is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Revel 18. 8 For her sins which God hath remembred which have reached unto heaven therefore shall heâ— Plagues come in one Day Death and Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnâ— with Fire For strong is the Lord God wâ—â— Judgeth her v. 11 12 13. All sorts of Merchandize Traffick Trade and Commerâ— with Humane Society shall cease so as to be no more in her at all and the good thingâ— which she in fulness enjoyed before even alâ— things that were Dainty and Goodly are noâ— Departed from her and shall find them 〈◊〉 more at all ver 14. For in an hour is sâ—â— made desolate And a mighty Angel took up a Stone like a great Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all ver 21. And the Voice of Harpers and Musicians and of Pipers and Trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee And no Craftsmen of whatsoever Craft he be shall be found any more in thee and the sound of a Milstone shall be heard no more at all in thee ver 22. And the light of the Candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the Voice of the Bridegroom and of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee verse 23. But the Place Seat and City of Rome was not so utterly ruined as to be no more for ever a place of Trade Traffick Merchandize and humane society when the Heathen Power of Rome ended Ergo Rome Heathen cannot be the Whore of Babylon under present consideration whose Seat or City hath since had a Powerful Government Reigning in Pride and Pomp for some hundreds of years VII As touching that notion of the Papists i. e. that by this great Whore mystery Babylon is meant Rome after she shall Apostatize from the Pope to Paganism again at the latter end of the World it is such an opinion that has no foundation in Scripture nor in the Judgment of the Antients besides some of the Papists themselves reject it as improbable and detestable as our Annotators observe for then Sr. John in the Revelations passes by in utter silence all the transactings that have been in the World under Papal Rome even ever since the seven head or Christian Emperors Government went off of the Stage which is near 1260 years which is ridiculous to suppose Besides it cannot be understood of Rome in either of the other notions as hath been proved 1. Because Antichrist is to sit in the Temple of God 2 Thes. 2. 4. as God therefore not in a Pagan City The mystery of Iniquiry was working in the Apostles time but v. 7. the Roman Empire hindred the appearance of Antichrist till the Popes had wrung Rome out of their hands and were the sole rulers there then Antichrist shewed himself 2. Because there is nothing said of this great Whore or this Babylon but admirably agreeth to Rome in its present state We shall conclude with the whole If by mystery Babylon is not meant the whole World of wicked men nor old Chaldean Babylon nor Jerusalem the Turks nor Saracens nor Rome in its Heathenish State nor Rome after she shall desert the Pope and turn again to Paganism then it must be Papal Rome or the Romish Church But she is none of the former six we have proved Ergo she is Papal Rome Now to make way for the second Chapter we shall state this argument following If all the marks and characters left us upon divine records to know mystery Babylon by do most aptly and directly agree to Rome Papal then Rome Papal is mystery Babylon But all the marks and characters left upon divine record do most aptly and directly agree to Rome Papal or the present State and Church of Rome Ergo Rome Papal is mystery Babylon CHAP. II. Wherein is clearly proved that all the marks of mystery Babylon doth fully meet in and agree to Rome Papal or the Church of Rome FIrst of all let it be considered Babylon is set forth by a Woman which Imports either a single Person ranked in the feminine Gender or a body of People related to some Head Husband or publick person to whom she is joyned in Wedlock by Covenant or Matrimonial Contract as Eve was related to Adam therefore called woman or as Judah Israel who were Joyned in Covenant with God and therefore called a woman or as the true Church now Marryed or Joyned to Christ and therefore called a Woman A single Person as Eve was she cannot be because the Character given of her in respect of her State and Actions doth no way Comport with it she must therefore be a body of People related to some Head Husband or Publick Person as Judah and Israel of old was who are often called by the Title of a Woman and in like manner Babylon before the Degeneracy where a People Joyned in Matrimonial Contract by Gospel Covenant and Profession to the Son of God. 1. Mystery Babylon it appears from hence Imports a body of people that were once united in a solemn Gospel Covenant to the Son of God and hence Metaphorically called a woman and I saw a woman set c. And the woman was arayed in Purple and Scarlet c. Parallel Rome Papal or Church of Rome is a body a great body of People which before their apostacy were a true Church by Gospel Covenant and profession united to the Son of God as her publick head and husband Rom. 1. 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ. To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints 2. Mystery Babylon is a City a very great Mystical City in a threefold respect 1. In respect of power Rev 17. 2. In respect of people Rev. 18. 10. 16. 18 19 21. 3. In respect of place or Residence where this power and people is seated City being indefinitely taken for either of these or comprehending all as in these Instances Psal. 121. Isa. 14. 31. Acts 19. 28. Parallel So likewise the Church of Rome is a City a very great mystical City and may be so called in a threefold consideration 1. In respect of power which is twosold 1. Civil 2. Ecclesiastical signified by two horns like a Lamb. 2. In respect of people which are great the fame of which people as a mystical City or Church was great before the power and chief dominion of the place was joyned with it as a Church which came in by the Apostasy Rom. 1. 8. First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole World. And since they adulterated from their primitive Purity and become Antichristian they have been and still are a great people no united body calling themselves a Church of Christ in respect of number and for fame coming near them 3.
of the Church in room and stead of him whose Power Laws and Edicts are preferred above and before the authority laws and precepts of the Lord Jesus Christ as Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath done then the Church of Rome is mystery Babylon or the great Whore spoken of But there is no body of professing people in the Christian World nor throughout the Earth who have so apparently declined adulterated and deserted the Holy Headship Doctrine Example and right Government of Jesus Christ ut supra as Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath done Ergo Rome Papal or Church of Rome is mystery Babylon the great Whore. If any should think this argument not weighty let them shew if they can that some other people different from the Church of Rome have made as great or like change in point of Religion and Headship and matterâ— thereto pertaining so as this black character of Whore great Whore may more fitly and fully be made to meet upon them and we must confess our argument not weighty but till then we conclude it carries conviction in the Bowels of it V. Mystery Babylon is not only set forth by a Woman City of Confusion and Whore but also a great City and great Whore and the great City was divided c. Rev. 16. 19 And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City Rev. 17. 18. I will shew thee the Judgment of the great Whore Rev. 17. 1. I think it necessary to reassume this character again the Spirit of God noting this as a most eminent mark of her Paral Now that the Church of Rome is not only a Whore and Mystical City but a very great City and Whore will yet appear more evident 1. She hath a great name no name so great in the Christian World as the name of Rome she is called a Queen and being joined by Contract to her universal Head viz. the Pope or Man of Sin she would seem to be far greater than Emperors and temporal Princes and pretends a power to give them their Crowns and set them upon their Heads and kick them off again at pleasure 2. Great in Power She gives Rules and Laws to Kingdoms advances her Ecclesiastical Edicts above Temporal she sets the Pope and the chiefest of her Sons above secular Jurisdiction makes them unacountable and pretends a power to Absolve to Bless and Curse at her pleasure and without controversy the lesser is blessed of the greater 3. Great in multitude There are no People besides that are in a spiritual united Body and visible community professing Christianity comparable to her for multitude or the vast numbers of her Children 4. Great in actions vile actions such as deposing and poysoning Princes fomenting jealousies raising Wars setting Nations together by the Ears invading rights and properties of Nations and Kingdoms by subtile insnarements and cunning stratagems making tumults and uproars contriving Masscres burning Cities and carrying on dreadful devastations where she is gain-said and that which adds to her greatness is that invincible confidence she hath that all persons and things are made for her and given to her so that all things she doth are allowed as Legal and Just in Heaven tho the actions are most vile and as unhumane as any can be in the Judgment of any undeceived mortal from whence we shall frame this argument Arg. If there be no united Body of People or visible Community in the Christian World that is so great in name power multitudes and actions vile actions as Rome Papal or Church of Rome hath been and still is then the Church of Rome is mystery Babylon But there is no united Body of People or Community in the Christian World that is so great in name power multitude and actions vile actions as Rome Papal or Church of Rome Ergo Rome Papal is this great City Whore or Mystery Babylon VI. Mystery Babylon is said to sit upon many Waters which is expounded to be People Multitudes Nations and Tongues Rev. 17. 