y with exceeding joy,"
Jude 24.

The fire from the altar, symbolizes the instruments of divine justice; and
the filling the censer with coals after the acceptance of the saints, and
the casting of both the censer and fire to the earth, indicate that
thenceforth there would be no more acceptance of prayer from those left on
the earth, but the speedy infliction of impending judgments.

The "voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake," which
followed, evidently synchronize with the same events which follow the
seventh trumpet: when the "wrath of God" has come, with "the time of the
dead that they should be judged;" and when those are to be destroyed who
have destroyed the earth, 11:19. They are the same, also, as those under
the seventh vial, (16:18); and symbolize the final overturn and commotion,
previous to the cleansing of the earth and the ushering in of a better
day: Then will the

"fire purge all things new,
Both Heaven and Earth, wherein the just shall dwell."--MILTON, BOOK XI.

The Seven Trumpets.

"And the seven angels having seven trumpets prepared themselves to
sound."--Rev. 8:6.

The sounding of each successive trumpet marks the commencement of an era,
of a longer or shorter duration, as the striking of a clock does the
succession of hours. During each era, were to be fulfilled the events
symbolized in connection with its respective trumpet. Those under the
trumpets are more of a political character than those presented in
connection with the seals.

The First Trumpet.

"And the first angel sounded, and there was hail and fire mingled
with blood, and they were cast into the earth; and the third part
of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was
burnt up, and every green herb was burnt up."--Rev. 8:7.

The earth of the Apocalypse is regarded by most expositors as the Roman
empire, in a state of comparative quiet. As no tornado like this described
has ever happened, its correspondence must be sought for in the political
relations of the empire. There is great unanimity among commentators
respecting the period and the agents here symbolized,--that it refers to
the invasions of the Goths and other barbarians, from A. D. 363 to 410.
After 395, their incursions were more severe than during the earlier
portion of that period. The third part of the earth, would be the third
part of the Roman empire, in distinction from the ot