the government of the Pope and that is no other but the Roman Catholick visible Church to which all the description you have heard opened doth naturally belong Now that being the first beast what is this second beast This is apparantly distinct from it and it is not so proper to say that the first beast was the Pope as he had soveraign authority in Temporalls and that he is the second Beast as he hath supream power in Spiritualls for he had his Temporall power lâ—st and therefore that would not agree to the Pâ—pâ—ll State he first had supream power in Spirituals before he had supream power in Temporals Now the beast here being not the Roman Catholick Church what is it then It is the head of that Church and what is that It is no other but the Pope of Rome The heads of the Roman Catholique visible Church from one succession to another they are this second beâ—st and that will appeare in a double note which will both cleare that and the rest of the Text. First then take this note That the Bishop or Pope of Rome is in the sight of God and of his Saints no better then a wilde beast for his Originall arising out of the earth for his resemblance like to a Lamb in his borns like to a Dragon in his speech like to the whole Roman Catholick Church in his power This is the former part of the description by his Adjunct by his Similitude and by his Originall However he seems to Catholicks a holy Father and a god on earth yet in the sight of God and of his Saints he is no better theâ— a wilde Beast whose off-spring is from the earth who though he have horns like a Lamb yet speaks like a Dragon and thus John guided by the holy Ghost saw him Let me shortly open these points 1. He is here described to be a wilde beast The word so signifies that is to say not so tame a beast as those in Isa 11 6. to 9. that a child may lead them Wolves or Leopards or Lyons that can sleep with Kids and Calves and little children and they may play on the hole of the Aspe and put their hand on the Cockatrice den He is not so tame that hee can be tamed by the word of Truth or by the censures of the Church no nor by the power of Princes he is above them all and beyond them all a wild beast he is therefore For his Originall He ariseth out of the earth That implyeth he hath it not from Heaven but from below not from Christ but from Satan You are from beneath saith Christ I am from above John 8. 23. Hee springs from the earth especially from earthly and carnall policy that for keeping of good agreement in the Churches they must be folded up into certain Metropolitans or Patriarchs and to keep unity you must have one over them all and that was the Bishop of Rome for all unity they say springs from â—nits if you have more then one Governour you will have no peace Now this being a carnall principle some carnall reason being the ground for the preservation of the Church of Rome for that the Emperours thought if the Bishop of Rome were advanced it would be a means to strengthen them against the barbarous Nations that come against them this carnall reason brought him to be exalted And though his Originall was earthly for the cause yet he ascended above the earth to Ecclesiasticall power And 2. He arose out of the Earth because he rose up insensibly by degrees he makes no great noyse As any thing that comes out of the earth it makes no great noyse in its growing but at length comes to a vast height So it was with the Bishop of Rome this is his descent out of the Earth For his resemblance He hath horns like a Lamb. Horns expresse his power Like a Lamb that is like the Lamb of God Church-power he claims directly no other at least for a long time The power of binding and loosing were his two horns to bind all and loose all and that lay in the closet of his own breast when to put it forth this is but the power of the Lamb. But he spake like a Dragon You have two or three severall speeches of the Dragon In Rev. 12. 9. The old Serpent is called the Dragon What did hee speak 1. Venomous words to our first Parents You shall not dye at all Gen. 3. 4. And so the Pope he draws the hearts of men from conscience of the word 2. The speech of the Dragon it is imperious and arrogant All the kingdomes of the earth will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me Luk. 4. 6 7. And that is the speech of the Pope in Jer. 1. 10. I have set theâ— this day over the Nations and over the kingdomes to roote out and to pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe and to build and to plant And the Pope sends a Crown with this inscription to Frederick the Emperour Christ gave this power to Peter and Peter gave it to the Pope this is Imperiall State And 3. The Dragon hath a devouring and ravenous mouth whereby he speaks â—avenous words Whoever will not worship the Image that I have set up shall be cast into a hot fiery furnace and who is that God that is able to deliver you Dan. 3. 15. And you have heard what worship the Pope claymes and what he threatens if it be neglected Thus you see in Gods account and in the sight of John the Pope is a wild Beast and the holy Ghost as he inspâ—red John he directs him what to say The holy Apostle he stood upon the sand of the Sea and few two beasts one arisiâ—g out of the Sea of corruption in doctrine c. And another out of the earth out of earthly pretences He sees no holinesse in this Beast nothing but beastly cruelty and beastly blasphemy nothing but argues a wilde beast that will not be tamed neither by the Church of God nor by the word of God nor by Princes and States He sees him rising out of â—â—ire pretences pretending nothing but Lamb-like power but â—ee speakes like a Dragon venomous and devouâ—ing words Damnable heresies as being spewed out of the Dragons mouth such a volume of false worship and doctrine and government as destroys the faith of the Church and subverts the foundation of the Church This is the very state of the Pope as John beheld it as he was wrap't up in a vision by the Spirit and he judged of it as hee saw it Now because I cannot so well make use of this before I have spoken of the rest because they are co-incident take this for a second Note and so make use of both together The note is long but it is but the collection of the sum of these verses the words of the Text will bring the Doctrine easily to remembrance This then
sword into the head of their Guides Leaders where they lived and though they were by former Lawes engaged by way of Homage yet now they may take up the sword of their own defence and maintenance in witnesse bearing to the Truth to the last bloud In such cases the case is much altered for their Princes and supream Governours they are all subject to the Laws and Oath of the Kingdome and they have no power but according to the Lawes which are made If therefore they take up a power against Law and contest with the people of God then this power which these holy men did exercise to maintain their peace against all opposition to be raised against them is lawfull For a fourth use it may teach all the people of God not to measure a cause by the event nor persons by accidents that do befall them lest they should condemn the generation of the Just It was a grievous temptation Asaph lay under to see the ungodly prosper and have what their hearts could desire and himselfe plagued all the day long and chastned every morning Psal 73. 3. to 13. and by this meanes he condemned the generation of Gods children But no matter though the Beast prosper and the Saints are overcome yet the Beast is a Beast when he prospers and the Saints are Saints though they be overcome therefore let us not judge of things according to their appearance Fifthly It may teach all the Saints in this Countrey or where-ever not to trust the pretences of deceitfull men especially such as are not sound in Religion and take heed also how you trust upon your own strength let me put them both together for brevity sake We know not how soon any of us may be tempted in this kind what warres may be raised against this Countrey though wee have none for the present nor feare none yet in time we know not what may come what are we better then our Fathers The Beast of Rome still lives his 42. moneths is not yet out though his power he much weakned but his Agents still live He is able to blow a coale to those that look for salvation from him to do this great and glorious service to the Catholick Church and cause And if it please the Catholick Church then it grows a great businesse to root out Hereticks to blast them by censures of Excommunication and Civill State if it were so we stand upon our own defence you see It behooves you therefore as you desire to be faithfull to God to Religion to your Churches and Common-wealths to your Wives Children Estates as you desire to be faithfull to his Ordinances to the Kingly Priestly and Propheticall Office of Christ to attend to that which these Saints neglected that is to say to attend to the word of Faith and to the wisdome of God Trust not upon the experience of your Captaines or Souldiers to fight by Land or Sea Trust not upon your Castles or Vessels by Sea any thing you have or may have Trust not upon the pieces of Ordnance they are all vaine things to save if you stand in need and yet of use Be prepared in this kind that you may be instrumentall to Gods providence but trust not in them they are but the Arm of flesh And if Wars come against New-England it will be from Principalities and Powers and flesh and blood will not be able to with-stand them They will be Principalities from Hell or the great Beast the Catholick Church or from the Image of this Beast otherwise there is no feare of any War but if any War do come trust not in those means you have nor though all the Natives in the Countrey were on your side and if any great Protestant States should offer you help use them but do not trust in them It was the way