horns cannot belong to the first five heads because in Johns time these five were fallen already Rev. 17.10 and consequently their hornes with them nor can these horns belong to the sixth head which then was in Johns time raigning for the Angel tels John plainly the ten horns are ten Kings which have received no Kingdom as yet compare Rev. 17.10 with the 12. verse Therefore it remaines that these ten horns belong onely to the seventh or last head Again this beast is described by his shape vers 2. And the beast that I saw was like a Leopard i. e. like unto the Grecian Monarchy resembled by a Leopard and divided into four heads as this Roman into ten Dan. 6.7 The Leopard is a beast all spotted Pareus in Apoc. 13.2 very swift extream cruel a notable Embleme of this present beast Voice out of the wilderness p. 37. who for his presumption in extolling himself above the Prince of the Covenant defiling his Sanctuary desolating his Sacrifice burning his Statutes and inforcing the humble and meek to the abnegation of the truth by blood fire strapadoes and such like exquisite torments the spirit resembles him to his Arch-type Autiochus descended from the Monarch of Greece here as in Daniel deciphered by a Leopard and I saw the beast like a Leopard Secondly for his strength cruelty and devouring nature the spirit likeneth him to a Bear and his feet were like the feet of a Bear strong cruel and of a devouring nature the embleme of the Persian Monarcy It had saith Daniel Cap. 7.5 three ribs in the teeth of it and they said thus unto it Arise and devour much flesh Thirdly the Holy Ghost likeneth him to the Lyons mouth The Lion was an Embleme of the first Monarcy the Baby lonians the Lions mouth notes strength and cruetly in tearing crushing and swallowing up his prey yea herein the Holy Ghost ascribeth unto him the prophane and cursed mouth of the Monarch of Babylon in commanding the dwellers upon earth Dan. 7.4 upon pain of fire and furnance to adore his golden Idol that he had set up How notably sets this our the Character of this beast his parts being framed of the most notable persecutors that ever were being a confection or compound made up of the terribleness strength and cruelty of all the three foregoing Monarchies hence Daniel admirably describeth this fourth Beast Dan 7.7 as dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly And it had great Iron teeth Further the Holy Ghost describes him as by his shape so by his State and constitution he was vested with great power and Royal Dominion and herein the holy Ghost sets down the efficient cause the manner of acquiring it and the event of it 1. The efficient cause of it we have in the latter end of the second Verse viz. The Dragon the Dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority by power Scripture notes not onely strength but bands armies and multitudes of persons The Dragons Bands or Army are his Angels or Devils with Idols their receptacles saith Mede these he gives to this beast together with his Seat and great authority viz. all that authority which he had in the heathenish Roman Empire from which Michael and the Martyrs cast him down overcoming him this he gives to the beast his Substitute to recover it for him How cunningly now Satan acts not now as a red Dragon but as masked in a new manyformed beast to draw the Church to Idolatry under the Christian Empire 2. The manner of his acquiring this Dominion by healing of his mortal wound received in his sixth head by the barbarous Nations Or rather according to Mede by Michaels Victory over the Dragon but now cured by this substituted power of the Beast in the course of his seventh and last head See these two opinions reconciled afterwards And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed v. 3. 3. The event of this his great Dominion upon the World generally all admiring and adoring this beast thus healed and now termed as the Dragons Deputy viz. highly approving of him and subjecting themselves to him and his power as incomparable and irresistible Adoring in Scripture is put for yeilding subjection Gen. 27.29.37.7 and 49.8 Esa 45. In obeying the Emperors or the Popes Idolatrous decrees they not onely Worshipped them but the Devil in them for the Dragon gave them that power and his work they did And all the World wondred after the beast and they worshipped the Dragon who gave power unto the beast i. e. they subjected themselves to the Dragon in the Beast and they worshipped the beast saying who is like unto the Beast who is able to make War with him v. 3. Again this beast is described by these acts which are ascribed to him viz. his Acts of Idolatrous blasphemy and cruel Tyranny First His acts of Idolatrous blasphemy for the Scripture is wont to set forth Idolatry as Blasphemous opprobrious and contumelious See Deut. 31.2 Jer. 23.25 Isai 65.7 This whole description is taken out of Daniel Cap. 7.25 where he speaks of the same Roman beast but what the Angel declares to Daniel more briefly John explains more largely this is generally mentioned And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and then the continuance of this blasphemous beast is computed And power was given to him to continue 42. months vers 5. The objects of his blasphemies or Idolatries are particularized And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven v. 6. thinks Mede Gods name by Image-worship his Tabernacle Christs body Here note saith Mede the beasts 42. months are not to be reckoned from the beginning of his euelty and war against the Saints but from the beginning of his blasphemy i. e. His Idolatry or spiritual whoredom which is when that is attributed to the creature which properly belongs to God Or when any thing beside God is worshipped with Divine Honour or when Saints or Angels are invocated which is to blaspheme them that dwell in Heaven v. 5 6. which invocation of Saints begun saith Perkins to be brought into the Church Anno. 3080. and in 20. years and upward no doubt it grew up to some height wherein the God-head dwelt personally by transubstantiation them that dwell in heaven viz. Saints and Angels by Angel worship Saint-worship or rather Devil-worship under their names Secondly His acts of cruel Tyranny 1. Partly persecuting the Saints And it was given to him to make was with the Saints and to overcome them i. e. with the remnant of the womans seed in the wilderness now this War against the Saints he did not wage from his beginning but when he came to his strength 1200. years after Christ his first expedition was against the Waldenses and Albigenses i. e. true worshippers
with his horn so the Dragon i.e. the Heathen Empire had done before them while they were his born Rev. 12.3 that is propugn himself and oppugn his adversaries for this hath been Antichrists course all along to push down and to gore even to death for the most part all those that opposed his Idolatries and Heresies in all nations by those horns i.e. by the Kings and people of those Nations who have given their power and strength to the beast Rev. 17.13 and who do generally continue it to the Beast with one mind and consent Which have received no Kingdom as yet For when the Apostle wrote there was no such Kings in rerum natura or existent in the world as the King of France the King of Spain c. These Kingdoms were then horns of the Dragon i.e. Provinces of the Empire and therefore in the description of the Dragon chap. 12.3 the Crownsare not said to be upon the horns i. e. upon the Kingdoms who had then no Kings of their own but upon the Heads i. e. upon the Imperial head at Rome As for instance this land Britain was in the Apostles time a Province or Kingdom but it had no King of its own and so no Crown that was upon the head of the Emperor at Rome and he had supreme power over this Island but when as these Kingdoms became the horns of the beast they came also to have peculiar Kings of their own England had and hath its King and France its King And to go on in the description of the Beast the Crowns are not said to be upon the heads but upon the hornes And upon his hornes ten crowns Rev. 13.1 But received power as Kings one hour with the beast The Roman Empire was by little and little so divided that Anno. 403. some hornes appeared i. e. The Kings and the beast began their raign together now the Kings and Kingdomes began to arise above 400. years after Christ when the Empire began to be destroyed Clavis Apoâ—alypt Histories do not speak much of them under the name and notion of Kings till after 400. years or about 410. but the truth is Histories are very confused and no wonder for those were times of strange confusion The beast is said to begin with them at one and the same time or as the word may be interpreted the first hour the word in the Greek Text that signifies one signifies also first and so it may may be interpreted the beast began to rise the very first hour the Kings began to rise rather then the first hour after they were risen for therein is a difference of many years it being almost 60 years from the first breaking of the Empire before the ten Kingdomes were set up in it That the word that is here translated one is used also to signifie first For two or three years we must not pinch much it is hard to make an exact account so as there be no mistake as to time Modicum non curat nec prator nec propheta we may see in many instances as Luk. 24.