immediately after their birth as it were and in their very infancy even as Pharaoh sought to destroy the Iews male children Exod. 1.23 3. As Christ was born and preserved till He had finished the work committed to Him notwithstanding of all the enemies malice and craft so shall it be with the Churches seed 4. As He immediately after His birth was pursued made to flee and carried to Egypt so shall it be with the Gospel-church who should be made to flee immediately after the first delivery This allusion is the more probable if we consider that the time of Christs being in Egypt will be found to be about three years and an half which is here the time of the Churches wildernesse-condition for He was born in the thirty year of Herods reign He did not flee immediately as appeareth by Maries continuing till her purification Luk. 2. and by Herods killing the young children of about two years old Mat. 2. and He returned from Egypt immediately after Herods death who reigned full thirty four years whereby the suitablenesse of this time may be gathered and lastly as Herod vented his malice upon the Children of Bethlehem where Christ was born after His escape so doth the devil here vent his malice upon the Churches seed after her deliverance We come to speak of the first part of the Chapter which containeth the Churches first war with the Dragon not but the Dragon fighteth also under Antichrist but more covertly and in another shape here more palpably which is first summarily proposed to vers 7. Then 2. prosecuted more particularly Vers. 1. In this first part the parties are described 1. The defender is set out in three things 1. She is a Woman that is the Church as she is ordinarily called partly 1. for infirmity and being obnoxious to wrongs 2. As in subordination to Christ as her Husband 3. As the Mother of Believers and she is one Woman though here the whole Gospel-church be represented to shew an unity in the Catholick visible Church which is the only object of persecution and that she is but one Church Woman Mother or Wife and there cannot be moe 2. She is described by her adorning or statelinesse in three things 1. She is clothed with the Sun setting out the pure Doctrine that she professed and the shining conversation of Believers in that primitive time who had put on the Lord Rom. 13. and owned His Word and Testimonie which is called the Sun in the eight Chapter especially what concerned His imputed righteousnesse and satisfaction 2. The Moon is under her feet whether by the Moon here we understand earthly temporall things which are mutable and spotted like the Moon or Jewish feasts new Moons c. called the rudiments of the World Col. 2. it cometh to one to wit to set out the deniednesse and mortifiednesse of the Church at that time despising worldly things and adhering to Christ and having a conversation heavenly which the Apostle exhorteth unto Col. 3.1 in opposition directly to the resting on these new Moons and other elements of the world as well as is in opposition to worldly things 3. She hath a crown of twelve Stars that is faithfull Ministers carrying the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles and following it so the Church is builded upon that Eph. 2.20 22. and Revel 21.14 the names of the Lambs twelve Apostles are written on the twelve foundations this is a Crown that is it is her glory and credit to have faithfull Ministers and to be following and avowing their Doctrine as Paul calleth the Thessalonians his Crown This is a well adorned Church in a suffering time We take these three more particularly to be expressed vers 11. The first by the bloud of the Lamb that is the Garment The second the word of the testimonie that is the Crown Thirdly They cared not for their lives and loved them not unto death that is the trampling of the Moon under their feet or undervaluing temporall things for the life is most cared for as Iob 2. Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life The third part of the description is vers 2. in her travailing and crying expressing two things 1. A fruitfull condition of the Church in this beauty so travailing and bringing forth doth signifie in Scripture and is well applied to the Gospel-church which is a Mother Isa. 54.1 Gal. 4.19 with 26 27. 2. And although it doth signifie a fruitfull condition yet also it is a sorrowfull and afflicted condition as ye know the travailing of a woman ordinarily holdeth forth and Christ calleth it Ioh. 16.21 sorrow or pain till the childe be brought forth In a word this primitive Church is pure fruitfull and afflicted as her crying importeth with great pains do Ministers beget Gal. 4.19 and with great hazard is the profession of Christianity owned and great wrestling hath she in Prayer to God and sufferings from men to be rid of this sorrowfull condition ere she get free of it The enemie pursuing is described vers 3 and 4. in four or five particulars and it is called as the former a great sign or wonder represented to Iohn in Heaven because great things were signified by these here the parties are exceeding unequal she a woman the enemie is a Dragon some say there is an utter antipathy between Men and Dragons whereas other ravenous creatures for meat destroy men these for delight do it and whereas men can endure to look on other creatures yet not so well on the Dragons and Serpents however it is a most ravenous beast by which is represented in Scripture sometimes the devil sometimes some great persecuter acted by the devil the supream commander so was Pharaoh called and as he was the first oppressor of the Jewish Church so this representeth the first oppressors of the Christian Church both come in here the devil first that is clear vers 9. then the Roman Empire primely instrumentall in persecuting Christians that appeareth by the description of the Dragons shape he hath seven heads and ten horns which seven heads Chap. 17 are clearly to be expounded seven Hills and seven Kings or sorts of Governments and these ten horns to be ten Kings which were to arise out of the ruines of the Empire they had not then received power Chap. 17. Therefore they have not here Crowns as Chap. 13. and expresly she is vers 18. of that Chapter called the City which reigned over the Kings of the earth at that time the devil is chief and the Roman Empire or Emperour his Depute in this for the devil acteth not immediately yet what he doth by instruments is attributed to him as Chap. 2.10 This is a great Dragon to shew his power Red to expresse his cruelty and having seven heads and ten horns to expresse him who especially is instrumentall in exercising that cruelty the Roman Emperour like Pharaoh who is called a Dragon Psal. 74.15 Isai. 27.1 Ezek 29.3
clear hint at the sum of the second state of the Church to wit that which was â—atent and when it beginneth even when the other endeth Two things remain to be cleared 1. Why this beast here under the Dragon hath the Crowns on his heads and on his horns and that beast Chap. 13.1 hath the Crowns on his horns not on the heads The reason is because when the Roman Empire was heathen and under that notion persecuted the Church the seat of the beast Rome had the royal emperiall dignity and these ten Kingdoms were then Provinces subject to her as appeareth Chap. 17. These ten then were but to get royal independent dignity but when the Empire turned slaves to Antichrist about the year 606. and after the case is altered Rome is denuded of the royal Authority which she had and these Provinces are now by the Empires decay turned to be Kingdoms though in this condition depending still on Antichrist as formerly they were united under the Dragon 2. Why doth the Dragon now but pursue the womans seed and after in the second onset he setteth on the woman the mother to drown her Answ. In these three wars of the Dragon ye will find a difference 1. He seeketh to destroy all the seed 2. He sendeth out a flood against the mother and his anger is turned against her when the childe escapeth 3. When the woman escapeth though she cede which the childe did not which maketh it appear that this fleeing rather holdeth out a change upon the Churches qualifications than of her locall residence then vers ult he setteth himself not against the mother simply nor against all the seed indifferently as in the first but against such as keeped the Commandments of God The reasons are 1. Because open persecuters look to all sorts of professors indifferently and do vent cruelty on them Hence Arians would sometimes be put to suffer with Orthodox Christians and by Arians the Novatians as well as others they know not to make difference they so hated the very name 2. Because the heathen persecuters thought that the readiest way of destroying the Church was to destroy her members in whom she subsisted and that they being undone consequently so would she be Therefore 1. the devil beginneth with murthering bodies to undo the Church in her members and when that faileth he setteth on the mother to poison the members or children by corrupting her as one intending the destruction of a childe would poison the Nurse This is done not by direct hatred at the name and profession of Christianity now in request but by counterfeiting and corrupting Christianity that he may once alter the face beauty and wholsomenesse of the Ordinances of the Church which is the Mother and he is sure the children which suck these breasts will not be lively To effectuate this he maketh use not of open Heathens but corrupt Teachers that he speweth out not to taint this or that person but the fountains as was seen in the first four trumpets in which he spareth particular children of the Church possibly allureing them with rich benefits sumptuous buildings honours and preferments but in the mean while carrying on his design against the Church as a Church even under and by these which by the former voice in Sylvesters time if it be truth is hinted at and that word of Ierom's in vita Matthai when Emperours became Christians the Church indeed encreased in worldly pompe but decreased in spirituall beauty Ecclesiam Christianam post quam ad Christianos venit principatus potentià guidem divitiis majorem esse factam sed virtutibus minorem Lastly in the third battell he putteth at some of the seed only because here he maketh use of Antichrist a counterfeit enemy who will not purposely and down-right set on all Christians as such for his quarrell and the devils is but with these that are faithfull and hate his pride and hypocrisie 2. In this last he joyneth violence and deceit together and by deceit he overcometh many they have drunken up the fioud but these that will not drink of these fornications he pursueth them with violence by the following beast and not all Christians simply but these who kept themselves from these growing corruptions and these are called the womans seed LECTURE II. Vers. 7. And there was war in heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels 8. And prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven 9. And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night 11. And they overcame him by the bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonie and they loved not their lives unto the death 12. Therefore rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwell in them wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time HAving given a little touch of the Churches first battell and the event thereof untill her fleeing to the wildernesse he returneth from this 7. vers unto the 13. more fully to explicate that war that the strangenesse of the event of a womans victory and her childe against a Dragon may appear not to be from her strength but from a good Captain who sideth with her and fighteth for her The story is resumed in these words There was war in heaven By heaven we understand the Church not as if one part of it were divided against the other but that the Church was the seat and object of it the devil invading her by open proclaimed war against all Christians He overruneth her by massacres and persecutions as invaders overrun invaded Kingdoms She again by Michael and her members resisteth that fury so the war is here By war we understand not secret enmity as alwayes there is nor peculiar incursions such as come now and then by starts as in Iulian his time and some others but open professed and avowed universall war such as the heathenish persecuters maintained both in their decrees and in the execution of them for three hundred years such war as professedly the Church did not meet with since The parties are more insisted on than formerly 1. In their leaders 2. In their followers or souldiers Michael is generall on the womans side we take it to be Christ who is Commander and Leader Isa. 55.4 and Captain Heb. 2. It is like he is also intended Dan. 12. to which this alludeth His souldiers are both his Angels properly taken for Heb. 1. they are
Church of Christ. Neither ought it to move any if it should be objected that Presbyteries are before Synods and Congregations before these because Members that constitute the one have commission from the other and therefore Congregations must be first as Shires are before a Parliament or Kingdom made up of them because they commissionate such This I say hath no weight in it 1. Because the Catholick Church hath not her being from particular Churches but doth descend as is said from the preceeding generation till it come to the first Church that ever was from which all that followed were derived and did extend themselves accordingly as they encreased as hath been said and Adam's familie is once Gods Church thereafter Noahs then Abraham's is especially adopted after that at Christ's coming the Gentiles are ingrafted in that stock and the Ordinances that came from Zion prevailed and that not to constitute different Churches but to encrease and enlarge that one Church which for its accommodation might have its diverse rooms but be still one familie the Gospel-church therefore hath its being from the Church before Christ and particular Congregations have their being from it as parts of the same 2. The similitudes hold not for before there be a Generall Assembly there is an unity of the Catholick Church which warrandeth her Members to conveen in one and Presbyteries to instruct for that end otherwise they could not do it even as the Kingdom as such is before a Parliament met and hath an unity before Cities choice and although Cities considered abstractly may be before such an union because the union may depend upon voluntary submission yet if they be considered as parts of that Kingdom it is supposed to be first and to communicate to them such priviledges and therefore they are free parts of such a body not because they give the whole a being but because they have a being from it so here particular Congregations cannot be considered as parts of the whole but the whole must be supposed to be first which on such occasions are bound to concur in generall although sometimes in the particular it may be free whether to joyn with such or such a particular Church or any other From which many usefull points touching the externall order Discipline and Government of the Church will follow and is the right understanding of the nature of the Covenant of Grace doth conduce exceedingly to the clearing of Gospel-truths so the right understanding of this unity of the Catholick Church hath great influence upon the uptaking of what concerneth her outward administration in order and Discipline and that communion which is amongst Ministers and Members of the visible Church whereof somewhat was said Chap. 2. vers 1. To this purpose may be observed that famous Augustine did long ago take the defence of Ticonius writing against the Donatists upon this same subject as may be seen in his writings against Parmenianus lib. 1. cap. 10. LECTURE I. CHAP. XIII Vers. 1. ANd I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemie 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard and his feet were as the feet of a bear and his mouth as the mouth of a lion and the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondred after the beast THe right understanding of this Chapter is of great concernment to the understanding of this prophesie it hath such difficulty in it that by some it is accounted as crux interpretum The difficulty is not even almost with Papists whether the Roman state be designed here or not or concerning the beasts if by one of them Antichrist be holden forth both these are palpable and certain this being compared with the 17. Chap. The difficulty lieth in these two 1. To what time state or head of the Roman Empire they relate 2. If different states be meaned by these two beasts Or if one Antichrist as diversly considered be set out by these shapes because one doth not sufficiently paint him out who standeth both in a Civil and Ecclesiastick relation so that now Satan as it were being first spoiled of temporall Authority in his lieutennant the heathen Emperour and being also disappointed of his second design of drowning the Church by errors setteth himself to hasten up a new Kingdom or Deputy but in another shape that by joyning both violence and deceit in him together he may bring to passe what these being essayed separately did not effectuate So that this is looked on as the product of the Dragons third design wherein his uttermost skill kytheth and the greatest strength of his Kingdom lieth which design is answerably described in a double type The 1. shewing what really Antichrist is to whom he succeedeth of whom he hath his power where he sitteth and to what height he cometh c. The 2. how he appeareth what way he carried on and brought about that design and what weapons and pretences were abused for that end This we conceive shortly to be the scope and drift of both these types for more clear understanding whereof we shall premit some generall propositions the particulars whereof will appear more in opening this and the 17. Chapter Proposition 1. It is ordinary to the Prophets especially to Daniel to set out temporall Monarchies by great beasts as Chap. 7. and 8. And these beasts do not hold forth individuall persons but a successive series of the same line on that throne and it is usuall in this prophesie to borrow types from him only sometimes that which is spoken in the Old Testament of temporall enemies or straits of the Church is applied to spirituall and covered enemies as many things literally agreeing to Antiochus are applied to Antichrist and things literally true of Pharaoh are applied to the devil So by a Beast here may be meaned a State of great power and violence against the Church though not in or by a single person in one generation executed but for a long time by a series of one combined body successively under one head This must be understood that of the Churches suffering under the Dragon formerly his first Deputy the heathen Empire and Emperour being understood thereby as it was one body though under diverse individuall Emperours successively Propos. 2. Sometimes one state thing or person will be set out in Scripture by diverse types and beasts so Dan. 7. the Persian Empire is set forth by a Bear the Grecian by a Leopard In the 8. the Persian by a Ram and the Grecian by a He-goat See Chap. 7. the Seleucides Kingdom though but a branch of the Grecian is set out by a beast as different from the other wholly because
in somethings different Which saith that though the types be different yet the party signified may be one considered in diverse respects In which sense Chap. 17. this same Antichrist is called the eight beast and yet really there also but one of the seven and the seventh though in appearance or upon distinct consideration different from the seventh vers 11. Propos. 3. More particularly the state or power designed here is the state and power which hath Rome for the seat of it as the Metropolis of its Kingdom during its standing as it was of the heathen Emperours before for the Dragon placeth his Deputy in that same seat where the former fate before vers 2. Beside this seat is particularly described Chap. 17. in three things 1. In its naturall situation for that time seven mountains vers 9. 2. In its politick Government to wit seven sorts counting-in this beast 3. In its present Authority in Iohn's time over the Kings of the earth vers 18. And what is and hath been the state which hath had and hath Rome for its seat this long time is not hard to determine Propos. 4. By this beast is not set out the Roman Empire simply as under any head but as under its seventh and last head or government whatever it be for although the beast have in all seven heads as it is considered in its whole body yet seing these heads are successive and the removing of one is the inferring of another contra it is to be looked on at one time as under one head only Therefore that which was in Iohn's time being the sixth Rev. 17. and this beast having the sixth wounded and healed again before he exâ—rce his power It must follow that it is here the Roman Empire under its seventh and last government Hence the difference is remarkable between the beast here and Chap. 12. although it set out the same Empire with seven heads and ten horns yet there the heads are crowned and the horns were not because the Cesars then reigning keeped their power the Provinces were governed by their Deputies here the horns are crowned to show that the instruments acted by this beast have soveraign power which is more clearly expounded Chap. 17. However this is the Roman Empire or that Government of it which is the seventh All the effects here agree to the beast after its head is healed and after it hath gotten the throne and seat of the Dragon This beast therefore is compleatly described to shew in what series this last succeedeth to the former but that of wounding of the head and healing it again which must be the head then in being is to direct us to what state or government of that Empire or series we are to look for the fulfilling of these effects and which ought to be pointed at as great deputy and lieutennant of the devil to wit in its again revived and healed condition which is the last or seventh Government Propos. 5. We would distinguish this beasts beginning to arise from his publick appearing because they are in themselves different events and have different times and we conceive it is the publick appearing and manifesting of this to the world that is pointed at here which differeth from its begun underhand working even as the Churches begun flight is different in its rise from its hid private condition at the lowest so this being contemporary to that must have that same consideration for as he riseth she fleeth and her flight encreaseth with his rising like light and darknesse His beginning will appear to be 1. after outward persecution for the Dragon giveth him that seat and quiteth the chair to him and so this cannot be the Heathen persecuting Emperours but some succeeding them and that immediately for there is no vacancy of this throne but the one resigneth it to the other 2. It beginneth as soon as the womans flight that is immediately after Satans dethroning he seeketh to advance this beast and piece and piece he groweth from that time for vers 5. his power and commission is for the same fourty two moneths and the time being alike the period of the close is alike for when the beast beginneth to be destroyed her prophets put off their sackcloth vers 11. and 16. Therefore the beginning of both must be together also Again this sheweth it is no French nor German Emperours that can be meaned by this for they had not their rise so soon for this will be about the 300. year as is said before 3. The manifesting of this beast will be found to be after the devils disappointment of his design to drown the woman when these grosse heresies prevailed not to gain his end and also to be contemporary with the healing of the deadly wound which the sixth head had gotten yea to be the very healing of it in Romes recovering a publick Court and Authority by the papacy which by the Cesars and Emperours their becoming Christian and removing their Court from it had left It received again in papacie an head and that same superscription of blasphemy on it which it had under its former masters which will fall in about the 600. year or a little after when both the peaceable possessing of Rome by Popes and inbringing of Idolatry made forward together Beside in this state the horns are crowned which from Chap. 17.12 relateth to the erection of new Kingdomes not then in being which sheweth that the manifestation of Antichrist and the erection of Kingdoms out of the Empire must go together and that it is his manifestation which is intended here Out of which Propositions we may draw three Conclusions Conclusion 1. It is not any state or branch of the civil Romane Empire that is holden forth here 1. not the Heathenish state as is said 2. not the Grecian Emperours which had their seat at Constantinople the first Christian Emperour had in Gods wisdom transferred his Court thither that so this beast might have the fairer accesse to the Dragons throne for these had not their seat at Rome 2. They continued not during these fourty two moneths but are gone 3. There was not alway so good friendship between them and the Popes as between these two beasts here the Emperours being alwayes jealous of them and sometimes by their lieutennants afflicting and straitning them and they again by Excommunications casting down some of these Emperours who were violent opposers of Image-worship and of praying c. unto Saints departed as Leo Isaurus and Constantinus Copronymus and others called fighters against Images by them 3. This beast appeareth not till the wound be healed Now in the Heathen Emperours time it was but hurt in these Emperours at Constantinople their beginning it was not perfectly healed till a time thereafter Neither can it be the succession of French Emperours brought in by Stephanus the third after Caroâ—us Marcellus to wit Pipinus Carolus Magnus Lodovicus Pius c. who were called to defend the
Empire partly against the Goths and Lombards who then trode on Italy partly for restraining the insolency of the Exarches of Ravenna who being Deputes to the Grecian Emperour pillaged and spoiled Italy exceedingly for these Emperours rise will not come up to this beasts rise Their rise was about the 750 or 766. Neither is it of that continuance nor will the rest of the characters agree to it of having that seat c. Beside that Empire is by many counted a speciall favour of God to this part of the world Pencerus in vita Caroli Magnâ—â— which could never be said of this beasts rise The like reasons also will strike against the German Emperours or that elective succession brought in by Otho the third and Carolus the fourth who may be chief horns of this beast crowned by him to execute his decrees and may be amongst these who give their power to this beast but cannot be the beast himself Conclusion 2. By this first beast then is understood Antichrist in his Kingdom which appeareth by all the characters given 1. He succeedeth the Dragon in his seat 2. His rise reign and continuance agree to these fourty two moneths desolate condition of the Church ending and beginning with it He is worshipped not civilly only that worship is no fault in it self but religiously as no Emperour was he hath absolute dominion and taketh â—â— title to him over all Kindreds Tongues c. Their submission to him is voluntary and with admiration which was never to any civil state he hath crowned horns and Kings under him who reverence him which will more particularly appear in opening the words for all spoken here agreeth to one beast and in one state or condition to wit under the last head when the wound which the sixth got was healed things to come bring represented to Iohn as past the beast thus healed in his head is admired worshipped followed c. to him power over the Saints is given alluding as is ordinary in the Antichrists case to Antiochus Dan. so either Antichrist is no head of this beast or he is set out by this beast who this long continueth and in whom and by whom the Dragon is again worshipped by the men of the earth all which can agree to no other To speak in short then here is set out the Roman Empire as antichristian or headed with Antichrist having now the sixth head which was wounded by the throwing down of Heathenish Idolatry again healed by the papacies becoming the seventh for there are but seven and to this Empire as under this head agreeth all that is spoken unto here considering it as representing that same civil state now the seventh time carrying another head of blasphemy yet again repeated under another type that it may be known nor to be the same head though on the same beast with that which was wounded nor of the same kind altogether with the former It is true this is generally otherwayes expounded by learned Interpreters whereof some do expound this first beast to hold forth the Roman civil Empire become Christian others understand it of the complex body of Kings arising out of the ruines of the Empire as Mede calleth it universitas regum incolarum and so they distinguish this beast as representing some civil power from the two horned beast following which to them is Antichrist and an Ecclesiastick state yet upon the matter there will be found no great difference for even these acknowledge this civil power whether consisting in Emperours or Kings to be acted and made use of by this Ecclesiastick beast which is the same upon the matter that we say to wit that the head acting these horns is the Antichrist and therefore the beast is to get its denomination from the head whereby the rest are swayed Beside if we look narrowly to this description we may well call Emperours as they now are or Kings horns of this beast but cannot account them the beast it self but as they are united in and under him for the beast here is that which supporteth the whore Chap. 17. which is acknowledged by the same forenamed Author to be the Ecclesiastick beast Again this beast having its beginning immediately after the close of Heathenish persecution that can neither be said of the Roman Empire or of that university of Kings We may add that the horns of this beast being crowned that is having supream civil power cannot be thought subject to any other civil power and it is clear here that the worshippers of this beast are of equal extent with these who bear this mark and are contradistinguished from the hundreth fourty four thousand that were sealed whereby all Papists are included as under his power and seing this can agree to no Emperour whose dominion is not of such extent so neither can this beast be applied to him Again it cannot be the university of Kings for they are horns acted by this beast and so may be distinguished from him as we will often find them as Chap. 17. these horns are turned to hate the whore which was supported by this beast Chap. 19. this beast is cast into the lake with the false prophet and therefore must be understood of this first beast according to that learned Author yet can it not be said that all these Kings or Emperours go to the pit as if none of them could remain after Antichrist especially considering the prophesie of the Lords making some of these Kings who were formerly horns of this beast to become instruments of his vengance against the whore We conclude it therefore as most safe and consistent with this prophesie to expound this first beast of Antichrist who acteth these horns and to whom the Kings of the earth willingly gave their power and so to be applied to the Pope and his Kingdom supposing him to be Antichrist Conclus 3. It remaineth therefore that these two beasts must be upon the matter one the last holding forth no different state but the same which the former held forth in a different notion Therefore there is no particular description of the parts of it or of its rise in respect of time and continuance but it becometh one in all these with the former Therefore in this Chapter there is but one name one character and one beast or number alway spoken of yea they have one Sea commission c. and are designed by one beast Chap. 11. vers 7. spoken of as one Chap. 17. yea the woman that is said to sit on the beast vers 13. is called this very City or Empire Rome vers 18. The woman certainly is the antichristian Church but that woman vers 18. is not a distinct government or state from that civil state or from Antichrists state but that same supported by its civil power Therefore they are one Thus we see every one of these conclusions do follow each other if it be not the civil Empire which is typified by the first beast
to such a height 3. This rise is palpable I saw him rise not that he was not working and rising before but that he who insensibly under the great confusions of the Empire had been settling his own throne now he bringeth his power from the sea to land as a settled thing owning it and appearing in it Secondly After the rise is described there is given a generall character of him vers 1. in three things 1. He had seven heads not together but successively seven kinds of Governments though the seventh was not come Chap. 17. in Iohn's time that is the Roman Empire having in all seven sundry Governments to wit 1. Kings 2. Consuls 3. Tribuni 4. Dictators 5. Decemviri 6. Cesars or Emperours who were then present This seventh who is called the eighth was not then come This will be more clear on Chap. 17. 1. He hath ten horns that is so many or possibly indefinitly many Kings who when Iohn wrote this had not received their power but now at this beasts rise had obtained it so Antichrists appearing goeth alongst with or after the Empire is discerped in severall Kingdoms The red Dragon hath these two characters Chap. 12.3 yet with these two differences 1. He looketh more red-like and appeareth cruell This beast was not so bloudy at the first but Chap. 17. it hath a scarlet colour 2. There the heads were crowned here the horns and not the heads This is to shew that now these ten Kings had gotten their power Chap. 17. but withall were made use of by this head as the other made use of them before they got their Crowns whereby it is clear that the Roman civil Empire as under this beast is considered as different from it self under the Dragon Compare this with vers 12. Chap. 17. The third character is that all the heads have the name or names of blasphemie on them Blasphemie is three wayes fallen into 1. When something derogatory to the holy and excellent Nature of God is ascribed to Him suppose to say He repented lied or when there is any sinful apprehension that He was weary sickly faint finit c. 2. When some of His excellencies belonging to Him are denied as to say He is not omnipotent just infinit c. 3. When something proper and peculiar to the infinit God is ascribed to a creature which is not God as when an Angel is said to be omnipotent so said the Iews when they mistook Christ He blasphemed because He forgave sins which none can do but God only and so did make himself God A name of blasphemie is any usurped title inferring one of these three especially the last many of their Emperours did foolishly require divine honour and what businesse Caius made to get his Image put in the Temple at Ierusalem Iosephus reporteth Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 11. In a word all these heads were Idolaters blaspheming the true God worshipping Idols giving what is due to Him to creatures yea taking it to themselves to Heathen Idolatry so did the six former heads so shall the seventh do the Idolatry whereof was spoken to Chap. 9.20 None taketh on him and hath attributed to him what is due to God in Titles power of Dispensations religious Worship obeying of His Commands more than he who exalteth himself above all that is called God For the Titles and Scriptures peculiar to God and Christ arrogated by him and attributed to him see Bell. de Conciliis and praef ad libros de pontif By which it appeareth that this seventh head of papacy is immediately linked with the Dragons fall there being no head thus characterized till his rise This beast is further described vers 2. in his parts and commission His parts are described in three similitudes 1. His likenesse was as a leopard that was his shape A Leopard or Panther is called loving and a friend to all creatures save the Dragon so saith Isodorus Franzius joyneth the Hyaena and the Cock and calleth him animal ferocissimum astutum Hist. animal cap. 9. pag. 60. Beside that he is bountifull and not terrible as the Dragon By this the devil sheweth his subtilty choosing that shape to appear in wherein folks would least suspect him This beast is famous for these three 1. Swiftnesse Habak 1.8 for this the Grecian was compared to him 2. Cruelty Hos. 5.14 3. Subtilty Ier. 5.6 All agree here 2. His feet are like a bears Thus was the Persian Dan. 7. with three ribbs in his teeth By this cruelty is holden forth and strength or the exercising of cruelty by force not unagreeable to this Antichrist as cruell as ever the Persian was against the people of God 3. His mouth as a lyons mouth partly to shew his capacity towards others partly to shew his insolencie and audacity against God in wicked bold decrees in which respect the Babylonian Monarchy is compared to a Lion Dan. 7. This Lions mouth is indeed vers 11. the Dragons mouth and there is allusion to these three beasts in this one to shew that one could not set forth such a monster and that this which is meaned here is some monstrous brood partaking of something of the cruell nature of all other tyrants and in some things going beyond and differing from them all 4. The beast is set forth in his predecessor and author that is the Dragon who loveth this beast so well and layeth so much weight on his greatnesse that now the power which he usurped in the world by Heathen Emperours being ranversed and removed he constituteth this beast his universal vicar as he is called Chap. 9. the Angel and prime Deputy of the bottomlesse pit and accordingly he authorizeth and invests him in that office by his gift and donation in three steps 1. He gave him that is as he offered to Christ all the world or so far as he could reach he streacheth himself to advance him by giving him his power partly furnishing him with lying miracles so he cometh after the working of Satan 2 Thess. 2 9. partly committing to him and employing for him all his forces and armies his might to the uttermost was engaged to support Antichrist his Deputy 2. He gave him his seat that is Rome where he before by the Heathen Emperour held his throne The Emperour now is laid by as such and this seat made vacant for the Pope This is the seat as is clear Chap. 17. ult this is called Satans throne in an eminent way because from it he gave out his orders c. as is spoken in part of Pergamos Chap. 2. 3. He gave him great authority that is not as if ever his dominion on that seat by any prescription of time could be lawfull seing it riseth from this ground of the devils grant who hath none to give But it implieth two things 1. That by the devils instigation he should venditate and give out himself to have a large authority and power committed to him even such ample
