omission of this warning it is said that his Bloud shall be upon the Prophet And chap. 14. 19. even natural death where there is no effusion of bloud is so expressed Or if I send pestilence into the land and pour out my fury upon it in bloud to cut off from it man and beast Upon which Grotius rightly out of the Chaldee Paraphrast Omne mortis immaturae genus Sanguis Hebraeis Bloud therefore signifies Death and bloudy dead because as it is written In the bloud thereof is the life thereof And answerably to this * Onirocrit c. 103. Achmetes according to the sense of the Aegyptians and Persians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the letting out his bloud must be his death and in Analogie the destroying the strength of any thing or that power or virtue whereby it is what it is is the death of that thing not considering whether it be animate or inimate 13. Bow and Arrows They naturally signifie the aiming at some thing and the hitting the mark the enjoying the scope of our enterprises But it may more peculiarly refer to Victory in war and the rather because they are warlike weapons Achmetes out of the Onirocriticks of the Aegyptians and Persians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onirocrit 249. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man dream he holds in his hand Bow and Arrows he shall victoriously insult over his enemies Buildings Achmetes according to the sense of the Indian Interpreter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If one dream he is in an house of Marble or Stone it imports long life and riches where thieves cannot break through nor steal Burial For a dead body to be unburied it may have a two-fold signification either of a more infamous death or of hope of recovering into life According to the first is that of Ecclesiasâ—…es If a man beget an hundred Chap. 6. 3. children and live many years and his soul be not filled with good and also that he have no burial I say that an untimely birth is better then he Otherwise not to be buried may signifie onely that what the Vision portends will not be quite finished Burial being the consummation of all even of Death it self Whence Leonas Syrus dreaming that he was dead but not buried Artemidorus interprets it of that Event viz. that he was Artemidor lib. 4 c. 84. victorious but not crown'd But Menander of Smyrna dreaming also that he was buried was also crowned Victor at the Olympick Games Wherefore not to be buried in Visions that portend good is bad in those that portend bad is good And Achmetes expresly according to the sense of the Indian Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If there be any thing wanting whereby the Interrement is hindered it signifies hope of recovery to life CHAP. VI. 1. Candle 2. Character 3. Clouds of Heaven 4. Crown of precious Stones 5. Darkness Day Death 6. Desart 7. Dragon a figure of the Devil according to the ancient Cabbala and then of the chief Polities that oppose the Church 8. Drunkenness 9. Eagle Earth-quake 10. Eclipses 11. Eye an Hieroglyphick of Counsel and Prudence 12. Fishing Fish dead in the Sea 13. Fire the different significations thereof 14. Fire from Heaven its exact significancy of Excommunication 15 16. Flesh two notable significations thereof 17. Floud Fornication Frogs 18. Gemms and precious Stones God 1. CAndle Candle seems to signifie the prosperous state of things in this world Job 18. Yea the light of the wicked shall be put out and the spark of his fire shall not shine The light shall be dark in his Tabernacle and his candle shall be put out And chap. 29. O that I were as in months past as in the days when God preserved me when his candle shined upon my head and by his light I walked through darkness The like prosperous success the Psalmist also denotes by the same figure Psal. 18. For thou wilt light my candle the Lord my God will make my darkness to be light in his Song of thanksgiving for his deliverance out of the hand of Saul Astrampsychus and Nicephorus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Artemidorus lib. 2. c. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Candle seen burning bright in the house portends good the increase of riches and plenty Lastly Achmetes according to the meaning of the Aegyptians and Persians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the same Chapter again he saith That the lighting up of Lights signifies joy and chearfulness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the extinction of them against a mans will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affliction and distress from a mans enemies proportionable to the darkness 2. Character That Servants and Souldiers received Marks upon their foreheads and hands whereby it might be known to whom they did belong is a piece of indisputable Antiquity there being sufficient testimony thereof in Authours See what is congested in Mr. Mede and Grotius upon Apocal. 13. But in the Prophetick style it does not imply that there is any visible mark in the hand or on the head of those that are said to be marked but onely that there is an open profession of belonging to them whose mark they are said to receive For they are onely Types of Propriety and are no more to be conceived to be really impressed upon them that are said to bear them then those whole Kingdoms of men that are called Beasts in the Prophetick style are to be imagined to be metamorphozed into Bears or Leopards For all these are Typical Attributes not Real 3. Clouds of Heaven In the Scripture-phrase they seem to signify Power and great Glory Achmetes Chap. 194. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the mind of the Persians and Aegyptians And Chap. 162. according to the Aegyptians Persians and Indians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And again in the same Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense of all which is this That the riding upon the Clouds and ascending into Heaven signifies honourable prosperity and success against our enemies and enlargement of power and dignity 4. Crown of Gemms and precious Stones Achmetes out of the Onirocriticks of the Indians Chap. 247. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the force of the Interpretation bears most upon the Gemms or precious Stones they being the Emblems of Riches Height and Honour They have also a more Mystical meaning in this very Chapter and signify 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness of Divine doctrine or Truth But Chap. 248. they are onely interpreted of worldly things according to the mind of the Aegyptians and Persians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. Pearls and precious Stones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he has got abundance of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall find proportionable riches and honour 5. Darkness See Candle and Eye Day See Time Death Death is a dissolution of Body and Soul and therefore properly belongs onely to a natural Animal but by Analogie may be transferred to all Bodies Politick which the Prophetick
a Decreer of Idolatrous practices and a publisher of Doctrines of Adulterate Worship Whence the fifth Agreement of our first Parallelism is manifest both the Whore and the Two-horned Beast being found Introducers of Idolatry under pretence of promoting Christianity 6. That was the meaning of the Lamb-like Horns and Dragon's speech of the Two-horned Beast But concerning his rising up out of the Earth which is peculiar to him other Beasts being described both in Daniel and the Apocalyps to rise out of the Sea the Winds also bustling against one another on the surface thereof in those four Beasts in Daniel this discovereth this Beast to be quite of another kind getting up not by War nor by power of the Sword as the Potentates of the world doe but in a more still and concealed way and from a meaner condition Cui origo privata Apoc. 13. 11. non publica saith Grotius and he addes further Mos est Hebraeorum vocare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populum terrae And Molinaeus also upon the Text Sic Latini homines novos ex sordibus provectos ad nobilitatem opes vocant Terrae filios ipsáque Scriptura dicit Deum attollere humilem expulvere Which how true it is of the Whore and the Two-horned Beast every one knows CHAP. XIII Vâ—…r VI. What is meant by the Martyrs of Jesus 2. The sixth Agreement of the first Parallelism Ver. VII That the Woman is not Rome Heathen demonstrable from the Beast that carries her 2. That she rides the whole Empire 3. That the Two Horns of the Beast are the Two Imperial Patriarchates but by an Henopoeia may glance also at the Power of Binding and Loosing and at the Horns of the Episcopal Mitre 4. The seventh Agreement of the first Parallelism 5. The first Agreement of the second Ver. VIII What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. That the end of the Vision of the Beast in this Chapter is to represent the Empire in that Succession wherein it is Pagano-Christian 3. That the prolixity of the Title hinders not but that it may be called the Name of the Beast 4. The meaning of the Name 5. That the Angel having considered the whole Successions of the Roman Kingdom or Empire fixed his mind on that time the Empire was purely Christian and why And that is thence appears what succession of the Beast's time is understood 6. As likewise from his name a little varied into Was is not and yet is Whence the fifth Agreement of the second Parallelism is also evinced 7 8. How the Angel came to give the Beast these Names And that there is an Ellipsis in the Angel's saying The Beast which thou sawest was and is not c. 9. That the Name Was and is not and shall ascend c. signifies the successive Order in being not the actual being or not being of the Beast with a confirmation thereof out of Alcazar 10. A plain Eviction from the Name Was is not and yet is that Was and is and is not do not signifie actual Existence or Non-existence but order of Existence and Similitude 11. That Is not and yet is would neither be good sense nor any elegancy unless the Laws of a right Contradiction were closely touched on in this mysterious Assertion 12. And yet that an absolute Sameness in either Essence or Qualification could not be under this affirmation and negation without falsity Whence Similitude is necessarily intimated thereby 13. That the certainty of the meaning of this Title Was is not and yet is confirms the sense of the former and demonstrates a latitant Ellipsis in the Application of these Names of the Beast which is farther argued from other considerations 14. Why he interprets the Re-existence or Image of the Beast of the Empire 's becoming Idolatrous again rather then of the Revival of its ancient Polity in the Pontifical Power 15. The third Agreement of the second Parallelism 16. The sixth Agreement 17. The seventh 18. The eighth Agreement 19. The third Agreement again noted with a Confirmation therefrom of the above-mentioned Ellipsis 20. That near Resemblance stands for Identity in common elegancy of speech Whence The Beast that was is not and yet is and the Image of the Beast is again evinced to be all one and the fifth Agreement of our second Parallelism thereby farther confirmed Ver. VI. ANd I saw the Woman drunk with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus that is to say with the bloud of the Saints which were the Martyrs of Jesus Which were not Martyrs for the Doctrine of this or that seducing Spirit or false Teacher who might besot them with a foolish confidence and hardy resolution of laying down their life to witness to a Lie cunningly contriv'd for the Interest Advantage of the Inventours of it No these were the close followers of the Lamb Jesus Christ and trode in his footsteps onely and in the footsteps of them that faithfully followed him I mean the Apostles according to their own direction Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. And him they did follow through prosperity and adversity through good report and 1 Cor. 11. 