Dan VII

2Q, 24.

Rev.

XII.4

Reafon of varying the Figure, under which this little Horn is represented, and that will serve to Confirm the Observations already made.

In the Vision of the four Monarchies, He comes in, in his Order, and as a Power that had small Beginnings, in the laft Stage of the Fourth Beaft, as a little Horn after or behind the rest of the Horns: A. Bishop of Rome, who was not very confiderable at first, but that grew by Degrees to have Ejes like a Man, and a Mouth Speaking great Things, till his Look was more stout. than his Fellows,..

In St. Johns XII Chapter, where the History of the old Heathen Empire, its Perfecution of the Chriftians, and its Deftruction by Conftantine are the Subject, This little Horn is reprefented as the last thing that would arife out of the Remains of this Roman Empire, and fo is pro-perly expreffed by the Figure of a Tail.

In the XIII Chapter, where the rife of the new Western Empire is defcribed, and the Wound it received by the Abolition of its Emperors, and the fetting up the Ten Kings in their

Rooms

Koom, by which the Wound was Healed, that is, the Disorders of the Empire Abated,

This

XIIE

little Horn is reprefented, not in his firft State of Bishop of Rome only, who was not very great while the Emperors lafted, but when the Ten Horns had at laft fucceeded in their Room, then this little Horn fhewed himself in his advanced State, as defcribed by Daniel, of a Dan. VII Mouth Speaking great Things, and accordingly St John fays of the Beast that was Wounded and Rev. Healed,

And there was given unto him a Mouth Speaking great Things and Blafphemiess

In the fame fenfe that Aaron was given to

8.

XIII. 3+

Mofes, instead of a Mouth, where the Mouth is Exod. a different Person from him to whom it was given. IV. 16. And in the fame Chapter of the Revelations,

that this Power may be more particularly described, his original is traced meerly as it relates to himself.

1

“And I beheld another Beast rising up out of

Rev.

the Earth, and he had two Horns like a Lamb, XIII.1 and he fpake like a Dragon."

This Power was to be diftinguifhed' by its being a Succeffion of Perfons, taken out of the Earth, which fignifies, the Common People, as in fact, the Popes have always been; They are not like other Princes, of Noble Families, but are 1 Kings, Elected out of a number of Cardinals, who rise xii 31 often to that Dignity from little Priests, taken 2 Chron. the lowest of the People.

xi 15. from among Rev. xiii

The Two Horns like a Lamb, express emphatically his Pretenfion to be the Representative, or, as he calls himself, the Vicar of Jesus Christ, who was the Lamb Slam; and the Two Horns, fhew whence the Figure is firft derived, viz. from the Lamb of the Paffover, which was to be without Blemish, and a Male, and this was Lovit. I. always the Rule of the Burnt Offerings, it was 10, to be a Male without Blemish; for, the Males Exod. xiii. 12, were the Lords.

Exod.

.xii. 5.

Rev. xiii

1

The speaking like a Dragon, fignifies, that notwithstanding his Pretences to be the Vicar of Chrift, he really would take upon him to Command with the Power and Cruelty of a Heathen Perfecuting Roman Emperor, who is described

by

by a Dragon standing before the Woman ready to Rev. Ríki be delivered, to devour her Child.

And that Woman is Chrifts Church

The laft Character given of the See of Rome,is not of the Perfon of the Popes, or their Suc-cessors, but of the Church of Rome, under the Figure of a Woman, who is called Babylon, who fitteth on many Waters, who are People and Nations, &c. and who Reigns over the Kings of the Earth

According to this Image it will follow, that the Succeffion of Popes will be expreffed by Bel, which was the Image of the old King Beluss worshipped in Babylon, and of this Jeremiah Prophefies,

"And I will Pumifh Bel in Babylon, and I

"will bring forth out of his Mouth that which " he hath fwallowed up, and the Nations_fhall "not flow together any more unto him, yea, "the Wall of Babylon shall Fall.

XVIL.
B

4r 50

Jor: LLA

44,

And what Bel or Belus had been in the most ancient Time, Nebuchadnezzar was afterwards, and therefore is called the Head of Gold of the Dan. i Terrible Image; and for that reafon in this New

Babylon

Jer. LI.

33.

34

iii. 12.

Babylon the Head of that Church is naturally
expreffed by Nebuchadnezzar, or the 'King of
Babylon: And in this fenfe the fame Prophet
Jeremiah fays, just before,

"Thus faith the Lord the God of Ifrael, the "Daughter of Babylon is like a Threshing-Floor, "it is time to thresh her, yet a little while, and "the time of her Harveft fhall come.

“Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, hath "Devoured me, he hath Crufhed me, he hath "made me an empty Veffel, he hath fwallowed es me up like a Dragon, he hath filled his Belly "with my Delicates, he hath cast me out.

It is very plain, how well this description agrees with the time when Chrift fhall Math (a) throughly purge his Floor, and when the (b) Time of the Harvest, and of Gathering the Tares 30. 40. to be Burnt in the Fire, is come; and when (c) • Rev. The harvest of the Earth is Ripe, and this, Nebuchadnezzar who fwallowed (d)like a Dra

xiii.

xiv. 15.

d Jer.

LI. 34.

gon, agrees very well with the two Horned Beaft, Rev. who (e) fpake like a Dragon.

And it is very easy to fee, that the Prophet
Jeremiah