large commissions and power as the like were never heard of his triple Crown reacheth to command heaven by giving orders to the Angels and earth by disposing of all the Kingdoms of it Hell and Purgatory by bringing thence and sending thither whom he pleaseth and at what price he pleaseth without any controll so that none can say what dost thou he is only countable to the Dragon who commissionateth him This is clear from Popes practices and their Schoolmens writings in defence of his power 2. That by that same mean never was any authority so much reverenced adored and obeyed as this blasphemous usurpation of the Popes should be witnesse the generall inslaving of the world to him so long what pennances and submissions and pains have been gone about by great Emperours and Kings even to the laying of their neck under his feet to be trodden on by him Many instances and examples are of it Before he go on to describe the practice of this beast he putteth in a word vers 3. concerning the wounding and healing of one of the heads of this beast and the effect of it to shew that what is spoken of this beast belongeth to it allanerly under its last policie or seventh head and the healing of this head is the very ground and rise of this wondering For understanding this ye must consider two things 1. concerning the story in fact 2. concerning the phrase of this Book 1. For matter of fact as ye have heard Rome had seven sorts of Governments including the Pope all Idolaters The sixth to wit Heathen Emperours was then when Iohn wrote it was the immediate foregoing head to this seventh By Constantine and other Emperours this Heathenish Religion was altered to Christian and the seat of the civil Empire transported to Constantinople so that Rome seemed to want an head especially an head that had blasphemy on it till by the Popes stepping up at Rome both were helped 2. Consider that when this Revelation speaketh of the Empire it speaketh of it with respect to its Religion and as it was the seat of the Dragons exercising power in all these Governments even as under the sixth seal a change of Religion in the world is set out by types as if the world were changed so here the wounding of a head is not a cutting off of Emperours simply but their ceasing to be a head to that beast and to be blasphemous and persecuting as before for they are not heads to it simply but as having on them a name of blasphemy for they hold of the Dragon and this healed head is his creature vers 4. and he is worshipped in it This cannot be said of civil Authority in it self which is Gods Ordinance The devil then must have a speciall hand in this cure so the wounding or slaying of a head deadly will not infer the ceasing of that Government simply but to be such as it was as in other visions and changes in the worlds passing away c. which holdeth but not its annihilating but its ceasing to be such See Chap. 6.13 and Chap. 8. Add that this wound is not to be given to the head after this beasts arising but before it yea the healing of this is the same with this beasts rising For all he doth he doth it after it is made whole Then he is admired then he fighteth with the Saints This head then that is wounded is that which was in Iohn's time to wit Heathen Emperours It is here particularly said to be wounded which is not said between the succession of any other two heads because they succeeding one to another their Idolatry was not hurt But here when Heathenish Emperours were cast out Heathenish Idolatry was cast out with them Idolatry before keeped alwayes its room in all the heads equally here it is degraded 2. It is for a time interrupted before this head be again publick to wit between the altering of Heathenish Idolatry and the publick appearing of Popes Therefore it appeareth desperately wounded rather now than between any other heads before where the interruption between them was not so desperate and palpable 3. At other times no question the civil state of the Empire got many wounds by many Invasions and invaders but the Dragon who is still here represented as chief through all the heads got never such a wound Shortly this third verse containeth three things 1. The heads wounding 2. It s healing 3. It s effect on the world The head that is wounded is the Heathen Cesars or Emperours for five were past the seventh was not till the wound was healed Therefore it was the sixth then present which was wounded This wound is in two things 1. A deadly stroke upon Idolatry so as it was Chap. 6. under the sixth seal the Idolatrous body was slain and overturned by it that same may be said of the blasphemous head 2. By an hudge eclipsing of the chief seat of this Empire by the Emperours removing his Court to Constantinople whereby the glory of that city was diminished So when Iohn speaketh of this wound I saw saith he an hudge Idolatrous beast with seven successive Idolatrous Governments counting both what was past and what was to come and I saw the sixth of them thus wounded and that deadly 1. Because it was a great stroke it got and none would have thought that after these two Rome should have had again an Idolatrous Government in pomp and yet 2. but wounded as it were to death because I saw the devil after recover that ground another way which he lost by this 2. This wound was healed the curer is afterward pointed at vers 4. the Dragon it is a birth of his that is the bringing forth the seventh head to wit papacy whereby that Beast or Rome recovered both its former losses with advantage 1. By the Popes they recovered Idolatry for if the want of that is the wound the restoring of that is the cure and it was not done till it was done by the Popes This was touched Chap. 9.20 For the healing of this head is not the restoring of the same head and name of blasphemie which was but it is the in-bringing of another to succeed that for the healed head continueth during the fourty two moneths that Antichrist reigneth and the horns are crowned Therefore it cannot be the restoring again either of Emperours or Heathenish Idolatry but of that which succeeded these otherwise there would be no time for the seventh or two behoved to be together but it is called a healing in respect of the Idolatry that was wounded the Empire being still safe This is healed not only by bringing-in Idolatry and yet not the same but one exceeding like it so that what was given to devils directly is now given mediately by Saints Angels and Images to them and all their superstitious Ceremonies and Idolatrous Temples are professedly transferred from one Idolatry to another But secondly also by this Rome the seat
seven hills and to have dominion over the Kings of the earth Neither was there any other which in Iohn's time had power over the Kings of the earth besides Rome And it is a most known thing that Rome was builded upon seven hills See also his 3. Book Cap. â— The same is the judgement of Estiâ—s in 4. Sent. Dist. 47. S. 9. and of Ribera upon the place The Rhâ—mistâ— also acknowledge that Rome heathen may be understood herâ— and Alcasar confirmeth it Also Cornelius â— lapide Blasius Viegas and others Reasons in the Text do constrain it so to be understood 1. It s locall situation This whore is a City sitting on seven hills in Iohns time whereof afterward 2. It is an Empire or City which had before that changed five sorts of Governments had then the â—â—xth unto which one other was to succeed as Popes have done who were not come in Iohns times 3. It is vers 18 clear from its Dominion she is that city that great city which then commanded all the Kings and great men of the earth which grounds I say make even the adversaries apply it to Rome but they fall in two foolish shiftâ— â—ome applying it to Rome heathen others to Rome under the Antichrist who they say is yet to come Of these we shall speak particularly in the close of the Chapter and â—ow premit 1. That this beast that beareth or carrieth the woman is the same mentioned Chap. 11. that cometh out of the bottomlesse pit and killeth the witnesses and the same with that beast Chap. 13. their rise is one with this out of the pit vers â— Their description in heads horns and exercise in persecuting the Saints and maintaining blasphemies and the time that they belong unto will be one that beast Chap. 13. riseth after the wounding of the sixth head This when that Government which then was is expired yet fall they under diverse considerations as the two beasts formerly Chap. 13. The beast is as the Husband or rather Adulterer the woman the wife or whore the woman representeth an apostate Church or the body the beast here suppoâ—â—ing her pointeth at the head or mungrell power sustaining her and acting her which in respect of absolutnesse tyranny and persecution though in a kind distinct from the former yeâ—â— become they one as we will hear 2. Observe that there is a great propinquity betwixt the woman or whore and this beast they belong to one time for the beast carrieth her and they 〈◊〉 together They â—re of one colour scurâ—â—â— They have both blasphemies on them and fornications the same upon the matter they both are up together the woman is great when the Kings give the beast their power when they withdraw iâ— then she cometh down his throne which was the Dragons Chap. 13. is her seat to wit the seven hills from which neernesse 〈◊〉 evident they must dwell together 3. This beast then must signifie such an Empire and Dominion as doth not only support Rome the city but Rome a whore and that not as a temporall head meerly by force keeping down men under it as did the old Roman Empire but such a head as the world wondereth at as is Chap 13. and here also vers 8. and such a head as when ten Kings out of the ruins of the old temporall Empire shall assume Dominion and soveraignity to themselves and withdraw from him yet willingly they shall yeeld their power to be disposed of by this beast and so long as they reverence him the whore is in no fear by them but when they cast him off then she is burnt By which it appeareth that as by the woman the Roman Church is described in opposition to the true Church Chap. 12.1 called a woman there so by the beast must be meaned the Roman sea or the Papall power by which this whore is supported and to whom the Kings of the earth give their power and after whom the whole world hath long wondered as was cleared Chap. 13. of this same beast and the propositions laid down there are also to be applied here 4. We would consider at what time this which is spoken of the beast and whore is to be applied to Rome and the powers which govern Rome which is the beast as the other is the woman There are these characters to find it out by which now at the entry we shall but in generall propound 1. It is the time when the beast should appear as he riseth from the bottomlesse pit vers 8. to wit in the last state of the Empire before his utter ruine and so it is not that which was in Iohns time any lawfull succeeding power which cometh not from the pit but it is that which the Dragon gave Chap. 13. an authority and soveraignity invented by the devil and not warranted by the Word such as is Vniversall Bishop Prince of Pastors and Vicar of Christ so it is no meer civill power though persecuting for then as it was in Iohns time it might have been said to have ascended from the pit and it had not been peculiar to the future state of the Empire which is a forreign Government of an other rise than these which went before such as that of the Popes who are distinct and different from Emperours 2. It is Rome under the last head of seven whereof five were but past in Iohn's time and Caesars were the sixth the seventh called the eighth for his twofold consideration as Chap. 13. then was not come for this last head is expresly called the beast vers 11. Therefore Rome under none of the first six Governments is the beast here but under the seventh or eighth which in Rome succeeded to Emperours or Caesars for this last is to have none after it A third character is to try the time by the horns That Government of Rome is to be the beast which shall have with it ten Kings reigning which had not recieved their Kingdom in Iohn's time vers 12. Again it agreeth to that state of Rome when other Kings that have withdrawn their temporall subjection from the Emperours shall yet unanimously and harmoniously of their own good wills give their power unto and be at the devotion of this beast 3. These Kings shall be especially employed by this beast in making wars against the Saints till God discover the whores rottennesse to them or some of them vers 14. compared with vers 16 17. It must then be applicable to that time when persecutions abounded through all the Christian world by the Laws of all Kings and Kingdoms which was when the Prophets prophesied in sackcloth and were killed Chap. 11. and 13. A fourth character we take from that that the woman is called a Whore therefore it cannot agree to Heathen Rome for she was not then married nor ever called a whore 5. The last thing we premit is concerning the times mentioned as past present and to come when they are particularly differenced
Isai. 1. Consider then this woman two wayes 1. simply as a woman so it is the city Rome that then was 2. as a whore so it is the apostatized Church of Rome which though in Iohns time it was not come yet was in vision represented to him as come By beast in generall some wicked Dominion or Empire as Dan. 7. must be understood More particularly We may take the beast in a fourfold consideration 1. complexly with its seven heads as in any form of its Governments so it pointeth out the Roman Empire indefinitly as it was before Iohns time under the five heads who were fallen as it was in his time under the sixth and was to be afterward under the seventh There is but one beast in all thus considered 2. We may consider the beast to speak so as a body or the beast without relation to any head so it holdeth forth the Empire Dominions or Countries which made up a Monarchy under any of these sorts of Governments or heads It is a body upon the matter the same however its Governments changed This seemeth in the exposition to be called the Peoples Tongues and Languages vers 15. on which the woman sitteth and is expressed by many waters in the preface vers 1. on which the whore sitteth as she doth here on the beast 3. We may consider the heads as distinct from the beast and so they are the formes of Governments which successively guided that beast and supported that city And thus the last head which succeedeth the Caesars which did reign in Iohns time will be the Pope or Papacy who now hath headed that Empire for many years By the former heads the woman as a city is supported by the last as she is a whore 4. We may consider the beast as under and acted by the last head the Pope so by it is represented the Roman sea or seâ—es Romana which by Religion under pretext of Christs Headship ruleth as broadly as ever any of her former states did as appeareth by what was said Chap. 13. In this respect it is of an Ecclesiastick nature to hold out a twofold respect in this beast beside any of the former so this fourth consideration taketh up the beast as the Authority ruling and the whore as the city where he ruleth for Chap. 19. he as a Beast or Governour hath a being when the whore is destroyed in the 18. If it be asked here Under what notion the beast is considered in this place Ans. 1. Under the last as it is headed with the Pope and under pretense of Religion domineereth Reason 1. It is the same beast Chap. 13. but that looketh to the last head of this beast or state of this Empire as is said 2. Because only the last state of this beast contemporateth with this cities becoming a whore to be supported by it 3. It is the state of the beast which then was to come and the sixth was then in being therefore it is the last for it is to go to perdition 4. It is the beast which all wonder at that Kings give their power willingly unto which is expresly called the beast vers 8. which should ascend c. and the beast to which the Kings shall give their power vers 13. and with whom they receive power vers 12. which only are true under the last state of the beast it being not so with any of the former Governments where heads were crowned and not the horns Chap. 12. here the horns were crowned Chap. 13. and are Kings in respect of temporall jurisdictions yet these same Kings under pretence of spirituall power are as much keeped under the beast with the seventh head as ever under any of the former If it be further asked how the woman sitteth on that beast It is clear two wayes 1. she sitteth on it as having her principall seat in the chief seat of that Roman Empire she sitteth on that Dominion and hath the city Rome for her nest Hence vers 9. in the exposition it is thus cleared she sitteth on the beast i. e. on the seven hills which is the center of the beasts Dominion and on many waters that is that same Empire 2. It is expounded in that word the beast that carrieth her vers 7. that is supporteth her by its authority and keepeth that city which otherwise had been desolate in some grandour by her as in Chap. 15. even as she was made famous by being the seat and residence of these who formerly managed the authority of that Dominion This then is the first thing whereby this whore is described the power or Empire wherein she dwelleth and whereby she is supported to wit Rome or the Roman sea which they call the rock on which their Babylon standeth as an unerring and an infallible foundation at least so far as to discover her to be this whore This beast or Empire getteth four marks in the Text 1. Her colour is scarlet pointing out 1. her grandour 2. her cruelty as the Dragon was coloured Chap. 12. 2. This beast is full of names of blasphemy Chap. 13. every head had blasphemies on it that is was blasphemous and idolatrous but this under the last head is now all full of them superstitions idolatries arrogant titles and usurpations were never claimed so much by any of the former as by this whereby appeareth that it holdeth forth no Christian Empire or Rome as Christian except under its defection The other two parts of the description to wit heads and horns are so particularly interpreted by the Angel afterwards that we shall forbear till we come to it which is the last part of the Chapter The second thing whereby the whore is described is her pompe and outward gloriousnesse vers 4. Whereby is set out 1. their pride in being so arrogant 2. their wealth and riches 3. her carriage to allure to her superstition with poisoned cups and such deckings as whores set themselves out by 4. Yet her deckings are but carnal and counterfeit decked that is guilded in the original it is not gold but guilded external pompe only whereby the world is taken more than with that simplicity wherewith the woman is adorned Chap. 12. So this pompe appeareth yet more 1. in the nature of her worship in Churches altars holy dayes ceremonies and garments 2. In the nature of her officers great Cardinals stately Princes are her Ministers 3. Their carriage is not needlesly observed that their great men delight in purple and scarlet is not by chance but by providence Baronius as cited Chap. 13 saith it was that Christs Priests should be in their pompe equall to the heathenish Pontifex Maximus The third property of this woman is her name in her forehead vers 5. which is not that this whore will own such a name as mother of harlots but rather disown it but alluding to the manner of impudent whores who set their badges and names to be known over their doores and on their
of a harvest and vintage and to what time this judgement doth relate 597 598 The person executing the judgement against Antichrist the incitment he hath to do so and the execution it self 598 599 600 The last plagues upon Antichrist and the instruments by whom he is plagued 601 602 The Song of the people of God at the over-throw of Antichrist a description of the singers the song it self and the matter thereof Antichrists last expedition for his support set forth in the principal authors thereof its speciall agents their work and the successe of all 621.622 623 That Antichrist is come and that the Pope is Antichrist proven and that he is not a single person who is to continue onely three years and an half 652 653 654 Bellarmin's arguments whereby he endeavoureth to prove that the Pope is not yet come answered 654 655 Concerning the continuing of Antichrist or the defection of the Church under him and its close 671 672 That the antichristian defection is presently in being and that it is to be found in Rome further cleared and proven 674 675 676 That it was not Christ really in His humanity who appeared to Iohn in vision proven 37 Directions to Ministers in applying their Doctrine 260 to 266 Armageddon what it is and why expresly set down in the Hebrew tongue 623 624 The preparations upon the Lambs side to the battell of Armageddon the Captain described and the event of the battell 700 701 702 The Arian heresie held forth by the first trumpet 420 421 422 That the Church under heathen Magistrates had not a like authority in Civil things as Ecclesiastick 91 B BAbylons judgement denounced what the judgement is the manner of expressing it with the cause why she is judged 58 Babylons judgement the denouncer the denounciation it self and the justice of this judgement 677 678 679 What Balaam's doctrine was and how that of the Nicolaitans agreed with it 155 What is meaned by the four Beasts Rev. 4. 275 276 Why the Beast under the Dragon Chap. 12. hath the crowns on his head and on his horns and that Beast Chap. 13.1 hath crowns on his horns not on his heads 524 Who that Beast is which is said to rise out of the sea and whether one with the following Beast 542 543 544 545 What we are to understand by that image which is made to the Beast 546 Antichrist set out and described in his power glory and cruelty by the Beast and the severall parts of that description 546 547 What is meaned by wounding and what by healing one of the heads of the Beast by whom he was wounded by whom healed the time of both with the effects which followed thereupon 548 549 550 What worship was given to the Beast and the description of his dominion in its continuance 551 552 The blasphemy persecution and enlargement of the Beasts dominion 553 554 The Antichrist described under the type of a Beast with two horns like a lamb and why he is called another Beast with the severall parts of the description 555 556 557 The power the Beast exerciseth who looketh like a lamb 558 What is meaned by the image made to the Beast and by its being made to live 560 The mark of the Beast and who are marked 561 The number of the Beast how to be understood 565 The mark and name of the Beast or the number of the Beast considered 567 568 The number of the Beasts name exponed and the reasons of the interpretation 568 569 Mahomet is not the Beast 572 The Beast taken up in a fourfold consideration how the woman sitteth thereon with a description of the Beast 632 633 The Beast described particularly in a threefold respect 635 636 637 How it is true that the Beast is not and yet is ibid. Whom we are to understand by the eighth Beast 641 The ground and warrand that all have to believe 305 When men are called to believe they are not called instantly to beleive that Christ died for them in particular 306 Believers happinesse in heaven set forth and what use they are to make of it for the present 401 402 Bishop Angel and Presbyter proven to be one in Scripture and that there is no difference between Bishop and Pastor with the answer of Doctor Hammonds Arguments to the contrary that there were ordinary Pastors in the Apostles dayes proven 223 224 225 226 to 234 Saving blessings far otherwayes the effect of Christs death than any common mercy that followeth thereupon to Reprobates 310 God hath a fourfold Book figuratively attributed to Him 18â— What the Book of life is and what the not blotting out of that Book meaneth ibid. What is the Book with the seven seals 243 That the little Book mentioned chap. 10.2 is the same with that spoken of chap. 5. cleared and confirmed 465 What is understood by taking and eating this little Book 468 What these Books are which are opened in the day of judgement and how they are said to be opened 743 Why the Book of life is produced and not Gods decree of reprobation also 744 The Book of life opened and what we are to understand by it ibid. How Christs feet are like unto Brasse 39 C Concerning a call to the Ministery and clearnesse therein 52 A necessity of clearnesse in a mans call to the Ministery and how it may be cleared where of the impulse of the Spirit that may be in one to the work of the Ministery and how to try if it be of the Lord 52 53 54 55 Churches why called Candlesâ—â—â—â—â— 51 The nature of the judgement pointed at by the Censers being filled with fire taken off the Altar 414 415 That they who pretend to highest titles in the Church even to that of Apostles may lawfully be tried and censured by the Church 69 The censuring of such most acceptable service 70 71 Censures have a threefold weight when they are rightly drawn forth 163 164 Considerations to be had in censuring 165 That children are to be baptized proven 515. Why Christ is called the faithfull witnesse why the first begotten of the dead and why the Prince of the Kings of the earth 5 The way of Christs coming set forth and made use of 24 The extent of the merit of Christs death 299 How Christs death is of an infinite value ibid. Christs death not a satisfaction for all but only for the chosen proven 299 300 301 Christs death and suffering not intended as a price to redeem any but such as were proposed to the Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption 301 All and every one noâ— proposed to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption to be redeemed ibid. Whether Christ hath redeemed all men conditionally Neg. 312 Christs Intercession and satisfaction of equal extent 315 316 Christ hath a care of the Elect to see to their safety in the greatest of judgement 388 The enlargement of Christs Church a most beautifull thing 394 The most righteous persons
seing it is still this same Church this same Woman and the same Door of entering and to denie this would say that Christs visible Church during that time was not constitute rightly as to her essentials and so upon the matter was none at all Neither can the second proposition be denied for the Woman the Church but fleeth from his abomination and de facto what more can be alleaged during that time Beside this is certain that any born and bred in Popery who did afterward receive the Gospel and renounce these former errors Such were to be accounted Members of the visible Church of Christ and not of Antichrist Thirdly Consider such Nations and Churches as having renounced Antichrist in profession and having submitted to the Gospel must either be Churches of Christ or they must belong to Antichrist or to be accounted without as Heathens But neither of these last two can be said Ergo c. To say that they are fit matter or materials for building of a Church will not satisfie for 1. the Scripture doth not speak of fit materials among baptized persons so as to contradistinguish them from the visible Church 2. This prophesie saith that such as in this manner separate from Antichrist shall not only be fit materials to make a Church to the Lord but they shall be His Churches de facto 3. If they have had Ordinances and Officers for many years and have begotten children to the Lord by them Then there must be more than matter of a Church for these are the priviledges and blessing wherewith His true Church is priviledged and none can bring forth â—eed to Him but she And 4. if these Churches be but matter and that as contradistinct from Churches Then it will at once strike at all the Churches of Christ these many years and put us to joyn with the Seekers in their hopelesse expectation of a new Church Fourthly Consider that all Nations and Persons so reforming after that defection do actually become Members of the visible Church which formerly was more latent for they become one in hating the whore one in acknowledging the Truth one in submitting to the same Ordinances And therefore what reason can there be to account them no Churches seing she by these characters hath been justly accounted the Church of Christ Fifthly The consideration of this prophesie to be fulfilled in the Reformation that hath been these hundred years past will strongly conclude that these reformed Churches must be true Churches though it may be that severall of them be in many things defective for if by this prophesie it be clear that the event that followeth Antichrists height must constitute true Churches and a Kingdom to Christ after a more conspicuous and visible manner than formerly and if it be true that this Reformation which hath come unto the world in the generation last past is the very fulfilling of this prophesie and the very event foretold here Then it cannot but follow that this Reformation must be acknowledged to have brought true visible Churches unto the world otherwayes the Truth of this prophesie will be put in question Now we suppose that by what hath been said of this in the former Lectures that both the former will be seen to be true Therefore this must necessarily follow for this Reformation is either what is prophesied of here or it is some other thing But it can be applicable to no other thing And if it can be applicable to no other thing Then these great events must be understood to carry alongst with them the visible Kingdom of Christ and the event must be answerable to what is foretold and if it were not so there were no such ground of a Song as is here insisted upon This Argument from the event of a prophesie being fulfilled even as the Iews that lived under the second Temple were to account that dispensation to be the fulfilling of the many prophesies that went before although many were not fully satisfied in their expectation and no question severall things were defective though the essentials were there LECTURE I. CHAP. XII Vers. 1. ANd there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars 2. And she being with childe cried travailing in birth and pained to be delivered 3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven and behold a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his heads 4. And his tail drew the third part of the Stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth and the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered for to devour her childe assoon as it was born 5. And she brought forth a man-childe who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her childe was caught up unto God and to his throne 6. And the woman fled into the wildernesse where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes THe seventh trumpet in the former Chapter gave a little touch of the events that are to be expected by it Now before he come particularly to insist on them in these three Chap. 12.13 and 14. the first explicatory vision contemporary with what went before is wisely and seasonably inserted and he returneth then to the third principall vision in the seven vials Chap. 15. and 16. Before we speak particularly to the words we shall lay down some generall observations conducing to the clearing of this vision and the scope thereof and more particularly of this Chapter 1. The principall matter handled in this vision is not different from or belonging to any other time but in the matter for substance in the time it doth agree with the former prophesies of the seals and trumpets It is added now and not before for explication of somethings in them because the threed and series of the story is deduced in a little view from Christs dayes to the end of the world and it is lesse violent now to begin than if between the seals and trumpets some part of this had been inserted Beside neither would the matter have been so clear if it had been divided neither is it lesse consistent with the series of the prophesie to interpose something for clearing by-past visions here than it was to insert something for clearing what was coming Chap. 7. That it treateth I say of the same things and belongeth to the same time appeareth for the matter of this belongeth either to Heathenish persecution and the Churches travailing or to Antichrist the beast mentioned Chap. 11. in his rise reign and begun ruine all which are the very matter of the former prophesies And the rise and close of this vision will be found contemporary with the former two visions Therefore it must belong to the same time 2. Observe That in this vision the principal scope is
