A Paraphrase on the New Testament

CHAP. VII.

1. ANd after these things, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

1. God's Decree for the suspending of his dreadful Executions (specially on Judea ) was declared to me, by the Apparition of four Angels, standing on the four corners of the Earth, who were to hold the four Winds from blowing to the hurt of any Creature.

Note, 1. The Winds are called four, according to popular Opinion.

Note, 2. By this, it is not unlikely that the four Beasts are so numbered, with respect to the four Quarters of the Earth, signifying the Executioners of Providence.

2. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

2. Note, 1. The East, where the Sun riseth, is noted in Prophesies, as the way, whence we are to expect our Blessings, from Christ, the Rising Sun: whence came the old Ceremony of worshipping, in the Church, only towards the East.

2. The Seal of God is, his gracious, sealed Commission.

3. The loud Voice and Cry signifieth, God's great care to preserve the Faithful.

4. The Seal in the Fore-head is, God's Notification of those whom he will preserve. In Ezek. 9.4. it is as by the Letter, Tau. But the Text seemeth to mean no more than that God made known, to the destroying Angels, everyone that was to be preserved.

4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed, an hundred and forty and four thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand. 7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8. Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. All these were to be preserved from the Destruction coming.

Note, 1. Not that there were just twelve thousand of each Tribe; but that the number was great in itself, though small, as to the number of them that perished. 2. Joseph is put for Ephraim, and Dan is left out; some think, the Tribe being almost worn out; or for what other reason, is unknown.

9. After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands:

9. And it was not only the believing Jews that were to be preserved, but the Gentile Christians, in a multitude innumerable, who worship God joyfully in holy Assemblies, celebrating honourably the Praises of Christ, represented by their Spirits magnifying God and the Lamb joyfully in Heaven.

10. And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb.

10. They praised God, and their Redeemer, as the Author of Salvation.

Note ; The Heretics of those times (as such do now) accused these great Multitudes, and separated from them, as unworthy of their Communion, while they were unworthy of Church-Communion themselves.

11. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God. 12. Saying, Amen: blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen.

11, 12. And I saw the multitude of Believers (or Ministers) represented by all the Angels, joining with the four living Wights, and with the twenty four Elders, who represented the Church of the Christian Jews, celebrating the Praises of God and the Lamb; ascribing to him everlasting Blessing, Glory, &c.

13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

13, 14. And one of the Elders, in order to inform me, asked me whether I knew what those were that stood arrayed in White: And I told him, that I knew not; but desired him, who knew, to tell me. And he told me, that they were such as had suffered great Tribulation for Christ, and were now accepted as righteous before him, through the Merits of his Blood; and were dignified by him.

15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

15, 16. Note ; It is not the least difficulty in this Book, to know when it speaketh really of what is done in Heaven, and when of what is done on Earth, and when of both. This Text seemeth to speak chiefly of what is really done in Heaven. To expound it only of the Liberty, that came to the Christians after the Destruction of Jerusalem, is improbable, when the ten Persecutions succeeded. To expound it of the Advancement of the Church by Constantine, must make it to speak only of the Species of Christians that formerly suffered, and of no individual persons, but those that were then alive; and is hardly believed by them that believe the reported Voice from Heaven, Hodie venenum funditur in Ecclesiam ; and that know how quickly Papacy and Church-Corruption sprang out of it. And yet, to exclude all inferior Church-mercies from this Vision, seemeth also unsafe.

17. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

17. The Churches on Earth shall have some Times of quiet Assembling, and learning of Christ and his Ministers, the pure Word of Life, and Religion shall flourish, and God shall give them some Respite and Intermission, or Ease from Persecution (under Vespasian and Titus. ) But this is but a small Fore-taste of the heavenly Glory, wherein these words shall be fulfilled; where indeed, they shall go out of God's Temple no more, and shall have all Tears wiped away.

CHAP. VIII.

1. ANd when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

1. There was a little space, after the opening of the seventh Seal, before I saw or heard the Revelation of it.

2. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

2. Seven Angels were appointed to publish, as by Trumpet, the Judgments following. Some think that the Temple-Worship is here described, where the people without prayed in silence, while the Priest within officiated, and the Trumpets sounded: Which the following words favor.

3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne.

3. Another Angel represented the High Priest, whose Office was, to offer Incense at the Altar, and to offer up Prayers for the People: To which use, he had a Golden Censer, and a Golden Altar, to show the honor of the Christian Ministry and Worship; which is all accepted, through Christ's Intercession.

4. And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God, out of the angel's hand.

4. And God received, as grateful, the Prayers of his People, as offered by the Ministers, and by Christ.

5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

5. And upon the Acceptance of the Saints Prayers, followed the kindling of God's avenging Judgments on the Earth.

6. And the seven angels, which had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound.

6. Then did the Messengers of God's Judgments prepare to publish, or sound, them forth.

7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail, and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

7. And the Judgment published by the first Angel, began with Destruction on the Countries, such as usually accompany Wars, which lay wast Land and Houses.

8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood: 9. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

8, 9. That no place should escape, the next degree of Judgment was represented by a Mountain of Fire, cast into the Sea, which turned the third part of the Sea into Blood, &c. signifying increased Wars and Bloodshed; by Sea and Land.

The particular Signification Expositors are utterly disagreed in Dr. H. taketh it for the Bloodshed by Insurrections in Galilee: Others, for the Barbarians ruining the Roman Empire: Others, for Heresies in the Church: Others, for the Bishops Strife for Superiority.

10. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters: 11. And the name of the star is called wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

10, 11. And next, the Jugdment was, the infecting of the Rivers, and Waters, with mortal Bitterness, by a Star from Heaven, that was mortally bitter, falling into them. This signifieth the further extensive progress of the Punishment.

Some take this for the Fall of a great Captain of the Jews: And some, for one of their false, seducing Prophets: And some, for the Fall of the Western Empire: And some, for Arius: Some, for Pelagius: Some, for Mahomet: and some, for Heretics in general.

12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

12. On the Sounding of the fourth Angel, the progress of the Judgment was represented to me, as the darkening of the third part of th Sun, Moon and Stars; signifying the fall of some great Powers, Ecclesiastical or Civil.

Some expound it of Vespasians 's destroying a third part of the Cities of Judea: Some of the beginning of the Siege of Jerusalem : Some of Totila 's sacking of Rome: Some, of the Corruption of Prelacy, before Popery: Some, of Arianism: Some, of the general Corruption of the Church by Popery.

Lira takes the four Angels to be the four Heretics (as he doth the four Beasts to be the four Patriarchs.)

13. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying thorough the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe to the inhabiters of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are yet to sound.

13. This punishment extended but to a third part. But I heard an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven, loudly crying, woe, woe, woe for the greater plagues that were yet to some.

Some expound this out of Josephus of one Jesus Son of Ananias that, for many years before the siege, went about pronouncing this woe: Others divers other ways.

CHAP. IX.

1 ANd the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2. And he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened, by reason of the smoke of the pit.

1, 2. Note ; By this, some say, is meant that Jewish Seducer that headed the turbulent Zealots in the Siege of Jerusalem: Others apply it to Arius ; most Protestants take it for the Pope: Some take it for Christ that had the Keys of Death and Hell, descending to let loose these destroyers. And the Smo • k is by Protestants mostly taken for the obscuring of holy Doctrine and Manners; but by the first for the Confusions in Jerusalem by the Zealots (as the murderers were called.)

3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth; and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any gr ••• thing, neither any tree; but only though • • en which have not the seal of God in the •• foreheads.

3, 4. Note ; That this was an increase of God's Plagues, is clear; and that it was to be by Soldiers, that were not to make an utter desolation, but to captivate and punish the Enemies of Christianity. But the particular sense is controverted. Some take it for the foresaid rage of the Zealots in Jerusalem ; some for the beginning of the Roman Assaults; some for Constantine 's Dejection of the Heathens, who yet did not kill them, but give them a disgraced Liberty of Idolatry; some take it for the first rising of the Saracens and Mohammedans ; and some-take them for Devils that are called Locusts; some for Heretics; and most Protestants for the Papal Clergy and Friars; and these by [ hurting ] mean [deceiving.]

5. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man. 6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it, and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

5, 6. The Torment of Christ's Enemies shall be worse than Death, so that they shall wish for Death, and not obtain it. Some by this understand the Famine in Jerusalem, and the Zealots tormenting the Inhabitants, to make them confess where their Bread or Food was. Others otherwise.

7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses, prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men, 8. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9. And they had breast-plates as it were breast-plates of iron, and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

7, 8, 9, 10, 11. That this is the description of a terrible Army of cruel men, seemeth plain, but who they were, and when, is not so plain: Whether the foresaid Jewish Zealots, (who got out of the Country into the City, and used the Inhabitants cruelly:) Or whether it was the Roman Army, or the Arabian Mohammedans (which many had rather think, than that all this obscure Vision spake but of things already done, and known to John, and those of his time, if it was in Domitians Days.) And the Abadddo • their King, both sorts think was the Devil; though some say, it is Christ, and some an Angel that had power to let out such destroyers. Five months being the just time of the Zealots Rage, before Titus came against the City, confirmeth the first sort of Expositors in their Opinion: But, as I said, most Protestant Writers take this King to be the Pope, or the Devil as acting him, and the Locusts to be the Friars and Clergy and all their tormentings and destroyings to be spiritual: But it's hard to think that Deceiving should be meant by such tormenting, as made men wish for death: For their Excommunications and Persecutions cannot be meant, because those are more against good men, than the bad; and though some of their Doctrines be uncomfortable, they have more that flatter men in sin.

12. One woe is past, and behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

12. Thus one of the three Woes reserved to the three last Trumpets, is past, and two follow.

13. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14. Saying to the sixth angel, which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

13. Those that expound all this of the destruction of Jerusalem, think that by Euphrates is meant Rome, and that the four Angels there bound, was the Roman Legions which Vispasian had stopped, till he saw what would become of the Empire, when Galba, Otho, and Vitellius were killed, and he was chosen Emperor; and then he went on to the Siege; Or else that the Syrian Legions, having marched as far as Euphrates, were there stopped. But this exposition hath much said against it: Especially that these were then things past, and that v. 20. the men are described as gross Idolaters, which the Jews then were not.

Many others expound it of the Arabians and Turks, who dwelt beyond Euphrates, out of the Roman territories, till they invaded and spoiled them.

15. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

15. Some gather from [an hour, a day, a month and a year) that from the first great invasion and taking of Babylon to the fall of the Turks, it will be exactly in 1696, that is, twelve years hence: which time will expound. The four Angels some take for four Mahometan Generalls, and parts, before they united in one. And by slaying the third part of men, their cruel devastations and successes.

16. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

16. The number of the Roman Army say some: But most say the number of the Mohammedans was exceeding great, like locusts over spreading all the Countries.

17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breast-plates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions, and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke, and brimstone.

17. They appeared terribly as fitted to destroy: But some expound it of their false doctrine.

18. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

18. Multitudes say some killed by the Romans; and, say most others, the exceeding great numbers killed by the Mohammedans, Saracens and Tarks.

19. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

19. They are both fierce and venomous, and every way destructive. Some expound mouth and tail, of the front and the rear of their Armies.

20. And the rest of the men, which were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

20. 21. To take this for the Gnostics, and the Spiritual Idolatry of the Jews, seems very unlikely. The Mohammedans, say others, made the destroying of Idols their chief profession, and have not only rooted out image-worship from the Eastern Christians, but turned since many great Kingdoms and Empires from Heathenism to Mohammedanism : But they repented not under those destructions.

CHAP. X.

1. ANd I saw another mighty Angel, come down from Heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.

1. The circumstances describe the Glory of this Angel, which some take for Christ, and some for a proper Angel.

2. And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth.

2. The plain sense is, that he shown the universality of his commissioned power (sea and land comprehending the world below;) and that-the Book was the Decree of God committed to him to execute. But the conjectured sense is manifold: Some say it was God's Decree to destroy Jerusalem, and that Sea and Land was Galilee and Judea : And others that it was God's Decree to destroy the Roman heathen power, and deliver his Servants: And others that it was his Decree to destroy the Papacy, and reform and deliver the Church: And others that it was his Decree to destroy all oppressing powers, and set up Christ's thousand years reign in Righteousness: And others that it was his Decree to end the World, and come in judgment.

3. And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

3. His terrible Aspect and Cry, was to prepare for a progressive Increase of the Plagues, signified by seven Thunders, which are louder than Trumpets.

4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

4. Say some, Because the Plagues are so grievous, that (on Jerusalem, say some; on the Empire, say others; on the Papacy, say others) they shall be known by experience, and not by words. Therefore write them not (at all, say some; or not yet, say others.)

5. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea, and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, 6. And sware by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that therein are, and the earth and the things that therein are, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there should be time no longer. 7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

5, 6, 7. He sware by God, that there should be no longer delay; that is, say some, of the Destruction of the Jews, but till Adrian 's time; or, as others, of the Ruin of the Roman Empire; or, as others, of the Churches Deliverance from Popery and Persecution; or, as others, that there shall be no longer Duration of this World: But that, at the seventh Trumpet, God's decreed Judgments shall be accomplished. Or, as Lira, that the Arian Heresy should no longer prosper.

8. And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea, and upon the earth. 9. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up, and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

8, 9. The Voice bid me take the Book, &c. And I asked the Angel for it; who bid me eat it, &c. It shall be pleasant to thee, to know what will be as News; but bitter to know such heavy things: or, it will be sweet to thee, to sore-know the Churches Deliverance; but bitter, to know the dreadful Judgments that effect it, (against the Jews, say some; the Roman Empire, say others; the Papal Church, say others, &c. )

10. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

10. The Mercy revealed in it, was sweet; but the dreadful Judgments of Bloodshed, bitter.

11. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many people's, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

11. Say some, When Titus hath destroyed Jerusalem, there is more for thee to prophesy of, which many following Emperors, and their Armies, will do against them, especially Adrian, to finish their Destruction. Or, as others, There are yet greater, and more dreadful things to be told thee, against many Nations and Kingdoms. Or, as others. The Work of Prophesy, or preaching the Gospel, suppressed by the Pope, and his Prelates, shall be revived again, and prosper, before the end.

CHAP. XI.

1. ANd there was given me a r • ed like unto a rod, and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

1. Say some, to measure the Temple and the Altar-places, as reserved from Adrian 's building an Idol-Temple, which, say they, he did only in the Outer Court. Say others, Measure the Church, which shall be reduced to a Conformity to the Word of God, after all its Pollutions by Popery. Or, Measure it, signifieth, that the Church will be a small and measurable thing under the Papacy, and even obscured, but not forsaken of God.

2. But the court which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles; and the holy city shall they tread underfoot forty and two months.

