The NOTES.

V. 1. IN Jeremy, chap. 46. Nebuchadnezzar King of Ba­bylon is said to overthrow the army of Pharaoh Ne­co King of Aegypt, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the Son of Josiah King of Judah, in which year toward the end there­of he took Jerusalem, and reduced Jehoiakim, and caused Da­niel, with others of the royal seed, to be carried captive to Babylon. Which year Jer. 25.1. is counted the first of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, because his Father then sent him [Page 4]with Regal authority against the King of Aegypt. But here in Daniel it is said to be the third year of Jehoiakim, reckon­ing from the death of Jehoahaz his brother, whom Pharaoh Neco had carried captive into Aegypt.

V. 2. The land of Shinar is the land of the Chaldeans, in which Babylon was situated. And the house of Nebuchad­nezzar's God is the Temple of Bel, the chief God of the Babylonians.

V. 3. Eunuchs is a Greek word, and signifies such as have the care committed to them of the Bed, and does not necessarily imply, being castrated or gelt. But for­asmuch as with the Kings of the East, part of their office was to watch over the behaviour of their women, they were ordinarily castrated, and this Aspenaz was the Master or chief of these Bed-chamber men, as I may so call them.

V. 4. Skilfull in the wisedom, knowledge and science they were educated in, in their own Countrey, and had an aptness to learn the Chaldean Arts and Language.

V. 5. Stand before the King, that is, wait on him and serve him.

V. 7. The giving new Names is a Note of Power and Dominion over the parties to whom they are given. Where­fore the Prince of the Eunuchs changes the name of Daniel, which signifies the judgment of God; of Ananias, the grace of God; of Mishael, the anointing of God; of Azariah, the help of God; into Belteshazzar, the treasurer of the Secrets of Bel; into Shadrach, propitious be Shad, or the Evil Spirit; into Meshach, one related to Sach, a God­dess of the Babylonians, as Grotius has noted, and into Abednego a servant of Venus or Lucifer. Which being thus miscalled, was no fault of these holy men, but theirs who thus miscalled them.

V. 8. The defilement from the King's meat and wine was from hence, that there was first part of them, to consecrate the rest, offered to their false Gods or Idols. So that it would look like the eating and drinking of things offered to Idols. Which these holy men under the dispensation of Moses justly scrupled.

V. 9. When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him, Prov. 16.7. And he was so well pleased with this abstinence of Daniel and the rest, that he enclined the heart of the Prince of the Eunuchs toward them.

V. 12, 13. This experiment that Daniel appeals to of eating pulse and drinking water ten days, is a sign of great faith in the blessing of God beyond the usual course of na­ture, upon so unlikely a method of growing fair and well liking. But temperance and devotion, and a chearfull dependence on God's blessing, even with mean Dyet, must contribute much to health and beauty, and a quick and de­licate air in the countenance. This is that which they Py­thagoreans called Philosophical Temperance, the Mother of that Wisedom which makes the face to shine, and nourishes the Souls Luciform Vehicle.

V. 15. Their countenances appeared more goodly and fair, and their flesh more sound and refreshed, though they fed of nothing but pulse and water, with Temperance and Devotion, and God's blessing thereupon, than did theirs who ate the portion of the King's meat.

V. 16. Upon this experiment Melzar forbore to bring them the King's portion of meat and wine, and set pulse onely before them.

V. 17. This was a Philosophical Temperance, as I said before, but yet mainly a religious abstinence upon their obedience to the Law of the God of Israel Which the said God rewarded with Knowledge and Skill in all learn­ing and wisedom in them all, but in Daniel peculiarly, with a faculty of interpreting Aenigmatical Dreams and Visi­ons.

V. 18. At the end of the days — that is to say, of the three years mentioned, v. 5.

V. 19. When the King had communed with them, and tried what Proficiency they had made in the learning of the Chaldeans, he found there were none of their fellows in that three years study that were comparable unto them: And therefore they were thought the fittest to serve the King.

V. 20. And not onely in the Wisedom of the Chaldees, but in all matters of Knowledge the King was pleased to try them in, he found them ten times more skilfull, not onely than those of their own Age and Form, as I may so speak, but than all the Hartummim and Asaphim, the Magicians and Wise men. (For Asaphim may seem to be the same with the Greeks Sophi, as Grotius would have it) of his whole King­dom.

V. 21. Daniel continued in grace and favour with the Kings of Babylon, and remained usually there till the first year of the absolute enlarged Monarchy of King Cyrus, which was upon the death of Darius Medus, the last King of Babylon, and Uncle unto Cyrus.

The NOTES.

V. 1. IN the fourth year of Jehoiakim (but third from the death of Jehoahaz) the Son of Josiah King of Judah, was Nebuchadnezzar sent with Regal power by his Father Nabopolasar against Pharaoh Necho King of Aegypt, whose army he overthrew near Carchemish, situated on the River Euphrates, Jer. 46. He being therefore then by his Father invested with Regal Power, that is accounted by Je­remiah and Daniel the first year of his Reign in some cases: But forasmuch as Nabopolasar, the Father of Nebuchadnez­zar, lived about a year after this, upon whose death Ne­buchadnezzar first founded the Babylonian Monarchy or Em­pire, the fifth year of Jehoiakim, counting from the death of Jehoahaz, is according to the Babylonian Compute the first year of the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar, and the sixth of [Page 13] Jehoiakim the second of Nebuchadnezzar; according to the Babylonian compute, which is here followed.

V. 2. The Magicians—The Original has it Hartum­mim, which derived from Heret, a graving tool or Harath, which is to grave, may properly denote such Magicians as pretend to doe feats by Telesmatical Characters engraven on Metals, &c. Astrologers, Asaphim, may haply signi­fie natural Philosophers, pretending to the skill of the Powers of Nature. Sorcerers, Mecassephim, i. e. down­right wizzards. And the Chaldeans, i. e. the rest of the Chaldean wise men, as they were thought. For it seems to be a name common to them all, V. 4.10.

V. 4. Then spake the Chaldeans to the King in Syriack, i. e. in Chaldee. Whereupon Daniel for reasons intima­ted in the Preface, writes the residue of this and the five following Chapters in Chaldee. Tell thy servants the dream, &c. Skill in the Onirocriticks or in interpreting Aenigma­tical dreams, it seems was one part of these Chaldeans pro­fession.

V. 5. Make known unto me the dream. This may seem an unreasonable demand of the King, but it is not unlikely that these Chaldeans had boasted so much of their skill be­yond the truth, that the King might be persuaded that their skill reached to the discovering what one dreamt, as well as the meaning of the dream, and so was here disappointed of his expectation.

V. 8. Would gain the time. You would shuffle me off, and delay me, hoping that I may divert my mind to other matters, and so forget to call to you again to perform your office in this.

V. 9. Lying and corrupt words. You juggle with me, and use deceitfull speeches to cover your own ignorance, that pretend to interpret any dream if it be but told you; whenas if you could infallibly interpret a Prophetick dream, you would be able to tell the dream it self also, which you confess you cannot: but I have told you again and again, that I cannot my self recall my dream to mind. But tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can shew me the [Page 14]interpretation, otherwise these are but tricks to delay, till the time be changed, i. e. till my affairs call me another way and make me regardless of this. So Vatablus.

V. 10. Not a man upon earth. This therefore hugely sets off that unexpected exploit of Daniel, that he could as well tell what the King dreamt, as the meaning of his dream, v. 28.

V. 11. Except the Gods. None could tell what the King dreamt, except those higher Elohim or Angels, who are so pure that they have no conversation with men, as the Aerial Genii or Daemons have, with whom these Chaldeans might pretend to have some familiarity. To this sense Grotius on the place.

V. 13. The Original has it, The decree went forth, and the wise men were slain, i. e. began to be slain, some of them were dispatched, and Daniel and his Fellows sought after, as being adopted into that order.

V. 15. He answered and said to Arioch. It may be so turned out of the Original; and the Seventy and the Vulgar Latine turn those Hebrew words that occur here, usually so. But it is very improper to make (Gnanah) to denote answering, when there is no mention made of any thing spoke, to answer to. The word (Gnanah) signifies simply to speak as well as to answer, which had been the more proper translation in this place. Elsewhere our English translation balks the ill example of the Seventy and the Vulgar Latine, chusing rather to use a Pleonasm, by ren­dring it, [He spake and said] than to make ill sense by say­ing [he answered] when nothing was said before to answer to, ch. 4. v. 30.

V. 16. Daniel in an holy faith and confidence in the assistence of the God of Israel, got access to the King, and not faultring and shuffling with him as the Chaldeans did, but declaring plainly, that by the help of his God, within a day or two he would shew the King both his dream which he had such a desire to recover into his mind, and also the in­terpretation thereof, did so asswage the wrath of the King, that he obtained his request, and had a time set him.

V. 18. Should not perish. The great and imminent dan­ger these pious persons were in, put them upon most ear­nest and sincere devotion, which being edged and invigo­rated by a firm faith, is prevalent even to the working of Miracles. See Jam. ch. 5. v. 17, 18.

V. 19. Then was. This was the miraculous effect of their faith and prayer, according to that of the Apostle. The fervent inspired prayer of a righteous man availeth much. In a Night-Vision, i. e. in a Vision by night, whe­ther waking or sleeping, each way divine, and assured by that spirit that exhibited it.

V. 20. Daniel being certain that this Nights Vision was from God, gives him praise and thanks, forasmuch as Wisedom and Might, that is, revealed Truth and Prophe­tick Fortitude, viz. an unshaken assurance thereof, which will enable one to profess it before the greatest Princes or Potentates, is a gift from him. Of this Prophetick For­titude, see R. Ben-Maimon, Mon Nevoch, Part 2. c. 38.

V. 21. Removeth Kings. Most of the matter of this Verse is suitable to the subject of the Vision following, com­prizing the Succession of the four famous Empires, which that night was revealed to him.

V. 22. The darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day, the darkness and the light to thee are both alike, Psal. 139. and so are easie and hard, clear and obscure things to his Omniscience, they are both alike.

V. 23. Wisedom and Might, i. e. Revealed Truth and Prophetick Fortitude, and Assurance as before, v. 20. Which Impress of the spirit is as certain as touch, or any of the senses.

V. 24. The wise men of Babylon. The word Hachamim here, which is wise men, is of such an indifferent sense, as the title of a Philosopher is, which sounds alike in all, when yet there is as much difference betwixt some Philosophies and other some, as there is betwixt Wisedom and Folly.

V. 25. To the King the Interpretation. Mention of the dream it self is both here and in the foregoing Verse omit­ted, [Page 16]when as yet the King seemed most solicitous what the dream it self was; but Daniel professing he knew the in­terpretation, implies he knew the dream also.

V. 27. Southsayers. This is a new name we met not with before. The Original is Gezerin from Gazar to cut up, because by the cutting open the entrails of beasts, they pretended to foretell things to come.

V. 28. 'Tis a piece of Candour and Humanity in Da­niel toward the Wise men of Babylon, whose skill it sur­passed to declare the King's dream, freely to profess to the King that it was merely the gift of the God of Heaven to him, not any humane art or wisedom of his own, that he was enabled to reveal this secret, and so impart it to the King.

V. 29. Thou wast anxiously thoughtfull on thy bed, touching the State of the Babylonian Empire and future change of things, and falling asleep, Providence cast thee into a dream that represented to thee future matters of great moment.

V. 30. But that this dream slipt out of thy memory should be revealed to me, it was no peculiar effect of any wisedom of mine above other mortals, but God imparted it to me that thou mightest acknowledge it to have been thine own thought occurring to thee in thy sleep, and that they that interpreted it to thee, may gain from thee more firm belief of the truth of their interpretation.

V. 31. Thou O King, when thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, and thou didst fall into the dream, whose revealment to me by the spirit of the most holy God shews it to be certainly divine, sawest and behold a great Image, or great Statue, as comprehending in it no less than the Succession of the four famous Empires. This great image whose brightness was excellent, it representing the splendour and glory of those Empires it did prefigure; Stood before thee. And the Form thereof was terrible, setting out thereby the great fear and awe these Empires cast the World into by their severity, violence and cruelty. For which cause in another Vision they are resembled to wild beasts.

V. 32. This Images head was of fine gold. The orderly Succession of those four famous Empires, Babylonian, Me­do-Persian, Greek and Roman (taken notice of because the concerns of the Church are complicated with their affairs, and for that their Succession extends from Daniel's time, to the blessed Millennium) is set out by the order of worth or pretiousness of the four known Metals, Gold, Silver, Brass and Iron, and by an orderly distribution of Man's body in­to four parts, the Head, the Breast with the armes, the Belly with the thighs, and the Legs with the feet and toes. Where the Head naturally takes the first place, and as na­turally the rest succeed in order. And it is plain here, that the Head is the Babylonian Empire. And, His Breast and his Armes of silver, is the Medo-Persian. Which con­sisting of two people, Medes and Persians, they are fitly represented by these two Armes, but with no mention of hands, of which the ten fingers would be the natural parts, because there was no division of the Medo-Persian Empire into ten Kingdoms, as there was of the Roman. His Belly and his Thighs of Brass. By this is understood the Greek Empire, which was one in Alexander, but after his death divided more notably and durably into the two Kingdoms of the Lagidae and Seleucidae, whose affairs also most con­cern'd the Church of the Jews.

V. 33. His Legs of Iron. Here begins the Roman Em­pire, suppose, upon Aemilius Paulus the Roman Consul his vanquishing of Perseus, the last King of Macedonia. And that Empire may very well be represented by the two legs, that state for many hundred years being most-what suppor­ted by the Supreme power of their two Consuls, which Consular power continued above an hundred years after the vanquishing Perseus King of Macedonia by Aemilius the Consul. Besides that there may be an allusion to the di­viding of the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western. His feet part of Iron, part of Clay; which feet imply the ten toes, which are parts of the feet, and therefore represent the Roman Empire divided into ten Kingdoms. Which ten Kingdoms are also prefigured by the ten Horns of the [Page 18]fourth Beast, chap. 7. And since the division of the Em­pire into ten Kingdoms was not till it had become Chri­stian, the Iron and Clay may fitly here denote the Secular power and Ecclesiastick, which Clay or Earth seems to be alluded to, Apoc. 12.16.

V. 34. Thou sawest till a stone was cut out without hands, i. e. Besides this Image and the four distinct Metalline parts thereof, thou sawest moreover a stone cut out with­out hands, no man with Axe or Gav-lock dislevering it. Which stone is Christ and his true Church, himself being born in a supernatural way by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, and his Church being raised and propagated in a supernatural way, by the assistence also of the Holy Spi­rit, by real Miracles, by unfeigned Sanctity, and by invin­cible Patience, and suffering for the Truth. Which smote the Image upon his feet which were of Iron and Clay, and brake them in pieces. This true Apostolick Church, which appeared with Christ and his Apostles, and so on in those pure Pri­mitive times, will at last strike the Image upon his feet, namely under the seventh Vial, or at that War of the Ri­der on the white Horse, wherein the Beast and the false Prophet (the Remainder of the Iron and degenerate Clay) are cast into a Lake of fire burning with brimstone, Apoc. 19.21.

V. 35. Then was the Iron, the Clay, the Brass, the Silver and Gold broken to pieces together, and became as the chaff of the summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them. This plainly answers to the casting of the Beast and false Prophet into the Lake of fire burning with brimstone. Both places signifie the utter a­bolishing all the Idolatrous tyranny remaining in the Roman Empire at that time, whether in the Secular or Ecclesiasti­cal Powers. But that then the Clay, Brass, Silver and Gold are said to be broken in pieces together, that is one­ly an Embellishing the external Cortex of the Vision, And the stone that smote the Image, became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth, that is. The true Apostolick Church purged from all Superstitious, Idolatrous and Tyrannical [Page 19]Principles and Practices will overspread the whole world in a manner. The Kingdoms of this world (as it is predic­ted in the Apocalypse) becoming the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ. This state of the Church may be termed Regnum Montis, the Kingdom of the Mountain, as Mr. Mede has well noted, as the State before this may be called, Regnum Lapidis, the Kingdom of the Stone.

V. 36. This is the Dream; which miraculously, and by the mere inspiration of the Spirit of the most High was communicated unto me, and which the King cannot deny but to have been his dream, which he was so desirous to recover into his mind. And we will tell the interpretation thereof before the King, which he may be sure is true and Divinely inspired, it being impossible any man should know the thoughts of another man, especially so strange and operose as these, unless he were inspired. Whence my declaring the dream ought to be lookt upon as a certain assurance of the truth of the interpretation, which is this.

V. 37. Thou, O King, art a King of Kings, i. e. The greatest King on earth, For the God of Heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power and strength, and glory. Thou hast a strong, potent and glorious Kingdom, and it is the gift of God unto thee, and therefore thou shouldst remember to govern as his Vicegerent.

V. 38. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, viz. the cultivated places of his Kingdom. The Beasts of the field, The desart places of Arabia and Africk, says Grotius. And the fowls of the heaven; Invious and inaccessible Rocks, where onely the fowls of heaven can nest, Hath he given into thy hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. All these diversities of the vast places of thy Kingdom art thou Lord over. And God having given thee so large an Em­pire, so prosperous and glorious, I declare unto thee, Thou art this head of Gold. Which is briefly and figuratively spoken by a Synecdoche or Metonymie, for, Thou art the Lord and Owner of it. From whence we may be assured, that the Head of Gold signifies the Babylonian [Page 20]Kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar being then King of Baby­lon.

V. 39. And after thee shall arise another kingdom infe­riour to thee. The first Empire comprized in this Image being thus evidently the Babylonian, it does naturally fol­low that the second must be the Medo-Persian, begun in Cy­rus; but in that this Medo-Persian Empire seems to be said to be inferiour or lesser than the Babylonian, though there was the Accession of Persia, and all the Acquists of Cyrus ad­ded thereto, this difficulty is to be solved out of the very text; where (to thee) seems on purpose put for (to thine) that the first head of this following Kingdom might be un­derstood to be more especially compared with him, in which there seems apparent odds. For Cyrus, the first head of the Medo-Persian Monarchy reigned not passing six or seven years (or but two or three according to some) in that enlarged Empire, whenas Nebuchadnezzar in his Ba­bylonian Empire reigned 43 years, for far the greatest part, most splendidly and prosperously, insomuch that the ex­cess of his prosperity cast him into that Septennial deli­rancy, out of which he was recovered, and gave praise to the God of Heaven. So that he had 36 years of clear pro­sperity in his Empire of Babylon. But Cyrus, as he reigned but a small time in the Medo-Persian Empire, so he was vanquished ingloriously by the hand of a woman Tomyris a Scythian Queen, who cut off his head and cast it into a ves­sel of bloud, saying, Satia te Cyre sanguine quem sitisti. And another third kingdom of Brass. This shews plainly that the golden, silver and brass part of the Image signifie three distinct Kingdoms, and no more. But now it is evi­dent in History, that as the Medo-Persian Empire succeeded the Babylonian, so the Macedonick or Grecian succeeded the Medo-Persian. For Alexander Macedo, after he had van­quished Darius Codomannus in his last battel at Arbela, trans­lated the Monarchy from the Medes and Persians, to the Grecks, about the third year of the hundred and twelfth Olympiad. Which shall bear rule over all the earth, 1 Maccab. 1. He made many Wars, and won many strong Holds [Page 21]and slew the Kings of the earth, and went through to the ends of the earth. See also Justin lib. 12.

V. 40. And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as Iron. That this fourth Kingdom is the Roman, is manifest from hence, that it succeeds the Greek Empire, which it may seem most properly first to seize upon, when Aemylius Paulus the Roman Consul had vanquished Perseus the last King of Macedonia. But about an age after, the Kingdoms of the Lagidae and Seleucidae, those two eminent parts or thighs rather of the Macedonick or Greek Empire, were subdued by the Romans. The last of the Seleucidae or Kings of Syria, Tigranes was vanquished by Pompey, and Syria re­duced into a Province; as also Aegypt by Augustus, when he had vanquished Antonius the husband of Cleopatra, daugh­ter of Ptolemaeus Auletes the last but one of the Lagidae or Kings of Aegypt. Whence it is plain, that the Roman suc­ceeds the Greek Empire, as the Greek the Medo-Persian, and that therefore this is the fourth Kingdom, prefigured by the Image of the four several Metals, and not the King­dom of the Lagidae and Seleucidae, during which the Stone cut out without hands did not happen, which yet was to happen within the duration of the four Empires signified by the Statue. Forasmuch as Iron breaketh in pieces and subdu­eth all things, and as Iron breaketh all these, viz. all these Metals of Gold, Silver and Brass, shall it, this Roman King­dom or Empire (not that of the Lagidae and Seleucidae) Break in pieces and bruise, the Countries and People which the Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Grecian Empires had ruled over.

V. 41. And whereas thou sawest the Feet and Toes. Here is mention made of Toes with the Feet, which justifies our exposition above, v. 33. But now we are come hither, we must remember we are come unto that period of the Roman Empire, when it was divided into ten kingdoms, which are intimated by the ten toes of the Statue, as they are by the ten horns of the Beast actually crowned, Apoc. 13. Which is the time that the two-horned Beast rises out of the earth. And why not out of a white clayie clammy earth, such as [Page 22]Potters make use of, as well as out of any other earth be­sides? Nor will any man, I think, while he considers that the Iron here signifies Men, a body Politick of them, stick to admit that this Clay does signifie so likewise. But there being so palpable a difference betwixt Iron and Clay, it is manifest there must be as great a difference betwixt those two bodies Politick, and therefore the Iron must be the Secular, the Clay the Ecclesiastick. As it is said of the Pa­pal Hierarchy, which is the little Horn, chap. 7.24. that that Horn or King shall be divers from the rest. Which diversification here betwixt the Secular and Ecclesiastick power signify'd by the Iron and Clay, need not be expressed in words, the Symbols themselves being so apparently different. Part of Potters Clay and part of Iron. This im­plies, that by that time the Empire was divided into ten Kingdoms, the Summa potestas began to be neither in the Secular power absolutely, nor in the Hierarchical, but they were so mingled together, that it was not complete or full, nor sure without the concurrence of both, the Ecclesiastick power getting such an hank upon the Secular in ordine ad spiritualia, the effects whereof within no long time appear­ed with a witness. The kingdom shall be divided, that is, The power will be divided or shared betwixt the Papal or Sacerdotal Hierarchy, and the Secular orders of Emperours and Kings. For the Iron and Clay cannot stand for the division of the Empire into ten Kingdoms; for that the ten Toes prefigure, but the sharing of the Summa potestas betwixt the Secular Magistrate and the Papal or Sacerdotal Hierarchy, the Empire, by their encroachments and uni­versal power over all the ten Kings, the Emperours them­selves not excepted, becoming a Sacerdotal Empire rather than Secular. To which Papal or Sacerdotal Empire those words seem to refer. But there shall be in it of the strength of Iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the Iron mixed with the miry clay, that is, The Sword-men or Secular power of the ten Kings was so assured to the maintaining of the Power and the Institutes of the Papal Hierarchy (though never so foul or idolatrous so they made for the Sacerdotal worldly in­terest) [Page 23]that the Papal Empire, or the Empire framed ac­cording to that pattern and scope, was as it were strength­ned with Iron. Which is that which is intimated, Apoc. 17.13. where the ten Kings are said to give their strength and power to the Beast that was, and is not, and yet is. Which is the Empire re-fashioned again into a Pagan-like Idolatrous form for the worldly advantage of the Papal Hierarchy. Thus was the Iron mixed with the mirie Clay, the ten Kings cleaving so close to the Interest of the Papal Idolatrous Clergy.

V. 42. And as the Toes of the feet were part of Iron, and part of Clay, i. e. As every one of those ten Kingdoms con­sisted of Temporal power and Ecclesiastical, the Papal Hie­rarchy being branched through all the ten Kingdoms till the Reformation. So the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken, that is. The Roman Empire divided into those ten Kingdoms shall be partly strong and partly brit­tle, the Papal power weakening the Absolute power of each Kingdom, and occasioning many breaches and jars in Chri­stendom.

V. 43. And whereas thou sawest Iron mixed with miry clay. I shall tell thee the reason of it, by what means it came to pass in that measure it did. They shall mingle them­selves with the seed of men. So our English renders it, and most Translatours and Interpreters run this way, and un­derstand by it the interchangeable marriages of great Po­tentates of several Kingdoms, thereby to strengthen mu­tual Interest and Amity. But this cannot be the sense, be­cause the strengthening of union here is not betwixt the Secular Potentates and Princes, that is, betwixt the Iron and Iron, but betwixt the Iron and the Clay. Looking there­fore simply to the Original, the genuine sense seems to be this. They shall mix together, or joyn themselves toge­ther, per sementem hominum, by the planting or sowing of sorry obscure men to appearance. For so the word signifies (not Nobles or Princes) namely, Monks and Friars, in their Seminaries, Covents or Monasteries, and the like, train'd up there, on purpose, to the skill of kindling a zeal both [Page 24]in great men, and especially in the common people, for such principles and practices as tend most to the support and interest of the Papacy. See Dr. H. More upon the place, and his Notes thereon, and the Answer to the Re­marker. But they shall not cleave, so very firmly, one to ano­ther, even as Iron is not mixed with Clay. And what bicker­ings and clashings there have been betwixt these two powers the Secular and Ecclesiastick in particular Kingdoms, the Chronicles of each Kingdom will declare; As also what combats there have been betwixt the Popes and the Empe­rours, both Greek and German, is notoriously known to all. This passage therefore in Daniel seems to answer to that in the Apocalypse, chap. 17. v. 16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, they shall hate the whore, &c.

V. 44. And in the days of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. After Daniel in his interpretation has gone through all the four Empires comprized in that Image of four several Metals (which Nebuchadnezzar saw) from head to foot: Now he begins to explain the Mystery of the Stone cut out without hands, whereby is understood Christ with his truly pure and Apostolick Church, as has been above pro­ved. Wherefore by [in the days of those Kings] must be understood in the days of the fourth, viz. in the time of the Roman Empire. For Christ was born, and his Go­spel divulged, and his Church first gathered in that time. Which from this passage in Daniel is called the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God, in which God truly rules by his spirit. Which kingdom shall never be destroyed, the gates of Hell shall never prevail against it. The true and living Church which the Spirit of Christ actuates, this shall never fail. And the kingdom shall not be left to other people; the Persians succeeded the Babylonians, the Greeks the Persians, and the Romans the Greeks, but no Empire shall succeed, nor any people the true Christian Church, which is the Kingdom of God, and which either as Regnum La­pidis, or else as Regnum Montis will last to the end of the world. But it shall break in pieces, and consume all these [Page 25]kingdoms, i. e. When it has become Regnum Montis, it will have overspread, and will possess and keep in rule all the Countries that the four great Monarchies signified by the Statue had occupied, And it shall stand for ever. Accor­ding as it is said Apoc. 11.16. The Kingdoms of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.

V. 45. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the Iron, the Brass, the Clay, and the Silver and Gold. i. e. For­asmuch as thou sawest the stone cut out of the Mountain to doe this, which signifies the true Church of Christ thus su­pernaturally begun, and as supernaturally emerging to this glorious issue at last, being carried on by the power and conduct of his Spirit; who will then open a door of success, that no man shall be able to shut, as it is said to the Church of Philadelphia: Considering, I say, that Omnipotency it self is the spring of this motion, and that it does not depend on the humours and purposes of men, I can of a truth de­clare unto the King that, The great God hath made known un­to the King what shall come to pass hereafter, or, after this, namely, after the demolition of all these four Empires, the Vision reaching to the end of the world, which that expec­ted glorious state of the true Church will precede, when the Kingdom of the Stone cut out of a Mountain, i. e. out of the Roman Empire, shall it self become the kingdom of the Mountain, and fill the whole earth, i. e. when that state of the glorious and pure Church shall spread over all. And the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. Sure touching the whole matter, but more particularly touching that excellent state of the Church concerning which it is said, Apoc. 21.5. And he that sate upon the Throne said, Behold I make all things new. And he saith unto me write, For these words are true and faithfull. And he said unto me it is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. The dream that he has interpreted is certain, espe­cially the most concerning part thereof, the glory and prosperity of the true Church of Christ, it being to be [Page 26]atchieved by the irresistible power of the Lord Jesus.

V. 46. Nebuchadnezzar was so surprized and astonish­ed at Daniel's revealing this secret, and interpreting the dream, that, as if he were a God come down upon earth, he commanded an oblation and sweet odours to be offered unto him. Which questionless Daniel refused, attributing all that he had performed, to the mere assistence of the God of Israel.

V. 47. A revealer of secrets. These words and others in this verse seem to be taken from the mouth of Daniel, when he excused himself from being sacrificed to, as not able to doe any thing of himself, but by the mere revelation of God unto him. Which Nebuchadnezzar seems here to assent to, and thereupon magnifies the God of Israel.

V. 48. These humane honours and high employments Daniel did not refuse, but accept, not out of ambition, but to serve his Prince, and to be in a better capacity of relieving the distressed people of God, his Countreymen the Jews, and of advancing some of them to honourable places, as it appears in the following verse.

V. 49. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego under Daniel administred abroad the affairs of the Province of Babylon. But Daniel kept to the Court, he having the King's ear, and his counsels being of that value with him. In the gate of the King. In aula Regis [...], so the Seventy. In porta, so Vatablus, and the Turkish Court is call'd the Port at this very day, as Grotius has noted.

The NOTES.

V. 1. THis Image was plainly a Coloss, though of Gold, little inferiour to that of Rhodes, 105 feet high, called the Statue of the Sun, one of whose names is Belus, the same with the chief God of the Babylonians, but the vastness of the Magnitude thereof implies it was not of so­lid Gold, but hollow. And in that it is said to be set up in the Plain of Dura, in the Province of Babylon, where Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administred affairs under Daniel, it gives light to what end Nebuchadnezzar by the importunity of his flattering Courtiers might be urged to set this Image up, haply by such arguments as these. To immortalize his name, and avert the ill Omen of the gol­den head in Daniel's Image, which the Silver and other ba­ser Metals should succeed, this Image being from head to foot all Gold, and to take off the suspicion of his having grown too cool towards the Religion of his Countrey. A medley of such considerations as these might carry him on to the erecting this Image, the thing suiting so well with his pride and ambition, while the great aim of them that counselled him to it, was to ensnare Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego out of the envy they bore them, for the honour­able employments they had in the Kingdom, being no Na­tives thereof.

V. 2. To the dedication. It is not said to whom. Some therefore would have it to Nabopolasar, Nebuchadnezzar's deceased Father, others to himself, as affecting divine ho­nours (as other Kings and Emperours have done) though he was yet alive. But it seems most credible that it was to Bel the chief God of his Countrey, as serving his Po­litical design best to set himself right in the eyes of his people.

V. 5. The Harp, Psaltery and Dulcimer. All those three instruments in the Chaldee, which the Latine from the Greek renders Cithara, Psalterion and Symphonia, they are the same in the Chaldee as in the Greek. But as Grotius notes, large Colonies of the Aeolians and Ionians brought into Asia had scattered such names amongst them before Daniel's time.

V. 6. This persecution of the Jews, and driving them to Idolatry as much as they could, for fear of being cast in­to the fiery furnace is Typical of the Martyrdoms of the Primitive Christians by the Pagan Emperours, Nero and o­thers, says Cornelius à Lapide. But it is still more assured­ly typical of those numerous companies of Martyrs burnt by the Pope for their not complying with his Idolatries. This burning men alive being far more frequent under the Popes, than under the Pagan Emperours, and the Spirit of Prophecy also calling the Papal Hierarchy, as for other causes, so amongst the rest, for this very cruelty, the Whore of Babylon, Apoc. ch. 17.

V. 10. Thou, O King, hast made a decree. Which these Counsellers got from him merely to ensnare the Jews by it, as now they conceive they have got them into their net.

V. 12. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. A man may here be a little amused that he finds not Daniel's name in this roll of Hereticks, that will not worship the golden Image that Nebuchadnezzar hath set up, but the accusers it seems had some wit and craft in their malice. If they had pulled at him, his Interest seemed so great in the Court, and his Person so sacred and venerable with the King, that [Page 33]it might have hazarded their success against the rest. They serve not thy God, nor worship the Golden Image, &c. viz. the Image set up in honour to the chief God of the Countrey, as I noted above.

V. 13. Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury. The sense of his own greatness and present sit of zeal before his people for the Religion of his Countrey, made him impatient of being contradicted in so solemn a command, and there is nothing so cruel as zeal for Idolatrous wor­ship. They are enraged as Gallants for their Mistresses. And this golden Image certainly was a very garish and costly one.

V. 14. My Gods, nor worship the golden Image. The mention of his gods, and the worship of the golden Image being joyned together, intimates plainly that this Image was dedicated to some of his gods, to Bel suppose, and not to himself, as we noted above.

V. 15. Ye shall be cast into a fiery furnace. A severe sentence, and the more aggravable in that he was con­vinced, chap. 2.47. that Daniel's God, who was the God of the Jews, was a God of Gods, and he could not but know that he would have his servants to worship no other God but himself, nor bow down to graven Images. Where­fore this was most horrid injustice and cruelty in Nebuchad­nezzar King of Babylon in using the servants of God in this sort. What is it then in the Mystical King of Ba­bylon that knows more certainly that God has forbidden us all Image-worship and Idolatry, and yet has adjudged I know not how many thousands of Protestants to fire and fagot for not complying with his Roman Idolatrous worship? All things befell the Jews in Types and Figures, whence the King of Babylon may rightly be deemed a figure of the Pope, as Luther and many other Protestants have made him, and as St. John has made the Papal Hierarchy the Whore of Ba­bylon, Apoc. ch. 17. Who is that God; The present rage the King was in made him forget what a God the God of Daniel was, who permitted his heart to be hardened as he did Pharaoh's, for the greater illustration of his own glo­ry in delivering his people.

V. 16. We are not carefull, i. e. We are held with no solicitude or anxiety about answering thee in this matter. It is a plain case to us whatever comes on it, that according as we are instructed by our Divine Lawgiver Moses, we are to worship no other God than the God of Israel, nor to bow down to any graven Images.

V. 17. If it be. If you will cast us into a fiery fur­nace, our God whom we serve, can if he will, deliver us, and he will if he think it best, to whose judgment we sub­scribe, having a firm faith in his special providence over all those that trust in him.

V. 18. But if not, If he don't deliver us out of thine hands, we will yet commit our souls into his, as into the hands of our faithfull Creatour; and rather endure the pains of a fiery furnace, than the torments of a violated conscience, more formidable than the flames of Hell.

V. 19. Full of fury. To Greatness, to which all the world useth to crouch, the firm undaunted courage of these three innocent persons, whom the fear of so torturous and terrible a death could not force to such a foul act of Idola­try, could not but be hugely netling and provoking, it be­ing such an unexpected surprize, and looking so like a con­tempt of Imperial power, even in the greatest awe and ter­rour thereof. This seems to have put Nebuchadnezzar in­to this rage and fury, even to the misfiguring his own vi­sage by the distemper of his passion, he being impatient to meet with any power that could baffle his. But there is a greatness in the true Saints of God that no Grandeur can match, of which St. John witnesses, 1 Epist. 4.4. Grea­ter is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. By virtue whereof they were enabled to overcome both the World and Antichrist at once.

V. 22. The flame of the fire slew those men. Some flake of fire unexpectedly was cast out of the furnace whereby those men were slain that cast Shadrach, Meshach and Abed­nego bound into the furnace. Which unexpected accident made Nebuchadnezzar go to the furnace, as is said pre­sently after.

V. 24. Was astonied, viz. at the unexpected slaying of those men by a flake of sire issuing out of the furnace, which made him approach the furnace, and view things there.

V. 25. I see four men loose. For they were cast in bound, haply with some small Chains of Iron, for Cords the fire would instantly consume. The form of the fourth like the Son of God. This is he (Phil. 2.5.) who being in the form of God, was in the fulness of time found in fashion as a man, and humbled himself even to the death of the Cross, to redeem the world from sin and misery. This, in a word, was Christ, according to the opinion of the Ancients, Ter­tullian, Irenaeus, Hippolytus Martyr, Augustinus and others. And all those Fathers or other Interpreters that make Christ the conducter of the children of Israel out of the land of Aegypt, and a frequent visiter of the ancient Pa­triarchs will easily agree to this opinion, and he being the God of Israel, it is reasonable to conceive he neglected not his people in their captivity, and the least in their greatest straits. And him whom the Winds and Seas obeyed in his incarnation, here the element of fire obeys in his prelusion thereto in this, appearing visibly in humane shape to suc­cour his servants.

V. 26. Came near. He came nearer than before to the mouth of the fiery furnace to call out Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And they came forth of the midst of the fire. Where the decent carriage of this business is observable, viz. that there was so great deference had to Sovereign power, that these three innocent persons, though assisted with the miraculous aid of the Son of God, came not out of the fiery furnace, till they were called out by that Sove­reign authority that cast them in.

V. 27. Nor was an hair of their head singed. This is an unexpressible great miracle, that a furnace seven times hotter than usual for dispatching Delinquents, that the fierceness of the fire thereof should be so tamed, or every thing that belonged to those innocent persons so strength­ned and held together against the fury of so raging an ele­ment, [Page 36]that not so much as an hair of their head was singed, nor any scent of fire on their garments. This demon­strates the Divinity of the fourth person that walked with them. Nothing less than the Son of God could effect this.

V. 28. Who hath sent his Angel. The effects shew that he was the Son of God in a peculiar sense, i. e. Christ him­self. Though Nebuchadnezzar here calls him the Angel of God. But so did the Prophets also call him [...], the Angel of the Covenant, Malach. 3. and [...], the Angel of the great Council, Esay. 5.6. See Munster on the place, who is of Irenaeus's opinion, and other ancient Fathers. And Christ, Apoc. 10. is there also called an Angel. And have changed the King's word, i. e. done contrary to it, not observed his decree. Here Nebuchadnezzar being convinced of the holiness and up­rightness of these three persons, is forced to break out in­to the praises of that carriage for which before he senten­ced them to the fiery furnace. And happy those Poten­tates who are convinced in this world of the truth and up­rightness of the servants of God, that refuse to comply with the Idolatry they would by the terrour of fire and o­ther cruelties force them to, that their eyes be not opened when it is too late, in the midst of the tormenting pains of Hell.

V. 30. Promoted. Restored them to the honourable employments they had before, and heap'd upon them far­ther honour and riches.

The NOTES.

V. 1, 2. NEbuchadnezzar being a mere natural man, neither radicated in true holiness, nor har­dened in a false Atheistick Philosophy, that makes men the nearest like devils, and worse than beasts, was of a very uneven temper, and according as the external occurrence of things moved his animal Passions, was driven with a strong gale of wind to outward actions, now one way, then another, sometimes laudable, as his praising Daniel's God after he had expounded to him his dream of the Me­talline Statue, then stirred up by some crafty counsels, that tickled his ambition, and suited with his Politicks and Su­perstition; he is carried full sail to the making of a Gol­den Coloss of sixty cubits high, which all must worship under the penalty of being cast into a fiery furnace. But upon Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego their being so mira­culously delivered out of it, he then magnifies their piety for disobeying his command, and extolls the God of Israel above all gods. And in this Chapter he listens a while to the good counsels of Daniel, that interpreted to him his ill boding dream, which was to curb his pride. But with­in a twelve month he lets the reins loose to that natural vice of his, and brings the predicted evil upon himself, which he was forewarned of. In which, when he had smart­ed for a time, and was restored, he lift up his eyes to hea­ven, and blesseth the most High that liveth for ever and ever, and is such a penitent that he makes confession of the humbling hand of God upon him to all the world, as we may observe in perusing the Chapter through.

V. 4. Flourishing in my Palace, i. e. Abounding in wealth, peace and prosperity after so many Nations and [Page 43]Countries subdued by him, which puffed him up so, and swelled him with pride.

V. 7. The Magicians and Astrologers—See what we have said upon chap. 2. v. 2. and 27.

V. 8. The spirit of the holy gods. Though Thedotion ren­der it, the Spirit of the Holy God, as elsewhere it may be, yet Nebuchadnezzar continuing an Idolater, it's likely un­derstood Elohim in the plural number.

V. 9. Master of the Magicians. Rab Hartummim, the chief of the Magicians: see chap. 2. v. 2.27. In that Chap­ter v. 48. He is called Rab Sigenin, chief of the Gover­nours, and that over all the wise men of Babylon. And the interpretation thereof, [and] is as much as [that is to say] that is to say the interpretation thereof. For not Daniel, but Nebuchadnezzar was here to tell the dream, but Daniel to interpret it. See Ezra chap. 4. v. 7.

V. 10. A tree in the midst of the earth. An high and large spreading tree, according to the doctrine of the In­dian, Persian and Aegyptian Onirocriticks signifies a mighty Potentate. Thus the King of Assyria is compared to a goodly Cedar in Lebanon, Ezek. chap. 31.3. See Synops. Prophet. Book 1. Chap. 9. Sect. 7.

V. 12. The fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs there­of: As it is said of the King of Assyria, Ezek. chap. 31.6. All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young. By the fowls are understood the Grandees and Ministers of State, by the Pecora campi, the common people.

V. 13. A watcher and an holy One, Eir vecaddish, where Eir, which signifies a Watcher, the Seventy render an An­gel. And an Angel is called Eir, or a Watcher, because they being not clogged with drowzy and dull flesh and bloud, but having more fiery and etherial bodies, they are never drowned in sleep, as we mortals are. And they are also called Watchers from their Office or Ministry, they watching over the affairs of men. But whereas there is ad­ded, vecaddish, and an holy One, the Particle [ [...]] will be [Page 44]better rendred [that is to say] an holy One, viz. an holy Angel; To whose care the affairs of mankind, especially of the Church of God, are committed. There was the like sense of [ [...]] v. 9.

V. 14. Hew down the tree, i. e. Cut away all the power of this mighty Potentate, in which, and under which, so many Grandees and People were shrouded, or rather, it be­ing an Hypallage, cut him off, or sever him from this Im­perial power by dis-inabling and incapacitating him for the management thereof.

V. 15. Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, i. e. Spare Nebuchadnezzar's life, nor let any one presume to succeed him in his Kingdom while he is alive, however he be incapacitated to rule for the present. Even with a band of Iron. And with a band, i. e. And with a chain of Iron or Brass, let him be as it were tethered in the tender grass of the field, that is, confined to this brutish state of a ferine melancholly. For the Vision seems to pass to a new Symbol or Representation of Nebuchadnezzar's condition, which is called Iconimorum Metallaxis, or change of Symbols, by Interpreters of Prophecy. See Synops. Pro­phet. lib. 1. chap. 4. sect. 15. Edit. Latin. The sad forlorn condition of Nebuchadnezzar struck with a ferine melan­cholly, that made him utterly unsit for all business, is set out by a double Symbol, the one of a tree cut down to the stump and root, which sets out his being deprived of all his faculties that branched out from his soul, in virtue whereof he was able to actuate and govern the whole body politick of so vast an Empire. And the same is set out by another Symbol of a man metamorphozed into a Brute, which plainly incapacitates him for the ruling over men. This latter Symbol is pursued in the rest of this Verse.

V. 16. Heart be changed. The heart in the Scripture-style is the seat not onely of affection, but cogitation and imagination, and therefore a Beasts heart being given to him, signifies that his imagination and appetite was carried to such things as that beast is to whose nature he was assimu­lated. Seven times, seven years say some, seven seasons of [Page 45]the year say others, counting by Winters and Summers, which will amount to three years and an half, others se­ven months, the Moon being especially related to Maniacal people, and other some seven weeks. And certainly time signifies any of these. Whence appears the great requi­siteness that Daniel's time, and times, and half a time should be explained, in the Apocalypse, by 42 months or 1260 days. See Arithmetica Apocalyptica, Query 2.

