levying Souldiers By which means he struck in witâ— partys and encroached upon Italy and the parts adjacent 2. This power arising upon the weakening and division of the old State of the fourth Monarchy or Kingdom is called a little Horn because truely so at its first beginning Dan. 7. 8. And behold there came up among them another little Horn c. The Papâ—â— power or Bishop of Rome before this division was but low and small being confined to his Episcopal power over the Church till by his Arts he had got up gradually to the Regal Seat and power of the Temporal Sword which he managed with so much Craft and Policy that afterwards he enlarged his Dominions but is very rightfully in his Infancy stiled a little Prince Power or Horn arising up amongst or after the rest which began presently after the death of Julian about the year 365 in which time was a most fearful Earthquake the like never known before betokening the decay of the fourth Kingdom in its Civil State or Power by a division or falling of Nations who set themselves against the power of Rome and harassed wasted and destroyed the Provinces thereof for near forty five years together See Mede lib. 3. pag. 659. 3. This little Horn after his rise to Temporal Power plucks up three of the ten Horns by the Roots Dan. 7. 8. Before whom there were three of the first Horns plucked up by the Roots The Papal Rome having gained the Temporal Sword tho but a little Horn at his beginning did practise and prosper so that betwixt the year 365 and the year 456 or soon after when Rome was sack'd by Gensericus he gained such enlargments that he came to possess about three parts of ten of the former or old Roman dominions according to the rule or measure of the Compass as we find in Mr. Mede Lib. 3. p. 658. and famous Du Moulin ubi supra upon which three characters of the little Horn we frame this short argument If the Pope of Rome did rise to Temporal Power upon the weakening of Caesarean Dominion which before did hinder him in his aspiring usurpation was but little in his first rise and appearance did enlarge and grow to a possession of power about a third part of the old Roman Dominion Then the Pope of Rome is the little Horn the wicked power and vile person sâ—… forth by the Prophet Daniel But the anâ—â—cedent is true Ergo so is the consequent 4. This little Horn hath Eyes like the Eyes of a Man c. The Pope of Româ— hath Eyes like the Eyes of a Man i. e. the resemblance of a humane look but a Heart likâ— the Dragon out of which foul mouth he utters presumptuous things His predecesson had Eyes like a Leopard a Bear a Lion 〈…〉 Dragon But his high Eyes like a Man 〈…〉 which there are three things to be noteâ— 1. He looks higher 2. Sees further and 3. Is more enticing than those thâ—… went before him 1. He looks higher that is makes pretence of Prety and desigâ—… for Heaven 2. Sees further that De ceit Flattery and Policy will do more than strength 3. Is more inticing to Kings and People than the Eyes of a Leopard Lion or Dragon or the former powers in their Heathenish State. 5. This little Horn hath a Mouth speaking great or presumptuous things above the rate of ordinary men Dan. 7. 8. The Pope of Rome hath a Mouth speaking great or presumptuous things above the ordinary rate of men This is evident in many respects of which we shall give you but a few instances out of many 1. That he is he says the highest Deputy of God above all the Kings of the Earth 2. That he is infallible and cannot err which is an incommunicable attribute of the most high 3. That he is universal Head and Bishop of the Catholick Church 4. He assumes the attributes of his Holiness and holy Father such an oracle that has right or power to give Laws to the World to which all ought â—o subscribe and yield obedience and none â—…ught to dispute greater and more loftily â—an no man speak unless he will say I am â—he supreme Being and there is no God in Heaven or Earth above my self which would â—e so highly ridiculous that every Idiot would be able to detect it 6. The little Horn had his looks more stout than his fellows Dan. 7. 20. whose looks were â—ore stout c. The Pope of Rome has looks more stout than the Horns that have been contemporary with him which appears in three things 1. In his terrible Bullâ— that he makes to roar and stare most dreadfully 2. In his power and acts of deposing Princes 3. In asserting himself to be Gods Vicegerent against whom no person upon any cause or pretence whatsoever ought to lift up hand or tongue upon the penalty of a total ruine in this World and an eternal ruin in the World to come 7. The little Horn makes War with the Saints Dan. 7. 21. I beheld and the same Horn made War with the Saints and prevailed against them and for a long time even to the wearing out of the poor Saints of the most high v 25. The Pope of Rome hath made Waâ— with the Saints and prevailed against them and that to their ruine as to Liberty Estate and even Life it self as the true Witnesses of Christ have most sadly experienced in many Countrys in divers by past ages even for such a series of time that may be properly called a wearing out of the Saints of the moâ—… High. for his cruelty ended not in a month or a year but hath lasted for many hundred years so that for length of time numberâ— of Countrys and multitudes of Persons there is no Power that ever reigned hath out-done or equalized this vile and bloudy Monster upon which we frame this Argument If the Pope of Rome may be more fitly said to have Eyes like the Eyes of a Man a Mouth speaking presumptuous things and looks more stout than his fellows to have made War with the Saints to have prevailed against them and worn them out more than any other power that ever yet reigned Then he is the little Horn or vile person under consideration But the former is true Ergo so is the latter 8. The little Horn is diverse from the rest of the Horns Dan. 7. 24. And he shall be diverse from the first and shall subdue three Kings The Pope of Rome is diverse from the rest of the Potentates in these four respects 1. The manner of his rise 2. His pretentions to power 3. In his progress to his height of dignity 4. In his management of the power he has usurped 1. He was small or little in his rise but an ordinary Bishop before he came to be a Temporal Prince 2. He pretends not to hold his Kingdom by Inheritance or gift of the people as other Kings do but by a special and divine
of the Prophecy page 345. distinguished as we before shewed all which Kingdoms as King James the First in his learned works makes out took their rise with Rome Papal upon the division or ruine of the Roman Empire in its civil state the body of which Kingdoms may well be called many waters viz. people multitudes nations and tongues or people of several languages which were as well known to have been under the Usurpation and Jurisdiction of Papal Rome as 't is known there have been and still are Papists in the World which doth fully answer to the very letter of the text viz. The Waters which thou sawest whereon the Whore sitteth are people and multitudes and nations and tongues Rev. 17. 18. 2. This is very evident yet further by her making all the European Kingdoms and Merchants thereof Rich that traffick by Sea by the great expence of all commodities which are swallowed up by reason of her pride and bravery which could never be effected unless she had nations and multitudes under her jurisdiction to contribute to her great pride and luxury 3. A third Instance to confirm it is the numberless number of good Christians she has prey'd upon and murdered in most of these Kingdoms for no other cause but for witnessing against her Idolatry and Usurpation which shews what power she had over these nations and tongues c. 4. And lastly The vast sums of Money she has extorted and squeezed from these Kingdoms and Nations to uphold her pretended right preheminency and usurpation over them which you have an account of by several worthy Writers who fully witness to the truth of what we say upon this respect And from the whole we shall draw this argument and proceed Arg. If there be no Body of people professed Church or State in the World under any single denomination that sits upon i. e. commands or bears rule over people multitudes nations and tongues as Rome Papal or Church of Rome doth then Rome Papal or the Church of Rome is Mystery Babylon But there is no Body of people professed Church or State under any single denomination that sits upon i. e. commands or bears rule over people multitudes nations and tongues as Rome Papal or Church of Rome doth Ergo Rome Papal or Church of Rome is Mystery Babylon To the establishing this argument let it be considered that the whole state of the Christian World consists but of these two parts viz. the Church of Rome considered as Head and Body and those who dissent from her who are so inconsiderable whether the Waldenses Albingenses Hugonots or other parties of Protestants that no one party of nay if we put them altogether can be said to sit upon i. e. command or bear Rule over people multitudes nations and tongues to answer to this Character of Mystery Babylon the Waldenses and Hugonots have been and still are a Persecuted People the Lutherans never got up so high as to command many States or Kingdoms or people of many languages Great Britain tho a Protestant State or Kingdom comes not up to answer this character much less the seven united Provinces that of late times revolted from the Crown of Spain so that if Rome Papal hath done so and no other people that dissent from her have ever yet nor could do the like then this proves Rome Papal that great Whore viz Mystery Babylon that sits upon many Waters c. VII The seventh mark or character of Mystery Babylon is this viz. She is such a Whore that Kings and great men of the Earth are said to commit Fornication with her see the text Rev. 17. 2. With whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication i. e Spiritual Fornication or Fornication in a mystery or after a mysterious manner such as Jerusalem of old was charged with 2 Chron. 22. 1. Isa. 16. 26. Which was a following like Idolatry that this Woman Babylon hath done viz. corrupting the true worship of God and adoring Idols or making of Images and Representations of the true God by which they pretended to worship him and so great was her Fornication that 't is said she did corrupt the Earth with it Paral. Now that Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath this black mark and character upon her is most evident viz. such a Whore that the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication with her she having corrupted the Earth with her filthy Fornications they following her abominable Superstition and Idolatry 1. For First Hath she adored the Pope as her Lord God universal Head and infallible Bishop setting him up above all Laws The Kings of the Earth have been so intoxicated with the cup of her Fornication that they likewise have done the same 2. Hath and doth she worship the Virgin Mary Angels and many departed Saints Even so have and do many of the Kings of the Earth likewise 3. Hath she adored Images the Crucifix the Host and Pictures of pretended Saints Even so she has caused the Kings of the Earth to do likewise 4. Hath she foolishly and Idolatroully de based her self with the adoration of the Relickâ— of known and unknown Saints So the very same has she caused the Kings and great men to do also 5. Hath she grosly and superstitiously worshiped the true God in a false manner By crouding in an innumerous train of detestable and foolish fopperies into his worship and pretended service which he never ordained as Candles Candlesticks Altars Vestments Spittle Salt Oyl Holy Water Beads and a world of such like trumpery So have the Kings and Noble ones of the Earth done and still do as the Emperour of Germany Kings of France Spain Portugal and England formerly and of late also from whence we will draw this argument Arg. If there be no Body of people in the Christian World pretending to a Church State that have set up Idolatry to such a degree and with whom the Kings of the Earth have jointly agreed and complied as Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath done then Rome Papal or Church of Rome is this mystery Babylon spoken of But there is no Body of people in the Christian World pretending to a Church State that hath set up Idolatry to such a degree and with whom the Kings of the Earth have complied as Rome Papal c. hath done Ergo the Church of Rome is Mystery Babylon To reinforce this argument let any man that will become an advocate for the Church of Rome shew that any people differing and dissenting from the Church of Rome are guilty of like Idolatry with whom the Kings of the Earth have complied as aforementioned and we will reject this argument but if this Character doth more fitly nay directly meet in Papal Rome our argument is good and unanswerable VIII Another Scripture Mark and Character of Mystery Babylon is this i. e. she doth not only cause the Kings of the Earth to commit Fornication with her but she hath intoxicated the minds
and hearts of multitudes and corrupted great part of the World with the Wine of her Fornication even the common sort of people see Rev. 17. 2. And the inhabitants of the Earth have been made drunk with the Wine of her Fornication c. Paral. That Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath not only caused Kings of the Earth and great men to commit fornication with her by dancing after her Pipes in all her mysterious allurements and detestable errors but hath also intoxicated the Minds and Hearts of multitudes and miserably corrupted and bewiâ—ched great part of the World or common sort of people by her erroneous and wicked doctrine O what a world of poor people hath she a long time deceived and made to commit Spiritual Fornication with her in Italy Germany Poland France Spain Portugal Ireland and lastly in England and Scotland too besides many other Countreys 1. As first Is it not a strange intoxication that such a multitude of the Inhabitants of the Earth should believe that a wicked man should be appointed of God to be the Vicar of Christ as if God had no more regard to the Honour of his own Name and the good of his Church and Dignity of his Son than to substitute a Child of the Devil as all wicked men are to be Vice-gerent to the most holy Jesus in the highest transactions that relate to Heaven and the Souls of Men Surely if God shut Judas out of his Bishoprick for his wickedness tho an Apostle it can't stand consistent with his truth and holiness to set up or allow of a wicked and imperious Pope got up to the highest pinacle of pride and make him the Immediate Deputy and successor of Christ and to impose a Wolf as Shepherd upon the universal Church 2. One who saith that he is an infallible Judge to determine Articles of Faith and indued with power to Impose them upon great Penalties so that as a Lord he hath Dominion over Mens Faith Consciences and Souls too which the Apostles disclaimed 3. Is it not a strange intoxication that such a multitude of poor People should believe that the Church cannot err tho God and Thousands of good Men see and fully know there are not such abominable Errors in Principles nor such villanous Enormities cursed Actions cruel and immoral Practices in the World Nay such that Turks and Infidels do abhor Yet this doctrine that the Church is infallible and cannot err the poor deluded multitude believes and hate nay kill others that oppose it and venture Body and Soul upon it 4. Is it not a strange intoxication that such a multitude of the Inhabitants of the Earth should believe that the Pope tho never so wicked nay a priest tho he be a treacherous villain a contriver of Murther and an abominable Adulterer hath power to absolve his equals and fellow Sinners from all their Sins tho directly committed against God If he come to confession tho the pretended penitent keeps his old evil habit of wickedness still contrary to what God and Jesus Christ in his blessed Word saith where 't is recorded that 't is God alone that forgiveth Sins and bloâ—â—eth out our iniquities and that a man must be born again i. e. the evil habits must be changed and all wicked practices must be forsaken or no forgiveness nor entring into the Kingdom of heaven John 3. 