Fire and brimstone from heaven, from earth, in hell, or, Three discourses I. Concerning…

CHAP. IX. Concerning the burning of Rome.

First, WE may be minded hereby of the Burning of Rome, which certainly will be, of which this Eruption of Aetna so near may be a Prognostic and Fore-runner; it being of common observation amongst them that the extraordinary eruptions of this Mount are ominous, especially unto Rome. That Rome is the Babylon threatened with destruction and Fire, will be evident if you look into the Description. Rev▪ 17. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. And there came one of the seven Angels, which had the seven Viols and talked with me, saying unto me come hither, I will show unto thee the Judgement of the great Whore that sitteth upon many Waters, with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication, and the Inhabitants have been made drunk with the Wine of her Fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the Wilderness: And I saw a Woman sit upon a Scarlet-coloured Beast, full of names of Blasphemy, having seven Heads, and ten Horns: And the Woman was arrayed in Purple and Scarlet colour, and decked with Gold and Precious Stones, and Pearls, having a Golden Cup in her hand, full of Abomination and Filthiness of her Fornication. And upon her Fore-head was a name Written: Mystery Babylon, The Great, The Mother of Harlots, and Abomination ⟨p. 78⟩of the Earth. And I saw the Woman drunken with the Blood of the Saints, and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus. That this Description is applicable unto the Papacy of Rome▪ and to no other is evident from every part thereof, as it is explained by the Angel in this same Chapter, and fulfilled as to every particular in the Popedom. We are not to understand it of one particular Pope, but of the whole Race and Succession of them, who are called the great Whore, sitting upon many Waters, with whom the Kings of the Earth committed Fornication, &c. signifying the spiritual Fornication, committed by them with her, or the Idolatry which she draweth them unto the practice of. The Waters are the People, which she hath under subjection. The Scarlet-Coloured Beast she sitteth upon, having seven Heads, and ten Horns, is the great City of Rome, and the state thereof; the seven Heads signify seven Mountains on which Rome was built, therefore called Septi-collis Roma, Sevenhill'd Rome. Moreover the City is described to be the City which then Reigned over the Kings of the Earth, which was the City of Rome the Imperial Seat at that time;