This is one interpretation of the seven Heads She sits upon seven Hills Now it 's well known that Rome is scituated on seven Hills or Mountains And therefore was known by the name Vrbs septicollis and Septiceps and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words signifiâ— seven Hills or seven Heads That 's one Interpretation or unfolding of the seven Heads of the Beast that carries the great Whore. The Angel also gives another interpretation of those seven Heads that both meeting together they might make the more certain discovery of her That second interpretation was not then at that time wholly fulfilled when the Angel gave it And that still adds more clearness and certainty to the applying of it to Rome The interpretaton is this And there are seven Kings five are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come 〈◊〉 and when he cometh he must continue a while These seven Kings are rightly taken by prudent understanding men to be the seven Governments that Rome hath had viz. First Kings secondly Consuls thirdly Dictators fourthly Decemviri fifthly Tribunes Which five were fallen in John's time then One is said the Angel to John and that was the Emperors which made the Sixth and was standing in John's time But the other the Seventh which was the Popes is not yet come said he And when he is come he must continue a while How aptly do these things fit Rome even as a garment fitted to ones back So that finding all these Characters of the great Whore so apparently in Rome how can she clear her self from being that very great Whore Only this I would have the Reader to mind that by Rome here I do not understand every individual person in her but the Ruling Hierarchical power of Rome which makes the carnal and earthly people drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and holds the People of God in Captivity under her As Jerusalem and Israel was charged with Whoredom in like case of following their own inventions whenas all in it were not guilty but God had a precious people in it who were grieved therewith So it may be with Rome And so by Pope I do not so much understand every individual Pope as the Mystery and the power of the Popedom in which they stand I now pass on from the Hierarchy of Rome to the Inhabiters of the Earth who are a People set on mischief by the Whoredomes oâ— the great Whore. These are a People so intoxicated with the Wine of her Fornication that is with the Innovations of the great Whore that like drunken men they are full of quarrel heady bold out-facers of Truth haters of all that stands in the way of their Innovations and ready with eager minds to embrew their hands in the blood of righteous people if their Masters do but call them Hereticks and set them on altho they have no other provocation or reason to do it but only because they are against their Innovations These are very numerous so that the great Whore wants not hands to execute her fury upon the innocent Servants of Christ when she sees a fit time to employ them And this they are ready to do in loyalty to her Usurped Authority And therefore altho they are not guiltless yet she is chiefly charged with being drunk with the blood of the Servants of Jesus As David was charged with the blood of Vriah because it proceeded from him So the great Whore standsguilty of all the blood shed in obedience and loyalty to her Innovations But in a dangerous thing to be 〈…〉 in the hand of there that sight against God and against'd â— simplicity and pusity of his wares and innocency and fidelity of his Servants It may go easier with those that are drunk with the Wine of the great Whores Fornication than which her that is drunk with blood but I think none that understands the danger would be in Sodoms use because it shall be more toletable for them than for some other Cities at the day of Judgment There is a third sort of People under the Dominion of the great Whore whom my Soul longs after whose Spirits are drawn after the Lord and who truly fear him altho their understandings may be captivated under many of her Innovations These when they come to see their liberty in the Lord may say with the Israelites O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee only will we made mention of thy name Isa 26 〈◊〉 Other Lord have had dominion over ye to cause 〈◊〉 to make mention of thy Name in their superstations waies but by thee only even by thy self and thy direction and assistance will we now henceforth make mention of thy Name They that have been in bondage under enforced Worship when they are made rightly sensible of it will see the dominion that other Lords have had over them will not satisfie but there will be a cry in their hearts that â—he Lord alone may rule over their Conscienceâ— and that all their profession of him or making mention of his name may proceed from himself and so shall they worship him in Spirit and in truth These may say also with Israel of old By the Rivers of Babylon there we sat down yea we wept when we remembred Zion Psal 137.1 I know whose case that hath been under lesser Innovations The heart that truly fears the Lord and pants after him longs after the purity of his ways and when