an admirable honour they put upon the Church of Rome and upon the Head of it what ever the first Beast did the second Beast also did and so in worshipping the one they worshipped the other and in admiring one they admired both 4. They expresse their admiration in this that they will undertake establishing of Laws from the Sea of Rome and persecution of such godly persons as did not submit such as were different in their minds from the Catholick Church if they never so little swerve from that they undertook to execute the Laws of the Church And if the Church declared him him to be an Heretick there was no more to do the Common-wealth presently put him to death And as they took upon them persecution of their Subjects at home so the Subjects took upon them to depose their Princes and might depose them if they would not submit their power to the Pope so that there was no subsisting without submitting to them And which is a branch of this they undertook a vast and costly War abroad against the common Enemy the Turke whereas in very deed whilst the Pope stands it is not possible any War should prosper against him for it was for the sinne of Rome that the Turk was advanced a barbarous and beastly Enemy to punish a beastly Religion This was their admiration And all the world wondered after the Beast He meanes as he expounds himselfe ver 8. Those whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb. They that were redeemed from the world they were not of the world though they lived in it but those in the world that were of the world they did honour this beast and were subject to him and gave all their devotion to the Catholick Church And when I say all the world I meane all the Christian world which was the visible face of the world the reputed world These barbarous Nations were not then so owned but as for the Eastern world they were all willing to give way to this transcendant Usurpation of the Bishop of Rome in a generall Councell at Asia They looked at the reigning and Imperiall City of Rome as the chiefest Seate of the Catholick Church the highest throne of that Church and were content that no Councell should be ratified but by him If hee ratified a Councell in so many Canons it was established if he did not then they were not and the Emperors were willing it should be so because they found insufficiency in themselves to maintaine the Royal City of Rome against barbarous Nations And therefore they thought it State-policy to maintain the Bishop of Rome and let him grow up to as great power as he could It was as they thought the preservation of their State but it was indeed their ruine so they willingly gave their power to the beast Now the barbarous Nations that had not forsaken the Country and had builded them houses they that were not driven out as many rested in some parts of the Empire they willingly closed with such a Religion as was pretty savoury to their apprehensions they began to comply with it and put their necks under it Charles the Great having received the Kingdome of France from the Pope he did his best endeavour to bring the people to yeeld themselves but the people were somewhat sowr and rugged that way to be wrought upon Therefore the Pope had another sophistry to help himselfe He sends three Apostles Gregory the Great he was one Apostle that he sent for England and he brings great Reformation that is he sways the whole State to the Bishop of Rome and those that would not yeeld were miserably slaughtered And Bonifacius he did the like in Genevah and in France and Denmarke and Germany And where ever the world was Christian it was now Catholick all submitted to the Church of Rome and so by this means all the world admired him they received doctrine and worship from Rome they will goe for pardon of Sin thither They make Pilgrimages to Rome Appeals to Rome From thence they receive their fundamental Constitutions Dispâ—nsations Persecutions deposition of Princes They receive and undertake generall war from thence for the recovery of the holy Land And in one word in such admiration the Beast of Rome was that it was a Proverb among them He ruled all the world and therefore he ruled all the Churches and was esteemed to be God on Earth Thus did all the world wonder after the Beast and admire him and so did they also hiâ— power They did excâ—â—dingly admire his power Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make warre with him It is not cleare adoration but it is an attributing to the Beast that which is peculiar to God Who is like unto the Lord our God Exod. 15. 11. It is a style of the high and mighty God This admiration of this wonderfull power and holinesse it is now added to the Pope Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make warr with him Who is the Lord of hosts but our God as if he were invincible For they had found that when some of the Grecian Emperours that had given their power to the Beast did vary in point of judgment as they did not love to take up the worship of Images then the Beast is offended and excommunicates him and deprives him of his Empire and gives it to Charles the Great takes away the Kingdome of France puts him into a Monastery removes Fredericke first and second And what he did with King John of England you know He deprived him of his Kingdome and hee makes some of them do very hard penance whiles he was solacing himselfe with his Harlot She being more compassionate then he besought his Holinesse to have compassion on him and so he sent him back yet afterwards they made him away And his Son when they came to Crown him it must be with the