The accomplishment of the Scripture prophecies, or, The approaching deliverance of the church proving that the papacy is the antichristian kingdom ... that the present persecution may end in three years and-half, after which the destruction of Antichrist shall begin, which shall be finisht in the beginning of the next age, and then the kingdom of Christ shall come upon earth / written in French by Mr. Peter Jurieu ... ; in two parts ; faithfully Englished from the new French edition, corrected and enlarged by almost a third part, with the explication of the visions of Daniel and the Revelation.

THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE PROPHECIES, OR THE Approaching Deliverance of the CHURCH.

THE FIRST PART.

Of the Establishment of the Antichristian-Empire, & its Characters.

CHAP. I.

Of the Seven Epistles to the Seven Churches. That in all probability they are not Pro∣phetical. The Thoughts of Interpreters thereupon.

WHen I undertook this Work, I had no Design to make a com∣pleat Commentary on that which is Prophetical in the Re∣velations, as did appear in the first Edition: However, when I observed

that without designing it, I had explained almost the whole Apocalypse, I did believe that as for three or four chapters that remai∣ned to be explained, I ought not to leave them behind, tho they had no respect to the scope of this book, which is to find out Antichrist, & learn when his Empire must end. When one sees a system that is very perfect, & well attended with all the events foretold in this book, this will give such a fair aspect of truth to all the parts of it, as will be most easily perceived. Moreover the publick may have observed, that in the pourtraiture of Anti∣christ, I have referred the Reader in many chapters, as in the 13^th. & the 17^th. to my Book of Prejudices. Now us I have promised to epi∣tomize the book of Prejudices, I thought it would be more proper to bring out of that book into this present work all that respects the Prophecies & their Explication on the subject of the description of Antichristianism, than to refer a part of this to another Book. So that in this second Edition there will be found an explication of all that is propheti∣cal in the book of the Revelation.

We believe with the learned Joseph Mede that this book is divided into two parts. The first is contained in the book sealed with se∣ven seals, which is to be seen in the begin∣ning of the 5^th. Ch. And the second in the book which the Angel gave to S^t. John in the 10^th. Ch. The two little books move upon the same time; the one & the other reach even to the end of the World; but they do∣not

say the same thing, & have not the same object. For the first little book that appea∣reth sealed with seven seals, principally respects the affairs & the adventures of the first Period of the fourth Monarchy, viz. the temporal Roman Empire. And the second book contains the destinies of the Church corrupted during the same ages, & the same duration of time; this is what we call the Spiritual Roman Empire. I say, that the first book contains properly the destinies of the Empire; not but that those of the Church are included in it too. For that which God foretold should befall the Roman Empire, was always with respect to the Church, to its Persecutions, & the great Changes that befall it. So that to speak properly, the whole work respects the Church. But the second little book, which reaches from the 10^th. Chap∣ter to the end, respects the Church, & what was to befall it, much more particularly, yea & more clearly.

The first thing that appears in the book of the Revelation is the seven Epistles to se∣ven principal Churches of Asia,* 1.1 contained in the three first Chapters. Tis very much question'd whether these Epistles are Prophe∣tical or not. Some maintain that they are with a great deal of heat, & others deny it. As for me, I have nothing certain to say upon it. So that I would not raise a preju∣dice against any person or any opinion by my own; tho I am much more enclined to believe that there is nothing of prophecy in

them, but that all that is said in these Epist∣les, refers to things that had happened in those seven Churches. It is certain that the Revelation is nothing but an Epistle. This is clear by its beginning & end. Now it was not usuall with the Apostles to direct their Epistles to the Universal Church in generall of all places & all times, as some would have S^t. John here to have done. The Apost∣les were wont in their Epistles to rank in the first place what they had which was dog∣matical & Prophetical to write of; & after∣ward came that which respected what was moral. This is the method of St. Paul. St. John on the contrary in this Epistle sets that which is moral therein, before that which is Prophetical. The reason is because he little design'd to stay upon that which is moral, & his principal aim was to relate the visions which God had given him. Therefore he dis∣patcheth in the beginning that which was to make the least part of his Epistle, & which was less important, that without diversion he might stick to that which he principally intended therein.

I see but one thing that seems mightily to favour the opinion of those that believe that the seven Epistles are Prophetical.* 1.2 'Tis the number of seven. Why did the H. Spirit write to no more than seven Churches? Were there not many more in Asia? Were these the only ones in which there was any thing to be reproved, or to whom the H. Spirit had something to say?

It seems therefore that the seven Churches are the Universal Church of all Ages divided into seven Periods. But this reason doth not appear strong enough to me. First, because the number of seven is evidently consecrated in the Revelation. The holy Spirit useth it in counting up all things, the seven Spirits, seven Lamps, seven Angels, &c. Surely whate∣ver we understand hereby, 'tis certain that the number of Spirits, of Lamps & of An∣gells is not reduced to the number of seven. Not but that oftentimes the number of seven in the Revelation must be taken for a deter∣minate number as in the seven Seals, in the seven Trumpets, & the seven Vialls; but that is when the division of time into Periods is treated of. Now this is that which is doubt∣ful, that by these seven Churches are meant seven Periods. And we shall also see here∣after that what is said to these seven Chur∣ches doth not at all agree with the events, in what manner soever the times be divided. So that this only thing that the H. Spirit ma∣keth here seven Churches doth not prove that they are so many Period's of the duration of the Church. 'Tis probable that by these he means all the other Churches of Asia, and if any will have it so, all those that were at that time in the world. And he chose among these seven the names of the principal ones, intending that the other lesser Churches should reckon that as spoken concerning their pre∣sent estate, which is spoken to the seven prin∣cipal ones among them.

2dly, Who knows whether there were at that time more than seven considerable Chur∣ches in Asia? The other were so very much below these, for Dignity, Grandure & Ex∣cellency, that the H. Spirit judged it not pro∣per to make any account of them, the Ad∣vertisements that he gives to these seven Churches being sufficient for the Disorders which might be in all the others, which Disor∣ders were apparently the same. For 'tis usu∣all enough for little flocks to follow the exam∣ples of the greater ones.

Lastly, it doth not appear that the holy Spirit, in what follows, hath divided the du∣ration of the Church since J. Christ's time to the end of the world, or to the coming of Jesus Christ's Kingdom into seven Periods. For the seven seals, the seven Trumpets, the seven Vialls, do not each of them take up all time. They succeed one another: The seventh seal brings forth seven Trumpets, & the sixth Trumpet is subdivided into seven Vi∣alls. It had been very methodical in a Reve∣lation, after having obscurely mark'd out the seven Periods of the Church by the seven Epistles, to describe the same times by se∣ven other Characters more observable & more distinct. This is indeed what some modern writers do believe that God hath done; pre∣tending that the seven seals & the seven Trum∣pets are co-temporary, & divide the duration of the Christian Church into seven Periods, as the seven Epistles to the seven Churches do. But this opinion will not appear probable to those

that study the Prophecies & the events with any application of mind.

I look on that as nothing that is said to support the mystery of the seven Churches, viz. that we do not see that such things hap∣pened in the seven Churches of Asia, which are there named, as have any resemblance with what the H. Spirit saith to them. How should we see it, seeing we have not the particular History of those Churches in that time? Be∣sides, tho we do not know the particulars of those events, yet there is nothing in the se∣ven Epistles which doth not very well agree with the Estate of the Church that then was; without any necessity to seek out events my∣stically meant in future ages.

* 1.3The principal thing that hinders me from closing with the opinion of the Prophetical sense of the Epistles, is that I do not find that the applications which are made of them to the Ages that have past since the Apostles, do answer expectation. 'Tis true, there are some places where the applications are not unhap∣py. But seeing this is not to be met with every where, I believe that they have hit luckily by chance. Otherwise the Prophe∣cy should every where agree with the events. To the end one may better judge of the force of this last reason, I shall set down two or three of the mystical interpretations that are given to these Epistles. This will please those who cannot or will not go to seek them in their Springs.

I begin with that of Patrick Forbes a Scotch

Divine,* 1.4 that lived & died in the beginning of this age. According to him the Church of Ephesus signifies the Primitive Church of the three first Ages. The Praises which the H. Spirit gives it, I know thy works & thy labour, & how thou canst not bear them which are evil, &c. These praises I say may well agree to the Church of the three first Ages. But those which God gives to the Church of Thya∣tira afterwards are greater. Yet 'tis certain that the fourth Period of the Church did not come near the Church of the three first Ages in fervency & purity. The Nicolaitans that are spoken of in this Epistle to the Church of Ephesus, may signifie all the Hereticks, all the kinds being meant by one. But seeing the Church of all Ages hath had its Here∣ticks, this character can't distinguish this Pe∣riod from the others.

The second Epistle is to the Church of Smyrna, & Forbes would have this to be the Period in which the Arrians, Macedonians, Nestorians & Eutychians reigned. That is to say, that this Period will comprehend the fourth, & the fifth Age. But how can these words be applied to those Ages, I know thy works & thy Tribulation, & thy poverty (but thou art rich) & I know the blas∣phemy of those that say they are Jews but are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan? See here are praises that are no whit inferiour to those that were given to the Church of Ephe∣sus. Yet 'tis certain that the Church, in these Ages was corrupted, & lost all the beauty

it had in the three first Ages of the Church. Its manners were corrupted, & its worship was marred by the invocation of Saints & the worship of Reliques. What will be∣come of that Persecution of ten days that God predicts to this Church of Smyrna? 'Tis true the Church was persecuted under the Arri∣an Emperours; but it doth not appear very well why this is described by number of ten days.

The third Epistle is directed to the Church of Pergamus, & according to Forbes this is the Period of the reign of Antichrist. The foregoing Periods were but of two or three hundred years; this must be above a thou∣sand years. Here is found something that is pretty like this Period. I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is. To which may be added that the martyr Antipas spo∣ken of in this Epistle signifies Anti-papa, an Enemy opposing the Pope; & that this sig∣nifies all those that have opposed the tyran∣ny of Antichrist. But the rest doth by no means agree to this Period. I know thy works, & that thou holdest fast my name, & hast not denied my faith. These praises do by no neans belong to a Church so corrupt as was that of the third Period under the reign of Antichrist. Thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stum∣bling-block before the Children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto Idols & to commit fornication. By this must be meant those evil Christians that joined in with the Antichristi∣an

Idolatry. Now these people are not well described by thou hast them; for this imports, that it was not the body of the Society. And on the contrary, under the Antichristian Em∣pire, the greatest part of men did partake of his abominations.

The fourth Epistle is directed to the Church of Thyatira, to which the H. Spirit gives these great praises I know thy works, & Charity, & service, & Patience; & that thy last works are more than the first. Forbes would have this be that Period of the Church, in which the Church began to reform her self, & in which the good separated from the evil. i. e. the Church from the Albigenses to Lu∣thers time. Now I leave every wise man to judge if a small number of Albigenses & Wal∣denses, that separated from the Church of Rome, & that endured so short a time, could deserve from the whole Christian Church, so generally corrupted, the fairest of all the prai∣ses that the H. Spirit gives to the seven Chur∣ches.

Thou sufferest that woman Jezabel that cal∣leth her self a Prophetess, to teach & to seduce my servants to commit fornication. This Je∣zabel I confess very much resembles the An∣tichristian Church. But Why should the Al∣bigenses be blamed for suffering the Roman Church? How could they destroy it, who were so weak? Did they not cry out upon her as Babylon as much as they were able?

Sardis, is the fifth Church to which the H. Spirit writes, & according to Forbes 'tis

the Reformed Church, in which neither Je∣zabel, nor Balaam, nor the Pope nor Popery are any longer tolerated, because she broke with the Roman Church. But why would we have the Ages of our Reformation since Luther to be branded with so black & fatal a Character, Thou hast a name to live, but art dead? Be watchful, & strengthen the things which remain, & are ready to dy; for I have not found thy works perfect before God. I think our Reformation deserved at least as much praise as that of the Albigenses. The Zeal thereof was great, & the Doctrine pure.

Philadelphia is the sixth Church, & signi∣fies according to Forbes, the Church that shall carry the Reformation to its greatest height, that shall have but a small number of members, but they shall be very Zea∣lous.

Laodicea is the last Church or the last Pe∣riod. The Holy Spirit terribly blames it. Thou art neither hot nor cold. Thou saist I am rich, & have need of nothing, &c. & dost not know that thou art wretched, & miserable, & poor, & blind, & naked. According to Forbes this is those Churches that making all their glory to consist in their having quitted Baby∣lon do fall back, & make Religion to con∣sist in nothing but duties purely external. This last Period must be placed at the end of the World. Thus you have Forbes's system.

Let us proceed to that of Cocceius.

According to this later Author, the Church of Ephesus is the Apostolical Church, i. e.

that wherin the Apostles preached.* 1.5 So that this Period must be extended to the death of S^t. John. The Nicolaitans spoken of in this first Epistle, are Hereticks in general. Ni∣colaos in Greek signifies the Conquerour of the People. 'Tis the Character of Hereticks to make themselves masters of the people by seducing them.

The Church of Smyrna signifies the Church suffering in all places, & especially that of the three first Ages. The persecution of ten Days according to this, must signify the ten Persecutions, which the Church suffered du∣ring those three Ages under the Pagan Empe∣rours. This doth not fall out ill; but I fear it was chance that made this hit; for the rest doth not fall out in the same manner. The holy Spirit saith, Some of you shall be cast into Prison, that ye may be tryed. This is very feebly to express the great number of Martyrs, and the cruel Sufferings to which the Church was exposed during these three first Ages of the Church. 'Tis much more probable, that this signifies some light Persecution that was to be∣fal Smyrna, in which Persecution the Evil should not go beyond the imprisoning some perticular Persons.

The Epistle to the Church of Pergamus is the third, & according to Cocceius, 'tis the Church from Constantine's time to the birth of Anti∣christ. Pergamus is the name of a famous for∣tress of Troy. Rome signifies strength or for∣tress. 'Tis in Rome that satan's seat is. But why should the seat of satan be fixed in Rome

converted by Constantine? It had been much better to have fix'd it in Rome Pagan, or to reserve it for Rome Antichristian that was to follow immediately after. Antipas the martyr signifies (saith he) the Orthodox that main∣tain'd the consubstantiality of the Son. Antipas for Antipatros, & Antipatros for Isopatros, equal to the Father. I have nothing to say hereupon, but it doth not please me every well.

The Church of Thyatira is the fourth, & sig∣nifies according to Cocceius the Church under the reign of Antichrist. Jezabel that appears in this Epistle is the Antichristian Church. They that suffer Jezabel the Prophetess are the elect mingled among the Antichristian Idolaters. That sickness that God would send on Jezabel in casting her on her bed, are those mortificati∣ons which Antichristianism was to receive by the several disasters that befel the Roman Church till the Reformation. This falls out pretty well, but 'tis by meer chance; for how can that magnificent Elogy be applied to this period of the Antichristian church, I know thy works, & thy charity, & thy patience, & that thy last works are more than the first? Never was the church so void of saints & of good works as in this sad Period.

Sardis is the fifth Church & the fifth Period, & according to Cocceius as well as according to Forbes 'tis the Reformed Church. But I say hereto as I said before on occasion of Forbes, why should we say of our Reformation thou hast a name to live, & behold thou art dead; strengthen the things which remain & are ready to dy.

Philadelphia signifies brotherly Love, this is the sixth Church which carries in its name the character of a Church yet to come, wherein love and charity shall reign, but among a very small number of people. This church shall be persecuted. Attempts will be made to shut the door against its conversions. Yet after this the Kings of the Earth shall submit themselves to it. This is in after ages. So that we have no∣thing to say about it.

Laodicea signifies the Church that shall im∣mediately precede the time wherein God shall pass that judgment spoken of in the 11^th. ch. v. 18. i. e. when the reign of J. Christ shall come to be establisht on the Earth. That is to say, that immediately before the Kingdom of J. Christ comes on the Earth, the Church must fall into that dreadful decay meant by these words, Thou art neither hot nor cold, thou art poor, blind & naked. I do not well understand how all this hangs together. The Church o•• Philadelphia, which is the sixth, after it hath been persecuted shall remain victorious over all the Kings of the Earth, which signifies, that all the nations of the Earth shall be converted, see here the reign of J. Christ on the Earth. And yet after this comes a seventh Period, wherein religion shall almost entirely perish before the Kingdom of J. Christ comes on the Earth. Besides all other inconveniencies this system hath this further, viz. that besides these seven Periods an eighth must be added for the reign of the Church on the Earth. This is a thing that was never heard of, & the times

were never in any prophecy divided into eight.* 1.6

D^r. Henry More is one of the last that hath spent his Labours on the Revelation. He be∣lieves also that these seven Epistles are my∣stical & prophetical, & see how he under∣stands them.

The Church of Ephesus is the Period that ran out from J. Christ's time to the tenth year of Nero's Empire. See here a Period short enough. There is not usually so great an ine∣quality between the Periods that divide the times in the Prophecies. Moreover one may be assured that there is not so much as one word in this Epistle, that may not as happily be applyed to the two following Ages, as to the first: so that this Application is purely Ar∣bitrary, and without any Ground.

The Church of Smyrna is the Period from the tenth year of Nero, to the year 324. i. e. to the Reign of Constantine and the Council of Nice. This falls in with Cocceius's Noti∣on; wherefore I cannot approve of it for the Reason above-mention'd.

Pergamus, according to Dr. More, signi∣fies the Church from the year 324. to the year 1242. during which time the Empire of An∣tichrist was establisht, taking in the time in which the Waldenses and Albigenses appear'd in the World, and were extinguisht. The Foun∣dation of this Explication is the Seat of Satan. I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's Seat is. And the Martyr Antipas, that signi∣fies, according to this Author, Anti-Pope, or

contrary to the Pope. This is a little glitter∣ing Light, but I am much afraid 'tis a Deceitful one. For First, Why should we compre∣hend, in this Empire of Satan, the Reigns of Constantine and Theodosius, which were so happy for the Church? 2dly, Why should it be said to this Antichristian Period, I know thy Good Works, and that thou hast not Denyed my Name? seeing there never were fewer that made profession of the Truth, than in this Pe∣riod. If ever the Church may be accused of having renounced the Name of Jesus Christ, 'tis in the time of Antichristianism, which is called an Apostacy: so that this Article doth not hit well; but that which follows doth much worse.

Thyatira, according to this Author, is the Church from the time that the Albigenses were destroyed, to that time that entire Nations a∣bandon'd the Communion of Rome. 'Tis it may be a time the most barren in Virtue, and the most overwhelm'd with Superstition, that ever was since Jesus Christ: yet must this great Praise be attributed to it, I know thy Works, and thy Patience, and thy Charity; and that thy last Works are more than the first. What is said to the Church of Ephesus, which 'tis pretended is the Apostolical Church, is not so honourable, nor so great; Thou sufferest the Woman Iezabel, that calls her self a Prophetess. How can this be applied to those Ages that have run out since the Ruin of the Albigenses, to the Reformation? Jezabel, that Roman Whore, hath not only been suffer'd and tole∣rated,

she hath reigned with less Contradicti∣on than in any Age.

Sardis is the fifth Church, which signifies the fifth Period according to Dr. More; and this Period is that of the Reformation, to the last Vial, i.e. to the last Ruin of Anti∣christ. 'Tis to this Church that the Holy Spirit saith, Thou hast a Name to live, but be∣hold thou art dead. Can it be imagin'd, that God should give such great Praises to the Church that was since the Ruin of the Al∣bigenses till the Reformation, and that the Ho∣ly Spirit should be made to speak with so much Disdain of the Reformed Church? What comparison is there between the Church in its Reformation, & that corrupted Church, wherein hardly any was to be found that pre∣serv'd himself from the mighty Corruption of Error and Vice?

Philadelphia, which is the sixth Church, signifies a sixth Period, wherein Antichrist shall be entirely ruin'd, and the Infidel Nati∣ons be converted. This is to divine; and that which the Holy Spirit saith to the sixth Church, doth not exactly import any such thing.

Lastly; Laodicea, of which the Holy Spi∣rit speaks in such disadvantageous terms, is the Church that must fall into decay after the Fall of Antichrist, and the Conversion of the Peo∣ple. And this Decay must bring the Church to the coming of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on the Earth. See here a new Period, and of which there is not the least foot-step in all the

Prophecies. 'Tis a Period that must run out from the Ruin of Antichrist, and the Conver∣sion of the People. All the Prophecies fore∣tell, that the Reign of Jesus Christ shall come immediately after the Fall of Babylon, and the Fulness of the Gentiles. Yet here behold a Period, that separates these two Events, which ought to be joyned together.

Lastly; this System is subject to the same in∣conveniencies as that of Cocceius. There must be supposed an eighth Period for the reign of the thousand years, which Dr. More acknow∣ledges. Now it must be confessed, that this eighth Period is altogether unknown to the Prophets; for we do not any where find, that the time hath been divided into Eight parts.

Those that will attentively reflect on what we have just now said, will confess, if I am not much mistaken, either that these Epistles to the seven Churches are not prophetical, or that the Mystery hath not yet been discovered: For nothing that hath been said about them, hath this certain Character of Truth, which is obvious to every one. The Prophecies must be like Aenigma's, which till they have been well explained, seem unintelligible; but when one hath hit right upon them, they appear so clear, that they cannot otherwise be under∣stood.

CHAP. II.

An Explication of the Vision of the four living Creatures, & of the twenty four Elders, con∣tained in the fourth Chapter.

SEeing there's nothing propheticall in the three first chapters of the Revelation we may go on to the fourth Chapter. One may say, that this is the opening of this great & divine Theater on which these admirable pro∣phetical Visions will immediatly appear. The entrance is like that of the Prophet Eze∣kiel. God appears in the Temple, which is in heaven, sitting on a magnificent Throne. Round about the throne there is a Rainbow: this is the Symbol of Peace. Before the Throne there was a Sea of Glass like to Chrystal. This may signify the Purity of the Doctrine of the Gospel, by which we are washed & justi∣fied. It is of Glass & of Chrystal, because of its firmness. For the Gospel is an eternal Cove∣nant, that shall not be done away by a new covenant.

But that which is most considerable, here is the four living Creatures & the twenty four Elders that are round about the Throne.

* 1.76. And before the Throne there was a Sea of Glass like unto Chrystal, & in the midst of the Throne & round about the Throne were four Beasts full of Eyes before & behind.

7. And the first Beast was like a Lion, & the second beast like a Calf, & the third beast had

a face as a man, & the fouth beast was like a flying Eagle.

8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him, & they were full of Eyes within, & they rest not day & night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, & is to come.

9. And when those Beasts give Glory, & Honour, & thanks to him that sate on the Throne, who liveth for ever & ever.

10. The twenty four Elders fall down before him that sate on the Throne, & worship him that liveth for ever & ever, & cast their Crowns before the Throne.

In the 4^th. v. these Elders are represented sitting on twenty four seats cloathed in white Rai∣ment, & having on their heads Crowns of Gold.

* 1.8We must first know what these four living Creatures are, & then we shall easily guess what the twenty four elders signify. The con∣jecture of jour, Joseph Mede is ingenious & learned. He believes these four living Crea∣tures represent the whole Christian-Church, i. e. all the Christian People, by way of allusion to the encampings of ancient Israel: It was, saith he, distributed into four bodies, three tribes in each body, each body had its com∣manding tribe that marched in the front; & every one of these four tribes had its standard, wherin was the figure of a living Creature. Judah marched in the front of the First body, & had under it Issachar & Zabulon. Reuben was the second head, & had under it Simeon & Gad. The third head was Ephraim, which

had under it Manasseh & Benjamin. The fourth head was Dan, to which were joined the tribes of Asser & Naphtali. This is what we read in the second Ch. of Numbers. Tis certain also that every one of these four bodies had its Banner & its Ensign. For in the same place there is express mention of four standards. v. 3. The standard of the company of Judah. v. 10. The Banner of the company of Reuben. v. 18. The Banner of the company of Ephraim. & v. 25. The Banner of the company of Dan.

But to this 'tis added, that these four Ban∣ners had the figure of four living Creatures. That of Judah had the figure of a Lion; that of Ephraim of an Ox; that of Reuben of a Man; & that of Dan of an Eagle. As for this last point tis known only by tradition. Aben Ezra saith so, Barnachman and Chaskuni all ve∣ry modern Authors, & of little authority. Wherefore this last circumstance of these four living Creatures painted in the four banners is more than uncertain. It is not so much as probable. For God that knew the great in∣clination which this people had to Idolatry, would not have tempted them in placing among them images in so eminent a place. Yet 'tis principally on this circumstance that the conjecture is founded. For he would have these four living Creatures of the Revelation represent all the Christian people, because of the ancient Israel that marched under these four Banners. Supposing that these four li∣ving Creatures signify all the faithfull people, it must also be supposed that the twenty four

Elders represent the Pastors, & that they possess that place in the vision which the Le∣vites & Priests held in the assembly of Israel. This also is the opinion of Joseph Mede. And he believes that the number of twenty four refers to the twenty four Classes of Priests which K. David made.

To find out the truth we have nothing else to do but to invert the opinion of Joseph Mede, & say, that the twenty four Elders re∣present the people, & the four living Crea∣tures the Pastors. That the twenty four Elders & the four living Creatures both together represent the whole body of the Church com∣posed of Pastors & people. This is unquestio∣nably so, & whoever doth but carefully mind the matter, will not doubt it. But that the four living Creatures signify the Pastors, will not be doubted neither, when the thing is well considered.

* 1.9First, we must know, that the four living Creatures are the same as Esay calls Seraphims. This appears; 1^st, by the six wings: 2dly, by the song Holy, Holy, Holy; characters which agree to the living Creatures of Esay & those of S^t. John.

2ly. These also are the living Creatures of the two visions of Ezekiel in the first & tenth Chapters. These living Creatures of Ezekiel are called Cherubims. Each of them had four faces, that of a Lion, that of an Ox, that of a Man & that of an Eagle. These are exactly the four faces of the four living Creatures of St. John. with this difference, that in Eze∣kiel

four heads are together on each of the bo∣dies of the four living Creatures; wheras in S^t. John's Vision each living Creature hath but one Head. But this difference is of no im∣portance. For the design of the Mystery being to represent by these four Heads the Qualities & the Character of the Gospel-mi∣nistry, 'tis of very little importance that the four heads be on the same Bodies, or on diffe∣rent bodies; seeing these four living Creatures represent but only one Ministry & not four different ministries. I will observe by the by that 'tis very strange, that those that are curious search with so much labour & uncer∣tainty what was the figure of the Cherubims under the Law.* 1.10 For Ezekiel calling the living Creatures which he describes Cherubims in the tenth Ch. of his Revelations, I think it can't be doubted but that the figure of Moses's Cherubims was such as Ezekiel represents it to us.

I say, that these four living creatures cal∣led Seraphims by Esay, Cherubims by Eze∣kiel, & only Living Creatures by S^t. John, represent the Ministry & the Ministers of the Gospel. They have four different heads; the First is that of a Lyon, tis the Emblem of Strength & Courage, which the Pastors must have in the Exercise of the Ministry. The Second is that of an Ox. This is the most profitable & most laborious Creature; this represents the Profitableness of the Mi∣nistry & the laborious & indefatigable Cou∣rage of the Pastors. The Third is that of a

Man. This is the Emblem of Wisdom & of Reason, this signifies the soveraign Rea∣son, Prudence & Wisdom of the Pastors, who must unite that with Wisdom & Courage. The Fourth is that of an Eagle; 'tis the em∣blem of Elevation & Penetration. There's no bird that flies so high. The Pastors must lift up men from Earth to Heaven, & fly up to∣wards divine things: The Eagle sustains the rays of the Light, & looks stedfastly on the Sun: the Pastors of the Church are called to sustain the sight of the most adorable myste∣ries. These living creatures are called Sera∣phims, i. e. Burning, to express the great∣ness of their Zeal.* 1.11 They are called Cheru∣bims a word that in the Syriack & the Chal∣dee signifies Labourers. This name is given them for the same reason as the head of an Ox, to represent that they ought to labour in manuring the field of the Lord incessantly. They have four wings, according to Eze∣kiel, & six according to Esay & S^t. John, to represent their Vigilance, & the Swiftness with which they must run to execute the com∣mandments of God. According to Ezekiel. when these living Creatures walk, they turn not, but every one walks to the place with his Face forward. This is to signify that the mi∣nisters of the Gospel must be far removed from all obliquity, & that they must go straight in their ways. One part of their Wings serves them to cover their Bodies. i. e. their less comely parts, as Interpreters Understand it; 'tis the Emblem of that modesty that must rule in all their words & actions.

According to Ezekiel,* 1.12 the likenesse of the living Creatures was like burning coals of fire, & like the appearance of Lamps: It went up and down among the living Creatures & the fire was bright, & out of the fire went forth lightning. 'Tis a description of the Word & of Preaching that sheds light abroad, & spreads knowledg, in scattering darkness by the mi∣nistry of the Pastors. Is not my word as fire? Thy word is a Lamp to my feet.* 1.13 'Tis a fire that sends forth the light of faith, & communi∣cates the heat of charity. In Ezekiel, When the living Creatures moved, the Wheels also moved; & when the living Creatures Were lifted up from the Earth, the Wheels also were lifted up. When those went, these went; & when those stood, these stood. These Wheels are the People, the living Creatures, i. e. the pastors, are the Spirit of the People. The Peo∣ple do not go, or stand still, or lift up them∣selves, or fall down, but by the inspirati∣on of the Pastors.

In S^t. John the living Creatures are in the throne & round about the throne: i. e. immedi∣ately near the throne, nearer than the Twen∣ty four elders. 'Tis because the Pastors are the mediators between God & the People. They are nearest to God, & the People draw nigh to God by them. These living Creatures are full of eyes within. 'Tis because they inwardly have the Spirit of Penetration & Discerning; not only like Solomon's Wise Man, that hath his Eyes in his Head, but they have Eyes in their Heart; i. e. they have a clear-sighted

mind, & full of the knowledg of man.

They cease not day nor night saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, &c. 'Tis the office of the Mi∣nistry to labour without intermission about the sanctification of God's name & the esta∣blishing his glory.

When the living Creatures gave Glory & ho∣nour & praise to him that sate on the throne, &c. the Four and Twenty Elders cast them∣selves down before him. This is the same thing that Ezekiel signified by these Wheels, that went when the living Creatures went; the people represented by the Twenty Four Elders follow the inspiration of the Pastors represented by the four living creatures. When the living Creatures praise God, the elders cast them∣selves down. He that will follow these four living Creatures in the Revelation will see that every where they perform the office of Pastors & Ministers of the commands of God.

* 1.14As for the Elders, I don't know how it comes to pass that they have not been taken for the Faithful People from the very name of Elders. Some would herein find the Pastors of the Church. 'Tis true, the Gospel calls Pastors so. But here it should be remembred that the Emblems are borrowed from the Law, & not from the Gospel. 'Tis agreed that in this vision the Prophet hath a respect to the distri∣bution which the ancient Law made of its people. Now we shall no where find that the Elders signify the Levites & Priests. On the contrary they are always distinguisht; yea, & they are opposed to the Priests as

well in the Old as in the New Testament; The Priests & the Elders of the people. Every where the Elders signified the heads of the Tribes and Families, that were consulted with in great affairs; they were properly the Re∣presentatives of the people. So that the Twenty Four Elders are the new people by allusion to ancient people. There is twenty four of them because the ancient Israel had twelve Patriarchs & twelve Tribes; & the new Is∣rael hath twelve Apostles which are the twelve Patriarchs & Heads of their Tribes. The twelve Elders of the Jewish Church joined with the twelve Patriarchs of the new cove∣nant make twenty four in all, & these twenty four are the whole Church Representative; i. e. the whole body of the faithfull people. These Elders sit round about the throne as Assessors, because the Saints shall judg the World saith S^t. Paul: They are cloathd in white Raiment: That is the habit of a Priest. And that signifies, that the Priesthood is no longer confined to one only Tribe, that the eleven tribes are re-entred into their ancient rights. For naturally all the first-born of what tribe soever they were, were Priests. This is what the Holy Spirit means when he calls the faithful ones of the New Testament the first-born, Priests, & a royal Priest-hood. These Elders have on their heads crowns of Gold. 'Tis because every one of the faithfull people is made not only a Priest but also a King.

Wherfore they say in their s••ong, To him that hath made us Kings & Priests.

This description of the Church by four living Creatures & twenty four Elders, be∣longs principally to the Church reigning & glorious on the Earth, so as it will be descri∣bed to us in the last Chapters of the Revelation. For the only the Pastors & the people shall perfectly have the qualities represented by these Aenigma's. However 'tis reasonable to place them here, because the Pastors of all ages of the Church if they have not these qua∣lities represented by the four living Creatures, yet at least they are obliged to have them, & they have them in part, tho they have them not in the degree of perfection.

CHAP. III.

The Key of the Revelation. This book is no other than a comment on what Daniel saith in the 7^th. Ch. of his Revelations, touching the fourth Beast, & the fourth Monarchy.

BEhold the Theater open'd & prepared; we proceed to view the Visions that are as so many Entrings. But I think it necessary to premise in the first place an Observation which I call the Key of the Revelation. 'Tis, that this whole Book is nothing but a Paraphrase on what Daniel saith in the seventh Ch. of his revelations touching the fourth Beast. Certainly this fourth Beast is the Roman Em∣pire, the fourth Monarchy. And if some great

& strange events be found therin, 'tis always with respect to the Roman Empire, that must endure to the coming of the Kingdom of J. Christ on the Earth.* 1.15 The reason why God taking no notice of so many great events that happen without the bounds of the Roman Empire, of the great Empires that are esta∣blisht, the nations that are overturned, the bloody Wars that are every where, & insists only on the fourth Monarchy, or the Ro∣man Empire, is because god reveals not future events but with respect to the Church which he loveth, which he conducts, & which he will instruct concerning his will. Now the Church was to be enclosed in or very near within the bounds of the Roman Empire. I know that there were Christian-Churches in Persia, & it may be some in the Indies. But all this was but a small matter. Euphrates was the bounds of Christianity; it spread it self but a little beyond it. The Church therfore had no need to know that which should happen on the other side Euphrates, nor to understand the foundation of the Empires of the Tartars, the Kings of Persia, the Mogulls & the Chinois; for all this had no respect to her. Wherfore the Revelation saith not one word of them. The Spirit of God also had no intention to instruct us in the adventures of the Empire of the Saracens & that of the Turks, but with reference to the fourth Monarchy. Therfore we shall not see these two Empires that of the Saracens & that of the Tarcks but

only by the by in the fifth & sixth Trumpets; & we shall not see them there but as the Scour∣ges of God that fall on the fourth monarchy to vex & to destroy it. This observation is the Key of the Revelation. For first, it removes that difficulty which many make so great a stir about, viz. that the Revelation as tis usually explained, doth not at all touch on, or if it doth; 'tis but by the by, the greatest Re∣volutions of the World, that happen'd in the East since 1200 years. Yet once more, it was not the work of him who would speak of no∣thing but the Church & those Events, that have in immediate reference to the Church. Secondly, This observation will teach us rightly to divide the times of the Revelation, & pro∣perly to apply the visions to each time, & to discover the events that are signified by those Visions.

We must know therefore, that the fourth monarchy without comparison the greatest,* 1.16 & most distinguished in the Prophecies is divided into two great periods. The first is from the birth of Rome ab urbe conditâ, which was the great Epocha of the Romans, to the divi∣sion of the Roman Empire into ten Kingdoms, which was after the death of Valentinian the third about the year 455. For then the Empire was torn in pieces between the Greeks, the Vandals, the Goths, the Burgundians &c. it was I say divided into ten principal parts. The second period of the fourth monarchy is since the division of the Empire among ten Kings, & the reunion of those ten Kings under one

sole head, that calls himself the universal Bishop, to the end of this monarchy, & the coming of the fifth, which is that of J. Christ on the Earth. These two periods are very near of the same length, viz. 1200 years or a little more. The Lord J. Christ came into the world Anno Ʋ. C. 754. or 752. as Dionysius the lesser pretends. The Empire was divided into ten Kingdomes about the year of J. Christ 455. i. e. in the year 1209 or 1207 of the city of Rome; since that time under the Roman & Gothish Kings the counting ab urbe conditâ was continued till the time of Dionysius the lesser a Roman Abbot, a Scythian by nation, who died in the year 540 according to Baro∣nius, & who made his Paschal cycle in the year 527. Tis about the year 530 that the Christian Aera began to be in use, & the coun∣ting by the years of J. Christ. Then men left off counting ab urbe conditâ after they had used this Epocha about 1280 years. However that be, the period from the building of Rome to the division of the Roman Empire among ten Kings is more than 1200 years. The second period of the fourth monarchy since its division among ten Kings to the end must be also above 1200 years. The Prophecy makes it 1260 pro∣phetical days, i.e. 1260 years.

Now we must observe that in the time of S^t. Iohn. i. e. in the time when he wrote the Revelation, there was above two thirds of the first period of the fourth monarchy past & gone. For the wrote about the year 850 after the building of the city. There remain'd ther∣fore

but a little more than 350 years of this first period. But he had before him the whole entire second period of 1260 years. Wherfore tis not very strange that he enlargeth himself much more on this later part than on the former. So that we shall not find properly more than two chapters the sixth & the eighth that respect this first period of the fourth mo∣narchy; and all the rest from the ninth ch. in∣clusively to the 20^th, exclusively contains the events that belong to the period of the 1260 Years, which is the second of the fourth Mo∣narchy. To render this truth more plain that the Prophecy of Daniel touching the fourth Monarchy is the Text on which the H. Spirit treats in the Revelation, we must here view the Prophecy of Daniel & apply it to divers parts of that of St. John.

After this I saw in the night visions,* 1.17 & behold a fourth beast dreadful & terrible, & strong exceedingly, & it had great iron teeth. It devoured & brake in pieces, & stamped the residue with the feet of it, & it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, & it had ten horns.

Daniel having asked the explication of this vision, the Angel saith to him hereupon; The fourth beast shall be the fourth Kingdom on the Earth,* 1.18 which shall be diverse from all King∣doms, & shall devour the whole Earth, & tread it down & break it in pieces. This refers to the establishment of this Empire, & its conquests, that were begun under the Consuls & Dictators, & were finisht under the Emperours; of which St. John. had seen a part, & some followed

after him; under whom also the Empire was always enlarged, or at least preserved in its greatness even to the children of Theodosius. It broke in pieces the whole Earth, & stamped the residue with the feet of it. For it mortifyed all its neighbours whom it did not Subdue. The 6^th. Ch. of the Revel. belongs to this first part of the Prophecy of Daniel. The 8^th. Ch. of the Revelation addeth to the Prophecy of Daniel, for it shews the degrees wherby the Roman Empire was brought to its division into ten Kingdoms.

8. It had ten horns, & I considered the horns, & behold there came up among them another little horn before whom three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; & behold in this horn were Eyes like the Eyes of a Man, & a mouth speaking great things.

24. The Angel explaining this place saith, The ten horns out of the Kingdom are ten Kings that shall arise, & another shall arise after them, & he shall be diverse from the first, & shall subdue three Kings.

25. And he shall speak great words against the Most High, & shall wear out the saints of the Most High, & think to change Times & laws; & they shall be given into his hand untill a time, & times, & the dividing of time.

See the division of the fourth Monarchy in∣to ten others, which was made after the year 450. We shall see afterwards which are these ten Kingdoms. From the midst of these ten comes up a little horn, a Monarch that appears as nothing, a Priest that insensibly encreases his power over these ten Kings, so

far as to take away the third part of their Demains, Jurisdiction & Power. This is what hath been exactly accomplisht in the Papacy, which hath taken away from the Western Kings more than a third part of their Estate, which is become Church Lands, & dependant on the Church; more than a third of their jurisdiction by the Tribunals of Bishops & Officials, who drew almost all causes to them, under the pretence, that there was something mingled with them that respected the Church, the Sacraments, or the Conscience; Lastly, more than a third part of their Power, by the Usurpations of the Popes, who have made Kings their Vassals a hundred ways. Besides this, the Popes have particularly overthrown these three Kingdoms, that of the Greeks in Italy, that of the Lombards, & that of Germany, which they have made dependant on the Roman Church. This little horn speaks words of blasphemy against God, exalts it self above all that is called God, & against the Kings of the Earth. It destroys the saints of the most high. That is to say, it persecutes them even to blood. It thinks to change the Times & the Law: it makes attempts against the divine laws: it destroys Gods Commands, & dispenseth with them. It commands the adoration of images & Creatures, which God forbids. It permits crimes which God abominates, & against which he hath made severe laws. This also is the true description of the Pope & the Papacy.

To this horn is given a time, & times, & the dividing or the half of a time; one year,

two years, half a year; three years & half in all; 360. prophetical days to a year, that is to say, 1260. years. See the text on which the 11^th, 13^th, & 17. Ch. of the Revel. are a comment.

I beheld till the Thrones were cast down,* 1.19 & the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, & the hair of his head like the pure wool, his throne was like the fiery flame, & his wheels as burning fire.

A fiery stream issued & came forth from be∣fore him;* 1.20 thousand thousands ministred to him, & ten thousand times ten thousands stood before him; the judgment was set & the books were open'd.

I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake;* 1.21 I beheld even till the beast was slain, & his body destroyed, & given to the burning flame.

In the explication which the Angel gives Daniel we read, But the judgment shall sit,* 1.22 & they shall take away his dominion, to consume & to destroy it unto the end.

And the Kingdom, & do minion,* 1.23 & the great∣ness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high, whose Kingdom is an everlasting King∣dom, & all dominions shall serve & obey him.

The judgment here spoken of is not the last judgment; God appears sitting on a magnificent throne, not to judg the whole world, but to judg the Empire of the Beast, the fourth Mo∣narchy in its Antichristian Period, & to deal

forth the various punishments that befall this Monarchy for 7 or 8 hundred years, to bring it to its end. This Fire, these Flames, these Wheels burning like fire, on which the throne moves, represent the greatness of those punishments. And behold the Text of the 9^th. Ch. in which St. John presents to our view the Saracens & the Turks, that make desolate the Roman Antichristan Empire; & of the 14^th, 15^th, 16^th, 18^th & 19^th, where God in divers visions represents the different steps of the ruin of the Roman Antichristian Empire.

As for what is said here of the Kingdom given to the Saints, 'tis the matter & Text of the end of the 11^th. Ch. of the 20, 21, & 22. throughout.

So it will appear in following the path which we are entred into, that the whole Revelation is a commentary on ten or twelve verses of the 7^th. Ch. of Daniel.

CHAP. IV.

The systems of the seven seals & the seven Trumpets, that denote the great events, & bring the world to its end.

IN the 4^th. Ch. the H. Spirit open'd the scene; the 5^th. is a preludium for the vision of the seven seals which is contained in the 6. Ch. The first book is sealed with seven seals, that is to say, 'tis very obscure. Indeed it is so to that degree that never will any thing be said

on this first part of the Revelation, that goes beyond conjecture & probability. Wheras as for the second, I hold that one may attain to the true sense of it, & certainly know that one hath found it. See what in my judgment may best be said on the seven seals.

* 1.24The seven seals certainly reach to the end of the world, but not in that manner as the greatest part of our Interpreters have imagin'd, in dividing the duration of the World from J. Christ to its end into seven Periods almost equal. The six First seals do not go beyond 300. years. But the seventh seal is subdivided into seven Trumpets, & doth produce them. Now these seven Trumpets bring the events even to the last judgment, the first not begin∣ning till after the 6^th. seal, So that these seven seals are as six branches, that shoot forth from the body of a Tree, with a seventh great branch, which it self becomes a great arm, & shoots forth seven other branches. As for this, it cannot be doubted by any that read the beginning of the 7^th. Ch. with any attention.

To find out the mystery of the seven seals & the seven Trumpets, we must here again bring in that observation which we a little before made in the foregoing Ch. viz. that the Revelation contains enigmatically the Epi∣tomy of the history of the fourth Monarchy, that is to say, of the Roman Empire; a Mo∣narchy which according to Daniel's Prophecy must last till the coming of the Kingdom of J. Christ on the Earth, i. e. to the end of the reign of Antichrist. It is clear that the Holy

Spirit was to insist only on this fourth Mo∣narchy, without considering the other states & Empires of the world, because 'tis that only that Daniel spoke of after the three first Beasts, whose reign was certainly past in St. John's time. Moreover, 'tis under this fourth Monarchy, & in the extent of its dominions, that the Christian Church hath receiv'd its seat & its rule. That Christianity that is found beyond the extent of the Roman Empire, is almost nothing. And therfore 'tis that the Counsells which were assembled from the seve∣ral parts of the Roman Empire are called Oecumenical, as representing the Universal Church. Now 'tis certain that all the Prophe∣cies have a Mediate or an immediate Relation to the Church. So that they ought to insist only on those states in which the Church hath been nourisht & brought up.

There is a third Reason why these Prophe∣cies cannot be understood but of the Roman Empire, viz. because the reign of Antichrist, which is the greatest affair that happens in the Church, & w^ch must happen there, was to make a part & a continuation of this Roman Empire. For Antichristianism is the Roman Empire continued. This principle which I was willing to repeat here because of its importance, will serve to answer those that say to us, How know you that the Prophecies of the Revela∣tion do not refer to China or Tartary? This objection doth not seem to me to be worthy of understanding persons.

This being supposed that the Revelation

enigmatically contains the history of the Roman Empire continued,* 1.25 it must also be necessarily supposed that principal & great Changes that happened in this Empire are described in large Characters, & with some note of distinction in the Revelation. Other∣wise the H. Spirit would not act according to his profound wisdom, if in making a history of an Empire, he should omit to mark the great Catastrophes that are to happen therin, or if he should hide them, & make them to pass without any character of distinction among the other less events.

We must therfore consider what are the principal events that have happen'd in the Roman Empire. See here they are.

1. The fall of Paganism, when the Roman Emperours became Christians. This is so great an affair, that 'tis impossible to suppose that the Holy Spirit should have taken no notice of it.

2. The fall of the Temporal Roman Empire, when 'twas divided into ten Kingdoms.

3. The erecting a new Roman Empire, or rather the continuation of the same under the rule of Antichrist.

4. The Birth of the Saracen Empire by the Arabians, that come to afflict the Roman Empire in its Eastern branch, i.e. the Empire of Constantinople.

5. The power of the Turks, that come to finish the destruction of the Greek branch of the Roman Empire, & to lay desolate the Latin Empire.

See the five great events that have changed the face of the word & of the Empire. Wherefore I am perswaded these must be found in the Revelation with Characters of distincti∣on. Let us suppose therefore that in all the places where there is a notable distinction, there we must find one of these notable events.

The First distinction is found at the end of the sixth seal. After the opening this seal, there happens a great Earthquake, the sun is eclypsed, & the moon becomes red as blood, the stars fall. Afterwards the vision of the seals is interrupted by a new vision that comes between, in which an Angel marks the elect among the twelve Tribes, twelve thousand of every Tribe. After which the Holy Spirit returns to the seventh seal, under which nothing is done besides the distribution of the seven Trumpets to seven Angells, that must sound the successively. 'Tis clear this is an Epocha, a point on which the H. Spirit would have our thoughts to dwell. This first Character of distinction must to all appea∣rance be affixed to the first distinct event that happens in the Roman Empire; that is, the fall of Paganism. So that in the opening of the sixth seal, we must find the fall of the Pagan Religion.

The Second very observable distinction is found at the fourth Trumpet. There the third part of the sun is in like mannereclypsed, the moon & the stars suffer the like diminu∣tion in their light. After which the process

of the Trumpets is interrupted by a new Vision, viz. that of an Angel, that flies in the midst of heaven, & cries three time, Wo to the inhabitants of the Earth, because of the three last Trumpets which are yet to sound. This is an evident distinction; & this second distincti∣on must signify to us the second distinct event in the Roman Empire, viz. its fall & division among ten Kings, which came to pass after Valentinian the 3d. in the middle of the fifth Age.