V. 17. The voice of the Angel is continued from the beginning of the 14th verse till this, and here it is decla­red by him that this whole business is determined by the sentence of the holy Angels, which is called a Decree and Demand. A Demand in such a sense as Rogare legem imports, and Rogatio, which signifies also an Ordinance, but with refe­rence to Rogation or Deliberation about it; but is called a Decree in respect to the determination thereof. See Castellio on the place. The rest of the verse shews the end of this decree, which is also declared by the Angel to Nebuchadnez­zar in this Vision.

V. 19. Let not the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Be not afraid, but speak freely what is the meaning of the dream, and I pass my word, no harm shall come to thee for it.

V. 22. It is thou, O King, i. e. thou as King, and as one whose power is branched out, and extended over so great a part of the earth art this Tree. This tree resembles thee.

V. 25. Thou wilt be struck with a deep ferine melan­choly, so that thou wilt have an aversation from the con­verse of men, but wilt consort rather with the beasts of the field, and thy imagination being depraved by a Boanthropy, thou wilt fansie thy self to be an Ox, and thy appetite con­sequently will carry thee to eat grass as Oxen do, and loving solitude abroad in the field, thou wilt be wet with the dew of heaven, &c. See Dr. H. More's Preface to his Exposition of Daniel's Visions.

V. 26. Leave the stump of the tree roots. See verse the 15. After that thou shalt have known—After thou shalt have ac­knowledged thy own vileness, and humbled thy self under [Page 46]the hand of the most High, who let men swell never so much in conceit of their own power and atchievements, his eye is still upon them, and his over-ruling hand commands all.

V. 27. If it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. Such a manner of speech as that of Peter to Simon the Sorcerer, Acts 8.22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be for­given thee. In the mean time we see that prophetical prediction puts no necessity of the evil that is threatned to one if he turn to God, by unfeigned repentance, and a­mend his ways.

V. 30. And the King spake and said. The Seventy and the Vulgar Latine have it. And the King answered and said. But surely the English translation is the better sense. For there is no answering when nothing is spoke to answer to. See chap. 2. v. 15. For the house of the kingdom. For my royal City and Seat, and to get my self an immortal name by such magnificent buildings.

V. 31. There fell a voice from heaven. Which dread­full voice like thunder and lightening discharged upon more than ordinary easie combustible matter, would not fail to take effect on Nebuchadnezzar, in all likelihood of a me­lancholy complexion, as Aristotle in his Problems observes the greatest Warriours, and most famous for glorious at­chievements to have been; such as Hercules, Ajax, Lysan­der the Lacedemonian General, and Bellerophon with all the most noble Heroes of old, which he conceives all to have been Atrabilarians, and to have abounded with adust cho­ler. And Bellerophon in particular, though in the exalted Paroxysms of his complexion he might seem to ride on his winged Pegasus amongst the Clouds, as Nebuchadnezzar is resembled to a winged Lion for the aspiring loftiness of his spirit, yet he is famous for his affecting of Solitude, and wandring alone in the fields of Lycia in his melancho­ly dumps, whence he gave the name to them of Campus Ale­jus, which is something like the solitary living of Nebuchad­nezzar, by reason of the Boanthropy he was smitten with, [Page 47]and his grasing amongst the beasts of the field, as is said in the following verse.

V. 32. And they shall drive thee from men, i. e. Thou shalt be driven from men by the overpowering distemper of thine own melancholy, &c. The sudden affrightfull sounding of that voice in his ears, in the preceding verse, could not but have a mighty impression upon him, even to the putting him out of his wits, his natural complexi­on making him so obnoxious thereto, which seems to be in­timated in the beginning of the next verse.

V. 33. The same hour was the thing fulfilled, i. e. No sooner this affrightfull voice from heaven, which reminded him of his horrible dream, and Daniel's interpretation of it had filled his ears, but he became Maniacal, and was di­stracted; and affecting solitude, shun'd the converse of men, and betook himself to the fields, [...] (ipse suum cor edens, as Homer is there rendred in Aristotle, speaking of Bellerophon) For grief gnawing his own heart, and eating grass like an Ox, for a sallet thereto, and his imagination being depraved by the Beanthropy he laboured under went, at least in his highest Paroxysms, on all four, and haply lowed therewith, as if he had been turned into an Oxe or Bull, which happened to him not by Witchcraft, as there are stories of that nature, but by the ministry of the Kad­dishim, the holy Angels, which is part of the power of a Divine Magick. Hairs like Eagles feathers, not broad as feathers, but stiff and thick set. His nails like Birds claws, i. e. a good length beyond his fingers ends, he neglecting to pare them, and crooked inward, as the natural make of some mens nails are, but is an indication of rapacity or pha­natick melancholy.

V. 34. At the end of the days, viz. of the seven times, whether weeks, months or years. I lift up mine eyes to hea­ven—with an erect stature like other men, and the un­derstanding of a man was restored to me, and (which is the effect of the chiefest property of a man, the sense of Reli­gion and a Deity) I blessed the most High, &c.

V. 35. In the armies of heaven. The Hebrew Particle [Page 48]is [ [...]] which may be rendred [by] By the armies of hea­ven, that is. By his celestial or angelical Hosts, as it is said v. 17. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and de­mand of the holy ones.

V. 36. And brightness. The word in the Original is [ZIZ] which the Seventy render [...], the Vulgar Latine Fi­gura, but it signifies onely the air of the countenance in the same sense that zif is used, chap. 5. v. 10.

V. 37. And those that walk in pride. Sovereign Poten­tates of all other vices they are the most peculiarly inclina­ble to pride, they having stronger temptations thereto by reason of their absolute greatness than all other mortals, they having no competitour in power and majesty but their Maker, and the Ministers of his Providence the holy An­gels. Which if they forget, they easily slide into excee­ding Elations of mind, and from this spirit of pride are impatient of all gainsaying, be their designs never so unjust or cruel. Against which extravagancies there is none so proper a stop as to remember that there is a God, and that there are severe Ministers of his justice that oversee us in all our actions, and that we shall be called to an account. This therefore Nebuchadnezzar, being no Atheist, much insisteth on in this penitential declaration, as being the most proper remedy against this disease of Potentates. But for such as are not in their mere natural state, as Nebuchadnezzar seems to have been, but have their hearts occrustated and harden­ed by the false principles of a sensless Philosophy, that sweep away the discrimination of moral good and evil, the exi­stence of God, and superintendency of his Providence, and the subsistence of the souls of men in another life after this all at once (if any can so far degenerate) were there not a Nemesis in the nature of things themselves, there would be no curb on the spirits of such from committing the greatest outrages imaginable.

The NOTES.

V. 1. BElshazzar the King, what Belteshazzar signifies, see chap. 1. v. 7. Belshazzar, according to Grotius, signifies, Belus, the giver of wealth and empire. This Bel­shazzar the King is Grandchild to Nebuchadnezzar, and the last of his race that sate on his Throne, according to that of Jeremiah, chap. 27. v. 7. And all nations shall serve him and his son, and his Son's son, that is, his Grandchild in whom his race was extinct. Made a great feast, it is like­ly it was some Anniversary Festival, such as was known to Cyrus and the Besiegers, which made them take the oppor­tunity of invading the City that night of revelling.

V. 2. Whiles he tasted the wine, and indulged to his cups something freely, his heart was lifted up, and grew so fro­lick that nothing but the holy vessels of Gold and Silver, which his Grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple at Jerusalem, must serve him, his Princes, Wives and Concubines to quaff in.

V. 4. And praised the Gods of Gold. This therefore was a most prophane insultation over the God of Israel, whose people were held captive in Babylon, as if the Baby­lonian gods of gold, silver, brass, iron and wood had been too hard for him, and brought those vessels of silver and gold as spoils of victory out of his holy Temple. There­fore this outragious affront to the true and living God of Heaven and Earth was a notorious sign of an imminent ruine of this prophane King of Babylon and the Babylonian Empire, and that the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity was nigh at hand. Of which ruine of their Em­pire, and of their gods or idols, Esay prophesies, chap. [Page 54]21.9. Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and all the graven images of their gods he hath broken to the ground.

V. 5. In the same hour. The affront to the God of Israel was so provoking, that vengeance overtook Belshaz­zar in the very act of his wickedness, and an horrid pro­digy was exhibited to his sight, the fingers of a mans hand holding a Pen separate from any humane body, and writing on the Plaster-wall, over against an hanging candlestick next to the King. Whence he discerned the hand and its motion more clearly by the reflexion of the light.

V. 6. Whereupon the King's countenance changed with affright and horrour, and an agony of mind seized upon him, so that it loosned the ligaments of his loins (com­pages renum, as the Latine has it) so that for very fear his Urine came from him, as Grotius Comments upon the place, and wet his knees, as elsewhere it is expressed in the Prophets, Ezek. 7.17. and chap. 21.7. nay made both knees knock one against another from the violence of his trem­bling and fear. Which is a sign it was no fancy, and the hand-writing seen after on the Wall, puts the matter quite out of all question.

V. 7. The Astrologers, Chaldeans and Southsayers. See what has been said on those words, chap. 2. v. 27. Be third ruler in the kingdom, shall have the next place to the King's Son.

V. 8. But they could not reade the writing. This is a puzling place to Interpreters, and they attempt to solve the difficulty several ways, some say they could not reade it, though Chaldee, because written in the Old Hebrew or Samaritan Character; Others, that the Characters, though they were Chaldee, yet were transposed; others, that onely Initial letters were writ; and others, that they were writ without points, and that they knew not how to point them. And lastly, others that God dazled their sight, and confoun­ded their perception. But it's more easie to conceive, that it being a night of such revelling and feasting, that the wise men grown tipsie with drinking, and drunk with conster­nation of mind, as sympathizing with their great Master, [Page 55]and the writing being writ more scribledly on purpose by the Angel Gabriel, whom the Jews make the Pen-man, that they were at a loss in reading it. And yet there is still a more plain solution of this difficulty than this by rendring [ [...]] as was noted above [that is to say]. And then the sentence runs thus. But they could not reade the writing, that is to say, not make known to the King the interpreta­tion thereof. See Dr. H. More's Preface to his Exposition of the Visions of Daniel, Sect. 3.

V. 10. Now the Queen, i. e. the Queen-mother, or ra­ther Grandmother Nitocris, according to Vatablus, Grotius, and others, Nebuchadnezzar's wife, daughter of Cyaxares King of Media, and Sister to Darius Medus, Brother to Mandane, the Mother of Cyrus the Persian. Came into the banquet-house. Into the room where the Men, the King and his Nobles feasted. For the Women feasted in a room apart from the men, according to the manner of that Coun­trey.

V. 11. Of thy father. That is, of thy Grandfather Ne­buchadnezzar. For the Hebrews and Chaldees ordinarily called Grandfather and Great-grandfather by the name of Father, and a Grandchild, and the Child of a Grandchild, Son. Nebuchadnezzar thy father, thy Grandfather, as be­fore. Master of the Magicians, Rab Hartummim. See chap. 2. v. 2.27. Which dignity intended for an honour by Nebuchadnezzar, but Daniel being inwardly ashamed of it, and yet envy'd for it by that order, it's likely he let fall and suffered himself to be accounted as no-body touching those things; but the Magicians, Astrologers and South­sayers magnifying themselves and their marvellous skill for their own credit and interest, wholly possest the mind of the King, so that he never took notice of Daniel for any such faculty, nor for his strange performances, which were quite cast into oblivion, saving that Nitocris, a sober and discreet Matron, had faithfully lodged them in her memory, and produced them at this pinch of affairs.

V. 12. Whom the King named Belteshazzar. The Prince of the Eunuchs gave that name to Daniel, chap. 1. v. 7. But [Page 56]with the King's approbation, who ratified the nomination by calling him by that name himself upon occasion. And the Queen mentions this name, as by which he might haply be better known than by the other.

V. 13. Art thou that Daniel. A marvellous piece of ignorance in Belshazzar, that so eximious and sacred a per­son as Daniel should be unknown to him, or at least so lit­tle regarded by him, but I have hinted the reasons thereof upon verse 11.

V. 14. That the spirit of the gods is in thee. He speaks in his Paganish or Idolatrous style, intimating plurality of Gods; but however mingling some truth with it, that those faculties for which Daniel was famous, was not from humane industry, but a divine gift bestowed upon him from a­bove.

V. 15. But they could not shew the interpretation of the thing. He does not say they could not reade the writing here, but onely that they could not shew the interpretation thereof, which farther countenances what we have said upon verse 8.

V. 16. And I have heard of thee. Namely by his Grand­mother Nitocris. For the wise men of Babylon in all likeli­hood lessened him as much as they could, and obscured his fame and worth with the King for the aggrandizing their own credit in this faculty, and supporting their own inte­rest against an Alien, a Captive, and of a different religion from themselves.

V. 17. Let thy gifts be to thy self. As for thy gifts, thou mayst keep them by thee to bestow them upon some other; nevertheless I will fulfill what thou demandest, and reade to the King, and interpret the writing on the Wall. This he would doe without any respect to the reward, which for the present he declines.

V. 19. Whom he would be slew. He had the absolute power of life and death in his hand. He could take away the life of them that offended against him, and by his pre­rogative those that were otherwise obnoxious to the law he could keep alive.

V. 21. His heart was made like the beasts. His mind and appetite was carried onely to such things as brute-crea­tures are carried to. See chap. 4. v. 16.

V. 22. What befell thy Grandfather through excess of pride and elation of spirit, is a thing so notoriously known, that thou canst not be ignorant thereof, and yet hast thou not humbled thy heart before the true God.

V. 23. Nay thou hast highly affronted the Lord of Hea­ven, the God of Israel, in sending for the vessels of his holy Temple at Jerusalem (which thy Grandfather brought from thence) for thy self, thy Lords, Wives and Concubines to quaff in them, in the mean time singing praises to thy gods of silver, gold, brass, iron and wood, senseless stocks, that neither see, hear nor know any thing, these thou gi­vest worship to, and so makest them thy gods (nor can it be avoided by the quaintest sophistry) and the true God by whom we live, and breathe, and move, thou hast not glo­rified, nay thou hast despised him, thus triumphing over the spoils of his Sanctuary, and praising thy own false gods, as if they were more mighty than he. Which outragious contumely against his sacred majesty bodes ill to thee, and is a certain sign of thy sudden downfall.

V. 24. For this high insolency therefore was there sent [...] à conspectu, from the presence of the God of Is­rael, the Angel Gabriel, who exhibited to thy sight the shape of an hand separate from the arme, and whole body, and who guided it so as to write thy sad doom on the plaster of the wall of thy Palace, in the words that follow:

V. 25. MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN, which verbatim sounds no more than thus: He has numbred, He has numbred, He has weighed and the Persians. Which bro­ken writing, without the guidance of God or the good Angel Gabriel, he could hardly make sense of, unless we may conceive that by the reading of the Prophets, and being skilled in the principles of Prophetick Interpretation, he might of himself spell out the meaning. As for the first part, MENE, MENE, He has numbred, He has numbred; this by reading Jeremiah, chap. 25.12. chap. 27.7. and [Page 58]chap. 29.10. where is expresly set down the duration of the Kingdom of Babylon, viz. seventy years, and till Nebuchad­nezzar's Sons son, which time was then near expiring, he might I say well interpret [He has numbred, he has num­bred] of the certain finishing of the number of the duration of the Kingdom of Babylon, to whose King the hand-writing is directed, and declare as in the next verse.

V. 26. God hath numbred thy Kingdom and finished it.

V. 27. But now for the interpretation of TEKEL. He was weighed, it is not improbable but that in the reading of TEKEL there might be a Paronomastical resonancy of words in his mind that would make the whole sense thus, TEKEL VEATTE KAL. He was weighed and thou art light; which Daniel expresses thus more fully to the King, Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting; that is, found to want weight, and therefore rejected as money illegitimate.

V. 28. PERES. And the Prophetick Analysis of the last, UPHARSIN [and the Persians is manifestly Parono­mastical, where he takes PERES by it self, which signifies a Persian, and in a Paronomastical allusion to the word [Paras] which signifies to divide, he makes out this full sense of UPHARSIN. Thy kingdom is divided and rent from thee, and given to the Medes and Persians. See Dr. H. More's Preface to his Exposition on the Visions of Daniel, Sect. 4.

V. 29. Kings of old, as Munster observes, were strict keepers of their word, and the veracity of Daniel being known, it had been the more inglorious here for him to have receded from it, as if he had sent for him to tell him, not what was true, but pleasing, and it may be he was so much humbled as to seek to ingratiate himself with so holy a man, who might intercede with God for him: These things might be. But it was most likely of all that so sad an interpretation might so inrage him and his Princes, that they would tear Daniel in pieces as a Traytor, and one that kept intelligence with Cyrus and the Persians that besieged the Town, and therefore it was an inspired fortitude in [Page 59] Daniel, that he dared to make known to the King the in­terpretation of the writing. See the above mentioned Pre­face. But as for Daniel as before he declined it rather than absolutely refused it, so here he rather admits in a passive way, than accepts the promised reward, so that there is not the least shew of inconstancy in him.

V. 30. In that night. In this night of revelling and deep security they confiding in the strength of their Walls, which were 32 feet thick and 50 feet high, as well as 385 furlongs in compass, as Strabo reports, and the River Eu­phrates that ran through the City was two mens height deep and two Stadia broad. But Cyrus having made for the pur­pose large and deep ditches, derived the water another way that night, and coming with his forces through the chanel of the River, surprized the City in the midst of their drink and jollity.

V. 31. And Darius the Mede, the Son of Cyaxares King of Media, and Uncle to Cyrus, whom he set a work first a­bout two years after Nebuchadnezzar's death to rebell a­gainst Astyages, who in wrong to Darius, Cyrus his Uncle, possessed Media and Persia, and whom he vanquished: And Darius bestowed the Kingdom of Persia on his Nephew for his pains, and here it's likely by his advice he undertook this expedition, to whom therefore after the victory he de­livered up the City and Kingdom of Babylon, and being so near of bloud to the old Queen, and lookt upon as the Son of Nebuchadnezzar in a manner, and so called 'tis likely in courtship and compliment by him, he was taken for a right successour of Belshazzar, and so reckoned the next King of Babylon by Daniel in this place. See Lydiat Emend. Temp. A. M. 3446 and 3469. And thus suddenly begins the fatidi­cal inscription on the Wall to be fulfilled, Belshazzar's King­dom being given to Darius the Mede, who being about three­score and two years old, died in his Climacterical 63. And so the whole Monarchy passed to Cyrus the Persian; and thus was the Kingdom rent from Belshazzar's race, and given to the Medes and Persians, as the Prophetick Inscription fore­told.

The NOTES.

V. 1. AN hundred and twenty Princes. It seems Darius being old, above threescore years of Age, and sensible of what might be most safe, made a new division of his Kingdom into such a numerous multitude of Pro­vinces, the lesser the Provinces were they being the more manageable and more easily ordered by their Governours, nor any one Province with the Prince thereof so able to make head against him and rebell.

V. 2. Three Presidents. Three Sarkin, which the He­brews expound by Soterim, Exactours, as exacting or re­quiring an account of those hundred and twenty Princes of the Provinces, of what was expended and received, that the King should have no damage, or as the seventy render it, That the King might be eased of that trouble. See Munster on the place. And it seems Darius made Da­niel the chief of those three Presidents for his singular Wise­dom, Faithfulness and Honesty, besides his skill and Cou­rage in Interpreting the Hand-writing on the Wall, that predicted the ruin of Belshazzar, which was the bringing in of Darius.

V. 3. Thought to set him over the whole Realm. And Daniel being one whom for his ability and integrity he could so fully confide in, and himself being old and affecting his ease, though sufficiently relishing the Title and Honour of an Emperour or Monarch, was inclineable to make Da­niel his sole chief Minister of State, and as it were Vice-Roy over his whole Kingdom, eying onely one side of the business, and not considering how much it would dis­please the other Presidents and Princes, that not a Native but a Captive should under him be made the sole Ruler over his whole Empire.

V. 4. Sought to find occasion. Here those two peculiar Poisons in the Courts of Potentates, Ambition and Envy began violently to ferment in the breasts of the Presidents [Page 65]and Princes, insomuch as, right or wrong, they were re­solved to pretend some Crime against Daniel, to make him forfeit the King's favour and lose his Life. But his unblemished integrity in the administration of the King's Affairs, and in all Moral Conversation was such, that they could lay no hold on him there.

V. 5. Except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God. Not that they were not persuaded, that Daniel's worship of the God of his Fathers were as good if not a better and truer Religion than the worship of Bel, or any of the Babylonian gods, it being demonstrated by Daniel so repeatedly, by his true expositions of Nebuchadnezzar's dreams, and by his God's delivering the three Jews out of the fiery Furnace, and very lately by Daniel's inter­preting the Hand-writing on the Wall, which things they could not be ignorant of, but they being mere Politicians, nor so sensible of any Religion as their own interest, and their hearts being envenomed with Pride and Envy, they would, though against their own Conscience, lay a snare for Daniel, in the pious and conscientious exercise of his Religion.

V. 7. All the Presidents, &c. This joynt consenting together of all the Grandees of his Kingdom, who might plausibly seem to understand better what was for the King's interest and the aggrandizing of him with his people, than his own single self, and the conclusion being not un­gratefull to so mighty a Potentate, who several of them have affected divine honours while they were yet alive, as Domitian and others; these things all considered the plot is not unskilfully laid. Nor if we consider the In­terdicts of the mystical King of Babylon, which have pro­hibited Divine Service and praying either to God, Saint or Angel for some years together, till addresses have been made to himself for Reconciliation from the party he was offended with, can this decree against the asking any pe­tition of God or Man for thirty days or one single month, saving to Darius the King, when the Interdict here in England in King John's time by Pope Innocent lasted near [Page 66]seventy months, seem otherwise than not onely credible, but even tolerable, in these heathen Politicians, when his Holiness himself makes so bold with Religion, in Kingdoms where the true God is known, for his own interest. See Fowlis his History of Popish Treasons and Ʋsurpations, lib. 5. cap. 2.

V. 8. Law of the Medes and Persians which altereth not. See the Book of Esther, cap. 1. v. 19. There were certain laws amongst the Medes and Persians which were called Immutable, as those laws amongst the Romans called Sa­cred, which being past under a certain form, the King himself could not revoke or abrogate. See Grotius on the place. But this was not according to the mode of the Babylonian Monarchs, and haply they might think to in­gratiate themselves the more with Darius the Mede by cra­ving a decree from him after the mode of his own Countrey.

V. 9. Darius signed the Writing, it having such a shew of convenience from the common suffrage of all his Grandees and Ministers of State, as very requisite for the begetting an awfull respect, and as it were a divine reverence to­ward their Sovereign, and so to keep his Subjects in firm obedience. And he being old and timorous as well as lofty and ambitious might haply think it unsafe to resist the importunity of such a number of his Princes and Nobles.

V. 10. Notwithstanding this Decree, Daniel, having a firm Faith in the God whom he served and a greater sense of his Glory than his own safety, held on his pious Cu­stome of praying to the God of Israel with his face turned toward Jerusalem, and his Windows open and on his knees three times a day, Morning, Noon and Evening, being neither ashamed nor afraid to doe his wonted duty to his Maker maugre all the malice and subtilty of his en­venomed enemies.

V. 11. And now his enemies thought they had catcht him sure in the snare they had laid for him.

V. 12. Which altereth not. See verse 8. The forma­lity [Page 67]of such a Decree consists in signing it with the Seals of the King and his Nobles, as Grotius has noted on Esther, chap. 1. v. 19.

V. 13. Of the Children of the Captivity. This is put into the charge to aggravate Daniel's fault, that he being but a Captive in a strange land should be so presumptuous as so openly to transgress such a solemn and earnest De­cree of the King as they pretended.

V. 14. Was sore displeased with himself. It's likely as he was aged, so he was not so quick witted as to smell out their malitious project against Daniel at his signing the De­cree, though he discovered it now but too late. Where­fore it may be a seasonable monition to Monarchs and great Potentates, how they part with their own liberty by any Decree upon the importunity of their Grandees and Coun­sellours, especially when there is any turpitude in the De­cree they are earnest for, lest thereby they intricate them­selves in endless inconveniences, and be enslaved by them that ought to be their Subjects, and betray to utmost peril their most faithfull Friends.

V. 15. Assembled unto the King. The word in the Ori­ginal [Ragash] is to assemble with some stir and tumult, which implies their earnest address to the King, and the vehemently and swaggeringly pressing the Immutability of the Decree, they having observed the King's inclination to to save Daniel. Know, O King, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no Decree— be changed.

V. 16. Then the King commanded, &c. Being born down into it, by the importunate urging of the Immutability of the Decree, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, and though no law has a right to stand that is against the eternal law of God and Nature, yet Daniel's enemies having this pretence, and the King being timid and cauti­ous and aware of his own danger, if he should enrage the generality of his Grandees and Nobles by defeating their eager malice against Daniel, was forced to grant the request. For success gives a gloss to wicked Machinations, but to be defeated in a malitious design, the disappointment and [Page 68]shame would cast the designers into a fit of impatience and fury. Whom thou servest continually: That is, constantly, not onely praying to him duly every day thrice a day, but doing this even then, when thou art in peril of thy life for so doing. This shews the King to have been sur­prized in granting the decree, and to disapprove of his own action, he being a Prince of much humanity, and ha­ving a sense of piety also, though sway'd to things less a­greeable thereto through his own infirmity, and by the o­verpowering Politicks of his Courtiers. He will deliver thee. So he hopes upon his recalling to mind the deliverance of his three Countreymen out of the fiery furnace, and so wishes, out of his kindness to so pious a person and usefull a subject.

V. 17. That the purpose might not be changed. That the King might not change his purpose and save Daniel, for this end the Grandees sealed the stone; but the King, that the Grandees might not murther Daniel some other ways, if the Lions forbare him.

V. 18. The good-natur'd Prince did not conceal his solicitude and affection for his faithfull subject Daniel, though of another Religion from his.

V. 20. With a lamentable voice. Voce lacrymabili the Vul­gar Latine has it. He spake to him with tears down his cheeks, and a tone answerable thereto. Which is no Inde­corum in this benign Prince, Homer bringing in his grea­test Heroes weeping upon occasion. And what David did upon the death of Absolon all know. Servant of the living God. Not of stocks, or stones, or metals of what value soever, who can neither save themselves nor others. Able to deliver thee. For Parius did not at all question his wil­lingness, being himself of so good and benign a nature, and knowing what a faithfull and constant worshipper Da­niel was of his God. And Darius's neither Philosophy nor Religion reached so far yet as to know that the God of Da­niel was the Omnipotent Maker of heaven and earth.

V. 22. My God has sent his Angel. As there was an Angelical appearance in the fiery furnace that saved the [Page 69]three children from harm. And hath shut the Lion's mouth. This is that which the Apostle alludes to, Heb. 11.33. Who by faith stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of fire. For their faith in God procured this An­gelical assistence to the three children in the fiery furnace, and to Daniel in the Lion's den. Nor was Daniel's faith presumption, he being so holy and innocent a person as is intimated in the residue of the verse.

V. 23. Because he believed in his God. His faith there­fore stopped the mouth of the Lions, as the Apostle above declares.

V. 24. Or ever they came to the bottom. This shews they were very sharp set however they were charmed from med­ling with Daniel, and that it was a supernatural power that hindred them from seizing on him. But that their wives and children as well as the Accusers themselves were cast into the Lion's den, this was the excess of indulgence to a just rage and indignation against so horrid a villany com­mitted against so holy and innocent a person, and so dear to Darius the King.

V. 26. As Nebuchadnezzar did upon the miraculous deliverance of the three children out of the fiery furnace, chap. 3.29. so does Darius upon Daniel's deliverance from the Lion's den, a great pang of Religion took them toward the God of Israel upon these surprizing miracles, which made them acknowledge that he had a Power and Empire surpassing the greatest Monarchs on earth, and such as had no end, though, as I noted above, neither of their Philo­sophies reached to the true knowledge of the God of Israel, as Maker of Heaven and Earth, but onely as of a powerfull Tutelar God of that nation, and so they ceased not to serve Bel still their own god, or god of the Babylonians. And reason of State held them to their wonted superstition.

V. 27. In heaven and on earth. On earth as in those instances of the deliverance of the three children and Da­niel; In heaven as in that voice from heaven, chap. 3. v. 31. which was a dreadfull prodigy.

V. 28. In the reign of Darius. During his reign Da­niel continued in Babylon, which reign was but short, he entring but when he was about 62 years old, and dying in his Climacterical. But during the time he reigned Da­niel was in great favour with him, but upon his death he re­moved into Persia and lived in great honour under Cyrus; and this may be said in counterdistinction to his condition in Belshazzar's time, who took little notice of him, who yet reigned about 18 years. See Tho. Lydiat.

The NOTES.

V. 1. IN the first year of Belshazzar (the Son of Evilme­rodack and Grandchild of Nebuchadnezzar, the last King of Babylon of his race, and who was slain by the Medes and Persians, the City Babylon being taken by Cyrus in the eighteenth year of Belshazzar's reign, according to Tho. Lydiat,) had Daniel a divine Vision communicated to him in his sleep. For Prophetical Visions are communicated ei­ther way, either sleeping or waking, and they are either way truly divine. The summ of the matters of which di­vine dream Daniel set down in writing, and declared as fol­lows in verse 2. &c. And that is here done still in the Chaldee tongue, this Vision of the four beasts answering so accurate­ly to that of the Statue of four metals, and therefore for the greater satisfaction and confirmation of Daniel's interpre­tation thereof, this divine Vision or dream is put into the same language, viz. the Syriack or Chaldee as an Appendage to that brief Chaldee Chronicle of the Babylonian Kings, and the affairs of the Jews, to wit, of the most notable things that happened betwixt them from the time of Nebuchadnez­zar's dream of the Metalline Statue, to the reign of Darius the Mede inclusively.

V. 2. By the great Sea in this place, according to the prophetick style, are understood vast multitudes of people that overspread the face of the earth, as the waters of the Sea doe. By the Winds, which are invisible, are understood either the Invisible Powers, viz. the Aerial Genii or Angels, which are called Ruchoth venti, Zach. 6. and Psalm 104.4. or else the ambitious and unquiet minds of great Princes and Politicians with their Grandees and Ministers of State, and those blusters they make in the world by their impetuous activity to begin or increase their dominion, and to enlarge it into a more absolute Empire. See Dr. H. More on the place.

V. 3. These four great Beasts are the same four Empires that were prefigured by the Statue of four metals, the Baby­lonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman. And in that they are represented as coming up from the Sea, it is a sign the Vision reaches the Original or beginning of every one of them. But their coming out of the Sea together, is not that they rose all at once, but is so expressed to strike the fancy more strongly, which is the embellishing of the out­ward Cortex of the Prophecy. And though they be said to be divers one from another, yet all agree in this, that they are [...] wild Beasts, by which is understood their Cruelty and Idolatry, as Grotius notes out of Jacchiades. Which cha­racter of these four wild Beasts is exquisitely well opposed unto the Kingdom of the Son of man, all along distinct from the other four Kingdoms, who came to erect the Empire of Love and Charity, and of pure Religion, the worship­ping the Father in spirit and in truth.

V. 4. This first Beast, a Lion, is the Babylonian King­dom, and Nebuchednezzar is described in Jeremiah by this animal. See chap. 4.7. and his Eagles wings betoken the quickness of his dispatch in his expeditions and conquests, expressed also in the same Prophet by the flight of an Ea­gle, chap. 4.13. and chap. 40. They may denote also the haughtiness of his spirit, of which Isaiah taxes him, chap. 14. v. 14. which pride and haughtiness his Grandchild Bel­shazzar did also inherit, Dan. 5.25. nor can Darius that succeeded him be excused from pride that he so easily swal­lowed down the motion for the decree his Princes suggested to him, Dan. 6.7. And the whole succession of the Kings of Babylon and the Kingdom under them being lookt upon but as one Beast by a Prophetick Henopoeia, whatever befell any particular King is referred to the Beast. To the pluck­ing therefore of the Lion's wings wherewith he was lifted from the earth is referred Nebuchadnezzar's dejection, when instead of being lifted up on high with his wings from the earth he was seen to graze on the ground with Oxen. The wings also of the Lion were pluckt in his Son Evil­merodack's days, when Media by Cyrus's rebellion against A­styages [Page 76]was rent from the Kingdom of Babylon, but most no­toriously pluckt in what befell his Grandchild Belshazzar, who was humbled with a witness at the hand-writing on the Wall, Dan. 5.6. But now, lastly, the Lion standing on his feet as a man, to this particularly is referred Nebuchad­nezzar's recovery out of his Boanthropy, when out of the depravedness of his imagination he was seen to go on all four like a beast. But the man's heart signifying the use of reason and humanity, this is referrable not onely to Nebuchadnezzar's recovery out of his delirancy, and to his humble professions touching the God of Israel, chap. 3.28. chap. 4.34. But to Evilmerodack's good usage of Je­hoiakim King of Judah, Jer. 52.31. And Darius his singu­lar humanity and kindness to Daniel, chap. 6. v. 14, 16, &c. These Characters, and for that these four Beasts answer to the four Metals in the Statue, and that the Golden head there is certainly the Babylonian Kingdom, may assure us that the Lion is also the same Kingdom.

V. 5. The Lion being the Babylonian, the succession of the four Empires in History will secure us that the Bear is the Medo-Persian Empire, so that it is needless to note that Persia is notorious for breeding the fiercer sort as well as great plenty of those Animals, or that the Persians resem­ble a Bear in their abstinence and hardship. But this Bear is said to raise its self on one side, because dividing the World into two parts, Jews and Gentiles, the Persian Mo­narchs were kind to the Jews, and exercised their Hostility onely against the Gentiles. See Isa. chap. 44.28. The three ribs in the mouth of the Bear, according to some, is Persia, Media and Chaldea, according to others the three coasts of the world subdued by the Persian Monarchs, by Cyrus the Eastern part, by Cambyses the Southern, viz. Aegypt and Aethiopia, and by Darius Hystaspis the Northern, namely the Scythians. And that voice bidding it devour much flesh, is the instigation of them by divine Fate to be a scourge to the wicked world, the civilized parts especially, which were grown rich and luxurious, to make a spoil of their riches, which in the Onirocriticks is understood by flesh; which was [Page 77]notably fulfilled in Cyrus his vanquishing Croesus King of Ly­dia, and Belshazzar King of Babylon.

V. 6. Succession here again will assure us that this is the Greek Empire, because the Medo-Persian was put an end to by Alexander, whose victories with his armies were so swift, that in this regard a Leopard is a fit Symbol of this Empire, that Animal, besides the extraordinary swiftness of it, jumping upon his prey, as Naturalists observe. And there was a wonderfull dispatch in Alexander's Conquests, who in the space of six years subdued not onely all Asia, but a great part of Europe and Africk. The four wings on the back of this Leopard, as wings, denote also the celerity of Alexander's Conquests and speedy division of his Empire in­to four Kingdoms, which the wings as four prefigure. Which is also prefigured by the four heads, as the division of the Roman Empire into ten Kingdoms by ten horns, and it was still one Greek Kingdom, as the other one Roman. For one Beast can stand but for one Kingdom. Those four heads that succeeded Alexander, were Cassander, to whom was al­lotted the Kingdom of Macedonia; Ptoleceus Lagi Fil. to whom Aegypt and Africk; Lysimachus, to whom Thracia; and Antigonus, to whose share Asia minor fell, according to Dio­dorus Siculus. And that dominion is said to be given to this Leopard, it seems to imply that Alexander's Conquests were so marvellous, that the Empire he acquired was rather a mere gift of Divine Providence, than any Acquist by his own strength, policy or vigilancy. See Dr. H. More on the place.

V. 7. In the night-visions. In this divine or superna­tural dream communicated to Daniel from God. A fourth Beast; which is the fourth Empire, viz. the Roman, for what Empire should succeed the Greek or Macedonick Empire but the Roman, that vanquished it as the Greek the Persian, and the Persian the Babylonian. That this fourth Kingdom is the Roman is demonstrated against Grotius Synops. Prophet. Book 2. Chap. 13. And as this Kingdom is typified, chap. 2. by the iron legs of the Image, so the strength of it here is set out by its great iron teeth. Both import that it is strong [Page 78]exceedingly. For so is that metal. And the courage, cru­elty and exceeding largeness of the Roman Empire must needs make it dreadfull and terrible. And for the enormous cruelty of this Empire, which was found so salvage that no one species of wild Beast could sufficiently set out the direfulness thereof while Pagan and Paganochristian, the horrid persecution of the Primitive Christians, and that no less of the Evangelici under the Papacy, is too ample and astonishing a monument. And stamped the residue with the feet. What it could not tear in pieces with its iron teeth, and so swallow down and digest into its body, and so make it part of the Roman Empire: by the extreme parts of the Empire which answer to the feet, it grievously annoyed and harassed, abetting any that would infest and invade those people that they found so refractory, and giving them as a spoil to them, &c. Divers from all the beasts. Forasmuch as they being absolute Monarchies, this fourth Beast con­sisted of two Consuls and a Senate, and in after-times of a mingle-mangle of Popes and Emperours, &c. And it had ten horns, answering to the ten toes of the iron legs of the Image. These ten Horns must be the Roman Empire divi­ded into ten Kingdoms after the Empire became Christian, and was beginning to Paganochristianize, and grow Idola­trous again. This therefore is the Time, and there the ten Horns of the Beast.

V. 8. I considered the Horns. Which is said to excite us to a close consideration of these Horns to see what we can espy there. And there we may observe another little Horn come up amongst them, but different from the rest. This therefore is an Additional to the ten Horns here as the two­horned Beast and the Whore are Additionals to the ten-horn­ed Beast, Apoc. chap. 13. and 17. Which most peculiarly is the Papal Polity or Hierarchy. But the three first horns, i. e. of the first kind or first mentioned which were pluck'd up before him, that is, removed out of the Pope's sight, is the Power, 1. of the Greek Emperours extending into Italy; 2. of the Lombards, and 3. of the Franks continued in the Empire of Germany. All these three Powers or Horns [Page 79]he made shift to rid himself of, that he might the more ea­sily domineer in Italy without any corrival. But this was not till he had grown to that rampancy of power, that he would excommunicate and depose Kings and Emperours, and had made himself in effect sole Emperour of Christen­dom. And in that it is said, that in this Horn were eyes like the eyes of a man; this shews a notorious difference betwixt this Horn and the other ten, and that he would prove the guide and ruler of the rest, themselves being destitute of sight; and the Papal Hierarchy how cunning and quick­sighted a Polity it has been all History rings thereof, and how far they pretend and how active Assistents they are even in civil affairs. But it is yet a more peculiar charac­ter of distinction betwixt this Hierarchical power in the Em­pire, and the Secular of the ten Kings, in that in matters of Faith and Religion they are to have no eyes of their own, but to profess and believe as this Horn, who pretends to have the onely eyes, tells them, and so to be led in a blind implicit faith, to believe and profess any thing that makes for the power, wealth and honour of the Popedom. And lastly, though this little Horn pretend to the onely true insight and infallibility in matters of Religion, as if he were inspi­red from God, yet the Prophecy insinuates, that they are but the eyes of a Man, and are so called, and consequently of that Man of sin or Antichrist, that exalts himself above all that is called God or worshipped. And the Ancient Fa­thers generally understand this little Horn of Antichrist. And that character of a mouth speaking great thing, nothing can be more fitly apply'd than this to the Popes of Rome, as they are set out by their Canonists and other displayers of their greatness. See Bishop Downham in his Treatise de Antichristo, Part 1. lib. 4. that whole fourth Book, or Dr. H. More, what he has culled thence on this place.

V. 9. Till the thrones were cast down. The word in the Original might as well be rendred set down or erected, which is the most natural sense, and most coherent with what fol­lows. The Ancient of days here is God the Father, who though he is not before the other two Hypostases of the [Page 80]blessed Trinity in time, yet he is in order of nature. The whiteness of the hair of his head denotes mature counsel and judgment, with a sutableness to his title of the Ancient of days, and the whiteness of his garment is pure unspotted righteousness, and impartiality in judging of causes. His throne like a fiery flame, and wheels like burning fire, is a de­scription of the Divine Shechinah, not much unlike that in Ezekiel, chap. 1. and 10. This is a Chariot-like Throne, as that a Throne-like Chariot; and as the wheels there as well as the living creatures are Angelical, so there are An­gels here innumerable in this great Session sitting with the Ancient of days, or assisting while he sits on his Imperial Throne drawn with wheels, Angelical wheels, by whose ministry is the Revolution of all States and Kingdoms.

V. 10. Came forth from before him. Out of his mouth, says Grotius from the Chaldee. And herefore is not un­like that blast of fire and flaming breath, 2 Esdr. 13. and suits excellently well with that passage, 2 Thes. 2. that tells us that the Lord will consume Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of his com­ing. This may denote the operation of the spirit which is resembled to fire, and the stream coming forth from the Ancient of days be a Symbol of the procession of the Holy Ghost, which proceeds from the Father as well as from the Son. But whereas it is said, the Books were opened. This corresponds with Apoc. 20.11, 12. and reaches to the final Judgment immediately preceding the Conslagration, and then the fiery stream out of the mouth of the Ancient of days will call also for another sense (for one Symbol in the same Prophecy sometimes signifies more things than one) it will signifie that final Sentence, Depart from me ye accursed into everlasting fire. See Isa. 30.33.

V. 11. The great words which the horn spake. For it had a mouth speaking great things, v. 8. For that Hierarchichal Polity, or Papal Hierarchy which is this little Horn, ut­ters such things as these. That the Pope is above all Kings and Emperours. That by certain words they can turn a piece of bread into a man, nay into a God in a [Page 81]manner. That they can consecrate Images to effectually keeping off thunder and lightning, and the incursion of enemies. That the Pope is the supreme Deity on earth. That his Tribunal and God's is all one. That he has the disposing of Kingdoms, can pull down one and set up another. That he can change the nature of things, make Injustice Justice, and Wrong Right. That it is Sa­crilege to doubt of his power. That he has dominion over Angels, Purgatory and Hell. See Bishop Downham in the Book above-cited. I beheld even till the Beast was slain, and with the Beast the false Prophet, for that in an Elliptical way is intimated and supplied in the Apocalypse, chap. 19.20. And the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet, which is this little Horn. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone, which an­swers to these words of Daniel, His body was destroyed and given to the burning flame, which intimates the means by which he was slain and destroyed, these things come to pass under the seventh Vial.

V. 12. As if he should say, If any one shall be so cu­rious as to enquire what became of the rest of the Beasts, the other three above-mentioned, let that suffice that their dominion was taken away, and that they had their set periods of time allowed them by the doom of the Ancient of days. This is enough as touching them, but the great bu­siness of all is touching the fourth Beast the Roman Em­pire, forasmuch as the true Church of Christ for so long a space of time is so much concerned therein, and there­fore that deserves more special observation and enlarge­ment. And therefore he holds on.

V. 13. Like the Son of man. The Son of man is a Title which Christ so inculcatedly assumes to himself, to whom the Kingdom does belong, that it is impossible but that he should have a regard to this very place in his so perpe­tually using that style touching himself. And therefore it being Christ, it is plain that the second Hypostasis of the holy Trinity is here exhibited in this divine Vision as well as the first and third; as I have noted they all three [Page 82]are in the Vision of Ezekiel. Came with the clouds of heaven. This passage our Saviour seems to allude to in his answer to the high Priest, Mat. 26.64. where he tells him, He shall see the Son of man coming in the coulds of heaven. And to be carried in the clouds of heaven, denotes that a King shall be master of his enemies and get glorious Victory, saith Achmetes. Christ therefore coming as it were in the head of the Roman Army, to destroy the murtherous Jews and establishing thereby his Church or Kingdom in the Roman Empire especially, fulfilled his own prediction.

