Covenants to drive a Trade in Perjury forswear every thing they are justly charged with and is fully proved against them Ninthly To foment Wars and Broils in every Kingdom and Countrey where they have Power contrive the Ruine of Towns Places Cities Countreys and Kingdoms by Fire Sword and most Cruel Devastations Tenthly To slaughter kill and barbarously murther both Men Women and Children even all that dare make a shew of Conscience and Religion so far as to abhor and dissent from these Villanies This is such a Scheme of Religion and Systeme of Divinity to come from an Apostle a Shepherd a Vicar and Successor of Christ from a Church Sheep Saints and the pretended followers of the Meek Peaceable and Innocent Jesus who taught altogether otherwise by his Doctrine and Example that it might well be wondred at and is the strangest Mystery that ever appeared of which we challenge the whole World to shew the like in the Turks and Saracens For men to Swear Lye and to Forswear themselves and yet be true Men to contrive Rebellion Murther and Treason and yet be as Innocent as the Child unborn To be elevated to the highest Pinnacle of Pride even above Emperours and Kings above Jesus Christ and God his Father and yet be humble and lowly To commit gross Idolatry and yet be the Servants of the Living God To be filled with and make a Trade of Excess and Drùnkenness and yet be Patterns and Standards of Sobriety and Temperance To cast down the Truth to the ground deface the Laws of God and burn the Scriptures and yet be the true Witnesses of it To forgive sins and yet be the greatest Sinners themselves To commit Fornication and Adultery and yet be spotless and pure in heart To foment Wars and Broils in every Kingdom and Countrey where they have power to contrive the Ruine of Towns and Places Cities Countreys and Kingdoms by Fire Sword and cruel Devastations and yet be as harmless as Doves to all mankind the only Sons of Peace and Quietness To slaughter kill and barbarously murther Men Women and Children that dare not be so wicked as themselves and yet to be full of mercy tender pity and compassion an Apostle Shepherd Vicar Successor of the Meek and Lamb-like Saviour And for the dear Consort of this Impious Head on Man of Sin do not only confederate with him but a Principal in all these unparallel'd Villanies and most butcherly and rapacious Murthers and yet be the Holy Catholick Church of God the pure and spotless Spouse of Jesus Christ the true Sheep the harmless Lambs the best of Saints and close followers of the Lord Jesus who always taught the contrary by his holy Doctrine and meek Example We say these things not being found by secret search but are written in Capital Letters upon her forehead appear in open view to be read by every one that is not wilfully blind Let any one shew us a greater Mystery in the World than this and we will subscribe to it 4. It cannot be the Turks because they are not the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth which this Babylon is said to be Rev. 17. 5. And upon her forehead was a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And here we demand in excuse to the Turks this one Thing From whence did proceed the Murthers Massacres and Martyrdoms of all the Religious Professors of Christianity that have died by violence in the Christian World for the space of twelve hundred years last past And from what people did proceed those horrid Oaths Blasphemies and Execrations that the World hath wofully been acquainted with most horrid and strangely astonishing to repeat Came these unparallel'd Degrees of Impiety from the Turks from the Waldensians Lutherians Calvinists or any Non-conforming Protestants No no why whose Language then is it Whose Why 't is the Language of the Beast of the Bottomless Pit and Bloody Whore who bare these Blasphemous Sons of her own Body daily nourishes them at her Breast and strengthens them in their sinful courses by accounting them the Sons the precious Sons of Sion the true Sons of the Catholick Church the Darlings of Heaven the beloved ones of the Virgin Mary and gives them Pardons for these Bold and Heaven daring sins as often as they commit them and come to ask Pardon for them so that Sin and Pardon is as constant and common with them as Breathing and Eating And these things are done to Seal and Confirm Lies which is the more heavy heinous and prodigious For if men may Lye by Allowance may kill and shed Innocent Blood without controul of Conscience and Church censure◠may Swear and Blaspheme and Challenge God himself to Damn them may burn men for Religion consume Cities to Ashes conspire the death of Kings the Ruin and Overthrow of Kingdoms Whore and Murther Infants and yet be accounted a Church the Members and Parts of it called Saints Holy Children and the Sons of the most high God Then may we claim a Patent and take a License to change the name of all things and alter the Ideas of the minds of men call and account Beelzebub a good God and all his black Tribe the pure Saints of the most High call the lower Regions of Blackness and Darkness to which he is confined the Heaven of Glory and Eternal Light of which things we ought in Justice to clear the Turks until Witnesses of undoubted credit shall come forth and evidence that the Turkish State is the Mother of as great Abominations as these are 5. And Lastly The Turks cannot be Mystery Babylon because they never were made drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus which this Woman Mystery Babylon is expresly said to be Rev. 17. 6. And I saw the Woman drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondred with great admiration Now let any man shew such blood-shed Saints bloodshed by Massacres and Martyrdom for the Professing of Christianity which must be if the Text be answered in that clause Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus by the Turks either within their Dominions or without as hath been shed by a Generation nearer home and we shall become like the Man without the Wedding Garment wholly speechless and say not a word more about Babylon 6. Now that Babylon in the Apocalypse is Great Rome that in former times Reigned and in suture times shall be destroyed is owned by some of the Papists themselves and is asserted by all Protestants the Difference betwixt them is brought to this narrow Point The one wholly confines Babylon to Rome Heathen and there totally to terminate the other brings Babylon down lower to Rome Antichristian or Papal Rome Now that this work may be to edification and more full satisfaction in this great case we shall advance to the last and chief
willed they set up and whom she willed they pulled down when she willed they raised Arms and when she willed they laid them down again what shall we say The Church of Rome hath had such power over the Kingdoms of Europe thâ—â— the power and wills of Princes have been controuled and over-ruled when in any considerable case they have gone contrary to the sense and interest of the Church and to such a degree as they have sometimes made thâ—â— do penance resign up their Crowns and receive them again as an act of kindness that he set them upon their Heads with his Foote such is the Pride and Grandeur of St. Peter Chair See our first Chapter If the Church of Rome is that People Woman or Church that above all others in the World hath reigned over the Kings of the Earth then Rome Papal is Mystery Babylon But the Church of Rome is that People Woman or Church that reigns and hath reigned over the Kings of the Earth Ergo Rome Papal or Church of Rome Mystery Babylon CHAP. III. Proving that literal Babylon in Chaldea was a Type or Figure of Rome Papal or the present Church of Rome and that in many particulars WE having shewed and clearly evinced by an induction of fifteen particulars that Rome Papal is Mystery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth she having all the marks or characters directly meeting in her that are by the holy Ghost given of that great Whore we shall in the next place briefly consider how the acts and progress of the Romish Church do most fitly and fully comport with other Types and Prophecies of her in the holy Scripture and first with literal or Chaldean Babylon from whence I find most writers conclude she had the name Babylon given to her in respect of the growth acts and deeds of that old Babylonian Monarchy which we shall now open and run the parallel in divers particulars as followeth I. Literal Babylon had a great Head or King ever her called a Head of Gold also Lucifer or Son of the morning So likewise Rome Papal hath a great Head or King over her called the Universal Bishop whose power is magnified above the powers of Emperors and all Kings and Princes of the Earth II. Literal Babylon had dominion over many Countreys or Provinces In like manner Rome Papal hath had dominion over many Countries or Kingdoms no less than the Territories or Jurisdictions of ten considerable Kingdoms called ten Horns â— we have shewed III. Chaldean or Literal Babylon fell under a four-fold circumstance in respect of her Supream Head viz. Nebuchadnezzar 1. That he was when in great Pride he insultingly said Is not this great Babylon that I have built by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty 2. He was not when by the Watchers and the Holy Ones he was toss'd from his Throne and made to eat Grass with Oxen till seven times past over him 3. Yet he was When his Reason and the Hearts of his Nobles and Glory returned to him again 4. He went off finally when God brought the Medes and Persians against his Successor into whose hands the Kingdom was translated Rome or Mystery Babylon is foretold by the Angel to fall under a four-fold circumstance also in respect of the Beast that is said to carry the Whore and make War with the Saints and the Beast which thou sawest was is not and yet is and shall go into perdition Rev. 17. 8. 1. He was of old in his Pagan state triumphing in great glory and grandeur but received a wound yea a deadly wound in one of his Heads viz. in his sixth Head which was the Pagan power in Constantine's time and so he was not The Christian Emperors having the Government of the Roman Monarch and to the same purpose speak our late Annotators on the 13 chap. of Rev. v. 3. and chap. 17. 8. It must saith he be the sixth Head viz. the Pagan Emperors who had that mortal wound and that wound was the Conquering the Pagan Emperors and the abolishing of Paganism and Idolatry and putting an end or stop to Persecution which was done by the seventh Government viz. the Christian Emperors He yet is i. e. his wound was healed by the rising of the eighth Government which was of the seventh who appeared in a new dress viz. a beast with two horns like a lamb but spake like a dragon which was the Antichristian power or Papal Rome and more particularly the Pope time the best opener of these great Mysteries has fully discovered these things to 〈◊〉 4. He shall go into perdition i. e. be utterly destroyed by the bright appearance of the Lord Jesus and be cast at last into the botomless Pit after the 42 Months are expired so that in these four respects Chaldean Babylon it appears was a lively Type or Figure of Papal Rome who from hence also shews her self to be Mystery Babylon IV. The Chaldean Kingdom or Literal Babylon Invaded Judea Besieged and took Jerusalem and trampled it under foot c. Even so in like manner the last Beast the Pope and Papal power hath Invaded the City of the living God or true Gospel Church taking away all her sacred Rights Laws and Priviledges and not only Besieg'd her closely Block'd her up but trampled under foot the Holy City for a long space of time Rev. 11. â— V. Chaldean or Literal Babylon was a moâ— lofty proud and imperious people called the Lady of Kingdoms and the glory and beauty â— Excellency for which God doth severely threaten her Isa. 13. 19. Behold I am against thee O thou most proud saith â— Lord God of Hosts c. Isa. 50. 31. So in like manner Rome who is Myster Babylon notwithstanding her horrid crime and most amazing wickednesses is a vâ—â— proud and imperious people exceeding all â— the Christian World saying in her Heart sit a Queen am no Widow shall see no sorrow for which haughtiness and pride the Lord will suddenly remember her with Judgments and sore severity he being now risen up to make Inquisition for Blood and to avenge upon her the injury done to Sion Rev. 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her VI. Chaldean or Literal Babylon set up Images and had Idols of Silver and Gold Wood and Stone to which they bowed and worshipped which were also representations of the Gods and Saints whom they adored to wit of Bel which was Jupiter and Nebo and Succoth berioth and the like and such who would not bow down to her Images she threatned to cast into the Fire into the burning fiery Furnace Jer. 5. 30. Jer. 10. 3 9. Isa. 46. 1. Dan. 3. 6. Rome in this shews her self to be her Antitype very plainly for hath she not ordained to her self Temples Images of Christ and the Virgin Mary and other Saints nay and not only these but the