The making a new Vision & a new Angel, crying Wo there times, go before the soun∣ding the 5^th. Trumpet, is also a mark of distinction for that 5^th. Trumpet, which signifies to us that 'tis an event greatly distinguisht in the history of the Roman Em∣pire. And this third distinction can't be applied to any thing but the third notable event that befalls the Roman Empire, viz. the Birth of the Saracen Empire by Mahomet & his Suc∣cessors, that did so cruelly afflict the Roman Empire, in the Empire of Constantinople, which was the greatest & the most noble part of these ten into which this Empire was divided.

The Empire of the Turks at the bottom is but a branch of the Arabian & Saracen Em∣pire. Wherfore it doth not deserve so great a distinction as the other great events of which we have just now spoken. And yet the H. Spirit is content to distinguish it by a very long description. The fifth & sixth Trumpet contain an entire Chapter, whereas the four first Trumpets were finisht in 6. or 7. verses.

which signifies, that this fifth and sixth Trum∣pet must be concerning great Affairs, and E∣vils of a long duration.

As for that great Event, which was to hap∣pen in the Roman Empire, which wereckon'd for the third; viz. the Erection of a new Ro∣man Empire, or the continuation of the same Empire under the new Name of the Pope and the Roman Church; 'tis so great an Affair, that the Holy Spirit would not bring it into the first part of the Revelation: He hath re∣served it to make it the Subject of the second part. 'Tis there that he explains largly and much more clearly the Birth, Progress, and Fall of this Antichristian Empire, that was to make the last Period of the fourth Beast.

According to this System, the five first Seals must bring the Roman Empire to the Fall of Paganism; i.e. to Constantine's time. Under the sixth Seal happens this Fall of Paganism. The Elect having been sealed, and Silence ha∣ving been for half an hour, the four first Trum∣pets sound, that must bring the Roman Empire to its Fall, to the taking of Rome by Genserick after the death of Valentinian the 3d, the time wherein the Empire was torn in pieces in∣to ten Kingdoms.

The three last Trumpets are described by three Woes, Wo, Wo, Wo; that is to say, Wo not absolutely, but to the fourth Monarchy; which signifies, that they must be distinguish∣ed above all the rest. The fifth Trumpet brings the Roman Empire afflicting, and al∣wayes wearing it less and less to the ninth or

tenth Age. The sixth Trumpet brings and accompanies the Latin Roman Empire, or the Ecclesiastical one, in afflicting it in like man∣ner to its end; that is to say, to the seventh Trumpet, which must bring the last misery on the Inhabitants of the Antichristian World, and that is the Coming of the Kingdom of Je∣sus Christ on the Earth. This sixth Trumpet, that brings the Roman Ecclesiastical Empire to its end, begins about the tenth Age, and is subdivided into seven Vials in the 16^th chap. of the Revelation, just as the seventh Seal was divided into seven Trumpets. There are here two great Victories over the Empire of the Devil: The first is, The Fall of the ancient Paganism: The 2d is, The Fall of the New or the Antichristian Paganism. The first hap∣pens immediately before the opening the se∣venth Seal: The second immediately before the sounding of the last Trumpet.

Lastly, After the seven Vials, that were to fall on the Beast, on his Throne, on his Subjects. on his Empire, comes the sounding of the seventh Trumpet; and the sounding of this last Trumpet, brings in and accompanies the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on the Earth, in its whole duration, and ends with the end of the World.

Thus you haye the System of the seven Seals, and the seven Trumpets; let us now consider the particulars, and we shall see that every thing exactly agrees with it.

CHAP. V.

The Explication of the Vision of the Six First Seals, according as it is in the sixth Chap∣ter of the Revelation.

THe Opening of the Seals begins with the sixth Chapter.

V. 1. I saw when the Lamb open'd one of the Seals, and I heard as it were the noise of Thun∣der, and one of the four Beasts saying, Come and see.

2. And I saw, and behold a White Horse, and he that sate on him had a Bow, and a Crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

It must be observed, that the four first Seals make four Men to appear on Horse-back; which signifies they are Persons of Authority, and at the same time Warriours too. The Horse is a living creature, designed for Fight∣ing, and the Riding of Commanders and Em∣perors. We must observe also, that these four living Creatures call those four Horsemen from the four quarters of the World, accor∣ding to their situation. The first of these li∣ving Creatures was in the East; the 2d in the West; the 3d in the South; and the 4th in the North.

The first living Creature, placed towards the East, causes a King to come forth from the

same quarter,* 1.26 sitting on a White Horse; a Crown on his Head, and a Bow in his Hand: He comes forth to Conquer. Joseph Mede, Henry More, Testard, Launay, and I know not how may more, would have this first Horsman to be the Lord Jesus Christ, who comes from Judea, which was eastward from Rome. Therefore this Horsman is called by the first living Creature, which was in the eastern quarter. But I can't be of that Opi∣nion;

First, Because the Equipage of this Horse∣man is not magnificent enough to represent Jesus Christ. We need but consult the pla∣ces where the Prophet makes Jesus Christ to appear; the 1st, chap. the 10th, where he comes again to deliver a New Book to St. John; the 14th, where he comes to the Har∣vest and the Vintage; and lastly, the 19th, where he returns in the equipage of a Horse∣man. But in all these places he is extraordi∣narily magnificent, clothed with Fire, with the Light, with the Sun, with the Rain-bow, riding on the Clouds, having not one simple Crown, but many Diadems, and his Eyes ca∣sting out Flames. Here there is nothing more plain & mean: 'Tis a Man sitting on a Horse, with a Bow and a Crown. That which hath deceived Interpreters is, the Colour of the Horse, White, which they have taken for an Emblem of Holiness. But white is the em∣blem of Prosperity as well as of Holiness. So that this signifies only the Success and the Vi∣ctories of him that sits on the Horse.

2dly, The Bow is not the Arms which the Holy Spirit usually gives to Jesus Christ; but a Sword, and a Sword coming out of his Mouth. A Bow doth but little execution in comparison of a Sword: and this signifies the few Wars which this first Horsman should make.

3. Lastly; Seeing what comes after by the consent of Interpreters, whom I follow, we endeavour to find out Roman Emperors, why should we put Jesus Christ in the head of them? Why should we make him the first of the four Emperors meant by these four Horsmen? 'Tis therefore much more reasonable in this place, to find a Roman Emperor: One might here ea∣fily find Augustus the most happy of all men, that brought Peace, and shut the Temple of Ianus: But not to rise so high, I think that we must seek Vespasian and his Son Titus in the first Horsman: He sits on a White Horse. The one and the other, Vespasian and Titus, were good Princes, under whom the Empire was pretty peaceable and quiet: They had not great Wars; therefore the Holy Spirit giveth them but a Bow. They come from the Ea∣stern quarter, because Vespasian was made and proclaimed Emperor when he was in the East. They come forth to conquer: 'tis with respect to the Nation of the Jews, and Jeru∣salem, that was taken and burn; and the Temple, that was razed; and the People, that were led into Captivity by Titus under Vespasian. The Temple and the Mosaical Wor∣ship, while they subsisted, were a great Ob∣stacle

to the Establishment of the new Cove∣nant. Therefore this destruction of the Jewish Temple & Worship is a Victory in the behalf of J. Christ, which deservd to be marked.

And when he had open'd the seal,* 1.27 &c.

And there went out another horse that was Red;* 1.28 & power was given to him that sate thereon to take peace from the Earth, & that they should kill one another; & there was given to him a great sword.

'Tis clear that this signifies a great Slaugh∣ter, & a great effusion of Blood.* 1.29 Empire of Trajan & his successor Adrian. Never was there a greater effusion of blood; the Jews revolted almost in all places whither the were dispersed, in Libya, in Cyrene, in Egypt, in Cyprus, in Mesopotamia, in Palestine it self, & in all the East, under the conduct of their false Messiah Barchocheva.

In the beginning they made such a horrible slaughter of the Greeks & Romans, that they are made to amount to above six hundred thousaud persons. Dion reports,* 1.30 that their fury proceeded so far as to eat the flesh of men. They did tear in pieces their entrails with their teeth. They flead them, & made Garments of their skins. They anointed them∣selves with their blood. But they were fully requited. History reports that Adrian put to death 12 hundred thousand in the whole extent of the Empire. The Jews themselves confess that this civil war cost the Jews above twice the number of persons that went out of Egypt. So that under the reign of these two,

Trajan & Adrian, there were more than two millions of souls that died a violent death. Never was the like slaughter seen before, nor since, till the Crusado's. This could not be better represented than by a Red Horse; 'tis the colour of Blood: or than by a Great Sword; the greater it is the better it signifies that the slaughter shall be great; or than by Mens killing one another, that signifies civil wars. Now 'tis in civil wars that there is the greatest effusion of blood. This second horse comes out of the Western quarter. Trajan was a Native of Spain, which was the Western part of the Roman Empire.

At the opening the third seal, there comes forth out of the South at the voice of the third living creature.

A Black Horse,* 1.31 & he that sate on him had a pair of Balances in his hand.* 1.32 And I heard a voice in the mid of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, & three measures of barly for a penny; & see thou hurt not the Oylnor the Wine.

This certainly signifies an Empire that hath something of severity & sadness,* 1.33 by reason of the Black Horse. But this doth not signify slaughter, as the Red horse of the second living Creature. This signifies also a reign of justice, where every thing is done in weight & measure, & according to the Balance. Lastly, this signi∣fies a reign of plenty, wherin by the care of the Prince, Wheat, Barley, Oyl & Wine do abound. This the Character of the reign of Septimius Severus & of Alexander the son of

Mammaea. Septimius Severus was an African of the Province of Tripoli. Wherfore the living Creature of the southern quarter calls him. Both of them were severe protectors of justice. Both of them, & especially Alexander, were sworn enemies to all Thieves, publick, private, known, or secret, & to all people that behaved themselves ill, & were unfaithfull in their offices. They made exact & strict searches after them,* 1.34 & severely punisht them. Alexander made even his souldiers live in so great discipline, that they dared not take away a Hen or an Apple from a Peasant; or if that did happen, he oftentimes punish'd them to the greatest extremity. Lastly, both of them, both Septimius Severus & Alexander the son of Mammaea, gave admirable Orders for the distributing Corn, & Wine, & Oyl, to the end all the World might have them, & there might be no want. This is what Histo∣rians do expresly observe.

And when he had open'd the fourth seal,* 1.35 &c.

And I looked & behold a Pale Horse,* 1.36 & his name that sate on him was Death, & hell followed him, & power was given to them over the fourth part of the Earth to kill with Sword, & with Hunger, & with Death, & with the Beasts of the Earth.

* 1.37Behold visibly a reign sad, black, loaden with all sorts of Calamities, Massacrees, Effusions of Blood, Plague, War & Famin, Tyranny & Violence. 'Tis the Character of the reign of Maximin & his successors to Au∣relian. The fourth living Creature calls this

Tyrant from the North . Thence 'twas that Maximin came, who was a native of Thrace in the North of the Roman Empire. This Maximin deserved to bear the name of Death; for he was the most cruell of all Tyrants; they gave him the name of Cyclops, Busiris, Scyron, Phalaris, Typhon & Gyges. He made men be flead & crucified alive, buried living men in the bodies of beasts, massacred, beat persons to death, without distinction of sex, age or condition. He destroyed many thousands of men by all sorts of punishments.

* 1.38Gallienus, that is included in the Period here meant, made himself remarkable also by his cruelty. Oftentimes he made the throats of 3 or 4000. be cut in a day. In this time reign'd a plague of fifteen years, that began in Ethiopia,* 1.39 & ran throughout the Empire. Lipsius acknowledgeth history speaks not of any that comes near it. There was also a very great & a very universall famin. The Barba∣rians in the East made havok of the Empire, & horrible desolations therin. At last there rose up near thirty tyrants in the whole extent of the Empire. One may judg what desolation that caused. Here end the four living Crea∣tures & the four horsemen, about the end of the third Age.

And when he had open'd the fifth seal,* 1.40 I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, & for the testimony which they held.

And they cried with a loud voice,* 1.41 saying, How long, O Lord, Holy & true, dost thou

not judg & avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth?

* 1.42See here what clearly signifies a Period in which the Church suffers a cruel persecution; & 'tis that which was caused by Dioclesian & his successors, the most bloody that ever was, longer & more cruell than the nine others taken together.* 1.43 For saith Orosius, during ten years they ceased not to burn the Churches, to proscribe the innocent, & to make Martyrs by Massacres & Punish∣ments. In Egypt alone were Massacred 144 thousand men, & 70 thousand were banished. Thence comes the name of Aera Dio∣cletiana & Aera Martyrum, an Epocha famous in the history of the Church.

After this comes the sixth seal, under which we have said we must find the fall of Paganism. Indeed a little time after Dioclesian, Con∣stantine ascended the Throne of the Emperours, & made the Christian Religion reign. He & his Successors ruin'd Paganism. This fall of the Pagan Religion is thus represented to us.

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, & lo there was a great Earth-quake,* 1.44 & the Sun became black as sack-cloth of hair, & the Moon became red as blood.

And the Stars of Heaven fell to the Earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs,* 1.45 when she is shaken of a mighty Wind.

And the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together,* 1.46 & every mountain & island were moved out of their places.

And the Kings of the Earth,* 1.47 & the great

men, & the rich men, & the chief captains, & the mighty men, & every bond-man, & every free-man his themselves in the dens & in the rocks of the mountains.

And said to the mountains & rocks,* 1.48 fall on us, & hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, & from the wrath of the Lamb.

For the great day of his wrath is come,* 1.49 & who shall be able to stand?

* 1.50All these images are borrowed from the last judgment, wherfore they are usually applied to it. Because indeed this fall of Paganism. is the most terrible judgment that yet ever fell since the beginning of the World on the Devil's Empire. We must know that in the whole Revelation we see these three heads reigning, the Dragon, the Beast, the false Prophet. The Dragon is the Devil, the Beast is the Roman Empire, the false Prophet is the Pope. The Dragon hath two Empires, the First is pure Paganism, & purely Pagan. The second is Antichristian Paganism mingled with Christianity. See here the fall of the first Empire, that is the purely Pagan Empire of the Dragon.

1. There is a great Earth-quake. In the style of the Prophets, & particularly of St. John; an Earth-quake always signifies a Change of the face of affairs in the world, because Earth-quakes overturn the Earth, & make it Change its face. Now what change of the face of affairs in the world can be imagin'd greater than that which happen'd under Con∣stantine

& his successors. The Church had been beat down, massacred, it was bathed in its own blood, & all on a sudden behold 'tis the Mistress of the world. It is become rich & powerfull, it builds stately Temples, it overturns the Temples of Idols.

2. The sun becomes black as sack-cloth. We must hold it for certain that the Sun, the Moon & the Stars in the Revelation always signify the Sovereign, the Dignities & Powers of the Empire treated of. We shall afterwards see this every where. Here the Empire treated of is that of the Red Dragon, viz. The Devil. So that the Sun is the Soveraign of that Empire who is the Devil himself. The Moon is the Pagan Religion, which borrowed all its power from the Devil, as the Moon takes all its lights from the Sun. The Stars are the Pontifexes & Priests of Paganism. All these powers suffer'd an Eclypse, were destroyed by the Christian Emperours, & tumbled to the ground like Figs by a great wind.

3. Every mountain & Every Isle were re∣moved out of their places, i. e. the Temples, the Idols, the Cities, the places peculiarly consecrated to the devotion of certain Pagan divinities were changed, & superstition therin was abolisht. The hand of God fell heavily on the Gods of the Romans, as formerly it did on the Gods of the Egyptians.

4. Lastly, The King & all men of every age & condition are exceedingly terrified, run up & down, flee, hide themselves, &

endeavour to escape the judgment & the wrath of God. One might have seen above a hundred times more than what the Prophet here saith, if one could have seen the com∣motions that then happen'd, the terrors, the distresses, the frights that the invisible Em∣pire of Demons suffer'd at the fall of Paganism. All that the Devil suffer'd at the coming of J. Christ into the world was nothing in comparison of this. He reigned notwith∣standing; he was master of Empires, Crowns, Temples, Altars. But all on a sudden, & at that very time, when he thought he had entirely ruin'd the Empire of J. Christ by the persecution of Dioclesian, behold him him∣self cast down on the Earth. 'Tis easy to judg that the Horrours & Commotions of the evil Spirits were unconceivable. And moreover, who can doubt but that this great body of Pontifexes, Priests & Pagan Ministers felt a prodigious commotion, when Constantine turn'd Christian, & his successors beat down & run'd all the Temples of the Idols. History tells us enough of this; & tho it said nothing, it would be very easy to apprehend that the images here made use of are not too lively to represent the commotions of the Heathens & of Paganism. This Period brings us to Theodosius the great, under whom Paganism expired; but after whom also the glory & quiet of the Empire was quite lost, as we shall see hereafter. The greatness of the Roman Empire & Paganism fell at the same time. This was a great matter of triumph, to the

Pagans, who said, The Gods had abandon'd the Empire, since their Altars had been beaten down. But God was providing for great events, & it was necessary the temporal Empire should fall, to make way for the Spiri∣tual Empire of Antichrist.

CHAP. VI.

An explication of the four first Trumpets, which are the five degrees of the Fall of the Roman Empire, or the Soveraignty of Rome.

The 7^th. Ch. is a vision that interrupts the course of the seven seals.* 1.51 Here God causes his Elect to be sealed, & their number amounts to 144 thousand. We shall see in the process of this discourse that 144 is a sacred number, appointed to signify the Church; a number that arises from twelve multiplied by it self. For the present it is sufficient to observe, that God takes the time between the sixth seal & the first Trumpet to cause his elect to be sealed, because more unhappy, sad, & much more fatall times were at hand than the foregoing ones. In the ages of the Heathen Emperours & under the Seals there were cruell persecutions, men had suffer'd much in their bodies. But under the Trumpets must come the dark Kingdom of Antichrist, wherin the souls of the Christian-Church must be attack'd with Spiritual Temptations,

be swallowed up in Superstition & Idolatry; & that in such a manner that the number of the faithfull should be almost as nothing. The 144 thousand, signify the Church, the pure Church under Antichrists reign. Now 144 thousand are almost nothing in com∣parison of that innumerable multitude that is in the reign of Antichrist. This little number therfore was to be sealed, to the end that the destroying Angell of Spiritual Egypt might pass over them, & spare them. And they were to be sealed before the seven Trumpets sounded, because the ruin of the Church was to happen under these seven Trumpets. Thus you have the whole mystery of the 7^th. Ch.

In the beginning of the 8^th. Ch. after the opening the seventh seal, there was silence for about half an hour, plainly by way of allusion to what was done in the Temple, where while the incense was offering, the musick ceased, & all was in silence. The seven Trumpets are given to seven Angels: Every thing is made ready for the sounding of these Trumpets.

The first Angel sounded,* 1.52 & there followed Hail, & Fire mingled with Blood, & they were cast on the Earth, & a third part of the Trees was burn up, & all green grass was burnt up.

The seven Trumpets continue to concern the Roman Empire as the seven seals had done. The first Trumpet begins where the sixth seal ended. The sixth seal brings the Roman

Empire to the total fall of Paganism, which happen'd under the two Theodosius's, Father & son.* 1.53 The first Trumpet then must begin at the same time. Hail mingled with Fire, & Blood falls on the Earth. 'Tis is a lively & good representation of the inundations of those barbarous people, who in the reign of Theo∣dosius the younger, came out of Thrace under the conduct of Alaric, & ravaged first of all Macedonia, Thessaly, Greece, Achaia, Corinth, Argos, Sparta, Epirus & Italy it self. Afterwards & about the same time, the Vandals, the Alanes, the Marcomans, the Herules, the Sueves, the Allemans possessed & deso∣lated Gaul, Spain & Afrique. 'Tis a Hail mingled with fire & blood. For these barbarous people fell on like a storm of hail, with violence & in a sudden manner. The carried fire every where, & bathed the Earth with blood.* 1.54 We may see Hail used for the like inundations of strange people in divers places of the Prophets; So is the coming of Sal∣manassar & his Assyrians expressed by the Prophet Esay. And the third part of the Trees was burnt.* 1.55 It must be observed that this third part appears again in all the Trumpets; & this third part certainly signifies the Roman Empire. The reason of it is evident. 'Tis because this Empire did possess, & doth still, the third part of the World. Geographers divided the world into three parts, Europe, Asia, & Africa. The Roman Empire took up one of these three parts. viz. Europe. So that when the Prophet saith that the several

plagues of the Trumpets afflict the third part of the world, 'tis as much as to say, they afflict Europe. It will be said that the Roman Empire extended it self also into Asia & Africa. But

• 1st. there was also in Europe a great extent of Northern countries that was not possessed by the Romans. So that what it had in the other parts of the world could only serve as an equivalent for what it had not in Europe. So that it always remained true that the Ro∣man Empire did not reach to above a third part of the world.
• 2ly. Moreover, Europe being the seat of the Roman Empire, because Rome & Con∣stantinople are both of them seated in this third part of the world; it is clear the Roman Empire can't be better represented than by Europe, or a third part of the world.

Lastly, 'Twas Europe chiefly that was harrassed by the inundations of the barbarous people. Therfore by the third part we cannot understand any thing but Europe.

The third part of the Trees was burnt: See here a Grammatical figure, that must be well observed, for it is much used in the three following Trumpets. That is to say, the trees of the third part of the world, viz. of Europe, was burnt. Now the Prophet re∣presents this first inundation of the Babarians, as having yet afflicted the Trees only of Europe or the Roman Empire, because the following plagues made so very much greater havock. This first tempest (if I may use the

expression) touch'd the Trees only, did not cause such terrible desolations as the following ones did; the Barbarians contented them∣selves with the spoils of the fruits of the Earth & mens goods.

And the second Angel sounded,* 1.56 as it were a great Mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea, & the third part of the sea became blood.

And the third part of the Creatures which were in the sea,* 1.57 & had life died, & third part of the ships were destroyed.

And the third Angel sounded,* 1.58 & there fell a great Star from heaven burning as it were a Lamp, & it fell on the third part of the Rivers & upon the fountains of Waters.

And the name of the Star is called Worm∣wood,* 1.59 & the third part of the Waters became Worm-wood, & many men died of the waters because they were made bitter.

* 1.60These two plagues of the second & the third Trumpet are very like those two of the second & third violl in the 16^th. Ch. of the Revelation. For in this later place the two vialls fall as they do here on the sea, & the rivers. They produce the same effect, which is, that they turn the Waters into blood, & into liquor of Worm-wood. The second & third viall is but one plague continued, so the second & third Trumpet is but one & the same plague continued. So that these two places of the Revelation may give much light one to the other, not that they signfy the same events, but very like ones.

* 1.61In the one & in the other 'tis certain the sea & the Rivers signify people. 'Tis the resemblance & emblem which all the Pro∣phets use, & particularly St. John. We shall see the whore sitting on the Waters, i.e. on the people. For in all languages in the style of the vulgar, in that of Orators & Prophets to make a sea of blood always signifies to make a great slaughter. We shall see that the sea of blood in the 16^th. Ch. signifies the great Slaughters caused by the Crusados. Here the sea of blood signifies the slaughter which the Barbarians make in the whole extent of the Roman Empire.

This mountain burning like fire, & this great star like a Lamp, at the bottom signify but one & the same thing, excepting that the Mountain of fire hath the same proportion with the Star like a Lamp as the sea hath with the Rivers. The Mountain of fire falls into the sea, the star or the great Lamp of fire falls into the Rivers: i. e. the great fire falls into the greater Waters, & the lesser fire into the lesser waters. For here a Mountain of fire is much more than a star of fire, tho in truth a star is a thousand & a thousand times bigger than a Mountain. But the H. Spirit frames his speech according to appearances, & hath chiefly are spect to those fires that are often seen falling from heaven, which are called Falling-stars.

Joseph Mede with all other Interpreters would find in this Mountain of fire, & this Starlike a Lamp much more of mystery than

is in it; pretending that this means some great person distinguisht by his dignity as a king or an Emperour, or by his knowledg as a great Doctor. Therfore many by this star understand a great Prophet. But 'tis not so. This must be explain'd with relation to the first Trumpet, & we must know that this is but the sequel of the history of the destruction of the Roman Empire by the Barbarians. The first part of this destruction was but Hail mingled with Fire, a common storm, & such as often happens in summer, wherin thunder & lightning in hot countries are always mingled with the hail. But afterwards this inundation of the Barbarians increased in such a manner, that it was no longer an ordinary storm. There fell not only Fire mingled with Water & Hail, this Storm becomes wholly pure fire, a fall of terrible Lightning, a true Mountain of Fire that fell on the Roman Em∣pire, & over-whelm'd it. Afterwards the fire continued to fall on a third part, in truth no longer as a Mountain, but as a fire-brand, such as the stars are that appear to fall in the air. See therfore here three fires. The First is mingled with Hail. The second is meer fire, & great as a mountain. The third is as a great Lamp. The First afflicts the Trees of Europe or of the third part of the World. The second falls into the sea, & changes it into blood. The third falls on the rivers & fountains, & makes their waters bitter. This evidently signifies the three first degrees of the Barbarians invasion. They come at First

like fire mingled with hail, which burns the trees, like a storm that spoils the fruits of the Earth. They pillaged the Goods & the Riches of the Empire.* 1.62 2ly. They come like a meet fire that consumes & devours. They fell on the sea. By that I understand the people of Italy, the taking of Rome by Alaric. Italy was in respect to the Roman Empire what the sea is in respect to the rivers. The sea is the center, & the rivers are all round about it. The sea is the gulf, & the rivers come from all parts to pay their tribute to this gulf. Rome & Italy was the midst of the Empire. Rome was the sea whither all the Provinces came to pay their tribute & their riches. Alaric & his Goths falls like a burning moun∣tain on Italy, & the city of Rome, he takes it, and sacks it. This sea becomes blood. Italy was filled with slaughter. After this the Barbarians suffer'd themselves to be appeased. Alaric after he had taken Rome, and made there a new Emperour named Attalus, with whom he went to besiege Honorius in Ravenna, gave peace to Honorius, quitted Italy, retired among the Gaulls where with his Goths he establishthimself. The Vandals possessed Spain. The Burgundians staid on the Rhone. The Huns inhabited Pannonia. And then the Foun∣tains & the Waters, i.e. the people that de∣pended on Rome, felt the force of this fire of the judgment of God. But this fire did not turn the waters into Blood, because then the slaughter ceased; the opposition ceasing, the Barbarians saw themselves Masters. But

they turned the Rivers and the Fountains in∣to Wormwood: i. e. They reduced the Roman Provinces into a bitter Servitude. And by reason of this, the name of Worm∣wood is given this last Fire; that is to say, this last Judgment and Punishment, less than the former, but yet so great as to make the people live in Bitterness. For the Goths spoiled them of their Lands & Goods. See the Mystery of the second and third Trumpet. I have no need to give notice, that the third part of the Sea, and the third part of the Ri∣vers, signifie the Sea, and the Rivers of the third part of the World; i. e. of Europe: For I have given notice already of that once for all. In truth, they were the People of Europe, that suffered these Deso∣lations.

V. 12. And the fourth Angel sounded, and a third part of the Sun was smitten, and the third part of the Moon, and the third part of the Stars, so as the third part of them was darkened, and the Day shone not for a third part of it, and the Night likewise.

* 1.63'Tis still the same Figure that rules, that is to say, that the Sun of Europe, which is the third part of the World, was darkened; in like manner the Moon and Stars. We must re∣member, that in the Prophecies the Sun, Moon and Stars alwayes signifie the Powers of a State. The Heaven of the politick World, is the superior Region of Dignities, that sheds kind or malignant Influences on the People. We shall see this constantly observed in this Book,

in such manner, that in all places where the Sun, Moon and Eclypses are spoken of, 'tis unquestionable that we must understand the darkening and destruction of the sovereign Powers in the State or Empire spoken of. Now what Empire is it that is here spoken of ? 'Tis the Empire of Rome. For yet once more we must stick to this Principle, as one of the principal Keys of the Revelation, viz. that it moves whol∣ly on the Roman Empire, and that 'tis properly nothing but a Comment on what is said of the fourth Beast in the 7th chap. of Daniel: The Roman Empire, and în part the Invasions of it by the Goths and other Barbarians being here treated of, there is no room for doubting, but that the Sun of the third part of the World which is smitten, signifies the Sovereign of Rome, the Roman Emperor; the Moon is the Imperial Dignity; the Stars are the Grandees of the Empire. And 'tis the Extinction of the Roman Empire of Italy that happen'd in the year 455. after the Death of Valentinian the 3d, when Genseric came from Africa with his Van∣dals, took Rome, and sackt it fifteen days one after another; after which the Empire was torn among tell Kings, according as St. John fore∣told it in the sequel of this Book.

CHAP. VII.

An Explication of the Visions of the fifth & sixth Trumpet, wherin are seen the Empires of the Saracens & Turks.

THis fall of the Imperial dignity at Rome in the fourth Monarchy is a great affair. Therfore the H. Spirit stays upon it, & makes a pause as a mark of distinction, as we have before observed. But that which follows also is a great affair. Therfore the three Last Trumpets are preceded by an Angel that cries, Wo, Wo, Wo; they are the three last blows of the Fall of the Roman Empire. After this Cry follows the fifth Trumpet. Ch. 9.

And the fifth Angel sounded,* 1.64 & I saw a star fall from Heaven to the Earth, & to him was given the Key of the Bottomless pit.

And he open'd the Bottomless-pit,* 1.65 & there arose a Smoke out of the Pit, as the smoke of a great Furnace, & the Sum & the Air were Darkned by reason of the Smoke of the Pit. v. 3. And there came out of the smoke Locusts on the Earth.

And the sequel of the history, & the Characters of this Prophecy, perswade me, that by the Locusts we must understand the Arabians and Saracens; for after the fall of the Imperial dignity in Italy, the greatest event that happen'd with reference to the

fourth Monarchy and Religion, is the Em∣pire of the Arabians, The imperial dignity falls in the fifth Age. In the sixth Age the Arabians are raised up to weary and torment the Roman Empire divided into ten King∣doms, but above all, for the punishment of the Empire of Constantinople, the most re∣markable part of the t••n. We shall see that the words of the Prophecy agree very well with this discovery of those modern people.

* 1.66A star falls from heaven. 'Tis a presage of some great event. By this star we must not understand a great Lord, or a false Prophet, as some have imagin'd. For this star doth nothing, & appears no more in this fifth Trumpet. 'Tis very improperly that De Launay & many others apply to this Star these words, & to him was given the Key of the Bot∣tomless-pit; as if a star could carry a Key, use it, and open a door. The Prophecies are continued Metaphors and Allegories. Now according to good Rhetorick, Actions in Me∣taphors must be attributed to Subjects accor∣ding to the nature of those subjects. Here an Angel & a star are spoken of; 'Tis the Angel that opens the Bottomless-pit, and not the star. 'Tis the proper office of Angells in the Apocalyptical Visions, to open and shut, and bring in on the stage. So in the 20^th. Ch. of the Revelation 'tis an Angel that closes the Bottomless-pit on the Dragon. This star therfore doth nothing else here but only presage a great insurrection against God,

that was to happen under the fifth Trumpet. The bottomless-pit being open'd,* 1.67 there comes out a Smoke black and thick, like that of a Furnace, and the Sun was darkned therby. 'Tis the unhappy Religion of Mahomet that fills the world with his thick darkness of Error: & there arose out of the smoke of the bottomless pit Locusts on the Earth. And this unhappy and detestable doctrine formed an Empire, and united the Arabians together under the detestable Mahomet.* 1.68 One can't better represent the Arabians than by Locusts. First because of their innumerable multitude. So 'twas the Author of the book of Judges called them many ages before St. John. And the Midianites & the Amalekites, & all the Children of the East, were in the valley as Locusts for number. 2. 'Tis from Arabia that these inundations of locusts come, that often cover both Egypt and Ethiopia, and the other neighbouring places round about. 3. The prodigious swiftness of the Conquests of the Saracens is most admirably represented by Clouds of Locusts, that fall on the fields in one night, and almost in a moment. 4. One can't better represent the hideous desolations which the Saracens made every where, than by the hideous condition that the meadows and fields are in when the Locusts come on them.

It is commanded these Locusts,* 1.69 not to hurt the Grass of the Earth, nor any green thing, but only those men which have not the seal of God in their forheads. This is to ex∣press,

that these Locusts are men that are sent against other men, wheras true Locusts fasten on the green things.

And to them it was given, not that they should kill men, but torment them five months. We must know & always remember the foun∣dation we have laid, that the whole Revelation is a history of the Roman Empire, & that all the events refer to that Empire. So that the sense is, the Saracens by the permission of God should have a great power to torment & harrass the Roman Empire divided into ten Kingdoms, but not to destroy it. Indeed the Saracens tormented both Greeks & Latins most cruelly. But both the Empire of Con∣stantinople & the other parts of the Roman Empire defended themselves against their assaults.

* 1.70The duration of these Locusts is limited to five months, these make 150 days. But these days do not signify an 150 years, a day for a year according to the prophetick style. Joseph Mede that follows this hypothesis, assigns 150 years to the time, during which the Saracens particularly afflicted Italy from the year 830 to the year 980. But 'tis not so. We must observe, that the reign of the Locusts is in the five months of the summer, May, June, July, August, September, & that is their longest reign. For oftentimes they last not so long, because sometimes in the midst of summer a great wind carries them away, or a long rain makes them burst. So that the Prophet means that the Sarazens, shall fulfill

their reign in its greatest extent, & that God will not abate any thing of it in favour of the men that are the subjects of the Roman Empire.

The description of these Locusts is nota∣ble. Their shape was like unto horses prepared to the battle. 'Tis to signify the wars & fights wherby the Saracens were to establish their government: On their heads were as it were crowns like gold. All the Empires that at this day take up the East came from them, that of the Turks, that of the Persians, that of the great Mogull, that of the Tartars.

Their faces were as the faces of men, & they had hair as the hair of women, & their teeth were as the teeth of Lions, & the sound of their wings was as the sound of Chariots. That is to say, they are as great women, with their hair dishevelled, a hideous countenance, & wings on their shoulders. I question not but the Prophet had respect to the descrip∣tion which the Poets make of the Harpyes.

Tristius haud illis monstrum,* 1.71 nec saevior ulla Pestis, & ira Deûm Stygiis sese extulit undis. Virginei volucrum vultus, faedissima ventris. Ingluvies, Ʋncaeque manus & pallida semper Orafame.

* 1.72Where 'tis very observable that the name of Harpyes, comes from the Hebrew word Arbim or Arpim, which signifies Locusts. They were the terror of the East. Therfore the Poets made of them Women with wings

devouring all they saw, & which came▪ up from Hell, Stygiis sese extulit undis. Exactly in the same manner as these according to St. John, ascended out of the bottomless pit. So the Prince of the bottomless-pit, viz. Pluto, is looked on as their Prince among the Poets, & in the Pagan Theology; for 'tis he that in that Theology is called Serapio instead of Serarpis or Sararpi, i. e. Prince of Locusts in the Phaenician & Hebrew Tongue; just as the Phaenicians called the same Pluto, Belzebub, i. e. the God of flies. The flies & locusts being two great plagues to the fruits & plants of the Earth. Pluto was thought to send these plagues. Therfore he is call'd their Prince. 'Tis to this I say the Prophet alludes, & he would tell us that the Saracens should be like these winged women called Harpyes, that ascend out of Hell, that have Hooks instead of Teeth, & that devour all things. In truth the Saracens & Arabians were always pro∣fessed Thieves. 'Twas by covetousness & pillaging much more than by slaughter that they made the East desolate.

These Locusts had Tails like Scorpions, & stings in their tails. All the world knows that the tail & the sting in the Serpent is the seat of venome & poyson. And poyson is the Emblem of false Doctrine. Which signifies not only that the Arabians should carry desolation & death every where, but also the venom of a detestable Religion. Therfore 'tis the Devil is called a Serpent & a Dragon, by reason of the poyson of false Religions that he spreads.

Lastly, they have for their head the Angel of the Bottomless-pit, called Abaddon in Hebrew, & Apollyon in Greek, i. e. destroyer. This is not the description of the Devil, as Joseph Mede believed. 'Tis the description of Mahomet, a Monster arising out of Hell, as well as the Locusts: The Angel of the Bottomless-pit. Angel signifies Pastor & messenger; & we must observe once for all that the name Angel in the Revelation doth not signify a species of those Spirits that are so called, Angells & Deviis. 'Tis the name of an Office, given sometimes to J. Christ, sometimes to Pastors, sometimes to men that are Instruments in Gods hand, sometimes to Spirits separated from matter. So that the Angel of the Bottomless-pit, signifies here no other thing than the false Pastor ascended out of the Bottomless-pit. He is called Destroyer, because in truth there never was a man in the world that destroyed so many men both as to Body & Soul.

Then the sixth Angel sounded,* 1.73 & I heard a voice, &c. which said to the sixth Angel, loose the four Angells, which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four Angels were loosed which were prepared for an hour, & a day, & a month, & a year.* 1.74 This is the second of those Woes that were cried, Wo, Wo, Wo. These three Woes all have rela∣tion to the Roman Empire in its second period, i. e. in its Antichristian period. The first Wo is the birth of the Saracen Empire & the Religion of Mahomet. The second blow is

the irruptions of the Turks. They must be found in the Prophecies that respect the Roman Empire; for they take up too considera∣ble a part in the history of this Empire. Now the Turks will not be found any where else but here, they must therefore be here. And without doubt they are here.* 1.75 What we said just now must be remembred, that the name Angel in the Revelation signifies Office, & not a species of Spirits. See here four Angels bound in the Rive Euphrates, & loosed. These can't be good Angels; for the good Angels are not bound. They can't be Devils; for the Devils are not bound in some places of the Earth more than in others. So that these four Angells signify four Messengers of the Anger of God, four instruments of his Justice, whose violence till this time he restrain'd; & whom afterwards he leaves wholly to their fury, for the punishment & ruin of the Roman Empire, as well in its Eastern as its Western branch. These four Angels therfore signify these four Sultanies which the Turks establisht round about Euphrates, & in the regions of Asia the less, & Syria. All that have read the history of the Crusa∣does, know, that the Christians in the end of the Eleventh age found them establisht in those four principal seats Nice, Damascus, Antioch & Aleppo. The founders of these Sultanies had been kept behind Euphrates for some time. But in the tenth & Eleventh age they were let loose, they overflowed the Greek Empire, which made a part of the

Roman Empire; they pusht on their Con∣quests as far as Nice, the capital City of By∣thinia; i.e. almost to the very Gates of Con∣stantinople. They afflicted all the Coasts of the Mediterranean-Sea, Greece, Sicily and Italy; and at last they entirely destroyed the Empire of the Greeks, by the taking of Con∣stantinople, which happened in the year 1452.

This is what is meant by these words, The four Angels were loosed to kill a third part of men.

* 1.76We must remember what hath been said in the explication of the first Trumpets, viz. that the third part in these Prophecies signifies the Roman Empire, because that took up about a third part of the World. The Turks are sent to kill the third part of men; i. e. to kill the men of the third part of the Earth, or of the Roman Empire, or of the fourth Monar∣chy. The Locusts of the fore-going Trum∣pet were sent, not to kill men, but to torment them for five moneths; because the Saracens and Arabians did only gnaw off the edges of the Roman Empire, and did not penetrate into its entrails. But the Turks pierced even into the very heart of the fourth Monarchy, and laid it desolate; and they have establisht their Em∣pire in one of its capital Cities, viz. Constan∣tinople.

They are sent to kill the Men of this third part of the World.

Indeed, never was there seen so horrible a

Butchery of Men, and so great an Effusion of Blood, as that which the Turks have caused in their Irruptions, in attacking, or in defen∣ding themselves in the Crusadoes. I am per∣swaded, all the Conquerors together, since the beginning of the World, never shed so much Blood.

To Kill, signifies also a total Destruction: So that the Prophecy seems to signifie, that the Turks are sent of God entirely to destroy the Roman Empire. They have already destroyed the Eastern Branch of it, the seat whereof was at Constantinople; and there are some that con∣jecture, that God designs them also to destroy the Western Branch, whose Seat at this day is at Rome; God only knows this. But tho the Turks should do no more than they have alrea∣dy done, 'tis enough to fulfil the Prophecy, which saith,

That God sent them to kill the men of the third part of the Earth, i. e. of Europe.

And the number of the Army of the Horsmen was 200. Thousand Thousand.

The Turks certainly are originally Scythi∣ans, Tartars and Nomades; people that had nothing but Horsmen in their Armies. The formidable Infantry of the Turks, which they call the Jannizaries, was not instituted till a∣bout the year 1300, by Ottoman, the Foun∣der of the Empire, which at this day posses∣seth Constantinople, Before that, their chief strength was in Cavalry. The Prophet ma∣keth it prodigious for its number. All the

World knows the thing happen'd exactly ac∣cording to the literal sense. He also describes them in a hideous manner.

They that sate on the Horses,* 1.77 had Breastplates of Fire, and of Jacinth, and Brimstone.

That is to say, the heads of these Horsemen were like globes of fire, whence came forth flame and smoke. The heads of the horses were as the heads of Lions, & out of their mouths issued Fire, & Smoke, & Brimstone. This Fire, this Smoke, and this Brimstone, seem to be a description of Gun-powder, and its effects. And this may well signify, that the Turks should make their principal desolations in the Empire of the fourth Mo∣narchy, after the invention of canons and fire-arms, whence come forth, lightnings, flames, sulphur & smoke; which indeed did come to pass.

These horses that vomit up flame & smoak, have also tails like unto Serpents, with which they do hurt, viz. in spreading their poison. And this is common to them with the Locusts of the fifth Trumpet. 'Tis the venom of the wicked Religion of Mahomet, which the Turks have established, & spread in all places where they have establisht their do∣minion.

They that were not Killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not Worship Devills, & idols of Gold, & Silver, & Brass, & Stone, & Wood, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk. Neither repented they of their Murders, nor

of their Sorceries, nor of their Fornication, nor of their Thefts. This signifies to us, that the Periods of the sixth Trumpet, and the ravages of the Turks, is that of the corruption of the Church in the fourth Monarchy, & in the Antichristian Kingdom; a period, during which there reigned Idolatry, worshipping of Demons, or second Mediatory Gods, Images placed in the Temples & Oratories, depravation of manners, by Poisonings, Assassinations, Sodomies, Incests, Adulteries, and other impurities, Thefts, Robberies and Violent Dealings. And in truth, the Roman Church since the tenth Age, fell into such shameful Idolatry, and such horrible Corruption of Manners, that never was any thing like it seen in the History of the World. This point may be seen justified at large in our just Prejudices against Popery.

CHAP. VIII.

The Explication of the Tenth Chapter of the Revelation.

THe ninth Chapter ends the first part of the Revelation, and the tenth begins the second; wherin is what we seek after, viz. Antichrist, the time of his continuance, and the circumstances of his end.

This tenth Chapter is properly the preface to the second little book; We must explain it here before we proceed.

And I saw another mighty Angel come down from Heaven, clothed with a Cloud,* 1.78 & a Rain-bow was upon his Head, & his Face was as it were the Sun, & his Feet as Pillars of Fire. 'Tis clear by this Pomp, that this Angel is Jesus Christ. They are very near the same colours, wherwith he was described in the first chapter of the book; his Countenance was like the Sun, & his Feet like unto fine Brass. This is an Argument, that here a new Prophecy begins, a second act of this great piece. 'Tis Jesus Christ, the Prophet of Prophets, that must cause these Visions to enter.

* 1.79He had in his hand a little Book open: & he set his right Foot upon the Sea, & his left Foot on the Earth. See here a little book different from the first, which was given to the Lamb in the fifth chapter. Another argument, that 'tis a Revelation wholly new, of another order. The first book con∣tained the Destinies of the Empire, and this contains the Destinies of the Church. The first book was Written without & within; by reason of the multitude of events that were to befall the fourth Monarchy, the adventures wherof God would foretel, until the coming of the fifth Monarchy; that is to say, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. The first book was Sealed with seven seals. But this later one is a little book opened. 'Tis because the first part of the Revelation, which respects the destinies of the Empire, is incomparably more obscure, & more difficult to be under∣stood

than the second.* 1.80 In this second part, which respects the destinies of the Church, Antichrist is very plainly seen, & all those things that must befall the Antichristian Em∣pire. But the first part of the Revelation, which contains the destinies of the Empire, is so obscure, that hardly any thing of it is understood, tho at this day all the events are come to pass, & the prophecies fullfilled. Joseph Mede in my opinion is the first, that understood any thing of it. He set his right foot on the sea, & his left foot on the Earth. This signifies his Empire over the whole terrestrial Globe, composed of Earth and water; & it signifies also, that what he was about to fore-tell, respected all the men that dwell in the world. He set his right foot on the Sea. The Sea in respect to the land of Canaan was on the West; & this signifies, that the West should be the principal Theater of the Adventures of the Antichristian Em∣pire, which he was going to describe.

And he cried with a loud voice as when a Lion roareth;* 1.81 & when he had cried, seven Thunders uttered their voices. This roaring of a Lion was a presage, that that which he was about to predict, was terrible: As in truth nothing is more fatal to the Church,* 1.82 than the Empire of An∣tichrist. Seven thunders uttered their voices. In this Book, Lightnings, Thunders, Voices always signify the words & oracles of God. The seven Thunders of this second little book, are exactly the seven Spirits of the former.

For both the seven Spirits, & the seven Thunders signify the divine Oracles: Spirits, because of him that dictates them: Thunders, because of their efficacy, because they beat down to the ground, they astonish, & they shake: Seven, because of their perfection. When Jesus Christ by his roaring had given the presage of Future Events, the Oracles were given & pronounced concerning those Events.

And when the seven Thunders had uttered their Voices,* 1.83 I was about to write,* 1.84 & I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, seal up those things which the seven Thunders uttered, & write them not.

A Sealed Book, a Writing, a Word sealed, according to the Style of the Scripture, is a word that is not understood.* 1.85 The Vision of all is, saith Esay, as a book that is sealed: that is to say, you shall not understand it. God saith to Daniel, seal up the vision,* 1.86 for it shall be for many Days. And in another place, O Daniel, shut up the words,* 1.87 & seal the book, even to the time of the end; many shall run to & fro, & knowledg shall be encreased. That is to say, God will not have the Pro∣phecies be understood till a certain time. In like manner the Prophecy that respected Antichrist, was Sealed up till an appointed time. For above ten whole ages nothing of It was understood, or so little, that 'tis to be reckon'd as nothing. And write them not: that is to say, do not express them in such

terms, that in them the events may be read at least not very soon.

V. 5. And the Angel which I saw standing upon the Sea and upon the Earth, lifted up his Hand to Heaven.

V. 6. And sware by him that liveth forever and ever; who created Heaven, and the things that therein are; and the Earth, and the things that therein are; and the Sea, and the things which are therein, That there should be Time no longer.

V. 7 But in the days of the Voice of the seventh Angle, when he shall begin to sound, the My∣stery of God should be finisht, as he hath declared to his Servants the Prophets.

* 1.88The Voice of the seventh Trumpet is that which must sound at the moment of the last Fall of the Antichristian Empire, when Pope∣ry shall be destroyed: Then all the Nations shall turn unto God, to make up the King∣dom of Jesus Christ, that is yet to come; as appears by these words:

The seventh Angel sounded,* 1.89 and there were great Voices in Heaven, saying, The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for∣ever and ever.

