come A speciall observation of the time of this rejoycing and not before because that till now the Church was exercised either with bloody persecutions from without or with intestine broyles and heresies from within but now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the accuser and false traducer of our Brethren the Holy Prophets and the Apostles of Christ by misapplying their sayings misconstring their words and perverting their meaning and making them to say that which they never thought as all Hereticks do being cast out of the Church and quite vanquished consuted and silenced 1. By the blood of the Lamb that is by the faith which the true Christians had in the death of Christ and by the patient sufferings of the Martyrs for the defence of that faith in the former persecutions both of the Pagans and Arians when they loved not their lives unto death but valued them as nothing and yielded them most freely for the maintenance of that Faith which they had in the blood of the Lamb. and 2. by the word of their Testimony that is the breif Articles of their faith and the uniforme rule of Serving God and by the constant firme and faithfull justifying and maintaining the truth of that Doctrine and Service which they professed and published unto the people against all Hereticks whatsoever Therefore now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 12. rejoyce you Heavens Use 12 1. The rejoycing of the Angels and Saints the Church tryumphant and militant for the suppression of the Hereticks and ye that dwell in them that is the highest Heavens and all you Blessed Spirits and Holy Angells that do rejoyce at the Conversion of one Sinner rejoyce now much more for these great Victories and especially for this last victory that Michael and his Angels hath obtained against the Dragon and his Angels and you the Metaphoricall Heavens the Churches of God wherein God resideth rejoyce you as you have most cause to rejoyce that the accuser of your brethren and the false traducer of the Apostles and Holy Fathers of the Church is cast out from amongst you and your Churches are purely reformed the doctrine of faith truely taught and the service of God righty administred and all errors heresies and superstitions swept out of the Church But woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea v. 12. that is Who are meant by the inhabitants of the earth and of the Sea to the Worldlings Hypocrites bloody men and loose livers for the earth signifyeth earthly men and the Sea is a loose roaring and raging element cold and moyst and therefore signifieth the loose and dissolute livers roarers and furious men that have not any heat of Love and Charity in them and those also that for the love of gaine and profit only and not out of love to benefit their Countrey and their Neighbours and to shew the bountifull goodness of God to all places but onely out of a covetous desire to inrich themselves do passe all Seas into all forreign Lands woe woe unto all those because that he which could not and can not prevail against the true Christians that do so firmly stand and so stoutly oppose him will be sure to catch these soon enough within his net and hold them fast enough to make them pay for all because as the Holy Ghost saith he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great wrath and is exceedingly troubled and vexed not onely for his former foyl and his casting out of Heaven but also most especially for that now after these victories he knoweth or as the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he seeth that he hath but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a short space to recruit and to see if he can revenge his former foyls and therefore 2. 2. The bloody and the most malicious persecution of the Dragon after the suppression of the Hereticks He goeth presently among the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea and perswades them to throw all the stones of the Earth and to stir up all the waves of the Sea and to use all possible arts to vex and oppress the woman and to overwhelm the Ship of Christ which is the Church in the Seas of all miseries and afflictions And so now the Dragon begins a fresh to rage and to persecute the woman saith the Holy Ghost v. 13. which brought forth the man-child and to vex and molest all her Children all the true and faithfull members of the Church whereof most of them especially her lay children were left prety quiet while the spirituall and dogmaticall warre lasted that raged most of all amongst the Clergy but now that warre being ended the Church reformed superstitions expunged and all the Heresies confuted the Dragon vanquished his Angels suppressed and the service of God purely and rightly discharged the true Church and all her members the corrupted unreformed Churches he hath them in his hands already so that he need not trouble himself to meddle with them are newly molested and exceedingly persecuted with great wrath saith the Angel and that is with a bloody warre and a greater warre and a far more unnaturall and unchristian warre and a more violent and more malicious prosecution of the warre and persecution of them that were quiet in the Land then ever was done by this Dragon at any time before this time And the reason of the exceeding greatness and sharpness of this persecution of the true Church The reason of the sharpness of this persecution shewed signified by this woman is not omitted to be set down by the Holy Ghost for the comfort and consolation of all the persecuted Saints and distressed members of Christ and for to incourage them with the more constancy to persist and to withstand the assaults of the Dragon unto the end and that is because the Dragon that in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had many hundred years to prosecute that heriticall and dogmaticall war yet now knoweth and seeth that he hath but a short time to rage and to wage this newly revived bloody war and therefore he must bestir himself or he shall lose his Harvest that hath but a short time to gather in his fruit and that time that he is permitted thus to rage against the woman as the spirit of God sets it down Cap. 12.14 c. 11 8 v. 11. c. 13 5. c. 11.2 is but a time and times and half a time which signifieth the three dayes and a half that the two witnesses of Christ shall lie unburied in the streets of the great City and the 42 moneths wherein the beast should prevail against Gods Servants and should tread the holy City that is the purest Church under feet for all these times thus exprest by severall termes and expressions The suppression of the witnesses and persecution of the Church the same time as of time times and half a time and three dayes and a half and 42 moneths and do synechronize and cohere for the
suddenly bring Atheisme and all Prophaneness among the people which I beseech All-mighty God of his mercy to keep from his Servants and to turn away this Blasphemy of the Beast against Gods Tabernacle And I may demand if the false Prophet the Preachers and the adherents of the long Parliament have not brought this contempt of Gods Tabernacle in too great measure among the simple people and which very sin I am confident cannot be fastened either upon Jewes Turks or Papists CAP. IV. The Blasphemy of the Beast against the Saints in Heaven the first despisers of them the Blasphemy against the Godly Saints on earth who are the Saints with whom the Beast warreth the successes of the Beast that we ought not to wonder at his Victories what the successes of the Beast should teach us and of the end and downfall of the Beast 3. IT is said that the Beast opened his mouth to Blaspheme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. The Blasphemie of the Beast against Gods servants 1 Perfectos them that dwell in Heaven and this may be understood for two sorts of Gods Servants 1. For the blessed Angels and the Saints that are departed and do now rest and reside with the Holy Angels in Heaven 2. For those holy men that do wayfare here as yet and are the lively members of the Militant Church of Christ 2. Inchoatos Maledicta in Sanctos dicuntur blasphemiae quia Deus in Sanctis maledicitur Cajetan in Thom 22. q. 88. Artic. 5. which warreth against the Beast and which is often to be understood by the name of heaven in this book And the Beast hath not spared to blaspheme both these kinds of Saints whose abuses are called blasphemies because God is blasphemed in them saith Cajetane for 1. Touching these blessed souls that are with Christ I speak not for the invocation and praying to the best of those Saints nor the adoration of their relicks and images for that might well be thought to be flat Poperie and a sin to be punished by the Judges or at least not well to be justified neither do I argue for the worshipping of them no not the blessed Virgin with any kind of Divine worship either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but onely for a reverent opinion and a charitable estimation of them free from contempt and shewed by good words and the addition of some reverent title and honourable Epithite added unto their names as we use to do to the Heroes and noble persons The Parallel Calvinus instruct contra libe tinos c. 9. or our honourable benefactors that are on earth which as I conceive is but the minutest honour that can be given them and yet this is a great deal more then this Beast can afford to bestow upon the most deserving of them for as Mr. Calvin relates of Quintinus the father of the Libertines in France and a near kinsman of this Beast here spoken of adeo petulanter in sanctos debacchabatur he did so insolently rail against all the Saints that he termed Saint Paul no otherwise then a broken vessel Saint John a foolish youth Saint Matthew an usurer Saint Peter a denier of his Master and I heard say that some one of the spawn of this Beast hearing a worthy Preacher citing Saint Augustine replied Saint Augustine Saint Devil and I am sure the adherents of the long Parliament as limbs of this Beast do for the most part hold it blasphemie to call the holy men departed Saints and therefore you shall never hear any of them to say in their Sermons or Writings And Mr. Love gives to Mr. Greenham the Epithite of holy Greenham Saint Peter or Saint Paul but the bare naked nameof Peter Paul John and so of the rest is good enough for the best of them though they can be pleased to give far more honourable titles to their own impure proselites and some of them to become so impudent as to compare their own sinfull mothers with the unspotted mother of God the blessed mother of Jesus Christ whom the Holy Ghost saith all generations shall call blessed as they all do that love Christ except it be this cursed generation of vipers that gnaw out the bowels of their own mother But this contempt of the heavenly Saints The first despi sers of the blessed Saints these new Scholars have learn'd of their old Masters the first despisers of the Saints and Martyrs Leo Isaurus and Constantinus Capronimus that said the blessed Virgin after she was delivered of Christ was like a purse that had been full of gold and that made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an universal Law that none of Gods servants should be called Saint saith Cedrenus Apud Surium to 6.28 and so Steven the Martyr of that time sheweth that the Constantinopolitan-Council of 338. Bishops assembled by Leo Isaurus had proscribed against holy things and had cast away in contempt this epithite Saint from all the righteous men of God and would give no other title to the Apostles and Martyrs of Jesus Christ but as their Disciples do now the bare name of Matthew Mark and the like and thought it an hainous crime to say Saint Peter whereby you see this new practice of the Beast and of his followers that have unsainted all the holy inhabitants of heaven and Sainted all the hypocrites on earth is but raked up out of the old dunghill of these Hagiomastices the Saint-scourgers that I named unto you Yet you hear what the Spirit of God saith that to speak evil of the Saints whom we ought to honour as those that sit with Christ on his Throne Rev. 21. as Christ himself doth testifie is no less then hainous blasphemie and therefore if we will not yield them that due respect and honour that we ow them as the friends of God and as the brethren of Christ and the sons of God and for the manifold good that they have done unto us yet I hope this will bridle all those that fear God from uttering any contumelious speeches against them 2. For the other sort of Gods servants that remain still in the world The Parallel 2. The blasphemie of the Beast against the inchoative Saints that are on earth and reside in the earthly heaven that is the Church militant the Beast termeth them not onely sinners which they confess themselves to be and confess it with grief of heart that they are so bad and can not be better but calleth them also Reprobates Malignants Members of the Beast Sons of the Whore of Babylon Limbs of the great Antichrist and faggots destined for hell-fire And for themselves that are indeed the Members of the Beast they pretend to be the right Saints and the onely true servants of God The strange Divinity of the Beast In the Historie of Independency part 3. p. 29. and therefore they may commit any Act that is a sin in us whom they deem Reprobates and yet
concernment to the whole Church it should be very well plainly and sufficiently proved and manifested and not darkly and improbably demonstrated or else it ought hardly to be received and not at all to be beleeved 4. Whereas pag. 2. of this interpretation he saith that because oppositorum eadem estratio and that the mysterie of 144. to which this number of 666 is opposed is contained in the roote thereof which is 12 therefore the mysterie of this 666. must be contained in the roote thereof which is 25. I say that the misterie of 144. is indeed interpreted to consist in the roote thereof which is 12. which being 12 times multiplied doe make up just 144. and yet the Holy Ghost maketh no such interpretation of it but that those spirits which beleeve nothing but the expresse text of scripture may as easily reject it as receive it but being granted that this is rightly interpreted because the twelve Apostles St. Paul left out that laboured in the building more then any if not then most of them all were the foundations of the wall of the new and spirituall Jerusalem yet it followeth not that because this mysterie must be explained by the extraction of the roote of 144. therefore the other mystery that denoteth the beast must consist in the roote of 666 no more then the mysteries of many other numbers expressed in scripture can be said to consist in their extracted rootes and though the beast be opposite to Christ and the Synagogue of Satan opposite to the Church of Christ or Babylon to Jerusalem yet this doth not in any understanding prove that 666 is more opposite to 144. as it is a set number then it is to 444 or to any other definite number 333 being as I conceive a more oppofite number in respect of division to 666. Onely this 666 is said to be the number of the beast in direct and plain termes and the other number of 144 is interpreted by some authors to be understood of the Church militant here on earth and by others of as good repute to be the typicall expression of the Kingdome of Heaven Besides the twelve Apostles were but the foundations of this wall as having their names in them v. 14. the wall being made up of other stones that is of all the beleeving christians and so it comprehendeth the whole Church and then the opposition must be not betwixt the Hierarchie of the Pope and his Cardinals and the Hierarchie of the Christian Church but betwixt the whole Church of Christ whose wall and not whose foundation v. 17. was 144 cubits and the whole Synagogue of Satan that is made up of theeves infidels and all other wicked reprobates therefore the Pope and his Cardinals cannot be the the beast that by this exposition of opposites must fignifie all the whole companie of reprobates which is far contrarie to the meaning of the Holy Ghost that plainly differenceth the beast and the worshipers and followers of the beast as the Lambe and the followers of the Lambe are not the same But indeed contrarie to the opinion of Mr. Forbes and some other that make this vision of the new Ierusalem to be typus presentis ecclesiae a type of the militant Church I shall with many of the most ancient interpreters denie this discription of the new Ierusalem to be the type of the Christian militant Church and say that ad captum nostrum that can reach no higher then demonstration this admirable explication of this citty is thus set down to shew unto us those ineffable excellencies and most glorious estate which the servants of Christ shall enjoy in the kingdome of Heaven for if you observe the coherence of this 21 c. with the former you shall finde there c. 20. that the beast and the false prophet and the devill are cast into the lake of fire to be tormented for ever and ever v. 10. and the dead both smale and great were all judged according to their works v. 12 and death and bell and all that were not written in the booke of life were cast into the lake of fire which can be no other then the last judgement against all the reprobates this is the end of them And then after St. Iohn had shewed the end of them and their sad condition for ever he proceeds in the 21 c. to shew unto us according to the best of our apprehension the most happie state and condition of the children of God in heaven which he expresseth under this type that he saw a new heaven and a new earth even as St Peter and before him the prophet Esay long agone had prophysied and foretold the servants of God how happie they should be and because that which is no where is not at all as St. Aug. Tolle spatia locorum corporibus nusquam erunt et quia nusquam erunt non erunt saith therefore he describeth the place where they shall remain in bliss under this type of the new Ierusalem whose excellent frame and figure he doth here so amply describe unto us wherein you may observe that the things attributed to the Cittizens of this new Ierusalem are incompatible with the members of the church militant for it is said that God shallwipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine v. 4. which cannot be referred and applied to the members of the purest church on earth and so many other things are set down c. 22. to be in this heavenly Cittie which cannot without apparant violence unto the text properly be thought to be in the militunt church but are most elegant expressions by way of allusion of those incomprehensible excellencies that the saints shall finde in the kingdome of heaven 5. Whereas he saith pag. 3. that it is not said as it is observed by many let him that hath understanding count the name of the beast but count the number of the beast I answer that in c. 13. v. 17. it is said that no man might buy or sell but he that had the marke or the name of the beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the number of his name therefore the number of the beast and the number of his name are all one and so both the one and the other both signifying the same thing are said to contain therein the just number of 666 when as the number of the beast is put down for the number of the name of the beast 6. Whereas he saith c. 2. pag. 5. that the mysterie of 144. consisteth in the square roote of it which is 12. I answer as before that I doe not gain-say it but for the oppositio of 666 to this 144 that the mysterie of the 666. must consist in the square roote of it which is 25. as the mysterie of a 144 confisteth in the square roote of it which is 12 I utterly denie untill he can bring me
