Part 2. enchanted, cannot ceafe in a moment.

is past a

The harvest I have further proved, that the fall of this Popish long while and Babyloman Monarchy is divided into two parts, ago, the the harvest and the vintage; that the harvest is the mult come Reformation of the laft Age, and the vintage is the speedily. Reformation that must be made in this that is prefent.

vintage

Á time of fome length

Now, the space of time that is already run out fince the Reformation of the laft Age, does already equal the proportion of time, that is between the natural harvest and vintage; and confequently we must be very near the vintage, i, e. the time wherein God will begin the firft blows, in order to the final deftruction of the Babylonian Kingdom. These things being fo, this perfecution must be the last, and im mediately after it fhall be ended begin the first events, which shall bring the Popish Kingdom to its final fall.

I have laftly obferved, that the Holy Ghoft hath ftyled these two parts of the fall of the popish Kingmuft be af- dom, harveft and vintage; to let us understand,that, figned for: fe as the harvest and the vintage are not reapt in a moof popery. ment, but require many dayes, nay, weeks: fo the two overturnings of the Babylonian Kingdom, muft not be made in the twinckling of an eye, but in feveral years. This hath been already verified in the harvest, i. e. the fall which happened to popery in the laft Age; for this took up five and twenty or thirty years, and more. And no fewer can ferve to compleat the ruin of this Kingdom. But if this be fo, this must needs be the last perfecution; yea, it cannot laft a great number of years longer. For if the Babylonian Kingdom begin to decline 25 or 30' years before its laft and final deftruction, it must begin to decline and fall within four or five years; fuppofing that it be true, that it cannot laft longer then the year 1710, or 1715. We must therefore

fee

fee, if the Characters of this prefent perfecution that Part 2. the Church fuffers, agree with those of the last perfecution which the Church muft fuffer from the Beaft,according to the Text of the Revelation. And we are about to find these Characters fo agreeing, and like, that what at first seem'd only a conjectures will be able to become a kind of certainty.

The last Antichriftian perfecution, of which this Chapter fpeaks, muft happen when the witnesses fhall be almoft at the end of their teftimony, and Antichrift near the end of his reign. Now we have proved, by the Predictions and Types of the foregoing Chapters, that Antichrift is finishing his reign; therefore this must be the last perfecution: It hath already lafted 30 years; for it began in the year 1655. when the Duke of Savoy undertook to deftroy the faithfull of the Vallies of Piedmont; he fent thither Souldiers, who made a great mafsacre; but because the time of flaying the Witneffes was not as yet come, God rajfed deliverance for them: they defended themselves, with fuccefs and all the Proteftant States of Europe, did concern themselves to obtain from the Duke a Peace for those poor people. A perfecution began in Poland a while after, and the Reformed were involved in the fame ruin with the Hereticks, Socinians, and Antitrinitarians: they were driven out of that Kingdom, and were fcattered in Transilvania, Hungary and Germany. At the fame time a perfe cution begun in France: immediately after the, Pyrenean peace, the project of the ruin of the Proteftants was laid at Court, and hath been profecuted, till it hath been executed, as we fee at this day. In the year 1671. began the perfecution of the Churches of Silefia, Moravia, Hungarys the confequents of which are, the almoft utter extinKK εtion

་

Part 2. ction of the true Religion in the Territories of the Emperor. The two witnesses will in a little time be dead, through the total extinction of the profeffion of Religion.

The Beaft that ascendeth out of the bottomlefs pit, shall make war against them. This Beaft is the papacy where ever it is; for 'tis not only in Rome that the Beast is found; but 'tis in the whole extent of the jurifdiction of the ten Kings. 'Tisnot therefore neceffary, that a perfecution fhould be exactly rais'd by the Bishop of Rome, that fo it may be ascribed to the Beaft: 'tis enough that it be raised in the extent of the popish Kingdom.

