Thes are compared to three famous Pairs in the old Testament viz. Moses and Aaron in the Wildernes who turned Waters into Blood Elias and Eliseus under the Baalitic Apostacy who shut Heaven from rain and Zerobabel with Jesua at the captivity who recovered the Jews liberty The great City spiritualy caled Sodom and Egypt afterward Ibid 〈◊〉 8. great Babylon and the Whore wher our Lord was crucified is Rome in whos Street or Province for so street is often taken they shal be slain as our Saviour also suffred The Woman travelling with Child clothed with the Sun of Rev. 12 v. 1. c. Righteousnes having the Moon the lawish Pedagogy and Ethnic Idolatry under hir feet and on hir head a Crown of twelv Stars is Gods tru primitiv Church then in continual parturition of spiritual Children The great red Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns and Ibid. v. 3. 4. seven Crowns on his heads whos Tail cast a third part of the Stars to Earth watching the Woman to devour hir Child is Heathen Rome worshiping the Devil which subjected three parts of the then known World to hir rule or Empire whos rednes denots hir embruing in Saints blood laying wait for the Child as Pharaoh did for Israel and Herod for Christ The Manchild who was to rule al Nations with a rod of Iron Ibid v. 5. is mystical Christ or Son of the Church formed in his Members as shal be shewed The Womans Child caught up to God and his Throne is not Identice v. 5. Christ Theanthropos the Virgin Maâ—ies Son as many mistakingly maintain who is properly and personaly lift up to Gods Throne sitting at his right Hand but mystical Christ or annointed Son of the Church analogicaly advanced to the imperial Throne as al higher Powers are of God which is meant and realy fulfilled by Constantine and his Christian Successors The Angel Michael who with his Angels fought against the Ibid. v 7. Devil and his il spirits is not Christ as som suppose but one of the chief Princes or seven Archangels specified by Daniel caled the great Prince which stands for the Children of Gods People being a principal Patron or Protector of the Faithful against Satan whom he here overcam to whos honor the primitiv Church consecrated September 29. day The great Eagle whos two Wings were given the Woman to Ibid. v. 14 15. fly into hir place in the Wildernes to be nourished for a time times and half is the Roman Empire divided into East and West which protected hir in an Erimitical estate from the Dragons fury in perfect tranquility for 1260. annal dais but tossed with a flood of Heresies cast from the Serpents mouth to seduce hir The Beast rising out of the Sea with seven Heads and ten Rev. 13 v. 1 2. Horns having on his Horns ten Crowns and on his Heads the name of Blasphemy is the secular Empire which had Blasphemous new devised Idolatry on his seven Heads at Rome which was shared into ten Kingdoms or dominions and al worshiped the Dragon becaus he gav his power seat and great authority to this Beast for worshiping or serving him The Beast coming out of the Earth which had two Horns like Ibid. v. 11 12 a Lamb but spake as a Dragon is the Spiritual Roman power or whol Papacy whos two horns of a Lamb signify as Mr. Mede opines the power of binding and loosing but as others aver the two Keis and two Swords born before the Pope to typify his spiritual and temporal Jurisdiction which seems properer and probabler but his Doctrins are the voice of the Dragon The Image of the ten-horned Beast which was wounded and did Ibid. v. 14 15. liv or reviv is the West Empire or seven headed Beast of Rome which lay suppressed long but restored by Pope Leo 3 who ereated Charlemaign Emperor and his Successors enjoied it for six descents til it was translated into Germany The Beasts mark or name which is al one as 't is after caled Ibid. v. 16. 17. the mark of his name Rev. 14. 11. without which none could buy or sel is Papal Anaâ—hema or Excommunication as Master Mede maintains which excluds Men from civil Commerce company and communion but this by his leav is a prohibitiv brand to exclud such as hav it not permissiv to admit such as hav it and repel only thos that hav it not Nor can it be applyed as a name or mark Why not rather Roman Catholic being a name which al the Beasts Folowers arrogat as their peculâ—ar mark or badg nor can any sav such communicat The number of his name 666 being the number of a Man Ibid. v. 18. becaus set in numeral letters is the two horn'd Beast whos name wherin that number is infolded is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which grew up when Theodosius divided the Empire into East caled Greecs and West clyped Latins or Rome which name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subducting the letters of number as Hebrews Greecs and Latins use in Chronograms by fatal instinct make 666. Vicarius Dei generalis in terris subtracting the Roman numeral letters import 666 but this is a periphrastic title no personal name as the other The Lamb standing on Mount Sion and with him 144000 Rev. 14. 1 c. undefiled Virgins having his Fathers and his name writen in their foreheads who folow the Lamb wherever he goeth is the Lord Jesus and his impolluted Church which hated spiritual whordom or Image-worship and continued constant in the tru Faith amidst Papal pâ—rsecution as a pure Virgin under Babylon being the Apostleâ— genuin Progeny The name or marke of the Lamb and his Father is the sign of Idenâ—ice the Cross in Baptism as a Seal of their Faith and Ensign of Christian Profession to discern them from Infidels maugre the malice of al Snarlers Scoffers or Slanderers The Harvest ripe to be reaped into which the Son of Man Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrust his Sickle is the cutting down of mystical Babylon or destruction of the Romisâ— Beasts whol dominion The Vintage or Winepress of Gods wrath without the City Ibid. v. 17. ad finem from which cam blood to the Horsbridles by the space of one thousand six hundred furlongs is the final fatal perdition of the Beast and fals Prophet with al their Complices Comrads and Confederats which shal be acted or accomplished with horrid slaughter at the battle of Armageddon one thousand six hundred furlongs or two hundred miles without the City but whether in Palestine or the Popes Territory is not reveled The seven golden Phials of Gods wrath which seven Angels Rev. 15 v. 7. having the seven last Plagues received from one of the four Beasts are so many degrees of punishments preceding the Antichristian Beasts ruin even as it grew up gradualy to greatnes as ther must be a paralel proportion in al things The three unclean Spirits of
Devils like Frogs coming Rev. 16. v. 13 14. out of the mouths of the Dragon Beast and fals Prophet working miracles are Papal Emisaries or Ambassadors sent to sommon the Kings and Potentats of the whol World to the battel of that great day of God Almighty wherin the Dragon shal assist the Beast and fals Prophet with al his warlike powers worldly plots and wily policies but the seven Angels poured out their seven Phials of Gods wrath The Woman in rich attire sitting on a Scarlet Beast ful of Rev 17 v 3. c. names of Blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns on whos forehead was writ a Mystery Great Babylon Mother of Harlots drunken with the blood of Saints and Martyrs of Jesus is Romes Papacy which rides on the Empire in the seven headed City being both but as one head the seventh and last consisting of the Temporal and Spiritual State which is even the eighth yet one of the seven reigning jointly together The Man which sat on a whit Hors in Heaven caled the Word Rev 19 v 11 c. of God who was clothed with a Vesture dipt in blood having on it and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords is our Lord Jesus who shal smite the Nations ruling them wiâ—h a rod of iron and subdu al with great slaughter The Beast and fals Prophet which shal be tormented in a lake Rev 20. v 10. of fire and brimstone for ever is the whol Papacy and Antichrist the Pope head of that State or Society The holy City new Jerusalem prepared as a Bride adorned for Rev. 21. vers 2 hir Husband is the Company of Elect ever ready to receiv hir Bridegroom or best beloved Lord. The Lambs Bride or Spous that great City holy Jerusalem is Ibid. v. 9 10. Christs Militant Church on Earth which jointly with the triumphant in Heaven makes Christs Spous Thes new notions of names forty four in number never vented til now wil if wel digested make the meaning more obvious in most mysteries Many mo circumstantial terms are sparsed in the Text which are amply unveled in the insuing Commentary but this short Index shal serv to lead strangers steps in this Labyrinth Analysis Apocalypseos The Apocalyps Analysed THree principal parts are considerable 1. The Preface Analysis Part 1. which is both general of the whol Prophecy noting the Matter Pen-Man and Profit and special relation to the seven Asian Churches and in them to the Catholic Church wherin is a nomination of the person writing and thos writen to with a salutation of them and description of Jesus Christ 2. The substance and Body of the Book which contains a narration of the Churches State both Militant and Triumphant The Militant is deciphered at present as it was when John wrot and for future as it shal be at last day The Triumphant is declared both for the inchoation at general Judgment and duration to eternity 3. The Conclusion which confirms the whol Prophecy 1. By an Angels testimony who shewed it to John from the Lord 2. By Christ who testifies it to be tru and amplified by Johns earnest request on the Churches behalf 3. By John who denounceth direful judgments on al that shal ad to or take from it with a salutation to the Saints at end of al. The particulars of the Church Militant exhibit two points 1 Vision Ch. 1. 2. 3. 1 A Vision of seven golden Candlesticks and seven Stars signifying the Asian Churches 2 A description of thos Churches in seven Epistles directed to the Bishop-Angels of thos seven Seas in al which is one current constant form observed which imports 1 A description of Christ Jesus sutable to his Vision 2 A narrativ of the good commendable or evil culpable in every Angel and Church 3 Promises or menaces proportional to their Virtues or Vices 4 An exhortation to attend things writen to the Churches The Churches State for future specialy in Europ is more mysticaly unfolded which is to premonish hir of grievous persecutions by Tyrans Heretics and lims of Antichrist against al which the holy Ghost givs many comforts That God wil be with her in al distresses whos tribulations shal terminat in short space but hir Enemies shal perish and she in fine set safe or secure in the life to com al which things are pointly or precisely expressed in six Visions one after another Thes are comprised in two Prophecies or Systems Ch 4 〈◊〉 11. of Visions contemporar the first begins with the sealed Book the last lasts to the end of Apocalyps taking in som passages of five Trumpets viz. the litle Book the measuring of the Temple the out Court not to be measured and fate of the two mourning witnesses The Churches future estate is reveled in a mysterious Vision 〈◊〉 Vision Ch. 4. of a Book fastned with seven seals wherin is comprised a preparatory to open them which displais God 's sitting on a Throne in Heaven with his Ensigns or Emblems of Majesty viz. twenty four Elders and four Beasts Lightnings Thunders Voices Trumpets seven Lamps which are his seven Spirits a Sea of Ch 5. glass like Crystal and Songs of prais by them al to him that sits on the Throne The sealed Book held in his right hand which none was worthy or able to open sav the Lamb shewed to John the Churches future state til the worlds end In the seventh seal are Ch. 6. presented seven Trumpets and in the last seven Phials of Gods wrath ful of the last seven plagues or punishments The first Seal shews a whit Horse the secund a red the third a black his Rider bearing Ballances in his hand the fourth a pale his Rider death with Hel folowing at heels the fifth the Martyrs Souls under the Altar crying for vengeance which had whit robes given them with promiss of complet glory when their felow Brethren should be fulfilled The sixth sets forth Gods direful Judgments on the Churches Enimies attended with dreadful signs viz. A great Earthquake the Sun becam black and Moon as blood the Stars fel to Earth Heaven departed as a scrole and every Mountain and I le moved out of their places Herat Kings great Men cheif Captains Bond and Free even al Persecutors fel to despair hiding in Dens desiring the Mountains and Rocks to cover them from the Lamb. The seventh contains more Mysteries then any viz. A Vision 3 Vision Ch. 7. Ch. 8. of seven Angels with seven Trumpets as shal be specified but the holy Ghost comforts the Church and an Angel seals Gods Servants in the Foreheads as a sign of their deliverance At opening wherof was half an hours silence in Heaven betokening great things to com and the Angels addressed to sound The first sounded And Hail mixd with Fire and Blood insued which burnt a third part of al green things At sound of the secund A mighty Mountain burning with
Rev. 16. 3. Politic World So Babylons dominion is expressed wher the Lord threatens to dry up the Sea and springs The Assyrian Kingdoms amplitud is described by the same Metaphor the deep or Sea hath exalted hir 'T is said of Pharaohs Kingdom the waters shal fail from the Sea therof or his Dominion shal be bereaved So the four great Beasts or Kingdoms rose from the Sea which implies largenes of Dominion Dan. 7. 3. Now a third part of the Roman Sea becam blood which denots slaughter of Animals and inanimats ruin too therfore the Sea becoming blood by a great Mountains fal betokens violent destruction as a Beast is butchered bleeding For so 't is said in the Phials that the Sea becam as the blood of a dead Man or one slain The like mystery of a Mountain meant by a City is applyed to old Babylon even a Mountain burning Jer. 51. 25. with fire as here For point of History Alaric after Stilicos death returned as a Ram and took Rome creating Attalus A. C. 410. the Hun Emperor whom he soon deposed and reinthroned Honorius Immediatly insued a total renting of the Empire which was shortly shared into ten Stats or Soveraignties 1. Brytans 2. Saxons in this I le 3. Francs in Galle 4. Burgundians in Belgia 5. Visi-Goths in Aquitain and part of Spain 6. Sueds in Gallaecia 7. Alans in Lusitania 8. Vandals in Africa 9. Almans in Germany 10. Ostrâ—-Goths in Pannonia beside Greecs in the East Empire which is counted one of the ten when the West was dissolved in al which befel notable changes Howbeit the number of ten is not taken so strickly as if should be no mo nor fewer nor other but that it should be severed into about ten So after Alexander four Kingdoms are predicted Macedon Asia Syria Egypt Dan. 8. 22. yet a fifth of Thracia was added by Lysimachus which ended with his life The third Trumpet is of a Star falen from Heaven burning 3 Trumpet like a Lamp on the third part of Rivers and Waters named Wormwood making the waters bitter wherof many died This is meant of Hesperus or west Caesar who after Gensericus K. of Vandals had sacked Rome fel headlong to ruin strugling a while with death under the obscure Emperors Avitus Majoranus Severus Anthemius Olybius Glicerius Nepos Augustulus who were Princes of baleful bitternes and perished by mutual Massacres or Trecheries Augustulus which is an ominous diminutiv of the first founder was expeld by Odoacer K. of Heruli but when the west Empire lay A. C. 〈◊〉 A. C. 〈◊〉 Note buried 324 yeers P. Leo 3. surrogated Charlemaign to be Emperor becaus under this coverture of Caesar revived or the Beasts sixth Head stil reigning the Pope may not be reputed seventh or last which is Antichrist as is too evident to every judicious Ey This Papal Caesar pertains not to the Heads of the Roman Beast but to the Horns or Kingdoms into which it was to be torn being ready to resign his room to the last seventh Head By the Star burning as a Lamp the blazing Star Lampadios is described and such is the Hesperian Caesar great in dignity but of short durance whos coming must continu but a short space Isaiah saith of Babylons King How art thou falen from Heaven O Lucifer Son of the morning Isai 14. 12. For by Stars great Princes Powers and Potentats are figured The fourth sounded greater calamities of darkning the Sun 4 Trumpet Moon and Stars of Roman Majesty which before shined dimly under Ostro Goth Kings For after the Consulship failed and Totila demolished a third part of Rome it was in som sort restored A C. 542. by Belisarius and Narsetes Justinians brav Commanders but now this Worlds Queen was stripd of al Consular power Senat and Magistrats which as Stars gav great light yea becam inslaved to the Exarchat of Ravenna hir Handmaid vassal 〈◊〉 1. 1. Jer. 31. 35. O deep darknes how doth the City sit solitary that was ful of People How is she becom a Widow She that was Queen among Nations and Princess of Provinces how is she made tributary This is that smiting of Sun Moon Stars that they could giv no light by day or night For when Senat Consuls and other Officers were suppresd what could be but a total Eclips such as never was before Next folow three Trumpets of Wo so stiled becaus an Angel flying through Heaven cried Wo Wo Wo to the Earths inhabiters which are the most grievous of al. For when thos of the Christian Empire had defiled themselfs with Idol-Images of a new stamp during the four former Trumpets sounding God sent thos new plagues to punish a duple sin one for the Martyrs deaths under Heathen Rome the other for Iconolatry under Christians as 't is Rev. 20. intimated that they worshiped the Devil and Idols of Gold Silver Brass Stone and Wood. The fifth or first Wo Trumpet is of Locusts rising from the 5 Trumpet Rev. 9. 1. 10 12 smoke of the bottomless Pit which is meant of Mahometans seduced by their Pseudo-prophet to the perdition of many Nations This smoke obscured the Gospels light latly shining Exod. 10 13 14. abroad whos professors rightly resemble Locusts in many respects For thos which plagued Egypt cam from Arabia wher Mahomet spred his Hellish smoke and the Arabs likened to Judg 7. 12. them for multitud They are also stiled Sons of the East relating to Egypt wher the â—sralites learned so to term them Achmetes refers Locusts to troops of Enemies which devour ordestroy Countries Thes are compared to Scorpions for power and foâ—m having tails like Scorpions so they were Locusts-Scorpions which had power in their teeth and poison in their tails Thes were forbid to hurt grass trees or any green thing as the common sort doo but only Mâ—n not marked with Gods Seal so no Natural but Symbolical vermin are here implied They were like Horses prepared to battle with Mens faces and Womens hair but had Lyons teeth with brest-plats of Iron and sound of their Wings as Chariots of many Horses running to battle Al which import armed Souldiers as the Sarrasens erected a vast Kingdom by war yet subdued not the East Empire like the Turcs For while the former Trumpets sounded a new pontifical State started up from the ruins of the old Politic but Sarrasens subverted neither whos Kingdom crept up to so sudden greatnes as never any for Mahomet was but a Merchant as Romulus a Shepherd whos Kingdom in one Century subjected Palestine Syria Armenia minor Plin. l 6 c 28. l. 〈◊〉 c. 29. Asia Persia India Egypt Numidia Barbary Portugal Spain and part of Italy beside Sâ—cil Sardinia Corsica and other Iles wheras 500. yeers expired yer Rome subdued al Italy They had long hair like women as Arabs then and stil use whos durance to destroy was but fiv months as Locusts com at Spring and dy in Autumn
