lating church when they see the tokens of her fall, for fear of her torments. At the present day, many of the men of the world would be ashamed to be found in the feasts and fairs of some of our churches. Yet they weep and wail when any of the members come out of the rotten ship. 16. And saying, Alas, alas! that great city that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked witn gold, and precious stones, and pearls ! 17. 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 afar off. The great men of the earth and the rich men, will mourn and lament for the downfall of the Church of Rome. In another place, Rev. xvii. 16, it says they will hate this same church, and make her desolate, &c. Why this contradiction? I answer: they hate her rule over them, and the degradation they suffer under her sway; but they only want her power to enslave others, and are only coveting the same rule which they hate in her. Yet in destroying her rule and power, the common people must be undeceived, which in the end operates against themselves; and when the people learn their rights in the one case, they will understand them in the other; and when the kings and great men were purposing to obtain the power of Papacy for themselves, the people discovered the mode of keeping it from both. Let me show a case in point. A few years since, our Protestant divines were loud and strong against the Papacy for suppressing the Bible from the common people, and compelling men to come to their Priests for an understanding of the Scriptures. The people learned their rights, and began to read and understand for themselves. And what do we hear from our Protestant Priests now? One says, "How dare Mr. Miller attempt to explain the Bible, seeing he understands neither Hebrew nor Greek? Another, "We advise Mr. Miller to go home to his farm, and let alone the expounding the Scriptures unto them that understand Bible exegesis." Still another, "IfMr. Miller had been brought up a sober Churchman, he would have gone to his Bishop to expound the Scripture for him." Still another, "It is very impolite for ladies to study the Old or New Testament." These are samples of the perfect inconsistencies of our would be great men. great secret is, they covet power and worldly gain for themselves, deplore the loss of power, and hate the persons who possess it. Thus it is with all classes of worldly men. The 18. And cried, when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city? 19. 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 also made desolate. Here is a continuation of the same mourning for the loss of the world's honors and goods; and the present troubles in the Italian states prove, and show plainly that the hour of her dissolution is at hand. Therefore God calls upon his people to 20. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. For the last and final fall of this false church, with all other Anti-Christian power, has now come; also the vengeance of God is extended,and the last plague and indignation poured out. 21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great mill-stone,and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon, be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. This verse shows how it will be done ;like a great millstone sinking into the sea with violence-like a mighty earthquake like the dashing in pieces of a potter's vessel, Psalm ii. 9-like a stone breaking in pieces the image, Daniel ii. 34-see Rev. xvi. 18 to 21. 22. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a mill-stone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of a bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee; for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. These verses show us the effect of God's final judgment and indignation upon the earth; for the great city Babylon meaning the Church of Rome, had corrupted the whole earth, by her abominations, her fornications, her sorceries, and breach of God's ordinances and laws, by her riches and power. Therefore the voice of music would no more be heard in her revels, nor in her palaces, nor in her idolatrous temples. No craftsman of any craft would ever be there to make her costly robes of purple or scarlet dye. The sound of her machinery would no more be heard. The light of the candle, nor the voice of the bridegroom and bride, all of merriment would cease forever. The the men of the earth, who have laid up their treasures on earth, will be there. The meek only will inherit the earth. When the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it, says the Psalmist, Psalm xxxvii. 34. David saw this same power, Psalm xxxvii. 35 and 36. Compare this with 20th and 21st vs. in the chapter we are considering. "For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." It does not say all of all nations were deceived, but it must mean a part were deceived out of all nations.-And what may be considered as a corroborating fact, is, that the Roman church claims adherents and subjects in every known nation on the globe. This passage then, cannot apply to any other church under heaven; for there is no other church in one body that pretends to, or can claim converts among all nations. And if the character we have been trying to understand in these chapters we have thus far commented on, is not the Roman church, then there must be another exactly like it on this earthly ball. You may say that some of the Protestant churches are as fond of power as the Catholics, are as full of merchandise, and as fond of show, and love 1 |