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XVII. 1. And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth 2 upon many waters: with whom the kings of the

earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk 3 with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads, 4 and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness 5 of her fornication. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATIONS OF 6 THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with

the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I 7 wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads 8 and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the

world, shall regard with awful respect the beast 9 that was, and is not, and yet is. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth; 10 and they are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he 11 cometh he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, he is both the eighth, and of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten

kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings at the same time with 13 the beast. These have one mind, and shall give 14 their power and strength unto the beast. These

shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is LORD OF LORDS, AND KING OF KINGS: and they that are with him 15 are called, and chosen, and faithful. And he saith

unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and 16 nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his

will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great

city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

THE FIFTH VISION

OF

ST. JOHN.

THE FALL OF BABYLON AND THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB.

SECTION I.

The Fall of Babylon.

Through our blessed Lord's powerful visitation of the Roman church by the Reformation, it begins its rapid decline to the end. The light which was shed abroad by the Reformers, Luther, Zuingle, Calvin, and others, is as it were the brightness of our Lord's coming to Antichrist; and by it they separate themselves from him. The kings and those who trafficked in church property, or the cure of souls, the aristocracy of the Empire, are no longer made rich by her; and though the former agree for momentary gratification in pillaging her of her wealth and in destroying her, yet afterwards lament for the influence they have lost upon the world in so doing. The extermination of her will be complete and violent, so that she will never rise again: for all have been deceived by her; and through her persecuting spirit all the saints and godly teachers of Christianity, who have ever been slain, have been slain by her. A.D. 1518-1843.

XVIII. 1.—And after these things I saw another

angel coming down from heaven, having great

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ISION

nt, saying, Alas, alas, that great mighty city for in one hour

And the merchants of

mourn over her; for no lise any more; the 'ver, and precious on, and purple,

hyine wood,

11 manner

ass, and

u odours, and

nd wine, and oil,

and beasts, and sheep,

Lots, and bodies, and souls of

fruits that thy soul lusted after

d from thee, and all things which unty and goodly, are departed from thee, thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her 16 torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, Alas, alas! that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with 17 gold and precious stones, 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, stood 18 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,

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