The Command of God to Come Out of Babylon, Text

The Command of God to Come Out of Babylon · Text

p. 1REVEL. 18. 4.

And I heard another Voice from Heaven, ſaying, Come out of her, my People, that ye be not partaker of her Sins, and receive not of her Plagues.

THIS Voice is Another; For it ſucceeds the mighty Cry of the ſtrong Voice of an Illuſtrious Angel, which had gone juſt before, and proclaim'd, Babylon the Great is Fallen, is Fallen. Now although theſe Two Voices are prepar'd for a particular Time, and that is ſtill to come; yet they ſound backward from that Time, wherein they are to have ſo perfect an Elevation, to the Times before; and ſo conſequently to all Time forward, from that very Time wherein theſe Voices were Heard, and Recorded by the Apoſtle John, the Apocalyptical Amanuenſis, or Scribe; that ſo from that very Time, the Execution of the Things declar'd may be expected, and prepar'd for, as in their proper Time to be executed.

But more eſpecially ſince the Time of the Reformation, and ſo onwards, the nearer we approach the Time for which it is prepar'd, the more the Voice, with which we have now to do, is to be attended, as if it ſounded louder and louder; And it ſhall moſt ſenſibly do ſo, when the Fourty two Months of the Beaſt are expir'd, which we ſhall find, will be at the fartheſt Nine years hence.

Let us then conſider the Importance of this Voice, and it is plainly the Separation of the People of God, and ſo of every Perſon among us, if we are of his People, from any Communion with that City or Community concerning which we ſhall by p. 2the Light of this Prophecy duly weigh'd and conſider'd, be convinc'd; that It is the City ſymboliz'd, or ſet out by this Myſtical Woman; And our Separation muſt be proportionable to the danger of being tainted, or ſtruck with the Contagion of its Sins, or Apprehended and Reachd by the Thunder-ſhaft of its Plagues: For ſo is the Charge; Come out of her, my People. And ſo is the Enforcement, Leſt ye be partaker of her Sins, and leſt ye Receive of her Plagues.

Now that we may do this; It is highly Expedient at leaſt, to uſe the utmoſt Enquiry into this Prophecy, that we may know by the Characters of it, What, and what manner of City the Spirit of God in it doth ſignifie; and what or what manner of Time alſo, It hath denoted, or elſe we cannot ſo well judge what is 1 Pet. 1. 11.1 Pet 1:11our Duty, or what our Danger:

For though I would allow, with as much Largeneſs of mind as can be deſir'd, that by the General Rules of Univerſal Scripture, we may without the particular Underſtanding of this Prophecy be ſecur'd from both the Impurities, and from the Judgments of this City, by Adhering to the Truth, and Purity, and Mercy of the Chriſtian Religion in Doctrine, Diſcipline, Worſhip and Practiſe, according to the juſt meaſures of the Word of God; yet we cannot do it with thoſe particular Evidences of that Divine Reaſon, nor with thoſe vigorous Emotions of Zeal againſt ſuch an unclean Communion as this Prophecy rightly apprehended would arm us with; For certainly, The Pen of this Divine Scribe was not made in vain.

I will therefore uſe the higheſt Diligence of Reſearch and cloſe Enquiry into the Prophecy, concerning the City, and the Times appointed to it; and then concerning the Comming out of it, and enforce the Charge here given to come out of it; and all this as peculiarly deriv'd from this Holy Oracle, in compariſon of which, all the Streams deriv'd from Antiquity are Low and Flat in ſhewing the Great Abominations of that City.

But Bleſſed is he that Readeth, and They who Hear the Words of this Prophecy, for now the Time is more at hand, as to what we are now to Treat of, than when the Oracle was firſt given, although each part of this Prophecy was in its own Time and Order at Hand, according to the Line, wherein each Thing was to come to paſs, and which Line began in the Things that were firſt to come to paſs, and did come to paſs from the Reſurrection p. 3and Aſcenſion of Chriſt, which are but one Time in the Account of Prophecy (as we ſay in Law, The whole of each Term is but one Day;) and from thence the Revelation is dated, as from its Epoch, or Beginning-Point.

Firſt therefore concerning the City, there are ſuch Characters as undeniably aſſure us This City can be no other than the City Rome that is here thus deſcrib'd.

The City reſembled by a Woman, a not only Imperious, but Charact. 1.Imperial whoriſh Woman, is plainly Expounded by the Angel to be a City; And it is uſual in Prophecy to Figure Cities by that Embleme of a Woman, and not only Cities, but Churches, as Revel. c. 17. c. 18.Rev 17Zion, by a Woman grieved in Spirit; the True Church in this Prophecy is often Typ'd by a Woman; the New Jeruſalem by the Bride, the Lambs Wife. And Adulterous Churches by Adulterous Women; as Aholiab and Aholibah are the Pictures of Samaria Ezek. 23.Ezek 23and Jeruſalem, both as Adulterous Cities and Churches.

But this Woman, this Imperial and Imperious whoriſh Woman, is affirm'd to be foreign, with all the Emphaſis and Force of Expreſſion that can be; The City, The Great; That hath (now, ſaith the Apoſtle John, that I am in writing it) at this very preſent Time, the Kingdom over the Kings of the Earth.

Now a City that had then the Kingdom over the Kings of the Earth, undeniably imported a Capital City, the Seat of an Ʋniverſal Monarchy at that Time. For as a Monarch hath in the very nature of a Monarch, all ſubordinate Magiſtrates under him, and accountable to Him; ſo an Univerſal Monarchy hath States and Kingdoms under it; that however in their particular Kingdoms They may be over and above all others, yet ſtill their Power is Limitable and accountable to, and may be Appealed from to the Univerſal Monarchy and Power.

When therefore This City is ſaid to be The City, The Great, Having at that Time a Kingdom over the Kings of the Earth; It is to ſay, the City ſpoken of was at the Time when the Revelation was given the Seat of an Ʋniverſal Monarchy, and that ſome Supreme Power had its Imperial Reſidence there, took its Title from that City, exercis'd its Power under that Title, and as the then preſent Head of that City bore up the City by ſuch Title; ſo that it is ſaid to have a Kingdom over the Kings of the Earth, becauſe ſuch a Power, ſo related to it, had a Kingdom p. 4over all other Kingdoms far and near, or had ſuch an Univerſal Monarchy or Kingdom.

Now what City that was, that had then a Kingdom over the Kings of the Earth, in the ſenſe now declared, beſides the Notices of Univerſal Hiſtory in that matter, it is moſt evident from Scripture, that it muſt be even that very City Rome, for Auguſtus, at that time the Emperour of Rome, when our Lord was Born, made a Decree, that All the World, viz. the World of the Roman Empire, which Aſpir'd, as it were to equal the very Habitable Earth in Extent, ſhould come under a particular Cenſus, Luc. 2. 1.Luke 2:1or be deſcrib'd, that ſo an Account of the large Bounds of the Dominion, the Numerouſneſs, Strength, and Riches of the Subjects might be render'd to Him.

We read in the Hiſtory of the Acts of the Apoſtles, how great the Honour was for any City to be accounted a Member of that City, that its Natives might be the Free-Born of that City; It made ſuch a City no mean City. The Immunity of being ſo Free-born was ſo great, that many purchas'd it at an exceeding Rate, who had it not by Birth. We find the Apoſtle Paul, though he was a Jew, and immediately ſubject to the Jewiſh Law, yet, as it were directed by an Impulſe of Providence, Appeals to Caeſar's Tribunal, as the Higheſt upon Earth. Theſe and many other Expreſſions aſſure us, what City it was that at the Acts 22. 28Acts 22:28Time Reigned over the Kings of the Earth.

And it was very neceſſary, the Scripture, that loves moſt in all weighty matters to be ſerv'd by its own Records, ſhould take this great Notice of the Roman Empire; Becauſe as the Fourth Monarchy, it was of the Four the moſt Remarkable; For in it Dan. 7.Dan 7the Kingdom of Meſſiah, that is to be ſo Univerſal a Monarchy indeed, began to be ſet up in its Beginning, and will in the End of the ſame Roman Monarchy be a Dominion under the whole Heaven, given to the Saints of the moſt High; the firſt of which is Accounted for in the Hiſtory of the New Teſtament, and the Laſt in this Grand Prophecy of it, the Revelation.

But further, to carry on the Certainty of this City being the City Rome, at the time the Apoſtle John wrote the Revelation, we may obſerve what is ſo well known, That there was no Change in the State of the Roman Empire, except a greater Enlargement of it from the Days of Chriſt, and the Apoſtles, to the Time of the writing the Revelation by the Apoſtle John. So p. 5that when This City is declar'd to be the City that Reign'd over the Kings of the Earth, it is moſt evident Rome was the City intended.

It is therefore called the Great City, according to the manner Charact. 2.of ſpeaking at that Time; Roma Sacra, Auguſta, Aeterna, Rome the Sacred, the Imperial, the Everlaſting Rome. How often therefore doth the Revelation ſtyle it the Great City, and Babylon the Great, and The City, and The Great?

This Woman is ſaid to ſit on Seven Mountains; And the Holy Charact. 3.Spirit is ſo Induſtrious, if I may ſo ſpeak with Reverence, to give this Notice of the Famous Seven-Hill'd Rome, that it goes out of its way to give it; For whereas the Beaſt only and not the Woman is Entitled to the Seven Heads; Beſides the Seven Heads of the Beaſt, on whom the Woman ſitteth, the Woman her ſelf is pourtrayed Sitting on Seven Mountains, as The names of which are moſt univerſally known to be the Capitoline, the Palatine, the Aventine, the Celan, the Eſquiline, the Viminal, the Quirinal.Seven Heads (beſides the Beaſts Heads, I ſay,) ſo that the Divine Wiſdom ſteps as it were aſide to fetch in theſe Seven Mountains as the Cities Heads; as an uncontroulable, unmoveable Character and Aſſurance of this City. For never was any City in the World ſo famouſly known by its Seven Hills as the Seven-Headed City Rome.

There being then no poſſibility of Avoiding it, the moſt zealous Partizans of Rome in its preſent State, dare not deny that the Woman here deſcrib'd, and expounded by the Angel into a City, is the very City Rome, and no other; They do therefore Acknowledge it; There are but Two ways then to reſcue Rome in its preſent State from the Dint of this Prophecy.

1. That it was Heathen Rome the Prophecy intended, and that therefore it hath had its Accompliſhment many Ages ago.

2. Or that it may be ſome State of Rome, that is not yet, nor hath yet been, but is to be ſome ſhort time before the End of the World.

If therefore the Prophecy will not endure either of theſe, that it is paſt, or to come, it is then Demonſtration, that it muſt be the Preſent State of Rome, that is under the Thunder-ſtroke of the Prophecy: Seeing All, that Time enfolds in its whole Nature, is either paſt, preſent, or to come:

Now that the State of Rome here deſcrib'd is not yet paſt, there are theſe two Evident Reaſons.

1. That whenever this Prophecy is fulfill'd, there muſt be an utter Deſtruction, Ruine, and Deſolation of the City; for the p. 6Woman expounded to be the City Chap. 17. is the ſame, whoſe Deſolation is ſo amply and finally declar'd chap. 18. ſo that there can be no poſſible ſuppoſal it can be otherwiſe: And that the Deſolation is utter and Final, beſides the whole Courſe of it all along, is moſt apparent by the Emblem of the Mill-ſtone thrown into the Bottom of the Sea; as of Babylon of old, that is a place of Wild Beaſts at this Day: Every thing in the whole Prophecy is levied on purpoſe to expreſs a ſupreme Aboliſhment of this City out of the whole Nature of Things.

Now no ſuch Aboliſhment of the City Rome hath yet been, but it hath out-liv'd the Calamities that it ſuffer'd at any Time ſince the Prophecy, and hath always ſo recover'd it ſelf that it is at this day in Grandeur, ſo that the Truth of the Prophecy muſt be wholly overthrown, or not yet fulfill'd; and ſo it muſt be yet to be deſtroy'd.

I ſay nothing of the Cities of the Nations Falling at the ſame Time that Great Babylon came in Remembrance before God, becauſe I would reſt only upon what is moſt indubitably plain.

2. The Glory of the Church, and of the Kingdom of Chriſt, the Bride, the Lambs Wife making her ſelf ready to the Marriage, c. 19. 20. 21.and that whole Bleſſed change of Things, anſwering the great Types of the Prophecy, immediately follow the Deſolation of this City Rome: So in Daniel, after the giving the Beaſt to the Flames (as is here foretold alſo after the Final Deſtruction of Babylon) the Kingdom under the whole Heaven is given to the Saints of the moſt High, and Sathan chain'd, ſhut up, and ſeal'd into his own bottomleſs pit, that he might deceive the Nations no more. But that theſe Happy Things have not yet come to paſs, there needs nothing more to convince All that bear the Chriſtian Name, than the Impoſture and Tyranny of Mahomet, that hath rag'd within the very Bowels of the Chriſtian World ſo long a ſpace.