Here our Angel swears, that in that time, that is to say, when the Kingdoms shall be re∣duced to Jesus Christ, Time shall be no longer. Time in this place is not opposed to Eternity, as if the Angel would say, that then the World shall end, and Eternity begin; but his mean∣ing

is, that the times afforded to Antichrist shall be ended, & shall be no more. It must be remembred, that the Holy Spirit, as well by the mouth of Daniel as by that of St. John, assigns to Antichrist a time, times, & half a time. This shall be no more. There shall not be neither time, nor times, nor half a time for Antichrist. Time shall be no more for his reign, it shall be the time of his total destruction.

Then the mystery of God shall be finisht, as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets: viz. The mystery of this glorious reign of Jesus Christ on the Earth, which hath been foretold by all the Prophets in so magnificent a manner, as we shall shew in the process of this work, & which Daniel saw so clearly, as to mark the time & circumstances of it.

And the voice, which I heard from heaven,* 1.90 spake to me again, & said, Go & take the little book, which is open in the hand of the Angel, which standeth upon the sea & upon the Earth.

And I went unto the Angel,* 1.91 & said unto him, give me the little book. And he said unto me, take it, & eat it up, & it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as Honey.

The voice which he heard from Heaven, is the same as spoke to him in the beginning of the book; I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, & heard behind me a great voice as of a Trumpet, saying, I am Alpha & Omega, the First & the Last. And this also shews, that

this here is a new prophecy, & not the con∣tinuation of the first. For the same voice of God the Father, that began the First Reve∣lation, returns & begins the second; as the same Jesus Christ also appears again a second time. Saint John receives the book from the hand of the Angel, that is to say, of Je∣sus Christ, because 'tis he that sends the Prophets, & that inspires them by his Spirit. This little book is Saveet in Saint John's Mouth, because the Spirit of prophecy & the glory of being the mouth of God from heaven, pleases the inclination of men that love honour. But this little book Made his belly bitter, because that after having reflected on the events which he was about to fore-tell, after having digested & consider'd them in his own breast, he found them so dreadful, that they filled his soul with sorrow.

And he said unto me,* 1.92 thou must prophecy again before many people, & nations, & tongues, & Kings.

These words do no longer leave any cause of doubting, whether this be a new prophecy, & not a continuation of the First. Thou must make a Second Prophecy to Kings, People & Nations; & wheras what thou hast prophecied to them, respected their Temporal state; for the future that which thou shalt foretell them, respects their Spiri∣tual state & the things of Religion.

CHAP. IX.

A short System of all the Events of the Church which are noted in the Apocalypse; & first of all, an Epitome of the Chronology.

* 1.93WE must not seek for the History of the Church in the First Nine chapters of the Apocalypse. Joseph Mede is the first that hath discover'd, that the Apocalypse consists of two bodies of Revelations, meant by two Books; the first of which we find in the beginning of the fifth Chapter, v. 1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sate on the throne, a book written within, & on the back side, sealed with seven seals. The other we find in the 10. Chap. v. 2. And he had in his hand a little book open, & he set his right foot upon the sea, & his left foot on the Earth. It is plain that these two Books are two bodies of Revelations, perfect in their kind, & different each from the other; that both the one & the other run through all, & reach to all the times from the beginning of the Revelation of St. John, even to the end of the World. One cannot imagine any thing more reasonable than this, that the First Book contains the destinies of the World, the Empire, & the Church also, in respect to her Temporal, & as far as she is a part of the World. The Second Book contains the destinies of the Church properly taken as a Church, & distinguisht from the

societies of the World. This is a much better notion than that of Mr. de Launay, who tells us, that the first book contains the History of the Church, & the second that of the Gospel. What can be the adventures of the Gospell distinct from those of the Church? How can those Prophecies that respect the Establishment & the ruin of Antichrist be applied to the book of the Gospel, unless it be in a very indirect manner? For these events do directly respect the Church & not the book of the Holy Scriptures.

That which God saith to St. John, after he had caused him to swallow the little book of the 10^th.* 1.94 Chapter, Thou must prophesy again before many Peoples, & Nations, & Tongues, & Kings. These words, I say, do plainly shew, that this is a Prophecy wholly new, which doth begin, and pass over again all the periods of time. This being so, that is to say, the first book included in the 5. 6. 7. 8. and 9^th. Chapters, containing the destinies of the Roman Empire, and the various changes that were to befall it even to the time of its utter ruin by the revolt of the ton Kings, it is evident that they are greatly mistaken, that endeavour to find the Pope and Anti-christ in the Star of the 8^th. Chapter called Wormwood.

It is true, that in the 7^th. Ch. we find, the vision of the 144. thousand persons that were Sealed, who do belong to the History of the Church. For these are they that have not defiled their garments with the Idolatries

of Antichrist, nor partaken of his fornica∣tions. These are the same with the two Witnesses of the 11^th. Chapter, that prophesy clothed in sack-cloth for 1260 days, during the reign of Anti-Christ & Babylon. The H. Ghost hath placed these 144 thousand Sealed persons in the destinies of the Empire, immediatly after the opening the first six seals, & before the opening of the seventh, because the seventh Seal was to be sub∣divided into seven Trumpets, which do reach even to the end of Antichrist's Em∣pire: Trumpets that were to contain the horrible corruption of the Church, the Birth and Progress of her Idolatries. It was therfore very reasonable to take notice of those whom God intended to exempt from those corruptions, before the opening of the seventh Seal, which was to bring so many evills on the Church, as well as upon the World.

This in my opinion being certain, that the destinies of the Church do not begin be∣fore the 11^th. Chapter, & are prosecuted even to the end, it will be necessary to consider the Chronology & the History of these twelve Chapters, from the 10^th. to the 22^th. & the last.

As for the Chronology, St. Iohn begins his Prophecy concerning the Church, either from the beginning of the Christian Aera,* 1.95 i.e. from the birth of the Saviour of the World; or at least from the time in which he prophecied, which was in the reign of Trajan. This duration of the Church from Jesus Christ's time is divided

into three general Periods. The First is that of the Christian Church in the four first Ages, which were those of her purity; the second is that of her Corruption, Idolatries & An∣tichristianism, that was to endure 1260 years, at the conclusion whereof an end must be put to the Babylonish Empire. The third Period contains the reign of a thousand years, during which the Church must have peace, & after which must follow the last judgment.

The first of these Periods is the shortest, not lasting above 3 or 400 years. And ther∣fore St. Iohn doth not stay much upon it. This is the Period which he describes in a few words in the beginning of the 11^th. Ch. And there was given to me a reed like a rod, & the Angel stood, saying, rise & measure the temple of God, & the Altar, & them that worship therin. But the court which is without the Temple, leave out, & measure it not, for it is given to the Gentiles, & the holy city shall they tread under foot forty & two Months. All the world is agreed, that the Temple built by Solomon according to the orders of God, was an Emblem of the Church. This Temple had two Courts, an inward and an outward one. Here the H. Ghost repre∣sents the whole duration of the Christian Church by the extent of this Temple and its Courts. Nothing is more proper to shadow forth the extent of time than the extent of place. This inward Court that was measured by St. John, together with the Altar & them that worship therin, is the first Period of

the Church, the Ages which we call the happy times of the Church which reach to the end of the fourth Age, about 360 or 380 Years. The rest of the Christian Churches duration till the reign of the 1000 years is shadowed forth by the outward Court,* 1.96 which God leaves to the Gentiles to tread under food 42 Monthes. This is the Christian Church turn'd Pagan by the admission of secondary Deities, mediating Spirits, & Images. Here is one thing that deserves to be carefully taken notice of: between the duration of the Church in its purity and in its corruption, there is exactly the very same proportion as there between the greatness & the extent of the inward Court & the outward one. Those that have taken the pains to compute the extent of these two Courts according to that description of them, that we meet with in the Iewish Authors, both sacred & prophanc, find that the proportion of the inward Court to that without,* 1.97 is the same with that of one to three & a half. Now there is the very same proportion between the duration of the Church in its corruption & in its purity. The corrupt Church lasts 42. Months, that is three years & a Half: according to which the Church in its purity must not have lasted above one prophetique year, which contains 360 Days, that is to say 360 Years. Indeed the Church did continue in its purity just so long. About the year 360 the unhappy su∣perstions about Reliques, & the invocation of Saints began to creep into the Church; which

quickly degenerated into Idolatry. Thus the reign of Anti-Christian Idolatry hath lasted three times & a half, hath l••sted as long as the reign of pure Christianity. This is the outward Court, that is left out, & trodden under foot by the Gentiles, & prophaned by Idolatry, & which nevertheless is called the Holy City; because there God did preserve his elect: And they shall tread under foot the Holy City for 42. Months.

'Tis chiefly upon this Period of 42 Months that the Prophecies of the Apocalypse do turn: & 'tis necessary to observe in this place, that during this Period several things fall out that are co-temporary. For this Period is often∣times repeated, & its characters are often affixed to diverss subjects; to the Woman that dies hid in the Des••rt, to the Gentiles that are to tread down the Court; to the two Witnesses that are to Prophecy clothed in sack-cloth, to the Dragon & to the Beast, to whom it is given to exercise his power for 42 months. These are not different Periods that must be fastned one to the end of the other. These are different Events, or the very same events presented under different ideas, which must be accomplisht in the same Period. For the right understanding therfore of the Chronology of the Apocalypse; it is necessary to know what events & things are co-temporary. As thus:

• * 1.98I. The Court which is to be trodden down by the Gentiles for the space of Forty Two Months, Rev. 11.2.
• ...

• II. The Woman, to whom are given two great Wings of an Eagle, to save her self in the Wilderness, where she is fed 1260 dayes, a time, and times, and half a time; i. e. one year, two years, and half a year; which make three years and a half, or forty two months. This is what is said Rev. 12.6, 14.
• III. The two Witnesses, that must prophesie, clothed in Sackcloth for 1260 days, Rey. 11.13. 1260 days make just forty two months, or three years and a half.
• IV. The Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns,* 1.99 to whom Power is given to fulfil forty two months: But we must observe, that these 42 months are affixed only to the seventh head of the Beast, which is that of Antichrist: the whole entire Roman Empire is signified by that Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns. The last Head is that of Antichrist, which alone must last as long as the other six. The Roman Empire under Kings, Consuls, Decemvires, Tribunes of the People, perpetual Dictators and Emperors, lasted about 1250 years, a little more or less. The seventh Head of the Roman Emp••re is Antichrist, and he is to continue 1260 days. 'Tis evident, that we must assign the duration of forty two months to the se∣venth Head, because 'tis to that we must affix the ten Horns, that signifie ten Kings; and 'tis to Antichrist that Daniel assigns for his duration a Time, Times, and Half a Time. All the World acknowledges, that he means Anti∣christ by the little Horn, that grows in the midst of the ten, and that subdues three of them.

• He shall speak great words against the Most High,* 1.100 and shall wear out the Saints of the Most High, and they shall be given into his hand, until a time, and times, and the dividing of time. We have already observed, that this signifies one year, two years, and half a year. This is the duration of the Kingdom of Antichrist; 'tis also the duration of the seventh Head of the Roman Empire; and this is what they ought to take particular notice of, that make a scruple to grant, that these forty two months express the duration of the whole Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns.
• V. In like manner the second Beast of the 13th chap. of the Revel. that hath but Two Horns, like to those of a Lamb, and that spake like the Dragon, is also of the same duration; i. e. it must be found in the space of 42 months.
• VI. The Whore also of the 17th chap. sit∣ting upon the scarlet-coloured Beast, reigns in this Period of forty two months, 1260 days, or three years and a half. She sits upon the Beast, i. e. on the first Beast, that had seven Heads and ten Horns, and lasts as long as the 7th Head.
• VII. Lastly, The 144 Thousand sealed persons, that appear in the 7th chapter, and are mention'd frequently afterwards, are also co-temporary with the Beast, and the Court trodden down by the Nations: for they are no other than the two Witnesses, that prophesie clothed in Sackcloth for 1260 days, whilst the outward Court is trodden under foot by the Gentiles; & they are no other than the Woman that remains in the Wilderness, and

• is nourished there for a time and times and half a time, while the red Dragon makes war with the saints.

* 1.101For the understanding this Chronology of the Apocalypse, it must also be known, that the seventh Seal which is open'd in the be∣ginning of the 8^th. Ch. contains under it the seven Trumpets, & that the seven Trumpets reach to the end of the second Period, which is the Empire of Antichrist, & even to the reign of Christ inclusively: That is to say, to the very end of the World. For at the sounding of the last Trumpet,* 1.102 there were great voices in Heaven, saying, the Kingdomes of the World are become the Kingdomes of our Lord & of his Christ, & he shall reign for ever and ever. And the seven Trumpets begin about the time of the fall of the Roman Empire under the Christian Emperors.* 1.103 Upon the sounding of the First Trumpet, there followed hail & fire mingled with blood, & they were cast upon the Earth, & the third part of the Trees were burnt up. These are plainly the numberless Northern Armies of the Vandals, Goths, & Hunn's, who in the reign of Honorius begun to make dreadfull havock throughout the whole extent of the Roman Empire, which is here meant by the Third part, because the Roman Empire in truth did contain very near a third part of the World. And so the duration of the six Trum∣pets even to the seventh exclusively, is also very near co-temporary with the 42 Months

of the reign of the Beast & the Court trod∣den under foot by the Gentiles.

* 1.104It must also be observed that the seven Vialls of the wrath of God are co-temporary with the sixth Trumpet, & do divide it even to the sounding of the seventh. The duration of the Kingdom of Antichrist, which is 1260 Years, is divided into two other Periods. The first is that of the birth, growth, & progress of the Babylonish Empire to its per∣fection. And this Period reacheth to the tenth Century, i. e. it lasts between 5 and 600 Years. The second Period is from the tenth Century to the end of Antichrist's reign. Now the seven Vials of the 16^th. Chap. of the Revelation are the steps by which this Babylonish Empire passes, to come to her ruin. So these seven Vials are not co-temporary neither with the seven Seals, nor with the seven Trumpets, as some have imagin'd; They are co-temporary only with the sixth, the effect of which begins about the tenth Cen∣tury.

The Chronology of the third general Period of the Church, which is that of the 1000 Years, hath no difficulty in it that needs a resolution. We need only to observe that these five things are co-temporary in the third Period.

• * 1.105I. The reign of the Saints for a 1000 Years. Rev. 20.4.
• II. The Dragon that is bound, & whose power is broken. Rev. 20.2, 3.
• ...

• III. The New Jerusalem, the description wherof we have Rev. 21. & 22. Chapters.
• IV. The company of Saints that are clothed in white garments, & who carry Palms in their hands, singing this song, Sal∣vation to our God that sits upon the throne,* 1.106 & unto the Lamb; and of whom it is said, they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat; the Lamb shall feed them; & shall lead them unto living fountains of waters. For these are not the 144 thousand Sealed persons, spo∣ken of in the beginning ••f the 7^th. Chap. St. John saith expressely After this,* 1.107 i. e. after these 144 thousand sealed persons, I beheld, & lo a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, & kindreds, & people, & tongues stood before the throne, & before the Lamb, &c. This plainly shews, that these are not the persons that were Sealed; For they might easily be numbred, because they were not above 144 thousand; wheras these here spoken of are innumerable. In truth these are the same that are spoken of in the 20^th. of the Revel. who are there called the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Iesus, & for the word of God; & here they are called, they which came out of great tri∣bulation,* 1.108 & have washed their robes, & made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They are therfore co-temporary with the reign of Christ for a 1000 Years, as the 144 thousand that were sealed are co-temporary with the reign of Babylon for 1260 Days.
• ...

• V. The fifth and last thing co-temporary is the duration of the seventh Trumpet. And the seventh Angel sounded with a Trumpet, & there were great voices in heaven,* 1.109 saying, the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord. For at the sound of the Last Trumpet, the last blow must be given to the Babylonish Empire, & at the same time shall begin the reign of Iesus Christ, to which is assign'd a Period of 1000 Years. And the influence of this seventh and last Trumpet must reach even to the end of the World.

Thus you have the Chronology of the twelve last Chapters of the Revelation. We proceed to consider the History.

CHAP. X.

A short System of the Events foretold in the Revelation concerning the Church, as to the Historical part.

* 1.110IN the 11^th. Ch. where the Destinies of the Church do begin, the H. Ghost in the first place gives us an abridgment of these Destinies & Events; & nothing is more methodical than that, First to give a general Idea of those things, that are afterwards more particularly to be explained. So this Chapter from the 2^d. v. to the end contains a short History of the 1260 Years of Antichrist's reign, & of the 1000 Years of Christ's reign;

as in the first verse he had described the first Period of 360 Years, as we just now observed in the foregoing Chapter. This reign of Antichrist is here described by this Paganism that was to tread under foot the Holy City for 42 Months.* 1.111 The afflictions of the Church & its perpetuall subsistence in the midst of those afflictions during this reign of An∣tichrist, are signified by the two Witnesses clothed in sack-cloth. A great persecution, that must befall the Church at the end of these 1260 Years of Antichrist's reign,* 1.112 is there also predicted. The total suppression of the profession of the truth by that perse∣cution is signified by the death of these two Witnesses,* 1.113 who must remain dead in the ter∣ritories of Babylon the great for three prophe∣tical days and a half, i. e. three Years & a half. We shall see afterwards what that means, & where we must place this great event. At the end of three years & a half these two Witnesses, i. e. the publique profession of the truth, shall rise again, and be gloriously reesta∣blisht. For the H. Ghost saith, that the two Witnesses shall ascend again up into Heaven. i. e. shall be exalted & glorified upon the Earth. In the same time the tenth part of the City shall fall,* 1.114 i. e. one of those ten Kings that gave their power to the Beast, shall revolt from him. And a little after, the seventh Trumpet shall sound, which will give the last blow to the Babylonish Empire.* 1.115 After which the Reign of the Saints shall commence, which shall continue to the end of the World.

This is the Epitome of the whole History of the Church, & the sense of the 11^th. Chapter.

After this general idea of the History of the Church,* 1.116 the Prophet enters upon the par∣ticulars. In the 12^th. Ch. God shews him the vision of the Woman that was with child, & deliver'd of a Son, & persecuted by the Red Dragon, who fain would devour the Child of the Woman. Afterwards there is a battle fought by Michael & his Angells, against the Dragon. The Dragon is overcome and cast to the Earth; but as much overcome as he was, he ceaseth not to persecute the Woman. She is forced to escape into the Wilderness, where she is nourisht 1260 Days. The Dra∣gon not being able to reach her, vomited out a flood after her; but the Earth open'd, & swallow'd up the flood, & saved the Woman. This Woman is the Apostolical Church; this Child of which she is deliver'd, is pure & holy Christianity. The Dragon is the Devil, who by the authority of the Roman Empire, would devour & extinguish Christianity in its birth. Michael & his Angells are Jesus Christ & his Ministers celestial as well as terrestrial. The combat of the Red Dragon & Michael is the combat of 300 Years that was between God & the Devil, during the ten persecutions of the Roman Heathen Emperours; The Devil endeavouring on one hand to destroy the Christian Church by the cruelty of the Emperours; & God on the other hand defen∣ding it by his Martyrs, & Teachers. The

victory gotten over the Red Dragon is the casting down of Heathenism, which falls to the Earth & is cast from Heaven i. e. 'tis tumbled down from the throne by Constantine & his successors to the reign of Theodosius. The great flood which the Red Dragon casts after the Woman, when he was thrown down on the Earth, is those inundations of Heresies, that Arrianism, that cover'd the Christian World immediatly after the fall of Heathenism under Constantine. The Earth swallowed up this flood in favour of the Woman; these Heresies were destroyed & swal∣lowed up as in a moment, & the Church re∣mained deliver'd from them by a kind of mira∣cle. But the Dragon doth not yield for all that, but goes to make war with the remnant of the seed of the Woman,* 1.117 i. e. he endeavours to cause to be brought forth an Antichristian Empire for the ruin of the Church; the thing which he will further explain in the following Chapter. We have therfore in this the History of the Church to the end of the fourth Century, or the beginning of the fifth. For it is in the space of these 400 Years that the Apostolique Church did bring forth Christianity, that Christianity was persecuted by the Emperours, that J. Christ did miraculously preserve it, that it remained victo∣rious under Constantine, that the Church was almost ruin'd by Arrianism, & that she saw her self happily deliver'd from it.

St. John spends but one Chapter about the first Period of the Church of 400 Years, because the great events were design'd to be in the following Periods.

The 13^th.* 1.118 Chapter according to the most exact rules of method begins where the 12^th. ended.

We have in the 13^th. Chapter the birth of the Babylonish Empire,* 1.119 which is grafted on the Ro∣man Empire: this is the first Beast that ariseth out of the Sea, having seven Heads & ten Horns; the seventh of these Heads is laden with ten Horns, each of which is adorned with a Crown, to sig∣nify that these were so many Kings. These ten Kings are the continuation of the Roman Empire under the seventh Head, which is that of An∣tichrist. These ten Kings are subject to this seventh Head, & together with it compose one Empire. A second Beast arises out of the Earth; it is the same Empire & the same Beast, or rather 'tis the seventh Head of the first Beast. This Empire of Antichrist, that was represented in the first vision as one of the Heads, is represented in the second vision as a new Beast; because it is the ancient Empire of Rome, & yet nevertheless 'tis a New one. 'Tis the continuation of the Roman Empire, having the same seat, viz. the City of Rome, & extending it self very near over the very self∣same Provinces. It is a New Empire, because it is in another form, & under another name, & is called the Empire of the Church, & an Ec∣clesiastical Empire. These two Beasts therfore fill up but one & the same Period, in which the Head of the Emperors, that was mortally wounded, is healed again by Antichrist, in which Period ways of worshipping and doctrines full of im∣piety & blasphemy are advanced in the Church. In which Period the Saints are overcome, & the Truth is buried; in which all the inhabitants of the Earth worship the Beast, & submit them∣selves to the Babylonish Empire; in which An∣tichrist, whose name contains the Number 666. makes an image of the first Roman Empire, &

causeth it to be worshipped; lastly, in which all liberty to buy, & sell, & live is taken away, unless men will bear the Image of the Beast. All this is the History of the 1260 Years, that begin about the time that the 400 Years of the first Period do end. This is according to the rules of Hi∣story.

* 1.120The 14^th. Ch. begins also where the 13^th. ends. It contains the Prophecy of the fall of that Babylonish Empire represented by the two Beasts, of the 13^th. Chap. 'Tis no longer a Beast with seven Heads & ten Horns; 'tis no longer the Beast with two Horns; 'tis Spiritual Babylon. But this Babylon is the very same thing as the first & the second Beast. She is fallen,* 1.121 she is fallen, Babylon that great City, because she hath made the nations drunk with the wine of her for∣nication.

The seven foregoing verses are a preparation for this great fall; & the following ones to the end of the Chapter are a description of the ruin of Babel. The Man that sits on the white cloud,* 1.122 is Jesus Christ. The sickle that is put in first among the corn to mow it down, and afterwards into the vintage to cut down the grapes, are the two degrees of Babylons fall, which we shall af∣terwards explain. This is the Analysis of the 14^th. Chap.

The H. Ghost thought it not enough to have foretold the fall of the Babylonish Empire in ge∣neral,* 1.123 he will also instruct us in the steps by which it must pass in falling. And as this is a great affair, the vision of the 15^th. Chapter is employed to prepare mens Spirits for it. The seven Vialls of the wrath and vengeance of God, that must overwhelm the Babylonish Empire, are distributed

to seven distinct Angels, to pour them out at diffe∣rent times.

The 16. Chap. contains the pouring forth of these Vialls,* 1.124 which are the several punishments by which the Empire of the Beast is afflicted, till it be entirely brought to nothing. And these seven Vials contain all the time of the fall of the Babylonish Empire: Of this we will treat in a particular Chapter by it self afterwards. It is enough to know that this Chapter leads the afflicted Church to the very point of her delive∣rance. And thus you have the whole History of the Church during the 1260 Years.

But because these things had been expressed in figurative terms,* 1.125 and prophetical symbols of Beasis, Horns, Harvest, Vintage & Vialls, God will explain these things in terms less figurative & more intelligible. Therfore the 17^th. Ch. is spent in explaining the Visions of the two Beasis, to give us to understand, that the Beasis signify an Empire, that the ten Horus are ten Kings; that these ten Kings out of weakness and complaisance would give their power to the Beast, and that at last they would ruin him, & take away that power they had formerly given him.

As in the 17^th. Ch. the H. Ghost declares the establishment & the progress of the Babylonish Empire in a more clear and less figurative manner than he had done in the 13^th. Chap. in the like manner in the 18^th. Chap. he gives us the particu∣lars of the ruin of this Babylon,* 1.126 more largely & more clearly; more largely I say, & more clearly than he had done in the 14^th. Chap. This hath no need of proof. In the process of this discourse we shall explain the circumstances of this fall.

The 19^th. Chap. is as it were a recapitulation of all that respects the ruin of Babylon.* 1.127 Therin J. Christ appears riding on a White horse, is called the faithful, and true, & the Word of God. He assembles all his forces, & the Babylonish Em∣pire assembles all its forces; the fight begins, the Beast and the false Prophet, i.e. the Antichristian Empire and Antichrist that is the head, are taken and utterly destroyed. 'Tis the same thing we met with before in the 14. Chap. at the end of the 16. at the end of the 17. and throughout the whole 18. Chap. The frequent repetition of the same thing is to note the certainty of it.

The three following Chapters, viz. the 20, 21 and 22. contain the History of the third & last general Period of the duration of Christianity. It is the reign of J. Christ upon Earth. The mat∣ters contained in the 20 Chapter are so remar∣kable, that they deserve a particular attention. But seeing that hereafter we shall have occasion carefully to examin them, it is not necessary to stay about them at present.

So much suffices for a general Idea both of the Chronology & of the History, of the twelve last Chapters of the Revelation, which contain the destinies of the Church.

CHAP. XI.

Several things, that all are agreed on, in reference to Antichrist, which will serve to clear up those wherin we are not agreed.

WE seek First the Character of the Babylonish Empire; 2dly, the time of its duration;

3dly, Its Establishment & end; 4thly, What must happen after its ruin. The two first points respect what is past or present, & shall be the subject of the first part of this work. About the first of these four things there is no controversy among the Orthodox. But there is a great dispute about it between the Papists & the true Church. How∣ever we have one great advantage for the de∣termining this controversy, viz. there are some certain principles in which both sides do agree. In controversies where men are agreed in nothing, but where every thing must be proved, it is very hard to determin any thing. But where men are agreed in many things, ordinarily those things which they are agreed in, serve for the clearing up of those things wherin they are not agreed. I think it best therfore before we enter upon the Characters of the Babylonish Empire, to consider those things wherin the Papists as to this matter do agree with the true Catholicks.

* 1.128 1^st. We are agreed about almost ll the places, whence we are to draw the pourtraiture of An∣tichrist and his Empire. 'Tis confessed, that the Little horn in the 7^th. Chap. of Daniel is Anti∣christ; that 'tis of him that the Prophet speaks. I considered the horns,* 1.129 and behold there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were pluckt up by the roots; and behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.* 1.130 The ten Horns out of this Kingdom are ten Kings that shall arise, and another shall rise after them, and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three Kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most high, and think to change times and laws; &

they shall be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.

We are agreed that the First Beast in the 13^th of the Revel. is the same with the fourth Beast in the 7^th. Chapt. of Daniel,* 1.131 and that both the one and the other signify the Roman Empire. 'Tis acknowledged, that the ten Kings that must be born of this Beast, which are represented by the ten Horns of the fourth Beast in Daniel, and of the first Beast in the 13^th. of the Reve∣lation, are the ten Kings, which in the time of Antichrist are to divide the Roman Empire among them, and give their power to Antichrist.

'Tis confest, that the little Horn, i.e. Anti∣christ, must be grafted on the Roman Empire, enter into its place, and the last that shall possess the Roman Empire. Antichrist, saith Bellarmin,* 1.132 shall be the last head of the wicked, and the last King that shall possess the Roman Empire, but yet without the name of a Roman Emperour.

The same Author in the very same place con∣fesses, that the head of the first Beast, which received the deadly wound in the 13^th. Ch. of the Revelation is Antichrist. This miracle of a feigned Resurrection, saith he, must be attributed to Antichrist, in the opinion of Primasius, Beda, and Haymo, and many others whom he names.

We are agreed, that the two Beasts of the 13^th. of the Revelation do both of them signify the Antichristian Empire.* 1.133 According to the opinion of Rupert. The second Beast in the Revelation signifies the very same Antichrist. For Antichrist is re∣presented by two Beasts; by the one, his royal po∣wer and tyranny, by which he will offer violence to men, is represented. And by the other, his magical power and crafty tricks, by which he will

seduce them. But according to Richard, and Anselm, and many others, the second beast signi∣fies the Preachers of Antichrist. Thus it agrees to the Babylonish Empire to be the seventh head of the Roman Empire, however without bearing the name of a Roman Emperour; to be a head wounded unto death, and raised up again; to have ten Horns on its Head, ten Kings for its subjects; to have a false Prophet with two Horns like those of a Lamb, which causes the image of the Beast to be worshipped, whose name contains the Num∣ber 666, and who makes all those that he causeth to submit to hi Empire to bear his mark in their foreheads.

We are agreed that a time, times, and half. a time, the 42 Months, the 1260. days do denote the time of the duration of the Antichristian Empire; and that all that while the Church must be afflicted, beaten down, obscured, as it were hidden & swallowed up by persecution.

'Tis acknowledged that the great Whore in the 17^th. of the Revel. and the city with seven Moun∣tains, is Rome. Some would have it be Rome Pagan,* 1.134 but others shewing either more knowledg or more sincerity, do confess that Rome in the 14^th. and the 17^th. Ch. of the Revelation is not Rome Pagan, but of Christian become Anti∣christian. Estius and some others go a little fur∣ther, and are forced to acknowledg, that Rome must be the seat of Antichrist. Others, as Ribera, Viega, Cornelius a Lapide, retaining the com∣mon hypothesis among the Papists, viz. that Je∣rusalem must be the seat of Antichrist, are how∣ever forced to confess that Babylon in the Re∣velation is the city of Rome, wherat the end of the times an Idolatrous Empire, persecutor of

the Church, and Enemy of God must arise; who (say they) shall join himself to the Empire of Antichrist, when he shall be come. Cornelius a Lapide confesses, that the Waters on which the great Whore sits, signify all the Nations and people which Rome shall command over, who shall agree together in their subjection, and in the vanity and idolatry of Rome as their lady and the mistress of the universe, i.e. Rome become Idolatrous after having been Christian.

We do agree that the Prophecies of the Eighth & the eleventh of Daniel,* 1.135 that literally respect Antiochus Epiphanes, & the cruel persecution that he raised against the Church of the Jews, be∣long also to Antichrist; so that Antichrist is that King that shall do according to his will, & shall exalt himself, & magnify himself above every God,* 1.136 & shall speak marvellous things against the God of Gods, & shall prosper till the indignation be ac∣complisht. Neither shall he regard the God of his Fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any God, for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his Estate shaell he honour the God of forces, & a God whom his Fathers knew not, shall he honour, with gold & with silver & with precious stones & pleasant things:* 1.137 He shall enter also into the glorious Land, and many shall be overthrown, &c.

We are agreed, that it is he of whom St. Paul speaks in the 2d. Chap. of his second Epistle to the Tessalonians, & consequently that he is that man of sin that was to be revealed, when he that then did let, i.e. the Roman Empire, should cease to hinder; that 'tis he that is to sit in the Temple of God, as if he were God, whose Reli∣gion is to be a Mystery of iniquity, & who is to lift up himself above all that is called God.

'Tis confest that the Antichristian Kingdom is to be a temporal Kingdom at the bottom, whatever it may be as to outward appearance. 'Tis agreed that he shall establish this Empire two ways, the first is by sword & violence, the second by cheating & seducing. 'Tis acknowledg'd that he shall be a great Persecutor of the Church.

Lastly, 'tis confest, all this must come to pass in that Period which the H. Scripture calls the later times. 'Tis acknowledged that the 11^th. Ch. of the Revelation contains an Epitome of the History of Antichrist, that is is he that is to tread under foot & prophane the Holy City for 42 Months, & afflict the two Witnesses that shall prophesy clothed in sack-cloth for 1260 Days; & that he is to kill the two Witnesses, which are to remain dead on the places of the Great City three Days & a half, after which they shall rise again. It appears by this account of the points wherin the Papists are agreed to, that we are all of the same mind first, as to all those places whence the main strokes of Antichrists picture are to be taken; and se∣condly, as to almost all the main strokes of which this Picture is to be composed. It will appear afterwards, that these truths wherin our enemies are agreed with us, do quite overthrow those things wherin they differ from us.

CHAP. XII.

The Characters of Antichrist, which we are not agreed about. The false Antichrist of the Papists.

THe things in which we are not agreed, are the false Characters of Antichrist, which the Papists endeavour to establish, with a design to hinder our sight of the true Characters of him and to obscure them. The false Characters are these:

• I. That Antichrist must be only one single Man, and not a succession of Kings and Tyrants.
• II. That the duration of his Kingdom is to be only three Natural years and a half, and not three Prophetical years and half, which make up 1260 years.
• III. That he must style himself the Messiah, and that the Jews must look upon him as such.
• IV. That his Seat shall be Jerusalem, that he shall rebuild the Temple there; and that he shall re-establish the Mosaical Service.
• V. According to Bellarmine, & Cotton the Jesuite, he is not to be an Idolater. For he is not to worship any Idol, but shall worship the Devil in secret.
• VI. He is to be of the Tribe of Dan, of an obscure place, and to raise himself by Arms.
• VII. He is to deny the coming of Christ in the flesh.
• VIII. He shall do nothing in the name of Christ.
• IX. He shall abolish the sacrifice of the Mass.
• ...

• ... X. He shall compel the Christians to renounce their Baptism.
• XI. He is to overcome three Kings, the King of Lybia, of Egypt and Ethiopia.
• XII. He shall cause sire to come down from Heaven, and feign himself to be dead, to counter∣feit a resurrection.
• XIII. He is to hate Idols.
• XIV. He is to conquer the whole Worldy by Arms.
• XV. Enoch and Elias shall be the two wit∣nesses of the eleventh of the Revelation, that shall be sent against him.
• XVI. He is to kill the two witnesses, Enoch and Elias.
• XVII. These two witnesses must rise again, after they have lain dead three days and a half.
• XVIII. He is to possess all sorts of Treasures.
• XIX. He shall not only call himself God, but the only God.
• XX. He is not to come, till the Roman Ger∣man Empire be destroyed.
• XXI. His coming is not to be till just at the end of the World; he shall be defeated five and fourty days before the end of it.
• XXII. Before he comes, the Gospel must have been generally preached in all parts of the World.
• XXIII. He is to be a Magician.

* 1.138It would be very tedious to confute all these false characters; and it would be a work more unprofitable than long. There is a very small parcell of them that are the principal ones, which when they are destroyed, all the rest fall to the ground of course naturally and necessarily. For instance.

• I. That he is to be only one single per∣son.
• II. That he is to reign only three natural

• ...years and a half.
• III. That he is to come pre∣cisely at the end of the World.
• IV. That he is to be an open enemy of God and Christ, styling himself Messiah and the King of the Jews.
• V. That he is not to come before all that bears the name of the Roman Empire is destroyed.

These five points being proved to be false, all the rest consequently will be so too. These are the only things that are worth our taking notice of. For as for the rest, that Antichrist must be of the Tribe of Dan, born in an obscure place; that he shall cause fire to come down from Heaven; that he shall feign himself dead, that he may counterfeit a Resurrection; that Enoch and Elias must come out of that earthly Paradise, where they are kept in reserve; to fight with him; that he is to kill them; that they must rise on the fourth day: All this I say is so fabulous, that it would be an injury to so understanding an Age as ours, formally to con∣fute such idle visions, and so wholly destitute of any foundation.

* 1.139This controversy may be reduced to one only point; and it is that of the duration of the Anti∣christian Empire. If it can be made very plain and certain, that the three years and a half of the duration of this Empire must not be taken for natural years, but for three prophetical years and a half, it will also be very certain, that all which the Papists say concerning Antichrist, is false. For if the Antichristian Empire must last 1260 years, Antichrist can never be only one single man; seeing there is no man that hath lived, doth, or can live 1260. years. Nor will it be more true, that Antichrist must not come, but just at the end of the World: For the duration of

1260. years, and the end of the World are not one and the same thing: Neither will it be more true, that the Gospel must have been preached in all the Nations of the World, be∣fore the coming of Antichrist. For there is no prophesy that saith, or doth so much as insinuate, that the Gospel must be preached every where 1260. years, before the last coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It will be as false, that Anti∣christ is not to come, till after the total ruin of the German Empire. For although we do not exactly know the time the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, however this is held for certain, that the World is not to endure yet two or 3000. years longer, as it must do if Antichrist be not yet como, and must reign 1260. years. For be∣sides these 1260. years, we must find out a 1000. years of peace for the Church, before the end of the World. Neither will it be true, that Anti∣christ must be a false Messiah, received by the Jews, an enemy of God and of all Religion. For God would not suffer that, His wisdom would not permit it. There is nothing in the Scripture that gives us any ground to presume, that an Infidel, an open enemy of Jesus Christ, and of his Religion, must remain master of all the World for 1260. years.

'Tis plain therefore, this is the principal con∣troversy, on which all the rest do depend. Let this be remembred: We will handle this con∣troversy in its proper place. In the mean time, we shall say something in this Chapter, to lay open the falseness of the other pretended cha∣racters of Antichrist.

* 1.140I. He must be onely one single person, and not a series of men. If this be so, why did Saint Paul

say, that the mystery of iniquity began in his time? Why did Saint John say in his first Epi∣stle, that Antichrist was already come into the World? He was come in his fore-runners, saith Bellarmin. I acknowledge it: But do the fore-runners use to go 2000. years before him, whose fore-runners they are? Types indeed are and may be two or 3000. years before those per∣sons of which they are Types. But 'tis not so with fore-runners. Why is Antichrist repre∣sented as a Beast, if he be but one single man? Is it not usual in Prophetical visions, to repre∣sent an Empire, i. e. all the successive Kings of that Empire, by a Beast? So the Monarchy of the Babylonians and Assyrians with all their Kings, is represented to us by the first Beast, in the se∣venth Chapter of Daniel, which was like to a Lion: The Empire and Emperors of Persia, by only one Bear; and so of the rest. At least, this makes it undeniably clear, that there is no ne∣cessity, that we should understand one single person by those two Beasts in the Revelation, that represent Antichrist. How can this be re∣conciled with that which these men have con∣fessed, that the fourth Beast of Daniel, and the first Beast in the thirteenth of the Revelation, all are the same beast? Seeing the fourth Beast in Daniel by their own confession signifies an Em∣pire, and a series of men; 'tis necessary also that the first Beast in Saint John should signify a series of Kings and Tyrants.

'Tis true, the Scripture often speaks of Anti∣christ, as of a particular person. It calls him the man of sin, a King, a Horn, &c. But it speaks of Empires also in the same manner. They are Kings, the ten Horns are ten Kings. They are

beasts, and one Beast in the singular number. The Empire of Persia is one Beast; that of the Greeks is another; the Empire of the Romans makes the fourth Beast. The Spirit saith con∣cerning the seven Heads of the Roman Empire, the seven Heads are seven Kings, i. e. they are seven sorts of Governours and Governments.

* 1.141II. Antichrist must be a Jew, of the Tribe of Dan. of a mean birth, and must style himself the Messiah of the Iews. Where are the proofs of this? He must be a Iew and of the Tribe of Dan, because it is written,* 1.142 Dan shall be a Serpent by the way, and an Adder in the path, that biteth the Horses heels. The snorting of his Horses was heard from Dan. Doth this deserve a confuta∣tion? And because some of the ancients have been taken with these visions, must we there∣fore receive them as Oracles? Among the things that are certain Bellarmin places this, that Anti∣christ shall be a Iew, but doth not give us any shew of proof for it, besides the testimony of the Ancients. But as to that, we must take all or nothing. Either the Authority of the An∣cients must be wholly received in this matter, or else be wholly weak. If we must admit what the Ancients have said concerning Antichrist, we must believe, that it will be the Devil that shall incarnate himself in the bosom of a false Vir∣gin, as the Son of God did in the bosom of a chast one. We must believe that Nero was Anti∣christ. In a word, we must admit of a hundred dreaming opinions about it, which at this day are unanimously rejected. If the Authority of the Fathers be not good in many places, 'tis good in none, 'tis doubtfull every where. We must have proofs drawn from the Scriptures, to shew

us that Antichrist must be a Iew. But see Bel∣larmines great proof.

III. Antichrist must be received by the Jews as their Messiah.* 1.143 And the Jews would never ac∣knowledg any for their Messiah that was a stran∣ger, uncircumcised, and one that was not of their own nation. But where do they find this, that the Jews must receive Antichrist for their Messiah. These Gentlemen, that have a more piercing sight than the Angells themselves, find it in those words of our Saviour, I am come in my Father's name, and ye have not received me; if another come in his own name, him you will receive. He that will come in his own name, and whom the Jews will receive, shall be Antichrist, who will call himself the Messiah. Have these men any shame left in them,* 1.144 to put this at the head of such a proof, viz. Sunt alia duo certissi∣ma, there are two things most certain, of which this is one? Have not the Jews already received a very great Number of false Messiah's? Did they not follow their famous Barchocheva in the reign of Adrian, by whose orders more than a million of Jews that revolted from all parts under the conduct of this false Messiah, were Massa∣cred? Why must he of whom Iesus Christ speaks, be Antichrist?

* 1.145IV. But Antichrist must have his seat at Ieru∣salem. Therfore he must be accounted by the Iews for the Messiah. Another Chimaera. If the Messiah must have his seat at Ierusalem, why do they make him to come forth from among the ten Horns, i. e. from among the ten Kings that must divide the Roman Empire at this day, viz. Germany? For that only at this day doth subsist under the name of the Roman Empire. What

connection, what coherence can a Iew sitting in Ierusalem have, with the ten Horns and the ten Kingdoms of Germany? Why did they acknow∣ledg a little before, that Antichrist must be the last King that shall possess the Roman Empire? What is there in common between the Roman Empire, and the Empire of a Iew that must reign at Ierusalem? Is it, perhaps, because Antichrist shall reign in Germany? By the same reason the Persian Empire must have been the same with the Assyrian, because the Persians did extend their dominion in all places, where the Assyrians once did reign. This dream is founded on what St. Paul saith, that Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God; and on what the H. Ghost saith, that the two Witnesses whom Antichrist should slay, should lie dead on the place of the great City where J. Christ was crucified; now he was crucified at Ierusalem. As to the first, we say, that the Temple of God can by no means signify the Tem∣ple at Ierusalem, which was no longer the Tem∣ple of God since God caused this voice to be heard there, Let us depart hence; since God hath entirely abollisht the Mosaical service, since the Law was abrogated, and the Gospel Establisht. The Temple of God is the very Christian Church, wherin the throne of Antichristianism is raised up. And as for that city in the Revelation, where Jesus Christ was crucified, 'tis the Roman Em∣pire in which the Saviour of the World was crucified, 'tis also the Empire of Antichrist, who hath crucified Jesus Christ in crucifying his sub∣jects. Jerusalem is never called the great City, without the addition of the Holy City.

V. Antichrist must hate Idols, and not be an Idolater. Why then is Babylon called the mother

of whoredoms? Who doth not know,* 1.146 that in a spiritual sense Whoredom signifies Idolatry? Why do they confess, that we must understand that place in Daniel concerning him, that he shall worship Mahuzims? These Mahuzims, whatever they be, are they not Idols?

* 1.147VI. He must deny the coming of Christ in the flesh. St. John doth not say so. He saith indeed, that he that denies, that Iesus Christ is come into the World, and who doth not acknowledg an incarnate God, is Antichrist, in the sense wherin the same Apostle saith there are many Antichrists, and in that sense, wherin they that overthrow the foundations of the Christian Religion are Anti∣christs.

* 1.148VII. He shall abolish the sacrifice of the Mass and shall make men renounce their Baptism. This is not said in any place. It is true, 'tis said of Antiochus, that he shall cause the daily sacrifice to cease, which he also did. It is true also, that in so doing he was a Type of Antichrist, who hath caused the true sacrifices to cease, which are prayers to God, to substitute in their place the worship of Mahuzims, and Demi-Gods.

* 1.149VIII. He is to overcome three Kings, viz. those of Lybia, Ethiopia and Egypt. It is true also, that this is expresly spoken concerning Antio∣chus, and that it agrees to Antichrist, as to the person of whom Antiochus was the Type. And it is very certain, this hath been accomplisht in the Roman Antichristian Empire, in what sense soever we understand it. For the Court of Rome hath destroyed three Kingdoms in Italy, that of the Lombards that of the Goths, and before these that of the Greeks. These are the three Kingdoms which the Pope hath ruin'd, to usurp his Tem∣poralities.

He hath overthrown the King of Naples, him of Sicily, and him of Germany, to make them his vassals. He hath overcome the third part of those Kingdomes that have sub∣mitted to him, because he hath usurped more than a third part of their Riches, their Lands and their Iurisdiction.

* 1.150XII. He is to cause fire to come down from Heaven. It is enough to make fire come down from heaven, to hurl Anathema's, and lightnings on the heads of men, to damn them if it were possible for him to do it, and effectually to kill them. For these are the lightnings, tho pain∣ted ones, that have set the Christian World on fire.

* 1.151XIII. He must conquer all the World by arms. How can this be true, seeing the H. Spirit saith expresly, that the ten Kings, which you your selves confess are co-temporary with Antichrist, his friends and subjects, shall freely give their power to him? There will be no need therfore to conquer them by arms. Moreover, the Pope hath not been wanting to make use of carnal weapons to strengthen and encrease his Sove∣raignty.

* 1.152XIV. Enoch and Elias must come again in the time of Antichrist, he must kill them, and they must rise again. These are ridiculous visions, Jewish fables, or tales made in imitation of them, who always expect their Elias as well as their Messiah. As for us, we keep close to what the Lord J. Christ hath told us, that Elias hath already come, and that that Elias was Iohn Baptist, who had the power and Spirit of Elias. As for Enoch and his return, it is a vision that hath not the least foundation in History or in Prophecy.

'Tis true, Enoch was translated into Heaven; but there is not one word whence we can hope for his return. These are fables upon fables. That Enoch and that Elias, those two witnesses that must appear again in the time of Antichrist, are hidden (as they say) in a retired place, in the Earthly Paradise, that subsists to this very day, and which is invisible to all men.

* 1.153XV. Antichrist is to style himself God, and the only God. How absurd is this? How doth this agree with what you say, that Antichrist must be received by the Iews as their Messiah; that he is to re-establish the law of Moses, that he must set on foot again the Levitical worship? How would the Iews receive him for their Messiah, if he were so wicked a person, as not to believe there were a God? To what purpose should he rebuild the Temple of Ierusalem, and why should he offer sacrifices to God in it, if he made himself to be worshipped as the only God? Besides, it is clear enough, that the Pope causes himself to be adored like a God, tho he doth not call himself either the only God, or the great God.

* 1.154XVI. He is not to come till the Roman Em∣pire be entirely destroyed. We shall afterwards take an occasion to examin this. In the mean time, consider what absurdities these men run them∣selves into. According to them, the Roman Empire doth yet subsist, viz. in the branch of Germany. According to them, at the end of the World the Roman Empire shall be divided among ten Kings, that shall be the Friends, the co-temporaries, and the supporters of Antichrist. That is to say, the Empire of Germany shall be divided into ten Kingdoms. Those will be nota∣ble

Kingdoms, those ten Kingdoms on the other side the Rheine, and do well deserve a place even ten times over in the Prophecies of Daniel and St. Iohn. If Antichrist must not come till the Roman Empire be destroyed, why did they con∣fess, that the little Horn in the 7^th. Chapt. of Daniel, is Antichrist? This Horn, doth it not play the part of the fourth Beast, i.e. of the Ro∣man Empire? Why do these Gentlemen agree to this, that Antichrist is the seventh Head of the first Beast in the 13^th. of the Revelation, which they together with us acknowledg to be the Roman Empire? Why did Bellarmine grant, that Antichrist is to be the last Roman Emperour? The Roman Empire, therfore shall not be destroyed when Antichrist shall come, because that Em∣pire shall continue under him.