' Ο ΑÎΤΙΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ The Great ANTICHRIST REVEALED Before this time never discovered AND Proved to be neither Pope nor Turk nor any Single Person nor the Succession of any one Monarch or Tyrant in any Policie BUT A collected pack or multitude of Hypocritical Heretical Blasphemous and most scandalous wicked men that have fulfilled all the Prophesies of the Scriptures which have forespoken of the coming of the great Antichrist and especially have united and combined themselves together by a solemn League and Covenant to slay the two witnesses of God Moses and Aaron as Christ interpreteth them They have Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.29 that is The supreme Magistrate of the Common-wealth and the chief Pastors and Governours of the Church of Christ And the Christian world is requested to judge Whether the Assembly of Presbyterians consulting at Westminster Together with the Independents Anabaptists and Lay-Preachers be not the false Prophet and the mystical soul of that great Antichrist And Whether the prevalent Faction of the long Parliament termed of late the Rump Parl. and their Adherents that killed the two witnesses of Jesus Christ 1. Charles the first King of Great Britain and in him civilly all his Magistrates 2. William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and civilly all the suppressed Bishops and silenced Preachers of these 3 kingdoms be not the grosse and visible body of the same Antichrist By Gr. Williams L. Bishop of Ossory Impii homines qui dum volunt esse mali nolunt esse veritatem qua condemnantur mali August Me me adsum qui feci in me convertite ferrum Virg. Jehovae Liberatori London Printed at the charge of the Authour 1660. A strong faith fenced with a golden helmet Need not fear the beast his hatchet But his wicked deeds will ring And shew the prayses of the King Whom the cruell beast hath kill'd And all the Prophesies fulfill'd Of our blessed Saviour Christ Touching the accursed Antichrist The Authours Protestation I Call God to be my witnesse and heaven and earth to testifie against me if I aym at any thing or desire any thing by the publishing of these books but the glory of God the true service of Jesus Christ and the good the peace and the happinesse of the Church of Christ and the people of these Kingdomes without envie to any mans good or hatred to any mans person or the ambition and desire of any place profit or preferment for that I thank God I have learned in any state to be contented Et contemnere contemni The Authours Prayers which Morning and Evening he useth to say to Almighty God and to his Saviour Jesus Christ The Authours first addresse to Almighty God Our Father which art in Heaven c. O Eternal Almighty Lord God our good God sweet Saviour Jesus Christ Holy and blessed Spirit glorious Trinity three persons and one God have mercy upon us most miserable sinners have mercy upon us most miserable sinners O Lord God pardon and forgive us all our sins those great and many sins that we have most hainously committed against thy divine Majesty Lord enter not into judgement with us thy servants for no flesh is righteous in thy sight and deal not not with us according to the multitude of our transgressions but according to the multitude of thy mercies and compassion do away our offences and give us thy grace that ever hereafter we may serve thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life make us truly thankfull unto thee for all those mercies and favours and loving kindnesses that thou hast continually so graciously and so mercifully bestowed upon us for thou hast created us after thine own image thou hast redeemed us with the precious blood of thy dear Son Jesus Christ and thou hast called us and sanctified us in some measure with the graces of thy most blessed Spirit thou hast delivered us out of all our troubles from all dangers and from the hands of all that hate us from the snare whereunto we were fallen and from those dangerous Sea-voyages wherein we had utterly perished if thou hadst not most mercifully preserved us thou hast given us meanes and maintenance whereby we were inabled to serve thee and thou hast restored the same to us again when we had utterly lost it thou hast given us faith to believe in thy Son Jesus Christ hope to attain to eternal life love and charity both towards thee and our neighbours for thy sake repentance for our former sins and a resolution ever hereafter to lead a holy and a godly life thou hast blest us in all our wayes prospered all our journeys delivered us from all evill helped us in all our necessities preserved us in health and restored thy servants to life when they were at the point of death for all which and for all other thy mercies and loving kindnesses both spiritual and temporal we heartily praise thy glorious name and magnify thee with all our souls we honour thee we blesse thee we praise thee we thank thee and we will magnify thee for the same for ever and ever And we do most humbly beseech thee of thy goodnesse O Lord to continue still thy loving kindnesse towards us and to preserve us still from all evill and mischief from all sin from the crafts and assaults of the devil from thy wrath and from everlasting damnaation save and defend us from shame reproach and discredit in this world from violent and sudden death and from the malice and hatred of all our enemies O let them never prevail against us let them never have the upper hand over us and let them not say There there so would we have it neither let them say We have devoured them but be thou with us be our helper and defender be our shield and our buckler be our strong Tower whereunto we may alwayes resort and we will not fear what man can do unto us We pray thee also good God give me wisdom and understanding O Lord I beseech thee give me wisdom and understanding memory boldnesse and utterance help and assist me at all times and in all places to preach thy holy word for the glory of thy name and the benefit of thy people And as thou hast helped and assisted me the last time and all other times heretofore for which I do heartily praise and thank thy glorious name so I do most humbly beseech thee to help and assist me the next time and at all other times hereafter that I may set forth thy praise and glory blesse O Lord the holy Catholick Church blesse and preserve thy servant Charles that is our lawful King and all the servants of Jesus Christ that are with him comfort them now after the time thou hast chastised them and for the years wherein they have suffered adversity give them patience to endure whatsoever thou layest upon them and in thy good time deliver them out of all their troubles and restore them to their
concluded and expressed in our 39 Articles to which all Ministers subscribed and this uniformity of Gods worship thus purged from all abuses errors and Superstitions and so perfectly composed by all those holy men for the honor and service of God was fully authorized by the Queen and all the Parliaments that were convened and held in her time to be observed without any omission or alteration in all Churches as you may see by the Act prefixed before the Book of common Prayer And afterwards it was continued and preserved by that wise and learned King K. James and above all and more strictly than all by that ever blessed King and glorious Martyr of Jesus Christ Charles the 1. that defended the true faith and this true form of serving God against all opposers both the superstitious Papists and the apostate Puritanes and Separatists even to the loss of his life And I presume all good Protestants will yield unto me and I am perswaded That the Church of Ingland in King Charles his raign was the purest Church on earth that the Pope and his Cardinalls if they would speak according to their consciences could not deny but that the Church of Ingland as it was purged from Idolatry and Superstition and established in such purity of Doctrine and excellency of Discipline in the raign of King Edward the 6th and especially in Queen Elisabeths time and so continued in the raign of King James and King Charles was the truest and the purest Church unless they did except their own Church that way-fared and was militant here on earth where the faith of Gods elect might infallibly be found the service of God was rightly observed and was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Temple the House and the Church which he hath purchased and wherein he dwelleth And So E. H. truly confesseth that amongst all the reformed Churches E. H. in his Preface to the Reader the Church of Ingland hath alwayes been esteemed the purest as being most conformable to primitive purity and the word of God both in Doctrine and Discipline B. Montague in apello Caesarem c. 5. p. 47 48. And this appears even from the pens of the heads of other reformed Churches as Bucer Melancthon Calvin Camerarius Beza Zanchius Molinaeus Casaubon Sergevil Saravia and others who many of them confess in plain words and all by consequence conclude that the Church of Ingland of any particular national Church in the world cometh nearest to the apostolick rule for though all the Churches that protested against the superstitious tenents and errors of the councill of Trent and the Church of Rome have borne the name of reformed Churches yet neither all nor any of them all are indeed well and perfectly reformed when as many of them are corrupt in many points of Doctrine as I could shew you amongst the Calvinists and especially the Lutheran Churches that maintain that foul error of the ubiquity of the humanity of Christ their consubstantiation of his body in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and their many mistakes about the communication of the Properties of both his natures as Danaeus sheweth most excellently against Chemnitius and most of them are deficient in the rule of primitive Government not any one of them indeed following the Apostles Discipline And the reason of their deficiency is The reason of the deficiency of the Reformation of the other reformed Churches because that in the French and German Churches and the Churches beyond the Seas the Reformers of them by reason of the innumerable number of their potent enemies and the civil broyles and diffentions that were then in those parts and especially the want of a King in Israel that is a supream Monarch in some of those places over the people which made way for every one of the vulgar sort to do as we read in the Book of Judges what seemed right in his own eyes Judges 21.25 were constrained to do what they might and not what they would have done what could be effected and not what they desired to be performed But the Church of Ingland not by popular or any one particular mans reformation as John Knox that furious puritane did in the Church of Scotland but by a national Synod of all the Bishops and best Divines called by the King and confirmed by the King Peers and Commons of the whole Kingdome reformed her self not as other Churches did tumultuarily but with a great deal of advice diligence and deliberation that so it might be effected as the Apostles left it as the sacred rule required and as it was premonstrated it should be performed and weeded from all the dross the tares and the darnells that should spring to choak the pure wheat And therefore seeing the Church of Ingland until these late times was the truest and the purest reformed Church on earth it is conceived and I do believe it that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Antichrist should arise not out of Rome that hath corrupted many truths and superadded many errors and Superstitions upon the fundamentalls of our Religion and is as yet unreformed nor out of Constantinople which hath likewise apostatized from the true faith of Christ and doth still continue unreturned to Christ from their false Prophet nor out of Hierusalem as some men do most fondly dream but out of this Church this very Church of great Brittain For as heretofore Speed l. 6. cap. 45. Camden britan pag. 74. Euseb in vita Constant. Zechar. 10.11 this Iland of great Brittain brought forth Constantine the son of Helen the daughter of King Coylus which was the best instrument that ever the Church of Christ had to further and to honor the Christian Religion as Eusebius sheweth the same at large And as according to the Septuagint the Prophet saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath passed through the narrow sea with affliction and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down and the scepter of Aegypt shall depart away which may signifie that Christ hath first of all purged this Church that lyeth within the narrow seas and hath made the purest Reformation here that was made in any place by the afflictions and sufferings of the aforenamed Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes and hath thereby brought down the pride of the Pope and of the Roman Church that were then as powerfull as the Assyrians were when the Prophet wrote the same and hath driven away his usurpation and freed us from his tyranny as the Israelies were delivered from the bondage of the Aegyptians so the devil bearing an inveterate hate and infinite malice against this Iland more than against any other place The 2. special Reasons why the devil beareth a greater malice to this Iland more than to any other place for these two grand services that it did to God 1. The toleration of the Christians to profess their faith in peace and the Plantation of the Church of Christ to encrease
say that we must understand not only the name Jehova and Lord and God and the other usual and proper titles and names of God which S. Hierome and others have collected out of the Scriptures but also any other thing that discovereth and maketh God known unto us as his works his word his titles his attributes and the like because God hath no proper name that can make him known unto us or fully express his nature and his being as God himself saith unto Moses Exod. 13.14 when he desired to know his name that he might thereby know him So whosoever denyeth the things and rejecteth the words notions and expressions that bring us to know God or to know the Father and the Son to be the true God doth therein and thereby deny God and is as the Apostle saith the great Lyar and the Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son Leber Secundus CAP. I. The measuring of the Temple the two Witnesses that should erect and build the Christian Church who they are how long they should Prophesie how they should be killed and used after their killing how they shall be resuscicated and revived and in what time they shall be revived after they be killed and of the great mystery of God what it is and when that shall be finished OUr loving Lord and Master Jesus Christ having left us here on earth was not like Pharoahs Butler so unmindfull of us as we are of him when he was glorified in Heaven but he sends his Angel to informe his best beloved Desciple and Servant Ichn of those chiefest afflictions and persecutions that the Christian Church should find and must so undergoe here amongst the Sons of men from that time that the Angel came unto him untill he should come to judge the World and to deliver his distressed Servants out of all their troubles To what end Christ foretells the troubles of his Church and he foretells us of them that they being foreshewed unto us we might the better either study by our endeavours and prayers to God wisely to prevent and avoyd them or manfully with Gods assistance to undergoe them which might the better and the more patiently be done being expected for to come quia tela previsa minus nocent because expected troubles are alwayes less dangerous and not any wayes so grievous as those that do suddenly surprize us and rush upon us like an A med man and this sad and wofull condition of the Church the Wars and Conflicts that she must pass through and the troubles and persecutions that she must suffer the Blessed Evangelist and Apostle St. Iohn setteth down in this book of the Revelation as the Holy Ghost by his Angel hath shewed them unto him And of all the things that are foreshewed I intend only to handle What things the Author chiefly aimeth to treat of by the assistance of Gods Holy Spirit and to treat in this place what I conceive to be the chiefest things that are observable in the 11th 12th and 13th Chapters of this Book of the Revelation and which are as I beleive principally meant or at least most probably applicable to these very times wherein we live and in all likelihood to this particular Church of great Britany and Ireland that to many men seemeth to be the Stage whereupon all or most of the sad spectacles and Tragedies here in these three Ghapters mentioned are evidently seen acted as they were foreshewed I confess the burthen that herein I took upon me is very heavy and the charge very great and I have often Prayed to the same Holy Spirit The weight of the burthen that he undertaketh that as Daniel saith giveth Wisdome and revealeth Secrets Dan. 2.21 22. and that hath revealed these secrets unto his Servant Iohn that he would be pleased to reveale the meaning of them unto me who without his help can understand just nothing but with his assistance may find out the true meaning of these mysteries which wiser men and greater Schollers without his help cannot do and herein I presume not positively to affirme any thing as Articles of Faith for others to beleive but I only do set down what I verily do conceive to be the true meaning of the Holy-Ghost and say with the Poet Si tu quid rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum Now the summe of these three Chapters The summe of the three Chapters that are explained by the Author 11 chap. in brief is this 1. In the 11th Chapter the Angell setteth down to St. Iohn the state and condition of the Governours and Pastors of Gods Church the two Witnesses of Jesus Christ and their fiery tryall their persecution and their suffering under the rule and Reigne of the great Antichrist termed here the Beast that ascendeth from the bottomless pit 2. 