r 
 
 
 
 LIBRAEY 
 
 
 OF THE 
 
 
 Theological Seminary, 
 
 
 PRINCETON, N.J. 
 
 i 
 Case, Division (J/_ ■ 
 
 
 
 Shelf. Section 
 
 
 Booh , Nt, 
 
 
I 
 
 [Entered in Stationers Hall.] 
 
 None of the eopies are warranted ge- 
 nuine, but what are figned by the Au~ 
 tbsr's own hand, as under. / /? 
 
 //oS7 
 
L 
 
THE 
 
 Completion of Prophecy, 
 
 THE 
 
 Cleared evidence of the Trut h of 
 CHRISTIANITY; 
 
 O R, 
 
 A (hort, but perfpicuous view of the R I s i, 
 Progress, and Decline of P O P E« 
 R Y, from its firft appearance in the 
 World, till its final extinction. 
 
 By J OH N- 'LAWRIE, A. M. 
 
 cb— ««s2^=«»«a 
 
 E D I N B U R G H: 
 Printed by Gavin Alsto n \ 
 
 FOR 
 
 Mcff. Wheleon and Waller, Mefl*. Leigh and 
 Si>THEBAY, Bookfcllers, London.- 
 
 M.DCC»LXXXt. 
 
r 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 AS the accompliihment of prophecy 
 affords one of the clearell evidences 
 of the truth of Christianity, it is hoped 
 the following fheets will elucidate this 
 matter in a concife, yet perfpicuous man- 
 ner. 
 
 If it can be made appear, that all the 
 remarkable tranfaclions with refpecl to 
 the church, and her furrounding foes, 
 for upwards of feventeen hundred years 
 paft, were as diftinclly foretold, as if the 
 prophetic writers had feen the accompliih- 
 ment of them, and that thefe prophe- 
 cies are fulfilling: every day; this cannot 
 fail to flop the mouths of Infidels, and 
 confirm the faith of the true Chrifuan. 
 To point out the completion of fcripture- 
 prophecy concerning the Chriftian church, 
 from the days of the apoitles, to the end 
 of the* world, is the defign of the prefent 
 effay. A common objection to works of 
 this kind is, that the prophecies, efpe- 
 cially thofe of John's Revelation, are 10 
 obfeure, and difficult to be underftood, 
 that nothing certain can be derived from 
 them. But the objectors ought to re- 
 member, that ive are commanded to 
 J}arch the fcuptures, without any limita- 
 tion to particular paiTages of it.; and that 
 kiery fcripiure is profitable for indruciion, 
 
 f 
 
( fc ) 
 
 &c. 1 he fame perfons make no objec- 
 tions to thofe who dig into the bowels 
 of the earth in quefl of metals, which 
 yet is a work of no fmall labour, diffi- 
 culty and danger, as well as mere uncer- 
 tainty. If, therefore, we may be allow- 
 ed to make i the comparifon, they aft 
 wifely, who dig into the earth in hopes 
 of an uncertain and tranfitory gain ; how 
 much more wifely muft they act, who* 
 dig deep into the mines of fcripture- 
 truths, where they will certainly receive 
 inftru&ion, profitable not only for this'; 
 life, but for that which is to come. 
 
 Perhaps the reader will expect in this* 
 preface, fome more particular account of 
 the contents of our effay. Ihis we lhall 
 lay before him, in as few words as pof- 
 fible. It contains a brief account of the 
 flate of the church, her persecutions and' 
 trials j alfo the punifhments infli&ed up* 
 on her enemies, from the fpreading of 
 Chriftianity, to the end of the world. 
 r lhe diffusing the go(pel through the 
 w T or!d, and the rapid progrefs it made by 
 the apcftles, ana their immediate fuccef- 
 fors, is typified by the opening of the 
 firfl feal ; the five following comprehend 
 the church's peifecutions by the Roman 
 emperors, and the dreadful judgments 
 ii-flicled upon them for perfecuting hen 
 r ihe feventh feal u(hers in the gloiious 
 reformation by Ccnflantine the Great, and 
 continues during the firft fix trumpets, 
 

 ( v ) 
 
 when the church gradually apofiatizes' 
 from the truth, and Antichrift makes his 
 appearance. During which time, the 
 Goths, Vandals, and other northern na— 
 tions, and after them, the Saracens and 
 Turks, pour in like a flood upon the Ro- 
 man empire, and as a moft grievous 
 plague upon that apoflate church: yet 
 ihe repents not, till under thetfeventh 
 trumpet, feven vials begin h) be poured 
 out upon her, which are continued one 
 after another, till the fifth expel the pope 
 from Rome, and the fixth utterly deftroys 
 him and his hierarchy for ever. Then 
 follows the conversion of the Jews, and 
 the glory of the latter-days, when the 
 millennium fhall commence in its full ex- 
 tent ; which continues till the final con- 
 fummation of all things under the fe- 
 venth vial, which is to be poured out 
 upon the enemies of Chi ill without ex- 
 ception. 
 
 This is a brief account of the following 
 treatife. How far the author has fucceed- 
 ed, the impartial public will now be judge; 
 from whole candour aad generofity, he 
 expects all pofilble indulgence to his well- 
 meant attempt. 
 
r 
 
' 
 
 PREFACE, 
 
 By a FaiEND of the Author's* 
 
 IN this enlightened age, (as it is called)* 
 the fubject of the following treatife 
 will appear ftrange. But as Newton, 
 Napier, and many other great men, have 
 not thought it beneath them to go in the 
 fame path before him, the author thinks 
 he needs not be afhamed of fo good com- 
 pany. If he has prefumed to differ from 
 them, he does it with the greateft defe- 
 rence ; and all their intentions, with re- 
 fpect to the whole, tend to the fame 
 point. Whoever believes the prophecies,, 
 will fee the argument in its full force, 
 and give proper allowances for the frailty 
 of the author, on fo nice and important 
 a fubje&. To others, who treat every- 
 thing facred with a degree of ridicule, 
 there is no apology neceflary. When 
 Popery is making fuch ftrides, and is 
 meeting with rather too much indul- 
 gence from the public, works of this 
 kind cannot, among the fober-minded* 
 be thought unfeafonable. 
 
f 
 
CON T E N T S. 
 
 Pag* 
 
 INtrodu&ion i 
 
 A concife view of the whole book 27 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. Contains the opening of the fcft 
 *• fix feals, and persecutions of the church 37 
 
 CHAP. VII. Briefly explained 51 
 
 CHAP. VIII. Comprehends the opening of the 
 feventh feal, and the preparation for the found- 
 ing of the trumpets 53 
 rrom the 7th verfe of chap. viii. the firft. 
 four trumpets are founded, and three woes 
 denounced 59 
 CHAP. IX. The fifth trumpet fets Antichrift on 
 his throne, and fhews the rife of Mahomed, to 
 verfe 12. 8* 
 From verfe 12. to the end of the chapter, 
 the fixth angel founds, which points out 
 the rife and progrefs of the Turks 108 
 CHAP. X. Gives a brief account of the feven 
 
 thunders, and the little book 126 
 
 <!HAP. XI. The inner caurt, temple, and al- 
 tar are meafured, and the witndTes prophecy 
 42 months, j. r. 1260 days, or prophetic 
 years 12$ 
 
 The feventh trumpet founds, and ufliers in 
 the reformation : the chapter concludes, 
 with an accouat of the witnefles teiUfying 
 . againft Popery, even in the darkeft times 
 thereof 151 
 
 CHAP. XII. Explains the fcals and firft four 
 
 trumpets 167 
 
 CHAP. XIII. Gives a defenption of the beaft 
 with feven heads and ten horus, which is ap- 
 pfied to the pope of Rome 1 68 
 
 CHAP, 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. Contains an account of the refor- 
 mation and downfall of Popery 15$ 
 CHAP. XV. Is an introdu&ion to the three fol- 
 lowing. 
 CHAP. XVI. Contains the pouring out of the 
 feven vials upon Antichrift, and the final de- 
 flru&ion of him, the Turk, and all the enemies 
 of Chrift, with the convedion of the Jews, &c* 20S 
 CHAP. XVII. Is an introdu&ion to the five 
 following, in which Babylon mentioned in this 
 chapter, it proven to be Rome under its laft 
 head the pope 238 
 CHAP. XVIII. Uluftrates, and is cotemporary 
 with the fifth vial ; it contains like wife the 
 deftruction of Rome, and mews that the pope 
 is driven from thence to feek fhelter femewhere 
 clfe 263 
 CHAP. XIX. With which the effay concludes, ' 
 elucidates the fixth vial, and portends the de- 
 ftru&ion of the pope and Mahomet ; upon 
 which the convcrfion of the Jews takes place, 
 and the extenfivc fpreading of Chriitianky 
 through the world 276 
 The appendix gives the opinion of fome of 
 th« lateft and moft eminent Englifh wri- 
 ters on Popery, and particularly Bifhop 
 Newton's recapitulation and conclufion, 
 which cannot fail for ever to flop the 
 mouths of Infidels, with refpedt to the 
 Chriitian religion. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 30. Line 31. for 1 1, read XI. p. 31. 1. 4. for II- r* 
 XI. p- 34 1 3 for Sir read 7-57. p 64. 1. 1 7 for prompt 
 read prompted, p. 1 12 1 2i for at read as- p Ii4 I- ?4» 
 for ether read another, -p. 131 1. M for £60 read il 86a. 
 p 144.1. 38 f©r ope read pope p. 166 S 9 f$r I2J. read 
 12$4. p. 193. line laft, for im'tia on icad tmft.itJHh 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 THE frequent rerrionftfarices that have ap* 
 peared in public, from time to time, irt 
 different parts of Great Britain, concerning the 
 too great fuccefsful attempts of the priefts, and 
 Other emiflarres of the church of kome, to per- 
 vert his Majefty's Proteftant fubjects to that 
 communion*, and the accounts that have beer* 
 publiflied fince the Popifh bill was iri Scotland, 
 as well as in many placed both of England and 
 Ireland *, notwith (landing the care and attention 
 of the reverend clergy in the three kingdoms, and 
 the repeated a£s of parliament that were for- 
 merly made to curb and check its growth, andj 
 if poflible, to banifh it out of thefe rearms. 
 
 Our misfortunes for fdme time paft, feem to 
 have been, that whilft we thohght oil rf elves fuf- 
 ficiently fecure from the open attempts of Popifh 
 emiffarieS} by the legal provifions that were made 
 againft them, our attention has been. unhappily 
 diverted by that circumftance, from their more 
 fecret and infidious praecipes Upon particular 
 perfons who have fallen in their way. Doubr- 
 lefs, we might have expected that they would 
 have been reftrained from thefe attempts, by a 
 principle of gratitude for the lenity of our civil 
 government, in conniving at their enjoyment of 
 their own worfhip, while the priefts (hould con- 
 tent themfelves with miniftering to fuch only as 
 have been born of Popifli parents* and educated 
 in that communion. 
 
 But they who have entertained thefe expec- 
 tations, could not, we believe, readily find an 
 inftance in all Europe, where Popery has been 
 A fatisiied 
 
( 1 ) 
 
 fatisfied with a bare connivance on any conficte- 
 ration. Her claims and pretentions rife too high 
 to be controuled by a principle of gratitude. A 
 church which arrogates to herfelf all power in 
 heaven and earth on the one hand, and whofe very 
 exiftence, on the other, depends upon the pom- 
 pous and confpicuous exhibition of a Paganifh ce- 
 remonial, will never fubmit to be confined to a 
 corner; or acquicfce in any terms where her pe- 
 culiar merit, vifibility, is excluded from the ad- 
 vantages of pvade and oftentation. As an evi- 
 dence of the truth of this; in fome cities, it is 
 faid, the Popifli chapel is mewn to ftrangers, 
 with all its fpienciid and fuperb decorations, aa 
 one of the curiofities of the place. And we 
 have heard of one, where the door of the chapel 
 is reported to (land open in the day-time to the 
 ftreet, from whence there is a profpett to the 
 altar, Zsfc. 
 
 If indeed fenpture, reafon, and common fenfe, 
 were to have their full influence upon the hearts 
 and underflandings of all thofe who profefs the 
 Proteftant religion, the claims and pretentions of 
 Popery would be eafily feen through, and univer- 
 fally defpifcd -, but while fuch numbers of the 
 common people are fo imperfeftly inftrucled in 
 the principles of their religion, that it may be 
 queftioned whether many of them can give any 
 better account of them, than that they derived 
 them from their parents *, who can wonder, that 
 fach uninformed minds fhouid be greatly over- 
 matched by the fubtlety and indefatigable perfe* 
 verances of the bigotted agents of a church, which 
 fets herfelf up for the mother and miftrefs of 
 Chriftendom. 
 
 But in order to form a proper judgment of the 
 fpiiit and influence of Popery, it will be necef- 
 fary to look into the hiftory of thefe countries 
 where it is, au4 has been for ages paft, the e- 
 
 ftabliihcd 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 ftablifhed religion. And here, befides the prac* 
 tice of the moil abject fupei ftition, and even o( 
 the groiTeft idolatry, we mall find, that whene- 
 ver the civil powers have attempted to pro\ide 
 for the public welfare, by meafures or expedi- 
 ents in any. degree unfavourable to the peculiar 
 interefts of the church, means have always been 
 "found to break the peace of the community, by 
 fome one or other of thefe turbulent ecclefiadics, 
 whom the miflaken zeal of former times hath 
 Dourifhed, by luxurious provifions and exciuGve 
 privileges, in a ft ate of detachment from the" 
 body-politic ; a fet of men, who, whatever might 
 be the original defign of their refpective found- 
 ers, have not, for many ages, been of any other 
 ufe worth the mentioning, than that of ftrength- 
 ening the iron-hand of Papal authority, and there- 
 by preventing the civil magiiirate, where-ever he 
 was inclined to it, from.* lightening the galling 
 yoke of ecclefiaftical tyranny. And where the 
 monkifh orders are fo numerous, and confeffbrs, 
 taken out cf them, have fo frequently had the- 
 confeiences of fovereign princes under their di- 
 rection, occafions and pretences could never be 
 wanting to controul the mod falutary counfels- 
 for public welfare, if they mould interfere ever' 
 fo little with the claims or prerogatives of the 
 hierarchy. 
 
 The neighbouring kingdom of France hath per- 
 haps made more vigorous efforts in oppofition ta 
 the encroachments of the See of Rome, than a- 
 ny Popifli date in Europe; and there are inftan- 
 ces in the French hiftories, where thefe efforts 
 have not been altogether without fuccefs. But 
 the fame hiftories inform us, that any advantage 
 of this kind gained over the church, have, for 
 the moil part, been either dearly purchafed, or 
 of no long continuance ; and, generally (peaking,. 
 whatever abatement of the Papal power have ob-- 
 A 2, tainedi 
 
r 
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 faiaed in any ftates and kingdoms, which did nfrt 
 abfolutely cad it off, the fovereign Pontiff, having 
 the religious orders entirely under his direction, 
 and at his devotion, hath found the means to ba- 
 lance, by obtaining ample conceffions in other arti- 
 cles, And where he hath not fucceeded by way 
 of compromife, he hath feldom failed, bv the 
 means cf fome trufty agents, to take fevere ven- 
 geance, fooner or latter, on t.hofe who flood in 
 his way. In order to confirm the truth of this 
 aficition, con Cult the hiftoiy of France under- the 
 princes of the houJfe of Guife, Henry the III. 
 and IV. Lewis the XIII and XIV. 
 
 Such being the malignant effects which Po- 
 pifh principles have upon civil government, even 
 in the hands of arbitrary monarchs, who might 
 be fuppofed to have the moll: immediate means 
 cf controuling their exorbitant claims and pre- 
 tentions, it behoves us to confkier what might 
 be the confequence of its gaining an eftablifhment 
 in a llate, whofe conftitutijn is founded % upon 
 the mod generous principles of public liberty, 
 the very idea of which muft be totally extinr 
 guifhed, before way can be made for the very 
 loweft of its ufurpations. 
 
 Cur reforming forefathers were perfectly fen- 
 Ub!e of this, and were proportionably thankful 
 for their deliveranee from fo deftructive a fuper- 
 flition. We of this generation, who contem- 
 plate Popery only in hiflorical narrative, or in 
 the twilight of a partial practice, have but a 
 faint and o~bfcure notion p£ their joy and trans- 
 port upon its expuifion from this land of liberty ; 
 when they found themfelves fet free from the 
 tyranny of the bifhop of Rome, and all his de- 
 teftabie enormities. Shall Britain, famed for cir 
 vil and religious liberty over the whole world, 
 once more ttoop, once more bend her neck un- 
 der the galling yoke of Popifh tyranny, and An- 
 
 tichriftian 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 fichriftian dcluilons ? Forbid it, Heaven ! forbid! 
 it, ye fenfible and learned people ! who have long 
 lived fo happy under a race cf Proteftant* princes,- 
 whofe names will be handed down to pofterity, 
 with the higheft honour. Confiderthe many hor- 
 rid plots and machinations of wicked Papifts, a- 
 gainfl the lives of our glorious Proteftant fove- 
 reigns. Can a religion be of God, which au- 
 thorizes and countenances fuch enormities ? cart 
 any confidence be put in men, who think they 
 do God good fervice by murdering thofe who* 
 differ from them in religious principles ? 
 
 How neceffary then are penal laws to feeure' 
 the Proteftant fettlement of the crown of Great 
 Britain, and, by confequence, the rights and li- 
 berties of Biitiih fubjecls, againft the effects of 
 principles fo deftrudtive^of our happy conftitu- 
 tion. And it is to little purpofe to complain of 
 their feverity, when we have fo often experien- 
 ced, that, even that feverity hath not been fuf- 
 ficient to difcourage the attempts of the Popifh 
 party, whenever they had a profpecl of fucceed- 
 i?ig, in bringing about the ruin of our religion- 
 and liberties ; and when we confider, that, in 
 all human probability, nothing but this very fe- 
 terity of the penal laws has prevented them fron* 
 fucceeding. Tc^ tolerate men with fuch prin- 
 ciples-, and with no more reftraint than is laid 
 upon Proteftant diffentersy (whofe principles and 
 affections are well known to be friendly to the 
 civil and religious rights of mankind m general, 
 and our own government in particular), would 
 be to nouriih in our own bofom a neft of vipers, 
 prepared tO' fubvert our conftitution, whenever* 
 an oportunity fhould offer, which they could 
 hardly want a year to an end, were they to ob- 
 tain a full toleration, which they have been long 
 and ardently wifhing for \ and now feem to be' 
 ia affair way to obtain; 
 
 &$ ,.-•■ Btttf 
 
( 6 y 
 
 fftit ft is faid, If you exclude them from tole- 
 ration, merely on- account of their political doc- 
 trines, why do you moleft them in their religious 
 worfhip, ihut up their mafs-houfes, and pro- 
 fecute rhcir priefts, who are merely ecclefiafti- 
 cal officers ? 
 
 To this we reply, Whenever the Papifts will 
 openly and candidly difavow thofe political prin- 
 ciples, which render them obnoxious to cur ci- 
 vil government, we mall then be able to di ft in- 
 guifh between thofe principles, and their reli- 
 gious opinions. In the prefent ftate of Popery,, 
 both forts of doctrine are fo intimately incorpo- 
 rated whh each other, as not to admit of any re- 
 paration, till they fhall think fit to make ; t them- 
 felves. In the mean time every Papift, of courfe* 
 is an enemy to the Britifh conftitution ; a.:d the. 
 guardians of that conftitution have no way o£T 
 knowing who is-, or is not a Papift, but by his 
 practicing Fop lib rites and devotions- 
 
 Alfo the priefts- of that communion are known 7 
 by the authentic forms which inveft them with 
 their function, to be more efpecially bound to 
 an implicit obedience to a foreign and inimical 
 jurifdiction, with an exprefs cxclufion of all f ab- 
 jection- to a heretical government :. a Popifh pridt 
 is accordingly known to be an enemy to our go- 
 rnent, by the fame tokens- that difcover hinr 
 tD be a prieft. And hence it is, that his faying, 
 or tinging maftj, brings him within the reach of 
 the penal laws, without further evidence. 
 
 Thefe,. and many other confiderations that' 
 might be mentioned,, naturally fugged to the 
 elergycf the Proteftant peifuafion, what is their 
 duty, in re fp eft to their vigilance,, over thofe who 
 are "more immediately under their infpe£tion, in; 
 a.religious light. Principks of rebellion, are not* 
 we are certain, the principles of Chriftianity ; 
 and. ever •y - thing L cf that fort r which is taught un- 
 der: 
 
( 7 P 
 
 ifer the name of religion, muft have the worft 
 effects upon the difpotuions and manners of thofe 
 who learn and efpoufe them ; a3 they implant in 
 their minds a perfuafion, that they are doing 
 God fen-ice by fuch practices, a3 they might fee-, 
 if they were permitted to -eonfult the word of 
 God, that they are an abomination to him. 
 
 If ever there was a time for the miniftcrs of 
 the ever-lifting gcfpel to exert themfclves in the 
 caufe of truth, it is finely the prefent; ehc^ 
 cially the Proteftant clergy of England and Ire- 
 land, where fhoals of Popiih vermin abound. It 
 is their duty to lay before their people, the per- 
 nicious confequence of Popifh doctrines, both ca 
 account of their prefent mi-fchief to human fo» 
 ciety, and their tendency to defeat the future 
 liappinefs of every individual, who is corrupted 
 by them. Every convert to Popery is a double 
 lofs. He is loAy in the firft place, to the glo- 
 rious liberty of the fons of God, and becomes a 
 flave to a bafe and fordid fuperftition, which ex- 
 ercifes an imperious tyranny over his confcience,. 
 and fetters him once more in that bondage and 
 darknefs, from which the light of the gofpel was 
 intended to fet him free. He is loft, in the next 
 place, as an affectionate and obedient fubjeftj to- 
 a moft gracious king, and a moft eligible confti- 
 tuticn of government,, and enlifts himfelf in a: 
 pernicious confederacy, to fub\ert the rights and 
 liberties which depend upon them. 
 
 The proper bufinefs of the clergy is, to labour 
 in word and doctrine, privately to inftrucl: and 
 catechife their flocks in the great fundamental 
 points of the Chriftian religion j and, at the fame 
 rime, narrowly watch over the education of youth, 
 in the different feminaries of learning under their' 
 care, that their tender minds be not poifoned 
 with the external glare of Heathenifii theology, 
 which- k an eafy iatrodu&icn ta Popery ; but: 
 
 that: 
 
( 8 * 
 
 fhat their matters be at the utmoft pains foMmV 
 tiate them in the principles of our holy religion; 
 - — Will not the affiduity and unwearied applicat- 
 ion of Jefuits, and Popilh mnTionaries,. roufe 
 faithful mini iters to be as careful and diligent to 
 fave fouls, as they are to deftroy therrv ? 
 
 It has been afYerted r and upon no weak pre^ 
 fumption, that if there fhcuklbe a man of com-- 
 irion fenfe fo circumflanced, as to have no other 
 way of coming at a complete view of the defiga 
 and tendency of the gofpel of Chrift, he might 
 have it very fufficienly, by putting down a lift of 
 doctrines, the reverfe of thofe taught by the 
 church of Rome, and particularly thofe upon 
 which (he builds her exclufive authority. Andy 
 indeed, no great wonder : for a religion, where 
 idolatry is praftifed and encouraged in fo many 
 grofs inflances, and whofe aim and end is to 
 eflablifti an arbitrary dominion over the human 
 mind, for fo many lucrative and fenfual purppfes,- 
 could but maintain its reputation for a very little 
 while, without thefe flavifli traditions of the Pha* 
 rifaical kind, and the fuperftitious pageantry of 
 Pag.-iniim: which our bleffed Lord condemned^ 
 and came on earth to abolim.- 
 
 As Papiils now deny every thing that maker 
 againft them, we (hall favour cur readers with 
 rhe fubftance of a letter, wrote by Pope Cle- 
 ment II. to Charles VI. emperor of Germany,, 
 daied June 4. 1-712. Seeing it has been often 
 -denied, that the doclriue of the council of Con-r 
 fiance, viz* that faith is not to be kept with he- 
 retics, and particularly when the intereit of the 
 church comes in queftion,- is not the doctrine of 
 the church of Rome, it has been thought expe-- 
 dient to fubjoin the decifion of a pope, neai thre-^ 
 hundred years after the fold council was held^ 
 and that with refp_£l; to the moll folemn treaties 
 aiade between fovereign grinces. Bui his holi- 
 
 nefc 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 ncfs having made mention, in this letter, of four 
 treaties in which the interefts of the church were 
 concerned, namely, the treaties of Weftphalia, 
 Ryfwick, Alt-Ranftadt, and Utrecht, it will be 
 necefTary, that we may better underftand the 
 pope's doftrine, to give a fhort account of each 
 of thefe treaties, fo far as relates to the ftipula- 
 tions in them concerning religion. 
 
 By the peace of Weftphalia, negotiated at 
 Munfter and Ofnaburg in 1648, it was ftipu* 
 lated, that thofe of the confciUon of Augfburg, 
 who have been in thepofieffion of churches, and, 
 among others, the burghers and inhabitants of 
 Oppenheim, (hall be maintained in the ecelefi- 
 aftical ftate of the year 1620 \ and that others, 
 who are defirous of embracing the fame exercife 
 of the confeffion of Augfburg, fhali be at liberty 
 to praftifc it, in public as well as in private, $5*r. 
 
 It is to be obferved, that the articles of this 
 treaty have been confidered as fundamental laws 
 and conftitutions, which ferve as a bafis to all 
 fubfequert treaties. 
 
 Neverthelefs, the pope then reigning took care 
 to publifh a bull, annulling all the articles of 
 this treaty, which he conceived prejudicial to 
 the Roman catholic religion; and confequently, 
 to difpenfe w.th the Roman-eatholic powers^ 
 who were parties in it, from fulfilling their en- 
 gagements with the Proteftants. 
 
 About the end of the year 1697, the peace of 
 Ryfwick was ratified- During the negociations 
 at Ryfwick, the ambafludors of the Proteftant 
 princes delivered a memorial to the mediator, 
 demanding, that in Strafburg, and all other cities 
 of Aiface to be ceded to France, the Lutheran 
 religion fhould be tolerated, and enjoy all the 
 rights and privileges fecured by the treaty of 
 Weftphalia. The French, defiring fome time to 
 anfwer, in concert with the imperial plenipoten* 
 
 tiarie^ 
 
( io ) 
 
 tiaries, neglected this representation, and infert- 
 cd in the treaty that the Pioman catholic reli- 
 gion, in the places to be delivered up, mould re- 
 main in the fame ftate it was at that time Thus, 
 no notice being taken of the Proteftants, feveral 
 churches were left to the Papifts, which, accord- 
 ing to the laws of the empire, and the prelimi- 
 naries of the treaty, ought to have been taken 
 from them, and reftcred to Proteftants. The 
 minifters of the electors, and other Proteftant 
 princes, refufed to fign the treaty till this claufe 
 was altered, and publifhed a memorial juftifying 
 their refufal, and (hewing that this article cf the 
 treaty was contrary to the laws of the empire, 
 the peace of religion, and the treaty of Weft* 
 phalia. 
 
 By the treaty of Alt-Ranftadt, 1707, it was 
 ftipulated, that the king of Sweden (Charles XII.), 
 and the king elector Auguftus, as members of 
 the Germanic body, fhould a£l jointly for the 
 confervation of religion, as eftablifhed by the 
 treaties of Munfter and Ofnaburg, (Weftphalia), 
 that no change of religion ihould be admitted in 
 Saxony or Lufatia ; and that the Roman Catho- 
 lics mould be denied churches, fchools, acade- 
 mies, colleges, and monafteries, within thefe fe- 
 deral diftricls. 
 
 But Auguftus* good fortune having reftored 
 him to the throne of Poland, all that had been 
 covenanted at Alt-Ranftadt was overturned, but 
 not without forne fcruples, both in the king and 
 people. Auguftus had been bred in the Pro- 
 teftant religion, where the ftrltt obligation of 
 oaths and covenants, and the iniquity of break- 
 ing them, is taught agreeable to the fcriptures: 
 he could not therefore be without fome degree 
 of compunction, in fo totally violating all the fo- 
 lemn engagements he had entered into at Alt- 
 Ranftadt. He had learned, however, from his 
 
 new 
 
( M ) 
 
 new religion, that the peace of the church ef» 
 fedlually healed all breaches of this kind. Ap- 
 plication was therefore made to the court of 
 Rome, to releafe the king from the obligation* 
 contracted by the treaty of Alt-Ranftadt. A 
 few of the more tender conferences might be 
 hurt, with feeing him reafTume, without fcruple, 
 that diadem which he had iblemnly renounced) 
 and confirmed, by the moll facred obligations, 
 to another : the pontiff's abfolving power would 
 apply remedies, neither to be found in policy 
 nor human reafon. The nuncio granted the ab* 
 folution required $ and all good catholics were 
 then unanimous, that the oaths taken by Au* 
 guftus were of no fignification. 
 
 In the twenty- firft article of the treaty o£ 
 Utrecht, the French king ftipulates with thd 
 queen of Great Britain, that he will, in friend* 
 fhip to the queen, grant, in his treaty with the 
 empire, all things concerning religion to be fet* 
 tied according to the treaties of Weftphalia. 
 
 This, we may be fure, alarmed his holinefs 
 fufficiently, and was the immediate occafion of X 
 the following addrefs to the emperor Charles VI. 
 
 " To our moft beloved fon in Chrifr, Charles, 
 " the catholic king of the Spawns, the iilu- 
 <c ftrious king of Hungary and Bohemia, elec~t- 
 u ed to be emperor of the Romans, Clement 
 " II. pope. 
 
 a Our dear fon in Chrift, health, and apo* 
 €i ftolical benediction. 
 " The many and zealous endeavours, which 
 u we know to be incefiantly exerted by heterodox 
 " princes, in the treaties opened at Utrecht, that 
 " whatfoever was added to the fourth article of 
 c< the pacification of Ryfwick, in favour of the c*- 
 u tholics, and of the orthodox faith, fhould be 
 f 1 wholly abrogated ; and that, on the contrarv, 
 
 « the 
 
 
( »* ) 
 
 t? the heads of the peace of Weftphalla, relating 
 
 Cf to the affair of religion, which were not for- 
 
 €c merly condemned by this holy fee, but like* 
 
 u wife correfted by the faid fourth article 
 
 f< of Ryfwick, fhould be reinftated and carried 
 
 €< into execution^ (concerning which we lately 
 
 c< wrote to your majefty at large), recaltoour me- 
 
 " mory thefe unhappy, aftd never-enough to be 
 
 " lamented covenants, which plainly, with the 
 
 " fame defign, of bringing the abomination into 
 
 u the holy place, the plenipotentiaries or com- 
 
 u miffaries of Sweden, nolefs violently than un- 
 
 f € . juftly, extorted from the plenipotentiaries of 
 
 *' commiflaries of your brother, the late empe- 
 
 cC ror, of famous memory 5 and whidh were en* 
 
 * € tered intb by the faid commiflaries, oh each 
 
 €i part, in the year 1707, in the camp at Alt- 
 
 * c Ranftadt. The great grief with which we were 
 
 V then affefted, when we confidered with our- 
 
 €i felves, that, befides other moft grievous de- 
 
 " triments brought upon the datbolic religion* 
 
 ** and the ecclefiaftic jurifdiftibns, by thofe co- 
 
 ic venants, fo remarkable a number of churches* 
 
 €< a6 well in the three duchies of Lignitz, Berg> 
 
 t€ and Munflerberg, as in the city of Wratiflaw, 
 
 €K and in the other principalities of Silefia, fhould 
 
 €< be torn off, and taken away from the true 
 
 €t worfhip of God, and delivered Up and aflign- 
 
 * c ed to the impiety of an execrable fe£t, is now 
 
 f< chiely not only renewed, ^ut in a great rriea- 
 
 u fure augmented, and become more intenfe* 
 
 u while we refleft and forefee how great hope 
 
 c< the heretics will derive from thence, of per- 
 
 €i fe£iing the reft of their wicked machinations 
 
 f€ and counfels. Moreover, although we are 
 
 « certain that it is no fecret to your majefty, 
 
 €t how averfe your faid brother was to the cove- 
 
 9* nants above mentioned ; how greatly he grie- 
 
 ^ red, that, becaufe of the difficulties in which 
 
 " his 
 
( »3 ) 
 
 ft his affairs were involved, he was obliged to 
 " accept of thofe hard and plainly impious con- 
 cc ditiohs, and how earneftly hedefired to repair 
 (i and make good, by proper remedies, whatfoever 
 €% had been corruptly tranfatted : all which he 
 <c he exprefsly fignified to us, by letters written 
 " with his own hand ; and ftill more amply and 
 " clearly explained, more than once, to our be- 
 €l loved fon Anibal, cardinal of Albano, of the 
 i{ holy Roman church, our nephewby the father's 
 u fide according to the flefh, then refiding with 
 4t him as our agent. And although we can by 
 u no means doubt but that your majefty, from 
 u your eminent piety, and the affection which 
 " you bear to the caufe cf God and his church, 
 '" perfe£tly underftands and acknowledges that 
 cc fuch covenants have been and are wholly void, 
 
 V and in their own nature of no force or effect, 
 " as your brother, being admonifhed by us, open- 
 u ly acknowledged and con felted, and on that 
 €c account alfo fully perceives, that no regard 
 u ought to be paid to them, and that they neither 
 <c can nor ought to be alledged or obferved by 
 €i any perfon, or in any manner whatfoever ; yet, 
 t€ as well that it may more plainly appear to 
 iC your majefty, what always has been, and ftill 
 cc is our judgment in that matter, as that your 
 cc majefty, being more fubftantially fupported 
 u by our apoftoiical decifion, may, with more 
 ™ alacrity, utterly defpife the before- mentioned 
 * c conventions, and efteem them as if they had 
 u . never been made ; We, by thefe prefents, de- 
 " nounce to your majefty, and at the fame time, 
 t€ by the authority committed to us by the moft 
 <c omnipotent God, declare the before-mentioned 
 " covenants of the treaty of Ak-Ranftadt, and 
 
 V every thing contained in it, which are in 
 " any ways obftru&ive of, or hurtful to, or 
 *< which may be faid, efteemed, pretended, or 
 
 B " underftooi 
 
( H ) 
 
 * tiiiderflcod to cccafion or bring, or to feaVe* 
 
 * % brought, the lead prejudice to, or any wife to 
 
 €i hurt the catholic faith, divine worfhip, the fal- 
 
 ,c vation of fouls, the authority, jurifdi&ion, or 
 
 %i any rights of the chiirch whatfoevef, together 
 
 fC with all and fmgular matters which have fol- 
 
 " lowed, or may at any time hereafter follow 
 
 * c from them, to be, to have been, and perpe- 
 
 " tually to remain hareafter, de jure null, vain, 
 
 " invalid, unjuft, reprobated, void, and evacu- 
 
 €< ated of all fdrce and effcdt from the beginning, 
 
 IC and that no perfon is btfund to the obfervation of 
 
 u ihem^ nor any of them, although the fame have 
 
 €C been repeatedly ratified or fecured by an oath ; 
 
 K€ and that they neither could nor ought to have 
 
 u been, nof can or ought to be obferved by any 
 
 " perfon whatfoever ; and that fto right, action, 
 
 il title, colour of titie, caufe of pofleffion or pre- 
 
 Cl fcriptionj is or hath been acquired from them, 
 
 c * much Jefs may be acquired or accrue by any 
 
 *' length of time ; and that they create or have 
 
 €i created no eftate or quality, but that they ought 
 
 €i for ever to be accounted as if they had never 
 
 cc iflueti, and as if they were net extant, nor had 
 
 u ever been made. And neverthelefs> for the 
 
 <c greater caution, and fo far as may be necefTa- 
 
 * c rv, we dif approve, refcind, affate, make void, 
 
 " annul, and totally difcharge of all force and 
 
 u effect, all the forefaid covenants, and all other 
 
 is rhe premiiTes enumerated in thefe prefents, 
 
 fC which are prejudicial as aforefaid. Where- 
 
 u fore, cur mod dear fon in Chrifr, attend, and 
 
 fi wholly rejecting all covenants of this kind, and 
 
 '* refcinding every thing which has, in any man- 
 
 " ner, been done towards the execution of 
 
 ic them, valiantly defend the caufe of the church, 
 
 * £ of religion, and of God ; and from that pa- 
 
 H tronage, take the omen of a happy beginning' 
 
 ff of the government vou have miderjakea : make 
 
 cc it 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 €C it appear that you are thoroughly perfuaded, 
 r that the chief part you have to aft, agreeably 
 " to the majefty of the empire to which you are 
 u elevated, coniifts in ftrenuoufly maintaining 
 ,c the rights of the faith and of the church, 
 u which the mod renowned emperors, your an- 
 €C ccdors, (tudied to affert and amplify with all 
 (( their m : ght •, fo will you derive upon your 
 u name everlading praife and glory, and fecurc 
 H to yourfelf, and your auguft houfe, the bjeffings 
 ct of heaven more and more ; as an earned of 
 ci which, we mod lovingly impart to your majedy 
 " our apodclical benediction, accompanied with 
 " a perpetual prayer for your felicity. Given at 
 cc St Peter's, in Rome, under the ring of the 
 " Fifherman, the 4th day of June 1712, and ill 
 c< the 1 2th year cf our pontificate." 
 
 It appears by this letter, that, from the time 
 of the council of Condance to the year 1712, it 
 was the confiant and invariable do&ririe of the 
 church of Rome, that all ftipulations with Pro- 
 tedants concerning church-imatters, that is to 
 fay, which granted any religious advantages to 
 the Protedants, or withdrew any from the Pr.- 
 pids, were to be considered by the good catholics 
 as iff* jure null, and invalid from the beginning. 
 
 If the pope does not belie the emperor Jofeph, 
 his imperial majedy was exactly of the fame fen- 
 timenrs with his holinefs concerning the treaty 
 of Alt-Ranftadt. He looked upon thofe articles, 
 which gave up fo many churches to the Protc- 
 ftants, as of no validity \ but the neceiTity of his 
 affairs requiring his prefent compliance, he could 
 only lament his hard fate to cardinal Anibal, and 
 exprefs his defire of finding proper remedies, to 
 patch up the breaches thus made in the jurisdic- 
 tion of holy church. When Augudus reaffumed 
 the Poiifli fceptre, the emperor's forrows were- 
 JB 2 afluagedt 
 
( * ) 
 
 affiiaged of courfe. Whether he found the fame 
 iyhltaA remedy which v*as applied to the con- 
 science of Auguftus, or no, for deferting hi$ 
 guarantee, and for infringing fo much of the 
 treaty as more immediately belonged to himfelf, 
 his holinefs does not mention. His contrition, 
 however, we may fuppofe, entitled him to the 
 peace of the church of courfe, and fo far, we may 
 conclude, he died in odour of fan£Hty. 
 
 Charles VI. his fucceffor, by not acceding 
 to the treary cf Utrecht, avoided the temptation 
 cf incurring the fad effects cf his holinefs's de- 
 nunciation. By what had patted at Utrecht, 
 Lewis XiV. only was bound to fee that the treay 
 of Weftphalia fhould Be confirmed in his treaty 
 with the empire. At the treaty of Ranfttidt, in the 
 1 7 14, Lewis had the opportunity of performing, 
 what his friendship for the queen cf Great Bri- 
 tain had induced him to promife at Utrecht; but 
 in the accounts I have feen of that pacification, 
 there is no mention made of the treaty of \VefU 
 phalia : and as the emperor ftipulated at Rad- 
 itadt, that the king of France fhould execute the 
 treaty ofRyiwick, it is likely that his mod Ctai* 
 ilian majcfty's zeal for the church took the lead, 
 on that occaficn, of his cornplaifijnce for the 
 queen of Great Britain. And indeed, if what 
 another hiftorian relates is true, the remonftran- 
 ces of her majefty's minifter at the Hague, con- 
 cerning the fourth article of the treaty of Ryf- 
 wick, which fhould have been modified at Rad— 
 ftadt, by fubftituting the flipulations of Weft- 
 phalia, had no manner of regard paid to them. 
 
 The Roman catholics will now be pleafed to 
 inform us, at what period, fince 1714, the Ro- 
 man pontiff, or the ftates of Europe in commu- 
 nion with him, have eirher difowned the doc- 
 trines and maxims above mentioned, orcorre&ed 
 their practice by others of a more creditable fa- 
 mily. 
 
( »7 ) 
 
 jfiify. If this cannot be fhown, we (hall hardly 
 believe that the good faith of the individuals of 
 that communion, where the interefts of their 
 church come in queftion, is fecured to the Pro- 
 teftants upon any better grounds than a tempo- 
 rary difpenfation ; which will la(V no longer than 
 the church remains in a (late of inability to aflert 
 Her authority, and reclaim her omnipotence. See 
 Blackbourne's confid:rations oh Popery, &c. 
 
 But what occafion have we to ranfack the hi- 
 ftories of former times, to illuftrate and prove 
 this point. Suppofe the pope never iffued fucii 
 bulls, that no faith ought to be kept with here- 
 tics, or that the popes were new of a different' 
 opinion from their predeceflbrs ; how can his 
 holinefs, without publicly remonftrating againit 
 it, fufFer the two elder fons of the church, I 
 mean France and : Spain, at prefent to break- 
 through the faith of treaties, and the moft fo- 
 lemn covenants, fworn to at the laft peace. Had 
 Britain, or any other Froteftant prince of ftate, 
 behaved in the fame manner they have done, all 
 the courts of Europe would have refounded with 
 loud and bitter complaints of Pfoteftant perfidy, 
 — But it feems a Roman catholic has an inherent 
 right to break through all laws human and di- 
 vine ; becaufe, forfootb^ their pope is infallible ; 
 andbecaufj he has exalted himielf above all that 
 is called God : by which means he claims a power 
 to alter and change, and otherwife modify, what- 
 ever God has revealed *, that, if he mould call 
 black white) or right wrong, he muft be believed. 
 
 It is lamentable to perceive- what rapid pro- 
 grefs Pdpery has lately made in thefe realms, 
 particularly in England and Ireland, and in the 
 north of Scotland ! What fhoals of Jeiuics; and 
 other Popimmiffionaries, have ccrme over of late 
 years ! In a letter from Dublin wrote fome years^ 
 ago ; the writer obferves, That, attending the 
 B ^ Judge F,^ 
 
Judges, at a fea-port town in tbeweflof Ireland* 
 be law eight Jefuits- and four priefts, with eleven 
 pupils* arrive from Nantes in France. Wha^ 
 numbers of them fwarm in every part of the 
 kingdom \ particularly, in thofe where ignorance 
 molt prevails : there their work is eafieft, and 
 there they are ikre of fuccefs- 
 
 We mall further add a note of Mr Blackbourne r 
 •*■ The effects of Popifh bigotry, fays he, among 
 ©ur common people, is an evil of a very perni* 
 eious tendency, and by no means fufficiemly at- 
 tended to* btfcaufe perhaps not generaHy under- 
 flood. Some of the Pioman catholics affe£t, in 
 promifcuous- company, to laugh at the influence 
 the Prctettants fuppofe their priefts have upon- 
 them, and to treat this as- a mere chimera. There 
 are doubtlefs profligates*and libertines, who pay 
 no regard to religion, among the Papifts, as well as 
 among the Proteilants. I fpeak not of thefe j but 
 ethers, who will join with the gayeft company*, 
 ih all the faftiicnable dimpations of the 'times, 
 even to the very borders of libertinifm, for which 
 the Proteftant relgion affords no atonement, 
 but a ferrous and effectual repentance, and total 
 converfion ; and yet, in the mid ft of all this, ars 
 as diligent and punctual in their attendance up* 
 qt\ the minuted formalities, fuch as going tocor> 
 fctTion, keeping faftsand fe Rivals, repeating their 
 devotions, f££a as the moil fuperftiticus Papifts 
 in* the kingdom \ and .what is more, as zealous 
 and afiiduous in. making converts (where that can 
 be managed, without observation),; as the priefts 
 fehemfdve.s. The Roman catholics are taught,, 
 and are ready to teach others, that whatever li- 
 berties they take of this kind are atoned, for by 
 having reeourfe to the peace of the church •,- and 
 that all offences are blotted out through. ahfoh> 
 .tioHy which,, they know well enough,, cannot be 
 .had.' with out paying, due deference, to. the difpert- 
 
 f£s& 
 
*( 19 J 
 fers of it. Bigotry, among PapHla of the lower 
 ranks, is more open and without difguife. Their 
 zeal, unqualified with the artifices of a polite 
 education, will not permit them t-o conceal ths 
 implicit faith they have in their prieits, or to 
 baulk themfelves, in delivering the plaid doclrines 
 they learn from them, (even the mod abfurd irt 
 religion, and fometimes the moil treafonable irt 
 politics), when in difputation with Pr-oteftants* 
 What effect the open avowal of fuch principles 
 mud have upon the lower clafs of Proteftants,, 
 many of whom have neither been properly in* 
 ftructed, nor are of fufficient capacity to cops 
 with the fubtlety of a Popifh pried, may eafily 
 be conjectured. They who become profelytes to 
 Popery learn difalTeclion to Protectant govern- 
 ment,, and the Protedant religion, by the fame 
 fet of maxims ; and even, it is to be feared, to 
 undervalue the mod folemn bonds of civil fociety, 
 when the interefls of the church come in- compe- 
 tition with them- Many are the inftanees of thi& 
 kind that might be brought,, of the pernicious 
 influence of Popilb bigotry upon the common- 
 people at this very period. It hath been often 
 obferved hew remarkably ufeful the zeal and fpi*- 
 rit of their female devotees have been to the Po j - 
 pifli prieits, in their grand bufinefs of profiting*. 
 At the beginning 'of the reformation, the defer*- 
 tion of fo many monks^ afTorded matter of much 
 pleafantry to the Popifh writer*, upon the fur> 
 pofition, that the chief motive of their conven- 
 tion was the liberty of entering into the married 
 date *, and I remember, that, among other invi- 
 dious r-cafons given by the Jefuits, for the con^- 
 verfion of the late Mr Bower, one was, that he 
 was tired of lying alone;. It feems however that 
 tLe PapLfts, now that it will ferve their own turn, 
 have no objection to this matrimonial expedient 
 «£ making ; converts* Aa hone ft plain country- 
 man, 
 
( 2o ) 
 
 man might be too phlegmatic to be wrought upon 
 by an ingenious quibble, or too penetrating to be 
 enfnared by a piece of Jefuitical reafoning, who 
 could net perhaps refill: the temptation of a wife 
 with a decent fortune, provided by his converters. 
 Marriage has lately been the never-failing 1 bait to 
 many Prcteftants, both men and women, to give 
 up the religion of their Bibles, for the idolatrous 
 worfhip of the man of fin. In mod cafes, the 
 conrerfion has been made a previous condition ; 
 but where the Proteftant man or woman have 
 been backward, the good work has been left to 
 be perfefted by the catholic hufband or wife; 
 who have feldom failed to accomplifh it, by me- 
 thods fuggefted to them by the directors of their 
 ccnfciences. Sometimes, indeed, all expedients- 
 have failed, and the Proteftant mate hath held- 
 faft his or her integrity, in fpite of all the ca- 
 jolings or menaces employed to feduce them. 
 This firmnefs, however, hath brought uponfuch, 
 particularly the poor women, a variety of ill u- 
 fage; which, .-in- one late inftance, I am about 
 to tranferibe from the Gentleman's magazine for 
 -April 1766, ended fatally. f< Gn Saturday the 
 € * fifth of April 1766, William Whittle, con- 
 " demned at Lancafter-affiz^es, for the murder 
 i( of his wife and two children, wes executed ax\ 
 * Lancafter-moor, and his body hung in chains, 
 44 He was a Roman catholic, and coxifefled the* 
 H fadr. He was afked the motive for committing 
 **' fo horrid a crime ?he faid, His prieft told him 5 . 
 €i he fiiould be damned for marrying. an heretic. 
 u — Why murder two innocent children? his 
 M anfwer was, The mother had carried them to 
 u church, fo they would have been damned if 
 " he had not killed them; but now, he faid, > 
 <f they were in pargatory, and would go to hea- 
 " ven in due time. On this fellow's being hung 
 u up>theRev» Mr Leigh, curate of Lancafter 
 
 « (whole 
 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 * (whofe good offices, however, Whittle reje£l- 
 iC cd, calling out for a prieft of his own fort), 
 u received the following letter : Sir, I make 
 li bold to acquaint you, that your houfe, and" 
 H every clergyman's, that is in the town, (of 
 " Prefton, near which the fhccking fact was 
 " committed, and the criminal gibetted), or any 
 " black fon of a b — h like you ; for you are no* 
 u thing but heretics and damned fouls. IfWil- 
 u Ham Whittle, that worthy man, hangs up tea 
 " days, you may fully expect to be blown to 
 " damnation. I have nothing more material ; 
 " but I defire you will make intereft for him to 
 rc be cut down, or clfe youmayfullyexpe6l.it 
 •* at ten days end." 
 
 If the Popifh religion gives no countenance to 
 fuch doctrines as are alledged againft them, why 
 do they not, by fome public a£t, difavow their 
 approbation ef them ?. why do they leave fuf- 
 picions upon thernfelves and their religion by 
 their filence, when fuch cccafions call upon them 
 fo preflingly to explain thernfelves 5 and particu- 
 larly, when rhey have been complaining of the 
 fevtrity of the penal- laws, for which, furely> 
 there is no room, if fuch are the principles of 
 Papifts in general ? 
 
 It hath been often wifhed, that the legislature 
 would take this affair of Proteftants intermarry- 
 ing with Papifts, into their ferious confideration. 
 That the papifts gain great advantages over the 
 Proteftants by thefe intermarriages, in point of 
 conversions, is notorious. By which means, 
 there is a fort of influence thrown into the hanr's 
 of Popifh priells, too indelicate to be mentioned 
 here. If true Proteftant fettlement of the crown 
 is of any confequence to the happinefs of Great 
 Britain, the methods taken by its internal ene- 
 mies to undermine it, even in the rninuteft i li- 
 ft a nee* 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 fiance, ought not to be matters of indifference 
 to the guardians of the public welfare. 
 
 The Britiih government have been very jealous 
 of putting arms into the hands of the Scotch na- 
 tion, nay, even at a time when every man ought 
 to have been armed in defence of every thing that 
 is dear to him. But it were to be wifhed, they 
 were as jealous of bigotted Papifts, who have al- 
 ways been the word of rebels to our Proteftant go- 
 vernment. Were we to recount al! the infurrec- 
 tions raifed by Papifts in former reigns, it would 
 fwell ourcffay to an enormous bulk ; we fhal! on- 
 ly make fome remarks on the rioters in Ireland 
 called White-boys. Thefe were papifts, and the 
 violence broke out in time of war. As Papifts, they 
 were hurried on with a blind religious zeal, and 
 that they were ripe for a rebellion, if an oppor- 
 tunity had offered. Had France at that time 
 been able to have fent over fome regular troojps, 
 k is more than probable we would have heard of 
 another maffacre, fimilar to that of the k i64i« 
 From the lord-lieutenants fpeech to the Irifh par- 
 liament, it is pretty evident that thefe rioters 
 were ripe for a rebellion : u No means," fays he, 
 if can ferve more effe£luaily to prevent thefe dif- 
 * ( orders for the future, than the encouragement 
 fi of fuch inftitutions, as tend to imprefs on the 
 * c minds of the lower order of people, early ha- 
 V bits of induftry, and the principles of religion: 
 €i for this purpofe your Proteft nt charter- fchoote 
 u were erected ; to which I therefore recommend 
 M the continuance of your care, encouragement,, 
 " and fupport." This, we fuppofe, is decifive, 
 and fufheient to (hew, in what degree falfe prin- 
 ciples of religion, (which, by the way, are not 
 peculiar to the lower order of people only), were 
 understood by the government, to contribute to 
 thefe diforders. 
 
 Among the many objections to Popery, there 
 
( n ) 
 
 is none more ftriking to a reafonable, ingenious 
 mind, than the meanness which runs through 
 'all its peculiar dedtrines and fuperftitions. Ont 
 can hardly open any of their rituals, without be* 
 ing put in mind of Paul's beggarly elements, Gal* 
 iv. 5. which all the pomp and parade of their 
 ceremonies cannot difguife ; and, as a certain 
 judicious writer of out own country obferves> 
 " The rabble do ufually caft their eyes upon, as 
 ei children do on the lord mayor's pageants ; ad* 
 €t miring thefpleudorof thofe that ride in them." 
 For who knows not that the magnificent irnple-* 
 ments, utenfils, and ornaments, in ufe in the 
 Roman church, have been collected by the con- 
 tributions, partly of ignorant and fiiperilitious 
 zealots, and partly of dying men and women^ 
 terrified or allured, by the dodtrines of purgatory 
 and indulgences, to purchafe their future peace 
 nt the hands of defigning priefts ; who are bafe 
 and abject enough, to enrich their churches and 
 fraternities, fometimes, by reducing poor widows 
 and orphans, who fhould have inherited thele do- 
 nations, to extremeft diftrefs and rhifrry. What 
 can be meanner than the practices of their beg- 
 ging friars, who, as Dr Middletdn obferves^ 
 • c are always about the ftreets, and never fail to' 
 " carry home a good fack-full of provisions, for 
 " the ufe of their convent." Letter fromRome^ 
 Svo, 1741, page 220. 
 
 This trade is copied, as the doctor remarks,, 
 from their predecefibis, the priefts of Paganifm t 
 but as the fame writer informs us, Cicero, in 
 his book of laws, reftrains this cuftcm of beg- 
 ging ®r gathering alms, to one particular order 
 of priefts, (of Cybele), and that on certain days; 
 becaufe, as he fays, it propagates fuperftition, 
 and impoverifhes families. Which, by the way, 
 may let us fee the policy (and I afldj therein the 
 fuperlative meannefs) of the church of Rome, 
 
 ID 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 In the great care they have taken to multiply 
 their begging orders. The meannefs of Popery, 
 is indeed the principal idea which this letter 
 from Rome exhibits, from beginning to end. It 
 is impefiible for a reader of it, to fconfider the 
 Roman clergy in any higher chara&er> than that 
 of jugglers (hewing their tricks for money ; with 
 this infamous difference on the part of the priefts ; 
 that, under the mafk of religion, they would 
 malce all their impoftures pafs for realities, and 
 thereby incur the guilt of numerous and fubftan- 
 tial evils introduced into fociety ; of which the 
 honefter, and oftentimes the more dexterous 
 Charlatan (lands acquitted. It is certain, that 
 many of the more liberal and generous of that 
 communion, have been fcandalized at fome of 
 thefe contemptible pra&ices, and have occafion- 
 ally exprefled their difguft : but dill, it feems, 
 it is thought neceflary to continue them; upon 
 the pitiful pretence, that, without fuch circum- 
 stances, religion would make very (lender im* 
 preffions on the minds of the people ; which, in* 
 deed, is likely enough to be true, confidering 
 with what induftry the poor people are kept in 
 ignorance, that religious impreflions may not be 
 made upon them by any better means. But the 
 truth is, thefe impofitions are far more neceflary 
 for thfc priefts themfelves : the management of 
 them is the craft by which they have their 
 wealth ; and to preferve that, nothing fo mean, 
 or childifli, or ridiculous, or knavifh, which may 
 not be attempted* Dr Middleton obferves, that 
 father Mabillon, a learned Frenchman, and a 
 prieft, had never feen the ceremony of fj rinkling 
 beads of labour with holy water, upon a certain 
 annual feftival ; when all the inhabitants of the 
 city (Rome) and neighbourhood, fend up their 
 horfes, afles, 6r. to the convent of St Anthony, 
 'where a prieft, in a furplicc, at the church-door, 
 
 fprinkles 
 
( *s ) 
 
 fprinkles, witb his brum, all the animals fingly, 
 «s they are prefented to him, and -receives, from 
 €ach owner, a gratuity proportionable to his zeal 
 and abilities : Mabillon was furprffeed at this ce- 
 remony, as well as many other parts of their 
 worfhip, which he had never feen till he travelled 
 into Italy. u But, fays the Doctor, if thefe men 
 of learning, and teachers of religion, knew fo 
 little of what is done at Rome, how ea'fy mud it 
 be to impofe upon the poc-r catholics of Britain, 
 and keep them in the dark, as to the exception- 
 able parts of their worfhip; which are openly a- 
 vowed and pra£Hfed abroad, to the fcandal of all 
 the candid and moderate of their own communion." 
 Nothing furely can be more bafe and unmanly-, 
 than to keep our fellow creatures in ignorance, 
 that we may, witb the more facility, make a for- 
 did gain of them. It is the meannefs of a com- 
 mon cheat, and for which an ordinary tradefman 
 wouldlofe his reputation ; and a practice, which, in 
 a pretended teacher of religion, deferves a worfe 
 punifliment than the pillory. But it mud be 
 owned, the lay Papifts of Britain are not much 
 lefs mean than the priefts themfelvts, in fiibmir- 
 ting to be choufed by fuch conjuring work ; ef- 
 pecially, in a country where they may make a fair 
 examination, without (landing in awe of the 
 thunder of the Vatican* or the familiars of an 
 boly office. The indignities to which fome cf 
 our Romancatholics,notof thelowefl kind, are of- 
 ten ob'iged tofabmit, in deference to an infolent 
 imperious prieft, cannot, with ail their caution, 
 be fo concealed, but that they will occafionally 
 tranfpire. And what wonder? In the papers of 
 Shelden, a fuperior of the Jefuits, feized in No- 
 vember , i745, are proofs of commands being o- 
 beyed \ when gentlemen of the firfl rank, and 
 their chaplains, have been both averfe to fepara- 
 tion. Norie are allowed to chufe their own priefts 
 
 C V tL*. 
 
 MM 
 
r 
 
 ( 25 ) 
 
 £of ft) retain them any longer thin is agreeable 
 to the fuperior. What meannefs in a free born 
 Briton ! See a remarkable inftance of the tyranny, 
 exercifed by the fuperior ecclefiaftics over the 
 inferior Popifh clergy, in a very interfiling ad- 
 drefs to their Graces the Archbifhops of Canter* 
 fcury and York, Wc. juft publifhed, printed by 
 Becket and De Hondt p. 12. 13. See Mr Bfaet? 
 bourne's eonfiderations on toleration. 
 
 L 
 
Saint JOHN, 
 
 1 N THE 
 
 ISLE of P A T M O S, 
 
 WHoever will be at pains to confult the 
 facred oracles, he will clearly perceive 
 that Antichrift is foretold, and diftintt- 
 ly pointed out in them ; as we may fee in Paul's 
 fecond epiftle to the TheiTalonians, in the Apo- 
 calypfe of John, and the prophecy of Daniel. 
 
 Here it will be neceffary for us to preir.ife 
 a few things, in order to handle this important 
 fubjeft with greater precifion. 
 
 God, in his great condefcenfion to the human 
 race, hath, in all ages, revealed to his church 
 things that were to happen ; that fhe might be 
 comforted, her faith in his promifes the mo:e e- 
 ftablifhed, and infidels the more confounded and 
 inexcufable. 
 
 According to the opinion of the feefl commen- 
 tators, the Apocalypfe contains a clear and diflindfc 
 account, of all the remarkable events that were 
 to befal the church, from the beginning of Chrif- 
 tianity to the end of the world. This book may 
 then be divided into three diftinft periods ; the 
 firft comprehending the persecutions of the cturch 
 under the Heathen emperors, typified by feven* 
 feals in chap. v. The persecutions continue du- 
 ring the opening of the firft fix, and the feventh* 
 triers in the trumpets, chap. viii. 9. ; which 
 contain the churches trials and troubles, by in- 
 C 2 tefti-ns 
 
f 28 ) 
 
 teftine enemies, and Antichrift's errors gradually 
 encreafing till he arrived at his height. 
 
 Then follow the feven vials, which are poured 
 out on Antichiift and his followers. Here let it 
 be obferved, that every one of the feals, trum- 
 pets, and vials, are linked together, and connect- 
 ed with each o:her •, fo that the Lit items to ufli- 
 er in a new period : for the ftver;th feal intro- 
 duced) tne trumpets, the ftventh trumpet ufhers 
 in the vials ; again the feven th. vial feems to- 
 comprehend an interval, after the bead's deftruc- 
 lion, to the end of time. So that, obferving the 
 principal prophecies in themfe'ves, there are but 
 three periods of the militant church ; but as the 
 fiventh vial has fomething new in it, and entire- 
 ly different from the former, therefore we may- 
 reckon four. The firft period was under the 
 Heathen perfecutors, when the church was moft- 
 3y in a fu fieri rig condition ; this is comprehend- 
 ed uncer the feals. The fecond was under the 
 trumpets, when {lie was torn and wafted under 
 heretics and Antichrift. The third is continued 
 under the fir ft ilx vials, when Antichrift is gra- 
 dually decreaiing, and the church gaining ground j 
 fhe is represented,, however, in a wrc.it ling and 
 fighting condition* The fourth and laft period, 
 which appears to be the fhorteft, becaufe it has 
 no diftinct types accompanying it, as the former ; 
 ^ut during ir, the church is to enjoy much more 
 uninterrupted quiet and repofe, after the Turk 
 and Antichrift are utterly overthrown. 
 
 We are not to fuppofe that the church mili- 
 tant, even in her belt ftate ia this world, will be 
 altogether free from enemies ; or in other words, 
 men who oppofe the truth : but then, her out- 
 ward condition will be much more glorious thaa 
 ever it was before. The agoftle Paul,, fpeaking 
 gf the converfion of the Jews, fays, it fhail be 
 &ke life fxQm the dead j and who knows how u- 
 
 nkerfally 
 
(' 2 9 ) 
 
 niverfally the gofpcl will fpread in thefe happy 
 times? It is more than probable, that many plai- 
 ces of the world not yet known to Europe, mail 
 theft become Chriftians. 
 
 Let it be further obferved, that though we 
 fpeak of an order and feries among the feals, 
 trumpets, <bc \ yet we do not imagine that every 
 event under the firft feat is quite finifhed before 
 another feal is opened ; for the white horfe in 
 the firft feal, and the red horfe in the fecond, 
 are -both riding together ; as will appear, chap, 
 xix in the time belonging to the viils : but it has 
 refpeft chiefly to the commencement of thefe \ 
 as the white horfe goeth before the red, and- the 
 red before the black, and the feais before the 
 trumpets, &c. ; although the event fignified by the 
 white horfe, may continue after the red horfe is* 
 come : and fo of the reft ?■ 
 
 Again, the firft two - prophecies difplay the 
 trials and fufferin^s of the church * r the vials fhew' 
 the ruin of her enemies : the feals, at Jeaft the 
 2d, 3d, and 4th, fet forth the miferable con- 
 dition of the church j as is evident from the fifth, 
 chap vi* in which we are told, many were killed' 
 for the teftimony of Jefus, which muft be under 
 the former fealsi They alfo plead to be avenged 
 on their enemies, for their cruel persecutions ; 
 by which, it is evident, that : they had formerly 
 been oppreiTed by their enemies, as^ yet irnre- 
 venged; which could not be, 'if the former feals 
 contained judgments on the wicked world* The 
 trumpets declare the miferable fituation of the 
 church; and by them God gives an alarm there- 
 of, by the prophets prophefying in fackclotb, 
 chap. xi. and the beaft prevailing againft the 
 faints, chap. xiii. which is cotemporary .with 
 the trumpets; Again when the feventh trumpet 
 blows, chap. xi. 17. it is faid God had taken'to ; 
 him his great power and reigned 1 ; as if his'pow- 
 
c & y 
 
 st Bad been dormant under the fix former trum^ 
 pets, becaufe his church was under great afflic- 
 tion. Finally,, the vials bring judgments on> 
 God^s enemies,, as appears frcm the fong in the 
 fcventh trumpet, chap. xvi. $> 6. \ it is theAed- 
 ding of their blood, who had fhed the hfcad o£ 
 his fervants; it is alfo on the beaft, his followers 
 and throne, in, the following chapters. And 
 though; God fometimes punifhsd. particular 
 perfecutors in a viable manner, yet fuch a re- 
 markable change #3 that, will not agree with a: 
 ftanding perfecutibn, or fuch a ftate of it as was 
 under the former two* Though both the feals 
 and trumpets contain the trials and difficulties 
 of /he church, yet they are different, not only 
 in time, but in nature, and from different ene- 
 mies The feals point out favage cruelty fronr 
 heathens; the trumpets crafty herefies, and cruel 
 fufferings from pro feffing Ghri(tians> which will* 
 appear evidently from the following obfervations*- 
 I'lrft, the feals are bloody, to the church,, as ap- 
 pears evident from the fifth ;. where (he cries for 
 vengeance upon them who fhed her blood- A~ 
 gain, undtr the fcals, the faints are entirely paf~ 
 liye,. patiently fuffering all manner of hardfhips: 
 from their favage perfecutors : but: under the 
 tmmpet*,,the cafe is different;, God gives therm 
 warning 10 be a£tive in preparing for that. ftarm. 
 lihey are aifo represented as driving, not only, ins 
 fuffering and prayer againft the open enemies of 
 ihe church, but in prophefying, as j in chap, tiaft 
 •which ia more fuitabiy applied \n vindicating, the 
 truth againft pretended friends^ than open ene* 
 itfies. Her enemies are alfo varioufly defcribed- 
 ^ncler the trumpets; falfe prophets- and lo en ft s 
 make their appearance, carrying^ on their defigit. 
 in a ciandeftme mannen Likewife the effe&r 
 x.re vexy different under the feals;, all are cut offi 
 p/Qflufcyoufly. that £relef$. Chriftianity : but bjt 
 
 thee 
 
( 3r ) 
 
 the trumpets, the waters of life are remfei?<f&fc* 
 ter, the truth corrupted, the ftars fall from hea- 
 yen, and chiefly the prophets are persecuted,- 
 maltreated, and ridiculed, as chap, ii 5. This ap- 
 pears ftill more evident, from God's preparing 4 
 his own people againft the tiumpets, more than 
 againft the feals, chap. vi. 7. $ doubtlefs for this^ 
 reafon, that though God will not prevent hia 
 people from themoftcruel fufftrings, yet he will: 
 preferve their foul from being poifoned wi h per- 
 nicious errors y as is clear, by comparing chap. 
 iv. 9. with xii. 
 
 From all which, we may fafely conclude, that 
 the firft period of the church, viz.. that contain- 
 ed under the feals, is to be fixed at the end cf 
 the perfecutionsby Heathen emperors ; and meet* 
 iog with new trials fronr falfe teachers, and cor- 
 rupt dottrines, patronized bothby clergy and lai- 
 ty of great power ; which is a trial very different 
 from the former, but of a more dangerous ten- 
 dency :- therefore, left after being made free from 
 perfecution, (he rmght hink the had nothing" 
 more tafear, the Lord founds a, trumpet in her 
 cars, to alarm her with fome awful enfuing e- 
 venr. This- happened about the year 30$,, when 
 the emperor Conftantine became Chriflian, and' 
 permitted the church to enjoy, peace by public: 
 authority : upon; this the Arian herefy, and o-^ 
 thers, which (hall be named afterwards, broke out 
 with great violence in the church •, which the. 
 trumpets portend,, and of which, they give w-arn^ 
 ing. 
 
 Though errors prevailed in the church fromi 
 the days of the apoftles, yet they came not 
 to fuch a height as afterwards* Therefore we 
 do riot mean,, that the church was free from er- 
 rors under the feals, or perfecution under the* 
 trumpets ; the contrary of this is evident : bur^ 
 under the feals,, bloody perfecution came to its; 
 
 hei^hfy 
 
( IP ) 
 
 Beight, and was more conftant ; again, under 
 the trumpets, herefies and corrupt doclrines ar- 
 rived at their height, and were, for a time, pre- 
 dominant in the church. The perfecution un- 
 der the feals differ from that under the trumpets,; 
 m refpe£t of the perfecutors ; the former being 
 the open, the latter the feeret enemies of the 
 church of Chrift. 
 
 Further, we may concJude, that the period be- 
 tween the trumpets and vials is to be fixed at 
 that time when God began to punifh Antichrift, 
 and to* make the light of the glorious gofpel 
 break out with more fplcndor than formerly, 
 which had been much eclipied under his tyran- 
 ny : this happened fometime after the i 900 ; for 
 the firft vial is poured out on the worfhipers o£ 
 the beaft ; fo he and they are gradually to be pu- 
 nifhed by every fucceeding vial, till he is caft in- 
 to the lake in in chap. xvi. 
 
 We (hall favour our readers with an 6bfer- 
 vation of the famous Lord Napier of Merchiefton. 
 The treatife from which we took it is dedicatedi 
 to James VI. when king of Scotland, which 
 pleads for its antiquity ; and as his Lordfhip is 
 well known in the learned world, for being the 
 inventor of the Logarithms, it may be fuppofed 
 the treatife is not wholly contemptible. His 
 Lordfhip, after laying down thirty-fix propofi- 
 tions, in order to determine the true meaning o£ 
 the Revelation, proceeds to give a fhort para- 
 phrafe of the whole, with notes, reafons, and 
 amplifications. 
 
 In his fecond proportion, he makes the feven 
 trumpets to be cotemporar-y with the feven vials ; 
 {<the contrary, and reafons of which, we have 
 (hewn at full length in cur efTay)* However, 
 he begins the feals, as we have done, by the firft 
 preaching of the gofpel j ami the rife ef Ami. 
 . shrift,- 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 chrift, he fuppofes to begin about the time Con* 
 {taurine left Rome and went to Conftantinople. 
 
 His Lordfhip has made fome pretty curious 
 remarks in his fifth propofition : he fuppofes e- 
 very trumpet to contain the ipace of 245 years ; 
 the firft begins at the year 71, when Jerufalem 
 was deftroyed by the Romans. The reafon his 
 Lordfhip gives foi beginning the jubilees at the 
 year 71, is, that from the beginning of the 
 world to the year that the Israelites divided and 
 took poiTelTion of the larid of Canaan, and from 
 that year to the end of the captivity, and begin- 
 ning of Daniel's feventy weeks, and from that 
 time again to the deflructicn of Jerufalem, at 
 which time Daniel's feventy weeks ended ; all 
 thefe periods fall upon jubilee years : fo that, 
 from the commandment being given to rebuild 
 and repair Jerufalem to the time of its final de- 
 ftru<£tion was feventy weeks, or 490 prophetical 
 years j at wliich period, viz. at the year 71, his 
 Lordfhip makes the Chriltian jubilees to com- 
 mence, and to continue to the end of the world. 
 Ihe fecond at the year 316, when Conftantine 
 tranfpoited the imperial feat from Rome to By- 
 zantium, and left Pope Sylvefter at Rome to be- 
 gin the Papal kingdom. The third, anno 561, 
 when Narfes recovered Rome, and made peace 
 with the Oftrogoths. TKe fourth about the year 
 806, when Charlemaigne became emperor of 
 Germany and Rome. Ihe fifth, anno 1051, 
 when Zadock began the firft dominion of the 
 Turks. The 6th, anno 1296, when Othmaa 
 began the firft empire of the four Mahomedan 
 nations. The ;th, anno 154/, when the lefor- 
 mation began to take place. And the laft, ann&. 
 1786, when he thinks the world will come to an 
 end, or fome very great revolution take place^ 
 It is very remarkable, that, by adding another 
 of his Lordihip's jubilees to the year 1786, it will 
 
 make- 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 make 2031 ; and, according to our calculation, 
 adding the 1260 years of the beaft's reign to the 
 557, when he got Lombardy, Ravenna, and Rome, 
 it is 2037, juft fix years more than his Lordfhip's 
 jubilee j when, it is fuppofed by many, the world 
 . will end, as we have obfe* ved elfewhere. 
 
 The Reafon he gives for fixing thefe periods, 
 is from the jubilees under the Jewifh ceccnomy, 
 which were kept at the end of every forty-nine 
 years, and, in the beginning of the fiftieth year, 
 the trumpet founded : therefore he fuppofes thefe 
 periods contain exa&ly five jubilees, which is 
 precifely 245 years : fo that, according to his 
 Lordfhip's calculation, feme very great revclutien 
 wi'l happen in a xtry few years." 
 
 In the laft place, we (hall further obferve, that 
 the fmhvial ends when antichrril is caft into the 
 pit, as in chap. xix. The feventh ends with the 
 final overthrow of all the church's enemies, and 
 the confummation of all things. 
 
 There are alfo three explanatory prophecies, 
 which throw great light upon the others. The 
 firft is in chap. xii. xiii. and xiv. defcribing the 
 rife, reign, and begun ruin of Antichrift, and 
 the dragon, whom he fucceeds, chap. xii. 
 
 The fecond is chap. xvii. xviii. and xix. par- 
 ticularly describing his ruin, efpecially by the 
 fif:h and fixth vials. The third is chap xx. xxi. 
 and xxii. mewing the happy condition of the 
 church militant and triumphant. That thefe 
 three prophecies muft be cotemporary with, and 
 comprehended under, the principal ones, or feme 
 part of them, though under more obfeure types, 
 is alfo evident. For, if the principal prophecies 
 are fo connected with each other, that one of 
 them immediately introduceth the other, and yet 
 fo, as all of them together contain a view of the 
 church -affairs, from the beginning to the end, 
 then all thefe explanatory one^s mult be cotempo- 
 
 xary 
 
( 3; ) 
 
 fafy with fome of the former ; and what is Cditi 
 tained in them mud be of the fame nature, and 
 have a relation to the former ; this is clear frorft 
 what has been faid. It will be dill rrifcre evident 
 from confidering the nature of bt>th : the fame 
 thing is in chap. xii. as in chap. vi. ; alfo, thfc 
 xiii. chaptef agrees with the trumpets, as the 
 xvii xviii. and xix. do with the vials ; with this 
 difference, that the principal prophecies contain 
 a fhort arid more obfcure view of events, but the 
 explanatory ones difcover them in a more full arid 
 confpicuoiis matiner. The firft flleweth what 
 the events are ; the fecond, points out the manner 
 in which they happen, theinftrurhentsby whom, 
 and the circiimftances relating to therfi. That the 
 xii. chapter is cotemporary with the feals, the 
 xiii. and xiv. with the trumpets, the xvii. xviii. 
 and xix. with trie vials* is evident. Obferve that 
 the ruin of Antichrift, chap. xvii. and xviii. is 
 undeniably cotemporary with the vials, chap. xvi. 
 which begins and finifhes that ruiri. ^gain, the 
 rife and reign cf Antichrift, chap. xiii. imme- 
 diately precede his ruin ; and fo rriuft immediate- 
 ly go before the vials, and be cotemporary with 
 the trumpets, which alfo precede the vials. 
 Laftly, the dragon's purfuing the church, chap, 
 xii is antecedent to the rife of Antichrift, chap, 
 xiii. ; and muft therefore be extemporary with 
 the feals, that are immediately before the trum- 
 pets, which cotemporate with the rife of Anfi- 
 chrift ; according to that fure and well-known ma- 
 xim, things which agree to d third thing, agree a- 
 mong themfelves. If then the feals belong to that 
 time which immediately goes before the trumpets, 
 and the dragon's perfecution belongs to that time 
 alfo, then they muft belong to one and the felf- 
 fame time ; and fo of the reft. 
 
 Or, in other words, the feals contain the in- 
 fancy of the church, and her firft trials t the tli- 
 
 chapter 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 chapter mod certainly does the fame ; therefore 
 they are cotemporary together. In chap. xiii. the 
 beaft fucceds the dragon, a$ the trumpets do the 
 feals ; which again demonstrate, that the beaft* 
 chap. xiii. and the trumpets, are of the fame time; 
 fo mud alfothe vials, which fucceed the trumpets, 
 be cotemporary with the church's reviving, chap. 
 iv. which immediately depends on Antichrift's 
 height, chap. xiii. 
 
 This appears to be the native form of the types ; 
 the Holy Spirit, who dictated thofe prophecies, 
 defigning to point out things fucceeding to each 
 other, by one manner of expreffion, in feven 
 types *, and when he ftoppeth, or maketh a di- 
 greflion, in order to (hew what is further need- 
 ful, for preparing or comforting his church, of 
 for illuftrating and explaining things contained 
 in thefe, heexpreflcth himfelf in a different man- 
 ner as after the trumpets, chap. ix. to the xvi. 
 And again, when he returns to the feries of the 
 ftory, he refumeth his former way of defcribing 
 events by fevens, as in chap. xvi. We can af- 
 fign no other reafon why he makes the digrefrions, 
 and returns to the regular feries again, but that 
 he may enable lis the better to comprehend what 
 part of this prophecy we ought to unite to an- 
 other, and what part of it we {hould take as an 
 explanatory repetition of fomething already faid. 
 Thus far we thought neceflary to premife, in 
 the beginning of this eflay, that we might be 
 able to proceed with more perfpicuity and cer- 
 tainty in this arduous attempt. 
 
 It is not our intention to enter into a minute 
 explication of the feven feals •, this would be fo- 
 reign to our defign, which is to hunt Antichrift 
 out of his lurking holes, and {hew him to the 
 world in all his gawdy trappings. 
 
 But as the feals are connected with the trum- 
 pets, and the one could not be fo well underflood, 
 
 without 
 
( $7 ) 
 
 Without (lightly viewing the oilier. We flifcll 
 'endeavour, with the greateft humilicy, and id de- 
 pendence on divine aid, to attempt an explication 
 of them in as concife a manner as poffible, yet fo 
 as to be underftood. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 In the former chapter we fee, that Chrift re- 
 ceived from his Almighty Father a feaied book; 
 in this, we perceive him opening it, feal by feal. 
 Chrift reveals to John the deep counfeis of God, 
 which were hidden from former ages ; the only- 
 begotten Son, who lay in the bofom of the Fa- 
 ther, hath revealed them.-^-Hs only received au- 
 thority, and he only was endowed with ability 
 to reveal them. 
 
 Verfes i. ft. " And I (aw, (fays John) when 
 xc the Lamb opened one of the feals," i£c. The 
 perfon mentioned here under the appellation of 
 the Lamb, is the Lord Jefus Chrift, the fecond 
 Perfon of the adorable Trinity \ who is, by the 
 ^evangelifl John, called w the Lamb of God, who 
 " taketh away the fins of the world. " To him, 
 as Mediator, God hath committed the manage- 
 ment of all human affairs *, as he faith himfdf, 
 " All power is committed to me in heaven and 
 w earth ;* f and no other perfon, no not the moll 
 fnighty angel, was able to open thefe feals, or 
 that feaied book of God's decrees, but he who is 
 Jehovah Jefus, or Emmanuel, God in our na- 
 ture; as we may fee, chap. v. 7. 
 
 Commentators are of opinion, that the four 
 beads, mentioned in this book, are the four e- 
 vangelifts. One of them invites John, and all 
 mankind, to come and fee thofe great myfteries 
 concerning the church : formerly unknown to the 
 •world, but now revealed by our almighty Prophet, 
 for the comfort and confolation of his church. 
 D The 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 The fiid thing he invites us to behold, is a white 
 horfe and a rider, or one fitting on him. 
 
 By horfe and rider, according to Scripture- 
 language, is meant fome difpenfation of God to 
 his church, either hy angels or men, or more 
 immediately by God himfjlf ; as we may fee, by 
 comparing Zech.l. 8. and 10. The prophet, in 
 the 8th verfe, beholds a man riding, and behind 
 him more red horfes, fpeckled and white. In 
 verfe io. 'he informs us, thatthefe are they whom 
 the Lord hath fent to walk to and fro through the 
 earth ; which can have no other meaning, but 
 the difpenfations of his grace and providence. 
 
 By the white colour of the horfe is doubtlefe 
 meant confolation, joy, victory, and triumph ; 
 this is both agreeable *to Scripture and prophane 
 Viftory : as in chap. xix. II. Chrift is defcribed, 
 i:i his triumph, as riding on a white horfe ; alfo, 
 the Roman conquerors were carried to the Capi- 
 tol, in chariots drawn by white horfes. 
 
 The next thing to be obferved, is the rider's 
 armcur ; he has a bow and crown : the bow jllu- 
 (l rated in Pfal. xlv. " Thine arrows are (harp in 
 " the hearts of the King's enemies." The word 
 cf Gel, in the hand of the Spirit, is fharpcr 
 than a two edged fword, piercing to the dividing 
 afuncler of the joints and marrow, r <md a difcern- 
 er of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Al- 
 io, his crcv/n was given him : this may fignify 
 great honour was conferred upon him, for the 
 fuccefs that attended his miuiftry ; as mufh ap- 
 pear from what follows: " that Ke went forth 
 " conquering, and to conquer j" that is, by the 
 faithful preaching of .he gefpei, fingers* who are 
 ftout-hcarted and far from righteoufnefs, are, like 
 the jailor, pierced to the heart by the convincing 
 power of the divine Spirit, and rpjide willing to ac- 
 cept of the imputed righteoufnefs of Chriit.. This- 
 explication is agreeable! to the paffages above 
 
 quoted^ 
 
( 39 ) 
 quoted, viz, Pfal. xlv. and Rev. xlx. : it is alfo 
 fuitable to the events that immediately happened 
 after our Saviour's afcenfion. 
 
 Mr Jofeph Mead, Sir Ifaac Newton, and fome 
 others, fuppofe that the firft four feals relate en- 
 tirely to the judgments that were executed on 
 the Gentiles ; and that the prophecies concerning 
 the affairs of the church do not commence tilt 
 the fifth feal •, and that Chrift's riding on the 
 white horfe, conquering and to conquer, is em- 
 blematical of victories obtained, to the deftruc- 
 tion of his enemies. In this, however, we beg 
 leave to differ from fo great men : for though a 
 whits horfe may be an emblem of victories gain- 
 ed, yet it would not be fo proper an emblem of 
 only the fame fort of terrible daughter cf (Thrift's 
 enemies, as, under the very next feal, is repre- 
 fented by a rider on a red horfe ; and it would 
 feem fomewhat unaccountable, that the furpri- 
 fing progrefs of the gofpel, by the preaching of 
 the apoftles, and their immediate fucceffors^ 
 which, according to Sir Ifaac's fcheme, was 
 mollly after this vifion, efpecially among the ido- 
 latrous Gentiles, fhculd not be taken notice of 
 at the beginning of a revelation, in which the 
 church was fo nearly concerned. We (hall net 
 detain the reader longer in this place, with a 
 confutation of this opinion of thefe very learned 
 men, as this is done more fully in the fequel. 
 
 We (hall now proceed to the opening cf the 
 fecond feal, in verfes 3. and 4. This, like the 
 former, is ufhered in, by the fecond bead, with 
 " Come and fee •," it is alio typified by a horfe 
 and rider, but the colour of this horfe is very dif- 
 ferent from the former : for as white is the em- 
 blem of peace, fo red is the emblem of war ; and 
 as. this rider has a great fword given him, it is 
 evident blocd mud follow. But it is not fo eafy 
 to determine, whe.ker he is to cut o# wicked 
 D 2 mew 
 
C 40 ) 
 
 men for defpifing the gofpel, or perfeeutors of 
 the Chriftian rehgion, or raife perfecutions a- 
 gainft the church, or all of them together, which 
 is more probable \ for thefe three 2iefo connect- 
 ed together, that one of them cannot be long 
 without the ether. The Roman emperors defpi- 
 fed the gofpel, for which God feverely punifhed 
 them j they, in their turn, imputed the evils in- 
 ilicled upen them to Christians, who they fupjro- 
 fed were troublers of the world; upon which ac- 
 count they published the moft fevere edicts, and 
 raifed the moft cruel perfecutions againft them* 
 This feems to agree well with the cotemporary 
 prophecy, chap. xii. where this red or bloody co* 
 leur is deferibed or explained, by the dragon 
 waiting to devour the man-child newly born. 
 Our blefled Lord alfo declared, Matth. x. 34. 35,, 
 Luke xii. 51. " That he came not to fendpeace* 
 *-• but a fword," to kindle a fire already begun. 
 
 This prophecy may, with propriety, compre- 
 hend the two firft perfecutions ; the firft raifed 
 by Nero, ar.no 66, the fecond by Domitian fome« 
 time afier, which began in the year 97. Thefe 
 two emperors were the firft, who, by the'r cruel 
 edicts, excited the enemies of Christianity to 
 mafia ere and torment the Chriftians, with unre- 
 lenting fury. According to ehurch-hiftory, fe- 
 veral of the apoftles, and many other excellent 
 snen, fuffered martyidcm by them. 
 
 Verfes 5- and 6. In opening the third feal, 
 John hears the third beaft fay, " Come and fee." 
 Something remarkable is to be obferved of this 
 beaft, who is faid, in chap. iv. 7. to have the 
 face of a man. The firft beaft has the face of a 
 lion, which exprefled the undaunted boldnef& 
 and courage of the apoftles and their fuccefibrs, 
 who firft fpread the gofpel through the world. 
 The fecond beaft is faid to be like a calf, or ox, 
 whiqb denotes his patience in bearing fufferings, 
 
 bis 
 
( 4i ) 
 
 his humility and diligence in the great wort? 
 committed to him. Now this third beaft has the 
 face of a man, who is endowed with wifdom, 
 
 reafon, and underftandine, above the brute crea- 
 tion : lb the Lord fumifhed his mini iters, of 
 thofe times, with more than an ordinary degree 
 of wifdom and prudence ; tor which the church' 
 had more than ordinary occafiori, as will be feen 
 m the fequel. 
 
 The colour of this horfe is faid to be black, 
 and his rider had in his hand a pair of balances. 
 Black is a colour commonly wore in mourning,. 
 and doubtlefs prefaged feme difmal calamity to 
 befal the church. By the balances, the wriest,, 
 and barely here mentioned, one would be apt to- 
 imagine, fome dreadful famine is foretold •, but 
 we read of none, in a natural way, at the time 
 here alluded to, except in Africa. Nor is it pro- 
 bable, that a famine could happen in a natural 
 way, and the wine and oil be fpared; The pro- 
 phet Amos fpeaks of a famine, not of bread or 
 water, but of the word of God ; and this is more 
 fuitable to the date of the church. Famine is 
 fometimes mentioned, in holy writ, as fome grie- 
 vous affliction of the faints, as well as the fword 
 and prifen are, fee Rom. viii. 35. During per- 
 fection, the rxige of the perfecutors does not' 
 flop at murdering- and torturing the people of 
 of God; but in banifhing, imprisoning, and con- 
 fiscating their goods, fo that that they were iire^- 
 vented from attending the public ordinances. 
 The perfecutions that followed after the two for-- 
 merly mentioned, were levelled chiefly again ft the 
 miniiters of the go 1 pel ; that by deftroying them, 
 they might the more eafily extirpate the Chri- 
 ftian religion. 
 
 The perfecutions raifed in the fecond century, 
 after the death of Domitian, againil the chirch, 
 are- applicable to the opening of this third feafi- 
 D 33 ' Aiterv 
 
( 4* ) 
 
 After Domirian's bloody rage, the church enjoy- 
 ed peace for a year ; then followed that under 
 Trajan, which continued under Hadrian and An- 
 tonius the firft. She had' again a. fhor.t interval 
 under Commodus; though a more vicious man 
 than any of the other three. It broke out again 
 in the rtign of Antonius Maximus, and others* 
 The persecutions were even continued under the 
 emperors that did not actively perfecute, becaufe 
 they did not re ft rain them. 
 
 All Chriftian afiemblies were prohibited, under 
 the fevered penalties. Trajan condemned all. 
 meetings of Chriftians, as contrary to law ; by 
 i :h edicts, minifters were banifhed, public af- 
 femblies deferied, and the people ftarved and 
 iarnilhed of fpiritual food. 
 
