refuse to restore both their Ecclesiastical and Civil Rights He might by Execrations or Censures and Arms be compelled to his Duty Being assisted by this Opportunity some Bishops and Princes of Germany who had been long aggrieved by this wild Beast into the place of Henry who by his great wickedness and forseited the Kingdom chose Duke Rodulphus who with that modesty and integrity which becomes a King forthwith sent Messengers to me by whom I might understand that He was forced to undertake the Government of the Kingdom but however that He was not so desirous of Reigning but that he had rather obey us than those who had promised the Kingdom that He would be always in the Power of God and us and that we might believe that He will do this hath promised to give his Sons Hostages At this Henry began to be incens'd and to beseech us at first that by * * Banning Cursings we would hinder Rudolphus from seizing the Kingdom I said I would see to whom the Right belonged and for that Reason would send Messengers who should take Cognizance of the whole Affair and would judge thereupon whether of them had the better Cause Henry forbad that our Messengers should declare him King and slew many of the Clergy and Laity Robbed and Profaned several Churches and by this means bound himself the faster with the Bonds of an Anathema or Excommunication denounced against him Wherefore trusting in the Judgment and Mercy of God and the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin and supported also with your Authority Henry himself and his Abettors do I bind with the Bonds of an Anathema and the second time deprive him of Royal Authority and forbid all Christians absolved of that Oath whereby Fealty is used to be Sworn to Kings in any thing to obey Henry and that they accept Rudolphus for King whom many of the Princes of the Province or Empire rejecting Henry have chosen to be their good King For 't is fit that as Henry for his Pride and contumacy is deprived of all his Privileges so Rudolphus who is acceptable to all should for his Piety and Religion be endowed with Royal Dignity and Power Go to now therefore ye most most Holy Princes of the Apostles and what I have said interpose your Authority to confirm that all men at length may understand whether you can bind and loose in Heaven and also on Earth are not able to take away or give Empires Kingdoms Principalities or whatever else mortal Men can enjoy For it ye can judge those things which belong to God what are we to think of inferiour and profane things It it belongs to you to judge the Angels who rule over proud Princes what doth it become you to do to their Servants Let Kings and all the Princes of the World now learn by the Example of this Henry what your Power is in Heaven and how great you are with God and let them hereafter dread to contemn the Commands of Holy Church And this Sentence forthwith execute ye on Henry that all may know that 't is not by mere chance but through your Assistance that the Son of Iniquity hath fallen from the Kingdom Only this I would request from you that being led to Repentance He may through your intercession obtain Grace in the Day of Judgment And now And now Whether this be not to have a Mouth speaking great things and Blasphemies Whether this be not to speak as a Dragon let the World judge Nay I was going to say the World hath already judged it For so Aventinus tells us l. 5. p. 352. Annal. Boior that upon this and the great outrages thereon committed by Rudolphus and his Adherents most Men openly as well as privately began to cry out against so great a Villany in publick to curse Gregory and wish all Mischief to this Hildebrand publishing that 't was out of Malice and an intemperate lusting after Rule that he was thus hurried on Headlong and declaring him to be Antichrist Nay farther yet He hath herein judged Himself For was it not hereupon that He undertook to foretel that before the Feast of St. Peter and he did all He could to verifie what he had foretold by tampering with Assassines to murder him Henry should die or lose his Kingdom this He did publickly in a Sermon to the people ascending the Pulpit of St. Peter's and in his Pontifical Habit adding that He would no longer be accounted Pope if this Prophecy should fail as Benno is cited to attest it Histor Magd. Cent. 11. cap. 8. p. 435. Shew any thing like this in any other History whether Civil or Ecclesiastical besides that of Rome and we will give up the Cause and allow any to be Antichrist besides Him whom this concerns we will strike Hildebrand out of the List and He shall not be so much as thought of neither He nor any of his Proud Successors in the day when Babylon is to come into remembrance Rev. 16. 19. It may seem a long Digression what we have here run but it being of so high import towards the clearing up so great a part of the Book of the Revelation as what relates to Antichrist in his Rise Progress and full Growth is I could not well pass by what is here said of Hildebrand especially considering How at the same time that we erre no longer in the Person 't is decreed by the third Roman Council under Him Ut Papae nomen Unicum esset in Universo orbe Christiano nec liceret alicui seipsum vel alium eo nomine appellare that there should be but one who should have the Name of POPE in the whole Christian World and that it should not be lawful for any other to call himself or any one else by that Name so then here 's the mark of the Beast the Name and Number of his Name all concurring in One Anno 1076. For then it was viz. in the same Council in which Hildebrand and depos'd the Emperor that this Name was thus appropriated to the Bishop of Rome As Longus à Coriolano relates p. 317. And 't is very observable what we meet with to this purpose in Aventinus Annal. Boior l. 7. p. 420 421. where the Covetousness Luxury Strife Hatred Envy Ambition c. of the Romish Chair is most highly inveighed against in opposition to the Humility Meekness Patience Charity which the great Shepherd of our Souls gave as the Rules of his Religion and was Himself the great Pattern of them And in particular this Hildebrand of whom we have been speaking is pitcht upon as most guilty of the contrary Vices and that under the express stile of Antichrist the Person who there charges Him is the Chief Priest of Juvavia his words are Hildebrandus ante annos centum atque septuaginta primus specie Religionis Antichristi imperii fundamenta jecit Hoc bellum nefandum speaking of what opposition the Emperors had constantly found from the Popes after