1. evil report through life and death it self 2. Whose Death is imputed here to the Whore because she by her counsel and animation stirs up the Seven-headed Beast to this Murther and Bloud-shed Accordingly as it is said of the Two-horned Beast that he gave life and animation to this revived Beast and made this breathing Image speak and cause as many as would not worship that is obey and submit to the commands of the Image of the Beast even in those things wherein it was the slain Beast's Image viz. in Idolatry that they should be killed Which is plainly the sixth Agreement of our first Parallelism Ver. VII I will tell thee the mystery of the Woman and of the Beast that carrieth her Which Mystery of the Woman he unlocks by unfolding first the order and succession of the Beast that carrieth her for that is a demonstration that it is not meant of Rome Pagan as I have clearly proved in the eleventh Chapter of this Book and consequently that the meaning of this Mystery of the Whore's Title which displays her nature is such as I have declared upon the Fifth verse in the fore-going Chapter 2. Here we shall onely note that her riding of the Beast implies her to be such a Polity as had the Governance of the whole Empire was not confined to one part thereof As he that rides an Horse is not conceived to ride one part of him and leave the other unridden but to ride the whole So the Whore rides the whole Beast that is the whole Empire as well Oriental as Occidental Which agrees with the description of the Two-horned Beast whom I conceive to be so depainted in the Vision because of the two Imperial Patriarchates the one at Rome the other at
by their recourse to the Bloud of Christ by which they are justifi'd and freed from that blind bondage they were held in under those hard Task-masters that the Concinnity is marvellous to consider the Type being so clear a Prophecy of what has happened within these last Ages in breaking from that Tyrannicall bondage of the Italian Pharaoh But such Instances as these are infinite 6. The next obscuring Scheme is Ellipsis which is an omission of some word or words which are requisite to determine the sense Examples of Ellipses occurre every-where in the Old Testament in the Psalms Job and other Books But by an Ellipsis here I understand not merely the defect of something to make up the full sense but such an artificial defect as shall make the sense seem compleat without the supplement understood For that seems to be the Genius of these Apocalyptick Visions especially that they are made so as to seem very trim and express very complete and articulate in the very outward Cortex as a Book that has some pleasing Embellishments on the back-side as well as the History of truth within 7. Which I little doubt but may be alluded to in that expression concerning this Volume of Visions that it was * Revel 5. 1. written within and without according to the ancient manner of the Cabbalistick Mysteries Touching which Traditions Parmenides had got that Principle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That there is a twofold traditionary Knowledge the one Truth it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Daniel in counterdistinction to his Aenigmatical Visions the other Types or Parables accommodate to the conceit and gust of the Vulgar S. Hierom also Rupertus and several others understand this being written within and on the back-side of a Literal and Mystical sense Grotius pretends the Text is not rightly comma'd but reads it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Written within and sealed on the back-side As if there were any Books written on the back-side and sealed within So unfortunate an Interpreter of the Apocalyps is the great Hugo even in lesser matters But to return to the matter in hand 8. The difference of those two kinds of Ellipses we have described may be seen in these Examples Exod. 3. where Moses asking God his Name he returns this answer I am that I am which is an Elliptical speech and fully supplied is My Name is I am that I am Something like this is that also in the * Chap. 1. 4. Apocalyps Grace to you and peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were more full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But these Ellipses are such that they discover the defect of what is to be supplied But sometimes it is not so as Apocal. 17. 8. The Beast which thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and goe into perdition And a little after When they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is Which seems a smooth entire sense in the exteriour Cortex of the Prophecy whenas no good sense at all can be made of it unless there be conceived some such Ellipsis as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to have been thus express had laid this Mystery over-open which ought to be in a greater measure concealed and therefore it was thus carefully lock'd up in this Prophetick Ellipsis Of which Text more fully in its proper place 9. Homonymia is the Diversity of significations in one and the same Symbol whereof one alone is to be understood else it were coincident with an Henopoeia of the second kind Which Homonymia may fall out ex accidenti and is of no greater difficulty then that ordinary Homonymia of words whose sense the consideration of the contexture of things will determine or else it may be intended of set purpose to make up a more gracefull insculpture upon the external Cortex of a Vision As in the Vision of the Witnesses I suspect that the three days and an half that they lie dead in the street do not signify as in the beginning of that Vision three years and an half but three times and an half that is 1260 years Nay that they do signify so I do confess I do more then suspect am indeed well assured in my own judgement of the truth thereof But whether there be any likelihood of their signifying also three years and an half Events will better determine Which if they did there would not be a simple Homonymia in this Symbol of three days and an half but an Henopoeia of the second kind 10. Metalepsis is a Prophetick Scheme whereby an Effect or Event is transferred or communicated to some eminent Person merely or at least mainly because the place and time is coincident with his and there is the same reason of Things This Scheme I must confess is very Poetical but not unelegant nor unusuall Like to this is that of Virgil Candidus auratis aperit cùm cornibus annum Taurus and again Libra dies somnique pares ubi fecerat horas Where Taurus and Libra because they are then in conjunction with the Sun have attributed to them or transferred upon them those Effects which really are the Sun 's onely and not theirs But that there is such a Metalepsis as I have described in the Prophetick style that one example of the Rider of the red Horse in the * Chap. 6. 4. Apocalyps will make good who is armed with a great sword in his hand and is said to take peace from the Earth Whenas nothing else is signified but that in this Emperour's time there would be very furious killing and slaying in the Empire though by no fault of his For it is said they should kill one another as if the Text on purpose did cast in that key for the opening the meaning of the Vision as Mr. Mede has judiciously observed Whose interpretation of the First six Seals is so solid that it is impossible I think taking all things together for any unprejudiced Reader not to be assured of the truth of them Whence it is that I am so well assured of this present Prophetick Figure I have set down 11. Antichronismus is an obscurative Scheme in Prophecy which sets down one measure of time for another as a Week for Seven years as in Daniel a Month for Thirty years a Day for a Year Which Figure seems to be used in the Apocalyptick Visions not onely for concealment sake but for proportion and Decorum that the external Cortex of the Prophecies may not want their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that winning and pleasing Credibility of Story Wherefore these Antichronismi are a necessary Consequence of that Prophetick Henopoeia that contracts vast Empires and other Bodies Politick with their long Successions into the figure or shape of Beasts or single Persons whence that the duration of their lives may not be over-proportionated to their nature it was necessary to declare their
