The Revelation Unveiled, Chapter 4 – Chapter 5
CHAP. IV. Of the Little Horn.
Rule 4. THAT the Two-Horned Beaſt the Pope is the Little Horn, Dan. 7.
Note that there is a little Horn, Dan. 8. 5, 9. growing on the Hee-Goat, which is expreſsly there ſaid to be the King of Graecia, v. 21. that Horn is Antiochus Epiphanes.
But the Little Horn, Dan. 7. groweth on another Beaſt, the fourth Monarchy, v. 7, 8, 19, 20, 24. and all the Characters of him agree to the Pope; therefore he is that Little Horn.
As the Pope in his Original or Riſe was [a little Horn] v. 8. a poor Biſhop, yet grew in his looks more ſtout than his fellows, v. 20, 25. he did grow up among the ten Horns, and was diverſe from them, v. 8, 24. Another had Eyes like a Man, i. e. full of Policy and Wiſdom, hath a mouth ſpeaking great things againſt the Moſt High. v. 8. 11, 25. making himſelf ſupream Judge in matters of faith▪ a Vice God. He Warreth with the Saints by Perſecutions, and prevaileth, v. 21. weareth out the Saints, as a Garment, by long rubbing, fretting and ill uſing of them. And he thinketh to change Times and Laws, i. e. change Gods Laws for his own, as in Doctrine, Worſhip and Diſcipline, particularly in Marriages, Meats, Feſtivals—all which obviouſly agree to the Pope; and alſo,
1. The little Horn prevaileth againſt three of the other, Dan. 7. 8. before him three of the firſt Horns were plucked up by the Roots, and v. 20. fell. V. 24. he ſhall ſubdue three Kingdoms.
This agreeth to the Pope; for, he was a means of rooting out the Grecian Exarchs, the Lombards and alſo the Goths, who ruled in Italy and had Soveraignty over Rome; Silverius the Biſhop brought this to paſs ſaith Evagr. l. 4. c. 18. and theſe were preciſely three; and this doth not leſſen the number of Horns, or reduce them to ſeven, but giveth him more Power at Rome. Or Mr. Parker thinketh they were three Mahumetan Kings, viz. Solyman in Aſia, Caſſianus in Syria, the Egyptian Caliph in Judea, which were ſubdued by the Pope who raiſed the War, and this was one of the greateſt acts that ever he did, and theſe are preciſely three, and properly ſubdued by him, and theſe were of the Ten Horns or their Territory belonging to Daniels fourth Beaſt.
2. The Little Horn continueth until a time, times and the dividing of time, wearing out the Saints, Dan. 7. 25. yea after till he overcometh them, v. 21, 22, 27.
Neither doth the word foreign [until] deny its being longer, as one obſerveth donec ſignifieth Conſecutionem, non exceptionem vel excluſionem futuri temporis, Genebr. in Pſal. 109. So [until] is not excluſive, Pſal. 110. 1. and 57. 1. Cant. 2. 16, 17. Mat. 12. 20.
And beſides, the Little Horn is up, Dan. 7. 22. Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the Saints of the Moſt High, and the time came that the Saints poſſeſſed the Kingdom, which is not till after the Death and Reſurrection of the Witneſſes and ſounding of the ſeventh Trumpet, Rev. 11. 14, 15.
Daniels Beaſt is comprehenſive of the whole fourth Monarchy from firſt to laſt, and ſo may clearly enough be diſtinguiſhed from the little Horn, as Dan. 7. 11. though the Pope be it, he hath but a part thereof, not all the Ten Horns.
CHAP. V. Of the firſt riſing of the Ten-Horned Beaſt.
Rule 5. THat the firſt riſing of the Ten Horned Beaſt in all probability was in the time of Valens, however before Ann. 400.
It is a great miſtake, that a knowledge of the day of his Birth will give a certain knowledge of the day of his death; for he may not ſo early be in that work which giveth the firſt date to the Prophetical numbers, and he ſurviveth ſome of theſe, viz. the 42 months which many would have to be the whole of his time; yet ſeeing he muſt be up before he can act, it is of great importance to enquire after the time of his firſt riſing, and take it thus.
