understood of that time of the succession of this Beast which followed after it had ceased to be yet for sureness that you may not mistake the Angel calls him at the latter end of this Verse The Beast that was and is not and yet is Which therefore is necessarily understood of the latter part of his time after he once ceased to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Beast that is after this Empire had ceased to be a Cruel Idolatrous Empire but had become a Cruel Idolatrous Empire again though not perfectly the same Idolatrous Empire it was before which is the natural and necessary meaning of is not and yet is But yet we are never the wiser what Empire certainly to pitch upon if the Angel stick here and therefore he holds on vers 9. The seven Heads are seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth who is also said to sit upon the Beast Now he comes up closer to the business which plainly showes this Empire to be the Roman Empire whether you understand the seven Hills of Rome or Constantinople or both they both belonging to the Roman Empire Wherefore it is manifest the Roman Empire is here meant in that succession of Time after it had ceased to be an Idolatrous Empire which it did for a Time while pure Christianity prevailed and till the Apostasie came in After which it became the Beast that was and is not and yet is It was of old the Pagan Idolatrous Empire but is not so now and yet it is in a very considerable sense it being a Pagan-like or a Paganochristian Idolatrous Empire and cruelly persecutive of the pure Christians And that you may still be the better assured that this latter part of the succession of the Empire namely after it had become Christian and Apostatized again into Idolatry was aimed at the Angel holds on vers 10. And there are seven Kings namely which are the heads of the Beast and must take up the entire Times of the being of the Beast both the former and latter part thereof unless we will admit of a living Beast without an head Five are fallen and one is Now let any man living show five Heads that is five Supreme Governours to be fallen or past in S t Iohn's time unless they be those five sorts of Governours of the Roman State or Empire Kings Consuls Decemviri Consular Tribunes and Dictators No five single Emperours can fill up that space of time and therefore it must be understood of sorts of Governours whereof five had ceased in S t Iohn's time and one is that is was in his time viz. the Pagan Caesars or Emperours What can be more plain and assured But the other is not yet come namely the Christian Caesars or Emperours For the Emperours were Pagans in S t Iohn's time And when he cometh he must continue a short space that is the pure Christian Caesars Reign would be short the Apostasie into an Idolatrous Paganochristianism being so quickly to prevail in the Empire And the Beast that was and is not that is to say the Paganochristian Head be they Paganochristian Emperours or Popes that get the Soveraignty it is all one they make still or continue the Paganochristian Head of that Beast For that Beast is the Empire not the Head of the Empire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is both the eighth and one of the seven that is he is both the eighth King and seventh head of the Beast For the Beast is the Empire quatenus Idolatrous and so has but seven heads though there be eight Kings the seventh of them being King over the Empire while it ceased to be a Beast or Idolatrous or while the publick Religion of the Empire was purely Christian. And the ten horns which thou sawest namely on the seventh head are ten Kings which have received no Kingdom as yet viz. in S t Iohn's time but receive Power as Kings one hour with the Beast This also plainly denotes the time of the Beast commencing with the discerption of the Roman Empire into many Kingdoms which happened not while the Religion of the Empire was purely Pagan but when it was Apostatizing again into a kind of Paganochristian and Idolatrous condition The Empire therefore debauched again with Superstition and Pagan-like Idolatry and Cruelty after the expiration of the pure Christian Caesars or seventh King who was to continue but a short space is the Beast upon which the Woman rides And who this Woman is is plainly indigitated again and more precisely than in the ninth Verse viz. vers 18. And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth In the ninth Verse the seat of the Woman are Seven Hills and here in this Verse She is that great City that in Saint Iohn's time is said to reign over the Kings of the Earth which no City on seven Hills then did besides Rome But the Walls and Houses of Rome did not then Reign over the Kings of the Earth but the Roman Polity here signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a City did then Rule over the Kings of the Earth And therefore the Roman Polity it must be that rides the Beast that was is not and yet is but not the Roman Polity Pagan For that Beast which is here ridden is after the expiration of Paganism properly so called and therefore it must be the Roman Polity Paganochristian that is the Roman Hierarchy which rides this Beast Which Roman Hierarchy the Spirit of God here calls the Whore of Babylon Quod oportebat demonstrare And what more assured demonstration of any thing can R. H. or any man living else desire than of this so concerning a truth And what a notable Key this is to unlock the sense of the Prophecies of the Sealed Book and Opened Book I will briefly show after I have smoothed the flawes and wiped off the rust that R. H. seems to fancy to stick on it I will produce his most material Cavils that by them you may judge of