honour or command. Their number was prodigious, and might be, at that time, perhaps, exactly two hundred thousand thousand, as it seems to be here asserted, for they seldom sent out an army of fewer than a thousand thousand fighting men at once. Their polished breast-plates represented fire when shone upon by the sun, and their horses are said to be like lions for fierceness. And seeing fire-arms began then to be used in war (of which they had great store, together with cannon of prodigious bigness, which did facilitate their taking of cities, and particularly Constantinople), their shooting these on horseback is represented as if the fire and smoke and brimstone had come out of their horses' mouths, their pieces being discharged over their heads. With these they killed the bodies of men, and with their tails, which had heads also, they killed the souls of these poor creatures that were stung or bit with their poisonous doctrines, insomuch that the third part of men, i. e. the third part of the ancient Roman empire (viz. that part which fell to Constantius, when Constantine divided the whole among his three sons), was destroyed and conquered by them. Now, if we inquire into the time of this trumpet, we have an exact calculation given of it. For they are said to be prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year; an hour being ever used indefinitely in this book for a season or period of time, we are accordingly to take it here. But days, years, and months, being used definitely always, we must likewise interpret them so here also. So that the sense of the place is, that the Turks were loosed from Euphrates, as being prepared instruments in the hand of God for the ruin of the Grecian empire, for a certain hour or season-even for a day, and a month, and a year. For in that period of time they destroyed the Eastern empire. For a prophetical year being 360, and a month 30, these, with the addition of one more, Now, seeing there is a remarkable stop and void, as it were, between the end of the sixth trumpet and the beginning of the seventh, which is filled up with the account of the slaying of the witnesses, in chap. xi. I do humbly conceive, that whatever particular slaughter of the saints were before, or may be afterwards, the great slaughter must have been during that interval of time; for this could not be during the height of the two former woes of Antichrist and his followers, and much less can it be supposed to be after the sound of the seventh trumpet, and while God's last plagues upon the beast are a-pouring out. I do, therefore, reckon that the witnesses who prophesied in sackcloth from the beginning of papal superstitions, were the honest Piedmontois, Albigenses, and Waldenses, who were slain at length, after they had stood the shock of all former attacks, particularly that of Simon Montfort, with his 500,000 Croissades, whom Innocent the Third diverted from the Saracen war, in order to extirpate that good people about the year 1416, and the neighbouring places, and a fourth to Asia, Palestine, and Egypt. They did all, indeed, safely return to their brethren, but with this sorrowful news, that they found no church of Christ that was pure or free from the grossest errors, superstition, and idolatry. This was in the year 1497. And when they sent two of their number two years afterwards-viz. Luke Prage and Thomas German— to go into Italy, France, and other places, to see if there were any of the old Waldenses left alive, they returned with the same melancholy news as the former had done, that they could neither find nor hear of any remaining; only they were informed of the martyrdom of Savanarolla (who suffered in the year 1498), and they were told of some few remains of the Piedmontois, that were scattered and hid among the Alps, but nobody knew where. Now, a few years after this, even the few remains of the Taborites were found out and persecuted, hardly any escaping; so that A.D. 1510, six suffered together publicly; and the when John Huss, and afterward Jerom of Prague, were burnt; but came not to its beight until the Bohemian Calixtines complied with the council of Basil, A.D. 1434, after which the faithful Taborites were totally ruined, as well as their brethren in Piedmont, France, &c. which happened about the year 1492. For they being destroyed, the Calixtines were no better than the dead carcases (as they are called, ver. 8), or corps of the former living witnesses, over which the Popish party did triumph; for they looked upon them as standing trophies of their victory, and therefore did not think fit to kill them further, or bury them out of their sight. For it is said (ver. 7, 8), that after they had finished their testimony, the beast did make war upon them. He killed them and their corps also (for the additional words in our version, shall lie, are not in the original, and do but mar the sense), or their bodies, in the streets of the great city, i. e. in Bohemia, one street of the papal dominions, or the great city Rome in a large sense. For I find that, to-year