Plagues of Egypt as it is generally held then it is probable when there is once a beginning they will suddenly all be poured out Some have observed from History in Exodus that within the space of 30 days the ten Plagues fell upon the Egyptians now if in the Antitype we reckon a day for a year as it is often in Prophetical Types then the seven last Plagues will be finished in thirty years when begun neither is it to be doubted but a short work will the Lord make upon the Earth Rom. 9. 28. when those Vials begin to be poured out upon the Earth wherefore is Babylon's fall set forth under the sign of a great Milstone cast into the Sea by a mighty Angel not only to denote her irrecoverable desolation but also what speedy and quick dispatch the Lord will make when he calls his Angels out of the Temple therefore shall her Plagues come upon her in one day Rev. 18. 8. in one hour v. 10 17 19. iâ— a moment suddenly Isa. 47. 11. why 〈◊〉 ought not to conclude her Plagues to intend â—ose 7 last Plagues all of them as well as some of them I know not I desire this may be considered hinted it before when I had not seen this worthy writer for this French Author makes Babylon a â—elling many hundred years which must doubtless be a grand mistake these Scriptures considered He further confirms this reason and answers Objections which I have not room to insert 5. I cannot conceive saith he how any of those Persons to whom the first second and third Angels are ordinarily applied do fairly or fitly parallel and agree with what the Scriptures hold forth certain it is none of the Angels came out of the Temple till John saw as it were a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and them that had gotten the Victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name standing on the Sea of Glass having the Harps of God and they sing the Song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb Rev. 15. 1 2. All this well agrees with the description of the 14440. Rev. 14. 1 2. But to carry these things to Grostead Armachan Wickliff Luther c. if need were I could shew by many reasons of the improbability of it for tho' many of Gods people formerly received not the Mark of the Beast nor his Name yet to say any of them during the 42 Months got the Victory over the Beast or over his Image and number of his Name I cannot assent unto neither do I think their Opinion is well bottomed who hold this Victory over the Beast and singing the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb to be before the rising of the Witnesses which is the time of their prophesying in Sackcloth and whilst the woman is in the wilderness 'T is strange indeed to think the witnesses wearing Sackcloth or in a mourning condition can be said to sing the Song of Moses as having got Victory over their Enemies and yet overcome by their Enemies for the Song of Moses 't is well known to be that iâ— Exodus 15. Thou hast overcome the Horse and his Râ—der c. Again saith he by way of question p. 16. Why should the Song of Moses Rev. 15 c bâ— carried up to the times before the rising of the Witnesses and the new Song Rev. 14. 3. brought down many hundred years after this seems to be against the order of the Prophesie 2. The matter of the Song if rightly understood is not suitable to any time in which the Beasts reigned neither Lastly Can it be shewed that ever the Church of the Saints have had any occasion through any Deliverance or Victory to sing the Song of Moses c. I am of the same Opinion unless it be in these and the approaching days 6. That none of the seven last Plagues or Vials are yet poured out nor will be till after the rising of the Witnesses does appear for this reason viz. because none of the seven Angels come forth with their Golden Vials until the Tabernacle of the Testimony is opened in Heaven Rev. 15. 5. but that part of the Tabernacle of the Testimony is to be shut all the time of the Witnesses prophesying in Sackcloth may be gathered from Rev. 11. 1. with v. 19. Hence this Argument might be framed viz. No Angel is to come forth with his Golden Vial till the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Heaven is opened But the Tabernacle of the Testimony is not to be opened till after the rising of the Witnesses Therefore no Angel with his Golden Vial is come forth till after the rising of the Witnesses The proof of this Argument are the Scriptures before viz. Rev. 15. 5. cap. 11. v. 1 19. Now if any do think that the four last Angels shall come forth from the Temple opened in Heaven and not the first three such an Opinion is against the Text expresly 〈…〉 saith the seven Angels come out of the Temple verse 6. Neither do I know any ground they have who think that the Angels pouring out the four last Vials shall have more Light Zeal Faith Holiness c. than the former three had but certainly there is a vast difference between the state of the Church now and that when they say the first Vial was poured out nay and the second or third too and none can doubt but the opening of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Heaven points to some greater Church glory that shall be then or a different state of the Church than ever was before under the Beasts reign 7. Neither do I saith he think that the effects of any of the Vials which some suppose are poured out make good what is said Rev. 15. 4. For thy Judgments are made manifest which holds forth to me much more than what followed the preaching of Grostead Wickliff Huss Luther Melancthon c. or the Switzers Wars or of that of the Parliament in England for Gods Judgments notwithstanding what hath been yet done remain still more dark doubtful and disputable especially to the World than shall be under the effects of the Vials For the followers of the Beast as the Egyptians under their Plagues tho' they are hardened and repent not but blaspheme the God of Heaven not giving glory to him shall notwithstanding see the hand of God lifted up and be ashamed for their envy at his people Isa. 26. 11. So manifest at that time shall his Judgments be but hitherto no such things have appeared notwithstanding all the Judgments of God upon them so dark and hidden not manifested have the actings of God been to his Enemies nay and not clear or plainly manifested to his own people neither as it appears by their different apprehensions and opinions about what hath been past until these very days And hence it is also that Mystery Babylon ever unâ—il of late if
opinion was that Worthy and Learned Divine Mr. John Canne and some others time will open these things more clearly but I am perswaded whensoever those Vials and last Plagues come to be poured out Gods Judgments will be so manifest that they will be discerned and known of all and be quite different from all other Judgments that have fallen upon the Antichristian State and people from their first rise But since we are in the Judgment of all Godly and Learned men come towards the end of the wonders let none be discouraged for though there is very near a most dismal hour yet it will doubtless fall upon the heads of the wicked and such who are of Baby lons Race and Spirit the Godly shall see the Lord hath not forgotten them nor the righteous Blood that has been shed but will appear suddenly to plead Sion's controversie and set up his own Kingdom therefore let us be much in prayer and cry mightily to God and be ready to meet the Lord in his more glorious appearance for we are very confident a very dreadful hour is near and it will come upon carnal secure and all formal Protestants nay fear shall surprize the sinners in Sion tho' it will be a glorious hour to all that are found faithful to Jesus Christ I desire all enquiring persons to weigh well what we have said in the latter part of this Treatise and if it affords any further light to any of them let them bless God I am in hopes it will put many upon a further search into the Prophesies of the Scripture about the time of the end However I sha'l at present say no more but leave it to the blessing of the Lord till I see a little further what God is about to do and at present take my leave of thee and remain thy Servant in the Gospel Benj. Keach THE CONTENTS CHap. 1. Various Opinions concerning Mystery Babylon 1. Not the World of wicked men 2. Not old Chaldea Babylon 3. Not Jerusalem 4. Not the Turks and Saracens 5. Not Rome Heathen 6. Not Rome towards the end of the World after some Papists say Rome shall Apostatize to Paganism again 7. By Mystery Babylon is meant the present Papal or Romish Church proved from p. 4. to p. 38. Ch. 2. Proving all the marks that the Scripture gives of Mystery Babylon meet directly in Papal Rome from p. 39. to p. 102. Ch. 3. Literal Babylon a Type of Mystery Babylon shewed in 12 particulars from p. 103. to p. 116. Ch. 4. Shewing the little Horn Dan. 7. to mean the Pope in 10 particulars from p. 117. to p. 127. Ch. 5. Proving that our Saviour in Mat. 13. 15. and St. Paul in Acts 20. 29. and 1 Tim. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 3. pointed out the Papal Church from p. 128. to p. 135. Ch. 6. Shewing the Judgment of divers Eminent Writers concerning who the two Witnesses are and who not p. 136. That they have been lately slain and are risen or about to rise p. 140 141. What the Ascention of the two Witnesses are and that 't is near p. 145. Ch. 7. Where is shewed the Judgment of many English Writers about the seven Vials with an Answer to Mr. Peter Jurieu who has lately asserted in his Treatise that they are all poured out Proving by many Arguments that there is none of them as yet poured out nor will till the seventh Angel blows his Trumpet from p. 153. That England is the Street of the great City where the Witnesses were to be slain or lye dead p. 182 183 c. The Kingdom of Christ begins at the Earthquake or at the beginning of sounding of the seventh Trumpee and that 't is at the door p. 186 187 188. Divers strange Prophesies p. 188 189. Postscript Wherein you have the substance of what a late nameless great French Writer has said in Answer to Mr. Jurieu about the Non-effusion of the Vials p. 193. Antichrist stormed Or Mystery Babylon the great Whore and great City proved to be the present Church of Rome or Papal Hierarchy CHAP. I. Wherein the various Opinions concerning Mystery Babylon are discovered and all their Objections Answered who deny by her is meant the Papal Power or present State and Church of Rome 'T IS evident to all who are men of any Reading that most of our Eminent Protestant Writers both Ancient and Modern do affirm without the least doubt that the Church of Rome is the great Whore spoken of Rev. 17. called Mystery Babylon yet we find that most worthy men who have of latter times so well defended the truths of the Gospel in opposition to Popery have not so much bent their Study this way I mean directly to prove that which is our present task as it hath been to detect divers or most of her erroneous principles and detestable practices which is rather to Lop off some of the Branches of this Evil and Cursed Tree than to Dig it up by the Root for if it be clearly proved that she is that great Whore viz. Mystery Babylon the great Mother of Harlots down she goes at once and if we have not done it so effectually as it may be desired yet we are in hope wherein we have been defective it may stir up some abler Pen to perfect what we have anew undertaken But to proceed for the more orderly management of our present work it may not be amiss if we give you the various opinions that have more or less presented themselves to the World about who or what People this great Whore Mystery Babylon is which may be reduced to these seven following heads 1. And first of all as Reverent Mr. Pool observes some would have it to be the whole World of Wicked men 2. Others would have this Woman â—or this Babylon to be old Chaldean Babylon 3. That it is Jerusalem and that for two Reasons 1. Because the man of Sin or last Beast that is to Head this Babylon is set forth by St. Paul to sit in the Temple of God shewing himself to be God. 2. Because this City where the Beast reigns and shall slay the Witnesses is Spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was Crucified Rev. 11. 8. 4. That it is the Turkish Empire or Power of the Saracens which Mr. Mede somewhat touches and in a brief way most Learnedly argues against in his third Book pag. 644 645. 5. That it is indeed Rome the Seat of the Fourth or Last Empire but Rome in its Heathen state under the Idolatrous and Persecuting Emperors so the Rhemists would have it if there be a necessity to fix upon Rome to be this Apocalyptical or Mystery Babylon For this opinion the present Romanists have no better Advocate than Dr. Hammond who hath done very worthily at other turns but here has doubtless greatly mistaken his way see his Annotations upon the 17th Chapter of the Apocalypse 6. That it is the present power Church of Rome who under