the rest 1. The first is touching the Hills of Rome which though at first they were seven three were after added while Rome was Pagan and that Papal Rome stands but upon two and no more 2. That Kings Dictators and Emperours being but one kind of Governours we shall fall short in our account of making up seven Heads of the Beast 3. That when it is said Five are fallen the meaning is not that Five are fallen in S t Iohn's time but that Five are fallen that is shall fall before the seventh Vial. Forasmuch as the Apostle writes a Prophecy not an History And therefore it must be understood of things to come 4. And the like he objecteth concerning the 18 th Verse That it does not speak of a City which raigned over the Kings of the Earth in Iohn's time but which is to raign in the time of the seventh Vial because the Apostle writes not an History but
So that the meaning in short is this That no sooner shall they begin to perform their office of witnessing to the Truth but they shall be assaulted suppressed kept out of power and politically killed as their Resurrection also is Political as you shall hear anon 8. And their dead bodies shall lye in the stréet of the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified that is to say These Witnesses as to any Political power and life being dead karcasses as it is said of the people of the Jews in a political sense shall these dry bones live shall be in being still though in this Political death in the large Jurisdiction of that great City which is spiritually or mystically called Sodom and Aegypt and the City where our Lord was crucified that is Ierusalem that killeth the Prophets that far extended Idolatrous Church that for their uncleannesses upon their pretense of vowed Celibate is here called Sodom Aegypt for the slavery they keep the people of God in which agrees well with the plagues of Aegypt abovementioned and the Old Ierusalem for persecuting the true Prophets and Servants of God that is the true professors of the Apostolick Christianity 9. And they of the People and Kindreds and Tongues and Nations shall sée their dead bodies thus devoid of all Political life and power thrée days and an half that is for three Times and an half Day signifying the same that Time in some cases and here it is said Three dayes and an half for decorum sake that in the out-side of the letter they may not seem to prophesie and be dead at the same time nor lye too long unburied or unrevived But these three times and an half or a time and times and half a time is the same that three years and an half prophetically understood or 1260 years which is the time of the Political death of these Witnesses and of their prophecying in sackcloth And whereas it is said And shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves that implies that they are kept safe in being though kept out of all Power and so politically dead 10. And they that dwell on the Earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry that is they whose hearts and minds dwell upon earthly things these will rejoyce when the two Witnesses are slain their free rebukes out of the Word of God being very disquieting and tormenting to these worldly and carnally minded men And they shall send gifts one to another and more jollily and freely congratulate one another the enjoyment of their Honours and Church-preferments shared amongst them because these two Prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth but could now do so no more they being put out of place and power These two true and faithful Prophets are slain in this sense who tormented them whose minds were set upon the Earth that is savoured nothing but earthly things 11. And after thrée dayes and an half that is after a time and times and half a time was now currant that is in the last Semitime the spirit of life from God entered into them that is Divine Providence so brought it about that they began to have some Political Power and Favour and Interest with the Great Ones And they stood upon their feet they stood on their own legs and they were countenanced and supported even for the very profession sake of the pure and Apostolick Faith in opposition to that Paganochristianity and new-coined Idolatry that had got into the Church and great fear fell upon them which saw them suspecting what might be the issue thereof 12. And they heard a great voice from Heaven saying unto them Come up hither There was a powerfull command from the Political Heaven in which Political Suns and Moons and Stars Kings Princes and Governours shine there was I say an express and effectual Command from these Higher Powers that the more pure and Apostolick Religion should be established and that Idolatrous and Paganochristian superstition that so long domineering and persecutive Papal Hierarchy should be abolished and the long persecuted profession of the Apostolick Faith and Practice be advanced to the highest degrees and dignities whether Ecclesiastical or Civil For it is said And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud Their riding thus in a cloud is an emblem of rising into Honour and Power and that they were to be employed in the highest offices and places whether in Church or State And their enemies beheld them and you may be sure with a malicious and envious eye 13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake A mighty change and commotion in affairs And the tenth part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the City fell that is Tithes the holy Revenue of the City that Papal Hierarchy or Idolatrous Roman Clergy fell was shaken off from them and as to their any longer enjoying of them lost And in this earthquake were slain