12 chap. In the 12th Chapter he sheweth the troubles Crosses and Persecutions of the whole Church and the chiefest members of the same and how that notwithstanding all the malice of Satan and the spite of her persecutors the Church should be assisted and delivered from them all 3. 13 chap. In the 13th Chapter the Apostle describeth unto us the great Antichrist that should most of all persecute the Witnesses of Christ and the false Prophet that should instruct and instigate the Antichrist to proceed on in all his impieties and he sheweth the Combination of these two and of others the chiefest Enemies of the Witnesses and of the Church of Christ First 1. Of the measuring of the Temple and of the Worshippers therein Chap. 11.1 After that the Apostle had eaten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little book which the Angell gave him and was told by the Angell that he must Prophesie againe before many People and Nations and Tongues and Kings he saith there was given unto him a Reed like to a Rod or a measuring Pole and the Angel said unto him arise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that Worship therein And we find that this measuring Reed was used sometimes to pull down to ruine and to destroy the measured place and sometimes to build and to reare up the same and some Interpreters whom E. H. followeth do understand it here for the ruine and Rejection of the Jewish people the dissipation of them by the Romans What is meant by the Temple that was to be measured The building of the Church of Christians and the end of their then Temple their Sacrifices and their Religion that was now approaching on and very nigh at hand but I rather conceive that by the Temple of God that was now to be measured we should understand the Church of God that is the Christian Church that was now to be edified to be reared up and to be reduced to a new forme and to have new Ordinances and new Sacraments far better then those that were in the Jewish Temple as Beza
it and prosper which you may see more at large in the History of the Machabees lib. 2. from the beginning of the third Chapter to the fifth Chapter thus far Mr. Mede Wherein habemus confitentem virum we have this learned man Hucusque ingenuously confessing enough to make good what I assume that the Witnesses should be slaine in the reformed Church and the cause that moveth God to suffer them to be killed and the Church to be deprived of them to be our sins our Sacriledge in robbing them of their revenues and our neglect and contempt of their persons which doth alwayes follow the pillaging of their Estates And if Mr. Mede had seen the unparalleled sacriledge and the incredible contempt of the best men in holy Orders and the trampling of the highest form in Christ his school underfoot that we see now what would he have said then to these things I think as much as I if not more But if the witnesses be taken away and killed as he feareth Therefore he is not the Pope nor Turk in the reformed Churches and their killing must be there because there is the place where they do bear witness and it is the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit that killeth them and that Beast is the great Antichrist as hereafter I shall make plain unto you therefore it must needs follow that the Antichrist must needs rise in like manner out of the reformed Church and so neither Pope nor Turk can be the Antichrist Then after the witnesses be killed ejected and deprived of all respect it is said How the worldly and carnall men rejoyce for the killing of the two Witnesses For the manner of sending gists See Hest 9.19 and 22. Isai 9.3 Earthly men accounted those that restrained them from their wickedness their tormentors vers 9. that they which dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the earth that is the carnall earthly and worldly minded men shall rejoyce over them and make merry and send gifts one to another that is for very joy that those witnesses are vanquished and suppressed they shall be the more Joviall and much more exercise the jollity of their mirth and Jubilee now and send gratulatory presents and make feasts for Colonels and Captains that had followed the war and suppressed these two witnesses and so rejoyce according to the joy in harvest and as men rejoyce when they divide the spoil Gaudebunt gaudio maximo they will rejoyce with the greatest joy that can be more then ever they did rejoyce before And the Reason of this their Jubilee and great joy is not omitted to be here rendred by the Holy Ghost and therefore not to be passed over in silence and that is saith he because these two Witnesses that is the King by his just Lawes his powerfull sword that formerly turned the waters of their unlawfull lusts and pleasures as Moses did the waters of Egypt into blood and the Bishops by their spirituall Courts and sentence of excommunication that like fire proceed out of their mouth to root out the refractory carnall and lewd livers out of the Church or to reduce them to repentance tormented them that dwell on the earth that is by rebuking them in their Sermons punishing them in their Conrts and so the witnesses vexed them by their reproofs and by their lawes both Ecclesiasticall and Civil which inflicted penance and imposed fines imprisonment and death it self upon the scandalous transgressors of the Lawes of God and the King by which means of the said civil Rule and Government there was some restraint to bridle those earthly and carnall men to curb them that they should not gallop so fast as they desired and as otherwise they would have done in their lewd and ungodly courses for which bridling and hindering of them to run on in their evil and wicked wayes these two witnesses were deemed by all those that dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the earth and had their conversation and delight in the things of the earth to be their very enemies and their greatest tormentors And now I demand How the carnall worldly men do rejoyce to see the King and the Bishops supprest If the earthly and carnall men the lewd livers adulterers Sabbath breakers Drunkards and the like transgressors of the Law of God and the Church did not rejoyce and leap for joy to see the King killed and all the Bishops suppressed and their Courts that restrained their outrages and impieties quite abolished for though all godly men and all honest men do mourn and are grieved at the heart for those things that were done to these witnesses of Christ yet they that dwell upon the earth and are onely cives hujus mundi the free citizens of this world and have none of their conversation in heaven are exceeding glad that there is no king in Israel and no Bishop in the Church of God that is no Monarch or supreme Governour to punish their unjust doings and no Bishops Court to question them for any of their prophaneness or to prohibite any lewdness and exorbitances but that they might as now they do in many places live after their own lusts And do now what they list in all lasciviousness and wantonness and do what they list run and preach without a calling and so fill the Church with sects heresies and errours and as it was said of some lascivous Friers Mane filium virginis praedicant in choro Nocte filium veneris agitant in thoro So may we far more justly say it of these unlawfull uncalled and unlearned earthly Preachers that prate and preach and say and say and all to none other end but to hide their wantonness and worldliness and to deceive the world Thus you see how the two witnesses of Christ are killed That the Church that is the true and farthfull Christians shall be troden underfoot so long as the witnesses shall remain dead and shall for three days and a half lie unburied without their last honour without favour and without any respect in the world but the worldly men rejoycing for their dejection And all this while that the witness-bearers of Gods truth shall be as dead men in the world and as stincking carkasses in the nostrils of them that dwell on the earth the holy city that is the true Church of Christ which is as St. Augustine calleth it the City of God shall be as the Angel saith c. 11.2 troden under foot by the Gentiles that is the uncircumcised that served not God and were none of Gods people but such as followed after their Idols and their own ungodly wayes so shall the wicked hypocrites worldlings and carnall men that are here understood by these Gentiles prophane the Houses of God the Temples the Oratories and all other places consecrated for Gods service when the fonts wherein they were baptized shall be thrown out of the Churches the windows shall be
the Divines into their Cloysters which was the Churches Heaven upon Earth and he will not so part with her Mr. Mede pag. 40. What is meant by the War of Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and his Angels as there to let her escape free from his assault but be will now prosecute another kind of Combate with her which he had only begun before when he saw himself like to be worsted in the former conflicts and that Combate shall be not as E. H. and Mr. Mede do imagine the bloody Warrs of the persecuting Tyrants which was already past and the Dragon failed of his purpose therein but bellum dogmaticum a verball Warr that is a spirituall Scholastick and Ecclesiasticall War like the Pharsalian civil War of the Romans when a Kingdome is divided amongst it self which is the Worst and most dangerous of all Wars and so is this Ecclesiasticall War that the Hereticks and their grand Captaines the Proselites of Arius Nestorius Eutyches Pelagius Manichaeus Aerius the Trinitarians Millenaries and the rest of that litter did still prosecute to molest the Church of Christ And my reasons to prove this War to be no Bloody War The hereticall War but rather a spirituall and Ecclesiasticall War are these Reason 1 1. Because this War is said to be in Heaven which cannot signifie the seat and place of the Blessed Angels and of the Saints departed out of this life because that neither War nor sorrow nor any other trouble can come there and therefore the seat of this War must be not the World simply considered which is never called Heaven but the Church of God which is the Christians Heaven here upon Earth and the Arke that carrieth us through the Seas of this World into the Eternall Heaven and therefore this War being said to be rather in the Church then in the World when as our Saviour speaking of our bloody Wars saith in the World you shall have Tribulations must needs be an Ecclesiasticall Hereticall and no bloody War no worldly War Reason 2 2. Because it is said that Michael and his Angels that is Christ and the true Bishops and Pastors of his Church that are called the Angels of the Churches and not Michael and his Princes Revelat. 1.20 fought against the Dragon and his Angels and not as it is said in Daniel that he affisted his Angel against the King of Persia but with the Dragon and his Angels Dan. 10.13 that is the Devil and his false Prophets the Hereticks that molested the Church and corrupted the true faith and the right Service of God and yet as their Master the Devil transformeth himself into an Angel of light as the Apostle speaketh so will the false Prophets be deemed and esteemed Angels but this Heavenly Angel tells us they are the Angels of the Dragon that make this War with the Angels of Christ Reason 3 3. And lastly because that in this War we find none slaine nor any blood spilt as they were under the persecuting Tyrants as well the Arian Kings as the Pagan Emperors and therefore this War must needs be understood of no Forreigne bloody War but of a Verball spirituall Warr waged within the bosome of the Church that happened after the death of Theodosius who had freed the Church from all externall Wars and bloody persecutions but could not stop the mouth of the false Prophet nor hinder the Dragon and his Angels to raise and prosecute this Hereticall War And yet now How the Church prevailed against the Hereticks as the Woman formerly prevailed in the first War against the bloody Instruments of the Dragon that were vanquished in patientia Martyrum through the patience of the Martyrs and the sufferings of the Saints so here in this second War she gets the Victory over her Enemies and the Dragon is overcome c. 12. v. 11. by the blood of the Lamb and his Angels vanquished by the word of their Testimony v. 11. that is the Hereticks and Scismaticks were confuted and silenced in prudentia Doctorum by the Wisdome of the Bishops that were the Governours of the Church and by their learned writings and faithfull Preaching of Gods truth and not with the Sword or Cannon shot or any other such outward force which the Angels of Jesus Christ the Ministers of the Gospel never use as the Angels of the Dragon do and now did in many places because they are commanded with St. Peter to put up their Sword into the sheath and it is for none but the satellites of the high Priests Math. 26.52 and the Jannizaries of the Antichrist to come out against Christ and to fight against his Witnesses with Swords and Staves Then Mr. Mede pag. 40. Michael significat quis sicut deus certe nullus nifi Jesus Christus the Dragon being by Michael that is by the power and Wisdome of God that is Jesus Christ which Michael fignifieth and not by any one of the chief Princes or of the seven Arch Angels as Mr. Mede thinketh cast out of Heaven that is driven from the Church as he did the buyers and sellers out of the Temple when all the errors heresies and superstitions which the Devil by his prime Angells the Heresiarches had invented and sowed amongst Gods people were confuted and rooted out of these our reformed Churches and these Churches restored to their Pristine purity and setled in the right forme of serving God by the painefull diligence of the learned Bishops the Pastors and the Protestant Preachers of Gods word which was fairly begun in Queen Elizabeths time The Victory in this War when obtained continued and bettered in King James his Reign but not clearly done and perfectly finished untill King Charles his dayes nor any where so purely done as in these our dominions as I have fully proved unto you before there ensued a two-fold act or a double consequence of this great Victory of Michael and his Angels over the Dragon and his Angels 1. The Tryumph rejoycing and Jo-paean of the Conquerors The twofold Consequence of the Church his Victory over the Hereticks cap. 12.11 the Inhabitants of Heaven 2. The fretfull wrath and continued malice of the Conquered Dragon 1. In Heaven that is in the Church of God as I said before St. John heard a loud voyce saying now is come Salvation and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the power of his Church c. 12. v. 10. where you must first observe the Emphasis in the word now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now is Salvation come and it was come long before when Christ had fully purchased our Redemption before his Ascention into Heaven but I conceive this Salvation to be meant not of our spirituall and eternall Salvation from Sin Hell and Satan which was come by Christ long before but for our Temporall Salvation and deliverance from the power and malice of our Enemies and that was now come that is fully and perfectly