Popish Clergy of whom shal perish seven thousand a few more or less Ther is a third interpretation that by names of Men are meant Companies Corporations Cities Boroughs or Societies which hav their names so wel as Men but we may not rashly resolv future things whos chief commentary is event nor is name tied to any one certain signification The secund Wo is past and lo a third coms quickly The fifth V. 14. Trumpets Earthquake ended with the secund Wo of the sixth and the Witnesses mourning prophecy is to finish together with it being al synchronicals If then the sixth Trumpets Wo or plague be the Turcs over flowing from Euphrates into the Empire doon long ago this end of the same plague must be a drying up of the said water at pouring out of the fifth Rev. 16. 1◠c. Phial wherby the way is prepared for the East Kings to com in but lest a gap be left betwen either Trumpet the seventh seems to begin so that wondrous preparation of the Dragon Beast and fals Prophet for the last war in Armageddon with its issu should be set here at beginning of the seventh to which the war pertains Hence a doubt occurs not to be slighted sith ther is one term Doubt of the Beasts fourty two months and witnesses one thousand two hundred sixty dais which expired with the sixth Trumpets plague or secund Wo it may be asked why the Beasts months are reckoned no farther sith after that term much of the Beast remains unabolished til the seventh Trumpet begins This is doon either becaus the Jews conversion being as a Resolv new Kingdom then commenceth or becaus in the Beasts continuance special consideration is had to the Empire of Rome-City which being the Beasts throne is overthrown in that great Earthquake so the Beast being driven from his Metropolis shal as it were change his form and be no more a Kingdom of seven Hils which is another signification of the seven Heads At sound of the seventh Trumpet or last Wo Christs imperial V. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. reign in that great day of Judgment is touched the interpretation wherof he suspends til the end of al that he may handle the prophecies pertaining therto jointly together To make up the Body of the open Book the other prophecies of Ecclesiastic affairs com to be knit to the same among which the Woman in travel or Church laboring to bring forth Christ as spiritual Head of the Empire is chief which after 300. yeers persecution she effected in Constantin but hir Enemy the red Dragon watched to devour the Child Ther appeered a great wonder in Heaven a Woman clothed Rev. 12. v. 1. with the Sun the Moon under hir foot and on hir head a Crown of twelv Stars Lo a glorious Image of the primitiv parturien Church which shined by the faith of Christ the Sun of righteousnes treading under foot the Worlds rudiments both Lawish shadows and Heathenish superstitions and triumphing in the Ensigns of Apostolic Ofspring Most Men make the Moon a Type of terren transitory things which the Church contemns as below hir self This is tru but no wher so noted in Scripture which should be our warrant Indeed most Fests wher Typical worship was celebrated by Sacrifices as new Moons Paschal Penticost Tabernacles and Ecclesiastic yeer were ordered by the Moons motion which may resemble Mosaical worship put under foot by reveling of Christ who blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances and nailed them Colos 2 14. to his Cross as St. Paul speaks So sith God made the Sun a great Light to rule the Day and Moon a lesser to govern the Night she may be a symbol to signify the power of darknes or Satans worship and his spirits in Idols wherby the matter may be referred to Baptism by which the Church being illumined trampled on Idolatry renouncing the Devil and al his works Hence such as abjured turned to the West wher night begins as contrarily al Professors of Christs Faith and holy Trinity looked to the East wher Sun dispelling darknes begins the day She being with Child cried travelling in birth and was in pain V. 2. to be delivered The Church universaly and separatly taken as an Idaa is a Mother but in relation to Children continualy begot in hir is said to travel or bring forth See Isai 54. 1. Ezek. 23. 4. Hosea 2. 45. The throws or torments in travel are painful pangs or paroxisms of persecution which the infant Church suffred in parturition For tribulations are usualy resembled to sorows in Childbearing Isai 66. 7. Jer. 30. 6 7. Mat. 24. 8 9. Marc 13. 8. and elswher Another wonder appeered in Heaven lo a great red Dragon V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with seven Heads and ten Horns and seven Crowns on his Heads his tail drew a third part of the Stars and cast them to the Earth This is a type of heathen Rome worshiping the Dragon who drew a third part of Stars with his tail to Earth or subjected three parts of the Worlds Rulers to his Empire The effigies of a Dragon points out his Pagan worshipers Enimies to Christianity as the Serpent was to the Womans seed but his rednes notes his embruing in the blood of Saints This type represents Pharaoh the old Synagogs cruel enemy bearing Children in Egypt as the Roman Dragon was of the Christian Church Ezek. 29 3. bearing hir Children For Ezekiel cals Pharaoh the great Dragon lying in midst of his Rivers and David saith thou brokest Ps 74. 13. 14. the heads of Dragons Egyptians in the waters The Dragon stood before the Woman ready for delivery to devour hir Child so soon as 't is born as Pharaoh laid wait for old Israel born in Egypt and Herod for Christ in Judea which places are sited in Afric and Asia so the Roman Dragon in Europ watched for mystical Christ which the Church was to bear that he might soon slay him after birth She brought a Manchild who was to rule al Nations with a V. 5. Rod or Scepter of Iron She bore mystical Christ formed in his Members not the Son of Man as St. Paul saith My litle Gal. 4 19. Children of whom I travel in birth again til Christ be formed in you Here a Christ is pourtraied as Prophetic types use not properly Theantropos but analogicaly a Son of the Church who was to rule al Nations with an Iron Scepter or Sword sith they were not Citizens or Denisens but Enemies Rev. 19. 15. or Aliens As 't is said Out of his mouth went a sharp Sword that he should smite the Nations for he shal rule them with a rod of Ps 2 9. iron Which words are taken from David and applyed to mystical Christ or a Christian Man to whom Christ the Head promiseth like power under name of the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 26. Hir Child was caught up to God and his Throne Real Christ is
Israel was freed from Egypt on Eagles wings as the Lord saith Yea hav seen how I bore you on Eagles wings Exod. 19 14. and brought you to my self By water cast out of the Dragons mouth is meant Words and Doctrin as Salomon saith The Prov. 18. 4. words of a Mans mouth are as deep waters wisdoms Welspring Prov. 15. 〈◊〉 as a flowing Brook So water here is pestilent poison of Heresies specialy Arrianism against Christs Deity which grew up in Constantins dais and spred far under his Successors totus mundâ— miratus est se tam subito factum Arrianum This was the Flood of water issuing from the Dragons mouth like to carry away the Woman for 't is wonder the new initiated Emperors seing such dismal discords had not faln from the Faith as Julian did to their old Dagon the Dragon as finding most unity in impiety The Earth helped the Woman which opened and swalowed the Vers 16. 17. Flood cast from the Dragons mouth That is the Orthodox Oecumenic Synods drank up that Diabolical Deluge as dry thirsty Earth doth water which is a fit figure therof specialy sith Earth is oft put for the Inhabiters The Dragon was wrath with the Woman and went to wage war with the remnent of hir Seed which keep Gods Commandments and hav the testimony of Jesus Christ This is an entry to the next Chapter and as a Prolog to a new Tragedy raised by the Dragon against the Woman who at first footing in the Desart was encountred by two Beasts not so hideous in shape as the Dragon whom she most dreaded which history must be unlocked or unfolded I stood on the Sand and saw a Beast risa up from the Sea having Rev. 13 v. 〈◊〉 seven heads and ten horns and on his horns ten Crowns and on his heads the name of Blasphemy The Dragon seing he could not prevail by his new Arrian devise nor reign as yerst in his own name being divested of the Empire covertly erected a Vicarian Kingdom to rais a new deputed form of Monarchy then beginning 'T is a twofold Beast ten horned and two horned neerly allied representing the Secular and Spiritual State which reign jointly The first is the ten Kingdoms into which Barbarians shared the Empire when the Dragon was expeld This is the septicep Roman Beast under the cours of the last Head which after bore the Whore being here described by ten Kingdoms wherin he shal as he did before blasphem the only tru God by Iconolo-Idolatry for as the number of seven Heads is the Roman Empires Ensign so the name of Blasphemy is a note of Idolatry The ten Crowns set on his horns shew he shal be subject to the last head and swayed by it as wil cleerly appeer in the sequel The Beast which I saw was like a Leopard his feet as of a Vers 2. Bear and mouth as a Lyon to whom the Dragon gav his power seat and great Authority Thes three Beasts are resembled by Daniel to the three first Monarchies Lion to the Assyrian Dan. 7. Bear to the Persian Leopard to the Grecian al which this last Kingdom resembles in a certain confused mixture For in Body it was a Leopard like the Grecian which was divided into four parts as this into ten in Feet a Bear like the Persian which managed State affairs by Magi as this doth Ecclesiastic by Moncs or other Shavlings In mouth a Lion like the Babylonian which made Edicts to worship golden Images on pain of death as this denounceth death to such as shal refuse to adore theirs Som interpret thes Beasts literaly of proper cruelty which this last Beast shal exercise and the text wil bear both senses Now that the ten horns are meant only of the last seventh cours and not promiscuously of al as most deem is thus demonstrated The horns which florish and vanish with their head could not be of the fiv first becaus they as the Angel attests passed in St. Johns age together with the courses of thos Rev. 17. 10. 12 Heads Nor the sixth becaus that reigning then the time of horns was not com as the said Angel apertly avers Ergo they remain to the last Head Such then as distribut the ten horns among seven heads giving one to som and two to others at pleasure are in evident error crossing the plain text and Angels interpretation becaus they belong soly to the seventh Head as aforesaid By power which the Dragon gav is meant his Militia or Army as the Septuagints use the word Pharaâ—hâ— Host and God is caled the Lord of Hosts Now Satans Hosts or Forces are evil Angels and Idols the Devils Receptacles Thos he gav to this last Beast together with his seat and great Authority viz. that universal dominion which he exercised in shape of a red Dragon but in far unlike form that he might beguile the Womans Seed in the wilderness for he demeaned not as before nor professed to be as he was a sworn Enimy to Christianity for then they would shun him out of inbred antipathy which God at first set betwixt them but when he put Gen. 3. 15. off a Serpents skin and shewed as a Leopard or Panther which Beast the Dragon loths but al els lov to look on for his beauty and sweet smel as Isodor informs it was easy to deceiv the L. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church being secure from his old form not deeming or dreaming such close Idolatry should be professed or practised in an Empire which pretended Christianity and demolished Idols under a new masque of Image worship I saw one of his heads the sixth as it were wounded to death V. 〈◊〉 by Michael and his deadly wound was healed by the salv of this substitut authority and al the World wondred at the Beast That the 7 headed Dragon or Heathen Rome was the Beast of the 6th head wheron the old Serpent sat is cleer becaus the 7th succeded next in the same Seal to whom the Dragon gav his Rev. 17. 1â— Seat For 't is said after that fiv are falen and one is the sixth in St. Johns time and the other not yet com for though the Beast stil appeered septicep and the heads kept order one after another yee the Beast with al his furniture of heads and horns is presented under any State So that the same Roman Kingdom may be every wher signified under several sorts or courses of Government The last ten horn'd Beast began at healing of the sixth Beasts wound but not before as the series shews For what ever evil he did or adoration was given him al is said to befal after curing of that wound for the whol world wondred at him being healed but none of thos blasphemous acts against God are cited before They worshiped the Dragon which gav power and the Beast Vers 4. saying Who is like the Beast who can make war with him They worshiped not the Beast
curious Comment modestly pretending he wil not meddle with Prophecies yet to com unfulfilled but left a few fleeces or fragments formerly scattered among friends which concern other mysteries contained in the last eight Chapters Som of thes he promiscuously and preposterously presents by peecemeal observing no such precise order of Chapters and paragraphs as before which shal be pithily abstracted Mystical Babylon the Metropolis of Antichristian Apostacy is the City or Sea of Rome somtime Christs spotless Spous Rom. 1. 8. whos Faith was famous over the World but since becam an Harlot and Mother of Harlots causing other Cities or sigâ—iories to commit fornication For though she be guilty of other Heresies as whores be of sundry Vices yet this spiritual whordom so much laid to old Israels charge is the grand Apostasy wherwith the great whore is marked This Vision is plainly shewed to John by one of the Phialbearing Rev 17. Angels and the interpretation reveled which is not Vers 8. usual to be literaly taken as ther dilivered 1. The Woman sitting on the Beast is that great City then reigning over the Kings of the Earth 2. The scarlet Beast carying the whore is the same shewed before in another shape viz. the Roman Vers 10. 11. Empire 3. The Beast with seven Heads or Romes seven Hils and seven forms of Governors in that State wherof fiv Kings Consuls Tribuns Decemvirs Dictators were falen before Johns time one of Caesars then extant which was to be changed into Christian Emperors of short continuance seeming to be the eighth yet indeed the seventh which is the Bearer of this whore not yet sprung up being not under the cours of the last Head the Popedom If then the sixth Beast Pagan Emperors reigning at Rome in Johns age ceased to be as it was abov twelv hundred yeers ago that which now swais ther is the seventh and last Ruler which he saw bear the whore Vers 12. 13. 4. The Beasts ten horns are ten Kingdoms not then risen into which the body of the Roman Beast should be rent in this last cours by the wound of this Caesarcan Beast al which should jointly confer their authority on the Beast that was to be cured Vers 14. 16. or restored under the Rule of that last Head now past 5. Thos ten Kingdoms which shal grow together under the fals Prophets Government being their Head shal fight with the Lamb but be overcom by him That war was waged long ago and is stil in action or agitation the Victory being in som sort atchieved but shal be accomplished much more gloriously For som of the ten Horns or Kings shal at length hate the Whore whom they so long bore and shal make hir desolar naked eat Vers 4 5. hir flesh and burn hir with fire as the Angel interprets 6. This Whore held in hir hand a golden Cup ful of abomination and filthines of his Fornication and on hir forehead was a name writ Mystery c. This needs no explication being taken from the common custom of Stews-Strumpets who drank philtres or amorous potions to their Paramores in a Cup of gold and the Cels or Chambers had several whores names set on them as Seneca Martial Juvenal and other Authors inform yea thos of most note had their name set in their foreheads as Juvenal seems to intimat of the insatiat Empress Messalina who assumed the name of Lycisca an infamous Prostitut Nuda papillis Constitit auratis titulum mentita Lyciscae She stood with bare gilt Paps bestained And by Lycisca's name hir self fained So this name Mystery Babylon the great Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth may fitly be applied either to the Whores person fastned on hir forehead or to the place set on hir Brothel hous the City Rome where she resides Concerning the seven Phials of Plagues poured out by seven Rev. 15. V. 2. 3. Angels preceding Antichrists ruin wher before any particular narration of Angels or Phials be made another Vision is exhibited together with them how the Church being clensed from Idolatrous pollutions in the sacred Laver or Sea of the Temple not made of brass like Salomons but of Glass or Crystal sung a triumphant hymn of Moses for hir victory over the Exod. 15. 1. Beast saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and tru are thy wais O King of Saints Then the clothing or preparation of the Angels with the Phials are described more particularly The seven Angels cam out of the V. 6. Temple clothed in pure whit linnen having their brests girded with golden girdles viz. in their Priestly habits 1. The pouring Ezek 44 17. out of Phials signifies the Antichristian Beasts ruin for as the Roman Kingdoms first state was to be subverted by the plagues of Trumpets so this last by Phials which argues a great parity betwen both sith this last bears the Image of the former Roman policy 2. The seven Phials are so many degrees of its ruin for as the Beast gradualy grew up so he is to be destroied by degrees 3. On what ever any Phial is poured that suffers som damage thereby sith 't is the effusion of Gods wrath 4. The Earth Sea Rivers Fountains Sun Beasts Seat Euphrates Air import somthing in the Antichristian Beast semblable or sutable for al Phials are poured on the Beast or somwhat of his which toucheth his safty or utility 5. The Beasts whol Body or Antichristian Univers is covertly compared as it was in the Trumpets to the worlds System whos principal parts are Heaven Earth Sea Rivers Lights 6. Becaus God useth Angels as Ministers of his Providence in governing the changes of Human affairs therfore such things as are to be acted by many are attributed or ascribed to an Angel as the guid and Ruler therof Thes be his previous cautions touching the Phials which folow in order The first Phial is poured on the Earth and there fel a noisom Rev. 16. V. 2. grievous sore on Men which had the Beasts mark and thos that worshiped the Image This is poured on the Beasts whol body the Earth which denots the People or common sort of Christians as Antichrists Footstool on which basis the Papal Hierarchy being built reacheth like Babels Tower to the very Skies This Phial fild the Beasts Folowers with fury like incurable Ulcers not to be cicatrized Which was fulfild by the Waldenses Albigenses Wicklifits Hussits and other pious Professors who renounced the Beast caling Rome apocalyptic Babylon and the Pope Antichrist which so inflamed his Sectaries with sores of indignation tyrannizing many yeers with Fire and Sword Yet al in vain their Ulcers were cureless like Exod. 9. 8 9. Egypts biles and botches sprinkled with dust and ashes wherto they mysticaly comply by way of Analogy The secund is poured on the Sea which becam as blood of a V. 3. dead Man and every living Soul died in the Sea