of overcoming the Saints of God they trusted on the arm of Flesh and that was their great folly and that brought the hand of God against them therefore see your Faith be sincere and upright to him Secondly Leane not to the wisdome of carnall reason nor trust not to faire pretences you shall have your liberties longer established only something or other you must give way to and some principall ones must be singled out to treat of peace but it was the ruine of this State It behoves the Saints to sanctifie God in their hearts to trust upon his grace to cleave to the word of God trust what the Lord saith and not what deceitful men say It was a grave saying of an ancient Prince in England Obey according to the Law and you obey the King but if you obey what comes suddenly out of his mouth or against Law you obey not me as King And that is it which Christian Religion teacheth no Religion teaches a man more to obey Kings in wholsome Laws to obey them it to obey God in them for Princes are subordinate to God himselfe The people do concur in making some Laws in every Common-wealth and Princes have transcendant power over the People and God forbid any should spring out of this Countrey to plead against their Governours and weaken their forces but keep their Scepters fresh from one Generation to another yet this is the best service done to Kings service according to God If Laws be made let a man yield active obedience to them if they be good and passive if they be evill but against Law contrary to the stream of Law to make a man think himselfe bound in such a case it is to flatter Princes and Powers and not to yeeld professed subjection to them Therefore it behoves the people of God to know upon what terms they stand that wee may carry our selves like loyall Subjects and Christians that the name of God may not be dishonoured by any weaknesse of ours and starting aside on any hand or other Rev. 13. latter part of the 7. vers And power was given him over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations WEe come now to the fourth thing which these words hold forth and that is the power or as the Greek word hath it the authority which is here sayd to be given to the Roman Catholick Church and that is over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations The note is this To the Roman Catholicke visible Church was given very ample jurisdiction and authority over all the Christian world if we may so speake or as in the Text over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations And he meanes Kindreds Tongues and Nations of such Countreys which were wont to be subject to the Empire of Rome which were then counted all the Civill Nations of the world To open it briefly It was given him over all kindreds tongues and nations Here are three words and one include another Nation is the largest for in a Nation there may be many Tongues and in one Tongue there may be many Kindreds He had dominion and soveraignty over all Nations or over the
1639. and the first and second of the yeare 1640. upon his weekly Lecture at Boston in New-England where he went over the other Chapters of the Revelation as he did this thirteenth Chapter and indeed they that were acquainted with his Preaching may easily discern his very spirit in them all along Now that the holy spirit of the Lord may breath in these holy Labours of his precious Servant so as the Reader may experience the truth of that divine sentence mentioned in the beginning The tongue of the righteous is as choise silver is the unfeigned desire of The servant for Jesus sake Thomas Allen. Norwich the 1. day of the 1. month 1654-55 AN EXPOSITION Upon the thirteenth Chapter of the REVELATION Revel 13. 1 2. And I stood upon the sand of the Sea and saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and tenne horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon and the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority YOU have heard from the last Chapter that when the Dragon that is the Devill as he ruled the Roman Pagan Empire was cast downe out of Heaven that is dethroned from his heavenly and Divine worship he endeavoured by all meanes to oppresse the Church that is the woman that brought forth a Christian Emperour her and her seed 1. By persecution 2. By an inundation of damnable Heresies and barbarous Nations 3. By open War which open war is exprest in the last verse of the former Chapter and here more fully described in this Chapter a whereof hath been now read The warre which is made against the Church is here described to be managed by two beasts which the Devill raised up One he calls a Beast rising up out of the Sea described from the first verse to the end of the tenth Another Beast hee beheld coming up out of the Earth from the 11 th verse to the end of the Chapter Now the former of these Beasts is described by three arguments 1. By his Originall or Fountain from whence he springs he riseth up out of the Sea which is amplified by the place of Johns beholding him I stood upon the sand of the Sea 2. He is described by his shape here is his figure and resemblance For his head he had seven heads and they amplified by honourable Ornaments or rather dishonourable indeed but honourable in the beasts view namely upon his heads the name of blasphemy 2. For his horns he had ten horns and they are set forth by their Crowns which he had on his horns He had so many horns so many Crowns upon his ten horns ten Crowns And as his shape is set forth by his head and horns so also by his resemblance or likenesse the whole shape or bulk of the Beast is like a Leopard The Leopard is of the femenine gender and signifies the female of the Panthers the she Panther spotted and ravenous famous for her speedy race and yet of a good smell by which she allures other beasts to her and as she hath occasion doth devoure them And as his resemblance for his whole shape is like a Leopard so for his feet he is like a Bear And for his mouth he hath the mouth of a Lyon This is the second argument by which he is described 3. The third argument whereby he is described is his state and that amplified by three arguments 1. By the efficient cause 2. By the variable change of it And 3ly by a wise conclusion and observation For the efficient cause of it it is said to be the Dragon he gave him his power and authority For the variable change of it it was 1. Great for it is here called Power and Seate and great Authority 2. One of his heads was wounded I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death And thirdly this wound was healed this is the variable change of it 1. Great authority honourable seate 2. Wounded to death And thirdly healed of that deadly wound And this healing is amplified by five Effects or Consequents The first was the worlds wondering All the world wondered after the Beast The admiration was aâ— this great change so happily atchieved as they thought that he should recover that desperate danger The second effect it wrought was worship both towards himselfe And secondly to the Dragon that gave him power The third effect of this healing was liberty to blaspheme There was a mouth given him to speake great things blasphemies A fourth effâ—ct was Authority and Power to do what First To continue forty two moneths vers 5. Secondly Power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them that was the fourth effect that followed his healing The fifth effect was amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion Power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations vers 7. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him vers 8. Which worshippers are described by their estrangement from the number of Gods elect whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb and the Lamb set forth by the eternall efficacy of his death Slaine from the foundation of the world This is the second part of the description of the Beast The third part is a conclusion which contains a word of Caution and Consolation or a word of Attention and Consolation in the ninth and tenth verses If any man have eares to heare let him heare as if it were a matter worthy of observation and diligent attention and of exact understanding and of consolation in the tenth vers He that leadeth into captivity shall goe into captivity he that killeth with the sword must he killed with the sword c. This is the former Beast and his description The latter Beast is in the eleventh verse to the end I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth c. He is described by his variety from the former beast For his Original he comes not as the other Beast out of the Sea but from the Earth And for his resemblance he hath two horns like a Lamb and he spake lik a Dragon 2. He is described by his power as in the twelfth verse but I will not now speak further of him Now for the meaning of the words It is that which the holy Ghost calls us diligently to attend unto He that hath cares to heare let him heare If any man have an eare to understand any apprehension of spirituall mysteries any capacity of matters of Religion let him heare what manner of beast the Devill stirred up and set against the Church to make war against the Saintâ— as if it were a matter that few would understand but such as were of spirituall understanding and who will listen duly to a diligent observation