consopite in both whence these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Achmetes the question is not concerning the Principle from whence or the manner how these divinatory Impresses come but what they represent or signifie which if it be granted that they prefigure rightly and unforcedly such or such things in Dreams it is manifest that they will doe the same in Visions For I speak of such Impresses as have not the nature of the Effects of Complexion or of any other natural Cause but of a mere Type or Prefiguration Wherefore it will not be impertinent to adjoyn sometimes the suffrage of these Onirocritical Writers to what weight we produce out of Scripture and from Reason for the interpreting of such Symbols or Iconisms as we shall comprise in our Prophetick Alphabet which I shall now exhibit to view 5. Angels There is such frequent mention of the Ministery of Angels in the Apocalyps and the Presidency there so prefixed to every thing that I cannot omit to take notice of this Scheme amongst the rest though peradventure it does not fall so right under the notion of an Icasmus they being rather the Instruments of Divine Providence then the Emblem of it But if we reflect upon their vulgar representation which doubtless took its ground from the Mosaick Cherubims how well they are appointed with wings for the quicker dispatch of those services that are expected of them they are not unsignificative of that Wisdom that is * Wisd. 8. said to be more quick and moving then any motion and to reach from one end to another mightily and sweetly to order all things But that Angels are in these Apocalyptick Visions so constantly and particularly set over every negotiation of Divine Providence is exceeding consonant to the sense of Daniel as in that great change of Nebuchadnezzar's condition which is said to come to pass by the decree of the Watchers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeks would say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excubitores or Vigiles by which are understood Angels and also to the sense of the ancient Cabbala that makes the number Seven a Symbol of the Sabbatism of God wherein he rests from his works and calls that number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in relation to this employment of these Excubitores or Vigiles these holy Angels whom God imploys in the administration of his Providence 6. Ascension into Heaven A Kingdom or Polity being so expresly resembled to the World or Universe as we shall see under that Title it is an easie Analogie to parallel the Heavens to the high Places and Dignities of it According to this sense is that of * Chap. 14. 12. Esay How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the morning For thou hast said in thy heart I will ascend into Heaven c. Aspiraveras ad summam dignitatem so Vatablus And Achmetes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onirocrit c. 161. And in the following Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus Achmetes out of the writings of the Indians Persians and Aegyptians All which does expressly declare that Ascending into Heaven signifies the acquisition or increase of Political Dignities and Honours 7. Air. That the Air is taken for the place of the Empire of the Devil appears from Ephes. 2. And you who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in times past you walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Air the spirit that now worketh in the children of Unbelief that is to say in Infidels such as have not submitted themselves to the Kingdom of God but serve Idols and walk after the lusts of their own mind Upon which place Drusius out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sciendum à terra usque ad Expansum omnia plena esse turmis ac praefectis According to which opinion of the Hebrew Rabbins the Apostle again speaks Chap. 6. For we wrastle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against the Rulers of the darkness of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against those that hold fast the Rule of this lower world this dark caliginous Air 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against wicked Spirits or Devils in these Aereal places For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is but to the same sense that Expansum is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the space from the clouds downward as it is limited Gen. 1. Else how could these wicked Spirits be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as both Peter and Jude declare of them But enough of this and the rather because where Air occurs in the Prophetick Visions in this sense we have spoke of it is rather an ordinary Metonymie then an Icasmus 8. Balance That a Balance should signifie Justice is obvious to any one to conceive it being a main Instrument of commutative Justice and a fit Emblem of exactly weighing out and sharing all things or rather dispensing all things accurately Achmetes out of the Indian Onirocriticks chap. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I omit to transcribe how he refers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scales to the Ears of the Judge and the Weights in these Scales to the matter pleaded on both sides for him to ponder with an indifferent hearing And again in the same Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more particularly he descants upon the condition of the Scales and Beam but here is enough already to shew how confessed an Emblem a Balance is of Justice And he insinuates the same of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Measures 9. Beast What a plain resemblance there is betwixt a Body Politick and a living Creature S. Paul copiously declares 1 Cor. 12. And it is a thing easie to conceive that as in a Creature that has life there are distinctly-framed parts so ordered one in reference to another that they are all to be moved for the good of the whole by that power that resides in the Brain in virtue of the spirits pervading throughout so in a Polity that there are several Orders and Ranks of men held together by one common Law which is as the life and spirit of the Body Politick and to be moved and directed for the common good by the command and appointment of the Sovereign Power which is the Head of this Kingdom or Polity Wherefore it is no wonder that Men or Nations thus framed into a Body Politick which is called a Kingdom be represented in Daniel under the resemblance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living Creatures but such as are rightly translated by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ferae wild Beasts they being such that appear in those Visions Of which Grotius upon Dan. 7. where there is mention of the four great Beasts ascending out of the Sea Ideo Bestiae saith he quia Idololatrica erant Imperia ut notat hîc Jacchiades
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal. 12. that great red Dragon with seven Heads is so called from his Sanguinolency But that his Seventh head 's growing out of this red body signifies that this Beast will be cruel also under the Seventh Head and that this Cruelty it self is part of the Image of the Beast this every one has not noted 5. Resurrection That the Resurrection of the dead has a Political sense as well as a Theological or Physical may appear plainly from Ezekiel 37. 9. Then said he unto me Prophesy unto the wind prophesy son of man and say to the wind Thus saith the Lord God Come from the four winds O breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live So I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood upon their feet an exceeding great army That this is to be understood in a Political sense concerning the restoring of the people of Israel to their own Land out of thraldome and captivity is plain from the very mouth of God himself in the following verses Then he said unto me Son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel Behold they say Our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Therefore prophesy and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel Whence it is plain that to be cut off to be slain and to rise from the dead has as I said a Political sense as well as a Natural or Theological and that Resurrection is a Recuperation of such rights and liberties as have been taken away and a deliverance from persecution affliction and bondage Achmetes cap. 5. according to the Indian doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And cap. 6. according to the doctrine of the Persian Onirocriticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And lastly according to the Aegyptians c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense of all which put together is That the dreaming of men rising from the dead signifies the execution of Justice and deliverance from war bondage and affliction 6. Rivers A River has a double consideration The first in respect of its Original and its recourse thither which is hinted Ecclesiast 1. 7. All the Rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full unto the place from whence the Rivers come thither they return again According to which consideration supposing the Sea a Type of the Extent of the Jurisdiction or Empire of any Potentate as it indeed is Rivers will signifie any Emissary Powers from thence whether Armies or Provincial Magistrates or what Agents abroad soever that are under this chief Power and so act in reference to it These may according to exact Analogie be called Rivers because both themselves and their affairs have recourse to the main Sea the amplitude of that Jurisdiction to which they belong Achmetes c. 178. according to the mind of the Indians Persians and Aegyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense of which is That any great King is resembled by the Sea I suppose he means his Kingdom and as all Rivers run into the Sea so the wealth of the world to him And again to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That new Rivers running into the Sea signify new Revenues accruing to the King or Kingdom from people afar off suppose made Provinces by his power 7. The other consideration of Rivers is their limpidness and irrigation but in this respect they have either a Spiritual sense or more Mundane The former appears from what our Saviour hath said John 7. 38. He that believes in me out of his belly shall flow Rivers of water This he spake of the Spirit which they that believed in him should receive The fruit of which Spirit as it is communicable to the generality of the Church is Righteousness Peace and Joy according to that Onirocritical solution of Astrampsychus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of this Water our Saviour Christ John 4. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Like that in Esay 58. And thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not But Waters are also meant of worldly affluency Jerem. 31. 12. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Sion and shall flow together for the goodness of the Lord for wheat and for wine and for oil and for the young of the flock and of the herd and their soul shall be as a watered garden and they shall not sorrow any more at all Achmetes c. 176. according to the Aegyptian Solutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rivers that water the soil are interpreted of mans livelihood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If one sees a River that uses to water the country dried up it portends death sorrow and affliction 8. Saints The first style of Saintship belongs to the Israelites who were a separate people set apart from other Nations and made holy to the Lord by adhering to that Law he gave them not contaminating themselves with the Idolatrous Institutes of the Gentiles Deuteron 33. 2. The Lord came from Sinai and rose from Seir unto them he shined from mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of Saints that is to say saith Vatablus cum populo Israel quorum fuerunt quidem multa millia licèt nâ—…n singuli Sancti tamen sancta fuerunt millia quòd Deus illos sanctificâsset in populum suum illos sibi segregâsset And further in the following verse Yea he loved the people all his Saints are in thy hand Which is plainly spoke of the Israelites according to that sense in Exodus ch 19. v. 5 6. where they are called a peculiar treasure above all people and also a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation And this they are said to be if they obey his voice and keep his Covenant Whence it is easy to conceive that those Christians succeed into this Title that are purely Evangelical and do not contaminate themselves by any Idolatrous Practices against the Command and Covenant of God they are Saints in this peculiar and separate sense in that they do not mingle with the Rites of the Gentiles but keep themselves to the Commands of that one Master Christ. If they doe this sincerely and constantly and truly there is little doubt of their sincerity that did not stick to lay down their lives for the truth though they be not so wise and plausible according to the mode of the world nor devoid of all blemishes of humane infirmity yet undoubtedly they are those Saints of which there is so frequent mention in the Apocalyps and are the true Israel of God under whatsoever hardship or low condition of fortune they