V. 14. Some of all people shall serve him in the pure Apostolick way of doctrine and worship, and indeed the whole Roman Empire in a manner did so for a while after Constantine's Conversion, till the Apostasie came in. Which small interval of time in this Vision is not taken notice of, as being less considerable. But in the mean time it may be here reasonable to note, that this right of the King­dom being given to the Son of man, answers to the first Vision of the Seals, the Vision of the Heros on the white Horse, with a bow in his hand, and who had a Crown given unto him, Apoc. 6.2. the right of the imperial Crown. Is an everlasting dominion. The true Church which is the genuine Kingdom of Christ and of which he alone is the Head, as being universal, never yet from the begin­ning thereof has failed, nor ever will fail to the end of the world.

V. 15. Daniel was very anxious to know what the meaning of this Vision might be.

V. 16. Daniel came to one of the assistent Angels in this great Session, not to those that were placed on Thrones; and asked him the plain meaning of this pro­phetick Parable, which he told him in manner as follows.

V. 17. These four great Beasts are four Kings, with their Kingdoms or Empires, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman. And they are said to arise out of the earth, as being but earthly Kingdoms minding earthly things here below, whenas the true Kingdom of Christ is heavenly-minded, and have their thoughts carried above [Page 83]where Christ sits at the right hand of God. In all likely­hood this is intimated by earth, else it would have been said as at first they rose out of the sea, v. 3.

V. 18. The most High here seems to be Christ, who is called in the Apocalypse, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. This is to be fulfilled in his Millennial Empire, when the Kingdom of the Stone shall become the Kingdom of the Mountain, and sill the whole earth. And this Kingdom the Saints shall possess for ever and ever, that is, The true Church of Christ shall never fail till the end of the world. Thus far the Angel in general.

V. 19. Know the truth, the true and plain meaning. The explication of this verse is already set down upon verse the 7th.

V. 20. Of the other which came up. Of that other espe­cially. For the Angel's interpretation is most spent in describing it, v. 24, 25, 26. And before whom three fell, Those three I above-named on verse 8. that Horn that had Eyes: And would admit no other Horn to have eyes be­sides its self, especially in spirituals. And a mouth that spoke very great things, such as are mentioned upon verse 11. Whose look was more stout than his fellows, i. e. That had a bold assured look, affecting the greatest grandeur imaginable, as pretending to be Lord of the whole world. In whose presence his Fellow-horns did but sneak, as whose stirrup they are fain to hold, even Emperours themselves as well as Kings and other Princes, when this little Horn is to ride on horseback, and to bear on their shoulders his chair when he will be carried in state, to hold the bason and towel when he washes his hands, and in publick As­semblies to sit at his feet, and if they will not be dutifull enough, to be troad upon by his feet, as Frederick Bar­barossa was served by Pope Alexander the Third, who tread­ing upon his neck in the sight of the people, with a big look and loud voice abused that of the Psalmist to his barbarous insultation over the Emperour. Super aspidem & leonem ambulavis, &c. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder, &c. These hints are enough to shew how [Page 84]fully this part of the Prophecy is accomplished, viz. Whose look was more stout than his Fellows.

V. 21. The same Horn, namely the little Horn, i. e. the Papal power by using the forces of the ten Horns, or se­cular power makes War against the Saints, the true Apo­stalick Church, that cannot close with the gross corrupti­ons and idolatrous usages of the little Horn. This an­swers to that of the Apocalypse, chap. 13. v. 7. And it was given unto him to make War with the Saints, and to over­come them. It is spoken there of the ten-horned Beast, as the Executioner of the War, but in Daniel of the little Horn, as the Instigator or Authorizer thereof. But this in the mean time is an evident sign, that the times of the lit­tle Horn, are the times of the ten-horned Beast healed, which are the times of the Apostasie of the Church.

V. 22. The little Horn wholly prevailed against the Saints till God so effectually convinced the world of the truth of their cause, that the Saints at the partial fall of the great City, Apoc. 11. got possession of part of the King­dom out of the hands of Antichrist, and in due time un­der the seventh Vial, Apoc. 16. and 19. will be seized of the rest.

V. 23. The fourth Kingdom upon Earth is the Roman State or Empire, which is said to be divers from all King­doms, as having a political Constitution differing from them, as has been noted above, and to devour the whole earth, in regard of its vastly extended Conquests, which therefore ill suits with Grotius his conceit, that it is the Kingdom of the Lagidae and Seleucidae.

V. 24. And another shall arise after them. Another King shall arise immediately after them, or shall arise behind them. For so the Seventy render it, and the Hebrew word may signifie so, and intimate that this little Horn, the Pope or Papal power, so arose as if he had stoln his growth behind the ten Horns, they not being aware of him, as having no eyes, but he the eyes of a Man, of a cun­ning perspicacious Politician. And this King is said to be divers from the rest, as being Rex Sacrorum an Ecclesiastick [Page 85]Potentate, but the other ten Kings Laicks or Civil Po­tentates. And those three Kings which he is said to hum­ble, subdue or supplant are three whose dominions ex­tended into Italy, as Leo Isaurus the Greek Emperour, whom he excommunicated and made his Subjects of Italy revolt from their Allegiance because he was against Image-worship. The Lombards, whose Kingdom he caused by aid of the Franks to be wholly ruinated to get the Exarchate of Ravenna for a Patrimony to St. Peter. And lastly, the Emperours of Germany, whom from the days of Henry the Fourth he excommunicated, deposed and trampled under his feet, and never suffered to live in rest till he had made them quit their Interest in the Election of Popes and Investiture of Bishops, and what ever re­mainder of Jurisdiction they had in Italy. See Mr. Mede Epist. 24. Thus did this Horn with eyes whose look was more stout than his Fellows.

V. 25. Shall speak great words. The Original has onely [words] but [great] is safely added from what occurs, v. 8.11, 20. And Apoc. chap. 13. v. 5, 6. may be a fit Com­mentary on those passages. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and Blasphemies. Where great things is expounded by Blasphemies. But here it is sea­sonable to note, how well the deeds of the little Horn suit with those of the ten-horned healed Beast, who is but the Abettour and Executioner of what the two-horned Beast would have. And therefore when it is said the lit­tle Horn here speaks great words against the most High, it is all one, as if it were said of the ten-horned Beast in the Apocalypse. For this which is said of the ten-horned Beast is to be lookt upon as the mere Echo of the Dra­conick voice, of the Beast with two Horns, who is the maker of the Image of the Beast, Apoc. 13. as the Echo is the Image of the first voice. But he is said to wear out the Saints of the most High, viz. by Imprisonments, Consiscation of Goods, by Burnings, Croysades and Massacres, upon which this little Horn will put the ten Horns, as his occasions re­quire. And the sense of his intending to change times and [Page 86]laws, is his purpose of altering the primitive simplicity of the Christian Religion into a Constitution that best serves the Interest of his papal Kingdom. All superstiti­ons never so idolatrous, all doctrines never so monstrous, pass into a law and decree if they serve this end. This putting all therefore upon the little Horn here in Daniel does, as I intimated even now, answer to the two-horned Beast (Apoc. 13.) his making the Image of the old Dra­conick Beast, and causing the Roman Empire to put on the hew again of Paganism. So admirably do these two Pro­phecies give light one to another. And it being given into his hand to doe this for a time and times and half a time intimates that the ten Horns will assist and comply with him for such a time. And it is forty two months, equal to this time and times and half a time, that the ten-horned Beast is said to make War against the Saints. Apoc. 13, &c. See Dr. H. M. his Exposition on this place.

V. 26. But the Judgment shall sit. Namely to judge the little Horn or papal Hierarchy, which is the two-horned Beast in the Apocalypse, or the Whore of Babylon. To this alludes that saying of the Angel, Apoc. 17. I will shew thee the Judgment of the great Whore, &c. And part of this Judgment is menaced against this Jezabel, Apoc. 2.20. and was fulfilled in the Reformation. And mention thereof again made, Apoc. 15.4. in those words. For thy Judgments are made manifest. And this is the former part of the execution of the Sentence against the little Horn or great Whore. But whereas it is said, they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it to the end, that intimates the execution going on in the seven Vials. By that time all the Vials be poured out upon the two-hor­ned Beast, the little Horn with eyes or the false Prophet, his dominion shall be quite destroyed or consumed, which is the second part of the executed doom on the little Horn, and will be completed under the seventh Vial, with which the Vision of that divine Heros on the white Horse, with [Page 87]a sword coming out of his mouth, doth Synchronize. See Dr. H. M. on the place.

V. 27. The true Church then consisting of Jew and Gentile will overspread all. This is to be accomplished under the second and third Thunders. And I think no body can doubt but that the people of the Saints of the most High are the truly Catholick and Apostolick Church, if we consider the description of the new Jerusalem in the Apocalypse. And the most High is Christ, who there is termed King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and the Messias will be acknowledged in those days to be such both by Jew and Gentile. Whose Kingdom is an everlast­ing Kingdom, not to end upon earth till the last Thunder or Conflagration, according to the tenour of the Apoca­lypse. And all dominions shall serve and obey him. All Nations and Kingdoms shall willingly submit themselves to, and en­joy themselves in, this mightily extended and overspreading Kingdom of the Son of Man, which the Ancient of days had assigned to him. Which well may be called the King­dom of the Son of Man, in counter-distinction to those other four Kingdoms which are set out by cruel raven­ing Beasts, tearing and trampling all under their feet and forcing men to blind obedience with salvage violence, as was usual in the Kingdom of Antichrist or little Horn with eyes, that would let no body see but himself. But cer­tainly the Kingdom of the Son of Man will be a King­dom of unaffected Prudence, defecate Reason, and holy Love. For this is the true Man, the rest in us is but common to us with Brutes.

V. 28. But I kept the matter in mine heart. That is, I committed it carefully to my memory, so that I might be sure to transcribe it right, as being a wonderfull instance of divine Providence and Prescience to all Posterity: As certainly this Prophecy is if not distorted from the easie and genuine sense thereof to please a party. But I must not omit to note one thing more upon this last verse, which is this: That those passages [as for me Daniel] and [I kept the matter in mine heart] [Page 88]do fairly assure us that Daniel, as of this Vision, so of all the Historical matter written in Chaldee in the fore­going Chapters, was himself the Writer. But why he wrote the five following Chapters in Hebrew, I have in­timated in the Preface.

The NOTES.

AS in the Opened-book-prophecy of the Apocalypse, after the first two Visions that reach from the beginning of the Church to the seventh Vial inclusively, or to the descending of the new Jerusalem, the Visions that follow and respect that time are but partial, and relate but to some part of the time; so here in Daniel, after the two Vi­sions, the one of the Statue consisting of four Metals, the other of the four Beasts, which are each from the begin­ning of the Babylonian Empire to the Millennial inclusively, the Visions that follow respect but part of that time, as this of the Ram and He-goat concerns the times of the Medo-Persian and Greek Empire onely, in the proper sense of them.

V. 1. In the third year of Belshazzar King of Babylon, and immediate predecessour to Darius the Mede, a Vision appeared to Daniel, not in his sleep but when he was awake, and up and abroad, about three years after that which he saw at first, chap. 7.

V. 2. Here is mention of this Shusan or Susa, being in the Province of Elam, that is, Elymais, because Elam is the name of the Persian people, and that Empire so much con­cerned in this Vision. And the River Ʋlai is that which Historians and Geographers call Ʋlceus Fluvius, which rises in Media, touches upon Susa, and at last discharges it self into the Persian gulf.

V. 3. Daniel's saying he lift up his eyes and saw, natu­rally implies that he was awake, and that it was not a Night-vision but a Day-vision, and that he was really by the River Ʋlai, and had some charge there in Susiana, it may be conferr'd on him by Evilmerodack, and continued in Bel­shazzar's reign at least till that time. The Ram which he there saw denotes the Medo-Persian Empire, from a Parono­mastical allusion which the Hebrew word (that signifies both stoutness and courage, and also a Ram) has to Elam the Per­sian people. It denotes also the richness of the Persian Em­perours according to Achmetes. And lastly, this more fa­vourable Symbol seems to be made use of by reason of their kindness to the Jews. But by the two horns are denoted Media and Persia, and by the higher that came up last the Persian power, which, though later, was greater than that of the Medes.

V. 4. The Ram pusht West-ward when Darius Hysta­spis and Xerxes made War against Greece and Cyrus took Babylon; He pusht North-ward when the said Darius made War against the Scythians, and South-ward when Cambyses and others of their Kings invaded Aeypt, Aethiopia and Li­bya, and he is well said to doe according to his will, and be­come great, whenas the Persians took Babylon with its whole Empire, Lydia also and Ionia, Asia minor and Ae­gypt.

V. 5. The He-goat denotes the Greek Empire, v. 21. and there are several reasons that it should do so. For the Greeks or Macedonians (and Alexander himself is called A­lexander Macedo) were anciently called Aegeatae, which is as much as to say, the Goat-people. And the words in the Original, which are here rendred an He-goat, properly sig­nifie a young He-goat, denoting Alexander's youngness when he first enterprized the Conquest of the Eastern Empire, he being not much past twenty years old. The clambring na­ture of the Goat intimates also the aspiring ambition of Alexander. And the Goat is look'd upon as a more ready witted Animal than the Ram or Sheep, and how Philosophy and long Beards, like those of Goats, flourished in Greece, is notoriously known. But this Goat is said to come from the West, because Greece is West of Persia, and on the face of the whole earth, because of the vast overspreading of his victories, and not to touch the ground, by reason of the ex­traordinary speed of his Conquests. And the word that is rendred He-goat here, is derived from a Hebrew root that signifies to fly, and Alexander over-ran and vanquished the Persians, the Medes, the Fabylonians and Aegyptians, with the neighbouring Nations in the space of six years. Which Alexander therefore is that notable Horn between the Goat's eyes. That one great Horn upon this one Goat, upon which grew four lesser afterwards.

V. 6. The Greek forces assaulted the Medo-Persian, sig­nified by the Ram, with furious courage, as Pliny observes that Goats are of a more hot and fiery temper than Sheep. So well do the Symbols agree with the things signified.

V. 7. And brake his two Horns, the two Kingdoms of Media and Persia. Nor could the Ram withstand him any where, neither in Campis Adrastiis, or at Granicus a River of Phrygia the first battel that was fought betwixt Alexan­der and Darius his Satrapae, nor at Issus in Cilicia, where an exceeding numerous army of Darius was put to flight, from whence the City by Alexander was after called Nicopolis, nor at Arbela a City of Assyria, where Darius brought into field a yet far more numerous army, and yet was quite van­quished [Page 94]by Alexander, and the whole strength of his King­dom overthrown; and so Alexander was made master of the whole Medo-Persian Empire.

V. 8. Thus the Kingdom of the Greeks was exceed­ingly enlarged through this accession of the Medo-Persian Empire added thereto by Alexander the Great, deservedly so called for thus enlarging his Empire. But though the Goat was grown thus strong, yet his great Horn was bro­ken, and Alexander the Great, for all his greatness dyed about the two or three and thirtieth year of his age, as some say being poisoned. And after this Horn was broken upon this one self-same Goat, came up four notable ones, not in respect of the first, but in respect of the rest of A­lexander's Captains, amongst whom the Empire was divi­ded after his death. Which four notable Horns were Ptole­maeus the Son of Lagus, Sovereign of Aegypt, Lysimachus of Thracia, Antigonus of Asia, and Cassander the Son of Anti­pater Sovereign of Macedonia. These possess'd these four parts of the Empire towards the four winds of Heaven, viz. Aegypt in the South, Thracia in the North, Macedonia in the West, and Asia in the East, the fite of these four Prin­cipalities thus compared one with another.

V. 9. The little Horn that came out of one of these notable Horns, is the Kingdom of the Seleucidae, which grew up out of the favour and aid of Ptolemy King of Ae­gypt. But Seleucus so small at first, after Antigonus King of Asia by Ptolemy's help was vanquished and slain, and he and Ptolemy had divided the spoil, this Seleucus afterwards taking Demetrius the Son of Antigonus prisoner, got to him­self the Empire of Syria and Asia. So exceeding great did this little horn grow in Seleucus his time, but nothing com­parable to this in Antiochus Epiphanes his. But though this little horn signifie the whole Succession of the Seleucidae for the reason abovesaid, yet I deny not, but that it may more peculiarly aim at Antiochus Epiphanes, the Jews being so much concerned in his reign, and that he may be also par­ticularly said to wax great toward the South and toward the East; who toward the East overcame Artaxias King of Ar­menia, [Page 95]and had over-run Aegypt also toward the South, but that at his siege of Alexandria, Popilius the Roman Legate gave a stop to his affairs, which made him shew his power and vent his choler on Judaea called the pleasant land; and lastly, this Antiochus in his particular person may be called a little horn, because he was one of a mean fortune at first, a private man and an hostage at Rome.

V. 10. He magnified himself against the Host of Hea­ven, was so bold and big that he fought against the people of God, whose God is called the Lord of Hosts, of which his own people are peculiarly a part, and may be said to have kept Garrison in Jerusalem, the Temple being as it were the main Fortress thereof, and the Levites his most sacred Souldiery. And his casting down some of the Host and Stars to the ground, &c. is the perverting some of the Priests and Levites (which should have been lights to others) and the Jews in general to embrace the customs of the Heathens (as you may see in the Books of Maccabees) whom he trod in­to the very dirt and mire, at last, of abominable prophana­tions.

V. 11. He magnified himself even against the God of Israel himself, by taking away the Service he had appointed for himself, and by the bringing in the Idol of Jupiter Olympius into the Temple to take possession thereof, as if he intended to turn the true Owner out of doors, who abominates Idols, and has strictly forbid his people the worshipping of Ima­ges. So that the place of his Sanctuary was debased from that height of Sanctity belonging to it before, by vile hea­thenish prophanations, and sacrificing Swine's flesh on the very Altar. Joseph. Antiq. Judaic. lib. 12. chap. 7.

V. 12. And an Host was given him. There is no [him] in the Original, but the sense may run thus (An Host shall be given) i. e. granted or appointed by Antiochus to hinder the daily sacrifice through his villany and wickedness. For they built a Fort or Castle that could command the Temple (to nose, as it were, the God of Israel) in which Antiochus placed a Macedonick guard to deter both Priest and People from their duties touching the daily sacrifice. The Truth [Page 96]to the ground, i. e. The true Religion, or true worship of God contained then in the law of Moses, and Josephus in the above cited place, tells us; that this Book of the law, where ever it was found, was presently abolished, i. e. torn in pieces or burnt. Such wicked practices of Antio­chus as these succeeded and obtained for a time, which are parallel to the feats of Antichrist, his keeping the holy Bible from the people, his Heathenizing them by compelling them to Pagan-like idolatries, and his persecu­ting them, for not submitting thereto, that it is no won­der that the ancient Fathers so considently made Antiochus Epiphanes a type of Antichrist. For what worse could they suspect of Antichrist than thus?

V. 13. One Saint. Saint is as much here as Holy one or Angel. See chap. 4.13. And the most natural translation of this first part of the Verse I conceive is this: Then I heard an Angel speaking, and that same speaking An­gel said to Palmoni: which is a peculiar name of Christ. Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotian and the Septuagint render it Phelmoni. It seems to be compounded of Pele, wonderfull, which is one of the Titles of Christ, Isay. 9.13. and Al­moni, from Alam, which signifies obmutuit, and in Piel, col­ligavit. Which intimates the ineffableness, and unuttera­bleness of the admirable Union, or Colligation of the Soul of the Messias, with the eternal Logos, as it is also said of him in the Apocalypse, That he has a name written that no man knows but himself. This is insinuated by the word Palmoni. And Calvin will have Christ understood thereby, Transgression of desolation, i. e. That wicked u­sage of Antiochus against the people of God, their City and Sanctuary, which he will so greatly oppress and make desolate. And the Host. The Priests and Levites that kept watch and ward there in the Temple engarizon'd as it were in this great and glorious Castle of the God of Israel, to say nothing of the Angelical powers there, and the in­habitants of Jerusalem his people. See Dr. H. M. on the place.

V. 14. Two thousand three hundred days. The Original has it [Evening-mornings] which is one. indication that na­tural days are here meant, and they onely in the proper and literal sense of the Prophecy. These 2300 days therefore reduced into years may signifie about six years, commen­cing from the first coming of Antiochus into Judaea, when the Priesthood was prophaned, and including the second, and the whole time of the intermission of the daily Sa­crifice. But from the time of the gross Prophanation of the Temple, when Antiochus's souldiers set an heathenish Altar in the Sanctuary, and sacrificed swines flesh on it, till Antiochus Eupator granted the Jews the free use of their Religion and Temple, Thomas Lydiat reckons about three years and an half, which may give a glance being typically understood, at the three times and an half of the true An­tichrist, chap. 7.

V. 15. As the appearance of a man, An Angel externally visible to him in humane shape. For this is not a dream or Night-vision, but a Day-vision, as Grotius has also ob­served.

V. 16. Betwixt the banks of Ʋlaeus that runs by Susa, he heard the voice of Palmoni, or of Christ calling to the Angel Gabriel to expound to him the vision. The giving which command to Gabriel shews he was no ordinary An­gel, but the Prince of Angels Christ, if we add what will occur, chap. 10.

V. 17. Fell on my face, Through very astonishment his Spirits failing him, but he would have been more astonished if Palmoni himself had approached him, when he could so ill bear the presence of one of his Ministers. Ʋnderstand O, Son of Man, i. e. Be attentive and diligent to conceive what I say. For at the time of the end shall be the Vision. Though it be long even about four hundred years, till this of the little Horn be fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes, yet at the end for a certain the vision will be accomplished, and at another time of the end it will be accomplished in his Antitype also.

V. 18. I was in a deep sleep, &c. It is better rendred, I was struck with a sudden Sopor and fell on my face to the ground. Another sounding fit took him at the hearing the voice of the Angel as before at his sight and presence, so Maldonat. Which naturally implies that saving in those sounding fits Daniel was perfectly awake, and that it was a Day-vision. But he touched me and set me upright. By his touch he enabled me to stand upon my feet again. Here we see the Angel Gabriel (Christ appearing in humane shape by way of prelude to his Incarnation) to have a pre­ludious mission as of an Apostle, to preach to Daniel and instruct him, and to doe Miracles also as the Apostles did.

V. 19. The last end of the Indignation. For this pre­diction of the wrath of God in the time of Antiochus against his people, and Antiochus his raging Tyranny over them, is the main drift of this Vision, and here the Angel promi­ses to tell what shall come at the end thereof, which he does, v. 25. That he shall be broken without hands.

V. 20. The whole race of the Kings of Media and Persia, from Cyrus to Darius Codomannus, is here understood, as is to be gathered from v. 4. where the Ram is said to push Westward and Northward, and Southward, which was not performed by any one King but by the Succession. Whence it is reasonable that by the Goat the whole Suc­cession also of the Greek Empire should be understood in like manner.

V. 21. The King of Grecia, i. e. the Kingdom of Gre­cia, King being put for Kingdom More Hebraico, as Grotius notes on the place. The rough Goat is the whole succession of the Kings of Grecia, together with their Kingdom or Empire. But haply this long-haired or long-bearded Goat may have a particular respect to Alexander's Army. None, says Justin, lead the files unless he were threescore years old; so if you viewed the fore part of the Army, you would take them to be the Senate of some ancient Com­monwealth. The long-bearded Sexagenarii appeared in the fore part of the Army, as the Goats beard goes before the rest of his body. Is the first King. This first King is most [Page 99]manifestly Alexander the Great, which no man ever de­nied, and he is the first horn of the Goat, or first King of the Greek Empire. From whence it necessarily follows, that there must be other horns, and other Kings to succeed in this body of the Goat or Greek Empire. This Grotius must allow whether he will or no.

V. 22. Four Kingdoms. These four Kingdoms into which Alexander's Empire was divided, Grotius is forced to confess as to the first Kings of them, or heads of them, that they belong to the Leopard or Goat the third Monar­chy. Now what a miserable and unnatural divulsion is there, that the Successours of those heads should be torn off from their Predecessours in those Kingdoms, to make a distinct Empire from the Greek, which is as wild and ex­travagant as to cut off the Leopards and Goats head with the horns to make two Goats, or two Leopards of them, or to make the body of each a distinct Animal from the Leopard or Goat. And yet this valiant exploit Grotius aims at, that he might excuse the Roman Empire from be­ing the fourth beast, and the Papal power the little Horn amongst the other ten. But not in his power: The four Suc­cessours of Alexander were neither so valiant as he in their own persons, nor was their Kingdom so strong by reason of the wars amongst themselves, they squabling one with another about the prey.

V. 23. In the latter time of the Kingdom of the four Kings, the Successours of Alexander, when the sins of the Jews shall be ripe for their Judgment, shall a King of a hard, bold and shameless countenance, and understanding dark sentences stand up. Whom all take to be Antiochus Epiphanes, and him to be a type of Antichrist. But in that it is said [in the latter time of the Kingdom] viz. of the four Kings, as they were at first, this does so manifestly tye the first four Kings to their Succession, even to Antiochus Epiphanes his time, in as many of them as reached so far, that it is plain demonstration, that the Kingdom of the four horns doth extend it self into the times of Antiochus Epiphanes, and that therefore the third Monarchy which is [Page 100]the Greek, reaches at least so far. Whereby Grotius his fond conceit of making the Kingdom of the Lagidae and Seleucidae the fourth Empire, and the fourth beast is quite blown away. But now how well this boldness and skill in dark Sentences in the Type is answered in the Antitype, see Dr. H. More on the place, it were too long to pursue here.

V. 24. The power of Antiochus over the Jews was cau­sed by some mistaken or ill-minded Jews themselves. And Antichrist, or the Head of the healed Beast, the ten Kings gave their power to him, Apoc. 17.13. But whether An­tiochus or Antichrist be the more wonderfull destroyer, let History bear witness, Apoc. 18.24. And as Antiochus pro­spered and practised against the Jews, so Antichrist against the Evangelical Christians, Apoc. 13.7. And as Antiochus destroyed the mighty [the strong in faith and couragious for the truth] and the holy people, so Antichrist the Pro­phets and Saints, Apoc. 18.24. See Dr. H. M.

V. 25. Shall magnifie himself in his heart. Antiochus shall applaud himself, as all Politicians do when things succeed, for his own great Policy. This was found true in Antiochus, but much more in Antichrist or the Papal Hierarchy, there never having been a more cunning Polity in the World than that little Horn with the eyes of a man, chap. 7. And by peace! rather in Peace, out of time of War, which is nearer to the Original. And so Grotius understands by it the Jews persecuted for their Religion by Antiochus. But what is this to the bloudy massacres that Antichrist has made upon the peaceable and innocent Pro­testants, and to the burning God knows how many besides with fire and faggot? Against the Prince of Princes. Antio­chus against the High-Priest, the greatest Sovereign then a­mongst the Jews, Prince of the Princes of the Priestly fami­lies, and against the God of Israel himself, by hindring his pure worship, and bringing in the Idol of Jupiter Olympius into the Temple; and Antichrist against the Potentates of Christendom by the excommunicating of Princes, and ab­solving their Subjects from the Oath of Allegiance, and by [Page 101]treading upon the necks of Emperours, and kicking off their Crowns with his feet. And against God himself, who is a detester of Idols, by polluting his Sanctuaries with Image-worship, and by bringing himself into the Temple of God, and behaving himself there as if he were God, as it is said of Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2. But he being but a man, what can he be but an Idol, the Fulminent Jupiter of Mount Coelius, as that Idol Antiochus brought into that Temple of the Jews was Jupiter of Mount Olympus. But he shall be bro­ken without hands. Antiochus, morte coelitus emissâ, as Gro­tius speaks, struck with a noisome disease from God, and Antichrist slain with the breath of Christ's own mouth.

V. 26. Because days in the Prophecies of Daniel else­where are so many years, the Angel not content with the phrase of Evening-mornings, which fairly invites to the un­derstanding these two thousand three hundred Evening­mornings of natural days; here is a farther assurance that they do signifie so, in that he says the Vision of the Evening and Morning is true, i. e. plain and clear, not symbolical or aenigmatical, that is to say, They have this proper and plain sense in the first literal meaning of the Vision as it respects Antiochus. But as Antiochus is a type of Antichrist, as the generality of Expositors, ancient and modern, do conceive, so these 2300 days may possibly also signifie my­stically or symbolically, and denote, as elsewhere in Daniel, so many years. See the Answer to the Remark of S. E. on this verse. Shut up the Vision. Having exactly writ this Vi­sion with the Explication, lock it up safely, that the Origi­nal may be kept, to compare with the event. For many days. The time from one prophecy to the event, will be a long time, it being about 380 years from Belshazzar's reign to Antiochus Epiph [...]nes, but much longer from that Epocha to the times of Antichrist, and the cleansing of the Church from Antichristian pollutions.

V. 27. Daniel was faint and sick certain days by rea­son of his converse with, and consternation of mind from the hearing and seeing those Angelical Powers, so much re­moved above the condition of us mortals, and also out of [Page 102]sadness for the prophanation of the Sanctuary and great ca­lamities of his Nation, which were foretold him. But af­ter he had grown well again, he went about the business the King sent him for into Susiana, where he was when he saw this Vision. And though he look'd with an astonisht and appalled look, yet none understood what the matter was with him, he concealing his grief as much as he could.

The NOTES.

V. 1. Son of Ahasuerus, that is, Son of Cyaxares, as the Greeks call him. And Ctesias in Diodorus Siculus seems to call him Asdibaras, which is very near to Assibaras, and consequently to Ahasuerus. See Dr. H. M. his Notes on the place. Of the seed of the Medes. For Darius was Son to Cyaxares King of Media, who was Father to Man­dane Cyrus's Mother, and to Nitocris wife of Nebuchadnez­zar, to whom Cyaxares committed the tutelage of his Son Darius when he died, together with his Kingdom. Made King of the Chaldeans. For Cyrus after he had taken Baby­lon and Belshazzar was slain, delivered the Kingdom to his Uncle Darius, being then about sixty two years of age.

V. 2. Ʋnderstood by the Books. For there was in the hands of the Jews then the Books of Moses and the Pro­phets, that they might know their transgression, punish­ment and time of appointed mercy. Came to Jeremy the Prophet. See Jer. chap. 25.11, 12. and chap. 27.7. and chap. 29.10. out of which places it is manifest that this Babylonish captivity was but to continue 70 years, or till the reign of Nebuchadnezzar's Sons son, or Grandchild Belshaz­zar, who was slain in the taking of Babylon by Cyrus. That [Page 107]he would accomplish seventy years, and then relaxate their captivity. And therefore Daniel observing that Cyrus had now appeared prophesy'd of by Esay, chap. 44.28. and had cut off the race of Nebuchadnezzar, and reckoning from the time of his own captivity, and the beginning of the reigns of the Kings of Babylon, he did rationally con­ceive hopes that the day of their deliverance was now nigh at hand, and accordingly he betook himself to his devotions to hasten it as follows.

V. 3. I set my face unto the Lord God, viz. Toward the Temple of Jerusalem as he did, chap. 6.10. Which is a demonstration, it is no idolatry to direct a Mans devoti­ons towards one certain place. To seek by prayer and sup­plication, &c. not lazily expecting, as if because God had once promised he would be sure to perform it, let us be­have our selves as we will, but preparing himself (for I look upon him as the Representative of all the people of the Jews) by earnest prayer, hearty repentance, and sincere humiliation, and fitting himself thus to receive so great a mercy and blessing. Which singular piety of Daniel, all those that wait for the deliverance of God's people, from the cap­tivity of the mystical Babylon, should set themselves faith­fully and conscientiously to imitate.

V. 4. The great and dreadfull God. Which expressions shew with what fear and reverence we are to make our Addresses to him, and that from our very heart and in­ward sense, not in words and composed looks onely. Kee­ping the covenant of mercy, that is, the mercifull promise, in particular, of redeeming thy people from the Babylonian bondage, if we were fitted for so great a blessing, by un­feigned love and obedience to thee.

V. 5. We have sinned. So Daniel speaks as here sustain­ing a publick person, and representing the whole body of the Jews, as I noted before.

V. 7. Righteousness belongeth to thee. Thou art to be lauded and adored for thy righteousness, but shame and reproach belongs to us, by reason of our sins.

V. 9. Though we have rebelled against thee. Thy mercies and forgivnesses will be the more amply set out, by how much our refractariness has been the greater, if thou please to pardon it.

V. 11. In the law of Moses. See Levit. 26.14. Deut. 28.15. and chap. 29.20. and chap. 30.17, 18. and other like places.

V. 12. He hath confirmed his words. He hath made known to all the world, how firm his Comminations were to impenitent sinners, by this grievous destruction brought upon Jerusalem.

V. 13. Yet made we not our prayer before the Lord, We were grown so heartless and senseless that neither by devout Prayer, nor other works of holiness and piety, we en­deavour to turn this fierce wrath from us.

V. 14. The Lord watched upon the evil, Set himself on purpose, or made it his business to bring evil upon us, in which he did but justly we being so refractary against him.

V. 15. Out of the land of Aegypt. Thou who so glo­riously delivered'st thy people out of the Aegyptian bon­dage, glorifie thy name by freeing us from this Babylonish Captivity. We acknowledge our sins and wickednesses, but for thy names sake extend thy mercy to us in this.

V. 16. According to all thy righteousness. Out of the Original it may be rendred. According to all thy mercies and loving kindnesses, such as his delivering them out of Aegypt and the like. Thy people are become a reproach. They that lord it over them casting it in their teeth, in this their great Calamity, ye are those that boast your selves the peculiar people of so potent a God, and ye see in what case ye are in.

V. 17. And cause thy face to shine, i. e. Cast a favoura­ble aspect on thy Sanctuary, that is desolate. For the Lords sake, i. e. For thine own sake, a Substantive being put for the Pronoun, more Hebraico.

V. 18. The City that is called by thy name, So it is called, Psal 48.8. The City of the Lord of hosts, and the City of our God.

V. 20. And the sin of my people. This passage also shews that Daniel in his prayer represented the whole body of the people of the Jews. For the holy mountain of my God, that is, For the restoring of the exercise of their Religion to the Jews, and the re-building of the Temple.

V. 21. The man Gabriel, viz. the Angel Gabriel in hu­mane shape. Behold the efficacy of humble, earnest and sincere devotion, that by a kind of Divine Magick does attract unto the supplicant not onely the gracious illapses of the holy Spirit within, but also the external and visi­ble converse of Angels. Whom I had seen, namely at Susa, near the River Ʋlai or Ʋlaeus, chap. 8.16. Being caused, Commanded by Palmoni, see chap. 11.1. To fly swiftly, As if Angels were winged Creatures. But they are so descri­bed onely to signifie the speed of their ministry. Touched me. To convey vertue and strength into me, and fit me for his converse, as chap. 8.18. About the time of the Evening oblation, i. e. About the ninth hour of the day, the time heretofore, while the Temple stood, allotted for sacrifi­ces, and now the Temple was down, it was made choice of by the Jews for their time of prayer, which is a more spiritual sacrifice.

V. 22. To give thee skill and understanding, namely touching Daniel's People, Religion and the Temple, for which he was concerned with so much zeal and earnest­ness.

V. 23. At the beginning of thy supplications. Thou hadst no sooner set thy face to seek God in behalf of thy People, thy Religion and the Holy Mountain, but it was given me in charge to come unto thee. To shew thee, not onely how Cyrus King of Persia will relaxate your captivity, but how the Messias the true shepherd of Israel will come to relaxate his people from the captivity of Sin and Satan. Greatly beloved. Out of the Hebrew it may as well be rendred ac­tively, a man of desires, and denote the earnestness of Da­niel's spirit in matters that concerned the glory of God, and welfare of his people. Which holy desire is, as I said, a certain Divine Magick of the soul to attract the influencies [Page 110]of the Spirit of God and the Ministry of Angels. Consider the Vision. This Prophecy of the seventy weeks is called a Vision in such a general sense as Prophets Seers, as Grotius has rightly noted. And the matter of this Vision is well worth Daniel's and our understanding and considering, it predicting the Jews enjoyment of their Religion for the space of about 500 years, and a Promise of the coming of their Messias for greater purposes than what respected the Jews onely.

V. 24. Seventy weeks. That seventy weeks of years are understood, and that it is as much as if he shou'd have said 490 years, all Interpreters are agreed. But the very num­ber of these prophetick weeks seem not to want a mystery, it being made of 10 into 49, which is a Jubilee, and Ten a note of Perfection, and therefore this number denotes a most perfect Jubilee, the time of the coming of Christ, and of his redeeming for us our celestial Inheritance. Are determined upon thy people, &c. that is to say, Near upon the expiration of the seventieth week the people of the Jews shall be no longer the people of God, nor their City holy, their Religion naturally ceasing upon some act of theirs, whereby a better, according to the purpose of God, shall be brought in. But from the commencement of the seventy weeks till that time, which is nigh 500 years, they should be the people of God, and their city accounted Holy, which is a fair space of time, and must be welcome news to Daniel. To finish transgression. To consume sin and make an end of it. For Christ came throughly to purge his floor, and to pluck up every plant that was not of his Fa­thers planting. And to make an end of sins. Out of the Original it may be rendred to put an end to the Judaical Sin-offerings, viz. by Christ his being sacrificed on the Cross for the sins of the whole world. Reconciliation for iniquity. The Hebrew word signifies to expiate iniquity. And that Christ is that great expiation and atonement for sin, all true believers are agreed on. Everlasting righte­ousness, such a Law or Religion as shall endure for ever, and according to which, if we live, it will be our justifica­tion, [Page 111]not the works of Moses's law, nor those offerings and sacrifices. This is the everlasting Gospel, mentioned, Apoc. 14.6. And to seal up Vision and Prophecy, that is, To fulfill and accomplish the Prophecies, viz. those great important Prophecies concerning the Messiah. So the word Seal is used, Ezek. 28.12. And to anoint the most Holy, The most holy person that ever lived. The Jews themselves understood it of a person, Moses Gerundensis of the very Messiah. See Dr. H. M. on the place.

V. 25. Commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, viz. from the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus in the twentieth year of his reign, that decree, namely that Nehemiah ob­tained of him who made his complaint to him how the place of his Fathers Sepulchres lay waste, i. e. the city Jerusalem, and how the gates thereof were consumed with fire, Ne­hem. 1.3. Wherefore, chap. 2.1. in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes his reign he obtained a decree for the resto­ring and re-building Jerusalem. For the other decrees granted by Cyrus, Darius Hystaspis, and by this Artaxer­xes in the seventh year of his reign concerned onely the Temple, not the City and the Walls, as you may plainly discern by reading of Ezra. Whence it is manifest that the Epocha of the seventy weeks must be taken from this decree of the twentieth of Artaxerxes. But how Chrono­logy is to be adjusted to this Epocha out of Tho. Lydiat, see Dr. H. More's Notes on this Vision, and the first 16 Chap­ters of his Paralipomena Prophetica. Ʋnto Messiah the Prince, i. e. unto the manifestation of that person that is so well known, and so much expected by the Jews under the name of their Messiah (the word never being used absolutely but concerning him) to his entring into his ministry, being first baptized by John, and so shewing himself after in preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and doing miracles for the confirmation thereof in the sight of all the people. To this manifestation of the Messiah or Christ shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks, i. e. 69 weeks, or 483 years. In the last of these years did Jesus the Messiah ma­nifest himself. The streets shall be built again and the wall. [Page 112]This seems to be added on purpose to give light to Inter­preters, that the decree here mentioned from whence the weeks do commence, is that granted in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, because that was expresly for the City and the Walls, the other three preceding for the Temple. Even in troublesome times, As it appears out of Nehemiah, chap. 4. For the builders were fain to have their swords in readiness as well as their trowels.

V. 26. And after threescore and two weeks, &c. Namely, After the sixty two weeks that immediately succeed the se­ven weeks, that is, after sixty nine weeks, shall Messiah be cut off, viz. the above named Messiah the Prince, which term of Messiah is no where put absolutely but here, whence doubtlesly the Jews gave him, whom they expected for their redeemer, the name of Messiah cut off, which may signifie not onely from life, but as Mr. Mede notes, from reigning as a King. And in respect of the Jews he was cut off in both those senses. For he was the Messiah their Prince, whom his own people rejected and cut off from life, and thereby from themselves, that they were no more his Peo­ple, nor he their King. With which what follows, sitly a­grees. And they shall be none of his. For so the Hebrew is naturally rendred and not [but not for himself] The Messiah shall be cut off by the hand of the people of the Jews, and that people shall be none of his. Sed populus prin­cipis futurus (so the Hebrew is rightly and sutably rendred) But the people designed to be the people of Messiah the Prince hereafter (viz. the Romans, amongst whom Christ was chiefly to have his Church and Kingdom) shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary, namely, for their murthering the Messiah their Prince, which destruction was brought upon them by the Roman army under the conduct of Titus the Son of Vespasian. With a floud. After the destruction of the city the Roman army shall overflow Judaea, God determining that issue of the war the devastation of the land.

V. 27. And he shall confirm. It may be rendred, Ne­vertheless he shall confirm the covenant. Though Israel was cast off, yet a remnant according to the Election of [Page 113]grace should be won unto Christ, and close with the cove­nant of the Gospel. The word in the Greek [...], is the very same that adorns the Title page of the New Testa­ment. With many, i. e. with several. For one week, which is the seventieth or last week, several were converted before Christ's passion, others afterwards in the same week by his Apostles. But the main body of the Jews remained obsti­nate, and were none of his people, as was noted above. And in that it is said, In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacri­fice to cease; this implies the death of the Messiah on the Cross, which eminent sacrifice for the sins of the whole world put an end to or antiquated all other Sin-offerings. This passage therefore does more precisely predict the time of the Messiah's being cut off, viz. in the fourth year of the last week, or 487th year from the twentieth of Artaxerxes, according to Tho. Lydiat's Chronology. Which I conceive is the truest account. And for the overspreading of Abomi­nations, &c. Out of the Hebrew it is better rendred thus by Mr. Mede [And commanding over a wing of abomina­tions he will be a destroyer] i. e. over an army of Idola­trous Gentiles, the Roman army, who bore upon their stan­dards the Images of their Gods, which the Hebrew calls Abominations. And the coming of the Romans to destroy the City of Jerusalem, is in several places of the New Te­stament called the coming of Christ. See Dr. H. M. his Exposition and Notes. Even untill the consummation, &c. Reade out of the Hebrew. And untill the consummation (or the finishing this destruction) it shall continue upon the distressed, viz. This Wing of Abominations shall con­tinue, or lye upon the distressed Jews. Wherefore as in the precedent, so in this verse upon the mention of Messiah his death or murtherous crucifixion by the Jews, immedi­ately is added a prediction of their destruction and cala­mity.

The NOTES.

THE Vision in this Chapter is onely Introductory to the Vision of the Scripture of Truth, chap. 11. as the three Visions of like vast extent of time and concern in the Apocalypse have the like pompous Introductory Vi­sions prefix'd to them.

V. 1. In the third year of Cyrus, &c. In the third year of the Persian Monarchy, begun upon the death of Darius the Mede, who immediately succeeded Belshazzar the Grand­child of Nebuchadnezzar. Was called Belteshazzar. This name of Daniel, writ as it was at first, when Ashpenaz the Prince of the Eunuchs gave him it, signifies the Treasurer of the secrets of Bel, but, as it is here writ, it signifies an hid­den enemy, viz. to the Babylonish Idolatry, though always a faithfull subject to the Kings of Babylon, as all good men are to their Princes, be they of what Religion they will. See Dr. H. M. on the place. And the thing was true, i. e. The matter communicated to him was not Chidah a pro­phetick Parable or Aenigm set out by types of a Statue of various Metals and of severally shaped Beasts, but it was Emeth, plain truth, without such mysterious riddles. But the time appointed was long, even from the beginning of the Persian Empire to the end of the world. And he understood the vision, that is, the Prophecy of the Scripture of Truth. He understood it of himself, it wanting no interpretation as those Aenigmatical Prophecies did.

