Page images
PDF
EPUB

her final victory over this enemy,
(chap. xix. 1, &c.) And, among
other things spoken of, relating to the
battle and victory obtained at Arma-
geddon, ye have this account of the
General and his victorious army (ver.
11, &c.)" And I saw heaven opened,
and behold, a white horse; and he that
sat on him was called Faithful and
True and he was clothed with a
vesture dipped in blood and his
name is called the Word of God.
And the armies which were in heaven
followed him upon white horses. And
he treadeth the wine-press of the
firceness and wrath of God. And I
saw the beast and the kings of the
earth, and their armies, gathered to-
gether, to fight against him that sat
on the horse, and against his army:
And the beast and the false prophet
were taken, and both were cast alive
into a lake of fire burning with brim-
stone. And the remnant were slain
with the sword of him that sat upon
the horse, which sword proceeded out
of his mouth; and all the fowls were
filled with their flesh." And now, to
return to the representation of this
slaughter, by the wine-press of blood
(chap, xiv. 20); it is further said of
it, that it flowed to the height of the
horse-bridles, for the space or extent
of 1600 furlongs. So that Armageddon
seems to be denoted here, in the extent
of it, as the field of battle, which is
now turned into a field of blood.
Now, what place can we imagine to
be so properly meant by this, as the
territory of the See of Rome in Italy,
which (as Mr. Joseph Mede, who
first made this observation, says),
from the city of Rome to the further-
most mouth of the River Po, and the
marshes of Verona, is extended the
space of 200 Italian miles, that is
exactly 1600 furlongs: the Italian
mile consisting of eight furlongs.
Now the Hebrew word Armageddon
or Harmageddon, may be justly de-
rived from two Hebrew words which
signify both a malediction or anathema
and a destruction or slaughter, as well'

as an army, or their army. So that both the anathemas darted against the saints by the Romanists, and their armies made use of against them (all which proceeded from Rome papal), may be here alluded to, in the expiration of both their ecclesiastical and temporal interest. So that this conjecture upon the name does confirm that other of Mr. Mede, that the Stata Della Chiefa, or the territory and possession of Italy belonging to the See of Rome, is the place called Armageddon, where the final destruction of antichristianism will be.

[NOTE.-We have now concluded our selections from Fleming's Discourse on the Apocalypse. Those his views and principles of interprewho desire to examine further into tation, we recommend to purchase the work. It may be obtained at a very reasonable price, and is worthy the perusal of all engaged in the study of prophecy.

The candour, common sense, and modesty, which the writer brings to bear upon the subject, are calculated alike to interest the mind, and secure attention on the part of the -more especially as so many readerof his calculations on prophecies, unfulfilled at the time of delivering the discourse, have subsequently proved to be correct: a fact which, in some measure, superinduces confidence in the views propounded respecting the mysterious future. However they are only presented to us as so many probabilities, which time alone, the great revealer of secrets, can reduce into realities.-J. W.]

[blocks in formation]

"Be

we

Laodiceans are thus addressed:
hold I stand at the door and knock;
if any one hear my voice, and open
the door, I will enter into his house,
and will sup with him, and he with
me." From these examples, in reply
to the question Is the visible pre-
sence of Christ necessary to his re-
union with the congregation?
say it is not. His presence may be
with his followers, and will be with
his congregation, in a special manner,
when that event referred to takes
place. Most gracious manifestations,
and the most intimate fellowship, may
be enjoyed, while at the same time
his literal visible presence cannot be
cognizant by sense-
"For now we
walk by faith, not by sight." Nor,
till he come again "in the clouds of
heaven, with power and great glory,"
have we any authority to expect to
see him on earth.

a consummation? In answering this question, we must be careful to distinguish things that differ: so, to be accurate and explicit, we must make a distinction betwixt the personal and the visible presence. While there may be no hesitation in answering the question with regard to the visible, some hesitation may be felt in roundly denying it with regard to the personal, if so be we are to identify the term personal with the term real, or literal. Jesus promised to his disciples, Matt. xviii. 20, "Wherever two or three are assembled in my name, I am in the midst of them." Here it cannot be doubted that Jesus can, and does, fulfil his promise, though his disciples see him not with the bodily eye. Again, in John xiv. 51, "He that has my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he who loveth me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him. If a man love me, he will observe my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and dwell with him." Can there be any doubt of the reality of the presence and favour of the Father and of the Son, in the enjoyment of these precious promises? But who would affirm that there were any form visible? Again, when the glorified Jesus appeared to John in Patmos, clothed and surrounded with emblematical ensigns of mystic meaning, he said, in explanation" The Lord hath called thee as a woof the appearance of one like unto the Son of Man, in the midst of seven golden lamps, (Rev. i. 18) "I am he who lives and was dead; and behold I am living for ever and ever, and I have the key of the unseen world and of death. And the seven lamps which you see are seven congregations," (chap. ii. 1.) These things, says he, who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven congregations. But to none of these were there any appearance visible.