following, that famous martyr wards the end of the fifteenth century, the witnesses were in a manner wholly extinct. For Comenius tells us that about the year 1467, the Waldenses in Austria and Moravia had complied so far as to dissemble their religion, and turn to Popery in profession and outward compliance. The Taborites in the mean time, upon their refusal to do so, were so destroyed, that it was much that seventy of them could get together to consult about continuing their church, and about finding out some qualified person to be their minister, for they had none left, A.D. 1467. And so low was the church of Christ then, that when the hidden remains of the Taborites (who were called Speculani, from their lurking in dens and caves), sent out four men (as the author relates in another book) to travel, one through Greece and the East, another to Russia and the North, a third to Thrace, Bulgaria, Andreas Paliwka, who, I think, was the last of that period. From whose death, in the end of the year 1511, or beginning of 1512, to the dawning of the reformation, by the first preaching of Carolastadius and Zuinglius (who appeared at least a year before Luther, as Hottinger and others tell us), there was only about three years and a half, which answers, as near as can be, to the three days and a half of the unburied state of the witnesses; so that the spirit's entering into the witnesses (verse 2) began with the year 1516, if not the year before, though this appeared most remarkably when Luther opposed the Pope publicly, A.D. 1517. They were not only enlivened, but (to explain the words of John, ver. 2, a little further) they rose upon their feet, A.D. 1529, when so many princes and free cities in Germany protested against the edict of Worms and Spire, and so got the name of Protestants. They themselves to be the same in profesheard a voice from heaven saying,sion with their ancestors, and so were Ascend hither (ver. 12) i. e. to power the same with them as to name, the and peace, when Maurice of Saxony Calixtines were even debarred that beat the Emperor Charles, A.D. 1552; privilege. and accordingly they did after that ascend to the heaven of honour, rest, and security, as if they had been wafted up by a cloud, and that in the sight even of their enemies, when the Protestant religion was established and legally settled and allowed of, in the year 1555, which was continued and confirmed by Maximilian and Ruloph afterwards. In whose days the church began to be settled in several other countries-viz. in England, Scotland, Denmark, Swedeland, Switzerland, and the Low Countries. Now, it is observable, that in this period of time, when the witnesses furnished their testimony, or were about to do so, the Turks took Constantinople, A.D. 1453, which I take to be designed by the earthquake that destroyed the tenth part of the Roman dominions (ver. 13), for the Grecian empire was reduced before that, from being the third part of that empire; so that Mahomet's prevailing over the Greek church, and the Pope's conquests over the western Christians, were about a time, and therefore said to be in the same hour or period of time, i. c. before the sixth trumpet ended, and before the seventh began; for the sixth trumpet is the hour of the Turkish woe. And, indeed, their triumph was much of the same kind also. For as the Papists triumphed over the dead bodies of the witnesses, i. e. over the Calixtines (who were no longer living witnesses, the Taborites being all gone, and having overcome their enemies by their blood, and the word of their testimony), so the Turkish triumph was only over seven thousand names of men, i. e. over the remaining eastern Christians, who were so degenerated in all re-sackcloth, and to be slain only when spects, that they were only names or shadows of true Christians; only, whereas the Grecians did yet own These things being therefore considered (which I could easily enlarge upon were I not confined at this time), I think it is abundantly plain that the great slaughter of the witnesses must have been precisely at the time I have mentioned. For it could not be till Antichrist was at his highest pitch of power and grandeur, which was not before this time; and it was not possible that it should be after the seventh trumpet sounded, and the vials began to be poured out, seeing the witnesses were not only risen then, but were the instruments of this last and greatest woe to the worshippers of the beast; and therefore we find (chap. xi. 14, 15, &c.) that as soon as the witnesses arose, the second woe ended, and the third commenced in the begun exaltation of the saints and servants of God; and it is to me altogether inconceivable that the witnesses should be risen, and the antichristian interest decline; and yet that the witnesses should be entirely cut off during such a period, so that I am almost bold on this head (though I am resolved to propose my apocalyptical thoughts only by way of probable conjecture), to affirm that it is impossible, morally speaking, that the witnesses can ever be so entirely slain as