1639. and the first and second of the yeare 1640. upon his weekly Lecture at Boston in New-England where he went over the other Chapters of the Revelation as he did this thirteenth Chapter and indeed they that were acquainted with his Preaching may easily discern his very spirit in them all along Now that the holy spirit of the Lord may breath in these holy Labours of his precious Servant so as the Reader may experience the truth of that divine sentence mentioned in the beginning The tongue of the righteous is as choise silver is the unfeigned desire of The servant for Jesus sake Thomas Allen. Norwich the 1. day of the 1. month 1654-55 AN EXPOSITION Upon the thirteenth Chapter of the REVELATION Revel 13. 1 2. And I stood upon the sand of the Sea and saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and tenne horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon and the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority YOU have heard from the last Chapter that when the Dragon that is the Devill as he ruled the Roman Pagan Empire was cast downe out of Heaven that is dethroned from his heavenly and Divine worship he endeavoured by all meanes to oppresse the Church that is the woman that brought forth a Christian Emperour her and her seed 1. By persecution 2. By an inundation of damnable Heresies and barbarous Nations 3. By open War which open war is exprest in the last verse of the former Chapter and here more fully described in this Chapter a whereof hath been now read The warre which is made against the Church is here described to be managed by two beasts which the Devill raised up One he calls a Beast rising up out of the Sea described from the first verse to the end of the tenth Another Beast hee beheld coming up out of the Earth from the 11 th verse to the end of the Chapter Now the former of these Beasts is described by three arguments 1. By his Originall or Fountain from whence he springs he riseth up out of the Sea which is amplified by the place of Johns beholding him I stood upon the sand of the Sea 2. He is described by his shape here is his figure and resemblance For his head he had seven heads and they amplified by honourable Ornaments or rather dishonourable indeed but honourable in the beasts view namely upon his heads the name of blasphemy 2. For his horns he had ten horns and they are set forth by their Crowns which he had on his horns He had so many horns so many Crowns upon his ten horns ten Crowns And as his shape is set forth by his head and horns so also by his resemblance or likenesse the whole shape or bulk of the Beast is like a Leopard The Leopard is of the femenine gender and signifies the female of the Panthers the she Panther spotted and ravenous famous for her speedy race and yet of a good smell by which she allures other beasts to her and as she hath occasion doth devoure them And as his resemblance for his whole shape is like a Leopard so for his feet he is like a Bear And for his mouth he hath the mouth of a Lyon This is the second argument by which he is described 3. The third argument whereby he is described is his state and that amplified by three arguments 1. By the efficient cause 2. By the variable change of it And 3ly by a wise conclusion and observation For the efficient cause of it it is said to be the Dragon he gave him his power and authority For the variable change of it it was 1. Great for it is here called Power and Seate and great Authority 2. One of his heads was wounded I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death And thirdly this wound was healed this is the variable change of it 1. Great authority honourable seate 2. Wounded to death And thirdly healed of that deadly wound And this healing is amplified by five Effects or Consequents The first was the worlds wondering All the world wondered after the Beast The admiration was aâ— this great change so happily atchieved as they thought that he should recover that desperate danger The second effect it wrought was worship both towards himselfe And secondly to the Dragon that gave him power The third effect of this healing was liberty to blaspheme There was a mouth given him to speake great things blasphemies A fourth effâ—ct was Authority and Power to do what First To continue forty two moneths vers 5. Secondly Power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them that was the fourth effect that followed his healing The fifth effect was amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion Power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations vers 7. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him vers 8. Which worshippers are described by their estrangement from the number of Gods elect whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb and the Lamb set forth by the eternall efficacy of his death Slaine from the foundation of the world This is the second part of the description of the Beast The third part is a conclusion which contains a word of Caution and Consolation or a word of Attention and Consolation in the ninth and tenth verses If any man have eares to heare let him heare as if it were a matter worthy of observation and diligent attention and of exact understanding and of consolation in the tenth vers He that leadeth into captivity shall goe into captivity he that killeth with the sword must he killed with the sword c. This is the former Beast and his description The latter Beast is in the eleventh verse to the end I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth c. He is described by his variety from the former beast For his Original he comes not as the other Beast out of the Sea but from the Earth And for his resemblance he hath two horns like a Lamb and he spake lik a Dragon 2. He is described by his power as in the twelfth verse but I will not now speak further of him Now for the meaning of the words It is that which the holy Ghost calls us diligently to attend unto He that hath cares to heare let him heare If any man have an eare to understand any apprehension of spirituall mysteries any capacity of matters of Religion let him heare what manner of beast the Devill stirred up and set against the Church to make war against the Saintâ— as if it were a matter that few would understand but such as were of spirituall understanding and who will listen duly to a diligent observation
