the true mystery in the particular intended thereby I finde four opinions about it two of them more considerable 1. Opinion 2 Of those that labour to finde out such names especial in Greek or Hebrew in which tongues all the letters are numerals and fignifie some number or other as may agree to this Roman beast the numeral letters of which name or names may exactly amount to 666. and they especially pitch upon the name Latinos the numeral letters whereof come to 666. and multitudes of other names are found out to like purpose not only by modern but ancient writers but this opinion about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forbs saith is so childish an Egyptical toy that he marvels much how ever any solid mind could propound it for a rare point of wisdom And t is the saying of a learned English Writer Voice out of the wilderne s. long before Forbs if I mistake not They that have thought to calculate and find out the mystery of Antichrists number 666. in a word at a word he saith they are deceivd not knowing the power and construction of the Scripture Others hold Opin 2d that Antichrists power should begin Anno Dom. 666. so a late learned Writer hath referred the number 666. to the time of Antichrists revealing Mr Stevens upon the four metall Kingdoms So Ball and Bullinger which opinion is rejected by Pareus Comment Apocalyp and year of rising and coming to his full power and supremacy which was in Phocas his time and so would make the 1200 and 60 days to begin then Which saving my respect to such a learned man I judge cannot be the meaning of the mystery because the 1200 and 60. days and the Witnesses prophecying in sackcloth begin together Now the treading down of the holy City the time when the Witnesses began to prophesie in sackcloth and the womans flight into the wilderness where she was fed 1200 and 60 days is judged by the best Writers upon the Revelation to be after the death of Theodosius when the Roman Empire was overrun by the barbarous Nations which was long before Phocas his time A third third Opinion is also of a learned Writer Opinion 3d. To this way of Interpretation of the number 666. learned Marlorat agrees his words are these Losi hujus tot fere sunt expositiones qout exposiâ—ores And then reckons up and rejects some common opinions about it and then concludes thus Rectius ergo ad tempus Regni Antichristi nonnulli hunc numerum referunt Vt ad Regem Babylonicum dicebatur Numeravit Deus Rignum Tuum perfectissime numeravit illud Dan. 5.26 Nam completis 70 annis captivitatis populi ei per Jeremiam praedictus finis Regni illins aderat perendeigiture est ac si diecret Joannes quemadmodum humana regna dauturnae esse non possunt sed certum habent annorum numerum diviaitus constitatem ita Antichristi Regnum quod ad piorum consolutionem dictum est ne putent Antichristi regnum eternum fore Nam finem habiturum est regum Christi relique amnia cessara Felixagitur est qui numerum hune bestia intelligit cui a Deo datum cognoscere c. Ma lorat on Rev. 13.1 who queres for this Mey who wrote a Treatise many years ago Anno 1592 called Babylen is fallen to which he only sets two letters of his name T. L. and he interprets 666. to reveal Rev. 13.18 the secret counsel purpose of God concerning the period and final end of Antichrist and his Church dominion Where rejecting all opinions but this about it he saith 1. The word Number is never used in Scripture for the begining and rising of any term of time limited and predicted by the Prophets but onely for the end period and determination thereof 2. He calls it the number of a man by man saith he is meant the total sum of that succession of beastly men which make and constitute the existence and person of one Antichrist and by the word number is meant the fatal end and fual determination of their raign and government for so the Finger of God speaketh to Belshazer God hath numbred thy Kingdom i. e. God hath ended and finished the days of thy Kingdom So that by the number of the beast is nothing else but the Period and Final determination of the usurped tyranny and damnation of Antichrist which the Lamb the Lord and preserver of Israel for the glory of his name consolation of his Church and confusion of her foes shall bring to pass in the year which shall be 666. 3. He saith for as much as the Egge of Antichristianisme was laid in the days of Innocent tha first successor to Anastasins the first also of that name in Anno. 406. And that by express Commission there was furthermore granted to the beast his heirs and successors 1260. years for the hatching fostring and perfecting this child of perdition and mystery of iniquity which being added to 406. by rule of true audit must needs verifie this admirable judgen ent which the Spirit of God hath here denonnced and determined to make good upon him in the year which shall be 1666. In which account and discovery of his end the Holy Ghost of purpose leaves out the millenary number as not onely known perfect and immutable but as respecting also the common use of all Nations as well Hebrews as Gentiles who in their stiles for brevity sake do no less often speak and write by the imperfect number omitting the millenary then after the perfect adding the millenary as Munster