Christ which was the true substance and to be understood in and by those shadows and so for the Antichrist I sind no Prophesie concerning him in all the Book of Daniel but as he is typified in the person of Antiochus Epiphanes and you know that as Theologia Symbolica non est argumentativa symbolick divinity will not hold argument so types and figures non currunt quatuor pedibus do not hold correspondency in all things but only in such particulars whereunto they are applied and therein you shall find how the Antichrist is typified and declared unto us in the person and by the doings of Antiochus For The Prophet Daniel describing the four Beasts Dan. 7. that typified and signified the four great Monarchies of the world the Assyrian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman and the little horn that sprang up among the other ten horns saith the 10 horns are interpreted by the Holy Ghost to be ten Kings that is saith Tremellius 1. The 10 horns in Dan. 7. who they are Seleucus Nicanor 2. Antiochus Soter 3. Antiochus Theos 4. Seleucus Callinichus 5. Callinicus being expelled Ptolomeus Evergetes 6. Ptolomeus expelled Seleucus Ceraunus 7. Antiochus magnus that was surnamed Hyerax the Hawk for his speedy expedition of the greatest affairs and was the Father of Seleucus Philopater and of Antiochus Epiphanes 8. This Antiochus magnus being ejected Ptolomaeus Philopater 9. This Ptolomaeus Philopater being ejected by Antiochus magnus and his Sons Seleucus Philopater 10. This Seleucus being killed Antiochus Epiphanes that was the little horn that sprang up among the ten horns and was not another horn besides the ten horns but cornu ultimum the last of the ten horns and was at his first beginning but a very little horn indeed that had no right at all unto the Kingdom and is the most lively type of the Antichrist that is to be found in all the Scriptures both in respect of his entrance into his Dominion and of his dealings with the Jewish Church just as the Antichrist should enter into his rule and deal with the Church of the Christians And the Prophet tels us of this Antiochus and under his person of the Antichrist That 1. 1. The things that Daniel saith Antiochus should do As you see how he comes to his power and dominion by the suppression and destruction of others the lawful Kings so should the Antichrist do and we know many of the Popes came to that dignity and authority by the ejection and destruction of other Popes as the Histories do sufficiently declare unto us but whether the Long Parliament came to their rule and dominion by the expulsion and destruction of their lawful King I leave it for my Reader to judge And 2. 2. An opposer of Monarchy and very successful Dan. 7.24 The Prophet tels us that Antiochus shall be diverse from the first Kings that is as some Interpreters do expound it he shall be a grand enemy of regal Government and Kingly Majesty so will the Antichrist ex diametro contradict and oppose the Monarchical Government which the Pope never did but upholdeth the same to the uttermost and you know who turned the Regal Government of these Kingdoms to a Commonwealth or as Montanus reads that place ipse erit major prioribus he shall be greater than the former Kings that is in his successes in his victories in his reveâ—ues in his taxes in his absolute authoritie and in his esteem among his Neighbour-Kings and Princes so was Antiochus so the Antichrist will be So is not the Pope when as many former Popes were greater than this is in all the foresaid respects but whether the Long Parliament laid greater taxes upon the people and had more victories and better successes in their proceedings than many other former Kings 3. An overthrower of three Kings or Kingdoms let them be their own Judges 3. The Prophet saith this little horn that is this Antiochus Epiphanes tres reges humiliabit shall bring to the ground or humble three Kings as Montanus reads it Or tres reges deprimet he shall depress and overthrow or subdue three Kings as Tremellius translates it For he drave out of Syria 1. Ptolomaeus Philopater 2. His own eldest Brother Seleucus And 3. Demetrius the Son of Seleucus to whom the right of the Kingdom did appertain So the Antichrist shall overthrow three Kings saith Cornelius a Lapide And I did not read that any of the Popes have done so yet but I know who is said to have suppressed tres reges in uno rege and to have subdued three Kingdoms as some do expound these words and may well be the mystical meaning of this Prophesie 4. A great blasphemer 4. The Prophet goeth on and saith he shall speak great words against the most High that is saith Tremellius blasphemus erit in Deum he shall utter such blasphemies against the most high God as the Jews could not endure to hear them So the Antichrist should do saith the Evangelist Rev. 13.6 And so no doubt but many Popes have done Rev. 13.6 I will excuse none of them and I have shewed to you before and shall yet shew to you hereafter what intollerable blasphemies have been broached and are published in many places by the Sectaries adherents and off-spring of that Long Parliament which may therefore very well go hand in hand with Antiochus and with the Antichrist whosoever he be 5. 5. A destroyer of the Saints and Servants of God 2 Maâ—h 7. The Prophet saith that this Antiochus Sanctos excelsorum deteret as Tremellius reads it i.e. saith he contumeliosissimus atrocissimus Tyrannus erit in populum Dei he shall be the bitterest and the cruellest Tyrant that ever was far worse than Pharaoh against the people of God And so the Books of the Maccabees and especially the cruel butchering and torturing of the Mother and her seven Children only because they would not eat swines flesh which the Law of God forbad them to do do sufficiently declare that neither the Aegyptian Pharaoh Dan. 7.25 nor the Chaldean Nebuchadnezzar nor any other forreign or domestick enemy was ever so bloody and so cruel unto the Jews as this Assyrian Antiochus was and our Bibles read it he shall wear out the Saints of the most High and so the Antichrist shall do And our Histories tell us the Popes have worn out and been the death and destruction of many of the Servants of God this cannot be denied and it grieves me much to think and it would grieve me much more to set down a Catalogue of what and how many worthy noble and faithful Servants of Christ have been worn out of these three Kingdoms within these few years 6. A changer of the Lawes and of the times by whom and by what meanes you know And I fear that when God maketh inquisition for bloud the Long Parliament will not be found guiltless 6. The Holy Ghost
the Turk could it be done Who then hath done it This Book was written in the time of the Usurper Truly if any Court hath done such an Act I think I need not if I knew it digito demonstrare dieier hic est because such a publick Fact and so abominable in the sight of men that is as the Apostle speaks of the death of Christ not done in a corner is known far and near and talked of by young and old Yet this much I will tell thee my friendly Reader for I think none but my friends will read me that I have read very many Histories both of the Greeks and Latines and many of the Histories of the Church Whence the 9 Speeches in Parliament were collected and the Lives of many Kings and Emperors both of our own Kingdom and of other Nations and the Nine several speeches as I believe of the best anti-regal Orators of the Long Parliament concerning the Power of Parliament to proceed against their King for mis-government The which Speeches if I be not much mistaken were all taken and collected out of Dolmans Book that was the great Jesuite and arch-enemy of Queen Elizabeth Father Parsons that printed a Book full of treason against the Queens Majesty under the feigned name of Dolman and the Book was condemned by Act of Parliament the 35th year of Queen Elizabeth and now with the change of the Title the most of it is reprinted to shew the Power of Parliament to proceed against their King which by that Act of the 25th of the Queen I conceive to be then judged no less than crimen laesae Majestatis a crime of High Treason against the Queen though in the Long Parliament it was thought a point of just proceeding against our Kings especially against King Charles And yet in all the Histories that I have read and in all those Nine Speeches and all those Examples What Kings were deposed or killed by their Subjects that those Orators do produce of the Kings and Princes that were deposed banished or killed by their Subjects for their Tyranny and mis-government as Saul and Ammon by the Jews Romulus Tarquinius Julius Caesar Nero Domitian Heliogabulus Maxentius Constantine the 6th and Irene by the Romans Childereck and Charles of Lorein by the French Flaveo Suintilla Don Alonso el Sabio and Don Pedro by the Spaniards Don Sancho by the Portugals Henry the 3. by the Polonians Gustavus by the Swedes Cisternus by the Danes Edwin John Edward the 2. Richard the 2. Henry the 6. and Richard the 3. by the English Which are all but obliquely and poorly produced and might by a reasonable Historian be fully answered especially because according to that true Rule Vivitur praeceptis non exemplis We are to frame our lives by Precepts as God commandeth us and not by examples as other men have done For I can have examples enough beyond number of men that have committed murders and that have been Robbers and Adulterers and the like And shall I therefore follow their examples God forbid So many Nations have done thus and thus unto their Kings And will that warrant us That we ought not to follow unjust examples do to the like By no means Because we are to look not what other Nations do but what God commandeth us to do and he commandeth us not to touch his Anointed nor to speak evil of the Governour of the people be he good or be he bad for if he be good nutritor est tuus he is thy preserver and thank God for him and if he be bad tentator est tuus God sent him for thy trial and thou must not kick against God but receive thy trial with patience until he that sent him in his anger takes him away in his wrath against him and in his love to thee and he can take him away when he pleaseth till which time with David thou shouldst rest thy self contented as he did to endure the Tyranny of Saul though I say that I read of those foresaid Princes that were deposed or killed by the foresaid Nations and of many others Kings and Princes that as the Poet saith came not to their graves sicca morte And as the Parliament proceeded against King Charles without blood yet I find not any one of them all in any Nation whatsoever to have been proceeded against and to have been condemned and killed modo forma as the Jews proceeded against Christ and the Antichrist would proceed against the Witnesses and the Parliament did against our King And therefore this sin of the Antichrist is not an usual or a common sin as Idolatry blasphemy murder and the like but such a murder as is to be the proper and peculiar sin of the Antichrist and of none else in which respect the Apostle calleth the Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of the sin by which sin so done as I shewed you you might know him to be the Antichrist Object But it may be some will say that I do hereby positively and plainly conclude the Long Parliament to be the great Antichrist and to have committed the proper sin of the Antichrist because that they being the highest Court of Justice have condemned their Superiours their King and chief Pastor judicially as the Jews did Christ unto death Solut. I answer that God hath not made me a Judge to determine whether the Long Parliament hath justly or unjustly condemned them to death for if they have done justly therein they have done well and no waies committed the sin of the Antichrist which is such a condemning as I shewed of an innocent person unto death and of such persons as God requireth not but forbiddeth to be condemned but if they have unjustly condemned them let them look to it and answer to God for it I will not be their Judge let who will determine the question but I will proceed in the Apostles description of this man of sin that is the Antichrist And to shew that the Antichrist is full of other sins though this man-killing thus That the antichrist will be full of other sins as I shewed be his Master sin St. Paul goeth on to set out some other of his sins that tend to produce and to perfect the former sin saying that he should oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped So that He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opposer or an adversary 1. A Rebel an opposer of his King and of his Passor as both the Syriack and the vulgar Latine reads it and as learned Zanchius saith this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek answereth to the word Satan in Hebrew and as the Son of Perdition which the Apostle here ascribeth unto the Antichrist so this word adversary alludeth unto Judas of whom Christ saith have not I chosen twelve and one of you is a Devil And why a Devil but because he
and inabled for this space of 1200. and 60. years to build up the Temple which was commanded to be measured to be reared up But then it is said v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when these two witnesses That the two witnesses shall be killed thus orderly strengthning and assisting each other shall have finished or end their Testimony that is accomplish the full space of 1200 and 60 years the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make warre against them and shall overcome them and kill them three short sentences and three great wonders for 1. Three great wonders in these three short Sentences 1. Wonder Zech. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beaft shall make warre with them and is it not wonderfull that the beast should make warre with Gods witnesses for if he be a Warriour and will needs make warre can he fight with none or finde none to fight withall but with the witnesses of Jesus Christ for this is to fight against God himself and to touch them is to touch the apple of his eye as the Lord professeth most plainly in Zechary 2.8 and therefore hoc magnum est hoc mirum this must needs be a wonderfull thing that any beast should venture to make warre with Gods witnesses but the second thing here said is more wonderfull For 2. 2. Wonder He shall make warre with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall overcome them Indeed they are filii pacis no Swordmen no men of blood though the King weares the Sword because they are the Sonnes of Oyl and the Children of peace and the King weares the Sword principally to preserve peace and the Office of the Bishops is to be evangelizantes pacem the preachers of peace through Jesus Christ and therefore in this respect it is no wonder that the Antich which comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all power both of Arms men and money should overcome these harmless men but is it not a wonder that God whose Servants they are and whose witnesses they be should not onely suffer this infernall beast to make warre with them but also to vanquish and to overcome them yes indeed it may seem marvelious in our eyes and it stumbleth many men and makes them to think ill of Gods witnesses to see them subdued by the beast which they would not so mis-judge if they would with the Prophet consult with God why he suffereth the wicked so to prosper and his own Children so to be punished And yet 3. The last point is most wonderfull and far more marvellous then the former 3. Wonder that he should overcome them for it followeth that he shall overcome them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall kill them what will nothing serve to quench the thirst of this beast but the blood of these Saints and the death of these witnesses and will God suffer his own dear servants his choycest Officers the rulers of his people and the witnesses of his onely Sonne Jesus Christ How God suffereth many things to be killed and murdered by this beast for this will make men to believe as many do that these witnesses are the beast and the beast to be the best witness of Jesus Christ but they might remember that as God suffereth all this so many times he suffereth much more then this as when he suffered Joseph to be sold into Egypt Vrias to be killed Daniel to be thrown into the Lions Den Shadrach Meshac and Abednego to be cast into the fiery furnace and above all and more strange then all his own dear and his onely Sonne to be killed and crucified by the like beast and they might think that God knoweth what is best and that he doth alwayes what is best and as the Apostle saith worketh all things together for the best for all that love him Rom. 8.28 so that their conquered condition proves to be their happiness and their enemies Victory to be their misery for though God suffered them to be vanquished and killed yet then are they Blessed Psal 116.15 and as the Prophet saith right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and much deerer is the death of his holy Martyres the Witnesses of his truth whose blood he will most assuredly avenge on them that dwell on the earth to make them most miserable Questi But here the question is that seeing the two Witnesses of Christ are the supreme Magistrate which is the King and the chiefe Priest which is the Bishop the Civil and the Ecclesiasticall Governours of Gods people and it is the Beast that ascendeth from the Bottomless pit which killed them who be they that are killed if they be killed and who is that beast that hath done it if it be done Respon I answer that Mr. Brightman thought that this Prophesie was fulfilled in the Smalcaldick War under Charles the 5th the which mistake Mr Mede doth sufficiently confute so that I need not stand to disprove this errour but if I demand whether King Charles and his Magistrates and the Bishop of Canterbury and his Clergy were not the Witnesses of Jesus Christ I presume none will none can justly deny the same and if againe it be demanded whether the long Parliament and their adherents did not make war with the King and accuse the Bishops and most of the rest of the grave Doctors and faithfull Preachers of this Church for innovation and a high Project of bringing in Popery into this our Kingdome which unjust suspition and groundless jealousie they spread every where among the people to set them on fire and to gallop unto the War against the King to press him to subscribe confirme and ratifie their covenant whose principall scope was to roote out and to overthrow the Hierarchy and the Ecclesiasticall Governors of Gods people which were the Bishops and the other faithfull Witnesse of Christ I beleive all this is so well known to all the Kingdome that every one will confess it and as they cannot deny the War with these Witnesses so they must yield that these two Witnesses both King and Bishop were vanquished and killed I am sure that Parliament hath overcome the King and he is killed which was the supreame Magistrate and one of the two Witnesses of Christ And I find the names of such persons as did actually sit as Judges upon the Tryall of his Magisty with the Councill and attendants on the Court which they called the High Court of Justice to be these JOhn Bradshaw And I do set them down that all posterities and their Childrens Children and whose embrioes are not yet in being may understand who had the honour to be the Judges of this good and Godly King to condemne him to death And I would have it observed that of these 32. were Colonels and three Generals that fought against the King and all of them a party that warred and waged the warr against him and
neither of these can be said to have been and not to be and yet to be at the same time as the Holy Ghost affirmeth of this Beast for though Domitian was chosen by the Souldiers whilst his Father Vespasian was in Judaea Vide Caracott◠pag. 52. and then gave up his right and title to the Empire when Vespasian returned to Rome yet this doth not cohere with he is not and yet is which is affirmed of this Beast and though it might have been said that he was and is not and yet shall be if this Vision of the Beast had been shewed to St. John in Vespasians time but it could not possibly be said that he was if according to Epiphanius his Testimony St John was banished to Patmos and had these visions revealed unto him in the Emperor Claudius his time because that after Claudius Nero reigned 13 years Galba seven moneths Otho four moneths and Vitellius eight moneths before Vespasian was made Emperor nor could it be well said that he was whilst Vespasian was in Judaea when he was but an Vsurper and an Intruder while his Father lived or though it might be truly said in some sence that he was and in some other sence that he was not yet can it not be said in any way or in any sence that he was and is not and yet is as the Holy Ghost saith of this Beast How then shall we unfold this Riddle and untie this Gordian knot I answer That the Words in c. 17.8 do seem most coherent to the long Parliament That 1. Was a true Parliament that I have often thought of it and assayd it divers wayes and yet could never see how this Testimony of the Holy Ghost touching this beast that he was and is not and yet is can be applied either to Domitian or to any other of all the Emperours or Kings or Society of men so fitly and so probably agreeing with the meaning of Gods spirit as it is or may be applycable to the long and lately dissolved Parliament for that was a true Parliament when the King called them together and they sate to consult with their King de arduis rebus regni about the great affaires of the Kingdom and took their Oaths and made their solemn Protestation to protect the Kings Person and to maintain the true Protestant Religion 2. Is believed to be no Parliament But I heard many wise men judge it no Parliament when they did expell and cast out their guides and their leaders the Messengers of Christ from among them and endeavoured as the Giants did of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make Warre against God and raised an Army against their head and with all their might did fight against their King and at last like did most disloyally cut off his Head that was the head of them and of us all and as the Prophet speaketh of the like godly King 3. And yet still is a Parliament the breath of our nostrills and yet still it is a Parliament in their own esteem and with their adherents and by their peremptory Acts and Ordinances that are still accounted most excellent and binding and are so urged and observed by their adherents and compelled to be observed by all others and by the greatness of that power and authority which they assumed unto themselves and do by their Acts and Lawes execute over all people to this very day more then any other ordinary Parliament ever used whereby you see how this may be understood that is said of the beast that he was and is not and yet is though I leave it to the judicious Reader to judge whether he conceives this to be the meaning of the Holy Ghost or not or whether all this may be so as may thus be coherent and applicable to that long Parliament or not And as this which I have now expressed doth seem very shrewdly to prove Some conceive it thus to be fulfilled I will not determine it the long Parliament is or may be here signified by this beast so that which is set down by the Angel in the 17th Chapter and the 10th verse which is the explication of this vision that is here shewed c. 13. doth more fully seem to illustrate and confirm the same thing for there he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there are seven Kings that is which have been and will be great and grievous extraordinary persecutors of my people The 5 Kings that were fallen before this Revelation was shewed whereof five are fallen that is dead and gone which we understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fallen and these five saith Junius are 1. Servius Sulpitius Galba the seventh Emperour of the people of Rome 2. Marcus Salvius Otho 3. Aulus Vitellius 4. Flavius Vespafianus 5. Titus the Sonne of Vespasian and one is saith the Holy Ghost that is saith he Flavius Domitian another Sonne of the foresaid Vespasian in whose latter Reign saith he St. John wrote this Revelation and another is not yet come saith the Text that is saith he Cocceius Nerva and the beast that was and is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render Junius in annotat in c. 17. joyned to Beza's Translation even he is the eighth even he especially to be observed above any of the other seven saith the Angel and this even he saith Junius is Nerva Trajan that is as I conceive him Cocceius Nerva the last that was aforenamed or rather as the stories shew Vlpius Trajanus qui hic vario respectu Septimus octavus appellatur who himself in divers respects is called here the seventh and the eighth for that although in number and order of succession he be the eighth yet saith he because this man obtained his power and authority with Nerva and did execute his consular office with him when Nerva died he is also said to be the seventh c. 17.11 and is reckoned together with Nerva as if Nerva and Trajan were but one head according to which sence our former Translation though very corruptly reads the beast that was and is not is even the eighth and is one of the seven or as the Geneva notes do understand those Kings The 1. is Nero. 2. Galba 3. Dr. Hammond in permonit pag. 907. Ex Hugone Grotio qui conjutatur Maresio pag. 169. Otho 4. Vitellius 5. Vespasian 6. Titus 7. Domitian 8. Nerva or as Doctor Hammond saith which is more likely to be right if St. John was banished to Patmos in Claudius his time and far more unlikely if his banishment was in Domitians time the 1. is Claudins 2. Nero. 3. Galba 4. Otho 5. Vitellius 6. Vespasian 7. Titus 8. Domitian But indeed all these Expositions and the like annumeration of these Kings that were fallen and extant and to come which would be too tedious for me to rehearse do seem to me to be far wide from the meaning of the Holy Ghost in this place
bour Kings and States being made afraid of that power that could so suddenly subdue these three Kingdoms should very gladly yield themselves to become friends and Associates and to make a league of friendship with this Beast which Exposition may possibly be very near unto the truth when we see little lesse then this already come to passe The Commentator supposed to be Grotius makes these 10 Kings to be the Kings of Armenia Thracia Galatia Judaea Arabia c. which were under the Roman Empire and the Ministers of their Idolatry Et sic alii atque alii aliud atque aliud opinati sunt And truly I do not wonder that these learned men transported with a desire to make the World believe that the Pope is the great Antichrist and so misunderstanding whom the Holy Ghost meaneth by this Beast should in like manner mistake what or whom they should conceive to be the heads and horns and all other parts of this Beast quia uno absurdo dato mille sequuntur one absurdity draweth on another But how far those Expositions of Junius and Alcazar and that likewise of Mr. Mede and of all others that would have these 10 horns to signifie 10 Kings pertaining to the Roman Empire are from the meaning of the Holy Ghost in this Text will most evidently appear if you consider that the particulars of the description of these 10 horns do no wayes square and cohere with these 10 Kings that they speak of for these 10 Kings The former expositions rejected and the reasons shewed in the Text have interest but in one kingdom as you may see in the 17th Chapt. v. 12. and 17. where the spirit of God speaks in the singular number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they had received no Kingdom as yet v. 12. and in the 17. v. it is said that God hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree which those Kings never did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to give their Kingdom unto the beast and not their Kingdoms whereas the Kings that were under the Emperour and are become under the Pope were and are properly Kings and have every one of them his own proper and peculiar Kingdom neither can it be said of them as it is said here of these Kings that they have received power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one houre with the beast that is a very very small time when as they came to their power and dominion by descent or by Conquest and did not receive it as these did from any Master that gave it them and they continued therein during their life some of them very long and some of them at one time and some at another time yielded themselvee unto the Pope and all of them were of so different a time one from another that it can never agree The unlikelihood of Mr. Medes Exposition with this one houre or a short space wherein these 10 horns do agree to give their strength and power and Kingdom which they have received unto the Beast Neither is there any likelihood that those 10 Kings which Mr. Mede nameth should be the 10 Kings here meant because they were but transient by the success of Warre and of small Provinces half or quarter of a Kingdom as Vortimer and Hengist here in Ingland Childerick and Gunderick and Theodorick in Gallia and Sumanus but in a little Continent between the Rhene so that they might be better termed Reguli then Reges and because also they were as I said before of a different time one from another which might be the reason as I conceive that made Junius to passe them over un-named because he saw the unlikeliness of these men to be the 10 Kings that are here meant neither could they be said to be the horns of the Roman Empire because they revolted from it and became horns against it and pushed very hard to overcome it but as I said dato uno absurdo mille sequuntur so these learned men mistaking the beast did easily mistake both his heads and his horns But if that by this Beast you understand the long Parliament The 10 horns paralelled with the Parliament you shall finde that as all the other particulars which are here set down in this Prophesie do in every point seem to accord and agree with that Parliament so doth all the description of these 10 horns that is these 10 Kings that had no Kingdom The 10 Horns may be taken to signifie one of these three things 1.10 Of their prime Commanders but the power Authority and strength of Kings which is potestas vitae necis the power of life and death and is the greatest power that any King can have and which they give unto the Beast v. 13. that is use for the service of the Beast doth agree with the Parliament if we understand by these 10 horns either 1. Ten of the prime Generalls and Commanders of that long Parliament which you will confess had no Kingdom and yet had the honour and power of Kings Or 2. If by these 10. horns we understand all their Chieftains 2. All their Chietrains and Commanders whereof not one of them had any Kingdom and yet each one of them had the power and authority of Kings for one hower that is for a small time and you may well remember the best and greatest of them had it not very long and you know likewise they all devoted this their power and strength for the service of them from whom they had received it and they were all of them as the Holy Ghost saith of one mind Gen. 31.7 41. 1 Sam. 1.8 Job 19.3 Eccles 17.19 Revel 2.10 and did all run the same way to fight against the Lamb to overthrowe the true Church and to slay the witnesses of Christ and yet they did all of them as they said hate the Whore the Whore of Babylon that is as they expound it the Church of Rome and all the Romish superstition for 10. being a perfect number the Holy Ghost doth in many places put down this number as he doth many other perfect numbers for an uncertain number as when Jacob said unto Laban Thou hast changed my wages ten times that is many times and the Holy Ghost saith unto the Church of Smyrna thou shalt have tribulation ten dayes that is sever all times so by these 10 horns or 10 Kings we may understand many Chieftains that had the power of Kings which they all imployed for the service of that long Parliament or else 3. If by these 10 horns we understand the greatness and perfection of that power strength and authority which was given and was shewed in those Generalls The horn an Emblem of Strength Psal 18.2 Psal 22.21 Psal 75.10 and they used for the advancement of the Parliament for the Scripture useth to express our strength and power by the Epithite of a horn as you may most frequently finde it in