2. Say some, the outer Court, and the City was rebuilt by Adrian, called Aelia, so the Gentiles to live in, and a Temple built for Jupiter, and so continued three years and a half, as Antiocbus profaned it, Dan. 7.25. Say others, The outer Court and the City left to the Gentiles, is that great part of the visible Church left under the Papacy to such gross Idolatry, as that it hath but the name of Christian, as • loathing restored Gentil • sme, and is rejected of God. Some take the 42 months literally, for a certain time of three years and a half; and some for uncertain time, Christ was three years and a half, in his ministerial labor. And this number is five times here recited: Therefore like to be strictly meant. Some old Fathers and some Papists understand it strictly of the reign of an Antichrist, which they think is yet to come: some of the time of the Papal reign, which they say will be 1260 years beginning between 365. and 455. and ending between 1625, and 1715: in which space Babylon will fall. Others state the time differently.

3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

3. Note, There is great diversity of opinions who these witnesses are: And yet most Protestants think that their time is past, or the most of it, and this prophecy fulfilled: And Prophecies use to be plain when they are fulfilled. Some new men say that they were the two Churches in Jerusalem, of the Jewish and the Greek Language, and their two Bishops, who preached all that time against the sins of Jews and Gentiles : For they think that the Jews and Greeks, not understanding the same Language, had in Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Alexandria, and other great Cities, two Churches and Bishops▪ Others, that the two witnesses are Enoch and Elias, that shall come when Antichrist cometh. Others, that they are the Old and New Testament, which the Papacy shall oppose; or, as others, the Preachers of the Old and New Testament, named two, because but sew, but yet enough to promote the Reformation. Brightman saith, It is the Scriptures, and the Assemblies of the Faithful. Others, that it is the Godly Magistracy and Ministry, which the Papacy will cast down. Others, that God will hereafter send two, with the Spirit of Enoch and Elias, in whom all this shall be literally fulfilled: Others, that it is the Martyrs that have in several times opposed Popery to the death; Called two in allusion to many old couples of Witnesses, Moses and Aaron, Caltb and Joshua, Ezra and Nehemiah, Haggai and Zacharias, Zerubbabel and Joshua, (to which Zech. 4.11. this Text specially relateth) Moses and Elias on the Mount, &c.

Clothed in Sackcloth, is doing their Office in a time of great affliction: And all this, some think, may be applied to divers couples, that God hath used in divers times and parts of his Church: As to the Waldenses and Albigenses ; to John Hus and Jerome of Prague, to John Frederick Duke of Saxony and Philip Landgrave of Hassia, long imprisoned by Charles the fifth, and after delivered; to the Lutherans and the reformed; to King Edward 6. and his Uncle Protector Duke of Somerset, &c. Even as Christ sent out his Disciples by two and two; Paul and Barnabas, &c. Lira's conceit that Silverius and Mennas were the two witnesses against the Eutychians is vain.

4. These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

4. These are resembled to the two mentioned, Zech. 4. These are as Olive Branches that empty themselves into the Lamps, even the Servants of the Lord of the World for his Church.

5. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

5. If any will persecute or silence them, God will revenge their cause; it refers to Elias that brought down fire from Heaven to destroy the Captains and their fifties, 2. Kings 1.10. and to Moses, Num. 16. Or say others, The word in their mouths shall be as fire against all false Doctrines and Corruptions.

6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters, to turn, them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

6. And the Power that God gave their Ministry and reforming endeavors, and the revenge that God will use against their persecutors, were expressed to me, as resembling Elias, whose prayer stopped the rain for three years and a half, and the plagues which God by Moses inflicted on Egypt : Christ intimating this, Matth. 17. When Moses the chief Law-giver, and Elias the chief Prophet, were the two great witnesses of his Glory. And it is notable that Godly Magistrates, and Godly Ministers, have usually prospered together, and fallen together, and Magistracy and Ministry been together corrupted.

7. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast, that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

7, 8. Note, Christ's witnesses, (Holy Magistrates and Ministers,) shall be marvelously preserved, till they have finished their Testimony, and they have done their work. And then they may be destroyed by the Servants of the Devil, and exposed to common scorn, and perhaps be denied burial, in the places where they preached and were wonderfully blest, and their enemies punished. And this will seem▪ to carnal men, to be God's disowning them, and all that they did: But the same sort of Men shall be raised again, & revive their work with more success, and again silence the deluded insulting enemies.

These words [ where our Lord was crucified ] seem to favor their Exposition, who apply all this to Jerusalem. But most Protestants take it for the Roman state of Papal corruption. And some by their carcasses say, is meant the dead carcass of the Scripture, or Religion, or Assemblies, which only is left among them. But it seemeth to me to mean persons: And whether the same thing, as this killing and reviving the witnesses, may not be done at Jerusalem, and elsewhere, again and again in several ages, (the Church, having had its days and night,) I yet know not.

9. And they of the people, and kindreds and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies, three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

9. Say some, They shall literally be cast out inhumanely unburyed; say others, They shall be politically slain, deposed, silenced, imprisoned, and cast by as dead and useless. And not only their persecuting enemies, but the deluded rabble and people, shall see their oppression and insult over them, and not suffer them to be restored, or honored.

10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another, because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

10. The enemies of the Church, and the ungodly rabble, shall triumph and rejoice together in their revenge and conquest of these Prophets, and that in the revengeful sense of their own suffering by them, whose preaching was a torment to them, who by Godly Magistrates also had been punished or restrained from their sin.

Note, 1. Oh how madly do the wicked rejoice, for their victory against the men that would have saved them. 2. One of the great causes of the violence of Silencers and Persecutors is, the remembrance of their own sufferings by godly Magistrates and Ministers, by Punishments and Reformation.

11. And after three days and an half, the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

11. Either the same men, or men of the same Spirit and Office, were restored to the same Power and Works to the great wonder of good men, and the great consternation of the bad.

12. And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them.

12. The Voice of Christ, say some; of the chief Rulers, say others: Come up hither, that is, say some, to Heaven as the reward of their former Service, as Christ ascended in a cloud, and as Moses was called away and buried by God, and Elias carried up, Moses not seeing what Joshua must see, and Elias being only translated from a wicked Generation before Jehu executed God's Judgments on them; so Magistrates and Ministers, that do great things for the Church, are usually taken up to Heaven before they see the desired issue, which is left to their Successors: Not David, but Solomon, must build the Temple. Or, as others, come up into a state of greater prosperity and peace, which is as a Heaven in comparison of their Persecution: Or, as most Protestants, come now into the desired state of the visible Church reformed from Popery and Impiety. Their advancement conv • nced some, and terrified others of their Adversaries.

13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the City fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand; and the remnant▪ were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven:

13. Say some, Adrian rooted out those Jews that did not turn Christians, and set up the Image of a Swine at the Gate, to put them in despair; upon which the rest turned Christians, and glorified God.

Say others, nine parts of Rome were destroyed before, and under the Papacy only the tenth part of old Rome was left, and that fell by this Earthquake: Say others, the first stirs by Preaching, Disputing and War about Religion, quickly cast down the tenth part of the Roman Church, and then many others turned Protestants: Some think, it was the fall of old Heathen Rome ; and some think that the killing of the Witnesses (by Papal Cruelty) is yet to come, and that Popery shall be restored a few years, and then fall forever. It seems to relate to the case of Elijah and Eli • ha, after whose time the House of Ahab dreadfully fell by Jehu.

14. The second woe is past, and behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

14. Note ; Thus far some think that the Revelation shown John nothing but what was done many years before, and visible to all men there, that is, that all was but the destruction of the Jews; and that of these three last Woes, the first was by the Zealots, the second by Titus, (in which, saith Josephus, eleven hundred thousand persons were killed by Sword and Famine, besides the Captives carried away;) The third by Adrian, when the Faction of Barchochiba was cast out of Jerusalem, and were pursued, in which, some say, five hundred thousand were killed, some say eight hundred thousand, and some twelve hundred thousand.

Others say that all the Woes respected later times.

15 And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.

15. The foresaid new Expositors take this for the Triumph of the Church for the Jews destruction, and the ceasing of their Persecution, and the uniting of the Jew and Gentile Christians in one Church at Jerusalem, where Adrian gave them that freedom by which they prospered.

Others think that this Verse speaketh of the Christian Emperors owning Christianity, and putting down Heathenism: Others think it speaks of the great Success of the Reformation against Popery: Others think it speaks of Christ's thousand years Reign: And others think it speaketh of the last Judgment. I see not why we may not take it for the flourishing of the Gospel in the Catholic Church, begun when Persecution abated, but most notably promoted by Constantine.

16. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17. Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come, because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great, and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

16, 17, 18. The twenty four Bishops of Judea, say some: Rather, the Ministers of the Catholic Church, represented by four and twenty Elders in the Vision; or the whole Church, say others: And those in Heaven, say others. The Reign mentioned is variously expounded, as aforesaid; 1. As against the Jews. 2. As against the Heathen Emperors. 3. As against the Pope, by the Reformation. 4. As of the Fall of Mohammedanism, and the Turkish Empire. 5. As of the Millenium, and the Resurrection and Judgment that shall be then. 6. As of the last Judgment.

19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament, and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earth-quake, and great hail.

19. The Vision of the opened Temple in Heaven signifieth, the Freedom given to the Gospel against Persecutors and Corrupters; and the pure Preaching and Profession of it, and God's owning his Covenant and Church, by his eminent Blessing: and the Lightnings, &c. signify the great Manifestation of Christ's Power, for his Church, in the Commotions and Changes in the World, and his Judgments on their Enemies, as followeth. (But in what Instances and Periods of Time, Expositors differ, as aforesaid.

CHAP. XII.

1. ANd there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.

1. Some Popes, and their Flatterers, have said that, by the Woman in Heaven, is meant, the Pope, and Church of Rome in its Power; and by the Sun is meant, their spiritual Power, as Key-bearers of Heaven; and by the Moon is meant, all Princes Secular Power as under the feet of the Papal Church, at least, in order to the ends of the spiritual Power; by which he may, if they deserve it, excommunicate and depose them.

By others is understood the Christian Church, now raised to Honor, and flourishing in Grace and Wisdom, and having worldly Prosperity as a lower part of her Blessing; or, say others, trampling on Wealth, and worldly things, with a holy Contempt: And known by this Ensign of Honor, that the twelve Apostles were its Founders, under Christ; and that still they hold fast the Apostolical Doctrine, and depart not from it by human deprivations, or by heretical Seduction and Corruption. This is a Crown of Glory to the pure Church, being not yet seduced from Christian, Apostolic Simplicity.

2. And she being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

2. She labored with earnest desire to propagate Christianity through the World. Some refer this to the Jewish Church desiring Christ's Nativity; but most, to the labor of Ministers to spread the Gospel; and some, specially, to the Conversion of the Roman Empire.

3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven, and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

3. The Devil appeared in the shape of a great red Dragon (specially Mars, whom the Heathen Romans took for their special God.) His seven Heads and Crowns signify his great Power, especially at Rome, the City that had seven Hills, and ruled in the Earth: and the ten Horns are the Kingdoms or Provinces of the Roman Empire.

4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

4. By his Tail, say many, is meant, his Subtilty; by Heretics he corrupted a third part of Christians; which, saith Dr. H. was by Simon Magus, and the Gnostics: Say others, by all the Swarm of Heresies. ( Lira saith, All this is spoken of the War of Cosroe, King of Persia, against the Christians.) Most Protestants say, it is meant of the Roman, persecuting, Emperors Successes, acted by Satan, who sought to extirpate Christianity.

5. And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

5. This Child, say some, was Christ; others say, Constantine ; most say, the Church, as prosperous, which, in Constantine 's time, was to be advanced to Power, and prevail against Heathenism, both by the Word, and by the Sword: Or that Christ, by the Church, was thus to rule: Or, as others, the Martyrs, taken up to God, triumphed by suffering, and furthered the Glory of the Church. Others think it meaneth that, in the days of the honest Heathen Emperors, Alexander Severus, Philip Arabs, Constantius Chlorus, &c. the Church travailed, as in the pains of Child-birth; but was to suffer with patience, as in the Wilderness, till Decius, Dioclesian, Max. Hercul. Maxentius and Licinius had done persecuting: and then it was delivered by Constantine, to an advanced, free Church-state.

6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

6. Say some, the Church throughout the Empire, persecuted by Nero for three Years and a half, was put to worship God in Obscurity, and as in Flight: (But Nero 's Persecution was before John wrote this, if under Domitian. ) Others, more probably, refer it to the later Roman Persecutions, under which God kept his Church till its Deliverance. And some understand it of Antichrist's driving the pure Church, as into a Wilderness.

7. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels: 8. And prevailed not, neither was their place found anymore in heaven.

7, 8. Some expound this of the Conflict at Rome, between Simon Magus and Simon Peter (long before John wrote this, if the story be true.) Others more probably say, it represents the Churches Persecution by the Heathen Emperors (especially Dioclesian, Maxentius, Licinius, &c. ) and their final Overthrow by Constantine, by a War in Heaven, of which this was the Effect. By Michael some mean Christ; Others rather that Arch-angel, mentioned Dan. 10. who was Guardian Prince over Israel, and is now such to the Church. And whether such have real War in the Air with Devils, is doubtful. But the casting out Devil-worship, in the Empire, is here meant, as the Effect.

9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

9. By the Similitude of casting down from Heaven to Earth, is signified, that Satan and Idolaters were cast out of Power and Honor in the World, as Earth is opposed to the Church and Empire.

10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

10. The Church Triumphant and Militant glorifies God for this wonderful Change; which shown his strength for the setting up his Kingdom, and the Exercise of Christ's Power, and the Salvation of Men, by conquering the Devil, and the Heathens.

Note 1. If Christian Kingdoms be so honorable, and called the Kingdoms of God, and the Power of Christ, and the Fall of Devils, let them better consider it, that cry them down under the name of National Churches, and would have Churches to be only some gathered out of the multitude.

2. Quest. Why doth Satan accuse Saints, day and night, to God, who never receiveth his false Accusations? Ans. 1. He hath too many true Accusations against them. 2. He showeth his Malice, though without Success. 3. He accuseth them, by Slanderers and false Witnesses, to the Rulers of the World, and to the People, to keep them in hatred of Faith and Godliness.

11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.

11. Not only Christ, but the Faithful under him, conquer Satan, and Heathens, and all the Churches Enemies. 1. By the Blood of Christ, whose Sufferings, trusted to, are the Merit of their Successes. 2. By the Word of God, preached, pleaded and witnessed by them. 3. By their Sufferings and Martyrdoms.

12. Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them: woe to the inhabiters of the earth, and of the sea; for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

12. Lira thought that this was Cosrot, King of Persia, who, being conquered by Heraclius gave the Church great cause of Joy, but woefully oppressed his own Subjects; though, being old, he had not long to do it. Dr. H. saith, It was the Churches joy, & the Devils rage, for the Overthrow of Simon Magus ; and that now he fore-saw the Fall of his Kingdom, he set on foot Nero 's Persecution. Others That, the Empire turning Christians, the Devil raged, by Julian, Valens, and such others, for a little while, both against Laity and Clergy. Some think that it is properly those in Heaven that rejoice: Others, that it is the Church on Earth: Others, that it is both. And some say, It is upon the Approach of the Millenium, after the Fall of Antichrist.

