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diff --git a/39313-h/39313-h.htm b/39313-h/39313-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..66bd6de --- /dev/null +++ b/39313-h/39313-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2103 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Rome and Turkey in Connexion with the Second Advent, by Edward Hoare</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.gutsumm { margin-left: 5%;} + P.poetry {margin-left: 3%; } + .GutSmall { font-size: 0.7em; } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + color: gray; + } + img { border: none; } + img.dc { float: left; width: 50px; height: 50px; } + div.gapspace { height: 0.8em; } + div.gapline { height: 0.8em; width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid;} + div.gapmediumline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + div.gapshortdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; + margin-left: 40%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid; } + div.gapdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 50%; + margin-left: 25%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; margin-left:40%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + img.floatleft { float: left; + margin-right: 1em; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.floatright { float: right; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.clearcenter {display: block; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Rome and Turkey in Connexion with the Second +Advent, by Edward Hoare + + +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 and Turkey in Connexion with the Second Advent + + +Author: Edward Hoare + + + +Release Date: March 31, 2012 [eBook #39313] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROME AND TURKEY IN CONNEXION WITH +THE SECOND ADVENT*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1876 H. Colbran edition by David Price, +email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1>ROME AND TURKEY<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">IN CONNEXION WITH</span><br /> +The Second Advent.</h1> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">SERMONS.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">By</span> REV. +E. HOARE,</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">VICAR OF +TRINITY, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, AND</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">HON. CANON OF CANTERBURY.</span></p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">LONDON:<br /> +HATCHARDS, PICCADILLY.<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">H. COLBRAN, CALVERLEY ROAD, TUNBRIDGE +WELLS.</span><br /> +1876.</p> +<h2><a name="pagev"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +v</span>PREFACE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> three lectures on Turkey are +published at the request of several of my parishioners; I have +added two others respecting Rome, which were written in 1873, +because I consider that they strengthen the conclusion derived +from the present position of the Ottoman Empire. I regard +Rome and Turkey as two great political witnesses to the near +approach of the glorious end. If this be the case, it is +clearly right that their two testimonies should appear together +and confirm each other.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">E. H.</p> +<p><i>Tunbridge Wells</i>,<br /> + <i>Jan.</i> 1876.</p> +<h2><a name="pagevii"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +vii</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="#page21">21</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="#page42">42</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="#page63">63</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="#page81">81</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2><a name="page1"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +1</span>ROME.</h2> +<h3>I.<br /> +THE OUTLINE.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> 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 <a name="page2"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 2</span>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 <a +name="page3"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 3</span>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 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 <a name="page4"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +4</span>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 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 <a name="page5"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 5</span>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 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 <a name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +6</span>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="page7"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 7</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 <a name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +8</span>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.’</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 <a +name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 9</span>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 <a name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +10</span>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, 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 <a name="page11"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 11</span>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 +emperor. It was one as much as Babylon had been one under +<a name="page12"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +12</span>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. More than five hundred years before the coming of the +Lord there was a captive in Babylon, and God so directed <a +name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 13</span>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?’</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 <a name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +14</span>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.</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 <a name="page15"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 15</span>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 +raised 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>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 <a +name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 16</span>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 <a name="page17"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 17</span>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 inspiration of Scripture, for no +such prophecy could have had its <a name="page18"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 18</span>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 <a name="page19"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 19</span>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, <a name="page20"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +20</span>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.’</p> +<h3><a name="page21"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 21</span>II.<br +/> +THE CONSUMPTION.</h3> +<p>I <span class="smcap">endeavoured</span> 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 <a +name="page22"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 22</span>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 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 +<a name="page23"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 23</span>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.</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 <a +name="page24"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 24</span>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 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, <a +name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 25</span>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 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 <a +name="page26"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 26</span>careful +attention—one most important point common to all the 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 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; <a +name="page27"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 27</span>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 at 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 which +thou sawest upon the beast, these shall <a +name="page28"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 28</span>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 <a name="page29"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 29</span>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.</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 <a +name="page30"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 30</span>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.’ <a name="citation30"></a><a href="#footnote30" +class="citation">[30]</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 <a +name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 31</span>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.</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 <a +name="page32"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 32</span>is at an +end. Five years ago it 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 kings were eating up the flesh of the woman. +<a name="citation32"></a><a href="#footnote32" +class="citation">[32]</a></p> +<p><a name="page33"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 33</span>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.</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 <a +name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 34</span>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? +<a name="page35"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 35</span>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?’</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 <a name="page36"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 36</span>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 <a name="page37"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +37</span>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 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 <a name="page38"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 38</span>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 <a +name="page39"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 39</span>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> +<p class="poetry">‘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> +<p>And not only so, but we may reverently hope that it will not +be long before we <a name="page40"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +40</span>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 <a name="page41"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 41</span>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.</p> +<h2><a name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +42</span>TURKEY.</h2> +<h3>III.<br /> +THE EUPHRATES.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> 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 +not less than 50,000,000<i>l.</i> 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 Mahommedan +oppression. And the politicians of all the great states of +Europe are at their wits’ end to know what is to become of +<a name="page43"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +43</span>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.</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 of the Word of God which +bear directly on our spiritual experience; <a +name="page44"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 44</span>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,—<a +name="page45"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 45</span>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.</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, in the words of Scripture, as +contained 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 <a name="page46"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 46</span>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.