Secret that is to be opened and considered namely Whether all things in John's Vision or Prophecy that are applied to Mystery Babylon did compleatly terminate in Rome Heathen and came no further In answer to this great Enquiry we do with the body of Protestants in opposition to the Papists conclude the negative viz. That all things in the Apocalypse applied to Mystery Babylon did not terminate in Rome Heathen the reasons of which Negative are as followeth 1. Because the Beast that Mystery Babylon rides on is the eighth Head or last Ruling Power of that City that is seated upon seven Hills which must be Rome Papal because the whole Race of Rome Heathen was gone off before the eighth Head came up The sixth Head was in John's time the seventh was to come and continue but a short space The Beast that carries the Woman viz. Babylon is of the seventh but is the eighth and shall be the last for he goeth into Perdition This being so evident from the Letter of the Text needs nothing more to confirm it Now that Rome Heathen was not the last part of the Romish Power is not only the full and joynt Consent of all Writers upon this subject but is so evident to all the Christian World that it would be vanity it self to make a shew of proof The Conclusion then is this If the very last part of the Roman Power carries the Woman Babylon and that the Heathen State of Rome went off before and was not the last then Babylon could not terminate in Rome Heathen but must come down to Rome Papal see Rev. 17. 3 7 9 11. 2. If Babylon be totally terminated in Rome Heathen then the Book of the Apocalypse is of little use to the Latter ages of the Christian World For if the whole Transactions relating to the Persecution of the Church and the slaughter and destruction of God's Enemies did end in Rome Heathen then it served only to give a Characteristical account of a Beast and Whore that was grown old and ready to go off the Stage but hath wholly left us in the Dark and given us no notice at all of that horrible Confusion and Bloody Persecutions which have Reigned in the Christian World for more than a thousand years last past which for length of time Numbers of Murthers and manner of Cruelties hath outdone all the wickedness of Rome in its Heathen State. Which is not at all likely that a Vision should be given and a Revelation made and call'd so about a State that was almost expired and the most and great principal part wholly left out and said nothing to Who can Imagine that a careful Saviour should be so full in his discoveries to the Jewish Church concerning their sufferings and the time under Egypt and Babylon Literal and be so short and lean to his Gospel Church to leave them altogether without any written Prospect or extraordinary Prophet to inform them what should come to pass in the world from the going off of the Power of Rome Heathen to the end of all the Churches Troubles which have already lasted above a thousand years The Conceit of which is fit but for two Ranks of men to Receive viz. The Roman Catholicks and such Protestants as Look for Antichrist to come at the end of the World after the Restauration of the Jews to their own Land and building a material Temple at Jerusalem where Antichrist shall sit three days and an half or years to kill two men called the two witnesses 3. If this last Babylon was wholly to terminate in Rome Heathen then there was no cause of wonderment and great admiration for a wise man to see in a Vision an Heathenish State under a Diabolical Influence to perform Actions suitable to their State and not contrary to their Professions for what matter of Wonderment can it be to feel the Wind blow to see the Sea foam and hear the Waves Rage and Roar when the Winds oppose his Effluxion And what cause of great wonderment and admiration for a wise man to see wicked Heathens oppose and Persecute Christianity when it is so suitable to their Spirit and agreeable to their Profession so to do we cannot yet understand and we will diligently Listen to them who will undertake to inform us For the thing is true that a wise man did wonder at the sight he saw with great admiration Rev. 17. 6. I saw the Woman drunk with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondred with great admiration Wondred O strange At what To see that which was Common to all ages the Seed of the Serpent that profest Heathenism the wicked even the worst of the Wicked by Principles and profession to plot againâ— the Righteous and to gnash upon him witâ— their Teeth Idolaters Profest Idolaters tâ— persecute the Servants and Worshipers of thâ— true God those that were born after the flesh and live after the flesh to persecute them thaâ— were born of the Spirit and lived after thâ— Spirit Surely if our adversaries opinion wâ— true in this Case that Babylon is only Româ— Heathen St. John had forgot that Cain killeâ— Abel and Ishmael persecuted Isaac and tooâ— not so much notice of the course of the World common to every Age as Paul did whâ— said But as he that was Born after the Flesh persecuted him that was Born after the Spirit as it was then so it is now And what strangâ— wonder is in all this 4. Rome Heathen never was espoused married or united to the Lord Jesus in spiritual way Visibly owning his Laws and submitting to his Government as a Wife submits to and obeys her Husband and afterwards casts him oft and chuses another Heaâ— and Husband and therefore cannot be mystical Babylon or the great Whore for though the Heathens were great Idolaters yet were they never charged with Spiritual Adulteryâ— nor could they unless they had once by visible profession made a covenant with oâ— espoused themselves to the Lord Jesus which Rome Papal before its Apostacy did Therefore Rome Heathen could not be the great Whore or mystical Babylon 5. Rome Heathen cannot be the Babylon â—et forth by St. John unless she be guilty of all the Christian Bloud shed upon the Earth since the destruction of Jerusalem for as the guilt of all the Blood shed from Righteous Abel to the Death of Zacharias is by our Saviour fix'd upon Jerusalem and cannot be â—emoved to another People so the Blood of â—ll Martyrs and followers of Jesus is by the Revelation fix'd upon the last Babylon Rev. â—7 6. I saw a Woman drunk with the Blood â—f the Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus Chap. 18. v. 24. And in her was found the â—lood of the Prophets of Saints and of all â—hat were slain upon the Earth But Rome â—eathen was not guilty of all the Christian â—lood that was shed upon the Earth by Murâ—ers Massacres and Martyrdoms since the â—istruction of Jerusalem for to
look back â—ut for six hundred years last past in which â—me we shall find hundreds of thousands of proâ—st Christians most Butcherly and Barbarously â—ut to death for their Zeal and Love to the â—hristian Religion in the respective Nations â—f Europe before which the Heathenish state â—f Rome was gone off about the space of six â—undred years so that if we will regard the full satisfying of this Prediction about Mystery Babylon we must of necessity bring her down lower than the Heathenish State of Rome 6. Rome Heathen cannot be this Babylon under consideration because the discoverie of other Prophecies relating to the same State no way agree to the Power of Rome Heathen 1. This State of Babylon is called Mystery of Iniquity This no way agrees to Rome Heathen but fully agrees to Rome Papal compare 2 Thes. 2. 7. with Rev. 17. 7. viz. For the Mystery of Iniquiry doth already Work The Angel said unto me Wherefore didst thou marvel I will tell thee the mystery of the Woman and of the Beast that carryeth her 2. The head of this State of Mystery Babylon is called the Man of Sin by way of Eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only beyond the common rank of Men but beyond the highesâ— Sons of wickedness that went before him And there is a great Truth in this for if wâ— consider the Pope in respect of Pride Hypocrisy Idolatry and Blood he is the most unâ— parallel'd Man of Sin. 3. This State or Mystery of Iniquity bâ— gan to work in the Apostles days which 〈◊〉 no way applicable to the Power of Rome Heaâ— then for that did not then begin it beinâ— at that time in the very Meridian of its Greatness and universal Sovereignty Luke 2. 1. And it came to pass in those days that there came out a Decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should be Taxed 4. This man of Sin mystery of Iniquity or head of the Babylonish State is said to be let or hindred in his designs He that now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way 2 Thes. 2. 7. But now Rome Heathen had no let or hindrance either from the Word of God or that declared it as it was a Civil Magistracy to be Gods ordinance nor from any opposite power either Civil or Military they giving Laws to the greatest part of the World and enjoying the supream Government of the best Kingdoms in the Universe none being able to Cope with them at that time 5. This head of the Babylonish State is said to sit in the Temple of God which the Power of Rome Heathen did not do neither in the Temple of Jerusalem nor in the Church which is more properly the Temple of God for the Jews kept the possession of the Litteral Temple till it was destroyed and for the Church of God the Heathen Emperors never loved it so well as to make their residence in it but the Bishop of Rome before he shewed himself to be that wicked one viz. the man of Sin did evidently sit in the Church or Temple of God and so fulfilled this Prophecy in the very Letter of it 6. He that is the man of Sin or head of this Babylonish State was to rise by Apostacy or falling away from the Christian Religion 2 Thes. 2. 3. There shall come a falling away first exactly agreeing with another Prophecy to the same purpose 1. Tim. 4. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith c. But Rome Heathen did not rise by Apostacy from the Christian Religion or a departing from the Faith which they never professed as is Evident to the whole World Ergo. Rome Heathen Cannot be this Babylonish State. 7. This man of Sin or head of mystery Babylon lay hid in the Apostles time and was not revealed but the Power of Rome Heathen did not then lye hid or wanted to be revealed for it stood visible and high upon a Hill even upon seven Hills according to the Roman Poet Ovid who lived about the very time of Christ's being on Earth in Lib. de Tristibus Sed quae de septem totum circumspicit Orbem Montibus Imperii Roma Deûmque Locus That is But Rome which from her seven Hills the whole Earth views around the place of Gods and Rule c. Ergo Rome Heathen cannot be this Babylonish State. 8. This mystery of Iniquity is said to oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped 2 Thes. 2. 4. But this the power of Rome in its Heathen State did not do for they Worshipped offered Sacrifices and bore a reverence to their Gods which by nature indeed were no Gods and 't is only the head of Rome Papal that runs down all Gods but those of his own making Ergo Rome Papal and not Rome Heathen must of necessity be this mystery of Iniquity 9. The rise or coming of this mystery of Iniquity is after the working of Satan 2 Thes. 2. 9. But the rise of the Romish greatness and power when Heathen was not after the working of Satan but was said by Daniel to be produced by the Providence of God or the four winds of Heaven And by the Apostle to the Powers ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. Therefore Rome Heathen cannot be the mystery of Iniquity c. here meant 10. This mystery of iniquity is not only said to come after the working of Satan 2 Thes. 2. 9. but also with all Power c. But the rise of Rome Heathen was not after that manner Ergo c. To illustrate the first Proposition note that the Term all Power marks out the Romish Pope so notoriously that whosoever runs may read it for if we do but impartially consider his impudent usurpations upon Crowned Heads and his pretences of supremacy over the whole Christian World his proud imperious Decrees Bulls c. his disposal of the Kingdoms of Princes and the Inheritances yea the very Lives of private Persons of any Rank that dare disobey him his pretences to shut and open Heaven Hell and his feigned Purgatory his carrying a symbol of that vast and God like Power viz a brace of Keys hanging at his Girdle All these will appear as clear demonstrations that the head of Rome Papal is the head of Babylon and the grand Impostor or the capital manager of this mystery of Iniquity he having most sacrilegiously assumed to himself all Heavenly Power of Damning or Saving and all Earthly Power both Temporal or Civil and Ecclesiastical or Spiritual 11. The wicked Babylonish State comes forth with a great pretence of Miracles which are but false Signs and lying Wonders to deceive and cheat the People and by this means they Conquer Nations and carry away their Kings to their wicked Interest This Rome Heathen did not do for though the Heathenish Power of Rome did Conquer Nations and Countrys with their Kings yet it was by State
policy and force of Arms not by pretended Miracles false Signs and lying Wonders therefore Rome Heathen cannot be this mystery of Iniquity or Babylonish State. 12. This wicked State under consideration is declared not only to depart from the Faith by a Palpable Apostacy but to forbid Marriage and Command a long Lent and many other fast days whereon some sorts of Meat are prohibited to be eaten which doth so fully agree to the Papal State of Rome that nothing can be more plain unless the Spirit had expresly told us this will be fulfilled by Rome Papal for these two things we have their Canons upon Record the which if none can shew the like of the Heathen State of Rome then Rome Papal shall carry the Title of this mystery of Iniquity and Babylonish State. 7. If the Babylon under consideration be only confined to the Power of Heathen Rome then there is a more evident and apparent mystery upon the State or Power of Rome Heathen than upon any Power oâ— State that went before it or shall come after it for so the Text Imports Rev. 17. 5 And upon her fore-head was a name Written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT c. But there did no such mystery appear upon the Power or State of Rome Heathen therefore this Babylon cannot terminate there what great mystery appeared upon the Power and State of Rome Heathen more than appeared upon the Power and State of the three foregoing Monarchies 8. This Babylon cannot be confined to the Power of Rome only in its Heathen State because Babylon is to continue till the good people shall with the Horns that did support her which is the last part of the wicked and Persecuting Power answerable to the teâ— Toes in Daniels great Image reward and destroy her for the injury that she did unto them according to these three Texts of Scripture Rev. 18. 4. Dan 7. 22 26 27. Rev. 17. 