seven thousand names of men that is Politically slain as the Witnesses resurrection to life is Political But neither seven nor thousand signifie here Arithmetically but Symbolically And they are called Names of men rather than Men denoting that they are Titles Dignities Offices or Orders of Men belonging to the State of Christendome under the seventh head of the Beast which Apoc. cap. 17. is an Idolatrous Head and Antichristian and therefore shews their Nature to be Idolatrous and Antichristian And they are said to be slain as ceasing to be in that Power they were before But this seven is multiplyed into a thousand to show what a solid overthrow this Hierarchy had and for adorning the outside of the Vision And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven When so great a part of the Roman Hierarchy had fallen in the late blessed Reformation it is no wonder if the rest of that party were affrighted and surprized they sitting before as a Queen in the Thyatirian Interval which thought she should find no sorrow But now they could not but acknowledge the hand of God was upon them and understand that the God of Heaven or the most high God ruleth in the Kingdoms of men 14. The second Wo is past viz. In the resurrection of the Witnesses or the late blessed Reformation And that general Impenitency in this Western part of the Empire is now expired with this second Wo so many parts thereof ceasing to worship Demons and Idols of Gold and Silver c. And here likewise the Thyatirian succession expires and Iezebel the false Prophetess the Roman Hierarchy is no longer permitted to seduce the people to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to Idols and that promise to the Church in Thyatira is fulfilled He that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end to him will I give Power over the Nations or Gentiles those that had trod down the outward Court to the latter part of the last semitime of the seven which
this Sacrament but rather call for it according to that saying of S t Peter Can any one forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we There may be also no mean nor useless mystery in the Inscription of the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel on the Gates of the City rather than elsewhere For the Jews being a Nation under the Law and the dispensation of the Law being to live under an external Rule though we have not yet arrived to the Spirit of Life it is implied that there is no entrance into this dispensation of the Spirit without endeavouring as well as we can to live up to those external Rules exhibited to us from the Word whereby we break off from all external evil courses and imitate all good and laudable actions as well as we can with all sincerity of heart which is the summe of true Repentance 14. And the wall of the City had twelve Foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb which sheweth the pure Apostolicalness in this constitution of the Church and insinuates the safety of this Apostolicalness For walls are for safety and these are the very Foundations of the walls 15. And he the Angel that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the City and the Gates thereof and the wall thereof Apoc. chap. 11. there the Church was measured by a Man but this new state of things by an Angel That simply with a Reed this with a golden Reed which implies that this new state of things will as much surpass that state of the Church though symmetral to the Reed it was then measured with as Angels do men and a golden Reed an ordinary combustible one as there indeed was in those first four hundred years which are accounted the symmetral Ages of the Church that which was very combustible and ought to be consumed But the pure Word of God and Spirit of Love abide for ever And this is the golden Reed that adequately measures the New Ierusalem For the Word of God abideth for ever and Charity never ceaseth 16. And the City lyeth four square which Figure as well as the Number Four are symbols of Righteousness And the length is as large as the breadth that 's but an explication of the squareness thereof And he measured the City with the Réed twelve thousand furlongs the length and the breadth and the height of it are all equal that is the City is in the form of a Cube which plainly shows it cannot be a City literally understood but a Polity and signifies not walls and houses but men The solid Content therefore of the City is said to be twelve thousand Furlongs to signifie how entirely Apostolical the constitution of things then will be And to show that this City is more peculiarly described in opposition to the Roman Hierarchy the Perimeter of the Cube twelve thousand Furlongs is the circuit of Ierusalem as the Perimeter of the Cube twenty five thousand Furlongs which twenty five is the Root of the number of the Beast is the circuit of Rome But this it may be is a curiosity that might as well have been omitted as I do also for brevity sake omit That to the twelve Gates Angels Tribes Foundations in the New Ierusalem do answer twenty five Gates Pastours Parishes Cardinals c. in the City of Rome 17. And he measured the wall thereof an hundred forty four Cubits according to the measure of a man that is of the Angel in the shape of a man and whose measuring is to be understood humano more by extracting the square Root Now the Root of 144 is Twelve which shows the height and thickness of the wall and being Twelve it denotes again the pure Apostolicalness of the frame thereof and the strength of it from this Apostolical fabrick thereof 18. And the building of the wall of it was of Iasper the Hebrew word which is rendred