literally sound doctrine destitute of right application from any principle of Charity or right understanding For Here I may hint which I shall after handle at large this threefold clear Character of and signal distinction betwixt the false Prophets sensual fecular and spiritual Doctrine grosly corrupt with manners conform are the Image and superscription of the sensual false Prophet and his followers He 's a Political false Prophet and they false professors because their faith in its outward form of words is grosly false or their practice visibly profane But The false Prophet secular is no single person but a Political false Prophet also and his followers false professors not because their doctrine of Faith is false though that may be in many things unsound but because their Charity through Covetousness is false and their practises and applications from the same extract corrupt and false as in the Pharisees Thirdly The False Prophet Spiritual is a Political false Prophet and his followers false Professors not because their Faith in its literal form of words is false though that may be much unsound but because their Charity extracted from censorious pride is false and their practices and applications from the same spring most corrupt as in the Pharises also For the Pharisees held forth as a Figure of him the Bicorn beast or his two hornes versant about pride and covetousness And as we say Omnia sâ—ingratum dixeris So we may say All their Religion devotions duties and obedience are most false if their Charity and applications though their doctrine be never so sound be corrupt and false as aforesaid This Triplicit Monster the sensual secular and spiritual Antithesis to Gospel truth and the witnesses of it thus described is the three headed Cerberus that barks forth day and night all evil reports rash slanders and cavils against them and it For The very Heathens might have some glimpse of those three sensual secular and spiritual lusts the three yelling mouthes of this infernal Beast and did most fitly figure them by that feigned monster But the yells of those two last from principles of pride and avarice are by far the fellest and most loud Therefore The Senate of Pharisees not the Heathens or gross Hereticks in Rome cryed out against Jerom all at once Therefore The Pharisees and not the Publicanes cryed out against Christ For Sooner may men silence doggs then those men from cursed speaking before they know what for what or against whom they speak For The two last led by the most greedy and pernicious lusts of pride and covetousness are the cruellest cursed speakers violently carryed on with canine appetites to derogate from the best deserving ut inde diruant that thereby they may destroy them For The superintendents of the two last are the two Horns of that Bicorn beast Revel 13.11 The two representatives Spiritual of the Son of Perdition that under the Lamblike Formes of Religious Zeal in doctrine and profession void of Charity and right application cryed down Christ Mystical as the Type Pharisees cryed down Christ personal And cryed down the Primitive Church with all her rights power and priviledges as the Senate of Pharisees as he calls them cryed down Saint Jerom all at once For That Lamblike Bicorn Beast spake saith the Text as a Dragon These are the meanes those very meanes whereby that Bicorn Pseudoprophetick beast diruit Ecclesiam pulled down the Primitive Church He spake as a Dragon cryed down the true Church the truth of the Gospel the faithful witnesses of both as the first Dragon did day and night and that with many Cerberous mouthes all at once Thus he pulled down the Primitive Church alienated her rights destroyed her proprieties Diruit aedificavit He destroyed and built Of his Diruit we have briefly done Or what and how this Bicorn False Prophet pulled down what opposed we have briefly hinted from the testimonies of Saint Jerom Augustine Boniface the second and from the sixth Council of Carthage which is most evident in the Letter of that Council to Caelestin and in the Canons of that Council His aedificavit or what he built in the place of what he pulled down we shall handle with like succinctness The False Prophets further proceeding in building the body of Apostacy having first pulled down what opposed HE in the next place went about to build wherein his main care was to keep his new found foundation his perverted Tu es Petrus with all diligence For The Council of Chalcedon having about the year 450 much invalidated his claim of Supremacy from the Nicene Council Gelasius about the year four hundred and ninety two alledged not for himself either the Nicene Council or the antient observation of the Church but held himself fast to his Tu es Petrus This goeth not saith he by any Synodal Constitutions but by the very voyce of the Gospel Tu es Petrus Upon the Rock Christ whom Peter confessed did Christ that faithful Faber and true witness build his Church And the false Prophet Bicorn his Anti-faber built her Antithesis the Tower of Babel upon this Chimaera Rock of his misapplyed Tu es Petrus He spent much time in pulling down what opposed before he could go fast forward in his building The First Nation that conferr'd her self as part of it to the False Prophets intended Fabrick was France under Clovis the first Christian King thereof about the year 485. Justinian about the year 533 in his Letter to John the second submitted and united to his holiness all the Bishops of the East The East Empire which Justinian as his Letter witnesseth submitted and united to the See of Rome contained these Nations that were before Provinces of Pagan Rome To wit First Greece and Thrace Secondly Natolia Thirdly Syria and Palestina Fourthly Aegypt Fifthly Mauritania But the two last had submitted before to Boniface the second as we shewed before These five at first Provinces under Pagan Rome after Kingdoms in Rome Papal with France aforesaid made six Nations of the false Prophets Decapolity Richaredus King of Spain honoured this grand Seignor and his supposed sacred Papal City by adding his Kingdom as a seventh part of it to his soon after Decarch-superintendency about the year 586. This grand Master builder took great care in the time of Gregory the great and about the year 590 of the British Isles to bring them as an eight part of it into the building of his beloved City Germany the ninth part of this Decapolity came in by parcels Part probably might come in with Clovis an 485 whose Off-spring and people of his Kingdom were Germans in Franconia which we find not Conquered from him Part the Burgundians might bring in about the year 416 who were about that time Germans and turned Christians Part the Lumbards brought in about the year 570 and 607. Bavaria and Austria brought in their large parts about the year 615. Thus the second