1 17. And he said unto me the Waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are people and multitudes and nations and tongues c. which according to the learned Mede Peter Du Moulin and other famous Protestant writers is more than a third part of the ten considerable parts which the Roman Monarchy fell into not long before the Pope that man of Sin and Head of mystery Babylon assumed the imperial Seat and Throne which afterwards became ten Kingdoms with Crowned Heads assisting the Beast against the Lamb and Persecuting of the Saints distinguished into ten Kingdoms of the Empires I. of Germany II. France III. England IV. Scotland V. Denmark VI. Polonia VII The Kingdom of Spain VIII The Kingdom of Navarre IX The Kingdom of Hungary X. The Kingdom of Naples and Sicily All which Rome Papal had in possession as our French author saith in the days of Pope Leo the tenth Paral. So then it appears evidently that the Church of Rome has directly this mark of Mystery Babylon also she sitting upon many Waters viz. people multitudes nations and languages that she sate upon or ruled over more than one third part of the ten which was formerly under the Roman Empire in its civil state is evident whichâ— more than one third part hath since fallen into ten Kingdoms under the Government of ten Crowned Heads and have all agreed to give their Power to this last Beast as they received power as Kings one hour with him according to what was foretold which makes good what St. John â—n the Apocalypse hath made known as also Daniel concerning the little horn which had â— mouth speaking great things whose looks were more stout than his fellows Dan. 7. by whom three of the first horns of the Roman power in its civil state were pluck't up by the roots and in their place succeeded ten Kings or Crowned Heads who have their Crowns given to them by this last Beast and as they had their Crowns given by and hold their Kingly power under the Pope little Horn last Beast or man of Sin in requital of his fatherly care in giving his Sons so great a Patrimony so they give their power to him and ingaged against the Lamb in making War with and persecuting the Saints of the most High and will do so till the VVord of God or Prophecy of Daniel and Revelations of St. John c. is fulfilled which ten Crowned Heads answer to the ten Toes in Nebuchadnezzars Image and to the ten Horns in this 17th of the Apocalypse which are so concerned in the Beasts Kingdom and who will at last by the gracious providence of God that is some of them be overcome by the Lamb and turn to hate the Whore and make her desolate whom before they for a long time join'd with and supported and for whose pleasure they did persecute the Saints which ten States or Kingdoms are by our French author Peter du Moulin in his book called the accomplishment
worthy Mr. Ainsworth observeth in her Divine service she has Babels very language an unknown Tongue so is it an Idol wholly made as the Scripture speaketh according to her own understanding and is all the works of the crafts-men the Prelates and Popes the lovers of this great Whore who have patched together in their several ages the limbs of this deformed monster the Mass and Canon thereof a sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead with the Litany and Collects Anâ—hems and Responds and in this Liturgy God and his Angels Apostles and Martyrs and Confessors with he Saints and she Saints and some that had Satans sanctity are wrapt up together with a Stage-play like worship with musical instruments to make them merry as Nebuchadnezzar with melody celebrated the dedication of his Golden Image which Portal and Missal these Artizans have framed exceeding all superstitions abominations and confession that ever were in the World the meer device and forgery of their own Brains by the help of the Devil provoking God to Jealousie and Wrath which suddenly she must pertake of without mixture 4. Mother of Harlots Hath not Papal Rome this very character upon her forehead It meets in none as in her all Protestants of what denomination soever utterly disallow of Fornication Whoredom and Adultery in persons of any Ranks whatsoever maintaining constantly that Marriage is honourable in all whereas the Church of Rome 't is notoâ—iously known gives publick toleration to â—bominable Whoredoms and the most shameâ—ess and unatural Bestialities as ever were in the World but this Epithet Mother of Harlots â—ay more properly refer to Spiritual Adultery â—nd that the Church of Rome is a Mystical Moâ—her is very plain and evident for do not all her Children own her to be the Mother Church â—nd therefore 1. Protestants are exhorted to return into the bosom of their mother 2. All polluted and national Churches in the European Kingdoms sprang from her as the Churches of France Spain Portugal c. and do call her Mother 3. All corruption in Doctrine and Discipline were bred and brought forth by her she is certainly the Mother of all these cursed titles and errors following viz. Universal Supream Infallible Head Holy Father the Pope his Holiness in the abstract our Lord God the Pope unerring Church Priestly Absolution selling Pardons Indulgences Dispensations adoring the Crucifix worshiping of Images Anointing and sprinkling of Holy-Water the adoration of the Mass nay and the adoring the Devils own Engine i. e. the Cross or Gibbet whereon the Devils Emissaries killed or crucified the Lord of Life and Glory for the curse of the Law was to be done away by â— cursed Death upon a tree oâ— which whosoever was hanged the curse of God was upon him this death the innocent Lamb Jesus Christ suffered fâ—â— our sakes at the hands of wicked Sinneâ— Pilate and the Jews the Children of the Dâ—vil who used all exquisite torments to makâ— his death miserable Crowning him wiâ—â— Thorns piercing his Hands Feet and Sides with Nails and a Spear hanging him on the Tree until he died And this pretended Tree or Cross Thorns and Nails with other counterfeits of them this Mother of Harlots teaches her Children to adore and honour with as good Ground and Devotion as one observes as the Ophites or Serpentories are said to honour the Serpent the Devils instrument for to bring man to the knowledge of good and evil And that all the World might take notice that Rome is the City where our Lord was crucified this Mother of Harlots doth proclaim that the Cross was that Altar whereon the great Sacrifice Christ was offered whereas the Scripture teacheth that the bodies of those Beasts whose blood was brought to make reconciliation in the holy place were burnt without the Host or Camp of Israel and not on the Altar which stood before the door of the Tabernacle according to which figure Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem which was a reproach yet will these God-eaters and crucifiers of our blessed Saviour make the cursed Cross to be the Altar most holy and so greater than Christ the sacrifice as being that which sanctified him for the Alâ—ar sanctified the offering And hereupon they call the Cross blessed and ascribe unto it worthiness to bear the Talent of the World they account it among the most precious Reliques and not only the whole but every piece thereof they adore it salute it pray unto it and trust therein for Salvation crying Hail O Cross our only hope increase thou to the godly Righteousness and unto sinners give pardon save thou the company gathered together in thy praises yea the very sign of this Idol made in the Air upon the forehead or over any thing is Sacred and Venâ—rable and hath force to drive away Devils and do many like feats wherefore this abomination hath prevailed above other and is like Beelâ—ebub Prince of the Devils the Badg of the Beast and Character of Mystery Babylon Imprinted in Churches Chappels Altars Houses and High ways in Books Writings in Prayers Sacraments in Garments Bodies and Souls of Men both Quick and Dead nay nothing is well hallowed without it no Sacrament perfect without it And this great honour hath the Cross because the Devil and his Instruments Killed or Crucified our Saviour upon it so that a marvel it is how Judas lips scaped honour seeing he also was Satans instrument to betray Christ with a kiss wherefore this Spiritual Egypt Pseudo Catholick Church deserveth more to be branded by some Satyrist for worshiping monsters than the first Egypt whose less impiety a Heathen Poet did deride 4. As she is the Mother of Harlots and Mother of all corrupt Doctrine and Detestable Errors c. So also is she Mother of all personal vices and fleshly abominations as horrid Oaths and Blasphemies most astonishing perjury and subtil equivocation hypocrisies uncleannesses lying subornations secret poysonings stabing throat-cutings adulteries covenant-breaking and what not are these things allowed amongst Protestants No certainly yet they are not only allowed by this Whore but esteemed meritoâ—ious if it be done for the good and promoâ—ion of Holy Church and for these things may she not rightly be called Mystery Babylon the great the mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Which I shall conclude with this Argument Argu. If this name Mystery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth in all these respects we have noted doth not so fully and fitly agree to any People as they do to Rome Papal or Church of Rome then Rome Papal c. is Mystery Babylon but this name Mystery Babylon the great Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth in all these respects noted does not agree so fitly and fully to any people in the World as to the Church of Rome Ergo Rome Papal or Church of Rome is Mystery