cruelty and under color of abolishing Idols introduce Iconolatry or new devised disguised Idolatry termed Blasphemy against God his Name when ought is divinely worshiped beside him his Tabernacle viz. Christs Humanity wherin the Deity dwels by transubstantiation and them that dwel in Heaven Angels and Saints whom they John 2. 19. adore in derogation of Christs sole Mediatorship of Intercession The company of one hundred forty four thousand Virgins Râ—â— â—4 per 〈◊〉 folowing the Lamb forecited at the seventh Seal to connect the two Prophecies signify the Church in midst of Papacy persisting faithful to the Lamb and his Father who are the Apostles genuin progeny multipled by twelv Then folow three Angels sharply warning al the Beasts worshipers to withdraw from thos Idolaters lest they perish eternaly The first monisheth to worship God soly and sincerely which the Greec Emperors Leo Isauricus and others fulfilled when they suppressed adoration of Saints Images and Reliques The next threatens mystical Babylon for spiritual fornication with inevitable destruction which the Albigenses and Waldenses Ministers of this Cry performed by Word Deed and Death boldly proclaiming Rome to be Apocalyptic Babylon and Pope the fals Prophet The third denounceth horrid hidious torments easless and endless to al the Beasts train that shal abide in his obedience After this folows the Churches vindication against his Enemies under the types of Harvest which intimats the Brides preparation by the Jews conversion and Turcish Empires confusion and also Vintage which is the Beasts dominion the Grapes being his folowers but the Wine-press Armageddon the Shambles or Slaughter place specified in the seventh Phial Wher the Grapes being gathered together by the Angel Vintager wâ—th the Saints help shal be trod by the Lord Jesus at his coming but both are obtained by praier of the Church Universal Next seven Angels having seven gold Phâ—als ful of Gods Rev. 15. per totâ—m wrath at whos pouring out the pure Church sung a triumphant Hymn of Moses and the Lamb signify the Antichristian Beasts ruin with the sevenfold plagues or degrees therof for whatever any Phial is poured on suffred prejudice therby The first is poured on the Earth or common sort of Christians Rev. 16. per totâ—m fulfilled by the Waldenses Albigenses Wiklifits Hussits and others The next on the Sea or Popes jurisdiction accomplished by Luther and other reformers The third on Rivers or Ministers and Maintainers of Antichristian Doctrins haply Priests and Jesuits by Laws executed in England or elswher The fourth on the Sun or German Empire stil in executing The fifth on the Beasts Throne Rome which shal be shortly effected The sixth on Euphrates to prepare a way for the East Kings or Jews conversion by removing the Ottoman Empire a main obstacle The seventh into the Air or Satan Prince therof which infolds al Christs Enimies to be levied under his conduct and shut up in Armageddon for the great battle After that mystical Babylon the great Whore is described to Rev. 17. per totum John resembled to a Woman in rich attire sitting on a scarlet Beast the Empire having seven heads seven Hils or seven sorts of successiv Rulers and ten horns or Kingdoms as the Empire is divided which may seem another Ruler but is the same being that great City reigning over the Kings of the Earth The gold Cup in hir hand alluds to Whores Stews where such pranks are plaid Afterward another Angel shews Babylons fal with great Rev. 18. lamentation made by Monarchs Merchants Mariners and mighty Men who bid Gods people com out of hir lest partaking of hir sins they receiv of hir plagues Then the Saints prais God for his judgments on the great Rev 19. Whore and avenging their blood after which folows the Lambs mariage with his Wife and the Fowls are caled by another Angel to the supper of the great slaughter when the Beast and fals Prophet were taken and cast a life into a Lake of fire burning with brimstone The seventh Trumpet with the thousand yeers pertaining Rev. 20. granted to new Jerusalem Christs Spous on this Earth signifying the day of Jndgment is circumscribed with two real resurrections 1. As the morning beginning with the Judgment of Antichrist and fals Prophet the chaining of Satan the Devil and casting him into the bottomless pit for a thousand yeers after which he shal be loosed a short space 2. As the Evening ending with the general Resurrection and Judgment when the wicked shal be cast into Hel to be tormented for ever and the Saiâ—â—s translated into Heaven to reign with Christ their King for evermore Mr. More who translated the whol work into English made this compend of the Comment not the Key of Synchronicisms which is here much alterâ—d abridged and accommodated to vulgar capacities being made most pervious and perspicuous differing mainly from the Translators patern and more conform to the Authors prototype Monitio pro Catholicis A warning for Catholics HEnce results a caution or Conclusion to al Roman Catholics worth serious observation which concerns neerly their eternal bliss or bale joy or pain 1. That Rome is mystical Babylon or great whore with whom the Kings and Earths Inhabiters commit spiritual fornication and from whom we are bid to depart lest we partake of hir plagues al so plainly proved or pourtraied as cannot be comptroled or contradicted 2. That Iconolatry flatly forbid by the very letter of the secund Commandment which is therfore expunged and the last bipartited being otherwise before is Analogical Idolatry or Devil-worship though not the self same with Heathen but disguised under new names or notions of Angels and Saints which are made Mediators of Intercession yet thos blessed Spirits hear not their Orisons and hate such honors as derogatory to our Kingly Redeemer who is sole Intercessor between God and Man 3. That the whol Papacy or body of Religion under the Pope as Head is the Beast with two horns like a Lamb whos Vicar he pretends to be but speaks as a Dragon in the Doctrins of new devised Idolatry and Mens Traditions 4. That the Pope is the fals Prophet and seven headed Beasts Image which he caused to be caled the holy Roman Empire whos Seat Power and Authority he assumes 5. That Roman Catholic which is contradictio in Adjecto sith no particular Church can be caled Catholic or Universal is the Beasts name and Oath of Supremacy wherby Men are reconciled to the Pope or Church of Rome his mark without which none may buy or sel spiritual wares both being badges belonging to the Popish Profession 6. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latin oâ— Roman in numeral Greec Letters makes 666 the number of the Beasts name which the holy Ghost bids Men to observ neerly and precisely points out who he is 7. That the Papal State is the Rev. 17. 5. 6 Woman richly clad on whos forehead was writ a mystery Great Babylon
drunken with the blood of Saints sitting on a scarlet Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns which can be no other then the Roman Empire and thos States over which the Papacy bears sole sway 8. That the real destruction of mystical Babylon and consummation of the Beasts whol Kingdom with al their Complices or Confederats is the Harvest ripe to be reaped into which the Son of Man shal speedily thrust his sickle to cut it down And the Vintage or Wine-press also of Gods wrath ready to be poured on them 9. That the whol Papacy with Antichrist Head of that Society is the Beast and fals Prophet which shal be tormented in a Lake of Fire and Brimstone for ever wherto to the Devil is to be cast 10. The Papal Emissaries Priests Jesuits Friers and other Shavlins are the three unclean Spirits of Devils like Frogs coming forth from the mouth of the Dragon Beast and fals Prophet to work miracles who are sent to the Kings of the whol World to gather them unto battle of that great day of God Almighty in Armageddon Al which premisses are largely and lucidly proved in the previous Comment if impartialy perused and imprejudicatly pondered Els ask your Ghostly Fathers on whom ye rely for the food of life lest they giv poison for milk what other Babylon or great whore is meant but Rome or which is the great City that made al Nations drink the wine of hir Spiritual Fornication What Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns on whom the Whore rides beside the Roman Empire Who is the two hornd Beast like a Lamb which spake as a Dragon and who the fals Prophet or Antichrist but the Pope What Image of the seven hornd Beast is ther except the two hornd or who revived that Image sav Pope Leo 3 What other name or mark of the Beasts Folowers so apt as Roman Catholic and Oath of Papal Supremacy What fitter number of the name 666 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether Iconolatry be not larved Idolatry or Diabolatry and whether be any warrant for it in al Gods Word What woman els richly attired sitting on a scarlet Beast with seven heads and ten horns can be typified if not Rome or on whos forhead is writ Mystery sav in the Popes triple Diadem or to whom doo the words great Babylon Mother of Harlots drunken with the blood of Saints any way consort or correspond but only to the Papal power which hath shed the innocent blood of many millions meerly for matters of Conscience and Religion O then lay thes things deeply to heart as ye tender your saâ—ing health Com out of Babylon betimes while 't is caled to day lest siding with hir in the same sins ye partake of hir everlasting plagues and punishments What plainer description can St. John giv of the woman in glorious garments Here is Rev. 17. 9 12 13. 18. the Mind which hath Wisdom the seven Heads are seven Mountains on which the Woman sits and ten horns ten Kings who receiv power one hour with the Beast thes hav one mind and shal giv their strength to the Beast The Woman is that great City which reigns over the Kings of the Earth If then ye wil be wise to salvation serch the Scriptures seriously and sincerely which are therfore interdicted to Laics lest they should see what the Woman is which sits on seven Mountains and many waters importing multituds of People under hir power or what the mighty City Babylon mentioned Rev. 18 al Read Rev. 18. incessantly which chapter is worth perpetual perusal Hir Merchandise ther specified is Gold Silver pretious Stones Pearls fine Linnen Purple Silk Scarlet Thyin Wood al sorts of Ivory Vessels of pretious Wood Brass Iron and Marble Cinnamon Odors Ointments Frankincens Wine Oil fine Flour Wheat Beasts Sheep Horses Charets Slavs and Souls of Men. In hir was found the blood of Prophets Saints and al that were slain on Earth Now ruminat hereon what City els makes Merchandise of Mens Souls or is drunk with Saints blood 'T is too too evident to every ey Therfore listen what the Angel saith aloud If any Rev. 14 9 10 11. worship the Beast and his Image or receiv his mark in forhead or hand he must drink the Wine of Gods wrath poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation and shal be tormented with fire and brimstone in presence of the holy Angels and the Lamb and the smoak of their torments ascends up for ever and ever They hav no rest day or night who worship the Beast and his Image or receiv the mark of his name That is be reconciled by the Oath of Papal Supremacy The holy Ghost in al thes Prophetic predictions doth not pourtrai Chymaeras or Mathematical fictions but real places and persons which can no where be found in Vtopia or al the World over sav only in that great City which hath for so many ages reigned as Empress over Nations both in hir temporal capacity and spiritual This Rev. 18. 4. then is a fair forewarning to the Beasts Folowers or Roman Catholics how dreadful dangers hang over their heads unles they speedily shun his society as al Gods People by voice from Heaven are bid to doo O then renounce hir communion for fear of this direful commination sith it so much behovs your eternal bliss God of his goodnes grant that we may at last be brought into one fold or unity of Faith under one Shepherd of our Souls the sole Mediator al sufficient betwen God and Man Which effect if it shal pleas God to produce in al or any that shal read thes lines the labor is happily emploied For a surplusage hear Mr. Medes deep disâ—urs touching the Supplement origin of Idolatry or Doctrin of Devils Belus Bel or Baal son to Nimrod was the first mortal Man made a God or Deified by his son Ninus from which first Bel or Baal al other Demons were denomined Baalims as the Romans stiled their Emperors Caesars from Julius the Egyptians their last Kings Pâ—olomes from Lagus and other Nations theirs in like sort Plutarch tels that Mens Souls after death took divers degrees becoming first Heroes as Probationers to a Demonship and after Demons or a sublimer dignity as they deserved but Heroes and Demons diffred only in antiquity the elder Heroes being caled Demons and contrarily Soul-Demons or Mortals Deified after death are like Saints whom Papists adore and their Images as Heathen Idols but the other Numens Jupiter Mars Sun Moon parallel to Angels The Gentils plead or pretend they worship not stocks and stones the works of their own hands but the Heroes or Souls in them as the Israelits adored God in the golden Calf So Papists assume the same Apology for Iconolatry that they worship not the Image but thing represented Nam Deus est quod Imago docet sed non Deus ipsa Hanc videas sed mente colas quod cernis in illa
but 't is said the Gentils shal tread the holy City Rev. 13. 5. under foot fourty two months and the Beasts blasphemies shal continu the same space Al which sorts of sums are one and sute each other For the fourth Beasts three times and half in Daniel make fourty two months or one thousand two hundred threescore dais according to twelv months and three hundred sixty dais in a yeer So the Womans hiding for a time times and half or fourty two months or one thousand two hundred threescore dais uniformly or sinchronicaly signify one thousand two hundred sixty yeers Some suppose natural dais not annal are meant which make three yeers and half or fourty two Hebrew months or one thousand two hundred threescore dais simply which cannot be sith the holy City hath bin calcitrated the Witnesses prophecied the Woman nourished and the ten hornd Beast blasphemed long ago nor is it possible to accomplish al things ther spoken in so short a space 'T is writen your Children shal wander in the wildernes fourty Num. 4. 33. yeers after the number of fourty dâ—is in which ye searched the Ezek. 4 6. Land ech day for a yeer Again thou shalt bear their iniquity fourty dais I hav appointed ech day for a yeer John Napier and most Expositors jointly agree that Prophetic dais are meant which imply yeers So three times and half fourty two months and one thousand two hundred sixty dais being univocal or consignificant begin and end together as the Beasts three times and half commence with the Womans For when the red Dragon was cast to Earth by suppressing Heathen Idolatry he persecuted the Woman by the ten hornd Beast to whom he gav his Power Seat and great Authority but she fled and was fed in the wildernes one thousand two hundred Rev. 13 2. threescore dais The Beasts time and two Witnesses expires with the sixth trumpet Ergo they began together So the Gentils trampling on the holy City and two Witnesses time initiats at once but sith the Angel in Daniel speaks Dan. 12 7 11. of three times and half and after of one thousand two hundred ninty dais which are thirty mo then one thousand two hundred sixty precited many make doubt whether both signify the same Most Authors assert them for one but the Text infers it not and futures were only obscurely reveled to Daniel For three times and half concur with one thousand two hundred threescore dais which is the duration of the Beasts dominion but one thousand two hundred ninty is the terminus a quo of another Chronical computation to commence thirty yeers before it and expire both together So the two sums speak darkly of several subjects The words are thes indoctos docâ—o From the time that the daily Sacrifice shal ceas and abomination of desolation set up ther shal be one thousand two hundred ninety â—ais Now listen how he assoils it this time begins under Julian Apostat A. C. 363. or as som Chronologers comput A. 365 when the greatest devastation of Jerusalems Temple hapned to fulfil Christs prediction that not a stone should be left on Mat. 24 2. a stone as Cyril then Patriarch of Palestin acknowledged For tho the daily Sacrifice or Jewish Service ceased when Titus sacked Jerusalem yet was it not quit abolished sith the Jews under Constantin celebrated the Passover ther having hope to rebuild the Temple which Julian to despit Christians encouraged them to doo furnâ—shing them with meat mony and materials At which time God sent suâ—h thâ—nder lightning bals of fire and Earthquakes as disgorged the foundations killâ—d divers workmen and deterred al to persist which was the abominable desolation foretold by Christ from Daniel So the one thousand two hundred three score annal dais must inchâ—at thirty yeers later A. 395. at Theodosius death but terminat together A. 16â—5 next yeer as shal be shewed Here we must consider whether the Characters set on the 1 Character said sums may concur or cohere which are three 1. The Roman Empires bipâ—rtit division in thes words To the Woman Râ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were given two wings of a great Eagle to fly into hir place in the Wildernes The two wings are the Empires two parts as Theodosius shared it betwen his two Sons An. 395. to which Aera al three characters coincide but then the Barbarians broke in treading the holy City under foot and the Woman flâ—d into the Desart 2. The holy City is given the Gentils to tread on fourty 2 Character two months At Constantins conversion the Womans new born Child was set on Gods Throne and the Dragons worship got a great bâ—ow but Theodosius cast him to ground yet at his death the holy Cities calâ—itration commenced under his two young Sons when Goths Huns Alans and others under conduct of Alaric swarmed in on al sides first of the East Empire and after of the West who took Rome An. 410 destroying Churches and persecuting Christians in al places 3. A Beast rose out of the Sea having seven heads and ten 3 Character Rev. 13. 2. horns and on his horns ten Crowns Old Heathen Rome is resembled to a red Dragon with seven heads Hils and ten horns Provinces and upon his heads in Rome City seven Crowns or seven sorts of suprem Rulers forenamed but the Christian Empire hath ten Crowns on ten horns not seven on seven heads being the ten Kingdoms into which it was parted Now the beginning of this Beast was when it first rose out of the Sea under Alaric An. 395. but the ten horns were not ful grown til threescore yeers after An. 455. when ten Kings or thereabout reigned distinctly So al three characters 1. the spreading of the Eagles two wings when the Woman fled 2. The ten hornd Beasts rising out of the Sea at Alaâ—iâ—s entry 3. The Gentils treading the holy City comply or contemporize at once An. 395. but Daniels abomination which is to continu one thousand two hundred ninety dais being not the same with the Womans flight befel under Julian thirty yeers sooner An. 365. yet shal determin both together An. 1655. as aforesaid For al Writers date the downfal distraction and destruction of the fourth Monarchy at Theodosius death the last single intire Emperor after which it declined decaied or decreased daily This is very obvious or pâ—rspicuous but he makes the six 6000. yeers of the Worlds continuance to end at the same time A. 1655. by his wrested calculation wherin Chronologers infinitly vary which argues partiality of a Man wedded to his own opinion Yet the comparison of 1656. yeers from Mans creation to the Floods initiation corresponds somwhat semblably to our next yeer 1655. consummar or 1656. inchoat that the first destruction by VVater may symphonize or synchronize with the last by Fire if any faith may be given to such Chronical conjectures Howbeit we may make this use of it as Christ bids us Watch
