that had the Mark or the Name of the Beast. And 17. (4) ver. 2. •(5) Have been led into Idol atrous Fractifes. the Kings of the Earth (1) have one Mind, and (1) Rev., Shall give their Power and strength unto the Beast; 17; 13, 15 even peoples, and multitudes, and nations and tongues, For God hath put in their hearts [in the hearts of the Kings,] to fulfill his Will, and to agree, and give their Kingdom unto the Beast, untill the words of God fhall be fulfilled. The Name of the Perfon, in whofe hands the (2) Reins or (2) Rev. Principal Direction of the Exercife of this Power 17; 3,7. is lodged, is (3) Mystery, Babylon the Great, the (3) Rev. Mother of Harlots, and Abominations of the Earth: 17,5. (4) With whom the Kings of the Earth (5) have committed Fornication, and the Inhabiters of the Earth have been made drunk with the Wine of her fornication: And (6) drunken with the Blood of the Saints, and with (6) Rev. the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus: her (8) Sorceries, are All Nations deceived: And in Her is found the Blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of All that are flain upon the Earth. And This Perfon, [the political Perfon,] to whom thefe Titles and Characters belong, is (1) That Great City, (standing (2) (1) Rev. upon Seven Mountains,) which Reigneth over the 17, 18. Kings of the Earth. She herself is And (7) by 17, 6. (7) Rev. 18; 23, 24. (8) Φαρμακεία, [σοφοίς φαρ Minois. Methods of making men Religious without Virtue. (2) ver. 9. If in the days of St Paul and St John, there was any Footstep of fuch a Sort of Power as This, in the World; Or, if there ever had been any fuch Power in the World; Or if there was Then any Appearance of Probability, that could make it enter into the heart of Man to imagine, that there ever could be any fuch Kind of Power in the World, much lefs in (3) the Temple or Church of God; (3) 2 Theff: And, if there be not Now fuch a Power actually 2, 4. G 2 and and confpicuously exercifed in the World; And if any Picture of this Power, drawn after the Event, can now describe it more plainly and exactly, than it was originally defcribed in the words of the Prophely: Then may it with fome degree of plaubleness be fuggefted, that the Prophecies are nothing more than Enthufiaftick Imaginations. A A LETTER. Concerning the ARGUMENT a priori, in the Proof of the BEING of GOD. To the Reverend Dr * * * Y OUR Objection against arguing at all a priori, concerning the Exiftence and Perfections of the First Caufe; is what Many Learned Men have indeed tuck at. And it being evident, that Nothing can be prior to the First Caufe; they have therefore thought it fufficient to fay, that the First Caufe exifts" abfolutely without Caufe; and that therefore there can be no fuch thing, as reafoning of arguing about it a priori at all. But if you attend carefully, you will find This way of speaking, to be by no means fatisfactory. For though 'tis indeed most evident, that no Thing, no Being, can be prior to That Being, which is the First Canfe and Original of all things; yet there must be in nature a Ground or Reafon, a permanent Ground or Reafon, of the existence of the First Caufe. Otherwife its Existence would be owing to, and depend upon, mere Chance. And all that could be faid |