the same Soveraign Power which before was in the Emperors though under another 〈◊〉 name the deadly wound i. e. the blow given by the Goths Vandals and Hunns to the Roman Empire was healed not but that there is another sense in which this may be understood of which afterwards And to shew how 't was He gain'd this it follows v. 13. And He doth great wonders so that He maketh fire to come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of Men which what can that relate to but to that foremention'd Excommunication thundred out against the Emperor called Fire from Heaven because 't was from the Church or under the pretence of that Spiritual Power therein lodged called Heaven in this Book this Fire proceeded and on the Emperor called Earth because of that Earthly or Secular Power committed to him it came down And having advanced so far which as I likewise have before remarkt falls in with the Year 666. it follows v. 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth i. e. the Inhabitants of the Roman Empire by the means of those Miracles which He had power to do in the sight of the Beast saying to them that dwell on the Earth that they should make an Image to the Beast which had the wound by a Sword and did live i. e. having thus prevail'd against the Beast the Roman Empire He sets up a Power like it in Himself making the People who were thus deceived by the means of those Miracles which He had power to do in the sight of the Beast those Excommunications and other Methods I mean by which He had so much lessen'd his Soverainty to assist in setting up his Image in that shew or rather real representation of Soverain Power He had transferred to Himself Whereupon 't is added v. 15. that He had power to give life unto the Beast Breath saith the Margin of the English 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Original a Spirit or Spiritual Being unto the Image of the Beast For 't is by Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Censures the Beast thus recover'd exercises his Jurisdiction that the Image of the Beast should both speak as He doth with a Witness in these Anathema's Thunderbolts of Excommunications as they are called or Fire from Heaven and cause that as many as would not Worship the Image of the Beast should be killed which de facto happen'd in the Persecutions rais'd on those who could not submit to the Novelties introduced And He causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their Right hand or in their Foreheads and that no man might buy or sell save He that had the mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his name None to hope for any Preferment in the Church no nor yet for any Temporal Advantage to be so much as permitted the benefit of common Traffick and Commerce that did not by receiving his mark either in hand or forehead by his having the name of the Beast profess himself entirely to be his For that is done by receiving name from any other or the Number of his name i. e. after such a time at least that the Beast should have attain'd such a Number wholly resign to His Will which Number is set down in the next Verse and a Note prefixt to shew that 't will concern us to know when He arriv'd at this usurpt Power which the Holy Ghost had been describing And that as I before observed must be by looking back to the taking of Rome Anno 410 and from thence reckoning to 1076 the very point when as it hath been said Fire came down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of Men i. e. Gregory the 7th who presided in the Church or Heaven thundred out his Excommunication on the Earth or the Emperor and that in the most publick and solemn manner i. e. in the sight of men I could not well say less than I have on these Points and being by the discourse brought again to mention this great Epocha in the Reign of Antichrist I cannot but take notice that as the Holy Ghost here so manifestly directs us to it so other Writers and among them Baronius however in the dark as to this light that is here given us in it are not sparing to talk of the Power and Prevalency of Antichrist about this time The place in Baronius is Anno 1106 Quod vero pertinet ad Antichristum fuit quidem Opinio non vulgarium Virorum eum hoc fore saeculo revelandum inter alios Norberti viri temporis hujus fama Celeberrimi à quo id se audivisse testatur S. Bernardus Epistolâ ad Gausredum Carnotensem Episcopum The Report was so strong that Paschalis stopt his Journey upon it saith Baronius ibid. Paschalis Papa rogatus à Conventu Moguntino in Galliam Cisalpinam properare itineri se committens ob sparsam famam de proximo Antichristi Adventu Florentiae substitit And before Anno Christi nongentisimo Indictione tertia novum inchoatur saeculum quod sui Asperitate ac boni sterilitate ferreum malique exundantis deformitate plumbeum atque inopia Scriptorum appellari consuevit Obscurum And again 1001. Anno Christi millesimo primo quo novum saeculum inchoatum est c. 'T was the Opinion of some that Antichristus adveniret non longo post tempore Universale Judicium succederet and He saith the many Prodigies which happen'd the year before seemed to foretel it and then which I rather take notice of adds Sed ad ista credenda de Adventu Antichristi Fine mundi satis esse videbantur Romanae Ecclesiae tot saepe iterata a naufragia necnon Corruptio morum quam magnam valde in hoc tempore fuisse in hominibus praesertim Ecclesiasticis Glaber ea videns deplorat Insuper quod ferreum hoc Saeculum ob malorum excrescentiam Auctore Ditmaro diceretur revera esset quod videlicet ut ait Glaber deficeret Religiositas Pontificum marcesceret districtio regularis Abbatum simulque Monasterialis Disciplinae vigor tepesceret ac per illorum Exempla caetera plebs Mandatorum Dei praevaricatrix existeret And if not to depart from the Explication that is before given of those words in Rev. 13. 13. But only farther to illustrate the matter in hand we may understand the coming down of Fire from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men in the sense our Lord speaks Luke 12. 49. of his coming to send fire on the Earth never was any Age in which it was so much kindled no time wherein what by the intemperate Heats between the Popes themselves as well as between them and the Emperors the World was in a greater Flame And if those of the Romish Church will give others leave to speak after them in this cause can there be any more memorable testimony than what we find to this purpose
