Fragments on the rise of the papacy and Revelation

In setting up this dominion the Bishops of Rome made grea{t} use of the Nic authority of the Council of Nice, as may be seen their decretal Epistles. The Nicene Decree was {illeg} the|i|se words: Antiqua consuetudo servetur per Ægyptum Ly|i|byam et Pentaplim, ita ut Alexandrinus Episcopus horum omnium habeat potestatem quia et urbis Romæ Episcopo paribis mos est: Similiter autem et apud Antiochiam cæteras Provincias, sius privilegia serventur Ecclasÿs. Illud autem generaliter clarum est quod siquis præter sententiam Metropolitani factus fuerit \factus/ episcopus, hunc magna synodus definivit episcopum esse non oportere. Where This Decree \Canon {sic}/ \Now it is observable that this Canon/ relates only to Provinces & their metropolitans. For when \after/ the three first Metropolitans Provinces were w^th two first Provin Bishops of Rome & Alexandria w^th their Churches were named the adds Council adds: similiter apud Antiochiam cæteras provincias. Here is no mention of Patriarchs superior to Metropolitans of Provinces. The Council only ordeins that the Metropolitans of every Province should have power over the bishops of his Province, the bishop of Rome over the b|i|shops of the Province of Rome, this|e| Bishop of Alexandria over the Province of \AntioL|Æ|gypt & Libya, the bishop of/ Antioch over the Province of Antioch, the bishop of Cæsarea of Cappadocia over the Provnce {sic} of Pontus, this Bishop of Ephesus over the Province of Asia, \thethe bishop of Carthage over the Province of Afric/ the bishops of Thessalonica over the Pro\v/ince of \that city/ Illyricum orientale \or some part of it/, the bishops of \Simium/ Aquileia & Millain over their Provinces & so of the rest of those cities & so of the rest{.} Wherein this power of the Metropolitans over the bishops of their several provinces consisted the Councel defined in the wo two Canons next preceding, namely that a Bishop should be ordeined by all the bishops of the Province \ (that is by a Provincial Council)/ or at least by three of them w^th y^e consent of the rest in writing, & the firmness of the ordination should depend upon the Metropoliti|a|n in every Province. And that in every Province a Council of the bishops of the Province should \also/ be celebrated twice a year \every spring & autum./ To the power of the metropolitan of over Ordination, & his presiding in provincial Councils & call convening them upon \Ordinations & such like/ extraordinary occasis|o|ns, the Council seem to refer in saying Antiqua consuetudo servetur per Ægyptum Libyam & Pentapolim ita ut horum Alexandrinus Episcopus horum omnium habeat potestatem quia at Vrbis Romæ parilis mos est. For by this Canon the power of ordeine|i|ng \without the consent of the {illeg} B^p of Alexandria/ was taken away from the bish Meletians throughout Ægypt Libya & Penta{illeg}|p|olis, & the bishops of all these regions (including Thebais) met together in provincial Councils at Alexandria as often as is manifest by the Councils w^ch upon the summons of Athanasius {illeg} \of about 90 bishops w^ch/ met \A.C. 341 & 369/ at Alexandria out of all these regions A.C. 341 & 369. \without the Imperial authority./ [Athanas epist         et ad Afrop p.        As therefore all the Bishops under the power of the Bishop of Alexandria composed but \of w^ch he was President for the government of the whole Province one Prou|{v}|incial/ Co\u/ncil, so when the Council of Nice established this power of the bishop of Alexandria quia et Vrbis Romæ parilis mos est, they understood the power of the Bishop of Rome over those bishops only who met annually \every spring & autumn/ in a provincial council at Rome |for governing y^e Pro. & upon at other times for ordening the B^ps. of the Province| /w^th its president of w^ch he was Presiden{t}\. [ And therefore Ruffin was not mistaken when he |interpreted| the Nicene Canon in these words: ut apud Alexandriam et in urb{illeg} Roma, ut vetusta consuetudo servetur ut vel ille Ægypti vel hic suburbicariarum {reginam} ecclesiarum sollicitudinem gerat, meaning by suburbicarian Churches the churches w^ch sent bishops annually to the \provincial/ Cou{ncil} of Rome according to the Nicene decree, A \& whose Bishops were not ordeined without his consent/ that is the s|c|hurches of the suburbicarian provinces or ten provinces under the Vicar of Rome. [And \therefore/ When th{e} Bishop of Rome cited the Nicene Council against the churches of Afric they were in the right to tell him that \he/ was mistaken. So then the Council of Nice <1v> {c}onfirmed the \provincial/ authority of the bishop of Rome over the suburbicarian churches as their metropolitan: but his patriarchal authority over all the west|ern| |Churches| was of a later date.

And this is further manifest by the Co second Canon of the \second general Council y^e/ Council of Constantinople w^ch r \w^ch was convened/ A.C. 381. Episcopi, say they qui ex The Canon is this. Episcopi qui extra diœcesi{um}{m} sunt . . . . . dinoscitur. By this Canon there were five metropolitan bishops in the all y^e Greek Empire, each of w^ch had the care of his own diocess for ordinations & the ordering of affairs by a Council of bishop the bishops of the diocess met|e|ting half {y}{y} every half year. The bishop of Alexandria governed Egypt \Thebais/ Libya & Pentapolis by a Council out |of the Bishops| of all these regions. The B^p of Antioch governed Syria the east that is Syria, Phœnicia, Palestine, Mes P Palestine, Phœnicia, Syria, Cilicia, \Oshroena/ Meospotamia, \{Csae}/, Isauria, Arabia, Cyprus, by a council of bishops out of all these regions. The bishop of Cæsarea of Cappadocia governed the \Province or/ diocess of Pontus conteining Bithynia, Paphlagonia, Galatia \prima & secunda, Honorias,/ Cappadocia, Pontus, Hellenopontus, Armenia prima & secunda. This diocess had its rise from the kingdoms of Pontus conquered, by the r|R|omans & reduced into a Province \Mithridates & Ariobarzanes reduced into a Province by the Romans/ The bishop of Ephesus governed y^e Province \diocess/ of Asia conteining Asia Proconsularis, Hellespontus, \Pamphylia/ Lydia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, Phrygia Pacatiana, Phrygiasalutaris, Lycia, Caria & the Islands aj|a|djacent: & this Diocess had its rise from the kingdom of Pergamus reduced into a Province by the Romans. {illeg} |And| The bishop of Heraclea governed the Province of Thrace conteining Europa, Thrace, Hæmimons, Rhodopes, Mœsia secunda & Scythia. Europa was the principal part of Thrace & conteined Heraclea & Constinople And these five Metropolitans had each of them by the Canons of the Council of Nice their prope annual Cou |proper Council convened out all the Diocess| [proper Councils \of the bishops of {t}h{at} Diocess]/ convened annually out of & for governing the Diocess,] & were independent of one another, & forbidden by this Canon of the Council of Constantinople to intermeddle w^th one anothers affairs. By t|T|he Nicene decree therefore, as it is interpreted by the Council of Constantinople, gave power to every metropolitan to \only to ordein {& to}|Bis|hops &/ govern his diocess by a Council of |y^e| Bishops thereof & his power extended no farther then his the Diocess w^ch sent bishops to his Council. The Bishops of Rome, Carthage, Aquiléa|i|a, Millain, Thessalomica, Arles      &c had each of them their Council{s} Provincial Councils & the power of each \by the Nicene Decree/ extended only over those churches which sent bishops to the{illeg}\ir/ \his/ Council{ors}. And this power was only to act in conjuncion with |not in the Metropolitan alone but in him & the| y^e {sic} Council of the Diocess & the p|P|resident of the Council & to have a negative vote in Ordinations. |together, he leading as Presid| |He act{in} was authorized \only/ to act as President of y^e Council & had a negative vote in Ordinations.| And therefore Ruffin was not mistaken when he interpreted the Seing therefore that the provincial Council of the Bishop of Rome extended not into Afric the east|ern| | (| for \Empire for/ the five bishops of the eastern churches had councils of their own \& industriously avoided coming to Rome)/; not into Afric (for the bishops of Afric met in Councils at Carthage; not into y^e diocess of Millain Aquileia or Millain for this diocess had its own council & so had the Diocess of Aquileia & that of Arles \& that of Arminum/: we mus it remains that we must & seing the designe & end of every \the/ Council of every diocess \or Province/ with its p|P|resident or Metropolitan, to c was to take care of Or the Ordinations of |{G}| Bishops & regulate other \the/ affairs of the Diocess & particularly of y^e ordinations of the Bishops thereof: its manifest that the authority of the Bishop of Rome for ordeining Bishops & regulating ecclesiastical affairs extended no further by the Nicene decree \then the Diocess of {the} Rome. It extended no further then/ then {sic} the authority of the <2r> Council of the Diocess of this bishop extended, & that the authority of this Council with its President the Bishop of Rome extended no further then the Diocess of the city w^ch sent bishops to y^e Council, & that this Diocess extended not into y^e Diocess of Mill Aquileia Millain or Arimimi {sic}num nor but comprehended only the southern parts of Italy with the Islands adjacent namely or \ten/ suburbic{h}|a|rian Churches \regions/ above mentioned {Campania}, Tascia & Vmbeia, Piccnum suburbicarian, Sicily, {Apulir} & {Carabria, Brutÿ} & Lucania, Samium, Corsica Sardinia, Corsica, & {Veleria}] |The Council of Nice set up no Patriarchal authority. They only declare{d} the Bishop of Rome the first Metropo Sicily Rome the first Metropo{litan} of the Empire, Alexandria the second, Antioch y^e 3^d &c & that every Metropolitan w^th his Council shoul{d} have power over his own Diocess. Patriarchs were of a later date.|

And therefore when the Bishop of Rome upon an appeal of Apiarus from y^e Bishops of Afric sent to them to receive him into communion & ^{illeg} cited the Nicene decrees for what he bid |& for his doing so pretended the authority of the Council of Nice [for his excercising this authority over them cited the words of the Council of Serdica prete for a Canon of the Council of Nice|, the Bishops of Afric were in the right to send for the Acts of y^e Council of Nice & upon consulting them, to tell him that he was mistaken.

And when Pope Iulius summoned the Eastern bishops to appear before him in a Council at Rome: those bishops (some of w^ch had been in the Council of Nice) were in the right to let him know that he acted without authority & to reprehend him very sharply for his arrogance & threaten to excommunicate him if he did not forbear this \illegal/ hostility.

So then the Bishop of Rome {w} in the times of the Council of Nice was only Metropolitan of the suburbicarian Churches or of that is, bishop of their Metropolis & \&/ p|P|resident of their Council{,}{,|.|} And tho he endeave|o|ured soon after to extend his authority over the Councils of other diocesses, yet he was \checkt &|b|y the eastern bishops &/ baffled by the Emperor Constantius & forced to be content with his own Diocess till the reign of the Emperor Gratian by whose Edict for Appeals he becam{e} Patriarch of the west.

At the same time that this|e| {illeg} patriarchal authority \dominion/ of this Bishop was set up over all the west, the like patriarchal dominion of the Bishop of Constantinople was set up over a great part of the Greek \Eastern/ Empire. T Before the building of Constantinople by Constantine the great & for some time after he was subordinate to the bishop of Heraclea the Metropolitan of Thrace. The Co{n}|u|ncil of Constantinople A.C. 381, made him the second Primate |gave him the honour of the second Bishop| of the Empir Roman Empire \by this Canon/. Constantinopolitanæ civitatis Episcopum habere oported|t| Primatum|s| honorem post Romanum Episcopum propetrea quod sit nova Roma. [Can. 3] And after he had gained the honour of this primacy he invaded the rights of \assumed to him|self| the right of ordeining the/ the {sic} Metropolitans of y^e Diocesses of Thrace Asia & Pontus, hearng complaints against their bishops for Simony & other crimes & ejecting them (for w^ch practises Chris|y|sostome was banished). & |arrogating to himself the ordeinging of acting as Metropolitan of Thrace & ordeining their Metropolitans of Asia & Pontus their Metropolitans & thereb{y} gained a power over them| & being got into possession was establish{ed} Patriarch over those Diocesses by this Canon of the Council of |Act 16.| Chalcedon      called the              General Council. Sedi senioris R{illeg} propter imperium civitatis illius Patres [Nicæni] p consequenter privile{illeg} reddiderunt; et eadem intentione permoti centum quinquaginta Dei <2v> amantissimi Episopi æqua sanctissimæ s|S|edi novæ Romæ privilegia tribuerunt, rationabiliter judicantes Imperio et Senatu urbem ornatam æquis senioris Romæ privilegÿs frui, et in Ecclesiasticis, sicut illam, majestatem habere negotÿs & secundam post illam existere: et his qui de Ponto sunt et de Asia & Thracia diœcesibus, Metropolitanos solos; rursus autem et qui inter Barbaros sunt, Episcopos præfatorum diœcese{w}n ordinari a prædictæ sanctissimæ c|C|onstantinopolitanæ sedis sanctissima Ecclesia: )| (| (Quippe ut unusquis Metropolita præfatarum Diœcesewn cum Episcopis suæ Provinciæ ordinet suæ regionis episcopos, ( sicut divinis Canonibus est præceptum:) ordinari autem ,| (|sicut dictum est,|)| metropolitas præfatarum diœcese{w}n a Constinopolitano Archiepiscopo, decretis \electionibus/ consonis secundum morem factis & ad eum relatis. Here the Council plainly ascribes the honour & authority granted to the bishops of Rome & Constantinople is plainly ascribed to|by| the Council to the dignity & grandure of the cities. But whereas {this}|the| Council of Chalcedon ascribes this grant to y^e Councils of Nice & Constantinople those Councils granted no ordinations of metropolitans by Patriarchs, \no ordinations of forreign Metropolitans,/ no ordinations of Bishops forreign to y^e anniversary Councils of the bishops who ordeined them. Those \Such/ ordinations were incroached afterwards by the Bishops \& ab/ of Rome & Constantinople. In \all/ the Diocess of Alexandria no bishop could be ordeined without y^e consent of y^e bishop of Alexandria \& those &|of| his Council/ & so of the Docess {sic} of Antioch, But & all the bishops ordeined by them attender|d| their anniversary Councils. But the Bishops of Rome & Constantinople ordeined f Metropolitans of Diocesses forrein to their Councilis {sic} without claiming a right to ordein the bishops under those Metropolitans. Non enim, saith Pope Leo I, nobis ordinationes vestrarum Provinciarum defendimus, We do not arrogate to our selves a power of ordeining in your Provinces. This power the forrein of Ordeining \all the inferior bishops/ in their several diocesses the forreign Metopolitans preserved to themselves \for many ages/: but at length the Pope wrested this power also from them. And f|F|irst, Pope Nicholas I \A.C. 861/ wrested it from the |obnoxious| Bishop of Ravenna as may be collected from the submission of that Bishop to this Pope by this sentence in a Council at Rome A.C. 861{,}{.} ^[1] Episcopos per Æmiliam ne consecrato, nisi a clero populo electos et literis super ea re a Pontifice missis. Eosdem Episcopos, quotiescun ad apostolicum sedem venire voluerint, ne prohibeto: And afterwards other Popes wrested it from other metropolitans.

