By thefe zealous meffengers of Chrift, the gospel was fpread throughout the world, according to that of the royal Prophet: "Their found hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world." Pfalm xviii. 5. The fuccefs of their preaching was the more wonderful, as all human confiderations confpired againft it. This new doctrine was intirely oppofite to the received maxims of the world; it declared war against the paffions of mankind, it taught felf-denial and mortification, it preached a contempt of what is generally admired, it condemned all other religions, and abfolutely required a moft virtuous conduct in all its profeffors. Moreover, its minifters, the apofiles, were not pofeffed of thofe natural endowments, which might make impreffion upon their hearers, and conciliate their minds to a new doctrine. They were illiterate men, chofen from the loweft conditions of life, deftiute of all human fuccour, without the advantages of education, and without human eloquence. Notwithstanding the want of these helps, they were inpired with fuch a spirit of zeal, and with fuch fupernatural force of elocution, as not to be refifted. But above all, the power of performing miracles was their peculiar badge, which ftamped upon their words the feal of divine atteftation. These were the means by which truth began to fhine forth in a garb, which it had never worn before. It now laid open to view the errors mankind had hitherto been enflaved to, it withdrew the veil of ignorance that ad overshadowed human reafon, it difpelled the darkness of paganism and fuperftition, and by its native luftre it difcovered the imperfection of all the yftems of doctrine propofed before by the fo much Doafted philofophers of antiquity. Such became the cafe with a Socrates, a Plato, an Epictetus, a Cicero,

c. Thofe fages, as they were filed, not aware of the weaknefs of human reafon unaffifted by revelaion, gave precepts of morality and maxims for the

conduct of life, which were in admiration for many ages; but when that light appeared, which came down from heaven with the Son of God, it then became manifeft how defective thofe dictates were. In the fame manner as the ftars in the firmament strike us with their luftre, and thine with advantage, in the night, but when the great luminary of the day, the fun, comes forth, the brightness of the ftars immediately fades, and foon vanishes: fo likewife, when the Son of God thought fit to grace this world with his prefence, it became neceffary that all former legiflators and philofophers, however eminent, fhould be eclipfed by his fuperior excellence, and that every human inftitution of doctrine fhould give place to the new precepts of his all-comprehending wifdom.

The great ftructure of religion, which the apoftles had begun, was carried on by their faithful and zealous fucceffors through the fubfequent ages. Thus he went forth conquering that he might conquer; and, thus he doth to this day, and will continue fo to do.

Prelude to the founding of the feven Trumpets.

*

Aroc, Chap. VIII. v. 2. "And I faw," fays St. John, "feven angels standing in the prefence of God: there were given to them feven trumpets.”

St. John now is directed to turn his eyes to the feven angels, who were feen ftanding before the throne of God in heaven, Apoc. i. 4. and iv. 5 and seven trumpets are given to them; one of thefe trumpets is founded in each of the feven ages of the Church, probably by that angel who is ap, pointed to fuperintend that age.-Then,

v. 3. "And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden cenfer; and there was given to him much incenfe, that he should offer of the prayers of all faints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God.