which must be that wherein they are said to be bound for loosing them can have no relation but to their being bound and That seems to be about the end of the eleventh Century when they were driven back by the Romans towards Euphrates the place where they were said to be bound Paulus Jovius relates it to have happened under Soliman their Captain in the time of Godfrey of Bulloign about which time they divided into four Tetrarchies Dynasties or Governments viz. Of Lesser Asia of Aleppo Damascus and Antioch or rather Bagdat for that of Antioch continued but fourteen Years the three first on this side the last beyond Euphrates 'T is true indeed that this division of Sultanies or distinct Governments lasted not till the time they are said to be let loose but that no way hinders why they being the same People under whatever Government they should be called back again to serve the Purposes of Divine Povidence should be called by the same Names or notified under the same distinction that was then amongst them when they were first said to be bound in the great River Euphrates They who were to be loosed and prepared for it for an Hour and a Day and a Month and a Year Rev. 9. 15. are the same with those who before were bound and therefore but reasonable they should have the same Appellation whatever changes or vicissitudes had otherwise happened to them in that long tract of time no less than 396 Years with some other fractions of time intervening for so much a Year viz. 365 Days a Month 30 a Day 1. a Day being taken for a Year and an Hour will contain between the time of this Division if we date it from the erecting the Dynasty or Government of Bagdat which was 1057 for then 't was Tognulbecus General of the Turks was by the Caliph Cajim Biamrilla invested with Royal Robes and inaugurated in the Royal City of Bagdat which falls in with the 449th year of the Turkish Hegira in which Elmachinus the Arabian Historian p. 272 relates it to have been thus performed Now add to 1057 the aforsaid 396 it produces 1453 when the Turks took Constantinople abolished the Eastern Empire and made their Irruptions again into Europe with that success as scarce to find any thing to withstand them What their Progress then was the narrow limits of the present Empire and the Mediterranean Isles sufficiently declare and where it will end only be that commanded them to be loosed can foretel And by this time we are able in some measure to judge when this Vial was to begin viz. When the four Angels whom I have shewed to be meant of the Turks that were bound in the River Euphrates were loosed which we have placed Anno 1453. As to the time when this Vial shall end that must be judged as by the Events here foretold so by what is to succed in the next Vial. CHAP. XVII Of the seventh Vial Rev. 16. ver 17 18 19 20 21. AND the seventh Angel poured out his Vial into the Air and there came a great Voice out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying it is done And there were Voices and Thunders and Lightnings and there was a great Earthquake such as was not since Men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great And the great City was divided into three parts and the Cities of the Nations fell and Great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the Cup of the Wine of the fierceness of his Wrath. And every Island fled away and the Mountains were not found And there fell upon Men a great Hail out of Heaven every Stone about the Weight of a Talent and Men blasphemed God because of the Plague of the Hail for the plague thereof was exceeding great This Vial as by the Air into which it is said to be poured we understand the vast Circumference of the great System of the World to the more eminent parts whereof viz. the Earth the Sea the Rivers and Fountains of Waters the Sun c. the other Vials refer seems to be the most general of all the Seven and as the Air is common to all that wherein all good and bad breathe and live so will the Events of this Vial respectively affect them For if with respect to the One i. e. the Bed or Enemies of Christ it be said it is done all that was to be executed on them being now fulfilled the same seems applicable to the others i. e. the Good with respect to the end that is now to be put to their Sufferings and the Glory of the Gospel which is thereon to succeed and the manner of expressing it viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is done seems to speak as the full Completion of all so the suddenness of these Events upon the Angel's pouring out this Vial as we use to say dictum factum no sooner said than done Every thing before was prepared as for the Ruin of the Enemies of our Lord so for the advancement of his Church He who is said to come as a Thief in the former Vial for the sudden and surprizing manner of his coming hath no farther delay to make in this for the Angel doth but pour out his Vial into the Air and a great Voice comes out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying it is done Which I take the more notice of that if the expiring of the 1260 Years for the Reign of Antichrist should appear to be at or near the end of the sixth Vial the seventh being still to be poured out should not put us to a long expectation of having it fulfilled Christ comes as a Thief to gather them together viz. all his Enemies into a Place called in the Hebrew Tongue Armageddon being there what should hinder but that like the executing the Sentence upon the Conviction and Judgment given on the Offender the utter excision of them should forthwith Succeed And the seventh Trumpet with which I take this Vial to syncronize seems to speak the same For if with respect to that it is said that the Mystery of God should be finished which he had graciously declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had declared it as the very good Tydings of the Gospel it self for so what concerns the Ruin of their Enemies must be it is here said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is done all is fulfilled that was there declared And that these syncronize i. e. fall in together and are to be fulfilled at the same time will not the manner in which they are exprest farther instruct us Thus if in this Vial it is said There came a great Voice out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne it is said in the other the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Covenant both as to signifie from whence they came for it is added in the one And there were
