proaches, by the mouths and pens of her blasphemous enemies ; and broached store of erroneous and heretical doctrines, wherewith, if it were possible, he might draw her, either into detestation or apostasy.

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

But this attempt of his was also in vain; for the Providence of God so ordered it, as that all these false reproaches and attempts of infection prevailed not, but vanished away, even as a flood of land-water is swallowed up of the earth, and is seen

no more.

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

And the Devil was so much the more exasperated against the Church, for that he saw himself disappointed in all his projects; and, therefore, he ceased not to stir up war against those children of the Church, which professed the truth of the Gospel, and endeavoured to keep sincerely the commandments of God, and the only true religion of Jesus Christ.

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

And I stood upon the shore of the island Patmos, and, behold, there was a further vision presented to me: for I saw out of the ambitious stirs and tumults of the world, there arose the great Roman Empire, in the form of a beast, by reason of the brutish conditions of those that swayed it; whose chief seat was placed upon seven hills; and whose government was managed by seven several forms of sovereignty; and whose strength consisted in ten several kingdoms, which were under the command of that Empire; and divers profane and wicked governors of that Monarchy made profession of horrible blasphemies and impieties, in that they challenged to be stiled and adored as gods.

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

And the beast which I saw, representing the Roman Empire, was, as it were, composed of the qualities of those other three former Monarchies which were past: for, in fierceness and speed of conquest, it was like the Leopard of the Greek Monarchy; and, for ravening, like the Persian Bear; and, for haughtiness and cruelty, like to the Babylonian Lion: and the

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Devil did, by all means, set forward the power and authority of this Empire; advancing it by frauds and cruelties, that it might serve for his own purposes.

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

And I saw one of his heads wounded deadly, in the cutting off of the Cæsar's line in Nero; and in the intercision of the Empire, for some time by the Huns, and Goths, and Vandals: but this wound was soon healed up; and the flourishing condition of that Empire was such, as all the world wondered at it, and were glad to do their homage and fealty to it.

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

And men were so besotted with the admiration thereof, that they were ready to adore those hellish powers, by whose means and furtherance this Empire was so advanced; and to doat upon the honour and greatness of this, which they called a sacred and perpetual Monarchy; saying, What Empire was ever so great and large as this, and what nation or kingdom is able to stand out against it?

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

And Satan had so prevailed with divers of these Cæsars, that, in the pride of their heart, they spake horrible blasphemies against God; proclaiming their own deity, and calling for adoration from the people; and, through the permission of God, power was given unto this Empire, to prevail and execute tyranny and cruelty for the space of a thousand, two hundred, and sixty years.

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

And these proud and atheous governors opened their mouths against God, to blaspheme his Name, and to arrogate his title to themselves; as also to slander and traduce his Church, raising wicked calumniations against his saints and

servants.

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

And, beside their blasphemies, they were permitted, in the just judgment of God, to raise cruel persecutions against those that professed the Name of Christ, and to put them to death; and this power was yielded to them universally, in all kingdoms and countries, under their dominion.

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

And all that dwell upon the earth, under the Roman dition, shall be forced to burn incense to their Cæsars, and to worship them as gods; even all they, whom God hath not, by his especial favour, decreed and designed to eternal life, from eternity, purchased by the death of his son Jesus Christ.

XIII. 9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.

If God have given to any man an understanding heart and a hearing ear, let him well consider of these great and mystical things, which are spoken of this Empire.

XIII. 10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

For, as this Roman Empire shall long tyrannize over the world, and lead many thousands into captivity; so itself shall be dealt with, at the last: and, as it hath been guilty of much innocent bloodshed; so it shall accordingly be served again, and shall perish by the sword of an enemy: but, in the mean time, there is much patience required of God's Saints; and much faith, to expect and attend the accomplishment of these things, which must, though late, yet, in their just time, be fulfilled.

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

And, besides this Secular, I beheld a Spiritual Tyranny; arising from small and weak beginnings, to a great height of pride and impiety; the semblance and outward show whereof was meek and lamb-like, as tending to the advancement of the Name of Christ; but the doctrine and practice of it was proud and cruel.

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

And he taketh upon him to exercise all imperial power; making indeed but a mere shadow of the Empire: yet outwardly pretends to draw all the earth to the subjection and obedience of that Monarchy, whose deadly wound was healed. See verse 3.

XIII. 13. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men: And this Spiritual Tyranny doth advance itself continually, by boasting of great miracles, that are daily done by the abettors thereof: so that, as Elijah, in his time, by calling down fire from heaven, did approve the truth of his doctrine and mission from God; so doth this tyrannical state go about

to justify their teaching and usurpation, by strange and wonderful miracles:

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

And this Spiritual Tyrant deceived the inhabitants of the earth, by those miracles which he had power to do, in the presence of the subjects of that great Empire; and caused the people to renew and receive a new restored form and image of that long vacant Empire of the West, which had received that deadly wound by the sword of the Huns, and Goths, and Vandals.

XIII. 15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

And he had power to put a new life into that new restored image or shadow of the ancient Empire; that it should be able to do the wonted actions of life, and make laws for its own government and the establishment thereof; and, joining the force of his decrees with the edicts of that meanly-revived Empire, should constrain all men, under pain of death, to yield their homage and subjection to that monarchy of his own erecting.

XIII. 16. And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, and in their foreheads.

And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, to make open profession of themselves, to be the subjects and vassals of the Roman Empire; and, both in their countenance to declare it, and with their hands to fight for it.

XIII. 17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his

name.

And he excommunicated all that would not subject themselves unto it; inhibiting them from all liberty of trade and traffic, or any affairs of secular commerce; which did not profess their reverence and obedience to that his Latin Empire, and the honourable titles given thereunto.

XIII. 18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred three score and six.

Here is a proof of the wisdom and sagacity of any reader: let him, therefore, that hath skill and knowledge, reckon the number of the numeral letters, which are in the name of this Empire; for they make up the name of a man, even of one of the

first princes, viz. Latinus, which swayed this government; and the numeral letters of his name make up the number of six hundred sixty and six.

XIV. 1. And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

Now, after that I had seen these fearful representations of the Two Great Enemies of God's Church, I had a comfortable sight shewed unto me of Christ the Blessed Protector thereof: who was represented to me as a Lamb standing upon his holy mount Sion; and with him those his chosen servants, in infinite numbers, which had formerly received the mark of his gracious protection, and who had faithfully professed the truth of his religion.

XIV. 2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

And I heard the heavenly voice of God's Church, unanimously praising and magnifying the Name of God, for his wonderful mercies to them; with such loudness and strength, as if it had been the sound of many waters, or of a mighty thunder and I heard the joyful melody, that they made in the expressing of their thanksgivings unto God:

XIV. 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

And these holy choristers sung, not the old song of their forefathers, which praised God for the redemption which was to come; but sung new songs of thanksgiving for their redemption already atchieved, in the presence of God and his Angels and glorified Saints: and none of the carnal and unregenerate men of the world could know what that joyful song meant; none having ever found the sweetness and comfort of those mercies of God in Christ, but only his chosen and redeemed ones whom they concern.

XIV. 4. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb.

These are they, who are neither defiled with bodily fornication with women, nor with spiritual fornication with idols; but have kept themselves chaste and clean from both those pollutions: these are wholly addicted to the sincere worship and service of Christ: these are bought with a price, even that inestimable price of his blood; being specially dedicated, as the holy first-fruits of mankind to God and to Jesus Christ his Son.