 The hiftory of thefe times inform us, that thefe 
 xnoft abandoned emperors exerted their utmoft 
 efforts, uUerJy to extirpate Chriftianity ; by ba- 
 anfhing its profeilors, expofing them to fevere 
 toils and labours, and deltroying their goods, in 
 order to enervate and difpirft them. Trajan ba- 
 niiTied ten thoufand foldiers, and many minifters,. 
 into defart ifland&; befides many were ftarved ta 
 death.; pat cularly Hvacinthus, one of Trajan's 
 principal. lends of the. bed- chamber. Gan there 
 then be any. doubt, that the opening of this feal 
 happened at this time; efpecialiy,. if we further: 
 cenfider^ that many grofs errors and herefies then 
 abounded, the purity and fimplicity of doc/triner 
 was obfeared, and many thoufands declined fronv. 
 the truth •, all which took place about the begin-* 
 ning of Trajan's reign : about this time too began* 
 the obkrvaticn of holy days, fuch as Eafter, &Y.. 
 and<a great reverencing of martyrs ; alfo a dif- 
 fcntion between the eaftern and weftern church^ 
 os, which vtQie never afterwards heartily recon- 
 ciled. Nbtwithftandiug thefe errors and differs 
 :S X there were many; learned, and good men, 
 
 im 
 
f 43 ) 
 
 in the church, who wrote as well as fufTerecTi'iT 
 defence of the truth : which is likewife fuitabfo 
 to the third bead having the face of a man : by 
 their means too, the wine and oil were not hurt y 
 that is, the eiTential truths were preferved and 
 vindicated, by their writings again ft heretics. 
 
 We are fenfible, that fome very learned men, 
 particularly bilhop Newton,, doctor Guife, and 
 others, fuppofe this to be meant of a natural fa- 
 mine in the empire, during the reign of the An- 
 tonines, fent as a judgment upon the empire, for 
 perfecuting the Chriftians, which happened be- 
 tween the years 138 and 139, We hope tba 
 reader will be fati^fied with, the manner in which 
 we have applied it, as far more fui table to the 
 type, than a famine in a natural way. 
 
 In verfes 7. and 8. We behold the fourth feal 
 opened with the ufual exhortation, Come and 
 fee Formerly we fawablack, now a pale horfe r 
 whofe rider's name is death, and hell following* 
 at his heels > and power was given them over a 
 third part of the earth, to kill with the fword, 
 hunger, death, 2nd wild beads : this is a mod. 
 dreadful defcription, and we need not be fur- 
 prized if fome terrible calamity mould enfue*. 
 Under the former feals were fword and famine^ 
 now death and the beads are added -, evidently. 
 pointing at fjme fignal calamity that is to befuh 
 the chuich : this is clear, for fehry are all of one: 
 kind, as appears by the gradation confpicuous irv 
 them. The red horfe. wounds, the black horfe: 
 occafions fainting, and the pale horfe kiileth,. 
 Hence it is faid > power is given, not to one, but' 
 to them altogether, as having one commiffion ; 
 £0 that the fword, famine, and death, are joined: 
 together under this feal, to ihew thac fome ter- 
 rible judgments- fhali enfue : feeing then that 
 feme, cf them portend the church's afflictions^ 
 thered muft.do fa too. 
 
 There: 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 There are two opinions with refpecl to the' 
 fime of this prophecy, but both agree in the main ; 
 that the bloody perfecution, which ended in the 
 time of Conitantine, anno 310, is typified by 
 tRis prcphecy. 
 
 After the perfecution of Decius, the church 
 enjoyed peace almoft for 40 years; during which 
 fime, the purity and power of the gofpel were 
 much eclipfed, divifions and contentions took 
 place : this provoked God to let ioofc th«t bloody 
 monfter Dio-clefisn, and his colleague Hcracleus 
 Maximianus ; who had for their ailbciates, Jovi^ 
 us and Conftantius. Thefe emperors uniting all 
 their craft and violence, to extirpate Chriilianity 
 entirely out of the provinces of the empire. 
 1. They put to the choice of the foldiers and 
 officers, either to facrifice to their gods, or quit 
 their fervice. 2. They made the fame ofFers to 
 magiftrates, with prcmifes to both if they would- 
 obey. 3. They demolifhed all churches or pla- 
 ces of wonTiip. 4. They prohibited all meet- 
 ings of Chriftians. And when thefe had not the 
 dciired tffecT, they broke out into open violence,, 
 driving who mould excel the other in favage 
 cruelty ; except Conftantius, who was friendly to> 
 Chriftians. 
 
 In order to (hew how exactly this prophecy, 
 ccrrefponded- with this, or rather with thefe per— 
 fcCu:ions, we may obferve, that they were uni- 
 veifal through the whole empire, and continued' 
 for ten years without inter-miflion. In fome pla- 
 ces, whole hundreds were butchered in a day,. 
 whole churches full of people were burnt at once ; 
 as alfo whole cities, for refufing. to facrifice to- 
 idols; whole legions were put to death at once : 
 particularly one legion, though they willingly 
 conferred to ferve againft. public enemies, were 
 mafiacred, with their commander Manutius,. be- 
 oaufe they refufed to perfecute- the Chriftians. 
 
 Eufebius: 
 
< 45 ) 
 
 Eufebius declares, that he faw the perfecutors (a 
 wearied, and their fwords fo blunted, that they 
 were obliged to be relieved by others. In one 
 month feventeen thoufand were flam ; and, in E- 
 gypt alone, 144 thoufand were put to death; 
 which (hews what great numbers were deftroyed 
 in the empire. 
 
 The cruel tortures infli&ed on Chriftians, is 
 alfo worthy of our observation *, many engines 
 never heard of before, were invented for that 
 purpofe ; fuch as iron grates to road them on> 
 brazen bulls exceedingly heated to (hut them up 
 in, iron pikes in barrels, 6tt. 
 
 Again they were dragged by horfes, expofed to* 
 wild beafts, fent to fea in boats without provi- 
 fions, and many other unheard-of cruelties, 
 (hocking to human nature •, a plain indication of 
 the hcllifh difpofition of the perfecutors. Eufe- 
 bius further informs us, that thefe favage bar* 
 barians vied with each other, who Should invent 
 the mod cruel tortures. They were even fo void 
 of humanity, that they had no regard to the ties 
 of blood ; their neareft relations, even their chil- 
 dren and nieces were put to death : Dioclefian 
 flew his own wife, betaufe ihe would not re- 
 nounce the Chriftian religion. 
 
 To conclude, a great mortality prevailed in this 
 reign. Men died fafter than the living were able 
 to bury them \ fo that dogs, being accuftomed to- 
 human flefh, became a terror to the furvivers, left 
 they fhould fall upon them too : this put them 
 upon killing the dogs for their own preservation. 
 From all thefe considerations, we may plainly 
 perceive, how fuitable the events were to the 
 defcription typified in opening this feal \ which,, 
 with propriety, may be called death and his aw- 
 ful attendants. 
 
 The very learned bifhop Newton fuppofeth. 
 this period began with Maximin and ended with. 
 
 ■tioclcfian, 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 Diocletian, which was about fifty years ; ami he 
 makes the lad perfecmion to fail out under the 
 following feal : as he applies mod of the judg- 
 ments, mentioned in thefe feals, to the Roman 
 empire, and the vaft commotions that happened 
 in it. We will not take upon us to deny, that 
 this prophecy may be applied in a fecondary fenfe, 
 . ill the way he hath done it; yet wc cannot ima- 
 gine, that the Spirit of God, who dictated this 
 book, would condef.end, contrary to his ufual 
 method, to give a full and particular account of 
 what was to befal a wicked, idolatrous, and a- 
 bandoned race of men, and take no notice of the 
 c'readful perfections cf his own church. It is 
 quite evident from the facred page, that the 
 church of God has been under his peculiar care 
 from the beginning cf time, and will continue 
 fo to the end ; fo that all the mutations and re- 
 volutions, that have been foretold in fcripture 
 concerning the Heathen nations, are only in fo 
 far as they are connected with the church. She 
 is the primary, they are the fecondary care of 
 providence, and are fo only for her fake As an- 
 other argument, our Saviour fays, " I pray not 
 u for the world, but for them thou haft given 
 fi me out of the world ;" fo neither would he ap- 
 point prophecy for thefe he did not pray for. 
 
 Though we are obliged to differ from this very 
 eminent and learned prelate, and others of his 
 way of thinking, in many particulars, yet we are 
 of opinion, that his paraphrafe is a mailer piece 
 of erudition, and is well worthy of the perufal of 
 all the literati. Thus far we thought neceffary 
 to obferve > in the beginning of our efTay, as we 
 will have frequent occafion in the fequel, to quote 
 this celebrated writer, efpecially in the appendix. 
 Therefore we hope our readers will pardon this 
 digreflion, if it may be called one. 
 
 Verfe 9. In opening the fifth feal, the beloved 
 
 apollte 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 apoillc faw under the altar, the fouls of thcitl 
 that were flain for the word of God and for the 
 teflimony which they held. 
 
 We have feen, in opening thefe three lad feals, 
 what a dreadful havock has been made in the 
 church by cruel tyrants, What became of the per- 
 fons who were thus cruelly butchered ? The open- 
 ing of this feal removes that doubt, and (hews, 
 that the fouls of good men are precious in God's 
 fight - y and though, for holy and wife purpofes, he 
 may fuiTer th ir perfecutors to ride triumphant 
 for a feafon, yet, in the end, he will inflict up- 
 on them punifhments adequate to their wicked- 
 nefs. 
 
 This feal having no horfe and rider, &c. as the 
 former, it may properly belong to all the perfe-> 
 cutions ; with a defign to comfort the furviving 
 people of God, and to mew them that their fouls 
 fhall be happy with him, when their bodies are 
 mouldering in the duft. This will appear evi- 
 dent from the following v:rfes ; where it is faid f 
 white robes arc given them, and that they mud 
 reft till their brethren fhcu-d finifh their courfe 
 as they had done. The chief defign of this delay 
 is this, God's time of judging the wicked is not 
 yet come ; he hath mere fuiTerers to perfect, a 
 certain number dellgned for lufFering, as well as 
 for glory ; many were yet to furTer under Anti- 
 chrilt, who muit aifo obtain their crown of mar- 
 tyrdom ; this is a fufficient reafen why their fuit 
 is denied. 
 
 We obferved a little above, that the learned 
 bifliop Newton has applied this fifth feal to the 
 laft perfecution, but for what reafon we cannot 
 perceive ; as all the former are defer ibed with a 
 horfe and a rider in a warlike attitude, either with 
 a defign to let loofe the inttruments of hell in 
 perfecuting the church, or to punifh them fcf 
 
 their 
 \ 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 ttieir wickednefs, or both ; as has been already 
 •obferved. 
 
 In the 1 2th and following verfes, John beheld 
 the fixth feal opened with a great earthquake, 
 and many other convulfions of nature, which 
 prefage fome fignal judgments to enfue. Animate 
 and inanimate things are here mentioned, viz. 
 the fun, heaven, and ftars ; alfo kings, great 
 men, mighty men, captains, 4yc. Some alarm* 
 ing event is certainly here foretold ; the applica- 
 tion of it however is difficult : but whatever may 
 be its remote or fecondary meaning, yet its pri- 
 mary or main defign, mud be to prefage fome 
 particular judgment that was to be inflicted on the 
 enemies of Chrift's kingdom ; for it is on kings, 
 captains, and great men of the earth, who are 
 laid to flee from Chrift ; which cannot be the 
 church; therefore it may probably refer to the 
 perfecutors and Heathen^ which might be evinced 
 by many arguments \ but our defign is to be more 
 particular on the trumpets and vials, and to give 
 only a brief explication of the feals. 
 
 However we" have for once, the authority of 
 the above-mentioned bifhop Newton, in our ex* 
 plicaiion of this feal. After (hewing that the 
 very fame images, the very fame expreffions are 
 employed by other prophets, concerning the mu- 
 tations and alterations of religions and Govern- 
 ments, he obferves, " That the fall of any of 
 thefe cities and kingdoms, was not of greater 
 concern and confequence to the world, nor more 
 deferving to be defcribed in fuch pompous figures, 
 than the fall of the Roman-Pagan empire, when 
 the great lights of the Heathen world, the fun* 
 moon, and ftars, the powers civil and ecclefiaC* 
 tical, were all eclipfed and obfeured ; the Hea* 
 then emperors were flain, the Heathen priefts and 
 augurs were extirpated, the Heathen magistrates 
 and officers were removed, and Heathen temples 
 
 were 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 were demolimed, and their revenues were appro^ 
 priated to better ufes." 
 
 We (hall only further add, that whilft the three* 
 fbrementioned emperors were proceeding, with 
 unrelenting fury, in perfecuting the church, God 
 raifed up a deliverer, in the perfon of Conftantine 
 the Great, who was declared emperor in Britain ; 
 and whilft he was refolving to free the wo.-li of 
 the cruel Maxentius, who lived at Rome, a fiery 
 crofs appeared to him in the air, with an in- 
 scription in legible letters, in this overcome : 
 this not only encouraged him to proceed, but al- 
 fo to embrace the Chriftian religion 5 and by this 
 he obtained victory over all his enemies, and be- 
 came a happy mean, in the hand of God, of de- 
 livering the church from all her enemies, and in* 
 flitting upon them the judgments threatened in 
 this feal. By this means alfo, the Chriftian re- 
 ligion was eftablifhed by law in the Roman em- 
 pire, on the ruins of idolatry : all which, we think, 
 may be comprehended under this feal. 
 
 During the opening of this fixth feal, we have 
 feen light begun to dawn upon the church ; and 
 her greateft enemies now become her greateft 
 friends, by Condantine embracing the Chriftian 
 religion. He was zealous, not only in having 
 faithful men about his perfon, and religious wor- 
 {hip perfoimed in public and private ; but in e- 
 re£Hng fchools, fettling minifters, aflembling fy- 
 nods, and being prefent at them, as that of Nice ; 
 likewife condemning herefies, and tolerating none 
 but the Chriftian religion. So that he may bs 
 truely faid to be a nurfing father to the church. 
 
 Before we proceed to the feventh fea]> it will 
 be necefiary to obferve, that as this feal ufhers 
 in the trumpets, which deface the beauty of the 
 church, and marr her comelinefs, by the rife and 
 progrefs of Antichrift, the Lord {hews his car6 
 a£ the church in the 7th chapter ; for four angels 
 E are 
 
( s* ) 
 
 are commanded to hold the fcur winds, that they 
 blow not on the earth, fea, or tree, till he had 
 fealed the fervants of God. By winds, in facred 
 writ, is fometimes meant temporal judgments on 
 civil itates, as Jer. xlix. 36.; which maybe ap- 
 plied to the time we are fpeaking of. During 
 Conftantine's reign, andfome time after, the em* 
 pire enjoyed peace ; but it was fcon over-run by 
 the Goths, Vandals, Saracens, and other barba- 
 rous nations, which were very favourable for the 
 rife of Antichrift. Thefe were for a time re- 
 strained, that the church might have a fhort 
 breathing, and be prepared for the following 
 fiorm. By winds; again, fometimes is meant, 
 the blowing of the Holy Spirit upon ordinances ; 
 both rendering them effectual to falvation, and 
 preferring them pure from hereiies and errors* 
 Acckj. ting to this acceptation, the holding of the 
 "winds will fignify, the preventing Antichnft 
 from infecting the church all at once, with his 
 damnable tenets. 
 
 By winds, again, in fcripture, we may under* 
 (land fpiritual judgments ; as herefy in doctrine* 
 fchifms, contentions, dlvinons, tsfc. which have 
 an impetuous force like winds, driving unliable 
 fouls from their ftedfaitnefs, Eph. iv. 14. M That 
 cc we be not children toiled to and fro by every 
 ct wind of doctrine, by the flcight of men," Zsfc. 
 Wherefore, holding the winds, taken in this fenfe ? 
 means, that aftci the church's freedom from per- 
 secution, a new florin of herefy and fchifm en- 
 fued, and carried all before it ; but it was bound* 
 ed and reftra;nt>d by God, till he had fealed 
 his elect, that it might have no power ever 
 them. 
 
 We are of opinion, that this laft fenfe is meant 
 here, and that thefe winds import the increafe 
 of falfe do&rine and fchifrn in the church; this 
 
 agrees 
 
( 5i ) 
 
 agrees bed with what follows ; which is, to guard 
 good men to beware of thofe evils. 
 
 Through the whole of this book, we do not 
 find the peop'e of God preferved from temporal 
 calamities more than others *, we muft therefore 
 Uttderftand it of fpiritual trials, ana thefe of the 
 molt grievous kinds, from which only they are 
 peculiarly exempted, as in Matth. xxiv. 24. This 
 exemption chiefly belongs to the evils of Anti- 
 chrift, of which the world (hares, and from which 
 the pious are fcreened ; as appears from chap. xiii. 
 8. and xiv. 1. Thefe fealed ones are faid to be 
 untkfiled ; that is, are preferved from fpiritual 
 pollution. 
 
 We (hall briefly conclude what we defign upon 
 this 7th chapter ; by obferving, that no fooner 
 was the church free from open perfecution, than 
 the devil fowed his tares among the wheat ; thaf 
 is errors of all kinds, whereby God perm'ttcd 
 many fecure, earthly minded, anftable, prettd* 
 conceited profeffois, to be carried away by them. 
 
 Error is one of thofe plagueSj which God, in 
 Ji:s juftice, ufeth :o let loofe upon an ungrateful 
 world 5 who have enjoyed the gofpei in peace 
 and plenty, and have abufed it: which alas! 
 too much the cafe at this prefent time. Thjr e . 
 fore, when delufion comes to its greatest height, 
 as ThciT. ii. 10. ; or a falfe prophet comes t a 
 fpesk lies in the name of the Lord, as Deut. xiii „ 
 1. 2. ; they are both faid to be fent by him, or 
 permitted by him, as a j Lift plague for defpifing. 
 the truth. Since error is then a plague, how ri- 
 diculous is the opinion of ihofe, who are difpo- 
 fed to tolerate every religious principle ; is not 
 this letting loofe the winds with a witnefs ? H o\v 
 many profeiTors are toffed, enfnared, and enebri- 
 ated, with a full glut of their own ways ? Have* 
 Rot the Arians, and many others, been hurried 
 headlong to the ruin of their precious fouls I Ha ve 
 
( 5* ) 
 
 not the Pelegian, Arminian, Socinian, Arian, 
 Popifii, and other errors, made greater havock 
 in the church, than many years famine, wars, 
 and peflilence ? and have deftroyed more fouls 
 than thefe have done bodies. When error is let 
 loofe as a plague, it is well fuited and ftrength- 
 ened to carry its point. They pour in together 
 Iks a rrfighty deluge, bearing all down before 
 them •, therefore it is called flrong delufion, and 
 a fpirit of error, as in Their, ii . i i : becatife it has 
 then received a cemmiihon from God, and mud 
 continue till that be executed \ in the fame man- 
 ner as the fwQ-d and famine. 
 
 A civerfity of errors makes the truth appear 
 doubtful to the men of the world. For in thefe 
 primitive times, fomc denied Chrift to be true * 
 man, as Apollinaris \ others denied him to be 
 true God ; as Ebion, Arius, Photinus, and o- 
 thers. Thefe differed from each other: Arius 
 called him God, but a Gcd created in time ; Pho- 
 tinus and his followers afferted, that he was on- 
 ly a mere man. Some again faid that he had 
 two pcrfons, as well as two natures; and others 
 maintained that he had but one nature. Thefe 
 called Trithtifts, fuppofed that there were three 
 Gods, as well ^s three perfons. The Novatians 
 were too rigid in church difciplinc, admitting 
 none to fellowship who had once given offence ; 
 ugh they faid, they might receive pardon from 
 God. (Xhers again, too eafily admitted the fcan- 
 dakus, withcut any evidence of a change ; not 
 only into church communion, but alfo to be of- 
 fice-bearers in the church. The Papifts alfo on 
 the one hand, afenbed too much to good works, 
 and the Antimonians tco little- Likewife Pre- 
 lacy, putting all church-government in theperfon 
 of a biihop. The Independants, conferring all in- 
 differently, upon every member cf the church, 
 (gb, Thefe are fuflkient to clear up the mean- 
 ing 
 
(' 53 ) 
 
 ingof the prophecy, and to put good men on tl 
 guard again ft the pernicious errors of Antichrist, 
 who was foon afterwards to make his appearance* 
 In the following verfes of the 7th chapter, an 
 innumerable company are fealed and ftcured a- 
 gainit that dreadful torrent of error, vice, and 
 immorality, which followed under the feventh 
 feal and trumpets. 
 
 C H A P. VIII. 
 
 Verfe T. Upon opening the feventh fea T , there 
 is filence in heaven for the fpace cf half an hour, 
 Here a definite time is put|fof an indefinite $ mean- 
 ing a very fhort fpace. By heaven, muft certainly 
 be meant the militant church ; for in the heaven 
 where God glorioufly refines, there can be no in- 
 terruptions of noife or filence. It muft therefore 
 mean, that peace and quietnefs in the church, af- 
 ter perfecution ceafed, during fome years of Con- 
 ftantine's reign, before the herefies cf the Dona* 
 tifts and Arians broke out , which was only for a 
 fhort time. This is very confident with what fol- 
 lows Ifaw, fays John, peace for a lifetime, till 
 all things were prepared for the enfuin-g ftorm j 
 that is, till the fundamental truths were fully efta- 
 blifhed, and publicly confirmed, for preferving 
 God's people from the fnares of grofs herefies than 
 immediately followed. 
 
 Before we proceed to explain the following; 
 verfes, we fhall lay before our readers the opinion 
 of bifhop Newton, in his own word c . c< The 
 feventh feal or period, (fays he) is of much long- 
 er duration, and comprehends many more events, 
 than any of the former feals. It comprehends 
 indeed feven periods, diftinguifhed by the found- 
 ing of feven trumpets. At the opening of fcfrrs 
 feal, (verfe 1 ) there was filence in heaven about 
 the fpace of half an hour, is a fign that the peace of 
 the church wculd continue but for a fhort feafon. 
 £ 3 it 
 
C <T4 ) 
 Ft is an interval and paufe, as it were, between tKe 
 foregoing and fucceeding vifions It is a marlc 
 of folemuity to procure attention, and to prepare 
 the mind for a great and fignal event ; and not 
 without an all u fib n to a ceremony among the 
 Jews : as Philo informs us, the incenfe ufed to 
 be offered before the morning, and after the e~ 
 vening facrifice; arid while the facriffces were 
 made, (2 Chron. xxv. — 28.) the voices inftru- 
 ments, and trumpets founded, while the priefc 
 went into the temple to burn incenfe, (Luke u 
 10.) all were nlent, and the people prayed with- 
 out to themfdves. Now this was the morning 
 ©f the church ; and therefore, the fiience precedes, 
 the founding of the trumpets/*' 
 
 Verfe 2. Seven angels are feen (landing before* 
 God j to whom were given feven trumpets ; what 
 the ufe of thefe trumpets is, will be (ten in verfe 
 6. of this chapter : we fhall only obferve at pre- 
 •fent, that they had a double ufe. F (1, to give 
 an alarm of feme approaching aflaulr, in order 
 to roufe the church to watchfulnefss for as the 
 apoftle fays, if the trumpet give an uncertain 
 found, who ill all prepare himfelf to- tne battle ?.'' 
 Secondly, to fummon the congregation, aflembly, 
 or hod, to feme undertaking : and in this cafe 
 it impairs feme offenfive action, as the ether was 
 defend ve ' r viz* the letting loofe enemies again ft 
 tfbe church,, as the former in defending it y but. 
 bcth are employed by God's fpecial orders. The 
 angels too are mhuftering fpirits, waiting on God' 
 for a cemmifiion ; and therefore trumpets are gi- 
 ven them, and they mud ac~i according to orders. 
 Their number is feven, though in the feventh- 
 chapter there were only four that ilopt the four 
 winds, till the feven. were let Icofe. Thus the 
 winds are, as- it were, loofed gradually, and not. 
 gcnrii.ted to blow, all atonce^ but cne after ano- 
 ther 5. 
 
C 55 ) 
 
 ther; that men may be prepared for what fol- 
 lows. 
 
 Verfes 3. 4. 5. Though the feal is now open- 
 ed, and trumpets given to the angels, yet they 
 are not fuffered to blow, till the angel at the altar 
 has made interceiTion. This is no other than the 
 Angel of the covenant \ who, in allufion to the 
 high pried under the law, makes- interceiTion for 
 his people to God, that he would not impute fm: 
 to them, nor fufter them to be led away with the 
 errors of Antichrift. He alio intercedes again it 
 his enemies, as in verfe 5. He takes the confer, 
 fills it with the fire c if the altar, and calls it into 
 the earth ; that is upon the wicked world, inflict- 
 ing judgments upon Antichrift; as will be ob- 
 served afterwards : then follows the founding of 
 the trumpets. For as Gcd had formerly ordered 
 the four angels in chap. 7th, not to hurt the earth 
 till his Servants were fealed ; fo now he commands 
 the kven angels to proceed when the elect are. 
 ft cured. 
 
 Verfe 6. The feven angel'?, who had received' 
 the feven trumpets,. prepared themfelves to found. 
 It may be allied, Why thefe angels did not begin- 
 to found, when they received their trumpets ?' 
 The anfwer is eafy, they had not received their 
 orders. Something was previcufiy to be done,, 
 as we faid above ;. the faints were to be fealed, - 
 they and their inftruments were to be prepared. 
 As Mofes had the pattern of the tabernacle, and all 
 its furniture, {hewed him on mount Sinai, fo every 
 particular circumflance, in the New- tell amen t" 
 church, is fixed, bcth as to time and order, by 
 infinite Wifdonr. 
 
 Let this be a caveat to fuch as defign to enter 
 on holy orders, not to aflame to themfelves a 
 character, which they have no right to exercife : 
 furely, they ought at leaft to aft cotthfel of God, 
 before they engage in fuch. a facred office. It 
 
( S<5 ) 
 
 is not enough, that men have natural and acqui- 
 red abilities, in order to profit ethers, and fave 
 their own fouls \ they ought alfo to have perfonal 
 religion *, that is, to feel experimentally on their 
 own heart, the truths they preach to others : or, 
 in ether words, to have palled from death to life, 
 as it is exprefied in facred wnt. 
 
 Then, in dependence on divine aid, they fhould 
 ftir up the gift that is in them, as Paul fays to 
 Timothy, and boldly engage in the mod glorious 
 work that men can be engaged in, having no- 
 thing in view but the glory of God and the good 
 of fouls. 
 
 The Prgphecy concerning the founding of thefe 
 trumpets would not have been eafily underflood, 
 had not many of the event?, been already part, 
 and feem to agree well with what is foretold. 
 However, we {hall attempt the explication of 
 them, with the deepefl humility, and with a de- 
 pendence on the aid of that almighty Spirit who 
 dictated this book. But firft, it will be neceffary 
 to make fome remarks on them. 
 
 We cbferved formerly, that this prophecy com- 
 menced with the reign of Conftantine, and ends 
 at Antichrist's begun fail ; when he arrives at his 
 height, and the vials begin to be poured out err 
 him 
 
 It is alfo cotemporary with, and has a refpecl to, 
 the prophecy of the beaft, chap. xiii. and xi. Like- 
 wife the rife and end of the prophecy of the beaft 
 will be cotemporary w T ith this ; and that thefe be- 
 long to the church, in her fptritual trials. 
 
 Again, the fifth trumpet evidently difcoverfr 
 Antichriit in a clear and open manner; as may- 
 be feen, by comparing chap. ix„ 4. with chap.- 
 xiii. 8. The perfons are the fame, have the fame 
 characters, and are preferred from the fame fpi- 
 ritual injury. The fixth trumpet intrcduceth the 
 Mahemedans^ on the back of the former -, they 
 
 being 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 being fent as a punifhment upon Antichrift for his 
 idolatry, who makes his public appearance a little 
 after the year 6do. Therefore the firft four 
 trumpets muft be antecedent to that time, and 
 muft contain the ftate of the church from the 
 year 300, or thereabout (where the feal is finifh- 
 ed) till that time. 
 
 We may further remark, that the defection of 
 the church, gradually declining from purity in 
 doctrine, and fimplicity in worfh'p, ends when 
 Antichrift arrives at his height ; and that this de- 
 fection includes in it fome temporal judgment on 
 the wicked, and trial on the righteous, efpccially 
 under Antichrift. 
 
 It is remarkable, that in all the other altera- 
 tions of periods, fo in this, the overturning of 
 the vifible church is compared to the overturning 
 the world, and plaguing earth, fea, rivers, fun, 
 moon, &a\ By the principal prophecies of this 
 book, three worlds are fucccffivcly defaced. Firft, 
 the Heathen world, chap. vi. and under the fixth 
 feal. Secondly, The Chriftian world, which is au- 
 thorized by the Roman empire, and eftabiiihed 
 by law. This world gradually declines under the 
 trumpets, and becomes Antichriftian. Thirdly, 
 This Antichriftian world is demolifhed, in its 
 turn, under the vials, by the defignation of fea, 
 earth, 6v. Thus, in the Roman empire, all the 
 different conditions of the church are compared 
 to different worlds. 
 
 In order the more to confirm the truth of this 
 obfervation, let us compare the fuitablenefs of 
 the trumpets and vials, in their effects. The 
 firft trumpet is on the earth, the firft vial alfo is 
 poured out on the fame; the fecord on the fea, 
 the third on the rivers, the fourth on the fun ; 
 and the fifth trumpet fets Antichrift on his 
 throne, the fifth vial is poured oh the throne or 
 feat of the bcaft. The fixth trumpet loofeth the 
 
 angcU 
 
( 5» ) 
 
 angels at the Euphrates ; the fixth vial drieth up 
 that river. By which it is evident, that Anti- 
 chrift is deftroyed in the fame regular order that 
 he came to his height ; and as he introduced a 
 new counterfeit church, or world, by affiicling, 
 darkening, and obfeuring the true church, fo he 
 fhall be deftroyed in his turn, and the true church 
 fha;l be erecled en his ruins. 
 
 The order and fum of the trumpets w r e con- 
 ceive to be this : the firft four trumpets, when 
 compared to the three that follow, maybe called 
 the lefler wees ; and contain the declining (late 
 of the church, for g2o years, from Conftantine's 
 time till Antichiift appeared, a little after the 
 year 6zc. 
 
 Enemies began to fap the very foundations of 
 religion ; fuch as Arius, Macedonius, Enriches, 
 Neftorius, CSV. All thefe herefies were condemn- 
 ned by the church, in the firft four famous coun- 
 cils. The Srft waS held at Nice, by Conitantine, 
 anno 325 •, wherein w r as condemned the herefy 
 of Arius, who denied the Godhead of Chrift. 
 The fecond was at Constantinople, by Gratian 
 and Theodofius, anno 380; which condemned 
 Maeedonius, who denied the perfonality of the 
 Holy Spirit, the third Perfon of the adorable 
 Trinity. The third was at Ephefus, under Theo- 
 dofius II. anno ^v ; this condemned Eutiches, 
 who afcribed but one nature to Chrift. 
 
 Thefe,beingopen and a\owed enemies to truth, 
 were more eafiiy difcovered than what follows ; 
 for church-government is next corrupted- To 
 accornplifh this, the devil puffed up churchmen 
 with pride, and ambition for power and gran- 
 deur •, from hence arofe diflentions among them, 
 which gradually weakened the power of religion, 
 and kurt its falutary eSedts upon the fouls of 
 men. 
 
 The next thing this arch-enemy of mankind 
 
 attempted, 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 attempted, was to pcifon the rivers and fountain'* 
 of waters, vk:. the pure doctrines of the gofpel ; 
 and free-will, juftification by good works, exter- 
 nal holinefs, merit, difpenfations, penances, pur- 
 gatory, facraments, and traditions, are introdu- 
 ced, inftead of the native purity and fimplicity of 
 religion, which was now corrupted in many parts 
 of the world; and thefe pernicious tenets were 
 propagated by men, who once appeared pillars in 
 the church, as Pelagius and Origen : thefe \vc 
 fuppofe to have happened under the third trum- 
 pet. 
 
 In the fourth, the light of the glorious gofpel 
 is ft ill more darkened, and its beauty obfeured m 9 
 fcr the Scriptures, the pureft fources of divine 
 knowledge, are veiled, and kept from the know- 
 ledge of the laity, ignorance is encouraged, tra- 
 dition fubftituted in place of revelation, will-wor- 
 fliip and ceremonies inftead of holinefs. Thus, 
 by darkening and obfeuring the true light, way 
 is made for Ant icb rift's appearing. Next, undef 
 the fixth trumpet, the lurks are loofed as a 
 fcourge on the Antichriitian world, till the fe- 
 venth and the vials brought about a reformation ; 
 and the light of truth, long obfeured, began to 
 dawn upon a benighted world. 
 
 We ill all now attempt to give a particular ex- 
 plication of the different trumpets in order. 
 
 Verfe 7. Upon founding the firft trumpet, 
 there followed fire, and hail mingled with blood, 
 snd they were caft upon the earth, <bc. This is 
 in allufion, perhaps, to the plagues of Egypt. 
 We have often feen fire and hail, as it were, 
 mingled together in a thunder ftorm : when the 
 cloud is raifed very high in the air, the cold con- 
 peals the particles of water into halftones, and 
 the electrical fire burfting through the cloud, 
 caufes thefe pour down with great violence. But 
 how blood, in a natural way, can be mixed with 
 
 thefe 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 thefe, (except in their effe&s), we cannot com* 
 prehend. However, when applied in a fpiritual 
 fcnfe to the church, we can eafijy perceive the 
 qualities of thefe three in the fame perfon. Hail 
 not only fhews, as was faid, intenfe coidnefs in 
 the air; but its nature is very pernicious and de- 
 finitive to the fruits of the earth. So a perfon 
 who has deviated from the truth, and embraced 
 fome erroneous opinions, his affecSHons towards 
 God and his neighbour become cold as ice ; and 
 his darling errors are fo rivetted in his mind, that 
 he is, as it were, influenced with paflion, and 
 burns with fury and indignation againft every one 
 who is of a different opinion from himfelf, efpe- 
 cialiy againft thofe who adhere to the truth. That 
 coidnefs of affection to God and his neighbour 
 gradually produceth a fixed and rooted hatred a- 
 gainfl both ; and, becaufe he cannot wreck his 
 vengeance immediately againft his Maker, he 
 turns it, with unrelenting fury, againft all that 
 bear his image* As this perfon bears the^image 
 of the devil, who was a murderer from the be- 
 ginning, fo he delights to fhed the blood of thofe 
 that are dear to God. Thus an heretic is cold in 
 his affe&ion to God, hot and fiery in his zeal 
 againft good men, becaufe they differ from him 5 
 arid cruel and bloody in his difpofition againft 
 the upright, as his father the devil. 
 
 This dreadful ftorm is faid to be caft upon the 
 earth : by which, we conceive, is meant, either 
 the vifible church, which is attacked and defaced, 
 in her plained and cleared truths, as in chap. vii. 
 I. ; or we may underftahd here, the foundations 
 of fuch truths, to which theutmoft credit fhould 
 be given, and without which the vifible church 
 cannot exift ; as that concerning the Perfon, Na* 
 tures, and Offices of Chrift. We may obferve* 
 that in the Heathen world, chap. vi. and in the 
 Antichriftian world,, chap, xvi. earth fignifies 
 
 their 
 
t $1 ) 
 
 Vkelr foundations ; f6 in this place, confeffing. 
 Chrift, and adhering to his fure doctrines, is 
 called the foundation or rock on whichthe church 
 is built. Or, finally, it may fignify the fpreading 
 of plagues over the whole face of the earth. 
 
 The effect of thefe being caft upon the earthy 
 is, that a third part of trees* and all green grafs 
 are burnt up. By trees, in the Chriftian church, 
 is> doubtlefs, meant profeners cmine.it for gifts 
 and abilities, ot for their high ftations, like trees, 
 taller than the reft The grafs too is burnt up * 
 that is, great and fmall are carried away with the 
 torrent : yet only a third part of trees are con- 
 fumed ; importing, that many great and good 
 men were kept free from the infection. 
 
 Now, when we come to apply this judgment, 
 or ftorm, we (hall have different opinions : fome 
 apply it to the herefies, above mentioned, of A- 
 rius, <bc* \ others, to Antichrift's rife ; others> 
 to the irruption of the Goths and Vandals : laft- 
 ly, fome apply it to the condition of the church at 
 that time, in conjunction with all the other three \ 
 which we think is the mod probable conjecture. 
 . We can by no means agree with Bimop New- 
 ton, who applies all the plagues threatened by 
 the trumpets to the Roman empire ; not that we 
 (uppofe they cannot be applied to it at all, we 
 rather think, that they are applicable to it only hi 
 a fecondary fenfe, as being connected with the 
 church. However, we (hall favour our readers 
 with his elegant paraphrafe* 
 
 " At the founding of the firft trumpet, veffe 
 7.. he fays, the barbarous nations, like a ftorm 
 of hail and fire mingled with blood, invade the 
 Roman territories: and deftroy the third part of 
 trees, that is, the trees of the third part of the 
 earth \ and the green gi^fs, that is both old a id 
 young, high and low, rich and poor, togeth r. 
 Theodofius the Great died in the year 395 \ a A 
 F no 
 
( <5* ) 
 
 no fooner was he dead, than the Huns, Goth*, 
 and other barbarians, like hail for multitude, and 
 breathing fire and (laughter, broke in upon the 
 beft provinces of the empire, both in the eaft and 
 weft, with greater fuccefs than they had ever 
 <lone before. But by this trumpet I conceive, 
 fays he, were principally intended, the irruptions 
 and depredations of the Goths, under the con- 
 duct of the famous Alaric, who began his incur- 
 (ions in the fame year 395 ; firft ravaged Greece, 
 then wafted Italy, befieged Rome, and was 
 bought off at an exorbitant price ; befieged it 
 again in the year 41a, took and plundered the 
 city, and fet fire to it in feveral places. Philo- 
 ftorgius, who lived in and wrote of thefe times, 
 faith, that the fword of the barbarians deftroyed 
 the greateft multitude of men ; and, among other 
 calamities, dry heats, with flafhes of flame, and 
 whirlwinds of fire, occafioned various and into- 
 lerable terrors ; yea, and hail, greater than could 
 be held in a man's hand, fell down in feveral 
 places, weighing as much as eight pounds. Well, 
 therefore, might the prophet compare thefe in- 
 curfions of the barbarians to hail and fire ming- 
 led with blood. Claudian, in like manner, com- 
 pares them to a florm of hail, in his poem on 
 this very war. Jerome alfo faith, of fome of 
 thefe barbarians, that they came on unexpedtedJy 
 everywhere; and, marching quicker than report, 
 fpared not religion, nor dignities, nor age, nor 
 had companion on crying infants; thofe were 
 compelled to die who had not yet begun to live. 
 So truly did they deftroy the trees and the green 
 grafs together." 
 
 Errors of all kinds paved the way for AntL- 
 chrift, who took every opportunity to advance his 
 worldly grandeur ; and Rome, by its fituation 
 and greatnefs, had prodigious influence in all 
 diflentionsj and a£ted as an umpire among them. 
 
 J3ut, 
 
( <s 3 > 
 
 But, fo long as the empire continued, he wa'fr 
 prevented from ufurping the power which he 
 did afterwards ; when that let, as the apcftle 
 calls it, was removed. 
 
 However, moil commentators think the A- 
 rian and Macedonian herefies, with their at- 
 tendants, are chiefly applicable to this trumpet: 
 becaufe, as we faid above, thefe errors imme- 
 diately fucceeded that cairn the church had en- 
 joyed in the reign of Conilantine. They alio a- 
 gree we-1 with it ; for, as weobferved, they fap- 
 ped the mod fundamental truths of Chrifijanity, 
 7;/z. the divinity of the Second and Third Per- 
 forms of the adorable Trinity. Chrift faith, Matth, 
 xvi. " Upon this Rock," viz. his Divinity, " I 
 €i will build my church, and the gates of hell 
 €( (hall not prevail againfl it ? fo that the deny- 
 ing this, is making the very foundations of reli- 
 gion : and this florm was fo violent, that the 
 church was- almoft ruined by it. Several whole 
 fynods took part with Arius *, and though Con- 
 ftantine ferioufly expoftulated with particular bi- 
 fhops, and many fynods > about it, yet it could not 
 be removed. 
 
 This aifo occafioned feveral violent and bloody 
 perfecutions by Conftantius, Valens, and other 
 Arian emperors *, like wife by the Vandals in Af- 
 rica. Several emperors and kings embraced this 
 error or of Arius : the fynodof Tyre condemned 
 Athanafius, under pretence of turbulency, mur- 
 der, and adultery; though his oppofition to this 
 error was his only crime. The fynod of An- 
 tioch^ anno 337, depofed Fuflachius the bifhop, 
 ander the like pretexts. Alfo, the council of 
 Millan, anm 334, condemned many great and 
 good men, becaufe they would not fubferibe to 
 the condemnation of Athanafius. 
 
 Many remarkably pious men, through weak- 
 
 nefs, and the violence of perfecutign r were in a 
 
 E z manner- 
 
( 64 ) 
 manner compelled tocomp'y with the reft in con*- 
 demning Athanafius ; as Liberius bifhop of 
 Rome, and Gfms bifliop of Corduba, who, after 
 filtering long for the truth, at laft owned it. 
 This ftorm and dtrfe&ion becarr.s almoft univer- 
 fal ; fo that the whole world werefome how car- 
 ried' away with it. The barbarous nations that 
 broke into the empire, both in Italy and Africa, 
 were moftly Arian ; and doubtlefs were fei:t as 
 a fcourge upon that backfndden church. 
 
 As the church of Rome continued longer pure 
 than any of the refly many perfecuted members 
 and churches applied to her for protection : alfo 
 heretics, when condemned, had recourfe to Rome, 
 viz. Eutiches, Donatus, and many others in Af- 
 rica ; all which teaded to exalt that church above 
 the reft, and prompt her to encroach on others. 
 In order to fcrecn honeft men fron> the unjuft* 
 ©ppreflion of the bifhops of the eaft, feveral acts, 
 ©f fynods were pafied, whereby many reforted 
 from the eaft to Rome, to hear the difputes a~ 
 tout the differences that happened there. 
 
 The emperor removing the feat of empire 
 from Rome to Conftantinople, was alfo very fa- 
 vourable for her temporal advancement 5- as his 
 power in the weft began to diminish, he granted 7 
 great favours to the bimop cf Rome, in on 
 der to fupport his interefl there: alfo, by his i 
 managing prudently in all the difputes that 
 came before him, he became eminent, and much- 
 admired ; though, at this time, he pretended no- 
 authority over other bifhops, yet, by infinuating 
 himfelf gradually into favour, he foon acquired a 
 fuperiority over the reft : by all which, we may 
 evidently fee, how fuitable the events were to 
 the type. 
 
 How amazing is it, that men mould be fo grofsly* 
 ftupid, as to deny the plaineft and mod evident 
 truths recorded in facrcd writ ! Surely, the divi- 
 nity 
 
t «5 r 
 
 ritty of Chrift is as perfpicuous as any other m£n» 
 tioned in Scripture, and yet, even at this day, it is 
 called in qu'eftion, by our modern Socinians an I 
 Freethinkers. How' watchful ought, then, fchti 
 mimfters of the everlafting gofpel to be, le(t this 
 and other errors fhould gain ground, and our na- 
 tional church, which has long been the boaft or' 
 all others, for purity cf worfhip, and ftricrnef*- 
 of difcipline, (hould fhare the fate of the ancient- 
 churches ; who, by apoitatizing from the truth, 
 are now utterly foriaken of God. 
 
 Verfe 8. " The fecond angel founded, and as it 
 n were, a great mountain burning with fire, was 
 "cail into the fea, and the third part of the fea 
 M became blood/' dftv 
 
 What we are to understand by a mountain, o-" 
 ther places of holy writ will make appear; Zech. 
 iv. 7. u What art thou, O great mountain? before- 
 tl Zerubabel, thou (halt become a plain. It is e- 
 vident the Perfian monarchy is here figuratively 
 oalled a mountain ; Babylon is alfo called a de- 
 ftroying or burning mountain ; therefore, by 
 rnountaiiij in this place, mult be understood fome 
 illuftrious men in the church, who are office-bear- 
 ers, that fit and a£t in her judicatories. Our blef- 
 fed Lord faid, of his difciples and minifters, 
 that they were as a city fet upon a biil^Matth. v. 
 Thefe are fitly compared to mountains, in corn- 
 parifon of the ignorant vu l gar, in the fame man- 
 ner as legHiators, and civil governors in a itate. 
 But this mountain is faid to be burning with fire ; 
 this, as was obferved above, is the fire of conten- 
 tion, and pride of ecclefiafiics, fired with ambition- 
 and thir ft of power, and eagerly contending for 
 preferments. Who Can fuppofe^ that : men, ia 
 fuch a ferment, will have any regard to piety, ho- 
 linefs, or truth ? Therefore, errors and fictions- 
 may be expected to fpread far and wide, and to J 
 infect many with their pernicious poifsnj and in-r 
 f 3/ fenfiWy/ 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 fenfibly f ave the way for the appearance of ami- 
 chrifl- 
 
 Again, this burning mountain is faid to be caft 
 into the fea, that is^in fcripture-language, among 
 a numerous people-, as in If. x. 22, n. jL Hof! 
 i. 10. Rem. i:c. 27. Rev. xvii. ic. and many o- 
 fcher places :. that is, this infe&ion fpread, and 
 r iffufed its baneful influence amengft a great n um- 
 ber of people; evenbeyond fea,. as in Africa,* 
 Pome, and the wefifapippstrt of the empire, as the 
 former was moftly, upon the earth, or eaflern em- 
 pire. In this prophetic book, fea is alfo to be un- 
 derftood of the public ordinances, worship, d f- 
 cipline and governmcut of the church ; becaufe,. 
 in and by thefe, Ghriftians have fellowship with 
 each other, as perfans trad^ and traffic with one 
 another in. diitant countries, beyond feas, by fhi Ja- 
 ping. In the 1 8-th chapter of this book, the Anti- 
 diriftian world, or Popifh priefts* are compared to 
 merchants carrying en traffic in, (hips for the fouls 
 of men ; f that is*, receiving money to pray them* 
 cut of Purgatory. 
 
 We obfervect formerly, that error made rapid 
 progrefs in the church, and the purity of doftrine 
 began to decline :- fchifms took place, people cut 
 x i,t pride, and, under pretence of the unholinefs cf- 
 many, members^ now began to ftparate from the 
 church, efpsciaily the weflern part of the world,. 
 wfaich formerly was pureft; now alfo they began 
 to mix human inventions with the preaching of- 
 the wcrd: thus cl4urch government went tiito con- 
 iufion, pride deftroyed all r and rendered it con- 
 temptible. 
 
 Next, the waters were turned into blood, that 
 is, they were corrupted, in allufion to the plague 
 of Egypt; the church; thus rent and torn by di- 
 vifions, '(her discipline weakened, her ordinances 
 fpoiled, and their nature changed,) i oft that beau- 
 ty and fplendor in her judicial cnp.icity,, which was- 
 
 hex. 
 
( (■ 
 
 her greatell ornament; her fynods, councils, and" 
 clergy, in many parts, were fo polluted and de- 
 praved, that their do&rine and canons tended ra* 
 ther to deftr.velion than edification; fo that many 
 poor Ignorant people were ruined, as hi ver 9. 
 The third part of the creatures in the fea, and in 
 fhips, died, viz. a fpiritual death : the pure fireams 
 of fpiritual or divine life are (o polluted with- 
 fenfelefs ceremonies, human inventions, and tra- 
 ditions, that have no fpiritual nourifhment in 
 them, but like pure fireams mixed with poifon- 
 ous drugs, kill all who drink thereof. 
 
 Finally, By the blowing of the fecond trumpet; 
 and its effects, we are given to underftand, that 
 church-governors were become fa vicious, puffed 
 up with pride and ambition, that they paid no 
 regard to the cleared diet ites of Revelation ; but 
 eagerly grafped at power, which they exercifed 
 rot for edification, but for thedeftruction of thofe 
 under their care : by which the church loft her 
 excellence and authority, and funk low like a 
 burning mountain, which the fire in its own 
 bowels is gradually confuming; whereby many 
 dreadful effe£ts, difhonourabie to God, and per- 
 nicious to the members of the church, followed. 
 
 As a juft punifhment for this apoftacy, Bifhop 
 Newton fays, " That next to Alaric and his Goths, 
 were Attila and his Huns ; who, for the fpace of 
 fourteen, years, as Sigonius fays, fhook the ealt 
 and weft, with the mod cruel fear, and de- 
 formed the provinces of each empire *vith all kind 
 of plundering, /laughter, and burning. They firft 
 •waited Thrace, Macedon,. and Greece, putting 
 all. to fire and fword ; and compelled the eaitem 
 empeFor, Theodofius II. to pu: chafe a fhame- 
 ful peace. Then Attila turned his arms againft 
 the weftern emperor, Valentin i an the third; en- 
 tered Gaul with feven hundred thoufand men, 
 acdj not-content with taking and fpoiling, fet moft 
 
 ■flMMLk^. 
 
( 6S ) 
 
 Cf the cities cm fire :- but, at length, being ther'ef 
 vigorouily oppofed, he fell upon Italy, took and* 
 deflroyed Aquileia, with feveral other cities, flay- 
 ing the inhabitants, and laying the buildings iir 
 afhes -, and filled all places between the Alps and 
 Appenincs with flight, depopulation, flaughte^ 
 and fcrvitude, burning, and dtfperation. He was r 
 preparing to march to Rome, but was diverted 
 from his purpofe, by a folemn embaffy from the 
 emperor, and the promife of an annual tribute 5 
 and fo, concluding a truce, retired out of Italy, 
 and pafTed into his own dominions beyond thev 
 Danube. Such a man, might properly be com- 
 pared to a great mountain burning with fire, who- 
 really was, as* he called himfelf, the fcourge of 
 God > and the terror of men ; and boafted that he* 
 was fent into the world by God for this purpofc> 
 that, as the executioner of his juft anger, he might? 
 fill the earth with ail kind of- evils; and he bound-- 
 ed his cruelty and paifion by nothing, lef^ than 
 blood and burning." 
 
 We fhail next attempt to fix the time, a little 
 mere, particularly, when thefe events happened •, 
 after the council of Nice, as was faid, quarrels 
 and diflentions, broke out among the clergy^ 
 and epifcopacy began to take place. In fucceed- 
 ing councils or affemblies, the precedency of fome? 
 fees was eftablifhed, and a foundation of eeeiefi- 
 aftical hierarchy was laid. The council of Nice 
 appointed four patriarchs ; One at Alexandria, in 
 Egypt ^another at Jerufalem, in Syria ; a third at 
 Antioch, in Ana ; a fourth at Rome; and fome> 
 add ; a fifth, at Conflantinople. Thefe were to 
 prefide over the metropolitans,. cr arebbifhops, 
 who yet were all independent in their own bounds 3 
 as is evident from canon fix*h. After this, Rome 
 got the preference, and Go.nftinople became fe- 
 cond ; not from any intrinfic dignity in themfelve°,- 
 but becaufe they were the two. capitcls cf the emi 
 
 girt}: 
 
( 6 9 > 
 
 pfre; this is evident from canon third, of the fe- 
 cond afiembly at Conftantinople, confirmed by the 
 28th canon of the council of Chakedon, and the 
 36th canon of the council of Trulos; where Con- 
 ftantinople is made fecond to Rome, becaufe it 
 was denominated new Rome, and had the fame 
 civil privileges with the old. From this time 
 Rome took every opportunity to claim the fupre- 
 macy ; and was much aflified in it, both by thefe 
 decrees, and the refort of many who defiYed to 
 have that bifhop of their party ; who had great 
 Weight in fettling controverfies among other 
 churches, and affirmed to himfelf a power over 
 them; alfo contended, that the churches of the 
 eaft, ancfr- in Africa^ ought, in all controverted 
 points, to appeal to him. This is clear from their 
 letters to the council of Antioch, and propofala 
 made to the council of Chalcedon, but more par- 
 ticularly, by their letters and meflages to that of 
 Carthage; where we may fee, that Appiarius, bi» 
 fliop of Sica, juftly cenfured by the council of 
 Carthage, appealed to the brihop of Rome ; and 
 three other bifhops fucceflively, fo far owned the 
 appeal, as to admit the condemned peifbn into 
 *heir communion ; and fent commiffioness to the 
 fixth council of Carthage, confiding of 217 bi- 
 {hops, among whom was Augufline, command- 
 ing them to repeal their former fentence : they 
 pretended, they were authorized, by the council of 
 Nice, to a£t as arbiters to all others, and that any 
 bifhop had a right, by that council, to appeal to 
 them. The members of this afiembly, fufpecling 
 the truth of their allegation, fent meflengers 
 to Antioch, Alexandria, and Conftantinople, fos 
 authentic copies of the canons of faid council, but 
 found no fuch a£ts in them for Rome's fupremacyj 
 However, they had not yet arrived at that height 
 of audacity, to alledge divine right in their fa-* 
 your ; ta a fuDeriority over, others j yet even then 
 
 cbuich^ 
 
( 7o ) 
 
 church-power was abufed, by the pride and am- 
 bition of their clergy ; and, on account of the for- 
 mer herefy, a foundation was laid for the bifhop* 
 of Rome, to take encouragement to profecute 
 their fupremacvj and on which they continued 
 to rear it up, till it came to its height. 
 
 By -all which we may obfcrve, how pernicious 
 this difpute was to the church, and how much it 
 contributed, in the event, to the advancement of 
 Antichriftj which is the particular plague meant 
 in the trumpets, and therefore property compre- 
 hended under the feccmd, as agreeing with the 
 type, time, and other reafor.s affigned in appli- 
 cation of the former trumpet. 
 
 Verfe ie. iu Upon the third angel foundings 
 a great ftar is faid to fall from heaven, burning as 
 it were a lamp. Bv ftar, according to chap. i. 
 20. we are to underftand fome miniiler or mini- 
 fters of the church vifible ; who having a borrow- 
 td light from Chrift, fhould communicate it to- 
 others : this great itar is like a lamp burning, 
 which means fome one, remarkable for great a- 
 bilities, or in high vogue for pretended holinefs \ 
 having a mighty appearance of religious fan&ity,, 
 but knowing nothing of the life and power of it - r 
 blazing as it were with a counterfeit light, like 
 a lamp, which receives not rts light from the fun,, 
 as the ftars do. This ftar fails from heaven y 
 that is, he makes a defe&ion from the church,, 
 which in fcripture language is called heaven ; he 
 deviates from the purity of the gofpel, and cor- 
 rupts the fountains of water ; that is, he intro- 
 duced fome new error into the church, which 
 (hall be obferved as we proceed. 
 
 This ftar is called wormwood j a bitter herb, 
 embittering every thing that mixeth with it^ 
 which, according to Deut-xxix. 18. denotes a. 
 perfon or family that departeth from God, ta 
 worfhip idols ; bimon Magus is faid to be in the 
 
 fcalli 
 
( 7i ) 
 
 gall of bitternefs, for his unworthy thoughts 6t 
 the grace of God, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft, 
 which he thought to purchafc with money. Thus 
 it renders the fountains bitter, by introducing 
 free will, the falling away of the faints, the in* 
 efficacy of grace, the doctrine of merit, prede- 
 ftination upon forefeen good works or faith ; 
 whereby the pure wholefora do&rines of the gof- 
 pcl are poifoned ; or rather, thefe poifonous and 
 pernicious errors introduced in their room, by 
 which many are ruined. For it is faid td fall in- 
 to, and embitter a third part of therivers : as if 
 he had faid, though theie deftrucHve errors may 
 be greedily fwallowed up by great numbers of 
 people, yet a total defection from truth (hall not 
 take place ; and though many died, yet a rem- 
 nant fliall be faved, as Paul faid of the Jews. 
 
 The application of this, we fuppofe, may re- 
 fer to fome great defection in the church; by 
 fome perfon or perfons of great abilities, of more 
 than ordinary eloquence, appearing to argue a- 
 greeable to reafon, and pretending the ftri&eft 
 regard to morality : hence it is different from the 
 former in feveral refpedts. l. As it more imme- 
 diately affects the free grace of the gofpel. 2. In 
 the manner; for there is no blood nor perfecution 
 in this, as in the former two: here Satan appears 
 as an angel of light, introducing error, by means 
 of his agents, under the mafk of the ftricteft ho- 
 linefs. 4. It falleth not on the earth, as in chap, 
 ix. 1. becaufe that ftar is not yet arrived at its 
 height ; here it has the epithet of Great given it, 
 but in the 9th chapter it is called fimply a ftar, 
 having loft much of its brightnefs by its firft fall; 
 for it is probably the fame fall, begun under this 
 trumpet, and finifhed under the fifth. 
 
 It may be naturally fuppofed, this trumpet fuo 
 ceeded the former in point of time; when the bi- 
 fhops of Rome were quarreling with the cJcrj 
 
$t the eaft, and thofeof Africa, to advance tktli 
 Supremacy ; this happened near about the 400* 
 In the fifth century, many grofs heretics made 
 their appearance, fuch as Pelagius in the year 413; 
 Neftorius, in the 429', Eutiches, about the 449} 
 befides many others, who were all favoured by 
 the great men of the empire ; and even the em- 
 peror Anaftatius hifrifelf favoured Ehtiches, in 
 preference to Flavianus. Though many great 
 and good men oppofed thefe errors, yet they made 
 a rapid progrefs in the world. As piety and re- 
 gard to truth declined, errors grew up apace; viz*, 
 v/rong notions about fanctifi cation, the poflibility 
 of fulfilling the law, obferving of holy days, isY. 
 This ftar, corrupting fountains arid ftreams in- 
 fenfibly, did not fo direftly attack the foundations, 
 ss the former herefies had done ; but acknow- 
 ledging the do&rine of the Trinity, and right 
 with refpecl: to the perfon of Chrift, as Gregori- 
 us Roma did, but miftook the nature and execu- 
 tion of his offices. This ftar, addcth to, and 
 mixeth fomething with truth, yet fuch as alter- 
 eth the very nature of it; fueh as, the popilh ad* 
 ditions of merit, penances, indulgences, medi- 
 ators, and interceflions of faints, and angels, £tc. 
 Pelagius and his train of errors, are, doubtlefs* 
 typified here ; as agreeing not only to the type, 
 but in time, for he began about the year 405,.. 
 or, as fome fay, the year 415. 
 
 This was a man of the greateft natural abilitie?, 
 a*id once thought to be eminently pious, and zea- 
 Jpus for the truth; the nature of his herefy was 
 different from the former: he fecretly undermin- 
 ed the nature of ChfilVa offices, and endeavour- 
 ed to render them of no effecl:. This error fpread 
 amazingly in many parts of the world, yet many 
 teftified againft it, as Auguftine, Hieronymus 
 and others ; the church of Rome embraced, and 
 ftill tenacioufly continues, mod of thefe errors. 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 tt would far exceed the bounds we defign i 
 tliis effay, fliould we endeavour to confu e all the 
 errors we have already mentioned, and others 
 that will be afterwards fpoke of. We (hall only 
 feieft a few; and, by (hewing the abfurdities of 
 them, the reft may be eafily gueffed at. The firfl: 
 we ihall take notice of, is that of merit; and cer> 
 Vainly (fays Mr Stephens, in his firfl ferrnoiv, 
 preached before the Criti(h fa&ory, at Oporto in 
 Portugal,) " There cannot be a more grofs error, 
 in the fpiritual computation I have hitherto treat- 
 ed of. than to imagine, that God is thus a debtor 
 to frail and fmful man; or that our imperfect o- 
 bedience of fp (hort a duration, (when the whole 
 and utmoft of our fervice is matted of duty, none 
 of which we Can difcharge without divine a (lift* 
 ance), fhould, by its intrinfic worth and excel- 
 lence, bear an equivalent proportion to an eter- 
 nity of the mofl confummate happinefs." 
 
 The prophet, in a ftrong aliufion, defcribes our 
 "righteoufnefs as filthy rags-, and we are told, and 
 fadly experience it in ourfeives, " that in many 
 *? things we offend all," are at beft unprofitable 
 fervants ; and therefore might juflly be call into 
 everlafting outer darknefs. Where then, (to ufe 
 the words of the apoftie, Rom. i:i. 27 ) is boafl- 
 ing? It is excluded by the law of faith ; that is, 
 the whole tenor of the gofpel. What then can 
 be more abfurd, as well as profane, than thi* 
 conceited prefumption of the Romans ? It is, as if 
 a freely pardoned criminal fhoald demand the 
 Ingheft favours of his prince, to whom, by foul 
 rebellion, he had forfeited his life. Indeed thro* 
 our Saviour's fatisfaclion, we have a right and title 
 to the ceieftial inheritance, as a forgiven offender 
 may have to whatever is included in his pardon : 
 yet ftill eternal life is a gracious gift and promiic, 
 to be claimed folely by our Saviour's merits, not 
 cut own: neither is this do&rine of merit only 
 G *a 
 
( u ) 
 
 an inftance cf fpirltual pride, but of injuftice arid 
 ingratitude to God; men hereby difown the high- 
 ell obligations, facrilegiouily rob many of the di- 
 vine attributes of the honour due to therfi, difpa- 
 rage and trample upon infinite clemency, and in- 
 vade heaven by a kind of gigantic violence: what- 
 fatal influence it has on religion is notorious* Nc-» 
 verthelefs this foul corruption is ftrenuoufly abet- 
 ted by the Rcmifh church; and no wonder, fince 
 as it is a gainful notion, (it being one of tHe inex- 
 hauftible mines from which their revenues are 
 fupplied, and s great part cf the foundation orf 
 which their religious houfes are generally erect- 
 ed), fo it is a fuccefsful ftate-engine for carrying 
 on the Papal tyranny and ufurpation : : for', (with 
 horror be it fpoken), the moft: fcandalous breach 
 of faith, and violation of oaths, the moft bloody 
 sffaffinatior.s and maffacres, ha^vifig been fan&ifi- 
 ed by their Popes, and termed meritorious, (who* 
 fcave alfo canonized as martyrs, thofe who fell 
 by the bands of juftice, in fiich flagitious at- 
 tempts), there never trill be waiting instruments* 
 who, efceited by the fame views, will be ready to' 
 engage ihemfeives in the like abominable prac- 
 tices. 
 
 After faying fo tnttdh en the abfurdity of merit> 
 it wotild be to no purpofe to weary Our readers,- 
 with their fti'il more ridiculous notion of fupen» 
 erogation, or doing more fhart the kw 6f God 
 requires. 
 
 The learned bifliop Newton, again, in his ufuaf 
 rranner y applies this trumpet to Genferic king cf 
 the Vandals, who invaded Italy with an army cf 
 300,030 men. 
 
 Verfe 12. *3- " And the fourth s'ngel founded, 
 M and the third part of the fun was fmiften," 6a 
 We have fcen the' former three trumpets, fuccef- 
 fively contributing to promote the m fere ft of Ari- 
 tichrift. In ver. i2% two things are to be ob&rved v 
 
 1. 
 
( 75 ) 
 I. The fun, moon, and ftars arc fmitten. 7. Thfc 
 fatal effects that follow : the day fhone not for a 
 third part thereof, and the night alfo, becaufe the 
 luminaries that give light were all darkened. 
 By fun, moon, and ftars, is Purely meant, the 
 [i^ht and purity of the gofpel and its ordinances, 
 a^Pfai. cxix. 105. " Thy word is a lamp unto my 
 u feet, and a light to my pith*" and 2 Pet. i. 19. 
 We have a mere fure word of prophecy, where- 
 unto ye do well to tdke h:ed, as to a light Alining 
 in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day 
 ftar arife in your hearts. Malach. iv. 2. " The fun 
 u of righteoufnefs ihali arife," &c. Many more pla- 
 ces mi^ht be mentioned, were it neceflary : the 
 church is faid to be fair as the moon, her mini- 
 fters are compared to ftars, who borrow their 
 light from the Sun of righteoufnefs ; and the 
 beauty of the church is predicted in thefe words: 
 4f The light of the moon fhall be as the light of the 
 fun, and the light of the fun as the light of feven 
 days." Now 4 feeing thefe lights, in the yifion, are 
 faid to be fmkten, fo that a third part is darken- 
 ed ; we may fairly conclude, that the pure doc- 
 trines of the word are now corrupted ; that the 
 Simplicity of worfhip, and the practical power of 
 godlinefs, were bartered for teaman traditions ; 
 yet only a third part is fmitten; which (hews ue, 
 that flill many adhered to the truth, which was 
 very different under the the following trumpet, 
 when it is wholly darkened. It does not appear 
 that any new errors are introduced by this trump- 
 et, no more than by tie fifth \ only tliey afe 
 more univerfally received in this and the follow- 
 ing, till almoft the whole world are plunged in- 
 to a deep abyfs of ignorance, error, and fuper- 
 flition. 
 
 Wc are inclined to apply this to the Gxth cen- 
 tury; becaufe, in that age, the light cf the gofpel 
 was prodigioufljr obfeuredj though not fo much 
 
( 76 ) 
 as afterwards, in the following ages. Hirtory 
 does not inform us of any new herefies broached, 
 though the former were all eagerly adhered to - 9 
 yet though there was no new herefy or heretic, 
 there was a general falling cfF from the fimple 
 purity of doctrine, worfhip, government, aad 
 practice. Monafteries were then erected, fuper- 
 ilitiousdaysobfervcd, the doclriue of good works, 
 and traditions, increafed ; the ma;riage-bed, 
 which, in facred writ, is faid to be honourable, 
 began to be regletted, even by great perfonages, 
 from a miftaken zeal for devotion. 
 
 M No proteftant, who travels through Popifh 
 fcountries, fays Mr Stephens, can be fo careJefs 
 an obferver, as not to remark the grievous burden 
 they groan under, by reafon of their numerous 
 menaiieries ; of which purgatory, and prayers for 
 the dead, laid the firft ftone; and both raifed and 
 fupported their grandeur, to the turning the 
 gfeateft part of their wealth unto unprpfitable, 
 <ind often impure channels : which not onlv de- 
 
 1 3 4 
 
 prives the (late of many ufeful members, but 
 renders them dependent on a foreign power: and, 
 lafUy, brings on them a dearth of legitimate off- 
 spring ; which is an evil, that every body- politic 
 (and more efpecially, Britain) ought to guard a- 
 gainft, as much as againft famine and peftilence. 
 How ought we then to admire the wifdom and 
 iuftice of Protefiants, in pulling down pretended 
 houfes of prayer, degenerated into dens of theives ; 
 and feizing upon wealth, the revenue of cheat 
 and iiVipoiture; and, like falfe ccin^ regularly 
 forfeited to government : thus we can never fuf- 
 ficientiy value our harfinefs, in being deihered 
 from the devouring fwarms of thefe religious 
 drones, and mould ever thankfully adore the di* 
 vine Goodnefs, which compleatcd, and fettled our 
 reformation, upon the mod folid bafis, and put 
 -it into fife hearts of legislators, to fecure thefe 
 
 glorious 
 
( 77 ) 
 glorious privileges, by repeated a&s of parliament, 
 in favour of the Prottftanr, arid to check the 
 growth of the Popiih religion in Britain* 
 
 One circnmftance is remarkable in this zfct, 
 mentioned above, and tends to confirm, not o;.- 
 ly the truth of what has been already faid > but ct 
 what foon happened after. John Bifnop of Oofli 
 ftantinople, by the confent of Mauritius the em- 
 peror, and the bifhops of the feaft; aflumed to 
 himfelf, the title of Univerfal Bifhop and Patri- 
 arch : Gregory, bifhop of Rome, gives us a par- 
 ticular account of this, and, what effect bad It on 
 religion. <c There was a great decay, fays he* 
 of zeal and humanity among the clergy, by their 
 being too much immerfed in worldly purfuits." 
 Ke reckoned the title of univerfal biihop, a cer- 
 tain infallible figii, or mark, of Antichrift ; claim- 
 ing to himfelf fuperiority over all other bifhop?, 
 which none of the apofties, no, not even Peter, 
 at ten' pied to do. " This, faid he, is a fure fign, 
 that Antichrift is near ; fmce a prieft io exalted 
 himfelf, and has an army of priefts ready to ad- 
 vance him, and bend their necks under his yoke: 
 for, what is Antichrift's exalting himfelf, a- 
 bove all that is called God, in this world, and 
 fitting in his temple as God, but a prieft lifting 
 up himfelf above all his fellow priefts \ Which 
 is, to affume Chrifts chair/' 
 
 It is fomewhat furprifi.ng, that the fucceflcrs 
 of this fame biihop, a few years after, ihouM 
 have paid no regard to this famous prediction, 
 and warning, of one of their own predecefTors. 
 This plainly fhews us, that the defigns of God 
 fnall be accomplifhed 7 and the very wrath of man 
 (hail praife him. 
 
 As we have frequent reaiorr, to mention the 
 word Antichrift, in this effay, we ihu-Ji here, once 
 for all, give our readers a definition of it, accord- 
 ing as it harS been underftood by the church, from 
 G' 3 the: 
 
r ?i i 
 
 the carliefi time*? and, according as the emi'fientfjr 
 learned Bifhop Hurd defines it, in his feventh fer- 
 mon, p^ge 215. " The word Antichrift, fays he^ 
 (lands for a perfon or power, acluated with a fpi- 
 rii oppofite to that of Chrift ; and fo the apoftle 
 John, 1. epift. iv. 3. explains it ; For fpeaking of 
 certain falfe -teachers, who preached up a doc* 
 ivhiz contrary to that of the gofpel, he fays, "This 
 *• i.s that fpirk cf Antichrift, whereof ye have 
 <: heard that it fhould come, and even now airea- 
 *' dy is in the world." And I hy the greater firefe 
 ©n this observation, becaufe the etemelogy of the 
 word, A&ticbri-ft., makes it capable of two differ- 
 ent meanings : For it may either fignify, one in 
 the place and office of Chrift, or, one who main* 
 tains a direct enmity and opposition to him ; but 
 the latter is the fenfe in 'which the apoftle ufeth* 
 this term y although it be true, that in. the for- 
 mer fenfe, it very well Guts the bifhop of Rome,. 
 who calls himftlf, the Vicar of Chrift, as well as 
 the fu.ee effcr of St Peter. Nor ca^ there ne any 
 difficulty in fixing tfie charge of Antiehrmianifrrs, 
 in the knit cf an enmity and op po lit ion to Chrift,, 
 on the Reman- Pen: iff; (though 1 know how ab- 
 find the attempt feems to waiters on that fide) •, 
 for,, to merit this charge, it is not neci ftary, that 
 he fhcud formally reject Chrift, which undoubt- 
 edly he does not,, but that he Qiould act in. defi- 
 ance, to the true genius, and character of Chrift? s> 
 religion; a charge, which may evidently be made, 
 good againft him. In fhort, as the word Chrift,, 
 is ufed frequently, in the apoftolic writings, for 
 the; doctrines, of: Chrift \ in which fenfe wc are: 
 faid: to put on Chrift, and to learn Chrift, and 
 in. other inil^nces: fo Antichrift', in the abftraflt,. 
 may be taken, for a doctrine, fubver five, of thee 
 Chriftian y,and when applied. to a^ particular man,, 
 or body of men,, it denotes one, who fers him— 
 ifclf againft the fpirit of that doctrine. 
 
 ihi 
 
( 79 > 
 
 • In thrsrlaft fenfe, the word Antichrid \$ clear- 
 ly meant by St John ; and from his example, th«r 
 word grew into general ufe in the church, and is 
 to be undcrftood, whenever mention is made of 
 Antichrrfl: by the primitive fathers, or any other 
 ecclefiaftieal writers." 
 
 The Bifhop proceeds to fhew in what manner 
 the prophecies have been conftrued, and applied* 
 by many eminent members of the Chriuian 
 church in all ages. Ke fir ft proves, in a very 
 ftrong and clear manner, that Antiehriit was 
 not applied to Heathen, but to Chriftian Rome. 
 In the fecond place, he fhews, that the papal powef 
 is that very Antichrift, and that it began to make 
 its appearance in the fixth century, and gradually 
 increafed, till it came to its height. In order ta 
 confirm this, he quotes feme of the Rorniih 
 clergy, particularly at the fyncd of Rheims, held 
 in the tenth century: i( Arnulphus bifhop of 
 Orleans, appiied to the whole council, Whether 
 the bifhop of Jome were not the Antichrid of 
 the prophets, fitting in tne temple of God, and 
 perfectly correfponding to the marks St Paul had 
 given of him ?' In particular, fpeaking of John 
 the fifteenth, who then governed the Roman 
 church, he apoilrophifed the aflembly in thefe 
 words : " What think ye, reverend Fathers, of 
 this man ? feated on a lofty throne, and fhining in 
 purple and gold I Whom do ye account him to 
 be ? Surely, if deftitute of charity, and puffed up 
 with the pride of fcience only, he is Antichrift,, 
 fitting in the temple of God, (hewing himfelf 
 ifcat he is God. 
 
 la the beginning of the eleventh century,, 
 Berengarius,. a man of principal note in thofe. 
 days, and diftinguifhed for his free writings con- 
 cerning the Euchariil, went fo. far, ; as to call the 
 ehurcb of Rome, the feat of Satan. 
 
 Jtluiring this^ and ths following century, the 
 
 biihop 
 
 ■■ii 
 
f ( 80 ) 
 
 bifhop produceth the authorities of John Avcn~ 
 tinus; Flucntius, brfiiop of Florence, and the 
 /whole church of Lie^e ; alfo, St Bernard, the 
 moil eminent perfon of that age. 
 
 King Richard the I. cf England, in his way to 
 the hoiy land, hearing of the learned Abbot Joa- 
 chim of Calabria, had the curiofiry to hear a lec- 
 ture from him, in which' he expreffed much iatis- 
 faclion." Then he mentions the Wakienfes, or^ 
 Albigenfes; and feveral others we (hall have oc- 
 casion to take notice of, in what follows. 
 
 Bifhop Newton, in his ufual manner, applies 
 this fourth trumpet to the weftern part of the 
 Roman empire. Hear his own words, ,€ by the 
 fun, moon, and ftars, (fays he), are meant the 
 great lights of the Roman empire^ they are e- 
 clipfed and darkened, and remain in darknefs 
 for fome time. Genfei ic reft the Roman empire 
 in a weak and defperate condition. It ftruggled 
 . hard, and gafped as it were for breath, through 
 eight fbort and turbulent reig?^s,4cr the fpace of 
 twenty years ; and at length expired, in the year 
 476, under Momyius, or Auguilulus as he is 
 named in derifion. This change was effected by 
 Odoacer king of the Heruli \ who coming to Rome 
 
 \ with an army of barbarians, ftrpped Momyius 
 
 of the imperial robes, put an end to the very 
 
 \ iiame of the weftern empire > and caufed himfelf 
 
 to be proclaimed king of Italy His kingdom, 
 indeed, was of no long duration ; for after a reigrr 
 cf fixteen years, he was overcome and flain, in 
 the year 493, by Theodoric king of the Oftro- 
 goths, who founded the kingdom of the Oftro- 
 gothsin Italy; which continued about Sixty years 
 under his fucceflbrs. Thus was the Roman fun 
 extinguifhed in the weftern empire ; but the o^- 
 ther leffer luminaries, the moon and liars, ft ill 
 fubfifted ; for Rome was ftill allowed to have her 
 feaate^ axid confuis^ and other fubordinate oin~ 
 
 cers 
 
( 8i ) 
 
 cers as before. Oclcacer, at fnfl fupprefled them -, 
 but after two or three years reftored them again. 
 Theodoric changed none of the Roman inftitutes > 
 ' he retained the fenate, confuls, and patricians, 
 and all the ancient magiftrates, and committed 
 thefe offices .only to Roman s» Thefe lights, we 
 may fuppofe, fhone more faintly under barbarian 
 kings, than under Roman emperors; but thejr 
 were not totally fupprcSed and extinguished, till 
 after the kingdom of the Oftrogoths was deft rov- 
 ed, by the empercr of the eaiVs lieutenants, and 
 Italy was made a province of the eaftern empire. 
 Then was Longinus fent in the year 56ft, by the 
 emperor Juftin II. to govern Italy with abso- 
 lute authority: and he changed the whole form 
 of the government, abolifhed the fenate and con- 
 fuls, and all the former magiftrates iftftoiws and 
 Italy ; and, in every city of ncte, conftituted a> 
 new governor, with the title of duke. He him- 
 felf prefided over all, and refiding at Ravenna* 
 and not 3t Rome, he was called, the Exarch of 
 Ravermah, as were alfo his fuccefibrs in the fame 
 office. Rome was degraded to the fame level 
 with other places : and from being the queen" of 
 cities, and emprefs of the world, was reduced 
 to a poor dukedom, and made tributary to Ri- 
 venna, which ihe had ufed to govern. 
 
 Verfe 13. John beholds an angel flying through 
 the midft of heaven, crying woe, woe, woe, three 
 woes, according to the number of the trumpets 
 yet to found ; which denote three dreadful 
 plagues to follow ; as will be feen. 
 
 No doubt, as our Saviour denounced wees to 
 the cities that defpifed his gofpel. thtrfe, in like 
 manner, are denounced againfl a benighted 
 world, funk in fenfuaiity, ignorance, znd fuper- 
 flition ; as alfo, to give warning to his church, 
 of rhe dreadful trials they were to meet with : 
 there is a natural gradation in all the trumpets 
 
 aud 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 and vials, as well as of the feals ; fo that the la-ft 
 always exceeded thofe that went before, in fome 
 awful judgments, either upon the church or her 
 enemies. When they defpife the gofpel, and re- 
 ceive not the truth in the love of it, they provoke 
 God to give them up to ftrong ddufions to be- 
 lieve a lie. Notwithstanding, God gives his peo- 
 ple warning, before hand, of the judgments he 
 is about to fend, that they may be updn their 
 guaid, and the wicked left without excufe. 
 
 On this verfe, bifhop Newton remarks, that 
 as the foregoing trumpets relate chiefly to the 
 downfal of the weftern empire, the two follow- 
 ing relate chiefly to the downfal of the eaftern. 
 The foregoing are defcribed more fuccin£lly, and 
 contain a lefs compafs of time ; the following 
 are fet forth with more particular circumftances, 
 and are of longer duration, as well as of larger 
 ctefcription. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Verfe i. — 12. We fee the fifth angel found- 
 ing, and the awful effects that follow. Here, 
 as in the former, a ftar falls from heaven ; but 
 this fall is more dreadful than -the former, for 
 he receives the key of the botto'mlefs pit. The 
 Chriftian world is, doubtlefs, the objeft of this 
 judgment, upon whom the effects of the former 
 trumpets fell j for the laft three denote greater 
 degrees of wrath upon thofe who kad defpifed 
 and abufed the former lefler woes. Again, the 
 Chriftian world is obfeured by the trumpets, and 
 the Antichriflian world fucceeds in its place ; 
 for after the fixth trumpet, when the vials begin 
 to be poured out, the Antichriflian world is ft ill 
 in being; it mud therefore have exifted under 
 the trumpets, and particularly under the imme- 
 diate foregoing ones : and it is at its height un- 
 der the feventh j therefore the true church was 
 
 declining 
 
( «j ) 
 
 declining under the trumpets, wbilft the And** 
 chriftian was coming into exiftence ; for thefo 
 two worlds cannot caift together. 
 
 Seeing then that the church is the object o( 
 this plague, and Antichrift increafing tinder thefe 
 trumpets, and chiefly under this, as this is a 
 farther advancement of the fame kind of plagtie, 
 and the fixthplagiieth idolatrous Antichrift, then 
 at his height, he muft therefore be growing here. 
 Further, this can be ho temporal judgment, as 
 the flxth trumpet is ; for then it would not fa 
 far exceed the woes of that kind, as we obforved. 
 Again, the locufts are mentioned here like hor-* 
 fes ; yet they are not really hcrfes, as in the filth, 
 but having fomething of their nature. Their 
 fower is to hurt, not to kill, as they do in the' 
 fixth trumpet. Alfo the fervants of God who' 
 were fealed, are freed from this plague, though 
 they are not exempted from temporal afflictions y 
 as appears from chap. xi. nor from the devafta-* 
 tions of the Saracens, who made havee of all 
 alike. Though thefe may appear fufficient to 
 fhew, that the Saracens cannot be folely mean? 
 here; yet we (hall add another, which we think 
 ftill ftronger tha?) any of the former. This an-* 
 gel is faid to fall from heaven : but how can Ma^» 
 hornet and his Saracens be faid to fall from hea-* 
 ven, feeing he never was a member* of the vifibla 
 church 5 this will, however, apply well to the 
 Pope, who, with propriety, may be faid to fall 
 from heaven, when he fell of from the purity 
 and fimplicity of the gofpel. 
 
 Further we maintain, that the rife and difr 
 covtry of Antichrift, and the bifhop of Rome 
 falling from heaven to earth ; though at firft 
 they came not to their full height, fs the thing 
 piedifted here : becaufe the beaits mentioned in 
 chap. xiiL muft be underftood of Antichrift, 
 particularly in his rife, as fhall be made appear 
 
 afterward*. 
 
 i 
 
- ( 84 ) 
 
 afterwards. But the war, both there and here, 
 is differently exprelTed * the very fame perfon* 
 are alfo overcome by both* viz. the unfealed 
 ones : again, the fame perfons are delivered from 
 both, viz. the fealed ones, as in chap. ix. 4. 
 chap. xiii. 8. and xiv. 1. ; likewife the number 
 is the fame in chap. vii. ^4. It is evident the 
 vvi. chapter belongs to Antichrift, from verfe 7. 5 
 for the witneffes are to be killed by the beaft, 
 and what beaft can that be, but that which, in 
 chap. xiii. afcendeth out of the bottofnlefs pit, 
 as the locufts do here , and that the xi. chapter 
 belongs to this trumpet, is evident from verfe 14* 
 where it is fcid that the fecond woe is pad, and 
 that the third woe cometh. Then all preceed- 
 ing that, belong to the firft or fecond woe ; but 
 it cannot belong to the fecond, as has been ob- 
 fervcd before •, therefore it belongs to. the firft, 
 which, indeed, in this event, is cotemporary 
 with the fecond or fixth trumpet. 
 
 Finally, As the fifth vial is poured on the feat 
 of the beaft, fo the fifth trumpet fets him on his 
 feat. 
 
 We again affirm, if that fpiritual defe&ion of 
 the church, under Antichrift, be that ftorm a- 
 gainft which the 144,000 are foaled in chap. vii. 
 then what is comprehended in this trumpet is fo 
 alfo; for both have relation to the fame ftorm: 
 but that is to be underftood of Antichrift's reign, 
 chap. 7. as the greateft calamity that could be- 
 fal the church, after the heathen perfections; 
 therefore this mud be fo too. 
 
 This fpiritual kingdom muft either be applied 
 to Antichrift, or fome other, (feeing it is fome 
 fpiritual plague (fringing up in the church), but 
 the defcription can agree to no other ; and in 
 whom can this fpiritual woe be fulfilled, but the 
 kingdom of Antichrift? therefore that muft be 
 meant here, 
 
 Again> 
 
t 8* ) 
 
 Agaiii, it is evident, that it is the fame church, 
 fcr world, which is overturned, by the firft fix 
 trumpets ; and it being likewifc evident, that the 
 fixth trumpet findeth idolatry in the vifible church* 
 which is the world plagued by that trumpet *, it 
 then follows, that this falling off to idolatry, 
 which is a character of Antichrift, has increafed 
 under this fifth trumpet, immediately preceding 
 it, fince it was not during the former. 
 
 In the laft place> this may be further confirm- 
 ed, by comparing this yth chapter with t ThefT. 
 ii. ; by which we may perceive, that the plague 
 mentioned here, is the fame fpiritlial Antichri- 
 ftian deiufion foretold there, for they agree in eve* 
 ry materialcifcumftance. As ifl,The inftrument: 
 there, is one fitting iri the temple of God, as ha- 
 ving place in the church of Chrift ; here, is a ftar 
 falling rk)m heaven, meaning the fame thing. 
 2dly, There, he is called an oppofer of God> 
 and the fon of perdition ; here, he is denomina- 
 ted the deftroyer, in oppofition to Chriftj who is 
 the Saviour : alfo, in chap. xvii. of this book, he 
 is faid to go to deftructi#n 5 and as Chryfoftome 
 faid, he is called the fon of perdition, becaufe he 
 brings ma-ny to deftrudiion, and mall certainly be 
 deflroyed himfelf. 
 
 Thirdly, They agree* in refpecr. of thofe whom 
 they torment, z ThefT. ii. 10. ; it is alfo ihofe 
 that fhall be damned who are Carried away with 
 this deiufion, whofe names are not writlen in 
 the Lamb's book of life, chap. xiii. 4. They are 
 given up to ftrong deiufion, to believe lies ; in 
 this place, they are carried away with fornica- 
 tions, idolatries, and other errors, and they 
 cleave fo fail to them, that though the fixth trum- 
 pet torments them, yet they repent not. 
 
 Laftly, That deiufion 2 ThefT. ii. takes its rife 
 
 from the devil, verfe 9. : and is carried on with 
 
 mighty figns and wonders. Here it comes front 
 
 H the 
 
If 86 ) 
 
 the bottomlefs pit, and is carried on by the de- 
 vil's agent, who has the key thereof, and is not 
 without mighty figns and lying wonders ; as is 
 evident from chap. xiii. where the fame kingdom 
 is differently defcribed. 
 
 In verfe i. A ftar is faid to fall from heaven 
 to earth. By ftar is meant here, fome diftin- 
 guiihed church-officer: this is clear from our 
 Lord's own expofition, chap. i. 20. Again, by 
 heaven is under ftood the vifible church, as is fre- 
 quently done in this book; where Chrift, the 
 glorious Head of his church, hath placed apo- 
 flies, paftors, and teachers ; and hath furnifhed 
 them with heavenly light, for the edification of 
 the faints. 
 
 It will then naturally follow, that earth mud 
 fignify all fenfual, devilifli, wicked perfons, who 
 mind only the profits and pleafures of a prefent 
 life, and have no communication with Chrift the 
 Head But though once, like a ftar, they feem- 
 ed to borrow light from him, yet now they are 
 fallen from heaven to earth ; that is, inftead of 
 cleaving to Chrift, as a branch to the vine, they 
 have embraced the do&rine of devils, as> will be 
 feen in the fequel. Now this ftar, though fallen, 
 ftiil retains the name with the people of the 
 earth, to which he is fallen : nay, they admire, 
 they adore, they worfhip him, btcaufe he has 
 introduced a form of religion fuited to their hu- 
 mours ; therefore, in chap, xi his followers are 
 calk-d Gentiles, as having again embraced their 
 idolatrous fuperftiiions. 
 
 This fallen tUr had now received keys ; not the 
 keys of heaven, which they fajfely affirm, but 
 the keys of the bottomlefs pit. According to fa- 
 cred writ, a key or keys fignify powex- and autho-* 
 rity. It is the prerogative of Chrift alone, as the 
 Mediator, to carry the keys of hell and death, as 
 well as of 'heaven ■ he openeth and no man ihut- 
 
 teth, 
 
( 8 7 ) 
 
 teth, and fhutteth and no man openeth. But as 
 the devil has obtained and ufurped a kingdom in 
 oppofition to his, which, in the fovereign wif- 
 dom of God, he is permitted to do 9 he has de- 
 legated that power to this fallen (tar, to act as 
 his lieutenant or vicegerent on earth ; this is evi- 
 dent from chap. xiii. 2. 4. While this flar re- 
 mained in heaven, he had the keys of the king- 
 dom of heaven, under the authority of Chrift ; but 
 now that he is fallen, he has got keys of another 
 nature, viz. of hell or the bottomlcfs pit; and 
 to ferve the devil his new mailer, who employs 
 him, in advancement of ignorance, fuperftition, 
 and idolatry, on the earth to which he is fallen, 
 for the propagating and fpreading of corrupt 
 do&rrne ; which is laid, in 1 Tim. iv. I. t&c. to 
 be a doftrine of devils. 
 
