THE c H u R c H OF R 0 M E, State, and not contrary ro their ProfdTtons: For what Matter of 'Wonderment can it be to feel the vVind blow, to fee the Sea foam, and hear the 'Waves rage and roar, when the Winds oppofe its Eflluxion? And what Caufe of great vVondo:rment and Admiration for a wife Man, to fee wicked Heathens oppofe and perfecute ChriCtianity, when it is fo fuitable to their Spirit, and agreeable to their Profcffion fo to do, we cannot yet underftand, and we will diligently lirten to them who will undertake ro inform us: For the Thing is true, that a wife Man did wonder at the Sight he faw with great Admiration, Rev. xvii. 6. I Jaw the Woman drunk with the Blood of the M art;•rs of 'jefus, and I wondered with great Admiration. Wondered! 0 fhange! At ' what? To fee that which was common to all Ages, the Seed of the Serpent, that pro– fefl: Heathenifm, the Wicked, even the worfl: of the Wicked, by Principle and Pro– fef!ion, to plot againfl: the Righteous, and to gnafh upon him with their Teeth; Ido– laters, profefl: Idolaters, to perfecute the Servants and Wor01ippers of the true God; thofe that were born after the Flefh, and lived af<er the Fk01, to perfecute them that were born of the Spirit, and lived after the Spirit. Surely, if our Adverfaries Opinion was true in this Cafe, that Baby/on is only Rome Heathen, St. 'John had forgot that Cain and Abet, and rfhmael perfecuted Ifaac; and took not fo much Notice of the Courfe of the World, common to every Age, as Paul did, who faid, But as he that '11Jas born after the Flejb, perfecuted him that was born after the Spirit ; as it was then, fo it is now: And what fl:range Wonder is in all this? 4· Rome Heathen never was efpoufed, married, or united to the Lord Jefus, in a fpiritual Way, viltbly owning his Laws, and fubmitting to his Government, as a Wife fubmits to, and obeys her Hulband, and afterwards cafls him ofF, and chufcs another Head and Hufhand; and therefore cannot be Myftical Bab;•lon, or the great Whore: For though thefe H eathens were great Idolaters, yet were they never charged with fpiritual Adultery, nor could they, unlefs they had once, by vifible Profelfton, made a Covenant with, or efpoufed themfelves to the Lord Jefus, which Rome Papal be– fore its Apoftacy did: Therefore Rome Heathen could not be the great Whare, or Myftical Bab)'loiz. 5· Rome Heathen cannot be the Baby/on fet forth by St. 'John, unlefs fhe be guilty of all the Chrifl:ian Blood fhed upon the Earth Gnce the DeftruEtion of Jerufalem: For as the Guilt of all the Blood fhed from righteous A bel, to the Death of Zacharias, is by our Savior fixed upon 'jerufalem, and cannot be removed to another People; fo the Blood of all the Martyrs and Followers of Jefus, is by this ,Revelation fixed upon the !aft Baby/on, Rev. xvii. 6. And I Jaw the JVoman drunk with the Blood of the Saints, and of the Martyrs of 'jefus. Chap. xviii. 24. And in her was found the Blood of the Pro– phets, and of Saints, and of ALL that were jlain upon the Earth. But Rome Heathen was not guilty of all the Chriflian Blood that was fhed upon Earth, by Murders, Maf– facres, and Martyrdom, fince the DelhuCl:ion of 'jerufalem: For to look back but for fix hundred Years laft pafl:, in which Time we (hall find Hundreds of Thoufands of profeft <;:hriftians mofl: butcherly and barbaroufly put to Death, for their Zeal and Love to the Chrifl:ian Religion, in the refpeEtive Nations of Europe, before which the Hea– thenifh State of Rome was gone ofF about the Space of fix hundred Years. So that if he will regard the full fatisfying of this Prediction about Myftery Baby/on, we muft of Nece!flry bring her down lower than the heathenifh State of Rome: 6. Rome Heathen cannot be this Baby/on under Confideration, becaufe the Difco– veries of other Prophecies, relating to the fame State, no way agrees to the Power of Rome Heathen. ( 1.) This State of Baby/on is called the Jvfyjlery of Iniquity. This no way agrees to Rome Heathen, but fully agrees to Rome Papal. Compare z 'J'heff. ii. 7· with Rev. xvii. 7· viz. For the Myjlery of Iniquity doth already w ork.-'I'be Angel faid unto me, Wherefore didjltbou mar·vel? I will tell thee the Nl)jlery of the Woman, and of the BeP.jl that carrieth her. (z.) The Head of this State of Myfl:ery Bab;•lon is called the Mall of Sin, by Way of Eminency, ""7 '~'%"'' not only beyond the common Hank of Men, but beyond the highefl: Sons of Wickednefs that went before him. And rhere is a great Trurh in this; for if we confider the Pope in refpeCl: of Pride, Hypocrify, Idolatry, and Blood, he is the mofl: unparelleled Man of Sin. (3.) This State, or MyCtery of Iniquity began to work in the Apoftle's Days, which is no Ways applicable to the Pow~r of Rqme Heathen ; for that did not then begin, it being
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