I need not stand any longer to unkennell this Beast seeing that the same things that are incident to the Presbyterians may be truely applyed to the Independants but that in my judgement the Independant is less rigid more tolerable and quiet and of far better faith and principles then the Presbyterians 3. 3. The Presbyterians the first fountain and the chiefe Head of this false Prophet The Presbyterians not as they are Presbyters but as they now shew themselves to be under this notion and name of Presbyterians are the primum mobile and the maine stock from whence do spring all the branches of this false Prophet and though I might collect many more yet I will infist and that briefly but upon these foure points besides their correspondency with what the Spirit of God setteth down here that do sufficiently shew them to be this false Prophet and they are 1. Their Apostasie 1. Their Apostasie For 2. Their Perjury For 3. Their Hypocrisie For 4. The obliquity of all their actions For 1. 1 John 3.19 They were with us and as St. John saith they went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but in the height of their pride they left their station forsook their coulors and started aside like a broken bowe And so 2. 2. Their Perjury The Oath of the Presbyters when they are made Ministers In Apostatizing from that Profession which they made at their Ordination and denying their Bishops and Diocessans to be their Guides and their Governors they became perjured to break their faith and to falfifie their Oath which they made in the presence of God and his Congregation when they were ordained for when any one is to enter into the Holy Order of Priesthood the Bishop demands of him will you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chiefe Ministers unto whom the Government and Charge is committed over you following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions and submitting your selfe to their godly judgements and he that is to be admitted Priest answereth I will so do the Lord being my helper which is a promissory Oath that requireth performance and may no way be dispensed with and violated at our pleasure as that Learned Regius Professor of Oxford Doctor Sanderson Vide Dr. Sanderson de Juramento Promissorio in that excellent Book De Juramento Promissorio hath most amply declared unto us and shall we think that they can be true Prophets to us that have been false and perjured to themselves or shall we commit our soules to their custody that have forfeited their own soules unto the Devill or shall we not believe that these rather then the Roman Clergy are this false Prophet For 1. They have not refused to be subject and obedient to their Governors nor stepped aside from their station and therefore cannot be taxed with this Apostasie that the Apostle ascribeth to the many Antichrists that were in his time 2. They have not falsified their faith and perjured themselves in not performing their Oath and observing their promise which they made when they entered into Sacred Orders but to proceed 3. For their hypocrisie I leave it to the world to judge of it And 4. For the obliquity of their actions it is well observed by one that in all their doings they and their Proselites do imitate King Saul to a haire for first King Saul without any respect or regard to the Office and Authority of the Priest would presume to offer sacrifice 1 Sam. 13.9 10. as afterwards Vzziah would have done so the new Presbyters though they cannot show that they have any authority descentive from hand to hand from the Apostles as all 2 Chron. 26.16 17. and every true Presbyter ought to have yet will they intrude themselves to do the offices of the Ministers of Christ 2. Saule had an evill spirit that could not abide any musick but would have killed David when he played before him 1 Sam. 18.10 11. so the Presbyterians cannot endure any Organs or Musick in the Worship of God 3. Saul made no conscience of his Oathes but through the vehemency of his Zeal forsooth to Gods Honour he despised the wisdom of his fore-fathers and therefore he breaks the Oath that they made unto the Gibeonites and would needs slay those harmeless Gibeonites and the whole Nation of the Jewes must smart for his foolish rashness and his bloody act so the Presbyterian or Rumpe Parliament and their Teachers the Presbyters were such Zelots and so Holy that they despised the wisdom of our former Parliaments and so brake their Oathes of their Alleageance and Supremacy to the King and as I said before of their obedience and subjection to the Bishops and the Church of Christ and slew the two Witnesses of God and the whole Kingdom hath ever since smarted for the same 4. Saul was a most malicious man and as cruell as any one of those times as you may read how he persecuted and hunted after the life of David 1 Sam. 18.11 Chap. 19.1.10 Chap. 21.1 c. without any cause and against all Reason would have put his own son Jonathan to death and did not the Presbyterian Parliament as maliciously hunt after the Kings life and the Bishops and abundance more of the Kings Party let my Reader judge 5. This goodly King for Davids sake caused fourscore and five persons of the Lords Priests that did weare a linnen Ephod saith the Text to be slain and all that they had to be destroyed and did not the Proselites of these Presbyters for King Charles his sake because they were honest and faithfull unto their King as he was loving and like a Father unto them run and ruinate well-near as many Bishops besides the Deanes Prebends and many more godly Ministers that were Canonicall and wore the linnen surplice though they that hated the surplice escaped their brethrens fate and were protected and advanced by these Presbyters as those that rejected the linnen Ephod were preserved by Saul for it is most evident that the Spirit of God would not have set down the garments of those Priests that were destroyed but to intimate unto us that some other false Priests that could no more abide the linnen Ephod then our Presbyters can now endure the white surplice were joyned with Saul and whispered in his ears against those that did wear the Ephod as the Presbyterians did alwayes ring in the ears of the Parliament men against the wearers of these holy garments otherwise it had been enough to say that Saul had caused to be slain so many Priests of the Lord without any further mention of wearing the linnen Ephod but the holy Ghost setteth not down the least title to no purpose And I could wish his Majesty would well consider how that very very many of the prime Presbyterians in London and the country made
by that long-Long-Parliament or otherwise their attempts against the King Bishops and Church had sooner died had they not received life from and by the pens and tongues of that beast that sate at Westminster and spread his Armes over all the Kingdom most unjustly to rob and to take away their livings from all the poore and honest ejected Clergy And therefore what was hyperbollically said of Pope Clement the eighth with the changing of a word or two may far more justly and orthodoxally be said of this false Prophet the Assembly and whole company of Presbyterians as a just Epitaph upon their Tombes when the Church shall be freed of them Hunc caetum eripuit nobis clementia fati Humanum toto gaudeat orbe genus Hic est qui fuerat iam dedecus orbis urbis fuit aetatis magna ruina suae Hic est si nescis qui jam tibi multa paravit Excidium pestem funera bella famem The Presbyserians Epitaph when the Church shall be freed of them Hic est qui fuerat regnans infamia mundi Imperii labes spurcitiesque sui Contemptor divum scelerum vir publicus hostis Perfidus ingratus raptor iniquus atrox Videbit mortis centum tormenta futurae Paena tamen mortis non erit aequa suis Ex ista tandem migravit urbe tyrannus Quo nullus toto pejor in orbe fuit And therefore their impiety and wickednesse herein as in all other their doings exceedeth the possibility of my expression which makes me to borrow it from better pens and I professe to speak this out of no partiality or disaffection to any particular man of all the Presbyterians because they are all alike unknown to me either by benefits or injuries but I speak it out of a bitter distast and hatred to their Pharisaicall hy pocrifie and blinde leading of the simple people to no simple sin when as here they are said to give life to the image of the beast 1. c. as I said to egge ou the first beast to all wickednesse and to justifie the same unto the people and if these forenamed things be not sufficient to make a perfect Antichrist let Lucifer send him out of hell Or else the image of the beast may signifie not the actions but the actors of those injuries and impieties Mr. Mede pag. 6. clavis apocal That the image of the beast and the seven headed and ten horned beast are the same thing that is the image of the two horned beast Revel 19 20. 1. Iustance 2. Iustance that are committed and that is the first 10. horned beast is said to be the image of the second two horned beast for Mr. Mede hath rightly observed as I conceive that the first 10. horned beast and the image of the beast are voces convertibiles and equivallent and do fignifie not two things as a man and his picture or his statue but the very selfe same thing which he proveth by three speciall instances 1. In that where the beast and the false Prophet are mentioned together which is three times at least by the beast is understood the 10. horned beast and by the false Prophet is understood the two horned beast 2. Where the Beast and the image of the beast are coupled together which is six times at least as Chap. 14.9 and ver 11. Chap. 15.2 Chap. 16.2 Chap. 19 20. Chap. 20.4 there by the beast is understood not the first 10. horned beast but the second two horned beast and by the image of the beast is understood the seven headed and ten horned beast as being now revived and healed of the wound that it had formerly gotten by the meanes that is by the pens and tongues the and writings of the false Prophet and therefore as receiving in himself the Divinity and direction and the very platforme of his proceedings from this Prophet he might very well be said to be the image of the false Prophet and that appeareth the more plain because this image when it had received life and breath by the meanes of the false Prophet doth now begin to speak and to make orders and Ordinances that whosoever would not worship the image of the beast that is serve and obey him which is nothing else but the very image and the lively representment of this Prophet whom he deemes as the Oracle of God and whose instrument he professeth himself to be to act according as this Prophet out of Gods word doth prescribe unto him should be killed v. 15. 3. 3. Instance In that wheresover the beast is present together with the false Prophet the image of the beast in the same construction of words is not to be found as if the name of the beast should serve the turn to let us understand that the first 10. horned beast is there by the beast to be understood And therefore as the impieties and wickedness of the first 10. horned beast is rightly said to be the image of that beast so that beast himselfe is and may be as truely said to be nothing else but the very image of the two horned beast the false Prophet that gave life unto this image that is the impieties of the first beast to do all the mischiefe that was and is done And whereas Ludovicus de dieu Objects and saith that the 14. v. of this thirteenth Chap. seemes to contradict this that I have said because the two horned beast or false Prophet is there said to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast that had the wound whereas it should have been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should make an image to him if it were the image of the two horned beast and false Prophet but the two borned beast bids them make an image to the beast that was wounded and healed and if this image of the beast be the very first ten horned beast it doth not appeare how the inhabitants of the earth should be injoyned to make that which was and was seen to arise out of the sea before Sol. To this Mr. Mede answereth right as I conceive that where the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the beast and of his image does meet there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his is to be taken actively and not passively that the sence might be the image which the two horned beast required to be made Judg 18.1 as Micha's idoll is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his image and Nebuchadnezzars Statue is said to be the image of Nebuchadnezzar but where that copulation is not found as in that 13 Chap. v. 14 15. there it is taken passively and as I formerly said for the impieties iniquities and wickedness of the first ten horned beast as they do most lively represent that very beast Indeed the conceit of Arise Evans that the litle Parliament was the image of the first long Parliament is pretty
that this beast should like the Giants of the former age that the Poets mention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make war against Gost that is against the Honour Service and Servants of God and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pravus dux the Captain or Generall of the Beast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the victor or Conqueror in the Wars of the beast do containe the same number of 666. and do meete at the same end and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some other names have been observed by the diligent search into this Mystery to contain the number 666. and all these and the like to these may be very well said to cohere with that Parliament that hath acted whatsoever any of those names hath signified But though all these are very neere the marke yet they do not fully come home to the point because as Rupertus well observeth nomen quod Johannes hic insinuat non erit nomen antichristo ab adversariis impositum the name of the beast that St. John understandeth here shall not be any name that his adversaries shall give unto the Antichrist as are most of the aforesaid names but the name that the beast assumeth to himselfe and glorieth in it and requireth it to be ascribed unto him and used by all his subjects and adherents that is the name that is here meant by the Evangelist and therefore it is nomarvell that the name of the beast could not be known to any of the foresaid Authors before the beast assumed it to himselfe God giving notice of this name mystically under this number onely to be discerned that it might not be known and expressed untill the beast should be discovered which should be manifested unto the Saints when they see him called by that name that should containe the number of 666. For if God had plainly told us his name the beast would never have assumed it because all men should then have known who had been the Antichrist And therefore now let us examine what name the Parliament assumed to it selfe and whether that name containeth the just number of 666. The parailele and I told you before that the name and title which that Parliament challenged to be given unto it selfe is custodes nostrarum libertatum or as it was to be used in all writs and in all judiciall Cours The Keepers of the Liberties of Ingland The proper name affumed by the Parliament by the Authoritie of our Parliament This was the name and this was the Title and the Inscription which by a secret instinct of Gods Providence unaware unto themselves that Parliament took and appropriated as all men know unto themselves and this name both in Latin and in English doth make the full and just number of 666. for omitting the m. which is the number of perfection and eternity Haymo in Apoc l. 7. as Haymo and others do very rightly observe and which is usually omitted in our computes as I shewed to you before you shall finde the Arithmeticall letters of custodes nostrarum libertatum to be c. u. d. u. l. 1. u. which makes up just 666. Object But you will say it was custodes libertatis and you ad nostrarum so you make their name to fill up the number otherwise then they took it or that it was indeed Sol. I answer with the old rule that cannot be denied quod necessario subintelligitur Compare Mat. 4. 10. v. with Deut. 6.13 c. 10.12 â—0 c. 13.4 the word onely is not in any of them In the whole Triall of Mr. Live p. 2. 3. non deest as the word onely which our Saviour addeth to the texts of Moses when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and him onely shalt thou serve which is not found in any Text of Moses sheweth that it must necessarily be understood in those Texts of Moses so I add nothing but what of necessity must be added and understood or we shall never understand what they meane because they meant not that they were the keepers patrones and defenders of any one particular liberty but of all the liberties of the Parliament and people And so their Atturney Generall every where termes them the Keepers of the Liberties of Ingland as you may see it in his Charge of High Treason against Mr. Love and it must not be thought they meant the Liberties of the French Italians Spaniards or of any other Nation but of us the Free-born Subjects and Natives of this Kingdom of Ingland But because they like not the Latin name though Latin be one of the three authentick Languages Lâ—desima de sacra Scriptura quavis passim lingua non legenda that we finde in Scripture as Ledesima sheweth but say it is not their speech but the Language of the beast whom they abhor Let us examine their name and title in their own native Language and that is The Keepers of the Liberties of Ingland by the Authoritie of our Parliment this is the name that they took and appropriated to themselves by an Act of Parliament and omitting in as I said before the numericall letters of this name are l. 1.1.1 l. d. u. 1.1 u. l. 1. which make up just 666. Object If you say that I add the word our to Parliament which they do not but by the Authority of Parliament Sol. I Answer as before that the word our must of necessity be understood because they mean not the Parliament of Paris nor any other Parliament as I take it but our Parliament of Ingland and therefore if you will understand their name right the word our must without question be added unto it And that very Long Parliament summoned by the Writ of the late King Charles the first is called Parliamentum nostrum ad tractandum nobiscum super arduis negotiis regni nostri our Parliament to Treat of the hard Affaires of our Kingdom therefore the word our ought and must be supplyed here unto the word Parliament as the word onely is added by our Saviour Christ to the words of Moses And Object Mar. 4.10 If again you Object that Ingland is more commonly written with an e then with i as rather England then Ingland Sol. I Answer that a common error or an erroneus custom doth not nullifie the truth of any thing nor doth it tie all men neither should it tie any man either to follow it or to justifie it but a single truth ought to be imbraced and followed before the most generall custome of mistaken truth when as we know that an error once received is often times so generally followed that it can very hardly be reclaimed and I say that the orthography and right writing of this word should be Ingland and not England and I refer this matter and the orthography of this word to be decided and adjudged by any judicicus and unpartiall Grammarians that are to write all wordes either according to the derivation of
' Ο ΑÎΤΙΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ The Great ANTICHRIST REVEALED Before this time never discovered AND Proved to be neither Pope nor Turk nor any Single Person nor the Succession of any one Monarch or Tyrant in any Policie BUT A collected pack or multitude of Hypocritical Heretical Blasphemous and most scandalous wicked men that have fulfilled all the Prophesies of the Scriptures which have forespoken of the coming of the great Antichrist and especially have united and combined themselves together by a solemn League and Covenant to slay the two witnesses of God Moses and Aaron as Christ interpreteth them They have Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.29 that is The supreme Magistrate of the Common-wealth and the chief Pastors and Governours of the Church of Christ And the Christian world is requested to judge Whether the Assembly of Presbyterians consulting at Westminster Together with the Independents Anabaptists and Lay-Preachers be not the false Prophet and the mystical soul of that great Antichrist And Whether the prevalent Faction of the long Parliament termed of late the Rump Parl. and their Adherents that killed the two witnesses of Jesus Christ 1. Charles the first King of Great Britain and in him civilly all his Magistrates 2. William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and civilly all the suppressed Bishops and silenced Preachers of these 3 kingdoms be not the grosse and visible body of the same Antichrist By Gr. Williams L. Bishop of Ossory Impii homines qui dum volunt esse mali nolunt esse veritatem qua condemnantur mali August Me me adsum qui feci in me convertite ferrum Virg. Jehovae Liberatori London Printed at the charge of the Authour 1660. A strong faith fenced with a golden helmet Need not fear the beast his hatchet But his wicked deeds will ring And shew the prayses of the King Whom the cruell beast hath kill'd And all the Prophesies fulfill'd Of our blessed Saviour Christ Touching the accursed Antichrist The Authours Protestation I Call God to be my witnesse and heaven and earth to testifie against me if I aym at any thing or desire any thing by the publishing of these books but the glory of God the true service of Jesus Christ and the good the peace and the happinesse of the Church of Christ and the people of these Kingdomes without envie to any mans good or hatred to any mans person or the ambition and desire of any place profit or preferment for that I thank God I have learned in any state to be contented Et contemnere contemni The Authours Prayers which Morning and Evening he useth to say to Almighty God and to his Saviour Jesus Christ The Authours first addresse to Almighty God Our Father which art in Heaven c. O Eternal Almighty Lord God our good God sweet Saviour Jesus Christ Holy and blessed Spirit glorious Trinity three persons and one God have mercy upon us most miserable sinners have mercy upon us most miserable sinners O Lord God pardon and forgive us all our sins those great and many sins that we have most hainously committed against thy divine Majesty Lord enter not into judgement with us thy servants for no flesh is righteous in thy sight and deal not not with us according to the multitude of our transgressions but according to the multitude of thy mercies and compassion do away our offences and give us thy grace that ever hereafter we may serve thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life make us truly thankfull unto thee for all those mercies and favours and loving kindnesses that thou hast continually so graciously and so mercifully bestowed upon us for thou hast created us after thine own image thou hast redeemed us with the precious blood of thy dear Son Jesus Christ and thou hast called us and sanctified us in some measure with the graces of thy most blessed Spirit thou hast delivered us out of all our troubles from all dangers and from the hands of all that hate us from the snare whereunto we were fallen and from those dangerous Sea-voyages wherein we had utterly perished if thou hadst not most mercifully preserved us thou hast given us meanes and maintenance whereby we were inabled to serve thee and thou hast restored the same to us again when we had utterly lost it thou hast given us faith to believe in thy Son Jesus Christ hope to attain to eternal life love and charity both towards thee and our neighbours for thy sake repentance for our former sins and a resolution ever hereafter to lead a holy and a godly life thou hast blest us in all our wayes prospered all our journeys delivered us from all evill helped us in all our necessities preserved us in health and restored thy servants to life when they were at the point of death for all which and for all other thy mercies and loving kindnesses both spiritual and temporal we heartily praise thy glorious name and magnify thee with all our souls we honour thee we blesse thee we praise thee we thank thee and we will magnify thee for the same for ever and ever And we do most humbly beseech thee of thy goodnesse O Lord to continue still thy loving kindnesse towards us and to preserve us still from all evill and mischief from all sin from the crafts and assaults of the devil from thy wrath and from everlasting damnaation save and defend us from shame reproach and discredit in this world from violent and sudden death and from the malice and hatred of all our enemies O let them never prevail against us let them never have the upper hand over us and let them not say There there so would we have it neither let them say We have devoured them but be thou with us be our helper and defender be our shield and our buckler be our strong Tower whereunto we may alwayes resort and we will not fear what man can do unto us We pray thee also good God give me wisdom and understanding O Lord I beseech thee give me wisdom and understanding memory boldnesse and utterance help and assist me at all times and in all places to preach thy holy word for the glory of thy name and the benefit of thy people And as thou hast helped and assisted me the last time and all other times heretofore for which I do heartily praise and thank thy glorious name so I do most humbly beseech thee to help and assist me the next time and at all other times hereafter that I may set forth thy praise and glory blesse O Lord the holy Catholick Church blesse and preserve thy servant Charles that is our lawful King and all the servants of Jesus Christ that are with him comfort them now after the time thou hast chastised them and for the years wherein they have suffered adversity give them patience to endure whatsoever thou layest upon them and in thy good time deliver them out of all their troubles and restore them to their
that some good men would relieve them or to be put to death whereby they should have had an end of their miseries and enjoy the Glory of Martyrdom but to make their Tyranny to exceed all cruelty and the miseries of the distressed and ejected persons the more miserable when their enemies as the Prophet saith whom they ever honoured as friends chased them sore like a Bird without cause Lament 3.52 and they that did feed delicately even with Kings Dishes Cap. 4. v. 5. must now lie desolate in the streets and they that sate in their Robes of Scarlet even with the best Lords in the Kingdom must now embrace Dung-hils and when the Parliament are told of the unjust and cruel proceedings of their Committee men yet that must not be regarded not their injustice so much as questioned because they are not to consider now quid sit honestum but quid utile what is just and honest but what is availeable be it never so vile and so wicked to further their design and if they did not uphold and countenance these their Instruments and not check them their own Projects might be obstructed And therefore The seeming mercies of tyrants most cruel as Tiberius and other Fox-like cruel Tigers worse than the bloudy Nero would never put them to a present death whom they hated most but said they loved them not so well as to take away their life and therefore in a seeming favour and mercy they suffered them to enjoy some space and liberty but it was in extream cruelty and malice to make them the more miserable by thus inflicting upon them a daily death So the subtle Tiberians of these times have dealt with Gods Servants to prolong their miseries and to make their lives more grievous than any death could be unto them cosque sibi-ipsis graves ponere And as one saith to set themselves to be the heaviest burdens and the greatest Maladies that possibly could be unto themselves when as all men may be assured of that truth What it is to be most miserable quod miserrimum est fuisse foelicem nothing can be more miserable than to have been most happy and then to fall into the depth of infelicity for what other thing is this but to make themselves to become the lingring Executioners of themselves Which is a death worse than any other death even by the Testimony of the holy Prophet For they that are slain with the sword saith he are better than they that are slain with hunger Lament 4.9 because these pine away stricken through for want of the fruit of the field And that nothing might be wanting to fill up the measure of this part The persecution of the Church under the long Parliament how great and how general it was of the iniquity of that Long Parliament and to make their cruelty most cruel and the persecution of Gods Servants most bitter because the more general and the more extensive and spreading the mischief is the more it prevents the persecuted persons of all shelter and deprives them of all Relief and Comfort this course must be taken not with a few of the choicest men of this or that Calling as Capita rerum which might be thought to be the Heads of any disorder after the manner that the Severest of the best Generals in war use to do when they decimate the Mutinous in their Army to be punished ut poena ad paucos metus ad omnes that the punishment of some few might strike a terrour and cause amendment in them all How well the Parliament was acquainted with all Church-Ministers but they must deal more universally with all the most Reverend Bishops all the worthy Deanes Sub-Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Deacons Priors Chancellors Chauntors Sub-Chauntors Treasurers Sub-Treasurers Succentors Sacrists Prebends Canons Canon-Residents and non-residents Petty-Canons Chorals Vicars-Chorals Choristers Old Vicars or New These be the very words of their Act they were so well acquainted with all the Particulars of the Church-Officers that as Jehu dealt with the Idolatrous Priests of Baal so they might deal with the Faithful Messengers of Jesus Christ and suffer not one of them all to escape but they must all down in Ingland and Wales yea in Scotland and in Ireland in all these Three Kingdoms and you may be sure if their power could reach neither Bishop Dean nor Prebend nor any one of all that depended on them should remain in Italy France Spain or any other part of all the Christian world they must all down and down with them even to the ground and then being cast down Montes insuper altos Imposuit They must lay weight enough upon them all that they may be never able to rise up again until they rise in Judgment against them The long Parliament deal with Christs servants as the Jews dealt with Christ For as the Jews when they had laid Christ in his Grave were afraid he would rise again and therefore laid a huge Stone upon the door of the Sepulcher and hired the Watch-men to keep him down so these men their Scholars for fear that the foresaid Servants of Christ might rise again must sell all their Lands and Possessions and put them into the hands of Captains and Collonels and other men of Armes that with the edge of the Sword should keep them bare enough and naked of all support if ever they should chance to arise Good God saith a Father Si Diabolus nocere posset quantum vellet aliquis justorum non remaneret If the Devil had power to destroy as many as he would and as he desireth there should not remain any one righteous man upon the face of the earth And yet this is not all that the prevalent Faction of the long Parliament have destroyed and extirpated out of house and home for to these afore-named Church-men whom the Devil spited most of all you may add the Catalogue of such Heads and Fellows of Colledges and other Learned and Religious Gentlemen of the famous University of Cambridge as have been plundered that is robbed ejected imprisoned and banished only for their constancy in the True Religion and right Service of God and their Loyalty and Faithfulness to their Lawful King And the like Catalogue of the Heads and Fellowes of the other Famous University of Oxford The great and large extent of the late Persecution of the Parl. besides the great number of Grave Doctors and other Learned Divines in and about the City of London and throughout these Three Kingdoms that have been deprived of all their Means and Livelihoods and many of them most barbarously killed Of all which you may see such a number as is scarce credible yet nothing more than is true in a little Book printed at Oxford in Anno 1647 and entituled Mercurius Rusticus Querela Cantabrigiensis A-Book worthy to be read of all that desire to know the Extent and to understand the Greatness of
