The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

REVEL. CHAP. XIII.

WHEN Rome hath slain Christ, and destroyed Jerusalem, Satan gives up his Power and Throne to it; and that deservedly, as to one most like to be his chief and most able agent to act his fury. She is described here, a Beast bearing the shape of all the four bloody Monarchies, Dan. 7. in power and cruelty matching, nay incomparably exceeding them all. There is but little reason to take Rome for the fourth Monarchy in Daniel; and the so taking it, bringeth much disjointing and confusion, into the inter∣preting of that Book and this, and into the stating of affairs and times spoken of in them. The Jews like such a gloss well, as whereby they do conclude, that the Messias is not yet come, because the fourth Monarchy the Romane, say they, is not yet utterly destroy∣ed. And truly I see not how they can conclude less, upon such a concession. For it is plain in Daniel, that the four Kingdoms there spoken of, must come to nothing before the first appearing of Messias; and that the Romane is not, is most plain, since this Book makes Rome Heathen and Papal but as one.

The Holy Ghost by Daniel shews the four Monarchies, the afflicters of the Church of the Jews till Messias his first coming, The Babylonian, The Mede-Persian, The Grecian, and The Syrogrecian: and John now takes at him, and shews a fifth Monar∣chy the afflicter of the Church of Jews and Gentiles till his second coming. Daniel indeed gives a hint of the Romane, but he clearly distinguisheth him from the other four, when he calls him the Prince that was to come, Dan. 9. 26. beyond and after those four that he had spoken of before. Him John describes here, as carrying the character of all those four. A Beast with ten horns, such a one had been the Syrogre∣cian, Dan. 7. 7 like a Leopard, as the Grecian was, vers. 6. his feet as a Bears, such the Persian, vers. 5. his mouth like a Lion, such the Babylonian, vers. 4. This therefore could not be any of those, when it was all: and by this description of it by cha∣racters of them all, it shews the vast power and incomparable cruelty and oppression of it equalling them all: nay it infinitely went beyond them put all together, in ex∣tent of Dominions, Power, Continuance and Cruelty, both to the Church and to the World: Balaam long before Rome was in being doth set it out for the great afflicter, Numb. 24. 24. Ships shall come from the coasts of Chittim, and shall afflict Assur, and shall afflict Eber: That Chittim means Italy or Rome, is granted even by some Roma∣nists themselves, it is asserted by the Jews, and confirmed by other places of Scripture, and even proved by the very sense and truth of that place. It afflicts both the affli∣cted and the afflicter Eber and Assur: and that hath been the garb of it since its first being. How may this be read in her own stories? In her bloody Conquests over all the world: in the titles of honour [but which speak oppression] Britannicus, Ger∣manicus, Africanus, and the like? And to take up all in Epitome, and that you may con∣jecture ex ungue Leonem, what whole Rome hath done in all her time for slaughter, op∣pression and destroying; take but the brief of one of her Commanders Pompey the Great; of whom Pliny speaks to this purpose, Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 26. He recovered Si∣cily, subdued Africk: subjected eight hundred and seventy six Towns about the Alpes and coasts of Spain: routed and slew 2183000 men. Sunk and took eight hundred and forty six Ships: took in one thousand five hundred and thirty eight fortified places; and triumphed from his Conquest of Asia, Pontus, Armenia, Paphlagonia, Cappadocia, Cilicia, Syria, Judea, Al∣bania, Iberia, Creet and Basterna. What hath Rome done by all her agents in all her time? And she is this year 1654, two thousand four hundred and eight years old.

She is described here, with seven heads and ten horns, as the Dragon, whose depu∣ted she is, is pictured Chap. 12. 3. the horns crowned with power, and the heads with blasphemies.

One of his heads had been wounded to death, but his deadly wound was healed: This seemeth to mean her Monarchical or Kingly power, which was extinguisht with the Tarquins, but revived in the Caesars: and hereby is given intimation from whence to account the beginning of this fifth Monarchy: namely from Romes beginning again to be Monarchical: and we may well take a hint of this from Luke 2. where at the birth of Christ all the world is taxed by Caesar Augustus. Not that Monarchical Government is therefore the worse because thus abused by Rome Heathen, no more then Religion is the worse for being abused by Rome Papal.

Another Beast ariseth, like this for power and cruelty, but far beyond him in couse∣nage and delusion. Rome Heathen dealt always openly and in down right terms of bloodiness: professedly setting it self to destroy Religion: But Rome Papal is a mystery of iniquity: it goes to work by deceiving, and carrying fair pretences: therefore it is said that it spake as a Dragon, but had horns like a Lamb. It revives the Tyranny of Rome Heathen and Imperial, and none must thrive before it that will not bear its badge: either some mark, or its name, or the number of its name: which number was the num∣ber of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty six. In Hebrew numerals, Sethur the name of a man in Numb. 13. 13. comes just to this number: and which being inter∣preted signifies Hidden or Mystery: the very inscription of Rome it self, Chap. 17. 5. In Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 fits it, which is the old name of the Roman. And in Gencalogical Arithmetick the number of Adonikams family suits with it, Ezra 5. 13. which mans name signifies, A Lord rising up.