very beastly and ugly monsters Fourthly let it be of this use to raise up our hearts in holy thankfulnesse to God that hath delivered us from this Monster both our Fathers from this great beast and our selves from the remnants of the Image of this beast from all Dioceâ—san and National Churches and from Metropollitan Catholick visible Churches that are Images of this great beast You know how much the civill Laws of Christian Kingdoms doe strengthen Ecclesiasticall power that if once a Church excoÌ„municat a man you know the power of the Law if once this or that court excomunicate a man though it be but for not paying fees when it may be he hath no money or thinks it not lawfull to maintain them by his purse yea when he is excommunicate it may be for going to hear a Sermon in another place when he hath nothing but reading at home or if a man fast with his neighbors in his house then what power there is out of such a Court civill Courts of Justice confirme there comes a Significavit that if he shall live so excommunicate and if he continue and stay out a certain time then the Common-wealth apprehends him and never considers whether the cause be just or unjust I confesse there is a liberty to traverse such a cause but if a man want money or want friends he may be taken and carryed to Prison and there he may lie and rott for any of these mishapen Clergy men But I say it is a great liberty to be freed from this great beast that he hath no finger amongst us we are out of his paw and out of his smell It was a matter in question here not long agoe whether the Court should not take a course to punish such persons as stood excommunicate out of the Church if they should stand long excommunicate but it was a good providence of God that such a thing was prevented Let not any Court Ipso facto take things from the Church If such a Law were made the Fathers live not for ever and if such a Law were once established that a Church-member standing so long excommunicated the Common-wealth then should proceed against him were this established it would make a Beast of the Church we are subject to erre and our posterity that comes after us may erre it may be feared worse It is therefore a mercy to be freed from the beast from the paw of the Bear and the mouth of the Lyon It is such a mercy that they that got the victory over these they stood praising God as Chap. 15. 1 2. The Lambs company that stood on mount Siâ—on they stand and praise and wonder at the gracious hand of God in this case And therefore we should in the fear of God be unfeignedly thankfull to God for our present liberties and withall that we may be so Let him that hath an eare to heare heare If you be of Spirituall discerning and know what these mercies mean you will be really thankfull Therefore shew this thankfullnesse not onely in searching the true meaning of the Text and the true nature of this beast described in it but also in standing fast in these great liberties wherewith Christ hath made us free Gal. 5. 1. You shall have many poore creatures that came hither to this Country and will be ready to go back againe they looke at things as mean and poor here believe it such a man hath not an eare nor an eye open he knows not whether he goes Hagar Sarahs maid whether goest thou saith the Lord to her And so may I say to such whether will you goe will you be gone back againe to Egypt God forbid I should count all our Native Country as Egypt but if you goe thither you will have much adoe to escape the paw of of the Bear If you be once incorporated into any of their Parishes you will finde such beastly work in Church Government I may speak it without wrong to any but that I may bear witnesse against what is corrupt that you will then finde the blessing of those that enjoy liberty and piety together you must worship the beast or the Image of the beast A Diocesan or Nationall Church it is but an Image of the great beast it is a plain pattern of the same and you will finde the body of the Church rent from you or you will be rent from the body if you shall walk roundly and sincerely in the ways of God you will finde sad work to have your own officers or others to rise up against you but we have here cause to praise God for our present liberties and therefore you are to be wary what you doe If this be cause of thankfulnesse turn not againe to that from which the Lord by his stretched out arme hath delivered you And this let me say further as it may provoke us to thankfulness so to forego all the Profits of this life rather then to be drawn to subjection to such a Spirituall Government you see what the holy Ghost counts it seven heads ten horns heads full of names of blasphemy horns crowned and here is a beast like a Leopard with feet like a Bear that all the Government of it looks like rapine and robbery catching and snatching rending and tearing this is the sum and scope of it And therefore be not deceived if men shall tender you faire termes that may smell sweet you shall have liberty in this and that and protection of a good State but it is but the smell of a Leopard when you have yielded to such Conditions as may be tendred you will finde such strong hold got of you that you will never get out And then you shall finde what ever Conditions are put in at first the last Edition will be a mouth like a Lyon They will bring you in with subtilty like a Leopard lay fast hold upon you like a Beare and before they have done there will be a mouth like a Lyon And therefore as we are to be thankfull so we are to be faithfull to God that hath purchased these great liberties for us and be no more willing to be intangled with your former state than you would be willing to fall into the mouth of a Lyon or come under the paw a Beare Qâ— But you will say what is this to me I am but a private Christian Answ Private Christians must not live alwayes in a private State for that darkens a mans estate if he knows not the order of Gods house nor addresseth himselfe to it It is true if a man either were in the Temple or looked towards it his prayers were accepted but if a man have no minde to know the orders of Gods house his ignorance of Church matters will darken his own spirituall estate And therefore whosoever thou be Sonne or Daughter If any have eares to heare let them listen to what is here spoken that so by the blessing of God you
They may lye in danger but they shall come out in due time but however it should be a warning to the sonnes of men how they adventure their lives by going into any danger where God calls them not But if you be brought into danger when the Lord doth deliver you have cause to blesse him and to render your selves and Families back to him that you may walke with more girt up spirits to God that so he may not repent of what deliverances he vouchsafeth to you Rev. 13. the latter part of the 3. 4. ver And all the world wondered after the Beast And they worshipped the Dragon who gave power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying who is like unto the Beast who is able to make Warre with him I Come now to speak of the sequell of the healing of this wound upon the healing of it there is a double effect 1. The admiration of the world after the Beast 2. A worship set forth by a double object the Dragon and the Beast 3. The causes are set forth that made them to worship them both The Dragon in that he gave power to the Beast and the Beast for his unmatchable power Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make war with him Here might be three or four Notes justly gathered from hence but because I affect brevity in mysticall Scriptures I shall compact them into one The note is this That upon the healing of the Beasts wounded head all the world fell into an admiration of the Beast and of his power yea into an adoration of worship both of the Beast and of the Dragon This containes both the latter end of the third and part of the fourth vers For the causes of this Admiration they will be just reasons of the point To open the Doctrine upon the healing of this wounded head of the Beast Remember the Beast is the Roman Catholick visible Church whereof Rome was the mother City and mother Church accounted of all the Churches in the world and the Pope is the visible head of this Church in this Chapter called the seventh head Observe 2ly the healing of this seventh Head wounded by the captivity and calamity it fell into by barbarous Nations Upon the healing of this wounded Head by the removal and scattering and subduing of these Enemies as also by the playster that was put to him when such Titles of Soveraign Authority were put upon him by the Emperors Now this was the Originall of that wonder for so it comes in His deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the beast And so he expresseth it Chap. 17. 8. All that dwell upon the earth shall wonder when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is He was when he flourished as that which was the great Authority of the world He is not when he is wounded in his head but as it were troden under foot wounded to death as if he had not been But yet he is againe that is he is restored And they that dwell on the earth when they saw that wondered to behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is A Beast that cannot be crushed and beaten downe with such desperate calamities so that 's the occasion of their wonderment now upon this occasion they fell into an admiration of the Beast and of his power An admiration implies some high esteem of some great happinesse betiding this Beast not only beyond their expectation but transcendant beyond their apprehension and capacity to understand For a man doth not admire a thing unlesse it goe not only beyond expectation but is transcendant above his reason and understanding Yea beyond any meanes he could use to bring such a thing to passe Therefore when they see this great change they fall admiring of the Beast and the head of the Beast and of the Dragon that gave power to the Beast and worship them both For their Admiration then let me speak something of that and then of their Adoration both of the Beast and of the Dragon It was in a way of Admiration I will not say what expressions some have made of it some that were called Fathers of the Church and have left such things in writing It would mightily possesse one with Admiration of the Sea of Rome looking at him as