By the {c|C|}anons of the Councils of Constantinople & Chalcedon it appears that the authority of the Bishop \Patriarch/ of Constantinople extended \also/ over the Churches of several barbarous nations or nations without the bounds of y^e Roman Empire. Nilus Doxapatrius \ (who lived in y^e 11^th century)/ in his book {illeg} partly published by Leo Allatius tells \us/ that y^e|this| Bishop of Cons was over the Churches of y^e barbarian{illeg}s \in these regions/ Chersonesus [Taurica] & Chazaria |&| Chaldia |&| Gothia \&/ Abasgia \&/ Iberia |&| Alania \ [a large country upon the river Tanais]/ & great Russia, & sent them metropolitans; & Balsamon [in Can 18 Concil. Chalc. saith that Alania | (a larg{e} country upon the river Tanais northard {sic} of mount Cancasus)| was under the Diocess of Pontus & Russia under that of Thrace. Whence it may be gathered that y^e Power of y^e Bishap {sic} of Constantinople extended \northward/ over all Churches among y^e barbarous nations in {gloria} & Gothia the regions [of Iberia & Dacia as far as the rivers Volga & Boristhenes & in all the regions comprehended by those rivers.] between Germany \Dacia/ & the river Volga, the Christian religion being propagated into those reigions {sic} by the Christians of the Greek Empire who fled thither in times of persecution, & chiefly in the persecutions of Decius & Dioclesian & Maximinus, & they & their disciples continuing in \{illeg}i{an} &/ obedience to the Churches from whence they fled. The Patriarchate of Constantinople was therefore as large as th{e|at|} Dominion of the Bishop of Rome.

but at length she separates & escapes into the wilderness, [& those of her communion {enga}{ged} {t}o worship the Beast & his Image & are initiated into her com none are allowed to by ill {exce}pt that is to be of her communion |And {he was} forward the Dragon goes to make war w^th the remnant of the seed who keep the comma{nd}ments of God. And henceforward none are permit{e}|t|ed| the Dragon goes from her to p make war upon \w^th/ the remnant of her seed & cause who keep the commandm^ts of God & in this persecution have the testimony of Iesus] \while the rest fall away to the worship of the B & his Image./ And none are permitted to buy or sell, that is to be in communion with her & \w^th her {sister}/ the two horned Beast who succeeds her in the Dragons kingdoms{,} \& the Dragon & two Beasts/ but those that are initiated in their religion by receiving the ma{t}|r|k or name of the Beast or |y^e| number of his name. And she The Dragon persecutes first the Woman & then the remnant of her seed, & \the multitude that comply receive the mark of the Beast & worship his Image but/ those that persevere in the persecutions being s{a} are said \to have the testimony of Iesus &/ to receive the seal of God in their forehead w^th & from the first division of the Church {repre} while the rest receive the mark of the Beast, & to have the testimony of Iesus \to w^ch the first {fruits} unto God/ & that in their mouth was found no lyes \& to & that in their mouth there was found no lye. There are Gods witneses/ & from the first division of the \{illeg}/ Church represented by the two wings of a great eagle \the Woman they/ are called the \the/ two Witnesses. These are the saints \w^th whom the Beast makes war/ & the martyrs of Iesus w^th whose blood the Whore is \made/ drunken, , & the first fruits unto {G} & the first fruits unto God in respect of the following harvest. They are sealed out of all the twelve tribes of Israel & therefore are the true Church Catholick \of C{hri}st in a state of affliction & dispersion/. {.} And tho they are called two Witnesses yet we are not to conce{t}|iv|e that they \always/ continue distinguished into two bodies It suffices that they are the ofspri seed of \descended from/ the Woman while she had two w^th two wings & had \kept/ the testimony of Iesus when she degenerated From their first rise the name of two witnesses is given to henceforward given to the whole \Church Cath in affliction/ & to every part of this Church catholick \considerable part hereof/ much after the same manner the|at| kingdoms into w^ch the w \the/ ten horned Beast & two horned Beast are so called from the first number of their horns \& keep those names to the end/ notwithstanding that the number might afterwards vary |, & that the seven Churches of Asia are put for y^e Church catholick \in all ages/ in respect of their first number.|

The occasion of the division of the Empire was the building on Constantinople

– persecutes first the Woman & then the remnant of her seee|d| & the multitude degenerates, becom{e} spiritually barren & receives the mark of the Beast, except the 144000 who have the testimony of Iesus, & are sealed w^th y^e name of God in their forehead & in their \whose/ mouth there was found |no| lye. These are Gods Witnesses & from being the seed of the Woman with two wings are thence called the two Witnesses. When the Dragon began to persecute the woman they began to testi their testimony against him, & at the same time two wings were given to the Woman |&| from whence they are called two witnesses \that division \of the Church/ made in the beginning of their testimony/ they are ever after called the two Witnesses; We are not the the We are not to look for two Churches w^ch always continued distinct: the denomination is taken from the number primitive number. As the Beast is said to have ten horns & the other Beast two horns & the Lamb seven horns \ (the seven Churches of Asia) & the Leopard four heads & four wings/ not because that they always have that number of horns |& wings| but because that was their \first/ number when the two Beasts first rose up & so the Witnesses are called two from their first number sig represented by the two wings of the Woman |while they were a part of her mystical body|. And after the name is once given them it may signify the people of God or any considerable part of them \his people/ seated in any part of the world \\at any time/ after she is separated from them./. {sic} These are the saints \who worship in the r inner court of the Temple the saints & upon the sea of glass, the saints/ w^th whom the Beast makes war |&| whom he overcomes & kills in the streets of the great city, the martyrs of Iesus with whose blood the Whore is drunken in the Wilderness, & the first fruits unto God in respect of the following harvest w^ch was to follow in the great tribulation

And as the Woman w^th her two Wings is put for after \her flight &/ separation from the Witnesses \& flight into the Wilderness/ is put for the C{h} Churches of the \{illeg} apostate/ Church of the western Empire \{only}|alone| notwithstanding her two wings/ so the two Witnesses after the same same separation may signify Gods people in either Empire or any considerable part of them in either Empire or in any part of the world. The name of two Witnesses being given them while they were a part of the Womans body, they retain it ever after without furth{e} \further/ regard to forms of government \or places of aboat|d|/. These are the ^{[Editorial Note 1]} \3/ saints who worship in the inner court \of the {sm} Temple, & on mount Sion /who set\ the victory by their testimony/, & on the sea of glass, the |4| holy city troden down \underfrot {sic}/ by the Gentiles, the \1/ saints \people martys {sic}/ who are mysically killed for not worshipping the Image of the Beast, the \5/ saints with whom the Beast makes war & whom he overcomes & kills in the streets of the great city. |& the \6/ martyrs of Iesus with whose blood the Whore is drunken & the \2/ first fruits unto God|

In like manner This sort of Philosophy The Iews by conversing with the heath{e}

And so also the{illeg} Iews in their Cabbala turned the attributes of God into persons which they called Sephiras, having perhaps learnt this sort of philosophy from the heathens in the time of their captivity. \⊕/ < insertion from the bottom of the page > [⊕ And when the primitive hereticks did the like being inst{ru} For being instructed in the heathen theo philosophy & theology before they became Christians, they were apt to interpret \wrest/ the scriptures to their notions. Whence came the Æons of the Gnosticks. \{now}/ The Dragon in respect of this spirit of error & idolatry is called the & the opinion that the opinion that {sic} the Son was the λόγος ἐνδιάθι{γο}ς the inherent \reason/ wisdom & understanding of the father without w^ch the father would be ἄσοφος & ἄλογος void of wisdom & understanding <3r> For this was the doctrine of Valentinius \Baribides/ & the Gnosticks, of Tatian & the Encratites, {illeg} Proculus Æschines Tertullian & the Montanists, {illeg} of Praxeas \Hermogenes/ Artemas Paul of Sam{osata} Sabellius & the Patripassians & got grownd in the Churches till the Empire beca{me} Christian of \under varius {sic} shapes/ & of Theophilus \& Eustathius/ bishops of Antioch, Athenagoras ,|&| Clemens Alexand{er} masters of the school of at Alexandria & some others of note in communion with {illeg} Christian religion, [& then was readily embraced by the heathens who out of temporal ends flowed into the Churches in greate multitudes, & Constantine {the} great with some bishops about him lapsed into this opinion, & so did th Alexander bishop of Alexandria w^th the bishops who subscribed his Letters, & the Council of Serdica as I gather from their Epistle sub as it is recited entire by Theodoret] Wh And the & when \this/ spirit of error \this mystery of iniquity/ the old Serpent ruled the \this/ Devil & Satan saw that who had hitherto reigned in the heathen throne of the heathen empire saw that he was cast down out out When \And now/ this spirit of error which the old serpent w^ch had hitherto reigned in the throne of the heathen Empire was \being/ cast out D came down among the inhabitants of the earth & sea w^th great wrath. For now great multitudes of heathen, flocking into the churches for temporal ends readily imbraced this do{c} sort of Theology, especiall teaching that Christ was the inherent wisdom of the father. Constantine the great \& some B^ps about him/ lapsed into this opinion & so did the Council of Serdica as I gather from their Letter published intire by Theodoret. < text from f 3v resumes > The Dragon in respect of this spirit of error & idolatry is c{a}lled that old serpent the Devil & Satan who deceiveth the whole world.

But whi|e|n this Dragon troubled \afflicted/ the Woman, the {w}{Co} God Witnesses prophesied against him ^[2] But Gods p witnesses prophesied against this opinion & the earth \also/ helped the Woman against it. For when Constantius came against Me|a|gnentius.

And against that old serpent the spirit of error w^ch at this time corrupted the \& superstition w^ch \at this time/ came down from the/ heathen throne amongst the Christian inhabitants of the earth & sea, W Gods witnesses began to prophesy when the Woman received tw & began to vex the Woman G persecute the Woman, Gods Witnesses began to testify when the received \persecuted/ woman \began to be persecuted by the victims & {illeg}/ received two wings of a great eagle to fly from the into y^e Wilderness For in all persecutions God of the Church God hath his witnesses, & the two witnesses w^ch prophesy to y^e end of the reign of the Dei|vi|l amongst the inhabitants of the earth & & all the \short/ time |y^t| the|is| old serpent reigns \rages/ amongst the \Christian/ inhatants {sic} of the earth & sea \w^th great wrath/ & persecutes the saints they testify against him & therefore begin|{nin}g| their testimony when the Woman begins to be persecuted & received two wings of a great Eagle to fly into y^e wilderness. For in all persecutions of the Church, God hath his Witnesses the saints have the testimony of Iesus. And from the division of the Church when \at that time when/ they beg{i|a|}{a|i|}n their testimony \& were in communion w^th y^e w./ they are called \the/ two witnesses \as was said above/ & & {sic} |to denote their suffering they are under persecution they are| represented by the two flaming eyes & two burning leggs of the son of Man standing upon the earth & sea.

– & \And/ all the short time of the Dragons wrath the {illeg} saints testify against him For in all persecutions the saints have the testimony of Iesus. They begin their testimony therefore when he begin{s} to persecute the Woman & two wings are given her to fly into y^e wilderness & \And/ when she separates from them & flyes to y^e great city Babylon [& {illeg} in respect of their first form of government they are mystically] they \begin to/ \& they are sealed & measured & begin to prophesy/ prophesy {sic} in the second Temple &|they| \against the abomination of the wildern{ess}/ are there represented by two candlesticks of olive tree, [ & to express their sufferings under persecution they are represented also ] by the two flaming eyes & burning leggs of the son of man standing upon the earth & sea, [& their worship in the inner court upon mount Sion & upon the sea of glass singing there a new song that \is/ prophesying in a new state of things \the Church/, while the {na} Gentiles \nations/ tread under foot the holy city & set up the abomination of the wilderness in the outward Court instead of the daily worship w^ch by killing those that would not worship the Image of the Beast & excommunicating those that that {sic} would not receive his mark was now taken away in that Court to make room \in y^e Temple the/ for the \reign of the/ Man of sin. in the Temple of God when \who was to sit in the Temple of God For his/ coming was with \all/ signes & lying wonders pretended to be done by the saints & their reliques \{illeg}/ for setting up \the doctrine of Demons &/ the worship of the dead & {who wa} & who was to sit in the Temple of God in ste the place of the do in that court in the in that outward Court. For he was to sit in the Temple of God. For the Gentiles in the outward Court \or w^th the outward form of {church} government & {manif} publick worship/ are the man of sin stting {sic} in the temple of God, & the worship of the Dragon & Beast with an outward form of Church government & \a/ publick worship of his own Gods{,} set up \{there}/ by himself w^th \under/ a form of Godliness to deceive the people while the saints are in a state of persecution & captivity rep represented by the flaming eyes & burning leggs {illeg} the son of man, & worship God in secret.

