had conferred upon them the title of Spouse. In the language of Scripture, he has " given them a bill of "divorce." Such appears to be the precise case of the idolatrous church of Rome; she forsook her Lord, when she attached herself to the beast and his image; she rebelled and apostatized; and in such a state, if the Holy Spirit were to call her abominations adultery, it would be to own and to honour her more than she deserves. She is no longer the adulterous wife; she is the divorced castaway, and consequently the harlot. The prophecy therefore in this passage, as in all other parts of it, is strictly applicable to Papal Rome; to Papal Rome in her high zenith of insolence and dominion, when she had the command of worldly power in the ten European kingdoms; for it is then more especially that she could be said to ride the beast, and intoxicate the kings. In our days, that proud period of her exaltation is well nigh passed. She now appears in a state of weakness and decline. The kings, the powers of Europe, have begun to "hate her," to strip her of her ornaments, and to expose her nakedness and shame t. * See Jer. iii. 8. Isa. 1. 1.-This also appears to be the case with The yuvaina σe 'I:6, in this very bock of Revelation, ch. ii. 20-23: the term implies, that she is a wife, yet she is said woven, to act the harlot; whilst those who are corrupted by her, are represented 25 μοιχευονίες μετ' αυτης, as committing adultery with her. In my remarks on this chapter, I have not found it necessary to enter into a detail of those numerous particulars, in which this prophecy has been found to quadrate with the apostacy and corruptions of the papal church. The reader will find this abundantly supplied by almost all the Protestant commentators. Joseph Mede very ably led the way, by proving the apostacy of this church, (Mede's Works, p. 623.) and he has been followed by many learned writers, even to our own times; who have with great felicity demonstrated the corraptions of this hierarchy, concording with the symbols of the prophecy. PART VI. SECTION IV. The Judgement of Babylon continued. 2 CHAPTER XVIII. 1 And after these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great power and the earth was enlightened by his glory. And he cried with a mighty voice, saying; "She is fal"len! the great Ba"bylon is fallen! and " is become an habi"tation of demons, " and a station of "every unclean spirit, "and station of "every unclean and a abominated bird; 3"Because all the na "tions have drunken "of the wine of the 66 rage of her fornica"tions; and the kings "of the earth have "committed fornica"tion with her; and "the merchants of the "earth have become "rich from the abun"dance of her inso4"lent luxury." And 1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from hea ven, having great power: and the earth was lightened with his 2 glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her de4 licacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not par γεύσει ὁ Θεὸς τὰ ἀδικήματα αὐτῆς. 6 Απόδοτε αὐτῇ, ὡς καὶ αὐτὴ ἀπέδωκεν, καὶ διπλώσατε αὐτῇ διπλᾶ καλὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῆς· ἐν τῷ πόλης βίῳ, ᾧ ἐκέρασε, κεράσατε αὐτῇ δι η πλῶν. Οσα ἐδόξα σεν ἑαυτὴν καὶ ἐτρη νίασε, τοσᾶτον δότε αὐτῇ βασανισμὸν και πένθος ὅτι ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς λέγει Κάθημαι βα σίλισσα, και χήρα ἐκ εἰμὶ, καὶ πένθο 8 & μή ίδω. Δια τῦτο ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ ἥξασιν αἱ πληγαὶ αὐτῆς, θάνατο και πένθεο και λιμός καὶ ἐν πυρὶ κατακαυθήσεται ὅτι ἰσχυρὸς Κύρια ὁ Θεὸς ὁ κρίνας αὐτήν. 9 Καὶ κλαύσονται κόψονται ἐπ' αὐτῇ οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, 5 “ For, her sins have | 6 Reward her even as 8 she rewarded you, and double unto her dou. ble, according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double. 