the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah looking at him as by his Primacy to be like Adam for his Faith like Abraham for his government like Noah gathering all the world under him for Order like Melchisedech for his function to be Christ himselfe deservedly to be God after sometimes called the Vicar of Christ and of God marvellous transcendant strains put upon him which argues a high esteem of him But to omit such things as are but flourishes these are reall 1. That all the Churches of the world are to receive all their doctrine and worship from them Though it were never so superstitious as worshipping of Angels and Saints and making use of their meditation besides Christ and they did receive from them more then all this which is the life and quintiscence of all They looked from the Father of the Catholick visible Church to receive Indulgences and pardon of all their sinnes If he retained them then they were retained if he remitted them they were remitted This they looked for from him not only for Doctrine and worship but for sealing up their Pardon for so many hundreds and thousands of years and not sealed with waxe but with a wap of Lead and a Seale set on that And this was the chiefe comfort of troubled minds in those ages these things they received from them and admirable honour they put upon that Beast to receive all such things from them 2. They made to Rome all their Appeals What ever government there was in the Christian world from thence were their Laws and thither were their Appeals as out of England and many other places to the great disturbance of Church and Common-wealth as also large and bountifull payments were made to them It were a vast thing to sum up the totall sum of constant payments that were from every Kingdome repayed to the Sea of Rome And as their Appeals Payments went to Rome so did their bodies on pilgrimage and it was thought a great devotion to kisse the feet of the Pope and to see those blessed Shrines Thus was their admiration of the Beast 3. They fetched from Rome the Ordination of all their chiefe Officers Any Arch-bishop who-ever chose him yet he was not installed but he must fetch it from Rome and pay well for it And from thence they fetched all their Coronation of Kings and Emperors and sundry fundamentall Lawes of every Catholick Kingdom were derived from thence All their Dispensations were fetched from thence that Princes might marry where they would And dispensation from Oaths and from Marriages contracted all these things they fetched from Rome It was
that might be felt From the ninth Centuary to the tenth both Protestant and Popish Divines complaine that had not some lived in the 800. year and in the thousand yeare after Christ they should not have known what had beene done in the nine hundred a whole hundred years together Men were so full of darknesse and ignorance that scarce any set pen to paper to tell us what was done in those dark times that men did not know what were principles of Christianity much lesse were able to discern of Cases of Church-government or the misterie of godlinesse which requires more diligent attendance And thence it was that they were so taken with the pretended claymes of the Catholick visible Church that it would not erre because it was built upon a Rock and had the keys of Peter and he had the keys of heaven What he bound on earth was bound in heaven and what he loosed on earth was loosed in heaven that had there not been palpable grosse ignorance it had not been possible such grosse things should have been suffered to come in And a second thing that moved them was the strange successe of the Beast in recovering of his wounded head for that made them wonder after the Beast when they saw such a mortall wound so throughly healed They thought had it not been above the power of mortall men it had not been possible it should have been healed but certainly there was a power above mortall men in it and that is the reason in the Text to give him a mouth to speak great things to speak what hee would And a third reason why Princes gave this power was their devout superstition many were convinced by Matchivilian policy of their great sins and they had in those dayes a notable dexterity to apply the Law of God and to sting mens consciences like a Cockatrice Rev. 9. 5. and then they would do any thing for ease out of the bondage they lay under and this was a great meanes Then they directed them to give so much to such a Monastery or to goe a Pilgrimage or fast such a time and such devotion which a mans own unsanctified heart could reach That when this Beast speaks great things that he can pardon sinne and his Shavelings will take a course for redeeming souls and preserving them out of hel this was such satisfaction to them that you need not wonder if all Princes gave their Kingdomes to the Beast And so having advanced him as supream over them all he hath a mouth he may speak what he will Princes may make Laws on this hand or on that but if they do not suite with him they are disannulled And they must be reconciled to the mother Church and so this Harlot gives them all to her and hath a mouth speaking great things and therewithall great blasphemieâ— Thus have you the point and the reasons of it For the use of it I might from hence first speak to this point that it were therefore a necessary counsell to all Roman Catholicks to consider diligently the grounds of the great priviledges of the visible Catholick Church they stretch their authority beyond all degrees of Churches beyond all Temporall States or particular Churches Now necessary it were for them to reverse all the great things which are delivered and which the Pope hath set open his mouth to speak though they be delivered with never such fulnesse and boldnesse and plentitude of power It behoves men to consider whether all these great words be not the words of a Beast and blasphemies which the head of the Beast had taken upon him to utter for it is not enough that they are spoken boldly and confidently and with good advisement and grave Counsell Provinciall Decretals and Decrees for they are distinct things It behoves Catholicks not to be gulled with Titles and great things for it is not alwayes that power which God in mercy gives to men when they dare speak great things they think the Pope is not Antichrist but when Antichrist comes will he do greater things then these as they sayd of Christ when Christ comes will he doe greater workes then these And so when Antichrist comes can he speak grater things then these And if I were to speak to Lay-men as they say in their Religion I might advise them to take heed they be not taken with the confidence of their Priests that speak with good advisement even to impudency and with such resolute courage that many thousands are carryed away with it and say certainly men would never be so bold if they were not possessed with the goodnesse of their cause Let them not be deluded the Beast hath power to speak great things and he opens his mouth with all courage and confidence and whispers it not but speaks with impudency and abundance of resolution Secondly This may serve to teach us the danger of allowing to any mortall man an inordinate measure of power to speak great things to allow to any man uncontrollâ—bleness of speech you see the desperate â—â—â—ger of it Let all the world learn to give mortall men no greater power then they are content they shall use for use is they will and unlesse they be better taught of God they will use it ever and anon it may be make it the passage of their proceeding to speake what they will And they that have liberty to speak great things you will finde it to be true they will speak great blasphemies No man would think what desperate deceit and wickednesse there is in the hearts of men And that was the reason why the Beast did speak such great things hee might speak and no body might controll him What saith the Lord in Jer. 3. 5. Thou hast spoken and done evill things as thou couldst If a Church or head of a Church could have done worse he would have done it This is one of the straines of nature it affects boundlesse liberty and to runne to the utmost extent What ever power he hath received he hath a corrupt nature that will improve it in one thing or other if he have liberty he will think why may he not use it Set up the Pope as Lord Paramount over Kings and Princes and they shall know that he hath power over them he will take liberty to depose one and set up another Give him power to make Laws and he will approve and disprove as he list what he approves is Canonicall what hee disproves is rejected Give him that power and he will so order it at length he will make such a State of Religion that he that so lives and dyes shall never be saved and all this springs from the vast power that is given to him and from the deep depravation of nature Hee will open his mouth His tongue is his owne who is Lord over him Psal 12. 3 4. It is therefore most wholsome for Magistrates and Officers in Church and Common-wealth never to affect