V. 2. In those days, i. e. On a certain time of that third year of Cyrus King of Persia, after the adversaries of the Jews, notwithstanding the gracious decree of Cyrus had so prevailed with Cambyses his Son (his Father being busie in foreign Wars) as to hinder the building of the Temple; as it is recorded in Ezra chap. 4. That they hired counsel­lers against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus King of Persia. Three full weeks. The Hebrew has [Page 118]it three weeks of days, in counterdistinction to the seventy weeks in the foregoing Prophecy, which signifies weeks of years, and to intimate that days, weeks and years in any Prophecy of Daniel, unless something be hinted to the con­trary, are to be understood of prophetical days, weeks and years. Which being an observable rule in Daniel the put­ting days for years hinders not, but this Prophecy of the Scripture of Truth, may rightly be termed a plain Pro­phecy.

V. 3. He eat no pleasant bread, &c. those whole three weeks; though otherwise it was both lawfull for him and accustomary to use the diet of other Courtiers. To recom­mend himself the more to God, and make himself more fit for prayer, contemplation and devotion, he eat no plea­sant bread, &c.

V. 4. The great River which is Hiddekel. The vulgar Latine from the Septuagint calls it Tigris. It is called great, because of the breadth of it, as it touches on the Province Susiana, which Daniel was set over, and where he was at the sight of this Vision. It runs on the West-side of Ʋlai or Ʋlaeus, and by reason of its swiftness has its name from an Arrow, as Pliny notes, Tegir signifying an Arrow in Chal­dee, and in the notation of Hiddekel the like swiftness is imply'd.

V. 5. A certain man cloathed in linen. This is the ve­ry same Angel in humane shape that appeared unto Da­niel when he was near the River Ʋlai, which Calvin, not without reason, concluded to be Christ, called there Pal­moni. And that this here is Christ, will appear from his likeness to Christ in the Apocalypse, that appeared in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. For here this An­gel is described cloathed in linen, that is, in the Pontifical Garment down to the foot. And so is Christ cloathed with linen, Apoc. 1.13. And as here the Angel is girt with the fine gold of Ʋphaz, so in the Apocalypse Christ is girt with a golden girdle.

V. 6. Like the Beryl. The Hebrew word is Tarsis, which signifies the Sea as well as Beryllus Thalassius, and therefore insinuates the party to be no private person but the Prince of a multitude. Which same thing is notify'd of Christ in the Apocalypse, though not by this Symbol of Tharsis or the Beryl. And as the face of this Angel has the appear­ance of lightning, so the Head of Christ is said to be as white as snow, which has a very dazling brightness in it, like that of lightning, which is also a white splendour, not red like sire. And as in this Vision the Angel's eyes are said to be as lamps of fire, so in that, Christ's eyes to be as a flame of fire, and as here the Angel's armes and feet are compared to polished brass, so the feet of Christ there to fine brass burning in a furnace. And brass brightned by rubbing or polishing, and purify'd by the fire, will sig­nifie the same thing. And, lastly, here it is said, And the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude, and in the Apocalypse likewise, And his voice as the found of many waters, which in the prophetick style signifie a mul­titude. This Angel therefore being Christ, it is the very same Palmoni that appeared to Daniel near the River Ʋlai, chap. 8. bestirring himself in both places for the good of his people.

V. 7. I Daniel alone saw the Vision, that is to say, He alone saw distinctly the Vision. But that Daniel's compa­nions saw something, is evident in that a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves, which plainly argues that this of Daniel was a real day-vision, and that he was in the place truly which he mentions, namely by the great River the River Hiddekel or Tigris in Susiana.

V. 8. Therefore I was left alone and saw this great Vision. As being better sitted for such divine communion by his three weeks fasting and devotion. But well may this Vi­sion be called great, it being the sensible and distinct pre­sence of the Lord Christ. Whence he says there remained no strength in him, but his comeliness was turned into cor­ruption, he being overcome and stounded at the presence of so glorious a Personage.

V. 9. Yet heard I the voice of his words. Though he was half dead in this strange consternation of mind, yet he heard the voice of this illustrious Angel that was present with him. But at the hearing the voice of his words he was so overcome and astonished thereat, as well as before at his sight, that it made him fall down into a soporiferous swound with his face towards the earth, his spirits did so fail him or quite retire through fear. See chap. 8.18. But the consopiting of the natural or carnal powers makes way for the seasonable weaking the Divine.

V. 10. An hand touched me. When he was fallen thus to nothing in himself through perfect humiliation and contri­tion, then an hand from without toucheth him, supernatu­ral power then is conveyed to him; but by degrees. We must first learn to creep, and then go, as Daniel is here first set upon his knees, and the palms of his hands. But how­ever it was a hopefull beginning, it being in virtue not of our own strength, but of that supernatural strength which will carry us out to the end if we be faithfull.

V. 11. A man greatly beloved. A man of desires, as I noted above, and so may denote a man of great love to­wards God and his people, or greatly beloved of God and all good men. And stand upright. Thus was Daniel roused up and enabled to hear, understand and take perfect notice of what was to be delivered unto him for the information of posterity. Am I now sent. The word in the Original is the same from whence Shiloh, the name of the Messias, is deri­ved, which consists well with the supposing this Angel to be Christ. I stood trembling, by virtue of his saying unto me, Stand upright. I stood upon my legs, but trembled withall, as yet not being so thoroughly strengthened, or fearing what tidings this Angel might bring unto me.

V. 12. I am come for thy words, that is, By reason of thy earnest and zealous prayer I am come unto thee. Be­hold the admirable efficacy of earnest and sincere devotion, that attracts to it not onely the ministry of Angels, but brings down into converse the Son of God himself.

V. 13. Withstood me one and twenty days. Though thy petition was heard at the beginning of thy fasting and pray­ing, yet I was so detained in my contest with the Presiden­tiary Angel of the Kingdom of Persia, that I could not come till now. And it is admirable to take notice of the concur­ring of Daniel's prayers with the activity of the Invisible Powers for what he prayed for. Michael one of the chief Princes. This bringing in of Michael, one of the chief Prin­ces as assisting against the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia, shews plainly that the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia is an Angel as well as Michael, this of Judea, the other of Persia; and that therefore there are Presidentiary Angels over all Nations. See Dr. H. M. on the place. I remained there. The Original may be rendred, I was left alone there, I ha­ving sent Michael elsewhere, upon whose return I was more free to come.

V. 14. Now am I come, having left Michael in my room, to give thee to understand what shall befall thy people for whom thou didst so earnestly intercede in thy devotions, not onely in reference to affairs more near at hand, but through the Series of many Ages, even to the end of all, what they shall suffer under the Greek Empire, what under the Roman, and what an happy restoring there will be of them towards the end. For the Vision is for a long time, as it is said in the first verse. Which is a notable key for the right expounding of the Prophecy of the Scripture of Truth.

V. 15. And became dumb. My astonishment from ha­ving beholden him was so great, and also from hearing his voice that I was not able to speak.

V. 16. The similitude of the sons of men, not in a ter­restrial body yet though in humane shape. Cornelius à La­pide makes him the same Angel that communed with him all this time and a type of Christ, Calvin mentions some that make him Christ himself. Touched my lips, as he touched the tongue of the deaf and dumb man, Mark 7. and loosed it, that he could speak; as Daniel after the Angel had touch­ed his lips, says, Then I opened my mouth, &c. Retained no strength, so overcoming was the glorious presence of [Page 122]Messiah before he came in the flesh. These consternati­ons of mind in Daniel so often repeated, set off the inex­pressible eminency of the person he conversed with, and the huge weightiness of the matter that he was to convey unto Daniel.

V. 17. Of this my Lord. Out of the Original it may be rendred thus, How can this so vile a servant, so wret­ched poor and despicable a creature talk with such an one as this my Lord is? There remained no strength in me. So per­fect an exinanition ought there to be of our own carnal mind and powers, for the fitting us to receive the superna­tural power from God, and those divine communications that flow from him.

V. 18. After Daniel was thus lost and confounded in himself, and sound no strength of his own carnal will and mind left (that we may pursue the Moral Allegory of this Vision also) and after the free and hearty acknowledgment of the same, then Christ in humane shape here touched him again whereby he was strengthened. So great virtue is there in the touch of the divine body of Christ.

V. 19. Be strong, yea be strong. This is the voice of him, of whom it is said, He spake and it was done, &c. and upon his speaking here, Daniel was strengthened, and being thus strengthened by this supernatural influence, took himself now to be an Auditor fitted for Palmoni's informati­ons and instructions.

V. 20. Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee, i. e. Thou canst not easily imagine, saith the Angel, what things, and of what mighty concern I have to impart unto thee. Which when I have imparted, I will return to dispute or contest with the Presidentiary Angel of Persia, and when I am gone forth I shall meet also with the Presidentiary An­gel of Grecia, for he will also put in for the Empire of the world. And this is the reason of the mentioning of the Prince of Grecia here.

V. 21. But now that I may enter upon what I came to thee for, I will declare in plain words, not in Symbols and Hieroglyphicks, as in the foregoing Prophecies, the Divine [Page 123]Counsel or Purpose, so distinctly and orderly as if it were writ in a book. Which writing therefore here is called Scripture, and for its plainness and unsymbolicalness the Scripture of Truth. But there is none concerned with me in these things, none of the Presidentiary Angels of the Nations, but your Prince Michael, the Presidentiary Angel of the Jews, who is my General. Which farther confirms that this Angel is the same with Palmoni, and Michael be­ing his Generalissimo under him, he must be the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel, viz. Christ as yet not incarnate.

The NOTES.

V. 1. THis first Verse of this Chapter should have been the last of the former, the sense is so closely connected thereto, which is this, I, even I Palmoni in the first year of Darius the Mede stood to confirm and streng­then [him] that is to say Michael, as both Grotius and o­ther Expositors, as Calvin confesseth, refer [him] to Mi­chael, according as is perpetually observed in the Apocalypse, that by Angels are understood the people over whom they preside, and so according to the Prophetick style he streng­thning Daniel, and with him the people of the Jews by sen­ding Gabriel, he strengthned Michael, that presided over them, it signifying the same thing, see chap. 9. v. 21.

V. 2. And now will I shew thee the truth. Now will I declare unto thee things to come in a plain intelligible way touching the Kingdoms of Persia and Grecia, and also the Roman Empire, not resembling the first to a Bear or Ram, the second to a Leopard or Goat, and the third to a mon­strous Beast with Iron teeth, but delivering the matter with­out any Prophetick Aenigm or Parable, you shall hear from me the bare truth in an easie and vulgar way. Yet three Kings in Persia, viz. Cambyses, Smerdis and Darius Hysta­spis, these three besides Cyrus the present King of Persia shall stand up. And the fourth shall be far richer than they all. This fourth is Xerxes, the same that is called Ahasuerus in [Page 130]the book of Esther, and who married Esther the Jewish Vir­gin, and Herodotus calls his Queen Amestris, which mani­festly has the sound of Esther in it. As for the Riches of this Xerxes or Ahasuerus, in the book of Esther, he is said to have reigned from India even to Aethiopia over 127 Pro­vinces. And Justin lib. 2. writes of him, that though his army was so numerous that he drunk up whole Rivers, yet his Riches were so great that neither that Army nor any o­ther occasions of expence could ever exhaust them. He shall stir up all. For his Army he brought against Greece consisted of two thousand thousand six hundred forty one thousand six hundred and ten fighting men. And the Attendants of his Army that were to minister to them and others that went along with them, were as many at least as the fighting men: so that they were five thousand thousand two hundred eighty three thousand two hundred twenty in all. But for the number of the women to dress their meat, and of Cur­tezans and Eunuchs, of Waggon-horses and other Beasts of burthen, and of Indian Dogs, it was not to be told they were so many. See Herodotus lib. 7. cap. 186. So that by this account Xerxes may well be said to have stirred up all against the Realm of Grecia. Thus notably is this Prophe­cy of Daniel fulfilled concerning this fourth King of Persia. But that the Prophecy proceeds no farther in this Catalogue of the Kings of Persia, is because the Church is more con­cerned in the Greek and Roman Empire as to their sufferings, of which it was fit they should be forewarned. And this expedition of Xerxes, who would have swallowed up all Greece, is a fit introduction to the expedition of Alexander against the Persians, as intimating the reasonableness of the success that was given him by Providence.

V. 3. This mighty King is Alexander the Great, who shall have all things succeed according to his mind. And it is Curtius his character of him: That though much was to be imputed to his valour, yet more to fortune, which he of all mortals seemed alone to have had at his beck. So fitly is this prophecy fulfilled in Alexander. He shall doe according to his Will. There is [...] like expression in the transition from the Greck Empire to the Roman, v. 36.

V. 4. The four winds of Heaven. Alexander's Kingdom was broken into four Kingdoms lying North, West, East and South, which were the Kingdoms of Thracia, Mace­donia, Asia and Aegypt, which belonged to Lysimachus, Cassander, Antigonus and Ptolemaeus. See what has been said above, chap. 8. And not to his Posterity. For within sixteen years space after Alexander's death, not onely his brother Aridaeus together with his mother Olympias were put to death, but also Alexander the Son of Alexander the Great, and Roxana, and Hercules the other Son of Alexander by Barsinoe was killed, and Cleopatra the sister of Alexander. So fully was this passage accomplished [and not to his po­sterity.] Nor according to his dominion, &c. As not ha­ving that strenuity and greatness of parts, nor that strength, his entire Empire being thus divided into four Kingdoms, &c. Shall be plucked up, The vulgar Latine and Septuagint render it, shall be torn or teased, pluck'd into shreds. For others besides those, viz. besides those four notable ones as they are called in the vision of the He-goat, chap. 8. But those others are such as Eumenes, Philotas, Menander, Leonatus, Seleucus, who had their por­tions distinct from those four, whereby the main Body of Alexander's Kingdom was the more weakened.

V. 5. And the King of the South, &c. That is, Ptole­maeus the Son of Lagus King of Aegypt. He speaks onely of the Kings of the South, and of the North, i. e. Of the Kings of Aegypt and of Syria, because the affairs of the Jews are onely concerned in them. And this first King the Son of Lagus is noted for his treacherous taking Je­rusalem on the Sabbath-day. See Joseph. Antiq. lib. 12. c. 1. One of his Princes, that is, either of Alexander or some one of the lesser Princes, whom this Ptolemy favour­ed, but either way it is Seleucus Nicator that is here meant, who got first into that greatness by the aid of Ptolemy, as I noted above. And he shall be strong above him, Seleucus shall outdoe Ptolemy in feats of War. For he having ta­ken Demetrius the Son of Antigonus, he added Asia to Syria, he overcame Lysimachus King of Thracia in battel, and [Page 132] Antigonus in Ph [...]y [...]ia as Androcotus also in India, from which great exploits he purchased to himself the name of Nicanor or Nicator, as if we should say, Seleucus the Con­querour. His dominion shall be a great dominion; As con­taining all these Countries according to Appian, Syria, Phrygia, Mesopotamia, Bactriana, Arabia, Sogdiana, Ara­chotia, and a great part of India, even beyond the River Indus.

V. 6. They shall joyn themselves together, &c. Not that the same individual persons Ptolemaeus Lagi, and Seleucus Necanor shall do this, but some of the succession of each of them. For the succession of the Kings of the north, and of the south or of Syria, and Aegypt are in the prophetick style, spoke of as of two single Kings continuing all the time of their Kingdoms. This Kings daughter therefore of the South, is Berenice the daughter of Ptolemaeus Phila­delphus, Son and Successour to Ptolemaeus Lagi, sent to Antio­chus Theos King of Syria and Asia, and Grand-child to Se­leucus Nicanor, with a vast dowry of gold and silver, that by this marriage these two Kingdoms might be held together in a firm league. But shall shall not retain the power of the arm. She shall not have that strong-interest at Court, nor re­main in the Authority she seemed to have at first, her Hus­band receiving his former Wise Laodice again into fa­vour. Neither shall he stand. Not Antiochus himself. For Laodice suspicious how constant he might prove in his love to her, got him to be poysoned. Nor his arm. The Hebrew may be translated, nor his Seed, the little Son he had by Berenice who was killed with her in the [...]aphneum at An­tioch, where she had shut her self up with her little Child. But she was given up, and they that brought her and he whom she brought forth, viz. the young child, and all her abettors, they were all betray'd, and [...] and her little Son murthered by Seleucus Cail [...]us her [...] law. So bad an end had a matter ill [...] 7. c. 1.

V. 7. But there [...] stand [...] among the branches of her root, [...] [...]ladelphus, Berenice's and Ptolemaus Everg [...] [...] Bro­ther [Page 133] Evergetes, who shall found his quarrel upon the right, that his Sisters child had if he had had strength and had been alive to revenge his Mothers death. Wherefore up­on this account shall he fall into the Territories or Fron­tiers of Seleucus Callinicus the King of Syria, who killed Be­renice and her little Son, and shall prevail and have very ea­sie and mighty success.

V. 8. Ptolemaeus Evergetes prevailed so far, saith St. Je­rome, that he took Syria and Cilicia, and the upper parts be­yond Euphrates, and almost all Asia, and brought away with him forty thousand talents of silver, and two thousand five hundred Images of their Gods, which Cambyses and others had carried away. From whence this Ptolemy obtained the name of Evergetes or Benefactor from the superstitious Ae­gyptians for thus recovering their Images. And he conti­nued more years than the King of the North, to wit, than Seleucus Callinicus, Evergetes reigning 26 years, Callinicus but 20.

V. 9. Ptolemeus Evergetes his power and success will be so great, and so little loss to his Army, and with that ease, as if he had been Lord of Syria, and had free ingress and egress at his pleasure.

V. 10. Though that shamefull overthrow he had re­ceived cowed the spirit of Seleucus Callinicus, yet his two Sons Seleucus Ceraunus, and Antiochus Magnus after his death (and which was a greater encouragement after the death of Ptolemaeus Evergetes, who left a successour little be­loved, infamous for killing his Father, Mother and Brother, and in derision therefore call'd Philopator) bestirred them­selves to recover what their Father had lost, and therefore assembled a multitude of great forces, and though Seleucus Ceraunus died in the beginning of the enterprize, yet An­tiochus Magnus did overflow Judaea and Coele-Syria by the treachery of Theodotus, Ptolemaeus his governour of that Province. And after this, no peace being concluded, he did again renew the War, and taking many Towns, he at last came to Raphia an exceeding well fortify'd Town in the Confines of Aegypt.

V. 11. Though Ptolemaeus Philopator was a sluggish vo­luptuous person, and given to his ease and pleasure, yet when his proper Kingdom was in such imminent danger by Antiochus Magnus, he was enraged, and thought it was time to bestir himself for fear he should not onely lose Syria, but Aegypt too. And therefore he set forth a great multitude, seventy thousand foot and five thousand horse, and seventy three Elephants, and took many prisoners of the army of Antiochus Magnus. But the success of the day is much to be imputed to the courage and importunity of his Sister Ar­sinoe. See the third book of the Maccabees, chap. 1.

V. 12. And when Ptolemaeus Philopator was partly taken captive, partly killed, and partly put to flight, and scat­tered the multitude of Antiochus his army, and thereby dri­ven them away from his Territories, whenas his mind was oppressed and depressed with fear and anxiety before, it will now grow so light, rash and vain, that besides his unclean conversation with Agathoclea the Singing-wench, and Aga­thocles her Brother, he will rudely and prophanely in Judaea, not onely come into the Temple, but rush into the Holy of Holies, against the advice and persuasion of all, either pi­ous or prudent by-standers. And therefore though he shall cast down many thousands, yet he shall not be strengthened by it. The idleness, luxury and sottishness of Philopator made this great advantage he had got against Antiochus to signifie nothing.

V. 13. For the King of the North Antiochus shall again gather an army, and that greater than the former, which he will not fail to do after certain years he observing the luxury and dissoluteness of Philopator and his mindlesness of his affairs. Wherefore he will be sure to come with a great army and well appointed, well furnished and plenti­fully with all things fitting for an army. This the Hebrew word signifies, which our English translation renders Riches.

V. 14. Philopator having appointed Agathocles his Ca­tamite, and Brother to Agathoclea the Singing-wench to be Prefect over Aegypt, not onely the Provinces subject to [Page 135] Aegypt rebelled, but Aegypt it self was vexed with Sediti­ons. And Philopator being dead, and Antiochus Magnus having made a firm league with Philip of Macedonia, he was assisted by him upon condition of equally dividing the spoil. And hence, saith Jerome, is to be understood the meaning of many standing up against the King of the South, or the King of Aegypt. But now for [the Robbers of thy people] Peritzim, which is here rendred Robbers, may better be tur­ned Breakers, namely of the Union of the Jewish Church, and Violaters of Moses's law. They were the Jews in Ae­gypt (multitudes of whom Ptolemaeus Lagi had carried down with him when he took Jerusalem) and their Correspon­dents in Judaea and other places, that were puffed up with the late great success of Philopator, and sided with Aegypt against Antiochus Magnus, and were so high slown in their hopes, that they thought the time was at hand to fulfill Isai­ah's Vision of Prophecy, That there shall be an Altar of the Lord in the midst of the land of Aegypt, chap. 19.19. and in time the business was carried on so far that Onias, Son of the High-Priest, Onias the third, under Ptolemaeus Philome­tor got such a Temple built in the Nomus or Canton of He­liopolis, but they and their hopes fell for the present, as is predicted, and the prediction fulfilled in the victory of An­tiochus against Scopas, Ptolemaeus Epiphanes his General, and of them whom he over threw at the Spring-heads of the River Jordan. And when he had taken the Towns of Coele-Syria and Samaria, that Scopas was possessed of, the Jews delivered up Jerusalem to him of their own accord. And helpt to beat Scopas's Garrison-Souldiers out of the Tower he there had left them in, as Josephus tells us, lib. 12. c. 13.

V. 15. The King of the North Antiochus Magnus shall come, whereby these Peritzim or Breakers of the law shall smart for it. For this Antiochus was a great friend to the Jews that stuck to Moses's law, as you may see in Josephus, And shall cast up a mount, against Sydon, where he shut up Scopas so close and long that he made him yield, and he took the fenced Cities, as was noted before out of Josephus. Nor could the Arms of the South, viz. those of those three Com­manders, [Page 136] Europus, Menocles and Damaxenus, whom Ptolemy sent to relieve Scopas, avail any thing, or be able to with­stand the forces of Antiochus.

V. 16. But Antiochus shall have complete success a­gainst the forces of Ptolemeus Epiphanes, and the Jews deli­vering up the City to him, as was noted above, he shall stand conquerour in the glorious land. The Septuagint render it, He shall stand in the land of Saby, which I must confess I suspect to be the name of the God of that Land, namely of the God of Israel, who is called the Lord of Hosts. But of his entring of Judaea and Jerusalem. I have hinted enough above. But whereas our English Version has it, which by his hand shall be consumed. The Original may be rendred, which by his hand shall be consummated or perfected, which is more agreeable to History, he being so great a friend and benefactor to the Jews.

V. 17. Antiochus not content with the regaining onely Coele-Syria and Judaea, which were his Ancestours before, has a design of making himself master also of Aegypt, and to enter into the strength of Ptolemaeus Epiphanes his whole Kingdom, for so it may be rendred out of the Hebrew. And upright ones with him. The word in the Original may signifie either upright ones or covenants, but either are to car­ry on the match betwixt his daughter Cassandra and Ptole­maeus Epiphanes. And he shall doe. So the Hebrew, that is, It shall succeed. He shall give him his daughter Cassandra, the fairest of women, and Coele-Syria, Phoenice, Judaea and Sa­maria for a dowry with her. Corrupting her, that is, infu­sing such principles into her as might make her instrumen­tal by treachery to her Husband, to get to her Father Antio­chus the Kingdom of Aegypt. But she shall not persist in such ways, as her Father would put herein, nor be for him, but be faithfull to her Husband.

V. 18. After Antiochus had laid so politick a ground of security from Aegypt, he turns his face to the Maritime Towns and Isles, he assaulted some Sea-towns of Thrace and Greece, and took several Islands properly so called, as Rho­dus, Samos, Delos and Eubea▪ This was lookt upon as an [Page 137]affront to the Roman Power. But Lucius Scipio the Roman Commander shall cause the reproach offered to him to cease and return it upon Antiochus. For at Sipylus, a Mountain in Asia minor, near the Confines of Phrygia, he slew fifty thousand of Antiochus his men, and took eleven thousand Prisoners, as Justin writes, and brought him to such hard and dishonourable terms of Peace, that he was bound to have nothing more to do with any part of Europe; that the Romans should have Asia, and he rest content with the King­dom of Syria, that he should surrender all his Ships and Captives, and defray the expences of the War. See Justin, lib. 31. He gave Hostages also for performance of Cove­nant, to wit, his two Sons, Seleucus and Antiochus Epipha­nes. Thus was the reproach cast upon the Roman Power by Antiochus, returned with usury upon himself at last.

V. 19. Upon this Antiochus marched towards the Fron­tiers of his own Kingdom to Apamia, Susa, and other more remote parts of his own Dominions. And his stumbling and falling refers to his rash and inconsiderate robbing the Temple of Jupiter Elymaeus by night, which being known by the Elymites, he and his whole army was slain by that people.

V. 20. Then shall succeed in his place by right of inhe­ritance Seleucus Philopator, the elder Son of Antiochus Mag­nus, who would not fail to be a raiser of Taxes, who was so eager on money, his luxury and necessity requiring it, that he did not stick to appoint Heliodorus his Treasurer, to rob the Temple at Jerusalem, 2 Mac. 3.10. But for [In] it should rather be upon the glory of the Kingdom, that is, upon the Riches thereof. For Riches are the Political glory and decor of any Kingdom, whenas poverty makes them look sordidly and contemptibly. But he is said to be destroy'd in a few days, because he reigned but twelve years, when as his Father Antiochus reigned thirty seven. But he perished neither by the Insurrection of his own Subjects, nor by War with Foreigners, but was secretly poisoned by Heliodorus, who hoped to succeed him in his Kingdom.

V. 21. This vile person is Antiochus Epiphanes, Son to Antiochus Magnus, and second Brother to Seleucus Philopa­ter, who is said to be vile and despicable, both for the ill­ness of his manners and defect of title to the Crown, the right of Succession belonging to Demetrius, the Son of his Brother Seleucus, and therefore the Honour of the King­dom was never adjudged to him, but he got it by craft and flattery, pretending to administer the affairs of Syria, for the good of his Nephew Demetrius, Hostage then at Rome, whom Philopator was content should be there instead of his Brother Epiphanes. The ancient Fathers generally make this Antiochus Epiphanes a type of Antichrist, and how well he sits the Antitype the Popes of Rome, see Dr. H. M. his Exposition of this Prophecy, from this verse, to the end of the 35th. The Vision passing there from the Greek Empire to the Roman.

V. 22. Heliodorus his forces, who murthered Seleuous, Father to Demetrius, will be thus overflown and broken by Antiochus Epiphanes, assisted with the forces of Eumenes and Attalus. And not onely the followers of Heliodorus will be broken, but also the Prince of the Covenant Demetrius himself, in whose behalf Epiphanes, Eumenes and Attalus seemed to conspire, the success redounding to his detri­ment by reason of the treachery of his Uncle Epiphanes.

V. 23. For after the friendship professed by Epiphanes to his Nephew Demetrius at Rome, with whom he kept in­telligence, he wrought deceitfully by getting his friends at Rome to detain Demetrius there, that he might the better pursue his own designs in the mean time, his Nephew being absent. And though his beginnings were but small, yet by flatterings, frauds and crouchings he grew up by degrees as his Antitype did.

V. 24. He will in a fair and peaceable manner, without any shew of enmity to Demetrius, possess himself of the best places of Syria, as his Antitype the Papal Hierarchy of the fairest and fattest seats in Europe. And he shall be a greater exactour of Tributes, and more profuse rewarder of his Fa­vourites, his Souldiers especially, than any of his Ancestours, [Page 139]1 Mac. 3.30. And after he has taken the more easie and opime places, and encouraged his Souldiers by liberally dividing the spoil amongst them, he shall forecast his de­vice, and lay his projects for a time to take the strong holds.

V. 25. He shall move his forces against the King of Aegypt, Ptolemaeus Philometor, because he pretended a right to Syria, and Ptolemaeus his two chief Commanders, Eulaius and Leneus shall bring out a mighty army against him, but they shall not be able to withstand Antiochus, because there will be treacherous plots against the Army of Philometor.

V. 26. Some of Philometor's Domesticks, Ministers of State, and of great trust in his affairs, and in this War, shall be false to him, and so spoil the success of the Battel. And so Ptolemy was afraid of Antiochus and fled, and many were wounded to death, as it is said, 1 Mac. 1.18.

V. 27. Ptolemaeus Philometor and Antiochus Epiphanes shall meet together at Memphis, in outward shew friends, but in­wardly suspicious enemies, and suspected one of another. But this palliated friendship will again break out into open War; which will certainly happen at the time appointed.

V. 28. So it is said 1 Mac. 1.19. Thus he got the strong Cities in the land of Aegypt and the spoils thereof. And his heart shall be against the holy covenant. This is the first coming of Antiochus into Judaea, says Grotius, which the writer of the first Book of Maccabees takes no notice of. And he shall do exploits. [Exploits] is not in the Origi­nal, the sense is, He shall doe according to his own mind and will, and particularly about the High-Priesthood, con­trary to the Holy Covenant or Law of Moses, he shall con­fer it upon Jason, and after on Menelaus for their bribes and flatteries. And return to his own land, out of Judaea in­to Syria.

V. 29. At the time appointed he shall return. This is the appointed time mentioned verse the 27. Antiochus shall a­gain come toward Aegypt, but this second expedition of his against Aegypt will not be so prosperous as the former. That is the clear sense out of the Hebrew, and agreeable to History.

V. 30. For the ships of Chittim. Chittim may signifie either the Romans or Macedonians, but it being Zijim Chit­tim, and Zijim not being in Regimine, as they call it, but an Adjective that signifies rough, rude or harsh, it may be more naturally rendred. For the rough Romans shall come against him. And thus it fitly reflects on Popilius his rough handling Antiochus when he was besieging Alexandria. For Popilius was sent from the Senate to bid him desist, Aegypt having committed themselves to the Roman tutelage. And, when they met, Antiochus offering to kiss Popilius upon their former familiarity at Rome, he bluntly bad him for bear those ceremonies, and upon his producing the decree of the Se­nate, the other making delays, and pretending it fit to con­sult his friends. Popilius presently drawing a circle with his stick about Antiochus, bad him consult his friends upon the spot, nor pass out of the circle till he had declared whe­ther he would have War or Peace with the Romans. Which rough dealing, saith Justin, Adeò animum Regis fregit ut pari­turum se Senatui responderet, i. e. So broke the courage of the King, that he answered he would obey the Senate. Therefore he shall be grieved. The Seventy and Latine out of the Hebrew render it, And he shall be struck, broken or humbled, which suits better with that of Justin, but que­stionless he was grieved withall. Against the Holy Covenant. And he will ease his grief and discharge his rage on the Jews, those especially that adhere to the Holy law of Mo­ses. He shall have intelligence with them that forsake the Holy Covenant, Jason and Menelaus, and those of that faction, that for his disappointed hopes on Aegypt, he might carry what spoils he can from Judaea the City and Temple, where­by he might seem not to return into Syria empty.

V. 31. And arms shall stand on his part. Though not the whole stock, yet considerable branches of the stock or people of the Jews. So Gasper Sanctius. And Calvin speaks to the same purpose. Which answers to that chap. 8.24. And both to Antiochus his Antitype, who is not properly sustained by his own power, but by the power of the ten [Page 141]Kings, Apoc. 17. Pollute the sanctuary of strength. They shall enter into the Temple, take away the silver, and the gold, and the precious vessels, and the hidden treasures, 1 Maccab. 1.23. And this is the first degree of Propha­nation. And shall take away the daily sacrifice. This is the next. That Antiochus will send letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the Cities of Judah, to command them to follow the laws of the Gentiles, and forbid burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, and drink-offerings in the Temple, 1 Mac. 1.44. That they should not serve God according to his own Laws, but according to Paganick Rites prescribed by this type of Antichrist. The Abomination that maketh desolate. Of the placing this Idol upon the Altar, and the building Altar-Idols through the Cities of Judah on every side, and their tearing and burning the Law, which is the last and highest prophanation, see 1 Mac. 1.54. This Idol is Ju­piter Olympius as both Calvin, Cornelius à Lapide and Grotius acknowledge, whom therefore that old Sophist of Athens, 2 Mac. 6.1. might the better persuade the Jews to be the true God of Heaven, whom they themselves worshipped. The Hebrew is Hasshakutz Meshomem, which signifies either a stupifying Idol, or an Idol that makes desolate. And an Idol may very well be said to stupisie, it making its worship­pers as arrand blocks as it self, and astonishing all sensible men, that mankind should ever become such blocks as to worship Idols. And to make desolate, as causing such vast murtherings of pious men, and frighting them from the publick worship, so that the Temple of God is left naked and desolate, 1 Mac. 4.37. But how excellently well the Antitype answers to the Type. See Dr. H. M. on this verse in his Exposition.

V. 32. Those that against the Law had given money for the High-Priesthood, he would farther persuade by fair words to comply with his Idolatrous designs. But those that knew their God, not by dry imagination, but by faith that had a living root in their heart, which implies a purity there, from whence all firm assurance of knowledge in di­vine matters doth arise, these by the strength and power of [Page 142]God, and by faith in his Assistence will not be forced through the threats of mortal men, be they never so potent, to for­sake the Law of God, and to relinquish their loyalty to him, who brings these persecutions on his people, on purpose to try them. For the fulfilling of this Prophecy, see Joseph. lib. 12. c. 7. and the books of Maccabees.

V. 33. Those that understand among the people are such as before were said to know their God from such a principle of life in their heart, not in dry imaginative opi­nion, who though they shall fall, that is, be afflicted and persecuted by the sword, flame, captivity and spoil of goods, though these things be in their eyes, and they be in a manner certain to undergo them, yet these, in whom the true knowledge of God is, will not desist from their duty.

V. 34. Mattathias with his five Sons (amongst whom was Judas Maccabeus) he will open a way toward their li­berty. See 1 Mac. 2.1. and 2 Mac. 5. Cleave to them with flatteries. From the Hebrew, for flatteries, it may be ren­dred, Lubricities or Slipperinesses. That many shall join themselves to them slipperily, not firmly or sincerely. There shall not be an intimate firm union from one prin­ciple, which is the hearty love of God, and unfeigned zeal for the purity of his worship, but they shall adhere from by­respects of ambition or covetousness, or the like. There are examples of such in the Book of Maccabees, and I wish they were no types of some in the Reformation. See Dr. H. M. on this place.

V. 35. Some of them that know their God in the sense above explained, shall fall into misery and affliction, so the Seventy render it according as the word is oft used in the New Testament, which agrees with what follows, to try them, purge them, and make them white. And therefore those troubles that seem so direfull and tragical to mortal men, proceed from the love of God to his own, that he may make them more pure, and consequently better fitted for communion with himself. Reade attentively what St. Paul tells us, 2 Cor. 4.17. Even to the time of the end, that is, To the time of their ending. Because it is yet for a time [Page 143]appointed. Reade out of the Hebrew, Because yet again at the time appointed, viz. under the Roman Empire (whose succession begins in the next verse) there will be a new affliction or persecution of my People or Church.

But now that the times of the Roman Empire succeed in the next verse, both the mention of the time and times, and half a time, chap. 12.7. and those other two numbers there that point to them; and that vast gap that would be be­twixt Antiochus's time and the resurrection of the dead, mentioned v. 2. may sufficiently assure us. The transition also is as express as that from the Persian to the Greek Em­pire, verse 3. and the like expression of prosperity, in both, of the King or Empire, they enter upon. And he shall do according to his will. See Dr. H. M. his Notes on this place, or Pezelius his Mellificium at the end of Part 1. Which expression aforesaid can't be understood of Antiochus Epipha­nes, as you may understand thence. And Interpreters that would apply what follows to him, their applications are wretchedly distorted, and they are fain to make the Pro­phecy fondly to tautologize. But make the Roman Empire here to succeed the Greek as the Greek does the Persian, v. 3. and all will run easily and glibly.

V. 36. The former verse ended with an intimation of new affliction to God's people or Church, and now this Prophecy goes on. And the King. Out of the Hebrew you may reade, For that eminent King or Kingdom, (for it is Hammeleck where the article He has the sense of eminen­cy) viz. the Roman, which for extent and duration much surpasses any of the former three, Shall do according to his will, i. e. Shall be strangely prosperous, and much prospe­rity is the mother of pride, cruelty and impiety. Above every God. This Roman King or Kingdom, even quatenus Pagan may be said to magnifie himself above every god, in that the Romans by sacred charms called out the gods of those Cities they conquered, and, so as it were, led them captive to Rome. See Synops. Prophet. Book 2. Chap. 10. Against the God of gods. The Officers of this Roman Power shall speak blasphemous things against Christ Jesus himself, [Page 144]who was truly God as well as man, and therefore the God of gods; yet was he in word and deed most despitefully used by them and crucify'd. The Romans also despised the God of Israel, even the better sort of them, as Cicero. See his Oration pro Flacco. And yet shall the Roman Power, though Pagan, stand and prosper, notwithstanding this their villany toward Christ and bloudy persecution of his members in the Primitive times, wherein he was again reproached, till the determinate time of this rage expired, and the Empire be­came Christian.

V. 37. Here the Prophecy reaches into the times after the Empire was turned Christian. Whence it is no won­der that 'tis said, That he regards not the God of his Fa­thers, Mars, suppose, the Tutelar God of Rome, nor the desire of women, importing that marriage then will not be in that high esteem it was with the ancient Romans, as the Laws Julia and Papia testifie, which Constantine abrogated. Thus far from the foregoing verse to the fore-part of this, may the Prophecy presigure the state of the Roman Empire, without any reference to the Roman Antichristian Power. But the same part of the Prophecy is also applicable to the Antichristian Polity of the Roman Empire, and therefore takes in that too. Wherefore beginning at the 36th verse, we shall Paraphrase these two verses so far as they concern that Antichrist, which undoubtedly Paul aims at, 2 Thess. 2. thus: After the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes that type of Antichrist, and notorious enemy of the people of God in the Greek Empire, shall there arise an eminent King or Royal Pontifex if you will, who with his Ecclesiastick Po­lity shall prove the very Antichrist indeed, answering in the Roman Empire to that wicked Antiochus in the Greek, and both of them placed in the latter times of each Empire. Which Ecclesiastical Prince or Pontifex finding the stream of affairs and good fortune to carry him along, shall at last exalt himself above every God, that is, every Supreme Magistrate, the Emperour himself not excepted, nay shall speak strange blasphemous words against the Sovereignty of God himself, as if he had power to abrogate or dispence [Page 145]with the Laws of God and Christ, and were himself the Supremum numen in terris. In which impieties he will pro­sper for such a time as Providence shall permit, viz. till the latter end of the time, and times, and half a time.

But notwithstanding all this wickedness, he shall not be a mere Roman Pagan, nor shall he regard the gods of his Ancestours or Predecessours (that is, of the Supreme Ma­gistrates of Rome that reigned there before in old time) such gods as Neptune, Mars, Jupiter, Capitolinus, and the like. But this shall be notable in him, that he shall be out­wardly a strict professour of a single life, nor shall it be con­sistent with his Pontifical office to marry, nor permitted to his Hierarchy so to do, that he may the better thereby pro­mote the designs of his rampant ambition. Which spirit of pride and worldliness shall grow so rank in him, that he shall in time cast off the real sense of all Piety, nor re­gard any God, but shall magnifie himself above all, subor­dinating all Religion to his own worldly advantage and in­terest. Whence it will be, that amongst other things he will make no conscience of Idolatry.

V. 38. But in his, &c. The Hebrew runs easily and coherently thus. For together with God (for so will [ [...]] signifie according to Calvin and Vilalpandus, pag. 274.) he will honour the Mahuzzim (the Seventy also retain that word, and likewise the vulgar Latine) namely the Daemons which St. Paul Prophesies of, whose worship will be brought in, in the latter times, in the time, times, and half a time, which is the reign of Antichrist, by unconscionable lyars and men that are against Marriage, and place their Religi­on in abstaining from meats, which is a description of Monks especially. This St. Paul, 1 Tim. 4. says the Spirit has fore­told [...], expresly, not obscurely or enigmatically, as be­ing in this plain Prophecy of the Scripture of Truth. St. Paul's Daemons therefore and Daniel's Mahuzzim, are the Souls of departed Saints, which this Antichrist, King of Rome, or the Roman Hierarchy, will worship together with God or Christ. In his estate. Reade from the Hebrew, In his place, viz. in the places or temples of God or Christ, in Churches [Page 146]which have their name from [...], our Lord Christ; Or the Hebrew [Alcanno] may signifie as much as upon his bottom or foundation, which is the very pretence of the Ro­manists, that they worship the Saints upon the account of honouring Christ. And the Saint worshippers give such titles as these to them and their Relicks, viz. Towers, For­tresses, Walls, Bulwarks, Guards and Protectours, which is the very thing that Mahu [...]zim signifies. And a God whom his fathers, &c. Reade according to the Hebrew, Even to­gether with a god, which his fathers (his Ancestours the an­cient Romans) knew not (which God is Christ) shall he honour them with gold and silver, and precious stones and pleasant things. Which is abundantly fulfilled in the rich offerings to, and cloathings of the Images and Altars of the Saints in the Romish Church, which are very costly and sumptuous.

V. 39. In the English Version the sense is obscure. The Hebrew runs thus and is easie. And he shall make the Holds of the Mahuzzim jointly to the foreign God, that is, he will build or erect Holds jointly appertaining to both the Mahuzzim and the foreign God. Which are Churches and Monasteries dedicated to Christ (he is that foreign God) to­gether with this or that Saint. And elegantly are they here called Holds, in reference to Mahuzzim, which has a warlike sense in it, and signifies military Protectours and Champions, whose Houses therefore may well be termed strong Holds. And for this Foreign God, him he shall acknow­ledge and encrease with Glory, that is, even Antichrist shall make an outward profession of Christ, and accumu­late external pomps and shews in honour of him. And he shall cause them, viz. the Mahuzzim or departed Saints, to rule over many, and shall distribute the earth to them for a reward. So Vatablus out of the Hebrew. The Saints are made as it were Tutelar Deities of Kingdoms, Provinces, Cities and other places, as a reward of their sufferings, and for the good Offices they are supposed to do for them that worship them and pray to them. Which is a lively description of the condition of the Papacy at [Page 147]this very day; And indeed of a long time heretofore, both of the Greek and Latin Church, of both which the Pope pretends to be the supreme Patriarch. For which the Ido­latrous Empire has been sorely scourged by the Saracens and Turks, namely, for worshipping the Mahuzzim, that is, Demons or the Souls of deceased Saints, and in order to them images of Gold and of Silver, and of Brass and of Stone, &c. Apoc. 9.20. The plagues of the Locusts and Euphratean Horsemen, that is, of the Saracens and Turks came upon them for this. And so it follows answerably here upon the mention of these Mahuzzim, in the next verse.

V. 40. At the time of the end, i. e. within the compass of the time and times and half a time under the fifth trum­pet shall the Locusts or Saracens come against the idola­trous Empire, whose original is from Arabia, which lyeth south of the said Empire. And the King of the North, that is, The Euphratean Horsemen, which are the Turks, and whose original is northren beyond the Caspian Sea, at a great distance opposite to Arabia, these under the sixth trum­pet, which is the last part of the time and times, and half a time, shall invade the same Roman Empire by reason of that idolatrous Antichristian Polity there, like a whirlwind or strong tempest from the North. And with many ships, ships are here mentioned consentaneously to what follows, that he shall overslow and pass over by Sea out of Asia Minor into Europe, and at last take Constantinople and utter­ly ruine the Eastern part of the Empire for their Idolatries, with the Mahuzzim, as has been above intimated.

V. 41. Eretz Hatzabi, which is translated, Glorious land, signifies (as chap. 8, 9.) the land of Judaea according to the general strain of Interpreters, by reason of the Glory of the Temple and divine residence once there. The King of the North, the Turk will be Master of this land too, as he is known to be, at this day. But Edom and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon, that is, saith Mr. Mede the inhabitants of Arabia Petraea were never yet Provin­cials of the Turkish Empire, yea with some of them he is fain to be at pension for the safer passage of his Caravans.