Note, 1. To be delivered from Satan, and see his Kingdom fall, is matter of great joy. 2. If Satan rage, because he knoweth that his time is short, how much should we be quickened to Diligence and Hope, when we all know that our time on Earth is short.

13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child.

13. Saith Lira, when Cosroe saw that he was conquered by Heraclius, he persecuted the Christians in his own Dominions, whom Heraclius relieved by two Armies. Saith Dr. H. When Satan saw that he was conquered in Simon Magus, he stirred up Rome against the Christians. Say others, more probably, when Satan saw that vigilant Pastors had defeated his Religious Frauds by Heretics, he turned to the way of Violence by Persecutors; first Heathens, then Arians. Some say, This containeth all the time from Anno 310. to 606. And others, That it is his Rage against the Reformation since, &c.

14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place; where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

14. Christians driven from Rome by Heathenish Persecution, say some, or after, by Papal, say others, fled up and down, into Villages, and remote Countries, called a Wilderness, where God provided for them, till that Storm was past: (As the Waldenses, and such others.)

15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water, as a flood, after the woman: that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

15. The Flood▪ saith Lira, was by Cosroe: saith Dr. H. by Nero ; and after by Domitian, and others: say others, it was by all the Heathen Persecutions: say others, by the Goths, and the invading Barbarians : say others, by Heresies: and say others, by Popery.

16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

16. Say some, The Persecution was diverted from the Christians, by the Insurrections of the Infidel- Jews, and their Suppression: Say others, The Roman wicked Emperors were diverted, by the Goths, from mischief: Say others, The Arian Goths were conquered, even by bad Emperors: Say others, the Prevalency of Truth made▪ even carnal Bishops, in Councils, help the Church: Say others, The visible Church consisteth of many bad, worldly Men, who, for conjunct-Interest, help the Faithful.

17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

17. Some say, this is Domitian and Trajan 's Persecution: Others, that it was the Arians, when Satan saw he was dispossessed of Heathen Rome : Others, that it is his setting up the Papacy, as it persecuted particular Christians, for not corrupting Religion.

Note ; There is no hope of a desirable Peace with Satan, or Diabolists, while such; through Christians must study, as much as in them lieth, to live peaceably with all Men; and specially, study Love and Peace among themselves. The Devil will not lay down his War against Christ, till he be cast down and bound; but the Members of Christ's Body should not war against each other.

The poor Albigens • s, &c. were first, by Dioclesian, driven into a barren, mountainous Country, and after murdered by Popes and Papists.

CHAP. XIII.

1. ANd I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads, and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

1. Most of the ol • Fathers expounded this of an Antichrist, that should come toward the end of the World. Some Papists take it to be the second Cosroe, that succeeded his Father in Persia. Others take the Beast to be the state of the Heathen Religion at Rome ; the seven Heads signifying either seven Emperors, or the seven Hills; and the ten Horns, and the Crowns, the Consederate Kingdoms; and the name of Blasphemy, the Titles of Rome, called, A Goddess, and the eternal City, with its Idolatrous Profession. Others take the two Beasts here, to be but one, under two Relations; that is, the Pope, or Papacy: Or, say some, the Roman Kingdom under the Pope, and the Papacy itself, as Ecclesiastic. Some take the Devil to be this Beast; some, the Turkish Empire; some, the Greek Empire: and some take this first Beast to be the Roman Empire, as Christian. The hardest part of the Controversy is between them that say, It is Heathen Rome, and those that say, It is Papal Rome: And the Reasons which they give against each other, seem stronger than the assertive Reasons of either side; of which, many Volumes are written. Some say, that the seven Heads are seven Kings, which went immediately before Antichrist; and that the name of Blasphemy is, say some, the Titles given the Pope (as God, and Universal Head, or Bishop, and Christ's Universa • Vicar, that can forgive sin, and bring Souls from Purgatory, &c. ) Or, as others, his Idolatry.

2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great Authority.

2. The Leopard was the Type of the Greeks, the Bear of the Persians, and the Lyon of the Babylonians : And all are set together, to signify the Cruelty of the first Beast, and variety of its Exercise. This was the Heathen Idolatry, as exercised by Domitian, &c. say some, to which Satan made the Imperial Power to contribute its utmost help. Or, as others, it was the Papal Idolatry and Cruelty, which Satan now propagated by Christian names and pretences, as before he had promoted the like, in the name of Heathens God's.

3. And I saw one of his heads, as it were wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

3. To pass by those, that expound this of the Son of Cosroe, King of Persia, some take it for the burning of the Capitol at Rome, the Head-Temple of Idols; either in Vitellius 's Stirs, when after Vespasian rebuilt it; or in Titus 's Reign, when, being burnt by Lightning, Domitian rebuilt it. But it seemeth unlikely that all this should be spoken of so small a matter as a Temple. Others expound it of the sacking and taking of Rome five times in forty two Years, by the Goths and Vandals ; and the Recovery, by Justinian, and Belisarius, and Na • ses. The most learned Protestants say, the deadly Wound of the Beast was, the Overthrow of the Heathen, Roman, Religion and Power; but what the Healing was, is the doubt: Julian 's Cure was too short to be meant: Most think, that the very erecting of the Papacy is meant, as restoring Devilism, or Idolatry, under the Christian name. Other Protestants think, that the many Schisms in the Papacy, was the deadly Wound: and that it was healed by the Councils of Constance and Basil. And others think, that the Reformation gave the Pope the Wound; and that the Revolt to Popery, in France, by Hen. IV. in England, by Queen Mary ; in Germany, by the Overthrow of the Palsgrave, &c. was the healing of it. To wander after him, is, to follow him in blind Devotion.

4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

4. That is, say some, They worship the Devil, under the name of Heathen God's, for making their Empire so great, and repairing the Wound of their Religion. Say others, They honored and served the Papacy, and him that erected it, thinking it had been God, when it was the Devil: admiring the Sanctity and Power of the Papacy.

5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

5. This the Ancients expound, of an Antichrist not yet come: And others, of Domitian: And others, of the Pope.

6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

6. Say some, He blasphemed the true God and Christ directly; (that is, Domitian, persecuting Christians.) Say others, 'It is the Papal Blasphemy, by Transubstantiation, Image-worship, arrogating God's Prerogatives, persecuting them that obey his Word, &c.

7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

7. Those that take the first Beast to be Mahomet himself, with his Arabian, Saracen Powers; and the second, to be the Turkish Mohammedans ; do easily tell when, and how the Saints were overcome, and Nations subjected to him. But several Objections lie against this, and so there do against those that apply it to Domitian: And why it may not more plausibly be applied to some following Persecutors, especially Dioclesian, I see not yet. But that it is meant of the Papal Tyranny, is the more easily believed by many that know the truth of the History, that all the ten Heathen Persecutions, set together, were a little thing, compared to the Papal Blood-shed. Mede truly tells us, that Perion reporteth (and divers second him) t • a • , in France alone, a Million of the Albigenses and Waldenses were killed: And that Sanders de Vis Mon. l. 8. dem. 34. confesseth, that infinite Lollards were burnt in Europe: And that Vergerius saith that, within thirty Years, an hundred and fifty thousand were consumed by the Inquisition, and such Means. And the numbers murdered in Bohemia, and other Countries; and since then, in the Low-Countries, France, England, Ireland, &c. render the ten Persecutions by Heathens, as described by our most aggravating old Church-Historians, to appear but as Morsel to the Papal Sacrifices.

8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

8. And his great Power and Victories shall cause the generality of worldly men, to own, admire and obey him (whether it be the Heathen Rome, or Mohammedans, or the Pope;) except those chosen Children of Wisdom, whose names, from the foundation of the world, were by God's Decree written in the Book of the slain Lamb, or in the Catalogue of those who were to be saved by Christ crucified.

9. If any man have an ear, let him hear 10. He that leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

9, 10. Let all Christians regardfully mark what I say, that they be not by the success of Persecutors or Tyrants, tempted from their Patience, Constancy or Duty: Though these great Conquerors and Persecutors are a while adored for their Success and Power, in the end they shall be used as they used others, commonly when they have conquered and triumphed, others conquer them, and triumph over them; and when they have killed many, they are usually killed themselves: Few famous Conquerors die the common death of all men. Therefore the holy Wisdom of God teacheth his Saints, as much as is possible, to avoid War, even defensive, and to overcome by Faith and Patience, especially in the case of Persecution, and of private and particular persons towards injurious Rulers; though Kingdoms may exercise self-defense, lest they tempt all their Neighbors to make them their prey.

11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

11. Many say, that by Another Beast, is meant the former in another respect, and that they are but one. But when the Text saith, it is Another, with so many notes and acts of difference, such presumption doth not expound the sense, but make it, and may say any other improbable thing. Others that say, the first Beast was Heathen Rome, and the second Papal Rome, will as hardly as the former make it probable, that Heathen Rome was one of the Popes Heads, if he be the Beast: Was the first Beast but one of the many Heads of the second Beast? Or, was the Heathen Religion but one of Heathen Rome 's own Heads? Or, was the Pope's wounded Head in being before him? If the Heathen Rome or its Heathenism, was the wounded Head of the first Beast, then the Pope was not the first Beast, for that was not one of his Heads, especially at its overthrow by Constantine. Grot. and Dr. H. that say the second beast is Apollonius, or Magicians, or Magic, if they soconfine it, speak as improbably. Whoever was the second, his Lamb-like Horns show him to be an Hypocrite pretending to Truth, & his Dragon-like Speech show him to be the Devil's Agent. But the Reasons to prove both one, being against the plain Text, some think rather that the first Beast was the Idolatrous Emperors that so cruelly set up Image-worship, in the East and West, and the Pope the second Beast that flattered them, and rebelliously excommunicated those that were against them; and his first notable Power was obtained by engaging himself in the cause of the Image-worshippers, and extolling and flattering them; and withal flattering Pipin, and Ch. Martell, and others, to maintain him in • his Rebellion, by invading the Western Empire, and then engaging most succeeding Princes in the same cause.

And some think that the Pope is the first Beast, and the second are his Councils, and Cardinals, and Clergy, and Jesuits, and Friars, that cry him up, and persuade the World to obey and follow him, according to his universal claim.

And if the difficult Objections against all these last, should incline us rather to think that it is the Heathen Empire that is the first Beast, I should (by reviewing the History of Fact) think that the second Beast was (not Apollonius fabled of by Philostratus and Hierocles, but) the whole Gowned and Literate Tribe; Learning, and the pompous ostentation of it, being then almost as much of the Glory, Pride, and Strength of Rome, as the Military Power: And I shall show anon how ordinary it was for the first Beast, the Imperial Military Power, to arrogate the name of God's, and to have Temples, Altars, and Sacrifices: And the second Beast, Poets, Orators, Comedians, Philosophers, Historians, as well as Augurs, and Soothsayers, and Magicians, and Priests, all flattered and applauded these blasphemous Emperors; and the great Learning of these men was set up against Christianity, as despised foolishness: As they did with Paul at Athens, so did the Learned Romans count Christians Bablers, and ignorant Barbarians: Learning (vain and carnal) was as great a glory to Rome as Arms, and it's doubtful whether the Imperial Power, or the Literate Opposition and Scorn, did more hinder the reception of Christianity. But Christ and the Cross at last conquered both, and used both to promote the Gospel. Yet this might be said to arise out of the Earth ; for when it was used for enmity and strife against Christ, it was foolishness with God, and as James saith, ch. 3. was earthly, sensual and devilish, causing confusions, and every evil work.

12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth, and them which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

12. If it be the Heathen Empire that is spoken of, 1. Then it seemeth likest that the deadly wound was the shame and shaking of the Empire by the deaths of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius ; every Emperor, between Augustus and Vespasian, murdered by others or themselves; and the Suspension of Vespasian at first, (or afterward the shake that Heathenism had there by the Wisdom and Honesty of the Antonines, and after of Alexander Severus, and Philip ) yet the first soon repaired by Vespasian, Titus and Domitian, and all the rest at last by Dioclesian (after Decius, Aurelian, &c. ) And the Learned Tribe did live in Power, and in their Senate, and all their City-Officers, exercise such splendid Pomp and Rule, as the Emperor did in his place: And caused the Roman City and Empire to worship their victorious blasphemous Emperors, and with them to continue the common Idolatry.

13. And he doth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

13. This Roman Learning is used to overcome truth and Christianity, and to make men believe that the Sun and Moon and Stars are God's, and have Oracle; where they speak, and that it is they that conquer the enemies of Rome ; so that their power was in the vis • on represented to me, as if they brought down fire from Heaven.

14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by the means of those miracles, which he had power to do in the sight or the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

14. Their powerful Oratory and Learning deceiveth the ignorant multitude, to erect Images to their victorious Blasphemous Heathen Emperors, who recovered from the foresaid wound by the military murders: Images, and Atlars and Sacrifices, are to be made the means of worshipping them.

15. And he had Power to give life unto 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.

15. They so deceived the people as that the Oracles seemed to them to speak, and to tell them as from the God's, that they must kill all those that would not worship the Image of the Emperor, and the God's that he worshipped, and would not be of his Religion.

16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their fore-heads: 17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

16.17. It was the custom of the Romans, in those times, to mark both Servants, and many Soldiers, as notes of relation and appropriation, mostly on their arms or hands, by which the person marked, as by a Badge, Livery, or Colours, owned his Master or Captain: And also to mark their slaves, and punished persons, with a brand of disgrace, in the face or hand: The mark of Servants, or Soldiers, was sometime his Masters Escotcheon, or chosen Badge and sometime his name, and sometime the Chief Letters of his name, which leaving out the rest, flood for the name (as M. for Marcus, L. for Lucius, S. P. Q. R. for Senatus Populusque Romanus, &c.) And it sometime fell out that these Letters were numeral ( M. D. C. L. I. V. are with us) Now this Text serveth to some to mean that the flattering Literate Tribe in Rome (Orators, Senators, Poets, Priests, Aruspices &c. ) who were the Second beast did, by their Laws, Orations, Poems, Comedies, Oracles, and Deceits, cause the people commonly to come under obligations, thus to enslave themselves to the Idolatrous Emperors, to own them as petty God's, and offer at their Altars and Sacrifices, and to Worship the Idols also which they worshipped, and so to be the owners of, and actors, in their Idolatry: And in order hereto to honor them by receiving their Badges, or their names, or the Chief Letters of their names: And it fell out that the Chief Letters here meant were Numerall and Nominative both, and made up 666.

