to be found on the west
than even on the east of the Turkish empire. The dynasty of the Turk is
in process of visible exhaustion, and nothing but what is termed among
antichristian nations "the balance of power," prolongs its existence or
hinders its extinction. "Drying up," evaporation, is a gradual process,
and with singular precision describes the waning light of the once proud
Crescent,--the expiring breath of what has been termed by a bold figure,
"the sick man."[13]--Under this vial, however, and likewise as the
termination of the second woe, a general, final and desperate alliance
is to be found to resist the aggressive forces of the "Lord of
Hosts."--This confederacy is headed by the dragon, and is identical with
the war, (ch. xii. 17,) against the "remnant of the woman's
seed."--These "unclean spirits like frogs" are called "spirits of
devils." They "come out of the mouth" of all the agents, the dragon,
(ch. xii. 3, 9,) the beast, (ch. xiii. 1,) and the false prophet,--the
same as the two-horned beast, (v. 11,) and (ch. xix. 20.) These "unclean
spirits" succeed in gathering the kings of the earth, by "working
miracles," "lying wonders." (2 Thess. ii. 9; 1 Tim. iv. 1, 2.) They are
the agents of antichristian Rome, spiritual wickedness in high places,"
(Eph. vi. 12;)--"like frogs," living in moral filth; garrulous and
impudent, stealthily gaining access into the bedchambers of the kings,
"after the manner of Egypt." (Exod. viii. 3.)--Surely the policy of Rome
is here portrayed, her cardinals, archbishops, Jesuits, etc., gaining
entrance into the councils and cabinets of princes, inciting them to
debauchery, tyranny and blood. Hellish hosts are thus "gathered to the
battle of that great day of God Almighty,"--the day of the seventh vial,
of the "vintage," (ch. xiv. 18-20,) and of the seventh trumpet, (ch. xi.
15;) for all these agree in point of time.--This will be an "hour of
temptation," as intimated in the 15th verse, which is a parenthesis,
interrupting a little the narrative of the effects of the vial. There is
danger of apostacy, of "falling away to these Chaldeans," of temporizing
with the enemy in order to escape suffering. Thus Christian soldiers of
the cross, losing "the armour of righteousness," would be exposed to
"shame." But "blessed is he that watcheth," that looks to the Captain of
Salvation, to his cause, as elucidated by his providence,--the signs of
the times; for so shall he "keep his garments,"