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is word for word one day of the Sabbath or week but it is generally rendred and so the meaning is the first day of the week the women came to the Sepulcher Now if the Kings and the beasts begun their raign together so long since as between 400. and 410. then is this Earthquake which is to ruine him and them also if they persist in his service Dan. 2.44 45. Rev. 19.18 19. near at hand Quest What reason have we to think that the Pope about that time began to be the great Antichrist Answ For answer we are to know there are two particular characters of the Beast as some Divines observe out of the Text the former the cause of the latter viz. 1. Blasphemy for he is full of the names of Blasphemy Rev. 17.3 by which understand Heresie and Idolatry 2. Cruelty for he is ascarlet-coloured beast and makes war with the Saints Rev. 13.7 but both these flow from a higher principle which is as I may say proprium quarto modo and a more convertible character of the beast and that is his primacy or supremacy This supremacy hath in it two things that make it up one is a clayming authority over the consciences of men and so over their faith and worship 2. the extending of his power to all Churches and Nations I will not say these two are the same things nor that they issue from one and the same root but surely this I may say they are neer a kin and have their roots not far asunder because they are generally still found in one and the self-same person That both these meet in the grand Antichrist will appear First He arrogates authority over the soul So much I take to be intimated in these words of Daniel speaking of him Dan. 7.25 He shall speak great words against the most high and think to change times and Laws that he shall arrogate power to himself to change Gods Laws as in coyning and altering Articles of faith appointing worship for God c. high words great words against Godâ— 2 Thes 2.4 He as God sits in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God how doth he do that viz. by Lording it over the consciences of Gods people as if he were God and thereby deprives Christ of one of the principal flowers of his Crown which is to have dominion over the faith see more for this Rev. 13.5 6 15 16. Secondly the great Antichrist is to extend his power at least presumptively and intentionally where he cannot do it actualy over all kindreds tongues and Nations Rev. 13.7 It is Antichristian to claym such authority The Title of Pontifex Maximus renounced by Gratian and Theodosius after him was after the death of Theodosius the first taken up by the Pope who holds it to this day So that what ever the Ropes name be Poutifex Maximus is his ordinary stile Cotton on Rev. 13. vers 16. though but over one man or one Church It is more Antichristian to claym such authority over many Churches more Antichristian to claym this Authority over whole Provinces still more Antichristian to claym it over many Princes and Kingdomes but yet all these do not amount to the grand Antichrist Why because there may be a greater But now he that claims such Soveraignty over all the Churches in the World is the grand Antichrist indeed for there can be no greater Now this the Pope doth yea that he may be sure to challenge as large a dominion as Christ hath he doth not onely arrogate authority over all the World but also in Heaven and Hell where Christ hath power yea in purgatory where Christ hath no power He that will but look upon the sentence condemnatory of Pope Leo the tenth in his Bull against Luther will find this true wherein he doth not labour to convince
here is the mind that hath wisdom First The seven heads of the beast are interpreted to be seven Mountains and seven Kings that by this double accommodation this interpretation might be more sure Partly to seven mountains the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth vers 9. That is these seven heads are seven hills upon which Rome is built viz. the Capitâ—line Palatine Calian Aventine Aesquiâ—â—â— Viminal and Quirinal Mount For the honour of which seven mountains saith Parens an Annual 〈◊〉 was observed on the third of the Iâ—â—s of December either in memory of Romulus the builder of the seven mountained City or of Servins Tullus who to Romnlus four Mountains added three more seven in all Partly to be seven Kings i. e. seven orders formes or kinds of Governors or Governments of this Roman Kingdome or Empire whereof Rome is the Imperial seat And there are seven Kings vers 10. viz. seven orders or sorts of Rulers Kings Consuls Tribunes Decemvirs Dictators Cesars Ponâ—â—ficrans or Popes Five are fall i. e. in Johns time the first five viz. Kings Consuls Tribunes Decemvies Dictators And one is i. e. Cesars then in being in Johns time and the other is not yee come i. e. the dilacerated state of the Cesarship or Cesartan Empire into ten Kingdomes at the least by the Barbarians as was before intimated this was as it were a seventh head but was indeed but of the sixth being the same in substance with the Cesars but was not come in Johns time and was but to continue a short space till the Dragon and falle Prophet had reunited and so healed this wounded and dilacerated state of the Empire Therefore in the Text it is added And when he commeth Rev. 13.2 he must continue a short space vers 10. And the beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seventh and goes to perdition v. 11. That is the Roman Empire that was under five heads or formes of Government before Johns time and under the sixth head of Cesars in Johns time which Cesars were changed as it were into another and seventh form in its dilacerated state of the ten Kingdoms yet is not i.e. In Johns time is not yet brought under the last head or forme viz. the Papal which is the eighth i.e. in respect of the change of the Cesarship into ten Kingdomes which seemed to be as a seventh but was indeed onely part of the sixth head and the Papal head is of the seventh i.e. he is indeed the last and seventh head or form of this beast in the course of which seventh head he carries the whore and in this state or form the beast shall be utterly destroyed Thus of the seven heads and their Interpretations 2. The ten hornes of the Beast are Interpreted to be ten Kings Bestia decemcornupeta seu secularis est unia versitas illa decem pluâ—m nus Regnorum in quae Caesarum post exturbatum â—raconem Imperium Barbarica plaga dissilierat in unam denuo Rempull cam Romanam redintegratà Draconu impierate coalescentium Mede Cap. 13. page 181. or ten Kingdomes viz. those ten before mentioned Kingdomes into which the Empire of the Cesars was divided by that deadly wound of the Barbaman Nations which ten Kings or Kingdoms were not yet sprung up in Johns time but into which afterwards the body of the Roman beast in the course of his last head should be dilacerated by the deadly wound of the Cesarean head And which ten Kings should unanimously give all their power to the beast for his restitution and