persecution of the woman v. 16. he moved the earth to help this distressed woman and to open her mouth and to swallow up the flood which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth v. 16 Where you may see and should consider it How the senceless creatures do their service unto God how the senceless creatures are obedient Instruments to do their service unto God both to punish the wicked and to help the godly as the raging Sea was a wall of defence unto the Israelites on every side and a grievous gulf to devoure Pharaoh and all his Host so here the dead earth that opened her mouth to swallow up Dathan and to cover the Congregation of Abiram for their wickednesse doth now likewise according to the letter open her mouth to swallow up the flood that the Dragon had caest after the Woman to preserve her from being ruined by that flood But here we are to inquire what is meant by this earth that hath a mouth to be opened for the defence and preservation of the woman and it is strange unto me that so learned a man Mr. Mede pag. 47. as Mr. Mede should by the earth understand the Bishops and Doctors that were gathered together in the generall Counsells because I cannot remember any place of Scripture where the Godly Religious and spirituall men are expressed and are to be understood by the earth because that although all flesh is Grass and every man is but dust and ashes and therefore the Prophet saith O Earth Earth Earth hear the Word of the Lord yet being regenerated and filled with the graces of Gods spirit and having their thoughts and their desires mounted up from the earth and their Conversation in Heaven they are never termed Earth but as the Church here and in many other places is called Heaven so are they stiled spiritual men though their bodyes be nothing but earth And therefore I conceive the meaning of the words to be that God in the time of this persecution of the Woman â— 12.10 v. 7. and affliction of his Church inspired some men and moved them that otherwise were as earthly and as worldly minded as any others What is meant by the earth that helped the the Woman though not altogether so malicious and so bloody as the rest to open their mouthes and to out vote the worser and most spitefull sort of the instruments of the Dragon that they should not utterly destroy all the Children of the Woman and Servants of God but should suffer them to live which the more virulent party would have quite extinguished and to let them compound for their Estates that they might have some small livelihood to support them Whether this also was not fulfilled in and by the long Parliament let the Reader judge Prov. 16.7 after all their plundering and persecution and so God dealeth with them that serve him and continue constant to discharge their duties that as the Prophet speaketh he maketh their enemies to become their friends and to be their helpers as here the very worldlings do open their mouthes and make speeches to preserve many of Gods Children And whether such a thing as this happened not in the last long Parliament I leave it to my judicious Reader to consider it Therefore the Dragon not satisfied with all the former miseries of the Woman and all the persecutions of her Children which hitherto they had suffered but his wrath being still inraged to see any help or comfort afforded to the Woman he spurs and instigates his instruments the beast and his associats to make war with the remnant of the Womans seed which keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ v. 17. v. 17. that is the Dragon moveth the beast to be incensed and inraged against those that after the death of the Witnesses and the small relief and breathing time Who are meant by the remnant of the Womans seed that some members of the Church have had will not submit themselves to do the service which the Dragon by the beast prescribeth and yeeld themselves to be seduced by the false Prophet which are the Angels of the Dragon but will constantly adhere to Gods right service and the established forme of Gods Worship and continue faithfull observers of the Lawes discipline and doctrine of the slaine Witnesses And is not this also fulfilled let the ejected Ministers judge of it these now must beare the brunt and malice of the beast the poore and small remainder of the true and faithfull Servants of God which notwithstanding all their persecution and deprivation and all other sufferings whatsoever will keep the Commandements of God and have therefore the Testimony of Jesus Christ that they are Gods faithfull Servants and not such as will turne with every blast of wind and be carryed away with a little worldly preferment And thus I have run over this 12th Chapter of the Revelation and have in a plaine stile set downe what I conceive to be the true meaning of the same how the Holy Ghost therein sheweth the state and condition of the Church of Christ from the time of that Godly Emperour Theodosius about the year 382. for the space of 1200. and 60 years which ended about the year 1642. about which time after the first Woe is past by the invasion of the Turkish and Mahometan Tyrants into Christendome and the defacing of the Christian Churches and defiling the true Faith in the East Empire the Dragon as the Holy Ghost here saith should more maliciously begin by the Ministery of his chiefest instrument the great Antichrist his greatest and sorest persecution against the Church of Christ expressed here under the person of this Woman that hath these floods of waters sorrowes and afflictions thrown after her the which persecution according to the old adage si longa sit afflictio levis est si gravis brevis est if thy trouble be long it is but light if great it is short quiae nullum violentum est perpetuum because no violent thing is able to continue very long because it should be so great and so grievous the spirit of God tells us it should continue but for a short space and a few years and when the same shall be ended and fully expired the second woe shall be past and then after the end of this bloody persecution and the expiration of this second woe the third and last woe saith the Angel is quickly to be expected and shall not long be deferred before it commeth and this last woe shall be poured out in a full measure upon the Turks and Mahometans the supplanters of the Easterne Churches and upon the Antichrist and his adherents the great persecutors of the true reformed protestant Church and upon the Popish superstitious and Idolatrous Corrupters of the rest of the Westerne Churches and upon the false Prophet the Chapleins of the Antichrist and upon all other Hypocriticall
the late persecution of the Christians under the Long Parliament how Gangraena-like it spread it self beyond Decius or Dioclesians Tyranny and almost in these parts like Adams sin that went over all so did their Persecution run over all the most Faithful Sons of the Church and the Loyal Subjects of these Kingdoms And I would faign know what Busiris or Phalaris Dionysian Dioclesian or Nero or John Vasilowic the great Russian Tyrant or what other Tyrant of the world hath ever undone so many worthy men without once questioning them for any fault or charging them with any Crime that they had done or who did ever attempt to destroy so many only for being ill affected to their evil deeds But now The unparallel'd Persecution and cruelty of the prevalent Faction of the long Parl. being thus afflicted destitute and deprived of all their Means how shall all these these thousands of most worthy men live These men that were not brought up to work and used not to dig and are ashamed to beg and therefore without a great measure of Gods Grace to support them and to sanctifie their Afflictions they might fall into desperate conditions They will answer as one of them did to me and like as the High Priests the Crucifiers of our Master Christ answered Judas What is that to us Let them live how they list or let them perish sic periere ruinae and so for them they shall all utterly perish And therefore I may well demand what Tyrant did ever live since the day that God created the Heavens What King What Pope What Hildebrand * That is Gregory the 7th that was one of the worst Popes of Rome What Hel-brand What Turk What Jew What Man What Devil would besuch an Apollyon as to cut off not all the necks of the Heathenish Romans with that bloudy Emperor who wished that they all had but unum Collum one neck that so he might chop it off uno ictu with one blow but all those good Christians and the Faithful Servants of God uno halitu with one Vote one Breath and one Act which was an Axe indeed and was laid to the root of every Tree that bare the good fruit of Faith and Obedience in these Kingdoms Surely I think none could have devised such a Plot so full of mischief so far beyond the Sicilian Vespers and Gunpowder Treason and so void of Humanity and stuffed up with all cruelty and abominable Impiety especially if you consider the large extent and the evil Consequents thereof except the infernal Apollyon the great Destroyer of Christianity and the Hellish Misanthropos that laboureth continually to root out all the Christian Faith and the true Service of God out of the world did unmoveably reside in their hearts to prompt them and to spur them on unto the same or else that Beelzebub the chief of the Devils would send a pack of his Prime Captains and best Instruments out of Hell to root out all the true Servants of Jesus Christ For if you compare this our last persecution and afflictions under the Long Parliament with the former Persecutions of the Heathen Tyrants or the Arian Kings which they brought upon the Church you shall find 1. That there was but one Nero one Dioclesian one Constantius and one Julian in all the world at one time to persecute the Christians that were spread over all the world but here amongst us we suppose to have I know not how many hundred Dioclesians and Julians together at one time in one City to vex and persecute the Christians of one poor little Island 2. The Forme◠Tyrants persecuted them for their Disloyalty as they alledged unto their Emperors and Governours which was most false as appeareth by the Apologies of Tertullian Minutius Foelix and others But we were persecuted for being Faithful and Loyal unto our King and to our Governours as all the Kingdom knoweth CHAP. II. That neither the Pope nor the Turk is the great Antichrist that the Antichrist when he should come into the world should arise out of the Truest and Purest Reformed Church on Earth which was the Church of Ingland in King Charles his time being fully reformed of those Errors and Abuses that should creep and had crept into the Church which other Reformed Churches had not so perfectly purged And wherefore they did it not and could not do it THE serious consideration of the former things What moved the Author to enter upon this discourse of the great Antichrist and the sad condition of the Distressed Persecuted Members of Christ and the Testimony of the foresaid Authors touching the Persecution that should happen in the time of the Great Antichrist which I conceived to be now so visibly seen and so universally spread through the Subtilty and Cruelty of the Prevalent Faction of the Long Parliament have moved me to settle my Thoughts upon the search of those Texts of Holy Scripture wherein the holy Prophets and the blessed Apostles had treated and foretold us of the coming of the Great Antichrist and the sufferings of the Saints and true Servants of God in his time and under his unjust and cruel Government and to pray to God most earnestly and constantly night and day for the help of his Grace and assistance of his Holy Spirit to guide me to the true and right understanding thereof And then by reading the best Authors that I could find to explain those obscure Mysteries and to further me to undertake the same I found and saw I. Many good and probable Arguments produced by Luther Calvin Beza 1. That many learned Authors do hold the Pope or Papacy to be the Antichrist Balaeus de vit Pontif. l. 3. Jun. in Apocal. cap. 12. Thomson in the arraignment of Antichrist pag. 90 91. Brightman in Apoc. Downam de Antichristo l. 10. c. 3. 4. Thomson pag. 77. Junius Chytraeus Tilenus Maresius and our own Countrymen Powel Whitaker Brightmen Downam Thomsom Mede and others very Learned Protestants and worthy men to prove that either the Tyrannical State and Polity of the Papacy is that Great Antichrist as some would have it or else Series Paparum the Succession of Popes from Boniface the 3d in Phocas his time that usurping Emperor who got to the Imperial Throne by the Murder of his own Master Mauritius and his Wife and his Brother and his Children and gave to the Pope the Preheminency and the Title of Universal Bishop about the year 605 as Balaeus saith Or from Boniface the 8th that seduced and imprisoned his Predecessor Celestine the 5th about the year 1294 as Junius saith Or else from Vitellianus the Musical Pope about the year 666 as Thomson saith to this present Pope is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Antichrist spoken of by St. Paul in 2 Thes 2.8 and by St. John in Revel 13.1 And that Rome is the place of his abode and the proper Seat of him as Brightman Downham
come The three special things that the Author doth in this book where he should be seated and what he should do when he cometh 2. To enquire of the diligent Searchers of things and to demand by way of satisfaction and not of resolution of the unpartial Observers of the Affairs Passages and Transactions of our times whether the things and doings that they have seen acted and done in our daies be not answerable and in every point sutable and correspondent to the Prophesies and Predictions of the Acts and Doings of the Great Antichrist 3. If by paralleling the Acts and Doings of the Great Antichrist that he should do with the Actions that they have seen done in our time they find The best way to judge of the Antichrist that no Garment was ever more fitted to any mans Body nor any line straighter to the Rule than are the Acts Doings and Proceedings of these times from the Year 1640 and so forward correspondent and answerable to all the Prophesies of the Scripture that are left unto us by the Prophets and Apostles of Christ concerning the Doings and Proceedings of the Great Antichrist then I leave it to the discreet and judicious Reader to determine and judge whether the Great Antichrist be already come and who he is and I know no better way to judge of it than this For As our Saviour Christ when the Disciples of John asked him Matth. 11.4 whether he was the Christ or should they look for another He gave them none other Answer but go tell John what you do hear and see the blind receive their sight the lame walk the Lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospel preached unto them the which things were Prophesied Isa 55.6 ch 61.1 c. that they should be done by the Messias when he came into the world And again he saith Opera quae ego facio testantur de me The Works that I do do bear witness of me whether I be the Christ or not So say I to them that would know whether the Great Antichrist be come or not or whether they shall look for another and in another place How to know whether the Antichrist be come or not Consider well what you hear and see whether the things and all the things that were prophesied should be done by the great Antichrist were not all acted and done modo forma as they were fore-shewed here in Ingland even in these our daies or not And then judge your selves whether he be come or not and who he is and where seated For I shall do no more but shew you what was prophesied of the Antichrist that he should do and demand if you have not seen and heard of all those things that he should do acted and done in these our daies here in these Dominions § That the Antichrist shall arise out of the truest and purest Church on earth which was the Church of Ingland in King Charles his time First Then I say That the Antichrist shall arise out of the true Chur. that it is agreed upon of all sides not only by Bellarmine and the rest of the Popish writers but also by the most learned of our Protestant Divines that the Scriptures testifie how that as the Darnels grow from and among the Wheat so the Antichrist and his Adherents shall spring out of the true Church of Christ even when it is the true Church So that Ineed not to stand long to confirm this Point for as Christ by his spiritual Fishermen catcheth Souls in the Devils Pond that is the world feeds them in his own that is the Church so the Devil goeth about with his Net and by his Instruments to catch men in Christ his Pond that is the Congregation of Saints and true Servers of God and then carrieth them to swim in the Dead Sea of eternal misery And so E. H. E. H. de Antichristo p. 80. confesseth and consenteth rightly with me that it is an undeniable truth that the Antichrist must and shall arise in the midst of the Purest Church in the world even when it is and remaineth that is in respect of very many of her Members pure and then as Christ turned the cold water into sweet wine so will the Devil by the Ministry of the Antichrist turn the Pure Wine of Gods Word into bitter Water and the sweet milk of Gods Truth into a sower and stinking Puddle of all Errors Dan. 7.25 Heresies and Blasphemies For in Dan. 7.25 Which many Divines hold to be a Prediction of the coming of the Great Antichrist and I yield him to be therein typically prophesied of Antiochus the type of the Antichrist It is said of Antiochus Epiphanes which was the greatest enemy and the cruellest persecutor that ever the Church of the Jews had and was indeed a very lively Type and the most perfect Pattern of the Antichrist that he should wear out the Saints of God and change their Lawes and Customes and abolish the times of their Sabbaths their Feasts and their Circumcision and as Tremellius saith Tremell in Dan. 7.25 Legem ipsam Dei Juraque omnia nefarie convellere most wickedly to pluck asunder and tear the very Law of God and to trample all Rights under-feet and so the Antichrist that is there typified by Antiochus should do the like unto the Christians Which doth sufficiently shew that he must appear and reign in the Purest Church on earth for so the Church of the Jews was then in the Reign of Antiochus and because there be the best Saints and they have the best Lawes and Customs even those which Christ himself and his Apostles have prescribed unto them and which therefore the Antichrist goeth about to change and by all means laboureth with all his might to destroy And thus Bellarmine produceth argumentum ad hominem and argueth against the Protestants by an argument taken from our selves and from our own assertion to prove that the Pope cannot be the Antichrist because it is yielded of all sides that the Antichrist must arise out of the truest Church Bellar. de Rom. Pontif. l. 3. c. 13. and must reign and rage in the same therefore if the Pope be the Antichrist the Church of Rome must needs be acknowledged and confessed to be and not that it was but still is the true Church yea and the truest Church of Christ and both the Calvinists and the Lutherans are out of the true Church because of the schisme and separation that they made from the Roman Church The which Argument I see not well answered though Bishop Downam and others attempted to do it to this very day And St. Aug. speaking of the Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God saith they understand it right qui putant etiam Latine dici sicut in Graeco est non in templo Dei sed in templum Dei sedeat tanquam sit