very offer Christ had once made to him by this Dragon he came to Christ and said Luke 4. 6 7. All this power will I give thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it if thou therefore wilt worship mee all shall be thine Hee said thus far true that he had a great stroke in the Kingdomes of the world but yet it was limited to him for it's true hee was the god of the world in the time of Heathenish and Popish apostacy He offers Christ he will give it all to him if he will fall down and worship him The Lord Jesus rejects him It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve When he offers such baites and barbarous temptations as these be we are to rejâ—ct him The Devill comes and offers this to the Vicar of Christ as they call him I wil give you government over all the Churches in the world and Kingdoms and States and he in very deed takes Satans offer and doth take all the pomp and state of the world Time was when Naaman the Assyrian offered large matters to Elisha for healing him of his Leprosie but the Prophet would have none of them though he was no Pagan for when he came home they would aske what did it cost you he might say it cost me not a groat but what it cost me in the Innes where I lay this is honour to Religion His servant Gehezi indeed runs after him As the Lord liveth he shall not goe so away but he will have a reward He makes an excuse There are two sonnes of the Prophets come and he desires a talent of silver and two changes of garments and hee very liberally fastens a great deale more on him then he asks What saith Elisha Is this a time to take money and to receive garments and Olive-yards and Vine-yards and sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants Hee meant such money as would buy all these The leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee And so truly the leprosie of Antichrist and of the Catholick Church cleave to us if we take up any thing that derogates from the simple and naked and sheep-like government of Christ Jesus It will be a Leprosie that wil cleave to us make us grow more more leprous And therefore it must teach us not to regard the profits and pleasures of this world I speak chiefly to men as we are Church-members Such simple government though it hath horns for the Lamb hath horns and can tell how to push yet meeknesse and simplicity is best Just and faithfull Administrations becomes the simplicity of civill government but how much more the Church of Christ that so this great and vast Beast may be kept away from us Lastly it may teach us all as ever wee desire not to grow monstrous and ugly in the sight of the Lord Jesus to take heed of hearkning to any power of Nationall Churches you will finde that this will grow to such ugly deformity that God will turn away his face from you You will never finde him as in times of ignorance Though God hath pardoned what we did in ignorance not knowing what wee did as Christ prayed Luke 23. 34. Father forgive them they know not what they doe And I doubt not but he doth the like for many of our deare brethren who in their ignorance do submit to the Beast and the image of the Beast and doth vouchsafe his gracious presence with them But for us here if we shall in our hearts turn back againe to Aegypt and be content to stoop to these Superstitions and be thus ruled for order and forme of worship believe it then we may looke for an end of all our prosperity and liberty of the Churches here Then look we should grow mishapen and monstrous and look ugly we shall then soon see an end of all the comforts of the Churches here As therefore God hath betrusted us with such a handsome body as hee is pleased to own so continue in your profession and in the maintenance of the same even to death Revel 13. 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the Beast IN these words is described the variation of the state of the Beast in respect of one of his heads 1. John saw it as it were wounded to death and all men thought it unrecoverable that is one State 2. A State of recovery His deadly wound was healed 3. The effects of this healing 1. The worlds admiration after the Beast 2. Their worship both of the Dragon the Beast For a little opening of the words I saw one of his heads You heard before that the Beast had seven heads Now as the Scribes asked Christ concerning the woman that had seven Husbands whose wife shall she be of the seven So here is a Beast hath seven heads and one is wounded which of the seven must it be To this the Apostle John tells us Chap. 17. That five of them were gone they had been but were not now and these are the seven governments of the Roman State These five had been Kings and Consuls Decemviers Dictators Tribunes The sixth yet was and that was the Caesars the Roman Emperours they were the sixth head whether Christian or Pagan it differs not much the state of the Government for they were all governed by Roman Laws under one head or other Now therefore what is this that is here spoken of One of his heads were as it were wounded to death was it the Roman Emperour whether Pagan or Christian you heard reasons before why it could not be Pagan nor indeed Christian Rome 1. That head was crowned but this hath no Crown All the seven heads were crowned they governed and exercised their Administrations in the world Rev. 12. â— But here these heads are not crowned but the Crowns are upon the Horns 2. Neither can it be they because of this wound upon this head The Roman Christian Emperours they never chalenged to themselves Head-ship over the Church of Rome Constantine doth utterly abandon it He professeth he ought to be judged by them and not they by him And Theodosius doth submit himselfe to Ambrose censure and doth not exercise any Head-ship over the Church It was not therefore the Emperours for they were not heads of the Church 3. It is said the wound here given was healed to the admiration of the world Now certaine it is the wound given by the Goths and Vandalls it was never healed to this day but the Eastern part was swallowed up by the Turk And for the Emperors of the West Charles the great and his Successors though they healed a branch of it yet it was far off from healing the wound of the Roman Empire those wounds have decayed and fall short of that which was the
