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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Revelation XV].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1721)
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>R E V E L A T I O N.</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XV.</FONT>
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Hitherto, according to the judgment of very eminent expositors, God had
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represented to his servant, John,
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I. The state of the church under the pagan powers, in the six seals
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opened; and then,
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II. The state of the church under the papal powers, in the vision of
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the six trumpets that began to sound upon the opening of the seventh
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seal: and then is inserted.
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III. A more general and brief account of the past, present, and future
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state of the church, in the little book, &c. He now proceeds,
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IV. To show him how antichrist should be destroyed, by what steps that
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destruction should be accomplished, in the vision of the seven vials.
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This chapter contains an awful introduction or preparation for the
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pouring out of the vials, in which we have,
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1. A sight of those angels in heaven who were to have the execution of
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this great work, and with what acclamations of joy the heavenly hosts
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applauded the great design,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+15:1-4">ver. 1-4</A>.
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2. A sight of these angels coming out of heaven to receive those vials
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which they were to pour out, and the great commotions this caused in
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the world,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+15:5-8">ver. 5</A>,
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&c.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Re15_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re15_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re15_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re15_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Seven Vials.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 95.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven
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angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up
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the wrath of God.
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2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and
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them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his
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image, and over his mark, <I>and</I> over the number of his name,
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stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
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3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the
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song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous <I>are</I> thy works,
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Lord God Almighty; just and true <I>are</I> thy ways, thou King of
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saints.
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4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for
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<I>thou</I> only <I>art</I> holy: for all nations shall come and worship
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before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here we have the preparation of matters for the pouring out of the
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seven vials, which was committed to seven angels; and observe how these
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angels appeared to the apostle--<I>in heaven;</I> it was in a wonderful
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manner, and that upon account,
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1. Of the work they had to do, which was to finish the destruction of
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antichrist. God was now about to pour out his seven last plagues upon
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that interest; and, as the measure of Babylon's sins was filled up,
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they should now find the full measure of his vindictive wrath.
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2. The spectators and witnesses of this their commission: all <I>that
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had gotten the victory over the beast,</I> &c. These stood on a <I>sea
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of glass,</I> representing this world, as some think, a brittle thing,
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that shall be broken to pieces; or, as others, the gospel covenant,
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alluding to the brazen sea in the temple, in which the priests were to
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wash (the faithful servants of God stand upon the foundation of the
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righteousness of Christ); or, as others, <I>the Red Sea,</I> that stood
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as it were congealed while the Israelites went through; and, the pillar
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of fire reflecting light upon the waters, they would seem to have fire
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mingled with them; and this to show that the fire of God's wrath
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against Pharaoh and his horses should dissolve the congealed waters,
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and destroy them thereby, to which there seems to be an allusion by
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their <I>singing the song of Moses,</I> in which,
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(1.) They extol the greatness of God's works, and the justice and truth
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of his ways, both in delivering his people and destroying their
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enemies. They rejoiced in hope, and the near prospect they had of
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this, though it was not yet accomplished.
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(2.) They call upon all nations to render unto God the fear, glory, and
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worship, due to such a discovery of his truth and justice: <I>Who shall
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not fear thee?</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+15:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="Re15_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re15_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re15_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re15_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Seven Vials.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 95.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the
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tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
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6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven
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plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their
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breasts girded with golden girdles.
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7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven
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golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and
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ever.
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8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God,
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and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple,
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till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Observe, I. How these angels appeared--coming out of heaven to execute
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their commission: <I>The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in
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heaven was opened,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+15:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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Here is an allusion to the holiest of all the tabernacle and temple,
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where was <I>the mercy-seat, covering the ark of the testimony,</I>
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where the high priest made intercession, and God communed with his
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people, and heard their prayers. Now by this, as it is here mentioned,
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we may understand,
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1. That, in the judgments God was now about to execute upon the
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antichristian interest, he was fulfilling the prophecies and promises
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of his word and covenant, which were there always before him, and of
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which he was ever mindful.
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2. That in this work he was answering the prayers of the people, which
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were offered to him by their great high priest.
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3. That he was herein avenging the quarrel of his own Son, and our
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Saviour Jesus Christ, whose offices and authority had been usurped, his
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name dishonoured, and the great designs of his death opposed, by
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antichrist and his adherents.
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4. That he was opening a wider door of liberty for his people to
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worship him in numerous solemn assemblies, without the fear of their
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enemies.</P>
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<P>
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II. How they were equipped and prepared for their work. Observe,
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1. Their array: They were <I>clothed with pure and white linen,</I>
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and had <I>their breasts girded with golden girdles,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+15:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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This was the habit of the high priests when they went in to enquire of
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God, and came out with an answer from him. This showed that these
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angels were acting in all things under the divine appointment and
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direction, and that they were going to prepare a sacrifice to the Lord,
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<I>called the supper of the great God,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+19:17"><I>ch.</I> xix. 17</A>.
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The angels are the ministers of divine justice, and they do every thing
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in a pure and holy manner.
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2. Their artillery, what it was, and whence they received it; their
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artillery, by which they were to do this great execution, was <I>seven
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vials filled with the wrath of God;</I> they were armed with the wrath
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of God against his enemies. The meanest creature, when it comes armed
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with the anger of God, will be too hard for any man in the world; but
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much more an angel of God. This wrath of God was not to be poured out
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all at once, but was divided into seven parts, which should
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successively fall upon the antichristian party. Now from whom did they
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receive these vials? From one of the four living creatures, one of the
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ministers of the true church, that is, in answer to the prayers of the
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ministers and people of God, and to avenge their cause, in which the
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angels are willingly employed.</P>
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<P>
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III. The impressions these things made upon all who stood near the
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temple: they were all, as it were, wrapt up in clouds of smoke, which
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filled the temple, from the glorious and powerful presence of God; so
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that <I>no man was able to enter into the temple,</I> till the work was
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finished. The interests of antichrist were so interwoven with the civil
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interests of the nations that he could not be destroyed without giving
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a great shock to all the world; and the people of God would have but
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little rest and leisure to assemble themselves before him, while this
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great work was a doing. For the present, their sabbaths would be
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interrupted, ordinances of public worship intermitted, and all thrown
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into a general confusion. God himself was now preaching to the church
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and to all the world, by terrible things in righteousness; but, when
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this work was done, then the churches would have rest, the temple would
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be opened, and the solemn assemblies gathered, edified, and multiplied.
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The greatest deliverances of the church are brought about by awful and
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astonishing steps of Providence.</P>
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