of the mystery, in which the
administration of God may have been shrouded, making apparent all which
may have been inexplicable in his dealings with men; and rendering evident
the verity of his promises to his chosen ones.

The voices, lightnings, thunders, earthquake, and hail, are appropriate
symbols of the plagues which will fall upon the wicked. These are
fearfully depicted in the Scriptures. God says to Job, "Hast thou seen the
treasures of hail which I have reserved against the time of trouble,
against the day of battle and war," 38:22, 23. Judgment then will be laid
"to the line, and righteousness to the plummet, and the hail shall sweep
away the refuge of lies. The Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be
heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm with the indignation of
his anger, and with the flame of devouring fire, with scattering, and
tempest, and hailstones," Isa. 28:17.

This prepares the way for the purification of the earth as foretold by
Peter (2 Pet. 3:12, 13), the restitution of all things (3:21), the new
heavens and new earth (21:1), the descent of the saints (21:2), and the
kingdom of God on the earth, 21:3. Assuming the correctness of the view
here given, how near to the time now present does it seem to fix the
consummation!

"So shall the world go on,
To good malignant, to bad men benign,
Under her own weight groaning: till the day
Appear, of respiration to the just,
And vengeance to the wicked; at return
Of him--thy Saviour and thy Lord:
Last in the clouds from heaven, to be revealed
In glory of the Father, to dissolve
Satan, with his perverted world; then raise
From the conflagrant mass, purged and refined,
New heavens, new earth, ages of endless date,
Founded in righteousness, and peace, and love,
To bring forth fruits, joy, and eternal bliss."--_Milton._

"The world shall burn, and from her ashes spring
New heavens and earth, wherein the just shall dwell,
And after all their tribulations long,
See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds,
With joy and love triumphing, and fair truth."--_Ib._

The Woman and Dragon.

"And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the
sun, and the moon was under her feet, and on her head a crown of
twelve stars; and she, being with child, cried, travailing in
birth, and pained to be delivered. And another sign appeared in
heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten
horns, a