admiration of the Nations Nor was it the healing of this wound from the first time it was given that was the admiration of the world Therefore it must be some head that was so wounded as all the world wondered at it and were captive to it You heard it was not the Roman Christian Emperors it must be him that claimes to be head over all the Churches and who is that but Pontifex maximus It was that which Theodosias abhor'd he thought it an unworthy style for a Christian Emperour to be accounted the great high Priest of the Church but what he laid down they willingly took up to be accounted the great Pastor of the Church and therefore he is the head of the Church For if it be neither Pagan nor Christian Emperours it must be the government that succeeded them they were the sixth and hee is the seventh It is the seventh head that was thus wounded and whose wound was afterward healed Qu. 2. Now a second Question will be If he be the seventh head the head of the Church of Rome If he be this head then when was he wounded Answ When the Goths and Vandalls and Hunnes and other barbarous Nations overwhelmed Italy and the western parts 1. Alaricus about the yeare 415. took Rome aâ—d I remember in a Treatise of Hierom saith he The government which then was left of the Church before was wholly taken away as if a man were beheaded and yet it fell after into worse calamity 2. It was after taken againe by Adulphus who thought to change the name of it and call it Gothia 3. It was taken againe by Gensericus Vandalus 4. Odoacer Rugionus reigned in it fourteen years 5. After him Theodoricus King of the Goths having slaine him his Successor Totilas destroyed it and brought it to such desolation that there was neither man woman nor child seen in it for forty dayes Now this was such a wound that all the Bishops in the world that were wont to give homage to him they now began to neglect his Head-ship that was but a servant at home They despised him to be the head of the Church that was a servant to Barbarians Insomuch that the Bishop of Revenna he challengeth universall Supremacy he takes indignation at him that he will be Lord Paramount But so great was the wound that indeed the Roman Bishop was utterly discouraged and this continued for 140. yeares together and though he would have used many meanes for his cure and have called in help from the Emperor of Greece yet he was not willing to help him for they had fallen out before about worshipping of Images he was constant for Images the other was against them and so he might sinke or swim for them so his wound seemed incurable Quest 3. When was this wound cured and how Answ By degrees 1. In the yeare 555. the Lord stirred up Justinian who by his Generalls Belisarius and Morses drove and destroyed the Goths out of Italy 2. By Justinians novell Constitutions we decree according to the Canons of the holy Councels the most holy Bishop of old Rome to be the first or to have the Primacy of all Priests 3. Phocas the Parricide about fifty yeares after about the yeare 606. healed up the wound granting to Boniface the third that he should be universall Bishop not only the first in order but in honour also and that all the whole world should be his Diocesse And this was the healing of his Head which was so perfectly cured that all the world wondered at the preservation of the head of this Church and began by degrees more and more to adore both the Church and the Head of it Obj. There is an Objection made against this exposition That by this means the Bishop of Rome should be healed before he be a head of Beast for this was his headship when he was allowed to be chief Lord over all the Churches and all the rest to be under him and the Pope was not this head till the Act of Phocas Answ I answer He had not the peaceable possession of this Headship till this time but yet it is evident in story that he did claim this supremacy before he sought it ambitiously and it was given him by the devotion of many Bishops and Churches and Nations it was usually rendred to him long before that time Socrates saith that Ballo the Pope had broken forth into the Government over the Churches And Bellarmine himselfe confesseth when he is put to it that the Bishop of Rome would never goe to any Consultation in the East but sent his Legat for saith he it is not meet the head should follow the members A second reason he gives the Emperor saith he is at least Vice-gerent of the East he well may have the materiall Seat that was taken up by the Emperors where shall the Bishop of Rome sit then and this he gathers out of some of their writings So that it is evident that he did ambitiously desire it and the manner was being elderly men all his beloved and dear children they call him Father and so he takes in good part all their honorable Titles and he destributes to them such parcells of respect as may stand with his own Sumpremacy and their subjection and therefore they need not say The wounded head was healed before he was a head of the Beast for it was in conception long before He did from Constantines time seek Supremacy They confesse little respect was had to him in Constantines time But when order was set in Churches he took all advantages for his exaltation and did take all appeals from others that what others did to him in respect of his gravity learning and understanding he takes as done to him as sitting in Peters Chaire and so did challenge headship in those times and they thought it was meet to give it And after this he was ratified and confirmed and established in peace then was his wound healed Come we then to gather a note or two from the word The first note you may observe is this The ambition and arrogancy of Church Officers clayming headship over the Church of Christ the Lord plagues it with a mortall wound and crusheth it even to the death I gather it out of these words I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death It was one of the heads of the Catholick Church As the body was a Monster so was the head to set a head over such a vast body it was a Monster in Gods sight The Lord wil not suffer him to go on in this ambitious designe but will meet him as he did Balaam when he crushed his foot against the wall and if he had gone on he had sleine him Numb 22. 32 33. So doth the Lord here meet the Bishop of Rome if he will be the head of the visible Church and animate such a Body what will the Lord doe He will wound him to death and