 Verfe 2. " And he opened the bottomlefs pit." 
 He, viz. the ftar, or Antichrift, being fullered 
 by God to affurne fovereignty and power, for the 
 intereft of hell, exerted his ucmoii efforts to bring 
 out of it fuperftition and idolatry; where they 
 were formerly confined, fince Conftantine and 
 the world under him embraced Clvriflianity ; now 
 they are again let loofe, as appears by the effects 
 that folios: for out of it iilues fmoke, as the 
 fmoke of a furnace ; tills fmoke 12 explained b;/ 
 its effects, as darkening the fun and air; by 
 which is meant, the obfeuring the pure light of 
 revelation, which formerly (hone confpicuous in 
 the primitive church. Under the former trum- 
 pet, only a third part of light was fmitten, by 
 this the whole fun and air are darkened ; deno- 
 ting, a greater degree of deviation from truth, 
 which though begun then, was not come to its 
 height. Such being the cafe, this fmoke can be 
 nothing eife but the bafe fuperftition of the 
 church of Piome, and her increafing of human 
 traditions and ceremonies, which obfeure the 
 H 2 light 
 
( 88 > 
 
 light of truth. It is faid to be like the fmoke of 
 a great furnace, which darkens the air and fun: 
 fo thefe errors, however fimilar they are to truth, 
 yet they darken it like a thick fmoke, and are as 
 pernicious to the fouls of men as fmoke is to the 
 eye?. 
 
 Verfe 3. " And there came out of the fmoke 
 " locufts upon the earth." As the locufts de- 
 ftroy the fruits of the earth, and turn a fruitful 
 land into barrennefs, fo men who propagate er- 
 ror wafte and deftroy the church. I hat thefe 
 locufts are pretended churchmen, is evident from 
 verfe 11. where they are faid to be in fubordina- 
 ticn to Abaddon, the king of the bottomlefs 
 pit. They are faid to iflue out of the imoke, be- 
 caufe corrupt doctrine produeeth corrupt teach- 
 ti$ ; as was the cafe of Jeroboam's priefts, 
 2 Chron. xi. 14. 15. 2 Tim. iv. 3. 4, << For the 
 " time fhali come, when they {hall not endure 
 " found dc&rine ; but, after their own lulls, (hail 
 " they heap up to Themfelves teachers having 
 fC itching ears, and they fhall turn away their 
 u ears from the truth, and fhall be turned unto 
 * c fables." When error takes place, people 
 choofe innovations, in refpedl cf office- bearers, 
 as well as dextrine : and thereby they are incli- 
 ned to become teachers of ftrange doctrine, for 
 promoting new tenets. The fubftance of the 
 prophecy may be thus fummed up, that the king- 
 dom of Antichrifl fhall commence, by fome re- 
 markable clergyman falling off from the right ex- 
 ercife of church-power, and become a promoter 
 of the defigns of Abaddon, and fubfervient to 
 him ; he (hall introduce many ceremonies, er- 
 rors, and fuperilitious nonfenfe into the church ; 
 fo that fwarms of falfe teachers, and orders of . 
 the clergy, like locufts, fhall abound, which were 
 niver authorifed by Chrift. 
 
 bnto thefe locufts was power given, as thefcor- 
 
 pious 
 
( 8 9 ) 
 
 -pions of the earth have power. The fcorpion is 
 a poifonous infect, or (mall kind of ferpent^ 
 fomewhat refembling alocuft : it is very cunning, 
 and its fting dangerous ; a fit emblem of poifon* 
 ous doctrine. They have aconimiflion and power 
 given them., not from Chrift the Head of the 
 church, but from the king of the bottomlefs pit, 
 who authorities his vicar, the Pope, to eftabiifh 
 an order of clergy, who fhall aft, in all rtfpects, 
 as he fhall dictate to them. The Pope iiTues out 
 his bulls and patents, to erect thofe different 
 orders into one great hierarchy : all thefe have 
 their dependence on him ; to him alone they owe 
 their exiiience, and to him only they are cbe^ 
 dient. 
 
 Before we proceed to the following verfes, we 
 hope our readers will net be difpleafed at a few 
 expreflions of king James I. of England, which 
 we fhall give in his own words : " By locufts 
 and grafshoppers, fays he, underhand monks 
 and friars, who feem to flee a little from the 
 earth,, but indeed are gorbellied devourers :■ in 
 locufts you fee little, but a mouth to mumble o- 
 ver mafles, and a belly to confume > they feized, 
 when time was, upon the meadows, the fat and 
 pleafant parts of the land ; and, like grafs- 
 hoppers, confumed every green > that is, every 
 good thing/* 
 
 We (hall here alfo add an obfervation of Mr 
 Guyfe, who, with many others, applys this trum- 
 pet entirely to the Saracens : " The natural \o-* 
 ends, fays he, are faid to live the five fumm-er- 
 months, inclufive of May and September; and 
 the way of the Saracens upon the empire was* 
 by incujfions only in the fummer-feafons ; to 
 which their tormenting feems more naturally to 
 refer, during the fpace of five months,, than to 
 the years of their power : by calling the months 
 into days> atjjo days to a month, and then reckon- 
 ti 3 ing 
 
( 9o > 
 
 ing each day for a year, the amount of which 
 ii 150 -, which fome fuppofe to be defcriptive of 
 the fpace of time, from the beginning to the end 
 of thefe incurfions of the Saracens into the em- 
 pire." And this interpretation has fomethin^ plau- 
 fibie in it> according to the common fehenie of 
 the trumpet-prophecies : for this he refers the 
 reader to Jurieu, Daubuz, Mr Mead, and Dr 
 Mcir. " However, fays he, it is generally a* 
 greedy that the haracens, in their firft expedition, 
 chiefly plundered and ravaged, but, commonly, 
 did not kill thofe of the Chriflian nations whonii 
 they conquered " 
 
 Verfe 4. They are commanded not to hurt the 
 grafs of the earth. By grafo here we are to un- 
 derftand the fealed ones •, as is evident from what 
 follows : " but only thofe men, who have not 
 ** the feal of Gcd in their foreheads." 
 
 How this can apply to the Saracens we' are at 
 a lofs to comprehend : How was it poiTible forr 
 fchenv to know whom God had fealed, and whom: 
 net ?.' Were they divinely infpired, that they 
 eould certainly know what was known only to- 
 God ? That the Saracens were fent as a fcourge: 
 
 I upon a backflidden church,, we frankly own ; but 
 
 that no mere fhould be meant by thio trumpet- 
 prophecy, we utterly deny. For the commiiTion>. 
 
 / here is, to hurt only thofe who had not the feai 
 
 ©f God in their foreheads; now, if we can any. 
 how conceive, that the Saracens were endowed 
 
 A w'.th fuch fuperlative difcernment, or that any. 
 
 hiftoi ical faifcs (hewed they made any diilinttion.' 
 between one kind of people and another, in that 
 cafe, we would chearfully give up the point ; but„ 
 tiii that be afcertained, we muft be allowed to> 
 adhere to cur former opinion,. That thefe feal*?,. 
 trumpets, and vials, for the mo ft. part, belong 
 to the church. 
 Vexfe 5,. " And it was given to tfcem,. that 
 
( 9* ) 
 
 • f they fhould not kill them \ y> that is, they 
 fhould not take away their natural life, as the 
 Mahomedan horfemen, in the fixih trumpet, did: 
 this may refer to fueh as were not fealed, and 
 that he had no power over the fealed ones, to 
 take away their fpiritud life. The church of 
 Rome do not even take away life from thofe 
 whom they condemn as heretics, they deliver 
 them over to the fecuiar arm, to be pumihed* 
 By five months, fome underftand tht time that 
 locufts live and deftroy the fruits of the earth,, 
 which is from April to September, as we faid 
 above *, but, more properly, it is a time fixed in 
 the counfel cf God, which will not be lone;. 
 
 Verfe6. " Men fhaii feek death," &c. This 
 doubtlefs is meant of tht fubjedts of AntichrilVs 
 kingdom •,. for what can more natively oceafion 
 anxiety and torment of the mind to them, than 
 the Popifli religion, which can never fatisfy or 
 quiet a w uncled conference. Is it poffible, that 
 all the innumerable ceremonies,, hol'days,. dec- 
 trine of merit, uncertainty of grace and falvation, 
 perfection of holinefs, fulfilling of God's law^ 
 with the grievous yokecf wil!-worfhip and fuper- 
 ftition, can quiet a guilty confeience ? What caa 
 their penances, pilgrimages* fatisf actions, indul- 
 gences, invocation of faints and images, avail ? 
 "What imnienfe fums of money have been given. 
 for maiTes after death, and to pray the foul out 
 of purgatory, arid fuch like ftuif? Hiilory a- 
 bounds- with initances of the comL'rtlcis life, and 
 fearful death, of many Papifts, Their doctrine 
 purfues men till death, and, after death to tor- 
 ment. Their auricular confeffion of fin under 
 pain of damnation, their confidence on the pope's 
 pardon, the priefts abfoluticn, their own holi- 
 nefs, or the efficacy of fome facrament, or fome 
 idolatrous invention, fuch as the mats : v Are 
 thefe, or many other fuch like, of any avail to 
 
 quiet 
 
( 92 ) 
 
 quiet the conference at death ? Alfo the terror of 
 pwgatory mufl rack and torment them. The 
 very bare mentioning of ihefe abfurdities is e- 
 ncugh to fatisfy any man of common fenfe, how 
 fenielefs and inconfifient, pay, how contrary to 
 the infallible rule of heaven, the Popifh religion 
 is. Thus, we have made appear , that they leek 
 death but it flees from them, though their anxie- 
 ty does not. 
 
 Verfe 7. The fhapes of the locufts are faid to 
 be like horfes. The horfe is a noble animal, full 
 cf mettle, agility, and fire ; with what amazing" 
 courage does he approach the roaring cannon, and 
 is not difrnayed at the glittering cf the fwerd. Gre- 
 gory, formerly mentioned, calls the priefls, that 
 were to umer in Antichrift, exer ciius facer datum* 
 They are fitly compared to hcrfes prepared for 
 battle, on account of their boldnefs, and alert- 
 nefs, in profecuting their dengns, and for the fuc- 
 cefs that attended them. They had on their heads* 
 as it were, crowns of gold ; -intimating their 
 worldly grandeur, and apparent greatness. Thus* 
 they refemble kings in pomp, and armies in- 
 flrength : this is truely character! (tic of the car- 
 dinals, bifliops, and dignified clergy of the Ro- 
 mifh church. They have alfo faces like thofe of 
 men : they pretend to be fociable, kind creatures^ 
 by their fubtile fpeeches, and endearing conver- 
 sation, they infinuate themfelves into the good 
 graces of performs in power -, in order to deceive 
 them, to draw them off from the truth, and to> 
 allure them to embrace their erroneous tenets. 
 
 Yerfe 8. They are faid to have women's Lair ;: 
 women deck and drefs their hair with jewels* 
 and other ornaments, to excite men to fall in love 
 with their perfens : what a ftrange mixture do 
 we behold here ; perfens refembling horfes for 
 ftrength and courage, at the f-ime time, vainly 
 decking tfcemfehes like weak, effeminate women- 
 
 liuis> 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 Thus they ufc every artifice, that the policy of 
 hell can invent, to decoy mankind, and engage 
 them in their fnares. " And their teeth, were as 
 " the teeth of lions," with which they devour their 
 prey : fo thefe ravening wolves, when they find 
 their low cunning prevails not, attack, with open 
 fury, all that oppofe them : this may probably 
 refer, not only to their deftroying the fouls of 
 fiich as embrace their doctrine, but alfo, theii 
 perfecuting to death all thofe who oppofe them. 
 The Popifh clergy, under pretence of ferving God, 
 not only allure, and entice men, to embrace their 
 religion ; but alfo compel them, by fire, fword, 
 and every engine their cunning malice could 
 invent. 
 
 Verfe 9. Thefe locufls, are faid to have breaft- 
 plates, as it were, of iron, ts*c. Breaft-phtes 
 were, anciently, a kind of defenfive armour, "to 
 j>rote£t the body, againft the afiaults of fwords, 
 darts, javelins, and other mifiive weapons ; fo 
 alfo, the Romifh doctors were fecured, from the 
 attacks of crowned head?, by the excommunica- 
 tions and thunders of the Vatican ; that fo long 
 as they hold the keys of heaven and purgatory, 
 (as they pretend), no earthly monarch dare in- 
 jure them. 
 
 Verfe 10. They had alfo tails like fecrpions ; 
 that is, they fawned and flattered, like dogs, in 
 order to deceive the unwary ; fuch is the cafe 
 with falfe teachers, they infinuate themfelves in- 
 to men's favour by flattery and lies. They had 
 likewife ftings in their tails •, this plainly refers 
 to their erroneous doctrine, which poifens men, 
 as the ftings of noxious animals. Again, it is 
 faid, they have power to hurt men five months. 
 This was formerly mentioned, ver. 5. and again 
 repeated here, doubtlefs, with a defign to confirm 
 the faith of God's people, in his over-ruling pro- 
 
 \ideuce 3 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 Vidence, that this plague fhouid continue a cer- 
 tain fixed period, and no longer. 
 
 Verfe 1 1. Thefe locufts had a king over them: 
 that is, they were to be combined together, un- 
 der one abfolute head, who fhouid have uncon- 
 troulabk authority over them in all things ; and 
 however they might differ among themfelves, yet 
 they fhouid have an entire confidence in him. 
 This is exactly applicable to the Pope of Rome, 
 who is not only an independant, temporal mo- 
 narch, but is alfo an abfolute Pontiff, arrogating 
 to himfelf, a power over kings, emperors, and all 
 people within his dominions. This king, is cal- 
 led, the Angel of the bottomlefs pit : that is, 
 he is angel or fervant thereof, not the king •, 
 therefore it cannot mean the devil here, but one 
 fent by him, with an extraordinary commiffion : 
 for the devil cannot be faid to be fent, but fend- 
 eth others; nor can this angel, mean ordinary he- 
 retics, or falfe teachers. This is the fame ftar 
 that fell from heaven, ver. i. and received the 
 keys of the bottomlefs pit ; and he is th$ fame 
 beaft fpoken of, chap. xiii. to whom the dragon 
 gives his power, as his viceroy in the church. In 
 2 ThefT. ii. he is faid to come after the working 
 of Satan, with figns, &c. Again, he is called 
 Abaddon, and Apollyon, in Greek and He- 
 brew, a name, in both languages, which fignifies 
 the deftroyer ; a name very fuitable to the Pope, 
 who deftrcyeth both the fouls and bodies of men, 
 as was faid. This name, perhaps, is given him 
 in both thefe languages, becaufe he dellroys both 
 Jews, and Greeks ; and, in procefs of time, he is 
 to be deftroyed by both, as will be feen in chap, 
 xvi. Alfo, the Lcrd defues both Jews, and 
 Greeks, to obferve this ; and to know him by his 
 name. 
 
 We have all along applied this trumpet, and 
 its effects, to Popery, and to that kingdom where* 
 
 of 
 
( 95 ) 
 
 of the pope is head : we (hall now briefly refumfl- 
 fome properties of this plague •, and next, m 
 fome obfervations, of the rile, progrefs, and na* 
 ture of the Popiih hierarchy. 
 
 We maintain, that the vifible church, and her 
 hypocritical profeffors, are the objects of this 
 plague; it is the fame Cbriftian world, which it 
 obicured by it, which was weakened by the for- 
 mer trumpets. 
 
 Its nature is fpiritua! : in it the ordinances of 
 fpiritua) life are vitiated, and rendered pernicious 
 to the fouls of men : it extends over the face of 
 the whole vifible church, and church-men are 
 its aclors, fuch who had formerly power and 
 authority in the true church ; afterwards, it be- 
 comes a fpiritual kingdom, and affuming great 
 power and authority, it breeds up, and is fup- 
 ported by, fwarms of church-officers, compared 
 to locufts for number and quality. 
 
 The time when this kingdom was formally e- 
 ftablifhed, was about the year 6»o, as was for- 
 merly pbferved \ for it fucceeded immediately to 
 the fourth trumpet, which continued the hiftory 
 of that time, and immediately precedes the rife 
 of Mahomet. This pLigue introduceth much cor- 
 rupt doctrine, and again brings fcack idolatry 
 into the Christian church. 
 
 Let us now furvey the Papal kingdom, and we 
 will find, that it fubfifts under one defpotic mo- 
 nar^S, of unlimited power ; was begun, and 
 carried on, by men who have marred and defaced 
 the fimple truths of our holy religion, and, in- 
 flcad thereof, have introduced idolatry, and er- 
 rors of various kinds ; which, though agreeable 
 to corrupt nature, are, however, diametrically 
 oppofite to the dodtrine of free grace, taught in 
 the facred records. 
 
 This Bellaimine was fo fenfible of, though 
 he was one of the greateft, champions for the me- 
 rit 
 
( 06 ) 
 
 t\t of good Works, that he declared it moll fafd* 
 to place our whole confidence, in the mercy, and 
 gDodnefs of God ; and afTigneth this reafon for it, 
 *■' If man, favs he, have no merit, why does he 
 tmft to it ; if he has, (which yet is uncertain), 
 it can do him ho harm to flee to the mercy of God." 
 By which aflertion, it is eafy to perceive how little 
 comfort the doctrine of merit can give to dying 
 Iperfons ; it only tends to increafe pride and 
 boafting, which the apoftle Paul tells us, mufl 
 be entirely excluded* as in Eph. ii. 9. 
 
 We (hall next take a view of the number and 
 Variety of their religious orders : there are rec- 
 Iconed about thirty- five orders, each whereof con- 
 tain many thoufands, befides their bifhops, and 
 dignified clergy. The number of their monaftc- 
 ries, (according to Abftedius, in his chronology), 
 is fuppofed to amount to 225,044 \ all which, 
 are authorifed by, and depend upon the Pope* 
 and exert their Utmoft endeavours to fupport 
 his kingdom, and advance his wicked defigns. 
 
 Finally, We fhall confider more particularly* 
 the rife and public appearance of this kingdom, 
 which we faid commenced about the year 6oo* 
 Though pride and ambition began, foon after the 
 year 30©, to infeft the clergy, yet none of them 
 attempted to ufurp a fixed authority, or the title 
 of univerfal bifhop, till Boniface III. affumed it, 
 about the yeai l '6©6. From the time Conftantine 
 removed the feat of empire to Conftantivic?ple, 
 the bifhop of that place and the bifhop of Rome 
 had many fharp, and almoft continual, contefts for 
 the fuperiority. At laft, John of Conftantinople 
 afiumed it, a little before the 600, as is faid a- 
 bove : but this was oppoied by many bifhops ; 
 but by none more than by Gregory bifhop of 
 Rome, Who foretold the rife of Antichrift to be 
 near, on that account. After this, the emperor's 
 army happened to mutiny, and ele&ed Phocas, 
 
 a 
 
( 91 ) 
 % wicked fellow, for their emperor ; tt> hii 
 gory fent meiTengers, in a fawning and flattering 
 manner, falfely applying Dan. iv. 25. " Thar tn/ 
 fC Mod High ruleth in the kingdom of men, an.i 
 * c giveth it to whomfoever he will.'' The c-M- 
 peror cafily fwallowed this falfe flattery, and 
 henceforth mightily favoured the bifnop of Rome. 
 A few years after, in the pontificate of Boni- 
 face, this wicked Phocas publifhed an edict, de- 
 claring that Rome was for ever after to be ac- 
 knowledged the fupreme fee, and its bifhop to 
 have abfohite p ower over all others ! this decree 
 Boniface caufed to be confirmed, in Lateran coun- 
 cil of 62 or 72 bi(hops. Though ©ppofition was 
 made to him at that time, nor was his fuperio-* 
 rity acknowledged by the churches of the eaft, 
 yet he began, even then, to make his public ap- 
 pearance ; and that myftery of iniquity, which 
 hadlong been gaining ground underhand, was now 
 brought to light by that infamous wretch, Phocas. 
 Afterwards, the light of truth was prodigioufly 
 obfeured, traditions were introduced, public 
 worfhip was performed in Latin, the Scriptures 
 were denied to thq^ laity, litanies, liturgies, and 
 mafles were introduced, inftead of the preach- 
 ing of the word. Every one who would be e- 
 fteemed religious, laid out his money in eretling 
 churches and monafteries, and enriching them 
 with liberal donations ; worfhipping of faints 
 and angels was introduced, and many mediators 
 invented : all this happened in the reign of 
 ViteKianus, about the year 660. Image worfhip 
 was oppofed by Leo, Ifaurus, and other emper- 
 ors of the eaft ; for which they were excommu- 
 nicated by the pope. Now, he was f > firmly feat- 
 ed on the throne, that he cenfured biiliops, and 
 difpofed of their biihopricks ; he depofeif kings, 
 and gave their kingdoms to otlfers, at his plea- 
 lure > none daring to fay to his infallible holu 
 I nefj, 
 
( 9* ) 
 i^fc, What doeft thou ? All thefe, and many o-* 
 thcr things too tedious to relate, were atchieved 
 by the Roman pontiffs, under pretence of the 
 **lri£teft piety and devotion 5 at the fame time, he 
 intimidated all, who had the courage to oppofe 
 him, with eternal damnation. 
 
 From which we may conclude, that the Pop;/h 
 kingdom is the kingdom here mentioned ; the 
 pope, the king and angel of the bottomlefs pit ; 
 ihe Popifli clergy, the very locufts and armies ; 
 2nd their do£trine, the very fmoke of the pit. 
 This, we hope, will be abundantly evident to e- 
 very intelligent reader, and to every one in the 
 kali acquainted with the facred records. Whilft - 
 the bare mentioning of the errors of that apoftate 
 < hurch, is a fuffici'ent confutation of their abfur- 
 nity -, yet, as we go along, we (hall now and 
 then give cur readers the opinion of fome learn- 
 ed men about fome of them : for it would far ex* 
 cecd the bounds we have prefcribed to our eiTay, 
 were we to ewter into a minute and particular 
 confutation of them all. At prefent wc (hall 
 briefly fhew the abfurdity of the pope's iuprema- 
 cy, in the words of Mr Henr^ Stephen, Vicar of 
 Jvlalden in Surry. u In the days of our fojeurn- 
 ing here, fays he, (to ufe a fcripture expreflion) 
 let every one be extremely careful, left, regard- 
 3tfs of, and growing indifferent to the Britifh li- 
 berty, government, and uorfhip, he, by imper- 
 ceptible degrees, contracts a liking for, and at 
 length becomes fo far abandoned to confcience, 
 honour, and common fenfe, as even to embrace 
 Romifh flavery and fuperftition. Long abfence 
 will naturally cool and extinguifn the love of our 
 country and religion, as well as any other affec- 
 tion, unlefs proper fuel be continually admini- 
 ftred to revive and fupport it. 
 
 Allimpreflions of this kind, you can never tod 
 much guard yourfelves againft ; for fo fond are 
 mankind of novelty, f© flrongly addicted to the 
 
 imitation 
 
( 59 ") 
 
 imitation of others, that their curicfity is itfft 
 greater to vifit a foreign region, than is their prono 
 nefs to imbibe its word cudoms and fafhions. And 
 the ftain is generally fo deeply taken, that the 
 colour of life ariiing from it, is feldom or never 
 after effaced. 
 
 The fa(tidiou9 and falfely delicate diftafte to 
 the mode?, and even laws of their native coun- 
 try, together w:th an affected and blind partial- 
 ity for foreign manners and institutions, are in- 
 firmities to which travellers are more efpeciaiiy 
 liable. We run rift of being infe£t;d this way 
 in every realm and (late, and even among the 
 reformed : but in Popilh dominions, the conta- 
 gion is of the mod fatal confequeuces \ ami there- 
 fore all po'Iible care and caution are requisite, to 
 Quia and fly from it. And the better to excite, 
 and preferve in you, a warm- and jirfl abhorrence 
 of the Rorrafli religion, whicii introduces with 
 it tyranny of every fort, as well over mens civil 
 lights, as their minds and conferences, I (hail 
 draw as m^ fecond and laft inference, this irre- 
 fragable argument againfl embracing Popery ; 
 namely, That in its nature and principles, it i^ 
 incompatible with, and entirely overthrows iv^t 
 love of our; country ; a duty, Which is the chief 
 of all the fecial virtues, and indoTpen'fibiy enjoin- 
 ed us by reafon aaid revelation. 
 
 And this it does, by the doctrine of the pope's 
 fupremacy, impofed on all the profeiTors of Po- 
 ptrj, as a neceiTary article of belief y fo that who- 
 ever dares to difavow it, is branded with \\\t c-- 
 dious name of neretic, liable to be made expire 
 in flames here, and, according to their charitable 
 determination, consigned to an eternity of then! 
 hereafter. 
 
 Thefpiritual monarchy of Rome, is a fabric 
 
 raifed and fapported by a drain of policy, not to 
 
 be. met with in hiilory \ and is a pow^r as tyran- 
 
 L 2~ nic^liy 
 
( too ) 
 
 nically exercifed as groundlefsly ufurped. It h 
 needlefs to lead you far into the beaten paths of 
 this argument, or fhew at large, that Chrift built 
 his church not on St Peter, but the faith (or ra- 
 thei object of the faith) he profefled •, that all his 
 brethren in the facred college, were poflefTed 
 of equal authority with him ; our Saviour indeed 
 foeeifying it to him, to declare the unity of that 
 church, which he intended to ere ft upon the* 
 foundation of the apoftles, of which he himfelf 
 \v?s the chief corner ftone : that St Peter grant- 
 ed n© peculiar prerogative to the fee of Pvome, a- 
 bove what he conferred upon other places of his 
 refidence; that Jerufalem^ not Rome, was the 
 mother-church \ and laftly, that in faft, for the 
 fir ft four ages, the popes had jurifdiftion only 
 over their own diocefe : this common road has 
 been often traced over, and is well known. It 
 is fuffictent therefore, and alfo neceiTary, for my 
 pre lent defign, that, in conference of what has 
 been above faid in this difcourfe, I obferve, how 
 an ecclefiaftical fupremacy, feparate from, and 
 independent on the civil magistrate, is fuch an. 
 invafion of his power, as is utterly unwarranted y 
 and can have no pretence jufiifiable, cither by 
 natural reaibn or revealed authority. For go- 
 vernmtnt .behig of divine inftitution, ordained, 
 for the happinefs and fafety of fociety, this dou- 
 ble fovereignty in church and ftate, could never 
 .be the defign of providence, fince it mult ine- 
 vitably end in divifion or flavery. Two heads 
 being as monftrous and inccnfifUnt in the body 
 politic, as the natural. 
 
 One main end of uniting into focieties, is the 
 fecure enjoyment of property; which cannot but 
 be violated in arry community, in proportion as 
 it is implicitly attached to the fee of Rome : and 
 this, not only from the feveral engines fhe make^ 
 ufe of in draining kingdoms and dates, under 
 her fubjeftion, of imraejife treafures y but from 
 
 her 
 
( loi ) 
 
 fier. often artfully ftrikingin w?th the avarice a"d 
 ambition of princes, and the civil magiilrate ; 
 who, indeed, it cannot be imagined, would thus 
 fernery yield to a foreign yoke, unlefs the popes, 
 Snd their agents, rnd invited them to (hare in the 
 plunder of wealth and dominion ;- while the peo- 
 ple, betwixt both, are fleeced and enflaved, and 
 yet made fo b ind by fuperiluion,.as to court and 
 be fond of their chains. 
 
 This reprefentation of the pope's fupremacy, 
 and its genuine effects is natural, not drawn 
 beyond the life ; and if, in this light, we take a 
 nearer furvey of that doctrine, we fhall find ir, 
 wherever prevailing, to interfere with this grand 
 
 moral dutv, the love of our country. For not 
 
 j 
 only the clergy, being hereby difmembered from 
 
 the community, are therefore, at bed, infpired 
 but with cool and fubordinate regards for it; and 
 ns men cannot ferve two mailers, it is eafy to 
 judge on whicfif fide (mould there be any compe- 
 tition) the balance would be leaftrbut the larry 
 arfo, entirely at the devotion of the confeflbr, is 
 warmed, not 'wi'rh a true affection towards religi- 
 on, and the real public intereft, bert<with a falfe,. 
 fuperilitious, and enthufiaftie zeal for pompous 
 ceremonies, and- the external grandeur of the 
 church. 
 
 From this thread therefore, duely purfued, it 
 is evident, that the outragious, mfuppoi table, 
 audacious, and impudent breaking in upon the 
 civil government, the papal fupremacy, and the 
 doctrines its attendants; that heretics have no 
 right to dominion, nor the moll folemnjy plight- 
 ed faith ; fo that kings may, hereupon, be absol- 
 ved from their coronation oaths, and not only 
 the allegiance of the fubjeel be made void and 
 difannulltd, but. that even affa lunation-plots 2- 
 ga.nft the lives of princes, excommunicated by 
 t-hefee- of Home, may and ough;to be entered 
 i 3 into : 
 
( *«* ) 
 
 into : 1 &y if Is plain a-rsd undeniable, that theffe 
 avowed articles of the church, fomc decreed hy 
 their councils,, all of them put in execution by 
 their popes, and defended by their ablefl cham- 
 pions, directly ft like at the root of the love of 
 our country, cut off the intercourfe of the rela- 
 tive offices, and utterly- fubveit fociety ; which 
 afford us, therefore, a fo lid and pious reafon for 
 detefting Popery: hence manifeftly appearing, 
 not fo much a religion, as a flagitious fpnitual; 
 usurpation and tyranny,, triumphing with tire 
 fpoils of the civ.ii -authority m r in defiance to the 
 commands of cur. Saviour, and to the difhonour 
 of tyis moft meek and peaceable, beft natured, 
 me ft humble.- and felfr denying inflitution." 
 
 Biiliop Newton, as ufual, applies this trumpet 
 to the rife of Mahomet and his Saracens. " A 
 faJfe prophet, he fays, is very fitly typified by a 
 blazing (lar or. meteor. The Arabians, likewife, 
 are properly compared to locufls, not only bev 
 caufe numerous armies frequently are fo ; but aV- 
 fo becaufe fwarms. of locufls often arife from A.- 
 rabia ; and alfo becaufe in the plagues of Egyp£, 
 to whjch conllant allufion is made in thefe trurr> 
 pets, the locufls, Exod x* 13. are brought by 
 an eait wind ; that is, from Arabia,, which lay 
 eaftward of Egypt; and alfo becaufe, in the book 
 of Judges, (viL.12.) the Arabians are compared 
 to loculis, or grafshoppeis, for multitude ; for ia 
 the original,.,the word for both is the fame. -As 
 the natural locufls are bred in pits and holes of 
 the earth, fo thefe.myftioal locufls are truely in- 
 fernal, and proceed, with the fmol:e, from the 
 bottomlefs pit. It is too, a remarkable co-inci- 
 dence,, that at this tknc the fan and the. air were 
 really darkened : for we learn, from an eminent 
 Arabian hiftcrian, tKat in the feventeenth year 
 of HeracWs, half the body of the fun v?as eclip- 
 led ; and this defect continued: from the former 
 
 Tiffin 
 
( i-3 T 
 Tifrin to Haziran, (liiat is, fromOftobcr to Jiin 
 fo that only a little of its light appeared. 
 
 The feventeemh year of Heraclciis coincides 
 with the year of Chrift 626, and with the fifth 
 year of the Hcgira y, and, at this time alfo, Ma* 
 hornet was training and exercifing his followers, 
 in depredations at home, to fit and prepare them 
 for greater conquefls abroad." 
 
 It is very remarkable, that- about the year 6o<5; 
 Boniface became pope, or univcrfai bifhop ; and 
 a very few years after, that mighty impoftor M:> 
 hornet made his appearan:e. As we have al- 
 ready cbferved, though this trumpet may be ap- 
 plied to the Saracens, yet not to them alone, 
 though perhaps in feme things more literally than 
 to the other ; as will be feen in the fequel. 
 
 It was commanded them, (ver 4.) " That they 
 (i mould not hurt the grafs of the earth, neither 
 ** any green thing, neither any tree j" which dc- 
 monftrates, fays the bifhop, that thefe were not 
 natural, but fymbolical locufts. The like ire- 
 junclions were given to the Arabian officers and 
 foidiers. When Yezid was marching with the 
 army to invade Syria, A.bubeker charged him 
 with this, among other orders, " Deftroy not 
 palm-trees, nor burn any field of corn, cut down 
 xto fruit, trees ; nor do any mi [chief to cattle, on- 
 ly fuch as you kill to eat." Their cemmiflion is, 
 to hurt only thofe men who have not the feal of 
 God in their forehead*, that is, thofe who are 
 not the true fervants of God, but are corrupt 
 and idolatrous Christians. Now, from hiftory, 
 k appears evident, that thofe countries of Afia*, 
 Africa, and Europe, where the Saracens extend- 
 ed their conquefts, the Chriftians were generally 
 guilty of idolatry, in worihipping of images and 
 faints ; and it was the pretence of Mahomet, and 
 his followers, to chaftife them for it, and to re- 
 eftablifh. the unity of tUc Godhead* The parts 
 
 which 
 
( «&4 ) 
 
 which remained freed from the irife&iott, weite* 
 
 Savoy, Piedmont, and the fouthern pam of 
 France ; which were afterwards the nu fe es,? 
 2nd habitations,, of the Waldcnfs and Albi^ern- 
 fes. And it is very memorable, that when the 
 Saracens approached thefe parts, they were de- 
 feated with greatHaughterj by the famous Charles - 
 Martel, in feveral engagements. 
 
 As they were to hurt only the corrupt and 
 idolatrous Ghriftians, fo they were not to kilJ, 
 but only to torment ; and fhouid bring fuch cala- 
 mities upon the ea-rth, as fhouid make men wea- 
 ry of their lives : not that it could be fuppofed, 
 that the Saracens woul~d not kill marry thoufandh,- 
 in their incurfions ; on the contrary, their angel, 
 (ver. 11.) hath the name of the deftroyer. They 
 might kill them, as individuals, but flili they 
 (hould not kill them as a political body, as a (late, 
 or empire : they might greatly harrafs and tor- 
 ment both the Greek, and the La- in churches; but 
 they fhouid not utterly extirpate the one, or 
 the other. They befiegod Coniiantincplq, and 
 even plundered Rome; but they could not make 
 themfelvesmafters, of either of thefe capital cities.- 
 The Greek empire fuffered moll from them, as it- 
 lay neareft to them : they difmembered it of Sy- 
 ria and Egypt, and fome ether cf its beal and 
 richeft provinces; but they were never able to 
 fubdue, and conquer the whole : as often as they 
 attempted it, they were rep ul fed, and defeated. 
 They attempted it. in the year 672, but their men 
 nnd (hips were miferably deftroyed, by the fea- 
 fire, invented by Callinicus ; and, after feven- 
 years fruitlefs pains, they were compelled to raife 
 the fiege, and to conclude a pe?ce. ; ' 
 
 In the 7. 8. 9. 10. verfes, the nature and qua- 
 lity of thefe iocufts, are defcribed, partly in al- 
 lufion to the properties of natural iocuiis, and the 
 dcfciipticn given of ;hem by the prophet Joel j 
 
 and 
 
( iaj ) 
 
 and partly, in allufion to the habit?, and man- 
 ners of the Arabians ; to fhew that not real, bvx 
 figurative lecufts were intended. The firft qua- 
 lity mentioned, is, their being like to horfes 
 prepared to buttle ; which is copied from Joel ii* 
 3. Many authors hare obierved, that the head of 
 a locuft, refembles that of an horfe : the Arabi- 
 ans too, have been famous in ail ages, for their 
 horfe?, and horfemanfhip ; their flrength is well 
 known to con lift, chiefly, in their cavalry. 
 
 Another diflingu idling mark, is, their having 
 on their heads, as it were, crowns like gold; 
 which is, in allufion to the head-drefs cf the A- 
 rabiana, who have conilandy worn turbans, or 
 mitres ; and boali of having thofe ornaments for 
 their common attire, which are crowns and dia- 
 dems with other people. The crowns alfo fig- 
 nify, the kingdoms which they fhould acquire : 
 for, as Mr Mead excellently obferves, U No na- 
 tion, had ever fo wide a command *, nor ever 
 were fo many kingdoms, 10 many regions, fubju- 
 gated in fo ihort a fpace of time : it founds in- 
 credible, yet moil true it is, that In the fpace of 
 eighty, or not many more years, they fubdued, ?.nd 
 acquired to the diabolical kingdom of Mahomed, 
 Palefline, Syria, both Armenia's; almofl all A- 
 fia Minor, Perfia, India, Egypt, Numidia, all Bar- 
 bary, even to the river Niger, Portugal, Spain; nei- 
 ther did their fortune flop here, till they had added 
 alfo a great part of Italy, as far as to the gates cf 
 Rome ; moreover, Sicily, Ca nd fa, Cyprus, and 
 the other iflands of the Mediterranean fea. 5> 
 Good God J how great a tract of land ! hew ma- 
 ny crowns were here! Whence alfo, it is worthy 
 of obfervaticn, mention is not made here, as in 
 tnQ other trumpet?, of the third part ; forafrnuch- 
 as, this plague feil.no lefs without the bounds of 
 the Roman empire, than within it, and extended 
 itfclf^ even to the remoteft indies." 
 
 The 
 
( ro<T) 
 
 The Bimop further obferveg, that one .difficul- 
 ty, and the greeted of all, remains jet to be ex- 
 plained ; and that is the period of five months 
 affigned to thefe lccufis*, which, being twice men- 
 tioned, ver. 5. ic. merits the more particular 
 eonfideration. It is faid, without doubt, in con- 
 formity to the type j for locufts are obferved to 
 live about five months, that is, from April to 
 September. Scorpions tc«, as Bochart aiTert c , 
 are noxious for no longer a term, the cold ren- 
 dering them torpid and inactive* But of thefe 
 locufts, it is faid^ not that their duration or ex- 
 igence was only for five months, but their 
 power of hurting, or tormenring men, continued 
 five months. Now thefe months, may either be 
 months commonly fo taken, or prophetic months, 
 confifting each of 30 days, as St John reckons 
 them, and fo making J 50 years, at the rate of 
 each day for a year; or, the number being repeat- 
 ed twice, the fums may be thought to be doubled, 
 and twice five months, in prophetic computation, 
 will amount to 300 years. 
 
 If thefe months be taken for common months^ 
 then, as the natural locufts live and do hurt on- 
 ly in the frve fummer- months, fo the Saracens 
 in the five fu^nmer-months too made their ex- 
 curfions, and retreated again in the winter. It 
 appears, that this was their natural practice*, and- 
 particularly, when they firft befieged Conftanti- 
 nople, in the time of Conftantine Pogcnatus. 
 For, from the month of April till September, 
 they pertinaeioufly continued their fiege ; and 
 then, defpairing cf fuccefs, departed to Cyzicum, 
 where they wintered, and in the fpring again re*- 
 newed the war; and this courfe they held for fe- 
 ven years, as the Greek annals tell us. If theSe 
 months be taken for prophetic months, or 150 
 years; it was within that fpace of lime, that the 
 Saracens made their principal conquefts. Thei^ 
 
 empire 
 
( »07 ) 
 
 etr.pire might fubfift much longer ; but tnrir 
 power of hurting, and tormenting men, was ex- 
 erted chiefly within that period. Read the hif- 
 tory of the Saracens, and you will find, that their 
 greateft exploits were performed, their greateft 
 conquefts were made, between the year 612, when 
 Mahomed I. opened the bottomlefs pit , and be- 
 gan publicly to teach, and propagate his impof- 
 t«ie, and the year 762, when the Caliph Alman- 
 for built Bagdad, to fix there the feat of his em- 
 pire, and called it the city of Pea*ce. Syria, Per- 
 fta, India, and the greateft part of Alia, Egypt, 
 and the greateft par' of Africa, Spain, and fome 
 parts of Europe, were all fubdued in the inter- 
 mediate time, l$ut, when the Caliphs, who be- 
 fore, had removed from place to place, fixed their 
 habitation at Bagdad, then the Saracens ceafed 
 from their excursions and ravages, like locufts, 
 and became a fettled nation •, then they made no 
 more fuch rapid and amazing conquefts, as be- 
 fore ; but only engaged in common, and ordinary 
 wars, like other nations ; then their power and 
 glory began to decline, and their empire, by lit- 
 tle and little, to moulder away ; then they had 
 no longer, like the prophetic locufts, one king 
 over them : Spain having revolted in the year 
 756, and fet up another Caliph, in oppofition to 
 the reigning houfe of Abbas. If thefe months be 
 taken doubly, or, for 300 years; then, according 
 to Sir Ifaac Newton, t% the whole time that the 
 Caliphs of the Saracens reigned, with a temporal 
 dominion, at Damafcus and Bagdad together, was 
 500 years ; viz. from the year 637, to the year 
 936 inclufive ; when their empire was broken, 
 and divided into feveral principalities, or king- 
 doms. So that, let thefe five months be taken irl 
 any pofTible conftruclion, the event will ftill an- 
 fwer, and the prophefy will ftill be fulfilled j tho' 
 the fecond method of interpretation, and appli- 
 
 , cation, 
 
( io8 ) 
 
 catidn, appears much more probable than either 
 the firft or the third. 
 
 Verfe 12. 13. <bc. w One woe is paft, Z&c. and 
 * f the fixth angel founded." This fixth trumpet 
 is, by moft commentators, applied to the Turkifli 
 empire, as will be feen afterwards. 
 
 The obje£t of this awful judgment is the vifi- 
 fole church, now full of fuperftition, and Anti- 
 ehriftian idolatry, and for thefe (he is plagued by 
 this trumpet ; for judgments are fpoken of, in 
 tliis book, not as they affe£t the world in gene- 
 ral, but as they concern the church. Each of 
 thefe trumpets, fuccefiively, contain a feries of 
 Judgments upon the fame objeft; and the church 
 being the object of the former trumpet, fo mud 
 iht be of this; otherwife the pronouncing this 
 woe, would contain no further addition to their 
 plagued condition^ which is contrary to the fcope. 
 The church is now become an idolatrous harlot, 
 nnd guilty of many grofs abominations; as is evi- 
 dent from ver. 20. 21. 
 
 It is alfo certain, that this judgment is of % a dif-* 
 ferent kind from the former, and denounceth 
 temporal calamities on the church, already en&- 
 briated with fpiritual plagues 5 yet it is fueh a 
 judgment in temporal things, and l;fo brings a- 
 iong with it grofs abominations, and fpiritual 
 poiicn, by which the fouls of men are infttted $ 
 this, their having tails like ferpents imports. 
 
 Finally then, we imagine, nothing elfe can be 
 meant, in this place,, but the Turkifh empire ; who f 
 by their great power, cruelty, and the pernicious 
 dofirine of Mahomed, have deftroyed both the 
 fouls and bodies of men. 
 
 The infpired apoflle heard a voice from the 
 four horns of the golden altar; which was doubt-* 
 Jefs the voice of the Sovereign of the univerfe, 
 over-ruling every event in the world to his own 
 glory, and the good of his church, fpoke in allu- 
 
 fion 
 
( i<>9 ) 
 
 fk>n to his giving refponfes from the temp!? of 
 terufalem. This voice commands the fixth an- 
 gel, to loofe the four angels that were bound in 
 the great river Euphrates, They have here the 
 appellation of Angels given, to fhew how readv, 
 atid expeditious they were, to execute God's 
 righteous judgments upon an idolatrous church. 
 They are faid to be four; (in chap. vii. i. we arc ■ 
 told, " that four angels held the four winds, that 
 " they fliould not blow)," fo here, thefc four an- 
 gels were appointed to fpread deftruftion to the 
 four winds, or four corners of the earth. 
 
 Again, thefe four angels to be loofed, were 
 faid, to be bound in the river Euphrates. This is 
 a famous river in Syria, frequently mentioned in 
 Scripture, and well known to thofe acquainted 
 with geography. The learned Biihop Newton 
 has given us the moft accurate and diftincl ac- 
 count of the rife and progrefs of the Turkifh 
 empire, and what a prodigious fceurge they were 
 to the Popifh countries j who after all-, repented 
 not of their wickednefs. 
 
 * ( The four angels, fays he, are the four Sulta- 
 nies, or four leaders of the Turks and Othmans. 
 For there were four principal Sultanies, or king- 
 doms, of the Turks, bordering upon the river Eu- 
 phrates : one at Bagdad, founded by Togrul-beg, 
 or Tangrolipix, as he is more ufually called, in 
 the year 1055: another at Damafcus, founded 
 by Tagjuddaulus, or Ducas, in the year 1079 : a 
 third at Aleppo, founded by Sjarfuddaulus, or 
 Melech, in the fame year 1079 : and the fourth 
 at Iconium, in Afia Minor, founded by Sedydud- 
 daulus, or Cultu-Mufes, or his fon, in the year 
 1080. Thefe fo*ur Sultanies, fubfiiied feveral 
 years afterwards ; and the Sultans were bound 
 and redrained from extending their conquefts, 
 farther than the countries and territories adjoin- 
 ing to the river Euphrates ; primarily, by the good 
 K providence 
 
( "o ) 
 
 providence of God, and fecondarily, by the crol- 
 fades, or expeditions of the European Chridians 
 into the holy land, in the lacter part of the ele- 
 venth, and in the twelfth and thirteenth centu- 
 ries. Nay, the European Chridians took feveral 
 cities and countries from them, and confined 
 them within narrower bounds. But when an 
 end was put to the croifades, and the Chriftians 
 totally abandoned their conquefrs in Syria and 
 Paleftine, as they did in the latter part of the 
 thirteenth century, then the four angels on the 
 river Euphrates were loofed. SoJiman Shah, the 
 rirft chief, and founder, of the Othman race, re- 
 treating, with his three fons, from Jengiz-Chan 
 and the Tartars, would have pafTed the river Eu- 
 phrates, but was drowned; the time ofloofingthe 
 four angels being not yet come. Difcouraged at 
 this fad accident, two of his fons returned to their 
 former habitations *, but Ortogrul, the third, with 
 liis three fons, Condoz. Sarubani, and Othman, 
 remained fometimc in thofe parts ; and, having 
 obtained leave of Aladin the Sultan of Iconjum, 
 he came, with four hundred of his Turks, and fet- 
 tled in the mountains of Armenia. From thence 
 they began their excurfions •, and the other Turks 
 aiTbciating with them, and following their ftan- 
 dard, they gained feveral victories, over the Tar- 
 tars on the one fHe, and over the Clinicians on 
 the other. Ortogrul dying in the year 1288, 
 Othman, his fon, fucceeded him in power and 
 authority*, and, in the year 1299, as feme fay, 
 with the confent of Aladin himfelf, he was pro- 
 claimed Sultan, and founded a new empire ; and 
 the people afterwards, as well as the new em- 
 pire, were called by his name. For, though 
 they difclaim the name of Turks, and and aflame* 
 that of Gthmans, yet nothing is more certain, 
 than that they are a mixed multitude, the re- 
 mains of the four Sultanies above mentioned, 
 
 as 
 
 >- • .*** 
 
( m ) 
 
 t «s well as the descendants, pirticularly, of the 
 IgHife of Othman, 
 
 In this manner, and at this time, the four an- 
 gels were iocfed ; which were prepared for an 
 hour, and a day, and a month, md a year, for 
 to fUy the third part of men •, that is, as before, 
 the men of the Roman empire, and efpecially 
 in Europe, the third part of the world. Th/5 
 Latin, or weftcrn empire, was broken to pieces 
 under the four firft trumpets ; the Greek, or 
 eaftem empire, was cruelly hurt, or tormented, 
 under the fifth trumpet *, and here, under the 
 fixth trumpet, it is to be flain and utterly Aer 
 ftroyed. Accordingly, ah Afra Minor, Syria, Pa- 
 leftme, Egypt, Thrace, Macedon, Greece, and 
 all the countries which, formerly, belonged ro 
 the Greek or eaftern Cefars, the Othmans have 
 conquered and fubjugated to their dominion. 
 They firft pafied into Europe in the reign of Or- 
 chan, their fecond emperor, and, in the year 
 1357; they took Conftantinople, in the reign of 
 Mohammed their feventh emperor, and in the 
 year 1453 ; and, in time, ail the parts that re- 
 mained of the Greek errr;ire fhared the fate of 
 the capital city. The laft of their conquefts were 
 Candia, or the sneient Crete, in the i66o > >n:l 
 Cameniec, in the 1672. For cWe- execution of 
 this great work, it is f^id, that they were prepa- 
 red for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a 
 year * which will admit ehher of a literal or my. 
 flical interpretation, and the former will hold 
 good if the latter fnould fail. If it be taken lite- 
 rally, it is only expreiling the fame thing by dif- 
 ferent words ; as peoples, and multitudes, and 
 nations, and tongues, are jointly ufed in other 
 places: and then the meaning is, that they were 
 prepared, and ready to execute the divine com* 
 million at any time, or for any time, any hour, 
 or day, or month, or year, that God (hould ?.p- 
 K 2 point. 
 
( *» ) 
 
 point. If it be taken myftically, and the hour, 
 and day, and month, and year, be a prophetic 
 hour, and day, and month, and year, (according 
 to St John's, who follows herein Daniel's com- 
 putaticn), confining of 360 days, is 360 years, 
 and a month, confuting of 30 nays, is 30 years, 
 and a diy is a year, and an hour, in the fame 
 proportion, 15 days ; fo that the whole period of 
 ihe Othmans flaying the third part of men, or 
 fubdtfing 'he Christian ftates, in the Greek or 
 Roman empire, amounts to 391 years and 15 
 days. Now it is wonderfully remarkable, that 
 the firft conqueit, mentioned in hiftory, of the 
 Othmans over the Chriftians, was in the year of 
 the Ilegira 68c, and the year of Chrift 1281. 
 For Oriogrul, M ifi that year, {according to the ac- 
 curate hiUorian Saadi), crowned his victories with 
 the conqueft 01 the famous city Kutahi, upon the 
 Greeks. Compute 391 years from that time, 
 and t) - ey will terminate in the year (672 : and in 
 that year, ?t it Was hinted before, Mohammed IV. 
 took Cameniec from the Poles ; and forty-eight 
 towns and villages, in the territory of Cameniec, 
 were delivered up to the Sultan, upon the treaty 
 of peace. Whereupon prince Cantemir hath 
 made this memorable reflection : " This was the 
 la ft victory by^kicji any advantage accrued to 
 the Othman ftate, or any city or province was 
 annexed to the ancient bounds of the empire." 
 
 Agreeably to which obfervation, he hath en- 
 titled the former pare ©f his hiftory, Of the 
 growth of the Othman empire ; and the follow- 
 ing part, Of the decay of it. " Other wars and 
 {laughters, as he fays, have enfued. The Turks 
 even hefieged Vienna, in the 1683 ; but this ex- 
 ceeding the bounds of their commiflion, they 
 were defeated. Belgrade, and other places, may 
 have been taken from them, and fuf rendered to 
 them again j but Hill they have fubdued no new 
 
 ftatc a 
 
( "3 ) 
 ftate, or potentate, of Chrifteudom, now, for 
 the fpace of ioo years j and, in all -probability, 
 they never may again, their empire appearing 
 rather to decreafe than increafe." Here then the 
 prophecy and the ev5nt agree exacTJy, in the pe- 
 riod of 391 years •, and if more accurate and au- 
 thentic hiftories of the Othmans were brought to 
 light, and we knew the very day wherein Kuta- 
 hi was taken, as certainly as we know that where- 
 in Cameniec was taken, the like exa£tnefs might 
 alfo be found in the 15 days. But though the 
 time be limited, for the Othmans flaying the 
 third part of men, yet no time is fixed for the 
 duration of their empire ; only, this fecon.d woe 
 will end, when the third woe, or the deftruction 
 of the beaft, fhall be at hand. 
 
 A defcription is then given, \er{. 16. 17. and 
 18. of the forces, and of the means and inltru- 
 ments, by which the Othmans fhould etFecl: the 
 ruin of the eaftern empire : their armies are de- 
 scribed as very numerous, myriads of myriads ; 
 and who knoweth not what mighty armies the 
 Othman emperors have brought into the field ? 
 When Mohammed II. beneged Conftantinople, 
 he had about 400,000 men in his army, beiides 
 a powerful fleet, of thirty larger,' and two hun- 
 dred lefier fhips. They are defcribed too, chiefly 
 as horfemen, and fj they are defcribed, both by 
 Ezekiel and Daniel, as there was occ.uon to ob- 
 kxwt in the laft diflertation upon Daniel 5 it is 
 well known, that their armies conufted chiefly of 
 cavalry, efpecially before the order of J?.njz?ries 
 was inftituted by Amurath I. The Janizaries 
 may be the guard of the court, but the Tima- 
 riots, or horiemen, holding lands by ferving in 
 the wars, are the ftrength of the government ; 
 asd thefe, asHeylenaflirms, sre, 111 all, between 
 feven and eight hundred thoufand fighting men 5 
 ibme fay, that they are a million } and beiides 
 K 3 thefe, 
 
( "4 ) 
 
 thefts are SpahiSj and other horfemcn in the em- 
 perors pay. 
 
 In the vifion ; that is, in appearance, and not 
 in reality; they had bread- plates of fire, and of 
 j cinth cr hyacinth, and brimftone : the colour 
 cf fire is red, of hyacinth blue, and of brimftone 
 yellow : and this, as Mr Daubuz obferves, hath 
 a literal accomplishment : for the Othmans, from 
 the firft time of their appearance, have affected 
 to wear fuch Warlike apparel, of fcaiiet, blue, 
 and yellow. Of the Spahis particularly, feme 
 have red, and fome have yellow ftandards, and 
 others have red or yellow mix'd with other 
 co'osrs. 
 
 In appearance too, the heads of the horfes 
 were as the heads of lions, to denote their 
 ftrength, courage, and nercenefs, and out of 
 their months iil'ued fire and and -i'moke, and brim- 
 ftone : a manifeft allufian to great guns, and gun- 
 powder, which were invented under this trumpet, 
 and were cf fuch fignal fervice to the Othmans, in 
 their wars; For by thefe were the third part of 
 men killed 5 by thefe, the Othmans made fuch 
 havoc and deftru£lion in the Greeks or eaftern 
 empire. Amurath II. broke into Peloponnefus, 
 and took feveral ftrong places, by the means of 
 his artillery : but his icm Mohammed, at the fiege 
 of Coniiantinople, employed fuch great guns as 
 were never made before: one is defcribed, to 
 have been cf fuch monftrous fize, that it was 
 drawn by feventy yoke of oxen, and by two thou- 
 fand men. There were two more, each of 
 which discharged a (tone the weight of two ta- 
 lents ; other emitted a ftone of the weight of half 
 a talent: but the greatefl of all, difcharged a ball 
 of the v/eight cf three talents, or about three 
 hundred pounds ; and the report of this cannon is- 
 faid to have been fo great, that all the country 
 round about was fnaken to the diilance of forty 
 
 furlongs* 
 
( l*J ) 
 
 furlongs. For forty days, the wall was ba f t?/*d 
 by thcfc cannons, and fo many breaches were 
 made, that the city was taken by aiTault, and aa 
 end put to the Grecian empire." 
 
 Verfe 19. " Their power is in their mouths 
 " and in their tails." By jnouth i-, meant their 
 fierce cruelty, in butchering mens bodies. Their 
 tails, fignify their horrid and deteftable religion, 
 which they compelled men to embrace, or elft 
 pet them to death. Their tails are faid to have 
 heads to them, a ft range unna'ural like expref- 
 fion, doubtlefs importing their abominable ab- 
 furd doclrine. The locuvts are faid to have 
 tails too, but no heads to them; mewing, that 
 this religion is fo grofsly abfurd, that it is more 
 eailly perceived than the former. It is here add- 
 ed, that with their tails and heads they do huit. 
 We fee, in the firft part of the verfe, that they 
 hurt with the mouth ; that is, as we obferved, 
 they maffacred the bodies of men \ and here, by 
 their pernicious doctrine, they deftroy their fouls: 
 fo that, both ways, they are deicribed as a moft 
 dreadful pkgue. This may, with the greater! 
 propriety, be applied to the Othmans, as was 
 faid, w r hofe armies f;read not more delolation 
 among mankind, than their pernicious and poi- 
 fonabie dodlrine did *, for God, in his righteous 
 judgment, fufftred a great part of the world to 
 be carried away "with it. 
 
 Bifhop Newton obferves, " that the Turks 
 draw after them the fame poifoncus train, as the 
 Saracens; they profefs, and propagate the fame 
 impollure ; they do hurt, not only by their con- 
 quers, but aifo by fnreading their falie doctrine \ 
 and wherever they eftabiiih their dominion, there 
 too they eftabiim their religion. Many indeed of 
 the Greek church remained, and are itili rem in— 
 ing among them ; but they are made to pay cice- 
 ly for the exerciie of their religion, are fubje£ted 
 
 to 
 
( n6 ) 
 
 tc a capitation tax, which is rigorouily exa&ed 
 from all above fourteen years of agfe; are burden- 
 ed beftdes, with the molt heavy, and arbitrary 
 impofitions, upon every cccafion ; are compelled 
 to the loweft and moil fervile drudgery ; are a- 
 bufed in their perfons, and robbed of their pro- 
 perty, have not only the mortification of feeing 
 fome of their friends and kindred daily apoftatize 
 to the ruling religion, but had even their children 
 taken from them to be educated therein; of whom 
 the more robuft and hardy, were trained up to 
 the foldiery, and the more weakly and tender 
 were caftrated for the Seraglio : but, notwith- 
 standing thefe perfecutions and oppreiTions, fome 
 remains of the Greek- church are (till preferved 
 among them, as we may reafonably conclude, to 
 ferve fome great and myiterious ends of provi- 
 dence." 
 
 Vcrfe 20 and w»« And the reft of men, who 
 " were not killed with thefe plagues, yet repented 
 " not, <6r." 
 
 This points out to us, what crimes procured fo 
 dreadful a plague, and fo cruel an enemy to be 
 let Iqofe upon the Chriltian world ; thefe will 
 vindicate the jufiice of God, in punifhing them 
 with fuch feverity. Of all vices to which men are 
 liable, furely idolatry is none of the ieaft; and tho' 
 God long bore with the heathen world, notwith- 
 ftanding their abominable, cruel, and idolatrous 
 rites*, yet he cannot endure it in thofe, who were 
 once his profefled church and people. In order 
 therefore to cure them effeclually of that abomin- 
 able vice, and the many other grievous errors 
 they had fooliihly imbibed, he permitted the 
 Turks, that dreadful fcourge of the human race, 
 to cut offvaft numbers of them •, yet fo mad were 
 thefe who furvived, upon their idols, that they 
 continue to worfhip devils to this day. 
 
 The firfl fin charged upon them is, worfhip- 
 
 ping 
 
 ■TM 
 
( "7 ) 
 
 ping the works of their own hands. The imaged 
 and (latues, erected in their churches, are made 
 with men's hands; and therefore, they cannot be 
 the ohjecT: of worfhip. They are alio called wor* 
 fhippers of devils : it is not to be fuppofed, that 
 Papifts direclly worfhip the devil ; but, as images 
 are teachers of lies^ fuppofed to reprefent what 
 is cruely fpiritual and iiivitible. M To what will 
 " ye liken me ?" faith God : how is it poiTible to re* 
 prefenr, by any thing wha foever, him, who is a 
 pure Spirit ? and our Saviour, bids his difciples 
 " touch and handle him, for a fpirit, faith he, 
 hath not flelh and bones as you fee me have." 
 This is not only a breach of the fiifl command- 
 ment, but alfo of the fecend ; which, by the bye, 
 Papifts ftrike off the decalogue; : this ftrjcHy pro- 
 hibits the making of any image, of any thing in 
 heaven, earth, or lea, or bo vin^ down bet'ou t-em, 
 We fee what is laid of Jeroboam, 2 Chron. xi, 
 15. " He ordained him priests ior t.ie high pi ces, 
 M and for devils, and for the calves which he had 
 H made ;" and yet it does not appear, that he meant 
 to worfliip the calves, far lefs devil-, in the room 
 of God. Their idolatry is alio aggravated by the 
 variety and multiplicity of it : their ideis are faid 
 to be made of gold, filver, brafs, ftone, and 
 wood j" of whieh fort of metals, images, cruci- 
 fixes, relics, <bc. are abundant in the Popifh 
 churches. How can any reafonable being, who 
 is endowed with reafon or common fenfe, ima- 
 gine, that thefe fenfelefs things can in the lead 
 be ferviceable to them; efpecially, feeing they are 
 (o flriclly prohibited in facred writ ? See Pfalm 
 cxv. *, and exxxviii. 15. Where the Pfalmift 
 pronounces Vo. c worfhippers of thefe, »*» ftupid 
 and fenfelefs as the t'uings they worfliip. 
 
 Thefe impenitent men ai^ charged with four 
 other vices, viz. murder, forc^ry, fornications^ 
 and thefts, Papiits as well as Mahometans, have 
 
 beea 
 
( x»8 ) 
 
 been guilty of murders in both kinds; they mur- 
 der the foul by their pernicious doctrines; and 
 how many butcheries, maflacres, and persecutions, 
 have Ptoman-catholics committed upon thofe they 
 called heretics, as may be feen in chap. xi. 7. and 
 xiii. 7. and xviii. 24. of this book. The next 
 thing to be ccnfidered is, their force-ies, which 
 figuratively fignify, their d^iufive <*nd bewiching 
 doctrine ; but, literally t ken, it fignifies devi- 
 lifh, and magical arts. In the firit fenfej the 
 woman arrayed in purple, chap. xvii. 4. is faid 
 to have a gokien cup in her hand, full of abomi- 
 nations, &c\ ; and in the fecond, Antichrift is 
 faid to come after the working of Satan, with 
 figns, and >yi»g wonders, <t3 in 2 The AT. ii. 9. 
 What is (ignited by both, is found to be in Po- 
 pery ; their doclrine has blinred and bewitched 
 many thouf-inds •, alio, magic arts, with lying 
 figns, wonders., and many other abominable tricks, 
 have been played off; nor only by their inferior 
 clergy, but alio, by Popes themfdves. 
 
 And this has been avowed by them in many ca- 
 fes, under pretence of working miracles, and exor- 
 cifms. The next fin changed upon them is for- 
 nication, taken both in a fpr ritual iznfe* as in de- 
 parting from God, and placing the affections on 
 the creature, Jer. iii. 1. " Thou haft a whore'* 
 4i forehead, thou refufeft to be afhamed;" where 
 the prophet is reproving the people for departing 
 from God, and following after idolatry, and alfo, 
 in a natural fenfe, the fin of fornication and adul- 
 tery, is juftly charged upon the Popifh clergy ; 
 what elfe could prompt them to prohibit marriage? 
 but that they might have the mere freedom to com- 
 mit thefe crimes. Eellarmine (ay*, cf It is more 
 tolerable to commit fornic*rion, than for one un- 
 der a vow to marry, though he have not the gift 
 of continence ; hecaufe, fays he, marriage ren- 
 ders him unable to keep his vow, which the orhcr 
 
 doea 
 
( "9 ) 
 
 does not." It is well known, that public flews,. 
 or brothels, have been openly licenfed at Rome, 
 and in many Popifh countries : for thofe in Rome 
 itfclf, the Pope is faid to have received annually 
 4000 crowns. Nay it is well known, that popes, 
 as well as inferior clergy, have been addicted to 
 thefe vices. In the hiftory of the popes, we are 
 informed, that Pope Joan brought forth a child 
 during her popedom. Thefe are not forced fto- 
 ries, as fome of our modern Papifts aflert, but 
 fa£ts well authenticated by their own writers, as 
 well as others. 
 
 There is a book pubJifned, fome time ago, by 
 Anthony Egans, B. D. late confeflbr general of 
 the kingdom of Ireland ; the title of it is, the 
 Book of Rates, now ufed in the fin cultom-houfe 
 of the church and court of Rome, containing the 
 bulls, difpenfations, and pardons for all manner 
 of villainies, and wickednefs ; with the feverai 
 fums of money given, and to be paid for them. 
 Page 13. there are thefe difpenfations for priefts, 
 and others, under the celebat-vow: ci A pried or 
 friar, having lieu carnally with a woman, of whate- 
 ver fort or degree, whether a nun, or a kinfwoman, 
 or relation, or with any other, whether married 
 or fingle, whether within the bounds or cloiilers 
 of his monaftery, or elfewhere; whether the ab- 
 folution be made in the name of the clergy or not, 
 it gives him power to exercife his function, and 
 to hold his livings, he paying L. 36:9:6. For 
 the fin of buggery, they muit pay L, 90 : 12 : i. 
 A Nun may play the whore very often, for pay- 
 ing L. 36 : 9 : o. One that keeps a whore at bed 
 and beard, with a difpeniation to hold a benefice, 
 rauft pay L. 4 : 5 : 6."_ Prideaux tells us of Pope 
 Sixtus IV. " that he made a grant to the Cardi- 
 nal of Lucia, to life unnatural lufts, for three 
 months in the year j viz. in Juiie, July, and Au« 
 
 guft; 
 
( I" ) 
 
 gtift ! this fame Pope built a public (lew in Rome/ 
 a* his own expence." 
 
 Cramuel afierts, " That it is douhtful, whether 
 a man may not murder a woman after he has lien 
 with her, if fhe offer to difcover what paffed be- 
 tween them " Were we to recount the lewdnefs 
 of even popes themfelves, our eflay would fwell 
 into a monftrous fize; we fnall only felett a few of 
 them. Pope John XIL was wounded in the 
 temples, when in bed with another man's wife ; 
 of which wound he died, in eight days. Pope Be- 
 nedict. XII. bought a beautiful woman, of her 
 brother for a concubine. Paul III. proftituted 
 hrs own daughter Julia to Alexander VI. that 
 he might be made a cardinal $ he alio committed 
 inceft with his own daughter Conftantia, and poi- 
 foned her hufband, that he might enjoy her wnh 
 the greater freedom ; he likewife committed in- 
 ceft with his own filler, and is faid to have been 
 a necromancer. Yet from this pope's piety came 
 the council of Trent. We have already mention* 
 cd Pope Joan, who, after being pope for two 
 years and fix months, fell into labour in the midft 
 of a proceflion. There was alfo a Popefs, or mi- 
 ftrefs of Pope Innocertf X. his fi fter-in-law, 
 framed Dona Olympia, who managed the pope- 
 dom during his life. Platina reports, " that no lefs 
 than fix thoufand infants fkulls, were found in a 
 fi(h pond at Pvomej during the pontificate of Gre- 
 gory the great, all murdered to conceal the lewd- 
 nefs of the clergy •," this is only a fmall fample 
 or fpecimen of the immoralities of that perfon, 
 who ftiles himfelf infallible. 
 
 The lad vice, mentfoned in ver. 21. is their 
 thefts. Theft is the taking, either by force or fraud, 
 what belongs to others, and appropriating it to 
 one's own ufe. We will likewife find the Popifl* 
 clergy guilty of this, in a very high degree; what 
 with donations, mortifications, indulgences, an- 
 nates, 
 
'{ 121 ) 
 
 mtes, Peter's patrimony, Peter's pence, and the 
 like, they had amafTed large property of the rich- 
 eft lands in Europe ; befides immenfe quantities 
 of gold, fiiver, and other wealth, with which the 
 Popifh clergy abound. 
 
 Platina, Martin us, Onuphrius, and Bellar- 
 mine, all Popifh writers, uniformly declare, that 
 from the year 670, downward, bribery prevailed 
 at the election of their popes; that they ufed 
 magic arts, were ambitious, factious, and vio- 
 lent ; and that they poifoned and imprifoned 
 their predeceiTors. Some of thefe popes were 
 monftroufly virions ; they were addicted to cruel- 
 ty, adultery, and giving up themfelves to the 
 devil. John XIII. was an infamous wicked man, 
 from his very infancy ; whatever time be eould 
 fnare from the gratification of his lufts, he fpent 
 in hunting: at laft, he was murdered, in the very 
 act of adultery. 
 
 Sylvefter II. having obtained the popedom 
 by finifter methods, is faid to have delivered up 
 himfelf to the devil ; and promifed to be his 
 wholly after death, provided he would affift him 
 in his wicked projects. Let any one, without 
 prejudice, read the hifiory of the popes, and he 
 will fee more than fufficicnt to convince him, 
 how juft-y Papifts have been punished by the 
 plague of the fixth trumpet, or by the Turks and 
 Saracens. 
 
 From what has been faid, we may learn, that 
 the Turks made dreadful havoc among the fub- 
 jects of Antichrift's kingdom; yet a great part 
 repented not, which were afterwards to be de- 
 ftroyed by the vials. How foolimly, nay, how 
 madly do thefe erroneous people doat upon their 
 idols, even in this enlightened age, though they 
 may be certain God will pour out the vials of 
 his wrath upon them* 
 
 Wc have already obferved, that the learned 
 L and 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 and ingenious bifhop Newton, has applied the 
 iifth trumpet entirely to the Saracens ; which, 
 we conceive, can only be done in a fecondary 
 manner, for the reafons we there gave. But 
 why may we not join the Saracens along with 
 the Turks ; who have conjunctly made up one 
 great empire, are of the fame religion, have the 
 fame laws and cuftoms, have uniformly made 
 war together upon the Chriilians, with the fame 
 unrelenting rage; and feeing the event of what 
 is predicted here, is exactly fulfilled in them ; as 
 is evident, by comparing their hiftory with this 
 prophecy: and, confulering the prodigious daugh- 
 ter they have made in the Chriftian world, and 
 the religion they have introduced, we cannot i- 
 magine thefe would be paffed ever in this book. 
 
 It is very remarkable, that a few years before 
 Boniface aiTumed the purple, Mahomet, aided 
 by one Sergius a monk, and John Antiochenus 
 an Arian, had the dexterity to invent and pro- 
 pagate the Turkifh religion ; being a compound 
 of the Heathen, Jewifh, and Chriftian religrons, 
 interlarded with the wildeft and moft incoherent 
 nonfenfe, that could ever enter into the mind of 
 man ; yet of fuch a nature, that it was very pa- 
 latable to man, in bis natural and depraved Mate. 
 As the alcorn and life of Mahomet, are now in 
 Englifh, the cuvious may fatisfy thomfekes of 
 the truth of our aflertion : only we think it pro- 
 per to obferve here, that Mahomet was a mortal 
 enemy to idolatry ; and it appears evident, that 
 God over-ruling the hands and pens of that tri- 
 umvirate, in order to render Mahomet and his 
 followers, a more vindictive fcourge of idolatrous 
 Christians, prevented them from falling into ido- 
 latry, to which men in ail ages have been ad* 
 &aed. 
 
 This Mahomet did not, (like the popes at firft)*- 
 contciit himfelf with the character of a prieft, 
 
 but 
 
( **3 ) 
 but foon became a mighty temporal monarch : 
 for Heradeus the emperor, having difbanded a 
 great part of the army of the Arabians, that 
 were afTiftmg to him in his wars, Mahomet 
 knew mankind too well to lofe fo favourable an 
 opportunity ; but eafily infinuated himfelf into 
 their good graces, and foon became their leader, 
 
 S )on after this, they changed their names 
 from Iihmaelites to Saracens, that they might 
 not be reckoned a race of baitards : afterwards 
 he conquered Arabia, and fettled for fome time 
 in Media-, then they invaded Syria and Damaf- 
 eus, the capital of their dominio is. It is almoft 
 incredible, how rapid their conquefts were over 
 many countries \ yet they got little fo.)ting in 
 E. trope, till they were conquered by the Furies, 
 when they became one people with them Since 
 that time, they have acquired a mighty emp;re 5 
 partly in Alia, partly in Africa, and paitiy ia 
 Europe : but this great unwieldy empire, is now 
 on the decline > and they, who were once a ter- 
 ror to all Europe, were very much humbled, with- 
 in thefe few years, by Ruflia ; and as they lie 
 contiguous to one another, and may be fuppofed 
 to have frequent quarrels, who knows, but the 
 next time they engage with that formidable pow- 
 er, (which is increafing as much, in the mili- 
 tary art, as they are declining), they will make 
 an entire conqueft of them, and invite the Jews 
 to come and fettle iii Palefkme, the ancient 
 refidence of their progenitors, from which they 
 have been long debarred for their idolatry, a::d 
 crucifying the Lord of life. 
 
 A fpecious objection is made by Bellarmine 
 and other Popifh writers, to the application of 
 this trumpet to the Turks. Thefe eaftcrn parts, 
 of the empire, fay they, of which the Turks have 
 got pofleffion, have been lead fubmiflive to the 
 pope j ariid therefore this plague of the Turks 
 L 2 may 
 
( n 4 ) 
 
 may rather be reckoned a judgment on then*, 
 for making a fchtfm in the church, than a plague 
 upon the pope. In reply, we maintain, that 
 thefe churches were, for the mod part, fub- 
 miflive to him ; for it is faid, chap, xiii, 8. that 
 rdl that dwell upon the earth, (meaning the Chri- 
 flian world', lhail wotihip the bead \ and fa 
 •were fubjccl to the pope, as their own writers 
 boaft. 
 
 Now, fo many Chriftians having been ilain by 
 the lurks, they mud either acknowledge, that 
 there has been a great deftru&ion on the Popifh 
 k:ngr!oms, or irut a third part of the Chriftian 
 vcrld did not belong to him ; this they will not 
 readily allow. Suppofe then, that fome of thefe 
 eaitern churches withdrew from his aiiegLnce, 
 yet being once iufe&ed witfi idolatry, and other 
 grofs errors, by the Roman pontiffs, they would 
 ftill retain thefe errors, till this judgment over- 
 took, them ; thus Gdd gave warning to others^ 
 involved in the fame guilt, by inflicting this pu- 
 nifhment upon them. Ic p leafed God, in his 
 fovereign juiiice, to punifh thofe eaftern churches, 
 rather than others, for the following reafons : 
 ill, Becaufe it appears, that he defigns not to 
 overthrow the beaft by the Turks, but to refer ve 
 two thirds of his kingdom, for other holy and 
 wife purpofes. 2dly, God had rai fed up faithful 
 men, to tell if y againit the corruptions of Anti- 
 chiiit, in the eaitern churches, which rendered 
 them mere guilty, and lefs excufabJe ; becaufe, 
 nctwithitanding their being led away by thefe 
 errors, this punifhment inflicted upon them, rs 
 therefore themoie jufl. Again, jdly, by pumfh- 
 irg them who appeared lea ft guilty, God evi- 
 dently fliews, how odious every fm is to him ; 
 and that others might be warned who were more 
 wicked, who worshipped the beaft, and had re- 
 ceived his mark, chap. xri. By which it is ap- 
 parent. 
 
( «*<; ) 
 
 parent, that thefe two thirds went further IeftjjAii 
 in acknowledging the pope's fnpremacy, than the 
 other third who were firft puniihed ; though they 
 were equally guilty in other particulars. Latt!y r 
 It is plain, that the pope's power is much Leflened 
 by the Turk y and many of thefe who abfolute- 
 ly depended on the pope were cut off, not on- 
 ly in the holy war, us they fooliihly called it) ; 
 befides. many kingdoms, cities, and armies, trnt 
 fuliv acknowledged him : on them he conferred 
 many benedictions, and gave them confecratei 
 croffes, fwords, banners, is'c. in order to encou- 
 rage them to undertake the war with greater 
 cheerfulnefs-. Nay more, many of the em->:rors : 
 of the eailern empire, a little before its annihila- 
 tion, came to be crowned at Rome, and to re> 
 ceive the pope's benediction. In the year 1274$ 
 Michael, emperor of Constantinople, undertook 
 to bring all the Greek churches under the obe- 
 dience of pope Gregory X. 
 
 Frjm all which, we may confidently aver, 
 that the cruelties exerdfed by the Turks and Sa- 
 racen-, have been a very great plague to the 
 kingdom of Antichrift. 
 
 Now, after founding the frxth trumpet, one 
 Would ex-, eel: the feventh fhould immediately 
 Succeed-, but the- tenth chapter, and part of the 
 eleventh, intervene. Phis, we think, is done 
 with a defign to comfort the church, which was 
 expofed to long and cruel fufre rings, during the 
 feign of Aivichriit: for though the Turk de- 
 stroyed one third part of his kingdom yet t.vo 
 thirds remained ; who yet repened not, bu: we r s 
 as mad upon their idolatry, and worfnipping the 
 beaft, as ever They exercT^d all manner of 
 cruelties without controal, v.b the time thefe- 
 venrh tiUinpe-t began to found. The p op:e of 
 God, \H:>\\ ever few in number), would oe re icy to 
 think that G^d had f >r rotten them: therefore t ur 
 glorious. Mediator commiffiohs his fervaiu John 
 ■L 3, to 
 
( a* ) 
 
 to inform his church, that afrer her fuffering % 
 little longer, and as foon as thefeventh trumpet 
 began to found, he would pour out the vials of 
 his wrath upon the bead and his adherents ; and 
 continue to plague them, as they had done her,, 
 till he fliouM utterly extirpate them from the 
 earth, and raife up a glorious cuhrch from their 
 ruins. 
 
 : CHAP. X. 
 cc John, in the conciufSon of the lafl chapter, 
 having touched upon the coriuption of the weft- 
 cm church, proceeds now t9 deliver fome pro- 
 phecies relating to this lamentable event : but 
 before he enters upon this fubjecl:, he (and the 
 church in him}, is prepared for it, by an auguft 
 and confolatory vifion. Another mighty angel 
 Crime down from heaven, deferibed fome what 
 Jike the angel in the three laft chapters of Da- 
 niel, and in the firft chapter of the Revelation.. 
 He had in his hand bibliaridion > or a little book 
 or codicil, different from the biblion, or 'boolc 
 mentioned before : and it was open, that all inea 
 might freely read and confiderit. It was indeed 
 a codicil to the larger book, and properly cometh 
 nnder the fixth trumpet, to defcribe the ftate of 
 the weftern church, afrer the description of the 
 ilare of the eaftern : and this is, with good rea~ 
 fon, made a feparate and diilincSr, prophecy, on 
 account of the importance of the matter - y as well 
 ss for engaging the greater attention. He fet 
 his right foot upon the fea, and his left foot up- 
 on the earthy to lhew the extent of his power 
 and corn million : and when he had cried aloud,, 
 (ver. 3 ) {c\'tn thunders uttered their voices- 
 John would have written down thefe words 
 which the feven thunders uttered, hut was for- 
 bidden to do it. As we know not the fubjects 
 of the feven thunders, fo neither can we knew 
 the rcafons for Cupgre^Bng ihem ; but it may be 
 
 conceited 
 
f «7 ) 
 
 conceived, that fome things might be proper to 
 be revealed to the apoftle, and yet not fit to be 
 communicated to the church. By the feven 
 thunders, Vitring uttderftands the feven great 
 croifades, or expeditions of the weftern Chrifti- 
 ans for the conqueft of the holy land, and Dan- 
 buz, the feven kingdoms which received and e- 
 ftablifhed the Proteftant reformation by law. But 
 it favours of p re fu motion to pretend to con- 
 }e£lure, when the Holy Spirit hath purpofely 
 concealed it from us. Then the angel (verf 5. 
 6. 7.) lifted up his hand to heaven, like the an- 
 gel in Dan. xii. 7. and fware by him that liveth 
 for ever and ever, (the great Creator of all things \ 
 that time (hall not be yet; but it (hall be in the 
 days of the fe Tenth trumpet, that the myftery of 
 God (hall be finifhed, and the glorious ftate of 
 his church be perfected, agreeably to the good 
 things which he hath pro mi fed to his fervants the 
 prophets. This is faid, for ttre confutation of 
 Chriftians, that though the little book defcribes 
 the calamities of the weftern church, yet they 
 fhail all have a happy period under the feventh- 
 trumpet. John is then ordered, (ver. 8. 9. 1©.), 
 to eat the little bock, as Ezekiel (in, 3.) did up- 
 on a like occafion : and he eat it up ; he through- 
 ly considered and digefled it, and found it to be, 
 as he was informed it would be, fweet as honey 
 in his mouth, but bitter in 'his ftomacb. The 
 knowledge of future things, at firft was pleafant, 
 but the fad contents of the little book, after- 
 wards, filled his foul with for row. But thefe 
 contents were not to be fealed up, like thofe of 
 the feven thunders : this little book was to be 
 publifhed, (ver. 1 1 ..) as well as the forger book 
 ef the -Apocalypfe ; and, as it concerned kings 
 and nations, fo it was to be made public, for 
 their ufe and information. See bifhop Newton 
 in kcQ. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
•( ft* ) 
 
 C H A I\ XL 
 
 Cf In the former part of this chapter, from t 
 firft verfe to the fourteenth, are exhibited the' 
 contents of this little book. The apoflle rs com- 
 manded to meafure the inner court, the temple 
 of God, and the altar ; and th:m who worfhip 
 therein, to (hew, that during all this period, 
 there were fome true Chriftians who can formed 
 to the rule and meafure of God's word. This 
 meafuring might allude, more particularly, to the 
 reformation from Popery, which fell out ivnder 
 the fixth trumpet, fays bifhop Newton-; and one 
 of the moral caufes of it, was the Othmans ta- 
 king ConftantinopJe ; whereupon the Greeks 
 flying from their own country, and bringing 
 their books with them, into the weftern parts of 
 Europe, proved the happy occafion of the revival 
 of learning j as that opened mens c/js, it pro- 
 ved the happy occafion of the reformation." 
 
 The material temple of jerufalem is here al- 
 luded! to, having three courts ; the outer court 
 is that where people had accefs to worihip God-, 
 upon their fokmn fefliva's ; the next to that, was 
 called the court of the prieils , the third was the 
 holy of holier, where iisman was permitted to 
 enter, but the highprieft once a-ye-ar. It may 
 like, wife have alluSon to EzekieTs vific-n-,- (chap-, 
 xl. 41 ;} and downward; fignifying, that Gcd 
 made a difference among pro ft fib rs of that time,. 
 and that a bare profeffion of religion availed no- 
 thing with him. 
 
 It a'fo ftfews us, that God fets apart fome for 
 himfelf, whiift orhers are neglefted. Thus in 
 Ezek xlvii. i8 the land is faid to be meafured ; 
 and on ttr's account, Ifrael is frequently called 
 the rod of God's inheritance, Pfal. lxxiv. 2. Jer. 
 x. 16. &tc. ; as meafured by him. in oppofition 
 to all other nations. It likewife points out Goct's 
 
 fpecial- 
 
( 129 ) 
 
 fpecial care and protection of thofe true worfFup- 
 pers in the temple, as if he was preparing a houfe 
 for them to reft in, during that time. This mea- 
 furing of the temple is oppofcd to the calling 
 out of the outer court to the Gentiles, which is 
 not to be meafured, as being beneath his notice ; 
 this is agreeable to chap. xii. 14. where a place 
 is to be prepared for the woman during that time. 
 And again, this mcafuring of the temple is op- 
 pofed to the opening of it. chap. xv. : that o- 
 pening refer* to the enlarged condition of the 
 church, when the true minifters of the gofpel 
 fhouid be properly acknowledged ; but this points 
 out her fecret, retired condition, when her mr- 
 niiters were obliged to retire into dens and caves, 
 and durft not make a public appearance, which 
 they were permitted to have, when the feventh 
 trumpet began to blow. This may alfo have an 
 al ufion toDiniel's prophecy concerning A ti« 
 ochus, his making defolate the temple of J-:ru- 
 falem ; and, in this cafe, the para iel will be, s 
 the Jewilh temple and church were opprtffed 
 and trode UTider foot by Antiochus, for a time, 
 fo fh.dl the viable church be defaced, polluted, 
 and ovvrr-run by Antiehrifi, during his tyrannical 
 usurpation thereof Yet wiil the Lord preferve 
 a remnant unfpotted, as in the time of Ant>- 
 chnft. 
 
 The outer court is given to the Gentiles. It is 
 wel: known, this name was given by the Jews 
 to ail ether nations The Jew- alone were 
 God's peculiar people ; to them alone he permit- 
 ted accefs to worfhip in the fecond court of the 
 priefls By Gentiles, in this place, we are not to 
 underiland Heathens ; for they are not capable to 
 pofTefs the vifible church, or to aflame its name ; 
 for even, when it is given up o them, and is trode 
 npon by them, it lull continues to be the outer 
 court ; befides, the time of their treading it muft 
 
 be 
 
• ( |3° » 
 
 be whilft Antichrift fits in the temple of God ; 
 and therefore mufl be underftocd of him and his 
 followers : thefe may be called Gentiles, becaufe 
 though they feem to bear the name of Chriftians, 
 and fo did not defhroy, but pofiefs the outer 
 court, and retain the name of the Christian 
 church, yet becaufe of their defection from the 
 purity of the gofpel, and their fuperftiticus wor- 
 ship, they may more properly he called Gentiles 
 than Chriftians ; in which refpecl, the Pope or 
 Antichrift is faid to have the name of blafphemy, 
 evc:n as the Heathen had before him. The fol- 
 lowing expreflions ill ufl rate this more fully, viz. 
 * They (hall tread the holy city under foot for- 
 if ty and two months " What was formerly 
 called the outer courr^ is now called the holy 
 city; that is, the vifible church, whereof Jeru- 
 faiem, the holy city, wa^ a type They fhiil tread 
 upon it ; that is, they ihrAl pollute, deftroy, and 
 quite mar its beaury, for 42 month, or 1260 'avs^ 
 at o days each month. Suppoie a day taken for 
 a year, as is fometimes done in holy writ, and 
 this period to commence about the year 300, or 
 a lntle after, as has been obierved, then this pe- 
 riod will end about the year 15 o, when -he re- 
 formation took phce ; or, fuppofe it began about 
 the year 600, when Boniface alTumed the title of 
 un ive rial b (hop, then it will terminate about the 
 year i860 •, a third opinion, a great deal later 
 than any of the former, may be added, but is 
 fupporred by the authority of the great Sir Ifaac 
 Newton, and others : thefe make it ro begin 
 about the year 7^6, when the pope afiiimed the 
 legal power, or when he put on the triple 
 crown. If we may be allowed to form a conjec- 
 ture, perhaps we may (hew, that all the three 
 opinions are right. As to the firft period, com- 
 mencing at the year 300, and ending about the 
 year 15^®. As errors made rapid progrefs in 
 
 tha 
 
( IS* ) 
 
 the church whenever (he enjoyed outward peacc^ 
 fo the reformation, though partial, has gradually 
 difpelled error from many parts of Europe; a'fo 
 the pope's power, as has been faid, has gradual- 
 ly diminifhed mice that period, and now he is a 
 mere cypher, in comparifon of what he was for- 
 merly ; being rather now continued as apolitical 
 engine,, to fofter and continue defpotic power, 
 among the Popifh ftates. As to the fecond opi- 
 nion, that begins a little after the year 600, and 
 ends at the i860. The pope, about the year 
 600, declared htmfelf univerfal bifhop ; fo per- 
 haps he may be driven from Rome, and that 
 there (hall be no pope after the year \ 860. How- 
 ever, it is to be wifhed, that it may be fooner. 
 Then concerning the laft period, which com- 
 menceth at the year 756, and ends at the 2016 : 
 it is probable, at the expiration of this period, all 
 Papifts, together with ail the other enemies of 
 Chrift and his church, mall be utterly deftroyed, 
 wlicn Gog and Magog are alfo cut off". 
 
