Sect. IV: A further account of the division of the Roman Empire (section 7.3d)

faith in Christ. For when all others who professed our doctrine were divided into three parts & many erred about the Son & many more had an unsound faith about the holy Ghost ( where a lighter impiety had a repute of piety, ) & but few were ~ sound in both points: he first of any man & alone or w^th a very few, doubted not {illeg} to publish the truth openly & in plain words, confessing in writing that there was one divinity & essence of the three persons: and the grace which had been formerly granted to the many fathers at Nice concerning the Son, he afterwards obteined by divine inspiration concerning the holy Ghost; & offered to the Emperor a gift truly royall & magnificent namely a written confession of his faith against an unwritten innovation; that so one Emperor one doctrine & one profession of faith might antiquate another & succeed another. By the authority of this profession as it seems to me the western Churches & whatever is vital in the eastern being induced do partly cultivate piety in their mind ( if we may beleive their words, ) but do not speak out & partly do a little kindle it as a small fire, that is, so far as to satisfy the time & the more fervent & pious part of the orthodox people & partly do preach the truth with all liberty of speech. This was written by Gregory in an Oration upon the death of Athanasius A.C. 373 & imports that the controversy about the holy Ghost was set on foot by Athanasius in the reign of Iovian w^ch was about ten years before & from Egypt & Syria spread into the west, & that after the death of Iovian who reigned but seven months, it was restrained in the Greek Empire by the dominion of Valens, being only whispered in Asia & Syria & muttered in Egypt; but in the western Empire under the dominion of Valentinian \& Gratian/ it was preached openly with all freedom of speech. For the Emperor Valentinian left religion to the bishops & gave them leave to meet in Councils about it as they should think of fit, but Valens prohibited the deifying of the holy Ghost as polytheistical.

The Council of Serdica by asserting that there was but one hypostasis of the father son & holy Ghost & that the hypostasis of the Son was that w^ch alone was acknowledged to be the hypostasis of the father, laid the foundation upon which the Deity & worship of the holy Ghost was afterwards erected. But they did not yet worship him or call him God. The controversy at this time was only about the Son. After two years, viz^t A.C. 349, Athanasius in his return from the west into Egypt, making some stay at Antioch, avoided the communion of Leontius the bishop of that city & communicated with the disciples of Eustathius who had been deposed for Sabellianism. And at that time they began to sing the verses of the Psalms alternately & to add the doxology to the end of them. And some said: Glory be to the father & the Son to denote an equality; & others: Glory be to the father in the Son, or, Glory be to the father by the Son in the holy Ghost to denote a subordination. But the holy Ghost was not yet worshipped.

② Hilary acknowledged a Trinity in baptism but gave the name of God only to the father & the Son. I do not remember <2r> that he disputes for the Deity or worship of the holy Ghost in all his works. His opinion about this matter you may know by the end of his last book de Trinitate. The Council of Paris convened out of all France by the means of Hilary A.C. 361 in a large profession of their faith, contend only for the deity of the Son. Auxentius bishop of Millain ten years after the Councils of \Millain/ Sirmium & Ariminum, that is A.C. 366|5| {&}|o|r 367 , being \was/ vehemently accused \of Arianism/ by Hilary, of heresy & \before the Emperor/ |Valentinian who was that year at Millain &|ti|ll September, &| defended himself about the deity of the Son without acknowledging the deity of the holy Ghost or being accc|u|sed by Hilary of denying it, & was acquitted, as you may see in ~ Hilaries book against him \& his defense annexed to it. / . And therefore the controversy about the deity & worship of the holy Ghost was not yet begun in the west. It seems the western bishops were willing to let the deity of the holy Ghost alone till that of the Son was established.

But after the consubstantiality & coequal Deity of the Son was by the influence of the bishop of Rome & industry of Hilary, Eusebius Vercellensis & others sufficiently established in the west, Pope Damasus A.C. 373 called a Council of 93 Bishops at Rome, & this Council sent a letter to a Council convened at the same time \in {Illyricum}/ in w^ch letter they thus describe their faith. ^[1] When the evil of the hereticks began to be in vigor, as the blasphemy of the Arians is now especially, w^ch God remove, the three hundred and eighteen fathers select fathers treating of the matter at Nice erected this wall against the arms of the Devil & repelled the deadly poison with this antidote that the father & Son should be beleived of one essence one Godhead one vertue one power & one form. And we ought to beleive that the holy Ghost is of the same hypostasis & substance. And he that beleives otherwise we have decreed alien from our communion. Thus they reestablished the language of the Council of Serdica, & a little after the add: But we beleive that it will shortly come to pass that they who think otherwise will easily be removed from our communion & deprived of the name of bishops; that their people being freed from error may respire. For the error of the people cannot otherwise be corrected while they are under erring Bishops.

+ faith in Christ

and they prophesy in the kingdom of the Beast & Woman because they are slain by him & lye dead in the street of the great city: w^ch city is spiritually called Sodom for its whoredome, Egypt for its oppres{sion of} the people of God, & where our Lord was crucified for its being drunken with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus, treading under foot the holy City & worshipping in the outward court of the second Temple.

[ Now for understanding what is meant by the two Candlesticks you are to remember that the nations in w^ch the whole Church of Christ was seated, consisted of three parts, the eastern Empire the western Empire & the northern nations of Europe. The \first/ {Tep} Temple with seven Candlesticks comprehends the true Christians in all the Greek Empire including Dacia. The new Temple with two Candlesticks was built for the Christians in all the Western Empire including the northern nations of Germany & so comprehends two of the three parts & therefore has in it two Candlesticks & two Olive trees to represent the true Churches of those two parts, one Church within the bounds of the old Roman western Empire & the other Church diffused throughe the Empire of Germany. For Candlesticks are|sig|nify Churches ( Apoc. 1.20 ) & so do Olive-trees ( Rom. XI. 17. ) The seven Candlesticks were applied litterally to the Churches of particular cities as types of the Church Catholick, but it is not necessary to apply the two Candlesticks to particular cities for they are called also Olive trees, & Olive trees are types of nations & national Churches ( Ier. XI.16 Rom XI.17. ) They are also called two Witnesses & by that name comprehend all the saints & martyrs who prophesy against the Beast & Whore of Babylon & w^th whose blood she is drunken & by consequence extend into the northern nations. For the northern nations invaded the \Roman/ Empire & mixed with the Romans in great numbers, founding most of the ten horns, & at length Charles the great king of France by conquering all Germany & by being crowned Emperor of the Romans by the Pope & swearing fealty to the Church of Rome, & by establishing the religion & Liturgy & authority of the Pope in all his conquests propagated into all Germany the dominion of the Whore of Babylon & that of the Beast on w^ch she sits. And it was the mind of the Prophesy to make the Beast & his Churches true & false of one & the same extent so that the two Witnesses might prophesy against the Woman & her Beast in all their dominions. ]

So then the Dragon the Woman & the first Temple with seven Candlesticks continue from the beginning to the end of the Prophesy, & relate each of them to the whole Roman Empire while the Empire continues entire: but when it becomes divided into the Greek & Latin Empires, that each Empire with its Churches true & false may be distinctly represented, there arise two new Beasts & a new Temple is built w^th two Candlesticks in it, & the Dragon & two-horned Beast worship in the outward court of the first Temple & represent the Empire & Church of the Greeks, & the Woman & ten-horned Beast worship in the outward court of the new Temple & represent the Church & kingdoms of the Latines including Germany. The Apostates worship in the outward Courts of the two Temples to signify that they have an outward form of the

|When the Tabernacle or first temple is alluded unto, the twelve tribes of Irael {sic} , \then/ in allusion to the Man who immediately before y^e Babylonian captivity came          out of the Temple & was commanded to set a mark go through y^e midst of Ierus. & set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sighed & cried for the|all| the abominations done in the midst thereof, \Ezek. {9}{4} . / there are 144000 sealed out of all the 12 tribes of Israel. & in allusion to the Mans scattering \taking/ coals of fire over th from between the Cherubins & scattering them over the city in token of the approaching \war &/ captivity the a ( Ezek 10 . | ) | the Angel fills a Censer with fire of the Altar & casts it unto the earth ( Apo. 8.5 ) & in allusion to the dedication of the Tabernacle & first Temple w^th Smoke & the cloud w^ch then filled the house, the Temple of the Tabernacle is dedicated w^th smoke from the glory of God, & this is done to signify a new State of the Church commencing w^th the sealing of the 144000 who stand on mount Sion w^th the Lamb & on the sea of glass & worship in the Temple of the Tabernacle. And whe{re}{n} the times of the Babylonian captivity & second Temple are alluded unto then in allusion to Ezekiels measuring the Temple ✝^[2] Iohn is commanded to measur{e} the Temple & Altar & them that worship therein & the Gentiles take| |possesion of y^e outward court & tread under foot the holy city, & the Woman flees to Babylon seated in the wilderness upon the many waters of Euphrates. |