as take upon them to put doctrine upon the Church to take away Church liberties and sometimes to scater one Church from another the Lord will certainly visit it we may pray for it and comfortably expect it The next note is this That though God doe wound and crush and represse the arrogance of Church officers affecting headship over all Churches for a time yet he doth sometimes again heal their wounds and binde up their breaches and give free passage to their ambitious designes This is evident here I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and you have heard when and how and yet which is wonderfull His deadly wound was healed and that to the admiration of all the world And all the world wondred after the Beast to see a wound so really and perfectly healed when this Church was wounded afterwards the Pope was perfectly recovered but the wound of Caesars head was left bleeding both in the East and West This head must therefore be the spirituall head of Rome God though he represse some insolency yet he doth many times give free passage to their designes at length He did so with Balaam he met with him in the way and had not the Asse hindred certainly he had slain him Numb 22. 32. Because thy way was perverse before me saith God Balaak had sent him word that if he would come and curse the people that were come out of Aegypt that he would give him this and that he saw he had an eye to these outward things The Lord seeing his way perverse he would have killed him but yet at length in v. 35. The Angell of the Lord said unto Balaam if it be thy minde to go I will give thee leave go with the men but onely the word that I shall speak unto thee that thou shalt speak And when he comes he doth blesse the people to the Indignation of the King of Moab but afterwards when Balaam saw that he should loose all that he came for come saith he to the King take some course to invite the Gallants of Israel to a feast and it was an Idolatrous feast to the honour of Baal Peor and so the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and there were foure and twenty thousand dyed of the Plague and at length Balaam was slaine also But yet you see he gives way to his coveteous designes to satisfie himselfe to the full though he afterward visited his Sinne upon him So did the Lord here with the Bishop of Rome he wounded him as it were to death and afterwards he heals him and raiseth him up again and sent Justinian to destroy the Goths out of Italy and he being a wise man gives him his Titles and makes him Bishop of Bishops inspector over all the rest and perfectly cures him That whereas before he had lost his Titles and one or other wrote against him the Emperor being loath to make their own Arch-Bishop that lived in their City with them chief for disturbing their civill Government They had rather conferre all that honour upon him that had been so admired worshiped for so many years especially having had 32 Mâ—nasteries had been more Orthodoxall then all other Churches These were great inducements to give all honour to the Pope though they saw him desperately wounded but when they see him recovered they wonder at him and every one submits to him especially the Western parts though they in the East also would consult with him and be led and guided by him and all their decrees in counsell were referred to him if he did dislike them they were antequated if he did approve them they were received as Authenticall Lawes of the Church You may aske why the Lord would heal such an abominable and ugly Beast this visible Catholick Church and this Beast that was one of the heads of this Church for he had a beastly shape take him alone without the other Beast and take them together here is a great Beast afterwards he is called in Chap. 17. the great whore and she sits upon this Beast and he hath all his supportance from her he restores the Church and the head of the Beast to that state they were in before The reason why God doth this is double First in regard of his just displeasure against the backsliding apostacies of the Church in such times When the Lord sees the spirits of men are bent to apostacy and backsliding so as that they reject the simplicity of the Gospell of Christ and if they might have it they will not now it is a righteous thing with God to plague them with the arrogance tyranny of Antichrist If I come in my Fathers name you will not receive me if another come in his own name him you will receive Now it is a just judgement of God if Christ come and offer himself in the simplicity of his Ordinances and they think this is too mean and doth not reach the state of an Imperiall City but they must have such and such orders in all Churches and Churches must be distinguished by such Patrons and it is fit that one be Lord Paramount over them all and none is so fit as the Bishop of Rome If people dote upon such some goodly shape but drawn by the inventions of men well you shall have such Bishops This head that sometimes hath been thus wounded that some have had cause of solemn praise for his wounding and God hath by this means given the Churches liberty to take some better way of worship but they would not well you shall have enough of him It is one of Solomons Proverbs Chap. 14. 14. the Backslider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes If you dote after inventions of men you shall be filled with vain Superstition to the contentment of your own hearts God out of his tender faithfulnesse to his Church he will redeem some and doth give them faire opportunities to undertake their own liberties out of the usurpations of men but if they will rather sit under the shadow of Aegypt then feed upon Manna then goe you back again saith God none of you shall eat of that which I have prepared that is one Reason Such backsliders that delight in such communion in such heads over their Churches it is just with God to fill them with their own inventions The second Reason is taken from the just judgement of God upon such kinde of heads that doe affect such ambition the Lord will shew them this favour he will crosse them as he did Balaam but if their hearts be bent to go on in their mischevous course he gives them leave to fulfill their own lusts to their own perdition And thus he did Balaam he gave him leave not onely to blesse the people but to draw them aside from God for he could not have taken a more ready course to have cast them out of Gods favour then to draw them to offer
