Babylons downfall a sermon lately preached at Westminster before sundry of the honourable House…

1. Babylon is here in my text called, the great City, and in S. Johns time, what was the great City but Rome it self: for suppose a man were in France, and should hear another say, that such & such a work were to be done in the great City, who would not know that he meant Paris? or suppose a man in England should hear another say, that some great work were to be done in the great City, who would not know, that he meant London? In S. Johns time the ⟨p. 7⟩Roman Empire prevailing, the great City was Rome it self; and therefore the Holy Ghost saying, that Babylon was the great City, saith expressly, that by Babylon is meant Rome.

1. Babylon is here in my text called, the great Citie, and in S. Johns time, what was the great Citie but Rome it selfe: for suppose a man were in France, and should heare another say, that such & such a work were to be done in the great Citie, who would not know that he meant Paris? or suppose a man in England should heare another say, that some great work were to be done in the great Citie, who would not know, that hee meant London? In S. Johns time the ⟨p. 7⟩Roman Empire prevailing, the great Citie was Rome it selfe; and therefore the Holy Ghost saying, that Babylon was the great Citie, saith expresly, that by Babylon is meant Rome.

2. This City, and Whore of Babylon, is said to sit upon a beast, Revel. 17. 7. Now if we look into the book of Daniel, whereby much of the Revelation is to be interpreted, we shall find mention made of four beasts to succeed one another, which is there interpreted to be four Kingdoms or Monarchies. The first of the Chaldees. The second of the Medes and Persians. The third of the Grecians. And the fourth of the Romans. Now before Johns time, the three first beasts were dead, and gone; the fourth and last, only remained, the Roman Empire. And what City or people hath so ridden the Roman Empire, as Rome hath done?