v. 4. "And the fmoke of the incenfe of the

prayers

By thefe zealous meffengers of Chrift, the gospel was fpread throughout the world, according to that of the royal Prophet: "Their found hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world." Pfalm xviii. 5. The fuccefs of their preaching was the more wonderful, as all human confiderations confpired against it. This new doctrine was intirely oppofite to the received maxims of the world; it declared war against the paffions of mankind, it taught felf-denial and mortification, it preached a contempt of what is generally admired, it condemned all other religions, and abfolutely required a moft virtuous conduct in all its profeffors. Moreover, its minifters, the apoftles, were not poffeffed of thofe natural endowments, which might make impreffion upon their hearers, and conciliate their minds to a new doctrine. They were illiterate men, chosen from the loweft conditions of life, destitute of all human fuccour, without the advantages of education, and without human eloquence. Notwithstanding the want of thefe helps, they were infpired with fuch a fpirit of zeal, and with fuch fupernatural force of elocution, as not to be refifted. But above all, the power of performing miracles was their peculiar badge, which stamped upon their words the feal of divine atteftation. These were the means by which truth began to fhine forth in a garb, which it had never worn before. It now laid open to view the errors mankind had hitherto been enflaved to, it withdrew the veil of ignorance that had overshadowed human reafon, it difpelled the darkness of paganism and fuperftition, and by its native luftre it difcovered the imperfection of all the fyftems of doctrine proposed before by the fo much boafted philofophers of antiquity. Such became the cafe with a Socrates, a Plato, an Epictetus, a Cicero, &c. Thofe fages, as they were ftiled, not aware of the weakness of human reafon unaffifted by revelation, gave precepts of morality and maxims for the

conduct of life, which were in admiration for many ages; but when that light appeared, which came down from heaven with the Son of God, it then became manifeft how defective thofe dictates were. In the fame manner as the ftars in the firmament ftrike us with their luftre, and thine with advantage, in the night, but when the great luminary of the day, the fun, comes forth, the brightness of the ftars immediately fades, and foon vanishes: fo likewife, when the Son of God thought fit to grace this world with his prefence, it became neceffary that all former legiflators and philofophers, however eminent, fhould be eclipfed by his fuperior excellence, and that every human inftitution of doctrine fhould give place to the new precepts of his all-comprehending wifdom.

The great ftructure of religion, which the apoftles had begun, was carried on by their faithful and zealous fucceffors through the fubfequent ages. Thus he went forth conquering that he might conquer; and, thus he doth to this day, and will continue fo to do.

Prelude to the founding of the Seven Trumpets.

*

Aroc, Chap. VIII. v. 2. " And I faw," fays St. John, "feven angels standing in the prefence of God; there were given to them feven trumpets."

St. John now is directed to turn his eyes to the feven angels, who were feen ftanding before the throne of God in heaven, Apoc. i. 4. and iv. 5 and seven trumpets are given to them; one of thefe trumpets is founded in each of the feven ages of the Church, probably by that angel who is appointed to fuperintend that age.-Then,

v. 3. "And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden cenfer; and there was given to him much incenfe, that he should offer of the prayers of all faints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God.

V. 4. "And the fmoke of the incenfe of the

prayers

prayers of the faints afcended up before God, from the hand of the angel."

In imitation of the golden altar of incenfe that ftood in the Jewish tabernacle before the Holy of Holies, there is here a golden altar of incenfe placed before the throne of God, to which an angel comes holding a golden cenfer. This is presently filled with much incenfe, which represents the prayers of all the faints, that is, of all the fervants of God on earth: and thus the angel offers these prayers, which ascend up as the odour of fo much fragrant incenfe before God, so pleafing are they to him. We faw, Apoc. v. 8. See p. 19. the faints in heaven prefenting the prayers of the faithful to the Lamb; and here the fame kind of function is performed by an angel: which fhews how the angels are employed in good offices for mankind. Another inftance of this fort is seen in the book of Tobias, where the angel tells that holy man," When thou didft pray with tears, I offered thy prayers to the Lord." Tob. xii. 12. v. 5. "And the angel took the cenfer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and caft it on the earth, and there were thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and a great earthquake."

The angel having performed the religious rite of offering the prayers of the faints to God, he then takes the cenfer, and fills it with fire from the altar of holocaufts; fuch altar appearing to St. John in heaven fimilar to that which formerly belonged to the Jewish tabernacle. The cenfer fo filled with fire, the angel cafts down on the earth. This is a figurative intimation of God's defign to try his fervants on earth by the fire of tribulation, like gold in the furnace. The Almighty had juft received their prayers with great complacency, and doubtlefs never ceafes to keep a paternal eye over them, and to cover them with his protection: but he here lets them know, it is the difpofition of his Providence to put them to the teft, that thofe who are truly his fer