However, it would appear from history, that they have all done little, in comparison with the Romish and Protestant churches, except the Nestorians in Chaldea. The zealous labours of this sect are truly deserving of the highest encomiums. They had spread the light of the Gospel with astonishing success even in Tartary, and China, as early as the tenth century. It is evident fron credible testimony, that they had metropolitan prelates, with a great number of inferior bishops, and numerous flourishing churches in the provinces of Casgar, Nuacheta, Turkestan, Genda and Tangut, as well as in the empire of China; from which we may conclude, that there was a great number of Christians in those countries. That there was a great number in other parts of Asia, and more particularly in the Eastern provinces of the Grecian empire, is a fact of great notoriety.

Thus the Christians had a multitude of flourishing churches, in many countries on the continent of Asia, which are now almost totally destroyed. The few scattered remnants, here and there to be met with, have relapsed into the most deplorable ignorance, and scarcely deserve the name of Christians. That whole part of the earth is now deluged by Mahommedism and idolatry; and the ruling princes have been extremely hostile to the introduction of Christianity. It cannot be a difficult matter to find the cause of this mighty downfall of the Church in the East, as it must be attributed to an event of great notoriety; and to determine that event, is surely a discovery of the flood, mentioned in the text. However this flood must denote a different calamity, from that persecution expressed in the thirteenth verse, which commenced A. D. 1073, and necessarily refers to an event, posterior to that period, and yet connected with it, as a continuation of the third wo on the earth. The reason, why it is mentioned after the commencement of the second flight of the woman, though it arises before it, seems to be; be

cause the effects of this inundation, synchronize for a greater length of time with it, and almost during the whole of the second flight, where it is only first poured forth by the dragon, 159 years before the beginning of that term. Most authors which I have seen on this passage, either offend against the prophetic chronology, or the accepted rules of explaining the figurative language of this book.

It must be evident to the intelligent reader, that this flood is a most expressive figure, and may signify a fierce and cruel Pagan nation, invading the very territory of Christendom by a numerous army, and making vast encroachments upon the Christian Church. In this sense, this figure is used in other parts of Scripture, Psal. cxxiv, 1. Isa. VIII, 7. 8. xxvIII, 2. Dan. Ix, 26. and even in the Revelation, chap. xvII, 15. Such a flood may be considered as deluging a country by repeated and increasing torrents, with many a foaming billow; as to represent a successful invasion, progressing by successive armies from one country into another, and withall but weakly opposed. In my humble opinion, this flood denotes the invasion of Christendom by the Moguls under that successful adventurer Timur Bek, or Tamerlane; and more particularly the conquests of the Turks; who overthrew the whole Grecian empire and filled all Europe with alarm and terror.

Tamerlane, another terrible conqueror of the world like Dochinkis-Chan, arising among the Moguls A. D. 1350, proved a great scourge to the nations of Asia, and to the Church of Christ. He subdued in a few years the great Bucharia, Persia, Armenia, Karazm, Georgia and a great part of Tartary and India; then turning his arms Westwardly, he conquered all the countries upon the river Euphrates, invaded Russia, and pillaged Moscow; after which he triumphed over Bajazeth, the emperor of the Turks, as he was prosecuting the war against the Grecian emperors. This monster in human shape professed

attachment to mahommedism, and persecuted the Christians in all these countries, by thousand acts of most inhuman and unspeakable severity. He professed to have undertaken all his wars, for the propagation of his religion; and raged with unaccountable fury against Christianity. The Christian churches had no alternative, but apostacy from their holy religion or death in its most barbarous form. He often bruised them to death in large mortars, 3000, and 4000 at a time, as those historians assert, who have given us his life in detail; or immurred them alive with stone and mortar into a wall! Thus multitudes were forced to apostatize, and many more received the crown of martyrdom; the Christian Church seemed almost annihilated in Asia, during the time of this dreadful reign. But his vast empire fell into ruins, soon after his death, and the earth swallowed up the flood.

By the inundations of the Moguls, the progress of the Turks was checked, for a time; but after Tamerlane's desolations, they again recovered their former power, and enlarged their empire on every side. They were all zealous defenders of Mahommedism, and where ever they extended their conquests into Christendom, inflicted on its professors innumerable calamities. When they took Constantinople A. D. 1453 by storm, the whole Grecian empire fell into their hands, and all Europe began to tremble at the power of their arms. The torrent of the Moguls had hitherto deluged the Church in Asia, and put a total stop to the progress of the Gospel in the Asiatic regions; but the flood of the Turks now inundated also a part of Europe, and inflicted a still severer wound on the Church of Christ, from which she has not recovered to this day. Never before did the Eastern part of the Church meet with a calamity so extensive and lasting. By their large conquests and tyrannic government, the lustre of the Church was soon eclipsed in their dominions. Unable to resist the increasing power of such an over

whelming flood, she was pressed down to the earth; and is still greatly reduced by apostacy, ignorance, and vexation, both in numbers and in reputation as a Christian Church. This flood of the Old serpent, has since often overflowed its banks, and in the year 1529, and 1683, forced its way with turbulent impetuosity even to the very gates of the capital of the German empire and filled all Christendom with anxiety and alarm. But the earth always opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood. The empire of the Maguls was soon rent to pieces by civil wars and incursions of Asiatic heroes; and the Turks. found such powerful enemies in the Tartars, Persians and within the last century in the Russians, who always disturbed their progress, and deterred them in these enterprises against the Christian princes, that they could never fully accomplish their designs. Its foaming waves have now subsided, and also this part of the prophecy seems to have met its full completion. The Church again extends her spiritual conquests into the East, and the Old serpent will now soon execute his last project against her in those regions.

Verse 17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

This verse is also a continuation of the third wo on the earth, particularly in Asia, and has no reference to the sea. Its contents predict the execution of a new series of measures and enterprises, perfectly distinct from the former, and marked with additional wrath and more explicit anger against Christians, on account of their religion. In my opinion this prophecy is not yet fulfilled, but its accomplishment is approaching and near at hand. The object of Satan's wrath, is still the woman. But the power of his flood being now exhausted and insufficient to

do her any material injury, he has projected a new plan of measures against the remnant of her seed.

He went. The original is aλde, he went away, namely, from that place into other regions, and among other Pagans, whose power was yet at his disposal to be used as engines against Christianity. The Church it would seem, has little more to fear of the Turks.

To make war. This signifies open opposition by the assistance of civil authority, in order to extinguish the light of the Gospel, where it may yet appear like a faint glimmering taper through a dark atmosphere.

The remnant of her seed. A remnant is the residue, that which is yet left, the remaining part; and the original may also signify, a part separated from the Church. By this description we are literally refered to those regions of the earth, where the woman once had flourishing establishments, which had been destroyed, and the members persecuted, many of them murdered, or forced to fly into other countries, where at this time the enemy of souls again discovered the scattered remnants yet remaining. These are the solitary Christian Churches and families in Pagan and Mahommedan countries, scattered over the interior of Asia; such as the 200,000 Syrian Christians in India, visited by Dr. Buchanan, & in other sections of that yet unenlightened part of the globe, of whom we have information, or who may yet be discovered. Probably, the Lord will pour out upon this remnant, a spirit of zeal and prayer for the propagation of the Gospel among their Heathen neighbours, by which they will rise into more public notice; and being attacked in their own homes, after having acquired considerable physical strength, will defend themselves against their enemies. They are called only the remnant of her seed, and not the whole of her spiritual offspring, by which the Lord seems to refer us exclusively to a part of those Christians,