Assorted materials concerning the prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John along with calculations relating to the Mint (section 7.2i)

Chap X.
Of the relation w^ch the Apocalyps hath to the propheses of Daniel.

The Apocalyps was \is/ written in the same style & language w^th the prophesies of Daniel & hath the same relation to them w^ch they have to one another, so that all of them together make but one complete prophesy. The Dragon den signifies the same dominion with the He Goat in the reign of his last horn that is the whole Roman Empire untill the Empire becomes divided; & after the division the \Dragon signifies the/ Eastern part thereof th descended from Iavan, & the Beast the wetsern part thereof represented by \the rest of/ Daniels fourth Beast. \in the reign of his ten horns/ The Woman riding upon the Beast is represented in Daniel by the last horn last horn of the Beast w^ch had eyes & a mouth & whose look was more stout then his fellows. The remnant of the Woman \and/ before her flight into the wilderness \she is represented in Daniel/ by the host of heaven. # < insertion from f 21v > # When the Woman fled \from Mout Sion/ into the wilderness she left \on mount Sion/ a remnant of her seed on mount Sion who kept the commandments of God & had the testimony of Iesus; And out of whom (in the war w^ch the Dragon made upon them) were sealed the 144000 whom Iohn saw \remaining/ on mount Sion, & in whose mouth was found no lye. Five of the re These \witnesses/ are represented in Daniel called the saints of the most High whom the little horn of his fourth Beast shall weare out during a time times & half a time that is during the reign of the & to whom the kingdom & dominion & greaness {sic} of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given afterwards be given < text from f 21r resumes > The remnant of her seed who keep the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus & out of whom in the war w^ch the Dragon made upon them were sealed \the/ 1440 \who/ thousand in whose mouth was found no lye, & who are that is the \two/ witnesses represented by two of the seven candlesticks ei, are in Daniel called the saints of the most High whom the little Horn of his fourth Beast shall weare out untill during a time times & half a time, & to whom the kingdom & dominion & greatness of the kingdome under the whole heaven shall afterwards be given. For they had the testimony of Iesus & remain

Daniel \was/ commanded to seal up the book of Prophesy, & Christ the Lamb of God takes the book out of the hand of him that sitteth upon throne & opens the seven seales thereof & & thereby distinguishes the times to come into seven successive parts. And the visions w^ch appear upon opening the seales denote the things to be done in time of every seale. The scene of the visions is the Temple. There God is represented {by} sitting upon a throne \And the book of the law whose festivalls & ceremonies/ above the Ark between the Cherubims, & the Princes of the 24 courses of the Priests by 24 Elders crowned sitting in their chambers in the Priests court \are represented/ by 24 Elders crowned sitting on thrones, & the people in the four sides of the peoples court by \the/ four Beasts w^ch were the standards of the four squadrons of the people of Israel encamped on the four sides of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. And the book of the law, whose ceremonies & festivals were prophetic, & w^ch was laid up in the right side of the Ark, was \reprented/ in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. \sealed with seven seales/ And the morning sacrifice was represented by \a/ Lamb as it were slain at the foot of the altar. And the Lamb took the book & opened the seales successively, & thereby distinguishes Daniel was commanded to seale up the book of prophesy, & the Lamb of God takes this book out of the hand of him that sits upon the throne & opens the seven seales thereof successively & by doing so distinguishes the times to come into seven successive parts. And the visions w^ch appear upon opening the seales denote the things to be done in time the time of every seale. Four of those The visions at \opening/ the first four relate only th to the temporal affairs of the Roman Empire, & the fift begins with the affairs of the Church. For the Churches founded by the preaching of the Apostles lasted in their fervency during the opening of the first four seales & needed no new admonitions till before the opening of the fift.

The morning service of the Iews began with dressing of the Lamps. And in the festival of the seventh month the High Priest dressed them. And in allusion thereunto Iohn saw one like unto the son of man in the High Priests habit, as it were in the midst of the (or as it were over against the midst) of the seven golden Candlesticks. And he had in his right hand a rod of seven starrs, the seven lamps appearing in a right line like a rod of seven starrs in his right hand while he dressed them. And the seven Candlesticks represent the seven are said to represent \be/ the seven Churches of Asia w^ch were under the government \care/ of Iohn the Apostle, & the seven starrs the Angels of those Churches, that is the Bishops; & he dressed them by seven admonitory epistles sent to those Angels against the approaching apostacy. And these admonitions relate to the times of the fift & sixt seales.

At the opening of the fift seal followed a signal persecution w^ch was that of Dioclesian: & at the opening of the sixt followed the end of a world polytic w^ch was that of the heathen Roman Empire. w^ch \This Empire/ fell in the reign of Constantine the great & his sons, was revived by Iulian the Apostate & ended fell again in the reign of Valentinian & Valens & revived no more. The time w^ch follows the opening of the seventh seal is divided into seven successive parts by the sounding of seven Trumpets successively. And the same division is represented also by the seven thunders & by the seve pouring out of seven Vials of wrath. This is done with allusion to the great sacrifices on the seven days of the feast of Tabernacles, the \seven/ Trumpets alluding to the sounding of the {illeg} Trumpets by the Priests at the {illeg} sacrifices b of those seven days, the seven thunders to the singing of the Priests at the same sacrifices & the seven Vialls of wrath to the drink offerings poured out at the same sacrifices on those seven days. And as all Daniels Prophesies consist of two parts; a Prophes an introductory Prophesy & an Interpretation: so doth Iohns. The Prophesy {illeg} ends with the seventh sounding of the seventh Trumpet, & the Interpretation <21v-a> begins with the words: And the Temple of God was opened in heaven, & there was seen in his Temple the arc of his testament.

In the primitive times of Christianity these seven Candlesticks by their Lamps illuminated the temple, that is the Church catholick. In \And in/ dressing these lamps five of them \are/ found faulty & three are admished to repent & threatned to be removed out of their places or spewed out of Christs mouth & punished with death & with the sword of his mouth \if they repented not/: but two of them w^ch were in affliction (viz (the Churches of Smy\r/na & Philadelphia) were without fault & those remained \on Mount Sion/ to illuminate the second Temple & are called the two Witnesses. & \in relation 400 Candlesticks or Churches There are/ the 144000 on Mount Sion who had the testimony of Iesus & in whose mouth was found no lye. And their adversaries who prophesy against them & speak as the Dragon being his Church, are called the fals Prophet & the Prophet Balaam who cast a taught stumblin Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, & are represented by a Beast \erecting an Image or Council to the {erect}/ & w^th two horns the \&/ to eat things sacrificed to idols, the Gods of the Moncks & clergy of Alexandria & Antioch & worship the image of the Beast & the two horned Beast who & \to/ worship the Beast & his Image

And lotts were cast upon them, & Gods lot was sacriced {sic}. There was also a bullock offered for the sins of the people. And first the H. Priest cloathed in linnen garments took a censer of burning coals of fire from the golden Altar & his hands full of sweet incense – – – continued in silence at their devotion. Then the High priest went into the Holy place & put off his linnen garments – – – – – earth to burn them. And as the people went home from the temple they said to one another God seale you to a good new year. And in allusion to all this at the opening of the seventh seale there is silence in heaven for half an hour, & then incense is offered w^th the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar. And the Angel fills a censer with fire of the altar & casts it to the earth. And 144000 are sealed out of all the twelve tribes of Israel for Gods lot & the woman flyes into the wilderness with those that receive the mark of the Beast & gets upon his back. And hence the seating of the 144000 is synchonal to the silence in heaven for half an hour & to the incense offered with the prayers of the saints.

{In} And on the tenth day, there were \lots were cast upon/ two Goats to \w^ch/ represented the people, the one called Gods lo{t} was sacrificed to him, the other called Azazel {illeg} was sent into the wilderness with the sins of the people poured upon his head.

And on the tenth day, the people was represented by two goats, & lots were cast upon them & the goat w^ch fell to Gods lot was sacrificed to him, & the other goat loaded with the sins of the people was sent into the wilderness. And in allusion thereunto the twelve tribes of Israel, that is, the \or/ Church catholic, is now divided into two lots, the woman which now flies from the temple into the wilderness \with those that receive the mark of the Beast & worship his image/ & the other /lot\ the remnant of her seed w^ch keeps the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus, the one & remain on mount Sion with the name of God on their foreheads. The One \lot/ the twelve tribes of Israel out of w^ch the 144000 \except the 144000 w^ch are sealed/ are sealed \out of them with the seale of God in their{illeg} foreheads/, the other 144000 sealed in their foreheads with the seale of God. An These at length put on sacloth & prophesy 1260 days in sack-cloth, & the woman at the same time the women arrives at her place in the wilderness \of riches honour & power/ upon the back of her beast in the wilderness & reigns over him all the same 1260 days or 42 months or a time times & half a time. This Beast is Daniels fourth f Beast. And the Dragon is Daniels He-goat, that is the whole Roman Empire untill it becomes divided into the eastern & w Greek & Latine Empires; & after that division, \he is/ the Greek Empire alone. And the Image of the Beast is a Council {illeg} against the seven churches of Asia.

On the tenth day of the month two Goats were brought into the temple to represent the people {goodness} one the elect & the other the reprobate & lots were cast upon them, & Gods lot was sacrificed to him, & the other Goat said to be for Azazel \called Azazel or the scape-Goat/ was sent into the wilderness loaded with the sins of the people And in allusion to this — seven churches of Asia

Upon the fift sent

During the casting of lots, & sending the {illeg} Goat into Azazel into the wilderness

On the

When the Goat for the Lord was slain, together with a bullock, for a sin offering, the High Priest took a censer \full/ of burning coals of fire from the altar & his hands full of sweet incense beaten small & went into the most holy place within the vail & sprinkled the blood of bullock with his finger upon the mercy seat easward {sic} seven times & then killed the goat of the sin offering & brought his blood in within the vail & sprinkled it also upon the mercy seat & before the mercy seat. And then he went out to the Altar & sprinkled it seven times with the blood of the bullock & as often with that of the goat. And after this he laid both his hands upon the head of the scape Goat & confessed over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel & all their transgressions in all their sins putting them upon the head of the Goat & sent him into the wilderness. And while the high priest was doing these things in the most holy place & at the {illeg} Altar, the people continued in silence at their private devotion. And to this alludes the silence in heaven for half an hour w^ch followed upon opening the seventh seale. Then the High priest went into the holy place & put off his linnen cloaths & garments & put on other cloaths & came out & sent the bullock & the Goat of the sin offering to be bunt {sic} without the camp. And a censer of was filled with fire of the alter & carried with them & fell cast on the earth to burn them. And at this sacrifice there were voices & thundrings & lightnings & an earthquake (of the music of the temple) & lightnings (of the full sacred fire) & an earthquake. And the seven Angels w^ch had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound And as the people departed from the temple they said {illeg} to one another: God seale you to a good year. And these things are alluded unto in the Apocalyps before the Angels w^ch were to {hurt} the earth & the sea begin to sound their trumpets.

In the interpretation of this prophesy the woman before she flyes into the wilderness, represents the primitive church catholic illuminated w^th the seven lamps in the seven golden candlesticks w^ch are the seven churches of Asia. And the Dragon signifies the same empire with the Daniels He goat in the reign of his last horn, \& with Danie/ that is, the whole Roman empire untill it become divided into the Greek & Latin empires; & after that division the Greek Empire alone. And the Beast is Daniels fourth Beast, that is the whole E \that is the Empire of the latines/ & is included in the body of the Dragon before the division, & after the division is the Latin Empire alone. And hence the Dragon & Beast have the same heads & horns, but the heads are croned upon the Dragon & the horns upon the Beast. When Before the woman fled into the wilderness she bought was being with child \(of a Christian Empire)/ cried travailing (in Dioclesians persecution,) & pained to be delivered & the Dragon (the heathen Empire) stood before her to devour her child as soon as it was born And she brought forth a man child who (at length) was to rule all nations w^th a rod of <22r> iron. And her child was caught up unto God & to his throne (in the Temple) & the woman fled (from the temple on mount Sion) into the wilderness [of Arabia ] to Babylon] where she hath a place (of riches honour & dominion upon the back of the Beast) prepared of God, that they should feed her there 1260 days. And there was war in heaven (between the heathen & new Christian Empire) And the Dragon was cast out that old serpent w^ch deceiveth the whole world (the spirits of heathen idolatry) he was \(by the victory of Constantine over Maximus/ was \Maxentius & Maximinus)/ cast out to the earth /to the earth.\ \& Licinius to the earth (the regions of Asia under Licinius./ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb & by the word of their testimony. (in the persecution of Dioclesian, which ended \fully/ in the victories of Constantine the great over Licinius A. C. 323) And they loved not their lives unto the death. And when the Dragon saw that we was cast down he persecuted the woman w^ch brought forth the man child (& this he did in the reign of Licinius.) And to the woman (by the building of Constantinople & equalling it to Rome) were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place [upon the back of the Beast) fre where she is nourished a time times & half a time from the face of the serpent (or Dagon.) And the serpent [upon the death of Constantine the great] cast cast out waters as a flood [the western Empire under Constantine junior & Constans] after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earths [the nations of Asia now under Constantinople] helped the woman & [by conquering the Western Empire under Magnentius] swallowed up the flood w^ch the Dragon cast out of his mouth. And the Dragon was wroth with the Woman & went to make war with the remnant of her seed which kept the commandments of God & had the testimony of Iesus, & w^ch in that war were sealed out of all the twelve tribes of Israel & remains upon mount Sion within the temple with the lamb \being in number 144000 &/ having his fathers name written on their foreheads. [And these are the two witnesses or prophets w^ch after the first temple by the warr of the Dragon & flight of the woman is destroyed do prophesy at the building of a second temple like the Prophets Haggai & Zechary, & at length when the Woman arrives at her place in t of riches & dominion upon the back of her beast they put on sackcloth & prophesy in sackcloth all the time that she reigns over the beast, that is 1260 days, or 42 weeks \months/, or a time times & half a time. And these are the two Candlesticks, that is, two of the seven Candlesticks. Five of the seven Churches of Asia, \(those in prosperity)/ are found fault with & exhorted to repent & threatened to be removed out of their places & spewed out of Christs mouth others or punished with the sword of his mouth or otherwise \cast into great tribulation/ except they repent, & the other two (the churches of Smyra & Philadelphia \w^ch were under persecution/ remain to illuminate the second temple.

