And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
Ver. 5. Lifted up his hand] And so swore solemnly,Genesis 14:22; Numbers 14:30; Ezekiel 20:5. Because it seemed improbable (if not impossible) that ever Babylon should down, Rome be ruined. But all the judgments in the Revelation (those of the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven vials) are still upon Rome pagan, Christian, and Antichristian. We may therefore conclude with that emperor of Germany, Frederic II,
" Roma diu titubans, variis erroribus acta
Gorruet, et mundi desinet esse caput. "
"Rome tottering long, shall once be shattered,
And of the world shall cease to be the head."