they have been before, whatever particular and provincial persecutions they may be under for a time, and whatever formidable appearances there may be against the Protestant interest every where. Against this assertion I can foresee no objection of moment, excepting one, and this is, that seeing the witnesses are said to prophecy all the 1260 days of the beast's reign in they have finished their testimony, (chap. iii. 7), it seems, therefore, very strange to say that they shall be slain during the time of their 1260 days' or years' prophecy, and so long before the end of them. To which I answer, that in verse 3 there are two things spoken of with respect to the opposers of Antichrist; the first is, that they are called witnesses or martyrs against the abominations of that enemy; and the second is, that they are said to preach or prophecy against that interest. Now, it is only in the second sense that they are spoken of in relation to the whole 1260 days; so that, though the witness-bearing of the saints continue, in a large and general sense, for 1260 years (and that, for the most part, in sackcloth, because of the constant troubles they meet with from that restless enemy), yet their witness-bearing, by martyrdom and sufferings, in a strict and proper sense, relates only to the time of their low and obscure state, during the rage of the Papists, before the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Now, it is not said (though, perhaps, this was never taken notice of before), that the witnesses were killed after their whole prophecy or preaching was over, or after the whole 1260 days were run out; but only that after their testimony for Christ, by suffering, was over, that then, I say, they were universally slain and cut off (verse 7.) Now, though there have been many persecutions since the reformation, and the sounding of the seventh trumpet, yet they were never universal ones. Besides, that the difference is great between the witnesses before and since that time in this respect; for since Luther's appearing, our religion has been established publicly in several nations, and authorized by law in opposition to Popery, which it never was before. But to proceed. The seventh trumpet sounds (chap. xi. 14, &c.) immediately upon the end of the sixth, i. e. upon the rising of the witnesses. Now, as the 13th and 14th chapters are but further representations of the state of affairs under Of the six trumpets preceding, relating to the condition both of the church and antichristian party, so the 15th and 16th chapters are preliminary to the seven vials being poured out upon the papacy and its dominions. which visions I have a great many things to say, but I must curb myself now, lest I prove too tedious. I shall, therefore, only put you in mind of what I hinted before, that the seventh trumpet comprehends the seven vials. For these are but the parts of it, which gradually destroy the papal interest, which had increased under the former trumpets. As, therefore, this period brings in reformation, and by various steps makes the kingdoms of the world (which before were under Antichrist) to change so far and so wonderfully as to become the kingdoms of God and Christ (chap. xi. 14, &c.); so, after a general, but glorious account of the state of the church from the reformation (chap. xv.) we have a distinct account of the pouring out of these seven vials (chap. xvi.) in obedience to the great voice out of the temple (ver. 1), which is but a repetition of the sounding of the seventh trumpet (chap. xi. 14), under a new representation of it. (To be continued.) CORRESPONDENCE. Manchester, August 8th, 1848. Dear Brother-When I wrote to you a few weeks ago, respecting the names and number of those churches which you considered to be so many branches of the American Reformation, I did not write for publication, but for your own private informaton and advantage. However, if my communication to you on that occasion, is expressive of anything that may be useful to your subscribers, I have no objection to your making any use of it you please. With regard to the controversy between yourselves and the Scotch Baptists, I am rather glad that sion of those matters which have hitherto you are opening your pages to a discusconstituted the ground of separation, and of disunion, between you. The truth of God, and the ordinances of the house of God, will they will lose nothing by our disputations lose nothing by attention or examinationconcerning them, or by our mistakes or pre judices respecting them. If your way is the most excellent, let it be proved to be so, and then we shall have no excuse for our opposition to it. If your doctrines and practices present to the world a more correct transcript or likeness of apostolic churches, let your more perfect agreement be shown and manifested, in order that we may at once be gathered with you around one and the same standard. You will probably acknowledge, that when the late Mr. McLean, with his colleagues and contemporaries, first formed themselves into churches and separate societies, they