And if it be, (as most Protestants think) Rome-Papal, that is the Second here meant, then as the First Beast is the Papacy, as Idolatrous and Potent, so the Second is likest to be the flattering Clergy, who are to the Popes much like what the Literate Romans aforesaid were to the Heathen Emperors: I mean his Prelates, Councils, Jesuits, and Friars of all sorts; These have pretended to abundance of Miracles, to advance the Papacy and its corruptions of Religion, in so much that they make such Miracles one of the Chief Marks of their Church. Gregory's Dialogues, and such other, led the way; and their monstrous Legends feign so many, and so shamefully (of St. Francis, St. Dominick, and multitudes more) as makes men suspect that this tribe are the miracle-working beast; not but that many miracles are true, that are written of Gregory Naeocesar. Martin, and others, by Euseb. Socrat. Sulp. Severus, Augustine, &c. Which were all for the confirmation of the Christian Faith, and not for Popery : And many of the Monks, and others, of whom these fictions are written, were holy men, and God did some wonders at their prayers; And it is this which the Legenders take occasion from to add their multitudes of falsehoods, and then to persuade men, that all these were Miracles wrought for God's attestation to Popery : It being usual for that Clergy to persecute the living Saints that are not for their wills & ways, & to canonize those, as wonders of sanctity, whose strictness and austerity is joined with subjection to the Papal dominion. Such men's writings as Baronius, Bellarmine, Genebrard, &c. With their many false Councils, and Jesuits that compass Sea and Land to promote the Papal Kingdom, do seem much more fully to do the part of the second beast for the Papacy, than the Poets, Priests, &c, did for the Heathen Idolatrous Empire. And the Mark in their Right Hand or Forehead, seemeth to be some professing Badge, by which they tie themselves to worship the beast and his Image, that is, subject themselves, by consent, to the Papal Sovereignty & Canons, and Idolatry, or corrupt Imagery and scenicall worship: And herein the Papacy so far exceedeth the severity of the said Heathens, that they do, by the Laws of their Church, put strict oaths upon all the Clergy to believe many new Articles of Faith, and to obey the Pope ; yea and on Princes to exterminate a • l that the Pope will but call Heretics; and that those temporal Lord's shall be excommunicated, deposed & damned, that will not do it. No man, called by them a Heretic, may so much as make a will, or have the benefit of the Law, no not of his liberty, or life, but be tormented in the inquisitions, or burnt. No Minister may preach Christ's Gospel, that is not a subject of the Popes ; nor any Christian else meet to Worship God, no nor read the Bible in a known tongue, but by this License, and theirs that he empowereth. These things are far more than to forbid buying and selling without the Mark of the beast, or his name.

18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred threescore and six.

18. Here is work for the Sagacity of a sharp witted man: Let such try to find out the beast by the number of his name; for it pleaseth not God more plainly to reveal it. It is numeral Letters, which denominate a man: And the Letters are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which in numbering signify DCLWVI or 666.

About this name and number the Fathers, Papists, and Protestants, are of many minds among themselves. The first general difference is, whether it signify the name of a Man properly, or only some other mark that belongeth to him, called his name? And the next whether the name belong to a single person, or to a state, or policy, or party ? Of the Protestants many think its a man's name, but belonging to the Papacy in Common: Junius taketh it for the Canon Law and Decretals; Broughton for Adonikam, Ezra 2.13 Bright man reciteth these, and divers names, found out by divers fancies, Titan, Lampetis, Ninetes, Cacos, Odegos, Alethes, Blaberos, Palas, Bascanos, Amnos, Adicos in Arethas, Ecclesia Italica and Romaghnus. All which he rejecteth, and fasteneth on that which Irenaeus chose of old, which is Lateinos. And he thinks that this number of the name, to be received, was meant of the Greeks, who were brought to submit to the Latin Church; And so all the Greeks that so submit, receiving the number, are joined in the guilt and damnation with them that had the Mark, or the Name itself.

This is clear that all they, that only find out a name, or number, which are not imposed, and by the subjects received, speak not at all to the Text. It is only the receiving of the mark, name or number that is here mentioned: It is the subjects Badge. If the racked word Lateinos be used as added to Catholic, and put instead of Roman, it may reach the Papists, whose name and Badge now is to be [ Roman Catholics, as distinct from all others, that are but mere Christian Catholics.]

But lately most Protestants take the number of the name to be but some characteristical acts or marks: Some say, It is the System of Papal corruptions in doctrine and worship; some (as Mr. Potter ) make it the number of 25, as the square root of six hundred sixty six, and he largely tells us how many ways it suiteth Rome. But how is this number of 25 received as a Badge by reprobates? Some say, that Patriarchal and Metropolitan (and such like) Idolaters and Persecutors are the Image of Papacy, and that PERIURY is the mark of the beast, who by false Oaths bindeth all to him, and to his Prelates; so that whoever will not be Perjured, by false and wicked oaths, are not received into his Church, nor tolerated by them: And I read not in history that ever any party on earth did so long, & so violently, bind men by wicked oaths, and involve all sorts in heinous Perjury, as the Pope and his Prelates have long done and do: Abbot Uispergensis lamenteth it in his days that Priests and people were commonly involved in Perjury. Swear, or Suffer, is their Law; and, when interest requireth it, unswearing and forswearing is as violently imposed, and whole Countries absolved from their oaths to their Sovereigns. PERIURY, PERFIDIOUSNESS and PERSECUTION seem to be the mark of the Papal Dominion: And (as my old fellow Minister in the same Congregation) Mr. Nath. Stephens saith, The name of the beast seemeth likest to be his assumed Power, or pretended authority; to which it is that he maketh all to swear: And the Oath or subjection is not to the Number, but to the Power or Persons marked by that Number; the Number being but the Name abbreviated, and the Name the notification of the Party, or Policy, to which men consent.

But Mr. N. Stephens thinks that 666 is the time between the beginning of the Roman Monarchy, according to Daniel 's computation, as it respected the Church, which was in Pomper 's time, and the rise of Antichrist, which he thinks was in 606. (Anno Dom.) and so is just 666 years: For he taketh (as many others do) the title of Universal Bishop given Bonif. 3. by Ph • cas, to set • p Antichrist first; and the antecedent Fall of the Roman Empire to be that by the Goths, &c. But I am past doubt, that neither wicked Phocas, nor Bonif. themselves, did mean that the Universality should extend over all the World, but only over the Empire; for what pretence could Phocas have to give power or titles to his Subjects, to rule in all Princes Dominions on Earth? They only meant that he should be, before the Bishop of Constantinople, the Prime Bishop in the Universal Empire; and that Leo challenged before Phocas. But the claim, of Governing all the World, came up by degrees long after both; and it was about 700 years before the Popes cast off their Subjection to Emperors and Kings.

On the other side, those that appropriate all this to Heathen Rome, are not of one mind. Some take the Beast to be the Heathen Worship as it stood as Rome, and the Roman Empire, supporting it, to be represented by seven Heads, that is, particular Emperors or Hills▪ and the ten Horns to be ten confederate Kings, and Tributary: And that Domitian is specially meant, as a self-idolizing Blasphemer and Persecutor, for three years and a half; and that the Magic, Auguries and Oracles, are the second Beast; and specially Apollonius : That the Image is the Idol-worship set up in the rest of the Empire in imitation of Rome : And all were compelled to bear some Mark of their God, or his Name, or some numeral Letters signifying his Name, branded on them; but that it being not revealed, then what these Letters signify, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it cannot be known now, save that it was a discriminating note received by some, and not by others.

But others think, that Vespasian was the Beast, and Antichrist, 1. Because some foolish Jews took him (as they had done Herod ) at first to be the Messiah. 2. Because he answered to Antiochus Epiph. who before him violated and profaned the Temple and Worship. 3. Because Christ seemed to lead them to that interpretation, Matth. c. 24. by assimilating the case to that in Daniel. 4. Because he was said to work Miracles, to cure a blind man, &c. 5. Because he so destroyed the S • creed Nation, and enslaved the remainder; which the Christians were far from rejoicing in, being still much inclined to the honor of Jerusalem, and thinking that a glorious Throne of Christ was there to be erected, and grieving for them, as Paul did, Rom. 10. & 11. 6. And these gather the name from the Letters of Teitan, as if Titus had been so called by allusion to Titan. And Hesychius saith that Titan was to be written, as of old 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as containing the number of 666.

Others rather lay the name and mark on all the Heathen Emperors, as Idolaters and Persecutors, or Enemies at least to Christians. And 1. They may well prove that it was very ordinary with them to usurp some degree of Deity while they lived, or to be Deified by the Senate, or their Successors, when they were dead; and to have Altars erected to or for them, and Sacrifices offered accordingly. Of Augustus himself there is full evidence, Virgil, & Horace, Deifie him, and mention his devoted Sacrifices and Altars. So doth Valerius Maximus invocate Tiberius, and Propertius calls him God. Claudius is called Divus in an old Monument. The Self-deifying of Gaius Caligula, and Domitian, is commonly known: It is no wonder that the great worth of the Antonines, specially M. Aurel. Philosophus, made the Romans Deifie him when he was dead, and would have done so, for his sake, by his Successors of the Antonine Race, had not they, by the inhumane Villanies of Commedus and Heliogabalus, changed their minds, (Though Antonine accepted not this while he lived.) Many Emperors presumed to Deifie their Wives when dead: And indeed building Temples over their dead Bodies, and erecting Altars there, was too soon imitated by the zealous Christians over the Graves, Bones, or Suffering places, of the Martyrs. Aurel. Victor saith indeed, that Dioclesian was the first after Domitian (and Caligula ) that suffered himself publicly to be called LORD, and named and adored as God: (But not the first that was Deified by the Senate, or Flatterers, especially Poets.)

And that they used to mark or stigmatize their Servants, Soldiers and Slaves, he that will read may see in Pignorius de Servis ; out of Ambrose de obit. Valentin. Plin. jun. Ep. Ausonius; Petronius Arbiter; Sutton. de Calig. Aetius Amidenus Medic.

And it is not impossible to invent congruous numeral Letters that might be the abbreviations of their names: And though John writing in Greek put [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] yet seeing the Emperors and Roman Subjects were Latins, who can doubt but that the Letters, being at once Nominative and Numeral, were Latin, and not Greek, however Teitan, and O • lpius, and Lateinos, &c. be instanced by many.

For instance [T. FLAV. VESPAS. C. DIV.] is the abbreviation of [TITO FLAVIO VESPASIANO CAESARI DIVO] (The Father and Son had the same name) the numeral Letters are [D. C. L. V. V. V. I.]

[T. FLAV. DOM. C. DIV. VOT.] that is [TITO FLAVIO DOMITIANO CAESARI DIVO VOTUM] the numeral Letters of the abbreviation are [D. C. L. V. V. V. I.] Galba, Otho, and Vitellius are not worth the naming.

[D. ULP. TRAIANO C. VOTUM] that is, [DIVO ULPIO TRAIANO CAESARI VOTUM] D. C. L. V. V. V. I.

[AEL. ADRIANO C. AUG. VOTUM] that is, [AELIO ADRIANO CAESARI AUGUSTO VOTUM.] is [D. C. L. V. V. V. I.]

[DIV. AE. LU. VER. ANTON. C.] that is [DIVO AELIO LUCIO VERO ANTONINO CAESARI] D.C.L.V.V.V.I.

So [DIV. AUREL. ANTON. C. VOT.] is [DIVO AURELIO ANTONINO CAESARI VOTUM.] D.C.L.V.V.V.I.

So [DIVO VALER. C. VOT.] is [DIVO VALERIANO CAESARI VOTUM.] D.C.L.V.V.V.I.

So [DIV. AUREL. C. VOT.] is DIVO AURELIANO CAESARI VOTUM.] D.C.L.V.V.V.I.

So [VA. DIOCLES. VOTUM.] that is, [VALERIO DIOCLESIANO VOTUM.] D.C.L.V.V.V.I.

So [DIV. HERCUL. VOT.] that is [DIVO HERCULIO VOTUM.] C.L.V. V.V.I.

I do but give Instances how easy is to conceive how such nominal marks might be given and received: But that de facto it was just so, or why that number is chosen, who can tell?

CHAP. XIV.

1. AND I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Fathers name written in their foreheads.

1. Next the Vision shown me Christ, as a Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, &c. These hundred forty and four thousand, seem to be only the faithful Christian Jews, that stuck to Christianity through suffering; the number being the same, as ch. 7. and the number of twelve, which is the square root of this number, noting a respect to the twelve Tribes, as the number of twelve Apostles did: Therefore the place is called Mount Zion, (their holy place;) whether it be in Heaven, or in the Catholic Church that they are supposed to be. Doubtless many Christian Jews thought that the New Jerusalem should be in the place where the Old was at Christ's coming. The Name of God (and of the Lamb, say some Copies) in their foreheads signifieth their open Profession of Fidelity to the Father and the Son, and God's gracious noting them for his own. And it helps us to expound what the mark of the Beast was, even some open signal obliging Profession of Idol Worship.

2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders, and no man could learn that song, but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

2▪ 3. The voice of many Waters signified the multitu •• of Converts that by the Gospel were gathered to this Church on Mount Zion, who praised God with the 〈◊〉 of Harps, or joyful Psalmody: And it was new Psalms of Praise for Man's Redemption, and the Grace of Christ which they sung, as before God and the Cherubims, and the holy Church, which none of the Jews were fit to sing, save the foresaid chosen saved number.

4. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins: these are they which follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth: these were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God, and to the Lamb. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

4, 5. The Vision being of those in Heaven, as the Precedents of the Christian Church at Jerusalem, that should afterward succeed them; they were the first-fruits of the Apostles Ministry, described Act. 1. & 2. & 3. & 4. who were eminent in Purity and Love, free from Idolatry and Fornication, as a People chosen out of the Jewish Nation unto Christ; and as they were holy on Earth, they are faultless and perfect now in Heaven.

6. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.

6. Whether the midst of Heaven have the Mystical senses that divers give, or be only [ sent from Heaven to Earth ] I know not: Some say, it is called the Everlasting Gospel, because it was decreed from everlasting; some, because it dureth to everlasting, or tendeth to life everlasting. By the Gospel some understand only the glad tidings of the Fall of the Roman Empire; some, the Doctrine of Reformation, and tidings of the Fall of Popery; and some, the common Doctrine of Salvation by Christ, as it was now more freely and universally to be published to the Gentile World.

7. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea and the fountains of waters.

7. Away with your Idols that are no God's, and turn to and fear the true and living God, who made Heaven and Earth: For the time is come that he will judge and destroy Idolaters. Other expositions I omit.

8. And there followed another angel saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornification.

8. Another part of my vision was another Angel, &c. implying a further revelation to me. Whether it signify also another sort of Preachers on Earth, and who; as some say, the Albigenses and Waldenses, or Luther, Zwingli, or Illyricas and his century writers, let them tell that know.

Babylon is here described (and more fully after) to be that great City that drew all nations unto Idolatry, whether this were Rome as Heathen, or Rome as Papal, or Rome as containing both, see my Advertisement.

9. And the third angel followed them saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out, without mixture, into the cup of his indignation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

9, 10. Those that partake of the sins of Idolatrous Babylon (or Rome ) shall partake of her plagues; and the Judgment that overthroweth her shall extend to all her companions in Idolatry, and also the punishment in the life to come: And Christ and his Angels will execute and behold it, as just and good.