imply'd Some observe That Jerusalem at the destruction of it was divided into three parts The learned Hammond observes That Rome Imperial was at its destruction divided into three parts Hoathens Hereticks and Orthodox much Apostate in manners And the text saith expresly That his City the Decapolity of Papal Rome should be about the time of the dissolution of it divided into three parts And why into three parts at its dissolution but because it was at first constituted of three parts and subsisted of the same three parts after the constituting of it to wit of a sensual secular and spiritual matter called Spiritually Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified because serving the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and pride of life and misled by a threefold wisdom of worldly folly The wisdom of this World saith the text is Sensual Earthly and Devilish This threefold City subsisted as the three parts of it of this threefold matter aforesaid not distinguished by distance of place though not wholly without that nor by an unmixt juncture of the matter gross and entire because commixed at least in a great measure by a promiscuous confusion For Example The Composition of Pilulae Ruffi is made up of a threefold matter Myrrh Aloes and Saffron not of each unmixed but this threefold matter incorporated makes one Mass wherein each part hath notwithstanding its peculiar propriety and operation So these three sorts of Professors the Profane Proud and Worldly made up as one Mass this great City the Decapolity of Papal Rome by a promiscuous complication of all three Therefore the threefold division of it is or may be much after the similitude of that threefold division of Rome Imperial observed as aforesaid by the Learned Hammond We shall examine and compare the threefold sub-antitype in our Saviours time with its Prototypes and their and its Antitypes And First There was then in Judea and Jerusalem a sensual subantitype-part whom the proud Pharisees called Sinners and our Saviour Publicans and Harlots These were for sensuality of life and dissolute loosness indeed Sodomites in Judea and Jerusalem and agreed well with Sodom as their Prototype and with their Antitype Spiritual Sodom which is only such loose dissolute professors in all Sects of the Papal Decapolity as under some careless trivial form and profession of Christianity or perhaps even without that follow after Sensuality as the Sodomites did The wisdom of this world saith the text is first Sensual Secondly A second sub-antitype-part in our Saviour's time was the Secular part of Judea and of its Metropolis minding like literal Egypt Earthly things Pharaoh and his Servants to secure that Kingdom by contrary means slew the new-born males of Israel such Cockatrice-egs are hatcht by covetousness So Herod also to secure a Kingdom an Earthly Kingdom also slew the new-born males of Israel at the birth of our Saviour Pilate and others exprest the same wisdom covetous self-destroying wisdom at the death of our Saviour And what was this second part but Egypt plainly sprung up as a Sub-antitype in Judea Here 's the very identity of the same wisdom the reality of the same works betwixt both the Secular parts of these two Kingdoms And this Sub-antitype part as it exactly agrees with its Prototype literal Egypt agrees exactly with its Antitype Spiritual Egypt whose wisdom of earthly avarice hath the same superscription with that of the Sub-antitype in our Saviour's time and with its Prototype This second part seeks like Nabal worldly gain by that wisdom and wicked frugality that produceth indeed with the losse of their lives and souls the losse of it This second part these Professors of Woolf-like wisdom and greedy avarice are ever very busie in buying and selling yet will not buy but sell the Truth or if they do will pay no price conform and adequate to the worth of it nor recompence the Witnesses thereof according to their just deserts Come sayes Pharaoh when he went about a work of this wisdom let us work wisely And these Egypts Antitype will needs seem more religious and sober than Spiritual Sodomites are and in buying the Truth can go a wiser and cheaper way to work till through the folly of this earthly wisdom time truth and their life are all lost together The wisdom of this world is secondly earthly Thirdly The third part in the Sub-antitype was the Pharisaical part most blind proud and bloody We find the Prototype by our Saviour himself thus exprest O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent c. Mat. 23.37 That is The Hierusalamites Apostate Predecessors their Prototypes in pride and cruel Persecutions killed the Prophets and stoned those that were sent unto them And their succeeding Sub-antitype the Pharisees in our Saviour's time followed or rather far exceeded their examples for factious pride and blinde and bloody ignorance They by heady prejudices rash censures and wicked surmises persecuted the Apostles killed the Saints and crucified Christ the King of Righteousness The same wisdom of spiritual pride works in their Antitype the same wickedness serves to kindle Seditions to create Cavils to multiply contradictions against the Truth and its Witnesses and to raise much strife of words to wicked purposes as their Type the Pharisees did against our Saviour Of whom he expresly said which is rather more true in their Antitype You are of your father the Devil c. The wisdom of this world is Thirdly Devilish This third part in the Prototypes and the Sub-antitypes was most infamous for cruelty And this third Antitype-part in all Seâ—s of the Papal Decarchy is the most direful impugner of Gospel-Truth and persecutor of the Witesses of it But I have spent time too much about this trivial Cavill This City therefore we clearly see subsisted at its first building of three parts as it was to be before or about its final dissolution divided into three parts And Secondly It 's called spiritually Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified as an aggregate of all three in the first building of it But called Babylon in its dissolution because divided as Babel into speeches into a confusion of many modern Sects and Sub-divisions but chiefly into three parts That this City subsisted of three parts is proved sufficiently But what that City so subsisting is remains to be further proved which I shall shew in part here but more fully when I come to handle the Epocha's of the six Vials and six Trumpets synchronizing therewith in 1260 years For the most judicious Writers so far as I find are apt more or lesse to mistake this City The most or almost all Orthodox Writers misconceive that City in Apoc. 17 18 chapters to be Papal Rome and the same City in the 11th 16th chapters because that City in the 17th and 18th chapters is called Babylon the great and that City in the 11th chapter is in the 16th
antitypes more Spiritual Rev. 11.7 8 9 11. As we shall also further shew from those Texts in its due place Nor did Daniels prophesies of the desolation end in Epiphanes nor in that half week of years under the Pharisees nor in the destruction of Jerusalem but reached in the fourth Reverberation that tenfold desolation of the Primitive Church persecuted by Rome Pagan and Imperial For if our Saviour himself did adjudge and declare the literal desolations of the legal Temple to be the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel to wit a sub-antitype of Daniels prediction as was that under Epiphanes then how much more must this tenfold desolation not of literal but living stones not of the legal Temple but the Gospel Church be the abomination of desolation in the fourth Reverberation from Daniels prophesie And especially in the time of Dioclesian when his triumphant Pillars importing the Gospel Churches utter desolation were erected And that the Reader may run and read this desolation as Daniel predicts it let him read his express description of it in ch 7.7 23 24 25. where he may easily observe That the Text holds forth first the fourth Kingdom and its head the fourth beast with ten horns uncrowned to wit Rome Pagan and her head the first Dragon in the fourth Reverberation Secondly That the same Texts hold forth as we shall instantly shew Papal Rome and her