well observes 4. Vide Calindarium Hebraicum Sebastiani Munsteri This learned Author triumphantly concludes this his interpretation in these words to the Church of Rome And in that year shall my Lord of Rome lay down his proud waves and although he fortifie never so strong and lay his foundation as low as Hell and build his Turrets as high as Heaven and place his Mitre above the Stars yet in that day he shall die the death of the uncircumcised and perish like the Amorite whose fruit is destroyed from above and root from beneath Amos 2.9 and the multitude of his offences shall consume the multitude of his Forces And it shall be more possible for him and easie to him to weigh the fire or measure the wind or call again the day that is past or recover the virdure of the withered grass as a holy one saith then to avoia this counsel and decree of his downfal here determined by the spirit a gainst him saying And the number of him is 666. This interpretation is very pleasing Qui numerum hunc besti a intelligit ae Deo datum est cognoscere c. Ibid. Marlorat and would be less questioned then the former if it did agree with the beginning of the verse which the Author calls a little short Preface of the Holy Ghost to prepare his Reader to attention Here
Constantiue the Great commeth to the Imperial seat the Dragon is overcome and Heathenism extirpated vers 4 and following In the second Period from the 400. years and upward Period 2. until the end of the 1200. and 60. years these seven concurrent times are described 1. The holy City is trodden under foot by the Gentiles 2. The two Witnesses cloathed with Sack-cloth Cap. 11. ver 2 3. to the 10th the explaining of which I refer to the 11. Chap. 3. The woman fled into the Wilderness and is fed there The primitive Church rescued from heathenish bondage fled into the wilderness i. e. into a midle estate not wholly hid and invisible nor yet gloriously visible but as it were in a middle condition betwixt both Rob. The two wings of a great Eagle given to the woman to by into the wilderness Mede refers to the Roman Empire whose Ensign is an Eagle and to the two Cesars of the Eastern and Western Empire divided as two wings by whose aid and protection the Church fled into her wilderness estate Cap. 12. verse 6. to 14. As Mary upon the birth of Christ fled from Herod into Aegypt So the Woman i. e. the Primitive Church notwithstanding the persecution of the Dragon having brought forth a man Child who was to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron which primarily belongs to Christ personal Psa 2. Secondarily to Christ mystical his Church and members which Christ mystical ruled all Nations by a rod of Iron subjugating the Roman Empire partly by a spiritual Gospelvictory promoted by Michael and his Angels against the Devil and his Angels rulers in that Empire partly by a corporeal conquest afterward when Christians prevailed and obtained such power and success under Constantine the great and his Successors fled into the Wilderness where she hath a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1200 and 60. days vers 6. which is again related v. 14. The meaning I conceive is this the Church though freed from heathenish tyranny yet is afresh imbarked in new troubles and persecutions by divers enemies Now during all this time the Church is in her wilderness condition as Israel of old was after their deliverance from Aegypt Thus take the parallel Israel delivered from Egyptian bondage under Pharoah fled towards the wilderness but was persued by Pharoah had liberty to worship God in the Wilderness where their Tabernacle was erected there Apostatized from God and his pure worship in the matter of the Calf Baalpeor Baalam c. and was there exercised with new troubles and afflictions of hunger thirst fiery Serpents and of divers enemies abode in the Wilderness 40. years during which space they made 42 journeys and stations from Aegypt to Jordan And at last all their enemies being subdued Numb 33. from 1. to 50. they quietly possessed the promised rest the Land of Canaan So the Church being freed from Heathenish Tyranny under the Red Dragon fled into the Wilderness but was persued and persecuted by the Dragon had liberty granted of worshipping God in the wilderness by the edicts of Christian Emperors and Kings who erected for them Temples or publique places for Christian worship yet in that her Wilderness estate she made many idolatrous defections Apostatizing from God and his pure worship especially to Antichristianisme Cap. 12.17 And the Dragon was wroth with the woman went to make war with the remnant of her seed c. Cap. 13.1 And I stood upon the sand of the Sea c. Mede saith the words are to be read not steti but stetit Cum Latinis omnibus Syre interpr i. e. The Dragon stood upon the sands i. to bring up this beast out of the sea to persecute the woman Further he saith v. 3. And I saw one of his heads wounded to death That the word vidi is not in some Editions as the Complutense reading the sentence thus The Dragon gave him his power seat and great authority and one of his heads wounded to death that it might be healed or that had been wounded to death and the healing of his wounds which is added this he either saw to be done