The moſt obſervant therefore of the Roman Commentators on this Prophecy, finding how impoſſible it is to adjuſt the Prophecy of theſe two Chapters to Rome changed from Rome Imperial, as Heathen, to Rome Imperial, as Chriſtian, have thought the ſecond Interpretation the ſafer Refuge from the Terror of its Judgment here foretold, and much the rather, I doubt not, becauſe an Expoſition reſting on a Futurity can be leſs Evicted in its Diſagreeableneſs, than what bears on Things paſt, and what is to be juſt at the End of the World, can be hardlier confuted by ſhewing the ill-matching of Conſequences, (eſpecially when p. 7the Conſequences are ſo Great, as the Day of Judgment only can parallel; (as they have truly enough conſider'd,) then what was to have been ſo many Ages ago Attended with ſuch Conſequences as have not yet come to paſs, which every one can plainly charge.

But yet the due and cloſe Search into this Prophecy will as much Confute this, as the other, as is now to be made evident: which, that it may be done, I will lay down this Propoſition, and prove it from the whole Prophetick Table.

Rome in the preſent State is that, which hath been from the Propoſit.Time the Imperial Name of the City Rome ceas'd, and ſtill continues, that Symbolical, myſtical Woman, or City, upon which this Prophecy, and the whole Deſignation of it, perpendicularly, or as we ſay, point-blank Falls, and not a Future Rome and Antichriſt to be expected, Three years and a half only before the Day of Judgment, as ſome Papiſts would have it.

To prove this, I uſe this General Argument: That which 1 General Argum.gives us the diſtinguiſhing States and Times of this City, according to this Prophecy, and according to the General Reaſon of Things, muſt be the diſtinguiſhing of the Times, and States of its Seven Heads, and Eight Kings; Even as in all States, Kingdoms, and Cities, their Times are given by the Reigns of the Princes and by the Governments over them; If then by the computing the Times of theſe, it ſhall appear, the preſent Rome is this Woman or City, the Demonſtration will be ſecure.

Now Thus is the whole Prophetick Frame. This City ſits on a Beaſt of Seven Heads, for thoſe Seven Mountain-Heads are by the By, and only to give the preſumptive Knowledge of this City, ſo fam'd for its Seven Mountains; the certain, and more accompliſh'd aſſurance, even to Plerophory, of which is, its having at that Time a Kingdom over the Kings of the Earth: yet this of the Mountains joyn'd with it eſtabliſhes it in the Evidence of Two moſt undoubted Teſtimonies of it.

Yet ſtill it is to be conſider'd, the Woman ſits on the Mountains, only as a City is deſcrib'd by its Scituation, and this City by its Scituation on Seven Mountains which is a very Grand Character of it: But the Woman ſits on the Beast of Seven Heads, as a Man or Woman are carried aloft on the Beaſt that bears them, or on which they Ride; ſo this Woman ſits, as a City, faſt, ſeated on Seven Mountains, and as an Imperial Woman Riding in State on the Beaſt, that bears, (as the Prophecy expreſly ſtyles p. 8it) or carries her, and offering her Golden cup of Fornications to the Kings of the Earth, intoxicated with the Grandeur and Riches, as alſo with the Senſuality of her Luſts and Adulteries.

Encircled therefore with theſe Seven and Seven of Heads for Aſſuring the City, and for the greater flouriſh of the Type, The Woman ſits on high; and the Two Sevens of Heads are expounded by the Angel to be Seven Hills or Mountains, unmoveable Heads. And [They] viz. the Heads, (not [There] as the Engliſh Tranſlation too Low) are Seven Kings, who are the moving, living Heads of the Beaſt, on which ſhe ſits, and by the Flitting or Remove of the Principality from one Head to another, the Times of the Woman, or of the City, as we ſhall ſee, are to be dated; for though the Heads are always united to the Beaſt, as all one Animal, or Beſtial living Creature, however monſtrous it may ſeem, yet the Kingſhip of the Heads was in a Succeſſion till it came to the laſt King under which it now is, and hath been ſo long.

Now among theſe Seven Heads that were Kings, there was a Seventh King caſt in, that was of another kind, as being no Head, which is of very great conſideration in this prophetical Portraicture, as we ſhall find; and He comming in makes the Seventh Head the Eighth King.

That we may be therefore guided by this whole Type to the certain knowledge of the preſent State of this City, I will lay down theſe four Propoſitions, with the proof of each.

Theſe Seven Heads and Eight Kings are not together Kings, or Propoſ. 1.in the Exerciſe of Sovereignty at one and the ſame Time, but are in a Succeſſion, or after one another; This is moſt undeniable, for Five had been before the Prophecy given to the Apoſtle; and were Fallen, viz. from their Principality, or Exerciſe of Sovereignty, elſe they were not Fallen; for they are ſtill repreſented on the Beaſt, and never part from it, as in the Prophetick Image, but pertain to the Integrity of the Beaſt or Roman Imperialiſm from firſt to laſt, which always conſiſts of all its Parts. They were Fallen then in regard of Principality, or Exerciſe of Sovereignty, which they had in their proper Time or Seaſon. Their union therefore to the Beaſt preſerves them ſtill their place, as Heads in the prophetick Sculpture, but not as Kings ſtill in Being.

Now theſe Five Fallen Heads are given as in One, or as in a Knot and Clamp together, the Prophecy being little concern'd p. 9in their exact Diſtinction, or Succeſſion; it being enough to it, that there were before the Prophecy Five Supreme Roman Governments, (which, as we ſhall ſee, It calls Kings,) Whether they were juſt in an order, or whether traverſing one another, it is all one as to the Prophecies Concern in them. The Caution therefore in the Prophecy in this matter is very obſervable, knowing what objection might be made concerning the Succeſſion of the Kingly, Conſular, Dictatorian, Tribunitial, and Decemviral Power, the ſo well known ſeveral Governments of the Roman States, It gives them in a Heap of Five together: Signifying, It intended no more than to mark by them the Beaſts Heads before the Prophecy, as paſt, or Fallen, and only Remarks the Succeſſion of the One that then was; and that It was not while the Five were, and that they had been, and were Fallen, before the Prophecy was given; which ſufficiently demonſtrates the Succeſſion betwixt the Five, and the One then in Being; which is all the Prophecy aims at, and troubles not it ſelf with the order of the Five among themſelves, any farther, than that Five ſuch were, and that they drew along the Times of the City to the Succeſſion of the One then in Being.

The Seventh was plainly to be a King, but was not yet come, but was to come, and to continue but a ſhort ſpace, when He came; which farther aſſures the Succeſſion: For ſeeing He was not come, He could not be together with the Sixth King, who then was, nor could He be at the ſame Time with the ſucceeding Eighth, in whom the City was to be deſtroy'd; for He was to continue but a ſhort ſpace: And then after Him the Eighth King follows, the Eighth, viz. in ſtrict Order, becauſe the ſhortliv'd Seventh came between Him and the Sixth; But the Eighth was of the Seven, viz. of the Seven Kings, who were alſo the Seven Heads; there muſt be therefore a Succeſſion between the Seventh ſhort-liv'd, and the Eighth; becauſe the Seventh and Eighth imply ſo much, the Seventh is to continue a ſhort ſpace. The Eighth therefore neceſſarily is ſuppos'd not to be ſo curtailed in Time; Both Kings, and ſo not together, and the Other Seventh no Head; for the Eighth was of the Seven Kings that were Heads. From all which it is moſt impoſſible, but that a Succeſſion muſt appear moſt manifeſtly.

There is no Appearance of the leaſt of an Hiatus or Gap; Propoſ. 2.there is no Interreign, no vacuum, or empty ſpace in the Succeſſion betwixt the Sixth King, then in Being, the Seventh and p. 10the Eighth, in which onelyonly the Prophetick Time is concern'd, but all the Caution againſt it that can be; for why was this Seventh King, who was no Head, put in, but that he might ſtand, as an Embolimean or double Seventh King, like our Embolimean or double Twenty fourth of February in every Embolimean or Intercalar, or, as we uſually ſpeak, Leap-year, that there might be no diſorder in Time, as here no Gap in the Succeſſion; For thus only could the Succeſſion of theſe Kings exactly Lead the Courſe of the Cities Time; So that the Spaces of it might be meaſur'd thereby: But if Thoſe Seven Kings only, that were Heads had been nam'd, while there was Another between, that was no Head, and he had not been Nam'd; There muſt have been a Leap of Time from the ſixth to the ſeventh Head, and no Account of the Seventh King (making the ſeventh Head the eighth King) to have ſwell'd up that ſpace of the ſeventh King's Time into Appearance and Notice.

From whence it is Evident, that the Seventh King, no Head of the Beaſt, that Carries the Woman, and yet A King of the City, is caſt in to keep the Courſe and Current of the Prophetic Time ſtrait and tight; For if the very exact Pourtraicture of the Beaſt had been only deſign'd, It had been more Juſt and Even, without any mention of the Seventh King, that pertain'd not to the Beaſt, nor to the Woman as carried by the Beaſt. But It was abſolutely neceſſary, that King alſo ſhould be mention'd, that the Time of the Prophecy with Relation to the Beaſt, and the City might be under juſt Computation, which it could not have been, except the Seventh King, being King of the City, as before ſaid, and Coming between the ſixth King and Head, and the Eighth King but ſeventh Head had been plac'd in his Regular Succeſſion, however it ſeem to interrupt the ſtate of the Beaſt, who for that time (as we ſhall ſee) lay wounded, and ſo was to ſuffer that Diſorder in this his prophetical Repreſentation.

The King that was no Head can have no room in the Order Propoſit. 3.of Succeſſion, but juſt in that Seventh Place: For the Seven Heads are ſeven Kings, viz. Seven that are alſo Heads; Seeing then there are Eight Kings, although but ſeven Heads: There muſt be one of theſe Kings who is no Head; Elſe there muſt be eight Heads, which contradicts the Prophecy: Which Place then the King No Head holds muſt be enquir'd; It cannot be any of the Five Fallen; For they are in Conſtruction of Speech neceſſarily Heads, For thoſe ſeven Heads are Seven Kings, Five of which Kings, p. 11who were Heads are Fallen: So the very Frame of the Words requires. But beſides the Five are put together, and ſo muſt be of a Kind, and therefore All alike Heads, or All alike no Heads, if All no Heads, where then can be the Seven? therefore of neceſſity All Heads. And There is nothing more in the Mind and Deſign of the Prophecy, than to aſſure us the Eighth King is a Head; For whereas He is the Eighth in Number of Kings, He is Tranſpos'd backward, and made the Seventh, viz. Head. For ſo he muſt be, when of the Seven; Seven, Take them either as Kings, or Heads, both which as together and in one are Sevens, and no other are Sevens but they who are both Kings and Heads; For the ſeven Heads are ſeven Kings. And it is plain He is laſt of the ſeven, and ſo muſt be the ſeventh; viz. Head and King.

The Diſpute then can only lye betwixt the ſeventh and the ſixth Kings, which of thoſe Two ſhall be the King, who yet is no Head. Now the very Contexture of the Words neceſſarily determines us upon the ſixth as Head, as well as King, or at leaſt ſtrongly enclines us; For Five Kings, that are Heads are Fallen, And One is One, what? but of the Heads, who are Kings. foreign Another is not yet Come, Another, what? but King, Yet not Head, For He is Another; For when ſuch a Point of difference is to be decided, there is great Reaſon to give the word Another a greater weight of Senſe, then only a caſual Word of Order; but it ſeems the Spirit of Prophecy choſe that word [One] that the word [Another] might fall emphatically and yet concealedly, as poſſible to be caſually, where He would have it juſt Fall.

Further, when He Comes, He must continue but a ſhort ſpace, which is ſaid only of the ſeventh King, and no Head, For the Five are put together, The Sixth is; The Eighth goes indeed into Perdition, but after how long Time is here but Intimated: Only the ſeventh is of ſhort ſpace, who being no Head of the Beaſt that Carries the City, ought to be of ſhort ſpace only; For neither the Beaſt nor ſuch a City could have ſurvived long, if the King no Head had been of long duration: But they were to ſurvive long.

Laſtly, the Eighth is expreſly ſaid to be of the Seven, immediately after the Seventh had made an Interruption between the Heads, being no Head Himſelf, but if the ſeventh King had been a Head, and the ſixth none, we might have expected, what Falls ſo on the ſeventh King, would have been fix'd on the ſixth King, to diſtinguiſh it from being a Head; and what is ſet on the p. 12Eighth King to aſſure Him to be a Head, would have been in the ſame meaſure Communicated to the ſeventh King, to aſſure Him to be a Head, as well as King, if the ſixth King had made a Chaſm or Breach betwixt the Heads, whereas All falls fit on the ſeventh King on all ſides to be no Head.