There is one other reference we shall make. In Rev. iii. 20, the

But, considering the marked disparity there is betwixt the deserted and married state, there must be a corresponding disparity in the experience of the congregation in these two conditions. How defective must be her experience at the present time of the gracious manifestation of her Lord! And in like proportion, as she is defective in the experience of his favor, so must she be in the reflection of his comeliness and glory. May that day be hastened, when this will be said of her that was deserted,

man forsaken, and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God !" (Isa. liv. 6.) And when the congregation becomes united, and returns to her first husband, and to her first love, with her lord in the midst of her, then will she be in circumstances to go forth to the evangelization of the worldwhich, in her divided and widowed state, she is not. Her present state is a stumbling block. Part of her seed are captives in Babylon-part of them are occupying positions in antagonist communities, and wasting

[ocr errors]

66

of the world to the Messiah cannot take place, till the marriage of the Lamb becomes an historical fact. But when it does become so, then follows in natural sequence, what is revealed in Rev. xix. 11—" And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat on it was called Faithful and True, and he judges and makes war in righteousness: whose eyes are as a flame of fire, and many diadems were on his head, having a name written which no man knows but himself: and he was clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven followed him, riding on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean : and there went out of his mouth a sharp sword, that with it he might

their energies one with another-part are deprived of all power of doing good, in being unscripturally associated with such a mass of worldliness as greatly to endanger their own spiritual existence while the want of cohesion and concord, the want of subordination and co-operation among those who stand foremost for the apostolic gospel, is calculated completely to neutralise all beneficial influence. Under all these adverse circumstances, how can the Christian cause progress? And what does it amount to, all the labour which has been expended in attempting to evangelize the heathen in foreign lands? Some may have been converted to the Lord, but it is to be feared the greater part have only been converted to the sect under whose auspices the preacher may have gone forth. Indeed, in the pre-smite the nations," &c. Verse 19sent divided state of the Christian community, it seems to be presumptuous to expect the renovation of mankind. Abortive must all our attempts be, if the Lord be not with us, and will resemble the foolish attempt of Israel of old to retrieve their error, after they had refused at the first to go up and take possession of the land. They said (Numb. xiv. 40) " Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised; for we have sinned. And Moses said, wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? But it shall not prosper. Go not up, for the Lord is not among you." Ver. 44, "But they presumed to go up unto the hill top; nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses departed not out of the camp. Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites, which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them even unto Hormah."

From all these premises we conclude, that the unity of Christians being essential to the enjoyment of the Divine presence—and the Divine presence and favor being essential to evangelical success-the subjugation

"And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together, to make war with him who sits on the white horse, and with his army." This corresponds, in several prominent points, with what is written in Rev. vi. 2, “And I saw and behold a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and there was given to him a crown, and he went forth conquering and to conquer." Now, seeing this refers to the past, and has been verified in the triumphs of the gospel on its first promulgation, without any literal or visible appearance of the kind as John saw in vision, so may we conclude that in the fulfilment of the latter vision, no literal or visible appearance will be made― the Spirit of God, by these bold images, intending to show forth what shall take place by an ordinary instrumentality, superintended and directed by him to whom "all authority in heaven and upon earth is given." The events, however, being yet in the future, and couched under such high wrought symbols, it becomes us to speak of them with modesty and caution.

The vision from verse 11 presents

us with a battle scene, called, when formerly referred to, (chap. xvi. 14) "the battle of that great day of God Almighty" which is to decide the future fortunes in this world of the kingdom of Christ and of Antichrist, with all other worldly governmentsa day, then, which will be held in everlasting remembrance. On the one side are ranged the armies which are commanded by Him who is styled "The Word of God," King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, with a "sharp sword" proceeding from his mouth, and "6 many diadems on his head." On the other are "the Beast," and the kings of the earth and their armies, the false prophet, &c.

