Right Honorius being Childless might expect to Succeed as partly by Conquest in Italy over all the Empire She by earnest entreaties perswaded him to spare the sad remains of that City and to depart out of Italy spoiled already This was not no doubt her single Design but her Design driven on and owned by the Senate and by a better Council at Ravenna He hereupon having received further supplyes of Monies for himself her and his Army marched with her into Spain to subject it to himself Hereupon his Souldiers slew him because he had left Italy and therein quitted a certain Fruition for a doubtful event which without much difficulty and no less danger they could not expect prosperous Thus he left near Conquered Italy and taln Rome drunk with the blood of Martyrs and drunk at that time with her own blood to the then new-born Beast Secular and Papal whose first Head was then wounded with the stroke of a Sword as it were unto death Revel 13.3 12 14. to wit By the Sword of this second Dragon prevailing at the same time under Pharamond in France and under Alaricus in Italy He prevailed not only against the Primitive Church Imperial Rome and the then falling and dying first Dragon all which letted and should let till then thus taken out of the way the rising up of Papal Rome and of the Sea-born Beast her secular Head but he prevailed also and might easily prevail against that Secular Beast and wounded as it were unto death in the day of his birth and when but beginning to rise out of the Sea his first and best Head For Rome Ruled over the Kings of the Earth And the Senate with an Emperour Ruled both her and them But the besieged Senate Ruled Rome with great grief and no great Power without Bishop or Emperour And in that feeble and afflicted Senate did this Sea-born Beast all wounded as it were unto death in the day of his birth by the Sword of this second Dragon rise up For the City saith the learned Hammond was divided into three parts so her Antitype was to be near the day of her Dissolution Chap. 16.19 One part was Pagan another Heretical and the third part Orthodox but grosly Apostate in manners Concerning the Heretical part I observe little But the Pagan or Heathen part was for Number and Power most prevalent all the time the City was besieged until it was taken For Attalus a profest Heathen was so high in Power and Favour with the People that he would be Caesar aut nullus and not be joynt Emperour with Honorius So was Symachus Lieutenant of Rome a Pagan And such was the Senate for the most part which appears in that they sent the said Symachus Legat to Honorius at Ravenna to Request that the Heathen Rites might be Restored Thus it appears plainly that the Heathen part was the greatest in that afflicted Senate of besieged Rome But that major part was no part of this Beasts wounded Head which was after healed but the last part of the first Dragons last and dying Head which was never healed but then went into lasting perdition Apocal. 17.11 For after two years siege and as I rather compute the time in 412 were those Pagan Senators and Imperial Rome numbered and finished Then came her and their Plagues in one day Death Mourning Famine Fire Chap. 18.8 which those Barbarians with barbarous hands had chiefly inflicted upon those Heathen Senators and Citizens that had invited revocated and consided most in them and that to their utter and final excision But the flying Senators and others that fled to the Sanctuaries of the more Orthodox but Apostate in manners found thereby a bare and hard exemption from imminent death And these thus scarce escaped Senators and perhaps some others in somewhat like condition were the visible original of the first Head of this Sea-born Beast weak and wounded to be a witness to the truth performed as was thrice foretold in three sacred Texts of Scripture in the same Chapter Apocal. 13.3.12.14 Here the Scissers of eternal death and final excision parted the last dying Head of Pagan and Imperial Rome from the first at first sick and deadly wounded Head of Papal Rome And I saw one of his Heads wounded c. and his deadly wound was healed vers 3. wounded by the Sword of this second Dragon Healed began to be healed when Atholphus remitting Rome and most of Italy into the feeble hands of that wounded Senate made them Temporal Lords over Rome Italy and other Nations over which that City for some time after claimed some Jurisdiction Then also their Bishop began to be partly by the said Donation partly by the Senates Assent partly by his own Usurpation prefer'd to the largest Superintendency Thus this Papal Superintendent Spiritual began to be suted with a fit Power Secular For these near slain but surviving Senators were Primitiae Papales Papal Romes first Fruits and though at first most feeble her first Powers Secular Because they and they first allow'd sufficiently their own Bishops Supremacy over all Bishops and Churches if not over all Kings and Councils For so soon as Athaulphus had remitted Rome and Italy to that wounded Beast his Bishop faln Romes Bishop Innocent the First returned but no Emperour with him to Rome and Ruled as by principal Authority both Spiritual and Temporal that reviving Beast and likewise Rome and Italy which that second Dragon in Athaulphus as one chief Head of him had given to that almost dying Senate And the Dragon gave began early to give his Seat Power and great Authority to the Beast He continued in giving his power in several Conquered Nations for about 200 years space but I may not digress from the matter in hand to insist upon so long a subject To shew when and how he began to give his Power the Supremacy therein to that Beast is sufficient at present Innocent immediately after his Return claimed and laboured much more hard than any had done before him to obtain Universal Supremacy over all Bishops Churches and Councils as plainly appears by his own practice witnessed and by his own Letters and those very many recorded by Augustine Osiander and others For the Emperours absence was Innocents advantage to augment and exercise a more uncontrouled Power And Honorius a good Prince and Orthodox but of no great Capacity to Govern came no more to Rome to Reside there to the day of his death For the Romans at least some of them are said to hate Honorius because he left Rome and went to Ravenna therefore he remained there And his Successors some having the Title of Emperours but scarce the power of Kings made Ravenna the place of their Residence Rome was never more Imperial but ever after Papal The Senate and Bishops of Rome in the absence of Honorius and as by his Authority acted many things to further their own Designs and in Defence of the