But though All This be enough, yet we ſhall have much more to Aſſure us when we come to know who theſe Heads are; that of all moſt indiſputably the ſixth muſt be a Head, and the ſeventh could be no Head, ſeeing the heads are Full of the Names of Blaſphemy.

Theſe ſeven Kings are not ſeven particular Kings, or ſingle Propoſit. 4.Monarchic Perſons, but ſeven Governments, having each a Number or Succeſſion of ſuch ſingle Kings under them; For Kings in Prophetic Scripture ſignifie Kingdoms, and not only ſingle Kings; So Dan. 7. 17. what are call'd Four Kings, no one doubts Mean Four Kingdoms; Accordingly v. 23. the Fourth King is Interpreted to be the Fourth Kingdom.

In this Prophecy, proportionably the Beaſt with Seven Heads is the whole Roman Empire or Kingdom (according to the old Prophetic Emblem of Heatheniſh Monarchies) from its firſt Foundation, and Beginning to its laſt Overthrow, in which Rome, the Imperial City, hath been always by the Seven Headed Beaſt Exalted and borne on High.

The Heads are the ſeveral Governments and Forms of Empire, that have each in their ſeveral Seaſons exerciſed Supremacy, and Sovereign Authority in that Monarchy State or Kingdom, Five of which the Prophecy (as before nam'd) binds up together as unintereſſed in their Duration or Succeſſion: The Laſt of theſe Heads, which is the Seventh and Eighth King, is eminently ſtyl'd the Beaſt, becauſe His Supremacy is chiefly treated of by this Prophecy, and in which the whole City and All goes into Perdition with Him.

Now to demonſtrate, that theſe Heads and Kings muſt be Forms of Government, let us conſider, one and the ſame City, the City Rome is Carried upon the Beaſt of theſe Seven Heads (together with the Caſt-in-King) its whole Time, even to its final Deſolation: For its whole Ichnography or Repreſentation is charg'd upon theſe Seven Heads, in the laſt of which It is utterly Deſolated. The Heads therefore cannot be ſeveral Monarchies and Kingdoms; For They are All the Heads of One Beaſt or Monarchy, and ſo not ſeveral Monarchies or Empires. They All p. 13bear up the One City Rome, and ſo muſt be one Roman Supremacy: Nor can they be ſingle Kings or Monarchic Perſons, ſeeing neither would Seven Lives ſupport the Grandeur of Eternal Rome, as It was Call'd, nor in Fact have any Seven ſo ſupported it from the Apoſtle John's Time, much leſs Two, (One of which was then in Being,) although we caſt in the Embolimean ſeventh King, but not Head; For ſince the Writing of the Apostle is above ſixteen hundred Years, and yet the Judgment Written in this Prophecy is not as yet Executed; From the Time then that This City was ſaid to have ſuch an Aſcendency, as to have the Kingdom over the Kings of the Earth, to this time of the Deſolation here Foretold, the City Rome was to be kept up in Dignity by its ſixth King then in Being, by its ſeventh King no Head for a ſhort ſpace, by its Eighth King and ſeventh Head, under which it is to ſink as a Mill-ſtone. How impoſſible is it therefore, theſe Kings ſhould be other then Governments or Succeſſions of ſeveral Perſons, or numbers of Perſons in each Government?

Let us now lay together theſe Four Propoſitions, and conſider their Amount to that which we are upon; That which we are upon, is, That the Preſent and not a Future Rome or Antichriſt Falls under the Thunder-ſtroke of this Prophecy; and that the People of God are call'd out of the preſent Roman City or Church: The general way of proving this muſt be by finding, that the Preſent Rome is upon the Eighth King and ſeventh Head; Together with which It is to be deſtroy'd. For that is the Rome out of which the People of God are call'd, even that Rome, that is to be …hus deſtroy'd.

To find this we muſt conſider the Eight Kings and Seven Heads, under which Rome paſſes its whole Time, and be able to judge of their Times. To which end I have debated theſe Four Propoſitions.

1. That theſe are Kings in Succeſſion. 2. That the Succeſſions are immediate, and without any void Time between. 3. That the King that was no Head can have no Room but in the ſeventh place. 4. That the ſeven and eight Kings are not ſingle Kings, but ſeveral, and a number of Kings under each King.

Now let us conſider the Amount of theſe four Propoſitions, and it muſt needs be that theſe Things will follow.

That whatever King or ſort of Government carried the City Conſequ. 1.Rome aloft in the Apoſtle Johns Time of writing the Revelation, p. 14muſt be the ſixth King, for Five then were fallen, with whom the Prophecy had no further to do, then to give them, as a mark of the City, and of the Beaſts carrying it. One was then in Being, which following the Five muſt needs be the Sixth.

We know both by Hiſtory, and by Scripture mentioning Auguſtus, Conſequ. 2.Tiberius, Claudius Caeſar, Emperours of Rome, That the Head bearing up Rome in the Apoſtles Times was the Heathen Imperial Head; And ſeeing there was no Time, that Rome was more drunk with the Blood of Saints, in univerſal Acknowledgment; nor the Roman Empire more confeſſedly carryed the Names of Blaſphemy, then at that Time; We know by the ſame univerſal Conſent, that of all others the ſixth King muſt needs be a Head; which decides ſo far the doubt betwixt the ſixth and the ſeventh Kings, which ſhould be of them Two the Head, ſeeing both could not; and it aſſures us the ſixth muſt be the Head. And indeed were not the Prophecy ſo puiſſantly againſt it, It looked fair to be the Rome, and Beaſt of that Time here meant, but for great Reaſons that can't be.

We know by undoubted Hiſtory, the Heathen Imperialiſm fell Conſequ. 3.by Conſtantine, in whom the Empire became Chriſtian: And ſeeing there was no Inter-reign, or breach in the ſucceſſion of Kings after the ſixth, the ſeventh muſt immediately ſucceed; And therefore It muſt be the Chriſtian Empire, becauſe that immediately followed that Heathen; from whence it appears how admirably agreeable the Prophecy and the Event are; For as we have made evident by the words of the Prophecy the ſeventh King could be no Head, carrying the Names of Blaſphemy. So the Chriſtian Empire acknowledging the One God, and the One Mediator, the True God, in whom is Eternal Life, was free from this Brand, and by wonderful Wiſdom of Providence It was ordered, that Conſtantine, and other the Chriſtian Emperours withdrew themſelves much from Rome, ſo that they did not as the Heads of the Beaſt bear Rome ſo high, but It was in an Eclipſe, Conſtantine building the City Conſtantinople as a New Rome to ſhade the Old; And which is wonderful aſſuring as Prophecy preſents the Beaſt wounded in One of his Heads with a deadly wound, ſo we know by Hiſtory the Beaſt as an Idolatrous Empire was wounded in the Chriſtian Victories over the Idolatrous Emperours and Chiefs: Thus every way the word foreign or [Another] falls ſo duly upon the Chriſtian Emperour, that It is even to raviſhment at the Wiſdom of the very prophetical Grammar, that ſo plac'd the foreign or [One] that the p. 15foreign or [Another] might follow big with Senſe, and yet veil'd with ſecreſie; and laſtly, This Empire continued but a ſhort ſpace; viz. about an hundred and fifty years, which was ſhort compared with the five fallen before the Prophecy, bundled together; ſhorter by half than the ſixth King then in Being; but beyond compariſon ſhorter then the eighth King, who is plainly aim'd at, and for whoſe ſake the ſeventh King was cut ſo ſhort in Time, that he might have his full Time, viz. of forty two prophetick Months (as we ſhall ſee) above twelve hundred years in ordinary account.

The only Objection I can poſſibly divine thus far, is, that becauſe the form of Government was Imperial both under the Heathen and Chriſtian Emperours. The Heathen and Chriſtian Emperour cannot be underſtood to be two forms of Government, and ſo the ſixth and the ſeventh Kings ſeem confounded into One, and thereby this account is overthrown.

To this I anſwer firſt, ſeeing we are ſure the Heathen Empire Anſw. 1.muſt be the ſixth King, that then was; It will very little alter the caſe, as to the preſent Rome, For It is certain that ſixth King muſt be fallen; we are alſo certain, the ſeventh being to continue but a ſhort ſpace, muſt be fallen alſo, becauſe the ſpace from the ſixth King hath been ſo very long. From whence it will follow the Eighth and laſt King muſt be, and muſt have been long in play, and whoever is, and hath been long ſo, muſt be the eighth King, and Rome muſt be this Rome under him, and this Rome and He muſt be deſtroyed together; and if we will believe the Prophecy, all this muſt be ſure. And ſo, as I ſay, the difference cannot be great; For under whomſoever the City now is, He muſt be the eighth King, Rome borne up by Him muſt be the Rome here deſcribed, and muſt be deſtroyed with Him the Beaſt; and the People of God muſt come out of it, as It is and hath ſo long been in the eighth King.

Although the form of Government under the Heathen and Anſw. 2.Chriſtian Emperours was alike, and the ſame Imperial Form, yet the Spirit and Soul of the Government being ſo purely Chriſtian in Gods Account, It highly merited to be reputed and given, as a new Succeſſion of Kings, as a diſtinct ſeventh King, being ſo much Another, ſo much different from thoſe before, and from that after it, although It had great Failings, even as the Kings of the Houſe of David had, and yet were in ſubſtance a Line of Honour in the ſacred Regiſter.

p. 16By all this we muſt know, the ſeventh Head, but eighth King Conſeq. 4.muſt have immediately ſucceeded at the expiration of the Chriſtian Empire, becauſe that continued but a ſhort ſpace after the Heathen Empire in Being in the Apoſtles Time, but a long Time hath now run out, and yet Rome is in Grandeur.

Whatever Name hath therefore carryed the Name of Supremacy derived from the City Rome it ſelf, and borne up that in Grandeur above the Kings of the Earth at any Time, or at this day, and more eſpecially for a long ſpace together, ſince the Fall of the Heathen Empire, and ſince the Fall of the Chriſtian Empire, and of its very Imperial Name muſt be the eighth King; be the Name what It will: And Rome ſitting upon that Beaſt, as that which hath drunk into it ſelf the Name of the whole Beaſt muſt be that Rome, and its eighth King, from whom the People of God are to ſeparate, that they may not partake of their Sins, nor receive of their Plagues, or elſe the Prophecy can have no ſenſe, or its ſenſe cannot be True.

And ſeeing we know that All This Time Rome hath incorporated the Name of a Church with the Name of a City, and that the Biſhop or Pope of Rome hath had the Supremacy of that City and Church, and carried it on high, riding as a Queen in State by Virtue of that Supremacy ſince the fall of the Imperial Name firſt as Pagan, and then as Chriſtian we muſt know, that He is the Beaſt, the eighth King and ſeventh Head, and that Rome as a Church now, more then a City, though a City too, is that very Rome, from which the People of God are to come out, becauſe of the foulneſs of its Antichriſtian and Idolatrous Fornications, and becauſe of the Horror of that Vengeance to be exacted upon it, of which the Judgment upon Sodom, the Plagues upon Aegypt, and the Vengeance on Samaria and Jeruſalem were but Types; For It is that Edomitiſh Border of Wickedneſs againſt which God will have Indignation for ever.

For if Rome, and no other be the City, as we have ſeen beyond Conteſt, it is, the Pillars of its Time from the Prophecy are ſo high and lofty, that they cannot be over-ſeen; The ſixth King then in Being when the Apoſtle John writ is one Pillar, the ſo more than Monumental Deſtruction of ſo Imperious a City is the other Pillar. Whatever time runs between theſe Two Pillars by the expreſs Words of the Prophecy are given to the ſixth King then in Being, to the ſhort ſpace of the ſeventh King, and the whole, how long ſoever after to the ſeventh Head and Eighth King. It p. 17being then ſixteen Ages ſince the Apoſtle Writ; It is undeniable, theſe Kings muſt be Governments, or diſtinct Supremacies, having each many ſingle Perſons under them, elſe they could not ſuſtain ſo long a ſpace; and the ſeventh feweſt, becauſe the ſhortteſt.

The Government that was in the Apoſtles time is long Fallen, no one can queſtion, ſuppoſe then the ſeventh King were diſputable who He is, the Eighth muſt yet be in Action, becauſe the Seventh had ſo ſhort a ſpace: Whoever the Eighth is, He muſt be as cloſe united to the City Rome, as the Rider is to the Beaſt on which ſuch Riders ſit. I appeal therefore to all the the World, that can but underſtand Senſe, when it is moſt plainly laid before them, who this can be, but the Pope of Rome? who alone, and no other with Him hath been thus united to Rome the City and Church, above theſe laſt twelve hundred Years.

From all which it moſt abſolutely follows the Preſent Rome is the City and Church, that is to fall under thoſe Plagues for her Sins, out of which therefore the People of God are call'd, that they may not partake of their Sins, nor receive of its Plagues foreign: Which I undertook to demonſtrate, and is, I doubt not, in every conſidering Mans ſenſe demonſtrated, as far as is neceſſary by a general Argument. But I ſhall yet give farther Aſſurance of it, and Anſwer all Objections under the following Arguments, which ſhall be yet more particular.