reparation under the Government of his seventh and last head For unto this seventh head onely and not to any of the six aforegoing these ten horns belong Now these ten hornes are interpreted and described First Partly by their constitution as hath been now explained v. 12.13 Secondly Partly by their hostile persecution against the Lamb in his Members These shall make war with the Lamb viz. by making War with the Saints and overcoming them 42. months as was before declared Thirdly Partly by their overthrow by the Lamb Christ Jesus and his Saints at last which overthrow is confirmed both by the Lambs Regal power and by the Saints three victorial properties And the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful v. 14. Hitherto of the interpretation of the Mystery of the beast carrying the Whore 2. Now of the Mystery of the Whore her self carried by this beast which is here also interpreted Herein note 1. Her Ample Dominion 2. Her utter destruction and 3. Topical Denomination 1. Her ample Dominion over peoples of many Nations and Languages signified by the waters where the Whore sitteth And he said unto me The waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues 1.15 2. Her utter destruction and judgement which the Angel promiseth to tell Johns is described First By the Instrumental means of her destruction the ten hornes upon the beast Secondly by the degrees of her destruction from these ten horns And the ten hornes which thou fawest upon the beast shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire vers 16. These degrees of their destroying her shall be 1. Their hatred of the Whore with whom they have committed fornication 2. Deserting of her betaking themselves to Christs pure worship 3. Denuding of her or making her naked both by words laying open her filthy and abominable whoredomes and Idolatries c. and also by deeds withdrawing her respective revenues from her which were wont to be given her 4. Eating her flesh not onely by retaining to their own use her rich incomes Carnes nostras illi manducant qui nos persequuntur Aug. in Locum Tom. 8. but also by opposing and persecuting her which in Scripture language is as eating of ones flesh Job 19.22 Psa 27.2 5. Burning of her with fire When the punctual time cannot particularly be determined but it hastens apace and cannot be far off if the fift viol be now running which shall be poured out upon the forme of the beast which is now the judgement of many learned Divines Let the Saints strive mightily with God and pray the Whore into flames for her ruine approacheth And some of those Kingdomes that helped to raise up the Whore shall be as ready to pull her down Thirdly Her utter destruction is also described by the principal cause thereof Gods providential dispensation according to his Word who can as easily make these ten hornes unanimous to her ruine as they were to her rise and raign For God hath put into their hearts to fulfil his Will and to agree and to give their Kingdome to the beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled v. 17. 3. We have
with it in a learned Writer since I thought good here to put it down and leave it to the judgement of the Reader to choose which Interpreration he likes best pointing no doubt at the Christian Emperor who did-not differ from the Heaven Emperor as a distinct form of Government for they were both Souldiers and chosen by the Souldiers but in the quality of his person the one hating and persecuting the other loving and protecting Christian Religion And when he comes he must continue a short space For the Empire when it came into the hands of the Christians stood but a short time in its strength a matter of seventy or eighty years from about the middle of the reign of Constantine the great for till then he was exercised with mighty Wars against the Heathen Emperors unto the end of the raâ—â—n of Theodâ—sius the great from about Anno. 316 or 320. to 395 or 397. It follows in the next verse the beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seventh viz. The Papel state was in respect of the bulk of the Empire whereof he is a horne And is not i. e. it hath not any present existence in the Apostles times as the seventh head for the time of that is not yet come Even he is the eighth and is of the seventh that is he is the eighth if you make the Christian Emperor one but he is indeed the seventh for there is but seven heads and he is but the seventh distinct form of Government Kings Tribunes Decemvirs Dictâ—ors Consâ—ls Emperors and the seventh Popes Now here lies the Argument It is 〈◊〉 to wards the end of the 1200 end 60. years since the Pope became the head of the Roman Kingdom Ergo the Earthquake that must ruine him and his Kingdom draws near To make this appear we are to know as some have observed there were divers degrees of the fall of that vast body of the Roman Empire one after the death of Julian the Apostate about Anno. 365. For then the barbarous Nations invaded and made huge Havock in the Provinees of the Empire A second was about Anno. 410. when Rome it self was sacke by Alaricus the Goth and the Empire dismembred A third about Anno. 455. when ten Kings were risen up instead of the Empire to which let me interpose one notable one out of a learned writer about Anno. 395. at the death of Theodâ—siâ—s the great the barbarous nations had made many attempts before but were from time to time especially by his valour repelled 2 Thes 2.7 The time of Antichrists revealing is when he who letteth is taken out of the way now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or he that did let the 〈◊〉 pearing of Antichrist is interpreted by Anrient and laâ—â— Writers 〈◊〉 be the Roman Empire not then wholly demolished but divided and weekened it was divided after Theadosius into Eastern and Western 〈…〉 in the East and Arcadius in the Wost now the Western Empire was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was taken away by the death of Arcad. us But upon his death they brake in like an huge inundation bore down the Empire before them shivered it in a hondred peices so as it near recovered any more This great mine of the Roman Empire was six years adoing for so great a body as the Empire could not by created means be ruined in a short time And it is very remarkable both because it made so great a change in the Kingdoms of Europe and Affrick planting them almost universally with new nations and names and in special because that storm brought our forefathers into this Land setling here a new Nation and language It is thirdly also observable because in it the sixth Head of the Roman Monarchy the Emperor went off and the seventh the Pope came on onely the question is about which of these times and degrees was the Empires destruction Not so high as Julians death for the Empire stood in good strength after that for thirty years at least nor so low as 455. when it was quite broken and not long after lost its very name but somewhere between viz. either about 406. or 410 years after Christ when Rome it self the head of the Empire was taken Now if the beasts reign began about or between 406 and 410 then the ruining earthquake must needs approach considering how many years are gone of the 1260 years Object The sixth Head of the Empire continued long after the death of Theodosius the Great Answ 1. Not in strength but was still more and more broken unco its dissolution 2. Rome became the the Seat of the Beast by the means of translating the sear of the Empire from Rome to Constantinoplâ— from whence ensued the parting the Empire into two parts by which division it being weakened and alter also sundred in affection as well as in place was the easier to be entred upon and obtained by the Pope especially after the death of Arcadius Bishop Vsher sum of Christian Religion p. 443. It is not absurd to imagine that the sixt head and the seventh might be in some degree together For first it is but a comparison not like that natural head of which there can be but one atonce more makes a monster and truly this Reast is a monster Besides the Impesial and Papal Head did not so thwart or cross one another at first as afterwards they did so as it might be with them