V. 42. The land of Aegypt shall not escape. Which though it held out long under the Mamalukes, untill the year 1517. (whenas Constantinople was taken in the year 1453.) at last fell under the hand of the Turks.

V. 43. And the Aethiopians, The Hebrew has it Cushim, Cushites, that is, the neighbouring Nations, whether of A­frick or Libya, as those of Algiers, &c. or of the Ara­bians in Scripture called Cushim, they shall be at his devo­tion. See Mr. Mede. And thus far the Prophecy seems clear being applied to time past. But the following part of the Interpretation, though it be such as shall be rational, let it go for no more than Conjectural, it being of things to come. It is freely left to the wit and sagacity of the Reader to judge of the likelihood thereof.

V. 44. The tidings out of the East, may very well con­temporize with the sixth Vial, which is poured out upon the River Euphrates, whereby its waters are dried up, and the way to the Kings of the East prepared. Which shews some grand mutation of Affairs and jeopardy, that the Turkish Empire in those Eastern parts will seem to be in at that time. But the tidings out of the North may be of a most formidable strength of Tartars invading the Turkish Em­pire, at the same time it may be converted to the Chri­stian Religion. To make away many, To make away any by whose overthrow he may hope to strengthen himself a­gainst those imminent dangers he is so sensible of, or may compensate his losses.

V. 45. Between the Seas in the glorious holy Mountain. This interpreters ordinarily understand of the land of Ju­daea, by reason of the word Sabi here used, as the Seventy both here, and also v. 41. as if it were a Proper name not an Appellative, call it Sabi, but it may be either. And in the Appellative sense it may denote, either a solid Great­ness and Gloriousness, or a tumid Fastuosity and affected Greatness. But making it a proper name, it is the Title or Name of the God of Israel, who is Sabi Sebaoth the Lord of Hosts and God Omnipotent. Jer. chap. 3. and the land of Judaea called the land of Sabi from his residence there [Page 149]in his glorious Temple. But that there is little likelihood that Judaea is here meant, and the Hills on which the Tem­ple was built, may appear from hence, that Jerusalem in truth is neither placed betwixt two Seas, nor Judaea any new Aequist of the Turk here, he having entred and pos­sessed it before v. 41. But Rome is betwixt two Seas, the Mare Adriaticum, and Mare Tyrrhenum, nor was he ever yet Master of it; and it is very famous for its Hills or Mountains. Which City being the Metropolis of Holy Church, or the Papal Hierarchy, and the Seat of his Holi­ness so called, it is no wonder that Kodesh, which signifies Holiness is here added. And moreover though Sabi were a proper note of Judaea and the Temple there, yet as it is said of the Prince of Tyre, though but a Type of Anti­christ, Ezek 28. That he was the anointed Cherub, and set upon the Holy Mountain of God, walkt in the midst of the stones of fire, that is, the sparkling stones in Aaron's Breast-plate, why may not Har-Sabi, the Mountain of Glory be referred to Antichrist himself, though it properly belong to the Temple of Jerusalem, especially Sabi in the appellative sense, denoting as well an empty tumid Glory, as a solid? And though Sabi were taken in the sense of Sa­bi Sebaoth, is not Antichrist that King of Pride command­ing over an Army of Priests, and do they not give the Titles of Divinity and Omnipotency to the Pope? So that mount Coelius will be Har Sabi the Mountain of Sabi, whose Ti­tle is the Holiness of Rome, as if Kodesh were added for a certain Character of the party. See Dr. H. M. his Expo­sition and Notes on the place. And the Answer to S. E. his remarks. Yet shall he come to his end, and none shall help him. The easie and natural Version of this passage out of the Hebrew is this. And he shall come to the top of it (viz. of the Hill, suppose mount Coelius) and no man shall help it, namely, the Hill and rescue it out of his hands. This version has the Countenance of the Seventy, of the vulgar Latin; of Vatablus, Gasper Sanctius, and Maldonat. Which implys that the King of the North will make himself per­fect Master of this Hill or Hills and City of Rome, and that [Page 150]no man will hinder him by rescuing the Hill, and consequent­ly the City and seat of the Pope out of his hand. And thus this Prophecy describing so lively the Idolatrous state of An­tichrist, and the beginnings of his punishment under the fifth and sixth Trumpets, does glance also at his final de­struction under the seventh, as the Visions of the Metalline Image and the four Beasts do. And therefore there is all reason that this Prophecy of the Scripture of Truth should do so too. But as it is said in the beginning thereof, It is for a long time; so if the 2300 Evening-mornings have a typical sense, it will be those three or four hundred years till the accomplishing this part of the Prophecy. Besides, that all Comminatory Prophecies take effect according as they be­have themselves that are concerned. See Dr. H. M. his Ex­position and Notes, and the Answer to S. E. the Remarker.

The NOTES.

V. 1. SHall Michael stand up, see chap. 10.21. This passage therefore denotes the time when the affairs of the Jews become very hopefull and prosperous, which is about the sixth and seventh Vials, to speak in the language of the Apocalypse. As never was since, &c. see Apoc. 16.18. The comparing of which place with the present, plainly shews that this time of trouble belongs to the seventh Vial. Shall be delivered. The Seventy and the vulgar Latine have it, Shall be saved, viz. from that abject condition they lived in among the Nations, from the beg­garly elements of Moses, and by their faith in Christ shall be made partakers of eternal salvation, and not the Jews onely, but every one, as well Gentiles as Jews, that are found written in the Book of life, mentioned Apoc. 20.12.

V. 2. And many of them. Here [many] in counterdi­stinction to [all] does plainly intimate the first Resurrecti­on, or that of Martyrs and Confessours. Some to everlasting life. The Hebrew has, Those to everlasting life, to wit, Those that awake out of the dust of the earth at that time. See Apoc. 20. And some to shame, &c. Out of the Hebrew reade, But those others, another sort of people which the Prophecy points at, whose condition commences with the first Resurrection, These shall be in perpetual shame and [Page 153]contempt all along the time of the blessed Millennium. These are those Dogs, Sorcerers, Whoremongers, Murtherers, Ido­laters and Lyars that are excluded the holy City.

But now if [many] be not taken for a certain number in counterdistinction to [all] but for the generality or a vast multitude, as Criticks allow [many] sometimes so to signi­fie, then the text may be expounded of the General Resur­rection, and then [some to everlasting life] and [some to shame and everlasting contempt] will be a fit distribution of those many, or all that are then said to arise out of the dust of the earth.

V. 3. They that be docible and understand the ways of God, and accordingly walk therein, shall shine as the bright azure sky. But they that are not onely wise and holy them­selves, but are instrumental in the promoting true wisedom and holiness in others, shall shine as the Stars, shall have a greater and more peculiar eminent glory than others. Which is easily applicable either to the godly Pastours and Magistrates in the Millennium, or to the different degrees of the glorified Bodies of the Saints at the Resurrection. And thus we see this Prophecy of the Scripture of Truth to reach to the general Resurrection. And that the time, as was intimated in the beginning, is long indeed. What re­mains concerns the intelligibleness of this and other Visions that tend to the same scope. When and by whom they are likely to be understood, and by whom not.

V. 4. This command to Daniel to seal the Book to the time of the end, intimates that these Visions of the Book will not be unsealed till then, till the last times or times of the Roman Monarchy, but that then men will be inquisitive and hunt after truth, and not altogether in vain, but will, several I mean, understand the coming of Christ by the help of the Prophecies of this Book, and in the latter part of these last times the coming also of Antichrist (which is chiefly here aimed at) when knowledge shall most of all abound, as it has very much, this last age or two.

V. 5. There stood other two, Angels, suppose, in the shape of men, one on the one side of Hiddekel or Tigris, the [Page 154]other on the other, the two Presidentiary Angels (so repre­sented) the one of the Roman Empire, the other of the Ma­hometan, As we have above noted the Presidentiary Angels of Persia, Grecia and Judaea.

V. 6. To the man cloathed in linen, viz. to the man de­scribed, chap. 10.5. namely to Palmoni or Christ himself. To him is made the question. How long shall those won­derfull things that have been here foretold continue? This question touching the continuation of these wonders doubt­less respects that part of the Prophecy that begins at verse 36. and ends with the Resurrection. For this part is most replenish'd with wonders of all the Prophecy of the Scrip­ture of Truth.

V. 7. Held up his right hand and his left hand. As the Angel, Apoc. 10.5. is said to lift up his hand to Heaven, which is the posture of them that swear, That it shall be for a time, and times, and half a time, that is, three Prophetical years, as I may so speak, and an half, namely those more marvellous things touching the King of Pride, v. 36, 37, 38. which is the same with the little Horn with eyes, they shall continue so long entire, but after the dispersion of the holy people the Jews shall be ended, all these things, even to the general Resurrection, after which there shall be no more time upon Earth, shall be accomplished. For the last Trum­pet reaches to the general Resurrection, after which there shall be no more time. So consonant is the Oath of the Apo­calyptick Angel to this of this Angel in Daniel. See Apoc. 10.6, 7.

V. 8. I understood not, namely, where to pitch this time and times, and half a time, or where the latter part of the times of the end (which is the time of the fourth Monarchy) is supposed to be. O my Lord. He speaks with this reverence to this Angel, as being the same with him described, chap. 10. which is Palmoni or Christ. What shall be the end of these things? The Hebrew has it [what the latter part of those] whether times or things transacted in those times? Or what the latter part of those times of the end?

V. 9. The words are sealed till the time of the end, viz. till that part of it, which is the time of the end in a more restrict sense, even the latter times of the last as the Apo­stle calls them, it being an Answer to [what the latter part of those times.] But the Vision touching these won­ders, that stupendious Empire of Antichrist, is sealed till those very times.

V. 10. Many shall be purifi'd, &c. Namely, in the furnace of persecution under the above described King of Pride, the very Antichrist, but the wicked shall persist in their gross idolatries, and sensual Ludenesses, in their pride, avarice and persecution of the pure Apostolick Christians, nor shall any of Antichrist's followers immersed in foul su­perstitions and gross sensualities, and blinded with the de­ceits and Hypocrisies of the Antichristian Synagogue, nor any others as carnally and worldly-minded as they, under­stand either these Visions of Daniel, or those of the Apoca­lypse that tend to the same scope. But whom the fear of God has made truly wise, these will prove competent judges of the right sense of these Prophecies, and will not be such fools as to expect much light from the Ancient Fathers for the understanding of them; Forasmuch as it is expresly de­clared, that they are closed up and sealed till the latter times, or those times which the two following numbers point to.

V. 11. The Abomination that maketh desolate set up. The same that is mentioned, and in the same words, chap. 11.31. in this very Prophecy of the Scripture of Truth. There shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days, viz. Prophe­tical days or years. At the end of this number, reckoning from the time of the Prophanation of the Temple under Antiochus Epiphanes, which will reach into the year of Christ 1120, will this King of Pride or Antichrist be re­vealed, as it came to pass in a marvellous manner by a so­lid and judicious Book, writ by the Waldenses, and published that year. Whereby the true Antichrist was discovered, and this Vision unsealed at once. See Mr. Mede and Dr. H. M. on the place, Exposition and Notes.

V. 12. Blessed is he, &c. Blessed are they that come to this time, to the 1335 days or 89 or 90 Indictions, for they will have the opportunity of not onely knowing Anti­christ, but of suffering Martyrdom by opposing him, and wit­nessing against him in behalf of Christ and his true Church. For blessed and holy is he that has part in the first Resurrec­tion, and that is the lot of Martyrs. See Dr. H. M. his Ex­position and Notes.

V. 13. But go thou thy way till the end be. This trans­lation is something hard and obscure, Vatablus's seems more natural. Tu autem vades ad finem tuum. But thou shalt come to thine end, i. e. Thou shalt dye long before these things come to pass or be understood, and shalt rest in an happy, peacefull and secure condition. See Wisd. 3.1. And shalt stand in thy lot at the end of the days. At the end of Times, or in the last share of them, under the seventh Trumpet, beyond which there is no more time upon earth, (and within which the first Resurrection is) shall Daniel stand up in his lot, that is, in the lot proper and peculiar to Martyrs and Confessours, and he was such, as appears by his being cast into the Lion's den, chap. 6.16. He shall be raised into his glorified body in the first Resurrection.

The NOTES.

V. 1. THE Revelation of Jesus Christ, &c. namely, of things to come to pass, or future. Wherefore things already come to pass, such as are known already to be, and were plainly predicted before by Christ, to set out these under prophetick Aenigms or Symbols is no Revela­tion, but an obscuring of what is known. Besides the ab­surd contradiction of Prophesying in no less than two whole sets of Visions, the first six Seals, and the first six Trum­pets of things past, at the time John received this Revela­tion, viz. in the reign of Domitian. Which shews the vanity of Grotius his interpreting the Apocalypse, and of as many as follow him, who six the scene of all those Visions in Judaea, and end them with the sacking of the City which was before John wrote the Apocalypse. Which God gave unto him. Which is particularly intimated, chap. 5.7. And that all the three main Prophecies are the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is most magnificently represented in the three introdu­ctory Visions. For the Epistolar prophecy. He that ap­pears amidst the seven golden Candlesticks does dictate it, chap. 2.1. and chap. 5. v. 9. The Lamb onely is found worthy to take the book and open the Seals, whereby he is signified to be Authour of the Sealed-book Prophecy. And chap. 10. v. 8, 9. The mighty Angel Christ gives to John the little open Book, the third main Prophecy, viz. the Opened-book Prophecy. Which must shortly come to pass. Some sooner, some later, but all of them shortly in re­spect of some Successions of Ages, in the Church or other, that they may be advertized of their concerns and stand upon their guard. Signified it by his Angel. By whose Mi­nistry these things through prophetick Visions, and Prefi­gurations wrought and impressed upon his inward man, were conveyed to John.

V. 2. Who bare record of the word of God. This there­fore is John the Divine, so usually called for his express Testimony of the Divinity of Christ: and the Evangelist for writing his Acts and Miracles.

V. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, &c. Blessed is he that observes the things written in this Book of Prophecies, that he may order his life accordingly, and always approve himself such as he is by these Visions admonished to be, and adhere to Christ sincerely, and to his true Church in all conditions. For the time is at hand, namely, for the fulfilling of such Visions as appertain to the earlier scene of the affairs of the Church, and will ever be at hand to the end of the world, for the fulfilling of some Visions of this Book or other.

V. 4. John to the seven Churches which are in Asia. A direction of this whole Book of prophetick Visions, as of one entire Epistle to the truly Catholick and Apostolick Church distinguished into seven Successions; said to be in Asia by a Paronomastical allusion, to what Asia signifies in Hebrew, viz. 1. Fundamentum which implies the truly Catholick and Apostolick Church, admitting nothing re­pugnant to the fundamentals of Christian Religion. 2. Mundum Asiathicum as the Cabbalists call it, of which this earth is the lowest part, which therefore intimates the Catholickness of these Churches, and that they are not confined to Asia in the literal sense. 3. There is also a third meaning of Asia, as it signifies Action, which is more seasonable to take notice of, when we come to the Episto­lar Prophecy properly so called. Grace and Peace. All fa­vour, happiness and prosperity. From him which is, &c. From the eternal Jehovah who graspeth all, past present and to come, in the eternity of his Wisedom and Power, a privilege common to the whole Trinity. And from the seven Spirits, &c. And from all his holy Angels (for se­ven with the Cabbalists signifies Universality) that assist his Throne, and that Minister sent from thence for the good of his people.

V. 5. From Jesus Christ, that faithfull witness of the Will of his Father when he was upon earth, and the first begotten of the dead, the first fruits of them that slept, to whom is given the right of all the Kingdoms of the earth, to be Prince over them all, and to rule them in righteous­ness and Peace. To him that, &c. That so loved us, that he laid his life down for us for a Propitiation for our sins, and to wash us from all the filth thereof through sin­cere repentance and mortification of our lusts, out of a due and gratefull return of love to him that dyed for us.

V. 6. And hath made us Kings and Priests, &c. To offer spiritual Sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving to God upon the Victories over our own lusts, whereby may be introduced a true reign of righteousness upon earth. And this will be the real establishment of the Kingdom of God the Father, to whom be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

V. 7. Behold he cometh in the Clouds, (so vast a prospect have the Prophecies of this Book) and he will judge the whole World at the last day. And all shall see him, even they that pierced him and persecuted him in his own Per­son or members of his true Church which is his Body, and all sorts of men shall wait because of him, who have thus outragiously sinned against him. Even so Amen. This is a certain truth, let Scoffers and Unbelievers say, and imagine what they please.

V. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, &c. That it may not seem strange, that his providence and power reacheth so far as to the very last, from the beginning of the Church to the end of the World, he declares he is the Almighty grasping all things, in the hand of his all-comprehending Divinity.

V. 9. In the isle that is called Patmos. One of the Cy­clades so called in the Aegean Sea. For the word of God, &c. Thither banished for the preaching of the word of God, and bearing witness to the truth of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.

V. 10. I was in the Spirit, &c. That is to say, actuated and impressed upon in my inward man, my mind being va­cant from my earthly Body and external Senses, and wholly seized by the Divine and Angelical power, which caused in it the following Visions and prophetical Impressions, but as lively and clear as any Objects to the outward or cor­poreal Senses. And when I was thus in the Spirit, and had as it were left the Body in this ecstasie, I heard behind me a great voice as of a Trumpet. Here begins the introductory Vision to the first of the three main Prophecies that fill this Book, viz. the Epistolar Prophecy, properly so called. For he whose voice he heard, after dictates the Epistles.

V. 11. I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and shall declare unto thee such things as concern the Church continuedly, from the first beginning thereof to the end of the World. What thou seest write in a Book. This mo­nition thus set before all the Apocalyptick Visions need not be consined to this Epistolar Prophecy, but be in­tended for all the Prophecies of this Book. And thus all will be directed to the seven Churches in Asia, that is, to the truly Catholick and Apostolick Church distinguished into seven Successions, Ephesine, Smyrnean, Pergamenian, Thya­tirian, Sardian, Philadelphian, Laodicean; Which seven Suc­cessions one after another fill up the whole time of the Church universal, from the beginning thereof to the end of the World.

V. 12. To see the voice that spake with me, To see who it was that spake thus to me, And turning my self, I saw seven golden Candlesticks.

V. 13. One like unto the Son of man. The representa­tion namely of Christ, as he is also one with his Church. For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones, Ephes. 3.30. They two shall be one flesh. This is a great Mystery, saith the Apostle, but I speak of Christ and his Church. Cloathed with a Garment down to the foot, &c. In token that he is our High Priest, this habit alluding to the High Priests vestments.

V. 14. His hairs white like wooll and Snow, set out the venerableness of this High Priest's person, and signifie he is that Christ which the Prophet calls Councellour the mighty God, the everlasting Father. For these are Sym­bols of his Wisedom, and paternal Authority. His Eyes like a Flame of fire, denote the penetrancy of his Provi­dence and Spirit, of discerning both in himself and in his Church.

V. 15. His feet like fine brass burning in a furnace, shew the stability and purity of his ways in himself, and the constancy of his Church in the Furnace of Affliction and fiery Tryals. And his voice as the sound of many waters; plainly discovers that Christ is here represented in union with his Church; waters signifying a multitude in the pro­phetick style, as most certainly they doe. See the answer to S. E. his remarks on this place.

V. 16. The seven Stars in his right hand, according to his own interpretation, are the seven Angels of the se­ven Successions of the Church, whom he bears up, sustains and strengthens throughout all ages. And the sharp two edged Sword out of his mouth, is a Symbol of Christ as he is the living God quick and powerfull and sharper than any two edged Sword. And denotes also the powerfull word of the Gospel, preached by the living members of his Church. And his countenance as the Sun, betokens his being the Sun of righteousness, or relates to that which he is in the New Jerusalem state where there is no need of Candle nor Sun, because this Sun of righteousness gives them light by the influence of his Spirit.

V. 17. John falls at his Feet as dead, as being exceed­ingly afraid, forasmuch as this sight (the Sword espe­cially and feet burning in a Furnace) might portend some great evil to the people of God. Which Christ's saying to him, Fear not, I am the first and the last, seems also to imply, he thereby intimating, That nothing shall come to pass without his Providence, and that he is able to car­ry them through all persecutions and deaths, and make them at last more than Conquerours.

V. 18. As if he should say, For now I am alive, though I was my self dead once, but behold I am alive for evermore Amen, this is most certainly true of him whom this Vi­sion represents, and that he has the Keys of Hell and death. And therefore no man need fear to undergo Martyrdom for his cause, who will certainly make him partaker of a blessed Immortality, and plunge his barbarous Persecu­tors into everlasting perdition.

V. 19. Write the things which thou hast seen, &c. That is, the things which thou hast seen and known already, as being past, and the things that are present, and the things that are to come after, viz. The affairs of the Ephesine Suc­cession then past, of the Smyrnean then present, when John wrote these Visions, and of the rest of the Successions of the Church, which are to come afterwards. Which make up seven, and are the seven golden Candlesticks in the next verse, in the Accusative Case in the Greek, which the Verb [write] governs in this verse; or rather they are in the Accusative Case by Apposition. Which plainly shews that, [The things which thou hast seen] must be understood of the Ephesine Succession. As if it were thus immediately. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things that are, and the things that shall be hereafter, viz. the seven golden Candlesticks, whereof the first is past, the second present, and the five other to come.

V. 20. The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches, that is, The seven Successions of Bishops and Pastours, that are to shine forth in brightness and purity of their Life and Doctrine, in the seven Successions of the Churches. As the seven Candlesticks, (the seven Successions of the Apostolick Church) are here called seven Churches.

The NOTES.

AFter the introductory Vision to the Epistolar Prophecy in the foregoing Chapter, we are come now to the Prophecy it self. And that these seven Epistles are such a Prophecy as has been asserted, if any one doubt let him read Dr. H. M. his twenty Arguments at the end of his Exposition of Daniel's Visions, with his Notes on those Ar­guments and he may receive full satisfaction. And how little harsh it is, that the first Epistle is wrote to the E­phesine Church then past, you may understand from what the same Authour has writ in his Exposition of the seven Epistles to the seven Churches, chap. 1. sect. 4, 5. or out of his Notes, in Apocalypsis Apocalypseos, chap. 1. v. 19. And that a set of Visions of large extent, may take in some small share of time past from the Epocha, is made good in his Arithmetica Apocalyptica, if any one should scruple about these things, which it were too long here to make out. I will onely advertise the Reader, that whereas the other two Prophecies of the Apocalypse run altogether upon Real Symbols or Iconisms, viz. Representations or Images of what is foretold taken from Things, this first Prophecy runs upon Nominal or Paronomastical Iconisms, or [Page 194]Images, consisting in allusion to Words or Names of persons or places, which signifie the condition of matters foretold. And lastly, let the Reader take notice of this rule, That what things closely precede the Epiphonema [he that hath an ear to hear, &c.] respect the external state of the Church; But what follows it refers to a more spiritual state and in­visible.

V. 1. Ʋnto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, that is, To the Bishops or Pastours (which meaning of Angel in these Epistles, let it be sufficient here once to have noted for all) of the Ephesine succession, which begins with the beginning of the Church of Christ (which the allusion of Ephesus to Aphesis as in Hippaphesis, the emission of the Ra­cers from the lists, seems to import, this being the first set­ting out in the whole decursion of the race of the Church, to the end of all) and ends in the tenth of Nero, a short period and yet, (which still the word Ephesus by allusion may intimate) subject to change. For Aphesis signifies Re­mission or Remisness, as well as Emission, and this Ephesine Church is blamed, v. 4. as having left her first love. But the most plain and principal allusion of Ephesus is to Ephe­sis, which signifies earnest purpose and desire through the love of Christ to advance his Kingdoms. This was their serious aim at first; as he on the white Horse with a bow in his hand aiming at the Crown which was given him, begins the Prophecy of the sealed Book. These things saith he that holdeth the seven Stars in his right hand, &c. He salutes them under the Title of this part of his former Representa­tion, that they run the race more cheerfully that now is be­gun, he going along with them even to the end thereof, sup­porting, comforting and guiding all the successions of the Bi­shops and Pastours of the Church that Labour in the word and doctrine, and is in the midst of all the Successions of the Church throughout all Ages, minding their Conversation and assisting them that are true of heart, even to the end of the World.

V. 2. I know thy works. This is a form of Speech Christ makes use of to every one of the seven Churches in Asia, which well agrees with the allusion to the Hebrew word Asia, signifying Action, as if they were the seven Churches in action, for from this Topick, properly is all praise and dispraise. And thou hast tryed them, &c. He commends them also, that they consist and try such as pre­tend to be sent from him, and to be Apostles and are not, but are lyars and deceivers, mere impostours and Coun­terfeits.

V. 3. He commends them for their first great fervency, and desire of enlarging his Church or Kingdom, and bear­ing patiently all crosses and difficulties they meet with in carrying on the work, and for not fainting under so great pains and travel.

V. 4. Thou hast left thy first love. There is not that earnest affection for me as at first, nor fervency and zeal for the enlargement of my Kingdom, but you are more cold and remiss.

V. 5. Remember, &c. i. e. Act with that constancy, fervency and sincerity you did before, or else I will raise such a Tempest of persecution against the Church, that she shall not be able to keep her place, but be shaken and driven with the violence thereof. This therefore signifies the visible state of the Church in the next interval.

V. 6. Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans. This seems to be inserted to intimate the narrow bounds of this first succession of the Church, that it was before Ni­colaitism broke out. For if that had broke out then in the Church, she had stood guilty of it. But she abhorred from that uncleaness that after broke out, and was noted by the name of Nicolaitism, though she stood guilty of that Re­misness mentioned before.

V. 7. What the Spirit saith unto the Churches, namely, in these prophetical Parables. For it is of great concern and Edi­fication for them to consider and understand them, through all the Successions of the Churches, that what is recom­mended they may follow, and eschew the contrary at all [Page 196]times. To eat of the tree of Life. He that overcometh through his much labour and pains, he shall be refreshed with the food of the tree of Life, and for his patience and sufferings enjoy the pleasures of Paradise in Heaven.

V. 8. The Church of Smyrna. Smyrna is the same that Myrrha Myrrh, from a Syriack word, that signifies bitter. By which therefore is understood the bitterness of affliction and persecution in this interval of the Church, which rea­ches from the end of the Ephesine interval to about the three hundred and twenty fourth year of Christ. The first and the last which was dead and is alive. This part of the foregoing Representation of Christ is made his Title here for an encouragement in the bloudy persecuting times the Church in this succession is in; intimating that those that dye Martyrs shall as assuredly be alive again, as Christ himself, who was once martyred and crucified. And his being the first and the last implies that he will make the Church hold out to the end, and stand Conquerour in the field.

V. 9. But thou art rich, Rich in grace, full of Christian patience, and meekness, and invincible courage against all the dangers of death. That say they are Jews and are not, &c. That say they are Christians and are not (for so Jews signifie in the Apocalyptick style) and so by their dastard­liness and persidiousness, blaspheme and dishonour that noble name and calling, by proving themselves of the Sy­nagogue of Satan, and betrayers of the Kingdom of their Lord that bought them, fast Slaves to the flesh, and impatient of all persecution, worse than Peter, whom notwithstand­ing when he would have discouraged Christ from his suffer­ings on the Cross, he sharply rebuked with a, Get thee be­hind me Satan, for thou savourest not the things of God.

V. 10. Fear none of those things, &c. Nor imitate that base cowardise of that Synagogue of Satan, for they are no Church of mine, but a Cage of perfidious Hypocrites. Behold the Devil, &c. The Devil and his Ministers under Paganism will cast some of you into Prison, for the tryal of your faith and constancy, ye shall have the Tribulation [Page 197]of ten days, even of those ten bloudy Persecutions under the Pagan Emperours. But be in no wise discouraged, but continue faithfull unto death and I will give you a Crown of Life, even the imperial Crown, Constantine tur­ning Christian, which will be a Crown of Life and secu­rity to you my Church, and save you from death and per­secution. This shall be the external effect, and fruit of your sufferings, or the political reward thereof.

V. 11. Shall not be hurt by the second death. He that stands out this tryal and valiantly suffers Martyrdom, shall not be hurt of the second death, but have his part in the first Resurrection accordingly as it was written. Apoc. 20.6. Blessed and Holy is he, that has part in the first Resur­rection, on such the second death hath no power; And the ancient Fathers have thus understood it. And this El­liptical way of putting one part of a Sentence thereby to imply the other is usual in the Apocalyptick style. This therefore is the promised privilege of those Martyrs, that suf­fered persecution in this Smyrnean Succession of the Church, under the ten hot Persecutions. And as being invisible is placed after the Epiphonema, as that political promise be­fore it: According to the rule noted above.

V. 12. The Church in Pergamus. The word Pergamus signifies the high Towers in Troy. And the Church in Per­gamus here signifies the exaltation of the Church, out of her Smyrnean Humiliation and affliction, and the excessive pride also, and Fastuosity of the idolatrous Hierarchy growing up to the top in this interval. Which reaches from the end of the Smyrnean succession, viz. from the year three hundred and twenty four, to the year one thou­sand two hundred forty two, when the Popes Legate Ame­line, with Trancavel the bastard Son of Count Beziers ended the War of the Albigenses. Which hath the sharp Sword with two edges. Here is another Ellipsis [coming out of his mouth] being understood. Which is the Sword of the spirit in opposition to the Sword, and arm of flesh that persecuted the true Church in this succession.

V. 13. I know thy works, &c. I observe how well thou carriest thy self, though thou dwellest under the Dominion and Jurisdiction of the first born of Lucifer, that Man of Sin and Son of Pride, a right Pergamenian, lofty and haughty, and yet thou holdest fast to my Authority and the pure Christian profession, nor hast apostatized from the ancient faith and purity of worship untainted with Superstition and Idolatry; no not in those days when Antipas, those faith­full and couragious opposers of Holy Father the Pope (for so the word Antipas plainly signifies) the Waldenses and Al­bigenses were cruelly slain with the sword within the Juris­diction of that first-born of Luciser.

V. 14. Because thou hast there them, &c. You have those that comply with the Pseudo-prophet Balaam, the lofty Lord of the People (for so Balaam signifies) who hath taught Balac the Secular Power, now but a shadow or cypher, it being in this Interval evacuate in a manner (as the Name imports) by the over-topping of the power Ec­clesiastical, to force the Israelites, that is, the Christians (of which the Israelites were a Type) to come to Mass, and by partaking thereof, to partake of Idolatry, they making, by their Idolatrous usages there, the Lord's Sup­per, which is a feast upon a sacrifice, like to the feeding upon Idolothyta, upon things sacrificed unto Idols.

V. 15. So hast thou also, &c. And besides these Com­pliers with the Mass, though they be in their own judgments against it, there are amongst you also that indulge too much to the liberty of the flesh, and imitate the Sect of the Nicolaitans, a thing which my soul abhors.

V. 16. Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly. Amend these faults or else I will come unto you quickly, by a more strict vigilancy of the Lords of the Inquisition (whose Rule was most notorious in the succeeding Interval of the Church) and then the more frequent terrour of being burnt at the stake will more effectually extinguish the flames of your wantonness and lust. Be ye therefore pure and [...] I am holy and pure. And will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. See verse 12. viz. Against the [Page 199] Balaamites or Po [...]tisicians. This therefore sets out the ex­ternal state of the Church in the following Interval, as coming before the Fpiphonema. That whereas in this Per­gamenian Interval the War betwixt the Beast and the Saints, or Witnesses, was in a notorious manner carried on with the sword in the field [Antipas] the Albigenses in vast num­bers being slain therewith, here it is promised that in the following Interval, not a material Sword, but the Sword of Christ's mouth, the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, against the sire and sword of the Beast in this continued fight, shall at last prevail, cut off whole Na­tions from the Idolatrous Roman Church, and obtain a con­siderable victory. This is a reward Political and Visible for the faithfull ones in Pergamus, I mean for their labours and sufferings, to be fulfilled in the next Interval at the close thereof.

V. 17. To eat of the hidden Manna. He that stands out in purity of heart and a good conscience, he instead of that sweet consecrated Mass-wafer that pretended visible Manna shall eat of the true hidden spiritual Manna spoken of, John 6.55. And if he dye, he shall eat Angels food, and pass into their communion and society. And will give him a white stone, &c. that is, Though he be accused and con­demned for an Heretick by this lofty Roman or Pergamenian Church (for Rome signifies loftiness as well as Pergamus) where Satan the Accuser dwells, yet I will give him a white stone and absolve him in Foro divino. Or I will give him the white stone in which a new Name is written, that is, I will confirm and establish him in the new Birth, and give to him that pure and permanent inestimable Pearl of the Divine nature, which none knows but he that has it.

V. 18. The Church of Thyatira. The City Thyatira was so called from the Greek word that signifies a daughter. See Dr. H. M. his Preface to his Exposition of the seven Churches, Sect. 10, 11. And Rome is here called Thyatira in this Inter­val for her effeminateness, but especially for her more no­toriously worshipping the Virgin Mary as the daughter of God, as they also call her, in the highest sense, more by [Page 200]far than the Son of God himself. See Dr. Brevint's Saul and Samuel at Endor, chap. 5.6, 7, 8. and it will seem in­credible to thee, but that the excess of that Idolatrous wor­ship given to the Virgin Mary in this Interval by the Church of Rome is here presigured and perstringed in this Name Thyatira as it signifies a daughter. But there is an allusion also to the Greek word Thyateria, Altars of burnt-offerings, the burning of Martyrs being so wonderfully frequent in this Thyatirian Interval, which begins at the ending of the former succession, and reacheth till the time that whole Nations forsook the Communion of the Church of Rome in the Reformation begun by Luther. Saith the Son of God. He is called the Son of man in his foregoing description, chap. 1.13. not the Son of God, yet this is part of his Title here, as speaking to those that dwell amongst them that make the Virgin Mary in as high a way or higher (as to worship) the daughter of God. His eyes like unto a flame of fire, denoting clearness of discernment and fiery indig­nation against the gross Idolatries of this Interval. And his feet like fine brass. Here's an Ellipsis again, wherein is un­derstood [as if they burned in a furnace] which again in­timates the frequent burnings of the servants of Christ in this Interval.

V. 19. And the last to be more than the first. Toward the latter end of this Thyatirian succession their Works were more and greater than before. Which is a noble Testimony to the zeal and sincerity of those that began the Reforma­tion.

V. 20. Thou sufferest the woman Jezebel. The Roman Hierarchy or Priesthood (see Dr. H. M. his Exposition of the seven Churches, chap. 6. sect. 9, 10.) when now in this Interval things are come to that maturity, that thou mayst cast her off, and free thy self from this unjust and Idolatrous yoke. This is spoke to the Powers and Principalities held under by her. Which calleth her self a Prophetess, but is indeed a Pseudo-prophetess, a false teacher and seducer of my servants, the same with the false Prophet elsewhere mentioned in the Apocalypse. To eat things sacrificed unto [Page 201]Idols. To bring them to the Communion of the Idolatrous Mass: see verse 14. Wherefore suffer no longer this Jezebel, but according to the Omen and Fate of her Name (which signifies either loathed Dung, or deprived of her dwelling) let her be cast out and reputed as the dung of the Earth. See 2 Kings chap. 9. v. 33, 37.

V. 21. And I gave her space to repent, &c. Since my monition to her by the Waldenses and Albigenses, but she re­mained still obdurate and impenitent.

V. 22. I will cast her into a bed of languishment, instead of that large bed of wantonness (in which the Kings of the Earth have so universally committed fornication with her) and those that are her Paramours into great affliction, un­less they desist from their usual gross Idolatries so scanda­lous in the eyes of all sober Christians.

V. 23. And I will kill her children with death, that is, either by the sword coming out of my mouth I shall make them dead to her by conversion to the Truth. Or I will kill them by a natural Death, namely her Emissaries and Armies that may be sent against my true Church. Which therefore may respect the ensuing succession which is under the Vials. And all the Churches shall know, &c. All the Christian World shall ring of the righteousness of my judgments, who have my eyes like a bright flame of fire discerning the Hypocrisie of a painted Idolatrous Church, and burning with indigna­tion against it, and in due time giving to every one accor­ding to his demerits.

V. 24. As many as have not this doctrine, nor comply with the Idolatrous form of the Roman Religion. And not known the depths of Satan. Those deep Reasons of State, as they phrase it, that frame Religion so as if there were no God really, nor Christ, that superintends his Church, but as if Religion were onely to be a trick of State, to rule or fool the people with. To you that abhor such impieties, I will give you no farther trouble.

V. 25. Persist onely in the good way you are in, and hold fast to the truth, till I come and take the Papal yoke from off your neck.

V. 26. He that overcomes, &c. They that with invin­cible patience and courage stand out to the last, that keep faith and a good conscience in despight of all the Thyati­rian Persecutions, these people with their Princes and Go­vernours shall at the end, namely in the last Semitime of the seven, get the Nations under them, that is, the Paganochri­stians, become in a manner Heathens by their Idolatrous practices and Barbarous cruelties.

V. 27. And they shall rigidly enough, and severely rule them, so that they shall not be able to whinch but at their own peril, and the Paganochristian compages or con­stitution shall lye broken to fitters like a Potter's vesses. This shall so far come to pass, as I shall then have received of my Father. Which prediction reaches into the next Interval. But that in the foregoing verse is the close of this Succession.

V. 28. And I will give him the Morning-Star. Not the bright Morning-Star, (which State belongs rather to the Millennial Empire of Christ) but yet the early Morning-Star, as the word in the Original signifies. Which began to appear in the second month of the seventh Semitime at the partial fall of Babylon and the then Rising of the Wit­nesses, in the Reformation begun by Luther. Which was the final issue of the three times and an halfs War of the Saints or Witnesses with the Paganochristian Beast.

V. 29. He that hath an ear, &c. Nothing following this Epiphonema, or rather the promises of reward going before it, plainly shews, that they belong to this life, and to the visible State of the Church on Earth.

The NOTES.

V. 1. THE Church in Sardis. The Church in Sardis are the Reformed Churches. The Paronoma­stical allusions in the name Sardis are, 1. To the Lapis Sar­dius, which exhilarates the mind of him that wears it, and is an Amulet against Witchcraft and Poison, which may typifie the comfortable doctrine of Justification in the Re­formed [Page 206]Churches, and their being freed from the poyson­ous Cup, and Enchantments (Apoc. 17.) of that Babylo­nish Woman. 2. To the same stone as it is called in Hebrew Odem (which sounds near to Edom) and in Latin Carna­lina, which insinuates their Carnality in several points of doctrine and practice; of which see Dr. H. M. his Exposi­tion of the seven Churches, chap. 7. And lastly to Sardis as it signifies in Hebrew, a Song of Joy or Joy breaking out into singing, which sutes well with their Joy at the rising of the witnesses signified by those Harpers with the Harps of God in their hands, Apoc. chap. 15. The Sardian in­terval begins where the Thyatirian succession ends, that is, when Protestantism had become the Religion of Nations and Kingdoms; and it reaches to the last Vial, Apoc. 16. That hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Stars. That hath in his power and disposal all the divine Graces and heavenly Hosts or Companies of Angels for the assistence of his Church, and all the Bishops and Pastours thereof (ty­pisied by the seven Stars) viz. in his right hand. For here occurs another Ellipsis again; And by having them in his hand is denoted their being in his power, guidance and pro­tection; a description of Christ, like that in the Epistle to the Ephesine Church: As if it were the very beginning and Emerging again of the true Apostolick Church, that had lain hid in the Wilderness of Paganochristianism. Thou hast a Name that thou livest and art dead. I observe how mean and wretched thou art in comparison of what thou oughtest to be, and how thou hast a name that thou liv­est, as being so full of Zeal, for or against this Ceremony and that Opinion, with hot and nice disputes about Faith and Justification, but I will assure thee, be thou as full of life and activity as thou wilt about such things, if thou hast not that Faith which worketh by love, thou art nothing in my esteem. Whosoever is devoid of a due degree of Cha­rity and Ʋnself-interessed love, let him be reputed to live as much as he will, he is accounted dead in my sight.

V. 2. Be watchfull. Keep a guard over thine own heart, and breathe after unfeigned Charity, which is the bond of [Page 207]Perfection, and will prevent all Schisms and Factions, and tye the Members of reformed Christendom in one heart, and in one mind to their Governours Temporal and Spi­ritual, and to one another. And strengthen the things, &c. Revive and corroborate in you the things that remain, viz. Faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ, and of a blessed immortality after this Life; these you yet profess, though Infidelity and Atheism with Sensuality and Liber­tinism have grown much upon you, so that the belief even of these necessary things are ready to dye also. Perfect be­fore God, For you do not go on towards perfection, nor are you in a growing state, though you have not yet reached your due stature approveable before God, which is a sign you are in a state of Languishment and Vergency toward death.

V. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received, &c. Since you profess your selves reformed into a true Aposto­lick Church, remember what you have heard out of the Apostles writings. How I so loved my Church, that I gave my self for it, that I might sanctifie it, that I might make it a glorious Church, having neither spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing, but it should be Holy and without blemish. Nor let the vain glosses of any faint-hearted Hypocrites, deceive or discourage you. Remember also what ye have heard of Antichrist, that Man of sin that exalts himself above all that is called God, and worshipped, and for ever a­bandon that wicked and idolatrous Communion. And take heed of that nauseous and detestable ingratitude of not setting a due value of my redeeming you from that worse, than Aegyptian or Babylonian slavery and Captivity into the Gospel Liberty. And be not imposed upon by the fine words and subtile Sophistry, of either known enemies or perfidious brethren. These and such like things as these taught by my Apostles, and repeated again by the first Re­formers be sure to hold fast, and repent of your slipperi­ness and remisness, of your easiness and inclineableness a­gain to the flesh-pots of Aegypt, the carnal Entertainments under that Mystical Pharaoh at Rome. If therefore thou [Page 208]shalt not watch, &c. These things therefore I strictly com­mand thee and charge thee to doe, which if thou wilt not carefully and diligently observe, and have a due watch over thy ways, I will come on thee of a sudden, and sur­prize thee with some terrible judgment for thy gross in­gratitude, and thou shalt not know what hour I come up­on thee, before the storm certainly overtake thee. This was to forewarn the reformed Churches, that by their time­ly repentance they might avoid or lessen the storm.

V. 4. Thou hast a few Names even in Sardis, &c. There be some few excellent persons even in Sardis (notwith­standing the ill Omen of Odem, and Carnalina) and of a true Christian spirit, scattered up and down in the re­formed Churches, who have not defiled their Garments, the inward nor outward cloathing of their Souls, nor spot­ted the decency of their Conversation by any scandal of the flesh. These will I take into nearer Communion with me in the Spirit, and they shall advance more and more in all innocency and purity. So that their light shall shine before Men, and God be glorified in their works. For this verse refers to that common Topick in all the Epistles [I know thy works.] But the next verse tells the reward, which being before the Epiphonema is political.

V. 5. Shall be cloathed with white Rayment. They shall overcome all difficulties inward and outward, and per­sisting in purity and true Holiness, they shall be cloathed in white Rayment, that is, shall be successfull and prospe­rous in the affairs of my Kingdom, which they endeavour to propagate. And I will not blot out his name, &c. that is, This sort of Men shall continue to the Philedelphian succession, and onwards to the end of the World. And this Book of Life to them, shall be as the Crown of Life to the Smyrnean succession, shall be their security from per­secution and death. That Church which they introduce into the World, which is the Philadelphian, shall never be brought again under the subjection, Tyranny and Perse­cution of any power whatsoever. But I will confess his Name, &c. I will in a special manner recommend them [Page 209]to the good Providence of God, and the watchfull Mini­stry of his holy Angels.

