The ruin of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…The ruine of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…

They are said to be four in number, because they should raise an horrible plague in the four corners of the Earth, both East, West, North, and South. The sense is, that the Devils have yet farther and greater scope given them to plague and destroy the inhabitants of the Earth. These Devils had exceeding great power in the Kingdom of Antichrist, but they are unsatiable in mischief, and so after a sort lye still bound till they have their desire. The place where they lye bound, is Euphrates, wherein is a mystery: for Euphrates literally taken; is a great River, which ran so night the City Babylon in Chaldea, that it was a mighty defence unto it, so that the City could not be taken, until they that laid siege unto it, cut out trenches, and derived the waters another way. Now for the mystery, it is this: Rome in this book is called Babylon, by a metaphor, and after the same manner, the great River Euphrates, as we shall see afterward, ch. 16. signifieth the power, wealth, and authority ⟨p. 148⟩which that City Rome, even this Western Babel, hath to defend it self. Then it followeth, that in this power, authority and strength of Rome, the Devils lye bound, for they waited through the power of Rome, to work yet far greater mischief, and therefore are said to be bound, so long as they were restrained. The mischief which they plotted and purposed to bring to pass by the Authority and power of Rome, was the hatching and bringing forth of the Mahometish Religion, which in very deed did spring from the darkness of Rome, as from his proper root and original cause.

They are sayd to be foure in number, because they should raise an horrible plague in the foure corners of the Earth, both East, West, North, and South. The sense is, that the Divells have yet farther and greater scope given them to plague and destroy the inhabitants of the Earth. These Divells had exceeding great power in the Kingdome of Antichrist, but they are unsatiable in mischiefe, and so after a sort lye still bound till they have their desire. The place where they lye bound, is Euphrates, wherein is a mystery: for Euphrates literally taken; is a great River, which ran so night the City Babylon in Chaldea, that it was a mighty defence unto it, so that the City could not be taken, untill they that laid siedge unto it, cut out trenches, and derived the waters another way. Now for the mystery, it is this: Rome in this book is called Babylon, by a metaphor, and after the same manner, the great River Euphrates, as we shall see afterward, ch. 16. signifieth the power, wealth, and authority