ipsetemplum Dei S. Aug. de civ Dei l. 20. c. 19. quod est Ecclesia sicut dicimus sedet in amicum id est velut amicus vel si quid aliud isto locutionis genere dici solet which think it may be spoken in Latine as it is in the Greek he sitteth not in the temple of God but for the temple of God as if he were the temple of God which is the Church of God as we say he sitteth for our friend that is as our friend Whereby you may see St. Aug. understandeth that the Great Antichrist would pretend to be the only great friend of the true Church and so in the true Church and not out of it and consequently not to be the Turk in any wise that pretendeth not to serve Christ nor the Pope if we deny the Church of Rome to be the true Church of Christ and therefore we may conclude with Bellarmine Bp Downam de Antichrist lib 10. cap. 3. 4. that the Pope cannot be said to be the Great Antichrist nor Rome the proper Seat of the Antichrist as Downam Thomson and others would have it to be because as I said before the Antichrist must arise in the midst of the truest and purest Church of Christ which we utterly deny Rome to be For the Apostle saith 2 Theff 2. the man of Sin and the child of Perdition which all Interpreters do expound to be the Antichrist shall sit in the temple of God which as the greatest of the School-Doctors Aquinas saith Aquin. in loc and so Tilenus Exegesis 74. pag. 21. must not be understood of the Jewish Temple at Hierusalem that hath been destroyed and shall never be re-edified as some of the best Jewish Rabbines do believe but as S. Chrysostom and the Greek Scholiast pag. 333. and Gorhan and many others do understand it of the true Church of God The Antichrist riseth and reigneth where God dwelleth where the Gospel of Christ by his Faithful Bishops and Painful Ministers is truly preached the Sacraments duly administred and the Flock of Christ rightly Governed and instructed to serve God as they ought to do there the Antichrist will seat himself and there Satan will assist him to overthrow the Bishops to persecure the true Ministers to neglect and nullifie the holy Sacraments to corrupt the Truth of the Gospel and to ruine that Church which Christ thus buildeth For it is observed that the Apostle useth in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ which is derived from the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to dwell or to inhabit God dwelleth in the best Saints and where they dwell because that is the House or place where God resideth that is among his Saints and in his Saints as God himself doth testifie unto his People that will truly serve him And therefore Constantinople where the Turk resideth and hath made the Chancel of San Sophia where the High Altar and the Patriarchal Throne stood to be a Turkish Moschy whither the Grand Signior goeth to the Blasphemous Ceremonies of their False Prophet and the City of Rome where the Pope sitteth and hath apostatized from the true Faith in many Points and corrupted the Gospel of Christ at leastwise with many Superstitions cannot be said to be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where God resideth and the Antichrist sitteth as god to destroy it but it must be that Church wherein God in the most Special manner dwelleth and delighteth in it and that is in the Purest Church that can be found on earth in respect of all the outward things that do constitute the same for you must know that the Church is to be considered two manner of waies 1. Respectu divinae illius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so God only knoweth his Church The Church considered two waies and who are the Members thereof as the Apostle sheweth 2. In respect of that Discipline Rule and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is apparent to our eyes and consisteth chiefly in these four special things Four things do constitute a true outward visible Church 1. In the Prayers of the Saints 2. The Preaching of the Gospel 3. The Administration of the Sacraments And 4. Obedience to the Discipline of the Lawful Governours And that Church which in these respects is the truest and purest is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Temple and House of God where he dwelleth and which the Devil by his dear Servant the Antichrist laboureth by all means to overthrow Object But you will say Constantinople was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true Church and dwelling place of God and so was Rome when her Faith was published throughout the whole world Rom. 1. and so both continued until the Antichrist suppressed the Truth and seated himself therein To this usual Objection I answer Solut. 1. That it is agreed of all sides and by all Interpreters old and new Papists and Protestants that the Great Antichrist should come towards the end of the world 1. That the Antichrist should come towards the end of the world 1 Tim. 4.1 and in the last Period of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 last times as the Scriptures testifie the same most evidently for though the Mystery of him and his iniquity began by those Hereticks that sprang up in the Apostles time yet was not he to be revealed in his strength and fulness until the last and latter end of times and therefore not any waies like to come and to appear so many Hundred years agone as they prescribe which make either the Turk or the Pope to be the Antichrist 2. 2. That God suffereth not the enemies of his Church to tyrannize long I say that God being so good and so gracious a God especially to his Church and true Servants will not alwaies be chiding neither will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure but as the Poet saith Nocte pluit tota redeunt spectacula mane Which in the Prophets words I may express that although heaviness may endure for a night yet joy cometh in the morning and he may be sure of it because God himself tells his Church that for a moment in mine anger have I forsaken thee but with everlasting compassion will I have pity upon thee and so accordingly he suffered not Antiochus that was the most lively type of the Antichrist that is in all the Scripture to rage against the Church of the Jews for all their wickedness any longer than Three years and a half neither did he suffer the Captivity of his People in Babylon for their great sins recorded 2 Chron. 36.14 15 16. to last any longer than 70 years nor the Children of Israel to be opprest by Pharaoh for the wrong they had done to their Brother Joseph any more after the Death of Joseph than about 200 years as Helvicus collecteth which is the longest time that I find God seems to sleep and
as if they all were but one man because they all do either reject or neglect Christ and refusing to believe his Words and to obey his Voice by submitting themselves to his Ordinances they do all of them as one Army and one grand enemy fight against him and his Servants under the Banner of his Capital enemy the Devil And as this coetus impiorum the whole Multitude of these wicked Reprobares is by venerable Beda termed the Beast and the Antichrist and the whole Assembly of the Lying Prophets and all the rest of the fawning flattering and dissembling Preachers of the Beast are in the singular number and with the Restrictive Article Junius in Annotat in Apoc. cap. 13.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 termed and said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the false Prophet as Junius testifieth so specially the pessima pars hujus coetus the worst pack the vilest confederates Senatus consultus the great Synedrion the supream Council and the highest Court of greatest Authority in the Kingdom and the Synagogue of Satan which is the Representative and Synechdochically the Mystical Body of the present dispersed multitude and the main summe of the Antichristian company is and may more rightly be termed the Beast and the Antichrist or the man of sin and Child of Perdition as if they were all but one man And the reason The reason why a multitude of men is termed one man Acts 4.32 Revel 17.13 why the whole conglutinate Pack and united Senate of wicked men are spoken of in the singular number quasi unus homo as if they were all but one man is because they all have but one Head that is the Devil and as all the Believers are said to have but one heart and one Soul that is to serve Christ so the holy Ghost saith these wicked Senators and Members of the Beast have but one mind that is one will one course one end and one main scope and desire to destroy the Truth to overthrow the Church of Christ to wear out his Servants and to root out the right Service of God and all Piety from off the earth And as for their unanimous proceedings against Christ and his Church That the worst pack of all the present wicked reprobates when it cometh is termed the Antichrist 1 Sam. 10.23 they are spoken of as if they were but one man so for their transcendent Impiety their egregious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickedness their unparalleld plots and exceeding all former Presidents in their abominations they are most especially and properly stiled the Beast that ascendeth out of the Bottomless Pit the man of sin and the Antichrist that is the great Adversary of Jesus Christ because that as Saul was higher by the head and shoulders than all the rest of the People so the wicked company of this collected and united Troop of the Servants of Satan is quasi unus è decem millibus such a transcendently abominable Senate as that you cannot find the like and such another among ten Thousands when as all the Precedent Hereticks all former Tyrants and all the subtil cruel and bloody Persecutors of all ages were but Fooles and Dwarfes or Pigmies in respect of this crafty Fox and great Golias that doth so Giant-like defie the whole Army of Christ and so Nimrod-like tyrannise and so Julian-like persecute all the Faithful Worshippers of God And thus the Geneva notes The Geneva Annotat. on 2 Thess 2. do understand the man of sin to signifie the Body of the Tyrants and persecuting Church and the Parliaments Ministers in their Answer to his Majesties first Paper P. 180. in the Isle of Wight do confess that a number of Persons are in the Mysterious and Prophetick Writings exprest in Singulars as the Letters or Epistles that are directed to Collective or Representative Bodies use to be written and directed to one when as they are intended and are meant to all the whole Body in the Meeting assembled and in Pag. 235 they say that many Ministers making up one Presbytery is represented by one Angel as I say hereafter they are August de civ Dei l. 20. c. 19. by that one Beast in Rev. 13.11 And St. Aug. speaking of the Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God saith Nonnulli non ipsum Principem sed universum quodammodo corpus ejus id est ad eum pertinentem hominum multitudinem simul cum ipso suo Principe hoc loco intelligi Antichristum volunt Some will have in this place understood by the Antichrist not the Prince himself but his whole Body in a certain manner Mr Mede in clavi Apoc. pag 65. Dr Hammond in 2 Thess 2. Magdeburg cent 1. l. 2 c. 4. coll 435. Calvin in 1 John c. 2. that is the multitude of men that belong unto him together with their Prince and prime Leader himself And Mr. Mede saith the Beast in REv. 13.1 doth signifie a Company of men composed of a certain order of Members like as a Beast and not one man alone And Dr. Hammond conceives the man of sin which we conceive to be the Antichrist to signifie not any one singular Person but the Grand Captain of all Impostors together with all the whole Sect of Gnosticks and Idolaters that follow him And the Magdiburgenses and Calvin and Beza and most of our Protestant Divines do understand the Beast and the Antichrist to signifie more than one particular man Yet I cannot yield that the Antichrist should signifie as they conceive a multitude of Particular and singular men succeeding one another in the same Throne of Impiety as many Kings do succeed one another in one and the self same Kingdom because herein I see as many Improbabilities and Disagreements with the Scriptures to take the Antichrist for the Series and Succession either of Popes or of any other the like Person Turk or Tyrant as I see Incongruities and Errours in taking him for one single and singular Person when as the Succession of any such Person that is of any one single Person succeeding the like wicked Impe that preceded him cannot be correspondent to all those particular places of Scriptures that are properly to be applyed to the Antichrist nor any one of all the series i.e. not any one of all that succeeded one another did or could act all those transcendent enormities that are singularly to be effected that is to be done by the singular person of the Antichrist or with respect to an unity of the agent at the very time of their acting and within the compass of the time allotted and prescribed to the Antichrist for the doing thereof is to instance a few things out of many to make war with the witnesses to kill them which no one Pope or Turk ever did and to make war with the saints to overcome them which one single person be he what and whom you will of all the series classy either of Pepes or Turks could
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augusta as Caesar himself was called Augustus nam Augustos Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant for the Graecians call Augustus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Maresius but the Apostle understandeth as I said the ecclesiastical Governors of Gods Church whom we reverence and worship for their callings sake even as the same Apostle injoyneth the same Thessalonians to hold them worthy of double honor for their works sake that is for the administration of the sacred Mysteries the preaching of the Gospel and the deliverie of the blessed Sacraments with the powring forth of their prâ—yers to God for a blessing unto the people and other the like religious acts and office they do in the service of God and above whom notwithstanding their sacred function and all the holy offices they do to God in the behalf of the people the Antichrist will exalt himself and throw those reverend Bishops whom all other good Christians honour unto the ground And therefore That the Pope cannot be here understood to exalt himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra numen as this cannot be applyed to the Popes exalting of himself above the Emperors and the Kings of the earth because he had shewed this before how the man of sin would exalt himself above them and it had been but a frivolous repetition and tautalogie which S. Paul never used so suddainly to express the same thing twice and the later expression that should be plainer to be obscurer than the former contrary to all rules of Rhetorick so can it neither be any wayes applyed to the Popes exalting of himself above the rest of the Bishops and ecclesiastical Governors of the Church because he is one of those persons and a special one too whom the people worship and reverence for his calling and Religion sake and therefore it were a Solicisme and a very improper speech to say it was such a transcendent sin for a man that is worshiped for his Religions sake to exalt himself above him that is worshipped for his Religion sake which seems to be none other than to say he will exalt himself above himself or above those that are no wayes his superiors but his equalls at the most and at the best as many other men do besides the Antichrist But the meaning of the Apostle is that this man of sin being but a subject will notwithstanding lift up himself above his King that is in the place of God over him and being but a secular lay-person he will for all that exalt himself above his spiritual Pastors whom he ought to worship and to honour as all good Christians do for their offices and calling and Religion sake this is the true meaning of the Apostles words And whether the long Parliament and their adherents have not been Adversaries Let the Reader judg whether this he not fulfilled in the long Paliament opposed and exalted themselves above the most reverend of all the Clergy whom the people honoured and reverenced for their Calling and Religion sake and not only above the dispensers of the holy things and sacred Orders and the chiefest of all that have or ought to have any Government in the Church but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all the formes of Religion and religious worship in the Church of Christ let the indifferent and judicious Reader judg of it 3. 3. That the Antichrist will be an Usurper and an intruder into the office of the Church Governors as well as of the civil Magistrate The Apostle still goeth on to explain his former meaning and to shew further the impieties of the Antichrist and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that he sits in the temple of God as God which words immediately following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thing or that person whom we worship for religion sake doth likewise confirm the former exposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie the Bishops and the dispensers of the holy things of the sacred Orders and of all the rest of the divine Mysteries because he exalteth himself above them to this end and for this very purpose that he as God may sit in the temple of God that is that he may be as well a Pope in the Church as a King in the Common-wealth the supream Governor and disposer of all things as well the Religious Worship of God as the civil Government of the people for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here which as Pasor truly saith cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habito to dwell must not be raken for the Jews Temple at Hierusalem as the Greek Scholiast testifieth which is the error of some Papists What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth and of Grotius also because Caligula intended to set up his Statue in that Temple under the name of Jupiter optimus maximus which notwithstanding was not done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it must be understood of the Church of God where God dwelleth and in the same sence as our Saviour useth the same word in John 2.19 John 2.19 where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroy this temple that is where the Godhead dwelleth and I will rear it up in three dayes for so the Church of Christ where God dwelleth is every where in the new Testament called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Temple of God as Ephes 2.21 Apoc. 11.19 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.16 and so Theophilact saith he shall sit non in templo specialiter quod est Hierosolymis sed in Ecclesiis simpliciter in omni divino templo not in the temple specially understood which is at Hierusalem but in the Churches simply and in every divine temple and S. Hierome saith in templo dei sedebit vel Hierosolimis Hieron q. 11. ad Algas ut quidam putant vel in Ecclesiis ut verius arbitramur he shall sit in the temple of God either at Hierusalem as some think or else in the Churches as we more truly suppose And this clearly sheweth that the seat of the Antichrist can be neither at Rome nor at Constantinople as I have shewed to you before unless you will yield That neither Rome nor Constantinople but the true Church is the seat of the Antichrist either Rome or Constantinople to be the truest and purest Church that Christ hath on earth because the Antichrist will arise and settle himself in that Church saith the Apostle which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dwelling place of God and not where he hath dwelt that so he may do the most dishonour unto God and the most mischief unto his servants and God dwelleth in the purest Church no man can deny it and therefore the Antichrist must arise and inthrone himself in the purest Church as I have fully proved before and there in that Church saith the Apostle he sheweth himself as God or as Erasmus doth best translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstro ostentans
