f the Lord."

As soon as Christ was alone with his disciples he gave them a
description of those desolations which is recorded in the following
chapter, and is so plain, and made such an impression on the
Christians of that day, who were mostly Jews, that they fled at the
approach of the Roman armies and escaped the calamities which
overwhelmed their nation. Whoever reads the history of that age will
be convinced of the truth of that prediction--Then shall be great
tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to that
time, no, nor ever shall see. "Those were the days of vengeance, that
all things which were written might be fulfilled."

Another of the seasons of divine judgments occurred at the subversion
of the Roman empire by the Northern barbarians. That mighty empire
comprehended a very large portion of the then known world. It had
become exceedingly populous. Italy, in particular was chiefly covered
with the dwellings of men, like one continued city; and almost the
whole empire swarmed with inhabitants, and many parts were cultivated
like a garden. But when those savages broke into it, they carried fire
and sword wherever they went. Like the armies of God's judgments
described by the prophet Joel, they carried terror and destruction
--"A fire devoured before them, and behind them a flame burned: The
land was as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate
wilderness; and nothing escaped them." * The most populous and
fruitful parts of that vast empire were literally made desolate, and
became a wilderness; and many places have never recovered their former
lustre, and few become equally populous to this day.

* Joel ii. 3.

Waving the particular mention of other periods in which the judgments
of God have been made manifest, would only observe, that we are taught
by the prophets, to expect desolating judgments before the beginning
of the latter day glory, and that they will be very general--that the
sins, not of this, or that community, but of the world will come into
remembrance before God; and that the full vials of his wrath will be
poured out, not barely to avenge the sins of that generation, but the
sins of the world, the measure of their iniquity being then full.

The most terrifying metaphors are used to prefigure the judgments
which will then be executed on mankind. The destruction of men is
compared to the harvest and vintage! But the language of prophecy, if
we consider t