with joy and thankfulness to the prospect, after so long a period of anxious waiting and expectation, of my being at length permitted to bring before the Church what remains of the chronological prophecies of Ezra and St. John as yet unexplained; and as there has appeared to me to be something almost supernatural in the veil which has been hitherto cast over the mind of the Church in reference to this subject, as well as in the impediments which have obstructed my own attempts to bring it forward; so I am now encouraged to hope for unusual success from the consideration, that as we are arrived at the last of the prophetic periods of Daniel, we must at length have reached that peculiar period called by him "the time of the end," when we are to expect that the words of his prophecy (and we may infer of prophecy in general) will be no longer "closed up and sealed," (Dan. xii. 9 ; xi. 40,) but be received and understood by the Church at large; and especially that a true interpretation of the apocalypse, while it will do away the lamentable differences of opinion which have hitherto existed relative to it, will evidence also, as therein revealed, the love and faithfulness of Christ, his power and unchangeable wisdom ordering all things from the beginning, and his unspeakable love as sharing through time and in eternity all the attributes he possesses, and all the offices he sustains as Mediator, with that Church which he has redeemed with his own blood; thus affording her encouragements of the highest

kind, well suited, and we may believe graciously intended to sustain her in the midst of the awful events we are now called upon to meet.

APPENDIX.

Observations on the exclusive application in the preceding pages of the flight of the three angels mentioned in Rev. xiv. 6—10, and Rev. xviii. 1—4, to the institution and works of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Prophetic Society, and the Reformation Society; and of the symbolical "Harvest of the Earth" to the "Evangelical Alliance."

THE visible symbols employed in prophetic language always receive their fulfilment in something definite, visible, and tangible, not in things invisible and ideal; and the precise objects represented by the flight of the three angels of Rev. xiv., I believe to be undoubtedly "The British and Foreign Bible Society," "The Prophetic Society," and "The Reformation Society." These societies should, however, be chiefly considered as being the outward and visible expressions of an inward and spiritual grace, specially bestowed upon the Church at the periods signified; all therefore who partake of the grace, though working by different instrumentalities, may be considered as virtually interested in the representation.

In like manner, the "Evangelical Alliance," symbolized, I believe, by "the harvest of the earth" of Rev. xiv. 14—17, may

justly be considered as only an outward expression of that love, (by the grace of God specially manifested in the Church at the time indicated,) which the true followers of Christ ought always to feel towards those who profess his faith, and bear his image, wherever they are found; whom Christ will at all times, and doubtless under approaching trials, protect and bless.

It may be considered as a circumstance illustrative of the chronological character, and minute accuracy of the apocalyptic visions, that the fourteenth chapter, treating of the works of the Church from 1792 to 1847, does not include the various religious societies which, though in active operation during its period, had arisen at a date preceding it.

A corresponding circumstance, equally indicative of the chronological accuracy of the apocalypse, and confirmatory of the particular interpretation here given to its symbols, occurs in Rev. xvii. and xviii., describing "the judgment" of the seventh vial upon Babylon the Great, together with the special works of the Church preparatory to it, and commencing from the termination of the sixth vial in September, 1823; for it will be found that while the Prophetic and Reformation Societies, which originated in 1826 and 1827, are therein described, the British and Foreign Bible Society, though in active operation at the same time with these, yet, having been established at the earlier period of 1804, is consequently unnoticed.

It is to be observed, also, that as the fourteenth chapter of the Apocalypse, relates to the period during which the seven vials of wrath were pouring out upon the earth, the three societies described in that chapter appear to have been those specially raised up to declare these judgments of God, and to prepare the Church for them. Thus the British and Foreign Bible Society, in preparation for the coming of our Lord in judgment upon the nations, fulfils his prediction respecting the gospel being first preached to all nations as a witness unto them; (Matt. x. 23; xxiv. 14;) the angel of Rev. xiv. 6, re10

presenting the members of the Church as occupied in the work of that society, having, it is said, "the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people; saying, with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come." (Rev. xiv. 6, 7.) An announcement, which could not have been stated as the peculiar message to the Church of any society established prior to the year 1792, when the vials of God's wrathful indignation upon the papacy and the papal Roman Empire first began to be poured out.

Again, on referring to the prefatory vision of "the judgment" of the seventh vial upon "Babylon the Great," describing the fall of the papacy, (Rev. xvii. 1 to xviii. 4,) we find that the Prophetic and Reformation Societies, alone mentioned therein, have peculiar reference to that event; the one proclaiming, in the language of prophecy, that Babylon was about to fall; the other exhorting the Church, in the name of Christ, saying, "Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues ;" and warning her followers of the punishments which shall be inflicted upon those who join themselves to, or continue in her communion, "saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." (Rev. xiv. 10.)

Thus the time in which these three particular societies first appeared, and the special objects which they had in view, are found to be peculiarly appropriate to the periods and objects of the respective visions into which they are introduced.