3. 5. Is it not a strange piece of Witchcraft and Intoxication that such a multitude of the inhabitants of the Earth should believe that there is a Purgatory which is no part of Heaven nor Hell and that men may be redeemed out of it with Money tho God saith The redemption of the Soul is precious and ceaseth for ever Psal. 49. i. e. After the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all and that 't is only the Blood of Christ which purges and cleanses from all sin 1 Jo. 1. 9. and that we are not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot 6. Is it not a strange Intoxication and a clear demonstration that the Inhabitants of the Earth have drunk of the Wine of this Whores Fornication that such a multitude of poor Souls should believe that a filthy and wicked Priest by speaking a few Words can not only make Bread and Wine sacred but also turn and change the Bread into the real Body and Blood of the Son of God and make whole Christ of a pittyful Wafer-cake by a charm of five Latin words viz. Hoc est enim corpus meum and this transubstantiated Idol they fall down before adore as their Maker anathematizing and cursing all that shall deny this Idol of indignation to be adored with the highest degree of Divine Worship which is proper to God only for she saith 't is her God as she singeth in her Roman Missal Plagas sicut Thomas non intueor Deum tamen meum te confiteor Wounds as Thomas did I not see Yet do I confess thee my God to be In this as one observes they out-do the vanity of the Heathens who thought none was so witless as to believe that that which is eaten is a God yet this God of theirs these Canibals devour even Flesh Blood and Bones in their conceit the poor deluded multitude believieng contrary to their own natural Reason and all their sences that they eat real Flesh when they eat that Wafer-cake the substance nor quality being changed the Form Colour and Taste of Bread remaining after the Words of Consecration 7. Is it not a strange Intoxication that such a multitude of people should believe that evil and idle doctrine of hers viz. that no person how good and pious so ever he be can be saved out of the Pale of their polluted ungodly and devilish Church notwithstanding 't is a great doubt and question whether any member of such a false Church can be saved sith the Holy Scripture saith that no Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of God and again that If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his Forehead or in his Hand the same shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God c. Rev. 14. 9 10. And he shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb c. Besides considering the Scripture directly holdeth forth that all who are born again or truly regenerate shall be saved let them be of what Church they will provided they are sound in the essentials of the Christian Faith and not guilty of Idolatry for certainly the new birth comprehends a change of all such erroneous principles as well as of other evil and corrupt habits and wicked practices 8. Is it not a strange kind of Spiritual Intoxication that such a number of the Inhabitants of the Earth should believe that 't is no Sin
to Lie Swear and For-swear to Kill Slay and Murther such they call Hereticks tho never so Godly if it be for the cause of Holy Church with a thousand things of the like nature which the people do believe and dare not disown upon their Salvation but boldly adventure to ingage at all opportunitys to Fight and make War burn Citys lay waste Countries and Kingdoms and destroy by Massacres and all manner of Murthering ways all Ranks and Degrees of Men who oppose the horrid principles of this vile Church and cursed practices of these Sons of Belial Nay they will go boldly to their own deaths when convicted and justly condemned for such like villanies and deny to day what they were convicted of yesterday and tho never so notoriously guilty yet will take it upon their Death they are as innocent as the Child unborn what can this be tho they drink it down as sweet Wine but an Infusion of the rankest and most deadly Poyson that the lowest celler of the bottomless Pit can afford the very Wine of the Whores Fornication and the most dangerous Intoxication in the World Which is attended with this aggravation i. e. the best medicines of the wisest Physicians will not recover them for Babylon having made the multitude drunk with this sort of Poysoned Wine how rare is it to have any to come to themselves or to their right minds again And to shut up this Head take this argument Arg. If no people in the Christian World have made the multitude of the common People or Inhabitants of the Earth drunk i. e. corrupted and Intoxicated their minds with wicked Lyes Falshood and detestable Doctrines as Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath done Then Rome Papal c. is Mystery Babylon But no People in the Christian World have made the multitude of the Inhabitants of the Earth Drunk i. e. corrupted and intoxicated their minds by wicked Lies falsehood and detestable Doctrine such as before mentioned as the Church of Rome hath done Ergo Rome Papal is mystery Babylon IX Mystery Babylon is said to sit upon a Scarlet-colour'd Beast and this Beast is full of the names of Blasphemy And I saw a Woman sit upon a Scarlet coloured Beast full of the names of Blasphemy c. Rev. 17. 3. So that it appears the Woman and the Beast are distinct by the Woman is meant the false Church by the Beast is meant the secular power or civil state or the Antichrist or that Government that is the eighth and of the seventh who assumeth both the Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority by whom the Whore false Church and Worship is supported That the Beast and Whore are distinct is evident 1. From other Prophecies relating to the same thing 2. From the letter of the text 3. From arguments grounded on reason 4. From the confession of the Whore her self 1. From the Prophecies in the Scripture describing the same state of the Roman Monarchy Dan 2. the latter part of the Image is partly Iron and partly Clay two states that were really distinct that could never so in corporate as to become one 2. From the letter of the text I saw a Woman sit upon a Scarlet-coloured Beast full of the names of Blasphemies The colours of the Royal and Imperial vestments as the Angel declared them distinct so the Apostle saw them distinct 3. They appear to be distinct from argments grounded upon reason For 1. The Beast is in the Masculine Gender the Whore in the Feminine Gender 2. Because the Whore is said to ride upon the beast the one carrying the other 3. The horns being of the Beast 't is said shall hate the Whore if they were not distinct the Whore must hate her self and eat her own flesh c. which is nonsensical 4. The Beast shall abide tho in captivity after the Whore is thrown down and destroy'd 4. From the plain confession of the Whore her self they are distinct who saith I sit a queen I am no Widdow c. Ergo she has a Head or Husband which is the vile Person little Horn and Ecclesiastical Beast or that man of Sin St. Paul declared should rise after the then present Romish power which did lett was taken away which the primitive Fathers as Tertullian Cyprian Jerome and others understood to be the Imperial power in its pure civil iron or unmixt-state or Legs of the Image Dan. 2. Paral. Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath not only drawn into Idolatry the Kings of the Earth great men abusing God his Son Jesus Christ and the Christian Religion and the blessed books of the Old and New Testament but she hath made the lower and ruder sort of the people drunk too as hath been shewed And 't is no wonder she thinks she may do any thing having a dispensation from heaven as she pretends which the Pope keeps the Keys of fearing no power on Earth And now that she hath the secular power to support her upon which she sits or rides in great pomp is evident and that they are really distinct for what of the secular power is still left at Rome is under the conduct and management of the Church there being no civil administration of Justice or exercise of Laws but what is authorized and allowed by the Pope the Head of this Ecclesiastical State to make this further evident the Pope doth not only exercise a power of appointing seculars at Rome and near to it but he claims the like supremacy abroad in other Kingdoms if the secular Princes fall off from him or will not be reconciled to him and own him as head of the Church he will excommunicate and depose them and takes away their Crownâ— and Sceptres from them that the Pope is a temporal Prince as well as an ecclesiastical Bishop i. e. makes Laws exacts Tribute raises Souldiers and acts a Monarch is notoriously known which fairly affords him the title of Beast that his Royal and Scarlet Robes the Chair he sits in to his very Hose and Shoes with the Vestments of his Cardinals is Scarlet so that ye need not doubt but here you have the Scarlet coloured Beast besides no man can reasonably doubt that what the Civil power claims the Ecclesiastical power exercises and that this Princely Pope is in the Masculine and this Harlot or false Church in the Feminine Gender is owned by all partys That the Church state doth sit upon ride and govern the secular at Rome Italy and all its Territories that the Church of Rome owns that she is no Widdow but hath a head called his Holiness or supreme ruler of the Church is so evident that we cannot find them upon any file of record of controversy There remains therefore no more to be done here sith this black character of Mystery Babylon doth so well meet in the Romish Church Arg. If there be no visible state in the Christian World that doth so apparently sit upon command and govern the Beast
a most glorious pouring forth of the holy Spirit upon the Angels who pour out the Vials and that they must tarry in the Temple as the Disciples were to do at Jerusalem until endued with power from on high Luk. 24. 59. and this may be expected at the Ascention of the Witnesses and not before for as yet we see not such a spirit given from the glory of God and from his power nor may we expect it until then that the Church cometh out of the Wilderness as clear as the Sun and as terrible as an Army with Banrers Cant. 6. 4. and like Pillars of smoak perfumed with Myrrh and Frankincese Cart. 3. 6. 7. the Judgment of the 7 last Plagues for the ruin of the Enemy will be the time of Glory and Salvation of the Church and by the 14440 on Mount Sion with Harps c. Singing the Song of Moses c. are held forth I am perswaded the ministrations of the Saints under the seven Angels with the seven Vials or seven last Plagues which days we hope are now even upon us or very near and that we might let in what light worthy men of different opinions have helpt us to about the Slaying and Resurrection of the Witnesses we shall give you a brief account of what Jurieu our French Author saith of them see p. 241. c. these words when they shall have finisht their testimony must saith he not be understood as if the holy Ghost would say when the 1260 years shall be finisht for after the 1260 years are run out there can be no Persecution seeing the Beast shall have lost his power so that this Persecution must begin and end within the 1260 years but yet at the end of them 't is the ordinary custom not only of Scripture but of all men to say that something comes to pass when this or that is finisht because it happens when that thing is finished and very near its end this is therefore the last Persecution of Antichrist against the Church this Persecution hath its Characters 1. 'T is compared to a War The Beast that comes up out of the Bottomless Pit shall make War against them 2. This War of Persecution must end in a victory over the two Witnesses and shall overcome them mark God does not reckon the Death and Martyrdom which the faithful suffered for the truth as a victory that the Devil gains over them a very good note for 't is said they i. e. the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus overcome them i. e. the Beast and his Emissaries and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12. 11. He speaks of martyrs when he saith He that overcometh I will make to sit down on my Throne c. So that when 't is said that the Beast shall overcome the Witnesses this signifies that he shall make them saint under their Tryals which thing ought to be well observed that we discern the singular Character of this present Persecution that hath conquered and overcome above a Million of Souls he means the late and present Persecution in France 3. This victory of the Beast must prevail even to a total extinction of profession there shall remain no more signs of outward life in the faithful who shall stand for truth they shall lye on the ground as dead bodies 4. This murther and effects of this Persecution shall be done in the Street of the great City 5. The death of these Witnesses must be 3 years and a half denoting these 3 years and a half 6. During those 3 years and a half the truth shall remain as it were dead but notwithstanding not buried men shall not dare to make profession of it notwithstanding it shall be visible the people who are neighbours of them who shall have slain it shall hinder it from perishing and putrefaction 7. At the end of 3 years and a half the faithful who are oppressed and whose profession shall have been violently suppressed shall rise again after that shall ascend to Heaven and shall be exalted 8. At the same time and after the exaltation of the faithful there shall be an Earth quake i. e. a great emotion and trouble in the World and in Antichrists Kingdom 9. In this emotion a tenth part of the City shall fall i. e. a tenth part of the Antichristian Kingdom shall be taken away from it and seven thousand men shall perish in this Earth-quake and be buried under the ruin of this City that this shall be brought about with some Blood sheâ— tho' not considerable Now when I search after the time in which this Persecution must happen I cannot doubt but this is that in which we now are after this Persecution shall be over God will begin to strike those sore blows to destroy the Antichristian Kingdom which must be destroyed with in 25 or 30 years That none may wonder saith he that I speak so positively about a thing which seems to be as yet hid in futurity I intreat all equitable minds to consider that I have as I think with great evidence proved 1. That the Reign of the Popedom must last 1260 years 2. That these 1260 years began about 450. or 455. and consequently they must end about 1710. or 1715. This being so we are but 25 or 30 years from the end of the Popish Kingdom And if this be so the present persecution must needs be the last since there is no probability that this present persecution being ended the calm restored to the Church should leave room for another For we must allow the space of at least 20 or 25 years in which Popery shall be attacqued and not be the Aggressor and the Persecutor And certainly a shorter time cannot serve for the utter destruction of so vast a Kingdom for it shall not be destroyed in a way of violence but in a way of perswasion Yet he says it shall not be done without blood and slaughter I have saith he further proved that the fall of this Popish Babylonian Monarchy is divided into two parts viz. The Harvest and the Vintage that the Harvest is the reformation of the last age and the Vintage is the reformation that must be made in this present age c. He then proceeds to shew his apprehensions that France must be that Street of the great City in which the two witnesses should be slain and lye as dead c. p. 24â— The bodies of the two witnesses saith he shall lye in the Street of the great City 'T is to be observed that in the Text 't is not in the Streets in the Plural but 't is in the Street in the Singular And I cannot hinder my self from believing that this hath a particular regard to France which at this day is certainly the most eminent Countrey which belongs to the Popish Kingdom her King is called the Eldest Son of the Church the most Christian King i. e. The most Popish according to the dialect of Rome
