y, music and paintings which have attracted
multitudes to the idolatry, superstition and harlotry of antichristian
Rome, emphatically proclaims the utter and perpetual desolation of papal
Rome. The language is borrowed from Isa. xxiv. 8; Jer. xxv. 10; Ezek.
xxvi. 13.--Her merchants being the "great men of the earth," and the
"sorceries" by "which the nations were deceived, very plainly indicate
the successful traffic of the "mother of harlots,"--the church of Rome.

24. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all
that were slain upon the earth.

V. 24.--When the Lord "maketh inquisition for blood," the "blood of all
that were slain upon the earth,"--_for Christ's sake_, will be found in
the skirts of this Jezebel. Papal Rome has shed more innocent blood than
pagan Rome; than Babylon, Tyre and Egypt; and by her relentless cruelty
to "prophets and saints," ministers and members of the witnessing
church, she has endorsed all the murderous persecutions from Abel down
to the present day. (Luke xi. 50, 51; Acts vii. 52.)--Now when we
contemplate in the light of prophecy, confirmed by authentic history,
the numberless, aggravated and long-continued crimes of Babylon the
great, her pride, (v. 7,) her cruelty, (v. 3,) her luxury, her tyranny,
her idolatry, her fornication, her impenitence in all,--can we hesitate
to acquiesce in the righteousness of her final doom, or to join in the
plaudits of the saints in the next chapter?

CHAPTER XIX.

1. And after these things, I heard a great voice of much people in
heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power,
unto the Lord our God:

2. For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the
great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath
avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

3. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and
ever.

4. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and
worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.

Vs. 1-4.--The frequent repetition of the Hebrew word "Alleluia" in this
chapter, may perhaps be an intimation of something which specially
relates to the Jews. The perpetuity of the covenant made with Abraham,
renewed to Isaac, and confirmed to Jacob, (Ps. cv. 9, 10,) is clearly
taught in the Scriptures. (Gen. xvii. 7; Acts ii. 39; Rom. iv. 13; Gal.
iii. 14, 29.)

It has been already intimated, (ch.