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rendered Fornication, is in the Original wogveia, and fignifies any Proftitution for Hire. It is primitively derived from wigdw, to fell; accordingly, Xenophon fays, whoever fells himself for Hire, is called wig, and St Athanafius ufes the Feminine in the fame Senfe: But as Fornication was the commoneft, and, perhaps, earliest Proftitution, the Name of the Genus itfelf might be applied to this fingle Species: A great and abominable Sin, no Doubt it is: Yet fuch as would hardly bring down the Judgment of God on a whole People. Nor is the Phrafe, to drink of the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication, eafily, I think, to be comprehended. Indeed, the Word Wine is frequently understood in a ftrongly metaphorical Senfe; as the Wine of the Wrath of God, in the Text; and again, Chap. xvi. 19. fo here, and in Chap. xviii. 3. where the Tranflators erroneously read Fornication, the Senfe is doubtless extremely figurative; but agreeable to the Scripture Language.

If we will receive any Idea, therefore, from this Paffage, we muft tranflate it thus: Becaufe fhe bath watered all Nations, with the Wine of the Violence of her Proftitution. The Greek is, orI EX TOU DIVOU του θυμον τῆς πορνείας αυτῆς πεπότικε πάντα

. But vuos, which the Tranflators

have

have rendered Wrath, as properly fignifies Violence; and St. Paul himself, 1 Cor. iii, 6. hath taught us to exprefs watering, by the Verb work: And thus the wife Man, Prov. iv. 17. They eat the Bread of Wickednefs, and drink the Wine of Violence: Where we may obferve the Word Wine used in a Senfe very fimilar to what it here bears.

And the firft Verfe of the Text itself directs us to this Expofition: For what can be meant by worshipping the Beast and his Image, and receiving his Mark in their Hand, unless Proftitution for Hire? The Antients expreft Bearts and Money by the fame Words. The Athenians called their Money by the Name of an Ox, because it was marked with the Figure of one, and the Latins immediately derive the Word, which we tranflate Money, from that which reprefents Beats in general.

That we can understand nothing but Money by the Mark of the Beaft, is plain from the 16th and 17th Verfes of the preceding Chapter; where, fpeaking of the Works of the Beaft, it is faid of him, that be causeth all, both great and fmall, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a Mark in their right Hand, or in their Forebeads, and that no Man might buy or Sell, B 2

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