AN EXPOSITION OF THE 13. CHAPTER OF THE REVELATION OF IESVS CHRIST By Iohn Wilkinson Revelation 14. 9. ANd the 3. Angel followed them saying with a lowd voice If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his marke in his forehead or in his hand V. 10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shal be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb V. 11. And the smoake of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever Imprinted in the yere 1619. IT was the purpose and desire of the Authour of this Treatise to haue published his Iudgment of the whole booke of the Revelation But through the malice of the Prelates who divers times spoyled him of his goods and kept him many yeres in prison he was prevented of his purpose After his death some of his labours comming to the hands of his friends in scattred and unperfect papers they laboured with the help of others that heard him declare his judgement herein to set forth this little treatise wherin they have not varied from the Authours Iudgement but onely in one opint in the 3. verse which is concerning the wounded head wherein for the clearing of the matter they have added the lines thus marked Which a litle differeth from the Authours understanding of it the which should not haue been altered if the worke had been left perfect AN INTERPRETATION OF THE 13. CHAPTER OF THE REVELATION OF IESVS CHRIST THE Eternall whose power is over all from the beginning hath put enmitie between the Serpent the Gen. 3. 15. Woman and between the seede of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent whereupon it hath come to passe in all ages that the seed of the woman hath laboured to break the serpents head that is to destroy his workes tread him under foot and triumph in victory over him He on the contrarie hath laboured as earnestly to resist God to deceive the Nations and to bring all into condemnation and destruction with himself And amongst the manifold wayes meanes which Satan hath devised and practised to manifest his malice against God and his Saincts none hath been more dangerous nor more availeable to further iniquitie and cause destruction then the Antichristian generation which under the title of the Church and Spowse of Christ and Ministers of the Gospell have corrupted the earth and brought the Nations into miserable bondage and slaverie In this 13. chapter is declared the state policy and proceeding of the Antichristian Dominion and Kingdome as the same was signified and foreshewed to Iohn the servant of Iesus Christ in a threefold forme First by a beast rising up out of the sea having 7. heads 10. hornes verses 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Secondly by a beast coming up out of the earth having two hornes like the lambe but spake like the dragon verses 11. 12. 13. 14. Thirdly by an image of the first beast which the second beast caused them that dwelt on the earth to make as in vers 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. As the Dominion of the Medes Persians and Grecians which persecuted Dan. 8. and destroyed the holy people of God the Iewes were signified and foreshewed to Daniel in a vision vnder the formes of severall beasts according to the qualities of those dominions so here the Antichristian dominion which persecuted the Churches and people of Christ was foreshewed to Iohn under the formes of such beasts as are here described whereby we may learne that as reason and judgment is not to be expected in a beast so equitie and right is not to be expected in this dominion but the contrarie Concerning the first of these beasts Iohn sayth That as I stood upon the sea sand I saw a Beast rise up out of the sea having 7. heads and 10. hornes and upon his hornes 10. Crownes and upon his heads the names of Blasphemy And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his feet as the feet of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon and the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authoritie That by this first Beast was signified and represented some state of people and body politique I presume no reasonable man exercised in the Scriptures will deny because as it hath been sayd it is there to be seene that such States and Dominions as God hath used as rodds and scourges to chastise correct his Church and people withall have been represented by beasts States and Dominions they are of two sorts eyther Ecclesiastical or Civil but of which sort the State here ment is there hath been and is great opposition Many understand it to be the Romane Empire to which I cannot consent because the Romane Empire is ordeyned of God and is therefore a lawfull Dominion But the Dominion here represented is sayd to be from the Dragon that old Serpent the Divell who is sayd to give his power and his throne and great authoritie unto it and therefore unlawfull neither can I conceive it to be any other civil dominion for the same reason But to be short I understand it to be an Ecclesiasticall Sate or Dominion and in particular that dominion which is called The Catholike Church representative consisting of the Prelacy and Preisthood of many Nations as Patriarches Cardinalls Archbishops Bishops with divers other elected persons who being called and gathered into counsells or synodes usually called generall Counsells did usurpe and take on them the office of Christ Iesus in making Lawes and Canons erecting Courts instituting offices and officers in matters of Religion as for the goverment of the Church and for the worship of God