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burnt with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judAnd the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication, and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the There-9 geth her. never see. "fore in one day shall "her plagues come, "death and sorrow "and famine; and "with fire shall she "be utterly burned; "for mighty is the "Lord God who hath smoke of her burning, οἱ μετ ̓ αὐτῆς πος-1 9 " judged her. And the 10 Standing afar of for νεύσαλίες και τρηνιά "kings of the earth the fear of her tor "shall bewail and la"ment over her, (they "who have commit"ted fornication, and "wantoned in luxury "with her,) when they "shall behold the "smoke of her burn10" ing, Standing afar "off for fear of "her torment; saying, σαντες, ὅταν βλέ πωσι τὸν καπνὸν τῆς πυρώσεως απ 10 της, ̓Απὸ μακρό θεν ἐςηκότες, διὰ τὸν φόβον το βα σανισμός αὐτῆς, λέγονίες Οὐαὶ, καὶ, ἡ πόλις ή μεγάλη Βαβυλών, ἡ πόλις ἡ ἰσχυρὰ, ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἦλθεν ἡ κρίσις 11 σε. Καὶ οἱ ἔμπου βοὶ τῆς γῆς κλαίκαι κὶ πενθεσιν ἐπ ̓ αὐτῇ, ὅτι τὸν γόμον αὐτῶν ἀδεὶς ἀγοράζει | 11“ 12 ἐκ ἔτι· Γόμον χρυ σu, xágue, xỳ κίνη· καὶ πᾶν ξύλον θύϊνον, καὶ πᾶν σκεῦ ως ἐλεφάντινον, κα πᾶν σκεῦς ἐκ ξύλο τιμιωλάτε, και χαλο x8, xj vidnee, x 13 μαρμάρι. Καὶ κι νάμωνον, καὶ ἄμωμον και θυμιάματα, κα μύρον, καὶ λίβανον, καὶ οἶνον, καὶ ἔλαιον, καὶ σεμίδαλιν, καὶ GITON, xxTÁM, x πρόβαλαν καὶ ἵππων, καὶ ῥεδῶν, καὶ σωμά των καὶ ψυχάς ανα 14 θρώπων. "Alas! alas! that "great city, Babylon! "that mighty city! "for in one hour is "thy judgement come. And the merchants "of the earth weep "and lament over her, "because no one buy"eth their merchan "dize any more; Mer12" chandize of gold, and "silver, and precious "stone, and pearl, and "fine linen, and pur ple, and silk, and "scarlet,and all kind of "sweet-scented wood, " and all furniture of "ivory, and all furni"ture of the most "precious wood, and "of brass, and of "steel, and of marble; 13" And cinnamon, and "amomum, and "dours of incense, "and aromatics, and "frankincense, Kain ὀπώρα τῆς ἐπιθυμία 0 and "wine, and oil, and ment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgement come. 11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth her merchandize any 12 more; The merchandize of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and of fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and 13 marble; And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves; and souls of men. 14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after, departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly, are departed from thee, and thou are shalt find them no 15 more at all. The mer » ¿xÍTI è μù ev-14" men. And the har15 ρήσῃς αυτά. Οἱ "vest of the fruits of ἔμποροι τύτων οἱ πλετήσανες ἀπ ̓ αὐτῆς, ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ζήσονται, διὰ τὸν φόβον τα βασανιστ μὲ αὐτῆς, κλαίο ολες καὶ πενθέντες, 16 [Καὶ] λέγοντες" Οὐαὶ, καὶ, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, ή περι βεβλημένη βύσσινον καὶ πορφυρῶν καὶ κόκ κικον, καὶ κεχρυσων μένη ἐν χρυσῷ, κα λίθω τιμίω, και μας "the desire of thy "soul is departed "from thee; and all "the dainty and splen"did things are pe"rished from thee, "and never, never μια ώρα ήρη μώθη ὁ τοῦτα πλέτα καὶ πᾶς κυβερνήτης, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἐπὶ τόπον τσλέων, καὶ ναῦται, καὶ ὅσοι τὴν θάλασσαν ἐργάζονται, ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἔζησαν, 18 Καὶ ἔκραζον, βλε πόλες τὸν καπνὸν τῆς πυρώσεως αὐτ τῆς, λέγοντες Τίς ὁμοία τῇ πόλει τῇ 19 μεγάλη; Καὶ ἔβα λον χῶν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὑτῶν, καὶ ἔκραζον κλαίοντες "more shalt thou find 15" them. The dealers "in these things, who "have been enriched "by her, shall stand "afar off for fear of "her torment, weep"ing and wailing, 16" [and] saying, Alas! "alas! that great city, "which was arrayed "in fine linen and "purple and scarlet, "and richly adorned "with gold and pre❝cious stone and "pearls! for in one "hour so great wealth "is made desolate. 17" And every pilot, "and every one who "saileth by the place, " and sailors, and "whosoever occu py the sea, stood 18" afar off, And cried "out, beholding the chants of these things which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off, for the fear of her torment, weeping, and 16 wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was cloathed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, 17 and pearls: For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every ship-master, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, 18 stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this 19 great city? And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by reason of her costliness: for in one hour is she made 20 desolate. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her. |