prosperity of all Princes and People These can with like folly readily say What peace what prosperity comes by this kind of knowledge We busie our selves about better things mind more necessary concerns Thus Hypocrites harden their own hearts against the knowledge of those things that chiefly belong unto their peace and under a blind pretence of minding the most serious things embrace as the Pharisees did base inanimadvertency and brutish ignorance Our Saviour weeping for them said of their Type Hadst thou known at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace But they expecting those things come before to come in future never found that day nor those things Profane disregard to Prophetick Scriptures puts out quite all the eyes of Providence So formal Professors follow or rather far out-go their footsteps see not in no wise will see those things that belong unto their peace For formal Professors feed their own folly with deceits affect to walk in the admired sparks of their own Fires empty impertinencies and forsaking the means of their own safeties tread under-foot the things and those Scriptures that principally appertain to the peace of all People For this profaness and it was most just with God even the Gospel-Church as her followers trod under foot this knowledge those things was given to the Gentiles to be troden under foot for 1260 years Apocal. 11.2 3. But Fabula narratur surdis Sacred Prophesies with the Promises and Threatnings therein and the performances of them are to formal Hypocrites as Stories told to deaf or dead men Common Herds have as good care to know how or when Promises were performed and Prophesies fulfilled Therefore their Fore-fathers men of like base and brutish inanimadvertency perished with common Herds in the Flood But they that hate this dangerous and degenerous wickedness of slothful Hypocrites may from this contrary Fountain find an open Gate to good manners the surest grounds of firm peace at present a sevenfold complyance of performances with those texts that foretold the fulfilling of them And likewise how and when this second Dragon began to give his Seat and Power to the Sea-born Beast Nor are these seven Parallels or Prophesies performed a sevenfold but indeed a seventimes sevenfold coaltern record to each other irrefellibly confirming the truth of each others performance This second Dragon drave the Primitive Church into the Wilderness translated the Empire cut off the feeble and dying remnant of the first Dragon raised Papal Rome by taking away all that letted and by giving his groat Authority so taken the Supremacy therein to her Secular Head favoured somewhat from the first and by degrees received the Faith of the Church of Rome Therefore this second Dragon is the first Head in Scripture order of Papal Rome Him these texts hold forth Rev. 11.7 Chap. 12.14 15 16 17. Chap. 13.2 4. Chap. 16.13 The second Head of this threefold City was Papal Romes Power Secular or Beast with ten Crowns How and when he rose up we have sufficiently shewn and shall his Progress At present we shall shew his Disparities to distinguish him from the first Dragon John saw that first Dragon Chap. 12.3 Or the Scarlet coloured Beast Chap. 17.3 To wit One and the same Dragon or Beast in those two texts He saw this Beast also Chap. 13.1 But he saw not both alike He saw that first Dragon of Pagan Rome Historically and Prophetically as past in part and in part to come when he wrote the Apocalyps But he saw this Sea-born Beast not Historically or as past in part but Prophetically as to come entire after the fall of that first Dragon to wit the future rising up of his first Head or him in his first rising Revel 13.1 And first He saw that first Dragon or Scarlet-coloured Beast Historically or as past in part Five are fallen saith the text ch 7.10 that is Five Heads the Supream Powers of Pagan Rome Crowned in their Kings Consuls Decemviri Dictators Triumviri were then fallen or past when John wrote And one is vers 10. that is the sixth Head crowned in the Emperours then existed when John wrote Thus far he saw that first Dragon historically or as past in part So Secondly He saw also that first Dragon Prophetically or as to come in part And one is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space that is the seventh Head should come and came about 292 when Constantius was made Caesar and somewhat siding with the Primitive Church began to support Her His Son declared fully for Her This was Divisi Caput Imperii divisum The divided Head of the divided Empire when some of its Supream Powers sided with the Primitive Church some with the Pagans therefore this Head because thus divided continued but a short space and ended about the year 324 when Constantine and his Armies Michaels Substitutes had cast him finally from his seat of chief Power and his place was found no more in Heaven Chap. 12.7 8 c. Howbeit he recovered Power though not Supream for a short time For Lastly His eight Head who was of the seven who existed an eighth but sick and scarce perfect head of that dying Dragon was the Paganoarrian or otherwise Heretical Head under Constantius the second Julian Valens c. This Head aspired about 340 and expired together with that first Dragon for ever in four hundred and ten or twelve Then this Sea-born Beast by the false Prophets procurement and the second Dragons preferring of him succeeded Secondly John saw the first Dragons ten Horns all uncrowned Chap. 12.3 Chap. 17.12 But he saw the ten Horns of this Beast all Crowned Chap. 13.1 They the ten Horns of the first Dragon were Pro-consuls Presidents or Deputies subject to the Senate and People of Rome who ruled over the Kings and chiefly those Kings of the Earth whom notwithstanding the text calls Kings that had received no Kingdom as yet Chap. 17.12 18. But these ten Crowned Horns of this Beast were absolute Kings or supream Powers subject legally to none but link't together by the chain of the false Prophets supposed true Catholick Religion Chap. 13.1 12. And this tenfold disparity proved from the text and the testimonies by necessary inserences of all Chronologies of those times evidently resels that universal opinion so far as I find of all Expositors upon those places to wit That the Decacerastick Dragon or Scarlet-coloured Beast in the 12th and 17th Chapters and this Beast in the 13th Chapter are all one and the same Dragon or Beast And it irrefellibly proves that this Beast in the 13th Chap. is signally different and distinct from that red Dragon or scarlet coloured Beast in the 12th and 17th Chapters This may seem abundantly sufficient to satisfie the Reader at present Howbeit I shall make it much more clear in the sequel For until this and many like gross grand and I might say general mistakes be removed no Apocalyptick