V. 6. He that hath an ear let him hear, &c. The re­formed Churches especially let them take particular notice, what the Holy Ghost has here delivered touching the Church in Sardis, viz. That Christ who holds the seven Stars in his right hand, and appears thus to the reformed Churches as he did to the Ephesine, or first Apostolick Church, is as ready and serious in the renewing and reforming of his Church, as he was then in setting it on foot first in the World. And he appears as he did then walking in the midst of the golden Candlesticks (which signifies his help­full presence to his Church) so here with the succour of his divine Graces and Ministry, and assistence of his holy Angels: So that nothing is wanting to rouse us effectually out of this carnal Drousiness, toward the attainment of the Dispensation of the spirit and power, except our own sin­cerity and diligent attention to, and firm belief of the Oracles of God. So that the success of things hitherto, as to the effect of Religion in the reformed Churches lyes at our own doors. God give us grace to consider it.

V. 7. The Church in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is the love of the brethren, and consequently the love of God and all Men, which in one word might be called Charity, Agape, but that's no name of any City in Asia. The Phi­ladelphian succession begins where the Sardian ends, and reacheth to the fourth Thunder, including the Millennial reign of Christ. Which we may be assured is so, because the Philadelphian interval is such, as where not onely there is no Idolatry to be tempted to, nor any Martyrdom for refusing to comply therewith, but also no spot nor wrin­kle nor any such thing, but it is entirely Holy and with­out blemish. Which is plainly the condition of the Mil­lennium or New Jerusalem state, which alone might assure us of this truth. But when v. 12. the very name of the New Jerusalem is writ upon this Church, it is impossible to conceive the Millennium, not included in the Philadel­phian interval. He that is Holy, he that is True. Truth [Page 210]and Holiness, is the Ʋrim and Thummim of the High Priest, in whose habit Christ appeared in the beginning. He that is Holy, and speaks to a Church that willingly listens to such Monitions as these. Be ye Holy for I am Holy, and be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. He that is true, and will verifie all his glorious promises in the Philadelphian succession or blessed Millennium, to all those that trust in his word. Has the Key of David: Is the chief Minister of state to the eternal God, whom the Apostle John calls LOVE, and so David signifies. He that openeth, &c. He that when he will can open the door of success to his own, and shut it again when he will a­gainst his Enemies, and so administer all things pro­sperously.

V. 8. I know thy works, Behold I have set, &c. I know thy works and designs, and highly approve of them, I know thou doest nothing out of bitter Zeal, faction or self-seeking, nothing out of Vain-Glory or any other worldly end, but simply out of love of me, and of my righteous­ness, and out of love to all Mankind, for the promo­ting of whose both present and future Happiness, thou doest all thy endeavours, and therefore I will open to thee such a door of success, as no man shall be able to shut against thee. For thou hast a little strength, &c. Though thou hast but a little Force or Army (those namely fol­lowing the Heros, on the white Horse, Apoc. 19.) in comparison of the rest of the World, yet thou hast been valiant and stood for my word, stoutly and couragiously against all Gainsayers, and hast never behaved thy self o­therwise than becomes a sound and faithfull Christian, and such as is resolved never to dishonour that profession or Name.

V. 9. Behold I will make them, that are of the Syna­gogue of the Devil for their Pride, falsities and murthe­rous Cruelties, and yet call themselves Jews, that is, Chri­stians [nay Holy Church] the Type as above being used for the Antitype, but are so far from being so, that they really are the Synagogue of Antichrist, who under pre­tence [Page 211]of professing Christ do most wickedly oppose him, by nulling his Laws, and barbarously murthering his true and faithfull Subjects, for not committing idolatry and o­ther abominations they would force upon them; whereby it is manifest though they call themselves Holy Church and Christians, they are Counterfeits and Lyars: And worship before thy feet, &c. Behold I will make them to come, instead of kissing the Popes slipper to worship be­fore thy feet, to be subjected unto thee, and to doe thee homage: and to acknowledge how much I have loved thee, and set thee above all the Princes of the Earth.

V. 10. Because thou hast shewn all along such invin­cible meekness and patience in maintaining my cause, and undaunted faithfulness, I will in that great Confusion, commotion and temptation under the last Vial (which shall come upon all the World to try the Inhabitants of the Earth) keep thee and protect thee, and thou shalt be safe and victorious in all.

V. 11. Behold I come quickly; Even in this last Vial, into which thou art already entered. Hold that fast, &c. Thou art a Church after my own hearts desire, O Phila­delphia, nor do I accuse thee of any thing, thou carriest thy self with that integrity and sincerity, onely hold fast to that perfection thou hast attained to, that thou mayst not be deprived of the Crown I intend for thee. For in thee shall be accomplished all the glorious promises concerning my Kingdom upon earth.

V. 12. To you that overcome, to you it shall be given to be Pillars in the Temple of my God, you shall be an Holy, sixt, and stable People, the true holy Catholick Church, that shall never fail, but shall endure till I come in the clouds to judge at the last day. And upon these lasting Pillars shall the name of my God be written, and the new nature in you shall be visible and legible as it were to all, how Heavenly it is and Divine, and how really you are that Church represented by that City in Ezekiel, which is called Jehovah Shamma, God is there. For your Conversation will be such, that every man will be ready [Page 210] [...] [Page 211] [...] [Page 212]to say, God is amongst you of a truth; and that you are really as well as called the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, Apoc. 21. v. 2.10. (which plainly shews, that the holy Jerusalem there men­tioned, denotes a state of the Church here on earth) and lastly, I will write upon you my new name, not the morning Star but the bright morning Star; or that newly purchased Title in the battel where the Beast and false Prophet are taken and cast alive into a Lake burning with brimstone, and the rest slain with the Sword of him that sate on the white Horse, which Sword cometh out of his mouth, viz. the Title of King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. For it is then that you shall be the greatest Empire upon earth.

V. 14. The Church in Laodicea, Laodicea signifies, ei­ther the righteousness of the people, an external popular mode of righteousness (something like that which the Pla­tonists call political Vertue) the inward life and spirit de­caying, which is too much the state of the Church in Lao­dicea: Or it signifies the judging of the People, be­cause at the end of this interval Christ will come vi­sibly to judge and Sentence all People to their final doom: Or lastly, there may be an allusion to Ptolemy's Laodicea Combusta, the Conflagration closing this Period, and therefore, This Laodicean succession reaches from the fourth Thunder till the last Judgment or Conflagration; Nor does either it, or the Philadelphian precede the Millennium, but the Laodicean succeeds it, and the Philadelphian includes it, as is demonstrated by the Answerer to S. E. the re­marker on the place. These things saith the Amen, &c. In whom all the promises are yea and Amen. Whose faith­fulness, is seen in bringing to pass the Philadelphian state, the marvellous Purity, and external Prosperity of that suc­cession of the Church, and therefore we are to believe his promises of the eternal Felicity he reminds us of in this: A blessed immortality after this Life, and his visible coming to judge the quick and the dead, and his putting an end to this terrestrial Scene, though in this declining age of the Church, in this Laodicean succession, some may be too [Page 213]slow to give any credit to such things. And therefore these Titles of Assuredness and Varacity are used. And he is called a faithfull witness also, because he so impartially witnesses of the state of the Laodiceans, and does not flat­ter them. The beginning of the Creation of God. It may be well understood of the new Creation or Constitution of things under the Gospel, which he having carried on along hitherto according to Prophecy and prediction, he is the more certainly and readily to be believed in this last Cata­strophe of things. Or taking the term [beginning] with an higher reference to that Title of his [ΑΡΧΗ'] which re­spects his Divinity as he is the eternal Logos, without whom nothing was made or created, then the importance of this passage is this. That as sure as he made this Earth, this habitable round World, so we may be as sure that he both can by the same power, and also will destroy it again in this Laodicean Succession by a final Conflagration, taking vengeance of the wicked and resettling all true Be­lievers in an eternal state of Glory.

V. 15. Neither cold nor hot. But that ye are careless, formal lukewarm Christians. Thou retainest indeed still the external form of the Philadelphian Church as to do­ctrine and worship, but thou art destitute of that spirit of Life in the new Birth, which was the proper Character of thy deceased Sister Philadelphia. I would thou wert cold or hot. For though it be not better in it self to be quite cold, yet it were for thee, that thou mightest be the more easily convinced of thine own wants, and by repentance and mortification enter into the state of Regeneration, and be made partaker of my Spirit.

V. 16. Because thou art lukewarm, I will spew thee, &c. I will shew how nauseous and loathsome thou art to me, in a Torrent of reproofs, as a sign of my disgust against thee; and upon thy impenitence, at length being weary of thee (as it is said concerning God before his bringing the deluge of Water on the Earth, that it repented him that he had made Man) I will spew thee out from my self who fill all things, and exterminate thee out of being by a de­luge [Page 214]of Fire, that shall put an end to this terrestrial Scene of things, and the Laodicean Church shall be no more. But in the mean time that I may faithfully admonish thee,

V. 17. Because thou sayst I am rich, &c. Namely, whilst thou considerest that Peace and plenty, that power and rule and security from Enemies, which thou enjoyest, and the Purity of doctrine and worship, free from Superstition and Idolatry, and the abundance of both natural and di­vine knowledge, and clear understanding of Prophecies, by reason of their completion now, and skilfull interpretati­ons of thy Predecessours, and universal Freedom from all Persecutions, I tell thee notwithstanding all these, thou art mistaken in thy condition, and knowest not how Poor, Blind, and Naked thou art, in that thou art destitute of the Glories and treasures of the inward Man, and art igno­rant of the Mysteries of Regeneration, and of the spirit of Life in the new Birth, and art content with a covering, but not of my Spirit whereby thou dost add sin to sin. Therefore,

V. 18 I counsel thee to buy of me Gold, &c. Gold re­fined in the fire, and so pure that it is trasparent as glass. New Jerusalem Gold, which is the new Nature or Crea­ture, mine own image: And the price is, thy sincere endeavouring and breathing after that state, that thou mayst possess those durable Riches, which shall not be mel­ted when the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the Earth and the works therein shall be burnt up, name­ly at the Conflagration. And white Rayment, &c. And buy of me white Rayment, that is, groan in thy self, O spi­ritless Laodicae, and desire to be cloathed with thy spiritual Tabernacle from heaven, that being so cloathed, thou mayst not be sound naked, and that the shame of thy na­kedness may not appear at the last day. And anoint thine eyes with Eye-salve, &c. clear thy judgment and understan­ding by a diligent Purification of thy soul from all cor­ruptions of flesh and spirit, and perfect Holiness in my fear, that thou mayst see and have a right discerning in all things.

V. 19. As many as I love I rebuke, &c. As many as [Page 215]I love I chasten, and I have a love to thee even for thine outward resemblance of thy deceased Sister Philadelphia, and therefore I chastise thee with sharp reproofs to bring thee to an inward sense of things, and shall farther afflict thee with outward straits and distress to awaken thee. For thine enemies Gog and Magog, by reason of thy remisness in Religion, security and neglect of the interest of my Kingdom will grow upon thee, and at last encompass the beloved City. Be zealous therefore and repent thee of thy dead formality and remisness in the affairs of my King­dom, that so thou mayst recover the Philadelphian love and fervency. And do not complain of difficulties.

V. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock, &c. (This verse assuredly has a moral or spiritual Sense, as well as the five foregoing) Behold I offer my aid unto you, and solicite you ever and anon by good monitions and suggesti­ons, and if you obey sincerely my Dictates and Succours of light and grace I offer you, and by this your sincerity open me the Door I will sup with you, I will communi­cate my nature and spirit unto you. You shall feed on my flesh which is meat indeed, and drink of my bloud which is drink indeed, and that saying shall be fulfilled in you, I in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. If any one love me and keep my word, my Father shall love him, and we will come to him and abide with him. And that I may the more effectually rouse thee up out of this dead formality and tepidity, out of this dulness and Lethargy, I add farther.

V. 21. To him that overcometh, &c. You shall not onely enjoy me and my Father in this Life, but if you will stand to the conflict, and so attain to the state of the spirit of Life and real Regeneration into the living image of my self, I will exalt you to the same happiness with my self, your Bodies being transformed into the like­ness of my glorious Body, and so fitted to ascend into the Throne which he has given me, whose Throne is heaven as earth his Footstool. Nay, you shall sit with me in my Throne and judge the Apostate Angels at the last day. [Page 216]This is a great and stupendious Promise, but you ought to consider that, He has promised it who is the Amen, the true and faithfull Witness, and the Beginning of the Creation of God, and therefore both will and can bring all his counsels, purposes and promises to pass. Even so Amen. The sense of this last and the foregoing Verse is irrefragably demonstrated by the Answerer against S. E. his Remarks on the place.

The NOTES.

V. 1. AFter this I looked, &c. After this Vision of the seven Churches was past, and I come to my self again, having occasion to look upwards. Behold a door seemed to be opened in Heaven. And lo the first voice which I heard, before the Vision of the seven Churches, as of a Trumpet, talked with me, and bad me come up hi­ther, and he would shew me the Representations or Prefi­gurations of things to come.

V. 2. And immediately I was in the spirit. Which is a sign he was again come to himself before. And being thus caught up in the spirit, in this ecstasie he presently saw a Throne set in Heaven, and one sitting on that Throne with great Majesty, as in his Chair of State, as being Crea­tour and Governour of the Universe, and specially of his Church. See verse 11.

V. 3. Like a Jasper and a Sardin stone. The Jasper for its firmness setting out the radical Omnipotency, or rather the necessity of existence of the indiscerpible Essence of the Divinity, the other for its redness like fire, the active power of the Divine nature, as not onely Grotius but Ty­chonius, Primasius, Beda, Victorinus, Rupertus, Richardus, Ly­ranus, and Aretas interpret the place. Or the colour of sire, that is, of a live coal, is here made choice of as be­ing the root of light, to shew that he that sits here is God the Father: Which answers to the appearance of fire in him that sits on the Throne in Ezekiel's vision, to whom the Rain-bow belongs, which is here also mentioned in this verse.

V. 4. And round about the Throne, &c. Here it also varies from the Vision of Ezekiel, as being framed for a Type of the future state of the Church, when the new Je­rusalem descends from heaven and the Tabernacle of God is with them: And therefore the four and twenty Elders are here said to be round about the Throne, as the Priests and Le­vites [Page 219]were pitched next the Tabernacle: But in that they wear Crowns, as well as white Rayments, it implies the Sanctity and Sovereignty (in rebus sacris) of the Kings in that state of the Church which this Type points at, those renewed A­postolick times in the New Jerusalem, when the conversion of the Jews, will add the heads of their twelve Tribes to the number of the twelve Apostles, which these twenty four Elders or Princes of Nations may answer to. And in that there is no one besides God, and the Lamb here that appears to be supreme over them, it signifies that in those times the Popes pretenses will vanish, and that Kings and Princes then of the Christian profession will know them­selves, and be acknowledged by all to be in all causes, as well Ecclesiastical as Civil, within their own Dominions, next and immediately under Christ supreme heads and Gover­nours. And lastly, these four and twenty being Crowned, and the four Beasts, which signifie the people, not Crown­ed is a sure demonstration (against the wild freaks of Fa­natick Levellers) that the distinction betwixt Prince and People will be continued even in the blessed Millennium.

V. 5. Proceeded lightnings and Thunderings, &c. There is also mention of Lamps and fire and lightning, though no thundering, in the Vision of Ezekiel, which is the Repre­sentation of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ, which is here again Typified, but as a state to come, of the Church here on earth. And the seven Lamps of fire are either all (for so seven signifies in Cabbalism) the Ministring Angels, or all the living and quickening Graces of the spirit of God.

V. 6. A Sea of Glass like unto Crystal, This is not found neither in the Vision of Ezekiel, but is an emblem also of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ, it being the pure laver of Regeneration, the being baptized with the holy Ghost and with Fire, which the seven Lamps also betoken. And in that it is called a Sea of Glass, it may signifie the pure transparent condition of the Church, which is a mul­titude (as Sea signifies) the fixed purity thereof being ever penetrated by the presence of the seven Lamps of fire, which are the seven spirits of God. Four Beasts full of [Page 220]eyes before and behind. These four Beasts have plainly a resem­blance of the four Beasts in Ezekiel's vision but may here more particularly relate to the four Camps of Israel, which was a Type of the new Israel of God. But in that they are said to be full of eyes before and behind, it implies they look backward and forward into the Histories of times past, and into the Prophecies and predictions of things to come, for the better Management of the affairs of Christ's Kingdom.

V. 7. The first Beast like a Lion, was the Standard of Juda on the East side of the camp. The second like a Calf, the Standard of Ephraim on the West side. The third with the face of a Man, the Standard of Reuben on the South side. And the fourth like a flying Eagle, the Stan­dard of Dan on the North. And note that these four Beasts were thus situated in the vision of Ezekiel. And that this is a Type of that Church that shall be, cast thus into four parts, the spiritual Kingdom of Christ signified in both Visions.

V. 8. Six wings about him. Reade out of the Original with Grotius. Had each of them six wings full of eyes without and with­in. They have six wings as Esay's Seraphims, with twain to co­ver their faces, with twain to cover their feet, and with twain to fly. Which implies a reverence of the divine Majesty, an activity and readiness in his service, and a carefulness over our affections, that we walk in clean paths. And their eyes without and within imply, that with the one regarding outward Objects, and with the other their own nature, com­paring them together, they will ever behave themselves de­corously, with due reverence to that which is above them in dignity, and at a due distance from those things that are unworthy of them and beneath them: And therefore if any such things be offered from without, as are repug­nant to the innate light and immutable Principles of an intellectual Creature, their eyes within will easily discern the proposer to be either a Fool or an Impostour. This is the state even of the whole people of God in those days. And their reverence and devotional sense of the holy Lord [Page 221]God Almighty, who fills all things and times with his Pre­sence and Providence, is in a manner perpetual, as the rest of this verse does intimate.

V. 9, 10. And when those Beasts give Glory—The four and twenty Elders fall down. Prince and People being of one heart and mind. But the doxology being begun amongst the Beasts or People, it implies plainly the Elders are the secular Monarchs or Sovereigns, and the Sacerdotal order reckoned amongst the People as distinct from the Monarchs themselves. And cast their Crowns before the Throne. In humble acknowledgment from whom and for whom they reign, even for the manifesting of the Glory, and honour, and power of God in the Kingdom of his Saints.

V. 11. For thou hast created all things, &c. This as I noted above, implies, that he that sits on the Throne, sits not there as upon his judgment Seat, but as it were in his Chair of state, being the glorious Creatour and Gover­nour of the Universe, and of his Church more especially.

The NOTES.

V. 1. A Book written within and on the back-side. A Book that had a more outward sense in the mere Let­ter which consists of Representations Symbolical or Hiero­glyphical; and a more inward sense, which is the sense of the future things themselves thus represented. Which In­terpretation is of singular use against the madness of such as make the very Hieroglyphicks themselves to be the things foretold. But this Book of Prophecies is seen in the hand of God the Father, according to what occurs in the begin­ning of the Apocalypse, which is said to be the Revelati­on of Jesus Christ, but that God gave it unto him. Sealed with seven Seals. This shews what a great Arcanum or Secret it was, it being a Representation of a Scene of affairs reaching from the beginning of the Church to the end of the World.

V. 2. That the inestimable worth of this Book of Pro­phecies, which sottish and prophane spirits so much slight, and vilisie, and crafty Politicians so much harden themselves against, may appear, here is proclamation made by a strong Angel with a loud voice. Who is worthy to open? &c. that is, who is worthy to have so vast a foresight of things com­municated to him from God as to endite such a Book of Pro­phecies as this?

V. 3. And this proclamation being made, there was none found neither of the Angels in Heaven, nor Men upon Earth, nor Infernal Spirits under the Earth, (in whom witches and wizzards so conside for the knowledge of things to come,) that were able to open the book or look there­on, that is, that could pierce through so large a Series of future things as are contained therein; which implies that [Page 225]nothing but the Holy power of God could be the Authour there of.

V. 4. And I wept, &c. I was sorely grieved that there was none found meet or worthy to have so marvellous a fa­culty of foretelling things to come, in such a manner as in this Book: so usefull a gift of Prophecy. Where John per­sonates every good Christian that is solicitous for the affairs of the Church, and thoughtfull what will become of her.

V. 5. Weep not, &c. Cease to be grieved and troubled in spirit. Behold, Christ hath by his courageously fulfil­ling the Will of his Father obtained this privilege of fore­seeing all that is contained in this Book, and of communi­cating it to his Church.

V. 6. In the midst of the Throne and of the four Beasts, &c. i. e. Betwixt God the Father and the Church stood a Lamb with bleeding wounds upon him the blessed Jesus, Media­tour betwixt God and Man, as he is here placed betwixt the Throne and the four Beasts. His seven Horns are the Em­blems of Power, as being he to whom all power is given in Heaven and in Earth: and his seven Eyes denote all man­ner of wisedom and counsel, and all the Angels of God at his beck to execute his counsel and his will, as the Residue of this Verse imports.

V. 7. And took the Book, &c. that is, It was given to him of his Father to have so vast a foresight of things to come, from the beginning of the Church, even to the end of the World; and power, as being the Lamb with seven Horns as well as seven Eyes, to effect what was foreknown. This answers to [The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him, chap. 1.] as I intimated above.

V. 8. The consideration of which wonderfull gift and power, signified by this receiving of the Book, being made so exceeding manifest in the times of the Spiritual reign of Christ in the New Jerusalem, which times this pompous Introduction to the Prophecy of the Sealed-book does Ty­pifie (for the four and twenty Elders belong to that State of the Church) will raise a wonderfull strain of faith and devotion in them, and admiration of the stupendious Pro­vidence [Page 226]of Christ over his Church, and make them break out into prayers and praises, as is intimated here in this Verse.

V. 9. Sing a new Song, &c. And then will they sing a new Song. They will then praise their Creatour and Re­deemer for that new Constitution of things, in the reign of the Spirit (as it is written, chap. 21. And he that sate upon the Throne said, Behold I make all things new. And a­gain, I will give to him that is a-thirst to drink of the wa­ter of life freely, that is, I will communicate to him of my spirit here, and make him partaker of eternal life hereafter in my Heavenly kingdom) nor can they then withhold from crying out. Thou, O Christ, wert worthy to have communicated unto thee so vast a comprehension of the futurity of things as is contained in this Book of Prophecies, and power to carry things on as they are pre­dicted, it being but a just reward of thine endearing Suf­ferings on the Cross for the Salvation of Mankind, or for the drawing all men unto thee. Note, that this whole Song of the Beasts and Elders, I mean these Archetypal Beasts and Elders, is in such sort Dramatical, that it is also Pro­phetical or Predictive of what the Ectypal Beasts and Elders will do in the blessed Millennium; when this Spiritual King­dom of the God of Israel in Heaven shall descend with the New Jerusalem down to the Earth.

V. 10. And we shall reign upon Earth. We being re­deemed with thy most precious bloud on the Cross, by vir­tue whereof we become Spiritual Kings and Priests, for Holiness and Sovereignty over all vile affections, we shall continue that desirable reign of Righteousness upon Earth in this blessed Millennium which thou hast long ago shewn to thy Church in that admirable Book of Prophecies, which by the ministry of an Angel thou didst communicate to thy beloved disciple John.

V. 11. The adjoining of such a numerous company of Angels with the Beasts and Elders, which signifie the Church of Christ consisting of men upon Earth, shews farther how Holy, Heavenly and Angelical those times will be, which [Page 227]this Vision signifies, and what an union and agreement be­twixt the Church of Christ and the Angelical Hosts, God's will being then done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

V. 12. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, &c. As by whom the State of the Church is brought to such a blessed condition upon Earth, according to the Prediction of this Book of Prophecies. Let all therefore be ascribed to him.

V. 13. Nay the Completion of this Book of Prophe­cies in those times will be such an universal Conviction of the Divinity and Sonship of Christ, that he was really and in truth the foretold Messias, the Beginner and Finisher of the Works of God to his Church, that even all intelligent Beings and Spirits, whether belonging to Heaven, Earth or Sea, yea the Infernal Spirits themselves shall in the in­ward powers of their minds and consciences be forced to break out and confess upon the completion of this Book of Prophecies, That all Blessing, and Honour, and Glory, and Power is due unto Him that sits on the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

V. 14. Unto which Doxology, the four Beasts, i. e. the Church of God here upon Earth we may be sure will say Amen, and all the Kings and Princes of this truly Catho­lick and Apostolick Church will fall down and worship him that was dead, but is now alive, and behold he liveth for evermore; that is, They will devotionally adhere to him, serve him and obey him, who according to his promise made to his Church has brought things at last to such an admirable, heavenly, holy, righteous and peacef ll consti­tution. So glorious an effect will there be of the Comple­tion of the Prophecies of this Book both as to Christ, and also to his Church. Which shews how detestable the in­gratitude is of such either shallow and frivolous, or pro­phane Spirits, or cunning and obdurate Politicians, that fansying it not to sute with their worldly interest, vilifie and decry it: Whenas indeed this Book of Prophecies will prove the most effectual instrument in the hand of Pro­vidence that may be, for the rooting out of all Atheism [Page 228]and Infidelity out of the World, and converting all the Kingdoms of the Earth to the faith and profession of our Lord Jesus, Amen.

The NOTES.

V. 1. ONE of the Seals, that is, the first Seal. One of the four Beasts. The first of the four Beasts, the Lion, whose place is toward the East. Here we may observe how some parts of the Introductory Vision are made use of in this Prophecy it self, as some parts of the de­scription of him that was seen amongst the golden Candle­sticks are made use of in the Prefaces of the Epistles to the Churches.

V. 2. He that sate on him, &c. This Heros on Horse­back, and on a white Horse, signifies a great Commander or Emperour, righteous, prosperous and glorious in his [Page 231]undertaking, and the first Beast pointing at him, the Lion on the East-side, shews he is an Emperour from the East, whenas Vespasian and Titus his Son came from the West. Besides, that they are forty years later than the true Epo­cha of this Vision. Nor have any reference to the Lion. This Heros therefore is the Lion of the Tribe of Juda, that Captain of our Salvation Jesus Christ, who being ascended into glory, was yet present with his Church, affording them all succours to carry on their Spiritual War, the propaga­tion of the Gospel; in order whereunto he concerned him­self in the success of Vespasian and his Son Titus against the Jews. See the Answer to S. E. his Remark on this place. And these Gospel-Souldiers came from Judaea in the East. The bow in this Heros's hand denotes his aiming at a mat­ter of no small moment, at a Crown that was given him; and this Bow-man hat the Mark when the Emperour Con­stantine turned Christian. This also was the earnest desire of the Ephesine, and an express promise to the Smyrnean Succession. Be thou faithfull unto Death, and I will give thee the Crown of Life; the Crown of Security from Pa­gan Persecution. And lastly, this Heros on the white Horse went forth conquering and to conquer till he obtained this Crown under the sixth Seal.

V. 3. I heard the second Beast; That is, The Calf or Oxe placed on the West side of the Camp.

V. 4. Another Horse that was red, &c. A colour sig­nificant enough of the effusion of bloud, as the oxe also the great slaughter, that was to be under this Seal, and the rest of the verse betokens exceeding much bloud shed on the earth under the second Seal. This Seal therefore be­gins with Trajan a Spaniard, and therefore an Emperour from the West. In his reign and Adrian's his successour, there were so great Commotions in the Empire, that there were slain in those tumults and Rebellions at least fifteen hun­dred thousand men.

V. 5. The third Beast, That had a face like a Man, and was placed on the South: And lo! a black Horse. The black colour betokens Gravity, Severity, Justice, which [Page 232]Justice is also intimated by the face of a Man, this Beast is said to have Prudence and Justice, being the Characters of a man. Which agrees also very well with the pair of balances in the Riders hand, which argues him severe, just, frugal and provident. And the voice signifies as much in the midst of the four Beasts in the following verse.

V. 6. The meaning is, that the Rider of the black horse will take special care, First, That if one Choenix of Wheat be sold for a penny, that three of Barley shall be sold for a penny. Secondly, That men shall live by their ho­nest labours, not by Theft or Rapine, Choenix signifying the food for a day, and Denarius the wages for a days la­bour. Thirdly, there shall be no stealing nor robbing, but buying by measure, though it should prove so hard a time, that their days labour will but find them food. Fourthly, He will provide that they shall have a Choenix for a penny, viz. That the price of Bread-Corn and ne­cessary Victuals shall not exceed a days wages. And so of Wine and Oil, he will take care that there be no injury done, no fraud in buying and selling there neither, nor spoil and waste by unruly Souldiers. Which prediction was egregiously fulfilled in Septimius Severus an African, and therefore an Emperour from the South, and in Alexander the Son of Mammea, both of them notorious Lovers of Justice and severe punishers of Thiefs and Robbers. To the latter the sight of an unjust Judge was so nauseous that he was ready to vomit at him, and he was famous for that Christian Motto, Do as you would be done to, which he caused to be set up in his Palace, and other publick places. They are both taken notice of for their care and provision in Bread-Corn, and other necessaries of Life.

V. 7. The fourth Beast, That was like a flying Eagle, and placed on the North side of the Camp.

V. 8. Behold a pale Horse, &c. Which colour is very sutable to the name of the Rider, which is called Death; and Hell (that is the Grave) being made a person as well as he, is his Lackey to follow him. The fourth part of the Earth, that is, almost all the Roman Empire, which upon [Page 233]due compute was then a third part of the Earth; as if this power reached three fourths of the Empire. With hunger and with death, that is, with Famine and with Pestilence. And with Beasts of the earth. Which ordinarily invade the Land in those Eastern and Southern parts in extreme Famines and Pestilences to encrease the Mortality. The beginning of this Seal is from Maximinus the Thracian, and conse­quently an Emperour from the North, as the place of the flying Eagle denotes, that notable Bird of prey and feeder on dead Carcasses, and therefore significant of the condition of this Seal, (as all the former Beasts were of theirs) under which concur so various modes of vast Mortality, the Sword, Pestilence, Famine and Wild beasts. Which Pestilence rag­ing and overrunning in a manner the whole Empire for the space of fifteen years, and ending Anno CCLXIII, from Maximinus to this year is about the extent of this Seal. And now for the Sword in the interval of this Seal, besides that in the reign of Gallus and Volusianus Emperours, the whole Empire in a manner was exhausted with rapine and slaughter by the Barbarians, and consequently Tillage did fail, and Famine ensue, there were not two more bloudy Beasts in the World, than Maximinus and Gallienus, the for­mer for his cruelty called Cyclops, Busiris, Phalaris, and what not, who without Accusers or defence, caused to be killed and spoiled of their Goods no less than four thousand men; and the latter his cruelty was such, that he killed all the Male sex of whole Cities, and made nothing of slay­ing three or four thousand of his Souldiers in a day. And there are many more examples of horrid cruelty by the Sword under this Seal, according to the prediction thereof. So admirable fully was accomplished what was predicted by these four Seals.

V. 9. I saw under the Altar, &c. He saw them lye at the foot of the Altar (as Sacrifices that are slain use to doe) slaughtered or martyred for their couragiously professing Christianity: For by faith and an invincible firmness of mind, and unspeakable patience they had made themselves an oblation or sacrifice for the carrying on the affairs of [Page 234]the Kingdom of Christ. Here is predicted the bloudy ten years Persecution begun by Dioclesian and continued by his Successour, which was the most terrible that befell the Church of God. This is the dregs of Bitterness in the Smyrnean succession of the Church, whereby the ten days of Tribulation, this persecution (by an Idiconoea) may be more particularly glanced at, as well as all the ten Perse­cutions usually so called.

V. 10. How long O Lord, &c. The persecution of the Church under this Seal was so exceeding grievous, that the bloud of the Martyrs called aloud for Divine ven­geance on this persecuting Empire.

V. 11. White robes were given, &c. They were adopted into the Society of the blessed. Those white Robes allude to the custome under the Jewish Temple, where after a due search into their Pedegree, and unblemishedness of their body by giving them, or putting on them a white vesture they were admitted into the Court of the Priests, as these to serve God in Heaven. Ʋntill their fellow servants also, &c. that is, Till their fellow Christians under Licinius, Julian and the Arians should be slain, after which that so­lemn vengeance should be taken of the bloudy Empire un­der the time of the Trumpets, though the sealed ones should be then preserved.

V. 12. There was a great Earthquake, &c. The Greek word [Seismos] may have a more general signification, and denote a Concussion, shaking and commotion of the frame of things. Which frame of things here is the Con­stitution of the Pagan Hierarchy as I may so call it, or of Gentilism, the Religion of the Roman Empire as Pagan. Wherein both Sun and Moon, the Dragon himself and the Office of his Pontifex Maximus plainly suffered an eclipse, the Roman Emperours by their profession of Christianity renouncing Satan and all the wicked crew of evil Spirits under him, and would serve him no more, nor exercise the Office of his Pontifex Maximus, as is recorded of Constan­tine, Constantius, Valentinianus and Valens, and Gratian would not so much as retain the name of Pontifex Maximus.

V. 13. All the false Gods of this diabolical Polity, the frame of the Pagan Religion, they fell from that Religious honour and worship which was given them and were tram­pled under foot by the prevailing Christians, as also their Priests that served them.

V. 14. And this Pagan Hierarchy shrivelled up with all the false Deities, and their Priests as a scrowl of parch­ment that hides the Characters therein contained as it is rolled up. And every Mountain, &c. Their high places where they sacrificed, and their Temples divided from other houses for their supposed Sacredness, were demolished at last by Theodosius.

V. 15. All sorts of men from the highest to the lowest were sorely affrighted, and dismayed at this terrible storm that came upon the Pagan Hierarchy, nor were able to resist the force thereof, not Maximianus, Galerius nor Maxen­tius, nor Maximinus with Martinianus Caesar, nor Licinius, nor Julian the Apostate, who all felt the irresistible power of the wrath of the Lamb, and some of them, viz. Ga­lerius, Maximinus and Licinius, their miserable conditions, even whether they would or no, forced them by open con­fession to give glory unto God.

V. 16. This may allude to that of Esay, chap. 2.20. And they shall go into the holes of the Rocks, and into the Caves of the earth for the fear of the Lord, and for the Glory of his Majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth, as he did in this shaking of the Pagan Religion of the Empire, and abolishing their Idols.

V. 17. Who shall be able to stand? Not Galerius, not Maxi­minus, not Licinius, nor Julian, nor the Tyrants Eugenius and Argobastes, with all the power the Pagan party were able to make could stand against this storm of the wrath of the Lamb. So that the Church upon the Conversion of Constantine, to the Faith entred into the state of the Per­gamenian succession; being exalted out of the dust. And O that she had not been thereupon exalted so much in her own mind, and become the Pergamenian Church in the worst sense, that is, proud and cruel, as well as exalted in power.

The NOTES.

HItherto of the first six Seals, which reach from the be­ginning of the Ephesine into the fore part of the Per­gamenian Succession, just till the Commencement of the A­postasie. And from thence to the end of the sixth Trum­pet (and the seven Thunders on purpose supply the place of the seventh) is the time of the Sealed ones.

V. 1. After the opening of the six Seals he saw the Mi­nisters of God's power in making war and peace, and blusters in the World, and that at that time they held all in peace as for any Incursions of the Barbarians into the Empire, so that these winds blew down no buildings on the Earth, nor caused shipwrecks on the Sea, nor broke off branches of Trees, nor tore them up by the root: Hou­ses, Ships and Trees in analogy signifying Political Fa­bricks [Page 239]and Constitutions. And the Babylonian Kingdom in Daniel is expresly represented by a Tree.

V. 2, 3. From the East. The Original is [Anatole] which word is one of the Titles of Christ, he being the Day-spring from on high that has visited us. Having the Seal of the living God. Having a Commission from Christ, to set a mark of protection on such certain men from the imminent destruction now coming upon the Empire, and he therefore cries to the four Angels, who had the power to raise Tempests of War and invasion on the Empire, to for­bear to bring in those Tempests of the Barbarians till he had marked out the servants of God for deliverance and protection. Which insinuates the assured Providence of Christ over his true Church in all that confusion and cor­ruption, that would be under the first six Trumpets. The impress therefore of this protective Seal, though in the Cor­tex of the Prophecy it seems to be done at once, has its fulfilling all along the six Trumpets, which is about twelve hundred years.

V. 4. The number of them, which is not numerally to be understood, but Symbolically denoting the condition of the sealed. For in the hundred forty four thousand, the Chi­liads or thousands, are Cubical numbers and denote Stability or Constancy, but these Chiliads being said to be one hundred forty four, that number being a Square whose root is twelve shews in what they are thus stable, viz. in the pure Apo­stolick Faith. Of all the Tribes of the Children of Israel, name­ly, the twelve Patriarchs being put for the twelve Apo­stles, and the children of Israel for the Church of Christ, of which the Israelites are here a Type, as they are in the Epistle to the Church in Pergamus, in which Pergamenian interval this sealing begins.

V. 5. The order is much inverted and confounded in this numbring the twelve Tribes, besides that Dan is left out, and Ephraim's name is suppressed; because these two Tribes were the Ring-leaders to idolatry, (Judg. chap. 17.18.) But Juda is here put before Reuben, because Christ was of the Tribe of Juda. But Reuben keeps the second [Page 240]place as by Birth-right, it being fit he should yield it to no other, especially his courage having been so notable in the battels of the Lord, Numb. 3. and Jos. 4. Gad's valour also has purchased him the next place, besides that Elias and Jehu the destroyers of Baal and his worship were of the Tribe of Gad.

V. 6. The Tribe of Aser also is notable, for the wo­man of Sarepta that entertained Elias that great Champion against the Baalitish idolatry, and for Anna the Prophetess that gave Testimony to Christ, when he was presented in the Temple. And these were the first four Sons of Leah. But now Nepthali is here placed, and Manasses before their Seniours, Simeon, Levi, Issachar and Zabulon, the former because that Tribe is so much ennobled by the story of Barac the Conquerour of Sisera, and for Capernaum that See as it were of that great Bishop of Souls Jesus Christ, whose residence was so much at Capernaum a City of Galilee that belongs to Nepthali, that he was thence called a Galilean: And the latter for the feats of Gideon the destroyer of the Altar of Baal, who was of the Tribe of Manasses, as was also Elisha, upon whom the Spirit of Elias rested and was sent to anoint Jehu King that sore executioner of Jezebel.

V. 7, 8. These four last Sons of Leah are ranked ac­cording to their birth, there being nothing eximious in them; or if there was, it being blotted again by some con­trary miscarriages, there was no occasion of breaking the order of their birth. The Tribe of Joseph here is put for the Tribe of Ephraim and his name suppressed, because of the foul faults of that Tribe in Micha, Jeroboam and Ahab, all Ephraimites, and Benjamin juniour of all rightly placed last. But upon this account of the whole we see the order­ing of the names of the Tribes is so fitted, as to represent a Company zealous for Christ, and as zealous against An­tichrist (as being that Virgin company with the Lamb on Mount Sion, chap. 14.) and against spiritual Whoredom, which is Idolatry. This pure Apostolick Church did Christ seal and keep safe, even during all that dangerous time, under the sounding of the first six Trumpets.

V. 9. In white robes, and palms in their hands. This part of the vision therefore shoots beyond the Pergamenian and Thyatirian intervals of the Church, and begins with the Sardian, which enjoys that promise to him that over­comes, that he shall have power over the Nations, that is, whole Nations, Tongues and People are now become open professours of the pure Apostolick Faith; This is the effect of their Victory, and the sign thereof the Palm-branches in their hands: They are the same with them that have got the Victory over the Beast his image and his mark, and the number of his name, and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, chap. 15. which is the Commencement also of the Sardian succession, which signifies a song of joy; As it is said in the next verse.

V. 10. Salvation unto our God, &c. namely, because he has thus delivered his Israel from the Antichristian bon­dage and persecution they were under in the Pergamenian and Thyatirian successions.

V. 11. What is here said may seem to strike farther into the Millennial Ages of the Church, in which Ange­lical times the consent and Harmony of heaven and earth will be more full and Universal, and more perfectly united and accorded. So that it is no wonder, it is said that the Angels jointly with the Elders, and four Beasts did fall be­fore the Throne on their faces and worship God.

V. 12. And power and might, by which these happy and heavenly times are brought upon earth.

V. 13. That is to say, how comes the true Apostolick Church in these days that are here foreseen, to be so pro­sperous and victorious? For to be cloathed in white, sig­nifies so in the prophetick style.

V. 14. The meaning is, that these times of the Church which are so prosperous as well as Holy, they are so in Virtue of the great Tribulation, their Predecessours in­dured under the cruel and bloudy persecutions of Anti­christ: So that they have washed their Robes as it were, and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb: That is, the sufferings of Christ in his true and living members un­der [Page 242]Antichrist, were the instrumental cause of the splendid and prosperous condition of the blessed times here prefigu­red in or near the Millennium, as the bloud of the Lamb in the usual sense is justly deemed the Meritorious cause thereof.

V. 15. And serve him day and night. Ever thankfully mindfull of the evil they are delivered from, and of the great good they enjoy. Shall dwell among them. For these are the times of Jehova Shammah, of the Tabernacle of God amongst men, the times of the New Jerusalem.

V. 16. They shall hunger no more, &c. They shall not be fals-fed nor hunger starved by deceitfull Teachers, that cannot impart to them the bread of life, nor raise the Spi­rit of life in them by their Ministry (as being devoid of it themselves) whereby their hunger and thirst may be satis­fied. Neither shall any Sun light on them, &c. There shall no political Power whatsoever tyrannize over their Con­sciences, and by their persecution force them, as was usual under Antichrist, to a sapless, sensless, heartless, nay grosly superstitious and idolatrous Religion, against their own judgment, and inward sense of things.

V. 17. For Christ himself by his Spirit, and by true spi­tual Guides and Governours shall feed them, shall guide and govern them, and lead them to living Fountains of waters, and direct them into the dispensation of life, the Renovation of their inward man into the living Image of God. And God shall wipe all tears, &c. They shall be no more calamitous by the wrong and persecutions of bloudy Tyrants, whether spiritual or temporal. For the true Apostolick Church, shall then be an impregnable City or Polity of it self, the New Jerusalem as it is described, Apoc. chap. 21. nor shall Gog and Magog ever have their Wills upon it. This is the sense of this Transition from the first six Seals to the opening the last, and reaches from the beginning of the corrupt part of the Pergamenian in­terval to the end of the Laodicean.

The NOTES.

V. 1. SIlence in Heaven, &c. This is spoken in allu­sion to the custome in the Service of the Temple, where, though in the former part of their Ser­vice, while the Sacrifices were offered, the Temple rang again with their loud Musick, yet in the time of incense all were silent, and in their tacit Devotions.

V. 2. This he saw during this silence, or at the begin­ning thereof.

V. 3. Things represented in Heaven presigure things here on earth, and these Ceremonies of the Temple, the Devotions of the Christians, whose prayers are here re­presented as coming up in remembrance before God. Which is expressed in this Judaical way or Ceremony of the Temple, by the giving to this Angel as to a Priest much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne, answering to the Altar of incense overlaid with Gold that stood before the Sanctum Sanctorum.

V. 4. That is, the desire of the true Church, who are of one mind with God, ascended up before God as incense out of a Priest's hand, and was known and accepted with him. Their prayers in all likelyhood were in general for the Preservation of the Church, and suppression of both the old and new growing Abominations of the Em­pire, and what the Will of God is therein, is signified in the following verse.

V. 5. These things betoken the wrath of God to be poured upon the bloudy persecuting Roman Empire, a­gainst whom the Souls of the slain under the Altar had call­ed for vengeance, chap. 6.10. The great Tempests and Commotions that should befall it are thus expressed in the general, and as an effect of the foregoing groans and cries of God's aggrieved people.

V. 6. And therefore those Tempests and Calamities, will now more particularly be described in the several soundings of those Angels that have the seven Trumpets.