it gets a glimpse thereof sits down weeping under all other bondages of humane traditions and Innovations finding it self as it were in a Captivity or banishment from its own Land which it longs to be at and that is the enjoyment of the prefence of the Lord in the purity and simplicity of his ways Now my Soul and Spirit simpathizes with such as these breathing to the Lord for their deliverance wheresoever they are having had a fellow-feeling of their Bondage and I hope deliverance draws nigh to many For what is their Captivity but their Thraldom and Bondage under the Innovations of men And what shall be their deliverance but the falling of those Innovations which hold them Captive and their being set in the liberty of the Spirit Though men have built a Tower of their own Inventions whose top may reach to Heaven and upon the top of which they pretend to set men into Heaven yet down again this must tumble This Babel this Great Whore this Mystery of Iniquity this Mother of Harlots must have a fall and then that Voice will call to them from Heaven Come out of her my People that ye be not pertakers of her Sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues Rev. 18.4 Now what shall be this great fall of Babylon I answer if we consider what was the fall of the Jews we may partly understand thereby what shall be the fall of Babylon The Jews fall was their continuing in that which God by
of the imposition of mans wisdom upon her Spirit is grievous Bondage to her and causes her Spirit to groan for deliverance And in time the Lord will work deliverance for the spiritual Israelite as he did for the literal Thirdly In Innovations we find Babylon the Great Many words used in former times both before and under the Law are transferred or brought over and put upon things under the Gospel or New Covenant either because they are under the like Circumstances or were prefigured by things aforegoing As to give one Example or two the Tabernacle and Temple which were made by men and made of Wood and Stone and Gold and Silver and Brass and Iron These were places for the presence of God to appear in and to dwell in But in the fulness of time those were laid aside again and yet the names of them retained and put upon other things where the presence of God was to reside As namely Christs Body Destroy this Temple saith he and in three daies I will raise it up again This spake he of his Body putting the name Temple upon it Again the same word Temple is put upon his Church 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev. 2.1 And also upon the Bodies of his Disciples 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you And again saith the Apostle If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are 1 Cor. 3.17 So Tabernacle is used in like manner 2 Pet. 1.14 Shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle I might instance in many things but I would not digress too much from my present scope and business which is to shew that the name Babylon is also put upon something under the Gospel which Babylon of old resembled or did prefigure And that is that Dominion that stands in Innovations or Inventions of men This is called Babylon the Great Rev. 17.5 Now why the name Babylon should be put upon that Power and Dominion that stands in Innovations under the Gospel times consider the like circumstances of both Old Babylon and New and the like expressions given forth of both and I think you may easily be perswaded thereof Old Babylon was called The glory of Kingdoms Isa 13.19 and the Lady of Kingdoms Isa 47.5 7. And Babylon the Great is counted no less seeing she reigneth over Kings of the Earth Rev. 17.18 There was the same exalted security of heart in both for Old Babylon said in her heart I am and none else besides me I shall not sit as a Widdow neither shall I see the loss of Children Isa 47.8 Babylon the Great saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow Rev. 18.7 Old Babylon was a place of Captivity to the Israelites and New Babylon or Babylon the Great hath been a place of far greater Captivity to the true spiritual Israelite That was but for a few years only for Seventy But this hath lasted long even many Generations namely ever since Innovations got head That was a Captivity far less cruel than this latter Captivity hath been They both of them have exercised force upon the Consciences of People As the People of God were bid to flee out of Babylon of old And deliver every man his own Soul Jer. 51.6 So in like manner concerning the Great Babylon it 's said Come out of her my People that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues Rev. 18.4 The words of the Prophets both Isaiah and Jeremiah concerning Babylon of Old seem to reach even to this Babylon the Great So that the Old Babylon seems to typisie this very much as they that read Isa 47. and Jer. 50 and 51 Chapters may perceive And also that they both have a like destruction Jer. 51.63 64. compared with Rev. 18.21 Both are to sink and not rise again This shall be the fall of Innovations and of that power and Dominion that stands in them in the Lord's time They shall sink in the Waters in the minds of People as things