Book IV. M Y S T E R Y n A B Y L 0 'N. M E T A P H 0 R. P A R A L L E L: But there is no People in the Chrifrian World that hath fuch Riches and Splendor, fuch Pomp and .Gallantry in the Maintenance and Managem~nt of religious Worfhip, as Rome Papal, .or Chmch of Rome hath. Ergo, Rome Papal, or Chureh of Rome muft be this Whore, or ·well-favored Hatlot treated of. The Argument is full and clear, and fa well fortified, that we think it needs no Rear– guard to enforce it; and therefore, though it be fhort, and low of ;>tature, we !halt leave it amongft our Infantry, and draw up our r·ight and left Wings, yet further· to alfault .Baby/on. XILThis W oman or City, that is thus adorned with outward Pomp and Glory, hath upon her Fore– head a Name written, MYSTERY, )MBYLON'THE GREAT, 'THE MOTHER. OF HARLOts AND ABOMINA'f!ONS OF 'THE EARTH, .Rev. xvii. 5· which may be true both in a literal and my!l:ical Senfe, the Breeder of Con– cubines, and Whores, to gratify .the fcnfual Appetites of her ktcher– ous Sons; but chiefly in a myf– tical Senfe, fhe breeds, and brings forth fpiri tual Harlots, viz. un– clean Comrnunicies. XI[. Rome Papul, or Church of Rome, if fhe be not concerned here, we will acquit her of be– ing M yftery Baby/on. ( t. ) Here is a Name written in capital Letters, and written fa as to be read publicly too. It is not written upon any Part of the Woman, that may be hid or covered with a·Garment, but on that Part which is kept bare, and is eaGe!l: to be feen, her.Forehead, her public, vif>ble, and known Parts. (2 .) f-kre is BabJ!on, or Confufion, a mixt Body, th,1t is far from that good and pure Orde<, which in Vi'ords.fhe pretends. (3.) Here is Myftery in the Cafe, and a great Myllery to a Wonder, even to the furprizing of .every wife and th inking Man, Ver. 6. (4.) Here is a Mother, a Mother of an very fpu– rious illegitimate and uncltan Offspring, Harlots, .and Aborrlinations, many Abominations, and great and reigning too, Abominations of the Earth, i. e. that large Parr of the Earth, where fhe is fituate, ·and doth refide. A .Jittle unto each of thefe, as the Tirne and Space we are limitted to will allow. A Name upon the Forehead. If this were not to be read and feen by moft Chriflians and Protdfo,>, it would not much concern the .Ghri!l:ian 'World for whom it mufr be calculated; for others that own not the Chriflian Religion, are not in a Capacity to make a.Judgment upon the .Cafe: For if this Book of the Reve!atiom were not written .for the Chriltian World, it leaves us not any Certainty where the Cafe is to be confi– dered, and the Matter to be judged. Now if it be calculated for the Chriflian 'vVorld, ·then it mu(\ be U]'On fuch a 'People, that is moll: public and vifible, and apparent, which agrees to none fo fitly as to the Church of Rome; which, by thei'r own Confej;. ·fion, is the m ,fu_potent and vifible in the Chri!l:ian \llforld, for where have the inconfi– derable H eretics, fa called, whofe Beings are in Corners, fuch a Name, as may be read or known by all, or th':! principal Part ol theChriflian Wor-ld? l':ow to clear thefe poor innocent, fo called, Heretics, from beif!g concerned in this Character, we imagine at lea!l: it cannot refer to them : '· Becaufe they have no Forehead fo broad to bear the lnlcription, which we wit! engage to make good againfl: any Romanij! m the World . .2. Becaufe they are io plain and honell a People, and their Principles fa eafily and well known, that it is wild and ridiculous to call them Myftery Bab)'lon, there neither being any hellifh Depth nor Confuiion in what they profels, as might be fully evinceJ .by unque!l:ionable In!l:ances ; for what Confufion or hidden Thing can be in this, that there is one God the.Object of Worfhip, one holy Book called the Bible, the Rule of W orfhip, one bleifed Kingdom, Heaven, or World to come, the Reward .of \llforlhip; and aH that aCl:· Faith, ·Hope a"d Charity, upon thefe three great fundamental Princi– ples, !hall inherit that blelfed Kingdom, or World to come? 3· Becaulc they are fo retired and private, that had they a Forehead broad enouah for the ln fcription aforelaid, yet they fit fo low that Nations·cannot eafily read it; a~d if we acquit the poor innocent Prote!l:anr, who mu(\ we fix thefe Characters upon? If all Diifenters from the Church of Rome be clear, then it mutt unavoidably be· fixed upon Rome herfelf: If any demand for what Rea!on, the Anfwer is, Fir!l:,; Becaufe when•the Prote!l:ants are exempted, ·c.hen there is none left to bear the Jnfcription, but the Church of Rome. 10 L 1, She
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