almost like to a widow before this now received a Court Popes Cardinals and her solitarinesse was helped and she looketh out again as majestically and commander-like by this head as by any other That this is the healing here understood appeareth by the effects 1. The admiration that then followed in the worldâ— and the thanks they in effect gave the devil for this service as generally better content with this than with any other head that ever was before The particular effect in this verse is All the world wondered after the beast It is more to wonder after than at the beast Here beginneth the effects of his enchantment on the world after this healing which was not before 2. This admiration after the beast is more particularly set forth afterward It implieth 1. an unexpected amazement as at the seeing of something they had not seen or thought to see so soon and certainly the wicked world could not have expected again an Idolatrous head so soon 2. It importeth a sort of Divine or Religious reverence or doting on the beast superstitiously for it is after the beast which is clear afterward as holding out an estimation of some Religious thing in this head who is called Christs vicar more than in any which went before which cannot agree to a civil state 3. It importeth a willingnesse or gladsomnesse in the doing of this as affected or delighted with it It is otherwayes expressed by enchanting the inhabitants of the earth mens wicked nature that loveth whoring from God now welcometh exceedingly this corrupt beast and submitteth to him and drinketh-in in a deluded way his fornications willingly where we have an emblame of mans nature 2. The parties admiring are all the world that is as large dominion and possibly more under this head healed than ever any head had before him It is all who are not elected whereby it is clear again that this beast wondered-after is Antichrist and this admiration or worship is more than civil he hath exceeding many yea Emperours Kings and great men giving their power to him and that willingly Chap. 17. which they never did to any other In a word saith he when this head came up this beast got moe followers and other sort of respect than ever before For clearing this exposition of the wound and healing Consider this wound must be at the time of the Churches begun flight which was contemporary with the fall of Idolatrous Emperours for this healed head is contemporary with the womans flight therefore this wound must be before which can be no other but that though this healing immediately appeared not as is said 2. Consider that at that time five heads were past the seventh to come which riseth after the healing of this wounded head and is the seventh or papacy it is not wounded here nor was it in being before these fourty two moneths began and during that time it hath power and is not wounded It must be then the sixth of the Emperours that suffered at that time when the woman began to flee Now there was then no wound in the temporall grandour glory and state of the Empire it was as great under Constantine as ever Therefore he is known by that name Constantine the great it must then be the change we expounded it to be 3. Add if the papacyes rising to be the seventh head be the healing of this wound Then must the wound be such a want or change as papacy supplieth But papacy healeth this and is the seventh head This beast which endureth fourty two moneths and hath power from the Dragon healeth and recovereth this seat that was lost and sitteth again in Rome c. and this is papacy as is proven and will Chap. 17. more fully appear Now the thing which the devil aimeth at by the papacyes settling at Rome is the recovering of that worship which he lost and by the Popes means again by Idols and Images the devil is worshipped Chap. 9.20 and here v. 2. Ergo the removing this Idolatrous worship by publick Authority which was the Dragon's casting from Heaven Chap. 12. is the wound here Beside temporall over-running of the Empire by Goths Vandals and such like can neither be called one wound because it was frequent nor attributed to this seventh head because out of it the Popes reaped still advantage as also they suit not this time nor was the Emperours healed after these incursions so as to have more following than before and the Emperours not being heads after they became Christian as will be clear Chap. 17. and it not being they who are wondered at as this head after its healing is It cannot therefore be applied to them but as is said LECTURE II. Vers. 4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast and they worshipped the beast saying Who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue fourty and two moneths 6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations 8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world THe first part of this Chapter describeth Antichrist under a secular notion of civil power It setteth him out first in his rise vers 1 2 3. In three things 1. To what state he belongeth to wit that of seven heads and ten horns that is the Roman vers 1. 2. Of what nature he is he is compounded of monstrous qualities vers 2. 3. To what time or revolution of that Roman state he belongeth to wit that which after the wounded head was healed and the horns had gotten Crowns that is to say after the civil Empire is weakened and divided in sundry Kingdoms and the Pope steppeth up to act them all 2. His reign or the effects of his rise after this head is sealed are set down from vers 4. forward in four steps or effects first toward the gracelesse world he obtaineth much respect and applause from them even in the highest degree so that he ruleth amongst them at his pleasure vers 4. The second is the time of his continuance vers 5. The third containeth his blasphemy or doctrine towards God vers 6. The fourth and last his persecution against the Saints or his practice towards them vers 7. and 8. The universality of the subjection he getteth or of the power he hath is restrained to the Reprobate world as the proper object of his Kingdom as it is of the Dragons who giveth him that power The first effect after his rising vers 4. is set out in three steps
they are not to be confounded yet that any thing in the vision is affirmed in the present time it will not prove it then to have been seing it is ordinary for things to come to be represented as present or past More particularly we come now to the preface of the vision vers 1. and 2. Wherein the sum and scope of the vision is proposed In which consider 1. the thing proposed to be shown It is the judgement of the great whore 2. some properties of that whore hinted at 3. by whom this is revealed In the proposition the word whore which in all languages cometh from mercenarinesse shortly implyeth two things 1. An engagement on the party sinning there is a breach of wedlock-bond as Ezek. 16.38 2. The nature of the sin as inconsistent with the nature of that tie to wit Idolatry c. with which God will have no communion though many other infirmities may consist with that bond of Marriage yet this is particularly whoredom in Scripture a peoples shamefull prostituting themselves to idols and strange worship who were engaged to God See Hos. 4 12 13. with the right exposition of that place So here by whore is understood some city or state as vers 18. yet such as hath been engaged to God and hath made defection from him to Idolatry In which respect Israel Iudah and Ierusalem do get the name of harlots peculiarly and are charged with spirituall fornication beyond other Nations because of this their tie to God which others had not Beside this whore is painted out in opposition to that woman and wife Chap. 12. which evanished and this whore and strumpet appeareth in her place 2. By judgement we understand her ruine especially when it cometh to her seat which is the great city and is here manifested to Iohn 1. to shew that it was certain and so to prevent stumbling at that whores greatnesse and pompe 2. To shew that it came not by guesse but that God had ordered her ruine 3. To begin this explication with the fifth vial preceeding Chap. 16. 2. The property of this whore hinted at here is her greatnesse Thus to distinguish this corrupted Church from ordinary defections heresies and schisms whereby often the married Spouse of Christ hath been an harlot and particular Churches have degenerated This is the great whore looking to the great defection and falling away spoken of in Scripture 2 Thess. 2. to be in the dayes of Ancichrist and the greatest eclipse that the light after Christs dayes had to endure This greatnesse of this whore is four wayes expressed and proven 1. She sitteth upon many waters vers 1. to set out the greatnesse of her temporall dominion she that was a mistresse over People Nations c. vers 15. is to be this whore and by her whoredoms and idolatries was to keep these under her power 2. She is a great whore in respect of these who sin with her and share of her idolatries superstitions and errors These are the Kings and great men of the earth such have been Popish for many generations 3. In respect of the extent of her whoredom or commonnesse of it It is not only with Kings but indifferently she proposed unto and did bear in her strumperies on all sorts great and small the meanest behoved to bear her mark Chap. 13. even all the inhabiters of the earth 4. She is a great whore in respect of that degree of whoredoms wherewith she hath intoxicated them She hath made them dâ—unk with the wine of her fornications 1. Her sin is fornication which ordinarily in the Old Testament is applyed to Idolatry in putting some other in Gods room Now there is no Christian Church hath degenerated in this respect to own Images and Idolatry but Rome 2. She hath entysing wayes as poisoned cups of wine to allure to her idolatries Many threatnings promises and false miracles have been made use of to engage the world to this 3. She maketh them drink of these till they be drunk being through Gods judgement deluded as 1 Thess. 2. madd and irrationally addicted to and bent on that way of superstition as appeareth by the many Abbacies Monâ—steries superstitious titles and submissions given to Popes and persecutions against all her faithfull opposers which bear witnesse how drunk the world hath been with that conceit of the Roman Church LECTURE II. Vers. 3. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wildernesse and I saw â— woman â—it upon a scarlet coloured beast full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns 4. And the woman was arayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls having a golden cap in her hand full of abominations and filthinesse of her fornication 5. And upon her forehead was a name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus THe vision it self followeth to the 7. vers and there are two circumstances premitted vers 3. before it be represented to Iohn as contributing for the disposing and fitting of Iohn for the beholding of it 1. He is carried in the Spirit which holdeth forth the frame of his mind he was not in body transported but by the Spirit his soul was withdrawn from its ordinary way of making use of bodily organs to another more immediate and sublime way of receiving impressions of what was represented such as was spoken of Chap. 1.10 signifying that it is needfull to be spirituall before one be capable of the visions of God a spirituall man and a spirituall frame is the best discerner of these 1 Corinth 2. 2. He is taken to the wildernesse by that ecstasie he is removed from ordinary commerce to a wildernesse where that whore is represented to him though it be not her dwelling By this is implyed 1. That spiritualnesse of frame and abstractednesse and retirednesse go often together one in the Spirit will be one often apart in private as our blessed Lord was 2. That an abstracted retired frame of heart is fittest for discerning what is right and what is wrong It is not at Court where folks come soonest to discern the whore the glistering of that shew keepeth men from the right up-taking of her But when men soberly retire to think of things in the most abstracted manner then what seemeth gold to others is often found but to be guilded to them as here vers 4. When Iohn is thus qualifyed and composed then is the vision represented an uncouth sight a woman described in four or five properties or markes 1. by the beast which supporteth her vers 3. which beast is in four characters set out For understaning of which beside what is said Observe That by woman is understood here the whore formerly mentioned to wit a whorish Church or a faithfull city turned to be an harlot
heads he would shew two things in the antichristian Church 1. Great impudency in owning and maintaining these things which are indeed great abominations their publick Images and bowing to them their disputes for and defences of their grossest superstitions so that her whoredoms need not be sought out by secret search they do it before the Sun 2. Great evidence of guilt so that by trying her and comparing her way with the Word it will be found clearly that she is Babylon c. as if these titles and superscriptions were written on her as her name which name is to be gathered not out of letters and words as neither that of Chap. 13. ult but out of doctrines practices and others her properties by spirituall wisdom making the application of these descriptions both Chap. 13.18 and here vers 9. for none owning the Revelation to be Gods Word will willingly take that name which will make them passe for Antichrist or his Church and if this name be not literally taken why should the number be Chap. 13 The name is in three 1. MYSTERY which sheweth there is both great iniquity here and that it is so put together that it looketh like a mystery either to conceive it or to discover by it such a party to be the whore For which it is called 2 Thess. 2. the mystery of iniquity in opposition to the mystery of godlinesse In all which Antichrist imitateth Christ lest he should be discovered Or it may be mystically Babylon as spiritually Sodom Chap. 11. Babylon not really which none can plead but in a mysterie The second part of the name is BABYLON THE GREAT of which we have spoken and applied it to Rome It is called BABYLON first for its headship during the fourth Empire as Babylon was in the second And secondly for its idolatry in it self and in its cruelty in bringing and keeping at under Gods people And thirdly because Babylons curse followeth it for Babylons sin Of this more was said Chap. 14. The third word is MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH which setteth out a superiority and precedency in this Rome in polluting the world actively with her pollutions and that the superstitious way of the rest of the world is derived from her she is as the mother and fountain that bringeth forth all superstitions 2. A sort of precedency and priority of a Mother-Church as she calleth her self she shall claim not only to be the first Church but to be over all as the rule and example to them And indeed in respect of the corrupt part of the Church as it is antichristian she is so It holdeth forth eminently high defection which must have its birth from Rome and over which Rome shall especially preside Which titles cannot agree to heathenish Rome that never propagated error to others but rather civilly and left still an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Laws and Religion to the Nations they conquered But they agree well to Rome now in its splendid titles as Peters Chaire the infallible Church that cannot err the Church that cannot be obscured or ruined Catholick supream Judge of all c. and so hath given the rise to all the idolatries and superstitions that have come into the Church from it and like a kindly mother hath alway taken the defence of these and fostered them as her own brood through all the world The last two properties of this whores description to wit the fourth and fifth we put together as holding out her practice whereby her inclination and guilt appeareth in these 1. An entising of others to that sin of fornication spiritually by that cup which she holdeth forth to them with her abominations that she may entise them with these vers 4. he alludeth to what is written of the filthiest whores to which he compareth this harlor 2. An humour and inclination to persecution vers 6. which is three wayes set out 1. In respect of the parties persecuted they are 1. Saints for alleaged crimes persecuted and wrongs falsly imputed to them 2. Martyrs such are not only Saints unjustly wronged but persecuted on the account of Christs Truth or for opposing her way and witnessing against it 2. This persecution is set forth by her contented manner of going about that work she thirsted for their bloud and drinketh it as with delight and satisfaction 3. In the degree it came to so much that she was drunk with bloud having thus drunk so much that she was loathsome under it senselesse of it and overflowing with the guilt of it as drunkards are with drink beyond measure How well this agreeth to Rome look Chap. 13. That by blasphemy is holden forth Idolatry and by whoredom defection to Idolatry appeareth also 1. It is one sort of blasphemy which is common to this seventh head with all the rest of the heads and theirs was Idolatry 2. By the common phrase of Scripture that when Israel is charged with whordom or breaking wedlock Ezek. 16. and blaspheming God Chap. 20.27 It is expounded in the verse following to be their Idolatry and whoring after Idol-worship on every high hill See Ezek. 23.7 and 30. LECTURE III. Vers. 6. And when I saw her I wondered with great admiration 7. And the Angel said unto me Wherefore didst thou marvell I will tell thee the mysterie of the woman and of the beast that carrieth her which hath the seven heads and ten horns 8. The beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse 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 when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is THe third part of the Chapter to wit the interpretation of the former vision followeth and before we come to it there is the occasion of it set down and the undertaking of the Angel vers 6 7. The occasion is the effect which that vision had on Iohn he wondered with great admiration This wondering is not as the world wondereth vers 8. which of such a one as Iohn was cannot be said but he wondered to see that beast and the woman so linked together and desidered in himself to know the meaning of it as the Angels words imply vers 7. a wondering what it might mean such a type of a beast he saw formerly Chap. 13. yet the exposition of some parts of the description is left till now that it might hence appear that the knowledge of this mysterie should not altogether but piece and piece be manifested and that the revealing of Antichrist is especially reserved to the last dayes of his begun ruine and therefore it is no marvell that many of the Fathers speak obscurely and wildely concerning him The Angel vers 7. propoundeth to clear four things 1. the woman 2. the beast that carrieth her 3. the seven heads 4. the ten horns which agree to
state that then was It may also mean an active perdition in respect of destroying others in which respect Chap. 9. he is called Apollyon and 2 Thess. 2. the son of perdition for this describeth him best in his nature and is like one who cometh from that fountain from which he hath his rise 3. He is described by the welcome he should have in the world when he arose or the effect he should have on the world They that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the Lambs book This setteth out the absolutenesse of his reception or the obedience that should be given him in four 1. in extent the whole world almost all the Roman Empire except some Elect ones by God keeped from that impurity as also Chap. 13. it is as broad as ever it was in any form before 2. There is the kind of subjection expressed by wondering a superstitious subjection to him as to some Deity and not meerly as to a civill Governour as in the former heads for such subjection many Elect children gave but this is an Idolatrous adoration such as Papists give to their Popes 3. It setteth out the degree of subjection this of admiration is more nor ordinary and is to be wholly at the beck and command of this beast under this consideration it is a superstitious devotednesse to him 4. There is the motive of all this it is willingly they admire him not by constraint of arms but by a mistaken devotion they of themselves give up and enslave themselves to him as is said of the Kings vers 13. they shall give their power to the beast and vers 17. they agree to do it They were now out of temporall subjection the Empire having become weak and they upon that had got their Kingdom yet this admiration had such influence on them as to make them universally yeeld to this beast upon this account more willingly than Armies had made them do to the former The exception put in a parenthesis whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world not only holdeth forth that compliance to be an exceeding sinfull defection even such as the Elect should not yea to the end cannot continue in it But 1. It sheweth there is a difference made by Jesus Christ of Elect and Reprobate as if by name they were written in distinct Books 2. It sheweth it is eternall and so without dependance on our free wills it is before the world 3. It sheweth that our standing and being keeped clean is a fruit of Election and not our Election a fruit of our foreseen faith or works It is they admire not because they are written in the Lambs book and not they are written because they admire not 4. It sheweth a suitablenesse in the end and midses these Elected to glory are brought to it by Holinesse Eph. 1.4 and Sanctification 2 Thess. 2. vers 13. in being keeped from such filthinesse as others fall in and which otherwise they would have fallen in and on the contrary they go to destruction falling in sins which are the causes of their damnation though not of their reprobation yet the decrees in respect of their ends are not without respect to these midses although not grounded on them 4. And lastly he is in this last consideration described by the ground of this admiration which pointeth at the state it agreeth unto This is proposed by way of ridle When they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is This is to be understood with respect to the time of the beasts actuall existing under the last consideration wherein he is admired and seen by the inhabitants of the earth and so not only was and is not as in the former part of the Verse when this state was to come but now it is so it differeth in the notion of timing it from what it was formerly and is thus to be understood They see now an Empire which being before that time was exceeding different from this 1. in form 2. in nature or kind ut supra the heads then were crowned Chap. 12. now the horns 2. It is not that is it is a Dominion but it is not the former which was it is spirituall and so admired 2. It lordeth and ruleth over ten Crowned Kings the former did over ten Legats Proconsuls or Governours of Provinces 3. It useth not arms directly but Excommunications Censures c. 4. It was openly heathenish and idolatrous now it is secret under pretext of Christs Vicar so that old forme is away For this beast may be two wayes conceived 1. in its generall complex consideration 2. more particularly in its heads and horns In the generall consideration he compareth the whole beast in its Ecclesiastick nature complexly with the whole beast considered as a temporall Empire considered also complexly as under any of its first six heads so this last beast which supporteth the whore upon an Ecclesiastick account is opposed to its civil consideration as a civill power which went before In this sense there are but two states of this beast one that was present and to passe when this last succeeded another to come But when he considereth again the beast more particularly in respect of its heads and horns and compareth the Governments among themselves vers 10 11. there are seven forms whereof five were past one present and one to come Hence it is that he calleth this Ecclesiastick state of this beast the eighth looking to its distinct nature from the former and also the seventh as it is upon the matter the same power continuing the Dominion of Rome in one series with the former forms even as the two beasts were distinguished Chap. 13. upon that diverse account though upon the matter one So this first was and is not is no contradiction for the beast i. e. the Empire then was yet was not this power come as the supporter of the whore but was to come in which respect he is looked upon as distinct from all the other heads The third step is and yet is that is though it now differ much from what it was yet it is really that same Dominion upon the matter by other spirituall weapons 1. ruling as amply as ever their predecessors did 2. having as full and absolute rule as ever it had See for this two sayings of Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. cap. 21. pag. 301. cited Chap. 13. 3. It ruleth as tyrannously as any of the former encroaching on others liberties till it bring them under and when it hath done that it exerciseth its power also cruelly especially against the Saints as vers 14. and Chap. 13. 4. It keepeth the former throne and seat though under another form it getteth the Dragons seat and Authority Chap. 13. and these people Nations and Languages and Kings that formerly had the former beast for their temporall lord they have Papacy for their spirituall 5. in respect
of its blasphemous idolatry and superstitions which though they differ someway in kind yet for number they are as many for guilt as great for effects of wrath as dangerous so that who would compare the many images dayes and Temples before applied to the idols of the heathens which now are called and turned into images dayes and Temples of the Saints they might say the idolatry upon the matter is the same though the names be changed even as their Churches are See Chap. 13. This upon the matter is the new formed image of the beast spoken of there In all which respects though it might be said that this beast is not the former in some respect yet materially it is in being as the Text saith Hence this argument may be formed That Government or Dominion in the world which in some respect to wit as civill was before Iohns time governing all yet as such that is as Ecclesiastick and under a different consideration was not come in his time but shortly was to succeed that which then was over Rome yet as differing from it and in its rise and nature to be no ordinary civill power but an unwarrantable Ecclesiastick power at which the world was to admire and unto which they were willingly to give a more absolute and divine subjection than to any of the former powers under that Government Rome is the antichristian whore That Government is antichristian and the head and supream Governour thereof is Antichrist But the Papacy is that Government which was not in Iohns time yet succeeded to that which then was in amplitude of Government and to which men willingly yeeld and have yeelded such an obedience and subjection which now is begun to go into perdition c. Therefore that Church is the whore that Government antichristian and that head and Governour is Antichrist for he immediatly succeedeth to that which was in Iohns time and according to Bellar. de Pontif. lib. 3. since the Gospel came to light goeth into perdition and all these marks agree to him only Therefore he is the state pointed at by these Or thus That form of Dominion over the Roman Empire which is not in kind one with what it was in Iohns time but immediately succeedeth to that and yet in respect of amplitude of Government and degree of subjection to it is the same with or more ample than the former though upon a different consideration and account that Dominion or Empire under that form is the beast seen by Iohn But Papacy is such a Government and the Empire of Rome under it is such Therefore it is the Dominion described by him as the antichristian Kingdom LECTURE IV. Vers. 9. And here is the mind which hath wisdome The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth 10. And there are seven Kings five are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space 11. And the beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seven and goeth into perdition THe Angel proceedeth to a particular interpretation of the parts to wit heads and horns wherein the beast was most singular and remarkable There is a sentence casten in before he descend to it Here is the mind which hath wisdom which is something like that Chap. 13.18 and it looketh both to what is past putting Readers to consider well of it and to what is coming pointing out something that a man of wisdom will not let passe but take hold of these marks for discerning of the whore The words imply 1. a materialnesse in the matter written as conducing for the understanding of this mystery 2. a difficulty to get a mind composed to take it up there will be need of spirituall and true wisdom 3. that such wisdom will find what is in it and get so much gripping as to fix them in this who is this whore and beast and therefore this Chapter would be the more fully insisted in 4. It Implieth that it is a rare thing to apply these marks wisely and that the generality of Readers will not do it And by this we may see that though promises be fulfilled and prophesies also and the expressions be very obvious and palpable to any that have discerning yet they are not so to these who have their minds blinded with prejudice and spiritual blindness such prophesies as are most clearly fulfilled and applied to Christ to the Iews are dark and others of Daniel and Ezekiel which undoubtedly are fulfilled are also obscure It is no marvell then that so many Papists wondering after this beast cannot wisely discern his marks It will take wisdom to do that which every one hath not and therefore that argument of Bellar. against the fulfilling of this prophesie because it is so obscure to many is of no force He beginneth at the heads and giveth two interpretations or two applications of that type or he declareth two things to be meaned by it 1. The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman or chief city sitteth 2. They are seven Kings We premit this that all the marks after described agree to one beast out of all which put together the clearing of what is signified is to be gathered Therefore that Empire or city must have seven hills which hath seven Kings and to whom the one is applied the other must be applied also otherwayes they do not serve the scope which is by the parts of one beast to discover the Empire meaned by it in whole The first exposition of heads is by the fixed property and naturall situation of this city or woman to wit mountains The second is by what is successive one to and after one another The former of seven mountains are contemporary this is successive and in diverse forms The heads are called mountains because in this they signifie so and we are to understand mountains Kings and to be set out by heads and horns in a metonymicall speach the signes getting the name of what is signified by it not that really they are so By these then mountains are properly to be understood and the number seven is definite also as appeareth by the exposition which followeth for Kings are properly seven and the number definite as appeareth by that that five are past one is c. and this suiteth with the nature of the Angels interpreting the seven Candlesticks and seven Stars Chap. 1.20 to be seven Churches and seven Angels as is said in the preface These mountains then are 1. described by their number seven and if the number were not definite but put for seven nine or eleven c. then it could not contribute to designe one place by another which yet is here the Angels scope who speaketh of these seven mountains as of seven mountains famous in respect of others and some way peculiar to this city 2. They are described from this that the woman sitteth on them
are not a head but he must be this head whom these horns acknowledge and seing they acknowledge another now which they did not in Iohns time Therefore this must be fulfilled And therefore we conclude that the sixth Government which then was is past and that the seventh hath succeeded ◠except we say the beast for many years hath had no head and it s before cleared also that neither Christian Emperour nor Gothish King can properly be called the seventh head of this beast yea or a head at all A third thing clear is that the Pope or Papacy may well be called a head or Government of this Empire for 1. that it is a Government cannot be denied and of a distinct kind from any of the former 2. It hath its seat at Rome and is a King of that seven hilled city as is also clear 3. That it extendeth its Dominion not only over Rome or that part called now the Empire but over at least all that was the western Empire and further for many years and if the same body that is commanded or governed be the beast the Government that commandeth it being thus circumstantiated must be the head or we must say that that Empire hath not been under a head for a long time which cannot be 4. Therefore we may further argue If Papacy be a Government of that Empire it must be the seventh and last which we take to be one as is said for 1. that was not in Iohns time it is not that which then was but that being the sixth and this having succeeded to it in its seat and Dominion must therefore be the seventh that was not then come 2. If all the characters agreeing to the seventh head be verified in it Then it must be the seventh But the first is true Ergo c. These characters agree to the seventh 1. to have ten Kings out of the ruine of the Roman Empire contemporary with it that Government contemporary with them is the seventh Papacy is so 2. that these Kings give their power to it willingly 3. that they persecute at its direction 4. that some of them hate her again all which are verified in the Papacy There are two objections against this the last whereof will lead us to open the 11. verse Object 1. The seventh head is but to continue a short space but that agreeth not to the Pope Answ. It is not a short space simply as is before cleared but comparatively short with a sure destruction for which cause it is said also of the eight vers 11. that he goeth even from his beginning to perdition The second Objection is seemingly stronger If the Pope be the seventh Then who is the eight it seemeth that would agree better to him and therefore their must be some moe Governments understood seing there is an eight particularly mentioned Answ. 1. The Papacy is both the seventh and the eight but in different respects and on diverse considerations for that there are but seven and that this eight is so the eight as he must be of the seven therefore the very seventh six being before his rise fallen is cleared before and therefore Papacy if it be the seventh that succeedeth the sixth which then was it must also be the eight But I say differently considered 1. Papacy considered as a Princedome and the Pope as a Prince he is the seventh head in that same series with the other that went before But 2. Papacy being considered as an Ecclesiastick power and so much different in nature and kind from the former and as having a twofold relation as a Prince and as a Pastor or Prince of Pastors so he is the eighth as being so various from the former that one of these relations setteth out but one half of him yet is he even under this consideration indeed one of the former seven though by himself or others he shall be thought so different from them as to be accounted both the seventh and eight for which reasons he is Chap. 13. set out by two beasts one holding forth his temporall power the other his Ecclesiastick Again consider this beast which Iohn saw complexly as with his body whereby he carrieth the whore he doth so differ from any head even from the seventh and may be called also an eight as a seventh Thus being considered he is a totum and the head a part but again considered as he governeth that body he is of the seventh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is one of that reckoning by a Synecdoche the beast for that head of the beast and so he is a seventh and eight as he is not and yet is in diverse respects and therefore is it observed that though he called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the neuter genet in the Greek yet the relative even be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the masculine that looketh to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or King represented by that beast that is the King understood by this beast in its last head he is both the eight and seventh that is of a twofold respect and so differeth from any that went before him which is added as a distinguishing mark to difference this last head or state of that Empire from any preceeding It is to come and when it cometh it will look like a seventh and an eight also yet really is the seventh under which form the beast shall go to destruction and not overlive that form Therefore Chap. 19. the beast that is the body and the false prophet that is the head go into destruction together Hence this argument may be formed If the seventh head here be that Government over Rome succeeding to that which governed it in Iohns time to wit the Roman Emperours Then the Pope is this seventh head for he succeeded But the former is true Ergo. Or if the Pope be the seventh Government succeeding to that which was then over Rome in Iohns time Then is Rome under him the whore and he is the Antichrist But the former is truth us supra Ergo. That which Bellar. asserteth lib. 3. de Pontis cap. 15. pag. 294. that Antichrist shall be ultimus Rex Romani Imperii non tamen sub nomine Romani Imperatoris and that he is supremum ultimum caput impiorum c. as he asserted immediately before alluding to this that by this last head is understood Antichrist doth confirm this And it may then from this be gathered that the Pope is Antichrist thus If the Pope be the last Governour of the Roman Empire yet not under the title of Roman Emperour Then he is Antichrist that is granted But that he is the last King of the Roman Empire c. appeareth thus If the Pope or papacy be the seventh Government which succeeded to that over the Roman Empire which was in Iohn's time yet under another name Then it is the last for the seventh is last ut supra and under it the beast