yet is Agreement VI. Both the Beasts are said to rise out of the Sea Agreement VII They are both ordained to destruction as not being that Kingdome of the Saints that is to last for ever and ever Agreement VIII Of both these restored Beasts it is said that they whose Names are not written in the Book of Life shall worship them and wonder after them Agreement IX The Seven Heads in each Beast are Idolatrous Heads Agreement X. The Beasts are slain or exterminated out of Being in the Sixth Head restored or revived in the Seventh Agreement XI The ten Horns in neither Beast did actually reign in S. John's time Agreement XII The ten Horns in each Beast begin their reign with the Beast Agreement XIII The ten Horns in each Beast give their strength to the Beast Agreement XIV The Beasts in each Vision make warre with the Saints Agreement XV. The Saints in each Vision overcome the Beast at last Agreement XVI The Faith and Constancy of the Saints is exercised by both the Beasts Agreement XVII The time of each Beast is said to be determined by God and to be predicted by his holy Prophets Agreement XVIII The Seat of this Seven-headed Beast is not set down but left free in either Vision though the Seat of the Whore and the Two-horned Beast be determined which has an admirable correspondence with the Event 5. These be the two Parallelisms of Agreements concerning the latter whereof I dare affirm that it is so exact and adequate that the Parallels betwixt the Seven-headed Beast in the Thirteenth Chapter and the Seven-headed Beast in the Seventeenth exhaust all in each Chapter concerning that Beast The former Parallelism is not so accurate the Original of the Two-horned Beast being parallel to nothing in the Whore and the Destruction of the Whore parallel to nothing in the Two-horned Beast as he is there described Wherefore there is that peculiar in the Vision of the 17. Chapter that it treats also of the judgement of the two-horned Beast or the Whore according to the very title of the Vision I will shew thee the judgement of the great Whore But this is no argument at all against the Identity of their persons especially the Two-horned Beast being also to be destroyed and at the same time with the Whore as it is easie to be made out by the Apocalyptick Synchronisms And as for the omission of the Original of the Whore to parallel the Original of the Two-horned Beast that is no argument against their Identity neither Indeed if there had been an Original assigned to the Whore different from that of the Two-horned Beast it had been something but this bare omission signifies nothing but the art and accuracy of the very out-side of these Visions which keep a Decorum in all things And therefore because it was not so seemly nor sutable to say a Woman rose out of the Earth though Brutes did so Gen. 1. 24. the mention of her Original was fairly declined 6. But whenas a lesser number of Agreements in each Parallelism provided there were nothing contrary could not but have been a strong presumption of the Identity of the Subjects of the Visions in each Chapter I mean That the Two-horned Beast and the Whore are one and the Seven-headed Beast in each Chapter the same how fully assured must we needs be of these Identities the Agreements of these two Parallelisms those passages onely excepted of which I have given so fair an account perfectly exhausting the whole substance of each Chapter Which that it may be more plainly discerned I shall expose to your eies the whole XVII Chapter and to every Verse in order subjoin what is parallel to it in the XIII For we shall see it will imbibe the whole Chapter Apoc. Chap. 17. 1. And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials and talked with me saying unto me Come hither I will shew unto thee the judgement of the great Whore that sitteth upon many Waters Chap. 13. Most of this first verse of this Seventeenth Chapter of the Apocalyps is but Introductory to the Vision no part of the Vision it self and therefore there needs no Parallel to it in this Thirteenth Chapter But how the Whore's being placed upon many waters may seem to comply with one of our Parallels I shall note in its due place when I come to give a Joint-Exposition of these two Chapters Chap. 17. 2. With whom the Kings of the Earth have committed a fornication and the Inhabitants of the Earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication Chap. 13. 11. And he spake as a a Parallelism 1. Agreement 1. Dragon 12. And causeth the Earth and them that dwell therein to worship the a first Beast whose deadly wound was healed 14. Saying to them that dwell on the Earth that they should make an a Image to the Beast who had the wound by the sword and did live Chap. 17. 3. So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness and I saw a Woman * sit upon a a scarlet-coloured beast full of names of b blasphemie having c seven heads and ten horns Chap. 13. 15. * Par. 1. Agr. 2. And he had power to give life to the Image of the Beast that the Image of the Beast should speak 2. And the Beast that I saw was like unto a a Paral. 2. Agr. 2. Leopard and his feet were as the feet of a Bear and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and b Paral. 2. Agr. 2. Blasphemies 6. And he opened his mouth in b blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven 1. And I saw a Beast having c Parall 2. Agr. 1. seven heads and ten horns Chap. 17. 4. And the Woman was arraied in a purple and scarlet and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls having a golden b cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication Chap. 13. 12. And he exercizeth a Par. 1. Agr. 3. all the power of the first Beast before him 13. And he doth great b Par. 1. Agr. 4. wonders so that he maketh fire to come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men 14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth by those b miracles which he had power to doe in the sight of the Beast Chap. 17. 5. And upon her forehead was a name written a Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Chap. 13. 11. And I beheld another Beast coming out of the Earth and he had two horns like a a Par. 1. Agr. 5. Lamb and he spake like a Dragon Chap. 17. 6. And I saw the Woman drunken with the a bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her I wondred
with great admiration Chap. 13. 15. And he had power to give life to the Image of the Beast that the Image of the Beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast should be a Par. 1. Agr. 6. killed Chap. 17. 7. And the Angel said unto me Wherefore didst thou marvell I will tell thee the Mystery of the Woman and of the Beast that a carrieth her which hath the b seven heads and ten horns Chap. 13. 11. And I beheld another Beast coming up out of the Earth and he had a Par. 〈◊〉 Agr. 7. two horns 1. And I saw a Beast having b Par. 2 Agr. 1. seven heads and ten horns Chap. 17. 8. The Beast which thou sawest a was and is not and shall ascend out of the b bottomless pit and goe into c perdition and they that dwell on the Earth shall d wonder whose names were not written in the Book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the Beast that e was and is not and yet is Chap. 13. 2. And the a Par. 2. Agr. 3. Dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority 4. And they worshipped the a Dragon that gave power to the Beast c. See also verse 3. 1. And I stood upon the sand of the Sea and I saw a Beast b Par. 2. Agr. 6. rise up out of the Sea 10. He that leadeth into c Par. 2. Agr. 7. captivity must go into captivity he that killeth with the sword must be c killed with the sword 3. And all the world d Par. 2. Agr. 8. wondred after the Beast 8. And all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him whose names are not d written in the Book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to a Par. 2. Agr. 3. death and his deadly wound was a healed 14. Saying to them that dwell on the Earth that they should make an c Par. 2. Agr. 5. Image to the Beast which had the wound by the sword and the Beast revived 15. And he had power to give life to the c Image of the Beast insomuch that the Image of the Beast should speak Chap. 17. 9. And here is the mind that hath wisedom The seven Heads are the a seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth Chap. 13. 11. And I beheld another Beast coming up out of the Earth and he had a Par. 1. Agr. 8. two horns like a Lamb but spake as a Dragon Chap. 17. 10. And they are seven Kings five are fallen and one is and the a Par. 2. Agr. 10. other is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a b Par. 2. Agr. 4. short space Chap. 13. 1. Having a seven heads and upon his heads the name of a blasphemy 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was b healed Chap. 17. 11. And the Beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the a Par. 2. Agr. 9. seven and goeth into b Par. 2. Agr. 7. perdition Chap. 13. 1. Having seven heads and upon his heads the name of a blasphemy 10. He that killeth with the sword must be b killed with the sword Chap. 17. 12. And the ten Horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received a no kingdom as yet but receive power as kings a one hour with the Beast Chap. 13. 1. Having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten a Par. 2. Agr. 11 12. crowns Chap. 17. 