is such power as is far above the reach of man None of them all have such power as he not those that are called Gods So they admire his power what he can do to inward or outward man to publique or private States And they do not only admire the Catholick Church and the head of it and adore them but in both these they adore the Dragon that gave all this power to the Beast The meaning may be exprest in two branches 1. The Dragon is expressed as animating heathen Rome for that hath seven heads and ten horns which are the armes both of heathen Rome and of this Beast Now he is called the Dragon as he acted heathen Rome and as he was Lord of heathen Rome he gave all this power to the Pope For they thought it meet since it was the Imperiall City when it was Pagan that therefore it should be the mother of all Churches And being the Imperial City it was the bloud-sucker of many millions of the souls of Gods servants that caused the Dragon to put that honour upon Rome 2. But that is not all There is another branch comes neerer the full meaning of the Text that was for the honouring of the Bishop of Rome and of the Catholick Church viz. taking another doctrine for the Gospell their Idolatry for pure worship their Government for the discipline of Christ their pardons for Justification of sinne by Christ In all this they doe indeed give true worship to the Dragon for what are all these but Images they are none of Gods Ordinances if you referre them to the heads of Scripture they are but Images of Christ In stead of the Ministery of Christ you have doctrines of men In stead of justification by the righteousnesse of Christ you have justification by works In stead of pardon of Sin from Christ you have it from the Pope All things are in another forme an Image of another forme set up devised contrary to what the word establisheth Now you shall finde this to be true if you doe vary from the kingdome of God and Christ then you worship the Dragon You read in 2 Chron. 11. 15. Jeroboam ordained him Priests for the high places and for the Devils and for the Calves which he had made he had no Preists but for the golden Calves and what were they they were but Images and his intendment was not to bring in another object of worship but another manner of worship Jeroboam worshiped Jehovah in Images which God had not appointed and so he worshipped the Divill and not God And you shall read when the Turke was brought in to revenge the Idolatry of Christendome Rev. 9. 20. It is said The people that were not cut off with the plague they repented not of the worke of their hands that they should not worship Devils and Idols of Gold and Silver and brasse and Stone and of wood which neither can see nor hear nor walk which shews that when men worship Images that is God in Images it is not God that is so worshipped but the Divill and all such worship doth not advance the kingdome of God but the kingdome of the Devill therefore it is reall honour to him and therefore this their taking all this vast honour all Churches receiving all from them is none of Gods Institution but the Devils practice for it was the Devill that gave him his power and great authority Therefore saith the holy Ghost they worshiped the Dragon who gave power unto the Beast and they worshipped the beast This worship of the beast they gave it all to him that gave this power to him which was to the Dragon and therfore you read that he had the key of the bottomlesse pit Rev. 9. 1 2. And he opened the bottomlesse pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace and there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth There went out Monks Friars and a rabble of all superstition Now if you shall aske the reason why people upon the healing of this wound did so mightily admire both the visible Catholick Church and the head of it and adore both and Satan himselfe in both The reason was First from the wrong Interpretation of some Scriptures which were very frequent with them in those dayes and are still and that was that the Catholick Roman Church was builded upon a rock and that rock was the Bishop of Rome and into his hand the Lord Jesus by Peter had given the keys of the kingdome of Heaven and these keys had absolute universall power to binde on Earth and upon his binding on earth Christ would bind in heaven this was an error in judgment that did so possesse their hearts that upon the healing of this wounded head all the world did admire him Therefore Bellarmine makes a large discourse Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner stone and they that trust in him shall never be confounded and so never was there any man that was an enemy to the Catholick Church but was confounded nor never did any man stand for the Catholick Church but was preserved and so they did admire him A great inundation of barbarous Nations were all driven out by the piety of the Bishop of Rome they were able to overturn the Emperors of the East and it was overturned and bring them to his feet and all to be at his disposing This was some confirmation to them that he was the successor of Peter that now whoever is saved it must be by the power of this key or else never look for any saving in this world A second reason may be taken from the correspondency and plausablenesse of such a kinde of Religion and Government to carnall reason especially when it is subdued by any terrors of consceence for it was a season and that held many years together wherein the Priests Friers and Monks had marvellous power to sting the consciences of men with the loathsomnesse of their sinne in the sight of God and they had admirable dexterity therein These foure things were all the matter of their Sermons Vertue and vice Heaven and Hell If you be vertuous then you shall go to Heaven If you be vicious then you must go to Hell Now they would so convince mens consciences and upon conviction binde the conscience under terror as eternally shut out of Heaven for want of virtue which they had not that indeed when these mens consciences are thus perplexed and wounded here is a Religion that findes them so many salves and medicines as ease the power but not remove the cause of the disease that is they set men a course well though you be vicious and though Hell be dreadfull yet Purgatory may ease you by Prayer and you may be dispensed with from going to Hell especially by the Popes pardon or by your own workes by your confessions by selfe-whippings and scourgings or by going a Pilgrimage you may be
that might be felt From the ninth Centuary to the tenth both Protestant and Popish Divines complaine that had not some lived in the 800. year and in the thousand yeare after Christ they should not have known what had beene done in the nine hundred a whole hundred years together Men were so full of darknesse and ignorance that scarce any set pen to paper to tell us what was done in those dark times that men did not know what were principles of Christianity much lesse were able to discern of Cases of Church-government or the misterie of godlinesse which requires more diligent attendance And thence it was that they were so taken with the pretended claymes of the Catholick visible Church that it would not erre because it was built upon a Rock and had the keys of Peter and he had the keys of heaven What he bound on earth was bound in heaven and what he loosed on earth was loosed in heaven that had there not been palpable grosse ignorance it had not been possible such grosse things should have been suffered to come in And a second thing that moved them was the strange successe of the Beast in recovering of his wounded head for that made them wonder after the Beast when they saw such a mortall wound so throughly healed They thought had it not been above the power of mortall men it had not been possible it should have been healed but certainly there was a power above mortall men in it and that is the reason in the Text to give him a mouth to speak great things to speak what hee would And a third reason why Princes gave this power was their devout superstition many were convinced by Matchivilian policy of their great sins and they had in those dayes a notable dexterity to apply the Law of God and to sting mens consciences like a Cockatrice Rev. 9. 5. and then they would do any thing for ease out of the bondage they lay under and this was a great meanes Then they directed them to give so much to such a Monastery or to goe a Pilgrimage or fast such a time and such devotion which a mans own unsanctified heart could reach That when this Beast speaks great things that he can pardon sinne and his Shavelings will take a course for redeeming souls and preserving them out of hel this was such satisfaction to them that you need not wonder if all Princes gave their Kingdomes to the Beast And so having advanced him as supream over them all he hath a mouth he may speak what he will Princes may make Laws on this hand or on that but if they do not suite with him they are disannulled And they must be reconciled to the mother Church and so this Harlot gives them all to her and hath a mouth speaking great things and therewithall great blasphemieâ— Thus have you the point and the reasons of it For the use of it I might from hence first speak to this point that it were therefore a necessary counsell to all Roman Catholicks to consider diligently the grounds of the great priviledges of the visible Catholick Church they stretch their authority beyond all degrees of Churches beyond all Temporall States or particular Churches Now necessary it were for them to reverse all the great things which are delivered and which the Pope hath set open his mouth to speak though they be delivered with never such fulnesse and boldnesse and plentitude of power It behoves men to consider whether all these great words be not the words of a Beast and blasphemies which the head of the Beast had taken upon him to utter for it is not enough that they are spoken boldly and confidently and with good advisement and grave Counsell Provinciall Decretals and Decrees for they are distinct things It behoves Catholicks not to be gulled with Titles and great things for it is not alwayes that power which God in mercy gives to men when they dare speak great things they think the Pope is not Antichrist but when Antichrist comes will he do greater things then these as they sayd of Christ when Christ comes will he doe greater workes then these And so when Antichrist comes can he speak grater things then these And if I were to speak to Lay-men as they say in their Religion I might advise them to take heed they be not taken with the confidence of their Priests that speak with good advisement even to impudency and with such resolute courage that many thousands are carryed away with it and say certainly men would never be so bold if they were not possessed with the goodnesse of their cause Let them not be deluded the Beast hath power to speak great things and he opens his mouth with all courage and confidence and whispers it not but speaks with impudency and abundance of resolution Secondly This may serve to teach us the danger of allowing to any mortall man an inordinate measure of power to speak great things to allow to any man uncontrollâ—bleness of speech you see the desperate â—â—â—ger of it Let all the world learn to give mortall men no greater power then they are content they shall use for use is they will and unlesse they be better taught of God they will use it ever and anon it may be make it the passage of their proceeding to speake what they will And they that have liberty to speak great things you will finde it to be true they will speak great blasphemies No man would think what desperate deceit and wickednesse there is in the hearts of men And that was the reason why the Beast did speak such great things hee might speak and no body might controll him What saith the Lord in Jer. 3. 5. Thou hast spoken and done evill things as thou couldst If a Church or head of a Church could have done worse he would have done it This is one of the straines of nature it affects boundlesse liberty and to runne to the utmost extent What ever power he hath received he hath a corrupt nature that will improve it in one thing or other if he have liberty he will think why may he not use it Set up the Pope as Lord Paramount over Kings and Princes and they shall know that he hath power over them he will take liberty to depose one and set up another Give him power to make Laws and he will approve and disprove as he list what he approves is Canonicall what hee disproves is rejected Give him that power and he will so order it at length he will make such a State of Religion that he that so lives and dyes shall never be saved and all this springs from the vast power that is given to him and from the deep depravation of nature Hee will open his mouth His tongue is his owne who is Lord over him Psal 12. 3 4. It is therefore most wholsome for Magistrates and Officers in Church and Common-wealth never to affect