goeth to perdition But the Pope is the seventh which succeeded unto the sixth that then was and he hath keeped the Government of a long time since under another title than the Roman Emperour Ergo he is Antichrist What is alleaged by some that seven ages of the world are to be understood here or the seven oppressing Monarchies where Gods people suffered as Assyria Babylon Egypt Grecia c. That may be confuted by this argument Such Kings are understood by these seven heads as are Governments or Governours of one City yea of that seven hilled city and commanded one Empire and do head one and the same beast But none of these forenamed are such Therefore are not understood here LECTURE V. Vers. 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdom as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the beast 13. These have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the beast 14. These shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of lords and King of kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull THe Angle having interpreted the seven heads he goeth on to expound what is meaned by horns They are saith he ten Kings described beside their number ten in these four 1. that they were not presently Kingdoms as the beast was an Empire but were to come 2. That they were to be in the beasts time that is in the last state of the beast 3. That in their practice they would war with the Lamb. 4. In the event he would overcome them and some reasons are given of his victory that it was certain vers 14. In generall remember 1. that these horns are of and belong to the last state of the beast to wit under the seventh head which supporteth the whore the former sixth head had ten horns Chap. 12. that is exerced its strength and malice by so many Provinces or Pretors or Proconsuls but there is a difference here This seventh head called the eight King hath the same Provinces almost and as many but now they are Crowned as Chap. 13. He maketh use of Kings to do his businesse to persecute the Godly and to fight for him as the former made use of their Legats and Officers who had no Crowns Chap. 12. so both have Governours in which their strength and help consisteth but the last hath formal Kings to be his instruments This then is the character The last state or head of the beast shall have as large power as any of the former but his Vassals shall be formally Kings over whom he shall command as soveraignly and of whom he shall make use as absolutely as the former did of their servants The term of horns being borrowed from beasts as the whole Empire is compared to one beast who by their horns push and hurt in their fightings 2. Advert That there is no affinity betwixt the ten horns mentioned here and the ten horns mentioned Dan. 7.24 as there is no affinity betwixt these two beasts For first That in Daniel is an Empire which is to evanish at or before Christs first coming in the flesh Compare Dan. 7.26 with Chap. 2.44 45. these here get not their power till long after 2. These in Dan. are successive Kings of the same Kingdom one coming after another vers 24. here they are contemporary vers 12 13. These horns in Dan. are supream Kings of that Kingdom which is there set out by the beast exercing that same power the beast describing the Kingdom complexly and the horns the Kings separately v. 24. But here the beast is different from the horns now when they are crowned as it was before they got their Crowns Hence they give their power to the beast the beast is another King in some respect superiour to them which is not so in Daniel the beast there comprehendeth all these Kings 4. There is there one little horn which is last peculiarly spoken of whereof there is no mention here so that either there are eleven horns or there is a difference among the ten which is not here 5. add that if that little horn were Antichrist then the beast here were not Antichrist seing the beast and the horns differ for all the horns give power to the beast the seventh head and if that little horn be Antichrist he must do so also 6. Here the beast Antichrist is not posterior to the horns nor any of the horns to it or to one another for they are horns of the beast and at the same time there that little horn cometh last which sheweth they are not to represent one thing Neither can it be said that that little horn there and the beast here are one for 1. that little horn hath not ten horns for he destroyeth three Kings and seven are past either then he must have but seven Kings under him which are not destroyed or only three for a difference there must be between the three destroyed and the other and therefore there are not ten together In a word these ten horns set forth the Kingdom of Syria or the Seleucids of which stock came Antiochus Epiphanes by whom the Iews suffered much which was past before Christs birth Thus the Papists by mixing these do but endeavour to darken this Scripture and obscure the true Antichrist But it is clear they are not to be confounded for these horns here do well agree with the beast and for a time unanimously do all give their power to him but Dan. 7.24 that little horn destroyeth three before he come to his power Beside if that of the little horn were applied to Antichrist then it would infer that he destroyed the horns whereas here the horns destroy him Again by that little horn Chap. 7.23 is understood that little horn Chap. 8.9 and therefore by the last beast with the ten horns our of which that little one ariseth Chap. 7.24 must be understood the same beast with the four horns Chap. 8. seing from it that little horn descendeth as by comparing it with vers 23. is clear More particularly concerning these Kings Observ. 1. That they are not personally or individually to be understood as if it were so many Kings in one generation only for these Kings thus characterized take in all the ages since Kingdoms arose out of the Empire which in Iohns time was subject to it at least when in a considerable number they assumed dominion and soveraignty to themselves for the Empire in Iohn's time while these Kingdoms were not is clearly distinguished from that time and head or supream Governour when these Kingdoms were to come as having another face of an Empire on it Therefore seing these Kingdoms have had their rise long since out of that Empire and somethings concerning them being yet to be fulfilled It must take in moe ages than one for all that time is but counted one state of that dominion
belonging to that one last head and opposed by these horns to the former 2. Obs. That they are Kingdoms of some bounds of the Empire horns now that are Kings which before were horns without crowns under the sixth head in Iohn's time and after yeelded willingly to the seventh 3. Obs. That it is not necessary we understand it of a succession directly in that same line so that it must be that same Kings stock and that same People of a Kingdom who must hate the whore that first took to themselves soveraignity and gave their power to the beast It is enough that they occupy these same places and bounds though not in that line as all Emperours before how-ever they succeeded they come in under one King and are typified by one head if they came to that seat of Rome Thus then by horns that this last beast hath understand so many Kings wherewith as so many horns he shall push as these did in Dan. 8. So here vers 14. they make war which is the beasts own war prosecuted by them Chap. 13. The first thing in the horns or Kings is their number ten for understanding whereof it is not necessary that peremptorily that number be stuck to as if so many and no moe behoved to be for they are not so circumstantiated as the seven Governments it may be so many speciall horns who shall rise and be especially serviceable to the beast and instrumentall in his ruine though there may be moe lesse observable as Dan. 8.8 the goat had four notable horns because they were chief though there was some little petty Governments beside these four of Selucius in Assyria Ptelemiâ— in Egypt Cassander or Antipater in Macedonia or Grecia Antigonus in Asia the lesse which is called Anatolia corruptly Natolia Besides these there was one of Thracia whose King was Lysimachâ—â— to passe eight moe that minted at the Kingdom he continued fourty years 2. They may signifie this much that this seventh head should have as many horns as the sixth and that though Kings should start out from the Emperours Dominion yet the last Government should not the lesse be strong by them 3. It may be ten to shew that in all tossings of Kingdoms these divided Kingdoms once separated from the Empire should continue and be almost about that number of teâ— as at the first they were They are thus reckoned out by Med. in Apâ—c 8. under the second trumpet to wit 1. of Brittons 2. of Saxons both in Britain 3. of Francks in Gallia Belgica 4. of Burgundians in Gallia Celtica 5. of Vicegoths in Gallia Aquitania and part of Spain 6. Suaevorum and Alanorum where Portugal is now 7. Vandals in Africk 8. Almans in Germany 9. Ostrogoths in Hungaria 10. of Greeks in the East This was Anno 455. or 460. since which time the Empire hath continued divided and though some Nations have changed their seates yet the number hath never been lesse and by this also it appeareth that neither Graecia nor Germany from this forth being but parts as other Provinces and having no interest in Rome are to be accounted heads but horns with the others The second character or first if we count not the number one of these ten Kings is from their present condition in Iohn's time They had received no power or kingdom as yet for then they were under the Emperours civil Government and were not called Kingdoms but Provinces they had not gotten their crowns whereby it appeareth they are to rise of that Empire implying 1. that this Empire was to be weakned and that many were to withdraw their temporall subjection from it 2. It implyeth that that belonged to the last Government of that Empire these horns then are to be Kingdoms which were before Provinces which is inconsistent with that head that then was 3. They are described by their attaining Government set out 1. in its shortnesse an hour that is during the short time of the seventh head they must continue for they are contemporary with him This sheweth that though there be changes in Governments none is long 2. This power is contemporary with the beast it is one hour with the beast that is the beast that was and is not which is the last head The meaning is they shall be in the time of the seventh head his coming to an height as he groweth up to be an head and to heal the former wound Chap. 13. so shall they grow up to be horns to him and so continue during his absolute dominion In a word they are such Kings as were not under the sixth head so that when we see such horns we may know what head they grow from They were horns before to the former head but they are crowned horns to this 4. They are described by the manner of their becoming horns to the beast ver 13. in two that is They shall willingly give their power and strength to this beast which is the eight vers 11. They were before keeped under by force unto the sixth head now this is the difference they shall give it even though they have temporal dependance on none yet shall they willingly be at the disposal of this last Government and be devoted to it as much as to the former 2. They shall do this unanimously They shall have one mind to it so that though many provinces shall become kingdoms yet all of them shall joyn upon another account to further by their power and strength the will and greatnesse of this last head or King as if they were horns to him and by this we may see wherefore they are called horns it is because this beast hath the use and command of their power and force and they become horns not as Kings or when they become Kings but when they give their power to him and as they grow as it were out of his head 5. They are set out by the particular wherein especially their power shall be exerced and wherein he shall especially imploy them They shall make war with the Lamb all the heads under whatsoever form are blasphemous and so all the horns crowned or uncrowned are instruments of persecution now as before There is here 1. their work it is Warring that is a direct though not intended opposing of Jesus Christ His Truth Gospel or People and upon the matter a contrarying of Him whatever they thought as Paul did Act. 9. and the Scribes and Pharisees Act. 5. fought against God by intention of their work though not of the workers 2. Consider the object of it it is the Lamb Chap. 11. His Prophets are foughten with Chap. 12. the woman and her seed that keeped the Commandments of God Chap. 13. it 's the Saints and Chap. 16. it's Gods servants Here the Lamb to shew how Christ is foughten against and what it is it 's in His Ministers Members and Servants as Paul persecuted Him Act. 9. for all is one Michael Chap. 12. and the Woman have
common wars and enemies He with His Ministers Saints and Servants are one Christ 1 Cor. 12.3 Consider the actors it is these i. e. the horns Chap. 12.7 it was the devil and his angels Chap. 11 and 13. it is the beast that is the head and Chap. 18.24 there the bloud is found in the whore here it is the horns All concur and share both in the sin and judgment but diversly The devil is the fountain and root that this enimity floweth from the beast is his special Lieutenant and General the horns are the more immediate actors by which the beast pusheth the whore not only concurreth but she bloweth the hatred and pusheth-on by advices laws and edicts though the as an ecclesiastick body put none to death herself yet doth she put the horns to it who are her immediate executioners This then is a character of these Kings who shall give their power to the beast they shall persecute Christ's true Church for a long time in favours of the whore and beast The last word added is concerning the successe the victory is on the Lamb's side and the reasons are subjoyned He is victor in His Members and Cause these three wayes as Chap. 12. 1. When in their sufferings they continue stedfast and overcome even to the outwearying of the persecutors by their patience who are more inslaved and overcome in acting than the other in suffering 2. He overcometh by keeping Truth and a Church in the world in the despight of them that the Prophets end their testimony in despight of them and the Church spreadeth and multiplieth even under them as under Dioclesian c. 3. He overcometh by bringing sad judgments on His persecuters and bringing His Church through and setting up the Witnesses as Chap. 11. when they seemed lowest and by making the world subject to the Gospel in end either by moving them to yeeld or by crushing them and restraining them from doing any hurt to it He thus prevaileth The reasons added to confirm us of the certainty of the victory that it cannot be otherwise are from two grounds 1. From the excellency of the Captain He hath no equall for He even this Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings words setting forth especially His Godhead in three 1. His soveraignty and absolute dominion over all 2. His power being able to command all none so great a King as He. 3. His right for justice is on His side These titles agree to Christ properly as God so Chap. 19. and yet as Mediator in some respect for the behoof of His Church He is made head over all things Eph. 1.22 and hath all power over all not as over the Elect who are in a peculiar way committed to Him but in a deputation for their cause and good He hath a delegated power as Mediator to restrain punish raise up or cast down Kings or Kingdoms in the world as He thinketh meet The first is essentiall to Him as God the second voluntary and given to Him as Mediator The second reason is from the nature of His Warriours or Army none such are in the world they are such Souldiers as are all Saints 1. Called that is effectually so from the estate of nature to grace and so sanctified 2. Chosen they are both chosen comparatively and chosen and made use of by Him to be for the glory of His grace and therefore cannot be overcome by any power but be conquerorâ— 3. They are faithfull honest at the heart and reall in His service which is an effect of the former two they stick constantly unto Him which sheweth wherein their victory most consisteth that is in their faith 1 Iob. 5.4 though even in suffering yet they quit Him not These are excellent qualifications Now if it be asked If there be none other on Christ's side but such what shall be accounted of all hypocrites though formal professours Ans. 1. They may be for Christ in one thing as in a point of truth yet against Him in the end they are not for His glory therefore are not on His side for he that is not so with Him is against Him 2. All unrenewed men are Christ's enemies and though they sometimes in some particular side or seem to side with Christ yet it is not done as service to Him as in Iudas who followed Him for the bag and those that preached Him out of envie Philip. 1.15 yet are they but serving themselves and not Christ and will be ready to do Him an affront when it serveth their purpose as Iudas did He hath no followers indeed but where grace maketh them nor will He count men by their practice but by their ends and motives Neither can one be faithfull to the end but one that is called and chosen others are one time or another utterly foyled to the shame of their profession and He will own none such as Souldiers to Him Before we come to the application two things would be cleared 1. If this prophesie be fulfilled 2. how it is fulfilled or when and much businesse is here made by Papists who make their main demonstrations from this that Antichrist is not yet come because say they this is not fulfilled 1. That this is fulfilled may be evidenced thus Arg. 1. If these Provinces that were in Iohns time without Kings be now Kingdoms having their own Governments without any dependence on the Roman Empire Then this prophesie is fulfilled But the first in experience is truth look through all the Nations that were Provinces then not one of them is subject to the Roman Emperour now save it be Germany alone which yet indeed is not so but all have their severall independent Kings now of a long time The connexion of the Major may be made out thus That change that hath since come upon the Roman Empire and the up-setting of these many new Kingdoms and Kings which had no Kingdom then is neither no change at all but consistent with the head that then was or it is some other change than is held forth in this prophesie or thirdly it is the very same spoken of here But neither of the first two can be said not the first that the Empire is the same now that it was then for the spirit putteth a clear difference betwixt this last state Chap. 13. and the first under Emperours That in the first the heads were Crowned here the horns and if there be not difference betwixt Provinces subject to one Empire that ruleth over them all and Provinces made Kingdoms ruling within themselves without any dependance on that head there is difference in nothing for Kings cannot be horns to the Emperours seing they act not for him but for another thus the Civill head hath the crown on the head not on the horns the Ecclesiastick head hath them on the horns it is consistent with it to have Soveraignes for his vassals which cannot be in a civil state for so either the Kings were not
free in civilibus or the Governour that were the head should have no power over them and so one Empire in one bodie and many Kingdoms in distinct bodies cannot be one Neither can the second be said that that change on the Provinces or Kingdoms here called horns is an other beside this for there are but two states of these Nations one then present while they were subject to that temporall head the other to come in which they are to have Dominion of themselves There is not again two states of their becoming Kings but one and the denying of the one inferreth the other Thus the horns are either uncrowned that is subject to the Roman Empire or they are crowned that is have gotten a Kingdom according to this prophesie But they are not now in the first state Therefore they must be taken in the last consideration And as there is no head or Government interveening among the supream Governments set our by heads So must there be no interveening state of these Kingdoms admitted betwixt what then was and the fulfilling of this whereby their future state is set out Arg. 2. If the Kings now in being have the very characters mentioned here Then they must be the fulfilling of this prophesie But in event they answer it in all things Ergo. 1. There are now many Kings which were not in Iohns time 2. They are arisen out of the old Provinces of the Roman Empire 3. They are under another head and Governour than was then in Iohns time and so contemporary with that which was to come 4. They have all joyntly given their strength to be serviceable to the power that is the seventh head which was then to come 5. They have been making for a long time in all their Dominions war with the Saints Therefore this must be fulfilled seing all things prophesied have directly come to passe Arg. 3. It may be made out thus If the last Government of Rome be come which is called the eight or seventh Then this prophesie is fulfilled for they that is the last Government of Rome and these ten Kings are contemporary together They receive power one hour with the beast and give it to him and therefore the making out that any of them is come is the making out that both are come But it is cleared before and is clear also in it self that he is come thus If that Government or Governour of Rome be come to whom the separate Kings that refuse temporall subjection to the Emperour shall give joyntly their power and strength upon another account Then the seventh and last Governour of Rome is come for that beast which they give their power unto is the beast which Iohn saw in the vision which vers 11. was then is not but was to come But truth and experience telleth us that another Governour sitteth now at Rome than sat in Iohn's time unto whom these Kings have given their power Therefore the last Governour must be come and so this pophesie which is contemporary with it must be fulfilled Arg. 4. This prophesie must either be fulfilled or it is to be fulfilled But not the last Therefore the former If these Kings or Kingdoms be to arise they must either rise out of the Kingdoms that now are separate or out of that which is called the Empire But neither of these can be Not the first beside that there is no warrand to expect a second revolution of those Kingdoms after the first which this would infer I say secondly they must arise to be in this consideration horns to the beast and Kings which were not Kings before Now all these Provinces having had this long time Kings cannot then be looked on as the subject out of which these to come must arise Beside if there were a twofold arising of Kings out of the Empire and the one not distinguished from the other the arising of these ten Kings would not be a distinguishing character to discern this beast and so to make him known by his horns which yet is the scope here And therefore this character of ten Kings can agree to no other state or head but this last No◠2. can it be out of the bounds of that now called the Empire for 1. there is not that extent of dominion as to furnish ten Kings especially to make such a great dominion as Antichrists is supposed to be of all People Tongues and Nations 2. If it were no broader then Antichrists might and power by his horns would be no greater than what is now the Empire 2. It appeareth that such must be Kingdoms in this state as were Provinces before the horns are the same or near the same uncrowned and crowned But Germany was never moe Provinces than one or at most two as was France and Spain Therefore there is no proportionablnesse here to make ten crowned horns out of that which was but one or at most two before Beside our reasoning is not only that there are now so many Kings but so many who act as horns to an other power as the Provinces were wont to do and they are not horns to these called Emperours They must therefore be so to another head and if so then this prophesie is fulfilled The manner of fulfilling must be looked in these steps 1. Constantine after the heathens are cast down removeth from Rome and leaveth that seat void so after that he is not to be accounted an head as is said on Chap. 13. 2. After that anno 412. and 455. the barbarous Nations Goths and Vandals did over-run the western Empire and seven times take Rome by this the Empire is distracted and severall Provinces are either now become Kingdoms by the continuance of these Nations in them or by others assuming supream power over them without dependance on the Emperour 3. During which time this last head driveth his design of exalting himself and making an image of that Empire which was fallen 4. By the means mentioned Chap. 13.12 c. all these Kings are brought to worship that beast and receive his mark more or lesse as he arose till he came to that height to dispose of Kingdoms ratifie elections under the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Carion observeth unto which in time they came generally to submit and accordingly possesse many of their Kingdoms 5. When God had discovered him to be the Antichrist some of these who once had given their power to him have withdrawn it and we are to wait and pray for the fulfilling of this more as the former of giving their power to him hath been already fulfilled Out of what is said we would draw three sorts of uses 1. From this lay down some conclusions and the first is if this prophesie be fulfilled then Antichrist is come and not to be looked-for to come for if the horns be there is the head and if the head be then is the beast the one is not without the rest But that is verified
ut supra Ergo. Bellarmine de Roman Pont. lib. 3. cap. 4 5. alleageth that this is not yet fulfilled because saith he the arising of these ten Kings supposeth a dividing among them of the Roman Empire wholly to its annihilating which saith he is not yet done seing there is one who is called and acknowledged Roman Emperour Ergo Antichrist is not come seing he is not removed out of the way who then did let 2 Thess. 2. as he expounds that place Answ. There is a twofold removing of the Roman Emperour to be considered 1. Wholly in deed and in name so as not to have so much as a shadow 2. In deed though not in name yet full as to the removing of him from being head to that Empire which was and so from being the sixth head this far is necessary for two heads cannot be together and so long as he stood as a head he stood in the way and was a let of the coming of the seventh but that there shall be no name that is not necessary for when the Emperours the sixth head came Consuls were in name at Rome but were not heads because they wanted the former power and were someway subject to another head and therefore though the name of Emperour be yet if he be not now head to that Empire if the horns act not for him now but acknowledge an other head then he is not head if he have not that seat Rome nor command not that seven hilled city he is not head nor can he be who wanteth the horns But that there be not the name of an Emperour if he be not an head but rather a horn giving his power to this head or beast with the rest and as usefull to him as any this far the removing of the Empire out of the way is not necessary But the former is and that this is fulfilled appeareth in three steps concurring to it 1. that the blasphemy of the Roman Emperours as such is ceased 2. That the seat of the Roman Empire is passed from Rome 3. That the command of the Provinces as it were his horns is plucked from him for these three qualifications to wit to have a name of blasphemies to sit at Rome and to act the Provinces as horns are necessary to a head of this beast And that all these are removed from the Roman Emperour is clear in experience and granted by Bellar. as lib. 3. de Pont. Rom. cap. 5. and elsewhere 1. That the Emperour hath no command over Rome but that the Pope exerciseth there both Swords Civil and Ecclesiastick of a long time 2. That the force of his power or of that Empire is also broken he asserteth lib. 2. cap. 2. de Pontif. Praedicit enim Iohannes hanc Babylonem ruituram quia Romanum Imperium delendum erat id quod jam fere factum esse cernimus an non enim Gothi Vandali Longobardi Romanae urbis Imperium fere ad nibilum redegerunt proving Babylon here spoken of to be Rome he giveth that for one reason that it was brought down as is prophesied in this Chapter If then by him the Goths invasion was the fulfilling of this prophesie in that part Then an utter abolishing of the name of Emperour is not necessary for then it was and if that be the fulfilling of this prophesie and ruine which was to come Then it is not now to come and if that ruine be not the thing prophesied here Then doth not that event contribute to prove this Babylon to be Rome on whom that event fell which yet is Bellarmins scope But indeed upon the matter we will find this Emperour but an horn what ever his name be thus 1. If he command but a Province of the Roman Empire which was before subject to the Governours of Rome and have no command at or over Rome or any other Province Then he is not an head but an horn But that is truth 2. If he himself be acted by a power that now resideth at Rome as other Kings are Then he is but an horn to that head and not an head himself But that is clearly true in many experiments whereby the Emperours have been commanded by Popes See Platina in vit Greg. 9. He commandeth Frederick the Emperour to go to War under pain of Excommunication and this is after done yea in providence we will find no Province have more dependance on the Popes now of a long time 1. They have deposed them and transferred their Crowns See in the life of Greg. 7. called Hildebrand 2. They have wasted their Lands and the order of Election by Electors is attributed to them 3. Particularly their Election dependeth on their ratification and he is not Emperour but King of the Romans till he approve it Hence in the Decretals it is said Papa habet potestatem à Christo Imperator vero à Papa 4. They have imployed their strength for the Popes and for persecuting the Church as Sigismund in burning Iohn Husse Hieronymus of Prague Therefore if they be horns they are not heads if an other be head and acknowledged by these Kings the horns then the Emperour is cast off and hath cast himself off from the dignity of being head and supream Governour of that Empire which only was necessary In a word then the removing of the Roman Emperours from being head to these Kings is necessary for they cannot be horns to him and another beast also and thus far it is fulfilled But the burying altogether the name which hath not nor pretendeth to absolute power over these Kings as the former did that is not necessary And thus far the Emperours weaknesse and inability to head the beast and the Popes Authority and Dominion to do it is confirmed by what Bellarmin asserteth de Concil lib. 1. cap. 12. where having laid it down as necessary that the Popes must call generall Councels because only his Dominion is of that large extent he addeth this last non potest hic i.e. Imperator vix cogere Episcopos unius provincia venire ad Concilium nam neque Itali Hispani aut Galli Imperatori subjiciuntur sed suos habent Reges aut Principes which is enough to clear what we assert And in his 3. lib. De translatione Imperii It is his work to prove the Emperour to be the Popes vassal as holding all his Authority from him and indeed that this keepeth the name of an Empire and which now is it is meerly from the bulls and constitutions If their stories be true A second conclusion we may draw from it is this that the Pope is Antichrist thus That supream power of Rome which shall govern it after the temporall Empire is broken and the Provinces become Kingdoms and to which these Kings shall give their power and act in persecution of the Saints for his behove That is Antichrist But the Pope or Papacy is that power that now since the fulfilling of this prophesie hath born rule over