satisfie their rage and cruel thirst they fell upon them putting them to all manner of unhumane and cruel deaths they could devise so that in a few days they destroyed near thirty thousand Souls in one place they most cruelly tormented an hundred and fifty Women and Children and afterwards chop'd off the Heads of some and dash'd out the Brains of others some had their Feet nail'd to Trees with their Heads downwards one antient Woman they ript up alive putting a sickle into her privy parts and so slit up her Belly after which they dragg'd her about and at last cut off her Head other Women had their Breasts Noses Privities and Hands cut off and so left miserably to perish Another they stab'd in the Soles of his Feet then cut off his Privities and Fry'd them giving them their comrades to eat as a delicate dish then they seared his Wounds with flaming Candles cut off his Ears and toâ—e off his Nails with burning Pincers to make him renounce his Religion and then ti'd one of his Legs to a Mule being yet alive and drag'd him about the Streets and after all this they bound a Cord about his Head and twisted it with a stick till his Eyes and Brains burst out and then cast his Body into a River An Old Woman had her Hands and Nose cut off and so was left alive some had their Bodies cut all into pieces and their limbs strowed in the high-ways some had their flesh sliced from their Bones chop 't like minced meat little Infants were thrown down steep Rocks whereby they were dash'd to pieces Some Children they tore limb from limb before their Parents faces others they flead off their Skins alive in another place they took eleven Protestants and heating a Furnace they forc'â— them to throw one another into it till it came to the last and him they threw in If these are not signs of one drunk with Blood I know not what is But time would fail me to tell you of all the cruel deaths and sufferings of this poor people for that it contains a great volume In Bohemia Poland and Lithuania the sufferings of the Lords Witnesses were as great and their cruel usages as Bloody besides in one or two of those places they began very early about 977. where my Author says Godly Ministers and other Pious Holy and Godly People suffered such Barbarities and Inhumanities from this Harlot that the Ears of a Christian cannot hear nor his Tongue relate them without the greatest abhorrency and indignation Some of them were Stoned to death others hanged upon a Beam with a soft fire made under them were Roasted to Death as well as Hanged they Hanged one Minister up by the Privy Members being seventy years old and burn'd his Books under him Another they laid on his back ramming his mouth full of Gunpowder set Fire to it and so blew his Head all to pieces At a Town called Meldorp a Godly Minister was forc't out of his Bed and to go some Miles on Foot in Frost and Snow upon the Ice bare-footed and bare-legged beating cutting and slashing him and pricking him with their Halberts andat last they cruelly roasted him to death They yoak'd some Ladies and Gentlewomen together like Beasts and forc't them into Woods where they were ravished and abused and then had their Hair and Ears cut off and disfigured they forc'â— some poor Christians to eat their own Excrements and if any refused so to do they thrâ—â— them down their Throats till they were choaked they cram'd the secret parts of several Women with Gun powder and setting fire to it most barbarously tore their Bellies and Wombs thereby Others they hung up by the privy parts some they plained the faces off with Chisels others they made 〈◊〉 put on Boots filled with scalding Oil and then roasted their legs over a fire Some men theâ— Gelt in the presents of their Wives and Children Some had Gags put into their Mouth and then put stinking Water and Piss down their Throats through a Tunnel till theâ— Bellies swelled like a Tun whereby they perished in a miserable manner They sawe off the Legs of some alive a Godly Minister they bound upon a Table and placing a Câ— so that she scratcht his Guts out of his Belly with her Teeth and Claws till he miserable died In Lithuania 1643. this Whore thirsting still for more Protestant Blood great slaughter was made without regard to Aged Sex here many had their Skins flead of whilst they were alive Others had their Hands and Feet cut off The Bowels of divers were also taken out alive Others having their Shin-Bones bored through they poured melted Lead into the wounds of others whom they had cut in the Head and other parts of their Bodys Some had their Eyes pulled out and multitudes were hanged in divers places nay and the poor Protestants accounted it a mercy and great favour to be killed outright without any other torment Should we come into France and give an account of the horrid cruelties of this great Whore there it would if possible exceed what you have heard the Blood of ten thousand this cursed Strumpet has drunk off as it were at one draught there and not a jot more satisfied than she was before here they roasted young Children ravishing Women and Maidens in such a shameless manner and barbarously killing them afterwards that 't is not fit to be spoken A black smith had his Head laid on his own Anvil and then his Brains beat out with Hammers also a young Woman was forc't after they had ravished her to take hold of a Rapier wherewith one of the Villains thrusting her Arm made her kill her own dear husband some Women with child were rip'd up and divers buried alive I migh come to the siege of Rochel and tell you what misery some thousands suffered by famine some hundred thousands of poor Protestants have been barbarously murthered by her means in France and tho of late she hath not put many to death yet they have exercised all manner of new invented ways to destroy their Souls and the Souls of their Children too I might also speak of the Spanish Inquisition and of the hellish torments thereof as also of the crueltys of this Whore exercised on the poor Heathen in America by the Spaniards where they destroyed more than 20 millions of Souls as appears by History besides they put them to all manner of cruel deaths they could devise but I am weary of relating these dismal stories besides they are generally well known together with the Massacre in Ireland where no less than the Blood of two hundred thousand persons could satisfie the Blood of this craving Locust and sh'd in as barbarouâ— a manner as you have heard in other places â— might also mention the Bloody Persecutioâ— here in England in the reign of Queen Maryâ— wherein many holy and gracious Prelates anâ— People were burned to Ashes for witnessing to the
may take in the Harvest Hour God gives them Blood to drink they being worthy of it because they have shed the Blood of the Saints Babylon is to be rewarded as she hath rewarded the Lord's people and must drink double of the same Cup she measured to them and then what must she look for but Blood Blood Blood with a witness Rev. 16. 5 6. Rev. 18. 6. For what Rivers of Blood hath she caused to run down in every Street or Kingdom of this reat City There are two things more had I room I would speak to 1. To shew how all our Writers do agree that the rise of the Beast was between the year 410 and 455 but most fix upon 450 or near that time for then the ten Horns appeared with Crowns upon them who are said to receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast Rev. 17. Dr. Goodwin saith p. 63. that by the year 456 all the ten Kings were up Brightman begins the Beasts Reign sooner by above 20 years Jurieu saith he began about the year 450 and will end totally about 1710. The second thing is to have shewed the nature glory of Christs Kingdom which I judge will begin at the Ascention of the Witnesses for then as I conclude the seventh Trumpet begins to sound and the first Angel pours out his Vial 't is certain with the seventh Trumpet the glory of the latter days begin and the little Stone then will begin to smite will never cease till all the Image power is broken in pieces and the little Stone becomes a great Mountain and fills the whole Earth the Saints must and shall take the Kingdom and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the waters cover the Seas I am persuaded His present Majesty is raised up to do great things for Christ and tho' some may strive to obstruct the work of God and uphold an interest for the Beast yet they shall be blasted in their designs and come to shame and ruin in the end for God is risen up and his Enemies shall be scattered An Account of several Strange Prophesies MIchael Saâ—divogius in his treatise Printed at Cologn 1616. speaketh of a Northern Prince that shall arise of a Warlike disposition indued with excellent Vertues which no Monarch doth go beyond in Victories or excell in humanity