Nevis St. Christophers â—arbadoeâ— Jamaica With an account of their Discovery Scituation and Product The Religion and Manners of the Indians c. To which is prefixed a Relation of the discovery of the New-World and of the remarkable Voyages of Sâ—bastian Cabot C. Frobisher Captain Davis C. Weymouth C. Hull C. Hudson Sir T. Caâ—endish the E. of Câ—mberland Sir W. Rawleigh other English Worthies VVith Pictures of the strange Fruits Birds Beasts Fishes Insects Serpents Monsters found in those parts of the World. pr. 1â— 13. A View of the English Acquisitions in Guineâ— the East-Indies With an Account of the Religion Government Wars strange Customs Beasts Serpeâ—â—â— Monsters other Observables in those Countries A description of the Iste of St. Helena and the Bay of Souldâ—nia intermixt with pleasant Relations pr. 1â— 14. THe English Hero Or Sir Francis Drake Revived Being a full Account of the dangerous Voyages admirable Adventures notable Discoveries â—â—â—gnanimous Atchievements of that Valiant and Reâ—â—owned Commander As â— His Voyage in 1572. to â—…os in the West Indies where they saw a Pile of Bars of Silver near 70 foot long 10 foot broad and 〈◊〉 foot high II. His incompassing the whole World in 1577. which he performed in 2 years and 10 months gaining a â—ast Quantity of Gold and Silver III. His Voyage into America in 1585. and taking the Towns of St. Jâ—go St. Domingo Carthagena and St. Augustine IV. His last Voyage into those Countries in 1595. with his Death and Burial Revised Corrected enlarged and beautified with Pictures By R. B. price one shilling 15. TWo Journeys to Jerusalem Containing first An account of the Travels of a English Pilgrims some years since and what Accidents befel them in their Journey to Jerusalem Grand Cairo Alexandria c. II. The Travels of 14 Englishmen in 1669. With the Antiquities Monuments Memorable Places mentioned in Scripture To which are prefixed Memorable Remarks on the Antient and modern State of the Jewish Nation As 1. A Description of the Holy Land its Scituation Fertility c. 2. The several Captivities of the Jews 3. Probable Conjectures what is become of the Ten Tribes carried Captive by the Assyrians with Divers pertinent Relations pursuant thereâ—o 4. The State of the Jews since their extermination with the present condition of Palestine 5. Of the Septuagint or 70 Jewish Interpreters of the Law of Moses Together with a Relation of the great Council of the Jews in Hungary in 1650. to examine the Scriptures concerning Christ. Written By S. B. an Eye-witness The Wonderful delusion of the Jews by a false Christ at Smyrna 1666. The final extirpation of the Jews in Persia the same year and the occasion thereof The Proceedings between the Jews â— O. Cromwel L. Proâ— in 1655. 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pretence of the most High and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction doth influence and govern the Secular Power and State of Kingdomâ— Of this last opinion were the ancient Waldenses who felt the bloody Power of of Rome venting it self in most horrid and Barbarous Cruelties against them and that for a long Series of time as appears by our most Authentick Ancient and Modern Writers who give a very ample account of the great Persecution of Christians for many hundred years last past in all parts of the Christian World where they have had Power To which opinion of the Waldenses most of our Modern Protestant Divines agree of which we shall mention only Cartwright Fulk the worthily Admired and Learned Mede not forgetting famous Du Moulin of France as may be seen in their works at large 7. Some of the Papists who grant that by Babylon Rome is meant but would have it to be Rome towards the End of the World when they say Rome shall apostatize from the Pope to Paganism again and now because we will not take things upon trust nor refer the reader to many Books and Quotations it appears needful that we remove the Objections with as much brevity as we can And first That Mystery Babylon cannot be fairly applyed unto the whole World of wicked men nor to old Chaldean Babylon nor to Jerusalem the Turks nor Saracens nor terminate in the Heathenish State of Rome noâ— Rome towards the End of the World when they say Rome shall Apostatize from the Pope to Paganism again And that none else can be meant or intended by her but the Papal Power of the Church of Rome 1. Mystery Babylon cannot be the whole world of wickedmen for in opposition to this 1. The Apostle John speaks here of a certain great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth v. 18. This cannot be meant of the wicked world 2. The World of wicked men are those Inhabitants of the Earth whom this Woman made drunk with the Wine of her fornication Now she that made them drunk and those that were made drunk cannot be the same 3. This Woman v. 9. sitteth on seven mountains and so do not all the wicked of the World. 4. We are Commanded to come out of this Babylon but we are not obliged to go out of the World. 2. If she were the old Chaldean Babylon then 1. Where is the mystery mentioned Rev. 17. 5. 2. Mystery Babylon here mentioned is by all acknowledged to be the Seat of Antichrist So was never old Chaldean 3. Besides it is generally agreed to by all not without good grounds that Literal Babylon was no more than the Type of her which is all we will speak to it 3. It cannot be meant the City of Jerusalem 1. Because Jerusalem did not reign over the Kings of the Earth in St. John's time when he saw this Vision and wrote the Revelation which this City Babylon is expresly said to do Rev. 17. 18. And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Jerusalem having been not only under captivity divers times before but was then entirely under the Power of the Roman yoke as the whole History of the Gospel doth confirm and themselves do most plainly Confess We have no King but Caesar. 2. Jerusalem was never in so high esteem with the Beast as to be capable to ride as Queen Regent upon him as this Woman Whore or City is said to do Rev. 17. 7. And the Angel said unto me Wherefore didst thou marvel I will tell thee the mystery of the Woman and the Beast that carryeth her which hath the seven heads and ten horns Rev. 17. 7. compared with verse 3. so he carryed me away in the Spirit into the Wilderness and I saw a Woman sit upon a Scarlet Coloured Beast full of Names of Blasphemy having seven Heads and ten Horns For by the Woman sitting and the Beast carrying is undoubtedly signified Influence Power and Dominion which Jerusalem was far remote from not only under the Roman Monarchy but also under the three Kingdoms that went before it viz. the Babylonian Grecian and Persian as might be largely illustrated both out of Sacred and Humane History 3. Jerusalem did not sit upon many Waters which is Interpreted to be People Nations and Tongues that is had not command or dominion over them as this Woman Whore or City is said to have Rev. 17. 15. And he saith The Waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues The whole Land of Judea being under Tribute to the Roman Government at that time Luk. 2. 1. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should be taxed and particularly Galilee Nazareth Judea and the City of David called Bethlehem 4. Jerusalem was not capable to Enchant and Bewitch all Nations round about her either by her Religion and Doctrine or by great Gifts and Rewards 1. Because the Roman Power kept her under and much in awe on the one hand not owning nor subscribing to her Religion 2. The Christian Doctrine and Religion Blocked up her way on the other hand that she could not Extend her Influence to either Neighbouring or Remote Nations as this Woman Whore or City is said to do Rev. 18. 23. For thy Merchants were the great Men of the Earth for by thy Sorceries were all Nations deceived 5. Jerusalem though she were guilty of much Blood from the beginning of her Excellency and Glory in Solomons time Killing Prophets even all that were sent unto her Murthered John Baptist and our Lord and Saviour as also the blessed Martyr St. Stephen yet in her could not be found that great Mass of Blood that was shed and Myriads of Christian Saints that have been Barbarously Murthered by Massacre and Publick Martyrdom since they were ruined and destroyed by Titus Vespasian which we find positively charged upon this City Babylon Rev. 17. 6. And I saw the Woman Drunk with the Blood of Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondred with great Admiration as indeed well he might as shall be shewn And in her was found the Blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth that is since the Destruction of Jerusalem 6. And Lastly not to multiply more upon this head Though Jerusalem was fearfully destroyed as the History of Josephus shews yet shall she rise again be Built upon her own Heap be replenished with her own Children which this City Babylon under Consideration shall never be after this Catastrophe which John saw visionally coming upon it Rev. 18. 21. And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all 5. It cannot be the Turks and Saracens for two reasons
offered by the Learned Mede Lib. 3. p. 643. 1. Because though they did arise to great Power in the World yet they had not their seat in that great City which in St. Johns time reigned over the Kings of the Earth which this Babylon is Expresly said to have 2. That they did not rise by Apostacy from the Christian Religion which this Babylon with her head the Man of Sin did for as this worthy Author saith the Turk whatever he be could be no Apostate because he was of a Nation that never was Christian. To which we shall add somthing for the clearing of this head that we may discharge that Debt we owe to God to the Church and the World. 3. It cannot be the Turks because they are not strangely and wonderfully mysterious which this Babylon is said to be Rev. 17. 5. And upon her fore-head was a name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And the Angel said unto me Wherefore didst thou Marvel I will tell thee the mystery of the Woman and the Beast which carryeth her which hath the Seven Heads and Ten Horns What special mystery hath shewed it self to the World from the Turks and Saracens more than from other common Empires or Kingdoms that is matter of admiration to the wisest of men Is it matter of wonder that the Turks do own but one true and most high God Is it matter of wonder that they do own Jesus Christ to be a Prophet and a good man Is it matter of highest wonder that they prefer Mahomet above Jesus Is it matter of wonder that they appear true to their Contracts in matters of Civil Commerce Is it matter of highest wonder for them to endeavour to keep what Dominion they have and to enlarge it to make Slaves and Prizes of those profest Enemies they take Prisoners We say in none of these things is there any high Mystery or matter of greatest Wonder being things common to all Places and Kingdoms Invested with Power For 1. Did not the great King of Literal Babylon own the only true God yet still held the Church in Captivity 2. Did not Israel own the same and yet kept their Idols after their revolt from Judah 3. Did not Judah prefer Moses above and before Christ and at that time when Christ was personally among them working most Stupendious Miracles which did evince his Divine Mission Nay did they not prefer a Common and Notorious Villain before the Blessed Lord of Glory when they desired a Murtherer to be freed and pressed hard to have the good and Blessed Jesus the Saviour of the World killed And did not this wise Apostle know this to be true in fact and to Equal nay outdo any thing that the Turks or Saracens ever did or can be accused of And if St. John was Transported with astonishing wonder at Matters much less than he had seen before doth it not give good reason to suspect him of Weakness and Defect that he should suffer himself to be surprised with the greatest wonder at far less things than he had seen and known before certainly therefore we must conclude there was something more of mystery in Johns Vision than what had been shewed to the world by the great Turk or any other Power and indeed undoubtedly the greatest Mystery that ever the World was acquainted with For the Characters of Babylon must either be singular that is such as none have besides or else they must be transcendent to go far beyond what others had in a Lesser degree Otherwise John might have kept the Description of Babylon to himself there being no clear Distinctions to render the wisest and most Discerning men able to make Judgment upon her The mystery then that is written upon this woman Babylon seems clearly to lye in these particulars following First That she doth transact the most horrid wickednesses that ever the world was or is like to be acquainted with Secondly That under this monstrous Guilt she is prodigiously Confident and without all regret or show of shame and most Impudently boasts of the highest Sanctity and Holiness in the World viz. That she is Totally Pure Infallibly Certain and cannot err c. That this indeed is a Mystery to be wondered at let it be Considered 1. That a Shepherd should be a Wolf and devour that flock which he pretends to be an Overseer or Pastor of 2. That a professed Servant of Jesus Christ and the meanest of Saints should exalt himself above his Master and not above his Master only but above the God of his Master and all other Deputed Gods that are Vicegerents to the King of Heaven by slighting and trampling upon the holy Scriptures and Laws both of God and Princes dispensing with the breach of them indulging the highest violation thereof and setting up his own Inventions Traditions and Decrees above them insomuch that there is a thousand times less danger in their esteem in respect of Excommunications and Corporal Punishments in this World or of Damnation in the World to come in breaking and violating the Laws of God and Princes than there is in the violation or breach of the Inventions Traditions and Decrees of Mystery Babylon and her Head. 3. That one sitting in the Temple of God pretending himself as a poor Apostle Vicar and Successor of Christ nay as the Successor of a poor Fisher man should wear the highest Ensigns of Imperial Dignity 4. That he should be so Lordly and prodigiously Insolent who was commanded to the greatest Humility and Abasement as to tread upon the necks of Emperors kick off the Crowns of great Princes and make Kings his Foot Pages 5. That he should pretend highly most highly to God Christ Religion and Holiness and yet Espouse to himself as the Darlings of his Bosom not only the Chiefest Sons of Belial but all that will decline Sanctity and Religion and embody themselves with those first born Sons of Wickedness that are of the highest Magnitude and engage themselves in such Monstrous and Butcherly Practices that humane Nature as such could never act in the Butchering Brute Beasts 6. That the Spouse of this prodigious Monster should in Profession own God Jesus Christ and the things of Religion of which Justice and Charity Holiness and Compassion are not the least parts and yet under this Vizard and in the very time of these pretensions perpetrate the greatest and most unparallel'd Villanies in the World First In being the Top of Pride Secondly In committing palpable Idolatry Thirdly Fill themselves with Excess and Drunkenness Fourthly To curse swear and blaspheme the very name they profess to be sacred Fifthly To cast down the Truth burn the Bible deface the holy Books and Laws of God Sixthly To assume not only a Power to Dispense with the Violation in the highest Nature but to pardon and forgive them at pleasure Seventhly To commit Adultery and account it a Venial Crime Eighthly To break