as Logicians say of contrary qualities they may consist together in the same subiect gradibus remissis non intensis they might both of them have their power and not intrench one upon another Popes at first medled in a manner only with the matters of the Church as being desirous to settle their Ecclesiastical authority and the Emperors on the other side almost wholly busied themselves about the Civil State to govern and defend the Empire And yet further which may lessen the absurdity before that you shall have in the Roman Government sometimes as it were two heads at once as Consuls who were for a year and a Dictatator chosen it may be for three months or for six moneths upon some extraordinary exigencies and necessities of State who was for the time supreme as namely in matters of war as the Consuls were supreme for other Civil affairs The Earthquake whereby Antichrists Kingdom is to be ruined approacheth Indice or Evidence 2. appeareth by this second Indice or Evidence Because t is almost 1200 and 60 years since the ten Kings began and the Beast began with them as may appear Rev. 17.12 The ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdom as yet but received power as Kings one hour with the Beast The ten Kings are the many Kingdoms that sprung up out of the ruins of the Empire as the Kigdoms of France Spain c. These are called horns aptly because Antichrist doth with them as the beast doth
his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever and v. 17. She giveth also thanks to the Lord God Almighty because he hath taken to him his great power and reigneth Now unto these three Periods The scope of the Revellation or times the whole body of the Revelation of St. John and the parts of it are directed For the Son of God describeth in this Revelation the State of the Christian Church and the things befalling to the Roman Empire in relation to the Church in a three fold manner First By seven Epistles Cap. 2.3 Secondly by a Book Scaled Cap. 4.5 6 7. Thirdly By a little Book open Cap. 10. and so following He doth also appear to John every time in another shape First In the likeness of a Son of man who suffereth in the first Period i. e. in his Members Rev. 1.12 I saw one like to the Son of man in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Secondly By his horns and eys which are 7 is noted the absolute perfection of his power wisdom all for his Church against his enemies As a beast in the shape of a lamb having seven horns and leven eyes chap. 5.6 which doth fight in the second period Thirdly As a mighty strong Angel cloathed with a cloud cap. 10. who in the third period hath all things put under his feet and reigneth First In the likeness of a Son of man in the midst of the seven candlesticks cap. 1. vers 12 13 14 15. These Epistles are by Christ not onely intended to those particular Churches named but to all the Churches wâ—h then were elsewhere in the world which should be in all ages till his 2d comâ—ing He declareth the condition of the Church in general by seven Epistles for though these seven Epistles seem primarily and immediately to have respect to the state of the Church then present to the state of the seven Asian Churches especially Yet secondarily mediately and Analogically they have respect to other following Churches as it were adumbrated and resembled by them Yea Mr. Brightman goes further and makes them to contain in them Prophesies touching the future state of all the Gentile Churches and so makes all these Epistles as well prophetical in respect of the future Counterpane Churches as historical in respect of the present Antity â—e Asian Churches So then I say Christ declares the condition of the Church in general by seven Epistles whereof the first and second belong to the first period viz. Ephesus and Smâ—rna The third fourth fifth sixth and seventh to the second period And the promises cap. 2 and 3. to the third period For then those promises made to the Church conflicting with her enemies and overcoming them as that chap. 2.7 I will give to eat of the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God parallel to that Rev. 22.14 and cap. 2.3 He shall walk with me in white parallel to that Rev. 7.9 13. and 19.8 and that chap. 2.26 To him that overcometh I will give power over the nations and he shall rule them c. and that cap. 3.21 I will grant to sit with me upon my throne parallel with Rev. 20.4 All which promises relating to the graceful and peaceful estate of the Church after her deliverance from her enemies by their just ruine and destruction shall be accomplished Secondly Christ appeareth to John as a beast in the shape of a Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes and openeth the book sealed the secret and hidden decree of God and intimateth thereby the things befalling the Roman Empire Mede divides the Apocalyps from the fourth chapter to the end of the book into two Systemes of prophetical Visions the one containing the fate of the Empire from cap. 4.1 to 10. and 8. yea to cap. 12. ver 1. the other of the Church from cap. 12.1 to 22.6 both begining from one Epocha viz. the second in such sort as the first as by comparing c. 4.1 with 10.8 Hence the second prophesie seems nor to be subsequent or sâ— bordinate to the first but coâ—ordinate thereto These two series of prophesies seems to be plainly intimated Rev. 10.11 Thou must prophesie again before many peoples nations and tongues q. d. thou hast prophesied once already by vertue of the vision of the seven seals and seven trumpets now thou must prophesie again a second time by vertue of the little book thou hast eaten up under which the Church is built up and preserved cap. 4 5 6 7 8 9. and distinctly how things shall be carried both in the Political and Ecclesiastical State and first in the Political State And that both in the first second and third period In the first period which by opening the first six seals is performed cap. 6. where in the first five seals is set forth the condition of the Church under the Heathen Emperors but in the sixth the full of Heathenism under the Christian Emperors from Constantine the great until the death or after the death of Theodosius is prefigured In brief the meaning of the first six seals is this That Prince of unspotted righteousness the rider of the white horse with his arrow and his bow in his hand aimeth at something of high importance and it is no less then what he promiseth his followers at their lowest ebb Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock for it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom and he hits the mark in the sixth Seal where the Pagan Empire is shattered to the purpose by Constantine turning Christian But to adorn the course of time till then by some prophetick Remarks the Riders of the Red Black and Pale Horses are brought in as also most concerningly the cry of the souls under the Altar whereby is denoted especially the reign of Dieclesian and that ten years unparalleld persecution then commencing which fifth Seal the rescuing of the Empire into the hands of Christ by the subversion of the Pagan power doth immediately succeed and is matter of the sixth Seal figured out by proper prophetical expressions as of a great earthquake the eclipse of the Sun and Moon and falling of the stars which Mr. Mede interprets to be when by Constantine the Great and his Sucessors there was such a mighty change and subversion of the Roman Heathenish affairs signified here by the great earthquake wherein all the heathenish gods were shaken from their heaven their Priests rejected and for ever deprived of their revenue their Idol Temples broken pulled down burnt demolished throughout the whole Roman world and the Emperors Kings and Potentates endeavouring to succour their indangered gods themselves subdued frighted put to flight at last none daring to defend their Roman Heathenish Religion so terribly crushed and fallen This is the first complement of Christs victory over the Roman heathenish Empire the foundation whereof Christ laid in the first Seal For the particular accommodation of events to the
