A demonstration of the first principles of the Protestant applications of the apocalypse together with the consent of the ancients concerning the fourth beast in the 7th of Daniel and the beast in the Revelations / by Drue Cressener.

BOOK I.

Propositions, Rules and Corollaries.

• Proposit. 1. BAbylon, Revelat. 17. is the City of Rome in an Antichristian and Idolatrous Domination. From hence are drawn these Rules of Interpretation.
• Rule 1. Words of a plain signification are to be taken in the 17th Chapter of the Revelations, in that sense, in which they are generally taken in the World, unless it be inconsistent with something more clearly known.
• Rule 2. Words of a mystical signification must follow the use of them amongst the Prophets, if not inconsistent with something more clearly known.
• Rule 3. The same Words do signify the same things all over the Prophecy, unless there be clear grounds against it.
• Rule 4. The different Judgments of Learned Men ought not to weaken our Assent to what appears sufficiently clear after an impartial Examination, es∣pecially if it be commonly acknowledged.
• Proposit. 2. Babylon signifies the same thing immediately before, in, and after the 17th Chapter.
• Corollary. Babylon is the same thing in the 14th Chapter, as it is in the rest.
• Proposit. 3. The Judgment of Babylon in all Chapters, is the desolation of Rome by Fire in the time of its Idolatrous Antichristian Domination.
• Corollary. Babylon cannot be Rome-Pagan.
• Proposit. 4. Every one of the Eight Kings, Revelat. 17. reckoned up in order, v. 10, 11. is one of those called the Seven Kings in General, v. 10.
• Corollary. The Eighth King is one of the Seven Kings, who had been in Rule be∣fore, and was returned into Power again.
• Proposit. 5. Every one of the Eight Kings, Rev. 17. 10, 11. is represented by one of the Seven Heads of the Beast.
• Coroll. 1. The Eighth King is one of the seven Heads that had ruled before, and was revived again.
• Coroll. 2. The Eighth King, called the Beast (v. 11.) is the Beast with that Head only, which is last in Rule.
• Proposit. 6. The Beast all over the 17th Chapter, is the Beast in the time of its last Ruling Head.
• Coroll. 1. The Beast in the 17th Chapter, continues no longer than his last Ruling Head. Against Grotius's Notion of the Beast after all his Heads.

• ... Coroll. 2: The Ten Horns belong to the Beast no longer, than the time of his Last Head. Against the same.
• Proposit. 7. The Beast all over the 17th Chapter of the Revelations, is a particular Sovereign of Rome in the time of its Idolatrous Rule.
• Proposit. 8. The Term of The Beast all over the 13th Chapter, does signify the First Beast, shown v. 1.
• Corollar. 1. By the Image, Mark, Name, and number of the Name of the Beast, chap. 13. is to be understood the Image, &c. of the First Beast.
• Corollar. 2. By the Beast with the False Prophet, and with the Image, Mark, &c. in all the other Chapters of the Revelations, is to be understood the First Beast, with all the same Attendants in Chap. 13.
• Proposit. 9. The Beast in the 13th Chapter, is a particular state of the Beast under one of its either Ruling Heads, or Horns, for all the time of the con∣tinuance of the Head, or Horn.
• Corollar. 1. The False Prophet, or Second Beast, Image, Mark, Name, &c. do in all the mentions of them in the 13th Chapter, belong to that particu∣lar state of the Beast under either of one of its Heads, or Horns.
• Corollar. 2. The Beast with the False Prophet, Image, Mark, &c. in all other Chap∣ters, signifies the same particular state of the Beast, that it is signi∣fied to be in the 13th Chapter, with the like Adjuncts.
• Proposit. 10. The Seven Heads, and the Ten Horns in the 13th and 17th Chapters, are the same things.
• Corollar. 1. The Beasts in the 13th and 17th Chapters, are one and the same parti∣cular Beast in every successive state of the same Heads, or Horns.
• Corollar. 2. The Beast in the 13th Chapter, is the same particular state of the Beast with that in the 17th Chapter, for the whole time of its continuance.
• Corollar. 3. The wounded, and healed Head of the Beast, Chap. 13. is the same Last Ruling Head of the Beast with that in the 17th Chapter.
• Proposit. 11. The Judgment of the Dead, Rev. 11. 18. is the General Judgment at Christ's Second Coming.
• Corollary. The Reign of Christ over the Kingdoms of the World, Rev. 11. 15. is Christ's Second Coming in glory.
• Proposit. 12. The Beast that killed the Witnesses, Rev. 11. 7. is the same particular time of Roman Rule with the Beast in the other Chapters.
• Corollar. 1. The Beast in the Revelations is to continue till some Ʋniversal Reign of Christ over the Kingdoms of this World.
• Corollar. 2. The Beast, and the Two Witnesses, Chap. 11. are Contemporaries for the whole time of the continuance of them both.