Popes foot and when he hath done he dasheth it off to shew that he hath power to take it as easily from him as to fell it from his head Though great men and greatly beloved of the people all is nothing if they be alienated from the Pope All mens affections are his when he turns the whole body turns when the head moves the whole body doth accordingly So that it was marvellous admirable power that he had whom he would he set up and whom he would he pulled downe Peter he said gave it to him and he did what he would to those that were on the earth this is great power They professe if their holy Father carry many millions of soules to Hell yet no man must say Sir why do you so All appeals were from him so that there is transcendant soveraign power and indeed divine such as no man can attaine Power to pardon sin power to bind Conscience to dispence with the Law of God to interpret and judg of Scripture as he sees cause and this
what I said It hath been a very rare and singular case when any man would acknowledge a particular visible Church depending on no power but Independant within it selfe It is such a rarity that a man may here and there indeed finde it in times of persecution in 3000. years But after the Church come to peace it is very rare to heare such a matter till you come down to the Waldences and Albedences and those poor Churches that were scattered in the Wildernesse It is very hard to finde the Church of Christs Institution to remain in the world whereas this Roman Catholick Church reigns in the world This is a great power and yet this power the Church of Rome had The Harlot reigns over Kindreds Tongues and Nations whereas the true Spouse of Christ hath scarce a subsistance in the world So that consider if it did not smite with our hearts to close with the Inventions of men with satanicall power rather then with Christ it were not possible there should be such aberations from the Institutions of Christ were it not for the impetuous licentiousnesse of the hearts of the Sonnes of men And therefore when there is such a vast swelling that many Congregations shall be but one Church how shall we go home edefied by such discourse This belonges to all the Churches to take the opportunities that we have that we may not runne headlong upon the devices of men or our owne wits to that which is suitable to sence and naturall reason and walking according to the light of naturall conscience Conscience was never so corrupt as in corrupt nature it is and reason never so blinde as in corrupt nature it is and sence never so luxurious A man is ready to please sence his pallat his nostrils his eye and hand and touch and naturall reason and conscience a manis marvellous free that way so free that the lesse a man discerne it the more he is captivated to it And therefore let every man know that we carry about with us a principle of subjection of our selves to the Ordinances of men rather then to Christ If it be to speak to our owne honour and applause we have words at will and hearts that runne full stream that way If it were to set out our selves or our friends we are open hearted and open mouthed that way but if it shall be to give glory to God in the presence of a particular visible Church of Christs Institution there we are marvellous unwilling to submit to edifie our brethren and glorifie God If it were to an Ordinance of man it is a wonder to see how men will runne and ride to give satisfaction to this and that Episcopal Court higher and lower and clear all scores there that we may not be debarred of Christian buriall or Church Communion though it may be we cannot have it with mixture of corruption and can scarse close with it especially those that are enlightned But when we come to sanctifie God his praise and holding forth our own shame there is an inward principle in us to consider whether it stands with our honour and credit with our peace and safety a world of carnall reason and conscience will worke together in this case and inwardly so reply and muzzle the hearts and consciences of men that it is a wonder to see what shifting and daubing there is which they willingly give up themselves to when they are called about the inventions of the Sons of men Thirdly it may teach us if the whole world have runthus mad and wild to give their Crowns and Scepters Churches Common-wealths and consciences to have power put upon all these of their own choise by the man of Sinne every Kindred Tongue and Nation what a shame will it be if we be not as truely devout in our Religion as it is said of Cornelius Acts 10. 1. He was a devout man a Godly man given up to God So should we give up our selves to the Lord and sacrifice our credit and profit and whatever wee have to the Lord. There have been men that have been content to forfit all their Kingdomes to the man of Sin The Emperours in Germany have given their Crowns The Kings of England King John in his time did as much to the Popes Legat And it hath been frequent with him to set the Crowns upon their heads and dash them down with his feet These 42. moneths it hath been frequent with them to give up their Crowns to him but much adoe to runne any hazard for Christ though a petty jurisdiction And yet none did ever truely runne hazard for the Lord but the Lord took up their Crowns and maintayned their cause and honour and recoverd what honour they lost David by making known his Adultery and by his repentance for it did recover what Power and Authority he might seem to loose in the hearts of his subjects It is true he had lost his Kingdome but was it for his Repentance No but