Some, to save their charity, say that damnation is not denounced to all that only have the Name of the beast, or the Number, but only to them that receive his Mark as his slaves, and worship him and his Image. But I think receiving his Name, and its Number, is included in receiving the Mark. But all my be pardoned to the penitent believers.

Whether this Angel be Luther, Chemnitz, Whittaker, and such others, I leave to the proof of the affirmers: Its enough to me, that this additional revelation and punishment, is notified to John as by another Angel. Though many think that only temporal punishment is here meant; doubtless the same sin deserveth more.

11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever. And they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

11. Though temporal calamity be here included, this seems plainly to mean Hell: And the Mark of his Name, is here made equal to [His Mark] verse 9. O the restless misery that is prepared for the impenitent!

12. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

12. This misery of impenitent Idolaters and Enemies of Christ, will show the World, how wise and happy the Saints were, that by patient suffering did overcome, and kept to the end, the Commands of God, and the Faith of Jesus Faith, Obedience and Patience, are all necessary to Salvation.

13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.

13. Though it be always happy to be at Rest with Christ, the sufferings of those times will be so great, as will make it seem a sesonable blessedness, to go to that Rest, where they shall no more labor or suffer, but receive the fruit of their labors and work performed for Christ on Earth. Some make this to be but a promise of after-freedom from Persecution here: The Text proveth a Blessedness for separated Souls before the Resurrection: For [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] [ henceforth ] signifieth from this time forward. The Socinians therefore abuse the Text, that make the Blessedness to be but Resting in a state of death, till the Resurrection. For life, with God's service and acceptance in a time of Persecution, is a greater blessing than mere death.

14. And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat, like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sha • p sickle. 15. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle & reap, for the time is come for thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16. And he, that sat on the cloud, thurst in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

14, 15, 16. Some understand this of an Angel in the likeness of a man; but most of Christ, or an Angel like Christ. The other Angel seemeth to signify but another part of the Vision, and execution Reaping the harvest, is punishing sinners ripe for destruction.

17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire, and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. 19. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of God. 20. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horsre-bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

17, 18, 19, 20. Of the difference between the Harvest, and the Vintage and the two Angels and their executions, opinions are various. Some make it to be two degrees of o •• plague, some to be two; some say conjunct, some say d • stant. Some say one is the destruction of the Turkish Empire, and the other (the Vintage) of the Roman Papacy before Christ's coming. Some say, the first is the completing of the Elect as converted, and the latter the destroying of Antichrist. Some say, it fosaketh of the last Judgment, some, of the Fall only of Hearthen Rome, and some, of other E • ecutions. It is clear that it speaketh of divers degrees of •• ecution of God's Judgments on the Idolaters, signified as by divers Angel appearance, words and deeds: But whether it meant any beside the Roman Heathen Idolatry, and their consenting Countries sufferings; and whether the sixteen hundred Furlongs signify anymore than diffused Plagues, and whether it was meant of Trajan 's Executions in Syria, &c. as Grotius thought, or of the Country about Rome, or any determinate space, and where, and which of the six or seven senses of [ power over Fire ] is right, besides a mere destroying power, are all things which I cannot determine. Mr. Brightman hath found England to be the thousand six hundred Furlongs, and Cranmer to be the Angel that had power over Fire, because he held his right hand to be burnt, and Thomas Cromwell to be the Executing Angel: And some that can make themselves believe, that so small a spot of ground as England, is it that this Tragedy is acted on, have thought that they found here the killing of the two Witnesses (Magistracy and Ministry, and the two Beasts, and the number of their Names, in the Letters here mentioned, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (ch) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (x) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (st) and the wounding and the healing, and the mark of the Beast PER, as referring to Ch. ( Church ) and St. ( State ;) and in a word, that almost half the Revelation spake of England. But unless they can prove that the two Beasts have their Off-spring, who bear their Fathers Image, and are dispersed as Cain's offspring was, so that the same thing is acted over by them, in several lands and ages, which was acted by the first, I shall, rather than this, confine the exposition to that empire and state, that the Church suffered under when John wrote.

CHAP. XV.

1. ANd I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

1. Seven plagues, which are all to be poured out on the Idolatrous persecuting Empire, as it were by seven Angels.

2. And I 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, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

2. I saw a sea like that in the Temple, signifying purity and the multitude of worshippers; mingled with fire, signifying the Altar Sacrifices, and their zeal, and God's acceptance, and them that by patient suffering had overcome, by keeping themselves undefiled from owning the Roman Idolatry, by owning the Idol, or his Image, or Mark, or the numeral Letters of his name; And they stood on this sea, having the harps on which they sang the praises of God, as was used in the Temple.

3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints.

3. And they, being many of them the first Christian Jews, sang Moses 's song after the drowning of Pharaoh, the case being like their deliverance from the Roman Tyrants, and the song of Christ, suited to the joyful Praises of God, for the work of man's Redemption and Salvation; saying Great, &c. Thou gloryfiest thy Power in conquering the greatest proudest enemies, and delivering thy Servants from the great dangers, even by miracles of providence; And thy Justice and truth, O most Holy Lover, and King, of Saints, are magnified in thy avenging them on their cruel enemies.

4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy Name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest.

4. This demonstration of thy Greatness, Holiness and Justice, shall move the nations to fear and Glorify thee, as the only most Holy God, and to fear and worship thee, because of thy Judgments.

5. And after that I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened; 6. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

5, 6. The Holy place and God's Decree seemed to be opened; And seven pure and Glorious Angels, honourably girded to execute God's will, came forth with the seven last plagues that are to finish the destruction of the Idolatrous, potent, persecuting, Roman Empire.

7. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth forever and ever.

7. Those that undertake to tell whom these Angels, and this Living Wight, signified on Earth, go further than I can, who know no more but that the seven plagues were thus represented.

8. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power, and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

8. And the dreadfulness of God's wrath, as a consuming fire, striking even his worshippers with fear, and in the execution disturbing the Churches peace, was represented to me by the filling of the Temple with smoke, from the Glory of God, &c.

CHAP. XVI.

. ANd I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

1. I heard a great Voice out of the Temple, sending these angels to pour out the Vials, and execute God's Wrath.

2. And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth: and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

2. Of the great Plague in wicked Commodus 's Reign (that killed, in Rome alone, two thousand a day;) and of the like, in the Reign of several Persecutors, even till Constantine 's Reign; and of the Blood-shed and Fire, and the resemblance of this; to the Plagues of Egypt: See Dr. H. on the Text, and Grotius before him. Others say, It is the Papists Torment of Conscience, when Popery is fallen.

3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. 4. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and they became blood.

3, 4. That these signify a progress of the same Judgment on the Idolaters, is clear: But whether, by the Sea, and the Rivers and Fountains, signify things so distinct, as many think; and which, of their many conjectured Significations, are right, I cannot say.

5. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus:

5. The Angel that executed God's Judgments on the Idolatrous Nations, performed it with Praise and Glory to God, for his Justice on persecuting Idolaters.

Note ; The Angels in Heaven were not ignorant of what God thus did on Earth: And as God's Mercy hindered not his Execution of Justice so their pity kept them not from triumphing over these destroyed Sinners, and giving God the Glory of their Punishment.

6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy. 7. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

6, 7. Na. God and Angels will rejoice in the terrible Revenge of the Blood of Saints. 2. The Angel from the Altar signifieth, the Consent of the Souls under the Altar, and of the Church of holy Worshippers on Earth, who pray for Deliverance. 3. Were it never so certain, that it is Idolatrous, Heathen Rome that is here meant, it consequently inferreth that, if Papal Rome have equalled, yea far exceeded them, in shedding the Blood of Saints▪ their punishment shall be as great, or greater. It is no small Aggravation of Pap • l Blood-shed (by Massacres, Inquisitions, Burnings, &c. ) that they father all on Christ himself, and do it as Christians; yea and, in so many Ages, make it the necessary Defense of their Kingdom: And they shall find, that God knoweth a Saint when Men call him a Heretic; and will not be so mocked, as to dis-own Christ's Sheep, for such forged Marks.

8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun, and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not, to give him glory.

8, 9. Some take this to signify a great Drought, and Dearth, that came in the days of Commodus ; and after, of Maximinus. Many take the Sun here, for Antichrist, that calleth himself so: Others, for Governors: Some, for the King of Spain ; some, for the German Emperor; or some such Papal Luminary: Some, for the Scripture, as tormenting Papists: Some, for Christ, as sending forth his Word and Judgments. I can go no further than the general sure sense; That a greater Plague, that fell on the Idolatrous Empire, made them lay all the blame on the Christians, and rage the more; but cured not their Idolatry, or Persecution.

10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast, and his kingdom was full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11. And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

10, 11. The plain, general sense of all this is, to liken Idolatrous, persecuting Rome, and the suffering Christians, to Pharaoh, and the Israelites ; and liken God's Plagues on Rome, to the Egyptian Plagues: And to tell us that, as Pharaoh 's heart was hardened till Destruction fell on him and his, so will be the Idolatrous Romans.

By the Seal of the Beast is meant, Rome, with the Imperial Power (or Papal, say many:) and by Darkness, the Confusions there, and Diminutions of their Glory▪ In Heathen Rome these were many and great; the Soldiers setting up, and pulling down, and killing, Emperors, till they set the Empire to Sale; Emperors set up, and warring against each other; few dying a natural death: Valerian taken, captivated, and made his Foot-stool, by Sap • es, and flayed. To be an Emperor, was the next way to Murder, or some odious disgrace and death, by him that could overcome and kill him.

And Papal Rome was subdued by the Barbarians. Other Expositions are many.

12. And the sixth angel▪ poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

12. That this signifieth a further progress towards Idolatrous, persecuting Rome 's destruction, and the Churches deliverance, is clear; but what Euphrates signifieth, and what its drying up, and what, The Way of the Kings of the East, Expositors greatly differ in. Some take Euphrates literally; some, mystically; some, for the Turk ; some, for the chief Champions of Antichrist; some, for the chief Strength and Garrison of Babylon ; some, for the Pope's Riches, and great Tributes and Revenues; and some for the River Tibris, in Rome, and so, for Rome itself. And these take the drying of it up to be, the ruin of Maxentius, by Constantine, destroyed in Tiber: Others think, the drying up, to be the destruction of the Turks: And so they vary in the rest. But some think, that this is but a further Assimilation of the Case to the Israelites, when the Red Sea was dried up for their escape, and to prepare the way for Pharaoh 's ruin: and signifieth, that the danger and impediments of the Christians deliverance were removed, by the Overthrow of all the Idolater's Forces, the Ruin of Dioclesian, Maxim. Herculius, Galer. Maxim. Maxentius, Licinius ; that so the Christians, by and with Constantine, might triumph. And some think, it is a weakening the Roman Power, toward Euphrates, to let in the Persians, and others, to afflict them.

13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14. For they are the spirits of the devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

13, 14. As, when Ahab was to be destroyed, the Devil was a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets, and bid him, Go and prosper; and Zidkiah made Horns, to signify his Victory; so I saw, as it were, three Devils, like the Frogs of Egypt ; or three lying Spirits, sent by Satan, and encouraged by the Idolatrous, persecuting Emperors, and by his flattering Oracles, Augurs, Orators, &c. to persuade all the foresaid Princes to fight against Constantine ; especially, Maxentius and Licinius ; that they might fall, as Abab and Pharaoh did.

Or, say others, They were Popish Missionaries, and Priests, and Friers, sent out by Antichristian, Civil Powers, and Antichristian Ecclesiastical Powers, to draw men to Popery and Idolatry, that they may be destroyed when God shall judge them. The day of God, some take, as before, for Constantine 's Victories against Idolaters; others, for the day of the Pope's Fall; and others, for the last day of Judgment.

15. Behold, I come as a thief; Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

15. My coming will be, when men expect me not▪ Blessed is he that prepareth not for Shame and Confusion, when his Sin and Hypocrisy shall, by my Judgment, be brought to light, by complying with the higher Powers in sin, as thinking that I will be long in coming, to take down Sinners, and see up Saints.

16. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon.

16. The Devil's Prophets provoked them to gather, and fight to their destruction.

Note, Here the Dragon is expounded to be Devils: And this word, Devils, in this Book, usually signifieth, those Idols ( Jupiter, Mars, Apollo, &c. ) which the Romans worshipped instead of God: (For Paul tells us, It was Devils that they worshipped.) And it being the spirits of these Devils, or Heathen Idols, that are sent out, it seemeth most probable, that it is the War with the Heathen Idolaters that is here meant. Dr. H. after Grotius, noteth that, in the Fight at Rome, Maxentius had a hundred and seventy thousand Foot, and eighteen thousand Horse, of Romans, Italians, &c. and Constantine had ninety thousand Foot, and eight thousand Horse, of Germans, Gauls and Britain's: and that the Victory was of such consequence that, from that day, the Account of Years, by Indictions, began to commemorate the deliverance of City and Church; (which since, is turned into accounting from the Birth of Christ)

But others say, It is the day of the Fall of Antichrist: And some say, Of the destruction of the Turks: And some say, He that gathered them together, is Christ, or God, by his permitting Providence, for their destruction.

17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

17. The Angel, that poured his Vial into the Air, signifieth, the coming down of God's Plagues from Heaven, on the Generality of the Enemies. And the Voice out of the Temple signifieth, that it is done by God's Decree, for the Vindication of his holy Worship, and his Ch ••• h.

[ It is done. ] That is, The last Plague on the Roman Pharaoh is now pouring out, and he is to be drowned in the Red Sea. God's Judgments are accomplished for the Extirption of the Heathen Roman Empire, and the revenging the Blood of the Saints, shed by them. As Pharaoh 's Cruel • ies increased, before the Isra • lites were delivered, so Dioclesian made the cru ••• st Slaughters▪ before the Heathen Beast was to be destroyed: and then they were ripe, and the time was come. Or, a • others say, The time of the Fall of Pop • ry An •• christ. Or, as others, The end of the World.

18. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings: and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

18. The great commotions which went to these great changes, and subversion of the Heathen Powers, was represented to me, as by Thundrings, Lightnings, and the greatest Earthquake. Say some, it is the changes by the Ostrog • ths, and such others: Say others, there were literally such dreadful Earthquakes before Totilas took Rome: Say others, it is yet to come before Antichrists fall: And say others, before the day of Judgment.

19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

19. And Rome was then divided between Heathens, Christians, and worldly men, that were indifferent for Religion: Or, say others, Heathens, Orthodox and Heretics: It's taken from Ezek. 5. Others say, that literally the third part was destroyed by Totilas ; and say others, by Alaricus ; others say, it is three in relation to the three Princes, the Dragon, the Beasts, and the false Prophet; others, that Antichrist's Kingdom was falling by being divided in itself.

20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

20. As Earthquakes shake Mountains and Islands; so all the Dependents of Rome fell with it.

21. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

21. God's Executions bruised and broke them, as great Hail would do the tender Plants, and yet they did but blaspheme God the more. A Talent is threscore pound. God's Judgments pursued the scattered Roman Citizens, say some; the Papists, say others; and all wicked Christians, say others.

CHAP. XVII.

