signified which the Lord is about to doe in the time of this Sixt Trumpet For the finding out whereof we are to compare these words with that prophecie which we finde written in the fourth Chapter of Zechariah where Ver. 1. the prophet is by the angell awaked as out of sleep Which noteth a stirring up of the Prophet to great attention to what was now in a vision shewed unto him as being a matter of great moment and diligently to bee marked In the vision the prophet Saw a golden Candelstick with Seven Lamps and on each side thereof two Olive trees This vision came in the time when the Temple at Hierusalem was a reparing by Zerubbabell and it was by the word of the Lord to signify unto him as V. 6. Saying This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts This was to comfort and incourage Zerubbabel in the work as also Verse 9. which the enemies of Gods people did so much deride and mock at as a worke which could never be finished as we read Nehem. 4.2 3. Where Sanballat spake to his brethren and the army of Samaria having great indignation and mocking the Jews said What do these feeble Iews Wil they fortifie themselves Wil they sacrifise Wil they make an end in a day Wil they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burnt And Tobiah the Ammonite said Even that which they build if a Fox go up he shal evē break down their stone wal Now against all this the Lord incourageth Zerubbabel and his people by this Vision of the Candlesticks and two Olive-trees shewed to the Prophet whereof the Lord himselfe is the Authour and not man Therefore he saith Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts That like as the Spirit of the Lord shewed this Vision to his Prophet wherein is shadowed out the indeficient and never fayling Kingdome of Jesus Christ who is the fountain of grace and the good u Ro. 11.17 24 Olive-tree which runneth and floweth forth with Oile continually to supply his x Revel 1. golden Candlesticks his Ministers and Prophets by the light of whose Prophecie as the Temple was founded and finished by the Prophecie of haggai and Zechariah the Prophets of the Lord at that time so the Church of Christ in all ages shall be built up repaired and in fine fully finished But in speciall this worke this great worke of repayring the Temple and restoring true Religion unto its primitive purity is to be accomplished under this sixt Trumpet wherein the Lord hath his two witnesses answerable to those two Prophets Haggai and Zechariah by whose Prophecie the ancient Temple the figure of the Church under the Gospel was repaired by the power of whose prophecie through the Grace and Spirit of Christ his true Church and Religion shall bee repaired maugre all the malice of Sanballat and Tobiah with their Samaritan Army to withstand the building and notwithstanding all the scorne and mockerie power and policie of Antichrist and his nimble Foxes that thinke by their treading upon the wall to overthrow it This work I say is to be performed and is now already begun to be acted under this Sixt Trumpet And therefore hath the Spirit of Christ in this place compared his two witnesses and their prophecie unto two golden Candlesticks and two Olive-trees that stand before y Zech. 4.14 the Lord of the whole Earth as it is said in Zechariah as it were pointing us with the finger to that whole vision of the Prophet setting forth the perfect reparation of that Temple to the end wee might be out of all doubt that the Lord under this Trumpet is about the like great work of reparation and restauration of his Church and Religion which shall prosper and be accomplished not by might nor by power of men but by the Spirit of the Lord in the mouth of his two witnesses and by the word of their prophecie crying as in Zechariah z Zech. 4 7. Grace grace unto it And for our further confirmation in the truth hereof have wee not a cleere and evident demonstration of it in that admirable worke of Reformation of the Kirke of Scotland at this day whereof we are all eye-witnesses And was this done by might and power of man No. They indeed as a Neh. 4 17 18 those Jewish builders and repayrers as aforesaid began to build working with the one hand with the other holding a weapon or having their sword at their side to defend themselves against the Antichristian yoke of the Herarchie as against Sanballets and Tobiahs and chiefly to vindicate the honour crown throne Scepter and Kingdome of Jesus Christ over his people from Antichrists proud and impious usurpations which all Christian Princes and people are bound to doe as also they had their Prophets with publike fasting prayer such as the Jews also used at the repairing of the Tēple whereby they so prospered and God gave them such favour in the eies of their Sovereign that they altogether laid aside their weapons and so not by might nor by power but by the Grace of God that great work notwithstanding all their adversaries plotting and labouring against it was in some good measure accomplished to the everlasting honour and prayse of our Lord Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and to the renowne of that King the Lords Anointed whose heart was moved to become the Lords great Instrument in permitting and assenting unto so glorious a worke whereby as Christs Kingdome and Temple is now in a faire way restored and established in that Nation and freed from Antichrists yoake So the Kings throne also is established in that Kingdome and shal be unto the comming of Jesus Christ by whom alone b Prov. 8.15 Kings do reigne and Princes decree justice And as the Lord hath thus begun his great glorious work of repayring his Temple and restoring Religion so evidently represented before our eyes as in a most cleere Vision in this sixt Trumpet as hath beene shewed by comparing this Prophecie with that in Zechariah aforesaid so certainly the Lord will finish his own worke in other Kingdoms also where both Princes and people are deluded and brought into at least Spirituall bondage under the Antichristian yoake which though it be curiously painted and guilded over and as it were faced and lined with Pharisaicall broad Phylacteries woven with goodly words As The Church most Reverend Fathers holy Hierarchie Christs Vice roys and the like pompous and pretended titles yet these be but golden chains and silken cords purple coloured wherein to lead captive even Kingdoms and States to make up the traine of Antichrists triumph And here for a close of this excellent Prophecy in this fourth Verse give mee leave to relate a true story My selfe having certaine yeers agone
word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the text is not altogether to be slighted for it signifieth not only names but men of fame and m Gen. 6 4. renowne such as were the Giants and Tyrants of old and those n Gen. 11.4 Babel-builders who would get them a Name by building that Towre And such are those men we speak of these Giants Tyrants Babel-builders they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of Renown terrible men yea not only the Lord-prelates themselves but their whole retinue for not a Pursuivant and Apparitor and the least Boy in their Kitchin but he is a mickle man Well all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even seven thousand the whole generation of them in Scotland is slaine in that Earthquake that is utterly cast out as dead men For still I say these plagues fall only on them that have the Beasts marke or the number of his Name as the Prelats and their followers And if any here stand strictly upon the just Number of seven thousand I answer whether there were more of them or whether fewer the Number of seven thousand being a perfect and compleat number is sufficient to comprehend all of that ranke in that Countrey This number here being like that Chap. 9.16 an Army of Horsmen of two hundred thousand thousand Which number comprehends all those in the Armies though they were by many degrees short of that huge number as before And so here It followeth hereupon That the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven The remnant whether the whole people in that tenth part as aforesaid or whether those that were a kind of Retainers or favourers or parties siding with the Prelates faction or altogether they were struck with feare as beholding the Almightie power of God in the effecting of that great and admirable work and thereupon gave glory to the God of Heaven I will conclude this with that of David n Psal 64.7 8 9 10. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow suddainly shall they be wounded So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves all that see them shall flee away And all men shall feare and shall declare the work of God for they shall â—isely consider of his doing The righteous shal be glad in the Lord and shall trust in him and all the upright in heart shall glory Even so Amen Now a word of the next Trumpet the seventh or last But by the way we find these words o Verse 14. The second woe is past and behold the third woe commeth quickly Chap. 18.13 Wee finde three woes woe woe woe The first woe belongeth to the fift Trumpet as Chapter 9.12 the second woe to the sixt and the third woe to the seventh So as the sixt Trumpet being ended it is said here The second â—oe is past and the seventh Trumpet now following is it added And behold the third woe commeth quickly That is the seventh Trumpet commeth quickly bringing its woe with it to the Beast and his Kingdome The seventh and last Trumpet Verse 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever c. This seventh Trumpet as it bringeth woe even the last woe that is utter ruine and destruction to the Beast and his Kingdome to Antichrist the Whore of Babylon that great p Ver. 8. Chap. 17.18 Citie and to the whole Hierarchie where ever it be in any part or Kingdome of the World so it brings great joy and triumph to all the people of God under the Sun This is that great voice from Heaven yea great voices that is generall acclamations of the whole Church of Christ in all places which is here called Heaven as q Verse 12. before Saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord even of God the Father and of his Christ and he shal reigne for ever and ever That is when this Trumpet shall sound which shall be quickly as V. 14. all the Kingdoms of the World shall consent to the rooting out of Antichrist and his kingdome they shall cast downe his Throne which is exalted in and by the Hierarchie and his whole Hierarchie shall they cast out and shall set up Christs throne over them shall subject the Kingdoms to Christs Government in submitting and conforming to his Doctrine Discipline according to his Word For till they doe this so long as they uphold and take part with the Beast in admitting and mayntaining his Hierarchie in their Dominions they r Chap. 17.13 give their strength and power unto the Beast and subject their Kingdomes unto him making warre against the Lambe Jesus Christ and so their Kingdomes the while are not Christs Kingdomes but Antichrists rather A thing well to be considered of Christian Kings and Princes and States But when this seventh Trumpet shall sound which will bee shortly if not rather already begunne then is that time fulfilled which was forelimited of GOD when they even the ten Kings to wit all Christian Kings and States which before took part with the Beast against the Lambe even Å¿ Chap. 17.16 17. these shall hate the Whore and shal make her desolate and naked and shal eat her flesh and burn her with fire For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his wil and to agree and give their Kingdome unto the Beast until the words of God shal be fulfilled And although this may seem strange and almost incredible to mans reason and apprehension yet God shall as certainly bring it to passe as his Word hath said it And that we might not be diffident herein God hath given us a famous and remarkable instance and as it were a sensible taste hereof in that late glorious worke of his in the Kingdome of Scotland which we noted before in throwing down that proud Antichristian throne of the Beast which the Prelates thought impossible to be done and which seemed at first but as a t Psal 126.1 dreame even to Gods people when the Lord brought againe the captivity of his Sion in that Land in so good a measure begun whereas now that out-cast Hierarchie hath as little hope ever to be restored as in their prosperitie they had feare or doubt ever to bee so cast out Yet wee see it with our eyes that God hath brought to passe this great thing And shall we doubt of the rest when he hath given us such a sure earnest of his never fayling word and of his invincible power Hee that hath puld off one of the the Beasts hornes shall shortly breake off all his hornes as the Lord saith u Psal 75.10 All the hornes of the wicked also will I cut off but the hornes of the righteous shall be exalted And then then I
say when the Kingdome of the Beast that Whore which yet desperatly triumpheth in the confidence of her stately Babylon x Chap. 18.7 sitting in her throne and saying in her heart I sit a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow shall bee destroyed y Verse 8. whose plagues shal come in one day death and mourning and famine when she shal be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord who judgeth her and so when all the Kingdomes aforesaid shall resume their power and strength from the Beast Esop and Horace and leave him naked as the Birds did the Crow when each bird tooke his owne feather wherewith the Crow had pranked himselfe exalting himself above his fellows and when they shall submit their Scepters unto Jesus Christ by receiving his government over them as aforesaid then their Kingdomes become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shal reigne for ever and ever But we finde Chap. 18.9 how the Kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with the Whore of Babylon seeing her ruine shall bewaile her and lament for her c. and yet Chap. 17. that the ten hornes the ten Kings that gave their power and Kingdomes to the Beast shal hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire These two places seeme to contradict one another But being rightly understood there is no contradiction For first most sure it is that the ten Kings aforesaid shal hate the Whore and be the instruments of her desolation God will surely bring his word to passe But yet some of those Kings may at first bee brought to it against their wils or with an ill will having beene formerly so much enamoured on the gay painted Whore and made drunke with the wine of her fornication We see those two milch-kine of the Philistins by a strange instinct carried Gods Arke to his place yet lowed all the way after their Calves 1 Sam. 6. So the Lord will have his work done upon the whore though some of the chiefe instruments may have still a yearning of affection after the Whore for old acquaintance sake Yet though some for their own persons may doe this for a time and because the Whore fals with her goodly Babylon notwithstanding because the Kings alone shall not make Babylon desolate but their Kingdomes to wit their people taken altogether therefore the particular pitie of some for a time shall not hinder the generall hatred of the Whore and so the Kingdomes of this World mainly and universally shal become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ And this making desolate of the Whore by the Kings and their people shall be with such violence of passion and zeale which God shall kindle in their hearts and brests as when it is done they shal stand amazed to behold the smoke of her burning and spend some human compassion and pitie upon those terrible and suddaine desolations Even as Titus that noble Roman Generall when through the obdurate obstinacie of the Jews in their extreame misery his souldiers were so enraged that not only the Citie Jerusalem but the most beautifull Temple it selfe were set on fire hee beholding