16. And I heard another Voice from Heaven saying Come out of her my People that ye be not partakers of her Sins c. ver 6. Reward her even as she hath rewarded you and deal unto her double according to her Works In the Cup that she hath filled fill to her double How much she hath Glorified her self and lived Deliciously so much Torment and sorrow give her And the ten Horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore shall make her desolate and naked and eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire which the Power of Rome in its Heathen State felt not but ended its Course without being destroyed by good People and the ten Horns which is the last part of the Image Government And in the days of these Kings viz. ten Toes ten Horns ten Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be leâ—t to another People but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Which could not be fulfilled in what Constantine did in the time of Maxentius as Dr. Hammond would have us believe for these three reasons 1. Because the ten Horns that afterwards the Roman Power fell into were not come up and so could not destroy the Power of Rome in its Heathen state 2. Because Babylons Persecution mystery and confusion did not utterly cease which it must have done so as to rise no more for ever if the power of Rome Heathen destroyed by Constantine had been this mystery Babylon 3. Because tho there might be a body of good people with Constantine when he overthrew Maxentius yet the Power of the Kingdom was not so Established in the hand of good People as not afterward to be Left to others as the Text affirms And the Kingdom shall not be Left to another People For as we shall anon shew the Kingdom or Power that ceased to be in the hands of Heathens and by mighty and Divine Providence came to be in the hands of worthy and renowned Christian Emperors came afterwards into the hands of very Devils incarnate who acted all the violence of the Heathen Power over again and indeed out-did them 9. Those that are for confining this Babylon to the Power of Rome in its Heathen State are not well aware what they do for if they do Demand it their opposits who hold it to be Rome Papal may Grant it for arguments sake But then the remedy is worse than the disease for they slip into such a Precipice as neither Baronius Bellarmine Dr. Hammond or the Rhemists can save or deliver them from The true State of the Case 〈◊〉 this Rome Heathen is Mystery Babylon thâ—â— say the Papists And the more willing they are to say so because it is a good argument to Prove that Peter was at Rome he subscribing his first Epistle from Babylon 1 Pet. 5. 13 The Church that is at Babylon Elected together with you Saluteth you c. But this being allowed the worst is to come This Babylon is Destroyed when the power of Rome Heathen is taken away so as to be no more for ever but then what Condition doth the State of Babylon fall into Doth it become the Throne of the Lamb the City of the living God the Habitation of Holiness and dwelling place of Zion the true Church the place of the holy ones and Saints of the most High O No! What then Hearken and an Angel from Heaven shall tell you Rev. 18. 1. 2. And after these thinge of the horns hating the Whore making of her Naked and burning her flesh with Fire I saw another Angel come down from heaven having great Power and the Earth was Lightned with his glory And he Cryed mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen and is become the Habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul Spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird. Now you Papists if you will have Babylon to be Rome Heathen take it but then make Rome Papal better than an Habitation of Devils if you can If it be not Rome Heathen then adieu to Dr. Hammond and the Rhemists we have what we desire If it be then Rome Papal â—s a far worse if possible than Rome Heathen â—n Babylon never was And then what a fine Church do the People make themselves 10. If the place Seat and City of Rome was not utterly ruined so as to be no more for ever as a place of Commerce Trade and Humane Society when the Heathen Power ceased then Rome Heathen cannot be this Babylon because at the ending and downfal of this Babylon the Place Seat and City will be utterly ruined so as to be no more a place of Trade Commerce or Humane Society Rev. 17. 16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and shall eat her flesh and burâ— her with fire v. 18. And the woman which thou sawest
of the Prophecy page 345. distinguished as we before shewed all which Kingdoms as King James the First in his learned works makes out took their rise with Rome Papal upon the division or ruine of the Roman Empire in its civil state the body of which Kingdoms may well be called many waters viz. people multitudes nations and tongues or people of several languages which were as well known to have been under the Usurpation and Jurisdiction of Papal Rome as 't is known there have been and still are Papists in the World which doth fully answer to the very letter of the text viz. The Waters which thou sawest whereon the Whore sitteth are people and multitudes and nations and tongues Rev. 17. 18. 2. This is very evident yet further by her making all the European Kingdoms and Merchants thereof Rich that traffick by Sea by the great expence of all commodities which are swallowed up by reason of her pride and bravery which could never be effected unless she had nations and multitudes under her jurisdiction to contribute to her great pride and luxury 3. A third Instance to confirm it is the numberless number of good Christians she has prey'd upon and murdered in most of these Kingdoms for no other cause but for witnessing against her Idolatry and Usurpation which shews what power she had over these nations and tongues c. 4. And lastly The vast sums of Money she has extorted and squeezed from these Kingdoms and Nations to uphold her pretended right preheminency and usurpation over them which you have an account of by several worthy Writers who fully witness to the truth of what we say upon this respect And from the whole we shall draw this argument and proceed Arg. If there be no Body of people professed Church or State in the World under any single denomination that sits upon i. e. commands or bears rule over people multitudes nations and tongues as Rome Papal or Church of Rome doth then Rome Papal or the Church of Rome is Mystery Babylon But there is no Body of people professed Church or State under any single denomination that sits upon i. e. commands or bears rule over people multitudes nations and tongues as Rome Papal or Church of Rome doth Ergo Rome Papal or Church of Rome is Mystery Babylon To the establishing this argument let it be considered that the whole state of the Christian World consists but of these two parts viz. the Church of Rome considered as Head and Body and those who dissent from her who are so inconsiderable whether the Waldenses Albingenses Hugonots or other parties of Protestants that no one party of nay if we put them altogether can be said to sit upon i. e. command or bear Rule over people multitudes nations and tongues to answer to this Character of Mystery Babylon the Waldenses and Hugonots have been and still are a Persecuted People the Lutherans never got up so high as to command many States or Kingdoms or people of many languages Great Britain tho a Protestant State or Kingdom comes not up to answer this character much less the seven united Provinces that of late times revolted from the Crown of Spain so that if Rome Papal hath done so and no other people that dissent from her have ever yet nor could do the like then this proves Rome Papal that great Whore viz Mystery Babylon that sits upon many Waters c. VII The seventh mark or character of Mystery Babylon is this viz. She is such a Whore that Kings and great men of the Earth are said to commit Fornication with her see the text Rev. 17. 2. With whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication i. e Spiritual Fornication or Fornication in a mystery or after a mysterious manner such as Jerusalem of old was charged with 2 Chron. 22. 1. Isa. 16. 26. Which was a following like Idolatry that this Woman Babylon hath done viz. corrupting the true worship of God and adoring Idols or making of Images and Representations of the true God by which they pretended to worship him and so great was her Fornication that 't is said she did corrupt the Earth with it Paral. Now that Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath this black mark and character upon her is most evident viz. such a Whore that the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication with her she having corrupted the Earth with her filthy Fornications they following her abominable Superstition and Idolatry 1. For First Hath she adored the Pope as her Lord God universal Head and infallible Bishop setting him up above all Laws The Kings of the Earth have been so intoxicated with the cup of her Fornication that they likewise have done the same 2. Hath and doth she worship the Virgin Mary Angels and many departed Saints Even so have and do many of the Kings of the Earth likewise 3. Hath she adored Images the Crucifix the Host and Pictures of pretended Saints Even so she has caused the Kings of the Earth to do likewise 4. Hath she foolishly and Idolatroully de based her self with the adoration of the Relickâ— of known and unknown Saints So the very same has she caused the Kings and great men to do also 5. Hath she grosly and superstitiously worshiped the true God in a false manner By crouding in an innumerous train of detestable and foolish fopperies into his worship and pretended service which he never ordained as Candles Candlesticks Altars Vestments Spittle Salt Oyl Holy Water Beads and a world of such like trumpery So have the Kings and Noble ones of the Earth done and still do as the Emperour of Germany Kings of France Spain Portugal and England formerly and of late also from whence we will draw this argument Arg. If there be no Body of people in the Christian World pretending to a Church State that have set up Idolatry to such a degree and with whom the Kings of the Earth have jointly agreed and complied as Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath done then Rome Papal or Church of Rome is this mystery Babylon spoken of But there is no Body of people in the Christian World pretending to a Church State that hath set up Idolatry to such a degree and with whom the Kings of the Earth have complied as Rome Papal c. hath done Ergo the Church of Rome is Mystery Babylon To reinforce this argument let any man that will become an advocate for the Church of Rome shew that any people differing and dissenting from the Church of Rome are guilty of like Idolatry with whom the Kings of the Earth have complied as aforementioned and we will reject this argument but if this Character doth more fitly nay directly meet in Papal Rome our argument is good and unanswerable VIII Another Scripture Mark and Character of Mystery Babylon is this i. e. she doth not only cause the Kings of the Earth to commit Fornication with her but she hath intoxicated the minds
to Lie Swear and For-swear to Kill Slay and Murther such they call Hereticks tho never so Godly if it be for the cause of Holy Church with a thousand things of the like nature which the people do believe and dare not disown upon their Salvation but boldly adventure to ingage at all opportunitys to Fight and make War burn Citys lay waste Countries and Kingdoms and destroy by Massacres and all manner of Murthering ways all Ranks and Degrees of Men who oppose the horrid principles of this vile Church and cursed practices of these Sons of Belial Nay they will go boldly to their own deaths when convicted and justly condemned for such like villanies and deny to day what they were convicted of yesterday and tho never so notoriously guilty yet will take it upon their Death they are as innocent as the Child unborn what can this be tho they drink it down as sweet Wine but an Infusion of the rankest and most deadly Poyson that the lowest celler of the bottomless Pit can afford the very Wine of the Whores Fornication and the most dangerous Intoxication in the World Which is attended with this aggravation i. e. the best medicines of the wisest Physicians will not recover them for Babylon having made the multitude drunk with this sort of Poysoned Wine how rare is it to have any to come to themselves or to their right minds again And to shut up this Head take this argument Arg. If no people in the Christian World have made the multitude of the common People or Inhabitants of the Earth drunk i. e. corrupted and Intoxicated their minds with wicked Lyes Falshood and detestable Doctrines as Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath done Then Rome Papal c. is Mystery Babylon But no People in the Christian World have made the multitude of the Inhabitants of the Earth Drunk i. e. corrupted and intoxicated their minds by wicked Lies falsehood and detestable Doctrine such as before mentioned as the Church of Rome hath done Ergo Rome Papal is mystery Babylon IX Mystery Babylon is said to sit upon a Scarlet-colour'd Beast and this Beast is full of the names of Blasphemy And I saw a Woman sit upon a Scarlet coloured Beast full of the names of Blasphemy c. Rev. 17. 3. So that it appears the Woman and the Beast are distinct by the Woman is meant the false Church by the Beast is meant the secular power or civil state or the Antichrist or that Government that is the eighth and of the seventh who assumeth both the Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority by whom the Whore false Church and Worship is supported That the Beast and Whore are distinct is evident 1. From other Prophecies relating to the same thing 2. From the letter of the text 3. From arguments grounded on reason 4. From the confession of the Whore her self 1. From the Prophecies in the Scripture describing the same state of the Roman Monarchy Dan 2. the latter part of the Image is partly Iron and partly Clay two states that were really distinct that could never so in corporate as to become one 2. From the letter of the text I saw a Woman sit upon a Scarlet-coloured Beast full of the names of Blasphemies The colours of the Royal and Imperial vestments as the Angel declared them distinct so the Apostle saw them distinct 3. They appear to be distinct from argments grounded upon reason For 1. The Beast is in the Masculine Gender the Whore in the Feminine Gender 2. Because the Whore is said to ride upon the beast the one carrying the other 3. The horns being of the Beast 't is said shall hate the Whore if they were not distinct the Whore must hate her self and eat her own flesh c. which is nonsensical 4. The Beast shall abide tho in captivity after the Whore is thrown down and destroy'd 4. From the plain confession of the Whore her self they are distinct who saith I sit a queen I am no Widdow c. Ergo she has a Head or Husband which is the vile Person little Horn and Ecclesiastical Beast or that man of Sin St. Paul declared should rise after the then present Romish power which did lett was taken away which the primitive Fathers as Tertullian Cyprian Jerome and others understood to be the Imperial power in its pure civil iron or unmixt-unmixt-state or Legs of the Image Dan. 2. Paral. Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath not only drawn into Idolatry the Kings of the Earth great men abusing God his Son Jesus Christ and the Christian Religion and the blessed books of the Old and New Testament but she hath made the lower and ruder sort of the people drunk too as hath been shewed And 't is no wonder she thinks she may do any thing having a dispensation from heaven as she pretends which the Pope keeps the Keys of fearing no power on Earth And now that she hath the secular power to support her upon which she sits or rides in great pomp is evident and that they are really distinct for what of the secular power is still left at Rome is under the conduct and management of the Church there being no civil administration of Justice or exercise of Laws but what is authorized and allowed by the Pope the Head of this Ecclesiastical State to make this further evident the Pope doth not only exercise a power of appointing seculars at Rome and near to it but he claims the like supremacy abroad in other Kingdoms if the secular Princes fall off from him or will not be reconciled to him and own him as head of the Church he will excommunicate and depose them and takes away their Crownâ— and Sceptres from them that the Pope is a temporal Prince as well as an ecclesiastical Bishop i. e. makes Laws exacts Tribute raises Souldiers and acts a Monarch is notoriously known which fairly affords him the title of Beast that his Royal and Scarlet Robes the Chair he sits in to his very Hose and Shoes with the Vestments of his Cardinals is Scarlet so that ye need not doubt but here you have the Scarlet coloured Beast besides no man can reasonably doubt that what the Civil power claims the Ecclesiastical power exercises and that this Princely Pope is in the Masculine and this Harlot or false Church in the Feminine Gender is owned by all partys That the Church state doth sit upon ride and govern the secular at Rome Italy and all its Territories that the Church of Rome owns that she is no Widdow but hath a head called his Holiness or supreme ruler of the Church is so evident that we cannot find them upon any file of record of controversy There remains therefore no more to be done here sith this black character of Mystery Babylon doth so well meet in the Romish Church Arg. If there be no visible state in the Christian World that doth so apparently sit upon command and govern the Beast
and abroad many good men basely misled joining in with them unawares in carryâ—â— on the design of this Whore in this her great 〈◊〉 last attempt wherein she doubted not but to 〈◊〉 all the Hereticks under her Foot and utterly to extirpate the Protestant Religion such a death 〈◊〉 face of things never sure appeared before this hoâ—â— and power of darkness and it was strangely prâ—â—ged as many feared by that lightening before 〈◊〉 in 1678. upon the discovery of the Popish 〈◊〉 when our hopes were raised by that great zeal 〈◊〉 our brave English Parliaments against the Paâ—â— and Popish Religion most thinking at that 〈◊〉 our morning light appeared to break forth the â—â—â—terness of death was over but lo what a sudden châ—â—â— did we see how was our light turned into darkâ—â— and our joy to sorrow and lamentation and 〈◊〉 â—oy and triumph attended our Popish Enemies what â—ingings of Te deum at Rome and in all Popish Countreys and sending gifts one to another for joy that these witnesses of Christ were overcome and â—aid by the walls and their testimony and spirits gone in this Kingdom which was always a terror to the Popish Church together with that wonderful success they had about the same time over the Protestants Turks in Hungary that Kingdom being restored to her too these things made her doubtless to say â—n her Heart I sit a Queen c. But as God foretold the â—eople of the Nations viz. the neighbouring Nations would not see nor indure to see the dead bodies â—f Gods witnesses and people put into Graves 〈◊〉 for their eyes were upon us before they appeared for our help and the fear of them doubtless â—â—id prevent under God our Enemies from attempting that which we may conclude they longed to be 〈◊〉 The worthy Gentleman I mentioned before â—ells us that he was so much the more strengthned in â—is opinion in respect of the death and resurrection of the witnesses from a threefold testimony The first is that of Socrates who in his Ecclesiastical History affirmed that such things did appear in â—â—ch a year which he mentioned that gave him â—â—use to conclude there to begin the Epoch or beginning of the 1260 years of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth viz in the year 426 which brings â—â—wn the said time of the slaying of the witnesses â—â—ft to the same year he speaks of which if he was â—â—ght the witnesses must now be risen and upon â—â—eir feet The second was Mr. William Alleine whose â—â—count brings the great things down to the very â—â—ne year Third Mr. Bright-man he says also affirms that about the self same year Antichrists Kingdom should expire And our Author looking for these great revolutions just at that time and now perceiving them to appearance come to pass as he says it may be easily supposed could not but be filled with joy besides intimates he still continues in a hopefulness of expectation that the present work will go on sol hope it is with us all for that God who hath begun to work such a miraculous and blessed work wâ—â—â— perfect it he that hath shewed us such things wâ—â—â— yet shew us greater and certainly the present work of God in this Nation is the admiration of all the Nations round about and strikes terror into the Hearts of all the Lords Enemies And in particular makes the French King to have other thoughts thâ— he had a few months ago and we hope his time 〈◊〉 at hand to drink of the cup of divine vengeance Dr. Goodwin speaking p. 172. of the resurrectiâ—â— of the witnesses saith that whereas through a forced consent and yielding the Popes power 〈◊〉 again been entertained by that tenth part of 〈◊〉 City for the killing the witnesses they now 〈◊〉 cast off that power with a mighty commotion 〈◊〉 insurrection and so proceed to ruin the oppoâ—â—â—â— party unto the witnesses who were the instruments of that former slaughter of which pâ—â—â— the remnant unslain do as men affrighted gâ—â— glory to God and turn back again to embrace thâ— truth and acknowledge God to be in these witnesses and in their cause So that although this may and shall end in 〈◊〉 ruin of Rome which is the highest effect of 〈◊〉 fifth Vial for this Resurrection and Ascenâ—â—â—â— of the witnesses are truly the preparation unto 〈◊〉 yet this other passage of the Earth quake c. 〈◊〉 here is said to be the same hour with their rising is rather to be understood of the means or thing making way unto that their Resurrection so that this Insurrection or rising of the people in the tenth part of the City which is meant by the Earth quake is the preparation unto their resurrection which ends in the ruin of Rome the scope of the holy Ghost here being to shew what did properly and peculiarly concern the rising of the witnesses as the means to it yet so as still this Earth-quake here and fall of the tenth part of the City are reducible unto that fifth Vial as a degree unto it and so that fifth Vial may also be ultimately intended in this passage recorded of the witnesses rising as the preparation unto it thus in the interpretation of the Vials I shewed that there may be many sprinklings of the same Vial both long before it come to its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vigour also after all which are notwithstanding to be reduced unto that Vial of the kind whereof they are or unto which they are either preparations or appendixes 1. By the tenth part of the City I understand as Mr. Brightman before me some one tenth part of Europe which as it all once belonged to the Jurisdiction of the City of Rome and is in this book called ten Kingdoms so now again upon the Gentiles or Idolatrous Papists their recovering the outward court shall now at last more or less come under the Jurisdiction of that City but especially or at least this tenth part of it here intended where most faithful witnesses shall be â—ound and where most of them shall be triumphed over and slain shall during these three years and a half become a part of the City again and so is â—â—lled a tenth part of the City City being put â—ere as it often is in this book for the extent of the jurisdiction of the City of Rome which had these ten European Kingdoms by Charter allotted unto it Chap. 17. and unto which these Kingdoms are a second time to agree to give up their power in one of which ten or in the tenth part of the whole the witnesses shall first begin to rise and therein shall this Earth quake accompany their resurrection this tenth part of the City may perhaps be all one with that Street of the City mentioned v. 8. 2. By the Earth-quake here which is said to be a great one is meant as still in this book it is a great concussion or shaking of States Poliâ—ique 〈◊〉
which doth not belong to the seventh Trumpet they agree in their titles of Woes in the nature of the Revelations in their objects both the one in the other declaring the ruin of Antichrist both of them are mentioned as the last Plagues to come upon the World before the last day 3. All the Vials are of the same nature declaring but the Judgments by which God setting up the Kingdom of Jesus Christ would ruin Antichrist they differ in the degrees 4. The seventh Trumpet cannot declare the ruin of Antichrist unless the seven Vials be poured out under it for they shew the means by which he must be destroyed and so bring in the third Wo. 5. The seventh Trumpet sounded immediately upon the Slaying and Resurrection of the Witnesses and contemporizeth with the whole course of their renewed liberty and therefore the period by it must be before the fall of the Antichristian Kingdom declared by the sixth Vial. 6. The seventh Trumpet sounded immediately after the expiration of the 1260 days before the end of which I see no ground to conclude any of the 7 Vials were to be poured out Now those who think that divers of the Vials were poured out as he observes or shall be poured out before the sounding of the seventh Trumpet say That the Beasts Kingdom beginning to fall under the sixth Trumpet several of the Vials declaring the degrees of his falling must belong to that in answer to which we say it appeareth by all we have in this chap. Rev. 11. 15. that Antichrists Kingdom was in a great measure weakned under the sixth Trumpet particularly from v. 11. to 13. And tho this we grant yet they are but some previous preparations to the final ruin of Antichrist during the period of the sixth Trumpet but the seven Vials signify the surther progress and perfection of his ruin which falls under the seventh Trumpet this being premised we proceed with the Text It is saith he doubted whether these words are become the Kingdom of the Lord and his Christ v. 15 be to be understood as being actually so or now beginning so to be those who make the sense that they now actually were so must understand the time to be the last days or near the coming of Christ but I rather take the words thus i. e. are beginning to become the Kingdom of our Lord or shall shortly be so and if none of the seven Vials are yet poured out but do all belong to the seventh Trumpet then when that begins to sound the little Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands spoken of by Daniel shall begin to smite the Image upon its Feet and Antichrist from that time shall reign no more but gradually fall and be broken to pieces and the Lords people take the Kingdom and bear the only rule in the Earth but the beginning of this glorious Kingdom state will be small and hardly discerned as it is signified by the little Stone and by other passages and places of Scripture Just as I had writ this I met with a book that Mr. Canne had wrote some years ago in which he gives very great arguments to prove none of the Vials are as yet poured out notwithstanding what our French Author has with much confidence asserted some of the reasons Mr. Canne gives to prove that none of the Vials are as yet poured out I shall give you being sorry I saw not the Book sooner and that I am limited to a number of Sheets else you should have had more of him his first reason is taken from what Mr. Tilling hast and divers other learned men affirm concerning Rev. 14. 