the late persecution of the Christians under the Long Parliament how Gangraena-like it spread it self beyond Decius or Dioclesians Tyranny and almost in these parts like Adams sin that went over all so did their Persecution run over all the most Faithful Sons of the Church and the Loyal Subjects of these Kingdoms And I would faign know what Busiris or Phalaris Dionysian Dioclesian or Nero or John Vasilowic the great Russian Tyrant or what other Tyrant of the world hath ever undone so many worthy men without once questioning them for any fault or charging them with any Crime that they had done or who did ever attempt to destroy so many only for being ill affected to their evil deeds But now The unparallel'd Persecution and cruelty of the prevalent Faction of the long Parl. being thus afflicted destitute and deprived of all their Means how shall all these these thousands of most worthy men live These men that were not brought up to work and used not to dig and are ashamed to beg and therefore without a great measure of Gods Grace to support them and to sanctifie their Afflictions they might fall into desperate conditions They will answer as one of them did to me and like as the High Priests the Crucifiers of our Master Christ answered Judas What is that to us Let them live how they list or let them perish sic periere ruinae and so for them they shall all utterly perish And therefore I may well demand what Tyrant did ever live since the day that God created the Heavens What King What Pope What Hildebrand * That is Gregory the 7th that was one of the worst Popes of Rome What Hel-brand What Turk What Jew What Man What Devil would besuch an Apollyon as to cut off not all the necks of the Heathenish Romans with that bloudy Emperor who wished that they all had but unum Collum one neck that so he might chop it off uno ictu with one blow but all those good Christians and the Faithful Servants of God uno halitu with one Vote one Breath and one Act which was an Axe indeed and was laid to the root of every Tree that bare the good fruit of Faith and Obedience in these Kingdoms Surely I think none could have devised such a Plot so full of mischief so far beyond the Sicilian Vespers and Gunpowder Treason and so void of Humanity and stuffed up with all cruelty and abominable Impiety especially if you consider the large extent and the evil Consequents thereof except the infernal Apollyon the great Destroyer of Christianity and the Hellish Misanthropos that laboureth continually to root out all the Christian Faith and the true Service of God out of the world did unmoveably reside in their hearts to prompt them and to spur them on unto the same or else that Beelzebub the chief of the Devils would send a pack of his Prime Captains and best Instruments out of Hell to root out all the true Servants of Jesus Christ For if you compare this our last persecution and afflictions under the Long Parliament with the former Persecutions of the Heathen Tyrants or the Arian Kings which they brought upon the Church you shall find 1. That there was but one Nero one Dioclesian one Constantius and one Julian in all the world at one time to persecute the Christians that were spread over all the world but here amongst us we suppose to have I know not how many hundred Dioclesians and Julians together at one time in one City to vex and persecute the Christians of one poor little Island 2. The Forme◠Tyrants persecuted them for their Disloyalty as they alledged unto their Emperors and Governours which was most false as appeareth by the Apologies of Tertullian Minutius Foelix and others But we were persecuted for being Faithful and Loyal unto our King and to our Governours as all the Kingdom knoweth CHAP. II. That neither the Pope nor the Turk is the great Antichrist that the Antichrist when he should come into the world should arise out of the Truest and Purest Reformed Church on Earth which was the Church of Ingland in King Charles his time being fully reformed of those Errors and Abuses that should creep and had crept into the Church which other Reformed Churches had not so perfectly purged And wherefore they did it not and could not do it THE serious consideration of the former things What moved the Author to enter upon this discourse of the great Antichrist and the sad condition of the Distressed Persecuted Members of Christ and the Testimony of the foresaid Authors touching the Persecution that should happen in the time of the Great Antichrist which I conceived to be now so visibly seen and so universally spread through the Subtilty and Cruelty of the Prevalent Faction of the Long Parliament have moved me to settle my Thoughts upon the search of those Texts of Holy Scripture wherein the holy Prophets and the blessed Apostles had treated and foretold us of the coming of the Great Antichrist and the sufferings of the Saints and true Servants of God in his time and under his unjust and cruel Government and to pray to God most earnestly and constantly night and day for the help of his Grace and assistance of his Holy Spirit to guide me to the true and right understanding thereof And then by reading the best Authors that I could find to explain those obscure Mysteries and to further me to undertake the same I found and saw I. Many good and probable Arguments produced by Luther Calvin Beza 1. That many learned Authors do hold the Pope or Papacy to be the Antichrist Balaeus de vit Pontif. l. 3. Jun. in Apocal. cap. 12. Thomson in the arraignment of Antichrist pag. 90 91. Brightman in Apoc. Downam de Antichristo l. 10. c. 3. 4. Thomson pag. 77. Junius Chytraeus Tilenus Maresius and our own Countrymen Powel Whitaker Brightmen Downam Thomsom Mede and others very Learned Protestants and worthy men to prove that either the Tyrannical State and Polity of the Papacy is that Great Antichrist as some would have it or else Series Paparum the Succession of Popes from Boniface the 3d in Phocas his time that usurping Emperor who got to the Imperial Throne by the Murder of his own Master Mauritius and his Wife and his Brother and his Children and gave to the Pope the Preheminency and the Title of Universal Bishop about the year 605 as Balaeus saith Or from Boniface the 8th that seduced and imprisoned his Predecessor Celestine the 5th about the year 1294 as Junius saith Or else from Vitellianus the Musical Pope about the year 666 as Thomson saith to this present Pope is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Antichrist spoken of by St. Paul in 2 Thes 2.8 and by St. John in Revel 13.1 And that Rome is the place of his abode and the proper Seat of him as Brightman Downham
concluded and expressed in our 39 Articles to which all Ministers subscribed and this uniformity of Gods worship thus purged from all abuses errors and Superstitions and so perfectly composed by all those holy men for the honor and service of God was fully authorized by the Queen and all the Parliaments that were convened and held in her time to be observed without any omission or alteration in all Churches as you may see by the Act prefixed before the Book of common Prayer And afterwards it was continued and preserved by that wise and learned King K. James and above all and more strictly than all by that ever blessed King and glorious Martyr of Jesus Christ Charles the 1. that defended the true faith and this true form of serving God against all opposers both the superstitious Papists and the apostate Puritanes and Separatists even to the loss of his life And I presume all good Protestants will yield unto me and I am perswaded That the Church of Ingland in King Charles his raign was the purest Church on earth that the Pope and his Cardinalls if they would speak according to their consciences could not deny but that the Church of Ingland as it was purged from Idolatry and Superstition and established in such purity of Doctrine and excellency of Discipline in the raign of King Edward the 6th and especially in Queen Elisabeths time and so continued in the raign of King James and King Charles was the truest and the purest Church unless they did except their own Church that way-fared and was militant here on earth where the faith of Gods elect might infallibly be found the service of God was rightly observed and was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Temple the House and the Church which he hath purchased and wherein he dwelleth And So E. H. truly confesseth that amongst all the reformed Churches E. H. in his Preface to the Reader the Church of Ingland hath alwayes been esteemed the purest as being most conformable to primitive purity and the word of God both in Doctrine and Discipline B. Montague in apello Caesarem c. 5. p. 47 48. And this appears even from the pens of the heads of other reformed Churches as Bucer Melancthon Calvin Camerarius Beza Zanchius Molinaeus Casaubon Sergevil Saravia and others who many of them confess in plain words and all by consequence conclude that the Church of Ingland of any particular national Church in the world cometh nearest to the apostolick rule for though all the Churches that protested against the superstitious tenents and errors of the councill of Trent and the Church of Rome have borne the name of reformed Churches yet neither all nor any of them all are indeed well and perfectly reformed when as many of them are corrupt in many points of Doctrine as I could shew you amongst the Calvinists and especially the Lutheran Churches that maintain that foul error of the ubiquity of the humanity of Christ their consubstantiation of his body in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and their many mistakes about the communication of the Properties of both his natures as Danaeus sheweth most excellently against Chemnitius and most of them are deficient in the rule of primitive Government not any one of them indeed following the Apostles Discipline And the reason of their deficiency is The reason of the deficiency of the Reformation of the other reformed Churches because that in the French and German Churches and the Churches beyond the Seas the Reformers of them by reason of the innumerable number of their potent enemies and the civil broyles and diffentions that were then in those parts and especially the want of a King in Israel that is a supream Monarch in some of those places over the people which made way for every one of the vulgar sort to do as we read in the Book of Judges what seemed right in his own eyes Judges 21.25 were constrained to do what they might and not what they would have done what could be effected and not what they desired to be performed But the Church of Ingland not by popular or any one particular mans reformation as John Knox that furious puritane did in the Church of Scotland but by a national Synod of all the Bishops and best Divines called by the King and confirmed by the King Peers and Commons of the whole Kingdome reformed her self not as other Churches did tumultuarily but with a great deal of advice diligence and deliberation that so it might be effected as the Apostles left it as the sacred rule required and as it was premonstrated it should be performed and weeded from all the dross the tares and the darnells that should spring to choak the pure wheat And therefore seeing the Church of Ingland until these late times was the truest and the purest reformed Church on earth it is conceived and I do believe it that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Antichrist should arise not out of Rome that hath corrupted many truths and superadded many errors and Superstitions upon the fundamentalls of our Religion and is as yet unreformed nor out of Constantinople which hath likewise apostatized from the true faith of Christ and doth still continue unreturned to Christ from their false Prophet nor out of Hierusalem as some men do most fondly dream but out of this Church this very Church of great Brittain For as heretofore Speed l. 6. cap. 45. Camden britan pag. 74. Euseb in vita Constant. Zechar. 10.11 this Iland of great Brittain brought forth Constantine the son of Helen the daughter of King Coylus which was the best instrument that ever the Church of Christ had to further and to honor the Christian Religion as Eusebius sheweth the same at large And as according to the Septuagint the Prophet saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath passed through the narrow sea with affliction and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down and the scepter of Aegypt shall depart away which may signifie that Christ hath first of all purged this Church that lyeth within the narrow seas and hath made the purest Reformation here that was made in any place by the afflictions and sufferings of the aforenamed Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes and hath thereby brought down the pride of the Pope and of the Roman Church that were then as powerfull as the Assyrians were when the Prophet wrote the same and hath driven away his usurpation and freed us from his tyranny as the Israelies were delivered from the bondage of the Aegyptians so the devil bearing an inveterate hate and infinite malice against this Iland more than against any other place The 2. special Reasons why the devil beareth a greater malice to this Iland more than to any other place for these two grand services that it did to God 1. The toleration of the Christians to profess their faith in peace and the Plantation of the Church of Christ to encrease
as if they all were but one man because they all do either reject or neglect Christ and refusing to believe his Words and to obey his Voice by submitting themselves to his Ordinances they do all of them as one Army and one grand enemy fight against him and his Servants under the Banner of his Capital enemy the Devil And as this coetus impiorum the whole Multitude of these wicked Reprobares is by venerable Beda termed the Beast and the Antichrist and the whole Assembly of the Lying Prophets and all the rest of the fawning flattering and dissembling Preachers of the Beast are in the singular number and with the Restrictive Article Junius in Annotat in Apoc. cap. 13.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 termed and said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the false Prophet as Junius testifieth so specially the pessima pars hujus coetus the worst pack the vilest confederates Senatus consultus the great Synedrion the supream Council and the highest Court of greatest Authority in the Kingdom and the Synagogue of Satan which is the Representative and Synechdochically the Mystical Body of the present dispersed multitude and the main summe of the Antichristian company is and may more rightly be termed the Beast and the Antichrist or the man of sin and Child of Perdition as if they were all but one man And the reason The reason why a multitude of men is termed one man Acts 4.32 Revel 17.13 why the whole conglutinate Pack and united Senate of wicked men are spoken of in the singular number quasi unus homo as if they were all but one man is because they all have but one Head that is the Devil and as all the Believers are said to have but one heart and one Soul that is to serve Christ so the holy Ghost saith these wicked Senators and Members of the Beast have but one mind that is one will one course one end and one main scope and desire to destroy the Truth to overthrow the Church of Christ to wear out his Servants and to root out the right Service of God and all Piety from off the earth And as for their unanimous proceedings against Christ and his Church That the worst pack of all the present wicked reprobates when it cometh is termed the Antichrist 1 Sam. 10.23 they are spoken of as if they were but one man so for their transcendent Impiety their egregious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickedness their unparalleld plots and exceeding all former Presidents in their abominations they are most especially and properly stiled the Beast that ascendeth out of the Bottomless Pit the man of sin and the Antichrist that is the great Adversary of Jesus Christ because that as Saul was higher by the head and shoulders than all the rest of the People so the wicked company of this collected and united Troop of the Servants of Satan is quasi unus è decem millibus such a transcendently abominable Senate as that you cannot find the like and such another among ten Thousands when as all the Precedent Hereticks all former Tyrants and all the subtil cruel and bloody Persecutors of all ages were but Fooles and Dwarfes or Pigmies in respect of this crafty Fox and great Golias that doth so Giant-like defie the whole Army of Christ and so Nimrod-like tyrannise and so Julian-like persecute all the Faithful Worshippers of God And thus the Geneva notes The Geneva Annotat. on 2 Thess 2. do understand the man of sin to signifie the Body of the Tyrants and persecuting Church and the Parliaments Ministers in their Answer to his Majesties first Paper P. 180. in the Isle of Wight do confess that a number of Persons are in the Mysterious and Prophetick Writings exprest in Singulars as the Letters or Epistles that are directed to Collective or Representative Bodies use to be written and directed to one when as they are intended and are meant to all the whole Body in the Meeting assembled and in Pag. 235 they say that many Ministers making up one Presbytery is represented by one Angel as I say hereafter they are August de civ Dei l. 20. c. 19. by that one Beast in Rev. 13.11 And St. Aug. speaking of the Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God saith Nonnulli non ipsum Principem sed universum quodammodo corpus ejus id est ad eum pertinentem hominum multitudinem simul cum ipso suo Principe hoc loco intelligi Antichristum volunt Some will have in this place understood by the Antichrist not the Prince himself but his whole Body in a certain manner Mr Mede in clavi Apoc. pag 65. Dr Hammond in 2 Thess 2. Magdeburg cent 1. l. 2 c. 4. coll 435. Calvin in 1 John c. 2. that is the multitude of men that belong unto him together with their Prince and prime Leader himself And Mr. Mede saith the Beast in REv. 13.1 doth signifie a Company of men composed of a certain order of Members like as a Beast and not one man alone And Dr. Hammond conceives the man of sin which we conceive to be the Antichrist to signifie not any one singular Person but the Grand Captain of all Impostors together with all the whole Sect of Gnosticks and Idolaters that follow him And the Magdiburgenses and Calvin and Beza and most of our Protestant Divines do understand the Beast and the Antichrist to signifie more than one particular man Yet I cannot yield that the Antichrist should signifie as they conceive a multitude of Particular and singular men succeeding one another in the same Throne of Impiety as many Kings do succeed one another in one and the self same Kingdom because herein I see as many Improbabilities and Disagreements with the Scriptures to take the Antichrist for the Series and Succession either of Popes or of any other the like Person Turk or Tyrant as I see Incongruities and Errours in taking him for one single and singular Person when as the Succession of any such Person that is of any one single Person succeeding the like wicked Impe that preceded him cannot be correspondent to all those particular places of Scriptures that are properly to be applyed to the Antichrist nor any one of all the series i.e. not any one of all that succeeded one another did or could act all those transcendent enormities that are singularly to be effected that is to be done by the singular person of the Antichrist or with respect to an unity of the agent at the very time of their acting and within the compass of the time allotted and prescribed to the Antichrist for the doing thereof is to instance a few things out of many to make war with the witnesses to kill them which no one Pope or Turk ever did and to make war with the saints to overcome them which one single person be he what and whom you will of all the series classy either of Pepes or Turks could
a forcible compulsion but a continual perswasion and an undeniable intreaty and importunity until our request be granted for so the two Disciples going to Emmans Luke 24.29 are said to have compelled or constrained Jesus to stay with them that is by their importunity and not by any forcible way And so we are to compel all men by entreating them with continual importunity to believe in Christ and by him to be reconciled unto God and by captivating their understanding to the obedience of Christ which is the best compulsion in the world 2. I say that we are in some sense to compel them that is quoad media to the nieanes of Faith though not to the Faith it self to come into the House but not to eat to come into the Church but not to believe because this men may do but the other God alone must do And therefore we say with S. Aug. against the Donatists that in this sence Kings within their Kingdoms and every man within his House is to compel and to cause his Children and Servants and all that are under his Jurisdiction to come into the Church to hear the Word of God and to make every one to perform the outward service of God at least in shew so far as man can judge for so the Commandment is that thou shalt keep holy the Sabbath Day and shalt do no manner of work thou and thy Son and thy Daughter thy Man-servant and thy Maid-servant Exod 20. and the Stranger that is within thy Gate But the Church of Rome would compel us to believe what they believe and to profess that we believe whatsoever their Church professeth and this their compulsion is with no light hand as appeareth by their Inquisition and the French Massacre And yet they will answer that they compel no man to believe but only punish those that do erre and revolt from their Belief I confess that some of the Learned do affirm haereses spirituali gladio jugulatas esse that Heresies and apostasies are to be punished only with the spiritual sword and not with the temporal sword of the Civil Magistrate because our Saviour said unto his Disciples John 6.66 67. after he saw many departing from him nunquid vos vultis abire and will you go away likewise As if he said I hold you not use your own judgment and he that will depart let him depart he may go for me And therefore St. Paul doth but excommunicate and deliver such men unto Satan 1 Cor. 5.3 5. that they might learn not to blaspheme to shew unto us that there should be no bloodshed nor temporal punishment for the Faith in the Church of Christ But for the better clearing of this point A twosold consideration to be had about the suppression and punishing of Schismaticks Hereticks and Apostata's 1. Of the time 1. When the Members and true Professors are but few Mat. 13.30 of compelling men to Christianity and to believe I say that great wisdom and discretion is to be adhibited in this case of mens consciences and that a double consideration is to be had herein 1. Of the Time when these Offenders do appear in the Church 2. Of the Persons who they be that do thus offend For 1. There is a time when such Offenders Hereticks or Apostata's should be spared and there is a time when they should be punished and not spared For 1. In the Infancy of the Church that is of any Church when the true orthodox Christians are but few and it may be fewer than the Herericks and Apostata's it is not the safest way to be too severe and rigid against these men but in a Christian policy rather to give some scope to these mens Consciences and so to suffer the Tares to grow with the wheat as our Saviour speaketh 1. Because they are not able being few or fewer to struggle against many And I know no reason why the Roman Catholicks should not be tolerated as well and assoon as Anabaptists and other worser Schismaticks That these times do require some toleration of Religion 2. When the true Professors are many 2. Because their unseasonable severity and rigidness towards these Offenders might be a meanes to raise other enemies against them whereby more wheat should perish than Tares should be destroyed and perhaps hinder those that are in aequilibrio and as yet unsetled to embrace the Truth and that Profession wherein they see so little mediocrity and so much severity used And truly in these very times wherein the true Professors are so few and the Sectaries so many I suppose this gentleness moderation and some scope of Christian Liberty ought to be given until by the goodness of God and a painful preaching of the truth we shall reduce them to the full and perfect imbracing thereof But 2. When any Church is established the Magistrates setled and the true Professors many and plentiful then all such offenders are to be corrected and not permitted to corrupt others and to seduce the weaker sort of the true Professors or otherwise the Christian and civil Magistrate cannot be free from sin if he suffer such offenders to go free from punishment for if he punish Theevery and spare Idolatry the Rebels and Runagadoes from him and not the Revolters from Christ how shall he answer this to God And therefore King Asa gathered both Judah and Benjamin and all the strangers from Ephraim 2 Chron. 15.8 13. Manasses and Symeon and did enact with them that whosoever would not turn from his Idols and his Idolatrous waies to seek the Lord God should be slain Exod. 32. â—7 And Moses caused them to be put unto the sword that had worshipped the Golden Calf And Jehu did put all those Priests unto the sword that had forsaken the Lord to worship Baal 2 Reg. 10.25 And so should every Christian Magistrate do the like when he seeth the time serveth that he may and can do it For immedicabile vulnus Ense recidendum ne pars syncer a trahatur The Rule of nature tells us that the scab'd sheep must be separated from the Flock lest she infect the sound ones and so must Hereticks and Schismaticks from the flock of Christ but a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump and one lewd fellow may spoil many and one subtle Heretick or Schismatick may seduce many of the simple people and therefore I would they were cut off from you that trouble you saith the Apostle II. As a wise consideration must be had of the time when and how this rooting out of the weeds may be done 2. Of the persons so the like consideration must be had of the Persons that do offend and are themselves led out of the way For 1. Some are private 1. Tacit Offenders quiet and peaceable men that tacitly keep their errors and misbeliefs unto themselves and so do no great hurt but only unto themselves And 2. Some are more