of Expositors to make good their own conceits Esdras 14.41 to run unto tropes and figures when we may literally without tropes expound the same more agreeable unto the truth and without violence unto the Text therefore I conceive that the two Testaments cannot with any probability be understood by these two witnesses that are said to be killed by the beast and especially because they cannot be said to be the two Olive Trees or the anointed ones nor the two Candlesticks that hold up the light when as they are the light that these Candlesticks do hold nor to be confined to such a time as 1200 and 60 dayes when these two Testaments maugre all the malice of the Antichrist shall continue to the last day And therefore I do rather expound these two witnesses to be the preservers and the interpreters or preachers of these two Testaments that being living creatures Who are these two Witnesies that is 1. The King 2. The Bishop may be killed by this Beast and these are rightly termed the two Olive Trees or the two Sonnes of Oyl that is the anointed of God and the two Candlesticks that stand before the God of the Earth that is to hold up the light of the two Testaments to inlighten the Church of God with the truth of his holy word in despight of the Devill which is termed the God of the Earth And these preservers and Interpreters of these two Testaments are as E. H. truly observeth 1 Pet. 2.13 the civill Magistrates and the Ecclesiasticall Governours of Gods Church that is Moses and Aaron or the King as the supreme Magistrate and the Bishop as the chief Pastor that hath the oversight of the rest of the subordinate Ministers as St. Paul sheweth 1 Tim. 3. c. 4.1 for the King is custos utriusque tabulae the defender of the faith and obliged to take care as well of the Church and service of God as of the Commonwealth All good Kings took speciall care to have God truly served so Moses testifieth and so David Solomon Jehosophat Ezechias Josias and all the godly and good Kings of Israel and Judah had and so Constantine Theodosius and our own pious Princes Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles and all other good Christian Kings shewed that they took speciall care to see the truth purely preached and the service of God duly and rightly executed and therefore may most truly and literally without any trope or figure be said to be one of these two witnesses of Jesus Christ and the Bishop is to take upon him curam animarum the speciall care and charge of souls and the charge of them that are under him Act. 20.18 and undertook the charge of souls to see that they do carefully feed the flock of Christ whereof the Holy ghost hath made them overseers and therefore also the Bishops and the Ministers of Gods word may be rightly said and none can deny it to be the other witnesses of Jesus Christ and so Christ saith unto his Apostles and in them to all the Bishops that were to succeed the Apostles that they were his Witnesses Act. 1.8 and they should testifie and bear witness of him in Hierusalem and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth which they themselves could not do but in and by those Bishops that succeeded them in all the ordinary duties of the Apostles and therefore no forehead were it of Brasse can deny these to be the witnesses of Christ without blushing when Christ himself doth affirm it And so you see plainly Zechary 4.14 that these two which are indeed the Sonnes of the Olive Tree the two onely Offices and Callings that are the annointed of God and the two Candlesticks that hold up the light of the two Testaments the King by the strength of his Sword and the Bishops by the faithfull preaching of Gods word are the two witnesses of Jesus Christ and therefore well may the King and the inferiour Magistrates under him and the Bishop with his subordinate Clergy like Moses and Aaron the supreme Magistrate and the High Priest be rightly termed the two Witnesses of Jesus Christ in every Kingdom and Commonwealth Then after that the Angell had intimated unto the Apostle c. 11. v. 4. who are to be understood by these two Witnesses by terming them the two Olive Trees that is the two annoynted Officers of Gods Church and the two Candlesticks that do beare and uphold the true light of the Gospel unto the people he proceeds to shew the Power and Abilities c. 11. v. 5. 6. the gifts and Endowments that God would bestow upon them both for to inable them to build up the Temple that was measured that is to edifie and to enlarge the Christian Church and also to protect themselves against their Enemies and to punish those that should be refractory and to shew for how long a time they should freely and fairely enjoy this power and liberty to build this Church for saith the Angel these two Witnesses shall have power to poewr out fire out of their mouth Numbers 16. 2 Reg. 1. Jerem. 5.14 Their power was the same as Christ gave to his Apostles and God to Moses to destroy their Enemies that go about to hurt them and they shall have power to shut the Heavens that it raine not in the dayes of their Prophesie and they shall have power over waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all Plagues as often as they will And these powers and Abilities are the very same that Christ had formerly given unto his Apostles and their successors the Bishops and Governors of his Church and the very same powers and abilities that God long before had given and granted unto Moses and to all his successors that supply his place and office the Kings and cheif Magistrates that are as he was to rule over and to govern Gods people for our Saviour tells St. Peter that he will give to him the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven that is of the Church which is the way that brings us to the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever he shall leose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven and this power he gave not only to St. Peter but also to all the rest of the Apostles and their Successors for ever as you may see in Math. 18. v. 18. and John the 20. v. 23. Math. 16.19 so Mr. Mede part 2. pag 11. And so according to this power granted unto the Apostles and Bishops that are the Governours of the Church and have the Keyes thereof the sentence of Excommunication or the shutting out of the Church and the delivery of the lewd and wicked refractory person unto Satan as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5.5 The sentence of excommunication is the fire and the key is the fire that proceedeth out of the mouth of
so cryeth and is pained in bringing forth Children unto God and she is likened to Children in respect of particulars that are all the Children of the Church begotten and brought forth by her unto God through their regeneration and new birth by Baptisme and the Preaching of the Gospel and grace of Christ And these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pangs of the woman and what they signifie pangs and paines of this woman to bring forth her Child may most especially signifie the troubles and afflictions that the Primitive Church endured for the Preaching of the Gospel and converting the Infidels unto the Faith of Christ under the first ten grievous persecutions and so likewise for the troubles that the Church should suffer at any other time and chiefly those great troubles that she must undergoe for doing the same service and work of regenerating children unto God in the persecution of the Antichrist for these troubles and afflictions of the Church are compared by the Prophets to the pain of a woman in travell Esay 66. and Jer. 30.6.7 because the Church will endure as much and as readily hazard her life to beget a Child to God as any woman endureth and hazardeth her life to bring forth her Child into the world and sooner too And our Saviour to shew the greatness of these pangs and pains of a woman that is in travell with Child saith that the troubles of the Jewes which should happen unto them and were as great as any we read of Mark 13.9 as Josephus ben gorion witnesseth are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginnings of their pangs or sorrowes which shall be no lesse then the pangs of a woman in travel so shall the pangs and pains of the Church be under the persecution of the Tyrants and the Antichrist for bringing forth Children unto God very great pains and troubles as that which here followeth will make it more manifest for The Evangelist saith v. 3. 2. The Vision of the Dragon and his malice to the woman v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there appeared another wonder in Heaven and that seems to be a greater wonder then the former and a wonder indeed every way if we should consider all particulars in very many respects and therefore the Holy Ghost prefixeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and behold it or consider it well for a great red Dragon or as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great fiery Dragon Job 1.6 or a Dragon as red as fire appeared in Heaven so he that durst go into Paradise before dares now to go into Heaven and to appear among the Sonnes of God as he is more often and more diligent in the Church of God to hinder our devotion then we are to perform the duties of our Religion and he that was but a Serpent before crawling upon the Earth is now become a great Dragon flying in the Air The Dragon had 7 heads and 10 horns and therefore this sign or wonder well deserveth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold him and take heed of him for he hath 7. Heads harder to be discovered then the heads of Nilus and harder indeed to unhead him then it was for Hercules to cut off the heads of hydra and he had 10 horns and therefore he was of a mighty strength The horn an Emblem of strength 1 Reg. 22.11 because the horn is an emblem of power and strength as Zedechia made horns of Iron and said thus saith the Lord with these shalt thou push the Syrians untill thou hast consumed them and he had 7 Crowns upon his heads that is upon every head a Crown to shew unto us how glorious and majesticall wickedness and the instruments of wickedness would fain seem to be and his tail drew the third part of the Starres of Heaven and did cast them to the Earth What the tail of the Dragon signifieth Who are the Starres by his tayl I understand the fear of him the terror of his sting and the lashing of them far and neere that will not submit themselves to him and by the Starres of Heaven I understand those that seemed to be holy Professors good Christians and to shine like Starres in the Church of God or else those that were appointed to shine and to give light as Starres to them that are in darkness and do walk in the night of ignorance as are the Bishops Preachers and Ministers of Gods word for so the Angel saith unto our Evangelist Revel 1.16 v. 20. that the seven Stars in the right hand of Christ were the Angels that is the Bishops and Pastors of the seven Churches and by the third part of the Stars I understand not the subduing of the third part of the rulers of the world to the empire of Rome as Mr. Mede thinketh for why should the rulers of the world Mr. Mede pag. 35. be termed the Stars of Heaven and to be cast to the Earth when as they were earthly and worldly enough already and had small correspondency with Heaven but a great many as I told you the number of 3.7 and 110 doth often import What is to be understood by the third part of the Starts Let my Reader Judge whether this was not fulfilled in our time both of the Clergy and laytie that seemed to be as Stars in the firmament of the Church for feare of the Dragons tayle to be stung and lasht with the loss of their preferment their wealth their lands their liberties and their lives are pull'd down from Heaven and drawn away from their station and from the performance of their due respects unto the Witnesses and of their duties of the right service of God in his Church and are cast down to the earth that is to follow after the world and for the love of the world and the preferments of the earth to observe and follow any new forme of Gods service and so to become Apostates Meteors and falling Stars and meere Hypocrites in the Church of God which is very much that the Dragons tayle should do such great mischief And yet this is not enough for this Dragon to do to corrupt the third part of the Stars and to draw a multitude of professors from the right service of God to follow after the world and his wicked wayes but he would faine have more grist to his Mill Hell being like the Daughters of the Horse-leech that still cry give Proverb 30.15 16. give and being one of the four things that are never satisfied and that never faith it is enough and therefore he stands before the Woman which was ready to be delivered to devoure her Child saith our Translation when she had brought it forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to eat up her Son saith the originall but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pario to bring forth it may be translated her Child as well or as I
That we may conceive better hope of the Whores then of the Beast and false Prophet that followeth after the Lusts of the flesh and the Vanities of the World and the Ecclesiasticall Whore which is bewitched with the love of errors Ceremonies and superstitions and which most of our Protestant Writers take the Church of Rome to be and to be here signified by the Whore may yet by true Repentance and a full Reformation of all errors and abuses recover and retaine the love and savour of Christ to continue the loving Husband of his penitent Spouse and to find him ready to receive them when he finds them ready to return unto him for though the one of these Whores is said to have committed Fornication with the Kings of the Earth and to have made the Inhabiters of the earth drunk with the Wine of her Fornication c. 17.2 c. 17.2 and the other Whore is said to be drunk with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus c. 17.6 Yet c. 17.6 when the beast and the false Prophet which are the most violent and virulent Enemies of Gods Church c. 19 20. were both taken and cast alive into the Lake of fire burning with Brimstone there is no mention that the Whores were cast in with them But the judgment of the Whores is formerly described and their punishments are very amply set down and expressed c 17 c. 18. where the Hornes of the beast are said to hate the Whore c. 17. c. 18. c. 17.16 and to make her desolate and naked and should eate her flesh and burn her with fire c. 17.16 And these punnishments of the Ecclesiasticall Whore to have her substance and het state eaten up and her self burnt with the fire of all Crosses and afflictions by the hornes of the beast and so likewise those punnishments of the Civil Whore that are so fully set down in the 18th Chapter and must be referred to the great Babylon of this World that I have formerly spoken of and not to Rome c. 18 24. Things in c. 18. to be referred to the Babylon of this world and not to Rome nor to the Church of Rome because there are many things in this 18th Chapter and especially that in her was found the blood of the Prophets and of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of all that were slain upon the earth v. 24. which cannot possibly with any face be referred to the Church or City of Rome might be the meanes to bring these Whores to Repentance and so to gaine the Love of God and to escape the Lake of Fire and Brimstone where the vile beast and the false Prophet shall be cast For you must observe The Beast and the false Prophet and Whores not to be confounded c. 17.3 that although some Writers have confounded the Whores and the beast and make them all but as one Enemy exprest by both these names yet they be indeed two Enemies or rather three Enemies of the Church of Christ and Enemies one to another for the