 Now, to return to our fubjeft. It is not to be 
 fuppofed, two prophets could live and prophefy 
 42 months, 1260 years : the meaning is, whilft 
 Antichrift was gradually arriving at, and after 
 he came to his height, till he began to fall at the 
 reformation, there were always fome ordinary 
 minifters, faithfully witneffing againft his idola- 
 try and fuperflition. Of thefe witneffes there 
 fhould be, though but a fmall, yet a competent 
 number •, and it was a fufficient reafon for ma- 
 king them two witneffes, becaufe that is the num- 
 ber required by the law, and approved by the 
 gofpel, Deut. xix. 5. Matth xviii. 16. " In thq 
 " mouth cf two witneffes fhall every word be 
 (( eftablifhed." And, upon former occafions, 
 two have often been joined in commilfion •, as 
 Mofes and Aaron in Egypt, Elijah and Elifha, in 
 the apoilacy of the ten tribes, and ZerubbabH 
 
 and 
 
( $a ) 
 
 and jofhua, after the Babylonifh captivity ; t0 
 whom thefe witnefTes are particularly compared. 
 Our Saviour fent forth his difciplcs, Luke x i. 
 two and two : and it hath been obferved aifo, 
 that the principal reformers have ufually appear- 
 ed, as it were, in pairs ; as the Walcienfes and 
 Albigenfes, John Hufs and Jerome of Prague, 
 Luther and Calvin, Cranmer and Ridley, "VVifh- 
 art and Knox, and their followers. Not that we 
 conceive, that any two particular men, or two 
 particular churches, were intended by thib pro- 
 phecy ; but only it was meant, in the general, 
 that there fhould be fome, in every age, though 
 but few in number, who fhould bear witnefs to 
 the truth, and declare againft the iniquity and 
 idolatry of their times. They fhould not be dis- 
 couraged, even by perfecution and opprefhon ; 
 but, though clothed in fackcloth, and living in a 
 mourning and afflicted ftate, fhould yet prophecy ; 
 fhould yet preach the (incere word of God, and 
 denounce the divine judgments againft the reign- 
 ing idolatry and wickednefs ; and this they mould 
 continue to do, as long as the great corruption 
 itfelf lafted, for the fpace of a thoufand and two 
 hundred and threefcore days. 
 
 Vert 7. 8. 9. and ic. " And when they mill 
 < c have fmifhc-d their teftimony," &c. Thefe 
 verfes fet befoie us the barbarcus ufage, wnich 
 thefe two witnefTes fhould meet with, from the 
 Antichriftian world; for the faithful difcharg . of 
 their duty •, they fhall be flain politically, fay 
 fome; that is, they (hah be depofed ana ii er>ced, 
 imprifontd, and laid afide as ukleis and de^vj : 
 literally fay others, they fhall be put to death 
 with fire and fagot. " Trw.y fhall overa me 
 fl them ;" that is, they fhall ge« power over their 
 bodies, to torture and kill them. God fome- 
 timts fuffers his own people adhialy to be put to 
 death, for his own glory, their honour, and the 
 
 good 
 
( *33 ) 
 
 good of the church. Obferve the time fpccinec!) 
 vhen they were (lain > it was-, when they had fi- 
 niflied their tedimony, and not till then. Ihis 
 may be about the expiring of the 42 months, or, 
 when Antichrifl came to his height. For, as has 
 been faid above, the time of the witnefi'es pro- 
 phefying is cotemporary with the bead's reign ; 
 their putting on fackcloth is occafioned by his 
 rife, and 10 beginning together they mull alfo end 
 together ; viz. they in iome meafure may be faid 
 to put offtheir fackcloth at the bead's begun fall. 
 Here a double queftion will a rife, 1* How can 
 their tedimeny be faid to be finifned, feeing mi- 
 Riders mud continue tedifying to the end ? 2. 
 How can the bead be faid to prevail more againd 
 them, at his begun ruin, than during his reign ? 
 In anfwer to thefe, we fay, that during the tri- 
 umphant reign of Antichrift, faithful miniders 
 were few in number, in comparifon of what fuc- 
 teeded them \ therefore thefe few, who were (hut 
 up in corners, not daring to appear openly, ha- 
 ving gone off the dage immediately after the re- 
 formation, a great number of faithful miniders 
 fucceeded in their place; who, though perfected, 
 openly continue to bear witnefs to the truth. 
 And, though Antichrifl is arrived at his height, 
 his malice and cruelty, againd the faithful dill 
 continue ; and by this cruelty he is more difcern- 
 able, and the period containing his height, more 
 eafily didinguiflicd from hi& begun, and continued 
 fruin. 
 
 2. Now the number of witneffes being mightily 
 increafed, and openly ted fying againft the idola- 
 try of Antichrift, this cuts him to th~ heart, and 
 fills him more than ever with implacable rage ani 
 hatred againd them : and hurries him on, to fet all 
 the engines of hell , t work, in order, if poffible, 
 to txt *T>ate them f-'om the earth. And God, irv 
 his fovereign wifdom, permits him fo far to pre* 
 M tail! 
 
( 134 ) 
 
 vail, as to put many of them to death, that by 
 their fufferings, the truth may appear more con- 
 fpicuous ; and the errors of Antichrift be more 
 evidently difplayed \ which tended much to further 
 the reformation. 
 
 Thefe glorious witnefies, a3 was faid, having 
 <fi nifhed their teftimony, are killed by the bealt 
 that afcends out of the bottomlefs pit-, viz. An- 
 tichrift, or the Roman Pontiff. This is the 
 fame beaft mentioned chap. xiii. 7. 8.: he is cal- 
 led, a beaft making war with the faints *, here he 
 is faid not only to make war, and overcome, but 
 alfo to kill them. He may be called a beaft, in 
 allufion to thefe in Daniel ; either in refpett of 
 Ills power and grandeur, or for his cruel, and fa- 
 vage nature. He comes fiom the bottomlefs pit, 
 viz, from helL He is denominated, chap. ix. 
 the angel of the bottomlefs pit, who cometh af- 
 ter the working of Satan ; whofe fervant he is, 
 as his tenets declare. Here it is in the prefent 
 tcnfe, he afcendeth ; that is, he was beginning 
 in John's time to work fecretly ; and even more 
 early in the Apoftle Paul's time, as 2 Theflf ii. 7. 
 c< For the myftery of iniquity doth already work," 
 by mixing error with truth. A queftion may 
 here be aiked, why is he now faid to make war, 
 overcome, and kill? did he not do-fo during the 
 42 months ? doubtlefs he did : all that time he 
 perfecuted the faints ; but then it could fcarce 
 have the name of war, as he had fo few to fight 
 againft. But after the reformation had got foot- 
 ing in Britain, Germany, France, and many o- 
 ther places, when whole kingdoms forfook him \ 
 he was then obliged to mufter up all his forces 
 againft them, viz. the Popifh powers in Europe; 
 and, as the common people were then very illite- 
 rate, h>2 publifhed his bulls, and anathemas, a- 
 gainft their kings ; and endeavoured to perfuade 
 the people, that he had power to free them from 
 
 their 
 
( '35 ) 
 
 their allegiance to their fovereigns. Thefe vain 
 threats began now to be disregarded ; but this, 
 fo far from diminifhing, increafed Aruichrifl's 
 cruelty and barbarity to thefe witneffes ; for, af- 
 ter their death, he will not fuffer them to be bu- 
 ried. What could he polTibly do more, to brand 
 them with infamy, and difgrace, than to ordcl 
 their bodies to lie and rot above ground, like 
 brute beafls ? This was very common, and ordi- 
 nary, in the perfections of England, Germany, 
 France, and Helvetia, efpeciaiiy with miniilcrs, 
 2nd people of diftinction ; fuch as Zuinglius, the 
 admiral of France, and many others. Nay, even 
 their very bones were dug out of their graves, 
 and burnt, as was done to Bucer, by wicked Ma- 
 ry of England. It is a fure fign that religion 
 comes not from God, which is lorced upon men 
 by fire and faggot ; and where the greateft exer- 
 tions of favnge cruelty are ufed in its behalf: here, 
 however, we may admire the infinite wifdom, and 
 over-ruling providence of God, who makes the 
 ▼ery wrath of man to redound to his own pruife, 
 and to the advancement of religion ; for he iuf- 
 fers his witneffes to be maltreated, periecuted, 
 and (lain, and even their bodies to be rotting a- 
 bove ground; yet he will not fuffer their teltimo- 
 ny to be buried in oblivion, but makes that very 
 obloquy a means of preferving their memory, and 
 advancing the reformation. 
 
 AD this is faid to be done in the flreet of the 
 great city, fpiritually called, Sodom and Egypt* 
 By great city here, is certainly meant Piome, or, 
 the Roman empire ; if literally under flood, it 
 may apply to JerufaJem, compared to Sodom for 
 the fins of the Gnoftics committed in her ; and, 
 to Egypt for the oppreflion of God's people; but, 
 if mytticaily underilcod, Rome, or the Roman 
 empire, is here meant \ like Egypt for idolatry, 
 tyranny, fpirituaj darknefs, obitinacy, and obdu- 
 JM 2 racy 5 
 
( I3» ) 
 
 ncy ; like Sodom for uncleannefs, not only prao 
 tiled, but toler?ted ; yea, allowed pubHcly : li- 
 cences being there given to houfes of bad fame, 
 and book* written in defence of Sodomy at Ptome j 
 where Cbrift may be faid to be crucified in his 
 members, fo long as this apellate power conti- 
 nues. 
 
 In the reign of Henry VIII. of England, fearch 
 was m?.de into the monafieries, concerning the 
 conduct of the Rcmifh clergy, their names, and 
 crimes \ and, in Battle-abbey were found hlteen 
 .Sodomites; in Canterbury eight, and one that 
 kept three whores; in Chichefter, two Sodomites, 
 in the cathedra) church, one that kept thirteen 
 whores \ in Bath mcnafiery, one had {tven 
 whores, and was a Sodomite. Were we to rake 
 this dunghill, through the Popifh dominions, what 
 a g'orious retinue would we expofe to view, all 
 Jifted under the infallible Pope ! who, with the 
 greateil propriety, may be (tiled, the king of the 
 hot torn lefs pit, as their works declare. But mo- 
 defty bids us flop, left we ofTend the ears of ouf 
 chatte readers. Is it pcffible men fhould be fa 
 infatuated, and fo blind, as not to perceive how 
 exactly thefe characters agree to that bigotrcd 
 people, who are ft ill doating upon their idols, 
 notwithftanding the light that now fliines around 
 them? this cannot fail highly to aggravate their 
 condemnation. 
 
 Thefe wicked Egyptians, and Sodomites, as 
 they are called; ?.re faid to fee the dead bodies for 
 three days and a half, and not fuffer them to be 
 buried. We are not warranted to fix any preciie 
 t'me to this-, Bifhop Newton obfeives, "That 
 fome commentators are of opinion, this prophecy,. 
 of the death and re r urre6tion of the witnefles, re- 
 ceived its completion, in the cafe of John Hufs, 
 and Je-om of Prague y who were two faithful 
 isffes, and martyrs of the bkfled Jefus* It is 
 
 very 
 
( 137 5 
 Ifcff well known, that they were condemned to 
 death, and afterwards blunt for herefy, by the 
 council of Conftance. Which council, fitting 3. 
 bout three years and an half, from November 
 1414, to April 1 418 ; their bodies may that time 
 be (aid to have lain unburied in the itreet of tne 
 great city, Hi Conftance; where was the greateit 
 2liembly, not only of biihops and cardinals, but 
 like wife, of theemb.-tfladors, barons, counts, dukes, 
 princes, and the emperor himfe.f. But, after 
 the council was diflblved, thefe two preachers 
 were reitored, as it were, to life, in their difc:- 
 ples and followers ) wha propagated the fame 
 doctrines, and maintained them by force of arms, 
 and- vanquished the imperialiils in fevcral battles. 
 It was truly laid to them, Come up hither, when 
 they were invited to the council of Bafii, with a 
 promife of redrefs of grievances ; but, the- coun- 
 cil having dealt fraudulently with them, they 
 they broke out again into optn rebellion , and 
 tenth part of the city fell, the kingdom of Bc- 
 kemia revolted, and tell alike from irs obedience 
 to the pope and emperor."' 
 
 4i Others, fays the Biihop, refer this prophefy- 
 to the Protectants of the league of Srnaicald, wno 
 were entirely routed by the emperor Charles V. 
 in the battle of Muaberg, on the 24th of Aprii^ 
 J 547> when the two great champions of the Pro- 
 tectants, John Frederic, elector of Saxony, was 
 taken pnloner, and the landgrave o£ llede, was 
 forced to furrenuer himielf, and to beg pardon of 
 the emperor. Proteitanifm -was then in a man- 
 ner iupprefledj and the mais reitored: tne wi- 
 neries were dead, but not buried; and the PapnL* 
 rejoiced over them, and made merry, and lent 
 gilts co one another. But this joy and triumph 
 01 t-aeirs, wab of no long continuance; for, in the 
 fpace of about three $ears and an half, the Prote- 
 Rants were railed again at Magdeburg, and de- 
 feated, and took the Duke of Mecklenburg pri- 
 M 3 loner.. 
 
( '3* ) 
 ibner, in December 1550. From that time their 
 affairs changed for the better, almofl: every day - 9 
 fuccefs attended their arms and counfels ; and 
 the emperor was obliged, by the treaty of PaiTau, 
 to allow them the free exercife of their religion, 
 and to re-admit them into the Imperial chamber % 
 from which they had, ever iince the victory of 
 IViuiberg, been excluded. Here was indeed a 
 great earthquake, a great commotion, in which 
 many thousands were (lain, and the tenth part of 
 the city fell ; a great part of the German empire 
 renounced the authority, and abandoned the com* 
 munion of the church of Rome. 
 
 Some again, may think this prophecy very ap- 
 plicable to the honkl maflacre at Pans, and in 
 ether cities of France, begun on the memorable 
 eve of St Bartholomew's day, 1 572. According to 
 the belt authors, there were (lain thirty, or forty 
 thoufand Hugonots, in a few days y and among 
 them, without doubt, many true witnefles, and 
 faithful martyrs of Jefus Chnft. Their dead bo- 
 dies lay in the ftreets of the great city, one of the 
 greateft cities of Europe; for they were not fuf- 
 fered to be burled, being the bodies of heretics* 
 but were dragged through the ftreet, or thrown 
 into the river, or hung upon gibbets, and ex- 
 pofed to public infamy. Great rejoicings too, 
 were made in the courts of France, Rome, and 
 Spain •,. they went in proctffion to the churches^ 
 they returned public thanks to God, they fung // 
 Deumjy they celebrated jubilees, they {truck me^ 
 dais, and, it was enacted, that St Bartholomew's- 
 day, fhould ever afterwards be kept with double 
 pomp and lo ernnity. But neither was this joy 
 of long continuance ; for, in a little more than 
 three years and an half, Henry III. who fucceed- 
 ed his brother,. Cnarles IX entered into a treat jr 
 with the Hugonots ; whieh was concluded and 
 publifhedj on the 14th of May 1576, whereby all 
 
 the 
 
( '39 ) 
 the former fentences againfl them were reverted, 
 and rhe free and open excercife of their religion 
 was granted to them ; they wei-'e to be admitted 
 to all honours, dignities, and offices, as well as 
 the Papifts; and the judges were to be half of the 
 one religion, and half of the others with other 
 articles, greatly to their advantage, which were, 
 in a manner, the refurreclion of the witnefies, 
 and their afcenfiou into heaven. The great earth- 
 quake, and the falling of the tenth part of the ci- 
 ty, and the flaying of thousands of men, accord- 
 ing to this hypothecs, mud be referred to the 
 great commotions and civil wars, which, for 
 feveral years afterwards, cruelly difturbed, and,, 
 almoit deftroyed the kingdom of France. 
 
 Others apply this prophecy to latter times, a« 
 to the perfecution of Lewis XIV, of France, in 
 the 1 68 c : others to the maffacre of the Pied- 
 montefe, by the duke of Savoy, in the year 1686. 
 Being affiled by the Proteitant dates, they re- 
 gained their ancient pofleilions, with great 
 daughter ©f their enemies •, the duke granted 
 them a full pardon, and re-eftablifhed them by 
 another edidt, figned June 4 1690, juft three 
 years and a half after their total diffipation. Thefe 
 were, indeed, moil barbarous perfecutions of the 
 Protectants, both in France and Savoy \ and at 
 the fame time, Popery in Britain was advanced 
 to the throue, and threatened an utter fubverfion 
 of our religion and liberties *, but in little more 
 than three years and a haf, a happy deliverance 
 was wrought by the glorious revolution. 
 
 In all thefe cafes, there may be fome refem- 
 blance to the prophecy before us, of the death 
 and refurreclion of the witnefles; and it may 
 pleafe an over-ruling Providence to difpofe and 
 order events, that the calamities and afflictions 
 of the church may in fome meafure run parallel 
 one to anothei \ and all the former efforts of that 
 
 tyrannical 
 
( tk* ) 
 
 tyrannical and perfecuting power, called the fea#* 
 may be the types and figures, as it were, of this 
 liis laft and greatest effort againft the witnefies* 
 But though thefe inftanccs- fufficiently anfwer in 
 Come refpe&s, yet they are deficient in others, 
 and particularly in this, that they are none of 
 them the laft perfecution ; others have been fince, 
 and in all probability will be again. Befides, as 
 the two witnefles are defi-gned to be the repre- 
 fentatives of the Proteftants in general, fo the 
 |verfecut:on mtift be general too, and not con- 
 fined to this or that particular church or nation." 
 Thus far bifhop Newton* 
 
 We havefeen this Antichriftian rabble rejoice^ 
 make merry, and fend gifts to one another. 
 Now, fay they, we have obtained our wifhes o- 
 ver theft men who tormented us •, let us then 
 praife God, becaufe we have murdered his faiths 
 ful miniflers and people *, who, by the purity of 
 their doctrine and manners, ftung us to the 
 quick; as Stephen's hearers were cut to^ the 
 Tie?rt, whilft he accufed them of murdering the 
 Prince of Life. Wicked men cannot endure a 
 faithful gofpel minifter. The church of Rome 
 were now fo dreadfully funk in vice and immor- 
 rality, befides the flupid fenfelefs doctrines they 
 maintained, and their own grofs ignorance., 
 which, before the reformation, was truely pro^ 
 tcrbial m j it is no wonder that the writings and 
 difcourfes of Calvin, Luther, and others,, ihould 
 give them great uneafmefs, and fill them with 
 the utmoft rage and detettation againft them. 
 Ever fince the fall of man, there has been, and 
 will be, to the end of time, a natural and unre- 
 mitted enmity between the feed of the woman, 
 and that of the ferpent. This eafi'y accounts 
 for all the cruel and b ! oody perfections raifed* 
 in every age, againft the people of God ; they are 
 always the butt of Satan's malice y and he is ne- 
 ver 
 
( I4« ) 
 
 ver at a lofs, to procure men bafe enough to exe- 
 cute his hellifh projects. 
 
 Verf. ii. 12. We have already feen the two 
 witnefies flain, and th^ir bodies left unburied for 
 
 three days and a half ; in this verfe their resur- 
 rection is foretold. This, by fome, is underflcod 
 politically dead, that is, laid afids as ufeltfs, 
 were now politically alive ; that is, reilored to 
 their public work and employment in the church 
 agftin ; God putting it into the heart of Princes 
 and magiftrates, to own and favour them \ and 
 accordingly, by their afcending into heaven, is 
 meant, their recovering their public liberty a- 
 gain, as has been faid, and permitted to execute 
 their ministerial functions without moled at ion ; 
 wh'ch, in comparifon of the low and facke'oth- 
 condition they were in before, was like a heaven 
 to thcin. And they afcend in a clou:), that is 
 glorioufly ; fpoken, perhaps, in al .ufion to our Sa- 
 viour's refurrection ; and their enemies behe'd 
 them with an envious eye, becaufe of the work 
 of their hands, which it was not in their power 
 to hinder. 
 
 Others underfland their refui reel ion, (in the 
 forefaid manner), to be not of the fame men ;• 
 but others endued with the fameip-rit an<i office, 
 reftored to the fame work, to the admiiation of 
 the good, andconfternation of the bad ^ and that 
 the voice of Chritt fpake to the flain witnefies, 
 Come up to heaven and receive the rew.rd of 
 your fufftiiiigs and fervices \ let others \vhofuc- 
 ceed you in office partake of your fp.rir, and 
 perfect that work, which you have fo glorioufly' 
 begun and carried on. 
 
 Whence we may obferve, that God's faithful 
 witnefies, viz. fuch magiftrates and minifters as 
 have done great things for the church of God, 
 are taken up to heaven, before they behold the 
 
 defifed 
 
( M* ) 
 
 defired iffue, which is left to be completed by 
 their fucceflbrs. 
 
 Verf. 13. 14. The fame hour there was a great 
 earthquake, &C. By this chap. vi. 12. and ver. 
 19. of this chapter, is meant great and fudden 
 temporal changes-, that is, great (baking of An- 
 tichrilt's kingdom, or the great commotions 
 which ufliertd in the reformation. The devil, 
 and his lieutenant the p^pe, raifing enmity a- 
 gainft the gofpe), arid God powerfully carrying 
 on his defign, makes he earth, as it were, to 
 fl;ake. till he accompiiih it. This did truly hap- 
 pen, when ar firfl the witneffes feparating from 
 the church of Rome, were brought into a vifible 
 church-ilate in Germany. France, Holland, Bri- 
 tain, £sV. ; and may, with propriety, be reckon- 
 ed a fulfilling of this prophecy. By this earth- 
 quake, a twofold efFcft is produced. 1. A tenth 
 pait of the city fell : that, as we faid above, 
 may refer primar ly to the kingdom of Bohemia m y 
 or mere generally, that many nations or king- 
 doms, unc.er the tyranny and dominion of Anti- 
 chrift, fhook ofF his yoke, difowned his juris- 
 diction, fell off from him ; as was actually ful- 
 filled, when Britain, Denmark, Sweden, and 
 great part of Germany, France, Helvetia, and 
 the low countries, withdrew from him. As a 
 fecond effect following upon this, feven thoufand 
 were flain : in the original, it is names of men, 
 fignifying fome perfons of diftinguifhed rank in 
 this city ; for many inhabitants in cities are de- 
 ftroyed by earthquakes, fc, by this begun deftruc- 
 tion of tne Popiib kingdoms, many men of di* 
 ftinguiflied note were either deftroyed, or loft to 
 the pope •, particularly in the ruin and defeats of 
 Popii'h armies i but eipecially, the deftrucliion of 
 his abbies, monafieries, cloifters, and other re- 
 ligious orders, and chiefly the Jefuits. 
 
 Doclor Gilbert Stewart, in his hiftory of the 
 
 reformation 
 
 L_ 
 
( '43 ) 
 
 reformation, page 124 and 125, fays, fl After 
 taking the town of Perth, the zeal of the eon* 
 gregation was lifted up by this exploit. They 
 thought of dedroying the palace and abbey of 
 Scoon, which were at a little didarue from Perth. 
 It was in vain that their leaders interefted them- 
 felves to fave them : even the rhetoric of John 
 Knox was here ineffectual. An enraged multi- 
 tude fet fire to thefe (lately edifices, and while 
 the flames were afcending, an old woman was 
 heard to exclaim, " See how the judgments of 
 God are jud ! no authority is able to fave, where 
 he will punifh. This place, in my memory, 
 has been nothing elfe but a fink of whoredom. 
 It is incredible to think, how many wives have 
 been allured to adultery, and how many virgins 
 have been deflowered, by the filthy beads fofter- 
 ed in this den." This could not fail to vex 
 them. 
 
 It is added, " the remnant were affrighted, 
 " and gave glory to the God of heaven *," which 
 cannot mean a thorough reformation, upon all 
 the fubjects of that kingdom ; for, even when 
 the vials are poured out, as in chap. xvi. they re- 
 pented not ; bat, as we find at Chriil's cruci- 
 fixion, many were faid to fniite on their breads, 
 and to acknowledge him not only innocent, but 
 more than man So then, this begun overthrow 
 of that kingdom of darknefs, efpecialy, the pulling 
 down of their religious houfes, formerly reckoned 
 fo facred, will be fo remarkable, that many, in ap- 
 pearance, (hail renounce felowfhip with Anti- 
 chrid, and be made to confefs, that nothing 'efs 
 than the mighty power of God could accomplifh it. 
 Here let us, with wonder and admiration, behold 
 the amazing eflLacy ofGod's word, and the happy 
 fuccefs thereof, to the fhaking of Antichrid3 
 kingdom; which tumbles not down all at once, 
 but by degrees, as it rofe. ihe man of fin is to 
 
 be 
 
( 1.44 ) 
 
 eonfumed by the breath of Chrifi's mouth, at 
 firft, which is a gradual death ; though, at laft, he 
 (hall be utterly deflroyed, by the brightnefs of his 
 coming. From hence we may comfortably con- 
 clude, that whatever ground Antichrift may fcem 
 to have gained, of late, in anyplace, that, never- 
 t'helefs, he is in a deep confumption ; nay, far 
 gone in it, and will languifh more and more, till 
 he draw his lafi breath : and, on the ether hand, 
 whatever clouds overfpread the church of Chrift, 
 any where, they will foon all evanifh ; and the 
 true church is now fafl advancing to the higheii 
 pitch of profperity, and mod flourishing condi- 
 tion, (he (hall ever attain on this fide of heaven ; 
 that is, to be under the blefTed millennium : which 
 probably began, with the iefurreclion of the wit- 
 nefTes, at the reformation, by the preaching of Lu- 
 ther, £rc. Thus fays the learned DrMcir, in his 
 Myft. Inq. page 477. <c I doubt not but this refur- 
 re&ion of the witneffes, was a prediction of our 
 Proteftant reformation, begun atSpires in Germa- 
 ny, anno 1529, When feveral German princes and 
 imperial cities, made a folemn proteftation againft 
 the innovations and ufurpations of the church of 
 Rome, from whence comes the name of Protect- 
 ants, which continues to this day. This there- 
 fore, fays he, (hould make our reformation 
 the more facred, and prevent all perfons, who 
 wiih well to our holy religion, from throwing 
 dirt upon our firit reformers, (as has been too 
 liberally done of late), whofe names ought to be 
 had in honour, and \ril' be fo in the church of 
 God, to all generations " 
 
 Verf. 14. ' The lecond woe is paft, and be- 
 €i hold, the third woecometh quickly." By this 
 third woe, We are doubt'efs to u derftand the 
 the founding of the feventh trumpet, which is to 
 continue the plagues on the ope, till he be quite 
 overthrown. 
 
 Before 
 
( 145 ) 
 
 Before we proceed to further explication of 
 this and the following verfes, we flatter our- 
 felves, it will not be difagreeable to our readers, 
 if we fliali prefent them with a few lines, ex- 
 trafted from a mod elegant and learned perform- 
 ance of Dr Gilbert Stewart. Page i. 
 
 " The traffic of indulgences, or the fale of the 
 favour of heaven to tinners of every degree, firfl 
 awakened the general attention of mankind to 
 the fpirit and tendency of the Romifh faith. The 
 confid^ration of particular abufes and errors, led 
 to the difcovery of the defects and infirmities of 
 the whole fyftem Provoked by oppofnion, in- 
 vited by curiofity, impelled by pride, and allured 
 by the love of judice and truth, mtn inquired 
 with anxiety and ardour, not only into the form 
 and administration of the church, but into the 
 dofhines which it taught. It was fcrutinizei on 
 every fide ; and its corruptions and weakneffesj 
 incapable of all defence and apology, foufed in- 
 dignation and contempt. 
 
 Popery is a fpecies of religion, when exa- 
 mined by the principles of reafon, appears to 
 mock the judgment and capacity of men ; and, 
 when furveyed as a political ellabliihment, it 
 feems intended to difturb the tranquillity of to- 
 ciety. The ingenuity of human wit, excited to 
 contrive what is moil extravagant, can, with dif- 
 ficulty, conceive inventions more abfurd, or more 
 romantic, than the merits of pilgrimages and pe- 
 nances, the confcflion and abf Jution of fins> pur- 
 gatory, the invocation of fa:nts, and adoration of 
 images. Nor, in a political view, is the wild- 
 nefs it offers to obfervation lefs conclufive, or 
 ftriking. A prieft feated at Rome, claiming rhe 
 prerogatives of Deity, looking down upon empe- 
 rors and kings, and interfering, with heat and 
 violence, in the temporal as well a; Ipritua: con- 
 cerns of independent nations, is a boundLfs v c- 
 N latioa 
 
( I4« ) 
 lation of property. Prelates fubfervient to a fo- 
 reign potentate, with interefts oppofite to thofc 
 of the community of which they are members, 
 and aflembling to deliberate in the feuate, and to 
 controul the authority of the prince and the ma- 
 giftrate, mayjuftlybe confiriered, as an inftitu- 
 tion in hoftility to all the maxims of civil govern- 
 ment. And by eftablifhment ot religious houies 
 and monalteries, multitudes of individuals being 
 condemned to confinement and indolence, focie- 
 ty was deprived of the fruit arid advantage of 
 their induftry and labour. 
 
 Time added to the original imperfections of 
 the Romiih fyftem. The immenfe weakh accu- 
 mulated by the clergy > co-cperating with the law 
 cf celibacy, ferved to corrupt their morals. The 
 extreme profligacy of their lives was ftill more 
 cfflnfive than the puerilities they inculcated. In 
 their fuccefsful advances to grandeur, they ac- 
 quired a long train of privileges and immunities v 
 and while their imperioufnefs propagated dihYrefs 
 arid terror, new and conilant pretences of en- 
 croachment prefented ihemfelves, to flatter and 
 encourage their fpirit of ambition and tyranny. 
 Their power rofe to the mod exorbitant height, 
 and tiny were iludious to abufc it. 
 
 Ail the abfurdities, which fhock moft the com- 
 mon underftanding of mankind, all the vices and 
 immoralities, which infuit their fenfe of modefty 
 and virtue, and all the ftretches of authority 
 which violate their pride, and overturn their in- 
 terefts, were difplayed and exercifed in the Ro- 
 liiith reiigicn, and in the tranfaelions of its prieft- 
 hood. When advanced to an extremity, beyond 
 which they could be no longer endured, the pro- 
 per check and correction were applied to them. 
 They were traced to their fources, and explain* 
 ed in their confequences. Knowledge increafed 
 with inquiry, courage grew with victory ; and 
 
 the 
 
( 147 ) 
 
 the invention cf the art of printing, fubmitting 
 the fpeculations cf the learned to the mod gene- 
 ral remark, the nations of Europe, ftarting from 
 their lethargy into which they had fallen, were 
 forward to attend to their dignity and import- 
 ance ; and, while they fought a remedy for the 
 old fuperflitions, or acted to their overthrow, 
 were ftrenucus to build up barriers to fecu:e 
 their civil rights. 
 
 Page 205. Amidft the felicities which were 
 obtained, and the trophies which were won, we 
 deplore the melancholy ravages of the palTions, 
 and weep over the ruins of ancient magnificence. 
 But while the contentions and the ferments of 
 men, even in the road to improvements and ex- 
 cellence, are ever deftined to be polluted with 
 mifchief and blood; a tribute of the higheil pa- 
 negyric and praife is yet jail ly to be paid to the 
 actors in the reformation. They gave way to 
 the movements of a reafonable and liberal fpi- 
 rit : they taught the rulers of nations, that the 
 obedience of the fubje£l is the child of juftice ; 
 2nd that men muft be governed by their opinions, 
 and by their reafon. Their magnanimity is iiiu- 
 ftrated by great znd glorious exploits ; which, at 
 the fame time that they awaken admiration, are 
 an example to fupport and animate virtue, in the 
 hour of trial and peril. The exiftence of civil li- 
 berty, was deeply connected with the doctrines 
 for which they contended and fought. While 
 they treated with fcorn an abject and cruel fu- 
 perflition, and lifted and fublimated the dig- 
 nity of man, by calling his attention to a fimpler 
 and wifer theology, they were ftrenuous to give 
 a permanent fecurity to the political conftitution 
 of their ftate. The happieit and the bell: inte- 
 refls of fociety were the objects for which they 
 buckled on their armour ; and to wifh and to act 
 for their duration and liability, are perhaps the 
 N 2 moil 
 
( M8 ) 
 
 mod important employment of patriotifm and pti- 
 b.ic affection. The reformation may fufFer fluctu- 
 ations in its forms •, but, for the good and profj e- 
 trity of mankind, it is to be hoped, rhat it j n \ r 
 to yield, and to fubmit to the errors and fu k criu- 
 tions which it overwhelmed •, that it is to gu rd 
 gwith anxiety againft their advances, to be fcru- 
 puloufly jealous, and to take an early alarm In 
 -this enlightened age, o phiknbphy and reflection, 
 it is difficult indeed to be conceived, that any fe- 
 rious attempts to eftabliflh them fhail be made; 
 yet if, by fome fatal! ty in human affairs, fuch 
 Endeavours ihould actually be tried, and fhould 
 fucceed, it may be concluded, without the poffi- 
 biiity of a doubt, that all the boafted freedom, 
 which the reformation has foitered, would then 
 perifh for ever. The fentiment of liberty, and 
 the fire of heaven, which cur forefathers trafmit- 
 ted to their pofterity, would expire, and be ex- 
 tinguifhed. Men would know the debafement 
 of iervility, and forget the honours of their kind : 
 they would renounce their natural, their % reli- 
 gious, and their political rights: and be content- 
 ed to creep upon the earth, to lick its dv&y and 
 to adore the caprices and the power of a tyrant." 
 We beg leave, with all cue deference to his 
 fuperior abilities, to differ, from this very learned 
 and elegant author, only in one circumftance. 
 He fays, if Popery mould be reftored, all the 
 boafttd freedom, which the reformation has &>• 
 ftered, would then perifh for ever: had he add- 
 ed, (which probably he meant), fo long as Pope- 
 ry continued, we would have had no occafion 
 for this remark. But we hope it is evident, be- 
 yond ail poflibility of a doubt, that Popifli fuper- 
 ftition, ignorance, and idolatry, fhall never more 
 pervade Europe, and continue in it, for any 
 length of time." Whatever efforts are made for 
 their reiteration, will only be like the laft pangs 
 
 of 
 
( H9 ) 
 cf a dying man, that their definition may 
 the more grievoufly felt, and their final doom be 
 more confpicuous. 
 
 Before we proceed to treat of the feventf> 
 trumpet, and it effc£ls, it may perhaps not be 
 Jtmifsj to be a little more particular, with refpe£l 
 to the 1260 days, when the Gentiles trode under 
 foot the outer cou r t, and the prophets prop he Tied 
 in fackcloth ; Whether ihefe days are expired ? 
 Whether the killing of the witneffes is pad * And 
 how and what way this prophecy is fulfilled ? 
 
 "We do not mean to affirm, that all trials and 
 difficulties are over, with refpecl: to the church 
 of Chrift ; for, as we faid above, (be will have" 
 oppofers and enemies to the end of time ; yet, 
 if we will ferioufly confider the particular event, 
 and time, prophetically aimed at by the Holy 
 Spirit in this prophecy, we will find, that thefe 
 days are expired, and that the killing of the wit- 
 neiTes is in a great meafure finiihed •, alfo, that 
 the fevemh trumpet hath founded, and we are' 
 fuppofed to live under it : which is contrary to 
 the opinion of the learned bifliop Newton, who 
 fuppofeth we are living under the fixth trumpet, 
 and that the feventh trumpet is not yet begun to 
 found. Iff order to fhew the contrary of this, 
 We humbly offer thefe following conficerations r 
 1. The feventh trumpet's founding, and the fe- 
 eond woe's ending, do immediately, or wirhout 
 long interval, foiiov AntichriiVs abfoiute domi- 
 nion, and his treading under foot the holy city 
 forty and two months ; fo then, the overturning 
 of, and dimini filing his power, muft certainly 
 infer the expiring of thefe forty-two months, and 
 ttfher m the founding of the feventh trumpet. 
 For it is felt evident, to any one acquainted with 
 the ilate of the church, for more than 200 years 
 paft, that the pope's power is very different 
 >iom what it was before that period* He may 
 N 3 now 
 
( *5» > 
 
 now be fan! to be only a nominal head, feeing 
 the Popifh princes pay little or no repaid to the 
 thunders of the Vatican ; like-wife, the order of 
 the Jefuits, the greiteft fupport of the papal 
 throne, is broke : btfides, the Inquifition, that 
 hellifh engine of Popifh cruelty, is little ufed, fo 
 far as we are informed, except in Spain and Por- 
 tug*!* TheieforCj rhis cannot be called the time 
 of his abfolute and univerfal tyranny, but muffc. 
 befufyfequent to it ; efnecially, if we add, that 
 human learning has made rapid progrefs, in Eu- 
 rope, for more than half a century paft : but 
 learning and -Pc.pe.ry cannot well fubfift together,, 
 one of whofe chief tenets is, That ignorance is. 
 the mother of devotion. Even now, the dull 
 phlegrrrat'C Spaniards are emerging from igno- 
 rance and barbarity, in which they, and all £u* 
 rope, were involved for {eveizl centuries. 
 
 Secondly, This ruin of Antichriil, as we have. 
 faid, is not infiantaneoufly accomplished ; but is 
 carried on by feven vials, as in chap. xvi. $ee~ 
 ing then, the expiring of the 1260 days of his ab- 
 folute power, cannot be reftrifled to the time of 
 his total fall 3 becaufe, at the end of thefe, he 
 makes war with the witnefles, and prevails, and. 
 that only a tenth part of the city falls, by their 
 r.efurrection ; and the feventh trumpet follows, - 
 which, with the viahj complete his ruin. The. 
 conference is, that we mud fuppofe the fulfil- 
 lingol this prophecy,. of the expiring of thefe days 
 and the r-iifing of the witnefles,. from the begun 
 c ] ecay r and ruin of Antich rift's kingdom, by the 
 Tials •, and it is certain, that the v ais belong to 
 the feventh trumpet, which geeth along with, or 
 immediately fellows after, the alcenfion of the 
 witnefles ; and, it mud follow of courfe, that 
 this time fells unci r the feventh trumpet, and fo 
 3^ poibeii r tc thefe former events, and fuppofes 
 tb^in . accompl fixed*. 
 
 Thirdly 
 
C *5« > 
 
 Thirdly, That time, when nations bee;. 
 Lords, and when the temple is open, and the ark 
 of the teftimony is feen therein, belongs to 
 feventh trumpet : far, before the blowing of the 
 feventh trumpet, and during thefe 1260 days, that 
 the kingdoms o'i the earth were not the Lord's,, 
 that the temple was fhur, and the ark of the tes- 
 timony, or word of God, was not kzn m it ; 
 2nd it being now evident, that thtfe events are 
 fulfilled in our days; we may therefore conclude 
 the prefent time as belonging to that trumpet. 
 
 Several other confederations might be adduced^ 
 to fct this- matter in a clearer light ; but, for the 
 fake of brevity, we fhail proceed to explication of 
 
 Verk 15. " The feventh angel founded, and 
 " there were great voices in heaven/' &c. We 
 have formerly fcen Antichrift treading on the 
 necks of kings and emperors, killing the faith- 
 ful witneffes of Chrift, and not fullering their 
 bodies to be buried. Now the fcene is fhifted, 111 
 a great meafere ; for that monftrous tyrant, who 
 ruled the nations of Europe for many centuries, 
 muft now be ruled himfelf with a rod of i;on: 
 and now, this feventh trumpet brings a thocl 
 woe j when the glorious reformation begins to 
 dawn upon a benighted worlds and gradually to 
 increafe till Antichrift be cenfumed ; and the 
 kingdoms of this world^becorrie the kingdoms of 
 our Loid, and cf his Chrift, and he (hall reign 
 for ever and ever. 
 
 It will be proper to obferve, that this trumpet 
 is nearly conn*£ted with, and comprehends the 
 {even vuls, as in chap, xv 16. for the face e- 
 vents are more particularly defcribed in them^ 
 which are but generally hinted here ; this is evi- 
 dent, if we confider the nature and cilIcd of both.. 
 The feventh trumpet is called a woe. and the la ft 
 woe \ the feven vials are called plagues, and the 
 laXt ol ^gues of God j which is much the fame 
 
 with. 
 
( t$l ) 
 
 with the lafl woe. Again, they have one cbSecT 
 and defign, and effects common to both ; viz. 
 executing the vengeance of God upon Antichriit 
 and the kingdom of the bead, deftroyirig them 
 who deftroyed the earth, and bringing light out 
 of Antichriftian darknefs. Alfo, th.ir rife is at 
 one time, the feventh trumpet founding immedi- 
 ately, as faid, after Antichriit's begun ruin; and, 
 chap. xvi. the firft vial is to he poured out, upon 
 fuch as have the mark of the bead:, whofe king- 
 dom is not wholly overturned till the fixth vial ; 
 and therefore muft be ftrong, when the firft be- 
 gins. Lailly, by comparing this with chap. xv. 
 which is as a preface to the ieven vials, they will 
 appear very parallel, and yet one and rhe lame. 
 
 We mail no longer weary our reader's patience 
 by attempting to prove, at greater length, that 
 the feventh trumpet is cotemporary with the vi- 
 als ; . as this is done, with great propriety and 
 ftren^th of argument, by the judicious and learn- 
 ed Durham, and others* to whom we have been 
 much obliged in this eflay. 
 
 This chapter concludes with a doxology, and 
 folemn thankfgiving, for the glorious victory 
 which our bleffed Lord Jefus obtained over An- 
 tichriit. The perfons giving thanks, are the four 
 and twenty eUiers; by feme, fuppofed, to be the 
 whole church, miniilers, \nd people. They are 
 faid to fit, that is, they reft from their labours^ 
 and their works do follow them ; it alfo denotes- 
 the high honour to which they are exalted, for- 
 merly they flood as fervants, now they fit as 
 friends. 
 
 hi ere it maybe afked, what it is thev g ve thanks' 
 for ? furely, not hi' glefe than Ch rift's viclo y over 
 that man of fin, and ail his, a^d his people's e^ 
 nemies ;' if there be joy in heaven over one iin^ 
 ner that repenteth, what umverfaJ joy mud there 
 fee,, when whclc kingdjms and empires an: con- 
 
 venedy 
 
 - - 
 
( 1*3 ) 
 
 verted, from Popifh, Mahomedan, and Heathen- 
 
 ifh darknefs, fuperttition, and idolatry ? 
 
 The doxology follows, Lord God Almighty, 
 we g ; ve thee thanks •, for what ? for this begun 
 overthrow of the Pope, which thou wilt certainly 
 carry on : thou being always the fame God of 
 t;utn, and as able to help thy church as ever; 
 becaufe thou hail taken to thee thy great power, 
 and haii reigned. As if they had faid, in the 
 time of Amichrift's full power, when thy church 
 was grievoufly opprefied and perfecuud, thy 
 power fecmed to lie dormant, and thou didft not 
 appear then to reign, permitting thy power to be 
 ou J cured by his tyranny ; but now, rhou Hie weft 
 thyfelf fovereign of the world, both King of faints, 
 and King of nations. 
 
 In verfe 18. Thefe are faid to be angry, viz. 
 the idolatrous nations, who formerly perfecuted 
 the people of God: they not only fret becaufe they 
 are overcome, but they gnafh their teeth, at the 
 fucceisfui progrefs of the gofpel \ and becaufe 
 thy wrath is ccme, that is, the time to execute it 
 upon all idolaters : and, the time of the dead, 
 that they mould be judged, and rewarded ; that 
 is, the time is now come, when thefe witneffes, 
 vho w r ere civilly dead, and reckoned as dead by the 
 world, mail revive again : or, it may mean 
 thofe that were (lain by Antichrift ; the time is 
 come, that their blood fliall be avenged, and all 
 thy taithful fervants and followers recompenfed, 
 and rewarded. All thofe that fear thy name, 
 both fmali and great; that is, all true believers, 
 who have adhered unto Chrift, (hall r>e rewarded 
 in God's time; and then he will deftroy thofe 
 bloody perfecutors, who detlroy the inhabitants 
 of the earth, by perfecutions and falfe doctrines. 
 
 Verfe 19. u ihe tempie of Goci was opened;'' 
 r.o doubt alluding to the temple of Jerufaiem be- 
 ing often (but by idolatrous princes, fuch as A- 
 
 haa> 
 
( '54 ) 
 
 hiz, and others; wherein the ark which contain- 
 ed the law of God, was nor ieen : bur, Ilezekiah 
 and Jofiah opened the temple, and reftored the 
 true worfhip of almighty God ; in like manner, 
 during the pone's reign, the temple of God was 
 fhut up, and his true worfhip fupprefTed; but 
 now, Gnce his begun fall, the temple is opened, 
 the r.rk feen, and the pure word cf God put in 
 the hands of the laity, and explained by his fent 
 fervants, and more than ordinary power accom- 
 panying the fame. 
 
 Eefore we enter upon the i 2th, and following 
 chapters, it will be proper to confider rhe ftate 
 of the church under Popery ; and the witnefles 
 that were raifed up, from time to time, to teftify 
 againft the errors and idolatry of the church of 
 Rome. 
 
 The eminently learned Bifhcp Newton, fays 
 * c It appears then, that the greater part of this 
 prophecy, relating to the witnefles, remains yet 
 to be fulfilled:" but poffibly, fome may queftion 
 whether any part of it hath been fulfilled? whe- 
 ther there have been any fuch perfons as the wit- 
 nefles, any true, and faithful fervants of Jefus 
 Chrift, who have, in every age, profeiTed doc- 
 trines contrary to thofe profefled by rhe pore 
 and the church of Rome ? The truth of the fail 
 wi'l beft appear, by a hiftorical deduction ; and, 
 if it can be proved, that there have conftantly 
 been fuch witnefles, from the feventh century 
 down to the reformation, during the moft flcu- 
 riii.ing period of popery ; I prefume, there can 
 be little doubt about the times preceding or fol- 
 lowing. As there hath been o^cahon to obferve 
 before, the feeds of Popery were fown, even in 
 the apoftle's time, but rhey were not grown up 
 to maturity: the po er cf the pop-, as a horn, or 
 temporal prince, was net eltabliibed till the eight 
 century ; and, from thence, it will be proper to 
 
 begin 
 
( tss ) 
 
 begin our deduction ; when the bead began t& 
 rei^n, and the witnefles to prophecy in fa< kc.oth- 
 Great as the power of the Latin church was 
 grown, in the eight centu r y, the Greek church 
 fliil diflented from it, and oppofed it. The em- 
 peror Leo ffauricus, ami his fon Conftamine Co- 
 pronymus, not only vigorously oppofed the wor- 
 ship of images, hut alfo denied the intercefiion 
 of iaints, and burnt and deftroyed their relics. 
 In the year 7 '4, Conftantine Copronynius held 
 a general council, at Conftantinople, of 338 bi- 
 Chops, who prohibited, unanimoufly, the worfhip 
 of faints, as well as of images j and declared., 
 that " only one image was conftituted by Chrift 
 himfelf, namely, the bread *nd wine in the eu- 
 charift, which reprefents the body and blood of 
 Chrift :" than which, there cannot be a ftrongef 
 declaration again ft the doctrine of tranfubitanti- 
 ation, as well as againfl the worfhip of images. 
 Ic is true, that the fecond council of Nice, in the 
 year 787, reflored and eftablifhed the worfhip 
 of images, and the pope ratified and confirmed 
 it; bur, neverthelefs, great oppofirion was made 
 to it by feveral churches in the weft. Charlemain 
 held a council at Frankfort, in the: year 794, con- 
 fiding of 300 bifhops, of various nations ; who 
 condemned equally the fecond council of Nice* 
 and the worfhip of images. The Caroline-books, 
 were alfo fet forth, under the name and authori- 
 ty of that great monarch ; and the doctrines 
 therein contained, of the fufficiency of the fcrip- 
 tures, of the worfhip of God alone, of prayers in 
 the vulgar tongue, of the eucharift, of justifica- 
 tion, of repentance, of pretended miracles, and 
 various other points, are fuch as a Paptft would 
 abhor, and a Proteftant would fubferibe. Not to 
 feek for further inftances, the Britifh churches 
 lamented and execrated, the fecond council of 
 Nice -, and the famous Albin, or Alcuin, wrote 
 
( *S<5 ) 
 
 a tetter agsinft it, difproving and refuting it, by 
 exprefs autho ities of holy Scripture ; which let- 
 ter was tranfmitted to Charles the great, in the 
 name of the bifhops, and other great men of the 
 kingdom Even in Italy, the council of Frojulio 
 prescribed th: ufe of no other creed, but that of 
 the apoflles ; fo that they had no conception of 
 the neceflity of fo many additional articles, as 
 have fince been made by pope Pius IV. and re- 
 ceived by the church. Some even of the Italian 
 bimops affiftcd at the council of Frankfort, before 
 mentioned ; and, particularly, Paulinus, bilhop 
 of Aquileia, bore a principal part in it 
 
 Popery prevailed in the ninth century, but yet 
 did not without confiderable oppofition. Not 
 only the emperors of the eaft, Nicephorus, Leo 
 Armenius, Michael Balbus, Theophilus, and the 
 emperors of the weft, Charles the great, and 
 Lewis the pious ; but alfo feveral prelates and 
 ecclefiaftics, oppofed the abfolute power and fu- 
 premacy of the pope, together with the worfhlp 
 of images, and invocation of faints and angels* 
 The capitularies and edifts of Charles the great, 
 and Lewis the pious, enjoined the ufe of the 
 canonical Scripture, as the fole rule of faith, 
 without any regard to human traditions, or apo- 
 criphal writings : private maffes and pilgrimages, 
 and other fuch fuperftirions, were forbidden by 
 the fame capitularies. Lewis the pious held a 
 council at Paris, in the year 824, which agreed 
 with the council of Frankfort, in rejecting rhe 
 fecond council of Nice, and forbidding the wor- 
 fhip of images. Agobard, archbiiliop of Lions, 
 in his book againft pictures and images, main- 
 tains, that we ought not to adore any image of 
 God, but only that which is God himfelf, even 
 his eternal Son ; and that there is no other me- 
 diator between God artd men, fave Jefus Chrift 
 God and Man: fo that it is no wonder that his 
 
 book 
 
( '57 ) 
 "fcook is condemned in the Index expurgatbriua 
 af the church of Rome. It was in this centuy, 
 that the do&rine of tranfubftantiation was fir(t 
 advanced here, in the weft, by Pafchafius Rad- 
 bertus, abbot of Corbie in France -, but it was 
 ftrenuoufly oppofed by Rabanus Maurus, Bertra- 
 mus, Johannes Scotus, and many other learned 
 fnen of that age* Rabanus Maurus, archbifhop 
 of Mentz, pafles this cenfure upon the novelty of 
 the doflrine : c< Some, fays he, of late, not rightly 
 conceiving concerning the facrament of the body 
 and blood of our Lord, have affirmed, that this 
 is the very fame body of our Lord, which was 
 born of the Virgin Mary, and in which our Lord 
 himfelf fuffered, <bc. ; which error, we have op- 
 pofed to the tttmoft of our power, ere He thus 
 expreffeth his own fentiments, Our Lord would 
 have the facrament of his body and blood, be ta- 
 ken and eaten by the faithful; that, by a vifiDle 
 work, an invifible effect, might appear : for as 
 the material food outwardly nourishes and re- 
 frefhes the body, fo alfo, the word of God, in- 
 wardly nourifhes and ftrengthens the foul. A- 
 gain, the facrament is reduced into the nourifh- 
 ment of the body ; but by virtue of the facra- 
 ment, eternal life is obtained. " Bertramus, or 
 Batramus, as he is otherwife called, a monk of 
 Corbie, wrote a book of the body and blood of 
 cur Lurd ; which he inferibed to the emperor 
 Charles the bald. The emperor had inquired of 
 him, whether the fame body, which was bora 
 cf Mary, and fuffered, and was dead and buried, 
 and which fitteth at the right hand of the Fa- 
 ttier, is what is daily taken in the mouth of the 
 faithful, by f rre myftery of the facrament in the 
 church ? and Bertram anfv.ers, u That the differ- 
 ence between them is as great, as between the 
 pledge and the thing for which the pledge is 
 delivered* as great as between the image, and 
 O the 
 
( '58 ) 
 
 the thing whofe image it is ; as great, as between 
 the reprefentation and the reality." He fays, in 
 feveral places, u That the bread and wine are 
 figuratively the body of Chrift, fpiritually, not 
 corporally, in figure ; in image, in myftery, not 
 in truth, or real exiftence, or prefence of the 
 fubftance." John Scot, the famous Irifhman, (for 
 the Irifh were the Scots of thofe times), wrote 
 alfo a book of the eucharift, by the command of 
 Charles the bald : and therein he aiTerted, " that 
 the facrament of the altar, is not the true body, 
 nor true blood of our Lord, but only the memo* 
 rial of the true body, and of the true blood. He 
 was, after this, invited into England, by king 
 Alfred ; was preferred by him, and honoured 
 with the title of martyr after his death -, which 
 is, at lead, a (Irong prefumption, that the church 
 of England had not, at that time, received the 
 doctrine of tranfubftantiation. In Italy itfelf, 
 Angilbertu?, archbifhop of Milan, would not ac- 
 knowledge the ftipremacy of the pope ; nor did 
 the church of Milan fubnit to the fee of Rome, 
 till two hundred years afterwards. But no»one 
 was more willing, as indeed no one of that age 
 was more able, to Hem the torrent of fuperfti- 
 tion, than Claude, bifhop of Turin, in his nu- 
 merous writings and comments upon Scripture. 
 He aflerted the equality of all the apoftles with 
 St Peter ; and maintained, that Jefus Chrift was 
 the only head of the church : he overthrew the 
 doctrine of merit, and all pretences to fuperero- 
 gation : he rejected traditions in matters of re- 
 ligion, held the church to be fubject to error, 
 and denied the ufe of prayers for the dead : he 
 prppofed the doctrine of the eucharift, in a man- 
 ner totally different from Pafchafms Ridbertus, 
 and entirely conformable to the fenfe of the an- 
 cient church : he oppofed, with all his might, 
 the worfnip of faints, of relics, of images; to- 
 gether 
 
( '59 ) 
 
 gether with pilgrimages, penances, and other 
 luperftitions of the like kind. He may, in a 
 manner, be faid to have fown the feeds of the 
 reformation, in his diocefe of Turin ; and his doc- 
 trine took fuch deep root, efpecially in the val- 
 leys of Piedmont, that they continued to flourifh 
 there for fome centuties ; as Papiits themfeives 
 acknowledge. 
 
 The tenth century, even the writers of the 
 Romifh communion lament, and defcribe as 
 the mod debauched and wicked, the moft illi- 
 terate and ignorant age, fince the coming of 
 Chrill. Genebrard fays, " This is called the 
 unhappy age, being deftitute of men famous 
 for wit and learning y as alfo of famous princes 
 and popes ; in which, fcarce any thing was done 
 worthy of the memory of pofterity." He fub- 
 joins, u But chiefly unhappy, in this one thing, 
 that for almoft 150 years, about 5c popes totally 
 degenerated from the virtue of their anceltors ; 
 being more like apoftates- than apoftles. Baro- 
 nius himfelf, denominates it an iron, a leaden, 
 and an obfcure age : and declares, that Chrift 
 Was then, as it appears, in a very deep fleep r 
 when the fhip was covered with waves ; and 
 what feemed worfe, when the Lord was thus a- 
 fleep, there were wanting difciples, who, by 
 their cries, might awaken him ; being themfeives 
 all faft afieep." It is not to be wondered, that 
 in fo long and dark a night as this, while all 
 were afkep, the fubtle enemy mould fow his 
 tares in great abundance However, there were 
 fome few, like lights mining in a dark place, 
 who remonftrated againft the degeneracy and fu- 
 perftition of the times. The refolutions and de- 
 crees of the councils of Frankfort and Paris, a- 
 gainft the worfhip of images, had (till fome force 
 and influence in Germany, in France, in Eng- 
 landj and other countries. In the former part 
 O z o& 
 
( »6o ) 
 
 of this century, in the year 909, a council was 
 held ar Frofly, a village near Soiflbns in France : 
 and having made feveral wife and good regula- 
 tions, they concluded, with a profeffion of the 
 things, which Chriftians ought to believe and 
 praflife : and in hat profeffion, are none of thefe 
 things which cenftitute the fum of Pcpifh doc- 
 trine ; nothing of the pope's being head of the 
 church, nothing of the daily facrifice of the 
 mafs, or of purgatory, or of the worfhip of 
 creatures, or of commentitious facraments, or 
 of confeffion to the pried ; but of pure and fin- 
 cere confeffion to God : fo much did this coun- 
 cil differ from the fpirit and principles of the 
 council of Trent. Many churches ftill retained 
 the ufe of the Scriptures, in the vulgar tongue : 
 and in England, particularly, Athelftein caufed 
 them to be tranilated into the Anglo-Saxon 
 idiom. 9> 
 
 Guthry, in his hlftory of Scotland, gives a 
 particular account of the Culdees, (who, he fays, 
 were ail prefbyters), that he fuppofes were the 
 firft regular clergy in Scotland ; and that fhey 
 continued till the year 1273, ma ^ing vigorous 
 defence again ft the invafions of the Romifh 
 church. Great oppofition was alfo made, in fe- 
 veral countries, to the celibacy of the clergy; 
 and feveral councils were heid upon the contro- 
 verfy, between the monks and the fecular clergy ; 
 and particularly in England, where Elfere, earl 
 of Mercia, expelled the monks cut of the mona- 
 flerie- in that province, and introduced the cler- 
 gy w!,h their wives. Many too, even in this 
 a^e, denied the doctrine of tranfubftantiation. 
 Heriger, abbot of Lobes, near Liege, wrote ex- 
 prefly againft it, as did alfo Alfric in England; 
 whofi homily for Eafter ufed publicly to be read 
 in the churches. His principal aim therein is 
 to prove, " that we tafte the body of Chrift, and 
 
 drink 
 
( l«I ) 
 
 dr ink his blood, when with true faith we par- 
 take of that holy facrament ; the b:ead and wine 
 cannot, by any benediction, be changed ir;to th & 
 body and blood of Chrift. ; they are indeed the 
 body and blood of Chrift, yet not corporally, but 
 fpiritually :" with much more to the fame pur- 
 pofe. He wrote alfo two epiftles, the one ail* 
 dreffed to Wulfin bifhop of Shirburn, and the 
 other to Wulftan archbifhop of York, wherein 
 he aflerts the fame doctrine. 
 
 Much of the fame complexion with the tenth, 
 was the eleventh century, equally funk in profli- 
 gacy, fuperftition, and ignorance; but yet, not 
 without fome fuperior fpirits to bear teftimony 
 againft it. The papal power was, in this cen- 
 tury, carried beyond all bounds, by the ambi- 
 tion and arrogance of the reigning popes •, and 
 particularly, by the violence and haughtinefs of 
 Gregory VII. whofe proper name was Hilde- 
 brand, or Hellbrand, as he hath often been de- 
 nominated. But yet there were emperors and 
 councils, who ftrenuoufly oppoied the preten- 
 fions and ufurpations of the fee of Rome; and 
 thefe contefts and druggies, between the popes 
 and emperors, about the right of inveilitures and 
 other articles, maf.e a principal p^rt of the hi- 
 ftory of this age Our kings, devoted as they 
 were to the re igion, yet would not entirely fub- 
 mit to the authority of the biihop of Rome x but 
 contradicted it in feverai inftances. Wnen Wil- 
 liam I. was required by the pope to pay him ho- 
 mage, he made anfwer, "to pay homage I 
 have been unwilling, nor am i willing; for nei- 
 ther did I promife it, neither do I fitad, tha: my 
 predecefibrs paid it to your predeceiibs ' lis 
 fon, William Rufus, exerted fome what of the 
 fame fpirit , and iniifted, that the pope, without 
 his permiiSon, had no manner of junidiciun in 
 England, Early in this century, there appeared 
 O 3 tt 
 
( 1<S2 ) 
 
 at Orleans fome heretics, as they were call' 
 who maintained, that the confecration of the 
 pried, could not change the bread and wine in- 
 fo the body and blood of Chrift ; and that it was 
 unprofitable to pray to faints and angels : thefe 
 were condemned by the council of Orleans, in 
 the year 1017^ Not long after them, appeared 
 other heretics, cf the fame (lamp, in Flanders ;, 
 who were alfo condemned by the fynod of Arras, 
 in the year 1025. They came, originally, from 
 Italy, where they had been the difciples of Gun- 
 dulphus ; and they are faid to have admitted no 
 fcripture, but the gofpels and the apoft@l:cal 
 writings - y to have denyed the reality of the bo- 
 dy and blood of Chriit in the eucharift ; to have 
 •attributed no religious worfhip to the holy con— 
 feiibrs ; none to the erofs, none to images, nor 
 to -temples- nor altars : and to have aflerted, that 
 there was no purgatory; and that penances af- 
 ter death, could not abfolve the deceafed from 
 their fins. Other tenets were afcribed to them., 
 really heretical ; and perhaps they might hold 
 fome errors, as well as fome truths y or per— 
 fraps their adverfaries,. as it hath been their ufual 
 artifice,, might lay things to their charge, merely 
 $0 blacken and defame them. 
 
 Not long after thefe, arofe the famous Beren— • 
 garius, a native of Tours, and archdeacon of 
 Angers, who more profeffediy wrote againft. 
 the dcttrine of tranfubftantiation y and alfo cal- 
 led the church. of Rome, a church of malignants, 
 the council of vanity, and the feat of Satan. It 
 is true, he was compelled, by the authority of the 
 popes and councils, to renounce, abjure, and 
 burn his writings. But, this was all a forced, 
 and not in the leaft a voluntary recantation : as v 
 foon as he recanted, he relapfed again; he return* 
 cd as a deg to his vomit, as a cotemporary BopifV 
 hiiiorun cxprefieth it ; he lived^ and died in the 
 
 fame 
 
feme fentimerirs. His herefy was, from hl'itr,. 
 called the Berengarian herefy*, and his followers 
 were fo numerous, that, as old hiitorians relate,* 
 he had corrupted almoft all the French, Italians, 
 and Englihh, with his depravities. When Gre- 
 gory Vll. had, both by letters, and by a council 
 held at Rome, in the year 1074, ftrictly forbid- 
 den the marriage of the clergy, it raifed great 
 commotions among- the ecclefiaftics in Germany ; 
 who not only complained of the pope, for impo- 
 fing this yoke, but likewife accufed him, of ad- 
 vancing a notion infupportable, and contrary to 
 the words of our Saviour, who faith,. " that all 
 " are not able to li^e in continence m Jt 9 and to 
 the words of the apoftle, who ordereth " thofe, 
 " who have notthe gift of continence, to marry.'*' 
 They added, that this law, inverting the ordinary 
 courfe of nature, would be the eaufe of great dif- 
 orders ; that they would rather renounce the 
 priefthood than marriage ; and the pope (hould 
 provide, if he could, angels to govern the church, 
 fince he refufed to be ferved by men. This was 
 the language of thefe corrupt ecclefiailica,. 
 as Dupin hath called them : but, the decree of 
 the pope w r as no lefs oppofed in France, in Fian- 
 ders, in Italy, and England, than in Germany. 
 A council was held at Winchefter, in the year 
 1076, wherein it was decreed* indeed, that no 
 canon fhouid marry; but the pnefts in the coun- 
 try, who were already married, were aliowed to 
 cohabit with their wives, or to forbear the ex- 
 crcife of their office. Whereupon, Mr Collier 
 hath made this juft reflection ; t; From hence it 
 appears, that the papal iupremacy had not reach- 
 ed its zenith in this country ; and that the Eng- 
 lifh bifhops did not believe the patriarchal pow- 
 er arbitrary, and unlimited ; but thar a national 
 church had fbme referves of liberty, and might 
 
 diflent 
 
 lw 
 
( i<5 4 ) 
 
 dliTcnt from the conflitutions of the fee of Rome, 
 upon occafion. 
 
 Europe, hitherto, was involved in the dark 
 night of Popery, with only fome ftars, appearing 
 here, and there, in the horizon ; but, in the 
 twelfth century, there began to be vifible, fome 
 ftreaks of the morning light, fome dawnings of a 
 reformation. Here in England, during the reign 
 of Henry II. the famous conflitutions of Claren- 
 don, were fworn to, and figned, both by the 
 clergy and the laity, in recognition of the rights 
 of the crowiij particularly, forbidding all appeals 
 to Rome, without the king's licence ; and ap- 
 pointing the trial of criminal clerks before fecu- 
 lar judges. Fluentius, bifhop of Florence, taught 
 publicly, that Antichrift was born, and come in- 
 to the world : whereupon pope Pafchal II. went 
 to Florence, held a council there, in the year 1105, 
 and feverely reprimanded the bifhop, and ftri&ly 
 forbade him to preach any fuch doclrine. St Ber- 
 nard himfelf, devoted as he was, and bigotted to 
 the church of Rome, in other refpecls ; yet, in- 
 veighed loudty againft the corruption of the cler- 
 gy, and the pride and tyranny of the popes % 
 faying, that they were the minifters of Chrift ; and 
 ferved Antichrift ; that nothing remained, but 
 that the man of fin fhotdd be revealed, that the 
 beaft in the Apocalypfe occupied St Peter's chair, 
 with other expreflions to the fame effect. So thai 
 fome true notion of Antichrift began to fpread, 
 even among the members of the church of Rome j 
 and no wonder that it prevailed among thofe, 
 who more directly oppofed the doctrines of that 
 church. Peter de Bruis, and Henry his difcipie, 
 taught in feveral parts of France, that the body 
 and blood of Chriit were not offered in the thea- 
 trical mafs ; that the doctrine of the change of 
 the fubftances in the facrament is falie \ that fa- 
 crifices, that is, rnaiTes prayers, alms, and other 
 
 works 
 
( i6 S ) 
 
 works of the living for the dead, are foolifh and 
 impious, and profit them nothing •, rhut pnefts, 
 and monks, ought rather to marry than burn; 
 that croffes are not to be adored, or venerated, 
 and fo many croffes ferving to fuperflition, ought 
 rather to be removed than retained : and they 
 both were martyrs, the one being burnt, and the 
 other imprifoned for life, on account of their doc- 
 trines, Arnold of Brefcia held opinions contrary 
 to thofe of the church, concerning the facrament, 
 and preached mightily againil the temporal pow- 
 er and jurifdi£lion of the pope and the clergy ; 
 for which he was burnt at Rome, in the year 
 1 155, and his aihes were thrown into the Tyber, 
 to prevent the people from exprevTing any vene- 
 ration for his relics. But the true witneiTes, and, 
 as I may fay, the Protectants of this age, were 
 the Waldenfes and Aibigenfes, who be^an to 
 be famous at this time ; and, being difperfed in 
 in various places, were diftinguiihed by various 
 appellations. Their firft and proper name feem- 
 eth to have been Vallenfes, or inhabitants of the 
 valleys ; and {o faith one of their oldeft writers, 
 Ebrard of Bethune, who wrote in the year 12 12 5 
 €t They call themfelves Vallenfes, beeaufe they 
 abide in the valley of tears •," alluding to their fi- 
 tuation in the valley of Piedmont. They were 
 called Aibigenfes, from Alby, a city in the fouth- 
 ern parts of France, where alfo great numbers 
 of them were fituated. They were afterwards 
 denominated Valdenfes or Waldenfes, from Pe- 
 ter Valdo or Waldo, a rich citizen of Lyons, and 
 a confiderable leader of the fecX From Lyons 
 too, they were called Leonifts j and Cathari, from 
 the profeffed purity of their life and doctrine, as 
 ethers fince had the name of puritans. As there 
 was a variety of names, fo there might be fome 
 diverfity of opinions among them •, but that they 
 were not guilty of Manicheifm, and other abo- 
 minable 
 
( 1 66 ) 
 
 minable herefies., which have been charged upon 
 them, is certain and evident from all the remains 
 of their creeds, confeffions, and writings. The 
 bifhop proceeds to give an account of their opi- 
 nions, which are perfectly agreeable to thofe of 
 the reformation. He then produces the teftimo- 
 nies of three unexceptionable authors concerning 
 them, vz. Reinerius, Thuanus, and Mezeray. 
 Reinerius flourifhed about the year ^254; and his 
 teftimony is the more remarkable, as he was a 
 cominican, and inquifitor general." 
 
 In the thirteenth century, he obferves " that 
 the "Waidcnfes, and Albigenfes, had fpread, and 
 prevailed fo far, and were full making fuch rapid 
 progrefs ; that the pope, after trying ail other 
 methods, at laft publifhed a croifade againft them ; 
 fo that, after many of them were maffaered and 
 put to flight, they difperfed, fome to Provence, 
 oihers to Calabria, part into Germany - 9 and fix- 
 ed their abode in Bohemia, Poland, and Livonia, 
 and into Britain, 
 
 In the beginning of this century Almeric and 
 his difciples made their appearance, who were 
 condemned in the fecond council of Paris, in the 
 year 1209; thefe differed little from the Walden- 
 fes. The bifhop gives a long lift of many others, 
 in this and the following century, who wrote 
 and teilified againft the corruptions of the Ro- 
 Jnifh church. 
 
 Two things, he fays, contributed much to the 
 revival of learning in the fifteenth century ; the 
 Greeks flying with their books from Conitantino- 
 pie, which the Turks had taken, and the inven- 
 tion of printing. As learning more revived, fo 
 the truth prevailed more; and, the more the 
 truth prevailed, the fury of perfecution increafed 
 in proportion. As WicklifF, John Hufs, Jereme 
 of Prague, Luther, Calvin, and many others, are 
 \vell known to moit people : ' It would ca/ry us 
 
 far 
 
 "• 
 
( i<7 ) 
 
 far beyond our bounds, if we fhould give a minute 
 detail of all the glorious exploits of thefe heroea f 
 who fealed the truth with their blood. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Verfe I. " And there appeared a great wonder 
 " in heaven," <bc. 
 
 This and the two following chapters, are here 
 inferted, by way of explication of what went be- 
 fore; viz. of the feals and trumpets. The hiftory 
 of the church, from John's time, to the end of 
 the world, isconcifely narrated in the feals, trum- 
 pets, and vials ; but in this, as well as feveral ex- 
 plicatory prophecies, her condition is more fully 
 and diilin&ly defcribed, that we may be better 
 able to comprehend what is contained briefly in 
 others. 
 
 In order then, to comprehend the true mean- 
 ing of this chapter, we may obferve, in the firft 
 place, that it defcribeth the firft trials of the 
 church, from the apoftles time, till Antichrift 
 made his public appearance ; and is cotemporary 
 with the feals, and the firft four trumpets; there- 
 fore it divides itfelf into two parts, as will ap* 
 pear in the fequel. 
 
 In the next place, what is fpoken of the dra- 
 gon watching the woman and the child, ver. 4. 
 and his war, ver. 7.; alfo the woman's flight, 
 ver. 6. which is again repeated, ver. 14. do not 
 fignify two different battles of the church ; but 
 the fame trials, which are at firft touched only 
 in a fhorc fummary manner, and by way of an- 
 ticipation, and is afterwards more particularly 
 refumed. So that the dragon's war with Michael, 
 is the fame as his watching the woman, and at- 
 tempting to deftroy the man child; and her flight 
 in ver. 6. is the fame with that in ver. 14 : other- 
 wife it would be very difficult to (hew two fuc- 
 ceffive flights of the fame continuance ; how fhe 
 
 returned, 
 
( i«8 ) 
 
 returned, Or when, or how (he did flee, ver. 6* 
 when yet wings are but given her, ver. 14. t*rV. 
 
 Con erning the defign of the firft part of this 
 chapter to verf. 13. we may obferve, that it 
 points out the firft fufferings of the Chriftiafi 
 church, and the devil's feeking to deftroy her 
 feed, which is Chrift's myftical body, with her 
 deliverance from them. This cannot be under- 
 ftood of Chrift perfonally, or of the Jewifh 
 church ; for thefe things were paft long before, 
 and, in that cafe, would have been recorded as 
 iiiftorical facts already paft, which is inconfiftent 
 "with the nature of prophecy : efpecially, this 
 book of the Apocalypfe, which, as we have often 
 obferved, gives a particular account of the di- 
 fafters that were to befal the church, as well as 
 her own profperous condition, to the end of the 
 world. 
 
 As we have taken a curfory view of the feals 
 and trumpets already, we (hall leave this chap* 
 ter, without any further explication, and proceed 
 to the next. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 Verfe 1. <c And J," fays the beloved apoftle^ 
 u flood upon the fand of the fea, and faw a otad 
 c< rife up out of the fea, having feven heads and 
 u and ten horns," &c. 
 
 It is common in the prophets, efpecially in Da- 
 fiiel, to typify temporal mon^rchie^ by neat 
 beafts, as chap. vii. and viii. 5 and thefe beafts do 
 not mean particular perfons, but a fucceffion of 
 the fame line, or kind, on the throne ; ar>d it is 
 ufual, in this prophecy, to borrow types from 
 him Only fometrmes, in the Old Teftament, 
 what is faid of temporal enemies, or difficulties 
 in the church, is applied to fpiritual and fecret 
 enemies in this ; as many things, literally agree- 
 ing to Antiochus, are applied to AntichriA in 
 
 this 
 
( i69 ) 
 
 this book. So by beaft here is meant, a fhte of 
 great power, and violence againfl the church, 
 continued, not in one fingle perfon, in o.ne gene- 
 ration, but for a very long continuance, by a fe- 
 ries of one combined body, fucceflively, under 
 ene head ; this is applicable to the Heathen em- 
 perors and empire, in the firft place, and to the 
 pope and his fpiritual hierarchy, in the laft. Again, 
 one ftate, thing, or perfon, will be exhibited in 
 Scripture by divers types and beads, fo in Da- 
 niel, the Perfian empire is defcribed by a bear, 
 and the Grecian by a leopard. In chap. viii. the 
 Perfian by a ram, and the Grecian by a he- 
 goat. Chap. vii. the kingdom cf the Selucidae, 
 (though but a branch of the Grecian), is defcribed 
 by a beaft quite different from the other ; becaufe 
 different only in fome things. Which (hews, 
 that though the types be different, yet the party 
 fignified may be one confidered in divtrs iefpecls } 
 in which fenfe, this fame Antichrift is called the 
 eight beaft, as in ehap. xvii. and yet there alfo, 
 but one of the feven, and the feventh, though 
 in appearance different from the feventh. 
 
 The ftate and power mentioned here, is that 
 which lias Rome for its metropolis, during its 
 (landing, as it was of the Heathen emperors be- 
 fore •, for the dfigon placeth his deputy in the 
 fame feat, where his deputy the emperor fat be- 
 fore, as in verfe 2. 
 
 This feat, in chap. xvii. is defcribed, firft, By 
 its natural fituation, at the time when John wrote, 
 having feven mountains, vtrf 9. 2 In irs politi- 
 cal government, being feven forts, including this 
 beaft. 3, * n ^ ts P ow er over the kings of the 
 earth, verf. 18* and it is cafy 10 determine, wnat 
 is and hath been the ftate wrnch both had, and 
 now have. 
 
 Further, this wonderful bead, does not com- 
 prehend the Roman empire fimply, as under any 
 P heaj 
 
( 17° ) 
 head, but as under its feventh and Iaft head, or 
 government ; for the bead has, in all, fevea 
 heads, as confidered in its complex body; yet, 
 feeing thefe heads are fuccefiive, and the remo- 
 ving of one introduceth another, it is only under 
 one head at at a time. Therefore that which 
 was in John's time being the fixth, as in chap, 
 xvii. ; and this having the fixth wounded and heal- 
 ed again, before he exercife his power, we may 
 conclude, that this beaft is the Roman empire, 
 under its feventh and laft government. 
 
 Hence there is a remarkable difference between 
 the beaft here, and that in chap. xii. though 
 it point out the fame empire, with feven heads 
 and ten horns, yet there the heads are crowned, 
 and the horns were not ; becaufe then the Ce- 
 fars reigned, and the provinces v/erc governed 
 by their deputies. But here the horns are 
 crowned, {hewing that the inftruments ufed by 
 this beaft have fovereign power; which is more 
 diftindtly explained in chap. xvii. This power 
 is the fame Roman empire, or that government 
 of it which is the feventh and eighth. All the 
 effects agree to the beaft, after its head is healed, 
 and it has got the throne and feat of the dragon, 
 
 Once more, we fhall make a diftin<5tion be- 
 tween this bead's beginning to rife, and his public 
 appearance ; becaufe they are in themfelves dif- 
 ferent events, and have different times ; and we 
 imagine, that it is the public appearance andma- 
 mfeftation of him to the world, that is pointed 
 at in this place ; which differs from its begun un- 
 derhand working ; even as the church's begun 
 flight is different in its rife, from its concealed 
 private condition at the lovveft : for, as the beaft 
 rifeih, fhe flieth, and her flight iocreaferh with 
 his rifing. His 'beginning appears to be after 
 open perfecution ; for the dragon quitteth his 
 feat to him, therefore this cannot be the Hea- 
 then 
 
( '7' ) 
 
 then perfecuting emperors, but feme fucceeding 
 them, and that immediately *, for this throne is not 
 left vacant, but the one refigneth it to the other. 
 Again, it commenceth whenever the woman be- 
 gins to flee; that is, immediately when Satan is 
 dethroned, he endeavours to advance the Deaft, 
 and from that time he gradually increafeth •, f >r, 
 verf. 5. his power and commiffion is for forty- 
 two months, the time her prophets are clothed 
 in fackcloth : and the final period is alike to both •, 
 for no fooner does the bead begin to be deli rov- 
 ed, than her prophets put oft* their fackclotii, 
 \erf. 1 r. 16. 
 
 It cannot be the French cr German emperors, 
 that is meant here ; for they did not fo foon 
 cxift. The difcovery of this beaft will be found 
 to commence, afrer the devil's difappointment of 
 his defign to drown the woman ; that is, when 
 grofs herefies prevailed not to gain his end ; and 
 it was alfo cotemporary with the healing of the 
 deadly wound, which the fixth head had gotten ^ 
 and is therefore the very healing of it, in Rome's 
 recovering a public court znd authority by the 
 popes, which, by the Cefais and emperors beco- 
 ming Chriftian, and removing their court from it, 
 had left to them. Under Popery, ifagain received 
 an head, and the fame title of blafphemy on it 
 which it had under its former m afters \ which, as 
 we have frequently obferved, happened a little af- 
 ter the year 6co ; when both Rome was peaceably 
 pofieiTedby the popes* and idolatry was introduced 
 into the criurch. ir>e(ides 3 in this ftate, the horns 
 were crowned; which, in chap, xvii 12. pointed 
 out the erection of new kingdoms, not then in 
 being ; by which it is evident, that the difcovery 
 of Antichrift, and the erection of kingdoms out 
 of the empire, jnuft be at the fame time- 
 
 From what has been faid, we may fafely con- 
 clude, that it is not any ftate cr branch of the 
 P z civil 
 
( '72 ) 
 
 civil' Roman empire, that is meant here ; not 
 the Heathen (late, not the Grecian emperors, 
 who refided at Constantinople, (having quitted 
 Rome to give place to the bead) \ for they conti- 
 nued not 42 months; nor was there always fo 
 good friendfliip between them and the popes, as 
 between the two beads mentioned here : the em- 
 perors being always jealous of the popes, and fre- 
 quently curbing their power by theif lieutenants; 
 and the popes, on -'he other hand, iflued out their 
 anathemas againft the ors, becaufe they 
 
 vigorouilv oppofed idolatry , praying to faints, err. 
 
 Again, this bead makes ho appearance till the 
 wound be healed ; but, in the Heathen emperors 
 tiipe, it was only hurt. Neither can this be a 
 fucceffion of French, ^introduced by Stephanas, the 
 thiid after Charles Martel, Pepin, &c. who were 
 invited to defend the empire againft the Goths, 
 vandals, and Lombards, who at thr-tt time over- 
 powered Italy ; as alio, for checking the exarchs of 
 Ratenna, who, as deputies of the Grecian empe- 
 rors, plundered and fpoiled Italy very much : but 
 thefe emperors had no being till the year 6*50 or 
 600, or upwards ; which cannot agree to the time 
 of this bead's rife. The fame reafbn will cut off 
 the German emperors, or the eieclire fucceffion, 
 iniroGUced by Giho III. and Charles 1V. who iv,ay 
 be accounted among the chief horns of this bean; ; 
 crowned by Mm, to anfwer his hellifli purpofes, 
 ana are among thoie who gave ihe.r power to 
 this beaif, but cannot be the bead himfelf. 
 
 Further, by this beaft, is linderftood Anti- 
 chriit in his kingdom; which feems evident, 
 from all the characters given ; for firft, he fuc- 
 ceeds to the dragon's feat; fecondly, his rife, 
 reign, and continuance, agree to the church's 
 low condition tor the 42 months, beginning and 
 ending with it. He is worshipped with a divine 
 adoration \ for fitting in the temple of God, he 
 
 exakctri 
 
( '73 ) 
 
 exaiteth hitnfelf above all that is called Go5\ 
 and his worfhippers adclrefs him, Our fovereign 
 lord, god, the pope ; he hath alio abfolute do* 
 minion, 2nd takes a title to himfelf, over all na- 
 tions, kindreds, and tongues, be. Their fub- 
 miilion to him is voluntary, and with admiration, 
 which was never to any civil (late ; he hath like- 
 wife, crowned horns and kings under him, who 
 reverence him : bat all that is mentioned here 
 agrees to one bead, and in one ftate or condit ; on ; 
 viz under the la ft head, when the wound the 
 fixth head had got was healed ; and the bead 
 thus healed in his head, is admired, worshipped, 
 followed, fee. To him is given power over the 
 faints, in allufion to Antiochus *, as is ordinary 
 in the cafe of Antiochus: (o then, the pope is 
 cither no head of this btaft, or he is defcribed 
 by him, who thus long cominueth, and in and 
 by whom the dragon is again worshipped by the 
 men of the earth ; all which, can agree to no other* 
 
 In fhort, the E.oman empire is defcribed here, 
 as headed by the pope of Piome, having now the 
 fixth head, which was wounded by the downfal 
 cf heath enifh idolatry, again healed by the pope 
 becoming the fever, th, (for there are but feven) ; 
 and to this empire, under this head, ail things 
 agree which are mentioned in this place ; con- 
 fidering ft as reprefenting that fame civil ftate, 
 now the feventh time carrying a head of bla& 
 phemy ; yet again repeated under another type, 
 that it may be known not Co be the fame, though 
 on the fame beaft with that which was wound- 
 ed, not of the fame kind altogether with the for- 
 mer. 
 
 In the hit. p<ace, wc maintain, that thefe two 
 beads are only one ; the laft compiling of no dif- 
 ferent ftate, bu; the fame with the former, under 
 a different notion. Therefore, there is no par- 
 ticular defection of its parts cr rife, in refpefl 
 * 3 
 
( 174 ) 
 
 of time anil continuance, but it bccometh one tr- 
 ail thefe with the former. Now, in this chap- 
 ter, there is but one name, one character, and 
 one bead or number always mentioned ; they 
 have alfo one fee, one commiflion, &c. and are 
 defigned by one beaft, chap. xvii. of one, chap, 
 xi. 7. Likewife the woman, that is faid to fit 
 on the beaft, (verf. 3.) is called this very city or 
 empire Rome, verf. j8. The woman is, doubt- 
 lefs, the Romifh or Antichriftian church \ but 
 that woman, (verf. 18.) is not a government cr 
 ftate, diftinck from that civil or Antichriftian; 
 ftate, but the very fame, fupported by its civil 
 power; therefore they are one. 
 
 Thus we fee, every one of thefe conclusions 
 fucceed each other ; if it be not the civil ftate* 
 typified by the fir ft be aft, it mull be that of An- 
 tichrift, and fo both one, for the laft is he. We 
 may add, that, in the following chapters, when- 
 ever the decline of Antichiift is mentioned, or 
 the deflruciicn of his kingdom,, it is done under 
 the name of the beaft ; and only as one, as :"s 
 evident by thefe and the like phrafes. Who 
 worihip him, who had got the victory over him, 
 lis feat, &&. chap. xvi. ; which by all commenta- 
 tors, is meant of Rome: therefore, thefe two 
 muft te one, and fucb a one, as hath one feat at 
 Rome over all nations, with a flavifb, fuperfti- 
 "tious, or rather idolatrous dependence oil him ; 
 consequently,, when- he is here, or elfe where, 
 (through this book), represented as a womaa 
 carried by the beaft and falfe prophet, it is net 
 as if they were two things, but divers types, 
 pointing out one diverfely considered ; fueh as 
 Antichsiff* two (words, civil and ecclefiailical ; 
 or his power and violence as a beaft j alfo, his 
 hypocriiy and di Emulation, as a falfe prophet* 
 For it cannot be fappofcd, that one can have 
 fuch alliance and likenefs to Antichrift in all 
 
 things 
 
( r 75 > 
 
 things, as this b^aft rifing with him, falling with 
 him, reigning with him, falling and going to the 
 pit with him ; efpecially, as two heads are in- 
 confident together, upon one feat, at the fame; 
 time •, as is faid. 
 
 This is acknowledged by Bellarmine, hook IIL 
 chnp. xv. concerning the pontiffe. <( 1 he fame 
 Antichrift,, fays he, is exprerTed by the two beafls \ 
 by the one, becaufe of his kingly power and ty- 
 ranny, whereby he (hall force men violently ; \>y 
 the other, becaufe of his magic art, whereby he 
 fiiall feduce men \ n and he alledgeth Bupertius 
 for the author of this expreffion. In the fame 
 place too, he calls Antichrift king of the Roman 
 empire, but not under the name of emperor. 
 This alfo agrees well, with the titles ordinarily 
 aiTumed by the pope ; who is called a good prince, 
 whereby he exercifeth temporal arms \ and a ho 
 ly pope, that he may exercife fp-i ritual ones* 
 
 S€ It is remarkable, fays biihop Newton, that 
 the dragon had feven crowns upon his heads ; 
 but the beaft hath ten crowns upon his horns y 
 fo that there had been, in the mean while, a re- 
 Tolution of power, from the heads of the dragon 
 to the horns of the beaft ; and the fovereignry, 
 which before was exercifed by Rome alone, was 
 row transferred, and divided among ten king- 
 doms : but the Roman empire was not divided 
 into ten kingdoms, till after it was become Chri- 
 ftian. Although the heads had lo(t their crowns, 
 yet they (till retained the names of blafphemy* 
 In all its heads, in all its forms of government, 
 Rome was ftill guilty of idolatry and blafphemy. 
 Imperial Rome was called, and delighted to be 
 called, the eternal city, the heavenly city, the 
 goddefs of the earth, the goddefs ; and had her 
 temples, and altars, with incenfe and facrifices, 
 oifered up to her : and how papal Rome, like wife 
 hath arrogated to herfelf, divine titles and ho 
 
 ncurs 
 
( *7« ) 
 
 nours, there will be a fitter occafion of (hewing, 
 in the following defcription. 
 