it wept over it to see such a goodly and glorious building so miserably destroyed the like compassion may even those Kings have in weeping over Babylon when they shall behold the ruines thereof wherein themselves notwithstanding with their people were the chief Actors Thus the same Kings whom the Lord shall employ in the making desolate of Babylon may bee moved with humane compassion when they behold even those ruines which themselves by divine instigation have made And as the same Titus though hee cryed to his Souldiers to save that glorious Monument the Temple and not to burn it and seeing it notwithstanding all on a flame cryed out the more vehemently to quench it but could not prevail to rescue it So the Kings of the earth when they shall see the smoke of Babylons burning and shall thereupon be moved to lament her saying Alas Alas that great Citiy Babylon that mighty Citie yet such is the Lords fury kindled against her that they shall not be able with all their power though they would never so fain to rescue her out of the flames For the Lord will have it so and therefore as he hath put in their minds to fulfil his wil in giving their strength and Kingdome to the Beast until the words of God be fulfilled So when the words of God shal be fulfilled he wil also put in their minds to fulfil his wil in the utter destruction of Babylon And from this time Christ shal reigne for evermore over his people when the usurping Beast with all his power shall be put downe and so when all Kings Princes and States shal submit their Scepters to Christs authority as before is shewed Then shall be great joy and thanksgiving in the Church as Verse 16.17 and in the end of this last Trumpet which how long it shall sound and the sounding thereof last he only knows Acts 1.7 Matth. 24 36. who hath reserved it in his owne brest shall come the generall judgement of quick and dead wherein God shall powre wrath upon his wrathfull enemies and shall reward all his faithful servants as Verse 18. Now there be sundry other things very mysticall and darke which seeme to come under the time of this last Trumpet as besides the remainder of this Chapter Verse 19. which gives some light of the generall conversion of the Jewes the whole twentieth Chapter of this Booke but because they be very obscure and will require longer time and stronger Prayers for assisting and illuminating grace in the opening of them therefore I will here put an end for the present till it shall please God to give a further opportunitie In the mean time a Chap. 11.17 We give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Even so AMEN
seven Angels with their seven Trumpets prepared to sound And who so compareth their seven severall Soundings and the severall effects thereof with the severall pourings forth of the seven Vials and the effects thereof hee shall observe such a similitude between them as will put him out of all doubt that the seven Trumpets and the seven Vials are all one and the same Prophecie Take a brief view hereof The c Chap. 8 7. Chap. 16.2 sounding of the first Trumpet and the pouring forth of the first Viall smites the Earth the d Chap. 8.8 Chap. 16.3 second Trumpet and Viall the Sea the third Trumpet and Viall the Rivers the fourth Trumpet and Viall the Sun the fifth Trumpet and Viall the Kingdome of the Beast the throne whereof is chiefly in Rome so as under this Trumpet and Viall the Beasts Kingdome is exceedingly e Chap. 16.10 Chap. 9.1 2 3. darkned as with smoke out of the bottomlesse pit and the limbes of the Beast the vass is of his Kingdom of darknesse even all such as have f Chap 9 4. Chap. 7.3 not the Seale of God in their fore-heads are tormented by sundry plagues as Chap. 9. and 16.10 11. So as this fifth Trumpet and Viall seems to set forth not excluding the former for they have all a concurrence in some degree one with another from the very first to the last more cleerly the State of the Kingdome of the Beast upon and since the Councell of Trent whereby through smokes out of the bottomlesse pit his whole Kingdome and Throne grew more darke then formerly they had been of that smoke never such Locusts bred which for multitude greatnes and power far exceed those of Egypt full of Martiall terrour as Chap. 9.7 8 9 10 11. whose King over them is the Angell of the bottomlesse pit Abaddon or Apollyon a most cruell and mercilesse destroyer And that this is that Great Beast of Rome with all his crew of Jesuits and Friers no question is to be made And here by the way wee may cleerly see that by the darkning of the throne of the Beast upon the powring out of the fifth Viall is not to be understood the destruction of Rome it selfe as some have imagined but thereby is meant that universall darknes arising from the smoke out of the bottomlesse pit wherewith the Kingdome of the Beast is altogether covered like that palpable Egyptian darknesse the immediate fere-running plague of the destruction of their First-borne and so of Israels finall and full deliverance in the destruction of the whole power and flower of Egypt That this is so compare but the fifth Viall with the fifth Trumpet in neither of which you shall find any touch or footstep of Romes Ruine but in both a wonderfull darknesse over that whole Throne and Kingdome so as unto them by reason of the smoke out of the pit namely grosse palpable and damnable colours and pretences as a blacke veile to cover their Mystery of iniquitie most cunningly woven up in the Councell of Trent but first contrived in the Popes Conclave the Beasts Den at Rome the Sun and aire are altogether darkned as with the black cloud towards the Egyptians while the bright pillar of the Gospell shines forth cleerly to Gods people And that this is the sense aforesaid is manifest not only by comparing the fifth Viall with the fifth Trumpet but also by considering and comparing the sixth Viall with the sixth Trumpet For if it shall appeare that we are now come within the Sound of the sixth Trumpet and under the time of the powring out of the sixth Viall then certainly the fifth Vial and the fifth Trumpet are alreadie past saving only that all the Vials are still powring out and all the Trumpets still a sounding til they all conclude in and with the last And if for the mayn past and yet Rome the seat of the Beast unruined then certainly by the darkning of the Seat of the Beast in the fifth Viall cannot be meant the destruction of the Citie of Rome And thus having by way of preface premised these things which also may serve as a key to introduce us now to take a view of our proposed matter namely the sixth Trumpet wee now come by the same Grace of God leading and guiding us to such Observations as the Text all along presents unto us and wherin our eyes are infallible witnesses of those things which our eares doe heare from the sound of this Trumpet Chap. 9.13 And the sixt Angell sounded and I heard a voice from the foure hornes of the golden Altar which is before God saying to the sixt Angell which had the Trumpet loose the foure Angels which are bound in the great River Euphrates And the foure Angels were loosed which were prepared for an houre and a day and a moneth and a year for to slay the third part of men c. In the former verse after the sounding of the fifth Angell it is said One woe is past and behold there comes two woes more hereafter Whereupon it is added And the sixth Angell sounded c. This shews us by the way that the sounding of these seven Angels brings with it so many woes even as the seven Vialls are called the seven last plagues And these woes are denounced and doe fall upon the Beast and his crew as those seven last plagues also do as yee may see Chap. 9.4.20 Chap. 16.5.6.10 c. Now by the voice from the foure hornes of the golden Altar which is before God is cleerely meant Christs own voice who is that golden Altar even that only true Altar whereof that Levitical four-horned golden Altar was a type and to which the Scripture here alludeth For as on that Leviticall Altar all Sacrifices and offerings were presented unto God otherwise they were not accepted So Christ is our only g Heb. 13.10.15 Altar h 1 Pet. 2.5 in whose Name we offer up all our Spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And as offendors under the law fled for refuge to the hornes of the Altar So we being offendors against God by our sins do fly for i Heb. 6 18. 1 Iohn 2.1.2 refuge to Christ so as the pursuer man or devill may k Rom. 8.33 34 not meddle with us Againe Christs voice here shewes unto us that he is the great King and Lord that commands all things in heaven and earth he it is that sendeth woes and plagues upon the enemies of his Church He commandeth his Angels and they execute his commands Loose the foure Angells saith hee to his Angell which are bound in the great river Euphrates Before we can come to know what 's meant by these four Angells it behoves us first to enquire what 's meant by the great river Euphrates Of this great river Euphrates mention is made also in the l Chap. 16.11 sixth viall answering to this sixt Trumpet Now this great river Euphrates is