If it can be proved, that the Beaſt that carries the Woman, and Argu. 2.is that ſeventh Head, and Eighth King, of which ſo much hath been already diſcourſed, hath been in the Poſſeſſion of the Time expreſly deſign'd by Prophecy to that Beaſt that carries the Woman, as the ſeventh Head and Eighth King, and is now in the Poſſeſſion of that Time, and that it ought to be ſo long, as it hath already, is now, and muſt ſtill continue to be; This will be yet more particular proof of the Woman, that it is the preſent Rome, out of which the People of God are call'd to come.

For the due management of this Argument, Three Points are neceſſary:

The Time it ſelf of the Beast muſt be aſſign'd by expreſs Point 1.Words of Prophecy, that there may be certain Knowledge of that what it is.

There muſt be ſubſtantial Proof offered, that the Time aſſign'd Point 2.will bear ſuch a Length, as will Comport with this Argument.

p. 18Seeing the Event at the End cannot yet, as a matter of Fact Point 3.give Evidence, that the Time is juſtly aſſign'd, there muſt be good Evidence of the well fixing the Epoch, or Beginning of that Time according to the Prophecy, and according to Event alſo; and the Event, that is to be expected at the End, muſt appear to be ſufficiently defin'd by Prophecy, both as to the City or Woman carried by the Beaſt, and incluſively, as to the Beaſt alſo.

I begin with the Firſt Point, viz. That the Time of the Point 1.Beaſt is expreſly aſſign'd by Prophecy; For which I Vouch that known Place, Revel. 13. 6. And Power, Right, or Authority was given to Him the Beaſt to continue (as the Word foreign joyn'd with a Word of Time, generally ſignifies in the New Teſtament) Fourty Two Months; Now in that Power, or as the Word ſignifies, a Priviledge or Authority was given Him, It ſets out, though not a Lawful Authority that was to be obey'd, as is moſt apparent by every thing pertaining to this Beaſt, yet It imports a ſignal permiſſion, and ordination of God's to that purpoſe, and that He carryed the Woman as a King or Head of the Beaſt, viz. of the Idolatrous Empire, and by a Figure, or Synechdochically the Beaſt Himſelf as Head, oft denotes the whole Body.

For the driving this home to the purpoſe, I am ſenſible It will be neceſſary to give Proof; That the Beaſt, c. 13. and c. 17. are one and the ſame Beaſt; For if the Beaſt were not the ſame in both Chapters, we could indeed have no guidance from the forty two Months aſſigned to the Beaſt, c. 13. concerning the Time of the Beaſt, c. 17. But if it be one and the ſame Beaſt in both Chapters, then the forty two Months muſt needs be the Gauge of the Duration of the Beaſt, c. 17. as It is c. 13.

Now beſides many Agreements between the Two Repreſentations, aſſuring them one, and the ſame, that would require much Diſcourſe, and Conſideration of the whole Frame of this ſtupendious Point of the Prophecy; I ſhall, as I have endeavour'd all along in each Branch of this Diſcourſe, chooſe One, that requires leaſt Diſcourſe, and yet is moſt undeniable; that is, the Beaſt in the Beginning of chap. 13. who had one of his Heads Wounded, and the Deadly Wound was healed, is the Beaſt that had the Fourty Two Months limited to Him: The very ſame Beaſt had by the Miniſtry and Service of the other Beaſt, of whom I will not now enquire, It being unneceſſary to the Force of this Argument: The very ſame Beaſt, I ſay, had an Image made to Him, with which He is ever after ſo conjoyn'd, that the Beaſt p. 19and his Image go inſeparably together; the very ſame Beaſt had the Number of his Name, as alſo his Mark made particular unto Him: All theſe the Beaſt, that had the Fourty Two Months decreed to Him undeniably had, for the Prophecy Affirms it in ſeveral expreſs Words, Calling the Beaſt that had theſe, the Firſt Beaſt; the Beaſt that had a Wound by a Sword, and did Live; the Beaſt whoſe Deadly Wound was healed.

Now the very ſame Beaſt that hath the Image, the Mark, the Name, the Number of the Name, and was worſhipped, is He that is carryed all along with theſe infallible Characters upon Him through every Chapter of this Prophecy, after his Deſcription, c. 13. till He is brought together with the Woman, the City, or Church under the ſeventh Vial, and both utterly deſtroyed, c. 19. And they who had gotten the Victory over his Image, Mark, Name, Number of his Name, and would not Worſhip Him, nor his Image, celebrate the Judgments of God made manifeſt, upon the Woman, the City, and upon Him, Caſt into the Red Sea, or Lake of Fire; as Moſes and the Iſraelites upon the Brink of the Red Sea of Old, ſung the Praiſes of God in caſting Pharaoh and all his Hoſt into that Red Sea, a kind of Type of this Deſtruction. c. 15.

And after all was fully executed upon the City, carryed upon the Beaſt, upon the Beaſt Himſelf, and upon his falſe Prophet and their whole Party; They who are firſt, and moſt eminent in the firſt Reſurrection are they, who had not worſhipped the Beaſt nor his Image, nor receiv'd his Mark, nor his Name; ſo manifeſtly referring to the Beaſt, who had All theſe, who is the Beaſt that had the Forty two Months aſſign'd to Him. c. 13. And indeed It is ſo far from two Beaſts, that there is not (except that Beaſt, whom the Prophecy calls the other Beaſt, who had no Image, Mark, Name, nor number of Name;) any more Beaſts then this One Beaſt, who had all theſe, who is kept ſo diſtinct as not to be confounded by the ſpecial care and caution of the Divine Spirit. And that other Beaſt firſt miniſtred to this grand Beaſt, till He came to his Number, and after ſerv'd Him as his falſe Prophet, and they were adjudged both to the Lake together; which, I hope, is full proof, that the ſame Beaſt who had the forty two Months aſſigned to Him, is the very Beaſt, who bears Rome aloft in this c. 17. and ſupports its Time at this day. And now the Time aſſign'd is very expreſs in this Prophecy, viz. Forty two Months, which was the firſt point to be made out.

p. 20There muſt be ſubſtantial proof, that the Time aſſign'd will Point. 2.bear ſuch a length as may comport with the Argument, that is to reach from the Expiration of the ſeventh King above twelve hundred years ago, and ſo onward till the Times of this Eighth King and ſeventh Head ſhall end alſo.

Now It is at firſt ſight evident, Forty two Months are (naturally underſtood) a Time ſo very ſhort, and curt, that They afford no room nor ſpace for Action, that is great and conſiderable. But it is as evident there is a Cyphar or prophetick Short-hand for Time, that multiples Days into Years, and weeks of days into weeks of years, and ſo conſequentially and proportionably Months of Days into Months of Years, and ſo proportionably theſe Months of Days into Months of Years: And this hath been Standard for the Rate of prophetick Time, ever ſince It was firſt ſet and ſeal'd by God, Ezek. 4. 6. I have appointed thee each day for a year.

And that therefore It ſhould be ſo here, there is greateſt Reaſon. 1. Becauſe It is eminent, ſtupendious, profoundeſt Prophecy, even this whole Book of Revelation, and particularly this of the City and of its Prince the Beaſt, and requires deepeſt ſearch, and a Mind that hath Wiſdom, as is more than once admoniſhed in this very point, and part of the Prophecy, that concerns the Beaſt, as if it were the moſt dark, miſterious, and loweſt laid of any Thing in this whole Volume of Prophecy; ſo that if ever there be place for ſuch Interpretation of Time, here it is.

2. The neceſſity of deferring to the Prophecy its own Grandeur, requires this Interpretation of Time; For when it portrays ſuch a Power, as the Beaſtial Power, and Principality, every ſtroke of which is great, and admirable; when It draws ſuch a City or Community ſitting upon it, ſo every way wonderful, as that John wonder'd with great Admiration, and that principally and in a manner ſolely in relation to this Beaſt of the ſeventh Head and Eighth King, and at the Woman upon Him. If the whole of this Grandeur, Power, and Principality both of the City, and of the King (for both are to be deſtroyed together) were coup'd up within the ſhort ſpace of three years and a half, how ſmall and petite muſt the Prophecy be, in deſcribing with ſo great State and Eloquence of Types and words ſuch a Muſhrome City and Prince, that ſhould Riſe and Fall before they could be known to Live, or be warm in that Potency; where could the worlds wondering after the Beaſt, and worſhipping Him lodg within ſuch ſtraits of Time? How would the Acclamations to Him [who is like unto p. 21the Beaſt] be ſpent in a Breath? How would the miniſtry of the other Beaſt to him have any place? Where would his War with the Saints, and his Power over all Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations receiving his Mark, &c. find Room. How could the City or myſtical Woman arrive to thoſe heights, as to offer the Golden Cup of its Fornication to all the Princes and Inhabitants of the World, or to riſe to thoſe Riches, to draw ſuch Confluency, as to make its Merchants the Greats of the World? Who ſees not this Nut-ſhell of Time cannot contain the Ocean of this Prophecy?

Beſides, as we have before at large found, the City is to be kept on high by the ſixth, ſeventh, and eighth Kings, from the days of John the Apocalyptical Prophet; we know how great a Time hath run out ſince then, we know the King, that then was is long and long ago expir'd; the ſeventh King was to endure but a ſhort ſpace, and what ſhort ſpace muſt it then be, if the eighth King or Beaſt was to endure but three years and a half? And yet upon this eighth King was the Woman Rome to ride until its utter Deſolation. But it hath and doth ſtill ſit Queen ſince the Apoſtles Time to this Day, and moſtly upon this Beaſtian King, how can then forty two Months if Litteral, anſwer ſo long a ſpace? So that there is nothing more undeniable then that theſe forty two Months are to be drawn out by the Prophetical Elaboratory into Months of Years.

3. When upon a juſt and ſevere Computation, we find, that theſe forty two Months prophetically expounded, will reach from the very Time, where according to Prophecy they were to begin, down to this Time, and allow for the event, that is to be ſtill expected at the end of thoſe forty two Months, not yet being come to paſs, and will indeed exactly touch that very period that by Prophecy is affixed to them all together; It is the greateſt proof of the forty two Months ſo to be expounded, that can be expected or deſired, until the event juſtifie all.

Let us then proceed to an exact Calculation of the Time given us in theſe forty two prophetical Months, and there ſee what length they reach.

The great matter in Queſtion will be whether theſe Months import Time of the Sun or of the Moon; for between Time of the Sun, and of the Moon, there will in the whole forty two Months be near thirty eight years difference.

But there are theſe three great Reaſons they muſt according to the ſtrict propriety of the word, and Thing, [Months] be regulated by the Moon, and not by the Sun.

p. 22This was always the Senſe of the Scripture, where ever It Reaſ. 1.mentions Months, it intends Time governed by the Moon, which had, as all know, ſo great Domination over Jewiſh Time, that the great Solemnities of their New Moons and Feaſts received Law from it, and It created all the Time, the Scripture calls Months, and becauſe of thoſe New Moons muſt neceſſarily do ſo. So that if It were not ſo here, Scripture muſt vary from its own uſe of the word throughout all other places; for It hath no word, that it expreſſes Months by, but preciſely taken from the Moon or the Newneſs of the Moon. Now why It ſhould do ſo here without any Reaſon, It ſhould do ſo, but much the contrary, as will appear, what Account can be given?

There is nothing more evident, then that this divine Prophecy Reaſ. 2.keeps a ſtrict and ſevere Diſtinction betwixt the Children of the day, and of the Night, betwixt the Witneſſes, the Seed of the Woman, the Church, and the Woman the Church it ſelf, who are all of the Day; and the Gentiles and the Beaſts Times, who are of the Night. For the Times of the former are ſignally meaſured by Days, as governed by the Sun, wherewith the Church is Cloathed. But the Times of the latter are charactered by Months, as conducted by the Moon, the pale and wan Luminary of the Night; which Moon the Church is ſaid (not without regard to this very matter) to have under its Feet, and therefore not fit to give its Character of Time. And ſeeing this hath been taken notice of by many Interpreters of the Revelation, It is much of wonder, they have not meaſured theſe Months by the Courſe of the Moon which Rules the Night.

The Latine word Menſes hath made the Confuſion, and I know not what ſhould miſlead them but Inobſervance, ſeeing the Hebrew and Greek words exactly tranſlated are Moons, not Months, which kept to, had clear'd all doubts.