particulars of the Text I refer the Reader to Mr. Joseph Mede in his Commentary upon the Apocalyps whose application is very orderly proper and articulate in the explication of the four first Seals where the lion on the east side of the Israelitish camp is applied to Christ the Prince from the East the nature of the lion being sutable to the thing signified in the vision viz. victory to him on the white horse and the like in the rest For so the Ox on the West side of the camp is applied to Trajan from the west the man on the South side to Septimius from the South and the Eagle on the North side to Maximinus from the North The natures also of the visions are sutable to the things that came to pass under those Emperors The mighty slaughters under Trajan and Adrian his successor are indigitated by the Oxe The exactness of administring justice and careful provision of Septimius and Alexander Severus by a man to whom numbring and measuring and administration of justice is so proper The extraordinary raging of the Famin Sword and Pestilence under Maximinus by the carnivorous Eagle that feeds upon dead Cakasses All which applications as they are easie natural and distinst so they are very weighty and worthy the Spirit of God and his holy Prophets to predict 2. In the second Period the seventh Seal is opened and seven Angels by seven Trumpets declare to the Roman Empire by seven judgements its ruine Cap. 8. Which plagues have been fulfilled The first Trumpet Trump 1. the Vision of it is hail and fire mingled with blood Rev. 8.7 which Haylstones and fire are symbols of hostile vengeance executed upon enemies this was fulfilled in the infestation of the Roman Empire from the year 395. to 406. partly by Alaricus and the Goths and partly by the Barbarous Nations under Ruduguisus and partly by the Vandals and Alans these are the Northern stormes of Hailestones with blood and fire that fell upon the Empire The vision of the second Trumpet Trump 2. is the burning mountain cast into the Sea which was sulfilled by Alaricus his taking and firing of Rome vers 8. upon which followed a continual spoyl of the Empire till it was dilacerated into ten Kingdoms for the Text saith the third part of the Sea became blood i. e. the extent of the Roman Dominion and the collection of the people therein which was a third part of the world was destroyed the head City being wasted the Barbarians at their pleasure wasted her Provinces deviding them into new Kingdomes The third part of the Creatures died i. e. the Armies of the Empire for its defence were irreparably ruined and the third part of the Ships destroyed i. e. all helps and means of traffique of supporting the power of the Empire being wofully lost Rome being first taken by Alarieus King of Goths Anno. 410. and after that the Roman Dominion was still miserably dilacerated till Anno. 445. Rome was taken again and spoyled by Genserius King of Vandalls and next year after the Kingdom as it were divided into ten Kingdomes foretold by Daniel and John viz. 1. Brittons 2. Saxons 3. Francks 4. Burgundians 5. Wisigoths 6. Sueves and Alans 7. Vandals 8. Alemuners 9. Ostrogoths 10. Grecians Trump 3. vers 10. The third Trumpet Vision is the great Star falling into the third part of the River burning like a Lamp the Comet Lampadius suppose properly so called This was fulfilled upon the Roman Empire in the extinction of the Western aesariate which was grown very low and obscure in those inconsiderable Emperors Avitus Majoranus Severns Authemius Olybrius Glycirius Nepos the immediate predecessors of Augustulus but fell quite and was extinct in this prince of sorrow bitterness and sad misfortunes whom Odoacer King of Heruli pulled out of his Throne 476. The fourth Trumpet Vision Trump 4. vers 12. is an Eclipse of the third part of the Sun Moon and Stars which proceeds further concerning Rome for this Trumpet exceeds the former and signifies that that light she shone with under the Ostrogoth Kings should be extinct and she should be dispoiled of Royal Majesty yea of Consulship and Authority of Senate which ill fate is very properly prefigured by the obscuration of Sun Moon and Stars for by these luminaâ—ies the Scripture sets out the power and Government of Cities or Kingdomes Esaia 13.10 60.20 Jer. 15.9 Ezek. 32.7 The fift Trumpet Vision is Trump 4. Cap. 9.1 2 3. the Key-bearer of the bottomless Pit and the Locusts this was fulfilled upon the Roman Empire by Mahomâ—t and the Saracens In the Application of which Vision Learned Mede is admirably critical and punctual The plague therefore of the fifth trumpet is that false light or pseud oprophet Mahomet sent down upon earth by the vengeance of God The star fallen from heaven is that false light or prophet Mahomet sent down upon earth by the vengeance of the God of heaven By the star here is meant say the Annotators upon the Bible Some Apostate Minister that fell from the true religion to Mahometism such as Sergius of Constantinople the Nestorian Monk and John of Antioâ—h the Arrian who are said to affist Mahomet in composing the lying Alcoran And so this Trumpet is expounded of Mahomet and the Saracens Vide Annâ—t on cap. 9. of Apoâ—alyps whose doctrine is the fume of the bottomless pit and his followers the Saracens the locusts here spoken of as 1. Comming out of Arabia as the Aegyptian locusts did that plagued the literal Aegypt 2. And then hugely numerous as the company of locusts use to be 3. And also making their stay fo which you may turn menses quinos by five moneths which is an allusion to the usual continuance of locusts Plin. 11.29 and answers in the prophetical sense to five moneths of years that is 150 years that these locusts infested Italy and to the twice 150 years that the Saracenical kingdom continued so properly are the five moneths applicable to them 4. As also their golden crowns to the multitude of their conquests they having subdued Palestine Syria both the Armeniaes the lesser Asia Persia India Aegypt Numinia Portugal Spain within the space of fourscore years 5. The Arabians whence the Saracens wore their hair tied up like women 6. The sound of the wings of their locusts Rev 9.9 which was as the sound of chariots and many horses running to battel doth fitly signifie the mighty and swift victories of the Saracens 7. As also their poisonous Scorpions tails do the venom of the old Serpent under the false religion of Mahometism For all those powers that are not under the kingdom of light are part of the powers of the prince of the dark kingdom the Devil 8. As is here intimated very clearly the King over them being the Angel of the bottomless pit vers 1â— though they pretend to be such zealous worshippers of that one true God
Constantiue the Great commeth to the Imperial seat the Dragon is overcome and Heathenism extirpated vers 4 and following In the second Period from the 400. years and upward Period 2. until the end of the 1200. and 60. years these seven concurrent times are described 1. The holy City is trodden under foot by the Gentiles 2. The two Witnesses cloathed with Sack-cloth Cap. 11. ver 2 3. to the 10th the explaining of which I refer to the 11. Chap. 3. The woman fled into the Wilderness and is fed there The primitive Church rescued from heathenish bondage fled into the wilderness i. e. into a midle estate not wholly hid and invisible nor yet gloriously visible but as it were in a middle condition betwixt both Rob. The two wings of a great Eagle given to the woman to by into the wilderness Mede refers to the Roman Empire whose Ensign is an Eagle and to the two Cesars of the Eastern and Western Empire divided as two wings by whose aid and protection the Church fled into her wilderness estate Cap. 12. verse 6. to 14. As Mary upon the birth of Christ fled from Herod into Aegypt So the Woman i. e. the Primitive Church notwithstanding the persecution of the Dragon having brought forth a man Child who was to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron which primarily belongs to Christ personal Psa 2. Secondarily to Christ mystical his Church and members which Christ mystical ruled all Nations by a rod of Iron subjugating the Roman Empire partly by a spiritual Gospelvictory promoted by Michael and his Angels against the Devil and his Angels rulers in that