Sacrafice to Baal for that was one of the worst dunghill gods It is out of Gods righteous judgement when a man will not be reclaimed when the Lord wounds and crushes him and brings him to the last gaspe if he have a licourish affection still now it is an usuall thing with God to pay men to their own perdition And therefore in Rev. 17. 11. It is said the beast that was and is not shall goe into perdition that 's the head of this Beast that is the next newes you heare of this second beast here in the Text and therefore it is called both the beast and the head of the beast where the first beast is presented in the form of a great whore who is to be brought to the last gaspe A whore she was but he presents her to John as a great beast Now hee gives him leave to rise againe to his own perdition and of many thousands more Thus you see the truth of the point Now for the use of it First it may be a just watch-word and warning to all the Sons of men to beware of Gods checks When the Lord checks you crushes your Crowns and exposeth you to this and that danger in one kind or other beware of this whether you be the children of God or not yet come home effectually to him for this you shall finde if you be in distress and call he is ready to heare He will heare Ishmael and he hears the Lyons that roar and seek their meat of him He will many times once or twice or thrice do thus But if the Lord once strike and almost crush you beware now that you lay aside all carnall ends and ambitious designes for otherwise if you shall recover againe and persist in your former wayes without repentance then the next news is you goe on to perdition And therefore when ever the Lord affects us and afflicts us in any kind it is heavenly wisdome to be warned by the least phylip of his finger be warned by any sicknesses crosses danger by Land or Sea by any thing whatsoever the Lord is pleased to exercise you with this is both childrens bread and the bread of strangers Beware you goe not on still but if the Lord check you then turn back again but if you go forward be sure you go to God-ward and according to Gods will and after Gods ends This is that which God calls for that you walke more exactly and more accurately Ephes 5. 15. See then that yee walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because God hath thus and thus taken paines with you and hath thus and thus been as a Leopard in your paths It is a strong speech that in Amos 3. 5. Will a man lay a snare and the word is a deadly snare will a man lay a deadly snare and take it up and catch nothing The Lord will catch a prey when he layes a trap for us and he will not leave till he have girded our loynes and our hearts close to him and made us more exact in our way or otherwise if he let us slip it will be to perdition And therefore let all that heare the word ever be sensible of the least wounds checks especially if they grow to some bulky frame I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and this deadly wound was healed and it was healed to immortall perdition and therefore all that wonder after the Beast they are such as have no part in the Lambs book of Life they have no part in Christ Secondly It may teach us the more earnestly to wrestle with God by faithfull and earnest prayer for any of the Churches of Christ in any parts of the world that if the Lord give them an opportunity to wound the head of any Image of the Beast any of his heads or horns then it will be necessary that all such Churches do take the hint and opportunity that God puts into their hands and that they do not rather close with such heads whom God wounds and be loath to lay hold of those liberties that he procures for them But let this be the constant care of Christians to desire that such heads may not be usurping but if the Lord gives an opportunity the Lord looks that all Christians should improve it to vindicate themselves when the Lord gives any hint thereof When he gives an opportunity then is the time when the iron is hot then strike Intreat God that when he puts a prize into their hands that they then may learn to get wisdome and not in their hearts turn to tolerate arrogant designes and such as are ugly in the sight of God When God wounds the head of Enemies and casts shame upon them and hath rescued his people from them If Churches shal again comply with them then what will the end of that be It is a fearfull thing such kind of Heads goe to perdition and those that dote upon such Heads It is a check especially for this great beast of Rome but it will be dangerous for other States too This will be the finall issue they shall have enough of it they shall be filled with Hirarchicall power and with their Agents in Civill States their feete like a Beare will raven in all that they shall all be weary of the burden and shall be so filled with them as to spew them out of their mouths And therefore how should we help the people of God to traverse that wounded Head that it never rise up more Thirdly this may serve to teach such whose Heads have at any time been wounded As there is none of the servants of God but sometimes he will have them sacrifice their Isaac that which is most deare to them The Lord will rend away our most desirable comforts he will follow us there where we most of all are affected And let this teach the people of God that if the Lord then bow their hearts to unfeigned repentance turning from all evill in their hands and hearts how then If the Lord will restore the wounded head of a beast a beastly head of a beastly shape will he not much more restore the hearts of his servants that seek to him for healing of all their corruptions and scattering all their temptations that they may walke before him according to to his will What saith the holy Ghost Hos 6. 1 2. Hee puts words into their mouths come let us return unto the Lord He hath torne and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will bind us up after two dayes will he revive us and the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Wherein he shewes the meanes whereby the Lord will apply this medicine to his own servants namely by the death and resurrection of Christ to which he doth allude that as Christ dyed and rose the third day so shall all that have part and portion in him
