and Honey: And then shall be the Judg ment of the Immortal God. But when The End of the God hath chang'd the Seafons, making the World. Winter Summer, then he will give divine And when he hath destroy'd the World. Note, I cannot guess what is meant by Hilara's Reign, when Wars and Slaughters will prevail; Papa Hilarius prophetico Spiritu prædixit, an nefcitis inquit intra iftos parietes, regnaturum Antichriftum; but this may be fome who pretends to a Papal Authority after the Deftruction of Rome, and this is the Prince above mention'd, and his Name may be Hilarius, which may be corrupted into Hilara. Since this Book is here ended with the Deftruction of the World, the Refurrection, and Millennium, 'tis a great abfurdity to add the Acroftics, and the following Description of Christ, and his Birth, Paffion, and Refurrection; there is enough of thefe Subjects in the preceeding Books, for thefe Additions are a Scandal to the Oracles, and have occafion'd Authors to fufpect them; Since this Book uses for the Character of the Turk Cafor Matris, it must be writ by the same Sibyl, who uses that Character in the fourth and and fifth Books: And all these may be writ by the Cumaan Sibyl, but the three firft by the Erythrean Sibyl, who does not use that Character; and these two Sibyls are plainly distinguish'd, The fixth and feventh Books are writ by one Sibyl, but different from the former. The End of the Sibylline Oracles. PROPHECYS in the Oracles; By which both will be better understood; and by this it will appear, that the fame Hiftory will interpret both. HE Subject of this Chapter is, to fhew Revelat. ch. the Author of the Revelations. God gave them to Chrift, and he fent them by his Angel to John. These were deliver'd by a Voice and a Vision, and he was commanded to write those things which he had feen, the things that are, and the things which fhall be hereafter. John prays for Grace and Peace from God, which is, and was, and is to come. Chrift is defcrib'd as the First-begotten of the Dead, and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth. The Holy Ghost is defcrib'd by the feven Spirits which were before the Throne. e Sibylline In the beginning of the Fourth Book the Author of them is defcrib'd: acles. Lib. 2. Lib. 6. Dictata à numine magno: Non Oracla quidem dantis mendacia Phœbi. And in the First Book God is thus defcrib'd: In the fame Book Chrift is thus spoke of: Sed paftquam triduo lucem, repetiverit, The Sibyls pretend to a Voice, and not to any Vision: Divini cantûs Vocem fubjecit amœnam. Corpore tota ftupens trahor buc, ignara quid ipfa This is the Sibyl's Defcription of Chrift: Extitit Er igne ex primo, primus Deus. The The Spirit is often mention'd in the Ora- Lib. 7. cles, Non nofti miferanda tuum, quem proluit olim In Fordane Deum, & volitabat fpiritus. Thus the Trinity is acknowledg'd by both Chrift writes to the feven Churches, and Rev, ch. 2, 3 corrects their enormous Opinions and wicked Lives: He reproves the Lafciviousness of the Nicolait ans at Ephefus, the Hypocrifie of the Jews at Smyrna, the eating of things offer'd to Idols at Pergamos, the Fornication of the Prophetess Jezebel at Thyatira, the Decay of Christianity at Sardis, Lukewarmnefs in the Laodiceans; but the Patience of the Philadelphians is commended. Christ describes himfelf in prophetic Phrafes, and his Rewards alfo. They are full of moral Inftructions a- The Sibyllin gainst Atheism, Idolatry, Adultery, Sodo- Oracles. my, Covetoufnefs, Theft, Irreverence to Parents, breach of Vows, and Perjury. There are so many of thefe Corrections, that I need not collect 'em; and, that thefe Evils bring Wars, Plagues, Famines, and Antichrist upon divers Nations. The Ruin of Smyrna, Sardis, Ephefus, Laodicea, Pergamos, by Earthquakes, are defcrib'd in thefe Oracles: Ast Ephefi ftru&tum Dianæ nomine fanum --Heu Sardis! beu multum Trallis amana! Eheu Laodicea! Urbs pulchra, peribiti ergo, N 3 God Lib. 5. |