Pray and lift up your Heads 1 Thes 5. 2 3. for your redemption is at hand but such as liv securely as assured of their salvation speaking peace and safety to their Souls Sudden destruction shal com upon them as travel on a Woman With Child and they shal not escape The day of the Lord shal com as a Thief in the night therfore watch and pray for great things and terrible revolutions are at dore to befal at end of A. 1655. wherin this Author is most confident who proceds thus It rests to be shewed 1. What hitherto hath bin fulfilled 2. What at present is effected 3. What shortly is to be expected which is chiefly contained in the 11. and 16. Chapters The Revelation describes the State of Christs Church in the new Testament and what shal betide the fourth Monarchy under which it subsists This description includs three Periods of time 1. The Dragons Ethnic Kingdom when seven Crowns 1 Period stood on his seven Heads being publicly adored and Christians persecuted by Pagan Emperors to which reign Constantin Rev. 12. 3. Rev. 13. 1. 2. put a Period A. 312. and the Church triumphed til Theodosius died A. 395. At which time the Devil left his shape of a Dragon resigning his Host Seat and great Authority to the Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns which rose from the Sea 2. Antichrists Vicarian Lieftenentship under the Dragon 2 Period Rev. 12. 15 16. from A. 395. til A. 1655. now neer During which space the Pope or fals Prophet blasphemed Gods name and persecuted his Saints for one thousand two hundred sixty yeers but when the Dragon was cast to ground he cast water out of his mouth as a Flood to carry away the VVoman that is he stirred the North Nations to invade the Empire and infest the Church but the Earth swalowed the Flood for they embraced Christanity and erected sundry Kingdoms The Dragon seing Idolatry could not be publicly erected resigned to the Beaâ—t risen from the Sea on which the great Whore or Antichrist the Dragons Deputy Vicar crept up in thos wars rode his seat power and authority viz. his host of Devils or Idols wherin Ethnics worshiped him which his Antichristian Vicar stil continues under the name of Saints Herof St. John speaks Rev. 13. 3 4. al the World wondred at the Beast but worshiped the Dragon which gav him power and the Beast also saying who is like him or able to make War with him This Lieftenentship is to last forty two months or one thousand two hundred sixty annal dais which beginning A. 395. must end A. 1655. as is said Then folows the Churches tru peace or prosperity at last 3 Period Rev 20. 1 2 3. Period for at sound of the seventh Trumpet the seventh Wo cam on the Empire and the seventh Phial of Gods wrath was poured oâ—â— wherwith the Churches Enimies are cut off and the Devil shut up in the bottomless Pit for one thousand yeers so that nothing but tru tranquillity can insu Hence the Church Rev. 11. 15. exults with great voice saying the Kingdoms of this World are becom the Lords and his Christs who shal reign for ever To thes three times al three Parts of the Apocalyps are Analysis squared for the Son of God desâ—ribes the state of his Church and what shal befal the Empire in a triple maner 1. By seven Epistles chap. 2. and 3. 2. By a Book sealed ch 4. 5. 6. 7. 3. By a litle open Book ch 10. to the end He also appeered to John in several shapes 1. As a Son of Man ch 1. who suffred in the fiâ—â—t Period 2. As a Beast like a Lamb with seven Horns and seven Eys ch 5. which fights in the secund Period 3. As a strong Angel clothed with a Cloud ch 10. who reigns having al things put under his feet in the third last Period As a Son of Man in mâ—â—st of seven golden Candlesticks he declares the Churches condition in general by seven Epistles wherof the two siâ—st belong to the first Period the â—iv last to the se und but the Promises ch 2. and 3. to the last As a Lamb he opens the sealed Book Gods hidden Decree implying the Roman Empires estate distinctly under which the Church is built and subsists ch 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. and 9. viz. in the Politic State for the first Period til A. 395. which by opening the six first Seals is performed the Ethnic Emperors condition is shewed in the first fiv but the fal of Paganism in the sixth from Constantin to Theodosius death In the secund Period from A. 395. to 1655. when the seventh Seal is to be opened seven Angels with seven Trumpets declare by seven Judgments then executed the Empires ruin Ch. 8. 1. By Barbarians A. 395. 2. By Romes first sackage A. 410. 3. By suppressing the West Empire in Augustulus A. 476. 4. By abolishing al public Offices A. 552. 5. By Sarrasens as the first Wo tels ch 9. 1. to 12. 6. By Turcs ch 9. 13 to 19. 7. By Papists palpable Idolatry Murders Sorceâ—ies Fornications and other abominable sins as in the secund Wo ch 9. 20 21. In the third Period at entry of A. 1655. the seventh Angel sounds and Judgment is executed with the third Wo on the Churches Enimies wherby Gods mystery is fulfilled ch 10. 9. As an Angel covered with a Cloud having a litle Book opened which John swalowed he foretels what shal befal the Ecclesiastic State in al three Periods 1. The Church is built up under persecutions ch 11. 1 2. 2. 'T is gloriously beautified with the Sun having the Moon under foot as despising al mundan things and a Crown of twelv Stars the twelv Apostles on hir Head ch 12. 1. 2. 3. The red Dragon raiseth many Heresies and troubles but Constantin as Michael overcam him and expeld Heathenism v. 9. In the secund Period thes seven Synchronicisms are set forth 1. The holy City trod down by the Gentils ch 11. 2. 2. The two VVitnesses mourn in sack cloth v. 3. to 10. 3. The VVoman fled into the Desart ch 12. 6 to 14. 4. The ten hornd Beast blasphems God and makes war with the Saints 5. The two hornd drivs a pety pedâ—ing trade ch 13. per totum 6. The company of one hundred forty four thousand sing a new Hymn and liv blamless ch 14. 1. to 6. 7. The VVhore of Babylon or Papal Hierarchy rides and rules the ten hornd Beast of free accord ch 17. Herupon God forewaâ—nd hir by declaring his plagues and punishments ch 15. and 16. but when no redres folowd he past sentence to confound hir Hence in the third Period the Churches joy or ovation over hir Enimies total ruin is displaied with hir wished peace or tranquillity ch 19. Thes are the general Contents of al but many mo important particulars relating to our times occur which shal be summarily collected for the Churches
Fire was cast into Sea and a third part becam Blood At the third A great Star caled Wormwood burning as a Lamp fel making a third part of Rivers and Fountains bitter that many died of them At fourth A third part of Sun Moon and Stars was darkned that the day and night for a third part shined not Here intervens as a preparatory transition to the three last Trumpets An Angel flying through midst of Heaven crying a loud Wo Wo Wo to the Earths Inhabiters by reason of the three Angels yet to sound The fift sounded which is the first Ch 9. 1 Wo. of Wo And a Star fel from Heaven to Earth and he opened the bottomless Pit with a Key whence arose Smoke darkning Sun and Air out of which cam Locusts whos effects are notably described together with their King Abaddon or Apollyon The sixt or secund Wo sounded whâ—ch 2 Wo. Ch. 10. loosed four Angels bound at Euphrates who were prepared to slay a third part of Men their Army being two hundred thousand thousand Horsmen which are largely described with their woful effects Here a mighty Angel Jesus Christ descended with a litle Book in his hand open who set his right Foot on the Sea and left on Earth swearing with lifted up hands by him that livs for ever ther should be no more time but at sound of the seventh Trumpet the mystery of God shal be finished as he declared to the Prophets This Angel cried loud as if a Lion roared or seven Thunders uttered their voices which John was about to writ but a voice from Heaven bid him seal it up and eat the little Book which in his mouth was sweet as Hony but made his Belly bitter that he might Prophecy Then â—b 11. was John bid to mesure Temple Altar and Worshipers with a reed but not the out Court for the Gentils must tread the holy City under foot forty two Moneths and he gav his two Witnesses power to Prophecy one thousand two hundred sixty dais clad in Sack-cloth but the beast rising from the bottomless Pit shal kil them whos dead Bodies shal ly in the street of the great City three dais and half unburied who shal reviv and ascend to Heaven to their Enimies great grief and terror The seventh 3 Wo. or third of Wo sounded which finished Gods mysteries and his Churches miseries then were great voices heard in Heaven saying the Kingdoms of this World are becom the Lords and his Christs to whom the twenty four Elders sung a gratulation attended with Lightnings Thundrings Voices Earthquake and great Hail Here the first Prophecy or System of Visions which contains chiefly the fourth Empires condition ends after which the secund contemporar with the former of Seals and Trumpets folows foretelling the Churches future state til the last day Herin three principal points are handled 〈◊〉 1. Hir tribulations 4 Vision by several Enemies 2. Hir deliverance by their destruction 3. Hir happy condition after deliverance Most Interpreters make both Visions one continued Prophecy yet not so properly tho in substance neer one The Churches persecutions Ch. 12. by several Enimies are pourtraied in this fourth Vision but the parturient Womans pursuit by the Dragon most pointly who waged war with the remnent of Hir seed The Dragons Ch. 13. instruments are the Beast with seven heads and ten borns rising from the Sea and that coming out of the Earth which had two horns like a Lamb but spake as a Dragon The events Ch. 14. of this persecution is the Saints victory by their constant confession of Christ even to death which is amplified by the causes and effects The Vision of seven Phials ful of Gods wrath and the seven 5 Vision last plagues poured out by seven Angels declare the Churches Ch. 15. deliverance by hir Enimies destruction The first poured his Ch. 16. plagues on the Earth the next on the Sea the third on Rivers and Fountains the fourth on the Sun the fift on the Beasts seat the sixt on Euphrates the seventh into the Air whos effects see in the context In the sixt Vision many mysteries are manifested being before 6 Vision Ch. 17. but obscurely mentioned which point out the Rise Reign Seat Vassals Success and final fal of Antichrist with al the Churches Enimies Here behold the great Whores judgment and event wherin a lifely description of the Whore to be judged both by visional representation of a Woman sitting on a scarlet Beastful of Names of Blasphemy having on hir forehead a Name writen A Mystery Babylon the Great Mother of Harlots and Abominations and by real explanation that the Beasts seven Heads are seven Hils and ten Horns ten Kingdoms The Instruments which shal destroy the Whore are thos ten Horns or Kings who shal hate and make hir desolat or naked eat hir flesh and burn hir with fire The promulgation Ch. 1â— of Babylons perdition is performed by three Angels one declares the certainty 't is falen and becom the habitation of Devils another warns al Gods People to com out of hir for fear of hir plagues setting forth hir Vâ—ssals sad laments crying alas alas that great City the last seals up hir ruins irrecoverablenes under the type of A great Milstone cast into the Sea Then folow gratulatory Ch. 19. exultations of the Heavenly company singing Halelujah to God both for the Whores judgment and preparation of the Lambs Wife to marry with him together with the Lamb and his Armies total conquest over the Beast fals Prophet and earthly Kings with their Armies wherto al Fowls are invited to eat their flesh The last Vision shews the event of the Whores judgment 7 Vision Ch. 20. which is triple 1. The Saints safety by chaining up the Dragon or Devil for one thousand yeers in the bottomless pit 2. The Martyrs living and reigning with Christ one thousand yeers but the rest of the dead lived not again til thos yeers were finished 3. The Saints miraculous deliverance from the Nations Gog and Magog by fire from Heaven to devour them when their Deceiver is cast into a Lake of fire and Brimstone wherupon folows the general judgment of the dead smal and great according to their works So far the Church Militants future state on Earth next folows the Triumphants happy condition in Heaven for ever which is gloriously decyphered with the Water of Life and Tree in midst of the Street as the Text Ch. 211 Ch. 22. shews The conclusion with its three parts is Analysed at first among the three chief Heads of this Prophecy which shal not be Tautologicaly repeated or reiterated Mr. Dury in a prolix Preface to the German Divines Clavis hath prefixed an ample Analysis which is abundantly abridged and annexed for variety of wit The Title tels that the Book Ch. 1. v. 1. is a Revelation of Jesus Christ who is the Subject-matter sith the sole scope is
with the remnent of hir seed 2 While she abode ther wher two Beasts occurred one rising from the Sea with seven Chap. 13. heads and ten horns and on his horns ten Crowns with the name of Blasphemy on his heads A secund coming out of the Earth who had two horns like a Lamb but spake as a Dragon he did great wonders making fire descend from Heaven and deceived them that dwel on Earth bidding them make an Image to the other Beast which was wounded and did liv and caused such as would not worship it to be slain He also made al receiv a mark in their right hands or foreheads that none might buy or sel sav he that had the mark name or number of his name which is 666. During thes Beasts joint reign the Churches state on mount Chap. 14. Sion and Gods imparting his Wil to the World touching the everlasting Gospel Babylons future fal punishment of the Beasts folowers and gathering the Harvest and Vintage are declared Gods Judgments on the Beast are poured out in seven Chap. 15. golden Phials of his last plagues by seven Angels coming out of the Temple in Heaven clothed with pure white linnen and their brests girded with gold girdles The first poured his on the Earth Chap. 16. and a noisom sore fel on the Beasts worshipers The secund poured his on the Sea which becam as blood of a dead Man The third his on Rivers and Fountains which turnd to blood The fourth his on the Sun which scorched Men with fire that they blasphemed Gods name The fift his on the Beasts seat whos Kingdom was darkned that Men gnawed their toungs for torment The sixt his on Euphrates which was dried up that the way of the Eastern Kings might be prepared The seventh his into the Air whence folowed Voices Lightnings Thunders and such a mighty Earthquake as the like was never seen by Men and huge hail 〈◊〉 every stone weighing a Talent and Men blasphemed God 〈◊〉 of this plague Ther cam three unclean Spirits of Devils lik â—â—ogs from the mouths of the Dragon Beast and fals Prophet which by lying miracles gathered the Kings to battel of that great day of God Almighty at Armageddon Next the judgment and mystery of Babylons great Whore sitting on a scarlet Beast with seven Chap. 17. heads and ten horns is shewed to John that the seven heads are seven hils and ten horns ten Kings After it Babylons destruction Chap. 18. is declared and great lamentation of several sorts made for it as may ther be read 3 As she cam out of the wildernes Chap. 19. great gratulations are given to God for perdition of Babylon and preparation for the Lords marriage with his wife then the Armies of Heaven on whit Horses under conduct of Christ caled the Word of God who had on his vesture and thigh a name writen King of Kings and Lord of Lords made war with the Beast fals Prophet and Kings wherto an Angel invited al Fowls to eat the flesh of the slain but the Beast and fals Prophet were taken and cast alife into a lake burning with fire and brimstone 4. During hir reign with Christ after she cam out Chap. 20. of the wildernes one thousand yeers when Satan being loosed a little space shal deceiv the Nations Gog and Magog to gather them to battel but fire cam from God and devoured them Lastly A new Heaven and Earth caled the holy City new Jerusalem Ch. 21. Ch. 22 coming down from God prepared as a Bride for hir Husband is pourtraied at large Thes Analyses in a prosal method or maner are plainer better At end of his Annotations and briefer for the vulgar sort then such as are set in Sections and Subsections but Dr. Deodat hath a very ample one on the Apocalyps in substance the same with the 2 former or very litle varying which he that lists may survey Now to my main task The Author of Apocalyps is John the Divine Christs best Introduction beloved Disciple Son to Zebedee a Fisher Man and Brother of James the greater whom Herod the King â—lu with the Sword who wrot the fourth Gospel and three general Epistles but not John a Presbyter in thos dais as Eusebius and Dionysius Alex deem nor any other of that name as al Antients agree for he only was exiled to Patmos A. C. 97 wher thos Rev. 1. 9 10. Rev. 1. vers 1 2 11. Visions were presented on the Lords day to which he gav that appellation mis-named by many the Sabbath without any Scriptural warrant nor did any of the Fathers so stile it The Authority also is every way divine being indited by Christ Jesus Authority as God gav it him and sent to John by an Angel that he should communicat it to the Churches who wrot it in a Book and sent it to the seven Churches of minor Asia So John imparted it to the Churches an Angel to John Christ to the Angel and God to Christ Jesus what can be a more divine Origin or Pedigree Specialy being an inspired Prophecy For Moses the Man of God and his peculiar Favorit had the honor to Pen the first Book of the old Testament and John Christs chief favorit the last of the new Testament so the one commands old Israelits not to ad or take from Gods Word Deut. 4. 2. and the other threatens al which shal ad to the Words of his Prophecy that God wil inflict the plagues writen therin but Rev. 22. 18 19. if any shal detract God wil take away his part from the Book of Life and holy City The Excellence of it apppeers many wais for the stile is Excellence most statly and sublime the matter ful of Majesty and Mystery the expressions pathetical and pithy som mystical in dark Visions to exercise the Judgments of the wisest som more facil or familar to succour the infirmities of the weakest Much more might be added ingeneral but I hasten to Mr. Medes Clavis and Comment whom Dr. Twiss highly admires saying he hath sundry rare notions stiled Specimina or Essais wherin he excels specialy in rendring the Revelations right sens which is most Tropical or Figurativ As in the mystery Rev. 12 of the battle in Heaven and casting Satan to Earth he shews that Stats and Kingdoms in the politic World are resembled in Scripture sutable to the Natural wherin Heaven and Earth denot the Nobility and Commonalty For Heaven consists of Sun Moon and Stars of greater or lesser magnitud as in a Realm is a King Queen Nobles and other officers of divers degrees but on Earth is much more variety of Creatures as Trees Herbs Flowers Fishes Beasts Serpents so among People of any Community no less difference of Trades and Professions He destinguisheth the whol Prophecy into the Book closed Division with seven Seals comprising an History from the Gospels first preaching to the Worlds
