Isaiah, upwards of one hundred years before the real city of Babylon in Chaldea had attained to the zenith of her greatness. And the same is by St John uttered again, as a prophecy still future, and applicable to another Babylon, after the original city so called had for long above one hundred years before been sunk into obscurity. "Babylon is fallen-is fallen” (Rev. xiv. 8, and again, xviii. 2). So that there seems to be something marked and peculiar in the fall of mystical Babylon, from this repetition of her fall, once in Isaiah, and twice by St John; which shews that both prophecies refer to the same object. What the mystery is that lies couched under the double fall, will be better explained by the event, than by temerarious conjectures beforehand, if indeed we are now premature for ber first fall; which possibly commenced at the breaking out of the reformation. For from that time she hath been slowly "consuming by the breath of the Lord, and by the spirit of his mouth;"†-and is now very perceptibly

thereby "fallen from her high estate;" and become, by the bold and open denunciation of the two witnesses, what St John authorised them to declare her, “the habitation of devils" (which are there worshipped as sainted gods)" and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." (Rev. xviii. 2.) "Therefore" shall her second fall now come quickly-" her plagues shall come in one day," that is, in a rapid succession, or within a compartively short compass of time, -" death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burnt with fire."*

In the harvest, or reaping of the full ripe crop, (Rev. xiv. 15,) and the vintage which follows it, and appears to relate to some very bloody and tragical event, there seems to be a

1

similar intimation of a double fall, predestinated for that catholic apostacy, and mystery of iniquity. And from the prophetic dates given by Daniel and St John, the awful "fulness of time" for this great act of God, or divine auto da fe,† cannot now be very remote. The dark and dreary "night (of papal illusion) is far spent, the day is at hand;" and the anxious enquiry after the time, will often be repeated at the sanctuary, in these days of commotions and the fall of kingdoms." Watchman, what of the night? -Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, the morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come!"§

For many years past we have heard of nothing else but wars and slaughters, popular commotions, disunion of councils, and public treacheries; the signs proposed by our blessed Lord, as certain indications of his coming to

"The sea and the

the day of recompences.

waves roaring, mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things that are coming upon the earth." The appeal is now made to the sword, and it will shortly be put close to every man's conscience, to judge betwixt Christ and his vineyard.* The christian world is now called upon in a louder tone than ordinary, to pay a particular attention, with fear and reverence, to the passing scenes of God's great act, and to the course the desolating scourge has yet to run. Mankind are individually and nationally admonished to put themselves in a state of preparation " to meet their God," and now, "that his judgments are abroad in all the earth, to learn righteousness;" for thus only, " when he passeth through to smite the egyptians,"† can they expect an exemption; that so he may distinguish the true blood of the atonement upon the posts of their doors, and may pass over them, when "be executeth judgment against all the gods of Egypt."

Isa. v. 7; Matt. xxi. 33, + Exodus xii. 12.

In such a season of universal alarm amongst the nations, ill would it become us (as yet the vessels of God's mercy, standing alone, yet still unhurt, in the midst of the burning that rages on every side of us) to walk naked* of faith and gratitude, and ignorant or beedless of the great work that is going forwards; or to hold even the belief of the truth itself in practical unrighteousness! It is for the scornful men in Zion" to wrap themselves up in a false security, and trust in the refuge of lies and the hiding place of falsehsod, saying, "when the overflowing scourge passeth through, it shall not come nigh us, for we have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement. But what saith God?" Their covenant with death shall be disannulled, and their agreement with hell shall not stand;" but they shall be distinguished as the objects of which the scourge of God is in pursuit. "Now therefore, be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even

Rev. xvi. 15.