\{illeg}sun moon & stars she is represented {a} God politic. She was/ {illeg} th{illeg} power represented by the sun & had the people represented by the Moon under {illeg} {illeg} cr{ow}n of twelve stars upon her head.

^{[Editorial Note 2]} 2. \And {illeg}|this| unfolds to us the mystery of counting the number of the Beast. For/ The name & number of the Beast stands related to the name \of God/ & number of those on Mount Sion by way of opposition & in this respect \are opposed/ to the \name of God & the/ number of those sealed w^th the|is| name of God on mount Sion. And in that respect the number 666 is to be counted in such a manner as the number { (}|1|44000 was counted. This number was counted by multiplying 12000 by 12 the divisor of {illeg} its divisor |12| |the number of y^e {tr. of I} (Apoc 7.)| & therefore 666 is to be counted by multiplying some number by its \a/ divisor \d|o|f that number/. And there is but one way of counting it in this manner, w^ch is by multiplying 222 by 3. [\And {illeg} as In one {case} The divisor/ Twelve is the number of the twelve tribes \of Israel: so the divisor three/: & \in the {other} {illeg}/ 3 is the number of the three parts \or Tribes/ into w^ch the nations are divided \distinguished/ who worship the Beast & his Image.] the number of the tribes of them that worship the Beast.

1. The \Iews & the nations by w^ch they were to be captivated & particularly the/ nations within the bounds of the four monarchies are the subject of the sacred prophesy in the old Testament & those \the nations/ th\r/ought w^ch the Christian religion was to be propagated [& particularly \all tho|e|se within nations within/ the Roman Empire] are the subject of sacr{e}d Prophesy in the new \especially of the Apoc. w^ch was given by Christ himself. Now/. {sic} This|e| \Christian/ religion was \has been/ propagated through all the Roman Empire & from thence into some \through all {t}         the northern/ nations \nam/bordering upon it, as into Ethiopia southward, Germany northward & Assyria eastward, & the \Roman/ Empire \has/ consisted of two parts |& the Roman Empire {is} \was almost/ about double to y^e northern nations & has consisted of two Empires about equal to one another, the Greek equal \Empire/ & the the {sic} Latine.| The Greeks Empire comprehendin|ed|g Greece Asia \Georgia Armenia Mesop./ Syria & /Arab. Pen.\ Egypt & Cyrene \& past erected by Alexander the gr^t/, & t|T|he Latine Empire comprehendin|ed|g the nations westward, viz^t Afric, Barbary \Italy, Sicily Barbary/ Spain France Britain Italy \Rhætia/ Noricum |&| Dalmatia \Pannonia & \&/ Illyricum{.} & Barbary. The northern nations are ☉ < insertion from f 4r > ☉ The northern nations are [{T} Germany, Hungary northward of y^e Danube, Transylvania, Russia \Moscovy/ Poland, Swedeland, Denmark] \Walachia Moldavia/ Transylvania, Hungary northward of the Danube, \the Vpper Hungary/ Germany, \lying {next} the Empire &/ Denmark, Swedeland Poland moscovy{.} lying further from it. The \northern/ nations next the Empire received y^e Christian religion early especialy those neare Greece: for {illeg} Dacia comprehending Walachia Moldavia Transylvania & upper hungary were conquered by Trajan & continued long under y^e dominion of y^e Romans & its inhabitants the Ostrogoths |&| Visigoths & Vandals |who inhabited Dacia sent their Bish chief Bishop to the Council of Nice &| were generally Christians in the fourth & fift centuries when they invaded the Empire, & the \Irenæus lets us know that/ the Christian religion was in a flourishing state in Germany in the middle of the second century. as Irenæus mentions \Afterwards/ [The \great duke or/ Emperor of Russia embraced the Christian religion \of the Greeks Church/ about y^e year 989 but the Christian religion crept into all nations first among the common people] Charles the great propagated the Roman religion into all Germany by conquest & from thence it began at y^e same time to spread into Denmark Swedeland & Poland. |And| The great Duke of Russia embraced the religion of the Greek Church about y^e year of Christ 989: but y^e Christian religion was spread there among the common people before. And now all the northern part of Europe have two fessed|s| Christianity many ye & has done so some hundreds of years. The Christian religion has been propagated \also from Egypt into {sic}/ into Ethiopia above Egypt. But \the Churches of/ those Ethiopians acknowledge themselves under the Church of Alexandria & receive their Bishops from thence \& are some of them under the Turks/ & in that respect may referred to Ægypt, if they be at all |at least so far as they are| considered in this Prophesy \especially s{in}{m}/./ So then the Christian world w^ch is the subject of this Prophesy consists of three parts, \pretty equal to one another/ the Greek Empire, the Latine Empire & the northern nations. And by this division you may know that by the third part of the earth sea rivers Sun Moon & stars is meant the third part of this Christian world, or the sun M earth sea rivers Sun Moon & stars of one of these three parts. As Israel is divided into twelve Tribes, so the Christian world w^ch apostatises to the worship of the Beast & his Image is divided into \these these/ three \parts or/ Tribes. And this unfolds to us the mystery of counting the number of the Beast. For the name & number of the Beast \on the forehead of his worshipper/ is opposed to the name of God & \to/ the number of his servants who stand on mount Sion with his name on their foreheads. And in that respect, the number of y^e Beast 666 is to be counted in the same manner as the number of God's servants {illeg} 144000 was counted. This number was counted by multiplying 12000 by its divisor 12 the number of the 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 Empire of y^e Greeks was founded by Alexander y^e great & represented by Daniels Leopard & \also/ by his Hee Goat {illeg} in the reign of the great horn & \in that/ of the four w^ch succeeded it succeeding horns as Daniel himself interprets both in the prophesy of this Goat & in that of y^e Scripture of truth. But In the rei{g} the reign of the little horn w^ch succeeded them the Goat grew greater then ever but not in his own power. The power under w^ch he grew mighty was that of the Romans. This horn waxed exceeding great towards y^e south & towards y^e east & therefore was a north west horn, the kingdom of Pergamus inherited by the Romans. From henceforward the Goat is the whole united Empire of Greeks & Latines untill they separate. First And this separation begins with the division of the empire between Dioclesian & Maximianus, is promoted advanced by the building of Constantinople for the Metropolis of the Greek Empire & finished by the dividing of the Empire between Valentinian & Valens, Gratian & Theodosius, Honorius & Arcadius reigning at Rome & Constantinople. And by this division Rome the Nations through w^ch the Christians world was diffused became divided \resolved/ into three parts the two Empires & the northern nations as above.

{illeg} The lives of Daniel's three first Beasts were prolongued after their dominion was taken away & all the four Beasts continued together alive untill a stone cut out of a mountain without hands fell upon the toes of Nebuchadnezzars Image & brake \in pieces/ the whole Image, ( the gold the silver the brass & the iron in pieces representing \the same four Monarchies w^th the Beasts/ the {sic}se four monarchies. And therefore \all/ the third & fourth Beasts are now in being. & |The first & second beyond the river Tigris are not yet converted to Christianity. The {sic}| t|T|he third is the Greek Empire commencing in \erected by/ Alexander M. propagated through the Roman Empire, & afterwards reigning \separated & seated/ at Constantinople & now under the dominion of the Turks. & t|T|he four|th| Beast is the Latin Empire first \subduing/ devouring & breaking into ten kingdoms & \still/ reigning in many kingdoms as at p^rsent. Iohn {illeg} And the very same things \two last Empires being Christian/ are represented by Iohns {illeg} Dragon & ten horned Beast \& described by Iohn under those types/ so far as Daniels prophesies remained to be fulfilled after Iohns days. The \Iohns/ Dragon signifies the very same thing with Daniels He-Goat \& Leopard {illeg}|& {brasen Ge} By|his last horn/ & Iohns ten-horned Beast signifies the very same thing with Daniels fourt{h} Beast. in the reign of his ten horns. \& the iron leggs of the Image/ <4v> [The Goat & Dragon \& Leopard/ are properly the Greek Empire signified also by Daniels third Beast the Leopard \or th{eir} monarchy/ When bothe Empires are united \& considered as one Empire/ the Goat & Dragon represent \comprehen {are} entered to/ the whole but when y^e Empires |are \become/| separated the Goat & Dragon signify only cease to comprehe \return to their proper signification &/ signify only the eastern Empire & the Beast is ta|h|e Beast rises out of the sea to signify the Western. For since the Prophesies of Daniel & Iohn were given by \one &/ the same holy spirit Ghost, we may conclude &c.] Iohns Dragon is the third Monarchy & his Beast th{e} tenhorned Beast the fourth. When the two Empires are united & considered as one monarchy they are represented in Daniel either by the fourth beast devouring & breaking & in pieces & stamping upon the nations of the third or by the He Goat growing greater then ever in {rei}|the| reign of his last horn, but not in his own power The|is| horn being \higher &/ greater then the first horn, includes both Empires, that of the Greeks w^ch grew great \mighty/ & that of the Romans \Latines/ in w^ch the whose power the Greeks grew mighty But after the Romans separated fro Greeks & Romans \Latines/ separated the Latines ceased to belong to y^e body of the Goat. And in like manner the Dragon signifies both Empires together when they are united & considered as one, but \when/ they are divided it sig the Dragon signifies only the Greek empire. And therefore upon the division of the Empire a ten horned Beast rises out of the sea (Daniels fourth Beast) to respresent the Empire of the Latines. This Beast{.} This is Daniels fourth Beast, & was in being before he rose out of the sea: for at his first rise he has|d| all the Dragons heads & yet five of them were fallen & one of them was wounded to death w^th a sword & the mortal wound was healed before he rose. But the two Empires being united when Iohn wrote & five of the horns \the Dra being the nations of the Earth & sea/ Iohn takes no notice of the first rise of the Beast but considers him as latent in y^e Dragons body untill \the Dragon being cast out of heaven comes down amongst the inhabitants of y^e earth & sea &/ by a new division of the Empire theB rises out of the nations of the \inhabitants/ sea:|;| [or if you please untill by two new divisions of y^e Empire he rises first |is| first cast out of the Dragons mouth in the form of a flood \w^ch is swallowed up by sinks into the earth nations of the earth/, & then rises out of the nations of the sea in the form of a Beast] & receives the Dragons old throne western \old/ throne.

{Tr}|Da|cia was\being/ conquered by Trajan received y^e Christian religion very early sent its Bishops to y^e Council & was generally converted before its inhab. the Goths & Vandals {illeg} invaded the Empire. < text from f 5v resumes > The nations of these two Empires are represented severally by Daniel's f third & fourth beasts & joyntly by his H{e}{ee} Goat. |This Goat represented the Greek Empire alone till the Latine Empire arises & then it represented both together while they continue united| And hence arises a division of the subject of the sacred prophesy of the new Testament into three parts, the nations of the Greek Empire the nations of the Latine Empire & the \northern nations of Germany Transylvania, Moscovy, Transylvania, Poland, Germany Swedelan{d} Denm./ Christian nations without the bounds of both Empires: all w^ch together compose the body of |y^e| Christe|ia|ndome \world. {sic}/. This division \into three parts became visible at/ may be recconed to begin be set begin w^th the division of the Empire between Dioclesian & his Collegue \Maximianus, & more visible & confined at/, {sic} to be supp{o} improved by the building of Constantinople for the Metropolis of the Eastern Empire & to be \was/ completed by the \following spring/ division of the \whole/ Empire between Valentinian & Valens, Gratian & Theodosius, Honorius & Arcadius. And by this division you may know w|t|hat is meant of the The Greek Empire rose first third part of the stars {w} earth, sea, Rivers, Sun Moon & stars, that is {i}{a}s \is meant signifies/ the earth, sea, Rivers Sun Moon & Stars of the third part of Christendome the Christian world, that is, of one of the three parts above mentioned. |As Israel is divide{d} into twelve The Greek Empire began first by the conquests of Alexander the great Tribes so the people who worship the Beast & his Image is divided into three parts of Tribes.|