When those that got the victory over the Beast & his ma{k}|r|k & are sealed w^th y^e name of God stand on y^e mount Sion w^th y^e Lamb When y^e 144000 stand on mount Sion w^th y^e Lamb it is to be con they are represented by y^e mystical body of the Lamb w^th seven horns. Whe{n} they stand on the sea of glass {th} & sing the song of Moses & the Lamb in the Temple of the tabernacle they are fitly typified by the seven golden candlesticks w^ch Moses placed in the Tabernacle; When & to represent a new state of the Church this Temple or tabernacle is dedicated w^th smoke from the glory of God. When they worship in in {sic} the inner court of the second Temple they are represented by the two candlesticks of olive tree in this temple & called the inner courts of this Temple are measured to signify the rebuilding thereo {sic} . As they are the remainder of the mystical body of the Lamb w^th seven ho{nr}s {sic} they are still, \represented by seven Candlesticks/ & as they are the remainder of the Churches seated in the third nations of the third & fourth Monarchies & repr of the mystical bodies of the son of Man w^th two leggs of fire & of the woman with two they are represented by two Candlesticks & for their testimony & sufferings \are/ called the two witnesses. In whatever Temple they worship they are fitly represented by the Candlesticks of that Temple. We are not to conceive that Iohn saw more Temples then one . A at once. All the visions appeared in one & the same Temple, but the scene of the visions varied in that Temple so as to make it represent either the Tabernacle or the first or second Temple as the nature of the visions required: & in whatever T{h|e|}mple the visions appeared, the Church was fitly represented by the Candlesticks of that Temple: & wherever the Lamb or Son of man appeared the Church was fitly represented by his seven horns or two leggs.

In the Babylonian captivity when the first temple was destroyed & the Iews rebuilt only the inner Court of y^e \of a new one/ & left open the outward court to y^e \Babylonian/ Gentiles & in their conquerors & in allusion to this Iohn is commanded to measure the courts of the Temple & {illeg} to leave out the outward \outwar{d}/ cor|u|rt w^ch is without & measure it not for it is given to the na|ge|ntiles or nations, those gentiles who tread under foot the holy city that is \{t}{s}o/ the Babylonians, they that worship the Beas{t} & his Image in the outward court & receive his mark. When the 144000 were numbred & sealed out of y^e 12 Tribes of Israel the rest were left {un} omitted & not numbred & when the court of those that were numbred was measured the court of the rest was left unmeasured. Those This|a|t court was there given to them that were left unnumbred & received the mark of the Beast. In that Court they worshipped the Beast & his Image while the 144000 worshipped God in the inner Court. The Beast acts in the streets of the great city & there kills the Witnesses & therefore is king of Babylon. The Woman flees through the wildernes {sic} of Arabia to the great City Babylon & becomes his Church. This great city is spiritually called Sodom because of the \cup of/ fornication w^ch \of/ the Whore committed w^th the ten kings & with the wine of w^ch she made the nations drunk. It is also called the Egypt with relation to the Dragon the king of Egypt from whom the Womam {sic} after she had brought forth a Man child fled into y^e Wildernes {sic} . For the two horned Beast who is the Church of the Dragon caused pe|th|e people of the Dragons kingdom to receive the mark of the Beast & worship his Image, so that all men whose names were not written in the Book of life wondred after the Beast. It is also called the City where our Lord was crucified, \that is/ the city w^ch makes war with the saints & overcomes them & crucifies th is drunk w^th the blood of the martyrs of Iesus & crucifies the Lord afresh \& kills his witnesses/ the city of y^e twelve Tribes who rebelled against \Christ/ received the mark of the Beast, & crucified the Lord afresh, that is, the great Antichrist, for the ten kings make war w^th the Lamb. In the streets of this great City the two Witnesses prophesy in sackclos|t|h against the nations who wonder \worhip {sic}/ after the Beast & Image & receive his mark, & these \Witnesses/ are the holy city w^ch is troden under foot by the nations, & is the Church of God represented by \the/ two Candlesticks of Olive tree in the second Temple. For Candlesticks are churches Apoc. 1.20. The nations begin to worship the Beast receive the mark of the Beast & worship his Image before the pouring out of the first Vial Apoc. 16.2. And great Babylon at the pouring out of the seventh Vial great Babylon comes in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of y^e fierceness of his wrath Apoc. 16.19. And therefore great Babylon reigns during all the time that the Angels sound the Trumpets & pour out the Vials of wrath. The Whore reigned till the ten kings eat {sic} her flesh & burnt her with fire & the Beast & fals Prophet till the sounding of the seventh Trumpet & pouring out of the seventh Vial & then they were cast into the lake of fire, & all these are B great Babylon treading under foot the holy city & worshipping the Beast & his Image in the outward court, till the sanctuary be cleansed \of the Temple from the time/ that the prophetick book is opened & the man of sin revealed till the sanctuary be cleansed.

Christian religion, & in the inward courts of the same temples are the saints or true Churches of God in the two Empires, one Church represented by the two Witnesses & two Candlesticks in the Temple of the Latines, & the other represented by them that stand on mount Sion with the name of God on their foreheads & th by the two seven candlesticks in the temple of the Greeks. For the seven candlesticks do not cease at the division of the Roman Empire. The Churches of Pergamus Sardis Thyatira & Philadelphia are four of the seven & the Church of Pergamus lasts till Christ comes & fights with against the Nicolaitans with the sword of his mouth, & that of Sardis till Christ comes as a thief & those of Thyatira & Philadelphia are to hold fast what they have till Christ comes.

And it's to be conceived that the saints in the inner courts of both Temples bar{e}|ein|g of the same religion keep the same festivals with the same sacrifices. For the two – witnesses consume their enemies with fire at the sounding of the first Trumpet & turn the waters to blood at the sounding of the second & smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will, that is, with all the seven plagues & therefore we are to conceive that the plagues of the seven Trumpets & Vials of wrath are inflicted by the joynt power of the saints in both Temples. For this is further represented by y^e mighty Angel cloathed with a cloud & standing with his right foot on the sea & his left foot on the earth while the seven thunders utter their voices. For the sea & earth comprehend both Empires.

Sect. IV.
A further account of the division of the
Roman Empire.

Iohn tells us that before the Beast ascended out of the abyss, five of the kings represented by his heads we{l}|r|e fallen & y^e sixt was then in being. For before he ascended he was latent in y^e Dragons body, & therefore partakes of all his heads. For he was the water w^ch the Dragon cast out of his mouth as a flood after the Woman to cause her to be carried away of the flood. For waters are peoples & nations & multitudes & tongues & an aggregate of waters as a river a flood or sea, is a body politi or kingdom, & the western Empire has a particular relation to y^e watry element, the Beast rising out of the sea & the Woman sitting upon many waters. As the Woman was flying westward he cast this flood after her, & therefore the flood is a western kingdom. She fled into the wilderness by a division of the Empire & the Dragon cast out of his mouth this flood after her to cause her to be carried away by it, & therefore the casting of this flood out of his mouth signifies the division of the Empire by which she was \to be/ carried away.

The occasion of this division was the building of Constantinople by Constantine the great A.C. 330 & endowing it with a Senate & privileges like those of Rome, & making it the

|& instead of the {illeg} the Babylonian gentiles are placed in the outward court. For Zerubbabel b{illeg} courts of the Temple & Altar or {illeg} \& new court {illeg}/ separate place & Priests court \& weomens court/ & left the outward court open {illeg} unbuilt & open to the Babylonian Gentiles. When the twelve tribes represented by the four Beasts \stand{ing}/ in the outward court, became divided into \two/ parties one of w^ch is sealed w^th the seal of God & the other receives the mark of the Beast: the multitude {w^ch}{w^th} w^ch receives the mark of y^e Beast \still/ continue in the outward court, & for their idolatry in worshipping the Beast & his Image as the heathens worshipped their \fals/ Gods are called Gentiles. And these are the synagogue of Satan who say they are Iews & are not. They have an outward form of religion & Church government & therefore are said to worship in the outward Court. {B}{b}ut they are really Babylonian Gentiles treading under foot the holy city. For as the Woman upon degenerating becomes the great city Babylon so those of her who worship her Beast the twelve tribes upon degenerating to the worship of he|r| Beast become y^e Babylonian Gentiles treading under foot the holy city. |