And when the earth had swallowed up the flood & the Dragon was gone to make war witho the remnant of the womans seed, Iohn stood upon the sand of the sea & saw the beast with seven heads & ten horns rise out of the Sea; & the Beast was like unto a Leopard & his feet as the feet of a Bear \& his mouth as the mouth of the Lyon/. Iohn here names Daniels four Beasts in order beginning with the fourth & going upwards to the first, & there to signify that this Beast is the same with Daniels fourth beast. And the Dragon gave him his power & his throne & great authority by relinquishing the Western Empire to him. And one of his heads was as it were wounded to death (by the sword of the Earth w^ch swallowed up the waters,) & his deadly wound was healed. It was healed at the division of the Empire between Valentinian & Valens A. C. 364. Iohn saw the Beast rise out of the seas at the division thereof between Gratian & Theodosius A. C. 379. And the Dragon gave the Beast his power & his throne & great authority whence {illeg} at the death of Theodosius when he gave the western Empire to his son Theo younger son Honorius. After w^ch the two empires were no more united. But the western Empire beame presently divided into ten kingdoms as above, & these kingdoms at length united \in religion/ under the woman & reigned end with her forty & two months.

And Iohn beheld another Beast coming out of the earth. When the woman fled from the Dragon into the kingdom of Beast, this other Beast rises out of the kingdom earth or & became his church, this other Beast rose up out of the earth to represent the church of the Dragon. For he had two horns like the lamb the Bishpricks of Alexandria & Antioch or of Egypt & Syria, & he spoke as the Dragon in {illeg} matters of religion. And he causet the earth or nations of the Dragons kingdom to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed, that is, to be of \receive/ his religion. And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, that is, {illeg} he excommunicated those that differ from him in point of religion. For in \pronouncing/ their excommunications they used to swing down a lighted torch from above. And he said to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the Bestst w^ch had the wound by a sword & did revive, that is, that they should call a Council of men of the religion of this beast. And he had power to give life to the Image \{lent} the image/ should both \speak/ & cause that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed \viz mystically/ by dissolving their churches. And he causeth all both smal & great, rich & poor, bond & free to receive a mark in their right hands or in their foreheads, that no man might by y or sell save he that had the mark of the or the name of the beast or the number of his name: all others being excommunicated. And while the twelve tribes that received the mark of the Beast: {illeg} & \the candlesticks of/ the churches of Asia <21v-b> were removed out of their places, there were 144000 sealed out of all the twelve tribes & the seven churches. And these remain with the Lamb on mount Sion having the name of God on their foreheads. And they sing a new song before the throne w^ch no man else could learn & are not defiled with weomen such as are the whore of Babylon & other idolatrous churches. And these are the two witnesses or prophets, w^ch, after the first temple by \the flight of the woman &/ the war w^ch the Dragon made upon the remnant of the womans seed her seed, is destroyed, do prophesy in sackcloth at the building of a second temple like the two prophets Haggai & Zechary. And at length when the woman arrives at her place of riches & dominion upon the back of her Beast, they put on sackcloth & prophesy in sackcloth all the time that she reigns over the Beast, that is, 1260 days, or 42 months or a time times & half a time. And \These are the two Olive branches that supply the lamps with oyle./ These are the two candlesticks, that is two of the seven golden candlesticks. For five of the seven churches of Asia (those in prosperity) are found fault with, & exhorted to repent, & threatned to be removed out of their places, & spewed out of Christ's mouth, or otherwise punished with the sword of his mouth excep in \or otherwise/ except they repent; & the other two (the Churhces of Smyrna & Philadelphia) which were under persecution remain in that condition \a state of persecution/ to illuminate the second temple. When the Churc primitive Church catholick represented by y^e Woman in heaven \apostatured &/ became divided into two ch corrupt Churches represented by the Whore of Babylon & her the two horned Beast, the 144000 w^ch were sealed out of \all/ the twelve tribes \being/ diffused o into the two empires of the Greeks & Latines, became the two witness\es/ in opposition to \two fals churches represented by/ the woman & two horned beast: & the name of two witnesses \once imposed/ remains to the true Church of God in all places & times to the end of this prophesy became the two witnesses in opposition to the two fals churches represented by the whore of Babylon & the two horned beast: & the name of two witnesses being once imposed it remains to the true Church of God in all places & times to the end of this prophesy.

Chap. IV.
Of the Kingdoms & Churches w^ch are the subject of sacred Prophesy.

The Iews & the nations by which they were to be captivated and particularly the nations within the bounds of the four Monarchies are the subject of sacred Prophesy in the old Testament, & the nations through which the Christian religion was to be propagated are the subject of sacred Prophesy in the new & especially of the Apocalyps. ^[4] w^ch was given by Christ himself. \& is a Revelation of such things as principally concern the Christian religion/ And so far as the new Testament has relation to the old, the two last of the four monarchies are the principal subject of this Prophesy. For \they composed the old Roman Empire &/ the Christian religion has been propagated into all the Roman Empire on this side Tigris. And from thence it has spread also into \all/ the nations on the north side of the Empire, Walachia, Moldavia, Transylvania, the Upper Hungary \Dacia,/ Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Moscovy. Dacia being conquered by Trajan received the Christian religion very early, sent its Patriarch to the Council of Nice, & was generally converted before {illeg} its inhabitants the Goths & Vandals invaded the Empire Irenæus lets us know that the Christian religion was in a flourishing condition state in the mi Germany in the middle of the second century. Afterwards Charles the great propagated the Roman religion into all Germany by conquest & from thence it began at the same time to spread into Denmark Suedeland & Poland. And the great Duke of Russia embraced the religion of the Greek Church about two hundred years after, but there were Christians among the common people before.

So then the Christian world w^ch is the subject of this Prophesy consists of three parts \or Tribes:/: the third Monarchy or Greek Empire, the fourth Monarchy or Latine Empire, & the northern nations. And \these three parts being pretty nearly equal, you may know/ by this division that you may know that the third part of the earth, sea, rivers, sun, moon & stars is the third part of this Christian world, or the earth, sea, rivers, Sun, Moon & Stars of one of these three parts. And this unfolds to us the mystery of counting the number of the Beast. For the name & number of the Beast is opposed to the name of God & to the number of his servants who stand on mount Sion with this name of their foreheads. And in that respect the number 666 of the Beast 666 is to be counted in such a manner as the number of Gods servants 144000 was counted. This number was counted by multiplying 12000 by its' divisor 12 the number of Tribes of Israel (Apoc. 7) & therefore 666 is to be counted by multiplying some number by a divisor of that number. And there is but one way of counting it in this manner, w^ch is, by multiplying 222 by 3 the number of \the/ Tribes of them that worship the Beast.

The four Monarchies are still in being & the \four/ Beasts representing them are still alive. For the lives of the three first Beasts were prolonged after their dominions were taken away. And \They were prolonged untoward alive \continue/ till/ a stone cut out of a mountain without hands brake in pieces at once all the \four/ parts of Nebuchadnezzar's Image, the gold, the silver, the brass & the iron. And since all Daniels Beasts were alive in Iohn's days & still continue alive & therefore are synchronal to Iohn's Beasts, & <24r> Iohn's prophesy was given by the same Holy Ghost with Daniels & is very full of Allusions to the Prophesies of the old testament: we may expect to find Daniel's Monarchies in Iohn's prophesy so far as they relate to the Christian religion. And therefore we ought to compare the prophesies of Daniel & Iohn, & agree them together so far as they can be made to agree without straining. For there is no better way of interpreting scripture then by comparing the parts of it, & reconciling all the synchronal & all the analogous parts of {illeg} prophesy w^ch can be reconciled without force. Tis certain that the same things are described again & again in prophesy. And all the descriptions of one & the same thing must be conjoyned that they may interpret one another; & supply one anothers defects, & joyntly make one complete description w^ch cannot be misapplyed. And those interpretations are always to be preferred w^ch reduce the parts of scripture to the greatest consent & harmony. Daniel has described the same monarchies, again & again in four several prophesies, & yet the words of those descriptions were shut up & sealed till the time of the end. Iohn's prophesy is a Revelation of what was shut up & sealed before, & therefore must be compared with Daniel's that all may be understood.

The people of the first & second Monarchies beyond Armenia & the river Tigris were never yet converted to Christianity. The third Monarchy founded by Alexander the great, was propagated through the Roman Empire & after separation from the Latines was seated at Constantinople & is now under the dominion of the Turks. This was the principal seat of the Christian religion in the primitive times & {illeg} is represented in the Apocalyps by the great red Dragon. The fourth Monarchy being founded by the Latines conquered the Greeks then separated from them & breaking into ten kingdoms has ever since continued in a divided form. This received the Christian religion from the Greeks in the primitive times, & is represented in the Apocalyps by the Beast rising out of the sea with ten horns. When the Greek & Latine Empires are united the Dragon & Beast are united & the whole is both Dragon & Beast; but when they are divided, the Greek Empire is the Dragon & the Latine the Beast. At first the Dragon signifies the whole Roman Empire: but when the Empire become divided the Dragon signifies only the Greek Empire, & the Beast rises out of the Sea to signify the Latine. Before the division the Dragon reigns over the inhabitants of the Earth & sea, & the Beast is latent in him. Upon the division the Beast rises out of the inhabitants of the Sea in a distinct & separate form, & succeeds the Dragon in his marine

Chap. IV.
Of the Kingdoms and Churches w^ch are the subject of the Prophesy.

The nations within the bounds of the four Monarchies are the subject of sacred Prophesy, & consist of thre {sic} equal parts: the nations of the western Roman Empire or Empire of y^e Latines, the nations of the eastern Roman Empire or Empire of the Greeks & the nations of the Persian Empire including Chaldea & Assyria. And wherever this Prophesy mentions a third part of any thing, as a third part of the earth, sea, rivers, Sun, Moon or stars, it relates to one of these three parts.

This prophesy being given by Christ, is a Revelation of such things as principally concern the Christian religion, & therefore relates chiefly to those kingdoms in w^ch the Christian religion flourished most & w^ch were converted to Christianity, that is to the Roman Empire. This Empire was at first united under one Monarch & afterwards became divided into the Greek & Latin Empires. The Latin Empire is the fourth Beast of Daniel or fourth Monarchy strictly so called w^ch was to stand till the judgment should sit & the Son of man should come in the clouds to the ancient of days & the saints should take the kingdom. The Greek Empire is the third Monarchy or third Beast whose life is still prolonged tho its dominion hath been taken away. This Monarchy comprehending the nations of Greece, Asia Minor, Syria & Egypt was represented at first by the four heads & four wings of the Leopard & by the four horns of the He-goat, & afterward by the little horn of the He-goat or kingdom of Pergamus, w^ch by the last will & testament of Attalus descending to the Romans grew mighty but not in its own power & then separating from them became the Greek Empire reigning at Constantinople till the Turks subdued it. The Persian Empire comprehends the remainder of the four Monarchies & is still in being but hath little to do with the Christian religion.

The scene of

In this prophesy the scene of the visions is the Temple & the worship of Christians is described in the Temple under the form of the Iewish worship, as we shwewed above. And hence the Christian Churches are represented in this Prophesy by the twelve tribes of Israel, & when some are numbered out of the twelve tribes & sealed with the seale of God, the rest of the tribes who are not sealed become the synagogue of Satan who say they are Iews & are not, that is, who profess themselves Christians but are the Church of Satan. For all men whose names are not written in the book of life, that is, all who are not sealed with the seale of God, wonder after the Beast & worship him & his Image & receive his mark. When the saints are numbered & sealed out of the twelve tribes the rest of the <26r> tribes who are not sealed are called the Synagogue of Satan who say they are Iews & are not receive the mark of the Beast & become the Synagogue of Satan, & therefore they that have y^e mark of the Beast & worship him & his Image are Christians in outward profession.

And as the tribes of Israel & Iudah are in the old Testament represented by weomen, so the Church of Christ signified by those Tribes is here represented by the Lamb's wife & by the glorious Woman in heaven. For this woman has 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. This woman flys into a spiritually barren wilderness \& commits spiritual fornication/ when the main body of the twelve Tribes receive the mark of the Beast & become the synagogue of Satan; the remnant of her seed who keep the commandments of God being at the same time sealed with the seale of God in their foreheads. And therefore after her flight into the Wilderness when she commits fornication with the kings of the earth & makes all nations drink of the wine of her fornication & is drunken with the blood of Saints, she signifies an \apostate/ idolatrous persecuting Christian Church Catholic.

And since the Woman is the \visible/ Church first in a state of purity & afterwards in a state of apostacy; the great red Dragon who persecutes her & stands before her to devour her child & the Beast upon whom she afterward sits, that is over whom she reigns, must be the Roman Empire through w^ch she is diffused & w^ch is the subject of the prophesy. For the Dragon & this Beast have several heads & horns like Daniel's Beasts w^ch signify kingdoms, & to confirm this signification \that they are kingdoms/ the Dragon has crowns upon his heads & the Beast \has crowns/ upon his horns & the heads & horns of the Beast are called kings, & the Dragon gives his throne & power & authority to the Beast & therefore they are successive kingdoms in one & the same throne.

In the armies of the Roman Empire both before & after the Empire became Christian a flying Eagle was the standard of a Legion & a Dragon the standard of a Company & in every Company \Legion/ there were ten companies & by consequence ten Dragons. These Dragons were of a purple colour & so fastened to the top of a long pike as like weathercocks to turn their tayles from the wind & to hiss by means of the wind blowing into their open jaws. The bearers of these two sorts of standards were called Aquiliferi & Draconarij. And from these badges of the Roman Empire this Empire is represented in the second book of Esdras by an Eagle & in this prophesy by a great Eagle whose two wings were given to the woman that she might fly into the wilderness, & by a great red Dragon who persecutes her. And to represent the idolatrous religion \& large extent/ of y^e Empire this Dragon is called the Devil & Satan who deceives the whole world.