them Saints while they live upon the Earth whiles they are the Church Militant a warfaring Church while men undertake warre against them and overcome them by warre even then they are called Saints And which is wonderfull Saints when they are overcome and that by their owne sinfulnesse for they loose not the Saintship when they loose the victory The Lord looks at his poorest children here as Saints though there be a miserable body of death hang about them that they cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death Rom. 7. 24. Yea though they complain of their Pride and Passion and Lusts and Hypocrysie and many offences they finde against themselves though they think themselves more flesh then any though they thinke themselves as Paul did Carnall sold under Sinne Rom. 7. 17. yet then the Lord accounts them Saints when they are encompassed about with a body of Sin Yea which is worse then that when they give way to their own Sinnes for a time and doe withdraw their confidence from the Lord in this and that act and put their trust in the arme of flesh When they are so childish as to trust Popish pretences when they are warred against and overcome by enemies and by their own folly as David saith in Psal 69. 5. O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my Sinnes are not hid from thee The Lord knew it but yet he did not know it to hurt them and loath them and dishearten them but yet they are Saints and such as he account to be his and not onely in regard of Regeneration and the holinesse of Christ but in regard of the fruits of holinesse begun in them as he saith Rev. 14. 4. These are they which are not defiled with women They are sincere in their course and keep faith and a good conscience in the main and where they do fail they judge themselves Indeed in darknesse of Temptation they may be surprised but they judge themselves for it and God looks at them as though they were without fault before his Throne when it comes to the Throne of God the Lord Jesus covers it with the Robe of his Righteousnesse and in the intentions of their hearts and endeavours they are according to God if they be carried aside it is by humane frailty Now this is comfort that the Lord accounts them Saints when they are warred against as here in the Text and all the world thinks it a matter justly deserving Salvation to shed their bloud like water then doth the Lord beare witnesse they are Heriticks So that let every christian soul carry this home with him that it is not every act of unbeleif that makes a man no Saint for these trusted too much upon the forces of others and if they had prevailed for God never failes any that put their trust in him never do the Saints fail in any expedition to men but when they faile in trust to God 1 John 5. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith He that believeth in the Sonne of God for Redemption and Protection and turnes not asside whether he go forth with many or with few it is all one for that if it were but David with a sling and a stone he shall prevaile against Goliah The Lord is faithfull never did any faithfull soul perish till his faith failed and shrunk and then when Peters faith shrinks he begins to sinck But it may be a ground of much consolation to any Saint of God the Lord doth not dissaint a man or cast him out of the Catalogue of Saints for this and that failing but still they are Saints a Saint in peace and a Saint in warre even when they are overcome when they are in calamity and the plowers plow upon their backes and make large furrows they are the Saints of God still leaning to the Voice and Councell of the Lord and when they start asside to Popish pretences Onely when they cleave to the Lord and trust steadfastly upon him then they prosper and flourish but if they begin to shrink in their faith and to harken to pretences and terms of peace then wonder not if you see them overcome yet still faith is invincible and their cause and Religion is propagated by their dispertion it was not destroyed And therefore if the Lord accounts us Saints it behooves us to be ashamed of every passage of our lives that doth not become the Saints of God When Religion came low and Antichrist overspread the world the Lord accounted his faithfull ones to be Saints in this battel there was a Generation of Saints whom he owns and therefore how much more should we that live in dayes of peace and liberty bring forth fruits of holinesse in our conversation that the Lord may account us his Saints whoever came to make war against us Thirdly this may serve to teach us the lawfulnesse of christians waging warre in their own just defence You see it evident here the Beast did make warre against the Saints and did overcome them at length though at first the Saints overcame them and killed divers of them they stood upon their own defence and it it is not laid to their charge but still they are accounted Saints while they make warre It is true their confidence in the arme of flesh and listning to Popish pretences was an argument of weaknesse and timerousnesse but it was not their failing to resist and had they not hearkned to those suggestions brought to them by those that lye in wait to deceive had they not leaned to humane policy and trusted to humane strength they had certainly prospered It is true indeed when the Laws of a State are armed against Religion though christians be fewer or more in number they are to submit and not take up armes and that was the constant practice of the Primitive Church the Laws of the Empire being for Idolatry they willingly suffered though they were more then the rest Or secondly when the Laws of a State are ordayned for Religion private christians must lift up their hands to right the abuse of the Laws and therefore David being a private person he would not lift up his hand against Saul the Lords Annointed though he did against Law But yet neverthelesse if the Law be for the maintenance of Peace and Trueth and true Religion and Governours and Princes will against Law and beyond Law and consequently against the Oath which themselves have taken to maintain the Laws and Religion if they will make warre against the Saints and Religion and Truth or against the way of Justice and happinesse which they are sworn to maintain now in such a case as this It is as lawfull to take up armes of defence as it was for these men to take up war in their own just defence Now they are not private persons but in the place of the Country The Lord he put the power of the
the government of the Pope and that is no other but the Roman Catholick visible Church to which all the description you have heard opened doth naturally belong Now that being the first beast what is this second beast This is apparantly distinct from it and it is not so proper to say that the first beast was the Pope as he had soveraign authority in Temporalls and that he is the second Beast as he hath supream power in Spiritualls for he had his Temporall power lâ—st and therefore that would not agree to the Pâ—pâ—ll State he first had supream power in Spirituals before he had supream power in Temporals Now the beast here being not the Roman Catholick Church what is it then It is the head of that Church and what is that It is no other but the Pope of Rome The heads of the Roman Catholique visible Church from one succession to another they are this second beâ—st and that will appeare in a double note which will both cleare that and the rest of the Text. First then take this note That the Bishop or Pope of Rome is in the sight of God and of his Saints no better then a wilde beast for his Originall arising out of the earth for his resemblance like to a Lamb in his borns like to a Dragon in his speech like to the whole Roman Catholick Church in his power This is the former part of the description by his Adjunct by his Similitude and by his Originall However he seems to Catholicks a holy Father and a god on earth yet in the sight of God and of his Saints he is no better theâ— a wilde Beast whose off-spring is from the earth who though he have horns like a Lamb yet speaks like a Dragon and thus John guided by the holy Ghost saw him Let me shortly open these points 1. He is here described to be a wilde beast The word so signifies that is to say not so tame a beast as those in Isa 11 6. to 9. that a child may lead them Wolves or Leopards or Lyons that can sleep with Kids and Calves and little children and they may play on the hole of the Aspe and put their hand on the Cockatrice den He is not so tame that hee can be tamed by the word of Truth or by the censures of the Church no nor by the power of Princes he is above them all and beyond them all a wild beast he is therefore For his Originall He ariseth out of the earth That implyeth he hath it not from Heaven but from below not from Christ but from Satan You are from beneath saith Christ I am from above John 8. 23. Hee springs from the earth especially from earthly and carnall policy that for keeping of good agreement in the Churches they must be folded up into certain Metropolitans or Patriarchs and to keep unity you must have one over them all and that was the Bishop of Rome for all unity they say springs from â—nits if you have more then one Governour you will have no peace Now this being a carnall principle some carnall reason being the ground for the preservation of the Church of Rome for that the Emperours thought if the Bishop of Rome were advanced it would be a means to strengthen them against the barbarous Nations that come against them this carnall reason brought him to be exalted And though his Originall was earthly for the cause yet he ascended above the earth to Ecclesiasticall power And 2. He arose out of the Earth because he rose up insensibly by degrees he makes no great noyse As any thing that comes out of the earth it makes no great noyse in its growing but at length comes to a vast height So it was with the Bishop of Rome this is his descent out of the Earth For his resemblance He hath horns like a Lamb. Horns expresse his power Like a Lamb that is like the Lamb of God Church-power he claims directly no other at least for a long time The power of binding and loosing were his two horns to bind all and loose all and that lay in the closet of his own breast when to put it forth this is but the power of the Lamb. But he spake like a Dragon You have two or three severall speeches of the Dragon In Rev. 12. 9. The old Serpent is called the Dragon What did hee speak 1. Venomous words to our first Parents You shall not dye at all Gen. 3. 4. And so the Pope he draws the hearts of men from conscience of the word 2. The speech of the Dragon it is imperious and arrogant All the kingdomes of the earth will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me Luk. 4. 6 7. And that is the speech of the Pope in Jer. 1. 10. I have set theâ— this day over the Nations and over the kingdomes to roote out and to pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe and to build and to plant And the Pope sends a Crown with this inscription to Frederick the Emperour Christ gave this power to Peter and Peter gave it to the Pope this is Imperiall State And 3. The Dragon hath a devouring and ravenous mouth whereby he speaks â—avenous words Whoever will not worship the Image that I have set up shall be cast into a hot fiery furnace and who is that God that is able to deliver you Dan. 3. 15. And you have heard what worship the Pope claymes and what he threatens if it be neglected Thus you see in Gods account and in the sight of John the Pope is a wild Beast and the holy Ghost as he inspâ—red John he directs him what to say The holy Apostle he stood upon the sand of the Sea and few two beasts one arisiâ—g out of the Sea of corruption in doctrine c. And another out of the earth out of earthly pretences He sees no holinesse in this Beast nothing but beastly cruelty and beastly blasphemy nothing but argues a wilde beast that will not be tamed neither by the Church of God nor by the word of God nor by Princes and States He sees him rising out of â—â—ire pretences pretending nothing but Lamb-like power but â—ee speakes like a Dragon venomous and devouâ—ing words Damnable heresies as being spewed out of the Dragons mouth such a volume of false worship and doctrine and government as destroys the faith of the Church and subverts the foundation of the Church This is the very state of the Pope as John beheld it as he was wrap't up in a vision by the Spirit and he judged of it as hee saw it Now because I cannot so well make use of this before I have spoken of the rest because they are co-incident take this for a second Note and so make use of both together The note is long but it is but the collection of the sum of these verses the words of the Text will bring the Doctrine easily to remembrance This then