Rome and to whom these Kings have given their power Ergo he is Antichrist and this far it is fulfilled in him A third conclusion is that Rome under the Pope is the whorish Church here meaned and set out thus That Rome which is supported by the beast with the ten horns crowned or to whom ten Kings that arise out of the Roman Empire give their power after the Emperours cease to be an head to them That Rome or Rome so considered is the whore for the beast and the horns are contemporary as the head out of which they grow and the beast and the whore are contemporary as the ryder and beast which carrieth her if therefore the horns and beast be contemporary so must the whore be with them also for quae conveniunt uni tertio conveniunt inter se But Rome or the Romish Church for these thousand years past is the Rome governed and supported by that power or beast to whom these Kings have given and for a great part do yet give their power Therefore this Romish Church is the whorish antichristian Church described here And that which Bellar. saith de pontif lib. 3. cap. 5. confirmeth this That these ten Kings which to him are yet to arise shall hate Rome and burn her c. for what Rome shall they burn Is it not Rome the whore called so vers 17 Therefore it is not heathen Rome but Popish Rome that is the whore for she is the whore whom they shall destroy and when they shall destroy her to wit her to whom for a time they have given their power after they have withdrawn it from the Emperour who formerly had it A fourth conclusion is that Antichrist is no singular person and is to continue longer than three years and an half thus If that beast or power to which the Kings that have received power and Kingdoms out of these Provinces which were once subject to the Roman Empire shall give their power be Antichrist Then he is no single person or of short continuance the connexion is clear from this because that Power or Government which hath these Kings for horns hath already descended for many ages and through many generations and there remaineth yet some things to be fulfilled before the finall overthrow thereof But the former is truth that beast is Antichrist Ergo. Or thus If the seventh head that succeeded to that Government of the Roman Empire which was in Ioâ—n's time and acteth the Kings that have since gotten power be for moe generations than one or two Then Antichrist is not of so short continuance Neither is that defection whereof he is head so soon to passe for Antichrist is that last Government But experience telleth the former is true that another power than what was in Iohn's time hath sitten at Rome and ruleth it and acteth these Kings that once were of it for moe ages than one Ergo c. A second sort of uses are to retort or wipe away some objections of Bellar. against this whereby he would prove that Antichrist is not yet come and therefore that the Pope is not to be accounted this head for this is the surest way for them to guard him for no other can be imagined to be here understood but he if he be come 1. He doth therefore lay down six demonstrations as he calleth them to make out this that Antichrist is not yet come The first lib. 3. de pontif cap. 4 5 c. is this The Gospel hath not as yet been preached through all the world which saith he must be before Antichrist come Therefore he is not come the place cited is Matth. 24.14 Answ. This goeth upon a twofold wrong supposition 1. That all the world is to be taken there collectively i.e. for every Nation and not distributively i.e. for many or most of Nations as is usuall So Rom. 11. their sound is gone out to the ends of the earth The second is that it supponeth that whatever it be to be spoken in reference to Antichrists coming which is expresly spoken of in reference to Christs second coming which is long after Antichrists or before the end of Ierusalem which two ends are only spoken of there His second demonstration which is the main is taken from that that the Roman Empire by Antichrist or before him is utterly to be abolished 2 Thess. 2. so he that letteth must be taken out of the way but saith he this is not done Ans. ut supra conclusion 1. The Roman Emperour must be taken from sitting at Rome and from governing over the Provinces as an head of that Empire that is granted that is the sixth head must be removed out of the way before Antichrist the seventh come But that is done long since There is no Emperour at Rome nor that hath any dominion there nor hath any horns or Kingdoms now under him he is therefore no head to this beast Therefore this will not prove that he is not come for it is one thing to be called a Roman Emperour another to be indeed a head to this Empire as it is represented by this beast this must head the seven hilled city govern over the Provinces as having so many horns to serve him and have names of blasphemy upon them whoever sitteth at Rome thus qualified whatever his name be he is head for we try the changes of these heads neither by name only nor by the seat only but by the thing that is by power and dominion over these Provinces exerced from Rome as the principall seat of that Government and although the want of Rome will not prove one not to be an Emperour which is Bellarmin's argument yet the want of it will prove him to be none of the heads here represented even as the having of Rome will not infer it except there be also Dominion over the Provinces for which cause we did formerly deny the application of this to the Gothish Kings Now it being clear in it self that the Emperours power extendeth neither to Rome the head nor to the Provinces the body of that Empire and it being clear also that both these agree to the Pope though upon a different account as the place formerly cited from Bellar. de Con. lib. 1. cap. 12. confirmeth It must therefore follow that the Emperour notwithstanding of the name is not to be accounted head but the Pope who possesseth the thing His third demonstration is that the two witnesses Enoch and Elias are not come who must prophesie under Antichrist and be killed by him as Chap. 11. Ans. Beside what is said there to that fable it is confuted here thus These are the witnesses that restifie against Antichrist and suffer by him all the time of his reigne as vers 6. they are Martyres c. But many since his appearing have testified against him and suffered under him Therefore they and not Enoch and Elias are the witnesses intended and so they are not to be looked for His
way for clearnesse in the thing and for distinctnesse in the uptaking of it to make it the more intelligible to them to whom He writeth and to all that should read it He draweth it all up to three heads And there is a profitable use to be made of this for men in speaking and writing to be methodicall and orderly our Lords way of writing is no friend to confusion nor enemie to order if so be order be made subservient to edification and not to curiositie such is Christs order here and to that scope doth that recapitulation serve Heb. 6.1 and 8.1 And so are the writings of Paul often most exact in this Vers. 20. This verse containeth an explication of the mystery spoken of before in the Vision which Iohn saw at least of so much of it as is usefull and needfull to be known as usually He leaveth alwayes somewhat at the back of the Vision to be a key to open the rest So this serveth to open somewhat that is past something that is spoken in the seven Epistles to the Angels and several times hereafter There is something to be supplied here while He saith The mystery of the seven Stars which thou sawest that is I will shew thee or I will tell thee the mystery of the seven Stars c. as He saith Revel 17. I will tell thee the mystery of the woman that is I will let thee know what it meaneth Jesus Christ being the best Interpreter of His own mind condescendeth to open up so much of the mystery as was usefull and needfull 1. He expoundeth the Stars and then 2. the Candlesticks 1. He expoundeth the Stars The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches that is the seven Stars signifie mean and represent the Angels or Ministers or Officers of the seven Churches for it 's a thing ordinary to call Ministers Angels Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips should keep knowledge and the people should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts In the Original it is For he is the Angel of the Lord of Hosts So Iudges 2.1 it is said an Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim the word in the Original is a messenger came up one particularly sent for that earand Ministers are called Angels 1. For Gods speciall imploying them about His holy things beyond others 2. Because of that their sanctified station to put them in mind that they should be in their conversation Angelical 3. To make them to be received as Angels by others that is the dignity due to them By Angels here is not meant some more eminent nor another in these Churches such as the Lord Bishop but by Angels we understand all the Bishops and Presbyters that were over these Churches 1. Because when it is said the seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches it speaketh of them indefinitly whether they be moe or fewer and he faith not they are the seven Angels of the seven Churches as it saith the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches but supposeth that the number is not so exact in the one as in the other for if the number of Ministers were definite as of the Churches Why should the manner of speech be different nor saith it the eminent Angels of the Seven Churches but indefinitly they are the Angels of the seven Churches As Philip. 1. He writeth to the Bishops and Deacons supposing a plurality of such in one Town lesse than Ephesus or others mentioned here Therefore 2. It is not to be expounded of one man as if some one man in each of these Churches had had the preheminence because our Lord writing to some of these Churches and directing the Epistle to the Angel speaketh of them as moe As when He writeth to Smyrna chapter 2. vers 10. He saith Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried which must relate primarily to the Ministers in Smyrna and supposeth moe Ministers than one and that in directing the Epistle to the Angel of such a Church he understood the whole collective body of Ministers and Church-Officers that afterward He distributes in moe individual persons See the Notes there and on chap. 2. vers 24. where the Church in Thyatira is distributed in three 1. In these who are polluted Members thereof 2. In these who were free of these pollutions called the rest 3. In the Ministers who are stiled You 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as distinct from the other two yet All in the plurall number 3. What is then to be understood by Angel of Ephesus and so of the rest we may learn from Acts 20.17 with 28. where Paul having the same businesse to do on the matter in recommending the care of that Church to some for preventing ills which He foresaw to be coming He calleth not One but the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and giveth not to One the charge or name of Bishop but to All of them He committeth it Therefore seing Paul comprehendeth all in his Sermon under that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 28. and would by writ as well as word done it we must so expound Iohn to do also though he write in a more obscure stile as best agreeth with this Prophecie For this Argument is sure These that Iohn wrote to under the name of the Angel of Ephesus and so of other Churches are these who have the oversight of and authority over these Churches But these are clear to be many Elders or Bishops Acts 20. c. Ergo c. Therefore take we the stile Angel to be collective i.e. to the Angels seing the stile as also the matter agreeth to all or Ministers of such a Church as suppose one were writing to a City governed by a number of Magistrates in an Aristocratick Government might it not be directed to the Magistrate of such a City and yet no particular person be pointed at but the whole be collectively understood and so we conceive it here Even as by one beast chap. 13. c. or head chap. 17. he doth expresse a Civil Government to wit of Rome before it was Monarchick so may he be understood to do by the figurative title Angel here though it be in the singular number Considering with all that the things charged on this Angel or required of him are such as agree not to one but to the collective body of Church-Officers together Beside moe Ministers there were than one in those Churches that is certain Either then they must be comprehended under the title of Angel or else taken in as contradistinguished from them with the rest of the Church But that will be found absurd that the Church and her guides should be some way contradistinguished and yet Ministers not to fall under that distinction for Stars they must be that is Angels or Candlesticks that is amongst the
sometimes better sometimes worse but most ordinarily under the crosse there being two prophesies holding forth their suffering and but one their victory God in His wisdom hath so mixed the conditions of His Church here with prosperity and adversity that the one is ever set over against the other to the end that man should find out nothing after Him Eccles. 7.14 Obs. 2. That the best condition of Gods Church and the worst part of the enemies condition cometh last The Church hath a foul morning and a fair evening the enemies have a fair morning-blink like Sodom Gen. 19. but ere long wrath is poured out of vials upon them Obs. 3. That our Lord hath wisely ordered and circumstantiated the case of His Church unto the end of the world whether in their afflicted or prosperous condition whether from enemies without or within Our Lord knoweth them all and hath given us a little touch of them and though we cannot know all the particulars yet that He not only knoweth them but hath ordered measured and timed all of them with all their circumstances and so far revealed the same to us should be ground enough of comfort patience and submission to us Concerning Learned Mede his Synchronisms or a particular consideration of the same LEarned Mede in his accurate Clavis to this Book doth say down severall Synchronisms which he divideth in two parts and because the right contemporating of the several prophesies doth much conduce to the understanding thereof we shall before we proceed lay down his Synchronisms in order as he hath them and then shew wherein we agree with them and wherein we differ from them according to the former series His first Synchronism Part. 1. doth contemporate these four that is maketh them to belong to one time having the same beginning and close to wit First The woman her being in the wildernesse Chap. 12. Secondly The seven headed beast after the healing of its wound Chap. 13. Thirdly The treading of the outter Court by the Gentiles And fourthly The Prophets prophesying in sackcloth Chap. 11. All which are for the same space of one thousand two hundred sixty dayes Chap. 12 6. fourty two moneths Chap. 11 2. three dayes and an half Chap. 11. vers 9 11. and time times and half a time Chap. 12.14 This is a truth and a necessarily followeth upon the exposition of these places His second Synchronism is of the two horned beast or false prophet with the ten horned beast or that which is called the Image of the beast Cap. 13. To speak properly these cannot be said to be contemporary because that supposeth them to relate to diverse things we do therefore say that that two horned beast or false prophet and the ten horned beast or Image of the beast do set forth the same object to wit the former seven headed beast after the healing of its wound and so upon the matter it is but the same Synchronism with the former all these types tending to set forth and describe the same Antichrist and his Kingdom although under severall considerations because no one type doth sufficiently describe him This will be clear afterward from the exposition of the 13 and 17. Chapters The third Synchronism is of the great whore mysticall Babylon Chap. 17. v. 1. and the seven headed and ten horned beast that carrieth her v. 3. Of this we give the same judgment as of the former That these do describe the same Antichristian Church considered diversly in respect of its head and body as the exposition of that Chapter will clear and therefore they are to be understood not as expressing different events that fall together but as describing the same one thing under different considerations The fourth Synchronism is of the hundred fourty four thousand sealed virgins Chap. 7. vers 4. and Chap. 14. vers 1 3 4. with that Babylonish whore and beast formerly mentioned this we acknowledge to be truth and it is made out Chap. 7. Lect. 1. His fifth is but a consectary drawn from the former four whereby they are all in their events found to be contemporary one with another which according to the former qualifications is to be admitted The sixth doth contemporate the measuring of the inner court Chap. 11.1 with the Dragons watching of the woman and fighting with Michael Chap. 12. This we do not agree unto because this measuring of the inner Court or Temple is contemporary with the leaving out of the outter Court as will appear from the exposition thereof Chap. 11. But from the former grounds the leaving out and treading underfoot the outter Court doth succeed to the womans bringing forth her childe chap. 12. and doth contemporate with the Prophets prophesying in sackcloth Chap. 11. Therefore this measuring of the inner Court cannot be contemporary with the Dragons watching of the woman but must succeed the same Neither will the grounds given prove that this measuring of the inner Court doth preceed in time the treading of the outter Court not the first ground to wit that the building of the inner Court of the Temple was in respect of order and situation before the building of the outter Court Because first that is both obscure and uncertain And secondly the scope of that measuring and allusion to the Temple Chap. 11. is not to shew any successive different estate of the Church but to describe her state during the same time by distributing of her members in two sorts even as the Temple of old after it was compleatly built was divided into two Courts the greatest whereof was common to the multitude and the least and inner Court peculiar to the Priests who were but a few in comparison of the other as will be clear from the place and there is no respect had to the order of its building in respect of time or priority at all The second ground is built upon this mistake that the 11. Chap. doth deduce the whole series of the prophesie from the beginning thereof to the end as being the first new prophesie of the opened Book Chap. 10. supposed by him to be another from that mentioned Chap. 5. This will be clear to be a mistaken ground Chap. 10. and is contrary to what was formerly hinted in the division laid down The seventh Synchronism is of the seven vials Chap. 16. with the decaying state of the beast and Babylon which of it self is clear In the second part he doth add other seven Synchronisms the first whereof is of the seventh seal in as far as it respecteth the first six trumpets with the ten horned beast and all these other prophesies mentioned to be contemporary with the first four Synchronisms in the first part so that they and the first six trumpets belong to the same time This in the generall we acknowledge to be truth yet in the application we do exceedingly differ although we do both grant that the first trumpet doth succeed immediately to the sixth seal and that the
consideration described From all which considerations we may gather 1. That each of these trumpets doth not contain the story of an equal time or number of years for the matter contained in any of the last three trumpets will be found to be of longer continuance than all the first four which added to the greatnesse of the matter contained in them may be the reason why they are differenced from the former four as the greater woes 2. It appeareth also that by the fifth and sixth trumpets we are to understand different evils and enemies and so they cannot both be applicable either to Antichrist only or Mahumetans only 3. We may gather also that this Kingdom and Army with the furniture wherewith they are provided and the effects which follow upon their tyranny are not properly to be understood of externall battels and bodily evils but figuratively as representing some great spirituall hurt on the Church and her Ordinances These expressions they are like horses and had breast-plates as it were breast-plates c. whereby they are expresly differenced from the trumpet following wherein expressions that are properly to be understood are used and do intimate this 4. Supposing which afterward from Chap. 11.13 and 17. will be more clear that the Roman Hierarchy complexly taken is the Kingdom of Antichrist and that the deluding of the world by them is the very delusion prophesied of 2 Thess. 2. It will necessarily follow that this Romish Antichristian Kingdom whereby the visible Church hath been long brought in bondage is the very same set forth by this trumpet To come more particularly to the description of this Kingdom for a Kingdom it is as it is set down in the words in its rise and growth we will find it many wayes insisted upon 1. A Star falleth from heaven and becometh earthly upon that again followeth corruption of Doctrine whereupon doth arise a rable of superstitious Church-men whose work is to propagate and support the dominion of their King as his care is to strengthen and increase them there being such mutuall concernment in the standing or falling of each to other Vers. 1. The first particular described is the fountain and great instrument of all this spirituall plague that is I saw a Star fall from heaven unto the earth That by Star is meaned some person the words after do clear To him that is to the Star was given c. That it must be some Church-officer is also clear from Chap. 1.20 from our Lord Jesus His own exposition and considering what power this Star hath in the world it must hold forth some eminent Church-officer By Heaven is understood here as frequently in this Book the visible Church which is the Heaven wherein Christ hath placed Apostles Pastors and Teachers as Stars to give light because the Church is furnished with heavenly priviledges heavenly light of Doctrine and ought to be of heavenly conversation in respect of the rest of the world By Earth is understood earthlinesse or the rest of the world as contradistinguished from the Church which the opposition cleareth and thus Earth signifieth worldly designs worldly grandour corrupt doctrine liker to that of Heathens than that of Christ carnalnesse in conversation and such like for this Earth is something contradistinguished from and opposed to the Heaven formerly mentioned To fall here from heaven unto earth signifieth a declining from the one to the other And so in sum the meaning of this part of the Verse will be I foresaw the defection of some eminent Church-officer who once had pláce in the visible Church from Christian simplicity purity and holinesse in Doctrine and Conversation to a Religion and way of living by superstitions Idolatries and external pomp becoming rather the men of the world and liker their way than a Minister of Christ. By this phrase also I saw a Star fall c. is implied 1. Not only a declining and defection but such a declining as maketh him that was before a Star in Heaven to cease from being considered in that relation and afterward to be accounted as but eminent amongst the men of the world because of their worldly earthly-like Religion and Worship Upon which ground the followers of this Antichristian Kingdom are called Gentiles Chap. 11.2 2. This phrase importeth a visible and palpable step of this defection the Star is not now falling as was in the former Chapter but it is fallen And I saw it fallen saith Iohn implying an observablnesse in it 3. It importeth that after the fall of this Star and defection of this eminent Church-officer he continued still in the account of a Star among the men of the world he is called a Star even after his fall though indeed and in Iohn's account he be but a fallen Star and earthly as having indeed forfeited his former Church-relation The second thing described is the power given unto this fallen Star And to him Was given the keys of the bottomlesse pit Keys signifie in Scripture Authority and Power By the bottomlesse pit is meaned Hell as is unquestionable Chap. 1.18 Christ is said to have the keys of Hell and Death that doth signifie His supream Authority Chap. 13.2 4. the devil is said to have power and to give it to the beast because in Gods secret Wisdom and Justice the execution of His judgements in part is committed to the devil and he is imployed as supream head of the wicked therein and for that cause is said to have a throne and is permitted to rule over the children of disobedience here this Star partaketh of this Authority not as Christ hath it for now being fallen from Heaven he hath lost relation to Him nor in that same degree as the Devil doth but as deputy and leiv-tennant to Him who in Gods secret Justice furnisheth him with this power as from Chap. 13. 2 4. is clear In a word while he was in Heaven he exerced Christs Authority and in that respect had the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Now being fallen he continueth to exercise Authority and to retain a key but of a quite contrary nature to wit of the bottomlesse pit and to serve another master to wit the devil as the exercise of his Authority tending now to the advancement of ignorance darknesse superstition and Idolatry in the Church and being assisted with the power of Hell for that end for as Christs Ministers are said to have keys from Him and when they warrantably exerce them it is the opening of Heaven So promovers of heresie being Ministers of Satan 2 Cor. 11. though they think it not of whom Antichrist is the chief he hath the key of the pit that is an Authority not allowed by Christ nor from above and the opening of the pit with the key is the putting of that assumed power in execution such is spreading of corrupt Doctrine called therefore doctrines of devils 1 Tim. 4.1 and authorizing men to propagate these without Christs call who are
it must be Antichrists and so both one for the last is he We may add that in the Chapters following when ever Antichrists diminishing is spoken of or the destroying of his Kingdom it is done under the name of the beast and but as one as may appear by these and the like phrases who worship him who had gotten victory over him his seat Chap. 16. which by all is expounded to be Rome Therefore these two must be one and such an one as hath one seat at Rome over all Nations with a slavish superstitious or rather idolatrous dependance on him and therefore when he is here set out and elsewhere through this Book by diverse representations as a woman carried by the beast and false prophet It is not as if they were two things but diverse types setting out one diversly considered to set out Antichrists two swords Civil and Ecclesistick or his twofold means he maketh use of to wit power and violence as a beast hypocrisie and dissembling as a false prophet for it cannot be thought that one can be of such sibnesse and likenesse to Antichrist in all things as this beast rising with him reigning with him falling and going to the pit with him especially seing two heads are not consistent together as upon one seat at the same time as hath been said This is acknowledged by Bellar. lib. 3. de Pont cap. 15. Idem Antichristus per duas bestias exprimitur per unam ratione regiae potentiae tyrannidis quâ coget homines violenter per alteram ratione magicae artis qua callidè homines seducet that is The same Antichrist is expressed by the two beasts by the one because of his kingly power and tyrannie whereby he shall force men violently by the other because of his magick art whereby cunningly he shall seduce men And he alleageth Rupertus for the Author of this exposition And ibid. calleth Antichrist King of the Roman Empire but not under the name of Emperour This also agreeth with the titles ordinarily assumed by the Pope who is a good Prince whereby he exerciseth temporall armes and a holy Pope whereby he is armed with spirituall weapons See the history of the Councell of Trent pag. 37. Concerning the Image mentioned vers 14. and 15. we also premit that by it is understood no meer civil power seing it receiveth such worship and that universally but it is the same power or state here typified by the first beast or Antichrists temporall Kingdom under the same notion as it is described here It is called 1. the image of this beast which was wounded because although it be not in all things the very same Empire yet doth it so exactly represent the former Roman state that it may well be called his image as if a pattern had been taken from that 2. It is called also his Image that is the Image of the two horned beast because it is his creature and is brought forth by him and may be claimed as his when it is brought forth and therefore although it be the Image of the first and second beast yet in diverse respects wherein also we may conclude that by both these beasts and also by the Image here mentioned is understood the same Antichrist or antichristian Kingdom This introduction hath been the more largely insisted on both because exceeding usefull for understanding the prophesie and also because difficult and by Diverse otherwayes applied We come then to the Chapter which hath two parts The first setteth out Antichrist in his power outward glory and cruelty as in one series with the heads of that beast and as now being that same seat and power but under another head This part of Antichrists description is begun at 1. Because this is indeed the thing which he is appear what he will 2. Because temporall greatnesse was the first bait that took with the Pope and brought forth other corruptions as they might advance that this is the end 3. Because in this respect by his power seat and predecessors he is best discerned and known what he is and who he is 4. Especially he is here looked on as an head or kind of government of a body politick whereof some were already past he is described with respect to that series as he succeedeth these who went before him in that same seat The Roman Empire here under the first beast being considered as with so many heads whereof he is the last In the second vision he appeareth without respect to seat or succession but as in himself and so is described In a word in the first vision to vers 11. he is holden forth as a temporall idolatrous Monarch having the seat of the Dragon in possession The second part of the Chapter from vers 11. setteth out the means and wayes how he came to that temporall greatnesse and how he entertaineth it by spirituall weapons miracles and censures with hypocrisie drawing all men to give him that voluntary adoration which he desired In the first beast is set forth the nature of the antichristian Kingdom and power compleatly with the supream head and Kings acting under him In the last is set forth especially the head himself This being compared with Chap. 19.20 will be more clear Again for the first part 1. Antichrist is typically described to vers 9. 2. Some plain Doctrine and uses are laid down vers 9 10. Before his description a word is prefixed I stood on the sea shore or the sand It is to shew what posture Iohn was in when he saw this He was put in that conveniency that now when the devil goeth to renew his war he may see what it produceth He saw it at no great distance but was placed commodiously to discern the rise of this monstruous beast This word kniteth not only the series of the vision with the close of the former Chapter but also timeth the matter to wit the publick appearing of this beast as a fruit of Satans third design after the storm of grosse heresies by the first four trumpets is over To come particularly to the description it is in many parts or respects 1. It s originall or rise is from or out of the sea By Sea we understand a low base beginning rising out of the commotions of a troubled world and coming to an height by temporall changes and afflictions on the Empire yet indeed proceeding out of the bottomlesse pit as Chap. 9. which is that same to ascend out of the sea save that this may serve to clear how subservient the tossings and shakings of the Empire were to its rise 2. If we take Sea as it was Chap. 5. it will be a rising out of the bulk of Church-men and an ascending above them alluding in generall to Dan. 7. and 8. 2. This beasts rise is set out actively it was not raised up nor exalted as lawfull powers are but it raised it self up and by its own working wrought it self out of its own station
as was said at the entry to this Chapter If it be asked how it can be called another beast as different from the former Answ. 1. It is another type describing the same power as Grecia Dan. 7. is described as a Leopard and Dan. 8. as an he goat yet but the same power signified in its diverse qualifications 2. It may be called another beast 1 Because it setteth out the same Antichrist as in a different consideration to wit under the first beast he is considered as a temporall secular Monarch in a series with the heads of the beast that went before altogether constituting one beast and power in a continued line in one seat but under this beast he is considered as abstracted and under this particular head to wit the last and as considered distinctly by it self and not complexly under the multiplicity of heads as it was considered before The Roman Monarchy being considered absolutely in the first but in some respect only under the last In which respect according to the best Interpreters the Kingdom of the Seleucides and Lagades though it be comprehended under the fourth beast yet is there a distinct consideration taken of Antiochus by himself who was one of the horns of that beast Dan. 7. because Gods people specially suffered from him and he being in many things typicall of Antichrist it may thus be done with respect to that also 2. He is considered under the first type as constituting one body with the horns and making use of them here as head to the Clergie and making use of them in the former he acteth by a civil Power warring against the Saints and overcoming them Here by spiritual weapons as miracles excommunications pretences to Christ as we may hear and therefore may be considered as a different power the things he doth and the means he maketh use of being so different one type will not fully describe him Therefore this seventh head being in respect of his claim so different from the rest ought to have a consideration or type beyond them In which sense though he be the seventh head Chap. 17. yet is he also called the eighth upon this consideration 3. Under the first type especially the matter of Antichristianisme or this Dominion or Kingdom it self is set down but under the second the persons exercising that Dominion and that by a pretence to Christ. For the better understanding of this consider three things 1. That this beast is not in time posterior to the first as considering it under the last head for he giveth life to the first hath a hand in the healing of his wound and so in his rise it must be at the beginning of the fourty two Moneths with the other But this head as abstractly considered may be said to be behind the first beast in his complex consideration with all his heads 2. As they agree in time so they agree in designe This beasts design is to make the first to be worshipped which certainly sheweth they are one but under this vail of an Ecclesiastick power and interest as is said and in ordine ad spiritualia he driveth his designe of pursuing temporall greatnesse and grandour 3. The power is the same for vers 12. all the power or commission of the first is exercised by this but variously vented to wit formerly by a violent way here spiritually under deceitfull signes yet for the same end whereby it appeareth that the chief designe of the spirit in this last part of his description by this type is to show 1. upon what account the world gave him such reverence 2. by what midses he procured that temporall greatnesse and respect he deceived the world by signes c. as is expresly set down vers 14. In this description there are three parts In the first are set down the characters and designe of this beast 2. his weapons or means whereby he prevailed to make his designe effectuall from vers 13. to 17. inclusive 3. he giveth a character common to both these beasts whereby it appeareth they are one vers 18. From all it will be evident that this second beast setteth out Antichrist as a false Prophet as the first did as an usurping Tyrant There are four things marked in his description vers 11. and 12. 1. It is described whence he rose to wit the earth this doth not necessarily infer a different thing to be signified as by comparing Dan. 7.2 3. with vers 17. will appear the same beasts rise both from the Sea and the Earth and though in that place the Sea be figuratively and the Earth properly to be understood whereas both are figuratively here yet it enervateth not the force of the reason because as there may be many diverse types so diverse rises of these types as the Grecian Monarchie compared to a Leopard having his rise from the Sea Dan. 7. vers 3 6. is set forth by an he-goat having his rise from the West But it setteth out 1. an humane or earthly beginning opposit to divine it is not from Gods warrand but from beneath 2. An extending of his dominion to sea and land as the Angel Chap. 10. set his feet on both or both over secular Powers and Ecclesiastick according to the two rises of the severall beasts 3. A base beginning yet rising withall slowly and insensibly in respect of this spirituall power whereas his temporall power grew most in troubles and commotions his spirituall did grow most in peace 4. Because this appearance like a lamb is not so monstrous-like as the former which came out of the Sea where great monsters do breed but more came-like from the earth The second thing he is described from is his nature in two similitudes to wit of his horns and his speech and this partiall describing of him but in few parts and not in moe as the first beast was sheweth that in all other things he agreeth and is the same with the former as is particularly said of his power vers 12. Generally this resemblance holdeth him forth to have a meek pretext and appearance as hurtfull to none by his power more than a lamb can be with his horns but really to speak and to be far otherwise in deed as Christ speaketh of false prophets in generall Matth. 7. They come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves so to the chief false prophet this doth exceedingly well quadrate More particularly looking on this similitude of the Lamb here to relate to Christ as certainly when he is said to speak like a Dragon it hath respect to the Dragon formerly mentioned Chap. 12. and his blasphemies seing otherwayes Dragons do not properly speak So while he is said to have horns like a lamb it holdeth out a pretense he maketh to Christs power and to look very innocent-like as his vicar on earth having all power to bind and loose for the good of souls and so to do all in the Lambs name and to