Ecclesiasticall Whore rides the beast that is curbes and bridles the Beast as a rider curbes his Horse and so doth the Pope and his Cardinalls and all the Church of Rome curse and execrate the Antichrist and the ten Hornes of the beast do hate the Whore c. 17.16 and make her desolate and naked and burn her with fire and so it may be demanded if the long Parliament and their Polyarchy The Paralele have not sufficiently shewed their hatred to the Pope and all Papists and have made all that they could reach naked enough and have eaten their substance and burnt them with the fire of Afflictions and Persecutions and have pretended to do the like to all Carnall and worldly professors Esay 9.31 And yet as Ephraem did eate Manasses and Manasses did eate Ephraim and both of them did eat Juda Esay 9.31 so do not the Whores and the Beast the Church of Rome and the Synagogue of Satan do all of them what possibly they can to root out the true Protestants the only pure Church of Christ from off the earth though as I said it may be hoped that the judgment of the Whores and their afflictions may at last through the goodness of God reduce them to repent and reclaime them from their Fornications Hosea 2.7 and cause them to returne as the Prophet saith of the like Harlot unto their former Husband But the Beast which is the Antichrist that ascendeth from the bottomless pit and is wholly fallen away from Christ totally Apostatized from the maine Heads of THE Christian Faith and absolutely divorced from being any Spouse or Church of Christ The Beast and the false Prophet commit far viler sins then the Whores as you may see not a few of the Members of the Beast and his adherents that driveth off their Baptisme and permit not their Children to be Baptized and to be incorporated into the Church to be made lively members of Christ which is to renounce the marke of Christ and to blot out the Seal of the Lamb as I shewed before and is therefore termed the man of Sin and the Child of perdition as committing the more masculine wickedness killing hanging and beheading and the like far more odious and more abominable bloody sins then are the infirmities of a woman and the false Prophet that seduceth and deceiveth the poor simple people of God and both furthereth the beast and instructeth him as Libanius the sophister instructed Julian and Sergius the Monk did teach Mahomet how to proceed in most Villaines Enormities and Cruelties that are inflicted and imposed upon the Church Numbers 16.29 they are said to be taken alive and as Moses saith of Corah and his complices not to die the common death of all other men but to be cast alive into the Lake of fire burning with Brimstone For that the Devill having now ended his 1000 years imprisonment which began in Phocas his time Phocas died Anno 612. or rather in Heraclius his successors reigne about the yeare of Christ 620. or 630. when the persecutions of the Heathen Emperors and of Alaricus Attalus Totilas Gensericus and others of the Arian Kings of the Goths and Vandals were all quite finished and Boniface the third Bishop of Rome Super alios caput extulit omnes Balaeus l. 3. invita bonifacij Is extolled and worshiped above all other Bishops and the Church began to goe hand in hand with the Civil state and ended about 1620 or 1630. Some 45. or 35. years agoe when the Beast began to bite the King and to incroach upon the rights of Majesty and the false Prophet to smite Michajah on the Cheeks and to out-beard the Bishops and to trample them under feet he doth by these his two instruments the Beast and the false Prophet most wickedly suppress Gods Service and persecute Gods Servants
for which they are to receive this deadly doome in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone But in the aforesaid time of a 1000 yeares all from 630 to a 1630. Satan was tyed that he cold not rayse any bloody persecution against the Church though it cannot be denied but that the Church at this time did now and then persecute some of her own Children as the Waldenses and our Murtyres in Queen Maryes dayes and some others in other places which as the Church saith was but debita correctio propter indebitam contumaciam when as in the Arke of Moses That the Church hath often wrongfully persecuted her own Children there must be kept as well Aarons Rod for to Chastise the froward as the Heavenly Manna to refresh the wearied though in very deed the Church shewed her self herein many times not to be infallible when she reproved the Righteous and winked at the Wicked and oftentimes condemned the Righteous with the Wicked and sometimes more severely then the Wicked so that of many a Son of the Church we might justly say with the Poet The Church of Rome severely taxed for her cruelty Crudelis mater magis an puer improbus ille Improbus ilie puer crudelis tu quoque mater The Church was more to be blamed for her cruelty then her Children for their insolency And therefore for these and for other the like sins of the Church When the Lord suffered the Beast and the false Prophet to arise and to persecute the Church Revel 20.4 Of the 1000 years the Church should rest in quiet that were now come like the sins of the Amorites to the height and deserving just punishments for these unjust dealings And so for other the like Delinquencies of the professors of the Gospel the Lord was provoked hereby to let Satan loose to whip his Children for these misprisions and stepping out of the Wildernesse out of their place to follow after the World and their worldly profit and then the Dragon being let loose he begins afresh to persecute the Church with Fire and Sword and sends this Beast with his Emissaries and Assassins to slay the two Witnesses of Christ to destroy the true Members of the Church and to ruine all that he can beside and then St. John seeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Beast rising out of the Sea the which Beast I am now to describe unto you But before I proceed to the description of this Beast I do think it most requisite that I should say somewhat more for the clearing of the time when the 1000. That Satans 1000 years binding and the Saints 1000 years Reigning are the same Papias that received this Doct. of the Chiliasts was a man of small judgment as Eusebius Witnesseth l. 3. c. 35. When the 1000 years began and when ended if you take them for a determinar or set time and not as Fulke Deodat and others take them for a long but an indesinite time which I think is the smest exposition years wherein those souls that were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus should live and Reign with Christ and Satan should be bound that he might not persecute the Church with any bloody persecution for the faith of Christ which are both to be done in the same 1000 years should both begin and end And first That the 1000 years wherein Satan should be bound from persecuting the Church and the 1000. years wherein the Saints should live and reign with Christ are the very same 1000 years and not as the Chiliasts or Millenaries dream that Christ shall come either in his own person as some of them grossly think or else by his Spirit as others of them the more moderate men do say and reigne with them yet on earth a 1000 years it is so fully and learnedly shewed by that worthy and learned Divine Dr. Hammond that doth so in most of all his Writings that he worthily deserves to be loved and honoured of all the Church that for me to say any more were but arenas in littus fundere to write Iliads after Homer to no purpose when better cannot be said and more need not be said then what that worthy Scholar hath set down on the 20th chap. of the Revelat page 997. and so likewise what the reverend Author of the Revelation unrevealed hath therein set down to shew the fond conceits of these Chiliasts which are very excellently discovered per totum But for the time when those 1000 yeares both for the one and the other i. e. Satans binding and the Saints reigning should begin and be determined I shall humbly crave leave to dissent both from him and from all others that do subscribe to his opinion for whereas he conceiveth the same to begin either in 455. when by the Wars of Alaricus in 410. and of Attalas in 451. and of Gensericus in 455. Heathenisme and Idol Worship was fully destroyed in Rome and Christianity became Victorious over it And to end when Mahomet the second took Constantinople in 1455. or as some say in 1453. or else as he rather thinks they began in 311. or thereabouts when Constantine receiving the Christian faith concluded the persecutions of the Church and by an imperiall decree proclaimed Liberty and immunities to Christianity and ended about 1311 when the Ottoman Family began to flourish and to over-run Greece and to bring Mahometisme into Asia though Mariana inclines rather to the other opinion that his Imprisonment began after Rome was taken by the Goths and after Momillus that was termed Augustulus the last Emperor of the West was driven away by Odoacer the King of the Heruli which was about 477. and so must end in 1477. I answer The former opinion answered and rejected that although Constantine for this time freed the Church from all Heathenish persecutions and then immediately the two Olive Trees and the two Candlesticks to whom were given indeed before on the day of Pentecost such gifts as inabled them to instruct and to inlighten the Church with a very good and competent measure of true light were now furnished with a larger measure and with such abilities as were sufficient to inlighten her with the light of the Gospel and to feed her in the Wilderness that is to governe her in a far better manner then ever they did or cold do before and though after this in the time of Theodosius about 382 they were fully inabled to inlighten her with the great and glorious light of the Sun yet was not Satan bound all this while nor a good while after this for when he saw how by the Ministery of these two Olive Trees the two Witnesses of Christ that were now so well furnished with abilities to build the Temple that the Angel commanded to be measured the Church began to bring forth Christ most plentifully in her Children and was like to do the same more and more he sought to devoure this Child That the Church
because the spirit of God here in this Book setteth down the state and condition of his Church The main end and scope of the whole Book of the Revelation The fourfold enemies of the Church 1. The beast conceived to be 2. The Ecclesiasticall Whore or false Church which is the Church of Rome 3. The secular Whore or worldly Professors 4. The false Prophet or lying Preachers what piety they pretend and what great mischief they do and foresheweth her what afflictions and persecutions she should undergo through the malice of the Devill and by the meanes of those wicked Tyrants his Instruments that brought the first 10 great persecutions upon the Church and especially by those quaternion of adversaries that towards the end of the world should arise and seek to make an end of the true Church as 1. The beast the man of the sin the great Antichrist that would be an Antichrist that is an adversary unto Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most eminently and therefore is termed the beast that ascendeth out of the buttomless pit 2. The Ecclesiasticall Whore that breaks her faith with Christ and makes the Kings of the Earth and the Inhabitants of the Earth drunk with the wine of her fornication that is the fair glosses and the sweet conceits of her Idolatries and superstitions and makes her self drunk with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and that is because they will not imbrace and follow her in her fornications 3. The secular Whore that followes after the World and will not take upon her the yoke of Christ but hateth all them that seek to withdraw her from the sweet pleasures of the flesh and the deceitfull vanities of the world 4. The false Prophet that by a pretended zeal to reclaim the Whores and to reduce the one from the world and the other from her errors unto Christ deceiveth all them that dwell on the earth and instigateth spurreth and setteth on the beast to proceed and to go on in all his villanies and wickedness against the Servants of Christ all which that should happen unto the Church from the time of the Angels revealing them before the end of the world the spirit of God would foreshew unto St. John that St. John might foreshew them unto the Church And this I take to be the main end and the chiefest scope of the whole Book of this Prophesie and therefore after he had told us of the beast that should so extremely persecute his Church in the 13th Chapter and would now further decipher him here in the 17th Chapter he addeth and there are 7 Kings that is which have and shall in like manner vex and persecute my Servants and this he saith Why the persecutions and afflictions of the Church are foreshewed and foresheweth to this end videlicet to teach the true believers in Christ by the examples of those former Martyrs that had already suffered under those five persecutors that were fallen and dead to be now in the time of this 6th and after in the 7ths time and under the Tyranny of the beast which is the 8th most patient in all their sufferings and to comfort themselves in all their miseries and afflictions when they do consider and weigh their own present state and condition with the precedent condition of those holy Martyrs that have suffered as much or more then they and are now for their constancy and patience in their persecutions crowned by Christ with eternall glory and also to put his servants in mind from what divine providence and to what end these persecutions are sent unto them when they do consider they come not by chance being thus foretold so long before they come but by the speciall appointment of Almighty God that knoweth what is best and disposeth all things for the best and for the speciall good of them that love him and then lastly to assure them of a glorious success and an undoubted Victory to become Conquerours even when they are conquered and do suffer their persecutions unto death because the same spirit that foretells us of their coming tells us also how our Brethren that went before us overcame all their sufferings and how we shall overcome them in like manner even when our enamies seem to overcome us And therefore immediately after the description of our enemies Chap. 13. and the setting down of our sufferings v. 7. the spirit of God addeth v. 9. v. 9 Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints that is their patience in suffering and their faith concerning their sufferings to believe that they come from God for their good and shall produce all good success unto them But these forenamed Emperors that are alledged to be here meant The foresaid Emperours not all so great persecutors of the Church were not all such great persecutors of the Christians but some of them were very Gentle and meek as Titus the Son of Vespasian who was therefore called deliciae generis humani the delight of mankind though indeed he was not altogether so delightfull nor so gentle to the Christians and others ruled but a very short space as Galba reigned but seven moneths and nine dayes Otho but four moneths Vitellius but eight moneths and we read of no great evills that these three men did unto the Christians though they were no good men and after these Vespasian reigned but nine years and eleven moneths and Titus but two years and twon moneths So that all these five from Nero to Domitian reigned not above fourtee years and therefore I conceive that these five could not be meant to be set in the Catalogue of the chief persecutors of Gods Church nor be ranked in the same Class with the beast and his adherents when as neither Eusebius nor any other Ecclesiasticall Historian reckoneth the first three amongst the persecutors And whereas Junins That the 8th is not said to be a King which ought to be specially observed in his Annotations annexed to our Bibles makes Trajan to be the 8th and others make Nerva and others Domitian I say that neither of them is here meant to be the eight and of the seven for I would have it observed that the eight is not said to be a King but there are seven Kings saith the Holy Ghost and but seven Kings are said to be and the Antichrist which is the beast and the eight is no where said to be a King or to have a Crowne upon his Head but upon his Hornes So that if either of these or any one of the other Roman Emperours or any other King whatsoever had been here meant to be the eight the Holy Ghost in all likelihood would have said and there are eight Kings Divers attributes of the the 8th not ascribed to any of the other seven whereas he saith and there are seven Kings Besides you may observe many other speciall marks and additionall differences that are