is the note The Bishop of Rome exerciseth all the Authority of the first Beast that is of the Roman visible Catholick Church he causeth all that dwell on the Earth to worship that Church he doth worke wonders even to the fetching of fire from Heaven and by his wonders procures all christian States to make an Image to the first Beast and gives such life and power to the Image of the Beast that it is able to speak and it shall cause such as do not worship it to be put to death and finally he leaves an impression or imprints a character upon all sorts of christians and will suffer none to enjoy spirituall or civill communion with them unlesse such as will receive either his marke or his name or the number of his name I put them into a doctrinall frame because they are the sum of the words of the Text. Let me breifly open them all First He doth exercise all the Authority of the first Beast Let all that are acquainted either with the writings of the Romanists or of our Divines that bear witnesse against Rome be testimonies in this case what is there that the Catholick Church claimes but the Pope can do it all There are six or seven trascendant â—cts of power which that Church claymes and the Pope familiarly exerciseth them all 1. The Pope hath power to convent generall Councels or if the Emperours will call a general Councel it shall not stand in â—oâ—ce unlesse the Catholick Church and the Bishops meet in a representative Synod it concludes with their determination this he pleads for to this day it belongs not to the Emperors nor to Christian Princes but to the Bishop of Rome It is one of Bellarmines affirmations that one Church shall have power to call all Churches be it to Florence or Basseil thether they must go whether he will 2. As the Catholick Roman Church did usurpe power to make Laws and Canons to binde all Churches So the Pope doth challenge the same power to make Laws to binde all Churches he pleads for it and will not be content without it 3. Look as the Catholick visible Roman Church doth claime Authority of ratifying Scriptures if they put in the Apocrypha it shall be good Scripture and if the Church do not approve the Gospel of Matthew in Greek but in Hebrew it shall be that or if they refuse both them and take the vulgar Latine that shall stand This power the Catholick Church challengeth power to do and the same doth the Pope 4. If the Roman Catholick visible Church challenge a power of interpreting Scripture and judging of controversies with infalibility of judgement The Pope challengeth that to himselfe when he interprets Scripture or decides controversies about Religion he cannot erre and so they make account he is a fit Judge therein 5. Look as you see the Roman Catholick visible Church had power of binding and loosing challengeth all applealâ— and great things they will do by that priveledge excommunicate some of many Churches that are absent some they excommunicate for seven years some to their death that the shall not be reconciled All this the Pope challengeth in a larger measure then the old Roman visible Church did challenge This the Roman Bishop challengeth to binde conscience to loose oathes and covenants between Prince and people between man and wife to loose vows and oaths and natural relations between parents and children if they will shrowd themselves in a Monastery and will dispence against the Apostle Paul in case of incest this is such a power to loose the bonds of Gods commandments and Gods oaths and relations to God and his servants it is such Transcendant power the Roman visible Catholick Church never challenged greater 6. The Roman visible Catholick Church never challenged so great power till it was animated and acknowledged by the Pope to take upon them to set up one King and to take down another King John in England Frederick the first and Frederick the second Henery the fourth and Henery the fifth he crowns and discrowns whom he will and this out of the plentitude of his power And lastly he doth challenge this beyond the Church it selfe Immunity and Impunity from all Civill and Ecclesiastical power and judicature The Church is above all jâ—dicial power and the Pope the head of it is above it and therefore may not be brought into order by any censure of any Church nor by the civil sword And therefore he 〈◊〉 well called one that exerciseth all the power of the first Beast and rather puts more power to it whatever the Catholick Church may do that he can do where they can dispence and make Laws where they can bind or loose c. So farre as they may go he can go and he doth all in the name and sight of the Church And he causeth all that dwell on the Earth That is carnal christians whose conversation is not in Heaven To worship the first Beast How to worship He speaks of divine worship not civil adoration This is an aberation from a Church but a beastly Church it is a monster The Church of the first institution was of one particular congregation and for all the Churches of the world to be subject to one Cathedral it is far beyond all comprehension of rule Now he causeth all that dwell on the Earth to worship that Beast Wherein are they to worship him 1. It is made a matter of necessity to salvation to be reconciled to that Church and more care is had of being reconciled to that Church then of being reconciled to God in Christ All pleas of being reconciled to Christ will not stand in their judgment unlesse you be reconciled to them 2. Except you be bound in conscience to that state he will allow you no communion he will have all the decrees of the Church as binding the conscience 3. This is divine worship you shall take no doctrine but that is of his stamp nor worship nor Government but of his acknowledgment nor no dispensation of them but according to his Canons And all that dwell on the Earth must worship him all run upon the Beast the Pope doth not so much challenge it to himselfe as to the Church and that which is given to the Church he takes to himselfe Thirdly He doth great wonders so that he makes fire come from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men And it is said Antichrist shall come in all power of signes and lying wonders 2 Thes 2. 8 9. Their Legions are full of these wonders And in particular for this point of causing fire to come down from Heaven It is an allusion sure to the fire that the old Prophet fetched from Heaven As Eliah fetched fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice 1 Kings 18. 38 39. And that was a fire that expressed Gods gracious acceptance that made all the people cry the Lord he is God But this the Pope did not fetch
which so much concerns posterity may be established for my own part while we live I am not greatly solicitous thereabout yet for future we know not what Governors may arise and what may be put upon our posterity needful therefore that things were put in a right frame that whatever men say yet the Lord may say here is wisdome and here is neither marke nor name nor number of name but all carried according to the laws of the 12. Apostles and this will require some humiliation and if Moses stood in need of 40. days we much more of one day And for our native countrey we do not know what conflicts there may be there about the number of the name of the Beast we are come from them in bodily presence and therefore cannot helpe them by a word of advice but this we may do put up supplications to heaven and we may intreat the God of wisdome and the Prince of peace that he would put in amongst them that they may see the whole fabrick root and branch of the man of sin that so there may be a perfect combination of the two great Nations that the Parliament may be for the better not for the worse but purity of ordinances if it be the blessed will of God may be established however we shall finde a blessing and some of our brethren shall fare the better and if things wax clearer and zeal warmer they will begin to suspect the number as well as the name and as the head of the beast otherwise the three innocent ceremonies as they call them they are grown to six and being multiplyed by ten they may grow to 60. yea to 600. for ought I know Let us help them what we can by Prayer FINIS A TABLE of the principall Heads contained in this Book A THe amplitude of the Popes power page 113 Amplitude of dominion not an inseperable character of the Church 121 Angels created the first day of the weeke 188 Antichrist described 243 It is Antichristian to assume Gods titles 52 Transcendant authority dangerous to be admitted 72 Albingenses and Waldenses slaine to the number of 1000000. 100 B. Backsliders punished page 43 The first Beast what it is page 7. Described p. 2. Not the Pagan Empire p. 4. Not the Christian Empire pag 5. Whence it did arise p. 9 The Beast and the head of the beast is one and the same 44 The Beasts head when wounded and cured p. 35. his great words p. 62. the Beasts time how long p. 80. Why counted by monethes p. 86. When it did begin p. 86 The Beasts power p. 98. From whence p. 115. Why Saints worship not the Beast 139 The second Beast described 223 Bishoply power to be prayed against 38 Blasphemy what 67 Blessed are the sufferers for Christ page 219 Bodie of death what 185 Booke of Providence and booke of Conscience and the booke of life what 132 The Popes Buls are but baubles 90 C. IT is a Character of the second Beast to be without controul p. 236 Christs Government over all Nations 12â— Christ both the subject and the author of life 130 Why Christ answered not Pilate 157 Christ the Lamb slaine p. 154. Christ slaine from the beginning of the world how 189 Christ the stone cut out of the mountaine without hands p. 196. the head of the Church 37 Christians may make a defensive warre 108 The Church Catholick is not visible 13 The power of the Church 13 The Roman Catholicke visible Church a beast p. 14. They receive their power from the Devill 22 Nationall and Diocesan Churches an Image of the beast 16 Christs Church is such as meet in one Congregation 15 No Communion to be held with Antichristian Churches 239 Scripture Computations most exact 95 D. THe Popes Decretals the number of the Beast page 253 Dwellers on the earth who 230 Defensive war of Prorestants p. 104. Defensive warr lawfull 108 Denmark one of the ten horns 81 Devill cast out of heaven when and where 88. 92 E. EAre to heare what it meanes 206 Election a booke of life p 135. in what sence it is sayd to be sure p. 150. How we are said to make it sure 150. 153 England one of the ten horns p. 10. 81. F. FAith the victory whereby we overcome the world page 108 The Faith of Romanists is the saith of the Devill 210 No Falling from grace 149 France one of the tenne horns 81 Fryars are Incendiaries 101 Fundamentall power is in the people 72 G. GRace and workes opposite page 210 God most exact in his computations 94 Christs Government over the world p. 122. It is hard to be set up in England 12 Governours are subject to law p. 109. they may be resisted and when 109 Gregory sent for England 51 H. HEadship of the Church is Christs priviledge page 39 Hints of Providence should be taken 45 To keep Holy-dayes is blasphemy 67 Tenne Horns of the Beast 81 I. IMmunity and impunity from all censures is the Beasts claime page 230 Image of the Beast what p. 223. that all Officers Governments and worship not instituted by Christ are but Images 238 Diocesan Cathedrall and Nationall Churches are Images of the Beast 239 It is impossible for Saints to fall finally 148 The Judgment upon persecutors 217 Justification is from free grace 163 K. THe Kingly power of Christ page 122 L. CHrist the Lamb slaine p. 154. 168. Why called a Lam p. 155. Why slaine p. 170. What the book of the Lamb p. 135 Lex 〈◊〉 unto persecuting Tyrants 98 Boundlesse Liberty dangerous 71 The Lyon of Babels language 12 The Love of God most free 146 M. MAgistrates power should be limited page 73 Magistrates subject to the Churches censures 126 The fifth Monarchy 120. 122 The 42. Moneths the same with 1260. dayes 83 Why the Beasts time is numbred by Moneths 86 When these Moneths began 93 Opening of the Mouth what it meanes 64 Morall vertue is but a silken or golden chaine 197 N. NAvaâ—â— one of the tenne Horns page 81 No Name whereby to be saved but Christ 201 Number of the Beasts name 247 O. VVHat Obedience Subjects owe to Princes page 111 Opening the mouth what it meanes 64 Opportunity to wound the Beast ought not to be neglected 45 P. PArishes a part of the beasts Image page 20 A Papist by his Religion cannot go beyond a reprobate 143 The People can give no power but what the word of God allows 72 Peace with Idolaters dangerous 105 Persecutors rewarded in their kind 98 Gods judgement on Persecutors 217 Pontifex Maximus the Popes style 88 Pope the head of the Beast that was wounded p. 34. When wounded p. 35. When cured 35 Pope is the seventh head p. 47. Hee rules the world p. 52. Hee assumes divine power 53 Pope is the head of the second Beast p. 215. Why compared to a wild beast p. 226 what power he challengeth 229 Popes have been Conjurers 232 Popery a worm-eaten Religion p.