Beauty is broken the good shepherd is bought and sold and the staffe of Bands cut asunder and the Instrument of a foolish shepherd is used in stead thereof For Lo then saith the Lord I will raise up a shepherd in the Land which shall not visit those that be cut off c. And so 3. 3. The stiles and titles of the new raised shepherds This shepherd is set forth and shewed unto us by a double notion or a twofold name and title 1. Of a Foolish shepherd 2. Of an Idol shepherd And the name of a shepherd may be applied as well to the temporal Magistrate as to the spiritual Priest for to God himself that was and is the King of Kings the Prophet saith Hear O thou shepherd of Israel thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep shew thy self and Christ that is our Priest saith I am the good shepherd and David saith thou leadest thy people like sheep by the hands of Moses and Aaron Psal 80.1 John 10.11 Psal 77.20 so Moses and Aaron were the shepherds of these sheep and so Homer calleth Agamemnon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shepherd of the people But the shepherd here spoken of is characterized by the name and notion 1. Foolish Mat. 23.19 17. 1. Of a Foolish shepherd as Christ stileth the Scribes and Pharifees Fooles and blind because they perverted and abused the holy Scriptures by their false glosses and interpretation and unjust application thereof and fools indeed Quae major est insania quâ—m pro momentaâ—ca delectatione perd re aeterna gaudia nosmet ipsos obligare ad aeteâ—na supplicia Aug. when for the love of some worldly preferment or for fear of the loss of some worldly honour they leave the right way of serving Christ to serve the Antichrist For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul Or what benefit is it to be glorious for a moment and to be miserable for ever and ever And therefore well may the False Prophets be termed foolish shepherds And 2. This foolish shepherd is termed an Idol shepherd and that as I conceive in two respects 1. In respect of the little or no good that he doth 2. In respect of the great honour that he expecteth and the much evil that he effecteth For 1 Cor. 8.4 Vide Hab. 2.18 1. The no good that they do Psal 115.4.5 6.7 V. 16. 1. As St. Paul saith that an Idol is nothing in the world and doth no good in the world for as the Prophet David saith The Idols of the Heathen are but silver and Gold even the work of mens hands they have mouths and speak not eyes have they and see not they have ears and hear not noses have they and smell not they have hands and handle not feet have they and walk not neither speak they through their throat even so the Idol shepherd doth no good in the world but wholly neglecteth his duty as the Lord sheweth v. 16. As 1. He shall not visit those that be cut off that is 1. So the Presbyterians and Independents do he will not labour to bring men unto Christ but he will rather drive them away from Christ and rather provoke the erroneous than recall them rather thrust them out of his Church than receive them into his Congregation 2. He shall not seek the young ones that is to take the little children the Infants 2. So the Anabaptists do and to incorporate them into the Body of Christ but he will suffer the poor innocent Babes to perish for ought that he will do for them though Christ bids us to suffer little children to come unto him and forbid them not 3. He shall not heal that that is broken that is he will not receive any Offenders 3. So the Presbyterians and Independants do that are broken through the temptation of Satan and the frailty of their own fiesh to be members of his Church and admitted to his flock but though Christ that is the good shepherd calleth all those that are broken and weary and heavy laden to come unto him and promiseth both to heal them and to ease them and refuseth none no not Judas himself while he professed himself to belong unto him and to do him service yet this Idol shepherd is so coy and so supercilious that he will not receive nor heal that that is broken by sin and broken for his sins for he must have no trash in his net no Chaffe on his floor nor any Tares in the field of his Church such a holy Saint is this Idol shepherd 4. So our new Preachers shake the true old protestants 4. He shall not feed that that standeth still that is he will not confirm them that are in the right but rather shake them and amuse them than strengthen and assist them to proceed in the true service of God So you see the little or no good that the Idol shepherd doth unto his flock And yet 2. The great honour that they expect 2. As the Idol requireth all the honour and all the service that may be even the Worship that belongs to God whereupon the Idol service is termed Idole-latria that is the divine worship given unto the Idol and whatsoever the God of Heaven doth the Idolaters ascribe it to be done by their Idols for so the children of Israel say of their Golden Calves these be thy gods that brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt and therefore as the Prophet Habakkuk saith c. 2.19 They deck and adorn their Idols with Gold and Pearles and Precious stones and think nothing too much or too dear that they bestow upon it as it appeareth by those great and inestimable gifts that Croesus sent to that Idol god of Delphos and to the other of Amphiaraus Herodot lib. 1. clio particularized by Herodotus Even so the Idol shepherd looketh for such respect and service to be done unto him such honour such Salarie and such preferment as cannot be thought too much for his desert and therefore the Lord saith that he shall eat the flesh of the fat and tear their Clawes in pieces that is he shall enrich himself with the substance of the wealthy and those that feed him not he will vex and exceedingly torment because he seeks not you but yours and aimes not at the honour of God but makes a god of his belly That this is fulfilled in the Long Parliament And that the Pope did this heretofore it is fully laid to his charge by all them that make him to be the Antichrist Whether he doth so now or no I know not but I am sure the Long Parliament did eat the flesh of the fat and tear their clawes in pieces for they devoured the Livings and the Lands of the King of the Bishops of the Deans and Chapters and I know not of how many Earls Lords Knights and worthy Gentlemen of these
informed Daniel that the little Horn which at the first was but little indeed and then did succrescere grow so great by the suppression of the three Kings and the accession of three Kingdomes should think to change the times and the Lawes and so we finde that Antiochus did use all possible endeavours to abolish the times of the Jewish Sabbaths and feasts and their circumcision legem ipsam Dei juâ—áque omnia nefariè convellere and to overthrow the very law of God and tear in pieces all humane rights most wickedly saith Tremelius Tremel in loc and so the Antichrist would indeavour to do the like to put down all the festival times and the holy dayes of the Christians and to change all the Lawes and Customes that they had learned and observed even from the Apostles time And I am sure the Pope is not guilty of this sin of the Antichrist for he is so far from putting down their feasts and holy dayes See the History of Independency and there you shall finde how the Author of that Book sheweâ—â— how that long Parliament proceeded contrary to all Lawes part 3. A Book fit for the understanding of this point that he multiplied the same added unto their primitive feasts a great many more holidaies than were needfull or indeed fitting to be observed But I pray you tell me what horn did ever change so many Laws and Customs both of the Church and of the Kingdome as the long Parliament hath done for hath it not troden under foot not one nor two but all the ecclesiastical Laws and Canons of the Church and hath it not very often transgressed and in many things nullified our Magna Charta the great Charter and the fundamental Laws of this Kingdome that for so many hundred years were confirmed to our forefathers and Predecessors by I know not how many Parliaments I am sure above 30 at least And for the times I would fain know if any good Christian heart can look upon these times without bleeding or hold his eyes without weeping for the greatest love and favour that ever God shewed to mankinde was the giving of his own natural coessential and coeternal Son to be made of a woman and made under the Law to redeem us from the curse of the Law and from sin death hell and Satan when a greater good than this the omnipotent God himself could not do for us for what could God give better than God himself but as the Apostle saith because God could swear by no greater he sware by himself so when he could give no better he gave himself Heb. 6.13 and therefore S. Ambrose saith plus Domine Jesu debeo tuis incuriis quod sum redemptus quam tuis operibus quod sum creatus O sweet Jesus Christ I ow thee more love and thanks and service for thy care and pains and sufferings by which I am redeemed than for thy work whereby I was created because that in my creation dedit me mihi deus God gave me unto my self but in my Redemption dedit se mihi deus The greatest good that ever God did for mankinde God gave himself unto me and because in the creation of me and all things else dixit facta sunt he did but speak the word and they were made he commanded and they stood fast but in the accomplishment of our Redemption multa dixit magna fecit dira tulit he spake many gracious words he did many wonderfull works and he suffered many execrable and intolerable things Therefore as God commanded the Israelites Why the Jews were commanded by God to keep their Feasts in remembrance of their deliverance out of Epypt That was but the type of this our deliverance from the bondage of sin and Satan to keep the feast of Passeover and in remembrance of the reception of the Law on Mount Sinai which was an inferiour favour and lesse than our receiving of the Gospel to observe the feast of Pentecost and in remembrance of their wandering 40 years in the wilderness and their feeding there all that while with the Manna that came down from heaven which notwithstanding is no waies comparable to our feeding with the Word of God and the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ which is God himself to keep the feast of tabernacles and whosoever neglected to keep these feasts and to observe these times that soul should be cut off from Israel that is from among the people of God as an ungratefull person unworthy of the favour of God And as Mardocheus and Queen Hester commandeth all the Jews to keep the feast of Purim that was to be kept upon the 14 and 15 dayes of the Month Adar which is answerable to our February Hest 9.23 24. throughout all their generations for ever for dayes of rejoycing and Thanks-giving for their deliverance from the malicious plot and wicked designe of proud Haman the which feast was observed by Christ himself John 10.22 The Geneva notes on John 10. 22. and as in like manner Judas Machabaeus injoyned the feast of dedication to be observed upon the 25th day of the Moneth Casteu which is our November for a thankfull remembrance of the like benefit which was the casting out of Antiochus his Garrison from Hierusalem so that the Apostles and their immediate Successors the Bishops and Fathers of the Church and all the other succeeding Governors of Gods people considering that the Jews temporal favours aforenamed were but types of our favours and shadowes of those substances that we have and so no wayes neer so comparable to the benefits that we receive by the birth circumcision resurrection and ascention of Christ and the gifts that is the Apostles the Teachers and Governors of Gods Church furnished with the gifts of the Holy Ghost that Christ sent unto them on the day of Pentecost 50 dayes after his ascention into heaven by which favours and great blessings we obtain a deliverance not from a small temporal bondage as that of the Israelites was under Pharaoh far less then the bondage of many good Christians in these dayes under the Turk or from such an enemy as was Haman or Antiochus but from sin death hell Satan and eternal damnation have in their own persons observed and injoyned all other Christians to observe That is Christmas New years day Easter day Holy thursday Whitsunday and the rest the feast of Christs Nativity and of his circumcision resurrection and ascention and the other dayes prescribed by them as dayes of rejoycing and meeting together in the Church to praise God and to thank him for those great and inestimable favours and benefits that he hath conferred upon us and we received as upon those dayes and I may demand What Pope was ever so wicked and committed such and so horrible a sin as to prophane these holy times in so high a measure as Antiochus-like to command them to be prophaned
speeches to gain love and favour 3. Wit and Eloquence to perswade men to aide and to assist him 4. Large promises and great gifts to win them unto him 5. Signes and wonders all pretended to be done from God to draw men to a good belief of all his actions And if all these cannot serve the turn to make men to become his adherents and assistants then 6. Terrors and torments must do the deed and it is demanded If this sixfold Art was not most exquisite in the Presbyterians and the prevalent faction of the long Parliament But to go on to shew you the sins of the Antichrist Aretius as E. H. quoteth him doth thus paint him out saying Invadet imperium Antichristus ac dominabitur titulo justae possessionis ac verae pietatis sed ubi revelari caeperit publicè his notis or nabitur quas Apostolus hic ei tribuit videlicet homo peccati filius perditionis Upon which words of Aretius E. H. doth thus paraphrase E.H. De Antichristo pagina 78. that the Antichrist is called the man of sin because he is the Protector and Patron of many gross sins he rollerates Idolatry and Rebellion he invadeth Kingdoms and under pretence of setting up Piety and promoting Saintship he takes possession of the Throne as if he were the right heir thereof and none is so great a Saint as he if you will believe his words or the flaettering Titles of his Followers that adorn him with most goodly Eulogies but when he shall begin to appear publikely that is to be revealed as the Apostle saith and to be made known by his marks and sins unto the Saints he shall have none other ornaments to put on that is from those Servants of God to whom only he shall be revealed but what the Scripture gives him that is the man of sin and the Son of perdition which is the Title of Judas that betrayed his Master his King and his Saviour and what we read in the Revelation Rev. 11. the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit which will make war with Gods Witnesses that is the Magistrates and the Governours of Gods Church the faithful Pastors and Preachers of his Word and will overcome them and kill them and of whom the Holy Ghost principally saith Rev. 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still and never go about to strive to make him clean because it is but lost labour Aethiopum lavare to wash a Blackmoore to make him white And so it is to seek to amend that man of sin and all his wicked followers that think themselves better and more righteous than all others and therefore as our Saviour saith that the Publicans and harlots shall go into the Kingdom of heaven that is be sooner converted before the High Priests and the Pharisees that think themselves to be the only Saints and the bringers of others into heaven so the Drunkards Swearers Whore-mongers Sabbath-breakers Robbers and the like lewd livers and prophane persons may be sooner converted and brought to repentance than this hypocritical Saint and those Saint-like sinners that think themselves most wise and more holy than all others and from this confidence do act all the Villanies Cruelties and abominable Impieties against the Service of God and do such intollerable injuries to the Servants of Christ as that greater cannot be devised Thus you see how this man of sin is described unto you by these Learned men for a most notorious transcendent sinner but all this while it is not agreed upon of all sides whom the Apostle meaneth in this place by this man of sin that should be such an extraordinary sinner for Dr. Hammond and some others would have us hereby to understand Simon Magus because that Justinus Irenaeus and some other Authors do avouch there was a Statue erected unto him and an Altar with this Inscription Simoni sancto deo to Simon the holy God But the truth is that Justinus being a Grecian and not so well vers'd in the Roman Antiquities mistook the Inscription Varro lib. 4. which was Semoni Sanco Deo to Semo Sancus the God for so Varro that was most skilful in the Roman Histories saith Inter Deos Romanorum non obscurus fuit Deus Semo qui Sancus appellabatur Among the Gods of the Romans the God Semo which was also called Sancus was none of the obscurest or meanest God and accordingly Ovid saith Ovid. fast lib. 6. Quaerebam nonas Maresius p. 79. Caracotta p. 25. Sanco fidione dicarem or referrem An tibi Semo pater tu mihi Sancus ait Or as some Copies have it Tu mihi Sancus eris And therefore others as the Commentator upon this place conceived to be Hugo Grotius perceiving this mistake of the Greek Interpreters doth understand Caius Caligula to be this man of sin Sueton. c. 10. of whom Suetonius saith Nec Servum meliorem ullum nec deteriorem Dominum fuisse There could not be a better Servant or Subject than he was and a worser Lord or Master could not be found So that he was brought forth as it seemeth Ut ostenderet quid summa vitia in summa fortuna possent that in him might be seen what the greatest vice or the most vicious men might do in the highest fortune as Seneca writes of him unto Albinus And it is true that Caligula was insigniter scalestus Hyppolitus in Orat de sins seculi Caracotta pag. 6. deinceps a most notorious wicked Emperour yet not meant here by the Apostle under the Title of the man of sin as Maresius and Caracotta prove at large and do shew that the best of all Interpreters both Old and New do assent that the Apostle meaneth the Antichrist that should come into the World a little before the End of the World and not any of these Antichrists that came so soon as the Apostles time But though we cannot digito demonstr are dicier hic est name the man and say This is he Yet from Daniels explication of the acts of Antiochus and from these Comments and Paraphrase of the aforesaid Divines upon the words of S. Paul you may as Moses did from Mount Nebo view the Land of the Canaanites behold some of the sins of the Antichrist and thereby have a shrewd guess who he is For that collected multitude and pack of wicked men which as I shewed to you must be understood by the Antichrist The doings of the great Antichrist shall as you have heard oppose the Kingly Government protect Rebels Hereticks and Blasphemers tyrannize most lawlesly over Gods Servants usurpe the supream Authority change the Laws the Times and the good Customes of the Saints and People of God subdue three Kings or Kingdoms suppress the Governours of Gods Church and the Preachers of his Word and do all this and the like feats upon pretence of Zeal to
Caesar and so many more such wicked Servants have by the foresaid steps ascended to the slaughtering of their Kings and Masters to teach the way for others that would not be without presidents to do the like But here likewise we must well observe that there are many kinds and degrees and waies of this bloudy sin which is the actual killing of a man and therefore we must look over those degrees and waies of murder and the several kinds of this man-killing before we can find out the worst of them which is the proper and peculiar sin of the Antichrist and which is most hateful unto God for the bloud-thirsty murderer brings his design to pass by killing whom he hateth Murderers do actually kill men two waies Either 1. With his own hands Or 2. By the aid means and performance of some others For 1. Some are so impatient and the fire of their malice is so hot 1. By their own hands Isa 37.38 that they must presently be the death of their brother with their own hands whensoever or wheresoever they find him with the first opportunity So Cain killed Abel So Joab killed Amasa So Adramelech and Sharezzer killed their own father Sennacherib So Brutus and Cassius killed Caesar So Antoninus killed his own brother Geta in his Mothers lap and so did many thousands more kill and murder their Neighbours with their own hands 2. 2. By others Others are so crafty and so witty as they suppose to find a way to effect their own wicked end that to blind the World and to evade the Sword of justice and as they think to escape the hand and judgement of God they will keep their own hands free from bloud and wash the same with Pilate from the blood of the innocent person whom they intend to destroy But yet they will for all this do as Pilate did deliver Christ unto the Souldiers to be crucified so will they be the men that are the chief murderers of him And that two waies And that Either 1. Secretly by their Assassins and those bloudy butchers whom they procure to be their Instruments to bring whom they hate to an untimely death Or 2. Publikely by a Court of justice which is to pronounce judgement against Malefactors that ought to be put to death by the Laws of God and Man and which Courts they procure to condemn whom they hate upon false suggestions though the party be never so innocent The first way Richard the Third procured the death of his two innocent Nephews 1. Secretly the Sons of Edward the fourth and Edward the Second came unto his death the same way though it is not so well known who procured it and so King David did the like by causing Joab to be the death of Urias whom he ought rather to have rewarded than to have murdered him and so do all they that procure their wicked Instruments to poyson those whom they hate as the Earl of Sommerset procured the Lieutenant of the Tower Sir Francis Eleway to poyson Sir Thomas Overbury And such secret contrivings of their intentions are very fine shifts for Murderers and Malefactors to free themselves from blame and from punishment if they could as well blind the eyes of the All-seeing God as they do many times the eyes of simple men but though Davids hands were far from the Fact and he seeming free from the bloud of Urias that was slain by the Sword of the Enemy yet God tells David He was the Murderer and his subtilty shall not serve his turn to wipe away his punishment for as the Devill Aug. super Johan saith S. Augustine is said to be a Murderer Non gladio armatus non ferro accinctus sed quia ad hominem veniendo verbum seminando occidit eum not because he killeth with any weapons Sword or Spear but because he destroyeth Man by his wicked Counsels and by setting on others his Instruments to destroy him And therefore procul dubio decipiuntur Idem habetur de paenit dist 1. Periculose saith the same Father They are very much deceived that think them only to be Murderers which lay violent hands upon their Neighbours and not them also Per quorum concilium fraudem hortationem homines extinguntur by whose counsel deceit subtlety perswasion or procurement any man is unjustly brought unto his death whether it be suddenly by the Sword or any other violent way or lingringly by poyson The 2. 2. Publikely way that the blood-thirsty murderers use to bring whom they hate and would have killed unto their death I finde twice practised and but twice that they brought their purpose to effect that I can remember in all the book of God 1. And this is likewise done two waies By a personal and an inferiour Court of justice where one or 2. or very few judges are deputed to sit and judg the delinquents that are brought before them 2. By a national and the highest Court of the whole Kingdom where flos medulla regni the choicest Peers and members of the Common-wealth do sit to judg and to determine of the offences and the greatest affairs of the Kingdome And 1. 1. By an inferiour Court of Justice I finde that the inferiour Court of few Judges did once condemn an innocent person unto death in the holy Scriptures for so you may read how Ahab and Jezabel procured the Judges of Jesreel to condemn innocent Nabaoth unto death and though we finde not such another president in all the Scripture yet I fear that the like practice is used in many other places where you may finde such an Ahab and such Judges but though Ahab thought he might with the harlot that commits adultery and then wipes her mouth and is clean be freed from this fact because his wife procured it and the Judges of Jezreel did judicially secunduns allegata probatae condemn him to death yet the Prophet tells Ahab that God will condemn and punish him and all his posterity for it 1 Reg. 21.19 and 21. for in the place where doggs licked the blood of Naboth shall doggs lick thy blood and God will bring evil upon thee and will take away thy posterity and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth-against the wall and him that is shut up and left in Israel and so accordingly Jehu caused the Rulers of Jezreel the very same Town where-Nabaoth was condemned and likely the very same Judges 2 Reg. 10.7 17. that condemned him to cut off the heads of 70 of Ahabs children And when he came to Samarta he slew all that remained unto Ahab untill he had destroyed him according to the saying of the Lord by his Prophet 2. I finde one other example in the holy Scripture and but one that I can remember 2. By the highest Court of Justice where the national Court or the Synopsis and the Representative of the whole Nation did
end why these sinfull murderers do thus kill those eminent persons expressed by our Saviour Christ in the Parable of the husbandmen that killed the Kings son that he being the heir and being killed the inheritance might be their own and they should rule and raign as Kings and have all for themselves that was their chiefest aim for they had learnt their Poetrie to make every Verse true that endeth with semper tibi proximus esto As Cum fueris faelix The covetous and ambitious mans Poetry semper tibi proximus esto Si fueris Romee semper tibi proximus esto Si fueris alibi semper tibi proximus esto Si tibi sint nati semper tibi proximus esto Si tibi sint nulli semper tibi proximus esto and the like So their hate their malice and their murder was not for the love of justice to have sin punished but for the love of themselves that they might have the pleasure and the profit for their iniquity And now having passed through these Particulars and seen the highest step and staff of this ladder of homicide and the worst degree or kinde of murder I say the sin of the Antichrist is like the sin of the Jews in the condemnation of Christ The sin of the Jews condemning Christ what it was which was an usurpation by Inferiors and Subjects as the Jews were to Christ of the highest Court and throne of justice and thence judicially and most unjustly to condemn to death and accordingly to kill and murder the most eminent person their superior placed over them by God to be their King to rule them their Priest and Prophet to pray for them and to instruct them and all this under the hypocriticall cloak and pretence of piety and Religion but indeed to this end that they might get the rule Government and Dominion into their own hands And I conceive the proper and peculiar sin of the Antichrist that the Apostle meaneth in this place The sin of the Antichrist like unto the sin of the Jews to be just like unto the same and never committed either by the Pope or Turk or any other single person whatsoever when it is to be done by a court and a collected multitude of men which therefore maketh the sin the more odious and abominable in the sight of God and of all good men And if in all Aquinas Summes or Antoninus his Titles or in all the Tomes of Abulensis or the mighty Comments of Cornelius à lapide or the painfull Works of Alstedius or the Summes of Vices by Peraldus or in and among all the beastly sinnes that Azorius in his moral Institutions setteth down or as the Prophet Jeremy saith Jerem. 2.10 Passe over to the Isles of Shittim and see send unto Kedar and consider diligently and see if there be such a thing or if you can finde in any Author divine or humane a sin more injurious to man and more odious and abominable in the sight of God than this thus committed by the Jews against Christ and by the Antichrist against the 2 witnesses of Christ then will I retract mine Assertion and submit my self to the correction of the Presbyterians for misinterpreting this place and mistaking this sin here meant by our Apostle But to justifie my Collection you may remember how angry the Lord was Numb 16.32 and how terribly he punished Corah Dathan and Abiram with such a punishment as the like is not found in all the book of God for despising their Superiors and Governors and refusing to yield obedience to Moses and Aaron in but giving spitefull and scandalous words unto them and saying when Moses called them we will not come up Numb 16.12 14. how angry then and what punishment think you would the Lord have inflicted on these rebellious Subjects if they had most wickedly and thus hypocritically as I now shewed you killed Moses and Aaron by a formal judiciary judgment of a whole Court of justice And to make it plain and evident that this man-killing is the notorious and proper peculiar sin of the Antichrist by which as by a plain and singular character he might be known to be the Antichrist when he came into the world the holy Ghost saith that when the two Witnesses of Christ the Supream Magistrate E. H. de Antic p. 76. and the chief Pastor of Gods people as some of the best Interpreters say have finished their testimony that is according to the time determined by God the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit that is the Antichrist as all Interpreters do confess shall make war against them Revel 11.7 and shall overcome them and kill them that is in manner and form as I shewed to you before because no other kind of killing them The sin of Antichrist proved to be the foresaid sin of man-killing could have been so odious and so abominable in the sight of God And the Apostle here in 2 Thes 2.3 doth inrimate as much in the very next words that do immediatly follow the man of sin by calling him presently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the child of perdition or the son of destruction or of the destroyer which I find only ascribed to Judas that betrayed Christ and delivered him to death and to the Antichrist that brought the witnesses of Christ to death and so both Judas and the Antichrist are rightly termed the sons of destruction both actively and passively 1. Actively in destroying and bringing others to destruction as Judas did Christ and the Antichrist the Witnesses And 2. Vide Maresium in dissertat de ontichristo pag. 50. Passively in destroying themselves as Judas did in hanging himself and the Antichrist will do for so unjustly delivering his King and his Master to be destroyed And so you have seen what sin is the notorious proper and peculiar sin of the Antichrist the murdering of the Witnesses 2. 2. Who hath committed this sin that is the sin of the antichrist Neither the Pope nor the turk We are now to enquire whom we can find if we can find any that hath committed and thus committed as I shewed you this sin And here I must tell you it is far safer to tell you who did it not than to name to you who hath done it But I am sure that neither the Pope nor the Turk hath done it neither could they do it Reason 1 1. Because it was to be done by Inferiours and Subjects against their Superiours and Governours as the Jews did against Christ and Corah Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron that were their Rulers and their Teachers and the Pope hath no superiour Pastor to instruct him nor the Turk any Emperor or King to command him Reason 2 2. Because it was to be done by a collected multitude and a High Court of Justice the highest Court in the Kingdom where it should be done and therefore neither by the Pope nor