Empire partly by a corporeal conquest afterward when Christians prevailed and obtained such power and success under Constantine the great and his Successors fled into the Wilderness where she hath a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1200 and 60. days vers 6. which is again related v. 14. The meaning I conceive is this the Church though freed from heathenish tyranny yet is afresh imbarked in new troubles and persecutions by divers enemies Now during all this time the Church is in her wilderness condition as Israel of old was after their deliverance from Aegypt Thus take the parallel Israel delivered from Egyptian bondage under Pharoah fled towards the wilderness but was persued by Pharoah had liberty to worship God in the Wilderness where their Tabernacle was erected there Apostatized from God and his pure worship in the matter of the Calf Baalpeor Baalam c. and was there exercised with new troubles and afflictions of hunger thirst fiery Serpents and of divers enemies abode in the Wilderness 40. years during which space they made 42 journeys and stations from Aegypt to Jordan And at last all their enemies being subdued Numb 33. from 1. to 50. they quietly possessed the promised rest the Land of Canaan So the Church being freed from Heathenish Tyranny under the Red Dragon fled into the Wilderness but was persued and persecuted by the Dragon had liberty granted of worshipping God in the wilderness by the edicts of Christian Emperors and Kings who erected for them Temples or publique places for Christian worship yet in that her Wilderness estate she made many idolatrous defections Apostatizing from God and his pure worship especially to Antichristianisme Cap. 12.17 And the Dragon was wroth with the woman went to make war with the remnant of her seed c. Cap. 13.1 And I stood upon the sand of the Sea c. Mede saith the words are to be read not steti but stetit Cum Latinis omnibus Syre interpr i. e. The Dragon stood upon the sands i. to bring up this beast out of the sea to persecute the woman Further he saith v. 3. And I saw one of his heads wounded to death That the word vidi is not in some Editions as the Complutense reading the sentence thus The Dragon gave him his power seat and great authority and one of his heads wounded to death that it might be healed or that had been wounded to death and the healing of his wounds which is added this he either saw to be done while he was rising out of the sea or as soon as he was risen out of it is there exercised with new troubles and persecutions by the Dragon Beast and False Prophet abides in this Wilderness seat 42. moneths At last the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet with all her enemies being vanquished the Church obtaines the new Heavens and new Earth and reigns with Jesus Christ a thousand years yea for ever and ever the former and following series of this Prophecy clears this parallel This state of the Church seems to last till the seventh Trumpet So that to this day the Church is still in this Wilderness-condition but drawing towards the borders of a far happier estate 4. The beast with ten horns blasphemeth God and maketh war with the Saints cap. 13. v. 5 6 7. This ten horned Beast as was mentioned before is the Dragons Delegate or Substitute he is said to rise out of the Sea by Sea here understand that multitude of ten Kingdomes into which the Barbarians had shredded the whole compass of the Roman Territories out of all which the Dragon now endeavours to extract and of which to compose one Roman Dominion or that conflux of Armies and people striving in war like a tempestuous Sea He is said to have seven heads and so is the same beast cap. 17.3 compared with vers 9 10. His seven heads are interpreted by the Holy Ghost himself to be seven Mountains whereon the Royal Seat of the Empire of Rome was built and seven Kings or kindes of Government by which the Empire should be governed The names of blasphemy notes his blasphemous idolatries tending to the extream reproach of God his Religion and Saints his ten horns and upon his horns Voyce out of the Wilderness p. 38. ten crowns these signifie that he should not come to his crown by the strength of his Sword his Leaders and his Legions But of the crowns upon the hornes see another interpretation p. 90. as the Dragon did but by the base and voluntary submission of all the Caesars Kings and Princes as should with one Councel and Vote deliver up their authority and power secular to the devotion and pleasure of the beast therefore he wears his Diadems not upon his heads as the Dragon did but upon his Hornes and upon his Hornes ten crownes Which ten Hornes crowned say most Writers denote ten Kings or Kingdomes into which the Roman Empire of the sixth head was divived all which were to be conjoyned Mede in Cum. Apoc. part 2. cap. 13. into one for carrying of the whore These 10. horns thinks Mede belong not to all the seven heads but onely to the seventh because the heads flourishing the horns flourish the heads fulling the horns necessarily fall therewith Now these ten
the true mystery in the particular intended thereby I finde four opinions about it two of them more considerable 1. Opinion 2 Of those that labour to finde out such names especial in Greek or Hebrew in which tongues all the letters are numerals and fignifie some number or other as may agree to this Roman beast the numeral letters of which name or names may exactly amount to 666. and they especially pitch upon the name Latinos the numeral letters whereof come to 666. and multitudes of other names are found out to like purpose not only by modern but ancient writers but this opinion about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forbs saith is so childish an Egyptical toy that he marvels much how ever any solid mind could propound it for a rare point of wisdom And t is the saying of a learned English Writer Voice out of the wilderne s. long before Forbs if I mistake not They that have thought to calculate and find out the mystery of Antichrists number 666. in a word at a word he saith they are deceivd not knowing the power and construction of the Scripture Others hold Opin 2d that Antichrists power should begin Anno Dom. 666. so a late learned Writer hath referred the number 666. to the time of Antichrists revealing Mr Stevens upon the four metall Kingdoms So Ball and Bullinger which opinion is rejected by Pareus Comment Apocalyp and year of rising and coming to his full power and supremacy which was in Phocas his time and so would make the 1200 and 60 days to begin then Which saving my respect to such a learned man I judge cannot be the meaning of the mystery because the 1200 and 60. days and the Witnesses prophecying in sackcloth begin together Now the treading down of the holy City the time when the Witnesses began to prophesie in sackcloth and the womans flight into the wilderness where she was fed 1200 and 60 days is judged by the best Writers upon the Revelation to be after the death of Theodosius when the Roman Empire was overrun by the barbarous Nations which was long before Phocas his time A third third Opinion is also of a learned Writer Opinion 3d. To this way of Interpretation of the number 666. learned Marlorat agrees his words are these Losi hujus tot fere sunt expositiones qout exposiâ—ores And then reckons up and rejects some common opinions about it and then concludes thus Rectius ergo ad tempus Regni Antichristi nonnulli hunc numerum referunt Vt ad Regem Babylonicum dicebatur Numeravit Deus Rignum Tuum perfectissime numeravit illud Dan. 5.26 Nam completis 70 annis captivitatis populi ei per Jeremiam praedictus finis Regni illins aderat perendeigiture est ac si diecret Joannes quemadmodum humana regna dauturnae esse non possunt sed certum habent annorum numerum diviaitus constitatem ita Antichristi Regnum quod ad piorum consolutionem dictum est ne putent Antichristi regnum eternum fore Nam finem habiturum est regum Christi relique amnia cessara Felixagitur est qui numerum hune bestia intelligit cui a Deo datum cognoscere c. Ma lorat on Rev. 13.1 who queres for this Mey who wrote a Treatise many years ago Anno 1592 called Babylen is fallen to which he only sets two letters of his name T. L. and he interprets 666. to reveal Rev. 13.18 the secret counsel purpose of God concerning the period and final end of Antichrist and his Church dominion Where rejecting all opinions but this about it he saith 1. The word Number is never used in Scripture for the begining and rising of any term of time limited and predicted by the Prophets but onely for the end period and determination thereof 2. He calls it the number of a man by man saith he is meant the total sum of that succession of beastly men which make and constitute the existence and person of one Antichrist and by the word number is meant the fatal end and fual determination of their raign and government for so the Finger of God speaketh to Belshazer God hath numbred thy Kingdom i. e. God hath ended and finished the days of thy Kingdom So that by the number of the beast is nothing else but the Period and Final determination of the usurped tyranny and damnation of Antichrist which the Lamb the Lord and preserver of Israel for the glory of his name consolation of his Church and confusion of her foes shall bring to pass in the year which shall be 666. 