Priest also over the Kings of the world in Temporalls Hee had two hornes like a Lamb as the successor of Peter and as if he had nothing but from Christ but he spake like a Dragon When he had once power by his Lamb-like horns he then spake like a Dragon Therefore to speak that which I conceive to be the truth I do look at this first beast as indeed of like condition with the Pope and very nearly joyned to him The Pope is one of the heads and rulers of this Beast but yet distinguished from the beast it selfe and is not the same with the beast This therefore all things weighed according to the Text I conceive to be the first beast the Roman Catholick visible Church The seven heads and ten horns are a clear description of the Roman State Now this State here is neither the Pagan Roman Empire nor the Christian Roman Empire as hath been shewed And therefore it must needs be a third Roman State distinct from the former and succeeding in their place and what is that but the Roman Catholicke visible Church Of this Church the Pope is the head both as universall Bishop over all Churches and chiefly Lord in Temporalls that had both Swords and obtained both Authorities to be highest supream head in Spirituals as also supream head in Temporalls he was Soveraign Governour in all And the Roman-catholick visible Church it comes just in the room of the Roman Empire how was it described The beast that had seven heads and ten horns this comes in his room the one governs all the world in his way and the other all the Churches another way This is the Beast that the Dragon stirs up to make War with the Saints Now to appply this description to this Church for the better understanding of the Text. Qâ— I saw a beast rise out of the Sea You may aske what is the Sea from whence this beast ariseth Answ The Sea is the collection of many waters The gathering together of the waters called the Seas Gen. 1. 9 10. And what are the waters The waters which thou sawâ—st are People and Nations and Languages and Tongues Rev. 17. 15. So then what is the beast here that ariseth out of the Sea It is some soveraign State that ariseth out of the connexion of many Nations into one body as you know the Roman Catholick Church is not confined within the lifts of the City of Rome though there the head is seated but the whole Roman Sea it is well called a Sea in that respect it is that which comprehends all Nations whether subject to the Eastern or Western Emperour yea and other Nations that did not submit themselves to the one or other as if they did recollect themselves as into one Sea all banks are broken down in the Sea yet there is no distinction but all is one Sea one vast body And such is the Roman Catholick visible Church all partitions are here broken downe all Churches make but one visible Catholick Church And again it is well said to arise out of the Sea according to the like description which Daniel makes of the foure Monarchs in Dan. 7. Hee saw the foure windes of heaven strive upon the great Sea and foure Beasts came up from the sea divers one from another From the multiplyed agitations of the Sea it came to passe four great Monarchs did arise Just thus from the tumult of particular Churches did this Beast arise for when they could not agree in the Churches but some were of one minde some of another it was the wisdom as they thought of Christian Princes and Bishops but it was but humane wisdome and was indeed from the Dragon and not from Christ they thought it would be best to have but one church and the Bishop of Rome to be the head though at first they divided them to four but in the end they would have the Bishop of Rome over all that so they might have unity for they say unity springs from one head and unlesse you have one head you cannot have unity Therefore from the particular Church of a Congregation they came to Diocesan from Diocesan to Metropolitan from Metropolitan to Patriarchal from Patriarchal to Cecumenical And so it comes to pass all Churches must be gathered into one Sea that is one Catholick Church For look what reason they had to set Bishops over particular Churches So having many Bishops by the same reason they must have some Metropolitan and of many Metrapolitans foure or five Patriarchs and of them one Chief that is the Pope the Father of Fathers he must be the grand Governour of all Therefore doth he rise out of the Sea out of the Sea of Tumult and Sea of Contention And if you take Sea for corruption in Doctrine and worship and Government as some good Interpreters do it was from thence also that this beast did arise This beast did arise out of them all for had either pure Doctrine or worship or Discipline been well looked unto it had not been possible that such a beast as the Catholick visible Roman Church should have bin raised up It is further described to have seven heads and ten horns The holy Ghost describes them so fully that we need no further interpretation of them He tells us in the 17. Chapter of this book the ninth and tenth verses The seven heads are seven Mountaines on which the Woman sitteth which are the mountaines of the City of Rome it is built upon seven hills and the seven heads are also seven Kings that is seven Kingly governments soveraign governments The first were Kings then Consuls then Decemvins then Dictators then Tribunes and then the Caesars Five were fallen that is were past in John's time the sixth were then extant and they were the Caesars the Pope he makes the seventh Now the Pope then is the seventh of these Heads but the seventh head and the beast are two distinct things though he be one that rules the beast and hath a great influence in the guiding of it Hee was to receive a deadly wound and after became an eighth head whereas he was but one of the seven So that he is one of the Heads but there is difference between the head and the beast and the beast it selfe And it is said He exerciseth all the power of the first Beast that in conclusion what the Pope decrees that stands So that it is not a generall Councell that determines any thing authentically without him but he doth all that the first beast doth Hee would have the Catholick Church honoured but it is that himselfe may be honoured as the Lord of the Church So therefore for the heads these are the seven Heads And for the Hornes he tells you they are so many Kings which were not then risen to Soveraigne Power but John saw it in a Mystery afore hand But when this Beast ariseth this Pontifex maximus then they receive a Kingdome at the same
Dragon gave him his power and Authority and such Authority that he exalts himself above all that is called God The use is thus much First it serves to shew the vanity of all that admiration of the Roman Catholick visible Church and devotion to that Church which hath so long for many Ages deluded the world and with which Jesuites and Seminaries doe to this day delude devout but carnall souls Here is great power given to them and great authority but whence hath the Church all this They pretend they have it all from Christ but they have it from the Dragon of the bottomlesse pit He gave him his power and seat and great authority It never came from Christ he never gave this power to any Church nor State in the world it is from the Dragon And whereas they plead it is the keys of the kingdome of Heaven Mat. 16. 19. It is verely as the Text calls it Rev. 9. 1. The key of the Bottomlesse pit There fell a star from Heaven to the Earth and to him was given the key of the Bottomlesse pit It is he that hath power to let out smoak out of the bottomlesse pit Not to let out men from thence as some have pretended or from Limbus which is the suburbs of Hell But to let out smoak damnable doctrine and false Government He hath power to open it but no power to shut it power to sting mens consciences but no power to heal them And therefore when Bellarmine makes the Roman Catholick visible Church to be the true Church he makes this the first note of a true Catholick Church whereas our Divines make Preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments and holy Diâ—cipline he refutes them and sets down three other universall Catholick visible Church to be the true Church And the truth is it is the very Beast to which the Devill gave this great Authority and power Wherefore let not men be bewitched with them but let us know they are all but efficacies of delusions what ever have been in this kinde spoken If any man say shall we disclaim an Article of our Creed to despise the holy Catholick Church God forbid we doe believe the holy Catholick Church spread over all Nations But a Church Catholick that shall have one visible head and be the Mother Church verily we look at it as the greatest and ugliest beast that ever was raised in the world Take all other Monarchies that the Scripture describes the Leopard of Greece the Lyon of Babell and the Bear of Persiae and they are either of them but a beastly state but here all these Beasts are mingled and confounded in one And besides It hath seven heads and ten horns A Leopard a Lyon and a Beare they are orderly creatures according to some Institution But here is a Beast that runs besides all institution and description of Scripture and societies of men that ever was raised The Catholick visible Roman Church is the most monster God forbid we should blaspheme any Church but I do but speak Scripture Let the world be judg if the Scripture can be accommodated to any but to this Roman-Catholick mother Church It is evident in Scripture these seven heads and ten horns must be some Roman State the Roman Pagan State it cannot be nor yet the Roman Christian State and a Roman State it is but there hath been no other Roman State but the Roman-Catholick visible Church and that hath claimed such great power and authority which is doubtlesse as incompatible to Scripture as may be which by the wit of man hath not been invented but by the Dragon and yet so goodly in the eyes of the world which great Princes are deluded and besotted withall and happy they that can be reconciled to that State Secondly Learn we to magnifie the free rich grace of God that hath delivered us from this great Beast and the worship of it and hath restored us in a great measure to the government of primative simplicity that now we may meet every Lords day that all may heare and all may be edefied where every one may brign his offence if hee cannot be satisfied in private and may be heard and the case in due time searched into and healed according to God This is Primative simplicity and this is direct proceeding without Lordly Prelacy which overwhelms all the world like a great Sea And it i well called a Sea for it swallows up all like a vast Ocean And the more thankfull ought we to be that he hath delivered us from the Image of the Beast as well as from the beast it selfe A Catholick Church that beareth sway over so many hundred Churches and overwhelms them all Such Lawes they shall make as shall binde all Nations and whether they give consent or no they must subscribe to them in point of government Were we sensible how odious this Beast were in the sight of the holy Ghost and of the Apostle John it would affect us with strong thankfulnesse and hearty enlargednesse to God that hath delivered us from so great a beast and from any image and picture of it unto which all the world is subject unlesse in some few places Thirdly It may teach all Church Officers not to affect any Lordly pomp and state For Officers of a Church to take upon them any great State or to see a Church composed in any such form you see in the eyes of the holy Ghost it is a Beast There is nothing more disproportionable to us then for us to affect Supremacy for us to weare the hornes that might push Kings to throw downe any or to desire Magistrates to execute what we shall think fit verily it is not compatible to the simplicity of the Church of Christ Neither may they give their power to us nor may we take it from them That when an Excommunication passe in the Church then to leave it to the Magistrate that so a man being excommunicated is left Ipso facto to civill censure upon the Churches censure this will cause the Magistrates to submit their power to the Church unavoidably that if a Church censure the Magistrates must proceed against them Now it is good to have these two States so joyned together that the simplicity of the church may be maintained and upheld and strengthened by the civill State according to God but not by any simplicity further then according to the word Beware of all secular power and Lordly power of such vast inspection of one church over another Take heed of any such usurpation it will amount to some monstrous Beast Leave every church Independant not Independant from brotherly counsell God forbid that we should refuse that but when it comes to power that one Church shall have power over the rest then look for a Beast which the Lord would have all his people to abhor Fourthly let it be in the feare of God an use to beware how we take Satans offers This