There is a third Reaſon which is very great, and would abſolutely Reaſ. 3.determin this Point if it were well Comprehended; and that is, that the Sun is the great meaſure of Days and Years, and of all Time by its ſuperior Motion, and the Moon does but borrow from it as its Light, ſo its power of guiding and denominating any Parts of the Courſe of Time: Even ſo the Church and its Seed, who is Cloathed with the Sun, muſt give Law to the Courſe of that Time that concernes its ſelf and its Seed. And It hath the Moon under its Feet in this reſpect alſo, that it gives Laws to the Courſe of the Moon's Time by its own Time; ſo p. 23then theſe forty two Months of the Gentiles, and the forty two Months or rather Moons of the Beaſt, can be no other than Lunar, or time of the Moon, as they muſt, being call'd Moons; And ſo as time of the Moon muſt be ſubordinated to the account of Time by the Sun's Motion; So theſe Months muſt be ſubordinated in their meaſure to the Beginning and Ending of the Twelve Hundred and Sixty Years, with which they are always match'd as Correſpondents, viz. of the Woman, the Church in the Wilderneſs; and of its Seed, the Witneſſes in Sackcloth, and therefore muſt needs be Lunar Time or Time of the Moon; For if they were Months of the Sun, (if we might call time of the Sun; Months, whoſe very Name denotes Time of the Moon alone,) and ſelf-dependent Time the Falſe Church, even as the True Church muſt be Cloathed with the Sun, and have the Moon under its Feet, which is contrary to this Prophecy.

But if we ſhould attend the full dimenſions of this Argument, It would lead us into the whole ſtate of the Characters of Time, given in Daniel and this Prophecy, which would be too large a Diſcourſe for what is here intended; and therefore I referr the ſearching Reader to the Treatiſe call'd, A Scripture-Line of Time, which I have made Publick, and ſatisfie my ſelf with what concerns the Matter in hand; That the Forty Two Months of the Beaſt are Lunar Time, and muſt be meaſur'd according to the time of the Sun, or the Twelve hundred and ſixty Years of the Woman in the Wilderneſs, and the Witneſſes her Seed in Sackcloth, which cannot be deny'd upon the proof given; and is enough to our preſent purpoſe.

For upon this Ground-work well laid, that theſe Months are (as the very Propriety of the Expreſſion requires) Months of the Moon, and to be apply'd to Twelve hundred ſixty Days of the Sun; It is very plain, the, both Days and Months, caſt a Countenance or Face of Three Years and a half Prophetically to be Expounded; Years of Years for Years of Days: But, as there is an Abbreviation or ſhortning of the Solar Year, or Year of the Sun, into Three hundred ſixty, for Three hundred ſixty five Days: So let each Year of the Moon be rated in a Proportion, and, as five Days and upwards of the Sun's Time are taken off, ſo let as many of the Moon's Years be taken off alſo; and whereas the Year of the Moon is Accounted by the beſt Accounts of Time, at 354 Days, let it be accounted at 349 Days, and theſe Fourty Two Months will be as 1222 Years in anſwer to 1260 Years, as near, as p. 24Time of the Sun and of the Moon can be proportion'd one to another: For which I Appeal to the exacteſt Accountants of Time.

Now by all this Diſcourſe, I have undeniably, as I hope, and cannot but be humbly, yet fully perſwaded, (for I allow one Year for Rounding the Number) gain'd ſuch a ſpace of time as twelve hundred twenty two Years; very little under or over, for the Woman to Sit the Beaſt of the Seventh Head, who is the Eighth King: But that It will exactly Comport with the Argument we are upon, viz. That it is a time ſufficient to the definings of the Time by this propheey, is to be ſeen under the Third Point, for the management of the Argument, upon which I am now entring.

There muſt be good Evidence of the well-fixing the Beginning Point 3.or Epoch of this Time, according to the Prophecy, and according to the Event alſo. And the Event that is to be fixed at the End, muſt appear to be ſufficient, defin'd by Prophecy, both as to the City or Woman carryed by the Beaſt, and incluſively as to the Beaſt alſo.

This Point divides it ſelf into theſe two Branches.

1. The well-fixing this Epoch or Beginning of theſe twelve hundred twenty two Years according to Prophecy, and according to the Event. 2. And in the ſame manner to fix the Event to be evpected at the End.

For the well-fixing the Epoch or Beginning of the Number of Branch 1.theſe Years, according to Prophecy, and according to the Event it ſelf.

1. I muſt recollect and enforce what I have before largely inſiſted upon; when there is a Succeſſion of Kings, According to that Maxim in Succeſſive Governments, The King never Dyes; whenever therefore the ſixth King, that was in the Apoſtles time expir'd, the ſeventh muſt needs Succeed. For the Succeſſion and Entail is made by God himſelf, and therefore muſt ſtand firm and ſure; And when the Seventh expir'd, as neceſſarily on the ſame account muſt the Eighth Succeed, who was alſo the Seventh Head; And according to this inviolable Succeſſion, the Apoſtle to this very ſame purpoſe, ſpeaking of the Man of Sin, his being Revealed in his Time, declares, as a ſtop upon Him, however the Myſtery of Iniquity was ſo early at work, however earneſt He was to Succeed, yet the Succeſſion, which was the Thing that held cloſe and ſtrong, would Hold its Hold; So that the Man of 2 Theſ. 2.2 Thess 2Sin could not be Revealed before his Seaſon, or proper Time; within p. 25his Time, Times, Half Time; For he that Holdeth, viz. the Dan. 7. 25. 12. 7.Dan 7:25Dan 7:12Dan 7:7ſixth King in his Time, the ſeventh in his Time, would Hold his Hold till each King, and the laſt eſpecially was Remov'd out of the way by that ſupreme diſpoſe of Providence, or done out of that middle ſpace determin'd by God: And then by due Advances was that Wicked One Revealed; Now who that conſiders that Man of Sin of the Apoſtle Paul, and the Beaſt of the Apoſtle John, can think of them, and not think them the ſame? But that is not the preſent Buſineſs to prove them the ſame but this Prophecy it ſelf is demonſtration enough, as before explained.

Thus far the Matter is determined according to the Prophecy, whenever the Seventh King, aſſerted to be the Chriſtian Emperour, expir'd, viz. by a Civil Death, or the Ceſſation of the Imperial Name, and Power, immediately the Eighth King according to Prophecy muſt ſucceed, and bear up the Roman City in Grandeur, and whoever hath Borne up that City in Supremacy ſince that Time, muſt be according to Prophecy that Eighth King, the Beaſt. Now I Appeal to all the World, what the Year was, when the Weſtern Imperial Name Fell; and it is known in all Hiſtory to be the Year of Our Lord, according to general Account, 475, from whence Time ſince paſſed Allows theſe Forty Two Months their full ſpace of 1222 years, within Nine or Ten years; as ſhall be further urged preſently. I appeal in the ſame manner alſo, what Name or Power hath Borne up Rome ſince that Time, claiming Supremacy Himſelf, and giving it to that City; For He muſt be the Eighth King, or the Beaſt, who hath ſo born the City; or the Prophecy muſt be Falſe, and who knows not, it is the very Biſhop or Pope of Rome that hath ſo done; For in the wonderful Diſpoſes of God No one hath claim'd a Title of Empire from that City ſince that Year; No one hath Advanc'd that City by Imperial Reſidence ſince that year but the Pope of Rome Alone; and He hath done it to all Intents and Purpoſes in the Face of all the World.

The Laſt Roman Emperour left that Title [Biſhop of Rome] in Being, when He Fell, It hath ſurvived ever ſince **Their ſo much vaunted Succeſſion witneſeth this Point.; For little Failures or Interruptions make no difference, where the ſame Title and Supremacy ſtill run on. It was then proclaim'd by Jerome, Antichriſt was Born, and ever ſince he hath been growing up till He came to his Manly Age, and to his Conſiſtent Age according to Prophecy; But ſince the Times of Reformation indeed, He hath been in a Decay, and ſo He ought to be by Prophecy; p. 26and however He may ſummon his whole ſtrength now at laſt, yet it ſhall be only to Dye; and thus the Thing is juſtifi'd in the Event: and thus the Time of His, the Beaſts, and the City Romes Supremacy united to Him, as the Rider to the Beaſt, under the Name of a Church, hath had ſo long of its Forty Two Months.

I know there are ſome Objections, but none can avail againſt Prophecy ſo clearly, ſo demonſtratively Explain'd; I will very briefly paſs over them.

The Biſhop of Rome cannot be this Beaſt of the Seventh Head, Object. 1.and therefore not the Eighth King, nor Rome the City borne up by Him, becauſe He owns the True God, and Jeſus Chriſt, how then can He be a Head full of the Names of Blaſphemy? or Rome the Famous Church of the World be Babylon, the Mother of Harlots?

Whatever may be the Profeſſion of the True God, yet when Anſwer.that Profeſſion is Adulterated with Idolatry, and ſtain'd with the Blood of Saints; God accounts of thoſe Powers and People according to what His Word declares; Zedechiah was a Profane, Wicked Prince, and that latter Succeſſion of wicked Princes after Joſiah, Lyons: Idolatrous Iſraelites, are ſaid from the very Beginning to blaſpheme God: Samaria and Jeruſalem are thoſe Infamous Proſtitutes or Harlots, call'd Aholah, and Aholibah. This Prophecy Ezek. 20. 27. c. 23.Ezek 20:27hath therefore determin'd that Doubt, what Eſteem God hath, and All his People are to have of, both of the Pope and his Church. And there is no Fence againſt the Divine Oracle. The Man of Sin ſits in the Temple of God, and Exalts Himſelf as God, and ſhews Himſelf, that He is God, which is both Blaſphemy and Idolatry; and He bears the Name of it in being called Holineſs, and our Holy Lord.

According to the very Explanation of Prophecy given; There Object. 2.is not a cloſe Succeſſion of Heads, though there ſhould be of Kings; For between the ſixth and the ſeventh Head was the Chriſtian Emperour, who, though He was a King, was no Head, and the ſeventh Head did not Succeed, till the Chriſtian Empire Expir'd.

The Prophecy expreſly tells us, the Beaſt was deadly Wounded in Anſwer.one of his Heads, which was during the Time of the Christian Emperour, who, as we have ſeen, was to come betwixt the ſixth and the ſeventh Heads, and had not the eighth Head been to Succeed, and had He not actually Succeeded after no long ſpace, in the ſtyle of Prophecy; The Beaſt had indeed Dyed, That is; the Roman p. 27Empire, as Idolatrous and Bloody in its Perſecutions had expir'd: But becauſe the whole of that Time, Heatheniſh Idolatry and Perſecution was Faſhioning into Antichristian, the Beast liv'd, though deadly Wounded, and the Dragon gave his Power and Seat, as by Will to the Beast.

The Pope was long er'e he aroſe to ſuch Supremacy, as would Object. 3.Anſwer the Prophetic Types.

And ſo Prophecy Repreſents it; The Gentiles or Antichriſtianizing Anſwer.Layty the Inhabitants of the Earth, under the other Beaſt or Antichriſtianizing Hierarchy of Biſhops; their Dignified, and Inferior Clergy; Horn'd like a Lamb; (among which the Pope of Rome was Principal, and ever aſpiring) were a Protecterian Supremacy, during the Wound of the Firſt Beaſt, or Roman Empire as Idolatrous, which under the Chriſtian Emperours; was Wounded deadly in One of, viz. the ſixth of its Heads or the Pagan Emperours and Powers ſubdu'd by the Chriſtian Emperours.

During that Time therefore of the Wound, and alſo during the Infancy of the Kingſhip of the Seventh Head and Eighth King, That Hierarchy hath the High, though Infamous Title of the Other Beaſt conferr'd upon it, and accordingly Forty two Months were aſſign'd to the Gentiles, as a Signification of ſuch a Beſtial Power, under the Ariſtocracy of the Other Beaſt, and to note its time.

And thus Things continu'd till the Grand **Call'd Beaſt, tho' but a Head in Imitation of the little horn, among the Ten, (another Emblem of this Beaſt) call'd the Beast, and deliver'd to the Flames, Dan. 7. 11.Dan 7:11Beaſt had an Image made to Him to be Worſhipped, and All Sware Fealty to him by Receiving his Mark; which was the perfect Healing the Wound, and the Infant Kingſhip of the Seventh Head: Then He came to his Number 666, which was not till An. Dom. 725 or 6, during the Chriſtian Emperours, many Years after his Succeſſion, which the Infancy of a King does not Prejudice. Then the Other Beaſt, though undivided from the Grand Beaſt, ſubmitted to be his Falſe Prophet, and the Months of the Gentiles naturally merg'd into thoſe of the Beaſt, having till then ſupply'd what was wanting in the time of the Night, although the Beaſt's Infant Succeſſion, as Eighth King, and his Fourty Two Months commenc'd againſt the Twelve hundred ſixty Days, as the Moon's Nights againſt the Sun's Days.

Thus it is no Objection againſt Prophecy, but according to Prophecy, that the Beaſt was ſo long Riſing to his Exerciſe of Supremacy, as ſeventh Head and eighth King. For He is the Beaſt, that was in its Six Heads, but deadly Wounded in the ſixth of them by the ſeventh King no Head, and ſo was as Not in any Appearance, till the ſeventh Head, and eighth King was grown up to his Number, p. 28and the Wound healed by an Image made to Him; And Great, and Small, Rich and Poor, Bond and Free received His Mark.