3. He saith for as much as the Egge of Antichristianisme was laid in the days of Innocent tha first successor to Anastasins the first also of that name in Anno. 406. And that by express Commission there was furthermore granted to the beast his heirs and successors 1260. years for the hatching fostring and perfecting this child of perdition and mystery of iniquity which being added to 406. by rule of true audit must needs verifie this admirable judgen ent which the Spirit of God hath here denonnced and determined to make good upon him in the year which shall be 1666. In which account and discovery of his end the Holy Ghost of purpose leaves out the millenary number as not onely known perfect and immutable but as respecting also the common use of all Nations as well Hebrews as Gentiles who in their stiles for brevity sake do no less often speak and write by the imperfect number omitting the millenary then after the perfect adding the millenary as Munster well observes 4. Vide Calindarium Hebraicum Sebastiani Munsteri This learned Author triumphantly concludes this his interpretation in these words to the Church of Rome And in that year shall my Lord of Rome lay down his proud waves and although he fortifie never so strong and lay his foundation as low as Hell and build his Turrets as high as Heaven and place his Mitre above the Stars yet in that day he shall die the death of the uncircumcised and perish like the Amorite whose fruit is destroyed from above and root from beneath Amos 2.9 and the multitude of his offences shall consume the multitude of his Forces And it shall be more possible for him and easie to him to weigh the fire or measure the wind or call again the day that is past or recover the virdure of the withered grass as a holy one saith then to avoia this counsel and decree of his downfal here determined by the spirit a gainst him saying And the number of him is 666. This interpretation is very pleasing Qui numerum hunc besti a intelligit ae Deo datum est cognoscere c. Ibid. Marlorat and would be less questioned then the former if it did agree with the beginning of the verse which the Author calls a little short Preface of the Holy Ghost to prepare his Reader to attention Here
raised to life As the natural earthquake shakes the earth so mystical earthquakes make Kingdomes quake with wars and troubles Annot. on Bible and ascend into heaven there is a great earthquake i.e. great commotion of the Nations a great resurrection and combustion in the Roman Empire a great mutation and change of Political affairs a great turn of the times Which great commotion of the Nations and strange turn of things makes way for the resurrection of the Witnesses and their restoring to life again with so great an increase of honour and esteem The effect of which great earthquake is the fall of the tenth part of the City and the slaughter of 7000 names of men Now that we may come as near to the true sense and meaning of these words as possibly we can I will lay down and prove two things which will be good grounds to go upon in the explication of the Text. 1. Because no judgement can befal the Beast but what is contained in some of the Vials This same ruine of Rome here described belongs to the fifth Vial the proof of which is there is the same subject of the plague in both places viz. in this 11. chap. and in chap. 16. here t is the great City there it is the throne and seat of the Beast for Rome the great City to be the seat of the beast is so well known that it needs no proof It is further proved because the ruine that is here described doth so nearly precede the total destruction of the Beast at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet as nothing is said to intervene or come between but the passing away of the second wo. But now to the total abolition of the Beast is necessary the pouring out of the seventh Vial to the passing away of the second wo or that plague from Euphrates is necessary the pouring out of the fixt Vial therefore the destruction of the great City which goes next before the passing away of the second wo doth belong to the fifth Vial. 2. The second thing premised and proved in order to the interpretation of this verse is this viz. The â—â—ipe of the great City in vers 13. is the very same destruction of Babylon which is prophefied of c. 18. which I prove thus because it is certain from that Chapter that that very same destruction of Babylon or of the City of Rome doth go before the full destruction of the Beast and the beginning of Christs glorious Kingdom at the founding of the seventh Trumpet But now the destruction of the City which is here declared doth so nigh antecede that very Kingdom of Christ that the Spirit of God making mention of no other destruction between passeth immediately to that kingdom and the description of the seventh Trumpet Therefore one and the same destruction of that City must of necessity be described in both for who can imagine or beleive that the holy Ghost should altogether pass by the greatest destruction of all and make mention of some lesser slaughters between no way to be compared to it These things being so it follows then that the Interpretation of these words be levelled to this rule and as it were tried by this touchstone and so to seek such a sense and meaning of these words as doth best agree with the description of that destruction of Babylon which with what reason may be we may now see Besides the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fell must needs note some effect of an Earthquake cannot agree to this Interpretation And the touth part of the City fell By which I conceive is not meant the tenth out of many Kingdoms given to the Pope now taken from him for then the word should be rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor yet the ten Kingdoms or any of them subject to the Dominion of the City of Rome who in this commotion of the Nations fall off from the Papal State and will be subject to it no longer But by this ΔΕΚΑΤΟΠthis tenth part of the City I agree with Mede is meant the fall and destruction of whole Rome the City that now is which is but the tenth part of that which it was when it was in its glory The City of Rome that now is in regard of the old City of Rome when she was in her flourishing condition is but the tenth part as the same is proved by Lipsius The holy Ghost in the words intimates as much Admirand lib. 3. So much of the great City as was remaining when the great earthquake came at that time was ruined viz. the tenth part of the City for nine parts many ages before were fallen partly by the desolations of war brought upon it so many times by the barbarous nations and partly decayed and worn away with time and partly destroyed with lightning and tempest the tenth was reserved for the fate of the Papal state the mother of Harlots which by this earthquake at the resurrection of the Witnesses shall be utterly destroyed It is added And in the earthquake wire slain of men Greek names of men seven thousand Note here the Text doth