The Temple being the scene of the visions I conceive that it remains the same from the beginning {to} the end, & that in allusion to the times of the first Tabernacle or first temple or those of the second for representing the various states of the Church the things w^ch appear in the Temple are only changed. And in every state all thcases the Church is represented by the cad|n|dlesticks w^ch appeare in the temple & by the mystical body of Christ in what form soever he appears, {&} & by the 24 Elders & four Beasts whenever they appear. In the beginning of the prophesy untill the seventh Trumpet is ready to sound, & again in the repe{tition} or interpretation of this prophesy from the time the Ar temple \of God/ was opened in heaven & the Ark of his testament was seen {in} it until the seventh Vial be poured out , the times of the Tabernacle & first Temple are alluded unto. And {t} in \all/ these visions the Church of God is represented by the \golden/ Candlestick w^th seven branches w^ch was placed in the Tabernacle & first Temple. Solomon placed ten such Candlesticks in the first Temple{ ; } but each of them being sufficient to represent the Church there is but one of them considered in the prophesy{ . } In this Tabernacle or Temple{a} the Church is also represented \by the four Beasts &/ by the seven horns of the Lamp|b| whether he appears before the throne & opens the seals of the Book, or stands on mount Sion with the 144000. And the at the opening of the seventh seal the great apostasy is represented by the distinction of the twelve tribes into the 144000 w^ch are \numbred &/ sealed w^th the name of God & the rest w^ch are left unnumbred & recev|i|ve the mark of the Beast, & by the dedication of y^e Taberna Temple of the Tabernacle w^th smoke from the glory of God & from his power so that & by the In the latter part of the prophesy from y^e time that the mighty Angel comes down from heaven with the book upon {sic} in his hand untill the sounding of the seventh Trumpet & in|a|gain in the repetition or interpretation of this part of the prophesy when one of y^e seven Angels carries Iohn into y^e wilderness to see the great whore sitting upon her Beast, the times of y^e Babylonian captivity & second Temple are alluded unto & the Church of God is represented by the \two/ Candlesticks w^ch of olive tree w^ch the Iews ( out of poverty ) placed in this temple \upon their first return from captivity/ Zech. 4 & by the mystical body of the Son of man in y^e form of an Angel standing \w^th feet {sic}/ feet as pillars of fire standing on the earth & sea. {&} And the great Apostasy is represented by measuring the Temple & altar & altar {sic} & them that worship therein that is their courts, & leaving unmeasured the Court w^ch is w^thout the Temple because it is given to the Gentiles. {or nations} \this type signifying the same thing with sealing {♁} ♁|And the four Beasts \For instead of the four/ four Beasts w^ch appeared in the outward Court of the firs Tabernacle & first Temple & represented the twelve {f} tribes of Israel, the Gentiles or Nations are placed in the outward court of the second Temple. And \For/ \And/ those Gentiles are nothing else then the twelve tribes of Israel represented by the four Beasts \& left unsealed/ Except the 144000 who {be} were sealed w^th the seale of God & {worship in the inward court} {illeg} w^ch was measured for {the masuring} the measuring the Court of the Temple & Altar & them that worship therein. & leaving the outward court unmeasured signifies the very same thing w^th the sealing a few to worship of the 12 Tribes & leaving all the rest of them unsealed |Out of the twelve Tribes reprented {sic} by the four Beasts There are numbred 144000 & these are sealed with the name of God & worship in the measured court of the Temple & Altar \in which they worship is measured/ & the rest of the twelve tribes are left unnumbred &| unsealed in the & worship in the unm & their Court is left unmeasured, & because they worship the Beast & his im|Im|age in this court as y^e Gentiles worshipped their fals Gods, they are called Gentiles. While these worship in the outward \unmeasured/ Court that is w^th an outward form of religion & Church government the 144000 worship in the \inward/ measured court of the Temple & Altar, standing on Mount Sion w^th the Lamb & on the sea of glass. And these are in several respects the seven golden candlesticks & the two Candlesticks of olive tree. When the tabernale {sic} or first Temple is alluded unto they are the seven golden candlesticks & seven Churches of Asia that is the remaind & seven horns of y^e Lamb, that is the remainder of them: When the second Temple is alluded unto they are the two candlesticks of olive tree & two Witnesses & th|w|o burning leggs of y^e Son of man. In respect of the seven churches of Asia w^ch in the beginning of the prophesy were made|/ ⊡|| [ | In respect of the seven Churches of Asia w^ch in the beginning of the Prophesy were made a type of the Church catholick, the Church in all ages is represented by the seven horns of the Lamb & seven golden candlesticks & in respect of the the Churches of the {6} diffused through the nations of the third & fourth Monarchis {sic} or churches of the Greeks & Latio|n|es & of the division through w^ch the Church was diffused & of the division of the Roman Empire into two Empires whereby the Woman received two wings of an Eagle, the remainder of the Churches represented by those two Wings are typified by \the/ two Candlesticks of olive tree & two leggs of Christ & for their sufferings & testimony called the two Witnesses. | ] || ............... & for their sufferings & testimony called the two witnesses.

had the new Moon [ | ( | & \a symbol of the/ ceremonies of the Iews ] | ) | under her feet & upon her head a crown of twelve stars w^ch are the twelve Apostles, & her seed keep the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus, & therefore she is the ~ Church. In the first ages of Christianity she is the true sincere Church of Christ diffused through the whole Roman Empire represented by the Dragon: but upon the division of the Empire into two Empires represented by the Dragon & ten-horned Beast, the \visible/ Church also \degenerates &/ becomes divided into two Churches represented by the Woman & two-horned Beast. For upon the|is| division of the Empire the Woman & Dragon part from one another. She flies from the Dragon into the western Empire from called a wilderness for its spiritual barrenness & desolation & leaves behind her a remnant of her seed w^ch keep the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus, & the Dragon goes from the Woman to make war upon that|e| remnant \of her seed/ . And the Woman is nourished in her place in the Wilderness for a time times & half a time from the face of the serpent. And as the ten-horned Beast rises out of the sea to succeed the Dragon in the western Empire, so the two-horned Beast rises out of the earth to succeed the Woman in the eastern Empire. |While the Empire continues undivided, the Dragon signifies the whole Empire & the Woman the whole Church, but upon the division of y^e Empire the Wo Dragon is restrained to signify the eastern part thereof & the Woman to signify the western part Church of the western part; & or ten-horned beast rises this sep{ara}tion is signified by the womans flying from the Dragon: & the ten-ho{rne}d Beast rises out of the sea to succeed the Dragon in the western part of the Empire, & a two-horned beast rises out of the Earth to succeed the {W}oman in the eastern part thereof. |

Every kingdom hath its Church, & the Churches of the Dragon & ten-horned Beast are the \synagogue of Satan or/two-horned Beast & |y^e| Woman in the Wilderness. For when she fled into the Wilderness she fled from the Dragon & therefore ceased to be th{at} Church. \in his kingdoin|m. | his kingdom/ She was afterwards found in the Wilderness sitting upon the ten-horned Beast, that is, reigning over him, & therefore became his Church. She is the great City which reigns over the kings of the earth represented by the ten horns of the Beast. She is Babylon the great, the western Babylon \w^ch captivated the Iewish nation/ , the great City seated upon seven hills & by consequence the Church of Rome, & this Church is the Church catholic of the western kingdoms & nations into w^ch the Latin Empire is now divided.

And the two horned Beast rose out of the earth or nations of the eastern Empire, & therefore is seated in that Empire. It hath two horns like the Lamb &|t|hat there is two Churches like the seven Churches of Asia signified by the seven horns of the Lamb, & therefore ^{[Editorial Note 1]}

And after his deart{h}|th| & resurrection the two horned Beast consecrated                      Him & caused an Image to be erected to him as a God & that he & his Image should be worshippe{d} & \& that all men should be initiated in the society of his worshippers. For to/ to {sic} be receive his mark or name or the number of his names is to {be} initiated in the worship of him & his Image as the heathens were initiated in the worship of their Gods by being marked in the arm or neck with the mark or name or {member}{number} of the name of thir|{at}| Gods . And because those that are these initiated in the to whose worship they were dedicated. And because these|y| that were initiated in the religion \& society/ of tho|e|se that worshipped|rs| \of/ the Beast. & his i|I|mage were of the twelve tribes of Israel, \& interdicted buying & selling to those that would not receive < insertion from higher up f 6r > their mak {sic} of y^e B. the multitude < text from f 5v resumes > / by this initiation they fall away from y^e worship of God & depart from the communion of his|Gods| worshippers {to} the communion of those that worship the Beast & become members of the \departed from y^e communion of those that separated depart/ \were sealed with the seale of God & listed themselves in the communion of those who the/ synagoge of Satan, who say they are Iews & are not, And by doing so made a very great alteration in the frame & constitution of the Church in respect of her numbers & constitution. The external form of Church government in the West went along w^th the Woman into the Wilders|n|ess, & in the east |East| \both Empires/ was taken from y^e remnant of her seed by the war w^ch the Dragon made upon |t|him {sic} & \by/ his killing the mystical bodi|y|es of those that would the mystical bodies of those {illeg} who would \thos{e} being mystically killed the cas{t} who would/ not worship the Image of the Beast & all being excommunited {sic} in both \the whole/ Empires who would not receive his mak {sic} . By w^ch means the Church Cath Chuch {sic} catholick was reduced to the Small member of 144000 sealed out of all the twelve tribes of Israel. And these remained in a state of persecution & affliction in the days of {I} under the persecuting Dragon & Beast like the 7000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal in the days of \Ahab/ Iezabel. And w^th this great change is further represented by the measuring the Temple