that Herodotus which invironing Babylon made it invincible untill Cyrus King of Persia did by his million of men cause the waters thereof neere about Babylon so to be drayned into many deepe and vast sluces or by-channels as the maine river for a time becomming fordable his men waded through it and so Babylon was surprised And to this alludeth that which is written * Chap. 16.12 in the sixt Viall of the drying up of that great river that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared Now the Kingdome of the beast or his throne against which the woes of the seven trumpets are sounded and the last plagues of the seven vialls powred out is that Great Babylon the mother of whordoms and abominations and the great captiver of Gods people as she is at large and cleerely set forth Chap. 17. and. 18. And the Great river Euphrates is that main strength and power of men whereby Babylon is defended against invasion This main strength of this Babylon is at this day the King of Spain or the house of Austria including the Emperour in Germanie and the rest of that house yea all those of that faction and confederacie as the Hierarchie or Prelacie where ever it is together with the wicked of the World that are made drunk with the Whores golden cup. It follows then that those foure Angells bound in the river Euphrates whom Christ commands to be loosed are those christian Kings Princes and States which for a time either standing Neuters or being for Babylon Christ raiseth and rouseth up to take up armes for the diminishing and draining of this great River Euphrates by their numerous Armies and potent preparations v. 16. 17. c. Nor is it uncouth to call Kings and Princes Angels for they are often called m Psal 82 16. Elohim Gods as also the holy angells are And Kings and Princes being n Rom. 13.4 Gods Ministers and being especially sent by him upon any great businesse as here they may therefore properly be called Angells which signifies such as are sent This is cleere enough As Chap. 1.20 The Ministers of the seven Churches are called Angels And Chap. 12.17 Michael and his Angels do fight with the Dragon and his Angels And Chap. 17. Those Kings which once warred for the Beast against Christ even they shall one day hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked And the reason is there given Verse 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their Kingdome unto the Beast untill the words of God shall be fulfilled And then he will call and send them as his Angels or Messengers to execute his will against the Whore Even so here the loosing of the foure Angels which were bound in the great River Euphrates is the raising up of certain Kings and Princes which shall remove out of the way the maine strength whereby Babylon is guarded And although this her strength be very great and as hard to remove out of the way as to remove the Great River Euphrates out of her vast Chanell yet these foure Angels thus loosed shall so diminish Babylons strong Fortresses as a way shall be made for her surprisall and utter desolation This then being so cleere and plain it points us as by the finger to these very times wherein God hath stirred up sundry Kings and Princes with their mighty armies to make war upon the Emperour the King of Spaine and the house of Austria the maine pillars of the Popedome As the King of Sweden whose continued armie still keepes the field against all the Emperours power also the King of France and the Princes of Germany with the States Generall and I may say Generous of the Low Countries These may wel be those four Angels here loosed which now make war against the strength of Babylon These were readie at an houre c. to obey Christs Command and wil vers 15. for to slay the third part of men Look but upon the desolations of Germany look also upon the late admirable victory which the Lord of Hosts of Sea Land gave to the States General against the K. of Spains great Navy in the narrow Seas wherein a third part at least of the men perished And the war is still continued on all sides against Babylons Euphrates to abate the pride of her swelling streams wherwith Babylon is guarded Again the o Verse 16. number of the Armies of these foure Angels is said to be 200000 thousand such an armie for number as never was in the World Cyrus as is before noted had 1000 thousand to invade Babylon which was the greatest army that History makes mention of But loe here an armie of 200 times so many even 200000 thousand to make war against spirituall Babylon her temporal power Now by this number so great numbred by God himselfe in this place is especially meant such an armie as shall be invincible against Babylon such an armie I say as never was in the world For Gods numbring is his valuing or as he esteems accounts a thing As when he was about to destroy that potent proud King of Babylon Belshazzar then Emperour of the World with his Princes and powers about him he said unto him p Dan. 5.26 God hath numbred thy Kingdome which is expounded by the next words Thou art weighed in the ballance and art found wanting So as on the contrary here where God numbers such an host as here to be two hundred thousand thousand the meaning is that these foure Angells with their armie shall bee so potent and formidable and so victorious against Babylon and all her forces as if they consisted of such a wonderfull number For otherwise God stands not upon numbers it is q 1 Sam. 14.6 all one with him to save by many or by few And his few shall be as many thousand thousands when hee will get the victory by them The King of Swedens army which hee first brought into Germany that got the victory over the Emperours mighty forces at Lipsich was far short in number of the Emperors thousands In the next place is described the manner of the horsemen and of the horses vers 17. to set forth their power and terrour Then the manner of their fight out of their mouthes issued fire smoke and brimstone wherewith the third part of men were killed Here we see the manner of weapons and fight of these very times of ours as by powder and shot signified by fire smoke and brimstone comming out of their mouthes as out of the mouth of the Cannon those murthering weapons With these are slaine the third part of men This desolate Germany can witnesse now turned almost into a Wildernesse And in that the horses are said to hurt with their mouthes and with their tayls thereby is meant that there is no securitie from being hurt of them every way both before