if it undeniably and irrefellibly appear That those Texts in the 11th and 16th Chapters hold forth Papal Rome only with her Subdivisions Then de illis actum est their work is done for them They must be as he that had not on his Wedding-Garment for ever speechless and remain silent Or rather they and their Sects shall as the Text foretold give glory to the God of Heaven chap. 11.13 Benhadad sent Bands of Souldiers to take Elisha in Dothan but they mistook the City and mistook the Man went to seek both in Samaria and mistook at first that City also Therefore they were far from accomplishing their Master's design that sent them So the best Writers and Expositors are sent by their great Master in Heaven to the great City of Confusion complex of many Sects to convert Papists and Infidels to resel Errors and reform Manners to convince and unite dissenting-Brethren But then here 's the misery They mistake this City or the meaning of those Texts that hold it forth Therefore it seems to me some of them have cause to fear till these and many like mistakes be removed lest they should fall short of accomplishing their Masters design that sent them Here some strong pleaders for gross mistakes may object and thus say Corah and his Company coming to Moses told him he took too much upon him But we may much better say of you You take too much upon you are very bold too proud in thus reproving even the best Expositors I answer It 's the strict charge of the living God Thou shalt not hate thy Brother but reprove him plainly And faithfull obedience to this Command is the effect of humility and fruit of Charity But they that hinder or oppose this practice or reprove fidelity in this duty seem rather to hold forth the pride of the Son of Perdition Secondly Nor will I willingly run the hazard of Eli's partiality and only say It 's not well done it 's an ill report but rather by plain reproof discharge my duty Is the Church of God like Joseph's garment all rent as by some evil beast by means of many gross mistakes and errours in Opinions and Manners And is this a time for many if not the most learned and religious Writers and Expositors to multiply mistakes to encrease errours in opinions and manners to contend earnestly for them as if they were the Faith delivered and to corrupt and deceive themselves and others by persisting so doing Nor do I here denote these few but many precedent subsequent gross mistakes which make men not know whether they should be Papists or Protestants or neither nor are they certain whose dictates to observe what Sect to follow Wherefore do Reformists hold Papists in suspence why halt they themselves betwixt pluralities of opinions Let them at least learn to know their mistakes in opinions and manners or meddle not with Papists For till this be first done they but fortifie the Papists and their subdivisions in their errours against themselves and create discords in and amongst those that dissent too much already Hence it occurreth That the Christian World and even the Church of God are so dangerously divided that those divisions threaten to destroy States and Churches Full conviction therefore in few words may stand in stead in this sad juncture of time First seek the Righteousness of the Kingdom of God and Forms the strife of these times must follow what true Forms of Godliness not repugnant to the present Government are and what the power of it is will I hope both briefly and plainly in its due place appear For not from but about these most and the most dangerous mistakes arise Errours in Opinions and Manners are in their effects wild-fire in the Church of God and Governments of Men So these times too truly testifie Wherefore it 's the duty of all to endeavour first and above all to quench those Church and State-consuming flames So Discords may cease dissenting-Brethren be fully satisfied firm Peace procured to all people Therefore this endeavour the more it 's contradicted or disowned is every man's first and chief duty But if any Writers think I do them the least wrong by these reproofs let them plead I impetrate no partiality Let them be they few or many give their conjoynt Objections in writing But if any bring more convincing evidence I shal humbly and thankfully acknowledge my satisfaction from their hand But Secondly Some may say That City in the 17th chapter and that in the 18th chapter is the same is called Mystery Babylon Therefore it must be Papal Rome I answer Rome Heathen and Imperial chiefly when the Orthodox apostate in manners were supream was called Mystery Babylon because her Iniquity and Mystery of that Iniquity increased as the Papal Apostacy increased until she was temporally translated in four hundred and ten or twelve and spiritually devolved into Papal Rome But that this City can be Papal Rome cannot possibly be credible to any sensible person that well considers it for the reasons aforesaid and those that follow But Thirdly Heathen Rome even before apostate Christians had the power might be Babel mystical because she was not literal or Prototype Babel And thus also she in Scripture-sense vvas or might be called Mystical Babylon But Fourthly The title and epithet of Mystery vvas more meet for literal Rome vvhen her Apostate Christians had power than for Papal Rome at her first commencement Because literal Rome at last and not Papal Rome at first had the greatest Mystery or deceitful plea to be the Apostles successors in found doctrine and good manners for their late predecessors had been such but they themselves were faln say the Texts and Church-history to be an habitation of Devils c. chap. 18.2 Therefore St. Jerom himself applyeth all those texts in the 17th and 18th chapters as The Purple-Whore Mystery Babylon and an habitation of Devils c. to Imperial and Christian but Apostate Rome and not to Rome Papal And the Athority of a primitive Father of so great note together vvith the record of Scripture and Church-history may abundantly counter-ballance the groundless contrary opinions of all other mistaking Writers For Fifthly Rome Imperial and Christian but Apostate in Manners was a Mystery a man would think of more Iniquity than Papal Rome ever was for many Ages after her first commencement because she was a little before her final excision faln to be the Mother of Abominations and Filthiness which Rome Papal her daughter inherited and became Terribilis miscens Sanctis Aconita Noverca no more a nursing Mother but a most cruel Stepmother to the then flying true Church and to the chief of the primitive Fathers For her whole Fraternity to a man conspired against St. Jerom as himself witnesseth And she became as Salvian testifies more intolerable for her filthiness than the very Arrians the worst of Sects were The harvest of her Abominations her Avarice Iniquities