1. viz. that they are Gentile Saints who stand upon Mount Sion with the Lamb and is to come to pass after the rising of Witnesses this being so saith he and that is indeed so he further saith he could give many reasons then there is little reason to carry the beginning of the seven Vials any higher for tho' it be the opinion of learned and godly men that some of the Vials are poured out yet so that they hold likewise that the 14440 have already stood with the Lamb on Mount Sion and there is reason and weight in it that where we â—â—gin the time of the 14440. c. that there we also take the beginning of the Vials And the order of the matter seems to make this clear the Holy Ghost having chap. 14. spoken of the Harvest and Vintage that is what Sore Plagues the Lord brings first and last upon Babylon and the followers of the Beast comes presently in ch 15 and 16. to shew how and by what means the Earth shall be Reaped and the Clusters gathered and cast into the great Wine-Press of Gods wrath namely seven Angels shall come out of the Temple having the seven last Plagues So then to take the 14440. to be after the Witnesses are risen and to begin the pouring forth of the Vials before they are risen in my understanding is very improper to the scope and drift of the Prophesy and crosseth that excellent order which the Spirit seems to observe 2. I do not conceive how the pouring out of the Plagues and Vials full of divine wrath in any good sense and according to Scripture use may be applyed to and understood of the Preaching of the glad tidings of the Gospel truly I think that the publishing of the sweet and most precious Soul-saving truths of Jesus all the time of the Beasts reign even 42 months or 1260 years is in another way and by other words expressed and not by the Vials full of wrath see Rev. 10. 9 10 11. and therefore by the Seven last Plagues filled up with the wrath of God Rev. 15. 1. I understand real and proper Plagues and not the preaching of the Gospel either by Grosthead Wickliff Luther Calvin c. but rather such temporal Plagues as shall be poured out upon wicked men for despising and persecuting the truth In her was found the Blood of the Prophets and Saints Rev. 18. 24. It is not said that the effects of the Vials shall be wrath or turn to wrath for in the it is filled up the wrath of God. 3. Suppose it be granted there is a Vial of wrath poured out which to me sounds harshly and that Wickliff Huss Jeremy Luther c. were the Angels the question then is who before them poured out their Vials upon the Earth for it is said these seven Angels had the 7 last Plagues signifying that there were Plagues before altho for time persons matter and manner of proceeding and other circumstances unlike 4. I have saith he not seen any reason why so much time is allowed between the first and second Vials Some allow 100 years others 200 and some more namely from the pouring out of the first Vial to the beginning of the second and to all the rest not half the time If those Vials and last Plagues have an allusion to the
not still said in her Heart I sit a Queen and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow Rev. 18. 7. Nay and also 't is from hence that the Antichristian party in their Writings and ordinary discourse do stifly maintain that Gods Judgments have been and still are as much manifested upon the Witnesses i. e. the Hereticks as she calls Protestants and all such who oppose them as those of their Church viz. the Papists however let the Judgments of God be hid or made manifest to them certainly the vengeances shall clearly be seen and known to the godly when the Vials of his wrath come upon the great Whore or when the hour of her Judgments shall come they shall see it rejoyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth Psal. 107. 42. 8. 'T is evident the Witnesses do not put off their Sack-cloth till they have finished their testimony which will not be until the end of the 42 months of the Beasts Reign and Tyranny but saith he these Angels which pour out the seven last Plagues or Vials of Gods wrath have put off their Sack-cloth and are clothed in pure white linnen and are said to have Golden Girdles from hence it must needs follow as he observes that none of the Saints of God in the time of the Sack-cloth state during the 42 months can be meant by any of these seven Angels neither Waldo Wickliff Luther c. for what is meant saith he by being clothed in White Linnen the Scriptures shew it was an Ensign of honour which great Persons used to wear their condition and state being changed Gen. 41. 42. Est. 8. 15. Pro. 31. 22. Ezek. 16. 10. Psal. 30. 11. The truth is if we take not heed to distinguish between the Sack-cloth time of Mourning Saints and the time in which they are clothed with White Linnen having Golden Girdles that is raised out of the dust and set with Princes even with the Princes of his people Psal. 113. 7 8. but confound these times which ought to be kept distinct and apart we shall want that excellent light to bring things to their proper places I would to God our French-man and others would consider this for I find those that affirm Luther Mclancton c. to be one or more of those Angels that poured out one or two of the Vials do hold that the Witnesses had put off their Sack-cloth the time of the 1260 days being expired c. But Jurieu denies this with many others and yet says all the seven Angels have already come and poured out their Vials and yet in their Sack cloth state but I can see no reason to believe he speaks right 9. Saith Mr. Canne If what is spoken Rev. 18. 21. of the mighty Angels taking up a great Milstone and casting it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all belongs to the Vials as it seems most evident then what is attributed to Grostead Wickliff Luther c. is far from the works of the Angels which shall pour forth the 7 last Plagues Thus shall Babylon be thrown drown c. A Milstone rises no more c. thus that is when any of the 7 Angels pour out their Vials the work shall prosper in their hands and not be hindered nor retarded by any power whatsoever But hither by whatsoever hath been done us yet upon Babylon she hath not so fallen but one while she seems to sink and then rises again many Judgments have been poured out upon Babylon no doubt of that nay and some too soon after she got up but doubtless none of the seven last Judgments hath she felt to this day every Vial shall effectually do its work where or on whom it is poured out it being full of the divine wrath of God. 10. According to this notion that some of the Vials are poured out he observes all the Vials may be poured out and but a little may be done for 〈◊〉 three or four have been poured out and no more â—ffected for the tyranny and Idolatry supprest by â—hem did soon rise and spread it self again in the â—ame places And if so why may not after all the Vials are â—oured out the enemy rally or rise again or the â—nterest of Christ be suppressed after the pouring â—orth of the last Vials as it has been after the pourâ—ng out of the former Besides how can we think the Harvest of the Earth can be said to be ripe before the set time is come that God hath appointed for its cutting down which is 42 months or 1260. years The sin of the Amorite was not fully ripe or that Harvest fit for cutting down till the 400 years were expired Gen. 15. 13. and yet shall Babylon be ripe and the Harvest of wrath come so long before the set or appointed time of Harvest this is a paradox Jurieu saith p. 79. the first Vial and Plague where saâ— I begins the Harvest was in the tenth Century which is 600 years ago and above so many years before the set time of Harvest for that was before or about the time the Beast was in the height of his glory he seems to assert the Harvest came soon after the seed time tho' 't is true he fixes it on the last Age this cannot be thought we must sure make the first Vials the time of the Harvest and the latter the time of the Vintage let this be considered certainly none of of the former Judgments on Babylon belongs to the seven last Plagues for the dominion of the Beast was not then ripe nor the Harvest come but now 't is near wo unto the Earth and Earthly Men the gross body of the Antichristian professors for they must have the dregs of this first Vial 't is poured out upon the Earth those that partake with her in her sins must receive of her Plagues many will be found in her who little think of it But again if the Vials be poured forth by the Witnesses Preaching the Gospel in the time of the Beasts reign and tyranny why do they begin the Vials no sooner for there were faithful preachers who bore their testimony against the Beast from his first rise and so downward all along and it had much like effects with Waldo's Luthers preachings c. to conclude with what Mr. Canne hath said upon This account it doth appear to me that he is right in respect of the seven Vials not being yet poured out because the Temple is said to be filled with smoak from the glory of God and no man could enter in until the seven Plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled Rev. 15. 8. If by the Temple being filled with smoak from the glory of God c. the Spirit alludes to the History of the Tabernacle and History of the dedication of the Temple which was filled with the Cloud of the glory of God as most agree to then here is signified
the Kings of France have by their liberalities made the Popes great at this day it is the most flourishing State of Europe it is in the middle of the Popish Empire between Spain Germany England exactly as a Street or place of Concourse is in the middle of a City 't is also four-square as such a Place or Street of a great City i. e. almost as long as broad and I believe saith he that 't is particularly in France that the witnesses must remain dead i. e. That the profession of the true Religion must be utterly abolisht this is already done by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes and by the enormous Cruelties of the Souldiers Pag. 254. saith he we are in my opinion certainly in this Persecution which must extinguish the true Religion for three years and a half if we will reckon those 3 years a half from the abrogating of the Edict of Nantes in the month of October 1685. The deliverance of the Church will fall out in the year 1689. And this is absolutely the conjecture of Monsieur du Moulin in his accomplishment of the Prophesies he hopes that the Persecution of the Church by the Antichristian party shall cease in the year 1689 But in p. 255. He seems to intimate he is not confident it will happen then one main reason I cite this French Writer thus far is to give you all his reasons why he Judges France to be the Street of the great City where the two witnesses shall be slain c. And to gratifie my Reader I shall also here add something out of Clavis Apocalyptica written many years ago by a famous German Doctor who indeavours to make it appear that Germany is meant by the Street of the great City in which the two witnesses shall lye as dead but by the way 't is observable what he says p. 46. Concerning the 7 Trumpets in the Second period saith he from the three hundred ninety fifth until the one thousand six hundred fifty fifth year of our Lord where the seventh seal is opened and seven Angels with seven Trumpets declare to the Roman Empire by seven Judgments its ruine c. 8. which Plagues have been fulfilled See he calls the Trumpets Plagues The first by the invasions of barbarous nations Anno 395. v. 7. The Second by the destruction of the City of Rome which first happened by Alaricus Anno 410. v. 8. The Third by taking away Imperial dignity in Augustulus Anno 476. v. 10. The Fourth by the Abolition of all eminent publick charges at Rome Anno 552. v. 12. The fifth by Saracens as the first wo c. 9. The Sixth by the Turks Chap. 9. v. 13. as the second wo. In the Third Period when the 1655. year doth begin the seventh Angel doth sound and withal the seventh Judgment is executed upon the enemies of the Church with the third woe whereby the Mysteries of God are fulfilled Rev. 10. 7. Now tho this great Author was mistaken as all have been hitherto who have prefixt upon an exact time and yet he may be right as to the seventh Trumpet which he says brings in the last Plagues and the third and last woe But to proceed p. 69. The two witnesses shall be overcome and killed saith he that is they shall be removed and thrust out of all Ecclesiastical and Political Offices and Imployments it appears he understood the death of the witnesses to be taken as we have hinted before i. e. Only a Civil death and so too do all Expositors affirm that I can meet with but now observe what Street it is in his Judgment they must lye as dead in and that is he saies Germany p. 74. The tenth horn yet remains Germany or the German Empire cannot be accounted saith he but one of the Horns which we do not deny and a Kingdom saith he by it self in the whole body of the fourth Monarchy this is the Principal Street in the great City the Principal Horn of the Beast the Principal Kingdom in the fourth Monarchy whose head is represented by the City of Rome this German Empire is called the Street per excellentiam because it is the Principal Street in the Empire because 1. 'T is called the Roman Empire 2. By reason it is as it were a Figure and Image of the old Roman Empire having seven Heads in regard of the seven Princes Electors and ten Provinces in respect of the ten Circles into which it is distributed 3. It hath the pre-eminency above all other Kings adhering to the Papal State now saith he in this Street we must seek the War c. he seems to say more for Germany being the Street in my Judgment than Jurieu for France to be it But they that read our great Writer Dr. Goodwin will soon I am persuaded see more ground to believe that Great Britain is that very Street of the great City in which the Witnesses of Christ were to be slain and lye dead than any other for as my worthy Friend before cited intimates God values not nor accounts of People and Nations from their Greatness or external Grandeur but from their Light Glory Excellency of their Spirits Purity now what Nation or Kingdom is so famous or has been since the beginning of the Reformation or hath obtained so great Light as this of Great Britain It must be in one Street of the great City doubtless where the Witnesses have finished their Testimony in which they were to be slain and lye as dead and I question whether in any one Kingdom of Europe the faithful Witnesses of Christ may be said to have finished their Testimony as here in this Nation for by finishing their Testimony may be meant as some observe bearing Witness to Christ not only in respect of every one of his Offices but also in all his Ordinances And that according to the Primitive purity of them which many think there has not been the like Testimony upon this respect born any where else as also in respect of true Church Constitution and Discipline and to true Magistracy and Ministry and to Christ's absolute Authority as King of Saints and King of Nations and born in such a publick manner as it has been here formerly and of late take the Doctors words p. 165. And if in this last Combate the Witnesses be singled out as one party and by Witnesses be meant only such faithful Christians and Professors as do in respect of their Godliness and Sincerity hold forth an Eminent Testimony and Witness above that which others of the croud of the common Professors do and so not men of Learning but of Holiness and Zeal are they who are here said to be the real tormentors of these Enemies Then surely in that part of the Reformed Churches where such Witnesses are chiefly found who do continue eminently to hold forth such a kind of powerful Testimony as holy men for this is a Testimony of Holiness not of Learning surely