to be of all men observed obeyed These generall counsells or as the Catholicks call it the catholike Church representative have challenged and exercised spirituall authoritie and dominion according to the text over all kinreds toungs and Nations By their lawes canons they have guided and governed them as one vniversall or Catholick Church and made them also to observe their decrees and commaundements for doctrine This they have doen both before and also since the Pope was exalted to his dignitie as all histories of the Church doe testify So that it hath been and is a great question among the Catholicks whether the authoritie of the Pope or the Catholick Church in cases of Religion be the greater And whereas it is sayd in the 12. vers that the second Beast exercised all the power of the first Beast before him therby is confirmed the trueth of this exposition For the second Beast being the Pope as hereafter is shewed hath exercised the whole power of the Catholick church or generall counsells and not of any other State or Dominion Further that this is the first beast here presented that which followeth
the chiefest of the Prelates and Clergie of diverse dominions should be gathered togither to make lawes and canons which all men should be constreyned by penall lawes to observe and yeild obedience unto that so peace and vnitie might be preserved and kept amongst them And in short time it came to passe that whatsoever these Synods or Counsells did agree upon and set downe how false soever was to be held canonicall and those that contradicted the same were therfore cast out and condemned as Heretickes This was the manner the occasion of the rising of this Beast out of this turbulent Sea And here by the way observe That * Every good giving and perfect gift is from above Iames 1. 17. from the father of lightes But this beast is from the Sea beneath not from above and therfore not belonging to the kingdome of Christ but an adversary and enemie thereof Of this Beast it is sayd that he had 7. heads a thing which is monstrous in nature And therfore by this was foreshewed that the dominion represented by this Beast should be a monstrous dominion Concerning these heads let this be considered That the whole state or societie of the Antichristian Sea is of two sorts of people the one sort they call the Clergie the other sort the Layetie Of these the Clergie are as heads and guides to direct and goe before And the Layetie as the body or rather the tayle to follow after Agayne by the same policie their clergy are sorted into 7. orders or degrees namely to speak in their language 1. Ianitores seu ostiarij 2. Lectores 3. Exorcistae 4. Acolithi 5. Subdraconi 6. Diaconi 7. sacerdotes These are the 7. orders of the Antichristian Clergy As for Popes Cardinalls Patriarchs Arch Bishops Bishops Arch deacons c. they are titles of dignitie and not of orders For the Pope is but a Preist concerning his orders and when he stands at the Altar and sayth Masse he doth that as a Preist and not as a Pope and so of all other degrees This considered it way well be saide of the Antichristian Sinagogue and State that it is as a Monster with 7. heads As for the Ministers which God hath ordeyned to be in his Church they are first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. 1 Cor. 12. 28. c. See also Rom. 12. 6. 7. 8. Ephes 4. 11. 12. 13. And these onely were given for the gathering together of the Saincts for the work of the Ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ Not some to have a bunch of keys with a charge of the doores of this or that Temple or Cathedrall Church Another to have a booke to read to the people things which neither he nor they did understand A third to have a booke of Coniurations or Charmes with charge to read them or say by heart to such as were distracted of their witts or possessed with divills and to put their hands vpon them A fourth to have a Taper or wax candle with a candlestick to carry before the preists and deacons in doeing their service A fift to receive of the people oblations and offrings and to deliver them to the Deacon to carry to the Altar To reade the Epistle and to stand by the Preist while he was saying the Masse A sixth to be the Bishops spye and intelligencer to informe him of such as be irregular and observe not their orders To read the Gospell attend the preist at the Altar c. A seventh to consecrate the Hoast as they call it and then to offer it as a sacrifice propitiatory for the quick and dead These are not they which God hath given to be in the Church But these are they wherof the Antichristian clergy consisteth for whosoever is one of that clergy is one of these 7. orders be he Pope Prelate or els whatsoever and to note and foreshewe this point of policie this Beast which Iohn saw had seven heads If any shall think this to be a vaine frivolous and straunge interpretation to understand by the 7. heads of the beast these 7. orders of the Clergie as thinking those heades to betoken things of greater note and importance Let such consider what account and reckoning is made of such persons as have received the Sacrament of Orders and holy tonsure in the kingdome of the Beast and they shall find the interpretation not impertinent but very agreable For a time there was since the writing of this prophecy * when the meanest shrimpe that was within these holy orders as they call them was held to be of that dignitie that Vide Concil Matisconen secundum Canon 9. 