secular head the Sea-born beast Papal with ten horns crowned in the fifth Reverberation from Daniels prophesie Thirdly that the said Texts hold forth a little Pseudo-prophetick horn rising up among the ten horns of Pagan Rome all uncrowned And Fourthly that the same Texts hold forth the at first little Pseudo-prophetick horn Papal rising up among the ten horns of Papal Rome all crowned Fifthly the Reader may also observe from those Texts that this little horn of Rome Pagan should make in the fourth Reverberation a most dreadful Church-desolation should wear out the Saints of the most high saith the text ver 25. And Sixthly the Reader may observe also from those texts that they hold forth and that principally the little horn Papal that produced the greatest Church-desolation For as the texts point forth the little horn of Pagan Rome by his rising up amongst the ten horns of the fourth Kingdom So they point out the little horn Papal that rose up among the ten horns as the former of Pagan of papal Rome by his distinct Epoche as we shall instantly shew of 1260 years which because eight hundred years longer then the proper Epoche of Pagan Rome is altogether inconsistent with that little horn of pagan Rome and consistent only with that of Rome papal For as the seven heads of Rome Pagan and Imperial were first Seven Mountains and also seven Kings So Daniels prophesie in the seventh Chapter pre-figured and described the Decapolity first Of Pagan and also of Papal Rome That the text holds forth the fourth Kingdom the dominion of Rome Pagan to distinguish it from the Greek Kingdom which was the third is evident from the text which expresly calls the representative of it The fourth Beast and it the fourth Kingdom Dan. 7.7 23. And Secondly we find expresly from the text That that little horn Roman Pagan and in the fourth Kingdom and therefore in the fourth reverberation from Daniels prophesie produced a most direful Church-desolation For that at first little Pseudo-prophetick horn was not to pull down a Temple of dead stones or made with hands though it had some hand in that also but to wear out saith the text in Daniel the Saints of the most high And what performance more sitly and literally accommodates that Prophetick description then Dioclesians persecutions which his pillars with this Inscription exprest Deleto ulique nomine Christi For that Church and Saint-desolating horn was at first the little Pseudo prophetick horn Pagan predicted by Daniel and so continued to be under the four first heads of that fourth Kingdom till it grew great in Julius Augustus and the succeeding Emperours who adopting the title and office of the High Priest were summi Pontifices and chief persecutors of the Church and Saints For All the Edicts for the ten persecutions and for the eleventh also were issued forth by that Pseudo-prophetick horn Pagan raised to power in the persons of the Emperours but at last turn'd Arrtan And Secondly that little horn in Daniel 7th shaddowed forth also the Bicorne-false Prophet papal but pre-signified not in the least either Epiphanes or any other power except as aforesaid Therefore that little horn in Dan. 7th having no relation to Epiphanes and that in Dan. 8. and 9. ver are not the same much less did that little horn in Dan. 7. terminate as many expositors assert in Epiphanes For the fourth beast amongst whose ten horns the little horn in the 7. chap. rose up was the Supream power of pagan Rome But Epiphanes was but head of a fragment of power in the divided Kingdom of the third beast Dan. 8.21 23. The fourth beast was great in power So was Epiphanes But Epiphanes was not that fourth beast For the fourth beast devoured saith the text the whole earth ch 7.23 And Epiphanes was mighty in power but not saith the text in his strength ch 8.24 that is He was far inferiour for strength to the first horn of the third Kingdom who was also far inferiour in power to the fourth beast therefore Epiphanes was not that fourth beast or that little horn that rose up among those ten horns of that fourth Kingdom But The false Prophet Roman and Pagan rose up among the ten uncrowned horns of that Roman Decarch whom Daniel calls the fourth beast Dan. 7.7 8. Rev. 17 3 13. And the false Prophet Papal rose up amongst the ten not uncrowned as the former were but crowned horns of the Sea-born beast Papal Dan. 7.7 8. Rev. 13.11 12. c. But Epiphanes came up not among the ten horns of Pagan or Papal Rome but out of one of the four horns of the third Kingdom Dan. 8.9 The Series therefore of reiterated Ecchoes runs in this order Daniel prophetically describes the practises of Epiphanes and fore-tells Jerusalems desolation by his cruel persecutions in chap. 8.9 to the 15. ver 23. to 27. chap. 12.6 7. Secondly Daniels half week of years wherein Christ exercised his prophetical Office for 1260 days was adumbrated in its curation and denomination by the times and transactions of Epiphanes and was sounded forth as in a second Eccho from those texts aforesaid nor did the Pharisees less shadow forth the Antichrist then Epiphanes did in that half week of years and the transactions of it For though that half week of years three years and an half 1260 days held forth some outward import or shew of joy and of a Kingdom yet It was the sad time of the King of righteousness rejected of his own And of his kingdom dejected desolate and trodden under
last head And Lastly The second Dragon about the year 412 took away the very being of that first Dragon drave the Primitive Church with her Eagles wings into the Wilderness took away her and their chief power into his own hands and gave that power which he took from them and they from the first Dragon to wit the Supremacy therein to the beast secular and Papal For it had been res maximè mir and a minimè credenda a thing most impossible and incredible for the first Dragon to have done it Had he done it he must have had an Art never heard on That could give his Seat and great Authority which he had not And this is the mischief As he had no power to give unto the beast so there was no beast in being to receive it so long as he existed which necessarily implies a double impossibility But the Dragon gave his great Authority to the beast Therefore that was the second Dragon clearly distinct from the first and both from this beast And then it must inevitably follow of necessity That this beast and that second Dragon and the Bicorn false Prophet were contemporary and as the several texts plainly prove synchronize in 1260 years beginning about 412 though that second Dragon was not drawn at first to such complyance as afterwards And this contrary to Doctor Hammonds rational conclusion from a mistaken supposition is signally conspicuous as we clearly see from sundry texts of sacred Scripture and as it hath appeared and will more plainly appear from Church-History I need not therefore I suppose say to any sober or judicious Reader that the text plainly says That he that in Paul's time letted should let till he were taken out of the way the rising up of the Son of perdition But I may say in the words of that Apostle to the silliest Readers or at least to such as have any competent animadvertency and understanding you know that he that letted in that Apostles time the rising up of the body of Apostacy and its spiritual and fecular Heads was the first Dragon or Supream power of Pagan and Imperial Rome you know from those Prophetick texts and from Church-History fully witnessing the performances of those Prophesies that the said first