he depofed the emperor Auguftulus, and thus effectually established his own regal title.

In Auguftulus ceafed the Roman empire in the weft. The imperial title was now loft, the authority of Rome was extinguished, its dignity trampled under foot, and its extenfive domain torn to pieces, and parcelled out among a fet of barbarous people. Spain was divided among the Goths, Alans, Suevi, and others. Africa was poffeffed by the Vandals, Britain, having been before abandoned by the Romans, was fubdued by the Saxons, who had lately affifted the Britons againft their enemies, the Scots. and the Picts. The Goths, Burgundions, and Franks, had erected their feveral kingdoms in Gaul; and now at laft Rome itself with Italy, the fountains of waters, that had triumphed over the reft of the world, became enflaved to a barbarous king. In these latter times Italy, by the ravages of the invaders, had been depopulated, and the imperial armies had confifted chiefly of barbarians, as Goths, Huns, Alans, Heruli, Suevi, and others, hired under the name of auxiliaries. These foon faw their own ftrength, and the weakness of their mafters. They therefore shared out to themselves fuch morfels of the empire as they most relished.

Theodoric, king of thofe Goths that were settled in Italy, got Odoacer treacherously murdered in 493, and himself proclaimed king of all Italy. This country from that time remained under the power of the Goths, till Juftinian the Great, emperor of Conftantinople, fent thither his general, Belifarius, who fubdued a confiderable part of it, reduced the Gothic power to a low ebb, and united Rome to the eaftern empire. Thus was that unhappy city toffed from hand to hand, and now become a member of that empire, of which the had formerly been the head. However, Totila being chofen king of the Goths in Italy, found means to retrieve the declining ftate of their affairs. He recovered a great part

of the country, and in 546 invefted Rome, which he blocked up so closely, that it could receive no provifions. This occafioned fuch a raging famine, that the inhabitants were reduced to the utmoft extremity of distress, feeding upon the moft filthy things, even their own excrements. Belifarius attempted to fend in provifions, but the attempt proved unfuccessful, The arm of God was ftill lifted up against Rome, and was to ftrike another blow, before the divine juftice could be finally satisfied.

By a piece of treachery in the centinels pofted at one of the gates, Totila was admitted in the night into the city, which he gave up to the pillage of his foldiers. The Goths fpent feveral days in plundering the inhabitants; and the fenators and richest people were even ftript of every thing, that they were neceffitated to beg their bread of the very Goths who had thus reduced them. The walls of Rome were thrown down, the public monuments demolished, the city was burnt, and Totila carr ed away with him all the inhabitants; fo that the place remained defert for above forty days. Procop. lib. 3. c. 12. lib. 4. c. 13. and Evagr. lib. 2. c. 7. Thus was completed the deftruction of ancient Rome.

A further Account of the third Age. HAVING in the preceding chapter elucidated by plain hiftory, the brief enigmatical description of the fall of the Roman empire, which St. John gives us in the third feal, trumpet, and vial; we are now better prepared to understand the other, more explicit account, he has added in the 17th and 18th chapters of the Apocalypfe. The event is fo interefting to the Chriftian Church, that he enlarges on the circumftances of it, particularly on the ruin of

epofed the emperor Auguftulus, and thus effecly established his own regal title.

1 Auguftulus ceafed the Roman empire in the

The imperial title was now loft, the authoof Rome was extinguished, its dignity trampled er foot, and its extenfive domain torn to pieces, parcelled out among a set of barbarous people. n was divided among the Goths, Alans, Suevi, others. Africa was poffeffed by the Vandals, ain, having been before abandoned by the Ros, was fubdued by the Saxons, who had lately ted the Britons againft their enemies, the Scots. the Picts. The Goths, Burgundions, and iks, had erected their feveral kingdoms in Gaul; now at last Rome itself with Italy, the fountains aters, that had triumphed over the reft of the ld, became enslaved to a barbarous king. In e latter times Italy, by the ravages of the invadhad been depopulated, and the imperial armies confifted chiefly of barbarians, as Goths, Huns, ns, Heruli, Suevi, and others, hired under the e of auxiliaries. Thefe foon faw their own gth, and the weakness of their masters. They efore shared out to themfelves fuch morfels of the ire as they most relished.

heodoric, king of those Goths that were settled taly, got Odoacer treacherously murdered in and himself proclaimed king of all Italy. This atry from that time remained under the power of Goths, till Juftinian the Great, emperor of ftantinople, fent thither his general, Belifarius, fubdued a confiderable part of it, reduced the hic power to a low ebb, and united Rome to the rn empire. Thus was that unhappy city toffed hand to hand, and now become a member of empire, of which she had formerly been the 1. However, Totila being chofen king of the s in Italy, found means to retrieve the declin

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of the country, and in 546 invefted Rome, which he blocked up so closely, that it could receive no provifions. This occafioned fuch a raging famine, that the inhabitants were reduced to the utmost extremity of distress, feeding upon the most filthy things, even their own excrements. Belifarius attempted to fend in provifions, but the attempt proved unfuccessful, The arm of God was still lifted up against Rome, and was to ftrike another blow, before the divine juftice could be finally satisfied.

By a piece of treachery in the centinels posted at one of the gates, Totila was admitted in the night into the city, which he gave up to the pillage of his foldiers. The Goths spent several days in plundering the inhabitants; and the fenators and richest people were even ftript of every thing, that they were neceffitated to beg their bread of the very Goths who had thus reduced them. The walls of Rome were thrown down, the public monuments demolished, the city was burnt, and Totila carried away with him all the inhabitants; so that the place remained defert for above forty days. Procop. lib. 3. c. 12. lib. 4. c. 13. and Evagr. lib. 2. c. 7. Thus was completed the deftruction of ancient Rome.

CHA P. VI.

A further Account of the third Age.

HAVING

AVING in the preceding chapter elucidated by plain hiftory, the brief enigmatical defcription of the fall of the Roman empire, which St. John gives us in the third feal, trumpet, and vial; we are now better prepared to understand the other, more explicit account, he has added in the 17th and 18th chapters of the Apocalypfe. The event is fo interefting to the Christian Church, that he enlarges on the circumftances of it, particularly on the ruin of

Rome herself, as fhe had been the greateft enemy of Christ upon earth, the inftrument of Satan in oppofing the worship of God, and in fine the centre of idolatry. Thus fpeaks our prophet:

Apoc. Chap. XVII. v. 1.

"And there came one of the feven angels, who had the feven vials, and fpoke with me, faying: Come, I will fhew thee the condemnation of the great harlot, who fitteth upon many waters.

v. 2. "With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication: and they who inhabit the earth, have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom.

V. 3.

"And he took me away in spirit into the defert. And I faw a woman fitting upon a fcarletcoloured beast full of names of blafphemy, having feven heads and ten horns.

v. 4. "And the woman was clothed round about with purple and scarlet, and gilt with gold, and pre-. cious ftones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of the abomination and filthinefs of her. fornication.

V. ·5• "And on her forehead a name was written; a myftery: Babylon the great, the mother of the fornications, and the abomination of the earth.

v. 6. "And I faw the woman drunk with the blood of the faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jefus. And I wondered, when I had seen her, with great admiration."

St. John is here invited, ver. 1. to be a spectator of the divine punishment upon the great harlot, who represents pagan Rome, as we fhall fee prefently. The invitation comes with propriety from one of the feven angels who held the vials of the wrath of God, as it was the function of those angels to execute the divine judgments on mankind. The apoftle is therefore taken up, as he thought, by the angel, V. 3. into a defert, that very defert where Rome ftood. The country round that metropolis of the