 As Daniel's fourth bead, chap vii. 7. was 
 without a name, and devoured, 2nd brake in pie- 
 ces the three former ; fo this bead, verf. 2. is alfo 
 without a name, and partakes of the nature and 
 qualities of the three former ; having the body 
 of a leopard, which was the thi.d beait, or Gre- 
 cian empire ; and the feet of a bear, which was 
 the fecond bead, or Perfian empire; and the 
 mouth of a lion, which was the fiift bead, or 
 Babylonian empire ; and conftquently, this mud 
 be the fame as Daniel's fourth beaft, or the Ro- 
 man empire. But ftill it is not the fame bead, 
 the fame empire entirely, but with feme varia- 
 tion ; and the dragon gave him his power, or his 
 armies, and his feat, or his imperial throne ; and 
 great authority or junifdielion over all the parts of 
 his empire. r i he bead, therefore, is the fucceiTor 
 and fubititute of the dragon, or of the idolatrous 
 Heathen empire : and what other idolatrous 
 power hath fuccee;!ed to the Heathen emperors 
 in Rome, ail the world is a judge and a witnefs. 
 The dragon having failed, in his purpofe of re- 
 ftoring the old Heathen idolatry, delegates his 
 power to the beait ; and thereby introduces a new 
 fpecies of idolatry, nominally different, but eiTen- 
 tially the fame, the worfhip of angels and faints, 
 inftead of the gods and demigods of antiquity* 
 Another mark whereby the bead war, peculiar- 
 ly didinguifhed, was (ver. 3.) €€ one of his heads, 
 •' as it were, wounded to death." It will appear 
 hereafter, that this; head was the fixth head ; for 
 five were fallen, (chap. xvii. io.) before John's 
 time : and the fixth head was that of the Cefars 
 or emperors; there having been before, kings, 
 confuls, dictators, decimvirs, and military tri- 
 buns, with confular power. This fixth head was^ 
 as it were, wounded to death, when the Roman 
 
 empire 
 
 
( «77 ) 
 
 empire was overturned by the northern nations; 
 and an e.id was lit to the very name of emperor 
 in Momillus Auguftuius : or rather, as tne go- 
 vernment of the Gothic was much the fame as 
 that of emperors, with only a change of the name ; 
 this head was more effectually wounded to deatrfe, 
 when Rome was reduced to a poor dukedom, 
 and made tributary to the exarchate of Ravenna : 
 and Sigonius, who harth written the beft of thefe 
 times, and of thefe affairs, includes the hiftory 
 of the Gothic kings, in his hiilory of the weft cm 
 empire. But not only, one of his heads was as 
 it were wounded to death, but his deadly wound 
 was healed. If it was the fixth head that was 
 wounded, that wound could not be healed by the 
 rifing of the fevemh he rid, as interpreters com- 
 monly conceive; the fame head which was wound- 
 ed mud be healed : and this was :d, by the 
 pope and people of Rome revolting from the 
 exarch of Ravenna, and proclaiming Charles the 
 great, Auguftus, and emperor of the Romans* 
 Here the wounded and imperial head was healed 
 again, and hath fuhfiited ever fince At this time, 
 party through the pope, and partly through the 
 emperor, fupporting each other, lan name 
 again became formidable: and al )rid wo,n«« 
 dered after the beaft ; and (ver. 4 ) they worfh p- 
 ped the dragon which gave power unto the Dealt, 
 and they wprftiipped the bea-1, faying; u Who is 
 like unto the who is able to make war 
 with him ? No kingdom or empire, was like that 
 of the bealt-, it had not a parallel upon earth, and 
 it was in vain for any to refill or oppofe it; it 
 prevailed, and triumphed over all: and, all the 
 world, in fubmitting thus to the beaft, in effect, 
 fubmit again to the religion of the dragon, it be- 
 ing the old idolatry with only new names The 
 worshipping of demons and idols is, in effect, 
 the worshipping of devils. 
 
 Won-* 
 
( i/S ) 
 
 Wonderful as the bead was, his words and ac- 
 tions, (ver. 5. 8.) are no lefs wonderful. He per- 
 fectly refembles the little horn in Daniel. As the 
 little horn (Dan. vii. 8. 25.) had a mouth fpeak- 
 ing great things, and fpake great words ^giinft 
 the Mod High -, fo there was given unto the beaft, 
 a mouth fpeaking great things, and he opened 
 his mouth in blafphemy againft God. As the lit- 
 tle horn (Dn. vii. 21.) made war with the 
 faints, and prevailed againft them ; fo it was gi- 
 ven unto the beaft, to make war with the faints, 
 and to overcome them. As the little horn pro- 
 fpered, (Dan. vii. 25.) until a time, and times, 
 and the dividing of time, that is, tnree prophetic 
 years and an half-, fo power was given unto the 
 beaft to continue to pra&ife and profper, forty 
 and two months ; which is exactly the fame por- 
 tion ©f time us three years and an half. We fee 
 that not only the fame images, but almoft the 
 fame words are employed \ and, the portraits 
 being fo perfectly alike, it might fairly be pre- 
 fumed, if there was no other argument, that they 
 Wrre both drawn for the fame perfon ; and, ha- 
 ving before clearly difcovcred who fat for the one, 
 we cannot now be at any lofs to determine who 
 fat for the other. It is the Roman bead in his 
 Jaft ftate, or under his feventh head : and he hath 
 a mouth fpeaking great things, and blafphemies; 
 and what can be greater things and blnfphemies, 
 than the claims of univerfal bifhop, infallinle 
 judge of all controversies, fovercign of kings, and 
 difpofer of kingdoms, vicegerent of Chrift, and 
 God upon earth. He hath aifo power to continue, 
 or rather to praclife, to prevail, and profper, for- 
 ty and two months. Some read pokfai polemon y 
 to make war, not rightly underftanding, I fup- 
 pofe, what was meant by poiejai y alone ; but it 
 fignifies to praciife, to prevail, and profper, as 
 the word, bi«* and pciefai are ufed by Daniel, and 
 
 the 
 
( >79 ) 
 
 the Greek translators. It doth not therefore fol- 
 low, that the beaft is to continue to exift for no 
 longer a term ; but he is to prattife, to profper, 
 and to prevail, forty and two months; as the holy 
 city (chap. ix. 2.) is to be trodden under foot of 
 the Gentiles forty and two months, which arc 
 the 1260 days, or years, of the reign of Anti- 
 chrift. But, if by the beaft be underftood the 
 Heathen Roman empire, that, inftead of fubfift- 
 iiig 1 260, did not fubhft 400 years after the date 
 of this prophecy. 
 
 After this genera! account of the blafphemies, 
 and exploits of the beaft, there follows a fpeci- 
 fication of the particulars ; he opened his mouth 
 in blafphcmy againft God. Blafphemy againft God 
 may be faid to be of two kinds, not only fpeak- 
 ing difhonourably of the fupreme being, but like- 
 wife, attributing to the creature what belongs to 
 the Creator; as in idolatry, which is often the 
 fenfe of the word in fcripture ; as in If. Ixv. 7. 
 M they have burnt incenfe upon the mountains, and 
 lc blafphemed me upon the hills," and in feveral 
 other places. He blafphemes the name of God, 
 by afluming the divine titles and honours to him- 
 feif ; and, as it is expreffed in the wifdom of So- 
 lomon, by afcribing unto ftones and ftocks, the 
 incommunicable name. He blafphemes the ta- 
 bernacle of God, his temple, and his church, by 
 calling true Chriftians, who are the houfe of God, 
 fchifmatics and heretics, and by anthematizing 
 them accordingly. He blafphemes them that 
 dwell in heaven, angels and glorified faints, by 
 idolatrous worfhip, and impious adoration ; and 
 difgraces their acts, and vilifies their memories, 
 by fabulous legends, and lying miracles. 
 
 So much for his blafphemies •, nor are his ex- 
 ploits lefs extraordinary. It was given unto him 
 to make war with the faints, and to oveicome 
 them : and who can make any computation, or 
 
 even 
 
( i8o ) 
 
 cren fr^me any conception, of the numbers of 
 pious Chriftians, who have fallen a facrihce to 
 the bigottry and cruelty of Rome ? Mede, upon 
 the place, hath obferved, from good authorities, 
 that in the war witfi the AlbigenfeSj and Wal« 
 denfcs, there perifhed of thefe poor creatures, in 
 France alone, a million. From the firft inOitution 
 of the Jefuits. to the year 1480, that is, little more 
 than thirty years, nine hundred thoufand ortho- 
 dox Chnitians were flain In the Netherlands a- 
 lone, the duke of Alva boafted i that, within a few 
 years, he had difpatched to the amount of thirty- 
 fix thoufand fouls, and thofe all by the hands of 
 the common executioner. In the fpace of fcarce 
 thiity^years, the inquifition deftroyed, by various 
 kinds of tortures, an hundred and fifty thoufand 
 Chriftianb. Saunders himfeif, confefieth, that an 
 innumerable multitude of Lollards and Sacra- 
 mentanans wete burnt, throughout all Europe 5 
 who yet, he fays, were not put to death by the 
 pope and bifhops, but by the civil magiilrates ; 
 which perfectly agrees with the prophecy ; for, of 
 the Lcular bead it is laid, that he mail make war 
 with the faints, and overcome them; no wpnder, 
 thai by thefe means, he mould obtain an univer- 
 fal authority over all kindreds, and tongues, and 
 nations, and eitablifh his dominion in all the 
 countries of the weftern empire ; and, that they 
 fhould not only fubmit to his decrees, but even 
 adore his perion j except the faithful few, whofe 
 names, as citizens of heaven, were inroiled in 
 the regifters of life. Let the Piomanifts boaft 
 theiefore, that their's is the catho'ic church, and 
 univerfai empire ; this is fo far from being any 
 evidence of the truth, that it is the very brand 
 infixed by the lpirit of prophecy. 
 
 It was cufiomary with^our Saviour, when he 
 would have his auditors pay a paiticuiar atten- 
 tion to what he Had been faying, to add, " He 
 
 " who 
 
( ' 1*1 ) 
 
 w who nath eats to hear, let him hear." St* Jolih 
 repeats the fame admonition, at the end of each 
 of the - feven epidles to the feven churches of A- 
 fia ; and here, in the conclufion of his defcriptioi 
 of the bead, (ver. 9.) " If any man have *n ear, 
 let him hear: 5 ' and certainly, the description of the 
 bead is deferring of the highed attention, upon 
 many accounts ; and particularly, becaufe the 
 right interpretation of the Apocalypfe turneth up- 
 on it, as one of its main hinges. It is added, by 
 way of confolation to the church, that thefe ene- 
 mies of God and of Chrid, represented, under 
 the character of the bead, mall fufFer the law of 
 retaliation ; and be as remarkably punifhed, and 
 tormented themfelves, as they punifhed, and tor- 
 mented others ; (ver. 10.) he who leadeth into 
 captivity, fhall go into captivity ; he who killeth 
 with the fword, mud be killed with the fword. 
 Such a promife might adminider fome comfort, 
 and indeed it would be wanted ; for the patience 
 and the faith of the faints would be tried to tne 
 utmoft during the reign of the bead. Here is the 
 patience, and the faith of the faints : of all the 
 trials and perfecutions of the church, this would 
 be the mod fevere, and exceed thofe of primitive 
 times, both in degree and in duration. 
 
 From the defcription of the ten-horned be id, 
 or Pioman date in general, the prophet pallet h to 
 that of the two-homed beaft, or Roman church 
 in particular. The bead with ten crowned horns 
 is the Roman empire, as divided into ten king- 
 doms ; the bead with two horns like a lamb, is 
 the Roman hierarchy, or body of the clergy, re- 
 gular or fecular. This bead is otherwife called 
 the falfe prophet, as we inall fee in fever al in- 
 dances : than which, there cannot be a plainer or 
 ftronger argument, to prove, that falfe doctors 
 or teachers were particularly defigned. For the 
 falfe prophet, no more than the bead, is a fingle 
 Q, man ; 
 
( I§2 ) 
 
 'nwn-, but a body or fucccfiion of men, propaga- 
 ting faife do&rines, and teaching lies for f: 
 truths. As the firft rofe out af the fea, that w, <fat 
 of the wars and tumults of the work!, fo thi6 
 bead, verf. 1 1. groweth up out of the earth like 
 plants, filently and without noife •, and the great- 
 eft prelates have often been raifed from monks, 
 and men of the loweft birth and parentage. He 
 had two horns Tike a lamb; he had, both regular 
 and fecular, the appearance of a lamb ; he deri- 
 ved his power from the lamb, and pretended to 
 be, like him, all meeknefs and mihinefs But 
 he fpake as a dragon ; he had a voice of terror, 
 like the dragon or Roman emperors, in ufurping 
 divine titles and honours, in commanding idola- 
 try, and in perfecuting and flaying the true wor- 
 ihipners of God, and faithful fervants of Jefus 
 Chrift. 
 
 He is an ecclefiaftical perfon, but intermixeth 
 himfelf much in civil affairs. He is the prime 
 mover, minifter, and advifer of the nrft beaft, or 
 the bead before mentioned, verf 12.; he exer- 
 cifeth all the power of the fir ft beaft before him. 
 He holdeth imperium in imperto^ an empire'within 
 an empire ; claimeth a temporal authority, as 
 well as a fpiritual ; hath not only the principal 
 direction of the temporal powers, but often en- 
 ^ageth them in his fervice, and euforceth his ca- 
 nons and decrees with the fword of the civil ma- 
 gi (irate. As the fir ft beaft concurs to maintain 
 his authority, fo he, in his turn, confirms and 
 maintains the fovereignty and dominion of the 
 firft beaft over his fubjects ; and caufeth the 
 earth, and them who dwell therein, to worfhip 
 the firft bead, whofe deadly wound was healed. 
 Hefupports tyranny, as he is by tyranny fupport- 
 ed ; he enfiaves the consciences, as the firft beaft 
 fubjugates the bodies of men. As Mr Whifton- 
 well cbfervc r >, " He is the common centre and ce«* 
 
 ment, 
 
( i8 3 ) 
 
 ment which unites all the diftinA kingdoms of 
 th c i napire ; and, by joining w ith them, 
 
 procures them a blind obedience from their fub- 
 jeds, and fo he is the occanon of the preserva- 
 tion of the oid Roman -empire, in feme kind of 
 unity, and irame, and ftrerigth ; which other wife 
 hsd been qu ; te diffolved, by the inundations and 
 war?, fucceeding the fettlement of the barbarous 
 nations in that empire." 
 
 Sucli is the power and authority of the beaft, 
 and now we (hall fee what courfes he puifues, to 
 confirm and eftabiifh it. He pretends; like other 
 falfe prophets, verf. 13. to (hew great figns 
 and wonders, and even to cajl for fire from 
 heaven as fclias did: his impofiujvS too are 
 fo fuccefeful, that, vert 14. he deceiveth them 
 that dwell on the earth, by the means of thofe 
 miracles which he hath power to do. In this 
 refpect he perfectly refembles St Paul's man of 
 fin, 2 Theff. ii. 9. " Whofe coming is after the 
 " the Working of Satan, with all power, and figns* 
 " and lying wonders, and with all deceivablenefa 
 <c of unrighteoufnefs f orjrather, they are one aria* 
 the fame character, reprefentcd in different lights,. 
 and under different names- It is further obfer- 
 vabie, that he is faid to perform his miracles ;ii 
 the fight of men, in order to deceive them, and 
 iii the light of the benii, in order to ferve him : 
 but not in the fight of Gcd, to ferve hiscauie, or 
 promote his reJigion. Now miracles, virions, and 
 revelations, are the mighty boaft of the church 
 of Rome ; the conirhfences of an artful cunning 
 clergy, to impefe upon an ignorant credulous 
 laity Even fire is pretended to come down from 
 heaven, as in the cafe of St Anthony's fire, and 
 other iniiances, cited by Brrghtman, and other 
 writers on the Revelation : and in foiemn excom- 
 munications, which are caiied the thunders of 
 the church ; and arc performed with the ceremo- 
 0^2 ny 
 
( i&4 > 
 ny of carting down burning torches from oit 
 high, as fymbols and emblems of fire from hea- 
 ven. 
 
 Miracles are thought fo neceflaryand effential, 
 that they are reckoned among the notes of the 
 catholic church ; and they are ailedged principally 
 in fupport of purgatory, prayers for the dead, 
 the worfhip. of faints, images, and relics, and the 
 like (as they are called) catho'ic doctrines. But 
 if thefe miracles were all real, we leani from 
 1-rmce what opinion we ought, to frame of them 5. 
 arid what then (hall we fay, if they are all ficti- 
 tious and counterfeit ? They are indeed fo far 
 from being any proof of the true church, that 
 they are rather a proof of a falfe on^ ; they 
 are, as we fee, the diftinguiihing mark of Anti- 
 chrift, 
 
 The influence of the two-horned bead, or cor- 
 rupted clergy, is further ieen, in perfuadirig and 
 inducing mankind (verf. 14 ) to make an image 
 to the bead, which had the wound by a fword* 
 and did live ; that is, an image and reprefenta- 
 t'lve of the Roman empire, which was wounded 
 by the fword of the barbarous nations, and revi- 
 ved in the revival of a new emperor of the weft. 
 He had alio power (verf. 15.) to give Jife and ac- 
 tivity unto the image of the bead. It Ihould not 
 be a dumb and lifeiefs idol, but fpeak and deliver 
 oracles, as the datues of the Heathen gods were 
 feigned to. do; and fhauld caufe to be killed as 
 many as would not worfhip and obey it. Some, 
 by thLs image of the bead, underdand the rife of 
 the new empire of Charlemain, which was an 
 image of the old Roman empire, and is now be- 
 come the empire of Germany : but this is the 
 bead himfeif, who had the wound by a fword 
 and did live, and not the image of the bead ; the 
 rife of tins new empire was the healing of his 
 deadly wound* by which he lived again. Others, 
 
 more 
 
t »8 5 ) 
 
 more probably, conceive, that this image of the 
 bead is the office of Inquifition, which was intro- 
 duced among the blind vulgar, as a popular fchme, 
 and warmly recommended by the Dominican anc{ 
 Francifcan monks ; at firft, without any voice of 
 command, or power of execution \ till courts 
 were erected independent of bifhops, and judges, 
 officers, familiars, prifor.s, and toi mentors ap- 
 pointed, whoihould put to exquifite ptfnithmeiits, 
 and deliver over to a cruel death, all that \voa : ci 
 not fubmit with an implicite obedience. But the 
 office of the inquifition is efiab ] ;(hed only iii 
 forne particular Popiih countries, but thisbelongs 
 and extends to all in general. As many as 
 would not w^orfhip the image of the heait, it 
 fhould caufe to be killed -> but there are ma- 
 ny Papills who do not receive and own the au- 
 thority of the inquifition, and yet it doth not at- 
 tempt to deftroy and extirpate ail fuch Papills. 
 What appears mod probable if, that, this image 
 and reprefentative of the bead is the Pope : he is 
 properly the idol of the church ; he reprefents in 
 himielf the whole power of the bead, and is the 
 head of all authority, temporal as well as fpiri- 
 ritual. Ke is nothing more than a private per- 
 fon, without power and without authority, till 
 the two- horned bead, or the cor; upted clergy, by 
 ehoofing him Pope, give life unto him, and en- 
 able him to fpeak and utter his decrees, and to- 
 per fecute even to death, as many as ref ufe to 
 fubrrt}t to him* and to worihip him. As focn as 
 he is choien Pope, he is clothed whh the ponti- 
 fical robes, z.vA crowned, and placed upon the 
 altar, and the cardinals come arid kifs his feet, 
 which ceremony is called adoration. They firft 
 ele&j and then they wormip him ; as in the me- 
 dals of Martin V. where two are reprelented 
 crowning the pop^, and two kneeling before him, 
 with % this inscription, £hteincna?it udordnty whom 
 Si 3 they 
 
( iw ) 
 
 they create they adore. He is the principle 
 in ty to the ten kifcgrToms of the beaft, and cau- 
 fV.th,' as he is able, ail whb will not acknowledge 
 1 Is fiij rernacv to h* vt to death In fhort he 
 is the moft perfect Kkcnefs.anSjcfenjblance of 
 the ancient lloma.i emperors^ is as great a tyrant 
 in the LhiMian world as they we r e in the Hea- 
 then world, p; elides in the fame city, ufurps the 
 lame powers, nffefts the fame titles', and requires 
 the fame uniy'erfhl homage and adoration. So 
 that the prophecy defcenda more and mere into 
 particulars, from the Roman flare, or ten king- 
 <!omF, in general, to the Roman church or clergy 
 in particular y and ftill inoie particularly, to the 
 pierfoii of the pope, the head of the ilate as well 
 ks of the church, the king of kings as well as 
 n or' fr'hops. 
 Other offices the falfe prophet performs to the 
 heart, in fubje cling all forts of people to his o- 
 bedienc ', by imfpoilng certain terms of commu- 
 nion, and excemmunicaring all who dare, in the 
 leaft article, to dlffeut from them, (verf. 16 ) 
 He caufeth all, both great and final), rich and 
 p"or, htc and bo id, of whatever rank and ccn- 
 di'tion theif be, to receive a mark in their right 
 h^nd, or in their foreheads : and he will not per- 
 mit any man to buy or fell, or partake of the 
 common i'tercourfe.s of life, who ha.h not the 
 mark or the name of the bead, or the number 
 of his name. We muft underftand, that it was 
 cuftoroary among the accients, for fervants to 
 receive the mark of their mailer, and foldiers of 
 their grerier'at.; and fhdfe who V. ere devoted to 
 any particular deity, of the particular deity to 
 whom bey were aevoted. i hefe marks were 
 Vifually impreffed on their right hand, or on their 
 fore' ■■' <s ; a».d confided of fome hieroglyphic 
 character, or of the name exprefled in vulgar 
 let ciSj or ot the name -difguiftd in numerical 
 
 le iters 3 
 
( «»7 ) 
 letters, acconfing to the fancy of the inipoferV 
 It is in allufion to this ancient cuitom and prac- 
 tice, that the lymbol and profeflion of faith, in 
 thj church cf R.mie, as fubfervlng to fuperfti- 
 tion, ido-arry, and tyranny, is called the mark, 
 or chara&er of the bent ; wh'.ch chara&er is 
 faid to be received in their foreheads, when they 
 make open and public ceclaraticn of their faith, 
 ?nd in their right hand, when they live and act 
 ih conformity to it. If any dfffent from the ita- 
 ttd and authorized forms, tbey are condemned 
 and excommunicated as heretics, and in confe- 
 rence of that, they are no longer allowed to 
 buy or fell; they a r e interdifled from trade and 
 commence, and ;:!! the benefits of civil fociety* 
 Sir Roger Hovenden, relate- cf William the con- 
 queror, that he was fo dutiful to the pope, that 
 he would not permit any one in his power, to 
 buy or fell any thing, whom he found riiiboedi- 
 ent to the apeftolic fee bo the canon of the 
 council of Late-red, under pope Alexander III. 
 made ag unit the Walderifes and Albigenfes, en- 
 joins, upon pain of anathema, th it no man pre- 
 sume to entertain or cherifn tSem in his hcufe 
 or land, or excrcife traffic with them, The f ju- 
 ried of Tours in France, under the fame pone, 
 orders under the like interjrni nation-, that no man 
 fhould prefume to receive or ailiit them j no, not 
 fo much as to hold any communion with them, 
 in felling or baying; that being deprived of the 
 comfort of humanity, they may be compelled to 
 repent . f the error of their way. Pope Martin 
 V. in his bull, let out after the council of Con- 
 ftance, commands, in like manner, that they per- 
 mit not the heretics to have houfes in their di- 
 ll rifts, or enter into contracts, or carry on com- 
 merce, or enjoy the comforts of humanity with 
 Chriftians : in this refpect, as the learned Me- e 
 pbferves, the falfe prophet fpake as the dragon. 
 Jw the dragon, Dioclefian, publiCbcd a like edict, 
 
 that 
 

 ( .88 > 
 
 tliat no one fhould fell or admir.ifter any thing' 
 to the Chriflians, unlefs they had firft burnt ia- 
 L cenfe to the gods ; as Bede alfo rehearfeth in the 
 
 hymn of Jullin Martyr: they had not the power 
 of buying or fdiing any thing; nor were they al- 
 lowed the liberty of drawing water iifelf, before 
 they had offered incenfe to the deteftable idols. 
 Popiih excommunications are, therefore, like hea- 
 then perfecuticns : and how large a mare the 
 . corrupted clergy, and efpecialiy the monks of 
 former, and the Jefuits oi latter times, have had 
 in framing, and in forcing fuch cruel interdicts, 
 and in reducing all orders and degrees to i'o fer- 
 vile a flate of fubje&ion, no man of the leaft 
 jreading can want to be informed. 
 
 Mention having been made of the number of 
 the beaii, or the number of his name, (for they 
 are both the fame), the prophet proceeds to in- 
 form us, what that number is, leaving us from- 
 the number, to collect, the name, verf. iS. Here 
 is wifdom : Let him that hath understanding,, 
 count the number of the beafL It is not, there- 
 fore, a vain and ridiculous attempt, to ftarch in- 
 to this my fiery, but on the contrary, is rtteom-- 
 mended to us upon the authority of an apoflle ? 
 for it is the number of a man ; it is a method of 
 numbering prachfed among men, as the meafure 
 of a man ^chap. 21 17.) is fuch a meafure, as« 
 men commonly make ufe of in meafuring. It 
 was a method pradtifed among the ancients, to 
 denote names by numbers; as the name of Thouth,, 
 or the ligyptian Mercury, was fignificd- by the 
 number 121B; the name of Jupiter, as Karchc y 
 or the beginning of things, by the number 717 - r 
 and the name oi the iun, as Nus good, or Lues 
 the author of rain, by the number 6c8. St Bar- 
 nabas, the companion of St Paul, in his firft e- 
 piltle, difcoveis in like manner, the name of Je- 
 fus crucified, in the number J18 : and other in- 
 itances might bcpioduced, if th.re was occaliom 
 
 It 
 
( i«9 ) 
 
 It hath been the ufual method, in all God's dif- 
 penkrion s, for the Holy Spiri: to accommodate 
 his cxprcfBons to the cudoms, faf.iions, and 
 manners, of the feveral ages Since then, this 
 art and raydery of numbers was fo much ufed 
 among the ancients, it is lefs wonderful, that 
 the bead alfo mould have his number ; and his 
 number is fix hundred and fixry-fix. Here only 
 the number is fpecified ; and from the number 
 we mud, as well as we can, coilecT: the nsrae. Se- 
 veral names pofiibiy might be cited, which con- 
 tain this number : but it h evident, that it mud be 
 fome Greek or Hebrew name ; and with the 
 name alfo the other qualities, and properties of 
 the bead, mud all agree. The name alone will* 
 not cohftitute an agreement ; all other particu* 
 lars mud be perfectly applicable, and the name 
 alfo mud comprehend the precife number 66d. 
 No name appears more proper and fuitable, than 
 that famous one mentioned by Ireneus, who li- 
 ved not long after St John's time, and was the 
 difciplp of Po-ycarp, the difciple of John. He 
 faith, " that the name Lateinos contains the num- 
 ber of 666 ; and it is very likely, becaufe the iad 
 kingdom is fo called, for they are Litins who now 
 reign ; but in this, fays he, we will not glory :*' 
 that i< } as it becomes a modeft and pious man, 
 in a point of fuch difficulty, he will not be- too 
 confident of his explication. Lateinos with ei 9 
 is the true orthography, as the Greeks wrote the 
 long t of the Latins, and as the Latins themfelves 
 wrote in former times. No objection therefore, 
 can be drawn from the fpeliing of the name, and 
 the thing agrees to admiration. For, after the 
 divifion of the empire, the Greeks, and the o- 
 ther orientals, called the people of the wedern 
 church, or church of Rome, Latins: and, as Dr 
 Henry Moore expreffeth it, " they Latinize in e- 
 very thing; mafs, prayers, hymns, litanies, ca- 
 
 nous 
 
The pup:! the 
 
 Sc. ; p;u.-es read in Po- 
 
 pery, tba i of 
 
 Trent con :d the vulg on- 
 
 ly authentic verfion. Nor i 
 
 to prefer it to the' Hebrew aid G:cl -tclf, 
 
 which was written by (lies. 
 
 In fhort, all things arc Ljuu ; the pope having 
 communicated his language to the people under 
 his dominion, as the mark and r of ::is 
 
 empire. They themfclves, indeed, ehofe rather 
 to be called Remans, and more abfurdly ftill, Ro- 
 man catholics : and, probably the apotile, «s he 
 hath mace ufc of feme Hebrew names in this 
 book, as jpb&ddon\ (chap ix. n.) and Armagtd* 
 don, (chap xvi 10 ) fo might, in this place like- 
 wife, allude to the ramj in ihe Hebrew language. 
 Now Romiith is the Hebrew name for the Roman 
 beaii or Roman kingdom: and this word, as well 
 as the former word Lutetncs> contains the juft, and 
 ex aft number of 666. it is really fu'rpriung that 
 there ihould be fuch a fatal coincidence in both 
 names, in both languages. IMr Pyle afierts, and I 
 believe he may :il~rt very truely, that no other 
 word, in any language whatever, can be found c 
 expreisboth the fan c number, and the fame thi 
 
 See the letters in bo.h languages, and numbers 
 below. 
 
 Greek. Hebrew, 
 
 A . 
 
 . 30 
 
 A . 
 
 1 
 
 T . 
 
 . JC3 
 
 E . 
 
 5 
 
 1 . 
 
 . 10 
 
 N . 
 
 • so 
 
 © . 
 
 70 
 
 X . 
 
 . 2oo 
 
 T ■ 
 
 . 200 
 
 ") . 
 
 6 
 
 D . 
 
 . 40 
 
 * . 
 
 10 
 
 * t 
 
 . 10 
 
 n . 
 
 • ,00 
 
 $6*. 
 
 «66. 
 
 We 
 
< T 9 I ) 
 
 We (hall conclude thi^ chapter with fomc ot 
 vations,and aflertions':f popiih writers themfeh't3. 
 Fh it, Shewing, that what Rome loft by the em- 
 perors becoming Chriftiam, i- recovered bv the 
 popes. 2. Thfe recovery began immediately af- 
 ter Conftantine came to the empire.- That Rome 
 reccv red and preferved dominion and gran- 
 deur o dv by means of the popes, we have the 
 authority of Stench as tie donation* Genftantint % 
 " If God had riot reilored fhc pontificate or Po- 
 pery, fays he, Rome would have become a vile 
 (tabic of cows and fwine: but in t^e pontificate, 
 though not that greatnefs of the a icient empire, 
 yet furely the appearance of it, lor much unlike, 
 was reftor d j thereby all natic i che eail 
 
 to Me weit, do adore the Romi:> pontiff, or pope } 
 no otherwife than of old all nations reverenced 
 the emperors u And a trie after he fays, " Are 
 not a at Rome of old were pro- 
 
 fane o corn no i, made ho y ; as all the temples 
 of the Gods le churches of the faints. 
 
 Alio, ro ne rices begmi to be holy rites* 
 
 n >t i'm Pantheon, that rem pie of idols, 
 mad i ie temple of the bleiTed virgin, or the mo- 
 ther i h faintsj iVas not the temple of Apollo 
 i i th V here the bodies of the apoftlel 
 
 : baried, turned i:\to the church of the apo- 
 ftles ' rhefe are the very words of Po- 
 
 pUh writers in laatine'q donation. 
 
 In this lenfe, it may veil be called, the image of 
 tht head See alio Bellarmine, 
 
 lib 3. de pont. \* e, by the ho- 
 
 ly fee of "Peter, th iad of the" 
 
 world, ex irt her divine religion than 
 
 earthly domination , for, though being augment- 
 ed by many viitoriesf, thou haft extended the 
 power of the empire bo h by r ea and land ; yet 
 that which the labour of \ fubdued to 
 
 thee, is iefs uaau that which Chriftiari peace hath 
 
 brought 
 
( '92 ) 
 
 brought in fubje&lon." See alfo Profper di irr* 
 gratis, cap. 2. li Rome, the fee of Peter, which 
 is made to the world, the head of pai-oral ho- 
 nour ; whatever it doth not _poflefs by arms, it 
 holdeth by religion. " Another from Forbes, 
 Cl Rome, through the dominion of priefthood, 
 or Papacy, made larger by the caflle of religion 
 than by the throne of power." 
 
 From which pafiages it is evident, that Rome, 
 before Popery came to its heighf, was very far 
 inferior (as wounded) to what it was formerly $ 
 and alfo, what pomp Rome has long ehjoyed, 
 and what dominion it hath, is derived from the 
 pope's fupremacy. See Socrates, lib, vii. cap. 2. 
 when fpeaking of the violence of Calentius, who 
 "was a bifhop of Rome, he fays, " That in cxerci* 
 ling his power, he had gone, beyond the bounds 
 of his prieilly office, into the fecular dominion.'* 
 And if it is true, what Papilts commonly fay 
 concerning the donation of Conftantine, that he 
 gave Rome and the parts about it to be pofTefTed 
 by the popes, or bifhops of Rome, as the patri- 
 mony of Peter; and therefore he left Rome upon 
 that account. " We, fays he, judged it 'fit to 
 tranflate our empire, and the power of it, into 
 the eaft, &c. ; becaufe where the chief priefthood, 
 and the head of the Chnftian religion, is appoint- 
 ed to be by the king of heaven, it is not right 
 an earthly emperor fhould have honour there." 
 Which donation is more largely exprefled by Bal* 
 famon, page 88, and is generally owned by them, 
 with all the contents thereof. 
 
 It is agreeable to this, what Baronius afTerts, 
 in the year 312, of Conflantine's giving the im- 
 perial paJace to Mtlhiades, the bifhep of Rome; 
 and what is afterwards recorded by him, as con- 
 ferred upon them by the fame emperor, as a piece 
 of dignity, in the year 324, he fays again, " That 
 Coniiantine would uot fuffer the prime priefts of 
 
 the 
 
 
( *9S ) 
 
 Chriftians, to be exceeded in glor\ v by the tfea» 
 then priefts, who were always enemies to Chri- 
 iHanity." And thefe priefts are thus recounted 
 by him, " Thefe are the privileges the priefts of 
 the temple did enjoy, as bsing delivered to therri 
 by their forefathers : among them was eminent, 
 the king of their holy things; who, in their ban- 
 quets, ufed to watch over them all; and the chief 
 prieft was umpire of divine and human things, as 
 you have briefly related out of Leftus: and, how 
 great power was in their feothfayers, who could 
 render even their common councils of none ef- 
 fect, and abdicate the confuls from their office ; 
 thefe things which we have related out of Cicerd 
 declare. It was forbidden them, fays Plutarch, 
 to have a horfe; but they were accuitomed to uft 
 a chariot for their greater dignity. It was the 
 cuftom of the priefts to enter the capitol in a 
 chariot, as Tacitus affirms : So you will fee the 
 Roman priefts, as Ammianus relates, were car- 
 ried through the town in coaches : they go* 
 faith he, fitting in coaches, being clothed very 
 circumfpeftly ; and, that alfo feemed to be a 
 great dignity, that they never took off their cap 
 or bonnet, which was the enfign of the piiefts, 
 when all others ufed to uncover their heads to 
 thofe they met. The pope, or Roman pried* ob- 
 ferves the fame to this day. The fame author 
 alfo informs us, concerning this immunity of Ju- 
 piter's prieft^ that he durft not give an oath ; be- 
 caufe it was not fit, that he ihotild not be trufted 
 in fmaller things, to whom the holy things, arid 
 things of greater confequencfe were trufted, &rV» 
 Again the priefts of the gods were clothed in 
 purple, and that very precious, viz. twice dyed. 
 Alfo it was the cuftom, when the high prieft was 
 dedicated, to have his head adorned with a rib- 
 band, or lace, and a crown of gold, 6v\ 
 
 In which words we have the derivation of th~ 
 
 Roman pontifical pomp ; namelv, the imita on 
 
 R oc 
 
( 
 
 ( ig* ) 
 
 of the Pagan high prfeft. The Came fcaroniu3 
 difputcs much concerning their honour, in the 
 year 312; and alfo gives .that for the reafon, why 
 the Chriflian emperors ftill retained the title of 
 Pontifex Maximus, till the reign of Gratian. 
 " Left, fays he, the people fhould raife an infur-* 
 reclion again (l them, if they had fo foon publicly 
 difowned their ancient religion; which, by that 
 title, was flill alter fome fort preferved, in em- 
 perors :" by which the author owns a great fi* 
 mularity in that title, to the old Pagan religion 5 
 and therefore feeing Popery, by his conteffion, 
 hath both the name and thing, in a great meafure, 
 from the Pagan idolatrous priefts, as a copy caft 
 ill imitation of them 5 there muft certainly be & 
 very great refemblance here to the former wound* 
 «jd head : and jft that be true, which Bellarminc 
 affirms, lib* i. ue conciliis & edefict t cap. 16. As 
 the reafon why the bifhop of Rome never perfon- 
 ally attended the councils, while they were in the 
 Caft: 1. " It becomes not him, who was the head, 
 to follow the councils. And, 2. He avoided being 
 prefent, where the emperor was, left he 1 fhould 
 have yielded in place to him." This fhews how 
 early the bifhops of Rome were aiming at fupre- 
 rnacy. Again it is evident, if we confider hour 
 many emperors and kings have been fcrode upon 
 by haughty popes; th?ir kingdoms given to others*; 
 their fubjecls loofed from every tie and obligation 
 to them; and all commerce cf buying and felling 
 prohibited with thofe, who acknowledge not the 
 pope. Of which, fee Martian's decree, " It is 
 forbidden to thofe, who acknowledge not the Ro- 
 man fee, to keep houfes, kindle fife, make con- 
 tracts, to be employed in any bufinefi, or mer- 
 chandiie -, or to have the comforts of humanity 
 with the faithful one of Grind." And in the LaN 
 teni council under Innocent III. " If a tempo* 
 rai lord n:glecl to purge his country of heretical 
 
 wickedne fs> 
 
( '95 ) 
 
 wickednefs, let him be under the bond of etf* 
 communication, and let the pope declare his tub- 
 je£ls or va/Tals, free from their fidelity, and let 
 his country or land be poiTeiTed by others. Hence 
 it wis accounted treafon to have any communion 
 with Lollijds : and, according to ti.efe acls, the 
 pone excommunicated Henry Vill. of England* 
 and interdicted all commerce with the Lnglitit 
 nation; as is declared by Paulus III in the ye.ir 
 3^.3, and recorded in the hiiicry of the council 
 of Trent. 
 
 Their bloody cruelty againft the faints is well 
 known, not only by the writings of hiitoriogra- 
 phers, but is inhaled on by them as a fpccjai evi- 
 dence of their church, and is made the fifteenth 
 note of it by Beilarmine, de not is ecc/ej;<e, lib. iv. 
 cap. 18. which being compared with the former 
 chapter, they contain many victories, of old and of 
 late, againfi the Albigenies and others, oppofers 
 of the pope. Thus he concludes, " Scarcely e- 
 ver have ihcfe, who were called heretics, been 
 fuperior." Which being confidered, as during 
 AntichrifVs continuance of 42 months, it may be 
 reckoned the accompj vhmentof what is mention- 
 ed verf. 5. and 7. of this chapter. We may alfa 
 take into the account, what Bellarmine fays, of 
 killing ioOjOco at one time •, and what the vene- 
 rable Mede cites, out of Petrcnius, that the num- 
 ber of the flain in France exceeded i,coo,ooo, 
 during their religious wars. And many other 
 hiftories inform us, how much they bo.uted of 
 the unhappy events that befei the oppofcrsof the 
 pope of Rome. Thuanus, aPopifih hii'torian, in- 
 forms us, that the pope, when he heard of the 
 mafTacre of Paris from his legate, read the letter 
 in the confiftory of cardinals, and iolemnlv gue 
 thanks to the almighty God, for fo great a blend- 
 ing conferred upon the Roman fee, and the Chri- 
 fliaii world. It was alio decreed, that a jubilee 
 R z ihcuid 
 
 L 
 
( 196 ) 
 
 fliould be publifhed, in order to give thanks to 
 Cod, for deftroying, in France, the enemies of 
 the truth and of the church. The pope alfo fent 
 cardinal Mar fin, to congratulate the king of 
 France for that memorable action. Urfin, tra- 
 velling through France, highly complimented the 
 cities which had been molt active in butchering 
 the Prcteftants, and bkfled them in the name of 
 his hoiinefs. Will any Fapift dare, after this, 
 to vindicate fuch a religion, or fitch a pope, who, 
 like his father the devil, glories in cruelty and 
 murder ; and we may add impious fubtlety, cun- 
 ning and treachery : for that night the maffacre 
 was committed, the Proteftants were invited to 
 a marriage between the houfe of Valois and that 
 of Bourbon ; then, in the dead of the night, 
 without regard to age or fex, thefe hell hounds 
 'began their bloody carnage, till they made the 
 very channels run clown with blood into the river. 
 Who, upon reading this, will have the efFrontry 
 to deny that the pope is Antichrift, and that the 
 Popifh religion is from the devil ? unlcfs tbey can 
 (hew, from our Saviour and his apoftles, that 
 murder is no breach of tl> fixth command, and 
 that all manner of cruelties and tortures are au- 
 thorized by a holy God. 
 
 This will alfo tend to prove thefe aiTertions : 
 that the bifhops of Rome affume to themfelves 
 *s abfolute fovcre'gnty over kings and kingdoms, 
 as ever the former emperors did over provinces. 
 2. That wirneffes were raifed up againft their 
 ufurpatians : but in God's fecret jultice, or provi- 
 dence, power was given to thefe mifcreants, for 
 feveral centuries, to prevail over them. 3. That 
 every thing is fulfilled in them, refpecting the 
 character pointed out in this beaft. 
 
 It is alfo worthy of observation, that BellaF- 
 mine attributeth that greatnefs of the pope's do- 
 minion, to the time preceding the reformation, 
 
 aud 
 
( '97 ) 
 
 and fo falleth within his 42 months reign ; for, 
 fays he, lib. iii. cap 21. i.e pontif. M In time of 
 Leo the great, that is, 150 years before Ami- 
 chrift was brought forth, according to your opi- 
 nion, the pope of Rome was over more nations 
 than the bounds of the Roman empire extended 
 to." And a little after, he fays, " In oar times, 
 all things fecceeded fo profperoufly to him, that 
 he loft a great part of Germany, Swedland, Goth- 
 land, Norway, all Denmark, a great part of Eng- 
 land, Switzerland, Bohemia, &>• ; therefore, if 
 profperity be a mark of Antichrift, not the pope, 
 who is fpoiled of fo many provinces, but Luther 
 may defervedly be called Antichrift/ , Which 
 words, by their own confeffion, mew .the great 
 change upon their Popiili dominions fince the be- 
 ginning of the reformation, and a remarkable de- 
 cay thereof fince the expiring of the 42 months 
 before mentioned. 
 
 As Antichrift has been gradually declining 
 fince the reformation began, who knows, but the 
 time is not far diftant, when he (hall at leail be 
 driven from Rome, if not caft into the pit. It is 
 more than probable, the prefent war with the 
 houfe of Boufb&n, will bring on a general war 
 in Europe ; as it has feldom failed hitherto, when 
 Bricain engaged in war with any other po we-, 
 that the reft were drawn into the quarrel. Sure, 
 however unlikely it is at prefent, they will never 
 tamely fit, and fee the: Britifh empire parceil d 
 out among the French and Spaniards, who a e 
 already powerful enough. Beildes, it does n t 
 appear from this fac red book, that Poprry fh 1 
 again extend itfdf, or gain what it loft; the ; - 
 fore it is poffible, nay even probable, that t: s 
 war, begun by bad aufpices with refpect to B 1 
 tain, may at ieaft tend to the further diminuti n 
 of Popery, and enlargement of the Proteftaut r - 
 ligion.. As many writers upon -this book ha*c 
 • - ■ . . R 3, flatter -d 
 
 L 
 
( *9» ) 
 
 lettered ihemfdves, that the events foretold here 
 would have been accomplifbed long ago, we will 
 r.ot piefume to be dogmatic in our opinion, with 
 rtfpiel to what is future j yet we think it is the 
 duty of every lever of truth, to pray and Jong for 
 the increafe of Chrift's kingdom, and the final 
 extirpation of Popery. 
 
 C H A F. XIV. 
 
 The defign of t h is chapter is ftrft to fhew, that,, 
 during the reign of Amichrift, mentioned in the 
 former chapter, Chrift had a church, a number 
 of virgins •> that is, pure and unlpotted fouls, who 
 fincerely and zealouffy worfhipped him. Second- 
 ly, Tl ♦ t the light of the gofpei, which had been 
 fo long fupprefiid, fliould at length break fcrtb 
 with meridian fplendor ; in the faithful preaching 
 of it, to the downfal of Babylon, and the com- 
 fort of God's peculiar people. Thirdly,, It in- 
 forms us of the happy condition of fuch as die 
 in the Lord, and concludes with an account of 
 the dreadful punifhments which God would in- 
 iiicl on his enemies. 
 
 After the former melancholy account of the 
 rife and reign of the be aft, the prophetic Spirit 
 dcliRcats, by way of eppoahon, the ilare erf the 
 true church during the fame period - y its itruggles 
 2nd eontefts with the beaft, and the judgments 
 of God upon its enemies. Our Saviour is Teen* 
 (vert i.) as the true Lamb of God, not only 
 with, hocus like a lamb,, iiandin-g on mount Zion r 
 the place of God's true wormipv and wiih an 
 hundred forty and four iluou-fand,. the fame felt ct 
 number |hat was mentioned before*., (chap, vik 
 4.) the genuine offspring of the txelve apoftles^, 
 apofto icaily multiplied;- and therefore the num.*- 
 ber cf the church, as ( 66,, is the number of the 
 Le..ft: and as rr.e fo"! wers of the be aft, have 
 the name g£ -the ht&ll z fa, thefe have. the. name 
 
( 199 ) 
 
 of God, and, as feme copies add, of Chrift, writ- 
 ten in their foreheads ; being- his profetfed ftr- 
 vants, and the fame as witnefies, only reprefent- 
 cd under different figures. The angels and hea- 
 venly choir, (ve:f. 2. 3.) with loud voices and 
 iniiruments of mulic, fing the fame new fong,, 
 or Chriftian fong, that they fun-g before, chap. v. : 
 and no man could learn the fong but the hun- 
 dred forty and four thcufand ; they a!one are the. 
 worfhippers of the one true God, through the 
 one true Mediator Jefus Chrift ; all the reft of 
 mankind offer up their devotion to other objects, 
 and through ether mediators. Thefe are they 
 •who were not defiled with women, for they are 
 virgins, verf 4. They are pure from all the 
 ftains and pollutions of fpiricual whoredom, or 
 idolatry, with which the other parts of the world 
 are miferably debauched and corrupted. " Thefe 
 " are they who follow the Lamb whither foe ver 
 " he goet'h '* they adhere conftantlj to the re- 
 ligion of Chrift, in all conditions, and in all p'a- 
 ces, whether in adverfity or profperity, whether 
 in conventicles and d':£trts y or in churches or 
 cities* Thefe were redeemed from among men, 
 refeued from the corruptions of the world,, and 
 are confecrared as the rirft fruits unto God and 
 the Limb; an earned and afiu.rance of a more 
 plentiful harveft, in fucceeeing times. " And in 
 * % their mouth: was found no guiie/' (vtrL 5.) they 
 handle not the word of God deceitfully; they 
 preach the firxere doctrine of Chrift, they are as 
 free from, hypocrify as from idolatry ; for they 
 are without fault before the throne of God; 
 they referable their biefled P*edeemcr, who,, 
 (1 Pet. ii. 2z) did no fin, neither was guile 
 found in their mouth j. and are, as the aroile 
 requires Chriftiaus to be, (Philip, ii j c.) blame- 
 fcU and harmlefs, the fons of God without re- 
 buke, in the niidft of a crooked and perverfe ge^ 
 
 neratioi3> 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 iteration. But perhaps it may be afked, Where 
 did ever fuch a church exift, efpecially before the 
 reformation ? And it maybe replied, i hat it hath 
 not exifted in idea : hiftory demonltrares, as it 
 hath been before evinced, that there have been, 
 in every age, fome true woi fhippers of God, and 
 faithful fervants of jefus Chrift : and as Elijah 
 did not know the feveii thoufand men who had 
 never bowed the knee to Baal, fo there may have 
 been more true Chriftians than were always vi- 
 fible. 
 
 Verf. vi. 7. cc And I faw another angel," 6r. 
 Such is the nature and character of the true 
 Chriftian church, in oppofition to the wicked 
 Amichriflian kingdom *, and three principle ef- 
 forts have been made towards a reformation, at 
 three different times, rtpreftnred by three angel>, 
 appearing one after another. Another angel, 
 \vtrL 6.) befides thofe who were employed in 
 (inging, (verf. 3.) is fcen flying in the midft of 
 heaven, and having the everiafling gofpel to 
 preach unto every nation and peop r e ; fo that 
 during this period, the gofpel fhould ftitl be 
 preached, which is filled the everiafling gofpel, 
 being, like its divine author, (Heb. xiii. 8.) the 
 fame yefterday, and to day, and for ever, in op- 
 pofition to the novel doctrines of the beaft, and 
 of the falfe prophet; which, (Maith. xv. 13 ) 
 (hall be rooted up as plants, not of our heavenly 
 Father's planting. This angel is fu/ther repre- 
 fented, (verf. 7.) faying, with aloud voice, Fear 
 God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his 
 judgment is come. Prophecy mentions things 
 as come, which will certainly come ; and fo our 
 Saviour faid, (John xii. 31.) now is the judgment 
 of this woild; it is denounced with certainty 
 now,- and, in due time, will be fully execured. 
 But what this angel more particularly recom- 
 mends, is the worfhip of the great Creator of 
 
 the 
 
( *OI ) 
 
 the univerfe ; Worfhip him that made heaven and 
 earth, and the fea, and the fountains of waters. 
 It is a folemn and emphatic exhortation, to for- 
 fake the reigning idolatry and fuperftition ; and 
 fiich exhortatiens were made, even in the firft 
 and earlieft times of the bead : befides, ftveral 
 of the Greek emperors, who flrenuouily oppo- 
 fed the worfhip of images. Charlemain him- 
 felf held a council at Frankfort, in the year 794, 
 confiding of about jee French, German, Italian, 
 and Britilh bi/hops ; who condemned all fort of 
 adoration, or worfhip of images, and rejected 
 the fecond council of Nice, which had authori- 
 sed and efbblifhed it. At the fame time, the 
 Caroline books, as they are called, (four bocks 
 written by Charles himfelf, or by his authority), 
 proving the worfhip of images to be contrary to 
 Scripture, and to the doctrine and practice of 
 antiquity, were approved by the council, and 
 transmitted to the pope. Lewis the pious, the 
 fon and futceiTor of Charles, held a council at 
 Paris, in the year 824, which ratified the acts 
 of the council of Frankfort, and the Caroline 
 books ; and affirmed, that, according to the Scrip- 
 ture and the fathers, adoration was due to God 
 alone : feveral private perfons alfo taught and 
 ailerted the fame fcriptural dochine. Claude, 
 biihop of Turin, declares, " That we are not 
 commanded to go to the creature, that we may 
 be made happy, but to the Creator himfelf; and 
 therefore we mould not worfhip 'dead men ; they 
 are to be imitated, not to be adored : let us, to- 
 gether with the angels, worfhip one God." A go- 
 bard, archbifhep of Lyons, wrote a whole book 
 againft images; and fays, " That angels or 
 faints may be honoured and loved, but not be 
 fervedand worfhipped : let us not put our truftm 
 man, but in God, left that prophetic denunciation 
 fhould redound en us, " Cuifed is the man that 
 
 " trufttth 
 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 14 trufteth in man :" many other bifhops and wri ra- 
 ters in Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany, and 
 France, profefled the fame fentiments : and this 
 public oppofuion of emperors and bifhops, to the 
 worfliip of faints and images, in the eight and 
 ninth centuries, appears to be meant, particular- 
 ly, by the loud voice of the firft angel flying a- 
 Joft, and calling upon the world to wc:fhip God. 
 In another refpect too, thefe emperors and bi- 
 fhops referable this angel, having the everlailing 
 gofpel to preach unto every nation ; for in their 
 time, and greatly by their means, the Chriftian 
 religion was propagated and eftabiifhed, among 
 the Saxons, Danes, Swedes, and ma*iy other 
 northern nations. 
 
 Verf. 8. i4 And there followed another an- 
 €i gel/' 6t. As the admonitions of the firft angel 
 had not the proper effect upon the kingdom of 
 the bead, trie fccond angel is commiflioned to 
 proclaim the fall of the capital city. " Babylon 
 " is fallen, is fallen," &c. By Babylon, was meant 
 Rome, as all authors, of all ages and countries, 
 agree : but it was not prudent, to denounce the 
 deilruclion of Rome, in open and direct terms \ 
 it was, for many wife leafons, done coveitly, un- 
 der the name of Babylon ; which was the great 
 idolatrefs of the earth, and enemy of the people 
 of God in former, as Ro^.e h.th been in later 
 times. By the fame figure of fpeech, that the firft 
 angel cried, that the hour of his judgment is come, 
 this fecond angel proclaims, that Babylon is fallen; 
 the fentence is as certain, as if it was already ex- 
 ecuted. For greater certainty too, it is repeated 
 twice, " Baby on is fallen, is fallen ; as jofeph 
 faid, <^Gen. xii. 32. ) that " the dream was dou- 
 " bled unto lharaoh twice, becaufe the thing is 
 Ci eitabhfhed by God, and God will fnortly bring 
 < ; it to pafs " The reafon then is added of this 
 Sentence againfi; Babylon \ M becaufe ibe made all 
 
 11 nations. 
 
( &>3 ) 
 
 ct nations drink of the wine of the Wrath,* tit 
 rather of the inflaming wine, " of her fornicsU 
 f* tion." Her's was a kind of Circean cup, with 
 poifoned liquor, to intoxicate and inflame man- 
 kind to fpiritual fornication. St John, Jn thefe 
 figures, copies the ancient prophets. In the farn£ 
 manner, and in the fame words, did Ifaiah fore* 
 tell the fate of ancient Babylon, (chap. xxi. g<) 
 •f Babylon is fallen, is fallen. " And Jerem. li. 7* 
 11 Babylon hath been* a golden cup in the Lord's 
 u hand, that hath made all the earth drunken J 
 " the nations have drunk of her wine, therefore 
 fi the nations are mad." As by the firft angel 
 calling upon men to worfhip God, we underftand 
 the oppofers of the worfhip of images in the eight 
 and ninth centuries ; fo by this fecond angel pro- 
 claiming the fall of myftical Babylon, or Rome, 
 we underftand, particu ] arly Peter Valdo, and 
 thofe who concurred with him, the Waldenfes 
 and Albigenfes, who were the firft heralds, as 
 we may fay, of this proclamation ; as they, firft 
 of all, in the twelfth century, pronounced the 
 church of Rome to be the apocalyptic Babylon, 
 <c the mother of harlots, and abominations of th£ 
 " earth ;" and for this caufe, not only departed 
 from her communion themfelves, but engnged 
 great numbers alfo, to follow their example, and 
 laid the firft foundation of the reformation-, 
 Rome then began to fall ; and as the ruin of Ba* 
 by-ion was complrfd by degrees, fo likewife will 
 that of Rome ; and thefe holy Conftfibrs, and 
 martyrs, firft paved the way to it. 
 
 But not only the capital city, riot only the prin- 
 cipal agents of idolatry, (hall be deftroyed ; the 
 commiiTion of the third angel reacheth further, 
 and extends to all the fubje&s of the beaft, whom 
 he configns over to everlafting puni foment, verf. 
 9. 10. 11. " And the third angel followed them, 
 •-? faying, with a loud voice, If any man worfhip 
 
 " the 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 u the bead and his image, and receive his mark 
 u in his forehead or in his hand/' if any man 
 embrace and profefs the religion of the beaft, or, 
 what is the fame, the religion of the pope, cc the 
 " fame (hall drink of the wine of the wrath of 
 c< God," or rather, of the poifenous wine of 
 God. His pimiihment (hall correfpond with his 
 crime : as he drank of the poifonous wine of Ba- 
 bylon, fo he (hall be made to drink of the poifon- 
 ous wine of God ; which is poured out without 
 mixture, or rather, which is mixt unmixt, thd 
 poifonous ingredients being ftronger when mixed 
 with mere, or unmixt^ wine, in the cup of his 
 indignation; and he fhall be tormented day and 
 night, for ever and ever. By this third angel 
 following the others with a loud voice, we un- 
 derftand, principally, Martin Luther, and his fel- 
 low reformers ; who, with a loud voice, protefted 
 againft the corruptions of the church of Rome* 
 and declared them to be deftruftive of falvation, 
 to all who (til] obftinately continue in the prac* 
 tice and proftflion of them. This would be a 
 time of great trial, verf. 12. '* Here is the pa- 
 €i tience of the faints; here are they who keep 
 <c the commandments of God, and the faith of 
 fi Jefus." And it is very well known, that this 
 was a time of very great trial and perfecution ; 
 the reformation was not introduced and eftablifh- 
 ed without bloodlhed ; there were many martyrs 
 in every country. But they crre comforted with 
 a folemn declaration from heaven, verf. ij. 
 <c And I heard a voice from heaven, faying unto 
 <c me, Write, Bleffed are the dead who die in 
 M the Lord, from henceforth ;" if they die fh 
 the faith and obedience of Chrift, and more efpe- 
 cially, if they die martyrs for his fake : yea, faith 
 the Spirit, " that they may reft from their la- 
 " hours *," for immediately upon their deaths 
 they enter into reft, " and their works do follow 
 
 " them 5 
 
( *o 5 ) 
 
 *' them ;" they enjoy now fome recompence, and 
 in due time, in the day of judgment, they (hull 
 receive the full reward of their good work?. If 
 is mod probable John alluded to a paflage in 
 Ifaiah, where the Spirit hath made the like de- 
 claration, chap. lvii. i. 2. u The righteous pc* 
 fi rimeth, and no man layeth it to heart; and 
 tc the merciful men a e taken away, none confi* 
 " dering that the righteous are taken away from 
 u the evil to come: he (hall enter into peace ; 
 " they ihail reft in their beds, each one walking 
 " in his uprightness." But the greatelt difficul- 
 ty of all is, to account for the word from hr,:ce~ 
 forth ; for, why ihould the bleffednefs of thofe 
 who die in the Lord be reftrained to this time, 
 and commence from this period rather than from 
 any other, when they are at all times, and in all 
 periods, equally blefTed, and not more Cmcc this 
 time than before ? Commentators arc here much 
 at a lofs, and orFer little or nothing that is faris- 
 faclory ; but the difficulty in a great meafure 
 ceafes, if we apply this prophecy, as I think it 
 fhouid be applied, to the reformation. Fiom 
 that time, though the bleffednefs of the dead who 
 die in the Lord hath not been enlarged, yet it 
 hath been much better underftood, more clearly 
 written and promulgated, than it was before ; 
 and the contrary doctrine of purgatory hath been 
 exploded, and banifhed from the belief of all 
 rcaibnable men. This truth, moreover, was one 
 of the leading principles of the reformation. 
 What firft provoked Luther's fpirit was the fcan- 
 dalcus fale of indulgences •, and the doctrine of 
 indulgences having a clofe connection with the 
 do&rine of purgatory, the refutation of the one 
 naturally led to the refutation of the other : and 
 his firft work of reformation was his 95 thefes, 
 or pofitions, againfl indulgences, purgatory, and 
 the dependent doctrines. So that he may he 
 S fcid 
 

 ( 2C6 ) 
 
 fald, literally, to have fulfilledthe command from 
 heaven, of writing, BlciTed are the dead who die 
 in the Lord, from henceforth : and, from that 
 time to this, this truth hath been fo clearly af- 
 ftrted, and fo folidly eftablifned, that it ii likely 
 to prevail for ever. 
 
 Verf. 14 — 20. But ftill the voices of thefe 
 three warding angels not having their due influ- 
 ence and effecT:, the judgments of God will over- 
 take the followers and adherents of the beaft ; 
 •which judgments arc reprefented under the fi- 
 gures of harveft j .nd vintage, (vcrf. 14 — 20.) ; fi- 
 gures not unufual in the prophets, and copied 
 particularly from the prophet Joel, who denoun- 
 ced God's judgments againft the enemies of his 
 people, in the like terms, chap, iii. 13. " Put ye 
 " iii the fickle, for the harveft is ripe ; come, 
 u get ye down for the prefs is full, the fats over- 
 *' flow, for their wickednefs is great.'' What 
 particular events are fignifled by this harveft and 
 vintage, it appears impofiible for any man to de- 
 termine ; time alone can with certainty difcover, 
 for thefe things are yet in futurity. Onljr it may 
 be obferved, that thefe two fignal judgments will 
 as certainly come, as harveft and vintage fucceed 
 in their feafon ; and, in thecourfe of providence, 
 the one will precede the other, as, in the courfe 
 of nature, the harveft is before the vintage j and 
 the latter will greatly furpafs the former, and be 
 attended with a more terrible deftruCcion of God's 
 enemies. It is faid> verf. 20. that the blood came 
 even to the horfes bridles ; which is a ftrong hy- 
 perbolical way of fpeaking, to exprefs vaft (laugh- 
 ter and effufion of blood : a way of fpeaking not 
 unknown to the Jews ; for the JeruOlem Tal- 
 mud, defcribing the woeful (laughter which the 
 emperor Adrian made of the Jews, at the de- 
 ltruction of the city of Bitter, faith, " that the 
 hoifes waded in blood up to the noftrils." Nor 
 
 are 
 
( 2o 7 ) 
 
 are fimihr examples wanting, even in the clailic 
 authors ; for Silius Itilicus, fpeaking of Anni- 
 bal's defcent into Ita'y, ufeth a like exprefiion of 
 the bridles flowing with much blood. The flage 
 where this bloody tragedy is a&ed is without the 
 city, by the fpace of a thoufand and fix hundred 
 fur.ongs; which, as Mr IMede ingenuoufly ob- 
 fer. es, is the meafure ofjlato delta chi fa, or the 
 (late of trie Roman church, or St Peter's patrimo- 
 ny ; which, reaching from the walls of Rome unto 
 the river Po, contains the fpace of tw» hundred 
 Italian miles, which make exattly 1600 furlongs. ,y 
 See Biihop Newton. 
 
 C H A P. XV. 
 
 This chapter comes in by way of a 'preface te 
 what follows ; and as God's judgments upon An- 
 tichrift have been formerly only fpoke of in gene- 
 ral terms, we have here, and in the following 
 chapters, a more particular account of them* un- 
 der the types, or emblem?, of feven vials ; which, 
 as has already been obferved, were to be poured 
 out upon the beail, or Roman hierarchy, one af- 
 ter another, till that religion be wholly eradicated 
 from the earth. 
 
 In this chapter, the feven angels are prepared 
 and commifiioneri by God, as taofe that founded 
 the trumpets, in order to fix upon our minds the 
 particular providence and foreknowledge of God, 
 who makes all the events, concerning the church 
 and her enemies, fail out precifely according \q 
 the time and manner he hath predetermined . nd 
 foretold in this book; thai his people's faith may 
 be the more confirmed in his promifes, and his 
 enemies the more confounded and inexcufable* 
 As we have been hitherto tedious, and perhaps 
 have wearied our reader, with too minute an ex- 
 plication of fome of the former chapters, efpe- 
 cially, fuch as belonged to the rife, progrefs, and 
 S X begun- 
 
\t 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 ( 208 ) 
 
 fcegun r aII of Antichrift, we fhall therefore pro- 
 ceed to the following. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Here we have a particular account of the feven 
 vials, or feven lait plagues, that are to be pour- 
 ed cut upon the worshippers of the beaft. As 
 Rome is ofren, in this prophecy; compared to 1l- 
 gypt, Sodom, and Babylon, for her idolatry, cruel- 
 ty and ot!:er vices : Almighty God is here plea- 
 fed to parallel her plagues with theirs ; and it is 
 qbfervabre, that many of the plagues, mentioned 
 in this chapter, very nearly refembie the plagues 
 of Egypt recorded in the book of Exodus ; as willl 
 appear, by considering the ehaprer itfelf. 
 
 Yerf 1. " And I heard a great voice out of 
 u the temple/' Obfcive, that there is a com-' 
 mand given to the fe'ven angels, the executioners 
 of God's juftice, to do their office, viz. to pour 
 cut the t:zh d his wrath rpon the earth. The 
 command is given by a voice, nay, by a great 
 voice, becaufe it was the command of a great 
 God, about a great work -, and faid to come out 
 of the temple, in alhifion to the holy of holies , the 
 place where God manifefted his glory ; o the Jews, 
 End from whence he gave forth reiponfes to his 
 people. Obierve further, how the ftven angels 
 receive their com mi/lion from God, and pour not. 
 out one vial upon the earth till they are ordered 
 to do fa ; and being called the vials of God's 
 wrath, it gives us this intimation, that what is 
 done againfl; Antichrift is not the effect of man's 
 revenue, (though men may be made the execu- 
 tioners of it), but the effect of Gad's juil dif- 
 p/eifure upon an abmdoned race-, and as vials 
 are veffcls of large content, but of narrow mouths, 
 which pour cut flowly, but diftil effectually, 
 and drench deeply, it imports, that the wrath of 
 God is iure ; though How :. it comes upon finnei s 
 
 gradually ; 
 
( 209 )' 
 
 jjgmd'aaTTy ; but if, upon it's approach, ttiey - 
 pent not, it. will at lait, like a mighty torrent* 
 
 fween them away from the f irth- 
 
 The firft vial is poured out upon the earth of the 
 beaiYs kingdom, -avd God's wrath is perft&ed 
 againfl the whore in the following vials. There- 
 fore that fong, in chap, xviii and xix. is as the 
 refult of thefe judgments ; for they are judgments 
 inflicted on the bead and his followers, and 
 not common at all to others. Therefore, m the 
 fourth vial, it is faid (01 anthrcpoi) the mei ,,. 
 having a particular relation to the men rr.enricn- 
 ed before, viz. theft marked with the pope's mark, 
 as will appear afterwards. It is not to be undtr- 
 flcod, that thefe vials cany on the pope's ruin in 
 a viObie manner : for he (iill.fightsj and in order 
 to harden him, like Pharaoh, he may have fre- 
 quently fee living advantages, zs if he would again 
 recover ; whicn however, we hope, he never fhali : 
 but when God renews hi& victories over him, he 
 obtains the greater glory, as he did over Pharaoh, 
 by multiplying his judgments agaioft him, ac- 
 cording to the a ] lufion. 
 
 Further we obferve, that the bead's kingdom,: 
 when deforibed as the object of thefe judgments, 
 is fpoken of as a -world, having a heaven, earth, 
 fan, fea, &c. as parts of it - f as was hinted be- 
 fore, in the destruction of the Heathen, under' 
 the fixth ie^l, chap vi. and of the Chriflian 
 world, chap. viii. : which observation is ufefui to 
 help us to difcover what thing in Popery, or in 
 ifeat dominion,, is meant ; by fome analogy from 
 earth, fea,, £;<;. in the natural body and frame of 
 the world, to fuel* things made ufe of in that" 
 Anrichriftian world, which, in that refpecr, are- 
 carth, fea, fefc. to it. It is aifo ufefu! to fhew 
 -what Weight religion and its chance hath upon 
 people, it makes it appear as another world; 
 mid therefvi?;, the fpeciaJ chanjes, in tut thefe 
 i> 3. three 
 
( 210 ) 
 
 three periods, are to be fought for, in the change 
 t m' is on the outward frame and face of religion* 
 It is likewife ufeful for illuftrating one thing by 
 another; as what was fea in the Chriftian world,, 
 will help to (hew what fupplieth that place in the 
 Ant chriftian. 
 
 Again, as Anticbrift is confidered in a double 
 capacity, viz civil and cccieiiaftical, fo theft 
 parts of him, rivers, fun, &c. and the efiects on 
 them may have a twofold con fide ration •, fome of 
 them brin^ pbgics on his temporal, others on 
 his ecclrfiaftical grandeur and frame, overturning 
 the lail by fpi ritual Judgments j therefore fome 
 of them, are ipiritu.dly, o.hers literally to be un- 
 cierftood, and fome have refpeft to boh. 
 
 It may be (till further obferved, that in the or* 
 drr of pouring out thefe vials, there k a very 
 great fim':la;i y, boh in order and method, as 
 was followed in the trumpets, chap viiL As 
 trie fir ft trump _t, fo the firft vial is poured on 
 the eaith, and fo of the reft ; but as the worlds 
 are different, fo are the effecls. This points out 
 to us, that as Antichrift rofe by rhe trumpets, fo 
 it is plain he mult fall by the vials. The infpi- 
 red apoftle has particularly pointed him out in a 
 fuitabienefs and equality, in God's juftice, to 
 bring him down as he rof. - . Alio, in the fp.ead- 
 ing and counterfeiting nature of his errors, ma- 
 king a whole body, as it were a world in oppo- 
 sition to Chriil's world, mentioned before. Like- 
 wife by comparing the trumpets and vials toge- 
 ther, the efTch threatened are didinclly pointed 
 out. LaiUy, the bead's ruin is as certain as his 
 rife, and as the lad woes in the trumpets were 
 the greateft, fo are the three lafl vials. 
 
 Let us alfo coniidcr the time relating to thefe 
 vials ; and, though it is impoffible to determine 
 the diftance of time between them, or when cjich 
 cf them begins, yet fbmething may be faid, a$ 
 
 
( *M ) 
 
 certain, for the rife and clofe of the prophecy i<* 
 general^ which we conceive to be the fame in its 
 rife with the feventh trumpet, founding (chap, 
 xi ) when the Protedant religion began to be c- 
 fUblifhed by law, which,, as was faid, might be 
 about t:ie 1560; that is, after the beafls king- 
 dom is difcovercd, and a viSble decay of his gran- 
 deur begun. The pouring out of the feventh vial, 
 as was (aid, timers in a glorious fpreading of the 
 gofpel God's taking vengeance on all the church's 
 enemies ; and cloies the fc^ne with the world. 
 
 We ihall favour our readers wih the opinion 
 of Mr Guyfe, with refpect to the commencement 
 of the vials. The iirft, he fays, began to be 
 poured out between the years 830 and 95 8 ; the 
 fecend,. between the years 1040 znd i 1 90 ; tie 
 third, between the year 12.0 and ] 270 ; the 
 fourth, between the ^78 and 153c; the fifth,, 
 between the 1530 and :65c *, the fixth and fe- 
 venth, he owns, are yet co come. According to 
 this calculation, the trumpets and vials would 
 be cotemporary, which cannot be, as we have al>- 
 ready fhewn •> for the trumpets are founded to 
 give the church warning of Antichrift's rife, till 
 be arrive at his height. But the vials are pour- 
 ed out upon him and his followers, not as tem~ 
 poral judgments upon nations, but as fpi ritual 
 plagues upon the popiih hierarchy alone. If thefe 
 via^s were poured out as general judgments upon 
 nations, then many of the fealed ones would fuf- 
 fer equally with Pap:fts : the fufl. vial is poured 
 out on thofe only who had the mark of the beaft, 
 and worhVpped his image; therefore it cannot be 
 a general judgment, as the looiing of the four an- 
 geis at the river Luphrates, whofe com million w^s 
 to flay a third part of men without diilinction. 
 
 Finally we obferve, that though there be order 
 in the rife of thefe judgments, and all the viais 
 are not poured out together, yet, as in the feais 
 
 and 
 
( 2.2 ) 
 
 and trumpets, fo alfb in them, it will r.ot follow^, 
 ' that the former judgment is ended before the 
 next commence \ but though there is afl order in 
 their beginning, yet tiie iirft and fecond plagues, 
 which arc the effects of the firft two vials, 
 cecd together to the end, and have the other new 
 plagues added to them. But, to be more part!~ 
 ^V - coiar, there are two things obfervabte in all the 
 
 vials; firft, the objeft plagued, or that whereof 
 the vial is pofiTed, whfch is as it were the caufe. 
 f Secondly*} the effc£t following; viz. the plaguing, 
 
 that object, whether that plague be primary or 
 fecond a ry ; for one plague may have iuncry f- 
 feets following upon, or going along with one 
 another. The object denotes tome fpecial pa»l 
 of the Antichriitian kingdom ; the judgment is 
 primary there, /.gain the effect refl els on the 
 perfons, who are the fppporters of that kingdom, 
 a fid affects them, as the earth, fea, fun, feat, firV. 
 is fliil fome thing of the AntichriiUaii ftate; which 
 being plagued, plagues the worfhippers, as the 
 fall of a he ufe endangers thefe that- are in it. 
 
 To conclude, this thing plagued, or on which 
 the vial is poured, cannot be any thing merely 
 active in this judgment ; as by fun, in the fourth 
 vial cannot mean the facred records, hecaufe they,, 
 as iuch, are not proper parts cf the Antichrifiian 
 ffarrie ; but it muft be fome ether thing account- 
 ed fcripture by tl em, forr.eihing that can fufrer 
 by thefe vials ; ike fuffering whereof, may have 
 . fuch fuitab.e effects upon the fubje&s oi that 
 kingdom, as the rejection of their tradition?, C5Y. 
 may probably grieve, fiet, and torment the abet- 
 ter-, of them. 
 
 Verfe ?. u The firft angel pours cut his vial 
 " upon the earth. &c." By earth is commonly 
 fincierficed, femethirg firm and durable, as Pfai. 
 civ. " The earth he eftabliflied, 6c?' By the earth 
 «f the Antichiiitian wcric^ are undeiitocd, fuch 
 
 doctrines^ 
 
I 
 
 ( 213 ) 
 
 do&rines as they efleem the firinefl and fureft, 
 and u_jon which all the reil are built; and *vithout 
 which, that budding cannot (land, and be a world. 
 Such as the pope's fupremacy, whom they reckon 
 ablolute, to difpofe of all things according :o his 
 pleafure •, an.i ail others mentioned, chap. xiii. 
 Hence, in chap. \i:i. earth is taken for the fun- 
 damental doctrines of the Chriftian religionj the 
 pou ing this vial on this, is a difeovery of the ab- 
 fardity and weaknefs cf fach foundations, the re T 
 jecting an,! abhor ing them in practice, and men 
 betaking themielves to belter and more iolid 
 principles, efpecially when done by publicly au- 
 thorized preaching 
 
 To this the effects are mod fait ible ; for thefe 
 plagued, are fuch who are enflaved to :ne pope, 
 ana Hand and fall wi:h him, in the fulleft extent 
 of his tenets and doctrines 2. The plague it* 
 ftU is a boii and fore, but fuch as is cecaiior.ed 
 by ttie former difeovery ; alluding to the plagues 
 (£xod ix. 8. Mr) of boils, efpecially on the ma- 
 gicians. Here is a plague, painful, fh tmeful, and 
 Ioathfome before others j by which is meant, that 
 inward envy and fretting, that outward contempt 
 and fhame, which befel the pope's devoted Haves, 
 when God brought to light the vanity, blafphemy, 
 and hypocrify of their helhih-devifed religion and 
 tyranny, whereby the woild had been long de- 
 luded. In fine, this imports, that when the fe- 
 venth trumpet founds, and God (hall begin to 
 plague the pope, by pouring out the vials ; he 
 fli-tij, at the beginning, io fhake the principal 
 foundations of the Popiih religion, as to occafion 
 much inward grief and vexation, (compared to 
 pricking in the reins, Pfaon lxxiii. 21 .J to the 
 chief lupporters thereof ; and mall make them 
 Ioathfome ami abominable, to the world, as the 
 magicians were by the plague of the boils, fo tha^ 
 they could not ftaad before Pharaoh, becaufe they 
 
 hardens^ 
 
( »M ) 
 
 hardened hi& heart, oppofed Mofes, and endea- 
 voured to prevent the people's delivery from E- 
 
 'lo conclude, it is certain that the foundations 
 of Popery were vigoroufly attacked j fach as the 
 pope's fupremacy, indulgences, merits, maiTes, 
 purgatory, 6r. j which made Erafmus merrily fay 
 of Lu her, u That he had committed two unpar- 
 donable faults, m meddling with the pope's crown, 
 and the monk's bellies :" his meaning was, they 
 would never forgive him for gal ing them in fuch 
 a manner A ho the hiftory and events of the 
 times, fuflleiently (hew the contempt which fol- 
 lowed upon that difcovery, the vexation, anxiety, 
 terror, trouble, and griei that feized the Roman 
 clergy 
 
 Verfe q. 4. 5. 6, 7* u The fecond 2nge! pour- 
 * c ed cut his vial upon the fea, £*rV." The effects 
 are twoj 1 - It became as the blood of a dead man; 
 and fecondly, in confequsnee of tins, every Hying 
 foul died in it. As the fecond trumpet advanced, 
 Atitichrift's grandeur arofe, fo this fecond vial 
 haftens on his ruin*, but we imagine the complex 
 bedy of his kingdom are plagued here, efpecially 
 their ordinances, government, fuperftitious forms 
 of worfhip, councils, decrees, &c. wherein much 
 of their grandeur con filled; now they are attack- 
 ed, and the Abbacies, indulgences, &£. where- 
 by they fubfitted, are in a great meafure de- 
 ftroyed. 
 
 By fea, mud be underftood fomething of this 
 nature i as will be evident by comparing ver. 13. 
 and 17 of chap xviii : for this kd mult be fuita- 
 b'e to thofe who frade in it ; and thofe again,- 
 fuitable to their occupation, which is, the jfouls 
 of men « among other things, chap, xviii and 13. 
 u Thofe mutt certainly be their clergy; therefore 
 the fea they trade in, muft be their ecclefiaftical 
 or church conititutions, forms, and ordinances, 
 
 of 
 
( **s ) 
 
 of facraments, mafies, traditions, &c. chiefly in- 
 dulgences, pardons, and purgatory ; becauie in 
 thefe their trade of fouls is carried on. 
 
 As we have frequently mentioned the Popifh 
 facramcnts in this eiTay, a brief account of them 
 may, perhaps, be agreeable to fo:ne of our read- 
 ers : their number is feven; the pope has, by the 
 plenitude of his power, ventured, contrary to the 
 facred page, to add other five to the facrament of 
 baptifm and the Lord's fupper, or Eucharift : 
 thefe added are, confirmation, extreme unction, 
 matrimony, orders, and penance. u As to con- 
 firmation, fays Mr Sylvefter, what elements are 
 the vifible and proper figns of it ? by what infti- 
 tution is it ordained ? and by what promife of 
 grace, with refpe£t to pardon and eternal glory, 
 is it encouraged and annexed ? or, wherein will 
 they fix its common and adequate relation to the 
 two great facraments ? What is their confirma- 
 tion for receiving of the Holy Ghoft ; but an au- 
 dacious, apim imitation of miraculous operations 
 by the apoftle's hands ! nor can their equivocal 
 juggles about the promife cf the Spirit, relieve 
 them in the cafe, if the gifts thereof, as fanctifv- 
 ing and comforting, of equal neceiTity and extent 
 to all times and Chrifttans, be diitinguilhed from 
 its miraculous and extraordinary operations and 
 difpenfings ; which was to be appropriated to that 
 fealing age, both as to Chriftians, extraordinary 
 officers, and circumftances. 
 
 As to extreme unction, founded upon Mark 
 xvi. 13. and James v. 14, When they can prove 
 thefe things are to be referred to ordinary and 
 perpetual ceremonies in the church, through- 
 out ail ages \ and not to the extraordinary cir- 
 cumftances, and ceremonies of a fealing day •, 
 wherein it is neceffary, that the gofpel be iealed, 
 and proved by miracle s, at its fir it introduction 
 into the world \ they are more like to win the 
 
 day, 
 
/ 
 
 ■ 
 
 ( 2^6 ) 
 
 day, and prove their unction facramental. But 
 do not their own Waldenfis, Alphonfus e Caftro, 
 and famous Eftius himfelf, conclude, that the 
 apoftles James and Mark, fpeak of miraculous 
 cures, Were not the parties to be anointed, (trick- 
 en and held with great difeafes, partly contra£t- 
 ed and def rved by grievous provocations, and 
 partly infl:£ted to illuitrate that miraculous power 
 winch was then on foot ? What though there be 
 fomewhat of analogy betwixt bodily difeafes, and 
 fin itfelf; yet certainly, oil had been more proper 
 to the vitram than the reatus of their fins. Ana- 
 logy is reqaifite in a facrament, and the promife 
 (Jam. v.) is of remiffion ; and oil that may have 
 fome analogy to wounds, bears little or none to 
 fpots or guilt of punifhment* 
 
 Again with reipeft to matrimony, who made 
 it a facrament under the New Te^ament ? Or 
 what is there in the ordinance to make it anfwer- 
 sble to the thing ? an^d, if it be a facrament, yet 
 it is but oeconcmical ; And it is no more divine, 
 than as it is an inftituted relative Rate by God \ 
 and fo is the covenant between matters *and fer- 
 vants : and thus the inauguration of a king, may 
 be reckoned a civil facrament. But a facrament 
 of the covenant of grace, is made compatible 
 to all believers : but this is not ; for the prieft is 
 debarred from this facrament, left it impair his 
 purity, But they aliedge, it is sailed a my leery, 
 (Eph. 5. 32.) and have not the woman and beaft 
 the fame name, (Rev. xvii. 1.) Yea, does not 
 Cajetan affirm, that this place is no argument 
 why matrimony is a facrament* It is likely he 
 was aware of that which follows clofely in the 
 text, viz. I fpeak of Chrift, &C What trifling 
 fubtiltics do Papifts ufe to amufe the world ? as 
 if they defigned to be more ftudious to walk in 
 darknefs, than to prevent or heal the wounds 
 of the church. 
 
 Next 
 
 / 
 
( «7 ) 
 
 TCctt, of orders. Though this may be a faCra* 
 lacnt of order, and truly fo, yet that h not 
 commenfurate-with a facrament of Chriftiamiy. 
 All are not minifters, that may be pofTeifcd of pre- 
 fent grace, and have a title to remiflion of (ins, 
 and everlafting glory. And it feems femewhat 
 ttrange, that one fat rarnent of the new covenant 
 fnould make men incapable of another : as alio, 
 that two different facraments, inconfiftent on the 
 one hand, mould have the fame fign. And it is 
 yet more ftrange, that this fliould be equal to 
 baptifm and the Eucharift, and yet fhould want 
 a vifible element for its fign. 
 
 Laftly, As for penance, (as far as God requires 
 it, and ftates its ufe and nature), doth not bap- 
 tifm relate and bind us to it ? Is it not baptiim 
 of repentance, for the remiilion of fins ? What 
 i* the external rite ? And where is the acceinon 
 of the word into the fign, whereby it mud be 
 made a facrament? What is there in penance^ 
 commenfurate with baptifm ? 
 
 He then proceeds to (hew the folly of adding 
 any more, fince the two, inftituted by our Sa- 
 viour, are fully fuflicient to anfwer all the purpo- 
 ses of our falvation. Thefe two facraments, fays 
 tie, will comprehend all ; for they contain what 
 is fully fuitable to every ltate, urge to ever? vir- 
 tue, and tend to cure our fpiritual difeafes : why 
 need we feven of theirs, when Chrilt hath infli- 
 tuted two fuflicient for the purpofe. See Mr Syl- 
 vefler's fermons, printed at Edinburgh 1779. 
 
 As in chap. viii. 8. God plaguing thefe, 
 makes them like the blood of a dead man ; that 
 is, it became corrupt ; that whofoever would ad- 
 here to the Popifh do&rines and tenets, would 
 be ruined •, inch po fon was now infufed into 
 them, by the council of Trent, which rendered 
 them more deadly than before : befides, tfrc go- 
 fpel now fpreading abroad in many places, and 
 T (hininir 
 

 ( at8 ) 
 
 finning with unfullied luftre, rendered tliefe \vh& 
 continued under Antichrift entirely inexcufable, 
 and their condition defperate ; fo that now men 
 can no more lire in Popery, and own their tenets, 
 than fifties can live among blood ; but every per- 
 fon that does not abandon that pernicious reli- 
 gion, muft inevitably perifh: either becaufe it is 
 now worfe than formerly, or becaufe the light 
 of truth, having now blazed forth, has discover- 
 ed its pernicious nature, a Separation is abfolute- 
 Jy required. Alfo by dying here may fignify, 
 one's leaving the kingdom of Antichrift ; in that 
 fenfe, they may then be faid to be dead to him, 
 when they foriake his principles; or thefe that 
 continue, become more hardened, and grow Spi- 
 ritually dead. 
 
 From verfe 4. to 8. the third angel pours out 
 his vial on the rrvers and fountains of water, and 
 they become blood. Here is a twofold congra- 
 tulation or approbation of God s juftice, in pu- 
 Tiiihing thefe men who fhed the blood of his fer- 
 vants, viz. the faints xnd prophets ; therefore 
 they have blood given them to drink : the mean- 
 ing is, thefe bigotted Papifts, who have violent- 
 ly persecuted and put to death many thoufands 
 of God's people, lhall, in their turn, have their 
 blcod fhed, and that in great abundance ; there 
 is a juft proportion between their fin and punifh- 
 ment : for as it is faid in chap. xiii. 9. 10. " He 
 <c that killeth with the fword, muft be killed by 
 u the fword ;" of which threatening, this is the 
 sccompiiihment. Likewife in this, as well as 
 the former, there is an allufion to the plagues 
 of iigyot, when all was blood, and the fifties 
 died. 
 
 The object, of this vial is fountains and rivers, 
 2nd fuch things as furniih moiilure and life to 
 the Antichriftian world, as fountains and rivers 
 do to the natural world. They muft be Some- 
 thing 
 
 
( **9 ) 
 
 thing running into the former fea, and In oppb* 
 (ition to the truth of the gofpel, as chap. viii. ; 
 yet fo, as cannot he applied to things, but to 
 perfons who have fhed blood, and whole blood 
 is ihed. By this we underftand, the different 
 ordeis of their clergy, the chief inftruments and 
 fupporters of the whore, or Antichriftian world, 
 with their nurferies and feminaries of clergy, 
 whereby they have filled the world with corrupt 
 teachers. The apoftle Peter, (2 d epift. chap. ii. 
 17.) calls them wells without water, clouds car- 
 ried by the temped, to whom the mid of dark- 
 nefs is referved for ever : thefe have furniihed 
 life to the bead for a long time ; men drinking 
 at no or her fountain or river, but the erroneous 
 writings of :he Roman clergy, whofe principles 
 and aflertions were accounted preferable to the 
 Holy Scriptures; had not: thefe watered the Po- 
 pifh world, its fprings had been dried up long 
 ago. The doctrines of thefe men mail not only 
 be condemned, but the executors and followers 
 of their principles, whereby many fdints have 
 fuffered, fhall be pun i ihed ; for they who have 
 been the chief fupporters of Antichriit, and ma- 
 licious persecutors of the faints, ma it be under-' 
 ftood here, as their ordinances were before. 
 