those who worship the Beast and his Image and not upon the Beast himself and false Prophet To which our worthy Author replies that it is Impossible that an Empire should be smitten with Plagues and Judgments of God in order to its being weakned and impaired and that its head and Soveraign should in the mean time no ways suffer to which I might add but contrarywise great strength thereby the union saith he that is between the head and the members is wholly inconsistent with any such a notion whensoever the body is very sick the head is in a very ill condition and this holds more truly in reference to a Political body than to the body Natural whereas 't is a Spiritual Empire viz. Antichristianism the Judgments that are to be executed upon it are to be Physical and Penal evils which as punishments are to weaken and subvert it the Judgments of God against an Empire whose criminalness from the very nature of it lies in its Errors i. e. Idolatry Tyranny c. which comprehends in them the corruption of manners cannot consist in evils of offence but the first 4 Vials according to Jurieu import evils of crime not of punishment do strengthen and advance the Empire or Papistry in all that is essential to it instead of depressing and enfeebling it for it never had so great power and Splendor as it enjoyed from the 10th to the 14th Century and that is the time according to Mr. Jurieu for the effusion of the 1st 4 Vials never man was certainly more mistaken our author proceeds and confutes Jurieu as fully in respect of what he affirms to be the effects of the other 3 Vials which I have not room to insert p. 17. In p. 24. our Author confesseth that Luthers reformation was a Judgment of God upon the Papal Kingdom yet not the effects of the 5th Vial according to Mr. Jurieu nor the 1st Vial according to some of our English Writers for he withal says that it was an effect of the 6th Trumpet which continueth to represent the War of Antichrist against the Church of God till then Antichrist had been always victorious against the Saints for more than a 1000 years but then came to receive a disaster now this misfortune befel the Papal Empire saith he under the sixth Trumpet which being the last save one was the season that the War was hastning to an end and that the last Trumpet was about to sound under which this War will both actually end and all the Vials come to be poured forth but the damage which the reformation hath done the Papal Kingdom tho' it hath dismembred it is only a beginning of its sorrows and is but an effect of the War which was to continue 42 months during the time of all the six Trumpets and which shall be finished thro' the effusion of the Vials under the 7th Trumpet to which let me add what greater reason have our English Writers to fix the pouring forth of the 1st Vial about the time of Luther's reformation wrought by his preaching above others who go as high as Waldo nay with Jurieu to the tenth age since there was some worthy men in every Century that bare a brave testimony against the Papal Idolatry and wounded the Papistry very sorely tho' 't is granted not to such a degree as in the last age Besides what reason is there to conclude the Harvest of Gods wrath is come till 't is fully ripe and why should we conclude it will be fully ripe till the 42 months are expired which seems to be the set time of cutting down I do conclude the slaying of the Witnesses of Christ quite fills up their measure and so makes way for the 7th Trumpet and Harvest of Gods wrath when the measure of the Churches afflictions shall come to their height and the Beast will have filled up his number and measure of wrath against Gods people then will the time of Gods fury break forth which will be as he observes when the 6 Trumpets cease sounding and the seven Vials which are the seven Plagues shall arrive and begin to take place against the Papacy and against Mahometism 't is saith he for this reason that 't is said by the seven last Plagues which are the Vials the wrath of God is finished from whence it followeth that the Vials are not contemporary with the sixth Trumpet and that it is not the sixth Trumpet that is subdivided into the seven Vials but that this subdivision is to be assigned to the seventh Trumpet the sixth as well as the five preceding speaketh nothing save War against the Church of God so long as it lasts Antichrist abates nothing of his fury but constantly makes the same Efforts for the oppressing of the Truth and such who do profess it But as soon as the seventh Angel comes to sound the case will be quite altered the Wrath of God will break forth and the Vials empty themselves And this is the reason why the Vials are called the seven last Plagues by which the Wrath of God is fulfilled Lastly He shews us that the seven Vials or last Plagues do manifestly allude to the Plagues of Egypt because they are called Plagues as well as Vials and are also poured out upon Spiritual Egypt and seeing saith he the Plagues of Egypt did take up but a short space of time we may not allot years nay may be saith he not allow months for the Execution of all the Egyptian Plagues why then should it seem strange that all the Vials should be poured out within the space of fifteen or eighteen years The third woe cometh quickly under which all the seven last Plagues shall be poured out which signifieth that all the Plagues shall be poured out saith he close upon one another in this he so agrees with what Mr. Canne hath written upon the same account directly let us remember that there is no natural Agent which acteth with the rapidity that fire doth our God is a consuming fire and 't is a terrible thing to fall into his hands the fire of Gods wrath will burn doubtless when it begins to seize upon the combustible matter of the Antichristian state with great fury God will make a short riddance of his Enemies the second woe is past and behold the third woe cometh quickly Rev. 11. 14. We are to observe saith he that this is not said in prediction of the two first woes all that is said of them they shall come but this quickly is not added save in the prediction of the third woe When we may conclude that the seventh Trumpet shall immediately follow the Resurrection of the Witnesses whose death as it fell out in 1685 so their Resurrection shall ensue within three years and a half in this he agrees directly with Jurieu it will be well if they do not both prove mistaken However there is no doubt but we are near the time of the end and I hope the Witnesses
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or a great secular power clothed in Scarlet Vestments as Rome Papal doth then Rome Papal 〈◊〉 Church of Rome is Mystery Babylon But there is no visible state in the Christian World that doth so apparently sit upon command and govern the Beast or secular power cloth'd in Scarlet Vestments as Rome Papal or Church of Rome Ergo Rome Papal c. is Mystery Babylon To reinforce this argument we challenge any Papists Atheists or any else to shew where there are any other people or party to whom these Characters agree as well as with Rome Papal and then we will let this argument sall X. The Beast that Mystery Babylon sits upon commands and governs is not only clothed in Scarlet but is also full of the names of Blasphemy Rev. 17. Paral. Now that the Church of Rome hath this mark also of Mystery Babylon is evident viz. that the Beast cloathed in Scarlet that bears up that whorish Churhc is full of the names of Blasphemy this appears by his ascribing that to creatures which belongs to God and Jesus Christ only and in divers other respects 1. When the cursed Beast is called our Lord. God the Pope and whatsoever he doth no man may say to him Why do you this And whosoever obeyeth not his precepts incurreth the Sin of Idolatry doth he not in this shew himself indeed to be God What greater Blasphemy can there be 2. When he is called universal Head of the Catholick Church is not this Blasphemy against Christ who alone is the head of the universal Church 3. When he is called the Lamb of God he Light of the World the Root of David the Lion of the Tribe of Judah 4. When the orders of the Church Oral Traditions and Decrees of Councils are said to be of greater authority than the Holy Scriptures Cardinal Hositis in his Advertisement to King Sigismund hath these expressions If they that is the Hereticks say it is written that is the voice of the Devil speaking in his members they call the Scripture Paper and Parchment and that 't is an absurd thing to attribute more authority to the Scripture than to the Church which they call a nose of Wax which suffers it self to be turned hither or thither as a man pleaseth and that the Scripture is the Daughter and their Church the Mother is not this horrid Blasphemy against God and the Holy Spirit who gave the Scripture forth and whose sacred off-spring they are 5. When the Virgin Mary Angels and Saints are invocated with Prayers and Addresses that only belong to the Divine Majesty as if those creature were infinite and could hear us at so great a distance as Earth is from Heaven which they could not do if perpendicularly over us much less from all parts of the World over which they cannot be whether this ascribing Infiniteness and Omnisciency and Divine adoration to Creatures which is only due to the Creator is not Blaspemy 6. Whether it be not Blasphemy as well as Idolatry to say that Images ought to be worshipped with the same honour and worship which is given to him whose Image it is For so Azorius affirms and Bellarmin saith that Images are not only to be worshippeâ— as they are exemplars but also properly and by themselves so as the worship may be terminated iâ— them 7. To conclude with this mark Whether it be not Blasphemy with a witness to affirm that a Priest can make a whole Christ of a Wafer Cake by uttering a few words And is not this to exalt the man of Sin above God himself For this which they affirm iâ— to do more than God indeed can do see Mâ— Pools Dialogue p. 109. there are some thingâ— which it is no dishonour to God to say he cannot do them because they are either sinful so God cannot lie or absolutely impossible God himself cannot make a man alive and dead at the same time God cannot make the whole to be less than a part of it he cannot make three to be more than threescore he cannot make a Son to beget the Father he cannot make the same man to be born at two several times as Popish Authon confess and therefore he can't make the same Body to be in two several places much less in two thousand places at one and the same time to which we may add Can God make that to be that which it is not All know the Bread is not Flesh but really Bread after Consecration Arg. If no people in the Christian world are born up and supported by a Scarlet coloured Beast full of the names of Blasphemy maintaining from him such blasphemous Opinions than Rome Papal or Church of Rome then Rome Papal is Mystery Babylon But there is no people in the Christian world that are born up by such a blasphemous Beast as the Church of Rome is Ergo Rome Papal as Mystery Babylon XI Mystery Babylon is not only said to sit upon a Scarlet coloured Beast full of the names of Blasphemy but also that she is adorned with great pomp and outward glory Rev. 17. 4. And the Woman was arrayed in Purple and Scarlet and decked with Gold and precious Stones and Pearl c. Parallel Rome Papal or Church of Rome doth not only sit upon a Scarlet coloured Beast c. but she is also beautified and adorned with great pomp and external glory beyond any people calling themselves a Church of Christ in all the Christian world This is such a visible brand and mark upon this people and well noted by all that much we need not speak to it for all the world knows the Church of Rome delights in outward Gaudery being a people whose Worship is filled not only with detestable Tradisions and blasphemous Doctrines but also to please the carnal and sensitive Eye she seâ— it off with rich and costly Pictures curiousâ— drawn and other outward gallantry 2. Looâ— into the Patrimony of consecrated Saint there you shall find riches and honour thâ— not durable riches and righteousness 3. Looâ— upon their Garbs and Vestments and theâ— you shall find her Popes and Cardinals gâ—â— stering in cloath of Gold and adorned liâ— Emperors and splendid Princes nay and are some of her Priests and Heads of Partiâ— What think you saith one of the Antiâ—â— Fathers of this Man the Pope sitting on hiâ— in his Throne glistering in Purple and cloâ— of Gold sitting in the Temple God shewing out himself as if were a God her Priests are adoâ—â— in such costly Habiliments that for riches thâ— might become the highest Order of â— Jewish Priesthood 4. Look on the Instâ—ments and Mode of their Worship and the you shall find rich Altars and Candlesticks Gold the Vessels for Oyl and Poâ—s of Pâ—sication as if their Predecessors had been Solomon's Temple 5. Look into 〈◊〉 Churches and there you shall find great oâ— ward glory and bravery 6. Enquire coâ—cerning her Revenues and vast Incomes aâ— there you