by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as Ictibus resistens as Grotius Notes which is not to be subdued by the knocks of the hammer but rather so strong that it breaks all that strikes against it In which sense the wall being of Iasper signifies how firm and inexpugnable it is throughout and is a symbol of invincible patience or fortitude without which all the rest of the vertues are in a manner useless especially in the day of tryal And the City was pure gold like unto clear glass Whence it perfectly resembles the Amber in Ezechiel's Vision which is that Divine Element of Regeneration as I elsewhere more fully show But the golden colour is the tincture of the Spirit of Love or Charity which high perfection and the highest that is of the Soul I conceive to be here signified by Gold in this Vision where ever it is mentioned Gold being by far the most Noble of all Metals most pure and most permanent as the Apostle takes notice that Charity is which never fails whatever becomes of other Gifts and Graces And this City is the Philadelphian Interval of the Church whose proper character is Divine Love 19. And the Foundations of the Wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious stones that is to say the beauty of them was the garnishing but the substance of them the safety of the City which is the end for which walls are built The first foundation was a Iasper That by Iasper more peculiarly was signified the holy Spirit that is said to be the Luminary of this City I have noted above But he is not only the Luminary of this City but the first foundation of the Wall thereof that is the principal ground of their safety Ephes. 3.16 That he would grant you according to the riches of his Glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit c. And a little after That ye being rooted and grounded in Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having your foundation in Love c. which is this Spirit of Love the first foundation of the wall of this City And which is such a Spirit as will drive away all evil or foul Spirits such as have their haunts in the ruines of Babylon chap. 18. vers 2. as the Iasper-stone is said in Dionysius Afer to be an Amulet against all Empusa's and other specters And others write of it that it stops the tumults of thoughts and inconstancy of mind arising from the motions of the blood which in an higher sense in the proper office of the Holy Spirit of which the Iasper is a symbol The second a Saphir The Saphir is a stone of the colour of the Heavens which therefore is a fit note of Heavenly-mindedness and is said to be an Amulet against Lust This is another security of their City that they set their mind upon Heavenly things whereby they escape the
pollutions of the earthly The Saphir therefore is a fit means to keep the New Ierusalem in her pure Philadelphian condition that is to say in the Holy and Divine Love which is counterdistinct to Lust and Wantonness of which some Sects that have pretended too early to this Philadelphian State have been I fear over-justly suspected The third a Chalcedonie which is a kind of Carbuncle a glowing Gemm like fire which signifies Holy Zeal which keeps the Philadelphians from sinking into that nauseous state of lukewarmness which is so severely reprehended in the Church of Laodicea and which brings Gog and Magog upon them at last The fourth an Emerald Smaragdus the Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which has its name from casting forth lightening as when it thunders whence in Cornelius à Lapide it is called also Ceraunius This denotes that safety which the City has by those Boanerges's those powerful Preachers of the Gospel assisted by the Spirit such as appeared under the seventh Vial and batter'd down the Cities of the Nations who serve also for the preserving their own City better than Cannoneers playing from the walls thereof 20. The fifth a Sardonyx A stone of a threefold colour beneath black in the midst white and above reddish This I conceive may denote the due frequenting of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as the Gates of the City with the Angels that is Pastours or Bishops to admit Converts signified the Sacrament of Baptism The Black therefore at the bottom is the Death of our Lord the foundation of the solemnity that celebrates his death till he come the White the Bread and the Red the Wine the Elements that are made use of in the Celebration of his Supper And this is a good hold to the Church from relapsing into Heathenism again as some Enthusiasts have seemed too prone to do The sixth a Sardius in the Hebrew it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odem from the colour of Blood which may signifie these two things The profession of our readiness to lay down our Lives for the Faith of Christ and also a due remembrance of those horrible Cruelties Butcheries and Massacres of both the Pagan and Paganochristian Polity the Whore that is said to be drunk with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus and so retain an eternal watchful aversation from so detestable a Religion This is also one part of the wall of safety about the New Ierusalem The seventh a Chrysolith or the stone that has its denomination from Gold Whether the Philosophers Stone may be hereby prefigured I leave to the Chymists to consider but because that Knowledge is vulgarly held the very top of all Natural Knowledge by this Stone it 's likely is signified the flourishing of the most profound and useful Natural Wisdom in this New Ierusalem that Humane Nature is capable of And besides it is written of the Chrysolith That it does confortare intellectum pusillanimitatem stultitiámque auferre sapientiam