For this Man of Sin is the Beast \For all men/ w^th his worshippers. The Beast is {illeg} worshipped as a God in the outward court of the Temple w^ch is given to the Gentiles or nations for this worship: & the Na{illeg}|Man| of Sin sits in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is a God. The Beast \received the Dragons kingdom &|t|hrone &/ made war w^th y^e saints & overcame them & all the world wondred after him whose names were not written in the book of life & the Man of Sin opposed & exalted himself above every thing that is called God or that is worshipped. The Beast reigned \& made/ till the Word of God against him in the clouds of heaven \w^th a two edged sword coming out of his mouth/ & caused him to be taken alive & cast into y^e lake of fire & the Man of sin continued till Christ destroyed him with the breath of his mouth & the brightness of his coming. The Beast made war with the Lamb & therefore was the The Beast made war with the Lamb & therefore is great Antichristian state & the Beast \Man of Sin/ opposed every thing that is called God. The Beast was revealed when he rose out of the sea & began to be worshipped by {m} as a God{s} , & this was after the Dragon was cast down by Michael from his heathen throne: & the R|H|eathen Roman Empire \was to/ withhe|o|ld the revelation of the man of Sin till it should b {illeg} {was} taken out should be taken out of the way. The {t} When the At that time When the Beast was revealed, the invocation of saints by means of a great {cry} {mult}outcry of miracles \pretended to be/ done by the dead saints & their reliques, overspread the Empire: & the coming of the man of Sin was with all signes & lying wonders. {T} When the Beast {illeg} ascended out of the sea he separated from y^e communion of the 144000 \{so} 144000/ & the Man of Sin & this separation is signified by sealing & ma{k}|r|king the two parties, the one w^th the name of God & Christ & the other with the \mark &/ name of the Beast: & the revelation of the Man of Sin was in like manner made by {&}\his/ separating from the Church of God. They went out from us, saith y^e Apostle because \but/ they were not of us. For had if they had been of us the would have continued with us { ; } but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. {T} While they conti those of erron{i}{e}ous opinions concerning the objects of worship continued in communion of \w^th/ the Church the mystery of iniquity worked in them; {b} & when they \separated &/ went out from her communion then they were manifested or revealed to be Antichrists |And from the days of the Apostles there arose many such Antichrists| . And so it was in the Apostles days with the \great Antichr/ Man of Sin{ . } The mystery of iniquity w^ch was to produce him first worked in the Church & the got \ground/ secretly amongst those in \of her/ communion with her & at length caused a separation by w^ch he was revealed; & this separation is hr|e|re represented by all mens receiving the mark of the Beast & being thereby initiated in the communion of his worshippers except \a few/ the 144000 sealed w^th y^e seal of God out of \all/ y^e 12 tribes of Israel. And from this revelation of the great Antichrist & of the glory w^ch was to succeed his reign the Apocalyps hath its name. |For| The|is| \revelation was revealed \made/ by opening/ Lamb opened the seals of y^e \prophetick/ Book successively |until they wer book was opened| & upon opening the last seal the great Antichrist wa is revealed, that Antichrist who with his worhsippers was to make war with the Lamb.

And it is observable that y^e revelation from|whe| whence y^e Apocalyps hath its name is made by opening the seals of y^e \prophetic/ book & successively until the bo all the book be opened {or}|&| that upon opening the last seal the Man of Sin is revealed. For then y^e Beast rises out of the sea & all receive his mark & \except/ the 144000 who are interdicted bying & selling for not receive|i|ng it, & from thence forward the nations worship him in the outward court of the Temple, that is in an outward form of religion & Church governm^t < insertion from the bottom of f 6r > , the 144000 being excommunicated as hereticks & excommu expelled {from}this \outward/ Cout {sic} < text from f 5v resumes >

^{[Editorial Note 2]} is an ecclesiastical body. {The} \It/ speaks as the Dragon & therefore is of the Dragon's religion. And a Church in the eastern Empire of the Dragon's language & religion is the Greek Church. This Beast by fals miracles deceiveth them that dwell on the earth & for doing so is called the fals Prophet, & therefore is of an ecclesiastical kind, & this fals Prophet survives the Whore of Babylon being cast alive into the lake of fire after the ten kings have eaten the flesh of the Whore & burnt her with fire and therefore this Prophet differs from the Whore & signifies another idolatrous Church & by consequence the Greek Church or Church of the Greek Empire. This Church is also called the Synagogue of Satan. For the Dragon is that old serpent called the Devil & Satan, & therefore the Synagogue of Satan is the Church of y^e Dragon.

Sect. III.
Of the first & second Temples and their Candlesticks.

As the Beast & his horns signify a kingdom & the parts of a kingdom so a Temple & its Candlesticks signify a Church & the parts of a Church. And in this Prophesy there are two ~ Temples, the first with seven Candlesticks, the called the seven Churches of Asia, the second with two Candlesticks called the two Witnesses. The first Temple represents the Church of God diffused throughout the kingdom of the Dragon the second Temple represents the kingdom of Church of God diffused throughout the kingdom of the Beast. While the Empire continues united & the whole is represented by the Dragon the Church of God diffused through the whole Empire is represented by the first Temple & the seven Churches of Asia being the seven Candlesticks w^ch by their lamps illuminate the whole Temple are to be considered as the Metropolis of this Church & their teachers as the lamps w^ch illuminate the whole Church. But when the Empire becomes divided into two Empires represented by the Dragon & Beast, that each Empire may have its Temple, the first Temple continues in the kingdom of the Dragon & a new Temple is built in the kingdom of the Beast. And |Woman flies from the first Temple into the wilderness & the ten-horned Beast follows her thither & leaves the Dragon & woman two-horned Beast & 144000 saints alone in this Temple, & has a new Temple built for himself & the Woman & saints in their kingdom. And the saints in| these two Temples are are the two leggs{ . } of the Son of man standing upon the Sea & Earth, & their lamps are his two eyes. To represent his people in the reign of the two Empires under great persecutions, his leggs are |of the colour of fire| like ambar or shining brass as if they burned in a furnace & his eyes are like flames of fire.

The second Temple is built in the kingdom of y^e Beast

was dissolved & separated & the multitude spread in form as to its external form & constitution & separated into parties. The external form of government went with in y^e west went along with the w|W|oman into the wilderness, & in the east was taken from the remant {sic} of the Womans \her/ seed by the war w^ch the Dragon made upon them |& in both Empires it was taken from all that would not receive the mark or name of the Beast or num{b}er of his name by forbidding them to buy or sell that is by excommuniting {sic} them. | . And by the sealing of y^e 144000 with the name of God & Christ in their foreheads, a new church \{sep}/ of God or Church in a new form the saints who had the testimony of Iesus being purged & separated from the multitude \were initiated apart & consecrated apart &/ became the Church of God in a new form, like y^e 7000 w^ch in the days of Ahab Iesabel had {illeg}|n|ot bowed the knee to Baal. And all this is represented by measuring y^e second temple ...... & being succeeded in the Temple by the two witt|n|esses, & by the rise of the {B} two Beasts |& deifying of the first Beast by y^e 2^d| & in S^t Pauls Epistles by the \falling away &/ revelation of the Man of Sin. For the Man of Sin who sits in the Temple of God & opposeth & exalteth himself above every thing that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is a God, is the Beast & his image w^th their \his/ worshippers in the outward court of the Temple w^ch is given to y^e Gentiles. And T He \For this Beast/ made war w^th y^e saints & all men wondred none were able to make war with him & all men wondred after him whose names were not witten {sic} in the book of life, & thereby he opposed & exalted himself above evry {sic} thing that is called God. And when he separated from the saints & quitted their communion then was this man of sin revealed. They went out from us, saith the Apostle{ ; } but they were not of us: for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not of us all of us. There were many Antichrists in the Apostles days. For every heresy that separated from y^e commion {sic} of the Church was an Antichrist. And when they went out from the Church then they were made manifest that they were not of the Church but against her. For he that is not for Christ is against him & to be against him is to be antichristian. And in like manner when the Man of Sin the great Antichrist went out from y^e Church he was \revealed or/ made manifest that he was not of her, & this manifestation is what the Apostle calls the revelation of the Man of Sin. And in relation to this manifestation the Apocalys {sic} has its name. Christ opens the seals of the Book successively & upon opening the seventh \last/ seal the Man of Sin is revealed. For at that time the twelve tribes receive the ma{k}|r|k of y^e \Beast/ except the 144000 w^ch are sealed w^th y^e seal of God.