1. When the Roman State or Empire became like a troubled Sea after the Dragons downfal, then did the Beaſt ariſe, and this was before Ann. 400▪
I ſaw [A Beaſt] riſe out of the Sea, Rev. 13. 1. [Sea] is the gathering together of Waters, Gen. 1. 10. and Rev. 17. 15. [Waters] are people, and multitudes, and Nations, and Tongues—
Ammianus Marc…llinus, who lived at the very time of Valens and Valentinian, and was a Souldier then, uſeth theſe words.
[At this time as if the Trumpets had ſounded the Battel throughout all the Roman World, moſt Fell and Savage Nations roſe up in Arms and Invaded the next limits to them; the Alemanes waſted at once both Gaule and Rhae…ia; the Sarma…ians and Quadi made ſpoil in Pannonia both the one and the other. The Ticts, Saxons, Scots and Allacots, infeſted the Brittains with continual troubles The Anſtorians and other Manrite Nations made Rodes more fiercely than they had wont into Africk certain Bands of Gothick Brigands and Rovers rifled and ranſacked Thracia, the King of Perſia laid violent hands upon the Armenians, &c. thus far he lib. 26. cap. 5.]
And now judge whether the Roman Empire was not at this time like a troubled Sea, and ſo whether the Beaſt did not riſe out of it, eſpecially, ſeeing ſome of the Horns were Crowned in this time of Valens, about Ann. 376, and 378. as is proved. Antichriſti excidium.
But further the Alemanes brake through the limits of Germany, provoked thereto with a more miſchievous mind than uſually, &c. about that time or not long after Procopius in the Eaſt roſe up in arms, and plotted to uſurp the Empire, &c. There were moſt woful Tempeſts and Storms up in both parts of the Empire at one and the ſelf ſame time—in the ſame Months both in the Weſt, and alſo in the Eaſt part of the World, &c. Ib. lib. 26. c 6. See much more lib. 27. c. 8. The State of Rome. moſt corrupt in thoſe days. …b. lib. 28. c. 8.
Yea they over-ran thoſe parts even to the Suburbs of Conſtantinople and beſieged that, but at laſt were repulſed Sccrat. lib. 4. c. 31. and others.
2. When the Body of the Roman Empire was changed from its Ancient form of Provinces, into the form and ſhape of Crowned Horns; then the Beaſt was up: For it's ſaid in the days of John, Rev. 17. 17. They have received no Kingdom as yet, but receive power as Kings one hour, or the firſt hour with the Beaſt.
The riſing then of the Beaſt and the crowning of the Horns, are about the ſame time. This Beaſt is differenced thus from the Dragon, that he, the Beaſt, hath his Crowns (Emblems of Soveraignty) upon his Horns, Rev. 13. 1. and from the two Horned Beaſt, that he hath more than two, even Ten, [and upon his Horns Ten Crowns.]
Not that they muſt all be up firſt, ſo as the riſing of the tenth Horn ſhould give the firſt date to the Beaſt: For they are all Horns of the Beaſt; and therefore ſpeak a Beaſt up for them to grow upon, and they receive Power as Kings: [One hour with the Beaſt,] Rev. 17. v. 12. Not the Beaſt one hour with them, intimating the Beaſt to be firſt in order rather than otherwiſe. But as the Dragon is ſaid to have ſeven Heads, Rev. 12. 3. When as the ſeventh Head of Popes was not up till Dragon (Pagan Power) was down; ſo as well may this be called a Ten Horned Crowned Beaſt, Rev. 13. 1. Before all the ten were Crowned, becauſe there were to be ſo many principal ones; and ten may not be taken preciſely, neither more nor fewer, but indefinitely for many, as Numb. 14. 22. Job. 19. 3. Gen. 31. 7.