10. the chiefest and worthiest secular Iudge in a kingdome was held vnworthie to judge or censure them for any trespasse or fact how notorious wicked and manifest soever because they had received holy Tonsure were therby consecrated and set a part unto God to be his portion and heritage to pray for the people and therfore were exempted from all secular jurisdiction and power such was their dignitie accounted to be and still is where that kingdome prevayleth and hath the dominion yea even in this land that quarrell hath cost the King his Crowne as is to be seen in the Historyes of the Reigne of King Iohn and not his Crowne onely but his life also Now if the meanest of them be above the dominion of any King or secular Iudge and secular Iudges be the heads of the people whome God hath appointed to beare rule over them well may these be said to be as heads in the kingdome of the Beast wherin these shavelings are holden to be so holy and high in dignitie and degree As this Beast which Iohn saw had 7. heads so likewise it had 10. hornes whereby was foreshewed that as the kings of the Medes and Persians were shewed and represented to Daniel by the 2. hornes of the Beast which he saw in his vision so the kings of many kingdomes should be as guarders and defenders of the Antichristian kingdome and state And that this scripture hath beene fulfilled to the vttermost by the kings of the Nations is so manifest that none can be ignorant of it that are of judgment and experience And it was just with the Lord to make the Kings of the earth vassels to this Beast because they received not the love of the truth but tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse they would not forsake their sinnes to liue godlily righteously and soberly as all must doe that will attaine salvation but they would liue after their lusts and for their sinnes they would make satisfaction by building of Churches and Monasteries c. and endowing them with lands rents and other revenewes by meanes whereof those which traded like Marchants in those many waters the kingdome of the Beast grew rich and wealthy and became the great men of the earth Furthermore Iohn saith of the Beast which hee saw that it was
like a Leopard c. By the resemblance and likenesse of a Leopard was signified that this Beast should be foule and full of spots as is shewed in the 18. Chapter Babylon is become the habitation of Diuels and the hold of fowle spirits and the cage of every vncleane and hatefull Bird. The filthinesse of this Beast is apparant in that he doth by force and Armes compell all sorts of wicked and ungodly people to be of his societie and refuseth none but the godly therefore fitly was he thus prefigured Secondly by the qualitie and disposition of the Leopard was signified that this generation should bee subtill and craftie in getting their prey They boast themselues to bee the Church and Spouse of Christ but if it be so whence then had they that infinite store and aboundance of worldly wealth and riches wherewith they exceed in deliciousnesse of liuing This was not the condition of Christ and his Disciples the Lord himselfe had not whereon to lay his head but in that respect was more destitute then Foxes which haue holes and then Birds which haue nests his Disciples wanted gold and silver and had no certaine dwelling place whence therefore had this generation their lands liuings and Lordships Their Castles Mannors Houses and Princely Palaces It will bee said of the donation and gift of Emperours Kings and other great States and of the charitable deuotion of all sorts of people But how were people brought to bee so full handed to this generation To bring this about much slight craft and nimblenesse of wit was vsed first people were made to beleeue that what they gaue to the Church was to the maintenance of the Ministerie of the Gospell and for the comfort and reliefe of the poore and therefore should be a sacrifice so well pleasing to God and meritorious as that it should receiue great reward at his hands herewith the mindes of religious and devout people were so much moued that they thought nothing too much to giue to the Church by meanes whereof Churches began to grow rich Secondly people were made to beleeue that the worshipping of Images and relickes of Saints and building of Churches Chappels Oratories c. and endowing them with Lands Tenements Parsonage and Vicarage houses c. was an effectuall way to haue favour with the Saints and to procure their prayers and intercession for them By these and such like meanes this wylie and crafty generation deluded the people and made themselues rich and robbed Christ of his honour who onely is our Advocate to God And furthermore they gathered in heapes of wealth by Masses Pilgrimages Pursse-pennance Offerings and such like Marchandises wherein their subtilty and craft was prefigured by a Leopard a beast subtill by nature whose propertie is to lie in waite for her prey and slylie to catch it as the Cat doth the Mouse and in that respect doth well resemble the Antichristian Clergie that subtill generation But further it is added that the feete of this Beast were as the feete of a Beare The Leopard is more nimble to catch then the Beare but the Beare is more strong and eager to hold fast that which hee hath seased vpon then is the Leopard both these properties this generation hath nimble to catch and greedy to hold they catch by slight but hold by force and therefore in catching resemble the Leopard but in fast holding the feete of a Beare To this it is added that the mouth of this Beast was as the mouth of a Lyon