* 1.155XVII. He is not to come but just at the end of the World. He is not to come till the last times. But we shall hereafter examin, whether the last times signify the three last years before the day of judgment. And when we shall have proved that the 1260 Days of Antichrists reign are so many Years, this point will be cleared up.

* 1.156XVIII. Before he comes, the Gospel must have been preached throughout all the World. Indeed before the Antichristian Empire did appear and was perceivable, the Gospel had been preached in that which they called the whole World from the time of the Apostles, in all the extent of the Roman Empire, and beyond it, in all the then known World, in the countries which they knew were inhabited, and where they could enter without being hindred by the barbarity of those that dwelt there. But this universal prea∣ching throughout all the Earth, without Ex∣ception,

must be consequent upon the fall of An∣tichrist, and not a sign of his coming. Further, this term of Ʋniversal preaching even then must not be taken in the strictest sense. For it may be there will be some Exceptions.

* 1.157XIX. Lastly; Antichrist must be a Magician. And that, because he must work great signs and miracles by the help of Magick. 'Tis sufficient for the fulfilling of these Oracles, that he doth his signs by illusion and the enchantment of mens senses, by cheating and deceit, and also by the help of the Devil; without his making any compact with the Devil either direct or indirect. The false miracles of Popery also are wrought by the cheats of the Priests, or purely by lies, or by the Devil, that makes himself sport with their miserable devotion. Seeing all these Characters of the Antichristian Empire are all false, we must for the future examin and seek out what are the true Characters of it.

CHAP. XIII.

What are the true Characters of the Antichristian Empire. They are three, Tyranny, Idolatry, and great corruption of manners. That we must not look on Tyranny alone, as the sole Character of Antichrist.

* 1.158WE are seeking after the Characters of the Antichristian Empire. I believe we may hope to find them in the names which the Holy Spirit gives it. For assuredly names are given by God to signify the nature of things. I find that

the Holy Spirit gives three names to that Em∣pire. He calls it Egypt and Sodom, and lastly, Babylon. Egypt and Sodom in the eleventh of the Revelation, where speaking of the death of the two witnesses,* 1.159 he saith, their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City, which is spiri∣tually called Sodom and Egypt. Babylon, in as many places of the same book as 'tis said in, she is fallen, she is fallen, Babylon the great. Come out of Babylon, my people. These three names signify the three Characters of that Babylonish Empire.

* 1.160Egypt is the embleme of Tyranny, Pride and Cruelty. Of Tyranny, because there the Israelites did groan under hard bondage in the chains of Pharaoh, who tyrannised over them; Of Cruel∣ty, because that cruel Prince did vex them sorely with hard labour, and the death of their children, whom he caused to be drowned in the river Nile; Of Pride, because this proud Tyrant re∣belled against God with an intolerable pride, say∣ing, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voyce.

* 1.161Sodom signifies the mighty corruption of man∣ners, and the reason of it may be easily appre∣hended. It was neither Tyranny nor Cruelty that destroyed Sodom. We do not read, that she did aspire after the dominion. It was not Idolatry; at least, we have no reason to believe, that she was more notorious for it, than the other Ca∣naavites round about. It was therefore only dissoluteness, luxury and debauchery, ease and abundance of bread, as the Prophets speak. Therefore when they would set forth a migh∣ty corruption of manners, they borrow an ex∣pression from hence, and use the names of So∣dom nd Gomorrha.* 1.162 Hear the word of the Lord

ye Rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the Law of our God, ye people of Gomorrha. After which Isaiah falls not upon their Idolatry, but upon their cor∣rupt manners. He reproaches them with no∣thing but their injustice and violence.

* 1.163Lastly, Babylon signifies Idolatry. All do a∣gree, that Babylon was the fountain of all sorts of Idolatry. From Chaldaea it spread it self over all the Earth: That is the fountain and spring of men, 'tis also of false Gods. As she was the first fountain, so she did continue the chief Seat of it. 'Twas there that was the most famous Temple, of the most infamous of all the Heathen Divinities, viz. Venus the Goddess of prostitu∣tions. And 'tis plain, that by way of allusion to this infamous Goddess, Spiritual Babylon is re∣presented in the 17^th of the Revelation, as a whore sitting on a beast, and offering her self from on high to every comer. For Women did expose and prostitute themselves in the most visible places of the Temple of the Venus of Ba∣bylon.

* 1.164So then, these are the three Characters, by which the Antichristian Empire is represented to us, in those places that speak of it. In the se∣cond Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thes∣salonians, the head of this Empire is called the man of sin, and the son of perdition, i. e. utterly lost, and plunged into a mighty sink of corruption; Behold Sodom. 'Tis said, that he should exalt himself above all that is called God, that he should sit in the Temple of God, behaving himself as though he were God; Behold Egypt, pride and tyranny. His Religion is called a mystery of iniquity, and he is to establish it by signs and lying wonders; behold Idolatry, and behold Babylon. All the

Heathens called their Religion and their Cere∣monies by the name of Mysteries. Ceres had her mysteries, Bacchus had his, and Venus of Baby∣lon had hers also; but these Mysteries were abo∣minable and idolatrous.

In the eleventh of the Revelation, this Em∣pire is called a Gentilism, a Paganism. The out∣ward Court is left to the Gentiles, for them to tread under foot for 42. months. Behold Babylon; behold Idolatry. By the prophaning of the out∣ward Court, is also meant the corruption of man∣ners; because the Heathens were wont to make the Temples of their Idols, the place of their most filthy debauches.* 1.165 In the same Chapter it is said, that the beast which comes out of the bottomless pit, shall make war with the Saints, and overcome them, and kill them. There is the tyranny and cruelty of Egypt.

In the two Visions of the 13^th Chapter of the Revelation, this Antichristian Empire is repre∣sented as a Beast. In the first as a beast com∣pounded of a Leopard, a Bear and a Lion, three cruel Beasts. This is to set forth its cruelty and tyranny. It is given to him to make war with the Saints, and to overcome them. Here again is Egypt, that oppresses the children of God, and makes a cruel war upon them. Men worship this Beast and the Dragon, that gave him his power. And they worshipped the Dragon, which gave power to the Beast, and they worshipped the Beast. Behold Babylon, where a Dragon was wor∣shipped, to which it may be the Holy Ghost alludes. Lastly, to this Beast was given a mouth, speaking great things, and blasphemies against God, his Name, his Tabernacle, and them that dwell in Heaven; There is pride and idolatry.

The second Beast works great signs to seduce men:* 1.166 And deceiveth them that dwell upon the Earth, by means of those miracles, which he had power to do in sight of the beast. 'Tis therefore a false Prophet, that works false Miracles, to cause his false Gods to be worshipped. 'Tis a Prophet of Babylon and of Idols. He causes all them to be killed, that do not worship the image of the beast. Its cruelty and tyranny makes this Empire a true Egypt.

In the 14^th Chapter, 'tis said of this Babylon, that she made all nations drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornications. They are her Ido∣latries, that are so called. And in the 17^th Chap. she is more largely described as a prostitute wo∣man, arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious Stones and Pearls, having a golden Cup in her hand full of abomina∣tions and filthiness of her fornication. And upon her fore-head was a name written MYSTERY, i. e. Religion; and for the explication of this word Mystery, 'tis added, the mother of forni∣cations or idolatries; this is Babylon. She is also the mother of the abominations of the Earth; This is Sodom, whose corruption spreads it self even to the end of the World. She makes her self drunk with the blood of the Saints, this is Egypt, 'tis cruelty and tyranny.

* 1.167One cannot question whether these be the Characters of the Babylonish Empire. But we must carefully observe, that in all places of Christen∣dom where these Characters are found, the pride and tyranny of Egypt, the filth and abominations of Sodom, and the Idolatries of Babylon, there is the Antichristian Empire, in whole or in part. And hereupon we must conclude, that this Em∣pire

is not confined to what we call the Papism, the Places subject to the Pope, the Latin Church. In the Greek Church there is Idolatry, there is Babylon;* 1.168 for there they invocate Saints, and worship Images and Relicks. There is Sodom; for the corruption of manners there is great; and this corruption when the Eastern Church was not under the Turkish Cross, appeared much more than it doth at this day. Lastly, There is Egypt, for there were tyranny and pride in that Church. The Patriarchs and Prelates of the East, in their time, and in their prosperity, carried themselves like Masters and Tyrants, though in that respect they did not go so high as the Bishop of Rome. The Greek Church did not separate from the Latin before the tenth Century; when the Latin Church was already become Sodom, by the horrible cor∣ruption of her manners; Egypt by her Tyranny and Pride; Babylon by her Idolatries. These two Churches made but one Body and one Babel. And we must not imagine, that the Greek Church by her separation became a Jerusalem, see∣ing she retained the corruption of Babel.

But this doth not hinder, but that we may look for the capital of this Anti-christian Empire in Rome,* 1.169 and find the man of sin, the head of the Babylonish Empire, in the Pope. The Greek Churches, and those of the Eastern Communion do no longer obey him. They are revolted Pro∣vinces, over which he pretends a right, and who indeed ought to obey him, seeing they have ta∣ken his mark and sign, which is Idolatry. The Pope always keeps his Titles, and as he pretends, he keeps his ancient rights over these separate Churches, calling himself the universal Bishop. Besides, we must consider all the Churches that

have revolted from their obedience to God, as united under one spiritual head which is Satan; just in the same manner as Churches of different communions remain united under one spiritual head, which is Iesus Christ, if they hold the fun∣damental Doctrines. In like manner the corrupt Societies are united under one spiritual head, which is the Devil, as far as they follow the Doctrine of Devils, which is Idolatry, though they are of different communions; yea, and excom∣municate each other.

I therefore make no scruple to affirm, that the Babylonish Empire is in all places, where∣ever tyranny, pride, corruption of worship man∣ners and Government mingled with Christianity are to be found. And that which I say in respect of places, must be extended to times, also. 'Tis in those ages, where pride, tyranny, corruption of manners and idolatry, have been visibly esta∣blisht in the Church, that we must look for the birth and beginning of the Antichristian Empire. And in the process of this discourse, this obser∣vation will be usefull to us, to find out that which we principally seek for in this work, i. e. the time where we are to begin the 1260. years, that are assigned for the duration of Antichristianism.

* 1.170'Tis this chiefly, that hath caused our Inter∣preters to be at a loss about the time of the birth of the Antichristian Empire. They have looked only to Tyranny, as if that were the only Cha∣racter of this Empire. Monsieur du Plessis hath made a great Book about it, with this Title The Mystery of Iniquity; in which he traces this Ty∣ranny of the Church of Rome and the Popes, from its birth to its perfection; as if the Mystery of Iniquity signified nothing else: Whereas on the

contrary, the mystery of Iniquity doth not so much as principally signify that. He that says a Mystery, saith a Religion. This ought to have been minded. So then, in this term the Papism is described with respect to its Religion and Ido∣latry: And its tyranny and impiety is properly meant in these words, that exalts himself above all that is called God.

Some mens heads have run so much upon this Character of Antichrist, viz. Tyranny, as if that were the only one, that they will not find Anti∣christ, even in the Papism before the time that the Pope began to act the part of a temporal Prince, which they find he did towards the Year 755. This is the opinion of Monsieur du Moulin in his accom∣plishment of the Prophecies. This also is the reason, that he hath so widely mistaken the time of the birth of Antichristianism; and that he hath set the time of his ruin so far off: For he thinks that Antichri∣stianism will not be at an end before the year 2015. so we should have yet 330. Years longer to suffer. He should have remembred, that Idolatry is more Antichristian than Tyranny, or at least as much. And therefore, that there is no reason to exclude out of the Antichristian Period, the sixth, seventh, and eight centuries, wherein Idolatry was so strong∣ly established. Corruption and looseness of man∣ners were introduced into the Church, and were the way for Antichristianism, its progress followed by the introduction of Idolatry. And at last Anti∣christianism was consummated by Tyranny. These are the three true Characters of that Empire, the union whereof will shew us the true point of its birth.

CHAP. XIV.

That the three Characters of the Antichristian Empire do perfectly agree to the Empire of the Papism. Proofs out of History and Prophe∣cies. Reflections upon the Prophecy in the se∣cond Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thes∣salonians; and upon the end of the Roman Empire.

WE have seen in the fore-going Chapter, that the names of the Antichristian Em∣pire are Egypt, Sodom, Babylon; and that its Characters signified by these names, are Tyranny, Pride, Cruelty, extream corruption of manners, Idolatry and Paganism. We have fixed this Ba∣bylonish Empire every where, where these Cha∣racters are to be found. We have reckon'd the Papism for the center and the body, Rome for the capital place, and the Pope for the head. We must now prove, that these Characters do per∣fectly agree to the Papism, to its capital place, and its head. But we do pretend, that as to us, this thing hath been already done: we have done it in our just prejudices against Popery, aswell as we are able; and indeed that whole work is but a proof of this proposition, that all the Cha∣racters of the Antichristian Empire do agree to the Papism.

* 1.171If any desire a proof of this, that the Papism is an Egypt, and that tyranny is exercised there, he need only read the twelfth and thirteenth Chapters of the first part, where he will see that

the Empire of the Papism is an Empire purely temporal, under the shew of a spirituality; and the fourteenth Chapt. where its purely humane, politiques are so clearly brought to light, that not so much as a shadow remains unscatter'd. If any would be assured, that the conduct of the Papism is a most horrible Tyranny, he need but read the 21. and 22. Chapters of the first part, where is an account of the insolent, tyrannical and proud actions and speeches of the Popes towards all men, without excepting even Soveraign Princes.

* 1.172In the same Chapters will be found the proof that Pride, another Character of the Antichri∣stian Empire, perfectly agrees to the Papism. For there its Pride will be seen in its opinions and Divinity; the pride of its Clergy and Priests, that call themselves the Kings and Emperours of the World; the Pride of its head, who calls him∣self a God upon Earth, who causes Divine ho∣nour to be given to him, who domineers with authority over the Kings of the Earth; who spoils them of their Crowns, who gives away their Kingdoms to others, who dispenses with their Subjects Oaths of Allegiance; who treads them under his feet, and puts his foot upon their throat; who as for his own person, is clothed with purple, and all the pomp of the Roman Em∣perours.

* 1.173In the 26^th and 27^th Chapters of the second part it will plainly be seen, that cruelty perfect∣ly agrees to this Empire. For there you will find an Epitome of all the cruel persecutions, which the Church hath suffered by this mystical Baby∣lon; the blood she hath spilt, the fires she hath kindled, the witty punishments she hath invented,

and the incredible number of the faithful that she hath murder'd. If enough of this be not found in that piece, you may have recourse to our History of Popery.

The 2d recrimination is wholly spent in shew∣ing, that the Papism since more than 700. Years ago, is like a cruel beast, armed vvith teeth & claws, that tears in pieces & devours all that opposes its great∣ness; and that one cannot follow it in History, but by the track of innocent blood that it hath shed. It will appear in all those places, that the Papism is always the same, and that at this very day as well as formerly, it is cruel, bloody, and tyrannical; which we have proved by the persecutions of Bohe∣mia, Hungary, Savoy, and lastly that of France, which at this day is driven on to extremity, and is the most terrible of all that ever the Church en∣dured.

* 1.174As to corruption of manners, one may be con∣vinced that it cannot go further than it hath al∣ready gone in the Papism, by reading what we have written in the sixth and ninth Prejudice. In the sixth we have proved the corruption of the heads of the Papism, by a short History of the abominable immoralities of the Popes. And in the ninth, we have given an account of an infinite number of witnesses in all Ages, who do depose, that all the most horrible and filthy things that can be imagined, are to be met with in the carriage and manners of the Monks, Priests, and Laity in the Papism. To perfect the description of the cor∣ruption of the Papism, the eighth Prejudice may be added, in which the filthy, sordid, simonia∣cal and sacrilegious covetousness of Rome, and all its Agents are discover'd.

* 1.175To be assured that Idolatry, one of the prin∣cipal Characters of the Antichristian Empire, a∣grees to the Papism, you may read the 33. Chap. of the last part, where you will find a short de∣scription of the extravagant and abominable worship, which the Church of Rome gives to the Holy Virgin and all the Saints; in which wor∣ship we have plainly discovered an evident Cha∣racter of reprobation and Antichristianism. Last∣ly, for the proof of the Paganism of that Church, you may read the 12^th of our prejudices. We have there made a very exact Parallel between Popery and Paganism, enough to convince any one, that they both had the same spring and Author, because they have the same objects di∣stinguisht into the very same classes, and very near the very same ceremonies. To which may be added the History of the fables of the Papism, more filthy and more numerous than those of Paganism. You will find it in the sixteenth Prejudice.

Besides all this, we have taken our second Pre∣judice from the perfect conformity, that is be∣tween the Prophecies concerning the reign of Antichrist, and the things we see in the settle∣ment and the nature of the Kingdom of the Papism. We have alledged all the Prophecies, wherein 'tis agreed, that Antichrist and his Empire are both fore-told and described; and we have justi∣fied it, that all the strokes of these descriptions do agree to the Pope, to his Seat, to his Religion, and to his Empire.

The Roman Religion, is that falling away and that Apostacy, of which St. Paul speaks in the se∣cond Chap. of the second Epist. to the Thessalonians. 'Tis the first Text we have produced against it.

* 1.176That Religion is an Apostacy, because there is in it Idolatry, prophaning of holy things, an in∣troduction of new Gods, and the abomination of Images set up in the Sanctuary. Its head is the man of sin and the son of perdition, because his throne is the throne of pride, of covetousness, of ambition, of Simony. There we find the Poli∣tiques of the World, and of the spirit of dark∣ness; cheating, deceit, violence, blood, forni∣cation, sodomy, brutishness, magick, and all manner of imaginable wickedness. This head of the Papism sits in the Temple of God; i. e. in the Christian Church, where Jesus Christ dwelt, who is the foundation. He sits there as a God; for he makes his feet be kiss'd by men, yea, even by the highest powers of the Earth. He is called God, the Lievtenant of God, the Vicar of Je∣sus Christ, and a Vice-God. In the quality of a God, and as one clothed with his power, he changes the times and the Law. He dispenses with things against the Law of God,* 1.177 against the Ca∣nons of the Church, against the Apostle, against the Old and New Testament. He lifts up him∣self above all that is called God; for he exalts himself above all the Kings of the Earth, that are the Gods of this lower World. He exalts him∣self also above the true God, in making such laws as make void the Laws of God; for instance, in commanding to worship Images, which God hath forbidden us to worship. He exalts him∣self above the Saints, which are his Demy-Gods. For in the quality of a Judge, and consequently of a Superiour, he Canonises them, he places them in the Heavens, he causes them to be honoured with Temples and Altars, or he refuseth it to them.

* 1.178His Religion is a mystery of iniquity; for all that is in it is unrighteous, unjust, wicked. 'Tis usurpations, violences and Idolatries. It ravishes away from men their just rights, and from God that worship that belongs to him alone; to ap∣propriate it to a Tyrant, or give it to subjects that do not deserve it. 'Tis a Mystery, for it hath all the appearance of a Mystical Religion. It hath cere∣monies in abundance, a pompous worship, a mighty out-side; but 'tis a Mystery of iniquity. This mystery was establisht by the efficacy of Santan, with all power, signs and lying wonders. For one can't reckon up either the Diabolical illusions, or the Cheats of the Priests, or the lying Miracles by which this false worship, and this false Re∣ligion, was establisht in the World.

The explication and application of that place of St. Paul to the Empire of the Papism, have been already made so exactly, that we shall not do it over again, except only that Article, in which the Apostle saith,* 1.179 Ye know what with-holdeth, that he might be revealed in his time, &c. He who now letteth, will let, till he be taken out of the way, and then shall that wicked one be revealed. All the world did formerly believe, and so it doth still, that by him who Held and possessed, or did let, in St. Pauls time, we must understand the Roman Empire. And it hath been generally apprehen∣ded, that the Apostle intended to say, that the Antichristian Empire would not appear in the world before the Roman Empire was abolisht and destroyed. Tho we should stick to this, without any other explication, our cause would be much better than that of the Church of Rome. For to demonstrate that the Romish Antichrist is not yet come, she is obliged to prove, that the Roman

Empire doth yet subsist.* 1.180 doth yet subsist. She finds it in the Em∣pire of Germany. But nothing is more vain than this, nor more easy to be confuted. The Go∣vernment of Germany is neither an Empire, nor a Roman Empire. 'Tis not an Empire. There is nothing Despotical in it, nor any thing that savours of an Emperour. 'Tis rather a Republique, or an heap of many different Monarchical, Aristocratical and Democratical States. 'Tis not the Roman Empire, no more than the Kingdom of France, or that of Spain. For 'tis one of the dismembred pieces of the ancient Roman Empire, as well as the other Kingdoms of Europe. It retains the name of the Roman Empire, its head is called the King of the Romans. What of all this? Is it necessary only to retain names and vain titles, to be in possession to the thing, and to exercise the rights belonging to it? The Jews retain the name of the people of God, of the chosen peo∣ple, of the Lords inheritance, by way of exclu∣sion of all the nations of the Earth; but doth it follow, that they are what they once were, and what to this day they call themselves?

We therfore may justly say, the Roman Em∣pire is destroyed, and was abolisht when the Goths, the Vandals, and the Huns rent it in pieces, and divided it into so many parts, took away the rule from the City of Rome, and made it the chief City only of a part of that ancient Em∣pire. And indeed, 'tis then, that the Antichristian Empire was born, or at least began to be Revealed, that is to say, to become sensible; and this was in the fifth Age.

But this doth not agree with the other Pro∣phecies; for according to St. John and Daniel, the fourth Monarchy, which is that of the Ro∣mans,

must continue till the Kingdom be given to the Saints, and all the Nations of the World be reduced to the obedience of Jesus Christ.

* 1.181This is in the seventh of Daniel. There he makes four Beasts, i. e. four Monarchies or four Empires. These four Beasts are four Kings, that shall arise out of the Earth. But the Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom, and possess the Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. He places nothing at all between the end of the fourth Beast or the fourth Empire, and the King∣dom given to the Saints. Now if the fourth Monarchy did cease in the fifth Century, then the fifth Monarchy, which is the Kingdom of J. Christ, being not begun, there would be the space of 12. or 13. hundred Years between the fourth Monarchy and the reign of J. Christ upon the Earth. One can't conceive why the H. Spirit should leave so wide a gap of time in the Prophecy.

This is yet more evident by what follows. The Angell, that explains the vision to Daniel, saith to him,* 1.182 The fourth Beast shall be the fourth King∣dom upon Earth, which shall be diverse from all Kingdoms, and shall devour the whole Earth, and shall tread it down,* 1.183 and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this Kingdom are ten Kings, that shall arise; and another shall arise after them, and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three Kings.* 1.184 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand, untill a time,* 1.185 and times, and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And

the Kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High, &c. He had said before, on occasion of the fourth Beast and his little Horn, I behold them,* 1.186 because of the voice of the great words, which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

'Tis clear, that the ten Horns, or the ten King∣doms, together with the little Horn, that sub∣dues three Kings, are a continuation of the fourth Beast, and make but one Monarchy together with it, which Monarchy must endure till the Kingdom be given to the people of God.

The same thing plainly appears in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar,* 1.187 and the explication which Daniel gives of it. Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream a great Statue, whose head was of Gold, his shoulders and his arms of Silver,* 1.188 his belly of Brass, his legs of Iron,* 1.189 and his feet divided into ten Toes were partly of Earth and partly of Iron.* 1.190 A Stone cut out of the mountain without hands, breaks this statue in pieces, mingles the Gold, the Silver, the Iron and the Brass, and reduces them all to dust. Daniel explaining this dream, declares, that the head signifies the Monarchy of the Assyrians, of which Babylon was then the capital city since the ruin of Nineveh, and Nebuchadnezzar the head. That the shoulders of Silver signify a second Monarchy; and the belly of Brass a third.* 1.191 And the fourth Kingdom shall be like Iron, for as much as Iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things. All the World is agreed, that this is the Roman Monarchy. After which follows, not the destruction, but the division of that Em∣pire among ten Kings. And wheras thou sawest

the feet and toes,* 1.192 part of potters clay, and part of iron, the Kingdom shall be divided, viz. into ten other Kingdoms, as the feet into ten toes. For the ten toes of the statue, and the ten horns of the Beast, are the same thing; which all Interpreters have acknowledged. Among these ten Kings must he come, that must subdue three, i. e. Anti∣christ. As therefore the ten Toes make a part of the Statue, and the ten horns a part of the Beast, 'tis plain that the ten Kings, that must arise from the division of the Roman Empire, and the reign of Antichrist that must establish himself, by the ruin of three of those Kings, are the continua∣tion of the Roman Empire, and the Roman Em∣pire it self.

Now immediately after, and without any thing happening between, comes the reign of Jesus Christ, and of the Holy people, signified by the little stone cut without hands out of the moun∣tain. And in the days of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom,* 1.193 which shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

The same thing is evident by the Revelations of Saint John. The first Beast in the 13^th of the Revelation, in certainly the same with the fourth Beast in the 7^th Chapter of Daniel: 'tis the Ro∣man Empire. We have seen before, that 'tis a∣greed, that the second Beast in the same Chapt. which had but two horns, is the same with the fore-going Beast that had ten. Now the fore∣going Beast is the Roman Empire; the second Beast is the Empire of Antichrist. Whence it is plain that the reign of Antichrist must be the continuation of the Roman Empire.

Saint Iohn, after having described the Roman Empire, continued under Antichrist, in the 13^th Chap. carries on this continuation in the 14^th Chap. to the total ruin of that Empire, to the judgement that God causes to fall on the King∣dom of Antichrist, to the harvest and to the vin∣tage, i. e. to the total destruction of the Devils Kingdom. The following Chapters carry on the matter also to the reign of Jesus Christ, the de∣scription of which begins in the 20^th Chap. of the book. There is nothing comes between; whereby it is clear, there is no interval of time, nor any Monarchy between the Roman Empire, and the Monarchy of J. Christ; and so that the Antichristian Empire, that must immediatly pro∣cede the reign of Jesus Christ, is the continua∣tion of the Roman Empire.

The same thing is evident from the 17^th Chap. which is an explication of the visions of the 13^th. The 13^th Chap. speaks of two Beasts, the one had seven heads and ten horns, the other hath but one head and two horns. The 17^th Chapt. speaks no more of the second Beast. It speaks only of a woman riding on a Beast of seven heads and ten horns. 'Tis because the second Beast at the bottom was no more than a continuation of the first; i. e. it was no more than the con∣tinuation of the Roman Empire. Therefore the Holy Spirit in explaining the adventures of the first Beast, pretends to explain those of the second also. For otherwise, if the two Beasts had been different, 'tis plain the H. Spirit would not have been wanting to have spoken of the one as well as of the other in the 17^th Chap. where he explains the visions of the Beasis. Now this Beast with seven heads and ten horns, i. e. the Roman Empire must

reach to the end of the persecutions, and to the reign of J. Christ. This appears plainly in the 18^th. and the following Chapters, where the ruin of Antichrist is represented and described at large.

If these proofs did not suffice to prove, that the Empire of Antichrist must be a continuation of the Roman Empire, one might bring others from the comparison of the two Beasts of the 13^th. Ch. For 'tis clear, that 'tis one and the same Empire represented by two Beasts. And the thing is so plain, that the Popish Authors them∣selves do acknowledg it. We have heard Bel∣larmin confess it, and say, that Antichrist must be a King possessing the Roman Empire, but without the name of the Roman Emperour.

* 1.194If this be so, what must we understand by those words of St. Paul, only he that now letteth or possesseth, will let or possess till he be taken out of the way, and then shall that wicked one be revealed? It doth not import, till the Roman Empire be abolisht, as the Ancients did believe, and as the Agents of Antichrist at this day would fain perswade us. We must remember, that in the Beast in the Revelation, with seven Heads and ten Horns, the seven Heads are seven forms of Go∣vernments, under which the Roman Empire hath past.

• 1. Kings.
• 2. Consuls.
• 3. Decemvires.
• 4. The Tribunes of the People.
• 5. Perpetual Dictators.
• 6. Emperours.
• 7. and lastly, Popes.

Every one of these Heads and these Governments hath had its time, one hath passed away and another hath come in its place. In the time of St. Paul the Head of the Emperours was in possession. And 'tis of that we must understand those words of his Prophecy, only he which now with-holdeth, or possesseth, i.e.

the Head of the Emperors, shall cease at Rome, and then the Antichristian Kingdom shall be re∣vealed, and quickly form the seventh Head, which shall be that of the Popes, calling them∣selves the Vicars of J. Christ, but being indeed the true Antichrists.

And thus you have what I thought necessary to be added for the explication of that Prophecy of St. Paul contained in the 2^d. Ep. to the Thessa∣lonians.

CHAP. XV.

An explication of the Visions of the thirteenth Chapter of the Revelation, and of the two Beasts that appear therin.

WE come now to the description of the An∣tichristian Empire, according as we find it in the Revelation, a book particularly designed to describe it to us. 'Tis found above all in the 13^th. Chapter. Two Beasts are seen in this Chapter. We shall immediately examin both the one and the other, following the Text word for word.

V. 1. And I saw a Beast rise out of the sea, having seven Heads and ten Horns, and upon his Horns ten crowns, and upon his Heads the name of Blas∣phemy.

2. And the beast, which I saw, was like unto a Leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a Bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion; and the Dra∣gon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

There is no need that I should observe here,

that in the style of the Prophets a Beast signifies an Empire.* 1.195 All the world knows it, and con∣fesses it. It must only be noted, that a Beast signifies an Empire that is worldly, terrestrial, and an enemy to God. The Kingdom of God and of Jesus Christ, that must be given to the Saints after the fourth Monarchy, is never re∣presented under the image of a Beast. The Beast that appears here, is the fourth Monarchy, which we have seen described in the text of the seventh Chapter of Daniel. The Prophet had said, that it was diverse from all the other Beasts. And Saint John in the explication of it saith, that it was composed of the shape of a Lion, a Leopard, and a Bear; wheras the fore-going Beasts had but one simple shape. The First was as a Lion with the wings of an Eagle. The second was as a Bear, and the third as a Leopard. But this fourth Monarchy hath all the strength, and all the advantages of the tree others together. 'Tis couragious and strong as a Lion. It had the swiftness of a Leopard in its conquests. It hath the firmness of a Bear, whose large feet make a firm basis for its whole body.

The Holy Spirit lays before the Prophets eyes this Roman Monarchy whole and entire,* 1.196 about a third part of it was already past, be∣cause this Monarchy was to be the subject, on which all the great events were to turn. And to know and object well, it must not be shewn by pieces, but all entire. So that 'tis reasonable the Prophet should see this Beast, or this Mo∣narchy, in its whole extent. He riseth out of the Sea. This is not what was said in the eleventh Chapter, he riseth out of the bottomless pit. The bottomless pit and the sea are not the same thing.

The bottomless pit is Hell. Here the sea signifies a great number of people. The Roma Monar∣chy rose from the midst of the people, as a mon∣ster that should rise out of the sea. 'Tis because it was establisht with a terrible havock, such as a hideous monster, that should rise out of the sea, and of an enormous greatness would cause, making the waves to foam, blowing the water with his nostrills, and sending out terrible bel∣lowings. 'Tis the emblem of the manner; wherby the Roman Empire was establisht.

This Beast hath seven Heads. The Spirit explains this of so many Kings, and so many mountains. The seven heads are seven Kings, and seven Mountains. See here the Character of Rome, together with its Empire. It sits on seven Heads, that is to say, on seven Mountains; and it had seven Kings, that is to say, seven forms of So∣veraign Governments. We have already reckon'd them up in the foregoing Chapter.

• 1. Kings.
• 2. Consuls.
• 3. Decemvires.
• 4. Tribunes of the people.
• 5. Perpetual Dictators.
• 6. Emperours.
• 7. Popes.

He hath ten Horns. The Prophet doth not say how these Horns were distributed on the Heads. But however it is certain,* 1.197 that they were all on the seventh Head, that is to say, on the Head of the Popes. For 'tis under the Papal Domi∣nion, that the Roman Empire is divided among ten Horns, that is to say, among ten Kings. Eu∣rope, that obeyeth the Pope, is divided into ten Principal Kingdoms.

• 1. Germany.
• 2. Hungary.
• 3. Poland.
• 4. Suedeland.
• 5. France.
• 6. Spain.
• 7. Italy.
• 8. England.
• 9. Portugal.
• 10. Scotland.

The other Kingdomes and States were dependencies on these. From the first division of the Roman Em∣pire, that happened in the fifth Age, the partition

was made among ten Kings also, as we shall ob∣serve afterwards. Horns always signify power in the Scripture: this is known. So that these ten Horns must be powers, But no signify that these Powers are Soveraign ones, and not subordinate, the Spirit gives them Diadems. They are Soveraigns in name, but in truth they are dependents on the seventh head, which is the Pope, and the Pa∣pism. For the Papism subjects all Kings to the Pope.

On the heads there is a name of blasphemy. This is not on one of the heads, but on all of them. And the name of blasphemy, is that of the Queen of the universe, which she vvould always bear, since she attained to her greatness.

Terrarum Dea, Gentiumque Roma.

'Tis the title of Rome eternal, as Saint Ierome hath observed.* 1.198 The Roman Emperours made them∣selves be called your Divinity. They built Tem∣ples to them, they burnt incense to their Genius, they sacrificed to them. The seventh head hath also its names of blasphemy. The Pope is called his Holiness, Vice-God, God on Earth, Vicar of Jesus Christ. Rome under his Dominion is called infallible Rome, eternal Rome.

The Dragon give him his power; 'Tis the De∣vil which gives to the Roman Empire the false Religion, the idolatries and heresies, by which it makes war against God; the ambition, the cruelty, and the covetousness, by which it makes war a∣gainst men.

And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death,* 1.199 and his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the Beast. The Pro∣phet doth not say, what head was wounded: but it can't be doubted, but that it was the last save

one. For that which comes in the place of that which is wounded, lasts to the end. Therefore the head wounded to death must be the sixth; and the resurrection of this head must make the se∣venth head, or the seventh Government. The sixth head is that of the Emperours. 'Tis wound∣ed by the Goths and the Vandals. The Roman Empire is destroyed. But it rises again under an∣other head, and a new kind of government, viz. that of the Popes.* 1.200 In the power of the Papacy is brought forth again, if not the grandure of the ancient Empire, yet at least a form of govern∣ment, that is not very much different from that, by which all the nations once obeyed the Emperours. 'Tis the confession of Steuchus Bishop of Agobio.

All the World wondered after the beast. The Earth being astonisht, to see the Roman Empire establisht under the new name of the Roman Church, follows this new Beast, submits to this Church; being ravisht with this dignity, that appeared to list up Christianity to the height of grandeur, it submitted to this Chimoera of the spiritual and temporal Principality of the Church of Rome.

And there was given to him a mouth, speaking great things and blasphemies. After this,* 1.201 'tis only the seventh head that is treated of, which is called the Beast simply, because 'tis the longest duration of the fourth Monarchy. 'Tis therefore this se∣venth head, the Pope and the Papism, that brings forth these great things. Can there be any thing greater than that which the Roman Church saith of it self, that she is the Spouse of Christ, the Queen of all the Churches, the infallible Judge of all controversies, the Ark, out of which there is no salvation, the Divinity to which all nations

must pay homage, the common mother of all Christians, the Soveraign of the Kings of the Earth, that can depose them, transfer their Crowns, and give them to whom she thinks fit? see the great things; and these great things are blasphemies. This is clear. For to attribute that to her self, which belongs only to God, is to blaspheme.

And power was given to him to continue forty and two months. 'Tis still the seventh head that is treated of. 'Tis to it that the period of forty and two months, of twelve hundred and sixty days, that is to say, of twelve hundred and sixty years, is assigned. 'Tis clear, that these forty two months do not respect the entire Beast, that is to say, the seven heads, or the seven Govern∣ments; for after the third verse, 'tis only the seventh head that is spoken of. Moreover, the se∣venth Monarchy, in its whole extent, hath lasted almost twice forty two prophetical months, as we have before observed. 'Tis therefore the dura∣tion of the Antichristian Empire, or of the se∣cond period of the fourth Monarchy, that must be extended to 1260. years.

He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God.* 1.202 'Tis to blaspheme God to attribute to it self his power, as the Roman Church doth against his name: that is to say, against his glory. The Pa∣pism ravishes away the glory from God to give it to the creatures. Against his Tabernacle; that is to say, against his Temple and his Church, in calling the true Children of God, which are his house, heretiques and schismaticks. Against them that dwell in Heaven. These are the Saints and Angels, of whom the Papism makes idols, and whom by consequence it greatly injureth.

And it was given to him to make war with the Saints,* 1.203 and to overcome them. 'Tis well enough known how the Papism hath employed Anathe∣maes, thunders, fire, and sword to extinguish the truth, and to destroy the faithful.

And I beheld another beast coming out of the Earth,* 1.204 and he had two horns like a Lamb, and he spake as a Dragon.

* 1.205In the fore-going vision, the Holy Spirit re∣presented the fourth Monarchy in its two Periods, and its whole extent by only one Beast. We have seen more-than once, that this Monarchy hath two periods very near of the same duration. The first is from the birth of Rome, to the ruin of the Imperial dignity, and the division of the Empire into ten Kingdoms. The second, from the destruction of the Imperial dignity, to the entire ruin of the Roman Church. 'Tis this se∣cond period, which the Prophet here represents under the image of a second Beast. 'Tis another Beast, because it is another name, another sort of Empire, an Empire hidden under the name of the Church. 'Tis a matter that begins again all anew. As the City of Rome in its birth was lit∣tle, insensible, a small matter in a word, during two or three ages; so this new Roman Empire, that was to be brought forth again, was to com∣mence also from weak beginnings, and to be but a very little thing for some ages. As this later period of the fourth Monarch was to last as long as the other, and was to have a form whol∣ly different from it, it deserved to be called ano∣ther beast.

This second Beast ascends out the Earth, and not out of the Sea. 'Tis the same Beast, that is spoken of in the eleventh Chapter, that

it ascends out of the bottomless pit, that is to say, from Hell. The one hinders not the other. The Papism comes from Hell, but not by the same means as the first beast did. These two Empires come not from the same place. The first Em∣pire springs from the people, and their ambition. The second Empire proceeds from the Clergy, and their ambition. It springs from the Earth as a plant, that shoots out small, and becomes great insensibly, without effusion of blood, and without spoil. He had two horns like a Lamb. The Ro∣man Church calls her self the Spouse of the Lamb; usurps his power; the name of Jesus Christ, is al∣ways in her mouth; and if she may be believed, she doth but exercise the power of Jesus Christ, that hath been lawfully conferred upon her. Jesus Christ hath two powers, in Heaven and in Earth. All power is given me in Heaven and Earth, saith he. The Roman Church saith the same thing of her self. She ascribes to her self the temporal power, and the spiritual one. He speaks as a Dra∣gon. For he utters blasphemies against God, and terrible threatnings against his Children.

And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him.* 1.206 The Papism hath re-establisht all the authority of the ancient Emperours. The Roman Church causes her self to be served by Kings. She takes away their demeauss, she disposes of their Crowns, she draws tribute from them, and exer∣ciseth jurisdiction in all their States. The first Beast, that is to say, the Roman Pagan Empire, did no more in the countries that were subject to it.

And causeth the Earth, and them which dwell therein to worship the first Beast. Raising up in her self the power of the ancient Empire, she makes that ancient Empire be raised up again,

under a new name, viz. that of the Roman Church, be adored and served.* 1.207 And he doth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on Earth in the sight of men. We shall have occasion to observe, and prove several times hereafter, as we have already done be∣fore, that in the style of the Prophets, Hea∣ven, when an Estate and an Empire is treated of, always signifies the soveraign region of those dignities. The Sun is the Soveraign, the stars are the Grandees. Here an Empire, a State, is treated of under the name of a Beast. The So∣veraign region of that State is the Heaven, from that State falls fire, that is to say, thunders. It can't be doubted, but this is what the Roman Church it self calls thunders, and thundring Bulls. 'Tis those decrees and those Papal Bulls, which proceed from the Court of Rome. These are no other than Past-board thunders and artificial fire-works. However 'tis known, that they have set Kingdoms is a flame a hundred and a hundred times, and have may times thought to set all Europe on Fire. To this are added Signs, that is to say, prodigies of pride; ambition, madness, policy, carnal weapons, and other means, by which the Beast of Rome hath used to establish its dominion, and subject Kings to its self. This doth not exclude the false mira∣cles, which the Papism hath used to establish it self. But as it is here consider'd much more as a Kingdom than as a Religion, by these signs 'tis much better to understand the wicked means it hath em∣ployed to establish its tyranny, than the lying mira∣cles, which it used to establish its false mysteries.

And deceiveth them which dwell on the Earth by the means of those miracles. That is to say,* 1.208

he induced them by all the ways of deceit and violence to do homage to him, and submit themselves to his dominion, Saying to them that dwell on the Earth, that they should make an image to the beast.* 1.209 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast, should be killed. This here is an admirable place. The Roman Church is an Empire. However, it is but an image of an Empire, an imaginary Empire, founded only on the deceived imagination of men. They need but say NOT, to destroy this Empire. The reality of an Empire consists in citadells, in for∣tresses, in armies. The Roman Church hath none of all this. For the little armies that the Pope might raise, is not that which secures his Em∣pire. 'Tis not therfore a true Empire. The Con∣vents of the Monks are his Citadels. The Monks are his Souldiers and Armies. The Priests are his Emissaries. The Bishops and Arch-Bishops are his Lievtenanis. But all these are but images. Ne∣vertheless this image of an Empire speaks, acts, makes decrees, raises all Europe, and causes all those to be killed, that will not pay it the like homage, which was render'd to the ancient Roman Empire.

And he causeth all,* 1.210 both small and great, &c. to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. And that no man might buy, or sell, save he that had the mark or the name of the Beast. The Forehead is the seat of profession. Thence it came, that ancient Christians signified their profession of Christianity by a sign of the Cross on the forehead. The Hand is the instrument of action. The inhabitants of the Earth can

neither buy, nor sell, under the dominion of the Papism, that is to say, partake of its favours and its riches, unless they have the Profession of a Papist on their Forehead, and the actions of one in their Hands. This is what is meant by the Mark of the Beast, and not some particular mark, and one Properly so called.

Here is wisdom;* 1.211 let him that hath understan∣ding count the number of the Beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred threescore and six. If so much had not been wrote about this, here would be a subject to write a great deal upon. But in a few words, I can't doubt, but that they who have reckoned the numeral power of the letters of the name of the Roman Church, and of its Pope, have hit upon the sense of the Prophecy. 'Tis the number of his name; that is to say, expressely contained in his name. 'Tis a number of a man; that is to say, 'tis a number that must be understood according as men do count; not in a prophetical and Mysterious style, which oftentimes under one number hides another unknown number. But in what language must we count the numeral letters of the name of the Beast? 'Tis easy to determin that. The Prophecies must be explained according to the language of the Prophets. There are two languages of the Prophets, Hebrew and Greek. Look for the name of the Roman Church in these two languages. In Hebrew you will find Romiyth, and in Greek Lateinos. The first signifies the Roman Beast, or the Roman Church. The second signifies the Emperour or the Latin Pope. And in the one and in the other there is exactly six hundred threescore and six.

Here I might stop with reference to the

number 666. And 'tis with some difficulty that I enter upon the depths of the interpretation of those Authors, who would have this Num∣ber 666. respect not the Name of the Beast, but of his Empire. They pretend, that as the Number 144. is consecrated to signify the Em∣pire of J. Christ,* 1.212 which appears by the 144. thousand Sealed ones, pretty often mention'd in the Revelation; in like manner the Number 666. mystically denotes the entire Empire of the Beast and its principal Characters. They observe, that the Number 144. hath for its square root the Number twelve. For twelve multiplied by it self, twelve times twelve makes 144. The Number of twelve is sacred, because of the twelve Patriarchs of the ancient Israel, and the twelve Apostles, that are the Patriarchs of the new Israel. So the Number 144. that mystically signifies the whole Church of I. Christ, is foun∣ded on the Number twelve. That is to say, the whole Christian Church is founded on the Apostles, who make one divine Hierarchy. Wherefore the number twelve bears sway in all the parts of the description of the Jerusalem, which we read of in the 21. Chap. of the Revelation. She hath twelve Foundations, twelve Gates, twelve angells, twelve Tribes, twelve thousand Furlongs. The Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the place, bears twelve Sorts of fruits every year; and lastly, the Wall is of 144. Cubits, i.e. twelve times twelve. So the Church, which hath her root in the number twelve, by the multiplication of this number twelve by it self, makes 144. a sacred Number. But the number 666. which is exor∣bitant, and which exceeds the number of twelve, and hath not this number twelve for its root,

is the emblem of the Antichristian Church, which is not founded on the twelve Apostles, which hath not twelve Articles of Faith, but many more. In a word, as the Number 666. hath no relation to that of twelve, so the Anti∣christian Church hath no relation to the Christian and Apostolical Church.

* 1.213An English Divine, one Potter, hath carried this notion further than others have done, in an express treatise, which he hath made about the mystery of the Number 666. He pretends, that as the Number of 144. is not mystically designed to signify the Church and the Empire of I. Christ, but for the sake of the Number 12, which is its square root, and on which it is built; in like manner also the Number 666. is not mystical, but by reason of the square root, on which it is raised; so he would have it, that we should extract the root of the Number 666. and believes, 'tis in this root that we must seek after the Mystery of the Empire of the Beast. Arithmeticians call the square root of a Number given, that number,* 1.214 by which in multiplying it by it self, the number given is produced, whether there be any remain∣ders or no. For instance, 10 is the square root of an 100, because ten multiplied by it self, 10 times 10 make a 100 without any remains. The square root of 55. is seven, because multiplying 7 by it self, 7 times 7 make 49, and a remainder of 6 makes 55. According to this, the square root of the number 666 is 25,* 1.215 for 25 multiplied by it self makes 625. with a remainder of 41. which makes 666.

This being supposed, that 25 is the square root and the foundation of the Number 666, he pre∣tends, that as 144 founded upon 12 represents the

whole Church, founded upon the holy Hierarchy of the 12 Apostles; in like manner 666 represents the whole Antichristian Empire of the Papism, founded upon the Antichristian Hierarchy. And to make appear how exact the opposition to the Christian Hierarchy is, he shews, that as the Number 12. bears sway in the whole composition of Ierusalem, which is the Church and the holy City, 12 Foundations, 12 Gates, 12 Angells, 12 thousand Furlongs, 12 forts of Fruits; in like manner the number 25 bears sway in all the Po∣pish Hierarchy.* 1.216

• I. In the number of the Cardi∣nals, who according to their first institution, were 25, wheras the Apostles were but 12.
• II. In regard to the number of Churches into which Ro∣me Christian was at first divided, which were 25. wheras the heavenly Jerusalem hath but 12 Gates: The Churches in which they did baptize, answering to the Gates of the City, because Baptism is the entrance into the Church.
• III. In the number of the Parishes or Tribes, which in Rome were 25; wheras the Jerusalem that comes down from above, hath but 12 Tribes, as appears by the 21 of the Revelation.
• IV. In the number of the Foundations of Rome, which are 25 Cardinalls, originally and anciently com∣posing the sacred Colledg, that is called the foun∣dation of the Church; wheras the Holy City hath but 12 foundations, which are the 12 Apostles.
• V. In the number of Angels, i.e. Pastors who are in number 25 Pastors, Cardi∣nals, Pastors of Pastors; wheras the Jerusalem in the Revelation knows but 12 Angels, 12 principall Pastors, which are the 12 Apostles.
• VI. In the number of the Gates of Rome, which were 25. wheras Jerusalem hath but 12.
• ...