The first Beast by the number of his horns & other characters is manifested to be the same w^th Daniels fourth Beast. For both had ten horns & Daniel's had an eleventh horn w^ch answers to the Woman on the back of Iohn's Beast. For this horn was an Animal with eyes & a {illeg}th \distinct from the Beast, having eyes/ like the eyes of a man & a mouth speaking great things against the most High, & so was a Seer & a Prophet or Prophetess exercising a jurisdiction in matters of religion like \& having power to change {illeg} time & laws &/ the woman (Iezebel) who calleth her self a Prophetess & deceives all nations w^th her sorceries & inebriates them with the wine of her fornication. The horn made war upon the saints & prevailed against them & the Woman was drunken w^th the blood of saints & of the martyrs of Iesus & the in her was found the blood of Saints Prophets & Saints & of all that were slain upon y^e face of the earth. The horn had a look more stout then his fellows & the woman reigns over the ten horns, for she sits upon the Beast & is called the great city w^ch reigneth over the kings of the earth. The Horn reigned with power to change times & laws a times times & half a time & the woman was fed in \her place in/ the Wilderness a time times & half a time. And further, Iohn's Beast is like a Leopard & hath feet as the feet of a Bear & a mouth as the mouth of a Lion Apoc. 13. 2: w^ch is the description of Daniels fourth Beast. For that Beast was dreadful & terrible as a Leopard is & fought & stamped w^th his feet as a Bear doth & had great iron teeth wherewith he devoured & broke in pieces like a Lion. Daniel's three first Beasts are here named backwards & Iohn's is named in the room of the fourth & described \of/ like & shape to signify that he is the fourth, & \is/ described \also/ of lke shape. And as Daniel's Beast reigned in thes little horn & a time times & half a time, or three years & an half so Iohn's reigned 42 months' w^ch is also three years & an half. And lastly as Daniel's fourth Beast has Rome for its metropolis so has Iohn's; for the heads of Iohn's Beast are called seven hills where the Woman sitteth, w^ch is as much as to say that the head city or metropolis of the Beast is the seven-hilled city over w^ch the Woman reigneth. She sits on the Beast, that is, reigns over him, & therefore is his Metropolis. She is also called the great city w^ch reigneth over the kings of the earth & Babylon the great city: w^ch name imports that she is that great city w^ch should took \beseiged/ Ierusalem, burnt the Temple & captivated the Iews as Babylon had done before. And therefore Peter writing from Rome in the time of that siege & alluding in many things to y^e Apocalyps, calls Rome by the name of Babylon. For all antiquity agree that Peter wrote his epistles from Rome & by Babylon understood that city.

When the ten horned Beast rose out of the sea, the Dragon gave him his power & his throne & great authority, Apoc 13. 2: And therefore the Dragon reigned first in the Roman Empire. He reigned <28r> alone over the whole Empire while the Empire continued in one Monarchy, & when it became divided into the eastern & western Empires, the Beast rose out of the sea by that division & the Dragon gave his old throne the city Rome with its dominion, that is, his western power & throne, to the Beast, & retained only his eastern power to himself. For the Dragon did not cease at the rise of the Beast. After the Beast was risen they worshipped the Dragon & Beast together (Apoc. 13. 4) & at length three unclean spirits like froggs came out of the mouths of the Dragon & Beast & fals Prophet (Apoc 17. 13) & in the end, when the Beast is cast into the Lake of fire, the Dragon is cast into the bottomless pit (Apoc. 20. 2) The Dragon & Beast therefore after the division of the Roman Empire continue in being together & by consequence signify the eastern & western or Greek & Latine Empires. This Dragon is the Devil & Satan (Apoc. 12. {illeg} 9) that Satan who had his seat in Pergamus (Apoc. 2. 13) that is, the Kingdom of Pergamus represented by Daniel's he Goat the last horn of Daniel's He-Goat, whose dominion by the last Will & testament of Attalus descended to the Romans & who grew mighty in their power & at length separating from them became the Greek Empire reigning over the nations of Greece, Asia minor, Syria & Egypt; w^ch made up the proper body of Daniel's He-Goat, & of his Leopard or third Beast. The little horn of the He Goat waxed great even to the host of heaven, & it cast down of the host & of the stars to the ground & stamped upon them & the Dragon's tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, & cast them to the earth. These actions are the same signification: for the horn of the Goat & tail of the Dragon are their fighting members & signify their military powers or armies commanded by their kings By the agreement of their actions you may know that they are one & the same kingdom.

The Greeks called themselves Romans & gave the name of Romania to the Region about Constantinople, & distinguished themselves from those of the Western Empire by the names of Greeks & Latines. Whence the word ΔΑΤΕΙΝΟΣ is the proper name of the western Empire. This is the name of a man \(an ancient king from whence the Latines had their name)/ & the number of this name is 666 & this is the number of the name of the Beast.

The nations of these two \Roman/ Empires are \also/ distinguished \into two parts/ by the names of earth & sea: as where the first plague falls on the earth, the second on the sea, & where the Devil comes down to the inhabitants of the earth & sea & where the ten-horned Beast rises out of the earth \sea/ & the two horned Beast out of the searth. And in this respect the cities of the eastern empire are called mountains & those of the western Islands. This distinction seems occasioned by the language of the Iews who called the eastern countries \this distinction seems occasioned by the language of the Iews who called these countries the earth to w^ch they travelled by land & those the Isles of the sea & Isles of the Gentiles to w^ch they travelled went by sea. And according to this language, the Sea in Iohn's days was Europe & the Earth was Asia & Afric, & the Mountains & Islands are the reigning cities of the earth & sea with their territories. And because the eastern Empire was seated chiefly in this earth & the western chiefly in this sea: by the earth & sea we may sometimes understand these Empires. And since the/ <29r> the earth & the western the isles of the sea. And since the ten horned Beast rises out of the sea you may know also by that character that he \reigns in Europe &/ is the Western Empire.

Every kingdom has its national visible Church & the national \visible/ Churches of the Greek & Latine Empires are the fals \two/ Prophet \horned Beast/ & Whore of Babylon. For the Whore \is the seven hilled city \the western/ Babylon, &/ sits upon the ten horned Beast or Latine Empire. & in Daniels Prophesies is one of his horns \& therefore is the Church catholic of the Latines/: & the other Beast rises out of the earth or nations of the eastern Empire & hath two horns like the Lamb that is two churches like the seven churches of Asia signified by the Lamb & s seven horns out of the Lamb, & speaks as the Dragon or eastern Empire \& therefore is the church catholic of the Greek's of the Dragon's religion idolatrous religion/ them that dwell on the earth & for his doing so is called the fals Prophet & therefore is of an ecclesiastical kind, & this fals Prophet survives the Whore beign cast alive into the Lake of fire after the ten kings have eaten the flesh of the Whore & burnt her with fire, & therefore this Prophet differs from the whore & signifies another idolatrous Church & by consequence the Church of the Greek Empire. Conceive therefore that while the Roman Empire continues entire the whole is signified by the Dragon & the church of \in/ the whole by the glorious woman in heaven: but when the Empire becomes divided, the woman degenerates & flyes from the Dragon into the western empire called a wilderness for its spiritual barrenness, & leaves a remnant of her seed in the eastern empire w^ch keep the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus; & that the Dragon at the same time goes from the woman into the eastern empire to make war with the remnant of her seed, & a ten-horned Beast rises out of the sea or western nations to succeed the Dragon in the western empire, & a two-horned Beast rises out of the Earth or \Eastern/ nations of the eastern em to succeed the woman in the eastern empire, & a new Temple is measured in order And further, to represent the true Christians or Churches of Christ in both kingdoms, conceive that in opposition to the seven-hilled city represented by the woman, the tabernacles & first Temple have in them seven Candlesticks w^ch are put for the true church of Christ throughout the Empire represented by the Dragon, & in opposition to the two horned Beast there is a second Temple measured in order to be built with two candlesticks in it, w^ch are put for the true church of Christ throughout the Empire represented by the Beasts For the seven candlesticks are the seven churches of Asia & the churches of Asia are seated within the kingdom of the Dragon & by their lamps illuminate his empire: & the two Candlesticks are the two churches called the two witnesses & two prophets whom the Beast w^ch ascends out of the abyss \to be built with two Candlesticks in it to represent the saints within the empire of the Beast of whom it is said that power was given unto him to make war w^th the Saints & to overcome them. For Candlesticks are Churches & the two Candlesticks are two Churches called the two Witnesses & the Beast makes war against these Witnesses & overcomes them & kills them in the streets of the or provinces of the great City Babylon w^ch in the form of a woman reigns over him, & therefore they are those saints. And by analogy, the seven candlesticks in the first Temple are Gods people in the empire of the Dragon, a finite number being put for an indefinite. For these Candlesticks are the churches of Asia & by consequence within the Dragons kingdom. Conceive therefore that when the Dragon is the whole \Roman/ empire the seven Candlesticks signify the Churches of the whole Empire: but when the Empire becomes divided &/ <30r> makes war upon & kills in the streets of the great city, & there are they peoples in the kingdom of the Beast & in the streets of provinces of the great city Babylon w^ch of the form of a woman reigns over him \& the Dragon retires into the east, the Candlesticks are moved out of their place & become the remnant of the womans seed with/ whom the Dragon makes war, & are succeeded in the Western Empire by two \Candlesticks/ placed in a new Temple to signify the saints with whom the Beast makes war. For the seven Candlesticks do not cease at the division of the Empire but continue in the first Temple to the end of the prophesy; the seven Angels w^ch sound the Trumpets & pour out the Vials bring their lamps, & the Church of Pergamus lasting till Christ comes & fights against the Nicolaitans with the sword of his mouth & that of Sardis till Christ comes as a thief, & the Church of Thyativa being to hold fast what they have till Christ comes. So then the eastern & western Greek & Latine Empires with their Churches false & true are represented by the Dragon & first Beast, the fals Prophet & Whore, the seven Churche \Candlesticks/ in the first temple & the two Candlesticks in the second. For it was fit that all these things should be represented distinctly. They have also their joynt representation. For the twelve Tribes of Israel represent all Christians good & bad in both Empires; & the 144000 servants of God represent all the good, they being \numbered &/ sealed out of the nations of the earth & sea w^ch were to be hurt by the four winds as soon as the sealing was finished; & they that worship the Beast & receive his mark represent all the bad, he being worshipped as well by the Dragons subjects as by his own.

We shewed above that the first six heads fell of the Beast fell before he ascended out of the abyss. For before he ascended he was latent in the Dragon's body, being 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 or flood or sea is a body politi or kingdom, & the western Empire has a particular relation to the watry element, the Beast \afterwards/ 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 that division & while the water was in the Dragon's belly the Beast was latent in him & for that reason has all the Dragons heads. This Beast was Daniel's fourth Beast & that Beast was the Roman Empire from the time that the Romans subdued the Greeks & in that respect the whole Roman Empire is the Beast as well as the Dragon before the division thereof. And thence it is that the Dragon & Beast have common heads & common horns; but with this difference that the Dragon has crowns upon his heads & not upon his horns to signify that he reigns in all the heads & not in the horns, & the Beast \w^ch is the eighth & of the seven/ has crowns upon his horns & <31r> not upon his heads to signify that he is not considered in this prophesy as reigning before he rises out of the sea \by the division of the Empire & the Dragon gives him his throne/ & his horns receive power as kings by a new division of the western Empire into ten kingdoms.

The occasion of the division of the Empire into the eastern & western Empires 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 Metropolis of all the eastern part of the Empire as Rome had hitherto been of all the Empires & was hence forward of all the western part thereof. By this division of the Empire between two imperial cities, the woman received two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wilderness, & at the death of Constantine the great A. C. 337, the Dragon cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman to cause her to be carried away of the flood. For the Empire at that time became divided between the sons of Constantine, his second son Constantius reigning over the East & his other two sons reigning in the West & the survivor of them reigning over all the west and being succeeded by Magnentius in the end of whose reign \A. C. 353/ the earth or eastern empire opened her mouth & swallowed up the flood by a victory over the western Empire whereby the Beast was wounded to death with a sword & ceased to be for a time, both Empires becoming unitd under Constantius & his successors till the reign of Valentinian & Valens between whom the Empire became again divided \A. C. 364/ & by this division the deadly wound was healed & the Beast revived. Then by the death of Valens the Empire became united again under Gratian the successor of Valentinian for about five months & by the next division w^ch was between Gratian & Theodosius A. C. 378 the Beast rose out of the sea. Gratian reigned with his brother Valentinian in y^e west. Maximus compassed the death of Gratian & made Valentinian fly into the east. Theodosius A. C. 388 conquered Maximus & restored Valentinian. Eugenius A. C. 392 compassed the death of Valentinian & invaded the western Empire but Theodosius made his younger son Honorius emperor of the west in the room of Valentinian, conquered Eugenius A. C. 394 died three months after & by his last Will & testament left the Empire divided between his two sons Arcadius & Honorius. After w^ch the two empires were united no more. By conquering the west & resigning the conquests to Valentinian & Honorius, the Dragon gave the Beast his <32r> power & throne. The Beast revived before he could ascend out of the abyss & sea & asended before the Dragon who stood upon the land could give him his power & throne. These were three distinct successive acts & imply three successive divisions of the empire & can agree to no other then the three last divisions, those three to w^ch we have applied them. And now the Beast being revived & risen out of the sea & having received the Dragon's ancient power & throne became at once divided into ten kingdoms A. C. 408 409 & 410 w^ch kingdoms are the Beast in his last reign w^ch is called the eighth.