The object of the war by him who makes the aggressive movement is the establishment of righteousness-answering to Psalm xlv. 3, " Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty; and in thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies, whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre." Also to Isaiah xi. 4, "With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. He shall not fail, nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth. And the isles shall wait for his law." The object of the allied antagonist forces is the reverse of all this, which may be learnt from the fact of their being "gathered together to make war with him that sits on the white horse, and with his army;" also from the names they bear, expressive of their character, and the nature of their government. The Beast, the kings of the earth, their armies, and the false prophet, are associated in one

category. The Beast is of great notoriety, having prospered and practiced forty-two months, equal to 1260 years as the head of the last universal monarchy, ultimately divided into ten kingdoms, but all retaining the same essential principle of government, brute force might constituting right. The false prophet also exercising the power of the Beast, combined with falsehood and deceit—the essential principles in all spiritual and ecclesiastical domination.

а

The result of the battle is victory to him that sits upon the horse complete subjugation of the whole antagonist forces, civil, political, and ecclesiastical, to the rightful authority of the King of Kings. Then is fulfilled what was foretold by Daniel the Prophet, (Dan. vii. 26) "But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." And all this we have the fullest assurance to believe, is to be accomplished without miracle, but simply by the operation of established laws, and ordinary means, such as the Messiah has employed from the beginning to establish and extend his kingdom on the earth. "With good Still overcoming evil, and by amall Accomplishing great things: by things deem'd weak Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise By simply meek.'

[ocr errors]

But as many are sceptical of this, and conceive that nothing can be effected of any account, but by a personal descent of the Lord from heaven, and by some extraordinary displays of physical power, we shall review our premises again, and see whether the means which are here placed before us, have in them evidence of fitness and efficiency adequate to such an

enterprise, and the achievement of so❘ It is not to bind men's persons to a glorious a victory. triumphal car, to incarcerate them in First of all, then, we have the lea-strong-holds, or to make them surdership of the Prince of the Kings of render to superior bravery, prowess, the Earth the Author of wisdom and strength. To conquer an enemy and knowledge, who knows what is is to convert him into a friend. This in man, and how to approach him- is the noble, benevolent, and heavenwho can make even his opposers con- conceived enterprise of God's only betribute unwillingly to the completion gotten Son. To do this, all arms and of his grand design, and cannot be modes of warfare are impotent, save circumvented-who, by his own ex- the arms and munitions of everlasting ample when here on earth, as well as love. By vivid displays of God's by his instructions to his apostles and philanthropy, he approaches his enefirst ministers of the Word, and their mies; and by the arguments with examples, fully furnishes (without any which this eloquence is fraught, he new revelation) his followers in all ages addresses a rebel world. Such is his even to the conclusion of this state, mode of warfare-a system devised in with all necessary counsel to direct in heaven, and, like all God's means, carrying forward his benevolent pur- perfectly adapted to the high ends proposed."

pose.

In the third place, we have a united army, "called, and chosen, and faithful"-all ready to lay down their lives for their commander-ready to obey him in all his orders-possessing and exhibiting such excellence of character, that they are "without fault," as their robes of "fine linen, white and clean," denote. How comely is their order! How loving-hearted and harmoniously all are co-operating together! Though many in number, they are all "of one heart, and one soul;" and not an indigent person among them. Then there exists no more, the stumbling-block of division and strife-their energies are no longer wasted in hostile feuds with one another. Oh, what a power to convince the world of the truth and heavenly origin of the Christian reli

In the next place, we have the "sharp sword," unsheathed and unblunted as it comes out of the mouth | of the Great King-the Word of the Living God-the rod of his strength -the word of the truth of his gospel -the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes, Jew or Greek. It has in it the power of almighty love, to subdue the stoutest rebels. Its conquests are bloodless. It makes alive whom it kills. In days past, it has subdued the proudest and most determined rebels, to humble and willing obedience. And it can do it again. It has lost none of its primitive efficiency, if exhibited in its primitive identity. And this is the only offensive weapon to be seen in the whole army of the faithful, led on to glory and to victory by the Prince of Peace, in this decisive campaign.gion, when this comes to be the case! “The cardinal principle in his government is love. He subdues not by any other sword than that of the Spirit. Other kings subdue men's persons, and hold sovereignty over their estates; but he seizes the hearts of men. To conquer enemies is his grand enterprise. Philosophy, as well as religion, teaches us, that to conquer enemies is not the work of swords, nor lances, nor bows of steel.

All these are so many living witnesses confirmatory of its being from God, which testimony cannot be gainsaid or confuted. And, besides all this, they can now point to the desolations come upon Babylon the Great-that grand centre of civil, political, and ecclesiastical power, unrighteousness, and deceit according to the predictions of the holy apostles of the Lamb. And thus may the great apostacy it

« PreviousContinue »