did any earthly Prince challenge that he could not erre nor that none must controll him if he did There have been Laws made to controll the greatest Princes Nebuchadnezzar was taught to be controlled that in the end Shadrach Mesech and Abednego goe away rewarded 3. The Catholick Church and the Pope is the head of it claimes a power of binding and loosing To bind mens consciences by his Laws and to loose mens consciences by his Indulgences and that not ministerially as Ministers do from the Word but by a Juditiary power to dissolve the bond of naturall Obedience incestuous Marriages Oaths and Covenants in Marriage Natural relations between Parents and Children and morall Relations between Princes and Subjects There is not any bond that he cannot loose nor any liberty which he cannot restraine And this not over a few only but over the vast world so far as it is Christian And 4. It is a great thing he speakes and he speakes it not behind the door when he challengeth Soveraign dominion in way of advancement of Religion over all Kingdoms so as to depose their Kings and dispose of their Kingdoms leave any State to choose where he hath power If his Crowne be to be fetched from Rome as it was in former times when it was most active He will set it on but dash it off againe out of the plentitude of his power to â—et up and throw downe at his pleasure He opened his mouth to speak great things He is never so in his element as when he doth hold forth such vast authority and divine propriety proper to the Father Son and holy Ghost Now as he speaks great things so blasphemes against God and wherein Against his Name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Against his name All these are blasphemies against Gods name to attribute all these divine properties to a beastly man to a great beast And it is blasphemy to ascribe any divine honour or to put it upon any creature Images served the holy Ghost calls blasphemy Isa 65. 7. You have blasphemed me upon every green hill And in Ezek. 20. 27 28. he complaines of the like blasphemy that they blasphemed him by their Idolatires In Mar. 2. 7. Why doth this man speak blasphemies who can forgive sins but God onely It were to speak blasphemy in any but in Christ Secondly It is against his Tabernacle that may be either meant the body of Christ as 1 John 14. He tabernacled amongst us Or it may be meant the visible Churches such as are instituted by him For the body of Christ it is blasphemy to go to every Masse Priest to make him the body and blood of our Saviour Or if you understand the Tabernacle to be the Church that is the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. 16. Now to call the Church of Christ a Conventicle of Hereticks and Schismaticks it is blasphemy and so they count all the Churches here And for the Saints in heaven to put upon them divine worship to build Temples to them to put up Prayers to them to keep Holy-dayes to them it is blasphemie to them it is a great dishonour Paul and Barnabas when they saw men to come and offer sacrifice to them Men and brethren why doe you these things you cannot do us a greater injury And for the Saints in heaven that is pure Churches he condemns them for Hereticks and Schismaticks and as unworthy of Christian communion and Christian burial these are blasphemies So you see the meaning of this Scripture There was given him a mouth to speake great things and to blaspheme God in his Name in his Tabernacle in those that dwell in Heaven Thus hath he done many yeares and thus doth hee still Now for the reason of the point you see the point stands upon two branches 1. That such power was given him 2. That he did effectually and abundantly put it foâ—â—h He opened his mouth Let mee give the reasons of both 1. Why such power was given him it was First from God in his just judgement to punish the unthankfull world that received not the love of the truth Therefore the Lord gave them over to efficacy of delusions to believe lies That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2. 10 11. This is the just judgment of God that since they refused the simplicity of wholsome Doctrine and had itching eares they should have such men as came with the subduing word of the Law to speak great things and they should have what they aske This is from Gods just jugement A second Reason is from Satan for God concurred and Satan concurred and Christian Princes concurred herein Satan concurred for this reason that he might be avenged of God and despight the name of Christ that had cast him out and dethroned him from his divine power That whereas he was the great God of the world and the God of Israel but a puny God of the lesser Nations now hee is to be no God to trust on but like a Toad or Serpent this doth so enrage the venome of the old Devill that he powrs forth a flood of malice and venome against the Church and Christ as much as may be to testifie to the world hee would be Lord and the Lord Jesus should not prevaile And if he may not be God he will set up a Beast that shall be adored as God And it is a great despight to Christ to advance a Beast that shall carry great State and power and dare and will speak greater things then all the Churches of Christ I as great as the Lord himself shall speak look what one speaks the other wil speak it all and speak it abundantly As the Devill himselfe sometimes said to Christ All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me The same doth he speak at this day and he will speak without controll Another reason that binds Satan so to speak is not only his old enmity to Christ but from his malice against the Church When hee saw that the seed of the woman had thus dethroned him and cast him out of divine power he powrs forth a flood of malice after her and he sends forth an ugly Beast that if he can may root out the face of Christianity and root her out from the face of the earth Rev. 12. 15. These are the Devils reasons that mooved him to stirre up the Beast and to give him a mouth to speake so boldly as hee did But why will Christian Princes be so prodigall to submit themselves to him God had committed to them the care of the Churches that all Churches should live peaceably and quietly under them in all godliness and honesty why would they so degenerate and suffer the Bishop of Rome so to arrogate and speak such great blasphemies The reasons were 1. Because they were ignorantly blinde It was a time of palpable darknesse darknesse
God for all Blasphemy against the name of God or hâ—s Tabernacle or those that dwell in heaven it is blasphemy against God It is said here there was power given to the Beast to speak great things and blasphemyes wherein did that lye against Gods name and against his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven So that blaspheme any of these and you blaspheme God blaspheme the name of God the Tabernacle of God and those that dwell in Heaven whether Saints above or Saints on Earth and you blaspheme God himself And therefore it should be farre from us to abuse any ordinance or providence of God for it is blasphemie against God himselfe they are the name of God Gods name is called on his providences If we speak evill of Gods ordinances or providences as for a man to say would to God I had never known such a woman it is blasphemy Gods wisedome and righteousnesse hath ordayned it If we be in distresse or in any sicknesse and we snarle against God and mutter at our poverty and sickness it is to blaspheme the name of God all these are providences of God To speak evill of Churches as if they were Congregations of Heriticks or Schismiticks or Congregations of Rebels or Libertines and Brownists and such like it is blasphemy against the God of Heaven Besides it is blasphemy against the Body of Christ in the Sacrament to think every Baker can make it that is Popish blasphemy To speak evill of the Saints of God on earth to thinke to take liberty because they are absent Our tongues are our owne who is Lord over us Little do we know how tender God is of his people we cannot speak evill of any in the Church but we blaspheme God And so if we speak evill of his providences it is as much as if we speak evill of God himself And therefore how precious ought the name of God to be to us to whom our names are pretious It is but a scandall to a christian brother but it is blasphemy to God and therefore speak not evill as thinking it shall never come to his eare If we speak evill of Authority of Churches of Saints or evill of them that doe evill unlesse you may take order to represse it the Lord himself looks at it as blasphemy and therefore we must not look at it as a light matter our tongues are our own and we may have liberty to speak I you have liberty but not to speak blasphemies either small or great There is not the least blasphemy but it is a great Sinne and therefore greatly to be avoyded Rev. 13. latter part of the 5. vers And power was given him to continue forty and two moneths THis is the continuance of the description of the former Beast which the Apostle John saw rising out of the Sea to be the instrument of the Dragons power that is Satans rage against the Woman and her feed Among other parts of the description which have been opened this Beast is described by the change that befell him in his head wounded and healed the effect whereof was 1. The admiration of the world 2. The worship of the Beast and of the Dragon The third effect or event was the authority or power that the Beast did receive and did exercise and that power was 1. To speake great things and blasphemies which accordingly he did exercise in blaspheming the name of God and his Tabernacle and the Saints 2. There was a power of continuance as it is here translated forty and two moneths 3. There was given to him power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them Of the first part to speak blasphemy we have already spoken Now come we unto the second part of the power given him which is his continuance There was power given him to continue forty and two moneths The note from thence is shortly this That power and authority was given to this Beast that is to the Roman Catholicke Church to continue that is to be active and doing to be busie fortie and two moneths This expresseth the sum and sence of the words they are obscure as any place in the word and therefore need your more diligent attention and the power of the Lord Jesus to clear his counsel and will in this point who alone openeth the Seales and none can shut them To open the words Power was given to him The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies the power of Authority or Jurisdiction a soveraign kind of power as it is here described in the seventh verse over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations Such power that all the world wondered at it and adored especially that which they call the Christian world did exceedingly magnifie the power and authority of this Beast and he speakes here principally of Spirituall Authority though it grew to Temporall Power in making Warr in the 7. vers for he riseth by degrees to further power but authority was given him Given him by whom 1. By God that put it into the heart of the tenne Horns that is the tenne Kâ—â—gs to give their Kingdoms with one consent to the Beast Rev 17. 