and to use their own Phrase worme out godly Ministers and good people and make havock of all holinesse as is noted before and commit all manner of out-rage and crueltie upon the Servants of God And this their extream out-rage and crueltie hath continued now very neer three yeers and a halfe or fortie and two moneths I say the extremitie of it k Heb. 12.4 as when they fall to shed bloud c. though they have been playing their pranks and laying their plots a long time but more covertly and insensibly till of later days the flame of their Antichristian outrage hath broke out ready to set all in a combustion But I trust to see the expiration of these two and forty moneths to run out very shortly And were there not such a time here limited yet such hath beene the fury of these men like a hideous storme or impetuous torrent that it cannot be conceived it should last any long time but quickly run it selfe dry or out of breath And God being so desperatly and Giantlike provoked it cannot stand with his patience nor with his honour to suffer long such affronts And he hath promised to l Luke 18.8 avenge the cause of his Elect quickly And therefore certainly it will not bee long before he m Esay 59 1◠repay fury to his adversaries and the rather at this time when the Lord sees things so desperate that there is no man to stand in the gap no intercessor but that truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a prey and there is no judgement as the Prophet there speaks therefore his own arme shall bring salvation when hee shall put on righteousnesse as a brest-plate and an helmet of salvation upon his head and the garments of vengeance for clothing and Zeale as a Cloake Thus n Heb. 10.37 38. he that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the just shall live by faith It followeth Verse 3. Verse 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sackcloth Here it is to be noted that during all the hardship of Gods people under this sixt Trumpet wherein the holy Citie Christs true Church is trodden under foot by the Spirituall Babylon or by the Beast out of the bottomlesse pit yet God will not want his witnesses to prophesie and testifie his truth even against the most cruell and bloudy persecutors therof And hee will have at the least two witnesses by whose testimony n Math. 18.16 every word shall be established Nor can it be expected that in such a terrible time o Amos 5.13 an evill time wherein the prudent do keep silence there should be many witnesses to be found But that there should be some at the least two God will raise them up Christ will give them power I will give saith he power to my two witnesses To doe what To prophecie that is to preach the truth to witnesse it against all opposition to denounce judgements against the Adversaries and to comfort Gods people with his promises As the Prophet Micah saith p Mic. 3.8 9. c. Truly I am ful of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sinne Heare this I pray you yee Heads of the house of Jacob and Princes of the house of Israel that abhorre judgement and pervert all equitie They build up Sion with bloud and Jerusalem with iniquitie The Heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets therof divine for mony yet wil they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us None evil can come upon us Therefore shal Sion for your sake be ploughed as a field and Jerusalem shal become heaps and the Mountaine of the house as the high places of the forest Thus the Prophet Now who is hee that would stand up for a witnesse against wicked Prelates Priests and Prophets against wicked Princes and Rulers against wicked Heads and Judges in a forlorne time as here the Prophet did except the Lord had first filled him with power judgement and might by the Spirit of God Therefore saith the Lord to Jeremie when he complained saying q Ier. 15 10. Woe is mee my mother that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth c. r Verse 18. Why is my paine perpetuall and my wound incurable c ſ Verse 19.20 Therefore saith the Lord If thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth Let them returne unto thee but returne thou not unto them And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brazen wal and they shall fight against thee but they shal not prevaile against thee for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee saith the Lord. And I wil deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked and I wil redeeme thee out of the hand of the terrible And Esay saith The Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people nor to make a confederacie with them Thus there And thus here the Lord gives power to his two witnesses to prophesie and beare testimony against the wicked and terrible enemies of his Church here under the Sixt Trumpet In the next place is set down the time how long these two witnesses shall prophesie and that is a thousand two hundred and threescore days And this answeres to the forty and two moneths of Antichrists oppressing of gods people which is three yeeres and a halfe For a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes make up within one weeke just three yeers and a halfe So as their prophecy continueth during the great affliction of Gods People under this Sixt Trumpet Whence we may note here God never leaves his people in affliction without comfort nor his truth without testimony nor his adversaries without conviction but he sends his witnesses to prophesie evē in most forlorn times Then follows here the estate and condition of these two witnesses expressed by their outward habit they are cloathed in sackcloth sutable to Elias and Iohn Baptist And sutable to their habit was their prophecying preaching repentance and remission of sins to the penitent and believers and denouncing judgments to the obstinate And as was their habit such were their affections men crucified to the World forsaking all and accounting all things to be losse and betaking themselves to their Sackcloth It was no time now as the Lord saith to Ieremie t Jer. 4.5.5 to seeke great things to themselves It followeth Verse 4. Verse 4. These are the two Olive-trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the Earth In these words is couched a great mystery and a great worke
are observable 1 The time when it begins 2 The parties or warriers and 3 the issue of the battaile First for the time it is when the two witnesses have finished their testimony Then and not before Till then the Beast hath no power to set upon them Thus it was with the Captain of our salvation John 7.8 My time saith he is not yet come And Verse 30. when his enemies sought to take him no man laid hands on him because his houre was not yet come But when his houre was come that hee must lay down his life as John 13.1 and 17.1 and when hereupon his enemies came to take him Christ saith unto them k Luke 22.53 This is your houre and power of darknesse Till now they had no power till his houre was come And when upon the Crosse hee came to say It is finished then and not before hee gave up the ghost Thus he finished his Testimony before his death It is said of David that l Acts 13 36. after hee had served his owne Generation by the will of GOD hee fell asleep And Paul saith of himself m 2 Tim. 4.6 7 I am now ready to bee offered and the time of my departure is at hand And the reason is added in the next Verse I have fought a good fight J have finished my course Thus when these two witnesses have finished their testimony the Beast sets upon them and kils them And here let me give you a most remarkable instance wherein God is the more glorified Which at that very time when it was done was observed by some neighbour Ministers in London Only this I deprecate that none doe imputâ— unto me any vain humour of glorying as if I made my selfe one of those witnesses here spoken of such an honour I assume not to my selfe Only I say I crave leave to relate a truth It is this I having been n See a notable parallel hereof in Ezech. Chap 3.24 25 26. shut up in my owne house by the Prelates Pursuivants daily and hourely watching for mee at my gates the space of almost two moneths in which time notwithstanding their continuall rapping and ringing at my gates I was a compiling my Book of two Sermons which I had preached in my Church the fifth of November then last past fitting it for the Press that so it might be a testimony to all the World of