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A54053
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A sober guess concerning several dark prophesies in the Revelation, especially the XI. chapter extracted out of several authors expositors on the Apocalyps / by T.P. Minister of the Gospel.
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T. P.
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1662
(1662)
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Wing P119; ESTC R22458
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86,572
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208
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Luther of error by solid demonstrations out of the Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but mainly because his doctrine was contrary to the decrees of Popes c. He doth also charge and command Patriarchâ— Metropolitans Primats Archbishops Bishops and all other Ecclesiastical Orders downward even to the begging Friarâ— and then all Kings Electors of the Empire Princes Dukes and so on and at last all men throughout the whole univerful world the very voyce proper and native language of the grand Antichrist on pain of the great Excommunication that they do not embrace Luthers doctrine nor adhere to or favour his person Now the Popes challenged this supremacy in some degree soon after the fourth Century Pope Innocent the first drew all Appeals from other Bishops to the Apostolick Sea according to former Statutes and Customs as be he saith in his Epistle to Victricius Innocent Epist 2. ad Vâ—coriâ—ium Majores cansae ad sâ—dem Apostolicam sicut Synodus statuit beata consuaetudo exigit Aâ—no 404 or 406. post judicium Episcopale reseruntur not to speak of their claiming the title of Vniversal Bishop nor yet their assuming the title of Pontifex Maximus the name of the cheif Heathenish Priest among the Romans which dignity many of the Emperors had annexed to their Imperial greatness which Graecian the Emperor first renounced Anno 380 and the rest after him they did about that time plainly arrogate and usurp a judiciary power over Councils and Churches As in the time of Innocentius the first who did sue for and obtained of the Emperor Honorius Priority of place suffrage and censure over all Churches In his time therefore Historians report the Roman Church began to swell with pride and to usurp Jurisdiction over other Churches And this appears by the insolent letter which this Pope Innocent the first sent to the fifth Council of Carthage in which Council the heresie of Pelagius was condemned This Council sent their letters to this Bishop of Rome expressing therein the decree of the Council See Sympsons History of the Church Cont. 5. The answer that this Innocentius returned to this Council was intermized with words of swelling pride as if no decree could be firm unless it had the allowance of the Roman chair Besides they did then claim this prerogative that Appeals ought to be made to the Bishop of Rome from all Churches and he to give the last definitive sentence yea so zealous were they about this time that three Popes Zosimus Boniface Coelestine did in the sixth Council of Carthage in which Saint Augustine was present in the cause of one Appianus who had appealed out of Affrick unto Rome as many had done before not onely challenge the receiving of Appellations from all Churches but also forge a decree of the great Council of Nice which had been almost a hundred years before to support it This was by the Fathers of the Synod indeed then rejected and the pretended Canon found to be forged and spurious yet this was a right by the Popes then challenged Before the Council of Constantinople which some reckon to be in Anno 381. others in Anno 383. Wolphius Lection memorab Tom. 1. p. 131. saith Hoc scilicet tempore gliscebat Antichristus Rome i.e. Antichrist did then begin to appear at Rome c. yea that very Council of Constantinople consisting of 150 Bishops moderated by Nectarius Archbishop of Constantinople did acknowledge the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome onely reserving to the Bishop of Constantinople the second place among the Bishops and immediately after this Council the Bishop of Rome did mightily labour to draw all causes to his own Consistory Morn Mystery of Iniquity p. 40. But this Supremacy they were ambitious of long before as learned Brightman and others observe for in the first great Council of Nice where Constantine was present the Bishop of Rome was not there of whose absence Bellarmin gives two reasons 1. It did not seem convenient that the Head should follow the Members 2. Because in the Eastern Councils always the Emperor was present or his Ambassador who did challenge the first Bellarm. l. 1. de Concil Eccles c. 29. at least material place to himself Lest therefore he should either suffer this or else make a tumult he would not go to the Council but rather sent his Ambassadors Hence Brightman concludes That in the time of this Council the man of Rome though not outwardly and openly Home Romae Brightman Antichrist Nascen Antichrist Crescent Antichrist Reâ—nant and Triumphant He was the first when he usurped an universal Authority over all Bishops See Dr. Crackinthorp his Treatise of General Councils cap. 13. p. 186. yet inwardly and secretly did lift up himself above all that is called God 2 Thess 2.4 From all which I conclude that about 400 years after Christ the grand Antichrist was not only as a great big Embrio swelling in the womb and ready to come forth but rather as a childe lately born lying in the cradle that it is probable yea I may say more then probable that between 403 and 410 Antichrist begun Object Daniel speaking of these horns intimates that the little horn Antichrist that grew so great should come up after the rest Dan. 7 24. Answ He spake as it were in his preception and observation the little horn rose with the rest but he did not discern it until he considered the horns as is were with a prying eye vers 8. And as it was in the Vision so it was in the accomplishment indeed he rose imperceptibly because the world mistook what manner of Creature he should be No we may rather suspect that Antichrist was up before the Kings the Papacy having such strange appearance of him before any of the Kings sprung up Rev. 17.12 And so some read these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They received power as Kings one hour not with the Beast but after the Beast Thus I have given two Indices or Evidences to prove and that a priori that the 1200. and 60. days are near to a period And so the Earthquake that must ruine the Beast is at hand But there are two other Evidences of it a posteriori which are more certain and more indubitable 1. The slaying of the Witnesses or rather their lying dead in the street of the great City which precedes the great Earthquake which shall be at their resurrection Centemporary with which resurrection as a second Evidence is the pouring out of the fifth Vial upon the throne of the Beast Some think this vial is now about to be poured out for at the pouring out of this Vial this great Earthquake begins and so continues and ends not till the pouring out of the seventh Vial. Of the first of these see the following AN EXPOSITION OF THE XI CHAP. OF THE REVELATION THere are many important things contained in the Revelation of