And by this another property of the Antichristian Clergie was foreshewed for as the Lyon when hee hath taken his prey roareth upon it at whose roaring the beasts tremble So this Generation being thus exalted and made rich and hauing gotten their prey they terrifie the small Beasts of their Forrest roaring with curses and excommunications against any be he Prince or Pesant that shall presume to part stakes with them or meddle with their prey or diminish their portion but an Egge or an Onion That these be the properties of this Generation needs no proofe it is manifest by daily experience Here therefore wee may learne what to esteeme and iudge of the Antichristian Clergie together with those Multitudes People Nations and Tongues out of which they haue sprung and over which they are set and supported namely that they are a monstrous and beastly generation excelling in craft covetousnesse pride crueltie and all iniquity and therefore not to be esteemed as they boast themselues to be a holy Catholick Church and Spouse of Christ which cannot erre c. And by this wee may see how lamentably the Nations haue beene deluded and led into errour and vngodlinesse by their Guides and Leaders Now it followeth that unto this Monster the Dragon gaue his power and his Throne and great authoritie Here is declared of whom the Prelates and Clergie haue received their spirituall Lordships power authoritie and iurisdiction to devise and make spirituall Lawes and Canons to erect spirituall Courts and create Officers to beare rule and exercise dominion over the Nations euen from the diuell they haue not any lawfull authoritie from God but an vsurped authority from the diuell whose instruments they are to advance his kingdome and to persecute the Saints which obey God rather then men And here wee may obserue that they are rightly called spirituall Lords because originally they proceed from that Prince that ruleth in the aire the spirit that worketh in the children of vnbeleefe but withall in stead of spirituall Lords Lawes Courts and Officers call them spirituall wickednesses and so wee giue them their right title and being such if we will fight the good fight of faith wee must by witnessing what they bee wrastle against them and not submit vnto them but stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free and not be intangled with any yoke of bondage and that we may wrastle and prevaile we must take vnto vs the whole Armour of God Ephes 6. Further Iohn saith that he saw one of the heads of the Beast as it were Ver. 3. wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the Beast By this Head which was as it were wounded to death was signified the reviving of Priesthood the mysterie whereof in few words is this The workers of iniquitie in this Antichristian Kingdome having ordained this order of ministery called Priesthood whether it were in imitation of the Iewes or Heathen it is doubtfull but certaine it is that because it wanted externall sacrifices it came short both of the Iewish Priesthood and also of the Heathen so that it was a lame and wounded Priesthood and was not respected In time it came to passe that they found out a sacrifice as is to bee seene in their Masse-booke which was the transubstantiating of bread and wine into the very Bodie and Bloud of Christ really and substantially as they vse to speake and teach
knowne unbeleevers to the end to meete together for the mutuall edification and comfort one of another by doctrine breaking of bread and prayer and to practise all other Ordinances of Christ set downe in his Testament as they shall haue occasion and to companies of Beleeuers hauing such fellowship and communion one with another the title of the Churches of Christ doth in our use of speech properly and of right belong but for beleevers to doe this apart by themselues is adiudged contempt of authority factious novelty making of Conventicles and unlawfull Assemblies dangerous to the State and not to be suffered in any Kingdome or Common-wealth and so they blaspheme the Tabernacle of God in a high degree as if Gods people were a company of ungodly rebels and wicked conspirators but the righteous Lord will in due time visit his people rebuke his enemies And on the other side for Gods people now to deny the kingdome of the Beast that is as they call it the holy Catholick church Militant to be the true Church of Christ To refuse to partake and communicate with them in their abominations delusions and unfruitfull workes of darknesse is adjudged disobedience schisme and contempt of the power and authoritie of the Church To speak against their proceedings sedition disturbance of the peace of the Church heresie impietie and what not Thus they adorne the Harlott which corrupteth the earth with her fornications with the title of the Church and spouse of Christ and Tabernacle of God And so blaspheme the Tabernacle of God as if it were not a communion of Saincts by calling and profession but an habitation of Divells an hold of Fowle spirits and a cage of every uncleane hatefull bird Further it is sayd of the Beast that it did blaspheme those that dwelt in heaven that is the Saincts departed this life Those that dwell in heaven are then blasphemed when it is sayd of them that they take it as honour done unto them when we make them our Patrones build them Temples set up their images offer and pray unto them and make them Mediators between Christ and us for by this they are made not onely idolls but also favorers and cheife maynteyners of idolatrie They are also blasphemed when the doctrine which they taught and practised is condemned for heresie or when erronious doctrines vayne traditions superstitious rites ceremonies and customes are fathered upon them as received from them by Tradition as unwritten verities but the world hath been brought to beleeue that Saints in heaven might by these meanes bee as it were bought and fold betweene Priest and people wherein they haue been highly blasphemed Moreover it is said that it was given to the Beast to make warre with the Ver. 7. Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations Warre is made with the Saints when they are accused to Rulers and Governours to be Hereticks Schismaticks wicked and ungodly persons and they may then be said to bee overcome when their accusers are iustified and they condemned according to this this Scripture hath been fulfilled and verified Great and of long continuance haue been the warres which the Beast hath made with the Saints and many haue been the victories of this kinde which the Beast hath had against them as the Histories and other records of the Nations do plentifully witnesse It was given to the Beast to make warre with the Saints when Rulers and Governours gaue way to the Beast to devise and make lawes at their own pleasure concerning Religion and the worship of God and then to condemne for delinquents and euill doers all that would not obserue those lawes How free and forward Rulers and Governours haue been to giue such power unto the Beast they themselues haue felt by long and wofull experience for much woe hath the Beast wrought not to the poore and meaner sort of the Saints onely but even to Emperours and Kings and all degrees of people and therefore it is said in the words following that power was given unto this Beast over every Kindred Tongue and Nation So that the exaltation thereof was such as to be as a father aboue all fathers to every Kindred a Lord aboue all Lords to every Tongue a King aboue all Kings to every Nation Thus was this Beast exalted and sate as a Queene triumphing over them having all of all degrees brought in bondage unto her dominion which was a just recompence upon their heads that gaue such power unto this Beast yet see how the world was herein deluded they were not as captiues against their wills but in blinde devotion had this Beast in most high reverence as being a Divine Power ordained and given by God and not from the Dragon Thus did the Lord giue them over to bee deluded by this Beast as a iust reward of their ungodlinesse in that they received not the loue of the truth but tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse Further it is declared in the words following That all that dwelt upon Ver. 8. the earth shall worship him that is the Beast whose names are not written in the Booke of the life of the Lamb slayne from the foundation of the world By those that dwell on the earth is meant those that haue set their habitation there and choose rather to enioy the prosperitie of the world and the pleasures of sinne together with the Beast then to suffer affliction for the truth and for witnessing against the Beast These are they that worship him that is receiue their precepts and rules for doctrine and wholesome instruction and obserue their ordinances and lawes as perfect rules of equitie and righteousnesse casting the Word of God declared in the holy Scriptures behind their backes and treading his Ordinances under their feete making farre more conscience not to eate an Egge on a Friday then to steale or commit adulterie But of such it is said that their names are not written in the Booke of life of the Lamb which was slaine from the beginning of the world That is they are not of the number of Gods Elect and Chosen in Christ and given unto him for his portion and heritage whose condition is to be hated despised persecuted and afflicted in the world for righteousnes sake in whom the Lamb Christ Iesus as in his members hath been slaine since the beginning of the world which condition those which cannot brooke and indure but count it a pleasure to liue deliciously for a season and take delight to inioy the pleasures of sinne may thereby bee discerned not to haue their names written in the Book of Life Concerning these things it is added If any man haue an eare let him heare Ver. 9. As if it should be said few there bee which haue an eare to heare these things For who can indure to heare that Catholike Church which they account to bee spirituall holy and heavenly to bee compared to a Beast
the Beast is hath been before shewed Secondly the name of the Beast is to be considered For the manifestation whereof let us consider and minde that those which did preach and professe Christ and his doctrine are said to haue and to beare his name The Lord Christ Iesus said unto Ananias in a Vision concerning Paul That hee was a chosen Vessell to Acts 9. 15. beare his Name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel By the name of the Lord here was meant that Paul should preach the doctrine of Christ and those that beleeved by his Preaching were said to beleeue in the name of Christ and were therefore baptized into his name and called Christians †Acts 11. 