prosecute his designs by his means to wit miracles censures excommunications c. This he is in shew but really come neerer to the trial of him he speaketh as the Dragon that is his doctrine in generall is blasphemous and idolatrous as was the heathen Emperours Where it is observable he spake not as the first beast vers 5. and 6. of this Chapter but as the Dragon Chap. 12. there being an identity in these two beasts and he is likened to the Dragon because none interveened the first beast spake like him also 2. His decrees were to the same purpose commanding the worshipping of Images murthering of Saints suppressing of Truths c. 3. His manner is not meek like a lamb but terrible with threatnings in case all be not obeyed that he commandeth In a word he appeareth one thing and is indeed fully another LECTURE IIII. Vers. 12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed 13. And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men 14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live 15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed 16. And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bound to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads 17. And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name WE have heard two parts of this beasts description to wit concerning his rise and nature vers 11. In the 12. vers there are two other touching his practice and design If it be asked what power this beast hath or exerciseth who looketh so lamb-like It saith He exerciseth all the power of the first beast In a word the same power formerly described as agreeing to the former type is exercised by this beast under pretext of his respect to Christ as his vicar and depute he warreth with the Saints maketh blasphemous decrees c. whereby a different power certainly is not described but the way laid down how that beast did attain to exercise so great power so that the Pope is inferiour to no Emperour This saith it s under the notion of Christs vicar and pretence of Religion which confirmeth what was said that the first type describeth Antichrists power this the person exercising it and his manner of doing it There is more difficulty of interpreting these words before him or in his sight which importeth a contemporarinesse of this beast with the former but not that they be different It may be undestood then 1. to imply a respect to this end to wit temporall greatnesse which this beast under this type specially aimed at So before him is as much as in his favours to usher him in as if he were the other beasts Harbinger as it is said of Iohn Mark 1. I send my messenger before thy face c. And thus by this shape and appearance he maketh way for the power formerly described This agreâ—th well with the scope following to wit the Pope his using this Ecclesiastick cloak for attaining this temporall end In a word that that power was exercised by the Pope under this pretext or shape to establish the secular power expressed in the former type 2. It is expounded by some before him that is in the seat where the beast complexly taken fate to wit at Rome The fourth part of the description cleareth this to wit that which holdeth forth his great end and design in exercising that power It is to cause the earth and them that dwell in it to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed By this first beast is not understood simply the Roman Empire but as under the seventh head to wit the papacy after the deadly wound which the sixth head got by Constantin's destroying Idolatry was healed by Papacy By earth and them that dwell therein are meaned the generality and plurality of the Christian world especially the carnall multitude By worshipping is meaned that adoration whereof we spoke vers 8. and by his causing them c. is imported both his end and effectualnesse in promoving it In a word he seeketh and endeavoureth by all means to keep up the authority and corrupt way of the old heathenish Empire in his person that it get no lesse reverence in the world than any head that went before And this which is in generall here he more particularly prosecuteth in the verses following Out of which is confirmed 1. That these two beasts are not upon the matter and really different seing this last alwayes seeketh the firsts honour which if they were different could not agree to the Pope or Antichrist who preferreth his own credit and authority to any other And 2. it sheweth that the scope of this type is especially to shew how the Pope came to what he was described to be in the former So really the Popes gaining honour and worship to himself was upon the matter a gaining respect and honour to the beast as it had before his time for though the object was somewhat altered the series and kind was materially the same The particular way how the Pope rose to this temporall height under a Religious shew is set down in three steps or a threefold influence he hath 1. on the world to cause them make an Image 2. on the Image to make it be respected 3. on all men by making them receive his mark And the means how he attained all these are set down 1. By miracles and signs he cometh in on folks estimation and deceiveth them as if he were something vers 13. and 14. 2. He proposeth the making of an Image to the former beast that is to clatch up and set on foot again a Roman power somewhat like the former before the head was wounded though not the same vers 14. which by miracles he effecteth 3. He giveth power to and animateth that beasts Image to do for it self and to gain worship vers 15. by its killng such as do it not 4. By his engaging all to worship that beast and taking them in a speciall manner engaged to him under highest certifications of not buying or selling or keeping common commerce with them vers 16 17. And he bringeth this to passe The miracles which are the first mean are 1. set down generally 2. instanced particularly 3. the influence of them on the world to deceive
which is enlarged in the following verse so that this is set down here by way of anticipation as is usuall That this wound is said to be by a sword sheweth it is not a wound by a schism but by violence as was that in the sixth seal Chap. 6. He proceedeth to shew the third step how this Image was made to live vers 15. It is by this two horned beast the Antichrist he hath power to work a threefold effect on this Image that is by the devils assisting him God in secret justice permitting the world to be deluded he is able to bring this design about and that little rude draught of the Image which at first was but dead and as it were in shape he brought so on till he at last made it look like that beast which went before it The first effect he worketh on the Image he maketh it live there was matter for a time in the Roman Church sufficient to heal the wound which the former head had gotten but it wanted the form which in time the Pope did give it by his taking to him supream power in Civil and Ecclesiastick things and imitating heathenish superstitions in worship so that which seemed to be dead before now standeth up and appeareth 2. He giveth it power to speak that is he furnisheth pretexts to it for taking on and venting this power in its decrees threatnings curses c. The third effect or part of the power committed to him which constituteth this Image is power to cause for the Image getteth this power that as many as will not worship it shall be killed which implieth 1. That this Image is worshipped and allowed to be so universally as the beast was 2. That this beast or Image will have worship under pain of death that is where the supremacy of this Pope is denied there is nothing can keep from burning It shall be capitall as hereticall and treasonable 3. This Image causeth that they shall be killed that is by stirring up the powers of the world who are devoted to it to suffer none to live under them who did not acknowledge him 4. It is said this two horned beast giveth that power to the Image because it is under the pretext of being vicars to Christ that they take these things on them and it is that pretext which giveth them so much weight amongst men in the world as to be so worshipped They may thank their counterfeiting Peter's succession for that 5. He killeth not but causeth that they should be killed this is their way to deliver to civil Magistrates as executers them whom they desire to be destroyed The last step of exercising his power is vers 16 and 17. in his engaging and marking all for himself as his proper vassals and slaves by three marks All which tend to shew a speciall relation between him and them and a peculiar dependance of them on him 1. There is a mark such as men put on their beasts or merchants on their goods to make them known to be theirs This mark is specially urged by him and threatened with wrath from God Chap. 14.9 10. 2. His name or the name of the beast which is broader the meaning is others are like children who partake of their fathers name or as the wife that partaketh of the husbands name so they partake of this beasts name He is the Pope and they Papists glorying in that as his native brood thinking more to be called a Catholick Roman or Papist than a Christian or something like this 3. The number of his name seemeth to be yet larger as ye would say the minimum quod sic without which none can passe as his so that if they have not the mark they must have the name or at least the number of it whereof more hereafter This effect is extended and particularized in two respects 1. None of any sort escapeth small or great c. 2. The part marked is the right hand and forehead holding forth an obvious manner of avowing him and an active engagement for him It is said Souldiers did wear marks on their right hands and servants in their foreheads but Popes hold men engaged under both these relations to them This Mede upon the place cleareth by which characters we are not to understand visible marks imprinted but according to the scope that as our Lord hath his seal on His Chap. 7. so this beast who imitateth Him hath something peculiar as from himself which Christ instituted not which he will have on these who are his and let it be observed that both the beasts and the Image cometh under one beast here 3. The certification whereby he enforceth this mark or subjection on men it is by taking from them the common priviledges of conversing with others under these words to buy or sell that looketh either to Ecclesiastick or Civil communion all that will not become his shall be excluded from both these and if we look how far the Papists extend the excommunication of the Popes in debarring men from these things and the use they make of their excommunications to force their obedience on many Emperours and others they will be found clearly applicable in this particular In a word this beasts drift is to make up an Image to the head that is wounded and to establish such an Idolatrous grandour and government again And he bringeth it about by exercising his power 1. On the men of the world to make them pliable to it which he doth by miracles and signs vers 13 14. under pretext of some divinity 2. On the beasts Image by helping on that design in three steps giving it life and putting it to act for its own worship when once it was formed for the scope reckoning still the intention of the work is to shew this beasts design Now if the beast and Image were different he would nor yea could not procure universall worship to both and that by one power and if any of them were different from himself he would not 3. He exerciseth his power by putting his mark on all which he attaineth by censures lest they be shut out from common commerce or the advantages of his soul-merchandice and mercats as he prevailed in the former of procuring worship to the Image for fear of death and killing For the confirming of what is said we will find these things clear in the matter of fact from story 1. That what Rome wanted by the Emperours turning to be Christians or removing of their seat from it it recovered by the Popes And 2. that that recovery began immediately after Constantin's coming to the Empire 3. That the Popes used the same practices of blasphemy against God persecution against His Saints and followed it by the same means of deposing Emperours assuming temporall power and interdicting from fellowship and commerce with others and although these things be particularly marked in particular Treatises and upon particular occasions yet it may be observed here
all one upon the matter but is called the number of his name to shew the numerousnesse of his errors The mark of it again to shew the nature of them which is to make some impression on them like him as a seal leaveth its likenesse in the wax 5. Whether this number doth point at the beast to wit the Roman Empire as taken complexly or as considered under this seventh head by the former types it pointeth at one thing and demonstrateth the same power as is sure yet comparing it with the former verse and the scope which is to describe Antichrist it agreeth more properly to the seventh head as such a number which relateth to him for the mark is his and so must the name and its number as all the former descriptions do belong to him also To come neerer let us consider shortly what is the mark and name and so the number of the beast It is certainly something not literally to be understood but what maketh men in a speciall way to passe for this beasts followers to wit Antichrists and to be accounted his for it is he that maketh them all receive this mark This mark seemeth to be a peculiar thing agreeing especially to Clergy-orders and these who by oath are engaged to him which is the most intimate sibnesse between him and any possible for it is opposit to the mark and seal of our Lord Jesus whereby he setteth apart some for himself and having such a wo peculiarly threatned against it Chap. 14.9 and 11. and seing it supposeth them to be specially imployed for him as Souldiers under his colours it may well agree to them though not only It may be the receiving and believing of these trumperies that he that is that beast proposeth Not only having an outward profession of them but an inward affection to them delighting in and resting on that antichristian worship in its complex form and mould Therefore it is called Chap. 14.11 the mark of his name that is such a receiving of the name as hath an impression within and likenesse to him 2. By his name may be understood his doctrine and the publick acknowledgement of it even as by the Name of God and Christ is understood the Truth of the Gospel because in these and by these He maketh Himself known and to make His Name known is to preach His Doctrine and Truth and as the one hundred fourty and four thousand their having His Name in their foreheads supposeth no visible character there but a distinction in their way from others and a conformity to God in their walk that who looketh on them and will try their way it will be found they belong to God and professe His Truth even so by the opposition we may gather that this name of the beast is his doctrine as opposit unto Christs whereby he is to be known and discerned as by a name by his doctrine men may be fully perswaded of him that it is he and the taking on his name is the taking on the publick profession of all these and passing in this beasts reckoning as one of his and so to be esteemed of by all others In a word it is a publick avowing of the antichristian doctrine and partaking of the name of blasphemy which is on him 3. By the number of his name must be understood something conform to that which is the name which being put together maketh it up as a sum drawn out of a particular reckoning or as letters and syllables make up a word thus the number is in particular doctrines or errors like so many distinct letters the name is like a word made up of these put together This we take to be his characteristicall tenents and doctrines laid together that will amount to evidence and prove so much as this that whosoever maintain such doctrines is the Antichrist and beast here mentioned But thus reckoneth wisdom The Pope and Papists maintain such doctrines Ergo c. And by this means as by so many characters or letters we come particularly to know him who is here obscurely described And therefore it is called the number of the beast as well as of his name because it is as well to find out the beast as to find out his name this name being rather to describe his nature and find out this party than curiously to insist on a name even as he is called Chap. 9. vers 11. Apollyon and Abaddon in respect of his nature and properties of tyrannie vented by him this being the Spirits way to describe him by his nature rather than by letters and so is the whore Chap. 17. stiled by a name signifying her nature and gathered from her practice In short the thing we conceive intended here is 1. to propose the speciall and peculiar doctrines and tenents that agree to Antichrist without which he will not acknowledge any for his 2. By wisdom to see where these are owned and by whom and so to come to apprehend that party as surely to be Antichrist as if by name it were recorded If it be doubted what are the characteristicall doctrines or errors that serve to point out Antichrist Answ. 1. They must not only be different from the Truth of Christ but in a strain and series destructive to His Truth and inconsistent with the nature of His mediation the end of His humiliation and suffering and Offices of King Priest and Prophet 2. They must be such as have some pretence to Christ and do wrong Him under a shew of reverence given to Him and so differ from the former heads 3. They must differ from the tenents of other Hereticks not in grossenesse so much as in nature for all are not the Antichrist though they may be Antichrists These particular differencing characters we conceive are fully set out in the former part of the Chapter and he is to have not some but all though it may be every person have not all yet may they in generall be instanced in some few heads as most peculiarly agreeing to him and differencing him from others as to consider the errors not as in one person but as in a Body or monarchick Kingdom in respect 1. of the complexnesse of his assumed power and Authority and his bringing all things to a dependance on that and drawing in all under that head not as an Haerosiarcha as other Hereticks do make followers but by pleading for a settled power and continuance of it and for a worship due to him for his Authority and upon this account this assuming of power to himself above all that is called God and making all to worship him and driving that as the main thing with no lesse necessity to acknowledge him Christs general absolute Vicar than to acknowledge Christ Himself This both in this Chap. and Chap. 9. as also 2 Thess. 2. seemeth to be proper to the Antichrist I call this a speciall part or number of his name because without this none are
and name have his number but all that have his number have not his mark and name and because by searching this we come to know his name this is the right order of searching yet if any think meeter to reckon from a name suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which almost since Iohn's dayes hath been followed as appeareth by Irenaeus who was heaâ—â—â— of Polycarp disciple of Iohn vid. lib. 5. adversus haeres Cap. 30. pag. 250. edit Eras. Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomen habet 666. numerum valde verisimile est quoniam novissimum regnum hoc habet vocabulum Latini enim sunt qui nunc regnant sed non in hoc nos gloriabimur that is The name Lateinos hath the number of six hundreth sixty six and it is very like for the last Kingdom hath that name for they are Latines who now reign but we shall not glory in this Yet the wisdom of God hath ordered so that the sum or result of both reckonings turn to one and pointeth at the same Antichrist hinted before for both the forenamed words compleatly exhibit that number 666. and point out the same party where the doctrines rested before Neither will this destroy but confirm our former exposition for this name is brought but as an accumulative argument and evidence of the Antichrist Thus he that hath all the characters of Antichrists doctrine and hath a name which in the numerall letters make up 666. he is Antichrist But to the Pope both these do agree Only as is formerly hinted there is this odds The name will not prove Antichrist without the other marks for it may agree to many and the other marks will prove him without the name for they can agree to no other and are proper to him quarto modo Besides the former conclusion that this reckoning yeeldeth to wit that by this beast is clearly pointed out the Pope for out of this Chapter may be reckoned a proposition that who ever stands marked with these properties is the Antichrist But the story and knowledge of the papacy yeeldeth the assumption that it is the Pope to whom all these will agree Ergo c. Besides this I say these other conclusions may be drawn 1. That the conceit of a Danitish Antichrist invented by Papists to vindicate their Pope is foolish and vain 2. That Mahomet is not the beast intended here 3. That Antichrist is no open professed enemy but a false counterfeit pretended friend 4. That he is already come and so must be the Pope 1. To shew the vanity of that fond Antichrist which they say shall be a Iew one single person of the Tribe of Dan from these two Scriptures Gen. 49. v. 17. and Ier. 8. v. 16. exceedingly abused which yet Bellar. dare not lay weight on and that he shall come three years and an half before the end of the world subdue all the world making himself a Monarch of it sit in Ierusalem be acknowledged by the Iews as their Messias build that Temple do something miraculous giving life as to an Image making fire come down from Heaven c. and be destroyed by Christs second coming c. after he hath killed Enoch and Elias whom they call the witnesses Chap. 11. We oppose to that conceit these truths in this Chapter 1. The time of Antichrists rise is immediately after the sixth head of the Roman beast is wounded to wit when Heathen Emperours are put from their throne Ergo it is long before the end of the world 2. The seat that Antichrist hath to sit on is the seat of the Dragon to wit that seat where the devil by Roman Emperours sate and persecuted the Church before But that is not Ierusalem but Rome Ergo c. That therefore is a truth of Chrysostoms that he sitteth in the Temple of God that is not at Ierusalem but in the Church pretending to have a prime place in it 3. He is not one single person he is the seventh head of this beast yea he is a beast But by none of the former heads of the Roman Governours can be understood any single person but a series of Governours in one state likewise by beasts are understood a series and not one single person Dan. 7. Ergo Antichrist is no single person 4. His continuance is longer than fourty and two noneths literally taken which may be thus made out 1. If his rise to his height be so slow and by so many degrees till he be up and if his standing be so long as to bring and hold all the world under and that by a sort of willing subjection to fight with the Saints and overcome them and other such things as cannot be done in such space if also his decay and ruine be by a long tract of judgements as is under the vials Then he must be of larger standing than fourty and two moneths But the former is true Ergo c. 2. It is clear from this that it beginneth so soon as the Churches fleeing which is about Ann. 300. and continueth till the vials come which comprehend the time of the six trumpets which certainly are more than fourty and two moneths for the vials do bring the first judgements on him 3. If his time had been no longer than fourty and two moneths it had been no great argument for Paul 2 Thess. 2. to prove that the day of Judgement was not neer if fourty and two moneths had been the longest time of his reign for that was Paul's Argument The man of sin is not revealed therefore it is not at hand for that could only have proved it was not within three years and an half 5. He is to be discovered before the end for the first vial cometh on them that have his mark and Chap. 14. they are threatned by publick preaching with judgement before it come 2. For Mahomet this cleareth him also not to be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. This Antichrist hath horns like the lamb sitteth in the Temple of God looketh like Christ but so is not Mahomet who was never a Christian. 2. This Antichrist sitteth at Rome and by a new sort of Idolatry healeth the wound the sixth head had gotten i.e. by worshipping Idols Images c. But Mahomet abhorreth that and pretendeth to worship one God only 3. This Antichrist doth great signs and wonders But Mahomet claimeth to none and pretendeth no signs but to cover that saith that Christ was sent with signs and he with a sword 4. This Antichrist carrieth on and driveth all his designs under a resemblance of making use of Christs power as having horns like the lamb and by a pretext of and claim unto a vicarship and deputation from him so doth not Mahomet 3. Hence also we may conclude that Antichrist is no open opposer or denier of Christ to be Christ or one that calleth himself Christ but an intruder of himself in what is Christs due
warn all her followers by that prediction but to withdraw them from that erroneous way under all highest pains certifying them that Popery will bring Gods everlasting curse on them and that it standeth them on no lesse than the necessity of Salvation to quite it by which Angel separation from Him is pressed as it is Chap. 18. come out of her when the same threatening is mentioned so every one of these Preachers and preachings inferreth the other well and agreeth to the Lords way of making His Truth to break up in the event 1. Luther began to preach against some errors as humane traditions and to open the Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone in opposition to Indulgences Purgatory c. at first without thinking that Rome was Babylon or that there was a necessity of separating from it but the Gospel could not long be in the world but that must be clear like the light Then 2. he grew in light and boldnesse and others joyned with him as Melancthon Iustus Ionas c. and they came directly to speak of Rome as of Babylon and of the Pope as of Antichrist and thereupon applied these and such like plain passages foretelling their ruine as of the speciall treacherous enemies of Jesus Christ who had so long deluded the world and abused the Church Followeth upon that the third Angels preaching who cometh in with the necessity of abstaining from His worship and fellowship under pain of damnation and the more the Pope fumed and persecuted the more they preached and cleared that strange truth in the world that Popery was of it self damnable and that though God had a Church latent amongst them in the time of darknesse yet now he would not have it so and this Doctrine was much urged against the Pseudo-nicodemites to have the sinfulnesse of the Popish way born in upon souls not only that it was not good or so good as the other but that it was deadly and of a slaying and mortiferous power and therefore the Godly could not communicate with them in it without sin This was the Reformers third work See Sleid. lib. 1. 2. Calvin opuscul especially class 3. per totam Luther his work ascendeth by these steps 1. In his Theses given out Anno 1517. against Indulgences and thereafter in their defence against Sylvester Eccius Pererius and others he sheweth these things profit not to life but Repentance and Faith resting only on Christs merits and the mercy of God alone seing no Saints merits are perfect Anno 1519. Caralastadius beginneth a dispute against the Pope at Lypsick whither Eccius came and provoked Luther to dispute by maintaining the Popes absolute supremacy which Luther impugned Melancthon also was with Luther at this dispute but after in an Epistle to Leo 10. he excused it some way yet Anno 1520. he by a Book de captivitate Babylonica publickly asserted and proved Rome to be Babylon and the Pope Antichrist Sleid. lib. 2. pag. 23. Thereafter Anno 1521. when Zuinglius had begun to preach boldly the year before at Tigurine in Helvetia Luther with the whole College of Wittenberge burnt the Books of his adversaries as they had done his before appealing from the Pope to a Councel earnestly exhorting to abstain communion with the Church of Rome which thereafter he hath both in his Sermons and Writings confirmed This was more fully afterward joyntly prosecuted by Melancthon Calvine Martyr and Bucer See Calv. contra Pseudonicodemitas So we take the scope of this Chapter generally to set forth 1. Antichrists fall and the certainty of it 2. The means by which it should be effectuated to wit preaching and action by preaching withdrawing many from him by judgement overthrowing the rest which judgements are more particularly described by the vials 3. By what degrees or in what order it should be carried on by these means 1. Preachings and threatenings go before judgements And 2. in preaching the Truth of the Gospel is first preached and then judgements more peremptorily denounced ut supra 1. against the head then against the followers Now to come more particularly to this third Angel he cometh shortly on the back of the former with a loud voice which intimateth much deadnesse amongst the people that would not awake 2. Much zeal boldnesse and freenesse in him that preached making out this Truth plainly that he was commissionated with It is in generall a commination yet set down conditionally that it may be a warning to make men flee that sin that they may escape that judgement and because the Key of Doctrine in threatenings and promises is not absolutely to be applied by Ministers the conditions whereupon it goeth being indiscernable to them and so it differeth from the use-making of the Key of Discipline whereby absolutely we admit to or reject from Ordinances because the rule of it is conversant about externall scandals and profession which are discernable In short as if he would say follow not Popery longer for if ye so do ye shall not escape the heavy judgement of Gods everlasting wrath and it will be the greater that ye have gotten warning In particular it containeth a description of a Papist or one of Antichrists followers which is the object of this threatening vers 9. 2. It describeth their judgement vers 10 11. The description hath two parts 1. They are described by worshipping Antichrist which pointeth at some inward impression 2. By reserving his mark which supponeth some outward expression of their respect to him 1. He saith If any worship the beast and his image because none shall be missed if it were but one that continueth By beast and image we are not to understand two distinct things as we shew Chap. 13. for here they have the same common worship and their worshippers are of equal extent and their judgement is the same and vers 11. when it is repeated they are both spoken of as one his mark and his name and not theirs but by beast is more especially holden forth the Pope as the head of that antichristian estate and as it were the Author and by Image is holden forth the complex body of the hierarchy doctrine and superstitions which he hath framed called his because he composed it and made it called an image because of its likenesse to the old Roman heathenish worship and tyrannie over the Church The worshipping of these implieth as was said Chap. 13. more than a civil devotednesse to that Pope as head especially in his doctrine and worship The second part of the description of receiving his mark in the forehead and hand was expounded Chap. 13. and implieth not only mens acknowledging the Pope but their yeelding and submitting to him and giving up themselves as Souldiers or Servants to that antichristian state adhering to that profession and by publick evidences owning it without as well as cleaving to it in affection within It is called here the mark of his name which was before called the
harvest is understood in the Prophets especially speaking of Babylon as was said a full return of judgement Ier. 51.33 By ripenesse is understood a fulnesse and height of sin Ioel 3. so together holding forth ripe sin and ready judgement sin hath its sowing and growth and ripening and so wrath answerable is treasured up till the harvest time as God said of the Amorites Gen. 15. their cup was not full and sin may be long in ripening for hundreds of years There is a set time for mercy Psal. 102. and a set time for judgement also The meaning in short is Antichrists sin is become great aggreged with many circumstances as now ripened and when our Lord appeared as on His way to execute judgement His Church and People stepped in to beg that it might be so which accordingly vers 16. is granted and fields of wicked men are destroyed possibly that which Antichrist lived on and the harvest he had in the earth by Gods judgements was destroyed However what the Angel had to execute is instantly done upon that petition and accordingly it followeth vers 16. in two things according to commission he putteth in his sickle Then the earth was reaped easily was the judgement executed which he intended there is no more but it was reaped when he beginneth he maketh an end Vers. 17. The second similitude followeth of the vintage which is both a sorer degree of judgement and posteriour to the former sin being now riper even fully ripe These grapes of Sodom are cut down gathered and cast into the wine-presse of Gods wrath it being usuall to the Prophets to use this similitude Isa. 63.2 3 4. It hath also three parts 1. The executioner is described vers 17. 2. His incitment to proceed vers 18. 3. The execution This executioner is an Angel yet diversly described from the former and called another yet comparing it with Chap. 19.15 Christ must be understood as principall but seing He doth these works mediately as in that same Chapter by Armies on horse-back sometimes He is represented because they act by Him sometimes the types more formally represent them who are agents because he maketh use of them however when He is represented they are not secluded contra He is not when the types resemble them most and the putting these two agents together it sheweth that though Christ 〈◊〉 instruments yet that Himself first appeareth because the work was great and the 〈◊〉 weak extraordinarily He beginneth but when the Church multiplieth He 〈◊〉 Him instruments out of her The instrument or agent is called an Angel as these who powr out the vials are yet we conceive them not to be understood as properly so seing battels and horses are not obscurely mentioned here and Chap. 19. to be made use of in the execution of these plagues but the manner of the expression of things in this Book is in the tearms of heaven It pointeth at some fit ready instrument Jesus Christ shall have to make use of when He shall have to do one or moe to cut down and cast these grapes in the wine-presse but Chap. 19. He treadeth it Himself Two things are spoken concerning this Angel 1. He came out of the Temple which is in heaven that is some member or members of His Church here called heaven for it was the wine of the earth that is of the wicked and not of the Church which was to be gathered 2. He is armed even with a sharp sickle such as Christ had to shew it was that same power whereby this instrument acted the armour and strength was of the supream Agent Hence Chap. 19. which we take to be the same judgement with this and ending Gods controversie on the beast He as King rideth foremost and the Armies of heaven follow Him to this battell yet none have armes but He and we cannot conceive them acting but He is on their head Hence we may think it the lesse absurdity that the petition again for furtherance of the work is renewed to this Angel although it be not absurd to conceive this Angel to be a Minister of the Gospel as Levits served at the altar giving direction to such as Christ should choose to execute His judgements as one of the beasts giveth the Angels the vials Chap. 15.7 and so his power over the fire will be to be understood as Chap. 11. of the Witnesses their having power over fire and diverse other plagues Vers. 18. The incitation is renewed God will be called on in every step In which ye have 1. The suiter described 2. The suit and its reasons are set down both which differ from what is spoken of by the former intercessour vers 15. the suiter is called an Angel but hath two peculiar properties 1. He cometh forth from the altar which importeth some more retired secret holy place than the Temple we can expound it no otherwise than we did Chap. 6.9 10. in the fifth seal to hold out heaven ordinarily set out by the most holy 2. He had power over the fire not as one peculiarly separated to govern that element nor one commissionated to execute judgement himself by fire properly or figuratively to be understood for then he needed not deal with him who is properly commissionated for that end and that Angel Chap. 16. is called the Angel of the waters not as having a peculiar charge ordinarily of them or over them but as peculiarly commissionated in reference to them with his vial yet it is not properly to be understood of waters as will appear it holdeth out then to speak so some contest and fight they had with fire and that the fire did not prevail over them but they overcame it by the bloud of the Lamb Chap. 12.11 and by their faith and patience Heb. 11. being invincibly armed against all torments In a word we take it to be the reviving of the Martyrs cry which was against heathen persecuters Chap. 6. Now their number is compleat and there is not that ground of suspending the judgement which was given in that place This cometh to rememberance before God who findeth in her the bloud of all Prophets and Apostles because they have served themselves heires to all and this guilt hath a loud cry before the Lord to procure the hastening and closing of Antichrists judgement So the first Angel setteth out the cry of all the Church Militant the second more especially of sufferers Triumphant See Chap. 6. This Angels suit in two things differeth from and goeth behind the former 1. The suit is thrust in thy sharp sickle it was simply sickle before This is added to shew a severity in this judgement and a holy pressing in this Angel beyond the former 2. The grapes are said to be fully ripe so there needeth no longer waiting The harvest was ripe before now the grapes are fully ripe for they have had more time 2. They had more means and former lesser judgements were despised 3. They have