Covenants to drive a Trade in Perjury forswear every thing they are justly charged with and is fully proved against them Ninthly To foment Wars and Broils in every Kingdom and Countrey where they have Power contrive the Ruine of Towns Places Cities Countreys and Kingdoms by Fire Sword and most Cruel Devastations Tenthly To slaughter kill and barbarously murther both Men Women and Children even all that dare make a shew of Conscience and Religion so far as to abhor and dissent from these Villanies This is such a Scheme of Religion and Systeme of Divinity to come from an Apostle a Shepherd a Vicar and Successor of Christ from a Church Sheep Saints and the pretended followers of the Meek Peaceable and Innocent Jesus who taught altogether otherwise by his Doctrine and Example that it might well be wondred at and is the strangest Mystery that ever appeared of which we challenge the whole World to shew the like in the Turks and Saracens For men to Swear Lye and to Forswear themselves and yet be true Men to contrive Rebellion Murther and Treason and yet be as Innocent as the Child unborn To be elevated to the highest Pinnacle of Pride even above Emperours and Kings above Jesus Christ and God his Father and yet be humble and lowly To commit gross Idolatry and yet be the Servants of the Living God To be filled with and make a Trade of Excess and Drùnkenness and yet be Patterns and Standards of Sobriety and Temperance To cast down the Truth to the ground deface the Laws of God and burn the Scriptures and yet be the true Witnesses of it To forgive sins and yet be the greatest Sinners themselves To commit Fornication and Adultery and yet be spotless and pure in heart To foment Wars and Broils in every Kingdom and Countrey where they have power to contrive the Ruine of Towns and Places Cities Countreys and Kingdoms by Fire Sword and cruel Devastations and yet be as harmless as Doves to all mankind the only Sons of Peace and Quietness To slaughter kill and barbarously murther Men Women and Children that dare not be so wicked as themselves and yet to be full of mercy tender pity and compassion an Apostle Shepherd Vicar Successor of the Meek and Lamb-like Saviour And for the dear Consort of this Impious Head on Man of Sin do not only confederate with him but a Principal in all these unparallel'd Villanies and most butcherly and rapacious Murthers and yet be the Holy Catholick Church of God the pure and spotless Spouse of Jesus Christ the true Sheep the harmless Lambs the best of Saints and close followers of the Lord Jesus who always taught the contrary by his holy Doctrine and meek Example We say these things not being found by secret search but are written in Capital Letters upon her forehead appear in open view to be read by every one that is not wilfully blind Let any one shew us a greater Mystery in the World than this and we will subscribe to it 4. It cannot be the Turks because they are not the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth which this Babylon is said to be Rev. 17. 5. And upon her forehead was a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And here we demand in excuse to the Turks this one Thing From whence did proceed the Murthers Massacres and Martyrdoms of all the Religious Professors of Christianity that have died by violence in the Christian World for the space of twelve hundred years last past And from what people did proceed those horrid Oaths Blasphemies and Execrations that the World hath wofully been acquainted with most horrid and strangely astonishing to repeat Came these unparallel'd Degrees of Impiety from the Turks from the Waldensians Lutherians Calvinists or any Non-conforming Protestants No no why whose Language then is it Whose Why 't is the Language of the Beast of the Bottomless Pit and Bloody Whore who bare these Blasphemous Sons of her own Body daily nourishes them at her Breast and strengthens them in their sinful courses by accounting them the Sons the precious Sons of Sion the true Sons of the Catholick Church the Darlings of Heaven the beloved ones of the Virgin Mary and gives them Pardons for these Bold and Heaven daring sins as often as they commit them and come to ask Pardon for them so that Sin and Pardon is as constant and common with them as Breathing and Eating And these things are done to Seal and Confirm Lies which is the more heavy heinous and prodigious For if men may Lye by Allowance may kill and shed Innocent Blood without controul of Conscience and Church censure◠may Swear and Blaspheme and Challenge God himself to Damn them may burn men for Religion consume Cities to Ashes conspire the death of Kings the Ruin and Overthrow of Kingdoms Whore and Murther Infants and yet be accounted a Church the Members and Parts of it called Saints Holy Children and the Sons of the most high God Then may we claim a Patent and take a License to change the name of all things and alter the Ideas of the minds of men call and account Beelzebub a good God and all his black Tribe the pure Saints of the most High call the lower Regions of Blackness and Darkness to which he is confined the Heaven of Glory and Eternal Light of which things we ought in Justice to clear the Turks until Witnesses of undoubted credit shall come forth and evidence that the Turkish State is the Mother of as great Abominations as these are 5. And Lastly The Turks cannot be Mystery Babylon because they never were made drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus which this Woman Mystery Babylon is expresly said to be Rev. 17. 6. And I saw the Woman drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondred with great admiration Now let any man shew such blood-shed Saints bloodshed by Massacres and Martyrdom for the Professing of Christianity which must be if the Text be answered in that clause Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus by the Turks either within their Dominions or without as hath been shed by a Generation nearer home and we shall become like the Man without the Wedding Garment wholly speechless and say not a word more about Babylon 6. Now that Babylon in the Apocalypse is Great Rome that in former times Reigned and in suture times shall be destroyed is owned by some of the Papists themselves and is asserted by all Protestants the Difference betwixt them is brought to this narrow Point The one wholly confines Babylon to Rome Heathen and there totally to terminate the other brings Babylon down lower to Rome Antichristian or Papal Rome Now that this work may be to edification and more full satisfaction in this great case we shall advance to the last and chief
policy and force of Arms not by pretended Miracles false Signs and lying Wonders therefore Rome Heathen cannot be this mystery of Iniquity or Babylonish State. 12. This wicked State under consideration is declared not only to depart from the Faith by a Palpable Apostacy but to forbid Marriage and Command a long Lent and many other fast days whereon some sorts of Meat are prohibited to be eaten which doth so fully agree to the Papal State of Rome that nothing can be more plain unless the Spirit had expresly told us this will be fulfilled by Rome Papal for these two things we have their Canons upon Record the which if none can shew the like of the Heathen State of Rome then Rome Papal shall carry the Title of this mystery of Iniquity and Babylonish State. 7. If the Babylon under consideration be only confined to the Power of Heathen Rome then there is a more evident and apparent mystery upon the State or Power of Rome Heathen than upon any Power oâ— State that went before it or shall come after it for so the Text Imports Rev. 17. 5 And upon her fore-head was a name Written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT c. But there did no such mystery appear upon the Power or State of Rome Heathen therefore this Babylon cannot terminate there what great mystery appeared upon the Power and State of Rome Heathen more than appeared upon the Power and State of the three foregoing Monarchies 8. This Babylon cannot be confined to the Power of Rome only in its Heathen State because Babylon is to continue till the good people shall with the Horns that did support her which is the last part of the wicked and Persecuting Power answerable to the teâ— Toes in Daniels great Image reward and destroy her for the injury that she did unto them according to these three Texts of Scripture Rev. 18. 4. Dan 7. 22 26 27. Rev. 17. 16. And I heard another Voice from Heaven saying Come out of her my People that ye be not partakers of her Sins c. ver 6. Reward her even as she hath rewarded you and deal unto her double according to her Works In the Cup that she hath filled fill to her double How much she hath Glorified her self and lived Deliciously so much Torment and sorrow give her And the ten Horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore shall make her desolate and naked and eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire which the Power of Rome in its Heathen State felt not but ended its Course without being destroyed by good People and the ten Horns which is the last part of the Image Government And in the days of these Kings viz. ten Toes ten Horns ten Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be leâ—t to another People but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Which could not be fulfilled in what Constantine did in the time of Maxentius as Dr. Hammond would have us believe for these three reasons 1. Because the ten Horns that afterwards the Roman Power fell into were not come up and so could not destroy the Power of Rome in its Heathen state 2. Because Babylons Persecution mystery and confusion did not utterly cease which it must have done so as to rise no more for ever if the power of Rome Heathen destroyed by Constantine had been this mystery Babylon 3. Because tho there might be a body of good people with Constantine when he overthrew Maxentius yet the Power of the Kingdom was not so Established in the hand of good People as not afterward to be Left to others as the Text affirms And the Kingdom shall not be Left to another People For as we shall anon shew the Kingdom or Power that ceased to be in the hands of Heathens and by mighty and Divine Providence came to be in the hands of worthy and renowned Christian Emperors came afterwards into the hands of very Devils incarnate who acted all the violence of the Heathen Power over again and indeed out-did them 9. Those that are for confining this Babylon to the Power of Rome in its Heathen State are not well aware what they do for if they do Demand it their opposits who hold it to be Rome Papal may Grant it for arguments sake But then the remedy is worse than the disease for they slip into such a Precipice as neither Baronius Bellarmine Dr. Hammond or the Rhemists can save or deliver them from The true State of the Case 〈◊〉 this Rome Heathen is Mystery Babylon thâ—â— say the Papists And the more willing they are to say so because it is a good argument to Prove that Peter was at Rome he subscribing his first Epistle from Babylon 1 Pet. 5. 13 The Church that is at Babylon Elected together with you Saluteth you c. But this being allowed the worst is to come This Babylon is Destroyed when the power of Rome Heathen is taken away so as to be no more for ever but then what Condition doth the State of Babylon fall into Doth it become the Throne of the Lamb the City of the living God the Habitation of Holiness and dwelling place of Zion the true Church the place of the holy ones and Saints of the most High O No! What then Hearken and an Angel from Heaven shall tell you Rev. 18. 1. 2. And after these thinge of the horns hating the Whore making of her Naked and burning her flesh with Fire I saw another Angel come down from heaven having great Power and the Earth was Lightned with his glory And he Cryed mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen and is become the Habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul Spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird. Now you Papists if you will have Babylon to be Rome Heathen take it but then make Rome Papal better than an Habitation of Devils if you can If it be not Rome Heathen then adieu to Dr. Hammond and the Rhemists we have what we desire If it be then Rome Papal â—s a far worse if possible than Rome Heathen â—n Babylon never was And then what a fine Church do the People make themselves 10. If the place Seat and City of Rome was not utterly ruined so as to be no more for ever as a place of Commerce Trade and Humane Society when the Heathen Power ceased then Rome Heathen cannot be this Babylon because at the ending and downfal of this Babylon the Place Seat and City will be utterly ruined so as to be no more a place of Trade Commerce or Humane Society Rev. 17. 16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and shall eat her flesh and burâ— her with fire v. 18. And the woman which thou sawest