26. The Disciples were first called Christians in Antioch Also the disciples and followers of Christ are said to haue the Lambs Fathers name written in their forehead According to this is the meaning of the name of this Beast which the Holy Ghost setteth down in a mysterie in the 17. chapter and 5. verse Babylon the great the mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth But the Papists call it not Babylon the great but the great universall or Catholick Church not the mother of Harlots but the mother of all true Beleevers not the mother of all abominations of the earth but the Pillar and ground of Truth that cannot erre This is the difference betwixt the name which God giveth them and which they take and attribute unto themselues But let them speak the best of themselues and let us consider and answer them in their own language they call themselues the Catholick Church and their professed vassals and subiects are therfore called Catholicks and whatsoever they bee that do either preach or professe the Catholick faith that is beleeue as this Catholick Church beleeveth that it is mother of all true Beleevers that it cannot erre c. they are Catholicks such persons wheresoever they liue if they thus beleeue although they never receiued the marke of the Beast nor can receiue it yet this profession is enough to entitle them in the right of buying or selling these foresaid wares such persons haue the name of the Beast and therefore they may buy pardons of the forgiuenesse of part or all their sinnes and use any of these things which they suppose necessary for their soules health but indeed destruction yea after their death they may for a summe of mony given to the foresaid Marchants by their charitable successors be released out of Purgatorie thus by their owne description wee haue found out the name of the Beast and who they are that haue received it The third condition is the number of his name as the Beast had one generall name which the Catholick Church whereby he was known from all other States and Kingdomes in the world so it hath a number of names belonging to the particular parts and members thereof to distinguish one from another as in the 17. Chap. and third verse The Beast was full of names of blasphemy As the true Church which is that body whereof Christ Iesus onely is the Head is compleate and furnished when it is coupled and knit together by every ioynt and member which Christ Iesus hath given for the furniture thereof namely Apostles Prophets 1. Cor. 12. Ephe. 4. 11. Evangelists Pastors and Teachers So this false Church being furnished with those parts and members which that great red Dragon hath invented and set up under the title of Ministers of Christ to worke upon the children of disobedience namely the Pope Patriarches Cardinalls Arch-bishops Bishops Deanes Arch-deacons Abbots Priors Prebends Canons Chancellors Commissaries Registers Doctors with the rest of the selected Synode or Councell so I say this Church or Beast being furnished with these his parts and members is an intire body and these members are the full number of his name that is they are the number of whom the Catholick Church consisteth and from them all inferiour power and offices of Ministerie as Monkes Fryars Parsons Vicars Curats and Iesuits are derived This I understand to be the number of his name and this exposition agreeth with that in the verse following where it is said let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast By the number of the Beast what can bee understood but the Number of the particular parts whereof he consisteth And where it is said For it is the number of a man What can bee understood but that it beareth the resemblance and likenesse of a man as followeth to be declared Thus wee see who may buy and sell in this Kingdom and who may not Here is wisedome let him that hath understanding count the number of the Vers 18. Beast for it is the number of a man and his number is 666. Here is shewed first what is required in searching out this mysterie and that is wisedom and understanding not such as is from beneath but from aboue which commeth down from the Father of lights from whom commeth every good and perfect gift hee it is that giveth wisedome to the simple and the understanding of his secrets to those that feare him which should teach those that desire to know the Mysteries of his will to labour to be such as to whom he hath promised to reveale them then whatsoever we aske we shall receiue of him for to such hee giveth liberally and upbraideth not Secondly here is shewed a direction how to imploy a mans wisedom in finding out this Mysterie and that is by counting or reckoning the number of this Beast Thirdly a reason why the number of the Beast is to be counted Because it is the number of a man that is it agreeth with and is answerable to the parts of a man and so is the more easily to be found for as wee know the true Church of Christ is compared in the Scriptures to the naturall body of a man as in 1. Cor. 12. 12. For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ Jesus And in the 27. verse the Apostle speaking of the church of Corinth hee saith Yee are the body of Christ and members in particular c. So in the Ephes 1. 22. 23. Christ is given to be head ouer all things to the Church which is his Body Thus as the true Church is called and compared to a body so the catholicks affirme that they onely are that church and that body and that the particular parts and members of their church are the full number thereof Now whereas they say they are the church let us say they are the Beast and whereas they say their particular parts and members make up the number of the Church let us say their particular parts and members make up the number of the Beast and so we finde the true interpretation of this Scripture Further here is set downe the number