while he was rising out of the sea or as soon as he was risen out of it is there exercised with new troubles and persecutions by the Dragon Beast and False Prophet abides in this Wilderness seat 42. moneths At last the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet with all her enemies being vanquished the Church obtaines the new Heavens and new Earth and reigns with Jesus Christ a thousand years yea for ever and ever the former and following series of this Prophecy clears this parallel This state of the Church seems to last till the seventh Trumpet So that to this day the Church is still in this Wilderness-condition but drawing towards the borders of a far happier estate 4. The beast with ten horns blasphemeth God and maketh war with the Saints cap. 13. v. 5 6 7. This ten horned Beast as was mentioned before is the Dragons Delegate or Substitute he is said to rise out of the Sea by Sea here understand that multitude of ten Kingdomes into which the Barbarians had shredded the whole compass of the Roman Territories out of all which the Dragon now endeavours to extract and of which to compose one Roman Dominion or that conflux of Armies and people striving in war like a tempestuous Sea He is said to have seven heads and so is the same beast cap. 17.3 compared with vers 9 10. His seven heads are interpreted by the Holy Ghost himself to be seven Mountains whereon the Royal Seat of the Empire of Rome was built and seven Kings or kindes of Government by which the Empire should be governed The names of blasphemy notes his blasphemous idolatries tending to the extream reproach of God his Religion and Saints his ten horns and upon his horns Voyce out of the Wilderness p. 38. ten crowns these signifie that he should not come to his crown by the strength of his Sword his Leaders and his Legions But of the crowns upon the hornes see another interpretation p. 90. as the Dragon did but by the base and voluntary submission of all the Caesars Kings and Princes as should with one Councel and Vote deliver up their authority and power secular to the devotion and pleasure of the beast therefore he wears his Diadems not upon his heads as the Dragon did but upon his Hornes and upon his Hornes ten crownes Which ten Hornes crowned say most Writers denote ten Kings or Kingdomes into which the Roman Empire of the sixth head was divived all which were to be conjoyned Mede in Cum. Apoc. part 2. cap. 13. into one for carrying of the whore These 10. horns thinks Mede belong not to all the seven heads but onely to the seventh because the heads flourishing the horns flourish the heads fulling the horns necessarily fall therewith Now these ten
with it in a learned Writer since I thought good here to put it down and leave it to the judgement of the Reader to choose which Interpreration he likes best pointing no doubt at the Christian Emperor who did-not differ from the Heaven Emperor as a distinct form of Government for they were both Souldiers and chosen by the Souldiers but in the quality of his person the one hating and persecuting the other loving and protecting Christian Religion And when he comes he must continue a short space For the Empire when it came into the hands of the Christians stood but a short time in its strength a matter of seventy or eighty years from about the middle of the reign of Constantine the great for till then he was exercised with mighty Wars against the Heathen Emperors unto the end of the raâ—â—n of Theodâ—sius the great from about Anno. 316 or 320. to 395 or 397. It follows in the next verse the beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seventh viz. The Papel state was in respect of the bulk of the Empire whereof he is a horne And is not i. e. it hath not any present existence in the Apostles times as the seventh head for the time of that is not yet come Even he is the eighth and is of the seventh that is he is the eighth if you make the Christian Emperor one but he is indeed the seventh for there is but seven heads and he is but the seventh distinct form of Government Kings Tribunes Decemvirs Dictâ—ors Consâ—ls Emperors and the seventh Popes Now here lies the Argument It is 〈◊〉 to wards the end of the 1200 end 60. years since the Pope became the head of the Roman Kingdom Ergo the Earthquake that must ruine him and his Kingdom draws near To make this appear we are to know as some have observed there were divers degrees of the fall of that vast body of the Roman Empire one after the death of Julian the Apostate about Anno. 365. For then the barbarous Nations invaded and made huge Havock in the Provinees of the Empire A second was about Anno. 410. when Rome it self was sacke by Alaricus the Goth and the Empire dismembred A third about Anno. 455. when ten Kings were risen up instead of the Empire to which let me interpose one notable one out of a learned writer about Anno. 395. at the death of Theodâ—siâ—s the great the barbarous nations had made many attempts before but were from time to time especially by his valour repelled 2 Thes 2.7 The time of Antichrists revealing is when he who letteth is taken out of the way now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or he that did let the 〈◊〉 pearing of Antichrist is interpreted by Anrient