society stand on a Divine ground, cannot stand on any other ground. One great experiment had been made, and was making, to establish it on a brutal or devilish ground. That experiment should be confounded. The Babel doctrine might have champions, advocates, apostles, by thousands and tens of thousands in the days to come; but it had been demonstrated to be a lie; and each fresh trial of it would supply a fresh demonstration.

And now, then, I will come to the special question concerning Rome. Beyond all doubt, she rose again as an imperial city after the Vitellian anarchy; she continued an imperial city from Vespasian to Augustulus; she gave titles to Cæsars in the East and the West after her own subjection to barbarian masters; the name Eternal City, which had been bestowed by heathens, was endorsed by popes; her laws and customs were imported into every nation of the West; within her actual walls there was heard the voices of harpers and musicians, of bridegrooms and brides; there were all the arts and ornaments of life. So it was, and so the words of prophets and apostles were fulfilled. They said the earth was the Lord's and the fulness thereof; they denied that the pride and vanity of man were the sources of any one outward or inward treasure which man possesses; they said, that He who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not, is the author and upholder of laws, institutions, social order; of all that makes life healthful, convenient, graceful; of all that exalts us above the beasts that perish. And, therefore, they said, that Babylon' the Great, which will not confess the earth to be the Lord's and the fulness thereof, which refers all that men possess to their pride and vanity, which debases all laws and institutions into ministers of

arbitrary will, which reduces arts into ministers of materialism and sensuality, must sink like lead in the waters; that whenever, in any kingdom of the earth, its maxims become completely recognised, whenever all other maxims are disbelieved that kingdom must perish. The voices of the bride and the bridegroom must cease in it; its music must turn to discord. It may revive, it may undergo various transmigrations; but the same law will hold in each one. God will be its upholder; its own lusts and atheism will be undermining it. These lusts and atheism will be most intolerable if they are cloaked with the forms of religion, if the name of God is used to cover the contempt and denial of His nature ; if the spirit of selfishness is confounded with His; if the sacrifices in which that spirit delights, the sacrifices of the souls and bodies of men, are offered up as if they were pleasing to the God of Truth. In her, it is said, was found the blood of prophets and of all that had been slain upon the earth. For the murders of all brave men who have stood firm on behalf of the truth, for the murder of all men whatsoever, their souls and bodies, this belief in a false and cruel God is responsible. All are victims of the Babel system. The blood of all is discovered when that system falls.

What matters where, if I am still the same?" are the words which our poet puts into the mouth of Satan. They have a wonderful force in the sense in which he meant them. They have also another force. What matters where, in what city or soil of the earth, under what government or what religion; evil is still the same, selfishness is still the same. The Adversary will make a Babylon wherever men will stoop to him. "What matters where, if I am still the same," are words. which He who came to destroy the works of the Devil,

to bruise the serpent's head, is also speaking to our hearts. "Whatever falsehood there is in any society, in any heart, I am able to overcome it. Out of death I can bring life. Whatever has been turned to the service of Babylon, whatever gifts of the earth, whatever faculties, energies, affections of men, in any corner of the universe, are mine. They are the purchase of my blood. I have vindicated them, I will vindicate them, for the service of the kingdom of God."

And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And the smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were

His

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in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.-REV. xix.

"WE praise God for His mercies, we pray to avert His judgments." This is the doctrine which is commonly accepted even by religious men. It clashes strangely with the language of this book. The shouts of praise in heaven, which are echoed by saints on earth, are for } God's judgments. So we have found it before; nowhere is the lesson more emphatically taught than in the opening of this chapter.

I. "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four