head of that Church It is cause of everlasting thankfulnesse and watchfulnesse not to be deluded by fine shewes of worldly men but let us see and know where true worship lies as the Lord hath declared himself in Christ and held him forth in the Gospel of truth Forthly let it teach us all where to bestow our admiration and adoration It was a charge that our Saviour gave to the Devill and which accordingly he himself practised and requires us to doe Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve The Devill askes this of Christ to bow downe to him and worship him The Lords Indignation is kindled his holy Zeale is inflamed against such a Sacriligious request Get thee hence Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And as we are to worship him alone and no God but him so we are to admire none but him Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. 11. There is matter of admiration who is a God like unto the Lord that forgiveth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne of which you read Mic. 7. 18. and which the Church holds forth there upon this very ground who is a God like unto thee why what is there in him that you so magnifie him he is a God that forgives Iniquity Transgression and Sinne here is cause indeed of admiration They admire and adore the Pope why Because they had satisfaction to their consciences in their way and an ungrounded hope of a better state in another world and pardon of Sinne in this and now they come to fellowship with Christ by the worship of the Devill But who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne So that here is indeed matter of due admiration and let it be fastned there When a mans soul is brought low with the sence of Sinne and overpoured with the burden that lyes upon his conscience by reason of the guilt of Sinne what is matter of admiration now who is a God like unto thee that passeth by Iniquity transgression sin It is not the Pope of Rome that can take away sin it is not all the cunning of the Dragon that can do it And therefore to what end are all the admirations and worships that are put upon the Bishop of Rome and the Dragon that gave him his power They may please themselves in what satisfaction they apprehend they have but their own principles possesse them that they can never come to see the admirable goodnesse of God in forgiving their Sinnes But now when the Lord sheds abroad a spirit of grace and peace in the conscience and applyes the goodnesse of Christ to the discharge of the burden of Sinne and of quickning the heart in the peace of Christ Jesus this breeds admiration Blessed be God the Father of mercy and God of all consolation that of his aboundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope I say this blessing is worthy of admiration and not onely of wonderment but of acknowledging all glory and blessednes to him When the conscience is not pacified by a sorry duty done from man but by a sealed pardon from the spirit of God witnessed by the breath of the holy Ghost this is such a mercy to the soule as indeed raiseth the heart above all admiration of such a Beast I to a true detestation of this Beast and of the Dragon that hath so long bewitched and carried them captive to the imaginations of their own hearts and in the end to their everlasting perdition But let it be the care of Gods people as ever you desire to be blessed from the admiration of such a worm-eaten Religion so grow to an admiration of the God of mercy and grace and so we shall doe that upon just grounds which our Fathers did without grounds to this Beast and to the head of it Upon this ground this head being wounded and afterwards healed all the world wondred after him Here is an Image of Christ he was wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and he riseth againe and he proclaims all power is given him in Heaven and Earth Now see how this Vicar of Christ as they call him usurps as Christ was wounded and is risen againe so it is with this Beast he is wounded to death and afterwards healed and restored and now all the world admire and worship him Have they forgotten that Christ dyed for our Sinnes and was raised again for our Justification and doe they stand admiring at this Beast as he that was wounded and healed Therefore let it be a ground of true thankfulnesse to the Lord for the great change that is wrought in Christendome and let us give the Lord the admiration that is due to him that we may be preserved from those delusions wherewith others have been deceived and may goe on in this way constantly which the Lord hath established and called us unto Revel 13. 5 6. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue forty and two moneths And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven THE events that followed upon the healing of the Beast the first was That all the world admired him The second was Vniversall worship given both to the Beast and to the Dragon that gave power to the Beast of which wee have already spoken The third event remains now to be spoken to and that is the deligation of power to this Beast upon his recovery and the power given him is four-fold 1. There was power given him to speak great things and in particular great blasphemies 2. There was power given him to continue that is as the word signifies to be doing to be active to be powerfull and efficacious in his worke 42. moneths 3. There was power given him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them 4. Power was given him of dominion over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations First There was given him a mouth speaking great things Secondly There was power given him to continue 42. moneths and both these Authorities or Liberties they are amplified by the effect it wrought in the Beast He did effectually take that power which was given him and employed it to the utmost As he had a mouth given him so he opened his mouth in blasphemies and that amplified by the object of his blasphemy against God and God distributed his Name his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven The note then that the words do afford first is this That after the healing of the wounded head of the Beast there was given to him power to speak great things even blasphemies which also he did effectually and abundantly exercise or