Dragon did not give could in no wise possibly give his power which he had not to the beast Papal not then in being you know that he much more all his power was to be taken out of the way to make way for that beast you know also that the Dragon gave Scripture says it Church-History proves it his great Authority to the beast And you know that Dragon because the first and all his power was taken out of the way before as aforesaid must of necessity be the second Dragon And thus actum est de hac controversiâ this Controversie is fully ended and That there were two Dragons irrefellibly concludent But So wedded is the world to wilful errours that men and Sects nor are Saints free from this fault take little care or pains to come to know these things Haec scire say they quid prodest Quid obest nescire What are we better if we know these things or worse if we never know them They therefore even many that are most studious therein are so indocile to know though plainly proved and though they should be oft repeated these things or to see their own Preservations and chief concerns in the knowledge of them that their progress is therein little their profit less to themselves and others For such slow-bellies are many that they cannot imagine what real use can be made of those things which will instantly appear to be the things of highest concernments and the knowledge of them and how to use them the Conservatory means of all other graces and mercies Hagar her Son ready to dye she distressed sate by a Well in the Wilderness and saw it not Little did she think of such support so nigh till God opened her eyes and she saw the Well Her sight of it was a present means to prevent imminent death and procure life to her and him But if present and after-Ages may see and shun those evils that are worse than death and reap those benefits that may be better than lâ—fe by the knowledge of those things I shall briefly indigitate that and with like brevity conclude the premises And first Most Reformists will needs have the beast secular and Papal to be the Scarlet-coloured beast chap. 17.3 or which is an errour if not the same not much different the seventh Head of that red Dragon or Scarlet beast This gross errour the grand Remora to the right unfolding of many texts is a strong refuge to the Mystery of Iniquity Nor can the expositions of the best Writers upon the Apocalyps and Prophetick Scriptures till this and many like mistakes be removed be otherwise then perplex ravels of intricate consusion Therefore the perfect removal of this mistake as the readiest way to remove many requires my present care Nor perhaps have my pains hither to made the truth so fully irrefellible as instantly it will appear to be Can we but find those seven Heads that were peculiar to the red Dragon or Scarlet-coloured beast and his eighth Head also which was of those seven Then we have all his peculiar number of Heads and so this business is fully ended But five of his Heads were faln before John wrote as we shewed before And one his Imperial Head existed when John wrote There 's six of his seven-Heads And the other is not yet come saith the text and when he cometh he must continue a short space His time was short for a Kingdom divided cannot stand because he was a divided Head For part of it fell from the Pagans and took part with the Christians in the time of Constantius and Constantine His eighth dying and scarce perfect Head was Pagano-arrian in the time of Constantius the second Julian Valens and went into everlasting perdition about 412 ver 11. That is he and that first Dragon under him then perished for ever Here 's all the crowned Heads for all his Heads had Crowns that were peculiar to that first Dragon Then the Sea-born beast Papal assisted by the second Dragon through the false Prophets procurement ascended out of the Sea the Political and Military Deluge which the second Dragon cast out of his mouth having seven successive Heads chap. 13.1 But here 's the Master-piece of exquisite absurdity All Reformist Writers few excepted affirm That the seventh Head of the Scarlet beast the first Dragon was the secular beast Papal with seven Heads which is as good sense as to say That a part of the body of one man is the entire individuum of another person For that Scarlet beast that had seven Heads and an eighth also and the Sea-born beast Papal that had seven Heads were two several individual and clearly distinct persons political Secondly The texts expresly
prosperity of all Princes and People These can with like folly readily say What peace what prosperity comes by this kind of knowledge We busie our selves about better things mind more necessary concerns Thus Hypocrites harden their own hearts against the knowledge of those things that chiefly belong unto their peace and under a blind pretence of minding the most serious things embrace as the Pharisees did base inanimadvertency and brutish ignorance Our Saviour weeping for them said of their Type Hadst thou known at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace But they expecting those things come before to come in future never found that day nor those things Profane disregard to Prophetick Scriptures puts out quite all the eyes of Providence So formal Professors follow or rather far out-go their footsteps see not in no wise will see those things that belong unto their peace For formal Professors feed their own folly with deceits affect to walk in the admired sparks of their own Fires empty impertinencies and forsaking the means of their own safeties tread under-foot the things and those Scriptures that principally appertain to the peace of all People For this profaness and it was most just with God even the Gospel-Church as her followers trod under foot this knowledge those things was given to the Gentiles to be troden under foot for 1260 years Apocal. 11.2 3. But Fabula narratur surdis Sacred Prophesies with the Promises and Threatnings therein and the performances of them are to formal Hypocrites as Stories told to deaf or dead men Common Herds have as good care to know how or when Promises were performed and Prophesies fulfilled Therefore their Fore-fathers men of like base and brutish inanimadvertency perished with common Herds in the Flood But they that hate this dangerous and degenerous wickedness of slothful Hypocrites may from this contrary Fountain find an open Gate to good manners the surest grounds of firm peace at present a sevenfold complyance of performances with those texts that foretold the fulfilling of them And likewise how and when this second Dragon began to give his Seat and Power to the Sea-born Beast Nor are these seven Parallels or Prophesies performed a sevenfold but indeed a seventimes sevenfold coaltern record to each other irrefellibly confirming the truth of each others performance This second Dragon drave the Primitive Church into the Wilderness translated the Empire cut off the feeble and dying remnant of the first Dragon raised Papal Rome by taking away all that letted and by giving his groat Authority so taken the Supremacy therein to her Secular Head favoured somewhat from the first and by degrees received the Faith of the Church of Rome Therefore this second Dragon is the first Head in Scripture order of Papal Rome Him these texts hold forth Rev. 11.7 Chap. 12.14 15 16 17. Chap. 13.2 4. Chap. 16.13 The second Head of this threefold City was Papal Romes Power Secular or Beast with ten Crowns How and when he rose up we have sufficiently shewn and shall his Progress At present we