3. The Latine Empire being the third /fourth\ Beast of Daniel or third /4^th\ Monarchy stricktly so called, was to stand till the judgmt 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 \being/ the s|t|hird monarchy or third Beast whose life was prolongued after its dominion was taken away is still in being. For all the three first beasts or monarchies had their lives prolongued after their dominion was taken away, & all four continued \together/ in being untill a stone cut out of the mountain w^thout hands fell upon the toes of the Image & brake the {I} gold & the silver & the brass & iron \whole image co{nsist}/ to pieces. This third Monarchy comprehending the nations of Greece Asia Syria & Egypt was represented & at first – – – – – – reigning at Constantinople till the Turks subdued it, & is still alive under the dominion of the Turks. And while Daniels Beasts are still alive & the Prophesies of Daniel & Iohn were given by one & the same Holy Ghost: we may conclude that the Beasts in Iohn's Prophesy have relation to the Beasts in Daniel's prophesies & [signify the same Monarchies so far as Daniels prophesies remained to be fulfilled when Iohn wrote. For Daniel h] that as Daniel has in several Prophesies represented \{&}/ the same monarchies under several types & described them again & again under \in/ several types \manners/ so that the several prophesies being compared together may illustrate one another |& be taken joyntly as one Prophesy several times repeated|: so Iohn has represented the same monarchies under new types & d & described them again after a new manner so far as they remained to be fulfilled when Iohn wrote, & so that the prophesies of Daniel & Iohn being compared together may illustrate one another & be taken joyntly as one complete prophesy. For even Iohn has {th} described the same things again & again in various manners, & his descriptions wherever they synchronise must be compared together & that they may illustrate one another & make one complete prophesy. Thi|e|s|e| repeated dest|c|riptions of the same things in various manners by Daniel & Iohn & the other Prophets were designed to obscure the prophesies <5r> till the time of the end, & then to make the interpretation plane & sure And therefore Interpreters are to compare the prophesies one w^th another as far as they can be compared & to reconcile \them/ & adjust them to one another as far as they can be adjusted without straining, & to find out their meaning by comparing reconciling & adjusting them together; & those Interpretations are always to be preferred w^ch |are best supported by the analogy of scripture &| without straining reduce the prophesies to the greatest ha\r/mony & simplicity. For the Apocalyps is very full of Allusions to the prophesies of the old Testament & these allusions are to direct interpreters to compare the prophesies in order to interpret them

In this prophesy the same – – – – – – is the number of the name of the Beast

The nations of the two \Roman/ Empires are \also/ distinguished into two parts by the names o earth & sea: as where – – – –out of y^e Earth. And this distinction seems occasioned by the language of the Iews – – –|~| who called those countries the earth to w^ch they trave{ll}ed by land & those the Isles of the Sea to w^ch & Isles of y^e Gentiles to w^ch they travelled by sea. So in respect of Egypt where the Iews had been in bondage & of the wilderness where Moses wrote, Moses calls Asia Europe & the lesser A|s|s|i|a the Isles of the Gentiles. And But when Iohn wrote, all Asia being accessible to the Iews \the Iews travelled frequently into |y^e| all \lesser/ Asia minor/ by land, we may & therefore by the Isles of the Gentiles might \then/ understand only Europe. & by And
According to this language the Sea is Europe & the earth is all th{e} Asia & Afric: a|A|nd by mountains & Islands we are to understand the cities of this earth & Sea. And because the eastern Empire was seated chiefly in y^e\this/ earth & the western \chiefly/ in y^e|this| sea: we may by the earth & sea we may sometimes understands these Empires & by the mountains & islands their cities.

The next step was the affecting to pray at the sepulchres of the martyrs & the bringing their bodies as This was occasioned by the Christians in tenth Persecution throwing down all the Temples of Churches of the Christians in the {S}|t|enth Persecution, & w|th|e meeting of Christing|s| {sic} in their burying places {f} to pray for want of better Temples where they could meet safely to pray. For being used p to pray in sepulchres during the persecution & wanting better T better Temples to meet in afterwards: they continued to pray in the burying places & by till churches could be built & {illeg} & adorned those places where martyrs had been been|u|ried, to {p}|m|eet in, till better Oratories \Churches/ could be built & by long usage grew fond of praying in such places, thay|t| age inclining much \daily/ to superstition

At length \the Emperor/ Constantius having built a new Temple at Constantinople, & the custome of praying in the Mary|t|yries \& building them anew splendidly/ being |by| long use grown into repute, Constantius the bodies of
were translated from their sepulchres into this Church by the Emperors ordr {sic} & from A.C. 359, & from that time it grew customary to dedid|c|ate new churches with the bodies of Martyrs buried in them. [And At first They buried \in churches & Church yards at first/ only the reliques of Martyrs or pretended martyrs reliques of Martyrs, afterwards great men & at length all sorts of people as at this day. And] wh{e} And even before this act of Constantius the Egyptians kept the bodies of their saints martyrs & saints unburied upon beds in their private houses.

{world.} And since Egypt \& Syria at that time abandoned /at that time\/ abounded most & w^th Moncks , & {illeg} \next to Egypt Syria & Monckery was not yet spread into other countries &/ the Egyptians \had very many martyrs &/ by keeping the bodies of dead \the Martyrs/ now unburied in their private houses, {and} had great \the greatest/ opportunities of raising stories of the miracles done by those \such M &/ bodies \& Chr{y}stome calls Alexandria the Metropolis of the World for spending this sort of devotion/: it makes one suspect that y^e first cry of such miracles began \& presently spread /first\/ in Egypt in y^e two or three last years of Constantius {illeg} in opposition to the proceedings of that Emperor & presently \soon/ spread thence |first| into Syria Phenicia & Syria & \then into/ \& from Egyp{t} & Syria was propagated with Monckery into all y^e Empire in the reign of Valens & Theodosius/ all the Empire, the Moncks s|f|eigning such miracles in opposition to \Constantius & Iulian &/ all their enemies, & running up & running up & down all the Empire with to sell dead-mens bones {illeg} till the Emperor Theodosius prohibited those practices by a law{illeg} A.C. 386 prohibited those practises by this Edict. Humatum corpus . . .

– the Emperor Constantius beginning this practise A.C. 36|5|0 \about the year A.C. 359/ by causing the bodies of Andrew y^e Apostle & Luke & Timothy{r} to be translated \to Constanti{us}/ into a ⊕ new Church w^ch he had built \was to be dedicated/ at Constantinople. And before this Act of Constantius y^e

The time when the Empire grew vitious is thus represented by Si{z}o S{y}|i|gonius

Sigonis|u|s tells us that {Ro} the city Rome was grown very luxurious in the reign of Dioclesian

I shall content my self with noting the time of the corruption. Sigonius tells us that y^e city Rome was grown|the people spending their time in taverns, & theatres \& {illeg}/ & gaming & feasting &| in the reign of Dioclesian was grown very luxurious through prosperity & then adds At hi quidem mores licet posteriores aliquot Imperatores emendare conati sunt tamen indies corruptiores deteriores effecti sunt quous tota Italia ocio marcescente ac diuturno prope labore tor languore torpente, barbari imperium ex omni parte debile invaserunt ac sævissime distraxerunt. Sigon. de Occid. Imp. l. 1. an. 302. And Zosimus refers the <4v> greatest decay of morals to y^e reign of Theodosius.

Let us conceive therefore that {up} when the Dragon goes to make war with y^e remnant of the womans seed he leaves the Woman flying through \into/ the wilderness of Arabia towards the great City Babylon seated on the many waters of Euphrates & that the Beast w^ch was wounded to death revives at the same time, & Thus \thereby/, the Empire becomes \imperfectly/ distinguished \but not yet fully divided/ into two Empires the Dragon \in the east/ & Beast \in the west/ & the Church \becomes distinguished/ into two Churches ready to the Woman \in the west/ & the remnant of her seed in y^e |east| ready to break communion with one another. \Let us further conceive/ That at the opening of y^e seventh Seal the B first Beast rises out of y^e sea by a {further \new division &/}{\new division &/ further} separation \rises out of the sea/ to succeed the Dragon in y^e west & that the second Beast rises out of the earth to succeed the Woman in the east {& t|T|}hat the Woman by {h}{b} & there sets up the worship of the \first/ Beast & his ca\u/ses an Image to be erected to him & worshipped & that all men should be initiated in this new religion by receiving the mark or name of the first Beast or number of his name. The Woman flyes voluntarily into the \spiritually barren/ wilderness, & becomes the great city Babylon but the remnant of her seed keep the commandments of God untill the Dragon by the influence of the two horned Beast & the speaking Image of the other Beast, makes war upon them & causes all men to receive y^e ma{k}|r|k of the mystically kills them dissolving their government \& po{lyty}/ & taking away their dayly worship \in the outward court/ & in the room thereof setting up the abomination of the wilderness, & where the Woman reigns &|b|y causin|es|g \causing/ men to worship the Beast & his Image [in the outward court of the Temple or] with \under/ an outward form of religion & church government, & all men are excommunicated throughout the whole empi & forbidden to buy & sell throughout the whole Empire who will not worship th be initiated in this new religion. And now the twelve tribes of Israel, called the inhabitants of the earth & sea to whom the Dragon came down, are initiated in this new religion by receiving the mark or name of the Beast or the number of his name, except the 144000 who are sealed w^th the name of God in their foreheads. And this is done in the whole Empire \consisting of both earth & sea/ between the opening of the seventh seale & the sounding of the first Trumpet because the four Angels were not to be hurt the earth & sea till the servants of God should be sealed out of all the twelve tribes of Israel |& upon pouring out the first Vial there fell a noisome sore upon the men who had the mark of y^e B. & w. h.|. Thus the Empire became divided into two Empires representd {sic} by the Dragon & Beast & the Church of the Empire apostatized to the worship of the Beast & his Image & under an outward form of religion & Church government became divided into two {illeg} fals Churches represented by the Woman & two horned Beast, & the \true/ Church of God became reduced to y^e s represented by the seven golden candlesticks & seven horns of the Lamb became reduced to the small number of 144000, the remnant of the & these whenever the he \times of the/ tabernacle & first temple are alluded unto became divided \are considered as the seed of the seven Churches of Asia &/ are still represented by the seven golden candlesticks & seven horns of the Lamb: but when y^e s|t|imes of the Babylonian captivity & second temple are alluded unto, they are considered as the seed of the Woman with two Wings & represented by the two candlesticks of Olive-tree & two burning leggs of the son of Man & in opposition to the two fals Churches of the Dragon & Beast \are/ called Gods \the/ two Witnesses of Iesus Christ. It is not necessary that they should always continue two distinct Churches: they have the name of two witnesses from their first number when the name was \first/ imposed. For they were the witnesses of Iesus Christ against the from the time that y^e Woman began to be persecuted by the Dragon & received two Wings of a great Eagle that she might fly from y^e persecutor.

Dacia being conquered by Trajan . . . . . . . . . time will discover. At present it may be further observed that the seven Churches of Asia being seated in the east have a fu special relation to the eastern Churches & the Woman w|f|lying into the West, the two witness {sic} w^ch arose from her two wings & are opposed to her & killed by her Beast have a more especial relation to the Western Churches. And thus it may be conceived that when the D Empire became divided into two Empires each w^th their Churches & the Dragon retired into the eastern Empire & the Woman into the Western, the Church of \of God/ represented by the first Temple with its seven Candlesticks retired into the East, & when the first Beast rose out of <6v> the sea to succeed y^e Dr. in y^e west & the second Beast rose out of the earth to succeed the Dragon in Woman in the East, a new \second/ Temple was built with two Candlesticks to succeed the first Temple in the west. I do not mean that two temples appeared to Iohn at once. One & the same temple with allusion to the times of the first & second Temple of the Iews is sometimes considered as the first Temple & sometimes as the second

At present it may be further observed that the seven Churches of Asia have a special relation being seated in the east are chiefly related to the eastern Churches, & w|t|hen the Woman flyes from the Temple first temple into y^e wil through through the wilderness of Arabia to the great city Babylon & seated upon the many waters of Eufrates, & ceases to be represented by the seven candlesticks in this Temple a part of Christs mystical body