and laâ—â— Writers 〈◊〉 be the Roman Empire not then wholly demolished but divided and weekened it was divided after Theadosius into Eastern and Western 〈…〉 in the East and Arcadius in the Wost now the Western Empire was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was taken away by the death of Arcad. us But upon his death they brake in like an huge inundation bore down the Empire before them shivered it in a hondred peices so as it near recovered any more This great mine of the Roman Empire was six years adoing for so great a body as the Empire could not by created means be ruined in a short time And it is very remarkable both because it made so great a change in the Kingdoms of Europe and Affrick planting them almost universally with new nations and names and in special because that storm brought our forefathers into this Land setling here a new Nation and language It is thirdly also observable because in it the sixth Head of the Roman Monarchy the Emperor went off and the seventh the Pope came on onely the question is about which of these times and degrees was the Empires destruction Not so high as Julians death for the Empire stood in good strength after that for thirty years at least nor so low as 455. when it was quite broken and not long after lost its very name but somewhere between viz. either about 406. or 410 years after Christ when Rome it self the head of the Empire was taken Now if the beasts reign began about or between 406 and 410 then the ruining earthquake must needs approach considering how many years are gone of the 1260 years Object The sixth Head of the Empire continued long after the death of Theodosius the Great Answ 1. Not in strength but was still more and more broken unco its dissolution 2. Rome became the the Seat of the Beast by the means of translating the sear of the Empire from Rome to Constantinoplâ— from whence ensued the parting the Empire into two parts by which division it being weakened and alter also sundred in affection as well as in place was the easier to be entred upon and obtained by the Pope especially after the death of Arcadius Bishop Vsher sum of Christian Religion p. 443. It is not absurd to imagine that the sixt head and the seventh might be in some degree together For first it is but a comparison not like that natural head of which there can be but one atonce more makes a monster and truly this Reast is a monster Besides the Impesial and Papal Head did not so thwart or cross one another at first as afterwards they did so as it might be with them as Logicians say of contrary qualities they may consist together in the same subiect gradibus remissis non intensis they might both of them have their power and not intrench one upon another Popes at first medled in a manner only with the matters of the Church as being desirous to settle their Ecclesiastical authority and the Emperors on the other side almost wholly busied themselves about the Civil State to govern and defend the Empire And yet further which may lessen the absurdity before that you shall have in the Roman Government sometimes as it were two heads at once as Consuls who were for a year and a Dictatator chosen it may be for three months or for six moneths upon some extraordinary exigencies and necessities of State who was for the time supreme as namely in matters of war as the Consuls were supreme for other Civil affairs The Earthquake whereby Antichrists Kingdom is to be ruined approacheth Indice or Evidence 2. appeareth by this second Indice or Evidence Because t is almost 1200 and 60 years since the ten Kings began and the Beast began with them as may appear Rev. 17.12 The ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdom as yet but received power as Kings one hour with the Beast The ten Kings are the many Kingdoms that sprung up out of the ruins of the Empire as the Kigdoms of France Spain c. These are called horns aptly because Antichrist doth with them as the beast doth
War again them So much of finishing their testimony It follows The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit c. That is Antichrist or any of the Beastian party He is compared to a beast not onely because of his inhumanity but because of his irrationality in seeking by killing the Witnesses to hinder the course of the Gospel 2 Thess 3.1 2. And he is said to come out of the bottomless pit or Abyss The word in the Greek signifies all these By this Beast here is meant the Popish Ecclesiastical Government who use the temporal sword Clavis Apoâ— which may be understood out of hell as chap. 9. 2. or out of the sea as the ten-horned beast did Rev. 13.1 or out of the body of the earth or a deep pit in the earth and so may signifie the two-horned beast chap. 13. 11. Now t is this beast and his party that makes War against overcomes and kills the Witnesses his party is described chap. 13. 15 16. Such as either receive his mark or his name or the number of his name The explication of which see before upon chap. 13. Shall make war against them i. e. against the Witnesses We read chap. 13. 7. of the Beasts war against the Saints And it was given to him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them i. e. saith Mr. Mede the remnant of the womans seed in the Wilderness chap. 12. 