end which sets forth the fates or fortunes of the Roman Empire and the litle open Book which includs the doings or destinies of the Christian Church The first presents the seven Seals and seven Trumpets for the seventh Seal produceth the seven Trumpets 1. The first six Seals contain the story of the Empires condition or continuance til Constantin when ther being a marvelous metamorphosis from Pagan to Christian this change is compared to the Worlds end and by giving of a new which is very semblable 2. The seven Trumpets which contain the seven Rev. 9. Seals represent Gods judgments on the World for opposing the Gospel and oppressing the Saints 1. By Ethnic Emperors for which the dition or dominion was gradualy rent into ten Kingdoms Which is unfolded in four degrees therof being the subject of the four first Trumpets 2. The other three are termed Wo Trumpets denouncing divine judgments on the Antichristian World or degenerat Stats of Christiendom 1. By Sarrasens in the first Wo Trumpet 2. By Turcs in the Rev. 11. 15. secund 3. By the Worlds end in the last Medi Clavis Expositio Med's Key and Exposition HIs Clavis contains sundry Synchronicisms or concurrences The Key of things in one time set forth under the Seals For ther is a Quaternion of Prophecies Synchronizing in equality or identity of Time 1 Of The Womans abode in the Wildernes for a time times and half 2. Of The seven headed Beast restored and ruling forty two months 3. Of The out-Court or holy City troden by the Gentils so long 4. Of The two Witnesses prophecying in Sack-cloth one thousand two hundred sixty daies al which three times signify the same For chronical identity hinders not but one may be before or after another tho they agree in term of yeers therfore the coevity shal be proved by other characters that they belong to the self same times 1. The times of the Beast and Womans mansion in the Rev. 12. 6. 14. Wildernes begin at one instant viz. the Dragons foil when he was cast to the Earth for when Michael threw him from Heaven the Woman escaped Ergo they identicat 2. The times of the Beast and Two Witnesses testimony Rev 11. 7. being also equal expire together at end of the sixth Trumpet Ergo they commenced at once and synchronize throughout 3. The Witnesses times and the Court or holy City possessed Ibid. v 2. 13 18. by the Gentils forty two months which conspire as al grant Ergo they synchronize most exactly and equaly 4. The Woman in the Wildernes the Beasts dominion treading down the holy City and two Witnesses prophecying jointly concur Ergo al four synchronize 5. Now for the next Synchronicism The two hornd Rev. 13. v. 3. to 15. Beast wherin the fals Prophet is Head complies with the seven-Headed or ten Hornd Beast caled the other Beasts Image which when his deadly wound was restored to pristin estate was to rule forty two months and thos being ended he did great wonders exercising al his power in the seven Headed Beâ—sts presence but both are taken and cast alife into a firy Lake burning Rev. 19 v. 20. with Brimstone Ergo both sympathizing in their rise and ruin wherof one used the others power in his presence contemporize throughout Wher Note that whatever is ascribed Note to the Septicep Beast of the evil he commited or worship given him was doon after his instauration or cure of the wound but the ten Horns belong to his first Head or restored estate as the Angel informs saying Ther are seven Kings Rev. 17 10. fiv are falen one is and the last is not yet com which must continu a short space so the sixth was then in St. Johns dais but the Horns not then com Ergo it must pertain to the seventh or last Head The two hornd Beast and fals Prophet are one as Irenaeus Appâ—ndix observed as by comparing Rev. 13. v. 13. to 16. with Rev. 19. v. 20. wil cleerly appeer The septicep ten-hornd Beast Rev. 13 12 14. is caled the Beasts Image Rev. 14. 9 11. Rev. 15. 2. Rev. 16. 2. Rev. 19. 20. Rev. 20. 4. For this Beast acknowledging the fals Prophet to be his restorer is ruled by his Wil as suprem Lord and cald his Image not whos similitud he bears for in that respect he rather resembles the seven headed Dragon nor of his estate before the wound after whos exemple he blasphemed God and made war with the Saints but that which the two hornd Beast speaking as a Dragon restored and claims for his own the Genetiv being passivly taken to signify the Possessor as the Beasts mark is not stamped on himself but on thos that worship him For the Beasts Image wherto the fals Prophet gav life caused al which would not worship it to be slain Ther be but two Beasts pourtraid in the Apocalyps and wher the Beast and fals Prophet are named together the Image is not cited being both one For 't is that Rev. 15. 2. Beasts Image whos Name and number is specified viz. the two-hornd who is the others prime principal founder 6. The times of the great Harlot or mystical Babylon and Rev. 17. 3. septicep ten hornd Beast synchronize for the Beast carries the Whore sitting on him whos ten Horns or Kings take authority with him at once when he was restored but when his body cam to be dissolved they hated the whore making hir naked and desolat whos flesh they burnt with fire 7. The hundred forty four thousand Virgins sealed contemporize Rev. 14. 1. with the Whore and Beast for they deter men from al Communion with him or his Image or mark being so opposit to him and his folowers when the bonds of holy Souldiers persevered in allegiance to the Lamb bearing his name and his Fathers in their foreheads as other Apostats did the Beasts mark in their right hands or foreheads Thus the Capitulation ten hornd Beast revived synchronized with the Woman in the Wildernes with treading the holy City under foot and the Rev. 12. 7. witnesses mourning in sackcloth so doth the two hornd Beast with the ten hornd and the Whore with both as also the company of sealed Virgins with the Whore and Beast al which make a singular synchronical symphony of al with al and ech 8. The inner Court measured with a Reed the VVomans parturition the Dragons watching hir and his fight with Michael Rev. 13. 1. 2. 3. temporize for so soon as she brought forth a Manchild who was to rule al Nations with a rod of Iron she fled into the Desart to be nourished for a time times and half or one thousand two hundred sixtie daies and immediatly insued that battle in Heaven when the Dragon and his Angels were cast to Earth then he resigned his place and great authority to the cured septicep Beast whom al the world wondred at and
from God I saw another Beast com out of the Earth which had two hornâ— Vers 11 like a Lamb but spake as a Dragon He proceds from the Secular Beast of Câ—sars to the Spiritual or Pseudoprophetical of the Pope with his Clergy which exerciseth the government and blasphemies of the former He hath two horns like a Lamb boasting of his power to bind and loos by deputation but speaks Idolatry and slais the Saints as a Dragon for he is Author or Founder of the ten hornd Beast by reviving the West Empire but succeds the Dragon for ferity and blasphemy under the Visour of Christianity using his Authority as high Priest and takes on him as Head or Monarch therof no less then of his Clergy with whom jointly he makes up the Pseudoprophetic Beast or seventh Head of the Roman State in the City sited on seven Hils The Pope single though a fals Prophet is not that Beast but joind with his Clergy which make a company composed of many members as a Beast hath Thes by fained signs and miracles specialy thunder-bolts of Excommunication as a divine revenge gradualy subjected the Kings risen up in the dissipated divided Empire to their yoke who tamely submitted their necks and put on the Image of the old Empire now crushed So that the Caesarean Head being wounded not only revived in that Image but at the fals Prophets pleasure punished with the Secular sword as he with the Spiritual al disobedient murmurers This Beast coms out of the Earth not from the Sea as the former which had another pedigree for Sea signifies many People in one dominion and an Army in war but Earth Upstarts of low condition springing Terrâ— fâ—â—â—i up secretly as Herbs sans nois or notice He had two horns like a Lamb pretending to bind and loos as Christs Vicar General on Earth but speaks as a Dragon patronizing Idolatry as the Dragon did by Decrees and Canons and seeks to destroy the Lambs tru worshipers He exerciseth al power of the first Beast before him and causeth Vers 12 the Earth with them that dwel in it to worship the first Beast whos deadly wound was healed This two hornd Beast useth as high Priest the Dragons fiduciary power intrusted to the former Beast which consists in Idol-worship being the ten hornd Beasts Chaplain in Religious Rites causing the Earths dwellers to worship that Beast stiling it the holy Empire The words before him may import preceding or in his presence it skils not which For whatever power the first Beast had he agniseth the high Priest Author by whos means the Earths Inhabiters worshiped him who being cured of his deadly wound rose out of the Sea but by what wais or wiles he did it rests to be declared He doth great wonders making fire com from Heaven on Vers 13. 14. Earth in sight of Men and deceiv them that dwel on Earth by reason of thos miracles which he had power to doo in sight of the Beast saying to them that dwel on Earth they should make an Image to the Beast which was wounded with a sword and did liv The Pontifical Pseudoprophetic Beast perswaded the Nations by wonders or miracles to reestablish the ten hornd Beast wherby the Dragons power revived and to frame the Beasts Image slain in the sixth Head Which being formed after his pleasure that wound which the Dragon received seems recured and the Beast renewed by substituting new Idolatry and tyranny like the former For the Beast of the last Head is the others Image slain in the sixth He said they should make the Beasts Image which was slain and did liv or reviv which words belong not to the Beast whos Image was to be framed as if the fals Prophet spake it but to the Angel reporting the event how the slain Beast revived For the Dragon gav the Secular Beast his Power and great Authority which healed his wound by imprinting his form of worship on a Beast of another Religion placing his Angels or Devils not as before by those titles of professed Enimies to the Lord Jesus but under Christian colors or cognisances to be worshiped as Saints and good Angels but who worships Idols under any name or notion he worships Devils Yea to complet the slain Dragons ful Image the Pope arrogats or assums divine titles as divers Emperors 2 Thes 2. 4. Devil-servers had doon For he sits as God in the Temple of God shewing himself to be God Yea he makes fire com down from Heaven on Earth which Graserus interprets by a Proverbial Hyperbole that he doth such or so great wonders as may emulat Eliah's wherby he vindicated Gods worship Which exemple of fire the Jews use for al wonderfulworks wherin Gods Glory is more conspicuous This is plausible but it rather relats to that which folows shewing how the fals Prophet induced Men to make the Beasts Image viz. he caused al to receiv a mark that none might buy or sel sav he that had the Beasts mark name or number of his name vers 17. 18. This he effected both by seducing miracles and inforcing Excommunication For 't is said He deceived them by wonders which he had power to doo that they should make the Beasts Image in maner aforesaid The Ecclesiastic Anathema forbidding common Commerce is aptly resembled to fire from Heaven or Lightning for it delivers over to everlasting fire as a punishment 2 Pâ—t 2. 6. Jude v. 7. proceding from God usualy caled a Lake of fire or Asphaltites wher Sodom and Gomorrha were consumed by fire raining from Heaven The wonders were fained cures fastned on Angels Saints Images and Reliques but specialy by their breaden God said to driv out Devils Al which the two hornd 2 Thes 2 9 10 Beast with his fals Prophet pretended to doo as St. Paul foretold That the Man of sin shal com after the working of Satan with al signs and lying wonders and with al deceivablenes of unrighteousnes Touching the Lightning of Anathema 't is used in al ages specialy about advancing Iconolatry For when it was A C. 7. 〈◊〉 first agitated which continued with fierce fervor one hundred twenty yeers Leo Isauricus a stif opposer of it and Saints Intercession was basely branded by the Popes Parasits as Conscantiâ— is niâ—k-named Copronymus for the same caus and struck with Anathema-thunder by the Pope who absolved his Subjects in Italy from their fealty and strov to bereav his Exarchat of Ravenna with other dominions wherby he animated Iconolaters in the East and scared the West Monarchs from daring or doing the like With the same Lightning he blasted the Albigenses c. for oppugning Idolatry in the Lateran Synod under Alex. 3. So another Lateran Council decreed That such Lords temporal as refused to quel them should be Excommunicat by the Metropolitans and other Comprovincial Prelats absolving their Vassals from fealty and exposing their Lands or Territories as a prey to other Princes He had
two Prophecies 1. The sealed 1 Part. Book 2. The litle Book open In the Seal Prophecy is described the celical Imperial Session sutable to Israels incamping The twenty four Elders signify Bishops resembling the Rev. 4. 4. c. Priests and Levits in their twenty four courses The four Beasts are Israels Ensigns 1. Like a Lion 2. A Rev 6 per totum Bullock 3. With a Mans face 4. A flying Eagle They were ful of Eys to shew sagacity and ech had six wings implying agility The first Seals opener a Lion shewed a whit Hors and his Rider armed viz. Christ the Lion of Juda from the East who laid the foundation of conquest over the Dragon when Oracles ceased The next a Bullock presented a red Hors and his Rider denoting Trajan a Spaniard from the West whos reign was Bloody The third with a Mans face exhibited a black Hors and his Rider importing Septim Severus an African from the South who held Ballances in his hand indicating justice in the Empire The fourth an Eagle shâ—wed a pale Hors with his Rider which points out Maximinus a Thracian from the North in whos time and som Successors the Sword Famin and Pestilence messengers of death raged every wher The fifth no Hors nor Rider enters with A. C. 268. Aurelian til Rev. 7 4 to 10 Dioclesian presenting the primitiv persecutions The sixth declares a strange shaking of Heaven and Earth signifying the change or conversion of Heathen Rome by Constantin But before the seventh care is had for the Church to seal a company of one hundred forty four thousand viz. of every Tribe twelv thousand In which type is an unusual reckoning yet such as best resembles the profession of tru Religion miraculously preserved in midst of the old and new Idolatry The twelv Apostles aptly answer Israels type the number twelv being the Ensign of Apostolic race which by multiplying sets forth their progeny Hereto is added by representation of innumerous Palmbearers a most ample state of every Nation People Tribe Toung which praised God The seventh seal contains seven Angels with seven Trumpets Rev. 〈◊〉 7. to 12. sounding alarm to the Empires ruin by sevenfold plagues the four first of less extent The first wasts the Empires terraetenures by terrible incursions of north Nations like hail mixd with blood and fire who destroied a third part of al green things the Empire swaying a third part of the known World which began at Theodosius death by Alaric Rhadagaso and others A C 395. A 410. A 455. A 476. A â—42 The next assails the very Empire expressed by the Sea when Alâ—â—ic sacked Rome After which it daily declined til Gensericus took it and then began the ten Kingdoms The third casts down the Western Caesar omniously named Augustulus who being a baleful bitter Prince is resembled to a Star caled Wormwood The fourth bereavs the light and lustre of Roman Majesty with a third part of Sun Moon and Stars which shone bright before under Ostrogoth Kings when Romes Consulship with al Pomp of other Officers câ—ased Then folow three Wo Trumpets the fifth being the first of Rev. 9 per totum Wo sends hostil bands of Arabians Sarrasens likened to Locusts who not only spoiled the soil from A. 830. to 980. 150. yeers or 5. annal Months but poisoned Mens Souls with Mahometism like the venom of Scropions having a King cald in Hebrew Abaddon in Greec Apollyon destroier The sixth or secund Wo Trumpet looseth four Angels before bound at the River Euphrates being the Turcs four Sultanies as they were long so divided til Ottoman united them into his Monarchy This is to be accomplished in a Prophetic Day Month and Yeer viz. 396. yeers from A. 1051. when Tangrolipix took Bagdet til Mahomet 2. surprised Constantinople slaying a third part of Men A. 1453. Their number of Horses is computed two hundred thousand Rev. 10 〈◊〉 to 11. thousand their Ordnance Powder and Munition explicated by smoke fire and brimstone then invented The seventh or third Wo Trumpet is suspended til the litle Books Prophecy which contains the Churches destiny and John bid to eat it which was sweet in mouth but bitter in belly who is commanded to prophecy again before many People Nations Toungs and Kings This comprehends the consummation of Gods mystery the event wherof is declared by a mighty Angels Oath at whos loud cry seven Thunders uttred their Voices which John is forbid to write and bid to seal up The measured Court displais the primitiv Churches state conformed Rev. 11. 2. to 13. to Gods Word contrary wherto is the Court not to be measured being not his operature but to be prophaned by renewed Idolatry or Antichristian Apostasy which shal reign forty two Annal months During this space two Witnesses clad in sackcloth testify Gods truth and exhort to repent 1260. dais or yeers equivalent to forty two months of prophanation Thes denounce Gods Judgments which begin at pouring out the Phials and debarring the Idolaters from hope of eternal life Their fate is after finishing their testimony to suffer semblably with Christ as the Roman sevenhead Beast shal inflict on them Thes must dy mysticaly lying unburied three dais and half but then shal be restored to pristin place or eminenter estate and dignity Upon a Commotion or change of Politic affairs the City Rome being but a tenth part of what it was shal be overthrown at fifth Phial and seven thousand Men of mark and name the Clergies or Companies of Men slain This is the end of the sixth Trumpet when Kings of the East the Jews shal erect a new Kingdom and the two hornd Beast the Papal Clergy with Antichrist the fals Prophet the Pope driven from Rome before the great battle The Vision of the open Book goes through the whol cours 2 Part. of Revelation to shew its connexion with Seals and Trumpets Rev. 12. per 〈◊〉 after which insu many great mysteries The Roman Empire worshiping the Dragon or Devil persecuts Gods Church represented by a Woman in travel of mystical Christ 300. yeers but when Constantin cast him from the Throne he and his Successors enjoied it which chance or change contemporizeth with the sixth Seal The Woman being delivered of a Son dwels in the Desart forty two months or a time times and half or one thousand two hundred sixty dais typifying the Churches middle condition as being freed from Pagan persecution yet stil tossed with a flood of errors and Heresies cast from the Dragons mouth A new tragedy of troubles pursues hir who lighted on two Rev. 13 per 〈◊〉 Beasts at entring the Desarts porch one tenhornd rising from the Sea viz. the secular Empire shared into ten Kingdoms another two hornd coming out of the Earth which is the Ecclesiastic State or Pope and his Clergy Both reign with neer alliance together under the seventh Head of the old Beast exercising the Dragons
