considered vvho vvas the giver Not Christ hee gaue his Disciples no power to make lawes but gaue them charge to teach beleevers to obserue all things vvhatsoever he had commanded them it is certain therfore that this power vvas given them not by God but by men namely by Kings Princes for the states degrees of men considered it is plaine that none can giue power to make lawes but such as be Soveraignes by such therefore this power to make lawes vvas given unto this Beast But vvhat should moue Soveraignes to giue power to Bishops Ministers to make lawes for the Church Nothing verily but blind devotion for they being ignorant of God of his Word thought it the best vvay to keep peace unity in the Church vvheras indeed it vvas the cause of strife dissention at length by that meanes iniquity vvas established for a law Gods Word vvholly reiected cast aside as unmeet for Lay-men to use Now as in all lavvfull proceedings Princes are Gods ministers in Gods stead unto their subiects and people so in giving this povver to this Beast they are the Dragons ministers and instrumēts Wheras it is said that power was givē unto the Beast to make but it is not noted what should be made it argueth that the things made are of that nature and qualitie that they are not worthy of any name the makers themselues use to call their Acts Canons Constitutions and Lawes but falsly for if they were such indeed then men might haue some good use of them but that no man can haue therefore it is but falshood and deceit so to name them It is like the calling of one carved Image S. Peter another S. Paul another S. Iohn c. that is to name things that which they be not and that is to lie In that it is sayd that power was given unto the Beast to make 42. Monethes It sheweth that the beasts time is limited And seing that the time is limited we must finde that the time of making of the Catholick church agreeth with this stint before we can be sure that it is the Beast here represented wherefore consider that the ecclesiasticall state began to make about the yere of our Lord 304. the Ancyran counsell being the first whose constitutions took the effect and force of lawe And made not an end of making untill the yere 1564. the Counsell of Trent being the last wherin the beast acted the last act of this making and fulfilled the measure of that iniquitie and therfore is now to receive judgment and condemnation from the Lord as is hereafter in this prophesie declared So that if we account a yeare for a day and thirtie dayes for a moneth it will amount to 1260. dayes which is the just some of 42. moneths that this beast was a making which is a strong argument that by this beast was signified the ecclesiasticall estate or Catholick church as is shewed before page 1. Further it is sayd of this Beast that he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven In that this Beast by the ministerie of false Prophets and Teachers as by her mouth hath seduced the Nations and made them beleeve That God by the Ministerie of his holy Apostles and Prophets hath not left us a sure and sufficient rule of faith in the holy Scriptures but that the want therof must be supplied with unwritten verities the writings of auncient fathers determinations of counsells and the Popes decretals otherweise all people would runne into confusion it may truely be sayd that she hath opened her mouth unto blasphemie against God First it maketh the eternall who hath created all things and for whose wills sake all things are and were created To be but a rude and grosse beginner of a work which he hath left and given up for vayne man to finish make perfect Secondly if there be particular lawes left out of the Scriptures for want of which all people would runne into confusion then God hath not shewed himself to be a God of order Thirdly the word of God is not sufficient to make the man of God perfect in every good worke as the Apostles sayth But thus to think is a horrible errour Thus to speake is wicked blasphemy and thus to teach is hellish iniquitie For how wil it stand with the glory of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ not to give unto his people a perfect Law and sure Testimonie whereunto they might trust and wherin they might rest and live by faith but must depend upon other men to see as it were with their eyes and not with their owne and so to hold their faith in respect of other mens persons to beleeve as they beleeve c as though Gods people their leaders excepted were not reasonable creatures but as beasts without understanding But blessed be our God wee have a sure word of the Prophets which is as a light shining in a dark place wherunto we shall do well if wee take heed Gods people haue no need of unwritten verities mens precepts and traditions They have surer lights to walk by then the writings of the Schoole men and other writers of auntient times They haue surer Rules and righter Testimonies