and piety and then mercy and peace shall meet together and Peace and Justice shall kiss each other truth saith he shall rise out of the Earth and Justice look down from Heaven there shall be one Sheepfold and one Shepherd he positively intimates that he shall arrive to a universal dominion Another of a nameless Author in a Book Printed 1650 p. 9. Sect. 14. I find these words speaking of the Judgments of God upon Europe for neglecting the overthrow of Antichrist ruin of Rome and Annihilation of the Sodomitical order of the Society of Jesus and in the Extirpation of all Kingdoms are free Estates of Papists adhereing to them to make way for the Lyon of the North to erect his fifth Monarchy in the ashes of Germany wherein shall be established the eternal felicity of the Church c. These three are Predictions said to be of above fifty years standing THE Eagle Droops and Moults his Wings And fewd shall grow twixt Northern Kings Holland is threatned Spain shall pine And blood shall swell the River Rhine When once the Orange and the Rose Unite beware England's old foes This done no more shall monstrous pride Triumphant over Nations ride The Miter falls and scarce shall have A Mournful tear or certain grave The Lillies now bewail the loss And serve but to adorn the Cross. The Northern Star at last appears And an all Conquering banner bears Howl howl ye Merchants all your deeds Shall now receive their worthy meeds The fourth translated out of French in the year 1668. WIth headlong speed that juncture doth advance Wherein the Royal Seat and State of France The Pope Priests Masses Images Saints Shrines And what with these against Heavens will combines By divine Justice shall to ruin fall I much mistake or some Angelical Spirit these verses did suggest Whilst in the morning sleep I took my rest I God to witness call andâ—s heavenly hosts I saw indeed or at the least suppos'd I saw an Angel who did shew to me In a fair written Table this same Prophecy The fifth is another transcribed by Paraeus in his expositìon of the Revelations A Prince shall rise out of the Nation of the most illustrious Son having a Long Forehead lofty Eye-brows long Eyes and an Hauâ—â— Nose he shall draw together a great Army and shall slay all those who fly from his face and hide themselves in the Mountains Caves he shall be married to Justice as the Bridegroom he shall destroy and burn Rome and Florence with fire he shalâ— put to death the highest Prelates of the Clergy who have usurped Peters seat and many other things he says he shall do Predictions of Mr. George Withers I Shall not fail in 't which is to presage That Babylon shall fall in this our age Or set a lasting Period to their hate A bloodless Massacre here is already Begun amongst us and it will be bloody When you perceive admittance of those strangers Who first began our â—lagues renew our dangers And then they who suppose their persons free Will with the rest in equal Perils be For boundless lustings Mischiefs will beget Which lies within the Womb unheeded yet Where sin and Death are Twins conceived together Though born a little while before each other Another of Mr. Withers THere will to th â—art your hopes a new Star blaze Within the West that shall the world amaze And influences through the universe So quickly and prodigiously disperse That aided by Concurrent Constellations It shall have some effects upon all nations And cause such changes as shall make a stand In their attempts which they have now in hand 60 Grebner 69 Banner IS thus inscribed in that family In comitum imperii leones cum principis Gulielmi Uraniae filio Mauricio faeliâ—i Heroi socianti se alicui Daniae de stirpe 61. And subscribed thus Hoc vexillum de fratribus quod Uraniae principis eorum posteris Illustrissimis intelligendum his words of them are these Leones nostri audaces in prima acie fremuâ—t unde nobis potentia crescit gloria fama I know not saith my Author whether formerly the Family of Orange did Intermarry with any descendent from a Daughter of Denmark as is here intimated it is sufficiently known this Princess was by her great Grand Mother Queen Anne of that family And if the Prince of Orange as he here predicts must lead the forlorn of the Northern Army as he manifestly musters them with the Auxiliaries of England their growing Estate and Honour must be by their Aid and so shews who is to be the leadng
Covenants to drive a Trade in Perjury forswear every thing they are justly charged with and is fully proved against them Ninthly To foment Wars and Broils in every Kingdom and Countrey where they have Power contrive the Ruine of Towns Places Cities Countreys and Kingdoms by Fire Sword and most Cruel Devastations Tenthly To slaughter kill and barbarously murther both Men Women and Children even all that dare make a shew of Conscience and Religion so far as to abhor and dissent from these Villanies This is such a Scheme of Religion and Systeme of Divinity to come from an Apostle a Shepherd a Vicar and Successor of Christ from a Church Sheep Saints and the pretended followers of the Meek Peaceable and Innocent Jesus who taught altogether otherwise by his Doctrine and Example that it might well be wondred at and is the strangest Mystery that ever appeared of which we challenge the whole World to shew the like in the Turks and Saracens For men to Swear Lye and to Forswear themselves and yet be true Men to contrive Rebellion Murther and Treason and yet be as Innocent as the Child unborn To be elevated to the highest Pinnacle of Pride even above Emperours and Kings above Jesus Christ and God his Father and yet be humble and lowly To commit gross Idolatry and yet be the Servants of the Living God To be filled with and make a Trade of Excess and Drùnkenness and yet be Patterns and Standards of Sobriety and Temperance To cast down the Truth to the ground deface the Laws of God and burn the Scriptures and yet be the true Witnesses of it To forgive sins and yet be the greatest Sinners themselves To commit Fornication and Adultery and yet be spotless and pure in heart To foment Wars and Broils in every Kingdom and Countrey where they have power to contrive the Ruine of Towns and Places Cities Countreys and Kingdoms by Fire Sword and cruel Devastations and yet be as harmless as Doves to all mankind the only Sons of Peace and Quietness To slaughter kill and barbarously murther Men Women and Children that dare not be so wicked as themselves and yet to be full of mercy tender pity and compassion an Apostle Shepherd Vicar Successor of the Meek and Lamb-like Saviour And for the dear Consort of this Impious Head on Man of Sin do not only confederate with him but a Principal in all these unparallel'd Villanies and most butcherly and rapacious Murthers and yet be the Holy Catholick Church of God the pure and spotless Spouse of Jesus Christ the true Sheep the harmless Lambs the best of Saints and close followers of the Lord Jesus who always taught the contrary by his holy Doctrine and meek Example We say these things not being found by secret search but are written in Capital Letters upon her forehead appear in open view to be read by every one that is not wilfully blind Let any one shew us a greater Mystery in the World than this and we will subscribe to it 4. It cannot be the Turks because they are not the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth which this Babylon is said to be Rev. 17. 5. And upon her forehead was a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And here we demand in excuse to the Turks this one Thing From whence did proceed the Murthers Massacres and Martyrdoms of all the Religious Professors of Christianity that have died by violence in the Christian World for the space of twelve hundred years last past And from what people did proceed those horrid Oaths Blasphemies and Execrations that the World hath wofully been acquainted with most horrid and strangely astonishing to repeat Came these unparallel'd Degrees of Impiety from the Turks from the Waldensians Lutherians Calvinists or any Non-conforming Protestants No no why whose Language then is it Whose Why 't is the Language of the Beast of the Bottomless Pit and Bloody Whore who bare these Blasphemous Sons of her own Body daily nourishes them at her Breast and strengthens them in their sinful courses by accounting them the Sons the precious Sons of Sion the true Sons of the Catholick Church the Darlings of Heaven the beloved ones of the Virgin Mary and gives them Pardons for these Bold and Heaven daring sins as often as they commit them and come to ask Pardon for them so that Sin and Pardon is as constant and common with them as Breathing and Eating And these things are done to Seal and Confirm Lies which is the more heavy heinous and prodigious For if men may Lye by Allowance may kill and shed Innocent Blood without controul of Conscience and Church censure◠may Swear and Blaspheme and Challenge God himself to Damn them may burn men for Religion consume Cities to Ashes conspire the death of Kings the Ruin and Overthrow of Kingdoms Whore and Murther Infants and yet be accounted a Church the Members and Parts of it called Saints Holy Children and the Sons of the most high God Then may we claim a Patent and take a License to change the name of all things and alter the Ideas of the minds of men call and account Beelzebub a good God and all his black Tribe the pure Saints of the most High call the lower Regions of Blackness and Darkness to which he is confined the Heaven of Glory and Eternal Light of which things we ought in Justice to clear the Turks until Witnesses of undoubted credit shall come forth and evidence that the Turkish State is the Mother of as great Abominations as these are 5. And Lastly The Turks cannot be Mystery Babylon because they never were made drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus which this Woman Mystery Babylon is expresly said to be Rev. 17. 