for his natural affection to his rebellious Sonne Absolom and his incestuous Sonne Amnon that should have been cut off He lost his Crown not for his Repentance but for want of executing the Law of God upon his own children as upon others there was his Sinne otherwise had he executed judgement upon his rebellious Sonne Absolom as the Lord required thou shalt pluck him from mine Altar that Rebell he had not lost his Kingdome But if so be his naturall affection over-rule him that he doe not execute judgement then no marvaile though they cast him out of his Kingdome and cut his throat at length if God doe not come between as he did to David But belive it no man did ever loose by sanctifying God in his heart by giving honour to him and taking shame to himselfe The Lord hath maintained peace in the conscience hath given it when it hath bin wanting and the Lord hath been pleased to sanctifie their names as they have sanctified his before men whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull Generation of him also shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. And it will shortly be the ruine of those things they would preserve the ruine of a mans name and state the ruine of his body and soul together if a man shall dare in the presence of God to give the Glory doe to his Name to a Beast The Lord will be a swift witnesse against all the workers of iniquity Trust God with your honour and estate did he ever â—aile any man to this day Theodosius did submit himselfe and gave glory to God and acknowledged his offence to Ambrose the Pastor of his Church and to the people of God because he had sinned against the Lord to the offence of the Church of God did it weaken his esteem did not all the Churches hear of his repentance
is the note The Bishop of Rome exerciseth all the Authority of the first Beast that is of the Roman visible Catholick Church he causeth all that dwell on the Earth to worship that Church he doth worke wonders even to the fetching of fire from Heaven and by his wonders procures all christian States to make an Image to the first Beast and gives such life and power to the Image of the Beast that it is able to speak and it shall cause such as do not worship it to be put to death and finally he leaves an impression or imprints a character upon all sorts of christians and will suffer none to enjoy spirituall or civill communion with them unlesse such as will receive either his marke or his name or the number of his name I put them into a doctrinall frame because they are the sum of the words of the Text. Let me breifly open them all First He doth exercise all the Authority of the first Beast Let all that are acquainted either with the writings of the Romanists or of our Divines that bear witnesse against Rome be testimonies in this case what is there that the Catholick Church claimes but the Pope can do it all There are six or seven trascendant â—cts of power which that Church claymes and the Pope familiarly exerciseth them all 1. The Pope hath power to convent generall Councels or if the Emperours will call a general Councel it shall not stand in â—oâ—ce unlesse the Catholick Church and the Bishops meet in a representative Synod it concludes with their determination this he pleads for to this day it belongs not to the Emperors nor to Christian Princes but to the Bishop of Rome It is one of Bellarmines affirmations that one Church shall have power to call all Churches be it to Florence or Basseil thether they must go whether he will 2. As the Catholick Roman Church did usurpe power to make Laws and Canons to binde all Churches So the Pope doth challenge the same power to make Laws to binde all Churches he pleads for it and will not be content without it 3. Look as the Catholick visible Roman Church doth claime Authority of ratifying Scriptures if they put in the Apocrypha it shall be good Scripture and if the Church do not approve the Gospel of Matthew in Greek but in Hebrew it shall be that or if they refuse both them and take the vulgar Latine that shall stand This power the Catholick Church challengeth power to do and the same doth the Pope 4. If the Roman Catholick visible Church challenge a power of interpreting Scripture and judging of controversies with infalibility of judgement The Pope challengeth that to himselfe when he interprets Scripture or decides controversies about Religion he cannot erre and so they make account he is a fit Judge therein 5. Look as you see the Roman Catholick visible Church had power of binding and loosing challengeth all applealâ— and great things they will do by that priveledge excommunicate some of many Churches that are absent some they excommunicate for seven years some to their death that the shall not be reconciled All this the Pope challengeth in a larger measure then the old Roman visible Church did challenge This the Roman Bishop challengeth to binde conscience to loose oathes and covenants between Prince and people between man and wife to loose vows and oaths and natural relations between parents and children if they will shrowd themselves in a Monastery and will dispence against the Apostle Paul in case of incest this is such a power to loose the bonds of Gods commandments and Gods oaths and relations to God and his servants it is such Transcendant power the Roman visible Catholick Church never challenged greater 6. The Roman visible Catholick Church never challenged so great power till it was animated and acknowledged by the Pope to take upon them to set up one King and to take down another King John in England Frederick the first and