successe they are brought together in Armageddon vers 16. and before this after the preparation in parenthesis there is cast in a word both of warning and of comfort Behold I come as a thief Blessed is he c. vers 15. 1. The Author is designed by three names yet is the same party under diverse considerations The Dragon is the same mentioned Chap. 12.8 9. to wit the devil here acting not immediately but for supporting his lieutenant the beast to whom he gave his power Chap. 13. leaving nothing that hell can do for that end The beast is the first beast named Chap. 13. to wit the Pope as he is head to the civil State of Rome The false prophet is the two horned beast Chap. 13.11 for Chap. 19 20. the false prophet worketh miracles before the first beast which is the very work of that two horned beast Chap. 13. and his place only He is called here the false prophets because that vizorn of respect to the Lamb which formerly he pretended is now taken away and he that pretended to be Christs Vicar is now discovered to be the great deceiver and false prophet which was to come and as these two beasts are one Chap. 13. as was there cleared so is the beast and false prophet one here for Chap. 19. vers 19. the beast is distinct from the Kings of the earth so vers 14. of this Chapter yet it would seem that all Civil powers under the name of Kings as Châ—p 17. are contradâ—stinguished from the beast and whore as they that shall once support her and afterward hate her neither can the Emperour be secluded from that reckoning and therefore it is no supream Civil power 2. They are both cast into the lake together vers 20. and the now-Roman Empire likely was either dâ—stroyed or turned from the Pope to hate him under the fourth and fifth vial 3. They boâ—h end together and it will be hard to think that there will be no succession of Emperors or Civil states representing these parts or powers after the Popes overthrow yet are they all three named dâ—stinctly to shew what concurreth for supporting papacy devilish subtillity temporall power and deep hypocrisie In a word all unlawfull and carnall shifts and that both Civil and Ecclesiastick are made use of Secondly These inferiour agents are severall wayes described 1. In their nature they are spirits not propeâ—ly for spirits as such cannot be seen neither is it such that can treat with Kings and perswade them to war as sent out of the mouth of the beast and false prophet But spirits 1. for their activity and nimblnesse in compassing their designs 2. Because they call themselves spirituall men in opposition to Laicks such as the Popes Negotiators are as Nuncios Legats Jesuits c. are exceeding meetly taken in here for their institution oath and way of proceeding answereth well to that of these frâ—gs as singularly commissionated to spread themselves through the world to engage all Kings against Christs followers who may also have lying spirits waiting on them to make their embassage effectuall as Ahab's false prophets had 1 King 22. to which this may allude 2. They are described by their qualities they are unclean spirits like frogs 1. In their rise not of God but the devil for they are called so vers 14. as all their orders are not of Christs plâ—nting therefore compared to locusts Châ—p 9. 2. In their ends devilish opposit to the Lord Christ as the devil is 3. In their manner of proceeding by all means devilish instruments c. as murders treasons lies equivocations c. they care not what if they may effectuate their designs for supporting the beast 4. In their life filthy and loathsome like frogs that use marishes which in Reformations are not cleansed Ezek. 47.11 so that brood continue in these places which remaineth unhealed and haunteth such company 3. In their number they are three that is a considerable number In the 11. Chap. when Christs cause was low he had but two witnesses Antichrist hath three as it wereâ— moe do back him to his last than Christ had so tenâ—cious and constant are men in evil rather than good Three also to suit with the nature of him that commissionateth them So some act devilishâ—y and subtiâ—ly as from the Dragon representing him Others by mâ—ght and civil negotiations carrying the businesse as servants to Princes A third sort counterfeiting Religion either by pretending many miracles to have been done by their party or strengthened by the devil to do great wonders themselves for covering their hypocrisie and strengthening their cause and according to this threefold commission they act 3. This design of the beasts by these agents is more particularly holden forth in four things 1. To whom they are sent to the Kings of the earth and of the whole world that is to all Nations and Powers whether Christian or Heathen that would joyn against the true Church Therefore if the Emperor were one of the Popes followers the commission must be sent to him and he not be a sender but as the naming of the Dragon distinctly supponeth no distinct visible power so neither doth it in the other likewise by the Dragon cannot be meaned heathen persecuters for they are sent unâ—o by the beast also and do not send but it is the beast now appearing both lâ—ke a Dragon and a false Prophet 2. Their errand is to gather them to the battell of that great day of God Almighty that iâ— to an eminent appearing of Gods in taking vengeance on them not that this is their intentention to fight against God as it is expounded Chap. 19. or to meet his vengeance but that in Gods providence thiâ— is made the result of all and though they think its fighting for Christs Vicar yet he expoundeth it otherwise as it is upon the matter a fighting against God Almighty for it was to oppose His Churches rising and in that battell God was partie 3. The instruments are more clearly designed spirits not of God but of the devil suiting well with such a commission 4. The means how they prevail it is by working miracles such as the devil by his naturall and experimentall knowledge of things and speciall dexterity to do and compasse things can out of naturall causes easily and really bring forth which may be wonderfull to men who can act nothing like these or by his deceit making men believe he doth things of themselves beyond the power of nature which he doth not really perform but deludeth men to believe that they are performed such are the beasts miracles Chap. 13.12 Or by making men believe that all their legends of counterfeit miracles are true which they make a mark of the true Church and thus perswade men to support their Babylon Before he set down the successe of this negotiation which is vers 16. he casteth in vers 15. a word of warning and comfort It should be in parenthesis as
vial Chap. 16. Then Chap. 19. he goeth on to describe the events of the sixth vial in the battell of Armageddon which was defective till supplied there Chap. 16. after these In the last vision Chap. 20.21.22 till vers 6 7 c. he setteth out the events of the seventh vial wherein Rome is not only destroyed as in the fifth and the beast as in the sixth but the Dragon in his universall dominion which belongeth to the seventh vial So Chap. 18. expoundeth the fifth vial 19. the sixth and 20.21 the seventh and this 17. Chap. maketh way for all 3. For this 17. Chap. which is a ground well premitted to all the rest it hath three parts 1. An introduction or preface containing the occasion of what followeth or the proposing of the sum and scope of the vision following This is in the Angels words to Iohn vers 1 2. 2. There is the vision it self more darkly represented to him in types or in a figurative vision This is from vers 3. to vers 6. 3. From that to the end we have a clear interpretation upon the occasion of Iohns wondering more fully expounding this than any other vision is expounded Concerning which Observe more particularly 1. That there is great odds between the figurative expressions in which the vision is set down and these by which it is interpreted The vision and prophesies are set down darkly under figures and we must take them so and to take them literally were absurd because they need interpretation but the interpretation is in plain words and more properly to be taken Otherwise to expound one allegory by another as obscure were no exposition and contrary to the Angels scope here which is by this interpretation to make Iohn and us know the meaning of the vision and contrary to the manner of exposition in all other places as Chap. 1.20 the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches literally so and no moe as they are named The seven Stars the Angels or Ministers of these Churches and Chap. 7. these are they who are come out of great tribulation i.e. so indeed And therefore here though in the vision heads and horns be not to be properly and literally understood yet in the interpretation seven heads are seven hills or ten horns ten Kings they are literally and properly to be taken especially when the Angel circumstantiateth the hills such as the woman fitteth upon and the Kings by this that five be past one is and the other is to come and the ten Kings not as yet to have received power but to get it afterward and so forth All which demonstrate that the Angels purpose and words are to be literally understood So the woman the city vers 18. is so circumstantiated by her dominion as constraineth it literally to be understood 2. Concerning this woman and whore Obs. 1. That the woman and whore are both one city or state but diversly considered for she who is the whore vers 1. is styled and represented as a woman vers 4. and the woman there represented hath the whores name vers 5. yet I say diversly considered for to be an whore and an adultereâ—-whore such as the Scripture useth to mention to this scope therefore this name is given to Israel in their defections and not to Heathens because it importeth a Contract and Marriage with some party and a foul breach of that tie The whore then as such can be no city that never was Christian but some eminent Church making defection to idolatry and falling from the Fâ—â—â—h given to God their husband at least this engagement to Him must preveen their being accounted so notorious an harlot And 2. as the woman and whore are one So Babylon called the great city Sodom Chap. 11. vers 8. and the whore are the same as appeareth by then names vers 5. and vers 18. and their practices are the same to wit to allure to fornication Chap. 14.8 to persecute Chap. 11. and their ruine and judgement is one Compare Chap. 14.9 10 c. Chap. 16.19 Chap. 18.2 c. And where the epither great is added to City Whâ—re or Babylon the same singular party is described but in diverse considerations either of her dominion as vers 18. or whoredoms oppressions pride or some such thing for which she getteth diverse names and is represented by diverse types 3. Concerning this Woman it is by most of the Fathers applyed to Rome Terâ—â—â—iâ—nus lib. adversus Iudaos Cap. 9. Sic Babylon apud Ioannem nostrum Romana urbis figuram impâ—â—â— proinâ—â— magna regnâ— superba Sanctoriâ—â— debellatricis that is Babylon in our Iohn is a figure of the city of Rome being so great so proud of the Empire and the destroyer of the Saints The like he hath lib. â— contra Marcionem Cap. 13. Hieronymâ—â— epist. 17. ad Marâ—â—llâ—â— nominâ— Pauli Eustâ—châ—â— â—pist 151. Algâ—siae quaest 11. Commâ—â—â— in Cap. 47. Esâ—iae in lib. Diâ—ymi de Spâ—r Saâ—nctâ— praefâ—tione ad Paulinianum Ambrosius Ansber 〈◊〉 locumpunc where he saith â—oc manifestum est i. e. it is manifest Also Victorinâ—â— Primaâ—â—â— and others cited by Fulâ— in his answer to the Rhemists 4. note upon the place Nay Augustine howbeit cited for another opinion concerning what is meaned by Babylon from his Comment in Psal. 26. doth concede what we say lib. 18. De civitatâ— Dei Cap. 2. 22. And Arethas Caesariensis Comment in locum granteth the same to be the judgement of diverse whence Fulk gathereth That this was the common opinion of the ancient Greek Fathers The same is granted by the most learned of the Papists themselves â—aroâ—ius Annaâ— Tom. 1. An. 45. hath these words Roman in Apocalypsâ— Ioâ—nnis eoâ—â—m nomine sci Babylonis notatam esse in confesso est apud omnes i.e. That Roâ—â— in the Revelation of Iohn is designed by the same name to wit of Babylon is confessed by all â—ellarmine is both frequent and full in this lib. 3. De pontif Romano Cap. 13. haveing first proposed that opinion of Augustine Arethas Haâ—oâ— â—eda and â—apertus who by the city Babylon understand the multitude of the wicked And addeth Seâ—anao dici potest â—ea judicio melius per meretriceâ— intelligi Romaâ— that is It may be said also and in my judgement better that by the whore Rome is to be understood And lib. 2. Cap. 2. he expresly disputeth for it Praeterâ—a Ioanâ—â—â— in Apocalypsâ— passim Romam vocat Babylonem apertâ colligitur ex Cap. 17. Apoc. ubi dicitur Babylon magna sedâ—re super septem montes habere imperium super Regâ—s terrâ— Nec 〈◊〉 â—lia civitas est quae Ioannis tempore â—â—perium habuerit super Reges terrae quam Roma notissimum est super septem colles Romam edificatam essâ— that is Moreover Iohn in the Revelation every-where calleth Rome Babylon and it is evidently gathered from the 17. of the Revel where Babylon the great is said to sit upon
her as now under the last head And he beginneth at the beast because we know by this who that whore is by knowing who supporteth her The woman being spoken of last We come to the first thing followed vers 8. to wit the description of the beast in generall under the notion of his last head for Iohn in a prophetical vision getteth a sight of this backslidden Church and the Empire or dominion that supported her as she is a whore for that is in the words vers 8. The beast thou sawest Now the beast he saw was that which supported the whore called vers 11. the eighth head pointing at the last state of this Empire So this answereth a seeming contradiction how this beast can be said not to be and yet to be vers 8. for it is not to be understood simply that it is not for in the end of the verse it is said It yet is which maketh the wonder the more and vers 10. there was one King head to that beast even in that time but the opposition is to be understood in some respect that is it was formerly a large Empire but is not the Empire under that Government and form which is here intended in that respect it is but to come which is verified in the state of this beast which Iohn saw and the Angel describeth More particularly this beast is described in a threefold respect 1. as to the time past it was that is this is an Empire which is not now to begin simply but long hath had dominion in the world though differing from this under the last consideration for 1. It was under Kings Consuls Emperours and other lawfull civil Governours this ascendeth from the pit 2. It was a civil Government governing by power and force of Arms now it s Ecclesiastick bearing rule by Religion and pretext of Christs horns 3. It was openly heathenish and idolatrous avowedly persecuting Christians now it is not so a pretended Christian but really idolatrous and an enemie to all true Christians 2. It is described in respect of the present time It is not that is in respect of this last state which was coming and is opposed to all the former in that respect it is not come as it was to be antichristian and as the Roman city is not yet an whore So this Government which is the last of that beast is not now in the world because it is under the seventh head and the sixth was then vers 10. for though the mysterie of iniquity began to work very soon yet this birth was not then brought forth So it is in vain to seek this beast amongst the formes then existing though that same Empire was in other respects in being even then Here also it would be adverted That this was and is not looketh to Iohns time and is to be made a truth then as the word in the future but shall arise cleareth But was and is not in the end of the verse looketh to the time after his rising and becoming the object of the earths admiration which is the cursed priviledge of the last head that then was to arise from the pit 3. It is described in reference to the time to come and or but as often shall arise though he be not yet come yet he shall come and because there was most difficulty to know him that was to come and it is most concerning also to Gods people That future state is set out also in a further description in these four 1. in his rise He shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit where two things are insinuated 1. Concerning his nature and kind 2. Concerning his order or manner of rising By his originall from the bottomlesse pit We understand the same thing as Chap. 9. of his being Angel of the bottomlesse pit His arising from thence Chap. 11.7 and his getting power from the devil Chap. 13.5 All which imply not only that he should be of a hellish disposition but that his power or form of it which was to succeed that which then was should have a rise specially from hell that is should be no civil Government of any sort all which Rom. 13. are Gods Ordinances nor meerly a power abused by the devil in oppression and persecution for that had not been any peculiar mark to this beast or this state of the beast for all the former almost were such and so it would not reach the Angels scope It must then be understood of a Government unwarranted by God and a medling in things not put in mens power an office not acknowledged in the Word such as Papacy is but in effect a power especially plotted by the devil and brought out of hell to supply the Dragons place when he should be dis-throned in the heathen Emperours By which it appeareth that this is a singular dominion in respect of its rise as being specially obliged to the devil for that and singular in its usefulnesse to him which can be spoken of no ordinary Government though the persons be sinfull that are in it Secondly This and shall ascend c. implyeth 1. a great height this beast should come to from small beginnings as Chap. 13. 2. That gradatim or piece and piece he should come to it not all at once at an height but one step of usurpation after another till the height were come unto but in a covert way as papacy arose so that there seemeth to be some intervall as it were between the beast that was and is his evanishing in that shape which he then had and the last beasts appearing in which respect it is said Chap. 13. peculiarly of this change that one head was wounded and discerned to be so before it was recovered by this last For the time and manner of this rise see more Chap. 9. and Chap. 13. Only here it appeareth that the future state of the Roman Empire which should be in its nature and rise different from the former states thereof is the state that is set out by this beast and all know that this is the Papacy or Pontificatus 2. This last state of the beast which in this Chapter is called commonly the beast is set out in his ruine as he was under that form to succeed what had gone before so that there should be none after him for he shall go into perdition 1. Implying an evanishing of this beast under this head and not only the changing of this state for that had not been peculiar to it but common with the former All by gone states are comprehended in what was and this future state or consideration of the beast taketh in all which was to come of him 2. It implieth a peculiar destruction waiting for him different from the former 3. A slownesse in its on-going though there be a certainty of its fulfilling yet not at once If Papacy be 〈◊〉 this head then we cannot look for an Antichrist to succeed it seing it hath succeeded to the
By woman we told was understood Rome it is called a city Verse ult and it must be such a city as may serve particularly to discover these mountains from other mountains they are such saith he as the chief city of the world sitteth on And then this city cannot be the multitude of the wicked for that could be no mark for Iohn or others to discern on seven mountains from any other seven mountains Beside this city is not the world or complex body of Kings but that city that ruleth over them under seven several Governments as the following words clear And the mountains are such as this woman sitteth on now her sitting is two wayes understood in this Chapter 1. she sitteth on many waters vers 1. that is many peoples and Kingdoms vers 15. over whom vers 18. she ruleth Thus to sit on is to rule 2. she sitteth in a peculiar way in one place of these peoples whom she commandeth beyond other places and she sitteth not so on the peoples or waters but on the seven mountains that is she hath her residence pompe court throne and abode there which reacheth over many people And this agreeth well with the Angels scope which being to open the events of the fifth vial he insisteth on the object of it which is the seat or throne of the beast Chap. 16. These seven mountains then will be such as the Imperiall city of the world not only commands over but is placed upon and so that city will be found to be the whore that dwelleth on seven mountains and this Empire to be the beast that upholdeth and supporteth these and governeth them ut supra From which it is clear that Rome is designed by the Angel to be this city For 1. Rome is famous for its situation on seven hills that is a peculiar paraphrase of it both among Greeks and Latins The seven hilled city or the city on the seven hills and Rome were still taken as one for at first by Romulus it comprehended four he was the first founder of it after by the sixth King Servius Tullius were three more added hence was that yearly feast 3. id Decemb. called festum septimontium and these sayings of the Poets confirm this Virg. Septem quae una sibi muro circumdedit arces And Ovid. trist Sed quae dâ— septem totum circumspicit orbem Montibus Imperii Roma DeuÌ„mque locus c. which made it to receive these names septiceps urbs septicollis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and they are thus particularly named 1. Palatinus 2. Caliâ—s 3. Capitolius or Ianiculus 4. Aventinus 5. Qairinaliâ— 6. Viminalis 7. Aesquiâ—inus which maketh Bellar. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 2. say notissimum est supra septem colles urbem Romam â—edificatam esse Corn. à lapide in locum citeth many to confirm this and if Rome be the seat the Roman Church is the whore and the Pope Antichrist who keepeth his Court there in a speciall manner though he command otherwise all the world at his pleasure yet his chair is nailed to that seven hilled city and cannot be removed That which is objected may be answered from what is said Say some this city meaneth no particular city but the company of the wicked in generall which is clearly contrary to the Angels scope which is to discover one state and city and to the Text which distinguisheth this city from people and Nations over which it commandeth and from Kings that gave their power to the beast yet are they no small part of the wicked in the world Beside it is such a city as is situated on seven hills peculiarly distinguished from others which cannot be the wicked 2. Say some seven are to be taken indefinitely which is also answered from the scope that pointeth out seven hills on which the woman sitteth beside others to satisfie Iohn in this as in other interpretations 3. Say Some as Bellar. though Rome then sat on seven mountains yet it is not so now but standeth saith he in campo martio Answ. It is granted by Bellarmine that Rome was then the city signified to Iohn for it then bare rule it must then be understood of it also now or this one type must signifie one city or place to Iohn in his time and another to us which is absurd 2. It is enough that it was built so in Iohns time for it is the same city Empire and series of Dominion still and though as he saith it standeth most in campo martio yet it is the same Rome which before that in Iohns time had these seven hills in it or else the Pope sitteth in some other Rome than Peter sat on in Iohns time 3. Though some of these hills be without the walls now yet they are still linked to the rest by speciall priviledges all of them being seats of the Popes Pallaces Abbacies c. yet on an other occasion Bellar. saith notissimum est cam supra septem colles adificatam esse that is It is a thing most known that Rome is builded upon seven hills as is said The Angel having in the first exposition of these seven heads discovered Rome in its locall situation by fixed hills he goeth on in a second application to do it by its fleeting and successive Governments ver 10. and 11. In it 1. he sheweth what further these heads hold forth to wit seven Kings it may be read they are or signifie seven Kings as before seven Hills And although one might think it hard that one type should set forth a Hill and a King yet the Angels particular explication leaveth no room for that debate Then 2. he discovereth or characterizeth these Kings in respect of time and being that so Iohn and others might the more easily discern what he proponed Five are fallen saith he one is and the other is not yet come 3. Because the shot of all is to discover the beast under the last head therefore in severall characters here the seventh is described in the end of the 10. and 11. verses For understanding this we shall 1. clear the words 2. Then apply them 3. Remove some doubts or objections 1. By Kings is not strictly to be understood Governours under that name only but in Scripture all Governours ordinarily passe under that name So Moses is called Deut. 33.5 And when Israel wanted all Government Iudg. 17. ult it is said In these dayes they had no King in Israel signifying no Governour or order every one did what he listed And here in Iohns time that Governour of the Empire bare not this name of King though he be called the sixth 2. Neither by Kings are understood Governours personally or individuall men but a series or succession under one forme of Government in a line as Dan. 7.17 the four Monarchies which were not any of them save it be the third in an individuall person yet they are called four Kings and it must meane so here for
Kings here are as ver 12. where they are called ten Kings and shall it be thought that by these are meaned ten men who are like and do all that is spoken of them in their own time Experience will say the contrary That since the Roman Empire decayed and Kings arose out of the ruines thereof many ages are past yet what they have to fulfill on the Whore is not yet come And 3. these Kings as is clear are successive one to another and that immediatly the fifth succeedeth the fourth the sixth the fifth c. and there are not two at once 4. And that line or succession of the seven together is to go from the rising of this Empire to its ruine while this beast is an Empire it is under some one of these heads except we imagine a beast without an head and consequently this succession taketh in so long a series that five individuall persons could not fill up the time before Iohn nor can one make it up after him for many dayes have continued since yet the beast is not gone fully to perdition though it then was in his time It must then be either under the head it had then which is false or it must be under the seventh which succeeded and however it be it cannot be one person who so long could continue head to that beast 5. They must be Kings or Governments that are heads to one and the same body and sit at Rome foâ— the heads are Kings to that same City to which the Hills belong seing they describe one Beast or Empire and they must be over many Nations ver 15. yea the same Nations for there is one body of this beast under all the heads and all the heads are Governours to one beast or body and so are Roman Governours and that of a great extent Otherwayes one head were but half an head or head to half the beast and the setting out of both by one type confirmeth this that they are Kings and Hills of one City 6. These Governours or sorts of Governments are precisly Seven having one Empire for their dominion and continuing from its rise to its close so the first Government beginneth equally with the first head and it endeth together with the seventh and there are neither moe nor fewer for if the Hills be seven and not moe nor fewer and if just five be past and no moe then the seven in whole must be so and not moe nor fewer and the one to come must be properly one also And to say there might be an other Government distinct from the seven it would also say it behoved to be an other beast or dominion for saith the Angel This hath but seven the last whereof goeth to perdition and hath no successor 1. From what is said it is clear 1. that the naming of an eight ver 11. is not to be understood as of a distinct head For 1. Then the beast would have eight Kings and so would not be well represented by seven heads or exponed by seven Kings if there were moe 2. Then this beast to wit the eight would not be one of the seven which it is expresly said to be ver 11. and if one of seven it must be one of the seven formerly mentioned and that none of the first sixth therefore it must be the seventh it self which was to come 3. The same called the eight vers 11. is all one with that vers 8. But that holdeth out the Roman Empire under its seven heads or at least under one of them and it is the same beast that was and is not which Iohn saw and which the Angel is discovering and if he were not under any of these heads this would contribute little to that end Nor would it be a discovery of the same beast 4. The head which was to come is all one with that state of the beast vers 8. that was to arise for there is but one state to come and but one head to come Now were there eight heads there would be two to come in Iohns time neither could one state have comprehended the whole future form of that beast as vers 8. if it had been to be diverse and various and under different heads 5. If the seventh head be last then there is not an eight But it is said of the seventh it must continue but a short space as agreeing with what is said vers 8. of the beast that it must go into perdition under that form which was to come therefore it is not said the seventh but the other and that in the singular number is not yet come to shew there is but one to come How this is called the eight we shall clear afterward A second thing from what is said is also clear to wit that we cannot put any Government between the sixth head which was in Iohns time and the seventh or last whatever it shall be found to be And therefore we cannot as some Interpreters do put in either the King of Goths in Italy who for a time commanded Rome nor Christian Caesars For 1. there are but seven in all and none of these is the last for there is one since 2. All these seven heads head and rule the Roman Empire which is broader than that Kingdom of Goths which wanted a great part of Italy and were never Emperours 3. The papacy was breeding then after the wound which was given to heathenish Emperours by Constantine and never was healed till by it as was cleared Chap. 13. But there cannot be two heads together Therefore All heads have names of blasphemy which cannot be said of Christian Emperours as such Then fourthly beside if Christian Emperours were an head when ceased they to be a head seing they keeped some name long after they went from Rome and were weakened in their power piece and piece The second thing whereby these Kings are set out is clear that is they are such seven forms of Government as five thereof must preceed Iohns time That is meaned by this five are away or fallen one is to wit the sixth that is one different from any of the former the other is not yet come He saith the other and not the seventh 1. to shew there was but one to come 2. To shew that it was to be as different from the rest or more than any that had gone before and according to his manner he pointeth out this last especially because it is the scope of all to clear what concerneth him It is said of him in this vers He must continue a short space when he cometh which I take to imply two things 1. the certainty of this others coming or of his continuing a time when he shall come Thus when he cometh he shall continue c. holdeth forth the necessity of his continuance for a time till he have his time of it as well as any of the former and that people would not think he shall evanish