Now before Ann. 400. diverſe Horns were Crowned, ſee an Elaborate book Entituled Antichriſts Excidium, which proveth the riſeing of the Kingdom of the Alemanes Ann. 356. the Oſtrogoths Ann. 377. the Viſogoths Ann. 378. the Hunns Ann. 378. and others even ten about Ann. 410.
Therefore then the Beaſt was up.
3. When the Dragon gave unto Crowned Horns in the Roman Empire, his Power, Throne and great Authority, then the Beaſt was up: For it is the Beaſt he gave theſe to, Rev. 13. 2. the Dragon gave him (i. e. the Beaſt) his [power, foreign] ſtrength or force, diſtinguiſhed from authority, and ſo it is outward ſtrength or military power, [his Throne] i. e. the City of Rome, or a Government there. [and great Authority] ſo as to become a lawful ruler within the Roman Empire.
Now all this was given before, or ſoon after, Ann. 400. For Crowned Horns had [power] ſuch military power as they did wage War with the Emperours, as the Goths and others, and after the death of Valens they over-run Thracia and ſpread themſelves even to the Suburbs of Conſtantinople, and beſieged that. Am. Marcell. l. 31. c. 14. 15, 16, 17. Alaricus King of the Goths occupyeth Thracia, Graecia, Athens, Corinth and other Cities, &c. Returneth to Italy. Calviſ. Ann 395.
The Hunns deſtroyed Armenia and other Countries of the Eaſt, Socrat. l. 6. c. 1. By Armenia brake into Aſia, and beſieged Antioch, Calviſ. Ann. 395. Gainas with an Army of Goths over-ran the Eaſtern Empire and Conſtantinople was in great danger. Socrat. l. …. c. 6. Gildo uſurped Africa. Magd. Cent. 5. C. 16.
And his [Throne] the City of Rome was given to crowned Horns, for Alaricus King of the Goths took it about Ann. 410. It is true this was a little after Ann. 400. But it proveth the Beaſt to be up before, having ſuch great power as aforeſaid. It is true Alaricus then did not keep Rome long, but then he took poſſeſſion of the Throne: And it is not ſaid the Beaſt [kept] the Throne, but that the Dragon [gave] it to him, and afterward alſo Genſericus King of the Vandals, ſacked Rome. And after the Goths reigned over Italy about 70 years.
Yea Crowned Horns obtained in the Roman Empire [great Authority] for before Ann. 400. Valentinian the Emperour made a league with Macrianus King of the Alemanes, and ratified it by …ath about Ann. 374. Am. Marcell. lib. 30. c. 4. Afterwards Valens granted ſome Countries in Thracia to the King of the Goths about Ann. 376. and ſo he became a crowned Horn. ib. lib. 31. c. 4. Socrat. Diacon. and conſider whether this was not the birth-day of the Beaſt, this being the firſt crowned Horn that received not only Power, but Authority in the Roman Empire. I might mention other Leagues, as between the Emperour Honorius and the Goths, and ſo with Theodoſius, and others. All this argueth that the Beaſt was up before Ann. 400.
4. When the deadly wound was given to one of the Heads, then the Beaſt was up; For it was a Head of the Ten-Horned Beaſt that was wounded as it were unto death, Rev. 13. v. 1, 2. And ſo the Beaſt muſt then exiſt and be up to receive the wound.
Now this deadly wound was made when Alaricus ſacked Rome, and perfected at Auguſtulus. Indeed this act was after Ann. 400. but it preſuppoſeth the Beaſt to be up, and ſo we may reckon that he did riſe before Ann. 400. And here note
1. It is not the Pope, but this ten Horned Beaſt, who in reſpect of his firſt State is ſaid to continue [a ſhort ſpace,] Rev. 17. 10. For it is not ſaid the ſeventh Head, but [foreign another] i. e. another of the eight Kings (with whom the word agreeth) not another Head. There were eight Kings, and but ſeven Heads, this was another King, or State of Government when the Empire was ſo broken and changed from its antient form and ſhape of Provinces, into crowned Horns, and this was but [a ſhort time] before it was wounded even unto death; Whereas the ſeventh Head, the Pope, hath continued a longer time, than any of the other Heads if compared with them. And further to confirm this, he immediately addeth the different States of the firſt Beaſt, v. 11. [was, and is not, and yet is] as before, v. 9. and ſo [was] is before wounding this ſhort ſpace, [is not] is when wounded, [yet is] is after healed.