born down with great weight Oh then rejoycing Joy and gladness attends the fall of this Great Babylon Rejoyce over her thou Heaven and the holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her Rev. 18.20 What is it that hath done so much mischief to Apostles and Prophets and Saints that God will avenge them thereof as Inventions and Innovations of men and therefore they are bid to rejoyce when these are thrown down like a great Milstone into the bottom of the deep That Babylon the Great standeth in the Inventions and Innovations of men is manifest because it cannot stand in any pure Dispensation of God for then it could not be called Babylon nor Confusion Therefore it must needs stand in the Inventions and Innovations of men deviating from the pure Dispensation of God or purity of his Truth and in them Babylon the Great will be found And this will more appear by that which follows For where the Great Whore is found there Babylon the Great must be found it being the Inscription upon her Forehead Rev. 17.5 Vpon her Forehead was a name written Mystery Babylon the Great c. Therefore now I come to that thing expressed a little afore namely That here viz. in Innovations we shall find the Great Whore also What was that that was so much charged upon Israel of Old by the Prophets for Whoredom but that they being a People standing related to God under the first Covenant or Law went a whoring after their own Inventions Psal 106.39 They did not keep to the Institutions and Counsels of God but did like the Heathen or other Nations they worshipped Idols set up Groves and Altars of their own Invention and such like and this was called Whoredom because it was a breach of their Faithfulness and Loyalty and Chastity to God who had married them to himself under a Covenant Jer. 3.14 Psal 106.35 39. Levit. 17.7 Ezek. 23.30 37. So likewise under the Second or New Covenant if we profess our selves married to God in Christ Jesus to walk with him whom we are commanded to hear and obey according to his Counsels and Doctrin and then follow inventions of our own and bring in Innovations contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his holy Apostles this is Spiritual Whoredom against Christ As the Inventions of the Israelites was whoredom against the Marriage Covenant of God given by Moses So Innovations of Christians is Whoredom against the New Covenant given by Christ the Mediator thereof These two things must concur to the making up of the great Whoredom 1. A Profession of a Marriage Covenant to Christ take him to be our Head our Guide and Counsellor and Ruler And then 2. Great disloyalty to him herein in rejecting his Counsels and Spirit and entertaining and embracing a Stranger viz. A Spirit
Christ Jesus came to put an end to They fell short of the Grace and Glory that was revealed and came by Jesus Christ altho they continue a People still So Babylon the House of Captivity shall fall Innovations or Inventions of men after which they have gone a Whoring and under which the Seed of God hath been held in great bondage these shall have thei◠〈…〉 the hearts of men they shall understandingly see them 〈…〉 hated of the Lord and to 〈…〉 to the Spirit of God 〈…〉 the Truth revealed by 〈…〉 and witnessed by 〈…〉 Aâ—â—stles and Prophe◠〈…〉 so they shall 〈◊〉 in the 〈…〉 being seen and fallen 〈…〉 they shall strongly be called out of them them by the Spirit of God. For observe after it is said Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen that Voice is uttered Come out of her my People For after the great fall of Babylon there shall yet be a Continuing in or upholding of her Innovations by some But Gods people are called out they that fear God and love his truth shall be called out and so the rest that remain in them shall be captivaâ—ed themselves thereby as a Bird in a Cage For those Inventions and Innovations of men shall become a Habitation of Devils and a hold of every foul Spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hatefull â—â—â—d and that after Babylons great 〈◊〉 Rev. 18.2 This fall of Baylon the Great that is the fall of mens Innovations shall be no small matter for it will carry along with it Plagues and Death and Famine and Mourning The Scarlet coloured Whore that hath been decked with Gold and precious Stones and Pearls anp lived deliciously and Reigned in great Pomp by by the Merchandize of her Innovations she shall have torment and sorrow and be pinched of her Deliciousness when men begin to see the cheat of her Merchandize and will buy it no more when they begin to see the Vanity and wickedness of her Innovations and will no more buy any of them then comes her Plagues and Torment and Sorrow and Famine and Mourning For what is it that hath upheld the Great Whore but the Merchandize of her Innovations And these things men shall come to see and Kings shall see And when they see it they shall hate the Whore and make her Desolate and Naked and shall Eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire Her Innovations are as her very Flesh and Blood which give her Comeliness and Vigour if you consume them you put her to torment and even eat her Flesh as it were and burn her with Fire and