Page:Mahometanism in its relation to prophecy - or, an inquiry into the prophecies concerning antichrist, with some reference to their bearing on the events of the present day (IA mahometanisminit00philrich).pdf/277



reader will have observed, that in the foregoing treatise we have not touched upon that portion of St. John's Apocalypse which relates to the seven vials, and which is given in the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of this mysterious book. The reason was this, we confined ourselves to that which more immediately referred to the subject on which we were specially treating. But as, in a work lately published by Dr. Cumming, a most extraordinary interpretation has been advanced for one of the symbolical figures given by St. John in the sixteenth chapter, relating to the pouring out of the sixth vial, I think it right to make some remarks upon that very startling supposition of the earnest and eloquent writer.

Agreeing with Dr. Cumming in his interpretation of the drying up of the Euphrates mentioned in the twelfth verse, I confess I cannot agree in his interpretation of the thirteenth verse. What does St. John tell us in this thirteenth verse: "And I saw from the mouth of the dragon, and from the mouth of the beast, and from the month of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs: (ver. 14): "for they