Before the sealing of the twelve tribes

& {th} Those that The multitude who {a} receive the mark of the Beast & \by this in {illeg}/ became the national Churches of the Dragon & Beast. And the \– to represent the 144000 alone. / For then the Church \represented by the woman/ becomes diveded {sic} into two Churches: a true one w^ch keeps the test{ame} is sealed w^th the seale of God & a false one w^ch is \w^ch is/ in commuion {sic} with the Beast & receives his mark. Then the Empire becomes divided into two Empires represented by the Drad|g|on & Beast, & the \his the/ Church \apostating/ becomes dividea|d| accordingly into two nation{al} churches represented by {illeg}|t|he Woman & two-horned Beast. And God|s| purged of the worshippers of the Beast \church seated in the two Empires/ |&| hitherto included in the \two/ wings of the Woman, keeps still keeps the distinction w^ch it borrowed from the two Empires & so soon as the Woman in flying into the Wilderness separates from the communion of the remnant of her seed & the Dragon begins to make war upon them they cease to be a part of her mystical body & are no longer represented by her two wings by by|u|t begin to be represented by two Candlesticks of olive tree. For \And/ when the Image &c. ........ or Witnesses of Iesus. {F}|W|hen the Dragon was cast down & began to persecute y^e Woman & she received two Wings of a great Eagle, these \two/ Witnesses began to testify against him. When But being \now/ included in the Womans mystical body they are not yet represented apart. but They are included in the two Womans two wings till she separates from their communion & the Dragon makes war upon them & kills them for not worshipping the Image of the Beast. And \&/ then they begin to be considered apart. & Then they cease to be represented in common with the Woman by the seven golden Candlesticks & begin to be represented alone by the two Candlesticks. And by reason of their testimony Then they cease to be And f|b|y reason of their testimony from y^e time that y^e Dragon came down amongst the inhabitants of the earth & sea w^th great wrath & began to persecute the Woman, they are called {illeg} said to have the testimony of Iesus & called his Witnesses. But their testimony chiefly respects their times sufferings from the time that the Dragon goes to make war upon them. [ These are the people spoken of by Daniel who when they shall fall shall be holpen with a little help & many f| [ | by the conversion of the Empire to the Christian religion ] shall cleave to them with flatteries but of those of understanding there shall fall to try by them & to purge & to make white till the time of the end. ] The two Wings of a great Eagle .... have their Churches. But the two true Churches are but one, called the two Witnesses They were at first |but| two Provinces of one \& the same/ Church, the eastern Province governed by the Councils of the east & the Westen {sic} governed by the Councils of the west & by the sometimes by the Pope & from this division the two Witnesses have their name & keep it \even/ after they loos their forms of governments . These are the people spoken of by Daniel who when they should fall should be holpen w^th a little help [ \viz^t/ by the conversion of the Empire to the Christian religion ] & many [ coming over to them from the heathen religion out temporal ends ] should cleave to them with flatteries, but of those of understanding there should fall to make tryal by them & to purge & to make white till the time of y^e end.

hostage at Rome. Vpon the death of Cleopatra the Queen dowager of Ptolomæus Epiphanes, the governours of their young {k}inking Ptolomæus Philometor their son, prepared an army to take Phœnicia & Cælosyria from Antiochus pretending it to be her joynture. Whereupon Antiochus met & routed the army of the Egyptians between mount Casius & Pelusium & pretending friendship to the young king, went on to ~ Memphys to order the affairs of Egypt, anno Philip. 153. And the next year coming again into Egypt with a great army \he/ put the Egyptians to flight & seized many of their cities & returned into Syria with much spoile, & in his return entered Ierusalem slew many of y^e Iews & spoiled the Temple of its treasures ornaments & vessels of gold & silver, being offended at the nation because Iason upon a report that he was dead, one Iason had made a great commotion in Ieruslame to recover the High-priesthood from w^ch Antiochus had removed him. They year following Antiochus entered Egypt a third time & be < insertion from the right margin of f 7r > a persecution of the saints by the flatterers w^ch lasts till the time of end. The flatterers therefore now get uppermost & begin to persecute the saints. For Daniel adds in the next words Then shall a king do according to his will. We are therefore to begin this persecution with the rise \reign/ of a new king

A{dd} The Empire soon after its Honorius. The Greek empire is the king w^ch doth according his will. For Daniel in this prophesy notes only what relates to the Greeks < text from f 7r resumes >

Demetrius the son of Selencus \Philopator/ at the time of his fathers death was a hostage at Rome, & \in the room of/ Antiochus Epiphanes the brother of Selencus \Philopator, who was then at Athens in his way f|h|ome from Rome. / so managed his affairs that the Romans kept Demetrius \at Rome/ & \& their ally/ the king of Pergamus sided with Antiochus & prevailed w^th the Syrians to set him upon the throne, \it being the interest of the Romans to weaken the kingdom of Syria. For after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes/ & when Demetrius applied himself to \moved/ y^e Romans Senate that he might be allowed \set at liberty/ to inherit his fathers kingdom it being his right, they thought it more for their interest that Syria should be {power} \The syrians therefore no/ in the hands of the son of Antiochus who was a child then in the hands of a man Demetrius who was a man. Then \Now/ Antiochus was |The Syrians therefore not having in their power to set up Demetrius were necessitated to set up \yeild to/ Antiochus & the Ægyptians also who had opposed him in Cælosyria & Phœ & Phœnicia. | Now Antiochus being made king {b} carried himself much below his dignity, \stealing out of his palace & privately &/ rambling up & down the city like {a} in disguise w^th one or two of his companions, \conversing &/ drinking with peo common people of y^e lowest rank & with forreigners & strangers, frequenting the meetings of yo{ng} rakes to feast & revel, {min}{illeg} acting the parts of Rom{a} cloathing himself like the Roman candidates & officers & acting their parts like a mimic & in publick festivals, \jesting & dancing &/ {&c} & banquets {illeg} & entertainments \mixing hearding himself w^th \{sr} servants &/ mimicks & light people &/ behaving himself like one of the servants & with all manner of \ridiculous/ levity, &c w^ch made some take him for a mad man. A{t}|n|d these things are thus represented by Daniel. And in his [ Philopator's ] seat shall stand up a vile person to whom they [ the Syrians ] shall not [ voluntarily ] give the honour of the kingdom, but \yet/ he shall come in peaceably & obtain the kingdom by flatteries, [ that is, by courting the R{om} \Romans & their ally the/ King of Pergamus \all parties craftily/ & perswading that them \friends of the Romans/ that it was the|ir| interest of the Romans to keep Demetrius at Rome. to set him upon the throne & keep Demetrius at Rome ] & the arms [ \of by/ w^ch oppose him ] shall be overflowed with a flood from before him & be broken, yea also the Prince of the covenant.

Antiochus the great had given Phœnicia Pal{e}{æ}stine \Samaria &/ Cæsyria {illeg} to the king of Ptolomæus Epiphanes for a portion with his daughter Cleopatra & Epiphanes being dead their \young/ son Ptolomæus Philomator now reigned being \a child/ about 15 years old when Antiochus Epiphanes began to reign {b} b & \upon the death of/ his mother Cleopatra there arose a controversy between the kings of Egypt & Syria about Cælo each claiming a right to Cæsyria & Phœnicia & Antiochus