 The effect that followed upon ibis, is, that 
 thefe rivers became b-ood r they were not on!y 
 corrupted and fpoiled, as in the former vial, but 
 they became bloody; that is, they had their own 
 blood given them to drink, and were really con- 
 demned to fuch puiiiflimtnts and tortures, as 
 they had inflicted upon the faints'; fo the follow- 
 ing words import, and fo the church, in the Se- 
 cond fea!, is deicribed by a red horfe. But left 
 the Antichriftian world mould boaft of their ha- 
 ving fuffered as martyrs, the congratulation H 
 added, to (hew that it was an effect of juftice in 
 themj which congratulation was doubled on thar 
 T 2 account* 
 
( m ) 
 
 account If any ihould aik why thefe con g rat n- 
 } itions arc affixed to this vial ? we reply, that 
 this work ought to be carefully noticed and re- 
 garded by Prcteflants, as having much of God's 
 glery fhhrng confpieucus in it; therefore we 
 ought to be careful in observing his threatenings 
 a.ui judgments, as well as his mercies. Again, 
 it points out the juftice and . fai'.hfulnefs of God, 
 in puniflfiag Antichrifr, according to his own 
 predictions in this book. It alio upbraids Chri- 
 stian princes and ftates, for their too great cle- 
 mency to the whore, and their fiownefs and 
 backward nefs to execute God's righteous de- 
 figns of puniihing her ; though they have often 
 prayed and longed for them. We know, that 
 according to the prefent fentiment which prevails 
 among many, we will- be accounted illiberal and 
 narrow minded, and perhaps of a perfecuting 
 ipirit, which we abhor; but fo long as we ad- 
 vance nothing contrary to the facred text, we 
 defpiit the cenfure of men, who account all rc-- 
 lig ons nearly alike. 
 
 Here we further remark, the ft range infatua- 
 tion of Protectant powers at prefent ; who are 
 not only looking on as unconcerned fpeclators, 
 but even f:em to take a particular pleafuie, in 
 beholding Britain attacked by two Popi-fh powers, 
 who have always been the greatest fupports of 
 Popiih tyranny ; and who, from falfe principles 
 of polities, are {landing aloof, and viewing thefe. 
 enemies of God and man, threatening deduc- 
 tion to one of the greateft fupports of the refor- 
 mation : nay more, we are informed they are 
 forming leagues to haften on her deftru£tion. 
 This may appear a kind of paradox in politics ;. 
 but if we ccrifiderthe behaviour of Britain lafi 
 war, our wonder will ceafe; for Britain, favour- 
 ed by Heaven in every corner of the globe, was 
 Ticlorious over all her enemies ; but what was 
 
 the 
 
( «> ) 
 
 the confeqnence of this ? did (he afcribe her r.v. 
 pid vi£tories to that invifible Almighty power, 
 who rules heaven and earth by hhjlatt Surety 
 no; nothing was heard but her invincible wood- 
 en wads, and mighty armies : what wonder is it 
 then, if a nation for whom God has done fo much, 
 fhould be left, for a time, to druggie with unfur- 
 mountabk hardmips ; aB& like Nebuchadnezzar 
 of old, be obliged to acknowledge that there is a 
 God, who rules in the armies of heaven and a- 
 saong the inhabitants of the earth, railing up one 
 and humbling another. Could we now behold 
 Britain properly humbled, and made to fee, th^c 
 her fafety depends not on fleets and armies, how- 
 ever powerful, bat on God alone, who turns the- 
 battle from the gate ; then, like a giant roufed 
 from fleep or wine, he "vill make Britain, like 
 /Worm Jacob threihing the mountains, an inflru- 
 ment in his hand, of pouring out the vials of his 
 wrath upon his and his people's enemas -, who 
 have no regard to the molt iblemn oaths, and the 
 faith of treaties. We are net now to expect mi- 
 racles as of old, when an angel destroyed a mighty 
 army of Adyrians ; yet it is probable, after Bri- 
 tain is juftly punilhed for her pride, and orhe: 
 vices, which are the caufe of judgments upon 
 nations,, he will then appear tor her relief, an 1 
 make her a iharp-threihing inftru-ment in his 
 hand, to threfn thefe Popifh powers, and to b^at 
 them fmall as duft : as he has often in ioriViCC 
 sges, accomplished the mod glorious fchemes ; 
 as by a few nlhermen, he fpread the everlalting 
 gofpcl throughout the world, in apportion to ail 
 the idolatrous civil powers. We will not pre- 
 sume to affirm, for certain, that this will be trve 
 cafe ; perhaps he may treat us as he did the Jews 
 of old, by giving us up imoihe hands oi our e- 
 nemies \ but from our ohfeivation o. ! p tit events, 
 and from the apparent tendency of this prooncc/ 
 T 3 o£ 
 
I 
 
 l , 112 } 
 
 of the vial's being poured out gradually, one af- 
 ter another,, upon the pope and his adherents-, 
 we have all the reafon in the woi Id to believe, 
 that rhey (hall hever more be able to overturn the 
 Pioteftant religion However, God may permit 
 them, ns he drd the PhiMines, to chaftife a na- 
 tion funk in fcTifuaiity, luxury, pride, and ef- 
 feminacy, and many other enormous vices not 
 fit to be named. Though Britain, like the Jew- 
 ish nation 3 has been long, as it were, the darling 
 of providence, and favoured b-yond many other 
 nations ; yet afas ! like that ungrateful people, 
 file feems to have forgotten the hand that made 
 her, and has Ion? pref. rved her item all the ma- 
 chinations of Pbpifl* powers ; and a few years 
 ago, he raifecl her to a fitch of grandeur that* 
 quite dazzled her c:v r s. Did fne then acknow- 
 ledge God in hey victories I far from it y all her 
 boail wa- iu rer fleets and armies : by my wood- 
 en wal>, fa id fhe, and my brave courageous troops,. 
 h&ft I obtained the victory. What wonder 13 
 it then, that fne fhould be made to fly before her 
 enemies, and in vain call upon foreign powers 
 to affift her. But wbo can fraud when God is 
 againft him ? Let her return to her fit ft hufband, 
 for then it was better with her than now. Should 
 a general reformation take place, among all- 
 ranks of people, from the king on the throne 
 t<!> the mearieft of the people ; then would w r e 
 fcon behold Britain railing her drooping head', 
 and her warlike fons- re fuming their native vigour : 
 till then, we defcair of feeing her driving her e- 
 nemits before her, or of obtaining a fafe, per- 
 manent, and honourable peace* If then Britain 
 has any regzrS to poreeriry, to her boafled liber- 
 ty, and every thing that is dear to her; kt her 
 net delay one moment, to fet about a work of re- 
 formation. Let her imitate the king and people of 
 Nineveh [\ am! kit eat! of balls-; pbySj raafqueradtr, 
 
 and 
 
( 223 ) 
 
 and other idle amufements, which take oiT tbfc 
 mind from God ; let her king, nobles, and com- 
 mons) put on fackdoth, proclaim a fjft, and 
 truly humble themfelves before God ; and then 
 they may red allured, he wiH not be wanting on 
 his part, to grfcirjt the defired fuccefs. The can- 
 did reader, we hope, will pardon this long dt- 
 greffion ; which, we imagine, is net altogether 
 foreign to the fubjetl. 
 
 Although we would not chufe to be particular 
 in fixing the time of this vial; yet considering 
 fome remarkable overthrows given to many Pn- 
 pifts, in Holland, Fiance, Germany^ England, 6r» 
 (whereby their own Wood was given them to 
 drink), in profecuting their own wicked defrgns 
 againft Preteftants, a little after the council of 
 Trent, to the ye:ir 1588-, and confide ring the 
 laws made againft femlnary priefts, faying of 
 mafs, &fi?. that thefe were punifhed with death. 
 For this reafon, we are of opinion, that this vial 
 is accompli fried in part, and that we ought to 
 praife God on that account. 
 
 Verfe 8. 9. " And the fourth angel poured 
 " out his vial upon the fun/ 5 &c. 
 
 Antichrift's ruin is further carried on, in the 
 fame gradual manner as his rife ; by this vial, a 
 greater degree of darknefs rs difrufed on his king- 
 dom, and pain, and anxiety upon his followers ; 
 the fun of his world is the object of this plague, 
 fo that men are fcoiched with nre ; viz. fuch as 
 have the mark of the beatt, mentioned in verf. 
 2. Then follow three eftecls of this plague, as in 
 v'er. (;. viz. pain, blafphemy, and impenitency. 
 
 By fun here is meant, either the pope's tem- 
 poral or ecclefiaft : c (late. By fun in the natural 
 word, is underftood ibme thing bright, mining, 
 and confpicuous. Now as the natural fun is the' 
 brighteft of the heavenly luminaries, fo here we 
 conceive feme diftirguifned chief light in the Po- 
 
 pifh 
 
. 
 
 ( 22 4 ) 
 
 .piih world ; filch as emperors, kings, or princes,, 
 who are efleemed glorious lights: therefore, it is 
 probable, the emperor of Germany, who is called 
 the pope's firft born, or the kings of France and 
 Spain, or all of them, may be meant here ; as 
 thefe are the great eft fupporters of papal power, 
 and are, as it were, a fun to eniigrnert her gran- 
 deur : or, it may import that Gocl is withdraw- 
 ing temporal powers from the pope's frienduiip,. 
 as in chap. xrii. ; and, feeing they glory in thefe 
 great props, and bulwarks of their greatnefs, 
 their lofs cannot but be gaiiing to them. As the 
 word of God is the chief defence of ChriiVs king- 
 dom, fo external force, the inqaifiiion, E*rY. fup- 
 port and uphold Popifh tyranny $ and thefe pre- 
 cede the fifth vial, wherein the beaft is to-be pul- 
 led from his feat by fome kings. 
 
 Again, cenfidering this beaft as a whorlfh 
 church, the fun in her may import the complex 
 dodtrine, rules, and canons of the Romifh church; 
 or, what they put in the pi tee of the facred wri- 
 tings, which we obferved in chap. viii. under the 
 
 ; four:h trumpet, fignified the fun ; this is- profit- 
 able to that kingdom, or heaven, where it mines ;> 
 
 <and that is it which is meant here. 
 
 ♦ When God made the light of his word to mine 
 in a more convincing and confpicuous manner, 
 and makes the prophecies concerning Popery 
 more evident, by which its glory is ftained, and 
 that darknefs rfhd ignorance, which Papifts 
 wickedly called the mother of devotion, i~, in a 
 great meafuic, abolifhed ; this will burn and 
 fcorch them as fire. When the prophefyi.^g of 
 only two witnefTes to tormented, chap. ix. how 
 will the light of the glorious golpel, darting forth 
 its healing light, darken their fun, as the rife cf 
 their errors darkened the gofpelfun, chap, viii- 
 but not in the fame manner; for like a fire it will- 
 
 . fcorch and torment them, as in Ifaiah xxvi- i i. 
 
 Tkis 
 
 K 
 
( 22 5 ) 
 
 This is a further addition to the nrft plague, and 
 both thefe applications may agree wi.h this type. 
 
 The fecond effccT: is, tha* they bJafyhemed 
 God, who has po\x thefe plagues: hence 
 
 we may learn, that though God fends his judg- 
 ments to call the wicked to repentance, yer they 
 wid not repent, even when they are lying un le| 
 his wrathful hand. We may all e God's 
 
 fovereigntv, in ordering all his judgments as he 
 in h!s infinite wifdom fees meet; of what a iaei- 
 nous nature then ; miift the impemteiiey of Papiits 
 be, Gnee neither mercies nor judgments can re- 
 claim them, but they proceed from evil to worfe, 
 even to blafpheme that adorable name which an- 
 gels revere. 
 
 The fourth vkl is fuppofed ftiil to- be running 
 on ; as there has been no very material difference 
 in the popifh work- for a long time, except the 
 cxpulfion of the Jefuits, and breaking their order; 
 alfo the inquifition, that hellifh engine of cruel- 
 ty, we are informed, is in a great meafure, laid 
 afide ; likewife persecutions of Proteflants are 
 now more feldom than formerly ; Papifts and 
 Proteflants now live together with more cordiali- 
 ty and freedom, and, by the increafe of traffic, 
 their animoiiries are much abated : we have late- 
 ly feen a treatife upon traffic, written by a Fiench 
 Abbot, wherein he expreflerh as high a fenfe of 
 liberty as any Proteftant writer. It is the opi- 
 nion of many, that the defpotic powers now on- 
 ly con fide r Popery as a fiatc engine, to keep their 
 fubjedts under abfblute fubjecYion and fl.ivery. 
 Even the dull, phlegmatic Spaniards are now en- 
 couraging learning, and learned men ; as an evi- 
 dence of this, a Proteftant hifiorian, in high re- 
 pute among the literati, has been made a mem- 
 ber of the fociety of arts and fciences at Madrid. 
 Now, as learning feems to make hafiy ftrides in 
 Jturope and America, we would fain hope the 
 I : accomplilhrnerit 
 

 ( 226 ) 
 
 accomplifhment of the fifth vial is near at hancf, 
 which is to be poured out on the throne of the 
 bead ; as in verf. x. II. The object of this vial 
 feems to be more didinctly marked out; viz. the 
 bead's feat; this plainly fhews us, that when the 
 fifth vial is poured out, things will be fo vifible, 
 that they will not be vailed with types ; for it 
 brings along with it a more fenfibte llep of his 
 ruin, as the fifth trumpet did of his rife. This 
 like wife foretells the dcftruction of Rome, the 
 habitation of wickednefs for many centuries* 
 which will nuke the pope feet fome other feat. 
 
 The feat or throne, here, is the fame, as in 
 chap. xiii. 2- is called the feat or throne of the 
 dragon, viz. Rome ; for though his dominions 
 extended over many countries, yet there he kept 
 his court, from thence he iflued his edicls. And 
 as Rome was the errperor's throre, fo has it been 
 the pope's for many centuries, and therefore the 
 object of this plague ; becaufe the bead has got 
 the fame which the -dragon or emperor had, 
 chap. 13 Alio, it agrees well with the fcope 
 and gradation of thefe vials, which bring the 
 judgments nearer and nearer to Antkhrid, till 
 they make him -fly from Rome, as the following 
 vial fhews- It is alfo evident, from the explica- 
 te ry prophecy of this lame vial, in chapters xvii. 
 and xviii. where the dtftruclion of Rome, is 
 mentioned under the name of Babslon. It agrees 
 alio well with the order of the trumpets, betwixt 
 which and the vials, there is a great fimilarity ; 
 by the finh the pepe afcends his throne, and by 
 the fifth vial he is driven from it; and fuppofmg 
 the Popifli kingdom to be Antkhrifti'an, and the 
 pope to be Antichrift, then it mult be evident 
 that Rome is the throne; it being from the pre- 
 tended infallibility and fandliry of that fee, that 
 they derive their fpkndor. The fiift four vials 
 made fome outward approaches to him ; but this 
 
 dorms 
 
 
( 2I 7 ) 
 
 ftorms and overturns his ftrong hold ; as is more 
 fully difcovered, chap xviii. 
 
 The effects are four: firft, his kingdom is full 
 of darknefs ; this does not deftroy, but diftrefo 
 him, it fills his kingdom with the darknefs of 
 of mifery and trouble, of calamity and confuiion. 
 Though the pope's kingdom was full of darknefs 
 before, yet that was a darknefs of ignorance and 
 error, this of calamity and horror ; by the lofs of 
 that Juftre, refpecl, and reverence, which the 
 pope's throne had before, but is now deprived of. 
 Secondly, as an evidence of this diflrefs, it is here 
 faid, that they gnawed their tongues for pain ; 
 that i?, they were almoft diffracted at the decline 
 of their grandeur. Where obferve, from the 
 gnawing of their tongues, w r e may plainly per- 
 ceive the horror of their confeiences ; for as God 
 makes the guilty confeiences of the wicked to be 
 their own accufers, fo he can make them, when- 
 ever he pleaferh, their own tormentors. Thefe 
 worfhippers of the bead feduced others by their 
 falfe doctrine, of which their tongues were the 
 inftruments •, and now God makes their tongues, 
 like fo many fcorpions tails, the inftruments of 
 their torments. The third effect is, they blaf- 
 phemed the God of heaven; probably now break- 
 ing out into open rage, as if he had not made 
 good his fuppofed promifes to the apoftolic fee, 
 Chrift's vicar, and mother church ; therefore, in 
 this fury, they run to any inftrument for help, 
 as under the fixth vial j yet, in the la(t place, 
 they lepented not of their evil deeds which brought 
 this wrath upon them ; they were fo wedded to 
 their defrruclive tenets, that, inftead of embra- 
 cing the truth, which now (Lines round them 
 with radiant fplendor, they cling the falter to 
 their delufivc errors and falfe doctrines, till, un- 
 der the next vial, they are utterly deftroyed. 
 
 Verfe 
 
(228 ) 
 
 Verfe 12. " And the fixth angel poured out his 
 w vial upon the river Euphrates/' <&c. 
 
 The accomplifhment of this, vial is yet to cemc, 
 but, we hope, not far diftant -, however, wkat is 
 future being only known to God, we acknow- 
 ledge, with all reverence, our ignorance of what 
 is to come: yet we have two circumflances which 
 may ferve to clear up the matter. Fir(l, the time 
 for it, muft be after the deftru£lion of Rome ; 
 for, as the firfl: four vials begin, and carry on the 
 judgment of Antichrift, by difcovering his errors, 
 fpreading the gofpei, by armies and temporal ca- 
 lamities, taking vengeance on his protectors, and 
 withdrawing fome of the weftern kings from him, 
 who had -frequency given their power to him, as 
 in chap. xvii. ; fo the fifth vial is poured out on 
 his feat, by which he is driven from Rome. 
 Bv this fixth vial, God fiiil purfues that fugitive 
 beaft, who is exerting every nerve to recover 
 ftrength, by endeavouring to procure new friends-, 
 but God raifeth up new enemies againft him and 
 all his adherents*, after he has permitted them 
 for a time to take part with him, he and they at 
 Jaft are caft into the pit : for though the fifth vU 
 al expels him from Rome, yet there flill conti- 
 nue to be popes till this fixth vial puts an end to 
 them for ever \ as appears from chap. xix. : and 
 then the feventh vial (hall ufher in the deftruc- 
 tion of all the enermes of Chrilt, efpecially fuch 
 as ftiil adhere to Popery ; for though there be no 
 pope, yet it would appear, fome continue to the 
 end doating after him, and lamenting his deftruc- 
 tion. 
 
 Secondly, by comparing this place with chap, 
 xix. we have another help to under Rand this the 
 better j a* the xviii. chapter iliuilrates the fifth 
 vial, fo does the xix. iiluftrate this. 
 
 Here a battle and gathering is mentioned, but 
 the event is not ascertained, till the xix. chapter; 
 
 when 
 
( U 9 ) 
 
 when the party acYmg contrary to this gatftei 
 is expreffed : and that it is the fame gatherin ; 
 evident; for here it is the day of God, there it is 
 the fupper of the great King ; denoting one par- 
 ticular and remarkable overthrow of God's ene- 
 rnies. Alfo the enemies defiroyed there are the 
 fame mentioned here, viz. kings and their ar- 
 mies, the beall and falfe prophet, (who are men- 
 tioned under the fame names, in both pi-ices, to 
 fhew the reference of the one to the other) ; and 
 theref\ r e > comparing chapter xix. with the events 
 here, it j .nre">rs, that the firft four Verfes contain 
 one very defireable, viz. an acceffio.i to the 
 church ; anfwerable to which, is the praife in 
 the beginning of that chapter; the other (hews 
 a fpeciai defign of the beait, which God difap- 
 points, as may be ken in chapter xix. 
 
 The great river Euphrates, is the object of this 
 pla^ue ; and here we have three remarkable e~ 
 vents; firft, the Jews converfion, in that expref- 
 £on, the preparing the way of the kings of the 
 eait. The fecond is, the overthrow of the Tiirktih 
 empire, by drying up the river Euphra:cs. And 
 thirdly,, the laft expedition of the bead, for the 
 fupport of his toctering kingdom, in the follow- 
 ing words, with its event, chap. x : x. This laft 
 expedition i» occafioned, probably, either on ac- 
 count of the Jews converfion; who now difcover 
 the pope to be Arttichnft, and therefore they 
 join with his enemies, whereby he is obliged to 
 look out for new friends : or thefe words may 
 more fully explain what was anticipated before ; 
 vtZ. Antichriit, being now driven from Rome 
 "by the weftern kings, who now hate him, he ap- 
 plies to the Turk for affillance ; who will grant 
 it the more readily becaufe of the Jews, who are 
 now formidable and inimical to both ; and are 
 now, probably, to get poffeffijn of their ancient 
 U dominions* 
 
 L 
 
( 236 ) 
 
 fJf3rtiiniohs, which has Jong been under (he powef 
 of thcfe infidels. 
 
 We have already given a defc-ription of the ri* 
 ver Euphrates, beyend which the Jews were car- 
 ried captive ; therefore it (lands how in the way 
 of their return. This is ah impediment to their 
 converfion, and prevents them from affiiting at 
 the pope's overthrow ; and as the waters of Jor- 
 dan were formerly dried up for them, that they 
 might enter dry*fhod info the holy land* fo the 
 Turk, who now pofleiTeth Paleftine, and the 
 countries upon the Euphrates, muft be removed: 
 for, ?s in chap. ix. the people, who were faid to 
 be bound about that river, were ioofed as a fcourge 
 upon Papifhj fo now they muft be dried up of 
 conquered. It is poiTible the Ruffians, Pruflians, 
 or fqme other of the northern powers, may lend 
 their aid to drv up that river. The Turkifh em- 
 pire has, of late, fallen much into decay, like £ 
 man ftocping and tottering m der a load of years ; 
 it will be an eafy conqueft, when God commands 
 to invade it. 
 
 By kings cf the eafl, mentioned here, commen- 
 tatcrs commonly underiland the Jewsj whoy after 
 their converfion, may well be accounted kings and 
 piieftSj as well as other Chriftians. In If. xxiv. 
 21. *22. and 23. verfes, we find, that Ifrael is to 
 be chaftcnedj and afterwards, when reftcred* 
 they are called kings ; for no other people are ca- 
 pable of the comfort intended in the promife, as 
 Calvin remarks ; for it fuppofeth them once to 
 have been God's peculiar people, and, for a long 
 time, to have been forgotten by him ; what fol- 
 lows likewife confirms it : " That the Lord of 
 w hods ftiaM reign in mount Zion, and in Jeru- 
 u falem, and before his ancients glorrosfly." 
 
 It is a^fo evident, that this vifitation has re- 
 fpect to their lall calling ; for it is after rhafl^ 
 days, when their land has been long poiTefied by 
 
 others* 
 
 ^ / 
 
( a 3 i ) 
 
 others. The erecting of ChrilVs kingdom among 
 them again, in a mo!t glorious reign, has rtfpecl to 
 that time when it (hall be moil illuilrious, which 
 will certainly be at their lad converfion; though 
 all agree, it may be fulfilled in fome meafure un- 
 der the gofpel, yet their final conveifion will 
 tend more to the glory of God, by the univerfal 
 iprcad of the gofpel. The apoftle Paul emphati- 
 cally (tiles it, " Life from the dead" to the world ; 
 and why may not God confer upon his own an- 
 cient people rinm^s importing his lingular re- 
 gard to them, and his own promife concerning 
 them ? 
 
 They are called kings of the eaft, becaufe they 
 live eaft of the places where the gofpel is conti- 
 nue 1 r , and io they are diftinguiihed from the 
 weftern kings, who now hate the whore. Again, 
 becaufe many of them living in thefe eailem 
 countries; ever fince the captivity by Sennacherib, 
 and Nebuchadnezzar *, from whence they may 
 come, and join the kings of the weft againft the 
 pope. Laflly, it is more than probab'e, that af- 
 ter the deiifu&ion of the Turk, God may give 
 them a large portion of his txtenfive empire; and 
 they may be made very initrumental in fpreading 
 the gofpel, among the kings and emperors of the 
 eaft ; for their converfion will be one of the 
 ftrongeft evidences of the truth of Chriflianity. 
 
 We fliail now confidcr what is meant by pre- 
 paring their way: this may infer, the removing 
 all obftructions out of it, fuch as the Turk and 
 Antichrift. The Popilh idolatry has been long a 
 Humbling block t$ the Jews, wno have ever had 
 the greateft averfion to idolatry, fmce the resto- 
 ration from the Babylonian captivity. The great 
 Turk, the common enemy of Chriftian?J an 1 
 "whole religion is a compound of blasphemous 
 nonfenfe, is alfo a great hinderance, and (tum- 
 bling' block in their way ; the fir it is now, in frme 
 U 2 meafure 
 
/ 
 
 
 ( *3» } 
 
 jreafure removed, by the fifih vial driving the 
 pope from Rome; the fecond is removed by this 
 vial. The pope being now discovered by them 
 as Antichrift, who has long been a mean of hard- 
 ening ♦hem in their unbelief; for which reafon,. 
 they will do-jbtlefs be more zea'ous to deftrov 
 him, than any other of the Protectant powers. 
 Li;;cwife, tbe Turk being their enemy, and be- 
 coming engaged ro fupport the whine, they are 
 prevented while his empire (lands. 1 his vial re- 
 moves that obftfuflion \ bis empire is weakened, 
 whether by (hem, by others, or both, we will 
 not prefume to affirm : however, they are per- 
 mitted to pull Antiehrift down ; and perhaps, by 
 bis ruin, get poffefhon of their own land This 
 leads us to co~ ilder. in the third pkee, how the 
 dedruclion of the Turks may be called a prepa- 
 rrng of uheir way : which is either, by their being 
 enabled to believe in the divinity of our glorious 
 Rm ma mi el, upon which their hopes of corning 
 Lome are enlarged ; or their undertaking againft 
 Antic! riil, or their return to their own country ^ 
 all which, as has been obferved, are pointed at 
 here. Whilft the Turkiih empire ftacdflt, all thefe 
 three are obflxu&ed; but tbe dtftr yingof it will 
 ftrcngthen all, and permit them, without fear, te> 
 profefs their faith, in their long-looked for Mef* 
 Gab. 
 
 We fh^ll adduce a few redfon c , in order to 
 cor: firm the truth of <he above afTertions. Firrty 
 it is certain that :he Jews converfion, in the I a ft 
 days, is foretold, is expecled j and it emnot fuit 
 with any time better than the fixth vial, whieh 
 is after the pope is driven from Rome and before 
 the feventh vial, which continues to the end of 
 the world. It is not probable, that a matter of 
 fuch importance to the church would be omitted" 
 in this hock, and no other place appears to us fa 
 £uit£bl£. The prophet lfciab, chap. xi. 15. 16. 
 
 foeaks 
 
( m ) 
 
 fpeaks of their return in fimilar terms ; that, a| 
 
 Go.l dried up Jordra when he brought them rut 
 of Egypt, fo when he fhall bring them from A« 
 fyria"/ (which, with refpeS to Judca, is beyond 
 Euphrates), hefliall fmite that river; that is, he' 
 fhall remove all obftruftionS out of the way- The 
 drying up the Red fca and Jordan appears to 
 have been typical of this, and to confirm the faith 
 of God's peopie rhe more in his promifes of a 
 full and final reftoration ; as in liaian xiiv. 2*7* 
 44 Thus faith the Lord, whodrieth up the rivers, 
 " 2nd faith to the deep, Be dry," &c. when yet 
 no particular river is there mentioned ; but there- 
 by to put them in mind of what God had 'former- 
 ly done for them. 
 
 Alfo, if we con fide r, in chap* xix. what high 
 expreffions of joy, ami moft lofty terms are ufrd, 
 in praifing God ; becaufe he reigneth, becaufe 
 his wife toatb made herfelf ready, and the ma ■•--- 
 fiage is come, &e. Can thefe exalted phrafes 
 agree fo well to any other event, as to the con- 
 verfion' of the jews? which (hall be as life from 
 the dead, Rom xi Can the joy be fo great, or 
 the marriage be confum mated' without tftem ? e- 
 fpeTally feeing, if they are not among Chriit's 
 friends,, when,- in the words following., he is on 
 his march againft aU his enemies; and could the 
 church- of the Gentiles be merry, if the jevs 
 trere among thefe enemies ? Bur, from chap* xix, 
 it is plain, there is a great acceflion to the church ; 
 which nmft certainly mean the Jews, Math the' 
 fulnttc of the Gentile nations.- 
 
 As a fourth reafon, we nvyobferve, that more 
 Hebrew phrafes and expressions are ufed here, 
 than any where tlfe in this boot; which Teems 
 to plead, a fpecid inter-eft the Hebrews have 
 in the event of this vial. The place is- cajfc 
 ed, in the Hebrew language, ArmHgeJdan ; 
 why? becaufe the Hebrews are to give it that 
 U $ name,. 
 
( m ) 
 
 name, as their cuftom was to give names to 
 places from events. Alfo, the praiie is in He- 
 Dew, chap. xix. Alleluiah, ufed frequently in. 
 the Plalms, but not mentioned in any o'her fong 
 in this prophecy, though they are frequent : be- 
 caufc there were few Hebrews praifers before 
 row, thefe introduced are called the Lamb's 
 wife, as in a covenant-relation before me is made 
 ready ; which can agree to none but that ancient 
 married people, unto which covenant God has 
 jtfpecT:, even in iheir la ft calling. 
 
 Some may r.fk, wrmt is meant by the Jews re- 
 iteration ? whether are they only to be reftorcd 
 to the faith of the go: pel ; or y aio'g with it,, to the 
 pofleilion of their >'\vn land ? Molt commentators 
 fetm to be of opinion that they will obtain both. 
 
 It is certain, that the ten tribes have never 
 yet retu; ned to their own country ; only thofe re- 
 turned who were carried away by Nebuchadnez- 
 zar : now, if we confider what the prophet Ez-e- 
 kie] fays, chap xxxvin from verfe i 8. to the end 
 of the chapter ; where he declares, that ail Jfrael 
 fhalj return, together with Judahy to their own- 
 land, and continue in it to the end of time. See 
 alfo, Amos ix. n. to the end > and many other 
 places are to the 'fa me purpofe, 
 
 Like wife, the fame tcafons plead for their re- 
 turn, to their own land, as for their converficii > 
 they were, anciently, God's covenanted: peop'e^. 
 and the terms of the covenant were, that they 
 fhcuJd pcMLfs the land of Canaan for ever-, am 4 -, 
 into whatever coumrics they ihould be icatteredy 
 as foon as they repented, they wsre to be reito- 
 red into thei/ own country, tor this, fee DeurA. 
 xxx. 2. 3. Can. this promife be made null and 
 void by the coming of Chrift ? Surely no : for, hy 
 the accomplishment of it, God's glory wilLihine 
 more confpicuoufly among the Heathen, ?nd. it 
 will doubtlejfe. contribute much to their convert 
 
 fioiu. 
 
 1-1 
 
( *J5 ) 
 
 fion. Therefore it appears, that they may ex- 
 pec!: their own lard, as a part of God's engage- 
 ment to the rratural feed of Abraham. 
 
 Some remarkable occurrences of Cod's provi- 
 dence feem likewife to confirm this* Though* 
 they are fcaltered among ail nations, in Europe,. 
 Afia, Africa, and perhaps America too r when- 
 ever traffic is carried on, yet they remain a dK. 
 flinA people, unmixed with any;, and though. 
 they are generally rich, yet few or none oftherri 
 are fuffered to buy and pofTcfs land : aild, r.s their 
 ancient inheritance is not in the pofTcflion of any 
 Chriftian prince, but fuch as God ckfigh$-to de- 
 ftroy, when they have ac.ompiifiied his purpofes, 
 may we not conclude, that it is dill defig: ed for 
 them ? As the con ver fion of the Jews, and the 
 deftruftion of Mahomed, are to happen about the 
 fame time, is not that a further proof of our affcr- 
 tion ? When the Turk fball be totally overthrown, 
 will any of the Ch rift km powers claim their por- 
 tion of that gieat empire ? Surely no : efpeciuUy, 
 as we may fuppofe, they will then be more con-, 
 cerned for the inter eft of religion, than for the 
 poiTeffion of land. 
 
 Whether the Jews fnall poffefs Faleftine, or 
 net, we prefume not to affirm as ceiuin, any 
 further than the facred records feem to counte- 
 nance ; ttet one thing we are fure of, that they 
 (hall be converted to the Chrillan faith, which 
 we hope will be loon. As- there was a general 
 expectation of the Mefliuh, before he made his 
 appearance on earth, {o there has been of late, 
 among many, an expectation of the ipeedy acV 
 complifiiflient of thefe great events ; and whe- 
 ther the prefent broils, in which, fome of the: 
 powers of Europe are engaged, win uiher in any 
 of them, time oniy can determine.. 
 
 Verf.. 13. " And three unclean fpirits, like 
 * frogs, came out of the momix of the dragon.'' 7 
 
 to 
 
 1 
 
( «* ) 
 
 In the former vcrfes we had an account of the 
 Subject on which the fixth vial was poured ; here 
 we have an effecl which followed upcn it. viz. 
 a warlike expedition, or a gathering together to 
 battre. r l he principal commanders in this bat le 
 are the dragon, (or devil), the beali, and faife 
 prophet, (orthepope of Rome), who has both 
 names given him; next we have the inftruments 
 employed by them, who are (aid to be, for their 
 nature fpirits, for thrir quality unclean, for their 
 number three, for their fimilitude frogs ; viz* 
 with refpect to their original, they breed of cor- 
 ruption, and numerous, fwarmand croak in ail 
 places, and live both on land and in water : by 
 all which, interpreters underftand emifiaries, mii- 
 frcnaries, negotiators, fclicitOfS'j and legates,* 
 fent forth and employed by the pope, for i up- 
 porting and llrengthtning both of him and his 
 kingdom, by foliciting the king- of the earth to~> 
 join together in a battle again!! the church. Here 
 we may fee earth and heli combined together, w:th. 
 all their emhTaries and inflruments, to 1 roufe 
 princes, and engage them to fight ag. inft the aU 
 mighty Jt hoy ah and his church, in order to 
 prevent the fpreading of true Chri ; ianity, and* 
 the converfion: of the Jews : but (hall they pre- 
 vail ? molt certainly not. For though God may 
 permit the devil to affift thefe fpirits hr working 
 miracles, for a time, to deceive the nations devo- 
 ted to dtfiruction ; yet both here, and elfewbcre^ 
 be nrakes it a badge of Ant i eh rift and his foiio\v_. 
 crs, that they are fpirits oi devils working mira- 
 cles, as in 2 1 helT. ii. 9. Like wife, our adorable 
 Redeemer, in verfc 15. comforts his church with 
 his fpeedy coming to their ailiftance, and when 
 they leaft expect y Behold, fays he, I come as a 
 thief. At the fame time, he exhorts them to be 
 ever watchful, and on their guard again ft the de-- 
 luficns o£ that nun of fai ; by keeping theji gar- 
 ments' 
 
J ( 237 ) 
 
 ments clean ; that they may be ready to fight an 
 his fide againft his enemies, when called to the 
 great battle of Armageddon. This word is com- 
 pounded of gi aritfiy fignifying fubtlety, as ap~ 
 p .1. :! to the- ferptmt, Gen. - i i i • 1. from which 
 tuma is derived ; and geddon comes from a root 
 \\ it Ggnifies gathered together; thus it feems, 
 deceitfully gathered together by craft- O.hers 
 ] aj ply it to the hill Megiddo, a place in Jit* 
 dea, famous for the defeat of Sifera's mighty ar- 
 my by a woman's hand ; fo thefe enemies, 
 brought into a proper place, will be as Sifcra at 
 Kifon. We approve the firft opinion, as agree- 
 ing be \ to the Hebrew way ; and that is perhaps 
 the r. dihn why it is cxpreffed in that language, 
 a irtjg Common among the Jews, to give a name 
 foitabie to theev n:. 
 
 V:r{. 7. 18. £5V< " And the feventh angel 
 cl poured out his vnal into the air/ 6sV. Intima- 
 ting to us, that God will now not oniy take ven- 
 geance on any of the followers of An rich rift, that 
 remain after the great batt'e above mentioned, 
 but alfo upon all the enemies of his church. As 
 the devil is called the prince of the power of the 
 air, fo he and his wonhippers, or all fueh who, 
 like him, oppofe the truth, (hull be utterly c»>fc 
 cu, and no place left tor them to efcape unio : 
 foi it is fiid, st every iiland fled away •" that is, 
 there fhall be no place to flieker them from the 
 wrath of him that fi.teth upon the throne, and. 
 of the Lamb. 
 
 We formerly obferved, that this feventh vial 
 Contains the time from the dell udrjon of the 
 pope and Mahomed to the end of the world ; as 
 we have already feen them both funk in everla fl- 
 ing oblivion, we would aifo have put a'periocl to 
 this elTiy : but feeing the three following chap- 
 ters, as is faid, are a kind of paraph rale upon 
 the former types, therefore, before we conclude,.. 
 
 we 
 
( 233 ) 
 
 we ftrall take a curfory view of them. And 
 though we are often obliged to trace over the 
 fame fubjecl, and often to ufe the fame or fimilar 
 expreflions, in handling the explanatory chapters, 
 yet we fhali endeavour, according to our memory 
 and abilities, to vary them, and to make the 
 whole as agreeable to our judicious and learned 
 readers as polTible. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 Verf. 1.2. " And there came one of the fe- 
 (i yen angels/' he. In thefe chapters the Holy 
 Spirit, by rhe pen of John, points out more ful- 
 }y and diftinctiy what this Babylon, or Antichri- 
 ftian church, and who this Antichriit is. We 
 may then view this prophecy, efpecially this and 
 the following chapters, as a key for opening up 
 the meaning of the myfterious things contained 
 in the former prophecies. This angel fhews 
 John the judgment of the great whore, which 
 cannot be the 1-aft judgment under the feventh 
 yial ; for what follows, in the xviii. chapter, as 
 the deftru&ion of Babylon, which is the feat of 
 the bead, nor the battle of Armageddon, where 
 the beafl is deftroyed, which belongs to the fixrh 
 vial. We conceive the remarkable events on the 
 bead and his throne are temporal judgments, car- 
 ried on gradually by the kings, who once gave 
 their power to the beaft, but now hate him, as 
 appeals from verfe 16. ; all which (hew, that this 
 prophecy or vifion, chap, xvii xviii. xix. belong 
 to the fifth and fixth vials. 
 
 In this chapter, the angd defcribes the object 
 of thefe judgments, viz. the great where and 
 beaft, informs us who they are, aifo the inftru- 
 ments ufed to complete their ruin. Then chap. 
 xviii. he proceed*, more ful'y and patheii ally, to 
 fhew the tempera] deilruclion of the whore, by 
 the following lamentations of her friends \ which 
 
 declare* 
 
t 239 ) 
 
 declares It not to be the lad judgment on heYjj 
 which would have none fucceeding it ; but only 
 that judgment on the bead's feat, mentioned un- 
 der the fifth vial, ehap. xvi. Then he proceed?,* 
 in chap. xix. to defcribe the events of the fixth 
 vial, in the great and decifive battle of Armaged- 
 don, which was defective till fupplied there, 
 After thde is the laft vifion, in chap, xx xxi. and 
 xxii. which point out the events of the feventh 
 vial; wherein R.ome is not only deftroyed, as in 
 the fifth vial, and the bead, as in the fixrh, but 
 the dragon, or devil, and his dominions, as in the 
 feventh. So that the xviii. chapter iiludrates 
 the fifth vial; the xix. the fi£th. the xx. xxi and 
 xxii. the feventh ; and this xvii. chapter is an in- 
 trod u£t ion to them all. 
 
 There is a great difference between the figura* 
 tive way, by which the vifion or prophecy is ex- 
 preffed; and that by which it is ex-plained. The 
 firft prophecy is given us darkly, by types or fii 
 gures, and to explain them 1 terally would be ab- 
 furd - r but the interpretation is in more clear ex- 
 prefiions, and to be underftood more literally; 
 
 In the vifion, though heads and horns are not 
 to be taken in a literal fertfe, yet in the interpre- 
 tation, feven heads are feven nills, and ten horns 
 are ten king c , thefe are literally underftood a$ 
 fuch j efpecially, as the angel defines the hills, 
 viz- fuch as the woman fits on, as alfo the kings, 
 that five are pad, one is, and the other is to* 
 come, and the ten kings, who had not as yet re- 
 ceived power^ but were to get it afterwards, 6r. 
 
 We may obferve, ccmccrn-ing this woman ot 
 whore, they are one and the fame city ; viz. Rome ; 
 this name is given her, in allufion to Ifrael of 
 old, who were in covenant with God, and there- 
 after faid to go a whoring from him, when they 
 fell into idolatry ; for it is never applied to the 
 Heathen, becaufe it fignifies a contrail olr mar- 
 riage 
 
( 140 ) 
 
 tfUgfe x^ith iome party. The whore mttft than 
 rnean a city, that was once Chriitian, but has 
 turned from God by idolatry, and become un- 
 faithful to her hufoand. As the woman and 
 whore are one, fo Babylon, called the great city 
 Sodom, mentioned chap, xi, 8. and the whore, 
 are the fame ; as is evident from their namesj 
 Verf. 5. and 18. and their practices are the fame, 
 viz, to allure to fornication, ch:.pi xiv. 8. to per^ 
 fecute, chap. xt. ; and their ruin arid judgment is 
 the fame: Compare chap. xiv. verf. o. and 10. 
 With chap. xvi. verf* 18. when the epuhet great 
 is added to city, whore, or Babylon, the lame 
 particular party is defcribed, but in divers con- 
 siderations ; either of her dominion, as verf. 1 8, 
 *)r pride, whoredoms, and oppreffions, or fome 
 fuch thing ; for which (he gets divers names, and 
 is reprefented by divers types- 
 
 Moil of the ancient fathers were of opinion, 
 that by this woman was meant Rome ; as Ter- 
 tullian, in his book againft the Jews, ftys u Ba- 
 bylon in our John, is a figure of the city Rome 3 
 being fo great, fo proud of the empire, arid the 
 deiiroyer of the faints/' ist. aifo Hieronymus 
 to Marcellus, Auguftine, and many others: nay, 
 the fame is granted by the moll: learned of the 
 Popifh writers; as Baronius in his annals, vol. 
 I. an, 45, fays, That iiomc, in the Revelation of 
 John, defigned by the fame name, viz. Babylon 
 is confefled by all. Beilarmine, the g^eateft 
 champion for Pcpery, in Jib de pontif. Rom. ha* 
 Ving f i r ft given the opinion of Arethas, Hyamo, 
 Bupertus, and Breda, who fay, that the city 
 Babylon means the multitude of the wicked; but 
 fays he, in my judgment, Rome is more proper- 
 ly understood by it. And lib. 2. cap. ,. he ex- 
 prefsly fays, " John, in the Revelation, every 
 where calleth Piome Babylon , and it is evidently 
 gathered from chap. xvii. where Babylon the 
 
 great 
 
( *4i ) 
 
 great is faid to fit on feven hills, and to have do- 
 minion over the kings of the earth ; neither was 
 there any other in John's time, which had power 
 over the kings of the earth, befides Rome : 
 and it is well known to every one, that Rome 
 was built on feven hills" See alfo, lib. 3. Efii- 
 us and Riberta are of the fame opinion ; the Rhe- 
 mifts, Alcafar, Cornelius a lapide, Blafus, Vie- 
 gas, and others, imderltand it of Heathen Home. 
 It is impoflible.to apply it to any other than 
 R.ome; all Popifn writers do the fame, except 
 a few, who apply it to an Antichrift tp come. 
 
 The be id he're carrying the woman, is the 
 fame fpoken of in chap. xi. who comes out of 
 the bottomlefs pit and kills the witnefles. It i$ 
 the fame with that bead mentioned, chap. xiii. 
 They rife all out of the pit: they are described 
 with heads and horns, and are employed in per- 
 fecting the faints, and blafpheming Gcd : alfo, 
 the time they belong to is the fame ; that iVaft 
 chap. xiii. rileth, after wounding of the fixth 
 head; this rifeth, when that government, which 
 was then, is expired ; yet they fail under divers 
 confider lions, as the two beads formerly, chap, 
 xiii. The bead is as the hufband, or adulterer ; 
 the woman, as the wife or whore; the woman 
 reprefents an apodate church, or the body ; the 
 bead fupporting her, denotes the head or power 
 fudaining and acting her ; which, in refpeel of 
 abiolute power, tyranny, and perfecution, be- 
 came one. 
 
 Again, there is a near alliance between the 
 whore and bead : they belong to one time ; for 
 the bead carries her, and they make their ap- 
 pearance together : they have both a fcarlet co- 
 lour, have blafphemies and fornications as their 
 mark; they are both exalted awd depreffed^o- 
 gether : when the kings give their power to the 
 bead, fhe is exalted ; when they take it away. 
 X fee 
 
( 242 ) 
 
 fiie is deprefied. His throne, which was the dra- 
 gon's, is her feat, viz. the feven hills ; from 
 which proximity, it is evident, they mull dwelt 
 together. 
 
 Moreover, this beaft is fuch an empire and 
 dominion, as not only fupports the city Rome, 
 but Pxome a whore ; and not as a temporal head 
 only, keeping men under fubje&ion by force ; as 
 the old Pvoman empire did; but fuch a head as 
 the world wonders at, as chap. xiii. and verf. 8. 
 of this chapter ; and fuch a head, as ten kings, 
 formed out of the old Roman empire, fhall cheer- 
 fully yield their power unto : and fo long as they 
 pay homage to the beaft, the whore is fearlefs j 
 but when they withdraw it, and caft him off, then 
 the is burnt. 
 
 By which it appears, that the woman is the 
 Romifh church, defcribed in chap. xii. i. in op- 
 pofition to the true church ; and by bead, is meant 
 the Roman fee, or papal power, by which this 
 whore is fupported, and to whom the kings of 
 the earth give their power, and after whom the 
 world hath long wondered; as was proved, 'chap, 
 xiii. concerning this fame beaft : and the propo- 
 sitions we laid down in that chapter, may pro- 
 perly be ar>plied in this. 
 
 We fhall next confider, at what time the things 
 fpoken of the beaft and whore are applied to 
 Rome. It is in the laft ftate of that empire, be* 
 fore its utter ruin, that the beaft makes his ap- 
 pearance ; he rifeth out of the bottomlefs pit, and 
 therefore it is not that which was in John's time, 
 any lawful government fucceeding the emperors ; 
 but fuch as the dragon gave, chap. xiii. : a fove- 
 reignty invented by the devil, and not authorifed 
 by the word of God ; fuch as, univerfal bifnop, 
 prince of paftors, and vicar of Chrift ; it is whol- 
 ly a civil power, though a perfecuting one. It 
 is Rome under the laft head of feven, five where- 
 of 
 
 ■.n. ^ 
 
( 243 ) 
 
 of were paft in John's time-, the fixth, viz. the 
 emperors, then exifted \ the feventh, called alio 
 the eight, becaufe it was both kingly andprieftly, 
 not then come : and this laft head is exprefly 
 called the bead, (or pope of Rome), verf. 1 1. 
 
 Therefore Pvome, under none of the firft Cix 
 governments, is the beaft here meant \ but under 
 the feventh and eighth, which in Rome fucceed- 
 ed to the emperors ; for this laft is to have none 
 after it. Another character is, to try the time 
 by the horns ; that government of Rome is ths 
 beaft, which has, for its fupport, ten kings reign- 
 ing, who had not received their kingdom in 
 John's time, verf. 12. Once more, it agrees to 
 that ftate of Rome, when ten kings (hall have 
 withdrawn their fubjeclion from the emperors, 
 {hall yet unanimoufly, and with one confent, 
 give their power unto, and devote themfelves to 
 this beaft. Alfo, thefe kings fliall take part with 
 the beaft, in making war with the faints, till 
 God difcover to them, or at lean: to fome of them, 
 the bafenefs and wickednefs of the whore, verf. 
 j 4. compared with the 16. and 17. It rnuft 
 then be applicable to that time, when perfections 
 abounded throughout the Chrillian world, by the 
 laws of thefe king?, when the prophets prophe* 
 fied in fackcloth, and were flain. 
 
 The prefent papal church of Rome, juftly de- 
 fences the name of whore, having been guilty of 
 the greateft defection, and apoftacy from the true 
 evangelical doftrine and worfhip of God, that e- 
 ver was in the world ; and (he is defervediy called 
 the great whore, becaufe of her whoredoms, com- 
 mitted with fo many under her power and jurifdic- 
 tion, having many people fuijeel to her; and, for 
 that reafon, fhe is faid to fit en many waters. The 
 true church is Chritt'-s fpoufe, betrothed to him 
 in righteoufnefs, loving kindnefs, and teiuier 
 mercies \ and a: any time to apoftatizc from him 
 X 21 is 
 
( 244 ) 
 is fpiritual whoredom, which (hail not pafs with 
 inr r u v ience we may.obferve, how odious 
 
 idolatry; is to God, and how highly it provokes 
 his wrath ; even as the whoredom of a woman 
 pi vokes her lutfband's jealoufy: and never was 
 h:.fT>. nd more jealous of his fpoufe, than God is 
 j ilous of his woriliip. It was idolatry that made 
 him i'^-\ hi e ii to captivity, among the Ba- 
 
 by ::!;-.., AiTyrians, 
 
 Yc.f, 2. '"' With whom the kings of the earth 
 iK have cornrn::;ed fornication/'' &c As Tyre, 
 If. xxiii 17 i« faid to have cemmitred fornica- 
 tion wirh ail the kingdoms of the world, fo a!fo 
 Rome, has not only decoyed kings to cemmi: for- 
 nication (which in Scripture fLile is idolatry) 
 with her, bur alio inferior perfocs, here deno- 
 minated the inhabitants of the earth, who have 
 been drunk with the wine of her fornication : a 3 
 wine intoxicates men, and renders them ftupid 
 and fenfelefs, fo docs idolatry flupifyits votaries, 
 and renders them incapable of Feiiihing the plea- 
 fures of true religion, If we take this in a literal 
 ifenfe, modern Rome^penly allows the one^as well 
 as praclifes the other ; as we have already proved, 
 
 Vcrf. 3. ci So he carried me awaj into the 
 " wildernefs," &c. in ailufion to Ezekiel, when 
 a captive in Chaldea, he was conveyed by the 
 Spirit to Jerufalem. Here the beloved ojfciple 
 is carried into the wildernefs, not, like his divine 
 rnafier, to be tempted of the devil, but that he 
 might be removed from all the hurry and buttle 
 of the world, in order to get a view of all the, e- 
 vents that were to befal the church to the end of 
 time When the woman (the church) was per- 
 fected and afflicted, fhe was faid to flee into 
 the wildernefs •, and in like manner, w r hcn the 
 woman (the falfe church) is to be deftroyed, the 
 vifion is prefented in the wildernefs. A woman 
 fitting upon ahead, is a lively emblem of a church, 
 
 or 
 
( 245 ) 
 
 or city ruling an empire. In fculpture and paint- 
 ing:, 2s well as in the language of prophecy, ci- 
 ties are repjefented in the form of women •, a 
 in ancient coins, Piome is exhibited as a woman 
 fitting upon a 1: >n. This beait is farther de- 
 fcribed, as arrayed in fcarlet, for the fame rea- 
 fon that the dragon was defcribed by the epithet 
 of red, to demote his druelty ; and in allu&on to 
 the diftinguiftimg colour of the Roman emperors 
 and magiftrates.. This woman, like a whore, 
 decks herfclf to allure men; her outfide is pom- 
 pous ar 'd enticing to corrupt nature : when that 
 depraved church declined from the fimplicity of 
 the gofpel, (he exerted all her ingenuity to put 
 fomething in its place, that might be agreeable 
 to giddy mortals ; fuch a^ the decking and adorn- 
 ing her churches with images of faints, &c. 
 nay, even of God himfelf, and the bleffed Jefus *, 
 alfo their often tatious manner of worihip, car- 
 g the mafs through the ftreets, their employ* 
 ing .tinging men and finging women, and fetting 
 tip organs in their churches, ftfc* 
 
 This woman has a cup in her hand ; a figure 
 alluding to harlots, who, with their philters 
 and enchanted cups, allure and provoke men to 
 fenfuad gratifications : in like manner Rome, by 
 her outward fplendor, allures, and by her fpeci- 
 ous pretences, and various means, entices men 
 to her idolatries and fuperflitions, Laflly, " fhe 
 ** has a name written on her forehead-,'' as whores 
 are rcprefented to be impudent and (hamelefs, fo 
 this whore glories in her abominations \ bowing 
 down to images, in an open and public manner, 
 contrary to the exprefs prohibition of (acred writ? 
 and all her other fupentitious nonfenie, in de- 
 fence of which, her learned doctors boldly dif- 
 pute \ fo that by their doctrines and practices, dia- 
 metrically appofitc to to the (acred oracles, it is a& 
 ■eafy to read her name, as if it were writ, in legible 
 X 3 ckaia&ers, 
 
( i*S ) 
 
 chara&ers, on her forehead. This name in her 
 forehead is a ] fo called myflery : in ail ages the 
 devil has endeavoured to ape the true religion, as 
 well in the Heathen, as in the Chri (trail idolatry ; 
 as there are myfteries mentioned in the word of 
 God, fuch as, M the myflery of godlinefs ;" fo in 
 2 T hefT. ii 7. the whore is called, " the myilery of 
 " iniquity.'' In ail which, {he attempts to imitate 
 Chrift, left {lie (hould be difcorercd.— " Her 
 name, m\jlery, can imply no his than that 
 fhe deals in myfteries 5 her religion is a myf- 
 tery, a my fiery of iniquity ; and flie herfrlf is, 
 myfticaHy and fpiritualJy, Babylon the Great.'* 
 She g-ories in the name of Roman catholic, and 
 well therefore may fhe he called, Batylon the 
 great. She afreets the ftile and title of Holy 
 mother-church •, but flie is, in truth, the mother 
 €f fornicarions and abominations of the earth. 
 It may be concluded, therefore, that this part of 
 the prophecy is fufficiently fulfilled $ though 
 there mould be reafen to queftion the truth of 
 what is afTerted by feme writers,, that the word 
 xiystekv was formerly written in letters of 
 gold upon the fore-part of the pope's mitre, Sea- 
 liger affirms it, upon the authority of the duke of 
 Montmorency, who received his information 
 from a man of good credit at Rome. Francis le- 
 Moirre and Brocardus alfo confirm it, appealing 
 to ocular infpeclion r and when King James ob- 
 jiecled this, Leffius could not deny it. If the. 
 thing be true,, it is a wonderful co-incidence of 
 the event with the letter of the- prophecy ; but it 
 has been much controverted : you may fee the 
 authors on both fides in Woinus. k is much 
 more certain, and none of that communion can 
 deny it, that the ancient mitres were ufuaiJy 
 adorned, with inferiptions. There is one parti- 
 cularly pr.cfervcd at Rome, as a precious relic of 
 e£I?oge SyiveftCT I, richly, but not artfully, em- 
 broidered 
 
( 247 ) 
 
 broidered with the figure of the virgin Mary 
 crowned, and holding a little Chriit, and thcte 
 words, in targe capitals, underneath, AVE RE- 
 GJNA iOELL Hail^uen of heaven., in'che front - r 
 of which father Angelo Bocca, keeper of the 
 pope's facrifiv, and an eminent antiquary, has gi- 
 ven a copper-plate in the third volume, page 490, 
 of the works of Pope Gregory I. : and it feems 
 more probably to have belonged to Gregory ; be- 
 cause he is raid to have fir ft initio.:'?:!, at Rome, 
 the litanies to the virgin Mary. An infeription 
 this, dire £Hy contrary to that on the fore-front of 
 the high priefVs mitre, Exod. xxviiu " Holinefs 
 " to the Lord." 
 
 The two iaft appellations- given to the whore 
 are, <c the mother of harlots, and abominations 
 " of the earth. n 
 
 This whore is defcribed, as not only filthy and 
 abominable herfelf, but an enticer and feducer of 
 others ; as old bawds, after they are unfit for fer^ 
 vice themfelves, feduce and allure the innocent 
 fair to become proftitutes ; fo this mother of har- 
 lots has feduced all the countries of Europe, and 
 many others,, to commit fpiritual lewdnefs, and 
 every abomination that is hateful in the fight of 
 God ; and all this umler the mark of the ilrifteffc 
 fanclky and holinefs. Theft tides can never a~ 
 gree to Heathen Rome ; {he never propagated er* 
 roi's to others; fhe was rather a Earner of foreign 
 fuperftitions, than the miitrefs of idolatry to o- 
 ther nations, as appears in various instances : 
 and particularly, from that folemn rite of adjura- 
 tion, which the Romans ufed when they laid 
 fifge to a city •, calling forth the tutelary deities 
 of the place, and promifing them temples, facri- 
 fices, and other foiemnities at Rome. Bur, they 
 agree well to Rome novv. in her fplcndid titles,, 
 as Peter's chair, the infallible church that can- 
 not crr > the church that cannot be obfcuied, or 
 
 ruined^ 
 
( 2 4 8 ) 
 
 ruined, the catholic fupremc judge of all, &c. : 
 and thus, (he has given rile to ail the idolatries, 
 and fuperilitions that have come into the church 
 from her; and, like a kindly mother, has always 
 defended thefe, and fofttred them, as her own 
 brood, through all the world. 
 
 In verf. 6. The apolVie John, faw the woman 
 drunk with the blood of iaints, and martyrs of 
 Jefus : which may be applied, both to Pagan and 
 to Chriftian Rome; foi both have, in their turns, 
 cruelly pcrfecuted the faints : but the latter is 
 more deferving of the chai after 5 as fhc hath far 
 exceeded the former, both in degree and dura- 
 tion of her persecutions. It is very true, as was 
 hinted before, that if Rome-Pagan hath flain her 
 thoufands of innocent Chriftians, Rome-Chrifti- 
 an hath flain her ten thoufands. For, not to 
 mention ether outrageous daughters and barbari- 
 ties, the Croifades agaiuit the VValdenfea and Al- 
 bigenfes; the murders committed by the duke of 
 Aiva, in the Netherlands; the maffacres in France 
 and Ireland ; will probably amount to above ten 
 limes the number of ail the Chriftians ftaih in all 
 the ten persecutions of the Roman emperors put 
 together. John's admiration alio evidently (he ;, 
 that Chriftian Rome was intended \ for it could 
 be no matter of furprife to him, that a Heathen 
 city fhould perfecute Chriftians, when he him- 
 felf had feen and furTered the perfecutions un- 
 d r Neroj but that a city, profeffedly Chriftian, 
 fhould wanton ai.d noc in the blood of Chriiti- 
 ans, was a fubjeft of aftoniihment indeed ; and 
 well might he. as it is emphatically exprefled^ 
 wonder with great wonder. 
 
 Verfe 7. 8. %c And the angel faid unto me, 
 C{ wherefore didft thou marvel,"' &€, The be- 
 loved apeftle is bore filled with wonder^ not as 
 the ignorant world wondered after the beahV, but 
 feeius to be at a loii to conceive, what iuch a de- 
 
 fcripticn 
 
( 249 ) 
 
 fcription could mean, as the words of the angel 
 imply: though he h d fecn a type ot this ueaft 
 formally, ye the expounding fome parts of the 
 description is left tiii now ; that hence it might 
 appear, that the kno. vled^e of this myftery mould 
 not all at once, but gradual'y, be manifefted ; and 
 th it the revealing of Antichrift, is chiefly refer- 
 ved to the laft < : avs of his begun ruin; and there- 
 fore it is no wonder, that many of the ancient 
 fathers (pake obkurclv of him. 
 
 It was not thought fufficient to rtiprrfcnt thefe 
 things only in vifion •, and therefore the angel un- 
 dent 'kes to explain the myftery, the my flic fenfe 
 or fecret meaning of the woman, and of the beait 
 that carrietb her: and the angel's interpretation is 
 indeed the heft key to the Revelation ; the belt 
 clue to direft and conduct: us through this in- 
 tricate labyrinth. 
 
 The myftery laln.d : and 
 
 the beaft is coi)f}de r ed firft in general, veif. 8. un- 
 der a threefold ::;-:e sn nion, as exifting 
 and then ceafmg to be, and then reviving again* 
 as to become another and the fame, *'* he was and 
 " Is not, and yet is ;" or, according to other copies, 
 ka.t pa res a i, and (halisorne, fiiall afcend put of 
 the bottomlefa pit. A beaft, in the prophetic ftile, 
 2S we before obfervedj rs a tyrannical, ido;?trous 
 empire ; and the Roman empire was idolatrous 
 under the Heathen emperors, and then ceafed to 
 be for fome time, under the Chriftian emperors; 
 And then became idolatrous again under the Ro- 
 man pontiffs, and io hath continued ever fince. 
 It is the' lame idolatrous power revived again, but 
 anly in another form ; and all the corrupt part of 
 juankind, whefe names are not inroiitd, as good 
 citizen.-, in the regillers of heaven, are pie a fed at 
 the revival of it : but in this laft form it (hall go 
 into perdition \ it (hail not, as it did beiore, ceafe 
 
 for 
 
( 250 ) 
 
 for a time and revive again, but fhall be deftroy- 
 ed for ever. 
 
 Hence we may learn, that Rome, in its com- 
 plex head, is that beaft mentioned here. The 
 pope in his double capacity, both as a temporal 
 monarch and eccieuailic, pretending to be 
 Chriii's vicar, is both that feventh and eighth 
 head ; (this we reckon one of the ftrongeft evi- 
 dences, that the pope is Antichrift •, by this the 
 Holy Spirit has put it beyond all doubt, for this 
 can be applied to no other *, and it is impoffible, 
 with all their chicanery and fophiftry, to elude 
 thefe infallible marks), which was not in John's 
 time ; but has arifen iince to a power equal, if 
 not fuperior, to the Roman emperors y having all 
 thefe ten wounded horns, or kings, of which the 
 Roman empire exifted, under abfolute fubjeciion j 
 as we will fee more fully afterwards. 
 
 Verf. 9. 10. 11. " And here is the mind 
 u which hath wifdem," fefr. After this general 
 account of the beaft, there follows an explication 
 of the particular emblems ; with a fhort preface, 
 intimating, that they are deferving of the deepeft 
 attention, and are a proper exercife and trial of 
 the underftanding. This expreffion, fimilar to 
 that chap. xiii. *8. plainly intimates to us, what 
 fceavenly wifdom is neceffary to understand' this 
 prophetic book y and furely, none but that Al- 
 mighty Being, who dictated it to his apoftle, can 
 make us throughly underitand it > yet we are by 
 no means to fit down with folded arms, and 
 wholly lay afide the inquiry; but, humbly implo- 
 ling light and direction from God, we are com* 
 manded to fearch the fcriptures: and, by compa- 
 ring one place with another, we may pofiibly ar- 
 rive, at laft, at the true meaning of them. 
 
 The angel proceeds to give a more clear, and 
 particular defcription of this beaft and whore ; 
 viz, " the feven heads are feven mountains ;" 
 
 by 
 
 V 
 
( 2 5 I ) 
 
 by which we may either underftand, the feveti 
 governments of Rome, or the feven hills on which 
 (he (lands, or both: it has* been already obferved, 
 that there were five different kinds of governments 
 at Rome, before John's time, that the emperor* 
 were the fixth, that a feventh was to arife after- 
 
 ards, which was to comprehend the eight. 
 Some commentators confider Conftantine as a fe- 
 venth head, different from the former, being a 
 Chriftian emperor; but this was no head of ido- 
 latry, which all were ; therefore it cannot be any 
 of tbcfe heads. But we fuppofe, this is more pro- 
 perly applied to the hills on which Rome was 
 built. For the fake of thofe unacquainted with 
 the Roman hiftory, we fhall give their names as 
 follows ; Palatinus, Ccelius, Capitolinus or Ja- 
 niculus, Aventinus, Qjjirinalis, Vimmalis, £f- 
 quilinus. R.omulus, the hrfl king, built upon four 
 of them ; Scrvius Tullius, the fixth king, added 
 three more of them to the city. If then, Rome 
 be the feat, the Romifh church is the whore, and 
 the pope Antichrift, who keeps his court there 
 in a fpecial manner*, though otherwife, he com- 
 mands all the world at his pleafure, yet his chair 
 of (late is confined to the feven-hilled city, from 
 which it cannot be removed, till he be driven 
 from it altogether. It is obferved too, that new 
 Rome, or Conftantinopie, is fituated on {even 
 mountains \ but thefe are very rarely mentioned, 
 and only by obfeure authors, in comparifon of 
 the others ; and, befides the feven mountains, o- 
 ther particulars alfo mud coincide, which cannot 
 be found in Conftantinopie. It is evident there- 
 fore, that the city feated upon feven mountains 
 mud be Rome; and a plainer defcription could 
 not be given of it, without expreiTing the name, 
 which there might be feveral wife reafans for 
 concealing. 
 
 Biftiop Newton, applying this to the fevea 
 
 kings* 
 
 
( *5 2 ) 
 kings, or kinds of government, at Rome, fays, 
 *f An end was put to the imperial name, in the 
 year 476, by Odoacer king of the Heruli ; who, 
 having taken Rome, depofed Momyllus Augu- 
 {lulus, the laft emperor of the weft. He and his 
 fu^ceflbrs, the Oflrogcths, affumed the title of 
 kings of Italy : but tho' the name was changed, the 
 power dill continued much the fame." This there- 
 fore, cannot be called a new form of government; 
 it may rather be confidered, as a continuation of 
 the imperial power, or as a renovation of kingly 
 authority. Confute are reckoned but one form of 
 government, though their office w r a<j frequently 
 fufpended, and after a time reftored again \ and, 
 in the fame manner, kings may be counted but 
 one form of government, though the name was 
 rcfumed after an interval of many years. A new 
 form of government was not erected, till Rome 
 fell under the obedience of the caftern emperor, 
 and his lieutenant, the exaich of Ravenna, dif- 
 folved all the magiftracies, and conftituted a duke 
 at Rome to govern the people, and pay tribute to 
 the exarchate of Ravenna. Rome had never ex- 
 perienced this form of government before : and 
 this I conceive to be the other, which, in the a- 
 poftle's days, was not yet come ; and when he 
 Cometh, he mud continue a fhort fpace. For 
 Rome was reduced to a dukedom, tributary to 
 the exarch of llavenna, by Longinus, who was 
 fent exarch in the year 566, according to fome 
 accounts, or in the year 568, according to others ; 
 and the city revoked from the eaflern empire to 
 the pope, in the year 727 ; which is a fhort 
 fpace, in comparifon of the imperial power, which 
 preceded, and lafted above 500 years; and in 
 comparifon of the papal power which followed, 
 and hath now continued above a thoufand years. 
 But ftill poflibly you may hefitate, whether this is 
 properly a new form of government \ Rome being 
 
 ftill 
 
( *S3 ) 
 fttil fabje<f1: to the imperial power, by bein* fii 
 jedl: to the Greek emperor's deputy, the exarcll 
 of Ravenna: and according as you determine this 
 point, the bead that was and is not, was while 
 idolatrous, and was not, while not idolatrous, 
 will appear to be the feventh or eighth. If yoti 
 reckon this a new form of government, the bead 
 that now is, is the eighth ; if you do not reckon 
 this a new form of government^ the bead is of 
 the feventh ; but whether he be the feventh or 
 eighth,- or both, he is the lad form of governrrient, 
 and goeth into perdition. It appears evident, that 
 the fixth form of government* which was fubfid- 
 ing in John's time, is the imperial; and what 
 form of government hath fucceeded to that in 
 Rome, and hath continued fdr a long fpace of 
 time, but the papal ? the bead therefore, on 
 which the woman rideth, is the Roman govern- 
 ment, in its lad form ; and this, all mult acknow* 
 Jedge, is the papal, and not the imperial.'' 
 
 Verfes 12. 13. 14. " And the ten hams waicli 
 « thou faweft," &c. 
 
 The angel having pointed out to John what 
 -are the feven heads, he proceeds to give a de- 
 scription of the horns ; they are ten kings, lays 
 he, who have no power as yet. Thefe horns be- 
 long to the feventh head, or lad date of the head, 
 which fupports the whore. In chap 1 2 the for- 
 mer fixth head had ten horns a;fo ; that is, they 
 managed the empire by (o many praetors, or pro- 
 confuls : but there is a great difference here; for 
 this feventh head, called alfo the eighth king, hiuh 
 almod the fame provinces, and as many of them; 
 but now thefe horns are crowned. This bead 
 makes ufe of kings to perfecute the faints, and 
 fight for hirri, as the former ufed his officers* 
 Thus both have officers, or governors, to fuppdrfc 
 them ; but the lad hath crowned kings for his 
 indruments. This bead is to have as extenfiv* 
 Y power 
 
( m ) 
 
 power as ar.y of the former* but his vaffafs ard 
 to be crowned kings; who fhall fubmit as tamely 
 to his orders, and whom he fhall ufe as absolute- 
 ly as the former did his Servants. 
 
 Here we obferve^ once for all, that the kings, or 
 horns, mentioned here, are a continued fcrres or 
 fdeceflion of them, to arife and continue with 
 the heart, tiil they turn againfl him, hate him, &c* 
 
 The kings are faid to be ten in number. The 
 learned Mciie defines them thus, " i. Britain; 
 2. Saxons; 3'; The Franks, in Gallica Belgica; 4; 
 Burgundians, in Gallia Cdtica ; 5* Vifigoths, in 
 Gallia Aouitania, and part of Spain \ 6. Suevi 
 and Allans, in Portugal 3 7. The Vandais, in Africa 5 
 8. The Almans, in Germany ; 9. The Oilrogoths, 
 in Hungary: andj io. The Greeks, in the eaft. 
 Though thrie have been changing, yet it will be 
 found, upon firi£t. inquiry, that their number has 
 continued, all along, nearly the fame. Before the . 
 reformafion, we may alio count ten,Wz. Scotland, 
 England, France, Spain, Poitugal, Denmark, 
 Sweden, Poland, Bohemia, Auftria; or inftead 
 of thefe two haft, as feeing fubject to the houfe of 
 Auftria, we may fuppofe the emperor to jepre* 
 fefrt Germany, and the pope Italy. And even at 
 this day, though many of thefe horns have revolt- 
 ed fiom his holinefs, we will ftiil fee ten king*, 
 or kingdoms, adhering to him ; viz. Spain, France, 
 Portugal, Sardinia, the king of the two Sicilies, 
 Poland, Auftria, Bohemia, Italy, and feveral 
 princes of Germany, of which the emperor is the 
 head. 
 
 Thefe kings had received no power,- or king- 
 dom, in John's time; they were to rife out of the 
 fiittins of the empire which then exifted, as after- 
 wards happened-, for the northern nations pour- 
 ing in like a flood upon the weftern empire, 
 fometime after Gonflantine removed the featt 
 thereof to Constantinople, divided it into fmzll 
 
 kingdoms, 
 
( 155 ) 
 
 kingdoms, or dukedoms, among their followers; 
 who all foon became good catholics, in fupport- 
 ing the whore ; and they are to give their ftrengttt 
 and power to the bead for an hour ; that is, the 
 Ihort time he is to continue : though this bead has 
 already ccntinu-d long, yet, comparing his reign 
 with eternity, it is (hort. Thele not only giv? 
 their ftreigth to the beait, but are of one mind 
 with him. As horns are ufeful to cattle, in 
 ruihing on their foes, fo thefe horn c , being of 
 one mind with the bead, they cheerfully obey his 
 bloody bulls and mandates, in torturing and per- 
 fecting the faints; for here, they are faid to make 
 war with the Lamb ; that is, they fight againit 
 Chrift, by the oppofmg the truth of the gofpel, 
 and perfecuting Chriit in his members: but lie 
 {hall overcome them ; and the reafon is here al- 
 igned ; for he is, " King of kings, and Lord of 
 " lords. "■ Firft, he may be faid to overcome in 
 his members, when they are enabled by him to 
 continue ftedfad, cleaving to the truth, wearying 
 out their perfecutors by their patience. Second- 
 ly, they overcome, by prefer ving the truth and a 
 church on earth, in fpite of the malice of all his 
 enemies. Even in the darkeft times of Popery 
 he had a church, as was formerly obferved ; and, 
 at the reformation, he overcame, in a more fignal 
 manner, by diffufing the light of truth over ma- 
 ny countries; nay, we may fay, over all of them, 
 as fome in every country have renounced his er- 
 rors. And,-laitly, he irnll overcome, in. a dill 
 more remarkable manner, when Turk and An ri- 
 ch rift fhall be dedroyed, the Jews converted with 
 the fulnefs of the Gentile nations, and the final 
 dedruclion of all his enemies. 
 
 As we have already far exceeded the bounds 
 
 we at firft prefcribed to this eiTay, we are obliged 
 
 to omit many arguments, that might be adduced 
 
 to prove ;he truth of this dofhine, and refute 
 
 Y 1 the 
 
( 2 S 5 > 
 
 the cavils of Bellarmine and others upon thisl 
 place. Si.flice it then, to produce one inftarcel 
 out of many, to fhew how eafny his arguments! 
 may be confuted : §< Antichrift, fays he, (hall I 
 raifc g eat perfecutions, but thefe great perfecu- 
 tions have not ccmc as yet ; for thefe that lufTer 
 by the pope are but few, and by one punifhnent, 
 -u.z, lire. "' In reply, we maintain, that, if the 
 acre unt of the kings making war with the faints 
 be feu filled, then thefe persecutions are fo too ; 
 but that ; s clearly proved to be fulfilled, by the 
 po'^e vm\ his horns 
 
 We may ccnfidcr the greatnefs of a perfecution 
 in the following refpefts : Firft, in the caufe 
 wherefore *, when not only the full omitting of 
 truth, but the leaft oppontion to error, or ab- 
 iraining frr-m their idolatry, the countenancing 
 or performing any commanded duty, is a ground 
 of perftcurion, that may be called a great one: 
 but never werc'there ids caufes laid hold of, than 
 have been by Papifts ; as having the NewvTefta- 
 ment in a known language, calling any of their 
 ceremonies in c^eftion, eating Hem in Lent, alfo 
 not aniwering diftinclly to their qucftions : as an 
 evidence of this, fee the rules of the inquifition 
 of Charles V. and Francis I. with all their pro- 
 ceedings in Germany, England, France, 6r. We 
 may again ccnfider a great perfection in the ef- 
 fects of it ; that is, in the number and kind of the 
 perfecuted : net to mention what has already 
 been faid on verfe 6. "Where have we heard of 
 greater numbers iiain, and cruelly butchered, in 
 any age of the world, than have been by Papitls ? 
 efpeciaily, in the maflacres of Ireland, where, 
 even if devils were capable of companion, they 
 would have pitied the poor fufrerers, cjrr. Bellar- 
 mine himfelf, de r.ctis ecclef lib. iv. cap. 1 3. reck- 
 ons ioc,oco Waldenfes ilain at one time ; if 
 that be uot a great persecution, what can be fo ? 
 
 Thirdly, 
 
 

 '( 257 ) 
 Thirdly, if we confider per^cution in refpeft 
 of its cruel facts. Can any thing be more cruel 
 thin the maflacres of Paris ? the fifty taoufau 1 
 that were, cruelly butchered in Holland ? whole 
 Proteftant cities burnt to the ground? alio, that 
 bloody fentence of the parliament of Aix, in 
 France, executed by the Lord Oped, againft Me- 
 rindol and others in Provence ? as Sleiden obferve*, 
 /:'£. xiii. if). What heiiiih tortures have been invent- 
 ed by the lnquifition, that engine of the bottom- 
 lefs pit ! The king of Spain put to death his ova 
 fan, and Philip II. his. father's confefTbr. Like- 
 wife phferve, their breach of faith ; as at Con- 
 fiance, in the cafe of John Hufs and Jerome o£ 
 Prague; though the emperor had pledged his 
 word of honour for their fafe conduct to and from 
 the place, yet thefe ghaftly fathers obliged him 
 to break it, that they might glut themfelves with 
 their blood. What horrid cruelties have they 
 been guilty of, in throwing out the dead bodies 
 of the faints, and denying them Chriftian bu- 
 rial ! their abufirig women, fpoiling, bamming, 
 ftarving, and tormenting, are weM known to 
 every one who have perufed church hiftow. 
 In the laft place, it is great, in refpect of thqj 
 violence and malice with which it has been car- 
 ried on. If few have been put to death, it is ei- 
 ther becaufe they knew them no:, or were re- 
 ftrained by God, or external caufes, from execu- 
 ting their malice to the utmoft. But their laws 
 (fuch a3 that of Alphonfus) making it treafon ta 
 deny the pope, or cenverfe with the Lollards,- 
 their bulls, incitements, and promifes, to en- 
 gage fome to deftroy others, ihew their railiciott* 
 humour. 
 
 Now, putting all thefe together, what perfe- 
 ction has b-cn longer, more fevere, and cruel, 
 than this ? This demon it ration of Bcllarmine is 
 therefore fall, and proves Antichrift to be already 
 Y 3 come 
 

 ( 2;8 ) 
 
 Come, as all the reft; and may be retorted upsa 
 them, if this perfecutioft be fulfilled, then is 
 Antichrift come. 
 
 Verfe's 1 5. 16. 17. 1 8. In the former part of 
 this defcription, the whore is reprefented, like 
 ardent Babylon, fitting upon many waters ; and 
 thefe waters are here faid to lignify, peoples and 
 multitudes, and nations and tongues. " So ma- 
 ny words in the plural number, fays Bifliop New- 
 ton, fitly denote the great extenflvenefs of her 
 power and jurifdiclion : and it is a remarkable 
 peculiarity of Rome, different from all other go- 
 vernments of the world, that her authority is not 
 limited to her own immediate fubjefts, and con- 
 fined within the bounds of her own dominions* 
 but extends ever all kingdoms and countries pro- 
 feiErig the fame religion. '*" She herfelf glories irr 
 the tide of catholic church ; and exults in the 
 number of her votaries, as a certain proof of the 
 true religion. Cardinal Bellarmine r s flrft note of 
 the true church is the very name of the catholic 
 church r and. his fou-th note is amplitude, ot mul- 
 titude and variety of believers ; u for the truly 
 catholic church, fays he, ought not only to com- 
 prehend all ages, but like wife all places, all na- 
 tions, all kinds of men. But notwithstanding the 
 general current in her favour, the tide (hall turn, 
 againft her •, and the hands which helped to raife 
 htr, fhali atfo pulL her down. 5 ' 
 
 For, in verfe 16. the ten horns are faid to hare 
 the whore, he. which is a plain indication, how 
 od ous foe is now become totbefe ten. kings,, who- 
 formerly doated upon her.. Thefe ten diiiin£te: 
 fiates or kingdoms, verfe 12. who, arnidit alii 
 the revolutions and alterations that may be fall 
 them, will fubiift under fuch like diilincl go ftttiafc- 
 ments, during the reign of the beail * r and not be 
 iwallo^ed up in univerfai monarchy, by any who 
 may afgire after it> After the reformation,, hov/r 
 
 zealous 
 
( 259 ) 
 
 zealous were people for the truth ! how dcteflable 
 did Popery appear to them ! This is now con- 
 ftrued, by fome, into an illiberal and narrow way 
 of thinking : but the Spirit of God feems here to 
 intimate, that when the fet time is come to exe- 
 cute judgment on thefe isolators, no mercy will 
 be (hewn them. Even thefe very nations or king- 
 doms, with their refpclive potentates, which 
 were engaged in the fupport and advancement 
 of the whorifh woman, mail, in God's appointed 
 time, grow weary of her tyranny, oppreflions, 
 frauds, and abominable corruptions in doc- 
 trine and practice. It is very remarkable, that 
 thefe very perfons, who have been mod enfla- 
 ved by the pope, fhall be made ufe of for the a- 
 bove purpofes ; when they come to fee how gross- 
 ly he has impofed upon them, they fhall be in 
 cenfed again (t, and abhor him more than ever 
 they loved him. This may teach us to revere the 
 wifdom and fovereignty of God, who having the 
 hearts of all kings and others in his hand, makes 
 themfubfcrvlent t© accomplifh all his own glorious 
 purpofes. Wherefore Papifts may lay their ac~ 
 count to meet with no mercy from thofe enraged 
 horns ; for they fhall withdraw their protection 
 from the whore, turn their arms ■ againfi her, flrip 
 her naked of all her riches, pomp, and power* 
 and lay her wafre by fire and fword y w r hich fhall 
 not only deftroy her, but be as tormenting to her 
 as though they were to gnaw her flefh from off 
 her very bones, and burn her to death by devour- 
 ing flames j as was foretold by the prophet Daniel,, 
 chap. vii. ii.-.; and as the daughter of a prieft was 
 to be burnt, Lev. xxi, 9, 
 
 To* conclude, the laffi description of this woman 
 is, a great city that ruleth over the kings of the 
 earth : tbis city reprefents the civil and ecclefiafti- 
 cal authority and dominion of the pope, and his 
 confiitory of cardinals, that is to be feated in and 
 
 xaifed 
 
( 260 ) 
 
 raifed to its height at Rome, the great metropolis ; ' 
 which, and no other, is, at this very time, to be 
 eonfidered as the miftrtfs of the world ; which 
 bears fway over many kings of the earth, and 
 particularly over the nations of the empire. In 
 John's time ihe was miitrefs over moft or Europe, 
 a great part of Afia, and the maritime parts of 
 Africa. 
 
 Papifts alledge here, that the pope cannot be 
 Antichrift, becaufe, f*y they, he arofe not from 
 the bottomlefs pit ; but hath God's warrant, by 
 being Peter s fucccffon To this we reply, that 
 we find no warrant in fcripture for the titles and 
 names he affumes to himfelf; nor is there any 
 fuch office-bearer, mentioned by Ghrift or his 
 apoftles, as pope, ponti/ex maxhhus, vicar of 
 Chnft, univerfal pallor, his hoiinefs, bifhop of 
 bilhops. 
 
 Again, the matters wherein they exercife their 
 power, viz, to difpenfe with oaths, and obliga- 
 tions of men to each other; to difpofe of, and 
 transfer kingdoms, crowr>s, and titles ; to difpenfe 
 with unlawful marriages ; conftuute new holi- 
 days ; to change woihhip ; fend to Purgatory, and 
 bring out of it, at plcafure *, to indulge and give 
 pardon, even for fins to be committed ; toabfolvc 
 from, and forgive fins, withcutTcgard to the qua- 
 lifications contained in the divine oracles, only to 
 fuch as perform fome foclifh iuperititions, or o- 
 bcy fuch orders as they prefcribe ; to canonize 
 faints, and thereby create gods to be worshipped $ 
 and many more, tco tedious to relate. Ail tiieie 
 are contrary to the word of God, znd can proceed 
 from no other fource but from the bottomlefs pits 
 for how is it confident with common fenfe, that 
 God fhould authorize any mortal to aflame to 
 himfelf his own incommunicable attributes, which 
 we have fhewn to be done by thi* mon(truou$ 
 bcaft ? for what is not warranted uy, or agrceabie 
 
 to 
 
( 26 1 ) 
 
 \to the word of God, mull be from the devil, 
 [though an angel from heaven fhould declare the 
 [contrary ; yet fuch is the power pleaded for in 
 the pope. 
 
 If we confider it further, in the particular pro- 
 perties wherewith they qualify the pope's power, 
 as it is efYential to his threefold crown, twofold 
 fword, and keys, we will find it equally abfurd 
 and ridiculous : they fay, that his power extends 
 over heaven to open it, fitting up faints to be wor- 
 fhipped, commanding angels to take the charge 
 of Purgatory, and of the whoie world, as they 
 have fometimes done in their bulls ; over the 
 dead, to torment or relieve them at pleafure ; and 
 over the living, in all things fpiritual and temporal ; 
 over perfons ecclefiaftic, as they call them, and 
 over emperors, kings, and ftates, to command 
 them to war or peace, as they pleafe : and to a£t 
 as fupreme over them all, ratifying the election 
 of emperors and princes, or not, at his pleafure, 
 and difpofing of their crowns to others *, and alfo 
 to ufurp dominion over mens confidences. That 
 this power is 'ibfolute, fupreme, univt rfal, and 
 independent, not only of all kings, but of A] coun- 
 cils and decrees, to which he giveth authority a$ 
 he thinks proper, and they are of authority, or 
 not, as he coufirmeth ; aifo to all traditions, and 
 even to the facred writings, without whofe au- 
 thority they would not be accounted facred by 
 Papiits. As BaGlius fays, in the izth queftion 
 oi the fiift part of his catechifm, " otherwife he 
 would no more believe the evangelift Matthew 
 than Titus Livy. All affirm, that the church 
 gives authority to the fcriptures as to us, and no 
 decree of the church hath authority but from the 
 pope." 
 
 Hence, according to the plenitude of his power, 
 he appoints fuch books, as he thinks proper, to be 
 canonical, and has added manv to the former 
 
 canon* 
 
( 262 ) 
 
 canon, which preceding councils never actnow^l 
 ledged as fuch ; and he eaufeth traditions and! 
 fables to pafs for truths, at pleafure; in all this,! 
 fay they, he aclis in fuch a fovereign manner, 
 that no one dare fay to him, What doft thou ? I 
 They alio aver, that he is infallible; as being free ' 
 from error. His determination is the firft rule ; 
 and that is, becauie he will have it fo. Is not 
 this acting the part of Antichrift with a witnefs? 
 Our Saviour fays of himfelf, " AH power is 
 11 committed to him in heaven and earth, by 
 f( the Father." Nay, fays the pope, this is my 
 prerogative, I claim every power that was con- 
 ferred upon Chrift as mediator ; that my charac- 
 ter, as Antichrift, may be the more perfpicuous. 
 Will any one then dare to fay, that this power, 
 which 1 have biafphemouily ufurped, is not from 
 God ? all thefe Papifts plead for, as eflential to 
 the pope's power, without which, fay they, he 
 would not be pope; and indeed they count them 
 fo clTential, that, for the mod part, they make 
 them fundamental to Chrifiianity ; and yet they 
 are, not only contrary to revelation, but even to 
 common fenfe. Herein Antichrift, according to 
 the prophecy of him, exalts himfelf above all that 
 is called God. God, in his infinite goodnefs 
 and mercy to the human race, has given them a 
 revelation of bis will, in all things pertaining to 
 falvation, and has added a curfe to any who thall 
 add to, ox take from it. But, fays the pope, thefe 
 books are imperfeft, they need my pruning hand ; 
 they muft be corrected, and amended by me, be- 
 fore the church can receive them as authentic. Can 
 there be a more evident demonftration that the 
 pope is Antichrift, than this ? can any proposi- 
 tion in Euclid be more clear, and feif-evident, 
 than the accompJiihment of this prophecy ? Here 
 indeed, his pride and arrogance appear moft con- 
 fpicuous. What ! teil Go^ ; as ii were, to hh face, 
 
 that 
 
 ■ 
 
( a6 3 ) 
 
 fhat he lacked wifdom to appoint laws and regtt* 
 lations to his creatures ; but the infallible pope^ 
 it feems, knew better than his Maker, what was 
 neceffary to be reveaied. Let Papiils then deny, 
 if they dare, that the pope is Antichrifl •, feeing 
 it is beyond all difpute, that he reckons himfelf 
 wifer than God ; fince he has had the daring ef^ 
 frontry to alter one iota of revelation. But, 
 alas ! what is man when left to himfelf ? how is 
 he toffed about by the devil, and made to believe 
 the groffeft falfehoods ! 
 
 What would it avail the world to have recei- 
 ved a revelation from God, if thefe things ar£ 
 true, that the pope, or any created being what-* 
 ever, fhould have power to alter any part of it. 
 What greater affront can be put Upon infinite 
 wifdom than this ? Hence we may conclude, that 
 the power, founded upon fuch pillars, cannot be 
 of God j for, if no fuch power is committed to. 
 any, then there can be no popes ; becaufe thefe 
 are efTential qualifications in him. Therefore, 
 their doctors feldom determine any difpute by the 
 facred oracles, but by fuch a decree of fuch a 
 pope, and the like. 
 
 C H A V. XVIII. 
 