And their bodies shalllye in the street of the great City. 'Tis evident from these words, that this last perfecution must be rais'd only within the circumference of the great City, i. e. the Babylonian and popish Kingdom, in the Countries where it reigns. On this account, probably thofe Kingdoms, Coun tries and States, who are out of the jurifdiction of the Popedom, and whofe Soveraigns are Prote ftants, must have no fhare in it. Further, the Prophecy faith, that the war must be made against the two witnelles, that prophesy cloathed in fackcloth; which is the fame with what we call preaching under the Cross this therefore only concerns the faithful, who preach and are under the Cross; fo that the perfecution must onely be rais'd within the bounds of the City, i. e. the Babylonian Kingdom, and against thofe who preach under the Crofs. Holland, Sweden, Denmark, and all other States, which have Reformed Princes, and where the Reformation is the ruling Religion, fhall not feel it. And we have ground to hope, that the torch of the Reformation thall not be extinguifht. And though. at present the King of England is of the Romish

Religion.

Religion. I dare notwithstanding perfwade my Part 2 felf, that his Kingdom cannot be reckoned as one of the freets of the great City; seeing popery is not the ruling Religion there, though it be the Reli gion of him that rules. Therefore I do not believe, that we must understand the prophesy of Usher in the letter, or stricteft fenfe, who fays, that the perSecution must be general over all the Churches of Europe; for we may underftand it of all those where popery does rule. "Tis true, he fore-tells a maf facre in England; but befides that, those who wrote this prophefy from his mouth might be mistaken; 'tis alfo poffible, that this holy man, through the violence of his forrow, went further than the Spirit did carry him. Notwithstanding, the English ought to remember the massacre in Ireland: circumstances then were not near fo fayourable to popery, as they are now. Men muft not truft to this, that the King of England will never consent to fo barbarous an action: I believe he will not; but the Papifts do not trouble themselves about the pleasure of their Soveraigns, when they fee any profpect of advancing their caufe by any kind of Methods. Therefore, if the Proteftants: be wife, they will not put weapons into the hands

of their enemies.

The bodies of the two witnesses shall lye in the Street of the great City. 'Tis to be observed, that in the Text, 'tis not in the streets, in the plural, as the French tranflation reads; 'tis in the street, in the fingular. And I cannot hinder my felf from believing, that this hath a particular regard to France, which at this day is certainly the most eminent Countrey, which belongs to the popish Kingdom. Her King is called the eldest Son of the Church, the moft Chriftian King, i.e. the moft popish, accor Kk 2

ding

Chap. 12: Part 2. ding to the dialect of Rome. The Kings of France have by their liberalities made the Popes great at this day; it is the moft flourishing State of Europe. It is in the middle of the popish Empire, betwixt Italy, Spain, Germany, England, exactly as a freet or place of concourfe is in the middle ofa City. 'Tis alfo foursquare, as fuch a place, i. e. almost as long as broad. In a word, 'tis the place or street of thi great City. And I believe, that 'tis particularly in France, that the witnesses must remain dead,i.e. that the profeffion of the true Religion must be utterly a bolifht.This is already done by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and by the enormous cruelties of the Souldiers, who have bin let loofe upon the Proteftants,of what foever fex, quality and condition. If any ftand firm, they muft either leave the Kingdom, or be destroyed. Thus within a little while, the external profeffion of the Reformed Religion will be wholly abolisht there.

And they of the people, and kindreds,and tongues, and Nations, shall fee their dead bodies, and shall not fuffer their dead bodies to be put into graves, .e. The Truth fhall be flain, but it fhall not be buried. Bu rial is a degree beyond death, and is always joyn'd with a total corruption and deftruction. And fo 'tis not an office of charity, which is denyed to thefe two witneffes; but a degree of ruin, from The wit- which they are exempted. And obferve who they neffes shall are, who hinder their burial, they are not the fame Wot be bu- with thofe who killed them: Thofe who killed the Truth them, are the Inhabitants of the freer of the great City, i.e. thofe who dwell in the most eminent part of the popish Kingdom; which at this day is France. Those who hinder their burial, are the Tribes, Languages, People, and Nations, i. e. feveral neighbour nations; yea, 'tis to be observed, that the Prophecy

riel, i. e.

shall not be deftroy'd.