animique constantiam promovere So in this also it is plain that there consists part of the safety of the City But this Chrysolith besides Wisdom may also signifie firmness of Love whereby the Stones of this Living City of God are held fast together which is an egregious ground of safety indeed The eighth a Beryl a Stone excellent to make Collyriums or Eye-salves of the want of which is upbraided to the Church of Laodicea whereby as by other defects she was made obnoxious to the Rabble of Gog and Magog that at last besieged her This Stone therefore is a good prop from falling into the Laodicean State and for the keeping the Church safe in the Philadelphian their eyes being cleared by this Collyrium and enabled by their quick-sightedness to foresee afar off how they are to order their affairs for their safety The ninth a Topaze which either has its name from the Island Topazios according to Pliny which is so called in the Troglodytick Language from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seek Mariners with much ado finding it out by reason of being wholly covered with mists whence this Stone may be a fit symbol of a generous and noble desire of the Soul to find out the dark mysteries of the Nature of God and his Providence whereby her affections are drawn upward from the dregs of this Earth Or else as some would have it the word may be made of the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aurum solidum solid Gold or Gold well purified for that makes it the more solid This is that Gold tryed in the fire which Christ counsels the Laodicean Church to buy of him for want of which she had become so poor and miserable This Topaze therefore may well be a Stone in the wall of the Philadelphian Church to keep her still in that condition it signifying pure love firmly radicated in the Divine Element of Regeneration The tenth a Chrysoprasus a Gemm of an austere colour as Grotius and others have noted but the Golden colour being mixt with it it signifies Animum subtristem benignum the best temper of mind in the world and most like to our blessed Saviours This is a great conservation of that Reverence that is due to Holy Personages when lightness and mirth diminisheth their estimation And those whom by this artifice they would win ordinarily feed onely on the sweet of their conversation but let the wholesom alone like fishes that have a trick to nibble away the bait and avoid the hook The eleventh a Iacinth which is a Stone of a bright clear skie-colour which therefore signifies that inward chearfulness calmness and serenity of mind in this state of the Regenerate which the Apostle calls Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost which they having once tasted they will be ever unwilling to be deprived of and therefore never like to relapse from the state of Philadelphia or the New Ierusalem The twelfth an Amethyst This Stone is an Amulet against drunkenness as the Notation of the word does plainly import too frequent a vice in the Sardian Church to be drunk with Wine or strong Drink as it was for the Whore of Babylon to be drunk with the blood of Saints and Martyrs But the Philadelphian keeps free from this debauchery which is her great security from errour and danger Of this wretched sin is that complaint of the Prophet Esay 28. The Priest and the people have erred through strong drink they err in Vision they stumble in judgement Wherefore if this Amethyst were not one of the stones of the wall in the New Ierusalem they would soon be exposed to the Armies of Gog and Magog that would invade the City somno vinóque sepultam overwhelmed with sleep and wine Wine and strong Drink and all other intemperance and gluttony diminisheth the understanding and judgement especially in
things of the greatest importance makes men careless and remiss and destroyes all order and discipline weakens the health of the body and makes the soul incapable of the holy influences of the Spirit of God So necessary a stone therefore for the safety of the City is this Amethyst to be placed in the wall thereof 21. And the twelve Gates were twelve pearls every several Gate was of one pearl which shows plainly the thing cannot be literally understood unless there were Oisters or other Conchae bigger than one of these Gates or Porches But in that the Gates viz. Inletts into the City are said to be Pearles that Gemm sets out the condition of them that are fitted to enter into the City For the colour of the Pearle shows the mild innocent child-like meekness of them that are fit to enter as our Saviour has declared Vnless you be converted and become as one of these Children you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God The Notation of the word also intimates what is requisite to Baptism viz. Repentance For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnio from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived alludes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mixture of bitterness which denotes the wholesome cup of Repentance But the whiteness of the Pearles may insinuate also the washing away of the guilt and stain of Sin in the Sacrament of Baptism which Interpreters make these Gates to be a symbol of And the street of the City was pure gold as it were transparent glass The street that is Forum Vrbis as Grotius notes the publick place where they meet and transact businesses It is said to be pure gold like to transparent glass because they converse one with another bonâ fide in pure love and sincerity as if they were transparent to one another and could see one anothers hearts and thoughts 22. And I saw no Temple there No such Temple as was amongst the Jews which together with the Divine Residence supposed in it as being deemed the house of God is properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a Temple as this there was none in the New Ierusalem For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it The eternal Deity is the object of their worship and the Lamb the body of Christ the Holy Catholick Church is the house wherein he resides the same with the City it self which from his presence there is called Iehovah Shammah Ezech. 