6. And I saw the Woman drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondred with great admiration Now let any man shew such blood-shed Saints bloodshed by Massacres and Martyrdom for the Professing of Christianity which must be if the Text be answered in that clause Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus by the Turks either within their Dominions or without as hath been shed by a Generation nearer home and we shall become like the Man without the Wedding Garment wholly speechless and say not a word more about Babylon 6. Now that Babylon in the Apocalypse is Great Rome that in former times Reigned and in suture times shall be destroyed is owned by some of the Papists themselves and is asserted by all Protestants the Difference betwixt them is brought to this narrow Point The one wholly confines Babylon to Rome Heathen and there totally to terminate the other brings Babylon down lower to Rome Antichristian or Papal Rome Now that this work may be to edification and more full satisfaction in this great case we shall advance to the last and chief
Great in respect of place or chief residence where this power and great people are seated and by way of eminency as a Mystical City it may indeed well bear the Bell away For what people have given further occasion to be spoken of in respect of power people and place of chief residence throughout the whole world as Rome has as will hereafter be made more evident III. Mystery Babylon is not only a mysticaâ— City and Woman but a bad Woman and City a City of Confusion For so the word Babel or Babylon signifies viz. Evil or Confusion Parallel Rome Papal or Church of Rome is not only a mystical Woman City but a very evil Woman a City indeed of confusion there is the name of the lamb much spoken of but his doctrine contemn'd slighted and under valued and his Laws and Ordinances trampleâ— upon and notoriously violated his institution not regarded nor his example imitated either by the Bishop himself his Cardinals or inferior Orders they having his humility and self-denial only in their mouths but none of it iâ— their hearts like those the apostle speaketh of who in words profess they know God but in workâ— deny him For under this verbal and pretended humility lies covered the greatest pride in the world and under this verbal meekness and self-denial the greatest oppression cruelty superstition covetousness vain glory and love of the world that ever was manifest as appears by their pompous and glistering garbs their cruel persecutions and the vast sums of money brought in from all parts of their dominions by sleights cunning and deceitful Cheats Besides a meer hodg-podg of principles one Order or Fraternity professing that which another writes against and cries down which is the more strange to come from a Church infallible and that cannot err Besides the strange mixtures in their visible worship of traditions and humane inventions of lying and diabolical tricks of blessing by a Cross Pardons and Indulgences for money consecrating holy water and cleansing by it which are too numerous and tedious to relate and less needful to mention because so well known to all men And let any people in the Christian world pretending to religion be compared to them for supernumeraries trifling â—nsignificant ceremonies crouded into their pretended worship Nay let all the people in the Christian world be laid in the ballance against the Church of Rome in this respect and they will be found inconceivably wanting for which we have this Reason to â—udge her to be Babylon or the City of confusion If there is more confusion in contrariety of principles practices contradicting pretensions supernumeraries foolish and unscripturâ— inventions crouded into their visible worship in the Church of Rome than is to be found amongst any sort of people pretending to Religion in all the world besides then is Rome Papal or the Church of Rome the great Babylon or City of confusion But there is more confusion in the forementioned respects to be found in the Church of Rome than in any other Church or people in the world pretending to Religion Ergo Rome Papal is Mystery Babylon IV. Mystery Babylon is not only set forth 〈◊〉 a Woman and City of Confusion but is also called A WHORE a word which carries in it one of the highest Impeachments yet no other that was given to Israel Judah Jerusalem in the days of old upon the very same reason Isa. 57 3. and 16. 17. and Hos. 4. 8. 5. 3. For they being joyned in covenant with God as a woman is to an husband to be the Lords to serve him in Obedience and Subjection did like to an adulterous Woman break Wedlock and set up other Lovers or Idols in his stead and continued so a long time till a Bill of Divorce wâ— given and God proclaimed them Adulteresses and that he was not their husband nor they his wife but a whore and divorced Yet it is observable that they tho they worshipped Idols cryed The Temple the Temple of the Lord are we and would by all means be accounted the Church of God. Paral. Even so in like manner Rome Papal or the Church of Rome is not only called a Woman But according to Scripture History and notorious matter of Fact she is a whore having utterly adulterated from what she was once and so may justly bear that brand or black name for in the Apostles time she joined her self to the Lord to be his by firm tyes of a Gospel covenant and profession and as a renowned Spouse of Jesus Christ owned and professed him in the time of heathenish Rome and received the Apostles and Servants of God amongst them and withstood the fury of the Emperors suffering Persecution and had their faith spoken of throughout the whole World but yet after all this like Israel of old She left God Jesus Christ and almost all his Holy Laws and Ordinances and made Idols to her self of Saints Angels Reliques and Images upon which she doted and forsook the Son of God upon the working and appearance of the vile person or man of Sin who exalted himself into the place of Christ and became her head by which means she is so far degenerated from what she once was that she retains nothing of what really appertains to true godliness but the bare names of God Christ and Christian Religion having corrupted the true worship of the Son of God her first Husband and notoriously abandoned obedience and subjection to him taking this vile person the Pope to be her head and chief guide and setting him up in the place of and in dignity above Christ her first head and only guide of her youth and yet like Israel of old still cryes The true Church the Holy Catholick Church and Mother Church are we having on her forehead a strange mystery written i. e. God Christ Truth Verity Unity Universality Infallibility And yet with that on her forehead and in her heart too is written Devil Pope Lying Blasphemy Idolatry Deceit Perjury Blood and Horrible Cruelty towards the best of men professing Christ and Religion in uprightness and truth for which her abominable Idolatry and change of her first Head and Husband and setting up this vile Person with which she commits most horrid lewdness or Spiritual Whoredom together with the Kings of the Earth she is ranked by the Holy Ghost amongst the worst of Women and stil'd the great Whore and as her type and predecessor of old a well favoured Harlot but since her Spiritual Adultery and Whoredom hath been so apparently proved upon her by many worthy and eminent authors or Protestant Writers we shall conclude this black character with this following Argument and proceed to the next mark If there be no body of professing People in the Christian World that have so apparently declined or adulterated from what they once were deserting the holy headship doctrine example and right government of Jesus Christ having set up another visible publick and universal head