wherby to decide and end controversies and doubts then the determinations of counsells and Popes decrees and they which speake to the contrary open their mouth to blaspheme against God Concerning blaspheming the name of God amongst other attributes or titles whereby he is sett forth unto us he is called the Holy one of Israel and the high Priest in Israel did beare this inscription upon his forehead graven in gold Holynesse to the Lord. First therfore we may truely and boldly say of the Lord that Holy is his name Secondly we may likewise truely and boldly affirme that to give the title of Holynesse unto any unholy prophane and abhominable thing is to blaspheme the name of God But thus the Beast hath done many and sundrie wayes They ascribe Holynes unto their Antichristian orders and preisthood to their Idolatrous Masse to their exorcised or conjured Bread Water Oyle Tapers Ashes Vestures Vessells and many other implements in and by all which they blaspheme the name of God And as they blaspheme the name of God So likewise they blaspheme his Tabernacle That is to say the true visible Church of Christ vnder the Gospel which is the place of Gods presence which he hath chosen to put his name there * Math. 18. where two or three or more are gathered together in the name of Christ there is Christ present and where Christ is present there hath God put his name there he is to be sought and there hee may bee found and there is his Tabernacle To come together in the name of Christ is when Gods people ioyne themselues together in a spirituall body politicke separated from the common multitudes of
and being so transubstantiated to offer it vp vnto God a sacrifice propitiatorie both for quick and dead Thus the wounded head of Priesthood was cured and revived and so became the worlds wonder as now it followeth to bee declared according as Iohn here witnesseth And all the world wondred after the Beast That is The people of the Nations hauing this Priesthood set over them and commended unto them to bee of such power and dignitie as that they could make them a visible God not onely to behold with their eyes and looke vpon but also to eate and that their maker and redeemer to their everlasting salvation And being so effectually deluded as that they beleeued these lyes hereupon they wondred and followed the Beast Well might they wonder to see bread and taste bread where was no bread and to see wine and taste wine where was no wine for so were they made to beleeue and to eate flesh and drinke bloud and yet neither to see nor taste flesh nor bloud this was a wonder to wonder at and who would not follow him for a guide that had power to worke such wonders But they did not onely follow the Beast as the Iewes did Christ when they saw his miracles But they worshipped the Dragon which gaue Ver. 4. power vnto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying who is like vnto the Beast Who is able to make warre with him To worship is to heare and obey and by worshipping the Dragon was shewed that they wholly addicted themselues to be directed and ruled by the Beast whom the Dragon used as his instrument to worke his will and to whom he had giuen authority and power to that end thus orginally they worshiped the divell Secondly they worshiped the Beast as being the instrument of the divell and they became subiects in all things obedient unto the Beast as being of such holinesse and truth as that it could not erre nor deceiue others and of such power as what they loosed on earth was loosed in heaven and what they bound in earth was bound in heaven therfore such a power as had no match or peere so that they boasted and said of it Who is like unto the Beast As David considering the power Psal 71. 77. and wonderfull works of God saith Who is like unto the Lord So doe the Nations boast of this Beast saying Who is like unto the Beast And further they sayd of him Who is able to make warre with him As if they should say This our holy Mother hath power to excommunicate and deliver to Satan all of what estate condition and degree soever they be that will not heare her voyce beare her yoke and be ruled by her Who therefore is able to make warre with her that is make his party good against this our holy Mother Of such admiration was this Beast in the earth thus hath the world thought and spoken of her And moreover there was given unto this Beast a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given him to make 42. moneths Ver. 5. As the mouth is the meanes and instrument whereby men do declare their mindes so this Beast had a mouth to declare and utter her minde by which mouth was signified a Ministerie of false Prophets and lying Spirits namely Doctors Schoole-men Monkes Frvars and all sorts of their Preachers who teach for doctrines the commandements of the Beast and declare and utter the minde and will of the Beast as being equall to Gods Word this their Canons Lawes