We, that have lived to see our fondest hopes frustrated; that have witnessed these glorious influences spend themselves ; and have seen how a re-action, in every part almost of Christendom, has taken place. It would be the height of folly for us to suppose that the French Revolution of 1791 was the death-knell of Civil and Ecclesiastical Despotism, and the harbinger of freedom and salvation to suffering humanity. Beholding, as we do, the results of that tremendous convulsion, from the vantage-ground of futurity, we can readily discover that the Revolution wanted depth of principle and stability of purpose. It possessed the brilliance of the meteor that shoots momentarily athwart the sky, but it wanted the steadiness and duration of that light "which shineth more and more until the perfect day."

CHAPTER III..

The Seven Vials, yet future.

Ir must be admitted, then, that the great period of twelve hundred and sixty days is still running on-the two Antichristian systems, which occupy so prominent a place in the Apocalypse, are still ascendant in Europe, and as a consequence the church of God is still in the wilderness, and the two witnesses prophesy in sackcloth, and shut heaven that it rain not.

Another necessary consequence which follows from the foregoing remarks is the fact of the Seven Vials being still future. Dr. CUMMING and some other writers on Prophecy speak of these "plagues" as having been already poured out. We have already witnessed, he tells us, the effusion of the Sixth Vial, and the present decay of the Ottoman Empire is the result of that Vial being poured on "the Great Euphrates," causing "the waters to dry up." But, if the "twelve hundred and sixty days" be as yet unexpired, it is obvious that the Vials must be still future. To any one who peruses with care the Apocalyptic description of these "seven last plagues," it will be evident, that they are retributive judgments upon the two beasts of the