diverse Governments but the exorbitant domination of some Governours who ruled under the old and ordinary titles as Sulla and Cinna and Pompey were Consuls and had still that name Caesar Antonius and Lepidus if we account Augustus the first as it seemeth Tacitus doth they were but by violence in such places without any such consent as Augustus had afterward obtained Therefore he designeth them by their names and not their offices as he had done the former or as he doth to Augustus after by calling him Princeps So this increaseth not the number If we reckon again Iulius Caesar the first Emperour as it seemeth just Lepidus Antonius Octavius or Augustus will be Emperours and to be reckoned under the sixth head for all of them had imperiall power and governed as Supream such and such parts of the Empire even as often there were sundry Emperours joyned as Dioclesian Maximianus Herculeus c. at the same time Constantine and Licinius agreed betwixt themselves to divide the Empire so it was here and it was still the same power and this division or agreement also was only amongst themselves without any act of the People or consent of the Senat and was a piece of tyranny as Sueâ—â—nius and Augustus observe and from that of Tacitus as also it is clear that though there were some intervals in some of these forms as that Dictators were now and then yet when they were they were supream and had a sort of sacrednesse beyond any other Governour or Governments and therefore justly accounted distinct The Consuls were both before the Decemviri and after them and the Tribuni militum also yet all of them make up one form which was passed before Iohn's dayes who wrote in the time of the Caesars and so had not seen the seventh head which was after to come This truth in the matter of fact is acknowledged by Bellar. lib. 1. de Pontif. cap. 2. though elsewhere he would question it for there he being to reckon the changes of the Roman Government he reckoneth 1. Kings 2. Consuls 3. Decemviri for when he speaketh of Tribuni plebis they were but superadded to the former Governours and were not supream therefore without respect to them Livius reckoneth the Decemviri to be the third 4. He nameth Dictators 5. Tribuni militum cum consulari potestate after which he addeth the Emperours or Monarchy And certainly if there had been any moe changes he would not have omitted them it being his scope to shew the changeablnesse of all Governments till they resolve in Monarchy I know also that the same Author Bellar. understandeth by seven heads indefinitely all the Emperours past and to come in Iohn's time but that will not consist with the Angels dividing of them in live to have been before one present and but one to come for according to that reckoning many moe were to come than had preceeded that time The second assertion to be made out is That the Papacy is the seventh Government of Rome succeeding to that which was in Iohn's time and so is the last which is holden forth under that type of the seventh head which was then to come and this being a main point we must insist a little to confirm it And 1. its clear that the sixth Government which was then in Iohns time is now also fallen and away 2. It s clear then also that the seventh must be come what cleareth the one confirmeth the other for if the seventh be come the sixth is fallen because two cannot be together and if the sixth be gone the seventh must be come for there is no intermission or interval of such length betwixt their successions That the sixth is gone then and the seventh come these things will clear 1. It is clear from the truth of story and matter of fact that the Government which then ruled Rome and that Empire was the Emperours or Caesars but from many ages the Emperours have had no command or seat at Rome nor any considerable command over the Territories of that Empire there being other Princes since arisen as France Spain c. who command as broadly as he therefore he cannot now be accounted a head 2. It is clear that that City hath been a seat of a long time to another Government which hath governed it and though under another pretext and on another account hath ruled since as broad almost as the former Neither in any reasonable way can that which is now called the Empire being very inconsiderable in respect of what it then was be accounted the same or the now Emperour the successor of these Emperours seing their rise is so different as was shown Chap. 13. And if it be alleaged to continue in the Emperours Then it must either be in the Emperours of the East who in a more direct â—â—e succeeded them who then were who now are fallen or in the Emperours of the West But neither of these can be said for 1. the east is gone neither sat he at Rome nor 2. the west for he doth not sit at Rome nor did since Papacie came to its height yea nor many years before that and if the Emperour in the east was a head he must continue so till his decay and if the Emperour in the west be a head he must have been so from his rise And so these Empires or rather parts of one Empire being contemporarie there behoved to have been two heads at once but then the Empire was broken it was no more one And it is to be Observed that the first division of the Empire in severall Kingdoms or parts not subordinate one to another or combined one with another fell out by Constantinus leaving it divided in three to his three Sons for though there were at one time sundrie Emperours ruling at once before that yet the Empire was not divided except for particular inspection as the Consuls used to do and every one of them was Augustus and it was still one Empire and therefore it seemeth from that time Emperours cannot be accounted as to continue as heads which on Chap. 13. is further cleared 2. It is clear by this Chapter if that which is prophesied to succeed the time of the sixth head and to belong to the last Government be fulfilled then the sixth is gone and the seventh is come But that is fulfilled 1. Many Kings that then had gotten no Kingdom have now obtained it long since 2. These Kings having withdrawn from the Emperours Government have since willingly given their power to another to wit the Pope and foughten for him against the Lamb which things as they are clearly fulfilled so are they expresly holden forth as contemporary with the last state of this Empire which was then to come vers 12. and 13. for he is the head that hath the horns and he is the seventh head that hath Crowned horns or Kings now these who bear the name of Emperours have long since lost these horns therefore they
what is admiration here they must therefore both relate to the same antichristian defection seing there are not two but one 3. Here it is also clear that this beast in the last notion to wit the Ecclesiastick is the Antichrist for he is the head of this great defection and supporter to it and supream ruler of this apostarizing dominion which can agree to none other but to him and vers 11. he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eminent person or succession of persons as the rest as he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elsewhere The scope being then 1. to point out Antichrist and 2. his Kingdom or whorish Church or Congregation Out of all that is said we may by resuming these characters gather these two conclusions 1. That the Church of Rome for these many years past hath been and presently is that whorish Church aimed at here and Antichrists seat and kingdom 2. That the Pope or who possesseth the Papacy in his complex dominion is the very Antichrist particularly characterized here The making out one of these maketh out both they are so linked together for if the beast represent the Pope Then certainly the whore must be that Church which is supported by him and whereof he is head contra if Rome be the whore he that is head to her must be this beast and Antichrist I shall make out both by resuming the characters and properties applyed to both thus If the characters be such that are given to this beast as are peculiar to Antichrist or if the properties whereby this woman is described be such as are peculiar to his Kingdom Then the Pope is Antichrist and the Romish Church the Antichristian Church and his Kingdom because which is the reason of the connexion all these agree only to them But the first is truth Ergo. Or if all these characters spoken and prophesied of concerning this beast and whore do belong to and be fulfilled in the Papacie and the Romish Church Then is he Antichrist and she the Antichristian Kingdom But that these properties agree and are to be applyed to them may be made out 1. by induction and recapitulation of the properties themselves which belong to Antichrist and his Church severally Then 2. by pointing out the time or state in which they are applicable to them Antichrist getteth these characters here 1. That he shall be a Roman Governour and govern the seven hilled city and that many Nations and Kingdoms of the earth beside shall give him reverence vers 7. Compare vers 8 9 10 and 11. 2. That he was not then in being in Iohns time vers 8. 3. That he was to succeed to that Government which then was to wit the Emperours and Cesars at Rome vers 10. 4. That he was not to have any new state of Empire but to continue that which was but in an other form vers 9. Therefore was he in some respect before Iohns time vers 8. 5. Though he be to succeed to the six Governments and in some respect as to the absolutenesse and seat of his Dominions is to be one body with the Roman Empire yet is he not to be so upon a Civil account but on an Ecclesiastick in which respect he is an other not yet come getting admiration or adoration having Kings under him who hath absolute temporall power of themselves which they could not have were he a civil Prince vers 8 9 10. So this Empire is two beasts on this ground and the last head two in this respect yet indeed but one 6. This Antichrist is too much reverenced and that in more than an ordinary civil worship vers 8. 7. He shall be no ordinary civill power nor warranted Ecclesiastick power neither in name nor thing but shall arise out of the pit vers 11. 8. He shall have Kings devoted to him and to be at his beck yea such as were not Kings then but since have gotten Kingdoms out of the ruines of the old Roman Empire vers 12 13. 9. He shall especially make use of them to persecute vers 14. 10. When his fall approacheth some of these shall be his enemies and God will make use of them for his ruine vers 16. 11. The fountain of that Dominion and seat of that Governour shall be the chief city that then ruled over all to wit Rome vers 18 c. 12. She carrieth all with much state pompe and profanity vers 4 5. These are the properties ascribed to Antichrist whereby he may be discerned 1. In his nature he is Ecclesiastick or mixed 2. In his rise unwarranted of God 3. In his welcome with great respect in the world 4. In his seat Rome 5. In his Dominion Nations and Kingdoms 6. His different and twofold consideration of Authority Civill and Ecclesiastick whereby he is set out as a twofold head and by a double type These things being clearly properties of Antichrist and uncontrovertably applicable to Rome the question is whether to Rome heathen before Constantine as Bellar. and Alcasar say or to Rome under the Antichrist that is to come as Ribera Viegas and Cornelius à Lapid◠say or if it be applicable to Rome presently as of a long time it hath been For fixing on the time or state whereto this that she is antichristian and her Governour Antichrist may be applied consider these 1. This must be true of Rome after and immediately after the sixth Government that then was ceaseth to be a head to Rome and a seventh succeedeth to that which then was 2. It is when Kings which were not then shall rise out of the Roman Empire that is when Provinces shall withdraw their civill dependance from Rome and have Kings of their own 3. When Rome hath turned from a Church to be an whore 4. It is before its fall and while the Kings or any of them giveth him their power that is while he is an head But all these agree well to the Pope and Rome and are fulfilled in them as they have been now for many years past and cannot be applied to Rome heathen nor can be expected to be fulfilled afterwards The application is made out in the exposition of the words There are three things I suppose which especially will stick 1. That I say Antichrist is not properly a civill Prince but hath other pretences and upon an Ecclesiastick account or pretext assumeth this greatnesse Which is clear 1. because he headeth the whore which is not a civill body but a degenerate Church and whore and therefore he must be such a head as suiteth that body and carrieth on that defection 2. He ruleth over Kings without infringing as they think their temporall dominion which saith that he must do it on an Ecclesiastick account 3. From this proceedeth the admiration the world hath of him And 4. this sheweth why in this last consideration he is looked on as two beasts and two heads because he is formally Ecclesiastick but really civil And
in this respect is not only a distinct head ver 1. but a distinct beast ver 11. which could not be if he had not an Ecclesiastick consideration differing from these who went before him The second objection is that Rome is not Antichrists seat because saith Bellar. de pont lib. 3. the Kings that are Antichrists vassals destroy it Answ. 1. Then Rome is the whore at that time for they destroy her not till she be the whore and so must it not be Rome heathen that is the whore for they destroy her not till the beasts ruine be advanced to the fifth vial as is said Chap. 16. and in the 17. untill she be a whore But that Rome is his seat appeareth for 1. he headeth Rome sitteth on it and ruleth as the six Heads or Governments before him did but they sat at Rome and had it for their seat See Chap. 13.4 he got the Dragons seat and so it is common with the rest to him to be King of that city 2. He sitteth so as by him and in him Rome keepeth up her former beauty and rule over all the Nations about during his being Governour but that cannot be but by his sitting at Rome 3. There is no other reason can be given why in Antichrists description there should be so much mention made of Rome and such particular descriptions of the sibnesse between him and her except that he is head to her and supporteth her and sitteth especially in her and that Rome the prime seat is named for all the Body or Kingdom as Metropolis thereof as afterward 4. That Rome is great during his time is clear but no other way but this of his keeping Court there can be imagined as that way whereby she ruleth over Nations and propagateth abominations to them but that in him and by him she did it as by her former Governments in part who sat there before Add 5. that Rome is some otherwayes his seat ver 7. than other Nations are over which he governeth and what can that be but this 6. What other reason is there why Rome is more plagued as sharing deeplier in Antichrists sin than others Chap. 18. but this that it was his seat And 7. why would the fall of it be so much lamented as spoiling all their former Mercat and scattering their Court if it had not sitten there Chap. 18. Beside Bellarmin's argument mistaketh for it is the Kings who once were Antichrists followers that destroy Rome but not while they are so do they it but when Antichrist is discovered then is his seat hatefull to them whereas his followers lament it Chap. 18. and therefore have no hand in it The third objection hath more shew of difficulty that these cannot be applied to the Pope because he arose not from the bottomlesse pit i.e. unwarrantably but hath Gods warrant as they alleage by being Peters successor Ergo. For answering this objection we are not to insist in Scriptures whereby the dominion and office usurped by the Pope is overturned nor on vindicating of these Scriptures which they make use of in pretending that let that be sought from Common places It shall suffice us to assert that in Scripture there is no warrant 1. For the titles or names that he assumeth to himself there is no such order or officer mentioned by Jesus Christ in His house as Pope Pontifex Maximus Vicar of Christ universall Pastor his holinesse Bishop of Bishops c. there is no such shadow in the Word as may warrant these This word Papa est vox syracusa say Divines idem significans quod pater à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was in old given to all eminent Bishops as to Alexander and Athanasius Bishops of Alexandria apud Athanasium to Augustine by Ierome in his Epistles to him and to Cyprian Epist. 3. where Pamelius saith it was a word of honour amongst heathens as was that of Pontifex Maximus whereof was spoken Cap. 13. See also Ruffin Symb. and Pamelius on him 2. We may assert that for the matters wherein they exerce this power as to dispense with oaths and obligations of men to others to dispose of and transfer Kingdoms crowns titles c. to dispense with unlawfull marriages constitute new holy dayes and change worship send to Purgatory and bring from it as they imagine to indulge and give pardon even for sins to be committed to absolve and forgive magisterially sins without respect to the qualifications laid down in the Word but to such as perform such superstitions and obey such and such orders to canonize Saints and thereby as it were to create gods to be worshipped and many moe such things which cannot be reckoned All these being contrary to the Word of God and for the most part not committed to any but reserved to the Lord as His own priviledge we may clearly assert that power in so far to be from the pit so as if an Angel would professe it or preach such doctrine we might account him accursed yet such is the power pleaded-for in the Pope And in many of these things is acknowledged to be but ex communi consuetudine See Azor Instit. moral lib. 6. pag. 561. 3. If we consider it further in the speciall properties wherewith they qualifie the Popes power as it is essentiall to his threefold crown twofold sword and keys we will find it of the same nature as 1. that it is extensive and universall over heaven by opening it setting up Saints to be worshipped commanding Angels as sometimes they have done in their Bulls over Purgatory and the whole world over the dead to torment or relieve them at their pleasure and over the living in all things spirituall and temporall in order to these over persons Ecclesiastick as they call them and Civil as Kings Emperours States to command them to War or Peace as they please and to carry as supream to them all ratifying Emperours and elections or not and disposing of their crowns to others yea over consciences they usurp a dominion 2. That it is absolute supream and independent not only of all Kings but of all Councels and Decrees to which he giveth Authority or not as he pleaseth and they are of Authority or not as he confirmeth them yea to all traditions and even to the Scriptures and Word of God without which the Scriptures would not be by them accounted so as Bailius Catech. part 1. quaest 12. Aliter non magis fidem adhiberet Matthaeo quam Tito Livio that is otherwayes he would not give more faith to Matthew than to Titus Livius and generally all affirm that being their maxime that the Church giveth Authority to the Scriptures as to us and that no decree of the Church hath Authority but from him Hence according to this pleni-potentiary power doth he constitute such books to be Scripture or not and hath added many to the former Canon which preceeding Councels have not acknowledged and he doth confirm traditions and fables
Luke wrote the Acts yet is it not for nought that the Lord hath left it unrecorded that we might thereby know it was not necessary to be believed and therefore any conclusion which supposeth it to be necessary to be believed is not necessary except we rub on the wisdom of God who recordeth lesser things than this And therefore a thing may be truth and yet not being writen is not necessarily to be believed but with a humane faith as other histories at the most whereas no article of faith is thus grounded because the object of our Faith or the ratio why we believe such a thing is not simply because such a thing is truth for many facts are truth which we are not obliged to believe but because God hath revealed such a thing and testifieth it to be Truth Faith resting on that testimony and giving credit to Him that testifieth The other Conclusion to wit That the Church of Rome for these many years past and presently is the whore intended here the same argument will make it out If the Rome that is present be the Rome unto which all the properties here mentioned do agree and at this time Then this Rome is that whorish Church But unto the Rome that now is and hath been these many generations past agree both the properties and time in which it is to be fulfilled Ergo. The properties given to this whorish Church are four That she hath her Court at Rome and sitteth on the seven-hilled City yet also exercising dominion over many other Nations vers 15. but differently so as Rome is here peculiar in another other manner the fountain and splendour of that Kingdom 2. That it is Rome turned a whore and fallen from the simplicity she had and to such an apostasie of which Rome is the head and chief seat 3. That it is Rome claiming a superiority over all those of her association or apostasie and deriving her errors to them and they keeping a dependance on her she is and it is when she is Mother and Metropolis of all vers 5. 4. It is Rome then when the Emperour hath ceased to command it and another Government or Governour hath succeeded him there 5. It is when ten Kings are withdrawn from the Empire and have given their subjection to Rome on a spiritual account She that is Rome in that case is the Whore But all these properties agree to Rome not as heathenish but as popish and to the Pope as head thereof And therefore this is neither to be applyed to Rome heathenish nor to an Antichrist to come but to that which is And it is not unobservable in Gods providence that considering the speciall sibnesse that is holden forth here both betwixt this city Rome the Woman Whore and Beast that yet the Popish Church should glory in that title of the Roman Church and many of them dispute that it is impossible to separate their Pope from that very City or that elsewhere he might choose to sit and continue Pope and those who in this grant most do affirm that he must and would still be Roman Bishop and that the Church would still be the Church of Rome although that city were possessed by Turks By this all may the more easily discern what Church or defection they are who have such relation to and dependance on Rome at this time when this prophesie is fulfilled ut supra Before we leave this Chapter it may possibly not be unmeet that coronidis vice we consider how the Popish Writers do interpret and apply it wherein they are wonderfully straitned and perplexed It was their common opinion to understand by this City or whore the city or multitude of the wicked generally This is followed by Thomas Aquinas Hugo Card. Lyranus Haymo and many others but the latter Writers since Reformation brake forth have been constrained to cast that opinion because this City is so particularly circumstantiated as to point at an individuall City to speak so and she is contradistinguished from many Nations and Kings who yet are certainly a great part of the wicked in the world and also Chap. 18. when she is destroyed there are many wicked living and lamenting her destruction and standing at a distance from her Upon these and the like grounds the most learned of them are generally since that time brought to expound it of Rome and as Viegas saith impellimur aliam interpretationem excogitare and Ribera saith Interpretes coguntur c. Alcasar in locum all whom with others we cited before at the beginning of the Chapter interpreteth it so and citeth twentie Authors of their most eminent men for it Also Corn. à Lapide who addeth many to these cited by Alcasar amongst whom are Suarez in 3. part tom 2. disp 5. Sixtus Senensis lib. 2. pag. 88. Pererius Salmeron and others All which take Babylon in all this prophesie to hold out Rome and in this they and we agree as to the generall 2. There is again difference amongst themselves how to conceive Rome here so as to save their Pope and the present Rome from this application Hence some which is most received apply it to heathen Rome Others as Ribera Blasius Viegas and Cornelius à Lapide apply it to Rome under Antichrist who therefore say that at or before his coming Rome shall turn heathen and desert the Pope and be destroyed by Antichrist or by the Kings before his coming Their reasons are because it looketh to such a state of Rome as then was to be fulfilled in Iohn's time and therefore cannot be understood of heathenish Rome but because this opinion supposeth Rome to be involved in defection which cannot stand with her infallibility and would shake all seing some plead so much for Romes eternity and make all suspicious for if Rome fall then may it not be fallen already Therfore others cast it as Alcasar and those named by him applying it to what heathenish Rome suffered at or before Constantines time or after by the Goths And Bellarmine seemeth to favour this lib. 2. cap. 2. de Pont. Rom. Those who take it thus expound the seven hills literally but in other things the differ 1. Some take the beast for the devil but others considering that the devil and the beast are differenced and that this beast is cast into the lake long before the devil and that the scope is to point out some eminent opposer of the Church for some particular time therefore they do in generall apply it to Antichrist as also that first beast Chap. 13. and some make the last a false prophet that maketh way for him so do they of that beast Chap. 11.7 and expresly say he is one of the seven heads here mentioned and also called the eight because his nature differeth from them and his hurt to the Church exceedeth them 2. Concerning the seven heads they differ some applying it to the seven tyrannous Kingdoms or Empires Egypt Assyria Babylon c.
or to the seven Ages of the world Others do cast that as Bellar. c. and do understand by the seven Kings all the Emperours indefinitly The reasons that do cast the first opinion are 1. These Kings here are such as command Rome they being Governours of that City therefore the seven hills and the seven Kings are set out by one and the same type and it is brought in as a character to difference and discern this City mentioned here from others and the applying of it to the seven Monarchies agreeth to none of these nor to the Angel's scope which is to point out something to come and to help to discern this City by its heads when he expoundeth them to be Kings as well as when he expoundeth them to be Hills there is but the same scope If they say they are heads of the beast not of the woman Ans. It is true but the beast being the Empire that supporteth Rome they must be heads of that Empire and seing they are all heads of the same beast and it being certain that the 6. and 7. are of Rome the rest must be so also Beside how can either tyrannous Kingdoms or such ages of the world be called heads to the beast If the devil be the beast he rather headeth them if Antichrist be the beast he was not then in being to be headed by them if the multitude of the wicked be the beast which yet their former reasons will cast how will these ages or Kingdoms of the world differ from them This conceit then is justly casten Beside the heathen Emperours being to them the sixth head and Antichrist to come but three or four years before the end of the world to be the seventh there would be a too great intervall here and the beast would be without a head so long which agreeth not 1. with the scope here which is to shew the succession of one to another nor 2. with the proportion of time that is among the first six heads nor 3. with reason as if the Church were to want oppressors for so many hundred years Beside this application being so generall cannot agree with the particularnesse that is in the rest of the interpretation especially to the other of the same type to wit of seven hills and there can no reason be given for making the number of the ages of the world or tyrannous Kingdoms seven more than five eight nine or eleven c. except as men shall be pleased to name them and can such an uncertain rule be the ground of such an application Therefore they must be Kings that relate to that body for it is of that and not of all the wicked that ever were that the Angel is speaking The other interpretation that thinketh to evite these considerations by understanding all the Caesars and Emperours of Rome indefinitly or all the persecuting Emperours as Alcasar doth will not be consistent either for 1. these Kings are such as five had preceeded and one was but to come but that cannot be said of the Emperours either way considered 2. They are Kings the first five whereof had fallen which must be understood not of personall death but of a politick change of Government 3. They are such Kings as in that ones time that was to come Rome was to be the whore and to be otherwise supported than by that King which then was or by those that had gone before him But that cannot be said of heathen Emperours or any of the Caesars or persecuters It is therefore some power of greater sibnesse to Rome after its defection And so it must remain as we interpreted that by them are understood diverse changes of Government whereof the last should be Antichrist the same with the beast considered as he was to come And from both these constrained interpretations we may gather this concession That Antichrist needeth be no individual person without a succession for according to the first these first six persecuting Kingdoms were not in one person therefore neither ought the seventh which they apply to Antichrist be restricted to one If according to the second by the one head or King that was to come after Iohns time be understood all the following Emperours Then by one beast or King may there not be as well understood a succession of Popes Concerning the destruction of Rome they that consider Rome here as under Antichrist do agree 1. That it is yet to come and that this part of the prophesie is to be fulfilled Alcasar and others who affirm it to be fulfilled say otherwayes but the nature of the destruction and overthrow threatened to Rome here will not admit of that application 2. That it shall be a great destruction But here they differ whether the Pope shall be necessitated to flee from it or not but the exposition of the sixth vial and of the 19. Chap. will clear us Beside when Chap. 18. Rome after this becometh only a cage for unclean birds they may consider if they will place him amongst these That which occasioneth this debate is that they think the supremacy so linked to Rome that they cannot be separated but by an immediate warrant from Heaven and yet Gods People are called to come out of her Chap. 18.4 If then the Pope be not capable to give obedience he is not to be understood among that number It is true Domin à Soto and Anton. Card. Gasper Câ—sal Valdensis and Alphon. Mendoza whom Cornelius à Lapide citeth as of one judgment and any other who hold the supremacy to be due to Rome but jure humano they are not prest with this consequent yet the generality of them who maintain these to be inseparable jure divino or such as Corn. a Lap. who say What-ever may be disputed de jure of the Popes removal yet they are sure de facto it shall never be these will find more difficulty in this case 3. They expound these Kings to be the Kings that shall be in the world at Antichrist's coming and that these shall be instrumentall in Romes destruction as also that this destruction shall be causally procured to Rome for the old bloudshed of the former Emperours which is then to be repaid with her late guilt of forsaking the Pope But in these they differ 1. that some say the Kings shall destroy it before Antichrist come because there are ten Kings at the destruction of it others say by Antichrist after these Kings have submitted to him The occasion of this difference is the confounding of this Chap. with that of Dan. 7. where it is said that the little horâ— applyed by them to Antichrist shall subdue three Kings and therefore there will be but seven that yeeld to him but of this is somewhat said before that these Prophesies are distinct and this cleareth it the Kings here willingly give their power to the beast and continue to reigne with him contemporally there the standing and rising of one
answer what we say but must more satisfyingly answer what one of them opposeth to another which can never be done untill they agree with us in the conclusion We have been the longer in this because it is indeed the great scope of this Prophesie to make this whore discernable and it is their great work to disguise her so that she be not discerned And this Chapter is acknowledged by all to be the main seat of this Controversie and the chief key yea as some call it the Castle of this Prophesie Arx Apocalypseos the opening and taking-in whereof doth both confirm what is past and make way for what is coming LECTURE I. Chap. XVIII Vers. 1. ANd after things I saw another Angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory 2. And he cryed mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird 3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies 4. And I heard another voice from heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues 5. For her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembered her iniquities 6. Reward her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow 8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her BY the vials Chap. 16. a generall view was given of the destruction of Antichrists kingdom especially by the last three Chap. 17. vers 1. the Angel proposeth a more particular exposition of that judgement in an explicatory vision and for the greater clearnesse he 1. describeth that kingdom which is the object of these plagues under the title of a Whore and Babylon pointing her so out as it is evident to be Rome in the latter times 2. He describeth Antichrist the head under the appearance of a beast which supporteth that whore 3. He doth thereafter point out the principall seat of that dominion 4. He giveth a little generall hint at her destruction all these were Chap. 17. He proceedeth now to explain more fully that destruction 1. of the whore Babylon or Rome in this 18. Chap. 2. of the beast or head Chap. 19. This Chapter belongeth to the explicating of the fifth vial as appeareth 1. That vial is on the seat or throne of the beast this describeth Babylons destruction which in Chap. 17. we heard to be the beasts seat and throne They therefore describe the judgement of the same thing to wit Rome and if Rome were not Antichrists seat but to be destroyed by him Why then would Antichrist and his followers so lament and regrate her ruine 2. The destruction here described of Rome or Antichrists kingdom is not that of the last vial for that hath nothing here in time behind it and cometh after the battell of Armageddon where the beast that surviveth the destruction of his seat is taken as is clear vial 6. But this destruction is such as after it both many of Romes friends especially Kings who under the sixth vial will adhere to the beast lament that destruction and many of the Saints do rejoyce over it and its irrecoverable ruine yes such a destruction as preceedeth the Iews calling and the battell of Armageddon which is in the sixth vial as is clear from Chap. 19. which followeth Therefore the great destruction of Rome here insisted on must be the very same Chap. 16. under the fifth vial which being the most remarkable step of the overthrow of that kingdom which the other two vials do perfect thereafter is the more largely insisted on This destruction of Rome being stiled Babylon is set out in expressions borrowed from the Prophets concerning the destruction of old Babylon whereby its ruine is set down in the certainty greatnesse terriblnesse justice and irrecoverablenesse thereof And that by the voices of three severall Angels if the second be an Angel one after another The first speaketh unto vers 4. the second from vers 4. to vers 21. the third unto the end and for confirmation addeth a sign In the first the denouncer is described vers 1. 2. His manner of denouncing vers 2. 3. The denounciation is set down The denouncer is another Angel than spoke to Iohn Chap. 17. God hath many waiting on Him and maketh use of them at his pleasure 2. He is a mighty Angel all angels are mighty yet there are degrees some more excelling in strength than others there are Angels and Archangels but of how many orders we will not determine The Schoolmen in this as in all other unrevealed mysteries do confidently define that there are three hierarchies and nine orders every hierarchie comprehending three orders The first hath Seraphims Cherubims Thrones the second Dominations Mights or Virtuses Powers in the third they place Principalities Archangels Angels this they presume to have from Dionisius Pseud-areopagita who saith de Eccl. Hierar lib. 7. cap. 7. that he had this by tradition from his master Hierotheus 3. As He is great in power so He excelleth in glory the earth was lightened c. as all these ministring spirits do and it is like had some visible manifesting of His glory in this work The makeing use of such instruments sheweth 1. that God thinketh it a great work for mighty Angels are imployed in such as the Archangel in raising the dead 2. That it will effectually be done that instrument will effect it 3. That it is Gods work and not mens to perfect this judgement therefore ought He to be trusted with it and depended on in it 4. It is said of the Angel he came down from heaven it telleth heaven is the mansion of these glorious Spirits Zech. 3. 5,7 they stand by as attendants and it is a priviledge to be admitted amongst them though their motion be swift yet do they at Gods order go from one end of the earth to another changing their place yet keeping their glory and counting it no losse to do their Master service The coming down sheweth not only a readinesse in the Angel to do what is committed to him but the approaching of the ruine he denounceth and a greater clearnesse in the thing denounced when he cometh near to do it Ver. 2. It is said he cryed with a mighty