Dragon of Rome Pagan with his Angels servants and Officers were cast also out of their Heaven of high power as a great Milstone cast into the Sea into the bottomless pit for ever more Rev. 12.9 ch 18.2 ch 20.3 The type-Dragon Pharaoh thus sinking himself for ever had then no seat or authority to give to another And this Dragon of Pagan Rome his Antitype thus sinking for evermore had no seat power or authority to give to the Sea-born beast secular and Papal who also existed not till after that Dragon fell for ever as aforesaid Thus we see the Prophetick type Pharaoh with his servants is so apposite to its antitype the first Dragon and his Angels that it seems a real and literal relating of it Both perished without power both had not to give both did not give the least power to any other But the Dragon gave his power and great authority to the beast Rev. 13.2.4 Therefore that was the second Dragon We shall now examine another Patern or Prophetick type and compare it with its antitype How art thou faln from Heaven O Lucifer Son of the morning How art then cut down to the ground Isa 14.12 Who was this that thus fell from Heaven and who was thus cut down but only the Representative of the Kingdom of Babylon And from what Heaven did they thus fall but from the Heaven of high power and authority in that Kingdom And this Dragon of Pagan Rome the Representative secular of subantitype Babel Rev. 17.5 was cast down from Heaven unto the Earth chap. 12.8 And what was this Heaven out of which he was thus cast but the Heaven of high power and authority in the Roman Empire And thus Mead and most expositors expound the word Heaven in those texts to be high power and authority and indeed those texts thus explain themselves This was that Heaven of power wherein this first Dragon stood when he stood before the Woman to devour her Child For in any other Heaven he could not stand with the Primitive Church And how did type Babel with her secular head fall from this Heaven of power And how did her penultimate antitype or sub-antitype Rome Pagan and her head the first Dragon fall also from the same Heaven of power and authority unto the Earth I answer type Babel and her head secular fell from that Heaven when she fell into the hands of Cyrus that subdued both her and him And sub-antitype Babel Rome Pagan and her head the first Dragon fell also from their Heaven of power when they fell into the hands of Constantine and his armies Michaels substitutes that conquered both her and him about the year 320. But type Babel and her captivated head rebelled in the days of Darius Hystaspes for twenty months But she and her faln head by that Robellion fell lower from Heaven unto the Earth For her Rebels in her slew the women of that City that they should not hinder them in their designed work And Sopyrus by a policy cruel to himself betray'd the men into the hands of Hystaspes So she as a further progress to her final depopulation lost very many both of her men and women She raising that Rebellion to regain her place was exceedingly weakened thereby It quite brake that conquered power which she had in peeces and her place was found no more in heaven So the first Dragon the then faln head of sub-antitype Babel or Rome Pagans sudu'd representative rebelled also against the Gospel Church and her Masculine Off-spring that had subdu'd him He persecuted the woman persecuted her chiefly under the form of an Arrian in the time of Constantius the second Julian Valens but prevailed not the Primitive Church prevailed against him and his place was found no more in heaven But Thirdly Seleucus after type Babel to her own utter ruine had rebelled as aforesaid drew five hundred thousand of her Citizens out of her to inhabit his by him new built Selusia wherefore As Cyrus drew her River dry and so subdu'd that City at first So Seleucus draining that City of her Inhabitants brought her to the next door to eternal desolation which soon after followed For the place where she formerly shone like a refulgent Star was a Forrest where the Kings of Persia used to hunt in St. Jeroms time How art thou faln from heaven O Lucifer son of the morning And so When the first Dragon the captive head of sub-antitype Babel or Pagan Rome had rebelled against the Gospel Church and his Victor her Manchild Then he and his Angels falling the faster from heaven for that Rebellion were cut down to the ground For the Churches Eagles of high power in the Roman Empire the Orthodox Emperours Valentinian and Theodosius with his Sons bound him the more for that Rebellion with cords which he could not cast from him and with strong chains their strict Edicts against Arrians and Heathens which he could never break Therefore thus begirt with the bands of eternal death he besought the second Dragon the Barbarians of the North to pity his deplored estate That second Dragon mindless of his miseries came about 407 and about 412 trod his feeble and dying remnant under his careless feet Thus dyed that Dragon poor as Codrus not having any inheritance nor heir to inherit But the Dragon gave his seat and great authority the Supremacy therein to the beast therefore that was the second Dragon That beast secular and Papal blasphemed them that dwelt in Heaven Rev. 13.6 By heaven there is meant the heavenly conversations of Saints whom that beast blasphemed Rejoyceye Heavens and ye that dwell in them chap. 12.12 There by heaven is meant not only the heavenly conversations of Saints but the high power and authority of the Primitive Church prevailing against the first Dragon and possessing his throne of power and authority in the Roman Empire out of which heaven of power he was cast as aforesaid For he had no other heaven held no other That was his only heaven in which he was where and when John saw him in heaven And this was that heaven in which the Primitive Church stood with him when he stood before her and was there without him after he was cast out when her Manchild or secular head sate sole Monarch in the throne of the Roman Empire But rejoyce ye Heavens c. By heavens here is more especially meant the Western Empire and Churches that were more heavenly minded more Orthodox and more fruitful in good works conform to Gospel rule then the Eastern Churches were who were much more corrupt with Heresies Arrianism and evil manners And therefore as they scarse could be counted true Churches and so called heaven were called the earth and the Sea Wo unto the Inhabitants of the Earth and the Sea For The Devil is come down to you having great wrath because he knoweth he hath but a short time ver 12. For That first Dragon acted by the