2. But this Objection will be more fully anſwer'd by a further ſettlement of the very Beginning and Epoch of theſe Forty Two Months of the Beaſt: For whenever the Beaſt Roſe, thoſe Months Roſe alſo; Now the Beaſt's Riſing is fix'd to an Hour, For the Ten Kings receive Power, or Authority at One Hour, viz. the very ſame Hour with the Beaſt: And they receive Authority as Kings that ſame Hour; For here foreign is to be Interpreted at one Hour, as foreign, at the Ninth Hour, Acts 10. 30. And they receive at that One Hour Authority, as Kings; They had no Kingdom in the Apoſtles Time, although then they were as Ten Horns to the Roman Empire, but uncrowned Horns. For the Beaſt, or Idolatrous Roman Empire, conſiſting of its Seven Heads and Ten Horns, and of the Body of the People were always alike pourtray'd in Prophecy, yet with ſome regard to the variety of Times that paſs'd over it: The Heads are therefore in the Roman Dragon, or Heathen Imperial State, firſt repreſented Crowned, (for they always imported Supreme Power,) and then in the Beaſt, the Heads having been already Crowned, the Horns are preſented Crown'd, ſhewing at the one and the ſame Hour, the Seventh Head of the Beaſt came to the Exerciſe of Sovereignty, The Ten Horns alſo received Power as Kings; And in this Viſion, c. 17. Neither the Heads nor the Horns are preſented as Crown'd, having been both Crown'd in the former Viſion, and explain'd in this.

But let us Examine when could theſe Ten Kings receive Authority as Kings, and be juſtly own'd as ſuch, for the Prophecy ſays they had received no Kingdom as yet; And it was at One and the ſame Hour with the Beaſt, viz. when He ſucceeded the Seventh King, or when the Roman Chriſtian Empire ceaſed; For when their Ʋniverſal Monarch, their Lawful Prince renounced Empire, as Auguſtulus did; Then had the Beaſt Authority to begin His Months, and then theſe Ten Kings received Authority as Kings, which could not according to the Law of Kingdoms (to which Law the Prophecy yields Deference) be, while the Lawful Sovereign was in Being; But he ceaſing to be a King, their Obligation ceas'd, ahd then they Riſe up as Kings, whatever they had had done before towards being Kings, was till then but Uſurpation and not Authority; Which Conſideration abſolutely fixes the Succeſſion and the Time of it: And they are call'd Ten, not to raiſe a Scruple about their exact Number, Ten, neither more nor leſs, p. 29but being ſeveral, into which the One Empire ſprouted againſt its will, (as All History well knows, that at that Time the Empire was ſo Torn into Pieces.) But they are called Ten to preſerve Regard to that Firſt Image, in which this Roman Empire came down to the Feet, and was divided into the Ten Toes. And this being the State of that Empire under its Seventh Head, the Horns, or Kings, ſeated in it, are called Ten with reſpect to that First Statue given of the Four Empires, and of the laſt Form of the Laſt Empire. And they are call'd Horns, becauſe notwithſtanding They were Abſolute, Independent Kings, Yet as Horns give offenſive and defenſive force to the Head, and that hath Supreme Mannagement of them; ſo theſe Horns gave their Power to the Seventh Head. So making Him an Univerſal Monarch, or eighth King, till the Words of God are fulfill'd.

Now I know not how a firmer Settlement of the Beginning of theſe Months, juſt at the Ceſſation of the Chriſtian Imperialiſm can be made than is now made by this laſt Addition.

But becauſe it may be ſaid, the Name of Pope is no Kingly or Object. 1.Imperial Name, It ſeems to overthrow the whole Frame laid.

It is Admirable, the Care Prophecy hath taken to tell us; The Anſwer.Beaſt of the Roman Idolatrous Empire, is continu'd in Life, and is healed of his deadly Wound by making an Image to Him, who is the Seventh Head and Eighth King. The Papacy is not a real Martial, Civil Sovereignty, but it is the Image only of One, It is yet nevertheleſs Haughty, for it is Ador'd and Worſhipped; It Aſſumes Power over Princes, and diſpoſes Kingdoms, It is nevertheleſs Cruel and Enforcive, for it Kills All who will not Worſhip that Image; It Cauſes All to receive its Mark, or proſcribes them, how great or ſmall ſoever; It Arrogates not only a Crown, but a Tripple Crown; This Beaſt in an Image is therefore the Beaſt that is not, yet is, viz. is not the ſame, yet the ſame, the ſame in Real Power, yet in an Image too, viz. Spirituality of Power is an Image of Power; but enforcing that Power by its Horns, it is a Real Power, and ſo Is not yet, Iſ. c. 17. 8.

But It may be ſaid, it was long er'e theſe Kings gave their Object. 2.Power thus to the Beaſt.

It is moſt true, it was ſo, even as It was er'e He came to his Anſwer.Number. For therefore Prophecy ſets this Beaſt in View, Riſing with his Ten Crowned Horns, firſt out of the Sea, thoſe Troubleſome Commotions in the World, when Rome Fell, as a Burning Mountain into the Sea. But at the Riſing of this Beaſt out of the p. 30Bottomleſs Pit, whither He went down, when He became a Fallen Star, **When Phocas gave Him the Title of Ʋniverſal, An. 606.with the Key of it to Open it, and Aſcended, Rev. 9. 1, 2. Then did He Receive the Kingdom, and Power of theſe Horns, till He goes into Perdition. For the once noting Him to Riſe out of the Sea, and Twice to Aſcend from the Bottomleſs Pit ſhews, He had a double Riſing, One by way of meer Providence, as out of the tumultuous Sea of worldly Affairs, that neceſſitated the Emperour to abdicate Empire, and to leave Him the only Name of Supreme Eminency in Rome, but then He was not; till after, as an Antichriſtian, Falſe, Spiritual Power, or Vicar of Chriſt, He aſſum'd a Kingdom, an Univerſal Kingdom, as having the Keys of Eternal Damnation in his Hand, viz. of the Bottomleſs Pit.

If the Pope be an Eighth King, a Roman Supreme Power, and Object. 3.the Head, to whom the Ten Kings give their Power, Why is it not then Lawful to acknowledge Him; as the Roman Caeſar was to be acknowledg'd by Chriſt's own Command; and as the Crowned Horns, or Ten Kings are to be acknowledg'd, who give Him their Kingdom and Power.

No Kings, or Powers may be acknowledg'd in their Idolatrous Anſw. 1.or Superſtitious Commands: No Caeſars, no Kings, and much more no Popes can be ſo Obey'd.

2. But upon this very Account He ought not at all to be acknowledg'd, becauſe He is a King only in an Image, and in reality a Fallen Star, a Corrupted, Antichriſtian, Falſe, Spiritual Power, Undermining and Uſurping the Kingdom of Chriſt; and ſo to be abhorr'd and deteſted, and his Adulterous Idolatrous Church or City to be ſeparated from, and to be Come out of.

And thus I have, I Truſt, evinc'd the Settlement of the Epoch, or Beginning of theſe Fourty Two Months, both by the Prophecy, and by the Event; and come now to fix the latter Branch, or what Prophecy hath determin'd concerning the End or Period of theſe Months, although that cannot be declar'd in the Particulars, or manner of the Event, but muſt be waited for till He ſhall ſhew them, who hath Reſerved them in his own power till their appointed Seaſon.

But in the mean time He hath given us the Bulk of the Events, which at the end of theſe Months ſhall be in their Motion, and continual Progreſs, till all be Accompliſhed, and no Iota of the Prophecy Fall to the Ground.

Now to make this Point as plain as Prophecy hath made it, It is to be conſider'd in the two Grand Oracles that are given of p. 31it; and Relate to the very End of the Twelve hundred ſixty Days, and ſo conſequently to the End of the Months; or to the End of the Months themſelves implying the End of the 1260 Days.

As to the End then of the Twelve hundred ſixty Days ſince the Witneſſes are to be in Sackcloth during them, whenever the Witneſſes come into a ſplendid State, It is certain, They can be no longer in Sackcloth; For ſuch a State, and ſuch a Sackcloth can by no poſſible means Agree. And then it will as certainly follow, the Twelve hundred ſixty Days are at an End, when they change their Sackcloth for Garments of Praiſe. For all thoſe Twelve hundred ſixty Days they are to be in Sackcloth: Although therefore the Prophecy does not poſitively ſay, the Twelve hundred ſixty Days are at an End, yet in that It ſays they were Called up to Heaven in a Cloud, and their Enemies beheld Them; It muſt needs be that the Sackcloth muſt be dropp'd when they are Chariotted in a Cloud, and Aſcend; and ſo then It does by neceſſary Implication ſay, that the Twelve hundred ſixty Days are at an End; For elſe the Witneſſes could not part with their Sackcloth, being determin'd to it for ſo long; And ſo long the Womans the Churches, Twelve hundred ſixty Days laſt; For as their Times are equal, ſo their States Reciprocate.

When therefore the Twelve hundred ſixty Days are by Conſequence abſolutely neceſſary ended, the Fourty Two Months are wheeled along with them to their Period: And that affects the City, the Great, Spiritually called Sodom for the Filthineſs of its Fornications, and dreadful Burnings, that it is devoted to: And Aegypt, firſt for its Oppreſſion of the Saints, with whoſe Blood it is Drunk; Then for the Plagues that will come upon it, and laſtly for its Pharaoh-like Principality, firſt in the Pagan Dragon, and then its Draconick Pope, to whom the Dragon conſign'd His Power: And to follow all the Emblems of the City, as on purpoſe to bring it Home to Rome, It it both Reſembled to the City, where our Lord was Crucified, ſignifying its Whoredom to be like the Whoredom of that Infamous Aholibah, or Jeruſalem, the Falſe Whoriſh Church, and under the Juriſdiction of Rome ſo much at that Time, that not without the moſt Notorious Sentence of the Roman Judge, Pontius Pilate, Our Lord was Crucified, which was for the very Service of this Prophecy, ſo particularly we may Believe Recorded, that in that Senſe the very City Rome was the City, in which Our Lord was Crucified.

p. 32All this Affects this City, ſo that its Tenth Falls; Now this City ſits on the Beaſt, For to ſhew it is the ſame City, that ſits on the Beaſt, when the Beast, the very ſame Beaſt, that Aſcends out of the Bottomleſs Pit, c. 11. c. 17. Kills the Witneſſes; Their Dead Bodies lye in the Street of that Great City, which plainly joyns the Beast and the City together, the City, as the Imperial Reſidence, the Beaſt, as the King of it, as the Viſion of the c. 17. does; For He, as King, having Power of Life and Death, thoſe whom He Kills lye in the Street of his Great Emperial City: So then the City and the Beaſt are here firſt ſo nearly conjoyn'd, and ſo again, c. 17.

How then comes the Tenth of this Great City to Fall? (whatever we underſtand by it, for I will not now diſpute that) How comes it to Fall, I ſay, when It ſits on the Beaſt? It could not be, if the Beaſt Himſelf did not Sink; and how could He Sink, if His Fourty two Months were not out; For ſo long was given Him by Prophecy, which in another Character is call'd, Time, Times, and Half a Time, and as apply'd to the Witneſſes Three Days, and a Half, in Imitation of our Lord's three Days in the Grave; Till the Morning then of the Half Time and Day, there could be no ſuch Alteration in his Kingdom, as the Reformation made, and till that Time of the Forty two Months fully exhauſted, when the Twelve hundred ſixty Days End alſo, in the Riſing and Glory of the Witneſſes, There cannot be a Fall of the Tenth of the City, which He bears up the Grandeur of.

And to ſhew farther that this Beaſt, that Slays the Witneſſes, is the ſame with the Beaſt, c. 17. It is made known by that certain Mark of it, the Aſcending out of the Bottomleſs Pit, and that we may know they are both the ſame with the Beaſt, who hath the Fourty two Months, c. 13. He makes War with the Saints, who are the Seed of the Woman, and Hold the Teſtimony of Jeſus, C. 12. Ʋlt.or are the Witneſſes, being thereunto Deputed by the Dragon, who gave him his Throne, and Great Authority; and He, that Beaſt is Taken, c. 19. as is foretold alſo, c. 13. He that leadeth into Captivity, ſhall go into Captivity; And the Ten Kings who give him their Power, who make War with the Lamb, and He overcomes them, are Kill'd with the Sword of his Mouth, c. 19. as was foretold, c. 13. He that killeth with the Sword ſhall be killed with the Sword.

All which farther Aſſure together, with what hath been ſaid before; That It is one and the ſame Beast, throughout the Prophecy of the Revelation, viz. the Seventh Head of the Roman Empire, p. 33and its Eighth King, to whom the Ten Kings, as Horns give their Power.