2. If the firſt Beaſt be [the man of ſin,] 2 Theſ. 2. 6, 7. Then the [lett] which hindred, not meerly his riſing, but his revelation, muſt be imperial power, which was removed by the aforementioned breakings and woundings of it.
But if it be the ſecond Beaſt, then the foreign is their Imperial Authority, and it was removed when Popes over-topped and aſſumed power over Emperours, as Hildebrand and others.
Rule 6. That the Eaſtern parts belong to the firſt Ten-Horned Beaſt as well as the Weſtern.
This is denyed by ſome, but ſeeing it conduceth to the clearing up of truths, and ſome material points, I ſhall give theſe grounds of it.
1. The ſame Dominion which the Dragon (i. e. Pagan Emperours) had, the ſame the Beaſt hath: Compare Rev. 12. 2. and 13. v. 2. He is Succeſſor to the Dragon; with the ſame number of Seven Heads, and Ten Horns, all the Conſtitutive parts.
And ſeeing undenyably the Dragon had the Eaſtern Empire as well as the Weſt, ſo muſt the Beaſt have, the whole territory alſo.
2. There were Crowned Horns in the Eaſtern parts, as is undeniable; and this differenceth the Beaſt from the Dragon; compare Rev. 12. 3. and 13. 1. and 17. v. 3, 12. That Crowned Horns over-ran the Eaſtern Empire, and endangered Conſtantinople, is before proved; and theſe acted in perſecution, the work of the Beaſt.
3. The East and West made but one undivided Empire, till after Horns of the Beast were up in Valens time: though Valentinian was aſſociated with him, yet the Empire was one till divided between Arcadius and Honorius, and diverſe Horns up.
Yea when the Woman fleeth into the Wilderneſs▪ Rev. 12. it is upon the two Wings of the Eagle, the Eaſt and Weſt Roman Empire. It will be hard to aſſert that there might have been a Roman Empire diſtinct from the Beaſt at the ſame time.
4. The irruption of the Turks into the Eastern parts, or ſixth Trumpet, Rev. 9. 14, 15. ſhould not have had the Beaſt as the proper ſubject thereof, if the Eastern parts had not belonged to the Beaſt, where this Tragedy was principally acted. Whereas the Lord expected the Beaſts Repentance of his Idolatry and Perſecution; as the iſſue thereof, v. 20, 21.
5. How could the act of an Eaſtern Emperour Phocas, make Boniface 3 Ʋniverſal Biſhop; if the Eaſtern Empire did not belong to the firſt or ſecond Beaſt, or both? for both have the ſame Power Rev. 13. 12. as to extent.
6. The ſeventh head of Popes did extend their Power into the Eaſtern parts; witneſs not only Victor the Biſhop of Rome his Excommunicating all Aſia about the obſervation of Eaſter. Socrat. lib. 5. c. 21. Greek 27. but alſo from that which is called the Holy War, chiefly raiſed by the Pope; and from his Excommunicating the Grecians, upon the account of the differences between them and the Latin Church about Anſelms time: and the Greek Church and the Latin Church, were in ſome mean agreement under ſubjection to the See of Rome, until the time of Pope Gregory IX. Ann. 1230. ſaith Fox Acts and Monuments, Vol. 1. p. 244, 365. and then were diſſevered from them.
But it is objected againſt the Grecian Empire belonging to the Beaſt, as followeth.
Obj. 1. The Greek Empire was up long before the deadly wound, out of which the ſeventh head with ten horns aroſe, and ſo that cannot be of the Ten.