shall shew his Disparities to distinguish him from the first Dragon John saw that first Dragon Chap. 12.3 Or the Scarlet coloured Beast Chap. 17.3 To wit One and the same Dragon or Beast in those two texts He saw this Beast also Chap. 13.1 But he saw not both alike He saw that first Dragon of Pagan Rome Historically and Prophetically as past in part and in part to come when he wrote the Apocalyps But he saw this Sea-born Beast not Historically or as past in part but Prophetically as to come entire after the fall of that first Dragon to wit the future rising up of his first Head or him in his first rising Revel 13.1 And first He saw that first Dragon or Scarlet-coloured Beast Historically or as past in part Five are fallen saith the text ch 7.10 that is Five Heads the Supream Powers of Pagan Rome Crowned in their Kings Consuls Decemviri Dictators Triumviri were then fallen or past when John wrote And one is vers 10. that is the sixth Head crowned in the Emperours then existed when John wrote Thus far he saw that first Dragon historically or as past in part So Secondly He saw also that first Dragon Prophetically or as to come in part And one is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space that is the seventh Head should come and came about 292 when Constantius was made Caesar and somewhat siding with the Primitive Church began to support Her His Son declared fully for Her This was Divisi Caput Imperii divisum The divided Head of the divided Empire when some of its Supream Powers sided with the Primitive Church some with the Pagans therefore this Head because thus divided continued but a short space and ended about the year 324 when Constantine and his Armies Michaels Substitutes had cast him finally from his seat of chief Power and his place was found no more in Heaven Chap. 12.7 8 c. Howbeit he recovered Power though not Supream for a short time For Lastly His eight Head who was of the seven who existed an eighth but sick and scarce perfect head of that dying Dragon was the Paganoarrian or otherwise Heretical Head under Constantius the second Julian Valens c. This Head aspired about 340 and expired together with that first Dragon for ever in four hundred and ten or twelve Then this Sea-born Beast by the false Prophets procurement and the second Dragons preferring of him succeeded Secondly John saw the first Dragons ten Horns all uncrowned Chap. 12.3 Chap. 17.12 But he saw the ten Horns of this Beast all Crowned Chap. 13.1 They the ten Horns of the first Dragon were Pro-consuls Presidents or Deputies subject to the Senate and People of Rome who ruled over the Kings and chiefly those Kings of the Earth whom notwithstanding the text calls Kings that had received no Kingdom as yet Chap. 17.12 18. But these ten Crowned Horns of this Beast were absolute Kings or supream Powers subject legally to none but link't together by the chain of the false Prophets supposed true Catholick Religion Chap. 13.1 12. And this tenfold disparity proved from the text and the testimonies by necessary inserences of all Chronologies of those times evidently resels that universal opinion so far as I find of all Expositors upon those places to wit That the Decacerastick Dragon or Scarlet-coloured Beast in the 12th and 17th Chapters and this Beast in the 13th Chapter are all one and the same Dragon or Beast And it irrefellibly proves that this Beast in the 13th Chap. is signally different and distinct from that red Dragon or scarlet coloured Beast in the 12th and 17th Chapters This may seem abundantly sufficient to satisfie the Reader at present Howbeit I shall make it much more clear in the sequel For until this and many like gross grand and I might say general mistakes be removed no Apocalyptick
if it undeniably and irrefellibly appear That those Texts in the 11th and 16th Chapters hold forth Papal Rome only with her Subdivisions Then de illis actum est their work is done for them They must be as he that had not on his Wedding-Garment for ever speechless and remain silent Or rather they and their Sects shall as the Text foretold give glory to the God of Heaven chap. 11.13 Benhadad sent Bands of Souldiers to take Elisha in Dothan but they mistook the City and mistook the Man went to seek both in Samaria and mistook at first that City also Therefore they were far from accomplishing their Master's design that sent them So the best Writers and Expositors are sent by their great Master in Heaven to the great City of Confusion complex of many Sects to convert Papists and Infidels to resel Errors and reform Manners to convince and unite dissenting-Brethren But then here 's the misery They mistake this City or the meaning of those Texts that hold it forth Therefore it seems to me some of them have cause to fear till these and many like mistakes be removed lest they should fall short of accomplishing their Masters design that sent them Here some strong pleaders for gross mistakes may object and thus say Corah and his Company coming to Moses told him he took too much upon him But we may much better say of you You take too much upon you are very bold too proud in thus reproving even the best Expositors I answer It 's the strict charge of the living God Thou shalt not hate thy Brother but reprove him plainly And faithfull obedience to this Command is the effect of humility and fruit of Charity But they that hinder or oppose this practice or reprove fidelity in this duty seem rather to hold forth the pride of the Son of Perdition Secondly Nor will I willingly run the hazard of Eli's partiality and only say It 's not well done it 's an ill report but rather by plain reproof discharge my duty Is the Church of God like Joseph's garment all rent as by some evil beast by means of many gross mistakes and errours in Opinions and Manners And is this a time for many if not the most learned and religious Writers and Expositors to multiply mistakes to encrease errours in opinions and manners to contend earnestly for them as if they were the Faith delivered and to corrupt and deceive themselves and others by persisting so doing Nor do I here denote these few but many precedent subsequent gross mistakes which make men not know whether they should be Papists or Protestants or neither nor are they certain whose dictates to observe what Sect to follow Wherefore do Reformists hold Papists in suspence why halt they themselves betwixt pluralities of opinions Let them at least learn to know their mistakes in opinions and manners or meddle not with Papists For till this be first done they but fortifie the Papists and their subdivisions in their errours against themselves and create discords in and amongst those that dissent too much already Hence it occurreth That the Christian World and even the Church of God are so dangerously divided that those divisions threaten to destroy States and Churches Full conviction therefore in few words may stand in stead in this sad juncture of time First seek the Righteousness of the Kingdom of God and Forms the strife of these times must follow what true Forms of Godliness not repugnant to the present Government are and what the power of it is will I hope both briefly and plainly in its due place appear For not from but about these most and the most dangerous mistakes arise Errours in Opinions and Manners are in their effects wild-fire in the Church of God and Governments of Men So these times too truly testifie Wherefore it 's the duty of all to endeavour first and above all to quench those Church and State-consuming flames So Discords may