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 show unto thee the judgment of the great whore, that sitteth upon many waters: 2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabiters of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

1. Say some, 1. I will show thee what is coming from God on Imperial, Heathen, Idolatrous Rome, who by Power and by Learning (by the first and second Beast) hath drawn Kings and Nations with her to Idolatry.

Others say, it is Papal Rome, and they prove it, because if they had not been married to God before by the Profession of Christianity, they could not have been Adulterers. To which the former say, 1. That Fornication may be the sin of the unmarried. 2. That by Fornication is meant Idolatry, and God's right may serve to infer this guilt, though men be not married to him by consent: And that it is incredible that all the Heathen World are no Idolaters, because they were not professed Christians. By the Whore is meant the same as the Woman, the second two horned Beast; and the false Prophet, say many, that is, the Church of Rome, with the whole body of the Roman Clergy; which others deny.

3. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads, and ten horns.

3. Into the Wilderness, say some, to represent the desolation; say others, because it was a Revelation not to be yet openly known in the City, for if the Rulers had known of all these terrible Predictions against them, they would have raged by Persecution against Christians; and therefore all this Prophecy was to be obscure, and not communicated long so commonly as other Scriptures. Others say, it was to show that Antichrist's Kingdom is barren, without a drop of grace: Others, that solitude is fittest for contemplation: Others, that the Wilderness is Heathenism brought in by Popery; Others, that as the true Church was driven into a Wilderness of solitude and suffering, so now shall Papists be: Others, that the Papacy is a Wilderness, as an Apostatical Church succeeding the Apostolic Church.

Who is the great Whore, whether Rome Pagan, Rome Papal, or Rome hereafter fallen to a future Antichrist, I ouce for all refer the Reader to my Postscript.

4. And the woman was arrayed in purple, and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.

4. Idolatrous Rome was represented to me as a Woman richly and splendidly arrayed, by her wealth, and pomp, and power, enticing the World to her Idolatry.

5. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERIE, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

5. The name written was [Mystery, Babylon, &c. ] that is, Mystical (not literal) Babylon, the Great City Rome, the Mother of Idolatry and Wickedness, propagating them, by her Power and Learning, to all the Nations of her Dominions, and further in the World. As Babylon was the Idolatrous, cruel, Captivator of the Ancient Jews, overthrowing their Kingdom; so was Idolatrous, proud Rome, the Captivator and Persecutor of Jew and Gentile Christians, and the great Enemy of the Church.

6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

6. Idolatry was not her only crime, but the guilt of being as drunken with holy blood: Both her pomp and her bloodiness seemed wonderful.

7. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

7. Note, Seeing God professeth to open the mystery, who this Mother of Harlots is, it is safest to add as little, on pretense of fuller exposition, as we can.

8. The beast that thou sawest, was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition, and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, (whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world,) when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

8. Some take this as fitted to the time when the Empire should first be Christian; as if it meant, Rome was the beast when it was Pagan, but now is not when it is Christian, but will be again when it was Papal and Antichristian. Or Rome is the Idolatrous beast under the Pagan; but is not now under that form; but yet is under the Papal form: Many other expositions I pass by. They, that expound all of Pagan Rome, say that the sense is [I shall notify the beast, which is the Roman Emperor, by that one who now reigneth which is Domitian: ] He was in the Government when his Father Vespasian was abroad: And he after ceased while his Father and Brother Titus reigned, and then reasumed it, raised by Satan to persecute the Church, and then is basely killed himself.

Rather q. d. [I am now showing thee the fall and destruction of the beast and whore, and will now notify him to thee accordingly:] The beast or Emperor at this fall will be the bloodyest of all persecutor, Dioclesian: Of whom then it may be said, He was Emperor, But discouraged by the ill success of his persecution he, with Maxim. He • cillius, laid down the Empire, and both betook themselves to a private life: But after the Devil would sain have restored them, and they attempted to rise out of their privacy; but did it to their own destruction, being both killed when Constantine prevailed: as were Licinius and Maxenti • s, who would have done their work. So that when Constantine was destroying the Pagan Empire it was true, that Dioclesian (and Maxim. H •• cul ) was Emperor, and now is not, and yet is, that is, in being, though not in power, but will rise to his perdition.

And the Idolaters shall be struck with wonder and con •• rna • ion, when they see so cruel and great a Tyrant so brought to naught.

9. And here is the mind which hath wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10. And there are seven Kings, five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

9, 10, 11. That the seven mountains are those of Rome is very plain: But who were the seven Kings I confess I know not: Here is work for a searching head (the mind that hath wisdom.) But it is matter of fact, which when the thing was newly done the mind that hath wisdom might know: But how can we know it, but by history, without a new Revelation? And history herein is lame and much uncertain, and the work of man, and all men are liars; & few Christians were writers till three hundred years after Christ; & the first Christians had many fabulous reporters among them (as their spurious writings show) When John wrote this book, and whether all at once, or at many years distance of the parts, is unknown (whatever confident men may talk.) Eusebius trusteth divers fabulous authors, and reports, for want of better, though he be credible himself. I take the style, and words of the Book, to be the best History of the time, which intimateth that part of it, at least, was written before the siege of Jerusalem, which maketh me the easilier believe Epiphanius, that John was first banished into Patmos in the reign of Claudius, and there wrote part of the Book, at least. For though some of it might be written of things past, its hardly credible that most of it should be such.

This Verse hath many Expositions: Many say it speaketh not of individual Kings, but of seven sorts of Government, viz. Kings, Consuls, Decemvirs, Dictators, Tribunes Military, and Emperors; and the Pope they make to be the seventh and eighth. But so much is said against this, as I cannot answer: As 1. That it is not mere Power, but Idolatrous and Persecuting Power, that the Text describeth, And none of these persecuted, save the Emperors; nor were they so Idolatrous as Athens, and other places. 2. That the mere Imperial Power as the Pillar of Idolatry, is plainly made the Beast; therefore not the five antecedent. 3. That indeed these five were no Supreme Power; for that was only in the Senate, which had the Legislative Power till violence ravished them of it; which when it did, the Consuls, Decemvirs, & Tribunes, had but a part: No nor the Emperors long, or oft. These were not several Sovereigns, but parts of the Supreme, as the Tribuni Plebis were; and some of them very short: And the Pontisices Ma • . might as well be named as some of them. And who the seventh and eight Head were, is said with so great difficulties, difference and confusion, as would be tiresome to repeat.

The Papists Opinions about a future Antichrist, and theirs that apply all to Mahomet I will not repeat.

They that expound it of particular C • sars also, are opposed by many hard Objections. Some of them apply all to the seven Emperors, that the Christians were first troubled by, viz. Cla • aius, N •• s, Gal • a, O • io, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian the eighth: But three or four of these persecuted not. Some think that, seven, here signifieth not a determinate number, but many. They seem the same with the seven Heads, chap. 13. And if the ten Horns signify not precisely just ten, why should the seven? I, that understand it not, may say, it is as probable as some of these that this be the sense [it being the time of the Fall of the Beast and Whore that I am speaking of] there shall be, at that time, seven Caesar's alive at once, of whom Dioclesian, Constantius Chlorus, Galerius Maximianus, Severus, and Galerius Maximinus, are fallen at the time when Constantine is destroying Idolatry: Constantine is the sixth who is then in being: Licinius is after to be used as one of them, seeming then a Friend. The bloody Dioclesian who, with Max. Herculius, laid down the Rule, is one of the seven, and together will, by the Devil's instigation, attempt again to be the eighth, but to his own perdition. Whether Maxentius pass only for a partial Usurper after, or pass for the eighth, rather than Dioclesian, I let pass. Both Licinius and Maxentius continued but a short space.

12. And the ten horns, which thou sawest, are ten Kings, which have received no kingdom as yet: but receive power as kings one hour with the beasts.

12. Say some, they are twelve Heathen Kings, that are not full Kings, but tributary to Rome : Say others, they are the Gothish and other extraneous Kings, that are not in the Empire, but are consederates. Some say, it is the Tyrants that have headed the Devil's Kingdom in seven several Ages: But this is a vain Popish Evasion. That ten Kings were dependent on Pagan Rome, is clear; and that ten or more of the Barbarians broke the Christian Empire: But which is meant is the doubt.

13. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is the Lord of Lord's, and King of Kings, and they, that are with him, are called, and chosen, and faithful.

13, 14. The ten Idolatrous dependent Kingdoms, shall assist and support the Roman Pagan Empire with their Power and Strength: But Christ, who overcometh Rome, will overcome them also; for he is over all Kings and Kingdoms, and will help the Christian Army under Constantine. Or, say others, ten Kings shall give their Power to the Pope, and make War against Christ, that is, his Doctrine and Worship, and Christ and the Reformers shall overcome them. But these cannot be the same barbarous Kingdoms of Goths, &c. forementioned, but mostly others.

15. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are people's, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

15. This Idolatrous Roman Power ruleth over many great and populous Nations of the Earth: Or, as others, the Papal Idolatrous Power is upheld by many Nations, even all the Empire.

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.

16. The ten Nations, that before upheld the Roman Idolatry, shall turn against her, and be the Instruments of her destruction. The Britain's, Gauls, Germans, and divers others, first fought with Constantine against the Pagans, and many more of them after turned Christians. Or, say others, the foresaid Goths, Vandals, &c. shall overthrow the remnant of Pagans in Rome. Or, say others, The Reformation shall be wrought by Princes that have forsaken Popery. Whether it speak only of destroying the Idolatrous Roman Power, or of destroying the Houses, or City itself, is controverted: The latter is not yet performed, nor the first as to the Papacy.

17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

17. God hath so over-ruled them, and all their hearts, that eventually they shall serve the Pagan Empire, say some, or the Papal Power, say others, till the time that God will pull them down, as he foretold.

Note ; God can so order things, that all his Judgments shall be executed by sinners, without causing any one of their sins.

18. And the woman, which thou sawest, is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

18. It is certainly Rome that then reigned. It is certain then that Pagan, Imperial Rome, was at that time the Beast, on which the Whore sat: And certain that Pagan Idolatry was it that then made Rome the Whore: But whether (besides this,) Christian Imperial Rome under Constantine, or under the Western Emperors after, or Imperial Constantinople, or Rome as the Popes Seat (before 606, or after only, or when) be the Whore And whether their very differen sort of sin make them two or three whores, or the concord, in general, or similitude, make Pagan and Papal Rome to be the same whore, as meant in this Text, these and other are the doubts: But the certain part must not be doubted of.

CHAP. XVIII.

1. ANd after these things, I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory.

1. The Fall of Rome is so great a work that it was foreshowed me, as by an Angel of wondrous Glory. Those that tell us that this Angel was an eminent preacher, and such other particularities of filling the earth with his Glory, go further than my knowledge goeth.

2. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul Spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

2. The Language of those times was to call deferred ruined places where no man dwelt, the places haunted by Devils, and Goblins, and Satyrs and Owls and Serpents. So that this signifieth Desolation : And the Jews then thinking that, as Babylon that before captivated them is destroyed, so the very City of Rome would be; the Prophecy calleth the Destruction of the Pagan Empire and Idolatry, with all its retinue of Literate upholders, by the name and titles of the Destruction of the City. For it was not Babylon, as a City, nor quâ Roma, as this City, nor as a Rich and Great City, But as the Great Idolatrous Power which captivated and persecuted the Church ; Therefore it is destroyed, not as a Great or Rich City, but as Babylon : And so it is desolate. Some think that this is spoken of it, as when Rome was burnt in part by Totilas, and the remnant of Pagans destroyed by Alaricus: That's more than I can prove. But it being the Pagan Empire, that captivated the Church, that made it Babylon, I think Babylon fell when that fell, though many Pagans did survive.

3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich, through the abundance of her delicacies.

3. For their Power and Learning have spread the poison, or drunkenness, of their Idolatry to all nations, and the Kings of the earth have been encouraged in the guilt; and her wealth and grandeur, have promoted all pride and sensuality in the nations, that have traded with her, or depended on her. Others say, It is the sale of pardons, indulgences, and Ceremonies and Church-preferments, that are her Merchandize and delicacies.

4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

4, 5. That is, Away from Idolatrous Pagan Rome, as Lot fled from Sodom ; if you love your lives and Souls avoid all partaking in her sins: Eat not things offered to idols, imitate them not, and comply not with them in any act of Idolatry, or other sin: For the time of her destruction is at hand, and you may suffer with her if you sin with her, and fly not from her.

Or, Come out from Popery, and partake not of the sin, lest you partake of the plagues. Here, say some Protestants, we answer the question, Where was your Church before Luther ? And why do you separate from Popery? To the first, say they, our Church was in Babylon, where God bore with it, till he called it out: To the second, God commanded us to come out. No doubt, we must partake of no men's sins.

6. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double, according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double.

6. God, who is her Judge, will have you lay doubly more on her than she laid on you by persecution: And this is no injustice; it being for sin against him, and not only as against you. This giveth the reason of God's execution by Constantine ; but alloweth no private men to take arms against Government, on pretence of revenging the injuries of the Church.

7. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

7. The sins of Sodom were pride, fullness, idleness, and unmercifulness: And Pagan Rome, grown proud and sensual by power and wealth, shall now suffer debasement, and dejection. Or, Rome Papal that saith, I am the successor of Peter, and the mother of all Churches, shall be dejected, and destroyed for her pride and cruelty.

8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burnt with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

8. The Fall of the Pagan Empire shall be sudden and terrible, like the burning of a City. Or, say others, The remnant of Pagans shall be burnt out of Christian Rome by Alaricus, &c. Say others, Papal Rome shall be cast down: Say others, burnt. But it is not like if the City were burnt, but some would rebuil'd it, as we did London.

9. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication, and lived deliciously, with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning: 10. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

9. The Nations, that were her companions in Idolary, shall bewail her great and sudden fall. Obj. Papal Rome falls not suddenly. Ans. We know not what it may do yet: But it's certain Pagan Rome did.

11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth her merchandise anymore, 12. The merchandise of gold and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thynewood and all manner vessels of Ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13. And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flower, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, slaves, and souls of men.

11, 12, 13. The Pride and Greatness of Rome, bought up all that many Countries could bring in, of all sorts for necessity and delight; and they fed the Pagan Idolatry and Tyranny: Others apply it to Papal Pardons, Offices and Preferments. But these were rather bought at Rome, than sold thither. By Souls of Men, some understand Pagan Rome's Slaves, some their Soul-murdering Idolatry, and some Papal Soul-murders.

14. And the fruits, that thy soul lusted after, are departed from thee, and all things, which were dainty and goodly, are departed from thee, and thou shalt and them no more at all. 15. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the tear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16. And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17. For in one hour so great riches is come to naught.

14, 15, 16, 17. Rome 's Pride and Sensuality found all the Countries money for all sorts of commodities, whose Market ceaseth by her destruction.

17. And every ship master, and all the company in ships, and sailers, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18. And cried, when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city? 19. And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she desolate.