• VII. In the extent of the City of Rome, which was 25 thousand furlongs; wheras the Jerusalem of St. John hath but 12 thousand furlongs.
• VIII. In the number of the fruits of the Tree of Life, which are the Articles of faith, because the just shall live by faith.

The fruits in the Ierusalem of St. Iohn are but 12. The Articles of the Christian faith are but 12 also: but the Articles of the Popish faith are 25 in number. He finds moreover,* 1.217 that the number 25 bears sway in all the depen∣dances of the Empire of the Papism; that in the greatest part of the Estates of the Papism they reckon 25 Provinces, or principal dignities. That upon the great Altar of St. Peter at Rome there is a golden Cross of 25 hands breadth. Be∣fore the Church there are five Gates, and one of them is not open'd but every 25 years. In St. Mary Major there are 25 Altars. The great Altar of the Church of St. Peters, is 25 foot square one every side. Besides all this, the Popish Al∣tar are marked with 25 Marks, in honour of the 5 wounds of I. Christ 5 times redoubled. The same number is consecrated in the Mass for the same reason, because of the 5. wounds of our saviour. He makes divers observations of this nature on the Number 25 bearing sway in all the Papism, even in the Council of Trent, which began by 25 Bishops, had 25 Sessions, was subscri∣bed by 25 Arch-Bishops, and made 25 Articles of faith. And above all, he observes, that the Number 25 with its square root 5,* 1.218 were conside∣red by the Heathen as numbers of an ill omen. See, saith he, the reason why the Number 666 represents the whole Antichristian Empire, 'tis because it hath for its square root the number 25, which is the prevailing number in the Papal Hie∣rarchy.

Wherers the number 144. that signifies the Church, hath for its square root the number 12, which is the sacred number of the Patriarchs and Apostles. As for the remainder of 41, which is added to the number 625, arising from 25. mul∣tiplied by it self, he gives many ingenious rea∣sons for it, and which do deserve to be consulted on the place.* 1.219 Ioseph Mede, who is a great Ma∣ster in these sorts of things, gives a very authen∣tique approbation of this discovery. And it can∣not be denied, but that it is very ingenious. But I confess, I find it a little profound. However, I would not deny, that it is the intention of the Holy Spirit. And it may be this is the meaning of the Prophecy, Here is wisdom, let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: For understanding may signify the wisdom of this World, i. e. Arithmetique, which makes a part of humane sciences, to signify, that to penetrate into this mystery of the number 666. we must use the rules of Arithmetique, and seek for the square root of this number 666.

Besides, though one should admit all the ob∣servations of Potter as solid, this would not de∣stroy the common hypothesis, which is, that the number 666. alludes to the names of Lateinos and Romiyth, in which this number is so precisely found. For the product of 25. multiplied by it self, makes but 625. Why did the Holy Spirit add a remainder of 41? why did he not leave the round account of 625, the product of the square root 25? or why, resolving to add a remainder, did he not add 20 to make it 645, or 30 to make it 655; but adds precisely a remainder of 41 to make it 666? I am perswaded, it was to make up the sum contained in the names Lateinos and Romiyth.

So that it is still true, that the number 666 re∣fers immediately to the name of the Antichristian Empire. But I will not deny, but that besides this, there are other mysteries in it; and those of Potter are very well contrived, and very proba∣ble. To strengthen them,* 1.220 these two considera∣tions may be added; First, That the number 12. signifying very naturally the whole Gospel mi∣nistry, because of the twelve Apostles, who are the first Ministers of the Gospel; the number 144. must also naturally signify the body of the whole Church; because as the number 144. is produced by the multiplication of 12, in like manner the body of the Church is formed by the multiplication, which is produced by the Gospel ministry, of which the twelve Apostles are the founders. On the other hand, as the number 666 is produced by the multiplication of 25, so the Empire of the Papism and of the Beast is produ∣ced by the multiplication, caused by his false ministry and by his false Pastors, who originally were 25.

Seoond, The other consideration is, that the Holy Spirit signifies the Gospel ministry by 12, and the body of the Gospel Church by 144. And on the contrary, the body of the Empire of the Papism by 666. to teach us the proportion that is between the false Church and the true. 144 is but the fifth part of 666. The true Church in the time of the oppression and reign of Antichrist, is almost nothing in comparison of the false Church.

CHAP. XVI.

The Explication of the seventeenth Chapter of the Revelation, where the Empire of the Papism is plainly described.

IN pursuing the picture of Antichrist, according to the Prophecies, to shew that that Empire is found in the Papism, we enter on the 17^th Chap. of the Revelation, which contains an ex∣plication of the 13^th Chapter. 'Tis the same thing under less obscure aenigma's. In the 13^th Chapter we have seen two Beasts. Here only one of them is seen; but by way of amends for that, here is a woman seen, sitting on the beast. So that here are two persons.

So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness;* 1.221 and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. See here the first Beast of the 13^th Chapter, i. e. the Roman Empire. The Beast is of a scarlet colour. It was the co∣lour of the Roman Empire. Its Emperours, its Senators, and its Grandees were clothed with purple; all the World knows that. In the fol∣lowing Chapter it shall be proved, that these two Beasts, this here, and that of the thirteenth Chapter, are one and the same Beast. On this Beast sits a woman: See here a thing that speaks, and that loudly. A woman: who doth not see, that this signifies a Church? Did any ever see in the Prophets an Empire, as an Empire repre∣sented under the image of a woman? Is not this the Emblem, which the Holy Spirit useth every

where, to represent either the true Church, the Spouse of Jesus Christ; or the false Church, that is become unfaithful to her Spouse. A woman sitting on a Beast. This is visibly a Church en∣graffed, and sitting upon an Empire. 'Tis the Roman Church engraffed on the Roman Empire. But we shall touch again on this reflection in the following Chapter.

And the woman was arrayed in purple,* 1.222 and scarlet colour, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls. 'Tis not the Beast only that is of a scarlet colour, the woman also is clothed with purple. The Church, which is engraffed on the Empire, hath taken the colour of the Em∣pire. The Pope, the Cardinals, the Ministers of the Court of Rome, are distinguisht by the im∣perial purple and scarlet. The gold, the pearls, and the stones, encrease the magnificence. No∣thing is more proud than the pomp of the Ro∣man Court. She holds a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations. Poculum Aureum Plenum Abominationum. 'Tis a wonderful accident, that the four initial letters of these four words P.A. P.A. make the name of Papa in the Bible of the Latins and of the Roman Church. Let him be∣lieve it that will, that this was purely by chance, but I can't believe it. This Woman is a Prosti∣tute, an adulterous Woman, a Church unfaithful to Jesus Christ her Spouse. She is represented to us, making the Kings of the Earth drunk with the Wine of her Fornications. These are her Abo∣minations, her Superstitions, her false Worship, her Idols, and her false Religion, wherewith she makes people and Kings drunk by her unhappy perswasions. The figure is borrowed from those debauched Women, that give delicious liquors

to their Gallants to enflame them. The cup of gold, into which all these abominations are pour∣ed out, is the pretended infallibility. This Do∣ctrine contains all the superstitions and the errours of the Roman Church, as a Cup. It retains and unites them together. Without this, all would run out, as wine out of a vessel. 'Tis a Cup of gold: for this pretended priviledge of infallibility, would be the most precious thing in all the World to him that should have it. This Cup of gold, signifies also that pompous out-side of cere∣monies, and those so glittering externals, which contain disguised abominations and idolatries. The People drink the poison by favour of the Cup. They receive the idolatry by favour of the pomp, and the fair out-side.

Ʋpon her fore head was a name written MY∣STERY Babylon the great,* 1.223 the Mother of Har∣lots and abominations of the Earth. 'Tis the de∣scription of the Roman Church. She bears writ∣ten on her fore-head MYSTERY; for it is the mystery of iniquity, as we have seen before. All there is Mystery, all there appears like Religion, 'tis the proper name of Religions: but the truth is, 'tis a mystery of iniquity, a Religion full of a∣bominations. 'Tis a very remarkable thing, that the Popes did sometimes bear this name MY∣STERY written in the fore-part of their Mi∣ter. A Venetian Author assures us of it, and Io∣seph Scaliger saith, that he had seen them so marked. 'Tis the great Babylon. We have seen why she is so called; Babylon was once the Foun∣tain of all Idolatries.

And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the Saints?* 1.224 'Tis no longer the Beast that sheds the blood of Martyrs; 'tis the Woman. 'Tis

no longer the ancient Roman Empire; 'tis the false Church? 'tis the Roman Church that uses the paws of the Beast, the Arms of the Empire, and of Kings, to persecute the Church. As in the second Beast of the 13^th Chapter, the image of the Beast, the Roman Church, though she is but an image of an Empire, gives order for the killing of the Saints.

The Beast that thou sawest, was and is not.* 1.225 'Tis the Angel that speaks, explaining the vision to Saint John. The Empire, which thou hast seen represented by the beast, is the Roman Pagan Empire, that tends toward its end, and of which two thirds are already past. He must ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition. That Empire must very speedily be brought to nothing. But after it shall have been destroyed, it shall arise again out of Hell, under another form, un∣der the name and the form of a Church. 'Tis the head that was wounded to death, and which was to revive. But this second Empire, that must raise up the first again, and spring from its ashes, shall finally perish; whereas the Empire that shall be given to the Saints, shall never perish.

And they that dwell on the Earth, &c. shall wonder, when they behold the Beast, that was, and is not, and yet is. And the Inhabitants of the Roman Empire shall comprehend nothing of this mystery. They shall see, that the Roman Empire shall be abolisht, Rome shall cease to be the Mistress of the World by the fall of the Em∣perours; and all on a sudden they shall again see Rome mounted up again to the same dignity. The Beast was. The Roman Empire hath been. He is not; the Empire hath ceased. And yet is: and yet they shall see this Empire return, without

knowing how. This prodigy will make them dizzy and enchaunt them.

Here is the mind, which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains,* 1.226 on which the woman sitteth. We have seen seven Heads on the Beast on which the Woman sate. These seven Heads signify two things. 1st. Those seven Moun∣tains on which the Roman Church is raised, by reason of the seven Mountains of Rome, which is its Metropolis. 'Tis a Character that makes her remarkable; for she hath always been called Septicollis.

These seven heads are also seven Kings,* 1.227 five are fallen, and one is; and the other is not yet come. These seven Heads signify also the seven Kings, that is to say, the seven sorts of Soveraign Go∣vernments; under which this Empire hath passed, and must pass along. First Kings. 2d. Consuls. 3d. Decemvires. 4th. Tribunes of the people. 5th. Perpetual Dictators. These five are fallen, these five Governments were passed in St. John's time. The one is, viz. the sixth, that is the Go∣vernment of the Emperours; and the other is not yet come; that is to say, the seventh Head, which is that of the Popes, is not yet come. And when he cometh, he must continue a short space. I for∣merly believed, that these words might be ap∣plied to the Pope and to the Papism; but I believe it no longer; and to understand them, we must read the following verse.

And the Beast that was,* 1.228 and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 'Tis it may be designedly, that is to say, to render the Prophecy more obscure, that the H. Spirit hath inverted, the words. We must therfore resume the last words of the foregoing

verse, join them with these here, and place them all thus: And the eighth King is also of the Beast, which was, and is not. He is of the seven; and when he shall come, he must continue for a short space, and then goeth into perdition. See here an eighth King, that belongs to the Roman Empire. And this eighth King is of the seven, he is of the number of the seven Governments. It must necessarily be, that this eighth King must come from hence, that one of the seven is divided into two. And 'tis the Head of the Roman Empe∣rours divided into two. For the Roman Emperours are either Pagans, or Christians. The conversion of the Emperours made so great a change, that the Christian Emperours deserved to be reckon'd for an eighth head.

However, because they last but a short space, and because in respect of their Temporal, they were perfectly like the fore-going Emperours, the Holy Spirit ranks them under the seventh head. And when he cometh, he must continue a short space. That is to say, when the second part of the Head of the Emperours shall become, viz. the Christian Emperours, it shall not continue long. Indeed the Christian Emperours did not possess the Empire, but from the conversion of Constantine to Valentinian the third about 130, or 135. years. Besides, the transposition of the words which I have supposed, doth not make any difficulty here; for if I made a commentary, I could easily bring examples much more harsh in the writings only of the N. Testament.

And the ten Horns, which thou sawest,* 1.229 are ten Kings, which have received no Kingdom as yet: but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast. These are the ten Kings, or the ten King∣doms,

into which the Roman Empire was rent, when the Imperial power was destroyed in the West. And the same time that the ten Kings were made; the Beast, that is to say, the second Beast of the 13^th. Chapter, the Beast with two Horns, the Roman Church, began to form its Em∣pire. This is one of the most remarkable places of the Prophecies, to find the point of the birth of the Antichristian Empire. Therfore it deserves a larger reflection, which shall be found afterwards in its proper place.* 1.230 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast. These ten Kings, or these ten Kingdoms, shall voluntarily submit themselves to the yoke of the Roman Church. For she shall not obtain her dominion by the way of Conquest, but by the way of illusion, of se∣duction, and perswasion. She shall perswade the Kings of the Earth to give her their power. In truth this did so happen. The Princes doating on this Idol of St. Peter's Chair, the Apostolical See, raised this throne so high, that it was like afterwards to have swallowed them up.

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them.* 1.231 They shall lend their arms and their power to the Roman Church to smother the truth. But the truth of Jesus Christ shall surmount them, shall enlighten them, and get such a victory over them, as shall be happy for those that are overcome. England, Sweden, Denmark, and many other States have been already overcome in this manner.

And he saith unto me,* 1.232 the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. This Woman, this corrupted Church, shall have the multitude for her, she shall ascribe great honour

to her self from thence, and make use of that as an argument, that she is the true Spouse of Jesus Christ.

And the ten Horns, which thou sawst upon the Beast, these shall hate the whore,* 1.233 and make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, &c. We shall have occasion afterwards more than once to reflect on these words. Therfore we shall say nothing of them at present.

The woman which thou sawest, is that great City,* 1.234 which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth. The great City is not precisely the City of Rome, 'tis the Roman Church, that hath its seat at Rome on the seven Mountains. This is an important truth, that the great City in the Revelation signi∣fies not Rome precisely, but Rome conjunctly with its Ecclesiastical Empire. It should be proved; but we must reserve the proofs for another place, where it will be very material for us to fix this, what the City signifies.

CHAP. XVII.

Babylon in the 17th. and 18th. Chapters of the Revelation is Rome Antichristian and Papal, and not Rome Pagan.

THe 17^th. Chapter is one of those wherin the description of the Antichristian Empire is certainly contained. We have applied it to the See of Rome with the same success as we have done the foregoing Prophecies. But we have some considerations to add, to prove that that City spoken

of in that Chapter is Rome together with its Em∣pire, of Christian become Antichristian.

* 1.235'Tis a place where the Papists find themselves reduced to mighty straits. They have confessed, that the 11^th. and 13^th. Chap. of the Revelation spoke concerning Antichrist. But because in the 11^th. Chap. the seat of Antichrist is called the City where I. Christ was crucified, they will not acknowledg it to be Rome. And because in the 13^th. Chap. Rome. is not named, they will by no means have it to be found there. But in this 17^th. Chap. they are forced to see Rome in the city on seven Mountains, and in that great city, that reigned over the kings of the Earth. This brings them to the last extremity, and we need but see what they say on this point, to convince them that their Holy Roman See is the seat of the Anti∣christian Empire.

1st. They say that Rome in this 17^th. Chap. is Rome Pagan and not Rome Christian.* 1.236 The falsness of this supposition is evident. First it is clear that the Beast which carries the woman,* 1.237 is the same with that Beast that ariseth out of the Sea in the 13^th. Ch. This had seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten Crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. The Beast in the 17^th. Ch. is described after the same man∣ner. The Woman sate upon a scarlet-coloured Beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten Horns. Secondly the Beast of the 13^th. Ch. ariseth out of the Sea.* 1.238 And I saw à Beast rise up out of the Sea. That of the 17^th. Ch. ascends out of the bottomless pit, or the deep.* 1.239 The Beast that thou sawest was and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, or the deep. Now the deep and the sea in the visi∣ons

are the same thing. Thirdly,* 1.240 'Tis said of the first Beast, that all the World wonders after the Beast. That all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,* 1.241 whose names are not written in the book of Life. 'Tis said also of that in the seven∣teenth.* 1.242 That they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book of Life, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. Fourthly, The Beast in the 13^th Chap. makes war with the Saints,* 1.243 and 'tis given to him to overcome them. That in the 17^th Chap. carries a Woman,* 1.244 that makes her self drunk with the blood of the Saints. Fifthly, The Beast of the 13^th Chap. receives a deadly wound in one of his heads, which dies and rises again. The Beast in the 17^th Chap. was, and is not,* 1.245 and must ascend out of the bottomless pit, or the deep; was, and is not, and yet is. Who doth not see, that the latter is an explication of the former? The Beast was, and is not, because his head hath been mortally wounded. He is however, and must ascend out of the bottomless pit, because his deadly wound shall be healed, and the Beast shall rise again. Sixthly, The Beast in the 13^th Ch. hath ten horns, which signify ten Kings. That in the seventeenth hath likewise ten Horns; and the ten Horns which thou sawest are ten Kings.

* 1.246These so exact and perfect resemblances plain∣ly shew, that these two Beasts are one. But why is there a Woman seen sitting on the second Beast, and none upon the first? we have already hinted the reason. In the thirteenth Chap. there are two Beasts, which by the confession of all Inter∣preters, even the popish ones themselves, signify one and the same thing; only the Beast with the seven heads signifies the Empire; and the Beast

with two horns like those of a Lamb, signifies the Religion. And these two Beasts together sig∣nify the Roman Empire raised up under the name of the Church, and under the outside of Religion. In the 17^th Chap. the second Beast, which sig∣nifies the Religion, doth not appear; but in the place thereof appears a Woman riding upon the Beast to signify the Religion. And this for the greater clearness, because the seventeenth Chap. is an explication of the visions of the thirteenth. For the greater clearness, I say; for the corrupted Church is much more clearly signified by a Woman, than by a Beast. In all the Scripture, the Church is always represented to us as a Spouse, and a Woman; and the corrupt and idolatrous Church, as a debauch'd Woman, and an Adulteress. This is too well known to need any proof. Behold therefore this corrupted Woman, this adulterous Spouse of J. Christ. And the H. Spirit could not have described her in a more lively manner, and more proper for us to know her.

This being supposed, that the Beast in the thir∣teenth Chap. of the Revelations, is the same with that in the seventeenth, the later cannot be Rome Pagan, because by the consent even of all the po∣pish Interpreters, the two Beasts in the thirteenth Chap. represent the Empire of Antichrist. On this confession, and upon what we have just now pro∣ved, we argue thus:

The Woman in the seventeenth Chapter, by the consent of the popish Interpreters is Rome. And by the consent of the same Interpreters, the Beast in the thirteenth Chap. is Antichrist.

Now according to what we have just now pro∣ved, the Beast of the seventeenth Chapter, and the thirteenth are one and the same Beast.

Whence it is clear, that Rome must be the seat of Antichrist, and that Rome in the seventeenth Chapt. is not Rome Pagan.

That Rome in the seventeenth Chapter is not Rome Pagan, appears not only by the compari∣son,* 1.247 which we just before made of the two Beasts, but also if we consider the Beast of the 17^th Chap. all alone, and without reference to that in the 13^th Chapter.

* 1.248I. First of all, there is a prostitute, adulte∣rous, and debauch'd Woman sitting upon this Beast. Every one knows, that in the Holy Scri∣ptures Adultery figuratively signifies Idolatry. Now we shall never find any one single instance, where the Holy Spirit calls the Pagan Societies, Women and Spouses, Whores and Adulteresses. This name is given only to a corrupted Church. And the reason is plain, because the Pagan Socie∣ties having never plighted their faith to God, have not broken it, and never were his Spouse: they are not therefore unfaithful and adulterous in his account. So that this adulterous Woman cannot here be Rome Pagan, but that Rome that hath plighted her faith to Jesus Christ, and broken it; that Rome that styles her self the Spouse of Jesus, and yet doth prostitute her self to others.

Secondly, This Women is represented to us, as having in her hand a Cup of abominations of her whoredoms, of which she makes all the World to drink, i. e. she endeavours to draw all the Na∣tions of the Earth to her Idolatry. Now Rome Pagan never troubled her head to change the Re∣ligion of those people she had conquer'd, nor to force them to worship the same Gods as she did. On the contrary, every one knows, she

carried strange Gods in Triumph, and built Tem∣ples for them within her own walls.

Thirdly, These words, the Beast which thou sawest, was, and is not, and must ascend out of the bottomless pit, or the deep, can by no means agree to Rome Pagan. For this plainly signifies, that the Empire spoken of must perish, and be swallowed up, and afterwards be re-established. Now Rome Pagan and its Empire have been swal∣lowed up, but as Rome Pagan it is not raised up again. Besides, we may observe by the by, that we do not deny, but that Rome Pagan is represen∣ted by this Beast; for the Beast represents the Roman Empire in its whole duration, and in both its periods, the Pagan period and the Antichri∣stian period. The Beast which thou sawest, was, and is not; there is the Pagan Period: and must ascend out of the bottomless pit, or the deep; there is the Antichristian period.

Fourthly, It is said of this Beast, And the In∣habitants of the earth, whose names are not written in the book of Life, shall wonder, seeing the beast which was, and is not, and yet is. This signi∣fies, that men shall give him homage, and that this homage shall be given to him only by the enemies of Jesus Christ, and the Reprobates. It is not therefore Rome Pagan; for the true Chri∣stians obeyed, and gave a voluntary homage to the Roman Empire in its Pagan period, just as the other subjects of the Empire. But since it was raised up again, and is no longer what it once was, they have no longer obeyed it.

Fifthly, That which is said of the ten Kings, can by no means agree to Rome in its Pagan Period. The ten Horns which thou sawest, are ten Kings, which have not yet begun to reign, but shall receive

power as Kings one hour with the Beast.* 1.249 Let them inform us a little, where are, and who are the ten Kings, that shall reign the same time with Rome Pagan; who in Saint Iohns time had not be∣gun to reign, and who yet were to begin their reign at the same time with the Roman Emperours. Is it not plain, that these are ten Kings, that must receive their birth from the ruin of the Ro∣man Pagan Empire, and compose an Antichristian Roman Empire, under the rule of the prostitute and adulterous Woman, i. e. the revolted Church and Spouse of Jesus Christ.

Sixthly,* 1.250 How can these words agree to Rome Pagan, these, i. e. these ten Kings have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast. Did those Kings, whose Kingdoms were con∣quer'd by the Roman Pagan Empire, voluntarily give their power to the Beast? Did not Rome Pagan by meer violence ravish away those great Estates, of which she formed her Empire? Can it be said, that the Kings that were conquer'd and subdued, had one mind? Did they reign to∣gether with Rome Pagan? were they not de∣stroyed, and their Kingdoms reduced into Ro∣man Provinces? This therefore can in no wise a∣gree to the Pagan Period of Rome; but doth very well to the Antichristian and Papal one. For it is true, that the ten Kings compose this Ecclesiastical Empire, and submit themselves un∣to it. It is true, that they have one mind, and that they have given their power unto the Beast. For it was not by Force of Arms, that Rome hath acquired this second Empire; but by perswasion, by illusion, by the false religion, by the commu∣nion of idolatry, and by the Chimaera of an Empire of Jesus Christ on the Earth.

This is the only thing to be met with which the popish Interpreters have to oppose, to prove that Antichrist must not sit at Rome, and that Rome in this Chap. is Rome Pagan: say they, the ten Kings shall hate the Whore,* 1.251 and make her de∣solate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 'Tis the Argument of Bellarmin, which all the rest have adopted. St. Iohn, saith he, predicts, that the ten Kings, that shall divide the Roman Empire, and under the reign of whom Antichrist shall come, shall hate the whore clothed in purple, i. e. Rome, and shall make her deso∣late, and burn her with fire. How then, shall she be the Seat of Antichrist, if in that very time she must be overthrown and burnt? A mighty riddle, hard to be solved! We need but read on, Saint Iohn immediately adds,* 1.252 For God shall put it into their hearts to fulfill his Will, and to agree, and give their Kingdom to the beast, untill the Word of God shall be fulfilled. Who doth not see, that these are two distinct times? In one of them the ten Kings shall give their power to the Beast, by the cheat of a false piety; and in the other, being better instructed, and recover'd foolish fondness, they shall spoil that Empire, which they shall have formed by their complaisance? Men must be hardly prest upon, that have recourse to such vain evasions as these.

* 1.253But observe their foolish self-contradiction. Here Bellarmin and his adherents say, that the ten Kings, which shall divide the Roman Empire, shall come in Antichrists time: and that these are the same, that shall make the Whore desolate, i. e. that shall destroy the City of Rome. viz. Rome that is here spoken of, and which Bellarmin him∣self defines by the Whore clothed in purple; that is

to say, Rome. Now how will the ten Kings, that must not come till the end of the World, ac∣cording to them, be able to make desolate and burn Rome Pagan, which hath no longer been in being for above 1300. years? The ten Kings asso∣ciated with Antichrist only three years and a half before the end of the World, will be able to make desolate no other Rome, than what will then be in being. Now Pagan Rome will be no more; it will be Rome Christian, whose Empire he supposes must subsist to the end of the World, and to the reign of Antichrist. Men must have lost their understanding, and be given up to a re∣probate sense, so to contradict both themselves and the Truth with so much dishonesty.

Lastly, it is clear by the following Chapter, which is the 18^th, that the great City which reigneth over the kings of the earth, cannot be Rome Pa∣gan, but Rome Antichristian. In the 18^th Chap. he calls her Babylon, whom just before he called the great city; and even the popish Interpreters agree also, that that Babylon is Rome. Now he describes the fall of that Babylon, i. e. of Rome, in such a manner as cannot agree to any other but Rome Antichristian. First, He saith,* 1.254 that all Na∣tions have drank of the wine of the wrath of her for∣nication. We have already seen, that this signi∣fies that Idolatry, to which Babylon hath drawn the Nations by her Charms and Enchantments, which doth not agree to Rome Pagan. Secondly,* 1.255 He saith, come out of Babylon my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 'Tis plain, this cannot be under∣stood of any thing but of an Idolatrous Church, whence God would draw forth his Elect. God never commanded his faithful Servants to go out

of Rome Pagan, they always remained in it. Thirdly, and lastly; the manner in which the ruin of this Babylon is described, can by no means agree to Rome Pagan. The Holy Spirit represents it as a City burnt, and entirely reduced to ashes; the Merchants whereof, and they that gained by her, behold her desolation and her burning afar off. And to conclude, he signifies, that it must be such a fall, from which she shall never rise again. And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great Mill-stone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down,* 1.256 and shall be found no more at all. Now this is not yet happened to Rome, she hath been taken, and retaken, and pillaged se∣veral times; but yet she subsists still; so that this can't be understood, but of the last ruin, that must happen to Rome Antichristian.

And thus you have the proofs that shew, that that Rome, which all the popish Interpreters as well as we, do find in the 17^th and 18^th Chap. of the Revelation, cannot be Rome Pagan: proofs which I call a demonstration; for I maintain, there is no man, that can resist the force of them.

* 1.257And the modern popish Interpreters have felt the force of them. At this day they do confess, that it is not Rome Pagan. But see what they say, viz. that that Rome that now is, towards the end of the World, shall be corrupted, become idola∣trous, debauched; that she shall shake off the yoke of Jesus Christ, and carry her disorders as far as Rome Pagan. But yet however, that it must not be the seat of Antichrist; who must be accom∣panied with his ten Kings, have his habitation at Jerusalem, and come to Rome when it is turn'd Idolatrous and Pagan, to destroy and ruin it; as

he will also do. See the words of Viega on the eighteenth of the Revelation. One may plainly gather from the infinite number of precious merchan∣dises, and of all sorts that are here noted, that Rome in the last times after her Apostacy, shall at∣tain to soveraign power, and great riches, and that her Empire shall extend it self throughout the World upon the ten Kings so often named. For that these mighty riches do not belong to Rome Pagan; it is clear by these words, Come forth of Babylon, my people. For this shews, that 'tis not ancient Rome that is here spoken of, in which there were no faith∣full ones; but that Rome that shall flourish in the last times. Then therefore the City of Rome shall greatly flourish, and its Empire shall be very large. She shall live in pleasures, and have great abun∣dance of all things. And at the same time, she shall be enslaved to Idolatry, be full of Supersti∣tions, sacrifice to Doemons and false Deities. And by reason of the vast quantity of the blood of the Saints, that shall be shed by her under the Empe∣rours of Rome, by a terrible but a very righteous judgement of God, she shall at last be made deso∣late, and burnt by ten Kings. See what the force and evidence of the truth hath drawn from the mouth of the worshippers of Rome.

What prodigious whimsies are these? To what extremity must these men have been reduced? The Scripture speaks of but one Antichristian Empire; The Church never imagin'd there was more than one, and lo here are men that make a couple. The first shall be in Rome corrupted; for according to them, Rome in the last days must have a great Empire, must subdue Kingdoms, and draw them together with her self into a re∣volt from Jesus Christ. Lo therefore, there's one

Antichristian Empire at Rome: what need have we of another Antichrist sitting at Jerusalem? Moreover, this Chimaera is founded on this prin∣ciple, that the Beast in the 13^th Chapt. which according to them represents Antichrist, is not the same with the Beast in the 17^th Chap. with the great City that ruleth over the Kings of the Earth, and with Babylon spoken of in the 14^th and the 18^th Chapt. Now we have confuted this ridiculous imagination, and have demonstrated that Babylon, the great City, the Beast of the 13^th and the 18^th Chapter are the same thing.

This Chimaera is so ill to be defended, that the more modern Papists have abandon'd it, and at last have been forced to acknowledge, that Rome must be the seat of Antichrist; that the great City spoken of in the 11^th Chapter, where Jesus Christ was crucified, is not Jerusalem, but spi∣ritual Babylon, spoken of afterwards: and Bernard de Montreuil, that hath write since the rest, though he retains that ancient dream, that An∣tichrist must come out of Jerusalem; yet he con∣fesses however, that the Babylonish Empire and the Antichristian are not two Empires, that must succeed one another, and the one destroy the other, according to the supposition of those we were just now speaking of. He confesseth that Rome shall be the chief City of Antichrist's party, that Anti∣christ must defend it, and that the ten Kings of the Beast are the subjects of its grandeure, and that of Antichrist, the head of the League, the Mo∣narch of the time. He calls Antichrist the Prince of the Apocalyptical Babylon. And he confesseth, that this Babylon is Rome; therefore he acknow∣ledgeth, that Rome must be Antichristian, and the capital City of Antichrist, Babylon, saith he,

is the Mistress, the Queen, the Empress of the kingdom of Antichrist. Not daring to call Rome Babylon,* 1.258 he defines it however by Western Babylon who being perverted, instead of obeying the Laws of the piety of the first age, shall in her pride cause her self to be called the great and the independant, and shall become much worse under the reign of An∣tichrist, than ever Eastern Babylon was. After these confessions, there remains no other help for the popish Doctors, to hinder their Rome from being acknowledged to be Rome Antichristian, but the Chimaera of the three years and a half's du∣ration of Antichrists kingdom.

It is true, say they, that Rome must be posses∣sed by Antichrist, that he must establish Idolatry there, that Rome must become worse than Rome Pagan was in the time of St. John, and than Eastern Babylon in the time of the Prophets; but this must last but three years and a half. When therefore we have destroyed this ridiculous dream of three natu∣ral years and a half, we shall have demonstrated, that Rome at this day is the true Seat of Antichrist, and then I shall make them this Argument.

Babylon in the Revelation is the seat of the An∣tichristian Empire, the same thing with the pro∣stitute Woman, with the Beast with seven heads and ten horns. All this is Rome become Anti∣christian, and the seat of Antichrist. Which is plain, either by what hath been invincibly proved, or what the Papists themselves have confessed. Now this Antichristian Roman Empire must en∣dure, not 1260. natural days, but 1260. propheti∣cal days, i. e. 1260. years.

Therefore it is evident, that the Antichristian Empire, which must be at Rome, cannot be that chimerical Empire of Antichrist of three years and

a half, that must conclude 45. days before the end of the World; and that 'tis that of Rome, which hath endured so long already. The con∣sequence is plain, because all do acknowledge, the World must not, and cannot according to the decrees of God, endure yet twelve or thir∣teen hundred years, to make room for the reign of Antichrist; and a thousand years more at the end of that, to make room for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the truth and certainty of which we shall prove. So that if the reign of Antichrist must endure 1260. years, it is necessary that it subsist at this present time, and that it hath be∣gun a long time since. This is, I say, a de∣monstration, which I have in readiness for these Gentlemen, when I shall have proved the only thing in this argument, that can be called in question, viz. that the 1260. days of Anti∣christ cannot be understood of so many natu∣ral days. I would prove this truth presently, were it not that it regards the time of the duration of the Antichristian Empire, of which we shall have occasion afterwards to speak. Wherefore now we shall continue to give you the explication of the Prophecies, that contain the Character of this Antichristian Empire.

CHAP. XVIII.

More proofs, that the Characters of the Anti∣christian Empire do agree to the Papism. A Proof drawn from the fourth Chapter of the first Epistle of St, Paul to Timothy. The translation of that passage amended.

SOme persons reading our second just Prejudice against popery, have admired; that to make up the character of Antichrist, we have not among other places of Scripture inserted that Text of St. Paul, in his first Epistle to Timothy, in the be∣ginning of the fourth Chapter. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly, that in the later times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spi∣rits and doctrines of Devils, speaking lies in hypo∣crisy, having their consciences seared with an hot iron. Forbidding to marry, and abstaining from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe.

* 1.259'Tis certain, this is one of the clearest Oracles of the New Testament, and one of the most live∣ly pictures the Holy Spirit gives us of the Anti∣christian Apostacy. But I could not make use of it, in drawing my prejudices against the Roman Church; because prejudices must be drawn from things either exceeding notorious, or confessed and granted. My prejudice was not this: No Religion that hath Antichrist for its head, can be the true Religion. Now the Roman Religion hath Antichrist for its head, &c. If I had formed it thus, I had been obliged to bring all the proofs that are to be met with in the H. Scripture, to

maintain, that the Roman Religion is the Anti∣christian Empire; and then I must not have omit∣ted this. But I argued otherwise in that preju∣dice; and said, I judge not, but I prejudge. I do not pronounce, that the Pope and his religion are Antichrist. But I say, it is very strange and surprizing, that all those places of Scripture, where, by the consent of Interpreters of all ages and of all parties, Antichrist is spoken of, may be so easily and so justly applied to the Pope and his religion. Though at the bottom popery should not be pure Antichristianism, yet there is no like∣lyhood, that God would describe Antichrist and his reign in such equivocal terms, that all that that is confessed to be spoken concerning Anti∣christ, may be adopted to him that should be the Vicar of Jesus Christ, and to a Society that should be his faithful Spouse. 'Tis plain, that to reason thus, I was to look for no other Texts, but those that are not contested; such as are the second Chapt. of the second Epistle to the Thes∣salonians, the seventh of Daniel, the 11, 13, 17, and 18^th of the Revelation, whereas the Romish Doctors do dispute about all, in the words of St. Paul in the fourth Chapter of his first Epistle to Timothy. They dispute about the particular sense and the general scope of it. They turn this Ora∣cle off on the Encratites, Manichees, &c.

Now, that I am not a drawing prejudices, but do dispute, I must prove; and though the proofs are contested, yet we must not abandon them in a controversy. We must only make them so evident, that they may be clear to all reasonable men. And this is that, which we are about to do in pursuing the History of the Characters of the Antichristian Apostacy, by this passage of St. Paul,

according to that sense of it, which the learned Joseph Mede gives us; who hath given us abun∣dance of light into the Prophecies, but into none of them more, or more happily than into this.

* 1.260First of all we must rectify the translation of this passage; and in the beginning give notice, that the divisions of our Chapters, being not altogether authentick, and being often times made with little judgment, no regard must be given to this, that the 4^th. Ch. of the 1st. Epistle of Timothy begins with these words, Now the Spirit saith expresly that in the later times, &c. For in truth the sense begins at the last verse of the foregoing Chap. and we should read thus, Without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness, God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of Angells, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the World, and received up into Glory. But the Spirit saith expresly, that in the later times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devills. This observation alone is enough to perswade all those that sincerely seek after the truth, that the Apostacy, which the Apostle speaks of, is the Apostacy of Antichrist. For he makes so clear an opposition of this apostacy to the Mystery of Godliness, that 'tis impossible not to discern, that he opposes Mystery to mystery, religion to religion; the mystery of Godliness to the mystery of iniquity, of which he himself hath spoken to us in his 2d. Ep. to the Thessalonians. And as by the mystery of iniquity, all the world acknow∣ledges, that he means the religion of Antichrist; so all the world ought to acknowledg, that in this place the Apostacy of the later times oppo∣sed to the Mystery of Godliness, is the Antichristian

Empire and Religion. And that the reason why the Apostle hath not here repeated the term of the mystery of iniquity, is because he did believe, that it would be easily understood. It seems natural, that after he had said the mystery of Godliness is great, he should say, but the mystery of iniquity shall publickly appear, which shall be an Apostacy from the faith. He would without doubt have thus exprest himself, were it not, that having spoken elsewhere of the Mystery of iniquity, any one might easily perceive that in this later place he makes an evident allusion to it, and that so it might easily be seen in the Apostacy, which he describes.

* 1.261Our version renders the Text of St. Paul thus; Now the Spirit saith expresly, that in the later times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing Spirits, and Doctrines of Devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience scared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry; com∣manding to abstain from meats, which God hath created for them that believe. Looking on the Text in this form, the first sense that offers it self to our sight is, that these Doctrines of De∣vills are those which he adds in the following words viz. Forbidding of marriage, and abstinence from meat. Now I confess, that ever since I understood how to read and understand, I have always suspected this, and I did not understand how and why the Apostle St. Paul should cha∣racterise those opinions that seem so little cri∣minal, as the forbidding of Mariage to certain persons, and abstaining from certain meats at certain times, by such black names as the Apostacy from the faith, and the Doctrines of Devills. I did conceive, that the law of Celibacy in the

Priests and Religious persons, might well be called a Doctrine of Devills, by reason of those im∣purities that are the consequences of it; but as for abstinence from meats in Lent and on cer∣tain days, one cannot deny, but that it is a very extravagant expression to call it a Doctrine of Devils. It must be observed therefore, that a∣postacy from the faith, and the Doctrine of Devils, do not refer to the forbidding of marriage and of meats, as the Genus referrs to the Species, as if these forbiddings of marriage and of meats, were themselves Doctrines of Devils. They are only the Characters of those that are to teach the Do∣ctrines of Devils; that is to say, that they shall be persons that shall make a profession of great austerity, to that degree, that they shall abstain from marriage, which God hath instituted, and from meats which God hath allowed us to use. And so this is the sense of the words.* 1.262 In the lat∣ter days, there shall happen an apostacy and a revol∣ting from the faith; men shall give up themselves to seducing spirits & to doctrines of Demons, which Do∣ctrines shall be taught by hypocrites, lyars, men whose consciences are seared with a hot iron; and who ma∣king a great shew of their austerities, shall abstain from marriage, and from meats which God hath created, imposing a necessity on all their devouts to observe celibacy, and the Laws of their fasts, that consist in distinction of meats. And to translate it exactly according to the Greek Text, the sense is clear without a Paraphrase.

I. Now the Spirit saith expresly, that in the latter times some shall revolt from the faith, giving themselves up to deceiving Spirits and Doctrines of Demons.

II. And this through the fictions of lyars,

men whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

III. Forbidding to marry, commanding to ab∣stain from meats, which God hath created to be recei∣ved with thanksgiving by the faithful, and by them who know the truth.

Those that understand Greek and the rules of Grammer, will easily see, that the words cannot be otherwise translated. For the Greek pronoun some, and the participle giving up themselves to, cannot be construed with lyars and forbidding; seeing the pronoun some, is in the nominative case, as they call it, and the other words are in that which they call the Genitiue. So that it must not be translated, some giving up themselves and teaching lies. But lyars and forbidding must be construed with these words through the hypocrisy, and be rendred through the hypocrisy, or through the fiction of lyars. For the proposition that sig∣nifies [in,] signifies also by or through. And our (French) Interpreters have so translated it, teach∣ing lies through hypocrisy. But instead of teaching lies, it should be translated, through the hypocrisy of those that teach lies, or lyars. This Text thus rectified by a right translation, presents two things to us, the first is the Antichristian Apostacy and its Characters; the second is the fountain of this Apostacy, the men that must cause and promote it. The first is the apostacy from the faith, to give up themselves to se∣ducing spirits and the doctrine of Devils or Dae∣mons; the second is the hypocritical Authors of the Law of celibacy, and of abstinence from meats. Let us examine whether these two things do well agree to the Papism.

CHAP. XIX.

That the term of Apostacy, is not too big to express the Papism by: that Apostacy signifies rebellion and Idolatry: why the H. S••ripture uses such high words to describe the popish Idolatry; and higher than those, it makes use of to describe the Pagan Idolatry.

THe first Character of the Antichristian Em∣pire that appears in this place is apostacy: some shall revolt from the faith.

'Tis exactly the very same word, which Saint Paul uses in the second Chap. of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, where by the confession of all, he describes the coming of the Antichristian Empire. That day shall not come, except there come a falling away, or an apostacy first, and that man of sin, the son of perdition, be revealed.* 1.263 This term of apostacy at this day begets a dreadful Idea in mens minds. 'Tis used to signify an entire re∣nunciation of the faith. Especially when 'tis join∣ed with the word faith, as it is here, They shall fall into an apostacy from the faith; it seems to sig∣nify as much, i. e. an utter renunciation of the Christian faith. Now the Papism makes great use of that, and pretends to prove it cannot be called an apostacy, and a renunciation of the Chri∣stian faith, because it retains that entire, receiving the Apostles Creed, the Nicene, and Athana∣sius's, in the sense of the Scripture, and of the Church.

Before we shew, that this makes nothing a∣gainst

our hypothesis;* 1.264 I will observe one thing, which I have not found any as yet have sufficiently confirm'd. 'Tis this, that the term of apostacy, which signifies the Empire of Antichrist, evident∣ly shews, that the Antichrist of the Romish Do∣ctors, is a meer Chimaera. According to them, he must be a Jew that must style himself the Mes∣siah, assemble all the Jews at Jerusalem, make war on the Christians, and destroy Christianity. If he be a Jew by nation and religion, he will not be an Apostate. For according to the Scri∣pture usage of the word, and that of the lan∣guages at this day, none are called Apostates, but those that abandon the true religion to embrace a false one. So that see here is a new proof, that Antichristianism must establish it self in Christiani∣ty, and the Subjects and Prince of this Empire, must be Apostates from the Christian religion, which cannot agree to the Jews. We must not say, that this Empire of Antichrist is called an apostacy, because it will cause the Christians to revolt, and make them Apostates: For it is plain, that the head of this Empire must himself be an Apostate. That day shall not come, except there be first a falling away, or an apostacy, and the man of sin the son of perdition be revealed. One may plainly see, that this signifies, before the apo∣stacy of the man of sin happens.

* 1.265At the present to make appear, that the revolt of the Papism from the faith is very justly styled an apostacy, divers things must be observ'd. And first, That this word in its original, doth not signify all that, that men at this day would signi∣fy by it. The verb whence this word is derived, signifies no more than to depart from any person or thing. They that understand Greek, cannot be igno∣rant of that.

So Apostacy originally signifies a departure; 'tis to depart from the obedience which is due to any one. 'Tis to refuse him, either the whole, or a part of that homage, that is due to him. 'Tis not without a great mystery of Providence, that such extravagant Ideas, and such as are not ac∣cording to the intention of the H. Spirit, should be affixed to the names designed to signify the Antichristian Empire and its head. For example, the man of sin, the son of perdition, the Beast with seven heads full of blasphemies, the great Whore, the Cup of abomination, Antichrist. Excessive Ideas, I say have been affixed to these names, as if hereby it were signified, that the person and the Empire, designed by these names, should have nothing of the Christian; yea, nothing of humane in it, and that they should be prodigies of impiety, madness, blasphemy and impurity. The same thing hath happen'd in the term Apo∣stacy, to which hath been affixed the Idea of an utter renunciation of the faith. And this hath not come to pass without a singular Providence of God, who would not have Antichrist to be known, to the end that during his birth and esta∣blishment no man might oppose him.

Our second Observation is, that the word apostacy in the Scripture use of it, answers to the Hebrew word mered rebellion,* 1.266 and marad to rebel. 'Tis very usual with the 70. Interpreters, to render these Hebrew words by those of, to apostatize and apostacy, whether it be rebellion a∣gainst God, or rebellion against men that is treated of. The Reubenites and Gadites, returning home, after they had assisted their Brethren, to settle themselves on the other side of Jordan, built an Altar on the bank of the river. The other Tribes

imagining, that the Reubenites & Gadites intended to sacrifice on that Altar against the command∣ment of God, they say to them, ye rebel against the Lord.* 1.267 Timeredou, which in the Greek is rendred, you are become Apostates from the Lord. On the other hand, the Reubenites justifying themselves, say, the Lord knows, if this thing be done in rebellion. They use this word mered, and the septuagint have rendred it by that of apostacy. When the Spies returned, Joshuah and Caleb being desirous to induce the Israelites to pur∣sue their journey, to endeavour the conquest of the Land of Canaan according to the inten∣tion of God, they say to them, revolt not, al timeredou; and the Greek hath it, do not turn apostates. Instances are without number, and 'tis sufficient to have intimated it.

According to this use of the word, which is certainly the Scripture use of it, 'tis evident that the Papism is a true apostacy, a rebellion, a revolt. To be an Apostate in the Scripture sense,* 1.268 it is not necessary that a man should utterly abandon the true God. When the Israelites on this side Jor∣dan, accuse the Reubenites of an intention to turn Apostates, do not revolt, they do not so much as suspect, that they intend entirely to renounce God, but only to build an altar against the Al∣tar of Moses, to sacrifice to that God that brought them out of Egypt. Do not apostatize, say they to them, in building you an Altar besides the Altar of the Lord our God. When Caleb and Joshuah say to the Israelites, on the occasion of their refusing to go towards the Land of Canaan, do not apostatize, they did not apprehend, that the Israelites were minded to chuse another God; but only that they would revolt from the orders

of the true God, but yet without renouncing him for their God.

* 1.269It is not therefore necessary, that the Papism should be a formal and entire renunciation of the faith; it is enough that 'tis a revolting from the faith. Now certainly the Papism is so. There are none of the Articles of the Christian faith, which it doth not destroy, and against which it doth not plant its engines. There are rebels, that do in words acknowledge a Prince for their King, who yet do not cease to make war against him. This is the ordinary way of rebels. The Papism doth perfectly the very same thing. It doth homage in words to the principal Articles of the Christian faith, but indeed it fights against them, it destroys them. It acknowledges a God manifest in the flesh; but it revolts from this Article, and destroys it by another carnal God, or a God in the flesh, i. e. the Bishop of Rome, to whom it ascribes a double power, which agrees to Jesus Christ alone, and which even Jesus Christ himself would not exercise, while he was here upon Earth. It destroys also this God manifest in the flesh by another Jesus Christ, incarnated, breaden, transubstantiated, indivisibly united to the accidents of the bread; and of this false Christ it makes a true Idol. It believes one Jesus, the redeemer of the World; but it destroys this article of faith, and revolts from it, in saying, the Saints are our mediators, in offering to God their me∣rits, besides the merits of Jesus Christ, and in praying to God in their name and by their inter∣cession. It believes one only God; but it revolts from this article, in supposing new objects of worship, to which it renders a truly religious worship. It believes that the blood of J. Christ

cleanseth us from all sin; but it revolts from this Article divers ways, in seeking out strange sa∣tisfactions, and in supposing a purgatory, the use of which is to expiate the sins of men.