cease dissenting-Brethren be fully satisfied firm Peace procured to all people Therefore this endeavour the more it 's contradicted or disowned is every man's first and chief duty But if any Writers think I do them the least wrong by these reproofs let them plead I impetrate no partiality Let them be they few or many give their conjoynt Objections in writing But if any bring more convincing evidence I shal humbly and thankfully acknowledge my satisfaction from their hand But Secondly Some may say That City in the 17th chapter and that in the 18th chapter is the same is called Mystery Babylon Therefore it must be Papal Rome I answer Rome Heathen and Imperial chiefly when the Orthodox apostate in manners were supream was called Mystery Babylon because her Iniquity and Mystery of that Iniquity increased as the Papal Apostacy increased until she was temporally translated in four hundred and ten or twelve and spiritually devolved into Papal Rome But that this City can be Papal Rome cannot possibly be credible to any sensible person that well considers it for the reasons aforesaid and those that follow But Thirdly Heathen Rome even before apostate Christians had the power might be Babel mystical because she was not literal or Prototype Babel And thus also she in Scripture-sense vvas or might be called Mystical Babylon But Fourthly The title and epithet of Mystery vvas more meet for literal Rome vvhen her Apostate Christians had power than for Papal Rome at her first commencement Because literal Rome at last and not Papal Rome at first had the greatest Mystery or deceitful plea to be the Apostles successors in found doctrine and good manners for their late predecessors had been such but they themselves were faln say the Texts and Church-history to be an habitation of Devils c. chap. 18.2 Therefore St. Jerom himself applyeth all those texts in the 17th and 18th chapters as The Purple-Whore Mystery Babylon and an habitation of Devils c. to Imperial and Christian but Apostate Rome and not to Rome Papal And the Athority of a primitive Father of so great note together vvith the record of Scripture and Church-history may abundantly counter-ballance the groundless contrary opinions of all other mistaking Writers For Fifthly Rome Imperial and Christian but Apostate in Manners was a Mystery a man would think of more Iniquity than Papal Rome ever was for many Ages after her first commencement because she was a little before her final excision faln to be the Mother of Abominations and Filthiness which Rome Papal her daughter inherited and became Terribilis miscens Sanctis Aconita Noverca no more a nursing Mother but a most cruel Stepmother to the then flying true Church and to the chief of the primitive Fathers For her whole Fraternity to a man conspired against St. Jerom as himself witnesseth And she became as Salvian testifies more intolerable for her filthiness than the very Arrians the worst of Sects were The harvest of her Abominations her Avarice Iniquities
of Papal Rome And when the time of those two Parents the Earth and the Sea was come to the Birth and there was no strength to bring forth the Bicorne and Decacerastick beasts Papal then did this second Dragon though he wounded both those Infant new born beasts with a sword give power to their two Parents to bring them forth by affording what furthered in that grand design their sick desires For he took away all that letted and filled other Nations of the Empire besides Italy with his Armies that they could not hinder it He also gave strength and means of growth to those two Parents by him first wounded Off-spring For he gave his power the Supremacy therein to that Decarch secular and Papal whom the Sea brought forth and likewise power to the Bicorne beast Rev. 13.2 4. ch 11.10 Dan. 7.25 That is he immediately after he had taken and burnt Rome lest the ruines of it with Italy almost ruinated to the wounded beast and false Prophet Papal For Honorius that good Emperour though a man of no great gifts durst not at least did not reside any more at Rome And that second Dragon in some process of time consigned his kingdoms to the false Prophets care embracing himself the unity of the Church of Rome He several wayes and at sundry times gave his seat and power which he took away from those he took out of the way as aforesaid to the beast and false Prophet wherefore He that is taken out of the way and he that taketh him away must needs be two But the first Dragon and Imperial Rome that letted the rising up of Rome Papal were taken out of the way But he that took away the first Dragon with Rome Imperial was this second Dragon 2 Thes 2.6 7. Rev. 13.24 which also Church History hath confirmed and will more fully confirm Therefore there must be inevitably two Dragons the second taking away the first and the first taken away by the second which also we find apparent from Reason Scripture and Church-History The first we find in Heaven and we find the Woman the Gospel and Primitive Church in the same Heaven of power at the same time Rev. 12.1 3. But she had not at her first ascending into that Heaven of authority such full power as that first Dragon had For he stood before her in the time of Constantius the first and in the beginning of Constantines Reign to devour her Child so soon as it was born ver 4. That is to destroy every man that might as a Christian Prince Emperour or Magistrate defend the Church The Woman or Gospel Church was then in Heaven in a double respect or in a twofold acceptation of the word Heaven but the Dragon only in a single acceptation of it And first the word Heaven holds forth an holy conversation And in this acceptance of the word the Church was then said to be in Heaven shining in the splendor of her Primitive Graces and not then faln from Heaven nor fled into the Wildernesses where her good works were much more dark and less visibly conform to Gospel Rule Secondly She not only had her conversation in Heaven but was ascended also into the Heaven of power and Authority in the Roman Empire and sate upon part of that Dragons throne whereon that Dragon sate Supream And in this respect both she and that first Dragon were said to be in Heaven that is in the Heaven of high power and Authority in the Roman Empire For in that Heaven of an holy conversation with the true Church that Dragon never was nor could be His conversation was not in Heaven but quite contrary to her Heavenly conversation Nor was he in Heaven That is as some assert in the true Church For both the Church and he are said to be in Heaven and he not in her or for her but before and against her But he was in Heaven that is he inhabited the Heaven of high power and Authority in the Roman Empire and was far above the Primitive Church at her first arrival into this Heaven For we find her there crying travelling in Birth and pained to be delivered that she might bring forth a Man-child a Christian Magistracy or power secular to protect her from that red Dragons bloudy persecutions And we find him standing before her to devour that Man-child or Christian Magistracy should she produce any But she brought forth a Man-child saith the text That is a Christian power secular and Military Michaels substitutes that overcame that Dragon and cast him out so as his place was found no more in the Heaven of Supream power and Authority in the Roman Empire He strove various ways and at several times to regain his place regained some power but his place was found no more in Heaven He had some power for a very short space power to persecute