Books and Monuments do manifestly witnesse The effect of that which this mouth uttereth is noted to be great things and blasphemies They boast of this Beast that she is the holy Catholick Church Militant the Mother of all true beleevers the chaste Spouse of Christ the Pillar and ground of Truth that it cannot erre c. And that all which will haue God to be their Father must haue her to be their Mother Finally that out of her lap and communion there is no saluation These and many other such great things speaketh the mouth of this Beast which are indeed great things and being so spoken are great blasphemies For is it not great blasphemy to call that Holy which is most abominable To call her the Mother of all true Beleevers which is the Mother of fornications and of all abominations To call that the Pillar and ground of Truth which hath corrupted the earth with her errours and fornications and caused all Nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath thereof To say there is no saluation but in her followship whose end and iudgement is to go to destruction Beware of false Prophets and teachers of lyes for such are the mouth of this Beast And it is further to be minded that it is said of this Beast that the mouth which she had was given her for had this Beast no more to maintaine this mouth then she hath of her own by discent and heritage she could not haue so many to speake for her as she hath But Emperors and Kings Princes Nobles and other great sinners became benefactors to this Beast giving unto her Lands and Tenements rents revenewes to maintaine this mouth to utter great things and blasphemies and more then this Power was given him to act or make two and fortie moneths For the better understanding of this point let this be considered In the Antichristian Kingdome they haue a rule how to proceed in every cause but not given them of God but of their own making which they commonly call the Canon Law concerning vvhich Law here we may learne by vvhom it vvas made how long it was in making These makers usurp the name of the Church of Christ but the true Church is the Kingdom of Christ and being the Kingdom of Christ it hath him onely for lawgiver they therefore which under the title of the Church presume to make lawes are fitly worthily resembled by a Beast For what is more unreasonable then for those whose greatest dignity glory happines consisteth in hearing obeying administring of Gods Word to fall from this and Lucifer-like to exalt oppose themselues against their Maker as though they were vviser iuster then God to adde unto his Testament vvhich is sufficient to instruct us in all vvisedome to make the man of God perfect in every good work and to take from the same 2. Tim. 3. 17. Testament at their pleasure vvhich is not lawfull to do to any mans testament vvithout great offence and injustice as the Apostle sheweth Gal. 3. 15. yet this is the way wherein those great doers the authors of the Canon Law haue vvalked It is said of those Actors that Power was given them c. Where first vve may obserue that of themselues they had not this power for then it could not haue been said to be given them but given them it was it is therefore to be
ugly in forme and horrible and monstrous in nature Who can indure to heare that Power that Throne and that authority which they beleeue to be of God to be said and affirmed to bee of the Dragon that old Serpent the Diuell and Satan Who will beleeue that a righteous God would giue way to his enemies the workers of iniquitie so farre to prevaile and so long time as for many hundred yeeres together to delude the Nations to bring them into bondage and to keepe them in slaverie And that a few poore despised people of no reckoning in the world here one and there another should see more and be wiser then all the great Clarks wise Counsellours mightie Princes and all the Nobles of the earth Who I say hath an eare to heare these things and not bee moved to fret in himselfe and to gnash his teeth at the hearing of them Yet notwithstanding all this and more let him that hath an eare heare for times and seasons will change a time will come as the verse following doth declare when these great workers of iniquity shall bee subdued and troden under foote He that leadeth into captivitiae shall goe into captivitie he that killeth with Vers 10. the sword must bee killed with the sword here is the patience and faith of the Saints Here is shewed the iustice of God who will recompence unto the wicked according to the workes of their hands as they haue measured unto others it shall bee measured unto them againe they shall reape the fruite of their unrighteousnesse to the full Therefore the Saints and servants of God should here learne with patience to beare the Crosse because the Lord will take their parts and avenge their bloud upon their enemies and those which with patience rest upon the Lord are here recorded for Saints