comfort specialy the two Witnesses History ch 11. and description of the seven Phials ch 16. which two being of neerest concernment shal be most accuratly agitated For the first explicats the entrance of the third Prophetic part from the litle Book comprising al three Periods as an abridgment of the whol Revelation It consists of two Parts 1. What is reveled to John by word of mouth how things shal obvene as in the first Period at erecting the Church in the secund under the Antichristian Vicar by two Synchronisms of the Gentils calcitrating the holy City forty two months and the Witnesses mourning one thousand two hundred sixty dais 2. What is realy represented to him by a sudden change in Vision at beginning of the third Period Thes are the terms of our undertaken task In the first Period under the Dragons reign the Son of God Exposition causeth his Temple or Church to be built the place of Sacrifices be measured and charily protects his Servants in thes A reed like a rod was given me and the Angel said arise Rev 11. v. 〈◊〉 measure Gods Temple and Altar and them that worship therin Sith then the building and gathering Christs Church is commended by measuring the Jews Temple the form therof must be considered to attain the tru meaning of the Text. It stood 2 Chr 3. 1 3 4. 〈◊〉 King 6. 16. on Mount Moriah the length sixty Cubits bredth twenty height one hundred twenty It was divided into two parts 1. The lower westly twenty Cubits long and twenty broad cald Sanctum Sanctorum Holy of Holiest into which the high Priest alone entred only once a yeer 2. The forepart eastly fourty Cubits long and twenty broad stiled Sanctum the Holy Place wherto only Priests entred termed here Gods Temple Before it were two Courts 1. The inner cald the Priests wher the Altar for burnt Offerings stood twenty Cubits square and ten high which is here cald Thysiasterium 2. The outer or great Court compassed with a whit Marble wal in circuit four furlongs or half a mile which none but purified Israelits might enter excluding al unclean Jews and Gentils About this Herod walled in a large place for the unclean together â—zek 40. Zâ—ch 2. 1. 〈◊〉 with Heathens By this Temple the Angel represents the Churches condition for by measuring is meant building and propagating by the Altar the tru Professors persecution to be slaughtered as sacrificed Sheep but measured or bounds set beyond which Tyrans cannot go til vengence overtake them By thos that worship therin Kings and Priests are meant who are a Royal Priesthood in the inner Court Next folows the Churches State in the secund station of V. 2. Popery from A. 395. til A. 1655. into Synchronisms 1. Of the Gentils treading the holy City under foot fourty two months wherby Gods extern worship is implied consisting in Ceremonies which he rejects Here we must reflâ—ctâ—on the Heathen Nations invasion for from Constantins conversion til Theodosius died the Church triumphed over the Gentils and demolished the Dragons Idolatrous Temples but immediatly the Barbarians broke in wherby the holy City was trod on Antichrist had occasion to shew himself For in stead of Idols Saturn Jupiter Mars Saints Images were gradualy introduced 2. Of the two Witnesses prophecy in Sack-cloth one thousand two hundred sixty dais by whom is meant faithful Teachers and Rulers of the Church which number of two is smal yet sufficient to testify truth Deut. 17. 6 10 15 Mat. 18 16. John 8. 17. The Angels Words to my two Witnesses imply that he Vers 3. 4 5. 6. is the Son of God They were clad in sack-cloth but the Whore in Purple and Scarlet deckd with Gold Pearl and pretious Stones Thes were two Oliv Trees and two Candlesticks Zâ—â—ha 4 14. as Zerobabel and Jesua are described If any Man wil hurt them fire proceds from their mouth to devour their Enimies who must thus be killed as at Elias request fire from Heaven 2. King 1 10. 12. consumed two of Ahaziahs Captains with their fifty Men ech Thes have prower to shut Heaven that it rain not during their Prophecy as Elias also had and power to turn Waters into Blood and to smite the Earth with al plagues as Moses and Aaron had wherby God declares what Mercies he shewed his Servants of old which he wil extend to Beleevers in the new Testament and wil giv them faithful Teachers like Jesua and Zerobabel to inlighten them as Candlesticks with pure Doctrin and assist them as Oliv-trees with powerful consolation beside zelous Eliahs and Elisha's who shal oppose the Whore Jezabel Baals Priests and other persecutors but at last a Moses and Aaron to bring them out of al affliction When they hav finished their testimony the Beast which ascends Vers 7. Rev 17. 8. 11. from the bottomless Pit viz. which rose from the Sea with ten horns wherof the Angel saith the Beast which thou sawest was and is not and shal ascend from the bottomless Pit shal make War against them overcom and kil them This Beast that was and is not but is the eighth and one of the seven is the Heathen Empire wher the Dragon reigned or was openly worshiped but is not being no more adored in public yet ascends again out of the Pit by the ten honrd Beasts means or kingdoms erected in the Empire when a new holier form of Idolatry is established and the Dragon with the Beast disguisedly afresh worshiped This is the eighth Head but one of the seven for the Rider the Woman-whore in the divided Empire governs the civil State so the ten hornd Beast or seventh Head and Ecclesiastic Popish Regiment make one as it were the eighth but becaus the Woman sits as one Rider therfore the two last forms Ecclesiastic and Politic are reckoned or reputed one as the Angel saith the eighth is of the seven Hence 't is cleer the Beast rising out of the Pit is the spiritual Papal Government using the Temporal Sword of terren Princes which Woman-Beast shal kil the Witnesses or depriv them of Ecclesiastic preferments and Politic emploiments cald a civil death by persecuting Evangelical Professors which is his own case at the Popes instigation Their dead Bodies shalâ—ly in the Streets of the great City spiritualy Vers 8. caled Sodom and Egypt wher our Lord was crucified The City is Rome the place of persecution as the Angel saith Rev. 17. v. 18 the Woman is that great City which reigns over the Kings of the Earth caled Babylon by which name Viega Bellarmin and other Jesuits own Rome but by the City and Streets the whol Popish Empire is designed as 't is elswher compared to a ten hornd Beast and to a Sea with Rivers and Fountains Rome-City and Papacy is spiritualy or mysticaly stiled Sodom by reason of their Paederestia or unnatural sin not only committed but commended in a privileged pamphlet penned and published
Throne saying it is doon so he that sat beholding new Jerusalem descend from Heaven said to John Lo I make al Rev. 21 5 6. things new it is doon I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and end Ergo new Jerusalem begins at the Phials last term It is doon when the whore was dispatched and so symbolizeth with that time which insâ—eth the Beasts perdition For one of the Phial Angels shewd John the whores condemnation while the Rev. 17. Phials were pouring out and one at least behind which Angel shewed him the great City holy Jerusalem or Lambs Bride descending from God when it becam glorious the Phials being ended and Beast with Babylon destroied Ergo it began with the seventh trumpet 6 The numberless multitud of al Nations Kinreds People and Toungs bearing triumphant Palms who are Citizens of new Rev 7 9. 16. 17 Jerusalem that shal hunger or thirst no more for the Lamb shal lead them to living Fountains of water and God shal wipe al tears from their eys concur with the seventh trumpet or space of time from the Beasts destruction Thes are his several sorts of Synchronicisms which I hav put in so plain English as my smal skil in such sublime speculations can perform wherto heads this brief period or perclose After Christs thousand yeers reign and Satans condemnation 〈◊〉 to eternal fire folows the general Resurrection and final Judgment After new Jerusalem folows Paradise with the tree of Life in midst like Eden having a River on ech side Rev 20. 11 12 13. 14. Rev. 22. 12 of the street which is the worlds consummation and conclusion of this Revelation when God wil giv every Man as his work shal be Such a Key of Synchronicisms or Apocalyptic compass wil open al the hid mysteries of this Book with which no part of the old Testament no not Daniels Visions or Vaticinations can compare for certainty or singular structure to find out the right interpretation by concent or harmony of times and concurrence of things Lord open every Mans â—ys that he may discern thy wondrous works of wisdom Commentarii Compendium The Brief of his Commentary NExt ensues his cuâ—ious Comment which contains two Comment principal parts 1 Of the seven Seals and seven Trumpets 2 Of the litle Book both being vastly tedious and imperspicuous but som sporadical excerptions shal be presented more plausible and perceptible craving pardon for not abbreviating al particular parcels He begins with the Apocalyptic Theater wher John behold Part 1. al as on a Stage which is that imperial Heavenly Session of God and the Church exactly framed after the form of old Israels incamping in the Wildernes both which he compares Rev 4. Numb 1. 52. at large wel worth perusal but too prolix to capitulat He omits the Vision of seven Asian Churches in the three first chapters and parts the rest into two Prophecies 1. Of the Seals which comprehends the Empires destinies 2. Of the litle Book which concerns the Church or Christian Religion til in fine both be united in the Church and this Worlds Kingdoms Rev. 11. 15. becom the Lords Kingdoms and his Christs The scope of the sealed Book is to shew the distances of insuing times distinguished by characters of events in what order of changes and chances the Roman Empire running on Christ should vanquish the Gods of this World with whom he waged war Rev. 5. who must reign til he hath put al Enemies underfeet viz. al terren power and authority as St. Paul expounds The first 1 Cor. 15. 24. 25. six Seals distinguish divers different times of the Empire then florishing til Christ shal suppress the Heathen Gods or Idols in al thos dominions The first shews the origin of Christs victory when 1 Seal Rev. 4 7. the fals Gods fel and the worshipers being pierced with the Gospels arrows submitted to Christ the conqueror who hath not yet fully overcom but laid a fair foundation of Victory to be gradualy finished The discloser of this Seal is The first Beast like a Lion shewing one on a whit Rev 6. 1. 2. Hors with a Bow and Crown given him this is Christ or som Emperor haply Vespasian by whos conduct the war is waged and victory won as the folowing Seals are disposed or directed by Emperors The secund shews murders and intestin slaughters which 2 Seal the next Beast like a Bullock discloseth by One riding on a red Hors with a great Sword which was Trajan a mighty warrier born in Spain who made the third bloody primitiv persecution and the Jews raised fierce wars in Lybia beside many momutinies in most parts of the Empire The third shews a voice saying A measure of Wheat for a 3 Seal Rev. 6. 5. 6. penny and three of Barly for a penny see thou hurt not the Oil and Wine by which most Men deem dearth and famin to be meant yet he rather resembles it to the severe justice then executed The discloser is The third Beast with a Mans face by one on A black Hors with a pair of Ballances in his hand which is Septimius Severus an African in whos reign was no noted famin but famous justice wherof the Ballance is an Emblem The pricing of Victuals seems to sound thus take not Wheat or Barly from any til du price be paid and keep the like law in Oil and Wine that is defraud none nor steal or purloin for this Septimius and Alexander Severus both of one name shortly succeding were most strict justiciars denoted in this third Seal See Aurelius of the first and Lampridius of the last The fourth shews Killing with the Sword Hunger Pestilence 4. Seal Rev. 6. 7. 8. and Beasts of the Earth whos discloser is The fourth Beast in shape of an Eagle presenting one whos name was Death and Hel folowed who rode on a pale Hors having power over a fourth part of the Earth This is Maximinus a big barbarous Bubulc born in Thracia under whom the Sword raged every wher For in this Seals compas of thirty three yeers ten lawful Caesars wherof Maximin one were slain by the Souldiers besides thirty usurpers as Orosius tels wherof Galienus the last exceded al the rest far in savage ferity as Trebellius Pollio informs In the same age also the pestilence prevailed for fiften yeers over al the Empire as Zonaras testifies Lastly folowed famin in most ruful maner for al was wasted by thos wild Beasts and tillage abandoned so that a fourth part of the Earth or Empire perished The fift and sixt Seals havâ— no Beast to usher them nor any 5 Seal sitting on Horses but must begin wher the chance of the Rev. 6. 9. 10. 11. foregoing Seal left viz. at Aurelians reign A. 268. when the fiften yeers pestilence ceased In which the Souls of them slain for Gods Word and Testimony which they held lay under the Altar crying aloud how
leaving Egs in the Earth to increas their issu They had a King the Angel of the bottomless Pit caled â—n Hebrew Abaddon in Greec Apollyon destroier which imports them Infidels or Children of unbeleef subject to the Prince of the Air as St. Paul saith wheras Eph. 2. v. 〈◊〉 Christians are freed from Sarans power and converted to God This Prince cald before the Devil old Serpent Satan Dragon is here new named Abaddon wheras Mahometans profes to worship one sole God Demiurgus Maker of the univers to whom they giv the Epither Abdi or Abada i. Eternal wheras the holy Ghost givs this King a title of semblable sound but opposit sens Abaddon the Worlds destroier instead of Demiurgus the Maker The sixth or secund of Wo hath a voice from the four horns 6 Trumpet Rev. 9. 13. to 2â— of the golden Altar saying Loos the four Angels which are bound at the river Euphrates Thes Angels being Patrons of thos parts metaphoricaly signify the confining Nations which breaking in upon the Roman Regions stopped a few ages neer this River but are now loosed They may probably imply the Turcs four Sultanies or Signiories Asia minor Aleppo Damascus Antioch but becaus Antioch lying a little remot from Euphrates lasted but fourten yeers being surprised by Boemund in the holy war som instead reckon Bagdet beyond Euphrates in Persia Such was their State at first irruption under Trogulbecus or Tongrolipix who took Bagdet An. 1008. Seididruddulas or Cutlumuses Nephew to Tangrolipix founded the Asian Kingdom An. 1012. Siarfuddulas subdued Aleppo An. 1079. Tagaddaulas another Nephew of Tangrolipix surprised Damascus at the same time Al which Angels were long limited to thos parts with manifold changes and now at last let loos being prepared for an Hour a Day Month and Yeer that they might slay the third part of Men. This loosing befel when the Tartars abolished Bagdets Caliphship A. C. 1621. An. 1258. and the Turcs were cast as it were with a sling into the Empires territories on this side Euphrates For the Latins who staid their incursions two hundred yeers were about that time driven out of Syria and Palestine Then the Turcs shared lesser Asia til Ottoman grew great whos Son Orchanes entred Europ and his fith Successor Mahomet 2. took Constantinople which is that slaughter of a third part of Men here intimated as the time a Day Month and Yeer plainly indicats For a Prophetic Day implies one yeer a A nice observation if vâ—ri table Month thirty a yeer three hundred threescore and fiv in al three hundred ninty six Now Tangrolipix was inaugurated King of Persia An. 1057. and Constantinople sacked An. 1453. just 396. yeers asunder Haply the very hour which in that proportion makes fiften dais agreed also with the event if Almachinus had recorded the Month of his Inauguration so wel as the yeer They are said to be Horsmen as Turcs and Persians are mo then Foot in number two hundred thousand thousand which intimats huge Armies as David saith The Charets of God are Psal â—8 17. twenty thousand even thousands of Angels such vast Armies the East Nations bring into field I heard saith John the number of them viz. by voice for he cannot see numbers in Vision and so must other places be understood which appeer not by Vision Ezekiel in his Prophecy against Gog the land of Ezek. 38. 2 3. Magog chief Prince of Mesech and Tubal from whom Tures descend describes them to be Horsmen armed for Persians and Parthians take name of Paras a Hors or Horsman But Turcs since their long plantations ther are by Nicetas and others caled Persians So thes Euphratean Horsmen are Turco-Persians They had brest-plats of fire Jacinthian smoke and brimstone which is no wher els in Scripture Ergo it may wel allud to Guns and the Horses heads were like Lions out of whoâ— mouths issued fire smoke and brimstone by which a third part of Men was killed For the Turcs used Guns latly before invented See Chalâ—â—â—dilas at siege of Constantinople and slu a third part of Inhabitants as their Successors did since at Corinth and other Cities Such sharp sawces make meats seem more savoury and Mr. Mede hath many such unvulgar unparalleld Annotations The Horsmens power was in their mouths and tails having tails like Serpents and heads with both which to doo hurt So Sarasens are said to hav sharp tails of Scorpions which is tru of Turcs who had tails of Serpents signifying their Mahometan subtlety or imposture wherby both did more mischief then by the Sword The rest of Men which were not killed by thes plagues repented not of their works that they should not worship Devils and Idols of gold c. which can neither hear see nor walk Nor of their Murders Sorceries Fornication and Thefts This is manifestly meant of Christians in the Roman Empire which worship Images made of those metals and materials for none but they doo 〈◊〉 on this side Euphrates Thes indeed are no Devils or unclean Spirits sith no Christians wil 1 Tim 4. 1 2 3. wittingly or willingly worship such But Demoniacs or Deastri dead Men Deified whom they make Mediators of Intercession betwen God and Men. The seventh Trumpet or third of Wo is ready to sound but 7 Trumpet Rev. 10 v. 1 c. a mighty Angel cam from Heaven clothed with a Cloud a Rainbow on his Head his Face as the Sun and Feet pillars of Fire He had in his hand a little Book open who set his right foot on the Sea and left on Earth crying loud as when a lyon roars and seven thunders uttered their voices John was about to write it but a voice from Heaven said seal up thes things which the seven thunders uttered and write not Then the Angel lifted his hand to Heaven and swore by him that livs for ever that Time shal be no more But in the dais of the seventh Angels voice when he shal begin to sound the mystery of God should be finished as he declared to his servants the Prophets The sound of this seventh Trumpet should succed the sixth but is superseded by the litle Book intervening yet lest ought be omitted in the interim to fulfil the Prophecy of Seals the holy Ghost shews the last trumpets event in general viz. that at sound therof the Roman Beast being destroid and the last heads time com to an end the mystery of God shal be finished as he foretold his Prophets For so 't is declared to Daniel that the fourth Dan 7. 13. 14. Beast being slain the Son of Man or King of Saints should rule over the World and the gratious promises of restoring Israel be fulfilled The finishing of which mystery is Christs glorious Kingdom which arose or appeered at sound of the 7 Ttrumpet when the grand acclamation of Voices in Heaven was heard saying The Kingdoms of this World are becom the Lords and his Rev.