Lightnings and Voices and Thunderings and an Earthquake and great Hail in the other And there were Voices and Thunderings and Lightnings and there was a great Earthquake c. And there fell upon Men a great Hail c. So that it is the same thing they in the main aim at the chief difference there seems to be is that in the one it is said the Temple of God was opened in Heaven which in the other is exprest only by a great Voice coming thence without restraining its opening to the time of the Vial but then is not that supplied by what weread Rev. 15. 8. where 't is said And the Temple was filled with Smoak from the Glory of God and from his Power and no Man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven Plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled If none were able to enter in till then then certainly it was not open till then i. e. Opened it was in neither in the Sense I give of it as relating to the free publication of the Gospel i. e. The Word of God or his Testament which in the times of Antichrist was lockt up but now to be seen and perused of all And to this Opening of the Temple seems to agree what we have Rev. 11. 1. Where St. Iohn is bid to rise and measure the Temple of God but to leave out the Court which is without the Temple and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles who should tread down the holy City for forty two Months Measuring is the setting certain bounds to any thing accordingly what Iohn is bid to do may be understood of definite and certain Bounds set to the Church in its Purity so that it was not to appear as such again till the Interval that was to Intervene should expire viz. the 42 Months there spoken of that being expired the Limits and Boundaries so set are again removed i. e. The Temple is again opened Religion in its purity professed the Ark of the Testament seen in the Temple the Law which was deposited there so it was commanded Exod. 25. 16. 21. published and to be obeyed by all And its being poured into the Air methinks very plainly speaks this to us for what is the Air but the whole Medium or Vehicle of Light and so may denote all who are capable of being enlightned by the Truth to be the subjects of that clearer or more universal Revelation which is now to be made of it Before which I take to be at the first breaking forth as it were of this Light whether at the Reformation or whatever other time that be applied to 't is said Rev. 14. 6. I saw another Angel fly in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the Earth c. To signifie that it was but a part of the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transparent Orb was then enlightned it was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middle part or half of Heaven but now it is the whole Orb is made lucid the Gospel every where so shining in its Purity that they must be very much in Love with darkness who shall not now receive the Light the Air will be full of it and it s being so with respect to its Enemies who are to be destroyed by the brightness of our Lord 's coming 2 Thes 2. 8. is sufficient to denominate it one of the Vials of Gods Wrath on them 't is but opening the Eye and all will be clear and transparent no Clouds now to interpose no Storms to divert the Beholders And this possibly is what we are farther directed to by the Voices Thunders and Lightnings in allusion to what was done at the first publishing of the Law Exod. 19. 16. to declare that now the Gospel should be the Law of the World published as by the Voice of God he appearing in the defence of his Truth so by that of his Ministers which may be the reason why it is Voices in the Plural carried on with that Power and Evidence so clear so irresistible in all its Truths that like Thunder and Lightning there should be no stopping the Ears no shutting the Eyes against it no opposing it but at the peril of falling under the immediate stroke of Heaven The Thunder doth not so loudly proclaim the Gospel but that it will as loudly revenge if neglected the Lightning can as well blast the Gainsayers as discover the Truths they ought to receive such will be the Terror and Conviction that will now go along with the Gospel And is it any wonder when this shall be that a great Earthquake should follow saith the Text it shall be such as was not since Men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great An Earthquake we know shakes and unsettles all Houses Villages Towns Cities Hills Valleys Forrests whole Countries with the Inhabitants have felt the Effects thereof This is to be such an Earthquake so mighty and so great as was not since Men were upon Earth I will not say it is to be a meer natural Earthquake though such often have been observed to forerun or accompany great Iudgments and I am apt to think this sort of Earthquakes may usher in or accompany this Vial there have great and extraordinary things of that nature happened in our own times But to such prodigious Events only I do not imagine this to be confined but rather I believe it to direct to something like what God speaks by his Prophet Haggai 2. 6 7. Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and dry Land and I will shake all Nations which St. Paul thus refers to Heb. 12. 26 27. whose Voice then shook the Earth he speaks of the Earthquake that accompanied the giving of the Law of Moses but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shall shake not the Earth only but also Heaven and this Word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken The business of this Earthquake will be utterly to remove what in the times of Antichrist prevailed quite to change the whole Face of things and bring in that Evangelical State which to follow the Apostles Expression in the next verse will be a Kingdom which cannot be moved Would we see what were to be the effects of this Earthquake It follows v. 19 20. And the great City was divided into three parts and the Cities of the Nations fell and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the Cup of the Wine of the fierceness of his Wrath. And every Island fled away and the Mountains were not found The great City what it is is sufficiently described in the next Chapter ver 18. where it is said and the Woman which thou sawest is the great City which Reigneth over the Kings of the Earth 'T is Rome that in that Chapter is 1.
