Promises have failed — threatenings have failed—therefore,

in strict justice, the Almighty God is exercising the rod of

his great power.

An important lesson may be learned from what is presented by the prophet in this chapter.

understanding take heed unto it.

Let him who hath

CHAPTER XVII.

In this chapter we have a description of the great whore, or apostate church of Rome, with the causes of her exaltation, and also of her destruction.

Verse 1: "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying to me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgments of the great whore, that sitteth upon many waters;

Verse 2: "With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication."

The angel, whom the prophet represents as talking with him, is apparently the seventh, who poured his vial in the air, whereby reason that great faculty of the human soul, became enlightened and enlivened with the knowledge of the truth. This is the real means for the destruction of the Romish church. Aware of this, the policy of that church has been to keep mankind in a lethargic or delusive state of mind, giving them hope only in works of merit and the power of the church for salvation. If any doubted the doctrines taught by the church, and made other rational inquiry, he was deemed a heretic, and doomed to damnation.

This abuse, or rather disuse, of reason became by degrees habitual; and to this day it is a proverbial expression with

poor Romanists, that "the less we know, the less we have to account for." And thus, in the beautiful and expressive language of prophecy, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, by assisting this apostate church in all her iniquitous proceedings; and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication, or drinking of her evil and irrational doctrines.

Verse 3: "So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness, and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of the names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns." In this verse the prophet shows how he was carried away to the wilderness, or barren empire of the papacy. There he saw a woman true emblem of a church seated on the throne of the seven supreme or authoritative powers, who held the reins of the Roman gov. ernment, and had since its foundation. All these he describes as idolators, as full of the names of blasphemy. Even the ten horns, or kingdoms that arose out of the western empire, are included as idolators.

Verse 4: "And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abomination and filthiness of her fornication." St. John shows in this verse, how the Romish church was arrayed, in all her beastly outward attire, but does not mention those ornaments by which the true church of Christ is ordained.

First, she was arrayed in purple and scarlet colors; so we find the popes, cardinals, and others of its chief officers

were.

Second, she was decked with gold and precious stones and jewels: which actually was so, from her immense rev

enues.

Third, she had a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornications. It is well known that her love for the precious metal, called gold, was such,

that for it she held out pardon for the vilest offences, masses and prayers for the dead, indulgences in the most criminal pursuits, and, in a word, all kind and manner of sin could be purchased, except it was committed against the holy church, and then no pardon could be obtained. The offender, in such case, was committed to the flames of hell. Thus, almost in the literal sense, she had a golden cup in her hand, full of abomination and filthiness of her fornication.

Verse 5: "And upon her forehead she had a name written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” In this remarkable verse, St. John points out the visible marks and characters of the Romish church, by which it was so eminently distinguished from all others; and even marks that the adherents of the Romish religion make their boast of.

First, on her forehead she had a name written, Mystery: because she openly avowed and maintained, that none could understand the mysteries or meaning of the sacred writings, but herself; and that all the acts and canons of her councils were of a mysterious and sacred nature, and of equal validity, if not superior, to Scripture authority.

Second, Babylon the Great: because she called herself the only true, universal, catholic, apostolic, and infallible church, and that none out of it could be saved.

Third, the Mother of Harlots. It is well known that, from the pope down to the meanest monk, marriage is forbidden; which is the true mark and character of a harlot. She also renounced the church's espousal to Christ, and became a complete harlot, by making herself supreme head of it.

Fourth, and Abominations of the Earth. Let the abominations and crimes of the earthly-minded, and carnal and sensual part of mankind be ever so great, provided they had faith in the church, it saved them. For, if they were not pardoned in this life, they were sure of it in the next, by

the masses and prayers of the church for the souls of those confined in purgatory; and money caused a speedy release.

Verse 6: "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 wondered with great admiration." Is there any thing more manifest, when we consult the New Testament, than that a persecuting spirit is the very opposite of true Christianity? It bears the mark and character of the most accursed mind and abandoned understanding. None will persecute but they who are really the children of their father, the devil. Let their pretensions to religion be what they may, it is the abuse of reason, it rejects the gospel precepts, is contrary to common sense, and in the lively language of prophecy, it is called drunkenness. Thus this holy mother church was drunken with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus, whom she inhumanly put to death, merely for obeying the commands of their Savior, instead of her's. When holy John saw the woman, he wondered with great admiration. John's wonder and amazement must have been great, when he, supporting the meek, peaceable and persecuted church of Christ, beheld one assuming the name of Christian, seated on the throne of the Cæsars, its chief wearing a triple crown, figurative of his pretended power in heaven, earth, and hell carrying keys with which, it is said, that the church can open and shut the gates of heaven at pleasure, or let in or keep out whom it pleases.

This church gives power to the most ignorant of her priests, by which, as the credulous laity must believe, they can change bread and wine into the real body and blood of Christ, and must adore them as such. And, in short, her pretensions to miraculous power are such, that those professed by Christ and his apostles are trifles in comparison. Thus, when holy John beheld the Roman pontiff, in the full exercise of his pretended power, he could not avoid wondering with great admiration.