taken c. Jer. 50. 9. From hence we may conclude as some to judge that those people who shall be the Instruments in the Hand of God to destroy Mystery Babylon shall be the people in these Northern Countreys as Brandenburgh Sweedland Denmark the United Provinces together with England Scotland and Ireland and it may be hoped the people of these Nations and Kingdoms some of which were always accounted as Horns of the Beasts do already begin to hate her and are preparing War against her and that from hence her ruin shall suddenly come and it may be a just and righteous thing with God thus to order the matter since she hath such an Implacable hatred of these Northern parts because of that which she calls the Northern Heresie and hath of late without all doubt designed and secretly resolved utterly to destroy these Protestant Countries and to make these Kingdoms and States desolate but God hath and will put it into their Hearts to agree and fulfil his will i. e. Hate the Where and make her desolate eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire Rev. 17. 16. and so avenge the righâ—eous Blood she has publickly and secretly poured out like water nay I am very confident a very short time will make this thing to appear and it shall as fully be made good in the Antitype as it was in Type concerning the Medes c. Nor shall they do it alone I mean the common people of these Countreys with their heads and renowned Heroes but Gods choice and beloved ones in these Nations shall joyn in with them and so fulfil also what is said in Jer. 51. 20 21. Rev. 18. Thou art my Battle Ax with thee will I break in pieces the Nations and with thee will I destroy Kingdoms c. Come out of her my people reward her as she hath rewarded you double upon her c. XI Chaldea or Literal Babylon carried away into captivity Judea and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem or the Church and People of God and there held them for the space of seventy years a prefixt time by the Almighty and when that set time was come to an end the Lord brought them back and caused Cyrus to make Proclamation fâ—â— the rebuilding the Temple and Holy City Ezra 1. 1. 2. So likewise hath Papal Româ— captivated the true Israel and holy people â— God and held them also under sore oppressâ— on and persecution for the space of 126â— years a set time also prefixt by the Lord aâ— when that time is expired to which Periâ— 't is hoped we are arrived the Israel of Gâ— shall be delivered and our captivity shall be returned but as they gradually returned out of the Literal captivity so shall the Lords people out of their Spiritual captivity and as it was said of them When God brought back at first the captivity of Sion they were as those who dreamed Psal. 126. 1. So likewise are we at this very time under this most amazing providence of God who hath begun to deliver us from the cursed yoak of Mystery Babylon and now also you shall see I doubt not Liberty proclaimed as it were for the rebuilding of the holy Temple the second time the work having been obstructed by those Saâ—ballts and Tobiahs of our times and the work shall go on in the hands of our renowned Zerubbabel and that not so much by might nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord Zech. 4. 6 7. and the great Mountain on the other side of the Flood shall become a plain XII Literal Babylon or the Chaldean Monarchy was brought down not only suddenly but with great vengeance which they could not avoid by all their craft subtilty nor strength and also in such an hour as they little thought of when Belshazzar was feasting with his Concubines and drinking Wine in Bowls and Vessels taken out of the Temple which was at Jerusalem Dan. 3. 1 2 3. praising the Gods of Gold and Silver of Brass Iron Wood and of Stone doubtless they thought themselves very safe and little dreamed of their sudden overthrow till the hanâ— writing came out of the Wall The saâ—â— night wâ—â— Belshazzar the King and the Chaldeans slain and Darius the Median took tâ—â— Kingdom c. Dan. 3. 31. So in like manner shall Rome or Mystery Babylon not only suddenly in one hour comâ— down but with great vengeance which sâ—â— shall not be able to avoid nor put off with 〈…〉 her craft subtilty nor strength but as a mil stone is cast into the Sea so with violence shâ—… the great City Babylon be thrown down aâ—… shall be found no more at all Rev. 18. 2â—… and that too when she thinks her self safe anâ— secure and seems to fear no danger but saiâ— in her Heart I sit a Queen shall see no soâ—roâ— nor know loss of Children nor Widdow-hood 〈…〉 more And somewhat like this sudden fall can't but think we have seen of late in 〈◊〉 pect of Babylons fall in England the teâ—… part of that great City and as suddenly 〈…〉 may hope it will come upon her in otâ—… places in due time CHAP. IV. Shewing that by the little Horn Dan. 7. and vile person Dan. 11 is meant the Papal power of Rome or the Pope who is the supream Bishop thereof all the marks and chief characters of the little Horn meeting directly also in him as the head of the present Church of Rome SOme will have this little Horn to be Antiochus Epiphanes others Julius Caesar others the Turks I suppose Antiochus Epiâ—haâ—es might be a type of this little Horn for it could not be Antiochus because he rose up â—nder the Grecâ—an Monarchy whereas this is â—â—id directly to rise up under the fourth Moâ—archy or when the Roman Empire stood â—pon his last Legs 〈…〉 For concerning this little Horn read 〈…〉 Text Dan. 7. 7 8. After this I saw in â—he night Vision and behold a fourth Beast readful and terrible c v. 8. I considered â—â—e Horns and behold there came up among â—â—em another little Horn before whom there was three of the first Horns pluckt up by the Roots and behold in this Horn were Eyes like the Eyes of Man and a Mouth speaking great things And so the Popes of Rome were kept under by the Emperors who kept a strict Eye over them curb'd their insolencies and exorbitances and at the first appearance nipping their aspiring projects in the very bud Sometimes deposing and banishing some proud Prelates when they shewed at what they levelled their designs But after the power of Rome which before was in tire in one Emperor fell into ten parts and divisions which happened in or about the year of our Lord 456 as Du Moulin and the learned Mede shew 〈…〉 large out of the Roman Histories upon thâ—… division and Weakening of the Empire thâ— Bishop of Rome took his Advantage to maâ—â— his advance and rose up to regal power enacting Laws raising Taxes and
arguments that are broughâ— by others to prove that France Germany or any other countrey under the Papal power should â— there intended with those that may justly be alledged to prove England is the spot where that prediction was to be accomplished And now saith he if the witnesses are upon thâ—â— feet as I am strongly inclined to believe they are and am more and more confirmed in my notion in that respect and that so as they shall never more be flung upon their backs then I may confidently affirm that it will not be long ere they shall hear a great voice from Heaven saying unto them Come up hither And accordingly they shall ascend up into Heaven in a Cloud their Enemies beholding them in which ascent of theirs they must be conformable to the resurrection and ascention of Christ himself But whereas it is objected that if the witnesses are risen indeed so as to be on their feet in pursuance of that sacred prediction Rev. 11. there must needs have been some more than ordinary appearance of the presence of God in the midst of his people or at the least in a greater degree thereof than as yet we see Ans. I say no it doth not therefore follow that it must be so nor indeed it cann't rationally be expected till the time comes of their ascention for this is an established rule with me that there must and will be a signal proportion or resemblance betwixt the Death Resurrection and Ascention of Christs witnesses and that of Christ himself Now as to what concerneth the resurrection of our Saviour himself in his own person thus we are told that he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of his Disciples forty days and speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God yet for ought as appears to us he appeared unto them in all that time but as he did before there was no discovery of any signal Majesty or visible glory upon him more than they had seen upon him before his Death and Suffering neither indeed was the Spirit come down upon them And the reason is expresly rendred because that Jesus was not yet glorified neither could the glorification of Christ be expected till his â—…cention and consequently they could not look 〈…〉 the effusion of the Spirit till then Wherefore tho' it is true there is as yet no appearance of any signal glory upon Gods people nor any considerable measure of the Holy Spirit thâ—â— there was before yet for as much as it is highly rational to conceive that there must be and will be as clear resemblance or proportion as I said before betwixt what passed at the Resurrection of Christ and his Ascention and that of the Witnesses from hence it plainly sollows that we have 〈◊〉 just ground to expect that abundant effusion of the Spirit which God hath promised and we have been a waiting for till we see the Witnesses upon thâ—â— Ascention-work For as it is evident that thâ—â— will be a time of great confusion and desolation upon the Enemies of God so it is as evident and we may no less groundedly expect but that it will be a time of great glory and refreshment unto Godâ— people by the abundant pouring out of the Spirâ—â— upon them whereby Conversion work will swiftly go on and prosper and the Gospel run and 〈◊〉 glorified to which let me add why may we noâ— then expect such great light to break forth or thâ— Spirit in such a manner to be given as to convict 〈◊〉 Gods Children who they are that are in the trueâ— order of the Gospel so that all the Saints and Protestant Churches may be United into one Body anâ— Communion according to that holy Primitive anâ— Apostolical pattern and purity Then saith he 〈◊〉 may justly conclude that as it was promised of 〈◊〉 in the Type it shall be much more in the Antitypâ— viz. That the glory of the latter House should exceed the glory of the former which in the Tyâ—â— was fulfilled by Christ's Personal presence therâ— according to that promise The desire of all Nâ—tiâ—◠〈…〉 and I will fill this House with glory saith 〈…〉 of Hosts Hag. 2. 