The ſecond Oracle given us concerning the Period of the Forty two Months is c. 17. God hath put into the Heart of the Ten Kings to Do his Will, or execute his Determination, and to execute and perform One Determination untill the Words of God ſhall be fulfilled: Now this Counſel, Determination, and Will of God is that which is explain'd what it is, It is even that they ſhould Give their Kingdom and Power to the Beaſt: And how long? Ʋntill the words of God ſhall be fulfill'd. And Thoſe words were declar'd, c. 13. Authority was given to Him, as a Beaſt of Ten Horns, to continue Forty two Months: The great Event therefore at the End of the Forty two Months is, That then the Ten Kings ſhall Hate the Whore, and make her Deſolate, and naked, and ſhall eat her fleſh, and burn her with Fire.

From whence it is evident, how cloſe the Union is between the City call'd the Whore, and the Beaſt; For while the Kings give their Power to the Beast, they bear up the Beaſt who bears up the City; while they fulfill the Decree of God for the Beaſts Forty two Months, They are One in giving Him their Kingdom, and Power, and ſo long They are drunk with the Wine of the Whores Fornication. But when thoſe Words are fulfill'd, and thoſe Forty Two Months, then They hate the Whore, and then this Tenth of the Great City Falls. viz. the whole Circle of the Power given by theſe Ten Horns, or Ten Kings, who now Recall their Power from the Beaſt, and that Tenthneſs of Power Falls alſo: For however the Grammar of the word foreign will not bear ſuch an Expoſition of it, as ſhould ſignifie the Ten King'd Power, yet the Prophecy of Daniel in the Ten Toes of the Image, the Ten Horns of the Beaſt, and The whole Frame of the Prophecy of the Revelation concerning the Beaſt, his Ten Horns, or Ten Kings, does forcibly overſway the nicety of Grammar, and carries the Prophecy to this Senſe, and much the rather, becauſe as hath been argued; The Twelve hundred ſixty Days will be then ended, and the Words of God fulfilled, concerning the Beſtian Power, which lay ſo much in its Horns or Ten Kings perſecuting the Witneſſes.

Let us now recollect the Summ of this Argument in the Proof it gives; The Argument runs thus, The Roman City or Church, ſits on the Beaſt, or Eighth Kimg, who hath been in Poſſeſſion of the Time allotted him by Prophecy ſo long, as from the Seventh other King, of a ſhort ſpace after the ſixth King, that was in the Apoſt. John's Time, till now within nine or ten Years of the Expiration of that Time, as a Time allowable to remain for the fulfilling of All Events, This is the Beaſt or eighth King bearing up that Rome, whether City or Church, out of which Gods People are Called: But the preſent City or Church of p. 34Rome, ſitting upon the Pope, is, and hath been in that Poſſeſſion ſo long.

That Time ſo allotted is expreſly ſaid to be Fourty two Months, thoſe Months muſt be Prophetical Months, or Days for Years; Thoſe Months muſt be Time of the Moon, and not of the Sun.

Thoſe Months being time of the Moon, given by Prophecy, muſt be taken and applyed to time of the Sun, given by the ſame prophecy, that they may be rated, and known what time They contain.

According to the exacteſt Computation that can be made, Fourty two Months apply'd to Twelve hundred ſixty Days for Years muſt be Twelve hundred twenty two Days for Years, that is, Twelve hundred twenty two Years.

The Epoch or Beginning then of theſe Months, fixed at the Ceſſation of the Chriſtian Emperour, the prophetical Seventh King, which was in the Year of our Lord 475, muſt needs reach to the Year 1697.

The Twelve hundred ſixty Days, or Years, both of the Witneſſes and of the Woman, ending neceſſarily at the ſame time, (for the one cannot out-laſt the other) muſt begin thirty eight Years before the Months, viz. 437.

But becauſe the Witneſſes could not be ſuppoſed to put on their Sackcloth, without juſt Occaſion given, the Gentiles under the other Beaſt, Treading the Holy Court, muſt have begun their Fourty two Months, when the Twelve hundred ſixty Days of the Witneſſes Sackcloth, and the Womans Wilderneſs State began alſo, viz. 437.

It is no matter what became of the Gentiles Fourty two Months after the Beaſt firſt Riſen, and grown up to his Image, and Power to enforce the Worſhip of it, and the receiving his Mark, Name, or of the Number of his Name, viz. at 725, his Famous 666. For then the Beaſts Months ſupport the Seventh Headſhip, and the Roman City, or Apoſtate Church, and the Gentiles Months Merge, or are drowned in them.

The Months and Days, being given under the Character of Time, Times and Half a Time, and three Days and a half, when they arrived to the Beginning of the half Time, and Days, ſuch a partial Riſing of the Witneſſes, and Retrenchment of the Beſtian Kingdom, ſuch a Fall of ſome of the Ten Kings from the Beaſt, as was ſeen at the Reformation, was allowable by Prophecy, after the manner of our Lord's three Days and Nights in the Heart of the Earth, and was a Pledge of the complete Fall of the Beaſt, and of the City's Fall from their whole Ten Mark: thoſe Kings who bewayl Babylon, c. 18. 9. cannot be thoſe Ten Kings, who at laſt Turn to hate the Whore, who they are, will not be known till that Burning of Babylon ſhall be better underſtood.King'd Principality, at the end of the half Time, or 1697.

At the ſame time, when the Days of the Witneſſes, and the Months of the Beaſt End; The Turkiſh Second Woe or Tyranny ſhall paſs away, and cannot ſooner, becauſe it is the Second Woe Trumpet upon the Beſtian p. 35Kingdom, laſting till its Fourty two Months End; Which being an Obſervation foreign to this Matter, needs not be enlarged, yet well obſerv'd adds ſtrength to the whole.

The laſt Argument I ſhall uſe to perfect all that hath been ſaid already, Laſt Arg.ſhall be an Appeal to All that in any degree know the State of the World, whether the Condition of Papal Rome, ſince the time eſpecially of the Beaſts receiving the Key of the Bottomleſs Pit, as a Fallen Star in the Days of Phocas, his coming to his Number, and Image in the days of Leo Conon hath not anſwer'd the Characters of Prophecy.

Does the Prophecy ſignifie a City, perpetuating Eternal Rome in a Ann. 725.Church as Falſe, Impure, and Adulterate, as the Mother of Harlots Imports; Which Title cannot be due in its higheſt degree, but where True Religion is Proſtituted, as appears in Aholiab and Aholibah: And hath not Rome been ſuch a One as Papal, in all its Idolatrys, Superſtitions, and Senſualities?

Does the Prophecy Repreſent a Caeſar in an Image, and hath not the Pope's Tripple Crown elevated upon his Spirituality and Vicarſhip of Chriſt been ſuch a One?

Does the Prophecy ſpeak Rome in all the Grandeur of Scarlet, Purple, and precious Stones, And is not the Splendor of Rome, its Pope, Cardinals, and Hierarchy ſuch?

Does the Prophecy ſet out an Univerſal Propagation of the Fornications of ſuch an Imperious, Whoriſh Woman, prevailing upon Kings, Nations, Kindreds, and Languages; and what hath Papal Rome pretended more forcibly to than ſuch an Ʋniverſality of its Religion, which is called Filthineſs, Spiritual and Bodily, and All Abomination?

Does Prophecy ſet out the Idolatrys of ſuch a City and its Prince by the Blaſphemy of God, of his Tabernacle, of All that dwell in Heaven, and this openly avow'd by a Title writ on her Forehead, according to the manner of the moſt Infamous Proſtitutes, and of Babylon Mad of Graven Images, and yet all under a Myſtery, So as to be doubted whether Idolatry is juſtly charged upon it by even Thoſe, who deeply ſuſpect it? And is not this, and hath not this been the State of Rome moſt Remarkably ſince the Days of Leo Conon?

Does the prophecy Repreſent a Beſtian War with the Saints, a Cauſing, that all who would not Worſhip the Image, ſhould be Kill'd; and proſcribing them that they ſhould not Buy nor Sell; All, Great and Small, Rich and poor, who will not receive the Mark, &c? a City Drunk with the Blood of Saints? and what can we ſay, but that the Excommunication of Princes, depoſing and Depriving them, the Interdicting of Kingdoms, Maſſacres, Martyrdoms, Inquiſitions, Ravages upon the World on the account of that Religion, Falſly ſo call'd, have anſwer'd the prophecy?

p. 36Do other prophecys of Scripture ſay, there ſhould be a Grand Apoſtaſie, out of which ſhould come a Man of Sin, and foreign, one above all Law and Control, as Supreme, and Infallible, juſtly ſtyl'd a Beaſt, One ſitting in the Temple of God, exalting Himſelf above All that is called God or is Worſhipped? That though the Myſtery of Iniquity was then at Work for Him, yet that He could not be Revealed, but in his Seaſon; Do we not ſee ſuch a One, that hath been long in the World, claiming from the Apoſtles, whom yet the elder Ages of Chriſtianity knew not, till the Time pointed out by Prophecy was come, A Lord God the Pope, as hath been Blaſphem'd?

Does that ſame prophecy ſay, The Lord will Conſume that Man of Sin with the Glory of his Coming, and with the Brightneſs of his own Appearance; And do we not ſee at this Day his Times drawn out, and lengthen'd beyond parallel for ſuch an Appearance? And does not the prophecy of the Revelation ſay the ſame Thing? For his utter Deſtruction is not, till the Heavens open to Chriſt, Revel. 19.

Does not another Prophecy ſay? Some, a certain Sort, and Society or Community of Men ſhall Depart or Apoſtatize from the Faith, giving heed to wandring Spirits as Divels are called, and to their Apparitions, and ſo to Doctrines of them as Daimons, and of the Worſhip of them, throughOr Saints departed. the Hypocriſie of Lyars, and Legendary Prieſts, who diſguiſing themſelves in the Garb of extraordinary Holy Perſons Coyn ſuch Stories of ſuch Spirits appearing to them, to draw others to Worſhip them, having in the mean time their Conſciences ſeared with a hot Iron, whoſe Badges by which They are to be known are, Forbidding to Marry, and to Abſtain from Meats, making theſe Things the Cogniſances of their Orders? And have we not ſeen this Scripture fulfilled?

Did not the Apoſtle John Foretel a Great Antichriſt, of which the Little Antichriſts in his Days were but Forerunners; and did He not Foreſhew a great Idolatry coming upon the Chriſtian World, in Derogation from the One Jeſus Chriſt, who is the True God and Eternal Life, on which account He makes it the Farewel of his Epiſtle, Little Children, keep your ſelves from Idols. Amen. And have we not ſeen, that great Idolatry againſt the New Teſtament in the Invocation of Angels, of Saints, and above all of the Virgin Mary, as a plain Violation of the One Mediator Jeſus Chriſt, Equal to the Idolatry againſt the One God, and the Worſhip of Him, and that in all kinds of Imagery, and even in a piece of Bread?

Theſe certain Matters of Fact, and of daily Experiment joyn'd with the Prophecy cannot but give a Plerophory, a full meaſure of Aſſurance; That this preſent Rome is that Community, City or Church, out of which we are call'd, if we would be the People of God.

p. 37Having now ſo far demonſtrated, that the City, Church, and Community, out of which we are commanded to come is the very preſent Papal Rome, It remains that we enforce the Command it ſelf to come out of it, by particular Inferences from it.

For hence It appears how neceſſary It is for Chriſtians in generalInfer. 1. to know, and to take notice, that there is ſuch an Apoſtacy from Chriſtian Religion, diſguiſed under the Name of Catholick Chriſtianity, that hath concentred it ſelf in Rome under the name of an Ʋniverſal Church, and in ſuch a Head of it as the Pope under the name of Head of the Church and Vicar of Chriſt: The Apoſtle not only ſpeaking Face to Face, Not only when with them, but by Epiſtle when at diſtance from them, writing to the Theſſalonians, thought it a point of great Moment, and of deepeſt Intereſt to inform them of it, and to poſſeſs them of it, and in them all Chriſtians, Learned or Unlearned.

And the Love of God the Father gave the Revelation to Jeſus Chriſt, to ſhew it to his Servants as containing this, as One of the greateſt Points of it: viz. Concerning this Apoſtaſie, the Seat and Reſidence of it, this Proſtituted Church, and City, and the Beaſt the Prince of it, It can therefore be no ſuch myſterious or unneceſſary Doctrine, as It is generally ſuppos'd, but hath its greateſt and moſt Fundamental Uſes.

1That the true Chriſtianity may by the Compare be more known and underſtood in its true Beauty and Excellency, being a Pure, Solid, Even, Supreme Extract, and Cube given from the Increated, Unerring Wiſdom of God in the Face of Jeſus Chriſt, Divine, Heavenly, Spiritual, Pure and Chaſte, Full of Mercy, and of all good Fruits. But Popery is an Irregular, Odd, Traditional Chriſtianity, made up of Idolatrous, and Superſtitious Rites, Pomp, Riches, and Pleaſures of Senſuality, All of the preſent Evil World, full of Rage, Cruelty, and Blood, againſt All, who do not ſwallow their monſtrous Articles of Faith, and ſubmit to that ſlavery of their Antichriſtian Government: To keep men therefore wholly to that Excellent Rule of the Word of God in Doctrine, Worſhip, and Practice, and under that moſt merciful Diſcipline, it is neceſſary to know the Goodneſs of the One by the Badneſs of the other.