Before the woman received two wings of a great Eagle there was war in heaven Michael & his Angels fought against the Dragon & the Dragon fought & his Angels & prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great Dragon was cast out, that old Serpent called the Devil & Satan w^ch deceiveth the whole world, he was cast out into the earth & his Angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation & strength & the Kingdom of o^r God & the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down who accused them before our God day & night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb & by the word of their testimony; & they loved not their lives unto the death. This is a very plain description of a great conflict between the Roman heathen empire & the army of Christ. For Michael & his angels are Christ & his army such an army as was accused by the Dragon day & night & loved not their lives unto the death, & as overcame the Dragon by the blood of the Lamb & by the word of their testimony; that is, an army of martyrs & confessors. And therefore this war between Michael & the Dragon was managed on the Dragon's part by accusing & persecuting the Christians & putting them to death for their religion & on the Christians part by confessing & testifying the truth of their religion & {Chur} persisting in their confession & testimony without fearing to lose their lives for the same. And by this conflict the Dragon that old serpent called the Devil & Satan, that is, the heathen Roman empire in respect of its religion was overcome & cast out of heaven to the earth & was succeeded in the throne by a new kingdom called the kingdom of o^r God. For the conflict ended with a voice from heaven saying, Now is come salvation & strength & the KINGDOM of our GOD for the accuser of o^r brethren is cast down. And all this can agree to nothing else then the last of the heathen Persecutions w^ch began in the reign of Dioclesian & lasted <33r> almost two years over all the Roman Empire & ten years together with great violence over all the east, & was greater then all the former heathen persecutions taken together; & w^ch ended in y^e ruin of the heathen Roman Empire & the setting up a Christian Empire in its room under Constantine the great.

The same revolution is predicted also by the vision of the woman who being great with child cried travailling in birth pained to be delivered, & by the Dragon's drawing the third part of the stars of heaven with his tail & casting them to the earth and standing before the woman ready to be delivered for to devour her child so soon as it was born, & by her bringing forth a Man-child who was to rule all nations w^th a rod iron & was caught up to unto God & his throne from the jaws of the Dragon, & her flying into the wilderness. For since this parable ends with the flight of the woman into the wilderness, & that of the war between Michael & the Dragon ends also with the same flight, both these parables ending at the same time must be synchronal & concern the same revolution of the Empire. For describing & pointing out this grand revolution more clearly & fully the description is repeated. The woman travailing \in birth/ & pained to be delivered signifies the Church in affliction by a great persecution w^ch ended in the birth of a Christian kingdom & therefore was Dioclesian's persecution: & the same persecution is signified by the Dragon's drawing the third part of the stars of heaven & casting them to the earth. This act shews that the Dragon is the persecutor & the other of the woman's being persecuted pained in childbirth that she is the person persecuted. The third part of the stars of heaven, or starrs of the third part, are the Martyrs & Confessors of the \provinces of y^e/ Greek Empire where the persecution was very vehement & lasted ten years together \being carried on by Dioclesian, Galenius & Maximinus successively/, besides what the Christians \of that \part of y^e/ Empire/ suffered afterwards under Licinius. For in the Western Empire \part of the Empire where {illeg} Herculius, Constantius & Constantine reigned successively/ the persecution lasted scarce two full years \being stopt by Constantius/ & the Martyrs & confessors were so few & made so small an appearance that before the end of the two years there were pillars set up by the heathens in several parts of Spain w^th inscriptions signifying that the superstition of Christ & name of Christians were everywhere extinguished. The Man-child w^ch the woman brought forth is not a single person but a kingdom as Isaias ^[6] interprets the type. For the woman is a body polytick & the child must be a body of the same kind with the mother. And this kingdom was Christian because it was the son of the woman & was to rule all nations with a rod of iron w^ch in this prophesy is the scepter of Christ's kingdom. The persecution <34r> began by an Edict for demolishing the Churches & burning the sacred books throughout the Empire A. C. 302, & the Man-child was born in the western part of the Empire by the victory of Constantine the great over Maxentius in the end of the persecution A. C. 312, Constantine being encouraged by a victory vision of a cross in the heavens with this inscription In hoc signo vinces.. And six years after by the victory of Constantine over Licinius a heathen persecuting Emperor who reigned in the east the Man-child was caught up to the throne of the whole Empire A. C. 318. And soon after by the building of Constantinople A. C. 330 the Woman received two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness. Conceive that when the Man-child was caught up to God, he soon vanished out of sight being hereafter to return from heaven & rule all nations w^th a rod of iron. But before he vanished there was a voice from heaven saying, Now is come salvation & strength & the kin KINGDOM of o^r GOD – – – – Therefore rejoyce ye heavens & ye [saints] that dwell in them. Wo be to the \[vulgar Christian]/ inhabiters of the earth & sea [who are Christians in outward profession only] for the Devil is come down amongst you having great wrath. When the Dragon was newly cast down & the Man-child caught up to the throne; the Empire in several respects was both the Manchild & the Dragon: the Man-child in respect of the {illeg} \genuine/ christians who governed & the Dragon in respect of the inferior multitude who were heathens. And this multitude out of temporal ends making hast to profess the Christian religion corrupted it w^th their vicious lives & superstitious principles & practices & idolatrous principles & practices, & the Man-child at the same time vanished out of sight & left the Dragon that old serpent reigning amongst the inhabitants of the earth & sea. And the Dragon soon after gave his ancient western throne & authority to the Beast & reigned only in the east untill the Man-child returned from heaven to rule all nations w^th a rod of iron For Michael & his angels who in the Days of Constantine \persecution of Dioclesian/ fought for the Church against the Dragon, returne in the end of ages under the name of the Word of God & \King of kings with/ his army on white horses, to fight for the Church against the Beast & the kings of the earth & their arm{illeg}ies.{illeg} \This is that Michael \I say/ the great Prince when standeth for the people of Daniel, {illeg} {people} shall stand up in the great tribulation as he did before in Dioclesians persecution (Dan. XII. 1)/ & the Beast & fals Prophet being taken & cast into the lake of fire, & the Dragon into the bottomless pit, the Manchild {illeg} takes the kingdom & governs all nations w^th a rod of iron. For he that overcometh & keepeth my works unto the end, to him, saith Christ, will I give power over the nations & he shall rule them with a rod of iron (Apoc. 2. 26) & therefore all they that overcome & have this power are such a mystical body as is represented by the man-child.

How the Empire after it became Christian grew exceeding vicious would require a large discourse to describe fully: & you may satisfy yourself about this matter by reading only the book of Salvian de gubernatione Dei written about y^e year 440 to convince the

almost two years over all the Roman Empire & ten years together with great violence over all the east, & was greater than all the former persecutions heathen persecutions taken together; & w^ch ended in the ruin of the heathen Roman Empire & the setting up a Christian Empire in its room under Constantine the great.

The same revolution is predicted also by the Woman be great with child & who cried travell \the vision of/ the vision of the woman who being great with child cried travailling in birth & pained to be delivered and by the Dragon's drawing the third part of the stars of heaven with his tail & casting them to the earth & standing before the woman ready to be delivered for to devour her child as soon as it was born, & by her bringing forth a Man-child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron & was caught up unto God & his throne from the jaws of the Dragon, & her flying from the Dragon into the wilderness. For since this Parable ends w^th the flight of the Woman into the wilderness, & that of the war between Michael & the Dragon ends also with the same flight both{illeg} these parables ending at the same time must by synchronal & concern the same revolution of the Empire. The For describing \& pointing out/ this \grand/ revolution more clearly & fully the description is repeated. The woman travelling in birth & pained to be delivered signifies the Church in affliction by a great{illeg} persecution w^ch ended in the birth of a christian kingdom & therefore was Dioclesian's persecution & the same thing is si persecution is signified by the Dragon's drawing the third part of the stars of heaven & casting them to the earth. This act shews that the Dragon is the persecutor the other of the Woman's being pained in childbirth that she is the person persecuted. The third part of the stars are the \of heaven/ of heaven, or stars of the third part, are the Martyrs & Confessors of the Greek Empire where the persecution was very vehement & lasted ten years together besides what the Christians suffered afterwards under Licinius. For in the Western Empire the persecution lasted scarce two full years & the Martyrs & Confessors were so few & made so small an appearance that before the end of the two years there were pillars set up by the heathens in several parts of Spain with inscriptions signifying that the superstition of Christ & name of Christians were every where extinguished. And from this coldness in religion & scarcity of sincere & fervent Christians the western nations are compared to a spiritually barren wilderness The Man-child w^ch the woman brought forth, is not a single person but a kingdom as Isaias interprets the type. For the Woman is a body politi of \politi/ men & the child must be a body of the same kind th with the mother. And this Chur kingdom was Christian because it was \the son of the Woman & was/ to rule all nations w^th a rod of iron w^ch in this prophesy is the scepter of Christ & his kingdom The persecution began \by an Edict for demolishing the Churches & burning the sacred books throughout the Empire/ A. C. 302, & the Man-child was born in the western part of the Empire by the victory of Constantine the great over Maxentius \in the end of the persecution/ A. C. 312, Constantine being encouraged in that war by a vision of a Cross in the heavens with the inscription, In hoc signo vinces And {illeg} \six/ years after by the victory of Constantine over Licinius a heathen persecuting Emperor who <36r> reigned in the east the Man-child was caught up to the throne of the whole Empire A. C. 318. And soon after by the building of Constantinople A. C. 330 the woman received two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wilderness. Conceive that when the Manchild was caught up to God he soon vanished out of sight being \hereafter/ to return from heaven & rule all nations w^th a rod of iron But before he vanished there was a voice from heaven, saying, Now is come salvation & strength & the KINGDOM OF {illeg} of o^r GOD – – – – – Therefore rejoyce ye heavens & ye [saints] that dwell in them. Wo to the inhabiters of the earth & sea [who are Christians in outward profession only] for the Devil is come down amongst you having a great wrath. When the heathen religion was cast down from the throne & remained only among the common Christianity came into fashion; the heathens flocked into the Churches making a profession of Christianity: but retaining in their hearts the principles of the heathen religion w^th w^ch they had been imbued, & \they/ introducedg several heathens superstitions into Christianity, & the Christians meeting \them/ half way for faciliating their conversion. And the \by And by/ this means the Devil came down among the inhabiters of the earth & sea & the {illeg} Manchild at the same time vanished out of sight \& began a new reign {came then over the}/ And this was the great wrath with w^ch the Dragon \Devil/ came down among the inhabitants of the earth & sea. When the Dragon was newly cast down he was out \& the manchild caught up to the throne the Empire {cuts} in/ several respects \was/ the Manchild & the Dragon, the man child in respects, the Man-child in respect of the sincere christians who governed & the Dragon in respect of the multitude \below/ who were heathens. And this multitude out of temporal ends professing \making hast to profess/ the Christian religion corrupted it with their vicious lives & superstitious \& idolatrous/ principles & practices & the Man-child at y^e same time vanished out of sight, & left the Dragon amongst \reigning over amongst the vulgar christians/ the inhabitants of the earth & sea, ☉ < insertion from f 35v > ☉ earth & sea; & the Dragon soon after gave his ancient western throne & authority to the Beast & reigned \only/ in the east untill the Manchild returned \from heaven/ to rule all nations with a rod of iron. For Michael & his angels who fought for the church against the Dragon {illeg} in the days of Constantine, is the same with the returns in the end of ages, & under the name of the Word of God & his army on white horses, to fight for the Church against the Beast & the kings of the earth & their armies: & the Beast & fals Prophet being cast into the lake of fire & the Dragon into the bottomless pit, the Manchild takes the kingdom & governs all nations with a rod of iron. \For/ He that overcometh & keepeth my works unto the end, to him \saith Christ/ will I give power over the nations & shall rule them w^th a rod of iron (Apoc. 2. 26.) & \therefore/ all they that overcome are members of the \& have this power compose a/ mystical body of \fitly represented by/ the Man-child. How the Empire after it became Christian, became quickly became exceeding vicious you can see deser \in a short time/ would require a large discourse to describe. I content my self w^th referring you to \And you may satisfy your self about this matter by reading only/ the book of Salvian de Providentia \Gubernatione/ Dei written before the middle of the fift century that they were to convince] the Romans that they were more vicious in all repsects then the northern heathen nations who invaded them & \that/ therefore God was just in making the heathens Lords over them. The author was a Bishop \of Marseils & an old man/ & wrote w^th w^th an extraordinary appearance of piety & sincerity, |great modesty in a sober historicall manner without oratoricall flourishes describing {illeg} the state of his own times from before the beginning of the fift century. And what he writes is confirmed by several passages in some other authors who wrote before him, & by the book of & by the book of G{illeg}ildas. Let this therefore remain a truth that after the Empire became Christian as it increased in y^e number of people & in wealth & power & outward glory so it decreased in virtue & ‡| < insertion from lower down f 35v > ‡ before y^e end of the 4^th century became as a viciou the Christian Empire became as vicious as the heathen empire had been before & has ever since continued as vicious in the same state of viciousness. And I may add that it has ever since continued as vicious. < text from higher up f 35v resumes > What he writes is confimed by several passages in Gregory Nazianzen Ierome & {illeg} Austin who wrote before him. How the Empire after it became Christian became in a short time supersti\ti/ous & idolatrous would also require a large discourse to describe {illeg} fully & may be sufficiently understood by what follows. of the beginning of idolatry \& I shall content my self w^th the following short account/ . It may suffice for the present purpose to give y^e following account of the beginning of Idolatry. Gregory of Nyssen tells us – – – – vino placatis et dapibus. < text from f 36r resumes >

These things being understood it will not be difficult to describe the seven heads of the Dragon. The four first are the four horsmen w^ch the four Beasts standing towards the four winds of heaven call Iohn to come & see & w^ch therefore stood in the regions of the Beasts, the first horsman to the east, the second to the west the third to the south & the fourth to y^e north. Riding signifies reigning & the four Beasts w^th their faces of a Lion Ox Man & Eagle allude to the armies of Israel encamped under their banne about the tabernacle in the wilderness in four bodies under their banners; the tribes of Iudah Issacher & Zebubulum being on the east side under the standard of a Lion, those of Reuben Simeon & Gad on the south side under the standard of a Man, those of Ephraim Manasseh & Benjamin on the west side under the standard of an Ox & those of Dan Asher & Naphtali on the north side under the standard of an Eagle. The encampments is described in the book of Numbers & the Iews keep a tradition of the standards. Every ^[7] Hors-man therefore w^th the horse he rides upon & the Beast w^ch appears in the same region with him, is a fit emblem of an Emperor or race of Emperors with his Empire & his army under its standard. And thus the four hors-men with their Beasts very fitly represent four reigns or dynasties of Emperors. The

The first Emperors were Italians called the twelve Cæsars. Of these there were two dynasties the first of the family of Iulius Cæsar w^ch lasted till the death of Nero, the next the family of Vespasian w^ch lasted till the death of Domitian the last of the twelve Cæsars. The <37r> Apocalyps was written in the end of the first \& is of things future/ & therefore we are to being with the next. Of this Dynasty there were only three Emperors, Vespasian & his two sons Titus & Domitian. Vespasian was created Emperor in the East in the time of the Iewish war. And there being then a rumor in all the east of a prophesy that a great Monarch should arise about that time in Iudea the Romans interpreted it of him. Peverebuerat Oriente toto vetus & constans opinio, esse in fatis ut eo tempore Iudæa profecti rerum potirentur. Id de Imperatore Romano, quantum eventu postea patuit, prædictum Iudæi ad se trahentes rebellarunt. Suetonius in Vespasiano. Pluribus persuasio in erat antiquis sacerdotum literis contineri eo ipso tempore fore ut valesceret Oriens profecti Iudæa rerum potirentur. Quæ ambages Vespatianum et Titum prædixerunt. Tacitus Hist. l. 5. Quod Iudæos ad bellum maxime excitaverat erat responsum erat ambiguum itidem in sacris libris inventum, quod eo tempore quidam esset ex eorum finibus orbis terræ habiturus Imperium. Id enim illi quidem quasi proprium acciperunt, multi sapientes interpretatione decepti sunt. Hoc autem plane responso Vespansiani designabatur Imperium qui apud Iudæam creatus est Imperator. Ioseph. de bello Iud. l. 7. c. 12.