17, 18, 19. The Fall of the Pagan Power and Religion, being the Political Life of the City, is thus represented in Vision to John under the show of the burning of the City-buildings (as our Eyes saw London burning three days 1666. September. 2, 3, and 4th.) Or, say others, The Fall of Rome Papal was thus represented: But others say, that Rome Papal shall be thus really burnt and destroyed.

20. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her.

20. It was this same Roman Idolatrous Power which murdered the Holy Apostles and many Prophets that are now in Heaven: And they shall rejoice in the vindictive justice of God: And so shall the Church on earth; Not as it is revenge on private enemies, but as it is God's public deliverance of his Church, and vindication of his truth and Cause and Glory.

21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, 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.

21. The Pagan Empire was never again restored; for Julian did but begin to attempt it, and was killed, before he could so much as lay any foundations for it. Yea Rome was never more the seat of the Empire, much less of the Pagan Empire: For Constantine did but, as it were, take up his quarters there for a short time▪ and remove the seat to Constantinople : And his Successors in the West, had but the lesser part of the Empire, and were, sometimes at Rome, and sometime at Milan, and sometimes at Ravenna, and after in France and Germany.

22. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee: and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found anymore in thee: and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee. 23. And the light of a 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: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth: for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

22, 23. Thus, as by the Emblem of a City totally ruined and deserted, was the Fall of Pagan Rome represented to John : And that you may know, that it was not the burning and desertion of the material buildings that is meant, he now tells you that, by the merchants, he meant the Nations that consented to, and upheld, her Idolatry, and power.

24. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

24. God dealt thus severely with her, because she had not only been the murderer of Apostles & Prophets, and the primitive Christians, at Rome and abroad, in all her Dominions, in upholding her Idols, but (as Jerusalem ) had by imitating former persecutors, justified them, and so suffereth for all. The considering of Dan. 7.11. Jer. 51.63. & 25.10. Ezek. 17.13. Ezek. 27.12, 13. Will help to expound all this.

Others say, It is Papal Rome, and how the blood of Apostles and Prophets was found in her, they tell us from Matth. 23.35. And how the blood of Saints will be found in her, is easily proved.

CHAP. XIX.

1. ANd after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Halleluiah, salvation, and glory, and honor, and power unto the Lord our God:

1. The Saints in Heaven, and the Christians on earth, gave Praise to God, and glorified him, for this great work.

2. For true and righteous are his judgments, for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3. And again they said, Allelujah: and her smoke rose up forever and ever.

2, 3. They glorified God for holy and amiable justice • and destroying the Mother of Idolatry and nest of Luxury and cruelty. God will have great Glory by destroying the persecutors and wicked, and in delivering his Saints, and in the Freedom of the Gospel.

4. And the four and twenty elders, and the four beasts fell down, and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen, Allelujah.

4. And the consenting Praises of the Church, especially of Christian Jews, was represented to me under the ost-mentioned similitude of the Temple-Worship, where the Twelve Tribes were doubly represented (by twelve Oxen, and twelve Lions) and four Cherubims were about the Mercy-Seat. Jews, and Gentile Christians, praise God for the Fall of Babylon.

5. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

5. And God himself, and his Ministers, called to all his Church to join in these his Praises.

6. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Allelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth: 7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8. And to her was granted, that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of Saints.

6, 7, 8. And the raising of the Catholic Church in numbers, and extent, and power, to the visible Glory of Christ, was represented to me by the Voice as of a great multitude, &c. saying, Praise the Lord, for his Kingdom is coming in Power, and his Church shall be promoted by the Rulers of the Earth, and the Kingdoms of the World shall be visibly the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ: And Christ and his Church will appear to the World in Honor and Joy, as Marriages use to be celebrated. And the Catholic Church shall be clothed with the notes of Honor and Purity, or Righteousness (or shall publicly worship him in his instituted Ordinances.)

9. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb, And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

9. Happy are they that shall see the fall of Babylon, and the Deliverance and Advancement of the Christian Church, and shall have their place and part in that public Reign of Christ, by his Christian Magistrates and Pastors, and in the public praises of the flourishing Christ, (much more they that shall see his Reign in the Kingdom of Glory.)

10. And I fell at his feet to worship him: and he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren, that have the testimony of Jesus, worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

10. I thought that I owed so great honor to such a Messenger of so glad Tydings, that I fell at his feet to worship, him (not with Divine Worship, as God, but as his Angel;) but he forbad it me, and bid me worship God only, and not Angels, by such prostration: (For though we we may, by prostration, do worship to a Prince or Parent, yet to do it to Angels that are invisible, will be too like the Heathen sort of Worship, and encourage those that offer Angels, unwarrantable Worship.) I am a Servant of Christ, and a fellow-servant to thee and thy Brethren the Prophets; and your Office of publishing the Gospel, and mine in this Prophecy, are much like: The Spirit of Prophecy, by which you are Christ's Messengers and Witnesses, is that Testimony of Jesus, which you and I, as fellow-servants, are in our several capacities employed.

11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, & he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

11. Having spoken in general of the Fall of Babylon, he now showeth how Christ in its over throw will do execution on those his Enemies, till he have rooted the out; and how the Beast will struggle before he be quite destroyed, and that not in Rome only.

12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written, that no man knew but he himself. 13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipt in blood, and his Name is called, The word of God.

12, 13. His flaming Eyes signify his Glory and Omniscience; and his many Crowns, the many Kingdom • which he shall subdue and reign over. What his unknown Name is, we must not inquire. His bloody Vesture signifieth his Victory over his Enemies, purchased with his Churches deliverance by his own blood: And his known Name is, The Word of God

14. And the armies, which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

14. And the Executioners of his justice on Babylon, &c. were represented to me by an Army of heavenly ones following him on white Horses, and clothed in white, &c.

15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he shall smite the natitions; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of almighty God.

15. The word of his mouth is, as a sharp Sword, to overcome the Heathen World, and all his Enemies, by converting his chosen, and denouncing his Judgments on the uncurable, which he will execute, and that presently by the Sword of his Warriors, by whom he will crush the Rebels, and on them he will execute God's Vindictive Justice.

16. And he hath, on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORD'S.

16. For besides. [the Word of God ] he hath another name on his thigh (where the Sword is worn) King of Kings, &c. For he will reign, and all Kings and Lord's are under him and he will subdue his Foes.

17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God: 18. That ye may eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

17, 18. It cannot be expected that the whole Idolatrous Empire of Babylon be destroyed without War: And he will conquer that is King of Kings, and Lord of Lord's: And Commanders and Soldiers shall be a prey to the Fowls; which was fulfilled on Maxentius, Li • inius, &c. Others say, this is destruction of the Popish Kings: And others, that it signifieth not their death, but the Fall of Popery

19. And I saw the beast, and the Kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20. And the be • st was taken, and with him the false prophet, that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had receive • the mark of the beast; and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

19, 20. The Pagan emperors were conquered, & with them the Literate Sedu •• rs (Senators, Orators, Poets, Philosophers, Augurs, Aruspices, Priests, who by such Poetical Fable is, as Ovid's Metamorphesis, and by feigned Predictions, Oracles, and such pretended Miracles as Eunapius boasteth of by many of their Philosophers, but especially by the power of their abused Learning, called by Paul the Wisdom of the World, which is foolishness with God, and Science falsely so called ) who deceived the Princes and People into a high Opinion of their Idols, and a contempt o • Christianity, as foolishness: The Imperial Power, and the Learned Seducers, were rooted out, and, as Sodom, cast into utter destruction, and judged to damnation.

Others say, that the Beast here is the Pope, and the false Prophet, with him, is himself also, he being the Beast as Civil Ruler, and the Prophet as Ecclesiastical: But the Text plainly maketh them two, Others say, it is the Pope and his Clergy, Jesuits, Friars, &c.

21. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him, that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

21. The memory of their conquered Emperors and Philosophers, Senators, Poets, &c. is continued in History (as Pilate 's in the Creed) to their perpetual shame, and so they are said to be cast alive into the Lake: But the multitudes of Soldiers and People, that fought for them, were slain and cast into Oblivion; or some converted by the Word, and some confounded. Or, as others, the Papists are some converted, and others for obstinacy condemned.

CHAP. XX.

1. ANd I saw an Angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. 2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil & Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that, he must be loosed a little season.

1, 2, 3. And as for the notice of the state of the Church after the extirpation of the Pagan Empire and Idolatry, it was shown me under the appearance of an Angel coming from Heaven with power to restrain the Devil, and he laid hold on him, and imprisoned, and surely shut him up▪ as in a bottomless Pit, that he might deceive the Nations now turned to Christ, no more for a thousand years (or a long time:) But then he will be permitted a little while, to deceive many Churches.

Note ; Satan ever since, to this day, hath kept about four parts of six of the World in Heathenism; so that it must be the World then under the Roman Empire that he is bound from deceiving. Whether a thousand years be take • n strictly, or fo • a long time, is uncertain: Some take it to be a promise of his 1000 years restraint after the Fall of the Pagan Empire; and many, for 1000 years after the Fall of the Papacy. The former think it is all past; the last (mostly) think it is all yet to come, but some, that it began 1560. It is not a promise that Satan shall not, in that thousand years, corrupt the Christian Church with any great sin, but that he shall not seduce them from Christianity, till after a thousand years. Just at, or about, that space of time, Mohammedanism, which began farther off, about 606, did invade the Eastern Churches, and overcome the Christian Powers, and set up a false Prophet, an Enemy to Christ, and bring Christianity into captivity and scorn.

4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Chirist a thousand years.

4. And the happy following state, of the Church, was further represented to me by the appearance of Thrones, where men sat in Judgment, showing the dominion of Christians over their Enemies. And I thought I saw the Souls of the Martyrs, whom the Pagans murdered, and not only of them, but of all sound Christians, who had abstained from all participation in the Pagan Idolatry, and they lived and reigned, as superior to their Enemies, with Christ, the King of the Church, a thousand years.

Note ; Here is no talk of the Bodies Resurrection, but the Souls living and reigning with Christ: And it seemeth to mean, that as the Souls of the Faithful live and reign with Christ in Heaven, for duration; so the Successors of such shall partake on Earth of such a Reign, as Christ will exercise in his Church: And if yet many corruptions and troubles consist in this imperfect state, with Christ's own Reign in the Soul, and in the Church, why may it not consist with this promised Reign of Saints in the Empire over Pagans? As Christ's Reign here is more or less prevalent against public sin, so shall their participation with him be. Both heavenly and Earthly Reign seem here spoken of: the first, as in reality, though, in the Vision, but to show the other.

5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

5, 6. The rest of the dead, even the subdued Pagans, (or Papists, say others.) were kept as in a state of death, out of power, till the Dragon revived their power again a thousand years after. Happy are the holy Christians, who shall be partakers in the privileges, blessings and comforts of this delivered and advanced Church; they shall no more fall under the Pagan Power (or Papal, say others,) not partake with them of that utter destruction, which is as a second death: Even as holy Souls, with Christ in Heaven, have these the state of a first Resurrection before the Body rise, and are secured from the condemnation of the wicked.

7. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8. And shall go out to deceive the nations, which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

7, 8. There are several Expositions of this; some say that, by the Thousand years, is meant precisely that time, which fell out either from Constantine 's Edict 611. till the Turks subdued Greece ; or from Alaricus 's sacking Rome, till the Turks took Constantinople : And that the Fall of the Eastern Churches, under the Infidel Power, was the letting loose of Satan: Others say, that a thousand years signifieth only a long undeterminate time, and that it was the Churches prosperity, till the Papacy corrupted all, and tyrannized. Others say, it was a thousand years before Antichrist should come: Others, that it will be a thousand years after the Fall of the Papacy, in which Religion shall flourish under holy Princes and Pastors: Others, that after the Fall of the Papal Antichrist, Christ will visibly return, and se • t up a holy Kingdom, whose chief Seat shall be at Jerusalem.

Some say, that it will be a Resurrection of Bodies; some only Political. Some say, that the Thousand years began at Christ's Birth, or at the Apostles Preaching: Others, at the destruction of Jerusalem, and ended about Hildebrand 's time. Some (as before said) at Constantine 's Empire, and ended at Boniface the 8, that killed the Albigenses, &c. Others, that it began at 1560. He that knoweth which of these is the right, let him tell it, for I do not. By Gog and Magog many understand the Turks ; others, all sorts of Christ's Enemies: Whoever they be, a War they will attempt against the Church, and will be overthrown.

9. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

9. This Text seemeth the hardest of all the rest: Those that say, the holy City is Constantinople ; some of them are put to say, that Gog and Magog 's destruction, as by fire, is yet to come: But the Text seemeth to speak of it, as done before they could take the City. Others say, it was Tamerlane, (an Infidel, and therefore sent, from God, against his own inclination:) that raised Bajazet 's Siege, and carried him about in a Cage of Iron in scorn, till he willfully dashed out his own brains; and so Andronicus was delivered. Others refer it to Baldwin 's, and other Christians taking Constantinople, against the Turkish Power: But because the Turks after took it, these seem not to agree with the Text. Others think it is a War yet to come, say some, at Jerusalem, which shall by Christ be made the holy City, or his Chief Royal Seat; and there will be his Thousand years Reign on E • rth. Others take the Holy City to mean the Reformed Churches, which shall again be assaulted by all sorts of Enemies, before the day of Judgment. And some take the Camp of the Saints, and the Beloved City, to be the seven Asian Churches to whom John wrote. Whatever it be, if it be past, I understand not what, or when it was; if it be to come, time must expound it. In general it is sure, that Enemies will oft assault the Church, and God will defend it.

10. And the devil, that deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night, forever and ever.

10. When Christ hath delivered his Church from Pagan Cruelty, the same Dragon, or Devil, will seek new Instruments to assault it, from age to age, and most notably at the last: But he shall be conquered after all, and be cast out into torment, as the Pagan Powers and Deceivers were.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them.

11. Some think that this speaketh not of the day of Judgment, but of the calling of the Jews: And some think the meaning is, that when Christ sets up the Thousand years refined Church, (by a Resurrection, and his visible presence, say some; or by a holy Government and People, and Deliverance from Enemies, say others,) both the Power of Infidels, ( Turks and Heathens,) which are meant by the Earth ; and the Corrupted Church, (both Papal and Greek, &c. meant by Heaven ) shall all vanish, that the holy City may take place. But most say, it describeth the day of Judgment.

12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things, which were written in the books, according to their works.

12. When Christ hath overcome his Churches Enemies, he will judge the World, and the book of their own doings and Consciences shall be opened; and also God's book of Life, (the Scripture or Gospel Law,) say some, which is the Rule of Judgment; or the book of God's Decree, say others, in which all are enrolled that shall be saved. And they shall be judged according to their works, the matter of Fact being recorded in their book, and the matter of right in God's Law, and the conclusion in his Decree: To be judged according to their works, is to be then justified, or condemned, as they have sincerely kept Christ's Law of Grace, by which they shall be tried; or have not kept it, by Faith, Repentance, and sincere Obedience, the condition of Salvation..