Frederick the second Henery the fourth and Henery the fifth he crowns and discrowns whom he will and this out of the plentitude of his power And lastly he doth challenge this beyond the Church it selfe Immunity and Impunity from all Civill and Ecclesiastical power and judicature The Church is above all jâ—dicial power and the Pope the head of it is above it and therefore may not be brought into order by any censure of any Church nor by the civil sword And therefore he 〈◊〉 well called one that exerciseth all the power of the first Beast and rather puts more power to it whatever the Catholick Church may do that he can do where they can dispence and make Laws where they can bind or loose c. So farre as they may go he can go and he doth all in the name and sight of the Church And he causeth all that dwell on the Earth That is carnal christians whose conversation is not in Heaven To worship the first Beast How to worship He speaks of divine worship not civil adoration This is an aberation from a Church but a beastly Church it is a monster The Church of the first institution was of one particular congregation and for all the Churches of the world to be subject to one Cathedral it is far beyond all comprehension of rule Now he causeth all that dwell on the Earth to worship that Beast Wherein are they to worship him 1. It is made a matter of necessity to salvation to be reconciled to that Church and more care is had of being reconciled to that Church then of being reconciled to God in Christ All pleas of being reconciled to Christ will not stand in their judgment unlesse you be reconciled to them 2. Except you be bound in conscience to that state he will allow you no communion he will have all the decrees of the Church as binding the conscience 3. This is divine worship you shall take no doctrine but that is of his stamp nor worship nor Government but of his acknowledgment nor no dispensation of them but according to his Canons And all that dwell on the Earth must worship him all run upon the Beast the Pope doth not so much challenge it to himselfe as to the Church and that which is given to the Church he takes to himselfe Thirdly He doth great wonders so that he makes fire come from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men And it is said Antichrist shall come in all power of signes and lying wonders 2 Thes 2. 8 9. Their Legions are full of these wonders And in particular for this point of causing fire to come down from Heaven It is an allusion sure to the fire that the old Prophet fetched from Heaven As Eliah fetched fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice 1 Kings 18. 38 39. And that was a fire that expressed Gods gracious acceptance that made all the people cry the Lord he is God But this the Pope did not fetch
AN EXPOSITION UPON The Thirteenth CHAPTER OF THE REVELATION By that Reverend and Eminent servant of the Lord Mr. JOHN COTTON Teacher to the Church at Boston in NEW-ENGLAND Taken from his mouth in Short-writing and some part of it Corrected by himself soon after the Preaching thereof and all of it since Viewed over by a friend to Him and to the Truth wherein some Mistakes were amended but nothing of the Sense altered LONDON Printed for Tim. Smart at the Hand and Bible in the Old-Bayly 1656. TO THE READER Christian Reader THE tongue of the just or righteous saith Solomon Prov. 10. 20. is as choise silver The words that fall from the tongue of such are very precious and profitable And truly such are the words that dropt from the tongue and lips of this holy and righteous man Mr. Cotton As he himselfe had by his owne blessed experience found the tongue of that righteous man D r Sibbs as choise silver yea better then the choisest gold of Ophir by which the Lord was pleased to convey heavenly and eternall treasure into his soule Even so also have many precious soules some now above in glory others still here below found the words that have distilled from his tongue to be above much fine gold and of more weight and value then the greatest treasure of this whole world Divers that are yet alive and do remain unto this present may can hear witnesse to the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth But I shall crave leave to name only one now amongst the Saints at rest who was indeed one of a thousand in his time and place viz. that great and eminent man Dr. Preston whose heart the Lord wrought powerfully upon by the tongue of Mr. Cotton and that not long after his heart had been seized upon by the tongue of that sweet Singer before mentioned And because the story is so remarkable I shall be willing to relate in briefe the substance of what I had sometimes in private from the tongue of this our Reverend Author himselfe He being according to his course to Preach before the University Schollars in Cambridg had a great conflict in himselfe about the composing of his Sermon viz. whether after the plain profitable way by raysing of Doctrines with propounding the Reasons and Uses of the same Or after the mode of the University at that time which was to stuffe and fill their Sermâ—ns with as much Quotation and citing of Authors as mighâ— pâ—ssibly be On the one side 't was suggested to him that if he should not go the former way he should not be faithfull to the Lord in seeking his glory but his owne c. And on the other side if he should not shew his Learning it would not onely be a disparagement unto himselfe but also unto the Colledg which had so lately chosen him out of another to be Fellow for he was chosen Fellow in Emanuel Colledg out of Trinity where according to his yeare it fell out so as he could not be capable of a Fellowship What is this that Cotton that was so famous and had such a name for a great Schollar what a poore choise hath Emanuel Colledg made Thus he was tossed too and againe pro and con in his thoughts as I thinke he sayd about a fortnight the Lord seeming to try his sincerity at the first but at length he came to a resolution to deny himselfe what ever the world might judge or say of him His Text if I mistake not being in 2 Cor. 2. 