Proto type prediction in Dan. 12.7 In both which texts the truth of the transactions and times exprest is confirmed by a divine Oath in the name of the living God which makes them much more signally correlative as to type and anti-type and that in the fifth Eccho therefore it s sufficiently if not abundantly manifest that some prophesies in Daniel reiterated as we plainly see in the Apocalyps reach Rome Papal some directly as in ch 7.25 and some in a fifth re-ecchoed performance as in the texts of Dan. 8.9 10. c. and ch 12.7 and ratisie those 1260 years of all these twelve Epochaes For all days propheticalare ever though literal in their Subanti-types at least years in their ultimate anti-types which is evident from Numb 14.34 Dan. 9.24 Ezech. 4.5 6. And as will more irrefellibly appear when we come to treat upon those texts As he hath declared to his servants the Prophets saith the text ch 10.7 where it is plain that many things which the Apocalyps predicted were in fore-times declared to the Prophets the servants of God which they also as appears plainly from the said text declared in their prophesies wherefore many or the most of the Prophets and not Daniel only whiles they foretold things more immediately to be fulfilled presignified also thereby those things which the Apocalyps predicted But to shew the comparities of Prophetick prefigurations with texts in the Apocalyps wherein they seem to concenter in the anti-type would require a large Volume We shall now take a short view of the secular head of Papal Rome with his comparities and disparities to his types His mouth saith the text was as the mouth of a Lion so shadowed forth by the King of Babylon Rev. 13.2 Dan. 7.4 But he was not that Supream power as his disparities plainly shew For Secondly his feet were as the feet of a Bear and so figured by the King of Persia Dan. 7.5 Rev. 13.2 But he was not that power secular as his disparities shew For Thirdly he was like a Leopard So was the Greek Monarch Dan. 7.5 Rev. 13.2 And here we plainly see a threefold and shall a fourfold consonancy betwixt those prophesies in Daniel and this in the Apocalyps and that in the fifth reverberation or performance if we take our account from those texts of the eighth Chapter in Daniel that point out Epiphanes Or if we count by the successions of those four beasts in the seventh Chapter But the Sea-born beast Papal was not that representative of the Greek Empire because of many disparities in both texts Nor was he the Dragon or fourth beast in the fourth reverberation from Daniel who Prophetically adumbrates by four beasts of different figures four Kingdoms the Chaldaean Persian Greck and Roman and by those four beasts he shaddowed forth their anti-type the representative of Papal Rome in the fifth reverberation For Pagan Rome was the fourth Kingdom and her head the first Dragon the fourth Monarch But Papal Rome was the fifth Monarchy and her head secular this Sea-born beast the fifth Monarch prophetically shaddowed forth in the fifth reverberation by those four beasts in Daniel but chiefly by the fourth beast of Pagan Rome the first Dragon who was the last clearest and sullest type of this seven-headed Hydra of Papal Rome succeeding those four beasts but chiefly the fourth in his seat power and great Authority and that in the fifth reverberation from Daniel This may some rash inconsiderate Readers say makes it signally clear that this whom you call the first Dragon nor was there ever any more then one nor ever any second gave his seat power and great authority to the beast his successor we shall therefore further but briefly re-enquire how and when the Dragon and which of the two gave his seat and power to the beast and to which beast What opinions most hold I minde not much because many writers little mind how or what they write But all reformist Expositors so far as I find affirm that this beast Papal was the seventh or I know not what head of the Dragon which should continue saith the text but a short space and that sufficiently contradicts this Tenent Rev. 17.10 ch 12.12 But I answer The Dragon saith the text gave him this beast Papal who is sufficiently described before and will be further afterwards his power seat and great authority to distinguish him from the first Dragon whose power was taken from him And to distinguish him from the second that gave him his power and great authority which he took from the first and chiefly from the representatives of the Primitive Church Rev. 13.2 4. Therefore that second Dragon raised Rome Papal in the fifth reverberation from Daniel chiefly by raising her secular head with his power the Supremacy therein given unto him For Secondly the first Dragon was no free doner or disposer of his own power but had it taken away before could give it and was taken away himself before that beast was in being that should receive it And so the text we see faith expresly 2 Thes 2.6 7. So say the best modern Expositors upon that place though they sometimes contradict themselves and confound the true Series of things as we have before briefly hinted So say the chief Primitive Fathers That this Dragon Rome Pagans representative was not to give his power himself but to be himself with all his power taken out of the way And it might seem most wicked and foolish for any Expositors to kick against the express Tenure of the sacred text to contradict the best modern Writers witnessing at least by consequence what those texts import and to oppose the Opinions of the best Primitive Fathers who no doubt might best understand the right meaning of those Scriptures For the Apostle himself asserts expresly that they did know the meaning of them You know saith he what withholdeth He that now letteth will lett until he be taken out of the way 2 Thes 2.7 And this Relative He in the Text could not possibly refer to any other person political but only to the first Dragon or Representative of Pagan and Imperial Rome who in Johns time chiefly letted and did after let or hinder Papal Rome and her head ut intus existens prohibeâ— alienum from rising up until he was finally taken away with all his force by the second Dragon the last sublator of his feeble power and dying person in four hundred and ten or twelve For Thirdly Michael and his Angels Constantine and his Armies Michael's substitutes took to the final excision of his seventh head that first Dragons power without asking him any leave into his own hands held possest it so as that Dragon could never regain absolute Supremacy therein That is His place saith the text was found no more in Heaven Theodosius with his two Sons and the two Valentinians partly took away partly brake in pieces the power of his sick and scarce perfect eight and