or a great secular power clothed in Scarlet Vestments as Rome Papal doth then Rome Papal 〈◊〉 Church of Rome is Mystery Babylon But there is no visible state in the Christian World that doth so apparently sit upon command and govern the Beast or secular power cloth'd in Scarlet Vestments as Rome Papal or Church of Rome Ergo Rome Papal c. is Mystery Babylon To reinforce this argument we challenge any Papists Atheists or any else to shew where there are any other people or party to whom these Characters agree as well as with Rome Papal and then we will let this argument sall X. The Beast that Mystery Babylon sits upon commands and governs is not only clothed in Scarlet but is also full of the names of Blasphemy Rev. 17. Paral. Now that the Church of Rome hath this mark also of Mystery Babylon is evident viz. that the Beast cloathed in Scarlet that bears up that whorish Churhc is full of the names of Blasphemy this appears by his ascribing that to creatures which belongs to God and Jesus Christ only and in divers other respects 1. When the cursed Beast is called our Lord. God the Pope and whatsoever he doth no man may say to him Why do you this And whosoever obeyeth not his precepts incurreth the Sin of Idolatry doth he not in this shew himself indeed to be God What greater Blasphemy can there be 2. When he is called universal Head of the Catholick Church is not this Blasphemy against Christ who alone is the head of the universal Church 3. When he is called the Lamb of God he Light of the World the Root of David the Lion of the Tribe of Judah 4. When the orders of the Church Oral Traditions and Decrees of Councils are said to be of greater authority than the Holy Scriptures Cardinal Hositis in his Advertisement to King Sigismund hath these expressions If they that is the Hereticks say it is written that is the voice of the Devil speaking in his members they call the Scripture Paper and Parchment and that 't is an absurd thing to attribute more authority to the Scripture than to the Church which they call a nose of Wax which suffers it self to be turned hither or thither as a man pleaseth and that the Scripture is the Daughter and their Church the Mother is not this horrid Blasphemy against God and the Holy Spirit who gave the Scripture forth and whose sacred off-spring they are 5. When the Virgin Mary Angels and Saints are invocated with Prayers and Addresses that only belong to the Divine Majesty as if those creature were infinite and could hear us at so great a distance as Earth is from Heaven which they could not do if perpendicularly over us much less from all parts of the World over which they cannot be whether this ascribing Infiniteness and Omnisciency and Divine adoration to Creatures which is only due to the Creator is not Blaspemy 6. Whether it be not Blasphemy as well as Idolatry to say that Images ought to be worshipped with the same honour and worship which is given to him whose Image it is For so Azorius affirms and Bellarmin saith that Images are not only to be worshippeâ— as they are exemplars but also properly and by themselves so as the worship may be terminated iâ— them 7. To conclude with this mark Whether it be not Blasphemy with a witness to affirm that a Priest can make a whole Christ of a Wafer Cake by uttering a few words And is not this to exalt the man of Sin above God himself For this which they affirm iâ— to do more than God indeed can do see Mâ— Pools Dialogue p. 109. there are some thingâ— which it is no dishonour to God to say he cannot do them because they are either sinful so God cannot lie or absolutely impossible God himself cannot make a man alive and dead at the same time God cannot make the whole to be less than a part of it he cannot make three to be more than threescore he cannot make a Son to beget the Father he cannot make the same man to be born at two several times as Popish Authon confess and therefore he can't make the same Body to be in two several places much less in two thousand places at one and the same time to which we may add Can God make that to be that which it is not All know the Bread is not Flesh but really Bread after Consecration Arg. If no people in the Christian world are born up and supported by a Scarlet coloured Beast full of the names of Blasphemy maintaining from him such blasphemous Opinions than Rome Papal or Church of Rome then Rome Papal is Mystery Babylon But there is no people in the Christian world that are born up by such a blasphemous Beast as the Church of Rome is Ergo Rome Papal as Mystery Babylon XI Mystery Babylon is not only said to sit upon a Scarlet coloured Beast full of the names of Blasphemy but also that she is adorned with great pomp and outward glory Rev. 17. 4. And the Woman was arrayed in Purple and Scarlet and decked with Gold and precious Stones and Pearl c. Parallel Rome Papal or Church of Rome doth not only sit upon a Scarlet coloured Beast c. but she is also beautified and adorned with great pomp and external glory beyond any people calling themselves a Church of Christ in all the Christian world This is such a visible brand and mark upon this people and well noted by all that much we need not speak to it for all the world knows the Church of Rome delights in outward Gaudery being a people whose Worship is filled not only with detestable Tradisions and blasphemous Doctrines but also to please the carnal and sensitive Eye she seâ— it off with rich and costly Pictures curiousâ— drawn and other outward gallantry 2. Looâ— into the Patrimony of consecrated Saint there you shall find riches and honour thâ— not durable riches and righteousness 3. Looâ— upon their Garbs and Vestments and theâ— you shall find her Popes and Cardinals gâ—â— stering in cloath of Gold and adorned liâ— Emperors and splendid Princes nay and are some of her Priests and Heads of Partiâ— What think you saith one of the Antiâ—â— Fathers of this Man the Pope sitting on hiâ— in his Throne glistering in Purple and cloâ— of Gold sitting in the Temple God shewing out himself as if were a God her Priests are adoâ—â— in such costly Habiliments that for riches thâ— might become the highest Order of â— Jewish Priesthood 4. Look on the Instâ—ments and Mode of their Worship and the you shall find rich Altars and Candlesticks Gold the Vessels for Oyl and Poâ—s of Pâ—sication as if their Predecessors had been Solomon's Temple 5. Look into 〈◊〉 Churches and there you shall find great oâ— ward glory and bravery 6. Enquire coâ—cerning her Revenues and vast Incomes aâ— there you
will find she out-does all Commâ—nities in the World. Arg. If no people in the Christian World hath such riches splendour outward pomp and bravery in the maintenance and management of their Worship as Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath Then Rome Papal or Church of Rome is this gaudy Harlot or Mystery Babylon But there is no People or Church in the Christian World that hath such riches splendour outward pomp and bravery in the maintenance and management of their Religious Worship as the Church of Rome hath Ergo the Church of Rome is Mystery Babylon XII As Mystery Babylon is thus adorned with outward pomp and external riches and glory so likewise another mark or character the Holy Ghost hath laid down of her is this i. e. upon her fore-head a name is written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH Mother of Harlots may refer in part to external Whoredoms but chiefly 't is to be taken in a mystical sense i. e. she breeds and brings forth Spiritual Harlots viz. unclean Communities Parallel That this Character meets directly in the Church of Rome is very clear upon her forehead denotes as our late worthy Annotators observe the open guilt â—nd impudence of this Spiritual Harlot Mystery Babylon that is there is a Mystery in what follows in her name the Great not to be understood of the Chaldean Babylon but of a City or Policy under the Gospel as cap. 11. 8. she is called Spiritual Sodom and Egypt so in a spiritual or mystical sense she is called Babylon because a City like to Babylon for Idolatry and Persecution of God's Israel Not a meer Harlot but one that breed up Harlots and nourishes Idolatry communicating it to others and this is the true name of Rome instead of Mother Church 1. Here is a name written in capital Letters and written upon her fore-head so as to be read of all i. e. there is no way to hide oâ— cover her Whoredoms or to defend or deliver her self from being the Mother of Harlots if this were not to be seen and read by all inlightened Christians and Professors it would not not so much concern us for if the Book of the Revelations were not written for the Christian World it leaves us at an uncertainty nor are we in a capacity to make a Judgment in this great case who this great Whoâ—â— is 2. Nay and if this Babylon were a small and private People and Community of Christians or such who pretend themselves so to be she could not be called Great Babylon and Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth But Rome is a great People a great Whore or false Church and her detestable Spiritual Adultery appears obvious to the whole World nay her Images and Idolatry causes both Jews and Turks the more to hate and abhor that Christian Religion which she professeth as it has been manifestly made known by many worthy Writers 3. And for Mystery see what we have said in the first Chapter of this Treatise wherein is opened that strange Mystery of the Romish Church Is it not this Mystery Babylon that says she is the true Church by pretending to Visibility as one of the chief Evidences thereof and yet 't is positively said That the true Woman or Church of God was for the space of 1260 years in the Wilderness Rev. 12. where she was hid all that time or abode in an obscure condition Is it not a Riddle and confus'd Mystery that she being Queen Regent riding upon the Beast in state all along and yet that very poor and distressed Woman that fled into the Wilderness and abides there in a suffering condition all the time of the Beasts Reign Is not this a Riddle and strange Mystery that one pretending her self to be the only true Church of God and Mother of Peace Purity and Charity and yet notoriously known to be the breeder bringer forth and cherisher of Division Falshood most Bloody Butcheries and Barbarous Cruelties and Murders 4. She is called Babylon or Babel i. e. Confusion and doth not this agree to the Church of Rome doth she not openly shew her self to be the absolute Antitype of old Babel 1. In devising and setting up another way to Heaven than what God hath ordained and appointed viz. a Tower of their own raising not by Christ alone but by the demerits of their own good works and you know what some of those works are that she calls meritorious which is to destroy and cut the Throats of such she calls Hereticks i. e. godly Protestants This is the way she haâ— found out for the Salvation of her dear Children 2. In plucking up or endeavouâ—ing to rase out the true Worship of God as old Caldeaâ— Babylon did and setting up Idolatry in the room of it 3. The Church of Rome may well be called Babylon in respect of her Doctrine Principles and Modes of Worship which iâ— such a jumble strange mixture and heap oâ— Human Inventions that may well go foâ— â—onfusion it self see our third mark in her orders diversities and long muster Roll of officers that are so numerous as well as unâ—criptural that if mixture and confusion be â—ny where 't is to be found in this pretended Church where you have Pope Cardinals Priests and Arch-Priests Bishops Lord Bishops and Arch-Bishops Deans and Archâ—eacons Suffragans Patriarchs Abbots Friars Monks Nuns Seminaries Jesuits followers of St. Francis Jansenius Augustine Capuâ—hins c. and what not this Romish Harâ—ot hath received some of her jolly Church â—relats with their exorbâ—tant power from her heathenish Predecessors Romuâ—us and Numa Pompilius who made Flamins Arch-Flamins and a Ponâ—ifex maximâ—s to sacrifice unto the Gods and some of her ceremonies she has taken from other Infidels as the shaving of Priests Crowns like the Priests of Isis and Serapis in Egypt nay for confusion and filthy abomination she has out-done Heathen Rome for Numa the King of the Antique Romans forbad them to think that the Image of God had the shape of a man or form of other living Creatures yet this mother of Idolatry alloweth the Image of God the Father in form of an old Man and Holy Ghost in form of a Dove tho the holy Prophet inveighâ—ing against this detestable vanity demandeth To whom will ye liken God Or what similitudâ— will ye set up unto him Yet this whorisâ— Church to these teachers of lies as one observes and counterfeits of God to the shame of Christians adoreth these Images or rather the Devil in them whose worship it is and so fulfils that which is written of her Rev. 9. 20. That men would not repent of the works of their hands and of the worship of Devils and Idols of Gold and Silver and Brâ—sâ— and of Stone and of Wood which neither can see neither â—ear nor go As she appeareth in all these things to be Mystery Babylon the great and abomination of the Earth so as
worthy Mr. Ainsworth observeth in her Divine service she has Babels very language an unknown Tongue so is it an Idol wholly made as the Scripture speaketh according to her own understanding and is all the works of the crafts-men the Prelates and Popes the lovers of this great Whore who have patched together in their several ages the limbs of this deformed monster the Mass and Canon thereof a sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead with the Litany and Collects Anâ—hems and Responds and in this Liturgy God and his Angels Apostles and Martyrs and Confessors with he Saints and she Saints and some that had Satans sanctity are wrapt up together with a Stage-play like worship with musical instruments to make them merry as Nebuchadnezzar with melody celebrated the dedication of his Golden Image which Portal and Missal these Artizans have framed exceeding all superstitions abominations and confession that ever were in the World the meer device and forgery of their own Brains by the help of the Devil provoking God to Jealousie and Wrath which suddenly she must pertake of without mixture 4. Mother of Harlots Hath not Papal Rome this very character upon her forehead It meets in none as in her all Protestants of what denomination soever utterly disallow of Fornication Whoredom and Adultery in persons of any Ranks whatsoever maintaining constantly that Marriage is honourable in all whereas the Church of Rome 't is notoâ—iously known gives publick toleration to â—bominable Whoredoms and the most shameâ—ess and unatural Bestialities as ever were in the World but this Epithet Mother of Harlots â—ay more properly refer to Spiritual Adultery â—nd that the Church of Rome is a Mystical Moâ—her is very plain and evident for do not all her Children own her to be the Mother Church â—nd therefore 1. Protestants are exhorted to return into the bosom of their mother 2. All polluted and national Churches in the European Kingdoms sprang from her as the Churches of France Spain Portugal c. and do call her Mother 3. All corruption in Doctrine and Discipline were bred and brought forth by her she is certainly the Mother of all these cursed titles and errors following viz. Universal Supream Infallible Head Holy Father the Pope his Holiness in the abstract our Lord God the Pope unerring Church Priestly Absolution selling Pardons Indulgences Dispensations adoring the Crucifix worshiping of Images Anointing and sprinkling of Holy-Water the adoration of the Mass nay and the adoring the Devils own Engine i. e. the Cross or Gibbet whereon the Devils Emissaries killed or crucified the Lord of Life and Glory for the curse of the Law was to be done away by â— cursed Death upon a tree oâ— which whosoever was hanged the curse of God was upon him this death the innocent Lamb Jesus Christ suffered fâ—â— our sakes at the hands of wicked Sinneâ— Pilate and the Jews the Children of the Dâ—vil who used all exquisite torments to makâ— his death miserable Crowning him wiâ—â— Thorns piercing his Hands Feet and Sides with Nails and a Spear hanging him on the Tree until he died And this pretended Tree or Cross Thorns and Nails with other counterfeits of them this Mother of Harlots teaches her Children to adore and honour with