this even those Kings shall do who have given their power unto the Beast that carries her and whom she hath drawn in to commit Fornication with her Rev. 17.16 17. And blessed be God who hath put it into the hearts of some Rulers of the Earth to make void one great Innovation of the Mystery of Iniquity for the deliverance of Gods people that is to oppose that persecuting of one another for Conscience sake or worshipping God according to their Conscience This is a great step of Reformation and the King of Kings make them successfull therein and bless their good Endeavours and open their eyes yet further and the eyes of all that are honest hearted to see still further and further into the Mysteries of his Kingdom and to embrace them and also into the Mysteries of Iniquity to turn from them Oh! What rejoycing will there be in the Earth among all that fear God and love his truth when the Inventions and Innovations of men are cast out and the simplicity of the Gospel shall be free for all men to walk in When those Innovations of men that have caused so much bloodshed shall come to an end and like a great Milstone shall be cast into the Sea and be found no more then will follow the Marriage of the Bride the Lambs Wife and Alâ—eluâ—â— For the Lord God omnipotent signeth Rev. 19.6 7. A POST-SCRIPT to those that are Members or Vpholders of the Great Whore. THE Lord seeks not the Destruction of people but that they shou'd repent of the evil of their ways and be preserved and that 's the desire of him who hath writ these things Therefore his advice to them that find themselves included in humane Innovations is this to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God and lay down what they find to be contrary to his Counsels left they suffer in upholding that which God will consume and destroy For tho single persons cannot reform the degenerated State of things yet they may reform themselves The Pope may reform himself a Cardinal may reform himself by withdrawing himself from that he sees evil and in humility of Spirit submitting himself to the Counsels of God and simplicity of the Gospel laying aside the Innovations of men The Lords pleasure is that man should rather be preserved than destroyed I wrold have healed Babylon saith he Then if she be not healed where lies the fault Is not her Destruction of her self Oh! that you could see the evils that are introduced into the profession of Christianity by the Wisdom of men and despise the World and the Glory thereof and exaltation in the Earth in comparison of an immortal Crown of Glory which fadeth not as Earthly glory doth How much better a purchase would you obtain than the earthly fading transitory momentany glory of this world And no man hath run himself so far from the Lord but that there may be a returning except he deny the Lord that bought him They that were the greatest Transgressors in the Churches of Asia were advised to repent and threatned if they did not which implies that the mercies of God were ready to receive them if they did repent O return return to the purity and simplicity of the Gospel as it was in the Primitive times of the Apostles and lay aside all these separating Inventions and Innovations of men which divide between Christians and Christians that we may come into Unity as at the first What! is Christ divided No certainly he is One and his Doctrine is One. It s the Device and Doctrines of men that diviâ—e O what Acclamatiâ—â—s of Jâ—w will there be among all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in truth when the separating Inventions and traditions of man are cast forth This is the great fall of Babylon over which the Saints and Servants of God shall sing Alelujah But the Spirit of God seems to speak prophetically of Babylon that she will not be healed saying of Babylon of old we would have healed Babylon but she is not healed And I think there is little ground to expect that so great a Society of men so strongly conjoyned in a Mystery of Innovations can make a publique Reformation of themselves together because it s most likely that the greater number of them will be for maintaining their earthly Interest and worldly Glory that they have in their Kingdom of Innovations therefore the Lord calls to particular persons to withdraw saying Come out of her my People that ye be not partakers of her Sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues Rev. 18.4 For let her be as strong as she can yet she hath to deal with one that is stronger Strong is the Lord God who judgeth her so that she cannot avoid his Stroke Therefore let all that fear the Lord come out of her come out of the Inventions Innovations or Traditions of men into the simplicity and sincerity of truth where you shall find the Comfortable presence and power of the Lord going before you and as a Lamp enlightning your paths that you may follow him in safety and satisfaction to your Souls as he leads and goes before you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Books Printed and Sold by Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-street Folio ISaac Penington's works price 12. s. 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