At present it may be further observed that the seven Churches of Asia being seated in the Dragons kingdom from the beginning & in the eastern part of the \Roman/ Empire \the first Temple with its can golden candlesticks/ may be taken to represent the Church of God within the Dragons kingdom \from the beginning to the end of the prophesy/ whether that kingdom be the whole Roman empire or the eastern part thereof. And by consequence when the Woman flies from this Temple through |the Dragon & from this Temple {in to}{into}| the wilderness of Arabia to the great city Babylon & ceases to be a part of Christs mystical body thi & to be \so is no longer/ represented by the seven horn{e}{s} of the Lamb \nor by the seven Candlesticks/, the Taberna Temple of the Tabernacle w^th its seven golden candlesticks becomes restrained to signify the remnant of the womans seed w^ch she leaves behind her in this Temple & in the kingdom of the Dragon who came down to the inhabitants of the earth & sea in y^e outward court of this Temple. And when the Dragon has made war upon \with/ the remnant of the Womans seed & mystically killed their body|ies| polytick (the or Churches Ch \dissolved their/ particular churches ,|)| then this temple w^th its seven Candlesticks are \is/ restrained to signify the remnant of that remnant, those within the Dragons kingdom who persist in the testimony of Iesus & are sealed w^th the seal of God. And when the Woman First \ten horned/ b|B|east is risen out of the Sea to succeed the Dragon in the west & the Woman with her two wings is fled into this western wilderness & become the kingd Church of this Beast then a new Temple is built with two cadlesticks {sic} of olive-tree to \to succeed the first Temple in the western part of the Empire &/ represent the Church of God within the kingdom of {the} Beast in opposition to the Woman, that is, \to represent/ the people of God within the western Empire or as many of them as are sealed with the seale of God. For by the same figure that ^{[Editorial Note 3]} \②/ y^e Woman with \her/ two Eagles wings {be} at first represented the Chuch {sic} of God throughout the whole \Roman/ Empire & was afterward restrained to signify the Church of the western Empire in a state of Apostasy; & that \①/ the Dragon w^th \his/ ten horns af at first signified the Whole E|R|oman Empire & was afterward restrained to signify only y^e eastern part thereof: \③/ the two Witnesses might \may/ at first signify all Gods sincere people in the whole Roman Empire \from the time that the Woman received two wings of a great eagle/ & afterwards be restrained to signify all his sincere people only in the western part thereof. |When the Dragon began they to persecute the Woman they began their testimony against him & against the flood w^ch he cast out of his mouth & whe{n} the woman separated from them & her Beast revived & rose out of the sea & began to be worshipped & to persecute the saints they begain {sic} their testimony against her & her Beast.| They are derived from the Womans two wings & opposed to her & where she reignes they prophesy against her \corruptions/. And these are the saints w^th whose blood she is drunken, the Saints with whom the Beast makes war & whom he overcomes & kills & \They have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophesy & therefore they prophesy in the wilderness into where Iohn saw the Woman s \a dry & barren regim/ thi|e|s wilderness where Iohn saw the Woman sitting upon her Beast. And when . . . . . ./ & when these two Witnesses shall have finished their testimony against the great city Babylon the Beast makes war against them & overcomes them & kills them in the streets of the|is| great city \& therefore they prophesy in his kingdom./ . {sic} I do not understand that Iohn saw two Temples at once. All the visions, as I said, appeare in one & the same Temple {:} but \&/ this Temple with its Candlesticks represents the whole Church: but when after the division of the Empire when the times of the Tabernacle & first Temple are alluded unto it represents the {illeg} Ch{ur} principally the people of Go{t}|d| within the kingdom of the Dragon \whatever be the extent of that kingdom/ & when the times of the second Temple are alluded unto it represents princi\pally/ the people of God within the kingdom of {B} the Beast; & accordingly as the Dragon & Beast are taken <7r> for the whole Empire or restrained to a part thereof the temple with {illeg} candlesticks are is taken for all the sincere pl|e|ople of God within the whole Empire or restrained to a part thereof. And by the same figure that the Dragon keeps his ten horns & the Woman her two wings after they are separated from one another, the two Witnesses \may/ keep the name of two witnesses after that separation they are separated both from the Dragon & \from/ the Woman. And \also/ {in|by|} the same se{m{illeg}}|figure| that mystical body of Christ Nebuc \the Image in/ several parts of y^e Image in Nebuchadnezzars dream signifies were \are/ put for the four \several/ Monarchies |& sev{al}|er|al horns of a Beast are put for several dominions| the several members of Christs mystical body may have several significations. \signify several parts of the Church./ When the Lamb Dragon & Beast with common heads & horns at \are/ taken each for the of them for the whole Empire the Be Dr th mystical body of the{illeg} Christ whether in the form of a man or in that of a Lamb, may sig is \may be/ taken for all the people of God in the whole Empire. And when the Dragon & Beast are restrained to several parts thereof, the horns of the Lamb may be ret|s|trained to y^e {sev} people of God within the Dragons kingdom & the leggs of the son of man to those within the kingdom of the Beast. And thus the \Roman/ Empire \will/ beca|o|me divided into two Empires each with its Church both false & true: the Dragon the two horned Beast or fals Prophet \w^th two horns/ & the seven Churches of Asia in the east, & the Beast \with ten horne|s|d/, the Woman & the \w^th two wings/ & the two Witnesses in the West.

✝ Let us conceive
therefore that the
Dragon

When the temple of the Tabernacle is alluded unto, \the Angels of the seven Churches sound the seven Tr &/ one of the four Beasts gives the seven \seven/ Angels of the seven Churches seven Vials of wrath to pour out upon the apostates: & when the {end} second Temple is alluded unto the two Witnes {sic} execute the seven plagues. This If any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth & devoureth their enemies. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophesy, & have power to shut heaven in the days of their prophesy over waters to turn them into blood & to smite the earth with all plague as o{f}|f|ten as they will.

For the better understanding of all this you are to remember that the scene of the visions is the first Temple. This Temple was opened in heaven for Iohn to see the visions in it, & there he saw the Ark of the Testament & the Child-bearing woman & the Dragon standing by her & how her child was caught up to the throne of God above the Ark, & the Dragon was cast out of this Temple of heaven by Michael into the outward court or court of the people w^ch people are here called the inhabitants of the earth & sea, & how the woman fled from this Temple through the wilderness of Arabia towards the great city Babylon, \there to serve other Gods wood & stone/ & left a remnant of her seed with the Dragon in the outward court of this Temple. There he saw the two Beasts rise out of the earth & sea & earth & the second Beast deify the first & cause men to erect & \an/ Image to him & to worship the Image. There the Dragon by the dictates of the speaking Image, \(before he give his throne to the Beast,)/ made war upon the remnant of the woman's seed & mystically killed all that would not worship the Image, & there all men received the mark or name or number of the Beast \or number of his name/ except the 144000 who were sealed with the name of God, & \being forbid to buy or sell, that is,/ being excommunicated, retire from the multitude in the outward court of this Temple & stand on mount Sion with the Lamb singing a new song before the throne & the four Beasts & the Elders & by consequence in the inner court of the same Temple. And now the ten-horned Beast receiving the Dragon's throne & going from this Temple into the wilderness to take possession thereof: the Dragon and two horned Beast remain alone in the outward court of this Temple, & the ten-horned Beast is afterwards found in the wilderness with the woman. Thus the primitive Church catholick represented by the glorious woman in this Temple of heaven was by degrees deserted diminished & oppressed by her enemies, & reduced to the small remnan number of 144000 saints & these saints retired into the inner court of this Temple & left the outward court to their enemies the Dragon & two horned Beast while the schismatical Woman & the tern horned Beast went from the|is| Temple to reign in the Wilderness.

Now since this Temple had it in the Ark of the testament & the four Beasts, it was the \y^e {sic} Tabernacle or/ first Temple, or as it is afterwards called, the Temple of the tabernacle, that is a Temple framed & furnished after the manner of the Tabernacle, & by consequence with a candlestick of seven branches called in this Prophesy the seven candlesticks. For in such aTemple all the visions appeared untill Iohn was carried from this Temple into the wilderness to see the Woman & her Beast who were gone thither. And the seven Angels w^ch sounded the Trumpets & coming out of this Temple poured out the Vials of wrath are the seven spirits of God & the Angels of the seven Churches: w^ch churches are the seven candlesticks in this Temple <9r> and which Angels or Spirits are the seven lamps burning before the throne & appearing like a rod of seven starrs in the right hand of the son of man who walketh in the middle of the seven candlesticks. Apoc. 1.20 & 2.1 & 3.1 & 4.5.

When Iohn had seen in this Temple all the visions from the opening of the first seal to the pouring out of the last Vial, one of the four \seven/ Angels carried him away from this Temple into the wilderness to see the great Whore that sitteth upon many waters, that is, to see the great city Babylon seated upon the many waters of Euphrates, w^ch waters are said to be peoples & multitudes & nations & tongues. And there he saw the Woman sitting upon the ten horned Beast, that is, reigning over the body politi composed of those peoples & multitudes & nations & tongues. For the ten horns of the Beast are ten kings or kingdoms over w^ch the woman reigneth & kingdoms are peoples & multitudes & nations & tongues. Now this Woman being a Church |w^ch| separated departed & fled from the first Temple, & the Beast being the laity of this Church, & every Church having a place of worship: a new Temple is built whose outward Court \(or outward form of religion)/ is given to these Babylonian gentiles & inward Court to the people of God whom these gentiles carried away captive to Babylon.

For the vision of the great Whore sitting on her Beast in the Wilderness is a commentary on the prophesy of the Angel concerning the Temple & Altar two Wid|t|nesses & Beast who kills them in the streets of the great city. And in this Prophesy the building of a new temple is represented by giving a reed to Iohn & bidding him rise & measure the Temple & Altar. For the measuring of a building is a type of building it. For when Zechary saw an Angel with a measuring reed go to measure Ierusalem, & to see what was the length \breadth/ & what the breadth \length/ thereof, another Angel by way of interpretation tells us that Ierusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men & cattel therein. And when the Babylonians had destroyed Solomon's Temple & Ezekiel was commanded to measure thi|e| Temple in a vision, the measuring signified that a new Temple should be built, as is plain by many prophesies in that Temple passages in that prophesy. And in allusion to this vision of Ezekiel & to the building of Zerubbabels temple soon after Iohn is bid to measure the temple & altar & them that worship therein, that is, the court of the Temple & court of the Altar & the court of them that worship therein called the weomens cou{l{illeg}}|rt|, & to leave out the court without the Temple & not to measure it because it is given to the gentiles \& they tread the holy city under foot./. {sic} For Zerubbabel built only the courts of the temple & altar & the weomens court; & the outward court {illeg} w^ch in Solomon's temple had been built for the people of Israel he left u{illeg}|n|built & open to the Gentiles & it continued unbuilt above|ut| 200 years; & tho it was afterwards built by Simeon Iustus \the Maccabees/ & Herod, yet it continued open to the Gentiles & was called the Gentiles court. And as Haggai & Zechary prophesied at the building of Zerubbalels temple, so in allusion to those two Prophets, there are two Prophets or Witnesses w^ch prophesy in the {seven} new Temple in the Apocalyps, & these two Prophets are represented by two cande|l|esticks standing in this temple before the God of the earth (Apoc 11.4)

To worship in the outward court is to worship in a {sic} outward form of religion & church government, {&} there to worship the Beast \& his Image/ is to serve this|e| God|s| & {\W{illeg}/}obey his laws w^ch they set up & to keep their laws above the laws of God.

Before\Vntill/ y^e m|se|aling & marking of y^e twelve Tribes the Whole is represented by {the} Woman & by the sevenfold golden Candlestick, & the 144000 are included in these representations; but {w} when the multitude of the twelve tribes revolts falls away to the worship the Beast: {&} [the 144000 w^ch remain begin to be represented apart] & \is spread out & becomes the/ \of Christs mouth/ receives this|e| mark of y^e Beast & becomes the Man of sin, the ma 144000 being n begin to be represented apart, & from their sufferings & testimony & & their being the remainder of the Womans two Wings are called the two Witnesses{,|.| &} \And at the same time/ the sevenfold golden candlestick ceasing to represent the Woman & the Worshippers of the Beast is revomed {sic} out of its place & \succeeded by/ two candlesticks of olive-tree suc succeed to represent the remaining 144000. And at y^e same time the worshippers of the Beast < insertion from above the line of f 8v > by the division of the Empire into two Empires <9r> w^th their Churches, the Woman who flyes into y^e w. & separates from y^e remnant of her seed < text from f 8v resumes > become disting distinguished into four bodies, \The Beast who rises out of the sea, begins to be worshipped & soon after receives the Dragons thone {sic}/ the Dragon who makes war w^th the|a||t| remnant of the Womans seed & soon after gives the Beast \&/ mystically kills those that will not worship the Image of the Beast, & the two horned Beast] the Beast who rises out of the sea \&/ is deified & receives the Dragons throne, y^e |the| Woman who [flyes into y^e wilderness \& leaves a rem/ & when y^e Beast rises out of y^e sea] separtes {sic} from the remnant of her seed, the Dragon who the Dragon who & becomes his Church, the Dragon who makes war upon y^e remnant & the two horned beast \who deifies the other Beast &/ by whose influence the Dragon mysticall{y} kills those that would not worship his Image.

The Temple being the scene of the Visions, I conceive y^t it remains the same.

While the twelve tribes continue united in one communion, the whole is represented by the mystical body of Christ & by y^e candlesticks in the Temple & by the Woman in heaven: but when the ^{illeg} multitude separates & receives {P}Woman {bro} Woman in flying into y^e wilderness receedes from the communion of the remnant of her seed & the multitude receive the mark of her beast: they cease to be a part of Christs mystical body & to be represented by of the Church represented by the candlesticks in the temple & the|o||se| 144000 that are sealed w^th the name of God cease to be a part of the Womans mystical body & both parties begin to be represented by their apart by typ proper types. The mystical body of Christ & the Candlesticks in y^e Temple henceforth signify only those that are sealed w^th y^e name of God & the Woman & two Beasts & Dragon signify only those in communion with y^e Beast & his worshippers who wonder after the Beast & receive his mark. And this distinction begins when the first Beast rises out of the sea & the other Beast deifies him & worships his image causes all men to worship his image & receive his mark.

Now those that are sealed w^th y^e name of God {s}|a|re considered sometimes \in one Vision/ as worshipping either in y^e Tabernacle Temple of the tabernacle {or} \in another as worshipping/ in the second temple. In the first case \When {the} w/ |in| the temple of the tabernacle \th{is} temple/ is dedicated with smoke from y^e glory of God to signify a new state of the Church, in the second the courts of the temple & altar are measured |&| they that got the victory over the Beast & over his image & over his ma\r/ks that is they that were sealed w^th y^e name of God, may be considered as represented by the sevenfold golden Candlestick w^ch was placed by Moses in the & the se|go|lden candlestick w^th seven- brances {sic} placed by in the Tabernacle \therein/ by Moses may be looked upon as a type of those that were sealed & stand on y^e sea of glass \the worsppers {sic}/ & so may the seven horns of the Lamb w^th whom they stand on mount Sion & whose song they sing on the sea of glass. In the second case \When they are considered as worshipping in/ the court of y^e temple & Tabernacle \the second t{e}mple, the courts the/ & them [the 144000] who worship therein is measured to signify y^e building of a second Temple, & {illeg} in this Temple those that were sealed are represented by two Candlesticks of Olivetree, As they are the & called the two witnesses of Christ. As & in respect of their sufferings & testimony \they are/ called the two witnesses of Christ. As they are the remnant of the mystical body of the Lamb w^th seven horns they are the \represented by y^e/ seven golden candlesticks in the Temple of the tabernacle{s} & as they are the remnant of the mystical body of Christ w^th two flaming eyes & two burning leggs & of the mystical body of the woman with two wings they are represented by two candlesticks of olive tree in the second Temple & called two witnesses. We are not to conceive that two Temples appeared together in the visions. All the visions appeared in one & the same Temple, but in allusion to in allusion to several states of the Iewish nation the scene is changed in this Temple so that it may represent either the Tabernacle or the first or s Temple of the tabernacle or the first or second Temple according to the nature of the visions.