* 1.270And that we may clearly understand, that all these things and others of the like nature, may very well be called an Apostacy from the faith, we must again make use of that passage in the 22^th Chapt. of the book of Joshua, where the Israelites say to their brethren, do not apostatize in building an Altar, besides the Altar of the Lord. These words shew, that one may be an apostate, not only by bringing things into Religion, which are against Religion, but also in promoting things that are besides Religion. For they do not say against the Altar, but besides the Altar. Now in this sense, it is clear, that the Papism is an Apostacy. For be∣sides the true object of worship, it introduces new objects of religious adoration; besides the sole and only Jesus, it introduces many saviours; besides the sole Intercessor, many intercessors; besides the sole sacrifice another sacrifice; besides the true Sacra∣ments, false ones. The Papism introduceth doctrines & worship, both against the faith & besides the faith, therfor 'tis a true revolting or apostacy from the faith.

* 1.271My third Observation is this, that to have a right knowledge of the Papism, we must not look upon it as is usually done, as compounded with the opinions and worship of Christianity, which it hath retained. This is one of the great artifi∣ces of the Devil and his Agents, to make us con∣sider, the Papism as a Religion that confesseth one only God, that worships J. Christ God co-eternal with the Father, the Redeemer of the World; that believes the resurrection, the life everlasting, Hell, and the last Judgment. The eye confounds

these fair and great objects, with the additi∣ons of popery. And this confused and indistinct view makes the additions to be esteem'd as no∣thing, and appear very inconsiderable, on the ac∣count of that Christianity that lies at the bottom. That therefore we may know the Papism, and what name we ought to give it, we must consider it alone, by it self, and as separated from the Christian Religion. Then it is certain, it will deserve the name of an apostacy or a formal revolt from the faith. For do but look only on that Troop of second Gods, of Pilgrimages, Indul∣gences, Masses, Saints, Patrons, Intercessors, she-Saints, Images Reliques, Idols, the bread that is worshipp'd, pray'd to, and before which men prostrate themselves. This is a true Paga∣nism, and a formal apostacy from the Christian faith.

My fourth and last Observation, to justify that the terms of Apostacy from the faith, which the Apostle makes use of here, are not too high, but agree very well to the Papism is,* 1.272 that Apo∣stacy, though the word ordinarily signifies all sort of rebellion, yet when Religion is spoken of, it particularly signifies Idolatry. So when the Le∣vites confess the sins of their Nation and of their Fathers, they say, they were disobedient, and they rebelled against thee. The septuagint renders it, they departed from thee, and fell into apostacy; by which, without doubt, is meant the Idolatry of the Israelites. For that was the sin that did prin∣cipally draw down the wrath of God upon them. And the septuagint also says of Ahaz, that plun∣ged himself into the Idolatries of the Heathens, that he apostatized from the Lord with a great apostacy:* 1.273 not that he did absolutely abandon the

God of his Fathers;* 1.274 for he kept the brazen Altar to enquire of the Lord therewith.

* 1.275If all the Idolatry of the Church be called apo∣stacy, and deserves that name; it is certain, the Idolatry of the Papism may well be called apostacy. And hereupon, 'tis worth the while to enquire into the reason, why God speaks in so high terms concerning the Idolatry of the Papism: He calls that Church, the great Whore, that makes the Kings of the Earth drunk with the wine of her for∣nication. He saith, she holds in her hand a Cup full of abominations; and all this, because of her Idolatry. This looks as if it were very extrava∣gant, when applied to the Idolatry of the Papism. For after all, its false worship doth not appear to be any great matter; the Church of Rome in∣vocates Saints; but besides that, they are the friends of God, she invocates them only in relation to God, because he hath honoured them with his gifts. She believes, that the good things which are asked of the Saints, are not obtained of them, but because those Saints themselves do obtain them of God by their intercessions. She pro∣strates her self before Images; but the worship she gives them is relative, and goeth up to their ori∣ginal. And lastly, it doth not appear, that this popish Idolatry doth come near the Idolatry of the Heathens, to which nevertheless the Holy Spirit hath not given such frightful names. Here then are two things to be enquired into. First, why God gives us so odious an Idea of this popish wor∣ship. Secondly, why he speaks of it in higher terms then he doth of the heathen Idolatries.

As to the first question, I answer, that we need but plainly lay open the invocation of Saints, their mediation, their intercession and the adora∣tion

of their Images,* 1.276 to see that there is nothing more Antichristian, that doth more subvert Chri∣stianity, and one of its principal Articles, viz. that of the exaltation of Jesus Christ at the right hand of his Father. This sitting at the right hand of his Father doth not meerly signify, as is sup∣posed, an elevation to the glory and dignity of Soveraign Monarch of the Church. It signi∣fies also that perpetual assistance, if I may use this term in that sense; that perpetual action, by which Jesus is always present with God his Father, to speak to him in our behalf, and to obtain of him all things that we stand in need of. He as∣sists at the right hand of God, because that is the hand of glory, and glory is for him. The right hand also is the hand of good omen. Therefore evil omens are called sinister ones, i. e. very bad ones. Now in this respect the assists at the right hand of God for us, and therefore it is that sit∣ting at the right hand is immediately joined with intercession. Who is he that shall condemn? It is God that justifies; it is Christ that hath dyed, or ra∣ther that is risen again, who also sits at the right hand of God, and makes intercession for us. And elsewhere, he is entred into the holy places with his blood newly shed, and lives there, that he may make intercession for us. So that the honour of the exaltation of Jesus Christ consists in these two things;

• First, his royal dignity, that exalts him above all the Church.
• Second, the glorious pri∣viledge of continually assisting before the Father, to be our Mediator.

These two great advantages belong to Jesus Christ in such a manner, that they are incommunicable to every one besides. This was what was typified by the high Priest, who alone entred into the Holy of holies to pre∣sent

his incense there. Whosoever therefore com∣municates these two advantages to the creature, he destroys the article of the exaltation of Jesus Christ, and consequently promotes an abominable doctrine.

* 1.277Now this is that which the Papism doth, it destroys the exaltation of Jesus Christ by dividing it. First of all, it destroys his exaltation, that is to say, his royal dignity, in giving him an Asso∣ciate under the name of his Vicar, who assumes as well as Jesus Christ, the name of God, Holy, most Holy and Holiness. For to make a Vicar for a King without his order, and against his will, is to give him a Rival. Supposing therefore, that this great office of Vicar of Iesus Christ, be not ac∣cording to God's intention; it is certain, that it is the highest of all encroachments on his right and authority; and which deserves the odious names of apostacy and abomination.

Secondly, It overthrows the mystery of his exal∣tation, in giving Jesus Christ companions in his incommunicable priviledge of standing before the Throne of God,* 1.278 and being at his right hand to present our requests unto him. This is evident∣ly that which makes the connection of this Text of Saint Paul, now the Spirit saith expresly, there shall be a departing from the faith, with the fore∣going one, God manifest in the flesh, &c. received up into glory. Naturally received up into glory, should follow after justified in the Spirit, and come before seen of Angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the World. But he would place the words, received up into glory, at the end of the mystery of Godliness, and immediately be∣fore the prediction of the Apostacy, to signify, that that Apostacy should principally aim at the ruin of

that Article. For in truth it seems,* 1.279 that the mystery of iniquity did principally design to draw down Jesus Christ from the Heavens, and tum∣ble him again into a low estate. It encloses him in a bit of bread, it makes him descend into unclean entrails, it sends him to the draught, it causes him to be eat by Mice and Rats. It takes away from him his arms, legs, head, life, and leaves him without any action or defence. It sets up rivals to him in all his offices, and divides his honour to wood and stone. All this well con∣sider'd, deserves the name of abomination and apostacy.

* 1.280That this may be more plain with respect to the invocation of Saints, and to take off the veil, under which they hide the horrours of that wor∣ship; we must observe, that that sitting of Jesus Christ at the right hand of his Father, imports a very near presence of the Son, who assists per∣petually before his Father, and who is perpe∣tually before his face, environn'd and (as I may so say) buried by the rays of that glorious face of God. Thou shalt not have other Gods before my face. This face of God is a lively spring of light, that swallows up whatsoever there is of brightness in the most excellent creatures, in such a manner, that they are as nothing in the presence of God. There is but one creature, that is not swallowed up by these rays, and that is the humane nature of the Son of God. That is up∣held by the glory of the second Person, to which it is supernaturally united. By reason of this, the Son may be invocated before the face, and in the presence of the Father, because the glory of the Son is not swallowed up and annihilated by the glory of the Father. But it is a true abomina∣tion,

to go and worship, and invocate a simple creature before the face of God, and at the foot of his Throne.

This consideration doth utterly destroy that vain pretence, which so many take for a good reason.* 1.281 We lawfully pray the Saints on Earth to pray to God for us, say they; what greater harm is there to invocate them in the heavens? The difference is plain; the Saints that are upon Earth, are conceived as far from God, their rays are not swallowed up by the infinite brightness of the Divinity, we may give them some homage. But to go and serve them before the face of God; to give them a religious worship in Heaven, 'tis insolently to violate the Majesty of God. And under what pretence soever it may be done, 'tis a bold attempt, that is not pardonable. A Subject that is highly preferred, when he is alone, and far from his Prince, may receive great honours from those that are beneath him. But both the smal∣lest and the greatest, when they are in the So∣veraign's presence, are equal. It would be a piece of high Treason, to render homage to a Sub∣ject before the Soveraign's face. The Sun swal∣lows up all the Stars. The glory of God in his Throne annihilates all glory. 'Tis therefore an odious crime, to go and render homage to the Saints at the foot of the Throne of God. If I honour the Saints here below by my praises and my imitation of them, this doth not reach to the Throne of God, 'tis to men that I speak; but my prayers reach Heaven. There is but one Sub∣ject that doth invocate in the behalf of others in the Heavens, and but one Object that may be invocated. This is what St. Paul means, There is but one God, and one Mediator between God

and men. There is but one God, that may be prayed to in the Heavens, and only one Jesus that prayeth for men. So that I conclude, that the invocation of the Saints is an abomination and an apostacy, because it highly affronts Jesus Christ, in that double manner as we have said, both be∣cause it snatches away from him the priviledge of assisting alone at the right hand of the Father, and because it violates the Majesty of God, in whose presence all grandeur disappears. So far are the Saints from being more worthy of ado∣ration because of their glorification, that on the contrary, the more they are glorified, and the nearer they are to God, the more are they as no∣thing and invisible. Add to this, that J. Christ hath reserv'd it to himself as an incommunicable piece of his glory, that we should call on the Father in his name. The Papism calls on him in the name of Saints; for it invocates him by the merit and intercession of the Saints. This is an∣other abomination. As to the adoration of Images, 'tis so plain an abomination and apostacy, that it cannot at this day any longer be defended, but by denying it, and saying, God forbid that we should adore or serve Images, we only make use of them, as a means to ascend to their originals.

* 1.282The second difficulty is, that the Holy Spirit speaks of the Antichristian Idolatry, in more odious terms than it doth of the heathen Idolatry. Which is very strange. But none will any longer wonder at it, when he considers in what manner God under the Old Testament spake of the Idolatry of the Israelites. One thing is as certain as it can be, viz. that the Israelites in their Idolatries did never totally abandon the true God. They wor∣shipped a golden Calf in the wilderness; but they

pretended it was an Emblem of that great God that had brought them out of Egypt. They ser∣ved Baalim, the Gods of strangers, 'tis true; but this was in associating them with the true God, whose worship they never did reject. If ever there was a time of corruption, it was that of Ahab, who to the sin of Jeroboam added all the abominations of the Tyrians, which his wife Ieza∣bel taught him. Nevertheless at that very time, Elias confesses, that the nation halted between two, worshipped God and Baal at the same time.

* 1.283It appears therefore, that the Idolatry of the Heathens, who worshipped none but false Gods, was more criminal; however, the Holy Spirit speaks against the Idolatry of Israel, with a thou∣sand times more violence and vehemence than a∣gainst that of the Heathens. The Prophets de∣scribe the heathen Idolaters as fools, as brutish persons, that had lost their senses, who of the same log of wood made a God and a foot-stool. But when they speak of the Idolatry of Israel, they do it in such terms as make persons of any modesty to blush. For there are no odious Ideas in the most infamous prostitution, which the H. Spirit doth not bring in in his description of them. We need but consult the 16^th Ch. of Ezech. and many more places of the other Prophets, where the Idola∣trous Iewish Church is represented as a woman void of shame, that prostitutes her self to every comer, that sits in the cross ways, that offers her self, that opens her bosom, that speaks such words as modesty can't hear, and doth abominable actions.

The reason of this difference is plain, 'tis be∣cause the Idolatry of the Heathens is consider'd

only as a simple fornication,* 1.284 and the Idolatry of Israel as adultery. Every one knows the diffe∣rence between simple Fornication and Adultery. Almost all nations have punish'd adultery with death. But the Heathens did scarce think that fornication was a sin; the Jews themselves coun∣ted it as a trivial matter. A man sees the worst of crimes committed upon a woman that belongs not to him, without being much moved at it; but the least debauches of his own wife stir up his jealousie, and kindle his anger. He can't speak of them without vehemence, and in terms that signify the greatness of his grief. And 'tis not an unreasonable resentment. A woman with whom he hath made no treaty, that hath not plighted her troth to him, nor he his to her, doth him no wrong, there is no shame redounds to him there∣by; whereas the crimes of his wife cover him with infamy. 'Tis the same with God; the Ido∣latry of the Heathens in his opinion is but a simple fornication, he hath made no treaty with them who are without the covenant; no shame, nor dishonour is reflected on him from their debau∣cheries. But he hath treated with the Church, she is his Spouse; he calls her so; 'tis a figura∣tive expression that he every where uses. We need not therefore wonder, if he be more sensi∣ble of those wrongs, that are done him on her part. Although the Idolatries of the Heathens were greater, considering them precisely in themselves, than the Idolatries of the Church; yet however, God would not be so much offended by them. A Husband is more offended by the light debaucheries of his Spouse, than by the greatest crimes of one that is only his Kinswoman. It signifies nothing, that this woman doth not

deny her Husband her favours; if she suffer others to share with him, her crime is not the less. It signifies nothing also, that the Church doth not refuse to give adoration to the true God; if she suffer the creatures to be sharers with him, she is not less criminal; she is still an Adulteress, and her crime is an abomination.

It is easy to apply all this to the Christian Church; the bands of the sacred marriage that unite her to her God are much more noble, glorious and strait than those that united God to the Synagogue. So her adulteries also are much more worthy to be condemned. It sig∣nifies nothing, that she commits them with those that are called the friends of God. A King is not the less offended by the disorders of his Spouse, that prostitutes her self to his favourites, than if she prostituted her self to strangers. And thus, I think, enough hath been said to justify this, that the Papism is a true Apostacy, and that that term, and others, though higher, are not too big to signify the abomina∣tions of the Antichristian Empire.

CHAP. XX.

The deceiving Spirits which St. Paul speaks of, are Evil Spirits, The Doctrine of Daemons is that Doctrine, that hath Daemons for its Objects, and not that which hath Daemons for its Authors. There is a perfect confor∣mity between the Theology and the Religion of the Heathens about Daemons, and that of the Papism about Saints and Angels, me∣diatory Spirits.

* 1.285SAint Paul, continuing to describe the future Antichristian Empire, saith, that this Apo∣stacy shall be joined with the spirit of seduction: They shall give up themselves to deceiving spirits. 'Tis very indifferent whether by these deceiving spirits, or spirits of errour, as some copies have it, we understand men, or spirits separated from matter; for both the one and the other yield a true sense. It is true, that the Antichri∣stian Apostacy was formed by the deceit of cer∣tain deceiving spirits, who being mad upon a false devotion, seduced others both by their examples and also by their bad arguments. Yet I rather encline to believe, that by deceiving spirits we are to understand evil spirits, which were the first Authors, in the first place, of the worthip of Reliques, afterwards of the invocation of Saints, and at last of the adoration of their Images. This was the way whereby superstition began to be establisht, viz. the visions, by which Reliques

were discover'd. We learn from Saint Austine, that the bodies of the Martyrs Gervais and Pro∣tais were found out by St. Ambrose by the help of a dream.* 1.286 The same time God revealed to this holy Bishop in a dream, where lay the bodies of the Martys Gervais and Protais, who many years were kept in the secret of God, and preserv'd free from corruption, to the end they might be discover'd, to stop the fury of a woman that was Empress, and mother of the Emperour.* 1.287 I will not wrong Saint Ambrose so far, as to accuse him of feigning this vision to deceive the people, to work false mi∣racles, that he might make the party that were for the word consubstantial, to triumph over Arianism. But this is certain, it was a decei∣ving spirit that did abuse St. Ambrose, and did discover these Reliques to him to make Idols of them, because then the Reliques of the Saints began to be abused. The Miracles that were wrought by Reliques, either are fabulous stories of Impostors, or the productions of him, who is the father of lies. Saint Austin saith, that those who were possess'd were deliver'd by them. Be∣sides that, the greatest part of those that were possessed in those ages, were melancholy persons; it is not hard to conceive, that the Devil would play these pranks to establish Idolatry, that was then receiving its birth. He could do no less than go out of a body, feigning to be forced to it by the vertue of Reliques, and merit of a Saint. A blind man received his sight by putting a cloth to his eyes, that had touched the Coffin of the Martyrs. The people by their credulity make such sort of Miracles every day.* 1.288 St. Austin had a good share of this credulity. But though it were true; the Devil might do things much harder than this,

of restoring sight to a man, that had not seen for some time. Besides, God, that was willing, that his decrees should be accomplish'd, let loose the rains to the spirit of illusion. We need but fol∣low the History of the Church, and the Legends of the Saints, and there we shall find every where these dreams, these visions, these apparitions of Souls; Saints speaking, the Virgin Mary appear∣ing to her devotoes; the whole designed, not to confirm the Doctrines of Christianity, but the in∣vocation of Saints, the adoration of the Virgin, the adoration of Images, the Mass, Purgatory and other parts of the Antichristian abomination. And this fountain of seduction was open'd in part by deceiving spirits among men, wicked, supersti∣tious wretches, Priests and Monks; in part by the wicked spirits, that perpetually surround men to deceive and mock them.

The last Character of the Religion of Antichrist here express'd, is the Doctrine of Devils, or of Daemons, giving up themselves to deceiving spirits, and to Doctrines of Daemons.

* 1.289The common opinion is, that by the Doctrines of Devils, or of Daemons, we are to understand those Doctrines, of which the Devil is the Author and inventor, and that bear upon them a Diabo∣lical Character. Joseph Mede hath made a new conjecture upon it, and which I believe we owe to him. He understands by Daemons, not wicked spirits, that are represented as dwelling in Hell; but those spirits, which the Heathens worshipt as Mediatours between God and men, whom in truth in their Theology they called Daemons. For then the word was not taken in an ill sense, and Daemons were properly in the Heathen Religion, secondary Gods, subject to the great Gods. By

the Doctrine of Daemons he understands a Doctrine of which Daemons are the object, not the au∣thors. And according to him, the sense is, that men in the Antichristian Religion would renew the Divinity and the worship of these mediatory spirits called Daemons; that Paganism shall be in∣troduced into the Religion of Jesus Christ; that therein shall be establisht a second order of Di∣vinities, besides the three adorable persons of the Trinity; that dead men shall be invocated in this new Paganism, in the same manner as was practi∣sed under the old; that their Reliques shall be ho∣nour'd; Statues shall be erected to them; Images shall be consecrated for them, which shall be worshipp'd; that Temples shall be built for them, and sacrifices be offer'd to their honour; that apotheoses, or canonizations shall be renew'd; that Miracles shall be feign'd to be done by these Images and these Demy-Gods; that Trees shall a new be set up with Trophies, which are the Crosses, before which men shall prostrate them∣selves; that it shall be pretended, that God comes to dwell here below in a piece of conse∣crated bread, just as in the ancient Paganism it was pretended, that the Gods by vertue of the con∣secration came to dwell in their Images.

* 1.290Which interpretation soever we follow, 'tis certain, that Antichristianism is found here. It is composed of Doctrines that are truely Diabolical, and that have Devils for their Authors. 'Tis a Doctrine of Devils, that hath establisht that Ty∣rant in the Church, who hath exercised so much fury there, who pretends to be King of Kings, and Lord of the Lords of the Earth; who exalts himself above all that is called God; who saith he can't be judged by any one; but though he

should lead men to Hell by troops, he must be suffer'd to do it, and be left to God to be judged. 'Tis a Doctrine that hath the Devil for its Au∣thor, which sets up other objects of worship be∣sides God, that gives Iesus Christ companions, and believers other Saviours. It was no other than the Devil, that could inspire Christians with the thoughts of adoring Images, and bringing in afresh that Paganism, that was once buried. 'Twas the Devil, the father of lies, that form'd that monster of Transsubstantiation, that hath contri∣ved that prophane sacrifice of the Mass; and who of a Sacrament hath made a wretched Idol of it; and so to keep to the common opinion, the true Religion will not lose any thing by it.

* 1.291However, I confess I have resolved on Joseph Mede's sense. It hath not been without weigh∣ing things; and I did a long time believe, that this interpretation was much more ingenious than solid. But after I had well thought on it, I judg'd the quite contrary; and that for these reasons.

I. First, This expression, Doctrine of Daemons, doth not more naturally signify, that the Doctrine spoken of hath Daemons for its Authors, than it doth that it hath them for its Object. For it is certain, that in all languages these sorts of propo∣sitions are aequivocal. We say, the love of God, to signify the love of which God is the object, more naturally than to signify that love of which he is the Author. We say, the knowledge of bo∣dies, to signify that knowledge of which bodies are the objects; the knowledge of the stars, to express Astrology; a treatise of Angels, to express a book, not made by the Angels, but treating of them. The same aequivocal speech, and the same

usage is to be met with in the sacred books. In the sixth Chapt. of the Epistle to the Hebrews the Apostle speaks of the Doctrine of Baptisms,* 1.292 i. e. of the Doctrine, that hath Baptism for its object. St. Luke saith, that the Pro-consul Sergius was astonished at the Doctrine of the Lord,* 1.293 i. e. the Doctrine treating of the Lord.* 1.294 The faith of the Son of God, and faith of his name, is the faith, not which hath Jesus Christ for its Author, but its object. And thus you see, we have already gain'd one point, viz. that Grammar can put in no obstacle to this Interpretation.

* 1.295II. My second reason is, because explain it how you will, I am perswaded that by the Do∣ctrine of Devils, or of Daemons, is meant the Ido∣latry which Antichrist was to re-establish in the Church. For this is that which distinguishes that Religion from the Christian Religion, and which renders it abominable. It will be said, that there are some things in the Papism, which are not less abominable than its Idolatry, that is, the usur∣pation of Jesus Christs power by the Pope. I con∣fess it. But besides, that this usurpation is joined with Idolatry, seeing they make an Idol of the Pope, I say, there is in Antichristianism an Em∣pire and a Religion. The Empire is Diabolical, Tyrannical, Antichristian, and may well be called and Empire of Devils, as having them for its Au∣thors. And 'tis in this respect of an Empire and a Tyranny, that St. Paul principally considers Antichristianism in the second Chapter of the se∣cond Epistle to the Thessalonians. For there he represents the head of this Empire, as a Tyrant that sits himself down on the Throne of God, and was to possess the Empire, when he that then held it, was cast down. 'Tis true, that he con∣siders

siders it also a little as a Religion; for he calls it a Mystery, and saith, it shall be establisht by false signs and false miracles. But in this fourth Chap. of the first Epistle to Timothy, he considers An∣tichristianism purely as a Religion, and not as an Empire. Therefore he speaks only of Apostacy, Spirits, Deceivers, and of Doctrines. Now, that which is most abominable in the Papism, as 'tis a Religion, is without doubt its Idolatry, and not its heresies; and consequently, this is what we must here understand by the Doctrine of Devils, or of Daemons. For the Apostle intends by that to note that which is most criminal in the Papism. Seeing therefore we must necessarily understand by these words Doctrine of Daemons, the Anti∣christian Idolatry, why should we not believe, that the Apostle Saint Paul calls it so by way of allu∣sion, and comparing it with the heathen Religion and Theology?

* 1.296I have just before made a distinction, which I desire may be observed, because 'tis of great use for the understanding the Prophecies of the Reve∣lation, on this argument of the estate of Anti∣christ; 'Tis this, that the H. Spirit sometimes speaks of it as of a Religion, sometimes as of an Empire. Indeed, he considers it much oftner under the notion of an Empire, than under that of a Religion. In the 13, 14, 16, 17, and 18^th of the Revelation, where Antichristianism is re∣presented as a Beast vith two horns, or seven heads and ten horns▪ ••nd as a City called Babylon, 'tis under the Idea of an Empire. For in the Pro∣phetical visions. Beasts always signify Kings and Empires: But in the 11^th Chap. Antichristianism is represented as a Religion; for it is called Paga∣nism, and is shadowed forth under the emblem

of a Temple that is prophaned. Leave out the Court, which is without the Temple, and measure it not, for it is given to the Gentiles. In those places where it is represented as a Whore, where the Cup of its abominations is spoken of, and where it is said, it shall seduce the inhabitants of the Earth by the signs that it shall work, it is consider'd as a Religion; because worship, idolatry, miracles and signs belong to Religion.

* 1.297III. The H. Spirit's representing the Antichri∣stian Religion as a Paganism, is to me a new rea∣son, that perswades me, that in the Text of St. Paul, which we are now discoursing of, by the Doctrine of Daemons we must understand that do∣ctrine, of which Daemons are the object. For I look on these two Texts as Parallel; this of the Revelation, the out ward Court is given to the Gen∣tiles; and this, the apostacy of the son of perdi∣tion shall be a Doctrine of Daemons. Now it is certain, that in that Text in the eleventh of the Revelation is precisely meant that Paganism, that Pagan Theology, and that Pagan service, that were introduced into the Christian Religion, and con∣sequently here by the Doctrines of Daemons, we must understand the Pagan Religion, that wor∣shipt Daemons, or Antichristianism, that hath made for it self a Religion altogether like it in worship∣ping new Daemons.

* 1.298IV. But the principal reason that persectly perswades me, is, the •••…•••…ent, which is always the best, or rather the o•••• sure Interpreter of prophecies. One thing is curtain, viz. that there is a perfect conformity between the Thelogy and worship of the ancient Paganism, and the Anti∣christian Religion of the Papism. This was not done by chance. God permitted it, God fore∣saw

it, and without doubt God hath predicted it. For there is no likelihood, that having carefully marked in the Prophecies events incomparably less considerable, he should forget this, 'Tis true, one may say, that the Prophecy of it is found in these words of the Revelation, the outward Court shall be given to the Gentiles; and in those places where the Antichristian and popish Religion is com∣pared to adultery, and the corrupted Church to a whore. But the first seems to me to be too ob∣scure, and the second too general. I can't believe, but that God would leave us some Oracles more clear and less general, to predict this admirable conformity, which is between the worship of the ancient Paganism, and that of Antichristianism. Now this Text more express and more clear then the others, I do not find elsewhere.

To set forth this last proof in all its strength, we must consider some points of this conformity. They may be seen already in those two Chapt. of the second part of our Prejudices, where we have shewn the conformity between Popery and Paga∣nism. But not to give any the trouble of leaving this book to find out the proof of this truth, that the worship of Daemons among the Heathens, and this of the Saints in the Papism are alike, we will here give an abstract of it.

* 1.299The Pagan Theology about good Daemons is re∣serred to these Articles.

• I. They said, that be∣sides the great Gods, there were inferiour Divi∣nities, that received all their power from the su∣periour Gods.
• II. The inferiour Divinities were either consecrated Heroes, and deified souls, or spirits naturally and originally separated from matter.
• III. Their office was to be mediatours between men and the great Gods, to execute

• their orders in favour of men, and carry the prayers of men to those superiour Gods.
• IV. To the honour of the one and the other, i. e. of Daemons or spirits, as well those that were con∣secrated souls, as those that were naturally sepa∣rated from matter, they made Images, built Temples, and by vertue of the consecration, they made them come and dwell in those Images and Temples.
• V. Besides this, they did adore and worship the ashes and the reliques of their Heroes. These are the Articles to which the Theo∣logy of the Pagan Daemons was reduced.

* 1.300First, They held inferiour Divinities, that were infinitely beneath the great Gods. 'Tis a thing so known, that there is no need to prove it. They called their great Gods, Dii superi, Dii coelestes, Soveraign Gods, and heavenly Gods. They placed these Gods in the Stars, as souls in bodies; therefore the Greeks called them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 run∣ners, as always going, and always running, as Plato saith in the Dialogue entitled Cratylus. These Gods were so very much above the others, that they believed them only immortal; for the same Plato saith somewhere, that the inferiour Gods were not immortal by their nature. They called these inferiour Gods Daemons, and they ascribed this distinction to Zoroaster.* 1.301 They, saith Plutarch, seem to have removed great difficulties, who have establisht a species of spirits called Dae∣mons between the Gods and men. They have found, that they are these Daemons, that do unite us with the great Gods, and do conciliate them to us; whe∣ther this Doctrine cometh from the Magi and Zoroaster, or whether it drew its original from Thrace by Orpheus, or from Egypt, or from Phrygia.

* 1.302The Papism acknowledgeth the very same di∣stinction. And they must not tell us, that it supposes but one Soveraign God, and no inferiour Gods; for the Saints are its true inferiour Divi∣nities. It calls them Divus and Diva, as well as he was called Divus Augustus. The Heathens put the very same difference between their great Gods and their inferiour ones, as the Papism doth between God and the Saints. For the superiour Gods were almighty and eternal; and the other were created by the great Gods, did not act but according to their orders, and were not immor∣tal in their own nature. The Papists can't make a greater distinction between God and the Saints than this.* 1.303 The superiour Gods of the Heathens were according to them so heavenly, so sublime, and so pure, that they could not by themselves have any commerce with men, nor abase them∣selves so far as to take care of humane affairs, to govern them immediately and by themselves. Therefore they establisht a kind of Daemons,* 1.304 to be as Mediators and Agents between the Soveraign Gods and mortal men, said Plato. God doth not converse with men, saith the same Author; but all commerce between God and men is by the me∣diation of Daemons. The Daemons are Messengers and Interpreters, that come from God to men, and go from men to God. They bring to men the pre∣sents of the Gods, and to the Gods the prayers and homage of men. He that would see this Theo∣logy more at large, may find it in Plutarchs dis∣course, de Defectu Ordculorum. In Apuleius de Deo Socratis, in Jamblichus de mysteriis, and a∣bove all in Saint Austin, in the eighth Book of the City of God, with Ludovicus Vives's notes. Now one drop of water is not more like another,

than this Pagan Theology is to that of the Papism. God and Jesus Christ, say they, who are their great Gods, are too sublime for us to address our selves directly to them. We must have media∣tours, that may be more of our rank; the souls of Saints and the Angels do this office for us. They are the interpreters of our thoughts and our wants before God; and they receive com∣mission to do us good an serve us. Therefore it is that prayers are addressed to them. There∣fore 'tis that cures and deliverances are expected from them. Lastly, therefore 'tis that men put themselves under their protection.

* 1.305In the heathen Theology the mediators spirits were of two sorts. One were humane souls; the other separate intelligences. The most an∣cient of the Greeks, in which we see this deifi∣cation of souls expresly, is Hesiod, who saith, that by the counsel of Jupiter, the great men after their death are establisht guardians and patrons of mortal men, inspectors of their good and evil works, destributors of riches, and that in this consists their royal dignity. Therefore afterwards this sort of Gods were called the Gods of Hesiod. Plato en∣tirely adopted this Theology, and Eusebius quotes from this Philosopher these words touching the Heroes;* 1.306 We will for the future serve and adore their sepulchers, as of the Daemons, following the advice of the Oracle. Those that have the smal∣lest acquaintance with the Pagan Theology and History,* 1.307 know this, that the greatest part of their Gods were deified men. They themselves made no secret of it: it may be seen in Plutarch's book about the ceasing of Oracles. The Laws of an∣cient Rome are express and remarkable hereupon. Divos, & illos, qui coelestes semper beati habiti sunt,

colunto; & eos, quos in coelum merita vocaverint▪ That the Saints should be worshipped, as well those that had been always esteemed the happy inha∣bitants of Heaven, as those that by their merits have been exalted into Heaven. See another Roman Law like it. Deorum manium jura sancta sunto, hos letho datos divos habento. That the rights of the Gods Manes should be inviolable, and that they should be reputed for Saints after their death. Is there not an admirable Providence in this, that new Rome hath re-establisht the same Laws al∣most in the same terms. And who can doubt af∣ter this, whether Antichristian Rome hath renewed ancient Rome's Doctrine of Daemons?

* 1.308But besides, these men become Daemons, that ancient Pagan Theology did acknowledge others that were always such, and that never had been men. All the monuments of Paganism that we have, are full of this Theology. Apuleius expres∣ses it in these words;* 1.309 There is another sort of Daemons that are superiour and more august, who being free from the bonds and dis-engaged from the chains of body, have each of them received a cer∣tain particular strength and power. 'Tis from this rank of superiour Daemons, that Plato hath taken those Daemons, of which he believes every man hath one all his life time for a witness of his actions and a guardian. How is it possible, that one should not perceive this perfect conformity, between the Pagan Theology and the popish Theology?* 1.310 Exact∣ly as the Heathens did, so do the Papists make two orders of spirits, that are the mediatours and protectors of men: humane souls or glorified Saints, and Angels naturally separate from mat∣ter. The Heathens took Guardians from among those Daemons, who had never been men; the Pa∣pists

assign to each man a guardian spirit, but he is taken out of the order of Angels. They call him the guardian Angel; and every devout per∣son recommends himself to his guardian Angel, when the undertakes any thing of danger.

* 1.311The Heathens to render these Daemons, or these Demi-Gods, favourable to them, erected their pictures, and made Images of them; all the world knows that. They consecrated these Images, and perswaded themselves, that by vertue of that consecration, the spiritual Gods came to dwell in that matter, to which they had given a shape. The makers of Images, saith Tertullian, give bo∣dies to the Daemons. One may see this Theology very distinctly expressed in a Dialogue entitled Asclepius, attributed to Hermes Tresmegistus, which at least is of some antiquity, and was in some esteem among the Heathens, seeing Apis∣leius took the pains to translate it into Latin. 'Tis a marvel, saith he, that surpasseth all other marvels, that man hath found a way to make Gods. Our Ancestors were greatly deceived by their incre∣dulity touching the Gods, and had but little re∣gard to religion and the purity of the Divine ser∣vice. They invented an art of marking Gods; Be∣cause they could not make souls, and join them to in∣sensible bodies, they called the souls of Daemons and of Angels, to put them into their Images, and in the holy mysteries, by which means these Images obtain the power of helping or hurting. See altogether pure popery. They may say what they will, that they believe not that there is any vertue in the Images: yet however, it is true, First, That in the Papism, an Image, that hath not been consecra∣ted, according to the Ritual, cannot be exposed to the publick devotion of the people. Secondly,

That Images not consecrated, are reputed of no vertue; whereas those that are consecrate, do of∣ten work miracles, or the he and she-Saints work miracles by them. But if you would have any thing that is yet more like to the Doctrine of the Heathens, touching the power of consecrations, to draw the Gods into their Images, you will find it in the Doctrine of Transsubstantiation, and the real-presence. As the Heathens believed, they did by their invocations draw down their Gods into their brass and marble; so the Papism by the vertue of consecration draws down its God into a morcel of bread, and there encloses it fast.

The ancient Heathens defended themselves in this matter, just as our new Heathens. You de∣ceive your selves, said they; we worship neither copper, nor silver, nor gold, nor other matter of which the Images of the Gods are made, &c. But in these signs we adore and worship the Gods.

Lastly, the Heathens did adore and serve the Reliques of their dead men and of their Daemons. 'Twas to the honour of these dead men, that the feasts were made, that are called inferiae, paren∣talia, parentationes and novemdialia, and a hun∣dred other things, whence we have elsewhere shew'd its perfect conformity with the services of the papism for the dead. We have heard Plato quoted by Eusebius, telling us, we must wor∣ship the sepulchers of the Hero's. Clemens Alexan∣drinus, Arnobius, Eusebius, &c. tell us, the Tem∣ples of the false Gods were nothing else but the Tombs of the Heroes. And this is exactly what the papism imitates; its Temples, and its Altars are garnisht with Reliques; and it would believe, that a Temple would not have all that it must have, if there were not some bones of a Saint under the Altar.

Thus you have that which perswades me, that the Apostle designs the worship of the papism by the doctrine of Daemons? 'Tis this exact confor∣mity that is found between the ancient Doctrine of Daemons and the mew. I think nothing can be objected but this, viz. that the word Daemon in the H. Scriptures is never taken in a good sense. It always signifies those wicked spirits, that seduce men in this World, and must torment them in the other. Whereas the Heathens in their Theology by Daemons understood those kind spirits, which are the mediatours of commerce between God and men. Joseph Mede answers to this, two things.

* 1.312First, That the usage of this word Daemon in the sense of the Pagans, for Gods of the second rank, was not unknown to the writers of the new Testament. Saint Luke in the 17^th Chap. of the Acts, introduceth the Athenians, saying of Saint Paul, that he is a setter forth of strange Daemons. In the same Chap. Saint Paul saith, that he found the Athenians too much addicted to the worship of Daemons. In the 9^th Chapter of the Revelation Saint John saith, that the horrible plague that fell on men, hindred them not from worship∣ping of Daemons. The people there spoken of, that came from above Euphrates, horsemen to the number of twenty thousand times ten thousand, are in all likelihood the Turks. And those that are smitten with that plague, are the Christians, to whom the adoration of Daemons is attri∣buted, because they worshipped Saints and Angels.

The second thing, that Joseph Mede answers, which is very certain and very solid, is, that the Heathens sacrificed and render'd their homage to

evil spirits, and not as they pretended to Angels,* 1.313 and to the happy Spirits; that are Administratours under God. Because these holy creatures are too much given to the service of God, and too much in the interests of their great master, to arrogate to themselves and receive any of that homage that men would render to them. The Heathens there∣fore in their intention served good Genius's, but indeed the wicked Daemons? 'Tis the same with the Heathens of the Antichristian Empire. They intend to serve the Saints and Angels; but those pure and happy Spirits, have no mind to receive such worship. It goes to them that refuse it, it goes not to God who abominates it. It goes there∣fore to the Devils, that take it for themselves, and rejoyce in it; so the Antichristian Idolatry may justly be called by the same name as the Heathen Ido∣latry. For they have the same model', the same principles, the same ceremonies, and they go to the honour of the same Prince of darkness, whose Empire they encrease.

CHAP. XXI.

What is the Character of those, that were to establish Idolatry in the Christian Religion. They are Priests and Monks, Authors of the Laws of Celibacy and of fasts. How many fables and fictions have been invented by these men seared in their Consciences.

WE are much obliged to the H. Spirit speak∣ing by the mouth of S. Paul, that he would in this Text add the Character of the persons that

were to cause Apostacy,* 1.314 and teach this do∣ctrine of Daemons. For at last these terms of Apo∣stacy and the doctrine of Devils, or of Daemons, be∣ing general, the Subjects of Antichrist would al∣ways have been able to have saved themselves, by the help of the doubtfulness and ambiguity of them, in saying, that every heresy is apostacy, and every lye is a doctrine of Devils. But see here, that which makes the meaning of Saint Paul ex∣ceeding clear. The doctrines of Daemons were to be taught by Hypocrites, enemies to Marriage, and such as shall forbid the use of meats. By the hypocrisy or fiction of lyars, seared in their con∣science, that will forbid to marry, and command to abstain from meats, which God hath created for them that believe.

It may be, there is nothing in the Prophecies more admirable, and more particular. We have already observ'd, that we must not take this as if it were here the doctrines of Devils, which the Apostates from the Christian Religion were to teach. The. Holy Spirit shews it us by what they have of fair and specious, to the end we may know them by those particulars, for which they greatly value themselves.

We here see their Character, and afterwards the means whereby they are to advance this Apo∣stacy and worship of Daemons. Their Character is, that they greatly affect outward austerity, in abstaining from Marriage, and depriving them∣selves of the use of ordinary meats. The means they use to establish this Worship of Creatures, and the theology of Daemons, is Hypocrisy, Fiction and Lying.

I know not whether one cannot see in this pourtraiture the Roman Clergy in general, and the

Monks in particular, that so greatly value them∣selves upon the Law of Celibacy, their Fasts, and their abstinence from certain Meats. And here∣upon,* 1.315 that we may see how admirably the event answers to the Prophecy; we must observe, that idolatry began in the Church precisely the very same time, and tin the very same age, and, which is more, by the very same Authors as the Laws if Celibacy and the Monastick life did.

It was in the 14^th age, Paul the Theban and Anthony, the two Patriarchs of the Monks, lived pretty late in this fourth age. Saint Anthony died Anno 358, and Paul the Theban was dead a little before. 'Twas at the same time that men began to speak of the Reliques of the Martyrs, to seek after them, and attribute Miracles to them. And a little time after, the Monks that had been hid in the deserts of Syria and Thebais, spread them∣selves every where. Saint Bazil in the East, as∣sisted by Gregory Nazianzen and Gregory of Nyssa, establisht them in Greece; from a Hermites life he made them pass to a Monastick one, and gave them rules. Saint Ambrose in the West was as great a-Zealot for the monastical life. In the same age, Lent, and the Fasts, that consist in the di∣stinction of Meats, began to be establisht. And it was the authors, of an zealots for these ill∣understood austerities, that pushed forwards also the worship of creatures. For St. Basil, St. Am∣brose, and the two Gregories, are the most ancient Authors, in whom we begin to find the worship and invocation of creatures. If we prosecute the History of the Monks, we shall admire how they have been in all ages the promoters of Idolatry and Superstition. We have a passage of Eunapius the Heathen, who lived in the time of Theodosius

the great, which informs us, that the Monks were the original cause of Idolatry, the guardians of Reliques.

In the life of Edesius he makes a long com∣plaint concerning the violence, which the Chri∣stians had offer'd to the Temples of the false Gods in Egypt, and saith, that Monks were establisht in the place of Canopus, instead of intelligible Gods to worship slaves. So he calls the Martyrs for Christianity; and adds, that these Monks redu∣cing into ashes the heads and the bones of persons condemned to death for their crimes, made Gods of them, and prostrated themselves before them. Let us see what they did in Saint Austin's time. Sa∣tan,* 1.316 saith he, spread abroad a great number of hy∣pocrites, who in the habit of Monks run over all the Provinces, without being sent, never staid long in one place, never stood, and never sate; they sold the members of a Martyr, false or true. They addressed themselves to all the World, and required a reward of a rich poverty, or of a false and ap∣pearing holiness. Gregory of Tours, that lived in the following age,* 1.317 i. e. in the 6^th, saith, that the Monks came to Rome, in the night digged up the bodies near the Church of Saint Paul, and that be∣ing gone away, they confessed they intended to carry them into Greece, and there make them pass for the Reliques of the Martyrs. He also gives us the History of a Monk, that pretended to come from Spain, with Martyrs Reliques, and it was discovered, that they were only roots of certain herbs, with rats teeth and some other such like things. He adds, that there were many the like cheats at that time, who ceased not endeavouring to seduce the poor people and the ignorant.

They were the same Monks that were the zea∣lous

defenders of Images in the seventh and eighth Age, on which account they suffer'd so much,* 1.318 which gives occasion for the sad complaints of those both ancient and modern Historians, that are worshippers of Images, on account of the great violence that was offer'd to the Monks by the Emperours that were breakers of Images. con∣stantine surnamed Copronymus, was their mortal Enemy, as well as he was so to Images. He made some of them be whipt, and others of them be dragged through the streets. He is accused of having burnt a whole Convent, with the best Li∣brary of the East. He did crush, as far as he was able, this generation of vipers, and did severely chastise those that would not renounce this sort of life, full of hypocrisy. The Monk Theophanes, and lately the Jesuite Maimbourg in his History of the Iconoclastae, describe these pretended cruel∣ties in a tragical manner. There is somewhat of lying without doubt in what these Authors say; but however, 'tis true, Constantine did use some severity against the Monks because in a violent manner they opposed the design, which the Em∣perours had to cleanse the Church again from the abomination of Images. This is not a point that needs proof; the Historians that are for the wor∣shipping of Images confess it, and glory in it.

* 1.319In the following Ages the new orders of Monks were in the West the corrupters of Religion. They were those that brought Transubstantiation and the Corporal Presence of J. Christ in the Sacra∣ment into the World. It was one Paschase a Monk of Corbia, which first lick't this Bear into shape. They are the mendicant Fryars, that have carried the worship of the creatures, of Saints, and the blessed Virgin, to those extravagant

heights, that they are at this day abhorr'd by all men of good sense, without excepting the Pa∣pists themselves. One need not have very much understanding in History to be assured of this: The proofs of it may be seen in our just prejudices against Popery; for there I have shewed these ex∣cesses, that smell of the spirit of reprobation; and that they have had for their authors a Saint Do∣minick and his Jacobins, a Saint Francis and his Cordeliers, and generally all the order of the Monks.

* 1.320By what means did these persons establish Ido∣latry? by hypocrisy and lying: by the hypocrisy of liars seared in their consciences. Behold pre∣ciesely the very way by which the Roman Clergy, and generally the Priests and Monks, as well those of the East as of the West, have establisht Idola∣try; by profound hypocrisy, by lies and fables. How many false visions were there to establish the invocation of Saints? How may false mira∣cles? You should consult the Legends on this point; and if any will not give himself that trou∣ble, let him read eleven Chapters of our prejudi∣ces in the second part, from the 11^th to the 23^th. We have given our selves the trouble to make a considerable collection of the horrid, filthy, shame∣full falsities, which the Papism, its Priests and Monks have advanced, to uphold the idolatrous worship of Saints, Reliques and Images. And it should be observ'd, that this spirit of fables was introduced into the Church, exactly at the same time that the Antichristian Idolatry began to enter into it. The lives of the ancient Monks Paul, Anthony, Hilarion, &c. were written by St. Jerom without honesty and judgment. The History of the Church from this very time begins to be a Ro∣mance,

where 'tis extreme difficult to distinguish truth from lies.

* 1.321For near 350. years, there was not a miracle wrought by Reliques ever heard of. But under the reign of Julian the Apostate, who succeeded the children of Constantine, Babylas the Martyr, sometime Bishop of Antioch, made a martyr in Decius's persecution, interred in a Suburb of An∣tioch called Daphne, more than a hundred years after his death, thought of working the first miracles. Julian the Apostate would consult the Oracle of Apollo of Daphne, who not being wil∣ling to answer, and conjured at least to tell the reason of his silence, said it came from hence, that the bones of the Martyr Babylas were interr'd near his Temple. This is the most ancient History of a miracle wrought by Reliques, that we have been able to discover. So the corruption of Chri∣stianity began in the same place, where the faith∣full began to be called Christians. It was not very long, before miracles were seen wrought by other Reliques. St. Ambrose was inform'd in a vision, where the bones of the Martyrs Gervais and Protais were interred: they went to seek them, they carried them in great pomp to the Church, and they did not fail immediately to work great miracles. This was found so good and so proper to beat down the remainders of Heathenism, that this torrent gained ground every where.