The second Dynasty was of a \Western/ family of Spaniards, Trajan Hadrian, Antoninus, Marcus & Commodus. Trajanus homo Hispanus nec Italus erat nec Italicus; ante eum nemo alterius nationis imperium Romanum obtinuerat, (Dion.) Natus Italicæ in Hispania (Victor de Cæsar.) Hadriani origo posterior ab Hispaniensibus manat, ejus pater Ælius Hadrianus consobrinus Trajani Imperatoris, mater Gadibus orta (Spartian in Hadriano) Ipse Trajani municeps & Nepos (Spartian in Severo) natus Italicæ in Hispania (Victor et Euseb. Chron) Ἠν μὲν γάρ πολίτης ἀυτοῦ, καὶ ἐτραπεύθη ὑπ' ἀυτοῦ, γένους θ' ὁι ἐκοινώνει, καὶ ἀδελφιδῆν ἀυτοῦ ἠγηγαμήκει, τὸ δή τη σύμπαν συνῆν ἀυτῷ καὶ συνδιητᾶτο (Dion.) Hispania Principum mater est; hæc Trajanum hæc deinceps Hadrianum misit Imperio (Pacatus Paneg. ad Theodos.) Antonius Pius, cui paternum genus e Gallia transalpina, Naummasense scilicet (Capitolinus) ab Adriano in filium adoptatus cujus gener fuerat (S. Aur. Victor. Epitome) ea tamen lege ut is Marcum fratris uxoris \suo/ filium similiter adoptaret (Capitolin.) Marcus Hadriani consan guineus (Dion in Hadriano) & Antonini gener (Eutrop.) filius per adoptionem (Dion. Capitolin. Euseb. Hist. l. 4. c. 14.) Ipse Adrianum vocat avumo suum & Trajanum proavum (Spartian. in Piscen. nigro.) Ejus amita Galeria Faustina Antonini uxor, Proavus paternus Annius Verus ex Luccubitano Mancipio ex Hispania factus Senator (Capitolin.) Unde Themistius Theodosium ex Hispania ^[8] Imperatorem alloquens vocat Trajanum & Marcum et Antoninum πολίτας καὶ ἀρχηγέτας ἀυτοῦ populares & majores ejus. Commodus Marci filius (Capitolinus alij) ultimús Trajanidum.

The third Dynasty was a southern family of Africans Severus, Antonius Caracalla, Macrinus, Heliogabalus & Alexander: to w^ch may be added the three Gordians & Philip. Severus oriundus ex Africa, Provincia Tripolitana, oppido Lepti. solus omni memoria & ante & post ex Africa Imperator fuit (Entrop.) nativita te scilicet et genere proximo. Ipse cano capite et crispo Afrum quiddam us ad senectutem sonans (Spartian.) Caracalla Severi filius (Sparian.) Macrinus natione Maurus e Cæsarea Stifensi obscuris <38r> natus est parentibus. Habuit enim præter cætera, alteram aurem perforatam ut est Maurorum consuetudo (Dion.) Sub Commodo relegatus in Africam, ubi ut in famiam damnationis tegeret fertur lectioni operam dedisse, egisse causulas, declamasse, jus postremo dixisse; deinceps advocatum fuisse fisci ex quo officio ad amplissima quæ pervenit (Capitolin.) Heliogabalus Caracallæ filius (S. Aur. Victor. & Euseb. Chron.) et Alexander consobrinus ejus \& filius adoptivus/ ex familia Severi etiam prognatus (\Lamprid./ Zosem. l. 1) Iulia uti Severi conjux sororem habuit Mœsum cui duœ erant filiæ Soænis et Mammœa. Hæc Alexadrum, illa a Caracalla compressa Heliogabalum edidit. Maximinus Thracia oriundus, \in Gallia sabutatus Imperator,/ ex corpore militari primus ad imperium accessit sola militum voluntate cum nulla Senatus interessisset authoritas nec ipse Senator esset (Eutrop. Capitolin. Euseb. Oros.) Contra eum Gordianus pater Proconsul Africæ una cum filio Gordiano in Africa salutati Imperatores & a Senatu confirmati damnato Maximino ut hoste reipublicæ. Iam Gordianum Africanum appellarunt (Capitolin. Herodian. Zosimus) Hic post annum et dimidium in Africa transactum Carthagini perijt una cum filio, & mox tertius Grodianus, sive ex filio sive ex filia Gordiani senioris natus, in imperium a senate sufficitur, & Maximinus deinde post triennium in vasæ tyrannid is occiditur (Capitolin.) Gordiano tertio successit Philippus Arabs Vostris Arabiæ urbe obscuris parentibus natus (Pompon. Læt.) In this race of southern Emperors the family of Severus lasted till the death of Alexander. Amongst them reigned Macrinus of another southern family, & to Macrinus I add the short reigns of the three Gordians & Philip, & reject Maximinus as a Tyrant \as Emperors of the same kind & neglect Maximinus as/ contemporary to the Gordians.

The fourth Dynasty was of many northern short lived Emperors Decius, Gallus with his son Volusian, Valerian with his son Gallienus, Claudius, Aurelian, Tacitus, Probus, & Carus with his sons Numerian & Carinus. Decius b e Pannonia inferiore Bubulæ natus (Aurel. Victor alij) in Pannonia etiam imperator factus (Zosimus.) Gallus juxta Tanaim fluvium Imperator factus (Zosim.) Valerianus natus Romæ, sed in Rhætia et Norico \agens/ factus \est/ imperator (Euseb. Eutrop. Iornand.) Claudius Dalmatia oriundus (Treb. Pollio) Aurelianus ortus Sirmij in Pannonia inferiore parentibus obscuris: ut nonnulli Dacia Ripensi (Vopisc.) Tacitus Italus imperavit menses tantum sec. Carus aut Naronæ in Illyrico (Aurel: Victor. et Cerilianus apud Vopiscum) aut Romæ {illeg}t \sed/ Illyricis natus est parentibus (Onesimus apud Vopiscum)

The fift Dynasty was of several Emperors reigning together & sharing the Empire amongst them by common consent. This Dynasty began w^th the reign of Dioclesian & Maximianus & ended with the dethroning of the Dragon by the victory of Constantine the great over Licinius. sometimes four or five Emperors reigned at the same time \in several parts of the Empire./ This Dynasty the Romans distinguished from the reigns of the former Emperors by dating from the beginning of it an Æra called the Æra of Dioclesian & the Æra of the Martyrs. For this Æra commenced with the reign of Dioclesian A. C. 284 Aug. 29, & was in use till the Æra of Dionysius prevailed, that is, for about 250 years. Scaliget saith it is still in use among the Christians of Afric & Ethiopia. This Æra I consider as a <39r> sufficient argument of the beginning of a new Dynasty, the Romans looking upon Dioclesian as the restorer of their Empire. w^ch \For/ in the fourth Dynasty \it/ was in \great/ danger of falling, but was restored by Dioclesian & his Colleagues to its former greatness & tranquility & enlarged by the addition of Assyria & the five Provinces beyond Tigris

The sixt Dynasty began w^th \the victory of Michael \over the Dragon/, the reign of the manchild being caught up to God & to his throne &/ the coming down of the Dragon \from his throne in heaven to reign in a new throne/ among the inhabitants of the earth & sea, that is, {illeg} \it began/ w^th the dethroning of heathenism by the victory of Constantine over Licinius whereby the Empire was reduced to a monarchical form. It continued in the family of Constantine till the death of Iulian the Apostate. After Iulian reigned Iovian seven months & \then/ the Beast w^ch had been slain w^th a sword revived by a division of the Empire between Valentinian & Valens & rose out of the sea by another division of it between Gratian & Theodosius & at the death of Theodosius received the Dragons Throne, by w^ch acts a new seventh Dynasty commenced gradually.

The seventh Dynasty was{illeg} therefore of the Empire divided into the Greek & Latine empires or of the Dragon & Beast reigning together. And after this division of the Empire there being no more changes common to both Empires to make a new Dynasty of the whole the Dragon & Beast have no more common heads then seven. But soo after this division the Latin Empire became further divided into ten kingdoms w^ch made a new Dynasty of that Empire called the eighth & of the seven. & this was the last Dynasty of the Latin Empire there being no more changes common to both empires \those kingdoms/ to make a new Dynasty of them whole all. So then in the whole Roman Empire after the writing of this Prophesy there were seven successive Dynasties & no more, & in the {illeg} Latin Empire there was an eighth & no more: all w^ch Dynasties answer perfectly to the seven \common/ heads of the Dragon & Beast & {illeg} to the Beast w^ch is the eighth & of the seven & received power as a king at y^e same time w^th the ten horns, being a composition of them all

The subject of the Prophesy being described, let us now go over the whole \Prophesy/ in due order of time & see how it agrees w^th history.

Chap.
Of the Kingdoms & Churches w^ch are the subject of the {seer} Prophesy.

The nations within the bounds of the four Monarchies are the subject of sacred Prophesy, for they are all of them to be subdued by a fift & consist of thre {sic} equal parts: the nations of the Western Roman Empire or Empire of the Latines, the nations of the eastern Roman Empire or Empire of the Greeks, & the nations of the Persian Empire including Chaldea. And wherever this Prophesy mentions a third part of any thing, as a third part of the earth, sea rivers, sun or stars, it relates to one of these three parts.

This Prophesy {illeg} \being given by Christ/ is a Revelation of such things as principally concern the Christian Religion & therefore flourished most & w^ch were con
verted to Christianity, that is to the Roman Empire w^ch was at first united under one monarch & afterwards became divided into the Greek & Latine Empires. The Latine Empire is the fourth Beast \of Daniel/ or fourth Monarchy strictly so called, w^ch was to stand till the end of judgment should sit & the son of man should come into the clouds to y^e ancient of days & the saints should take the kingdom of all the four monarchies \all/. The Greek Empire is the third Monarchy \or third Beast/ whose life is still prolonged tho its dominion hath been taken away. This monarchy comprehending the nations of Greece, Asia minor, Syria & Egypt was at of represented at first by the four heads & four wings of the Leopard & by the four horns of the He-Goat & afterwards by the little horn of the He-Goat w^ch grew up after the \of the He Goat/ or kingdom of Pergamus w^ch \by the last will & Testament of Attalus/ descending to y^e Romans grew mighty but not in its one power & then separating from them became the Greek Empire seated \reigning/ at Constantinople till the Turks subdued it The Christian Churches are represented in this prophesy by the twelve Tribes of Israel. For \The Persian Empire comprehends the remainder of the four Monarchies, & is still in being./ The scene of the visions is the Temple, & the worship of Christians is, here \in this prophesy/ described \in the Temple/ under the form of the Iewish worship in the Temple as we shewed above. And hence \the Christian Churches are represented b in this prophesy by the twelve tribes of Israel & by as many of them \after a separation \of the tribes into two parties// the sincere party of y^e Christians \is represented/ by those who are numbered & sealed \w^th the seal of God/ out of y^e 12 tribes & worship in the inner court {illeg} of the Temples \& sealed w^th y^e seal of God/ & the synagogue of Satan/ the Synagogue of Satan who say they are Iews & are not, is put for the Church of Satan \the Drag the remainder of the twelve tribes/ who profess themselves Christians but are fallen away to Idolatry & worshipping Dæmons have Sathen for their God. \have the mark of the Beast. & worship in the imaginary outward court of y^e Temple/

And as the Tribes of Israel & Iudah are in the old Testament {illeg} represented by weomen, so the church of Christ \have/ signified by those Tribes is here represented by the Lambs wife & by the glorious woman in heaven. For this Woman has a crown of twelve stars w^ch are the twelve Apostles & her seed keep the commandments of God & have y^e testimony of Iesus & therefore she is the Church. This woman flyes into a spiritually barren wilderness when the main body of the twelve tribes \receive the mark of the Beast &/ become y^e synagogue of Satan, & at the same time the remnant of her seed who keep the commandments of God are \being at the same time/ sealed w^th the seale of God in their foreheads. And therefore after her flight the Woma \when she is fled/ into the Wilderness & \when she/ commits fornication with the kings of the earth & makes all nations drink the wine of her fornication, signifies a \& is drunken with the blood of saints she signifies an \apostate/ idolatrous persecuting/ Christian Church catholick {make} a state of idolatry & such a Church as persecutes. Those that are not of her own communion \degenerates into/ \addicted to persecute/ \all with death/

And hence the twelve tribes of Israel are put for the Christian Churches & those who are in & when some are numbred And as the Empire was at first united & then divided so was the Church. out of y^e 12 tribes & sealed w^th the seale of God the rest of the tribes who are not sealed {illeg} \w^th y^e seal of God but receive the mark of the Beast/ are called the synagogue of Satan who say they are Iews & are not, that is who profess themselves Christians but are the Church of Satan. being marked w^th y^e mark of the Beast For all men whose names are not written in y^e book of life that is all who are not sealed w^th the seale of God, wonder after the Beast & worship him & his image & receive his mark. When the saints are sealed the rest \numbered & sealed/ out of the twelves tribes the rest \of the Tribes/ receive the mark of y^e mark of the Beast & become the synagogue of Satan & therefore they that have the mark of the Beast \& worship him & his Image/ are Christians in outward profession.