16. And who is sufficient for these things Two or three Doctrines as it seems he raised from the words The Schollars came generally with great expectation to heare a more then ordinary learned Sermon from him that was so famous throughout the University and thereupon the Masters of Art at the beginning stood up erectis auribus amongst whom Mr. Preston was one but soone perceiving which way he went which was so extreamely contrary to their expectation they sate them downe in great discontent pulling their hats over their eyes thereby to expresse their dislike of the Sermon but before 't was ended something dropt from the tongue of the Preacher which the Lord made unto Mr. Preston to be as choise silver indeed whereby hee was so affected that he was made to stand up againe and change his posture and attend to what was spoken in another manner then he and the rest had done These things Mr. Preston afterward getting to be acquainted with Mr. Cotton by coming to him under pretence of borrowing a Booke of him which he might have easily had elsewhere returning it againe related particularly unto him Thus our Reverend Author by denying himselfe for the Lord had that cast in upon him viz. the gaining of such an eminent person to Christ which was a thousand times better then the airy applause of the world in being accounted a learned man Yet neither did he loose that way but had the repute of that too and not without cause to his dying day notwithstanding his continuall care to avoyd all appearance of affectation in the course of his Ministry either in regard of shewing Learning or in the manner of expressing what he did deliver whereby the power and effect of his Preaching did appear to be wholly of God being desirous to speak to the understanding and capacity even of the meanest and by manifestation of the Truth to commend himselfe to every mans conscience in the sight of God A taste whereof we have in these Sermons of his here published It were too great arrogance for mee to thinke to adde any authority to these or any other of his precious labours by my commendation of them I might as well go about to adde to the light of the Sunne by my Candle The very name of Cotton is enough to set an high price upon what ever hath that stamp Oâ—ely being earnestly desired by the Christian brother the publisher of this Exposiâ—ion who having the pen of a ready Writer did take those Notes from the mouth of the Preacher to give my testimony to the world that these were indeed the very Sermons of that holy Servant of the Lord whose name they bear I shall willingly affirm and testifie having lived in that American wildernesse about 13. or 14. yeares in the Towne next adjoyning to Boston and so had thereby the happy priviledg of enjoying the benefit of the precious labours of Mr. Cottons in his Lecture upon every fifth day in the week I say I do here declare and testifie unto the world that these Sermons upon the 13 th Chapter of the Revelation for the substance of them giving allowance for such defects of the Amanvensis which cannot but be expected ordinarily and yet I confesse are but very few in this Treatise were published by that faithfull servant of the Lord Mr. John Cotton about the 11. and 12. moneths if I mistake not of the year
1639. and the first and second of the yeare 1640. upon his weekly Lecture at Boston in new-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
Priest also over the Kings of the world in Temporalls Hee had two hornes like a Lamb as the successor of Peter and as if he had nothing but from Christ but he spake like a Dragon When he had once power by his Lamb-like horns he then spake like a Dragon Therefore to speak that which I conceive to be the truth I do look at this first beast as indeed of like condition with the Pope and very nearly joyned to him The Pope is one of the heads and rulers of this Beast but yet distinguished from the beast it selfe and is not the same with the beast This therefore all things weighed according to the Text I conceive to be the first beast the Roman Catholick visible Church The seven heads and ten horns are a clear description of the Roman State Now this State here is neither the Pagan Roman Empire nor the Christian Roman Empire as hath been shewed And therefore it must needs be a third Roman State distinct from the former and succeeding in their place and what is that but the Roman Catholicke visible Church Of this Church the Pope is the head both as universall Bishop over all Churches and chiefly Lord in Temporalls that had both Swords and obtained both Authorities to be highest supream head in Spirituals as also supream head in Temporalls he was Soveraign Governour in all And the Roman-catholick visible Church it comes just in the room of the Roman Empire how was it described The beast that had seven heads and ten horns this comes in his room the one governs all the world in his way and the other all the Churches another way This is the Beast that the Dragon stirs up to make War with the Saints Now to appply this description to this Church for the better understanding of the Text. Qâ— I saw a beast rise out of the Sea You may aske what is the Sea from whence this beast ariseth Answ The Sea is the collection of many waters The gathering together of the waters called the Seas Gen. 1. 