 After the account we have given of the flare 
 .and condition of fpiritua^ Babylon, there follows 
 a defcription of her fall, and deftruction -> in the 
 fame fublime, and figurative ftile, as Ifaiah, Je- 
 remiah, and Ezekielj have foretold the fall of an- 
 cient Babylon and Tyre ; the types and emblems 
 of this fpiritual Babylon. We have formerly ob- 
 served, that this chapter is a further, and much 
 clearer, iiluilration of the fifth vial. A mighty 
 and glorious angel defcends from heaven, in verf. 
 i. £frY. and proclaims, as before, chap. xiv. 8. 
 -the fall of Babylon ; and, together with her pu*- 
 ■nifliment, the crimes which deferved it, her ido- 
 latry 
 

 { a«4 ) 
 
 Utfy and wickednefs. This is called myftidall 
 Babylon, in allufion to ancient Babylon ; rcfem- 
 bling her in pride, felf- exaltation, cruelty, op- 
 preffion, forcery, and witchcraft, Jer. li. 7. Al-I 
 fo in punifhment: the deftru£Uon of old Babylon 
 was fudden, Ifaiah xlvii. 9.;. a perpetual deftruc- 
 tion, Ifaiah xiii. 20. compared with Revelation, 
 chap. xi. io. and xviiL 20* It was called Baby- 
 lon, becaufe of its greatnefs and glory ; it was 
 the ftrongeft, and belt fortified city in the world* 
 Cyrus befieged it thirteen years, before he took it ; 
 which he accomplifiied at iaft, by cutting the chan- 
 nels, and draining off the river Euphrates from it* 
 Alio, in regard of her great power and dominion i 
 old Babylon faid, Are not my princes altogether 
 kings ? and myftical Babylon ruled over all the 
 Icings of the earth. This mighty angel proclaim- 
 ed, with an exceeding majeltic, loud* and arti- 
 culate voice, faying, in the very words that 
 foretold the overthrow cf the Chaldean Babylon, 
 and were accomplished in the deftruftion^ of the 
 fame, (If xxi. 9.) to this effect ; the papal hier* 
 archy and power, which, for persecution, pride, 
 idolatry, and all manner of abominations, may 
 be fliled myftical Babylon ; whofe dominion is of 
 great authority, and wide extent 5 will ioori be 
 as certainly deftroyed, as if it had already actual- 
 ly happened ; and fhall fall from all her riches, 
 grandeur, and power, into the mod deplorable 
 ruins : and^to certify this with the greater vehe- 
 mence, and aflurance, he repeats the words, " is 
 4C fallen •," and added, that, inftead of her former 
 pomp and fpiendor, fhe fhall be as hideous and 
 defolate, as the moft depopulated and forlorn 
 defart, that is haunted by demons or fatyrs, and 
 all unclean fpirits, which were wont to rove about 
 in fueh places, Luke xi. 24. and that is the re- 
 ceptacle of doleful creatures*, fuch as the fcreech- 
 owls, cormorants, bitterns, and all forts of loath- 
 
 fome 
 
( 26; ) 
 
 fame fowls, which ufually dwell in horrid rmn$ 
 and lblitary wilderneiTes, and make a difmal 
 noife ; agreeable to what Was denounced againft 
 ancient Babylon, If. xiii. 19. — 1?.. arid xiv. 23. 
 The word here, which we tranflate fatyrs^ the 
 Septuagint tranflatcd daimomoma y demons or de- 
 vils > who were fuppofed, fometimes, to take the 
 (hape of goats or fatyrs, and to haunt forlorn and 
 defolate places : and it is from the translation of 
 the Seventy, that the apcftie has borrowed his 
 images and expreffions. But if this fall of Baby- 
 lon was effected by Totilas, as Grotius affirms, 
 or by Alaric, king of the Vifigoths, as the Bifliop 
 cf Meaux contends, How can Rome be faid, ever 
 fince, to have been the habitation of devils, and 
 the hold of every foul fpirit, and a cage of every 
 unclean and hateful bird ? unlefs they will allow 
 the popes and cardinals to merit thefe appella- 
 tions. See Bifliop Newton in loco. 
 
 This Babylon is fallen, never more to arife or 
 torment the church of thrift ; how great (hall be 
 the joy of Zion at her downfall ? how earneftly 
 oupht the lovers of Zion's profperity io pray for 
 it ? When Babylon is fallen, then will perfec- 
 tion for religion ceafe, and the kingdoms of this 
 world become the kingdoms of our Lordj t&€\ 
 Rome, now in ruins, is faid to be haunted with 
 devils: thefe infernal fpirits, formerly tempted 
 her to commit all manner of wickednefs; and, as 
 a kind of addition to their punifhment, they 
 are doomed to inhabit thofe dreary manfions. \t 
 is added, in the third verfe, " That all nations 
 <J have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her 
 " fornications," 6grY. All under her jurifdidion 
 have been intoxicated by her idolatries, that ex- 
 pofe her to, and will bring upon her the dreadful 
 wrath of God; which (lie deferves* and mull; fuf- 
 fer, for her fpiritual fornication : and fhe has 
 not only been euiltv of th/s abominable crime 
 2 herfelf, 
 
( 29(5 ) 
 
 heffelf, but the kings of the earth, who had gU\ 
 ren their power to the beaft, chap. xvii. \j. have| 
 been pievailed upon, by her inchantments, to fup- 
 port and join with her in idolatrous worfhip, ' 
 which is lpiritual whoredom. Her merchants, 
 as was faid above, are the Roman clergy, who 
 trade in wares moil precious, no lefs than the 
 fouls of men ; pretending to fell them pardons, in- 
 dulgences, and other fuch trinkets, by which many 
 of them have been enriched. All things are ven- 
 dible at Rome ; fin is pardoned for Giver, and e- 
 very unlawful defire indulged for gold; thefe are 
 the reafons, here afligned, for her deftruciicn. 
 
 Verf. 4 — 8. " Come out of her my people," 
 cirV, Another folemn proclamation, coming imme- 
 diately from the throne of God in heaven, is heard, 
 faying to thofe that belong to him, but are ming- 
 led with this apoftate church, Forfake her com- 
 munion, left ye be partakers cf her fins and her 
 plagues; and at the fame time denouncing, that 
 her puniihment fliall be great and extraordinary, 
 in pioportion to her crimes. But was there a- 
 ny fuch neceffity cf forfaking the church of Rome, 
 in the days cf Alaric or Torilas, before ihe had 
 yet degenerated into idolatry ? or ufc'at were her 
 notorious crimes, deferring of fuch exemplary 
 punifnment ? uhlefs Home-Chriitian, was to fuf- 
 fer for Rome- Pagan. 
 
 11 Fcr her fins are reached to heaven," ftr£ As 
 if the sngcl had faid, The fnperftitions and idola- 
 liies of the church of Rome, are now come to 
 their full height ; as God faid of the old world, 
 that he would deflroy man from off the face of 
 the earth, for their wickednefs ; and of Canaan, 
 that the meafure of her iniquity was filed up. 
 "Wherefore, feeing Papifts have continued obfti- 
 n^e, though the fight of the gofpel fkines around 
 them, arid they have had many opportunities, 
 fince the reformation, to be convinced of the 
 
 abfu/dity 
 
 ■ 
 
 ^ 
 
( 2*7 ) 
 
 abfurdity of their foollfh tenets, their fins arc 
 aggravate;!, and their punifh men twill be doubled; 
 
 as, in the 6th verfe the people of God are com- 
 manded to reward her as (he has done them. 
 This is required, not from a private fpirit of re- 
 venge, which Chriftiantty exprefsly forbids, but 
 in a righteous war, fuch as the prefent. We 
 carneftly advife all the Protectant princes to join, 
 with heart and hand, in fuch a glorious caufe. 
 You are commanded by the dread Sovereign cf 
 the uaiverfej to reward th -fe perfceutors and op- 
 preflbrs of mankind, as they have done to his 
 church and people. If ever there was a time 
 for Protefiants to unite, it feems to be the pre- 
 fent. France and Spain, two very formidable 
 powers, have joined in alliance with the rebelli- 
 ous fubjeils of Britain, againft her. But why 
 fhould we fay again ft her? for thry are equally 
 difpofed to ruin the other Proteflant powers, and 
 utterly extirpate the Proteflant religion. Why 
 then do you linger ? Route, roufc, Heaven in- 
 vites you ; nay, your own intereft, every thing 
 that is dear to you, invites you tJ affift oppfefled 
 innocence. What will be the confeq lence, if 
 you remain neuter till Britain is ruined? Will 
 not all thefe Popifh powers be on your top ? Will 
 you be a match for them all? Surely not What- 
 ever you may do in this matter, we are warrant- 
 ed, from the facred records, to tell you, that 
 God will not fuffer the rod of the wicked always to 
 lie on the back of the righteous ; but if you mall re- 
 fufe to affift, he is able to do without you : he can 
 eauly make one chacea thoufand, and a thoufand 
 put ten thoufand to flight. You are commiffioned 
 from heaven, to multiply calamities double upon 
 thefe idolatrous nations, t:vcn to their utter de- 
 ilruction, not from a revengeful fpirit, bur as au- 
 thorifed inftruments of divine juftice, in puniih- 
 ing them to the utmoft, .for all their evil deeds ; 
 Z 2 efpeciaiiy- 
 
( 268 ) 
 
 efpecially for their breach of oaths, and the moft| 
 folemn treaties of which you are guarantees 
 This we fhall leave at prefent, being perfuaded,] 
 that he who has all hearts in his hand, needs' 
 wot our feeble aid to manage the affairs of man- 
 kind; and though he may fuffer a wicked nation 
 to punifh his own people for their ingratitude 
 yet, in the end, they fhall prevail ; and thefe i- 
 dolatrous and perfidious nations fhali fuffer the 
 effc&s of his j uft indignation. 
 
 Hence we may fee, what blood-thirfty Papifts 
 giay at laft expe6t ; namely, to receive, at the 
 Lord's hand, double for all their crimes. Baby- 
 ion's punifhment fhall be double, in refpecl of 
 what fhe has acled, but not fo, in refpect of 
 what fhe has deferred; if poilibie. let her have 
 ;i double quantity of blood to drink, more than 
 (he has flied ; tor one drop of the blood of Zion, 
 is of rrfbre. value than an ocean of hers : give her 
 therefore double, for though it is more m quan- 
 tity, it is lefs in quality. Obfcrve, how fuitable 
 the ptfhifbment inflicted on Babylon will be to 
 her fin : her fins were pride and infolence, luxu- 
 ry and voluptuoufnefs. She faid in her heart, I 
 fit as a queen ; fhe did not only fay fimply, I am 
 a queen, but I fit as a queen, and am no widow, 
 *nd flsal] fee no-forrow: (lie glories, like ancient 
 Home, in the name of the eternal city ^ but not- 
 withstanding, fhe fhall be utterly burnt with fire: 
 11 for flrong is the Lord God who judgeth her.* 
 Thefe expreflaons can imply no lefs, than a total 
 definition by fire ; but Rome hath never yet 
 been totally cleftroyed by fire. The moft that 
 Alaric and Totilas did, was burning fome parts 
 of the city j but if only fome parts of the city 
 were burnt, it was not an event important enough 
 to be afcribed to the Lord God particularly, and 
 to be confidered as a ftrong exertion of his judg- 
 ment. I am raifed, fays fhe ; to an elevated fta- 
 
 tiQii a 
 
( 2*9 ) 
 tion, having many fubjeci to me, able to fupnart 
 me againft every reverfe of fortune •, little 
 ing, how rear (lie was (o the brink of ruin. This 
 jnav teach us, that all human efforts are vai \, 
 when God is againft us: he can humble the 
 plightieft monarch, as be did Nebuchadncz^hr ; 
 who, in imitation of this haughty city, faid, Is 
 not this great Babylon which I have built ? or* 
 Worldly men fancy to thcmfelves an eternal fe- 
 licity, in the enjoyment of fublunary things. 
 They imagine themielves feated on downy pil- 
 lows, foft and eafy, and fecured on rocks of a- 
 fiamant. Obferve alfo, the luxury and voluptu- 
 oufnefs of this fuil-fed city; fhe lived ddicioufly, 
 in ccfdy palaces, ftored with all the delicacies 
 of the weftern world, and rioted in all the en- 
 joyments which could fatiate a fenfual appetite. 
 And her judgment bears a ft riot proportion to 
 her fin ; for, fays the infpired penman, How much 
 fhe has lived delicioufly and glorified herfelf, 
 fo much torment and forrow give her. The ju- 
 flice of God, will exact all the arrears of his a- 
 bufed mercy •, fuch men who now fare delicioufly 
 eve w y day, (ah ! I O.udder to relate their doom), 
 fliall pafs, from their good things here, into flames 
 which live by the breath of God's rever.ging 
 wrath. Ah I lamentable exchange ; one hour's 
 feclir.g the acute pains of that unquenchable fire 
 will be more tormenting, than many thcufand 
 years enjoyment of the pleafures of fenle can 
 be fatisfying. Let us now take a view of the e- 
 quity, rapidity, and multiplicity of Piome's pu- 
 nifhmeiits : the equity is, becaufe of her former 
 fins, her plagues (hall come ; the rapidity of them 
 ts thus delcribed, they fhall come upon her in 
 one day, that h, hidden- y and unexpectedly ; and 
 the multiplicity and variety of them, are here 
 particularly expreiled 5 iff, Death, for patting 
 the faints to death \ ld t Mourning, for their for- 
 mer rejoicing j 3d, Famine, for itarving the peo- 
 Z 3 pie 
 
 A 
 
i - ..: . 
 
 ( «,-• ) 
 
 pie of God ; lafljy, Burning, for her having burnt 
 fo many martyrs. We may ©bferve, in the lad 
 place, the rtifon affLmed for all thefe plagues 
 coming upon Rome : " for ftrong is the Lord God 
 *- who judgeth her." Though Rome's ftrength be 
 great, when fupported by the emperor, and fo 
 many kings and Hates as ftill adhere to her •, yet 
 far ftronger is Zton's king, than all creatures 
 combined in one, and the caufe which he is a- 
 bout to vindicate, is his own. Will it then be in 
 the power of any to prevent him ? Sooner {hall 
 fire and water unite, than God be at peace with 
 fpi ritual Babylon. 
 
 Verf 9. " And the kings of the earth," &c. 
 fhall bewail her. Here a difficulty feems to a- 
 rife. It was formerly faid, that the kings who 
 Bad committed fornication with her, mould hate^ 
 the whore, and burn her flefh, &c Now fome 
 of thefe kings are ftill favourers of the pope, af- 
 ter he is driven from Rome, til! the battle of Ar- 
 mageddon, when both he and they (had be utteriy 
 destroyed. This is perfe&ly confident with what 
 was formerly faid, that the pope is ro mufter up 
 all his- forces, again ft the church, at that great 
 battle; therefore^ ionic of his admirers, will 
 always continue faithful to him to the .lad. 
 
 If it mould be afked, Why kings- bewail and la- 
 ment fo much Tor that apodate city ?' We reply,. 
 that feme of them are it ill drunk with the wine 
 of her fornications, and cannot lay. afnle that 
 pomp of extc ml wcrihip, by which their mag- 
 nificence and. grandeur is exalted ; and they are 
 wedded to a natural, formal way of wor/hip, but: 
 cannot endure the fi'mplicity of the gofpel. They 
 have been Ion* entertained, by that court, with* 
 pompous titles ; the emperor has got that of Fro-- 
 tt £Vor of the church; Spain- was called the Ca- 
 tholic, Fr.mce the Mod Ghriftian, king; thefe 
 \ain titles mud t^en be loft. Befides, all- men,, 
 specially the g r eat ? iov,e aneafy, indolent form 
 
( *7i ) 
 
 ■of worfhip, fuch as Popery Is, that they may get 
 tlifpenfat ons to their oaths, and inceftuous mar- 
 riages, as many Popish kings do \ viz. the king 
 of Spain with his own niece, the king of Eng- 
 land wirh his broth*T 7 s wife ; and that they 
 may have freedom to fin, fince they can obtain 
 a pardon, and be indulged, in the commiilion of 
 any crime, for money. Likewife, there is, in 
 the heart of unrenewed men, a natural enmity 
 againft God and his word ; and they now fee 
 the true re-igion fail gaining ground on the ru- 
 in- of Popery ; this cannot fail to give them great 
 pain and uneafmefs. And, lafliy, the fear of Sha- 
 ring in her punifhment, may perhaps make them 
 afraid, becaufe they have been partakers in her 
 fins. The next who lament, are merchants ; and 
 no wonder, for their lofs is gre.U Thefe are 
 either real merchants, who traffic in thefe kird 
 cf wares which R me makes ufe o r , in order to 
 fupport her outward grandeur and luxury. F ur 
 kind's of thefe are mentioned ; ift, Every thing 
 thar ferves to deck or adorn the body, in a fplen- 
 did and gorgeous manner •, fuch as gold, (live-, 
 'precious ftcnes, pearls, fine linen, fcark-t, pur- 
 ple, bfc. 2d, Such things are nee:fTary for or- 
 namenting an h: ufe ; as fweet wood, ivory, vef- 
 fcls of precious wood, brafs, iron, err. jd, Things 
 for regallmg the palate ; as fpices, cinnamon, o- 
 dours, wi.:e, (heep, oxen, wheit, 6r. Laftly, 
 Whatever things ie.ve for outward (hew, and e- 
 q .!. -age in peace and war; .as hcrfes, chariots, 
 and flaves. in fine, whatever is delicious or a- 
 jrreeable, ae (till ufed at Rome by 'heir digni- 
 fied clergy Some of thefe things are aifo ufed in 
 religious fervice •, as gold and Giver, for ma- 
 k g images, and ornamenting their churches; 
 li : <: wife purple, for their ordinals, and fine linen, 
 for thejr relics. 
 
 1&o\v. y how can. men, who deal in theft: wares, 
 
 which 
 

 ( 272 ) 
 
 which fold at a great price in Rome, be eafyl 
 when all their gain is gone. Though Rome he I 
 
 deftroyed, yet thefe merchants might vend their 
 goods elfewhert ; therefore, it mull be fome o- 
 ther fort of merchandife, which is meant here ; 
 for it is added, in the end of vcrfe 13. " and 
 <4 fouls of men." This traffic, as was laid, has 
 has been carried on at Rome, and to great ex- 
 tent; that is, felling fouls out of purgatory, with 
 their difpenfations and indulgences ; this lias 
 been a profitable trade, carried on at Rome, 
 chiefly by the pope, cardinals, 6v. No wonder 
 they cry out, alas ! alas ! when all thefe diaboli- 
 cal fchemes prove abortive, and the light of the 
 gofpcl difcovers their futility. 
 
 In verfe 17. the* angel proceeds to the inferior 
 clergy, or the under-rowers of Peter's bark, as 
 they may be termed : the lamentation of thefe is 
 ftill greater than the former, as being more fenfi- 
 bly touched with their lofs, and, probably, more 
 blinded than the former; they cafl duft upon their 
 heads, bitterly regretting the deftru&ion of that 
 city, that was unrivalled in her pomp, and une- 
 qualled in her ruin ^ they larrfent for that which 
 was moll dear to them, Thefe pritfts, monks, 
 friars, and Jefuits, the retailers of her pardons, 
 indulgences, and other trumpery, &c. compared 
 fea and lard to make profelvtes, who got theif 
 living by this trade \ and may be repreftnted, in 
 allu&on to the lamenters of lyre's ruin, Ezek. 
 xxvii. 29. — 33. under the emblem of mailers of 
 (hips, and all the fhipmatei, and mariners, and 
 ail traffickers in---them by fea : All thefe, as una- 
 ble as the kings and merchants, vtrl. y. and 11. 
 to help her, ihall likewife get out of the reach of 
 her calamities, as far as they can \ for fear of {ba- 
 ring in her punishment*, as they had in her crimes 
 and gains- 
 
 Vtrfe 18. ' nd when they {hall behold the dif- 
 jnal tckenj of her utter ruin-, like the thick and 
 
 gloomy 
 
 \ 
 
( *73 ) 
 
 Iloomy columns of fmoke, that rife from every 
 art of a city all in flames, they ihall cry out, 
 nth amazement, lamentation, and horror, fay- 
 ng, as was reported of Tyre, Ezek. xxvii. 32. 
 What city fo grand and magnificent, wealthy, 
 powerful, and proud, was ever fo entirely, and 
 involved in mifery an d ruin, as this great 
 city, together with her vaft dominions ! this is 
 d all that could have been imagined, 
 Yerfe 10. She made all that traded in flnps 
 rich. That is, all her dependers, in abbacies and 
 convents; her priefts and jefuits, (who are 
 now under a cloud), and all inferior orders and 
 oiiicers, who are fubfervient to this great city ill 
 her merchandife, ana providing for her vending 
 her wares, carrying them through the worid, and 
 bringing back returns. All thefe fpiiitual ma- 
 riners depend upon Root's (tending : it is no 
 wonder thefe fnould cry, in a lamentable manner, 
 how {hocking are her defolations and naileries ! 
 who has been in fuch a fiourifhing date, as to 
 enrich all her devotees, that carried on traffic for 
 and with her; employing their fhips to export 
 'paidons, indulgences ; &c. which were fold, 
 and purchafed at coftly rates, by htr authority. 
 What a furprifing, fu :den, and miferable change 
 is made upon her ! for in one hour is flic reduced, 
 and fpoiled of all her former wealth, power, and 
 grandeur; utterly incapable of any further afiiftance 
 to her fervants, or receiving any from them. 
 
 In the 2cth verfe, the angel proceeds to fhew 
 how great and full that ruin was, by the vafi joy 
 and rejoicing it juftiy gave to the people of God, 
 By heaven, apofiles, and prophets, may figura- 
 tively mean, that heaven, and ah its boils, fhall 
 rejoice at, and praife God for it : 01, it may fig- 
 fy the church *, and the prophets and a pottles may 
 Ggnify. all the mini Iters of the gofpel,snd their fuc- 
 ceflbrs in office, to the end of the world. Thefe 
 
 rejoice 
 
( 274 ) 
 
 rejoice becaufe God is glorified in the acccmplifh- 
 flient of his promifcs, concerning Rome's deftruc-l 
 tion, and the further fp leading of the gofpel J 
 this they, and their predecefTors, long prayed for; 
 ■which mufl heighten their joy, when God makes 
 it appear, their prayers were heard and anfwer- 
 ed. Thefe have reafon to be exceeding glnd, be- 
 caufe God has now awfully difplayed his terrible 
 juflicc, and the truth of lis predictions, in taking 
 full vengeance, for their lakes, upon this ccrruDt 
 and persecuting power *, which would fain have 
 deftroyed the foundation of the church iifeif, and 
 all that are built upon it. 
 
 Veiit 21, And ft ill further to confirm all this, 
 as the prophet Jeremiah was ordered to bind 
 ftone to the book he had read, and call it into 
 the midil of the Euphrates, faying, " Thus (hall 
 " Babylon fink, and fhall not rife, from the evil 
 <c that I will bring upon her," Jer. li. 63'. 64. •, fo 
 here, a glorious angel, who excelled in ftrsngth, 
 took up (as appeared in this vifion) a huge ftone 
 in his hand, as a great milftone, and threw it 
 with mighty force, into the midft of the fea ; in- 
 to which it fuddenly funk, never more to rife a- 
 gain: and, to explain the meaning of this emble- 
 matical adtion, he faid, after this manner, {hall 
 thai great city, Rome, and all her power, au- 
 thority, and magnificence, be fuddenly call into 
 utter deftruftion ; and never {hall be rebuilt, or 
 recover ftrength and dominion, or have any place 
 in the world at all, from henceforth, for ever. 
 
 Verf. 22. 23. Thefe two verfes need lit t'e or 
 no explication; only we may cbferve, 011 the 22d, 
 that judgment is denounced againil Home's rnu- 
 ficians, who lent their aid to corrupt the vorlhip 
 of God. We cbferved, in the former part of this 
 tffay, that as foon as the Romifh church began 
 to fail off from the fimplicity of wcrfhip, they 
 behoved to put femething elie in the room of it. 
 
 Therefore, 
 
( 275 5 
 
 Therefore, among many other ceremonious ad- 
 ditions, mufic was introduced, in a more pom- 
 pous and (hewy manner thin formerly ; for they 
 introduced organs, and other inftruments of mu- 
 fic, befuies firiging men, and finging women, in- 
 to their churches. Thefe are all doomed to dc- 
 ft ruction, and (hall no more be heard in Rome. 
 
 Verfe 24. What particularly adds to ail the 
 provocations of that wicked city, and aggravates 
 her crimes, condemnation, and mifery, and loud- 
 ly proclaim the juilic'e of God's judgments upon 
 her, is, that fhe has filled up the meafure of the 
 cruelties and murders, which have been praetifed 
 upon the faithful miniftering fervants and people 
 of God, and upon all that, by her authority, ca- 
 nons, and decrees, have ever been put to death 
 for righteoufnefs fake throughout her territories, 
 and to the mmoit extent of her influence upon 
 earth ; as, by her persecutions, fnt has approved 
 of, imitated, and exceeded ail that ever went 
 before ; and fo the blood of all martyrs for Chrift 
 is found in her fkirts, and, by juft c'onftru£non, 
 is chargeable upon her. See Matth. xxiii. 29. to 
 35. And therefore, God Thai! give her blood to 
 drink, for (he is worthy. " But Pvome hath ne- 
 ver yet been depopulated and defolated in thit 
 manner:- fhe hath been taken, indeed, and plun- 
 dered, by Alaric, king of the Viiigoths, in the 
 year 410 ; by Genferic, king of the Vandals, in 
 the year 455 ; by Totilas, king of the Oitrogoths, 
 in the year 546 ; and by o:hcrs fince that time ; 
 but yet fhe is ftill (landing and flourifhing, and is 
 honoured, by many nations, as the metropolis 
 of the Chriilian world: (he (lill refounds with 
 fingers and muficians ; fhe dill excels in arts, 
 which ferve to pomp and luxury ; fhe flill abounds 
 with candles, and lamps, and torches,' burning 
 even by day ac well as by night : and confequent- 
 
( 27<5 ) 
 If, this prophecy hath not yet been* but remains 
 to be fulfilled/' See Biihop Newton. 
 
 Three rcafons follow^ which we (hall only name. 
 The firft is, that her merchants were the great 
 men of the earth, which plainly (hews, that this 
 trade, wherein they were employed, was illegal j 
 otherwife it could never be a caufe for Rome's de* 
 ftruction. The fecond reafon is, her forceries* 
 whereby fhe deceived the world ; this may either 
 be taken literally, as was formerly faid, or fpi-* 
 ritualiy, meaning her enticing people to idolatry 
 and fuperftition. The third caufe is bloodfhed, 
 or persecution ; fhs being the laft persecutor, and 
 head of all perfections in the Chriftian world, 
 whether by inquifitions, maiTacres, or wars, (lie is 
 found guilty of all, for the reafons formerly af- 
 figned, and her punimment will rife in propor* 
 tion. 
 
 The application of this is plain and obvious \ 
 if this Babylon be Rome, as Papifts themfelves 
 declare, then mud it belong to the Popifh or 
 Antichriflian R.ome, which now is* and not to 
 Heathen Rome, under the emperors. For the 
 crimes, procuring thofe punifhments, are fuch as 
 Rome is actually taken in the guilt of, and many 
 prefently are acting in it; but that idolatry and per- 
 secution of ancient Rome are laidafide long fince* 
 Alfo, this ruin is on a whore, and therefore fuch 
 crimes as belong to one making defection \ which 
 cannot be applied to Heathen-Rome. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 This chapter, as we obferved formerly, is a kind 
 of commentary on the fixth vial, in chap. xvi. 
 and was only (lightly touched in that chapter * 
 the event, of the battle of Armageddon, isfupplied 
 here. We (hall affign two reafons (befide what 
 we faid on chap, xvi.) in order to prove that this 
 belongs to the fixth vial. Firft, this chapter im- 
 mediately 
 
( ty ) 
 
 'mediately fucceeds to the expofition of the fifth 
 vial in the lad chapter, and comprehends other 4 
 events, not on the feat of the bead himfelf, who 
 furviveth his feat ; and it is put before the expo- 
 frtion of the feventh vial, the object of which is 
 not the bead, (as in this chapter), and his adhe- 
 rents, but on Satan's kingdom indefinitely; 
 who is taken and cad into the lake where the 
 b?ad and the falfe prophet were cad before him ; 
 they are to be thrown into it by this fixth vial. 
 This muft then belong to an event after the fifth, 
 and before the feventh, by and under which the 
 bead will be dedroyed, before the feventh come* 
 as his feat or throne was by the fifth vial. 
 
 Again, it is plain, that the event of the battle, 
 defcribed in this chapter, is the fame with that 
 whofe preparation is described chap. xvi. under 
 the fixth vial ; it therefore, of courfe, belongs to 
 it : for all thefe vials bring judgments on the bead, 
 or pope of Rome ; and if this event belong not to 
 the fixth vial, but to the preparation only, then 
 it cannot bring a plague on him ; for the plague 
 con (ids not in the preparation to the battle, but 
 in the unfortunate event thereof to him, which 
 this chapter contains; and mentions nothing of his 
 preparation for it, which was done chap. xvi. but 
 proceeds to the events which was fufpended there- 
 in, its difcovery. The fixth vial contained two 
 remarkable effects : the one pointing out the in* 
 creafe of the church, and a great acceffijn to her; 
 the fecond, defcribing the rage of Antichrid at 
 that increafe •, agreeable to which, this xixth chap- 
 ter confifts of two parts : Fird, of exultation and 
 rejoicing at thefe glad news, to verfe 10. Second- 
 ly-, of the overthrow of the pope and his follow- 
 ers, to the end What is mentioned in verfe io. 
 is not prophetical, but applicable only to John's 
 behaviour, and that of the angel. 
 
 A a It 
 
' 
 
 ( 2 7 8 ) 
 
 Tt is not agreeable to our defign, to give a mi- - 
 nute explication of this chapter, but only make a 
 few remarks uprm it. In the firfl part of this 
 fong, we perceive the church rejoicing over 
 Rome's deftrucliion, and giving particular invita- 
 tion to the Jews, to join with her in that delight- 
 ful work, fuitable to that invitation, If. ii. 5. 
 The fecond part informs us, what kind of wel- 
 come they fhall receive from the church, upon 
 their corning home. So that .both parts have 
 fome reference to the calling cf the Jews, as 
 was faid, chap. xvi. Now, when the ftumbling- 
 block of Popery is quite removed, the Geii- 
 ti'e church intreat sud perfuade the Jews to join 
 her in the general acclamation : this will alfofuit 
 the time cf the Jews con.erfion, which muft be 
 before the end *, it likewife agrees well to thefe 
 prophecies in )(. ii. 5. and Mic. iv. 3. a. ;* 6r. 
 
 Again, it fuits well with thefe expreffion A'le- 
 Ir.jah, in Hebrew, addrefied to them, »which is 
 iiot ufed in former fongs. And finally, thefe 
 made ready are the Lamb's wife, who had for- 
 merly a peculiar intereft in him, which the Jews 
 had under the Mofaic difpenfation ; and he may 
 be faid to reign, with propriety, after their cou- 
 rt 1T1 on ; all which, could not be properly laid 
 without them. 
 
 The church's fong, verfe |. is ufhered in with 
 the Hebrew word Allelujah, compounded of two 
 Hebrew words HiiLEL and J ah, fignifying, 
 Praife ye the Lord, or, Praife God. It is ofrefl 
 the beginning and end of many pfalms. Thig 
 wotd is very fitly ufed by the Jews here, as an 
 exhortation to ail men, to laud and extol their 
 dear Redeemer, whom they had long flighted 
 and d.efpifed, to whom the crofs has been a lium- 
 bling-biock •, there can no other rt^on be aflign- 
 cd, why this word is fo often repeated in this* 
 fong, and in no other in this bock. In verfe 3 . 
 
 this 
 
 ;\ 
 
( 279 ) 
 
 this word is again repeated, when the fmoke of 
 Rome's torment is faid to aftcnd up for ever ami 
 ever. It is no wonder, that thefe now happy 
 people fhould be filled with ecftacies of wonder 
 and praife, when they behold the ancient prophe- 
 cies accomplished in their own converfion, and 
 the eternal perdition of that Antichrillian church, 
 Which long debarred them from thefe high pri- 
 vileges- 
 
 " And her fmoke rofe up for erer and ever.'* 
 Which, fays Bifhop Newton, " intimates, that (he 
 fhcuJu be made as fignal a monument of divh.e 
 vengeance as Sodom and Gomorrah. It is taken 
 from Ifaiah, who hath faid much the fame thing 
 ofEdom; and, by Edorn, the Jews underitami 
 Rome, If. xxxiv. 9. 10. " And the dreams there- 
 N of Avail be turned into pitch. 5 ' In the genuine 
 editions of the Chaidee paraphrafe it is, *< And 
 u the rivers of Rome fkall be turned into pitch, 
 " and the dull thereof into brimitone, and the 
 ic land tliereof mail become burning pitch. In 
 f 4 ftiail A0t be quenched night nor day ; the fmoke 
 t( thereof fl~ta.ll eo uo for ever." This tradition 
 .of the Rabbins may receive fome confirmation 
 f;om thefe words of the apoftle : and inch au 
 event may appear the more probable, becaufe the 
 adjacent countries are of a fulphurecus and bitu- 
 minous foil ; there have been, even at Rome, 
 eruptions of fub'terraneous fire, which have coo- 
 fumed feveral buildings •, fo that the few el fcem- 
 eth to be prepared, and waittth only for the 
 breath of the Lord to kindle ic 
 
 Verfe 7. the church exults for joy at the mar- 
 riage of the Lamb. The marriage of Ch rift with 
 ,his church is mentioned in fcripture three differ- 
 ent ways. 1. In the offers of the gofpel •, where- 
 in, by the powerful operation of the Holy Spirif, 
 many are efpoufed, and engaged by faith to em- 
 brace a crucified Jefus. This hath been, and 
 A a z w*U. 
 
( 280 ) 
 
 wiH continue to be the common method of efpou- 
 fals, to the end of the world. 2. At the end of 
 time it is confummated and perfected, when tke 
 queen is brought unto the King, and fhali abide 
 with him for ever. Laftly, When the fulnefs of 
 the Gentiles is come, with the converfion cf the 
 Jews, this is a more diiiinguifhed marriage than 
 the firft-, becaufe the old branches are again 
 grafted in, and a divorced wife is again brought 
 back to her duty. What multitudes may we then 
 exneci will be converted, be th of Jews and Gen- 
 tiles ever the whole world ; which is emphatical- 
 ly exprefied by the apoftle, u as life from the 
 u dead," as we have frequently obferved. And if 
 we may be allowed to form a conjecture, Provi* 
 dence leems at prefent to be paving the way for 
 thefe great events ; and, perhaps, making ihefe 
 Popifh kings (whofe fole aim is to pull down and 
 deitroy) the means of accomplishing his glorious 
 defigns, in diffufing the light of the gofpel to na- 
 tions yet unborn. 
 
 From verfe i i. to the end of this chapter, we 
 have an account of a glorious battle between two 
 armies, of very unequal ftrength. The captain, 
 on the one fide, is no lefs a perfonage than the 
 King of kings and Lord of lords, whefe vefture 
 was "dipt in blood, whofe name is the almighty 
 Logos, or Word of- God. Ihis illuilrious 
 Captain was followed by the armies of heaven, 
 clothed in fine linen, Zsfc. ; which we conceive to 
 mean, not only angels and glorified faints, 
 butalfo the church-militant, efpecially with that 
 large addition of Jews and Gentiles, formerly 
 mentioned. On the other fide is the beaft, or 
 pope, and the kings of the earth and their armies, 
 who are gathered together to make war againit 
 him that fat on the white horfe, as formerly de- 
 fcribed. burely the reader will will not hefltatea 
 moment, to determine on what fide the vkftory 
 
 will 
 
( &t ) 
 
 (*f!l fall. What are all the potm^rls of the 
 earth, when contending with their Maker? 
 Tu.b glorious Captain, however, had long, per- 
 mitted cb ^ ravenous head to ufurp his preroga- 
 tive on earth, impiouily and blafphemouily ceil- 
 ing himielf his vicar, in order to deceive the na* 
 lions with a greater fhew of fanttlty, in imita- 
 tion of his mailer, who, in holy writ, is faid to 
 transform himfelf into an angel of light; 
 
 However, our almighty Leader will not faf* 
 fer him always to triumph : hitherto we have feen 
 him pouring out the vials of his wrath upon that 
 Antic hriitian tyrant; who had long foaked the 
 earth with the blood of his faints ; we have alfo 
 feen him expel this monfter from Rome, to leek 
 flicker eifewhere ; in order to be revenged for 
 this lofs, as was obferved on chap. x\'u he mu- 
 fteis up all the malignant powers he can, again ft 
 the church of the Jews and Gentiles. The event 
 follows, in veif, 20. and 21. this bead,, who is 
 alfo called the falfe prophet* chap. xvi. 13. wbo 
 pretended to work miracles in the fight, and un- 
 der the protection- of the bealt,. and by his lying 
 wonders impofed upon and deluded the nations, 
 that had openly profeffed- fubjecHon to the bead,, 
 and in token of it, wore his mark, and paid ido- 
 latrous worfhip to hi?n, and the images which he 
 had fet up as objects of religious adoration. Both 
 thefe idolatrous and perfecuting powers, whiclv 
 may be differently conceived of, in their civil 
 and eccleiiailical- capacities, chap. xvi. 13* Lll 
 as captives into- the conquerors hands* And as 
 the chiefs of rebellious armies, when fubdued 
 and taken prifoners, are wont to be puniihed 
 in a mod exemplary manner ; fo thefe wiio were 
 the ringleaders in tiie general apoiiacy and levere 
 perfections, and chteiiy in- this war againft Chriit,, 
 his people, and caufe, (hail be moil grievoutly 
 tormented,, like perfons cafl alive into an abyfs 
 A a 3 o£ 
 
■■■ 
 
 ( 282 ) 
 
 of (ire, burning like Sodom and Gomorrah, with 
 an intenfe and ever! a (ling flame, as if it were 
 mingled with brimftone, to feed and maintain it 
 witu. the ikreeft rage, that it may never be 
 quenched. By tbis we may conclude, that no 
 pope mull, for the future, any where be found ; 
 though fame may ftill be hankering and wonder- 
 ing after him, to the end. 
 
 But it would feem, that many of them (hall 
 be conquered by the fword that goeth out of the 
 mouth of Chrifr, v z. the gofpel ; fo that Popery 
 fhali never more infefl the earth after this total 
 eve; throw, and the great millennium commences 
 in its fuli import, when the devil who tempted 
 the nations is bound. Yet we fee, under the fe- 
 venth vial, that great Babylon comes in remem- 
 brance before God ; probably, in the time of Gog 
 and Magog, Popery may perhaps be again revi- 
 ved ; for it has always been the cafe with the 
 church, when fhe enjoyed long peace, that er- 
 rors have imperceptibly crept in-, and after the 
 expiration of the thoufand years, Satan is to be 
 loofed cut of prjfori, and go out to deceive the 
 nations, and to gather them together to the 
 battle againit the faints. Then fnaii all the ene- 
 mies of Ch rift be call into the lake that burns 
 with fire and brimftone, along with the devil 
 who deceived them, where the beafl and falfe 
 prophet were before them. 
 
 Before we conclude, it may not be amifs to of- 
 fer feme reflections on this chapter, and anfwer 
 fome objections, that have been madeagai::fl this 
 doctrine. 
 
 With whit joyful acclamations will the mili- 
 tant church join in the Aiielujahs of the church 
 triumphant in heaven, when God (hall take ven- 
 geance on Turk and Antichrift, and all the kings 
 and princes that have confederated with them ; 
 when the m:;r:i. ge-furper of the Lamb is come. 
 
 They 
 
I 
 
 ( 283 ) 
 
 Th*y will then afcribe falvation, glory, Konoufj 
 
 and power, to him that fits on the throne, anil 
 to the Lamb, who will then be univerfally ac- 
 
 krowkdged as the Lord God Omnipotent, ai 
 the only Saviour of loft flnners, wbofc kingdom 
 rules over all; as will then molt evidently appear. 
 How infinitely happy are they who are invited to 
 the marriage-flipper of the Lamb ; and ftall be 
 presented to him, in robes of fpotlefs rightcouf- 
 nefs, as a bride gorgeouily adorned for her huf- 
 band ! How glorious wih our enthroned Media- 
 tor appear, when he comes, riding on the white 
 horfe, to efpoufe his people's catife, and iriflift. 
 vengeance on the combined forces of thofe that 
 rofe up in rebellion agaiiift him ! and when all 
 true Chriftians, beautifully arrayed, in robes of 
 his fpotlefs righteoufnefs, lhall march along with 
 him in his iiluilrious train, and be made parta- 
 kers in the hjppy fruits of his victories ; which 
 they alfo obtain through him ! he will t^cn be 
 openly acknowledged to be the true eiTential Lo- 
 gos, the King of kings, and Lord of lords j ti- 
 tles that belong to none but the Deity. Righte- 
 oufnefs, truth, and failhfuinefs, pervade all his 
 glorious defigns ; his unerring wildcat, and uni- 
 verfai dominion, his juft indignation of vice, his 
 'juft and righteous administration of the world, and 
 the execution of his awful fclvemes, will then be 
 eminently difplayed, typified ; as it were, by 
 flames of fire darting from his eyes, by many 
 crowns on- his head, by a (harp fword proceeding 
 out of his mouth, by his garments fprinkied with 
 the blood of his enemies, his riding them as with 
 a rod of iron, and his treading them under foot, 
 as ripe fcr destruction, in the wine-prefs of the 
 fierce wrath ot Almighty God. Alas ! what dif- 
 -mal havoc will then be made on all the enemies 
 -of truth and cighteoufnefs, however exaiteci in *r 
 rank and iiaticn may be, like dead carcafes left 
 \ unburied 
 
( 2»4 ) 
 
 >uried on a field of battel The beaft, and fafffe 
 prophet, with all the tyrannical, persecuting, 
 crews, that fupported and aflifted them, fliall be 
 fevercly punifhed j like the chief leaders of a re- 
 bellion, who are thrown alive into a fulphimou« 
 Jake of unquenchable fire ; and their whole army 
 fhall be utterly deu\royed. Then all the faints 
 fhail be commanded to ihare the rich fpoils, that- 
 they have been, ufelei&ly, for many years, heap- 
 ing up in their churches, doi Iters, and ehewhere; 
 like fowls of the air, that feed on trie bodies of 
 dead men, 2s their prey. 
 
 We fliall now proceed to the objections Some 
 are of opinion, that the final deitru&ion of An- 
 tichrift, is rc^tiYtd for Chrift's fecond coming. y 
 as we have it in 2 Theff. ii. 8. •-* Whom the 
 €i Lord fliall con-fume with the fpirit of his mouth, > 
 €f and deftrcy with the brightness of his coming*" 
 But before we give a dirccT: anfwer to this objec- 
 tion, we mail premife a few things : and firit, it 
 k certain, that this judgment of the beaft is not 
 at the end of the world, for it is under the fixth 
 vial. Again, it is a judgment wherein armies of 
 faints are employed, and the word, or gofpel, is 
 made ufe of at this ruin; which cannot be the 
 cafe at the laft judgment. Further, in this judg- 
 ment of the beait, and of his being call into the' 
 lake, a diiTerence is made between him and his- 
 followers, who are judged in a different manner ; 
 as in vtiic 21. and their calling in, is fufpended 
 for fome time - 9 but there is no fuch difference at 
 the laft judgment. Laftly, there are fome events- 
 yet to happen after this, for the devil is not yet 
 call into trie lake, which is done by the Seventh* 
 vial, at the judgment of the great, or laft day - 9 
 and yet the btaft is in the lake before him, there- 
 fore this judgment is before the laft,. by which 
 the devil is eait where the beaft and faife prophet- 
 are before him \ as is evident, chap, xx, 12. 
 
 Now,, 
 
I ( 185 ) 
 
 Now, in anfwer to the queftion, it maybe faicf, 
 •without impropriety, that the final end of Anti- 
 chrifl's kingdom, fhali not be before the end of 
 the world, his kingdom being complexly confi- 
 dered ; yet it does not prevent him and his feat 
 to be deilroved before that time. We imagine 
 the place in 1 Then. ii. 8. cited above, cannot ap- 
 ply to ChriiVs iaft coming to judgment, but his 
 coming to execute judgment on that whore; for, 
 in chap. vi. it is called the great day of God, when 
 he only came to judge the Heathen emperors. It 
 is (aid, in the forecited text, that he fhail«con- 
 fume them by the breath of his mouth \ that is, 
 by the power of the preaching of the word, Pa- 
 piils fhali be converted, as at the reformation : 
 and therefore, the brighmefs of his coming, ri- 
 ding triumphantly in the chariot of the gofpef, 
 afluming to himieSf that power. And that agrees 
 well with the meaning both of that paffage and 
 this. 
 
 If, from that forecited pjffhge, any one mould 
 further cbje£t, that two diftin£t things are men- 
 tioned in it 5 firft, he is to confume them by the 
 fpirit of his mouth ; but the fecond, his destruc- 
 tion, is reierved for ChriiVs fecond coming. We 
 reply, that Antichrifl's fall (hall begin long before 
 its end : that it fhall be fully completed at the 
 general judgment : that whatever befai him now, 
 he fhali be judged then. All thefe may be true, 
 and our fentiments of it too \ we maintain that 
 he fli-all be judged at his particular judgment, 
 and at the general judgment likewife ; and though 
 it be ordinary, in the (acred records, to defign the 
 laft day for the time of the perfecutors destruc- 
 tion, and the faint's deliverance, becaufe both are 
 perfected at that day^ yet as it cannot be affirmed-, 
 that there are not former judgments, or deliver- 
 ances, fo neither can it be in the prefent cafe ; 
 befides, it being in the clofe of the fixth vial, 
 
 an$ 
 
( 286 ) 
 
 and after the cpnijerfion of i ■', which, pro- 
 
 bably, may rot be long btrf 
 
 The laft thins: we fhali obferve on this chao- 
 ter is, that this bead is laid to be caft into the 
 lake alive; we are not here to fuppofe, that he 
 is not to fhare the common fate of mankind , and 
 fee exempted from a natural death ; bat this, we 
 may fuppofe, is fpoke in aiiufion to Kor.ib, Da- 
 than, and Ahiram, upon whom the earth open- 
 ed her mouth and [wallowed up alive ; which, 
 perhaps, may be the cafe with that arch-enemy of 
 the church of Chrifh Or, it may more probably 
 point at the" cr.aaful and irrecoverable doom that 
 awaits him. As he, and his predecelTors have, 
 for a long time, Dppofed the truth, and made 
 dreadful havoc or the people of Gcd. who would 
 not, join in his ichdatrcus worftvip ; God, who k 
 jealous of his g'ory and honcur, and to whom 
 idolatry is melt odious, will, probably, bring up- 
 on that beaft forme very remarkable judgment, 
 that his people's fakh may be the more confirm* 
 ed - y and ihat Infideis may revere his power, and 
 be afraid any more to injure his chofen ones. 
 
 We have now traced out Antichrift, in his 
 rife, pregtefs, decline, and final doom, with as 
 great brevity and perfpicuity, as we could, though, 
 we are afraid, this effay has fwelled to a much 
 greater buik than we at firft intended ; but, we 
 flatter curfeives, that the additions which have 
 been made to it, will more than com pen fate for 
 the addition of the price ; though we would with 
 it may be made as cheap as poihble, that the 
 pooreit labourer may be able to purchafe it. And 
 if it fhail be a mean, in the hand of God, of o- 
 pening the eyes of feme of thofe poor deluded 
 creatures, who have been entangled in the fnares 
 of Popery, or prevent the fimplc and unwary 
 from being deceived by their wiles, we have 
 gained cur end, and fhali afcribe the glory of it to 
 
 God, 
 
( *8 7 ) 
 
 God, who iirft inclined us to attempt an ttpYici^ 
 tion of a book, which has puzzled men of the 
 greated abilities and learning : therefore it can- 
 not be expected, that this fhould be perfect; yet 
 a-s we have followed the fenriments of fome of 
 the mofl approved authors upon the fubjeft, ws 
 hope it will not be altogether ufelefs. 
 
 No doubt many of our readers will reckon us 
 uncharitable, for our feverity againit Papifts, or 
 rather the Popifh religion, which many nowa- 
 days fecra to be mightily fond of. But though 
 unguarded expreflions may have efcape.l 
 our notice, in our zeal for the glory of God, and 
 the we'fare of our fellow-mortals; yet we beg 
 leave to adopt the fentiment of the eminently pi- 
 ous, and learned Mr Hervey, in his reflections 
 on a flower-garden, page 180. " Between Chri- 
 stians, fays he, whofe judgments difagree only a- 
 bout a form of prayer, or manner of worfhip, I 
 apprehend, there is no more eiTential difference, 
 than between flowers which bloom from the fame 
 kind of feed, but happen to be fomewhat diverfi- 
 fied in the mixture of their colours. "Whereas, 
 if one denies the Divinity of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 and degrades the incarnate God to the meannefs - 
 of a mere creature ; if another cries up the wor- 
 thinefs of human works, and depreciates the a- 
 lone meritorious righteoufnefs of the glorious 
 Mediator ; if a third a -Idrefies the incommunica- 
 ble honours to a finite being, and bows to the" 
 image, or prays to the faint:— Thefe are errors 
 extremely derogatory to the Redeemer's digrmy, 
 and not a little prejudicial to the comfort of his 
 people, Againft thefe to re moult rate ; againft 
 thefe-to urge every argument, and every didua- 
 five ; befpeaks not the cenforious bigot, but the • 
 friend of truth, and the lover of mankind. 
 Whereas to (land neuter and filent, while fuch 
 principles are propagated, would be an inftance 
 
 of 
 
( 283 ) 
 
 fcf Criminal remifihefs, rather than ot ChriiViarl 
 moderation. For the perfons, we will not fail to 
 maintain a tender compafiion •, we will not ceafe 
 to put up earned inter ceflions *, we will alfo ac- 
 knowledge and love whatever is excellent and a- 
 miable in their character : yet we dare not fub- 
 fcribe their creed ; we cannot remit our aflidu- 
 ous, but kind endeavours, if, by any means, we 
 may reconcile them to a more fcriptural belief, 
 and purer worfhip." 
 
 As we obferved above> we have, in fome pla- 
 ces of this eflay, expreffed ourfelves unwarily, 
 arid harfhly : but our meaning, and real fenti- 
 ments, as the fame learned author exprefTes him- 
 felfj Ci were no other, than thoie reprefented a- 
 bove." The reader, from fu<h Unguarded inti- 
 mations, might naturally be led to conclude, that 
 the author avows, and would ftir up a fpirit of 
 perfecution. But this is a method of dealing 
 with opponents in religious do£lrines, which he 
 difclaims as abfurd ; and abhors, ns iniquitous. 
 He is for ro force, but that of rational conviction ; 
 for no conftraint, but that of affeclionate perfua- 
 flon. Thus, if you pleafe, compel them to come 
 ia, Luke xiv» 
 
 THE APPENDIX. 
 
 cc The difpenfations of God, though various 
 in their kind, and different in their adminiftra- 
 tion, have all been directed to one regular and 
 confident purpofe; the reftoration of the loft po* 
 fterity of Adam to immortal life and happiness* 
 which was forfeited by the tranfgreffion of their 
 common parent. To anounce fo glorious a 
 defign, and to give teftimoriy to the character and 
 million of the adorable perfon entrufted with its 
 execution, was the declared ufe and intent of 
 prophecy 5 which, commencing from the fail-, 
 
 and 
 
( 2i 9 ) 
 
 ftttd reaching through a protracted courfe of age$ 
 -to the general confummation of all things*, was 
 calculated to furnifh, to fuccecding generations, a 
 fuitable, and, in proportion as it was feen to be 
 -accompiiPned, an increafing evidence* that the 
 end and object of all that God had fpoken, by 
 the mouth of his holy prophets, fince the world 
 began, was ultimately one, even Jefus, who de- 
 livered us from the wrath to come. 
 
 But as the advantages to he derived from fush 
 a prophetic fyftem, couli have been but ill fe- 
 •cured, had the information it was meant to com- 
 municate, been imparted to all nations without 
 diitindtion *, the fame goodnefs, which fuggeit- 
 ■ed the end, directed alfo the means ; and con- 
 trived that the notices, w r hich God was pleafed 
 to reveal of his future dealings with the children 
 of men, fhould be continued to one people ; who 
 were fele£ted from the reft, that they might be 
 the depofnory of the (acred oracles; and that in 
 their records, the goiden chain of prophecy, let: 
 down from heaven to earth, might be preferved 
 entire. Hence it is, that all the predictions of 
 the Old Teftament, are found* mediately or 
 immediately, to concern the fortunes of thejews \ 
 and that the Mate and condition of the Gentile 
 nations, are no otherwife included within th* 
 difcoveries of the divine prefcience, than as the* 
 happened to be connected with this favoured fa- 
 mily •, fometimes employed by the fupreme Ru- 
 ler, as inftruments of vengeance to inflict on a 
 rebellious people the terrible denunciations of 
 his juitice \ at other times, ufei as minifUrs cf 
 grace, to convey to them, and to mankind,- the 
 faving influences of his mercy. 
 
 How auguit and magnificent is this idea of 
 
 the Almighty's government-, who, when he 
 
 firft feparated the fons of Adam, and divided to 
 
 the nations their inheritance, did fo adjuit the 
 
 B b ciafhing 
 
( *9° ) 
 
 \ cb.lhir.g interefts of contending powers to each 
 
 other, that all fliould eventually confpire to pro- 
 mote his own eternal purpofes, with refpeti to 
 his chofen people, and to the religion of his [on. 
 When we contemplate, in the faithful page of 
 hiftory, the multiform and fhifting appearances 
 of human things ; when the kingdoms of the 
 world, snd the glory of them, are patting in re- 
 view before us ; and we fee empires rife and fall, 
 at thofe very points of time, which the great 
 Parent of the univeife, by a fixed and unalter- 
 able defliny, had pre-eftablifhed ; when we per- 
 ceive the mighty power of the Babylonians give 
 place to the Medes and Pcrfians, they, in their 
 turn, are fubdued by the Greeks; and thefe a- 
 gain, by the fuperior valour of the Romans : we 
 are abafhed and mortified by fuch a furvey of the 
 perilling monuments of earthly pride ; we feel 
 the force of fuch awakening of the fevereign do- 
 minion of God; and acknowledge, with pious 
 awe, " That the Moft High ruleth in the king- 
 M doms of men, and giveth it to whomfoever he 
 *f will." But affifted by the lights which reve- 
 lation furnifhes, we difcern thefe feveral empires, 
 under the controul of 2n Almighty will, carrying 
 the fecret defigns of God, with rtfpect to his 
 church and people; and forming, as it were, a 
 prophetical chronology, to mark the period in 
 which the kingdom of Chrift, for which the 
 world had been lipening for four thoufond years, 
 fliould begin and ^nd ; when, with the eye of 
 faith, we behold Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus, 
 Alexander and the Romans, infenfibly rniniftering 
 > to the fublime intentions of providence, and ig- 
 
 norantly concurring to advance the triumphs of 
 the crofs ; our thoughts are relieved and enlarged, 
 amid ft the amplitudes of fuch conceptions, in- 
 ferior considerations pais away, and no affeftion t 
 remains to the overwhelmed and enraptured ' 
 
 mind, 
 
I ( 29 1 ) 
 
 mind, but that of holy joy and gratitude, in re- 
 turn for fuch exuberant goodnefs, which hath 
 thus amply provided for the prefent and future 
 happineis or its creature, Man." See Mr Sa- 
 muel Halifax on the prophecies. 
 
 Our Saviour informs us, that though two 
 fparrows are fold for a farthing, yet one of them 
 fhail not fill to the ground, without permiilion of 
 his heavenly Father: thus we may plainly per- 
 ceive, that all created beings are the objects of 
 God's preferving gocdnefs \ how much more is 
 man, the peculiar favourite of Heaven! as our 
 Saviour adds, Matth. x. 29. 6c. " Ye are of 
 " much more value than many fparrows, and 
 €i the hairs of your head are all numbered >" plain- 
 ly intimating to us, the fpecial care of God to- 
 wards his own people, from the beginning to the 
 end of time. Whatever is vherefore foretold in 
 fcripture, concerning the rife and fall of king- 
 doms, mud certainly be only as far as they are 
 connected with his church, or were to be made 
 fnftrurnents in his hand, either of puniihing her 
 when backfliding, or as furthering the defigns of 
 providence^ in reftoring, protc&mg, and defend- 
 ing her, upon her reformation and repentance. 
 In order to confirm this point a little more fully, 
 we (hall produce the authority of another great 
 man, Mr Richard Hurd, page 75. 
 
 Ci I fuppofe it to be very conceivable and cre- 
 dible, that the line of prophecy fhould run chiefly 
 in one family and people, as we are informed it 
 did ; and that the other nations -of the earth, 
 fhould be no further the immediate objects of it, 
 than as they chanced to be connected with that 
 people. 
 
 Prophecy, in the ideas of fcripture, was not 
 
 ultimately given for the private ufe of this or that 
 
 nation ; nor yet for the nobler and, more general 
 
 purpofe, of proclaiming the fuperintending pro- 
 
 13 b 2 videnec 
 
 1 
 
 * 
 
r; 
 
 4 
 
 ' 
 
 ( 292 > 
 
 vidence of Deity, (an awful truth, which men 
 naight collect for themfekes, from the eftablifked 
 conftitution of nature), but fimply to evidence 
 the truth of the Chriftian religion. It was there- 
 fore confined to one nation, purpofely fet apart 
 to prefervc and atf"eft the cracles of God ; and to 
 exhibit in their public records, and whole hiftory, 
 the proofs and credentials of an amazing difpen- 
 fation, which God had decreed to accomplish in 
 Chrift Jefus." 
 
 Now, to apply thefe two quotations to our 
 prefent purpofe, it will be proper for us to ob- 
 iVrve, that though we have, in a manner, anti- 
 cipated what remarks we are further to make, 
 yet we would chufe to be as explicit as pofiible, 
 in a matter of fuch vaft importance, and handled 
 by men of far greater learning and abilities than 
 we pretend to, and for whom we have the high- 
 eft efteem; as an evidence of which, we have 
 already given targe extracts from one of them, 
 viz. Bithop Newton ; and we alfo defign to end 
 this Appendix, with a very large citation from 
 that celebrated author ; who, with MeiT. Low- 
 man, Daubuz, and others who wrote before him, 
 have applied the plagues and judgments mention- 
 ed in the Apocalypfe, to the Roman empire \ e- 
 fpecially in the feals and trumpets, without ta- 
 king any* or very little notice of the church, 
 during the time of them. On the contrary, we 
 have applied the prophecies of Daniel, Paul, and 
 John, mc ftly to the church ; for, as has been for- 
 merly obierved, we cannot imagine the 3-piiit of 
 God who dictated thefe prophecies', would whol- 
 ly overlook the ftate of the church for f© long a 
 fpace of time, feeing all former prophecies feem- 
 ed to centre, in a great meafure, in that fingle 
 point alone \ we mean Chrift and h:S church" ; 
 but whatever was predicted concerning the fur- 
 sounding nations^ was only in reference to their 
 
 connection 
 
 ■ 
 
( *S3 ) 
 
 Connection with her, either ancient or modertt! 
 Asanevicler.ee of this, no hint is givet! us of 
 
 many great empires and kingdoms of the world, 
 but what are connected with her. 
 
 We would not, however, be underftood to 
 fuppofe, that the judgments denounced in that 
 facred book, are whol : y to be applied to the per- 
 fections of the church, lye. bur thev may have 
 a double accomplishment in both. For, as Di 
 Hard fays, page 6r. " There is reafon to be- 
 lieve, that more than one fenfe was purpofeiy 
 inclofed in fome of the prophecies ; and we find, 
 in facr, that the writers of the New Teftament 
 give to many of the old prophecies, an interpre- 
 tation very different and remote from that which 
 may reasonably be thought the primary and im^ 
 mediate view of the prophets thtmfelvcs. This 
 is what divines call the double fenfe of prophecy > 
 by which they mean an accomplifhment of it, in 
 more events than one ; in the fame fyftem indeed, 
 but at diftant intervals, and under different 
 parts of that fyftem. J> Therefore, fuppofing that 
 to be the cafe, we fee no reafon either to exclude 
 the church, or her enemies, from having their 
 fhare in thofe judgments denounced and predict- 
 ed in that facred book. 
 
 We fnall endeavour to compromife the matter 
 with thefe learned gentlemen who have gone be- 
 fore us, as far as pofiible, in a confiitency wich 
 £ru:h. As we have already obferved, there is a 
 Uniform method preferred in prophecy, from the 
 beginning of Genens, to the end of Revelation ; 
 whatever is predicted in the Old Teftame ar, 
 which- does not particularly concern the Jews, 
 or after the n, the Gentile church, but has a re- 
 ference to the furrounding nations, fuch as the 
 A fly --ly Ionian s, Macedonians, Romans, 
 
 and others \ It concerns them no further, as was 
 £aid ; than as they ha* a fome connection with the 
 B b 3 church* 
 
w 
 
 ( 294 ) 
 
 ctvurcb. At-the fame time, the hiftory of the 
 Jewifh nation is diiiinftly narrated in all its par- 
 ticular circumfiances ; but no fuch hiftory is 
 given of :-ny of thefe nations in facred writ. Can 
 we fuppofe the fame infinite wifdom, which dic- 
 tated the Apocalypfe, would concifely forctel all 
 the little trifling events cf the Roman empire, 
 and overlook the dreadful perfecutions of the 
 Chriftians, both under the emperors and popes \ 
 aifo the decline of primitive Chriftianity, and 
 the rife and prcgrefs of Popery, efpecially in 
 thefe fen Is, trumpets, and vials, which compre- 
 hend the whose fpace from John's time to the 
 end ? Surely not : the fame fyrabolical way of 
 writing, and the fame kind of images, are ftricl- 
 ly obferved by the infpired penman ; as Bifhop 
 Newton very pertinently remarks Why then 
 exclude the church, in a great meafure, more 
 than formerly, from being the chief object: of this 
 prophecy r Doubtlefs, the events that were to 
 nappen to the furrounding nations, alluded to in 
 it, are only as enifodes in a poem ; but the 
 church is the chier theme of the prophecy. Now, 
 fuppofing this to be the cafe, (which we think 
 is pretty evident, from what has been faid), we 
 give it as cur opinion, (with all due deference 
 to men of fuperior talents), that thefe extraneous 
 events, are only fecondary parts in the great 
 fcheme of revelation ; and ought neither to be 
 wholly excluded, nor yet to exclude others, which 
 appear to be the chief defign of the prophecy. 
 Now, fuppcfing a reconciliation has taken 
 lace, and that Protefiants view things in the 
 ame light with refpeel to Antichrift, efpecially 
 as to the principal characters of him, recorded 
 in fciipture ; and that many of them, at Jeaft, 
 have been (hewn to belong to the tyranny now 
 cxifting in papal Rome. For, as Mr Halifax fays, 
 in Lib eleventh fcrn.cn on prophecy, " Firft of 
 
 alL 
 
 1 
 
 \ ) 
 
( 295 ) 
 
 all, this power is certainly a Roman one. 2. It 
 is confined to the limits of the Latin or weftcro 
 empire. 3. It arofe among the ten kingdoms, 
 into which that empire was parted by the north- 
 ern Barbarians. 4 Its thr f ;e or feat, is the 
 city of Rome. 5. It is a Chridian power. And, 
 6. It is discriminated from ail others, by being 
 of the Spiritual and ecclefiaftical kind." 
 
 Firft then, In the primitive church, the 
 parity of bifhops was admitted without excep- 
 tion ; and no one had any pre-eminence over the 
 reft, but what arofe from the dignity of the fee 
 to which he was defied On this account the 
 bifhops of Rome, which had fo long been the 
 feat of government, and the metropolis of the 
 weftern w r orld, were entitled to fome degree of 
 refpe£t, over and above what was due to prelates 
 of inferior diftricls ; and the fame honour was 
 paid to the bifhops of Antioch and Alexandria, 
 as rulers of the earlieft of the Cbriftian church- 
 es ; and afterwards to the bifhops of Constanti- 
 nople, when the imperial refidence was transfer- 
 red to that city : but the diftinction of rank and 
 pre-eminence, thus tacitly allowed to thefe four 
 bifhops, was not thought to imply a diftinclion 
 of power and authority. They, with others of 
 their brethren, were equally bound by the laws 
 and edicts of the emperors ; all were alike fup- 
 pofed, to have received thtir function from the 
 appointment of Ch; ill alone, and not from any 
 conceffions of the fucceffor of St Peter. And 
 when, fo early as the third century, the Roman 
 pontiff prefumed to domineer above his fellows, 
 the attempt was treated by Cyprian bifhop of 
 Carthage, with the utmofl fcorn and indigna- 
 tion. 
 
 It happened, toward the clofe of the following 
 century, '.about the year 372) that a law was 
 propofed by Valeutiniap, and accepted by the 
 
 unwary 
 
i 
 
 ( 296 ) 
 
 unwary prelates in terms of approbation •, that- 
 all the difputes which might happen to arife a- 
 mong the members of the Epifcopal order, fhould 
 be referred for the hearing of the bifherp of Rome : 
 the reafon ailigued was, th&t religious difFeren- 
 ces might not be carried before profane or fecu^ 
 lar judges •, and probably the' law itfelf was mere- 
 ly temporary, at leaft was never defigned to ex- 
 tend beyond the fuburbicarian ' provinces, the 
 only ones within the jurifdiclion of the R.omifrr 
 fce.^ From this circumitance, we may date the 
 origin of that lpiri ual defpotifm, which the 
 popes found means to erect, and to which ail 
 iiurcpe was induced to conform with unlimited 
 obedience. It is curious to trace the fteps, by 
 which fo wonderful an influence over the mines 
 of men was eifeclcd. 
 
 After palling of the above law, it became no* 
 unufual thing, for fubordinate prelates, when in-- 
 vaded in their rights, to have recourfe for afiift- 
 ance to the Roman bifhop; who, far from being 
 difpleafed at fuch an application, always decided; 
 for thofe who fled to him ; and took an eafy oc- 
 cafion from thence, to increafe his own auLhoii- 
 ty and importance. The declining fiate of the 
 emperors, added to their ab fence from the impe- 
 rial city, was a new opportunity offered to the 
 popes, to govern there without controul ; and the 
 Quarrels fo famous in h 1 it cry between the bilhops 
 of Rome and Conftantinople, the one aiming at 
 fupremacy, the other mere moderately labouring 
 to preferve his independence, and which did not 
 end but with the total feparatic-n of theLa'in and 
 Greek churches, are an ample proof, that the 
 fame endeavours to gain an afcendancy, were 
 not wanting in the eaft. But the acceiiions of 
 power hitherto acquired, were much too fcanty 
 to fatisfy the growing ambition of thefb ghoftly 
 rulers. Not cent-eat with the advantages, ic 
 
 fraudulently 
 
 ^v_ 
 
I ( 297 ) 
 
 ■fraudulently obtained over their brethren of the 
 hierarchy, they aiTerted next, as vifiblc heads of 
 the church, their authority was fuperior to that 
 of all fynods and councils, whether provincial 
 or general ; none of which, it was pretended, 
 couid be legally convened, but by their permif- 
 fion ; and whofe determinations were of no vali- 
 dity, unlefs inforced and ratified by their fen- 
 tence. It was an eafy ftep, after this, to proceed 
 to whatever higher degrees of arrogance they 
 pleafed ; to aflame the riifpofal of ecclefiaftical 
 offices, and honours of every kind; to demand 
 an exemption foi themfclves, and for all the or- 
 ders of the clergy, from lecular juftice •, to pro- 
 mote appeals to their own courts ; to exalt their 
 own decifions, and thofe of the canons, above 
 the injunctions of fenpture ; and, in ajword, to 
 acl in all refpe&s, as divinely appointed menarchs 
 of the church of Chrift. Nothing remained to 
 render the fyftem of tyranny complete, but to 
 exert the fame tranfeendent prerogative over 
 princes and fovertigns, as they already ex-rcifed 
 over ^he bifhops und clergy ; from the ceremony 
 permuted to them of crowning, to infer the right 
 of making kings; cf abfolvtng fubjecU from their 
 allegiance; cf trying, condemning, and deft roy- 
 ing refractory monarch s ; and transferring their 
 fcepties to new mafttrs, more fubfervient to their 
 will. Nor was it long before the ill-judged muni- 
 ficence of the emperors, on whom, till now, they 
 had been dependent, enabled them to reach this 
 fublimeft pinacle of prieftly pride ; and, in con- 
 fequence of a power derived to them from Jefus 
 Chrift, to degrade to the lowed a£ts cf humilia- 
 tion, to excommunicate their benefactors, and 
 depofe them. The execution of this laft impiety, 
 which had been meditated before, was kept for 
 the times of the profligate Hildebrand, better 
 known by the name of Gregory VII. j whofe po- 
 litic*! 
 
fi 
 
 ( 298 ) 
 
 litical difcernment, and intrepid temper, un- 
 checked by any reuraints from moral principles, 
 qualified him, in an eminent manner* to advance 
 the papal fupremacy to its .greyed height. And 
 to this fpccies of oppreflkn, which w:>s hereafter 
 to have place in the Chriftian churchy the pro- 
 phets are thought to prelude ; when they hold 
 cut to us Antichrift, as having a mouth fp^aking 
 great things, and a look more flout than his fel- 
 lows, and thinking to change times and laws, 
 Dan. vii. 20. 25. 5 as oppofing and magnifying 
 himfelf, above all that is called God, or that is 
 worshipped, 2 TheiT. ii. 4.; and caufing all, both 
 fmall and great, rich and poor, free and bond, 
 to receive his mark in their forehead, Rev. 
 xiii. j6. 
 
 Secondly, The Redeemer of mankind, before 
 he afcended to heaven ; from whence coropaf- 
 iion to a miferabl e bad brought him down, 
 
 delivered rq his difciples a rule of faith; which 
 was by them committed to writing in the New 
 Teftament y and by which the molt ordinary ca- 
 pacity may be furnilhed with that wifdom, that 
 will make him wife unto falvation, 2 Tim. iii. 15. 
 To this rule, which, in the (tricleft fenfe, may 
 be called infallible, we Proteltants prefefs foleiy 
 to adhere ; fo that whatever proportion is not, 
 either exprefsly, or by fair and logical confe- 
 quence, deduced from it, ought not, of neceffity, 
 to be made an article of a Chriftian's creed. But 
 a rule, fo direct as this, was but little fuited to 
 the crooked politics of the church of Rome ; 
 ■which therefore, in defiance of a pofitive com- 
 mand, Deut xii. 32. Rev. xxii. 18. 19. has add- 
 ed to the doctrines of God's book, a long lift of 
 others, handed down, as is alledged, by tradi- 
 tion, through a courfe of fevenreen hundred 
 years ; and to be received with the fame reverence 
 as holy fcripture. If it be afkee,'TJow are'we to 
 
 know, 
 
( 2 09 ) 
 
 know, that none of thefe traditional doctrines 
 have been changed, or mutilatedjn palling through 
 fo many hands ? we are anfwered, they have al- 
 ways been admitted as genuine by the judgment of 
 the catholic church \ and that judgment, in mat- 
 ters of faith at leaft, is infallible. If we go on 
 to afk, In what part of the catholic church this 
 fame infallibility refides ? fomc of their writers 
 tell us, it is in the pope ; others, in a general 
 council ; a third fort, in the pope and a general 
 council together -, whilft others maintain, that it 
 is diftufed through all the members of the Pvo- 
 miih communion *, and others again, that it ex- 
 ills in the collective body of Cnriftians, where- 
 ever fituated in the world. When Proteftants 
 are urged for a reafon of the hope that is in them, 
 I Pet. iii. 15. they refer, with confidence, to the 
 written word; which is the only authorifed {land- 
 ard of theological truth, and comprehends what- 
 ever is required from a Chrifiian, either to believe 
 or do. When Papifts, to this original and all- 
 fufficient rule, would add another, derived from 
 tradition, which they recommend to us as more 
 complete, and alfo as infallible ; we reply, that 
 all tradition is uncertain in its nature ; and on 
 the boafted quality of infallibility, we can have 
 no reliance, fince the very church, which claims 
 to be in pofidfion of it, has never yet been able 
 to determine where it is to be found. 
 
 If the church of Rome be thus culpable, in 
 arrogating to itferlf infallibility, it is equally to be 
 blamed for afiuming another divine attribute, the 
 forgivenefs of fins. The conditions, on which 
 this invaluable privilege was granted to thofe 
 who were converted from a ftate of Heathenifni 
 to Chrifthnity, were repentance towards God, 
 and faith towards cur Lord Jefus Chrift, Acts xx. 
 2(. As to fuch who are already profeffed Chri- 
 stians, and, through infirmity or furprife, have 
 
 fallen 
 
( 3<* ) 
 
 fallen from their integrity, they are to exercife faith 
 and renewed obedience for the future. To pu- 
 blifh thefe offers of mercy, to an unbelieving and 
 guilty world, was the great bufinefs of the apoftles 
 miniftry; when, in virtue of a commiiSon frorhi 
 their Lord and matter, they went forth preaching 
 peace by Jefus Chrift, Acts x. 3*. and proclaim- 
 ed, to Jew and Gentile, the glad tiding > of that 
 religion; according to the terms of which, as then 
 declared^ by them on earth, every man's fentence ? 
 whether of acquittal or condemnation, would be 
 finally decided in heaven, Matth xvi. 19. John xx, 
 2?. Further power of abfolving or retaining fins, 
 the apoflles themfelves had not ; and we have no 
 reafon to conclude, that greater authority, in fo 
 important a point, is conferred on their iefs en- 
 lightened fucceiTors. Yet the church of Rome* 
 with a boldnefs that is beyond conception, has 
 dared to alter the original conditions of accept- 
 ance prornulged in the New Teirament, and to 
 impofe others of its own •, of which, it is hard to 
 fay, whether they be more repugnant to fenfe or 
 honefty. Inftead of that pious forrow, which 
 flovvs from the love of Go J, and worketh repent- 
 ance to falvaticn, not to be., repented of, 2 Cor. 
 vii. 10. they have fubilituted what they call at- 
 trition, cr fervite fear of punifhment, accompa- 
 nied with abfolution, if it can be had, as fuffi- 
 cient for the lemiffionof the greateft guilt. In- 
 ftead of that amendment of life, which both 
 fcripture and reafon affirm is the one thing need* 
 ful to regain the favour of our offended Maker, 
 they teach, that confeffion to a prieft, together, 
 with an arbitrary penance enjoined by him, is of 
 ample merit to acone for the breaches of the mo- 
 ral law. In derogation of the purifying efficacy 
 of the blood of Chnft, w r hich, as the apollle 
 fpeaks " cleanfeth us from all fin," 1 John i. 7* 
 and difcharges all its ftains, they pretend, that 
 
 fouls 
 
 \\ 
 
( 3»« > 
 
 fouls in a feparate (late are purged fr-om the dlM 
 filements contracted here, by the fire! of a fabu- 
 lous purgatory. And by the fcandalous doctrine 7 
 Dhat pardons for every iniquity, whether com- 
 mitted or defigned, may be purchafed for moneys 
 and the more fcandalous practice of expofing in- 
 dulgences to open fale, they ';have vacated the 
 obligations to that holinefs, without which no 
 man mall fee the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. Who now 
 that reflects on fuch an impious invailon of the 
 prerogative belonging to God alone, and at the 
 fame time -remembers what is faid in the fare 
 word of prophecy, 2 Pet. i. 19. of the great cor- 
 ruption that was to happen in after times in the 
 churth ef Chrift, can help being perfuadedj that 
 the inftances now advanced were principally in 
 the minds of the infpired penmen, when trrey de- 
 scribed Antichrift, as fpeaking marvellous things 
 againft the God of gods, Dan. ix. 39. fitting as 
 God in the temple of God, ihewing himfelf that 
 he is God, 2 TheiT. ii. 4. and opening his mouth 
 in blafphemy againft God, to blaiphsme his 
 name, Rev. xiii. 6. ? 
 
 Thirdly, No fooner hadtheChriftians emerged 
 from a (late of perfecution, under the Heathul 
 emperors, than comparing, as was natural, their 
 prefent and pad conditions, they were led to con- 
 template, with an uncommon degree of appro- 
 bation, the character of thefe holy men, who, 
 by the purity of their lives, and conftancy of their 
 furTerings even unto death, had given the mod 
 honourable atteftation to the truth and excellence 
 ef their religion, and had been the inilruments 
 of procuring for them much of the peace and fe- 
 curity they now enjoyed. Gratitude, affection* 
 every virtuous movement of the mind, concur- 
 red to promote fo juft an efteem for perfons fo 
 highly deferring -> and many were incited to e- 
 mulate fueh glorious examples, and to be follow* 
 C c crs 
 
y 
 
 { 3°* ) 
 crs of til em who through faith and patience in« 
 herited the -pronvfes, Ileb. vi. 12. But the con- 
 fines of right and wrong, like thofe of light and 
 fhade, aie fep3rated by narrow, and almoft im- 
 perceptible limits ; and, from a due regard to 
 an extravagant veneration, the tranfirion was too. 
 eafy. The fathers of the fourth century, inftead- 
 of moderating this growing evil, inflamed it by- 
 their indifcrerions. The tombs of the primi- 
 tive Christians were chofen as fit places for the 
 exercifes of devotion ; the graves where their 
 bodies had been depofited, were fought with an 
 over-cautious diligence ; virions and revelation* 
 were called in, to ditcover their relies ; which 
 were preferved with the mod anxious care, as 
 never-failing remedies again ft the power of evil 
 fpirits, raid natural difeafes ; and as the Gentiles, 
 from honouring their heroes, exalted them info 
 demons, or inferior divinities, fo Chriftians, 
 from the fame principle Gf fuperftirion, operating 
 J in finiilar circumftances, advanced their martyrs 
 into heaven, and invoked them as the beflower3 
 of prefent 2nd future bleffings. All t^zfe errors 
 were foilered and increafed, by the bigotry of 
 the church of. Rome; in which, real angels, 
 and fictitious faints, are equally addrefTed, as 
 the patrons and advocates of mankind ; and the 
 interceffion of the virgin Mary, in particular, is 
 fuppiicated, as even more available than that of 
 her holy child Jefus- Among other inftances of 
 unlawful adoration, invented by the fame idola- 
 trous fociety, we may reckon here, that mod 
 (hocking and abfurd one, which is paid to the- 
 bread and wine in the celebration of the eucha- 
 nit. This practice was originally begun on an o- 
 pinion, firtt conceived by an enthufiaft of the 
 ninth century, that the elements after confecra- 
 tion tranfubfiantiated, or changed, into the body 
 and blood of Chrifi •, and fuch a doctrine, how- 
 ever 
 
 ■ 
 
( 3°3 ) 
 
 ever conf arfxtcd by the palpable teftimony of 
 
 fenfe, being calculated to infpirc ideas of awe and 
 horror, whicrrare always wanted in a falfe reli- 
 gion, was erected, in the thirteenth century, in- 
 to an article of faith, not to be refufed under pain 
 of damnation. The form of woruYip was equally 
 reprehenfibie with the objects of it. Images and 
 pictures of thofe who had acquired the fame of 
 lingular piety, were early made, and almoft as 
 eariy looked up to, as animated wi:h the presence 
 of the ptrfonswhom they refembled. And though 
 this fpecics of religious homage was oppofed, and 
 with various fuccefs, for i 20 years, it afterwards 
 obtained the fanction of the fecond council of 
 of Nice, and has been continued Gnce, without 
 interruption, among the votaries of the papal ice* 
 It is fuperfiuous to add, that all the obfervances, 
 .mentioned here, are not only not commanded in 
 Jcripture, but are indirect violation of it ; incon- 
 .fiftent with the ferviees we owe to God, even the 
 Father, and irreconcilable with that exclufive 
 regard we are enjoined to pay to the mediation 
 of his Son. Yet, unfcriptural and forbidden as 
 they are, they were diftincTtly foretold, many ages 
 ago, by the holy prophets ; when they reprefent 
 the apoitacy of the latter times, as confuting in 
 honouring, together with the true God, Mahuz- 
 zim> that is, angels and departed faints, in gi- 
 ving heed to feducmg fpirits, and doctrines con- 
 cerning demons, and caufing the earth, and the;;* 
 that dwell therein, to make an image to thebeait,, 
 Dan. xi. 38. 39. 1 Tim. iv. 1. Rev. x'ii. 12. 14* 
 
 15- 
 
 Fourthly, The fame fpirit of fuperftition which 
 •produced an idolatrous veneration of the martyrs* 
 difcovereditfelf in another and more extraordinary 
 way. The Roman republic, among other ufeful 
 inftitutions, propofed rewards and honours for 
 the encouragement of lawful matrimony; and 
 C c 2 Conftantinc 
 
# 
 
 / 
 
 ( 
 
 ( 3°4 ) 
 £V:nilaniin£ himftlf had irdire&ly favoured this 
 ftate, by granting the benefits of iegimiic-ion to 
 children born in concubinage, provided the pa- 
 rents imcrmarried afterwards. But the notions 
 v i'hich then began to prevail, of the fuperior me- 
 rit of celibacy, induced this emperor to depart 
 from bis own wife maxims^ and to repeal the fa- 
 mous Parian Jaw, enacted by Auguflus, for the 
 exprefs rurpofe of conferring privileges on thofe 
 \s he were the parents of a numerous offs ■: ing. 
 The Christians, already tinctured with farteticifro, 
 eagerly adopted the ideas of the reigning prince ; 
 and, deprived of the opportunity of difplaying 
 their zeal, by dying for the caufe of Ch rift, were 
 fond of infiicling voluntary fuilerings on them- 
 feives. In order to cultivate a more intimate 
 communion with God, multitudes, or both lexes, 
 retired into caves and defarts ; where, abandon- 
 ing all human connections, they devoted them- 
 felves to a rigorous poverty, and fingle life. 
 Thefe principles and practices were 'nothing 
 more, at firft, than the genuine effects of fimp le 
 fuperflition ; but the Roman pontiff, with his 
 fubtlety, took advantage cf the ruling weaknefs, 
 and converted it into one of the n.oit powerful 
 engines to extend his own dominion. That 
 crafty prelate was too fenfible, not to perceive, 
 that the chief circumftance, which attach- 
 ed the clergy to fecular concerns, was the love 
 they bare their children and families ; and that 
 thing was more likely to fubdue them to an en- 
 tire conformity to his will, than depriving them 
 £>f this object of affection, and engaging them 
 folely to the intercfls of their own order. To 
 promote this defign, the mod extravagant praifes 
 were lavifhed on a fingle life; which was recom- 
 mended as highly laudable in all, and urged as the 
 indifper.fible duty of thofe, who, by their office, 
 were obliged to an exemplary purity, and ad- 
 mitted 
 
< 3°5 ) 
 ftiitted into a nearer intercourfe with Heaven, 
 This mafter-ilroke of policy was effected in the 
 eleventh century, by the intrigues of Grego- 
 ry VII. ; when, in J'pire of the propenfities of 
 nature, in fpite of the plaineft directions of fciin- 
 tu;e, which commends the ftate of marriage 
 in general, as honourable in all, Heb. xiii. *j« 
 and gives particular precepts concerning that of 
 bi 1I1 ops, prcfoyters and deacons, 1 Tim. iii. r. 
 11. Tit. i. 6. the primary command of Provi- 
 dence was blafphemoufly infringed, and an in- 
 violable celibacy was impofed on all the orders of 
 the clergy. But thus it was, that the fpirit of 
 prophecy had before declared ; by which we are 
 taught, that the fame Antichriftian power, which 
 fhould enjoin the worfhip of demons, fhould not 
 regard the defire of women, Dan. xi. 37. ; and 
 that, among other abominable doctrines introdu- 
 nuced by him, this of forbidding to marry fhould 
 be one, 1 Tim. iv. 3. 
 
 Fifthly, The religion of Jefus, like that of Mofes, 
 was eftablifhed by figna and wonders ; which are 
 the proper credentials of a revelation coming from 
 God, and were attended with all thefe characters 
 of truth, which the moft fcrupulous enquirer 
 could demand, They were exhibited ill public, 
 before enemies and friends, in a learned and in- 
 quifitive age, and on the moft eminent theatre in 
 the world j r\ey were employed in the confedera- 
 tion of doctrines worthy of God, and of the uf- 
 moft importance to mankind ; they were accoin- 
 panied with no appearance of vanity or oftenta- 
 tion, and brought no gain or advantage to the 
 performers •, and all of them are attefted by per- 
 sons, who gave the moft decifive proofs of their 
 integrity, by chufing rather to die than to deny 
 them. On this footing the evidence for the go- 
 fpel-miracles ftands, and the teftimoriy which e- 
 ftablifhes them, is fo circumfhnced, that its 
 falsehood would even be more miraculous, than 
 C&\3 the 
 
n 
 
 A 
 
 ( 306 J 
 
 the miracles it relates; fo that, by the confeffioiT 
 of fcepticifm itfeif, the molt academic faith, with- 
 out incurring the difgrace of incredulity, may af- 
 ford them its afient. The religion of papal Rome 
 alio boafts its prodigies, and of the mod a (ton idl- 
 ing kind : but, inftead of recommending them-- 
 felves to the bettef of a fober examiner, they bear 
 about them the plained indications of fraud and 
 folly. Many have been detected by contrary evi- 
 dence; many detect themfelves by their abfurdi- 
 ty ; feme are ie : ated by fufpicious perfons, others- 
 are wrought for fufp-icious purpofes, to foorhe 
 the errors, and fubferve the intetefts of a party ;. 
 and befides the innate marks of falfehood with? 
 which they abtnnd, they are of that very fort, ; 
 which are recorded in fcripture, as clear and un- 
 erring notes of Antic&rift: for thus it is, that: 
 the fori of perdition is pourtrayed by St Paul and 
 St John ; whole corning is after tne working of 
 Satan, with all power, and figns, and lying won* 
 cers ; and deceiveth rhem that dwell on the earth,, 
 by means of the miracles which he hath power 
 to do. 
 
 Sixthly, But we have not yet attained the com*- 
 plere idea of Popifti pravity. For when now the Ro- 
 man pontiff had worked his way to a fupre raacy r 
 unknown," and unallowed in the church of Chriit, 
 and on the ffrength of that fupremrwy had proud- 
 ly arrogated divine honours ; when he had con- 
 taminated the parity of the Chriiiian faith, by 
 the worfhip of idol-meoiators ; and trampled on 
 the rights of humanity, by an unnatural, and un- 
 commanded ceiebacy ; and to all. thefe inftances 
 of corruption, had added the iliufive arts of pre- 
 tended miracles; then it was that he filled up the 
 rneafuie of his guilt, by exerting his ill-gotten 
 power, to the horrid purpofes of perfecution* 
 This lait contrivance, the opprobrium of humaa 
 nature, as well as of revealed religion, though 1 
 
 permit tett. 
 