And as Daniels reigned in the little horn a time times & half a time \or thre {sic} years & an half/ so Iohns reigned 42 months w^ch is also three years & an half. And lastly as Daniels Beast was the Roman \Roman/ Empire of the Latines whose Metropolis was Rome so Iohn's has Rome for its Metropolis: for the heads of this Beast are called seven hills where the woman sitteth [[[ & the Woman is called the great city \sitts on the Beast that is reigns over him &./ w^ch reigneth over the kings of the earth \that is over the ten kings/. She is therefore his Metropolis & this Metropolis is the seven hilled city. When the Romans were making war upon y^e Iews & were ready to \Upon her forhead was a name written Babylon the Great the {a Nar} And w^ch name imports that she is that great city w^ch should take/ take Ierusalem burn the Temple & captivate the Iews as \the/ Babylonians had done before, \And therefore when the Romans were making war upon them beseiging Ierusalem/ Peter being then at Rome w^th Paul & Silvanus the companion of Paul \{met}/ & writing to the converted Iews \of his flock/ who upon the approaching of y^e \Iewish/ war had fled from Iudea into Pontus Galatia \Cappadocia/ Asia & Bithynia, & in his Epistles alluding in many things to the Apocalyps w^ch was then newly written; \he/ calls Rome by the name of Babylon, implying \by that name/ that Rome was be ready \then/ treating the Iews in the same manner as Babylon had done before & should in like manner destroy their city & Temple & captivate their nation as Christ had predicted before his death.] [ Which is as much as to say that his head City or metropolis is the seven hilled city over w^ch the woman reigneth. She sits on the Beast, that is reigns over him & therefore is his Metropolis. And She is \also/ called the great city which reigns over the Kings of the earth & therefore is the{illeg}\ir/ Metropolis \of their kingdom/. Upon her \fore/ head was a name written Babylon the great w^ch name imports that she is that great city w^ch should take Ierusalem burn the Temple & captivate y^e Iews as Babylon had done before. And therefore when the Apostles & converted t churches of the circumcision in Iudea upon the approaching of y^e Iewish war had fled fled from Iudea & dispersed themselves into all nations & Iohn w^th many of the convennant \was gone went/ into Asia & there \had/ wrote the Apocalyps & Peter \& Mare were gone/ went to Rome where \Mare wrote his Gospel &/ Peter wrote his Epistles to \y^e/ strangers dispersed throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia & Bithynia that is to the christian Iews who \were his flok & /were his flock\/ lately fled with him from Iudæa, & where Apoc who were his flock Peter sending his first epistle to them by Silvanus the companion of Paul & mentioning ing his second Epistle how Paul had also written to them \meaning in the epistle to the Hebrews/: Peter in these his Epistles alluding in many things to y^e Apocalyps calls Rome by the name of Babylon, intimating by that name that {illeg} Rome \w^ch/ was then besieging Ierusalem as Babylon had done before use it should in like manner \old Babylon/ take & destroy the city & temple & captivate the nation of y^e Iews, as Christ had predicted before his death, & therefore was called \the great City/ Babylon by the {illeg} Holy Ghost in the Apo \so often/ mentioned in the Apocalyps. For all antiquity agree that Peter wrote his Epistles from Rome & by Babylon understood that city. And therefore Peter writing from Rome in the time of that siege \& alluding in many things to y^e Apocalyps/ calls Rome by the name of Babylon. For all antiquity agree that Peter wrote his epistles from Rome & by Babylon understands that city.

The seven candlesticks \& twelve Tribes & glorious womā in heaven {beneath} of them/ are \each/ put for the the whole \true visible/ church \of Christ/ thoughout {sic} the whole Empire before it becomes divided into y^e eastern & western empires; & when it becomes divided & they their signification is retrained they signify only the s they & the woman flies into the west & is succeeded in the east by the two horned Beast & the Dragon goes from her into the east & is succeeded in the west by the ten horned Beast, \‡/ < insertion from lower down f 40v > ‡c there are 144000 numbred & sealed out of y^e 12 tribes & called ‡the woman leaves a remnant of her seed in the east w^ch are the \main body of the/ 144000 numered \& sealed/ out of the 12 tribes & sealed in the sincere part of the seven Candlesticks & it & the are the main body thereof & the seven candlesticks are removed out of the place & for the future signify that remnant of y^e womans seed; & are succeeded in the western Empire remains a spiritually barren wilderness & for y^e Western empire is a spiritually barren wilderness] \& the sincere part of the {sincere (and last victory}/ \& the residue of the seven Churches, & the 144000 sev or the major part of them/ < text from higher up f 40v resumes > [the Candlesticks are removed out of their places & are succeeded in the west by the two witnesses \Prophets in sackcloth./. And thus the eastern & western Empires w^th their churches false & true are signified by the Dragon & \first/ Beast, the true a fals Prophet & the Whore, the seven Churches \Candlesticks in the first Temple/ & the two {illeg} Prophets in sackcloth candlesticks in the second. For it was very fit that these two Empires w^th their churches false & true should have their \distinct &/ proper representations in this Prophesy.] the few sincere christians \remaining/ in the western Empire not being being \scarce here/ considered \in this recconing/. For the western Empire is at this time compared to a spiritually barren wilderness. But {were and} \yet his Empire not being who ly destricts of good Christians/ the inner {illeg} courts of the Temple & Altar & them that worship therein are at this time measured in taken of their being rebuilt \to signify that they should be into a new spiritual Temple/ & two ca{illeg}ndlesticks are placed in this second Temple to signify two \churches or or churches/ wittnesses {illeg} w^ch in the days of this Temple should prophesy in sackcloth. And thus the Eastern & Western Empires w^th their churches true & false & true are signified by the Dragon & first Beast, the fals Prophet & Whore, the seven Candlesticks in the first Temple & two candlesticks in the second. For it was fit that these two Empires w^th their churches fals & true should have their distinct & proper representations in this Prophesy.

— glorious woman in heaven & \also/ by 12 tribes & seven candlesticks: but when – – – & conceive further that y^e remnant of the womans seed in the fir Temple went w^ch the Dragon makes war upon is the / & makes w

— And that the saints \with/ whore the ten horned Beast \w^ch rose out of y^esea/ makes war upon \with/ & overcomes are the saints \true churches/ of the western empire otherwise represented by the two Witnesses. For the two Witnesses are two Candlesticks that is Churches & the Beast {illeg} \w^ch ascends out of the abyss/ makes war upon against them & overcomes them & kills in the streets of the great city & therefore they prophesy in the kingdom of the Beast & in the streets or provinces of the <41r> great city Babylon w^ch in the form of a Woman reigns over him.

— & that the {illeg} Candlesticks \in the first Temple/ are moved out of their place & hence forward signify the remnant of y^e womans seed \whom the Dragon in the Greek Empire makes war with in the eastern empire/ & y^t a new temple is measured in order to be built w^th two Candlesticks in it to represent the saints \in the western Empire/ whom y^e Beast makes war with & overcomes \in the western Empire/. For the For the two Candlesticks are churches & the two Candlesticks signify two churches called the two Candlesticks whom witnesses whom the Beast makes war with with against & overcomes & kills in the streets \or provinces/ of the great City Babylon w^ch in the form of a woman reigns over y^e Beast him. And the seven Candlesticks are the seven churches of Asia & the churches of Asia are seated within the kingdom of the Dragon & by their lamps illuminate his empire But the twelve Tribes of Israel signif signify all the Christians in t both good & bad in the whole empire from the beginning to the end, & the 144000 all the tru christians in both Empires the whole.

|—| And a new Temple is measured in order to be built whose t w^th two Candlesticks in it to represent the saints whom the Beast makes war with \& overcomes/ in his kingdome & overcomes For Candlesticks are Churches & the two Candlesticks are two Churches called \the/ two Witnesses & these Beast makes makes war against these witnesses & overcomes & kills them in the streets or provinces of the great city Babylon w^ch in the form of a woman reigns over him, & \therefore they are those saints/ /And by analogy\ The seven churches Candlesticks in the first Temple, \And since the two Candlesticks \in the second T saints/ are the people of God in the western Empire of the Beast/ may by the analogy will signify the peop people of God or Churches \or churches/ \are Gods people/ \And by analogy/ in the empire of the Dragon. \‡/ < insertion from the bottom of the page > ‡ For they \a finite number being put for an indefinite. For these candlesticks are/ are the Churches of Asia & by consequence within the Dragons kingdom Thus the eastern & western Empires w^ch their churches fals & true are represented by the Dragon & \first/ Beast, the seven fals Prophet & Whore, the seven Candlesticks in the first Temple & two Candlesticks in the second. For it was fit that all these things should be distinctly represented But \They have also their joyal representation. For/ the twelve tribes of Israel represent all Christians good & bad in both Empires & the 144000 \sealed servants of God / represent all the good \\they are/ sealed out of y^e Earth & the sea w^ch were to be heard by the 4 winds/, & they \that/ worshipp are of y^e Beast \& have his mark/ represent all the bad, he being worshipped as well by the Dragons subjects as by his own. < text from f 41r resumes > While \Conceive therefor that when/ the Dragon is the whole Empire the seven candlesticks will signify the Churches of the whole empire, but when the Dragon Empire becomes divided & the Dragon retires into the east the Candlesticks are moved out of their place & signify \become/ the remnant of the womans seed \w^th/ whom the Dragon makes war & are succeeded in the western Empire by the two Candlesticks \w^ch are/ placed in a new temple \& signify the saints w^th whom/. For the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches of Asia & \do not cease at the division are called of the Empire but/ continue in the Tabernacle & first Temple to y^e end of y^e Prophesy, the seven Angels being w^ch pour out \sound/ the trumpets & pour-out the vials of wrath being their lamps; & the \seven/ churches of Asia are within the Dragons kingdom church \& the church of Pergamus lasting till Christ comes & fights against the Nicolaitans w^th y^e sword of his mouth & comes on y^t/ of Sardis as in this till Christ comes as a thief.

|✝ &| The fift Dynasty began with the f

The wars of the first four are represented in general words by the lightnings & voices & thundrings & earthquakes & great hail f w^ch fo in the beginning of this vision as was said above. The fift dynast reign or Dynasty began w^th the first appearance of the woman travelling in birth & of the Dragon \in heaven/ standing before her ready to devour her child as soon as it was born. This Dynasty \reign/ ended & a sixt began with the casting of y^e Dragon out of heaven to the earth & \a sixt reign began w^th/ his coming down to reign amongst the inhabitants of the earth & sea. And Dynasty \this reign/ ended & a seventh began when the Beast rose out of the sea & the Dragon gave him his power & throne, that is at the &

Then X Gratian {illeg} was succeeded by Maximus wh Maximus slew Gratian & expelled the younger Valentinian out of the \western/ Empire, but was conquered by Theodosius A. C. 388 & the whole Empire \became/ united again \became/ under Thedosus who reigned three years in the west making y^e younger Valentinian partaker of his Empire & then going back into the east \left/ Valentinian \in the west who/ within a few months after was slain \in Italy/ by the contrivance of Eugenius & who succeeded him \& after two years Eugenius/ reigned two years & then was conquered by Theodosius & w & thereupon Theodosius made his younger son Honorius Emperor of the west & at having made his elder son Assadius Emperor of y^e east before & after two years conquering Eugenius he three months over the whole Empire & then by his last will & testament left the rest \Empire/ divided between his two sons. / Theodosius by his victory\es/ over Maximus \& Eugenius/ reunited it & left by by his last will & testament ment left it divided between his sons.] And the western Empire being invaded by the Tyrants Maximinus & Eugenius Theodosius conquered them & gave tho

Gratian reigned w^th his brother Valentinian in the West. Maximus slew Gratian & empelled \made/ Valentinian fly to Thessalonica. Theodosius \A. C. 388/ conquered Maximus & restored Valentinian. Eugenius \A.C> 392/ contrived the death of Valentinian & invaded the western Empire but Theodosius made his younger son Honorius Emperor of the west in the room of Valentinian, & conquered {illeg} A \in October A. C. 394/ & \died three months after &/ by his last will & testament left {illeg} the Empire divided between his two sons A. C. 395 \Arcadius & {illeg} \Honorius//. After w^ch the two Empires were no more un united no more. [By this last division the Dragon gave his throne to the Beast. This Beast revived] By conquering the West & resigning it to Vale{n}tinian & Honorius the Dragon gave the Beast his power & throne

In this prophesy of y^e eighth leaf of the sealed Book, w^ch began with the reign of the seventh head, Iohn took a prospect of them Beast w^ch from the times next proceeding \that head prophesy/ that is from the time of the sixt head, when \w^ch the head in w^ch/ the Beast had was dead slain with a sword & lay dead of his wounds, & in respect of that time says \of the heads/ five are fallen & one is & another is not come & when he comes he must continue a short space, & the Beast w^ch was & is not he is the eighth & of the seven & the ten horns have received no kingdom as yet but receive power as kings at the same time w^th that \the/ Beast that Beast w^ch is the eighth reign \& therefore the eight reign or king/ begins w^th the one of the seven division of the western Empire into ten kingdoms being a composition of all those kingdoms.

