Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John | Page 7

death of bodies
politic, that is, for their dissolution; the overflowing of a sea or river,
for the invasion of the earth politic, by the people of the waters; drying
up of waters, for the conquest of their regions by the earth; fountains of
waters for cities, the permanent heads of rivers politic; mountains and
islands, for the cities of the earth and sea politic, with the territories and
dominions belonging to those cities; dens and rocks of mountains, for
the temples of cities; the hiding of men in those dens and rocks, for the
shutting up of Idols in their temples; houses and ships, for families,
assemblies, and towns, in the earth and sea politic; and a navy of ships
of war, for an army of that kingdom that is signified by the sea.

Animals also and vegetables are put for the people of several regions
and conditions; and particularly, trees, herbs, and land animals, for the
people of the earth politic: flags, reeds, and fishes, for those of the
waters politic; birds and insects, for those of the politic heaven and
earth; a forest for a kingdom; and a wilderness for a desolate and thin
people.
If the world politic, considered in prophecy, consists of many kingdoms,
they are represented by as many parts of the world natural; as the
noblest by the celestial frame, and then the Moon and Clouds are put
for the common people; the less noble, by the earth, sea, and rivers, and
by the animals or vegetables, or buildings therein; and then the greater
and more powerful animals and taller trees, are put for Kings, Princes,
and Nobles. And because the whole kingdom is the body politic of the
King, therefore the Sun, or a Tree, or a Beast, or Bird, or a Man,
whereby the King is represented, is put in a large signification for the
whole kingdom; and several animals, as a Lion, a Bear, a Leopard, a
Goat, according to their qualities, are put for several kingdoms and
bodies politic; and sacrificing of beasts, for slaughtering and
conquering of kingdoms; and friendship between beasts, for peace
between kingdoms. Yet sometimes vegetables and animals are, by
certain epithets or circumstances, extended to other significations; as a
Tree, when called the tree of life or _of knowledge_; and a Beast, when
called the old serpent, or worshipped.
When a Beast or Man is put for a kingdom, his parts and qualities are
put for the analogous parts and qualities of the kingdom; as the head of
a Beast, for the great men who precede and govern; the tail for the
inferior people, who follow and are governed; the heads, if more than
one, for the number of capital parts, or dynasties, or dominions in the
kingdom, whether collateral or successive, with respect to the civil
government; the horns on any head, for the number of kingdoms in that
head, with respect to military power; seeing for understanding, and the
eyes for men of understanding and policy, and in matters of religion for
[Greek: Episkopoi], Bishops; speaking, for making laws; the mouth, for
a law-giver, whether civil or sacred; the loudness of the voice, for
might and power; the faintness thereof, for weakness; eating and

drinking, for acquiring what is signified by the things eaten and drank;
the hairs of a beast, or man, and the feathers of a bird, for people; the
wings, for the number of kingdoms represented by the beast; the arm of
a man, for his power, or for any people wherein his strength and power
consists; his feet, for the lowest of the people, or for the latter end of
the kingdom; the feet, nails, and teeth of beasts of prey, for armies and
squadrons of armies; the bones, for strength, and for fortified places;
the flesh, for riches and possessions; and the days of their acting, for
years; and when a tree is put for a kingdom, its branches, leaves and
fruit, signify as do the wings, feathers, and food of a bird or beast.
When a man is taken in a mystical sense, his qualities are often
signified by his actions, and by the circumstances of things about him.
So a Ruler is signified by his riding on a beast; a Warrior and
Conqueror, by his having a sword and bow; a potent man, by his
gigantic stature; a Judge, by weights and measures; a sentence of
absolution, or condemnation, by a white or a black stone; a new dignity,
by a new name; moral or civil qualifications, by garments; honour and
glory, by splendid apparel; royal dignity, by purple or scarlet, or by a
crown; righteousness, by white and clean robes; wickedness, by spotted
and filthy garments; affliction, mourning, and humiliation, by clothing
in sackcloth; dishonour, shame,