48.35 God therefore immediately residing by his Spirit in the hearts of his people the Citizens of this New Ierusalem this is instead of the Temple of the Ancient Jews And according to the Prophetick stile Lamb will more naturally though it does not so usually signifie the body of Christ his Church than Christ himself 23. And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it This may allude to Isai. 60.19 The Sun shall be no more thy light by day c. But the more peculiar sense of the place I conceive according to the Prophetick stile which makes the Sun the highest Power in any Polity and the Moon next to it as an Emperour and an Emperess in an Empire or an Vniversal Patriarch and Emperour as the Popish Interpreters expound the two great Lights the Sun and the Moon the one of the Pope the other of the Emperour the Ecclesiastick Power being the Sun the Secular the Moon the sense I say is this That no man imagine any necessity in those dayes when the Kingdoms of the World shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ that there should be any such Oecumenical Patriarch Pope or Bishop over the Church of Christ or any Vniversal Monarch or Emperour over his whole Empire it is expresly said that the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it no need of any one Vniversal Prelate and Vniversal Monarch as some would fancy the Pope and the Emperour to have been For the Glory of God did lighten it that is the Spirit of God which is compared to the Iasper-stone vers 11. which is said to be the Luminary thereof this is the Sun or Supreme Power thereof which is to hold all together And the Lamb is the light thereof namely by shedding the promised efficacy of his Spirit into it The Kings therefore of those many Kingdoms that in those dayes become the Kingdom of Christ shall have no other Supreme Head over them but Christ himself but be as the four and twenty Crowned Elders before the Throne of the Lamb and have no other Superiour neither Patriarch nor Monarch but he Of those times is said that of Isai. chap. 24.23 Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed all that have born themselves as Universal Monarchs in Church or State hitherto when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Sion and Ierusalem namely in this New Ierusalem and before his Ancients gloriously those Ancients described Chap. 4. as cloathed with white rayment and sitting upon Thrones with golden Crowns on their Heads which signifie the Kings of those Times when Jew and Gentile shall make one Fold and the Church be reduced to her Apostolick purity in the blessed Millennium over whom there will be no Head but God and Christ nor will they have need to be held together in one Universal Kingdom of Christ by any other Tye than his Laws and the Union of his Holy Spirit which will be so abundantly shed forth in their hearts in those days namely in the Philadelphian Succession 24. And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it Extra Ecclesiam nulla est salus is a maxime amongst the Pontificians confining Salvation to a blind implicit Faith in the Infallibility of their Pope and Church But the Iasper-stone the influence of the Holy Spirit which is the Light of this City is that by whose guidance the Nations now walk in the wayes of Salvation And the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour into it that is turn Converts to this dispensation of the Spirit where the Word and the Spirit is the Rule not the blind Decrees of both a fallacious and fallible Polity of men that adulterate Doctrine for their worldly interest 25. And the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day Their prosperity and great knowledge and illumination will not make them proud disdainful or careless of others happiness and salvation but they will be ever ready to embrace and admit by Baptisme all Converts from all quarters of the World upon their sincere Repentance and Conversion For there shall be no night there no Adversity nor Ignorance in this Philadelphian Interval while the Eternal Spirit of Love shines upon them And therefore they will be alwayes ready at every one of their twelve Gates standing open to all the four quarters of the world to admit all single-hearted and sincere Proselytes 26. And they shall
a Prophecy 5. And lastly that this Babylon cannot be the City of Rome he proves by an heap of Arguments 1. That Babylon till the seventh Vial is not to taste of the Cup of Gods wrath but Rome hath tasted of that Cup many a time but especially in the time of the Gothes and Vandals by whom it was taken four times and made so desolate that not a Man Woman nor Child could be seen therein for forty dayes together 2. Babylon is one of the greatest Cities in the world but Rome at this day but a little City but the tenth part of what it was before 3. Babylon one of the strongest Cities in the world Revel Chap. 18. vers 8. but Rome but a weak City in comparison of other Cities and which was seldom besieged but taken 4. Babylon one of the most prosperous Cities in the world Revel Chap. 18. vers 7. but Rome a doleful City many a time 5. Babylon the last City to be taken insomuch that she thinks it will never be but Rome taken