not say 7000 are slain by the fall of the City but 7000 are slain in the earthquake which earthquake is to shake down the whole kingdom of the Beast throughout the world therefore by the 7000 men must not be understood I conceive so many individual persons For t is not likely the pouring out of the Vial upon the throne of the Beast will pass away with so small a slaughter of men Sure we are shaking down of the whole kingdom of the Beast the total destruction of Babylon Chap. 16. which the holy Ghost intimates by this earthquake elsewhere in the Revelation will not be without the slaughter of a far greater number then 7000 men To satisfit this doubt therefore we must consider what may be meant by the City here and what by the names of men First The City or great City hath a double acceptation in these Prophesies Being taken either for First The Royal City of the Beast viz. the City of Rome called the throne or seat of the Beast upon which the fifth Vial is poured out or Secondly for the Citizens or for the Romish City constituted of the Pope and his Cardinals and the whole troop of the Romish clergy who Rome being destroyed burnt to ashes and levelled to the ground not to be inhabited any more shall betake themselves to another habitation and so shall be reserved to the last Vial at the pouring out of which it is said besides the destruction of others of all lands Nations and Cities in this earthquake so great as never was such since man was upon the face of the earth great Babylon came into remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath For that burning and destruction of Babylon taken for the Royal City of
the beast that is described Chap. 18 and 19. doth altogether precede the destruction of the beast and the False Prophet as is manifest in the Text. To sum up all in a word happily it may so come to pass that that first destruction of Babylon viz. of the City of Rome may be without any very great slaughter at least without the total destruction of the Citizens for though the City be utterly destroyed yet a great part of the Citizens may fly from the destruction of the City timely consulting their own safety or for some other cause which the event will make manifest and thus the doubt or scruple concerning the small number of the slain may be satisfied 2. And will yet more fully if we consider what number may be designed in the words names of Men. Names of men may be taken for eminent and renowned Men high and great persons cheif heads of Noble Families Names of men is as much as to say men of name An Hypallage frequent in Scripture as silver Shekels for Shekels of silver Levit. 5. the Law of righteousness for the righteousness of the Law Rom. 9. Riches of grace for rich grace Ephes 1. So names of men may here be put for men of name persons of great honor and dignity in opposition to men without name base and ignoble Persons Job 30. According to this interpretation which nothing can be said against Names of Men signifing high and great persons suppose they be of the Popish Ecclesiastical Order whom we call Church men by great names and titles distinguished from the inferiour Clergy if 7000 of these be slayn how many of a lower rank and order which the Holy Ghost would not so much as count or reckon Besides this there may another interpretation be given of Names of Men viz. Companies and Societies of men which are wont to be called by proper names as well as particular men as Cities Towns Parishes Villages Monasteries and Nunneries and what are these if we consider the Matter but names of men as the Roman name is put for the Romans themselves the Thebane Polity is called the Thebane name what is therefore the Names of those humane Societies whether they be either of Rome or in that they call the Church State be the 7000 in this great Earthquake to be slain i. e. subdued by the adverse power which the Scripture useth to call death but we must not rashly determine any thing in a thing to come the best commentary of a Prophecy is the fulfilling of it but I bring these things to shew that of these words a larger sense may be given then is commonly conceived When the word Name in Scripture doth not use to be restrained to one single signification neither are Names of men joyned together in any place of Scripture but in this neither is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Names taken simply for particular single persons but onely in two places Acts 1.15 Rev. 3.4 in other places it hath several significations It follows And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven i. e. the rest of the Bestian party are amazed and terrified and thereby compelled to acknowledge the just judgements of God which he hath poured out upon them and to confess their sins which to do is to give glory to God Vers 14. The second we is past and be bold the third we cometh quickly The Second we is past the meaning is this great Earthquake continues to the end of the second we or of the sixth Trumpet together with which is to be finished the Prophecying of the mourning Witnesses For after so great a Victory over the beast and their ascending up into the Church-Heaven with so great honour they put on their mourning weeds no more But now if this second wo or plague of the sixth Trumpet be the Turks from Euphrates flowing in upon and over-running the Roman Empire in times past as was interpreted Chap. 9. it cannot be but the passing away of this second wo must be the overthrow of the Turkish Empire the drying up of the waters of Euphrates at the end of the pouring out of the fifth Vial whereby way is made for the coming of the Kings of the east cap. 16.12 At which coming of the Kings of the East least there should be left too wide a space betwixt both Trumpets the seventh Trumpet seems to begin Hiatus And so the wonderful preparation of the beast and false Prophet to the Armageddon Battel Cap. 16.13 together with the event thereof at the pouring out of the last Vial vers 17. must be made to begin at the sounding of the seventh trumpet And truely it seems very congruous that the preparation to the Battel as well as the battel it self should appertain to the same Trumpet but here an objection must be removed out of the way viz. Object Whether the Beasts 42 months and the Witnesses 1200 and 60 days are one and the same terme but now these days of the mourning Witnesses ending at the passing away of the sixth trumpet plague or second we It may very well be asked why the months of the beasts may not be supposed to be longer when after this time so great a part of the beast still remaines not to be quite abolished till the beginning of the seventh Trumpet It may be answered Answ This may be either because at the calling of the Jews there called the Kings from the East a new kingdom begins Or because in the duration of the beasts reign there is an ey or respect chiefly to the Empire of the City of Rome but now this great Royal City of the Beast in this Earthquake is taken demolished So that the Beast from thenceforth shall have changed his form when he is driven from his Metropolis it can no longer be counted which is the signification of his other seven heads a seven-mountained Kingdom Behold the third wo comes quickly This begins at the sound of the seventh Trumpet Wherefore these words immediately follow Verse 15. And the seventh Angel sounded And the seventh Angel sounds a Jubilee and then there be great proclamations and acclamations in heaven Called by some Divines the wo-joy Trumpet that the kingdoms of the world are the kingdoms of Christ and whereas before the Devil Dragon and Beast and his horns reigned now Christ takes to himself his great power and reigneth for which the whole Church under the type of 24. Elders praise him though the Nations be angry as they ever are when Christ puts forth his just power Verse 15 16 17 18. He now gives reward unto his servants the Prophets c. and destroys them that destroyed the earth that is he ruines the wicked and Idolatrous generation of Antichrist who wasted his Church before ver 18. His tabernacle is now open in heaven and the ark of his testimony seen ver 19. i.e. Christ represented by the ark is clearly manifested before