as good Ground and Devotion as one observes as the Ophites or Serpentories are said to honour the Serpent the Devils instrument for to bring man to the knowledge of good and evil And that all the World might take notice that Rome is the City where our Lord was crucified this Mother of Harlots doth proclaim that the Cross was that Altar whereon the great Sacrifice Christ was offered whereas the Scripture teacheth that the bodies of those Beasts whose blood was brought to make reconciliation in the holy place were burnt without the Host or Camp of Israel and not on the Altar which stood before the door of the Tabernacle according to which figure Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem which was a reproach yet will these God-eaters and crucifiers of our blessed Saviour make the cursed Cross to be the Altar most holy and so greater than Christ the sacrifice as being that which sanctified him for the Alâ—ar sanctified the offering And hereupon they call the Cross blessed and ascribe unto it worthiness to bear the Talent of the World they account it among the most precious Reliques and not only the whole but every piece thereof they adore it salute it pray unto it and trust therein for Salvation crying Hail O Cross our only hope increase thou to the godly Righteousness and unto sinners give pardon save thou the company gathered together in thy praises yea the very sign of this Idol made in the Air upon the forehead or over any thing is Sacred and Venâ—rable and hath force to drive away Devils and do many like feats wherefore this abomination hath prevailed above other and is like Beelâ—ebub Prince of the Devils the Badg of the Beast and Character of Mystery Babylon Imprinted in Churches Chappels Altars Houses and High ways in Books Writings in Prayers Sacraments in Garments Bodies and Souls of Men both Quick and Dead nay nothing is well hallowed without it no Sacrament perfect without it And this great honour hath the Cross because the Devil and his Instruments Killed or Crucified our Saviour upon it so that a marvel it is how Judas lips scaped honour seeing he also was Satans instrument to betray Christ with a kiss wherefore this Spiritual Egypt Pseudo Catholick Church deserveth more to be branded by some Satyrist for worshiping monsters than the first Egypt whose less impiety a Heathen Poet did deride 4. As she is the Mother of Harlots and Mother of all corrupt Doctrine and Detestable Errors c. So also is she Mother of all personal vices and fleshly abominations as horrid Oaths and Blasphemies most astonishing perjury and subtil equivocation hypocrisies uncleannesses lying subornations secret poysonings stabing throat-cutings adulteries covenant-breaking and what not are these things allowed amongst Protestants No certainly yet they are not only allowed by this Whore but esteemed meritoâ—ious if it be done for the good and promoâ—ion of Holy Church and for these things may she not rightly be called Mystery Babylon the great the mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Which I shall conclude with this Argument Argu. If this name Mystery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth in all these respects we have noted doth not so fully and fitly agree to any People as they do to Rome Papal or Church of Rome then Rome Papal c. is Mystery Babylon but this name Mystery Babylon the great Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth in all these respects noted does not agree so fitly and fully to any people in the World as to the Church of Rome Ergo Rome Papal or Church of Rome is Mystery
Babylon XIII But further to put it out of all doubt who this Whore is 't is said she was drunk with Blood this is another Mark and Character the Holy Ghost hath given to know her by And I saw a Woman drunk with the Blood of the Saints and the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondered with great admiration Rev. 17. 6. Now if the Church of Rome be guilty here or hath this black Mark and Character upon her she is the unhappiest Church and People in all the World and gives cause enough to Angels as well as to the Apostles and Holy Men to wonder i. e. to see a Woman pretending to be nobly descended the Daughter of the great King of Heaven and Earth the only chast Spouse of the Lamb the Mother of all Peace Holiness and Innocency not only defiled with all those foul and abominable errors Idolatries and detestable pollutions but also guilty of so much Blood of Saints and of the precious blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and not only guilty of Blood but also drunk with Blood yea drunk with such Blood but that this the Church of Rome is guilty of nothing is more clear which indeed gives cause to every good man in the World to abhor her And that we may make this most evidently to appear 1. Consider what it is to be drunk 2. What things do necessarily contribute to it 3. Shew what the true and proper signs of it are 4. Whether such things can be fixed upon the Church of Rome 1. To be drunk is to take in excessively any thing as disorders nature in its course and operations this we take to be a general definition of it including the proper and metaphorical notions thereof 2. Such things as necessarily contribute to it are 1. Great and vehement desire or thirst after it 2. Plenty of the thing thirsted after 3. The greedy taking their fill of it 3. The signs of drunkenness are 1. When the faculties are so disordered that they will not submit to the best Reason that can be given them 2. When they will abuse those whom they are most obliged to love and respect 3. When they have cast off all considerations of their own and others good and for bear no mischief but what they are restrained from by force 4. That these things are evident in the Church of Rome will appear 1. Because she hath shed a Mass a very great Mass of Blood of Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus who is able to account the numbers of them that she hath murthered in all parts of the Christian World only upon the account of Religion particularly in Bohemia Germany Poland Lithuania France Spain Italy Portugal Low Countrys England Scotland and Ireland 'T is enough to peirce an heart of Stone to hear of the barbarous crueltys and devilish inhumanities exercised for more than five hundred years upon the poor Waldenses and Albingenses by the hands of this Bloody Whore or Romish Harlot besides the wonderful numbers and multitudes of them for according to the account I have met with in History hundreds of Thousands nay some millions of those Godly Christians were most unhumanely butchered by the bloody Papists Children Born of her own Body nay in every street of this great City the Blood of the Saints hath run down like a River were this not notoriously known to the whole World I could give an account of the vast numbers slain in Bohemia in France and in Ireland of late years where there were not fewer than two hundred thousand souls sacrificed to allay the thirst of this Bloudy Whore. So that it is out of dispute she hath the first signs of a most filthy shameless drunken Strumpet i. e. she has been excessive in drinking of innocent Blood and 2. Not only so but she has drunk so much that she is intoxicated and disordered that she would never submit to the best reason that could be given her for she has been so mad that none could disswade her from exercising her cruelties on the Bodies of the Saints whose Blood she thirsted after in as unhumane a manner as incarnate Devils could devise as if to murther them was not sufficient nor could it satisfie her but she would have them die many deaths as hanging by the Feet by the Hands by the middle on a Beam by the Hair of the Head on Tenters pouring melted Lead on their Heads Boiling in Caldrons rosting alive and burning alive The poor Waldenses living in and about the valleys of Piedmont about the year 1560 were most cruelly and barbarously murthered to allay her excessive thirst some were stript stark naked and whip'd to death with Rods of Iron others drawn through the Streets and Burnt with fire brands some thrown down an high Tower and some cut in pieces with sharp Knives fourscore persons had their Throats cut as Butchers kill their Sheep threescore Women were so cruelly rackt that the Cords pierced their Arms and Legs to the Bones and then being cast into Prison they all died except nine of them young Virgins were Ravished in a Barbarous manner until they died Children were pull'd alive out of their Mothers Bellies and the Breasts of many Women cut off so that the Infants died of Famine and many other strange kind of tortures for many years together multitudes of those Godly Waldenses indured And the Albingenses who professed the same doctrine and principles were all along in the like or worse sort and manner if possible butchered in the City of Bezier there were saith my author threescore thousand persons slain the Priests and Fryers going about the Streets in the mean time with Crosses and Banners and singing Te Deum Laudamus in the year 1655 in the Valley of Lucerna and other places this bloody Strumpet thirsting still after the Blood of the Saints and like a filthy drunken wretch caused an Edict to be put forth that such who would not turn Papists within three days must take what would follow and indeed that was bad enough as you may see in Sir Samuel Morelands History of that late Persecution it began Jan. 25. 1655. upon which some Thousands of those poor Souls were forc't to fly for their lives in the depth of Snow when all the Valleys were covered with Water there being amongst them some Women with child others newly delivered some sick and diseased Children crying and lamenting Old Men and Women some decreâ—it leaning on their Staves all dragged or forc't over the Ice Snow c. with bitter tears sighings cries and wringing of hands beating of Breasts mourning and complaining of the cruelties of those merciless Papists but alas so drunk with Blood before that they like brutes regarded none of their cries no more than the bleating of Sheep but this is not all no sooner that they were forc't from their haâ—itations but their houses were pillaged rifled and ransackt of all that was left and this not sufficient neither to
Patent 3. In his progress to the height of his dignity by leaving his fixed station as pastor of a Church and by Deceit Treason and Violation of all Laws mounts the Throne of imperial grandure 4. He rules by a supreme ecclesiastical power as well as temporal pretends to the Keys of Heaven as well as the Sword of Justice on Earth shewing himself to be the Beast that hath two Horns like a Lamb spoken of Rev. 13. 11. 9. This little Horn hath so many marks upon him that they are too numerous to handle distinctly after our usual methods and therfore we shall put the remaining part into a General rank and conclude this subject The Pope of Rome hath so many marks or characters upon him that are too numerous to be handled distinctly in a little room and therefore we shall but touch upon them so far as they shew the Text made good and form an Idea of truth in the minds of men 1. He must change times and laws 2. Continue a long a space of time 3. He is a vile person 4. Had not the honour he hath fairly given him either by God or man but gained it by flattery 5. Removed the proceeding by the Arms of a flood 6. He became strong by a small people 7. He shall have power over the fattest places of the Provinces and there scatter his Riches 8. Such as do wickedly against Religion he shall accept 9 Under him the Saints fall by captivity and spoil by sword and flame many days 10. Shall do according to his own Will not accounting himself tied to any Laws 11. He shall exalt himself above every God and speak marvellous things against the God of Gods. 12. Shall not regard the God of his ancestors 13. Nor the desire of Wedlock 14 Nor any God in a pious way 15. Shall give honour to them that have armed forces 16. Shall own a strange God with splendid Ceremonies Dan. 11. 38. 1. The Pope of Rome hath changed times and laws in two respects 1. He hath set up and pluckt down Kings which is called a Changing of times and seasons Dan. 2. 21. 2. He has made strange alterations of the Laws Orders and Institutions used in the Church in respect of Officers administrations of Sacraments and celebration of days 2. Hath continued above twelve hundred years 3. He is as vile a person as any in the World tolerates all kind of wickedness by his Dispensations Pardons c. 4. Had his exaltation neither by Inheritance lawful conquest nor rightful gift from rightful donators 5. He had the help of Phocas to kill the Emperor Mauritius and by the help of Gothes and Vandals enlarged his power 6. Became strong by a small People having only a declining Church and apostate Christians to assist him 7. He hath power over Italy which is reputed to be the Garden of Europe c. 8. He accepted entertained and encouraged the people of any nation that would turn wicked and sacrifice all Prety and Religion to serve his Interest 9. Under him the Saints have fallen by flames captivity and spoil many days 10. He hath done according to his own will and doth not look upon any Laws to be obligatory to him either from God or men 11. He the Pope hath exalted himself above every God that is such that are so accounted amongst men or Gods on Earth by excommunicating deposing treading upon their Necks and kicking off their Crowns by his Blasphemous Edicts and Injunctions he exalts himself above God himself and his written Laws c 12. He doth not regard the God of his Ancestors either the Idols of the Emperors or the God of the good Bishops that went before him 13. He hath been remote from the desire of Women in a lawful way nay and frights his Clergy from it too who are made uncapable of Spiritual promotion and censured as heinous transgressors if married 14. He hath not regarded in a pious way any God for tho' he doth name the true God often and in words profess him yet in works he doth defie him and profane his holy name 15. He gives honour to them who have armed Forces and lends them assistance to carry on his black diabolical designs 16. He hath owned a strange God a mark compleatly made up in the Mass which is adored with splendid Ceremonies 17. The people of the Saints 't is said shall take away his power to consume and destroy it to the end i. e. the Lords people in their representatives shall take away the Papal power c. and is it not done in part already here in England upon all we may frame this Argument If all these characters meet no where so clear and evident as upon the Pope of Rome then the Pope of Rome is the little Horn and vile person set forth in the Book of Daniel But all the aforesaid characters meet no where so clear and evident as upon the Pope of Rome c. Therefore the Pope is that little Horn. CHAP. V. Shewing that the Prophecies of our Saviour in Mat. 13. 15. Also that of Paul Acts 20. 29. and 1 Tim. 4. and 2 Thes. 2. 3. Concerning false Prophets and grievous Wolves as also of the Man of Sin may and ought to be applied to the Pope and Church of Rome FIrst The Lord Jesus foretold that Enemies should come in his name and deceive many and that they should appear in Sheeps clothing and under that Vizard hide their devouring Teeth see his words Mat. 13. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps clothing but inwardly are ravening Wolves that is have a design to destroy Now 't is most evident that the Popes of Rome and their long Succession have thus especially at first appeared i e. in Sheeps clothing covering their hellish designs under the name of Christ Vicar of Christ an Apostolical Bishop c. the true Church holy Church and Christian Religion but with an intent hereby to deceive for all their pretences of Jesus Christ's being the truth Christ hath been but as a Vizard to hide their wolvish nature and devouring teeth for whilst they under the notion of Christianity hide themselves they have carried on most pernicious and destructive designs and that in these three respects following viz. 1. If there have appeared any Kings or Queens in the Christian World that have been piously inclined they have forth with endeavoured to pervert them by their Diabolical Doctrine oft destroying them with their holy Poyson 2. If any Ministers or Men of Parts and Piety have risen up to set forth Gods holy truth and so bless the dark World with Gospel Light and Saving Doctrine they have either choaked them with Gifts and Preferments or affrighted them by dreadful fears or by a ravenous thirsting after their Blood and have most wickedly and treacherously destroyed their lives by cruel torments 3. If collective Bodies of pious Congregations of Saints or good Men