the world to bear witness unto that When Pilate did accuse him he answered nothing and the Governour wondred at it knowing that hee could tell what to answer He marvailed that so just a man in so just a case did not answer a word which did so narrowly concern him But he did not know what the cause was that he was as a Lamb dumb before the shearer and before the slaughter also What might be the reason then of this Lamb lik innocency and meeknesse of Christ They are principles and ought to be incultated often The first ground is To fulfill the types that went before of him Exod 12. 5. The paschall Lamb was without blemish And Exod. 29 39. The daily Sacrifice was to be a Lamb without spot and blemish therefore Christ must be such The second Reason is taken from his personal union with the second person in Trinity For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily Col. 2 9. that is personally So that Christ must be a sinner if in any thing Christ had failed either in doing or suffering which were blasphemy to say And hence springs an utter impossibility of his manhood acting any thing without the Gâ—d head acting by him for the Son can do nothing of himselfe but as he seeth the Father do Thirdly there is a further necessity of his Lamb-like innocency From our necessity of such a Sacrifice and such an high Priest as was holy and blamelesse and undefiled Heb. 7. 26 27 28. Such an high Priest it behooved us to have Yea it was requisite the Sacrifice should be blamelesse Levit. 1. 3. And the Priest that offered it to be so also Levit. 21. 18. For otherwise he could not make attonement for us nor could his attonement be accepted But why was he thus patient silent and meek a double reason of that First That his Sacrifice might be voluntary and so accepted of the Father Sacrifice and offering for sinne thou wouldst not neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the law Then said he Loe I come to doe thy will O God Heb. 10. 8 9. Whoever was to offer a Sacrifice was to bring it himselfe and deliver it up and himselfe with it and it must be offered willingly Wheeher it was the Congregation that had committed a sinne or whether it were any particular person they were to bring their oblation Any Sacrifice that a man would have accepted he must bring it to the door of the Tabernacle Lev. 4. 4. 14. 23. The Priest must not fetch it If any would bring their Sacrifice they might but if they were extorted from them they were not accepted So the Lord Jesus must come and freely offer up himselfe as one that was to be presented in the stead of all the Elect Hee offered himselfe a Surety of the Covenant we should have brought it but we had it not in our hearts But hee brings himselfe and layes downe his life of himselfe and takes it up againe John 10. 18. And 2ly why did he expresse his patience in that silence of his The reason was from this very cause even From the want of sufficient matter to give a just Answer in our behalfe by all things that he could alledg for us If hee had stood in his own person and had had nothing to do but to cleare himselfe he had had a world to have answered for himselfe and this Pilate saw for he said that he was a King but a King of another world and Pilate knew that there was no Cesarian Law that did forbid a Kingdome in another world but standing in our persons hee knew not what to answer What could there be charged upon Christ but we have been guilty of it Can it be sayd that none of the Elect of God did blaspheme and that none of them did destroy the Temple of God and can it be justified that all the Elect of God have been freed from commotions Can any undertake that defence for the elect of God What sinne can you charge upon him but some of the servants of God have been guilty of it Therefore it is that the Lord Jesus answers not He doth not deny he doth not out-face them in the businesse It is not so with him He is not such an Advocate He pleads with a good conscience when he pleads and he is clear but he cannot clear his Elect ones from Church-censure and Civill censure Nor doth he plead with God about any kind of hard-ship in putting upon him that extremity he knew the elect of God had deserved such And though he knew that they dealt wickedly yet standing in our room hee had not a sufficient plea let them charge him with what they will A man cannot charge him with any sinne but some of his Elect have been guilty of it and therefore what can be answered Therefore he was not willing to excuse himselfe He doth neither deny nor extenuate any Crime that can be layd agâ—inst him but take it in its full rigour and the accusation doth stand good They stand not good against the Principall but against the Surety as hee is a Surety they stand good against him for as it is in Job 9. 2 3. How should man be just with God If hee will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand Let a man stand before the Tribunall of the justice of God and he cannot answer one of a thousand And if Christ be to stand for all the elect of God hee cannot answer one of a thousand And therefore when the King came to see the man in the room that had not on the wedding Garment the man was speechlesse which plainly shewes us that if Christ stand in the room of Gods people the case stands so that Christ cannot answer for us to excuse us Job could not answer one of a thousand though he was the perfectest man in his Generation and I know not whether any man after him that was more innocent then he And what shall others of Gods called ones be able to doe and what they are not able to doe the Lord Jesus Christ hee doth carry it in the same manner as one that cannot excuse them from being guilty of those sinnes no more then himselfe can Thus you see the reasons both of Christs innocency and patience The use of the point is First to convince us of the guilt of all the elect people of God and their guiltinesse even of violent death and unexcusablenesse under that death If so be we had been innocent what needed Christ to have been so patient as hee was so Lamb-like in his innocency His Lamb-like innocency is an argument of our guiltinesse The servants of God especially such as take any more narrow search of their own waves they see themselves full of blemishes spots and wrinckles and many such things Isa 64. 6. We are all as unclean things and all our righteousnesses are as filthy
ragges They are all as the clouts of a mensteruous woman even all our best righteousnesse This this the condition of us all full of uncleanesse and pollution and deformity And whâ—ch is worse then that unexcuable in all for if wee couâ—d have told what to say and to say justly Christ would have sayd it much more fully then we could for he is our Advocate and it were a shame for an Advocate if the party of the cause could defend his cause better then his Advocate Christ is more skilful in the Law then we but his silence doth professe that he knows not what to say to stand out in our defence He might have excused some of Gods elect from this or that actual grosse Sinne but he could have excused none from a guilty pronenesse to all manner of Sinne There is a vicious pronenesse in us to all sinne and therefore Christ could not tell what to say And as there is a pronenesse in us to all sinne so there is an actuall commission of many sinnes And in many things we sinne all James 3. 2. And there are few or none of Gods elect that if so be a man that is privy to all their dealings were to give an account of them he could not justifie them from the guilt and stain of all sinne Now this is the case of Christ he hath been acquainted with all our wayes and if he be examined of what hath been done wickedly before the Church and before the Common-wealth he is not able to deny but both Church and Common-wealth might proceed against us all And this may cast a holy blushing upon us in the presence of the Lord and of this Lamb Christ could have told what to have answered if ought had been to be answered but when he stands in our room he stands silent he could not with truth bear witnesse unto any of us touching our guiltinesse knowing what he knew by us it would make us unfit for both societies either of Church or Common-wealth And it is a just humiliation for a man to know that he stands in such a state of which no good account can be given A man that is skilful indeed and knows the Law as well as Christ did standing in our room he hath nothing to answer for himselfe and the Lord knows it and time was when this considered did muzzâ— his mouth he was like a lamb dumbe before his shearer you cannot rake up such a base accusation against him but he knows where the dint of it will fall and therefore he is very sensible of the truth of all that is laid unto his charge Let God come upon us with spiritual dissertions we must know that it is just with God to dissert us and though the Church should spue us out and the Common-wealth cut us off from the land of the living who can plead for us If Christ stand in our persons he hath nothing to plead Secondly it doth teach us where to look for all our justification and reconcilement with the Father Truly brethren not in our own righteousnesse for the Lord himselfe that knowes it better then we do he knows that it will not hold out before the judgement seat of God He might have pleaded that David was a man after Gods own heart he might have pleaded the wisedome of Solomâ—n and the truth of Josias heart and the zeal of Phineas and the patience of Job but he knowing the Law well enough and what thâ—y have been and we have all been he hath nothing to plead and therefore we must not plead our own righteousnesse let no man think that his own pleading will reach his own justification whereas Christ himselfe could not reach it for him All have sinned all have been out of the way and there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14. 1 2 3. he speaks of us by nature and we were natural before we came to be spiritual Therefore saith the Apostle What things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may 〈…〉 and all the world may become guilty bâ—fore God Rom. 3. 19. 