assign unto the first Dragon as peculiar to him eight Heads in all But their glosses plainly contradict those texts and allow him but six making his seventh Head to be the secular beast Papal They might be a man would think deter'd sufficiently from adding to or detracting from the words of the Book of this prophesie by the plagues therein threatned to all such But many of them do it no doubt not willingly but for want of due animadvertency Thirdly That seventh Head of the first Dragon which those Writers affirm to be the Sea-born beast should continue saith the text but a short space But that beast secular was to continue 1260 years chap. 13.5 which are 100 years longer than the durations of all Pagan Romes eight Heads ab Urbe conditâ Lastly The texts expresly distinguish that red Dragon and this beast by their disparities in their seven Heads in the one all Crowned in the other all uncrowned and by their ten horns in the one all crowned in the other all uncrowned and by their far different Epochaes But these Writers that notwithstanding confound all the texts and either make both those beasts to be one and the same or make the beast Papal to be the seventh Head of that Pagan Dragon who can imagine that men of any Reason or Learning could assert such matchless absurdities Their chief mistakes are these The Dragon saith the text gave power to the beast But they say contrary to the text that his sixth Head gave power to his seventh Secondly That seventh Head say they contrary to the Scriptures was the secular beast Papal Thirdly They mistake the first Dragon who gave none for the second who gave his power and Authority the Supremacy therein to that beast Fourthly They mistake that Scarlet-coloured beast or red Dragon in ch 12.3 ch 17.3 for the secular beast Papal chap. 13.1 And therefore Fifthly They mistake the literal City of Pagan and Imperial Rome that ruled over the Kings of the Earth and was called Babylon the Great in the 17th and 18th Chapters for the more spiritual City of Papal Rome called also Babylon the Great and over whom the second Dragon with the Sea-born beast and false Prophet Papal ruled or presided in the 11th and 16th Chapters For these two Cities are signally distinct by this apparent disparity The first Heathen and Imperial Rome ruled over the Kings of the Earth And the Kings of the Earth ruled in and over Rome Papal So that the System of the glosses of these Writers upon these and many other texts is like a large Vial filled with mistakes which they pour forth in their Teachings and Writing's upon many mindless Professors that care not how or what they hear or read Because of Oaths 't is said the Land mourns But the whole world may we even weeping say mourns through mistakes in Opinions and Manners Therefore her Inhabitants sit in the shadows of death surrounded with distresses But what dammage redounds by these and like mistakes The disadvantages and they great and many that thereby come upon the Christian world and upon all Church-Societies and Sects may appear as followeth If there was but one Dragon according to the general supposition then none gave power for the first gave none to the wounded beast Papal Then none raised Papal Rome nor her secular Head that beast according to the Scriptures Then the Opinions of the Learned Hammond and others must stand good against all the world To wit that there was no further compute of the Apocalyps after 410 except in the Mahumetans And then the Papists and other Sects and perhaps Mahumetans unless those Authors better prove the contrary have no part in the grand Apostacy predicted by Prophets For then as some in the Apostles times concerning the truth erred saying The Resurrection is past already so all men may much better say That both the rise and the fall of the Anti-christ never doubt it dispute not about it is past already long since even in four hundred and ten or twelve Then all discourses concerning any such subject whether in word or writing are meer stories or at best as they have been for the most part but fruitless controversal pickeerings and that perpetually to no purpose For no Reformist nor the best informed can make good any Charge or Argument against the Papists or any other Sects Mahumetans or others as confining upon the Apostacy of Anti-christ if that was past for ever in four hundred and ten or twelve Thus even Protestants by means of these mistakes give the staff in their hands against themselves into the hands of Papists strengthen Heresies and weaken the hands of the witnesses of the truth For if these errours in Opinions must stand for truths then must all Reformists give prime honour to the Papists as chief of Churches And as they of the Synagogue of Satan that said they were Jews and were not were made to come and worship at the feet of Philadelphia so If there was but one Dragron ending as aforesaid with all compute of Prophetick Scriptures about 410 then all Reformists and Sects pretending to be reformed must come and worship at the feet of the Papists as the only Mother Catholick and true Church and only assume Schism Apostacy and shame to themselves No weapon of war formed by the best Reformist's can prosper in their hands against her she 's Civit as circummurata a City walled round her walls are Brass which times cannot break nor force scale Thus we see the sacred Scriptures by means of these mistakes until they be removed are both by strict and loose Professors prostituted to the vilest disuse are made Muri abaenei walls of Brass by Protestants against themselves for the defence of Papists Heathens and Hereticks to fortifie and confirm their blind and wicked confidence in all ignorance and evil Manners For If there was but one Dragon ending with the whole computation of the Apocalyps the Mahumetans excepted in four hundred and ten as Dr. Hammond and others Learnedly labour but in vain to end it nor do the Mahumetans as they except them signifie any thing to this purpose Then the Church of Rome may say she sits as Queen Rules alone nor was she raised by power of any first or second Dragon For as nothing can exist without some cause of its being So it was impossible for Papal Rome faln in her Infancy to be raised to power if there was none to raise her up But God by his providence did ordain or permit this second Dragon for the first fell before for ever to raise up Papal Rome the place prepared of God to preserve his Church for a space by giving his power the Supremacy therein to her secular Head which the Scripture expresly asserts where it saith And the Dragon gave c. They therefore that take in hand to explain these Scriptures or to prove Rome Papal complex of many Sects and Nations to be the