13. These have one mind and shall a give their strength and power to the Beast Chap. 13. 1. I saw a Beast rising out of the Sea a Par. 2. Agr. 13. having ten horns Chap. 17. 14. These shall make a war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall b overcome them for he is Lord of lords and King of kings and they that are with him are c called and chosen and faithfull Chap. 13. 4. Who is like to the Beast who is able to make a Par. 2. Agr. 14. war with him 7. And it was given him to make a War with the Saints and to overcome them 16. And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or on their foreheads 17. And that no man may a buy or sell save he that has the mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his name 10. He that leadeth into captivity shall b Par. 2. Agr. 15. go into captivity he that killeth with the sword shall be b killed with the sword Here is the patience and c Par. 2. Agr. 16. faith of the Saints Chap. 17. 15. And he saith unto me The waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are a peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues Chap. 13. 7. And power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations 12. And I beheld another Beast come out of the Earth and he had a Par. 1. Agr. 7. two horns like a Lamb and he exercizeth a all the power of the first Beast before him Chap. 17. 16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Chap. 13. There is nothing in this Thirteenth Chapter answering to the 16. verse of the other but that verse answers punctually to the main Title of the Vision which is The judgment of the great Whore But that this defect is no prejudice to the certainty of our Parallelism I have already noted Chap. 17. 17. For God has put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their Kingdom unto the Beast untill the a words of God shall be fulfilled Chap. 13. 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue a Par. 2. Agr. 17. forty and two months Chap. 17. 18. And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which a Par. 1. Agr. 9. reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Chap. 13. 18. Here is Wisedom let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast for it is the number of a man and his number is a six hundred threescore and six 7. Thus you see the Two Visions of the Thirteenth Chapter wholy imbibed into the Vision of the Seventeenth excepting the Original of the Two-horned Beast of which I have given an account already And that it is naturally drunk in not dash'd in by force will appear from that joint-Exposition which I shall make of these two Chapters together interpreting those verses or parts of verses of the Thirteenth which I have subnected to each verse of the
As also chap. 17. the Seven-headed Beast there exhibited is said to be the Beast that was and I pray who was that but the Dragon and therefore this Draco redivivus or this Image of the Dragon cannot but be an Idolatrous Empire or the Empire again becoming Idolatrous And lastly lest the Reader should not be heedful enough to observe the Idolatry of the Seven-headed Beast in the 13 and 17 Chapters from this consideration I have named the Spirit of God has farther and more expresly stigmatized him with this Note in both those Visions placing the Name of Blasphemy on his Seven Heads in the 13 Chapter and declaring his Body to be full of the Names of Blasphemy in the 17 by Blasphemy meaning Idolatry as I have abundantly proved in my Prophetick Alphabet 6. Fourthly That these Visions exhibit the Roman Empire Idolatrous through all the time it was so or was to be so appears First from the general nature of these Prophetick Figures where a Beast signifies a Kingdom See Chap. 3. Sect. 6. or Empire in its entire succession and duration unless any thing be intimated to the contrary Which is clear as well from those examples in Daniel where the Four Beasts signifie so many Kingdoms in their entire Successions as also from the very nature of that Prophetick Scheme which we call Henopoeia which always goes along with these Iconisms of Beasts For an Henopoeia is nothing else but a Collection as well of Succession as of Multitude into one Individual Form or Shape be it Humane or Belluine Again in that the Seven-headed Beast in the 13 Chapter is said to be the Image of the Dragon and the said Beast in the 17 to be the Beast that was which certainly was the Dragon this shews that those Visions intend to represent the Empire through all the times of its being Idolatrous as well the times of its primitive or purely Pagan Idolatry as of the Image or Restauration thereof in a Paganish or Idolatrous kind of Christianity Or more fully thus This Seven-headed Beast is represented under some one of his Heads to fight and to be wounded to death but after to be revived also to have been for a certain time and then to cease to be but after to be again and then finally to perish Wherefore the whole Duration and Continuance of the Beast seems to be comprised therein divided into two parts by this death and interceasing of the Beast for a time Of which the plain sense is this The Roman Kingdom or Empire has been and shall be a Beast that is to say Idolatrous for a certain series of time then cease to be so for a while but after be Idolatrous again and then cease to be so for ever These Prophetick Figures therefore I mean these Beasts that exhibit this sense must needs imply these two entire parts of time wherein the Empire is represented Idolatrous as he that divides a Line into two divides the whole Line into two parts To all which you may adde That the Seven Heads of the Dragon being represented as actually crowned whenas yet Five were gone in S. John's time and but one present and therefore the Seventh not yet in being it plainly intimates that the whole Duration and Succession of the Beast is exhibited at once Which is still more evident in that the Seventh Head is the last under which the Beast perisheth together with that Head as that Elliptical Text doth certainly imply chap. 17. 11. the entire sense whereof is this And the Beast that was and is not even his Head is the Eighth and is one of the Seven and he together with his Head goes into perdition as I shall have occasion more fully to note in its due place Wherefore it is reasonable to conceive that the first Head reaches to the first beginning of the Beast that is of the Roman Empire as well as the last to its destruction Nor will I adde that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 connoting the Roman Empire as well as the Devil may also connote the antiquity of the one as well as of the other 7. Fifthly and lastly That the Seven-headed Beast represents the Roman Empire no further then as Idolatrous which is the last part of our Assertion will appear from this That this Prophetick Image or Iconism of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fera is not used for the Representation of any Empire but what is Idolatrous as I have already intimated and therefore if it should stand for a Kingdom or Empire while it is not Idolatrous it would be like a false affirmation in words and prove an Emblematical slander The names of Blasphemy also on his Heads and on his Body make this Seven-headed Beast still more inept to represent any Kingdom while it stands free from Idolatry I mean the Life and Being of the Beast is thus inept But the slaughter of the Beast or extermination of him out of Being may signifie that an Empire that was Idolatrous and consequently according to the Prophetick style a Beast ceases to be so still And considering that the Roman Empire as an Empire has not yet ceased to be but that it did cease to be Idolatrous upon Constantine his turning Christian it is manifest that the Beast's being slain or ceasing to be is to be understood of that state of the Empire For from Constantine's time till the entrance again of Idolatry into the Empire the Beast in life and being was an inept Emblem thereof and as I said a mere Hieroglyphick slander But as the slain Beast during the time it lies slain comprises in it all the time of the Empire 's pure Christianity so the Beast as yet not slain as also after the slaughter again restored to life comprises all that tract of time of the Roman Kingdom or Empire's Idolatry as well that before as that after the flourishing of pure Christianity in it Which is another plain discovery of the truth of the fourth part of our Assertion 8. It is abundantly plain therefore from what we have alledged That the Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns signifies the Idolatrous Roman Kingdom or Empire quatenus Idolatrous that is to say when and so long as Idolatrous and no longer Which is one considerable Argument to evince that the Seven Heads of the Beast are not Seven single Persons succeeding one another but Seven sorts of Supreme Governours For what seven Persons can fill out the time of the duration of the Empire while Idolatrous and not leave it many hundreds if not above a thousand years destitute of Sovereign Power and so make it a Beast living so many Ages without an Head then which nothing can be more absurd 9. But this is not our onely Argument though it alone may seem sufficient to prove our main Thesis For it may be farther confirmed by reflecting on the nature and description of these Seven Heads for what they are set out by ought to be conceived as