〈…〉 use the Apostle himselfe makes of it Vers 23 24 25 We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the redempâ—ion that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God So that I say this 〈…〉 of our justification the Lord Jâ—sus hath borne and suffeâ—ed for us when he was silent in our behalfe and could not tell what to say Papists can bring you many argumâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 justifie themselves they will bring you many instances of this Saint and that Saint and of the Virgin Mary above all others of their purity and righteousnesse and how able they are to plead for others They may be wise for themselves and do as Procters are wont to do regard their fees and not their Cause but the Lord Jesus is faithful and yet he cannot plead as guiltlesse Nor must you think as sometimes poor christians will do I cannot say much for my selfe but such a brother such a sister they may indeed give a better account of me then I can do of my selfe but truly nothing to satisfie Gods justice can any give account for Christ himself could not do it And indeed so marvellously did God accept this kinde of defence that our Saviour makes that he hath crowned this faithfulnesse of Christ with everlasting honour unto all ages he hath so fully so gratiously accepted him as that he hath for ever ratified it in Heaven that no man shall ever passe away righteous from the judgement seat of God that can plead any righteousnesse of his own Whoever he be that will not stand righteous before the judgement seat of God by any righteousnesse of his own he must stand mute as Christ himselfe stood and if he be just he must be just by his righteousnesse Christ could plead nothing for us of our own not our active obedience nor any passive obedience of ours but he having suffered for us the punishment that all the wickednesse of the Elect have deserved Now he doth ever live to make intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. Now he hath arguments enough to plead If any man sin now we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 2 John 2. 1. Why did he not plead before Truly he could not open his mouth before because he had not yet suffered but now he hath suffered the just for the unjust and now that he hath borne the censure of Church and Common-wealth now he hath enough to plead in the behalfe of the poorest christian And if so be that any plead against his Saints and servants and say that they are guilty of these these sins God wil say Deliver him from going
the Churches and Saints of Christ that have been overcome or have suffered any hard-ship from any of these Those that have been troublesome to Gods Churches and people the Lord will one day visite them all and he will one day root them out of the land of the living They shall one day know what pillars and scourges and fire and faggot meanes what torments meane what bloody inquisitions meane They shall be recompenced seven-fold into their bosomes Here is the patience and faith of the Saints The third note is this The Lord doth as much acknowledg and accept the patience and faith of his Saints that have suffered under the Roman Catholique Church as he did the faith and patience of the Primitive Saints that suffered under the Roman Pagan Emperours against Heathenish idolatry The Papists themselves are full of acknowledgment of the Primitive Martyrs and will write many Legends of them as the Pharisees they did build the Sepulchers of the Prophets and yet killed their Successors Fulfill saith Christ the measure of your fathers You garnish the sepulchers of the dead bodies and yet you kill their Successors They will acknowledg them the Primitive Martyrs but what are those that suffered in Switzerland in France in England in Germany They look at those as Lolards and Hereticks But what saith the Lord of them Even of them as well as of those that suffered in former times the Lord doth accept their sufferings and saith of them Here is the patience and faith of the Saints Wherein the Lord doth acknowledge the faith by which they overcome this Beast and patience to be the patience and faith of the Saints The world saith otherwise but the Lord saith of those that suffered under this Beast Here is the patience and faith of the Saints So in Rev. 12. 13. Here is the patience of the Saints Write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth as well as in ancient times Blessed are they that dye in the faith of Christ Jesus in the hottest and highest times of Popery The Reason is evident First because the faith of such Christians and their patience was the faith and patience of Christ That is to say that which both fastned upon Christ and bore witnsse unto Christ and suffered patiently for Christ as did the Primitive Christians in the ten Persecutions And it was such a faith as by which they overcame the world 1 John 5. 4. It was faith in Christ Jesus even that faith by which they chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 24 25. It was that faith by which they despised honour Even the same case of Christ in Moses hand and in their hands and the point is of like nature Roman Idolatry is but another Edition and their Errors are as fundamentall subvertions to that which shouâ—d be the faith of Gods elect And their Government is directly contrary unto the Gospel-government of Christ Jesus as light is to darknesse When their faith in the cause of Christ do carry them along in suffering for him it is then the patience of Christ It was the like faith and patience of Christ to suffer under Annas and Caiaphas as under Herod It is true in the one he suffered as an enemy to Caesar in the other as a blasphemer but the case is all one No matter what the persons 〈…〉 Christian in profession Iâ— the cause be the 〈◊〉 of Christ it is the patience and faith of Christ which is in his 〈…〉 whomsoever they suffer 〈…〉 Reason is from the greater exercise of saith and 〈◊〉 to discern and suffer under Christians against Christians 〈…〉 Pagans 〈◊〉 Heathen persecutors For the use of the point Fiâ—st it cryes downe all the scandalous sentences that Courts have given against the Saints of God they say here are the suffering of Lolards and Hereticks Jesus Christ from heaven saith Here is the faith and patience of the Saints Do not therefore count it obstinacy and contumacy in heresie nor pravity It is the faith and patience of the Saints if Chrâ—st calls it so his word must carry it When they shall all appear before his Judgment-seate whose word shall stand then his or theirs He will say here is the cruelty and outrage of the persecution of Antichrist that puts the Lambs of Christ to death Secondly It may serve to teach us how much the Lord delights to honour his patient and faithfull servants Hee writes upon their Toomb-stones as it were so many Saints or faithfull Martyrs of Christ are those who have thus suffered This doth the Lord Jesus Christ write upon their stakes where they are burned in Smithfield or else-where and upon the chains wherewith they are bound A great encouragement it is unto Christians to be constant in the profession of the Gospel and to contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints We must not therefore be afraid to stand fast in the profession of the Truth and to hold it to the death If we should dye in his Cause in a way of persecution to be slaughtered by the outrage of ungodly men what ever the world say of it the Lord will from heaven beare this witnesse to it That it is the patience and faith of the Saints Thirdly it must teach all who would suffer for the name of Christ to be well assured of their cause and then to adde constancy to their suffering in their cause Otherwise unlesse it be the cause of Christ it is no patience but obstinacy blindenesse and ignorance But see that your cause be the cause of Christ and then cleave unto it by the invincible â—aith of Gods elect to overcome the world and look Lyons and Dragons in the facâ— without fear and astonishment and look at punishment and tortour as not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed It looks at them as things that Christ hath endured greater and other of the Saints of God have gone before uâ— in the like or a greater martyrdome Therefore first look to the cause and then believe in the truth of the cause and the faithfulnesse of Christ that will maintaine his servants stable and firme and cause them to hold out unto the end But do not take up your reformation upon custome nor side with any thing for custom of the country where you are because your Magistrates and Elders do commend it to you for it behooves every christian man to know well what he beleives and practise and to know the doctrine of Christ and the Government and the worship of Christ and that not because men say so but because you see light for it from the word of the Son of God Then your next care is to look that you depend upon Christ for strength that as he suffered for you you may be able to suffer for him ther 's the faith of Gods children And for