Priest and to command him to discharge the same as he ought to do and to reprove and correct him when he doth neglect it which are the principal things duties and Prerogatives of any King or prime Magistrate of any Kingdom or Commonwealth And thus all the best Orthodox Interpreters both Papists and Protestants do agree that the Apostle meaneth here Vide Tremellium in Joh. 10.34 that the Antichrist should exalt himself above his King because the Scripture doth most properly and plainly speak it of Kings when God saith Dixi Diiestis I have said you are Gods and our Saviour doth primarily and principally mean Kings when he citeth the same saying against the Pharisees as Beza witnesseth saying Testimonium quod citat Christus in Psal 82. v. 6. Habetur That in Psal 82.6 Kings are understood by Gods ubi expostulat Deus cum regibus terrae qui imperio potentia quam â Deo acceperant abuterentur hoc Christus ad presentem causam accommodat quod deorum nomine ornemur qui ad regendum mundum sunt ministri that is the testimony which Christ citeth against the Pharisees is found in Psal 82. v. 6. where God exâ—ostulateth with the Kings of the Earth which abused that rule and power which they received from God Beza in Annotat in Joh. 10.37 and this Christ applieth to the present occasion that they which are Gods Ministers and Deputies to govern the World are honoured with the name of Gods And so the first words of that Psalm do sufficiently shew that Kings are to be understood there by Gods for God standeth in the Congregation of Princes saith the Prophet he is a Judge among Gods and therefore by God in this place the Apostle meaneth the King that God hath set over this man of sin to rule him as well as others because the Kings are appointed by God to governe and to judge the people of God and therefore he tells his people plainly By me Kings do reign that is Prov. 8.15 not only by my permission and suffering of them to reign as I suffer many disorders and many evills to be done but they reign and rule by my authority and by my appointment that have ordained and set your Kings to reign and rule over you for they do sit in the thrones of judgement as Gods Deputies and Vicegerents in Gods stead to exercise a part of Gods power here on earth which is as the Poet can tell you Parcere subjectis debellare superbos The lawful power of Kings To defend and to reward the good and obedient Subjects and to punish the rebellious the wicked and the wrong doers and to that end as God hath the Keys of heaven and of hell to let the Godly enter into glory and to shut up the wicked within the Chambers of death so Kings have potestatem vitae necis the power of life and death that is to preserve the life of the innocent and to put the transgressors unto death or to pardon them if they see cause and to spare their life which is the greatest power on earth but not to put to death whom they please and for what cause soever they list which is the property and practice of an unjust Tyrant and not the liberty of a good and a righteous King So you see the honour power and prerogative that God hath conferred upon Kings and is warranted and confirmed by our Saviour Christ and therefore ought to be ascribed and yielded unto them by their Subjects especially if they be Christians and such as profess to know the will of God Let the Reader Judge whether this be not fulfilled in the long Parliament And yet the Apostle tells us that this man of sin which is the Antichrist will exalt himself above his King and I will not judge but refer it to the World to judge whether the long Parliament and their adherents have not denied this honour worship and obedience and indeed every part and parcel of that honour which God hath granted and commanded to be yielded unto their King Or whether they have not actually exalted themselves above their King And whether their words in their Petition to the King The words of the Parliament in their Petition to the King wherein they say The humble Petition of the Lords and Commons in Parliament and therein further say That his Majesties most humble and faithful Subjects have represented their most dutiful affections in advising and desiring those things which were most necessary for his Majesties safety and honour and in the Conclusion thereof do say That his Majesties personal safety and royal honour and greatness were much dearer unto them than their own Lives and Fortunes being put in one end of the ballance and the warring against him and especially the cutting off of the Kings head in the other end of the ballance where both their love and their hatred might be seen at once do not prove just like the Souldiers dealing with Christ to bow their knees unto him Mat. 27.29 to put a Crown on his head and a Scepter in his hand and to say Hail King of the Jews as if his personal safety and royal honour and greatness were much dearer unto them than their own lives and fortunes and yet immediately to spit in his face and to hang him up upon a tree Which is the most paelpable the greatest and the grossest hypocrisie and mockery in the World or I may justly say with the words of Agur Prov. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man For Quid audiam verba cum videam contraria facta Will any wise man believe mens words when their deeds tell them to their faces that they lie And how shall I believe that his personal safety and royal honour and greatness were much dearer unto them than their lives and fortunes when I see them taking away his Life And after they had finished the Tragedy of his life and had taken off his Head to do as the Athenians did with Herostratus that burnt the Temple of Diana that is to extinguish with his Person his Name his Memorial and his Office When they would not suffer his Friends and his Servants to keep their King and their Masters Picture in their private Chambers but searched their houses as they did my house to see if they could find the Kings Picture And when as the Prophet tells us the lawless Jews said Hos 10.3 We will have no King because we fear not the Lord and what then should a King do to us For we that fear not the Lord will never reverence any King no more than they that will have no King will never fear the Lord because God hath coupled the fear of the Lord and of the King together with such an indissoluble knot that whosoever feareth God cannot choose but fear and reverence his King and he
that feareth not his King cannot be truly said to fear God Prov. 24.21 So the Parliament said We will have no more Kings but we will be as our Neighbour Nation is a Free State and a Commonwealth But for all this their saying That they will have no King it is demanded If these men proved not apt Schollars of those dissembling Jews and imitate those their good Masters to a hair for as those Jews said We will have no King that is no Kingdom Gods appointment or no lawful King that hath a just right and title unto his Kingdom yet if you look but two Chapters before you shall find how God complaineth they had set up Kings Hos 8.4 but not by him and this was first in their intention before they rejected their lawfull King that God had set over them but last in the execution because the Old King must be first ejected before any new Kings can be established So have nor the Parliament when they beheaded their Old King of Gods appointment and their lawful King without question made themselves new kings over Gods people I do not say Usurping Kings that had no right nor tyrannical Kings that did no right unto the people but as the Prophet saith of the Jews so it is questioned if the Parliament have not set up Princes yea such Princes as were but Bankrupts Shooe-makers and Taylers Drapers and Tinkers Carters and Coblers and the like Scum of men of no learning Job 30.1 of no breeding of no bloud and of no worth but such as Job describeth whom the ancient Gentry and Nobility of this Land would have disdained to have set with the dogs of their flocks and made these or such as these to be Rulers in all Lands the Justices of the peace that as the Prophet saith the Jewish Rulers would sell the poor for a pair of shooes so would these younger brethren that are to make their Fortunes for a Print of Butter or a groars-worth of eggs sell Justice and betray the right of their poor Neighbours Such Rulers and such Princes as no people in any Country would have endured the like to Lord it over them but those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Silly souls and poor spirited men whose hearts and courages the Lord hath taken from them and given up their best nobility and Gentry to be quite befooled besotted and bafled by such Baffoons when he intendeth to plague that Nation and utterly to lay all their glory and honour in the dust even as the Poet elegantly sheweth Hoc placet O superi Lucan Pharsal l. 1. cum vobis vertere cuncta Propositum nostris erroribus addere crimen Thus it pleaseth God when for their sins he intends to plague and to end the glory of any people to blind them so that they commit error upon error adding thirst unto drunkenness basenese unto their beastliness and Pharaoh-like harden their hearts in their follies that they cannot do what is honourable and what they ought untill they be destroyed and made Subjects to those that were their Servants But God tels the Jews that those new Kings of their own election were no Kings of his setting up nor any Princes of his making but of their own establishment Hos 8.4 Usurping Kings no Kings of Gods making and so meer Usurpers through the pride of their hearts and the violence of their hands such as Athalia was among that people and some others of our former Kings That I could name of this Land and therefore the Author of the Treatise of Usurpation saith That the people of any Nation do owe unto such Usurpers such Kings of their own setting up neither reverence nor obedience nor can any Officer with a safe conscience act under them Though I say not this which is true to deny that obedience to any Usurpers or to the unworthiest of our Rulers which may stand with Gods Word and may be yielded unto them without sin because I wâ—â—ld have no weak people stirred up to make an insurrection against their powerful Governours but when God that casteth down one and raiseth up another takes away the right of our former Princes and Rulers and suffereth others how mean or how base soever they be to step into their places and to sit upon the thrones of Majesty and the seats of Justice howsoever this be come to pass Deo permittente my advice is to all private men to rest themselves contented for the present and as the Apostle saith to study to be quiet and for peace and quietness sake to think it far better to obey than to rebel and to leave all things to Gods disposing Dan. 2.21 Rom. 8.28 2. The Antichrist will exalt himself above the Bishops qui disponit omnia suaviter and will set all things right in his good time and as S. Paul saith Worketh all things together for the best to them that love him 2. The Apostle tells us That as the Antichrist will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and exalter of himself above every one that is called God and that is principally as I shewed to you above his King because that in the first place the King is chiefly termed God so he will likewise be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lifter up of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is supra numen as Tremellius reads it or adversus numen as Beza renders it above all that is worshipped saith our last and the Geneva Translation and the meaning is in few words that the Antichrist will exalt himself above the Bishops and the Ecclesiastical Governours of the Church as well as above the King wich is the civil Governour of the Commonwealth for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word which the Apostle useth coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is read in prophane Authors as Pasor saith and signifieth colere that is religiously to worship or the thing that we worship for Religion sake from whence a Proselite or a religious man is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pious and religious person and all sacred and holy things that are dedicated and consecrated for Divine Service are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religious things or things that appertain to Religion which made Beza and Tremellius to translate it Numen which appertaineth to God doth sufficiently make it plain and manifest that the Apostle meaneth here not the Emperour nor any other King or civil Magistrate which had formerly exprest under the name of God as some Interpreters without reason would have it because that it is said Act. 27.1 that S. Paul was delivered to Julius that was a Centurion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Augustus Band saith our Translation whereas it should have been translated of the Band of Augusta That by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle meaneth the spiritual Governors of the Church or Augusta's band which was the wife of Casar and was stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
a King and a Priest and so in denying him to be Christ he denieth him to be Jesus and a Saviour which he saith he beleeveth him to be and therefore he must needs be a great Lyar in saying that now which he presently denieth Question But here the question may be demanded How is it or how can it be that the Antichrist which professeth himself to be not a Jesuit from the name of Jesus but a Christian as they were first termed in Antioch from the name of Christ and saith he doth acknowledge and beleeve and will not and doth not deny Jesus to be both a King and a Priest yea his King and his Priest whom he doth above all others both honour reverence and obey as his King and as his Priest should notwithstanding be said and said truly without any unjust impuration laid upon him to deny Jesus to be the Christ that is the King to rule and the Priest to govern and to instruct his Church I answer that the Apostle meaneth not Respons That the Antichrist should in plain words positively and peremptorily deny Jesus to be a King and a Priest He that sayeth thou art my King and I am thy Subject but thou shalt not rule me neither will I obey thee is not he a Lyar as the Jews Turks and other Infidels do when as he confesseth publikely and in plain terms and never denieth with any manner of words that Jesus is not the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that he is not a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedech but professeth the same as much and more than any man living and yet herein he is the great Lyar because that what he saith in words Factis negat he apparently denieth by his deeds which are the chiefest affirmation or negation of any truth and the best witnesses to confirm both what we say and what we deny as both our Saviour and his Apostle St. Paul do sufficiently testifie And so What it is to deny Jesus to be the Christ the meaning of denying Jesus to be King and Priest is not to be understood of any verbal denial but that the Antichrist though he doth in words confess him to be his King and his Priest and denieth him not to be anointed by God with the true Oyle of grace He that denieth Jesus to execute the Office of King and Priest denieth him to be King and Priest the oyntment of Gods Spirit above and beyond all others that ever were anointed to be the King and the Priest of the whole Church yet by his deeds and his actions he would most treacherously and maliciously deny and hinder Iesus to exercise and execute those Offices that is his Kingly Offices and his Priestly Office by those his deputies and Vicegerents whom he appointeth and placeth under him and in his stead to rule govern and to instruct his people here on earth for he being ascended into heaven executes these Offices of King and Priest none otherwise now in his personal absence than by his Substitutes and Deputies that he placeth to be Kings and Priests under him and whosoever denieth and hindereth them to discharge their duties and to execute those Functions and Offices of King and Priest denieth Jesus to execute the same and to discharge the duties of his Kingly and Priestly Office And we must not understand the Apostles words that the Antichrist denieth Jesus to be the Christ or his denial of him to be the true Messias and Saviour of the World and for that end to be anointed both for a King and a Priest which he never denieth or otherwise if this were his denial of him to be a King and a Priest to this end That thousand thousands deny Christ to be Jesus but the Antichrist only denieth him whom he confesseth his Jesus to be the Christ we should have ten thousand thousands of such Antichrists as Iews Turks and all the Infidels over all the World that deny Iesus the Son of Mary to be anointed for a King and a Priest to become the true Messias and to save his people from their sins for we know that all those do thus peremptorily deny Iesus to be the Christ or to be thus and to this end anointed to be King and Priest and yet they are not said to be the Antichrist nor the great Lyar which the Antichrist is said to be because their lye doth not contra mentem ire nor deny that which they affirm deny by their doings what they affirm by their sayings but their hearts and their tongues do conceive and confess the same thing that Iesus is not the Christ neither their King nor their Priest and the Antichrist doth the clean contrary saying in words that he is his Jesus and yet by his deeds utterly deny him And therefore by this ample Explanation of this mystical Sentence that the Antichrist is a great Lyar because he denieth Iesus to be the Christ I hope it is made plain enough that the meaning of the Apostle is that the Antichrist which mendaciously and falsely like a great Lyar professeth himself a Christian and acknowledgeth in his words that the Lord Iesus is the Christ that is his King and his Priest and himself his loyal Subject and the most faithful Servant of Christ will notwithstanding all this great profession maliciously deny and most rebelliously hinder and oppose the lawful Deputies Lieutenants and Servants of Christ our King and Priest to execute and to discharge their Kingly and Priestly Offices under Christ and in Christ his stead and will as I shewed you from the force and true meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so deny them to execute their functions that nothing will satisfie or serve his turn untill he hath utterly destroyed both King and Priest and so denied them both to serve their Offices and to live in their places that is to be King and Priest Thus the Antichrist denieth Iesus to be the Christ by denying his Deputy-Kings and Priests He that resisleth Christ his Deputies resisteth Christ himself to execute their Kingly and Priestly Offices under him for as he that resisteth the lawful Magistrate resisteth the Ordinance of God saith the Apostle and so far as he resisteth Gods Ordinance he resisteth God himself because Man can make no other visible resistance of God than by the resistance of his Ordinance So he that revolteth from or rebelleth against the execution of these Offices of Christ by those deputies that he sets under him here on earth is rightly said to revolt from and rebel against Christ and so he that denieth them to execute their Offices of Kings and Priests under Christ may justly be said to deny Iesus to execute his Office of King and Priest even as you see he that resisteth against the Kings Sheriffe or Lieutenant is justly said to rebell against the King For though Christ be now in heaven yet he hath his Kingdom here
on earth and he is still our King as the Prophet saith The Lord is King and hath put on glorious apparel Psal 93.1 and he placeth other Kings to be his Substitutes and Vicegerents to guide and to govern his people according as he doth command and therefore he saith By me Kings do raign Prov. 8.15 and as he is still our King so S. Peter saith He is still the Bishop of our souls 1. Pet. 2.25 and the Priest that maketh an atonement to God for us and he placeth other Bishops and other Priests under him to teach and to govern his Church in the truth of his Service and Religion And you know what Christ saith to these his Deputies and Vicegerents Luk. 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me So he that denieth and hindereth you to execute your Offices denieth me mine Offices to be both King and Priest and so denieth me to be the Christ and in denying me he denieth him that sent me Psal 2.8 and gave me the Gentiles for mine Inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for my Possession and also Sware that I should be a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 after the Order of Melchizedech Therefore it is most plain and apparent that whosoever professeth himself a Christian and yet maliciously opposeth and trayterously denieth the execution of the Kingly and Priestly Offices of Christ to be performed by his Deputies Kings and Priests that he appointeth under him and so far denieth them to do it as utterly to destroy them and deny them to live as the Jews denied Christ before Pilate to be Kings and Priests in Christs stead to Govern and to Teach his Church is here meant by the Apostle to be the Grand Lyar and the Great Antichrist that denieth Jesus to be the Christ and so you have seen what is the meaning of denying Jesus to be the Christ 2. The other Point to be considered is to enquire and search if we can find 2. Whom can we find to have denied Jesus to be the Christ Neither Pope nor Turk who have thus as I shewed you denied Jesus to be the Christ and if you find who hath done so you shall find out the Antichrist and I beleeve we shall find him neither in Rome nor in Constantinople for the Pope I am sure of it denieth not the Bishops as Christs Depuâ—ies to execute their Priestly Office when he professeth himself to be Christs Deputy and Vicar to discharge that Office to instruct and to govern his Church and for the Turke he will not extirpate Monarchy nor cast down Kings when he professeth himself to be the chief Monarch of the earth and a King of Kings as his own Letters testifie But whether the Long Parliament and their adherents Let the Reader judge whether the long Parliament hath not fulfilled this saying of the Apostle that in words do constantly affirm and profess that Jesus is the Christ and themselves good if not the best Christians that are on earth have not by their deeds in opposing their King the Substitute and Vioeroy of Christ and denying him either to execute his Regal Office or to live and in suppressing all the Bishops and so many Orthodox Loyall Preachers so that they shall never as Bishops execute the Priestly Office of Christ denied Iesus to be Christ by denying those Substitute Officers of Christ to execute those Offices or to live in those Offices I leave it to them that can judge who is the Lyar and the Antichrist and that denieth Iesus to be the Christ Only I must say That if I were a Pagan and an Infidel and had seen no more of the Parliaments doings but these two things i.e. 1. Their words and great profession of holiness and Christianity And The two chiefest things that do most of all regret the mind of the Author 2. Their deeds in the cutting off of their own just and lawful Kings head and the head of their chief Priest and the suppression exclusion and extirpation of all the godly Bishops in these three Kingdoms and likewise the prohibition and sileneing of them and the rest of the Orthodox Preachers from preaching of the Gospel of Iesus Christ not for any supposed Errour in their Doctrine but for a suspition they had that those faithful men would publish the truth and villanies of their Acts and Proceedings unto the People I should beleeve none could be a greater Lyar or a greater Antichrist than they that did such things Being confident that neither Decius nor Dioclesian nor any other of the primitive Persecutors nor Pope nor Turk nor any later Tyrant hath ever done the like And yet herein That the Author can very well endure dissentients I am not so wedded to mine own opinion as that I cannot endure dissentients for I am not of their mindes that hold him not for their friend and will bear no correspondence with him that will not per omnia in omnibus in all things be of their minde neither do I propose my conceptions notions and Expositions as infallible Articles of faith for others sub paena to be believed but I only set down what I conceive and do verily believe to be true and my Reasons and Arguments that induce me thereunto leaving to all others the liberty of their own conscience to believe what they will and whom they will to be the Antichrist Pope or Turk or whomsoever they please 3. 3. That the Antichrist denying Jesus to be the Christ denieth the Father and the Son which may be done 2 waies 1. Way Mat. 10.40 Luc. 10.16 S. John proceedeth and saith that the Antichrist not only denyeth Jesus to be the Christ but also by this denial he denyeth the Father and the Son and this as I conceive may be done two manner of wayes 1. By separating himself from the rule Government and Ministry of Christ and maliciously suppressing the ordinances and the substitute Governors of Christ which is a most observable and inseparable mark of the Antichrist and of all his followers for thus our Saviour tells us that whosoever despiseth rejecteth and suppresseth the officers Embassadors and Ministers that Christ sendeth and setteth over us to ruâ—e us and to instruct us despiseth rejecteth and by as much as in him lieth suppresseth Christ himself and whosoever despiseth rejecteth and denyeth him despiseth and denieth God the Father that sent him and therefore you may plainly see hereby Vide R. W. in lib. The Doctrine of the Scripture touching the original of Government pag. 117. that the rebellious risers against their King Prince or any other their supream Governor that Christ placeth over them and the suppressors of the Apostles Bishops and Pastors of Gods Church the successors of the Apostles that Christ sends to teach and to govern his Church throughout all ages do rebell reject and deny Christ which is
of Expositors to make good their own conceits Esdras 14.41 to run unto tropes and figures when we may literally without tropes expound the same more agreeable unto the truth and without violence unto the Text therefore I conceive that the two Testaments cannot with any probability be understood by these two witnesses that are said to be killed by the beast and especially because they cannot be said to be the two Olive Trees or the anointed ones nor the two Candlesticks that hold up the light when as they are the light that these Candlesticks do hold nor to be confined to such a time as 1200 and 60 dayes when these two Testaments maugre all the malice of the Antichrist shall continue to the last day And therefore I do rather expound these two witnesses to be the preservers and the interpreters or preachers of these two Testaments that being living creatures Who are these two Witnesies that is 1. The King 2. The Bishop may be killed by this Beast and these are rightly termed the two Olive Trees or the two Sonnes of Oyl that is the anointed of God and the two Candlesticks that stand before the God of the Earth that is to hold up the light of the two Testaments to inlighten the Church of God with the truth of his holy word in despight of the Devill which is termed the God of the Earth And these preservers and Interpreters of these two Testaments are as E. H. truly observeth 1 Pet. 2.13 the civill Magistrates and the Ecclesiasticall Governours of Gods Church that is Moses and Aaron or the King as the supreme Magistrate and the Bishop as the chief Pastor that hath the oversight of the rest of the subordinate Ministers as St. Paul sheweth 1 Tim. 3. c. 4.1 for the King is custos utriusque tabulae the defender of the faith and obliged to take care as well of the Church and service of God as of the Commonwealth All good Kings took speciall care to have God truly served so Moses testifieth and so David Solomon Jehosophat Ezechias Josias and all the godly and good Kings of Israel and Judah had and so Constantine Theodosius and our own pious Princes Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles and all other good Christian Kings shewed that they took speciall care to see the truth purely preached and the service of God duly and rightly executed and therefore may most truly and literally without any trope or figure be said to be one of these two witnesses of Jesus Christ and the Bishop is to take upon him curam animarum the speciall care and charge of souls and the charge of them that are under him Act. 20.18 and undertook the charge of souls to see that they do carefully feed the flock of Christ whereof the Holy ghost hath made them overseers and therefore also the Bishops and the Ministers of Gods word may be rightly said and none can deny it to be the other witnesses of Jesus Christ and so Christ saith unto his Apostles and in them to all the Bishops that were to succeed the Apostles that they were his Witnesses Act. 1.8 and they should testifie and bear witness of him in Hierusalem and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth which they themselves could not do but in and by those Bishops that succeeded them in all the ordinary duties of the Apostles and therefore no forehead were it of Brasse can deny these to be the witnesses of Christ without blushing when Christ himself doth affirm it And so you see plainly Zechary 4.14 that these two which are indeed the Sonnes of the Olive Tree the two onely Offices and Callings that are the annointed of God and the two Candlesticks that hold up the light of the two Testaments the King by the strength of his Sword and the Bishops by the faithfull preaching of Gods word are the two witnesses of Jesus Christ and therefore well may the King and the inferiour Magistrates under him and the Bishop with his subordinate Clergy like Moses and Aaron the supreme Magistrate and the High Priest be rightly termed the two Witnesses of Jesus Christ in every Kingdom and Commonwealth Then after that the Angell had intimated unto the Apostle c. 11. v. 4. who are to be understood by these two Witnesses by terming them the two Olive Trees that is the two annoynted Officers of Gods Church and the two Candlesticks that do beare and uphold the true light of the Gospel unto the people he proceeds to shew the Power and Abilities c. 11. v. 5. 6. the gifts and Endowments that God would bestow upon them both for to inable them to build up the Temple that was measured that is to edifie and to enlarge the Christian Church and also to protect themselves against their Enemies and to punish those that should be refractory and to shew for how long a time they should freely and fairely enjoy this power and liberty to build this Church for saith the Angel these two Witnesses shall have power to poewr out fire out of their mouth Numbers 16. 2 Reg. 1. Jerem. 5.14 Their power was the same as Christ gave to his Apostles and God to Moses to destroy their Enemies that go about to hurt them and they shall have power to shut the Heavens that it raine not in the dayes of their Prophesie and they shall have power over waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all Plagues as often as they will And these powers and Abilities are the very same that Christ had formerly given unto his Apostles and their successors the Bishops and Governors of his Church and the very same powers and abilities that God long before had given and granted unto Moses and to all his successors that supply his place and office the Kings and cheif Magistrates that are as he was to rule over and to govern Gods people for our Saviour tells St. Peter that he will give to him the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven that is of the Church which is the way that brings us to the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever he shall leose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven and this power he gave not only to St. Peter but also to all the rest of the Apostles and their Successors for ever as you may see in Math. 18. v. 18. and John the 20. v. 23. Math. 16.19 so Mr. Mede part 2. pag 11. And so according to this power granted unto the Apostles and Bishops that are the Governours of the Church and have the Keyes thereof the sentence of Excommunication or the shutting out of the Church and the delivery of the lewd and wicked refractory person unto Satan as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5.5 The sentence of excommunication is the fire and the key is the fire that proceedeth out of the mouth of