Here is the patience and faith of the Saints As if it were said those which patiently indure affliction for the truth and commit their cause unto God resting faithfully upon him are thereby tryed and made manifest to the world to bee the Saints and Servants of God that in sure hope of a time of refreshing chuse to endure captivitie and the sword rather then they will to haue peace with the world together with the world worship the Beast Thus much concerning the first part of this Chapter and of that power and promotion which the Prelates and Clergie crope up unto before the exaltation and supremacie of the Pope The mysterie of whose iniquitie is next to be considered To God be glorie for ever Amen The second part of the 13. Chapter of the Revelation beginning at the 11. Verse VERSE 11. And I beheld another Beast comming up out of the earth and he had two hornes like a Lambe and he spake as a Dragon AS in the former part of this Chapter the Prelacie and Clergie in generall who under the title of the Catholike Church Militant exalted themselues to work iniquitie and bring the Nations into captivitie and bondage to their traditions were resembled by a seven-headed Beast so here after much striving amongst themselues who should be the chiefe and greatest not being content with their former riches honour and earthly promotion but aspiring higher at last the Prelate of Rome in particular attained to this title and dignitie to be Christs Vicar Peters successor and universall Bishop and under that Title pretended a fulnesse of power and supremacie over all persons and causes and therefore is here resembled and fore-shewed by a Beast c. First whereas it is said of this Beast that it came up out of the earth thereby is signified that the high degree and dignitie whereunto the Prelates of Rome haue aspired and exalted themselues is not from heaven it is of the earth earthly it is a plant which our heavenly Father hath not planted and therefore shall in the end be rooted out Concerning the comming up of this Beast it is to be minded that the Ministers of the word of God of which ranke of men this Beast boasteth himselfe to be the cheife if they were in their right kinde should be as the Starres of heaven lights and guides unto others But at the opening of the * Rev. 6. 13. sixth Seale Iohn saw the Starres fall from heaven to the earth as a fig tree casteth her greene figges when she is shaken of a mighty winde whereby was signified that the Ministers of the word of God would in time degenerate and goe out of kinde they would contrary to the Apostles rule set their affections on earthly things they would for filthy lucre make Marchandize of the people and Word of God they would gather riches and grow wealthy by the wages of unrighteousnesse and so become the great men of the earth all which is fulfilled and come to passe as all may see that are not wilfully blinde Among the rest of the fallen Starres to one was given the key of the bottomlesse pit Rev. 9. 1. whereby was signified that power and preheminence should be given to one of the fallen Starres aboue the rest which thing was effected and came to passe when Phocas being Emperour he promoted Boniface then Prelate of Rome to be universall Bishop and to haue power and jurisdiction over all other Bishops Which thing vvhen Phocas had done this Abaddon King of Locusts with the rest of the brood of the bottomelesse pit that succeeded him who had the opening and shutting of Purgatory at their pleasure so prevailed in time that they exalted themselues aboue Emperours and Kings which thing they could never haue done had they not first besotted the Nations in blinde devotion to impoverish themselues to feed these Locusts under the title of the Church and in hope of meriting thereby and to be released from their sinnes and from the supposed paines of Purgatory For had the Pope that Prelate of Rome been as destitute of worldly wealth and as well furnished with spirituall grace as Peter and Iohn were when they went up into the Temple to pray Acts 3. 1. 6. and healed the lame man he had never set his foote upon the Emperours neck For as much therefore as the Romish Prelate from a meane and lowly estate and degree in the world hath crept up and been exalted aboue Kings and Emperours and seeing worldly wealth and riches haue been the meanes whereby he hath got the preheminence very significantly was this upstart resembled and prefigured by a Beast comming up out of the earth Againe it is said of this Beast that it had two Hornes like the Lamb By Hornes in the Scripture is usually signified power and authority and by the Lamb is meant Christ Iesus who had all power in heaven and earth given to him Math. 28. 18. So that hereby was shewed that the Prelate of Rome would challenge and usurpe great power and authority which he perswadeth the world doth belong unto him as being Christs Vicar and under this pretence usurpeth