V. 7. Hail and fire mingled with bloud, &c, that is, A thundering Hail-storm with fire, whereby is signified the surious incursion of the Barbarians into the Empire. And the mention of bloud seems on purpose to be added, that there may be no mistake, as if this storm was to be up­on trees and grass, and earth, (though these be named) which bleed not, but upon men of the Roman Empire great and small, Trees signifying the great ones, and Grass the common people. And that it is understood of the Roman Empire, the [third part] plainly intimates: Which [third part] does not signifie the third part of the Ro­man Empire, but simply the Roman Empire, this Em­pire being the third part of the known World in St. John's time. So that here as in other places hereafter [third part] is not to be taken Numerally or proportionally, but Symbolically as a Character of the Ro­man Empire. See Dr. H. M. his Notes on the place. The impletion of this Trumpet began about the year 395. when Alaricus invaded the Empire with an infinite number of Goths and other Barbarians, especially in the Eastern part thereof, harassing it for sive years together. And in the year 401. the same Alaricus with Goths, Alans, Hunns broke into Italy also and besieged Honorius the Emperour in Hasta, and so terrified the Inhabitants of Italy, that they were in a manner all ready to leave their dwellings. See farther in Dr. H. M. his exposition on the place.

V. 8. A great mountain, &c. that is to say, A great City, namely Rome it self, (for so Mountain signifies in the prophetick style, and Sea the extent of jurisdiction or dominion) which was taken by Alaricus King of the Goths (after the death of Stilico) who, Anno. 410. made a new and more fatal expedition into Italy. This case, I say, of this City being taken by Alaricus, was as if a burning Mountain had been cast into the Sea, the Earthiness and Fieryness thereof, being so contrary and mischievous to [Page 247]water. And so was this condition of the City of Rome to the Territories and Jurisdiction thereof, which Sea sig­nifies, the number three or third being the Character of the Roman Empire. For upon this taking of the City did presently ensue the dilaceration or tearing in pieces of the Roman Jurisdiction into many Kingdoms, so that the entire­ness of the Roman dominion was plainly destroyed. See farther in Dr. H. M. his exposition of the place.

V. 9. That is, the Roman, both men and profitable Constitution of things were altered, and ceased to be what they were. Which here in Analogy to Sea are intimated to be Fishes, they being the living Creatures proper to the Sea, and plainly said to be ships. These now had lost their former propriety, and they are no longer the entire Roman Empire, but each respective Kingdoms, to which they belong, to say nothing of the real destruction of many.

V. 10. Burning as it were a lamp. As if it were that fair Comet called Lampadias, which betokens the great­ness of the Prince it denotes, and also the shortness of his reign. The third part of the Rivers, &c. The burning of it denotes the mischief to the Rivers and Fountains, it is said to fall into. Which Rivers are Provincial Magistrates or Armies, and the Fountains of water provincial Cities. And there is mention again of the third part, that you may know the prediction belongs to the Roman Empire. And it is no wonder this salling Star or Comet should be looked up­on as so mischievous to Rivers and Waters, when natu­ral History speaks of falling Comets that have drunk up whole Rivers, so decorous is the Representation.

V. 11. The condition of this Prince's reign was such, that the Roman Territories were so full of affliction and calamity, that their Life was bitter to them, besides the slaughter of many in Wars. Now this Prince was the Western Caesar, who from the time that Gensericus sacked and pillaged Rome (which was Anno. 455, by which time the Empire was actually divided into ten Kingdoms) strug­ling with Death for a while, in the succession of those in­considerable and unfortunate Caesar's Avitus, Majo [...]anus, Se­verus, [Page 248]Anthemius, Olybrius, Glycerius, Nepos, at last expired in Augustulus, into which name the Western Caesar had dwind­led, and under which that Caesareate was quite extinguish­ed by Odoacer King of the Herules, to the bitter Misery of the Fountains and Rivers, the Cities and Magistrates pro­vincial. Thus did the third Trumpet sound the sad final fate of the Western Caesareate, under the figure of a great falling Star called Wormwood, which Odoacer cast down and extinguished, and reigned himself King of Italy, sixteen years, who restored to Rome her Consulate which he had taken away before. And King Theodoricus that vanquish­ed him, and succeeded him, so rebuilt Rome and restored to it all the ancient Magistracies, Honours and Privile­ges belonging to it, that bating the Memory of her Me­sery and Infancy, she seemed perfectly recovered to her former Glory and Felicity, and thus she continued through the reign of several Successours of Theodoricus.

V. 12. The meaning is, that under this Trumpet there is nothing of the Roman Lustre of the lower or higher de­gree left, (for that this belongs to Rome, the wonted Cha­racter [third] plainly shews.) There is no longer now at last any King of Rome, denoted by the Sun, nor Con­sular power, nor Senatorian, nor the power of other known ancient Magistrates of Rome denoted by the Moon and Stars, but the City at last (namely after that from the year 542. in the Ostrogothick War by Belisarius and Narses, Ju­stinian's Generals, it was deprived of the Consular power, and after taken twice by Totilas and burnt, and re-taken by Narses, and a little after struck to the ground by thun­der and lightning and tempest, being despoiled of all an­cient Ranks of Roman Magistracy) sunk to that ignoble and obscure Title of the Dutchy of Rome, and after was forced to pay tribute to Ravenna (under the Exarchate) a City that before had been subject to her. In which inglo­rious state she continued till the year 750. Which year is the Epocha, of that notable interval of the Kingdom of the Saracens from the beginning of the Caliphate of the Aba­sidae (who first made Eagdad their imperial seat) to the ta­king [Page 249]of the said Bagdad by Togrulbec King of the Turks, which was in the year 1055. which is worth the noting, for a passage in the following Chapter.

V. 13. Wo, Wo, Wo, &c. These Woes are denounced against the Roman Empire, who by this time, besides the guilt of the bloud of the primitive Martyrs, had in a gross manner lapsed into a kind of a Pagano-christian ido­latry, which they would more notoriously be found in un­der these following Trumpets, and in cruel Persecutions of the Apostolick members of the Church, that would not submit to their Idolatrous Pagano-christianism. Wherefore vengeance proportionable to their redoubled wickedness shall be poured down upon them, under the voices of the Trumpets of the three Angels that are to come.

The NOTES.

V. 1. A Star fall from Heaven. Reade out of the Ori­ginal [A Star fallen from Heaven.] And as by a Star an Angel is signified (see Synops. Prophetic. lib. 1. cap. 8. sect. 14.) so a fallen Star signifies a lapsed Spirit or fal­len Angel, a Devil if you will, and the having the key gi­ven him of the bottomless pit, denotes his Power in the Kingdom of darkness, of which a key is the Symbol.

V. 2. There arose an hot and hellish zeal, conjoined with dark ignorance for the Imposturous Religion of Ma­homet, insomuch that the Gospel of the Sun of Righteous­ness was in danger to be clouded and eclipsed by the over­running force and false pretences of Monotheism, and of a more pure worship in Mahometism.

V. 3. Under this dark, ignorant and false pretence, the Saracens professours of this false Religion, spread themselves over the Earth, whose deadly sting and poison in their Scorpion-tails was the falsness of their Religion, which they transfused at the end of their Conquests. That was the poisonous sting to all conscientious Christians, and to others it was at least poison if not a sting.

V. 4. That have not the seal of God, &c. Which inti­mates, that notwithstanding the grassation of these Impo­stours the truly Apostolick Church would be kept safe. And there is mention made of men in opposition to green things and trees; and to insinuate that these Locusts were also men, not mere Infects. For Locusts do not fall upon men, but up­on grass and trees.

V. 5. They should not kill them, that is, That these Sa­racens should indeed infest the Roman Empire, but not de­stroy it quite, as after happened by the Euphratean Horse­men. Should be tormented five months, that is, During the time of these Saracens lying upon it called here five months, in allusion to the time of Locusts, who live about that space of time, as Naturalists relate. But their continuance in [Page 253]vexing Italy was not much above five months of years, if that may be particularly glanced at. As the torment of a Scorpion, &c. Lesser at first, but increasing upon him that is struck. And the stroke being by the Serpentine Tail of the Locusts shews the poison and sting to be Diabolical, and to cause suc h Vexations of mind, as that poison is apt to breed. And as the poison of a Scorpion is White as Ap­pollodorus relates, so it is that perversly pretended Mono­theism of these Saracens that looks so fairly and innocent­ly on't, with which they might perplex and torment the minds of the unsealed, and sorely disquiet their Con­sciences. See Dr. H. M. his exposition on the place.

V. 6. The fear of death and horrour of Conscience did so vex men, and fill them with Anxiety, that it was worse than death it self to be in such perpetual danger and unsettledness of things, worse than the Christians are now in, under the Turks, which were a desirable condition to them, rather than these perpetual renewed Vexations from the Saracens, in whose hands those parts of the Empire they invaded, were not to be settled as afterward it came to pass in the Turkish invasion, who seized on the Eastern part of the Empire and setled there, so that the Empire there was not onely vexed but killed, extinguished or put an end to, and the minds of the Conquered at quiet.

V. 7. Like unto horses prepared to battel, &c. i. e. Ready harnessed, as it is said afterwards, that they have Breast-plates of Iron, which shews the courage of these Saracens, and their well appointedness for War. And their success was accordingly, as is signified by their Crowns of Gold on their heads. Which shews their Victory over so many Nations and Kingdoms. For in the space of eighty years or a little more, they acquired to that satanical King­dom of Mahomet, Palestine, Syria, both the Armenias, all Asia Minor in a manner, Persia, Judaea, Aegypt, Numidia, all Bar­bary to the River Niger, Lusitania and Hispania; Nor were they stinted here, but won also a great part of Italy even to the Gates of Rome. To which you may add Sicily, Candia, Cyprus and the rest of the Mediterranean Islands. And last­ly, [Page 254]they are said to have the faces of men, the better to assure us they are no Insects, or mere locusts, nor a mere Beast-like Empire, because no Idolaters.

V. 8. They are said to have the hair of Women, not for any effeminacy or cowardize in them, but to shew what Countrey men they are, that they are derived from the Arabians, whose custome it was to wear long hair on their head unshorn, and an head-tire like Women. And their teeth as the teeth of Lions, that shews that they were very dispatchfull of their prey, who could devour so many King­doms in so little time as was above noted.

V. 9. Their Breast-plates of Iron import them well armed, and of an Iron courage: And here is mention of wings in allusion to the figure of Locusts, who also make a noise with their wings when they fly, but the sound of Chariots, of many Horses running to battel, implies that they are indeed men and great Warriours, that with great swiftness, noise and terrour ran down all before them. Witness the above mentioned Conquests, which were so speedy, so large and so many.

V. 10. They are of the Serpentine kind, of the ancient Serpent that was alway an enemy to the Son of God and his Kingdom, and this Scorpion-tail denotes that with their Conquests, they would bring in a Religion contrary to that of Christ, and destroy the worship of the Son of God un­der an ignorant Pretence of Monotheism, as if the Chri­stian Religion were inconsistent with the worship of one God, whereas the more distinct knowledge of that one God does not make us less Monotheists than they. This is the upshot of their Victories, and the very sting and poi­son their Atchievements end in. And their power to hurt men five months, is to vex and hurt the Empire particu­larly but not quite to destroy it as the Turks did after­wards. Nor is it said here to hurt the third part of men as in the former Trumpets, because their Invasions were not [...]r strained to the Empire, but ran over other vast tracts of the habitable World also. But they are said to hurt men five months, in allusion to the Life of Locusts as I noted above.

V. 11. This King is the same with the fallen Star, to whom was given the Key of the bottomless Pit, it being an Ensign of his power in the Kingdom of darkness as I noted above. This was the supreme Captain of these Troops of Locusts, that is Saracens, and his name betokens his nature. For both Abaddon and Apollyon signifie a de­stroyer, which is a fit Title, he being the Captain of such numerous Troops, that destroyed so many mens bodies by War, and their Souls by a false Religion in opposition to Christianity, reproaching it as if it maintained the wor­ship of more Gods than one. Which malicious pretence seems also to be glanced at in those very names, Abaddon alluding to Adad, as if it were Ab-Addon, and Apollyon to Apollon, Apollo, both which names according to this allu­sion signifie, ONE, As if this Angel of the Abyss and his Locusts, stood up for the worship of one God, and that the Christians worshipped many, because they worship the Holy Trinity, which nothing but their ignorance of that Mystery, and their malice could make them conclude to be inconsistent with the Ʋnity of the Deity. Which passage therefore of the Vision is no small countenance to the do­ctrine of the Trinity of the Godhead.

V. 12. There come two woes more, namely under the founding of the next two Trumpets, which therefore as the former may well be called Wo-trumpets.

V. 13. For John rapt thus into Heaven, the Temple and the throne of God was, as it were, continually repre­sented to him, and so the golden Altar which is the Altar of incense. And incense is the Symbol of the prayers, and breathing of the pure Apostolick Church oppressed and afflicted under that Antichristian and Idolatrous con­stitution of things established by the second Nicene Council, and the fourth Lateran.

V. 14. Loose the four Angels, &c. Let loose the Turks upon the idolatrous Empire. For that Angels signifie men under their conduct, is a frequent Apocalyptical figure. And the number four, may either relate to those four more notable Turkish Soltanies, on that and this side Ephrates, [Page 256]that of Bagdad, that of Caesarea Cappadociae or Iconium, that of Aleppo and that of Damascus; touching which, see Mr. Mede on the place; or four may signifie onely Symbo­lically, as it does in Cabbalism, and intimate the Turkish Sultanies at large, and the Turks not to be confined to Eu­phrates or Asia, but to be let into Europe, even to the ta­king of Constantinople.

V. 15. This term of time is another Indication, that the Turks are meant here. For Trogulbec Prince of the Turks, the City Bagdad being taken by him, had his impe­rial Robes put upon him, and was inaugurated Emperour of the Turks by the Caliph Chaiim Biamvilla in the year 1057. And from this year to the year 1453. when Con­stantinople was taken, is a prophetical day and a month, and a year, that is 396. years. These Turks were prepared against a determinate time, even at the expiration of 396. years, for to slay the third part of men, not vex onely as the Saracens did, but put an end to the Eastern Roman Empire, for [third] is a Character of the Roman Em­pire as I have already noted. Which accordingly came to pass at the taking of Constantinople, and swallowing there­upon the whole Roman Empire in the East.

V. 16. Here is a vast definite number put for a great indefinite number, so great that the number could not so well be discovered by the eye, as signified by Speech. The numerousness of the Army intimates they are Turks, as also in that there is no notice taken of Foot, but onely of Horse, the Greek History usually calling the Turks Persians, which signifies Horsemen.

V. 17. Those Horsemen when they shot off, the Air betwixt them, and the light of the beholder seemed fiery at the flashing of the Powder, and then of a jacinth colour through the blew smoke, and after filled his nostrils with the seent of Sulphur. Which shews that this Vision be­longs to the times since the invention of Gunpowder by Berchtoldus Niger, Anno 1380. Nor were the Horses heads like heads of Lions for shape, but for the roaring noise that seemed to come from them at their Riders dis­charging [Page 257]their Pistols or Carbines, as it is said that out of their mouth issued fire, smoke and brimstone.

V. 18. The third part of men killed, i. e. The Roman Empire in the East was not onely vexed and annoyed, but utterly vanquished and destroyed by these Centaures, as I may call them, the Turks, these Persians or Perashim men on Horseback, including both the shapes in one appella­tion. Which Centaures are set out still more monstrously, as killing men by the fire and by the smoke and brimstone which issued out of their mouths, as it may seem at a di­stance when they let off their Fireguns and Pistols.

V. 19. As in the Scorpio-locusts before, a Monster made up of a Locust, and of a Scorpion, to signifie the Sa­racens, so here is a Monster made up of an Horse and a Man (as the Locusts were said to have faces like men, as neither of them being Idolaters) a Centaur as it were, to signifie the Turks, and have Serpents tails whereby they are said to hurt men, signifying the same venome or mis­chief of Mahometism. For they are said to have heads in these tails, I, and had mouths too I warrant you, to speak and tempt the vanquished as the old Serpent did Eve from their obedience to God and Christ, not onely upon that false pretence, as if we Christians were guilty of Polytheism, because we worship the Holy Trinity, but also upon a pre­tence, then too lamentably true, that the Christian Church was defiled with intolerable superstitions and idolatries, adding the persecution of all those that would not sub­mit to their wicked inventions.

V. 20. By these plagues, The rest of the men, that is, the Western Roman Empire that was onely vexed not killed by the plagues of the Scorpio-Locusts and Euphratean Cen­taures, for all this sad example of God's severity on the Eastern for the like Crimes, did not repent of their wicked and impious inventions, nor ceased they to worship Demons (See Dr. H. M. in his notes on this verse) middle invi­sible Powers betwixt God and men, whether Angels or the Souls of men departed; and in reference to them Idols of Gold, Silver, Brass, Stone and Wood, &c. And [Page 258]that their mode of idolatry here is by Statues, not by Pi­ctures, this is another Insinuation that the Western Church is here understood.

V. 21. They repented not of their murtherous Perse­cution of innocent Souls, for not submitting to their ido­latrous Rites and Customs, nor of their imposturous ex­orcisms, and Enchantments of several things to holy pre­tended uses, nor of their unnatural uncleanness of all sorts upon the Hypocritical profession of a single Life, nor of their cunning trick, of cheating the people of their Money, by setting up Images for men to bring oblations to, by their Merchandizes of hallowed Crosses, Beads, Medals and the like Trumperies and Deceits. This universal impeni­tency of the Western part of the Roman Empire added to the Turks over-running the Eastern is the entire Visum of the sixth Trumper, or second Wo trumpet; which there­fore ends with the Thyatirian succession, or at the rising of the Witnesses, chap. 11.14. And the seventh Trumpet Synchronizeth with the Sardian, Philedelphian and Laodicean successions and equalizeth them all put together.

The NOTES.

THE Euphratean Horsemen having over-run and de­stroy'd, and fully seized on the Eastern part of the Roman Empire under the sixth Trumpet, natural Method will prompt us to expect that what follows in this Prophe­cy of the Sealed-book, which is the seventh Trumpet, should refer to the Western parts of the Empire, and concern the highest Dominion there, the Papal Hierarchy, that Anti­christ that exalts himself above all that is called God or worshipped. Such Alterations therefore must the seventh Trumpet, distributed into seven Thunders (as the seventh Seal was into seven Trumpets) contain, as declare the downfall of Antichrist and enlarging the Kingdom of Christ in these parts of the Roman Empire, and over the whole Earth.

V. 1. This other mighty Angel cloathed with a cloud, a thick cloud charged with Thunder, is an Angel distinct from the seven Trumpet-Angels, and steppeth here in, to supply the place and occupy the space of the seventh, but is indeed Christ himself, the Rain bow on his head, as that in the Vision of Ezekiel, betokening his Divinity, as coming in the glory of God the Father. And his face like the Sun, as he appeared to Saul, and in the midst of the golden Candlesticks farther intimates the same. And his feet as Pillars of fire betoken his great wrath, and his coming to judge and take vengeance of his Enemies.

V. 2. A little book open. Which contains all the Visi­ons of the Prophecy of the Opened-book, as we at first noted. And his setting his right foot on the Sea, and his left on the Earth, may either signifie his laying claim to, or seizing his right by Sea and Land, or his intended Tri­umph over the Ten-horned Beast out of the Sea, and Two-horned Beast out of the Earth, Daniel's Clay. See chap. 13.11.

V. 3. As when a Lion roareth. Which is a notable in­timation that it is Christ the Lion of the Tribe of Juda. And his loud roaring being instead of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet, must be of equal extent with it, but it sets off in general the anger and victorious terrour of Christ in assaulting and overcoming the Kingdom of An­tichrist or the Papal Hierarchy, and glorious erection and continuance of his own Kingdom to the end of all things. These in general are the affairs of this last space of the Sealed-book-prophecy, that is, of the seventh Trumpet, whose sound this roaring supplies. And when he had cried. The Original has it, When he did cry, or while he did cry. Se­ven Thunders uttered their voices. And therefore these se­ven Voices of the seven Thunders, are like the seven Soun­dings of the seven Trumpets, which divide the seventh Seal into seven Intervals, so these the seventh Trumpet into seven Intervals. The seven Voices of these Thunders may be seven Bath Cols, that is, seven Oracles or Voices deli­vered in the Thunder, and the last might betoken the Turning of the Earth into a Lake of fire by Thundering and Lightening, as if this were that voice, Go ye accursed in­to everlasting fire. To which is equipollent that Lake of fire, chap. 20.15. And this dividing the seventh Trum­pets space into Thunders, may be for that very reason made choice of, the last being not a Metaphorical, but na­tural or rather supernatural Thunder. whereby the Earth will be set on fire, and also because it sutes so well with that allusion to Laodicea combusta, from whence also the Laodi­cean Interval, which reaches to this Conflagration, is de­nominated. But this plainly implies that these Thunders reach to the end of the World, which must needs stop that fond conceit, that they precede the seventh Trum­pet.

V. 4. Seal up those things that the seven Thunders ut­tered: With an allusion to this Sealed-book of Prophe­cies, as if he should say, Though the seventh Seal be o­pened, yet as to this part thereof let it be as sealed again, for it is needless here so particularly to declare things, [Page 263]touching the destruction of the Papal Hierarchy, as also other matters, For thou shalt write them afterwards. For so the Biblia Regia, Andreas, and others reade the Origi­nal, viz. And thou shalt write them hereafter, (not, [And write them not) namely in the Opened-book-prophe­cies, where these affairs of the destruction of Authoritist and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom shall be more fully and particularly delivered. Which is a marvellous manner of Transition from the Sealed-book-prophecy to the Opened-book-prophecy, and sutable to the usual Majestickness of this Book of the Apocalypse.

V. 5. Lifted up his hand to Heaven, as using that usual Ceremony of posture in swearing. See Dan. 12.7.

V. 6. This is a mighty and vehement asseveration, but it is concerning a thing that sunk flesh and bloud are too too incredulous of, viz. That the stage of this Earth must have an end at the last Thunder, which will bring upon it the Conflagration at the expiration of the Laodicean Inter­val. But the same Amen whom we meet with, Apoc. 3.14. does as earnestly aver it here. For he saith upon Oath (the Original being rightly pointed and transla­ted)

V. 7. That there shall be time no longer, viz. here on Earth, (and from that necessary term of the Exit of the Visum of the sixth Trumpet in the foregoing Chapter) saving in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel, when he shall sound, and the mystery of God be finished, as he has de­clared to his servants the Prophets; i. e. When those Predic­tions shall be fulfilled, which in such a Mystical and Symbo­lical style God hath foretold by his Prophets, I saiah, Da­niel and Ezekiel, and others, which reach to the very end of the World, or of the stage of things on this Earth. See Dr. H. M his Notes, and the Answer to S. E. his Remark on the place. And let us in the mean time note, That this earnest Assertion of the Angel, besides that weighty point, implies also, that the seven Thunders are included in the seventh Trumpet, there being no Regress here into the time of the sixth, and no time left but that of the se­venth [Page 264]according to the Oath of the Angel. And this is the first part of this marvellous Transition from the Pro­phecy of the Sealed, to that of the Opened Book. In which first part the Sealed-book-prophecy is finished, and the seven Thunders settled in the seventh Trumpet thereof.

V. 8. And the voice which I heard from Heaven, [as of a Trumpet] (that may be understood by an usual Apo­caly ptick Ellipsis) at the beginning of the Sealed-book-prophecy. In the hand of the Angel, namely, in the hand of Christ, now in the form of an Angel, as before in the form of a Lamb, and first of all in the High Priest's Habit, according as the whole Revelation of this Book, consi­sling of three main Prophecies, with their Introductory Visions, is said to be the Revelation of Jesus Christ, &c. chap. 1.1.

V. 9. Though the knowledge of future things may be pleasant and tempting to the curious Reader of this Book, yet when he shall thoroughly digest it or understand it, it will be bitter by reason of the several sad and bitter things contained in it: As the sad persecution of the Primitive Christians in the Smyrnean Succession of the Church, and the foul Apostaie of the Church under the reign of Anti­christ or the Whore of Babylon, and the most barbarous persecutions of them that will not submit to her wicked and Idolatrous Tyranny; And there is bitterness enough for her too at the last, which makes her Paramours so loth to understand this Book of Prophecies aright.

V. 10. My belly was bitter, that is, my stomach was bitter. Which is a Presiguration of the condition of those that shall reade this Book, and rightly digest it, that is, truly understand it, as I noted before.

V. 11. Thou must Prophesie again. This third Introduc­tory Vision, And the voice from Heaven as of a Trumpet, as in the beginning of the two former Prophecies, And the finishing of the Sealed-book-prophecy in the former part of this Introductory or Transitionary Vision, with this intimation, that he must Prophesie again as before (which was not expounding of Prophecies, but uttering them) [Page 265]does plainly insinuate, that (those other two Prophecies reaching from the beginning of the Church to the end of the World) he must again Prophesie of affairs reach­ing from the beginning of the Church to the end of the World, and that this Opened-book-prophecy is such, of the same extent of time with the Sealed-book-prophecy, though it differ in this, That the Sealed-book-prophecy chiefly sets out the fate or state of the Empire, this the fate or state of the Church. Before many peoples, &c. that is, To their faces, so that they may all understand how they are con­cerned in this Prophecy of the Opened-book. And thus is this Visionary Transition from the Sealed-book-prophecy to the Visionary Transition from the Sealed-book-prophecy to the Opened-book-prophecy in both the parts thereof fully finished. Now follow the Visions themselves of the O­pened-book-prophecy, and that in a sufficiently natural and rational order, those Visions reach from the begin­ning of the Church, being placed first, as shall be no­ted.

The NOTES.

V. 1. And there was given to me, &c. What is con­tained in this Chapter is plainly a prophe­tical Vision, and it immediately following John's eating the Opened-book, and his being bid to Prophesie, it is plainly the first Vision of the Opened-book-Prophecy. Which Pro­phecy being ushered in with the like pomp, as that of the Churches and Sealed Book are, commenceth as high as they, and has the same Epocha. Besides, that it were an headless business to make this Vision to commence with the seventh Seal or first Trumpet, and hugely immethodical, the Vi­sion in the next Chapter most assuredly beginning as high as the two former Prophecies of the Churches and Sealed Book: Wherefore John being bid to measure the Temple and the Altar, that is to say, the Court wherein the Tem­ple and the Altar stood, (See Exod. 40.33.) viz. the Area thereof, not the Temple nor the Altar more than the men worshipping there (which is a Key to the sense of the Vision) it declares that that time of the Church from the beginning thereof, that answers in proportion to the Inner Court of the Temple compared with the Outer, is Symmetral or sutable to the rule of the world, nor the Apostasie yet come, (its Epocha being 394) within which time the Ephesine and Smyrnean successions are included. And the correspondence is admirable betwixt the Smyrne­an succession, and that part of the Court where the Altar stood, when so many Martyrs as so many Holocausts were sacrificed in Testimony to the truth of the Christian Reli­gion; the space where the Altar of Holocausts stands fall­ing in with the space of time of the Smyrnean persecutions.

V. 2. But the Outer Court of the Temple. For so it is to be rendred out of the Original, that is, the Area of the Outer Court: which plainly insinuates that the Area of the Inner Court, where the Temple and Altar stood, was also intimated before leave out, and measure it not, the Ori­ginal [Page 270]has it, cast out, as rejectaneous. For it is not Com­mensutable to the rule of God's word and Apostolick faith and Practice, but contrary and repugnant. Which time of the Church is for the greatest part of the Pergamenian suc­cession, and all the Thyatirian in which they are said to eat things sacrificed unto Idols. For it is given to the Gentiles, &c. That is, a kind of Pagano christianity shall visibly do­mineer for forty two months of years, that is, 1260 years. Which is the same proportion of time to the Commensu­rate time of the visible Church under the Ephesine and Smyr­nean succession and a little farther, that the proportion of space the Outer Court has to the space of the Inner Court, which proportion is as 1260 to 360, that is, the outer Court contained the inner three times and an half in large­ness, so that the Apostasie began in the year 394.

V. 3. Ʋnto my two Witnesses. These mournfull Wit­nesses are said to be two, though never so many, partly by reason of the Type, to which they allude, Moses and Aaron, Eliah and Elishah, Zorobabel and Jeshuah, who shewed their Zeal for the purity of God's worship against the Idolatry in the Wilderness, in the Baalitish idolatry, and in the Captivity of Babylon: Partly in allusion to things, Magistracy and Ministry, Old Testament and New, &c. A thousand two hundred and threescore days, &c. The works of darkness were numbred by Months, the Moon be­ing the ruler of the Night, the works of righteousness by days, of which the Sun is Moderatour. And lastly, their being clothed in Sackcloth, denotes the sadness of heart and low condition of such holy Apostolick men during this time.

V. 4. Two Olive trees, &c. See Zachary, chap. 4.11. whereby the two Olive trees upon the right side of the Can­dlestick, and the left is understood Zorobabel and Jeshuah those saithfull servants of God in the Babylonish captivity, and the time of the mournfull Witnesses is the very time of the Whore of Babylon.

V. 5. Fire proceedeth out of their mouth, &c. This allusion is to Moses and Elias, who did really bring down [Page 271]fire upon their enemies, but here it is to be understood Mystically of the fire of the Spirit: As it is said of the man in Esdras coming out of the Sea. And he shall de­stroy them without labour by the law which is like unto fire, 2 Esdr. 13.38. In which sense is to be understood their killing them that hurt them, viz. by the power of the Spirit in conviction and prayer. These are the Wea­pons of their Warfare.

V. 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not, &c. This is figuratively spoken by a prophetical Metalepsis or Zoopoeia of the second kind, attributing that to their Acti­vity, or it may be Oral denunciation, which is onely a conse­quence of their condition, they having no power to sway things in Church or state. See Dr. H. M. his Notes on the place. The Rain here hindred is the sound Apostolick do­ctrine and heavenly Influence thereof, the allusion is made to that of Elias, 1 Kin. 17. or Luk. 4.25. And so they are said to turn waters into bloud, because their Apostolick preaching of the Gospel of meekness and peace does not take place. And to smite the Earth with all plagues as often as they will, that is, as often as occasions offer themselves. For particular occasions answer in Analogy to particu­lar Acts of Will in this prophetick Zoopoeia. Or it may be understood of denouncing all manner of plagues as of­ten as they will. See Dr. H. M. his exposition and Notes on the place.

V. 7. Shall be a finishing of their Testimony. (So it is to be read out of the Original) that is, as they shall be performing their witnessing to the truth, against all the Im­postures and Idolatries of this spiritual Aegypt (as the plagues intimate it to be) the Beast, either out of a Pit of the earth or depth of the Sea, the two-horned or ten­horned Beast shall oppose them and overcome them, as to the power of this World, and kill them. So that they shall be politically dead all of them, and some (as it happened to the Waldenses and Albigenses and others) be slain in a na­tural sense. No sooner shall they begin to perform their Office of witnessing to the truth, but they shall find them­selves [Page 272]suppressed and destitute of power and so Politically dead, as their Resurrection is also political, as you shall hear anon.

V. 8. These Witnesses as to any political power or life being dead Carcasses (as it is said of the people of the Jews in a political sense, Shall these dry bones live?) shall be in being still, though in this political death, in the large Jurisdiction of that great City, which is Mystically called Sodom and Aegypt, and the City where our Lord was cru­cified, that is, Jerusalem that killeth the Prophets, that far extended idolatrous Church, that for their uncleanness up­on their pretence of vowed Celibate is here called Sodom; Aegypt for the slavery they keep the people of God in, and the old Jerusalem for persecuting the Prophets the true Professours of the Apostolick Christianity.

V. 9. Shall see their dead bodies, &c. Thus devoid of all political Life and Power. Three days and an half, that is, for three times and an half, Day, signifying the same that Time in some Cases. But here it is said, three days and an half, for Decorum sake that in the out-side of the letter they may not seem to Prophesie, and be dead at the same time, nor lye too long unburyed and unrevived. See Dr. H. M. his Apology at the end of his Exposition of the visions of Daniel. But the not suffering their dead bodies to be put in the Grave, implies that they are kept safe in view, though out of all power and so politically dead.

V. 10. They whose hearts and minds dwell upon earth­ly things, these will ever rejoyce when the two Witnesses are slain, and more jollily and freely congratulate one ano­ther, the Enjoyment of their Honours and Church-prefer­ments shared amongst them, because these two Prophets tormented them, but could now doe so no more, they be­ing quite out of place and power, and being ever defeat­ed in their attempts to amend things.

V. 11. And after three days and an half, that is, After a time and times, and half a time now current. For that measure in Daniel is that Authentick intended measure (how­ever varied into 42 months, 1260 days, and three days [Page 273]and an half for other purposes) to measure the Medial visions by. See Dr. H. M. his Arithmetica Apocalyptica, and the nine Queries with the Notes in his Paralipomena Prophe­tica. But in that it is here said, After three days and an half, that plainly implies the rising of the Witnesses to be the fi­nal Issue of the 42 months War against them and the Saints. But the Spirit of Life here entring into them, intimates they began to have some political power, favour and inte­rest with the Great ones, and their standing on their feet, that they were countenanced and supported for the very profession sake, of the pure and Apostolick faith which they witnessed, which cast the Pagano-christians into great fear they suspecting what may be the issue thereof.

V. 12. Great voice from heaven, &c. A powerfull com­mand from the political Heaven (in which political Suns, Moons, Stars, Kings, Princes and Governours shine) that the Apostolick Religion be established, and the Idolatrous persecutive papal Hierarchy be abolished, and the Evangelici be advanced to the highest degrees and dignities in Church and State. Of which their ascending up to Heaven in a cloud is an Emblem. And their ene­mies beheld them thus ascending, and you may be sure, with a malicious and envious eye.

V. 13. And at this very time there was a mighty change and commotion in affairs, and no less than the tenth part of the City of Babylon fell, that is, of the Ro­man polity or Hierarchy, and there were seven thousand names of men, that is, an huge Company of men depen­ding on that Polity (that is, on the seventh head of the Beast) wholly slain in a Political sense, deprived of power and their Revenues. For this number is to be interpret­ed not Arithmetically, but Symbolically. And the rest of that party was affrighted and surprized, they sitting be­fore as a Queen in the Thyaterian interval which thought she should find no sorrow.

V. 14. The second woe is past, that is, the Interval of the se­cond Wo-trumpet here endeth, namely, in the Resurrection of the Witnesses or the late blessed reformation. And that ge­neral [Page 274]impenitence in this Western part of the Empire is now expired with this second Woe, so many parts there­of ceasing to worship Daemons, and Idols of Gold and Silver, &c. And here likewise the Thyatirian interval expires, nor is the false Prophetess Jezebel any longer per­mitted to seduce the people to commit Fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to Idols; and that promise to the Church in Thyatira fulfilled, That he that overcometh should have power over the Nations or Gentiles, those that had trod down the Outer Court to the second month of the last Hexamenon, or last Semitime of the seven, which answer to the forty two months, wherein they are said to have trod it down. So that the residue of this Vision runs on into the Sardian succession of the Church, into the time of the seven Vials. See Dr. H. M. his Apology and the Answer to S. E. his remarks thereon, and thou wilt be assured of the truth here delivered. The third woe cometh quickly, that is, the third Wo-trumpet or seventh Trumpet, whose first thunder is charged with the seven last plagues. This Trumpet immediately succeeds the sixth, the Visum of the sixth being fulfilled in the rising of the Witnesses.

V. 15. Several Kingdoms and Principalities as pledges of the rest, being recovered here already by Christ out of the hands of the Tyrannical Antichrist by the late Refor­mation, the seventh Trumpet commenceth with great Ac­clamations of joy in heaven for the success, and with hap­py presages of the continuance of Christ's reign, that what­ever Chastisements may come upon the Church of Sardis for her neglects or imperfections, yet this Kingdom of Christ which has begun, shall never fail, but he shall reign to the end of the World, through the Sardian, Philadel­phian and Laodicean successions.

V. 16. These Princes in heaven are said thus to doe, betokening what those Princes and Potentates on earth, that were our noble Reformers, would doe, or how devoutly they would be affected for so blessed a Reformation. For they were in a manner Slaves to the Pope before. And so their Doxology here is more especially recorded.

V. 17. And hast reigned. Hast given so glorious a Spe­cimen of thy Power, and that thou rulest in the King­doms of men, and hast thus happily begun the reign of thy Christ, for the subduing utterly at last the Kingdom of Antichrist. The beginning of the seventh Trumpet is the beginning of the Sardian succession, and of the seven Vials, and the Commencement of them all is with praises and Acclamations for this first auspicious Victory of Christ, over Antichrist or the papal Hierarchy. For the word Sardis signifies a Song of Joy. And here is the thanksgiving of the Elders, and at the beginning of the Vials, the Song of Moses and the Lamb. Now what follows in this Chap­ter, being after the seventh Trumpet begun to sound, must needs run into the time of the Vials, the Vision begun in the next Chapter plainly Commencing as high as the be­ginning of the Church, as is manifest at first sight, where­fore in the following verse.

V. 18. The Nations being said to be angry, denotes the anger and exulcerated rage of the Gentiles, which trod under foot the Outer Court, which so dementated them, that it made them impotently attempt such things that would render them execrable, odious, or despicable to all the World, this therefore glances at the first Vial. And whereas it is said thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be Judged, &c. this seems to allude to the third Vial. Thou art righteous O Lord, because thou hast Judged thus. For they have shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets, and thou hast given them bloud to drink for they are worthy. See Dr. H. M. his exposition on the place.

V. 19. And the Temple of God was opened, that is, Stood open, not just then opened, but as early as the Doxology of the Elders, as in Chapter 15. Out of which the seven Angels having the seven last Plagues are seen to come. But there is nothing here taken notice of in this Temple, but that the Ark of the Testament was seen, which im­plies that at this time God will have an eye to his ever­lasting Covenant made with the Jews, which therefore [Page 276]glances at the sixth Vial, which Interpreters usually under­stand of the calling of the Jews. And the Lightnings and Voices, and Thundrings, and an Earthquake and great Hail is plainly a description of the seventh Vial. So that this whole Vision in this Chapter begins with the first Epo­cha of the Church, and endeth with the seventh Vial or the first Thunder.

The NOTES.

V. 1. THis woman is the Primitive Apostolick Church before the Apostasie; cloathed with the Sun the pure light of the Gospel or Sun of Righteousness, and crowned with twelve Stars, as whose glory and crown it was to keep close to the doctrine and practice of the twelve Apostles, not yet either Judaizing or Paganizing, but kee­ping the Moon under her foot, the Pagan Idolatrous works of darkness, and the Judaical Rites and Superstitions or­dered by the Moon, the Emperess of the Night.

V. 2. These sharp Throes signifie the cruel cutting Per­secutions the Primitive Church was under, and the many Martyrdoms they did suffer before that promise of Christ was made good to them. Fear not little flock, for it is my [Page 279]Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. That this is the true meaning of this Vision of the Woman, is mani­fest both from the Naturalness thereof, the consent of In­terpreters, and the gross defect there would be in this Opened-book-prophecy; For unless this and the sight of Mi­chael with the Dragon be understood of the Persecutions of the Primitive Church, there is nothing that prefigures them in this whole Prophecy, which is extremely absurd.

V. 3. The great red Dragon, bloudy and cruel is the Roman Pagan Empire, the seven Heads betoken seven suc­cessive sorts of Government, but all Idolatrous Heads, as being Heads of the Dragon; revived again in the healed Beast, and all seven crowned, to shew they are Men or Ma­gistrates, not Hills; but the ten Horns, that belong to the seventh Head, uncrowned, to shew that the Beast here was purely Pagan, and come no farther than to the sixth Head, the Pagan Ceasars.

V. 4. And his tail, &c. His Military Train or Ar­mies had subdued in St. John's time the third part of the Kingdoms and Principalities of the then known World. And the Dragon stood before the woman, &c. The Roman Pagan Emperours and their Ministers, the Devil assisting, watched as close as they could, that the Church of Christ never should come to such power as to have an Emperour of their own Religion, and so the Roman Empire come in­to their hands, but as soon as any thing appeared tending that way, they endeavoured betimes to quash it and de­feat it.

V. 5. She brought forth a man-child, &c. But notwith­standing all their envious and malicious watchfulness the woman brought forth a Man-child, a Mystical Christ or Christian People, that at last would make themselves Ma­sters of the Empire, and rule the wicked Persecutive Pa­gans with such severity as they deserved. And her child, &c. He was advanced to the Imperial Dignity, called the Throne of God, as Magistrates are called Elohim, Gods, in Hebrew, because they are God's Vicegerents. This Prediction was plainly fulfilled when Constantine turned Christian.

V. 6. But a little after this external prosperity of the pure Apostolick Church, and deliverance from the present Pagan Persecution, she was yet fain to take shelter in the Wilderness, the outward Catholick Church becoming little better in a short time. Which her speedy flight intimates, though that Wilderness-state came rather so swiftly upon her than she into it, but it is a Prophetick Hypallage. Yet however here she was more safe than under the Pagan red Dragon. And thus she was to continue 1260 days Pro­phetical, that is, years, or rather for a time, and times, and half a time, which is here signified by those days, to intimate that it is the pure Apostolick Church here meant by the Woman in the Wilderness, distinct from the gor­geous Whore in the Wilderness, chap. 17. See Dr. H. M. his Notes on the place.

V. 7. This War in Heaven betokens the like to come upon Earth, and this sight betwixt Michael and the Dragon implies the invisible Assistences and Oppositions of Angels good and bad, the one on the Primitive Christians side, the other on the Pagan Empire's side, during that strong Conflict betwixt the Church and the Pagans, their Persecu­tours in the Ephesine and Smyrnean Succession, with which the pangs of the woman in travail does also synchronize, and cannot begin later than this sight without gross disorder and immethodicalness.

V. 8, 9. This Victory of Michael over the Dragon (that old Serpent, with whom Christ had no small comba­ting long before, and called the Devil and Satan as a Re­proacher and Opposer of the Kingdom of Christ in all pla­ces and ages, and who seduceth the whole World into false and Idolatrous worship) signifies the destruction of the Empire as Draconick and Idolatrous, and that none of that foul stamp should be in high places of the Empire, but such as were professed Christians.

V. 10. The kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. This is contemporary with the affairs of the sixth Seal, or rather with the close thereof, and the commence­ment of the Pergamenian Interval. Accused them before [Page 281]God, &c. What the Devil is said to do concerning Job, accuse him before God, the Pagans are here understood to do before the Emperours and other Magistrates of the Empire, raising most wicked calumnies against the Chri­stians, as Thyestean Suppers, Incests, Adulteries, Murthers, Conspiracies against the State, and what not.

V. 11. The Dragon was overcome through the Merits of Christ crucified on the Cross, and by the constancy of adherence, in the Martyrs, to the truth of the Gospel, they loving not their lives unto death. This Verse makes it plain that this battel is understood of the courage and sufferings of the Primitive Martyrs under the Pagan Powers, and that it was fought here on Earth, whatever was done in Heaven.

V. 12. Rejoice ye heavens, &c. Rejoice ye Angels and holy Martyrs, and ye also in the Political Heaven, in high places and offices under the Christian Emperours. But wo to the lower multitude. For the Devil enraged with his downfall, will stickle to do as much mischief amongst them as he may in behalf of his pure Paganism, which was now, he saw, likely to continue but a short time. Wherefore he will find out some fetch to strengthen the common people in their Paganism, and dissettle others in their Christian profession. See verse 15.

V. 13. When the Dragon was reduced to such a low base condition, an envious, revengefull, persecuting tem­per rose in him against the woman, the true Apostolick Church.

V. 14. The two wings of a great Eagle is the then Roman Christian Empire (of which an Eagle is the Sym­bol) divided into Eastern and Western, and so possessed of these two wings she is said to fly into the Wilderness, by a Prophetick Hypallage, because the Wilderness condition of the Church would come shortly upon her. In which she was safe from the red Pagan persecutive Dragon, and was there to continue for a time, and times, and half a time, or seven Semitimes, which are the measure intended for the Medial Visions. See Arithmetica Apocalypt. Query. 1.