Gods a kind â—â— middle Beings between their highest Gods and Men whose Office was to be Advocates or Mediators between Men and the highest Gods because they judged it was not lawful for Men to come to the highest Gods immediately and these they worshipped by Images Even so the Papists or Mystery Babylon hath divos and divas Saints of all sorts whom she hath Canonized to be called upon in her publick Prayers Altars and Feast days dedicated and kept unto their memory and many other Honours acknowledging them to be Mediators between God and Men and unto these Daemons or petty Gods she makes her Prayers and hath their Images and to whom they do divine Homage like as did the Pagans of old CHAP. VI. Shewing the Judgments of divers Eminent Men concerning the Death Resurrection and Ascention of the Witnesses and final downfal of Mystery Babylon and that in all probability it will be in this present Age Together with an account of divers strange Prophesies relating thereto some very Ancient c. HAving clearly demonstrated that the Church of Rome is that great Whore Mystery Babylon It may not be amiss before we conclude this 〈◊〉 Treatise to give you some account concerning her full and final overthrow which hath been for â— long time the expectation of Gods people and multitudes of Prayers have and still do go up to Heaven for the accomplishment thereof and reason there is for it considering what a Plague she hath been to the World and Church of God for so many hundred of years and certainly God will at laâ—â— hear that mighty cry of Prayer and of innocenâ— Blood that continually is in his Ears and since the Death Resurrection and Ascention of the Witnesses if rightly understood gives such clear light as touching the fall of Babylon we shall give you some brief hints concerning this important and weighty point The Beast is to continue for the space of forty two Months and the Witnesses are to Prophesie in Sackcloth for the space of 1260 days which most Writers conclude to be one and the same term of time and that by days is meant yeaâ—â— all generally conclude and the long continuance of the Beast and Papal power clearly shew that to be the mind of Gods Spirit in those Mystical numbers Yet a late Worthy and Learned Writer hath said a great-deal to prove the forty two Months are to be reckoned by the Moon and not by the Sun and if so then as he shews the time of the Witnesses wearing Sackcloth is thirty eight years longer than the forty two months but yet are to terminate together he concluding the Witnesses put on their Sackcloth so many years before the beginning or Epoch of the forty two Months See his Book intituled The command of God to his people to come out if Babylon Moreover he saith the time Epoch or beginning of the forty two Months must be fixed at the cessation of the seventh sort of Government or Christian Emperors Reign which saith he was in the year 475. and the whole time of the Beasts Reign and Tyranny being but forty two Months which by the Moon he accounts to be just 1222 years the period of which will be saith he in 1697. And this we will say he hath doubtless fixed the Epoch or beginning of the Beasts Kingdom more fairly than many Writers before him have done because all along where the Reign of one Head or Government ended the other begun as 't is said you know the King never dies Take his own words p. 25. Thus far the matter is determined according to the Prophesie i. e. Whenever the 7th King asserted to be the Christian Emperors Government expir'd viz. by a civil death or the cessation of the Imperial Name and Power immediately the eighth King according to the Prophesie must succeed and bear up the Roman City in gratideur and whoever hath born up that City in Supremacy since that time must be according to Prophesie that eighth King i. e. the Beast Now I appeal to all the World what year that was when the Western Imperial Name fell and it is known in all History to be the year of our Lord 475. For in the wonderful disposes of God no one hath claim'd a Title of Empire from that City since that year but the Pope I do commend the ingenious Reader to the Book it self Now if this be true or can be granted we are very near the final ruin of the Papistry nay and from divers other authors most or all that I have met with agree it will be in this very age Peter du Moulin a wise and renowned French Authour in his book intituled the accomplishment of the Prophecy saith from the year 1689. Popery shall fall and go down but all conclude that the tenth part of this great City falls first and I doubt not but the providence of God hath brought us forth in the time of the accomplishment of that part of the Prophecy for that great Brittain is that part of the great City I see no cause to doubt and that also the witnesses are risen or arising and will soon be upon their feet is the thoughts of several worthy men but I being limited to the number of Sheets cannot inlarge as I would do therefore we shall 1. Briefly give you our understanding who the tâ— witnesses are in which we agree and accord with sâ—vâ—iâ— learned men 2. What is meant by the slaying of the witnesses 3. Also some probable conjectures concerning the tiâ—â— when slain as also of their Resurrection standing 〈◊〉 their feet and ascention 1. 'T is not unknown to the Judicious Reader what different sentiments there have been about who or what the two witnesses are some thinking they are the Old and New Testament others Magistracy and Ministry others two sorts of Godly Churches some have thought them to be Moses and Elias who tho along time since are glorified in Heaven yet shall come again and be killed on Earth which is the most improbable of any of the otherâ— yet the Papist writers and some others of late timeâ— have asserted this But we Judge by them are meant Gods faithfâ—â— people called two witnesses because of the smaâ—ness of their number who have born witness to the truths of Christ all the time of Antichriâ—â— reign or else called two as comprehending both Ministers who are more directly intended and people also they may be called two as soâ—â— think in respect of their twofold Testimony to 〈◊〉 true Gospel Ministry and Magistracy and this thâ—â— conclude because called also two Candlesticks 〈…〉 alluding to those two Sons of Oyl i. e. 〈…〉 and Zerubbabel 't is evident God calls his people especially his faithful Ministers his witnesses Ye are 〈◊〉 witnesses saith the Lord Isa. 44. 8. and saith Christ â—â— shall be witnesses unto me Act. â— 8. and Act. 5. 32. We are his witnesses c. also called two because two 〈◊〉 the number which God
he could have been made of the rage of the Croisades In all Languages and in all sorts of stile a Sea of Blood Rivers of Blood streams of Blood signify a very great slaughter Now the proper character of the Croisades is slaughter Murther which falls not upon the head of the Antichristian Empire but upon the people all was turned into Blood. Never was there such a prodigious effusion of Blood in the Sea i. e. among the peoples in the first Croisade there died more than 2 Millions of men in 3 or 4 years 't is evident that God did lead these wretched creatures as it were to the shambles that they should find the punishment of their crimes he took so great a quantity of Blood that he might cure the Ulcers of Christendom for that he might purge it of that vast rabble he permitted the Devil to inspire them either with such sottish superstition or an extravagant ambition that they must go and deliver the Holy-land or go and conquer Kingdoms in the East this Plague lighted only on the Sea not at all on the dry land upon the subjects of the Popedom not at all upon the Popes On the contrary the Popes Improve that evasion to greaten their power to plunder whole Countreys to make Generals of Armies to act as soveraign Monarchs and to lay a heavyer yoke upon Kings whom they ordered to march and sent them as their slaves into the East and during their absence plundered their Kingdoms We must not saith he imagine that all the Plagues laid down by St. John must tend to the ruin of the See of Rome or to the diminution of its power for some are to light upon the head of that Empire to crush it others upon the people to punish them because they worship the Beast the Plague of Blood and Slaughter is for the people This Plague of Croisades saith he is divided into two Plagues because of its long duration for it lasted 200 years from the end of the eleventh age until the end of the thirteenth this he Judges the time of the 2d Vial and Plague The third Vial or Plague fell upon the Rivers or lesser Waters which he fixes upon some particular nations as of France under the conduct of St. Lewis The fourth Vial poured out on the Sun 't is known and confessed saith he of all who know any thing of Prophecies Dreams and Visions that the Heavens the Sun the Constellations and the Stars are Emblems of Dignity and Grandeur on Earth c. The Sun does always signify the Soveraign the Stars inferiors Magistrates and so by the Sun under the 6th Seal 't is always understood the fall of the Pagan Empire that the Antichristian Kingdom is treated of here saith he is generally agreed to therefore it cannot be doubted that the Sun is the Soveraign of this Kingdom And he fixes upon the increase of Antichrists authority and power in the thirteenth and fourteenth Centuries to be meant hereby when the Sun by his excessive scorching heat i. e. the Pope by his usurpt authority tyrannized over Kings and Emperors p. 89. deposing and taking away their Crowns c. The fifth Vial and Plague poured on the feat of the Beast he affirms with other Writers to mean the City of Rome and when was it that this Vial of Gods wrath fell upon the seat of the Beast i. e. Rome it was saith he when Rome lost its Sun which is spoken of in the foregoing Plague i. e. the Pope the Papal Court that like a Gulf or Whirl-pool drew to it all the riches of the Kingdoms of Europe In the year 1305. Clement the V. left Rome to go to Avignon the City that was Mistress of the World then became desolate when its Masters kept their seat at Avignon p. 94. The sixth Vial and Plague he affirms are the Turks who pass over the Bosphorus and invade the Greek and Latin Empires at this I can't a little wonder because most expositors conclude and I think with good reason that the rise and increase of the Turkish Monarchy began under the sixth Trumpet and not only so but because 't is said the Angel poured forth his Vial upon the great River Euphrates and mark the Water thereof was dryed up c. which seems to intimate the decay and wasting of the Turkish power and not the increase of it but he would have us understand the Kings of the East to mean the Turks and not Euphrates p. 200 201. the time that this Vial was a pouring forth he says was about 125 or 130 years viz. from 1390. until 1526. by this he must believe the Battel of Arma-geddon is long since past which he runs into a mystery by shewing that Arma-geddon signifies a cutting off by a Curse or Excommunication which he applys to the Orders Laws and false Oracles of the Popedom and the Antichristian head there is saith he 't is known a Curse and a Arma-geddon at the end of every Canon The seventh Vial and Plague he affirms was by the Preaching of Luther and other reformers by which the Latin Church was divided into three parts Papists Lutherans and Reformed I suppose he means the Calvinists the Voices and Thunders and Lightnings that are said to be under the seventh Vial mean he says the Voices of Preachers who labour'd in the reforming the Church page 217. The great City he affirms is the Antichristian Kingdom and this City under the pouring forth of the seventh Vial is said to be divided into three parts this he says is exactly come to pass i. e. one part remained with Antichrist one part did separate from him under the name of the Ausburge confession A third part did separate under the confession of those who are barely stiled the Reformed Sweden Denmark and a great part of Germany make the second part England and the united Provinces the reformed part of France and part of Germany make the third part these saith he are the three grand parts that divide the western Church which is the great City Let this be attentively minded saith he for I affirm that this passage does as it were speak with a Tongue is able alone to convince that our Systeme of the seven Plagues is most undoubted truth this division of the great City into three parts so clearly points out the three communions of the Latin Church that to deny it can proceed only from unreasonable passion and opinionativeness And if we have hit upon the truth in this point we have done so in all for if this character of the seventh Plague is true and is already accomplisht all other Plagues are also accomplisht and if they are accomplished I do boldly affirm they cannot be applied to any other effects than those to which we have applied them He further shews that England cannot make a fourth part because in doctrine she agrees with other reformed communions in which she differs from the Lutherans p. 220. who
