16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!



Ver. 16. With gold and precious stones] All these avail not in the day of wrath. Neither need we envy wicked men their plenty; it is their portion, all they are like to have. The whole Turkish empire is nothing else, saith Luther, nisi panis mica, quam dives paterfamilias proiecit canibus, a crust cast to the dogs, by God the great householder. I have no stronger argument (said the same Luther) against the pope’s kingdom, quam quod sine cruce regnat, than this, that he suffered nothing. Surely there is the more behind, there will be bitterness in the end, no doubt.