to the executing any grievous Sentence for whom is it all this Drudgery is but for her who like that great Abaddon or Destroyer under whom she Acts Prides herself in the Cruelty For her who if she be as she is the Woman arrayed in Purple and Scarlet-colour it is the Blood of the Saints that hath thus dyed her Robes Rev. 17. 4. And what is the Honour what the part in all this she gives you but to be only the Executioners of so great Impiety and Injustice But let me for methinks it is due to your Majesties to be better treated though who can dissemble the Insolences of that Sorceress towards you retract the Imputation for sure it cannot be with your Royal Consent that such Barbarities are acted No it is the Design of those who menage such Villanies that what they do may be in the Dark For who shall say to a King Thou art Wicked and to Princes Ye arâ—Vngodly Iob 33. 18. Indeed it is not fit this should be in the least surmised therefore they who promote such mischievous Purposes must colour all with Zeal and Piety it is the Cause of God and the Church must countenance the Practice But oh still greater Impiety to interest God himself in the Barbarities they are carrying on And let it not be admired the wicked Wretches so boldly crowd about your Thrones when they are so hardy towards God himself as to make his the Habitation of their Injustice to intitle the most High and Holy One to all the villanies of Hell it self But cannot God but be Iealous against these things Imitate then Royal Sirs your Prince recover his and your Honour from such vile Parasites be pleased to believe that that cannot be of God or Christ which is so contrary to that Clemency which is the radiant Diadem in Heavens Crown let not her being decked with Gold and precious Stones and Pearls let not the Golden Cup in her hand all are but what she hath spoiled you or your Subjects of tempt you any longer to the Abominations and filthiness of Fornication the Kings of the Earth are said to have committed with her Revel 18. 3. Rather as it there follows take not mine but the Admonition of God Himself come out of her that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues v. 4. But are there yet any among you who are still more dangerously ensnared and out of very Conscience unhappy Conscience to be thus misguided countenance the Romish Interest who think they do God good Service I will not say in Persecuting his Church but in Propagating that mistaken Faith which hath so long done it 'T is I confess a glorious Principle to be for Liberty of Conscience worthy the most Royal Heart to declare that none shall be Prosecuted for meer Religion and may this Charity cover all other Miscarriages But what recompence can that Church make them who thus Sacrifice all to it If at the same time what is Zeal and Piety in those who thus sincerely act in her Cause be but colour cheat and the same design of Cruelty carrying on by Her as when with open violence she invades the Peace and Consciences of Mankind And Oh that my Voice or Pen might reach such Royal Personages as are most concerned herein That they would amongst that hurry and distraction a tottering Cause for such Rome's must be the sentence is gone out against Her she is faln is faln and cannot long stand gives them retire a little within themselves and consider what can be the end of Her who hath so long had it written on her Forehead MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH I would not it becomes me in my duty not to press hard on any Prince but least of all on such whom the World may be apt to think what 's last said more nearly concerns but neither dare I upon this occasion so far to temporize with any as not freely to premonish of the danger especially where it is the only Interest such can have either with God or Man to desert that Communion which hath already betrayed to such irreparable mischiefs And I most humbly ask leave to offer to such a Prince whether to say no more for I may not here enter upon long Argument and Conviction that Religion which bests Consults the Honour of God the Interest of his Vicegerents the Security of the People the Quiet and Peace of Conscience that Religion which in its Precepts is most agreeable to the Principles of Reason and the common notions Mankind hath of Good and Evil whether I say such a Religion or what teaches and acts contrary to all these be the Religion he would choose the Religion fit for Prince or People For my part I would speak to such an one as I would answer it at the great day when Prince and People must all stand naked before God Were I not as well assured that the Romish Church in the Bulk it now stands and hath for these several hundred years stood were that BABYLON spoken of in the Revelation that MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH as I am that 't was Gods Holy Spirit that dictated that and all other Scripture Were I not assured that the Romish Church were chiefly concerned in those seven last plagues or Vials of the Wrath of God mention'd Revel 15. and 16. Chapters Were I not assured that most of those Vials have been already poured out on her and that there is very little behind to compleat her full Doom Were I not assured that those who come not out of her must perish with her and that their and her Fall is near at hand I should not dare as I have here done to appeal to you O Soveraign Princes and thus freely to call you down from your Thrones to consider what is offer'd by one who is the meanest of your Subjects But is it I then or the Truth that calls upon you Is it so mean a Subject that presses upon your Royal State or is it your own Royal State it self your greatest Interest that of your Heavenly as well as Temporal Crown that here bespeaks you In Compassion in Compassion to your Royal selves be jealous at length of that corrupt Communion which can preserve you neither in this nor another World Think not Great Sirs that the Dream of Purgatory an Invention to make men less careful of their Salvation while the day is in which only we can work will then relieve you Think too how cruel their Mercies are who have no better State for their Votaries than what themselves tell you that is Think not the highest Saints will be able to defend you then who when they have done all they can are themselves but unprofitable Servants Luke 17. 10. and can have done no more than was their duty to do Much less think that Images Relicks Crucifixes or whatever other Merchandize