Helidorus having taken away Philopator affected the kingdom \of Syria/ For A Demetrius the son of Philopator was newly \Philopator being dead & his son Demetrius being/ \a little before his death being/ sent hostage to Rome & An in the room of \his brother Vnkle/ Antiochus Epiphanes who was then arrived at Athens in his way home from Rome. But Antiochus Epiphanes ||& Antiochus being at Athens| Heliodorus the treasurer affected the kingdom in his way from Rome: Heliodorus the Treasurer affected the kingdom. But Antiochus| so managed his affairs with the Romans & their friends that that they kept Demetrius at Rome & {illeg} \that {sic} y^e Romans {illeg}|ke|pt Demetrius continued at Rome &/ their ally the king of Pergamus expelled Heliodorus & brought {illeg} placed Antiochus Epiphanes in the throne of Syria & & obliged \also/ the Egyptians & friends of the king of Egypt in Syria who opposed Antiochus to give way so that Antiochus became lord also of Cæloy|s|yria & Iudea {w^ch} the Dowry of Cleopatra the mother of the king of Egypt, & by \while Demetrius the right heir remained a hostage at Rome Antiochus by the/ y^e {sic} friendship of y^e king of Pergamus reigned powerfully over Syria & the neighbouring nations while Demetrius the right \heir/ remained a hostage at Rome Now Antiochus being made king carried himself w^th – – – – –> for a mad man & call him Antiochus Epimenes ἐπιμένης . In the first year of his reign he deposed Ant Onias the High Priest & gave \sold/ y^e High Priesthood to Iason the younger brother of Onias. For Iason had promised the king to give him 3000 4{0}|4|0 talents of Silver for y^e High Priesthod|o|d & 150 more for a license to erect a scholo place of exercise for the training up of youth in the fashions of the heathen: w^ch licence was granted \by the king/ & put in execution by Iason. Then the king {illeg} sent|d|ing one Apollonius into Egypt for \ ( by way of friendship ) to/ the coronation of Ptolomeus Philometor the young son of Euergetes & Cleopatra, & knowing Philometor not to be well affected to his affair went \in Phenicia Phenicia/ provided for his one safety \in those parts/ & for that end came \remaining with his host went to/ /came\ to Ioppa {illeg}& Ierusalem & went as went thence w^th his host into Phœnice where he was honourably received & from thence \he/ went with his army to other cities \parts/ \in like manner w^th his little army to the cities of/ of {sic} Phenicia to establish himself against Egypt by courting the people & distributing f{a} unusual \extraordinary/ favours amongst them. All w^ch is thus represented by Daniel And in his [ Philometer's ] seat shall stand up a vile person, to whom they [ the Syrians who set up Heliodorus ] shall not give the honour of the kingdom. Yet he shall come in peaceably & obtain the kingdo{m} by courtship \& flatteries/ [ made principally to the king of Pergamus ] & the arms [ w^ch |in favour of Heliodorus| oppose him ] shall be overflowed with a flood from before him & be broken: yea also the Prince of y^e covenant [ Onias y^e High Priest. ] And after friendship made with him [ \that is with/ the king of Egypt by sending Apollonius to his coronation ] he An \ [ Antiochus ] / shall work deceiptfully [ against the king of Egypt ] for he shall come up & become strong [ in Phœnicia ] with a small people. And he shall enter \into the quiet & even & {sic} plentiful [ cities ] / peaceably upon the fattest places of the Province [ of Phenicia ] & \ [ to ingratiate himself w^th the Iews of Phœnica & Egypt & with their friends ] / he shall do that [ among them ] \to ingratiate himself/ w^ch his fathers have not done nor his fathers fathers. He shall scatter among \them/ the prey & the spoile & \the/ riches [ \of exacted from/ other places ] & shall forecast his devices against the strong holds [ of Egypt ] even for a time.

These things were done in the first year of Antiochus \anno Philip 149. / & three years after, that is in y^e 4^th year of his reign, Menelaus the bought y^e High Priesthood from Iason, but not paying the price was sent for by the king, & the the mean time the king \king before he could hear the cause/ went into Cilicia to appea|se| a sedition there & left Andronicus his deputy at Antioch & \then the & his brother of/ Menelaus to make up the money conveyed severel vessels \of gold/ out of the Temple & \selling some at Tyre & giving \sending/ thers {sic} to Andronicus & Menelaus/ being reproved for |this| it by Onias {illeg} caused Onias to be slain by Andronicus: for w^ch fact the king at his return from Cilicia caused Andronicus to be put to death , | . | And then prepared his second voiage against Egypt \w^ch he performed in the sixt year of his reign An. Philip. 154/ For upon the death of Cleopatra the governours of \the young king of/ Egypt claimed Phenicia & Cæsyria from Antiochus as the|r| doury & raised an army to recover those countries. \to recover those \countries/ raised a great army/ And Antiochus considering that his father had not parted w^th \quitted/ the possession of those countries [ 2 Macab. 3.5, 8, & 4.4 ] denied that they were her dowry & raisin w^th another great army met \& fought/ the Egyptians \in the border of Egypt/ between Pelusium & the mountain Casius \an. Philip 154/ & when he might have destroyed the army of the Egyptians rode up & down forbiding \commanding/ his soldiers not to kill them but only to taken them alive. By w^ch humanity he gained Pelusium & soon after all Egypt, For Ptolomy fled \entring it / <8r> Antiochus ^— marched to Memphis pretending friendship to the \young/ king & that he would take care of his affairs entered Egypt |– he marched to Memphys pretending frien laying the whole blame of y^e war upon the king . |s| |governour Eulœus, & pretending friendship to the young {king} & that he would order & set right his affairs|| with a great multitude \of foot/ & chariots & Elephants & horsemen \& a|& a great| navy/ & seizing|ed| the cities of Egypt & \he/ marched to Memphys pretending freindship to y^e young king & that he would order his affairs \& making peace w^th him & laying the whole blame of the affair upon the kings governors Eulœus & Lenæus. / . In the mean time a report being spread in Phenicia that Antiochus was dead Iason to recover the High Priesthood assaulted & took Ierusalen {sic} |with above 1000 men| & took y^e city. Whereupon Antiochus thinking that Iudea had revolted came out of Egypt in af a furious manner, & to|ok| the City & slew 40000 of y^e people took as many prio|s|oners |& sold them to raise money| & spoiled \went into/ the Temple \& spoiled it/ of its \treasures/ ornaments \utensils/ & vessels of gold & silver \amounting to 1800 talents/ & carried all away to Antioch anno Philippi 154. All w^ch \All This was done in the year of Philip 154 \✝/^[3] & is thus described by Daniel/

Then the Egyptians {se}ing Philometor educated in luxury & deposed by \in effect now in the hands of/ Antiochus, made his younger brother Euergetes king & Antiochus returned into Egypt [ This was in the 12^t year of Philometor so that & seventh of Antiochus & then ] And Antiochus \in spring/ returning into Egypt p treated Philometer as a friend & pretended|ing| that he would restore him to y^e throne & beseiged Euergetes & his s{is} in Alexandria but not being able to take the city \before winter/ returned into Syria with his army leaving Philometor at Memphys to govern Egypt in his absence. & the next

\Then/ Philometor considering the danger that Egypt was in {illeg} went to wrote to his brother |&| made a league with him that they should reign joyntly & for that purpose went to him at Alexandria. At w^ch Antiochus be{ing} angry returned \into Egypt/ in spring with his army to make war upon both the kings, but in his way to Alexandria was met by Popillius Lænas, C. Decimius & C. Hostilius sent embassadors sent from the Roman senate to compose the eras between the kings. Antiochus – – – – & set up the worship of the heathen Gods in Iudæa, & \to to y^e end of his reign persecuted &/ made war upon the Iews who opposed him designe{rs} .

All which is thus described by Daniel. \And he shall forecast devices against the strong holds \even/ for a time/ And \ [ thus at length ] / he shall stir up his power & his courage against the king of the south with a great army & the king of the south shall be stirred up to battel with a very great & mighty army but he shall not stand: for they | [ the friends of Antiochus ] |shall forecast devices against him. Yea they that feed of the portion of his own meat \ [ the Egyptian {illeg} Iews{illeg} & his brothers friends ] / shall destroy him [ to set up his brother ] | [ by treachery ] | & his am|r|my shall be overthrown & many shall fall down slain. And [ upon the news of the commotion at Ierusalem ] {on}|bo|th these kings hearts shall be to do mischief. & they \ [ being reconciled ] / shall speak lyes at one table [ against the Iews & the holy covenant ] but it shall not prosper: for yet {illeg} yet the end [ in w^ch the setting up of the abomination shall \is to/ prosper ] shall be at the time appointed. Then shall he return into he|is| land with great riches & his heart shall be against the holy Covenant & he shall act [ against it by spoiling the Temple ] & return into his own land.

The Egyptians of Alexandria seing Philometor educated in luxury \by the Eunuch Eulœus/ & now in the hands of Antiochus mad|gav|e the kingdom to Euergetes the younger brother of Ptolomy. \Philometor. / Whereupon Antiochus pretending to restore Philopa\me/tor made war upon Euergetes beat him at sea & beseiged him & his sister Cleopatra in Alexandria, & then the <8v> besieged Princes sent to Rome to implore the assistance of y^e senate. Antiochus {made}|finding| himself unable to take the city \that year/ returned \in autumn/ into Syria leaving Philometor at Memphys to govern Egypt in his absence| . But| \then/ Philometor \soon/ made friendship with his brother & And {as} Antiochus \as he/ was returning the next spring \an. Philip 156/ to besige both the brothers in Alexandria, but \he was met/ in the way was met by the Roman Ambassadors Popillius Lœnas, |C. | Decimius & |C. | Hostilius, A & offered them his hand to kiss, but Popillius delivering to him the Tables wherein the message of the Senate was written bad him read those first. When he had read them he replied that he would consider w^th his friends what was fit to be done. But Popillius drawing a circle about him|the| king bad him answer before he went out of y^e circle. At w^ch blunt & unusual imperiousness the king being astonished made answer that he would do what the Romans commanded. And then Popillius gave the king his hand to kiss, & the king returned \with his army/ into Syria & by his captains \the same year ( an. Philip 156 ) An. Abr. / spoiled & slaughtered the Iews prophaned the Temple & set up the worship of the heathen Gods in Iudea & began to persecute & make war upon those who would not worship them. Which actions {are} thus described by Daniel At the time appointed he shall come \ [ again ] / towards the south but the latter shall not be as the former. For the ships of Chitting shall come agains [ with an Embassy from Rome ] against him. Therefore he shall be grieved & return & have indignation against the holy covenant. So shall he do, he shall even return & [ to the end of his reign ] have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