many a time by the Gothes and Vandals and She cannot think but that she may be taken again 6. And lastly Babylon is a City with which the Merchants of the Earth have great Trade and Traffick by Sea but Rome not so nor can she be so for since she became Pontifician the mouth of the River Tiber hath been stopped up for fear of Invasion so that no Ships of any great magnitude can pass thither These are the chief of his Arguments to which I shall answer briefly and in order 1. To the first I answer That those three Hills of less Note added to the first seven never were so considerable as in History or Poetry to alter that Title of Rome Roma septicollis or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seven-hilled Rome And it is the most clear and exquisite way to speak in the language of Historians when we would certainly define or describe things Again as for Rome Pontifician standing upon two Hills and no more which yet is not absolutely true it standing upon two Hills more besides as I am informed from a good hand skilfull and curious in these things the Text of the Prophecy does not require that exactness that Rome Pontifician should stand upon all the Seven Hills For the words run thus The seven Heads are seven Mountains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which only denotes the place of her abode or where she is seated And the Woman which is not the Houses and Walls of the City but the Polity residing there is possessed of the whole space of ground environed with a Wall that takes in all the seven Hills so that all the seven Hill may be said to be the place of her abode And if the being environed with a Wall be essential to a City I do not see but that the name of the City is to be conceived to reach so far and the Wall with all the space of ground contained in it all of it to be called Rome To all which you may add that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken partitivè as when it is said of Iephtah Iud. 12. Chap. 7. that he was buried in the Cities of Gilead and of Iosiah that he was buried in the Sepulchers of his Fathers 2 Chron. 35. vers 24. that is in some one of the Cities and some one of the Sepulchres So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify upon some of the Hills as well as upon them all And the character is as certain whether Rome now stand but on four hills or two that Rome is meant as if it stood still on all As suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seven-mouthed Nilus his stream so lessen that it did nothing near fill the Chanel so much as of old and that thence five of his Mouths being shallower than the rest should grow dry no man notwithstanding will deny that it is Nilus still and so this Rome is Rome still though contracted suppose to two hills and her walls stand at a great distance from the City as the banks of Nilus from his now more narrow and shallow stream So sure a character notwithstanding R.H. his exceptions are the seven hills that Rome is here glanced at 2. To the second I answer briefly as to the former If Prophecy describe things as they are described in History it self the description is more certain and exact and Historians generally make Dictators Kings and Emperours three several sorts of Government Which answer being abundantly full and sufficient for brevity sake I omit to prove they are three several sorts of Government as well as so called 3. To the third That this is a distorted unnatural exposition in this place to understand a preterperfect Tense in a sense future all Commentators that I have met with will testify Who however otherwise they vary in their Interpretations yet take it for granted that Five are fallen signifies had ceased to be in S. Iohn's time Which the varying of the Tense immediately in And one is would force any one that is not obstinately humorsome and perverse to acknowledge to be true as that also which follows must needs still put it further out of doubt And another is not yet come It is a mere madness to imagine in these circumstances Five are faln not to signify time past because forsooth the preterperfect Tense sometimes is used of a thing future in Prophecy as Rev. 14. vers 8. where there are no such circumstances But I add further that it is impossible but it should be so understood the Roman State or Kingdom as Idolatrous having but seven heads in all and the Pagan Ceasars or Emperours in S. Iohn's time being the present head Therefore of necessity those other heads must be past unsess you will have the Roman State or Kingdom till the Caesars time to have been an headless Animal which would be a very witless supposition And lastly his grand argument is a gross mistake For this interpretation of the Angel is not properly a Prophecy but the interpretation of a Prophecy which naturally requires plainness and propriety of speech and therefore not to understand by Five are faln Five shall fall but requires us to understand it of the time past according to the vulgar Grammatical sense thereof 4. To the fourth I answer as to this last That the Objector forgets that this eighteenth verse is part of the interpretation of a Prophecy not the Prophecy it self and therefore is to be taken in the plain Grammatical sense if there be no indication to the contrary as there is touching that saying vers 17. For God hath put in their hearts Where the preterperfect Tense is used for the future but safely and elegantly safely because the foregoing verse doth plainly determine the sense to a futurity and elegantly that which it expresseth being a cause antecedent to what is said before and therefore rightly intimated to have been first And where the verb substantive is or