his person parallel and maintain This is the Image of the Beast which he causeth men to make and this he effecteth two ways He perswad 's them by signes and wonders that with him they consent to make an Image of the Beast wounded in his sixth head which at length being made at his bidding that wound received in v. 13 14. 2 Thes â— the state of the Dragon is healed and the Dragon Deast seems to be revived Mede 1. By deceiving them with lying wonders and counterfeit miracles 2. By frighting men and terrifying them with formidable Edicts Anathemaes Thunderbolts of Excommunication debarring men even of civil commerce while excommunicated Now it follows vers 15. Vers 4. He had power to give life to the image of the beast that the image of the beast should speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed By which image of the beast is meant not onely as was shewed before that Religion which the first beast viz. the Roman heathenish Empire had and the second beast viz. Ecclesiastical Rome sought to revive vers 14. But also a lively portraiture or representation of that power and authority and soveraignty which the Roman heathenish Empire had Now it is said in this 15. verse Datum est ei dare spiritum c. He had power to give life to the image of the beast i.e. It is given to the false Propher viz. the Pope and his Clergy to give life to the Popish secular power to speak i. e. with power and authority to speak to command and forbid in all Kingdoms as well to command by his Edicts those things that were needful for the defending of his honour and dignity as also to forbid any other Religion but the Religion of the Beast and to punish and that with death all those that would not obey and worship the Beast And indeed all that power that the Image of the Beast viz. the Popish Secular power hath to rage against the Saints is given him by the false Prophet Beast viz. the Pope and his Clergy Hence the Pope and the Papacy affirm that even Kings and Emperors have from them whatever they have So that the German Cesar was not Roman Emperor till he was confirmed by the Pope And an Emperor saith Aretius is but an image of him chosen indeed by the seven Electors of Germany but confirmed by the Pope for if the Pope confirm not the new elect he is no Emperor And the matter is so carried in the exercise of this power against the Saints that whom the Pope and his Clergy do condemn for Herefie as they call it they forthwith deliver them over to the Secular power to be killed as ye may often read in the Book of Martyrs In these three last verses Ver. 16.17 18. I will endeavour to explain some things by shewing what is probable to be the sence and meaning of these four things in these three verses 1. The mark of the Beast 2. The name of the Beast 3. The number of his Name 4. The number of the Beast 666. And that no man might buy resell save he that had the Mark or the Name or the Number of his Name Now these are three distinct badges Bright man Pareus Forbes or characteristical notes of the Beasts Vassals or worshippers I like well Forb's his expression of himself in this point All that follow Antichrist have his Name but in diverse manner 1. Some have the character thereof i e. the name imprinted and are his proper goods as having his burning iron and mark a familiar phrase from the manner of men these are Priests and Jesuites Popish Peers and Prelates 2. Some have his Name yet so as they have not his Mark who have not learned the deepness of Satan nor are Antichrists sworn bondmen these are the common sort of Papists 3. Yet some have but the Number of hie Name i.e. they are so far from being his sworn and marked slaves as they are no otherwise his then so far as they are counted to be so and numbered among his So the Annotators upon the Bible The number of his name i. e. such as are esteemed so to be and numbered among such And a late learned Writer hath further improved this sence His words are these They that have the number of his name are a company of men taking part with Antichrist in a more remore kinde of subjection such as do hold and bring in such doctrines opinions and practices in worship as men shall reckon and account them Papists in heart and affection Such Numerantur Papistae they aim at Popery And though their professions deny it yet their actions and corruptions in Doctrine and Worship shall speak it in all mens consciences especially of all Orthodox and reformed Protestants who cannot but so judge that it is the Pope they fear and worship Further he saith They shall profess the Protestant Religion but in their practices and underhand dealings and policâ—es depress it and advance the Popish Religion and party like those Tit. 1.16 They profess they know God but in their works deny him being abominable disobedient c. These are justly to be accounted Papists and have received the number of his name which imports a secret cleaving to Antichrist and to be of his company as truly as they that receive his name for though in profession they go not so far as to take that name or openly to own the Church of Rome yet really they do that which shall cause all men so to reckon them That of the Apostle 2 Tim 3. is a prophesie of this generation of men ominus constituit duos Duces Mosem Aaron totedem Pharo magos orponi illis voluit Calv. on Tim cap. 3. For besides plain Popery which is prophesied of 1 Tim. 4. to arise in the latter days you have in 2 Tim. 3.1 another prophesie of a sort of men that shall arise in the last days Popery is prophesied of to be in the latter days who have a form of godliness and shall be despisers of those that are good Yea he compares them to Jannes and Jambres the cheif of the Egyptian Sorcerers who by their lying miracles did resist Moses yea and Aaron too which is to be understood though not named in the Text as Calvin notes to which two the witnesses are resembled Rev. 11. These saith my learned Author This was written above 20 years ago are the last Champious of the Beast before his fall ergo said to be in the last times who shall proceed so far as to slay the Witnesses in that Kingdom which is the tenth part of the City then this their folly or madness shall appear to all men which being discovered shall be their ruin for they shall priceed no further Amen Now touching the number of the beasts name Vers 18. 666. how hath it puzled and tortured all writers to satisfie themselves about