This act shews that the Dragon is the persecutor, the other of the Womans being pained in childbirth that she is the person persecuted. The \third part of the stars/ stars east down are the martyrs & confesors of the Greek Empire where the persecution lasted ten years together with great violence besides the following persecutions of Licinius. For in the western Empire the persecution lasted scarce two full years & the Martyrs & confessors were so few \& made so small an appearance/ that before the end of the two years there were several pillars set up \by the heathens/ in several parts of Spain with inscriptions signifying that the supersti\ti/on of Christ & name of Christians were every where extinguished. And from this coldness in religion \& scarcity of sincere Christians/ the western nations are compared to a spiritually barren wilderness. The Manchild

H In this face of \southern/ Emperors the family of Severus lasted till the death of Alexander Amongst them reigned \excepting that/ Macrinus of another southern family & \reigned amongst &/ to Macrinus I add the \the short reigns of the/ three Gordians & Philip the no & reject Maximinus as a Tyrant contemporary to the Gordians.

The fourth {illeg} \Dynasty/ is of many northern short lived Emperors \in very troublesome times/ Decius, Gallus w^th his son Valusian, Valerian w^th his son Gallienus, Claudius, Aurelian, \Tacitus/ Probus & Carus w^th his sons Numerian & Carinus.

Eli was high Priest 40 years in y^e days of Ibzon Elon Abdon & Sampson & the Philistins reigned {illeg} over Israel 40 years, viz^t 20 years w^th Sampson & Eli & twenty years more w^th Samuel.

that is Sodom Egypt & Babylon. Sodom for whoredom & uncleanness, Ægypt for persecution & Babylon {for} captivating & reiging over {Ierusalem & Galia} \Iudea/ &

These Witnesses were s An

And when they shall be finishing their Prophesy over in \testimony/ the [or in they latter days of the prophesying] the Beast w^ch ascends out of the abyss or Sea, \shall/ makes war upon /against\ them \& shall overcome them/ & kills them He kills them in the same manner & the in the same sense y^t the Beast was slain w^th a sword. \or dissolves their bodies ecclesiastically/ \that is {slain} nobly/. And their dead bodies \shal/ lye in the street [or province] of the great city w^ch is spiritually called Sodom & Egypt & \[Babylon]/ where also (or in whose street) our Lord was crucified, that is {illeg} Sodom Egypt & Babylon. Sodom for its {illeg} \spiritual/ whoredome Ægypt for its persecution & Babylon for it captivating & reigning over Ierusalem treading under foot \where/ the holy city & setting the \up an/ Image to be worshipped by all nations upon paid of th death. Afterwards these \Witnesses/ rise again, defright their enemies & ascend up to the up to heaven in a cloud [or multitude] & a tenth part of y^e great city \fell &/ [whether one of y^e 10 kings a 10^th part of old Rome or

And after his r

About the same time that the woman fled into the wilderness there arose up two Beasts \✝ such powers as he had not before his death —/ one out of the sea the other out of y^e earth. The first Beast had a mortal wound seven heads & a mortal wound in one of them & his wound was healed \& he revived before he arose/ & in allusion to the custome of the heathens of conserving \deifying/ & worshipping their dead kings \after death & erecting Images \& oracles/ to them & marking/ the part of a nest are fals Chr \& maketh all to the first the power of the first Beast that is he deifys this man of sin/ & causeth the earth & them that dwell therein to worship this \& attributes to him divine powers ✝ first/ Beast whose deadly wound was healed, & says to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to this Beast w^ch had the wound by a sword & {illeg} revived, & he gave power breath to the image

And all that are not marked stand on are \by the Image/ interdicted buying & selling that is {illeg} \they are/ excommunicated the two horned Beast making the fire of exer by seven

One of y^e 10 Kings, or the tith, time will discover] & then the seventh Angels sounds \a/ 10^th part of y^e great city falls w^ch puts an end to the second wo & the third \& the third wo comes quickly/ not immediately but in some short period of time in \such/ a little time as in this prophesy is called on in considerable tho it may be 50 or 100 years or above

The Interpretation of the Prophesy of opening the seven Seales. Chap.
Of the Kingdoms & Churches w^ch are the subject of the Prophesy. The subject of the Prophesy.

The four Beasts of Daniel being all of them still alive, the two last of them within those countries the Christian religion was propagated are the subject of Iohn's Prophesy. For it \This Prophesy/ was directed to the seven Churches of Asia & designed for the use of all the Christian Churches. And as the Temple of Ierusalem is the scene of y^e visions & 1 under the form of the \Iewish/ worship of I the Iews in the Temple the worship of Christians is described: so the body of the churches of Christ are is represented by the twelve tribes of Israel & by a woman w^ch in the old Testament is frequently used as a type of those Church of the Iews \Tribes/: For the Apostles & her seed keep the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus & therefore she represents the tes Church of Christ. And

This prophesy is a revelation of such things as changes & sufferings as \things as were to come to pass in/ the Churches for Christ was to undergo in all ages from the time that it was written untill the second coming of Christ & therefore \& in the kingdoms \or nations/ through \which/ the church|es| is|a||re| diffused, that is, in the kingdoms \nations/ of the Roman Empire, &/ the subject of it are these Churches of Christ & those kingdoms \nations & \with/ their Churches/ through w^ch the Churches are diffused, that \is/ the nations \& churches/ of the Roman Empire. Daniels \The four/ Beasts are \of Daniel representing the four monarchies are/ all of them still alive \& so are his Ram & He Goat/ & the two last{illeg} of them comprehend the nations \& Churches/ of the Roman Empire & through & Iohn's Prophesy is a revelation of what \was/ concealed \or obscurely predicted/ in Daniels, & therefore concerns the same nations{,} {illeg} |signified by those beasts & chiefly \by/ those who reign last that is \by/ the ten horned beast & the y^e he-Goat in the reign of his last horn, both w^ch are the Roman Empire, & comprehend the churches w^ch are the main subjects of this prophesy.|

These Churches are represented in this prophesy by the twelve tribes of Israel. {illeg} For the scene of the visions is the Temple & the worship of Christians is \here/ described under the form of the Iewish worship in the temple \as we shewed above/. And \hence/ the synagogue of Satan who say they are Iews & are not, is put for the Church of the Devil \Satan/ who are Christians \only/ in outward profession but who profess themselves Christians but are Idolaters fallen away to idolatry.

And as the Ch Tribes of Israel & Iudah are in the old Testament frequently represented by a weomen \so/ the Church of Christ signified by those Tribes is \here/ represented by \the Lambs wife & by/ a glorious woman in heaven. For this she \woman/ has a crown of 12 stars w^ch are y^e 12 Apostles & her seed keep the Commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus, & therefore she is the Church.

And sinc {sic} the woman is the Church \the Beast upon whom she sits as /in a state of purity & afterwards in a state of Idolatry,\/ the great red Dragon who \persecutes her & stand/ stands before her to devoure her child & who persecutes her \& the Beast upon whose back she rides sits, that is, over whom she reigns,/ must be the Roman Empire through w^ch she is diffused & w^ch is the subject of the prophesy. {illeg} For the Dragon \& first & Beast/ has crowns several heads & horns like Daniels Beasts w^ch signify kingdoms & he has crown to confirm this signification he has crowns upon his heads & the Beast \has crowns/ upon his horns & the heads & horns of the Beast are called \that/ kings, & the Dragon gives his throne & power \& authority/ to the Beast & therefore they are successive kingdoms in one & the same throne.

The Beast by the number of his heads & horns & other characters is known \{illeg} discovered & known/ to be the same w^th Daniel's fourth beast.

In the armies of the Roman Empire, both before & after the <42v> Empire became Christian, a flying Eagle was on the standarts of y^e a every Company \of the Legions & a Dragon on y^e standarts of the \a/ Companys/, & in every \a {illeg} every/ Legion there were ten companies & by consequence ten {illeg} Dragons. These Dragons were of a purple colour & so fastened to y^e top of a long pike, as, like weathercocks, to turn their tayle from the wind & to hiss by means of the wind blowing into their open jaws. The bearers of these two sorts of standards were called Aquiliferi & Draconarij. And from these badges of the Roman Empire, this Empire is represented in the {prop} second book of Edras by an Eagle & in this prophesy by a great eagle upon whose two wings the woman flyes into the wilderness & by a great red Dragon who persecutes her.

The first Beast by the number of his horns & other characters is manifested to be the same with Daniel's fourth Beast. Both had – – – – – Isles of the sea.

Every kingdom has its national visible Church, & the {C} |national| visible Churches of the eastern & Greek & Latine Empires are the Two horned Beast \fals Prophet/ & Whore of Babylon. For the two horned fals Prophet is Whore sits upon the \seven ho/ ten horned Beast or Latin Empire & reigns over the kings of the earth represented by his horns & is at length hated & made desolate by them \& therefore is therefore is the church of this Empire & the other Beast/: [& the fals Prophet w^th the Beast \{illeg}/ \survives the woman & therefore differs from her, being {illeg} the other Beast/ w^ch] arises out of the earth or nations of the east & hath two horns like the Lambs w^ch are \that is like two churches like/ the seven churches of Asia \signified by the seven horns of the Lamb & w^ch/, & speaks as the Dragon or eastern Empire \& therefore is the church of the eastern Empire./ & by fals \This Beast by false/ miracles deceiveth them that dwell on the earth & for his fals miracles & idolatrous doctrine is called the fals Prophet |& therefore is of an ecclesiastical kind, & this fals Prophet survives the Whore, being cast alive into the Lake of fire after the ten kings have eaten the flesh of the Whore & burnt her w^th fire, & therefore this Prophet differs from the Whore & signifies another idolatrous church & by consequence the Church of the Greek Empire. Conceive|. Conceive therefore that while the Roman Empire continues entire, the whole is signified by the Dragon & the Church of the whole by the \glorious/ woman in heaven but when the Empire becomes divided, the Woman \degenerates &/ flyes from the Dragon into the western Empire called a wilderness for its spiritual barrenness & leaves a remnant of her seed in the eastern empire w^ch for keep the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus & that the Dragon at the same time goes from the Woman into the eastern Empire to make war with that remnan {sic} of her seed: A and that at the same time a ten \a ten-/horned beast arises out of the sea or western nations to succeed the Dragon in the western Empire & a two horned beast rises out of y^e earth or \eastern/ nations to succeed the woman in the eastern Empire. And further, to represent the true people Christians \or Churches of Christ/ in both kingdoms, conceive that in opposition to the seven hilled City \or Woman/, the seven candlesiticks in the tabernacle & first Temple \have in them seven Candlesticks w^ch/ are put {the} for the {true} \true/ Church of Christ throughout the \eastern/ Empire represented by the Dragon, & in opposition to the two horned Beast there two Candlesticks is a second Temple measured & \in order{illeg} to be/ built with two Candlesticks in it to represe w^ch are put for {illeg} the true Church of Christ thoughout {sic} the Empire represented by the Beast. For the seven Candlesticks ar are the seven Churches of Asia & these Churches \of Asia/ are seated within the kingdom of the Dragon & by their lamps illuminate his Empire & the two Candlesticks are the two witnesses or Churches called the two witnesses & two Prophets whom the Beast w^ch ascends out of the abyss makes war upon & kills in the streets of the great city & therefore they prophesy in {illeg} \within/ the streets of kingdom of the Beast & in the streets \or provinces/ of the great city Babylon represented by the woman sitting upon him w^ch in the form of a woman reigns over him.

And it is further to be considered that the Dragon & first \marine/ Beast have common heads & horns

Whe We have shewed th above that the first six heads of the beast fell before he ascended out of the abyss. For before he ascended he was latent in the Dragons body, \& for that reason has \also/ his heads the Dragons heads he/ being the waters which 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 or flood or sea is a body politi of kingdom \& the western Empire has a particular relation to the watery 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 they are \the flood is/ a western kingdom. She fled into y^e wilderness by a division of the Empire & therefore 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 this Dragons \his/ mouth sifnifies that division, of the Empire between the Dragon & the flood where by & while the water was in the Dragons belly the western Empire \Beast or Western Empire/ was latent in him \& for that reason has all the Dragons heads./. This Beast was Daniels fourth Beast & that Beast was the Roman Empire from the time that the Romans subdued the Greeks & in that respect the whole Roman Empire is the Beast as well as the Dragon before the division thereof & thence it is that the Dragon & Beast have common heads & common horns, But with this difference that the Dragon has crowns upon his heads \& not upon his horns/ to signify that he reigns in all the heads & not in the horns, & the Beast has crowns upon his horns \& not upon his heads/ to signify that he reigns in the horns & is con is not considered in the Apocalyps as reigning before he rises out of the sea \by a division of y^e Empire & receives the Dragons throne/ & his horns receive power as kings the Empire becomes divided into the eastern & western Empires & this Beast by the{illeg} division rises out of the sea \by a new division he rises out of the \sea/ by a division of the Empire/ & receives the Dragons \ancient/ throne & power & his horns by a new division of the western Empire into ten kingdoms receive power as kings.