Monarch This has been Printed several years Nostradamus predicts THAT Rome shall be ruled by the Britanish head That the new Prince that joins the lower and Northern Countries of Europe shall be the instrument of loss to the Church of Rome And that the Bishop of Rome together with his Clergy except they shew themselves willing to be reformed shall be made to spit Blood when the Rose shall flourish That of the Trojan Blood shall spring a Prince of a doughty Dutch Heart who shall attain to so high a degree that he shall chase far away the Arabick or Mahometan multitude and likewise return to the Church her Ancient Eminency and Sincerity I leave every man to his own liberty to Judge of those predictions as he pleases I always lookt upon such kind of Prophesies as doubtful and no certain conclusions to be drawn from them A Postscript Giving an Account of the Judgment of a late nameless French Author concerning the Non-offusion of the seven Vials with his Answer to Mr. Jurieu JUst as I had quite finished this Treatise I met with a Book lately writ by another worthy French Minister intituled A new Systeme of the Apocalypse who asserts the Non-effusion of the Vials proving that none of the 7 Vials or last Plagues as yet are poured out with an answer to Mr. Jurieu which Author I am not a little affected with and therefore have thought good to add some short hints of the most remarkable passages contained in it about our present Controversie First Of the Harvest and Vintage The Harvest he says signifies those initial Judgments which were executed by means of the Reformation begun in the last Age by the ministry of Luther Zuinglius c. p. 91. to which I cannot agree because I judge the Harvest is not ripe until the end of the 42 Months and signifies more and greater ruin to the Beast and his Kingdom than was effected then or till this time 2. The Vintage he says signifies a definitive Judgment which shall ruin the Papal Empire beyond recovery and to begin at the beginning of the end of â—he 42 Months I conclude the Harvest comes in at â—he beginning of the 7 Vials and the Vintage at the â—â—tter part of them Secondly As to the opening of the Temple and of the Smoke c. He says the opening of the Temple alludes to the Church of the Jews which was shut up under â—haz and opened under Hezekiah From hence he notes three things 1. That the Vials belong to this state of the Church wherein Antichrist is made manifest and wherein there shineth a measure of light in the Church 2. That the Vials are all contained under the 7th Trumpet 3. The Temple is not only here represented open in order to give passage to the 7 Angels that pour out the Vials but to give way for all Nations to enter in according as it is said v. 4. That all Nations shall come and worship before God. The smoke that filled the Temple answereth to the Cloud that covered the Tabernacle of Moses and the divine glory the Smoke was a Symbol of Gods gracious presences in the midst of Israel and so signifieth Gods return to his Temple or the glory of the Church 't is added No man was able to enter into the Temple till the 7 Plagues of the 7 Angels were fulfilled which inmateth that tho' the time of the destruction of the Churches Enemies draweth near and the time wherein the Gospel shall shine bright in the World yet that the Gospel will not be universally received till after the subversion of Babylon which will not be until the Vials have been poured out yet some are ready to think the fulfilling of the 7 Plagues c. alludes to the fulfilling of the time of their first pouring out and not till they are all poured out Of the 7 Trumpets 7 Thunders and 3 Woes As touching the 7 Seals and 7 Trumpets he much agrees with our Expositors he concludes the first Woe fell out under the 4th and 5th Trumpets take his own words St. John tells us c. 8. 13. that he heard an Angel flying through the midst of Heaven saying with a loud voice Woe woe woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth by reason of the Trumpets that are yet to sound After the sounding of the 5th Trumpet St. John adds One woe is past and behold there come two more hereafter One of these two woes fell undoubtedly out under the 6th Trumpet under which Mahometanism and the Turkish Army destroyed the whole East and therefore the third woe must come to pass under the seventh and last Trumpet That all the Vials saith he being contained under the 3d woe they are yet to be poured out foras much as we are this year 1687. still under the sixth Trumpet and groaning under the pressure of the 2d woe So that here we have a new proof that all the Vials from the first to the last are yet to be poured out for as much as the Vials are no other thing than the 7 Thunders which are spoken of Rev. 10. and indeed the Thunders are 7 in number as well as the Vials are and as the Thunders do signifie the Judgments of God against the Enemies of the Church so the Vials do signifie the same in that by them the wrath of God is to be consummated Moreover the things threatned by the Thunders are delayed from being executed until the sounding of the 7th Trumpet and therefore were to be sealed up until the Mysteries of God should be finished which in my judgment means the whole of the Beasts 42 Months which agrees with what he further says p. 249. The Mysteries of God saith he is the bringing in of the Kingdom of Christ and the uniting of all Christians from whence that peace of the Church shall arise and if there be any difference between the Vials and the Thunders it consisteth only in this viz. the Thunders are the denunciation of the Judgments of God and the Vials are the execution of them for tho' the Thunders were heard by St. John under the 6th Trumpet yet they were not to be executed till under the 7th when all the Vials shall be poured out He then proceeds to speak his conjectures about the pouring out of all the 7 Vials 1. On the earth which he thinks intends the Joss of Church Revenues and so falls upon the Worldly and Carnal Interest of Antichristian men let the Carnal Earthly and Self-seeking Prelates and Clergy look to it 2. Vial upon the Sea c. The Sea he says is the Papal Kingdom in this he agrees with reverend Mr. Knowles In its uttermost extent not only the Countrey where the Pope is Soveraign but likewise all those Princes who acknowledge him and this Empire shall become as the blood of a dead man c. So that every Soul which liveth in it shall die That is saith he the government of Popish Princes shall not be able
are risen or suddenly here in Great Britain will rise Bone methinks is coming to his Bone or already have not we seen of late a day like that spoken of Ezek. 36. 7 8. A noise like that of shaking and the Bones came together Bone to his Bone and Sinews and Flesh coming upon them and is not Breath come into them and do they not begin to live is not their hopes revived and are they not up upon their feet They â—ay be a very great Army in due time Look about you O ye Saints what is your expectations are ye ignorant of the signâ— of the times and willingly ignorant do you not look for great things or are ye still as men that dream know ye assuredly that the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ is near nor let none perswade you there is no greater glory nor different Kingdom state approaching than what hath been since the Resurrection and Ascention of Christ for 't is not till the ending or the latter end of the fourth Monarchy that the God of Heaven will set up his Kingdom in the glory of it when the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill the Earth as the waters cover the Seas all the Kingdoms under the whole Heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High. Dan. 7 Look suddenly for a fearful and an amazing Earthquake for it will come it cann't be far off and it will be such a dispensation that England has not known it will be the time of Jacob ' s trouble but he shall be saved out of it woe to the Earth to the wicked to those who have had a hand in the slaying the Witnesses who are Enemies to the power of godliness who strive to keep up an Antichristian state their day is near and the time they must be judged God will now turn his hand upon his Enemies his wrath is come and the day in which he will plead the Controversie of Sion the Decree is gone forth and it cannot be reversed watch and pray take heed you are not found in the Earthly Spirit for if you are you will be shaken in pieces and full with the Enemy and rise no more yet I doubt not but the Enemy will strive kick and struggle exceedingly like a Beast that has received its deaths wound just as they go off the Stage and somewhat like this methinks we plainly see at this very time But tho' the work may seem to be obstructed yet I doubt not but it will revive again and in due time prosper and be accomplished The Mystical Numbers in Daniel and the Revelations calculated by the H. Scriptures only without the help of Humane History By a worthy Minister of the Gospel GOD having given the Scriptures to his Church 2 Tim. 3. 16. for her use and benefit here on Earth so the Times Numbers part thereof have are and will be of use to her Therefore the Angel Dan. 10. 21. for the opening the Vision and the confirmation of his Faith in the Will of God revealed therein v. 14. concerning his Church and what should befal her for times to come here on Earth tells him that he would shew him what was noted in the Scriptures of truth And although this part of the Word hath been most hard to be understood yet besides that common advantage to our Faith that the times are set by God not only in his own Eternal purpose but his revealed Will which is a good Foundation of Faith to believe and expect accordingly the more particular knowledge of them as truly opened must be of special use and help to our Faith both to prepare for suffering and expect deliverance With what diligence then should we with unbiassed minds make our applications to him that is the Revealer of secrets An Essay towards which followeth First I premise there is as sweet a Harmony in this part of the Word as in any other Secondly That this harmony and the right understanding of the Times set is to be found out in the Scriptures them selves The first number I shall begin with is that great number of 2300 days a day for a year as is usual in Scripture Dan. 8. 14. Which I conceive includes all the lesser in Daniel and the Revelations all of them being but parts of this God in his wisdom having so divided this number according to the several Circumstances of Providence the Church was to come under I conceive this number of 2300 was headed or doth take its beginning from the year God translated the Babylonian Monarchy to the Medes and Persians which was the third and last of Belshazzar's Reign who was also the last of the Babylonian Kings 1. Because I find no times set in Scripture to begin before they are given forth tho' several a great while after 2. The Question Dan. 8. 13. is How long is the Vision to give both the Sanctuary and the Host to be trodden under foot and the answer is to 2300 days So that time relates to the suffering of the Church then to come 3. Daniel chap. 8. 1. dates it in the Third of Belshazzar in the year he saw the Vision tho' when he saw it he was in Shushan a chief City in the Province of Elam which is in Persia. Daniel was in Babylon call'd to Expound the Hand-writing when the City was taken chap. 5. 13 30. But when Darius the Median had taken Babylon and had so inlarged his Dominions by the Kingdom of Babylon he for the better Government of the whole Dan. 6. 1 2. set over the Affairs of the Kingdom 120 Princes and three Presidents over them of which he made Daniel chief so that there is great reason why he should be in the Royal City Shushan But this falling out in the third of Belshazzars Reign that he lost his Kingdom Daniel dates the Vision that year tho' he was in Persia when he saw it God chap. 7. and in the first of Belshazzar's Reign shewed in Vision unto Daniel under the representation of four Beasts the four Monarchies which should rule in those parts of the World where his Church then was and was to be in after times during all her suffering state till Christs Kingdom on Earth was to come Dan. 7. 27 28. God having before shewed by Jeremiah chap. 25. 11. the sufferings of his Church under the first of these for 70 years The ending of that Monarchy and the 70 years was to be together in the self-same year which was also to fall out in the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar's Grandson Jer. 27. 7. which was this Belshazzar Now in the last of this Belshazzar and the first of the Medes and Persians God shews to Daniel how long the Church was to suffer under the three that were to succeed and 't was to be for 2300 years longer before the Churches deliverance was to be compleated and Peace and Righteousness established in the Earth under the blessed
Letters With many others very useful for instructing of young Persons By R. B. Price bound 6d 35. ANtichrist Stormed or the Church of Rome proved to be Mystery Babylon the Great Whore Rev. 17. by many undeniable Arguments answering all the objections of the Papists and all others Together with the Judgment of many Ancient and Modern Divines most Eminent Writers concerning the rise and final Ruin of the Beast Babylon proving it will be in this present Age with an account of many strange Predictions relating to these present times By B. Keach Price one shilling 36. THE Devout Souls Daily Exercise in Prayers Contemplations Praises containing Devotions for Morning Noon Night for every day in the week with Prayers before and after the Holy Communion And likewise for Persons of all conditions and upon all occasions With Graces and Thanksigvings before and after Meat By R. P. D. D. Price bound Six pence 37. SAcramental Meditations upon divers select places of Scripture wherein Believers are assisted in preparing their hearts exciting their affections Graces when they draw nigh to God in that most awful and solemn Ordinance of the Lord's Supper By Jo. Flavel late Minister of Christ in Devon. Price one shilling 38 JACOB Wrestling with GOD and prevailing Or a Treatise concerning the Necessity and â—fficacy of Faith in Prayer Wherein divers weighty Questions and Cases of Conscience about praying in Faith are stated and resolved For the satisfying of scrupulous Consciences Conviction of formal Hypocrites awakening of all both weak and strong o this great duty of Prayer By T. Taylor formerly Minister at St. Edmund's Bury now at Cambridge price one shilling 39. HEaven upon Earth or Good News for Repenting Sinners Being an Account of the Remarkable Experiences Evidences of many Eminent Christians in several Declarations made by them upon Solemn Occasions Displaying theÌ„ exceeding Riches of the Free Grace and Love of God in supporting them under violent Temptations at length filling their Souls with Divine Consolations With the Memorable Conversion Exemplary Repentance and Dying Expressions of the late Earl of Rochester Approved of as very necessary for comforting poor Doubting Believers By W. Dyer Minister of the Gospel Price One Shilling 40. THE Welcome Communicant Containing brief Directions to the weakest Christians how to proceed from one Grace to another according to the Rule of the Sacred Scriptures that so they may come with cheerfulness and Acceptance to the LORDS TABLE Together with Devotions and Prayers before at and after the Receiving the Holy Communion By A. H. D. D. Price six Pence FINIS Riâ—â—mus St. Thom. adsacâ— Eucharist Rev. 17. v. 11. 6. 16. * cum inter in glosl extr Job 22. in Liv. 2. * De expresso dei verbo †Epiphanius horis 97. per totum * de Imag. 1. 2. Bernard Livius l. 1. Plutarch in Numa Bellar. de Imag. Sanct. l. 2. c. 8. Isa 40. 18. Gal. 3. 13. quis nescit Voâ—usi Bithinice qualia demens Egyptus Protent a colat c. Jâ—venal sat 15. Dan. 11. 21. ver 22. ver 23. Dan. 11. 35. Pet. Jurieu accom Prophe p. 37. See his preface advice to all Christians Here I must nâ—te sith by the Church he speaks of thus divided into three parts is meant great Babylon or Church of Rome it fâ—llows plainly from hence that all these three parts are Antichristian and but as so many Limbs of the great Whore. Pools Annot on Rev. 11. 15. * In this he agrees much with Dr. Goodwin and many other English Writers that the slaying of the Witnesses is not a temporal slaying but only aâ—iâ—il death and it much comports as we before have noted with the late dismal days in England Our times in respect of the late King and his Confederates have sufficiently made this good which the Dr. so long ago hinted * So 't is now by France See Mr Knowles Exposition on the Rev. p. 130. Ans. Ans.