21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every ftone about the weight of a talent: and men blafphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Vial the feventh (ver. 17.) is poured out into the air, the feat of Satan's refidence, who is emphatically filed (Eph. II. 2.) the prince of the power of the air, and is reprefented (ver. 13.) as a principal actor in thefe latter fcenes; fo that this laft period will not only complete the ruin of the kingdom of the beast, but will also shake the kingdom of Satan every where. Upon the pouring out of this vial a folemn proclamation is made from the throne of God himself, It is done; in the fame fenfe as the angel before affirmed (X. 7.) that in the days of the Seventh trumpet the mystery of God Should be finished. Of this vial, as indeed of all the former, the completion is gradual; and the immediate effects and confequences are (ver. 18 -21.) voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake, and great bail. These portend great calamities. Voices, and thunders, and lightnings, are the ufual attendents of the deity, ef pecially in his judgments. Great earthquakes in

pro

prophetic language fignify great changes and revolutions; and this is fuch an one as men never felt and experienced before, fuch as was not fince men were upon the earth. Not only the great city is divided into three parts or factions, but the cities of the nations fall from their obedience to her. Her fins are remembered before God, and like another Babylon she will foon be made to drink of the bitter cup of his anger. Nay not only the works of men, the cities fall; but even the works of nature, the ilands fly away, and the mountains are not found; which is more than was faid before (VI. 14.) that they were moved out of their places, and can import no less than an utter extirpation of idolatry. Great hail too often fignifies the judgments of God, and these are uncommon judgments. Diodorus, a grave hiftorian, (3) fpeaketh of hailstones, which weighed a pound and more; Philoftorgius mentions hail that weighed eight pounds; but these are about the weight of a talent, or about a hundred pounds, a ftrong figure to denote the greatnefs and feverity of thefe judgments. But ftill the men continue obftinate, and blafpheme God because of the plague of the bail; thay re

(3) και χαλάζης απιςε το μεγεJos. praxial yaz ETITION, 15No OTE xas μges. Et magnitudinis

main

incredibilis grando: minæ enim pondo, et quandoque majores, deciderant. Diodorus Sic. Lib.

main incorrigible under the divine judgments, and fhall be deftroyed before they will be reformed.

CHA P. XVII.

As the feventh feal, and the Seventh trumpet, contained many more particulars, than any of the former feals, and former trumpets; fo the Seventh vial contains more than any of the former vials: and the more you confider, the more admirable you will find the ftructure of this book in all its parts. The deftruction of the Antichriftian empire is a fubject of fuch importance and confequence, that the holy Spirit hath thought fit to reprefent it under variety of images. Rome hath already been characterized by the names of Spiritual Egypt and of Babylon: and having feen how her plagues resemble those of Egypt, we shall now fee her fall compared to that of Babylon. It was declared before in general (XIV. 8.) Babylon is fallen, is fallen; but this is a catastrophe deferving of a more particular description, both for a warning to fome, and for a confolation to others. But before the description of her fall and deftruction, there is

pre19. de Rhodiorum diluvio. p. Rhodomani. Philoft. Hift. Ec695. Edit. Steph. p. 689. Edit. clef. Lib. 11. Cap. 7.

(4) Cer

premised an account of her ftate and condition, that there may be no mistake in the application. Rome was meant, as all both (6) papifts and proteftants agree; and I think it appears almoft to demonstration, that not Pagan but Christian, not imperial but papal Rome was here intended; and the arguments urged to the contrary by the Bishop of Meaux himself, the best and ableft advocate for popery, prove nothing so much as the weakness and badnefs of the cause, which they are brought to defend.

I

AND there came one of the feven an

gels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, faying unto me, Come hither, I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore, that fitteth upon many

waters:

2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabiters of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

3 So he carried me away in the fpirit into the wildernefs: and I faw a woman fit upon a fcarlet-coloured beaft, full of

(4) Certiffimum eft nomine Babylonis Romam urbem fignificari. Baronius ad Ann. 45.

names

Johannes in Apocalypfi paffim Romam vocat Babylonem.-Et aperte colligitur ex Cap. 17.

Apo

names of blafphemy, having seven heads, and ten horns.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple, and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious ftone and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and filthinefs of her fornication.

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 And I faw the woman drunken with the blood of the faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jefus: and when I faw her, I wondered with great admiration.

One of the feven angels, who had the feven vials, (ver. 1.) calleth to St. John. Moft probably this was the feventh angel; for under the seventh vial great Babylon came in remembrance before God, and now St. John is called upon to fee her condemnation and execution. Come hither, I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore, that fitteth upon many waters. So ancient Babylon,

Apocalypfews. Bellarmin. de Rom. Pontif. Lib. 3. Cap. 13. &c. &c. &c.

4

(5) Vi