2That one Grand Reaſon of the ſo ſad Imprevalency of ſo excellent a Religion, as the Religion of Jeſus Chriſt might be underſtood; The great Eclipſe of it is by ſo foul an Apoſtacy and Myſtery of Iniquity, caſting ſo black a ſhade upon it, and ſuch a Cloud of Tares upon the Field of Wheat; And this hath ſo univerſally obſcured Chriſtianity, and allay'd its Supreme Excellency, and turn'd it into ſo worldly a Religion, that it neither hath nor can be Refin'd to it ſelf, till that whole Apoſtaſie be conſum'd out of the World, And then, but not till then, there will be another Face of Chriſtianity; And this is neceſſary to be known to abate the Scandal.

p. 383That the dark Interpoſition between the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt, according to all the Prophecies of Scripture, due to him at his Reſurrection, and the glory of it, may be duely apprehended; For the Mystery of Iniquity work'd early, that it might ariſe to the taking away the true daily Sacrifice of Chriſtian Religion, and ſcattering the power of the Holy People for Time, Times, and half a Time.

Now this is moſt neceſſary to be known, to take off the Scandal of ſo many Maſſive Prophecies and Promiſes as were to enſue on the Kingdom of the Meſſiah, both in relation to the Jews, and to the whole World of Mankind, not yet come to paſs; but we ought againſt it deeply to conſider, There was to be forty two months of the Gentiles, and of the Beast running parallel to the twelve hundred ſixty days Sackcloth of the Witneſſes, and the Wilderneſs-state of the Church; all which was to be by the Fathers own Appointment, (who reſerv'd Times even as that Day and Hour in his own Cogniſance or Right of Diſpoſe) before the Kingdom of Chriſt, and the glorious Accompliſhment of the Prophecies, ſuch as Eſay 2. 1. Zech. 14. with innumerable more; which being ſo peculiar to that Kingdom, cannot be adjourn'd to the Day of Judgment, as generally underſtood. For then Chriſt ſhall render up the Kingdom to God and the Father, and God ſhall be All in All.

4There ariſes in the wiſe Ordination of God a mutual Juſtification of the Prophecy by the Separation from Rome upon the general Principles and Rules of the Word of God, without cloſe, and ſtrict, and expreſs Attendance to the Prophecy, or deriving Directions from that; for how is the Prophecy honour'd and vindicated in commanding to Come out of that City and Church, which Holy, Wiſe, and Conſcientious Chriſtians ſee Reaſon and juſt Grounds, from its extream Pollutions in Doctrine, Worſhip, and Practice, and the Imperiouſneſs of its Tyranny, to come out from, although they did not underſtand Prephecy ſo commanding them? And how could Prophecy be either underſtood or fulfill'd, if Things were not ſo bad upon ſuch Fundamental Accounts? How could it be verified that Prophecy were ſo to be interpreted, if there were not ſo great Reaſons for Coming out, ſuppoſing there had been no ſuch Prophecy?

On the other ſide, How is the Separation juſtified by the Prophecy thus rightly expounded and interpreted! For who might not ſcruple, that ſo great and ſo long an Apoſtacy ſhould grow up out of the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, and that the Prophecy of the New Teſtament ſhould not have ſeen and foretold it? So that it were, without this Reaſon alſo, hardly to be believed with that firmneſs and full Aſſurance that now it is; viz. that ſuch an Apoſtacy is.

And why ſhould there be no eaſier a Remedy, might men ſay, than a Separation, ſo ſolemn and avowed a Separation, if there were p. 39not the Grand Prejudice againſt ſo guilty a Community, that Prophecy hath long ago paſs'd upon it? There ought at leaſt to be all means of Reconciliation perpetually us'd. And who could believe they ſhould be ſo long, after ſo many Debates, ineffectual, if there had not been a Prophecy commanding the People of God to come out of it, and not to expect its Repentance? So that either it would not have been ſo bad, as to neceſſitate ſuch a Separation, or we may be certain, there is Prophecy concerning it: Such a Prophecy, and ſuch an Apoſtacy, undoubtedly belong to, and interlock one within another.

Laſtly, what greater or better Determination of theſe everlaſting Diſputes, than to ſeek into Divine Prophecy, and to find them determin'd and decided ſo long ago by it, againſt that proſtituted Church and myſtical City, and on the ſide of the Separation? This certainly in the nature of the Thing muſt ſurer and more ſpeedily make an end of Controverſie, than thoſe endleſs Combatings out of Antiquity; for when all the Incertainties of the ways of Diſcourſe among the Ancients, may leave us in an Amaze, and bewildred, the Teſtimonies of God are ſure. Again, Thoſe Ancients might be deceived as Men, but the Rightouſneſs of Divine Oracles is Everlaſting: yea, how great Certainty do theſe Prophetick parts of Scripture give to the Expoſitions and Diſcourſes out of Doctrinal parts of Scripture! And certainly, had God ſtirr'd up the Spirits of the Reformed, by the moſt induſtriousIndeed prophecy if not thus conceal'd, could not have been fulfill'd. Searches into the Word of God, to have conjoyn'd the one with the other, and to have beſtow'd that Time and Diligence in the Explication of Prophecy of Scripture, that they have done in Reſearches into the Ancients, the Controverſie had been long ago at an end, and the Apoſtaſie exploded. But God hath, in the deep ways of his Judgment, reſerved the luſtre of open Prophecy to the Times nearer to the Kingdom and Coming of Chriſt, and the Brightneſs of his Appearance, that ſo the Man of Sin May be conſum'd by it.

5Hereby ariſes a Judgment upon other Propheſies of Scripture, that reſpect this Grand Apoſtacy, as that of the Apostle John's Spirit of Antichriſt, and The Antichriſt. For whatever Community, or City, under the Name of a Church, is continually ſaying Who ſhall go up to Heaven, as to other Mediators beſides the One Mediator, Brings down Chriſt from Above, as if He had not Aſcended, or were not Set down on the Right Hand of God to make Interceſſion for us. And when the ſame Falſe Church is continually Saying: Who ſhall deſcend into the Deep of Purgatory by thoſe many Sacrifices and ways of Propitiation, This is to bring up Chriſt from the Dead, as if He Himſelf had not made a perfect Sacrifice, Once for all, All which are a perfect Denial that Christ is come in the Fleſh, and an Antichriſt in many regards worſe then Judaiſm, and always branded as Heatheaniſm in the Prophecy, and the very worſt of Heatheniſm.

This Prophecy, rightly underſtood, would expound to us that whole prophetical Chapter 2. Pet. 3. thoſe Predictions of our Saviour concerning the Signs of his coming and of the End of the World, Thoſe three Myſtical Cities, Sodom, Samaria, and Jeruſalem, that are never to be recover'd: that Edom, the Border of wickedneſs, againſt which God hath indignation for ever. It would expound to us that Diſcourſe of the Apoſtle againſt any Church being ſo wiſe in its own conceit, as to think it ſelf perfect till the Calling and Converſion of the Jews; Thoſe dreadful Menaces on the then truly Famous, Roman, Chriſtian Church of its being Cut off, and that more irrecoverably than the Jews, who ſhall be graſſed in again e're the end of the World, into their own Olive, But it is beyond my Intention to ingage further into theſe Things, and it is enough to give only Intimations of them.

It ſhews us the Care God hath taken of his Servants in all Times, ſince the firſt working Inference 2.of the Myſtery of Iniquity to preſerve them out of the Midst of this Congregation, and Aſſembly of the Dead, theſe Deeps of Hell, the Damnation of thoſe who are given up to the strong Deluſions of Believing ſo horrible a Lye upon Chriſtianity, as Popery is, who periſh in not Receiving the Truth in the Love of it, Who Believ'd not the Truth, but had Pleaſure in the Deceivableneſs of Ʋnrighteouſneſs, whoſe names are not written in the Lambs Book of Life from the Foundation p. 40of the World, Who are led away with the Errors of the Wicked. God hath graciouſly Sealed his own Servants, whom he hath choſen to Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of Truth, who are not wandring Stars falling from their own Stedfaſtneſs, but fix'd by Grace, as the Wiſe, who ſhall ſhine as the Firmament, and as the Stars for Ever; let us therefore Conſider the ſeveral Methods of the Grace of God herein, and the various degrees of it according to the variety of Times, and of the various Temptations upon them to Seduction: All which have been ſo many Comings out of his People from this Babylon.

1. That which hath been Univerſal to all his Saints and Servants hath been the Ingaging them to stand faſt in the Traditions; The True ſincere Traditions of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, firſt in the immediate word of the Apostles Preaching by the Holy Ghoſt ſent from Heaven, and then Sealed in Scripture, without taking from or adding thereto in Doctrine, Worſhip, Practiſe, or Government.

2. When this Apoſtaſie was riſen ſo High, that the Gentiles were come to their Forty two Months, His Servants were ſo obſervant of it, that they immediately put on their Sackcloth, This was preciſely their Teſtimony; Finiſh'd before their prophecy ends. Rev. 11. 7.Rev 11:7and Prophecied in it againſt the Apostaſie, and when the Apoſtaſie roſe higher, and became a Throne of Satan, the Pope became a Balam, an exalted Falſe Prophet, yet they did not Deny the Name of Chriſt but held faſt his Name: Even in the time when Antipas, or the Anti-Papal Martyrs were ſlain: Although in the mean time They might not be wholly free from ſome of the ſhade of that Doctrine, on which account, It is ſaid, They had thoſe, who held the Doctrine of Balam, and are call'd the Church of Pergamus, that High Tow'ring Church, that was then aſpiring higher and higher; Theſe Witneſſes were retired out of it while in the midſt of all that Corruption, and they Fed on hidden Manna, and were ſatisfied with the Abſolution of the White Stone peculiar to themſelves, which all the World Damn'd for Hereticks, which ſhewed they were retired form Rome, and call'd by its Name as if of that Church, although thus gently cenſur'd.

3. When this City was become Jezebel, the Mother of Harlots, under the Name of a Church, and that the Witneſſes of Chriſt were ſlain by her, and her Prince, that had ſold Himſelf to Work Wickedneſs before the Lord, They then declar'd againſt it, as ſuch a Painted Proſtitute, and ſeparated from it, though they were encompaſs'd with it as with Lyons, and Men ſet on fire with Rage, to Burn them Alive, and were forced to ſuffer this Falſe Church, while they were come out ſo far, as not to have nor had it in the Account, and Reputation of a Church; and yet in ſignification of being in the midſt of it, are called Ihyatyra, One of its Names.

4. The Churches of the Reformation made not only an avow'd Separation from it, by Coming out of it, but by Laws and Sanctions, prohibited the Superſtitions and Idolatrys of it, and of its Prince; who ought to be under this Two-fold Caution: as the Church of Sardu is Admoniſh'd, and They under it.

1. Of purſuing the Reformation to the utmoſt according to the Higheſt Spirit, and Trueſt Perfection of it being elſe in Danger of being Reprov'd for not having their Garments Pure and undefiled, nor their Works filled up before God in a perfect Coming Out.

2. Of not receiving back into a Sufferance or Toleration the open, bare-fac'd, avow'd Sins of Spiritual Sodom, and its Impurities, ſeeing the Providence of God hath ſo far deliver'd them, leſt Many Return as a Dog to the Vomit, and have Complacency in what was caſt out with Deteſtation by a Nation and Church.

5. But whereas theſe Things have not yet been done by the Servants of God ſo avowedly under the Banner of this Prophecy, when the Beaſt's Forty Two Months are out; There ſhall be more Solemn Voices, that Babylon is Fallen, is Fallen, and if any Man continue to Worſhip the Beaſt, &c. He ſhall Drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God without mixture, That All may Come Out and Reform.

9. When the Vials are about to be powred out, as the Plagues of Aegypt, and Fire from Heaven upon this Spiritual Sodom and Aegypt, there may be ſome Romanists in it, who pertain to the Election of Grace, on whom the Lord being Merciful to them, He lays hold and pulls them as Brands out of the Burning, and even forces them to come Out, as of old He pull'd Lot out of Sodom that very Moment, and with a Holy Violence of Grace to them, Reſcues them from the Flames. After that Time He that is Filthy ſhall be Filthy ſtill, He thai is Ʋnjuſt ſhall be unjuſt ſtill, But He that is Justified from that Apostaſie ſhall be for ever juctified from it. After that time there is neither Reformation nor Apostaſie.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Beverley, The Command of God to Come Out of Babylon (1688)