7. Now if the Personal 〈…〉 of Christ in that day and state of his Humiâ—… filled that latter House or material Temple 〈◊〉 glory so that it exceeded the glory of the forther we may after the same rule as justly conclude that tho' the Spiritual or Gospel Temple in the first Edition of it in the Apostle's days was glorious through the abundant effusion of the Holy Spirit that the same Spiritual House in the second Edition thereof in the latter days to be sure will not come short but rather exceed in glory c. To which let us add the glorious Deliverance promised from outward Oppression and Persecution which never quite ceased in the Primitive days together with that glorious Union they shall have that pure Language and shall serve the Lord with one consent together with the great increase of the Church bringing in both Jews and Gentiles into one Sheep-fold but till the Ascention of the Witnesses comes to pass these things cannot groundedly be expected He also gives some hints concerning the time of the slaying of the Witnesses as also of their Resurrection which things he doth not presume positively to determine but rather conjecturally expresseth himself the exact time he mentions I shall not relate but you may conclude he fixes the slaying of them between the year 1680 and 1688. For since the â—ime that the pretended Protestant Plot was talk'd â—f and as they said discovered and several worthy Christians Executed as the ever Renowned William Lord Russel Sheriff Cornish the Noble Earl 〈◊〉 Essex Col. Sidney and that godly Woman and Martyr Mrs. Gaâ—nt c. What a Flood of contempt reproach and what not hath been as he â—â—serves cast upon the whole of the true interest 〈◊〉 Christ in this Kingdom with the barbarous slaughter of those worthy Christians and Witnessâ—â— in the West together with that Storm of Persecâ—tion which we have no ground to doubt was â—â—â—ried on by the Popish Enemy and Emissaries of Râ—â—â— together with the turning out of places of truâ—â— many good Protestants and the taking away of Charters of Cities and Corporations silencing worthy Ministers c. nay striking at the root and whole constitution of the English Government â—â—thing being designed but the utter subversion of the Protestant Religion things growing every day worse and worse nothing appearing but the blackness of darkness and that which was worst of all many of Gods witnesses seemed to be strangely despirited whilest others truckl'd to the Enemiâ—â— yoak suffering Chapels to be erected for Popery and Cursed Mass Priests and Jesuites and that toâ— in many of the chief of our Cities nay in famoâ—â— London it self and that in the very Heart of it Oâ—â— state seeming desperate and hopeless in the view 〈◊〉 all at home
which doth not belong to the seventh Trumpet they agree in their titles of Woes in the nature of the Revelations in their objects both the one in the other declaring the ruin of Antichrist both of them are mentioned as the last Plagues to come upon the World before the last day 3. All the Vials are of the same nature declaring but the Judgments by which God setting up the Kingdom of Jesus Christ would ruin Antichrist they differ in the degrees 4. The seventh Trumpet cannot declare the ruin of Antichrist unless the seven Vials be poured out under it for they shew the means by which he must be destroyed and so bring in the third Wo. 5. The seventh Trumpet sounded immediately upon the Slaying and Resurrection of the Witnesses and contemporizeth with the whole course of their renewed liberty and therefore the period by it must be before the fall of the Antichristian Kingdom declared by the sixth Vial. 6. The seventh Trumpet sounded immediately after the expiration of the 1260 days before the end of which I see no ground to conclude any of the 7 Vials were to be poured out Now those who think that divers of the Vials were poured out as he observes or shall be poured out before the sounding of the seventh Trumpet say That the Beasts Kingdom beginning to fall under the sixth Trumpet several of the Vials declaring the degrees of his falling must belong to that in answer to which we say it appeareth by all we have in this chap. Rev. 11. 15. that Antichrists Kingdom was in a great measure weakned under the sixth Trumpet particularly from v. 11. to 13. And tho this we grant yet they are but some previous preparations to the final ruin of Antichrist during the period of the sixth Trumpet but the seven Vials signify the surther progress and perfection of his ruin which falls under the seventh Trumpet this being premised we proceed with the Text It is saith he doubted whether these words are become the Kingdom of the Lord and his Christ v. 15 be to be understood as being actually so or now beginning so to be those who make the sense that they now actually were so must understand the time to be the last days or near the coming of Christ but I rather take the words thus i. e. are beginning to become the Kingdom of our Lord or shall shortly be so and if none of the seven Vials are yet poured out but do all belong to the seventh Trumpet then when that begins to sound the little Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands spoken of by Daniel shall begin to smite the Image upon its Feet and Antichrist from that time shall reign no more but gradually fall and be broken to pieces and the Lords people take the Kingdom and bear the only rule in the Earth but the beginning of this glorious Kingdom state will be small and hardly discerned as it is signified by the little Stone and by other passages and places of Scripture Just as I had writ this I met with a book that Mr. Canne had wrote some years ago in which he gives very great arguments to prove none of the Vials are as yet poured out notwithstanding what our French Author has with much confidence asserted some of the reasons Mr. Canne gives to prove that none of the Vials are as yet poured out I shall give you being sorry I saw not the Book sooner and that I am limited to a number of Sheets else you should have had more of him his first reason is taken from what Mr. Tilling hast and divers other learned men affirm concerning Rev. 14. 1. viz. that they are Gentile Saints who stand upon Mount Sion with the Lamb and is to come to pass after the rising of Witnesses this being so saith he and that is indeed so he further saith he could give many reasons then there is little reason to carry the beginning of the seven Vials any higher for tho' it be the opinion of learned and godly men that some of the Vials are poured out yet so that they hold likewise that the 14440 have already stood with the Lamb on Mount Sion and there is reason and weight in it that where we â—â—gin the time of the 14440. c. that there we also take the beginning of the Vials And the order of the matter seems to make this clear the Holy Ghost having chap. 14. spoken of the Harvest and Vintage that is what Sore Plagues the Lord brings first and last upon Babylon and the followers of the Beast comes presently in ch 15 and 16. to shew how and by what means the Earth shall be Reaped and the Clusters gathered and cast into the great Wine-Press of Gods wrath namely seven Angels shall come out of the Temple having the seven last Plagues So then to take the 14440. to be after the Witnesses are risen and to begin the pouring forth of the Vials before they are risen in my understanding is very improper to the scope and drift of the Prophesy and crosseth that excellent order which the Spirit seems to observe 2. I do not conceive how the pouring out of the Plagues and Vials full of divine wrath in any good sense and according to Scripture use may be applyed to and understood of the Preaching of the glad tidings of the Gospel truly I think that the publishing of the sweet and most precious Soul-saving truths of Jesus all the time of the Beasts reign even 42 months or 1260 years is in another way and by other words expressed and not by the Vials full of wrath see Rev. 10. 9 10 11. and therefore by the Seven last Plagues filled up with the wrath of God Rev. 15. 1. I understand real and proper Plagues and not the preaching of the Gospel either by Grosthead Wickliff Luther Calvin c. but rather such temporal Plagues as shall be poured out upon wicked men for despising and persecuting the truth In her was found the Blood of the Prophets and Saints Rev. 18. 24. It is not said that the effects of the Vials shall be wrath or turn to wrath for in the it is filled up the wrath of God. 3. Suppose it be granted there is a Vial of wrath poured out which to me sounds harshly and that Wickliff Huss Jeremy Luther c. were the Angels the question then is who before them poured out their Vials upon the Earth for it is said these seven Angels had the 7 last Plagues signifying that there were Plagues before altho for time persons matter and manner of proceeding and other circumstances unlike 4. I have saith he not seen any reason why so much time is allowed between the first and second Vials Some allow 100 years others 200 and some more namely from the pouring out of the first Vial to the beginning of the second and to all the rest not half the time If those Vials and last Plagues have an allusion to the
