Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

we may infer, for certainty, from the word of God, and from analogy and the nature of things. This influence of fatal systematic intrigue, was to go into all the earth; to their kings, and cabinets. It has gone to all the rest of the civilized earth. What could induce its instigators to avoid this great nation, this envied re. public? Nothing! But every consideration would induce them to make this a principal point of attack.

And their successes in other parts of the world have been almost miraculous. Britain and Scotland have come the nearest to being full proof against them. And the late disasters of the French in Russia, it is hoped, have shaken their influence in that empire. But the voice of Inspiration represents these three unclean spirits like frogs, not only as spirits of devils, but as working miracles of success, in their going out unto the kings or cabinets of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them into a coalition against heaven; Rev. xvi, 13-16.

The question (interesting to us,) then occurs. Have the first characters of these United States had the deep, wise, and virtuous sagacity, to discern the nature and the design of these pointed and most subtile intrigues, which have wrought such wonders in other nations, and betrayed and enslaved unnumbered millions of the human race? And have our first characters possessed the singular firmness, to withstand, and expose those fatal intrigues, which, (we are divinely assured,) if it were possible, would deceive even the very elect? Is it, or is it not, the official duty of such a government as ours, to expose such dark attempts when made? and to warn their nation of its dangers from them.

When an insidious communication was made to Hezekiah, king of Judah, from a foreign, intriguing, ambitious power, Hezekiah forthwith laid it before the public; yea, before the Lord; Isa. xxxvii, 14, "And Hezekiah received the letter, from the hand of the messengers; and read it. And Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cher

ubims; thou art the God, even thou alone of all the kingdoms of the earth. Thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline thine ear, O Lord, and see and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which are sent to reproach the living God. Of a truth Lord, the kings of Assyria' have laid waste all the nations, and their countries; and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand; that all the kingdoms of the earth may know, that thou art the Lord, even thou only."

Here is an example, worthy of the government of a great, enlightened people, who believe in the being and government of God, when an intriguing foreigner, a haughty Babylonian (either of ancient or modern date) is making mischievous communications. Has our na tion had opportunity to witness any event of this kind? If not, is it because no mischievous communications have reached this side of the Atlantic?, Can we rely on this inference, and say, that no such communications have been made? Is it possible, that the fatal influence of the chambers of modern imagery, having reached the cabinet of this nation, has there been connived at; or concealed; yea, and has taken its designed effect? Should this prove to be the case, wo be to our nation. "Wo unto us; for the day goeth away; for the shadows of the evening are stretched out."

Modern Babylon

Ancient Babylon was destroyed. is to be destroyed, with a far more dreadful destruction. The Jews, when they became idolatrous, were most deeply chastised. And when they became antichristian, they were by the Romans destroyed. Just so far, as they partook of the abominations portrayed in the chambers of imagery; so far they shared in the judgments symbolized in the ninth chapter there following. The time is, no doubt, drawing near, when the exterminating scenes in that chapter shall be finished. The Holy Spirit has been, and still is, sitting his mark on the men, who sigh and cry for the abominations done in the midst of them. The subjects of this mark will be

safe. But the command will be executed, to slay utterly all, destitute of this mark.

And not only is mystical Babylon to be destroyed; but also all, who participate in her abominations. There are those, who constitute this Babylon. And we read of those, who partake of her sins; and shall receive of her plagues. We are informed of Antichrist; and of those, who have the spirit of Antichrist. We read of the Beast; and of those, who have the mark of the Beast; who worship his image; and shall share with him the cup of divine indignation, in the battle of that great day of God Almighty..

The voice from heaven then, proclaims to us; "Ho, ho, come forth and flee from the land of the north. Deliver thy'self, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughters of Babylon." "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins; and that ye receive not of her plagues." "And a third angel followed, saying, 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, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angel, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest, day nor night, who worship the Beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." Rev. xvi, 8-11. These are pointed warnings from heaven against all affinity with the Beast of the last days. It is worthy of note, that the above warning is given by a third Angel, after the first was flying through heaven, having the Gospel to preach to every nation, and announcing the arrival of the hour of God's judgment; and a second Angel had announced the fall of Papal Babylon. After the fall of Papal Babylon then, it seems a great Beast, (the Roman Beast of the last days) is on the ground; with the world worshipping him; and men in the utmost danger of being caught in his toils. Such a Beast has appeared before the eyes of the world. And the above warn.

ing voice is addressed to the people of this very period, from the throne of God.

Let men peruse and reperuse the above passages, and similar warnings; and learn to obey the heavenly mes sages. Look into the graves of the republics and kingdoms, who have fallen under the iron grasp of Behold their fields, white the tyrant of the age.

with the bones of their citizens, and fattened with
their blood! Their liberties annihilated! Their pomp
brought down to the grave, and the noise of their
vials! The worms are spread under them; and the
worms cover them. The terrible of the nations has
The earth has shaken at the sound of
cut them off.
their fall. God has spoken concerning them, to pull
down, to pluck up, and to destroy. And the dread-
ful event has been seen in tremendous execution.

What has yet appeared, is but the beginning of serrows; yet sorrows they are, indeed. So sudden and great a crash of nations probably never before tortured the human ear; or wrent the heart of man. And the scenes must be yet far more dreadful, in the closing parts of the most tremendous and exterminating judgments of the last days.

Must these States share in the terrors of that day? We must; so certainly as the Heavens bear rule; if we partake of Babylon's sins; if we unite in that blasphemy; if we are caught in those snares. Unless our naen tion disarm and withstand the abominations depicted in the chambers of imagery, or the diabolical influence, which has already desolated a vast section of the earth, and sent at least ten if not twelve millions of souls to their long home, this nation must unavoidably share the exterminating terrors of the battle of the great and terrible day of the Lord.

SECTION V.

The Bastard of Ashdod: Or, the illegitimate Antichristian government.

WE find various names of the ancient noted enemies of the Church, mystically applied to the Papal hierar

chy, and to the great hostile Power of the last days. They are called Babylon, after the name of the capital of Chaldea: Also Edom, Bozrah, and other names of ancient hostile cities and nations. We might then, rationally expect to find the name of the capital of Syria, and the names of other noted cities in Palestine, that were most hostile to the ancient people of God, applied to the notorious enemies of the Church, in the last day. Had not this been the case, we should not be able to account for the omission. For many of the most vexing and bloody wars against God's ancient people, were from the Philistines, and from nations and people in the land of Syria. We might then, expect to find the names of ancient noted cities in Syria, and among the hostile Philistines, mystically applied to the terrible enemies of the last days. And we might expect, that denunciations would be uttered of divine judgments against those cities, which, after receiving a primary accomplishment upon those cities, were to receive their ultimate fulfilment upon the destructive enemies of the last days.

And such prophecies are found. I shall now note one of this description. In Zech. ix, we have predictions of judgments upon hostile cities round about Judea; a promise of protection to the Church; of the coming of Christ; of the restoration of the Jews; the ruin of their enemies; and the commencement of the Millennium. "The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof; when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord." By the burden of the word of the Lord here, is meant, (says Pool,) "the heavy, sad, grievous, menacing prediction of future evils," upon Hadrach; and upon Damascus shall it rest. Hadrach was a great city near Damascus; hostile to the Jews. And Damascus, on which the burden of this prophecy should rest, was the capital of Syria. Those names ultimately represent the Papal nations. Hadrach imports joy of tenderness: And Damascus, a sack of blood; or the blood of a righteous man; and was supposed by the ancients, to be the place where Abel

[ocr errors]
« ElőzőTovább »