9 10. And what are the waters The waters which thou sawâ—st are People and Nations and Languages and Tongues Rev. 17. 15. So then what is the beast here that ariseth out of the Sea It is some soveraign State that ariseth out of the connexion of many Nations into one body as you know the Roman Catholick Church is not confined within the lifts of the City of Rome though there the head is seated but the whole Roman Sea it is well called a Sea in that respect it is that which comprehends all Nations whether subject to the Eastern or Western Emperour yea and other Nations that did not submit themselves to the one or other as if they did recollect themselves as into one Sea all banks are broken down in the Sea yet there is no distinction but all is one Sea one vast body And such is the Roman Catholick visible Church all partitions are here broken downe all Churches make but one visible Catholick Church And again it is well said to arise out of the Sea according to the like description which Daniel makes of the foure Monarchs in Dan. 7. Hee saw the foure windes of heaven strive upon the great Sea and foure Beasts came up from the sea divers one from another From the multiplyed agitations of the Sea it came to passe four great Monarchs did arise Just thus from the tumult of particular Churches did this Beast arise for when they could not agree in the Churches but some were of one minde some of another it was the wisdom as they thought of Christian Princes and Bishops but it was but humane wisdome and was indeed from the Dragon and not from Christ they thought it would be best to have but one church and the Bishop of Rome to be the head though at first they divided them to four but in the end they would have the Bishop of Rome over all that so they might have unity for they say unity springs from one head and unlesse you have one head you cannot have unity Therefore from the particular Church of a Congregation they came to Diocesan from Diocesan to Metropolitan from Metropolitan to Patriarchal from Patriarchal to Cecumenical And so it comes to pass all Churches must be gathered into one Sea that is one Catholick Church For look what reason they had to set Bishops over particular Churches So having many Bishops by the same reason they must have some Metropolitan and of many Metrapolitans foure or five Patriarchs and of them one Chief that is the Pope the Father of Fathers he must be the grand Governour of all Therefore doth he rise out of the Sea out of the Sea of Tumult and Sea of Contention And if you take Sea for corruption in Doctrine and worship and Government as some good Interpreters do it was from thence also that this beast did arise This beast did arise out of them all for had either pure Doctrine or worship or Discipline been well looked unto it had not been possible that such a beast as the Catholick visible Roman Church should have bin raised up It is further described to have seven heads and ten horns The holy Ghost describes them so fully that we need no further interpretation of them He tells us in the 17. Chapter of this book the ninth and tenth verses The seven heads are seven Mountaines on which the Woman sitteth which are the mountaines of the City of Rome it is built upon seven hills and the seven heads are also seven Kings that is seven Kingly governments soveraign governments The first were Kings then Consuls then Decemvins then Dictators then Tribunes and then the Caesars Five were fallen that is were past in John's time the sixth were then extant and they were the Caesars the Pope he makes the seventh Now the Pope then is the seventh of these Heads but the seventh head and the beast are two distinct things though he be one that rules the beast and hath a great influence in the guiding of it Hee was to receive a deadly wound and after became an eighth head whereas he was but one of the seven So that he is one of the Heads but there is difference between the head and the beast and the beast it selfe And it is said He exerciseth all the power of the first Beast that in conclusion what the Pope decrees that stands So that it is not a generall Councell that determines any thing authentically without him but he doth all that the first beast doth Hee would have the Catholick Church honoured but it is that himselfe may be honoured as the Lord of the Church So therefore for the heads these are the seven Heads And for the Hornes he tells you they are so many Kings which were not then risen to Soveraigne Power but John saw it in a Mystery afore hand But when this Beast ariseth this Pontifex maximus then they receive a Kingdome at the same