* 1.322But that which is highly observable, is, that the Authors who report these facts as true, con∣fess, that this was new, and had not been seen since the Apostles time. St. Chrysostom speaking of Babylas saith; if any one will not believe the things done by the Apostles, let him mind those that are done in this age, and cease impudently to deny

the truth. He doth not send them back to the times immediately fore-going, he doth not say, if any one will not believe the Miracles that are always wrought in the Church, let him believe that which he sees at present. But he sends them back to the Apostles, as if nothing of the like na∣ture had been seen since them. St. Ambrose also saith it plainly enough, speaking of the Miracles wrought by the Reliques of Gervais and Protais. He reckons up the Miracles of these two Saints,* 1.323 and finds nothing like it since the Apostles time. Wherefore after he hath made an enumeration of the Miracles of these Saints, he makes one of those of Jesus Christ and his Apostles, which he sees renewed, and saith nothing of any that were wrought in the ages immediately fore-going. St. Austin, that was very fond of the same supersti∣tion, makes the same acknowledgement in the 8^th Chapter of the 22^th Book of the City of God, whence the Papists pretend to draw so great ad∣vantage to themselves. 'Tis true, he there makes a History of many Miracles wrought by Reliques, but he acknowledgeth this is all new. We have given order, saith he, for the making publick me∣moirs and books, for the reading of these Miracles before the people, seeing that in our time the signs and miracles of the ancient times were renewed. It was therefore new, and had not been since the ancient times.

Now it is certain, that these pretend mira∣cles had for their Author the Spirit of lying, and for their spring the Hypocrisy of Lyars. It was the Devil that abused these good men,* 1.324 to lead them to superstition and idolatry. that which St. Ambrose himself saith of those Saints Gervais and St. Protais, is very proper to make one suspect a

cheat. The inhabitants of Milane desire him to build in their City a Temple like that at Rome. I* 1.325 will do it, saith he, provided I can but find some Reliques. He had them not as yet, he knew not where to find them, but lo, he is in quest of them, and hereupon subiit veluti cujusdam ardor praesagii; behold, he was inflamed with a certain fire, that savoured of presage and inspiration. He makes them search in a certain place, he there finds two bodies of Gyants. We found two men of extraordinary bigness, such as the ancient time did yield. In-venimus mirae magnitudinis viros duos, ut prisca aetas serebat; Ossa integra, sanguinis plu∣rimum. The bones were yet entire, and there was a great deal of blood. Would you not say, that he speaks of the time wherein Polyphemus and the old Giants lived? Men, I warrant you, were much bigger in the third Age under the Empire of De∣cius, than under that of Gratian and Valentinian. I don't know whether it be apparent, that God chose martyrs from among the Giants. They are a sort of people, the enormous mass of whose bo∣dies dies is usually a sign of the vices of their souls; at is usually a sign of the vices of their souls; at least of that fury and warlike heat, which is not the Character of a Saint. But it was necessary every thing in the fable should be great, even to the bodies of those that were found.

This spirit of lying and fables increased and grew with the reign of Idolatry. In the sixth Age the two Gregories, one the Bishop of Rome, the other the Bishop of Tours, stufft their Books with these Fables, designed to establish Idolatry, and make us invocate the Saints as our patrons. He of Tours made a book on purpose, entituled de Gloriâ Martyrum. These Fables go to this very point of impudence, as to bring in the martyrs

themselves desiring of God, that the men that invoke them, and the prayers that are made in their name,* 1.326 may be heard. Simeon Metaphrastes reports, that Saint Barba, as she was a dying, de∣sired of God, that all those who should in their prayers make mention of her combat and her mar∣tyrdom, should be kept from all sorts of contagious diseases, and that they should not be touch'd with any evil in their bodies and their persons. And he saith of St. Blaise, that on a certain day he pray'd to God in these words; If any evil happen to any man, or child, or even any beast, and my name be called upon over them, saying, Hasten to help by reason of the intercession of thy servant Blaise, give presently a cure every where, to the glory of thy holy name. He makes him also speak after the same rate to a Woman, to whom he had restored her Hog, which a Wolf had eaten up, and who return'd him thanks for it: Woman, always celebrate may memo∣••y, and nothing shall be wanting in thy house; and if it shall come to pass, that any other in imitation of thee shall celebrate my memory also, be shall ob∣tain of my God a perpetual Blessing all the days of his life. One may easily see whither the spirit of ly∣ing in these Fables tended; it was to cause men to invocate these Saints.

We must also see the History of the establish∣ment of Images, and how many miracles were wrought to introduce this abominable devotion. 'Tis the same with respect to the Adoration of the Sacrament, of which they have made an Idol. Books are full of fabulous miracles, which the Devil wrought, or made the Monks write, for the establishing this Idolatry. This is so no∣torious, that it would be useless to bring proof of it.

* 1.327The Apostle to perfect the pourtraiture of these Impostors, that have corrupted the Christian Re∣ligion in introducing Antichristianism, saith, that they are seared in their consciences. All parts where the Fire and the Searing-iron have passed, be∣come callons, hard, and consequently insensible. The Apostle could not better describe to us the disposition of these Authors of Lies, that have written Legends for us. For in truth they have lost their sense, they are such fools, stupid and senseless. There is nothing that is ridiculous and absurd, which they were not capable of digesting. The most plain absurdity and impiety they are not sensible of, and their conscience is as if it were of iron and marble. They have a heart of lead, and a mouth of iron, said Canus, Bishop of the Canaries, concerning them. The Fables, of Heathenism are not more filthy, nor more shame∣full than theirs. They introduce the Virgin Mary embracing the Monks, suffering them to feel her bosom, giving them milk out of her breasts, wed∣ding them, and marrying her self with them. They make Images of wood and stone to speak, they make their Saints do filthy and foolish acti∣ons, which they would have to pass for miracles. This may be seen largely proved in the second part of our just Prejudices.

* 1.328I know not of any thing further in this Oracle of the fourth Chapt. of the first Epist. to Timothy, that can leave any scruple behind it, unless it be the pronoun Some; for this word doth not seem to agree with this so general and Apostacy: see∣ing on the contrary, it seems to signify, that the number of Antichristian Apostates shall not be great in comparison of others. 'Tis answered.

1st. That the pronnoun Some doth not always

exclude the multitude, but only signifies, there will be Exceptions. We need no other instance than that of the Jews, of whom St. Paul speak∣ing in the 11^th Chap. to the Romans, saith, Some of the branches were cut off.

'Twas the revolt and rejection of the Jews that was signified thereby. And what is this Some? that is to say, almost all. For the entire Nation of the Jews is engaged in this revolt. There was but a small number of the Jews that believed on Jesus Christ, and believed truely. And certainly, the proportion that is between the small company of the faithful, that love not the Beast, and those that adore him, is greater than that which was between the converted Jews, and those that have remained unbelievers these 16 hundred years. The same Apostle speaking of the Israelites in the Wil∣derness, that worshipped the golden Calf,* 1.329 saith, Be not ye Idolaters, as some of them were. Now these Some,* 1.330 were all; for Moses saith expresly, that all the people brake off the golden ear-rings which were in their ears. In the same manner he saith in the same place, Let us not tempt Christ, as some of them tempted him; Let us not commit fornication, as some of them committed. Now it is certain, that these some signify the far greater part: and it only shews, that there were some exceptions. The Apostle might the rather use this like expression, because the Antichristian idolatry and Apostacy were shadowed forth by these revolts of the people of the Jews in the Wilderness.

To this we may add, that the Apostle St. Paul considers this evil not in its last period, but in its beginning. Now it is certain, that the introduction of idolatry into Christianity began by a small number of bigots, superstitious men and false devoto's.

Other persons, besides those against whom we dispute, may wrangle also about this term, the later times, and say, that we cannot reasonably call the times that last 12. or 13. hundred years, and that be∣gan so long before the end of the world, the later times. The Papists, I say, against whom we dispute, can't make use of this difficulty, because they apply this Oracle to the Encratites and the Manichees, the first of which were known in the second Age, and the others in the third. Those were times yet further distant from the end of the world; than those ages where we place the Antichristian Empire. When we shall speak of the duration of the Anti∣christian Empire, we shall have occasion to say, why the ages of its Empire are called the later times.

These words, with which the Oracle begins, the Spirit saith remarkably or expresly, would well de∣serve some consideration, to know whether they ought to be understood of some Oracles in the Old Testament; so that the sense should be, The Spirit hath said expresly by the ancient Prophets; or of a present inspiration, so that the Apostle would say, the Spirit gives me to understand very clearly. But 'tis of very little importance to know by what Spi∣rit this hath been expresly said, by that of the Prophets, or that of St. Paul, seeing it is the same Spirit. And besides this, we shall have occasion to say something o fit in one of the following Chapters.

CHAP. XXII.

The Characters of Antichrist in the Papism confirm'd by the great type of Antichrist, Antiochus Epiphanes. That which is spoken literally of this Antiochus, agrees mystically to the Pope and the Papism.

THere is but one spring more, whence I would draw the Characters of the Antichristian Em∣pire; viz. those Chapters of the Revelation of the Prophet Daniel, where the most famous of the persecutors of the Jewish Nation is literally spo∣ken of, and the most fatal persecution that Na∣tion endured. The first Text of this prophecy is found in the 28^th verse of the 11^th Chapter to the end.

* 1.33128. Then shall he return into his Land with great riches, and his heart shall be against the holy cove∣nant, and he shall do exploits, and return to his own Land.

29. At the time appointed he shall return and come toward the south, but it shall not be as the for∣mer, or as the later.

30. For the Ships of Chittim shall come against him: Therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do, he shall even return, and have in∣telligence with them that forsake the holy cove∣nant.

31. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place

the abomination that maketh desolate.

32. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God, shall be strong and do ex∣ploits.

33. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by the flame, and by captivity, and by spoil many days.

34. Now when they shall fall, they shall be hol∣pen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

35. And some of them understanding shall fall to try them, and to purge, and to make them white; even to the time of the and; because it is yet for a time appointed.

36. And the King shall do according to his will, and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself a∣bove very God, and shall speak màrvellous things against the God of Gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is deter∣mined shall be done,

37. Neither shall he regard the God of his Fa∣ther, nor the desire of Women, nor regardany God; for he shall magnify himself above all.

38. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces, and a God whom his fathers knew not, shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with pre∣cious stones, and pleasant things.

39. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange God, whom he shall acknowledge, and increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

40. And at the time of the end shall the King of the South push at him, and the King of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with cha∣riots,

and with horsemen, and with any Ships; and he shall enter into the Countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

41. He shall enter also into the glorious Land, and many Countreys shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

42.He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the Countries; and the Land of Egypt shall not escape.

43. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold, and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans, and the Ethio∣pians shall be at his steps.

44. But tidings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him. Therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

45. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his pa∣lace between the seas, and in the glorious holy moun∣tain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him

I find a pretty great agreement among Inter∣preters on this Chapter, and the Verses which we have just now read. By those of both commu∣nions it is agreed, that 'tis Antiochus called Epi∣phanes, one of Alexander's successors, that is here literally spoken of. It is the very same that the other Prophecy respects, in the eighth Chap. where the H. Spirit having represented to Daniel in a vision, the Empire of the Medes and Pèrsians under the Emblem of a Ram with two horns, he describes the Empire of the Greeks, under the Em∣blem of a he-goat, that had at first only one horn in the middle of his fore-head, which being bro∣ken, four other horns less than the first came in its place. Afterwards, from one of these four horns

comes forth a little horn, of which the prophecy thus speaks.

C. 8. v.9. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great toward the South, and toward the East, and toward the pleasant land.

v. 10. And it waxed great even to the host of Heaven, and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

11. Yea, he magnified himself, even to the Prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

12. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground, and it practised and pro∣spered.

13. Then I heard one Saint speaking, and another Saint said unto that certain Saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden underfoot?

14. And he said unto me, unto two thousand and 300. days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed?

'Tis also to the same Antiochus that we must re∣fer the whole 12^th Chapt. of the same book of Daniel.

C. 12. v. 1. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince, which standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a Nation, even to that same time; and at that time shall thy people be deliver'd, every one that shall be found written in the book.

2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall wake, some to everlasting life,

and some to everlasting shame and contempt.

3. And they that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firnament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever.

4. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increas'd.

5. Then I Daniel looked, and behold there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the ri∣ver, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

6. And one said to the man clothed in linnen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

7. And I heard the man clothed in linnen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

8. And I heard, but I understood not. Then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

9. And he said, Go thy way, Daniel, for the words are closed up, and sealed, till the time of the end.

10. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

11. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that ma∣keth desolate, set up, there shall be 1290. days.

12. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

13. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

As Interpreters agree, that these Prophecies in the literal meaning of them are concerning An∣tiochus Epiphanes, the great persecutor of the Jews and the true Religion; so almost all agree also, that this mystically referrs to Antichrist. And 'tis a truth, I do not at all doubt of. Antiochus was a type of Antichrist: we shall see such clear proofs of it, that it will not be possible to doubt of it. As the principle is commonly perceived. I will suppose it, and will not give my self the trouble to prove it, any otherwise than in apply∣ing all that to Antichrist that is said of Antiochus. I will only make some remarks to confirm this truth.

I.* 1.332 We must observe that all the things, that were to happen under the New Testament, had their types under the Old. It is not only Jesus Christ that had types for his person, for his offices, for his good works; his enemies also have had their types. The actions of the Saints have been typi∣cal; the victories of Sampson over the Philistins, those of David over Goliah, were types of the vi∣ctories of Jesus Christ. All the world believes it, and no one doubts it. It must be acknowledged also, that the criminal actions of eminent persons have been typical likewise. If on one hand there have been persons and actions typical of the good, there have been also persons and actions typical of the evil. Cain was a type of the enemies of Jesus Christ coming of the seed of the woman, he was a type of the seed of the Serpent; and his action against his brother was a typical sin, that representeth the persecution, which the Devil

was to bring upon Jesus Christ and his Church. The sin of Esau, that despised the right of primo∣geniture, and sold it for a mess of broth, was a type of those prophane ones, that renounce the benefits of the World to come, for the vanities of this present World. Lots wife, that looked to∣wards Sodom, and the Israelites that turn'd their eyes towards Egypt, after they were gone forth from it, are types of those miserable persons, who after they have been drawn from sin by the grace of Jesus Christ, are eager after the World from which they were departed, and return to it again.

As therefore Jesus Christ hath had his types,* 1.333 without doubt Antichrist had his too, and that in great number. Cain, Goliah, Pharaoh, Nebuchadnez∣zar, and the other oppressors of the truth and the faithful, have been types of Antichrist. Among these types there was not any one more noted and more p••ain than Antiochus, who made the continual sacrifice cease for three years and a half, who made the Church desolate, who made almost the whole. Nation fall into Apostacy, who prophaned the Tem∣ple, and cruelly persecuted those that persevered in the true Religion. So that as in the types of Jesus Christ we seek for and find his Characters, in like manner in Antiochus and that which the Prophecies say of him, we may find the Characters of Antichrist.

But we must observe, there are two sort of Prophecies; one that directly respect the princi∣pal subject, the other that respect it only mediate∣ly and indirectly, and by the means of some type, to which the literal sense of the Proph••cy doth be∣long. For example, the Prophecy of the 53. Chap. of Esai, respects J. Christ immediately and without

the intervention of any type.* 1.334 But the 45^th Psal. and the second respect Jesus Christ, but mediate∣ly and by the intervention of the type. In the se∣cond Psal. the type is David, to whom belongs the literal sense of the Psalm. In the 45^th Psal. the type is Solomon, and 'tis him the literal sense of the Text respects. These two sorts of Pro∣phecies ought to be handled differently. Those of the first rank, i. e. those that refer only and immediately to Jesus Christ, must be applied only and uniformly to Jesus Christ in all their parts. But those of the second rank are much harder to be disintricated. For there are some things that belong only to the person that is the type. Others that belong only to the person that is represent∣ed by the type; and lastly, others that belong both to the one and the other. For example, in the 45^th Psal. these words, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; the scepter of thy Kingdom is a scep∣ter of Righteousness, &c. O God, thy God hath an∣ointed thee with the oil of gladness above all thy fellows. These words, I say, cannot without great violence be applied to Solomon. For Solo∣mon is not a God, and it can't be to him that the H. Spirit saith, Thy throne, O God, &c. There are other words in the same Psalm, which cer∣tainly respect Solomon as a type, and J. Christ as the person represented by the type. For example, Thou art fairer than any of the children of men:* 1.335 Grace is poured into thy lips, because God hath blessed thee for ever. Lastly, I am certain, there are other words that agree only to Solomen, and that it is not at all necessary to refer them to Iesus Christ. For example, these words;* 1.336 Daugh∣ters of Kings are among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in gold

of Ophir,* 1.337 &c. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work: the virgins her compa∣nions that follow her, shall be brought unto thee. Supposing the Spouse to be the Church, it will be very difficult to tell what these daughters signify, that are introduced to Jesus Christ, different from the Church. I know well indeed, one may easi∣ly imagine something thereupon, but I do not believe that it would be solid. 'Tis the fault which they fall into, that do explain the types: they stretch the parallels, and fain would have the pictures in every thing resemble the original. Whereas we must not search after the resem∣blance, but in the principal subject. All the rest is but as the leaves that do adorn the picture.

'Tis according to these principles, that we must explain the Prophecies of the eighth, eleventh and twelfth of Daniel. As to the latter, 'tis the hi∣story of Antiochus. This Antiochus having been the most considerable type of Antichrist, as David was the most glorious type of Iesus Christ; 'tis not to be doubted, but that there are in the Prophe∣cies that respect Antiochus, many things that must have a mystical reference to Antichrist. But 'tis not necessary, that all that is said of Antiochus in the literal sense, must be applied to Antichrist in a mystical sense. In some places Antichrist is there with Antiochus, in some other places An∣tiochus is there alone, and it may be there are some places where Antichrist is alone. Let us briefly review them

From one of the four hsrns of the he-goat* 1.338 which signified the Empire of the Greeks, came forth ano∣ther little horn toward the South, and toward the East, and toward the pleasant Land.

'Tis certain, this little Horns is Antiochus. He is described by a little Horn, because he climbed the throne not by the lawful right of succession, publickly and with full right; but by subtilty he ravisht the Kingdom from Demetrius the son of his brother Seleucus. Therefore the H. Spirit explaining the Prophecy in the following part of the 8^th. Ch. saith, and at the end of their Kingdom,* 1.339 a King of a fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

And in the 11^th. Ch. where the History of An∣tiochus is more large, it is said,* 1.340 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the Kingdom, but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the Kingdom by flatteries. It was because Antiochus was an hostage at Rome that he was reputed as a stranger, and that he had no right to the crown of Asia, having an el∣der Brother, who left a Son, a lawful heir of his Estate. Antiochus being returned from Italy, applies himself to be liberal to the people. He was affable and familier, he bathed in the publick baths, and by these means he got away the King∣dom from his Nephew. This agrees well enough to the head of the Antichristian Empire, who is also called a little Horn in the 7^th. Ch. This is plainly that which hath deceived two of our In∣terpreters, who would have the little Horn in the 17^th. Ch. also to be Antiochus.* 1.341 Which I call a mighty great oversight, and utterly unworthy of great men. For for this we must metamor∣phose the 4^th. Beast; and wheras by the consent of all Interpreters, it signifies the Empire of the Romans, it must be made the Empire of the Greeks, in despight of as great evidence as can be found in the Prophecies. For one must be blind,

not to see the Roman Empire, the 4^th. Monarchy. in this 4^th. Beast.

* 1.342The Empire of Antichrist therfore is a little Horn, despicable in appearance, that raiseth it self up from a low place; and from a beginning that seemed to promise nothing that was great, is mounted to that grandeur, that hath given it both the form and the power of an Empire. The head of this Empire is of understanding in dark sentences, &c. it is by subtilty, that he made himself master of the Western Empire. The little Horn of the 8^th. Ch. which signifies Antiochus,* 1.343 waxed great, even to the host of Heaven, cast down some of the host, and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Yea he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host.

These words agree to Antiochus and to Anti∣christ. To Antiochus, because he insolently exal∣ted himself against God, the head of the hea∣venly armies, and of the Church; made a great part of the nation, and even some of the Priestly race, fall into Apostacy. To Antichrist, and the Papism, because he hath exalted himself against J. Christ, and engaged the whole Church in his revolt.

* 1.344Antiochus makes the daily sacrifice to cease by reason of transgression, and casteth down the truth to the ground, and prospers. The history of the Macchabees informs us, that this was accom∣plisht according to the literal sense of it. And the same thing hath been accomplisht by the An∣tichristian Empire, that hath abolisht the conti∣nual service, because it hath destroyed the true service of God, and the sacrifices of pure pray∣ers, in mingling with them the worship of crea∣tures, the invocation of he and she saints, the

adoration of Images and their reliques, and in establishing a new continual sacrifice in the room of the true one. It hath prosper'd, for its suc∣cesses have been prodigious for 8 or ten Ages.

In the 11^th. Ch. the Prophet begins from the 21^th. verse to speak of Antiochus. But we must not look for Antichrist therein till the 34. v. The ten first verses are a description of the victories, which Antiochus obtain'd over his neighbours; and of his quarrels with the Kings of Egypt, quar∣rels which in my opinion had nothing Typical in them. And the reason of it is clear, because Antiochus was not a Type but in what he did against the Church. For the strange nations had no re∣ference to the Church; nothing that the Tyrants did against them is mysticall. At the 31. v. begin the violences which this persecuting Prince was to offer to the Church of Israel. Arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice. This is what was already said in the 8^th. Ch. and what we have applied to the Papism and its head. The Prophet adds,* 1.345 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatterier; and they that understand among the people shall instruct many. He continues to the 36^th. v. to describe the ways full of fraud and violence,* 1.346 which the Tyrant was to make use of, to pervert the nation of the Jews, the constancy of some, the falling of many. And all this without doubt agrees to the head of the Papism, as well as to Antiochus; the application is easy, every one may make it. For all the world knows, how many frauds have been used by the Papism to engage the true believers in a revolt, and how always violence hath been used together with fraud. In the 36. v. the H.

Spirit pursues the description of the Tyrant, and saith, This King shall do according to his will, and shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every God, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of Gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplisht; for that that is determin'd shall be done. This is so like what St. Paul saith, that the son of perdition shall exalt himself above all that is called God,* 1.347 and that he shall sit in the Temple of God as if he were God; And to that which St. John saith of the First Beast in the 13^th. Ch. that there was given to him a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies, and that he open'd his mouth in blas∣phemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his Tabernacle, and them that dwell in Heaven. This, I say, is so like, that tis inpossible not to see that 'tis the same thing. This passage of Daniel gives us a great deal of light for the understanding that of the Revelation. When we would apply these words to the Papism and its head, he shall exalt himself above all that is called God, and speak blas∣phemies against God, they cry out 'tis notorious to all the world that the Pope calls himself the most obedient servant of the true God, and doth not blaspheme his name. Just the very same is said of Antiochus, he shall magnify himself above every God; He shall not regard the God of his Fathers, and he shall not regard any God.* 1.348 This doth not appear in his History. 'Tis well said that he was a wicked person, and I would easily believe it; but the Prophecies do not predict the thoughts of the heart, but events. Now as to the event, so far was Antiochus from being impious towards his Gods, and from exalting himself above them, that on the contrary he had a furious and outragious zeal to cause them to be worshipped. Never did any ido∣latrous

Prince carry this false zeal so far. He did not persecute the Jews to make them become Atheists; but to make them worship Jupiter Olym∣pius, whose Idol he had caused to be placed in the Temple. This is to exalt ones self above God, to mount to that pitch of Pride to which Antiochus and the Popes have mounted.

CHAP. XXIII.

A notable Prophecy of the Mahuzim, that An∣tichrist was to worship. The whole found ad∣mirably accomplisht in the Papism. What is the literal sense of the Prophecy with respect to Antiochus. An explication of the be∣ginning of the 12th Chap. of Daniel applied to Antiochus and the Papism.

IN this Prophecy which literally respects An∣tiochus,* 1.349 and mystically Antichrist, the most con∣siderable passage is this. Neither shall he regard the God of his Fathers, nor the desire of women; nor regard any God; for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a God whom his Fathers knew not, shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall be do in the most strong holds with a strange God, whom he shall acknowledge, and encrease with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the Land for gain.

The Papism doth not only agree that we un∣derstand this Oracle of Antichrist, but with its utmost force endeavours to have it so understood,

because it hopes to draw great advantages to it self thereby,* 1.350 pretending that nothing of this doth agree to the Pope. He hath not abandoned the God of his Fathers, he doth not worship the God of Mahuzim: That's the word in the ori∣ginal, which our translation renders the God of forces. Our Ioseph Mede thinks quite contrary to this; he is so far from believing, that this cannot agree to the Pope and to the Empire of the Papism; that he believes, that St. Paul had a re∣gard to this Oracle, when he saith in that pas∣sage of the fourth Chapt. of the first Epistle to Timothy, that the Spirit saith remarkably, or expresly, that some shall depart from the faith, and shall teach Doctrines of Daemons. To understand his notion, which assuredly is pretty and inge∣nious, we must represent the Text of Daniel ac∣cording to his version, which is much better than our ordinary one.

36. And a King shall do according to his will, &c. In this Verse there is no essential difference be∣tween our vulgar translation and that of Ioseph Mede.

37. He shall not regard the God of his Fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any God, but shall magnify himself above every God.

38. For he shall honour the God of Mahuzim be∣sides the true God, in exalting them together with him in his seat. And together with this God whom his Fathers knew not, he shall worship the Mahu∣zim with gold, silver, precious stones and desirable things.

39. He shall make strong holds of the Mahuzim, with the strange God, whom he shall acknowledge, he shall multiply the honour, and make them rule over many, and shall divide the Land for a recompence.

Here Ioseph Mede, by the unknown God under∣stands Iesus Christ, whom ancient Rome knew not, and whom the new Romans know and worship. Together with this God whom his Fathers knew not, he shall worship the Mahuzim.* 1.351 Interpreters ordinarily confound these Mahuzim with the un∣known God; and the Papists say, 'tis the Idol that Antichrist shall worship. But it is clear, that the Mahuzim are distinguish'd from the unknown God. For in the 39^th verse, the H. Spirit clear∣ly distinguishes the Mahuzim from the strange or unknown God, in saying, he shall make strong holds of the Mahuzim with the strange Gods. hhim Elohah necar. So that these words serve as a comment on those that go before; which have the same sense, but are a little different. The Prophet doth not use the praeposition hhim which signifies with, besides, but uses the particle L. which usually signifies to; L'Elohah Mahuzim, which may be translated to the God of Mahuzim. He shall give honour to the God of Mahuzim. So in the same Verse the Spirit adds, and he shall glorify, or he shall give glory and honour, L'Elohah, to the God whom his Fathers knew not. But they that understand the Holy tongue, know also, that the particle el, and L signify besides, together with, as well as to. For example. The Law saith, thou shalt not take a woman, el ahotah, together with her sister. They that consult the Hebrew Lexi∣con-writers, will find in them an infinite number of the like examples. So that instead of trans∣lating it, He shall honour the God of Mahuzim, it should be rendred together with God, he shall honour the Mahuzim. And that which determins the Text to this sense is,

• 1. That the noun Elohah, God, is in the singular number, and Mahuzim

• the plural. Now in all regular constructions, the nouns that are construed together, should be of the same number. It should be said the Gods Mahuzim, or in the singular number the God Mahus.
• 2. A barbarous construction is made, in supposing, that the Prophet saith of him con∣cerning whom he speaks, He shall honour TO the God Mahuzim. The particle L is a sign of the Da∣tive case, and signifies to; now in the holy Tongue as well as in ours, 'tis a barbarous construction, and without example to place a dative case after honour. He shall honour to any one. This barba∣rity is taken away, in giving the particle of the Hebrew Text the signification of together with or besides, which it also usually hath. He shall ho∣nour Mahuzim besides God, or together with him.
• 3. The Prophet clearly explains himself, as I have already observ'd. What he said le Elohah, he repeats by hhim Elohah together with God; he shall build strong holds to Mahuzim together with the strange God.
• 4. This word vehimishe∣lam, and he shall cause them to rule, shews, that he speaks of many Gods, for he saith them, which shews that the word God in the singular number, that is joined with Mahuzim in the plural, is not the same thing.

Understanding Jesus Christ by the unknown God, it is clear, that by Mahuzim we must under∣stand the he and she-Saints, the Angels, Media∣tors,* 1.352 and second Gods of the Papism. One may almost as well number the stars of the Heavens, as the conjectures of the learned about these Ma∣huzim. So that I will not endeavour to give an account of them. I will only observe, that this word properly signifies the strong, or forces or for∣tresses. There is no word that we oftner meet with

in the Psalms of David. Jehova Mahuzzi the Lord is my strength, my strong one, or my for∣tress. And it is certain, that by that David meant, the Lord is my protector and my patron. It is very remarkable, that the Septuagint often translate this Hebrew word by Hyperaspiste, a Greek word, that signifies defender, protector, patron.* 1.353 Now this is exactly the name that the Papists give to Saints and Angels; they call them their patrons, protectors, defenders, guardians. And if they spoke in Hebrew, they could not call them otherwise than Mahuzim; for 'tis the proper signification of the word. They vow themselves to their service, put themselves under their protection, & they worship them, seeing they give homage to them. Therefore following the true Text of Daniel, and the true translation, we find an admirable sense in it, and what agrees to the popish Antichristianism more than all that can be said; which may be seen by the application of the Prophecy to the events.

V. 36. This King shall do according to his will, and shall magnify himself above every God, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of Gods. So doth the Antichristian Empire do, that treads un∣der feet all the Gods, i. e. all the Kings of the Earth; and who by its idolatries and superstitions, exalts it self even against God himself by an unsup∣portable pride. He calls himself the Vicar of God, and saith, he is clothed with the fulness of his power.

37. He shall not have regard to the God of his Fathers. That is to say, he shall not worship the Gods of the ancient Romans, he shall reject the Ju∣piters, the Daemons, and the other Pagan divinities.

He shall have no regard to the desire of Women. Behold, a place that cries, that speaks aloud, and

which alone is capable of making us acknowledge the Antichristian Empire of the Papism.* 1.354 This can∣not be understood in a general sense, neither of Antiochus, that gave himself over to all manner of debauchery, and came to that height of impudence as to ly with his Misses in publick; nor of the Popes and their Clergy, the persons of all in the World most dissolutely given to women and So∣domy. But by the desire of women, marriage is meant, the lawful desire of women. 'Tis exactly the Character by which St. Paul would have us know the Teachers of the Christian Apostacy, for∣bidding men to marry. Now this is that which distin∣guisheth new Rome from the old one. In old Rome celibacy was disgraced, marriage had great pri∣viledges, as appears by the Julian and Papian Laws. New Rome hath destroyed these Laws, and hath transferred to celibacy all the honours of marriage. According to the Roman Laws, a man 25 years old that was not married,* 1.355 could not inherit, nor receive any Legacies by Will, no not of those that were nearest of kin to him: Constantine abolisht this Law, and not only made unmarried persons ca∣pable of receiving by will, but permitted those of the one and the other Sex that were unmarried, to make Wills, though they were not at age. So Rome began no longer to have regard to the de∣sire of women. But quickly after, she began utter∣ly to destroy the honour of marriage, which the Empire passed to and was devolt upon those per∣sons, that make it a matter of glory and religion to live unmarried.

* 1.356He shall not regard any God. That is to say, he shall act like a man without any religion. We need but study the lives of the Popes, to see with how much exactness this prophecy hath been accom∣plisht.

For they have been proud, usurpers, cruel, disturbers of the publick peace, whore-mongers, sodomites, adulterers, and every thing the most horrible that can be imagin'd. This is to live as without God, and not to care for God.

* 1.357He shall worship Mahuzim besides the true God. For he worships J. Christ; but besides this, makes himself new protectors of the Saints and Angels, whom he calls his intercessors and his patrons with God. In exalting them together with him in his seat. Indeed proportionably as the See of Rome exalted it self above other Sees, the Idolatry of Saints and Reliques was establisht; they were born the one and the other, i. e. tyranny and idolatry, in the fourth Age. And together with this God, whom his Fathers knew not, he shall honour them. Together with J. Christ, the God unknown to the ancient Romans, he shall worship second Gods and patrons. He shall honour them with gold, sil∣ver, precious stones, and desirable things. We need only see the places famous for the devotion of the Papism. Those places I say, where some Saint, or some one of our Ladies is famous for her mi∣racles, there are seen treasures, where silver, gold, and precious stones are in abundance.

* 1.358He shall make strong holds of the Mahuzim. Certainly, so we may call the Temples, the Cha∣pels, and the places consecrated to the devotion of Reliques and of the Saints. These are fortresses for the people, look on them as their preservers. When a City would obtain a favour from Heaven, she sets up the shrines of her Saints; when she hath lost them, she believes she hath lost her pro∣tectors; when in the war they have been taken away, peace being restored, she brings them again into the Churches in pomp, as tutelary Gods and pro∣tectors.

One City hath a bit of the true Cross, and other the head or body of a Martyr; Lo, what is to her instead of a fortress and a citadel, under which she believes her self to be in safety. This is the idea, which superstitious persons have had of this criminal devotion, from the very time that it began to appear in the world. We must see what Saint Ambrose saith to his sister in the Epistle which we have cited above. He speaks of the bo∣dies of Protais and Gervais, as of two tutelar Angels, under whose care they had been without knowing it.* 1.359 St. Bazil in the Homily, on the 40 Martyrs saith of them, These having taken possession of this Country, are to it like so many towers joined together against the invasions of our enemies. St. Chrysostome speak∣ing of the Reliques of St. Paul and St. Peter, that are at Rome, saith, that those bodies do fortify that City more than the towers, and ten thousand ram∣parts. Venantius Fortunatus a Christian Poet, who lived about an age after the birth of Idolatry, calls the bodies of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome, ram∣parts and towers.

A facie hostili duo propugnacula proesunt Quos fidei turres urbs caput orbis habet.

Those that followed, spoke after the same rate.

He shall multiply the honour, and make them rule over many, and shall divide the Land for a recom∣pence: Is not this exactly what the papism doth to its Saints? It makes them rule over States, it di∣vides the Earth among them; St. Iames rules over Spain, St. Denis and the Virgin over France; eve∣ry Country hath its Protectors and its Patrons. So you have in a few words, the exposition of this famous and important Text. That which follows to the very end of the Chapt. seems to belong more to Antiochus than to Antichrist. However it may

agree both to the one and the other. But I find no great necessity to find Antichrist there, because we find him enough elsewhere.

* 1.360It may be asked, whether the Text touching the Mahuzim, and the worship of a strange God can agree to Antiochus in the literal sense? To speak the truth, this part of the prophecy seems to be one of those that do not agree to the type, but only to the person represented by the type. For we do not find that Antiochus made himself new Gods, nor that he rejected the God of his Fathers, nor that he worshipt an unknown God, nor that he had Mahuzim, that is to say, protectors besides his old false Gods. But see what I believe. All this with respect to An∣tiochus is a prophecy that referrs to the Tempo∣ral, not the Spiritual, the Empire, not the Reli∣gion. And on the contrary, with respect to Anti∣christ, it principally respects Religion.

* 1.361So that with respect to Antiochus, these are his adventures with respect to the Romans; This Ty∣rant was the most insolent and the proudest of all men; he exalted himself above all the Gods, i. e. above all the neighbouring Countries, and all the Kings his allies. The Countries are often meant by the Gods that ruled there. Bel boweth down,* 1.362 Nebo stoopeth. That is to say, the Chaldaeans and the Babylonians are perisht. This use of the word is usual enough with the Prophets. So Antiochus is said to have exalted himself above all the Gods, i. e. above all the Countries, the protection of which is committed to divers Gods. He regarded not the desire of women, i. e. being a debauched person, he despised marriage, but he worshipt Mahuzim in his seat. If one would translate this word into Greek word for word, it must be rendred by Ro∣maious the Romans. For the word Romans in

Greek signifies strong or puissant, being derived from the word Rome, that signifies strength; and this is also what the Hebrew word Mahuzim signi∣fies. So that having respect to the signification of the word Romaioi, it cannot otherwise be rendred in Hebrew than by Mahuzim. Now this is what did exactly come to pass. This so fierce a Prince was obliged to render homage to the Romans, to pay them tribute of gold, of silver, and precious stones. The second Book of Macchabees saith, that Nicanor appointed a tribute to King Antiochus Epiphanus, that was to come to the Romans, to wit, two thousand Talents. He shall build strong holds for Mahuzim; that is to say, the Romans. This al∣so came to pass: Antiochus was obliged to leave to the Romans the Provinces of Asia, which are on the other side mount Taurus. And so he put that great list of mountains in Cilicia, as a rampart and a fortress between the Romans and him. These Romans were Gods, whom his Ancestors knew not. For the first founders of the Empire of the Greeks,* 1.363 Alexander and his Successors, had not heard the Ro∣mans so much as spoken of. It was Antiochus the Grand-father of Antiochus Epiphanes, that first of all felt the effort of their might, that left Asia to them, and obliged himself to pay them 500. Talents for the charges of the war, 2500. Talents when the Senate should ratify the Treaty, & ten thousand five hundred Talents at several payments within twelve years. Hereupon this difficulty may arise, that it was then the father of Antiochus that rendred ho∣mage to the Romans, and not he himself. It must be answer'd, that Antiochus Epiphanes must not here be distinguisht from his father. First, be∣cause it was in his time that this servitude began, and he himself was given as an Hostage to the

Ramans for a pledge of the fidelity of his father. Secondly, He continued the same servitude, and payed Tribute. And his being Hostage at Rome many years, going to render Homage to this God even in his own seat, makes the servitude and the homage principally fall on him, and they may be justly attributed to him. Thirdly, Though the servitude began in the time of his father, never∣theless the Prophecy particularly fixes it on the Son, because of that pride which was peculiar to him. As if the Holy Spirit would have said, the Kingdom of Asia shall feel the force of the Ro∣mans, for the mortification of this proud Antio∣chus, who shall endeavour to exalt himself above all the Kings of the Earth.

This is an accident that to me seems marvellous, that this prophecy found its accomplishment in Rome and in the Romans, as well in the temporal as in the spiritual sense. I said above, that Antiochus was not a type of Antichrist, but in the things he did a∣gainst the Jewish Nation. Because the strange Nations having no reference to the Church, no∣thing that Tyrants do against the Nations, is mysti∣cal. Therefore we must not seek after a mystery in that, which the Prophecy fore-tells that Antiochus should do against the Egyptians, against Ptolomee, and in reference to other people. But 'tis reason∣able to except the Romans from this rule. Though they then were a nation estranged from the Church, yet however they had a reference to the Church. For Rome was to be the head of the Antichristian Church. And already in the Prophecies Rome Pa∣gan that then was, made but one beast, i. e. one Empire with Rome Christian and Antichristian; so that it was proper to the genius of the Pro∣phecy, that the type of the Roman Antichrist

should be a type in what he did with respect to the Romans.

Besides, it can't be thought strange, that the same prophecy should have two prospects, and con∣sequently two accomplishments. For so it is al∣ways in those Prophecies, that turn on a typical subject. That which may make some difficulty, is, that the temporal adventures of the type have usual∣ly their figurative respect to the spiritual adven∣tures of the thing represented by the type. Which doth not appear here: for the homages which An∣tiochus rendred to the Romans, do not appear to have any typical reference to the homages, which the new Romans give to their Demi-gods. They have however, and it is certain, that the homage which the new subjects of the Roman Empire do render at Rome to its head, to its Saints and Idols, have respect of a figure, and the thing figured to the homage, which the people of the world did render to ancient Rome, whose Citizenship they did under-hand labour for, and whose Eagles and other military Ensigns they worshipt.

Religio Romanorum tota castrensis,* 1.364 Signa veneratur, signa jurat, Signa omnibus Diis praeponit.

St. Peter, and St. Paul, and the H. Virgin at this day, are in the banners of Rome, just as the Eagles were heretofore; and all the world gives homage to these banners, and to that which is represented by them, just as during the Empire of ancient Rome, men did prostrate themselves before the Eagles.

I hold that the twelfth and last Chapter of Da∣niel,* 1.365 doth also refer to Antiochus and Antichrist, And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince, that standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as nevey

was since there was a nation, even unto that same time; and at that time thy people shall be deli∣vered, every one that shall be found written in the book of life.

This Prophecy literally respects Antiochus's last persecution of the Jews, that was terrible and cruel, but ended by the victories of the Maccha∣bees. This Michael is the Son of God himself, who always watched for the preservation of his Church. Spiritually and mystically this agrees to Antichrist, and respects the last persecution that he must cause the Church to suffer, after which he himself is to be ruin'd, and the people of the Saints deliver'd. 'Tis the same victory as is described to us in the 19^th Chapter of the Revel. The words that follow make it very plain, that this Prophecy must be understood of that victory that J. Christ must obtain over Antichrist, at the end of the Anti∣christian Empire.

* 1.366And many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt. And they that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the fir∣mament; and they that turn many to Righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever. What, I pray, should the resurrection do here in the middle of the Chap. in which the adventures only of Antiochus Epi∣phanes are spoken of? 'Tis plain, that this is per∣fectly the same Prophecy as that of St. John, in the 20^th Chapt. of the Revel. where the Apostle predicts the deliverance of the Church, and the coming of the Kingdom of Christ by a resurrection. They that were beheaded for the Name of Jesus, must be raised up, and reign with him a 1000. years. This is what Daniel saith here, that they that have turn'd many to Righteousness by their Doctrine,

and by their Martyrdom, shall be as shining and ruling Stars in the Kingdom of J. Christ.

* 1.367'Tis not the last resurrection, nor the last co∣ming of Jesus Christ, that St. Iohn speaks of, no more than Daniel. 'Tis of that coming that St. Paul speaks of, when he saith, that Jesus Christ, shall destroy Antichrist by the brightness of his co∣ming; when he shall come to establish his King∣dom of a 1000 years on the Earth. 'Tis that resurrection which the Revelation calls the first re∣surrection. And therefore Daniel doth not say, And ALL those that sleep in the dust shall awake, but he only saith MANY of those that sleep in the dust: even as St. Iohn saith so expresly, that then all the dead shall not arise. 'Tis true, that Da∣niel also joins the resurrection of the wicked; and some shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt. But we must not conclude, that this resurrection of the wicked must be at the same time; one Pro∣phecy must be explained by the other. The resur∣rection of the wicked, which Daniel joins here with the first resurrection, is distant from it at least a 1000 years. But he speaks of it as of two things joined together, because he who speaks is God, before whom a 1000 years are but as one day. Be∣sides this, when our eyes look on things very far off, always those things that are far from one an∣other seem to be near. The Stars seem to us to be near the Moon, and yet they are at a prodi∣gious distance from it. So the Prophet looking on these two resurrections, the first and the last, it is not strange that beholding them at so great di∣stance, he looked on them as joined together, though they are a 1000 years distant from each other. Moreover, the H. Spirit from this first re∣surrection, in which the Church must be deliver'd,

and which it may be, is but a figurative resurre∣ction, would raise us up to the contemplation of the last and general resurrection; because this first resurrection, that must be before the 1000 years of the reign of Jesus Christ, must be but an Em∣bleme of the great deliverance of the Church, when it shall be in one body translated from earth to heaven by the last resurrection. 'Tis usual with the Prophets to have holy sallies, that from temporal things do transport them to spiritual and eternal ones. Isaiah speaking of a sign that God would give to Ahaz, and which he refused, passes over many ages, leaves there Ahaz and his sign,* 1.368 and saith, the Lord God shall give you a sign, behold a Virgin shall bear a son.

The rest of the twelfth Chapter is not less pro∣found; but as it respects the duration of the per∣secution of Antiochus literally, and mystically the time of the duration of the Kingdom of Antichrist, we shall reserve it for that Chap. where we must speak of the duration of his Kingdom.

CHAP. XXIV.

In which are gather'd together 35. Characters of Antichrist, that perfectly agree to the Pa∣pism, and cannot agree to any but it.

* 1.369AFter sounding all the fountains whence the pourtaiture of Antichrist is drawn, I believe it will not be unuseful, to gather together here all the strokes, that we may see them all with one view, and that we may discern the perfect con∣formity,

that is between that Antichrist and the Papism.

1. It must be an Empire;* 1.370 for it is called a beast: now in the Prophetick style, a beast always signi∣fies an Empire, when Kings are treated of. The Papism is an Empire in all the forms of worldly Empires, ancient and modern. We have proved it with the greatest evidence in our prejudices.

2. It must also be a Religion;* 1.371 for it is called a mystery; and it must be a false Religion, for it is called a mystery of Iniquity, and an apostacy. There is only the Papism, in which an Empire and a Re∣ligion are found both together.* 1.372 'Tis true, Ma∣homet made an Empire and a Religion at the same time. But in Mahometanism, the Religion is not the Empire, nor the Empire the Religion; and the Priests are not Soveraign Lords under the pretext of Religion. Mahometanism is divided into many Aempires, and yet there is but one Religion; a proof that the Religion and the Empire are not the same thing.

* 1.3733. Antichrist must have a Prophet, i. e. a man that saith he is infallible, and that pretends to pro∣nounce Oracles as well as the ancient Prophets. For with the beast is joined the false Prophet. The beast was taken, and together with him the false Prophet, that wrought signs before him. There is no Religion in the World but the Papism, that pre∣tends to have an infallible head, always pronoun∣cing Oracles when it is necessary, always speak∣ing, and always living. This is a very peculiar Character, and which should make us well discern him.

4. The corruption of the Religion of Antichrist must principally consist in Idolatry;* 1.374 for it is called apostacy, a Doctrine of Daemons, spiritual whoredom.

The Papism is a Religion, in which Idols are re∣establisht: under new names. We have also clear∣ly proved it.

* 1.3755. This Antichristian Idolatry must be an ido∣latry of Christians, which must be exercised in the Church, and not without, by the Spouse of Jesus Christ, and not by a stranger. For this idolatry is called adultery, and conjugal unfaithfulness. The Papism with its Idolatry, retains the foundation of the Church, and preserves Christianity.

6. The chief City of this Empire and of this Re∣ligion must be a City seated on seven Mountaïns,* 1.376 and the great City which in the time of Saint John ruled over the Kingdoms of the Earth; that is to say, Rome. The Papism hath for the capital of its Empire and Religion new Rome, built where the ancient one was.

7. This Empire was to form it self, not by force, but by craft, by seduction and by the consent of the Kings of the West,* 1.377 that were to give their power to the beast. The power of the Papism and the Bishop of Rome come by illusion, rather than by the violence, that both Kings and people have suffer'd.

8. This Antichristian Empire must be a conti∣nuation of the fourth Monarchy, which is that of the Romans,* 1.378 as hath been shewn by the vision of Daniel's Statue; by that of the four beasts, and by the beast of the 13^th of the Revel. The Papism is a true continuation of the Roman Empire, having the very same seat, and very hear the same Pro∣vinces.

9. This Empire must be only an Image of an Empire, an Image of the Roman Empire.* 1.379 Yet this Image must speak, and must be worshipped in all the Earth. The Papism hath no arms, nor

citadels, that really make an Empire; it hath no∣thing but superstition and foolish fondness for all its arms; however it speaks, it threatens, it pro∣miseth, it teacheth, it seduceth, and by this means it reigns.

10. The Empire of Antichrist must have ten horns,* 1.380 that is to say, ten Kings, vassals and subjects, props and upholders of its throne. The Papism hath always had under it ten principal Kings, that have worshipt and maintain'd its power.

11. Antichrist must speak great things in his own behalf,* 1.381 but against God, for they must be blasphemies. The Papism saith of it self and its capital, great and mighty things, saying that Rome is eternal, that she is infallible, that the Pope is Su∣periour to all the Kings of the Earth, the Spouse of the Church, the Vicar of J. Christ, God upon Earth, his Holiness, and most holy Lord. And these arro∣gant pretensions are true blasphemies against God, against J. Christ, and against the true Church the Spouse of J. Christ.