17. which the same Author conceives to be executed when such a numerous company of the Waldenses and Albigenses and other true Christians were destroyed seventy years together First intended against the Saracens after turned against the Christians that would not worship and submit to the beast Here in this 11. chap. vers 7. is set down by the holy Ghost the beasts war against the Witnesses Note here into 〈◊〉 precedes the killing of the Witnesses a War properly to caned and a War against the Witnesses â—â— the Magistrates and Ministers of some of the Reformed Churches for so it did the killing of the Witnesses to the German Churches the War betwixt the Emperor and the German Princes especally the Sweeds lasted many years at last ended in a Pacification out 〈…〉 were left and deprived of the liberty of the Consiliences whereby the Preachers and Professors of 〈◊〉 Gospel in the He 〈◊〉 Provinces were â—ivilly slain Apug 1650. which differs from the others regard of the time of its it being at the latter end of Antichrists reign when the Witnesses finish their testimony not then they begin to finish but when they shall finish It commonwealth from the time They were persecuted and fought against by Antichrist often before but this is the last hattel before their death and rising again to the ruine of Antichrists Kingdom Which War as Parâ—â—s notes is not onely Ecclesiastical but Civil for the beast doth stir up Princes of Kingdoms and Provinces to make War against the Witnesses that he may overcome and kill them And shall overcome them i. e. not by power and armed force as in the war against the Saints chap 13. 7. which made way for and effected a cruel bodily killing of the Saints before mentioned The enemies have now given over this bodily killing of the Prophets and Saints almost this 100 years few in this space have been called before Tribunals and sentenced to death Happily some few examples may be found like a few drops of rain after a great showr but not many They have forborn this course not out of any love or compassion to the people of God but meerly because they durst not or because they found by proof that this course prejudiced their cause Sanguis Martyr Semen Eccles but he overcomes them by his Jesuitical or rather bottomless pit policy bringing it so about that the secular and ecclesiastical power like Herod and Pilat are united against the Witnesses the latter making use of the former as a rider makes use of the power and strength of his horse to ride over tread down and kill the Witnesses Rev. 13.3 And kill them Now because these words are somewhat killing and discouraging because the same with those chap. 13. 7. and import as if this slaughter because the last were worse then the first I will first therefore give you the judgement and opinion of learned Mede of this last killing by the Beast His words are these Neither can it certainly be concluded that because this killing that the Beast makes of the Witnesses is the last therefore t is the greatest and the worst of all that went before it But it hath and deserves a singular mention and description amongst all the slaughters of the Beast perhaps not so much for the greatness of it sure not because of the continuance of it as because it was to be a sign that the mourning of the witnesses should end soon after it and that the ruine of the City of Rome should instantly follow it Fo as the compassing about of Jerusalem with Armies Luk. 21.20 did foretel and was a sign her destruction and desolation was at hand and near at her drors the like here may be intimated as we may conceive concerning the destruction of Babylon when you shall see that triennial slaughter of the Witnesses then know the desolation of that great City of Rome it at hand Now this killing of the Witnesses by the Beast or his party is to be understood according to the forecited Author and all late Interpreters metaphorically or analogically of a civil death For he is said to dye in that notion or sense who in that station wherein he stood either Political or Ecclesiastical or any other ceaseth to be what he was hence he is said to kill The slaying of the Witnesses is to be understood not of a corporal but civil death Caryl on Job cap. 21. 7. that doth punish any man with such a death For in Scripture language to live is often to be to die is not to be in which sense we are said to dye to sin when we are no longer the servants to sin and to live to Christ when we begin to be Christs Furthermore This killing is plainly meant a killing them as Witnesses not as men a throwing them out of their places and stations as if naturally dead Whether this sad time be past present or to come I leave others to judge it appears by the following Verses it must be meant of a civil death ver 8. Their dead bonies lying in the street of the great City three days and a half this shews it cannot be meant of a natural death for how should their bodies lye dead in that sense for three years and a half or say it were for shorter time Again it is clear from vers 11. For look what the resurrection of the Witnesses to life shall be after their killing and lying dead such a time such must needs be the killing for no resurrection properly so called can come