The key of the Revelation, searched and demonstrated out of the naturall and proper charecters of the visions.: With a coment thereupon, according to the rule of the same key, / published in Latine by the profoundly learned Master Joseph Mede B.D. late fellow of Christs College in Cambridge, for their use to whom God hath given a love and desire of knowing and searching into that admirable prophecie. Translated into English by Richard More of Linley in the Countie of Salop. Esquire, one of the Bargesses in this present convention of Parliament. With a præface written by Dr Twisse now prolocutor in the present Assembly of Divines.

Of the second Seale.

The second memorable chance of the Roman Empyre, the * 1.1 embleme of the second seale is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Murther or in∣testine slaughter; the like to which is scarse in all the Roman history. And there was given, sayeth he, to him that ••a••e on this horse, that he should take peace from the earth (that is, that, he ryding, peace should be taken from the earth,) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and that men should kill one another, which last part of the sence, doth strengthen the explication of the former. For in what other sen••e should these words be taken, that it was given to him * 1.2 that sitteth on the horse, that men should kill one another? unlesse it were given, or came to passe, that, he indeed riding; men should excercise cruelty in mutuall murders, and slaughters.

The discloser of this seal is the second Beast, in the shape of a Bullock, placed at the west: and whilest in the vision he ••iddeth look back towards him, thereby he warneth; that this seal be∣ginneth, when Trajan the Spaniard bare rule, being an Emperour comming from the west. Dion; Trajan a man of Spaine, he was neither of Italy nor an Italian: before him no man of another nation obtained the Empire of Rome. But thenceforth from him the same stock raigned even untill Commodus where the space o•• this seal endeth.

The beginning therefore being drawen from this Em∣perour, let us seek that memorable accident 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of killing one another. But the thing was done, by the Gon∣tiles and Iew••s, then dwelling together throughout the Romane Empire, both where Trajan and his successor Ha∣dr••an guided the sterne of the Empire. What was done under Tra••a••, take not upon mine, but upon the joynt words of Dion and Orosius. The Ie••s, saith Orosius, in anincredible commotion at one time, as it were made wilde with ••urie were mightily incensed through the whole world. For they waged most cruell wars even through all Libia, ••gainst the inhabitants: which then was made so desolate the ••••habitants thereof being slaine, that except Ha∣drian the Emperour had afterwards brought thither Colenies ga∣thered

from other places; it had remained altogether vacant, with∣out inhabitant. They which dwelt about Cyrene, (saith Dion) one Andreas being their Captain, do slay aswell Romanes as Greekes, they feed of their flesh, and eat their bowels; they are besmeared with their blood, and clothed with their skinnes. Many they sawed asunder through the midst, from their crown of the head, many they cast to Beasts. many they constrained to combate between themselves; so that they slew two hundred * 1.3 and twenty thousand men. He goeth on furthermore in Egypt the like slaughter was made, and in Cyprus Artenio being Cap∣tain, where also there perished two hundred and forty thousand. They raced Salamis a city of Cyprus, having slain all the dwellers therein [Oros. Euseb.] But in Alexandria in joyned battail, they were overcome and wasted. [Oros.] At length by others, but specially by Lysius, whom Trajan had sent, they are subdued. In Mesop••tamea also, war is brought upon the Rebels by the com∣mandment of the Emperour. [Oros. Euseb.] And so, many thou∣sands of them did utterly perish by these outragiuos slaughters.

Hitherto those things which happened under Trajan. But thou wilt say, is there any thing under Hadrian to be compared with these? whether they were not equall, let the reader judge. I dare say not much lesse. For as yet we have said nothing of that renow∣ned Rebellion Ba••cocheba the counterfeit Messias being Captain. Here that therefore also in the words of the same Dion: when, saith he, Hadrian had brought a Colonie into the city of Ierusalem, and in the place where the temple of God had b••, had procured another to be built to Iupiter Capitolinus: a great and continued war began to arise there upon, whole Iudea to be in commotion, all the lews every where in ••umult, bringing great damage secret∣ly, and openly upon the Romanes; and very many other nations for the desire of gain joyned with them, and for that cause al∣most all the world was in an uproare. He goeth on; these Hadrian though too late yet at length subdued and brake, sending all the best of his Captains against them, but (the multitude and despe∣r••tenesse of them being known) they durst not charge them but singlely; there being slam in excursions, and battails, not lesse then five hundred and ••ourscore thousand, But the multitude was such, of those that perished with famine, sicknesse, and fire, that the num∣ber could not be found out. But was that victorie easie to the

Romanes, and without blood? No verily, for so many, saith he, of the Roma••es also perished in that war, that Hadrian, when he wrote to the Senate, used not that preface, which the Em∣perours were accustomed to use, Sivos, liberique vestri valetis, bene ••st, ego quidem et exercitus valemus. If you, and your chil∣dren fare well, it is well, I truely and the army are well. These things Dion relateth concerning the commotion of the Iews un∣der that sonne of the star, as they called him, or rather, of the Lysard, of whom Eusebius further writeth, that he shew with * 1.4 all kinde of tortures the Christians, being unwilling to aide him against the Romane army.

If any please to heare the Iews themselves estimating their ownlosse; the Author of the book Iuchasi•• writeth that Hadrian put to death in this war more then twice so many Iews, as came out of Egypt. Another in the book intituled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which * 1.5 Drusius commendeth in Prateritis, that neither Nebu••had-nezz ar nor Tyrus had so afflicted them as Hadrian the Emperour. So that this ruine seemeth to have been the most grievous fit of all that in∣credible tribulation, which our Saviour had foretold should come upon the Iews. And therefore not unworthily chosen by the holy Ghost, before all other events of that time, for the exprossing of this second space, since ••t excelleth as well because of the nation, as of an accomplishment so renowned.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Verse 4.
• * 1.2

  ••••ap. ••.
• * 1.3

  Chap. 6.
• * 1.4

  Stellion••s.
• * 1.5

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