17. So God by his wise and just providence gave him authority such as God hath ordained in his word but he put it in their hearts by his wise and just providence 2. This authority was given by Satan who assisted Antichrist in the mystery of Iniquity in working signs and lying wonders with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse till hee lift up himselfe above all that is called God 2 Thes 2. 9 10. And indeed Satan wrought mightily what by the sophistry of the School-men and by the policy of the Canonists and what by the devotion of Cloyster-men and Fryers it was a wonder to see how he gained a mighty power against Churches all the world over 3. This power was given him by those States the ten Horns which gave their Crowns with one accord to the Beast that he should rule in their Dominions The chiefe Kingdoms in Europe are in these ten our Native Countrey for one France and Spaine and Navarre Sweden Denmarke and the rest they did with one accord give their Kingdomes to the Beast that in point of Religion they should establish all Ordinances according to the wisdome of his soveraign power And in Temporall matters they gave him greater power to depose and dispose of their Kings then the Roman Emperour had in sundry respects for his was limâ—ed by Laws but this was without Laws 2 Thes 2. 4. He opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God That without all power of Laws he did out-rage out of measure Given it was by their Devotion and Superstition God piercing their hearts much in those times by the Ministery of their Fryars that did wound their consciences with the sense of their murthers and lusts that they were willing to do any thing for the peace of their
of the Saints Whereupon the Waldenses being warned by a Religious man sent by the Bishop of Tholouse to confesse the hand of God against them for Hereticall pravity in blaspheming the Roman Catholick visible Church and continuing so long in it and to turn to the Catholick Church For their defence to answer the Temptation that was put upon them said they it is written The Beast shall make war with the Saints and overcome them therefore it is no argument of Gods being against us in respect of our Religion for he may acknowledg us Saints though we be slain to this day and therefore though there were but a handful left they would rather dye then yeeld to conformity to the Church of Rome So you see the point opened For the Reasons First how this Beast comes to have this power to make warre Secondly how the Saints come thus to be warred upon And thirdly how they come to be overcome for all these would be opened First this beast had power given him to make warre by severall hands First the devout subjection of the ten Christian Kings to him that gave their kingdoms and swords into his hand Rev. 17. 17. God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their Kingdoms unto the Beast The principall Kings of Christendome in those dayes came and gave their power to the beast and by their power he was able to do wonders against all A second reason and cause of his power to war against the Saints was because of the prosperous successe which they had in the warre against Christians a hundred yeares before and that was in an expedition of Godfrey of Bulloign in Greece and Duke Dalbo that went forth to recover the holy Land as they call it to overcome the Turks and Sarazens and Godfrey Bullen a Christian Prince as they call him they made him King at Jerusalem there he continued and prospered mightily in this war and held it for many years together and Christian Princes seeing the prosperous successe of this War which he had raised up to recover the holy Land and the Sepulchre of Christ therefore upon the same tearms that he did procure that Expedition against Infidels he doth procure warre against these Hereticks and out of the same notion there were gathered an innumerable company A third Reason was from the zealous Sermons of Fryars and Monks exciting all Christendom to this Warr under the Standard of the Crosse in promise of equall pardon as if the Expedition had been against the Sarazens thence came he to make such authority to make Warre with the Saints that if he call for it it is done He agrees upon it in his own Councell and he gives instruction to all Abbots and Fryars and Governours of religious Orders that they should send out chiefe Preachers to call upon all the people as in Psal 94. 16. Who wil rise up for me against the evill doers or who will stand up for me against the workers of Iniquity Sometimes complayning of the slacknesse of men to holy zeale for Gods glory and maintenance of purity of Religion and sometimes a necessity of taking part with those that are Infidels abroad and Hereticks and Schismaticks at home They found their Explication amounting to that use that whereas there had been many Hereticks nestled up in this Countrey therefore it pleased him and the Apostle Peter to stirre up the Bishop of Rome to vouchsafe the like plenary pardon to those which would go to warre against these Hereticks as those which had prevailed against Infidels and the premise of pardon did so farre prevail that they shortly gathered together 300000. that in hope of plenary pardon of sinne did give up themselves to go on upon their owne charges they would sell goods and Lands for pardon of sin and peace of conscience And in those dayes men were wont to be troubled at the Sermons of the Fryars and Monkes and never found setled peace by pardon from Christ Jesus and never thought to look for pardon where it was and they told them it was to be had by bestowing their goods and lands thus and those Fryars and Monks did so inculcate and drive the nayl to the head in the hearts of people that they were never at rest till they went about this Expedition there were raised a matter of ten Captains Simon Munford was one a notable instrument for the Devill and this great Beast The last Reason was the superstition of those times the deep devotion and dejection of spirit that was in the bodies of Christians in those dayes in regard of their spiritual estate They being deepely convinced of sinne and sharply reproved by the Fryars and Monks who had a notable dexterity to sting the consciences of men and wound them by the terrour of Gods wrath sometimes for their great exactions sometimes for their incest sometimes for their whoredome and neglect of the Ordinances of the Church and they had things so full against them that it made them strictly devout and so were taken up in devotion to this great Beast and the head of it that all the world admired and adored him for his admirable and transcendant power and keyes that he had to heaven as they thoughtâ— they all yeelded themselves some their bodies to fight and some that had not sufficient to maintaine themselves other good Catholicks were ready to cast in some more some lesse to maintaine them according to their abilities and happy he that could make something to make warre aginst these Hereticks So that lay all these together and you will see how he had this great power to make war with the Saints Here was a great and vast change from the Institution of Christ who confined all Churches into one Congregation that all may heare and all may be edefied that one Parish Church should grow to that vastnesse to levy 300000. to the warre and that by a word of his mouth to have them all mayntained without grudging for every man did thinke the worke as pious a marvellous change and well doth the holy Ghost say Hee had great power that the power of that Church should reach over all Churches and shall have such an influence into Kings that look what they shall dictate all shall be ready body and goods and life and all to maintain them you see the reasons of it how he comes by this power But secondly how comes he to make War against the Saints There is a double reason for that one is taken from the profession and practice and conversation of these Saints This was their practice They followed the Lamb as in the next Chapter I looked and loe a lambe stood on the mount Sion and with him an hundred fourty and four thousand having his Fathers name written in their foreheads These are they which are not defiled with women for they are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb whether soever
ten Kings that is to say the body of Christian Princes and all the Nations subject to them they all gave their power unto the Beast Rev. 17. 17. No nation professed Christianity but professed also subjection to the Sea of Rome that is to the Romon Catholick visible Church And the Papists are large in this Bellarmine makes it a 4 th note of the visible Church amplitude of power and he gives sundry instances Stories are evident that all Nations did professe this Religion specially after the subduing of the Waldences though they did before setting aside that remnant of the womans seed that were fled into the wildernesse Now no Nation in Christendid professe other Religion then Popery especially from the time of Charls the Great to Charles the fifth which was a matter of 720. years There was no visible profession open unlesse in some secret corners of the world no Nation held forth any other Religion then Popish nor professed subjection to any other Church Now in every Nation there are or may be divers Tongues as in England you have the English and Welsh and Cornish Tongues besides others that are discrepant from English But he saith not only every Nation but every Tongue that is every Language they all gave their power to the Beast And in every Tongue we have many Kindreds and there is no man that could ever say but some of his kindred have been Popish or are Popish to this day if not all yet some of the ancientest and those the greater part here is the universality of it And I say further he had ample and great power for to have power over all argues amplitude It is said in the beginning of the 8 vers which I will take in and open here it is said They shall worship him That 's a great power when it doth amount to inward worship not civill but divine worship It was divine worship that he challenged and all Nations gave him To give Laws of faith and worship and government to all Churches in Christendom that was divine power peculiar to the Lord Jesus It was divine power to challenge toihimselfe imposition of Kings and deposition of Kings without consent of the people To provoke the people to do it whether they liked their Prince or no this is transcendant above all created power Besides it was divine worship they gave in giving him power over their Consciences challenging to himself and they also yeelding freely a power to bind Conscience with the Laws he gave them to loose their consciences either from the Laws of God in matter of Oaths to loose them from guilt of sinne to loose their consciences from Contracts from Confederacies this is divine power They all worship him whose names are not written in the booke of the Lamb and some of them too for a season but they continue not God opens their eyes to repent of it and to rise from under it It was divine power to chalenge infalibility of Judgment to judg of Scripture out of the Oracle of his owne braines These were all divine worship they gave to the Catholick Church and to the head of it the Bishop of Rome So that marvayl not as the Text saith there was given Exasia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a lame power but an unlimited power over all people in Church and Common-wealth and over conscience There is nothing wherein the Catholick Church had not power throughout all Christendome Now further the Text tells you All this power was given He did not wholly arrogate this power to him though he did so too but it was given him though he took it and took all advantages to get it No man can receive any thing except it be given him from above But he had it given him Given him by whom by God by the Devill and given him by Christian Kings Churches and Common-wealths and Families First it was given by God in his just judgment God gave them up to delusions to believe lyes 2 Thes 2. 