{Now} when the woman after the Dragon goes from her to make war w^th y^e remnant of her seed, separate in communion from that remnant & the two Beasts at {illeg} rise out of the ea sea & earth & the {be} the second deifies the first \& makes all his power as a God before & causeth the earth to worship him/ & caused an image{o} to be made to him & worshipped & the Dragon by the influence \& makes the fire of excommunication against the remnant of the womans seed some down from heaven on y^e earth in the sight of men, & the Dragon by the influence/ of that Beast causes all begins the war upon the remnant of the Womans seed & kills all that will not worship the Image & forbids by|u|ying & selling to all that will not receive his mark, & all the twelve tribes of Israel receive his mark except y^e 144000 who at the same time are sealed w^th the seale of God.

✝For the better understanding

And to represent this great change, sometimes allusion is had unto the Babylonion {sic}

While the twelve Tribes continue entire the whole \{inclu}ding th/ is represented by the Woman in heaven & by the sevenfold golden Candlestick \& by the {illeg}|m|ystical body of Christ./ But when the multitude of Israel separates from the congregatio & receives the mark of the Beast these cease to be represented by the |by the ho| |Candsticks {sic} in the Temple & by the mystical body of Christ| seven\fold/ golden golden {sic} Candlesticks \& b/ & those \the rest{illeg}/ that are sealed w^th the seale of God cease to be re\Those that are sealed are still re/presented by the Woman & each begin to have their distinct types. Those that are sealed |are still represented by the mystical body of Christ & by Candlesticks in the Temple & t| are considered either as worshipping in the Tabernacle or first Temple of the tabernacle & then they \may/ continue to be represented by that \the/ sevenfold golden candlestick w^ch \because th/ /w^ch\ was placed in that the Tabernacle & first Temple; & the to signify a new state of things they the Church the Temple of the Tabernacle is dedicated w^th smoke from the glory of God. Or else they are considered as worshipping in the second Temple {illeg} & then they are represented by the two Candlesticks of Olivetree w^ch were placed in that Temple, Zech. 4. In the first case they are considered as the remnant of the seven Churches, of Asia \represented by the seven candlesticks & the seven horns{,}/ in the second \of the Lamb; in the second/ as the remnant of the woman w^th two Wings \& of the mystical body of Christ w^th two flaming eyes & two burning leg{gs}{s}/. In the first case they are called the 144000 in the second the two Witnesses. With allusion to various types they have various names But whether they be represented by the golden candlesticks in the Tabernacle or by the candlesticks of Olivetree in y^e second Temple, the Church catholick is typified by the Candlest{ick}{icks} & this Church catholick is one & the same in both cases. And [In our case they are represented by the seven horms of y^e Lamb, in another by the two burning leggs of y^e son of man but it is one & the same Church w^ch is signified by both these types]. And as for those that receive the mark of the Beast, they are distinguished into two kingdoms each w^th its its {sic} Church, [& these having only an outward form of religion & Church goverm^t|nm|^t are said to worship |the Gentiles or nations| in the outward Court, For the worship of the Beast is universal who] as was said above For the worship of the Beast is universal. {a{illeg}}|Al|l men wonder after him whose names are not written in the book of life \the sub subjects of the Dragon as the well as the subjects of the Beast/. Th And these are the Gentiles or nations to whom the ou in y^e outward court. They have an outward form of godliness an outward form of religion & Church government & therefore are said to worship in the outward court unmeasured court. T They tread under foot the holy city & therefore are the Babylonian gentiles. For {th} in this part of y^e prophesy the Babylonian captivity is alluded unto. TBy the sealing a few out of y^e 12 tribes & rejecting the rest the first Temple is destroyed. The {10} And the same thing is signified by measuring the inward court & leaving unm the outward court unmeasured F & giving it to y^e gentiles. Measuring is a type of building & in y^e Babylonian captivity the inward court was rebuilt for the worship of God & the outward court left unbuilt & called the gentiles court & left open to y^e Babylonians. These Gentiles These Gentiles are also called the great city that is Babylon the great city w^ch Beast w^ch ascendeth out of the abyss that is y^e Beast on w^ch the Woman whore of Babylon sitteth, & this Beast reig acts in the streets of the great City, that is in the provinces of the great city Babylon w^ch reigneth over the kings of the earth, & this city is spiritually called Sodom in relation to the fornication w^ch the kings of the earth commit w^th the great Whore, & Egypt in relation to y^e Dragon. who p For the two-horned Beast deified the other Beast & caused the people of the Dragons kingdom to worship thi{s}|e| Image \of that Beast & {sic}/ & receive his mark. It is also called the city where our Lord was crucified, that is, \or/ the great Antichrist{,}{;} the city of the twelve tribes in a state of apostasy & rebelli{a}|o|n & enmity against Christ, the city w^ch was drunken with the blood of y^e martyrs of Iesus, the not the holy city but the city of \Antichristian Iews/ the synagogue of Satan who say they are Iews & are not but \&/ tread underfoot the holy city & worship the Beast & his Image in the outward court of the Temple, & crucify the Lord afresh.

When the Empire became Christian it magnified it {&} the Emperors (C{l}{h}|o|nstantine & his sons) began to reign over the Church as the head thereof then the little horn magnified it self to the Prince of the host. \{sittin} beginning to sit in the Temple of God & to magnify himself above eve{ry}{n} God/ And it took away the daily worship & cast down the place of his sanctuary. thes|a|t is of the sanctuary of his people the Christians. For y^e Prince of y^e host is Iesus Christ. \ground./ –This it did in|by| persecuting the Church & especially in the \vehement & lasting/ persecution of Dioclesian. Then it magnified it self to the Prince of the host, When or throne of Iesus Christ sitting in the temple of God & magnifying himself above every God. When the Empire became X^tian – – – – – – above every God host is Iesus Christ. And an Host or Church \[the Church/ represented in the Apocalyps by the two horned Beast .|]| was given it by means of transgression

|Dioclesian:| as is represented also in the Apocalyps by the Dragons casting down some of the stars to the gro{u}{w}nd w^th his tail drawing the third part of the stars of heaven w^th his tail & casting them to y^e earth. Then \it/ magnified it self to the Prince of the host – –

It is observable also that the war of the Romans upon the Iews by whereby the daily sacrifice of y^e Iews was taken away commenced in spring A.C. 67 & the doctrine of transubstantiation was established (w^ch completed the setting up of the abomin{a}tion of desolation) was established

The Atlantides (according to Diodorus l 3 c 4) related that Vranus was their first King & reduced them from a savage course of life & {illeg}|c|aused them to dwell in towns & cities & use & lay up the fruits of y^e earth & to do may {sic} other things usefull to life & that he reigned over a great part of y^e world & by his wife Titǽa had many \eighteen/ children among w^ch were Hyperion & Basilea the parents of Helios & Selene, that the brothers of Hyperion slew him & drowned Helio in the Ne|i|le & divided the Kingdom amongst themselves, & |y^t| the co{n}|u|ntry p|b|ordering upon the ocean fell by lot to Atlas from whom the people were called Atlantides. By Vranus, Hyperion & Helio I understand Ammon, Sesach \Osiris/ & Orus, & by the sharing of the kingdom among of Hypereon amongst his brothers I understand that division of the earth among the Gods mentioned in the Poem of Solon

The Oriental nations reccon, the kingdom of Pischdadians to th in Persia to be the oldest of all the kingdoms in Persia. They tell us us {sic} that there were 11|0| Kings \seven/ successive kings in this kingdome some of w^ch lived a thousand years a piece, & that in the reign of the last of them called Nodar, Persia was invaded \& conquered & slain/ by Afrasiab king of Turquestan \or Scythia/ beyond the river Oxus. But Afrasiab was repulsed & beaten back beyond that river by Zab or Zoub a Prince of the race of the fr|o|rmer kings of Persia & after a while returned with \a/ potent{e} a{m}|rm|y from Turquestan & overcame & slew Gustasp the son of Zab & conquered all Persia.|,| & put an end to the reign of y^e Pish|c|hdadiens. |But after a few years was diven {sic} out again by the assistance of the Medes, but returning with a fresh army was routed & slain in the mountains of Med{i}a.| The name of Afrasiab or AFarsiab, they say, was given him from his conquering Persia. He seems to be the Madyes or Medus of Herodotus & Iustin       or rather another a contemporary Prince of the Scythians who invaded Parthia & P{e} from the river Oxus invaded th the eastern parts of Persia while Madyes from y^e western side of the Caspian invaded the Medes & Assyrians. |For| these kin Pischdian kings seem to have reigned in the north-eastern parts of Persia bordering upon the river Oxus or Iaxartes while the kings of Assyria reigned at Nineveh, & to have founded the [the Scythians or Vsbe Tartars who conquered them reigned but a few years being Being driven out of Persia by the Medes before the {illeg} in the life time of Afrasiab, &

|– many years.| But if \you should think that/ the Senate & people of Rome {were to} who made Charles \their/ Emperor. were at that time too mean a dominion to be recconed one of the ten horns or if \that/ the Romans & their \new/ Emperor \ought to/ be considered as one dominion w^ch was rather exalted in dominion then depressed by having this change: |or that y^e Pope was not yet risen up to his greatness so as to reign over the {hor} (for the new Emperor was his superior.)|: you may cansider this \{new}/ dominion now hea of the Romans now headed by the western Emperors as one of the \{illeg}ten/ horns & the last of the three whom the Pope humbled horn w^ch remained to be humbled & brought into subjection by the Pr|o|pe. For these new Emperors continued superior to the Pope till the days of Pope Gregory VII & Henry IV the Emperor Henry IV. But this Pope th Excommunicated \& deposed/ the Emperor Henry y^e fourth, \w^th all his adherents & deposed him/ absolving his subjects from their allegiance, & caused when the Elector{ex} forbad all temporal Princes to meddle with the investitures |when he had taken off the first excommunication he excommunicated him a second time & forbad all invest| all temporal p|P|rinces to meddle with investitures & entirely shook off all the dominion of the Emperors over the Sea of {Ro Rom} city & Prophet of Rome. For these new Emperors continued superior to the Popes till the days of Pope Greg. VII. But this Pope A.C. 1|0|76 \I{n}{u}dict 14/ Excommunicated & deposed \& deposed/ the Emperor Henry IV & absolved his subjects from their allegiance{.} And two years after in other Councils he excommunicated many that opposed him & decreed that none of the Clergy should receive investitures of Bishoprics, Abbies, or Churches from Emperors kings or Kings or any of the laity under pain of excommunication. And the next year, A.C. 1079 he {illeg} establishe decreed the doctrine of transubstantiation. While these things were doing the Germans had elected a new Emperor Rudolphus, & the Pope meeting the Emperor Henry in Lombardi{illeg}|y| had taken off the excommunication but not restored the him to y^e Empire. But the next year A.C. 3|1|080 the Pope |in another Council at Rome| excommunicated the Emperor Henry him a second time & w with all his adherents & deposed him again & absolved his subjects from their allegiance a second time & granted established Rodolphus in the throne of the Empire & granted to all that should adhere to him benedicti absolution from all their sins & benediction both in this life & in that w^ch is to come & cl concluded the sentence w^th these words. Agite nunc quæso Patres & Principes sanctissimi ut omnis mundus intelligat et cognoscat, quia sicut potestas in {cælo}{cœlo} ligare et solvere, potestis in terra Imperia Regna Principatus Ducatus Marchias Comitatus & omnium hominum possessiones pro meritis tollere unicui & concedere. And henceforward the bishop of Rome began to had{illeg} a look more stout then his followers.

After Daniel – – –

And the said Master or his Deputy shall pay unto such Officers or Workmen that shall be employed in making sever of the several gold & silver pieces round before they are sized & for the marking the edges of them with letters & grainings & for the keeping in repair all the Rollers & Instruments to cut flatten make round & size the pieces & to mark the edges of the moneys with letters & grainings & all other Tools Engines & Instruments, such allowance as shall be directed \from tim/ from time to time as shall be directed by the High Treasurer or Comm^r of the Treasury for the time being not exceeding the summ of six pence for every pound weight Troy of the said silver moneys gold moneys & the summ of three half pence for every pound weight Troy of the said silver moneys gold moneys & the summ of three half pence for every pound weight Troy of the said Silver moneys as also for the making labour & expences therein.