presented a more faithful representation of primitive order and discipline than could be found in any other churches of the same day, in this country. This being granted, you will allow that it is incumbent upon those churches, which may be said to spring out of the movement made in Scotland, at that time, to maintain their original position, until additional light and truth shall compel them to abandon it, as no longer tenable. am willing to concede to yon, that much may be learned from that independent mode of thought and of inquiry which is so evident in all the writings of Alexander Campbell. I And there can be no doubt, that his exertions to propagate and to establish a more scriptural order of worship, with the preach ing of the everlasting gospel to all the world, very far transcends anything that has hitherto been accomplished, or attempted, by any one of the Scotch Baptists, or by the whole of them. In order to form a judgment on the comparative merits of the two systems, and of their claims upon our acceptance and adoption, it is necessary that we should go up to principles. We cannot stop short in external distinctions and differences. We must not limit our inquiries to ordinances, or the time and manner of observing them, but we must enter into all that divine wisdom, goodness, condescension, which is shadowed forth in all gospel institutions. And there is some approach to this, in the subject matter of controversy between J. D. and G.R.D. and also between the Scotch Baptist of Edinburgh, and the Editor of the "British Millennial Harbinger." Let those two questions be fairly brought to an issue, or to a satisfactory conclusion, and your readers may then be able to judge for themselves as to what is the mind and will of God, as revealed in holy scripture, upon those import | ant and interesting subjects. Thus will the points of difference between yourselves and ourselves be brought to a satisfactory solution. And if the obstacles in the way of a more complete union of action and of sentiment be insurmountable, let the two parties vie with each other, in conformity to our risen and exalted Lord, and in the zeal with which they mutually sound abroad, the glad tidings of salvation to a lost and perishing world. You have undoubtedly been much more zealous in proselyting, and I am inclined to think, in the work of evangelization also. And you have advanced to greater fulness of knowledge, in your estimate of the true bond of union of Christians, namely a mutual belief in those great facts which are set before us in the gospel narrative, concerning the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, as constituting the very basis of our holy religion. In maintaining the truth you have done well. This is the ground of union, altogether irrespective of differences of opinion upon other matters; for it is because Christians are mutually interested and united in the truth of a great manifested fact, that they can come together into one place, or into many places, in order to celebrate the riches of that love which is displayed in the great work of redemption. Let me ask you one simple question connected with this subject-" Can there be a more evident contradiction in the face of heaven and of earth, and in the presence of angels and of men, than for those whom God has destined to the same heavenly and eterof partition-to be for ever finding grounds nal inheritance, to be for ever erecting walls for dissension and division ; and what is more than all this, to love the very evidences of our sectarian shame and confusion, more than we love that great truth, which has for ever perfected all those who are sanctified ?" I am not now professing or pretending to decide upon the comparative merits or demerits of the two systems, for that would require far more time and space than I am at present disposed to accord to it, or than you would be inclined to grant to it. But I take this opportunity of expressing my satisfaction that you have shown the liberality of admitting arguments on both sides of the question, to appear side by side. I trust you will allow the door to continue to stand open, and that you will not attempt to shut off any truth that may not be quite agreeable to you. Do we not all equally require the uncorrupted milk of the word? Are we not all equally and closely interested in the maintenance of purity of doctrine ? Should we not all equally contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints? Are we not called to yield obedience to every word of God, without taking thought as to how any system of man's devising may stand affected by it? Certainly we are called to do this. Our religion, with everything appertaining to it, is onlp valuable inasmuch as it is the appointment of God, and expressive of his love unto us, and of his holy mind and will concerning us. It is only valuable in proportion as we are thereby drawn out of the ruins of the fall, and are built up together as an habitation of God through the Spirit. Being reconciled to God by the death of his Son, it |