11. And he gave two reasons why God gave them up to those delusions 1. To avenge their want of entertainment of the truth in love Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved vers 10. 12. Because they would not receive Christ nor the simplicity of his government and worship in Church-state therefore God gave them up to Satan and to the man of sinne and to the Catholicke visible Roman Church 2. That they all might be damned that have pleasure in unrighteousnesse in the same verse The Lord gave them up therefore to damnable distempers damnable usurpations and Ordnances the Lord gave them up for these two Reasons and they are one subordinate to another Secondly this power was given by Satan also For it is said The coming of Antichrist shall be after the working of Satan with all powers and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2. 9 10. By the efficacy of delusion which was by the jugling of those great men in those times for efficacy of delusion is by miracles so by deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse which is three-fold The sophistry of Schoolmen the policy of the Canonists that made their Laws out of the Popes decrees still advancing the Popish Church and the head thereof partly by the devotion of Monks and Fryars And if you aske why Satan did this there is a double reason of that First to revenge the injury which the Church did him by bringing forth a Man-child a Christian Emperour to depose him from his glory wherein he was worshipped as the great God of the world Now when hee sees hee is cast off from the honour he had and there was no more place left for him in heaven it comes to passe that he pours forth a flood of barbarous nations and damnable Heresies after the woman and makes war with the remnant of her seed Rev. 12. 13. 15. 2. A second Reason that stirred up Satan was out of the ancient enmity against Christ and the seed of Christ Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed which is Christ and all the seed of Christ which are both publique and private Christians he hath an inveterate enmity against them all and therefore he gives the Church of Rome all the power that Pagan Rome had The third sort of givers of this large power to this Beast and the head of it the Pope was The voluntary devotion of Christian Princes and States They did voluntarily resign themselves up and their Kingdoms and States and Churches and Common-wealth and Consciences and all to the obedience of the Sea of Rome Rev. 17. 17. They with one accord gave their Kingdomes to the Beast God put it into their hearts to do it that is true but they were left of God and acted by Satan and so were they brought about to give this power unto the Beast Some were brought unto this by the Popes
patience I pray consider it I do not enter into a common place of faith and patience but let me say thus much of it Patience is a virtue mortifying and moderating greifs and fears or afflictions and subduing our wils to the will of God not onely in contentment but comfort My brethren saith James count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations James 1. 2. That whereas other men or our selves in time of prosperity when as God applies his will to our wils are joyful and this is no great matter This is the joy of Gods people when God shall apply our wils unto his As Christ did comforme his will unto his Fathers will and say O my God I delight to do thy will It is written in thy book I came to do thy will Psal 40. 8. This indeed doth make us compleat christians A man is a happy man that hath his will and Gods will together in all that his heart does desire If God would have me suffer then certain it is best it should be 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 should christians come armed with faith and patience and with wils subdued to the will of the most high not onely to be contented but comfortable in suffering all things for Christ And let your faith fasten upon it and let your patience moderate your greifs and make your hearts comfortable also and this is that which God delights in Here is the patience and faith of the Saints And so I will end with that speech of the Apostle My brethren be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 12. Both by faith of well doing and of suffering evill by faith and patience Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Heb. 10. 36. You have need of patience that ye may be faithfull and you have need of faith that you may be patient When a man is confident in Christ above all creatures this works patience So we shall follow the steps of our blessed Ancestors we shall still go on in maintayning the same faith and worship and Government wherein our Fathers were taught of God to walk and whereby they did inherit promises both in life and death Rev. 13. 11. to the end of the 17. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he had horns like a Lamb and he spake as a Dragon c. WEe come now to the description of the second Beast I beheld another Beast c. I do not love to be large in those Scriptures that do not so narrowly concern us as knowing how farre and what a vast distance by the grace of God we stand in here from them but yet because it is a part of Gods counsell and some-what largely described give me leave to declare the meaning of the words and gather such notes from them as they hold forth Observe then here is a description from the 11th verse to the end of the Chapter of the second Beast I saw another Beast The Originall sets him forth by his nature they that know the language knows it signifies only a wild beast and in proper speech it signifies such a wilde beast as was venomous and therefore the remedy for the venome of this beast they call it Therion a proper preservative against venome or poyson This beast is described by four arguments 1. By his originall He comes out of the earth 2. By his similitude or resemblance in three things First to a Lamb in his horns Hee hath two hornes like a Lamb. Secondly he is resembled to a Dragon in his speech He spake like a Dragon Thirdly he is resembled to the former beast in the exercising of his power He exerciseth all the power of the first beast 3. This beast is described by the particular exercises 〈…〉 power or the effects of his power which are these 1. He causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed he procures adoration to the first Beast 2. He doth great wonders making fire come downe from heaven in the sight of men vers 13. 3. He deceives them that dwell on the earth by the meanes of those miracles 4. He doth prevaile with them that are on earth to make an Image to the Beast which had the wound by the sword and did live vers 14. 5. He doth animate and give life to this image of the Beast that this image of the Beast should have both power to speak and to cause as many as would not worship the image of the Beast to be killed A sixth effect is he causeth all sorts of men rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their hand c. or at least his name or the number of his name or otherwise hee excludes them not only from spirituall but civill commerce vers 16 17. For the Notes that these words afford I will handle them all in two They will not need much enlargement the Explication and Application of them will reach the meaning and scope of the words Remember what the first Beast was and then you will more easily know what this Beast must be You know this first Beast being described to have seven heads and ten horns was taken by all for the Roman Empire and this being not that but another that comes in his room after him Is is evident then that this Beast must either be the Roman-Heathen Empire or the Roman-Christian Empire or the Roman-catholick visible Church one of these three Roman States it must be Not the first for this rose after that was cast down after the Dragon was cast out of Heaven and had no more to rule that State Also you heard in Chap. 12. that Beast had ten crowns on the heads this hath not Crowns on the heads but on the horns the Princes and heads of that State were crowned This doth not weare the temporall Crown but those Princes that mayntaine him they weare the Crowns Againe that Beast Pagan Rome did not begin his time of prosperity and flourishing with the womans flight into the wildernesse and the two witnesses prophecying in sackcloath a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes for their government ended when the Christian State began and therefore it could not be Pagan-heathen Rome Nor could it be the Christian Imperial Roman State For 1. It is said in the second vers That the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority but that he did not to the Christian Emperours for they would not live at Rome but at Constantinople 2. It was never made a signe of reprobation to worship the Roman Christian Emperors but it is made a sign of reprobation to worship this Beast It remayns therefore that this Beast described in the former pare of the Chapter is the third Roman State which being not Rome-Pagan nor Rome-Christian it must needs be the Roman Papall State under