In the same year that the Romans commanded Antiochus {th} \by the command of the Romans/ retired out of Ægypt, they \& set up the worship of the Greeks in Iudea the Romans/ conquered the kingdom of Macedon & reduced it into a Province, & 35 years after |by y^e last will & testament of Attalus the last king of Pergamus| they inherited An that kingdom of Pergamus \rich & flourishing kingdom, / {b ( } that is, all Asia minor on this side \the mountain/ Taurus ) by the last will & testament of Attalus the \last/ king thereof ; & 64 \79 69/ years after they conquered the kingdom of Syria & reduced it into a Province & 34 years after they did the like to Egypt \& not long after they made war upon the Iews burnt their Temple destroyed their City & dispersed y^e people into all nations/ . All w^ch Daniel comprehends in these few words. And after him arms shall stand up. For Daniel henceforward passes over the times by large steps |& they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength & take away the daily sacrifice & place y^e abomination of desolation. For thus Christ himself applies \understands/ this prophesy: When y^e therefore shall see the abomination of desolation stand spoken of by Daniel, stand where it ought not in y^e holy place ( who so readeth let him understand ) then let them w^ch be in Iudea fly into y^e mountains. Mat. 24.15. | Arms are every where put for in this prophesy put for the military power of a kingdom \They stand up when they conquer/ . And as תתלב a Rege sifnifies {sic} after the king Dan 11.8 so מהנ{ן}{ו} ab illo may \here/ signify after him. \{All} a|A|fter him arms shall stand up, that is they shal stand up over his kingdom. / Daniel has|d| been hitherto speaking of the kings of the north & south & therefore these arms are to stand up over the|ose| kingdoms by conquest after the days of Antiochus. For unless unless \before/ they stand up over Iudea they cannot ta pollute the sanctuary of strenth|gt|h & take away the daily sacrifice. Daniel had mentioned the Romans |They stood up over the Greeks by steps conquering of Macedon Asia Syria & Egypt by steps. & Daniel the whole progress of their standing up over the Greeks is comprehended in these few words; And after him arms shall stand up. Daniel had mentioned the Romans | twice before in this Prophesy & therefore we need not wonder if th he mentions them here he understands them here.. Yet they are to be understood |here| only w^th respe|c|t to the affairs {t} affairs of \affairs of/ the Greeks: For this prophesy \answering to that of the Ram & He-Goat/ relates only to the Greeks. \affairs of the Greek Empire Persian & Greek Empires. / {Who of w} \ [ And/ since the Romans {in}|by| the last will & testament of Attalus inherited the kingdom of Pergamus, they may be considered \here/ as Administrators of this kingdom, & so|thus| the arms w^ch stand up will {illeg} \may signify/ the kingdom of Pergamus under the administration{s} of the Romans {T} For the kingdom of Pergamus being not conquered & broken by the Romans but inherited {illeg} inherited by them, is to be considered not as ceasing at the death of Attalus, but as continuing under the administration of the Roman Senate as the \heir &/ successor of Attalus in the kingdom as the \heir of/ next king \{&} heir/ & successor of Attalus & continuing under their administration, {illeg} \descending to the Roman senate as the heir & successor of Attalus/ & the Romans Roman Senate is \may/ henceforward th be considered as \the/ king of Pergamus. For even \as/ one & the same man may be king of more kingdoms then one, & be considered with respect to any one of his kingdoms without regarding the rest \& this kingdom may be considered as having its proper actions & conquests/ : \&/ so the Roman Senate may be considered \in this Prophsy {sic}/ w^th respect to the kingdom of Pergamus without regarding their dominions in the west on this side Greece. And when Asia & Egypt were conquered by the Romans they may be considered as conquered by the kingdom of Pergamus under the Romans administration of the Romans. ]

And this came to pass in the reign of Constantine the great & his successors & can be applied to no other period of time. Constantine & his sons a Christian overcame the heathen emperor Licinius & ha {illeg} applied the donaria of the heathen Temples to the building of Constantinople caused great numbers of the Idols to be thrown down \& land aside {or}|&| great numbers of them to be/ & brought to Constantinople & there exposed to the derision of the people; & he & his sons interdicted the worship pulled down the Altars shut up the temples & pulled down th threw down the Altars & the porches & roofs of some of the Temples & let the rest go out of ra|e|pair. And by this means Hea the heathen religion decayed so fast that in \before/ the short reign of their successor Iulian y^e Apostate one half of the people of the Empire |were| became Christians. But Iulian opened y^e Temples & restored y^e heathen worship & Valentinian & Valens continued \tolerated/ it all their reign. And therefore y^e prophesy of y^e sixt seal was not fully accomplished before y^e reign of Gratian their successors Gratian & Theodosius. It was the custome of the heathen Priests in the beginning of the reign of any sovereign Emperor to offer him the title \dignity/ & habit of Pontifex maximus. This dignity all Emperors had hitherto accepted of, B|b|ut Gratian rejected it & in the west threw down the Idols, interdicted the sacrifices & took away the revenues of the sacrifices & y^e salaries \& authority/ of the Priests. And Theodosius \followed his example/ in the third year of his reign beg A.C. 39|8|0 began to do the like in the east , &| . A|nd after this Heathenism recovered itself no more. |but decreased so fast that Prudentius about 24 years after called the heathens vix pauca ingenia & pars hominum {rarissima. } Prud. l. 1. ado. Symmach. | Thus was there a great earthquake in the heathen world & the sun \of the Heathens/ became black & the Moon as blood & the stars fell to unto y^e earth & heaven departed as a scroll|wl| & every mountain \of the earth/ & Island \of the sea/ were moved out of their places & all men hid themselves & said to y^e rocks of the sea & mountains of y^e {Land} \earth/ , Fall on us \& hide us/ from the wrath of him y^t sitteth on y^e throne & from y^e wrath of y^e Lamb: for y^e day of his wrath ( the day of o^e judgement ) is come & hide us: for y^e great days of Gods wrath is come. And thus ended the whole frame of the old heathen world.

The seventh Seal opened, or |The servants of God sealed in their Foreheads. |

Whe{th}|ile| the heathens Empire stood, it was im Empire stood it was impossible for y^e Man of Sin \to get upermost so as/ to exalt himself above all that is called God, \or worshipped/ he being of another religion then y^e old heathen or that is wors{h}{k}ipped but that w^ch letted being now taken out of the way we may expect to see the Man of Sin revealed who was \is/ to continue till the Lord shall consume \destroy/ him w^th the \breath of his mouth ( or two edged sword ) & with the/ brightness of his coming: even him whose coming i{t}|s| after the working of Satan with all power & signes & lying wonders & with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. {&} These lying miracles began {to} in Egypt in the life \reign/ of Constantine & {I perceive by} in Syria in the reign of Iulian the Apostate. For Antony \in Egypt/ had the reputation of working great miracles & working miracles, predicting things & seeing the devil souls of dead men. And |The mystery of iniquity \began to/ worked in the days of the Apostles & so the Apostle Paul tells us that it should continue to work till the Man of Sin should be revealed. For| While the heathen Empire stood the Church was not only kept under as to power but also preserved from corruption by persecutions & a{ff}lictions w^ch purged her from hypocrites & bad men so that the sincere part of Christians were always the most numerous, but & prevailed over the mystery of iniquity: But after the Empire became Christian the heathens flowed into the Church in great numbers making an outward profession of Christianity for temporal ends without receiving the love of the truth & in these the mystery of iniquity worked till by their numbers it prevailed against the truth. For these new converts being used \before their conversion/ to worship dead men & ascribe great power to their souls & images & were easily induced to change the names of their Gods & set up y^e worships \of/ the Christian Divi instead of the heathen. {Dy} And the superstitious part of the Christians, for {to} promoting \facilitating/ the conversion of the heathens

The

were {exer} forward to comply with the heathen opinions & practises under a christian name so that Chris the Christian religion hence forward became a mixture of th Heathenism & Christianity together. under a Chris For as the worship of the heathen Gods decreased, in its r{oom} the invocation of Saints \& other heathen superstitions/ came in among the Christians \being introduced/ by ascribing supernatural powers to their souls \of the{ir} saints/ & \to their/ reliques & Shrines & to certain ceremonies of the same kind w^th y^e heathen superstitions such as were signing with a cross, \in nomine ✝ Patris & ✝ filij et ✝ spiritus sancti/ sprinkling w^th Holy water & annoynting w^th consecrated oyle & \these superstitions were much propagated/ by writing Legends of mir|th|e miracles \pretended to be done by them & ordering the Legends/ to be read in churches {concerning} |for the instruction of the people. |

In the reign of Constantine & his sons the Christians by an unwary zeal began to use the signe of the cross with too much superstition & \in honour to the Martyrs to/ to translate the bodies pray at the tombs of the martyrs in honour to the martyrs & to translate the bodies of the Martyrs into their churches turning the Christian Churches into sepulchres \of the saints/ as the heathens had done before |temples were the sepulchres| before |& in Egypt they began to keep the bodies of Martyrs & good men {illeg} unburied upon beds in their houses of their Gods|.

