Bellaq; fuftulerunt atq; implacabilis hoftis; The fifth Angel founding, introduces Mahomet, who pretended to a Divine Inspi- Rev. ch. 9. ration as well as Civil Power, for which he is call'd a Star falling from Heaven. His Doctrin is from the Abyfs, and thence his Followers come, like Locufts in number, and Scorpions in tormenting: They at first perfecuted the Jews and Idolaters, but none of the Chriftians, who are call'd the Sealed. The Locufts are defcrib'd as Warriours, with a King over 'em as mischievous as the Devil: Thefe Locufts are the Arabians, because that Creature abounds moft there; they were to hurt and torment Men five Months, which reduc'd into Days, is reckon'd 150 Years, taking every Day for a Year; and fo long the Saracens were in raifing the Arabian Empire. This is the first Woe. The fixth Angel founded, and the four Angels were loofed at the River Euphrates; that is, the four Turkish Generals, Axan, Ducas, Melec, and Cutlumufes; the firft poffefs'd Perfia, the fecond Syria, the third Phanicia, and the laft Afia minor. These Turks abound in Horfemen, who flew the third part of Mankind, Men fit for War, by their Guns, that is, their Fire, Smoak, and Brimftone. The Causes of thefe Calamities are mention'd, Idolatry, Murders, Sorceries, For Sibyl. Orac. Lib. 5. Lib. 3. Rev. ch. 10. Fornication, Thefts. This is the fecond Woe. Mahomet is call'd Belial in the Second Humani generis ftrages & maxima meffis Necnon Hebræi, quos fævior impetet ira. The Turk's coming over Euphrates is thus defcrib'd: Quin olim veniet non expectatus in agros Purpureo, crudelis bomo, importunus & ardens: Diluvium immittent Euphratis fluminis unde, Multaq; figna faciet mortalibus, At non vera, fed error ibi fuberit, Falletq; fequentes, fidos, electos Hebræos, lege ca rentes, Atq; alios, nondum quibus eft audita Dei mens. The Angel whofe Face is like the Sun, and Feet like Fire, is the Son of God, defcrib'd fo in the firft Chapter. The little Book is open: 'Tis call'd a little Book, because the feven feal'd Volumes are taken out of it; and now it remains open. The The Destruction of the Jews and Romans, the Establishment of the Church under Conftantine, and the fix Invasions, being related fully by St. John, which before were very obfcurely intimated and feal'd up, that which is contain'd in the little Book is, the continuation of the Hiftory of the Saracens and Turks, who are the Eastern Antichrist, who must make War with the Saints: And the third Woe is the Rife of the Papacy, who will do the fame. And in this Book the Destruction of Rome in the West, of the Sapores II. marSaracens and Turks in the East, is defcrib'd, y'd 250 Bilhops and all introduc'd by the feventh Trumpet. Chriftians. An. And many of these things were reveal'd to 309, Cofroes 2d took Jerufalem, the Jews by former Prophets, in fhort De- and in Syria fcriptions, and to the Gentiles by the Sibyls; Chriftians. fuch is Antichrift and his Destruction by Thefe things St. Fire, the Return of the Jews, the Judgment, the Kingdom of the Saints in the Millennium, and the Burning of the World. and many other murder'd 300000 was com write in his Pro manded not to phecies; as it feems probable. The Temple of God is meafur'd, with Rev. ch. 11. the Altar and Worshipers, but the Measure is not fet down: This is the Temple of the Sepulchre, which has continued ever fince Conftantine's days; and the Court is to be Note, The Turks left to the Gentiles, which they fhall tread are often call'd down 42 Months. Thefe Gentiles are the Gentiles in the Saracens and Turks, whofe Kingdom muft/ laft 1260 Days (i. e. Years). This Year 1713 is the 1125 Hegira; and the Saracen Empire began from the flight of Mahomet from Mecca, in the Chriftian Era, 622; to Oracles. which if we add 1260 Years, made of the Days in 42 Months, it will be 1882, when that Empire muft fall; and fooner, if we reckon by the Hegira's. This reckoning is by Months, and therefore it must be by the Mahometan Years. The two Witneffes muft prophefie 1260 Days, which must be reckon'd by Christian Years, during which time they must be in Sackcloth, i. e. perfecuted or opprefs'd by the Saracens and Turks, and Jerufalem trod under foot. We muft reckon this time from the taking of Jerufalem by Omar, in 638; to which add 1260, the fumm will be 1898; till that time Jerufalem must be in the hands of those Gentiles, tho' the Empire fink somewhat fooner. The two Witneffes are, the two Churches, Antioch and Alexandria: Antioch was taken by the Saracens, 641; to which add 1260, the end of their Sackcloth and Prophecy will be 1901. After this time the Beaft, which is the Turk, (the Saracen being destroy'd before 1300) fhall make War with them for three years and a half, and conquer them in Grand Caire in Egypt, whither the Alexandrian Patriarch is remov'd; and in Jerufalem, where our Lord was crucified; but afterward the Witneffes fhall live and afcend into Heaven, that is, fhall conquer the Turk, or be receiv'd into the Millennium. Note, That the fecond Woe is now paft, therefore it comprehends all the Miferies the Chriftians muft muft fuffer by the Saracens and Turks, to the end of the World. The third Woe is contain'd under the seventh Trumpet, and this relates to the Western Church, as the second did to the Eastern, from Mahomet's time. This feventh Trumpet muft begin with the Rife of the Papacy; as will be declar'd in the next Chapter. The Rife of the Saracens and Turks is declar'd under the fifth and fixth Trumpet; and this Eleventh Chapter is their Conquests of Ferufalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and an account of the ill ftate of the Greek Church till the Millennium. Thefe two Witnesses, or Patriarchal Churches, are call'd Candlesticks, which are in prophetic ftile Churches, as the feven Churches are fo call'd: Thefe Witnesses have power to destroy their Enemies by Fire out of their Mouths, to hinder Rain, to turn Water into Blood, and to fmite the Earth with all manner of Plagues. Thefe miraculous Powers are the feven Vials, which the Angels will pour on the Turkish Empire before the last War, in the tenth Chapter, when they will be deftroy'd by Christ. The Saracens are Ishmaelites, born of Ha- Sibyl. Orae. gar, Abraham's Concubine: Europe magnus dolor exorietur, Saturni de gente nothâ, Servifq; creatà. Illa etiam firmam Babylona domabit, Nec deinde vagos compefcet lege nepotes. The Lib. 3. |