same case as Apoc. 1. and Exod. 3. But to object that there they breed no such obscurity or sense as in this place is to acknowledge what I contend for that the Ellipsis is here used on set pupose for concealment but the concealment again more recommendable and not at all invincible because this Ellipsis is not without Examples in Scripture and made it may be not without some allusion to those very Texts where the Name of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ero Exod. 3. 14. qui ero and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Zegerus and Cornelius à Lapide compare with this name of the Beast to shew the great discrepancy And the latter of them concludes that the Reign of the wicked is fitly expressed by Erat non est but the Name of God who alone has immortality and whose Kingdom is a Kingdom of all Ages by Qui est qui er at qui venturus est and much more he has to that purpose in comparing this Name of God with the Name of the Beast for so he also calls this description of him Sicut Dei Nomen est Jehova h. e. Qui est ità Bestiae Nomen est Qui non est Secundò Dei Nomen est Qui â—…uit est Bestiae Qui fuit non est Tertiò Dei Nomen est Fuit erit Bestiae Non erit ampliús So Cornelius The last of which answers exactly to our sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But we have been over-copious and industrious in clearing a point which we had already so fully demonstrated by proving That this Beast whose Chap 11. Sect. 13 14 c. Name or Title or Description call it what you will is Was and is not c. is the Roman Empire after it had taken the profession of Christianity upon it and had degenerated therein into a kind of an After-Paganism 14. And that I have interpreted the Beast in his Re-existence of the Empire turning Idolatrous rather then being moulded into any new Political Government as many doe my reason is because this is more consonant to my third Rule of interpreting Prophecies and likewise because the Empire in a Political sense cannot be said to have ever yet ceased to be there was never yet a season since its being when a man might say It is not and lastly the Whore or Two-horned Beast will not be Synchronal with the Beast that was and is not and yet is unless this Beast's Commencement begin upon those terms I have declared namely That the Rising again of the Beast was the Empire's Relapse into a kind of Paganism Idolatry 15. But we shall now pursue the detection of Agreements Was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit That is to say It was in that decursion of time before the Dragon was fought by Michael and slain but ceased to be upon that slaughter And therefore it is said in the Thirteenth Chapter that the Dragon gave him his power that is he succeeded as Heir to the powers of the Dragon and the Dragon's forces for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signâ—…fies as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were left to his conduct and management Or because the Dragon signifies the Devil as well as the Pagan Empire The Devil delivered to this Beast his forces his power and throne so as he had done to the Pagan Empire that is the assistence of evil Spirits Idols or Images and all the Pomp and Train of his Kingdom of Darkness but yet changing himself and all these into a show of true light and hiding his villainy under a pretext of adorning and improving the Christian worship See Mr. Mede upon the place Which setting up again of the Beast that had the deadly wound and Paral. 2. Agr. 3. getting into life by means of the Dragon's assistence and proper weapons of his warfare such as Idols and Images and false Miracles answers very fitly to his re-ascending here out of the bottomless pit For so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify as well as the Sea or Abolition or Evanescency And hence is manifested the truth of the third Agreement of our second Parallelism 16. But if we understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signify the Sea as it usually Paral. 2. Agr. 6. does and in reference to the Empire it self I doubt not but does also here this answers to the Seven-headed Beast's rising out of the Sea chap. 13. v. 1. and is the sixth Agreement of our second Parallelism 17. And go into perdition According as it is said chap. 13. v. 10. Paral. 2. Agr. 7. He that leadeth into Captivity must go into Captivity He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword Which is the seventh Agreement of our second Parallelism 18. And they that dwell on the Earth shall wonder whose names were Paral. 2. Agr. 8. not written in the book of life According to what we reade chap. 13. v. 3. And all the world wondered after the Beast and v. 8. And all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of Life of the Lamb c. Which is the eighth Agreement of our second Parallelism 19. When they behold the Beast that was and is not He is said here or rather in the beginning of this verse not to be answerably to his being said to be slain chap. 13. 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death so the English Translation But the Greek has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is caesa ad mortem Nor does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render as it were imply that his head was not slain and struck with so deadly a wound that it died For besides that this wound is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a deadly wound more then once it is evident that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not always weaken or lessen the sense as appears ch 5. v. 6. where we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Lamb notwithstanding was really and down-right slain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore referrs to the Imaginativeness of the Representation not to the Imperfectness of the Death or Slaughter represented Wherefore this Head was really slain and killed and therefore implies the Body was dead also and that the Beast ceased to be according as it is here said that he is not Which I Paral. 2. Agr. 3. have already noted to be the third Agreement of our second Parallelism Which Agreement considered jointly with the perpetual Agreements of that Parallelism is also an invincible Confirmation of the truth of our Exposition of The Beast which thou sawest was and is not c. namely That he speaks adequately of the Beast under the last Succession re-existing in this Seventeeth Chapter as he does of the healed Beast in the Thirteenth and that there can be no objection against the over-close concealment of the
next to these a company of Dancers youthfully clothed in white Apparrel bright and shining like snow There were also Heralds who by Proclamation spoke to the people to give way that the Pomp might not be impeded by any rudeness or crowding nor any look down out of their windows upon them Such were the Religious Pomps and Processions of the ancient Pagans 19. Let us now transcribe the manner of certain Processions or Supplications of the Church of Rome out of the same Polydore who could not be ignorant of those Rites In the Pomp saith he of our Supplications or Processions there uses some ludicrous show to precede as Ranks of Souldiers Horse and Foot or some snapping and chattering Image ridiculous and loquacious or else gaping with wide chaps and making a gnashing noise with its teeth very formidable to behold with other sportful sights amongst which the ancient Prophets are personated and Boies with wings goe singing as if they were of the Heavenly Quire of Angels whom immediately follows a company of men and women dancing after their Musick Here one acts David there another Solomon Some play the parts of Queens and Princesses others of Huntsmen Beasts also are brought into the Pomp and there an Ape or Monkey with a Munmouth Cap button'd up on one side bestrides some big Mastiff or bedwarsed Nag There are also men carrying Torches in their hands and Boies and Girls are forbid to look out of the Windows Besides the Priests or some others sustain the persons or act the parts of this or that Saint they carrying also their Images or Reliques along with them in the Procession The air also is filled with odours as they goe and the ground they pass over strew'd with flowers And lastly to some is appointed the office of speaking to the people to give way that the Pomp may march on without any impediment Can there be one Egge more like to another then this Romish Procession is to the ancient superstitious Pomp of the Pagans Wherefore Polydore's inference is very solid and unexceptionable Ità Romani factitabant aliae pleraeque gentes à quibus ad nos ritus ejusmodi dubio procul manavit 20. Thus fully has this ancient Pagan Empire the slain Beast recovered into life again and so completely is his Image made up by the counsel and direction of the Two-horned Beast or the False Prophet Nor can I while I consider it but with bended knee adore that Divine Providence that watches so punctually over humane Affairs and with all possible thanks and humility acknowledge the tender care and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ our great Pastor that has so exquisitely prefigured the state of the Church and told us afore-hand how things would be with her for a time that the truth of these Events may give us a more sure pledge of the certainty of her Restauration to her pristine Apostolical Purity according as he has predicted in the same Prophetick Visions 21. Truly this exact Symbolizing of the Roman Church in Idolatry and Superstition with the Pagan Empire jointly considered with the abominable Cruelty against the true Members of Christ practised by them both their Interdiction of all civil Commerce and the necessary supplies of life without joyning with them in Idolatrous Profession and Practice Non illis emendi quicquam Aut vendendi copia Nec ipsam haurire aquam Dabatur licentia Antequam thurificarent Detestandis Idolis which as Bede complains was the condition of the Primitive Christians that would not submit to the Idolatries of Paganism and which is the real fate of them under the Church of Rome that declare against their Pagano-Christianism nay they make Inquisition to take away the lives of poor harmless men and hunt after the bloud of the innocent and torture rack and burn with fire and fagot those that refuse to commit Idolatry with them I say the likeness and similitude that the state of the Roman Church bears to ancient Paganism in Idolatry Superstition and Cruelty to say nothing of their lying Miracles and Impostures is so complete and the Pagano-Christian Empire so lively an Image every way of that which was once purely Pagan that I cannot but devoutly admire the exact veracity of these Divine Visions in so material a Prediction but withall wonder excessively and am even amazed at Grotius when the event of things is so full and adequate so fit and exquisitely accommodate to this Interpretation of the Image of the Beast that a man of his Wit and Learning should content himself with one so petty so forced so impossible so unprofitable as that which he has made choice of and which I will now more fully confute after I have shew'd the weakness of Ribera's Interpretation BOOK II. CHAP. I. 1. The great Usefulness of shewing the folly of Ribera's and Grotius his Expositions of these two Chapters of the Apocalyps 2. That according to Ribera the Beast is the Devil 3. The seven Kings the wicked Kings of the seven Ages of the world 4. That five of these Ages were gone over in S. John's time and that the Reign of Antichrist is the seventh and Rome Heathen the Whore 5. The general Usefulness of our Joint-Exposition 6. That the Beast is not the Devil proved there-from by several circumstances Nor the seven Heads seven such Ages by the deadly wound in the sixth Head 7. Nor the Whore Rome Heathen more then the Two-horned Beast 8. That the Devil cannot be the Beast that was and is not c. proved by arguments not leaning on our Joint-Exposition 9. Farther proof from that part of his Name and yet is with a Vindication of that reading 10. A confutation of Ribera's Exposition of the seven Heads from the groundlesness and exceptionableness of his division of the duration of the world into seven Ages 11. From the Ununitableness of the Kings of the Age into one Head 12. From the Devil's eminency and superiority over these Heads 13. From the leaving neither room nor time for an eighth King 14. From the disproportionableness of the seventh Age of the world to the rest and especially to the strange Feats they say Antichrist is then to atchieve 15. And lastly from the seven Hills necessarily appropriating those seven Heads to the Roman Empire 16. That these Expositions of Ribera as also of the rest of the Roman Interpreters were very weak even in Grotius his own judgment which set him upon minting new ones 1. HItherto we have laid out our pains in the fully demonstrating what is the true and genuine sense of these two chief Chapters of the Apocalyps But because the Hypocrisy and Unwillingness of those whose Interest biasses them another way will be ready to shuffle off the weight and evidence of so plain a Demonstration in pretending that Learned men have given quite different Expositions of these Prophecies and that therefore it is uncertain what they signify I will bring in the two chiefest Expositours