that truth which I had therein delivered and for which I was then questioned and troubled by the Prelates the which testimony as also my Apologie for my Appeale being now finished and fully printed and some Books for the King and Councell bound up and brought unto me the same day at night and not before came from the Lord of London then Lord Treasurer a Serjant at Arms with a number of Pursuivants and Officers with swords and staves in the evening and with great violence assaulted my doors and brake them open though very strong and so came and seized on my body sitting with my family in my gowne and making no resistance at all This I thought here not unfit to be noted as not altogether impertinent to this Prophecie to which this example may seem to have some correspondence And so much of the time when this warre begins even when these two witnesses have finished their testimony and not before The Beast for all his roaring yet hath not the power to set his paw upon Christs witnesses untill they have finished their testimony And is it not lawfull for me to adde one truth more that God may be glorified and the hearts of his people raised up and filled with rejoycing in him This it is Not all the Beasts hundred eyes not all his quick-sented bloud-hounds the Pursuivants for all their vigilant and eagre hunting could find out or discover where this testimony to wit For God and the King was printed though they left never a Printing house about London unsearched over and over day by day the Lord in his providence preserving not only my person but my testimony also that it should not be prevented but come forth into the open light It followeth When they had finished their testimony The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit begins to make warre against them as I have told you before Here then wee are to consider the second circumstance of this warre the two adverse parties the one the Beast c. the other the two witnesses the Beast is the Assailant and the two Wittnesses are the Defendants For the Beast hee is here described from the place whence he comes the bottomlesse pit and secondly by the manner of his issuing thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit His rise is groundlesse bottomlesse out of the bottomlesse deep and his motion is Ascendant yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascending being a participle of the present tense still aspiring with o Esay 4. Lucifer to place his throne above the stars yea above God himselfe Hee is ever ascending but still out of the bottomlesse pit as if hee could never get out of it This bottomlesse pit is hell the Den where this Beast is bred and whence he is nourished And who this Beast is yee may easily know by his Picture lively pourtrayed Chap. 13. and 17. compared together He hath his seven heads and ten horns Monstrum horrendum ingens the like Beast again is not in all the World And the Dragon the Devil gives him power Chap. 13.2 and Verse 5. Power is given him to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them The very same Beast here which maketh warre with Christs witnesses and overcomes them This is that Beast of Rome plainly described Chap. 17. And as this seven-headed and ten-horned Beast hath his ascent rise and originall out of the bottomlesse pit so also his brood and off-spring as those Locusts Chap. 9.3 who are this Beasts Warriers Thus wee see who this Beast is from whence whither he ascendeth Now let us see what he doth 1 he makes warre against the two witnesses 2 He overcomes them 3 he killeth them First hee makes warre against them Alas poore witnesses for such a great and monstrous Beast with his numerous brood to make warre against them Such a power to make warre against two â—ut by this time Christs witnesses may be increased and multiplied to a greater number and that by the example of the two here spoken of whose more eminent and mighty testimonies cannot so goe alone but they will draw many others after them to testifie the same truth Though it pleased the Holy Ghost to point out but two witnesses only and in such wise to set them forth as thereby we might come to know the full intent and meaning of this Prophecie as hath been shewed Now the Beast having mustered his forces together makes warre against the two witnesses not only against Them but against all other whom hee finds endued
be so called in respect of a civill death as dead to the whole World in a civill respect having no communion nor commerce with the World And the bodies are here named not the persons because persecuting Tyrants as we touched before have no power over the soule but only over the body this they may torment imprison ſ Matth. 10.28 kill but that 's all they can doe Well what of those dead bodies take them in any sense They shall lie in the street of the great Citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified What great City is this Surely it can be no other but the Citie of the Beast together with the Suburbs And the Suburbs are all those Cities or States which are either subject to or confederate with the Head-Citie which is Rome We can not have a fitter exposition hereof then that which the Prelate of Canterbury gives us in his reprinted Conference with the Jesuite Fisher For there he saith That the Church of Rome and the Church of England as also all other Prelaticall or Hierarchicall Churches are all one and the same Church no doubt of that as he saith and as is noted before This is his Catholike Church And so this is that great City which stands in opposition to the Holy Citie and treads it under feet as Verse 2. For as Christs Church is called a Holy Citie though it be dispersed over the World So Antichrists Synagogue is here called a Great Citie as comprehending in it all those Cities and States which make up one body of the Beast This great City is spiritually called Sodome and Egypt Sodome for the wickednesse voluptuousnesse prophanenesse pride and other sins of Sodome raigning therein and where they make open warre against all holinesse and all good Laws of GOD and Man And secondly it is called Egypt for its tyranny in oppressing and afflicting of Gods people with their intolerable burthens And for this they have their Task-masters to wit the Prelates and their multitude of officers who force Gods people through their whole Egyptian Provinces to fill up their tale and task of bricks in the strict observation of all their Rites and Ceremonies Constitutions and Canons the Spirituall burthens of their spirituall Egypt and for default thereof in the lest degree or kind the Taskmasters beat and abuse them if they t Exod. 5.15 complaine 't is to no purpose they can have no remedy Thus not without cause is this Citie called not only Great but spiritually Sodome and Egypt So as in what Country soever in the World this Beast sets his paw that is where ever hee hath his Taskmasters the Prelates and their Officers as where almost are they not there is the Kingdome of the Beast there be the Suburbs of this Great Citie And whatever Countrey or State doth incorporate it self into an union or confederation with this Papall Hierarchie becomes thereby ipso facto a member of this great Citie which is spiritually called Sodome and Egypt And this being so tell me ô England art thou not become a member of this great body of this Great Citie of this spirituall Sodome of this spirituall Egypt For wherein dost thou differ from Rome it selfe Doth not thy great Arch-prelate who is as thine Oracle professe in thy name and in Print with an unblushing forehead that England is of the u Conference Reprinted Epist Ded. pag. 16. And pag. 376. 