</p> +<p>For this I give two reasons:—</p> +<p>(1.) It is the one great empire existing <a +name="page47"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 47</span>in the world +that originated on the banks of the river Euphrates. Its +birthplace was at Bagdad, and it would be historically more +correct to call it the Euphratian than the Turkish Empire. +For we must remember that the Turks, or Ottomans, do not belong +to the soil. 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 +Bagdad, on the banks 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. <a name="page48"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +48</span>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 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><a name="page49"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 49</span>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>Surely, then, we may come to the conclusion that this prophecy +in chapter <a name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +50</span>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 of +the symbol of an overflow, but as that figure is employed in Holy +Scripture to represent invasion, we may use it in this instance +as descriptive of the invasion by the Ottomans, as predicted +under the seventh 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 <a name="page51"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +51</span>of the Nile. ‘Egypt cometh up like a flood, +and his waters are moved as the rivers.’ So in +Isaiah, 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 <a +name="page52"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 52</span>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 whole +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. Thus when they had reached +the height of their power, the whole of south-east Europe, the +whole of north Africa, and the whole <a name="page53"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 53</span>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 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.</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 name="page54"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 54</span>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 +<a name="page55"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 55</span>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.</p> +<p>As for Africa, the flood has already left it almost dry. +Morocco has become an independent state. The French have +taken Algeria, 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. <a +name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span>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. 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 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 is 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 <a name="page57"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 57</span>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 failure 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, their +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 <a name="page58"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +58</span>much diminished, that there are now only 2,000,000 Turks +or Ottomans left in Europe. 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.’ No portion, therefore, of God’s +word, whether it be prophetic or historical, ought to be set +aside by <a name="page59"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +59</span>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 <a name="page60"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 60</span>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 +a different view respecting 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 +<a name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 61</span>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.’</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? +<a name="page62"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 62</span>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.’</p> +<h3><a name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 63</span>IV.<br +/> +THE FROGS.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">In</span> 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 <a name="page64"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +64</span>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.</p> +<p>To understand this we must remember that the great prophecy in +the book of <a name="page65"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +65</span>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 <a name="page66"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 66</span>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 look-out 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, <a +name="page67"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 67</span>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 verses 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.’</p> +<p>All students of prophecy are well <a name="page68"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 68</span>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 <a +name="page69"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 69</span>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.</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 <a name="page70"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +70</span>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 the 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, <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 <a +name="page71"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 71</span>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 develope 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.</p> +<p>(3.) The result of the action of these spirits in +conflict. Verse 14,—‘For they are the spirits +of devils working miracles, <a name="page72"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 72</span>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, 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 <a name="page73"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 73</span>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 every state <a +name="page74"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 74</span>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 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 <a +name="page75"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 75</span>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.</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 <a name="page76"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +76</span>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 <a +name="page77"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 77</span>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 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, <a name="page78"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 78</span>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 <a name="page79"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +79</span>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 <a name="page80"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 80</span>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.</p> +<h3><a name="page81"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 81</span>V.<br +/> +THE ADVENT.</h3> +<p>I <span class="smcap">trust</span> 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 <a +name="page82"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 82</span>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 <a name="page83"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 83</span>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!</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 <a name="page84"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 84</span>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 <a name="page85"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +85</span>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 <a +name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 86</span>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 five 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 branch, and when you had gone so +far along the second branch <a name="page87"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 87</span>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 <a name="page88"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +88</span>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.</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 <a name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +89</span>look like the commencement of another series, but taught +us rather to look out for the great winding up of the world 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.</p> +<p><a name="page90"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 90</span>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 <a name="page91"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 91</span>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 +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 <a +name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 92</span>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?’ 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, <a +name="page93"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 93</span>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 the door nor rings the bell. But he comes +quietly. He does <a name="page94"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 94</span>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.’</p> +<p><a name="page95"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 95</span>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?</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 <a +name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 96</span>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 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 <a +name="page97"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 97</span>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.</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 <a name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +98</span>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 <a +name="page99"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 99</span>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, <a name="page100"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +100</span>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>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 <a +name="page101"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +101</span>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 <a name="page102"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +102</span>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.</p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">LONDON:<br /> +Printed by <span class="smcap">John Strangeways</span>, Castle +St. Leicester Sq.</p> +<h2><a name="page103"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 103</span>By +the same author.</h2> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p><b>SANCTIFICATION: being Expository Sermons</b>.</p> +<p> Second Edition, enlarged.</p> +<p> Square fcap. cloth, 2<i>s.</i> +6<i>d.</i></p> +<p><b>THE COMMUNION AND COMMUNICANT</b>.</p> +<p> Fourth Edition, revised and enlarged.</p> +<p> Fcap. 8vo. sewed, 6<i>d.</i></p> +<p><b>BAPTISM</b>.</p> +<p> As taught in the Bible and Prayer-book.</p> +<p> Sixth Edition. Sewed, 4<i>d.</i></p> +<p><b>INSPIRATION: its Nature and Extent</b>.</p> +<p> Sewed, 6<i>d.</i></p> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">HATCHARDS, 187 PICCADILLY, +LONDON.<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">H. COLBRAN, CALVERLEY ROAD, TUNBRIDGE +WELLS.</span></p> +<h2>Footnotes</h2> +<p><a name="footnote30"></a><a href="#citation30" +class="footnote">[30]</a> Hume, ii. 67.</p> +<p><a name="footnote32"></a><a href="#citation32" +class="footnote">[32]</a> I was interested, two days after +preparing this lecture, by reading the following sentence in the +<i>Times</i>, ‘Upon every temporal consideration Rome never +was so low as she lies this day.’—<i>Times</i>, Dec. +15, 1873.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROME AND TURKEY IN CONNEXION WITH</p> +<pre> +THE SECOND ADVENT*** + + +***** This file should be named 39313-h.htm or 39313-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/9/3/1/39313 + + + +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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