time Chap. 17. 12. And the severall Kingdomes that then were broken off from the Roman Empire whereof England was one they were so many severall Kings that all gave their dominion to the Beast with one consent and so were his protectors ver 17. They were his Beauty and his Strength as the Hornes are to the Beast So it is true here is a great Beast indeed of a vast comprehension here is an universall visible Church and he hath seven Heads that is Seven Hilles there he sits and seven Governments There are seven Heads both of the one and other both Hills and Governments whereof five were fallen and the sixth was when John wrote The seventh was to rise in their roomes and that is He that hath two Hornes like a Lambe and spake like a Dragon and doth exercise all the Power of the first Beast what power is in the Church the Pope hath the ordering thereof And it is said here that these Hornes had ten Crowns but so had not the Hornes of Pagan Rome The heads of Pagan Rome had soveraign Authority and lived like Princes but so had not the Pope they did not wear the Crowns though they affect temporall dominion but leave the Crowns to the hornes leave them to Crowned Kings that give their power to him Now upon these Heads are names of Blasphemy The old High-Priest of the Jewish Synagogue he had a plate of pure Gold and there was graven upon it holiness to the Lord Exod. 28. 36 37. This Beast hath not holinesse to the Lord but names of Blasphemy the Pontifex maximus His head is full of names of Blasphemy But the Pope exceeds all in this case for who ever took upon him as he to pardon Sinne A name of Blasphemy To be Judge of Scriptures a name of blasphemy Hee hath many other names of Blasphemy he will dispence with Oaths of allegeance and all civil subjection he will dispence with marriages most incestuous and doth exalt himself above all that is called God especially the Gods of the Earth His heads are full of names of Blasphemy as we shall come to speak God willing in the 5 and 6 verses Now it is said of this Beast he is like a shee Leopard It is in the 17 Chap. compared to a woman to shew that the Roman catholick visible Church is as fitly resembled by a woman as a she Panther such is this Beast Can a Leopard change his spots Jer. 13. 23. Is it not a State full of spots and the spots are not the spots of Gods people but spots of herisie and spots of Idolatry spots of Tyranny and great variety of all spots of Blasphemy To tell the spots of that Sea were ineeed to enter into a Sea of wickednesse which that Church abounds withall Can a Leopard change his spots This church they make account cannot erre so how should they change for they that cannot erre to what purpose should they change yet of a very sweet fragrant smel as they they perfume their Temples with incense and love to please ambitious minds and to fill covetous hearts they are sweet also and faire to voluptous spirits with their Brothel houses c. But for the Leopard Bear and Lyon I suppose there is speciall reference to them all In Dan. 7. 4 5 6. where he resembles the Monarch of Babell to a Lyon and the Monarch of Persia to a Bear and the Monarch of Greece to a Leopard There the Leopard is the last of the three here it is the first to shew a direct contrary course that this Beast takes in his rise to the old Monarchies Of the great Monarchies the first was a Lyon full of magnanimity the next was a Beare full of cruelty a Bear that devoures mucb flesh and the Leopard the spotted Beast comes after cruell as the former Now here the Leopard is first the whole shape is sweet and savoury other beasts would follow him by the smell and so this church seemes in the wole bulk sweet and savory to inveagle all unstable Soules But where he gets hold he layes his paw like a Beare presseth hard and holds fast and will not let goe Just like the Persian State they hold fast Never did any of the States last so long as the Papall State The Assyrian lasted long but yet did not continue above a thousand years but this is to continue 1260. dayes that is so many yeares in a great deal of Power and Authority And therefore as by subtilty he drawes others to him so them hee holds fast that it is marvellous hard to root out where he hath got hold you may cut off his head as it is in England but it is a wonder to see what paines there is to have the Government of Christ brought in and of the Beast cast out they will make so many Statutes in Parliament that you can have no wills confirmed nor Marriages made but by them nor no Parliments Acts passe but through their hands you have so many matters in the State depending on them that one would think it impossible ever to root them out you may take off the Beast his head you may thrust the Leopard out at windows but he will take hold with his feet that you shall have much ado to root him out The great profits and great preferments they sink deep in the hearts of carnall men And he hath a mouth like a Lyon How did the Lyon of Babell speak presumptuously what God is able to deliver you out of the firey furnace c. and he commands all that will not worship his Image should be cast into the fyery furnace Just such is the mouth of this Beast who so will not worship the Image of this Beast shall be killed in the 15 v. of this chapter So you see this is the Roman Catholick visible church And the Dragon gave this church power All that the Roman Emperor could doe before that doth the Catholick church that w ch the old Roman Emperor did by force of arms that doth the Roman Church by the power of Religion and conscience The Dragon gave him his power and Seat and great Authority And Satan will worke by the power of conscience making them believe that all must be subject to them He gave them his Seat what was the Seat of the old Roman Emperor It was Rome Satan gave that to the Beast There is his Seat and great Authority insomuch that all the world were deeply taken with the reverence they owe as to the Imperial mother City So to this soveraign mother Church their holy Father the Pope that was the head of that Church This is the plain description of this first Beast I canot proceed now to open the wounding of one of the heads of this Beast nor of the healing of that wound nor of his warre against the Saints I am the longer in this because the more clearly these things are opened the more fully will