the Church but prevailed not He never after arrived to Supream Power in the Roman Empire but was soon after deprived of his being and about 412 cast into the bottomless pit forever By this it may plainly appear impossible that this Dragon should give his seat and power to the beast secular and Papal when he himself had none to give and when that beast was not in being who existed not till that Dragon that letted as the text saith his rising up was taken out of the way But the Dragon saith the text gave his seat power and great Authority to the beast Therefore that was the second Dragon But for the Readers irrefellible eviction we shall consider the Paterns or Prophetick Types and compare them with their Antitypes And first we find the type-Woman the Jewish Church Primitive Jacobs Family in Heaven adorned by an heavenly conversation having the Sun Moon and twelve Stars her Lights and guides Gen. 37.9 So we find her Antitype the Gospel Church Primitive in Heaven also having the Sun Moon and twelve Stars her Lights and guides Rev. 12.1 Thus we see that the Prophesies of the old Testament even in Genesis were not finally fulfilled as some affirm they were at the death of our Saviour or at the destruction of Jerusalem but signally ecchoed forth future transactions far beyond those times But of this we shall give after a short progress full proof The type-Woman Jacobs Family was as it were ascending into the Heaven of power become more mighty saith Pharaoh then the Egyptians therefore that Dragon for so the Scripture calls Pharaoh expresly the Dragon Ezech. 29.3 stood before that woman to devour her Man-child And this Dragon of Rome Pagan that Dragons Antitype stood before the woman the Gospel and Primitive Church ascended into the Heaven of power to devour her Man-child also so soon as it was born Rev. 12.4 The type-Dragon Pharaoh with his servants were cast out of their Heaven of power into the Sea Sank as a stone in the mighty waters The Sea covered them for ever Exod. 15.10 So his and their Antitype this
and many others consubscribing with Jerom to those express texts of sacred Scripture Thus we see that the temporal fall with the time of it of Rome Imperial then partly Pagan partly Orthodox and partly heretical is signally apparent from sacred Scriptures and from the testimonies of the fittest unfolders of them 'T is true may some say Honorius who dyed about the year 427 never or scarce at any time came to Rome after 407 but left that City to the Bishop thereof to the day of his death But Valentinian the third Reigned after Houortus for about thirty years Therefore Rome did not fall forever in 410 nor so fall temporally but that it recovered contrary to Jeroms Hammonds Morneyes and many others testimonies and contrary to the Records of sacred Scripture upon which chiefly they ground their assertions to be the seat of the Empire for some time after four hundred and ten or twelve I answer whether Valentinian resided constantly at Ravenna or came sometimes to Rome I exactly observe not in History But Morney and many other Authors affirm that Ravenna was after 412 the place of residence to the Supream Powers secular in Italy To wit to those few following and but reputed or so stiled Emperours To the Kings of the Gothes and of the Heruli and to the Exarchs of Ravenna If Ravenna was Valentinians place of residence or he sometimes but a stranger at Rome Then was Rome no more the seat of the Empire under him But Secondly suppose Valentinian had resided at Rome all the time of his Reign yet had not Rome therefore been the seat of the Empire but at best but the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Italy For the Nations of the Empire were rent from her And Constantinople was then the Supream Imperial seat of the remaining Nations Thirdly Were it that the Nations were not then rent away from Rome and admit Valentinian had reigned in her all his time yet his Government had been little more then titular because Leo Magnus then Bishop of Rome ruled Rome and all that the Emperour should rule after the Law of his own arbitrary will For Rome was then no more Imperial but Papal and Pope Leo was of such repute that what he spake was so approved that it was not lawful for any no not for the Emperour to dissent in the least thing Therefore what ever Valentinian did or could say or do it signified nothing without the condesent of Leo Magnus that ruled as it were alone both the City Country and might regulate Valentinian himself as being but one horn of the wounded and then scarce healed but after Decadiademick Beast Papal For Leo Magnus was Anti christs Eliah for false miracles as it were the Pseudo prophetick mouth in his time of the Bicorn beast that deceived those that dwelt upon the Earth by means of those miracles which were given him to do c. For Fourthly Attila and his Armies that Flagellum Del and scourge of the world marched towards trembling Rome to reduce herinto ashes Then the two if I may so call them Emperours of the East and West conjunct or both together durst not look upon his Army But Leo alone went forth to meet him treated with him and terrified the said Attila with an apparition of a Clergy-man shaking a two-edged sword at him and threatning to destroy him and his Armies if he condescended not to Pope Leoes demands Attila affrighted forthwith retired with his Army And so Leo saved Rome and all Italy from the sword So when Genserious spoiled Rome purposing to have burnt it there was no Emperour to interrupt his Armies â—o scarce so much as the name of a King to oppose him But the same Leo prevailed with him to spare the City Her Bishop ruled in and over her Rome was never any more Imperial no scarce regal but Papal Never Imperial but in name for a little time ever in deed Papal after 412. Therefore Rome after 4.2 was no more the seat of the Empire but subject to the Bishop thereof and both he and it for a long time were subject to Ravenna even then when but an Exarchate of the Greek Empire The nine Emperours after Valentinian were but Augustuli not worth the naming therefore I omit them And Valentinian though he reigned much longer than they all may be reckoned one of them They all bare little Rule Leo at that time Ruled Rome and all Italy and therfore it s signally apparent from the performances of those Prophesies in the 17 and 18 Chapters as we find them faithfully recorded in History That Rome Primitive but Apostate in manners oft adumbrated by Babylon in those Chapters fell temporally about the years four hundred and ten or twelve according to the manifold predictions of those Scriptures and the Glosses and Paraphrases of the fittest and ablest expounders of them that is that Rome fell like a great Milstone cast into the Sea finally about 412. from all power as Pagan and from ever being any more the Supream Seat either of the Heathen or Christian Empire And Secondly Her Apostacy or Spiritual fall and the time of it is no less apparent First from Scripture Babylon saith the Text is fallen not fallen only Temporally as aforesaid but Spiritually Fallen also For it follows And is become the habitation of Devils the hold of every foul Spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hateful bird vers 2. This Apostacy and that temporal fall as the cause and effect are so contexed in those Texts that they cannot possibly but be contemporal as aforesaid which also the testimony of a Cloud of Writers witnesseth Therefore that Apostacy began must needs begin much about the time when Rome fell temporally about