Reign what he now hath it is as He is Jesus who was Crucified that He is made both Lord and Christ Acts 2. 36. And 't is the same thing for Him nay it may be more effectual to sit as King in his Throne in Heaven and from thence influence his Subjects by encouraging strengthning comforting and giving Success to what they undertake as if in Person He were to appear at Jerusalem and there begin his Kingdom to march at the Head of his Armies and so go on Conquering and to Conquer No his personal Reign in the Sense those who are so much for it would have it to be would be rather to lessen his Kingdom to confine the Glory of it to his Presence as Man i. e. Where he should chuse to reside on Earth for every where He could not be if He were so to Reign no we know when He was here Place and Time He was subject to which whilst He sits in Heaven at the Right-hand of his Father can be no more restrained than that Power and Majesty to which he is there admitted But I may not digress What manner of Kingdom soever it shall be that it shall be introduced with the Confusion of Antichrist that it shall bring Freedom and Deliverance to his People that it shall be ushered in with binding Satan for 1000 Years is no doubt Revel 20. 1 2 c. Happy Age of the Church when she shall be so set free from the heavy Yoak of Babylon as never to be in danger to come under it again For so likewise the Apostle assures us 2 Thess 2. 8. He shall consume him by the Spirit of his Mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming But then are there no other degrees of the fall of Babylon Is there nothing more particular whereon in the long tract of time Antichrist is to Reign and before he comes so near his Fall the true Believer may exercise his Faith and see that what is promised to be at last thus fully accomplished hath its Beginning in the mean time at least some certain Prognosticks of His final Ruin in its due Season Yes for that Reason it hath pleased Him who was found worthy to open the Book with seven Seals to give us a double Account hereof one more general the other more particular in the 14th and 16th Chapters of the Revelation And for the better satisfaction of the Author of Nubes Testium and all others who are under the same Cloud with him I shall not think it tedious to say something on both and then leave it to Them and all Mankind to judge where the charge of Novelty lies and how great their danger is on whom the Scandal rests The more general Account of this is what we read Revel 14. Where having provided for the security of true Believers by the Mark of his Father's Name written in their Foreheads vers 1. Thereby directing us to the pure Profession of the Faith maintained by them amidst the Corruptions embraced by those who worshipped the Beast and his Image and had received his Mark in their Forehead or their Hand vers 9. Exprest by their not being defiled with Women for they are Virgins by their following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth by their having no guile in their Mouth and being without Fault before the Throne of God vers 4 5. He proceeds vers 6. to shew what it was by which he would advance his Kingdom and that was the Everlasting Gospel to be Preached unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People the effect whereof on Antichrist should be to declare his certain Ruin in these Words Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because She made all Nations drink of the Wine of the Wrath or poison of her Fornication vers 8. This as the general Fate that should attend her which with respect to the several Advances towards it is farther described vers 9 10 11. By that constant Succession of God's Judgments on those who should worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in their Forehead or their Hand for the smoak of their Torment was to ascend for Ever and Ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Age after another and they to have no rest Day nor Night never to be in any fixed state of Ease and Prosperity till the Divine Judgment the Hour whereof is said to be come ver 7. Shall be fully executed on them in their final Ruin And that again exprest in the two great Parts of it when He who sat on the white Cloud all things clear and serene about Him like unto the Son of Man having on his Head a golden Crown and in his Hand a sharp sickle shall first thrust in his Sickle to reap the Harvest and then to gather the Clusters of the Vine of the Earth The more particular is what we read Revel 16. And that too ushered in with the great Care God in his Providence hath for those who should have resisted the Corruptions of Antichrist who though they stand on the Sea of Glass mingled with Fire to signifie the sharp Tryals and Persecutions of the true Church yet 't was so as to be assured of Victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name ch 15. 2. They had it all the time of their Sufferings as they were born up against these Corruptions should have it at last as they were to triumph over those their Enemies which had thus beset them which being presented to St. John in his Vision he is farther made to hear a great Voice out of the Temple saying to the seven Angels Go your ways and pour out the Vials of the Wrath of God upon the Earth chap. 16. 1. Which are what are now to be spoken to in their order Only before that can be done with that clearness such a Discourse as this should carry with it 't will be necessary we premise some previous Remarks CHAP. VIII Some Remarks necessary to be premised for the clearing up what will afterwards be said of the several Vials 1. THat as to the time of pouring out the Vials it cannot be till Antichrist should be so far advanced as to have made an Image to the Beast that had the wound by the Sword and did live Revel 13 14. And to have imposed his Mark though his name and number of his name were not then compleated for 't is on those who had received the Mark of his Name and worshipped his Image that the first Vial was to be poured out Rev. 16. 2. 2. That it is not necessary the Trumpets and Vials it being their several Objects and the distinct Capacities of those on whom they were to take place in which they chiefly differ should be all of them restrained to distinct times Some of the Trumpets undoubtedly had sounded before any of the Vials were to be poured