sure he never fetched any acceptance from Heaven But you read of another fire fetched from Heaven by Eliah and that was to destroy those that mocked him 2 Kings 1. 10. 12. Which practise when James and John would have followed in Luke 9. 54 55 56. You shall read that they being offended with the Samaritans because they would not receive them Master say they shall we call for fire from Heaven to consume them as Eliah did Our Saviour utterly rejects that You know not saith he of what spirit ye are Now minde you that fetching fire from Heaven which is to destroy mens lives and not save them that James and John are taught to refusâ— as being incompatible to the Gospel But that which they refuse the Successour of Peter as they call him takes up if any Scribe or Pharisee or Samaritan refuse him then fire comes down from Heaven consuming fire and vengance and wrath and blood-shed and extreamity of outraged evils he causeth to come down upon them and in pretence from Heaven to destroy the Church and people of God that I take to be the cheif parâ— of the meaning of that But if any man will urge the letters of the Text which you need not in mystical Scriptures yet it is not without truth therein Gregory the seventh he declares this that he had strange power when he had much people about him he would have shaked the sleeve of his gound and caused fire to come down Now it is evident it might be for he was a Conjurer and 22. Popes together as their own storyes do record they were wiâ—ches and gave their soules to the Devil that they might obtaine the Popedome but they were but lying wonders for miracles require divine power but the Devil cannot go beyond the power of nature so that you may take it in the proper meaning their own men do much magnifie it and make it one of the markes of their Churche whereas Protestants that want miracles are not Churches So that those censures by which they thundred against christian Emperors they did follow with such success that they made all wonder that none could stand against them not Henery the fourth nor Henery the fifth not Leo the Emperour nor the King of Fraunce none of them all were able to take up armes against him they did all admire him Who is able to stand against him end to make Warre with him And that gave such free passage to his Laws that all christian States presently took up what injunctions he put upon them Fourthly by these miracles and the mighty successe of them he had power to cause them that dwell on the earth to make an Image to the Beast that had the deadly wound and was healed that is the Roman Catholick visible Church What is this Image of the Beast he causeth all the earth that is all earthly States to receive it he will suffer none to be without it what is this Image an Image not of their own making they must make an Image by his appointment It is an Image of the first beast not of the second directly and consequently the officers of that Beast must represent this second Beast but be an Image of the first if the first Beast was the Roman Catholick visible Church then if he causeth all the Earth to make an Image to that Beast then he causeth all Churches and Common-wealths to frame their State and platforme according to the Image of the Roman Catholick visible Church and therefore he causeth all Christian Princes to erect all their Churches in a Roman Catholick way what is that Metropolitan National Provnciall Diocesan Cathedral and Provincial Churches These are all lively characters of the Roman Catholick Church reserving stil pre-emenency to their mother Catholick Church of Rome but otherwise they are the lively Image of such a Church even as daughters are of their mothers and being overcome with the power of his miracles and deceits and delusions as you heard by the Policy of Canonists by carnall Policy and by their Votaries and by working miracles signes and lying wonders it is a wonder to see what power he had that all the power of the Popedome and of the Catholick Church was in a model and representation drawn in all Churches in Christendome during the time of 42. moneths which is 1260. years and then a great part of his Image was marred in a great part of Christendome but yet he still continues so then there is a lively Image of the Roman Catholick Church though it may be some are drawn from subjection thereunto and yet though they be drawn off from subjection to it yet still the Image and representation is written in the very foreheads of such Churches that is a fourth thing Fiftly He had power to give life to the Image of the Beast what life that it should both speak and cause That as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast should be killed How doth he put this life into the Image of this Beast to speak It is to speak with authorty as in verse 5. A mouth speaking great things He would speak and speak with authority that now these Diocesan Metropolitan and Provinciall Churches they can speak with authority as the Roman Catholick Church doth and their words must take place and he puts that life into it by his own canons and laws which they take up the canons and laws made by the Church of Rome do so animate Provincial and Diocesan Churches that they speak the same language not altogether so corrupt but with like authority and require like subjection of all persons and by your leave they grow to it for very conscience sake that those things which were indifferent before yet being laws of the Church now they must binde conscience this is to speak great things Now they have power likewise to cause as many as will not worship the Image of the Beast they shall be killed a signe none of them took that power like the beast but yet though they have not power to kill them yet to deliver them to the Secular power and they must kill them â— whatever the Diocesan Church doth agree on against her Hereticks that will not obey the Government or doctrine of the Church what then The deliver him to the Secular power then they cause him to be put to death and they deliver him to fire and faggot so you see the mighty power of this Beast There is one thing remaining of his power and that is the sixth and last effect He causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads Kings and Princes Ministers and Clergy men as they call them high and low whatever they be he causeth them all to receive a character or marke either in their right hand or in their foreheads A marke in the hand that character themselves call an indelible character and
kind of Civill and Ecclesiasticall power mingled together that a Cathedrall Church forty or fifty miles off shall send terrible censures to cut off the poor Saints of God and they must obey it and if they stand in an Hereticall course as they call it there is no living for them they will kill their Propheticall life as they did the two Witnesses or if they do in any effectuall manner work they will not stick to call them to account and cast them out and deliver them to the Secular power and they shall deliver them to fire and sword So then see the danger of such Constitutions it was wrought by the Bishop of Rome and lives by life from him the life of the Law of God breaths not in the pulses of it any that know them know how far they be from the pattern of the Scripture how ridiculous they be to such as discern the state of them You see also what mighty power they have that all civill States have been contented to deliver such to fire and sword whom they have delivered up as Hereticks They soon loose the protection of the Civill State if they loose the favour of imaginary Churches well doth he call them images they are images of the Pope and images which God forbids and the inventions of the sonnes of men Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven Image in the second Commandement You shall make no Images of Officers nor Government nor worship but that which Christ himselfe hath set up Fifthly it lets us see how dangerous it is to annex civill penalties ipso facto upon such as are cast out of the Church an usuall thing in Popish Churches or in the Images of such First they suspend them from the Sacrament but then it comes with an Excommunication no man must buy nor sell he hath refused to honour the image of the Beast It is dangerous to bring in civill Authority immediately upon Church-censure A warning to us here that if men be excommunicated not to deny them civill Commerce or to say such as stand out excommunicated so long shall no longer enjoy the priviledges of the State The Church may cut them off from fellowship with it selfe there may be just reason so to do they may discover such hypocrifie as may make them unfit for the Church but yet they may not altogether be unfit for the Common-wealth Sixthly It may serve to humble us so farr as in times past we had any thing to do with this Beast eyther in the loynes of our Fathers with this first Beast the Roman Catholick visible Church or as in our own time we have had any communion I meane Ecclesiasticall communion with the image of this first Beast that is with Provinciall Diocesan Cathedrall National Churches You know it is not my manner to fall into speeches of Christs in other parts it is best for us to look to our owne but when the Text is just so fit now to be silent were to deny the children of God the bread of their portion If it be such a Church as is of the Popes devising as hath provoked the jealousie of God and hath not been derived from the primitive institution that Christ hath established then so far as we have had to deale with them either in office or out of office receiving their Sacraments and their Censures or have published their Censures though God it may be mercifully kept us from publishing such as we did conceive unjust yet forasmuch as there hath been any submittance in this kind any Church-communion whereby we have been admitted into Church-office by the Image of this beast or installed by the ordination of the first beast or so far as wee have submitted to the first or second Beast so far as we have partaked in the holy things of God which flow from Church-communion as Sacraments and Censures do verily so farre we have cause to be humbled though the Lord kept any of us from thinking it any necessity to be reconciled to the Church of Rome or kept us from sundry things in our practice which the Image of the Beast required and though he kept us also from receiving all their Dictates without controll yet for our practice in entring into our calling and our dispensations which have been but images of the first beast and so far as our fellowship in Ordinances with them have cleaved to that Church verily the guilt of that will lye upon such soules as have not unfeignedly bewailed it before the Lord. What think you might be the cause that Christians do complayn of so much deadnesse under such plenty and as some say power of Ordinances I might as justly blame the world for as great part that men think they are forced to lanch out in building and planting an evill haunt and custome hath been rivetred into mens spirits that they have much ado to be content any where but this is not all Nor can I lay it wholly upon over-much confidence in Ordinances we have heretofore thought men happy that had liberty of Ordinances though out in a duty of humiliation God will let you