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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/39307-0.txt b/39307-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9bf23a8 --- /dev/null +++ b/39307-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2548 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Rome, Turkey and Jerusalem, by Edward Hoare, +Edited by John Hume Townsend + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Rome, Turkey and Jerusalem + + +Author: Edward Hoare + +Editor: John Hume Townsend + +Release Date: March 29, 2012 [eBook #39307] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROME, TURKEY AND JERUSALEM*** + + +Transcribed from the November 1914 Chas. J. Thynne edition by David +Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + + + ROME, TURKEY + AND + JERUSALEM. + + + BY THE REV. E. HOARE, + + SOMETIME VICAR OF TRINITY, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, + AND HONORARY CANON OF CANTERBURY. + + * * * * * + + _NEW EDITION_. + (_Fourth Impression_.) + + * * * * * + + EDITED BY THE + REV. J. H. TOWNSEND, D.D., + + LATE VICAR OF ST. MARK’S, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, AUTHOR OF + “EDWARD HOARE, M.A., A RECORD OF HIS LIFE.” &c., &c. + + * * * * * + + * * * * * + + LONDON: + CHAS. J. THYNNE, + GREAT QUEEN STREET, KINGSWAY, W.C. + _November_, _1914_. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + PAGE +ROME:— + THE OUTLINE 1 + THE CONSUMPTION 18 +TURKEY:— + THE EUPHRATES 36 + THE FROGS 54 + THE ADVENT 69 +JERUSALEM 89 + + * * * * * + + NEW EDITION. + +First Impression December, 1912. +Second ,, April, 1913. +Third ,, June, 1913. +Fourth „ November, 1914. + + + + +FOREWORD TO FOURTH IMPRESSION. + + +Those of us who have been watching political events from the prophetical +standpoint, have seen during the last thirty years the steady drying up +of that overflowing river which once flooded Europe. Turkey’s fate we +knew to be certain, but there were fluctuations so we had to be patient. + +Two years ago when writing the Foreword and notes to the first reprint of +this little book, I drew attention to the “amazing collapse” of Turkey’s +power “during the last few months.” Half a year later it seemed as if +only a thread of littoral would be left to Turkey in Europe; then came a +certain apparent return of vigour as when the ebbing tide sends back a +wave that seems to claim once more part of the dominion it had lost; just +in the same way Turkey regained some of the territory wrested from it +during the Balkan War, and we who were watching wondered for how long +this would be. + +One year and a half has passed and now it really seems as if the clock +had struck. Only a few days ago the daily papers told the world that +Turkey, deluded, or bribed, or both, had thrown in her lot with Germany. +In a leading article dated Nov. 2, “The Times” summed up the matter +thus—“Whatever may be the immediate consequences of Turkish intervention, +there is a general consensus of opinion throughout the world that it +means the end of Turkey.” Bible students grasped the situation at once +recognizing the immense significance of the event, and on the same day at +the C.M.S. Anniversary at Exeter I pointed out the overwhelming +importance of this intelligence, in connection with Missionary work, the +future of the Jewish Nation and our Lord’s Return. I have heard from +Jerusalem of the keen excitement of the Jews there, and of the hope often +expressed that England would take action on their behalf. The secular +press in many quarters is already suggesting that the Allies at the +conclusion of the War might well establish the Jews in Palestine as a +buffer-state; this is exactly what some of us have for many years pointed +out, from the study of prophecy, as a likely solution of the near Eastern +question. Perhaps, it may be so—God’s promises unfold very quickly when +the time for their appearance is ripe. Our business is to watch and +pray, giving the Lord no rest till He establish and until He make +Jerusalem a praise on the earth, and above all constantly sending forth +the cry of His waiting Church—“even so, come Lord Jesus.” + + J. H. T. + +_November 20th_, _1914_. + + + + +FORWARD + + +It is now thirty-six years since these remarkable sermons were preached +by the late Canon Hoare. Published at the time, they had a very large +circulation and passed through several editions. An earnest desire +having been manifested for their re-issue with the addition of some +footnotes bringing them up to date, I have consented to undertake that +simple office. With happy memories of work under the beloved Vicar long +ago (1877–81) there is, to me, something indescribable in being permitted +once more in this unexpected way to unite with one who now within the +Veil walks not by faith but by sight and who instead of knowing but in +part now _knows_ even as also he is known. + +It is a great tribute to the sagacity of the preacher, his deep knowledge +of Scripture, and his keen prophetic instincts, that these sermons need +no alteration, and only the necessary additions demanded by the history +of passing years. + +The advance has been all along the exact lines which he as a diligent +student of the prophetic Scriptures was able to lay down. “The wise +shall understand” (Daniel xii. 10) is a promise which we see here +strikingly fulfilled. + +Could the venerable preacher have seen the extraordinary developments +that have taken place in Jerusalem and the Holy Land during the last few +years, or the amazing collapse of the Mohammedan power which Europe has +witnessed in the past few months, how his heart would have rejoiced at +the fulfilment of Scriptural predictions, and how earnestly would he have +proclaimed afresh His Master’s Words—“When ye shall see these things, +know that He is nigh, even at the doors.” + + _December_, 1912. + + + +PUBLISHER’S NOTE. + + +It is a source of pleasure to the Editor, the Publisher, and all those +interested in the re-issue of this book, to know that a further edition +is so soon called for, and to receive so many testimonies to its +usefulness as a Guide to the Prophecies of Holy Writ. + + _April_, _1913_. + + + + +ROME. + + +I. +THE OUTLINE. + + +It is impossible to imagine anything more delightful than the prospect of +the promised return of our most blessed Saviour. How do the father and +the mother feel when they welcome their long-absent son from India? How +will many an English wife feel when she welcomes her husband from the +Arctic Expedition? And how must the Church of God feel when, after her +long night of toil and difficulty, she stands face to face before Him +whom her soul loveth, and enters into the full enjoyment of the promise, +‘So shall we ever be with the Lord?’ There will be no tears then, for +there will be no sorrow; no death then, for there will be no more curse; +no sin then, for we shall see Him as He is, and shall be like Him. Then +will be the time of resurrection, when all the firstborn of God shall +awake to a life without decay and without corruption; and then the time +of reunion, when the whole company of God’s elect shall stand together +before the Lord, never again to shed a tear over each other’s grave; and +then will be the time when those who have loved and longed after Him, as +they have journeyed on alone in their pilgrimage, will find themselves on +the right hand of His throne, and hear His delightful words, ‘Come, ye +blessed children of my Father: inherit the kingdom prepared for you from +the foundation of the world!’ + +No wonder then that the people of God are waiting with anxious hearts for +the Advent; and no wonder that many are ready to say, ‘Lord, how long?’ +and to ask, What hope is there of His quick return? Have we, or have we +not, any reason to look out for it soon? To this inquiry I would +endeavour to draw your attention this morning; and in doing so, I do not +intend to examine into what are usually called ‘the signs of the times,’ +but to study the great prophetic sketch of the world’s history as given +to us by the prophet Daniel. This may be termed the backbone of +prophecy, and almost all the great prophecies of Holy Scripture fit into +it at some point or other; so that, if we wish to understand them, we +must begin by studying it. I fear I may not interest those who aim +simply to have their hearts warmed by the ministry. But they must +remember that the real study of God’s Word requires work, and that work, +though it lays the best possible foundation for feeling, does not at the +time excite it. To-day, then, we are to work, and I hope the Lord may so +bless His Word, that through work we may be led to feel. + +Our business, then, is to endeavour to discover whether the great +prophetic sketch of history, given through the prophet Daniel, encourages +the blessed hope that the coming of the Lord may be near. Daniel gives a +prophecy of the history of political power from his own day till the time +when ‘the Ancient of Days shall sit,’ and describes a succession of +events which must take place in the interval. It is clear that our +business is to ascertain how many of these events have taken place, or, +in other words, how far we have advanced in the series. + +In the study of our subject we have the advantage of looking at two sides +of the picture, for it has pleased God to give us the same series as seen +in two different aspects. In the second and seventh chapters you will +find predictions of the same events under different figures. In the +second chapter the prophecy is given as a vision to a proud, idolatrous +monarch. So the different kingdoms about to arise appear to him as the +several parts of a mighty image, with himself as the head of gold. It +was given in just such a shape as should coincide with his idolatry and +his pride. Whereas, in the seventh chapter, the vision is given to one +of God’s people, and he sees in all this glory nothing better than a +series of wild beasts coming up one after another to devour. How +different is the estimate of the world from that of God! The world +regards Babylon as the head of gold, the summit of glory and greatness, +while God looks on it as a savage beast, to be dreaded by His saints! +The same difference of character may be observed in the visions of the +coming of the Lord. To the great king it appeared as a triumphant +kingdom, to the captive prophet as a manifestation of the Son of man. +The one saw a kingdom, the other a person; the one, the overthrow of +power, the other, the advent of the Lord of Glory. + +But now let us look at the series. In both prophecies there is a +description of four kingdoms which should in succession be supreme in +political power, and which should fill up an interval between Daniel and +the Advent. + +1. There is the head of gold in Nebuchadnezzar’s image, the same as the +lion in the vision of Daniel. The most precious of metals corresponding +to the king of beasts. + +2. There is next the breast and arms of silver, corresponding to the +bear of Daniel. + +3. After that the belly and thighs of brass, representing the same +nation as the leopard of the prophet. + +4. And following them is the last kingdom of the four, represented to +Nebuchadnezzar as the ‘legs of iron, and the feet, part of iron and part +of clay,’ and to Daniel as a beast, ‘dreadful and terrible, and strong +exceedingly.’ + +It is interesting to observe how the same iron character is attributed to +this last power in both visions. In the one we read of it, chap. ii. 40, +‘The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh +in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that breaketh all things, +shall it break in pieces and bruise.’ And in the other, chap. vii. 7, it +is said to be ‘strong exceedingly, and it had great iron teeth: it +devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of +it.’ + +Such is the series of kingdoms that were to hold the chief political +power of the world, and fill up the whole interval between the date of +the prophecy and the advent of the Lord. Now the remarkable, and I +believe I may say the indisputable, fact, is that, according to the +prophecy, all these four kingdoms have arisen. They have followed each +other exactly as it was predicted. Babylon was the head of gold, or the +lion. The Medes and Persians were the breast of silver, or the bear. +Greece, always called ‘the brazen armed,’ in classic poetry, was the +belly and the thighs of brass, or the leopard. And then the mighty power +of Rome, far exceeding all the others in its terrible strength, with the +legs of iron in the royal image, and the teeth of iron in the prophetic +beast. Thus far there is an agreement almost unanimous among the +students of prophetic Scripture; and the conclusion certainly is, that we +have already been a long time under the last of the four successive +empires of the world. So far then as those four empires are concerned, +we are encouraged to entertain the strong hope that, as we have reached +the last kingdom in the succession, we may begin hopefully to look out +for the end. We have passed the last station on the line, so now we may +begin to prepare for home. + +But again. There is one remarkable difference between the fourth kingdom +and the other three, viz., this, that its history is divided into two +periods, during the first of which it appears as an undivided power, and +during the second split up into ten. In chap. ii. 41, it says, ‘the +kingdom shall be divided.’ In this divided period it is represented by +the ten toes on the image, and the ten horns on the beast. The ten toes +are described as kings, or kingdoms in chap. ii. 44; and so are the ten +horns in chap. vii. 24, where it is said, ‘The ten horns out of this +kingdom are ten kings that shall arise.’ So then the prophecy teaches us +that when Rome had overpowered Greece it would go on for a time as one +mighty undivided empire, but that after a time it would break up into a +cluster of kingdoms, and that this cluster would retain amongst them the +supremacy of the world. It does not describe any fresh shift of +political supremacy to any new kingdom that should arise, or the loss or +decay of that supremacy. But it teaches that there would be a division +in the kingdom, that the parts should fall asunder, and that, while the +iron of the fourth kingdom would remain amongst them, there should be so +much clay mixed up with it, that it should never again be united under a +single head. + +Now this is exactly what has happened. In the days of the Cæsars united +Rome was supreme in the pomp of the iron empire. Its body was Europe, +and its heart was the emperor. It was one as much as Babylon had been +one under Nebuchadnezzar. But look at it now. There is all the old +power; for Europe and its races practically govern the world. It has not +lost its iron. But there is no one kingdom that embodies all. The power +is vested in a cluster of independent nations. Many attempts have been +made to combine them: some by conquest, as in the case of Napoleon; some +by negotiation, as in the case of the Spanish marriages. But all in +vain, for the toes are irrecoverably divided, and whatever is done, +though as an aggregate they retain their power, as individual nations +they are always distinct. I have no time to enter into detail, but I +regard this division as a most remarkable fulfilment of the prophetic +word. {10} More than five hundred years before the coming of the Lord +there was a captive in Babylon, and God so directed that man’s mind, as +through him to communicate to the world even then the present position of +modern Europe. With such a fact before us who can doubt the inspiration +of the prophet, or the statement of St. Peter, that ‘holy men of God +spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost?’ + +But, without stopping to consider the wonders of the prophecy, let us +learn the lesson which it teaches us with reference to the nearness of +the Advent. We have already found that we have long since reached the +fourth kingdom of the series; and now we are led a step further, and find +that we have long since reached the second period of that kingdom. It is +difficult with accuracy to assign a date, for the transition was gradual; +but we shall be sufficiently near if we say that it practically took +place between twelve and fourteen hundred years ago. And when we reflect +on such a promise as that in Daniel ii. 44, in which God assures us of a +kingdom that shall be set up in the days of these kings, and never be +destroyed: when we consider that those kings have already been reigning +through that lengthened period, it is surely time that we begin to look +out for that which is to come; for the happy and blessed day when we +shall welcome the kingdom which shall never be moved, and when Christ +Himself shall reign in glory. + +But this is not all, for, although we shall learn no more from the vision +of the king, we may gather much more from that of the prophet, for in it +we find a most important additional prophecy. I can perfectly understand +why it was given by the prophet, and not by the king, for I believe it to +refer to the religious history of Europe, and the king of course had no +concern with that. He did not care for religion, or for the saints of +God. I allude to the prophecy of the little horn rising in the midst of +the other ten. I have no time to discuss arguments, and can merely state +conclusions. All, therefore, that I can do now is to express my own +convictions on two points: + +1. That the little horn diverse from all the rest is the Papal power. + +2. That the time, times, and dividing of a time, which is to be the +limit of its power, stands in prophetic figure for 1260 years. + +If this be correct it gives some idea as to the duration of the second +division of the last kingdom, for it shows that it must last at least +1260 years. Still more, as the Papacy is to be destroyed at the approach +of the Ancient of Days, if we could only ascertain the date of its +commencement we might calculate the date of the Advent. But here is the +difficulty, for who can say when a horn begins to grow? and who can +determine the date of the first swelling of Papal pride? It is +impossible to make any such calculation, and I believe it would be wrong +to attempt it. But we may still be led by the great outline to hope for +the approach of that most blessed day. The horn has been growing a long +time, and it is impossible to read European history without believing +that the 1260 years cannot be very far from its close. Everything +therefore looks like an approaching end. We have long since reached the +fourth kingdom; long since reached its second, or divided period; and, +though we cannot say when it took place, we have long since seen the +commencement of the 1260 years of the little horn. Surely then it is +high time that we be looking out for the coming of the Lord, high time +that we be watching with our loins girt and our lamps burning, and we +ourselves as those that wait for their Lord. + +With these facts before us, I may fairly ask any thinking person, whether +there is not good ground for the hope that the coming of the Lord draweth +nigh? You observe I have not dwelt on minute and isolated points. I +have taken the great outline of the world’s history, and compared it with +the great outline of the word of prophecy. I see that the two exactly +correspond. I thank God from the bottom of my heart for the evidence +given of the inspiration of Scripture, for no such prophecy could have +had its origin with man; and, while I thank God for such a confirmation +of the faith, I cannot resist the conclusion that we have nearly reached +the end of the series, that we are living in the last part of the last +period of the last kingdom, and that the next great event of this +prophecy is nothing else than the sitting of the Ancient of Days, the +glorious kingdom of the Son of Man. + +But do we all desire it? Are we all looking out with loving and longing +hearts for the appearance of our beloved Redeemer? I fear that many +would be very far from glad if they thought it would come to-morrow. +Their own consciences tell them they are not ready, and in such a case +how can they desire it? You might say to them, as in the words of the +prophet, ‘To what end is the day of the Lord to you? the day of the Lord +is darkness and not light.’ I believe it to be impossible for any man +really to desire the coming of Christ as his king until in his own soul +he is personally acquainted with Him as his sin-offering or atonement. +Thus I believe that you will find very few really desire the Advent who +have not practically and experimentally drunk in the great doctrine of +justification by faith. If you are reconciled through the precious blood +of Christ; if you are justified in the righteousness of Christ; if you +are preserved and sanctified by the loving Spirit of Christ, then of +course you will be ready to say, ‘Even so, come, Lord Jesus; come +quickly.’ But if you are still living for the world, content with the +world’s gifts and the world’s enjoyments; or even if you are still +toiling, and struggling on to reach Him you know not how, and know not +whether you may trust Him to place you on the right hand of the throne or +not, how is it possible that you should be happy in waiting for Him? +Never rest, therefore, till you stand accepted in Him; till you have good +reason to believe that you are safe, and not safe only, but beloved. +Then you may wait for Him, then you may welcome Him, then He cannot come +too soon to please you; and if His sign is seen even to-night you will be +able to say, ‘This is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save +us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice +in His salvation.’ + + + +II. +THE CONSUMPTION. + + +I endeavoured in the last lecture to bring before you the blessed hope of +our Lord’s return, and to show, from the great outlines of prophecy, that +there is enough to justify the expectations of those who humbly trust +that we shall not have much longer to wait. I purposely avoided any +reference to what are called the ‘signs of the times,’ and confined your +attention exclusively to what may be called the great backbone of +prophecy, _i.e._, to the prophetic history of the four mighty kingdoms +which were foretold as holding the empire of the world. From that +outline I endeavoured to show that these four great kingdoms were to +arise in succession, one after the other, and that they would fill up the +interval between the time of the prophecy and the sitting of the Ancient +of Days. I hope, also, I made it plain from history that three of those +kingdoms have long since fallen, and that, as far as the predicted +periods enable us to judge, we must be drawing near to the close of the +fourth. The great outline, therefore, leads to the hope that the time of +the glorious kingdom of our blessed Lord may be near. But, though we did +not study the signs of the times then, I do not think we should +undervalue them, for our blessed Saviour foretold certain things that +should take place, and added, ‘When ye shall see all these things, know +that it {19} is near, even at the doors.’ If, therefore, any of these +things are now taking place, it is clear that we ought to study them; and +that we should not be really carrying out the teaching of the Lord Jesus +if we were to neglect them. I propose, therefore, in obedience to His +words, to bring before you in this lecture what has long appeared to me +one of the most conclusive signs that the time is not very far distant. +I allude to the present position of the Church of Rome, and I earnestly +hope that God has directed my thoughts in the study of it, and that +whatever in what I may now say is according to His word, may be written +in all our hearts and minds by the teaching of the Holy Ghost. + +There are three great historical prophecies, which, in the opinion of the +majority of our best expositors, predict the rise, the progress, and the +fall of the Church of Rome. + +The first of these we briefly noticed last Sunday. It is the prophecy of +the little horn rising amidst the ten horns of the beast, or the Papacy +rising in the midst of that cluster of European kingdoms which succeeded +the power of the undivided Roman Empire. + +The second is the prophecy of ‘the man of sin’ in 2 Thess. ii. And I +cannot forbear the mention of one illustration of a verse in that +prophecy which I saw myself in Rome. Many people think that the +description in the fourth verse is too strong for Popery: but there is a +curious illustration of it in St. Peter’s. You may there see what they +call the altar in the usual place at the end of the chancel, and above +it, surrounded by an elaborately decorated reredos, is what is called the +chair of St. Peter, or the Pope’s throne, the seat of Papal power. On +the altar below, according to their own teaching, is the living person of +the King of Glory, perfect man and perfect God, and in front of that +altar may be seen men worshipping the wafer because they call it God. +But above it is the Pope’s chair, and if he were to occupy it he would +sit there with that which they call God, and worship as God, beneath his +feet. Can anything be a more exact fulfilment of the words, ‘Exalteth +himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped?’ + +The third is the prophecy of the woman in Rev. xvii. The application of +this to the Church of Rome is less disputed than that of either of the +other two, for the seat of the woman is decided by the 9th verse to be +the seven-hilled city, which is almost universally admitted to be Rome. + +Now it is not my object to study the details of these prophecies, and +there is only one point to which I invite your careful attention—one most +important point common to all three, viz., that the final overthrow will +be preceded by a consuming process. It will not be a sudden destruction +in the height of prosperity, but will be the final act after a period of +wasting and defeat. If these three passages refer to Rome, as I fully +believe they do, then Rome will be first consumed and then destroyed. + +In Daniel it says (vii. 26), ‘The judgment shall sit.’ It seems clear +from the context, that this does not mean the great day of judgment, but +the commencement of judgment on her sins here upon earth. ‘And they +shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end.’ +There is, therefore, a consuming process before the end. The word here +rendered ‘consume’ conveys the idea of a gradual process, and not a +sudden blow; and teaches us that there will be a wasting before the final +overthrow. + +In 2 Thess. ii. 8, exactly the same process is described, and in almost +the same words: ‘Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his +mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming.’ He will first +consume him by His word, and ultimately destroy him at His advent. + +It is just the same in Rev. xvii. There you meet with the old beast, the +ten-horned beast of Daniel; and ten horns still representing ten kings; +and when we reach the close of the chapter we find these ten kings all +turned against the woman: so that, instead of being ridden and governed +by her, as they were when she was riding on the beast, they are now +turned against her, and agree in consuming her. ‘The ten horns which +thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and make her +desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.’ +(Verse 16.) + +Without stopping to look into the detail, which it is impossible to do in +a short lecture, it appears clear that all these passages agree in +predicting a period during which the Papacy will be consumed before its +final fall. This will be brought about partly by the power of truth, and +partly by the change of mind in the kings. But whatever be the agency, +the result is the same. ‘They will take away his dominion, to consume, +and to destroy unto the end.’ And this you mark is the last great +process before the coming of our Blessed Saviour, for the final +destruction will be by the brightness of His coming. + +And now comes the question, Has this consuming process begun? Is it, or +is it not, in progress? I know that some fainthearted people will say, +‘Oh, no! Rome is making dreadful progress, and must soon triumph.’ But +surely that opinion is contrary to fact. Surely it may be proved, from +the great facts of European history, not merely that the consumption has +begun but that it has been going on during the last few years with +peculiar and unexampled speed. + +Let us look at a few great European facts, not at little things that +happen to fall within our own observation, but at great facts that are +conspicuous before the world. + +Rome has always claimed, as she does still, dominion over all the +kingdoms of the world, and she used to exercise it over all those of +Western Christendom. Her claim even went so far that, by the common +consent and advice of his barons, the King of England once ‘resigned +England and Ireland to God, to St. Peter and St. Paul, to Pope Innocent, +and his successors in the Apostolic chair: and agreed to hold these +dominions as feudatory of the Church of Rome, by the annual payment of +one thousand marks.’ {26} Imagine any one standing up amongst the barons +of England, and making such a proposal now! That dominion of the Papacy +is taken away, and taken away, as I believe, for ever. + +When the dominion was gone he made concordats, or compacts, with the +different states; in which, with varying conditions, it was agreed that +he should uphold them by his spiritual power, and they uphold him by the +secular arm. It is a most remarkable fact, that within the last fifteen +years almost all of these concordats have been brought abruptly to a +violent end: those with Naples, Tuscany, and the Italian Duchies in 1858; +that with Austria, including Venice, in 1866; with Spain in 1868; with +France in 1870; and with Bavaria in 1873. There may be others remaining +in force, but I know of none. According to the best information I can +obtain all are dissolved. The Papacy has lost all its political power. +The ten kings have shaken off his government, and there is not one left +that submits to his authority. + +But more than that. The Pope of Rome used to be king over a considerable +portion of Italy. But he is now deposed. The States of the Church are +incorporated with united Italy, and the Pope is king no more. They have +taken away his dominion. His sovereignty is at an end; it has received +its death-blow, and shall we not acknowledge that the consuming process +is begun? + +But further still. The Church of Rome used to have vast estates. The +convents which used to swarm through Italy were richly endowed with +landed property. But as soon as the kingdom of Italy was well +established, those convents were broken up and their property +confiscated. And now that the Pope has been dethroned in Rome, a similar +measure has been passed for all those within the city, and on the 20th of +October, 1874, they received notice of their dissolution. It looks very +much as if the kings were eating up the flesh of the woman. + +But some will say, ‘Ah, but in religious matters Popery is making +progress, for it is winning so many perverts to its errors.’ I know +there are perverts, and I am deeply grieved at it, but I doubt whether +Rome’s progress is as great as many think. It has been calculated that +in the year 1801 there were in Great Britain and Ireland twenty-seven +Romanists out of every hundred of the population, but that in 1869 there +were only eighteen. The proportion, therefore, had actually diminished +from twenty-seven to eighteen per cent. {28} + +But take a wider range, and look at the great facts of European history. +At the Lateran Council in 1513, after all the so-called heretics had been +silenced or burned, it was proclaimed, ‘No one now opposes, no one now +objects,’ and then the orator addressing the Pope said, ‘The whole body +of Christendom is now subjugated to one head, even to thee.’ But it is +calculated that there are now more than 95,000,000 Protestants in Europe, +and 67,000,000 members of the Greek Church, making together 162,000,000 +who reject the Pope’s authority, against 157,000,000 who profess to +submit to it. Putting all these facts together, I may ask any reasonable +man, any one who looks at great facts instead of minute details, Is there +not reason to believe that the consumption has begun? What else is it +that has taken away his dominions, broken up his concordats, overturned +his throne, stripped him of his property, and above all has set +95,000,000 in Europe alone free from his yoke? What else is it but the +fulfilment of the prophecy, ‘Whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit +of His mouth,’ preparatory to the time when He shall ‘destroy him with +the brightness of His coming?’ + +Now there are many lessons that we might learn if we had but time from +this subject; _e.g._, I might well spend all the time that remains in +pressing on you the importance of keeping clear of all alliance with +Rome. If God is consuming her, God’s people must have nothing to do with +her either in politics or religion, for if they do, they will find +themselves drawn into the vortex into which she must infallibly sink. +The message to them is, ‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not +partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.’ + +But this is not my point in this lecture. I am anxious rather that we +should look on the whole subject as an encouragement to faith. Surely +some amongst us are too fainthearted about the truth. It really seems as +if they could trust the Lord Jesus for their own souls, but not for His +church, or for His truth: as if they had forgotten the text, ‘Are not +thine eyes upon the truth?’ They value their Bible, and are ready to +contend for it even unto the death; but still, they do not above half +believe it. They are ready to go forth to battle, but they are not ready +to begin, like Jehoshaphat, with the hymn, ‘Praise the Lord!’ They would +rather chant some plaintive lament, and go into the battle with the +doleful expectation of defeat. But this is not faith. This is not trust +in the Lord Jesus. Ah! but one says he cannot rely on government, and +another that he does not trust in bishops. But what has this to do with +it? No one asks you to trust in rulers either in Church or State, for +the Scripture says, ‘Put not your trust in princes.’ What we ask you to +do is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of God. Trust +Him, and all will be right, though all other objects of trust fail you. + +Now take this great subject as a help to your trust. See how it exhibits +Him in His own time and His own way, working out His own predicted +purpose. It was utterly impossible for any man by private interpretation +to calculate the course that things would take. But He foresaw all, and +more than two thousand years ago He actually foretold what He would do. +And now, after all these centuries have passed, after great empires have +risen and fallen according to His prophecy, after every species of effort +has been made in vain to silence God’s Word, after every available means +have been employed—political influence, religious influence, priestly +assumption, and fiery persecution—to stamp out God’s truth, we see the +Lord Jesus with a mighty hand fulfilling His word, carrying out His +purpose, and preparing the way for victory. And is that the time to +distrust Him? If we are so fainthearted now what should we have been +before the Reformation? What should we have been after John Huss was +burned, and when the Lord’s own people were like the seven thousand +hidden ones in the days of Elijah? If we cannot trust Him now that we +have experienced that ‘His counsels of old are faithfulness and truth,’ +what should we have done if we had lived before any prophecies had been +fulfilled; if we had had to trust to His bare naked word before it was +confirmed by history? But now that we have this great confirmation, and +now that we see the putting forth of His hand, this is not the time for +faintheartedness or misgiving; this is not the time to distrust Him whom +God has made the ‘Head over all things to His Church.’ It is true that + + ‘God moves in a mysterious way + His wonders to perform;’ + +but it is certain that He is riding on the storm and will perform His own +wonders, so that we may add, as in the next verse of the same hymn, + + ‘Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, + The cloud ye so much dread + Is big with mercies, and will break + In blessings on your head.’ + +And not only so, but we may reverently hope that it will not be long +before we behold His triumph. When the disciples were on the lake the +night was dark, and the winds were contrary, but He came to them in His +own good time, and all was rest. So we may meet with rough weather, but +there will be a great calm when He comes, and I cannot but hope He will +soon be here. We have long since known of Him on the mountain-top, but +now we can almost see Him walking on the waves. It is high time, +therefore, that we act on His own words: ‘When these things begin to come +to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption +draweth nigh.’ He does not say, ‘Wait till they have all come to pass,’ +but ‘look up as soon as they begin.’ Now they most undoubtedly have +begun, and for a long time have been in progress. It is high time, +therefore, that we begin to look up in faith and hope, waiting for +Christ, looking for Christ, longing for Christ, and meanwhile trusting in +Christ; so that when He comes we may be found pardoned through His blood, +accepted in His covenant, clothed in His righteousness, and with loving +hearts waiting for His appearing. + + + + +TURKEY. + + +III. +THE EUPHRATES. + + +The condition of the Turkish Empire is one of the greatest interests of +the day, and is engaging more than any other public subject the grave +thoughts of thinking men. The capitalists of England are deploring the +loss of many millions of money through its bankruptcy. Those who rejoice +in religious liberty are watching with the deepest interest the noble +struggles of the men of Herzegovina to free themselves from the fearful +yoke of Mohammedan oppression. And the politicians of all the great +states of Europe are at their wits’ end to know what is to become of +Turkey. Nor is this a state of things that has come on suddenly. It is +not the transitory effect of any sudden calamity, but the result of a +steady decay that has been going forward with irresistible power for +certainly not less than fifty years. France and England combined in the +Crimean war to endeavour to maintain the Turkish power, but it was all in +vain. That power has been steadily on the wane ever since, till now the +crisis of bankruptcy has arrived, and ‘the Sick Man,’ as the Turkish +empire has been called, appears on the very point of his dissolution. +{37} + +Now I am quite aware of the difficulty of preaching on such subjects, and +I have no doubt that in your mind as well as my own there is a preference +for those portions of the Word of God which bear directly on our +spiritual experience; but still ‘all Scripture is given by inspiration of +God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for +instruction in righteousness’; and, moreover, there is a special blessing +on the congregational study of this Revelation of St. John, for it is +said, chap. i. 3, ‘Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the +words of this prophecy.’ I propose, therefore, to consider three +questions: (1.) Has the present state of Turkey been foretold in +prophecy? (2.) Does it teach us any lessons respecting our spiritual +position? (3.) Does it throw any light on our hope of the coming of our +Lord? I pray God that He may fulfil to us the promise attached to this +wonderful book, and that both they that hear and he that readeth may +alike enjoy His blessing. + +With reference to the first question—Has the present state of Turkey been +foretold in prophecy? I have not the least hesitation in expressing my +own conviction that it has been foretold in a most remarkable manner, and +that the present state of things is nothing more than the fulfilment of +what God predicted little less than 1800 years ago. + +It is impossible in a short lecture to give all the reasons for this +opinion. I can only attempt the barest outline. But we may gain some +idea of the subject if we consider what is meant by the Euphrates; what +by its overflow; and what by its drying up, as described in Rev. xvi. 12: +‘And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, +and the waters thereof were dried up.’ + +I. The Euphrates. By this we must not understand the literal river, for +the whole book is symbolical. The river, therefore, stands as the symbol +for something else. It is this that makes the subject so difficult, for +the symbols are like hieroglyphics, and therefore, though full of +meaning, peculiarly liable to be misunderstood. The question then is, +What is the power of which the Euphrates in this verse stands as a symbol +or hieroglyphic? Of course, in the answer to such a question we must +distrust ourselves, and I dare not speak on it with the certainty with +which we ought to speak of the plainly revealed facts of Scripture. All +I can do is to express my own very confident conviction that by the +Euphrates is symbolized the Ottoman, or, as it is frequently called, the +Turkish Empire. + +For this I give two reasons:— + +(1.) It is the one great empire existing in the world that originated on +the banks of the river Euphrates. It was in the district to the east of +that river that the Turk, who originally came from Turkistan, became a +formidable power, and from thence that the Turkish hosts were let loose +against Roman Christendom. For we must remember that the Turks, or +Ottomans, do not belong to the soil of Turkey. The French are the +natives of France, and the Italians of Italy, but the Turks are not the +natives of Turkey, but invaders from Asia. They hold the country by +conquest. The head-quarters of the empire are now in Turkey, on the +shores of the Bosphorus; but its birthplace was on the Eastern bank of +the Euphrates. + +(2.) There are two series of prophecies in the book of Revelation, the +one given under the figure of seven trumpets, the other of seven vials, +and they appear to be linked together by a very remarkable connexion as +to the subject of the prophecies. You will see the correspondence +clearly if you compare the account of the trumpets in chapters viii. and +ix. with that of the vials in chapter xvi. + +When the first trumpet sounded the judgment was on the earth, viii. 7; +and so the first vial was poured on the earth, xvi. 2. + +When the second trumpet sounded, the judgment was on the sea, chap. viii. +8. So the second vial was poured on the sea, xvi. 3. + +When the third trumpet sounded, the judgment was on the rivers and +fountains of waters, viii. 10. So the third angel poured out his vial on +the rivers and fountains of waters, xvi. 4. + +When the fourth trumpet sounded, the judgment was on the sun, viii. 12. +So the fourth angel poured out his vial on the sun, xvi. 8. + +When the fifth trumpet sounded, the judgment was on those men who had not +the seal of God on their foreheads, ix. 4. So the fifth vial was on the +seat of the beast, xvi. 10. + +The correspondence is not at first sight so apparent in this as in the +other vials; but if we bear in mind the prophecy that all shall worship +the beast whose names are not written in the book of life, we shall see +the same reality in the coincidence. + +And, lastly, when the sixth trumpet sounded, there was a mighty host +loosed from the Euphrates, ix. 14; and when the sixth vial was poured out +it fell on the Euphrates, and the Euphrates was dried up, xvi. 12. + +Surely, then, we may come to the conclusion that this prophecy in chapter +xvi. relates to the same great power as that referred to in chapter ix.; +and as I believe that it has been proved that the trumpet prophecy +predicts the invasion of Christendom by the Ottoman empire, so I am +persuaded in my own mind that that under the vial foretells its +exhaustion and decay. The Ottoman empire I believe to be the subject of +both the prophecies. + +II. The overflow. There is no actual mention in this passage of the +symbol of an overflow, but as that figure is elsewhere employed in Holy +Scripture to represent invasion, we may regard it in this instance as +descriptive of the invasion by the Ottomans as predicted under the sixth +trumpet. If you turn to Jer. xlvi. 7, 8, you find an invasion by Egypt +described by an exactly similar figure. The invasion by Egypt is there +compared to an overflow of the Nile. ‘Egypt cometh up like a flood, and +his waters are moved as the rivers.’ So in Isa. viii. 7, 8, the invasion +of Palestine by the Assyrians is foretold under the figure of an +inundation: ‘He shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his +banks: and he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over.’ +And so here the invasion by the Ottoman or Euphratian horsemen appears to +be represented by an overflow of the Euphrates. + +Now consider the result of the recent floods in our own country. When +the Trent rose above its banks, what happened? The waters spread far and +wide on both sides the river, till, instead of fields and homesteads, you +saw a vast inland lake. As you passed by in the train you might have +seen the whole country under water. Just so it was when, according to +the symbol, the Euphrates overflowed its banks; or, according to history, +the Ottomans invaded Europe. The invading waters rushed on in every +direction. On the east they reached the borders of China; on the west +they soon reached Palestine, and all the heroic efforts of the Crusaders +failed to check them. They then spread out in two branches. On the +south they crossed into Africa, and spread over the greater part of the +northern portion of that vast continent. In the north they spread +rapidly over Asia Minor, crossed the Bosphorus, conquered Greece, and +spread over Europe till they reached the shores of the Adriatic, and even +Venice. {45} Thus when they had reached the height of their power, the +whole of south-east Europe, the greater part of north Africa, and the +whole of west Asia, were flooded by the vast inundation. Their dominion +extended from the shores of the Adriatic on the west to the borders of +China on the east; while in Africa it reached very nearly from the +Atlantic to Suez. Accordingly we have been taught from our childhood of +Turkey in Europe, Turkey in Asia, and Turkey in Africa. But I am not +sure that we are all aware that the Turks, or Ottomans, are Asiatic +invaders who obtained their dominions by conquest. + +III. So much for the overflow. Let us now turn to the drying up, as +predicted in the prophecy. + +Think once more of the illustration of the river, and consider what would +be the effect on the overflow if the waters were to subside in the river. +The inundation would gradually recede, and one field after another would +be left dry, until after a time the whole country would be free. If, +therefore, the interpretation of the prophecy be correct, we should +expect to see the Ottoman power gradually dying out, and the various +nations that were overrun by conquest one by one shaking off the yoke. +And this is exactly what has been taking place ever since the year 1820. +There is a remarkable prophecy in Daniel believed to refer to this same +Ottoman power, and from it some of the best students of prophecy in the +course of the last century named that year as the probable commencement +of the decline of Turkey. Up to the spring of the year all appeared to +prosper; but then the waters began rapidly to recede. That very year the +Greek insurrection began. The flood receded from Greece, so that in 1827 +the present kingdom was established. In that same year the inundation +went back so far that Servia was left dry. In the same year Moldavia and +Wallachia, and the territory north of the Danube, were set free from the +Ottoman yoke; and now there seems to be every hope that Herzegovina and +Bosnia will succeed in shaking off the invader. Indeed, the whole +Turkish empire is in such a condition that if the statesmen of Europe +could agree as to who should possess Constantinople, the whole Ottoman +Power would in all probability be driven out of Europe before another +year is over. {47} + +As for Africa, the flood has already left it almost dry. Morocco is an +independent state. Algeria has been taken by the French, while on the +east, Egypt has asserted its independence, and with the one exception of +an annual tribute, is entirely free from the Turkish yoke. For some +years this process had been going on, till at length, in 1866, the Pasha +assumed the title of ‘Khedive,’ which means king, proclaiming thereby an +independent monarchy. The only possession remaining to Turkey is the +little province of Tripoli, containing considerably less than 1,000,000 +inhabitants. Turkey in Africa has almost ceased to exist. {48} Turkey +in Europe may last a little longer, but is going fast. As for Turkey in +Asia, it has ceased to be a power to any great distance east of the +Euphrates; and I fully believe that on the west of the river the +drying-up process will be steadily continued till the floods recede from +Palestine, and that beautiful land shall be set free from the blight of +Turkish misgovernment, and handed over to be once more a land flowing +with milk and honey to its rightful possessors, the seed of Abraham, the +nation to which God has given it. + +Such are a few of the leading events with reference to the decline of the +Ottoman empire; and there is only one further remark that I would make +respecting it. The decline has not been the result of external conquest, +but of internal decay. The Turks have not been brought down by any great +defeats, but by their own want of life. The powers of Europe have not +attacked them, but, on the contrary, have done their best to uphold them, +as, _e.g._, in the Crimean war; but, notwithstanding all that France and +England could do, the Turkish power is falling to pieces of itself. The +Sick Man is dying, and the physicians cannot keep him alive. Their +energy seems gone, their exchequer is exhausted, and their population is +so much diminished, that there are now only 2,000,000 Turks, or Ottomans, +left in Europe. {50} In other words, the Euphrates is drying up, and the +inundation cannot long remain upon the land. + +Now I can quite understand the feeling of those who have experienced a +certain amount of disappointment in hearing this morning about the +Turkish empire, instead of something bearing more directly on their own +personal salvation, and I should myself have preferred to have preached +on some such subject. But I have taken this subject on principle. + +1. Because, as I have already said, ‘all Scripture is given by +inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for +correction, for instruction in righteousness.’ No portion, therefore, of +God’s word, whether it be prophetic or historical, ought to be set aside +by those who really desire to know God’s truth. If we wish to know the +whole mind of God we must be prepared to study the whole of the Holy +Scriptures which God has given us. + +2. But, besides that, we must remember that our whole faith depends on +Holy Scripture. All that we know of the Lord Jesus Christ, of His great +high-priesthood, of His atoning blood, of His free salvation, of the gift +of the Holy Ghost, of the new birth, and of the coming Advent, all our +hope for the future, and all our rest for the present, depend simply and +entirely on the Word of God. In it we find all; without it we have +nothing. When, therefore, we see a great prophecy of Holy Scripture +fulfilled in our own day, within reach of our own observation, traceable +on our own maps, and included within the range of our own memory, we +ought not to pass it by, but should accept it with thankfulness in these +days of rebuke and infidelity, as a most blessed confirmation of our +faith. Let any one who has the slightest doubt as to the inspiration of +Scripture look at the facts. Two thousand four hundred years ago there +was a prophet, the prophet Daniel, by the river of Ulai, and he foresaw +in a vision the rise and progress of a mighty power, telling us at the +same time how long it was likely to continue. Six hundred years after +him there arose another prophet, who described what appears to be the +same power, and gave a graphic picture both of its progress and decay. +Students of Holy Scripture have since been diligently occupied in the +study of these two prophecies; and by comparing Scripture with Scripture +were long since brought to the conclusion that in the course of this +century the decline of the Ottoman Empire would take place. And now we +see it going on. Just when the students thought it would begin, then it +began, and just as the prophet described its decay, so it is decaying. +The prophets themselves could have known nothing about it when they +prophesied, for the empire did not arise till many centuries after they +had foretold its fall. But God knew all, and a thousand years were to +Him as one day. These prophecies, therefore, did not arise from any +private interpretation or human calculation of probabilities, but ‘holy +men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ + +Now what should be the result on our minds? What effect should such +facts have on ourselves? Should they not strengthen faith and confirm us +in a simple, childlike, unquestioning trust in the inspired word of the +living God? Who but God Himself could have foretold either to Daniel or +John the rise and decay of the Ottoman Empire? It is God’s own word, +then, with which we are dealing when we study Holy Scripture. There may +be things in it completely beyond all power of human calculation, as the +history of the Ottoman Empire was utterly beyond the human calculation of +either Daniel or John. But God’s truth does not depend on our power of +calculation. It is beyond us altogether, infinite, eternal, divine; and +our part is, whether we can fit it together or not, to receive the whole +as God has given it, and as weak, ignorant, short-lived, and +short-sighted creatures, to receive His will as He has revealed it, into +our hands, and hearts, and say, ‘I believe God, that it shall be as it +was said unto me.’ + + + +IV. +THE FROGS. + + +In opening our subject in the last lecture, I said that there were three +questions to be considered: 1. Has the present state of Turkey been +foretold in prophecy? 2. Does it teach us any lessons respecting our +spiritual position? and 3. Does it throw any light on the blessed hope +of our Lord’s return? The first of these questions we examined in the +last lecture, and surely it was proved that in the symbol of the drying +up of the Euphrates we have a most remarkable symbolic prophecy of the +exhaustion of the Ottoman power. To-day we are to pass on to the second +question: Is our own spiritual position affected by the exhaustion of +Turkish power? Now I can quite understand the thought that has no doubt +occurred to many of you, that the two things can have no possible +connexion with each other, for there seems to our mind to be no possible +connexion of even the most remote character between the Turkish Empire +and our own spiritual life. We may well say, ‘What have we to do with +the Turks, or the Turks with us in our own daily, private walk with God?’ +It may surprise some of you when I say that, although no man can explain +the reason of the connexion, I believe it to be very intimate, and that +the religious life of modern Christendom is in a most remarkable manner +bound up with the decline of the Turkish Empire. + +To understand this we must remember that the great prophecy in the book +of Revelation is arranged in periods. Each seal, each trumpet, and each +vial, represents a period. So there is one particular period of history +foretold under the figure of the sixth vial, and all the events predicted +under that vial we should expect to appear at about the same time in +history. Whether we can trace any connexion or not, the events of each +vial are linked together in respect of time; so that if there are two +events under any one vial, when we see the one we ought to look out for +the other, and when one takes place we have every reason to believe that +the other is at hand. Now there are two events, apparently quite +distinct in themselves, which are thus connected with each other under +the sixth vial—the drying up of the Euphrates, and the appearance of +certain most dangerous and seductive spirits, going forth to gather men +together for the battle of Almighty God. If, therefore, it be a fact, as +I firmly believe it to be a fact, that the Euphrates is now being dried +up, then it follows as a sure and certain consequence that the unclean +spirits are soon, if not already, going forth to do their deadly work. +The two things go on according to the prophecy within the same prophetic +period, and therefore if we see the one, as believers in the word of God, +we ought to be on the lookout for the other. We are thus brought to the +conclusion, that whenever the Euphrates shall be drying up, there will be +a time of great spiritual seduction; or in other words that the +exhaustion of the Turkish Empire will be accompanied, or quickly +followed, by a remarkable development of mischievous spiritual power. +This, then, must be our subject in this lecture, and we will study (if +God permit) first the danger, and then the caution. May God grant that +the result may be that we may be like those few men of Sardis who had not +defiled their garments, and who will walk with the Lord Jesus in white, +for they are worthy! + +I. The danger. + +This is described in Rev. xvi. 13, 14. ‘And I saw three unclean spirits +like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of +the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the +spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the +earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great +day of God Almighty.’ + +All students of prophecy are well aware how much has been written in +exposition of these two verses, and what different explanations have been +given of these three seductive spirits. I have not time this morning to +discuss any of them, but there are three things perfectly clear, and it +will be sufficient for us to study them. + +(1.) The subtlety of the danger. + +The passage does not describe three empires, or three churches, or three +great societies, or three organizations of any kind whatever, but three +spirits. Now a spirit is something subtle and unseen. Its presence is +not perceived; its voice is not heard; its touch is not felt. It comes +and goes, but it leaves no footsteps in the sand. It seems, therefore, a +great mistake to explain this prophecy by different systems that are +conspicuous to the eye, and we must be careful lest, by so doing, we +should be thrown off our guard with reference to our real danger. There +may be no false system presented to us, and we may be perfectly safe with +reference to any definite form of evil, such as infidelity or popery, but +there may be any one, or indeed all three, of these deadly spirits +imperceptibly breathing poison into our souls. It is this subtlety of +spiritual action that makes it so pre-eminently dangerous. If it were +all open and before the eye we should know how to avoid it. + +(2.) The variety. + +There is not one spirit only, but there are three acting together. We +are taught, therefore, that at the time of the drying up of the Euphrates +we must be prepared for subtle and seductive power of various forms and +characters. If there were only one spirit the danger might assume only +one form: but as there are three spirits acting together we should be on +our guard against every possible combination. We are not merely to look +out for three distinct and separate forms of error, but, as all three act +together, they may combine in every conceivable variety. One may act on +one mind, two on another, and all three on a third, and so produce the +most remarkable and inconsistent combinations. Suppose, _e.g._, that the +first was Infidelity, the second Worldliness, and the third Popery. +Remember, I do not say that they are, but suppose they were. In some +cases you might have avowed Atheism; in some, a life so absorbed in the +world that a man does not even take the trouble to be an infidel; and in +others pure and unadulterated Romanism. But, besides that, you might +find every possible combination. Sceptical opinions might be combined +with Romish ritual, and high ceremonial with worldliness of life. +Indeed, there is scarcely any form of seductive error that you might not +develop by combining in different proportions those three most dangerous +spirits. Thus it follows that, though a person may be well on his guard +against one, he may be gradually entangled by the other two; and though +he may be on the watch against all in their distinct and separate forms, +he may be drawn out of a straight path by a beautiful combination of the +three, in which according to St. Paul’s illustration, Satan has +transformed himself into an angel of light. + +(3.) The result of the action of these spirits in conflict. Verse +14—‘For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth +unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the +battle of the great day of God Almighty.’ + +Their special object appears to be to gather together the kings to the +battle of the great day of God Almighty: and in studying the prophecy it +is impossible to forget the political difficulties that have already +arisen from the decline of Turkey. But we must not limit the prophecy to +kings, for the warning voice of verse 15 clearly applies to us all. +Kings are not the only persons who find it necessary to watch and keep +their garments. These spirits then, are predicted as gathering men +together for battle. When they are abroad, truth and error will be +thrown into antagonism. The Lord Jesus Christ will be collecting His +forces, and Satan his: there will be on both sides the mustering of the +host. Those that are on the side of the Lamb will rally round His +banner, ‘called, and chosen, and faithful’; and those that are under the +influence of any of the seductive spirits will throw themselves into the +ranks of open opposition. The characteristic of the day will be, not +sloth or indifference, but zeal, eagerness, and conflict. + +Now no one can have watched the progress of men’s minds during the last +half century without observing that this has been most remarkably the +case. There cannot be a doubt as to the fact that, while the Turkish +power has been declining, the powers of good and evil throughout +Christendom have been awakening into life. The two processes have gone +on side by side. Turkey has been drying up, and almost every state in +Europe has been aroused to religious conflict. Many amongst us have been +able to trace the vast change that has taken place during our own +lifetimes. I can see myself an immense difference between the state of +things when I first commenced my ministry, forty years ago, and the state +of things now. Then the characteristic of the day was stagnation, but +now it is conflict. Then our warfare was against cold, dull, dead, +stolid indifference; but now error in every shape is in full activity, +and we require to be armed at all points against every species of attack. +Then all that unconverted men desired was to be left undisturbed in the +deep sleep that had settled down on their souls. But they are all awake +now, and the cry is, ‘To arms!’ Many, alas! are on the wrong side. Far +too many have fallen under the fatal influence of these seducing spirits; +but, whether on the wrong side or the right, they are awake. They are up +and hurrying to their post. The time for sleep is over; the bugle has +sounded, the ranks are forming, the struggle has begun, and the time is +come when those who know their Saviour must be prepared to stand with a +holy decision on His side. + +II. And now you can see the overwhelming importance of the warning of +this verse: ‘Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest +he walk naked, and they see his shame.’ You can see that the exhaustion +of Turkey is a conspicuous signal from God to arouse all Christendom to +watchfulness. We cannot see the three unclean spirits coming forth, but +we can see Turkey decaying; and that is God’s visible signal that the +invisible spirits are at work. If ever, therefore, there was a time for +especial watchfulness it is now. If ever there was a time when our young +people require to be cautioned, and warned, and helped, and guided, it is +now. And you will observe that the warning is given to those who have +some garments. It is not spoken to the heathen, or unconverted +worldlings; but to those who have, what I may term, some sort of +Christian clothing. I have not time to discuss what that clothing is. +It may be their baptismal robe, that which they put on when they were +baptized into Christ. It may be the robe of their Christian profession, +that which they wear habitually in daily life; or it may even be that +spotless robe washed white in the blood of the Lamb, in which alone they +can stand before God, the wedding garment of the perfect righteousness of +the Lord Jesus Christ. In whatever sense we understand the expression, +the solemn and sacred warning from God to every one of us, both old and +young, is the same; viz., that we watch and keep our garments, lest we +walk naked, and they see our shame. We see the Euphrates drying up, and +therefore we know that the evil spirits are abroad. We know, _i.e._, +that there are subtle, deadly influences all around us, of various kinds +and characters, whose object is to draw us away from the simplicity that +is in Christ, to strip us of our garments, and to enlist us on the wrong +side of the struggle. We may not be aware of their stealthy approach; +and we are not likely to be so, for we are certain not to see them. We +need not necessarily be shocked by their suggestions, for, though they be +unclean spirits, they can clothe their temptation in the form of beauty. +But whether we detect them or not, we may be sure they are at work, and +in full activity. They are moving with stealthy steps in the midst of +us. They are approaching our minds in secret, disturbing prayer, +suggesting doubts, weakening faith, poisoning thought, alienating love, +and so labouring by subtle, mental influence, to detach us from Christ. +And only think what the result would be if they were to succeed; nothing +less than this, that we should walk naked and they would see our shame! +It is not clear who is meant by the ‘they’ that are to see the shame. It +may be the world at large, or it may be the very spirits that have done +the mischief, looking on with a fiendish smile on the misery and +nakedness of the poor wretch whom they have ruined. But it matters not +who sees it; that will make very little difference. To be naked before +God, that is enough. He is sure to see it, and the dreadful horrors of +such a position far exceed any power of human imagination. You remember +how St. Paul spoke of it in 2 Cor. v. 3: ‘If so be that being clothed’ +(clothed, _i.e._, with the resurrection body) ‘we shall not be found +naked.’ Clothed, but yet naked. Risen, but not covered. Alive with all +the realities of the body, and all the faculties of the mind, memory, and +conscience; but with the poor soul naked, without a claim, without an +excuse, without an atonement, without a plea, without a Saviour, without +any hope for all eternity of either concealment or forgiveness. The +thought is too dreadful to be borne. Oh, may God in mercy grant that not +one of us, and not one whom we love, may be found naked in that day? And +oh! what an inexpressible joy it is for the child of God, however weak, +however unworthy, however unable to cope with all the seductions of those +wicked spirits, to fall back on the sure promise of his blessed Saviour: +‘They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My +hand.’ He can keep us, and we may be sure He will. Let us throw +ourselves then into His hand to be clothed, to be kept, to be watched +over, to be held fast, that so, preserved in Christ Jesus, and clothed in +His spotless robe, we may never be found naked, but may when He comes be +presented ‘faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding +joy.’ {69} + + + +V. +THE ADVENT. + + +I trust there are many amongst us who are able to say, from the very +depths of their longing hearts, ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait.’ +The long-expected coming of the Lord is the blessed hope on which their +hearts rest in eager and earnest expectation, and they can add their +unqualified ‘Amen’ to the last prayer of Scripture, ‘Even so, come, Lord +Jesus.’ + +I am persuaded that all those who are thus looking for the coming of the +Lord must feel the greatest possible interest in the last of the three +subjects proposed for our consideration with reference to the exhaustion +of the Turkish Empire, as symbolized by the drying up of the Euphrates. +We have seen that the exhaustion which is now attracting the anxious +attention of all the politicians of Europe was foretold more than +eighteen hundred years ago in this remarkable symbolic prophecy. We +found also in the last lecture that the internal decay of Turkey is a +warning to us all to be on the watch against the seductive spirits of the +latter days; and we now have to examine whether there is any connexion +between that decay and the glorious advent of the Lord Jesus; whether, in +other words, the decline of the Ottoman empire is not like the cry which +aroused the ten virgins in the parable, ‘The Bridegroom cometh.’ There +are two questions which will clearly require our careful study. (1.) +What light does the decline of the Ottoman Empire throw on the near +approach of our Lord’s return? And (2), if it does throw such a light, +how are we to understand His declaration that He will come as a thief? +May God Himself, who has inspired His own word, be graciously pleased to +direct us in the study of it; and to lead us, every one of us, to be +perfectly ready, waiting for the Lord Jesus! + +I. What light, then, does the decay of the Ottoman Empire throw on the +prospect of the near approach of our Lord’s return? Has it any bearing +on our Christian hope? and may we regard it as a signal from God that the +time is come when we may soon expect the Advent? + +In order to answer this question we must examine:— + +(1.) The position of the prophecy in the general structure of the Book. +The prophecies of this wonderful book are arranged on a divinely ordered +plan. There are some chapters to which it is difficult to assign their +place; but it is easy to see what may be termed the backbone running +through the whole. To use a very homely illustration, there is the main +line of rail conspicuously running through the whole, and you may trace +that clearly, though you cannot always trace the branches. Now in this +outline there are three great series of prophetic periods—the seven +seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials; and these three series +appear in a remarkable manner to follow each other. First there are the +seals, as in chap. vi.; and when the sixth seal is opened, and the +seventh about to follow, there appears a general expectation of the +coming of the Lord. But when the seventh seal is actually opened, +instead of our coming to the end, as apparently was expected, we find a +second series developed. The seven trumpets were wrapped as it were in +the seventh seal (viii. 1, 2), so that when it was opened they appeared, +and a fresh series commenced, and the trumpet-angels one after another +blew their blast. At length the seventh trumpet is sounded, and again it +appears as though you had reached the end. But like the seventh seal, +it, too, is found to contain within itself a third series. The seven +vials are wrapped within it, and when that last trumpet is blown they are +poured forth in awful succession on a wicked world. Thus the seventh +seal contains all the trumpets, and the seventh trumpet all the vials. +Now if this be the case it is clear that the sixth vial must come very +near the end. The trumpets are none sounded till the six seals are +passed and the seventh seal is opened. The vials do not begin till the +six trumpets have completed their blast and the seventh has sounded; and +of the vials six must have been poured out already, so that there can be +nothing remaining but the seventh, or the last. + +To take the very homely illustration of a railway. Suppose a series of +stations on a line, the seventh being a junction; suppose that on the +branch from that junction there was another series of stations, the +seventh again being a junction; and from that second junction there was +another line of seven stations, the last being your home. What would you +think of your position when you had travelled the whole length of the +main line, and the whole of the first branch, and when you had gone so +far along the second branch that you had actually reached the sixth +station on that last line? You would say, surely, that you were near the +end of your journey, close to home. Now whenever the Church of God +reaches the sixth vial that will be its position. All the seals will +have been opened, all the trumpets blown, and six of the seven vials +poured out. + +But that I believe to be our position now, and that we are at this +present time living under the sixth vial. I believe that the great +public, political event of the sixth vial, is the drying up of the +Ottoman Empire, and that we can all see to be in progress. There can be +no doubt about the great, public, political fact. It is confirmed by +every newspaper, and is forced on the attention of England by the sore +distress brought on many families through the Turkish bankruptcy. But if +this be the fact predicted by the symbol of the drying up of the +Euphrates, then it follows that we are living under the sixth vial, and +that the seventh vial is all that remains of the great prophetic series. + +(2.) But consider next the contents of the seventh vial. The seventh +seal contained the series of seven trumpets, and the seventh trumpet the +series of seven vials. May there not be some similar series wrapped up +in the seventh vial? + +Such a question would be perfectly reasonable, but the only answer that +we can give is that we do not find any such series described in the +prophecy. On the other hand, everything in it looks like the end. When +the seventh angel poured out his vial there came a great voice out of the +temple of heaven from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ It certainly did +not look like the commencement of another series, but taught us rather to +look out for the great winding up of the whole and the final close of the +great prophetic plan. So in the account of the seventh vial you may see +four things plainly revealed—the fall of Babylon, which I believe to be +the fall of Rome, chap. xvi. 17, to the end of xviii.; the marriage +supper of the Lamb, chap. xix. 1–9; the triumphant victory of the Son of +God, chap. xix. 11, 12; and, last of all, the millennial reign, chap. xx. +Surely, then, this vial brings us to the end. Surely when it is poured +forth we shall have done with the politics of the world, and shall cease +to look for the gradual development of history. All thoughts will then +be occupied by the unspeakable blessedness of the marriage supper of the +Lamb. + +It seems clear, then, that the seventh vial is the close of the series, +and that under it we are to expect the final victory of the Lord Jesus +Christ. The conclusion, therefore, is plain, that if the exhaustion of +the Ottoman Empire is the event symbolized by the drying up of the +Euphrates, it is high time that we awake out of sleep: for the sixth vial +is already begun, and we must soon expect to behold Christ Himself, with +all the joys of His kingdom and all the terrors of a crushing victory. I +say ‘soon,’ not ‘immediately,’ for it does not appear that this passage +teaches us to expect it any day or hour, for it describes certain great +political events which have not yet taken place. The Euphrates is +drying, but not yet dry. The kings have not yet passed over from the +East, and the battle of Almighty God, whatever it may symbolize, has not +yet been fought. All, therefore, that we can say is, that we appear to +have reached what Daniel terms ‘the time of the end’; that now it is high +time to awake out of sleep, for we already begin to see the first streaks +of morning dawn. We have already witnessed some of the great events that +must very shortly precede the Advent, and we may begin to look out full +of hope for the actual return of the Lord Himself. + +(3.) This conclusion is confirmed by the words of our Lord Himself. I +need not stop to prove that He is the speaker in this passage, but we +must carefully observe His words. What does He say when the sixth vial +is poured out, and the Euphrates is drying up, and when the three evil +spirits are gone forth through Christendom? What is the warning voice +which He Himself then gives out with reference to His coming? What +lesson would He have us learn from these great events? Of what are they +His signal? Does He not teach us to be looking out for His coming? Does +He not say, ‘Behold, I come as a thief?’ {79} Does He not call us to a +double watchfulness, and teach us not merely to watch against the +seductive influence of these foul spirits, but to watch also for His own +appearing, and for the bright hope of joyfully meeting Him? But if this +be the case, and if the prophecy of the sixth vial is really being now +fulfilled, as we believe it to be, by the drying up of the Turkish power; +then every fresh symptom of decay in that power, every loss of territory +by the Turks, every fresh insurrection, and every proof that the empire +is reduced to hopeless bankruptcy, is like a clarion blast of the trumpet +of God ringing through the ears of Christendom; and proclaiming, with a +distinctness which cannot be mistaken, ‘Watch, therefore, for ye know +neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh!’ + +II. But if this be the case, it behoves us carefully to examine our +second question. If such a warning is so clearly given, how can He be +said to come as a thief? He Himself teaches us perfectly clearly that +the meaning of the illustration is that, as the thief comes without +giving notice, so He will return without previously giving any such +notice of His approach as will arouse the sleepers. The thief does not +tell you when he is coming; and when he comes, he neither knocks at the +door nor rings the bell. But he comes quietly. He does nothing to +disturb those that are asleep, and his object is to enter unobserved. So +our Lord teaches us, that when He comes He will do nothing to startle the +world. There will be nothing to prevent men eating and drinking, +marrying and giving in marriage, right up to the very end. The men of +the world will find Him in the house before they have the least idea of +His approach. That this is the meaning of the words is perfectly clear +from what He said (Matt. xxiv. 42–44): ‘Watch, therefore; for ye know not +what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the +house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have +watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. +Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son +of Man cometh.’ + +But, you may say, how far is this consistent with what has been said of +the probability of His return following quickly on the exhaustion of the +Ottoman Empire? If there be a prophetic series in the book of +Revelation, and we have already reached the last station on the last +branch of the line, how is it that He can be said to come upon us without +notice as a thief does? Has He not given us notice in this prophecy? + +In answer to that question we must observe the clearly marked distinction +between His own believing people and the unbelieving world. To His own +people He will not come as a thief, for we read in 1 Thess. v. 4, 5, ‘But +ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake _you_ as +a thief.’ _You_ are in the light, _i.e._, for you can see Him coming; so +_you_ will not be found asleep. So He Himself taught us distinctly in +the very passage in which He uses the illustration; for He there shows +that His own disciples are to expect His coming when they see the +predicted signs, just as they expect the summer when they see the budding +of the trees in spring (Matt. xxiv. 32, 33). Nor are they to wait in +their expectation till they see these signs fully developed; not to wait, +_i.e._, till the young branch is fully grown; but they are to watch +beginnings, and learn from them. They are to draw their conclusion when +the branch is yet tender, without waiting till it is fully ripened; as He +Himself taught us in Luke, xxi. 28: ‘When these things _begin_ to come to +pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth +nigh.’ If, therefore, you be amongst the people of God, you need never +be taken by surprise. We do not know the exact time, but we may study +the predicted signs, and, having them before us, may look out for the +second advent just as Simeon and Anna looked out for the first. We may +be like the servant of Elijah, going up again and again to the hill-top +to watch for the coming rain; or like the loving servant watching for the +footsteps of the master whom he loves, and perfectly ready, whenever he +returns, to open the door, and welcome him to his home. The Lord came +suddenly to His temple, but He did not come suddenly to Simeon; and the +Lord will come as a thief to the world, but if you hold fast to His own +word He will never be as a thief to you. + +As I have already said, it is the _world_ that will be found asleep, and +to whom He will really come as a thief. But some man may say, ‘If there +be these signs beforehand, will they not arouse the world as well as +believers? Will they not awaken society? Will they not compel men to +prepare?’ I answer that by another question, Do they? There are certain +signs already given; do they wake up society? Have they produced such an +impression as to arouse the great mass of worldly men? There are the +Jews preserved as a separate people, in fulfilment of a prophecy given +more than three thousand years ago; what effect has such a fulfilment of +God’s word had in the City? There are all the politicians of Europe at +their wits’ end because of the decay of Turkey; how many even of +yourselves have been led thereby to look out for the near approach of our +blessed Saviour? There is Rome stripped of its temporal power in +fulfilment of great prophecies given, some of them, more than two +thousand years ago; how many are there that have been led by that +fulfilment to look out even for the fall of Babylon? The simple fact is, +that these great fulfilments, though conspicuous to the eye of those who +study them, completely fail to produce the least impression on the deep +sleep of the unconverted world. The prophecies are not read; the facts +are not compared with them; the lessons are not learned; and the soul is +not aroused to preparation. How many are there even in this very town on +whom the fulfilment of God’s prophetic word has never produced the +slightest effect? They are living just as they would have lived, or +rather sleeping as they would have slept, if there had been no prophecy +to give the warning, and no history to confirm its truth. Can you +wonder, then, that the Lord Jesus should come upon such persons as a +thief? + +But I trust, dear brethren, that He may not come as a thief to you, but +that you may be found in the light and awake, not in darkness and asleep; +or, to use the illustration of this text, that you may not wake up naked +to your everlasting shame. I am sure you desire when He comes to be +found awake, looking out, ready to welcome Him. You wish to be found +clothed. Oh, think what it would be to be found naked, when all the +saints of God are standing around you in their resurrection robe! We +have lately read of poor people startled in the night by shipwreck, and +rushing as they were to the deck, utterly unprotected against the bitter +blast of the winter’s snow-storm. Think what it would be to be suddenly +aroused from your own deep sleep, to see all that you have in the world +wrecked around you, and to find your poor soul quite naked, while the +terrible storm of God’s most just judgment beats upon you, and breaks +down every hope of escape! Oh, dear brethren, may it never be so with +you! May you be amongst those who can peacefully look for His appearing, +because you are clothed in His righteousness! May you be kept walking in +the light, and cleansed from all sin through His most precious blood! +Then you will have nothing to fear, but everything to hope for, in the +thought of His coming. Then He will never come as a thief to you, for +you will be ready at any time to open the door and welcome Him. As the +bride delights in the bridegroom, so will you delight in Him. Your trial +will consist, not in the dread of His coming, but in the difficulty of +patiently waiting for His return, and when He comes you will find no +language to bless and praise His holy name for His boundless and +unmerited love in having redeemed you by His atoning blood; in having +called you by His sovereign grace; in having forgiven you through His +finished atonement: in having sanctified you by the Holy Ghost; and in +having preserved you in His own unchanging faithfulness, till He shall +have finally presented you spotless and faultless before the throne of +His everlasting glory. + + + + +JERUSALEM. + + +There is no city in the whole world which fills so important a place in +the Word of God as Jerusalem. There are several others which are more +prominent in the world’s politics, but in the great economy of God, as +revealed in Sacred Scripture, Jerusalem stands out pre-eminent above them +all. We Englishmen think of London, with its vast population and +enormous wealth, as the leading city of the world; but except in so far +as it is the capital of one of the isles of the sea, it has no place in +prophecy. The French look upon Paris as the most beautiful city of +Europe, and the centre of European influence; but, unless it is the +predicted seat of the Beast, which some persons are disposed to consider +it, it is literally nowhere in the Word of God. And Rome, which all +regard with something of awe and veneration, as being associated with the +most thrilling histories of the past, is described in the Prophetic Word +as the seven-hilled city on which is seated the mystic Babylon, the great +whore of the Apocalypse. But the whole of Sacred Scripture abounds in +allusions to Jerusalem. History, poetry, and prophecy are all full of +it. It is described as ‘beautiful for situation,’ and ‘the joy of the +whole earth.’ The people of God are taught to pray for it, and the +promise is given that those who love it shall prosper. The sacred feet +of the Son of God trod the pavement of its Temple, and we are assured +that it will never disappear from God’s great dealings with mankind, +until the New Jerusalem shall descend from heaven from our God, and there +shall be new heavens and a new earth at the coming of the Lord of Glory. + +It was the sight of this beautiful city, with its magnificent Temple +crowning the heights of Mount Moriah, that drew from our blessed Saviour +the remarkable prophecy contained in the 24th of St. Matthew and the 21st +of St. Luke. The disciples had pointed out to Him the buildings of the +Temple; and afterwards, as they sat together on the Mount of Olives, on +the opposite side of the valley, He taught them the vanity of all earthly +strength. He told them that of the beautiful Temple not one stone should +be left upon another. And He also taught them that there would be a +lengthened period of desolation and humiliation; for that Jerusalem +should be ‘trodden under foot of the Gentiles until the times of the +Gentiles should be fulfilled.’ Jerusalem was to be not merely beaten +down, but kept down, until a certain predicted period should expire. But +while the words distinctly predict a long period of desolation, they no +less clearly imply the assurance of an ultimate restoration. They teach +that Jerusalem is not to be trodden down for ever, but only till the +times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled; implying, as clearly as words +can, that when those times are expired, the Holy City shall rise again in +its beauty. The words predict a desolation for a limited period, and at +the close of that period, restoration. + +I have not time to discuss what is meant by ‘the times of the Gentiles.’ +Suffice it to say that I believe it to be this present Gentile +dispensation; this time of Gentile power and Gentile opportunity; this +time during which God is gathering out His elect people from the Gentile +world, and is employing a Gentile Church in the sacred ministry of the +Gospel of His grace. It seems to be the time of the ingathering of the +Gentile Church, for it is to last, according to St. Paul, ‘until the +fulness of the Gentiles be come in’; and it is clearly the time of the +exercise of Gentile power, for they are Gentiles by whom Jerusalem is to +be trodden under foot. + +But I do not wish to occupy time in any discussion of this period, but +rather to invite your special attention to those Gentile powers which +have trodden Jerusalem under foot. Which are they? and how do they now +stand? + +What, then, are the Gentile powers which have trodden down Jerusalem? In +the course of the eighteen hundred years of her humiliation there have +been times during which there have been short interruptions in the sway +of the ruling powers. But, looking at the period as one great whole, and +fixing our attention on the conspicuous outlines of history, we find that +there are two powers which stand out conspicuous above all the rest as +the great oppressors of the Holy City. These are Rome and the successive +forms of that Mahommedan power of which the present head is Turkey. Rome +trod her down at the siege of Jerusalem, and Turkey holds her down now. +Rome cast her to the ground, and when she was down Turkey set its foot on +her neck. Rome hurled her to the dust, and Turkey now tramples her in +the mire. Rome destroyed God’s Temple, and actually ploughed up the +sacred ground on which it stood. Turkey maintains on the sacred site the +mosque of Omar; and on that holy hill where Abraham offered Isaac, where +David offered the oxen of Araunah, where Solomon built his Temple, and +where the Lord Jesus, the Son of David, cast out all that was unholy; +there, by Turkish authority, now stands a Mahommedan mosque; and there no +Jew is permitted to set his foot, the only privilege allowed him being to +kneel in the Street of Wailing outside the enclosure, and there weep for +the desolation of Jerusalem. + +There is something very remarkable in this fact, because these are the +two powers especially connected with the two great predicted apostasies, +Popery and Mahommedanism; Rome being the seat of the Popedom, and the +Sultan of Turkey the recognised head of the Mahommedan apostasy. + +But I have no time now to examine that connexion, nor is it my present +object to do so. The one fact I desire to leave perfectly clear on your +mind is this, that Rome and the Mussulman power of which Turkey is now +the head, are the two Gentile powers which for the last eighteen hundred +years must be charged with having trodden down Jerusalem. + +And now what is the present position of these two powers? And how do +they stand in Europe? What is the condition, and what the prospect, of +these two great oppressors of Jerusalem? + +As for Rome, as a political power it has ceased to exist, for I need not +say that the modern kingdom of Italy has nothing to do with it. It is +not built on the old lines, but is altogether a new creation, an +extension of the kingdom of Sardinia. Now there can be no doubt whatever +that the vast, iron-footed, undivided Roman Empire, of which Titus was +emperor at the time he trod down Jerusalem, has long since passed away. +Different historians may assign different dates to its dissolution, but +no one doubts for one moment that it is dissolved. The power that +trampled down Jerusalem is broken up into ten kingdoms, and the Imperial +head is no more. There is no successor to the throne of Titus, and the +throne itself is in fragments. + +It is very remarkable also that the Papal head which succeeded the +Imperial has within the past few years come also to an end as a political +power. After the division of the undivided empire the ten kingdoms were +to a great extent held together by the Papal head which succeeded the +Imperial. The Pope claimed to be the sole authority from which the kings +derived their power, and before the Reformation, all Europe acknowledged +his claims. He was supposed to hold all the crowns of Europe in his +hand. But that is all over now. The kings have taken away his dominion. +As a political power the Papal head has followed the Imperial. According +to Sir G. Bowyer, in the _Times_ of Nov. 10, 1874, ‘The Pope has been +dethroned, and all his dominions and property have been reduced to a +palace, a church, and a garden,’ it does not seem, therefore, very +probable that Rome in either shape will ever again tread down Jerusalem. +We may safely say that the first of the two oppressors is no more. + +But what shall we say of the second? of that Turkey which is the only +power now treading down Jerusalem? I would meet this by another +question. Is there any politician in Europe who has the least +expectation of Turkey remaining in its present position for another ten +years? Whatever little political power it retains is dying out as fast +as it can die. Its exchequer is bankrupt. Its credit is gone. Its +character for good faith is at an end. Its armies are unpaid. Its +subject populations are rising against the intolerable burdens of its +injustice and oppression; and the Turks themselves have lost heart in the +melancholy conviction that their days are numbered. + +Thus of the two powers that have trodden down Jerusalem, one is already +extinct and the head of the other at its last gasp. The foot of the Sick +Man is the only foot now remaining on the neck of Jerusalem, and the Sick +Man is dying. Surely it is not unreasonable to ask the question, ‘When +he dies, why should not Jerusalem arise and be free’? + +The result is that, without dwelling on any minute detail, we are brought +by the great, long-continued facts of European history, to the most +important conclusion that, in all probability, we are approaching the +time when Jerusalem shall no longer be trodden down of the Gentiles, and +when therefore, the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled. It is only +reasonable to suppose that when the oppressors are taken out of the way +the oppression will come to an end; and, therefore, as one of those two +oppressors is already fallen, and the other falling so fast that all the +powers of Europe seem unable to keep him in his place, there is surely +good reason to hope that before long the captive will be free, and that +the time may not be far distant when we shall hear the cry, ‘Shake +thyself from the dust; arise and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself +from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.’ + +And it certainly is a most remarkable fact that, simultaneously with the +consumption of Rome and the decay of Turkey, there has been a wonderful +awakening of interest in Jerusalem and the Jews. The explorations in +Palestine are very like a fulfilment of the prophecy, ‘Thy servants take +pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof’: and if they are, +there is good reason to hope that ‘the time to favour her, yea, the set +time, is come.’ + +But the interest in the people is more remarkable than that in the +country. Before the great Evangelical revival at the commencement of +this century no one seemed to have any idea that the Jews had any part in +their own Messiah. They were treated as an outcast people, and as for +their conversion, no one seems to have thought of attempting it until the +formation of the Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, in +the year 1808. But now there are Christian missionaries labouring +amongst them in most of the principal towns of Europe, and, indeed, in +almost all the leading centres of their scattered population. The New +Testament has been translated into Hebrew, and very nearly twenty-five +thousand copies are being annually circulated amongst the Jews. The +state of feeling towards them has passed through a complete revolution, +so that of England it was said not long since by a learned and +influential Italian Jew, ‘God has blessed, and will bless, England; +because her great men, both in Church and State, take an interest in the +children of Jacob.’ Such facts are most important in themselves; but +when it is borne in mind that this interest in Jerusalem has been +awakened just at the time of the consumption of the political power of +Rome, and has been going on side by side with the decay of Turkey, it +certainly ought to lead all students of the Word of God to consider +carefully whether the times of the Gentiles may not be drawing to a +close, and the day of redemption may not be beginning to dawn on +Jerusalem. + +But some may be disposed to say, How are we concerned with Jerusalem, and +what does it matter to us whether Jerusalem is trodden under foot, or +free? I fear this is a very common feeling throughout society, and that +there are thousands and tens of thousands of professing Christians who +are perfectly indifferent as to the condition of Jerusalem. But it ought +not so to be, for if it be a place cared for by the Lord, it ought to be +also cared for by His people. Besides which, even on selfish principles, +we should take an interest in Jerusalem; for, as our position as Gentiles +in Christ Jesus is most intimately connected with the fall of Jerusalem, +so our brightest hopes in Him are bound up with its recovery. In proof +of this I would ask you to turn to Ps. cii. 16, where you read, ‘When the +Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in glory!’ The return of the +Lord is, therefore, connected with the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and, +whenever we see His hand restoring the city, we should begin to look out +in confident hope for the glorious and happy day when He Himself will +come to take the Kingdom. As a student of the Word of God, I should be +very much surprised if He were to come before Jerusalem is raised from +the dust; but when it is raised, it seems clear from Scripture that there +will be nothing in the great prophetic series any longer to delay His +appearing. {102} + +So in our Lord’s discourse, as recorded by St. Matthew and St. Luke, we +are taught the same thing. The object of the discourse is not, as has +been sometimes thought, to confound the taking of Jerusalem with the +Second Coming, but to distinguish them, and to warn the disciples against +the danger of mistaking the siege of Jerusalem for the coming of the +Lord. It is the restoration of Jerusalem, not the fall, which is +connected with the Advent. Our Lord, therefore, distinguishes between +the fall and the recovery and describes the various signs that shall +precede each. So up to Luke xxi. 24, we find the description of the +desolation, concluding with the prophecy, ‘Jerusalem shall be trodden +down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.’ But +in ver. 28 we find the promise of the glorious recovery in those sacred +words, ‘When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift +up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.’ The 24th verse +describes the desolation, the 28th the restoration, and the whole long +period described as the times of the Gentiles, with the signs of the +latter days, intervenes between the two. Now look at the account of the +redemption. It includes clearly a release from the captivity and the +rise of Jerusalem, when the time of its treading down shall have come to +an end. But that is not all, or nearly so. The redemption there +described is identified with the return of the Lord Himself; for in ver. +27 we read, ‘Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with +power and great glory.’ Those then who pray for the peace of Jerusalem +will rejoice for Jerusalem’s sake in its recovery. Those servants of God +who take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof, will have +their hearts gladdened when they see her rebuilt. But that is not all, +or nearly all, for whenever that happens, the whole Church of God, and +every member of it in every nation under heaven, may look up and lift up +their heads, for the Lord Himself will soon appear. Once more, then, are +we taught our deep interest in the decay of Turkey. When Turkey falls +there is every hope that Jerusalem will rise; and when Jerusalem rises, +the next thing for us to look out for will be the Advent of the Lord. +All Christians, therefore, should rejoice in the decline of the Ottoman +Empire, for the fall of the Mussulman is the hope of the Jew, and the +return of the Jew will be the blessed harbinger of the triumphant advent +of her glorious King. Rome beat down Jerusalem, and Rome, as a political +power, is no more. Turkey is now treading her down; but its decay is +begun, and its days are numbered: so that we may earnestly hope it will +be but a little while, possibly a very little while—within the lives of +many present—when the great promise of God shall be fulfilled, and, +according to the prophecy, ‘The moon shall be confounded, and the sun +ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in +Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.’ God grant that all the +readers of this little book may be found looking for His appearing, and +ready to welcome Him with their lamps burning brightly, when the cry is +heard, ‘The Bridegroom cometh!’ + + * * * * * + + * * * * * + + * * * * * + + LONDON: + Printed by MERRITT & HATCHER, LTD., + Moor Lane, E.C. + + * * * * * + + + + +Works on Prophecy and the Second Coming of our Lord +Published by CHAS. J. 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MARSHALL BROS., +3s. 6d. + + “I like this volume even better than its predecessor.”—The late Right + Hon. Judge Warren. + + “There is a robustness of tone which pleases us much. It is with + considerable pleasure that we welcome another volume of Devotional + Studies from this Author.”—_Record_. + +A BRIGHT TO-MORROW. Long 12mo. MARSHALL BROS., 1s. This little book on +Prophecy has had a remarkable career, having passed through some 18 +editions. It has been circulated in every quarter of the globe, and has +been translated into French, German, Japanese and Cingalese. + +WATCHING FOR THE DAWN. Long 12mo. MARSHALL BROS., 1s. + + “A calm and thoughtful little treatise on our Lord’s + return.”—_Record_. + + “Another volume that will endear itself to those seeking religious + comfort.”—_Daily Mail_. + + + +WORKS by the Rev. J. H. TOWNSEND, D.D. + + +THE BRIGHTENING EAST. New Series. MARSHALL BROS., 1s. The prophetic +outlook up to date. This little book is attractively got up, and is +selling rapidly. + + “The teaching in this little book is sound and should prove a help + and comfort to many.”—_Record_. + + “We have little doubt that this book will receive as hearty a welcome + as the Author’s previous volumes.”—_Life of Faith_. + +THE TWO CLIMBERS. A True Story, being the Author’s own experience. S. +W. PARTRIDGE & Co., 2d. + + “It was read to me by a friend . . . and was by God’s grace the means + of showing me the way of salvation.”—L. E. B. in _Life of Faith_. + +PEN PICTURES OF BIBLE HISTORY. MARSHALL BROS., 1s. + + “Dr. Townsend has certainly given us a new method of Bible Study . . + . We heartily recommend it for use in the family circle.”—_Life of + Faith_. + +AFTER THIS I WILL RETURN. MARSHALL BROS., 1s. Warmly reviewed by the +Press. + +THE RETURNING KING. MORGAN AND SCOTT, 1s. Appreciative notices by +English and American Press. + +THE ADVENTURES OF A BIBLE. R.T.S., 1d. This little booklet has been +sold by hundreds of thousands, translated into French, German, Italian +and Spanish; it has had a wide circulation on the Continent of Europe and +in South America as well as U.S.A., and was published in the columns of a +secular newspaper in Manila. + + + +BY THE SAME AUTHOR. {0} + + +GREAT PRINCIPLES OF DIVINE TRUTH. + + +Papers and Sermons on important subjects collected and edited by the Rev. +Canon J. Gurney Hoare, M.A., Vicar of Aylsham.—2nd Edition Crown 8vo., +with portrait and view of Holy Trinity Church. CLOTH GILT, 2/6 NET. + +CONTENTS: I.—The Source of our knowledge of Divine Truth; II.—Christ and +the Sinner; III.—The Holy Spirit; IV Worship. + + * * * * * + + +SANCTIFICATION. + + +Parochial Sermons exhibiting the doctrine of Sanctification as revealed +in Holy Scripture, as embodied in the teaching of the Church of England +and taught by Evangelical Clergy.—Fifth Edition enlarged, 16mo. CLOTH +GILT, 2/6 NET. + + * * * * * + +THE PROPORTIONS OF TRUTH. Price 2d. + +THE BREADTH, FREEDOM AND YET EXCLUSIVENESS OF THE GOSPEL. Price 2d. + + * * * * * + + London: CHAS. J. THYNNE. + + + + +Footnotes + + +{0} In the printed book the “By the same Author” (i.e. Edward Hoare) +section is at the start of the book, before the title page. It has been +moved to the end for clarity in this Project Gutenberg eText.—DP. + +{10} For further developments on this point, the reader is referred to +“The Returning King,” pp. 25–29 (Morgan and Scott, 1/- net.) + +{19} R.V. “He.” + +{26} Hume, ii. 67. + +{28} According to the census of 1911, the population of the British +Isles was 45,365,599, of which number five millions were Romanists, so +that clearly the proportion is still diminishing. But it must be borne +in mind that her leading false doctrines and non-Scriptural claims are +being increasingly taught in this country. + +{37} Thirty-six years have elapsed since these words were penned, and +although Turkey has been upheld by the European Powers, and has herself +made one or two brave efforts on the battlefield and in the matter of +constitutional reform, the process of decay has been rapidly advancing; +yet even so who, at the beginning of the year 1912, could have foreseen +the catastrophe which in a few short weeks has almost wiped Turkey from +the Map of Europe? + +{45} And actually the very walls of Vienna. + +{47} Now in April, 1913, the four Balkan States and Greece in a brief +but bloody campaign have brought Turkey apparently to her last gasp, and +it is still a matter of speculation whether she will be allowed to retain +possession of Constantinople and with it the merest thread of the +littoral of Europe. This has now taken place, and _The Times_ of May 30, +in a leader upon the signing of the Treaty of London, uses these +epoch-making words—“The Ottoman Empire in Europe has now ceased to +exist.” June, 1913. + +{48} The word “almost” may be removed, as Turkey in Africa has ceased to +exist. The war with Italy in 1912 deprived Turkey of Tripoli, and thus +the very last spot in Northern Africa emerged from the once overflowing +waters of Mahommedan power by which it had been overwhelmed many +centuries ago. + +{50} The number is rapidly diminishing, and day by day streams of +Turkish refugees are pouring across the Bosphorus to the Asiatic side. + +{69} If the faithful preacher whose clear foresight is recorded here +were to witness what we now see, would he not say, like St. Paul—“as we +also forewarned you and testified?” + +When this book was published, Spiritualism, then recently imported from +America, was only beginning to make itself felt, the destructive Higher +Criticism, whose dry rot has now spread its subtle influence on all +sides, had not landed on our coasts from Germany; the very names of +Modernism, New Theology, and its offspring the Liberal Christian League, +were non-existent; Christian Science had not then been imported to +America from its Eastern home; and several other heresies and imitations +(2 Timothy iii. 8), which under the guise of deep spiritual teaching are +now crippling true spirituality and doing the Devil’s work, were still +unborn. But they are with us now, and they have come to stay. Let us +recognize their _source_ and their _significance_. + +{79} The significance of this clarion note of warning in connection with +the events now taking place is of the greatest possible importance. + +{102} It would be simply impossible in a brief note even to enumerate +all the recent amazing changes in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Since the +fulfilment of a prophetic epoch a few years ago, pointed out at the time +by the writer as an indication that the “Times of the Gentiles” had +virtually ceased, Jerusalem has for the first time in her history been +“inhabited as towns without walls” (Zechariah ii. 4), the dwellings +having spread outside in rapidly increasing suburbs, which make it more +like a modern city than the Jerusalem of old. + +Jews are permitted to hold magistracies and to perform civic functions; +they are also allowed to practice in medicine and in the legal +profession. Elementary and secondary schools are established in which +only the Hebrew language is used; banks and various institutions are +flourishing, and a new Hebrew university is about to be founded. Jewish +agricultural and manufacturing colonies in large numbers are at work in +different parts of the land, and a recent number of the _Jewish World_ +gives a long account of a visit a few weeks ago to these colonies by the +newly appointed Governor of Jerusalem. The visit was an official +inspection, and the result one of the greatest possible importance to the +Jewish nation. Amongst many other things, the Governor (himself an +Albanian) stated that he was directed by the authorities in +Constantinople to grant to these colonies the right of electing their own +councils and appointing their own mayors, fixing rates, retaining some of +the Government taxes for their own use, enrolling their own police, whose +uniform and ammunition should be supplied by the Turkish Government, +granting title deeds for land, permits for building, besides other +privileges of considerable importance. I submit that it can no longer be +said of the city or of the land that it is “trodden down of the +Gentiles.” + +How startlingly significant are these facts in connection with our Lord’s +words regarding His Return! + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROME, TURKEY AND JERUSALEM*** + + +******* This file should be named 39307-0.txt or 39307-0.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/9/3/0/39307 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Rome, Turkey and Jerusalem + + +Author: Edward Hoare + +Editor: John Hume Townsend + +Release Date: March 29, 2012 [eBook #39307] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROME, TURKEY AND JERUSALEM*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the November 1914 Chas. J. Thynne edition by +David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1>ROME, TURKEY<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">AND</span><br /> +JERUSALEM.</h1> +<p style="text-align: center">BY THE REV. E. HOARE,</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">SOMETIME +VICAR OF TRINITY, TUNBRIDGE WELLS,</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">AND HONORARY CANON OF +CANTERBURY.</span></p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>NEW EDITION</i>.<br /> +(<i>Fourth Impression</i>.)</p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">EDITED BY +THE</span><br /> +REV. J. H. TOWNSEND, D.D.,</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">LATE VICAR +OF ST. MARK’S, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, AUTHOR OF</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">“EDWARD HOARE, M.A., A RECORD OF HIS +LIFE.” &c., &c.</span></p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><span +class="GutSmall">LONDON:</span><br /> +CHAS. J. THYNNE,<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">GREAT QUEEN STREET, KINGSWAY, +W.C.</span><br /> +<i>November</i>, <i>1914</i>.</p> +<h2><a name="pageiii"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +iii</span>CONTENTS.</h2> +<table> +<tr> +<td><p> </p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span +class="GutSmall">PAGE</span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>ROME:—</p> +</td> +<td><p> </p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p> <span class="GutSmall">THE +OUTLINE</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page1">1</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p> <span class="GutSmall">THE +CONSUMPTION</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page18">18</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>TURKEY:—</p> +</td> +<td><p> </p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p> <span class="GutSmall">THE +EUPHRATES</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page36">36</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p> <span class="GutSmall">THE +FROGS</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page54">54</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p> <span class="GutSmall">THE +ADVENT</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page69">69</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>JERUSALEM</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page89">89</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">NEW EDITION.</p> +<table> +<tr> +<td><p>First Impression</p> +</td> +<td><p>December,</p> +</td> +<td><p>1912.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Second ,,</p> +</td> +<td><p>April,</p> +</td> +<td><p>1913.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Third ,,</p> +</td> +<td><p>June,</p> +</td> +<td><p>1913.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Fourth „</p> +</td> +<td><p>November,</p> +</td> +<td><p>1914.</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2><a name="pageiv"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +iv</span>FOREWORD TO FOURTH IMPRESSION.</h2> +<p>Those of us who have been watching political events from the +prophetical standpoint, have seen during the last thirty years +the steady drying up of that overflowing river which once flooded +Europe. Turkey’s fate we knew to be certain, but +there were fluctuations so we had to be patient.</p> +<p>Two years ago when writing the Foreword and notes to the first +reprint of this little book, I drew attention to the +“amazing collapse” of Turkey’s power +“during the last few months.” Half a year later +it seemed as if only a thread of littoral would be left to Turkey +in Europe; then came a certain apparent return of vigour as when +the ebbing tide sends back a wave that seems to claim once more +part of the dominion it had lost; just in the same way Turkey +regained some of the territory wrested from it during the Balkan +War, and we who were watching wondered for how long this would +be.</p> +<p>One year and a half has passed and now it really seems as if +the clock had struck. Only a few days ago the daily papers +told the world that Turkey, deluded, or bribed, or both, had +thrown in her lot with Germany. In a leading article dated +Nov. 2, “The Times” summed up the matter +thus—“Whatever may be the <a name="pagev"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. v</span>immediate consequences of Turkish +intervention, there is a general consensus of opinion throughout +the world that it means the end of Turkey.” Bible +students grasped the situation at once recognizing the immense +significance of the event, and on the same day at the C.M.S. +Anniversary at Exeter I pointed out the overwhelming importance +of this intelligence, in connection with Missionary work, the +future of the Jewish Nation and our Lord’s Return. I +have heard from Jerusalem of the keen excitement of the Jews +there, and of the hope often expressed that England would take +action on their behalf. The secular press in many quarters +is already suggesting that the Allies at the conclusion of the +War might well establish the Jews in Palestine as a buffer-state; +this is exactly what some of us have for many years pointed out, +from the study of prophecy, as a likely solution of the near +Eastern question. Perhaps, it may be so—God’s +promises unfold very quickly when the time for their appearance +is ripe. Our business is to watch and pray, giving the Lord +no rest till He establish and until He make Jerusalem a praise on +the earth, and above all constantly sending forth the cry of His +waiting Church—“even so, come Lord Jesus.”</p> +<p style="text-align: right">J. H. T.</p> +<p><i>November 20th</i>, <i>1914</i>.</p> +<h2><a name="pagevi"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +vi</span>FORWARD</h2> +<p>It is now thirty-six years since these remarkable sermons were +preached by the late Canon Hoare. Published at the time, +they had a very large circulation and passed through several +editions. An earnest desire having been manifested for +their re-issue with the addition of some footnotes bringing them +up to date, I have consented to undertake that simple +office. With happy memories of work under the beloved Vicar +long ago (1877–81) there is, to me, something indescribable +in being permitted once more in this unexpected way to unite with +one who now within the Veil walks not by faith but by sight and +who instead of knowing but in part now <i>knows</i> even as also +he is known.</p> +<p>It is a great tribute to the sagacity of the preacher, his +deep knowledge of Scripture, and his keen prophetic instincts, +that these sermons need no alteration, and only the necessary +additions demanded by the history of passing years.</p> +<p><a name="pagevii"></a><span class="pagenum">p. vii</span>The +advance has been all along the exact lines which he as a diligent +student of the prophetic Scriptures was able to lay down. +“The wise shall understand” (Daniel xii. 10) is a +promise which we see here strikingly fulfilled.</p> +<p>Could the venerable preacher have seen the extraordinary +developments that have taken place in Jerusalem and the Holy Land +during the last few years, or the amazing collapse of the +Mohammedan power which Europe has witnessed in the past few +months, how his heart would have rejoiced at the fulfilment of +Scriptural predictions, and how earnestly would he have +proclaimed afresh His Master’s Words—“When ye +shall see these things, know that He is nigh, even at the +doors.”</p> +<p style="text-align: right"><i>December</i>, 1912.</p> +<h3>PUBLISHER’S NOTE.</h3> +<p>It is a source of pleasure to the Editor, the Publisher, and +all those interested in the re-issue of this book, to know that a +further edition is so soon called for, and to receive so many +testimonies to its usefulness as a Guide to the Prophecies of +Holy Writ.</p> +<p style="text-align: right"><i>April</i>, <i>1913</i>.</p> +<h2><a name="page1"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +1</span>ROME.</h2> +<h3>I.<br /> +THE OUTLINE.</h3> +<p>It is impossible to imagine anything more delightful than the +prospect of the promised return of our most blessed +Saviour. How do the father and the mother feel when they +welcome their long-absent son from India? How will many an +English wife feel when she welcomes her husband from the Arctic +Expedition? And how must the Church of God feel when, after +her long night of toil and difficulty, she stands face to face +before Him whom her soul loveth, and enters into the full +enjoyment of the promise, ‘So shall we ever be with the +Lord?’ There will be no tears then, for there will be +no sorrow; no death then, for <a name="page2"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 2</span>there will be no more curse; no sin +then, for we shall see Him as He is, and shall be like Him. +Then will be the time of resurrection, when all the firstborn of +God shall awake to a life without decay and without corruption; +and then the time of reunion, when the whole company of +God’s elect shall stand together before the Lord, never +again to shed a tear over each other’s grave; and then will +be the time when those who have loved and longed after Him, as +they have journeyed on alone in their pilgrimage, will find +themselves on the right hand of His throne, and hear His +delightful words, ‘Come, ye blessed children of my Father: +inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the +world!’</p> +<p>No wonder then that the people of God are waiting with anxious +hearts for the Advent; and no wonder that many are ready to say, +‘Lord, how long?’ and to ask, What hope is there of +His quick return? Have we, or have we not, any reason <a +name="page3"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 3</span>to look out for +it soon? To this inquiry I would endeavour to draw your +attention this morning; and in doing so, I do not intend to +examine into what are usually called ‘the signs of the +times,’ but to study the great prophetic sketch of the +world’s history as given to us by the prophet Daniel. +This may be termed the backbone of prophecy, and almost all the +great prophecies of Holy Scripture fit into it at some point or +other; so that, if we wish to understand them, we must begin by +studying it. I fear I may not interest those who aim simply +to have their hearts warmed by the ministry. But they must +remember that the real study of God’s Word requires work, +and that work, though it lays the best possible foundation for +feeling, does not at the time excite it. To-day, then, we +are to work, and I hope the Lord may so bless His Word, that +through work we may be led to feel.</p> +<p>Our business, then, is to endeavour to discover whether the +great prophetic sketch <a name="page4"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 4</span>of history, given through the prophet +Daniel, encourages the blessed hope that the coming of the Lord +may be near. Daniel gives a prophecy of the history of +political power from his own day till the time when ‘the +Ancient of Days shall sit,’ and describes a succession of +events which must take place in the interval. It is clear +that our business is to ascertain how many of these events have +taken place, or, in other words, how far we have advanced in the +series.</p> +<p>In the study of our subject we have the advantage of looking +at two sides of the picture, for it has pleased God to give us +the same series as seen in two different aspects. In the +second and seventh chapters you will find predictions of the same +events under different figures. In the second chapter the +prophecy is given as a vision to a proud, idolatrous +monarch. So the different kingdoms about to arise appear to +him as the several parts of a mighty image, with himself as the +head of <a name="page5"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +5</span>gold. It was given in just such a shape as should +coincide with his idolatry and his pride. Whereas, in the +seventh chapter, the vision is given to one of God’s +people, and he sees in all this glory nothing better than a +series of wild beasts coming up one after another to +devour. How different is the estimate of the world from +that of God! The world regards Babylon as the head of gold, +the summit of glory and greatness, while God looks on it as a +savage beast, to be dreaded by His saints! The same +difference of character may be observed in the visions of the +coming of the Lord. To the great king it appeared as a +triumphant kingdom, to the captive prophet as a manifestation of +the Son of man. The one saw a kingdom, the other a person; +the one, the overthrow of power, the other, the advent of the +Lord of Glory.</p> +<p>But now let us look at the series. In both prophecies +there is a description of four kingdoms which should in +succession be supreme in political power, and which <a +name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 6</span>should fill up +an interval between Daniel and the Advent.</p> +<p>1. There is the head of gold in Nebuchadnezzar’s +image, the same as the lion in the vision of Daniel. The +most precious of metals corresponding to the king of beasts.</p> +<p>2. There is next the breast and arms of silver, +corresponding to the bear of Daniel.</p> +<p>3. After that the belly and thighs of brass, +representing the same nation as the leopard of the prophet.</p> +<p>4. And following them is the last kingdom of the four, +represented to Nebuchadnezzar as the ‘legs of iron, and the +feet, part of iron and part of clay,’ and to Daniel as a +beast, ‘dreadful and terrible, and strong +exceedingly.’</p> +<p>It is interesting to observe how the same iron character is +attributed to this last power in both visions. In the one +we read of it, chap. ii. 40, ‘The fourth kingdom shall be +strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth +all things; and as <a name="page7"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +7</span>iron that breaketh all things, shall it break in pieces +and bruise.’ And in the other, chap. vii. 7, it is +said to be ‘strong exceedingly, and it had great iron +teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue +with the feet of it.’</p> +<p>Such is the series of kingdoms that were to hold the chief +political power of the world, and fill up the whole interval +between the date of the prophecy and the advent of the +Lord. Now the remarkable, and I believe I may say the +indisputable, fact, is that, according to the prophecy, all these +four kingdoms have arisen. They have followed each other +exactly as it was predicted. Babylon was the head of gold, +or the lion. The Medes and Persians were the breast of +silver, or the bear. Greece, always called ‘the +brazen armed,’ in classic poetry, was the belly and the +thighs of brass, or the leopard. And then the mighty power +of Rome, far exceeding all the others in its terrible strength, +with the legs of iron in the royal image, and the teeth of iron +in <a name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 8</span>the +prophetic beast. Thus far there is an agreement almost +unanimous among the students of prophetic Scripture; and the +conclusion certainly is, that we have already been a long time +under the last of the four successive empires of the world. +So far then as those four empires are concerned, we are +encouraged to entertain the strong hope that, as we have reached +the last kingdom in the succession, we may begin hopefully to +look out for the end. We have passed the last station on +the line, so now we may begin to prepare for home.</p> +<p>But again. There is one remarkable difference between +the fourth kingdom and the other three, viz., this, that its +history is divided into two periods, during the first of which it +appears as an undivided power, and during the second split up +into ten. In chap. ii. 41, it says, ‘the kingdom +shall be divided.’ In this divided period it is +represented by the ten toes on the image, and the ten horns on +the beast. The ten toes are described as kings, or kingdoms +<a name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 9</span>in chap. ii. +44; and so are the ten horns in chap. vii. 24, where it is said, +‘The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall +arise.’ So then the prophecy teaches us that when +Rome had overpowered Greece it would go on for a time as one +mighty undivided empire, but that after a time it would break up +into a cluster of kingdoms, and that this cluster would retain +amongst them the supremacy of the world. It does not +describe any fresh shift of political supremacy to any new +kingdom that should arise, or the loss or decay of that +supremacy. But it teaches that there would be a division in +the kingdom, that the parts should fall asunder, and that, while +the iron of the fourth kingdom would remain amongst them, there +should be so much clay mixed up with it, that it should never +again be united under a single head.</p> +<p>Now this is exactly what has happened. In the days of +the Cæsars united Rome was supreme in the pomp of the iron +empire. Its body was Europe, and its heart was the <a +name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +10</span>emperor. It was one as much as Babylon had been +one under Nebuchadnezzar. But look at it now. There +is all the old power; for Europe and its races practically govern +the world. It has not lost its iron. But there is no +one kingdom that embodies all. The power is vested in a +cluster of independent nations. Many attempts have been +made to combine them: some by conquest, as in the case of +Napoleon; some by negotiation, as in the case of the Spanish +marriages. But all in vain, for the toes are irrecoverably +divided, and whatever is done, though as an aggregate they retain +their power, as individual nations they are always +distinct. I have no time to enter into detail, but I regard +this division as a most remarkable fulfilment of the prophetic +word. <a name="citation10"></a><a href="#footnote10" +class="citation">[10]</a> More than five hundred years +before the coming of the Lord there was a captive in Babylon, and +God so directed that man’s mind, as through him to +communicate to <a name="page11"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +11</span>the world even then the present position of modern +Europe. With such a fact before us who can doubt the +inspiration of the prophet, or the statement of St. Peter, that +‘holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy +Ghost?’</p> +<p>But, without stopping to consider the wonders of the prophecy, +let us learn the lesson which it teaches us with reference to the +nearness of the Advent. We have already found that we have +long since reached the fourth kingdom of the series; and now we +are led a step further, and find that we have long since reached +the second period of that kingdom. It is difficult with +accuracy to assign a date, for the transition was gradual; but we +shall be sufficiently near if we say that it practically took +place between twelve and fourteen hundred years ago. And +when we reflect on such a promise as that in Daniel ii. 44, in +which God assures us of a kingdom that shall be set up in the +days of these kings, and never be destroyed: when we consider +that those <a name="page12"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +12</span>kings have already been reigning through that lengthened +period, it is surely time that we begin to look out for that +which is to come; for the happy and blessed day when we shall +welcome the kingdom which shall never be moved, and when Christ +Himself shall reign in glory.</p> +<p>But this is not all, for, although we shall learn no more from +the vision of the king, we may gather much more from that of the +prophet, for in it we find a most important additional +prophecy. I can perfectly understand why it was given by +the prophet, and not by the king, for I believe it to refer to +the religious history of Europe, and the king of course had no +concern with that. He did not care for religion, or for the +saints of God. I allude to the prophecy of the little horn +rising in the midst of the other ten. I have no time to +discuss arguments, and can merely state conclusions. All, +therefore, that I can do now is to express my own convictions on +two points:</p> +<p><a name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +13</span>1. That the little horn diverse from all the rest +is the Papal power.</p> +<p>2. That the time, times, and dividing of a time, which +is to be the limit of its power, stands in prophetic figure for +1260 years.</p> +<p>If this be correct it gives some idea as to the duration of +the second division of the last kingdom, for it shows that it +must last at least 1260 years. Still more, as the Papacy is +to be destroyed at the approach of the Ancient of Days, if we +could only ascertain the date of its commencement we might +calculate the date of the Advent. But here is the +difficulty, for who can say when a horn begins to grow? and who +can determine the date of the first swelling of Papal +pride? It is impossible to make any such calculation, and I +believe it would be wrong to attempt it. But we may still +be led by the great outline to hope for the approach of that most +blessed day. The horn has been growing a long time, and it +is impossible to read European history without believing that the +1260 years cannot <a name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +14</span>be very far from its close. Everything therefore +looks like an approaching end. We have long since reached +the fourth kingdom; long since reached its second, or divided +period; and, though we cannot say when it took place, we have +long since seen the commencement of the 1260 years of the little +horn. Surely then it is high time that we be looking out +for the coming of the Lord, high time that we be watching with +our loins girt and our lamps burning, and we ourselves as those +that wait for their Lord.</p> +<p>With these facts before us, I may fairly ask any thinking +person, whether there is not good ground for the hope that the +coming of the Lord draweth nigh? You observe I have not +dwelt on minute and isolated points. I have taken the great +outline of the world’s history, and compared it with the +great outline of the word of prophecy. I see that the two +exactly correspond. I thank God from the bottom of my heart +for the evidence given of the <a name="page15"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 15</span>inspiration of Scripture, for no such +prophecy could have had its origin with man; and, while I thank +God for such a confirmation of the faith, I cannot resist the +conclusion that we have nearly reached the end of the series, +that we are living in the last part of the last period of the +last kingdom, and that the next great event of this prophecy is +nothing else than the sitting of the Ancient of Days, the +glorious kingdom of the Son of Man.</p> +<p>But do we all desire it? Are we all looking out with +loving and longing hearts for the appearance of our beloved +Redeemer? I fear that many would be very far from glad if +they thought it would come to-morrow. Their own consciences +tell them they are not ready, and in such a case how can they +desire it? You might say to them, as in the words of the +prophet, ‘To what end is the day of the Lord to you? the +day of the Lord is darkness and not light.’ I believe +it to be impossible for any man really to desire the coming of +Christ as his <a name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +16</span>king until in his own soul he is personally acquainted +with Him as his sin-offering or atonement. Thus I believe +that you will find very few really desire the Advent who have not +practically and experimentally drunk in the great doctrine of +justification by faith. If you are reconciled through the +precious blood of Christ; if you are justified in the +righteousness of Christ; if you are preserved and sanctified by +the loving Spirit of Christ, then of course you will be ready to +say, ‘Even so, come, Lord Jesus; come quickly.’ +But if you are still living for the world, content with the +world’s gifts and the world’s enjoyments; or even if +you are still toiling, and struggling on to reach Him you know +not how, and know not whether you may trust Him to place you on +the right hand of the throne or not, how is it possible that you +should be happy in waiting for Him? Never rest, therefore, +till you stand accepted in Him; till you have good reason to +believe that you are safe, and not safe only, but beloved. +Then <a name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>you +may wait for Him, then you may welcome Him, then He cannot come +too soon to please you; and if His sign is seen even to-night you +will be able to say, ‘This is our God; we have waited for +Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for +Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.’</p> +<h3><a name="page18"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 18</span>II.<br +/> +THE CONSUMPTION.</h3> +<p>I endeavoured in the last lecture to bring before you the +blessed hope of our Lord’s return, and to show, from the +great outlines of prophecy, that there is enough to justify the +expectations of those who humbly trust that we shall not have +much longer to wait. I purposely avoided any reference to +what are called the ‘signs of the times,’ and +confined your attention exclusively to what may be called the +great backbone of prophecy, <i>i.e.</i>, to the prophetic history +of the four mighty kingdoms which were foretold as holding the +empire of the world. From that outline I endeavoured to +show that these four great kingdoms were to arise in succession, +one after the other, and that they would fill up the interval +between the time of the prophecy and the sitting of the <a +name="page19"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 19</span>Ancient of +Days. I hope, also, I made it plain from history that three +of those kingdoms have long since fallen, and that, as far as the +predicted periods enable us to judge, we must be drawing near to +the close of the fourth. The great outline, therefore, +leads to the hope that the time of the glorious kingdom of our +blessed Lord may be near. But, though we did not study the +signs of the times then, I do not think we should undervalue +them, for our blessed Saviour foretold certain things that should +take place, and added, ‘When ye shall see all these things, +know that it <a name="citation19"></a><a href="#footnote19" +class="citation">[19]</a> is near, even at the +doors.’ If, therefore, any of these things are now +taking place, it is clear that we ought to study them; and that +we should not be really carrying out the teaching of the Lord +Jesus if we were to neglect them. I propose, therefore, in +obedience to His words, to bring before you in this lecture what +has long appeared to me one of the most conclusive signs <a +name="page20"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 20</span>that the time +is not very far distant. I allude to the present position +of the Church of Rome, and I earnestly hope that God has directed +my thoughts in the study of it, and that whatever in what I may +now say is according to His word, may be written in all our +hearts and minds by the teaching of the Holy Ghost.</p> +<p>There are three great historical prophecies, which, in the +opinion of the majority of our best expositors, predict the rise, +the progress, and the fall of the Church of Rome.</p> +<p>The first of these we briefly noticed last Sunday. It is +the prophecy of the little horn rising amidst the ten horns of +the beast, or the Papacy rising in the midst of that cluster of +European kingdoms which succeeded the power of the undivided +Roman Empire.</p> +<p>The second is the prophecy of ‘the man of sin’ in +2 Thess. ii. And I cannot forbear the mention of one +illustration of a verse in that prophecy which I saw myself <a +name="page21"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 21</span>in +Rome. Many people think that the description in the fourth +verse is too strong for Popery: but there is a curious +illustration of it in St. Peter’s. You may there see +what they call the altar in the usual place at the end of the +chancel, and above it, surrounded by an elaborately decorated +reredos, is what is called the chair of St. Peter, or the +Pope’s throne, the seat of Papal power. On the altar +below, according to their own teaching, is the living person of +the King of Glory, perfect man and perfect God, and in front of +that altar may be seen men worshipping the wafer because they +call it God. But above it is the Pope’s chair, and if +he were to occupy it he would sit there with that which they call +God, and worship as God, beneath his feet. Can anything be +a more exact fulfilment of the words, ‘Exalteth himself +above all that is called God, or that is worshipped?’</p> +<p>The third is the prophecy of the woman in Rev. xvii. The +application of this to <a name="page22"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 22</span>the Church of Rome is less disputed +than that of either of the other two, for the seat of the woman +is decided by the 9th verse to be the seven-hilled city, which is +almost universally admitted to be Rome.</p> +<p>Now it is not my object to study the details of these +prophecies, and there is only one point to which I invite your +careful attention—one most important point common to all +three, viz., that the final overthrow will be preceded by a +consuming process. It will not be a sudden destruction in +the height of prosperity, but will be the final act after a +period of wasting and defeat. If these three passages refer +to Rome, as I fully believe they do, then Rome will be first +consumed and then destroyed.</p> +<p>In Daniel it says (vii. 26), ‘The judgment shall +sit.’ It seems clear from the context, that this does +not mean the great day of judgment, but the commencement of +judgment on her sins here upon earth. ‘And they shall +take away his dominion to consume <a name="page23"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 23</span>and to destroy it unto the +end.’ There is, therefore, a consuming process before +the end. The word here rendered ‘consume’ +conveys the idea of a gradual process, and not a sudden blow; and +teaches us that there will be a wasting before the final +overthrow.</p> +<p>In 2 Thess. ii. 8, exactly the same process is described, and +in almost the same words: ‘Whom the Lord shall consume with +the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his +coming.’ He will first consume him by His word, and +ultimately destroy him at His advent.</p> +<p>It is just the same in Rev. xvii. There you meet with +the old beast, the ten-horned beast of Daniel; and ten horns +still representing ten kings; and when we reach the close of the +chapter we find these ten kings all turned against the woman: so +that, instead of being ridden and governed by her, as they were +when she was riding on the beast, they are now turned against +her, and agree in consuming her. ‘The ten horns <a +name="page24"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 24</span>which thou +sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and make her +desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with +fire.’ (Verse 16.)</p> +<p>Without stopping to look into the detail, which it is +impossible to do in a short lecture, it appears clear that all +these passages agree in predicting a period during which the +Papacy will be consumed before its final fall. This will be +brought about partly by the power of truth, and partly by the +change of mind in the kings. But whatever be the agency, +the result is the same. ‘They will take away his +dominion, to consume, and to destroy unto the end.’ +And this you mark is the last great process before the coming of +our Blessed Saviour, for the final destruction will be by the +brightness of His coming.</p> +<p>And now comes the question, Has this consuming process +begun? Is it, or is it not, in progress? I know that +some fainthearted people will say, ‘Oh, no! Rome is +making dreadful progress, and must soon <a +name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +25</span>triumph.’ But surely that opinion is +contrary to fact. Surely it may be proved, from the great +facts of European history, not merely that the consumption has +begun but that it has been going on during the last few years +with peculiar and unexampled speed.</p> +<p>Let us look at a few great European facts, not at little +things that happen to fall within our own observation, but at +great facts that are conspicuous before the world.</p> +<p>Rome has always claimed, as she does still, dominion over all +the kingdoms of the world, and she used to exercise it over all +those of Western Christendom. Her claim even went so far +that, by the common consent and advice of his barons, the King of +England once ‘resigned England and Ireland to God, to St. +Peter and St. Paul, to Pope Innocent, and his successors in the +Apostolic chair: and agreed to hold these dominions as feudatory +of the Church of Rome, by the annual payment of one <a +name="page26"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 26</span>thousand +marks.’ <a name="citation26"></a><a href="#footnote26" +class="citation">[26]</a> Imagine any one standing up +amongst the barons of England, and making such a proposal +now! That dominion of the Papacy is taken away, and taken +away, as I believe, for ever.</p> +<p>When the dominion was gone he made concordats, or compacts, +with the different states; in which, with varying conditions, it +was agreed that he should uphold them by his spiritual power, and +they uphold him by the secular arm. It is a most remarkable +fact, that within the last fifteen years almost all of these +concordats have been brought abruptly to a violent end: those +with Naples, Tuscany, and the Italian Duchies in 1858; that with +Austria, including Venice, in 1866; with Spain in 1868; with +France in 1870; and with Bavaria in 1873. There may be +others remaining in force, but I know of none. According to +the best information I can obtain all are dissolved. The +Papacy has lost all its political power. The ten kings have +shaken <a name="page27"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 27</span>off +his government, and there is not one left that submits to his +authority.</p> +<p>But more than that. The Pope of Rome used to be king +over a considerable portion of Italy. But he is now +deposed. The States of the Church are incorporated with +united Italy, and the Pope is king no more. They have taken +away his dominion. His sovereignty is at an end; it has +received its death-blow, and shall we not acknowledge that the +consuming process is begun?</p> +<p>But further still. The Church of Rome used to have vast +estates. The convents which used to swarm through Italy +were richly endowed with landed property. But as soon as +the kingdom of Italy was well established, those convents were +broken up and their property confiscated. And now that the +Pope has been dethroned in Rome, a similar measure has been +passed for all those within the city, and on the 20th of October, +1874, they received notice of their dissolution. It looks +very much as if the <a name="page28"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +28</span>kings were eating up the flesh of the woman.</p> +<p>But some will say, ‘Ah, but in religious matters Popery +is making progress, for it is winning so many perverts to its +errors.’ I know there are perverts, and I am deeply +grieved at it, but I doubt whether Rome’s progress is as +great as many think. It has been calculated that in the +year 1801 there were in Great Britain and Ireland twenty-seven +Romanists out of every hundred of the population, but that in +1869 there were only eighteen. The proportion, therefore, +had actually diminished from twenty-seven to eighteen per cent. +<a name="citation28"></a><a href="#footnote28" +class="citation">[28]</a></p> +<p>But take a wider range, and look at the great facts of +European history. At the Lateran Council in 1513, after all +the so-called heretics had been silenced or burned, <a +name="page29"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 29</span>it was +proclaimed, ‘No one now opposes, no one now objects,’ +and then the orator addressing the Pope said, ‘The whole +body of Christendom is now subjugated to one head, even to +thee.’ But it is calculated that there are now more +than 95,000,000 Protestants in Europe, and 67,000,000 members of +the Greek Church, making together 162,000,000 who reject the +Pope’s authority, against 157,000,000 who profess to submit +to it. Putting all these facts together, I may ask any +reasonable man, any one who looks at great facts instead of +minute details, Is there not reason to believe that the +consumption has begun? What else is it that has taken away +his dominions, broken up his concordats, overturned his throne, +stripped him of his property, and above all has set 95,000,000 in +Europe alone free from his yoke? What else is it but the +fulfilment of the prophecy, ‘Whom the Lord shall consume +with the Spirit of His mouth,’ preparatory to the time when +He shall <a name="page30"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +30</span>‘destroy him with the brightness of His +coming?’</p> +<p>Now there are many lessons that we might learn if we had but +time from this subject; <i>e.g.</i>, I might well spend all the +time that remains in pressing on you the importance of keeping +clear of all alliance with Rome. If God is consuming her, +God’s people must have nothing to do with her either in +politics or religion, for if they do, they will find themselves +drawn into the vortex into which she must infallibly sink. +The message to them is, ‘Come out of her, my people, that +ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her +plagues.’</p> +<p>But this is not my point in this lecture. I am anxious +rather that we should look on the whole subject as an +encouragement to faith. Surely some amongst us are too +fainthearted about the truth. It really seems as if they +could trust the Lord Jesus for their own souls, but not for His +church, or for His truth: as if they had forgotten <a +name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 31</span>the text, +‘Are not thine eyes upon the truth?’ They value +their Bible, and are ready to contend for it even unto the death; +but still, they do not above half believe it. They are +ready to go forth to battle, but they are not ready to begin, +like Jehoshaphat, with the hymn, ‘Praise the +Lord!’ They would rather chant some plaintive lament, +and go into the battle with the doleful expectation of +defeat. But this is not faith. This is not trust in +the Lord Jesus. Ah! but one says he cannot rely on +government, and another that he does not trust in bishops. +But what has this to do with it? No one asks you to trust +in rulers either in Church or State, for the Scripture says, +‘Put not your trust in princes.’ What we ask +you to do is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of +God. Trust Him, and all will be right, though all other +objects of trust fail you.</p> +<p>Now take this great subject as a help to your trust. See +how it exhibits Him in His <a name="page32"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 32</span>own time and His own way, working out +His own predicted purpose. It was utterly impossible for +any man by private interpretation to calculate the course that +things would take. But He foresaw all, and more than two +thousand years ago He actually foretold what He would do. +And now, after all these centuries have passed, after great +empires have risen and fallen according to His prophecy, after +every species of effort has been made in vain to silence +God’s Word, after every available means have been +employed—political influence, religious influence, priestly +assumption, and fiery persecution—to stamp out God’s +truth, we see the Lord Jesus with a mighty hand fulfilling His +word, carrying out His purpose, and preparing the way for +victory. And is that the time to distrust Him? If we +are so fainthearted now what should we have been before the +Reformation? What should we have been after John Huss was +burned, and when the Lord’s own people were like the seven +thousand hidden ones <a name="page33"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 33</span>in the days of Elijah? If we +cannot trust Him now that we have experienced that ‘His +counsels of old are faithfulness and truth,’ what should we +have done if we had lived before any prophecies had been +fulfilled; if we had had to trust to His bare naked word before +it was confirmed by history? But now that we have this +great confirmation, and now that we see the putting forth of His +hand, this is not the time for faintheartedness or misgiving; +this is not the time to distrust Him whom God has made the +‘Head over all things to His Church.’ It is +true that</p> +<blockquote><p>‘God moves in a mysterious way<br /> + His wonders to perform;’</p> +</blockquote> +<p>but it is certain that He is riding on the storm and will +perform His own wonders, so that we may add, as in the next verse +of the same hymn,</p> +<blockquote><p>‘Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,<br +/> + The cloud ye so much dread<br /> +Is big with mercies, and will break<br /> + In blessings on your head.’</p> +</blockquote> +<p><a name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 34</span>And not +only so, but we may reverently hope that it will not be long +before we behold His triumph. When the disciples were on +the lake the night was dark, and the winds were contrary, but He +came to them in His own good time, and all was rest. So we +may meet with rough weather, but there will be a great calm when +He comes, and I cannot but hope He will soon be here. We +have long since known of Him on the mountain-top, but now we can +almost see Him walking on the waves. It is high time, +therefore, that we act on His own words: ‘When these things +begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for +your redemption draweth nigh.’ He does not say, +‘Wait till they have all come to pass,’ but +‘look up as soon as they begin.’ Now they most +undoubtedly have begun, and for a long time have been in +progress. It is high time, therefore, that we begin to look +up in faith and hope, waiting for Christ, looking for Christ, +longing for Christ, and meanwhile trusting in Christ; <a +name="page35"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 35</span>so that when +He comes we may be found pardoned through His blood, accepted in +His covenant, clothed in His righteousness, and with loving +hearts waiting for His appearing.</p> +<h2><a name="page36"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +36</span>TURKEY.</h2> +<h3>III.<br /> +THE EUPHRATES.</h3> +<p>The condition of the Turkish Empire is one of the greatest +interests of the day, and is engaging more than any other public +subject the grave thoughts of thinking men. The capitalists +of England are deploring the loss of many millions of money +through its bankruptcy. Those who rejoice in religious +liberty are watching with the deepest interest the noble +struggles of the men of Herzegovina to free themselves from the +fearful yoke of Mohammedan oppression. And the politicians +of all the great states of Europe are at their wits’ end to +know what is to become of Turkey. Nor is this a state of +things that has come on suddenly. <a +name="page37"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 37</span>It is not the +transitory effect of any sudden calamity, but the result of a +steady decay that has been going forward with irresistible power +for certainly not less than fifty years. France and England +combined in the Crimean war to endeavour to maintain the Turkish +power, but it was all in vain. That power has been steadily +on the wane ever since, till now the crisis of bankruptcy has +arrived, and ‘the Sick Man,’ as the Turkish empire +has been called, appears on the very point of his dissolution. <a +name="citation37"></a><a href="#footnote37" +class="citation">[37]</a></p> +<p>Now I am quite aware of the difficulty of preaching on such +subjects, and I have no doubt that in your mind as well as my own +there is a preference for those portions <a +name="page38"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>of the Word +of God which bear directly on our spiritual experience; but still +‘all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is +profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for +instruction in righteousness’; and, moreover, there is a +special blessing on the congregational study of this Revelation +of St. John, for it is said, chap. i. 3, ‘Blessed is he +that readeth, and they that hear the words of this +prophecy.’ I propose, therefore, to consider three +questions: (1.) Has the present state of Turkey been foretold in +prophecy? (2.) Does it teach us any lessons respecting our +spiritual position? (3.) Does it throw any light on our +hope of the coming of our Lord? I pray God that He may +fulfil to us the promise attached to this wonderful book, and +that both they that hear and he that readeth may alike enjoy His +blessing.</p> +<p>With reference to the first question—Has the present +state of Turkey been foretold in prophecy? I have not the +least hesitation in expressing my own conviction <a +name="page39"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 39</span>that it has +been foretold in a most remarkable manner, and that the present +state of things is nothing more than the fulfilment of what God +predicted little less than 1800 years ago.</p> +<p>It is impossible in a short lecture to give all the reasons +for this opinion. I can only attempt the barest +outline. But we may gain some idea of the subject if we +consider what is meant by the Euphrates; what by its overflow; +and what by its drying up, as described in Rev. xvi. 12: +‘And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great +river Euphrates, and the waters thereof were dried up.’</p> +<p>I. The Euphrates. By this we must not understand +the literal river, for the whole book is symbolical. The +river, therefore, stands as the symbol for something else. +It is this that makes the subject so difficult, for the symbols +are like hieroglyphics, and therefore, though full of meaning, +peculiarly liable to be misunderstood. The question then +is, What is the power of which the <a name="page40"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 40</span>Euphrates in this verse stands as a +symbol or hieroglyphic? Of course, in the answer to such a +question we must distrust ourselves, and I dare not speak on it +with the certainty with which we ought to speak of the plainly +revealed facts of Scripture. All I can do is to express my +own very confident conviction that by the Euphrates is symbolized +the Ottoman, or, as it is frequently called, the Turkish +Empire.</p> +<p>For this I give two reasons:—</p> +<p>(1.) It is the one great empire existing in the world +that originated on the banks of the river Euphrates. It was +in the district to the east of that river that the Turk, who +originally came from Turkistan, became a formidable power, and +from thence that the Turkish hosts were let loose against Roman +Christendom. For we must remember that the Turks, or +Ottomans, do not belong to the soil of Turkey. The French +are the natives of France, and the Italians of Italy, but the +Turks are not the natives of Turkey, but invaders from <a +name="page41"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 41</span>Asia. +They hold the country by conquest. The head-quarters of the +empire are now in Turkey, on the shores of the Bosphorus; but its +birthplace was on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates.</p> +<p>(2.) There are two series of prophecies in the book of +Revelation, the one given under the figure of seven trumpets, the +other of seven vials, and they appear to be linked together by a +very remarkable connexion as to the subject of the +prophecies. You will see the correspondence clearly if you +compare the account of the trumpets in chapters viii. and ix. +with that of the vials in chapter xvi.</p> +<p>When the first trumpet sounded the judgment was on the earth, +viii. 7; and so the first vial was poured on the earth, xvi. +2.</p> +<p>When the second trumpet sounded, the judgment was on the sea, +chap. viii. 8. So the second vial was poured on the sea, +xvi. 3.</p> +<p>When the third trumpet sounded, the judgment was on the rivers +and fountains <a name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +42</span>of waters, viii. 10. So the third angel poured out +his vial on the rivers and fountains of waters, xvi. 4.</p> +<p>When the fourth trumpet sounded, the judgment was on the sun, +viii. 12. So the fourth angel poured out his vial on the +sun, xvi. 8.</p> +<p>When the fifth trumpet sounded, the judgment was on those men +who had not the seal of God on their foreheads, ix. 4. So +the fifth vial was on the seat of the beast, xvi. 10.</p> +<p>The correspondence is not at first sight so apparent in this +as in the other vials; but if we bear in mind the prophecy that +all shall worship the beast whose names are not written in the +book of life, we shall see the same reality in the +coincidence.</p> +<p>And, lastly, when the sixth trumpet sounded, there was a +mighty host loosed from the Euphrates, ix. 14; and when the sixth +vial was poured out it fell on the Euphrates, and the Euphrates +was dried up, xvi. 12.</p> +<p><a name="page43"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 43</span>Surely, +then, we may come to the conclusion that this prophecy in chapter +xvi. relates to the same great power as that referred to in +chapter ix.; and as I believe that it has been proved that the +trumpet prophecy predicts the invasion of Christendom by the +Ottoman empire, so I am persuaded in my own mind that that under +the vial foretells its exhaustion and decay. The Ottoman +empire I believe to be the subject of both the prophecies.</p> +<p>II. The overflow. There is no actual mention in +this passage of the symbol of an overflow, but as that figure is +elsewhere employed in Holy Scripture to represent invasion, we +may regard it in this instance as descriptive of the invasion by +the Ottomans as predicted under the sixth trumpet. If you +turn to Jer. xlvi. 7, 8, you find an invasion by Egypt described +by an exactly similar figure. The invasion by Egypt is +there compared to an overflow of the Nile. ‘Egypt +cometh up like a flood, and his waters are moved as the +rivers.’ So in <a name="page44"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 44</span>Isa. viii. 7, 8, the invasion of +Palestine by the Assyrians is foretold under the figure of an +inundation: ‘He shall come up over all his channels, and go +over all his banks: and he shall pass through Judah; he shall +overflow and go over.’ And so here the invasion by +the Ottoman or Euphratian horsemen appears to be represented by +an overflow of the Euphrates.</p> +<p>Now consider the result of the recent floods in our own +country. When the Trent rose above its banks, what +happened? The waters spread far and wide on both sides the +river, till, instead of fields and homesteads, you saw a vast +inland lake. As you passed by in the train you might have +seen the whole country under water. Just so it was when, +according to the symbol, the Euphrates overflowed its banks; or, +according to history, the Ottomans invaded Europe. The +invading waters rushed on in every direction. On the east +they reached the borders of China; on the west they soon reached +Palestine, and all the <a name="page45"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 45</span>heroic efforts of the Crusaders +failed to check them. They then spread out in two +branches. On the south they crossed into Africa, and spread +over the greater part of the northern portion of that vast +continent. In the north they spread rapidly over Asia +Minor, crossed the Bosphorus, conquered Greece, and spread over +Europe till they reached the shores of the Adriatic, and even +Venice. <a name="citation45"></a><a href="#footnote45" +class="citation">[45]</a> Thus when they had reached the +height of their power, the whole of south-east Europe, the +greater part of north Africa, and the whole of west Asia, were +flooded by the vast inundation. Their dominion extended +from the shores of the Adriatic on the west to the borders of +China on the east; while in Africa it reached very nearly from +the Atlantic to Suez. Accordingly we have been taught from +our childhood of Turkey in Europe, Turkey in Asia, and Turkey in +Africa. But I am not sure that we are all aware that the +Turks, or Ottomans, are Asiatic invaders <a +name="page46"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 46</span>who obtained +their dominions by conquest.</p> +<p>III. So much for the overflow. Let us now turn to +the drying up, as predicted in the prophecy.</p> +<p>Think once more of the illustration of the river, and consider +what would be the effect on the overflow if the waters were to +subside in the river. The inundation would gradually +recede, and one field after another would be left dry, until +after a time the whole country would be free. If, +therefore, the interpretation of the prophecy be correct, we +should expect to see the Ottoman power gradually dying out, and +the various nations that were overrun by conquest one by one +shaking off the yoke. And this is exactly what has been +taking place ever since the year 1820. There is a +remarkable prophecy in Daniel believed to refer to this same +Ottoman power, and from it some of the best students of prophecy +in the course of the last century named that year as the probable +commencement of the decline of Turkey. Up to the spring of +the year all <a name="page47"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +47</span>appeared to prosper; but then the waters began rapidly +to recede. That very year the Greek insurrection +began. The flood receded from Greece, so that in 1827 the +present kingdom was established. In that same year the +inundation went back so far that Servia was left dry. In +the same year Moldavia and Wallachia, and the territory north of +the Danube, were set free from the Ottoman yoke; and now there +seems to be every hope that Herzegovina and Bosnia will succeed +in shaking off the invader. Indeed, the whole Turkish +empire is in such a condition that if the statesmen of Europe +could agree as to who should possess Constantinople, the whole +Ottoman Power would in all probability be driven out of Europe +before another year is over. <a name="citation47"></a><a +href="#footnote47" class="citation">[47]</a></p> +<p><a name="page48"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 48</span>As for +Africa, the flood has already left it almost dry. Morocco +is an independent state. Algeria has been taken by the +French, while on the east, Egypt has asserted its independence, +and with the one exception of an annual tribute, is entirely free +from the Turkish yoke. For some years this process had been +going on, till at length, in 1866, the Pasha assumed the title of +‘Khedive,’ which means king, proclaiming thereby an +independent monarchy. The only possession remaining to +Turkey is the little province of Tripoli, containing considerably +less than 1,000,000 inhabitants. Turkey in Africa has +almost ceased to exist. <a name="citation48"></a><a +href="#footnote48" class="citation">[48]</a> Turkey in +Europe may last a little longer, but is going fast. As for +Turkey in Asia, it has ceased to be a power <a +name="page49"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 49</span>to any great +distance east of the Euphrates; and I fully believe that on the +west of the river the drying-up process will be steadily +continued till the floods recede from Palestine, and that +beautiful land shall be set free from the blight of Turkish +misgovernment, and handed over to be once more a land flowing +with milk and honey to its rightful possessors, the seed of +Abraham, the nation to which God has given it.</p> +<p>Such are a few of the leading events with reference to the +decline of the Ottoman empire; and there is only one further +remark that I would make respecting it. The decline has not +been the result of external conquest, but of internal +decay. The Turks have not been brought down by any great +defeats, but by their own want of life. The powers of +Europe have not attacked them, but, on the contrary, have done +their best to uphold them, as, <i>e.g.</i>, in the Crimean war; +but, notwithstanding all that France and England could do, the +Turkish power is falling to pieces of itself. The Sick Man +is <a name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 50</span>dying, +and the physicians cannot keep him alive. Their energy +seems gone, their exchequer is exhausted, and their population is +so much diminished, that there are now only 2,000,000 Turks, or +Ottomans, left in Europe. <a name="citation50"></a><a +href="#footnote50" class="citation">[50]</a> In other +words, the Euphrates is drying up, and the inundation cannot long +remain upon the land.</p> +<p>Now I can quite understand the feeling of those who have +experienced a certain amount of disappointment in hearing this +morning about the Turkish empire, instead of something bearing +more directly on their own personal salvation, and I should +myself have preferred to have preached on some such +subject. But I have taken this subject on principle.</p> +<p>1. Because, as I have already said, ‘all Scripture +is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, +for reproof, for correction, for instruction in +righteousness.’ <a name="page51"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 51</span>No portion, therefore, of God’s +word, whether it be prophetic or historical, ought to be set +aside by those who really desire to know God’s truth. +If we wish to know the whole mind of God we must be prepared to +study the whole of the Holy Scriptures which God has given +us.</p> +<p>2. But, besides that, we must remember that our whole +faith depends on Holy Scripture. All that we know of the +Lord Jesus Christ, of His great high-priesthood, of His atoning +blood, of His free salvation, of the gift of the Holy Ghost, of +the new birth, and of the coming Advent, all our hope for the +future, and all our rest for the present, depend simply and +entirely on the Word of God. In it we find all; without it +we have nothing. When, therefore, we see a great prophecy +of Holy Scripture fulfilled in our own day, within reach of our +own observation, traceable on our own maps, and included within +the range of our own memory, we ought not to pass it by, but +should accept it with thankfulness <a name="page52"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 52</span>in these days of rebuke and +infidelity, as a most blessed confirmation of our faith. +Let any one who has the slightest doubt as to the inspiration of +Scripture look at the facts. Two thousand four hundred +years ago there was a prophet, the prophet Daniel, by the river +of Ulai, and he foresaw in a vision the rise and progress of a +mighty power, telling us at the same time how long it was likely +to continue. Six hundred years after him there arose +another prophet, who described what appears to be the same power, +and gave a graphic picture both of its progress and decay. +Students of Holy Scripture have since been diligently occupied in +the study of these two prophecies; and by comparing Scripture +with Scripture were long since brought to the conclusion that in +the course of this century the decline of the Ottoman Empire +would take place. And now we see it going on. Just +when the students thought it would begin, then it began, and just +as the prophet described <a name="page53"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 53</span>its decay, so it is decaying. +The prophets themselves could have known nothing about it when +they prophesied, for the empire did not arise till many centuries +after they had foretold its fall. But God knew all, and a +thousand years were to Him as one day. These prophecies, +therefore, did not arise from any private interpretation or human +calculation of probabilities, but ‘holy men of God spake as +they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’</p> +<p>Now what should be the result on our minds? What effect +should such facts have on ourselves? Should they not +strengthen faith and confirm us in a simple, childlike, +unquestioning trust in the inspired word of the living God? +Who but God Himself could have foretold either to Daniel or John +the rise and decay of the Ottoman Empire? It is God’s +own word, then, with which we are dealing when we study Holy +Scripture. There may be things in it completely beyond all +power of human calculation, as the history of the <a +name="page54"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 54</span>Ottoman +Empire was utterly beyond the human calculation of either Daniel +or John. But God’s truth does not depend on our power +of calculation. It is beyond us altogether, infinite, +eternal, divine; and our part is, whether we can fit it together +or not, to receive the whole as God has given it, and as weak, +ignorant, short-lived, and short-sighted creatures, to receive +His will as He has revealed it, into our hands, and hearts, and +say, ‘I believe God, that it shall be as it was said unto +me.’</p> +<h3><a name="page55"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 55</span>IV.<br +/> +THE FROGS.</h3> +<p>In opening our subject in the last lecture, I said that there +were three questions to be considered: 1. Has the present +state of Turkey been foretold in prophecy? 2. Does it +teach us any lessons respecting our spiritual position? and +3. Does it throw any light on the blessed hope of our +Lord’s return? The first of these questions we +examined in the last lecture, and surely it was proved that in +the symbol of the drying up of the Euphrates we have a most +remarkable symbolic prophecy of the exhaustion of the Ottoman +power. To-day we are to pass on to the second question: Is +our own spiritual position affected by the exhaustion of Turkish +power? Now I can quite understand the thought that <a +name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span>has no doubt +occurred to many of you, that the two things can have no possible +connexion with each other, for there seems to our mind to be no +possible connexion of even the most remote character between the +Turkish Empire and our own spiritual life. We may well say, +‘What have we to do with the Turks, or the Turks with us in +our own daily, private walk with God?’ It may +surprise some of you when I say that, although no man can explain +the reason of the connexion, I believe it to be very intimate, +and that the religious life of modern Christendom is in a most +remarkable manner bound up with the decline of the Turkish +Empire.</p> +<p>To understand this we must remember that the great prophecy in +the book of Revelation is arranged in periods. Each seal, +each trumpet, and each vial, represents a period. So there +is one particular period of history foretold under the figure of +the sixth vial, and all the events predicted under that vial we +should expect to <a name="page57"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +57</span>appear at about the same time in history. Whether +we can trace any connexion or not, the events of each vial are +linked together in respect of time; so that if there are two +events under any one vial, when we see the one we ought to look +out for the other, and when one takes place we have every reason +to believe that the other is at hand. Now there are two +events, apparently quite distinct in themselves, which are thus +connected with each other under the sixth vial—the drying +up of the Euphrates, and the appearance of certain most dangerous +and seductive spirits, going forth to gather men together for the +battle of Almighty God. If, therefore, it be a fact, as I +firmly believe it to be a fact, that the Euphrates is now being +dried up, then it follows as a sure and certain consequence that +the unclean spirits are soon, if not already, going forth to do +their deadly work. The two things go on according to the +prophecy within the same prophetic period, and therefore if we +see the one, as believers in the <a name="page58"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 58</span>word of God, we ought to be on the +lookout for the other. We are thus brought to the +conclusion, that whenever the Euphrates shall be drying up, there +will be a time of great spiritual seduction; or in other words +that the exhaustion of the Turkish Empire will be accompanied, or +quickly followed, by a remarkable development of mischievous +spiritual power. This, then, must be our subject in this +lecture, and we will study (if God permit) first the danger, and +then the caution. May God grant that the result may be that +we may be like those few men of Sardis who had not defiled their +garments, and who will walk with the Lord Jesus in white, for +they are worthy!</p> +<p>I. The danger.</p> +<p>This is described in Rev. xvi. 13, 14. ‘And I saw +three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the +dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth +of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils +working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and +of the whole <a name="page59"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +59</span>world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of +God Almighty.’</p> +<p>All students of prophecy are well aware how much has been +written in exposition of these two verses, and what different +explanations have been given of these three seductive +spirits. I have not time this morning to discuss any of +them, but there are three things perfectly clear, and it will be +sufficient for us to study them.</p> +<p>(1.) The subtlety of the danger.</p> +<p>The passage does not describe three empires, or three +churches, or three great societies, or three organizations of any +kind whatever, but three spirits. Now a spirit is something +subtle and unseen. Its presence is not perceived; its voice +is not heard; its touch is not felt. It comes and goes, but +it leaves no footsteps in the sand. It seems, therefore, a +great mistake to explain this prophecy by different systems that +are conspicuous to the eye, and we must be careful lest, by so +doing, we should be thrown off our guard with reference to <a +name="page60"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 60</span>our real +danger. There may be no false system presented to us, and +we may be perfectly safe with reference to any definite form of +evil, such as infidelity or popery, but there may be any one, or +indeed all three, of these deadly spirits imperceptibly breathing +poison into our souls. It is this subtlety of spiritual +action that makes it so pre-eminently dangerous. If it were +all open and before the eye we should know how to avoid it.</p> +<p>(2.) The variety.</p> +<p>There is not one spirit only, but there are three acting +together. We are taught, therefore, that at the time of the +drying up of the Euphrates we must be prepared for subtle and +seductive power of various forms and characters. If there +were only one spirit the danger might assume only one form: but +as there are three spirits acting together we should be on our +guard against every possible combination. We are not merely +to look out for three distinct and separate forms of error, but, +as all three act <a name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +61</span>together, they may combine in every conceivable +variety. One may act on one mind, two on another, and all +three on a third, and so produce the most remarkable and +inconsistent combinations. Suppose, <i>e.g.</i>, that the +first was Infidelity, the second Worldliness, and the third +Popery. Remember, I do not say that they are, but suppose +they were. In some cases you might have avowed Atheism; in +some, a life so absorbed in the world that a man does not even +take the trouble to be an infidel; and in others pure and +unadulterated Romanism. But, besides that, you might find +every possible combination. Sceptical opinions might be +combined with Romish ritual, and high ceremonial with worldliness +of life. Indeed, there is scarcely any form of seductive +error that you might not develop by combining in different +proportions those three most dangerous spirits. Thus it +follows that, though a person may be well on his guard against +one, he may be gradually entangled by the other two; <a +name="page62"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 62</span>and though he +may be on the watch against all in their distinct and separate +forms, he may be drawn out of a straight path by a beautiful +combination of the three, in which according to St. Paul’s +illustration, Satan has transformed himself into an angel of +light.