proud Pharisees a Synagogue of Censorious Hypocrites seat of the Mystery of iniquity Mother of the Son of perdition and the Spiritual Metropolis of the body of Antichrist But here we might enquire who possibly this Angel might be that cryed thus mightily with a strong voyce I answer The seven Stars were seven Angels or overseers of the seven Churches of Asia Ch. 1.20 Therefore This Angel might be for he could be no imaginary or Chimaera-Angel that cryed mightily and was never heard and filled the Earth with his Glory and yet was never seen some overseer of at least some part of the Gospel Church And if so why not Saint Jerom For never any Angel or Overseer of the Primitive Church after the Apostles times cryed so mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen c. But both Papists and Protestants and both unawares plainly import in the delineation of his person that Saint Jerome was indeed this Angel For as both draw Gregories Picture with a Dove at his Ear both make Jeronies Effigies with a Lion at his Foot which is a plain-speaking Hieroglyphick that truly expounds the Text For it evidently imports That as the Lion is King of the beasts so Jerom was the Prince or chief of all the Primitive Fathers For. Secondly The Text saith An Angel having great power cryed mightily with a strong voyce Ch. 18 1 2. And this device Saint Jeroms Picture or Emblem thus drawn as aforesaid by Papists and Protestants imports That the voyce of Saint Jeroms Pen was a strong voyce like the roaring of a Lion Thirdly That which that mighty Angel cryed with a strong voyce was this Babylon the great is fallen c. And that which Saint Jerom cryed with a strong voyce which denotes him undeniably to be the same Angel was the very same thing in the same words To wit Babylon the great is fallen c. No man ever cryed so mightily with a strong voyce as Jerom did against the grand Apostacy at the very beginning of it Therefore Saint Jerom is most likely to be this Angel that cryed thus mightily with a strong voyce Babylon to wit Rome Imperial Babylons penultimate Antitype is fallen c. And therefore the Authority of Jerom alone much more joyned with the witness of sacred Writt and of many Writers is more then sufficient to confirm the Truth of the time when Primitive Apostate Rome fell and when the Papal Apostacy commenced The same is also superabundant to prove that the City called Babylon in the seventeenth and eighteenth Chapters was Rome Imperial Apostate in manners And thereby to refell their opinions that seeming to make it their study how to adde to or diminish from the words of the book of sacred vision assert the contrary It may serve also to undeceive many sober Writers that hold the same errors and so to be a Key to open those Arcana Theologiae mysterious sacred Truths that contain the richest treasures of the greatest mercies to present and after ages For as one Ring wanting or misplaced in a Watch makes the whole Watch be of no use so one much more many Texts misunderstood may make the whole Prophetick Scripture or at least part of it to be of disuse as a book fast sealed and must needs confound the true meaning of many Texts But If Saint Jerom was as both Papists and Protestants though implicit to them thus import that Angel of great power Then that Angel or however Saint Jerom cryed mightily with a strong voyce saying not only that Babylon the great was fallen but that Rome Primitive then commencing Papal and Apostate was that falling City that then fell from faith and manners He had the Record of the fittest Primitive Fathers as well as reason and sacred Scriptures co-asserting what he so cryed with a strong voyce And this irrefellibly refells those confident Opinions of very many fond Opinionists and of some sober Professors who affirm that the great City called Babylon and said to fall in the 17 and 18 Chapters was at her final dissolution Papal Rome only whose five first heads the Scripture sayes it fell before John wrote above four hundred years before Papal Rome was in being but I leave such shameful inconsequences to the sober Reader But that falling City in the 17. and 18. Chapters which those Opinionists imagine to be Papal Rome was the literal City of Rome of Imperial Pagan egressive Papal ingressive She as egressive was Pagan and Imperial from which she then fell for ever She as ingressive was but the Spiritual Metropolis of Papal and Apostate Rome to which she then fell For Papal Rome only went on though at first with more mildness and less violence in the same Apostacy for which Primitive Rome fell Pagan and Imperial Rome that Apostacy of the more Orthodox was the cause of it then fell for ever And Papal Decapolite Rome then rose up by that sall of her said forerunner in that Apostacy Seventhly I would have written saith Jerom something of the Holy Ghost and have dedicated the Treatise to the Bishop of that City Jerom it seems did not disdain either the Title or Office of a Bishop but the abuse of that Office in any person He would have dedicated his Book to the Bishop of that City but found no acceptance from him or his associates For Eighthly And the Senate of Pharisees saith he cryed out at me all at once c. This shews the excessive insolence in the very ingress of it of the grand Apostacy who most pretending to advance Learning and Religion were so far from both that Saint Jeroms book found no acceptance from any of them what book could be better pen'd by man at that time then Saint Jeroms was or be more necessary then that of his upon the Holy Ghost against Arrianisme that then threatened to swallow up the Church of Christ the Christian Empire and indeed all true Learning and Religion But so far was he or it from finding due acceptance that he found perhaps not one man amongst them that would take the pains to read it or that through cursory reading of it could understand it Such might answer him in scorn That his book was too high for their low capacitys to comprehend They were no doubt too wise to read it too learned to understand it Such Learned Non-intelligists now are many Or they had they might imagine better books of their own making or made by orhers to better uses besides much business of highest concernment wherein they busied themselves no doubt to as good purposes as they that take in hand to tresure up thewind Suppose a man I but suppose it in these last times of that Apostacy should write a Treatise effectual to refell errors to reform manners to compose those divisions in and against the Church that threaten like leakes in a weather beaten ship to sink her and to take peace from the Earth I doubt not but the
