And as to the great Pagan Empire,1 (the greatest that ever the World had) Christ rode on the White Horse against them Conquering, and executed on them all the Plagues gradually numbered in the Apocalypse, the Seals, the Trumpets, the Vials, till he had utterly overcome them and all their Confederates: He dealt so severely with them, that of Forty Emperors there were scarce ten or seven that died without Murder a natural death: But they were still in Bloody Wars with other Nations, and with one another, so that [The Beast that was, and Is not, and yet Is,] became a fit description of their State: As notably suited to Domitian at first, and to Diocletian, Herculius, and their Fellows at last, so all along to the ordinary Succession: To day there was an Emperor; the next day he was killed, and there was None; And yet another presently succeeded him, and so there is one again; The Soldiers selling the Empire to him that would give most for it, or was likest to advance them. How dreadful a destruction did Christ by one Constantine bring on the seven Heads and ten Horns at last, in a very little time. So that Heaven and Earth triumphed with Joyful Praise that Babylon was fallen, and the Kingdoms of the World were become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, and he had taken to himself his great Power and had reigned, and was setting up the New Jerusalem (as a Fifth Monarchy) the Embryo of the Celestial Jerusalem in its visible Reigning Power. I am none of those that will secure Papal Rome from an answerable Name, and Guilt, and Fate: But he that will convince me that Pagan Rome was not the Babylon there meant, or that it is not fallen, must first convince me that he is of more credible Authority than the Apocalypse.
And as to the great Pagan Empire,1 (the greatest that ever the World had) Christ rode on the White Horse against them Conquering, and executed on them all the Plagues gradually numbered in the Apocalypse, the Seals, the Trumpets, the Vials, till he had utterly overcome them and all their Confederates: He dealt so severely with them, that of Forty Emperors there were scarce ten or seven that died without Murder a natural death: But they were still in Bloody Wars with other Nations, and with one another, so that [The Beast that was, and Is not, and yet Is,] became a fit description of their State: As notably suited to Domitian at first, and to Dioclesian, Herculius, and their Fellows at last, so all along to the ordinary Succession: To day there was an Emperor; the next day he was kill'd, and there was None; And yet another presently succeeded him, and so there is one again; The Soldiers selling the Empire to him that would give most for it, or was likest to advance them. How dreadful a destruction did Christ by one Constantine bring on the seven Heads and ten Horns at last, in a very little time. So that Heaven and Earth triumphed with Joyful Praise that Babylon was fallen, and the Kingdoms of the World were become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, and he had taken to himself his great Power and had reigned, and was setting up the New Jerusalem (as a Fifth Monarchy) the Embrio of the Coelestial Jerusalem in its visible Reigning Power. I am none of those that will secure Papal Rome from an answerable Name, and Guilt, and Fate: But he that will convince me that Pagan Rome was not the Babylon there meant, or that it is not fallen, must first convince me that he is of more credible Authority than the Apocalypse.
- 1The Revelation and the Roman History compared, prove this, and expound each other.