Rome was governed by a Duke under the exarch of Ravenna till the year 7 reign of the Emperor Philippicus A.C. 711. This Emperor for declaring against the worship of Images \w^ch had been long overspreading the Greek Empire/ was excommunicate{d} by Pope Constat|n|tine & the people of Rome were|being| {illeg}|st|irred up by the pope to receive neither \his {sic}/ Letters nor his money from him {&} against him, the Pope w^th their consent & by their command decreed that neither his \the Emperors/ letters nor his money should be received, nor his image \statue/ as was the custome should be brought into y^e Church, nor his name be published p{u} proclai{m}ed upon pu in sacred solemnities because he was a heretick \within the Dutchy/. And Whereupon all Italy {illeg} w the City of Ravenna \also/ revolted & slew \Iohn/ the Exarch & all Italy was in expectation unsel|t|led \in expectation of greater changes a revolution./ The next year one Peter came from the Emperor Philippicus to be Duke of Rome & advanced w^th an armed force but was met by a body of the Romans & beaten back. And henceforward the Dutchy of Rome remained in the hands of the senate & people of Rome. In the year 726 the Pope excommunicated the E Greek Emperor Leo Isaurus upon the same account as was mentioned above & the city Ravenna revolted & slew |But the next year Philippicus being dead, Peter was received into Rome upon an oath that he would consult their advo welfare. After this in the year 726 the Emperor Leo Isaurus to put a stop to the worship of Images called a Council meeting of Councellours & B^ps in his Palace & by their advice put out an edict against that worship & wrote to Pope Gregory the second that a general Council might be called. But the Pope thereupon calling a Council at Rome confirmed the worship of Images excommunicated the Greek Emperor & absolved his subjects in Italy from their allegiance| & absolved the people of Italy from their allegiance & forbad them to pay tribute or otherwise to be obedient to him the Emperor & the Romans \people of/ Rome |&| Campania Ravenna & those{illeg} Ravenna & the Pentapolitans revolted & threw off \laid violent hands upon/ their magistrates, killing the Exarch Paul at Ravenna, \&/ blinding Peter at Rome, & Exhileratus Duke of Campania when he \invading Campania when Exhileratus Duke of Campania/ incited the people against the Pope was invaded by the Romans & slain \invaded Campania & slew him/ with his son Hadrian. [And henceforward the Dutchies \following {l}/ of Rome & \part of the duchy of/ campania remained in the hands of the Senate & people of Rome. [ Then the \a new/ Exarch Eutychius coming to Naples sent sent {sic} some secretly to take away the lives of the Pope & the nobles of Rome ] {Th}] \but the plot being discovered the people of Romans revolted {intirely} absolutely from the Emperor/ & took a oath to be faithful to y^e preseve {sic} the life of the Pope & be faith to defend their state & be obedient to its authoty {sic} in all things. Thus Rome & its Dutchy revolted from the Thus Rome w^th its Dutchy & \including/ part of y^e Dutchy of \Tuscia &/ campania revolted & {illeg} became a free state \under the governm^t of y^e Senate of {illeg} the City/. & the [The towns w^ch revolted & became subject to this state were Rome, Portus Cent w^th its castels towns & villages in Tuscia the parts of Tuscia viz^t Postus, Circumcellæ, Cæræ, Bleda, Manturanum, Sutrium, Nepet, Castellum Gallesij, Orta, Polimartium Ameria Tuter Perusia Harnier|a|, & Ocriculi, & in the parts of Latium Signia, Anagnia, Ferentinum Alatrium Patricum F{rus}ino Frusino & Tibur & in the region of Campania Sora Arces Aquinum Teanum & Capua.] At that time the Lombards also being zealous for the wosship {sic} of Images & pretending to favour the cause of the Pope invaded the cities of the Exarchate.

At length Pope Zechary . . . . . . . . . . And this the second kingdom w^ch fell before the little horn.

In the year 796 Po Leo III being made Pope, sent notified his election to Charles the great by this Legates |sending to him for a present the golden keys of the confession of S^t Peter & the banner of the City| & desired Charles to /send\ some of his Princes to Rome who might subject the Roman people to him & bind them to this subjection by oath, as {as} is thus mentioned \by Sigonius &/ by an anonymous Poet published by Boeclerus at Stran|s|burg|.| in the{se} words |The words of the Poet are|

[For it seems the Romans at this time {,} looked upon themselves as a free & soveraing people like th & bearded the Pope like old Romans under there Senate, & that the upon the Pope not as their \lawful/ Prince but as the bishop of their city \who was asurping an unjust power over them/. For the next year upon an about two \or the|r|ee/ years after they raised so great tumults against \him/ as gave occasion to a new state of things a|i|n all the west. For two \or three/ years after some of them \Clergy/ accusin|ed|g him of certain crimes, of \& betrayea|d|ssisted w^th \him to/ an armed force which of the {illeg}|Rom|ans w^ch/ seized him, & impris stript him of his sacerdotal habit & imprisoned him in a monastery. But by the assistance of some friends he made his escape & came to fled \into France Germany/ to Charles the great \☉/ ||☉| & complained of |y^e| Romans for acting against him out of a design of throwing off the authority of the Church & recovering \their ancient liberty/|. And of the Romā \Romans/ who accused him seized his possessions w^th an armed force seized the & sent the accusation into France to Charles, & before the end of the yeare Charles & the Pope went \sent the Pope back/ to Rome w^th \the Pope &/ an armed force & called a Council to heare the cause. & sen upon a day appointed presided in a Council of Italian & French Bishops to hear both parties. But when the Popes adversaries expected to be heard the Council declared that he who was the supreme Iudge of all men was above being judged by any other then himself. And thereupon And the Pr Princes \Nobles/ & Bishops of France who accompanied the Pope examined {{illeg}|th|}e \chief of the/ accusers & sent them into France in custody. And the next year Charles himself went to Rome & upon a day appointed presided in a Council of Italian & French Bishops to hear both partes|ie|s. But when the Popes adversaries expected to be heard the Council declared that he who was the su <11v> preme judge of all men was above being judged by any other then himself. And thereupon the Pope made a solemn declaration of his innocense. And \a few the next day|s| after/ the people of Rome looking upon themselves with their senate as a free people end{u}ed with a power of {illeg} appointing a commander of their forces like {illeg} \to whom the ancient rights of the Romans were legally descended,/ voted Charles their Emperor & subjected themselves to him in such a manner as the old Romans with their senate were subject to the old Roman Emperors, & the Pope crowned him & adored \did did ob/ him obeisance \annointed him & & {sic} worshipped him/ \w^th the people/ after |y^e| manner due to \of adoring/ y^e old Roman Emperors, [& the Emperor mutually took the following oath to y^e Pope ....... December A.C. 800.] as the said Poet thus mentions

And the Emperor mutually \took/ the following oath to the Pope ....... December A.C. 800. \The Emperor was also made Consul ①|②| of Rome & his son Pipin king of the Romans. And henceforward ②|①|/ And henceforward \&c/ the Emperors effigies was put upon the Coins of Rome & the election of the Pope was \to be/ approved by the Emperor as in y^e times of the old Roman Empire & \①/ the Emperor stiled himself Carolus serenissimus Augustus a Deo coronatus, magnus, pacificus, Romæ gubernans imperium \& was prayed for in the Churches at Rome/. \③/ Hitherto the right of the Roman Empire had been in the Greek Emperors but now by this act was translated to y^e kings of France. A few days after this act the enemies of the Pope were sentenced to be \death/ beheaded & some say that they \those of the Clergy/ were pardoned at y^e inc|t|ercession of the Pope \& only banished, into France/, others that ^e[3] |but| three hundred of them \Romans (as {some}/ were beheaded in one day in the Later{in} field. Which makes it probable that some were beheaded others only banished. And after this Charles spent the winter in ordering the affairs \both civil & ecclesiastical/ of Rome & the |{As}| Church & Apostolic sea & all Italy, both civil & ecclesiastical \& in making new laws for them/ & then returned the next summer into France; & hearing that his new laws were not observed either \in Italy/ by the Iudges in {dom his} giving sentence dictating the law giving se declaring the law nor by the people in hearing it wrote to his son Pipin{{illeg}|g|} king of Italy under him to s & that y^e great men took servants from free men & from the Churches & monasteries to labour in their vineyards & fields & pastures & houses & exacted continued to exact cattel & wine of them & to oppress those that served the churches, wrote to his son Pipin who was then \made/ king of the Romans under him to remedy these abuses take care of the Church & see that his l{illeg}|aw|s be executed. And thus the Romans who were conspiring to {illeg} assert their ancient liberty & property & to bring the bishop of Rome into subjection & by consequence to invade seize \invade/ his possessions as belonging to the{m} the senate & people of Rome by ancient right were overcome by the Pope & forced to subject themselves to the kings of France as their Emperor & to receive his laws. And the|i|s commonw{e}alth of y^e Romans I take to be the third king w^ch was overcome by the little horn. For the old Roman Empire was a king in the sense of Daniels prophesies as well when it was \in the form of/ a{n} commonwealth as when it was reduced to a monarchical form of government under its Emperors. And \tho/ it was not so great dominion at|s| that of y^e Exarchate or of that of y^e Lombards, yet it was {it} in some respects as considerable. It claimed the right & authority of y^e ancient senate & people of r|R|ome w^ch {illeg} was the power of the fourth Beast. |It was allowed by its enemies the Pope & Emperor to have the power of making an Emperor: w^ch was a greater power then that of {crea} the other kingdoms.| It was very lasting: for its government by a senate continued first \first/ under the western Emperors then under the Ostrogoths, afterwards under the Exarch & then in a free state till the Pope subjected it to the french king, under whose successors it continued till about the year \Charles the great/ after w^ch time the senate & people of \Rome/ maintained their civil rights \in some measure/ against the Pope till afte the year 1460 or longer. And the victory of the Pope over this It was the dominion of the city in w^ch the little horn was to reign & w^ch was therefore to be subdued & brought under before the by the little horn. & by the \And/ the victory of the little horn over this king is was attended {be} w^th greater consequences then the victories over either of the other two horns & finished the work which those two victories had begun. For it set up the western Empire w^ch continues to this day; {illeg}it secured Peter's patrimony to y^e Pope, w^ch Patrimony was the kingdom of the little horn: & it set up the Pope above all humane judicature, & gave him a look more stout then his fellows. & When the Pope \in favour of Saint worship/ revolted from the Greek Emperor & began to set up for himself, he humbled these three kings in his rise \in rising up/ he overcame these three kings who stood in {the} way & opposed him, & by humb overcoming them \he rose up &/ became a temporal kingdom & by consequence a horn of the Beast. And in token that he is a king as well a bishop he wears the crowns of three kingdoms upon his head in for{m} of a triple crown & carries the keys of the cities of the two first kingdoms in his hand. And being exalted above kings & declared by a Council above all humans judicature & the supreme judge of all men he has reigned ever since w^th a peculiar soul & a look more stout then his fellows, & by setting up the worship of images \the abomination of desolation/ he has changed times & laws.

His kingdom they call Peters patrimony . . . . . . . . . . . should serve him.

The Popes effigies {sic} was also set upon the reverse of the Roman coins & some say that the custome of kissing his toe was now began at this time, others that it began earlier for kings & Emperors to kiss the Pope{'s} \feet/ bega{r}|n| in the time of eight century &

A few days after this act the enemies of the Pope were enqui sentenced to death. These were 300 noble Romans & two or three of the Clergy. At the intercession of the Pope the Clergy were pardoned & banished into France & some say that the 300 Romans were be{illeg} beheaded in one day in the Lateran field.

And its further observable that the custome of kissing the Popes feet began about this time. [The Emperor Constantine kist the foot of Pope Constantine A.C. 710. Luitprand king of Lombardy kist the feet of Pope Stephen A.C.] There are some instances of it in y^e eighth century. And Platin{a}{æ} tells us that the feet of Pope Leo IIII were kissed according to ancient custome by all that come to him. {H}is reign began A.C. 847. And some say that Leo III pretending that his hand was infected by the kiss of a woman, {illeg} began y^e custome of kissing his feet.

It elected the Pope & the Emperor & in electing the Emperor was acknowledged to be the remainder of the old Roman Empire represented in this prophesy by the Beast, & by consequence a little Empire. It remained under the government of its Senate till the year 1460 or longer. It was the dominion of the city . . . . then his fellows

– from the king of the Lombards. His {f} One of his crowns was given him by Clodovæus king of the kings king of the Franks as above. This crown has no relation to the Exarchate or kingdom of Lombardy. It was given him as Prince or Bishop of Rome & after his subduing that city he deserved to weare it as a king \For his effigies stampe{r|d|} upon the {rom} Roman coins denotes him a king of that city/. The other two crowns came to him w^th the \two k{e} golden keys upon the/ conquest of the Exarchate & kingdom of Lombardy. & the two keys of their cities

The When Charles m|w|as made Emperor the Empire comprehended France Italy Pannonia Germany & part of Spain & continued entire about 40 or 42 years & the{n} brake in pieces

After the death of Charles the great his son & successor Ludovicus Pius A.C. 817 at the request of the Pope ^a[4] confirmed \in writing under an oath/ the donation of his father Grandfather & father to the See of Rome; naming \in the first place/ Rome w^th its Dutchy extending into Tuscia & Campania, & in the next place the Exarchate of Ravenna with Pentapolis & in the third place what was taken from the Lombards, to hold them of the Emperor \for the use of the Church/ sub integritate intirely without the Emperors intermedling therewith or with the jurisdiction \or power/ of the Pope therin unless called thereunto in certain cases. And t|T|his ratification the Emperor |made| in writing under an oath. And by \vertue of/ these Grants the Popes \in their co/ imitated the Kings of the Ostragoths: {|.|} they \who For acknowledging that they held of the {last} Emperor/ coyned money w^th the head of the|at| Eastern Emperor on one side & their own on y^e other, by & \For/ the Pope did \made/ the like \ackn./ to the western Emperors

In the year 536 Belisarius made war upon the Goths in Italy & in three years conquered them, but being recalled by the Greek Emperor the Goths took up arms again & revived the war for a time & in this contention Rome was almost dispeopled & laid in ruins. And the Lombards A.C. 568 invading Italy, took from the Pope the Alpes Cottiæ & restored them not till the reign of Pope Iohn VI A.C. 704. In the year 569 the Greek Emperor sent an Exarch to reside at Ravenna & govern his dominions in Italy & oppose the Lombards. And henceforward Rome \with the cities under it with its territoris/ was governed by a Duke under the Exarch till the ^{illeg} year 711, & the Pope had nothing to do with the city \or Dukedom/ in temporal affairs. /But the senate of the city continued under the Duke as it had done formerly under {illeg}its Emperors.\

In the year 711 the Greek Emperor Philippicus for declaring –

The first was an acknowledgm^t of the Popes holding the cities of the Exarchate & Lombardy by the grant of Charles, the latter was a signification that Charles should subdue the {coun}{illeg} Council & people of Rome as he had done the Exarchate & \the/ kingdom of the Lumbards. For the Pope at the same time desired Charles to send some of his Princes to subdue the \to Rome/ who might subject

{–} who had hitherto elected their bishop, & recconned that they \& their Senate/ inherited the anci rights of the ancient Romans & their Senate, voted Charles their Emperor

He thought to change times & laws by De{t}|c|retall Epistles in his rise, & after \when/ he had overcome all his adversaries, & particularly \by overcoming/ the three kings by had gained a temporal Dominion & was set up above all humane judicature{,} the times & laws were given into his hands & he reigned in this prosperity a time times & half a time before they began to take away his dominion.

