4, 5, 6, 7, 8.) exhorting all Christians to fores fake the communion of so corrupt a church, left they should be partakers of her fins and of ber plagues, and at the fame time denouncing that her punishment shall be great and extraordinary in proportion to her crimes. But was there any fuch neceffity of forfaking the church of Rome in the days of Alaric or Totilas, before she had yet degenerated again into idolatry? or what were then her notorious crimes deserving of fuch exemplary punishment, unless Rome Christian was to fuffer for the fins of Rome Pagan? She faith in her heart, like ancient Babylon, (If. XLVII. 7, 8.) I fit a queen, and am no widow, and fhall fee no forrow; She. glories like ancient Rome, in the name (7) of the eternal city: but notwithstanding she shall be utterly burnt with fire; for firong is the Lord God who judgeth her. Thefe expreffions can imply no less than a total destruction by fire; but Rome hath never yet been totally deftroyed by fire. The most that (8) Alaric and (9) Totilas Havercamp. Alaricus trepidam urbem Romam invafit, partemque ejus cremavit incendio, &c. Marcellini Chron. Indict. 8. p. 38. Edit. Scaligeri. Quinetiam adifcia quadam incenfa, aliaque opera temeré furore barbarico deturbata funt. Sigonii Hift. " de Occidentali Imperio Lib. 10. in fine. (9) Procop. de Bell. Goth. Lib. 3. Cap. 22. Pauni de (oil καθελείν στε τα πολιστείς τολοντσον Turikas ndt Porro Totilas Romam nec delere, nec relin quere Totilas did, was burning fome parts of the city: but if only fome parts of the city were burnt, it was not an event important enough to be afcribed to the Lord God particularly, and to be confidered as a strong exertion of his judgment. 9 And 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 smoke of her burning, 10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, faying, Alas, alas, that great city - Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. II And the merchants of the earth fhall weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth her merchandise any more: 12 The merchandise of gold and filver, and precious ftones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and filk, and fearlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner veffels of ivory, and all manner veffels of moft precious wood, and of brass, and iron and marble, 13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincenfe, and wine, quere amplius voluit. Ibid.Cap. 36. Ibid. Lib. 4. Cap. 22. To and tilas dolo Ifaurorum ingreditur Romam die XVI. Kal. Jan. aç evertit and oyl, and fine flour, and wheat, and beafts, and fheep, and horfes, and chariots, and flaves, and fouls of men. 14 And the fruits that thy foul lufted after, are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly, are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things which were made rich by her, fhall ftand afar off, for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious ftones, and pearls! for in one hour fo great riches is come to nought. 17 And every fhip-mafter, and all the company in ships, and failers, and as many as trade by fea, ftood afar off, 18 And cried when they faw the smoke of her burning, faying, What city is like unto this great city? 19. And they caft duft on their heads, and cried weeping and wailing, faying, Alas, alas, that great city wherein were made evertit muros, domos aliquantas Chron. p. 54. ibid. Sigonius. igni comburens, &c. Marcellini ibid. Lib. 19. (1) See made rich all that had fhips in the fea, by reafon of her coftlinefs! for in one hour is she made defolate. 7T 20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her. In this folemn manner, by an angel and by a voice from heaven, is declared the fall of Rome, and her destruction by fire: and then are fet forth the confequences of her fall, the lamentations of fome, and the rejoicings of others. The kings of her communion, who have committed fornication, and lived deliciously with her, bewail and lament for ber: (ver. 9, 10.) but what kings were they who lived deliciously with old Rome, and had reason to lament her fall? The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her; (ver. 11-17.)\for there is an end of all traffic and commerce with her, whether fpiritual or temporal; for it is intimated (ver. 13.) that they make merchandise of the fouls as well as of the bodies of men. The Ship mafters, and failers, and as many as trade by fea, weep and wail: (ver. 17, 18, 19.) for they can now no longer import or export commodities for her, or convey strangers to and fro; for there is an end of all her cofilinefs. Thefe lamentations are copied from the like lamentations over Tyre in the 26th and 27th chapters of Ezekiel; και Ezekiel; and are equal to the most mournful ftrains of the Greek tragedians over Thebes or Troy. In all they ftand afar off, (ver. 10, 15, 17.) as if they were unable or afraid to help and affift her. In all they cry sa, aı, alas, alas, (ver. 10, 16, 19.) which is the third woe za before mentioned; (VIII. 13. XI. 14.) for as the fall of the Othman empire is the end of the Second woe, fo the fall of Rome is the completion of the third woe. In all they lament the suddenness of her fall; (ver. 10, 17, 19.) for in one hour is her destruction come. At the fame time her deftruction is matter of joy and triumph (ver. 20.) to the boly apoftles and prophets, for God hath avenged them on her but what reafon had the Chriftians to rejoice over the calamities brought on Rome by Alaric or Totilas, in which they themselves were the principal sufferers? and how were these calamities any vindication of their cause, or of the cause of true religion? sher And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great milftone, and caft it into the Tea, Taying, Thus with violence fhall that 10 great city Babylon be thrown down, and -hall be found no more at all. eno0229And the voice of harpers and muficians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, fhall |