13. And the sea gave up her dead which were in it: and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

13. All that were any way dead, were judged according to their works, by the Law that they were under.

14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire: this is the second death. 15. And whosoever, was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire.

14, 15. And death and Hades, that is, Mortality, shall to his Saints be by Christ forever abolished, or, as some take it, those wicked men, that death and hell shall deliver up to Judgment, shall be cast into hell fire. This utter abolition, (or this damnation,) is called the second death. And whosoever hath not right to Salvation, by the Gospel Covenant, or Law of grace, and is not by God enrolled among the Heirs of Life, was cast into the Lake of fire.

Mr. Potter, and many others, expound all this confidently, (and the two following Chapters,) of Christ's judging, and rewarding, and punishing, men in this Life: But others as confidently, of the Life to come. Though this make the Text difficult, it maketh no great doctrinal controversy; both being commonly believed.

CHAP. XXI.

1. ANd I saw a new heaven, and a new earth: for the first heaven, and the first earth, were passed away, and there was no more sea.

1. N. That the corrupt State of the World, and the degenerate Church, may be called the old heaven and earth, is granted: And that the Church, before the End, may be so reformed and blessed, as that heaven and earth may be said to be new: And also that fire at last shall dissolve the earth, and that heaven, that fell under the Curse for man's sin, and there shall be (no annihilation but) a New Heaven, and earth, is plain in Peter, &c. But which of these is the sense of this Text is doubtful. I incline most to the later, that it is the new World, that shall follow the conflagration, and Judgment. If any ask what the new earth shall be for? he must take up with what God hath told us; Therein shall dwell Righteousness, and the Creature be delivered from the bondage of Corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Soas of God, and all things shall be restored. Whether we shall then dwell on Earth, or only a new made Generation, is not so clear. But the Jerusalem, now in Heaven, consisteth of Spirits; And this must come down from Heaven, and these Spirits must be again, at the Resurrection, embodyed: And do not new bodies suit with a new Earth, as Spirits with Heaven? Obj. This will be to our loss: Ans. No, God will dwell with man, and be no Stranger to us then in Heaven: Heaven and Earth will not be separated as now. As our bodies will be (no Clog to the Souls but) Spiritual, incorruptible bodies, so Earth will be made suitable to them. Its no diminution to the Glory of the Sun to shine on bodies, no nor of God, to Vouchsafe them his influence.

2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

2. Not new created Souls, but immortal Souls, coming down with Christ, say some; before the day of Judgment, say others, after. Many Texts seem to place it here, and not in Heaven only, after the Resurrection. This is the Life of Preparation on our part; but Souls in Heaven are further prepared by Christ.

3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

3. Wherever the place be, God's presence in glory, wlll make it a Heaven to us. But if it did speak only of an advancement by holy Reformation and Peace on Earth, it would be so far like to Heaven.

4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be anymore pain: for the former things are passed away.

4. If they be in the right, who expound this of a Thousand Years freedom from Persecutions, and all Sorrows on Earth, in a New Jerusalem, I am sure it will be a more joyful time, when it shall be performed in the propersense of the words, after the general resurrection. And I see no probability that the promise of [ no more death, ] and the rest that follow should be meant of any earthly state, before that time. The new Jerusalem, and the new Heaven and Earth, must be at once expected: and that is, when all these things are dissolved by fire, at the judgment of the great day. O desirable blessed day!

5. And he that sat upon the throne, said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

5. It is true that at Constantine's delivering the Church, there was as it were a New World. And I am in hope yet, that there may be such a Reformation and advancement of Piety and Unity before the last day, as may be called a New World, in a fuller sense: But not up to this description of the New Jerusalem.

6. And he said unto me, It is done: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, I will give unto him, that is a athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely.

6. Say some [I am he that hath thus delivered the Church from Idolaters and persecutors; and now all, that will, shall have the blessed privileges of the Church.] Rather (I have prepared the Church for the state of Blessedness and I, that an▪ the principal efficient and ultimate end of all, will give life everlasting, in the new Jerusalem, to every believing thirsty Soul.]

7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

7. He that overcometh Temptation to the end, shall, as my son, inherit full felicity in me, who will be his God.

8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

8. But those that, being cowardly, forsake me for fear of suffering, and trust not me, and those that live in filthiness and cruelty, and unrighteousness and Idolatry, and all false deceivers, shall be damned.

9. And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the lambs wife.

9. By the Bride is meant the new Jerusalem, that is, say some, the delivered Church in Constantine's time and after, 2. Say others, the reformed Church at the Fall of Popery. 3. Say others, a prosperous time before the thousand years. 4. Say others, the Jews conversion in great splendor at Jerusalem. 5. Say others, Christ's visible reign with the martyrs, and others, raised from death a thousand years before the rest. 6. Rather the new Heaven and Earth after the last judgment, when the flaming sword, and partition wall, shall be taken down, and God dwell with man.

10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shown me the great City the Holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God.

10. Say some, the Church, as here advanced to purity and liberty by the heavenly power: Rather the Souls, that were with Christ, coming with him to meet those that shall be then alive and changed, advanced to that perfection, in which they shall forever be glorified with the Lord. Though some glimpse of this may be in happy reformation, concord and deliverance here before.

11. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystall:

11. Its Glory and strength was represented to me, as made of Jasper, clear as Crystall, God's own Glory shining out.

12. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

12. John being a Jew, and the Jews the first Christians, who had commonly an expectation of Christ's more special relation to them than to others, and they being the first specimen of the Catholic Church, the Revelation of the new Jerusalem (and perhaps also of some antecedent happy state) is represented as shaped to the Jews expectations; and as typified by the old Jerusalem. And its wall is its strength and safety, and separation from others. Its gates are for entrance, and the guardian Angels numbered according to the twelve tribes; as were the Apostles, who yet founded all the Churches.,

13. On the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

13. Note, Not that this must be thought the shape of it; but that its glory was represented by such a shape.

14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

14. As the Church on earth is founded by the doctrine and witness of the twelve Apostles, so is the new Jerusalem described as related to them, it being but the Church militant perfected and made triumphant.

15. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16. And the city lieth four-square, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal.

15, 16. By this representation, (like that in Ezekiel ) the firmness, and perfection and greatness of the new Jerusalem was signified.

17. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

17. The Angel appearing as a man, his measure is taken as a common human measure.

18. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper, the second saphire, the third a chalcedony, the fourth an emerald. 20. The fifth sardonix, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth a topaz, the tenth a chrysophrasus, the eleventh a jacinth, the twelfth an amethyst.

18, 19, 20. That the new Jerusalem is represented by these precious stones, as firm, precious, lucid and glorious, and by the number of twelve, as suited to the twelve Apostles, and so in them to the twelve Tribes of Israel, as typical of the new Jerusalem, is all that I understand of this: what each precious stone distinctly signifieth, you may read in them that know, (or take on them to know,) more.

21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, every several gate was of one pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

21. If there shall be any state, on this side eternity, which answereth this glorious representation, how much more will the perfected glorious triumphant Church answer it?

22. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple of it.

22. Some expound this of liberty to serve to God in every place, as well as in Temples (who yet would destroy them as conventiclers, that do so.) But the Text seemeth to mean, that this new Jerusalem is the perfect state, which is above our instituted lower means. God will be our All.

23. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

23. Prophetical Hyperbolies and Allegories, may put as high terms as these for a state of mere reformation, and Church prosperity: But seeing that it must be a force, and not an exposition, which so restraineth it, without proof, we must believe that it hath a higher accomplishment.

24. And the nations of them, which are saved, shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.

24. And those, that shall be converted out of all nations, of the Gentiles, shall, as well as Abraham and the Christian Jews, lay up and find a treasure with Christ in the new Jerusalem.

Note ; They that expound this of the Thousand years Reign of raised Martyrs at Jerusalem, and they that expound it of a peculiar Jewish Church there, after the Jews Conversion, say, that the Nations round about shall not have the same Confirmation and Glory, as the New Jerusalem, but be liable to Trials still. Dr. Ham. who expounds it of the Churches prosperity after Constantine 's Success, giveth these Reasons, 1. Because the New Jerusalem descendeth from Heaven. Ans. 1. So it may to Judgment, and yet return to Heaven. 2. Or rather, the New Heaven and Earth shall be open as one. An immortal Glory, in the New Earth after the Resurrection, may be the New Jerusalem. 2 He argueth from Gal. 4.26. as if the Jerusalem above were only the Church Militant: But that we deny.

25. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there. 26. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.

25, 26. There shall be no danger of the entrance of Enemies or Traitors; But all worldly glory and blessings by Saints referred to this end, shall there be found in the transcendent perfect state.

27. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lambs book of life.

27. Sure this proveth that it is somewhat better than the thousand years after Constantine, that is here meant: For alas, how much abomination and deceit entered in that time! what hatred, false accusations, worldliness, pride, cruelty and contention? 2. Note ; None but Saints cleansed from gross sin, will be found written in the Lambs Book of Life. It is a vile slander on the Orthodox Doctrine of Election, that we say, the Elect may be saved how wickedly soever they live; when we say, that it is one Decree of God that electeth men to be holy, obedient, persevere, and be saved.

CHAP. XXII.

1. ANd he shown me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb.

1. By this some understand Baptism▪ that bindeth all to Purity: Some the Gospel (not muddied by Usurpers corrupt Canons:) And some, the Spirit in greater measure: And some, the heavenly influence for illumination and life forever. All these in their seasons may be expected.

2. In the midst of the street of it, and of either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

2. As in the prosperous Church militant, everlasting life is open, and given to all accepters, by the Doctrine of the Apostles, and continually represented and conferred in the Sacraments, and by the Word, the Spirit of Christ accompanying his Ordinances, the Preaching of the Word is for the healing of the unbelievers and unconverted: So, in the New Jerusalem, where the end of all his is attained the Glory is represented by the means that are past, that brought them thither, by which men were sanctified, and the Nations healed; the means being eminently (though not formally) in the attained end. But the better the Church is on Earth, the more it thus resembleth the New Jerusalem.

3. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God, and of the Lamb, shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him. 4. And they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads.

3, 4. Thus it appeareth that the New Jerusalem is a state of Immortality (by the Tree of Life,) and freedom from the Curse, or all punishment for sin, and the very Throne of God, and Christ shall be visibly in it, and they see God's face: And though somewhat tending to all this be in the Church militant, this seemeth a description of the Church triumphant.

5. And there shall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.

5. There shall be no want of knowledge, nor need of Ministers, Teaching, Scripture, or such means. For God will be to them above, and instead of these; and they shall reign forever. And what more can be hoped for by man? Why should forced Expositions darken this?

6. And he said unto me. These sayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show, unto his servants, the things which must shortly be done.

6. As Christ, Matth. 24. told them of such devastations as that generation should see, and yet adjoineth the signs of the end of the World; just so doth he, by this Revelation, show John the Fall of Pagan Babylon and the Churches deliverance, and yet shortly annex a thousand years after, and then the end of the World: All was to be shortly, but not shortly equally with the first parts. But it is not to be said, that he almost past by the things that were shortly to be done, and said almost all of the Papal Rome. The certainty of the Revelation is the hope and joy of firm Believers.

7. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

7. Think not that I delay my coming, as slack of performing my Promise: Some of this will be quickly done, and the last e're long. To understand and believe this Prophecy will be comfortable: But to keep the Precepts of it, avoid the Sins threatened, believe the Promise of my Victories and Coming, and wait in Patience, is needful to all.

8. And I John▪ saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worshp before the feet of the angel, which shown me these things.

8. Note; All faulty Worship of Angels is not Idolatry, nor maketh a Church Idolatrous: It was not Divine Worship which John gave the Angel: If really he wrote most of this Book against Popish Idolatry, as many think, he would never be twice guilty of worse than their praying to Angels and Saints themselves, whom he condemned: For they worship them no • , as God's, though amiss. John thought Vener • tion was the Angels due.

9. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

9. See before cap. 19.10. God is jealous of anything too like Idolatry. Note ; Are Angels our fellow-servants? love them then, and be thankful to God for their Love and Help; and rejoice in this privileage, and think it not unlikely that you should live with them forever. O what a people should we be then in holiness!

10. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

10. The most of it is to be performed ere long, in the ruin of the Pagan persecuting Empire.

11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12. And behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

11, 12. I come quickly to fulfil and execute this Prophecy; and then I will take and judge men, as I find them; there shall be no more place for preparation; as it was with the wise and foolish Virgins, Matth. 25. when the midnight cry was, The Bridegroom cometh, as I find you, I will use you.

13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last.

13. I am God e •• rnal, the first cause, and ultimate end of all things, able to fulfil my Will and Word.

14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

14. Blessed are they that do what Christ requireth to Salvation in his Law of Grace, (or purify their heart and life) that they may, by his free gift, have right to enter into the New Jerusalem, and live with Christ forever.

15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

15. For all filthy, cruel, persecuting, Idolatrous persons, and Liars, and deceitful Te • chers, and Hypocrites, (though called Christians,) are shut out of the holy City, as Dogs are turned out of the house.

16. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star.

16. I Jesus have sent my Angel to tell these things to John, that he may tell them to the Churches of Asia, and by them to others (the matter much concerning those Churches then alive.) Take these as my own Words, who am the Messiah prophesied of, as the Root and Son of David, and am the Light of the World, sent to teach men the way of life.

17. And the Spirit and the Bride say, come. And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

17. And seeing Church-deliverance now, and the Glory of the New Jerusalem at last, are the effects of my coming, as my Spirit teacheth men to desire my coming, and my Church and Chosen do desire it; so let all desire it that wou • d partake of that felicity. For all shall have it by my free gift, who do but b • lievingly desire it. For I will shut out none but final obstinate refusers.

18. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

18, 19. If any willfully corrupt this Prophecy, in words or sense, to draw men from believing it, to the belief of their own corrupt Additions, God will add to them his Plagues, and deprive them of any part of the blessings here foretold, and shut them out of this holy City of God.

Note ; It's dangerous then to make bold, Cabalistical, Fanatick Expositions of this Book, and to call our own conceits the sense of the Revelation: And it's dangerous groundlessly to expect more Prophecies of God's usage of his Church; or to add to any of his Word, or dim • nish from it, and father any of our Errors on Christ, and on his Spirit, which hath here finished that Book, which must be the universal Churches Rule of Life.

20. He which testifieth these things, saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, Come Lord Jesus.

20. Jesus, who is the Author of this Revelation, surely promiseth that he will come quickly, by degrees to perform all his word, and chargeth you not to question it through unbelief, or to sai • t by doubting, as if he did fall by his delay. And let us all with Faith, hope and desire, prepare and earnestly pray for his coming: Even so; come Lord Jesus.

21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

21. I conclude all with this best Request to God for you, and Benediction to you, that the Grace of our Lord Jesus, which is our preparation for Glory, and our earnest, pledge, and foretaste of it, may be with you, to prepare you, and Seal you up, as the certain Heirs of that Blessed S • ate, and save you from all sin, and Temptation, and Enemies that would deprive you of it. Amen.