this Beast they are described here by their state by their spirituall and eternall state that is to say they are described by a deniall of their elect estate and that is exprest in a deniall of the proper adjunct of that state and that is the writing of their names in the Lambs book of life for that is the proper adjunct of all the elect people of God that their names are written in the book of life of the Lamb these men men therefore being denied this proper adjunct of an elect state they are the refore here described by their damnable condition and state now this therefore is here predicated of them all that their names are not written in the booke of the life of the Lambe who ever they be that worship this Beast and he saith All did worship him save onely they whose names were written in the Lambes booke of life They that did worship the Beast had not their names written in the Lambs book of life So then this book in which their names are said not to be written it is set forth by the end and by the subject of it 1. By the end It is the Book of life Not that it was a living book but because they that are written in that book are written unto life that they may live to eternity to grace and glory 2. It is described by the subject It is the Lambs Book of life either he is the possessor of it God giving it to him that he might take notice of all the names therein and keep them safe to salvation or else he is the subject of it as being the first and principall person who is written in it for he of old hath been observed to be the head and cheif of the elect of God in Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world therefore he chose him first and us in him as he is well pleased first with Christ and in Christ with us Mat. 3. 17. whether you speak of Gods everlasting complacency or of the manifestation of it in effectuall vocation it is in Christ that he is well pleased first with Christ and in his name with us so he is said to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. So therefore it is said to be the book of the Lamb the Lambs booke of life because that the book is given to him and because also that he is the principall person that is first and primarily and fundamentally written in this book I say it is first given to him as if all the persons that God intends life unto he did give them as it were in a scroul or book to the Lord Jesus but of that I shall speak a little more by and by In the mean time I speak now to the Analysis of the Text but if you shall not trasâ—â—â—e it whose names are not written in the Lambs Book of life but as it is here and indeed so it holds in the Originall the Book of life of the Lambe Though it be the like sence then it may hold out a further notion and meditation and that is this 1. That the Lambe is the subject of that life whereof it is said it is the Book of life of the Lamb. 2. He is the Author of it to the elect people of God in John 14. 19. that holds forth both that he is that life to us Christ as God-man is the subject of this spirituall and eternall life and his man-hood so receives it as a common vessell to all his elect members and because he lives we shall live also therefore he is the Author both of giving and preserving this life to his heavenly Kingdome Now by this Lambe I need not tell you is meant Christ the Lambe without spot John 1. 29. We are redeemed by the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe without spot 1 Pet. 1. 19. This Lambe is here described by his suffering which was slain was put to death a violent death and that suffering of his is amplified by the ancient vigour and efficacy of it slain from the beginning of the world Now the note that first offers it selfe from this verse is this That such whose names are written in the lambs book of life they all and they onely are preserved from the worship of the Beast For here it is said That all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him saving they whose names are written in the Lambes Book of life they shall not worship him but all whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lambe they shall worship the Beast So then they whose names are written in the Lambes book of life they doe not worship him for if their names be written there they are expresly exempted but they that doe worship him they are said not to have their names written in the Lambes book of life So that such whose names are written in the Lambes book of life they and all they and they onely are preserved from the worship of the Beast It is a speech to the like purpose that you read in Rev. 17. 8. and upon the like occasion The Beast that thou sawesâ— was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomelesse pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the Earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the Book of life from the foundation of the world c. They admire and adore him where he tells you of an ancient act hee doth not tell here when it was written there he doth that ancient book wherein from the foundation of the world they were written and therefore before the world such as were written in the Lambes book of life were lockt up to be preserved from the adoration of the Beast and all the rest were left to worship the Beast For opening this point here a Question or two may be moved for explication of the termes of the Doctrine which have been a little expounded before First Quest 1. Then it may be demanded what is this Book of life Answ You read in Scripture of sundry books according to which our eternall state stands or falls if I may so call them that are said to be opened at the judgement day whether at the last judgement or some representation of the last judgement it is all one for the Doctrine In Rev. 20. 12. it is sayd When the Thrones were set the Books were opened and another book which is the Booke of life So here is one book according to which his Saints were judged besides the booke of life but that also was opened These bookes are truly observed by others to be first the book of Gods Providence in Psal 139. 16. which is also called in Mal. 3. 16. the booke of Gods Remembrance wherein he takes notice of all persons and actions that is keeps as exact account of them as if they were written before him in a book which
