This is not the worst of the evil they have done. In teaching nations not to pursue the cause of political reformation, in conjunction and co-operation with their established magistracy, they have also taught them, that a total dissolution of the existing governments, is the first step towards reformation. A radical revolution, a revolution which shall leave nothing unchanged; which shall dissolve society into its elements, which shall bring the high and the low, the rich and the poor, the wise and the unwise; prodigals, profligates, desperadoes, into action on equal terms, for the organization of society, is one of the most frightful objects of human contemplation. Such a revolution necessarily brings forward the most desperate spirits, with the darkest designs. The nation has been transformed into a mob, and the most furious agitator, of consequence, takes the command. To such a state of things, as I conceive, Europe is rapidly verging.

The French revolution still comes up to view. Such as it was, will the great European revolution be. The stone which smote the image on the feet, is enlarged into a vast mountain and fills the whole earth; but still it is a stone, and preserves its character and consistency from the first to the last; enlarging its dimensions, and augmenting its pressure, without any change in its nature. I have, however, dilated sufficiently on this head of my discourse. Whether I have rightly conjectured the causes which divine providence will employ in the approaching dissolution of political society, I dare not say. But the general event is certain. Daniel assures us that the day is coming, when the iron, the clay, the brass,

the silver, and the gold, of the great image, shall be broken in pieces, and shall become like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind shall carry them away, and there shall be no place found for them; and then the stone which smote the image shall become a great mountain and fill the whole earth.* But what this stone will effect, when it has become a great mountain and filled the whole earth, will be seen in the next head of my discourse.

II. THE SLAYING OF THE WITNESSES.

I refer you on this subject to the famous prophecy of John, recorded in the eleventh chapter of the Book of Revelation; I shall quote from the third to the eleventh verse inclusive. "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three score days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy and have power over waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead

*Dan. ii. 32.

bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them."

I judge it wholly unsuitable to the nature of the present discourse to enter into minute explanations, and much more to venture on calculations respecting the time of the fulfilment of this prophecy. A few general prophetic facts, employed as the basis of moral argument, is all that I conceive to lie within my province. There may, perhaps, be some phrases in this prophecy which cannot be explained, till God shall write the comment by the finger of his holy providence; and as to the precise year in which the prophecy shall be accomplished, I believe, that no sober minded commentator pretends to be dogmatically certain. But that Christ's witnesses shall be slain we know; and we know that the time is not far distant. We have, therefore, knowledge sufficient to enable us to ascertain what are our duties in this age. I shall content myself with calling your attention to a few general facts.

1. At the end of the prophetic period of one thousand two hundred and three score years, during which they prophesied in sackcloth, Christ's witnesses are to be slain. During all that period they witnessed, without intermission, though in misery, and degradation, and sorrow, clothed in the sackcloth of mourning and contrition; greviously persecuted and oppressed, yet

calling down vengeance from heaven upon their oppressors; but now they are to be slain; a calamity is to come upon them, which they never endured before, since the commencement of the gospel dispensation.

2. By the witnesses I understand the public profession of christianity. They are said to be two witnesses, I conceive, because that was the smallest number admitted by the Mosaic law to establish important facts; and yet it was a sufficient number. So long as the gospel is publickly preached, the sacraments administered, and social organization preserved in the church, so long Christ's witnesses bear testimony to his grace, and truth. The candle is not under a bushel, but on the candlestick, so long the city set upon a hill is not hid. I cannot conceive how it is possible, that Christ's witnesses should be slain, so long as christianity maintains the assembling of the saints in public, for the preaching of the word, and administration of the sacraments. While these assemblies exist, while the gospel continues to be preached, and the Lord's death is showed forth, surely Christ has his witnesses on earth; he is not left without a witness before men.

3. By the slaying of the witnesses, I, of consequence,understand the public abolition of christianity in Europe. When the gospel is no longer proclaimed among men, nor the sacred symbols of redemption publickly exhibited, the witnesses are slain. It does not follow that there will be no saints in Europe in that day; for as God in the days of Elijah had reserved seven thousand men, who had not bowed the knee to Baal; so will he retain in Europe many seven thousands who worship the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth. It is not as men, that they are slain, but as witnesses.

4. They are slain by a new and unheard of enemy; such a one as they never encountered before. The whole force of Jewish infidelity was exerted against them, but they witnessed still; the mighty power of imperial Rome, the mistress of the world, and head of all nations arose against them, trod them down, and shed their blood like water; but they witnessed still. The tyranny of papal Rome moved earth and hell against them, but they witnessed still. Hitherto these witnesses were immortal, in spite of all their foes.

But now a new enemy arises, of more horrible aspect than any that ever appeared before. He arises from the very bottom of hell. And no sooner does this monster of hell appear, than he makes war upon the saints, overcomes them, and slays them. Lift up the voice of lamentation, O daughter of Zion, how are the mighty fallen; we had thought them immortal; and lo, they are slain! But let the fountain of thy tears flow in thy secret chambers, and thy wailings be spent in the caverns of the rocks!

Let us turn our eyes from the corpses of our brothers, and survey the monster that slew them. Is not this beast which arose from the bottomless pit, the very same, as the huge stone which smote the image upon ! the feet, ground it to powder, and gave the dust to the winds. Undoubtedly they are one and the same. Here then we make another approximation towards the ascertainment of the meaning of the prophetic spirit. A monster shall arise in Europe, which shall overturn all governments, demolish all thrones, tear society into pieces, and close the scene, by putting the extinguisher on the lamp of christianity, abolishing the public offices of the gospel over the whole of that