</p> +<p>(3.) The result of the action of these spirits in +conflict. Verse 14—‘For they are the spirits of +devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the +earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the +great day of God Almighty.’</p> +<p>Their special object appears to be to gather together the +kings to the battle of the great day of God Almighty: and in +studying the prophecy it is impossible to forget the political +difficulties that have already arisen from the decline of +Turkey. But we must not limit the prophecy to kings, for +the warning voice of verse 15 clearly applies to us all. +Kings are not the only persons who find it necessary to watch and +keep their garments. These spirits <a +name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 63</span>then, are +predicted as gathering men together for battle. When they +are abroad, truth and error will be thrown into antagonism. +The Lord Jesus Christ will be collecting His forces, and Satan +his: there will be on both sides the mustering of the host. +Those that are on the side of the Lamb will rally round His +banner, ‘called, and chosen, and faithful’; and those +that are under the influence of any of the seductive spirits will +throw themselves into the ranks of open opposition. The +characteristic of the day will be, not sloth or indifference, but +zeal, eagerness, and conflict.</p> +<p>Now no one can have watched the progress of men’s minds +during the last half century without observing that this has been +most remarkably the case. There cannot be a doubt as to the +fact that, while the Turkish power has been declining, the powers +of good and evil throughout Christendom have been awakening into +life. The two processes have gone on side by side. +Turkey has been drying up, and almost <a name="page64"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 64</span>every state in Europe has been +aroused to religious conflict. Many amongst us have been +able to trace the vast change that has taken place during our own +lifetimes. I can see myself an immense difference between +the state of things when I first commenced my ministry, forty +years ago, and the state of things now. Then the +characteristic of the day was stagnation, but now it is +conflict. Then our warfare was against cold, dull, dead, +stolid indifference; but now error in every shape is in full +activity, and we require to be armed at all points against every +species of attack. Then all that unconverted men desired +was to be left undisturbed in the deep sleep that had settled +down on their souls. But they are all awake now, and the +cry is, ‘To arms!’ Many, alas! are on the wrong +side. Far too many have fallen under the fatal influence of +these seducing spirits; but, whether on the wrong side or the +right, they are awake. They are up and hurrying to their +post. The time for sleep is <a name="page65"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 65</span>over; the bugle has sounded, the +ranks are forming, the struggle has begun, and the time is come +when those who know their Saviour must be prepared to stand with +a holy decision on His side.</p> +<p>II. And now you can see the overwhelming importance of +the warning of this verse: ‘Blessed is he that watcheth and +keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his +shame.’ You can see that the exhaustion of Turkey is +a conspicuous signal from God to arouse all Christendom to +watchfulness. We cannot see the three unclean spirits +coming forth, but we can see Turkey decaying; and that is +God’s visible signal that the invisible spirits are at +work. If ever, therefore, there was a time for especial +watchfulness it is now. If ever there was a time when our +young people require to be cautioned, and warned, and helped, and +guided, it is now. And you will observe that the warning is +given to those who have some garments. It is not spoken to +the heathen, or unconverted <a name="page66"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 66</span>worldlings; but to those who have, +what I may term, some sort of Christian clothing. I have +not time to discuss what that clothing is. It may be their +baptismal robe, that which they put on when they were baptized +into Christ. It may be the robe of their Christian +profession, that which they wear habitually in daily life; or it +may even be that spotless robe washed white in the blood of the +Lamb, in which alone they can stand before God, the wedding +garment of the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus +Christ. In whatever sense we understand the expression, the +solemn and sacred warning from God to every one of us, both old +and young, is the same; viz., that we watch and keep our +garments, lest we walk naked, and they see our shame. We +see the Euphrates drying up, and therefore we know that the evil +spirits are abroad. We know, <i>i.e.</i>, that there are +subtle, deadly influences all around us, of various kinds and +characters, whose object is to draw us away from the simplicity +that is in Christ, to strip <a name="page67"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 67</span>us of our garments, and to enlist us +on the wrong side of the struggle. We may not be aware of +their stealthy approach; and we are not likely to be so, for we +are certain not to see them. We need not necessarily be +shocked by their suggestions, for, though they be unclean +spirits, they can clothe their temptation in the form of +beauty. But whether we detect them or not, we may be sure +they are at work, and in full activity. They are moving +with stealthy steps in the midst of us. They are +approaching our minds in secret, disturbing prayer, suggesting +doubts, weakening faith, poisoning thought, alienating love, and +so labouring by subtle, mental influence, to detach us from +Christ. And only think what the result would be if they +were to succeed; nothing less than this, that we should walk +naked and they would see our shame! It is not clear who is +meant by the ‘they’ that are to see the shame. +It may be the world at large, or it may be the very spirits that +have done the mischief, looking <a name="page68"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 68</span>on with a fiendish smile on the +misery and nakedness of the poor wretch whom they have +ruined. But it matters not who sees it; that will make very +little difference. To be naked before God, that is +enough. He is sure to see it, and the dreadful horrors of +such a position far exceed any power of human imagination. +You remember how St. Paul spoke of it in 2 Cor. v. 3: ‘If +so be that being clothed’ (clothed, <i>i.e.</i>, with the +resurrection body) ‘we shall not be found +naked.’ Clothed, but yet naked. Risen, but not +covered. Alive with all the realities of the body, and all +the faculties of the mind, memory, and conscience; but with the +poor soul naked, without a claim, without an excuse, without an +atonement, without a plea, without a Saviour, without any hope +for all eternity of either concealment or forgiveness. The +thought is too dreadful to be borne. Oh, may God in mercy +grant that not one of us, and not one whom we love, may be found +naked in that day? And oh! what an inexpressible joy it is +for <a name="page69"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 69</span>the +child of God, however weak, however unworthy, however unable to +cope with all the seductions of those wicked spirits, to fall +back on the sure promise of his blessed Saviour: ‘They +shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My +hand.’ He can keep us, and we may be sure He +will. Let us throw ourselves then into His hand to be +clothed, to be kept, to be watched over, to be held fast, that +so, preserved in Christ Jesus, and clothed in His spotless robe, +we may never be found naked, but may when He comes be presented +‘faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding +joy.’ <a name="citation69"></a><a href="#footnote69" +class="citation">[69]</a></p> +<h3><a name="page70"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 70</span>V.<br +/> +THE ADVENT.</h3> +<p>I trust there are many amongst us who are able to say, from +the very depths of their longing hearts, ‘I wait for the +Lord, my soul doth wait.’ The long-expected coming of +the Lord is the blessed hope on which their hearts rest in eager +and earnest expectation, and they can add their unqualified +‘Amen’ to the last prayer of Scripture, ‘Even +so, come, Lord Jesus.’</p> +<p>I am persuaded that all those who are thus looking for the +coming of the Lord must feel the greatest possible interest in +the last of the three subjects proposed for our consideration +with reference to the exhaustion of the Turkish Empire, as +symbolized by the drying up of the Euphrates. We have seen +that the exhaustion which is <a name="page71"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 71</span>now attracting the anxious attention +of all the politicians of Europe was foretold more than eighteen +hundred years ago in this remarkable symbolic prophecy. We +found also in the last lecture that the internal decay of Turkey +is a warning to us all to be on the watch against the seductive +spirits of the latter days; and we now have to examine whether +there is any connexion between that decay and the glorious advent +of the Lord Jesus; whether, in other words, the decline of the +Ottoman empire is not like the cry which aroused the ten virgins +in the parable, ‘The Bridegroom cometh.’ There +are two questions which will clearly require our careful +study. (1.) What light does the decline of the +Ottoman Empire throw on the near approach of our Lord’s +return? And (2), if it does throw such a light, how are we +to understand His declaration that He will come as a thief? +May God Himself, who has inspired His own word, be graciously +pleased to direct us in the study of it; and to lead us, every <a +name="page72"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 72</span>one of us, to +be perfectly ready, waiting for the Lord Jesus!</p> +<p>I. What light, then, does the decay of the Ottoman +Empire throw on the prospect of the near approach of our +Lord’s return? Has it any bearing on our Christian +hope? and may we regard it as a signal from God that the time is +come when we may soon expect the Advent?</p> +<p>In order to answer this question we must examine:—</p> +<p>(1.) The position of the prophecy in the general +structure of the Book. The prophecies of this wonderful +book are arranged on a divinely ordered plan. There are +some chapters to which it is difficult to assign their place; but +it is easy to see what may be termed the backbone running through +the whole. To use a very homely illustration, there is the +main line of rail conspicuously running through the whole, and +you may trace that clearly, though you cannot always trace the +branches. Now in <a name="page73"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 73</span>this outline there are three great +series of prophetic periods—the seven seals, the seven +trumpets, and the seven vials; and these three series appear in a +remarkable manner to follow each other. First there are the +seals, as in chap. vi.; and when the sixth seal is opened, and +the seventh about to follow, there appears a general expectation +of the coming of the Lord. But when the seventh seal is +actually opened, instead of our coming to the end, as apparently +was expected, we find a second series developed. The seven +trumpets were wrapped as it were in the seventh seal (viii. 1, +2), so that when it was opened they appeared, and a fresh series +commenced, and the trumpet-angels one after another blew their +blast. At length the seventh trumpet is sounded, and again +it appears as though you had reached the end. But like the +seventh seal, it, too, is found to contain within itself a third +series. The seven vials are wrapped within it, and when +that last trumpet is blown they are poured forth <a +name="page74"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 74</span>in awful +succession on a wicked world. Thus the seventh seal +contains all the trumpets, and the seventh trumpet all the +vials. Now if this be the case it is clear that the sixth +vial must come very near the end. The trumpets are none +sounded till the six seals are passed and the seventh seal is +opened. The vials do not begin till the six trumpets have +completed their blast and the seventh has sounded; and of the +vials six must have been poured out already, so that there can be +nothing remaining but the seventh, or the last.</p> +<p>To take the very homely illustration of a railway. +Suppose a series of stations on a line, the seventh being a +junction; suppose that on the branch from that junction there was +another series of stations, the seventh again being a junction; +and from that second junction there was another line of seven +stations, the last being your home. What would you think of +your position when you had travelled the whole length of the main +line, and the whole of the first <a name="page75"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 75</span>branch, and when you had gone so far +along the second branch that you had actually reached the sixth +station on that last line? You would say, surely, that you +were near the end of your journey, close to home. Now +whenever the Church of God reaches the sixth vial that will be +its position. All the seals will have been opened, all the +trumpets blown, and six of the seven vials poured out.</p> +<p>But that I believe to be our position now, and that we are at +this present time living under the sixth vial. I believe +that the great public, political event of the sixth vial, is the +drying up of the Ottoman Empire, and that we can all see to be in +progress. There can be no doubt about the great, public, +political fact. It is confirmed by every newspaper, and is +forced on the attention of England by the sore distress brought +on many families through the Turkish bankruptcy. But if +this be the fact predicted by the symbol of the drying up of the +Euphrates, then it follows that <a name="page76"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 76</span>we are living under the sixth vial, +and that the seventh vial is all that remains of the great +prophetic series.</p> +<p>(2.) But consider next the contents of the seventh +vial. The seventh seal contained the series of seven +trumpets, and the seventh trumpet the series of seven +vials. May there not be some similar series wrapped up in +the seventh vial?</p> +<p>Such a question would be perfectly reasonable, but the only +answer that we can give is that we do not find any such series +described in the prophecy. On the other hand, everything in +it looks like the end. When the seventh angel poured out +his vial there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven +from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ It +certainly did not look like the commencement of another series, +but taught us rather to look out for the great winding up of the +whole and the final close of the great prophetic plan. So +in the account of the seventh vial you may see four things +plainly revealed—the fall of <a name="page77"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 77</span>Babylon, which I believe to be the +fall of Rome, chap. xvi. 17, to the end of xviii.; the marriage +supper of the Lamb, chap. xix. 1–9; the triumphant victory +of the Son of God, chap. xix. 11, 12; and, last of all, the +millennial reign, chap. xx. Surely, then, this vial brings +us to the end. Surely when it is poured forth we shall have +done with the politics of the world, and shall cease to look for +the gradual development of history. All thoughts will then +be occupied by the unspeakable blessedness of the marriage supper +of the Lamb.</p> +<p>It seems clear, then, that the seventh vial is the close of +the series, and that under it we are to expect the final victory +of the Lord Jesus Christ. The conclusion, therefore, is +plain, that if the exhaustion of the Ottoman Empire is the event +symbolized by the drying up of the Euphrates, it is high time +that we awake out of sleep: for the sixth vial is already begun, +and we must soon expect to behold Christ Himself, with all the +joys of His kingdom and all <a name="page78"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 78</span>the terrors of a crushing +victory. I say ‘soon,’ not +‘immediately,’ for it does not appear that this +passage teaches us to expect it any day or hour, for it describes +certain great political events which have not yet taken +place. The Euphrates is drying, but not yet dry. The +kings have not yet passed over from the East, and the battle of +Almighty God, whatever it may symbolize, has not yet been +fought. All, therefore, that we can say is, that we appear +to have reached what Daniel terms ‘the time of the +end’; that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for +we already begin to see the first streaks of morning dawn. +We have already witnessed some of the great events that must very +shortly precede the Advent, and we may begin to look out full of +hope for the actual return of the Lord Himself.</p> +<p>(3.) This conclusion is confirmed by the words of our +Lord Himself. I need not stop to prove that He is the +speaker in this passage, but we must carefully observe His <a +name="page79"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 79</span>words. +What does He say when the sixth vial is poured out, and the +Euphrates is drying up, and when the three evil spirits are gone +forth through Christendom? What is the warning voice which +He Himself then gives out with reference to His coming? +What lesson would He have us learn from these great events? +Of what are they His signal? Does He not teach us to be +looking out for His coming? Does He not say, ‘Behold, +I come as a thief?’ <a name="citation79"></a><a +href="#footnote79" class="citation">[79]</a> Does He not +call us to a double watchfulness, and teach us not merely to +watch against the seductive influence of these foul spirits, but +to watch also for His own appearing, and for the bright hope of +joyfully meeting Him? But if this be the case, and if the +prophecy of the sixth vial is really being now fulfilled, as we +believe it to be, by the drying up of the Turkish power; then +every fresh symptom of decay <a name="page80"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 80</span>in that power, every loss of +territory by the Turks, every fresh insurrection, and every proof +that the empire is reduced to hopeless bankruptcy, is like a +clarion blast of the trumpet of God ringing through the ears of +Christendom; and proclaiming, with a distinctness which cannot be +mistaken, ‘Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day +nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh!’</p> +<p>II. But if this be the case, it behoves us carefully to +examine our second question. If such a warning is so +clearly given, how can He be said to come as a thief? He +Himself teaches us perfectly clearly that the meaning of the +illustration is that, as the thief comes without giving notice, +so He will return without previously giving any such notice of +His approach as will arouse the sleepers. The thief does +not tell you when he is coming; and when he comes, he neither +knocks at the door nor rings the bell. But he comes +quietly. He does nothing to disturb those that are <a +name="page81"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 81</span>asleep, and +his object is to enter unobserved. So our Lord teaches us, +that when He comes He will do nothing to startle the world. +There will be nothing to prevent men eating and drinking, +marrying and giving in marriage, right up to the very end. +The men of the world will find Him in the house before they have +the least idea of His approach. That this is the meaning of +the words is perfectly clear from what He said (Matt. xxiv. +42–44): ‘Watch, therefore; for ye know not what hour +your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of +the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would +have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken +up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye +think not, the Son of Man cometh.’</p> +<p>But, you may say, how far is this consistent with what has +been said of the probability of His return following quickly on +the exhaustion of the Ottoman Empire? If there be a +prophetic series in the book <a name="page82"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 82</span>of Revelation, and we have already +reached the last station on the last branch of the line, how is +it that He can be said to come upon us without notice as a thief +does? Has He not given us notice in this prophecy?</p> +<p>In answer to that question we must observe the clearly marked +distinction between His own believing people and the unbelieving +world. To His own people He will not come as a thief, for +we read in 1 Thess. v. 4, 5, ‘But ye, brethren, are not in +darkness that that day should overtake <i>you</i> as a +thief.’ <i>You</i> are in the light, <i>i.e.</i>, for +you can see Him coming; so <i>you</i> will not be found +asleep. So He Himself taught us distinctly in the very +passage in which He uses the illustration; for He there shows +that His own disciples are to expect His coming when they see the +predicted signs, just as they expect the summer when they see the +budding of the trees in spring (Matt. xxiv. 32, 33). Nor +are they to wait in their expectation till they see these signs +fully developed; not to wait, <i>i.e.</i>, till the <a +name="page83"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 83</span>young branch +is fully grown; but they are to watch beginnings, and learn from +them. They are to draw their conclusion when the branch is +yet tender, without waiting till it is fully ripened; as He +Himself taught us in Luke, xxi. 28: ‘When these things +<i>begin</i> to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your +heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.’ If, +therefore, you be amongst the people of God, you need never be +taken by surprise. We do not know the exact time, but we +may study the predicted signs, and, having them before us, may +look out for the second advent just as Simeon and Anna looked out +for the first. We may be like the servant of Elijah, going +up again and again to the hill-top to watch for the coming rain; +or like the loving servant watching for the footsteps of the +master whom he loves, and perfectly ready, whenever he returns, +to open the door, and welcome him to his home. The Lord +came suddenly to His temple, but He did not come suddenly to +Simeon; and the Lord <a name="page84"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 84</span>will come as a thief to the world, +but if you hold fast to His own word He will never be as a thief +to you.</p> +<p>As I have already said, it is the <i>world</i> that will be +found asleep, and to whom He will really come as a thief. +But some man may say, ‘If there be these signs beforehand, +will they not arouse the world as well as believers? Will +they not awaken society? Will they not compel men to +prepare?’ I answer that by another question, Do +they? There are certain signs already given; do they wake +up society? Have they produced such an impression as to +arouse the great mass of worldly men? There are the Jews +preserved as a separate people, in fulfilment of a prophecy given +more than three thousand years ago; what effect has such a +fulfilment of God’s word had in the City? There are +all the politicians of Europe at their wits’ end because of +the decay of Turkey; how many even of yourselves have been led +thereby to look out for the near approach of our blessed <a +name="page85"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +85</span>Saviour? There is Rome stripped of its temporal +power in fulfilment of great prophecies given, some of them, more +than two thousand years ago; how many are there that have been +led by that fulfilment to look out even for the fall of +Babylon? The simple fact is, that these great fulfilments, +though conspicuous to the eye of those who study them, completely +fail to produce the least impression on the deep sleep of the +unconverted world. The prophecies are not read; the facts +are not compared with them; the lessons are not learned; and the +soul is not aroused to preparation. How many are there even +in this very town on whom the fulfilment of God’s prophetic +word has never produced the slightest effect? They are +living just as they would have lived, or rather sleeping as they +would have slept, if there had been no prophecy to give the +warning, and no history to confirm its truth. Can you +wonder, then, that the Lord Jesus should come upon such persons +as a thief?</p> +<p><a name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 86</span>But I +trust, dear brethren, that He may not come as a thief to you, but +that you may be found in the light and awake, not in darkness and +asleep; or, to use the illustration of this text, that you may +not wake up naked to your everlasting shame. I am sure you +desire when He comes to be found awake, looking out, ready to +welcome Him. You wish to be found clothed. Oh, think +what it would be to be found naked, when all the saints of God +are standing around you in their resurrection robe! We have +lately read of poor people startled in the night by shipwreck, +and rushing as they were to the deck, utterly unprotected against +the bitter blast of the winter’s snow-storm. Think +what it would be to be suddenly aroused from your own deep sleep, +to see all that you have in the world wrecked around you, and to +find your poor soul quite naked, while the terrible storm of +God’s most just judgment beats upon you, and breaks down +every hope of escape! Oh, dear brethren, <a +name="page87"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 87</span>may it never +be so with you! May you be amongst those who can peacefully +look for His appearing, because you are clothed in His +righteousness! May you be kept walking in the light, and +cleansed from all sin through His most precious blood! Then +you will have nothing to fear, but everything to hope for, in the +thought of His coming. Then He will never come as a thief +to you, for you will be ready at any time to open the door and +welcome Him. As the bride delights in the bridegroom, so +will you delight in Him. Your trial will consist, not in +the dread of His coming, but in the difficulty of patiently +waiting for His return, and when He comes you will find no +language to bless and praise His holy name for His boundless and +unmerited love in having redeemed you by His atoning blood; in +having called you by His sovereign grace; in having forgiven you +through His finished atonement: in having sanctified you by the +Holy Ghost; and in having preserved you in His own unchanging +faithfulness, <a name="page88"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +88</span>till He shall have finally presented you spotless and +faultless before the throne of His everlasting glory.</p> +<h2><a name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +89</span>JERUSALEM.</h2> +<p>There is no city in the whole world which fills so important a +place in the Word of God as Jerusalem. There are several +others which are more prominent in the world’s politics, +but in the great economy of God, as revealed in Sacred Scripture, +Jerusalem stands out pre-eminent above them all. We +Englishmen think of London, with its vast population and enormous +wealth, as the leading city of the world; but except in so far as +it is the capital of one of the isles of the sea, it has no place +in prophecy. The French look upon Paris as the most +beautiful city of Europe, and the centre of European influence; +but, unless it is the predicted seat of the Beast, which some +persons are disposed to consider it, <a name="page90"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 90</span>it is literally nowhere in the Word +of God. And Rome, which all regard with something of awe +and veneration, as being associated with the most thrilling +histories of the past, is described in the Prophetic Word as the +seven-hilled city on which is seated the mystic Babylon, the +great whore of the Apocalypse. But the whole of Sacred +Scripture abounds in allusions to Jerusalem. History, +poetry, and prophecy are all full of it. It is described as +‘beautiful for situation,’ and ‘the joy of the +whole earth.’ The people of God are taught to pray +for it, and the promise is given that those who love it shall +prosper. The sacred feet of the Son of God trod the +pavement of its Temple, and we are assured that it will never +disappear from God’s great dealings with mankind, until the +New Jerusalem shall descend from heaven from our God, and there +shall be new heavens and a new earth at the coming of the Lord of +Glory.</p> +<p>It was the sight of this beautiful city, <a +name="page91"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 91</span>with its +magnificent Temple crowning the heights of Mount Moriah, that +drew from our blessed Saviour the remarkable prophecy contained +in the 24th of St. Matthew and the 21st of St. Luke. The +disciples had pointed out to Him the buildings of the Temple; and +afterwards, as they sat together on the Mount of Olives, on the +opposite side of the valley, He taught them the vanity of all +earthly strength. He told them that of the beautiful Temple +not one stone should be left upon another. And He also +taught them that there would be a lengthened period of desolation +and humiliation; for that Jerusalem should be ‘trodden +under foot of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles should +be fulfilled.’ Jerusalem was to be not merely beaten +down, but kept down, until a certain predicted period should +expire. But while the words distinctly predict a long +period of desolation, they no less clearly imply the assurance of +an ultimate restoration. They teach that <a +name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 92</span>Jerusalem is +not to be trodden down for ever, but only till the times of the +Gentiles shall be fulfilled; implying, as clearly as words can, +that when those times are expired, the Holy City shall rise again +in its beauty. The words predict a desolation for a limited +period, and at the close of that period, restoration.