338. c. same Church same faith same Religion with Rome And doth he not shrowd this his Book under the name of the highest Authoritie in England as commanded by the King to be published And hast thou not set forth Edicts dispensing with the open profanation of the Sabbath by heathenish Sports and others prohibiting Ministers to preach in the after-noons on Lords Days as preferring thy prophane Sports before the holy and divine Ordinance of Preaching and so consecrating at least the one halfe of the Lords Day to Bacchus or Belial Art thou not then a part of that great Citie which is spiritually called Sodome Again dost thou not permit if not command thy Prelates the Roman Pharoahs Taskmasters to vex afflict and grievously oppresse the people of God with the intolerable burthens of their and thine endlesse Ceremonies And not x These things were then in force when this Treatise was written content with the old thou addest new burthens as the Egyptians did in denying straw and those most abominable as thy Superstitious yea Idolatrous Heathenish Altars with all their Idolatrous Altar-Service wherein thou art utterly falne from being a member of the Holy Citie which thou treadest under thy feet and even professest thy selfe to be of that Great Citie which for its inthralling and oppressing of Gods people is spiritually called Egypt O England England Repent hereof cast out thy cursed and cruell Taskmasters like as thy Neighbour Scotland hath done so suffer thy people Gods people to serve their God as he hath commanded and to enjoy their Christian Libertie which Christ hath deerly purchased for them and no longer to be under the Antichristian Babylonian yoake and the Egyptian Taskmasters Thus we have seen as it were in a Map the large Territories and bound lesse bounds of this great City here mentioned spiritually called Sodome and Egypt in the street whereof lie the dead bodies of Christs two witnesses and where as here is added our Lord was crucified Which is to be understood not simply and personally of our Lords crucifying but mystically For our Lord in Person was crucified at Jerusalem and yet not within the Citie but without the Gate And yet Christ in his Person was crucified by the first Roman Beast the Emperour whose Successour both in his Seat and in the Image of his Power and State and in all his bloudy persecutions of the Saints the Papall Beast now is as also of the Scribes and Pharisees and High Priests who put Christ to death and so hee with them is guilty of his bloud as Matth. 23.35 36. Verse 31. But he is crucified mystically in his mysticall members even in the open Streets of this Great Citie Witnesse all those persecutions and Martyrdomes which the Beast in all Ages and Countries hath caused wherein the Lord himselfe hath been crucified to wit in his Saints and Witnesses And what thinke you of those Witnesses of whose crucifying on the Pillory in the open street or rather spacious Palace-yard in the Citie of Westminster we have been all eye-witnesses and spectators Was our Lord there then in them on those Pillories crucified or not If he were and that upon such an eminent Theatre and in the view of that Court where they were so censured the High Priests themselves with others of high note beholding and pleasing themselves with such a Tragedie of the Beasts cunning contriving and cruell execution was not this trow you a part of that Great Citie where our Lord hath been
astonishment and terrour of all their enemies who shall behold them But now a little more particularly to cleere the words we shewed before how the Lord's witnesses may be slain two wayes either corporally in separating their souls from their bodies or mystically and in a similitude or parable in a separation of their life from the world that is from all coÌ„merce coÌ„munion with the world so as their life is made no better but rather worse then death Now for them that are slain after the first manner we are not to expect that God wil according to the Letter rayse them up from the dead as here after three days and a halfe And for them that are slain after the second manner here specified though God should not deliver and restore them from that their civill death though he be able to do it and will doe it if he have so determined unto their libertie and communion with humane societie as formerly Yet this we are sure of as Gods Word here must needs be true that of the very dust and ashes of his dead witnesses under this Trumpet in what manner so ever dead hee will raise up again to life and that in the time of this Trumpet either those very witnesses in their own persons or else in the Spirit of these hee will raise up other witnesses and such as if they were those very witnesses formerly slain Thus wee read of Elias c Mal. 4.5 6. Behold saith the Lord I will send you Elias the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart of the Fathers to the children c. Now this Elias was meant of John the Baptist that morning Star that ushered in the d Mal. 4.2 Sun of Righteousnesse that was to prepare the way before him e Luke 1.17 He saith the Angell to Zachariah shall goe before him in the Spirit and power of Elias to turn the heart of the Fathers to the Children c. Whence it is plaine and cleere that John the Baptist was that Elias there prophecied of and he is called Elias because hee came in the spirit and power of Elias And therefore Christ faith to his Disciples when they objected that Elias must first come f Math. 17.11 I tell you saith he that Elias is come already c. whereupon they understood that hee spake unto them of John the Baptist And Matth. 11.14 Speaking of John Baptist he saith This is Elias which was to come Thus wee see how the Prophet Elias being dead and buried many hundred yeers before yet was as it were raised up from the dead to be Christs harbinger But how Not in his person but in his spirit and power So as John Baptist comming in the spirit and power of Elias is called Elias and in him the Prophecie is fulfilled that Elias should come and now in Iohn he was already come Now according to this sense wee may safely interpret this Prophecie also in this place After three dayes and a halfe the spirit of life from God shall enter into them to wit into the two slain witnesses and they shall stand upon their feet c that is after a short but set time with God the spirit of life from God shall rayse up his former witnesses that were slain though not in their owne persons yet in other witnesses that shall succeed them who shall be indued with the same spirit and power which they had beene indued with all And this is that spirit of life from God which entring into his servants raiseth them up to be lively witnesses of his truth full of vigour strength courage zeale constancie g Revel 12.11 not loving their lives unto the death but as it is said of Paul and Barnabas such as had h Acts 15.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abandoned or given up for lost their lives for the Name of Christ So that as the same spirit of life from God entring into Iohn the Baptist made him to be called that Elias who had been indued with the same spirit and was foretold to come againe which was fulfilled in the Baptist So here the same spirit of life from God nor is it said to bee their own spirit which the slain witnesses had now entring into other witnesses succeeding them they by the same reason may be called those very witnesses as being now by the Almighty power of GOD raised from the dead as Iohn the Baptist was called that Elias because hee came in the spirit and power of Elias And in this respect seeing the raising and restoring of these two witnesses is perhaps not personall but spiritual it is not necessary that we tie or restrain the succeeding witnesses strictly to the number of two only For as it was said of old Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae The bloud of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church and as one seed or grain sowne and dying brings forth much fruit as i Iohn 12.24 Christ saith so as one corne brings forth the increase of a hundred and some of a thousand as in some Countries as of Virginia So these two witnesses may in the multiplication of their spirit and power and of that spirit of life from God bring forth an abundant harvest even great plenty of more witnesses that shâ—ll stand up