in blaspheming all Turkish or Popish blasphemies the Lord will muzzle them In the mean time it it our part to sanctifie his name that gives this vast liberty that for so long they shall speak great things and no longer Fourthly it may teach us that there is a pronenesse in our natures to abuse all the providences of God whether of speciall mercies or speciall judgements and it warns us to beware of the same in the enjoyment of any mercy or in feeling of any stroak of God upon us Here was this Beast so wounded in one of his heads as it seemed to be deadly he was again healed The Lord visits this Church with a deadly blow by acts of his justice and he also visits it with great deliverances and acts of his mercifull providence and when he hath done see his great admiration and adoration would you not think this should melt the heart of a Beast but the Oxe knowes his owner saith the Lord and the Asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Isa 13. Though this deadly wound be healed to the admiration of the world yet consider what little use he makes of it when he gives him power to doe what he will what doth he He opens his mouth to speak great things and blasphemies and he makes war with all the Saints of Heaven he doth much abuse his glory He was knocked on the head because he would affect such vast Authority to be Pontefex Maximus the Lord cracked his Crown breaks the head of this enemy and wounds the hairy scalpe of such as go on in wickedness He heals him again and gives him great power but what doth he with it He abuseth it against God and against the Church of God and speaks great things even blasphemies So there is a nature in us that will abuse every mercy of God to the corrupting of our hearts and every judgment of God and every deliverance from that judgement one would not think what wofull distempers there are in our natures If a body be stuft with choller it will turne the whole body to feed the humour So it is with us we turne all the providences of God into distempers and outragious licentiousnesse But you will say he was a Beast and the Church a Beast we hope Christians shall do better See it in Hezekiah when the Lord had wrought great deliverances for him brought the Sunne ten degrees back and avenged him of his Enemies afterwards he recovered him from sicknesse when his soule was brought to the jaws of death yet when the Princes of Babylon sent to him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the Land God left him to try him that he might know what was in his heart and then he shews them his great Treasures and works and fortifications that he had throughout his Kingdome and it is said He rendred not according to the benefits done unto him for his heart was lifted up 2 Chron. 32. 25. 31. You see good Hezekiah is apt to forget sicknesse It argues the depth of the body of Sinne which is not onely in wicked men such as these proud Prelats be but in the Godly in those that are most eminent in Grace they are not able to bear great Sailes if God shews us mercy and judgement it is a wonder to see what poore work we make Many a carnall heart will say if he be delivered from sicknesse or if he be at Sea in danger if he get a shore or if in Prison if he get but liberty God and men shall see what a new man he will be O the bottomlesse depth of a deceitfull heart let the Lord chastise us and raise us up again we forget our humiliation and grow to exaltation and if God helpe us a little we grow to such out-runings of spirit as we exceed therein no gift that a man hath no ordinance of God but he will thus abuse And therefore we have cause to sit down in dust and ashes that we should abuse such mercies as we dayly partake in Fiftly since this is the nature of wicked men let God give them but liberty and men give them liberty and they will take it to the full let God give a mouth he will speak great things and if he have liberty to speak great things he will speak great blasphemies against God and his Tabernacle and the Saints Then this will be a shame to Godly men if the Lord give us great things a mouth to speak all the good we can and liberty to do all the good we can if we doe not open our mouths and hearts to be speaking and doing all the good we can It is not for us to stand snorting out the time which God hath carved out for us but if a beast have this liberty if you tether a Beast at night he knows the length of his tether before morning he will goe to the end of it before he have done And you see this Bishop the head of the Church if God give him a mouth he will open it wicked men will take the utmost bounds of their liberty will wicked men doe so why should not the children of God then and all that fear his name take the like care to improve all their liberties and power to doe all the good we can doth God give a liberty for laying foundations for establishing jurisdictions and liberty for well ordering our Families and Town-ships if the Lord give us opportunities why should we want a heart to improve them If the Beast hath a heart to improve his wickednesse to the utmost why should not we improve all our Talents to Gods best advantage to make it our whole study to doe all which the Lord requires that so we may bear plentifull witnesse in our Generations to all the liberties the Lord hath betrusted us with It is not for men that have received five Talents that is to say five opportunities to render to God as those that have received but one or two To whom much is given of them will much be required Luke 12. 48. And therefore is behooves us all as to know the liberties of Church Common-wealth so to set hand and affection a work to be doing all the good we can If it were the Beast take a patterne from him but they must go fast that the Devils drives he would improve all his liberty And why should they not goe fast whom the Spirit of God drives and improve the liberty they have of God And therefore it is for us to doe all the good we can and to leave nothing to those that shall come after us but to walk in the righteous steps of their fore-Fathers And therefore let us not leave nor give rest to our eyes till in Family Church and Common-wealth we have set a patterne of holinesse to those that shall succeed us Lastly it may teach us a reverend use of the things of
he goeth They kept themselves undefiled of this Antichrist of Rome were not defiled with the whoredome of this great beast in all things they consented with the Doctrine of the Primitive Church and their hypocrisies and whoredomes and coveteousnesse were things that would by no means be borne therefore the Pope who was the great head discerning he was thus contested against and as they say blasphemed he thinks he does nothing though he destroy Turkes and Sarazens and Aegyptians and whoever took the Sepulcher of Christ as long as those Heretickes at home were not subdued therefore he thinks it as meritorious a worke to subdue them as ever to fight for the holy Land But there was another thing that made the war for no warre can be made but by levying of Forces on both part◠And therefore a second was their taking up of Armes in the just defence of their liberties both of conscience and outward man For if the Catholick Church had raised up all these Forces and they had quietly submitted themselves like sheep to the slaughter there had beene no warre then there had been massacres It would have amounted to that as the massacre in Paris that a man did not lift up his hand but they were slaughtered like dogs in the street Though they come with fire and sword yet unlesse they resist with fire and sword it cannot be said to be war Some set in against them though their weaknesse caused them to presume but it was to weak a businesse for flesh and bloud Wee wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers and spirituall wickednesses They which trust to flesh and bloud shall be deceived as these men they stood out and sometimes prospered while the Earl of Tone and some other Princes joyned together though they were but few they prospered but war is not one Battel or two and in the end they were overcome and this Beast prevailed and that 's the reason of the 2 d part how he came to make warre against the Saints For the 3 d How came he to overcome them Truly not by strength he had very little that way but First he overcame them by their a little too much confidence in the arme of flesh when they see the King of Aragon set on they come to be a little set on by the power of the King and a great Battell recoyled by trusting to the arme of flesh You read in Heb. 11. 34. That by faith the Saints waxed valiant in Fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens but when our faith runne in another channell that we grow confident not in the Lord Jesus by trusting in him but on the arme of flesh we know what is said in Jer. 17. 5. Cursed be the man ye though he be a good man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord It withers it cannot stand against the potent Army that rise up against them though their enemies were never lesse in number nor never lesse provided yet they prevailed more then ever before The second Reason was by their attention to politick and deceitfull Treaties of peace for when they saw the men were good Souldiers valient in battell and able to fight it out and they found the 3000. that were to fight for plenary pardon three years had served out their time and they had got as they thought their souls saved they would go home now and they had got peace by this carnall confidence of theirs So they perceived this war would be troublesome and the Hereticks were like to prosper therefore they gather in the cheif Leaders to Treaties about peace and great pitty that such bloud should be shed therefore for the honour of Rome it were needfull to cease the warre and so would draw their cheif Leaders to firme leagues of Peace and then they kept their best Generals in Prison and thus when they had got them to yeild to their pretences then they had their neckes under their girdles and their throats under their axes they might hew them out of measure Insomuch that the King of France hearing of such cruell massacre he sent to know what their Religion was and though he sent expresse charge that none of his Souldiers should offer violence to them yet they concealing his Letters they went on in massacring the poor Saints and scattering them up and down in so much that they prevailed partly by the Saints cleaving to the arme of flesh and by trusting their false pretences And there is a third Reason mentioned in the 10. vers saith he Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints It was Gods pleasure to make it the season of the Patience of the Saints It was the season wherein Antichrist should swell to his height and the Saints be brought low and their Patience be tryed to the utmost and it being a time of the Saints Patience it must needs be a time of their suffering and suffer they did with much patience but yet they were not utterly exterpated for some fled to France and some to England and so propagated Christian Religion which after turned to the conversion of many John Husse and Jerome of Pragues Doctrine grew and spread more till God raised up Luther to set forward the power of the Gospell Thus you see the truth of the Doctrine For the use then First it may serve to let us see whence is the power of waging war for the Text saith it was given To him it was given to make war with the Saints All men cannot receive this as our Saviour saith in another case but they to whom it is given It is not an easie matter for any to be 〈◊〉 to wage war it requires great store of persons and great store of Treasury and Fountain to maintaine both And besides all this it require◠no small measure of Wisdome and Policy to undertake such designes all these you see the Lord gives and gives them to those that his soul take no pleasure in and to those that in his esteem are men of beastly spirit◠yet he gives them power to make warre He may blesse himself in his rule and bravery that they were able to 〈◊〉 against Infidels and after against Heriticks as they called them but indeed the Saints of God but you see God gave power unto this Beast which is therefore no cause of triumph or glorying that he hath recived such a power for you see it may be given to these that are enemyes to the Lord Jesus Secondly observe this much That the Lord himselfe doth acknowledge even his poor children on Earth to be that which is commonly by priviledge sequestred to the holy Saints in Heaven He calles them Saints We think Saint-ship is a peculiar priviledge to the Saints in Heaven when they have ended their dayes in peace and a good conscience then they are accounted Saints and Angels but the Lord accounts