This period is the same with that of the woman in the wilderness Apocalyps who was nourished in her place in the wilderness a time times & half a time or 1260 day{s} & with that of her Beast who continued 42 months & with that of the Gentiles treading under foot the holy City \& outward court of the second Temple/ 42 months, & with that of the two witnessesses {sic} (or two of the seven Candlesticks) prophesying in the sackcloth 1260 days untill great Babylon beginns to fall. These {Lo} Witnesses are called two candlesticks. \For/ The first Temple was illuminated with seven lamps in seven golden Candlesticks, & when {sic} \Vpon/ the \wh{re}{n}/ it fell, \five/ of the first Temple five of the Candlesticks a|we|re removed for not repenting; \&/ the other two, w^ch represented the primitive Church in times of affliction remain w^th their lamps to illuminate \in/ the second Temple to illuminate it w^th their lamps \all the time of their prophesying in sackcloth,/, & are called two \witnesses & two Candlesticks/ from their first number of affliction, remain|ed| in the second Temple to illuminate it with their lamps, & are called two Witnesses two Prophets & two Candlesticks from their first number. So \then/ the time times & half a time are three times or years & an half, or 42 months or {illeg} 1260 days recconing with the ancients twelve \calendar/ {m}onths to a year & 30 days to a calendar month. And the days of short lived Beasts are|being| put for the years of long lived B|K|ingdoms, thes \the/ period of 1260 years if dated from the complete conquest of the three kings \A.C. 800/ will end in the year of Lord 2060. But it may end later & [it is not for us to know the times & seasons w^ch God hath put in his own breast.] |I mention this period not to assert it, but only to shew that there is little reason to expect it earlier, & thereby to put a stop to the rash conjecture|s| of Interpreters who are frequently assigning the time of the end, & thereby bringing the sacred Prophesies into discredit as after as {sic} the|ir| {illeg} projections do not come to pass. It is not for us to know the times & seasons w^ch God hath put in his own breast|

Before the rise of the ten horns the \B^p of Rome/ began to rise up \over the western Empire/ as a Bishop or High Priest & endeavoured to change ga by Decretal Epistles to gain the power of changing times & laws, but had not yet a kingdom. The \imperial/ city in which he \resided &/ acted as High Priest was not yet his own. And when \the/ ten kings rose up they were almost all of them of a different religion from himself & did not submit to his pow authority in matters of religion till many years after the{ir} rise of the ten horns, their rise, {sic} Nor did he begin to rise up as a horn of the Beast till be began to aquire a temporal dominion or kingdom distinct from the {ten}{kin} of distinct from those of the other ten horns, & this was not t|b|efore he rose up w^th a temporal dominion, {,} the city & country where he reigned became his own, & he rose up above all humane judicature & times & laws were thenceforwards given into his hand, & he was to reign in this prosperity a time, two times, & half a time, that before they should begin to take away his dominion. |For his dominion is to be taken away by degrees & consumed unto the end.|

This period is the same with that of the woman

This period of a time times & half a time is the same with that of \the reign of/ the woman in the Apocalyps,|.| who \She/ was nourished in her place in the wilderness a time times & half a time.|,| It {is} & it \this period/ is there put equal to 1260 days. It is also the same with that of her Beast who continued 42 months, & with that of the Gentiles who trode under foot the holy city & the outward Court of the second Temple 42 months, & with that of the two Witnesses prophesying in sackcloth {illeg} 1260 days. These Witnesses are called two Candlesticks to signify that they are two of the seven golden Candlesticks. For the first Temple ({o}representing the primitive Church cathalick {sic}) was illuminated with seven lamps in seven <13v> golden Candlesticks \✝ < insertion from the top of f 14r > ✝{(} w^ch appeared like a rod of seven starrs in the right hand of our great High Priest while he dressed them. ) . {sic} These \Lamps/ were kindled by the preaching of the Apostles, & while they continued to shine bright /The\ w^ch \there was no need of dressing them. And this/was during the opening of thi|e|s four four|irs|t first \four/ Seales,|.| \So long/ the temporal affairs of the Empire are only described. So long The Empire continued between Dioclesian & Maximianus: & then the Church began to lose her first love & grow luke warm, as is described by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History L   c.      And t|w|hen \the Church began to decline/ Christ in the form of the dressed the lamps that they might shine brighter & this he did by {hi} sending admonitions|ry| to her under the type of Epistles to the Angels of the seven Churches|.| of Asia Five of the Churches are admonished to repent & for not repenting were upon the falling of the first Temple \soon after to be/ removed out of their places & spewed out of Christ{'s} mouth, & became the Woman in the wilderness \& received the mark of the Beast/ The other two \(viz^t the Churches of Smy\r/na & Philadelphia)/ w^ch had represented the primitive Ch{i}|r|rch {sic} {illeg}in times of affliction & persecution & were faultless, are sealed with name of God in their foreheads, {sic} \& preserved from the hour of temptation w^ch came upon all the world to try them/ & continue to worship in the second Temple & prophesy there 1260 days in Sackcloth, being the remnant of the womans seed w^ch keep the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus. were to be preserved from the hour of temptation w^ch was to come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth, & to be sealed with the seale of God in their foreheads. Vntill this division the whole Church of God is represented by seven golden candlesticks in the first Temple, & by the glorious woman in heaven. Vpon this division the Woman flyes from the Temple on Mount Sion into the Wilderness of Arabia {in}|&| at length arrives at her place in|of| riches & honour & dominion in the great city Babylon seated on seven hills & there|nc|e \forward/ continues 1260 days to rain|eign| 1260 days in cloathed in scarlet. And when she flyes into the wilderness she leaves a remnant of her seed upon mount Sion who keek|p| the commandments of God & have the testimony of Iesus. And these are they who the 144000 who stand on mount Sion with the Lamb of God & on the sea of glass & worship |are measured| in the second temple where they worship & are called the two witnesses & the \two/ Olive Trees & two Candlesticks, viz^t those two w^ch remained after the other five were removed by the flight of the woman woman fled into the wilderness & by her flight the other five were removed out of their places. < text from f 13v resumes > /, & when she began to decline she was admonished under the type of Epistles to {f} the Angels of \five of/ the Churches represented f|b|y five of the Ch Candlesticks, to repent; & for not repenting those Candlesticks upon the fall of the {illeg} first Temple were removed out of their places, & the other two Candlesticks w^ch had represented the primitive Church in times of affliction & persecution \& fault ther|y|/ remained with their lamps to illuminate the second temple, & are called two Witnesses two Prophets & two Candlesticks from their first number. So then the time times & half a time are 42 months or 1260 days or three years & an half; recconing twelve months to a years|e| & 30 days to a month as was done in the Calendar of the primitive year. And the days of short lived Beasts bie|ei|ng put for the years of lived kingdoms, the period of 1260 days, if dated from the complete conquest of thre|e| three kings A.C. 800, will end A.C. 2060. It may end later, but \and but/ I see no reason for its ending sooner. And This I mention not to assert when the time of the end shall be, but to put a stop to the rash conjectures of fansifull men who are frequently predicting the time of the end, & by doing so bring the sacred prophesies into discredit as often as their predictions fail. Christ comes as a thief in the night, & it is not for us to know the times & seasons w^ch God hath put into his own breast.

The second & third Monarc Empire represented by the Bear & Leopard are again represented by the Ram & He Goat: but with this difference that the Ram signif represents the kingdom of the Medes & Persians from the beginning of the four Empires & the Goat represents the Kingdom of the Greeks to the end of them those \four/ Empires. And by this means under monarchies \Empires/ are again {illeg}|d|escribed. I lifted up mine eyes, saith Daniel, & saw, & behold there stood

assisted him in subduing the City & Dutchy of Rome. By the conversion of the barbarous nations to the Roman religion the Pope only enlarged his spirituall dominion & did not yet become rise up as a horn of the Bee|a|st. It was {t}|his| temporal kingdom w^ch made him one of the horns. And this kingdom he \{illeg}/ |a|a|c|quired by subduing in the latter half of the eighth century by subduing three of the former horns as above. And now being arrived at a power above all humane judicature, {on} times & laws were given into his hand during three times & an half or 1260 years. After w^ch the Iudgement shall |is to| sit & they shall take away his dominion (not at once but by degrees) to \consume & to/ destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom & dominion unde \& the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven {sic}/ under the whole heaven shall (by like degrees) be given unto the people of the most high God saints of the most h|H|igh whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, & all dominions shall serve & obey him.

When the ten kings begin to hate the great Whore, the two Witnesses rise from the dead; & when Babylon is fallen is fallen, the two Witnesses ascend up to heaven in a cloud with the everlasting Gospel to preach & \soon after/ ascend up to heaven in a cloud with the everlasting Gospel to preach to all nations.

The time times & half a time are in the Apocalyps called forty & two months & 1260 days putting a day for a year. At the end of this period the ten kings begin to hate the great whore & eat her flesh \& burn her with fire/ & the two Witnesses rise from the dead & stand on their feet & soon after ascend up to heaven in a cloud (or great multitude) with the everlasting Gospel to preach to all to all {sic} nations, admonishing them to worship God who made the heaven & earth & forbear worshipping the Beast & his Image. And then the tenth part of the great City falls (or chief of the ten kings,|)| & an Angel proclaims Babylon is fallen is fallen {sic}. And then the seventh Trumpet sounds to the battel of the great day, & the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms \of Christ/ & the Iews are converted \&/ return into their own land & receive dominion over the nations of the four Monarchies & the time of the dead is come that they should begin to rise again & be judged, & judgment begins at the house of God {illeg} & {illeg} invisibly to morals &c., & after a thousand years God {sic} & Magog are subdued & the rest of the dead begin to ag rise again & be judged. For Christ must raign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. judge both the quick who continue on earth in mortal bodies & the dead who are raised again to life, & must raign till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

– we are to look for a power w^ch rose up out of one of the four \horns/ & was less then any of them, & continued so till [the dominion of the Goat should be taken away] he should rise up \& grow mightier then any of them/ & grow mighty by another power then that of the Goat by a \forreign/ power w^ch should reign over him & by consequence \all/ over \all/ the Goa nations represented \by him after he was grown great, that is/ by the body of the Goat in the reign of this his last horn, \&/ that {illeg}\by consequence/ by the power w^ch took away the dominion of the Goat. And this points at the power of the Romans.

And n|N|ow because he was a litte horn of the Goat & rose up out of one of his four horns we are to look for him out of {ro} among the nations w^ch composed the body of the Goat, & because he was a little |h|one|rn| we are to look for a kingdom which \at his first rise/ was less then any of the four horns. And because he grew mighty towards the south & towards the east & towards the land of delight: we are to look for a kingdom w^ch extende rose up in the north west of the Greek Empire & grew mighty or out of his north west horn & grew mighty towards the \by extende|i|ng his dominion/ over Egypt & Syria & Iudæa, & because he grew mighty but not by his own power we are to look for a power \under/ w^ch \he/ conquered all th{{illeg}|ose|} nations & this was the power of the Romans. When the The Leopard reigned in his four heads & four wings till his dominion was taken away, & when his dominion was taken away his life was prolonged. The Ram \He Goat/ reigned in his four horns till his dominion was taken away: for these horns signify the same kingdoms with the heads of the Leopard. The When their dominion was taken away the little horn |The little horn rose up in the latter time of the kingod|do|m of the four, & when he| grew mighty towards the south & towards the east & towards the pleasant land, not by then was the other dominion of the other \four/ horns taken away but by & this not by the power of the little horn \but/ by [the power by w^ch he grew he grew mighty.] another power w^ch assisted him the power by w^ch he grew migty {sic} towards the south & towards the east & towards the pleasant land, & {illeg}|the| power w^ch took away the dominion of the four <15r> horns & set up the dominion of this horn in the room of them; & that was the power of the Romans. The little horn was therefore to grow mighty by the power of the Romans. And such a horn was the kingdom of Pergamus. ^{[Editorial Note 4]} 2 He grew mighty towards the south & toward the east & toward the pleasant land & therefore he rose up in the north west quarter of those nations & conquered Egypt Syria & Iudæa.