this Ecclesia sticall Witnesse and the Key that shutteth the Gate and the Windows of Heaven that the rain of grace and the comforts and consolations of Gods word cannot fall on such a person so long as he continueth in that excommunicate condition And as God hath given unto Moses power by his Rod to turn the Rivers and all the waters of Egypt into blood and to bring all the other Plagues that were brought upon Pharaoh and upon all the Land of Egypt The extent of the power of the witnesses for their obstinate refusall to let Israel go to serve the Lord So he hath given unto his Kings a power and a Sword that is signified by Moses his Rod to punish and to draw blood even the hearts blood of such wicked offendors as will be like Pharaoh rebellious and obstinate against the Commandements of God And herein you may observe the extent of their power which he granted unto them that is to smite the Earth but not the Heaven with all Plagues and that is to punish the earthly and worldly minded men that are wicked and do follow after the vanities impieties and iniquities of this sinful life but not the godly men whose conversation is in Heaven and which are obedient to the Lawes of God and man with fines mulcts imprisonments banishments and death it self for if they smite the Heaven that is the righteous and the innocent with any of these Plagues that power is not given them from God but from the Dragon that is the Devill gives it them Revel 13 2. as the Apostle sheweth And so you see the powers and the abilities that God hath given to these his two witnesses the King and the Bishop the Civill and the Ecclesiasticall Governours of his People the one exercising his power in the Church with the word of his mouth and the other in the Commonwealth with the Sword in his hand And for the time The time that the two Witnesses shall continue to prophesie c. 11. v. 3. Fran. Jun. in loc Ezek. 4.6 Dan. 9.24 Numb 14. v. 34. Mat. 3.2 Luc. 3.3 that these two Witnesses shall quietly and peaceably execute their Offices and Prophesie that is discharge their Duties to govern the Commonwealth and to build up the Church of Christ the Angell saith it shall be 1200 and 60 dayes cloathed in Sackcloath and that is as Junius here and divers others do rightly take a day for a year 1200 and 60 yeares as they do collect out of Ezekiel and Daniel and other places of Scripture where under the number of so many dayes as are expressed so many years are to be understood And so we find that with the favour and under the protection of Christian Emperors and Godly Kings the Orthodox Bishops and true Pastors and Preachers of the Gospel of Christ did freely without fear publish the Doctrine of faith and repentance which was the Doctrine of John Baptist and the Doctrine that Christ continued to preach and commanded his Apostles in like manner to preach the same unto the people and which I take to be signified by their Cloathing in Sackcloth in their so conforming themselves unto their Doctrine as John Baptist did Mat. 3.4 cloathing himself in a Garment of Camells hair and a girdle of Leather about his loines and not mourning for the pollution of the true Church which during the time of their Prophesie was not polluted as Mr. Mede and others do suppose but Mr. Mede part 2. p. 7 8. as I conceive much amiss that we should think the true Church was or that God would suffer his true Church to be so long polluted for the full space of 1200 and 60. years before the persecution of the Antichrist should begin or that his persecution should last so long And that is if you begin to account not as Junius would have it Junius in annotat in loc immediately after the passion of Christ because this power of free publishing the Doctrine of repentance was not yet given them while they were prohibited and persecuted from place to place for preaching the Gospel of Christ but it was given them after the end and determination of the ten former persecutions of the Church by the Heathen Tyrants and after the other storms and afflictions that were raised against them by the meanes and procurement of the Arian Hereticks and were as violently prosecuted by Constantius and other Arian Kings of the Gothes and Vandalls as the persecution of the Heathen Emperours as the life of Athanasius and the story of the Church doth sufficiently testifie when the Church was setled and established in peace and quietness and the governing Bishops freely permitted and royally protected by the Christian Kings and Emperours to preach the faith of Christ and to exhort their people to repentance from dead works yea and to injoyn the transgressors to repent in Sackcloth and to abhorre themselves and their former courses in dust and ashes And this was not The time when the two witnesses received their full power to prophesie about the year 382. till after the death of Valens which was about the year of Christ 382. When Theodosius had vanquished the Huns and the Gothes and the rest of those boysterous Northern enemies of the Empire that exceedingly troubled and brought infinite crosses and molestations not much inferiour if not some wayes worse then the Heathen persecutions upon the Church as you may easily find in those excellent Books of St. August de civitate Dei and others the Ecclesiasticall Writers of those times And from this suppression of those fierce and cruel enemies both of the Orthodox Church and the Roman Empire which was as I said about the year 382. to the beginning of the long Parliament we shall find about the summe of 1200. and 60 years When the time of their prophesying in Sackcloth was ended throughout all which time the true Orthodox Bishops the one of the two witnesses of Gods truth in all the Christian Kingdoms as Spain France Germany Ingland Scotland Ireland and the rest had full power and free liberty to preach the Doctrine of faith and to injoyn penance unto their people and they were not onely protected from the wrongs violence and malice of all their opposers About the year 1642. but they were also assisted to reduce all transgressors to repentance as above all other times in these Kingdoms that are best known unto us the happy Reign of Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles can sufficiently justifie this truth unto you and the Christian Kings and Princes that were the other witness of Gods truth and the nursing Fathers of the Church were through the faithfull preaching of Gods word and the strict and godly Discipline of the Church most loyally obeyed and religiously observed as they ought to be in all the Christian Kingdoms and so both the witnesses by their mutuall helping and assisting one another were throughly strengthned
Mahomets daughter digested into four Books containing 206 Chapters when by Tarif and Mura his Generalls he conquered Spain and drove away Roderigo which was their last King of the Gothish blood and replenished that Kingdom with Moores and Mahometans yet persecuted he none for their Religion but onely sought to allure them to their superstitions and idolatrous service by giving Offices Sir Walter Rauleigh in the History of Mahomet pag. 103. and promising immunities liberties and promotions to those Christians that would be contented to imbrace Mahometisme And as our Saviour Christ and his Apostles never forced any man by fire and Sword to imbrace the Christian faith nor killed any one that refused the same because the true faith ought to be ingendered by perswasion and not by compulsion by preaching and not by fighting so Simon Magus that is made by some though faw wide Dr. Hammond in 2 Thes 2. to be the Antichrist spoken of by St. Paul in 2 Thes 2 3. and his Sect of Gnosticks never forced any that we read of to follow their idolatrous and Heathenish worship indeed Arius and all the rest of the Arch-Hereticks of his Sect sought to compell the Orthodox by force of Arms to leave the faith of one substance Lactan. l. 5. c. 14. and he citeth Flaccus that saith justum tenacem propositi virum non civium ardor prava jubentium non vultus instantis tyranni monte quatit solida and to become homoiousians that is similis essentiae the believers of Christ to be of the like substance with his Father and so to imbrace the Heresies that they invented as I have shewed you before for as Lactantius saith quis imponat mihi necessitatem vel credendi quod nolim vel quod velim non credendi who can compell me either to believe what I list not or not to believe what I will and he saith most truly that there is nothing more free then Religion which the minde no sooner withstandeth but forthwith it vanisheth and is no more Religion when as constraint bringeth in dissimulation and maketh Hypocrites to worship thy power but not thy God therefore King Theodoric did say very well that he could not command Religion because no man can be inforced to believe against his will and Justus Lipsius bids thee over run all Europe in thine imagination and thou shalt see that by these severe proceedings that is of fire and Sword Cities are rahter overthrowen Lipsius polit l. 4. c. 4. and I may add Kingdoms ruined then made religious because those things that do rest in opinion are altered rather by teaching then by commanding by instructing then by threatning and therefore as when we finde any discord in our instruments we do not in a rage break the strings but reduce them to concord by patience and leasure so should we do with them that dissent from us in matters of faith The Christian saith and true Religion not to be forced by fire and sword rather seek to convert them by brotherly perswasion then cut them off by an hostile compulsion and he citeth Cassiodore St. Bernard and St. Augustine to be of the same judgement and then concludeth that 4th Chapter of his 4th Book with unfaigned Prayers and sighes to God that men would endeavour to redress and amend their Brethren in the points of faith and Religion after such a course which indeed is the onely Christian course that is chalked out by Christ And yet The Parallel I would fain know if this last warre and our last persecution that was raised up by the long Parliament that is supposed by wise men to be this beast that is the Antichrist was not meerly for Religion pretended to have the Gospel truly preached and the service of God rightly and truly administred which was the incessant Song of the Instruments of that persecution but was it not indeed to suppress the true service of God Let my Reader judge whether it was so or not in the persecution raised by the long Parliament and under that fair pretence to destroy the purest nationall Church both for Doctrine and Discipline that was now extant upon the earth which is the treading of the holy City under foot c. 11.2 and was it not intended by the Dragon that used those his Instruments for this end and is not this most apparent both by the Covenant that was so eagerly pressed to be taken by all hands and by those that were so furiously pursued that refused it and also by the cause the cause that every one of those furious fighters cryed and redoubled their cry to be the cause that moved them to warre against the witnesses and to persecute all the true faithfull Christians let the whole Kingdom judge And therefore I do undoubtedly conclude I know how variously Authours differ about the beginning and ending of the 1000 years of Satans binding and it is too tedious to relate it and I set down what I conceive most probable saith the Reverend Authour of the Revelation unrevealed pag 451. that Satans 1000 years imprisonment began about 620. or 630. in the Reign of Heraclius and was determined and ended in or about 1620 or 1630. about 35. or 45. years agoe in the Reign of King Charles at which time Satan for our sins was by the just judgement of God loosened and set at liberty to whip and scourge us with new persecutions of fire and sword and all other their concomitant miseries and that not to bring us to any temporall or civill subjection as was the chiefest aym of the Turks against the Grecians but principally to drive us to renounce the truth of our Religion and to omit the duties of our profession and the service that we justly owe both to God and man to abandon the long received lyturgie of the Church that was weeded from all drosse and sealed with the blood of holy Martyrs and to imbrace a new invented Directory imposed upon us by some few retrograde impostors which is a persecution against conscience and so the greatest persecution in the world and far worse then the affliction that Pharaoh imposed upon the Israelites that being for his own worldly service and this to drive us from Gods service and the like whereof I remember not to have read executed in all the Turkish History nor could I find the like in all the time afore shewed in any place by any Tyrant since the Reign of Heraclius the successor of Phocas to these very dayes and so now Satan being set at liberty and as Edwards saith Hell broken loose he stands upon the Sands of the Sea to trample our Governours and Government under feet and then as I said before St. John seeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beast arising out of the Sea And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a diminutive word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. The Vision of the first beast that signifieth
the same method as the 7th did And I heard it demanded very often if any Beast any like them with whom St. Paul fought at Ephesus or any other Beast in the world did or could possibly more evenly immitate passibus aequis even to a haire and over immitate that wicked Apostata in all points of subtlety and cruelty and specially in this preposterous and most odious course now specified against the Messengers of Christ for the quite rooting out of them and their Message the Gospel of Christ as the Rump Parliament hath done for as Julian did before them The Parallel so did not they by the same course of plundering and ejecting the Clergy and taking away all livelihood from the Bishops and other grave Doctors and Preachers cause many learned men even all whose names are not written in the Book of life as the Holy Ghost speaketh and some that seemed Starres and not of the least lustre in the firmament of the Church to fall from Heaven and to start aside like a broken Bowe and rather to follow the indirect Directory of the Parliament then for the observance of the direct form of serving God to forgoe their rich Rectories yea and did they not cause them to take the mark and Livery of that Beast and against their Consciences to take the Covenant of the Beast and so to forswear themselves that they might preserve their Lands and their Livings which otherwise they must have forgone as they saw others do in every place Quam sunt laudandi qui te florente juventa sprevere luxus deliciasque tuas So bewitching a thing is the love of this World as Demas can well testifie and all that have not learned St. Peters lesson to forsake all and to follow Christ and so you see how the 8th that is the Beast is of the 7th and practiceth the same acts and the same wayes as the 7th did Or else we may understand these words the 8th is of the 7 to signifie that this Beast is of the same subtlety cruelty and condition and hath as much gall and bitterness in him against the true Church and the true servers of God as all or any one of all the other 7. had So that you can finde no villany or mischief in any or in all the other 7. but you shall finde the same fully in this Beast that hath as many heads and more heads himself then all the other 7. Kings had and indeed this Exposition is most agreeable to the Originall Text that doth not say the 8th is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 7th but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the seven And whosoever readeth the first and second part What the Authour of the History of Independency saith of the long Parliament and especially the third part of the History of Independency I should wonder if he finde it not there shewed that all the devices conspiracies hypocrifies and cruelties of those Kings or Emperours here mentioned yea and Parallel 7 times 7 more unto them are not reaching and answerable to the plots and devices iniquity and impiety of the long Parliament conceived by some men as I said before to be this beast to possess the estates destroy the liberties take away the lives of Gods Servants and to overthrow the true service and Religion of Jesus Christ for the Authour of that History proveth evidently as he saith by the very Acts and Votes the Ordinances and writings of that long Parliament that they are more bloody and cruel then the proscriptions of Sylla more unreasonable then the Articles of High Treason that were made by the Duke de Alva then which the Devill could not devise much worse and that their High Court of Justice is a new Slaughterhouse for the murthering of the free Subjects of Ingland without any just proceeding but in all things contrary to all the Lawes and Statutes of this Land which are there abundantly produced by that Authour to make good his assertion and to condemn that Court and their proceedings therein for usurpation treason tyranny The History of Independency part 3. p. 42. theft and murther for which illegall arbitrary and most barbarous bloody proceedings every mans hands would be about their eares if they did not keep an Army of Janizaries to suppress them saith that Authour And what viler baser and more abominable things then these could any beast any Antichrist or any Devill devise to do I cannot tell but I leave it to my Reader to judge whether these things be true or not CAP. II. The 10 Horus of the Beast who they are and what they may signifie their Crowns what they signifie their blasphemy the three chief properties of the Leopard how agreeable to the long Parliament of the feet and mouth of the Beast what they betoken of the power and authority of the Beast and the head that was mortally wounded who or what is meant thereby and how the Beast shall continue to make Warre 2. 2. Of the 10. Horns of the Beast IT is said that the beast had ten horns and the Holy Ghost expoundeth the meaning of this expression in the 17th Chapt v. 12. saying that these 10 horns are 10 Kings which have received no Kingdom but receive power as Kings with the Beast whereupon Junius to make good his former Interpretation of the Beast saith hos decem Reges jam olim numeraverunt circumscripserunt multi these Kings long agoe many have numbred and described to be 10 which did arise and spring out of the Roman Empire Junius in annotat in c. 13. in c. 17. quum politicum illud imperium arte pontificum maxime capit labascere when that civill Empire began by the craft and subtlety of the Popes to fall unto decay and Mr. Mede names these Kings to be 1. Vortimer 2. Hengist 3. Childeric 4. Gunderic 5. Theodoric 6. Viciarins 7. Gensericus 8. Sumanus 9. Theodomir 10. Marcianus Alcazar saith that these 10 Horns do signifie Polyarchiam Romanorum Mr. Mede in his Apostat of the latter times p. 82. Anno 456. the multitude of the Roman Senators which gave their strength and power by which they formerly ruled unto the Emperour and Cornâ—a Lapide saith these 10 Horns are 10 Kings equibus tres profligabit antichristus caeteri septem territi ei sponte se subdent whereof three shall be vanquished by the Antichrist as Daniel saith of the little horn tres Reges deprimet he shall suppress three Kings and the other seven being terrified that is by the humbling of those three shall willingly submit themselves unto him and it may be the three Kings that A Lapide speaketh of might be 1. The King of Ingland The Parallel A Lapide his Exposition how fulsilled M. Mede names the other three which the Pope suppressed p. 83. 2. The King of Scotland 3. The King of Ireland and the other seven that is most of the Neigh
bestia pro idolotria intelligitur quia idolum adoratur non idolctria and be their assistants in their unjust proceedings for though to worship the Beast here signifieth no more then to be subject unto him and to do civil service unto him because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the use of the Hebrew betokeneth nothing else but civil worship as you may see in Gen. 27.29 and c. 37.7 and c. 49.8 and in 45.14 and so the words Who is able to make war with him v. 4. do shew that their worship was no divine worship but onely to be subject unto him yet here you may observe that the worshippers that is the servers assistants and adherents of this prosperous Beast are said to worship the Dragon to shew unto us that all those which do any wayes serve the Beast beyond truth and against right do indeed therein the service of the Devil to inlarge the Dominion of the Antichrist and to increase the power of the Beast against the servants of Christ and therefore 2. It followeth v. 5 There was given unto the Beast and you may easiy guesse 2. The two things that were given to the Beast who gave him these things which God never giveth These two things 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mouth speaking great things V 5. The Parallel The first thing and blasphemies magna loqui non solum est blasphemias in coelum jactare sed etiam tumide superbe sive se laudando sive hostibus victis insultando saith Maresius pag. 124. to speak proudly of our selves or to insult over those whom we subdue may here be well understood by this speaking great things 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to make war 42 moneths Matth 49. Such Mermaids live that promise onely joy but he that yields himself they soon destroy saith the Poet. The second thing Mares p. 124. And both these things were fully given and are every way aplicable to that long Parliament as it is conceived and I suppose rightly for 1. Who ever promised greater things to any King then the Parliament promised to King Charls you may remember their very words to make him a most glorious King both feared abroad and honoured at home but as the Devil said to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these things will I give thee but upon this condition that thou wilt fall down and worship me where the work was a 1000000 times and more surpassing the Reward so the King conceived they would deal with him i. to make him glorious in their account but so that he would be ruled by them and suffer them to rule the rost and to govern all his three Kingdoms which was usura superans sortem a making of him glorious to his losse and not without dishonour and for their blasphemies I have touched the same before 2. Power was given unto the Beast to continue saith our laft Translation forty two moneths and so Mr. Mede brings divers proofs to shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be taken in the signification of continuing as it is in Acts 15.13 and 18.23 2 Cor. 11.25 James 4.13 in all which places and the like I do yield that the word must be so taken That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facio doth not properly signifie to continue nor especially so in this place v. 7. Cap. 11.2 as Mr. Mede saith for continuing but the taking of it so in those places is no apodictical Argument to prove that it must be taken so here in this place but rather the contrary because that although some Greek Copies omit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet the ordinary Copies say that power was given to the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make war 42 moneths which is agreeable to what is said v. 7. that it was given him to make war with the Saints that is for 42 moneths which is the same time and expressed in the very same words as the Gentiles that is the unbelieving the prophane worldlings and the dissembling hypocrites should tread the holy City that is the true Church and the faithfull servants of Christ under foot and now let us consider whether this may be applicable to the Parliament and you know that Parliament made wars and wars indeed the worst of all wars Valerius Maximus lib. 5. in the judgement of heathens Civil wars nullos habitura triumphos where oftentimes the father fights against the son and the brother kills his brother as we read they did in the wars of Sertorius this the Parliament cannot deny But how long the Beast should continue to make war it is not so easily to be understood How long the Beast should continue to make war the Holy Ghost saith he shall continue to make war 42 moneths and the question is what time is signified by these 42 moneths Mr. Mede would have these 42 moneths to synchronize with the womans 1200 and 70 dayes abode in the wildernesse and so the time of the Antichrist continuing should be 1200 and 60. years at the least but though the womans abode in the wildernesse being 1200 and 60 dayes That these 42 moneths do not synchronize with the 1200. and 60. dayes Cap. 10.2 So Maresius expoundeth these 42 moneths for the continuance of the Roman Empire ab urbe condita ad mortem Odoacri in anno 493. to be just 1260. years Three years and a half or thereabouts will be the treading down of the holy City may be interpreted for 1200. and 60 years yet with his leave I say that this proves not the 42 moneths should likewise signifie 1200. and 60 years because that 42 lunar moneths do not make up just 1200 and 60 dayes and if you understand the Solar moneths and the Suns passage through the Zodiac then there is no reason the expression should be altered no more then be doth in expressing the treading of the holy City under foot which doth synchronize and betokeneth the same time with this continuance of the Beast to make war and besides though we find so many dayes to signifie so many years and so many weeks to signifie so many years as there be dayes in those weeks because the dayes of Septimana a week are certain how many they are yet because the dayes of so many moneths are uncettain how many they are except you do expressely set down whether you mean the Solar or the Lunar moneths I cannot remember a Parallel Text in all the Scriptures where so many moneths do signifie so many years as there be dayes in those moneths and therefore the most part of all the interpreters both old and new do expound this time of the Beast that is of the Antichrist to be three years and a half which 42 moneths doth make and throughout all which time the Beast should continue to make war as is said here and should by his adherents and associats tread
ordinarily and alwayes when he came to the Temple Matth. 21.14 and opportunity offered him so to do and St. Matthew saith that the blind and the lame came to him in the Temple and he healed them and so must we come to him into his Temple if we desire to be healed of our infirmities and so the Apostles and Disciples of Christ after his ascention into Heaven met and worshipped God in the Temple Act. 2.46 c. 5.25 and when the Christians began to be multiplied they presently erected Churches and consecrated them for Gods service as you may see in 1 Cor. 11.22 and from the 14th Chapter of the said Epistle where the Apostle bids the women to be silent in the Church which must not be understood of any other House or Congregation but the Congregation that meeteth for Gods service in Gods House And because that place was set apart from all prophane uses for to pray to God and to preach unto the people and to do all other exercises of Religion as administring the Sacraments catechizing the youths collecting the alms for the poor and the like services of the Lord and was hallowed and sanctified by the prayers of the Bishop onely for that end and that God hath promised his more speciall presence for our help and assistance in a most speciall manner in that House more then in any other place 2 Chron. 6. as you may see by Solomons prayer therefore the true Saints and servants of God did ever honour and reverence this very place of Gods Worship more then any Chamber of presence of the greatest Monarch in the World and none but prophane Atheists wicked Hereticks and the members and adherents of this Beast that are worse then the worst of worldlings have ever abused prophaned or blasphemed these materiall Churches whereof the Prophet saith holiness becometh thy house for ever for Though originally In what sence all things are alike holy and in respect of their own nature all places are alike holy and so are all persons all dayes and all meates and so all other things that are ejusdem speciei of the same kind they are all alike holy and there is no difference nor any more Sanctity or Holiness in the one then in the other being all alike Holily created by God Yet if we consider Gods designation of any of these things and the Sanctification In what sense some things are more holy then others For the further clearing of this point I desire the Reader to look into Mr. Mede's learned Discourse de sanctitate relativa and his answer to Dr. Twisse pag 660 and in Levit. 19.30 of the same by the appointment of God for such and such uses in the service of God then you shall find a great deale of difference betwixt the one and the other and a great deale of a relative accidentall Holiness in and belonging to the one more then to the other otherwise what difference will you make betwixt the common bread that we eat of the finest Wheat Flower and the most Holy and Blessed bread of the Holy Eucharist or the Lords Supper but the Sanctifying of it by Prayers for this use to be the Body and Blood of Christ this makes the difference so that now after the consecration of it with the words of Christ hoc est Corpus meum we cannot without prophaneness and a mighty offence give the same to Doggs or unbelieving Jewes or any other that we know to be altogether unworthy of it as we can give the other bread that is made of the same lump to either of these without any offence or what difference is there betwixt one day and another but because the Lord designed the 7th day to be set apart for his Service and hallowed it for that end therefore it is more Holy then all the other six dayes and so are the dayes and feasts that are appointed by the Church to honour God in them as the Commemoration of Christs Nativity Circumcision Resurrection Ascention and other dayes of Thanksgiving for some speciall blessings and extraordinary favours that as on those dayes we have received from God which none will prophane but the neglectors of Gods honour and the prophaners of his Service So what difference or what Holiness is there naturally betwixt one man and another but when the Lord chooseth one before another to be his Servant to be sent as his Embassador to Preach his Word and to administer his Sacraments and causeth him to be consecrated or hallowed by Prayers and impositions of hands for that purpose there is a great deale of difference betwixt them and much additionall Holiness in the one more then in the other in so much that our Saviour saith of these men he that receiveth you receiveth me Luc. 10.16 Zech. 2.8 and he that despiseth you despiseth me and the Lord saith of them he that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine eye and you see this difference in the Embassadors and other Officers of Kings Princes and Potentates whom we honour and reverence more then others because they are deputed and Authorized to be the Judges Sherifs or other Officers of the Kingdome where they are designed so to be and so likewise what difference or what Holiness is there in one place more then in another in the Church ground more then in the Barne floore surely not any at all originaliter in respect of themselves but when such a piece of ground is designed and dedicated for Gods Service and consecrated by Prayers for that purpose and God promiseth his presence to be more especially there for our comfort then in any other ordinary place then certainly there is a great deale of difference and a great deale of Holiness in that place and Consecrated ground more then in any other common ground whatsoever Therefore Jacob said of the place where God shewed his presence to him Gen. 28.17 this is Gods house and the gate of Heaven and the Lord said unto Moses Exod. 3.5 pull off thy shoes from thy feet for the place where thou standest is Holy ground and why was that ground more Holy then any other ground not in respect of any innate Holiness but because the Lord revealed himself there to Moses more then in any other place and I pray you look what the Spirit of God injoyneth us to do when we come into Gods House Eccles 5.2 for if we make no difference of these things but that every man that will may intrude himself to do the Service which God requireth to be done by another and he may do that Service any where in any one place as well as in another in a Common Barne as well as in a Holy Church then surely we need not observe any time when any one day is as good and as Holy as another the Munday as well as the Lords day and so confounding persons times and places we shall confound all Religion and