The ground \occasion/ of the division of the Roman Empire into the eastern & western Empires was the building of Constantinople by Constantine the great \A. C. 330/ & endowing it with t privileges a senate & privileges like those of Rome & making it the Metropolis of all the eastern part of the Empire as Rome had hitherto been of all the Empire & was hence forward of all the western part thereof. By this {meanes} \division under \of the Empire between/ two imperial Cities/ the Woman received two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wilderness, but \&/ at the death of Constantine the great the Dragon cast out of his mouth waters as a flood after the woman to cause her to be carried away of y^e flood. but Con For the Empire became divided at that time became divided between the sons of Constantine, his second son Constantius reigning at Constantinople over the east & his other two sons reigning in the west & the survivor of them \reigning over all the west &/ being suceeded by Magnentius in whose reign the earth or eastern Empire opened her mouth & swallowed up the waters \flood/ by a victory over the western Empire whereby the Beast was wounded to death by a sword & ceased to be for a time, both Empires becoming united under Constantius & his successors till the reign of Valentinian & Valens between whom the Empire became again divided & by this division the deadly wound was healed & the Beast revived: {illeg} \Then/ by the death of Valens the Empire became d united again under Gratian the successor of Valentinian for about five months & by the next division w^ch was between Gratian & Theodosius the Beast rose out of the sea ^‡ < insertion from the right margin of f 43r > ‡ After w^ch the two Empires became fully united no more. Theodosius indeed in the last three months of his reign united \them/ under himself \by conquering Eugemius/ out at the same time they were \continued/ divided between his \two/ sons his elder son Arcadius being created Emperor of the East & his younger son Honorius Emperor of the west before this union, & Theodosius \in his life time leaving Arcadius in the east & sending for Honorius to reign in the west &/ at his death confirming this division by his last will & testament. And from thence forward the Dragon relinquished his ancient western Throne entirely to the Beast the two Empires being united no more. < text from f 43r resumes > & Theodosius in the end of his reign reunited the Empire under himself for about \three months/ & then \dying/ left it divided between his two sons giving the eastern Empire to his elder son Areadius & the western to his younger son Honorius & from hence forward the Drangon reliquished his ancient \western/ power & throne \intirely/ to the Beast, & the two Empires being united no more. The Dragon \Beast/ revived before he could ascend out of the <43v> sea & ascended before the {illeg} Dragon who stood upon the land could give him his power & Throne. These were thre {sic} distinct successive acts & imply three successive divisions of the Empire & can agree to no other then the three last divisions, \thos three/ to w^ch we have applied them. And now the Beast being revived & risen out of the sea & having received the Dragons ancient power & throne becomes at once divided into ten kingdoms w^ch are [nine of w^ch are rent from him & [the tenth is the remainder of his former body.] This came to pass in the year 408 or within three or four years after as we explained above. Before the Beast ascended out of the Abyss they had received no kingdom but by this division received power as kings at the same time with the Beast, who is the eighth \head/ & of the seven. The seventh head \head or dynasty of the Dragon & Beast/ commenced at y^e rising of the Beast out of the sea. This dynasty lasted in the eastern Empire till the overthrow of that Empire by the Turks. & in th but in the Western Empire it lasted only \in a monarchical form/ till the division of this Empire into ten kingdoms & then began a new dynasty w^ch is the eighth & of the seven, & is called the Beast w^ch was & is not that is, the latter part of the seventh. \that Beast who is called the eighth & of the seven & therefore the reign of his eighth he/ And therefore the Beast received power as a king at y^e same time with the horns, that is, the Beast who was & is not & is \called/ the eighth & of the seven. The seventh head or dynasty of the Beast commenced at his rising out of the sea. This dynasty continued till in a monarchical form till the division of this empire into ten kingdoms & then began a new dynasty or head of the Beast w^ch is called the eighth & of the seven, it being the latter part of y^e seventh, & this eighth head is the Beast w^ch was & is not & w^ch receives power as a king at the same time w^th the \ten/ horns, being a compo kingdom composed of all the ten. united into This eighth head being peculiar to the Beast I apply it rather to this division into ten kingdoms then to any other chance w^ch was common to him & the Dragon.

A. C. 408, 409 & 410 by w^ch act the ten horns receive power as kings at the same time w^th the Beast that Beast who w^ch [was & is not &] is the eighth & of the seven or latter part of the seventh head. In the time of prophesy of the eighth leaf of the Book w^ch began w^th the purple reign of the seventh head/ w^ch kingdoms are the Beast in his last reign w^ch is called the eighth.

A little before the Woman received two wings of a great Eagle there was war in heaven Michael & his Angels fought against the Dragon & the Dragon fought & his Angels; & prevalied not . . . . . & they loved not their lives unto the death. This \is/ a very plain description of a great conflict between the Roman heathen Empire & {Church} Christain Church \Arm Army of/ of Christ. who For Michael & his Angels are Christ & \his/ army wuch as army as \was accused by the Dragon day & night &/ loved loved not their lives unto y^e death & as overcame the Dragon by the blood of the Lamb, \& by the word of their testimony/ that is an army of martyrs & confessors. And therefore this war between Michael & the Dragon was a war great managed on the Dragons part by accusing & persecuting the Christians & putting them to death for their religion & on the Christians part by confessing their & testifying the truth of their religion & & persisting in their confession of th & testimony without fearing to lose their lives for the same And this issue of \by/ this conflict was the Dragon that old serpent called the Devil & Satan, was a that is the heathen Roman Empire in respect of its religion, was cast overcome & \overcome &/ cast out of heaven to the earth, & \was/ succeeded in the throne by a new kingdom called the kingdom of o^r God. \For the conflict ended with a voice from heaven saying/ Now is come salvation & strength & the KINGDOM of our GOD, for y^e accuser of o^r brethren is cast down. And all this can agree to nothing else then the last of the heathen persecutions that under Dioclesian w^ch lasted \almost/ two years over all the Roman Empire & ten years together over all the east, & was greater then all the former heathen persecutions taken together & \w^ch/ ended in the ruin of the heathen Roman Empire & the setting up a Christian Empire in its roome under Constantine the Great. A. C. 312.

The same revolution is predicted also by the woman's being w^th child & \who/ cryed , travelling in birth & pained to be delivered & by the Dragon's drawing the third part of the earth stars of heaven w^th his tail & casting them to the earth & by his standing before the woman to devour he ready to be delivered that he might devour her child as soon as it was born & by her bringing

The whole scene of sacred Prophesy is considered in the Apocalyps as composed of three principal parts: the regions beyond Euphrates represented by the two first Beasts of Daniel; the Empire of the Greeks on this side Euphrates represented by the Leopard & his heads & by the He Goat in the reign of his last horn; & the Empire of the Latines represented by Daniels fourth Beast. To these three parts the phrases of the third part of the Sun, Moon, Stars, Earth, Seas, Rivers, Trees, & Ships relate The two last of these three parts are sometimes called the earth & sea. For by the earth the Iews understood the great continent of Asia & Afric to w^ch they had access by land, & those places to w^ch they had access by sea they called the isles of the sea.

The He Goat in the reign of his last horn when he was mighty but not by his own power is in the Apocalyps represented be called represented by a great red Dragon the old Serpent called the Devil & Satan. For this Satan is there said to have his throne in Pergamus. He continued mighty by the power of the Romans will their Empire became divided between into the Greek & Latine Empires. And then he remained alone in the Greek Empire & gave his Roman \Latin/ throne to the Beast w^ch then rose out of the sea with ten horns. Before that division of the Empire the Dragon included the nations of the Latines in his mystical body, they being the waters w^ch he cast out of his mouth as a flood after the woman at the division of the Empire between the sons of Constantine the great. Then the Earth opened her mouth & swallowed up the waters by a reunion of the two Empires at the conquest of Magnentius by Constantius. By that conquest the Beast was wounded to death by a sword. He revived at by a new division at the death of Iovian, & rose out of the sea at the division of the Empire between Gratian & Theodosius, & the Dragon gave him his western throne by & power & great authority by at the death of Theodosius by a division of the Empire between his sons. And then by a further division of the western Empire into ten kingdoms the ten horns received power as kings the same hour with the Beast. Before this division of the Empire the horns were on the Dragons head, but without crowns. By \After/ this division they received power as kings & therefore are crowned only on the head of the Beast. The seven heads are successive as may be gathered from the saying: Five are fallen & one is & another is not yet come, & when he cometh he must continue a short space; And the Beast w^ch was & is not (being wounded to death with sword in his sixt head) he is the eighth & is of the seven. I take these seven heads to be seven successive reigns of the Roman Empire commencing <45r> at the opening of the seven seales. They are all crowned on the Dragon but not on the Beast because six of them reigned before the division of the Roman Empire into the Greek & Latin Empires; & the Greek Empire was the seventh, & the Latin Empire was the eighth & of the seven because contemporary to the seventh as a collateral part thereof.

The Woman who appeared in heaven cloathed with the sun & crowned with twelve stars whose seed keep the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus, represents the primitive Church of Christ within the whole Roman Empire untill it became divided into the Greek & Latin Empires. Then she fled from the Dragon into the Latin Empire & sat upon the ten-horned Beast, & left the Greek Empire to the \other/ Beast which then rose out of the earth w^th two horns like the Lamb & therefore was at that is ecclesiasticall ones, \& is called the fals Prophet/ & in matters of religion it spoke as the Dragon & therefore was his church. And since \it/ rose out of the earth its two horns at its first rise were the Churches of Alexandria & Egypt Antioch. And when the woman fled from the Dragon she left{illeg} he went to make war with the remnant of her seed which kept the commandments of God & had the testimony of Iesus. And from them proceeded the two Witnesses.

In this Prophesy allusion is had to the worship of God in the Temple of Ierusalem in the feast of the seventh month. In descr The first Temple is alluded unto in describing the times of the primitive Church: the second is alluded unto in describing the times w^ch followed the Babylonian captivity \of that church by the Babylonians who worshipped Mahuzzims/. The first Temple had \an Ark &/ an outward court, the second had none. The first \in the prophesy/ had seven \golden/ cand\le/sticks, the second had only two. The second \first/ Temple {illeg} stands till the opening of the seventh seale, the building of the building of the second is represented by Iohn's measuring the Temple & Altar & them that worship therein (that is, their Courts) & leaving the Court without the Temple unmeasured. And this Temple is afterwards called the Temple of the Tabernacle because the Tabernacle had no outward Court.

In the beginning of the Prophesy in allusion to the High Priest's dressing the lamps in the morning of a festival Christ appeared \walked/ in the habit of the High Priest walking \{close}/ behind the seven gold candles with his right hand behind their lamps, so that they appeared to Iohn as if he walked in in the midst of the candlesticks & held a rod of seven stars in his right hand, & Iohn is there told that the seven stars are the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia, that is their Bishops, & that the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches. And these Lamps he dresses by directing Iohn to send seven admonitory Epistles to the churches seven Angels of the seven Churches. And since these Candlesticks \with their Lamps/ were in the first Temple, it signifies that the primitive \Church/ was represented & illuminated by the seven Churches of Asia during all the times of the first Temple.

After the Lamps were dressed the celebration of the morning sacrifice is alluded unto in the following manner. Iohn saw a <46r> door opened in heaven, the door of the Temple on mount Sion & was called up thither, that is to the eastern gate of the great court to see all things from thence. And a throne was set in heaven, the throne of God upon the Ark between the Cherubims. And one sat on the throne in a glorious appearance with a rainbow about him. And about the Throne appeared twenty four seats, the chambers of the twenty four Princes of the Priests, & upon the seats twenty four Elders sitting in white raiment with crowns of gold on their heads. And by reason of the sacrifices on the altar & the Levites singing at the eastern gate of the Priests court, there seemed to Iohn to proceed out of the throne, lightnings & voices thunderings & voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, the lamps newly dressed, w^ch are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne was a sea of glass like unto crystall, the great bazen sea made originally of the \polished like a/ lookingglasses of the weomen & filled with water clear as crystal. And in the midst of the throne that is before & behind \as it were in the midst of it/, & {illeg} in the circuit of the throne that is on either side, were four Beasts full of eyes before & behind. By the{ir} multitudes of \their/ eyes they represent multitudes of people, the multitudes of the people of Israel f in the four sides of the great Court or Court of the people. And the first Beast was like a Lion & the second Beast like a Calf & the third Beast had the face of a man, & the fourth Beast was like a flying Eagle. For the Iew in these shapes were the four standards of the four squadrons of the children of Israel encamped on the four sides of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. And each of them had six wings, in allusion to the Seraphims about the throne in Isaiah's vision. ch. 6. 2. |And these wings represent the 24 courses of the stationary men who represent \chosen out of/ all Israel.| And they rest not day & night, or at the morning & evening sacrifices, saying Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, w^ch was & is & is to come. And when those Beasts, (that is the people of Israel represented by them) give glory & honour & thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever & ever; the four & twenty Elders \(going into the holy place)/ fall down before him that sat on the throne & worship him that liveth for ever & ever, & cast their crowns before the throne saying Thou art worthy, ô Lord to receive glory & honour & power: for thou hast created all things & for thy pleasure they are & were created. And this is the worship which the primitive Christians gave to God the father while they continued to worship in the first Temple.

And Iohn saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within & on the backside sealed with seven seales {illeg}: the Book of the law laid up in the right side of the Ark, as it were in the right hand of him that sitteth on the throne; the book of Prophesy w^ch Daniel was commanded to seale up; the Book of the revelation of Iesus Christ w^ch God gave unto him. And none was found worthy to open & read the book or look thereon till the Lamb of appeared at the foot of the altar before the midst of the throne & in the midst of the elders four Beasts & of the elders, as it had been slain at the foot of the Alar {sic}, having seven horns & seven eyes w^ch are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth, & signify the same thing with the seven lamps & seven stars, & the seven horns signify the same thing with the seven Candlesticks. And the Lamb came <47r> & took the book out of the right hand of him that sitteth upon the throne And when he had taken the book the four Beasts & four & twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps & golden vials full of odours w^ch are the prayers of the saints And they sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book & to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain & hast redeemed us to god out of every tongue by thy blood out of every kindred & tongue & people & nation; & hast made us unto our God kings & priests & we shall reign on the earth. A{illeg} And Iohn heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne & the Beasts & the Elders, & the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand & thousands & thousands, saying with a loud voice: worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power & riches & wisdome & strength & honour & glory & blessing. And every creature w^ch is in heaven & on the earth & under the earth \&/ such as are in the sea & all that are in them Iohn heard saying, Blessing & honour & glory & power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne & unto the Lamb for ever & ever; unto the one because he sitteth upon the throne & hath created all things, & unto the other because he is the Lamb of God which was slain & hath redeemed us with his blood. And the four Beasts said Amen. And the four & twenty Elders fell down (in the Holy place) & worshipped him that (cannot be slain but) liveth for ever and ever. And this was the worship of God & Christ practised in the primitive Church