the Churches and Saints of Christ that have been overcome or have suffered any hard-ship from any of these Those that have been troublesome to Gods Churches and people the Lord will one day visite them all and he will one day root them out of the land of the living They shall one day know what pillars and scourges and fire and faggot meanes what torments meane what bloody inquisitions meane They shall be recompenced seven-fold into their bosomes Here is the patience and faith of the Saints The third note is this The Lord doth as much acknowledg and accept the patience and faith of his Saints that have suffered under the Roman Catholique Church as he did the faith and patience of the Primitive Saints that suffered under the Roman Pagan Emperours against Heathenish idolatry The Papists themselves are full of acknowledgment of the Primitive Martyrs and will write many Legends of them as the Pharisees they did build the Sepulchers of the Prophets and yet killed their Successors Fulfill saith Christ the measure of your fathers You garnish the sepulchers of the dead bodies and yet you kill their Successors They will acknowledg them the Primitive Martyrs but what are those that suffered in Switzerland in France in England in Germany They look at those as Lolards and Hereticks But what saith the Lord of them Even of them as well as of those that suffered in former times the Lord doth accept their sufferings and saith of them Here is the patience and faith of the Saints Wherein the Lord doth acknowledge the faith by which they overcome this Beast and patience to be the patience and faith of the Saints The world saith otherwise but the Lord saith of those that suffered under this Beast Here is the patience and faith of the Saints So in Rev. 12. 13. Here is the patience of the Saints Write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth as well as in ancient times Blessed are they that dye in the faith of Christ Jesus in the hottest and highest times of Popery The Reason is evident First because the faith of such Christians and their patience was the faith and patience of Christ That is to say that which both fastned upon Christ and bore witnsse unto Christ and suffered patiently for Christ as did the Primitive Christians in the ten Persecutions And it was such a faith as by which they overcame the world 1 John 5. 4. It was faith in Christ Jesus even that faith by which they chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 24 25. It was that faith by which they despised honour Even the same case of Christ in Moses hand and in their hands and the point is of like nature Roman Idolatry is but another Edition and their Errors are as fundamentall subvertions to that which shouâ—d be the faith of Gods elect And their Government is directly contrary unto the Gospel-government of Christ Jesus as light is to darknesse When their faith in the cause of Christ do carry them along in suffering for him it is then the patience of Christ It was the like faith and patience of Christ to suffer under Annas and Caiaphas as under Herod It is true in the one he suffered as an enemy to Caesar in the other as a blasphemer but the case is all one No matter what the persons 〈…〉 Christian in profession Iâ— the cause be the 〈◊〉 of Christ it is the patience and faith of Christ which is in his 〈…〉 whomsoever they suffer 〈…〉 Reason is from the greater exercise of saith and 〈◊〉 to discern and suffer under Christians against Christians 〈…〉 Pagans 〈◊〉 Heathen persecutors For the use of the point Fiâ—st it cryes downe all the scandalous sentences that Courts have given against the Saints of God they say here are the suffering of Lolards and Hereticks Jesus Christ from heaven saith Here is the faith and patience of the Saints Do not therefore count it obstinacy and contumacy in heresie nor pravity It is the faith and patience of the Saints if Chrâ—st calls it so his word must carry it When they shall all appear before his Judgment-seate whose word shall stand then his or theirs He will say here is the cruelty and outrage of the persecution of Antichrist that puts the Lambs of Christ to death Secondly It may serve to teach us how much the Lord delights to honour his patient and faithfull servants Hee writes upon their Toomb-stones as it were so many Saints or faithfull Martyrs of Christ are those who have thus suffered This doth the Lord Jesus Christ write upon their stakes where they are burned in Smithfield or else-where and upon the chains wherewith they are bound A great encouragement it is unto Christians to be constant in the profession of the Gospel and to contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints We must not therefore be afraid to stand fast in the profession of the Truth and to hold it to the death If we should dye in his Cause in a way of persecution to be slaughtered by the outrage of ungodly men what ever the world say of it the Lord will from heaven beare this witnesse to it That it is the patience and faith of the Saints Thirdly it must teach all who would suffer for the name of Christ to be well assured of their cause and then to adde constancy to their suffering in their cause Otherwise unlesse it be the cause of Christ it is no patience but obstinacy blindenesse and ignorance But see that your cause be the cause of Christ and then cleave unto it by the invincible â—aith of Gods elect to overcome the world and look Lyons and Dragons in the facâ— without fear and astonishment and look at punishment and tortour as not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed It looks at them as things that Christ hath endured greater and other of the Saints of God have gone before uâ— in the like or a greater martyrdome Therefore first look to the cause and then believe in the truth of the cause and the faithfulnesse of Christ that will maintaine his servants stable and firme and cause them to hold out unto the end But do not take up your reformation upon custome nor side with any thing for custom of the country where you are because your Magistrates and Elders do commend it to you for it behooves every christian man to know well what he beleives and practise and to know the doctrine of Christ and the Government and the worship of Christ and that not because men say so but because you see light for it from the word of the Son of God Then your next care is to look that you depend upon Christ for strength that as he suffered for you you may be able to suffer for him ther 's the faith of Gods children And for