Franckford under Carolus Magnus Anno 794 wherein the aforesaid Council was condemned and the Worship of Images rejected which joined with what is above observed of the Iconoclastae i. e. the West herein as well as the East thus far at least witnessing against this so gross Corruption leaves it to be considered whether what occurrs Revel 14. 6 7. may not be referr'd to this Matter the words are And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of Heaven having the Everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People saying with a loud Voice Fear God and give Glory to Him for the hour of his Judgment is come and Worship Him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the fountains of Waters Now what will better resemble an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven than such eminent Preachers as the Emperors were What so much make against the Worship of Images as the Everlasting Gospel the Angel is here said to Preach For is not the design of this Doctrine as to fix all Worship to God alone as he is the Almighty Creator of all things So to shew what 't is that brings on the Vials of his Wrath exprest by the Hour of Judgments being come And the certainty of their Ruin who embrace any other Worship For so we read vers 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen When once given up to Idolatry there 's nothing can prevent her Ruin She may for a while propagate her Corruptions and Persecute those who will not drink of the Wine of the Wrath or Poison for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes rendred of her Fornication but for all that the Decree is past and the Wine of Gods Wrath too is poured out into the Cup of his Indignation vers 10. The Saints may have a time for their Patience vers 12. As it afterwards happened in the furious Persecutions of the Waldenses and Albigenses and whoever would not worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in his Forehead or in his hand vers 9. But 't is a Patience that shall at last be Crowned when the Idol-monger shall be destroyed for this the One is marked with the name of God written in his Forehead ver 1. As the Other is with the name of the Beast vers 9 10 11. I come now to the Vials themselves and first of the general introduction to them Revel 16. 1. which I shall treat of in a distinct Chapter viz. CHAP. X. Of the general Introduction to the Vials Revelations 16. 1. AND I heard a great Voice out of the Temple saying to the seven Angels Go your ways and pour out the Vials of the Wrath of God upon the Earth The Voice out of the Temple speaks it to be from God and to respect the Affairs of the Church and its being said to be a great Voice shews the Terrour it brings with it and the certain Success the things it speaks are to have and that 't is a Voice that will be heard The Angels being bid to go their ways and pour out the Vials makes it evident that it is not the Church in its Purity the Temple from whence this Voice comes that is to be the Subject of these Plagues The Angels not going on this Errand till bid demonstrates as their Obedience to the Commands of their great Master so their unwillingness to be the Executioners of Vengeance till expresly sent Their being called Vials is in allusion to Vessels so called to fignifie the definite measure of Divine Judgments and the manner in which they are poured out Their being Vials of the Wrath of God shews them to be the Effects of his Justice on impenitent Sinners that Justice of his which he executes not till provoked to it but such as when executed there 's no avoiding The Vials full of the Wrath of God being given unto them by one of the four Beasts ch 15. ver 7. for this too is here to be taken in discovers the high regard God hath to his Ministers and the Prayers of his People for of those may be understood the four Beasts ch 4. 6 7 8. it being the same Beast that gives the Seven Vials unto the seven Angels which had Golden Vials full of Odours which are Prayers of Saints for of each of them is this affirmed ch 5. 8. By Earth in this Book I take generally to be signified what is opposite to Heaven so that if Heaven signifie the Church or the Ecclesiastical State Earth will signifie what is Secular and properly of this World i. e. The Earthly and Temporal Power and its Subjects as these stand in opposition to the other But something more seems to be meant by Earth in this Verse viz. as 't is taken for every thing in this Lower Material World and so not only the grosser part of this great System of Nature which we call Earth in distinction from the other parts of it but the Sea Rivers Sun it self with the Circumambient Air are by a Synecdoche of this more eminent part taken for the whole hereby to be understood This I cannot but observe here because the Seven Vials which are afterwards said to be pour'd out on these several parts of the Universe as things are here metaphorically thereby signified are all said here to be poured out upon the Earth CHAP. XI Of the first VIAL AND the first Angel went and poured out his Vial upon the Earth and there fell a noisom and grievous Sore upon the Men which had the mark of the Beast and upon them which worshipped his Image Revel 16. 2. By Earth here as is just now observed is signified what is opposite to Heaven so that if Heaven signifies the Church or Ecclesiestical State Earth will signifie what is Secular and Properly of this World and if so it will intimate this Vial to concern in the first place the whole Roman Empire the Secular Earthly and Temporal Power there in Being but so that as it follows it shall in particular fall on those of its Subjects which had the mark of the Beast and which worshipped his Image And that requires that we consider here 1. what is meant by the Beast 2. What it is we are to understand by his Mark 3. What by his Image And 1. What is meant by the Beast Now 't is evident that by the Beast is to be understood that Power which rose up in the place of what was Imperial For so 't is prophesied 2 Thess 2. 7 8. And so it was represented to St. John in his Vision Revel 13. 11. And I beheld another Beast coming up out of the Earth another in distinction from what was before but a Beast still to shew that 't is the same Power that is still continued though with respect to him who exercises it it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of the former for