 \ 
 
( 3° 7 ) 
 
 permitted to difgracc other communities, wars no- 
 where reduced into a fyftem but in the church 
 of Rome : ;md there indeed we find the principles. 
 of this* fyftem laid open, and exemplified in all 
 their dreadful forms \ fometimes occasionally, ir* 
 the cruelties exercifed towards thofe faithful wit- 
 neiTes, who refufed to worfliip the ini^ge of ther 
 bead, Rev. xi. 3. and xiii. 15. and more pr©~ 
 ftlTed'.y in that infernal tribunal ot the inquifl- 
 tion. Here again, as the faprcd prophets have 
 condefcerded to notice other parts of this extra- 
 ordinary character, we are the lefs to wonder, if 
 this, the finifhing one, he particularly defcribed m r 
 fiift, hy Daniel, where the little hern makes war 
 with the faints, and wears them out, and pre- 
 vails agamft them, Dan. vii. 2r. 25. ; and after- 
 wards, by St John, w r here Babylon, the mother 
 of harlots, is drunken with the blood of the 
 faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jefus, 
 Rev. xvii 6. and xviii. 24, 
 
 It may be thought, that the errors here object- 
 ed to Popery, to which a variety of others might 
 have been added, were introduced by popes, 
 whofe piivate vices were as flagitious, as their 
 public government was tyrannical. But the truth 
 is, all the Roman bifhops, from the reign of Con- 
 it. antine, uniformly laboured to extend their ju- 
 rifdiction ; and with unrelaxing perfeverance car- 
 ried on the fame fcheme. The hands which field 
 the reins of empire, were changed ; but the fpirit 
 which guided them was the f .me. Every new 
 pontiff adopted the fchemes of his predeceilbrs - y 
 and one encroachment was ftill fucceeded by an- 
 other, till at length the fabric of fuperftition was 
 perfected, and towered above the clouds. 
 
 And here, by way of application, we may ob- 
 ferve, that all endeavours to eff-Ct a reconcilia- 
 tion with the church of Rome, mull: ever be vain 
 and fruitless. Such a comprehendon^ even upon 
 
 tue 
 
( 3°« ) 
 
 the moderate plan that has been propofed by Gro- 
 tius, and others, is absolutely impoirible. The 
 Roman communion, by its abfurd pretences to 
 infallibility, has precluded itfclf from receding 
 from any of its rood obnoxious tenets •, and Pro- 
 teftants, from the very nature of their principles, 
 are incapable of making any concc (lions. What 
 fellowship hath jighteoufnels with unrighteouf- 
 r.efs ? what communion hath light w T ith darknefs? 
 what concord hath Chrilt with Belial ? and v/hat 
 agreement hath the temple of God with idols ? 
 *' Wherefore come out from among them, and 
 u be ye Separate, faith the Lord, and touch not 
 fl the unclean thing; and I will receive you; and 
 €t I will be a Father unto you ; and ye fhall be 
 u my fons and daughters, faith the Lord AU 
 u mighty," 2 Cor. vi. 14. 15. or. 
 
 No doubt many of our readers will be apt to 
 accufe us of plagiarifm, or* at the belt, to tell us, 
 that our effay has little or no originality in it, but 
 that it is, almofl entirely, a collection from other 
 authors who have wrote before us upon the fubjedt. 
 To which we reply, what are mod books that have 
 appeared for thefe feveral years pail, only with this 
 difference, that many of thefe elegant authors have 
 taken the fentiment of others, and clothed it with a 
 a new drefs, perhaps, more refined than fome of 
 their predeceiTors ? and though none of them, 
 "which we have feen, have inferted in their work 
 fo long extracts as we have done, yet ail of them 
 have, \th or more, followed the fame practice* 
 r i he reader will eafily perceive, that even the 
 learned Bifhop Newton, with an extract from 
 wiiofe excellent performance, we defign to con- 
 clude this Appendix, has given fome pretty large 
 extracls from others. 
 
 In his recapitulation of the prophecies relating 
 to Popery, this very judicious and learned biihop 
 fays, " Upon the whole it appears, that the pro- 
 phecies 
 
. ( 3°9 ) 
 
 phccies relating to Popery, are the greateft, the 
 mo't efltntial, and mod ftriking pait of the Re- 
 velation. Whatever difficulty or perplexity there 
 may be in other paflaget, yet here the application 
 is obvious aid eafy. Popery being the great cor- 
 ruption of Chriltianiry, there are indeed more 
 prophecies relating to that, than to almoft any 
 other ciftant event. It is a great object of Da- 
 niel's, and the principal object of St Paul's, as of 
 St John's prophecies ; and thefe, confidered and 
 compared together, will mutually receive, and 
 reflect light from, and upon each other. It 
 will appear to be clearly foretold, that fuch a 
 power as that of the pope fhould be exercifed in 
 the Chriftian world ; and ihould authorife, and 
 eftabhfh fuch doctrines and practices as are 
 publicly taught and approved in the church of 
 Rome. It is not only foretold that fuch a power 
 Ihould be exercifed, but the place and perfons al- 
 fo, are pointed out ; where, and by whom it 
 fhould be exercifed. Befides. the place and per- 
 fons, the time alfo is iigriified, when it Ihould 
 prevail, slnd how long it fhould prevail ; and at 
 lait, upon the expiration of this term, it mail be 
 destroyed for evtrmore. It is thought proper to 
 reprefent the prophecies relating to Pop ry in 
 one view, that, like th? rays of the fun collected 
 in a glafs, they may appear with the greater 
 lut>re, and have the ftronger effect, 
 
 I fay, the fpiri.t of prophecy hath fignified be- 
 fore hand, tha: there Ihould be fuch a power as 
 that of the pope and church of Rome, ufurped 
 in the Chriltian world : and thefe predictions 
 are fo plain and exprefs, that was not the con- 
 trary evident and undeniable, they might feem 
 to be penned after the event; and to defcribe 
 things pall, rather rhrn to foretel things to come. 
 F^r inftance, hath there now for many ages fub- 
 fifted, and doth there itill iubfiil, a tyrannical, 
 
 idolatrous^ 
 
t 
 
 ( 3 10 ) 
 
 Idolatrcus, and blafphemous power, in pretence 
 Chriftian, but in leallty Anticnriflian ? it is the 
 very feme power, that is pourtrayed in the little 
 horn, and blafphemous king, by Daniel ; in the 
 man of fin, and fon of perdition, by Paul; and in 
 the ten-horned bead and two horned-beaft, or 
 the falfe prophet, by St John. Hath the church 
 apoftatized, or departed greatly from the purity 
 of Chriftian faith and warfnip ? It is the very 
 fame thing that the apoftle Paul hath foretold, 
 2 Their, ii. 3. The day of the Lord fhall not 
 come, except there come a falling away, or the 
 apoftacy firlt : and he faith in 1 Tim, iv. 1. 
 that the fpirit of prophecy, (meaning, in Daniel), 
 had, in txprefs words, testified the fame thing 
 before. Now the fpirit fpeaketh exprefs-ly, that 
 ' in the lait times, fome (hall depart from the 
 faith, or rather apoflatize from the faith : and 
 John faw the church fo far degenerate, as to be- 
 come (Rev. xvii. 5.) the mother of harlots or 
 .whoredoms, and abominations of the earth. 
 Does this apoftacy con fill: chiefly in the worfhip- 
 ping of demons, angels, and depan-Ju faints % > 
 and in honouring them with cofdy (brines, and 
 rich offerings, inftead of the worfhip of the one 
 true God, through the one true Mediator be- 
 tween God and man, the man Chrift Jefus ? 
 Nothing can better agree with the prophecy of 
 Paul, 1 Tim. iv. 1. fome ihall apoflatize from 
 the faith, giving heed to feducing fpirits, and 
 dcdlrines concerning demons ^ and with the pro- 
 phecy of Daniel, (chap. ii. 38.), that the blaf- 
 phemous kingj in his eftate, fhall honour M&* 
 kuzzirxy gods-protectors, or faints- protectors j 
 and a god whom his fathers knew not, fhall he 
 honour with gold and filver, and precious flones, 
 and pieafunt things. Is the feme church that is 
 guilty of this idolatry, notorious alfo for enjoin- 
 jmg to her clergv, and engaging her nuns to en- 
 ter 
 
r 
 
 ( in ) 
 
 Into vows of leading a fingle life? Doth ; 
 make a vain diitin&iori of meats and comm-.nds, 
 an<d inflitute certain times and days of fallings 
 wherein to touch flefh, is judged a mortal fin ? 
 Nothing can more fully accomplish the prediction' 
 of Daniel, (chap. xi. 33.)? that the blafphemous 
 king who (hail worfhip Mohutzim^ (hall aifo not 
 regard the defife of wives : and the prediction of 
 Paul, 1 Tim. iv. 3. that chofe who (hail apofta- 
 tize from the faith, by worshipping demons, fliaU 
 no lefs diftinguifti themfelves by forbidding to 
 marry, and commanding to abftain from meats, 
 which God hath created to be received with 
 thankfgiving, of them who believe and know the 
 ruth. Doth the pope make himfelf equal, and 
 even fuperior to God, in affecting titles, attri- 
 butes, and honours ; in afluming a power of dif- 
 penfmg with the immutable laws of nature and 
 the gofpcl ; in fubflituting for the command- 
 ments of God the traditions of men 5 treading 
 upon the altar <f God at his inauguration, and 
 in making of the* table of the Lord his footftoo! *, 
 and in that poftufe receiving the adoration of 
 his cardinals? It is told by Daniel, (chap, vii. 25.), 
 tint the little horn mould fpeak great words a- 
 gainft the Moil High, and think to change times 
 and laws ; znd xi. 36. " The king (hall do ac- 
 €t cording to his will, and he fnali exalt himfelf, 
 " and magnify himfelf above etfcry god, and 
 iv fpeak marvellous things agai&ft tht God of 
 u gods :" and in like manner oy St Paul, 2 Theff. 
 ii. 3.4. " The man of fin fllall be revealed, the 
 <c fon of perdition, who oppofeth and exalteth 
 * himfelf above all thaf is called God, or that is 
 <c worihipped ; fo that he, as God, fitteth in the 
 tl temple of God, fhewing himfelf that he ia 
 <c God.'' Have the bifhops of Rome extended 
 their authority and jurifdi£tion over feveral coun- 
 tries and nations ? Have they ufurped a fupre- 
 
 macy 
 
'' 
 
 { 3** ) 
 1ft\acy over all other bifhops ? Have they, partly 
 by menaces, and partly by flatteries, obtained ait 
 entire afcendancy over Chriilian princes, fo as to 
 have them zealous members of their communion, 
 blindly devoted to their interefl, and ready, upott 
 all occafions, to fight their battles ? It is nothing 
 more than what was foreto!J by the pfephets ; 
 by Daniel, when he faid, chap. viL 2. chat the 
 little horn had a mouth fpeaking great things, 
 and a look more ftout than his fellows \ and by 
 St John, when he faid, chap* xiii. 7. r< that 
 ** power was given to the bead over all kindreds, 
 ** and tongues, andnatidns -" and xviL 2. u The 
 €i kingdoms of the earth have committed forni- 
 €K cation oi* idolatry, with the whore of Baby- 
 M Ion;" and xviii. 23. c< have one mind, and 
 €i fhall give their power and ftrength unto the 
 u beaft." H*th the church of Rome enlarged 
 the powers of her clergy, both regular and fecu- 
 lar, giving them an almofl abfolute Authority o- 
 ver the purfes and confeiences o#men ; enriched 
 them with fumptuous buildings, and noble en- 
 dowments, and appropriated the choiceft of the 
 lands for the church-lands ? This was plainly in- 
 timated by Daniel, fpeaking of the blafphemous 
 king, as the paffage ihould be tranflated, chap.^ 
 xi. 39. " This (hall he do to the defenders of 
 c< Mahuzzittiy together with the ftrange gcd$ 
 €i whom he fhall acknowledge, he (hall multiply 1 
 u honour, and he fhall caufe them to rule over 
 u many, and fhall divide the land for gain." l£ 
 the church of Rome diftinguifhed above ail other 
 churches, by purple and fcarlet colour ; by the 
 richnefs and fplendor of her veitments ; by the' 
 pomp and parade of her ceremonies, enticing and 
 inveigling, with all artifices of ornament and o- 
 ftentation, to join in her communion ? This was 
 particularly fpecified by St John. fpeakiRg of 
 the myftic whore of Babylon, or the corrupted 
 
 church, 
 
( 3-3 ) 
 
 tAurcb, chap. xvii. 4. " And the woman was ar* 
 lc rayed in fcar^t-colour,'' $5\;. Have the bilhops 
 and clergy of R.ome, in all ages, been remarkable 
 for their policy ? Have they not fcrupled to pro- 
 mote their religion, by all manner of lies and pious 
 frauds ? Have they allowed of equivocation and 
 mental refervation, in oaths and promifes ; and. 
 with the appearance of lambs in meeknefs and 
 fanclity, acfted like ravening wolves, with fury 
 and violence ? Daniel hath given the fame cha- 
 racter of the little horn* chap. vii. 8. <c Behold hi 
 " this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and 
 u a mouth fpeaking great things ;" and Paul, of 
 the apoftates, 1 Tim. iv. 2. " Speaking lies in 
 " hypocrify, having their confeience feared with 
 u a hot iron ;" and St John of the two-horned 
 bcaft, chap. xiii. 11. " And I beheld another 
 " bead coming out of the earth, and he had two 
 u horns like a lamb, and he fpake as a dragon. y 
 Doth the church of R.ome boaft of vifions and re- 
 velations, and make a (hew of miracles in attesta- 
 tions of her doctrines ? Do her legends cofitam 
 as many fpurious and pretended wonders, as the 
 fcriptures do genuine and real ? From St Paul, 
 we learn, 2 Theff. ii. 9. 10. that the " coming 
 " of the man of fin, is after the working of Sa- 
 u tan, with all power, and figns, and lying won- 
 u ders ; and with ail deceivabenefs of unrigh- 
 * ( teoufnefs j ,? and from St John, Rev. xiii. 1 3. 
 14 that " the falfe prophet doth great wort- 
 %i ders in the fight of men, and deceiveth them 
 u who dwell on the earth, by the means of thefe 
 % ' miracles which he hath power to do." Doth 
 the church of Rome require implicit obedience, 
 and condemn all, who will not readily conform, as 
 heretics, and excommunicate and exclude them 
 from ail the civil intercourfe of life ? So the falfe 
 prophet, in John xvi. 17. €i caufeth all, both 
 %i fmaH and great, rich and poor, free and bond, 
 D d "to 
 
( 3M ) 
 
 € * to receive a mark in their right hand or fore- 
 4 * head •, and that no man might buy or fell, fave 
 " he that had the mark of the bead." Have the 
 Roman pontiffs occafioned the {bedding of as 
 much, and more Chriftian blood, than the Ro- 
 man emperors themfeives ? Have they all along 
 maintained their fpiritual fovereignty, by fecret 
 
 fl plots and inquifitions, open dragoon ings and 
 
 mafiacres, and imprifoned, and tortured and 
 murdered the true worfhippers of God, and the 
 faithful fervants of Jefu3 Chrill ? This prediction 
 of the prophets anfwers as well as the reft : for 
 J it is affirmed of the little horn, in Daniel vii. 21. 
 
 25. that he (hall make war with the faints, 
 and fhall prevail againft them 5 fhall fpeak great 
 words againft the Moll High, and (hall wear out 
 the faints of the Moil High ; and the woman in 
 the Revelation, Babylon the great, the mother of 
 barlots, crnp xvii. 6. is represented as " drun- 
 f ken with the blood of the faints, and with the 
 €i blood of the martyrs of Jefus*," and xviii. 24. 
 
 I €i In ber was found the blood of prophets, and 
 
 ) 1 C( cf faints, and of all that were llain upon the 
 
 " earth." 
 
 13efides thefe plain and direct prophecies, of 
 the corruptions and innovations of t lie church of 
 Rome, there are feveral fecret glances at them ; 
 feveral oblique intendments and intimations of 
 them. " Known unto God are all his works, 
 " from the beginning of tho world," Acts xv. 
 18. ; and when the Holy Spirit dictated to the 
 ancient prophets, the prophecies concerning 
 Babylon, lyre, and Egypt, and other tyranni- 
 cal and corrupt governments, he dictated them 
 in fuch a manner, as plainly evinces, that he 
 bad a farther view in this laft and moil tyranni- 
 cal and corrupt government of all. Babylon, 
 Tyre, and Egypt, are made the types and em- 
 blems of Rome; and many of the particulars 
 
 \ - predicted 
 
( 3f'S ) 
 
 predicted concerning the former, are more pro- 
 perly and truly applicable to the latter \ feverai 
 of them have been applied accordingly by St 
 John. Jeremiah laid, concerning ancient Baby- 
 lon, chap, li 7.4s. " Babylon hath been agof- 
 " den cup in ihe Lord's hand, that made all the 
 " earth drunken \ the nations have drunken of 
 " her wine, and therefore the nations are mad : 
 " my people go ye out of the midft of her, and 
 " deliver ye every man his own foul, from the 
 H fierce anger of the Lord.* But how mucii 
 more applicable are the expreflions, as St Joh.i 
 hath applied them to myftic Babylon or Rbme ? 
 Rev, xvii. 4, and x-viii. 3. 4. " She hath a go:- 
 " den cup in her hand, full of abominations/' &s* 
 The prophets themielves might not underdancl 
 this mydrcaiiy, and faw, perhaps, no farther 
 than the literal meaning; bat they fpake as the/ 
 were moved by the Holy Ghoft, 2 Pet. i. 21. 
 who comprehends all the events, the' mod re- 
 mote, as well as the mod immediate. But the 
 intimations of Popery, which I particularly meant, 
 are more frequent, and more obvious, in the 
 New redament. Why was our blefled baviour 
 fo very cautious in giving honour to the virgin 
 Mary, that he feeme i to regard her lefs than the 
 lead of his difciples I Matth. x-ii. 48. " Who is my 
 " moiher?" John ii. 4. " Woman, what have I 
 
 * to do with thee ?" Luke xi. 27. 28. " Blefled 
 " is the womb th-at bare thee t yea, rather bleiT- 
 <( fed are they who hear the word of God, and 
 tc keep it." Why did he rebuke Peter more fer- 
 vere'y than any other of the apodies, IvTatth. xvi. 
 23. 4C Get the behind me, Satan, thou art an o5- 
 " fence unto me ; for thou favoured not the 
 " things that be of God, but thofe that be cf 
 " men ;" and efpecialiy, after giving him that 
 high encomium, verf. 18. " Thou art Peter, 
 
 * and upon this rock I will build my church ?' 
 
 D d 2 May 
 
i 
 
 ( 3»<* ) 
 
 May we not reafonably prefume, that he fpofce j 
 and acted thus, as forefeeing that divine worfhip 
 would idolatroufly be paid to the one, that Su- 
 premacy winch would be tyrannically arrogated 
 to the other, and which that very encomium 
 would impertinently be brought to countenance ? 
 How came it to pafs, that our Saviour, tnftituting 
 hi* holy fupper, faid of the bread, only, " Take, 
 45 eat," but of the cup, more particularly, 
 <£ Drink ye all of it r" May we not probably fup* 
 ppfe, that it was defigoed to prevent or obviate 
 their Sacrilege, who would have all indeed eat 
 of the biead, but prieils only to drink of the cup ? 
 "Wherefore, the vices of the fcribes and PhariSees, 
 left Co particularly upon record, if not chiefly 
 for the ccrrection and reproof of their natural 
 iflue and descendants, the clergy of the church 
 cf Rome? Read the whole 23d chapter of 
 Matthew, and yen will find there is not a (ingle 
 wee denounced again ft the former, but as pro- 
 perly belongs, and is as (triclly appMcable to the 
 later: binding heavy burdens, kffc. doing all 
 their works to be fecn of men, devouring wi- 
 dows heufes, and for a pretence., making long 
 prayers ; compafling fea and land to make a pro- 
 iylete, and when he is made, making him two- 
 fold more the child of hell than themfelres ; ma- 
 king uSelefs and frivolous diflincTions of oaths ; 
 ©bferving pofitive duries, and omitting the 
 weightier matters cf the law, judgment, mercy, 
 arid faith ; making clean the outfide, but within 
 being full of extortion and excefs ; outwardly 
 appearing righteous unto men, but within being 
 fail of hypocrify and iniquity; building the tombs 
 of the prophets, and garniihirg the Sepulchres 
 of the righteous ; honouring the dead faints, and 
 at the fame time persecuting the living ; are as 
 flrcng marks and characters of the one feci, as 
 they were of the other. Do not foi bidding im- 
 plicit 
 
 
 w 
 
( 3*7 ) 
 
 plicft faith and obedience to men, Matth. xxiii. 
 9. " Call no man your father upon earth, for 
 " one is your Father who is in heaven ;" forbid- 
 ding the worftripping of angels, Col. ii, 18. "Let 
 " no man beguile you of your reward, in volunta- 
 u ry humility, and worshipping of angels y 9 for- 
 bidding all pretences to works of merit and fupe.- 
 erogaticn. Luke xvii. i c. " And when you Jhail 
 u have done all things which are commanded 
 €i you, fay, We*tre unprofitable fer van ts, we have 
 " done that which was our duty to do-/' forbid- 
 ding the clergy to lord over God's heritage, 
 1 Pet. iv. 3. u Neither as being lords Over God's 
 " heritage, but being enfampjes to the flock ,' 9 
 forbidding the fervice of God in an unknown 
 tongue, as St Paul hath done at large, in the 
 14th chapter of the firft epiftle to the Corin- 
 thians: do not all thefe, and fuch prohibitions, I 
 fay, neceffarily fuppofe and imply, that one time 
 or other thefe particular errors and abufes would 
 creep into the church ? and, in what church they 
 are publicly taught and practifed, no man can be 
 infenfible. Such texts of icripture, are as much 
 predictions- that thefe things would be, ?.$ they 
 are arguments that they fhouid not be : for laws, 
 divine and human, are not levellbd againft chi- 
 merical and mere imaginary vices, fuch as never 
 are, never will be brought into practice; but are 
 cnacied by reafon of thofe enormities } which 
 men either have committed, or are likely to com- 
 mit, and which the lawgivers, wifely forefeein r % 
 are therefore wilting to prevent. Why doth , t 
 Paul admoniih the Romans, particularly, to b - 
 ware of apoftacy? R$rn. xi 20. 22. '* Be net 
 " high-minded-, but fe^r, otherwife thmi (halt 
 " be cut off." Surely this is a ftrange way of ad- 
 creffing the Romans, if the church of Rome was 
 defigned to be the infallible judge of controver- 
 sies, the centre of unity, and director of all re- 
 D d 3 ligioti, 
 

 Jigion. 
 
 ( 3i8 ) 
 View the pi&ure that Peter and Jude 
 
 have drawn of falfe teachers, and confider whom 
 it moft refembles in all its features, 2 Pet. ii. I. 
 " But there were falfe prophets alfo among the 
 " people, even as there (hull be falfe teachers a- 
 tl mong you ; who privily {hail bring in damnable 
 '< herefi : , even denying the Lord that bought 
 4< them; and many {hall follow their pernicious 
 " ways, by reaibn of whom, the way of truth- 
 Cf {hall be evil fpoken of; and through covetouC- 
 €i nefs (hall they, with feigned words, make 
 u merchandlfe of you/' <bc. Jude 4. M Ungod- 
 " ly men, turning the grace of our God into la- 
 u fciviaufnefs, and denying the only Lord God, 
 " and our Lord Jefus Chrift : thefe filthy dream- 
 c< ers defile the fiefh, defpife domhrion, and 
 M fpeak evil of dignities: thefe be they who fe- 
 <fc p rate themfelves, fenfual, having notthefpi- 
 'ff nt," t*fc. What St Paul hath predicted con- 
 cerning the corruption of the laft days, is too 
 much the character of all Chriflians, but t the ap- 
 plication more properly belongs to the members 
 of the church of Rome, 2 Tim. ih\ 1. " This 
 u know alfo, th At in the laft days perilous times 
 $i {ball come. For men {hall be lovers of their 
 " own felves^ covetous, boafters, proud, blaf- 
 91 phemers, difobedient to parents, unthankful, 
 " unholy, without natural affection, truce- 
 " breakers, falfe accufers, heady, high minded, 
 " levers of plea fur es more than lovers of God ; 
 < ; having a form of godlineis, but denying the 
 €< power t hereof. :? Such are the direct prophe- 
 cies, and fuch the general intimations of Popery ; 
 and we have the better right to make this ap- 
 plication of the general intimations, as the di- 
 rect prophecies are fo plain and particular. 
 
 It is not only foretold, that fuch a power, as 
 that of the pope and church of Rome, fhall be 
 ciercifed ia the Chr iltian world 3 but, to prevent 
 
( 3*9 ) 
 
 any miftake in the application of thefe propliecief^ 
 the place and the perfons are like^ife poinfed 
 eut, where and by whom it ihould be exercifed. 
 The prophet Daniel, chap. vii. harh defcribed 
 four beafts, or four kingdoms; and out of the 
 fourth beaft, or kingdom, he faith, fh^ll arife ten 
 horns, or ten kings or kingdoms; and among, or 
 after them, fhall come up another little horn, 
 and he fliall be diverfe from the reft ; and he (hall 
 have eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth 
 fpeaking great things, and a look more flout 
 than his fellows \ and he ihall fubdue, and 
 piuck up by the roots, three of the firft horns or 
 kings ; and mail fpeak great words againft the 
 Mod High, and think to change times and law?. 
 Daniel's fir ft kingdom is the Babylonian ; the fe- 
 cond, the Perfian; the third, is the Macedonian, 
 or Grecian ; and the fourth, can be none other 
 than the Reman ; and the Roman empire, upon 
 its diflbluticn, was divided into ten kings or king- 
 doms. It is in the weftern or Latin empire, that 
 thefe ten kings, or kingdoms, are to be fought 
 and fofcnd; for this was properly the body of the 
 fourth beall: ; the Greek, or eaftern empire, be- 
 longed to the body of the third beaft : and out 
 the weftem Roman empire, by the incurfions of 
 the northern nations, arofe ten kings or king- 
 doms. Now, who is the little horn that was to 
 fpring up among thefe, or after thefe ? who, as a 
 politico-eccleilaitical power, diifereth from the 
 other ten powers •, who hath eyes like the eyes 
 of a man, that is, he is a feer, as Sir Ifaac New- 
 ton fays, or biihop, in the literal fenfe of the 
 word ; who hath a mouth fpeaking great things, 
 bulls and anathemas, interdicts and excommuni- 
 cations j who hath a look more ftout than his 
 feilows, affuming a fuperiority, not only over c- 
 ther bifhops, but even a fuperiority over kings 
 and emperors themfelves 3 who hath plucked up 
 
 by 
 
 1 
 
( 3"° ) 
 by the roots three of the firft horns, the ex- 
 archate of Ravenna, the kingdom of the Lom- 
 bards, and the ftate cf Rome; and is diftinguifh- 
 ed by the triple crown ; who fpeaketh great words 
 againii the Mod High, and letting up himfelf a- 
 bove all laws, human and divine ; who weareth 
 out the faints of the Mod High, by wars and maf- 
 facres, inquifitions and persecutions ; who chan- 
 geth times and laws, inilituting new religions, 
 teaching, for doctrines, the commandments of 
 men: are qu-: ft ions which, 1 think, cannot ad- 
 mit of much difputc ; there is only one perfon in 
 the world can fully anfwer ail thefe characters. 
 
 The biafphemous king, mentioned in Darkly 
 Terf. 36. — 39 who (hall do according to his Will, 
 &c. is indeed a more general character, compre- 
 hending the tyrannical and corrupt power of trie 
 eaftern church, as well as the weiiern. But when 
 we confider how much, and how {di the Latin 
 hath prevailed above the Greek church ; how the 
 fupremacy, which was fifft claimed by the patri- 
 arch of Conilantinople, hath been fully eftablifn- 
 ed in the bifliop of Rome ; how much more ab- 
 f date the will of the Roman pontiff hath been, 
 than that of the Brigantine emperor j how the 
 pope hath exalted, and magnified himfelf as a 
 God upon earth j how much more the Latins 
 have degenerated from the religion of their fa- 
 thers, than the Greeks ;. how the defire of Tingle 
 life, and the worihip of the dead, which firft be- 
 gan in the eaiicxn parts, have been carried to the 
 greateft height in the wePiern empire y how much 
 the jurifdi&iori and authority, the lands and re- 
 venues, of the Roman clergy, have exceeded thofe 
 of the Greeks; how, while the Gieek church 
 hath lain oppreffed for feveral centuries,- the 
 Roman hath liiil profpered, and, in all probabi- 
 lity, may (till profper, till God s indignation a- 
 gainft the Jews be accomplilhed \ in ihoxt, when 
 
 we 
 
( 321 ) 
 
 we confider how entirely thfcs chara&er agrefe 
 with that of the little horn ; and how much bet- 
 ter it agrees with the head of the Pioman, than 
 with the head of the Greek church, the particu- 
 lar application of it to the biihep of Rome, may 
 well be juflified; efpeciaily, fince St Paul himfeif 
 hath applied it in the fame manner. 
 
 St Paui hath drawn the man of fin, the fon of 
 perdition, 2 ThefT. ii. an exa& copy and refem- 
 blance of the little horn, and the blafphemous 
 king, in Daniel: and this man of fin mufl necef- 
 farily be a Chriftian, and not a heathen or infidel 
 power; becaufe he is reprefented as God, fitting 
 in the temple of God. He is defcribed too as the 
 head of the apoftacy, or the falling away from 
 the faith; and this apoftacy is afterwards defined, 
 by Paul, to confiit m worshipping demons, an- 
 gels, and departed faints ; and no man, furely* 
 can have any reafon to doubt, who is the head 
 and leader of this apoftacy, the patron, and 
 authorifer of this wo? (hip. The apolue had com- 
 municated to the TheiT/.lonians, what it was that 
 hindered his appearance, verf. xjv — 6. M Remem- 
 i 1 ber ye not, that when I wa^ yet with you, I told 
 " you thefe things ? and now ye know what with- 
 " holdeth, that he might be revealed in his time.'* 
 What this was, the apoille hath no where ex- 
 prefsly informed us •, but if tradition may be de- 
 pended on in any cafe, it may certainly in this : 
 for it is the conflant and concurrent tradition of 
 the fathers, that what withholderh is the Roman 
 empire; and therefore the primitive Chriftians, iix 
 the public ofHces of the church, prayed for its 
 peace and welfare ; as knowing, that when the 
 Roman empire fiiould be broke in pieces, the 
 empire of the man of fin would be raifed on its 
 ruins. They made no queiiion, they were fully 
 perfuaded, that the fucceflbr to the Pioman em- 
 peror, in Rome, would be the man of fin : and 
 
 who 
 
n 
 
 ( 3™ )' 
 vho hath fucceeded to the Roman emperor :n. 
 Rome, let the world judge and determine. 
 
 The Apoftle John too hath copied after Da- 
 niel ; and, chap. xiii. exhibits the Ptoman empire 
 under the fame emblem of a beaft with ten horns. 
 It is evident, that he defigned the fame as Daniel's 
 fourth bead; becaufe he reprefents him, as a 
 compofition of the three former, with the body 
 of a Jeopard, the feet of a bear, and the mcuth 
 of a lion. He defcribes him, too, with the pro* 
 per- ies and qualities of the little horn, and fpeak- 
 ing the fame blafphemies, ailing the fame cruel- 
 ties : and having plainly i^cn what power is in- 
 tended by the one, we have the lefs reafon to he- 
 fitate about the other. Eut to diflmguifh him 
 yet more, the number of his name is defined to- 
 be 666$ which,, as was obferved, is contained in 
 two words, the one Latin, the other Hebrew, 
 both Ggnifying almoft the lame thing. The feven 
 heads of the be, ft, are likewife explained to be 
 the feven mountains on which the woman fitteth ; 
 which all the world knows to be the fiUiution of 
 Rome. The woman herfelf is alfo declared to 
 be, that great city which reigneth over the kings 
 of the earth ; and that can be no other than 
 Rome. Indeed the Pa pi ft 8 themfelves allow (for 
 they carmotbut allow) all this to be faid cf Rome; 
 but then they argue and maintain it, to be faid of 
 Heathen Rome. But that cannot poffibly be, be- 
 caufe it agrees not with feverai circumitances of 
 the prophecy, and particularly, with the wo- 
 man's fitting on the bead with ten horns, and 
 upon his horns ten crowns; which mutt certain- 
 ly typify the Roman, empire after it was divided 
 into ten kingdoms \ but the Ptoman empire was not 
 divided into ten kingdoms, ti ! I after it became Chri- 
 ftian. The apoftle, with the eyesof p; ophecy, fa w the 
 bead rife up out of the fea ; and the angel, in his 
 explication, fays, that he (ball afcend out of the 
 
 bcttcmlefi 
 
( 3>3 ) 
 
 Ifcottomlefs pit ; but Heathen Rome had rifen and 
 fi#urifhed many years before this time. This bead 
 cannot repr^fent Heathen Rome, becaufe he is 
 fucceflbr to it, to the great red dragon, in his 
 power, and his feat, and great authority. This 
 bead -was to continue, and profper, forty and two 
 prophetic months, that is, 1260 years ; but Hea- 
 then Rome did not continue 400 years after this 
 time. The woman is reprefented as the mother 
 cf idolatry, with her golden cup, intoxicating 
 the inhabitants of the earth; but Heathen R.ome 
 ruled more with a rod of iron, and was rather an 
 importer of foreign gods and fupeiftitions, thaa 
 &n exporter to other nations. 
 
 John wondered, with great admiration, when 
 he faw the woman drunken with the blood of 
 faint?, and with the blood of the martyrs of Je- 
 fus ; but wherefore (liould he, who had feen and 
 furYered the perfecution under Nero, wonder fo 
 much, that Heathens* fhouM perfecute Chrifti- 
 ans ; but that Chriftians fhould delight in (hed- 
 ging the blood of Chriftians, was indeed, of all 
 wonders the greatdt.' The woman rideth upon 
 the beait under his feventh head, or laft form of 
 government; but tjic fixth head, or imperial form 
 of government, was faid to be exifting in John's 
 time ; the fixth was not deflroyed, and the fe- 
 venth, or iaft form, did not take place, till after 
 Ptome was become Chriftian. The ten horns, 
 with one mind, give their power to the bead, 
 and afterward hate the whore, and make her de- 
 folate, and burn her with fire ; but never did 
 any ten kings, unanimoufly and voluntarily, fub- 
 mit to Heathen Rome, and afterwards burn 
 her with fire. Rome, according to the prophe- 
 cies, is to be utterly burnt with fire, and to be 
 made a defolation for ever and ever -> but Rome 
 hath never yet undergone this fate, and confe- 
 quently Heathen Rome cannot be the fubiefl of 
 thefe propiiecies. In ihort, from all thefe, ani o- 
 
 tber 
 

 ( 3*4 ) 
 
 tVier characters and circumftances, fome whereof 
 can never agree with Heathen Rome, and all a* 
 gree perfectly with Chriftian Piome ; it may, 
 and muft be concluded, that not Heathen but 
 Chriftian, not imperial but papal Rome was in- 
 tended in the vifioh. 
 
 Befide the place and perfons, the time alfo is 
 fignified, of this tyrannical power, when it mould 
 prevail, and how long it mould prevail. Daniel 
 mentions thefe things at a very great diftance, and 
 indeed they were fo in his time. It is faid, chap, 
 viii. 26. and x. 14. " the vifion is yet for many 
 €i days-," that it comprehends, (viii. 19. xi. 35. 
 4*. xii. 4. 9.) " even to the time of the end*," 
 that when God (xii. 7.) mall have accomplim- 
 ed, to fcatter the power of the holy people, 
 <c all thefe things mall be finiihed:" all which, 
 and other paflages to the feme purpofe, eonfider- 
 ed, it appears as unaccountable as ftrangs, that 
 ever any men mould imagine, as fome both an- 
 cients and moderns have done, that Daniel's pro- 
 phecies reached not beyond the times Qf Anti* 
 ochus Epiphanes. The fourth and laft is repre- 
 fented as the greateft of all, both in extent and 
 in duration : it devoureth, treadeth it down, and 
 breaketh it in pieces, After which, it is divided 
 into ten kingdoms ; and the little he rn groweth. 
 not up, till after this divifion. So that this tyran- 
 nical power was to arife in the letter days of the 
 Roman empire, after it mould be divided into 
 ten'kingdoms. From St Paul too we may Goile&j 
 that the great power of the Roman empire hin- 
 dered the appearing of the man of fin 5 but of this 
 enough." 
 
 The bifliop next proceeds to fix the time of 
 the beafYs rife and continuance; which is exceed*- 
 ing fpecious, and may perhaps be true, though it 
 is very different from that which we have giveri 
 in our effay ; however, as many eminently great 
 
 and 
 
 
( 3*5 ) 
 
 Ind learned men have already failed in thispoisr;, 
 it need not be thought itrange, if we have 
 failed too. As we have by no means been dog* 
 matical, in our opinion, on thefe intricate points, 
 we leave our readers at full liberty to apply the 
 calculations, as they (hail fee mod confident with 
 the facred text. 
 
 " It appears then, fays the bifhop, that this 
 Antichriftian power was to rife in the latter times 
 of the Roman empire, after an end fhould be put 
 to the imperial power, and after the empire 
 fhould be divided into ten kingdoms : and it is 
 not only told when it fhould prevail, but more- 
 over, 'how long it fliould prevail. H:re we 
 cannot but obierve, that the very fame pe- 
 riod of time is prefixed for its continuance, 
 both by Daniel and^ by St John, Wonderful is 
 the confent and harmony between thefe infpired 
 writers, as in other circumftances of the prophe- 
 cy, fo particularly in this. In Dan. vii. 25. the 
 little horn was to wear out the faints of the Moffc 
 High, and think to change times and law*, ; and 
 it is faid expreisly, that they (hall be given into 
 his hand, until a time, and times, and the divi- 
 ding of time ; or, the fame thing is expreffid in 
 another place, (chap. xii. 7.) <c for a time, times, 
 u and a half." In the Revelation it is faid of the 
 beaft, chap. xii?. 7. w to whom it was given, in 
 u like manner, to make war with the faints, 
 iC and to overcome them ;" that power aifo was 
 given him, to continue 42 months; the witneflea 
 alfo were to prophecy 1260 days, clothed id 
 fackcloth. And the woman, the true church of 
 Chrift, who fled into the wildernefs from perfe- 
 ction, chap. xii. 6. 1 4. fhould be fed and nou* 
 rifhed there 1260 days ; or, as it is otherwifeeK- 
 preffed in the fame chapter, " for a time, and 
 " times, and half a time." Now all thefe num- 
 bers you will find, upon computation, to be the 
 E e fame* 
 

 il 
 
 11. 
 
 ( 32<? ) 
 
 fame, and each of them to fignify \i£o years i 
 for a time is a year, times two years, and divi- 
 ding of time half a year, altogether three years 
 and a half; that is, equal to 42 months, and 
 and thefe again equal to 1260 days; and 1260 
 days, in prophetic Rile, are 1260 years. From 
 all thefe dates and characters, it may fairly be 
 concluded, that the time of the church's great 
 affii&ion, and of the reign of Antichrift, will be 
 a period of 1260 years. 
 
 To fix the time, exactly, when thefe 1260 years 
 began, and consequently when they will end, is 
 a matter of fome nicenefs and difficulty ; and per- 
 haps we may fee the conclufion, before we can 
 precifcly afcertain their beginning. However, it 
 appears to be a very great miftake, of fome very 
 learned men, in dating the commencement of 
 this period too early: This is the chief error of 
 Mr Medc's fcheme ; what hath led him, and ci- 
 thers, who have followed his example, into fub- 
 fequent errors, and what the event hath plainly 
 reiuted. For, if the reign of Antichrift had be- 
 £u-i, as he reckons, about the year 456, 'its end 
 would have fallen out about the year 1716. The 
 truth is, the 1260 years are not to be reckoned 
 from the beginning of thefe corruptions, from 
 the rife of this tyranny ; for the myftery of ini- 
 quity began to work, even in the days of the 
 apoftles v hut from their full growth, and efta- 
 blifhment in the world. Of the little horn, which 
 was to wear out the faints of the Mod High, and 
 to change times and laws, it is faid, they fhall 
 be given into his hand ; which can imply no lefs, 
 than the moft abfolute power and authority over 
 them, until a time, and times, and the dividing 
 of time. In like manner, the holy city, the true 
 church of Chrift, was to be trode under foot* 
 which is the lowed ftate of fuhje&ion : the two 
 wimefles were not only to prophecy, but to pro- 
 phecy 
 
 
 
( 3^7 ) 
 pnecy in fackcloth ; that is, in mourning and af- 
 fliction : the woman, the church, was to abide 
 in the wildernefs ; that is, in a forlorn and defo- 
 ]ate condition : and power was given to the bead, 
 not merely to continue, as it is trawflated, but to 
 praftife and profper, and to do according to his 
 will ; and all, for the fame period of 1260 years. 
 Thefe 1260 years, therefore, of the reign ot An- 
 tichrift, are not to be computed from his birth, 
 or infancy, or youth ; but from his coming to 
 maturity, from his coming to the throne : and, 
 in my opinion, fays the Rev. Iiiihop, their be- 
 ginning cannot be fixed, confident with the truth 
 of hidory, either fooner or later than the eighth 
 century. In the year 727, the pope ar-d people 
 of Rome revolted from the exarch of Ravenna, 
 and fhook off their allegiance to the Greek empe- 
 ror. In the year 755, the pope obtained tbe 
 exarchate of Ptavenna for himfelf, and thence af- 
 terwards a£ted as an abfolute temporal prince. 
 In the year 774, the pope, by the affiflance of 
 Charles the great, became poiTeffed ©f the king- 
 dom of the Lombards. In the year 787, the wor- 
 fliip of images was fully eftabliihed, -and the ftr- 
 premacy of the pope acknowledged, by the fecond 
 council of Nice. From one or other of thefe 
 tranfa&ions, it is probable, that the beginning of 
 the reign of Antichrid it to be dated. What ap- 
 peirs to be mod probable is, that it is to be dated 
 from 727 j when, as Sigonius fays, Rome, and 
 the Roman dukedom, cane from the Greeks to 
 fhe Roman pontiff. Hereby he became, in fome 
 meafure, a horn, or temporal prince \ though 
 his power was not fully edabliined, till fome years 
 afterwards: and, before he was a horn at ail, he 
 could not anfwer the character of the little horn. 
 If then, the beginning of the 1260 years of the 
 reign of Antichrid, is to be crated from the year 
 727, their end will fall out in the year i^S.7; 
 
 £ia that 
 
\\ 
 
 ( 32* ) 
 
 that is, 1 j years before the year 200c from Chrift, 
 p. 1 i d near the 6eoo year of the world : according 
 to a very e^-ly riad ticn of Jews and Chriftians, 
 jnd even pf Heathi ns, great changes and revolu- 
 tion? 2;e exj cr d, both in the natural and mo- 
 Tal vorld ; and there remalneth, according to the 
 wpT.df of the apoftle, Heb. iv. 9. a fabbatifm, or 
 holy rei} topleofGod. 
 
 V; i hath described, under the charac- 
 
 ter of the little hern, and the biafphemous king ; 
 Vfhai Paul hatb defcribe$, under the character of 
 the man of fin, the fon of perdition ; and John, 
 undei the charafter of the beaft and falfe prophet; 
 that fame tyrannical, idolatrous, and bhfphe- 
 jfous power, ecclefiaflical writers ufually denomi- 
 nate Anlkhriit : and having thus far traced his 
 character and description, his rife, progrefs, and 
 continuance, let us new proceed to confider his 
 fall; v. hen, at the expiration of the fixed period 
 ^f 1 2&t years, his kingdom (hall be deilroyed for 
 evermore. The prophets are not more expiefiive 
 oi his elevation, than they are of his deitr.uftion. 
 They not only predict his dowrrfal, in general 
 
 ^Trrrnf! DUt 5*«tO «f^^r ir >r rn<- nv/Hinn *i»m vi% V.YY1+ 
 
 Aances of it ; and St John's account being larger, 
 end more circumftantial and particular, will be 
 the bed comment and explication of the others. 
 For my part, I cannot pretend to prophecy, 
 which is the common vanity of exrofuors of the 
 Revelation ; I can only reprefent events, where- 
 in, according to my apprehenfion, the prophets 
 have placed them. Sobriety and modefty are re- 
 quired in the interpretation of all prophecies, 
 and efpecially of things yet future- Only, thus 
 much it may be proper to prcmife, that having 
 feen fo many of the prophecies fulfilled, you have 
 the lefs to doubt of the completion of thofe which 
 are to follow. 
 
 " At this prefent time, fays b:fhop Newton, 
 
 we 
 
 i 
 
 
( 3*9 ) 
 
 Wc are living under the fixth trumpet, (bur, Ly 
 we, under the fourth vial) and the fecond woe* 
 Rev. xi. ; the Othman empire is (liil fulfilling, 
 the bead is (till reigning, arid there are Prote flint 
 witnefTcs flili prophefving in fackcloth : and this 
 fixth trumpet and fecond woe mult end, beford 
 the fevenrh trumpet can found, or the third we 
 be poured cut, which is to fall upon the kingdom 
 of the bead. But before the end of the fecond 
 woe, ir mould feem, that the Papiirs will make a 
 great and fuccefsful trfort againft tne Proteftant 
 religion. When the witneifes mail have near ri- 
 mmed their teiiimony, that ?s, towards the con- 
 clufion of the 1260 years, the beaft fhall make 
 war with them, and mall overcome them. They 
 [hall be opprefled, and dead, as it were, to trie 
 great joy and triumph of their enemies ; but they 
 ihall rife again, after three years and a half, and 
 the Protectant religion will be more glorious than 
 ever ; with a considerable diminution of the pa- 
 pal authority." This, we have (hewn, has aire,:* 
 dy happened, about the time of the reformation. 
 But, fays the bifhop, " according to the method 
 and ordei* wherein St John hath arranged thefe 
 events, they muft happen before the end of the 
 fecond woe, or the fall of the Othman empire. 
 Ezekiel, chap, xxxviii. xxxix. and Daniel, chap, 
 xi. 44. 45. have given fome intimations, that ^he 
 Oihman empire fhall be overthrown, in oppofi ig 
 the fettlement of Ifrael in their own land, in the 
 latter days. In the conclufion of the book of 
 Daniel, there are fome intimations, that the re* 
 ligion of Mahomet fhall prevail, in the eaft, for 
 as long a period of time as the tyranny of the little 
 horn in the weft. Very remarkable too, it is, that 
 Mahomed firft contrived his i npofture iri-the year 
 606, the very fame year wherein the tyrant Pho- 
 cas made a grant of the fupremacy to the pope - y 
 and this migh: inline one to think, that the 
 
 E c 3 wfo 
 
 j 
 

 I) 
 
 ( 330 ) 
 
 1260 years of the reign of Antichrift are to be 
 to be dated from this time: but though they 
 might rife together, yet they were not fully efta- 
 bhfhed together. The authority of Mahomed 
 might be fully fettled in the feventh century, but 
 that of the pope was not fo, till the eighth cen- 
 tury •> and therefore, as the one was eftablifhed 
 fomewhat fooner, fo it may be alfo fubverted 
 fomewhat fooner than the other. The pope, in- 
 deed* was eftablifhed fupreme in fpirituah, in 
 the feventh century, but -he became not a tem- 
 poral power, horn, or bead, till the the eighth 
 century. 
 
 When the Othman empire is overthrown, and 
 the fecond woe is paft, then, according 10 St John,, 
 Rev. xi. 14. the third woe cometh quickly, whick 
 •comprehends all the fevere and terrible judg- 
 ments of God upon the kingdom of the beaft. 
 In like manner, when Daniel hath predicted the 
 fall of the king of the north, or of the Othman 
 empire, he fubjoins immediately, chap. x x\i. r* 
 that there fhaJl ue a time of trouble, fuch as there 
 never was Gnce there were a nation, even to that 
 feme time •» and at that time thy people fhali be 
 delivered, every one that mail be found written 
 if] the book-, agreeable to which, St John alfc* 
 faith, Rev. xx 15. * That whofoevci waft 
 M not found written in the book of life, was. 
 ** eaft into the lake of fire-" The 12.60 years of 
 the re : gn of the beaft, I fuppofe,. end with the 
 1260 years of the witntiles prophefying in fack- 
 cloik; and now the deftined time, for the judg- 
 ments of God to overtake him; ior, as he might 
 Gxiit before the 1260 year- began, lb he may exift 
 Bkewife after they are finifhed, in. order to be; 
 made an eminent example of the divine j,uftice. 
 IFor thje greater confirmation and illustration ofT 
 this fubjett, and to make the ftronger irrrprefiiork 
 ea the m^uisi of the. Leaders^, thefe judgments 
 
( 33' ) 
 
 are difplayed under variety of figures and repre- 
 sentations. Firft, they are defciibed in a more 
 general manner," i5V. : but of this we have treat- 
 ed largely in the efTay. 
 
 In 405, isc* the jKev. Bifhop, from various 
 places of holy writ, proves the return of the Jews 
 into their own land ; but we have aifo taken no- 
 tice of this formerly, and therefore fball not wea- 
 ry our readers with* a repetition of almoft the 
 fame things. From pa^e 408, the bifhop pro- 
 ceeds to defcribe the millennium, which we fup j 
 pofed to begin at the reformation, and ftiil to be 
 running on till the contamination of all things ' T 
 but which he thinks will only commence about 
 the year of the world 6coo, and continue 1000 
 years ; which will be a thoufand years for every 
 day of the creation, and the laft thoufand for 
 the fabbath or [Seventh day, when Satan is to be 
 bound, and the martyrs to rife, and live on the 
 earth till the end. This we fhail not pretend to 
 affirm or deny, as it is foreign to our defign, 
 which was only to trace out Antichrift ; and it is* 
 perhaps, too difficult to be fully afcertained till 
 the events difcover it. 
 
 Before we conclude this Appendix, we beg the 
 indulgence of our readers, for the fake of thofe 
 who may not have had an opportunity of peru- 
 fing Bifhop Newton's very learned and elegant 
 performance. " From thefe initance?, fays he, 
 mhich we have produced of prophecies, and their 
 completions, it is hoped this conclusion may be 
 fairly drawn, in the words of the apo.tle Peter, 
 2 Pet. i. 20. 2 r. " that no prophecy of the ferip~ 
 lure, is of any private interpretation, or the fug- 
 geftion of any m.-m's fpirit or fancy; for the pro* 
 phecy came not in old time by the will of man, 
 but holy men of God fpake as. they were infpi- 
 red by the Holy Ghoft- ,J Other instances might 
 kave been alledged to the Umc purpofc-, bmtbcf* 
 
 prophecies 
 

 ( 33 2 ) 
 
 prophecies which recived their fulJ accomplishment 
 in ancient times, and even rhcfe which were ac- 
 complifhed in the perfon *-d actions of our blef- 
 fed Saviour, are not here confident •, fuch only 
 as relate to thefe latter ages, and eiri-er now, or 
 in part, are fulfilling in the worlds are made the 
 fubjecls of thefe differtations. Th's is proving our 
 religion, in fome meafure, by occular demonftra- 
 t : ion j is not walking by faith only, but aifo by fight. 
 For you can have no reafon to doubt of the truth 
 of prophecy, and confequentiy of the truth of re- 
 velation ; when you fee inftances cf things, which 
 could no way depend upon human conjecture, 
 foretold with the greateft clearnefs, and fulfilled, 
 hundreds of years afterwards, with the greater!: 
 cxaftnefs. Nay you fee the prophech s, the lateft 
 "whereof were delivered above 1700 years ago, and 
 fome of them above 3000 years ago, fulfilling at 
 this very time, and cities, countries, and kingdoms, 
 in the very fame condition, and all brought about 
 in the very fame manner; and with the very fame 
 circumftances, as the prophets had foretold. 
 
 You fee the descendants of Shem, and Japheth, 
 ruling and enlarged in Aha, and in Europe, and, 
 perhaps, in America ; and the curfe of Servitude 
 itili amending the defcendants of Ham, in Africa* 
 You fee the pofterity of Lihmael multiplied ex- 
 ceedingly, and become a great nation, in the Ara- 
 bians ; yet living like wild men, and fh if ting from 
 place to place in the wildernefs ; their hand a- 
 gainft every man, and every man's hand againft 
 them; and ft il I dwelling am independant and fee 
 people, in the prcfence of all their brethren, and 
 in the prefence of all their enemies. 
 
 Y r ou fee the family of ELu totally extinct, and 
 that of Jacob fubfi fling at this day; the fcepire 
 departed from Judah, and the people living no 
 where in authority, every where in fubjection 1 
 the Jews fiiil dwelling alone am-ong the nations, 
 
 whUft 
 
( 333 ) 
 
 whilft the remembrance of Amalek is utterly put 
 out from uudej heaven. You fee the Jews fe- 
 verely puniined foi tneir infidelity, and difobedi- 
 ence to their great prophet, like unto Mofcs ; 
 plucked from off theii own land, and removed in- 
 to all the kingdoms of the earth ; opprefTed and 
 fpoiled evermore, and mrde a proverb, and a 
 bye-word, among aH nations. You fee Ephraim 
 fo broken, as to be no more a people, while the 
 who c nation is comprehended under the name 
 ofjudah; the jews, wonderfully preferved as a 
 diitincl. people, while their great conquerors are 
 every where destroyed ; their 1 md lying defoiate, 
 and themfelves cut cfF from being the people of 
 God, while the Gentiles are advanced in their room. 
 You fee Nineveh fo completely deilroyed, that 
 the place thereof is net, and cannot be known - 9 
 Babylon made a defplation for ever, a pofieffion 
 for the bittern, and pools of water ; Tyre become 
 Jike the to 3ck, a place for fifhers to fpread 
 
 their nets upon ; and Egypt, a bale kingdom, the 
 bafeft of the kingdoms, and ftill tributary, and 
 fubjeel to firangers. You fee tat four great em- 
 ^' r s of the world, the three former of which, are, 
 long ago, utterly aeitroy:u :. a~rr ttit isiiitttj «r.v» 
 lair, which was greater, and more powerful than 
 any of the former, divided, in the weitern part 
 thereof, into ten lefier-, and among them a po-ver 
 with a triple crown, diverfe from the firft, with 
 a mouth fpeuking very great thmgs ; and with a 
 look mere flout than that of his fellows, f peaking 
 great words ag*i::lt the Moft High, wearing out 
 the faints of the Molt High, and changing limes 
 and laws. Y r ou fee a power calling down tne 
 truth to the ground, and profper, and praclnie, 
 and deiircy the holy p- ople, not regarding the 
 God of his fathers, "nor the deiire of wives ; but 
 honouring Mahuzzim, goJs protectors, or faints 
 protectors, and caufing the pricfts of Mahuzzim 
 
 ta 
 
I 1 
 
 i! 
 
 ( 334 ) 
 
 t© rule over many, and to divide the land for 
 gain. You fee the Turks ftretching forth their 
 lands oi T er the countries, and particularly over 
 the land of Egypt, the Lybians at their fteps, 
 and the Arabians (till efcaping out of their hand. 
 You fee the Jews led away captive into all na» 
 tions, and Jerufalem trodden down of the Gen- 
 tiles, and likely to continue fo, until the times of 
 the Gentiles be fulfilled ; as the Jews are, by a 
 eonftant miracle, preferved a diftinct people, for 
 the completion of the prophecies relating to 
 them. You fee one who oppofeth, and exalteth 
 himfelf above all laws, human and divine, fit- 
 ting as God in the church of God, and fhewing, 
 himfelf, that he is God 5 whofe coming is after 
 the working of Satan, with all power,, and figns, 
 and lying wonders, and with all deccivablenefs 
 of unrighteoufnefs. You fee a great apoitacy in 
 the Chriftian .church ; which coniifts, chiefly, in 
 the worlhip of demons, angels, cr departed faints j 
 and is promoted through the hypoenfy of liars, 
 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abftain 
 from meats. You fee the feven churches of Afia, 
 lying in the fame forlorn and defolate. condition, 
 that the angel had fignified to John ; their can- 
 dleftick removed out of its place ; their churches 
 turned into mofques ; their worlhip into fuperfti- 
 tion. In fhort, you fee the characters of the 
 beaft, and the falfe prophet, and the whore of 
 Babylon, now exemplified in every particular, 
 and in a city that is feated on feven mountains 5 
 fo that if the bifhop of Rome had fat for his pic- 
 ture, a greater refembLnce, and iikenefs, could 
 not have been drawn. 
 
 As there is a near affinity between this and 
 what Dr Clark hath faid, in the conclufion of his 
 difcourfe of prophecies, it may be proper to con- 
 firm and iliuftrate the argument with fo great an 
 authority : and indeed thefe things are of fuch 
 
 importance 
 
( 335 ) 
 
 importance, and fo deferring to be known, that 
 they cannot be inculcated too frequently, not 
 (hewn in too many lights. 
 
 " I fliall conclude this head, fays the Do&or, 
 with pointing at fome particular, extraordinary 
 prophecies, which deferve to be carefully confi- 
 dered, and compared with the events ; whether. 
 they could poflibly have proceeded from ch-ince f 
 or from enthufiafm. Some of them are of fuch a 
 nature, as they can only be judged of by perfons 
 learned in hiftory; and thefe I (ball but juft men- 
 tion. Others are obvious, to the consideration of 
 the whole world ; and with thofe I {ball finifli 
 what I think proper, at this time^ to offer upon 
 the fubjea," 
 
 Concerning Babylorv, it was particularly fore- 
 told, that it mould be fhut up and befieged by 
 the Medes, Elamites, and Armenians ; that the 
 river mould be dried up ; that the city mould be 
 taken, in the time of a feaft, while her mighty 
 men were drunken \ which accordingly came to 
 pafs, when Belfhazzar, and all his thoufand prin- 
 ces, who were drunk with him at the feaft, were 
 flain by Cyrus's foldiers. Alfo it was particularly 
 foretold, that God would make the country of 
 B-bylon a polTeiTion for the bittern, and pools of 
 water. Which was accordingly fulfilled, by the 
 overflowing and drowning of it, on the breaking 
 down of the great dam in order to take the city. 
 Could the correfpondence of thefe events, with 
 the predictions, be the refult of chance ? but 
 fuppofe thefe predictions were forged after the 
 event, can the following ones alfo, have been 
 written after the event i or, with any reafon, be 
 afcribed to chance ? 
 
 " The wild beafls of the defart mail dwell there, 
 and the owls mall dwell therein ; and it fhall be 
 no more inhabited for ever, neither (hall it be dwelt 
 iu from generation to generation : As God over- 
 threw 
 
l! 
 
 ( 336 ) 
 
 tlirew Sodom and Gomorrah, &rc. They fhall not 
 take of thee a ftcne for a corner, but thou fhalt b<r 
 defolate for ever, fakh the Lord : — Babylon fhall 
 become heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an 
 aftonifhment, and an hiding, without inhabitant i 
 It (hall fink, and fliall not rife from the evil that 
 I will bring upon her." 
 
 Concerning Egypt, was the following predic- 
 tion forged after the event ? or can it, with any 
 reafon, be afcribed to chance ? Egypt (hall be a 
 bafe kingdom: it fhall be the bafeft of kingdoms, 
 neither fhall it exalt itfelf any more above the na- 
 tions: " For I will diminifh them, that they fhall 
 no more rule over the nations. " 
 
 Concerning Tyre, the prediction is no lefs re- 
 markable. u I will make thee like the top of 
 be a place to fpread nets 
 be built no more ; Thou 
 the merchants among the 
 thee ; thcu fhalt be a ter- 
 ror, and fhalt never be any more. All they 
 that know thee among the people, fliall be a- 
 ftonifhed at thee." 
 
 The defcriptioH of the extent of the dominion 
 of that people, who were to poffefs Judea in the 
 latter days ; was it forged after the event ? or 
 can it reafonably be afcribed to chance ? " He 
 fhall come with horftmen, and with many fhips f 
 and fhall overflow and pafs over: He fliall enter 
 alfo into the glorious land, (and fhall plant the 
 tabernacles of his palace between the feas, in the 
 glorious holy mountain), and many countries 
 fhall be overthrown : But thefe fhall efcape out 
 of his hand \ even Edom, and Moab, and the 
 chief of the children of Ammon. He fhall flretch 
 forth his hand alfo upon the countries, and the 
 land of Egypt fhall not efcape ; but he fhall have 
 power over the treafures of gold and filver, and 
 
 over 
 
 a rock ; thou fhalt 
 upon ; thou fhalt 
 (halt be ne more •, 
 people fhall hifs at 
 
 
I 33*7 ) 
 Vvtr all the precious things of Egvpt ; arid 0$ 
 Lybians and Ethiopians (hall be at his fteps." 
 
 When Daniel foretels a tyrannical power* 
 which fhould wear out the faints of the Mo ft 
 High, and they (hall be given into his hands, un- 
 til a time, and times, and the dividing of time | 
 and again, for time, times, and an half: (which 
 can be no way applied to the fhort persecution of 
 Antiochus, becaufe thefe prophecies are exprefsiy 
 declared to be for many days) ; " concerning 
 what (hall befal thy people in the latter days ; 
 for yet the vifion is for many dajfs ; concerning 
 the time of the end : what fhali be in the lad end 
 of the indignation; concerning thofe that fhall 
 fall by the fwofd, and bf flame, by captivity, and 
 hy fpoil, many days-, to try them, even to the 
 time of the end $ becaufe it is yet for a time ap- 
 pointed-, concerning a time of trouble, fuch as 
 never was fince there was a nation ; the time 
 when God fhall have accdmplimed to fcatter the 
 power of the holy people; the time of the end, 
 till which the words are clofed up arid fealed \ 
 to which, the prophet is commanded to fhut up 
 his words, aftd feal the boo k, formany fhall run 
 to and fro, and knowledge fhali be increafed ; 
 even the end* till which Daniel was to reft, and 
 then flan \ in his lot at the end of the days." 
 When Daniel, I fay, foretels fuch a tyrannical 
 power, to continue fuch a ^determined period ol 
 time: and John prophefies, that the Gentiles 
 ihall tread the holy city under foot forty and two 
 months ; which is cxattly the fame period of time 
 with that of Daniel: and again, jhat two wit- 
 neflcs, clothed in fackcloth, fhould prophefy a 
 thoufand two hundred and threefcore days ; which 
 is again the very fame period of time : and again, 
 that the woman, which fled into the wildernefs 
 From persecution, fhould continue there a thou- 
 fand two ^hundred) and threefcore days : and 
 F f again* 
 
I 1 
 
 ( 338 ) 
 
 ftgairi, tltat (he fhould flee into the wilderriefs (of 
 a time, and times, and half a time ; which is ftill 
 the very fame period : and again, that a wild 
 beaft, a tyrannical power, to whom it was given 
 to make war with the faints, and to overcome 
 them, was to continue forty and two months* 
 (flill the fau.e period of time), and to have power 
 over ai] kindreds, and tongues* and nations, fo 
 that all that dwell upon the earth fhali worfhip 
 him? Is it credible, or pofhbie, that igncranfe 
 or enthufiaftical writers fhould, by mere chance* 
 hit upon fuch coincidences of occult numbers ? 
 efpecially, fince St John could not poffibly take 
 the numbers from Daniel, if he underftood Da- 
 niel to mean nothing more than the fhort perfe- 
 ction of Antiochus. And if he underftood Da- 
 niel to mean a much longer, and greater, and a more 
 remote tyranny, which John himfelf prophefied of 
 as, in his time* ftill future $ then the wonder is in- 
 finitely greater, and in thofe early times, when 
 there was not the lead footftep in the world of 
 any fuch power, as St John diftin.ftly describes, 
 (but which now is very confpicuous, as I fhall 
 prefently obferve more particularly), it fhould en- 
 ter into the heart of man, to conceive fo much 
 as the poffibility of fuch a power, fitting not upon 
 the pavilion of the Heathen perfecutors, but ex- 
 prefsly in the temple, and upon the feat of God 
 himfelf. 
 
 But thefe prophecies, which either relate to 
 particular places, ©r depend upon the computa- 
 tion of particular periods of time, are (as I fa id) of 
 fuch a nature, as that they cannot be judged of 
 but by perfons (killed in hiftory. There are fomc 
 ethers more general, running though the whole 
 fcripture, and obvious to the confederation of the 
 whole world. 
 
 Jot inftance ; it was foretold by MofeSj that 
 %hen the Jews forfook the true God, they fhould 
 
( 339 ) 
 
 be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth ; 
 (hould be fcattered among the Heathen, among 
 the nations, among all people, from the one end 
 of the earth even to the orher ; (hould there be 
 left, few in number, among the Heathen, and 
 pine away in their iniquity, in their enemies 
 lands, and ihould become an aftoniihmeiit, a pro- 
 verb, and a bye- word among the nations*, and 
 that amongfl thefe nations they (hould find no 
 cafe, neither ihould the fole of their foot have 
 reft-, but the Lord mould give them a trembling 
 heart, and failing of eyes, and {brrow of mind, 
 and fend a faintnefs into their hearts, in thelands 
 of their enemies, fo that the found of a fhaken 
 leaf mould chafe them. Hai any thing like this 
 in Mofes's time, ever happened to any nation i 
 Or was there, in nature, any probability, that any 
 fuch thing ihould ever happen to any people ? 
 that when they were conquered by their enemies, 
 and led into captivity, they mould neither con- 
 tinue in the place of their captivity, nor be fwal- 
 lowed up and loft among their conquerors, but 
 be fcattered among all the nations of the world, 
 and hated by all nations, for many ages, and yet 
 continue a people ? Or, could any defcriprion of 
 the Jews, written at this day, poffibly, be a more 
 exa£t and lively picture, of the ttate they have nov/ 
 been in for many ages, than this prophetic de- 
 scription, given by Mofes, more than 3000 years 
 ago ? 
 
 The very fame thing is, in like manner, con- 
 tinually predicted through all- the following pro- 
 phets j li that God would fcattei them among the 
 Heathen 5 that he would caufe them to be re- 
 moved into ail the kingdoms of the earth ; that 
 he would fcatter them into all the winds-, and 
 that they mould abide many days without a king, 
 and without a prince, and without a facrifice, 
 and without an image, and without an ephod, 
 F f 2 ' and 
 
V y 
 
 \l 
 
 ( 340 ) 
 
 and without a teraphim." And here, concerning 
 the precisions of EztkieJ, it is remarkable, in par- 
 ticular, that they being fpoken of in the very time 
 of tht Babylonian captivity, it is therefore evident, 
 froin the time of his prophefying, as well as from 
 the n;i:u e and description of the thing itfelf, that 
 he muft nctd- be underftood of that ia:ter captivi- 
 ty, ir to all places, which was to happen after the 
 fulfilling of the time of that age, wherein God 
 w. s firft to bring them again (oct of tht Babylo- 
 nian captivity) into the land where thy fhculd 
 build a temple •, but not like to that which after* 
 waids (after their final return) (hould be built 
 for earer, with a glorious building. The fore- 
 cited prophecies, 1 fay, mutt of neceffiry be un- 
 derftood of that wick and long difperfion, which, 
 in the NewTeftament alio, isexprefsly mention- 
 ed by cur Saviour, and I is apoitie Paul. 
 
 It is alio farther, both largely and diflin&Iy 
 predicted, as well by Mofes himfelf, as by all 
 the following prophets, That, notwithstanding of 
 this unexampled difperfion of God's people, yet 
 for all that, when they be in the land of theiSr 
 enemies, God will not deftrcy them utterly : but 
 when they fhall call to mind, among all the na- 
 tions whither God has driven them, and (hall 
 return unto the Lord, he will turn their captivity, 
 and gather them from all nations, from the ut- 
 -tnoft parts of heaven, even in the latter days* 
 That though he makes a full end of all other na- 
 tions, yet he will not make a full end of them ^ 
 but a remnant of them {hall be pre ferved, and 
 return out of ail countries whither God has dri- 
 ven them : That the Lord fhall fet his hand again, 
 the fecond time, to recover the remnant of rns 
 people ; and fhall fet up an enfign for the nations, 
 and fhall affemble the outcafts of lfrael, and ga- 
 ther together the difperfed of Judah from the 
 ftmr corners of the earth, t?c, And that thefe 
 
 prophecies, 
 
( 34* ) 
 
 prophecies might not be applied to the fcitlttt 
 from the feventy years captivity in Babylon, 
 (which, moreover, was not a difperiion into all 
 •nations) they are cxpref-.ly referred to the latter 
 days; not only by Mofes, but by Hofea, who 
 lived long after ; " For the children of Ifrael fhati 
 abide many days without a king, and wichout/a 
 prince, and without a facrifice 5 afterward, tney 
 fhall return, and feek the Lord their God, an4 
 David their king, and fhall fear the Lord and his 
 goodnefs in the latter days:'* and by Ezekie-, 
 who lived in the captivity itfelf \ " After many 
 days, (fpcakirtg of thofe who fhoald oppofe the 
 return of the Israelites), thou (halt be vifited in the' 
 latter years, thou fbalt come into the land ; — Up- 
 on the people that are gathered out of the na- 
 tions *, — in that day, when my -people of Ifrael 
 dwelleth fafely •,-— thou {halt come up again fl 
 them;— it fhall be in the latter days/ 7 Thefe 
 predictions, therefore, necefTirily belong f6 that 
 age, when the times of the Gentiles (hall be ful- 
 filled, and the fulnefs of the Gentiles be come in. 
 And that through all the changes which have 
 happened in the kingdoms of the earth, fro n 
 the days of Ivlofes to the prefent time, which is 
 more than 3000 years, nothing fhoukl have hap- 
 pened to prevent the poTibility of the accom- 
 plifhment of thefe prophecies ; but, on the con* 
 trary, the iiate of the jewiih and Chriftian na-- 
 tio :s, at this day, mould be fuch as renders them 
 cafity capable, nor only of a figurative, but even 
 of a literal completion, in every particular, if 
 tbe will of God be (o •, this, I fay, is a miracle, 
 trhich hath nothing parallel to it in the pheuo* 
 men a of nature. 
 
 Another inftance, no lefs extraordinary, is as 
 
 follows : Daniel foretels a kingdom upon the 
 
 eaith, (i which (hall be divers from all kingdoms, 
 
 divers from all that were before it, exceeding 
 
 F f j dreadful, 
 

 /) 
 
 % 
 
 ( 34* J 
 
 dreadful, and fhall devour the whole eartrVr 
 That, among the powers into which this king- 
 dom ill n\ be divided, there (hall arife one power 
 divers from the i eft, who (lull Aibdue unto him- 
 felf three of the firft powers, and he flhall have a 
 mouth fpcaking £reat things, and a look more 
 ilout than his follows. He ihdl make war with 
 the faints, and (hall prevail agajnft them, &c. 
 He fhall exalt himfelf, and- magnify himfelf above 
 every god,, and fhall ipeak marvellous things a- 
 gainit the God of ^ods •,. neither fha i he regard 
 the God of his fathers, rtor the defire of women,, 
 nor regard any god, for he (hall, magnify himfelf 
 above all And in his eftafe jfhall he honour the 
 gcd of forces, or, as in the margin of the Bible,. 
 godj-prcteFrcrfy or. Ja-tntJ prGteFtors^ and a god 
 whom his fathers knew not fhall he honour. 
 Thus- fhall he do in the moil ftrong holds with a. 
 -ftiange gcd,. whom he fhall acknowledge, and in- 
 crease with glory •, and he fhall eaufe them to 
 rule ever many,, and fhall divide the land for 
 gain." Suppofe now all this to be fpoken by 
 Daniel,, oc nothing more rhan the fhort perfecu- 
 tion under Antiochus lipiphanes ; which, that it 
 cannoi be 1 have fhewn above. But fuppofe that 
 it were, and that it was all forged after the 
 event : yet this cannot be the cafe of St Paul, and 
 St John,, who defcribe exaclly alike power,, and in 
 Ekrrwords^fpeaking of things to come in the latter 
 days,, of things ftill future in their time,, and of" 
 which . the-ie. were Uien no foolfteps, no appea Tr- 
 ance in the worJd. "The day of Chrifl, faith^5vt 
 Paul, (hail. not come, except there come a falW 
 jn.g away firft,. and that man of fin be revealed,, 
 the fon of. perdition," &c. Again* the Spiiit 
 fpsaketh ex-prefcly., H That, in the latter times,. 
 feme (hall ckparfcfrom the fa ; th, giving heed to 
 feduciag fpirirs and dcclrines of devils--; — forbid- 
 ding to marry x . and commanding to abflain frona 
 
 meat 
 
 »* 
 
 >. 
 
( 343 ! 
 
 meats," ire. In like manner, Jokn prophefics 
 of a wild beaft, or tyrannical power, to whom 
 was given great authority, and- a month fpeaking 
 great things, and blafphemies, &c. All the fol- 
 lowing citations we have formerly > once and a- 
 gain, applied to Antichrift, and fnall not repeat 
 them here. " Bat, fays the Doctor, if, in the 
 daysofPanl and John, there was any footflep 
 of fuch a fort of power as this in the world •, 6?, 
 if there ever had been any fuch power in the 
 world ; or, if there was any appearance of pro- 
 bability, that could make it emer into the heart 
 of man to imagine* that there ever could be 
 any fuch power in the wcrld, much lefs in 
 the temple, or church of God; and, if there 
 be not now fuch a power actually, and confpicu- 
 oufly, exercifed in the world-, and if any picture 
 of this power, drawn after the event, can nox 
 defcribe it more plainly and exactly, than it was 
 defcriied originally, in the words of the prophe- 
 cy : then may it, with some degree of pfcuifible- 
 nefs, be fuggefted, that the prophecies are no- 
 thing mote than enthufiaftie imaginations.'* Thus 
 far Dr Clark r to whofe very pertinent obferv&- 
 tions, we fhal add another, which we hope will 
 confirm and ft re ng then the above, and what fol- 
 lows. It has been already obferved, that the 
 Jews are frill, and have been, a diftin£V peop!e v 
 irnmixed with any other nation-, though living 
 among them; that they have, in their cuftody,.- 
 the writings of the Old TefLament, to which they 
 ftriclly adhere, and which they have, all along, 
 openly owned and acknowledged to be of divine 
 infpiration--, ana, unlefs it ean be fuppofed, that 
 thefe Jews, drfperfed over the whole- world, mould 
 have entered into a confederacy with Chri-ftian?,, 
 to new-model, or alter, ail, or any part, of thefe 
 facxed writings •> which every man,, in his fenfes, 
 
 milt 
 
 J 
 
( 344 ) 
 
 will reject with abhorrence - y efpecialJy, cnnf1~ 
 dcring the hatred they bear to Christians there 
 can be no poiTibiliiy of fuch a collifion. There- 
 fore, whatever prophecies are contained in the 
 facred writings, either of the Old or New 
 Teitamem, mufl undoubtedly be genuine and 
 authentic ; and no potability can be fuppofed, of 
 any prophecy being invented, or forged after the 
 events are paft. We are verily periuaded thefe 
 could be no fuch a being, in Chriftendom, as a 
 Beift, if men were at pains to obferve the exact 
 accompli fhment of prophecy ; and, at the fame 
 time, confider the Jews as a monument of divine 
 vengeance, and a mod linking and viilble evi- 
 dence of the truth of Chriitianiry. 
 
 " For thefe things, fays Biihop Newton, you 
 have the atteflation of pall, and the experience of 
 prefent times \ and you cannot well be deceived, 
 if you wiil only believe your own eyes and ob- 
 servation. You actually fee the completion of 
 many prophecieSj in the flate of men and things 
 around you ; and you have the prophecies them- 
 felves recorded in books, which have been read 
 in public affemblies thefe J7ce, or 20 oo years ; 
 which have been difperfed, have been translated 
 into feveral languages^ and quoted and com- 
 mented on by different authors, of different ages 
 2nd nations \ fo that there is no room to fufpedt 
 fo much as a pcflibility of forgery or ilkvfion. 
 
 The prophecies too, though written by differ- 
 ent men, in different ages, have yet a vifible con- 
 nection and dependency, an entire harmony and 
 agreement, one with another. At the fame time 
 that there is fuch perfect harmony, there is alio 
 great variety ; and the fame things are foretold by 
 different prophets, in a different manner, and 
 with different circumitances, and the latter ufual- 
 Jj improve upon the former. They are all e*cel- 
 
 \ \ 
 
 
( 345 ) 
 
 lent in their different kinds ; and you may bb* 
 ferve the beauty and fublimity of ftile and die- 
 lion of the piophets, even f om thofe quotations 
 which have been made from their writings In- 
 deed they are very we;l worthy of our ferious 
 peruial, and meditation, not only ccnfidered as 
 prophets, but confidered, even as authors, fcr 
 tru r noble images and defcriptions, their, bold 
 tropes and figures, their iniirudtive precepts, 
 their pa*httical exhortations, and excellencies y 
 which would have been admired in any ancient 
 writers whatever. 
 
 Obfcuriries indeed there are in the prophetic 
 writings, for which many good reafons may be 
 affigned; and this particularly, becaufe prophecies 
 are the only fpecies of writing, which is defign- 
 ed more for the inftru£t.ion of future ages, than 
 of the times wherein they are written. 
 
 If the prophecies had been delivered in plainer 
 terms, fome perfons might be for haftening their 
 accomplishment, as others might attempt to de- 
 feat it ; men's actions would not appear fo free, 
 fior God's providence fo confpicuous in their 
 completion. But though fome parts are obfeure 
 enough to exercife the church, y*t others are fuf- 
 ficiently clear to illuminate it ; and the obfeure 
 parts, the more they are fulfilled, the better they 
 are underftood. In this refpe£t, as the world: 
 groweth older, it gro^eih wiier. Time, that de- 
 tracts fomething from the evidence of other wri- 
 ters, is ftill adding fomething to the credit and 
 authority of the prophets. Future ages will com- 
 prehend more than the prefent, as the prefent 
 underftands more than the pait: and the perfect 
 accomplishment will produce a perfect knowledge 
 of all the prophecies. 
 
 In any explication of the prophecies, you can- 
 not but obferve the fubferviency of human learn- 
 ing to the ilicdy of divinity. One thing is partU 
 
 cularly 
 
( 34<5 ) 
 tularly requifite, a competent knowledge of hi- 
 ftory, facied and profane, ancient and modern. 
 Prophecy is, as I may fay, hiftory anticipated 
 and contracted ; hiftory is prophecy accomplifh- 
 ed and dilated : and the prophecies of fcripture, 
 fls you fee, contain the fate of the moft con- 
 siderable nations, and the fubftance of the moft 
 memorable tranfaclions in the world, from the 
 earlieft, to the lateft times. Daniel, and St John, 
 with regard to thefe latter times, are mo:e copi- 
 ous and particular than the other prophets. They 
 exhibit a feries and fucceftion of the moft import- 
 ant events, from the firft of the four great mo- 
 narchies, or empires, to the confummation of all 
 things. Their prophecies may really be faid to 
 be a fummary of the hiftory of the world, and the 
 hiftory of the world is the beft comment upon 
 their prophecies. I muft confefs, it was my ap- 
 plication to hiftory that iirft ftruck me, without 
 thinking of it, with the amazing juftnefs of the 
 fcripture-prophecies. I obferved the predictions all 
 along to be verified in the courfe of events : and 
 the more you know of ancient and modern times, 
 and the farther you fearch into the truth of hifto- 
 ry, the more you will be fatisfied of the truth of 
 prophecy. They are only pretenders to learning, 
 and knowledge, who are pat/ons of infidelity. 
 Two of the greateft men whom this country, or 
 perhaps the whole world, hath produced, the 
 Lord Bacon, and Sir Ifaac Newton, the one wifh- 
 ing for a hiftory of the feveral prophecies of 
 fciipiure, compared with the events ; the other 
 writing obfervations upon the prophecies of Da- 
 niel, and the Apocalypfe of St John: the teftimo- 
 ny of two fuch, (not to mention others), is e- 
 nough to weigh down the authority of ali the In- 
 fidels who ever lived. 
 
 You fee what (landing monuments the Jews 
 arc every where of divine vengeance, for their 
 
 infidelity \ 
 
 i 
 
( 34? r 
 
 infidelity; and beware therefore of the like cfifrifj 
 kit the like punifhment fhould follow ; u for (Rom« 
 xii. 21.) if God fpared not the natural branches, 
 take heed, left he alio fpare not thee." Our infi- 
 delity would be worfe than even that of the Jevrsj 
 for they receive and own the prophecies, but da 
 not fee arid acknowledge their completion in Je~ 
 fus : whereas our modern Infidels reject both the 
 prophecy and the completion together. But what 
 ftrange difingenuity mud it be, when there is all 
 the evidence that hiftory can afford, and, in ma- 
 ny cafes, even occular demonftration for the 
 completion, to be ftill obftinate and unbelieving. 
 May we not very properly bellow upon fuch per- 
 fons, that juft reproach of our Saviour, Luke 
 Xxiv. 25. " O fools, arid flow of heart to believe 
 " iU that the prophets have fpoken !" 
 
 Indeed, if it was once or twice only that the 
 thing had fucceeded, and the event had fallen 
 out agreeably to the prediction, we fhould not fo 
 much wonder ; we mould not lay fo much ftrefs 
 upon it \ it might be afcribed to a lucky contin- 
 gency, or owing to rational conjecture ; but that 
 fo many things, fo very unlikely ever to happen,- 
 fhould be fo particularly foretold, and {o many a- 
 ges afterwards fo punctually fulfilled; tranfcends, 
 without doubt, all the (kill; and power of man 5 
 and muft be refolved into the omnifcience and 
 omnipotence of God. Nothing, certainly, can 
 be a (tronger proof of a perfon's a'cting by divine 
 eommiilion, and fpeaking by divine infpiration 5 
 and it is affigned in fcripture, as the teft and cri- 
 terion, between a true and falfe prophet, Deufc 
 xviii. 22. " When a prophet fpeaketh in the 
 name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor 
 come to pafs, that is the thing which the Lord 
 hath not fpoken, but the prophet hath fpoken 
 it prefumptuouily" : and in Jer. xxviii. 9. " Thg 
 
 prophet 
 
\ 
 
 ( 34S 1 
 
 f rrjphet who prophefieth of peace, ^hen th£ 
 word of the prophet (hall have come to pafs, therl 
 fhall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath 
 truly fent him." It is fo much the peculiar pre- 
 togative of God, or of thofe who are c6mmiffion- 
 ei by him, certainly to foretel future events, that 
 \. is made a challenge to all the falfe gods, If. xli. 
 21. 28. " Produce your caufe, faith the Lord t 
 bring forth your ftrong reafons, faith the King of 
 Jacob ; (hew the things that are to come hereafter* 
 that we may know that ye are gods." Lying ora- 
 cles have been in the world > but all the wit, and 
 malice of men arid devils, cannot produce any 
 fuch prophecies as are recorded in fcripture : and 
 what greater, or ftronger attestations can you re- 
 quire to the truth and divinity of the doctrine ? 
 No man can bring with him more authentic cre- 
 dentials of his coming from God : and the more! 
 Vou (hall confider, and underftand them, the more 
 you will be convinced, that, Rev. xix. 10. the 
 teflimony of Jefus is the fpirit of prophecy. 
 
 If, to the propheeie?, you add the miracles, fo 
 falutary and beneficial, fo publicly wrought, and 
 fo credibly attefted, above any other matters of 
 facl: whatever, by thofe who were eye-witnefles of 
 them, and fealed the truth of their teilimony wit It 
 their blood; if, to thefe external confirmations* 
 Jrbu add likewife the internal excellence of Chri- 
 iiianity ; the goodnefs of the doftrine itfelf, fo 
 moral, fo perfect, fo divine ; and the purity and 
 perfection of its motives, and fanctions, abovd 
 any other fyftem of morality, or religion, in the 
 world ; if you ferioufly confider, and compare all 
 thefe things together, it is, almofl, impoffible 
 not to feel conviction, and to cry out, as Thomas 
 did, after handling our Saviour, " My Lord and 
 *ny God," John xx. 28. This is only one argu- 
 ment out of many, that there muft be a divine re- 
 velation \ if there is any truth in prophecy, as wc 
 
 havte 
 
 1 
 
( 349 ) 
 
 have (hewn, in feveral internees, and might fl.ee/ 
 in feveral more, if there i; any dependence upon 
 the teftimony of others, or upon oar o\v I 
 upon what we read in books, or upon what wd 
 fee in the world. 
 
 Men are fometimes apt to think, that, if they 
 could but fee a miracle wrought in favour of re- 
 Jigion, they would readily refign all their fcru- 
 ples, believe without doubt, and obey without re- 
 ierve. The very thing that you defire, y 
 You have the mod (Inking of miracles in the ISe 
 of fcripture-prophecies accompli flied-, accomplifn- 
 ed, as we fee, in the prefent ftate of almoft all na- 
 tions, the Africans, the Egyptians, the Arabians, 
 the Turks, the Jews, the Papifts, the Protectants, 
 Nineveh, Babylon, Tyre, the feven churches ot 
 Afia, Jerufalem, and Rome, And this is net a 
 iranfient miracle, ceafing almoft as ioon as per- 
 formed ; but is permanent, and protracted through 
 the courfe of many generations. It is not a mi- 
 racle delivered only upon the report of others ; 
 but is fubject to our own inflection and exami- 
 nation. It is not exhibited before a certain num- 
 ber of witnefles, but is open to the obfervation 
 and contemplation of all mankind \ and, after fo 
 juany ages, is ftill growing, (till improving to fu- 
 ture ages. What ft rouge r miracle, therefore, can 
 we require for our conviction ; or what will a- 
 rail, if this ihall be found inefre&ua* ? Alas ! if 
 you reject the evidence of prophecy, neither 
 -would you be perfuaded, though cne ihould rife 
 from the dead. What car b« plainer ? you fee, 
 or may fee with your own eyes, the fcripture- 
 prophecies accomplifhed : and if the fcripture- 
 
 Crophecies are accomplimed, the fcripture mult 
 e the word of God; and if the fcripture is the 
 jvord of God, the Chriftian religion mufl: be true. 
 It is hoped therefore, that she fame addrefs 
 G g may 
 
ill 
 
 : 35^ > 
 
 may be applied to you, which St Pan! made ro 
 pa, Ads xxvi. 27. 28. " D-lievcft 
 th °« >wthat thoubcllvrvta" ;- 
 
 ^ n - our heart to anfwer again, " Not 
 
 ©n!y almoft, bat altogether thou perfaadeft me 
 to be a CbriftiaP > for your encouragement, re- 
 member, that he who receiveth a prophet, in the 
 fcarne of a prophet, (hall receive a prophet's re- 
 ward, Matth. x. 41. "Wherefore quench not the 
 fpirit ; defpife not prophefyings ; prove all things ; 
 Isold fa ft that which is good. The grace of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift be with you. /men/' 
 
 Thus concludes the worthy Bifhop, and here 
 we fhould have j ike wife concluded. But we are 
 apprehenfive, and not without reafon, that we 
 will be charged with plagiarifm, in the whole of 
 this Appendix. We flatter ourfelves, however, 
 that the candid reader will be fatisfied with the 
 apology we are about to make. 
 
 As Bifhop Newton is among* the lateft writers 
 upon this important fubjecl:, and as he had both 
 •abilities, leifure, and every other advantage 'which? 
 we want, to ccnfult all the authors who wrote 
 before him, and to digeft and contract them 
 properly within a fmall compafs ; we were very 
 fenfible, that though we fhould have been at the 
 ntmoft pains, in confulting all the authors he has 
 done, it would not have been in our power r 
 (confidering our tender conftitution, and the 
 many toils we are expofed to), to have done it 
 with that perfpicuity, elegance, and precifion, 
 which he has done : and though we have differ- 
 ed in our fentiments from him, in various parts 
 of our efiay, yet we highly approve of his con- 
 dufion, and moil of his recapitulation ; and ar- 
 dently with, that the whole performance (how- 
 ever it may be ridiculed by many) may tend to 
 the glory of God, the advancement of the Pro- 
 liant 
 
( ?*« ) 
 
 teftant religion, the opening the eyes cf fit!' 
 Papiits, a!id removing the prejudices and 
 deiity of the Jews, If all, or any of thefc arc 
 obtained by it, we can fay, in Gucerity, ova Cole 
 aim is accomplished. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
1 
 
1