the years four hundred and seven ten or twelve Did the Pagan and heretical parts only thus fall I answer They that never stood never fell Prosternatus humo non habet unde cadat They did not could not so fall Spiritually as to be chiefly if at all intended in those Texts But the Faith of the Church of Rome was once famous throughout the world Rom. 1.8 And she not like Sardis famous for a name that she lived lived famous for utility in all good works according to Gospel-Rule But a falling away was to come and Rome the Metropolite-head with her body some few no doubt excepted then fell or began to fall from the utility of the Orthodox Faith though not much at first from the Doctrine of it This faith of inutility or the practice of that Apostacy is most in use almost every where This Apostacy was then when those Primitive Apostates began to fall Temporally so grand and general That the Spirit of God useth a grandure of words to express the greatness of it His words in the Evangelist are these And after these things I saw another Angel come down from Heaven and the Earth was lightned with his Glory And he cryed mightily with a
were sealed I answer Their Title teacheth us the causes of their being so called They are called The first-fruits it seems because they are to be the first after the grand Apostacy that shall bring forth fruits of more visible and conspicuous Obedience to God and good Works to Men And the 144000 in the 7th Chapter to the 9th vers the Church sealed were for different or contrary causes not called The first-fruits To wit Because they during the time of the grand Apostacy ' did not bring forth fruits of such visible obedience to God nor good works so apparent to Men For such as the Tree is such is the Fruit but that Numerus sigillatus was the sealed Church And such must her fruits be sealed works of necessity For a Book or Letter sealed is scarce at all legible And such is the love and works of that sealed Church There 's little exemplariness in her practice for others to follow Her works so weak are they so over-grown with Weeds of evil Manners are scarce at all manifest But the fruits of these first-fruits cannot but be manifest must of necessity be signally manifest because they shall have the Name of God written in their foreheads And their works wrought in a quadruplex conformity after the Pattern of the good Samaritan their grand Exemplar shall be that Name of God written in their foreheads exemplary and legible to all Ages and Nations I do not absolutely state the Epoche of the sealed Church at the Commencement of the 1000 years about the beginning of the reign of Constantius the first For they are said to come out of great tribulations which is more truly intended of their Conscript Antitype vers 14. Howbeit They did then begin to come out of those tribulations when the first Dragon began to fall Therefore Their Epoche of being sealed might seem to begin then But if they begun to be sealed as 't is likely they might at the beginning of the fall of the first Dragon Then they were at first that Woman in Heaven clothed with the Sun c. Ch. 12.1 And the same Church that triumphed over that false-accusing first Dragon in these words Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ For the accuser of our brethren is scast down vers 10. From that time her Graces decayed till after 400 when she fell from Heaven and fled into the wilderness vers 1 6 14. After that time she retained a great part though ftill decaying of her Primitive integrity for above 800 years Then her Graces grew still weaker till they were almost wasted and near quite spent For Abraham put Bread and a bottle of Water upon Hagars shoulder and sent her away with her son She wandered in the Wilderness till the water was spent and the Child ready to perish for whom she lifted up her voice and wept But God opened her eyes to see a Well of Water and she gave the Lad drink and he revived So the Righteousness and Graces of the sealed Church are like Hagars bottle of Water She also hath wandered in the Wilderness above 1200 years till her bottle is almost spent Well may her Children and she both ready to perish sit down and weep But the Name of God written in her and their foreheads shall be a Fountain of living Waters to revive both her and them For it is not an empty crackling of Thorns in a formal profession nor the vain blaze of foolish Virgins half-performances nor litigious contradiction nor bold confidence in blind obedience nor the stony-grounds shallow superficies of found Doctrine and practice like it nor Lo here nor Lo there nor the Witnesses weak and that also now expiting Sackcloth-Prophesie that can support the Gospel-Church whiles she herself is shivered into Schisms and Subdivisions brought to the brink of the Grave and her Righteousness that should sustain her almost spent Wherefore A necessity a necessity urgent and indispensible even comples the Gospel-Church and all Ministers and Magistrates to ask of God to open their eyes that they may see the life-redeeming River of apparent Righteousness and do as Hagar and her son did Drink and not dye That is That they may find what that sacred Name of God in the foreheads of his servants shall be and seek to have it fairly transcribed in their own that so they may be a part of those first-fruits redeemed from the Earth vers 3 4. We must therefore give all diligence to make this sacred Name of God sure to our selves to know what that life-redeeming Righteousness is and how to work it But how shall we know how to work it without a pattern A pattern a perfect Patern is and hath been long wanting upon Earth where then shall we find it We must seek the Patern in the Mount And I looked and lo a Lamb stood upon Mount Sion and with him an hundred forty and four thousand having his Fathers Name written in their fore-heads Chap. 14.1 There 's the pattern in the Mount and he that holds it forth The Name of God written and the Writer of it That Lamb was a light to the sealed-Church at least for about a thousand years Ch. 20.4 But to the Conscript-Church he shall be a Temple in her a Pattern to her not for a thousand years but unto all ensuing Ages Not by any corporal presence but by the abundance of the Graces of his Spirit When he was Corporally present on Earth he was called in scorn by the Pharisees a Samaritan and was indeed that good Samaritan that left the best Pattern upon Scripture Record of perfect Righteousness to all posterity And first Jesus said A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among Theeves which stripped him of his Raiment and wounded him and departed leaving him half dead And by chance there came down a certain Priest that way and when he saw him he passed by And likewise a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was And when he saw him he bad compassion on him and went to him and bound up his wounds pouring in Oyl and Wine and set him on his own Beast brought him to an Inn and took care of him and said to the Host Take care of him c. Luke 10.30 to 38. Saw him Not only the man but that which was right in it self and due to be done For the Priest and Levite passing by saw him but would not see to do what was right Their seeing him signified nothing So the Children of the Son of perdition see their neighbour So the sealed and true Saints commonly see their Brother Their seeing signifies little Inanimadvertency next to Avarice if not before it is the root of all evil in the body of the Apostacy of Antichrist But the wounded Man wanted speedy help There