leave it to the Judge of all the World to determine they taking it from us to give it to their Popish Priests and these keeping it to themselves But as when Pilate said unto the Jewes 1 John 18.29 what accusation bring you against this man and demanded three times of them what evill hath he done and they could make him none other answer but if he were not a malefactor and had not done evill enough we would not have condemned him and delivered him unto thee so their condemning of him onely v. 30. must be believed to be an unanswerable Argument that he hath done evill enough though Pilate that examined the matter and the man to the full protesteth that he could find no fault at all in him so if it should be demanded of the Parliament what evill have the Bishops done that you should suppress their Calling nullifie their Office stop their mouthes take away their maintenance and sell their estates that all former Parliaments had confirmed unto them to let them beg or starve as many of them might have starved had it not been for the bounty and great charity that was extended to them by many worthy men and most godly Citizens and others in and about this famous City of London they can make you none other answer then what their Brethren the Jewes did to Pilate if they had not been evill and done evill though we cannot tell you what evill they did we would not have done all this unto them so their condemning of us though they know not for what must be sufficient to lay upon us the heavy judgement of malefactors and if this dealing be not like the Beares feet most ugly I know not what can be let others judge 7. The mouth of the Beast was as the mouth of a Lion Amos. 3.8 The Parallel 7. The Text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mouth of the Beast was as the mouth of a Lion v 2. and the Lion as the King of terrors roareth to the trembling and terrifying of all the Beasts of the Forrest and of all other men that hear him for as the Prophet saith When the Lion hath roared who will not fear and doth not this description of the Beast most aptly cohere with the long Parliament for did they not roar so terribly that as the Poet saith and all men do know Projicit ampullas sesquipedalia verba Did it not The Popes Bulls never roared so terribly against any man speak very proud things great swelling words and which is more and far worse breathed it not forth Oris Cerberei spumas virus echidnae Such cruel threatnings as deadly as the poyson of asps against those that were quiet in the Land against all the servants of Christ and that would serve God aright and continue faithfull unto their King for these men being all made delinquents aedibus sedibus effugati sunt they are to be driven and they must be packing out of house and home and when they have destroyed all these and swallowed up all their Estates then as Pyrhus told Cyneas his Orator that demanded of him Plutarch In vita Pyrhi what he would do when he had conquered all Italy he would win Sicilia then Africk and Macedon afâ—er that subdue Persia and India and so forward till with Alexander he should become the fole Monarch of the world and then he would eat drink and be merry so the Parliament Proselites believe that after the rooting out of the Cavaliers the Parliament will conquer France subdue Spain What wonderfull things the Parliamentarians promised themselves they will do harrasse Italy pull the Pope out of his Throne throw down the Whore of Babylon and then passe on to reduce the ten Tribes that were led away by Salmanazar and are so mixed with all the other Nations that no man knows what is become of them ever since yet these men by the help of their false Prophet will find them out and in despight of the great Turk they will subdue Gog and Magog and bring all the dispersed Jews and distressed Israelites over the Caspian Mountains into the land of Promise once again if you will believe their Proselites and false Preachers quam facile est dicere montem sed transire grave est which is easier said then done and then their glorious world which they term the fifth Monarchy and the Millenaries thousand years felicity in all worldly happinesse here on earth shall begin as I have read it in one of their books Printed at London and dedicated by one of the Members of the new collected Church of Wrexam to Colonel Twisleton And are not these things magnalia very glorious great exploits which I cannot yet believe though uttered by the mouth of a lion and yet to further the credit of these lying wonders 8. 8. The great power and authority of the Beast that hath 1. The power 2. The Seat 3. The authority of the Dragon Matth. 8.32 2 Thes 2.9 It is said in the same place v. 2. that the Dragon that is the devil gave unto the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his power and his seat and great authority therefore questionless the power of the Beast must needs be very great if we cosider the great power and strength of the Devil who is able to overthrow not onely a few men or some Armies of men but all the men in the world and drive them all like the Herd of Swine into the Sea if he were not restrained by a greater power of him that ' puts a hook in his mouth and bridles him so that he can do no more then he gives him leave and therefore Saint Paul saith that the comming of the Antichrist will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth copias militares militarie Forces as where the Septuagint renders it for an Army Exod. 14.28 saying that the waters covered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Army of Pharaoh and God is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord of Hosts because he hath all the armies of the world at his command and therefore the Beast having received from the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his power he hath both the Secular power of gold and silver and militarie Forces of men and munition Dan. 11 43.38 wherein this power of the Beast that is the Antichrist chiefly confifteth which is so said by Daniel to rule over the treasures of gold and silver and to worship Mauzim whom I conceive to be the Heathen God of War and also the Ecclesiastical power which the Beast after he hath gotten such abundance of wealth and powerfull armies will likewise exercise according to his own will and pleasure over the Church Church men and all Church Services and Revenues that appertains unto the Church And hath not the long Parliament got such a power The parallel and done all these things
done against the house of God and such if not worse then what the Prophet sheweth and exceedingly complaineth No Turk or Pope did ever abuse the Churches so much and exclaimeth against it in Ps 74.7 8. and Psal 79.2 3. and you may be sure such as cannot be affixed on the Pope or Popish Church and yet this was not onely done by the rude and unruly Souldiers but it was also egged on by their preachers to be practised by the people whom they perswaded to believe that God is dishonoured if we think that he takes any delight in these steeple-houses as with all scorn and contempt they use to term these Tabernacles of God And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The objection of the false Prophet the Beast that ariseth out of the earth that is the false Prophet doth object that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tabernacle of God doth not signifie the steeple-house which we call the Church of God because God dwelleth not in houses made with hands but in the hearts and souls of the righteous people and the faithfull servants of Jesus Christ which are the Temples of the Holy Ghost as the Apostle sheweth These are the Tabernacles of God wherein he dwelleth 1 Cor. 3.16 even as he himself promiseth unto his people and for the place of his service it is wheresoever we lift up pure hands and hearts unto God to call for his affistance and to praise him for his blessings for as God is every where and as the old verse saith Enter praesenter Deus est ubique potenter Which is according to the Schooles supracaelos non elatus subter terram non depressus above the Heavens and below the Earth and as the Prophet David saith a spirit that filleth all places and is wholly present in every place for if I climbe up to heaven thou art there Psal 139.6 John 4.23 1 Reg 18.4 Acts 20.7 8. and c 21.5 1 Tim. 2.8 and if I go down to hell thou art there also even so he may be served in any place as our Saviour himself tells the woman of Samaria and as Moses did serve him upon the Mountain Elias under a Juniper tree St Paul in an upper Chamber and the Disciples on the Sea-shore and the Apostle saith I will that men pray every where lifting up pure or holy hands without wrath And as we may pray unto God any where so we may preach unto Gods people in any place for so Christ hath promised that whensoever or wheresoever two or three are gathered together in his name Matth. 18.28 c. 5.1 or to do him service he would be there in the midst of them and so we find that he himself preached in the Mountain and in the Ship and in any place where a fit opportunity and a just occasion was offered and he bade his Disciples to go and to preach from house to house which they did accordingly as you may see Philip preached to the Eunuch by the high way side Act 18 35. Neh. 8.3 Acts 17.22 St. Paul unto the Athenians as Ezra did unto the Jewes in the street in the mids of Mars-hill and therefore what need we to have a steeple house to serve God when God may be rightly served in any place I answer that the service of God is to be considered two wayes and is two fold 1. Private Solut. The service of God is twofold 2. Publique And 1. For the private service of God as for a man to pray unto God to catechise his Children and to instruct his Family as Abraham and Joshua are said to have done we deny not but men may and ought to do the same at all times and in every place and they are the best that do it most oft 2. For the Publique service of God we are to consider it either 1. In ecclesia constituenda in the establishing of a Church or 2. In ecclesia constituta in a Church setled and established 2. The publick service considered two wayes and in the first sence many things may lawfully be done which may not be done in a well settled and established Church And in the second sence there is a time when the publique service of God may be likewise done in any place but that is not alwayes save onely when we cannot come or not come without great danger and detriment What times God may be served in any place 1. In sickness time Esay 38 2. 2 Reg. 20.2 2. In Plague time 1 Chron. 21.29 3. In Warre time 1 Chron. 13 3. to serve God in the place where he requireth to be served and that is 1. In the time of sickness so Ezechias being in his bed and not able to go to the Temple turned his face to the wall and so prayed unto the Lord. 2. In the time of a Plague or any other contagious Disease raging among the people so David could not go to the Tabernacle of the Lord for fear of the Sword of the destroying Angel and I could never finde that God requireth our service with the losse of our lives but when he is more glorified by our death then he is by our life as he is by the death of those glorious Martyrs that lay down their lives for the defence of his truth 3. In the time of Warre which is the worst of all Plagues so David inquired not at the Ark of God in the dayes of Saul that thirsted after the life of David and so we may absent our selves from the Church for fear of the distroying Souldiers that do seek our lives 4. In the time of persecution 4. In persecution time 1 Reg 19.4.4 when our lives are sought after by Tyrants either for Religion or the transgression of any duty that is required against our Conscience so our Consciences be rightly informed so Elias served God under a Juniper-Tree when he was feign to flie for his life from the face of Jezabel 5. In Captivity or restraint when we are held in durance 5. In the time of Captivity and cannot go where we would go so Daniel prayed in his Chamber when he was held Captive in Babilon and Joseph in Egypt and the Apostles in the Prison and in the Stocks sung Psalms and served God when they were detained so fast that they could not go to the Temple 6. In our Travel upon unavoided necessities as Marriners by Sea 6. In the time of Iravel and others by Land upon urgent and extraordinary necessary occasions as for Phisitians to ride to preserve the life of man and the like they may serve God and both pray and preach in their Ships or in a private house as if they were in the Church of God 7. When we are plagued by Souldiers or any other enemies 7. In the time of great dangers so that we can neither tarry in our own Houses nor go to Gods House without eminent danger either of life or imprisonment or the
Gods prople yet because they profest to know their Masters will and did it not our Saviour was offended with them and denounceth more and more beavie woes against them then against all the enormous horrible and flagitious sins of others the greatest finners that knew not so much of the will of God as they did Even so though the Idolatries and heresies and superstitions of the Pope and his Hierarchie and their other sins and the abominations and cruelties of the Turks and Mahometans may in there own nature simplie considered seem more odious and heinous then the sins of the Presbiterians and long Parliament yet consideratis considerandis all circomstances considered that may be said for the Pope and popish church No sinner so hatefull in the sight of God as the ypocritical saint and for the Turk and Mahometans and against these seeming Angels and the grand masters of injustice and impietie in all their wayes I say no Pope no Turk no Tyrant no Scismatick no Heretick nor any other the like great sinner can be so hatefull in the sight of God as are the doings of these hypocritical Saints that I have so cleerly and so amply displayed unto you in this book so far that the best of mine understanding cannot immagine how a greater Antichrist more odious to God and more destructive to the Church of God can possibly arise then that which I have described in these bookes CHAP. VII Of the continuance and destruction of the beast the time of his prevalencie his utter ruine not till the day of judgment and why and what it should teach us how the seven Vials of Gods wrath shall be poured out and what the three unclean spirits do signifie ANd now I should end this discourse but that for the comfort of all the persecuted Saints and Servants of Jesus Christ that seem in mine ears to crie to God with the soules under the Altar saying how long tarriest thou holy and true before thou comest to deliver us from the crueltie of this beast and to avenge the blood of thy servants that hath been spilt by them that dwell on the earth I think it requisite that I should say some-what of the continuance of the beast and the destruction of the Antichrist Touching which being points of things to come it is not an easie matter nor wisedome in any man rashly to determine and knowing how many great Schollers and holy men have failed in the computation of times I am verie loath to bee too peremptorie or positive therein especially considering that I could not yet satisfie my selfe with any thing that I read concerning this matter in the best either of the popish or the Protestant writers For 1. The Papists expecting the Antichrist that in all probabilities 1. What the Papists conceive concerning the Antichrist Bellar. de rom Pontif. 1. 3. c. 8. and 16. Sanders in demonstr Corn a la pi de in Apoc. c. 3. Iraeneus Hyppolitus c. should be a Jew risen of meane parentage of the tribe of Dan and by cheating tricks should first overcome the Kings of Egypt Lybia and Ethiopia and then many more and should most cruelly persecute the Church of Christ for three years and a halfe in which time Henoch and Elias should return in their own persons from the terrestriall Paradise where God reserveth them for to preach and to preserve the elect from the deceits of the Antichrist doe say that he is not yet come and when he cometh that he shall continue but as I said three years and a halfe and this shall be but a verie little time before Christ cometh to Judgment this is the generally received opinion of the Papists which is but a fancie without ground 2. The Protestants whereof some that make the succession of Popes to be the Antichrist do say he hath already continued ever since Boniface the third in Phocas his time Balaeus de vit Pontif. l. 3. Thom. Antichrist arraigned pag. 06. E. H. de Antichrist c. as Balaeus saith or since Vitalianus in 666. as Thompsom and others say above a 1000 years already and they cannot tell how many years more he may continue God knoweth it may be a 1000 yet if their exposition be true and the world continue so long others think that the Antichrist is but some one single and singular person that should arise or is risen from the true Church that is from the purest nationall Church which I am sure in King Charles his time was the Church of Ingland and though he springs from a smal roote yet by his wars his wits and cheating tricks he shall slay the two witnesses of Christ whic they conceive to be the Magistrates and the Ministers that is as I take them the King and the Bishops and that man should still prevail over Gods people and continue glorious in all good successes according to his own desires untill the Ministers of Christ that through fear shall be for a while like Plinies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mouthless men doe receive a new courage and as it were life from the dead to preach him down and God shall second them and assist them by raising commotions against him and powerfull armies to overthrow both him and his adherents and thereby that is the zealous preaching of the Gospel and the great victories of Christ his servants over the Antichrist they shall proceed on and reduce not onley the Jewes but also the ten tribes of Israel that have been scattered like the dust of the earth to be converted to imbrace the faith of Christ and to restore them to repossess their Land of Palestina and to make a glorious reformation of the Church of Christ thus collected into one sheepfold that shall continue as some fondly dream a 1000 years more in all worddly felicitie the most of which conceits I take to be as fabulous and as fictitious as the fictions of the Talmudists And therefore I must humbly crave leave What the author conceieth to be the truth touching the Antichrist in many things to dissent and in some things to assent to the expositions both of the Papists and Protestants and out of both their assertions to set down what I conceive to he most probable and likeliest to be the truth and so I say with the Protestants that Sanders and Bellarmine and the rest of the Popish Writers that take the beast for one single person are utterly mistaken and all that they say of that person are but meer fictions because all that is here spoken of this beast and elsewhere of the Antichrist can never be applied to one singular man nor all things that are to be acted can be peformed by one person and yet I cannot assent with those Protestants that say he is the succession of Popes or popish Hierarchie or a wicked Kingdom and Politie and the seventh head of the beast that reignes after the Emperors in the Cittie of Rome as Brightman