V. 15. But before the commencement of this Time the Serpent, as attempting to overwhelm her before she could reach the appointed place, spews out of his mouth the water of Heresie and Contention, that sore Division of the Church by reason of that Heresie of Arianism, ho­ping that the Church that stood out the hottest Persecu­tions with invincible valour against the red Dragon, may now perish by the overspreading of Heresie and intestine Division, this furious Controversie hardening the hearts of the unconverted people, and staggering the Converted in their faith and profession.

V. 16. The earth helped the woman, &c. namely, Da­niel's Clayish Earth, the Ecclesiasticks gathered into Oe­cumenical Councils; as that first Council at Nice, and o­ther Orthodox Councils opening their mouths, and de­claring against Arianism, by their Authority settled the minds of the people, and at last quite dried up this floud of Heresie and Contention, as a Torrent is dried up by the chinks and gapings of the dry Earth. Haply also there may be an Allusion to [Oecumenical] which implies Earth in it. See Dr. H. M. his Exposition on the place.

V. 17. And the Dragon was wroth, &c. The former wicked project failing, the wrath of the Dragon was a­gain incensed against the Woman crowned with twelve Stars and the Moon under her feet, the pure Apostolick Church; and he went to make war with the remnant of her seed, those namely which she was to bring forth while she abides in the Wilderness, which will approve them­selves her genuine off-spring by keeping the Command­ments of God, who forbids us making of any graven I­mage, to bow down to it or worship it, and enjoins us to worship, serve and pray to himself alone. And have the Testimony of Jesus. For the Testimony of Jesus is the Spi­rit of Prophecy; in which sense the two Witnesses are said to Prophesie as well as to Witness. The Testimony there­fore of Jesus is to witness to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, through an assurance of the truth thereof from the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Life in the new Birth. [Page 283]From which living Principle they are firmly enabled to witness against the wicked Inventions of an Apostatized Church, and do loath them and detest them. For they are not dead vessels that will receive wholsome liquour and poison alike, but the living Creation of God; and therefore have an Antipathy against all the works of the Devil, gross Superstition, Imposture, Idolatry, Cruelty, lying Impossbilities instead of true Miracles or Mysteries, and what other Inventions of the old Serpent that sedu­ceth the whole World. Against such Witnesses therefore you may be sure this Dragon will make War, who in this Chapter is described under one single Figure of a red Dra­gon, the Roman Pagan Emperours being Pontifices Maxi­mi as well as Caesars; but in the following Chapter, this Draconical Power is divided into two, as if there were Imperium in Imperio, the Papal or Sacerdotal Hierarchy di­stinct from the Caesarean Majesty or Secular Powers.

The NOTES.

V. 1. AND I stood, &c. The vulgar Latine has it (which Mr. Mede, Cornelius à Lapide, Alca­zar and the generality of Interpreters follow) And he stood, that is, the Dragon stood on the Sand of the Sea ex­pecting the Appearance of the Beast of his own Raising. For the old Serpent was at the bottom in all the doings that turned the Christian Roman Empire into a Beast again, which is here described. Whose seven Heads and ten Horns shew him to be the Roman Empire; but the Crowns on his Horns, to be that Empire actually divided into ten King­doms. Which was a doing as the Empire was again relap­sing into a new kind of Paganism, and the name of Blasphe­my on all its Heads shews that even in this last or seventh Head with ten Horns crowned, it was more or less Idola­trous (for so Blasphemy here signifies) and therefore a Beast.

V. 2. And this Beast is likened to a Leopard, the Greek Kingdom for its being divided into many, to a Bear the Persian Kingdom, because this was governed much by the Counsels of their Clergy as the Persian by their Magi, to a Lion the Babylonian Kingdom, for its condemning men to fire and fagot, as the King of Babylon to the fiery furnace, for not submitting to Idolatry. And whereas the Dragon is said to give his power, the word Power from the Originial, is as much as Forces or Armies, his evil An­gels or wicked Spirits, and their Weapons and Artillery, the external pomp of Images or Idols, and such gross fur­niture of their worship, whereby they overcome and cap­tivate the feeble Phancies of the people. And lastly, his giving him his Seat or Throne, and great Authority im­plies onely, that this Paganechristian Imperial Power, is the genuine Successour, as Idolatrous, to the Imperial Power Pagan.

V. 3. Wounded to death, namely, in the sight of the Dragon with Michael and the Holy Martyrs, who were Con­querours at last, and converted Constantine and the Roman Pagan Empire, to Christianity. But in this succession of time, under which the Roman Empire is here represented to John, it is recovered again into its former idolatrous condition, and the deadly wound was healed by the in­troducing a kind of Paganochristianism. And all the World were mightily taken with the thus healed Beast, he both gratifying them with his outward specious shew of Christia­nity that seemed so contrary to the Dragon, and also having the assistence of the Dragon, viz. the Dragon-like idola­tries, and carnal Sense-striking Rites of worship, and the tricks and delusions of his wicked Spirits at their Images and Altars to deceive the people.

V. 4. Which gave power to the Beast. The repetition here is Elliptical, as is frequent in the Apocalypse. But the Sense is, they worshipped the Dragon which had given him his Armies, his Throne and great Authority, as if he had surrendred these to him as his genuine Successour, and they are said to worship Him in worshipping the Beast [Page 288](who was as well Draconick as Christian) so far as they gave obedience to the revived Paganical and idolatrous Rites of the Dragon, whose Fiends or Goblins might please themselves to receive that worship at their Altars or Ima­ges, that they had by their jugling tricks and false Mira­cles re-introduced into the Church, and flear amongst themselves at the Imposture, that they made the Church in so gross a Sense become the worshippers of Devils as it is said in the sixth Trumpet. See Dr. Brevint, his Sa­muel and Saul at Endor. Who is able to make War, &c. Things are so well setled this Paganochristian way, and so accommodately to all mens likings, that neither Jew nor Pagan can be able to dissettle the Peace of the Em­pire in this point.

V. 5. Farthermore this Beast spake great and enor­mous Blasphemies, made decrees for Idolatries of several sorts. For Blasphemy in Scripture often signifies Idolatry, and he was to continue or make War prosperously for forty two months, that is for a time or times, and half a time expressed here by forty two months, as the Gentiles tread­ing under foot the Outer Court, is to Characterize them as Children of the Night, of which the Moon is Governess.

V. 6. Against God, to blaspheme his Name. By giving his incommunicable Name to Idols or Images, or Name may signifie Person, and so his Person is blasphemed by Idolatry in worshipping any other Person besides God or Christ. And his Tabernacle, viz. The body of Christ, which is the li­ving Tabernacle of God, the gross abuses put upon it upon the account of Transubstantiation is obvious for every one to note. See Dr. H. M. on the place. And them that dwell in Heaven, i. e. Saints and Angels, whom they do reproach in that they set up Idols, by the instigation of evil Spi­rits, and do call these Idols by the names of the Saints or Angels, and impute the tricks playd at their Altars or Images in behalf of Idolatry, to the Saints, when they are the delusions of these Goblins or Devils. Besides it is a gross reproach to the Saints and Angels, to suppose they will accept of Religious worship, and so prove Rebels to God.

V. 7. To make war with the Saints, &c. To oppose them and subdue them, and keep them under all along, that they shall have no sway in the Empire to hinder or redress Corruptions, as it was said before of the mourn­full Witnesses, that they were Politically dead all the three times and an half in a manner. But in some part of this time the War and slaughter or killing is not Mystical but Proper. For by the War against the Waldenses and Albigenses in France, were killed ten hundred thousand. By the Inquisi­tion within thirty years an hundred and fifty thousand. And Sanders the Jesuite reports an infinite number of Lollards and Sacramentarians through Europe, burnt with fire and fagot, but excuses the matter as not done by the Pope and Bishops, but the secular Magistrate, that is, Jezebel excites, but Ahab the secular Power commands to be executed her bloudy Suggestions against Naboth, those that have the Witnesses of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecy, as is elsewhere explained. And power was given him, &c. namely, that he might persecute and force men to Idolatrous worship in all the parts of the Empire.

V. 8. And all whose minds are fixed on earthly things, shall obey his idolatrous Edicts and Commands, namely, such as are not of the number of the called and chosen as they are termed, chap. 17. Nor of those that are redeemed from the Earth, as they are described, chap. 14. For those will ever stand out till they get the Victory over the Beast.

V. 9. For this was a remarkable intimation and worth the observing, as also that which follows in the next verse, of a Parabolical construction.

V. 10. That power which in the forty two months War of the Beast domineers so, and forces men to their Idolatrous worship, shall at last be led captive into the Truth, and they that kill now with the sword of Persecution, shall be slain with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, answerable to the Witnesses, slaying their enemies by the fire that comes out of their mouth. Which victory was obtained in the resurrection of the Witnesses, and partial fall of Babylon, from about the middle of the second month, [Page 290]to the middle of the fifth of the last Hexamenon or Semi­time, viz. in the late blessed Reformation begun by Luther. This was the promise, and the patience, and Faith of the Saints were exercised in expecting when God would make good his word.

V. 11. Coming out of the Earth. Out of Daniel's clayish Earth, as it signifies chap. 12. v. 16. where Oecumenical Councils are glanced at, which though laudable in them­selves, yet the two horned Beast grew out of them, by the abuse of that power of determining Controversies of Re­ligion, when once they had got the Custome not to mind what was true and Christian, but what was for interest of Holy Church, though never so worldly and secular. Out of this grew the greatness of the two horned Beast, whose two horns allude either to the pretence of their power from the Lamb Christ of binding and loosing, or to the Bishops two horned Miter, or to the two chief Summities of the Sa­cerdotal Hierarchy universal, Eastern and Western, the two Patriarchates of Constantinople and Rome. And in that he is said to speak like a Dragon, it denotes his making decrees for Idolatrous practices, and for the persecuting of such as would not submit to them. This was the voice of the old Dragon.

V. 12. All the power of the first Beast, viz. His whole power he hath in Religion. For the power of approving things in Religion, and passing it into a Law, is in the secular supreme Magistrate, not in the Clergy. But this Sacerdotal Hierarchy claimed all this Power, and exercised it accordingly in the behalf of the former Beast, as he suc­ceeded the Dragon in his Dragon-like power and Proper­ties. And under pretence of this power in matters of Re­ligion, he maketh men to worship the first Beast the Dra­gon himself (as appears from chap. 12.3.) recovered heal­ed or revived. But by what art this was done, follows in the next verse.

V. 13. He doth great Wonders, &c. As if he were another Elias to fetch down fire from heaven. But this is not literally, but Mystically to be understood, viz. [Page 291]of the thundering Excommunications of the Sacerdotal Hie­rarchy, whereby those that did not obey the voice of this Beast, though it was the voice of the Dragon appointing idolatrous worship, were rent off from the Church and made obnoxious to eternal Fire. See Dr. H. M. his Notes on the place, what is a greater wonder-working Power than this? And yet this great wonder this two horned Beast does in the sight of men, that is, they are such fools as to believe he does it. And Gregory the seventh, when he had excommunicated the Emperour Henry the fourth, said he was Fulmine afflatus, Thunder-struck by him. These things I confess, are rather a shew of Miracles than Mira­cles, but Antichrist was to come with lying and feigned Miracles. And if there might be any thing extraordinary, it is imputable to the forces of the Dragon, the evil Spi­rits that were bequeathed by the Dragon, to the Aposta­tizing Empire, and the two horned Beast claiming and ac­cepting the power of ordering the Empire in matters of Religion they naturally fell to his share.

V. 14. But whether by these shews of Miracles, or real odd things done by the forces of the Dragon, the two horned Beast so deceives the World thereby, that he per­suades them to make an image to the Beast that had the wound by the Sword (namely, in the fight with Mi­chael and the Martyrs, who overcame this Beast, viz. the Dragon and his pure Paganism) and by this means he lived or revived again, i. e. The old Dragon or Pagan super­stition and idolatry was very lively re-introduced in this Image the two horned Beast made by making the Empire thus idolatrous.

V. 15. And this Image was no Spiritless Image, slug­gish and harmless like an inanimate Statue. For the two-hor­ned Beast had a way to transfuse spirit and life into it, and make it speak and command that as many as would not wor­ship, that is, obey the Image of the Beast, namely, himself, the secular Idolatrous power of the Empire, should be killed. Which power of so commanding to kill, which is the Spirit of the Image of the Beast is derived from the two-horned [Page 292]Beast or Sacerdotal Hierarchy, the Image of the Beast ha­ving no power to kill any one for matters of Religion, but whom the Sacerdotal power has declared Heretick. Then is he delivered up to the secular Power, or ten hor­ned Beast. For the two-horned Beast (as they Hypocri­tically excuse themselves) kills none himself, but delivers up to the secular Magistrate, according to this very Pro­phecy.

V. 16. And this Image of the Beast causes all sorts and degrees of men, to receive a mark as Souldiers or Servants do of their General or Master, that is, they must make open profession to whom they belong.

V. 17. No man not marked with the name of the two-horned Beast (for Antichrist will have his marked Soul­diers as well as Christ has his) or the number of his Name, that has not either his name in Letters or in Fi­gures, containing the number which the Letters of his name make according to their numeral value, that is, he that professeth not himself of the Faith of this Sacer­dotal Hierarchy, signified by this two-horned Beast, may neither buy nor sell, but they are excommunica­ted for Hereticks, with whom by the very Sentence of their Synods, there is to be no Negotiation. But now who this two-horned Beast more particularly is, is hinted Aenig­matically in the following verse.

V. 16. Here is a dark Riddle, let him that has skill that way, number the number of the Beast. For it is not so strange a number, but that it may be numbred by the Art of Man, and his number is 666. which is to be num­bred no otherwise than by the extraction of the square Root, which is 25. Which is marvellously applicable to the City and Church of Rome, as 12 the Root of 144. to the New Jerusalem. See Dr. H. M. his Mystery of Godli­ness, lib. 5. chap. 16. sect. 8. And that you may be sure this Sacerdotal Hierarchy of Rome is more specially aimed at in this Vision, take another easie Sense of it [It is the number of a man] that is, of a Man's name. For a­bove there is mention of the number of his Name: And [Page 293]his name will prove [...] (Latinos.) For those Letters in their numeral value make just, 666. which is a Cabba­listical device, and by the Cabbalists called Gematria. From whence we see that the pinch of this Prophetick Vision at last lights more particularly on the Pope of Rome and his Clergy. Whose Bishops in Subscriptions at Councils are styled, the Latine Fathers. See Dr. H. M. on the place.

The NOTES.

V. 1. THE Lamb here on Mount Sion is Christ against Antichrist, and the Company with him having his Fathers Name written in their foreheads are the marked Souldiers of the Lamb, answering to the Souldiers of the Beast, employ'd in the forty two months war against them, in the foregoing Chapter. Instead of receiving the mark of the two-horned Beast in their right hand, or on their foreheads, they have the Name of God the Father and his Son marked on their foreheads, that you may see whose Souldiers they are, and in that they are said to be 144 Re­giments or Chiliads, it denotes that they are pure Aposto­lick Christians, the Square Root of 144 being 12. This Root 12 therefore denotes the Apostolick Church as the Root 25 the Church apostatizing.

V. 2. This is the description of the Angelical Musick in Heaven, where multitudes of Angels praise God and the Lamb, the voice of many Waters and Thunder being Sym­bols of a multitude speaking or singing together.

V. 3. This Song of the Angelical Quire is the joy that ariseth from the New Nature, or the Divine Nature added to the Animal Nature, and is the same in Men and Angels, I mean Regenerate Men, who thereby are made partakers of the Divine Nature as well as the Angels. None could learn this Song, or know what belongs to the Joys of the New Birth or Divine Life raised in us, that state of Righteous­ness, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost, but the 144000 [Page 297]redeemed from the Earth, that is, from the earthly Sense and Wisedom that favours onely the things of this World, and of the flesh.

V. 4. These are they that have so holy and chast a sense in the duties of divine worship, that they abhor from every thing that has any shew of violating that Loyalty and Fidelity they owe to God or Christ, to whom alone they are betrothed, and therefore they have nothing to doe with the Daughters of Babylon that famous Strum­pet, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the earth. But they follow the Lamb, are led by his word and spirit, not by a blind implicit Faith in a Church, not onely fallible, but fallacious and deceitfull, most of their Cor­ruptions both in doctrine and worship, being upheld for their own worldly Interest. But these were redeemed from the Rabble of the deluded, being the first fruits after the Apostasie begun of Apostolick Christians, and but an hand­full in comparison of those multitudes, that will appear after the first dissolution of the Papal Tyranny.

V. 5. In these there was no Hypocrisie or dissembling, but they professed the truth from their hearts and concealed it not, and though at the Tribunal of Antichrist, they are condemned for Hereticks, and deemed men not worthy to live or dye an ordinary death, yet before the Throne of God, and in his Judgment they are holy and upright men.

V. 6. I saw another Angel, distinct from this Quire of Angels, flying in the midst of Heaven, that he might be seen and heard of all the Christian world, as well the We­stern as Eastern Empire, reminding them of the everlasting righteousness, Law or Religion, that Christ according to Daniel was to bring in, which is the pure Apostolick do­ctrine, unsophisticated with the Superstitions and Idola­tries of either Greek or Roman Church, which Hay and Stubble is to be burnt up, but that Apostolick Gospel to be eternal, never to fail but to spread over all.

V. 7. Fear God, &c. None but God the Father and the Son with the Spirit, who created all things, is to be worshipped. The Gods that have not made the Heavens and [Page 298]the Earth, they shall perish from the Earth, and from under Heaven, as the Prophet Jeremy foretells. This is a plain declaration against giving any Religious worship to any but God alone, and a Commination or threatning ill success, and heavy Judgement to all Saint-worshippers and Image-worshippers, or whatever other idolaters in the Greek or Roman Church. The voice of this Angel (which is the voice of holy Men, presaging and declaring the Judgments of God against the idolatrous and bloudy Em­pire) may commence as high as the first Wo-trumpet, and might be loudest upon the taking of Constantinople, and the subduing the whole Eastern Empire to the Turk. Which manifested that the hour of God's judgment was come upon the Idolaters indeed, though the Western Church would take no notice thereof, nor repented of the works of their hands, &c. chap. 9.20. And therefore if we hear news of the hand of God upon the western Church also, I mean upon the idolatrous Hierarchy thereof (which is more particularly styled Babylon) by the next Angel, we need not be much surprized.

V. 8. This considerable, though but partial fall of Ba­bylon, the great City, or Hierarchical Polity, which is the issue of the forty two months War of the Beast, &c. re­lates to the Reformation begun by Luther, when so many Kingdoms, Principalities and Provinces fell off from the Church of Rome, and was a pledge of her farther Ruine. And this was because she had made all Nations, the Ea­stern as well as the Western Church (as may be observed in the Popes activity at the second Nicene Council, and his excommunicating the Iconoclast Emperours) drink of the Philtre she had mingled for them, the Love-poison, or Love-potion of her Fornication, by which is plain­ly understood Idolatry, And here ends the Thyatirian in­terval.

V. 9, 10, 11. And the third Angel, &c. The foregoing Angel being the Messenger of the fall of Babylon, and consequently of the rising of the Witnesses, what follows belongs to the times of the Vials in the Sar­dian [Page 299]interval. And therefore this third Angel more par­ticularly relates to the effusion of the fourth Vial in the Mystical sense, whereby is most fully evidenced the dam­nable condition of them, that yield obedience to the Beast and his Image (the spiritual and secular power, in such things as are idolatrous, and are the very strokes and Lineaments of the Image of the Beast) and who make pro­fession of, or promote and Countenance the Romish ido­latrous Religion, they shall drink of the Cup of bitter­ness and Malediction from the Lord, and be condemned to those infernal and eternal flames. This is the condition (as the Mystical sense of the fourth Vial also imports) of them, who under the voice of this third Angel, shall per­sist in the gross Idolatries and other foul corruptions of the Church of Rome. And they have no rest, &c. Truth against the Church of Rome will be then so clear, that no man that has any Conscience can be of that profession, but it will lye exceeding unevenly in his mind, and put him in a restless and unsatisfied condition, it appearing so mani­festly against all Sense, Reason, Honesty, Loyalty, and a­gainst all those sound and sacred Principles that God hath implanted in the nature of man, wherefore in those days no honest hearted Christian will indure to submit to the Church of Rome. From whence is what follows in the next verse.

V. 12. Here is the Patience of the Saints. This is the time, viz. under the voice of this third Angel, or under the fourth Vial, in the Mystical sense thereof, wherein the Patience of the Saints will be tryed, the carnal power of the Enemy, endeavouring to force them against so great light (at which that power is the more inraged) to submit to their Idolatrous and Antichristian Doctrines, and Pra­ctices by cruel Persecutions. Here are they that keep the Commandments, &c. Here are they that keep to the pure Faith and Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles. And surely God will in due time give to the sufferings of such holy and sincere Souls suitable Success, as is intimated in the follow­ing verse.

V. 13. That dye in the Lord, &c. That have dyed as Martyrs in witness to his truth, against the abominable cor­ruptions of that idolatrous Church. From henceforth are they blessed, that is, from this time of the Sardian inter­val which falls in with the fifth Vial, under which the King­dom of the Beast shall be full of darkness, and the Scales turned considerably, and nearer approaches made toward the Philadelphian state, which commenceth with the reign of the Spirit, as the Cabbalists call it, and therefore it fol­lows, Yea saith the Spirit. The Spirit that is to bring on those days, sets his Seal thereto, that not onely those Mar­tyrs shall rest from their labours, but that their works shall follow them, that is, the good effect or success of their works and labour here, which are the hoped Consequences thereof, viz. The overthrow of that Salvage and barba­rous Tyranny of a bloudy idolatrous Church, and the far­ther advancement of Christ's Kingdom.

V. 14. This is Christ that Son of man in Daniel, who is said to come with the clouds of Heaven, as if they were his Chariot, and Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom, as here a Crown, is said to be given unto him; And that he himself here appears with his Sickle in his hand to reap, is very agreeable to what was intimated before of the reign of the Spirit, and the approach thereof: For what he is said to doe by himself, is by the Ministery of his Spirit in Counterdistinction to humane and carnal means.

V. 15. This other Angel represents the holy Church, and her earnest and sincere devotion for the enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ, as Mr. Mede has noted, and is more expresly signified by his crying a loud to the Angel, sit­ting on the cloud to thrust in his Sickle, because the harvest of the Earth is ripe; like that of our blessed Saviour him­self. Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to the harvest.

V. 16. And the Earth was reaped, viz. That Crop that belonged to that season, which is about the sixth Vial, which Syncronizeth with the Lambs Bride. And therefore by this Harvest in all likelyhood the gathering of the Jews to the [Page 301]Faith of Christ is prefigured, which will prove a farther enlargement of his Kingdom; these Kings of the East, as they are called in the sixth Vial, being adjoined thereto. But the most Universal Conquest of all follows in the next Representation, which synchronizeth with the seventh Vial.

V. 17. Which is in Heaven, &c. This Angel being to be Vintager, there is mention made of Heaven to intimate his Heavenly Mission, that he is sent from God, and imme­diately assisted by his Spirit. The appearance of which reign of the Spirit will be eminent under this seventh Vial which synchronizeth with the Vision of the Rider of the white Horse with a sharp sword coming out of his mouth, as this Angel is said to have a sharp sickle, which fitly an­swers to the sharp sword. Both of them signifie the cutting Convictiveness of the Word and Spirit in the powerfull Mi­nisters of Christ in those days.

V. 18. Came out from the Altar, &c. The Altar as else­where, in the Apocalypse, is a Symbol of the sacrifice of Martyrdom. And here is mention of fire, because that kind of Martyrdom was so frequently inflicted by that mur­therous Church of Rome. And this Angel's crying out to the other to thrust in his sharp sickle, is for vengeance a­gainst this Den of cruel Murtherers and Idolaters, by the Conversion of such a multitude as would be sure to over­run them and overpower them. For the grapes are fully ripe, says he, that is, some are in a full ripeness and rea­diness for Conversion, and others by reason of their heinous sinfulness and obstinacy are fully ripe for utter destruction.

V. 19. Into the great Wine-press of the wrath of God. Men were pressed in conscience upon the sharp Convicti­ons by the powerfull Ministers of Christ, with sorrow for their sins, and the wrath of God against themselves was kindled in them: As the Apostle writes to the Corinthians concerning the like Conviction. What carefulness it wrought in you, what indignation, what vehement desire, what revenge. Here Christ that is said to tread the Wine­press of God's wrath alone, treads and squeezeth out the corrupt bloud of Edom. And in the Vision which is paral­lel [Page 302]to this, chap. 19. his Vesture is said to be dipt in bloud, and that he treadeth the Wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. Which plainly shews that these two Visions tend to one and the same thing.

V. 20. Troden without the City, i. e. This powerfull Conviction neither begun in, nor reached to the City of Ba­bylon the Roman Hierarchy or Polity (for wood and stone is not here meant, but a Polity or Society of men) as is obser­vable in the seventh Vial, that though the Cities of the Nations fell by those powerfull Boanergeses, yet this Baby­lon the great, though Hail-stones of a Talent weight fell upon them, were not converted nor convinced in their conscience, but blasphemed God, because of the plague of the Hail, it was so exceeding great. And in the Vision of the Rider of the white Horse, chap. 19. the false Pro­phet with the Beast were taken alive and their power aboli­shed, but it was the rest onely that were slain with the sword that proceeded out of the mouth of him that sate on the white Horse. See Dr. H. M. on the place. The bloud coming out of the Wine-press, even to the Horse-Bridles, this again shews plainly that the Vision of the Rider of the white Horse and his Company, and this of the Wine-press is all one, and that there the garment of that Rider was seen dipt in bloud. And there being so deep a Lake of bloud, of such an extent as of sixteen Hecatontads or Centuries of furlongs equal to two hundred miles; that also assures us, that this slaughter is not literally, nor the Number nu­merically, but symbolically to be understood, the Root of sixteen being four, a Symbol of Ʋniversality with the Py­thagorcans and Cabbalists. Wherefore this signifies a vast, large, and, as it were, universal Victory of the Gospel, in the battel of that great Day of God Almighty, to which the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World are gathered, and the defeat is proportionable. For upon this defeat all the Kingdoms of the World will become the Kingdoms of God and of his Christ. See Dr. H. M. on the place, and his Notes, and his Paralipomena Prophetica, chap. 48. and the Answer to S. E. his Remarks.

The NOTES.

THE two foregoing Visions of this Opened-book-prophecy reached from the beginning of the Church to the end of the last Vial, comprizing the Ephesine, Smyrnean, Perga­menian, Thyatirian, Sardian, and part of the Philadelphian Interval. This Vision therefore beginning later, accor­ding to right method is set after the two former, it com­mencing but with the Sardian Interval.

V. 1. The seven last plagues. Which therefore in all reason are to be in the last Wo-Trumpet, and the second Wo-Trumpet was past at the Rising of the Witnesses. And therefore the effusion of the Vials must be after the Rising of the Witnesses. Is filled up the wrath of God, Namely against the Beast or Roman Hierarchy, which was punished considerably at the Rising of the Witnesses, the Reforma­tion begun by Luther; but before these Vials be over, in the cup which she has filled, it will be filled to her double.

V. 2. A Sea of glass mingled with fire. This alludes to the Red Sea, congealed as it were into two Walls of Glass or Ice, on which the Angel in a Pillar of fire going before the Israelites shined also, and the sulvidness of the Sand of [Page 305]the Sea made the mixture more like fire. Had gotten the victory over the Beast, &c. In the two foregoing Synchro­nal Visions there is mention of a forty two months War be­twixt the Saints or Witnesses, and the Beast, and no victo­rious Issue signified thereof, but that of the partial fall of Babylon and the then Rising of the Witnesses. Who then can be those here, that have got the victory over the Beast but those Saints or Witnesses that bore the brunt of the 42 months, or the three times and an halfs War in the fore­going Visions, and are said here to have got free from the Beast and his Image, both the Sacerdotal and Secular Idola­trous power, that they could be no longer persecuted by them for not submitting to their Pagan-like Abominati­ons, nor be forced to swear into the forms of that false Church by a slavish implicit faith, nor profess themselves Latine or Roman Catholicks (the Name of the Beast) but free Apostolick Christians. Stand on the Sea of Glass. On the shore of that Sea that was converted into Glass or Ice, when they passed through it as newly escaped the Persecu­tion of that Roman Pharaoh. Who was overthrown Horse and Man in the Red Sea, that is, by the Protestants Professi­on, that they were onely justified by the bloud of Christ and the sanctification of his Spirit, which is resembled to fire.

V. 3, 4. And they sing the Song of Moses, &c. They sing the Song of the Lamb, of which the Song of Moses was but a Type, but the Occasions so like one another, that the Song may indifferently serve both. But in the mean time it is plain here, that Rome is that Spiritual Aegypt wherein the Witnesses were slain, and the Bishop of Rome the Pharaoh thereof; And that this Song of Moses and the Lamb answers to the Doxology of the Elders upon the Rising of the Witnesses, chap. 11. and the joyfull News of the fall of Babylon, chap. 14.8. and that as it is manifest here that the full effusion of the Vials follows this Song of the Lamb, so a more imperfect glancing at them follows the said Doxology of the Elders, and the joyfull News of the fall of Babylon. Shall come and worship before thee. This [Page 306]implies, that this first Victory is but the first fruits of that enlargement God intends for the Kingdom of his Son, and that therefore it is the Victory of the above-said Wit­nesses.

V. 5. And after that I looked, Namely, After this Tri­umphal Song of the Harpers that had got the Victory over the Beast, &c. For it is absurd to conceive a Triumphal Song before the Victory, or this Victory to be of the Pri­mitive Christians over the Pagans, because of the Image of the Beast, and his Mark, and the Number of his Name. But it must be an external visible Victory of the Protestants over the Pagano-christians, as that passage of the Song im­plies. For thy judgments are manifest. The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Heaven was opened, namely, After this Song of Moses and the Lamb John saw it stand open, as it in all likelihood stood open after the Doxo­logy of the Elders, chap. 11. though mention of its stan­ding open is not made till the Ark of the Covenant is said to be seen there.

V. 6. They are cloathed in Priestly attire as being Heavenly Priests belonging to that Heavenly Temple, that is to say, as being so represented, but signifie Mini­sters of this vengeance here upon Earth.

V. 7. That one Beast is the first Beast the Lion, it be­ing a Military Beast, and a Beast of anger and courage; And the Vials being said to be full of the wrath of God, intimates that these Ministers were to be actuated not by any private spleen, but by the just wrath of God, which bur­neth onely against obstinate Hypocrites and Sinners. And here the Angels not receiving their Vials till after the Song of Moses and the Lamb, or of the risen Witnesses; this a­gain assures us, that the effusion of the Vials is after their Rising, after the sixth Trumpet.

V. 8. There will be much cloudiness and confusion in God's exerting his glorious power in taking vengeance on the Beast and false Prophet by the effusion of the Vials, till he be taken and cast out into the Lake of fire and brim­stone, and so all Idolatrous and Tyrannical Power be a­bolished [Page 307]under the seventh Vial. No settlement till then, nor any entring into the Temple decyphered by the Tem­ple of God, chap. 11.1. But then will the Temple be­come Symmetral again, and commensurable not onely to the Reed of a Man, but of an Angel, nor to a Reed any way combustible, but to a golden Reed. This is to be un­der the second Thunder, that immediately follows the se­venth Vial.

The NOTES.

V. 1. OƲT of the Temple, &c. Out of which the An­gels had come forth, chap. 15.6. Ʋpon the Earth. Upon Daniel's Earth or Clay, the Ecclesiastick Body moulded into that Polity which is called the two-horned Beast.

V. 2. His Vial upon the Earth. In that sense of Earth that was intimated before, namely, on the Papal or Anti­christian Hierarchy. This Vial therefore is immediately poured on the Earth, several of the other reflexively or consequentially. But the Angels are bid all of them to pour the Vials on the Earth some way or other, v. 1. A noisome grievous sore. This is an Aegyptian plague, as the Earth on which it is inflicted, Aegypt, spiritually so called, that holds the Mystical Israelites the Apostolical Christians in bondage. This plague therefore signifies the fury and envy, wherewith the minds of the Pontifician Party were extremely enraged and exulcerated (driven by evil Spirits, from the Lord, as in the case of Saul) against the Risen Witnesses. Which devilish distemper did so dementate them, that they made themselves still more execrable and odious by their impotent and unsuccessfull attempts against them that God had thus exalted above their reach. This therefore is the plain and easie sense of the effusion of the first Vial, and answers to [The Nations were angry] chap. 11.18.

V. 3. Sea in the Prophetick style signifies the gathering together of people into one Polity or Kingdom; And here in this Aegyptian plague such Dominions must be under­stood as were Papal. And the Sea turned into bloud, and the fishes all dead in it, signifies the deadness and hopeles­ness of the Pontifician affairs upon the full settlement of the Reformation in such Principalities and Kingdoms. The Rising of the Witnesses and partial fall of Babylon is like [Page 311]the Victory of the Heros on the white Horse under the se­venth Vial, but the settlement of the Reformation prefigu­red by the effect of the second Vial is like the Descent of the New Jerusalem under the second Thunder. See the An­swer to S. E. his Remarks on this place; and also Paralipo­mena Prophetica, chap. 51. Qu. 13.

V. 4. As Sea signified above Politically, so Rivers and Fountains of waters or Springs, must, that are the Heads of Rivers, and both come from the Sea and return thither a­gain, viz. the water of them. A Sea therefore here be­ing a Kingdom or Polity, the Rivers must be Emissary Pow­ers of the said Kingdom, whether Armies or other Agents with those that head them and govern them, who may be deemed the Spring-Heads of them, they taking their direc­tions and motions from them, and depending on them as Rivers do on their Springs. And this being an Aegyptian plague again, the turning these Rivers into bloud is the putting to Death the Emissaries of the Mystical Aegypt for their treasonable Attempts against Kings or Princes, and the settled Religion and Government of the place.

V. 5. The Angel of the waters, the Prefects of the mul­titudes of People, says, Thou art just, O Jehovah, thou great Judge and King for doing thus.

V. 6. Because they have shed the bloud of so many Saints and Prophets, namely in the Pergamenian Interval, in which thy faithfull Martyr Antipas was slain with the sword, besides many other Butcheries and Massacres of the people of God. For which they deserve to drink of the same cup themselves.

V. 7. And another Angel out of the place of the Tem­ple where the Altar stood, and where so many burnt-offerings were made, saith, Even so Lord God Almighty, &c. For I can witness what a number of innocent Souls were burnt with fire and saggot in the Thyatirian Interval of the Church, because they would not submit to the gross Super­stitions and Idolatries, and incredible, nay impossible Fig­ments of the Roman Hierarchy, and so were made burnt-offerings or sacrifices to their intolerable Avarice, Ambiti­on and Tyrannical cruelty.

V. 8. Sun may have here either a Political or Mystical sense. Mystically understood, it may be the Word of God, which is a Lamp unto our feet, and a Light unto our paths, as the great Lamp of the Universe is naturally understood to be. Wherefore clear Explications of the Word of God, the Prophetical parts especially, whereby the detestable and damnable condition of those that adhere to Babylon or An­tichrist is discovered, is the Effusion of the fourth Vial in this first sense, which vexes, scorches and enrages the Ponti­sicians very sorely.

V. 9. They are so vext that they blaspheme the Name of God, and rather vilifie the Scriptures and the Spirit that wrote them, than repent them of their sins, and give glory to God by acknowledging the Truth. And this may go for the Mystical sense of the Effusion of the Vial on the Sun. But, Sun, Politically taken, may be understood of the grea­test Secular Power within the Papal Jurisdiction. Where­fore if any German Emperour, or any Potentate as consi­derable as the German Emperour should be so illuminated with the true knowledge of the Gospel, as cordially to re­sent the cause thereof, the general Reformation that any such Potentate would introduce into his Kingdom or Em­pire, will scorch, and burn, and vex the Vassals of the two-horned Beast at the very heart, and so will prove the pour­ing out the Vial on the Sun in the most proper Political sense.

V. 10. In a Mystical sense correspondent to the for­mer, the Seat or Throne here of the Beast, viz. of the two-horned Beast, may be the same that Cathedra, the pre­tended infallible Chair of that Pseudoprophet. To the de­tection of whose frauds the Vial poured out on the Sun, Mystically understood, may prepare the way, and the peo­ple under this fifth Vial be generally convinced of the false pretence of the Papal Hierarchies Infallibility. The false light of which vain pretence being once removed, they must needs find themselves much in the dark, their Reli­gion being such as neither Scripture, Reason, Common sense, nor any thing else that has any Authority with it can afford [Page 313]any light to, so that his Kingdom is full of darkness; and they gnaw their tongues for pain, because this cheat of In­fallibility being discovered by the clear demonstration of the Apostasie of the Church, out of the Prophecies, they are quite left in the dark, hopeless and helpless, and know not now what hank to have over the people, who before were made to believe any thing which made for the Church-mens power and gain, upon the Pretence of the Infallibility of their Church.

V. 11. The Event of so great manifestations of Truth was so vexatious to them, that they reproached the Authour of it, the Spirit of God and Holy Scriptures, nor repen­ted they of their deeds. So hardened was the heart of this Pharaoh, the King of this Spiritual Aegypt, nor would he let the people of God go, to serve him according to his own Commands and Precepts. And this may be the Mysti­cal meaning of this fifth Vial. But Politically understood, the Seat of this two-horned Beast is the same with the Seat of the Whore, who is seated on the seven-hilled Rome. And in this sense it bodes ill to that City, as if it would be taken again under this Vial, as it has been often; or at least, as if from the effects of the former Vial, Politically understood, there would be a great deadness of Trade to that greatest Merchant of the great men of the Earth, and so great un­frequentedness, obscurity and darkness would seize his prin­cipal seat.

V. 12. The Euphratean Horsemen are the Turks, as we have noted in the sixth Trumpet. This Vial therefore sig­nifies such a mutation of affairs in the Turkish Empire, as will make for the joining of the Jews, and it may be some other Eastern people, and their Princes or Persons of note, with the Church of Christ; as being either converted, or in a near preparation to Conversion to his Gospel, as may appear from chap. 19. v. 7, 8. For the marriage of the Lamb's wife there immediately precedes the battel of the Rider of the white Horse, which undoubtedly is the same Vision in effect with the seventh Vial. Besides the Ark of the Covenant, chap. 11.19. shews that the Jews are [Page 314]concerned in the sixth Vial; and the Harvest, chap. 14. v. 16. that they are then to be converted to the pure Go­spel of Christ, and this to the dis-interest assuredly of the two-horned Beast. Thus mutually do those places illustrate one another. And hitherto reach the six first Vials; which, according to our interpretation of them, either directly or reflexively are all poured on the Earth, Daniel's Clay or the two-horned Beast, according to command, v. 1.

The Scene of the seventh Vial now begins, which con­tains the Conflict and Victory of the true Apostolick Church of Christ, (which are one part in this Battel) over the Antichristian part the Beast and false Prophet, which are the other part, and over the Infidel Party which profess not Christ; and this is the third part under the Dragon. Which Tripartition is worth the noting for the better understan­ding the matters of the seventh Vial.

V. 13. These Frogs are the Emissaries, Orators, Ne­gotiators or Solicitors of the affairs of the Dragon, and of the Beast and false Prophet, the two Parties opposite to the Apostolical or Evangelical Party. And they have the shape of Frogs for their earthliness and slimy uncleanness, to betoken the wisedom they act from, that it is earthly, sensual and devilish.

V. 14. The Spirits of Devils, &c. These Frogs said to be the Spirits of Devils, are yet to be interpreted of Men under these Spirits or evil Angels Conduct, according to the genius or style of the Apocalypse. And Frogs, in whose shape these wonder-working Spirits are, signifie En­chanters and Juglers (according to the Onirocriticks) pre­stigious Deceivers of the people by false Miracles, feigned Visions, and the like; which haply may be more peculiar to the Antichristian Party, the Beast and false Prophet. But the Frog out of the Dragon's mouth, his Miracles may be, besides those of unlawfull Magick, prestigious demonstra­tions to prove the frivolousness of all Revealed Religion at least, the better to harden the hearts of the Kings of the Earth against the pure and Apostolick Christians. To ga­ther them to the battel, &c. For as that wisedom which is [Page 315]from above is pure and peaceable, so this earthly and de­vilish wisedom delights in confusion and bloud. Of God Almighty. Under whose conduct are the Evangelical Party or the pure Apostolical Christians.

V. 15. This defeat of false and ineffectual Religions, will be a surprizing Providence to all those that Hypocriti­cally shroud themselves under them, instead of being cloa­thed with the everlasting Righteousness of the Gospel of Christ, those that cover with a covering, but not of God's Spirit, that they may add sin to sin. But at this time God will pluck off the covering from all Nations, and the Vail of Hypocrisie from off the people, Esay 25.7. which is an intimation that this Battel is not so much carnal as spiri­tual.

V. 16. By the over-ruling Providence of God they were brought into this place Armageddon, which in the He­brew signifies the destruction of their Armies; but there is nothing yet done toward their discomfiture, for the se­venth Vial is not yet poured out. And therefore by a Com­mutation of Iconisms (see Dr. H. M. his Notes, and the Answer to S. E. his Remark on the place, and Query 6. on chap. 51. of Paralip. Prophet.) the Event of this Congress is set out in another form, this huge Camp of all the Ar­mies on both sides being turned into one mighty City, which is called the great City, consisting of the Ʋniversality of Cities considered as one, and over this City is the seventh Vial poured out into the air, as follows.

V. 17. It is done. This is a firm Decree, signified by the voice out of the Temple from him that sits on the Throne, and a full assurance by his Spirit universally in the hearts of his servants the Evangelical Party, that their Ministry shall succeed, and that there will be an utter over­throw of Antichrist, and a consummate enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ.

V. 18. There was such a strange Mutation of affairs in the World, as was never known or recorded in any History of former times: Of such mighty efficacy was the preach­ing of the pure Gospel in the power of the Spirit by the [Page 316]Speaking-party of the Army of Christ against the forces of the Infidels and Antichrist. For this is the meaning of those Voices, and Thunders, and Lightenings, that it was the promulgation (by those Boanergeses) of the Law of the Son of God, which is like unto fire, as is related in Esdras, Esdr. chap. 13.

V. 19. And the great City was divided into three parts, viz. As there were three parts in the great Camp; The Antichristian Party; the purely Heathen and Infidel Party, and the pure Evangelical Party: But this Tripartition is named immediately after this great Earthquake, as if it were the effect of it, for the more handsome embellishing the outward Cortex of the Prophecy. And the Cities of the Nations fell, i. e. the Heathenish or Infidel Party were Thun­der-struck by these Boanergeses, and converted to the faith of the Gospel of Christ in the simplicity and purity thereof. And great Babylon, &c. The Antichristian Hierarchy with her Adherents, the Whore of Babylon, as she is called in the following Chapter, are here met withall to the purpose, and forced to drink of the cup of the fierceness of God's wrath, to be arraigned, judged and punished according to the heinousness of her crimes.

V. 20. Their Temples and other consecrated places were taken from them, and they were deprived of their Dignities, or of the assistence of the great ones of the Earth.

V. 21. Ʋpon men a great Hail, &c. namely, upon Baby­lon or the Antichristian Party. So that all her goodly Trees were spoiled and stript of their both leaves and fruit, their boughs broke down, and their stocks beaten bare even to the inmost Bark. Which being a different success of this con­flict, upon these, this Hail-storm is mentioned apart by it self at the end of all. And men blasphemed God, &c. The hearts of this Antichristian Party were still hardened, even in this last Aegyptian plague inflicted on them, and proper therefore to them. And their rage and impatience under their calamity made them speak evil of the ways of God, which yet are altogether Righteousness and Truth. The [Page 317]Cities of the Nations fell by Thunder, but Babylon the same with Aegypt is destroyed by an Aegyptian Plague, Hail. Which plainly again signifies to us the difference of those two parties, the one Infidel, the other Antichristian.