Death, who is seen to sit upon the pale horse under the fourth seal, is he (vi. 8). St. Paul's description of him is terrible; I sometimes think from it that the apostate Rome may yet establish herself in Jerusalem, and that this explains the sudden admiration and wonder of John when he saw her, that even he mistook her for his own beloved mother Church. "Sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God," may refer to the glory of the Man of Sin in his day, even as the glory of the Divine presence in the most holy place. And this would explain the alliance of the two powers, the Roman and Mahommedan, as seen in xiii. 15; the fifth vial may be poured upon one of these beasts, and the sixth upon the other, "that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared." But the woman of the 17th chapter was the wife of the beast, as Zeresh was the wife of Haman, and Jezebel of Ahab. (Rev. ii. 20, 21, 22, 23.)

"The ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire." This is precisely what we find in the 9th chapter— the powers of hell let forth upon the kingdom of Satan upon earth. "The woman which thou sawest is that

great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” Kings mean priests; and the Papal domination is what is intended.

Without prophecy be governed by this rule of seven, it is impossible to understand it—all is confusion; warfare ensues from triumph, contest and disorder from victory. The triumph of the Lamb only seems embarrassed by repeated defeat; but when brought under this classification, the kingdom of the prince of this world is seen to be overturned, subdued, and to fall, while the kingdom of Christ is seen everlastingly established.

Oh, Church of the living God! will you any longer ridicule and defy this doctrine of sin and of the devil in our world? Is it a myth? Reflect again, lest he overtake you in "a moment of time" (Luke iv. 5); lest in a moment of time you be driven into the wilderness by that evil spirit (Mark i. 12); when there shall be no strength in you, but in Him only whom you have despised. "Be sober, be vigilant." (1 Pet. v. 8.)

CHAPTER XVIII.

The

THE 18th chapter is another distinct vision of the fall of Babylon, and I think one of the most affecting of prophecy. We must here distinguish between this Babylon and Babylon the Romish Antichrist-between the antichristian part of ourselves and the Antichrist of Rome. What is not Christ is Antichrist; and this chapter immediately concerns ourselves, although it is still so completely one with the whore upon the waters, that it is difficult to set forth the distinction without coming in contact with the agreement. glory, and riches, and greatness of this world are the subjects of the vision, the very scene which the devil presented to Christ, and evoked the prompt reply, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." (Matt. iv. 8, 9.) When we can turn upon all the kingdoms of the world with the same holy rebuke, then we have nothing more to fear, the wicked one will leave us as he did Him, and angels will minister unto us. Yet, who with Christ can escape

from "that exceeding high mountain "-the pinnacle of worldly prospect-unhurt; even Peter, the representative of the Christian Church, a chosen vessel of God's grace and purpose, could not stand upon that elevation,-"Get thee behind me, Satan: thou savourest not the things which be of God, but those that be of men." (Matt. xvi. 23.) Blessed are those who dwell in the valley of humiliation, as we shall see in the downfall of the exceeding high mountain Babylon, described in this chapter. The whole is most graphic; it should be read connectedly to appreciate the striking aptitude of the language. It is one grand and entire consignment of all the gorgeous material of this world to destruction, or, what is worse, to judgment,"She shall be utterly burnt with fire: for strong is the Lord who judgeth her." Can the loftiest attainment in the Divine life look upon our commodious, sociable, and lovely home,-upon all the works of art, science, taste, and skill,-upon all the discoveries and achievements of the human intellect, and see that economy consigned to destruction without regret? Can the spiritual lightly regard the ruin of temporal glory? Yet the proud, arrogant economy of our being must be changed, and the primitive, original condition of unfallen man be restored; the service of the Creator will supersede the ministering to the flesh, and to ourselves. Then what will be the consternation of the multitude

whose gods and inheritance are in Babylon when it falls? Let us look at the vision.

"And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory" (xviii. 1). This is not one of the seven angels of the seven Churches, it is Christ; the antichristian spirit is seen to be consumed before his brightness, Babylon, Dagon, to fall before his presence, the glory of the world to fade away before the glory which excelleth.

"As by the light of opening day

The stars are all conceal'd,
So earthly pleasures fade away,

When Jesus is revealed."

"And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her