</p> +<p>I have not time to discuss what is meant by ‘the times +of the Gentiles.’ Suffice it to say that I believe it +to be this present Gentile dispensation; this time of Gentile +power and Gentile opportunity; this time during which God is +gathering out His elect people from the Gentile world, and is +employing a Gentile Church in the sacred ministry of the Gospel +of His grace. It seems to be the time of the ingathering of +the Gentile Church, for it is to last, according to St. Paul, +‘until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in’; and +it is clearly the time of the exercise of Gentile power, for they +are Gentiles by whom Jerusalem is to be trodden under foot.</p> +<p><a name="page93"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 93</span>But I +do not wish to occupy time in any discussion of this period, but +rather to invite your special attention to those Gentile powers +which have trodden Jerusalem under foot. Which are they? +and how do they now stand?</p> +<p>What, then, are the Gentile powers which have trodden down +Jerusalem? In the course of the eighteen hundred years of +her humiliation there have been times during which there have +been short interruptions in the sway of the ruling powers. +But, looking at the period as one great whole, and fixing our +attention on the conspicuous outlines of history, we find that +there are two powers which stand out conspicuous above all the +rest as the great oppressors of the Holy City. These are +Rome and the successive forms of that Mahommedan power of which +the present head is Turkey. Rome trod her down at the siege +of Jerusalem, and Turkey holds her down now. Rome cast her +to the ground, and when she was down Turkey set its foot <a +name="page94"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 94</span>on her +neck. Rome hurled her to the dust, and Turkey now tramples +her in the mire. Rome destroyed God’s Temple, and +actually ploughed up the sacred ground on which it stood. +Turkey maintains on the sacred site the mosque of Omar; and on +that holy hill where Abraham offered Isaac, where David offered +the oxen of Araunah, where Solomon built his Temple, and where +the Lord Jesus, the Son of David, cast out all that was unholy; +there, by Turkish authority, now stands a Mahommedan mosque; and +there no Jew is permitted to set his foot, the only privilege +allowed him being to kneel in the Street of Wailing outside the +enclosure, and there weep for the desolation of Jerusalem.</p> +<p>There is something very remarkable in this fact, because these +are the two powers especially connected with the two great +predicted apostasies, Popery and Mahommedanism; Rome being the +seat of the Popedom, and the Sultan of Turkey the recognised head +of the Mahommedan apostasy.</p> +<p><a name="page95"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 95</span>But I +have no time now to examine that connexion, nor is it my present +object to do so. The one fact I desire to leave perfectly +clear on your mind is this, that Rome and the Mussulman power of +which Turkey is now the head, are the two Gentile powers which +for the last eighteen hundred years must be charged with having +trodden down Jerusalem.</p> +<p>And now what is the present position of these two +powers? And how do they stand in Europe? What is the +condition, and what the prospect, of these two great oppressors +of Jerusalem?</p> +<p>As for Rome, as a political power it has ceased to exist, for +I need not say that the modern kingdom of Italy has nothing to do +with it. It is not built on the old lines, but is +altogether a new creation, an extension of the kingdom of +Sardinia. Now there can be no doubt whatever that the vast, +iron-footed, undivided Roman Empire, of which Titus was emperor +at the time he trod down Jerusalem, has long <a +name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 96</span>since passed +away. Different historians may assign different dates to +its dissolution, but no one doubts for one moment that it is +dissolved. The power that trampled down Jerusalem is broken +up into ten kingdoms, and the Imperial head is no more. +There is no successor to the throne of Titus, and the throne +itself is in fragments.</p> +<p>It is very remarkable also that the Papal head which succeeded +the Imperial has within the past few years come also to an end as +a political power. After the division of the undivided +empire the ten kingdoms were to a great extent held together by +the Papal head which succeeded the Imperial. The Pope +claimed to be the sole authority from which the kings derived +their power, and before the Reformation, all Europe acknowledged +his claims. He was supposed to hold all the crowns of +Europe in his hand. But that is all over now. The +kings have taken away his dominion. As a political power +the Papal head has followed <a name="page97"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 97</span>the Imperial. According to Sir +G. Bowyer, in the <i>Times</i> of Nov. 10, 1874, ‘The Pope +has been dethroned, and all his dominions and property have been +reduced to a palace, a church, and a garden,’ it does not +seem, therefore, very probable that Rome in either shape will +ever again tread down Jerusalem. We may safely say that the +first of the two oppressors is no more.</p> +<p>But what shall we say of the second? of that Turkey which is +the only power now treading down Jerusalem? I would meet +this by another question. Is there any politician in Europe +who has the least expectation of Turkey remaining in its present +position for another ten years? Whatever little political +power it retains is dying out as fast as it can die. Its +exchequer is bankrupt. Its credit is gone. Its +character for good faith is at an end. Its armies are +unpaid. Its subject populations are rising against the +intolerable burdens of its injustice and oppression; and the +Turks themselves have lost heart in the melancholy <a +name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 98</span>conviction +that their days are numbered.</p> +<p>Thus of the two powers that have trodden down Jerusalem, one +is already extinct and the head of the other at its last +gasp. The foot of the Sick Man is the only foot now +remaining on the neck of Jerusalem, and the Sick Man is +dying. Surely it is not unreasonable to ask the question, +‘When he dies, why should not Jerusalem arise and be +free’?</p> +<p>The result is that, without dwelling on any minute detail, we +are brought by the great, long-continued facts of European +history, to the most important conclusion that, in all +probability, we are approaching the time when Jerusalem shall no +longer be trodden down of the Gentiles, and when therefore, the +times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled. It is only +reasonable to suppose that when the oppressors are taken out of +the way the oppression will come to an end; and, therefore, as +one of those two oppressors is already fallen, and the other <a +name="page99"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 99</span>falling so +fast that all the powers of Europe seem unable to keep him in his +place, there is surely good reason to hope that before long the +captive will be free, and that the time may not be far distant +when we shall hear the cry, ‘Shake thyself from the dust; +arise and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of +thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.’</p> +<p>And it certainly is a most remarkable fact that, +simultaneously with the consumption of Rome and the decay of +Turkey, there has been a wonderful awakening of interest in +Jerusalem and the Jews. The explorations in Palestine are +very like a fulfilment of the prophecy, ‘Thy servants take +pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof’: and +if they are, there is good reason to hope that ‘the time to +favour her, yea, the set time, is come.’</p> +<p>But the interest in the people is more remarkable than that in +the country. Before the great Evangelical revival at the <a +name="page100"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +100</span>commencement of this century no one seemed to have any +idea that the Jews had any part in their own Messiah. They +were treated as an outcast people, and as for their conversion, +no one seems to have thought of attempting it until the formation +of the Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, in the +year 1808. But now there are Christian missionaries +labouring amongst them in most of the principal towns of Europe, +and, indeed, in almost all the leading centres of their scattered +population. The New Testament has been translated into +Hebrew, and very nearly twenty-five thousand copies are being +annually circulated amongst the Jews. The state of feeling +towards them has passed through a complete revolution, so that of +England it was said not long since by a learned and influential +Italian Jew, ‘God has blessed, and will bless, England; +because her great men, both in Church and State, take an interest +in the children of Jacob.’ Such facts are most +important <a name="page101"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +101</span>in themselves; but when it is borne in mind that this +interest in Jerusalem has been awakened just at the time of the +consumption of the political power of Rome, and has been going on +side by side with the decay of Turkey, it certainly ought to lead +all students of the Word of God to consider carefully whether the +times of the Gentiles may not be drawing to a close, and the day +of redemption may not be beginning to dawn on Jerusalem.</p> +<p>But some may be disposed to say, How are we concerned with +Jerusalem, and what does it matter to us whether Jerusalem is +trodden under foot, or free? I fear this is a very common +feeling throughout society, and that there are thousands and tens +of thousands of professing Christians who are perfectly +indifferent as to the condition of Jerusalem. But it ought +not so to be, for if it be a place cared for by the Lord, it +ought to be also cared for by His people. Besides which, +even on selfish principles, we should take an interest in <a +name="page102"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 102</span>Jerusalem; +for, as our position as Gentiles in Christ Jesus is most +intimately connected with the fall of Jerusalem, so our brightest +hopes in Him are bound up with its recovery. In proof of +this I would ask you to turn to Ps. cii. 16, where you read, +‘When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in +glory!’ The return of the Lord is, therefore, +connected with the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and, whenever we see +His hand restoring the city, we should begin to look out in +confident hope for the glorious and happy day when He Himself +will come to take the Kingdom. As a student of the Word of +God, I should be very much surprised if He were to come before +Jerusalem is raised from the dust; but when it is raised, it +seems clear from Scripture that there will be nothing in the +great prophetic series any longer to delay His appearing. <a +name="citation102"></a><a href="#footnote102" +class="citation">[102]</a></p> +<p><a name="page103"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 103</span>So in +our Lord’s discourse, as recorded by St. Matthew and St. +Luke, we are taught the same thing. The object of the +discourse is not, as has been sometimes thought, to confound the +taking of Jerusalem with the Second Coming, but to distinguish +them, and to warn the disciples against the danger of mistaking +the siege of Jerusalem for the coming of the Lord. It is +the restoration of Jerusalem, not the fall, which is connected <a +name="page104"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 104</span>with the +Advent. Our Lord, therefore, distinguishes between the fall +and the recovery and describes the various signs that shall +precede each. So up to Luke xxi. 24, we find the +description of the desolation, concluding with the prophecy, +‘Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the +time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.’ But in ver. 28 we +find the promise of the glorious recovery in those sacred words, +‘When these things begin to come <a +name="page105"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 105</span>to pass, +then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth +nigh.’ The 24th verse describes the desolation, the +28th the restoration, and the whole long period described as the +times of the Gentiles, with the signs of the latter days, +intervenes between the two. Now look at the account of the +redemption. It includes clearly a release from the +captivity and the rise of Jerusalem, when the time of its +treading down shall have come to an end. But that is not +all, or nearly so. The redemption there described is +identified with the return of the Lord Himself; for in ver. 27 we +read, ‘Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud +with power and great glory.’ Those then who pray for +the peace of Jerusalem will rejoice for Jerusalem’s sake in +its recovery. Those servants of God who take pleasure in +her stones, and favour the dust thereof, will have their hearts +gladdened when they see her rebuilt. But that is not all, +or nearly all, for whenever that happens, the whole <a +name="page106"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 106</span>Church of +God, and every member of it in every nation under heaven, may +look up and lift up their heads, for the Lord Himself will soon +appear. Once more, then, are we taught our deep interest in +the decay of Turkey. When Turkey falls there is every hope +that Jerusalem will rise; and when Jerusalem rises, the next +thing for us to look out for will be the Advent of the +Lord. All Christians, therefore, should rejoice in the +decline of the Ottoman Empire, for the fall of the Mussulman is +the hope of the Jew, and the return of the Jew will be the +blessed harbinger of the triumphant advent of her glorious +King. Rome beat down Jerusalem, and Rome, as a political +power, is no more. Turkey is now treading her down; but its +decay is begun, and its days are numbered: so that we may +earnestly hope it will be but a little while, possibly a very +little while—within the lives of many present—when +the great promise of God shall be fulfilled, and, according to +the prophecy, ‘The moon shall be confounded, <a +name="page107"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 107</span>and the sun +ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in +Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.’ God +grant that all the readers of this little book may be found +looking for His appearing, and ready to welcome Him with their +lamps burning brightly, when the cry is heard, ‘The +Bridegroom cometh!’</p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">LONDON:<br /> +Printed by <span class="smcap">Merritt & Hatcher, +Ltd.</span>,<br /> +Moor Lane, E.C.</p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<h2><a name="page2_i"></a><span class="pagenum">p. i</span>Works +on Prophecy and the Second Coming of our Lord<br /> +Published by CHAS. J. THYNNE</h2> +<p><b>Armageddon</b>; or, A Warning Voice from the last battle +field of nations proclaiming by the mouths of Prophets and +Apostles that the close of the times of the Disciples and the +second personal Advent and Millennial reign of our Lord and +Saviour Jesus Christ are nigh at hand. 3 vols., demy 8vo., +averaging 600 pages each volume. Cloth gilt, 15s. net.</p> +<p><b>Rome, Turkey and Jerusalem</b>. By the Rev. Canon E. +<span class="smcap">Hoare</span>, sometime Vicar of Holy Trinity, +Tunbridge Wells. New Edition (Fourth Impression), edited by +Rev J. H. <span class="smcap">Townsend</span>, D.D. Small +8vo., cloth, 1s. net.</p> +<p><b>New Testament Millenarianism</b>; or, The Kingdom and +Coming of Christ, as taught by Himself and His Apostles. +(Bampton Lecture). By <span class="smcap">Samuel +Waldegrave</span>, D.D., sometime Bishop of Carlisle. +Second Edition. Cloth, gilt, 8vo., 4s. net.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Contents</span>.—The Right Order of +Scriptural Inquiry concerning, the Millennium—The Kingdom +of Heaven as now Existing—The Kingdom of Christ as now +Existing—The Ingathering and Glorification—The +Judgment of Quick and Dead—The Recompense of +Reward—The Thousand Years—The True Burden of Old +Testament Prophecy—Appendices.</p> +<p><b>Prophetic Studies</b>; or, Some Present-day Facts as Seen +in the Light of Prophecy. By the Rev. J. <span +class="smcap">Ellam</span>, formerly Rector of Weston Turville, +Bucks. Crown 8vo., cloth, 1s. net.</p> +<p><span +class="smcap">Contents</span>.—Introductory—The +Western Little Horn—The Eastern Little Horn—The +Present Outlook—The Future Outlook.</p> +<p><a name="page2_ii"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +ii</span>“<b>The Night is far Spent, the Day is at +Hand</b>”; or, Lessons on Unfulfilled Prophecy. By +the Rev. <span class="smcap">George Lovely</span>. Small +8vo., cloth, 9d. net.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Contents</span>.—The Present +Dispensation—The Restoration of the Jews—The Man of +Sin—The Pre-Millennial Advent—The First +Resurrection—The Millennium—The Reappearing of +Elijah—The Day of Judgment—Signs of the Lord’s +Coming.</p> +<h3>Works by the Rev. Canon Samuel Garratt.</h3> +<p><b>A Commentary on the Revelation of St. John</b>, considered +as the Divine Book of History, in which God has delineated what +is now Past, Present, and to Come. 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It will be a +blessing to Bible Students, such as every child of God may be and +should be . . . how few there are who seem to see from the study +of Scripture the intensity of the days in which we are now +living.”—<i>Christian Herald</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><b>The Church of Rome</b>. A standing Testimony to the +Truth of Prophecy of God’s Word. By Rev. <span +class="smcap">William Lockett</span>, formerly Rector of +Littledean. Crown 8vo., cloth gilt, 2s. 6d. net.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Contents</span>.—Part I. +Identification of the Church of Rome.—Part II. +Doctrines of the Church of Rome.—Part III. Claims of +the Church of Rome.—Part IV. Who founded the Church +of Rome?—Part V. The Real Founder of the Roman +Church.—Part VI. Rome’s charges against +Protestants.</p> +<p><b>The Triumph of Grace</b>; or, Scriptural Proofs that God +will exempt His People from the Judgment which shall Condemn the +World. By the late Rev. A. H. <span +class="smcap">Synge</span>. 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We +heartily recommend this volume particularly to the younger +clergy.”—<i>Record</i>.</p> +<p>“Dr. Moule’s recommendation appears, from our +examination of the book, to be well +deserved.”—<i>Guardian</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><b>STILL UPWARD</b>. Sunday Readings from Trinity to +Advent. <span class="smcap">Marshall Bros.</span>, +<b>3s.</b> <b>6d.</b></p> +<blockquote><p>“I like this volume even better than its +predecessor.”—The late Right Hon. Judge Warren.</p> +<p>“There is a robustness of tone which pleases us +much. It is with considerable pleasure that we welcome +another volume of Devotional Studies from this +Author.”—<i>Record</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><b>A BRIGHT TO-MORROW</b>. Long 12mo. <span +class="smcap">Marshall Bros.</span>, <b>1s.</b> This little +book on Prophecy has had a remarkable career, having passed +through some 18 editions. It has been circulated in every +quarter of the globe, and has been translated into French, +German, Japanese and Cingalese.</p> +<p><b>WATCHING FOR THE DAWN</b>. Long 12mo. <span +class="smcap">Marshall Bros.</span>, <b>1s.</b></p> +<blockquote><p>“A calm and thoughtful little treatise on +our Lord’s return.”—<i>Record</i>.</p> +<p>“Another volume that will endear itself to those seeking +religious comfort.”—<i>Daily Mail</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<h3><a name="page2_vii"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +vii</span>WORKS by the Rev. J. H. TOWNSEND, D.D.</h3> +<p><b>THE BRIGHTENING EAST</b>. New Series. <span +class="smcap">Marshall Bros.</span>, <b>1s.</b> The +prophetic outlook up to date. This little book is +attractively got up, and is selling rapidly.</p> +<blockquote><p>“The teaching in this little book is sound +and should prove a help and comfort to +many.”—<i>Record</i>.</p> +<p>“We have little doubt that this book will receive as +hearty a welcome as the Author’s previous +volumes.”—<i>Life of Faith</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><b>THE TWO CLIMBERS</b>. A True Story, being the +Author’s own experience. S. W. <span +class="smcap">Partridge</span> & Co., <b>2d.</b></p> +<blockquote><p>“It was read to me by a friend . . . and was +by God’s grace the means of showing me the way of +salvation.”—L. E. B. in <i>Life of Faith</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><b>PEN PICTURES OF BIBLE HISTORY</b>. <span +class="smcap">Marshall Bros.</span>, <b>1s.</b></p> +<blockquote><p>“Dr. Townsend has certainly given us a new +method of Bible Study . . . We heartily recommend it for +use in the family circle.”—<i>Life of Faith</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><b>AFTER THIS I WILL RETURN</b>. <span +class="smcap">Marshall Bros.</span>, <b>1s.</b> Warmly +reviewed by the Press.</p> +<p><b>THE RETURNING KING</b>. <span class="smcap">Morgan +and Scott</span>, <b>1s.</b> Appreciative notices by +English and American Press.</p> +<p><b>THE ADVENTURES OF A BIBLE</b>. R.T.S., +<b>1d.</b> This little booklet has been sold by hundreds of +thousands, translated into French, German, Italian and Spanish; +it has had a wide circulation on the Continent of Europe and in +South America as well as U.S.A., and was published in the columns +of a secular newspaper in Manila.</p> +<h3><a name="page2_i"></a><span class="pagenum">p. i</span>BY THE +SAME AUTHOR. <a name="citation0"></a><a href="#footnote0" +class="citation">[0]</a></h3> +<h4>GREAT PRINCIPLES OF DIVINE TRUTH.</h4> +<p>Papers and Sermons on important subjects collected and edited +by the Rev. Canon J. Gurney Hoare, M.A., Vicar of +Aylsham.—2nd Edition Crown 8vo., with portrait and view of +Holy Trinity Church. CLOTH GILT, 2/6 NET.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Contents</span>: I.—The Source of +our knowledge of Divine Truth; II.—Christ and the Sinner; +III.—The Holy Spirit; IV Worship.</p> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<h4>SANCTIFICATION.</h4> +<p>Parochial Sermons exhibiting the doctrine of Sanctification as +revealed in Holy Scripture, as embodied in the teaching of the +Church of England and taught by Evangelical Clergy.—Fifth +Edition enlarged, 16mo. CLOTH GILT, 2/6 NET.</p> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p><b>THE PROPORTIONS OF TRUTH</b>. Price 2d.</p> +<p><b>THE BREADTH, FREEDOM AND YET EXCLUSIVENESS OF THE +GOSPEL</b>. Price 2d.</p> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">London: <span +class="smcap"><b>Chas. J. Thynne</b></span>.</p> +<h2>Footnotes</h2> +<p><a name="footnote0"></a><a href="#citation0" +class="footnote">[0]</a> In the printed book the “By +the same Author” (i.e. Edward Hoare) section is at the +start of the book, before the title page. It has been moved +to the end for clarity in this Project Gutenberg +eText.—DP.</p> +<p><a name="footnote10"></a><a href="#citation10" +class="footnote">[10]</a> For further developments on this +point, the reader is referred to “The Returning +King,” pp. 25–29 (Morgan and Scott, 1/- net.)</p> +<p><a name="footnote19"></a><a href="#citation19" +class="footnote">[19]</a> R.V. “He.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote26"></a><a href="#citation26" +class="footnote">[26]</a> Hume, ii. 67.</p> +<p><a name="footnote28"></a><a href="#citation28" +class="footnote">[28]</a> According to the census of 1911, +the population of the British Isles was 45,365,599, of which +number five millions were Romanists, so that clearly the +proportion is still diminishing. But it must be borne in +mind that her leading false doctrines and non-Scriptural claims +are being increasingly taught in this country.</p> +<p><a name="footnote37"></a><a href="#citation37" +class="footnote">[37]</a> Thirty-six years have elapsed +since these words were penned, and although Turkey has been +upheld by the European Powers, and has herself made one or two +brave efforts on the battlefield and in the matter of +constitutional reform, the process of decay has been rapidly +advancing; yet even so who, at the beginning of the year 1912, +could have foreseen the catastrophe which in a few short weeks +has almost wiped Turkey from the Map of Europe?</p> +<p><a name="footnote45"></a><a href="#citation45" +class="footnote">[45]</a> And actually the very walls of +Vienna.</p> +<p><a name="footnote47"></a><a href="#citation47" +class="footnote">[47]</a> Now in April, 1913, the four +Balkan States and Greece in a brief but bloody campaign have +brought Turkey apparently to her last gasp, and it is still a +matter of speculation whether she will be allowed to retain +possession of Constantinople and with it the merest thread of the +littoral of Europe. This has now taken place, and <i>The +Times</i> of May 30, in a leader upon the signing of the Treaty +of London, uses these epoch-making words—“The Ottoman +Empire in Europe has now ceased to exist.” June, +1913.</p> +<p><a name="footnote48"></a><a href="#citation48" +class="footnote">[48]</a> The word “almost” may +be removed, as Turkey in Africa has ceased to exist. The +war with Italy in 1912 deprived Turkey of Tripoli, and thus the +very last spot in Northern Africa emerged from the once +overflowing waters of Mahommedan power by which it had been +overwhelmed many centuries ago.</p> +<p><a name="footnote50"></a><a href="#citation50" +class="footnote">[50]</a> The number is rapidly +diminishing, and day by day streams of Turkish refugees are +pouring across the Bosphorus to the Asiatic side.</p> +<p><a name="footnote69"></a><a href="#citation69" +class="footnote">[69]</a> If the faithful preacher whose +clear foresight is recorded here were to witness what we now see, +would he not say, like St. Paul—“as we also +forewarned you and testified?”</p> +<p>When this book was published, Spiritualism, then recently +imported from America, was only beginning to make itself felt, +the destructive Higher Criticism, whose dry rot has now spread +its subtle influence on all sides, had not landed on our coasts +from Germany; the very names of Modernism, New Theology, and its +offspring the Liberal Christian League, were non-existent; +Christian Science had not then been imported to America from its +Eastern home; and several other heresies and imitations (2 +Timothy iii. 8), which under the guise of deep spiritual teaching +are now crippling true spirituality and doing the Devil’s +work, were still unborn. But they are with us now, and they +have come to stay. Let us recognize their <i>source</i> and +their <i>significance</i>.</p> +<p><a name="footnote79"></a><a href="#citation79" +class="footnote">[79]</a> The significance of this clarion +note of warning in connection with the events now taking place is +of the greatest possible importance.</p> +<p><a name="footnote102"></a><a href="#citation102" +class="footnote">[102]</a> It would be simply impossible in +a brief note even to enumerate all the recent amazing changes in +Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Since the fulfilment of a +prophetic epoch a few years ago, pointed out at the time by the +writer as an indication that the “Times of the +Gentiles” had virtually ceased, Jerusalem has for the first +time in her history been “inhabited as towns without +walls” (Zechariah ii. 4), the dwellings having spread +outside in rapidly increasing suburbs, which make it more like a +modern city than the Jerusalem of old.</p> +<p>Jews are permitted to hold magistracies and to perform civic +functions; they are also allowed to practice in medicine and in +the legal profession. Elementary and secondary schools are +established in which only the Hebrew language is used; banks and +various institutions are flourishing, and a new Hebrew university +is about to be founded. Jewish agricultural and +manufacturing colonies in large numbers are at work in different +parts of the land, and a recent number of the <i>Jewish World</i> +gives a long account of a visit a few weeks ago to these colonies +by the newly appointed Governor of Jerusalem. The visit was +an official inspection, and the result one of the greatest +possible importance to the Jewish nation. Amongst many +other things, the Governor (himself an Albanian) stated that he +was directed by the authorities in Constantinople to grant to +these colonies the right of electing their own councils and +appointing their own mayors, fixing rates, retaining some of the +Government taxes for their own use, enrolling their own police, +whose uniform and ammunition should be supplied by the Turkish +Government, granting title deeds for land, permits for building, +besides other privileges of considerable importance. I +submit that it can no longer be said of the city or of the land +that it is “trodden down of the Gentiles.”</p> +<p>How startlingly significant are these facts in connection with +our Lord’s words regarding His Return!</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROME, TURKEY AND JERUSALEM***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 39307-h.htm or 39307-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/9/3/0/39307 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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