cred liberty) shall lie in the street or dominion of the great (Roman) city (the antichristian empire) which (figuratively and) spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified, (and his peo ple, Acts. xi. 4.) 9. And they of the antichristian people, and tribes, and languages, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three prophetic days and half (1260 years) and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves, (they shall do no humane offices to them.) 10. And they of antichrist that dwell on the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth (before the time.)

11. But after three days (or years) and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, (their cause revived), and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12. Then they heard a great voice from heaven, saying to them, Come up hither; so they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; (their cause was advanced and exalted, and their enemies beheld them promoted and protected.) 13. And the same hour there was a great earthquake, (or revolution in France) and the tenth part of the city, or (antichristian empire) fell (off from the rest, and) in the (politic and ecclesiastic) earthquake were slain (or abolished, religious orders, and civil ranks and titles) of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14. The second wo is past; and, behold the third wo cometh quickly, (or without intermission.)

15. So the seventh angel sounded (the utter fall of antichrist and the Turk), and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ, who shall reign for ever and ever. The four-and-twenty ancients also, who sat on their thrones before God, fell on their faces, and worship

16.

ped God, 17. Saying, We thank thee, O Lord God Almighty, who art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18. Tho' the nations were angry, yet thy wrath is come; and the time for the dead to be judged, and to give reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, with them that fear thy name, small and great; and to destroy them who corrupt and destroy the earth (by sins, or wars and persecutions.)

19. (Now there was access to the church by sacred liberty) the temple of God was opened in heaven (more light of knowledge being given) and the ark of his covenant (even the truth, error and corruption being removed) was seen in his temple; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders (or wars) and an earthquake (or revolution), and great hail, (or fightings.)

CHAP. XII.

A WOMAN CLOTHED WITH THE SUN.

Now a great wonder appeared in (my vision of) heaven, a woman (that is the church) clothed as it were with the sun's (lustre, or Christ's righteousness), and the moon (or earthly concerns) under. her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars, (or the apostles' doctrines): 2. And being pregnant (with converts,) she cried out in travail, and seemed in pangs to be delivered.

3. There appeared also another wonder in (my vision of) heaven, (or the church), behold also a a great fiery dragon, (Satan) having the rule of the seven heads, (or forms of government, and hills of Rome), and of the ten horns, (or dominions) with seven diadems on his heads; 4. And his tail (or train of error) drew down the third part of the stars of heaven, (apostate ecclesiastics from the truth), and cast them to the earth: then the dragon (or flying serpent) stood before the woman,

who was ready to be delivered, to devour her progeny (by persecution) as soon as it was born. 5. And she first brought forth a man child, (the Israel of God), who was to rule all nations as with a rod of iron: and he was caught up to God and to his throne, (protected and glorified).

6. Then the woman fled (the corruption and persecution) into the wilderness, to a hiding placeappointed of God, to be nourished there a thousand two hundred and sixty (prophetic) days, (years, xi. 3.)

7. Then there was war in heaven, (or the church); Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon with his angels, (or bad men) fought, 8. But prevailed not; nor was place found any more in heaven for them. 9. For the great dragon (cruel deceiver) was cast out (of the dominion), even that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceiveth the whole (pagan and antichristian) world, was cast out into the earth, (or common sort), and his angels (or agents) were cast out (of their pagan places and power) with him, (when the gospel prevailed over paganism.)

10. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, (or the church), Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast out, who accused them before our God day and night. 11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to the death.

12. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Wo to the (pagan) inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea isles, for the devil is come down to you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that his time is shorter than formerly.

13. Now the dragon being cast to the (common)

earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man-child.

14. But to her was given (aid, as it were), two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly (from persecution) into the wilderness, to her place; where she is nourished for a time (a year), and times (two years), and half a time (1260 days or years), from the face of the serpent. 15. Then the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a river, (or a tumult), after the woman, to cause her be carried away by the stream. 16. But (some of the great men of) the earth helped the woman: so the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

17. Now the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the commands of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ.

CHAP. XIII.

THE BEAST WITH SEVEN HEADS.

Now, (in my vision), I stood on the sand of the sea, (of the tumult of nations), and saw a (savage papal) beast rise out of the sea, having seven heads (xii. 3.) and ten horns, and on its horns ten crowns, and on its heads names, or titles of blasphemy. 2. And the beast which I saw was (spotted) like a leopard, with feet like those of a (fierce) bear, and its mouth like that of a lion, (Dan. vii.) and the dragon (by Rome secular) gave it his power, and his throne, and great authority. 3. I saw also one of its heads (the empire in one of its stages) as it were wounded to death, but the deadly wound was healed (by recovering the power); and all the world wondered after the wild beast. 4. And they wor shipped the dragon (the devil, in Rome pagan). which gave power to the beast, and also the beast saying, Who is like it, or able to war with it. 4 D

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5. And there was permitted to him a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies; and power to continue and to make war by persecution forty and two (prophetic) months, (1260 years). 6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven, (giving them divine honours, and adoration). 7. And he was permitted to make war with the saints, and overcome them: and power was given him over all tribes, and people, and languages, and nations. 8. So all that dwell on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb (typically and virtually) slain from the foundation of the world, shall worship him.

9. If any have an ear, let him hear. 10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

11. Afterwards I beheld another beast (or the ecclesiastic orders) coming up out of the earth (that is in a settled time), and it had two horns like a lamb's (the secular and ecclesiastic power), but it spake as a dragon. 12. Yea, it exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth, with them who dwell therein, to worship the first beast, (the Roman papal power), whose deadly wound was healed, (the power being restored.) 13. Yea, he doeth great wonders, so as to make fire comedown from heaven on the earth before men, (by bulls and excommunications, and casting torches). 14. Thus he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by those signs which he had power to do in the sight of the papal beast; ordering them that dwell on the earth, to make an image to the beast (i. e. own his supremacy), who had the wound by the sword, and did live.

15. Yea, he had power to give life, as it were, to