arguments that are broughâ— by others to prove that France Germany or any other countrey under the Papal power should â— there intended with those that may justly be alledged to prove England is the spot where that prediction was to be accomplished And now saith he if the witnesses are upon thâ—â— feet as I am strongly inclined to believe they are and am more and more confirmed in my notion in that respect and that so as they shall never more be flung upon their backs then I may confidently affirm that it will not be long ere they shall hear a great voice from Heaven saying unto them Come up hither And accordingly they shall ascend up into Heaven in a Cloud their Enemies beholding them in which ascent of theirs they must be conformable to the resurrection and ascention of Christ himself But whereas it is objected that if the witnesses are risen indeed so as to be on their feet in pursuance of that sacred prediction Rev. 11. there must needs have been some more than ordinary appearance of the presence of God in the midst of his people or at the least in a greater degree thereof than as yet we see Ans. I say no it doth not therefore follow that it must be so nor indeed it cann't rationally be expected till the time comes of their ascention for this is an established rule with me that there must and will be a signal proportion or resemblance betwixt the Death Resurrection and Ascention of Christs witnesses and that of Christ himself Now as to what concerneth the resurrection of our Saviour himself in his own person thus we are told that he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of his Disciples forty days and speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God yet for ought as appears to us he appeared unto them in all that time but as he did before there was no discovery of any signal Majesty or visible glory upon him more than they had seen upon him before his Death and Suffering neither indeed was the Spirit come down upon them And the reason is expresly rendred because that Jesus was not yet glorified neither could the glorification of Christ be expected till his â—…cention and consequently they could not look 〈…〉 the effusion of the Spirit till then Wherefore tho' it is true there is as yet no appearance of any signal glory upon Gods people nor any considerable measure of the Holy Spirit thâ—â— there was before yet for as much as it is highly rational to conceive that there must be and will be as clear resemblance or proportion as I said before betwixt what passed at the Resurrection of Christ and his Ascention and that of the Witnesses from hence it plainly sollows that we have 〈◊〉 just ground to expect that abundant effusion of the Spirit which God hath promised and we have been a waiting for till we see the Witnesses upon thâ—â— Ascention-work For as it is evident that thâ—â— will be a time of great confusion and desolation upon the Enemies of God so it is as evident and we may no less groundedly expect but that it will be a time of great glory and refreshment unto Godâ— people by the abundant pouring out of the Spirâ—â— upon them whereby Conversion work will swiftly go on and prosper and the Gospel run and 〈◊〉 glorified to which let me add why may we noâ— then expect such great light to break forth or thâ— Spirit in such a manner to be given as to convict 〈◊〉 Gods Children who they are that are in the trueâ— order of the Gospel so that all the Saints and Protestant Churches may be United into one Body anâ— Communion according to that holy Primitive anâ— Apostolical pattern and purity Then saith he 〈◊〉 may justly conclude that as it was promised of 〈◊〉 in the Type it shall be much more in the Antitypâ— viz. That the glory of the latter House should exceed the glory of the former which in the Tyâ—â— was fulfilled by Christ's Personal presence therâ— according to that promise The desire of all Nâ—tiâ—◠〈…〉 and I will fill this House with glory saith 〈…〉 of Hosts Hag. 2. 7. Now if the Personal 〈…〉 of Christ in that day and state of his Humiâ—… filled that latter House or material Temple 〈◊〉 glory so that it exceeded the glory of the forther we may after the same rule as justly conclude that tho' the Spiritual or Gospel Temple in the first Edition of it in the Apostle's days was glorious through the abundant effusion of the Holy Spirit that the same Spiritual House in the second Edition thereof in the latter days to be sure will not come short but rather exceed in glory c. To which let us add the glorious Deliverance promised from outward Oppression and Persecution which never quite ceased in the Primitive days together with that glorious Union they shall have that pure Language and shall serve the Lord with one consent together with the great increase of the Church bringing in both Jews and Gentiles into one Sheep-fold but till the Ascention of the Witnesses comes to pass these things cannot groundedly be expected He also gives some hints concerning the time of the slaying of the Witnesses as also of their Resurrection which things he doth not presume positively to determine but rather conjecturally expresseth himself the exact time he mentions I shall not relate but you may conclude he fixes the slaying of them between the year 1680 and 1688. For since the â—ime that the pretended Protestant Plot was talk'd â—f and as they said discovered and several worthy Christians Executed as the ever Renowned William Lord Russel Sheriff Cornish the Noble Earl 〈◊〉 Essex Col. Sidney and that godly Woman and Martyr Mrs. Gaâ—nt c. What a Flood of contempt reproach and what not hath been as he â—â—serves cast upon the whole of the true interest 〈◊〉 Christ in this Kingdom with the barbarous slaughter of those worthy Christians and Witnessâ—â— in the West together with that Storm of Persecâ—tion which we have no ground to doubt was â—â—â—ried on by the Popish Enemy and Emissaries of Râ—â—â— together with the turning out of places of truâ—â— many good Protestants and the taking away of Charters of Cities and Corporations silencing worthy Ministers c. nay striking at the root and whole constitution of the English Government â—â—thing being designed but the utter subversion of the Protestant Religion things growing every day worse and worse nothing appearing but the blackness of darkness and that which was worst of all many of Gods witnesses seemed to be strangely despirited whilest others truckl'd to the Enemiâ—â— yoak suffering Chapels to be erected for Popery and Cursed Mass Priests and Jesuites and that toâ— in many of the chief of our Cities nay in famoâ—â— London it self and that in the very Heart of it Oâ—â— state seeming desperate and hopeless in the view 〈◊〉 all at home
Ecclesiastical for of either or of both it is used thus under the sixth seal the great alteration wrought in the Roman Empire when it turned from Heathenism to Christianity brought aboâ—â— by the power of Constantine with the depoâ—â—â—â— those Heathenish Emperors Captains and altering the face of the Empires Religion is called 〈◊〉 Earth-quake Chap. 6. so that the like mighty commotion with an alteration of the face of things either civil or ecclesiastick shall fall out in a tenth part of the City and shall accompany or usher 〈◊〉 this rising of the witnesses 3. Now by and through this Earth quakes falling thus out in a tenth part of the City this tenth part of it is so shaken that it falls that is ceased to be a part of the City or to belong unto its Jurisdiction any longer or which is all one falls of as we say from being of the number of those thâ—â— give their power to the Beast which if it prove 〈◊〉 be any of the Protestant States that should yet again as was said embrace the Beasts power and come under his Jurisdiction or in order to 〈◊〉 bringing in again of the Popes power should 〈◊〉 these witnesses and so thereby become a part 〈◊〉 that City and be reckoned pertaining unto its Jurisdiction yet now revolting from under the power of this City and recoiling again through this Earth-quake it may truly be said to fall namely quâ Urbis pars est as it is a part of the City which it before was but now ceaseth to be it now utterly renouncing either to belong to its Jurisdiction or to be of its party any longer and as Earthquakes are from inward motions in the bowels of the Earth so this here may seem to rise from within that Kingdom it self whether thro' the supream Magistrates beginning to hate the Whore as the promise is Chap. 17. or the peoples abominating the cruelty and contempt put upon the Witnesses and their cause their Consciences having been enlightned in the truth while themselves were troden under as the outward Court by these Gentiles and so they come to shake off that Yoke and the Witnesses having a Spirit of life now come into them these take heart and join with them and their cause whether I say through the working of either or both of these I cannot determine but I think through both for the ruin of the City unto which this is at least the preparation is to be effected through Gods changing one of the ten Kings Hearts so to hate the Whore as to eat her flesh and burn her with fire Chap. 17. And this voice speaking unto the witnesses out of Heaven Mr. Mede conjectures to be that supream authority with which the people also shall joyn for an Earth-quake certainly notes out a commotion in the people and nations Thus far the Doctor Now that which is said to be previous to the slaying of the Witnesses is the War which the Beast would make against them when they were about finishing their Testimony in Sackcloath or in the end of the 1260. days or years which plainly implys two things First That about that time as the Doctor intimates the Beast that rose out of the Bottomless Piâ— viz. the Papal power would recover strength again in this Nation or that tenth part of the City called also a Street where the Witnesses should be â—â—ain and lie dead Secondly Make War against them with all imaginable power craft and policy that Hell could afford endeavouring utterly to root out Gods faithful Witnesses or Protestant Interest now have not we seen these things which the Dr. hath upon this account writ is it not evident that things in England have for many years last past been carryed on by the Papal Power not only in the late Kings reign but also before have not we seen a strange Spiritual War managed by Popish councils Priests and Jesuits and had they not very far prevailed Yea so far as to the killing of Gods Witnesses according to what the Dr. saith is meant thereby how much different hath the late times of trouble been to former days What a base compliance with the Antichristian party have we seen What a strange dispiriting of godly people nay and Ministers too Never sure such a civil death in every respect hath been seen nor known before this hour Now as to the witnesses standing on their Feeâ— saith the Dr. p. 170. First As men erect and taking Heart their cause being just tho' before condemned Secondly As ready to defend it and as men able and resolved now to confront their Enemies which strikes a mighty dread into their guilty Consciences great fear fell upon them that saw them their Hearts begin to sink and die at the Witnesses first beginning to live and have not we seen somewhat much like this what a strange Spirit do we see now in all sorts of Protestants against the Whore or Antichristian party both here and in Scotland also More especially as touching the Ascention of the Witnesses they shall hear a voice Come up hither it certainly signifies some more glorious Church State and restoration of the Primitive Purity that shall attend the Saints and Church of God and when that comes to pass may be such a measure of the spirit may be given as to unite all Faithful and Godly Protestants into one Body and Communion and then the Spouse or Church of God will come forth out of the Wilderness as terrible as an Army with banners Cant. 6. 4. CHAP. VII Shewing the Judgment of divers Learned Meâ— upon the pouring out of the seven Vials particularly Monsieur Jurieu a late French Writer as also Dr. Goodwin Mr. Canne c. Proving that none of the seven Vials are yet poured out and Monsieur Jurieu's Arguments answered c. Together with an answer to what he says of the slaying of the Witnesses and that by the Street is not meant the Kingdom of France THus I have given you a brief account of the Judgment and Opinion of divers Worthy and Learned Men concerning the riâ—e and ruin of Antichrist and Mystery Babylon together with the Death Resurrection and Ascention of the two Witnesses which is left to you to receive or reject according to your own conceptions and understandings according to the Light and Knowledge God hath given you of these great Mysteries There is one thing more I shall speak to and a little further open which is a matter of great Importance to understand in order to the finding out the final overthrow of the Papal Power and ruin of Antichrist which is that of the seven Vials and last Plagues spoken of Rev. 16. It seems not a little strange to me to see how exceedingly the learned and most renowned Expositors differ about the time of the pouring out of the Vials some concluding they are all already poured forth others that there are only the first three poured out and some others affirm there is not one