of the Beast supposed by the persecuted Saints to be that long Parliament And for those that have so much wondered at the Victories and successes of that Parliament and are thereby seduced to take them for the true Saints and their doings just and well-pleasing unto God and the poor persecuted party to be rejected of him and their cause displeasing in his sight when they see them thus subdued and subjected unto them delivered up by God into the hands of their enemies to be robbed and killed if they submit not themselves to be ruled and governed by their Lawes I would desire them onely to consider who can deny the Jewes to be Gods own peculiar people and a chosen Generation that made their boast of God Psal 44.9 and professed that they would prayse his name for ever and the Heathens to be Gods professed enemies and Idolaters that worshipped stocks and stones for Gods v. 10. and yet in the very next verse of the same 44 Psalm it is said but now O God thou art farre off and puttest us to confusion and geest not forth with our Armies thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies which were Atheists and Idolaters and hast scattered us among the Heathen which had not known Gods name and they that hate us spoil our goods which is the very case of the Kings friends in these Kingdoms Psal 79.6 and in the 79 Psalm the Prophet saith O God the Heathen are come into thine Inheritance thine holy Temple have they defiled and made Hierusalem a heap of stones and we are become an open shame to our enemies a very scorn and derision to them that are round about us And though all this came upon them Psal 44.18 yet as the Prophet testifieth they did not forget God nor behaved themselves frowardly in his Covenant neither were their hearts turned back as I hope nor ours nor their steps gone out of the way no not when they were smitten into the place of Dragons v. 19. and covered with the shadow of death but they were still Gods beloved people his Saints and his Children when they were thus beaten and spoyled and even eaten up like sheep as we are now by those ravenous Wolves that were none of Gods people but the Rods of his fury to chastize that people which were his Servants though now offending their Master for which they are chastized And therefore men should not judge our case by our distress nor approve of the Parliaments proceedings by their successes when we assure our selves and they might believe it it is now with us as it was then with the Jewes and our losses loose us nothing nor do their gettings gain them any thing being all laid up in a broken bag for the Victories and prosperity of the wicked puffs them up with pride and a high conceit of their own Sanctity and deserts and so makes them far worse then they were before but the adversities and defeats of Gods Servants their beating and their spoyling humbleth them and causeth them to run to God to confess how justly they have deserved the same and to implore his pardon and deliverance as well knowing that there is no place to flie a Deo irato nisi ad Deum placatum and so they are made by their miseries better then they were before in their felicity Mala quae nos hic premunt ad Deum ire compellunt because as St. Augustine saith pari motu exagitatum horribiliter faetet caenum suaviter fragrat unguentum the stirring of a Dunghill or any filthy puddle raiseth stink but the stirring up of Oyntment makes a very sweet and pleasant smell so though the punishment of the wicked drives them with Saul to despair of Gods help and to run unlawfull courses to Witches and Wizards the chastisements of Gods Servants drive them with David to cry to God both for his pardon and for his help and cause them with Daniel to behave themselves submissively as they ought while he was under the rule of Nebucadnezar Therefore wise men should not judge of the equity of things by the success of things when the very Heathen man could say Careat successibus opto Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putat Let him want all good success that judgeth actions by the success for if you please to look into Jeremiah 12.1 2 3 Psal 37.7.10.35 36. Psal 73.3 4 5. 18 19 and 20. verses and Psal 92.7 and into many of the like places of the Book of Job you shall find that the more men prosper in their bad wayes the more sure they are to be destroyed and the more fearfull shall be their destruction And so Victories and Successes such as Daniel speaks of the Victories of Antiochus and such as the Holy Ghost sets down in this Chapter the Victories of the Beast over Christs Saints though we confess them to come from the hand of God without whose providence a sparrow cannot light upon the ground yet we avouch them to be no infallible signes of Gods love to the Victors or of his approbation of their actions to be just and blameless in his fight when as we know he gives the Victory to many men and those Victors are neither approved by God for just nor their doings as they are done by them acceptable unto God but he doth many times bate and abhorre their very proceedings even in those things and at that time when himself gives them a power to prevail and he will in his good time severely punish them for those their misdeeds which he himself in his secret judgement suffered them to effect yea and gave them ability to bring them to passe even as I shewed he not onely prospered and gave the Victory to the Inhabitants of Ai Josh 7.5 against the Children of Israel and to the Tribe of Benjamin against their Brethren in two severall Battles but he also raised called annointed strengthened and assisted Jehu that profest himself as zealous for the Lords honour as any man could be 2 Reg. 10. to make him as victorious over the idolatrous House of Ahab to root out all his Posterity even 70. Sonnes at a clap as the long Parliament hath been over the good King Charles and his off-spring and yet the Lord saith and I would the beast here spoken of would consider it he Would require or avenge the blood of Ahab and the blood of those 70. Children Josh 1.4 no doubt that were innocent and causlesly caused to be slain at the hands or upon the house of Jehu And so without question the just God in his good time when he maketh inquisition for blood will avenge the innocent blood of all those holy Martyrs that hath been unjustly spilt in our last Warre for as the Prophet saith right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and the voice of their blood doth cry aloud like Abels blood
that they may not go thither But least I should condemne all alike you must as I said before distribute the whole Classis of Presbyterians into these two parts 1. The plaine timide unwilling and unskilfull Presbyterians in the plots and practises and cunning devises of their Elder Brethren and the other kind of Presbyterians for these like well of the Episcopall Government and could very willingly conform themselves to the former discipline of our Church but for fear of want and losse of Livings they are unwillingly drawn to comply though more moderately with the rest of the Presbyterians and these I love and pitty and as they are moderate men so I would have all men moderate in their censures of them 2. The rough rigid and proud polypragmaticall plotting Presbyterians Where you may see the Author held the same Principles in his younger years as now he doth in his old age that for those causes and reasons which I have set down in my resolution of Pilate well nigh fifty yeares ago have and do start aside from their faith given and from their duties and obedience to the Governours and Government of the Church and with all their wits wealth power and abilities do strive and labour rather to ruine the whole Church and to bring all things to confusion then to be overswayed in their opinions and be brought to any subjection their high mindes cannot any wayes bend they are like oakes not willowes and these are this second beast whose wayes I hate with a perfect hatred and think them well worthy our Saviours censure to be heaten with many stripes because they know their Masters mind and do it not and in that respect are far worse then the worst men that were in that long Parliament And here I would have all men to observe how these two beasts How the two beasts combine themselves together the feven headed and the two horned beast do combine and unite themselves to effect all their purposes and joyne together hand and heart to assist each other in all their projects whereby it appeareth most manifest that the Great Antichrist consisteth of Tyrannizing Magistrates and false Prophets of a secular Authority and a spirituall or Ecclesiasticall directory all is but one grand Enemy of Christ and one Army of the Dragon though disposed by their Prince into two speciall Regiments CHAP. II. Why this second beast is said to be risen out of the earth what is meant by the two hornes of this beast and the two things signified by them what it is to speake like the Dragon Of the wonders or miracles of the Beast all false in respect of the foure speciall causes of true miracles and of the fire that this Beast bringeth down from Heaven what it signifieth BUt now having understood who is meant and to be understood by this second Beast that is as all Interpreters agree the Preachers and the Proclaimers of the goodness and the piety of the Antichrist which is conceived to be the Presbyterians Independants and Lay Preachers of the Long Parliament we are to proceed to the description of this Beast and his actions both his words and his works which will make the former Exposition that sheweth who he is the more plain unto you For 1. Why this beast is said to be raised out of the earth Jan. in Annot. in hâ—â—oe Mr. Mede in loc page 65. He is said verse 11. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Beast risen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the earth that is saith Junius quia haec bestia est terrae filia id est obscure natae pedetentim emergens ex âbiectione sua because those Ecclesiasticall Prelates he meanes the Pope and his Cardinalls were sprung up out of obscure flocks meane parentage and poore beginnings and by little and little erept into the height and highest step of all earthly dignity and with him Mr. Mede almost agreeth in words as he doth in sence saying that he is sprung from the lowest condition or rather because he is sprung up secretly without noice like herbes out of the earth Mares p. 138. which Exposition though among so many Popes fome of them sprung from meane parentage as Sixtus 5. was the son of a heardsman Benedict 12. of a baker Vrban 4. of a shoemaker and some others so meane that we know neither their Sir-names nor their Countrey yet can it not be applicable to the Roman-Clergy when as I told you before the men signified by the first Beast that rose out of the Sea that is from the vulgar and common people were of meaner abstract and of farr worse breeding then the Roman Cardinalls and Bishops were whereof divers were Princes even by birth and the children of Nobles of Princes and of Kings as not onely the Records of Spain but also to go no further the Chronicles of our own Kingdom do sufficiently testifie therefore I rather conceive this beast is said to be risen out of the Earth because their hearts and soules were like Demases onely earthly glued to these vanities and bewitched with the love of this present world 1 Cor. 15.47 even as St. Paul saith the first man is of the earth earthy and as is the earthy such are they that are earthy so are the men signified by this beast earthy and worldly though of all others they ought to have been as they professed themselves to be most heavenly for so St. Paul tells Titus Titus 1.12 1 Pet 2.3 Jude v. 11. that they teach things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake and St. Peter saith that through covetousness they shall with faigned words make Merchandize of you and St. Jude saith they run greedily after the error of Balâ—am that is for reward and St. Paul tells us plainly that they which cause division and offences Rom. 16 17 18. The Parallele The Assembly of Presbyters and the rest of the pre-byterians most worldly contrary to the doctrine which you have learned serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly that is to get the things of this world to satisfie their fleshly lusts but for their earthliness their covetousness and in justice in taking and possessing their brethrens livings and livlihoods it is so well known that I need not speak of it but onely to say with St. Paul thou that teachest another not to steal doest thou steale thou that wouldest have thy Parishioners to be just wilt thou be unjust and take the bread out of thy brothets mouth take heed how thou wilt answer this at the last day And I believe that if the Assembly of Presbyters and the rest of the Independant and Lay-Preachers had not been very worldly and most earthly minded ambitious of greatness and desirous to be wealthy and to have the honour to beare rule and to be as the Scribes and Pharisees coveted to be great among the people they would never have caused such division
but not right beause his Highness the Lord Protector gave life and being to that pettyte Parliament but the false prophet the assemblie at Westminster and their disciples gave life and breath to the other the long Parliament and to their impieties which were but the very image of this false prophet which was the primum mobile the first author and the first wheel that moved all the rest to act and doe all the evill that hath been done in these Kingdomes and therefore as the teachers of all wickednesse are by our Saviours testimonie to be accounted the least that is none at all in the kingdome of heaven but the greatest and well deserving the greatest punishment in the place that is provided for them so are they if they pray not for grace to repent And yet notwithstanding all these transcendent impieties of these Presbyterians it is a wonder to me that the people should be so affected and so wedded to the new Presbyterian government that never yet attained to the age of some men The inconstancie of the people But as the people in the begining of the long Parliament were mad to have Monarchy rooted out of the world and to erect a Common-wealth and to have a state government yet when they had it they were soon wearie of it and were as mad and more mad to have it cashiered so though they be now mad after that Presbyterian government yet I doubt not but after they have it a while and felt the smart of it they will he soon weary of it and be as mad to have it changed for that at the last they shall perceive their own error and finde that those were the leaders and the Teachers of them that murdered our King destroyed the Bishops and did all the mischiefe that hath been perpetrated And will the People or Parliament as they have done most justly condemn the Actors that were but the schollers Remember whose auditors were the murderers of the King and not onely suffer the Teachers to go free but also magnifie them to be their Masters still or will they punish the poore hares for their trespass and gratifie the crafty Foxes for their wickedness for I beseech you tell me whose Schollars and whose Auditors were those King murderers the Bishops or the Presbyterians the whole Kingdom knoweth and the setting up of these Teachers may prove to be the setting forward of the like tragedy Verbum sapienti sat est But to proceed it is said in the same ver 15. that the image of the beast The first ten horned beast animated by the false prophet acteth two things 1. thing that is the first seven headed and ten horned beast having received life and breath by the meanes of the false Prophet the two horned beast whose image the the first beast was as I shewed unto you did presently act and work these two observable things 1. To speake and to make orders and ordinances that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many as would not worship that is himselfe which was nothing else hut the very representation of the false prophet should be killed 2. To cause all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both small and great 2. Thing rich and poor free and bond to receive a marke or as the originall hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some copies read it that he should give them a marke or marks in their right hand or wrist or arme Rhodiginus l. 5. c. 53. saith servants were branded in their foreheads soldiers in their hands Vege◠l. 2. c. 5. which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fignifieth all from the hand to the sholder and which aludeth to the custome of Syria and the neighbour countreys that used even as our own Countrey formerly did and yet sometimes doe to weare badges on their armes to demonstrate whose servants they were or in their foreheads as the Roman servants did and the Soldiers used to doe to signifie to what Master or Captaine they did belong and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name for so Lipsius saith that they were branded in the hands and marked with the name of their their general or the Emperor Lipsius de milit rom l. dialog Revel f 14 1. that they served and so the followers of the Lambe as contrary to the followers of the beast are said to have his fathers name written in their foreheads which was likewise done to shew to whom they belonged that so by the sight of these marks and tokens they might buy and sell and have all the other priviledges and benefits that belonged to such servants De Sheld pag 15. Yet you must not thinke this marke of the beast to be a corporeall marke to be ingraven by incision or to be burnt by inustion as the fashion of men is to do with their cattell in the heads or upon the foreheads of the followers of the beast for to dream of such a marke were to contemn all learned antiquity and to fall into a laborinth of contrarieties absurdities and impossibilities but as the marks of Christ his flock and his fathers name written in their foreheads are not any reall marks by incision or inustion but the profession of his faith and obedience to his law with the acceptance of some godly Sacraments King James in his premotion haeg 111. and religious Ceremonies for the testifing of the same so the marke of the beast must be conceived to be metaphoricall as King James sheweth by some rite of profession and misticall by some rite of obedience and subjection unto the beast as that in the forehead must be some plain and publique act or thing whereby the authority and government of the beast is professed that in the hand must be likewise some mpious act or Ceremonie The paralel I onely demand if that the Parliament after it received life from the false Prophet acted not the foresaid things that the beast is said to doe 1. The first thing either accepted of in our hands or subscribed to under our hands whre by subjection and obedience to that beast is professed to be performed And here I would faine know if the long parliamtnt did not act and doe those two forenamed things that this image of the beast is said to have done and thereby to have imitated the Romans and Syrians in the main point and to have fulfilled this prediction of the doings of the beast to a hair For 1. Did they not speake and speake loud enough by their votes orders and ordinances that as many as would not worship them the image of the beast and the actors of all things according as the Presbyterian assembly out of Gods Word doe prescribe and approve of their doings i. e. contribute to their war submit unto their power and assist them against the King their goods should
among the people and the Antichrist began to appear in Gods Church but if it be so that it is to denote the time of his rising it agreeth far better with the long Parliament for omitting one thousand which is a full and a perfect number and which is not an unusual thing in Scripture to omit one part and to set down the other especially to make the matter mysterious and not to be understood by all but as our Saviour saith by them onely Matth. 13.11 In page 109. to whom it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven Et exploratum est atque compertum habraes alios numerum mille narium in calculis ratiocinisque suis omittere solitos ut Munsterus Calendario suo haebraico p. 6. optimè indicat Basil edit 20. Au. 1527. And as a late Divine saith very well a thousand years being the number of perfection and eternity it is seldome used to be expressed in our ordinary computes but it is usually left out for brevities sake as we say the Spanish Armado was in 588. for 1588. and the Gun-powder plot was in 605. for 1605. and so forth of the like and then confider that in Anno 1646. the great Sunedrion the Parliament A thing which I believe never any subject in any other kingdom durst presume to ask Balaeus makes it to begin in the time of Boniface the third about 607. l. 3 fol. 39. and expounds the 666. to be expired after Hierusalem was taken by Pompey l. 3. fol. 37. Feuard in notis in Iraen l. 5. c 30. Sixt. Senensis Bibl. l 2. pag. 9 and others have collected 12. names that contain 666. Vide Thomson de Antich pag. 44. c. Chytr in Apoc. c. 13. Bibl. ad Chronolog tabula 11. Bellarm de Rom. Pontif. l. 3. c. 10. Names that do contain the number of 666. demanded of the King to have the Militia that is the strength and Soveraign power and rule over the King and kingdom whereby they might unmake and make what Lawes what Warres what Peace and whatsoever else pleased themselves for the full space of 20. years which 20. years being added to 1646. and we shall find that they do make the just number of 666. And therefore this their demand cohereth with the fulfilling of this mystery if it be to be referred to the time of the birth and coming of this beast as all the Divines of Magdesborough and many other learned men think it is though they do not all agree about the beginning of that time But you will say the Holy Ghost telleth us it is the number of a man therefore Luther and Calvin do think that Boniface the third who first took the name of Vniversal Bishop from the Emperour Phocas the murderer of his own Master Mauritius about the year 600. to be the first originall of this beast and the great Antichrist but Cornel à lapide answereth that the taking the name of Vniversall Bishop doth neither shew the number of the beast nor prove the Pope to be the Antichrist because we find that Leo the first in the Councill of Chalcedon and other Bishops before Boniface were called Papae aecumenici Universal Bishops therefore Alcazar saith the name that in the Greek letters conteineth the number of 666. and sheweth the natural properties of the beast is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pride of life and truly I know not how the Parliament and Presbyterians can quit themselves from this mark when it was their pride and haughty spirits that spurned them on to do all the mischief that they did but that excellent Cronologer Chytraeus and Bibliander and others do collect out of Irenaeus l. 5. c. 30. that first found out this number in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Pope which is now the Latine Prince and rules in Italy must needs be this beast and the Antichrist to which charge Bellarmine answereth and confutes this conceit because the word Latinus as it signifieth Romanus a Roman is not and ought not to be written with et but with a single iotu and then it wanteth five of the number and besides Latinus noteth rather the name of the countrey then of the person and I have shewed you many reasous to Prove that the Pope cannot be meant by this beast and therefore the beast cannot be signified by Latinus unlesse you mean that he is the greatest enemy to Latinus that is to the Pope and to the Latine service as the Parliament profest himself to be Rupertus and Haymo say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is like to be the name of the beast because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Seductor Gentium a deceiver of the Nations as the Holy Ghost saith the beast should do and it containeth the just number of 666. and this likewise agreeth very well with the late long Parliament who as I believe hath many wayes deceived the people and the nations round about him more and worse then any beast living Hyppel in orat de Consum Mundi Hypolitus and Primasius say the beast taketh his denomiuation from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nego which containeth 666. and signifieth to deny because that as Trajan and Decius requireth the Christians to deny Christ so the beast the Antichrist would have them that were Christians to deny their Baptisme which is the badge and them mark of Christ and of our incorporation into Christ and now we see all the Parliament Anabaptists and most of their Independants which both together I think were the most prevalent party of that Parliament deny their former Baptisme very stiffely and therefore must needs be the beast according to Primasins and Hyppolitus Anselmus Richardus and Tyconius say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth agree with the number of the beast and signifieth honori contrarius because the Beast should trample all Honour and even the honour and reverence that we owe to God under-foot and doth not this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agree passing well with that Parliament that hath put down King Dukes Lords Bishops And all of them may fitly be applyed to the Long Parliament and the House of Peeres and all other Titles of Honour and hath placed all Titles of Dignity Rule and Authority in the Plebeyans the common and the vulgar sort of people and have they not also throwen away and hindered any Reverent gesture and decency of behaviour to be used in the Service of God and therefore in this respect I suppose that Parliament might justly be termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the beast according to these mens judgement because that like a beast they have shewed themselves contrary to all Honour which the Apostles do require to be observed of all Christians Arethas and some others say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containeth 666. Rom. 12.10 1 Pet 2 17. Hefiod in Theog Natalis Com. Mytholog l. 6. c. 20. and fignifieth a Giant to shew
paralel Whom I never read to have done things so unjustly as that Parliament did utterly to undoe so many men and never tell them what evill they have done there shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world no nor ever shall be math 24.21 and upon the words of the revelation where satan is said to be let loose c. 20. v. and Hypolitus Cyrillus Isidorus and others doe collect and avouch out of the scripture that the injustice and the persecution of the Antichrist will be greater and stranger and more grievous then any other of the persecutions that preceded it and therefore Bellarmine and many others both of the Roman and of the Protestant Church do make the persecution of the Antichrist to be one of the two concomitant signes whereby the saints and servauts of Christ shall know and understand that he is come into the world But the unspeakeable and unparaleled injustice cruelty and persecution of that Parliament acted against the true servants of Christ that were loyall subjects of the civill state and the faithfull Governours of the purest church that Christ had on earth intimated by the Apostle in the place before cited and lighting upon them that I specified to you before surpassed in my understanding all the persecutions that preceded it when as I shewed you in the beginning of this booke the votes ordinances and acts of that Parliament are not inferiour but as I conceive exceeding in cruelty injustice and impietie the edicts of Dioclesian or Decius or any other of the worst of the pagan persecutors Aod doth not this most plainly evince and prove that the Iuncto of united Independants and their adherents and associale Prebyterians in that long Parliament and their false Prophet that sate at Westminster to instruct them are the beasts spoken of in the Revelation c 13. and the man of sin the childe of perdition and the great antichrist that St. Paul prophesied of to come into the world 2 Thes 2 6. Another undeniable palpable signe of the antichrist is 6. Grosse Hypocrisie of the Parliament unfallible sign of the anti The partlel his more then Pharisaicall hypocrisie sitting in the Temple of God as God preaching the Gospel as an Evangelist and being in al things else as I have formerly shewed the best saint in shew and the devill in deed and so an absolute and a perfect hypocrite as the Presbyterians affirmed the Pope to be And have not that long Parliment most hypocritically besides their other doings made an act for the propagation of the Gospel and have nominated certain men of their own sect to put that act in execution throughout the thirteen shires of Wales as where they found the people most loyall to their King and more desirous to retain the true service of God amongst them then any other parts of the kingdom and therefore had more need to have their Gospel preached there amongst them but I beseech you marke how finely the darke fiend can change himselfe into an Angel of light that he might inlarge the kingdom of darkenesse for if you would rightly understand how these men have propagated the Gospel of Christ in those parts where I had an occasion to be an eye-witness of their proceeding I do assure you upon the faith of a christian they have ejected and deprived most if not all of the best preachers and grave doctors some onely for receiving their just dues others for their loyalty and some without once calling them to answer or telling them why or wherefore they were ejected and they have set their livings to Captaines and Soldiers and have shut the Churches doores and charged the right Incumbents neither to pray there nor to preach unto the people and so they have verie formally propagated the Gospel of Christ by this their good service as is conceived unto the Antichrist and yet that they might seem good gospellers to deceive the world they have got some few novices and young striplings that wanted meanes as much as they lacked learning 1 Tim 3.6 Iude v. 12. and 13. How the Parliament hath propagated the Gospel in Wales such as St. Paul speaks of and as wandring Stars and Clouds without water as St. Iude calls them or as the Pilgrime Jew that was lately talked of with one pocket Sermon or two that they got as was reported from their brethren of Wrexam and learned the same by rote which were full of the doctrines blasphemies of the times they became as they are term'd itinerant preachers to bestow a Sermon upon a congregation which they never saw before and which in all likelihood they should never see again And thus the Parliament with their wandring preachers have propagated the Gospel of Jesus Christ the clean contrarie way And who seeth not by all this and by all their other doings like this that as all divines confesse the Antichrist under the name of Christ and upon pretence to doe the best service unto Christ will be the greatest enemie of Christ so these men under the shew of propagating the Gospel have done more then all the wicked hereticks that preached or the beathen tyrants that knew not Ghrist to overthrow the true church of God and to roote out the right faith and the clear light of the Gospel from off the earth And therefore if the Parliament be not the great Antichrist but that a greater and a worse shall come into the world God O Good God I humbly beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake take me out of this world before he commeth into the world that mine eyes may not see that evill And now being wearied in prosecuting the folly and discovering the great great iniquity and impietie of that Parliament sutable to the predictions of those things that should be acted by the Antichrist and fearing that I have too much wearied my reader in the pursute of this wild beast I should here end this point What a preacher saith in a printed Sermon but that I cannot omit what a godly preacher setteh down in a a Sermon printed at London 1647. upon St Luke c. 18 vers 31.24 where he saith It hath been a long and a great dispute whether the Antichrist be come and who he is and if I be not mistaken the scripture will easily resolve this question for they that oppose themselves against Christ they that sit in the Temple and set themselves aboue all deposing and murdering Kings are not these the first and the great Antichrist when they make themselves what Christ alone is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and therefore alone hath the power to depose Kings and to dispose of their kingdomes are they not the Antichrist For the Apostle saith qui Christi sunt crucifixerunt carnem they that are Christs have crucified the flesh or fleshly lusts but qui Antichristi sunt crucifixerunt Christum Regem we may justly say they are the Antichrist
