But because it may be some body else will, that we may speak not only to the men, but to the matter. Observe that the ruin of Babylon here spoken of, is so described as to be sudden in one day, in one hour: her desolation is not only without recovery, but even Consolation, 1like to the throwing of a ⟨p. 50⟩stone into the Sea, 2so as neither Music, nor Minstrel, nor the sound of a Quern, or any Crafts-man, nor the voice of a Bridegroom, or a Bride, nor light of a Candle shall be found in her any more, This cannot agree with the Conversion, or the Subversion of heathen Rome, for all these things are yet left now to be found there; and if men will not wilfully shut their eyes, they must (me thinks) needs see that this Desolation did not then come upon Rome, nor is yet come upon her, And therefore it is not Heathen Rome, but after the embracing of Christian Religion, which is to fall, and consequently that out of which Christs People are called; Viegas of likelihood was aware of this, and therefore hath devised another shift to escape by: He saith, Rome is here to be taken in a double ⟨p. 51⟩estate. That before it received Christs Faith, and that which shall be in Antichrists time: when (as Saint John saith in this and the former Chapter) It shall revolt from the Bishop of Rome, and from the Faith (as he saith) a little before Antichrists coming, or at least at the beginning of his Kingdom Rome shall be grown proud, and secure, so as to say, I sit as a Queen; and then by the ten Kings mentioned in the former Chapter (who had given their Kingdoms unto her;) shall she be ruined and burnt, &c In this Exposition, the revolt that he tells of from the Obedience of the See of Rome, is a Fancy of his own, and hath not the least ground in St. Johns Vision, That the revolt from the Faith, whereof the Apostle Paul speaks, (2 Thessalonians 2.) is the very Apostasy of Antichrist the man of sin, 3and son of perdition, that ⟨p. 52⟩Rome in Antichrists time shall be secure, and account her self to sit as a Queen, and then be destroyed by the ten Kings that formerly had served and obeyed her; this is very true, as being expressly so laid down in the 16. and 17. Vers. of the former Chapter.
But because it may be some body else will, that we may speak not only to the men, but to the matter. Observe that the ruine of Babylon here spoken of, is so described as to be sudden in one day, in one houre: her desolation is not only without recoverie, but even Consolation, 1like to the throwing of a ⟨p. 50⟩stone into the Sea, 2so as neither Musick, nor Minstrel, nor the sound of a Quern, or any Crafts-man, nor the voyce of a Bridegroome, or a Bride, nor light of a Candel shall be found in her any more, This cannot agree with the Conversion, or the Subversion of heathen Rome, for all these things are yet left now to be found there; and if men will not wilfully shut their eyes, they must (me thinkes) needs see that this Desolation did not then come upon Rome, nor is yet come upon her, And therefore it is not Heathen Rome, but after the embracing of Christian Religion, which is to fall, and consequently that out of which Christs People are called; Viegas of likelyhood was aware of this, and therefore hath devised another shift to escape by: He saith, Rome is here to be taken in a double ⟨p. 51⟩estate. That before it received Christs Faith, and that which shall be in Antichrists time: when (as Saint Iohn saith in this and the former Chapter) It shall revolt from the Bishop of Rome, and from the Faith (as he saith) a little before Antichrists coming, or at least at the beginning of his Kingdome Rome shall be grown proud, and secure, so as to say, I sit as a Queen; and then by the ten Kings mentioned in the former Chapter (who had given their Kingdomes unto her;) shall she be ruined and burnt, &c In this Exposition, the revolt that he tells of from the Obedience of the See of Rome, is a Fancy of his own, and hath not the least ground in St. Iohns Vision, That the revolt from the Faith, whereof the Apostle Paul speaks, (2 Thessalonians 2.) is the very Apostacy of Antichrist the man of sinne, 3and sonne of perdition, that ⟨p. 52⟩Rome in Antichrists time shall be secure, and account her self to sit as a Queen, and then be destroyed by the ten Kings that formerly had served and obeyed her; this is very true, as being •xpresly so laid down in the 16. and 17. Vers. of the former Chapter.
- 1Verse […]. 10. 19.Verse 〈…〉. 10. 19.
- 2Verse 21. 22, 23.
- 32 Thes. 2. 3.