see the emptinesse of all Ordinances that there is no life in them further then he puts in them but I will not put in neither of both these though both these may challenge a part of the deadnesse of the Countrrey and may because of humiliation But giue me leave to say I feare this chiefly that men thought it enough that they were got out of the reach of Summoners and Pariters and such like whose offices have been by the power of the beast the remnants whereof hang in those places where they should not stand I feare men have rested in turning their backs upon such troubles as they were put unto when they have not been serious in judging themselves for these Images of jealousie when they are so loft to be rent from them I feare the Lord hath not humbled them for their old contagion and therefore they are not so dead for what is an Image but deadnesse truly because we are rather in bodily presence then in heart departed from them therefore there is such deadnesse what 's the reason that upon the least motion men are ready to remove to a new Plantation as if they removed from old England to New in a pang If men had a calling upon just grounds to come hither then when we come where the Ordinances of God are we should sit down under the Ordinances under the shadow of the Almighty and never look for more But when that doth not satisfie that we enjoy Ordinances all that liberty we did desire we do enjoy and yet it doth not satisfie certainly there is some sinne lyes in the breast still for which the Lord pursues men with a restlesse frame they are not yet purged from the image of Romish pollution and therefore the Lord sees it not meet to give us rest no not in Sion because in
60 why pleasing to the flesh 117 Power of the Beast whence it iâ— p. 22. 115. and what it is 23 What Power Princes have over the Church what not 39 Princes Power ought to be limited 73 We should pray for the Beasts ruine 95 Christs Purchase for his people 171 R. THe blood of Christ a Ransome for sinne page 176 Popish repentance no better then Judas repentance 212 Reconciliation with God the purchase of Christs blood 171 Roman Catholicke visible Church described p. 2. 7. And whence this first Beast did arise 9 When Rome-Pagan ended and Rome-Christian began 5 S. SAints alwayes victorious page 106 No Salvation in the Romish Church 215 What is meant by Sea 8 Christ slaine p. 168 and wherefore p. 170. and how slaine from the beginning of the world 189 The Spirit is purchased by Christs death 172 Sufferers for Christ and his cause are blessed 219 Sweden is one of the ten Horns 50 T. TEnths is the number of the beasts name pag. 253. 257 Thâ—odosius overâ—hrew the Temples 88 The Turk invincible whilst the Pope stands 50 V. UNiversality and prosperity no notes of a true Church page 57 Union purchased by Christs death 172 W. VVAldenses and Albingenses slaine to the number of 1000000. page 100 Saints are Saints in Warre as well as in Peace 108 Such as War against Antichrist are called Saints 106 A warning from checks of Providence 44 The Beast makes War with the Saints 98 The great words of the Beast 65 Works and grace opposite 210 Popish worship is the worship of the Devill 58 ERRATA PAge 2. l. 2. r. a part l 17. r. they are p 4. l. 17. r. Pagan p 8. l. 19. r. partions p. 9. l. 26. r. Decemviri l. 28. r. was p. 14. l. 34. r is it p. 16. l. 17. r. is it l. ult r. edefied p. 18. l. 3. r. examination p. 29. l. 34. r. edefied l. 35. r. bring p. 30. l. 25. r. passeth p 31. l. 37. r. Church will p. 32. l. 3. r. they p. 33. l. 24. r. Decemviries p. 34. l. 23. r. some such l. 35. r. must therefore p. 43. l. 32. r. sacrifice p. 62. r. delegation p. 6â— l. 27. r. Dan. 7. 8. p. 64. l. 16. r. audible p. 82. l. 28. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 38. r. there p. 37. l. 17 r. prevaricate p. 90. l. 14. r. many p. 91. l. 22. r. talke p. 123. l. 21 r. Albigenses l. 29. r. suiâ—â— p. 124. l. 24. r. without p. 129. l. 29 r. men p. 132. l 24. r. acceptation p. 145 l. ult r. irrevocable p. 159. l. 6. r. unexcusable p. 157. l. 31. r. many p. 160. l. 6. r. antiquity p. 178. l. 23. r. applyed to p. 181. l. 19. r. repetitions p. 182. 29. r. the. p. 184. 36. r. grace p 211. l. 28. r. stony p. 229. l. 36. r. appeals FINIS The Analysis of this 13. Chapter of the Revelation This Chapter contains the Warr which the Dragon or Devill made against the Woman or Church mentioned in the last verse of the foregoing Chapter which is managed by two Beasts as his Instruments First beast is described v. 1. to 11 by his 1 Originall or Fountaine whence he springs viz. the Sea vers 1. 2. Shâ—pe or Figure having 7. Heads with the Title of blasphemy upon them ib. 10. Horns with Crowns upon them ibid. A Body like unto a Leopard or Panther v. 2. Feet as of a Beare ibid. A mouth as of a Lyon ibid. 3. State which is set forth by 1. The efficient Cause viz. the Dragon he gave his power and authority ibid. 2. The variable change of it 1. 'T was great being cal'd Power Seat Authority 2. One head was wounded as it were to death v. 3. 3. That Head was healed ib. and the effects thereof 1. The worlds wondring ibid. 2. The worshipping of the Beast and Dragon v. 4. 3. Liberty to blaspheme v. 5. 6. 4. Power to continue 42. moneths overcom the Saints v. 7. 5. The amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion v. 7 8. 3. A Conclusion containing a word of Attenttors and Consolation v. 9 10. 1. His Originall He comes on t of the earth vers 11. 2. A Similitude or Resemblance in 3. things viz. to 1. A Lamb in his horns ibid. 2. A Dragon in his speech ibid. 3. The first Beast in the exercise of his Power v. 12. 3. The particular Exercises of his Power or effâ—cts of it viz. Hee 1. Procures Adoration to the first beast ibid. 2. Doth great wonders making fire come down from heaven in the sight of men ver 13. 3. Deceives them that dwell on the earth by those miracles v. 14. 4. Doth prevaile with them that are on earth to make an Image to the Beast which had a wound by the sword and did live ibid. 5. Animates and gives life to the Image of the Beast that it should have both power to speake and to cause as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast to be killed v. 15. 6. Causeth all sorts of men small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or forehead or at least the Name of the Beast or the number of his name or otherwise he excludes them not only from spirituall but also civill Commerce v. 16 17. The number of his Name is also ver 18. illustrated 1. By the wisdome needfull to the understanding of it 2. By an exhortation to search out and count it 3. To be the number of a man expresly decyphered to be 666. The Reader is desired to correct with his pen these faults amongst others which through precipitance of the Press have fallen to the prejudice of the sence Page Line Read 2 2 a part 6 31 give 9 26 Decemvirs 11 30 much  34 whole  last lasted long 13 34 persumed 14 36 is it not 16 17 is it not  29 Metropolitan  last edefied 29 35 bring  37 primitive 36 11 head of the.  37 Supremacy 37 6 incompatible 64 10 premeditation  16 audible 65 29 derision 66 10 Pope that is the 69 6 Cantury  20 could not for would 73 11 clouds to keep them from the earth  ib. Firmament to the clouds  31 blot out a. 75 27 Pontifex 82 2 limited  28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   blot out ever 83 35 a definite or indefinite time 87 17 prevaricate  25 there was no place 88 8 Theodosius  20 for scores of r. number 90 13 time for the moneth  14 many for may 95 1 the children of Israel in the land of Aegypt 101 36 readinesse for necessity 102 2 even for him and 107 32 they are not hereticks  35 if not they 109 13 not lift up  22 holinesse  28 hand for head 115 6 blot out Exasia 116 24 the Pope was 117 10 Abominations 123 21 Waldenses and Albâ—ngenses  29 suite for smite 124 24 Without mixture 129 penult of life for of the life 134 1 else they may not  3 the booke of life of  25 Wherein whoever is not  33 blot out out of 141 34 35 the world it carryeth away them 145 lâ—st irrevocable 146 8 receive him  31 there be in us 148 13 blasting 150 10 how for now  13 many times  30 seale for search  32 after worke for Christ make 155 34 that for as 159 4 This is for this this  6 unexcusable 165 31 many times  23 applyed to thee 178 29 the stay 182 1 of temptations 184 36 way of grace  19 in Sauls and Solomons 197 â—â— take it at the best 198 â—9 And 〈…〉 201 2 blot out in doing and suffering all for them 206 12 which be haâ—h 208 21 not for nor  29 tells you of the.  30 blot out to in that sentence and to the holy Citie they 209 4 not for nor 210 19 subtile 211 7 word for world 215 28 â—â—ony for strong 218 27 tale for taile 229 15 appointed time is come 231 36 appeals 236 12 the Church 237 23 the head of this beast 239 10 Congregations to  4 5 speech of the sins of Christians in c.  35 blot out as  36 for a great 240 16 loth for loft 241 28 given for gotten 246 9 me for men  2 account 247 27 〈…〉 249 25 as well 251 31 then let all 252 14 of it more 253 8 pretty 256 6 victory  10 born witnesse against  11 a Papist so far 257 6 sixe more in 259 17 in the foundation 〈◊〉 Doct. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Doctr. 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. ☞ Note Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Doctr. 2. Quest 1. Answ Quest 2. Answ Quest 3. Answ Vse 1. Vse 2. Doctr. 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctr. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Answ Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctrine 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doct. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine 2. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine 1. Doct. 2. Vse 1. V se 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doctrine Parker Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4.