Anſw. This laboureth with or is built upon a double miſtake, viz. that this Beaſt cannot be up before the deadly wound; whereas it was the Beaſt that was wounded, Rev. 13. 3. and ſo muſt be up before to receive the Wound. Another miſtake is, that the ſeventh Head did ariſe at the ſame time with the ten Horns, which I deny, ſee Rule 3.
Obj. 2. The Ten Kings receive power the ſame hour with the Beaſt: but the Greek Empire aroſe near 100 years before, and ſo is none of the Ten.
Anſ. When the Roman Empire in its other parts changed its antient form, and was divided into Crowned Horns, then the ſame hour the Grecian Empire was changed from what it was before: now it had a new diſtinct Soveraignty of its own, without dependence on the reſt of the Empire as formerly, and ſo thence might be deemed one of the ten Horns; eſpecially ſeeing ſome of thoſe Horns made ſuch Incurſions into the Eaſtern parts, as is before diſcovered. If the Alemanes aroſe Ann. 356. why might not another be up a little ſooner? Some of them received power as Kings, the ſame hour with the Beaſt, and that is enough▪ Rev. 17. 16.
Obj. 3. The Greek Empire often withſtood the Pope of Rome, and ſo did not give his power to the Beaſt, Rev. 17. 12.
Anſw. This firſt Beaſt I proved is not the Pope, but a Civil perſecuting Beaſt; and the Eaſtern Empire had its ſhare in the Work of Perſecution as Anaſtaſius and others. Yea the Greek Churches we heard did for ſome time give their power to the Pope of Rome.
And further, in the time of the Lutheran Reformation, many Churches were planted in Germany, England, Scotland, France, Flanders, Denmark, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, ſo that diverſe of the Weſtern Princes and Kingdoms, withſtood the Pope of Rome, yet that will not prove that they never were of the ten Horns, the like may be ſaid of the Grecian Empire.
And further, as the ten Horns are ſaid to hate the Whore, and Burn her with Fire, Rev. 17. 12. when onelyonly ſome of them do it; not all, for there are others who committed Fornication with her, that lament her burning, Rev. 18 9. which ſeemeth to intimate, that thoſe who deſtroy her had not lately committed Fornication with her. However it argueth there is no neceſſity that every Horn ſhould give power always to the Beaſt, and the Greek Empire may be of that number; which alſo anſwereth the next objection.
Obj. 4. If the Greek Empire were among the Ten Horns, then it muſt laſt 1260 years; Whereas it came into the hands of the Turks before it had been up ſuch a time.
Anſw. No neceſſity that there ſhould be preciſely Ten Horns, neither more nor fewer, and that every one of theſe ſhould laſt 1260 years, either in the ſame place, Rule or Religion, as at firſt.
It is ſufficient that the Body of them, or ſome continue ſo long in the work of the Beaſt, perſecution. The Goths ruled a long time in Italy, and then were expelled thence, yet that is one of the Ten Horns ſtill; at firſt ſome of the Horns were Pagans, others Arians, others ſince Popiſh, others became Proteſtants, fell off from Rome, did not continue 1260. Some of the Horns at laſt muſt be of another Spirit, ſo oppoſite as to hate and deſtroy the Whore, Rev. 17. 12. In ſhort, the whole Roman Dominion, as of old, in Eaſt and Weſt, make the boundary of the Ten Horns, and ſo the Grecians make one Horn; though the Greek Empire be at an end, yet thoſe that are or rule there make the Horn.
The concluſion then is, that the quondam Eaſtern Empire, or Eaſtern parts, belong to the Ten Horns, ſome of them may be found there; and ſo thoſe three Horns, Dan. 7. 8. might be there, and perſecutions there may make the Epocha of the 1260 days, and ſome Eaſtern Powers (though not under the notion of a Grecian Empire, as before) may hate the Whore, and Burn her with fire, Rev. 17. 16. or have a hand in her deſtruction.