of the Prophecie which speaks of a 1 Political not Moral Power over the Nations and of a thing as 2 new But that the Roman Empire had such a large Dominion was true in the reigns of the fore-going Emperours as well as in his 6. In the eighth here he makes the Beast whom all whose names are not in the Book of Life do worship to be in one Exposition Domitian and that to 1 worship him is to imitate him in Idolatry and Cruelty which is a very insipid sense and without example in this case and such as himself seems out of conceit with And therefore in his after-Exposition Domitian is not the Beast but Idolatry as if to 2 worship Idolatry were a more tolerable phrase But there must needs be this shifting and fridging when an Interpretation sits so uneasie on a Text as this does 7. In the tenth If any one strike with the sword he shall perish by the sword This he applies to Domitian who was stabbed by Stephanus But it seems to be 1 most natural to conceive the menaces of leading into captivity and perishing by the sword spoke concerning the same party And therefore Captivity being not understood of Domitian that being smitten by the sword is not understood of him but that the Prophecie concerns a Body Politick and not a Single Person For the 2 Patience and Faith of the Saints seems also to imply a larger exercise of these vertues then the term of three years and an half would urge them to as also there seems to be an Intimation of being 3 freed from their troubles after this Beast is vanquished but if Domitian be he not the smallest part of them are over by his death there being no fewer then eight grievous Persecutions behind Not to suggest that there was a greater affliction upon the Christians in Nero's time then in Domitian's whom Tertullian calls onely Portionem Neronis And therefore the Faith and Patience of the Saints were most exercised then Which further betrays the groundlesness and arbitrariousness of Grotius his Exposition 8. In the eleventh here he makes the Beast with two Horns like a Lamb to be Art Magick and the Two Horns themselves to be Abstinence from Meats and Chastity or Abstinence from Women Which he would have to be an imitation of Christianity and therefore to be called the Horns of a Lamb. But in that this Beast is said to speak like a Dragon that it is imply'd that what he utters is for the honour of the Devil In which Interpretation there are these flaws 1. That the Beast is an Art and not a Body Politick which is against the Laws of the Prophetick style 2. That the Horns are simulated Vertues not Political powers seated in some men or other which is the genuine meaning of Horns in the phrase of the Prophets and which is to be found first before we adjoyn any other secondary sense to the Type 3. Vowed Coelibate and Abstinence from Meats are so far from being the characteristical Vertues of Christianity that they are disavowed by her as being either Parts or Signs of the Great Apostasie that was to seize the Church 4. There seems plainly intimated a strange contradiction and opposition in the Property of this Beast That it looking so Christian-like should speak for the Devil but if this Beast were Magick it were strange if it did not speak the language of the Dragon Lastly The times which Grotius fixes this Prophecie to namely of Domitian and Trajan do not agree with his conceit these Emperours being no favourers of Magick but the former rather a persecutor of it and of that very Apollonius whom he conceives to be especially pointed at in this Prophecie 9. In the twelfth he makes the Two-horned Beast's exercising all the power of the former Beast before him to signifie that Magick also had her Sacrifices as well as Idolatry But truly Magick though it had Sacrifices yet they were clancular ones as being so horrid and execrable And Philostratus makes it his business several times to clear Apollonius from that suspicion Which is a sign that Magick had not so open an exercise of its abhorred Sacrifices as this Text would import if Grotius his Interpretation were true Plinie calls them Sacra Prodigiosa and tells us that this sacrificing of men was taken away by a Decree of the Senate bestowing this Epiphonema upon the Roman State for so doing Non satis aestimari Histor. Natur. lib. 30. cap. 1. potest quantum Romanis debeatur qui sustulere monstra in quibus hominem occidere religiosum erat mandi verò etiam saluberrimum And this certainly is properly that Magick which was distinguishable from Pagan Idolatry simply so called which worshipped and invoked the Devil as well as the Magicians but such as the Roman Idolatry would not suffer her to exercise her power in her sight upon any pretence Nor did Apollonius exercise any such power who being a Pythagorean abhorred all bloudy Sacrifices whatsoever 10. In the thirteenth he interprets the bringing down fire from Heaven of that Lightning which happened at Apollonius his birth and of that glimpse of Light that Achilles Ghost gave at his departure after Apollonius his conference with him by night at his Sepulchre Which is a very frigid Exposition For why should that Lightning which happened at Apollonius his birth be imputed to him as an effect of his Magick 1 who was neither capable then of being a Magician nor any thing else Besides that he was born before this Prophecie as Grotius himself must needs according to his own account acknowledge and admit and therefore upon 2 that ground the Interpretation is impossible That glimpse of Light also which Achilles Ghost gave at his parting that it should be the causing fire to fall from Heaven is altogether incredible 3 for this glimpse of Light was upon Earth where the Ghost was did not fall from the Skie besides it was in 4 private as the story in Philostratus will prove not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in the face or view of the world 11. In the fourteenth he interprets the making of an Image to the Beast of Apollonius his boasting that he had raised up the Ghost of Achilles in favour of Idolatry But who ever expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to make an Image Picture or Statue to raise a Ghost For supposing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would signifie so as Umbrae in Latine of which notwithstanding I dare say there is no example yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would not be good sense forasmuch as these Umbrae are not made by Magical Evocations but made onely to appear 2. He would not have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which ordinarily signifies no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it were a boast of something done already and not a precept or command to doe something 3. If the sense were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it would
have been said also to continue the sense in the following verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as any one will acknowledge that does but observe the contexture of the whole sentence Lastly whereas this conjuring up the Ghost of Achilles was to revive the Beast who had the deadly wound as Grotius intimates this clashes with what was acknowledged before that this wound was healed in reedifying the Capitol Nor can this healing be naturally understood of any more then the first-mentioned wound which the Beast received in the Battel with Michael But Grotius distrusting the fitness of this Exposition upon second thoughts forges another to adde to it namely That the Disciples of Apollonius caused a Statue to be erected to him But if this be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apollonius will prove the Seven-headed Beast because the Image is erected to him 2. Grotius produces no History that attests that certain Magicians Disciples of Apollonius gave any such order 3. That expression Saying to them that dwell upon Earth is too big for the private Instructions of any Disciples of Apollonius to one single Town or some few persons therein Lastly it is but a lank business to take notice of one single Statue for Idolatry when there were already innumerable numbers of them in the Empire 12. In the fifteenth he interprets the Two-horned Beast's giving life or breath to the Image so that it would speak of Apollonius his Confabulation with Achilles Ghost or of his Statue's speaking But suppose his Statue did speak which yet Philostratus who made it his business by travel and enquiry to know where Apollonius was buried does not mention it is not presently to be imputed to Magick since that Idol-garrulity is often noted in History without any such reflexion 2. That Image that is here said to speak is said to give in charge that they that would not worship the Image of the Beast should be killed but there is no record of any such Edict from either the Ghost of Achilles or the Statue of Apollonius that they that would not worship their Images should be killed 3. But if the worshipping of the Image of the Beast be understood of the Universality of Images or Idols besides that it is exceeding hard and extravagant to change that settled sense of this word in which it had been used thrice before that also will want proof that either the Statue of Apollonius or Spectre of Achilles ever gave any command that they that would not worship Images should be killed 13. In the sixteenth and seventeenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems most naturally to be spoken of the Image of the Beast in the fore-going verse of whom it was said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was either the Ghost of Achilles or the Statue of Apollonius here of a sudden Magia is understood which is but an harsh shift But this