In the reign of Constantius some began to tell stories of the souls of dead men appearing to them & of miracles done by the signe of the cross |& in Egypt they began to keep the bodies of the Martyrs & good men unburied upon beds in their houses| . In the reign of Iulian the Apostate there began to be a rumour of miracles done by the mart reliques of the Martyrs & in the reign of Valentinian & Valens those miracles were every where preached up & reliques were sent into all the Empire from Egypt & Syria where the mischief began, & the invocation of the saints was at the same time set on foot by Oratorical flourishes between jeast & earnest, & by stories of the good effects of such devotion, untill the doctrine that the saints did hear & helt|p| was brought {t} into the Churches & the oratorical flourishes ended in direct & positive prayers: so that in the reign of Theodosius this heathen doctrine that y^e Saints did hear & hel{t}|p| us, & the idolatr{a}|o|us practise of praying to them overspread as well the western as the eastern churches, & before his death or at the furthest in the reign of his sons was generaly received & fully established in all the Roman Empire, the whole world ringing with the noise of the miracles said to be done every where at the shrines of the saints. And in setting up this new religion the ringleaders were the Monks \were very active/ who feigning miracles & pretending by extraordinary dreams & revelations to discover where the bodies of the saints & martyrs were buried, dug up the bones of the dead & carried them up & down the Empire & did it so very much that some recconed this to be the first resurrection spoken of in the Apocalyps & that the Emperors at length forbad these \shameful/ practises by publick edicts. They set up Altars also \in the fields & by the sides of the high ways/ over the { ~ }{–} graves of such pretended Saints in the fields & by the sides of the high ways for the devotion of travellers. [ And thus {th} was S^t Pauls Prophesy fullfilled that in the latter times some shall [ or times of the great Apostacy ] {some} \τωες ^{illeg} a sort of men/ shall depart from the faith giving heed to \ [ men of ] / seducing spirits & to doctrines of Dæmons [ or such \old & heathen/ doctrines of \concerning/ dead mens souls, ] through the hypocra|i|sy of lyars [ or [ such wr|h|o feign lying stories of miracles ] \who/ havi|e|ng their consciences seared with a hot iron, \who/ forbidding to marry [ & [ commanding ] to abstein from meats, w^ch God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them w^ch beleive & know the truth. By their abstinence from meats & marriage & meats you know that the {lying} \lyars/ hypocrites \Lyars, / whose consciences are seared with a hot iron are the Monks, & by whose hypocrisy the rest are deceived, are the Monks. ]

To presecute this matter fully would require a large discourse. I shall content my self with some things \testimonies/ about the

was three months before his death, his son Honoriu he sent for his son Honorius from Cons to reign in the west & by his last will & testament left the Empire divided between gave the western Empire to him. And now the Beast This was at the \very/ beginning of the times of the seven Trumpets \when the seven Angels prepared themselves to sound. / And now the s thirteen years after, when the second Angel sounds, |ed, | the A.C. 408, the western Empire become|ame|s at once divided into ten kingdoms : {illeg} signified by the ten horns. And which makes good the prophesy of y^e ten horns. The ten horn w^ch thou sawest are ten kings w^ch have received no kingdom as yet [ i.e. in the time of the sixt head ] but receive power as kings the same hour [ w^th the b|B|east or \in a very short time, / as it were w^th in an hour, \or very short time/ after the Beast| 's| receiving the throne of the Dragon. Thus did the Beast after he was wounded to death, recover & arrive to {h pe} his perfect state by degrees. First he revived, then he rose out of the sea, then he received his throne from the Dragon who stood upon the sea-shore & {b} after that his received power as kings then became divided into \the/ ten kingdoms represented by his horns.

And all the world wondered after the Beast, or, as is afterwards exprest, all they that dwell on the earth whose names are not written in the book of life. They all had this holy Catho{illeg}lick Beast in great admiration. And they worshipped the Dragon so w^ch gave power to the Beast that is, they worshipped his Gods. For as the idolatry of Iudah & Israel is represented ( in Ezekiel ^[4] ) by {the} Samaria & Ierusalem's committing whoredom with the great men of Assyria & Egypt & Babylonia, & by the great men are meant the Gods of those nations: so here by the worshipping the Beast \Dragon/ is put for worshipping the Gods of the Dragon. And they worshipped the Beast [ that is the Gods of the Beast , | ] | saying who is like unto y^e Beast [ in power? ] & who is able to make war [ or contend with him. ]

And there was given him a mouth [ or legislative power ] speaking great things & blasphemies \& blasphemies/ [ against the God of heaven ] & blasphemies \Gods in setting up/ [ in setting up other Gods ] \the worship of other Gods & their images ] / & power was given him him {sic} to act [ in this manner or to continue [ in this manner of acting ] forty & two months. & [ all this time ] he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name & his tabernacle & them that dwell in heaven The 42 months are not the whole time of his continuing dated from but the time \only/ of his blaspheming after he is arrived to the height of impiety. The woman must {illeg}|a|rrive to her place in the wilderness to her place upon his back or dignity of reigning over him before the 42 months begin.

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints & to overcome them & power was given him over all [ as the Church Catho over all kindreds & tongues & nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written from y^e foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. That is all men except the saints shall take him for the Church Catholick & submit to his authority \& worship his Gods/ & by the sword & captivity he shall overcome the saints themselves. If any man hath an ear let him hear. He that leadth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience of the saints.

And Iohn beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth [ that is out of the nations of the Eastern Empire ] & he had two horns like the Lamb, that is, \& therefore/ he was an ecclesiastical body composed of two churches as the seven Lamb w^th his seven horns was an

ecclesiastical body composed of the seven Churches of Asia. This For this Beast \is afterward called the fals Prophet & he/ rises in the Eastern Empire to {compose} succeed the Woman who flyes thence into the western. and And he spake as the Dragon his two horns are two great bodies of Monks with their admirers arising the one in Egypt under the conduct of Antony, the other in Syria under the conduct of Hilarion. They rose first in desert places, \of Egypt & Syria/ but afterwards came into towns & divers of them became clergy men & divers of the clergy became Monks. They rose at the same time that the Woman fled into the wilderness, for they began to grow numerous in the reign of Constantius & to overspread the east in the reign of Valens, and These Those & the whole Empire in the reign of Theodosius \& Gree{k} & Thrace & all the Greek Empire in the reign/ These Monks w^th so many of the of Theodosius. but yet continued much more numerous in Egypt & Syria yⁿ in any other part of the Empire. These Monks with so many of the clergy as admired them & befriended them I refe & were within the Greek Empire I refer to y^e body of the Two-horned Beast & the after Monkery spread into the western Empire I refer the Moncks of this Empire to the body of the whore of Babylon. These at the Host w^ch was given to the little horn of Daniels He-Goat against the dayly sacrifice. Dan. 8.12 |These Moncks were most certainly an innovations in religion & all innovations not commanded are erroneus|ou|s. & not|

And he spake as the Dragon. They For they were both of the same religion & worshipped the same fals Gods. For this Beast was the Church of the Kingdom represented by the Dragon.

And he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast in his sight, [ not within him but before his eyes . | ] | & causeth the earth & them that worship therein [ the people of the eastern Empire ] to worship [ the Gods of ] the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed, & who \by the like power/ causeth the people of the western Empire to worship the same Gods.

And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down for|ro|m heaven upon Earth in the sight of men, as Elijah did to destroy his enemies. For he destroys them by excommunications, w^ch are performed by the ceremony of swinging down a torch in the sight of the congregation as it were from heaven to y^e earth

And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles w^ch he hath power to do in the sight of the Beast, saying to the|m| that dwell on the earth, [ the inhabitants of the Eastern Empire ] that they should make an image to the beast w^ch had the wound by a sword & did {live} , & he had power to give breath to the Image of the Beast, that the image of the Beast shoud {sic} both speak [ like of one of the ancient heathen Oracles of the Greeks ] & and [ by his dictates ] cause that as many as would \not/ worship [ the Gods of this Oracle ] the Image of the Beast should be \ [ mystically ] / killed, that is, that their congregations for {disma} worshipping the true God should be interdicted & dissolved. |As the heathen Priests b set up Oracles to false Gods, by w^ch they {promot} deceived the world & promoted the worship And [ at the same time that the servants of God are of those Gods: so this Fals Prophet sets up an Oracle to the Beast. |

And [ at the same time that the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads ] th he causeth all both small & great rich & poor, free