5. 14. Wood to devour them Eliah brought tru fire from Heaven on Ahazia's Captains as Moses and Aaron did on Corah 2 Chr. 10. â—2 and his complices but the witnesses fire is symbolical or spiritual as Egypt and the wildernes is after so taken They had power to shut Heaven that it rain not both being mysticaly meant one for the power of the Keis to shut it against thes new Idolaters the other for the dew of Gods Word that it shal not descend or destil on them For they debar them from hope of eternal life promised only to tru Worshipers til they shal return to serv one God by one Mediator Christ Jesus according to their Covenant in Baptism and put an end to the mourning witnesses Prophecy As Elias restored not rain to Israel til Baals Prophets were destroied When they be about to finish their testimony the Beast ascending Vers 7. from the bottomless pit shal make war against them and kil them This is their destiny at end of their Prophecy sutable to our Saviours passion for having ended his preaching in three yeers and half as the witnesses did their testimony he is slain by this Roman Beasts Deputy under the sixth Head who on the third day after in a great Earthquake rose from the dead and fourty dais after being received in a Cloud ascended into Heaven Al which he resembles to the witnesses slaughter that as they bear the likenes of thos three famous couples in their function so they should conform to their Lord Christ that faithful witnes in suffering When they were about to finish their testimony having brought part of the holy City or Province to renounce Idolatry and cleans the Temple within themselfs they began to put off sackcloth yet were not wholy freed from fear for the Roman septicep Beast chasing at their so far prevailing shal make war and kil them The first part touching their mourning hath bin performed since beginning of Reformation til this present But the last of war is to com Brightman thinks it already accomplished in the Smalcaldian war by Charlâ— the fift Others apply it to the lat German war and it were wel if such doleful disasters were past but it cannot be sith the tragic times of the Gentils trampling on Christian Religion fourty two months cannot be fulfilled so long as the Beast reigns nor the dais of the witnesses wailing which contemporize with them whos killing next foregoes Romes ruin as the Crier of the Phials to the fifth of which this ruin belongs apertly declares For this destruction is the last which shal be more grievous then any yet and a sign that the 〈◊〉 â—1 â—0 witnesses VVoes shal instantly end with Romes ruin as Jerusalems siege by Cestius Gallus before the sackage by Titus was foretold by Christ to be a Forerunner of their utter desolation so is this of Babylons fal Slaughter signifies Death whether taken properly or metaphoricaly and analogicaly For 't is a civil death when any being setled in a Politic or Ecclesiastic State ceaseth to be as he was and he is said to kil him that bereavs it in which sens divers are killed daily So in sacred stile to liv is to be and to dy not to be as we dy to sin and Satan when we ceas to be their Slavs and liv to Christ when we becom his 〈◊〉 Sevants To apply it Such as is the witnesses resurrection after three dais and half such is the slaughter but that is analogical sith no proper can be til Christ com to Judgment Ergo the other So this death may be a dejection from the Place or Office which they enjoied in the Reformed Church or not leading a Prophetic life to preach or exercise their spiritual Function as yerst which often haps in distracted times This Note last war of the Beast is not like the former waged with the Rev. 13 7. Saints who had it given to overcom them for why should it be said peculiar to this last time if familiar before But the former was against Saints in general this with the Prophets viz. Bishops and chief Ministers in special as is evident by event For that was with success wher the Beast prevailed over every Tribe Toung and Nation this with his sodain fatal fal or ruin Their dead Bodies shal by in the street of the great City spiritualy 〈◊〉 stiled Sâ—dom and Egypt wher our Lord was crucified This City is Rome caled great being Queen of the World and stil Quean with whom the Kings of the Earth commit Fornication and the Inhabiters made drunk with the wine of hir abomination as 't is said the Woman which thou sawest is that Rev. 17. 2. 〈◊〉 great City and this Epithet is often given hir as great Babylon the great Whore c. But he that deems Jerusalem meant had need of Ellebor to purg his brain for no Jerusalem was then extant nor the old ever caled great til that title is ascribed to new Jerusalem Rome is spiritualy stiled Sodom for Luxury Rev. 21. 10. and Egypt for Cruelty wherby the holy Ghost intimats that wherever Sodoms plagues or Egypts punishments are specified they are mysticaly meant as here So that great City is certainly Rome but what street means is not so cleer for it cannot be taken literaly sith our Lord was slain in no street of Rome or Jerusalem but without the Gate in Golgatha Street also is taken in the singular number as if it were only one yet in a City are many The witnesses Carcases lay in the street wher they were slain which the People Kinreds and Nations triumphantly beheld not suffering them to be buried but Men seldom make war within the City wals but in open fields or Provinces of a State Whence it may be inferred that the street wher our Lord also was crucified intends som Province pertaining to Romes dition or dominion as Jerusalem then did which sens the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wil wel beaâ— Many interpret it of Christs suffering by Romes power which may be probable but not so fitly or fully as of the place which is more persuasible being their Province The People Kinreds Toungs and Nations shal see their Vers 9. dead bodies three dais and half but not permit them to be put in gravs 'T is a doubt whether this be cruelty doon in despite and disgrace by Enimies to deny them burial or courtesy of Friends and Favorers to provide for their rising again nor can it be decided but by fulfilling the Prophecy For in the first sens it must be a type or token of ignominy intended by the Beasts folowers against them In the last 't is a rescu of Reformists wherto the text-phrase rather inclines for in the insuing vers 't is said of the Enimies they that dwel on Earth shal make merry and send gifts one to another but here People Kinreds Toungs and Nations which denots divers dispositions The time
simply but as the Dragons Deputy or Dragon under the Beasts disguise For to worship the Beast unles as the Dragons Idolatrous Vicegerent was no more impious then to obey any temporal authority therfore the Beast signifies his Kingdom whos worship is subjection to it that is they freely obeied him as if none could resist his power but to worship him in a religious capacity as he resembles the Dragon is blasphemy against God Ther was given him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies 〈◊〉 5. and power was given him to continu fourty two months The Beasts condition or constitution is exhibited before now rests to shew how he exercised the power delegated by the Dragon viz. blasphemy and cruelty This Vision agrees with Daniels Prophecy of the same fourth Beast and his last cours Dâ—â— 7. v. 8. here specified but the things declared to him more succinctly are here dilated more largely He had a mouth speaking great things saith Daniel which John cals blasphemies by which Idolatry is implied being the highest contumely against God He shal also continu to blasphem fourty two months during which space the Gentils shal trample on the out Court or holy City For sith this prophanation tends to the same impiety with the Beasts blasphemy both may signify the power of darknes or night measured by months or the Moons motion not by dais or yeers after the Sun els why doth the holy Ghost infer it immediatly upon the Beasts blasphemy unles the time be referred therto Ergo the Beasts 42 months begin not at this wrath and war with the Saints but at his Blasphemy So the meaning is that he continued to blasphem so long That by blasphemy is intended Idolatry or spiritual fornication is plain 1. Becaus Babylon the Beasts Metropolis is caled Mother of Harlots with whom the Kings and Inhabiters of the Earth Harlotized 2. 'T is such blasphemy as may fal into the courses of the next Foregoer or rather al the Heads which are charged with it but no blasphemy can be laid to his Antecessor not to al in common sav only Idolatry 3. The word blasphemy imports Idolatry in many mo places Isai 65. 7. Jor. 23. 15. 17. Ezek. 20. 27. Deu. 31. 20. 2 King 19. 22. Prov. 14. 31. Ps 44. 16. Psal 69. 10. in al which to rebuke reproch and blasphem God is al one sens He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blasphem Vers 6. his Name Tabernacle and them that dwel in Heaven What was spoken of blasphemy in general is here specificated by a triple Idolatry 1. He blasphems Gods Name or Peson by Image-worship ascribing it to Stocks and Stones 2. His Tabernacle or Christs Humanity wherin the Deity dwels personaly which Temple or Tabernacle is blasphemed by beleeving his Body to be daily made of bread becaus transubstantiating John 1. 14. Priests caus it to be adored for his tru Tabernacle 3. He blasphems Heavens Inhabiters Angels and Saints in caling John 2. 19. Hebr. 9. 11. Idols by their 〈◊〉 which is also a contumely against Christ their Lord for they are made Mediators or pretended Intercessors with him against their wils as Patrons or Pleaders for mortal Men in Heathen maner and many faigned miracles fabled fastâ—ed or fathred on them which is more blasphemy It was given him to make war with the Saints and overcome Vers 7. them and power was given him over al Kinreds Toungs and Nations This is his other part of power viz. persecution wherby he provs himself the Dragons Deputy Daniels words Dan. 7. 2â— are he made war with the Saints the Womans Seed and prevailed against them The Beasts whol reign is a war against the Saints but this is waged with bloody slaughter as 't is said vers 10. He that kils with the sword must be so killed For here the Secular Beast not Spiritual is meant which must be so handled He made not this war in Infancy but in maturity A. C. 1â—â—â— about the twelfth age from Christs nativity The first war fel heavy on the Albigenses Waldenses and other Professors of whom were slain only in France as Peronius tels about a million of Souls who were massacred by mighty Armies levied against Sarrasens which bloody broils lasted seventy yeers Many mo slaughters befel elswher for three hundred yeers after yet about An. 1500. sundry Stats Kingdoms Countries and Churches fel from the Beasts dominion against whom cruel wars were raised which continu to this day and shal not ceas til the Beast be destroied So this persecution for number of slain far exceds al the primitivs for from the Jesuits A. C. 1580. origin in thirty yeers space Baldwin computs nine hundred thousand L. de Antiâ—â—â— c. 16. Orthodox Christians doon to death by Executioners yea Duke d' Alva boasts that he executed thirty six thousand in Belgia and Vergerius vaunts that the Inquisition consumed a hundred and fifty thousand in thirty yeers by several tortures They excuse it that the Clergy doth it not but Magistrats yet they condemn them for Heretics and make the others their Hangmen For so 't is said here of the Secular Beast that he shal make war and overcom the Saints but of the Ecclesiastic that he shal caus so many as wil not worship the Beasts Image to be slain and not kil with the Sword or by his own hands His power reached over al the Roman dominion with so great persecution that no Kinred Toung or 〈◊〉 can resist his impiety yet al particular Men are not included in this generality for very many in al ages as God said he had seven thousand 1 Kings 19. 18. in Israel that never bowed knee to Baal kept their Covenant with the Lamb but al intire Kinreds or Stats served the Beast so thos few disperst in the Beasts Provinces made for a while the intemerat Virgin Church Al that dwel on Earth shal worship him whos names are not V. 8 9. writen in the Book of life of the Lamb slain before the Worlds foundation Lest any presuming on a catholic consent of Kinreds and Nations which folow the Beast or deterred with grievous persecution shal think they may run safly with the multitud the holy Ghost here reads their doom that their names are not registred in the book of Life Hereto is an Apostrophe annexed of attention If any hav an ear let him hear i. al godly Christians listen deeply and devoutly to what is foresaid not what folows of their unhappy condition which folow the Beast He that leads into Captivity shal go into Captivity he that Vers 10. kils with the sword must be so killed here is the patience and Faith of the Saints This is a consolatory close that God wil be their avenger to afflict their Adversaries with such measure as they mete wherof they being confident are no whit daunted with tribulations but patiently faithfully and constantly endure al expecting revenge
power to giv the Beasts Image life that it should speak Vers 1◠and caus so many as would not worship it to be killed Nebuchadnezar decreed the same of his Image but if this had not received life the slain Beast could not reviv in him no◠was the former Dragon-Worshiper idle but activ and stout to fly on his Enimies as this Image ought to be in which he should reviv Therfore the fals Prophet had power not only to allure People to make the Image of the last cours but to inlifen him wherby he may by Edicts injoin such things as shal support his dignity and punish Opposers by temporal death For al power of the Image or Secular Beast is derived or delivered by the Pseudoprophetic who denounceth sentence of Heresy against al which resist his Authority and the other must execut it This is commonly caled a delivery over to the Secular Power which is but his Hangman becaus he wil not seem or deem to defile his holy hands with blood The like use other Sects or Septs make of Civil Magistrats He caused al great and smal rich and poor free and bond to Vers 16. 17. receiv a mark in their right hand or forehead that none might buy or sel sav such as had the mark or name of the Beast or number of his name The mark is his name as 't is caled the mark or name and afterward the mark of his name This allud◠Rev. 14. 11. to an old custom of marking Servants with the Masters name specialy in the foreheads but Soldiers of their Captains in the hand So the Lambs Folowers being contrary to the Beasts had his name and his Fathers in their Foreheads The number of his name is the same with himself but cald the number becaus brought into letters of number God so disposing it but the mark and number differ if the interpretation be directed after the analogy of other places For the mark shews to which Lord they belong that bear it but the number indicats from what stock they spring that are marked as the number of twelv made in the multiplication of twelv Virgins is a symbol of Apostolic linage or Of-spring as shal be shewed The Beasts name which includs the number is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imposed soon after the Revelation was writ For at the Empires division by Theodosius and rising of the ten Kings the Roman fals Prophet and West Inhabiters under him were stiled Latin by fatal instinct which very name subducting the numeral letters as Hebrews and Greecs use make the mystical number 666. noted by the holy Ghost which provs the Beasts prosapy who vaunts himself to succed the Apostles but indeed descends from the Dragon for the Apostolic number 12 wil never cast into 666. however multiplied but from the number 6. which belongs to the red Dragon and Beast of the sixth Head neatly and naturaly For the whol sum how great soever is compact out of six by units tens and hundreds as if the Dragons whol seed were diffused through this last Beasts whol Body with al his Ministers Here is Wisdom let him that hath understanding count the V. 18. Beasts number which is the number of a Man even 666. The Virgins number one hundred forty four thousand contrary to the Beast is altogether Apostolic begot of 12. multiplyed by twelv times twelv thousand for the reason or result of contraries is contrary wher both the name writen and number of the company is expressed but here the name is conceled or left to be collected and conjectured from the number wherin lies a mystery The forbidding to buy and sel is a brand of Papal Excommunication excluding commerce or company with such To receiv the mark of the Beasts name is to acknowledg Note him Lord and obey his authority but to receiv his number is to embrace his impiety derived from the Dragon Now tho none can hav the mark of his name or obey his authority unles he partake his number and impiety yet may a Man admit the number or impiety and abandon his name or authority As the Greecs hold the Dragons impious Idolatry with the Latins as first erected or established in the secund Nicen Synod by a Pope who labored earnestly to reviv the slain Dragons Image yet reject his authority and wil not bear his name or yoke as formerly but made a Schism as 't is stiled from the Latin Church which hath lasted abov 700. yeers maugre al brute Anathemas Let me intrud or interpose a few words Excommunication Animadvers is a prohibitiv brand to bar al that hav it from commerce company and communion but no permissiv badg to admit any nor can be caled a proper name Now Roman Catholic is the general appellation which al own and the Oath of Papal Supremacy caled reconciling to the Church of Rome a common mark or cognisance without which none may buy or sel spiritual wares among them Quam bene conveniunt Thes two terms Roman Catholic and Papal Supremacy applyed to the name and mark of the Beasts folowers I must own how fit or unfit soever humbly submitting them with al els to public censure No Symbols similituds nor allusions run on al four feet but are obvious to various applications which may and doo differ in divers circumstances as here haply it happens For the Beasts number Vicarius Dei generalis in terris DCLVVIIIIII 666. is the Beasts tru paraphrastical title and right number therof but no proper name nor number of a Man as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nor are the numeral letters collected from the original Greec wherin John wrot as the others be but from the Roman Latin which is a considerable case Let Readers ruminat on it and judg deliberatly I looked and lo a Lamb stood on Mount Sion and with him Rev. 14 V. 1. one hundred forty four thousand having the name of the Lamb and his Fathers in their forheads The company of Virgins which folow the Lamb standing on Sion and elect Gentils put in place of Israel mentioned at beginning of the seventh Seal for 't is described in a duple Vision to conjoin the prophecy of Seals with that of the litle Book signifies the Church which in midst of Papacy continued constant to the Lamb as a Virgin under Babylon being the Apostles genuin progeny who were not confined to any set station but folowed the Lamb wherever he did go By the number one hundred forty four thousand 12. times 12000. it appeers that the same company is specified both wher 's being the Apostles tru Ofspring which bear the number twelv as an Emblem or Ensign of their peculiar prosapy or pedigree Mount Sion was Davids Kingdoms Throne or Roial mansion caled his City becaus he got it from the Jebusits and walling it built a Tower Streets and Courts It may here parabolicaly imply that part of the Earth which Christ having vanquishd made his Churches