Magia it is that makes all ranks of men to enter into some Religious Society or other and in token thereof to receive either the mark of this or that God as of a Thunder-bolt for Jupiter an Ivy-leaf for Bacchus an Helmet for Mars a Trident for Neptune or the Names of such Gods or the Number comprised in their names or else not to be permitted to buy or sell. But against this I urge That the Mark of the Sealed is not a visible puncture or stigmatism and therefore it 's likely that in a Book so Symbolical as the Apocalyps is the Mark of the Beast does not signifie so grossly and literally 2. These Fraternities or Societies were not the procurement of Apollonius his Magick in Trajan's time they being in use long before Lastly it is not credible nor is there any History to make it good that no Pagan could buy nor sell unless he had some such sacred Stigmatism upon his body So inadequate and groundless is this part of Grotius his Interpretation 14. In the eighteenth he makes Ulpius Trajanus to be him to whom the Number 666 belongs but very groundlessly nay against all reason For it is a mere mistake in him to think that the Number is understood of the number of any mans name whatsoever because it is expresly said that it is the Name of the Beast And Ribera takes away all occasion of any such errour interpreting For it is the Number of a man according to the mind of Aretas or at least according to what he thought should have been his mind as well as his own in quite another sense Numerus enim proprius hominis est intellectum habentis ac ratiocinantis est numerare 2. If it were the Number of a man it being intended for the note of one most signally wicked and mischievous to the Church why must it fall to Trajan's share when there were Emperours far worse then he or rather when he was so very good an Emperour and not so cruel a Persecutor of the Christians as several others were but one that easily desisted being once rightly informed of things who gained so much on the Christians themselves that they thought he got to Heaven and amongst the Heathens made up part of that auspicious Acclamation of the Senate to their Caesars Felicior Augusto Melior Trajano 3. What a leap is this to leave all the Seven Heads of the Beast and pitch upon one that has not been in play all this while 4. That also is very weak and suspicable to find this number in his Praenomen or Fore-name and not in his Name 5. But far worse to fall short or rather to misreckon in the account for assuredly in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 write the final Sigma as you will it being still a Sigma it will have no other valor then 200 whence the whole summe of the Name will not be 666 but 860 as any one may see that will reckon For that Sigma even in the end signifies 200 is plain in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and several other examples This is most certainly true and there is no subterfuge at all to avoid it as Maresius Grotius his Antagonist has fully made good against him as he has indeed every where in a manner worsted him though Grotius so unseemly contemns him trampling him down into the durt under that uncivil Nick-name of Borborita 6. The Mark the Name and the Number belong all to one wherefore if the Number be Trajan's the Mark must be his also But might no body buy nor sell who had not his mark on their hand or fore-head 7. Here is wisedom let him that has understanding count the Number of the Beast is such a Preface as implies another sort of numbering then the mere summing up the Numeral Letters of a Name into one summe 8. To what purpose was this setting down the number 666 for the denoting of the Emperour Ulpius Trajanus it never entring into any ones head that this number reflected upon him till Grotius hit upon it and mist it both at once 9.
and Lust. But these Intimations shall suffice concerning this second Opposition to the Divine Life in the branches thereof 9. The third and last is that which is so conspicuously opposite to that last and best of the three Christian Graces Divine Love or Charity and that is the bloudy Antichristian Cruelty against the sincere Servants of Christ. Which is noted in several of those Visions we have already explained and therefore we need onely produce them As first that concerning the King of Babylon who was a Type of the Pope The reason of his Ruine in that Vision is declared to be his barbarous and Antichristian Cruelty Esay 14. Because thou hast destroyed thy Land and slain thy People that is to say the people of Christendom the Land over which thou challengest an Ecclesiastick Sovereignty as being the Vicar of Christ and yet dost most bloudily murther and martyr his truest and most faithfull Servants Again Dan. 7. The little Horn there which is a Figure of the same Pontifician Power is said to make war with and to wear out the Saints of the most High that is to consume them and destroy them with perpetual persecutions 10. A third Presignification is Apocal. 11. concerning the Witnesses The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pâ—… shall make war against them and shall evercome them and kill them And their dead bodies 〈◊〉 lie in the street of the great City which is spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified Which is a description of perpetuall Opposition and Persecution taking away from the true Servants of God either their Honours Offices Goods or Lives So that the real and sincere Church of Christ which is his Body lieth during the treading under foot the Outward Court like a dead corps without Political life or power and also dreadfully wounded all over gore bloud by the cruel Murthers Martyrdoms and Massacres of the faithfull Members thereof Fourthly Apocal. 13. the Two-horned Beast is said to animate the Ten-horned when he had revived into the ancient Idolatrous form of Paganism to destroy as many as would not yield obedience to him even in his Idolatrous Commands And he had power to give life to the Image of the Beast that the Image of the Beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast should be killed And that no man might buy nor sell save he that had the Mark or the Name of the Beast or the Number of his Name that is As many as would not profess themselves Roman Catholicks and thereby Paganize in Christianity should be famished and starved and not suffered to live So great is the Charity of this Tyramical and Antichristian Power towards the true members of Christ. But blessed are the dead that die in the Lord as it is said in the following Chapter concerning the Martyrdom of those that are murthered by this Pontifician Power 11. Fifthly That also is a Record of the Antichristian Roman Cruelty for the Vials are poured upon the Beast the Aegyptian Plagues upon the Antichristian Aegypt Revel 16. where the Angel of the third Vial which turns the Rivers into bloud speaks thus Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus For they have shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them bloud to drink for they are worthy Sixthly As the Ruine of the King of Babylon in Esay so the Ruine of the Whore of Babylon in S. John is imputed to this salvage and barbarous Antichristian Cruelty the murthering of the Saints of God The voice of Harpers and Musicians is heard no more in her no Crafts-man of any Craft is found any more in hâ—… the light of a Candle shines no more in her but she is left to utter darkness and desolation because in her was found the bloud of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth Murtherers also are particularly noted in both those Catalogues of them that are without the Holy City 12. Seventhly and lastly In the description of the Whore of Babylon which I have above plainly shew'd to signify the Church the Roman especially apostatized into Idolatry there is express and significant mention made of this odious branch of Antichristianism this bloudy Persecution of the true members of Christ. And the woman was arâ—…ied in purple and scarlet and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls having a golden cap in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her Forâ—… And upon her forehead was a Name written Mystery Babylon the great the mother of Harlots and abominations of the Earth And I saw the 〈◊〉 drunâ—…n with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and when I saw her I wondred with great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the gorgeous Pomp of the Pope and his Ecclesiastick 〈◊〉 the Cardinals and other great men as also on the coâ—…ly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their 〈◊〉 Altars and Temples how this Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Ornaments Carpets and Laces of Aegypt how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfumâ—…d her bed with Myrrh Aloes and Cinnamon with Incense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 odours if he have any skill in the Prophetick style he cannot say but this Prefiguration of the state of the Roman Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and richness of it For thus is Idolatry begun to the world in this golden Cup and costly outside of things But this is not the only miscarrlage of this Church she is also drunk with the bloud of the 〈◊〉 and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus Grotius his gloss upon this part of the Text is very expressive and significant 〈◊〉 â—…am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despum aâ—…te evomente sanguinem ut ebrii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saw the 〈◊〉 or enraged Woman foming at mouth with stained froth and vomiting bloud as drunk drâ—…s do wine Which must needs be a wonder to all her Spectatours that a woman so richly and so gloriously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be oâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…erine and salvage a nature Which admiration certainly â—…ust be â—…doubled upon them while they consider how this illustrious Queen professes herself to be the Catholick Church of Christ and Mother of Christendom and yet thus to froth at the mouth nay to foul her raiment by impotently easing of her stomack over-charged with the bloud of her own children But by being thus lavish of the life of her Infants she demonstrates herself not to be that Catholick Mother but a bloudy and treacherous Harlot accordingly as the Holy Ghost has inscribed upon her Forehead The Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth 13. Thus have we seen every member of Antichristianism comprised in our Idea as they are easily found in the Church of Rome so likewise expresly prefigured in the Writings of the holy Prophets as appertaining to her and that there is no eludng oâ—… evacuating so clear and perspicuous Testimonies by any