Plagues of Egypt as it is generally held then it is probable when there is once a beginning they will suddenly all be poured out Some have observed from History in Exodus that within the space of 30 days the ten Plagues fell upon the Egyptians now if in the Antitype we reckon a day for a year as it is often in Prophetical Types then the seven last Plagues will be finished in thirty years when begun neither is it to be doubted but a short work will the Lord make upon the Earth Rom. 9. 28. when those Vials begin to be poured out upon the Earth wherefore is Babylon's fall set forth under the sign of a great Milstone cast into the Sea by a mighty Angel not only to denote her irrecoverable desolation but also what speedy and quick dispatch the Lord will make when he calls his Angels out of the Temple therefore shall her Plagues come upon her in one day Rev. 18. 8. in one hour v. 10 17 19. iâ— a moment suddenly Isa. 47. 11. why 〈◊〉 ought not to conclude her Plagues to intend â—ose 7 last Plagues all of them as well as some of them I know not I desire this may be considered hinted it before when I had not seen this worthy writer for this French Author makes Babylon a â—elling many hundred years which must doubtless be a grand mistake these Scriptures considered He further confirms this reason and answers Objections which I have not room to insert 5. I cannot conceive saith he how any of those Persons to whom the first second and third Angels are ordinarily applied do fairly or fitly parallel and agree with what the Scriptures hold forth certain it is none of the Angels came out of the Temple till John saw as it were a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and them that had gotten the Victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name standing on the Sea of Glass having the Harps of God and they sing the Song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb Rev. 15. 1 2. All this well agrees with the description of the 14440. Rev. 14. 1 2. But to carry these things to Grostead Armachan Wickliff Luther c. if need were I could shew by many reasons of the improbability of it for tho' many of Gods people formerly received not the Mark of the Beast nor his Name yet to say any of them during the 42 Months got the Victory over the Beast or over his Image and number of his Name I cannot assent unto neither do I think their Opinion is well bottomed who hold this Victory over the Beast and singing the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb to be before the rising of the Witnesses which is the time of their prophesying in Sackcloth and whilst the woman is in the wilderness 'T is strange indeed to think the witnesses wearing Sackcloth or in a mourning condition can be said to sing the Song of Moses as having got Victory over their Enemies and yet overcome by their Enemies for the Song of Moses 't is well known to be that iâ— Exodus 15. Thou hast overcome the Horse and his Râ—der c. Again saith he by way of question p. 16. Why should the Song of Moses Rev. 15 c bâ— carried up to the times before the rising of the Witnesses and the new Song Rev. 14. 3. brought down many hundred years after this seems to be against the order of the Prophesie 2. The matter of the Song if rightly understood is not suitable to any time in which the Beasts reigned neither Lastly Can it be shewed that ever the Church of the Saints have had any occasion through any Deliverance or Victory to sing the Song of Moses c. I am of the same Opinion unless it be in these and the approaching days 6. That none of the seven last Plagues or Vials are yet poured out nor will be till after the rising of the Witnesses does appear for this reason viz. because none of the seven Angels come forth with their Golden Vials until the Tabernacle of the Testimony is opened in Heaven Rev. 15. 5. but that part of the Tabernacle of the Testimony is to be shut all the time of the Witnesses prophesying in Sackcloth may be gathered from Rev. 11. 1. with v. 19. Hence this Argument might be framed viz. No Angel is to come forth with his Golden Vial till the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Heaven is opened But the Tabernacle of the Testimony is not to be opened till after the rising of the Witnesses Therefore no Angel with his Golden Vial is come forth till after the rising of the Witnesses The proof of this Argument are the Scriptures before viz. Rev. 15. 5. cap. 11. v. 1 19. Now if any do think that the four last Angels shall come forth from the Temple opened in Heaven and not the first three such an Opinion is against the Text expresly 〈…〉 saith the seven Angels come out of the Temple verse 6. Neither do I know any ground they have who think that the Angels pouring out the four last Vials shall have more Light Zeal Faith Holiness c. than the former three had but certainly there is a vast difference between the state of the Church now and that when they say the first Vial was poured out nay and the second or third too and none can doubt but the opening of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Heaven points to some greater Church glory that shall be then or a different state of the Church than ever was before under the Beasts reign 7. Neither do I saith he think that the effects of any of the Vials which some suppose are poured out make good what is said Rev. 15. 4. For thy Judgments are made manifest which holds forth to me much more than what followed the preaching of Grostead Wickliff Huss Luther Melancthon c. or the Switzers Wars or of that of the Parliament in England for Gods Judgments notwithstanding what hath been yet done remain still more dark doubtful and disputable especially to the World than shall be under the effects of the Vials For the followers of the Beast as the Egyptians under their Plagues tho' they are hardened and repent not but blaspheme the God of Heaven not giving glory to him shall notwithstanding see the hand of God lifted up and be ashamed for their envy at his people Isa. 26. 11. So manifest at that time shall his Judgments be but hitherto no such things have appeared notwithstanding all the Judgments of God upon them so dark and hidden not manifested have the actings of God been to his Enemies nay and not clear or plainly manifested to his own people neither as it appears by their different apprehensions and opinions about what hath been past until these very days And hence it is also that Mystery Babylon ever unâ—il of late if
Letters With many others very useful for instructing of young Persons By R. B. Price bound 6d 35. ANtichrist Stormed or the Church of Rome proved to be Mystery Babylon the Great Whore Rev. 17. by many undeniable Arguments answering all the objections of the Papists and all others Together with the Judgment of many Ancient and Modern Divines most Eminent Writers concerning the rise and final Ruin of the Beast Babylon proving it will be in this present Age with an account of many strange Predictions relating to these present times By B. Keach Price one shilling 36. THE Devout Souls Daily Exercise in Prayers Contemplations Praises containing Devotions for Morning Noon Night for every day in the week with Prayers before and after the Holy Communion And likewise for Persons of all conditions and upon all occasions With Graces and Thanksigvings before and after Meat By R. P. D. D. Price bound Six pence 37. SAcramental Meditations upon divers select places of Scripture wherein Believers are assisted in preparing their hearts exciting their affections Graces when they draw nigh to God in that most awful and solemn Ordinance of the Lord's Supper By Jo. Flavel late Minister of Christ in Devon. Price one shilling 38 JACOB Wrestling with GOD and prevailing Or a Treatise concerning the Necessity and â—fficacy of Faith in Prayer Wherein divers weighty Questions and Cases of Conscience about praying in Faith are stated and resolved For the satisfying of scrupulous Consciences Conviction of formal Hypocrites awakening of all both weak and strong o this great duty of Prayer By T. Taylor formerly Minister at St. Edmund's Bury now at Cambridge price one shilling 39. HEaven upon Earth or Good News for Repenting Sinners Being an Account of the Remarkable Experiences Evidences of many Eminent Christians in several Declarations made by them upon Solemn Occasions Displaying theÌ„ exceeding Riches of the Free Grace and Love of God in supporting them under violent Temptations at length filling their Souls with Divine Consolations With the Memorable Conversion Exemplary Repentance and Dying Expressions of the late Earl of Rochester Approved of as very necessary for comforting poor Doubting Believers By W. Dyer Minister of the Gospel Price One Shilling 40. THE Welcome Communicant Containing brief Directions to the weakest Christians how to proceed from one Grace to another according to the Rule of the Sacred Scriptures that so they may come with cheerfulness and Acceptance to the LORDS TABLE Together with Devotions and Prayers before at and after the Receiving the Holy Communion By A. H. D. D. Price six Pence FINIS Riâ—â—mus St. Thom. adsacâ— Eucharist Rev. 17. v. 11. 6. 16. * cum inter in glosl extr Job 22. in Liv. 2. * De expresso dei verbo †Epiphanius horis 97. per totum * de Imag. 1. 2. Bernard Livius l. 1. Plutarch in Numa Bellar. de Imag. Sanct. l. 2. c. 8. Isa 40. 18. Gal. 3. 13. quis nescit Voâ—usi Bithinice qualia demens Egyptus Protent a colat c. Jâ—venal sat 15. Dan. 11. 21. ver 22. ver 23. Dan. 11. 35. Pet. Jurieu accom Prophe p. 37. See his preface advice to all Christians Here I must nâ—te sith by the Church he speaks of thus divided into three parts is meant great Babylon or Church of Rome it fâ—llows plainly from hence that all these three parts are Antichristian and but as so many Limbs of the great Whore. Pools Annot on Rev. 11. 15. * In this he agrees much with Dr. Goodwin and many other English Writers that the slaying of the Witnesses is not a temporal slaying but only aâ—iâ—il death and it much comports as we before have noted with the late dismal days in England Our times in respect of the late King and his Confederates have sufficiently made this good which the Dr. so long ago hinted * So 't is now by France See Mr Knowles Exposition on the Rev. p. 130. Ans. Ans.