15 16. cried to the Lycaonians we Preach that ye should turn from thes vanities to the living God who in times past suffred al Nations to walk in their own wais but now the time of his Judgment is com The Instruments used to denounce Gods judgments were holy Bishops and Confessors who first opposed Martyrs Reliques as appeers in the story of Vigilantius and others but A. C 720. afterward more conspicuously in the Greec Church against Image-worship which many zelous Emperors Leo Isauricus Constantinus Iconomachus Leo Armenius Michael Balbus Theophilus stisly opposed yet in fine it prevailed by the power and policy of the two horned Beast and fals Prophet For tho som condemned Images yet many favored invocation of Saints under which notion Iconolatry crept up closly which Constantin with divers orthodox Fathers impeached of error For the nominal honor of Saint given to Apostles Martyrs and Confessors was never denied til in this last ignorant age by giddy Sectists as a Christian compellation but only the real invocation and intercession which drew on superstitious adoration of their Images yet to decry the name of Saints to such is no less erroneous though not so enormous The cry of this flying Angel sounded in the West so wel as East for the Synod of Francfort under Charlemaign of almost three hundred A. C. 790. Bishops condemned Image-worship and the secund Nicen Council which established it So the Synod of Paris summoned A. 825. by his Son King Lewis declared it to be impious and rejected that Nicen cru as superstitious Now listen to the secund Angels proclamation Ther folowed another Angel crying Babylon is falen is falen Vers 8. that great City becaus she made al Nations drink the Wine of the wrath of hir fornication He declares the foundation of Babylons ruin to be laid wherin he imitats Isaiah touching Isai 21 9. Babylon in the same words is falen is falen when the Medes and Persians were about to destroy hir The Ministers of this cry against mystical Babylon were the Waldenses and Albigenses who by word deed and death declared Rome to be Apocalyptic Babylon for hir Spiritual whordom of Idolatry wherwith she intoxicated al Nations Thes Champions began hir downfal for multituds of Men in al hir Provinces gradualy started or revolted By poisoned Wine is meant the amorous philâ—ry or sorcery of hir spiritual fornication but the Wine of hir wrath alluds to mortiferous potions usualy given to Malefactors specialy among the Grecians in antient times The third Angel folowed saying aloud if any worship the V. 9. 10. 11. Beast and his Image and receiv his mark in forehead or hand he shal drink the Wine of Gods wrath mingled with the Cup of his indignation and shal be tormented with fire and brimstone in presence of the holy Angels and the Lamb and the smoak of their torment ascends up for ever and ever They hav no rest day or night which worship the Beast and his Image and receiv the mark of his name This Angel proceding farther then the two former forewarns the Beasts folowers how dreadful dangers hang over their heads unles they speedily shun his society The chief Minister of this cry was Luther with his Sectators Successors who began that great glorious Reformation when whol Stats Kingdoms and Provinces not single Men as before cast off the Beasts yoke with al his abominations Here is threatned a terrible punishment look to it Romish Catholics if they persist in their old drunkennes they shal drink the Wine of Gods wrath mix'd with bitternes Myrrhe Aloes Gal Frankincens or Wormwood such as the Jews gav them that were put to death and offred to our Saviour Here the first Angel admonished them to worship God aright the next menaceth ruin to Babylon and this denounceth judgment to al his Folowers Here is the Saints patience Here are they that keep Gods Vers 12. Commandments and Faith of Jesus This cry is the Touchstone to try the Saints patience in so long expecting the Beasts punishment not being dejected or discontented at his prosperity nor deterred with his tyranny in obedience to Gods Commands and Faith of Jesus by abondoning the Beasts communion and renouncing his Image mark or cognisance I heard a voice from Heaven saying Write blessed are the Vers 13. dead which dy in the Lord henceforth saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works folow them This declaration most Men refer to the preceding words as a comfort henceforth to the Saints in the Lord but they rather tend to the subsequent matters as a warning of the Judgment and Resurrection to com under the seventh trumpet As if he said Now is the time wherin thos that dy in the Lord shal rise to a blessed life eternal This interpretation seems best for three reasons First becaus the day of death is never caled a reward but Judgment and Resurrection is Secundly becaus a Voice from Heaven imports som notable matter insuing nor is any command given to write sav only at beginning Thirdly becaus R. v. 11. 11. 18 it agrees with the seventh trumpet wherin the caus of thos that dy in Christ shal be judged and God shal reward his Servants which fear his name as here 't is said Blessed are the dead from this time that they may rest from their Labors and their works or a blessed reward folow them Both expositions intend specialy such as dy for the Lord viz. Martyrs who giv their life 's for Christ rather then other Saints or Confessors which dy in the Lord and put faith in him for so the context evidently evinceth or argueth by the Saints patience in suffering persecution even to death I looked and lo a whit Cloud and on it one sat like the Son of Vers 14 15. 16 Man haveng on his head a golden Crown and in his hand a sharp sickle and another Angel cam out of the Temple crying aloud to him that saâ— on the Cloud thrust in thy sickle and reap for time is com and Harvest is ripe and he thrust in his sickle and the Earth was reaped By Harvest three things are meant viz. Cutting of Corn gathering it in and threshing it out Hence a duple Parabol of contrary sens is used in Scripture one of killing or destroying by cutting down and threshing as Jeremy saith Babylon is a threshing floor 't is time to thresh hir Jer. 51. 33. yet a litle while and Havest time shal com So Isaiah speaks of Israels overthrow by Tiglatpeleser It shal be as when the Harvest Isai 17. 5. man reaps the ears of Corn with his arms Another of saving or restoring by gathering in used in the new Testament as Christ saith The Harvest is great but the Laborers or Gatherers such as shal be saved are few Now which of the two is here presented rests to be sifted or scanned by order of things doon The treading of
by John de la Casa Archbishop of Benevent as Isaiahs words intimat Their countenance doth witnes against them who declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not She is also like Egypt in blindnes and hardnes of Heart beside their oppression of Gods People She resembles Jerusalem in killing the Prophets refusing to receiv the Son of God but rejects reviles and crucifies him in his members as every ey sees A City hath sundry Streets and Papacy divers dominions wherin the wars and persecutions for sixty yeers last past must be exactly examined The Oriental Antichrist Turc doth not persecut Christians for Religion the Occidental Pope hath no Streets or Provinces under his power wherin hav hapned any remarkable persecutions sav only the Germam Empire or cheif Horn. This is that great Cities principal Street caled Catexochen the Street being a bare Sceleton left of the West Empire or fourth Monarchy having yet seven Heads the seven Princes Electors and ten Horns the ten Circles or Provinces as 't is divided In this Street we must seek the war and shal find it if we weigh wel what is past since A. 1595. til now For the Pope since Luther began to reform alwais aimed to extirp Gospel Professors for which end he caled the Council of Trent but this took no effect in Germany til the crafty Jesuits incited credulous Princes by fraud flattery and calumby to persecut Protestants Which began A. 1598. in Styria Carniola and Krain the success wherof ther and elswher specialy in Bohemia and Austria is too wel known to the World but the last act lacks to be executed in Silesia which being finished this war shal hav victory and execution end at which time the three yeers and half are to begin wherin the Witnesses dead Bodies shalâ—ly in the Streets This Author seems to be a Silesian Minister living in Polonia who draws al to the Meridian of his Country and comfort of his exiled Brethren Som of the People Kinreds Toungs and Nations shal see their Vers 9. dead bodies three dais and half not suffring them to be put in gravs Thes are forren Nations met in the German war for Religion but by a Treaty of peace the Protestants were circumvented and liberty of Conscience denied with al their proper privileges which produced manifold miseries Hence it appeers that the three annal dais and half before the appointed one thousand two hundred sixty terminat can agree to no other but when the said Silesian pacification shal be finished persecution stinted and expeld Evangelists restored al which shal be at end of An. 1655. Most Expositors refer the last words of not putting them in grav to their Enimies despite who bar their burial but they are used or uttered tropicaly as their quickning or rising must be taken civily not properly or literaly for their Enimies are caled they that dwel on Earth So forren Nations wil not wholy lay down the Sword but cast a watchful ey on al emotions in Germany and not permit Protestants to be totaly destroied or laid in grav under-ground as he perswads them to doo They that dwel on Earth Papists who hav their Heaven here Vers 10. for the just are strangers or Sojourners shal rejoyce over them make merry and send gâ—fâ—s one to another becaus thos two Prophets tormented them that dwel on Earth They are said to torment becaus they scan or sift their Enimies Doctrin and Conversation by the touchstone of Gods VVord cross their gross 1 Kings 18 17 Idolatry and exprobrat their filthy Sodomy So Eliah and Michah tormented Ahab Jeremy the Priests and Pseudoprophets Jer. 27. 9. 14. Amos 7. 10. Mat. 8. 29. Amos the People Christ the Devils This their Foes nickname Sedition to color their own oppression Thus far John writes what the Son of God declared by word of mouth wherby a sudden change insued in the Vision representing a like alteration in the Empire For he sees what after the end of three yeers and half befel the witnesses and what unexpected events shal betide Here the last period begins An. 1655. when al the Gospels Enimies are quelled and tru peace to Gods People redintegrated After three dais and half the Spirit of life from Godentred Vers 11. into them Thos dais expire An. 1655. when the treading on the holy City fourty two months the VVitnesses mourning one thousand two hundred threescore dais the VVomans abode in the Desart so long and the Beasts blaspheming fourty two Months conterminat or expire at once together Then also the term of Nebuchadnezars Image and period of al four Monarchies Dan 7. 12. 25. Dâ—n 12. 11. for a time times and dividing of time shal concur as also the one thousand two hundred ninety dais of abomination which makes desolat being al tru synchronicisms Ezekiel Ezek. 37. 14. hath a like expression wher God on the Jews behalf at Babylons Captivity saith I wil put my Spirit in you and ye shal liv I wâ—l put you in your own Land The like God wil doo to al exiled Professors restore them by unthought of means to their own Land and render their functions yea giv them greater dignities then ever they had before They stood on their feet or possest their Places and Stats but great fear fel on al that saw them Papists had great joy at the issu of this war but shal now tremble no less when the exiled repossesâ— their hereditary Fortunes and honorable Functions A lifely exemple herof is extant Wisdom 5. worth reading or review See Wisd 5. They heard a great voyce from Heaven saying Com up hither Vers 12. They shal ascend in a cloud and their Enimies shal see them Heaven signifies the Church the voice implies that after three yeers and half God wil rais a chief Protestant Potentat as a Patron to the Papists terror who shal open a free cours to the Gospel caling aloud by his Diploma or Letters Patents to al Exiles Com up resum your pristin preferments and emploiments So they shal suddenly ascend in a cloud to their charges with great glory and authority Their Enimies who before exulted at their afflictions inflicting al sorts of plagues shal fare as Jeremy threatned Chaldea and Babylon Jer. 50. 10. 1â— that al which go by shal hiss at them At the same hour was a great Earthquake and a tenth part Vers 1â— of the City fel viz. a fearful Commotion or Combustion in the Empire but a tenth part intends either the whol Papacy or one of the Empires ten streets or Rome City which is now but a tenth part of what it was as Lipsius provs In the Earthquake 〈◊〉 3 Admirand or war were slain seven thousand Men or a mighty multitud but the remnent were affrighted and gav glory to God The rest of Papists stood amazed and acknowledged Gods just judgments on them The sâ—â— und Wo is past This imports not as if al were
here it must import the Supporter of the Popâ—sh State who givs splendor and strength to al as the Sun doth in Nature for he had power given to scorch Men with fire even thos of his own side Men were scorched with great heat and blasphemed Gods Vers 9. name which hath power over thes plagues but repented not to giv him glory When the Sun or Supporter of Papacy shal ly down to rest Gods wrath wil extremly blast Papists the Lord Psal 21. 9. shal make them like a firy Oven yet wil they not relent to giv him glory but blasphem his name stâ—l The fifth poured his on the Beasts Seat whos Kingdom was Vers 10. 11. ful of darknes and they gnawed their toungs for pain They blaspemed the God of Heaven but repented not So soon as the ten hornd Beast rose from the Sea the Dragon gav him his Power and Seat of residence Rome which he retained with the two hornd Beast like Hippocrates twins ever since and reign over the Kings of the Earth but now by the fifth Phial his Kingdom is darkned yet not quit demolished or dissolved which shal be doon at pouring out the last Phial The sixth poured his on Euphrates great River and the water Vers 12. was dried up to prepare the way of the East Kings Euphrates signifies the Turcs which border on it but drying up the water implies their ruin or overthrow as the Prophets use that phrase Isai 19. 5. Isai 44 27. Jer. 48. 34. Jer. 50 38. Jer. 51. 36. Ezek. 30. 12. Ezek. 31. 4. the drying up is a preparation to the great work which shal be performed at pouring out the seventh Phial for as the red Sea was divided for Israel to pass Exod. 14. 12. Josua 3. 17. when Pharaoh pursued and Jordan dried up for them to go into Canaan So here Euphrates is mysticaly dried i. the Turcs destroied to make way for the East Kings meaning the Jews conversion Next folows the seventh Phial the seventh Angel sounded the seventh plague or third and last wo fel on both Beasts which sit in the City sited on seven Hils caled seven Heads the preparativs thus pourtraied I saw three unclean Spirits like Frogs com out of the Dragon Vers 13 14. Beasts and fals Prophets mouths thes are the Spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth to the Kings of the whol World to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty Al three are Companions or felow Commoners which stick close together and now at end of their reign send abroad Agents or Ambassadors croking Spirits which work miracles For when Rome the Popes Seat and Turcs Empire shal be suppressed and Jews converted the Devil the whol Papacy and fals Prophet seing their end at hand wil stir every stone and send out their chief Emissaries to al Popish Princes perswading them to rais war against Protestants in that great day of Almighty God The time of Constantins subduing the Dragon and supplanting Idolatry is Rev 6. 17. cald the great day of Gods wrath but this when the Beast with fals Prophet are to be cast into a firy Lake and Dragon shut up in the bottomless pit stiled the great day of God Almighty being before termed the time of the Dead that they shal be judged but by the Prophets Apostles and Christ clyped Rev. 11. 18. Catexochen That Day which he spares to explicat Behold I com as a Theef blessed is he that watcheth and Vers 15. 16. keeps his garment lest he walk naked and they see his shame He gathered them into a place caled Armageddon This is the sudden pouring out of the seventh Phial and Plagues on the Papacy for which Men are warned to watch but the place of Papists Rendevous caled Armageddon Mountain of Lamentation 2 Chr. 35. 24. 25. alluding to the place wher good King Josiah was slain and much bewailed which argues that Papists shal mourn for the issu of this war as the Jews did for that direful defeat at Megiddo The seventh Angel poured his into the Air and a great Voice Vers 17. cam out of Heavens Temple from the Throne saying It is doon The preceding Phials were poured on particular Places or Persons 1. On the Popish State and Religion in common 2. On the Politic State by the German war 3. On peculiar Popish Kingdoms and their Heads 4. On a strong Pillar of Papistry 5. On Rome City 6. On the Turcs Territories but this Eph. 2. 2. last universaly on the Air or whol Body and Satan Prince of the Air with al his Spirits becaus he is worshiped together with the Beast At pouring out of which Phial the time draws nigh Mat. 24. 28. foretold by Christ of his coming to Judgment Ther were Voices Thunders Lightnings and so great an Vers 18. Earthquake as was not since Men were on Earth so mighty and great Here begins the Execution on the Devil and his Army with his Vicar and his Dependents even on the whol Papacy and its Kingdoms In the Air are heard terrible Voices Thunders and yellings of Devils on Earth War and rumors of War in al parts Tumults Seditions Insurrections Massacres and horrid Bloodsheds such as never were heard of before The great City was divided into three parts Rome City is specified Vers 19. in the sixth Phial but here the whol Papal State signified which is shared among three Chieftains typified by the triple Crown the Dragon Beast and fals Prophet For thes generals shal levy or lead forth the Battle as ech severaly raised their Forces before and now join ready to fal on But with what success The Beast and fals Prophet being taken are cast Rev 19. 10. aâ—ife into a burning Lake of brimstone but the Dragon Generalissimo shut up in the bottomless pit for a thousand yeers Rev. 20. 1. 2. The Cities of the Nations fel that is Idolatry Sodomy and other abominations practised under Popery are altogether abolished Great Babylon cam into remembrance before God to giv hir Vers 20. the Cup of Wine of his fierce Wrath. God sat stil long seeming to take no notice of the Beasts blasphemy and tyranny but when the prefixd time of fourty two months expired remembers hir fils ful the Cup of Wine of his fierce wrath and punisheth after hir demerits Every Iland fled away and the Mountains were not found viz Al that depend on the Papacy the remotest Iles and loftiest places by Land shal â—ly away vanish be vanquished and seen no more Ther fel on Men a great Hail from Heaven every stone Vers 21. about a Talent weight and Men blasphemed becaus of this plague for it was exceding great Thes great Hâ—â—lstones denot God 's grievous punishments the weight of a Talent his heaviest Judgments yet Men ceased not to blasphem his holy name Here the Author ends his Explications but answers sundry scruples doubts and