Crowns', which, we are informed, are ten Kingdoms; and these, it is added, had not received power in St. John's age, but would afterwards receive it, at one hour, that is, together, at one time2, and with (or allied with) the Beast. Now, if we imagine the Woman on the Beast to be Heathen, and not Christian, Rome, where then, let us ask, were any such kingdoms, which did not exist in St. John's age, and which were to arise and receive power together with Heathen Rome ? It was destroyed before such kingdoms arose. None can be found to correspond to St. John's description. But now adopt, again, the other supposition. Let the Woman enthroned upon the Beast represent a Church. Let it represent the Church planted on the Seven Hills on which the Woman sits; let it represent the Church of Rome. Then all is plain. The prophecy was wonderfully fulfilled, and is proved to be divine. When the Empire of Rome fell, new kingdoms arose from its ruins. The ten horns of the Beast sprouted up; then the Church of Rome increased in strength; and these kingdoms received power with her. And look again at the prophecy. These kings, we read, give their power and strength to the Beast. 1 Rev. xiii. 1. The word here rendered crowns is diadýμara, the emblem of royalty, distinguished from σrepavòs, (Rev. vi. 2,) the crown of victory. Both are ascribed to CHRIST. See Rev. vi. 2; xix. 12. 2 Rev. xvii. 12, μίαν ὥραν, μετὰ τοῦ θηρίου. So ὥρα πειρασμοῦ, iii. 10, and see xvii. 13, 17, μία γνώμη. They reign, as kings, at the same time with the Beast. As kings-that is, they are called kings-but the Beast is the real Sovereign of their subjects. And what is the fact? The European kingdoms which arose at the dissolution of the Roman Empire did surrender themselves to the dominion of the Church of Rome'. The Woman who sat upon the Beast had her hand upon the Horns, and held them firmly in her grasp. She still treats them as her subjects. The Papal coins proclaim this. "Omnes Reges servient ei." "Gens et Regnum, quod tibi non servierit, peribit 2." Such are her claims, declared at the Coronation of every Pontiff: "Know thyself to be the Father of Kings and Princes, Ruler of the World." Such are the words with which he is addressed, when the Tiara is placed on his brow. And thus, in this very subjection of the kingdoms of the earth to Rome, in this her amplitude of dominion and plenitude of felicity, of which she has vaunted herself for so many generations as a proof that she is favoured by Heaven, we recognize another 1 It is not necessary to specify any particular ten kingdoms as identical with the ten horns. From the nature of the case, the actual constituents of this number would vary from time to time. Suffice it to say, that the European Kingdoms generally did submit to the Papacy. Concerning the use of the number Ten here, see the Sermon on the Man of Sin, p. 24. 2 See Numismata Pontificum, Paris, 1679, pp. 50. 58. 3 These words were addressed to the present Pope, Pius IX. See Letters to Gondon, Lett. xii. p. 317. Cp. Banck, Roma Triumphans, p. 271. proof that the Babylon of the Apocalypse is no other than the Church of Rome. 6. Still further: These Horns, or kingdoms, which received power together with the Beast, will, we read, one day rise against it, and tear the flesh of the Harlot, and burn her with fire'. Now, again, for argument's sake, let the Woman on the Beast be Heathen Rome. Then, we readily allow, that Alaric with his Goths, Attila with his Huns, Genseric with his Vandals, Odoacer with his Heruli, did indeed sack the city of Rome 2. But when did they ever receive power together with Rome? when did they give their power and their strength to Heathen Rome? Never. If, therefore, the Woman upon the Beast is only the City of Pagan Rome, then the Prophecy of St. John has failed. But the marvel predicted by the Apocalypse is this-and a stupendous mystery it is—that some of the powers which received strength with the Beast, and gave up their might to it, they, under the overruling sway of God's retributive justice, will one day rise against the Woman seated on the Beast, and tear her flesh, and burn her with fire 3. They will do this, although they will have once been leagued with the Beast and with the False Prophet against Christ'; and they will do it in a mysterious transport of indig 1 Rev. xvii. 16. 2 Alaric, A.D. 410; Attila, A.D. 452; Genseric, A.D. 455; Odoacer, A.D. 476. 3 Rev. xvii. 16. 4 Rev. xvii. 13, 14; xix. 19. nation, and in a wild ecstasy of revenge; and when they have done the deed, and have destroyed Babylon, some of the Kings of the Earth will weep over her1. Such is the Prophecy of St. John. This portion of it remains to be fulfilled. But Pagan Rome has long since ceased to be. Therefore, these predictions cannot concern Pagan Rome: but they do concern the seven-hilled City, Rome; and, therefore, they point at Papal Rome: and the Woman upon the Beast is not Heathen Rome, but it is the City and the Church of Papal Rome. 7. Again: Let us look forward, and examine the Apocalyptic Prophecy, which describes the state of the mystical Babylon after her fall. Her condition, we are taught in the Apocalypse, will then be like that of the literal, the Assyrian, Babylon after its destruction. The Prophet Isaiah says of Babylon, when desolate: Wild beasts of the desert shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. And Jeremiah predicts, Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing 3. So St. John prophesies of the mystical Babylon : -Babylon the great (he says) is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird *. 1 Rev. xviii. 9. 11. 3 Jer. li. 37. Isa. xiii. 21. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her; for her sins have reached to heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities'. Now, let it again be supposed for argument's sake (with Bossuet and his brother Romanists), that Babylon is the Heathen City of Rome. Rome was taken, at several times, by the Goths and the Vandals; let its capture by them be, as is alleged by our Romanist brethren, the fulfilment of St. John's Prophecy, Babylon is fallen! What then is the consequence? Rome is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit. Will this be allowed by Romish Divines? Rome the habitation of devils, the hold of every foul spirit, the cage of every unclean and hateful bird! No: we do not say this; and in their language Rome is even now "the Capital of Christendom," "the Holy City," the "spiritual Sion." They call her Sovereign "the Supreme Pontiff," "Holy Father;" and they call his States, "the States of the Church;" and his throne, "the Holy See." 8. Again; how can it be said that Rome is burnt with fire? and that the smoke of her burning ascends to heaven? Has the voice of harpers and musicians ceased within her? has she been taken up, like a great millstone, and plunged in the sea3? No: the voice of melody is still heard in her princely palaces; 1 Rev. xviii. 3. 5. 3 Cp. Rev. xviii. 21. 2 Rev. xviii. 8, 9. Y |