12. Antichrist must raise wars and cruel perse∣cutions on the account of Religion.* 1.382 For 'tis given to him to make war against the Saints, and to over∣come them. The Papism hath bathed it self in humane and Christian blood for six or seven hundred years.

13. The Empire of Antichrist must be an Empire raised up again,* 1.383 an head mortally wounded, but healed again. The Empire of the Papism is the Ro∣man Empire, that was brought to nothing by the Goths and Visigoths, but is raised up again by the Popes.

14. Antichrist must ascribe to himself two powers,* 1.384 like to those which J. Christ hath. Now the Lord hath temporal and spiritual power. There

is no Potentate in the World, that saith he hath this double power, but the Pope, the head of the Papism.

15. Antichrist must be an Empire,* 1.385 as hath been proved; and the name of this Empire must contain the number 666.* 1.386 There is no Empire in the World whose name contains 666, but that of the Latin and the Roman; which is the name that the Papism glo∣ries in. And this should be well observed, to lay open the vanity of the observations of the Papists, who to elude this so plain a Character seek for cer∣tain names of men, in which they would find 666. They would fain find it in the name of Luther; and very lately M. Simon would find it in Roterodami. We must let them know, they do nothing; that here 'tis not the name of a man, but of an Empire, that is treated of. Now they will search in vain, they will not find any Empire in the world whose name con∣tains 666, besides the Roman, or Latin Empire.

16. The Kingdom of Antichrisi must be a So∣dom,* 1.387 full of impurities and abominable crimes. The Papism in all the fore-going ages, hath been a sink of all the abominations of the Earth. There are no filthy and odious crimes, of which its Clergy and its subjects have not made themselves guilty. The proof of it at large may be seen in our just pre∣judices.

17. This Antichristian Empire must be a cruel Egypt, a Babylon,* 1.388 in which God will preserve his people notwithstanding its corruptions. Come forth of Babylon my people. There is no false Religion, that hath possessed the Church more ages, and in which God hath been able to preserve his Elect than the Papism.

18. Antichristianism must be establisht in the Temple of God, i.e. in the Church. There is no King∣dom,

Empire and corrupt Religion together with it, that is establisht in the Christian Church, but the papism.

19. The Antichristian Empire must be exceed∣ing proud.* 1.389 For its head must sit in the Temple of God, as if he were God. The papism hath carried pride be∣yond whatsoever can be imagin'd. 'Tis noto∣rious.

20. Antichrist must worship Mahuzim, i. e. Patrons and Protectors. The Papism worship its Guardian Angels and Saints, under whose prote∣ction it puts it self.

21. Antichristianism must be a Paganism raised up again.* 1.390 For the outward Court must be left to the Gentiles for 42 months. The Papism hath all the parts of a paganism built on Christianity, as hath been so evidently proved.

22. Antichrist must usurp the power of J. Christ. For he shall have the horns of a Lamb,* 1.391 and shall speak as a Dragon. The Papism hath usurp'd all the power of J. Christ. The Pope acts, speaks, censures, absolves, damns, dethrones Kings, &c. in the name and by the authority of J. Christ.

* 1.39223. The Antichristian Empire must not be form∣ed with noise; this beast must not ascend out of the sea, as a monster that comes out of the deep, very great and wholly formed in the twinkling of an eye, and which devours as soon as it is on the Earth. It must arise out of the Earth as a plant, that is nothing in the beginning, and which after many years grows a great Tree.* 1.393 For the second beast ascendeth out of the Earth, and not out of the Sea. The Empire of the papism came by little and little as a Tree, which for many years hath been but a little herb.

24. The Empire and the Religion of Antichrist, must be establisht by false signs and false wonders?

'Tis impossible to reckon up the false miracles,* 1.394 which the papism hath produced to establish its su∣perstitions and its power. 'Tis at this day the only religion in the World that pretends to work miracles.

25. The Christian Apostacy must be promoted by persons given to lies, lovers of fables. 'Tis the true signification of the word which St. Paul uses Pseu∣dologoi.* 1.395 There never was a religion in the World, that hath produced so many fables as the papism. I have proved it in my just prejudices.

26. The Teachers of Antichristianism must have a great appearance of Austerity, they must despise and discredit marriage, and command abstinence from meats. The Teachers of the papism make it necessary for them to remain unmarried, and think they merit greatly by abstinence from meats.

27. Antichristianism was to appear in the world, when the head of the Roman Emperors was beaten down. The papism in the time that the Roman Em∣pire was destroyed by the Goths and the Vandals, began to be sensible in its idolatry and its tyranny.

28. This Empire must have its course in the later times.* 1.396 It is unquestionable that we are in the later times; therefore the Empire of the papism at this day subsisting is the Empire of Antichrist.

29. The Antichristian Empire must subdue three Kings of the ten. The Empire of the papism,* 1.397 besides that it hath subdued more than a third part of the temporal power of the Western Kings, it hath actual∣ly subjected to it self in fief and temporal homage many Kingdoms. Among others, that of the Lom∣bards, of which he possesseth one part, the City of Rome and its jurisdiction, and the Kingdom of Na∣ples, for which even at this day he makes homage be paid him every year.

30. The Antichristian Empire must put to death the Witnesses of the Truth of God.* 1.398 The papism uses all imaginable attempts to extinguish those Socie∣ties, that give testimony to the truth, and that op∣pose Superstition and Idolatry.

31. The Antichristian Empire must interdict fire and water,* 1.399 i. e. all commerce with those that will not pay homage to it, and carry its mark and its name. The Papism excommunicates, damns, pro∣scribes and puts under interdict all those that will not submit themselves to its Laws, and that will not bear the names of Roman Catholiques.

32. Spiritual Babylon must be a Merchant,* 1.400 and there must be great traffique in all precious things, even in souls. Therefore they that live of its Traf∣fique, shall weep bitterly upon her ruins. Of all the Religions in the World there was never any, where avarice, simony, and the sale of spritual things reign∣ed to that degree, as they have done in the papism. If any one can tell of any one, they would much oblige us to shew it to us.

33. This Babylon must make all the Nations of the Earth drunk,* 1.401 to make them her slaves. The Pa∣pism hath poured out on the people a spirit of dul∣ness, a drunkenness, a charm, which hath bewitch'd them to run after her.

34. The colour of Antichrist shall be purple and scarlet;* 1.402 his magnificence must be extraordinary, he must be adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. The Court of Rome hath purple for its colour, its chief Priest in the days of ceremonies is covered with gold and pearls, its Cardinals are as Kings.

35. The reign of Antichrist must endure 1260. years, which shall be proved afterwards. The Em∣pire of the papism hath endured very near so long already.

CHAP. XXV.

How Antichrist came to be mistaken, being so well Characterised in the Prophecies. A compari∣rison of J. Christ and Antichrist in the acci∣dental circumstances of their coming.

SEeing the Empire of the papism so expresly mark'd with the Characters of Antichristianism, one can't sufficiently wonder than men have so ge∣nerally mistaken him. 'Tis a scandal on the faith∣ful, and a prejudicable opinion that seems favoura∣ble to the papists. Therefore we must say something of the reasons, that have made Antichrist be mista∣ken when he did come.

* 1.403The first and the fundamental reason is, the pro∣found will of God, who will not have prophecies be understood, to the end they may have their accom∣plishment with the more ease. If the Jews had un∣derstood the prophecies touching the Messiah, if they had apprehended that he must have been a man of griefs, accustomed to weakness, that he must have been led as a Lamb to the slaughter, and offer up his soul as an oblation for sin; and that he was not to be a temporal King, at least in his first coming, they would have been on their guard. Moreover seeing J. Christ working of miracles, teaching so holy a Doctrine, leading so holy a life, they would not have mistaken him, though he had not been a King. They would not have crucified him, and the Pro∣phecies would not have been fulfilled. This exam∣ple of J. Christ, mistaken by that whole Nation for which he came will be very useful to us.

First, It will teach us,* 1.404 that we ought not to be scandalized in any manner at this, because the whole Church during so many ages did mistake Antichrist, nor grant that as a favourable opinion for the pa∣pism. For the thing is not more strange than what happened to the Jews. All the whole Nation ex∣cept a small number knew not J. Christ. All the whole Church except a few persons, did not know that the papism was Antichristianism.

Secondly, This example teaches us, that as it was necessary for the accomplishment of the Prophecies touching J. Christ, that he should not be known; in like manner it was necessary that the Prophecies touching Antichrist, should not be understood by the Church, to the end they might be accomplisht. If the Church had understood that Rome was to be the seat of Antichrist,* 1.405 that the Bishop of Rome was to be the head of the Antichristian Empire, that the invocation of Saints was to be a Christian Apostacy, that the worship of Reliques and the adoration of Images was to be an abomination, by which the San∣ctuary should be defiled, the Doctors of the Church would never have suffer'd the establishment of ty∣ranny at Rome, and idolatry in the Temples.

* 1.406Thirdly, This event common to Jesus Christ and Antichrist, not to be known by those in the midst of of whom they came, gives occasion to make a refle∣ction on the profound and mysterious dispensation of providence, that would make this conformity be∣tween two subjects, in other respects so different and opposite. But as opposite as they are, they agree in the manner of their coming, and in the accidents of that coming; which we will presently see by the comparison that we will forth with make.

Antichrist is a false Christ; he is a false Image of him. Now 'tis of the essence of false Images, to have

something that imitates the things for which they would pass.* 1.407 First, Jesus Christ is the Holy of Ho∣lies; Antichrist calls himself his Holiness, and most holy Lord. Secondly, Jesus Christ is the true Bride∣groom of the Church; Antichrist assumes the name of the second Bridegroom. Thirdly, Jesus Christ is the Vicar and Lievtenant of the Father, sent on the Earth to act in his name. Our Anti∣christ also calls himself the Vicar of Jesus Christ. Fourthly, Jesus Christ is he who opens, and no man shuts; 'tis he that distributes the indulgence of his Father, and gives remission of sins. Antichrist arro∣gates the same rights to himself. Fifthly, I. Christ was promised by the Prophets: so Antichrist hath been fore-told. 6ly, Iesus Christ was described by such lively strokes, that it was almost impossible not to know him; for is there any thing more ex∣press than the 53^th Ch. of Esai, & the 9^th of Daniel? Yet he was not known. Antichrist, though so exactly described as we have seen, was not acknow∣ledged by them that nourisht him in their bosom. 7ly, The coming of I. Christ was mark'd by a cir∣cumstance so notable, that one could not but know it. 'Tis the destruction of the Iewish nation. Shiloh was to come, when the Law-giver, and the Scepter were departed from Iudah.* 1.408 The coming of Anti∣christ was mark'd by the ruin of the temporal Ro∣man Empire; a circumstance so remarkable, that all the World saw it. 8ly, I. Christ was expected at the time when he came. The Iews perceived, that the time of the fulfilling the Oracles did draw nigh, they reckon'd up the 70 weeks, and appre∣hended that the end of them could not be far off. The Christians expected Antichrist at the time when he was revealed. We learn it from St. Ierom, who seeing the Empire run to ruin by the invasion of

the Quades, Goths, Burgundians, &c. confesses the time of the coming of Antichrist could not be far off. 9ly, I. Christ not known by so many peo∣ple, was however acknowledg'd by some of the na∣tion of the Iews. Antichrist not known almost by the whole Church, however hath been so by divers particular persons, whose testimonies we have produced in the first part of our prejudices against popery.

That which is more admirable in this parallel, is, that I. Christ and Antichrist were not known almost for the very same reasons.

* 1.409The Prophecies that were designed to make known I. Christ, were in part the cause why he was not acknowledged. For if in some places he be represented to us in his natural and true estate, in others he is represented in lively & bright colours, with magnificent and pompous figures. So that by these descriptions one would have taken him for a King of this World, and his Empire for an earthly one. The Iews stretching these descriptions of the H. Spirit, not comprehending the sense of them, and not entring into the meaning of those figures, had an Idea of the Messiah quite different from what in truth he was to be in his first coming. In like manner the Prophecies concerning Antichrist, are exprest sometimes in terms plain and natural enough, but at other times in high terms borrowed from the most hideous objects that are in the Old Testament, of Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, the apostacy, a revolt from the faith, the Doctrine of Daemons, the Cup of abominations, adulteries, whoredoms; every thing is brought in here, and upon these high ex∣pressions men have stretcht the Idea of Anti∣christ.

The two comings of I. Christ, that gave occasion

to these two sorts of Prophecies,* 1.410 were the occasion of the mistake. I. Christ was to come in a state of humiliation and abasement, and he must come in a state of grandeur and glory. The Prophets often speak of this last state, the Iews give heed only to this sort of Prophecies and neglect the others, affix∣ing them to another subject. The two degrees of Antichrist's coming have done the same thing. The Antichristian Empire in its beginning was low, creeping, its first years did savour of weakness and infancy. The malice, the corruption, the pride, the tyranny, the Idolatry of this Empire, were but in their beginning, they were buds and the first draughts, which men did not perceive.

And this is the great reason why Antichrist hath not been known. If the Papism in the fourth age had endeavoured to introduce into the Church, both the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and the idolatrous worship of the creatures, such as it was afterwards, all the world would have revolted from him, and the Antichristianism would easily have been ob∣serv'd. But in that way that the Devil took, it was impossible that it should not succeed. The first degree of tyranny and superstition was so small, that though it was new, yet it was not at all perceived. What evil could one imagine, for instance, in ha∣ving a respect for the memory of the Martyrs, and making an honourable mention of them in the ce∣lebration of the mysteries? How could one have been on ones guard, when nothing was treated of a yet, but some honour of precedency between a Bi∣shop and a Priest; and between a Bishop of one see and of another? I am also sure that the mystery of iniquity was advanced by ways where the Apostles had no suspicion of evil. For instance, it was the custome in the Apostles time sometimes to hold

their assemblies in the Dormitories and on the tombs of the martyrs. I believe, 'tis to this that Saint Paul referrs, in that famous passage in the 15^th of the first Epist. to the Corint. If the dead rise not, why are they then haptized for the dead? That is to say, to what purpose do you honour the martyrs, so as to cele∣brare the mysteries on their tombs, if they are no longer any thing,* 1.411 and must never return? a To pray to God in a Dormitory, and upon the tomb of a dead man, to testify that one would dye in the same faith wherein the Martyr died? Yet this was the first fountain of the popish Idolatry about Saints. From the first degree to the second, there is but one step; in like manner the passage is insensible from the second to the third. And men found themselves sunk down into superstition, and swallowed up in tyranny, without perceiving it, and without its be∣ing possible for them to perceive it. When cor∣ruptions are insensible in their progress, those that are engaged in them, cannot know them. They must be without. When one is carried in a ves∣sel, one doth not perceive its motion, one must be out of the vessel and in a fixed point to discern it. In this manner it was, that the Devil laboured about this mystery of iniquity in the time of St. Paul; he began to work, as he speaks, he began with vending a little wicked Philosophy about the mediation and intercession of Angels:* 1.412 Platonick Philosophy, which is the very same that the Apostle calls the Doctrine of Daemons; by which some would intro∣duce the serving of Angles, from which Saint Paul would remove the Colossians,* 1.413 in saying to them, be∣ware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit,* 1.414 after the tradition of men, &c. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humili∣ty and worshipping of Angels, intruding into those

things, which he hath not seen. Satan also beat out a path for tyranny by those disputes for precedency and honours; of which we may see a pattern in the differences that reign'd in the Church of Corinth, where one said; I am of Apollo, I am of Paul, and I am of Christ. But who would have suspected, that things could have gone so far, as they have since proceeded?

* 1.415Lastly, The ancient Writers, and the prejudices which men took from their errours and oversights, did mightily serve to the causing Antichrist not to be known. The further one is removed from the ac∣complishment of the Prophecies, the less one under∣stands them. So 'tis certain, the Fathers of the se∣cond and third age understood almost nothing of the Revelation. Yet they did busy themselves to inter∣pret it, and have vented nothing but vain imagina∣tions about it. They had in their minds a Chimaera of an earthly paradise yet in being. This terrestrial Paradise must not be useless; one dream draws an∣other after i•• as one deep calls on another. This earthly para••••se then must be designed to receive souls, and ••ontain them before they were translated into the Heavenly paradise, which was not to be till after the day of judgement. Into this terrestrial Pa∣radise were translated in body and in soul, according to them, Enoch and Elias. For there was no colour for the putting them in the superiour Paradise, while all the Saints and Patriarchs were only in the inferiour one. Now why were Enoch and Elias tran∣slated both body and soul into that place? It hath been found very convenient to place them there, expecting the last day of judgement to be sent back into the World to encounter Antichrist. And so Enoch and Elias are transformed into those two wit∣nesses, that were to prophecy clothed in sack-cloth

for three years and a half, which are the days of Antichrist. There was no colour for making Enoch and Elias sojourn on the Earth 1260. years. So that it was necessary to take the 1260 years, of which the Revelation speaks, for so many natural days, which make three natural years and a half. The name of Antichrist made them believe he would call himself Christ. The Temple of God, where St. Paul saith, that the son of perdition must sit, hath made them think of the Temple of Solomon, and they have concluded that Jerusalem was to be the seat of this Empire. Consequently that Antichrist must be a Jew; and for the reasons we have observ'd above, he must moreover be of the tribe of Dan, and by consequence a single person. Behold the visions which St.Irenaeus vends in his fifth book against Hae∣resies;* 1.416 visions for which we are apparently indebted to him, that forged the false Oracles of the Sibyls in the second age. They that came after him adopted these vain imaginations, and added others to them. The Ancients did copy one another, almost without any judgement, and always without consideration. Those that were very fond of this vain phantome of a Chimerical Antichrist, could not discern the Cha∣racter of the true Antichrist. The later ages have been much more enlightned. The differences of the Popes with the Kings of Europe, & particularly with the Emperors, open'd the eyes of many, and made them see the Antichristian Empire in Rome Christian. But being in part very fond of the old Idea of Anti∣christ, in part being kept in by that respect they had for a See, which they believed was once the Chair of Saint Peter, in part through cowardice and want of zeal; and above all because the time designed by providence was not yet come, they stopt in the way, and never reached to a perfect Idea of the Anti∣christian

Empire. And in this manner the prejudices, the ignorance, the passions, the interest of the flesh, and the subtilty of the Devil have detain'd the truth in profound darkness, till in these later times God hath set them in a perfect light.

But one can't sufficiently wonder, that in so great a light, yet there have been two persons sufficiently prepossessed or ill enough disposed, for the mista∣king this Antichrist. The learned Grotius and Dr. Hammond have unhappily, and to the scandal of all Protestants, used great endeavours to turn these prophecies of the Revelation another way. The one through his being wedded to the papism, which he defended with all his might against the late Andrew Rivet. And the other apparently for the same reason as Grotius, and it may be so through his jealousy for the Episcopal order, imagining that if the Pope, who ca••••••, himself the head of the Bishops, should be made Antichrist, some disgrace would redound thence to the whole Episcopal order. But Joseph Mede, the learned Ʋsher Arch-bishop of Armagh, the learned Andrew Willet, and so many other learned English men, that appear so zealously for the government and order of Bishops, have continued to find Anti∣christ and the Pope in the descriptions, which the prophecies have left us of him. And to speak freely, I am so strongly perswaded of this as an Article of the faith of the true Christians, that I can't hold them for good ones, who deny this truth after the events, and the labours of so many great men have made it so very evident. I reckon the blindness of the papists, and of their favourers in this point, a∣mong those prodigies, wherein we must acknow∣ledge something super-natural.

The end of the First Part.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Q. Whe∣ther the seven Epistles are Pro∣phetical?
• * 1.2

  Why the H. Spirit wrote but to seven Churches.
• * 1.3

  The ap∣plications that are made of the seven Epistles to the se∣ven Peri∣ods are not hap∣py.
• * 1.4

  The ex∣plication of the my∣stery of the seven Churches by Forbes.
• * 1.5

  The Ex∣plication of the my∣stery of the seven Churches according to Cocceius.
• * 1.6

  The my∣stery of the seven Churches according to Dr. Hen. More.
• * 1.7

  The ex∣plication of the vi∣sion of the twenty four El¦ders & the four living Creatures▪
• * 1.8

  The opi∣nion of J. Mede about these four living Cre∣atures & the twenty four El∣ders.
• * 1.9

  The four living Creatures of St. John. are Esay's seraphims, & Eze∣kiels Cheru∣bims.
• * 1.10

  What was the figare of Moses's Cheru∣bims.
• * 1.11

  Kerab in the Chaldee signifies to labour, the true original of the word Cheru∣bims.
• * 1.12

  Cap. 1.13.
• * 1.13

  Chr. 1.21, 22.
• * 1.14

  The El∣ders are the Chri∣stian peo∣ple.
• * 1.15

  VVhy God hath nor taken no∣tice of other States in the Reve∣lation.
• * 1.16

  The divi∣sion of the fourth Monarchy into two Periods.
• * 1.17

  Dan. 7.7.
• * 1.18

  v. 23.
• * 1.19

  v. 9.
• * 1.20

  v. 10.
• * 1.21

  v. 11▪
• * 1.22

  v. 26,
• * 1.23

  v. 27.
• * 1.24

  How far the seven seals teach.
• * 1.25

  The prin∣cipal Catastro∣phes hap∣pening in the Roman Empire are is∣tinctly noted in the Reve∣lation.
• * 1.26

  The first Horsman is Vespasi∣an & Titas his Son.
• * 1.27

  v. 3.
• * 1.28

  v. 4.
• * 1.29

  The 2d. Horse sig∣nifies the Empire of Trajan & Adrian.
• * 1.30

  Osorius. Dion: Lyber Juchasin.
• * 1.31

  v. 5.
• * 1.32

  v. 6.
• * 1.33

  The 3d. horse is the Em∣pire of Septimius Severui & Alexander the son of Mammaa.
• * 1.34

  Aurelius. Spartia∣nus, Lam∣pridius. Septimius. apud Lam∣pridium.
• * 1.35

  v. 7.
• * 1.36

  v. 8.
• * 1.37

  The fourth Horseman is the Em∣pire of Maximin & his successors.
• * 1.38

  Julius Ca∣pitolin us. Trebel∣lius Pollio de 30 Tyrannis. & in vitâ Gallieni.
• * 1.39

  Zosimus. Lipsius de Constan∣tia. 2. 23. Euseb. Hist. l. 7. c. 17.
• * 1.40

  v. 9.
• * 1.41

  v. 10.
• * 1.42

  The fifth seal is Dioclesi∣an's per∣secution.
• * 1.43

  Sulpitius Severus. Orosius. Scaliger de Emen∣dat. Temp. l. 5.
• * 1.44

  v. 12.
• * 1.45

  v. 13.
• * 1.46

  v. 14.
• * 1.47

  v. 15.
• * 1.48

  v. 16.
• * 1.49

  v. 17.
• * 1.50

  The fixth Trumpet contains the fall of Faganism.
• * 1.51

  The my∣stery of the 144 thousand sealed persons in the 7th. Ch.
• * 1.52

  ••.8.
• * 1.53

  The first Trumpet begins under Theodosius the youn∣ger, & signifies the first irruptions of the Bar∣barians.
• * 1.54

  Is. 28.2. & ••0, 3. & 32.19.
• * 1.55

  The third part signi∣fies the Roman Empire.
• * 1.56

  v. 8.
• * 1.57

  v. 9.
• * 1.58

  v. 10.
• * 1.59

  v. 11.
• * 1.60

  The second & third Trumpet signify the effusion of blood & the bitter afflictions which the Barbarians caused in the Roman Empire
• * 1.61

  See. Jer. 51.36.44. Ezek. 31, 4. Is. 19.5.
• * 1.62

  The moun∣tain of fire that falls into the sea is Alario that made Italy desolate & took Rome.
• * 1.63

  The Fall of the Re∣man Em∣pire.
• * 1.64

  v. 1.
• * 1.65

  v. 2.
• * 1.66

  The fal∣ling star in the fifth Trumpet is no•• a grandee or a Prophet.
• * 1.67

  The Reli∣gion of Mahomet meant by the black smoak.
• * 1.68

  By the Locusts the Saracens are meant.
• * 1.69

  ••. 4.
• * 1.70

  What the five mouths of the reign of the Locusts signify.
• * 1.71

  Aeneid. 3.
• * 1.72

  VVhence comes the name and fable of the Har∣pyes.
• * 1.73

  Ch. 9.13.
• * 1.74

  The Turks & their in vasions on the fourth Monarchy.
• * 1.75

  VVhat the four An∣gels in Euphrates signify.
• * 1.76

  The Turks are sent to destroy the Roman Empire.
• * 1.77

  v. 17.
• * 1.78

  v. 1. J. Christ appears a second time for a second vision.
• * 1.79

  The diffe∣renes between the first little book of the Re∣velation, & the second.
• * 1.80

  The desti∣nies of the Church are more Clearly predicted than those of the Em∣pire.
• * 1.81

  v. 3.
• * 1.82

  VVhat voices & thunders signify in the Reve∣lation, especally in the second part.
• * 1.83

  v. 4.
• * 1.84

  A sealed vision is an obscure vision.
• * 1.85

  1s. 29.11.
• * 1.86

  Dan. 8.26.
• * 1.87

  Dan 12.4.
• * 1.88

  VVhen the last Trum∣per must sound.
• * 1.89

  Ch. 11.15.
• * 1.90

  v. 8,
• * 1.91

  v. 9,
• * 1.92

  v. 11.
• * 1.93

  The histo∣ry of the Church is not to be found but in the last eleven Chapters of the Apoca∣lypse.
• * 1.94

  v. 11.
• * 1.95

  The Chru∣stian Church in the Apo∣calypse must be di∣vided into three Periods.
• * 1.96

  The in∣ward court is an Em∣blem of the pure Church, & the out ward court an Emblem of the cor∣rupted Church.
• * 1.97

  V. Villal-pand. in Ezech.
• * 1.98

  Many things in the Apoca∣lypse co-temporary.
• * 1.99

  Rey. 13.1, 0.
• * 1.100

  C. 7. v. 25.
• * 1.101

  The seventh seal, con∣tains under it the seven Trumpets.
• * 1.102

  C. 11.15.
• * 1.103

  C. 8.7.
• * 1.104

  The seven Vialls are contained under the sixth Trum∣pet.
• * 1.105

  Five things cotempo∣rary in the Period of the reign of the thousand years.
• * 1.106

  Rev. 7.10. Rev. 7.17.
• * 1.107

  v. 9.
• * 1.108

  C. 7.14.
• * 1.109

  Rev. 11.15.
• * 1.110

  A short explana∣tion of the 11th. Chap.
• * 1.111

  v. 2.
• * 1.112

  v. 3.
• * 1.113

  v. 7.
• * 1.114

  v. 13.
• * 1.115

  v. 15.
• * 1.116

  Ch. 12. & its expli∣cation.
• * 1.117

  v. 17.
• * 1.118

  C. 13.1, 2, 3. &c.
• * 1.119

  An Epi∣tome of the Histo∣ry foretold in the 13th. Ch.
• * 1.120

  A short explication of the 14th. Chap.
• * 1.121

  v. 8.
• * 1.122

  v. 14.
• * 1.123

  Chap. 15.
• * 1.124

  Chap. 16.
• * 1.125

  Chap. 17.
• * 1.126

  Chap. 18.
• * 1.127

  Chap. 19.
• * 1.128

  All agree that the little horn in the 7th. of Dan. is Antichrist.
• * 1.129

  Dan. 7.8.
• * 1.130

  v. 24, 25.
• * 1.131

  The two Beasts of Rev. 13. are Anti∣christ.
• * 1.132

  Bellarm. part. 1. c. 3. sect. 15. Res∣pondeo priorem &c.
• * 1.133

  Bellarm. ubi Supra.
• * 1.134

  The Papists are forced to confess that Baby∣lon in the Revel. is Rome.
• * 1.135

  Tis agreed that what is said of Antiochus agrees also to Anti∣christ.
• * 1.136

  Dan. 11.36, 37, 38.
• * 1.137

  v. 41.
• * 1.138

  Of these 23. Arti∣cles, there are not a∣bove four or five of any impor∣tance.
• * 1.139

  All may be reduced to the single question-about the three years and a half of Anti∣christs dura∣tion,
• * 1.140

  Antichrist is not only one single man.
• * 1.141

  That Anti∣christ must not be a Jew.
• * 1.142

  Gen. 49.17. Jer. 8, 16.
• * 1.143

  Antichrist must not be recei∣ved by the Jews as their Messiah.
• * 1.144

  Bellarm. l. 3. de Rom. Pontif. Cap. 12. Sect. prae∣ter.
• * 1.145

  Antichrist;, is not to have his seat at Je∣rusalem.
• * 1.146

  Antichrist is not to be an ha∣ter of Idols. Dan. 11.38.
• * 1.147

  He must not deny the co∣ming of Christ in the flesh.
• * 1.148

  He is not to abolish the Mass.
• * 1.149

  How An∣tichrist is to over∣throw three Kings.
• * 1.150

  How An∣tichrist causeth fire to come down from Hea∣ven.
• * 1.151

  He is not to conquer by arms.
• * 1.152

  Enoch and Elias must not re∣turn, nor be killed.
• * 1.153

  Antichrist is not to style him∣self the only God.
• * 1.154

  Germany is not the Roman Empire, that must be divided among ten Kings un∣der Anti∣christ.
• * 1.155

  Antichrist must come before the end of the World.
• * 1.156

  The Gos∣pel hath been pre∣ached almost through∣out the VVorld.
• * 1.157

  It is not necessary, that Anti∣christ should be a Magi∣cian.
• * 1.158

  The Anti∣christian Empire hath three names, that note its three Cha∣racters.
• * 1.159

  C. 11.8.
• * 1.160

  The name of Egypt signifies the pride Tyranny and Cruel∣ty of Anti∣christ.
• * 1.161

  Sodom sig∣nifies the great cor∣ruption of manners in the Anti∣christian Empire.
• * 1.162

  ••s. 1.10.
• * 1.163

  Babylon sig∣nifies the Idolatry of Antichri∣stianism.
• * 1.164

  These three things Ty∣ranny, Ido∣latry, and corruption of manners we meet with in all the descrip∣tions of Antichrist.
• * 1.165

  v. 7.
• * 1.166

  Rev. 13.14.
• * 1.167

  Whereso∣ever these three Cha∣racters are found, there is Antichri∣stianism. It is not confined only to the Empire of the Pape,
• * 1.168

  The Greek Church makes a part of Ba∣bylon.
• * 1.169

  Yet Rome ceaseth not to be the head of the Babylonish Empire.
• * 1.170

  Mens min∣dings no other Cha∣racter but that of ty∣ranny, hath made them mistake the time of An∣tichrists birth.
• * 1.171

  The Cha∣racter of Tyranny agrees to the Papism.
• * 1.172

  That of Pride a∣grees to it also.
• * 1.173

  The Empire of the Pa∣pism is an Egypt for cruelty.
• * 1.174

  The Em∣pire of the Papism is a Sodom for corruption of man∣ners.
• * 1.175

  The Em∣pire of the Papism is a Babylon for idolatry.
• * 1.176

  The Pa∣pism is an Apostacy.
• * 1.177

  Dan. 7.
• * 1.178

  The Pa∣pism is a Mystery of Iniquity.
• * 1.179

  2 Thess. 2.6, 7.
• * 1.180

  Germany is not an Em∣pire, nor the Roman Empire.
• * 1.181

  The Ro∣man Em∣pire accor∣ding to the Prophecy of St. John and Da∣niel is not yet ended. v. 17, 18.
• * 1.182

  v. 23.
• * 1.183

  v. 24.
• * 1.184

  v. 25.
• * 1.185

  v. 26.
• * 1.186

  v. 11.
• * 1.187

  Chap. 2.
• * 1.188

  v. 32.
• * 1.189

  v. 33.
• * 1.190

  v. 34.
• * 1.191

  v. 40.
• * 1.192

  v. 41.
• * 1.193

  v. 44.
• * 1.194

  He that did possess in the time of St. Paul, and was to be remo∣ved out of the way before Antichrist came, is the sixth head of the Beast with ten Horns and seven heads.
• * 1.195

  A beast signifies a worldly Empire, enemy of God.
• * 1.196

  Why the fourth Mo∣narchy appears en∣tire in the Revelati∣on.
• * 1.197

  The ten Horns are only on the seventh head.
• * 1.198

  Ad Algas. quaeft 11.
• * 1.199

  1.3.
• * 1.200

  De Donat Constant.
• * 1.201

  v. 5••
• * 1.202

  ••. 6.
• * 1.203

  v. 7.
• * 1.204

  v. 11.
• * 1.205

  The second Beast hath two hoths.
• * 1.206

  v. 12.
• * 1.207

  v. 13.
• * 1.208

  v. 14.
• * 1.209

  v. 15.
• * 1.210

  v. 16.
• * 1.211

  v. 18.
• * 1.212

  The num∣ber 144. denotes the whole Church, because of twelve, its square-root.
• * 1.213

  Potter's opinion of the num∣ber 666.
• * 1.214

  VVhat the square root is.
• * 1.215

  25. Is the square root of 666.
• * 1.216

  The num∣ber 25. bears sway in the Pa∣pal hie∣raachy.
• * 1.217

  The num∣ber of 25 is found in the depen∣dencies of the Papism.
• * 1.218

  25 a cursed number & of an ill omen.
• * 1.219

  Why God adds a re∣mainder of 41, to 625. to make up 666.
• * 1.220

  Two consi∣derations to streng∣then the opinion of Potter,
• * 1.221

  v. 3.
• * 1.222

  v. 4.
• * 1.223

  v. 5.
• * 1.224

  v. 6.
• * 1.225

  v. 8.
• * 1.226

  v. 9.
• * 1.227

  v. 10.
• * 1.228

  v. 11.
• * 1.229

  v. 12.
• * 1.230

  v. 13.
• * 1.231

  v. 14.
• * 1.232

  v. 15.
• * 1.233

  v. 16.
• * 1.234

  v. 1••.
• * 1.235

  That Rome Chri∣stian and not Pagan is Spiritual Babylon & the seat of Antichrist
• * 1.236

  Bellarm. l. 3. de Pontif Rom. c. 13.
• * 1.237

  The first Beast of the 13th. Ch. and that of the 17th are the same.
• * 1.238

  C. 13.1. C. 17.3.
• * 1.239

  Chap. 17.8.
• * 1.240

  Chap. 13.3.
• * 1.241

  v. 8.
• * 1.242

  Chap. 17.8.
• * 1.243

  Chap. 13.7.
• * 1.244

  Chap. 17.••.
• * 1.245

  Chap▪ 7.7, 8.
• * 1.246

  Why there is not a Woman sitting on the Beast of the 13th Chap. as there is on that of the 17th.
• * 1.247

  Rome in the 17th. Chap. is not Rome Pagan.
• * 1.248

  God never calls the Pagan So∣cieties VVhores and Adul∣teresses.
• * 1.249

  v. 12.
• * 1.250

  v. 13.
• * 1.251

  How the ten Kings shall de∣stroy Anti∣christian Rome after they have built it. C. 17. v. 8, 16. De Rom. Pontif. l 3. cap. 13. sect. 2.
• * 1.252

  v. 17.
• * 1.253

  The foolish self-con∣tradiction of the Pa∣pists.
• * 1.254

  v. 3.
• * 1.255

  v. 4.
• * 1.256

  c. 18. v. 21.
• * 1.257

  The con∣fession of the modern Papists, that Rome must be the seat of An∣tichrist. Ribera. Viega. Cor∣nelius à Lapide.
• * 1.258

  On the 24. Chapt.
• * 1.259

  The reason why this Text was not made use of in the book of Prejudi∣ces against Popery.
• * 1.260

  The divi∣sion of Chapters and Verses in our Bi∣bles is not authen∣tique.
• * 1.261

  Our com∣mon trans∣lation doth not well represent St. Paul's sense.
• * 1.262

  The true sense, and the true translation of this Text of St. Paul.
• * 1.263

  The Idea which the word Apo∣stacy rai∣seth in the mind.
• * 1.264

  The word Apostacy which sig∣nifies An∣tichrist, shews he must not be a Jew.
• * 1.265

  The revolt of the Pa∣pism from the faith is very well called an Apostacy.
• * 1.266

  The word Apostacy properly signifies rebellion.
• * 1.267

  Josh. 22.18, 19.
• * 1.268

  Apostacy doth not always sig∣nify a total defection.
• * 1.269

  How the Papism de∣stroys the Articles of faith.
• * 1.270

  'Tis an A∣postacy from the faith to in∣troduce that Which is beside the faith.
• * 1.271

  The Papism is an Apo∣stacy, if it he conside∣red alone.
• * 1.272

  Apostacy, especially signifies Idolatry. Neh. 9.26.
• * 1.273

  2 Chro. 28.
• * 1.274

  2 Kings 16.15.
• * 1.275

  God gives such an I∣dea of the popish Ido∣latry as seems very extrava∣gant.
• * 1.276

  The invo∣cation of Saints, and their inter∣cession ruins the fundamen∣tal Article of the exal∣tation of J. Christ, at the right hand of his Father.
• * 1.277

  The Papism destroys the two parts of the exaltation of J. Christ.
• * 1.278

  The privi∣ledge of assistikg before the Throne of God, is in∣communi∣cable to any one besides J. Christ.
• * 1.279

  The Papism pulls down the Lord from his glory.
• * 1.280

  'Tis an a∣bominati∣on to invo∣cate any creature before Gods face.
• * 1.281

  One may pray the Saints which are on Earth, to pray to God for us; because be∣ing far from the face of God, they are not swallowed up by his beams.
• * 1.282

  The Ido∣latry of the Jews was never car∣ried so far as that of the Hea∣thens.
• * 1.283

  Yet it is described in higher terms.
• * 1.284

  The Ido∣latry of the Church is most cri∣minal, and why.
• * 1.285

  Evil spirits are the first Authors of this Popish Idolatry.
• * 1.286

  Confes. l. 9. c. 7.
• * 1.287

  The visions whereby Reliques were revea∣led came from the father of lies.
• * 1.288

  The Mira∣cles were false ones.
• * 1.289

  The Do∣ctrines of Devils, or of Daemons what they are.
• * 1.290

  Popery hath cer∣tainly De∣vils for its Authors.
• * 1.291

  By Do∣ctrines of Daemons we must understand Doctrines, that have Demi-Gods for their ob∣ject.
• * 1.292

  Heb. 6.2.
• * 1.293

  Act. 13.12.
• * 1.294

  Gal. 2.20. Acts 3.16.
• * 1.295

  By the Do∣ctrine of Daemons, must be un∣derstood the Idola∣try of Po∣pery.
• * 1.296

  Antichri∣stianism is considered in the Pro∣phecies, sometimes as a Reli∣gion, som∣times as an Empire.
• * 1.297

  The Do∣ctrine of Daemons & Antichri∣stian Paga∣nism are the same thing.
• * 1.298

  God could not but predict the introducti∣on of Paga∣nisin into the Christi∣an Church.
• * 1.299

  The Arti∣cles of the Pagan Theology & Religion touching Daemons.
• * 1.300

  Paganism acknow∣ledg'd in∣feriour Gods cal∣led Dae∣mons.
• * 1.301

  In lib. de defectu graculo∣rum.
• * 1.302

  The Papism makes no more di∣stinction between the Saints and God than the Heathens did be∣tween the Gods and Daemons.
• * 1.303

  The Dae∣mons were Mediators between God and men.
• * 1.304

  Plato in Symposio.
• * 1.305

  Hesiod the first author of the dei∣fications of souls, the first order of Dae∣mons.
• * 1.306

  Euseb. l. 3. c. 11. de praepar. Evang.
• * 1.307

  The Laws of ancient Rome about the wor∣shipping of Saints, ex∣actly like those of new Rome.
• * 1.308

  A second rank of Demons, separate spirits.
• * 1.309

  De Deo Socratis.
• * 1.310

  The Pa∣pists also make two sorts of mediatory spirits.
• * 1.311

  The Papism in the crection, consecra∣tion and worship of Images hath perfectly brought back the worship of Daemons.
• * 1.312

  The word Daemon in the Scrip∣ture is not always ta∣ken in an ill sense.
• * 1.313

  The Hea∣thens & the Papists in believing they wor∣ship good Genius's, serve the wicked spirits.
• * 1.314

  What must be the Cha∣racters of those, that should teach Do∣ctrines con∣cerning Daemons.
• * 1.315

  Idolatry was esta∣blisht in the Church the same time the Laws of fa∣sting, and Celibacy were by the Monks.
• * 1.316

  Lib. de opere Mo∣nachorum.
• * 1.317

  Histor. Franc. l. 9. c. 6.
• * 1.318

  The Monks are zealous defenders of Imager.
• * 1.319

  Monks are the authors of all the corrupti∣ons intro∣duced into the Church.
• * 1.320

  The Idola∣try of the Papism was establisht by the Fa∣bles and fictions of the Monks.
• * 1.321

  Under Ju∣lian the A∣postate Ba∣bylas the Martyr be∣gins to work mira∣cles by his Reliques.
• * 1.322

  Miracles wrought by Reliques were look'd upon as new in the 4^th Age. Orat. ad∣versus Games.
• * 1.323

  Epist. and Marcell. Soror▪ l. 7.
• * 1.324

  The fable of Protais and Gervais very plain in St. Am∣brose.
• * 1.325

  Ubi supra.
• * 1.326

  The Fables of Simeon Metaphra∣stes ten∣ding to make men invocate the Saints.
• * 1.327

  The Au∣thors of the Le∣gends had conscien∣ces seared, insensible, and hard.
• * 1.328

  The pro∣noun Some doth not exclude the multitude.
• * 1.329

  2 Cor. 10.7.
• * 1.330

  Exod. 32.3.
• * 1.331

  In the 28th verse of the 11th Cha of Daniel, Antinchus Epiphanes is found according to the let∣ter.
• * 1.332

  Both good and bad under the N. Testa∣ment have had their types un∣der the Old.
• * 1.333

  Antichrist ha•••• had his types as well as J. Christ.
• * 1.334

  There are Prophecies wherein the things agree part∣ly to the type, partly to the per∣son signi∣fied by the type.
• * 1.335

  v. 3.
• * 1.336

  v. 10.
• * 1.337

  v. 14.
• * 1.338

  Ch. 8. v. 9. Why An∣tiochus is called a litle horn.
• * 1.339

  v. 23.
• * 1.340

  v. 21.
• * 1.341

  The little Horn in the 17^th. Ch. is not Antio∣chus. A strange oversight of some Interpre∣ters.
• * 1.342

  The Pope is mysti∣cally the little Horn.
• * 1.343

  The Pope exalts himself against God.
• * 1.344

  The Pope makes the daily Sa∣crifice to cease.
• * 1.345

  v. 32.33.
• * 1.346

  The Pa∣pism was established by fraud and vio∣lence.
• * 1.347

  The Pope exalts him∣self above all that is called God.
• * 1.348

  Antiochus and the Pope have exalted themselves above eve∣ry God, not by Atheism, but by Pride.
• * 1.349

  Dan. 11. v. 37, 38, 39.
• * 1.350

  A notable Oracle concern∣ing the Mahazim, which An∣tichrist must wor∣ship.
• * 1.351

  Mahuzim & the un∣known God in this Pro∣phecy, are not the same thing,
• * 1.352

  The un∣known God is J. Christ, and the Mahu∣zim are the Saints and guardian Angels.
• * 1.353

  See Psal. 27.1.28.8.
• * 1.354

  It hath been fore∣told, that Idolatry should be promoted by persons that were enemies to marriage.
• * 1.355

  Sozom. l. 3•• c. 4. Euseb. de vita Const. l. 4. c. 20.33.
• * 1.356

  The Popes have lived as without God.
• * 1.357

  Tyranny and Idola∣try were advanced on the same feat.
• * 1.358

  The Saints and the Reliques are the for∣tresses of the Papism.
• * 1.359

  Mom. 32. in Epist. ad Rom.
• * 1.360

  The Pro∣phecy of the Mahu∣zim may have a lite∣ral sense with re∣spect to Antiochus.
• * 1.361

  They are his adven∣tures with the Ro∣mans that are hare declared.
• * 1.362

  If. 46.1.
• * 1.363

  Antiochus rendred homage to the Ro∣mans, new Gods, whom his Ancestors knew not. Appian. in Syriacis. Titus Li∣vius. l. 38.
• * 1.364

  Tertul Apolog. c. 1••.
• * 1.365

  The 12th. Chapt. of Daniel re∣spects also Antiochus Epiphanes.
• * 1.366

  Daniel brings in the resur∣rection here, to shew that he speaks of the vi∣ctories of J. Christ over Anti∣christ.
• * 1.367

  The Pro∣phecy of Daniel joins toge∣ther the two resur∣rections, the first & the second, though they are di∣stant each from the Other a 1000 years.
• * 1.368

  Esai, 7.
• * 1.369

  A short portraiture of Anti∣chrifi and his fea∣rures.
• * 1.370

  Rev. 13.1.
• * 1.371

  2 Thes. 2.
• * 1.372

  1 Tim. 4.1, 8.
• * 1.373

  The Pa∣pism is the only Reli∣gion that boasts of a Prophet always li∣ving. Rev. 19.20.
• * 1.374

  1 Tim. 4. 2 Thes 2. Rev. 17.
• * 1.375

  The Ido∣latry of Antichrist must be an idolatry of Christians. Rev. 17.
• * 1.376

  Rev. 17.9.18.
• * 1.377

  Rev. 13.13.
• * 1.378

  Dan. 2.7. Rev. 13.
• * 1.379

  Rev. 13.14, 15.
• * 1.380

  Rev. 13. end 17.
• * 1.381

  Rev. 13.5.
• * 1.382

  Rev. 13.7.
• * 1.383

  Rev. 13.3.
• * 1.384

  Rev. 13.11.
• * 1.385

  Rev. 13.18.
• * 1.386

  The num∣ber 666. must be in the name of an Em∣pire, and not in the name of a man.
• * 1.387

  Rev. 11.
• * 1.388

  Rev. 18.4.
• * 1.389

  2 Thes. 2.
• * 1.390

  Rev. 11.
• * 1.391

  Rev. 13.11.
• * 1.392

  The Em∣pire of the Papism as∣cended out of the Earth by little and little.
• * 1.393

  Rev. 13.11.
• * 1.394

  Popety is the only religion that boasts of working signs and miracles.
• * 1.395

  1 Tim. 4.
• * 1.396

  1 Tim. 4.
• * 1.397

  Dan. 7.
• * 1.398

  Rev. 11.
• * 1.399

  Rev. 13.
• * 1.400

  Rev. 18.
• * 1.401

  Rev. 18.
• * 1.402

  Rev. 18.
• * 1.403

  God will not have the Pro∣phecies under∣stood, that they may be accom∣plished.
• * 1.404

  J. Christ mistaken by the Jews, in∣structs us how Anti∣christ might be might be mistaken by the Christians.
• * 1.405

  To the end that the Prophecies touching Antichrist might be accom∣plisht, it was neces∣sary that they should not be under∣stood.
• * 1.406

  A compa∣rison of the accidents of the co∣ming of Christ and Antichrist.
• * 1.407

  A parallel between what Jesus Christ is, and what the Pope pretends to be, or is.
• * 1.408

  Gen. 49.
• * 1.409

  The figu∣rative high ex∣pressions are the cause why Christ and Antichrist are not known.
• * 1.410

  The chief reason why Antichrist was not known, was the means of his original, and the in∣sensible∣ness of his growth.
• * 1.411

  This did appear the most inno∣cent thing in the world.
• * 1.412

  Coloss. 2.
• * 1.413

  Ch. 2. v. 8.
• * 1.414

  v. 18.
• * 1.415

  The false Idea which the an∣cients had of Anti∣christ, be∣fore he was revealed, hath been one cause of Anti∣christ's not being known when he did come.
• * 1.416

  Why Anti∣christ was not known fooner. The Fa∣thers did copy one another without considera∣tion.