for that Truth for the which these two were slaine What shall wee say of those many witnesses whom the Lord lately raised up in Scotland standing up upon their feet to mayntain their Christian Liberty against Antichristian bondage and to vindicate Christs Scepter and Government over his Church there out of the tyrannicall hands of that proud usurping Beast out of the bottomlesse pit who by his Egyptian Taskmasters the Prelates so oppressed Gods people as they were made weary of their lives And when were these witnesses raised up Surely not much after three dayes and a halfe that the two witnesses were slaine those I meane who suffered worse then death for bearing witnesse against the Tyranny of the Romish Beast and his cruell Taskmasters And what other spirit but that spirit of life from God could raise up so many witnesses so unanimously and with such a wonderfull wisdome discretion judgement zeal and courage to stand up in defence of Christs Kingdome against Antichrists Tyranny Yea and what other spirit and power but that of God could move the heart of his anointed Vicegerent to assent to his peoples just and religious plea to have Christ alone to raigne over his peoples soules and consciences which is his peculiar and incommunicable Prerogative Nor could the King either have advanced higher his own Royall honour or more surely have established his owne Throne in the uniting and fastening of his Subjects hearts and affections in all love and loyalty unto him then by giving Christ his due honour who hath said k 1 Sam. 2.30 Those that honour me I will honour and they
take full vengeance upon Babylon And therefore before the storme come God hath a hiding place to secure his As hee saith in Esay q Esay 4.5 6. The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon her assemblies a Cloud and Smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence And there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storme and from rain r Exod. 12. Thus the Lord did when he was about to destroy the first-born of Egypt he shut up his people in their houses sprinkling them with the bloud of the Paschall Lambe Exod. 13. 14. that the Avenger should not touch them And when the Egyptian host pursued them as farre as the Red Sea the Lord separated them by the pillar of a Cloud by day and of fire by night untill hee had overwhelmed the Hoast in the Sea And when he was about to destroy Sodome he first separates Lot from among them So before hee destroy Babylon hee Å¿ Revel 18.4 c. cals his people out of her and then quickly after in the same Chapter follows her ruine and desolation So here the Lord calling his witnesses away and they ascending up to their Sanctuary in a cloud in the fight of their enemies it is a sure and certain signe and immediate forerunner of the destruction of this Babylon that great Citie which is spiritually called Sodome and Egypt And it is very remarkable that before the destruction of all these three Sodome Egypt and Babylon the Lord doth immediatly before separate his people and provide a Sanctuary for them Yea not long before the utter and finall u Iosephus Of the wars of the Iews destruction of Ierusalem which was once Gods true Church but now was become the Synagogue of Murtherers and Persecutors of Christ and his Saints there was a voice heard in the Temple as from Heaven Migremus hinc Let us depart hence whereby Gods small remnant yet there being warned presently fled to Pella a Coast-Citie in Iudea and not long after followed the sacking and burning of the Citie and Temple with the inhabitants therein Thus by these many famous examples we may cleerly see what God is now about in this Trumpet to doe when he cals away his Servants out of Babylon and Egypt and Sodome and the Synagogue of Antichrist and puts them in a safe Sanctuary even because he will speedily bring destruction upon those his enemies It followeth Verse 13. Verse 13. And the same houre was there a great Earthquake and the tenth part of the Citie fell and in the Earthquake were slaine of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven See here no sooner have the witnesses taken Sanctuary but by and by even the same houre there is a great Earthquake Now though there have been in the World and still fall out sundry great Earthquakes in diverse Countries as in Asia and other places yet in this place under this Trumpet this great Earthquake here is not to be taken literally no more then heaven in the former Verse for the place of the highest heaven But the great Earthquake here is to be understood of the great and terrible shaking of the Kingdomes of the earth under the sound of this Trumpet as namely by great Commotions Wars and the like especially in Christendome throughout the Kingdome of the Beast And when was Christendome ever more embroyled in wars then at this day But here it is said that the tenth part of the Citie fell This is joyned to the former as an effect of this great Earthquake First what is meant by the Citie here Surely that great City mentioned V. 8. Which we have before described even the Kingdom of the Beast And still all the plagues and woes which both the Trumpets sound forth and the seven Vialls powre out fall upon the Beast and his Kingdome So as there is no questiâ—n but this Citie here is that great Citie Antichrists large Kingdome And what is meant by the tenth part of the Citie For resolution hereof wee read that the u Chap. 17.7 Beast with seven heads hath ten hornes And these x Verse 12. ten hornes are said to be ten Kings These ten Kings are said to be the ten hornes because they are the strength of the Beast And the ten Kings have their ten Kingdomes which make up the Beasts Kingdome or his great Citie Now what Kingdoms are those which are said to be of this great body of this great Citie Surely those which doe admit and maintaine the Papall power The Papall power is maintained by Civill States or Kingdomes two ways Either when they directly and professedly subject their Thrones and Crowns to the Pope as to the Head of the Church by vertue of which title he arrogates to himselfe a Supreame power over Kings and Princes which is to y 2 Thess 2.4 exalt himselfe above all that is called God to depose and dispose at his pleasure or when they doe it only implicitly or by some privy compact or league or otherwise by admitting in their Kingdomes the Popes Hierarchie for the Hierarchie is meerly Papall where ever it be erected which Hierarchie consisting in the Prelates as it is in it selfe a proper and principall member and prop of his Kingdome So it is a mighty and maine instrument of bringing into Subjection to the Pope those Kingdomes and people wherein and over whom they are exalted in their Episcopall Thrones as they call them And although in a Civill Kingdome or State where the Gospel is professed the Popes Supremacy disâ—lamed and the jurisdiction of Prelates by Law limited as being of humane institution meerly and not by divine authoritie Prelats when they are pinched and held close to it may perhaps pull in their hornes and arrogate no more unto themselves then the Laws of the Land or pleasure of the Prince do allow unto them yet when their inbred pride and ambition an inseparable accident or rather essentiall qualitie of a Prelate findes opportunitie meeting with a debonaire and benigne Prince into whose gentle brest they can easily insinuate themselves and by their dexteritie in the art of flattery and nimblenesse of tongue and wit perswade and work upon his sweet nature so as to draw it to conceive a reverend opinion of their counterfeit sanctitie which they set out in a goodly garbe of their superstitious guises in their wil-worship and by this means to a credulitie in believing all to be Gospel which they say as for the purpose that they are the true Church that they have a power to ordain Ceremonies in the Church that Christ ordained them to be his x Reprinted Conference p. 200. 210. 211 Vice-roys that they are the only Judges in controversies of faith