practice It were better therefore and their Christian duty to seek depth of Earth at the hand of the giver of every perfect gift to become good ground richly furnished with a frame of right application to get a meek candor of Christian integrity and right practising Charity The labours also of such men in sacred Scripture are not usually contemptible nor they so proud and consident However the failings of such may be better born with But the Senate of Pharisees of whom Saint Jerom so greatly complained was at the ingress of the Apostacy far from such a frame of Spirit as appears from their own practises according to Saint Jeroms and many others testimonies aforesaid and as we shall instantly further shew Therefore Jerom was not much wrong or rather judged very right when he called that Senate not of true Seers but of wicked Spies of evil reports A Rabble of Pride and Ignorance Et quis docet aptius who hath more fitly taught us the time of the ingress of the Apostacy with the manner of it To wit exactly as the Apostle expresly foretold in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness That is in a fruitless trivial deceitful Saint-persecuting truth-opposing but somewhat literally sound profession doctrine and obedience c. God sure would so have it That this vigilant Watchman should by his special Providence and appointment stand at the door of the Church of Christ and signisie to her faithful shepheards the certain time when the Wolf brake in upon her with the manner of his ingress that such as should be industrious and faithful in their Charge should not need to be overmuch incumbred in finding out that instant time of his entering in and the manner of it which also further and that fully confirms the first termini or commencements of all these twelve Epochaes Thus much of the manner and time of his ingress His progress with the manner of it now invites our Eye a little space The False Prophets progress in pulling down the Primitive Church her Power and Priviledges to build therewith his Apostacy in her place THe False Prophet the Bicorn superintendent of this Decapolite body which he was then about to build having laid his foundation of deceit and made this misapplyed Text Tues Petrus his chief Pillar in it proceeded to build upon it And which way goes he to work in Building upon this Foundation Diruit aedificat He destroyed and built Destroyed Primitive Church Priviledges Built his own Supremacy Beat down Zion Built Babel And how was this done He destroyed the then almost decayed Unity of the Church by Schisme And how may this plainly appear Innocent Zosimus Boniface and Caelestin these four first builders of the Decapolity of Apostacy claimed Supremacy in and over all Churches and Councils The three last sent their Legates to the sixth Council of Carthage and ordered them there to require of that Council the Rights of the Bishop of Rome To wit The Right of power to command granted as they pretended by the Nicene Council That Council therefore of Carthage sent Messengers with Letters to the Bishops of Constantinople Alexandria and Antioch to send the Acts of the Nicene Council fast sealed up The Copies came the Council examined them and found no such Canon there as the first four superintendents of the Apostacy falsely pretended but rather the contrary And so were all these first four fabers or master-builders of the mystery of iniquity found Lyars and were so proved to be by the certain experience and authority of an Orthodox Council wherein Aurelius was President and Saint Augustine himself an active member of it Boniface Nevertheless because that Council would not receive their new found foundation of usurping pride neither upon Scripture account from their Tu es Petrus by them perverted Nor from the Nicene Council which it never decreed excommunicated that Council and therein Augustine himself and all the Churches of Africk But Boniface the Second about 115 years after absolved those Churches upon their humble submission His words are these Aurelius Bishop of Carthage that presided in the sixth Council of Carthage with his Colleagues 227 Fathers of Africk and amongst them Augustine himself began by the instigation of the Devil in the time of our Predecessors Boniface and Caelestin to exalt themselves against the Church of Rome But Eulalius now Bishop of Carthage seeing himself through the sin of Aurelius to stand separated from the ommunion of the Roman Church hath repented him thereof intreating to be received to Peace and Communion with her c. It is therefore abundantly evident by the testimony of their own Writers and by the authority of this Bishop who upon their humble submission absolved those Churches that the Spiritual representatives of the Church of Rome excommunicated that sixth Council of Carthage and Augustine therein and consequently the Churches of Africk represented in that Council And by a Synechdoche partis they thereby excommunicated the whole Primitive Church divesting her of her Church power and priviledges which that sixth Council sought to maintain And so the Church of Rome by that insolent excision of the Primitive Churches faithful witnesses made her self manifestly a Sect from the true Church For in that she excommunicated them she cut her self off from them and from the body of the Primitive Church whom they did represent and in her right officiate for The ground of this Papal Protoschisme from the then falling or but new fallen Primitive Church was that foundation which the Bicorn beast found in his misapplyed Tu es Petrus as well as he also did in the Nicene Council For this foundation being first laid when he first began to build the Corporation of Apostacy about the year four hundred and twelve he proceeded next to go this way to work To wit ut diruat Ecclesiam to destroy the feeble and perhaps then flying Primitive Church by excommunicating her faithful Martyrs and maintainers of her just rights and priviledges By blaspheming her and them the Tabernacle of God in Heaven by bringing evil reports upon such as sought most to support her and by persecuting serveral wayes both her and them Of this Saint Augustine himself grievously complained We are threatned faith he with a Posse Comitatus and Force of armes to put the sentence of the Apostolick Sea in execution and so shall we poor Christians stand in greater fear of a Catholick Bishop then the Hereticks themselves do of a Catholick Emperour c. Jerom complained of the Conspiracy of the Apostacy But Augustine here complaines of their force of armes and violence by them even in the infancy of that Apostacy threatned against St. Augustine against the Churches of Africk and by consequence against the whole Primitive Church And all these Persecutions Excommunications causeless Conspiracies threatnings and at least offers or attempts of violence were done under an outward vail of deceit in a superficial trivial shallow but somewhat