pain for grief and Vexation that all they can say in the defence of their Superstition and Idolatry will never be able to silence Truth Let them do all they can to hold the World in Darkness still by the denying them the use of Scripture but the Day is dawned and the Light is broken forth and will dazzle the Eyes of those Bats and Owls who so much fly from it The Knowledge of God's Word blessed be his holy Name for it will not suffer Men to be so Blind as to be led any longer by such dark Guides let them seeing it is their black doom so to do Blaspheme the God of Heaven let them continue in their Impenitency and not repent of their Deeds but that God whom they Blaspheme is able to recover his own Glory and will give them but too too long a day to repent when they who have so much laboured to support their Kingdom by it shall themselves be reserved in Everlasting Chains of Darkness CHAP. XVI Of the sixth Vial Rev. 16. 12 13 14 15 16. AND the sixth Angel poured out his Vial upon the great River Euphrates and the Water thereof was dried up that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared And I saw three unclean Spirits like Frogs come out of the Mouth of the Dragon and out of the Mouth of the Beast and out of the Mouth of the false Prophet For they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World to gather them to the Battle of that great Day of God Almighty Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his Shame And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew Tongue Amageddon This Vial contains a great variety of matter and Subjects to whom it relates and seems to point at Events which concern not only the fall of Antichrist under the restriction we have hitherto been speaking of him but of all others though not so precisely under that Denomination who with him rise up against the Lord and his Anointed Psal 2. 2. And 't is but necessary we should have this notion of it the business of this Vial being to usher in the Kingdom of Christ on Earth i. e. To open a way for the Return of the Jews and the fulness of the Gentiles which is what that Kingdom will consist in And if so it cannot be imagined how there should be any left to oppose the Purity of the Christian Religion which will be the great Glory of our Lords Reign any of his Enemies remain who shall not be destroyed That indeed his Enemies shall be willing to make a push for it to make their last attempt against his Power is scarce to be doubted for if as it is in the former Vial they repent not after all his Plagues of their Deeds what can be expected but that their Impenitency will hide the things that belong to their Peace from their Eyes and they will use all endeavours to assert their unrighteous Cause What can be expected but that they will band and league together to oppose their common Enemy or if they band not if they enter not into common Leagues and Alliances to this purpose if they continue still at a distance and Enemies to one another yet that they will all conspire in the same Malice against Christ i. e. That the Dragon the Beast and false Prophet will all unite in the common cause of Hell and gather themselves together to the Battle of that great day of God Almighty Such is the precipitate Malice such the blind Envy such the unaccountable Despair of the Devil and his wicked Instruments that though they are certain nothing but ruin can be the Consequence they cannot deny themselves the satisfaction of the attempt Lucifer under whom they have listed will ascend and be like the most high will in his boundless Pride and Ambition be aspiring to set himself above God although he thereby be but preparing his own Hell and fitting himself for everlusting Chains of Darkness But then Chains and Darkness will be their Lot Ruin and Destruction will attend all their Enterprises and that in the Extent Manner and Circumstances of it is what is here more particularly to be considered Now that I shall do in the Method the Vial is delivered 1. I shall consider what is to be understood by the great River Euphrates and the water thereof and how that is to be dried up 2. What by the way of the Kings of the East to be prepared and how the drying up of the Water of the great River Euphrates will prepare their way 3. What is to be meant by the three unclean Spirits like Frogs coming out of the Mouth of the Dragon and out of the Mouth of the Beast and out of the Mouth of the false Prophet 4. Why Christ is said to come as a Thief at this time and to declare those Blessed that shall then Watch 5. The turn he shall give to Affairs in gathering them into a place called in the Hebrew Tongue Amageddon 1. What is to be understood by the great River Euphrates and the Water thereof and how that is to be dried up Euphrates may be taken either literally or in a figurative sense either for the River it self and its Waters in the common Notion we have of these or for those who are Borderers on it and it is the stile the Holy Ghost makes use of Rev. 17. 15. to express Peoples Multitudes Nations and Tongues by Waters If in the first sense we take this viz. For the River it self and its Waters in the common notion we have of these then the drying up the Water thereof under this Vial will be either like what happened in the drying up the Red-Sea for the Children of Israel to pass through it towards Canaan or what hath already happened to Euphrates it self at the taking of Babylon by Cyrus who made wide and deep Trenches whereby to divert it Streams and so came upon that City unawares in the night of their solemn Feast the same Stratagem by which Semiramis and Alexander are likewise reported to have taken it as Frontinus relates l. 3. c. 7. i. e. This will be Either By Miracle God immediately interposing as he then did for the deliverance of his People the same People of Israel as we shall afterwards shew for whom he wrought the former Miracle and in order to his bringing them into the same Canaan or Land of Promise Or By some artificial Stratagem whereby they shall be enabled to open to themselves a passage thorow it But if in the latter Sense Euphrates and its Waters are to be taken viz. for those who are Borderers on or Inhabitants near or about it Then The drying up the Water thereof will be causing the People who thus inhabit or border on or about it like