that have crucified the Lords anointed that is their King and as I may say their Preist so that by the beheading of our King and of our Bishop you have one step to the discoverie of the Antichrist and a plain step it is so that none can step from it thus far he and this his stop I shewed you in the particular sin of the Antichrist more at large Whereby you may perceive that although I have undertaken to prosecute this discoverie at large and followed the same to the full yet others whereof I might produce many are of this opinion that they would have the christian world to judge Whether the long Parliament and their assemblie of instructors at Westminster and the rest of the Presbyterians and lay preachers that were the prime sticklers to have their King killed and their Bishop beheaded and all the rest suppressed that are the two witnesses spoken of in the 11 c. and 7. v. of the Revelation as we conceive be not the two beasts that St John sawe in the 13. c. of the Revelation and the great Antichrist that so long agoe was prophecied he should come into the world to slay the witnesses to persecute the Church of God and to overthrow the Governors and Government thereof And truely reserving mine own judgement to my selfe I have found many learned judicious and godly divines that have observed some one marke of the Antichrist and some another to be most properly belonging and in everie point agreeable and fixed to that pack and knot of the enemies of Christ that I spake of which for brevities sake my booke having swollen The recapitulation of the whole booke with the poison of these two Beasts too big already I must omit and leave you to consider what I have formerly demanded As 1. Whether that Parliament hath not opened the door of the grand apostafie and rebellion for the Antichrist to enter into the Church 2. Whether it hath not seated it selfe in that Babylon where the Antichrist should sit and dominere 3. Whether it hath not fulfilled all the prophecies of the old and new Testament that spake of the comming and of the doings of the Antichrist As 1. The prophesie of Zacharie touching the foolish and the idol Shepherd 2. The phophecie of Daniel touching the doings of Antiochus that was the lively type of the Antichrist 3. The prophesie of St. Paul of the man of the sin which is the proper and peculiar sin of the Antichrist 4. The prophecie of St. John that the Antichrist should denie Jesus to be the Christ that is suppresse both the regall and the priestly offices of Christ 5. The visions of St. John 1. touching the witnesses that the Antichrist should kill 2. The Church that he should persecute and 3. The two beasts that were as the body and the soul of the Antichrist 4. Whether it hath not taken upon it the name and especially the practice of Independants which is the sittest name and the properest work of the Antichrist to separate himselfe from Christ and from the Church of Christ 5. Whether it hath not exceedingly wronged and extreamly persecuted the Church of God and especially the Governors of the Church which is the infallible concomitant signe of the Antichrist 6 Whether it hath not shewed it self so grosse an bypocrite in all his acts and proceedings that none but the Antichrist could doe the same And when you have duely read and impartially weighed all these things that I have set before you as in a glass then judge your selfe whether the Presbyterians and the Parliament be not the great Antichrist or not CHAP VI. Four special Objections answered wherein the right use of all the foresaid discovery of the Beasts and the Antichrist is declared and the precedent Discourse more fully confirmed ANd if any man shall object The Author of the Revelatiou unrevealed in his preface 5 ob 1. Sol. and think it strange as a most reverend and learned Author whom I much honour seems to do that the blessed Apostle in Patmos overlooking all the vast Continent betwixt him and us should have his thoughts taken up with our petty Occurrences in this other side of the World which is not like to be I answer That seeing God out of all the World did such great things for the small Kingdom of Israel that in extent of Ground might scarce be compared to any one of these three Kingdoms the whole length of it from Dan to Beersheba being not above three hundred miles as S. Hierome witnesseth and seeing the Holy Ghost vouchsafeth to set down in this Revelation many particulars of Iess consequence and to fore-shew some things of far lower concernment then are those great things that have been acted by that Parliament as in the 2. c. and 3. c. the Sufferings of some particular Churches and of particular Cities as Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Thyatyra Philadelphia Sardis and Laodicea and the murthering of some particular men as Antipas c. That it is not strange the spirit of God should foretell the things that were to happen in this Island 2.13 and the failing and remisness of some Churches in Gods Service which are of far lesser note and moment then the men that were martyred the Churches that were prophaned the Apostasie that hath hapned the Kingdoms that have been ruined and the horrible Impieties that have been committed here amongst us let no man wonder that the Spirit of God who is no respecter of persons nor oblivious of the meanest Countries should likewise foretel the sad Accidents and the like or more inexcusable Sufferings and Martyrdom Mat. 24 33. The right use of all the foresaid discoverie of the Antichrist to know that should fall upon the King and upon all the Bishops and very many faithful Pastors besides the multitude of Saints and godly Christians of three of the most famous and purest Protestant Kingdoms and Churches in the World that as our Saviour sayth of the like Predictions when we see them fulfilled we might understand and learn how to make a right use of them and that is 1. 1. From whence our afflictions come and why they are sont To know that these our Persecutions and Afflictions come not out of the dust nor by chance but by the Divine Providence of Almighty God that foresaw them and foretold us of them long before they came and hath sent them to us either as just Chastisements for our sins and remisness in his Service and performance of our duty or as tryals of our faith and constancy in our Profession and for an example unto others to imitate them that do patiently suffer or for so me other Causes best known to God himself 2. 2. To teach us more zealously to serve God To learn hereby to fear God and more zealously and carefully to serve him to pray unto him night and day to forgive us our forepassed sins both of commission and omission to give us
because the varietie of numbers had bin to no purpose if an uncertain number had been to be understood thereby when he might as well have said 40. monthes as 42 months neither shal you finde that ever the greater number signified a determinate lesser number as a year tosignifie a month or a week or a month to signifie a week or a day Therefore these 42. months wherein this beast shall raign and rage over Gods servants must be litterally and precisely understood to signifie three years and a halfe or as some do expound a time and times and the dividing of time for three years and halfe three years or there abouts or as I said even now for some short time and smal space though not so exactly and precisely determined as containing the just and full measure of three years and a half without somewhat either more or less And thus it is observed The prevalent time of the long Parliament just three yeers and a halfe that the long Parliament which is answerable to the first beast continued prevalent in their good successes just so long or much about that time for Ingland was proclaimed a free state the ninth of May 1648. and the Dutch did beat them at Sea which was the beginning of their declination upon the ninth of November in 1651. which from their first peeping to be masters to this first blow that they received is the just time of three years and a half and in Aprill the 22 Anno. 1653. which was but a little more then four years and a halfe the Lord generall Oliver alias Crumwell disolved that Parliament with a word of his mouth even as the Apostle foreshewed how easily and after what manner the Lord of heaven would consume or rather dissolve that man of sin and this beast here spoken of that signifieth a knot of rebels which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Apostle useth 2. Thessal 2.8 most properly signifieth with the breath of his mouth saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the Lord wil unbinde and separate or scatter as the Clouds are scattered by the wind which both the words And so this man by the will of God did put an end to that long Parliament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betoken with the breath of his month The which dissolution of the long Parliament and the suppression of their more then most bloody Ingagement that was formerly done by the same hand the Lord General Crumwel did and was the only good deed that ever he did to the oppressed Cavaleers and to all disaffected to that long Parliament Ob. But is it like that the head will destroy his body how shall he then subfiff when his body is lost Sol I answer that it is not alwayes alike with the politique head as it is with the naturall nor with the Head of the Church of God as with the head of the beast and the Synagogue of Satan but as Christ which is our Head saveth his body that is the Church so the head of the beast and of the Antichrist A special observation Revel 17.27 will everie way destroy his body and dissolve the knot and scatter the pack of those wicked reprobates for I would have it well observed how the Holy Ghost saith that God hath put it in the hearts of the ten hornes of the beast and I told you these ten hornes may be taken for ten or many of the Comanders to fulfil his wal to agree to give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shal be fulfilled no longer but when they have fulfilled his will they shall be no more hornes of the beast nor give their kingdom unto him but hornes against the beast to take away their kingdome from the beast to dissolve his members and to sever them from their Head so the body of the beast shall continue together intire and with his Head and horns on but 42 months or thereabouts and after that time it shall be disjointed and dissolved by his head and seperated from his head which will then become the head of another body and to remain to fulfill more of the will of God it may be to doe further mischeif and to give the lsst deaths wound unto the witnesses or rather to restore the witnesses against his will and to setle the right King in these kingdomes and the Bishops in the Church of Christ 2. We must consider that although the Lord by the breath of his mouth 2. The declining and de jected time of the beast after his dislolution 2. Theffal 2.8 dissolveth and scattereth this proud beast here spoken of as the Lord Generall disjointed and dissolved the long Parliament with a word of his lips so that now the beast and his adherents are like an armie routed yet he is not quite destroyed for as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord will destroy him with the brightnesse of his coming and this can be understood of no other time then of his coming to the last judgement as Faber Stapulensis rightly collected for howsoever Grotius thinks that both these expressions tend to signifie the same thing after the manner of the Hebrews who in setting down any thing certainly and vehemently do often use to expresse the same by a double form of speech yet with that learned mans favour I rather conceive that this Apostle by these two fold expressions meaneth two speciall things that should come to passe The two fold expressions doe shew two things at two severall times 1. The dissolution and dispertion of the beast and his members by the breath of the Lord. 2. The destruction and finall dissipation and ruine of him 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dissipation dissolution and scattering of the beast and of all his adherents at the last day by the brightnesse of his coming And for the 1. I am of Cornelius a lapides mind that the breath and spirit of Christ his mouth doth not here signifie the preaching of the Gospel as those interpreters that make the Pope and papacie to be this beast that should be overthrown by the faithfull preaching of Gods truth doe imagine because the Antichrist and his followets regard not the truth of any preaching but being Sermon proof he slayeth the witnesses silenceth the preachers and destroyeth all that preach anything against him and his proceedings as you know the Parliament Protector did but the disjointing of the beast with the breath of his mouth signifieth as Grotius well observeth the facilitie of the work Tho facilitie of the work as we commonly say of a weak adversarie that we will blow him away so easily Christ can scatter and dissolve this beast sooner and easier then Alexander could untie the Gordian knot when with his sword he cut it all to peices and so did Christ most easily scatter that companie
Kingdoms 4. The judgment of the Idol shepherd So the right eye i.e. the understanding of divine things shall be taken from the Antichrist though his left eye shal be quick-sighted enough in all worldly things and tore their clawes i. e. their strength and power all to pieces I think I may say this without question 4. Tâ—e Lord denounceth the Judgment of this Foolish Idol shepherd saying Wo to the Idol shepherd that leaveth the flock and much more wo to him that thus spoileth the flock the sword shall be upon his arm and upon his right eye his arm shall be clean dried up and his right eye shall be utterly darkned And so it fell out accordingly to this Idol shepherd the Scribes and Pharisees and the rest of the false Prophets of the Jews for though they thought themselves safe and had done all things well when they had broken the two staves of Beauty and Bands and had bought and sold their King Priest and Prophet and had put to death the true Bishop of their soules Jesus Christ yet the just God that is slow to anger and of great patience and was formerly forty years grieved with this generation when their Fathers tempted him proved him and saw his works forty years after this direful tragedy And so this Beast for doing as the Jews did kill his King and his Bishop let him fear the like judgment as the Jews had executeth this very judgment upon this Idol shepherd as Josephus ben Gorion and Josephus the Son of Mathathias 1.7 de Bello Judaico setteth down the same at large and in his 18th Book of Antiquit. he confesseth the same to be for their malice against their King Jesus Christ and the killing of the holy Apostle St. James that was Bishop of Hierusalem And this much shall serve to be spoken of the foolish Idol shepherd of the Jews that the Lord raised in the time of Christ and was the Type of the great Antichrist who in all the foresaid particulars did or will imitate this his Predecessor so far as the type doth agree with the thing typified So that I need not spend any longer time to tell you what the Prophet sheweth the great Antichrist that is here exprest under the title of the Idol shepherd should do when the Lord should raise him and for our sins send him amongst his flock because you have heard many points of his lewd and foolish pranks already in the doings of his type that was the Idol shepherd of the Jews that the Lord raysed for their sins in the time of Christ And you may see The a Staves never broken in any Church till now in the Church of Ingland as I said before how this Prophesie is now and never till now fulfilled since the type in the time of Christ for 1. As Christ the king of the Jews was bought and sold and crucifyed when the staff of beauty was broken so Charles our King was bought and sold and beheaded when the true Doctrine of faith and true obedience to our Governors were corrupted and this staff of beauty broken all to pieces 2. The time that the Antichrist should rise The Antichrist must be those new raised Preachers that do cohere with this foolish and idâ—l shepherd of the Jews As when the staff of bands was broken the Lord raised this foolish and idol Shepherd among the Jews so when our Bishops and Governors were supprest and their Discipline which is the staff of bands was broken all Sects increased all errors and heresies appeared and the great Antichrist manifested himself unto the world and did as he is here typified by the doings of this foolish and idol shepherd But now that which is more considerable to be understood is to know who is or should be the great eminent and transcendent Antichrist that is here typified by this Idol-shepherd I know the Divines of Gappe and the most of our Presbyterians are as sure as Gabriel Powel was that believed iâ— as he believed the Apostles Creed that the Pope is that great Antichrist and therefore when other matters fail them they fill their Sermons with exclamations against the Pope and deal with him as the Collier did with the Major of London when he came to High-gate and yet I am as sure that they are altogether mistaken in their faith and knowledg herein for though the Pope should be The Pope is an idol-shepherd yet not meant here tipified by this idol-shepherd as he is an Antichrist and a foolish Idol-shepherd as many others of our Presbyterians be and doth imitate this Idol-shepherd of the Jewes in all or most of the foresaid particulars as the little or no good that he doth to the flock of Christ and the great honor and service that he expecteth from all the Kings and Princes of the earth yet there are many other signal Characters notes and acts of the great Antichrist exprest in other places of the holy Scripture which are no wayes coherent and applicable to the Pope which I could shew unto you but that nunc non est narrandi tempus But then you will demand of me Who is that Antichrist if the Pope be not the Antichrist I answer that as S. Augustine saith satius est dicere quid not sit Deus Yet by Gods help I shall hereafter tell you whom I take him to be quam quid sit Deus for God is not the Sun he is not the Moon he is no created substance and I erre not in any of these answers so I say tutius est dicere quis non est Antichristus quam quis est Antichristus and he is not the Pope I am sure of it but I am sure he is a foolish and an idol shepherd whosoever he be yet not the Pope because these have not as yet happened unto the Pope for that his strength and power are not clean taken away though much diminished neither is the knowledge and Doctrine of the Roman Church utterly or totally perverted and the truth of Christian Religion quite extinguished nor yet the right way of serving God wholly corrupted as I shewed unto you before but whether the power and strength of the Long Parliament be not mouldred away from a mountain to a mole-hill and themselves vanish away like smoak let those members that are yet unnihilated answer it or if they be not yet come to nothing how long they are like to continue let my Reader judge 2. The next testimony of the Old Testament 2. The prophesie of Daniel under the person of Antiochus that is said to have any reference to the Antichrist and his doings is found in the Prophesie of Daniel But St. Paul tels us that to the Jews and Fathers under the Law omnia in figura contingebant illis all things happened and fell out to them in types and figures and most of those types and figures that were delivered unto them reached no further than
Lords Table though Christ admitted Judas whom he knew far better then these men do know those whom they reject and cast away and we can and ought to do no more to the lewdest offenders but to shew them the danger of the unworthy receivers and exhort them to repent and to believe in Christ and upon the confession of their faults and profession of their Faith and repentance we ought to believe them to be Gods children and receive them among the Faithfull and leave them all for Christ to judge which of the guest doth want his wedding garment Yet we confess That the Apostles had two manner of gifts 1. Extraordinary it is true that the Apostles had a double qualification 1. The one extraordinary which was requisite for the planting of a new Church and that consisted chiefly in these two things 1. Infallibility of the Doctrine which they taught 2. A powerful working of miracles to confirm that doctrine and to win the hearers to give credit and to believe the same And when the Churches were converted these graces determined and ceased with the Apostles 2. Ordinary which were either 2. The other was ordinary which was requisite for the instructing guideing and ruling of the Church so long as the Church should continue till Christ should come to judgement And these graces that were thus requisite for the continuance of the Church in the service of God were likewise of two sorts 1. Common 1. Common to the Apostles and Presbyters and Deacons as reading the Scriptures preaching or expounding the word administring the Sacraments provision for the poor and other like christian duties 2 Proper which the Apostles reserved unto themselves 2. Proper which consisted in two things and to the Bishops that were to be their successors to guide and to govern the Church after them And this proper qualification of the Apostles which they left as peculiar to the Bishops that were to succeed the Apostles was and is likewise two-fold 1. Ordination 1. Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons to read the word and to preach and to administer the Sacraments and to do all the other common duties of the Church 2. Jurisdiction which was twofold 1. The lesser censure 2. The greater censure 2. Jurisdiction in censuring those that were refractory and walked disorderly in the Church and this Ecclesiasticall censure is either 1. The lesser which is a debarring of the offendor from the Lords Supper 2. The greater censure which was by such an excommunication as excluded the offender quite from the Churh and was not received into it untill he had satisfied the Church by his confession of his fault and repentance shewed for the scandall he had given Now such is the pride and ambition of every Presbyterian that he would have nothing left proper unto the Bishop but that all must be common as well to him as to the Bishop How the Presbyterians do usurp the authority of the Bishop he cannot indure to be excluded or debarrd from any thing but cryeth out as Corah Dathan and Abiram did against Moses and Aaron that the Bishops take too much upon them And therefore 1. They usurp and assume unto themselves the office of ordination and do make Priests themselves the which boldnesse of theirs I intend not to stand now to confute but do assure the people Lay-preachers and tradesmen to execute the Ecclesiastical function have as good authority and calling as the new Presbyterian Priests that the Priests of their making have no better calling nor authority to enter upon that sacred function then he that is made a Judge or a Justice of Peace to rule the countrey by a company of high-way thieves and robbers and the Lay-preachers be they what they will husband-men or trades-men Taylors Shoemakers or Weavers or the like may as lawfully and perhaps more blamelesly do all the service of the Church as any of them that have their ordination from these Presbyters 2. They usurp the jurisdiction over the Church as well as the ordination of the Priests unto themselves and they are more rigid in their censures that are also more illegally done then either Bishop or Pope See the translation of Grallae pag 69. to pag. 90. and you shall find how these Presbyterian censures do exceed the tyranny of the Pope who exercised their discipline and censures in open Court in forma juris and secundum allegata probata when the Presbyterians do it secundum beneplacitum as it seemeth good in their own eyes because they have the discerning spirit to know who are worthy to be received and who ought to be excluded both from Christ and from the Church of Christ And yet I do not wonder so much that the Presbyters should be so ambitious to lay hold of this authority as I do admire that the people should be so foolish as to hate us for telling the truth unto them for their own benefit and shewing the other mens iniquity But I remember a story that Sir Thomas Moore tells us of two famous Philosophers that by their great skill in astronomy foresaw that at such a constellation A pretty story of Sir Thomas Moor. there would fall such a shower of pestiferous rain upon the earth that all the men which scaped not the drops of that rain should presently prove frantick and be distracted of their sences whereupon those Philosophers concluded that they would hide themselves in a Cave untill that shower was passed over and so they did and all things succeeded as they expected for when they came out of their hole where they were hidden they found all the people like mad-men playing the Anticks and therefore they being sober thought to do them good by advising them to leave their fooleries and to follow after sobriety but the mad people told the Philosophers that they themselves were mad and they would take a course with them for saying that they were out of their wits and knew not what they did and so they laid hold on the Philosophers and beat them and they had much adoe to escape from these mad people with their lives this was the reward they had for their well-wishes and desire to do those mad people good to guide them and to direct them in the right courses I wish it may not be so with us that the people prove not themselves like those upon whom that fatal shower descended and that they would not deal with us It is easier to find few wise men then to find many wise men for telliug the truth of these mens doings for their good as those mad men did with those Philosophers And I would the people that are so affected to the Presbyterian government would consider whether it be as easie to find ten thousand wise and sober moderate men as to finde out ten The Kings and Emperours heretofore were very careful to make choice of the best and wisest men that
they could find to put these offices and the government of the Churches into their hands and they thought it well in such a kingdom as this of Ingland if they found 26. men that with the help and advice of their brethren their Deans and Prebends were sufficient to govern the Churches so wisely and so orderly as they ought to do it and do you think it is as easie to finde 6000. men that are fit to do it that you may place a Bishop in every Parish I think you will faile and your selves at last will see your own folly and smart for your mistaking when every Parish Priest will be as imperious over you as Hildebrand was over Henry the fourth But 2. Touching the working of strange miracles we say it was a great miracle 2. To work strange miracles 1 Reg. 17.23 Acts 9.4 John 11.44 that Elias did to raise the dead child of the widow of Sarepta and a great miracle that Saint Peter did to raise Dorcas an old widow that was dead to life again and it was a greater miracle that Christ did to raise up Lazarus out of his grave when he had been dead four dayes And yet besides their many meaner miracles that these Presbyters say they do they pretend if you will believe them to do things that are far more miraculous and greater wonders then any of these or them either that Moses or Elias or any other of all the Prophets or Apostles ever did for we are sure that neither of all those either did or could raise a soule dead in trespasses and sins to the life of grace but this being as it were a new creation it must be left alone to God for ever whose proper work it is to create a new heart and to renew a right spirit within us yet this beast and the disciples of this false Prophet do boast and brag unto the people of the multitude of Saints that they have begotten to God when as indeed they have of late seduced them to be as false and as rebellious as themselves What wonderful thing the Presbyters do Psalm 51.10 The discourse of a Presbyterian with the Authour Esay 53. â—â— And so one of them asked me where were the Seales of our Apostleship the signes and evidences of our Bishops and Prelatical mens ministery how many soules had they converted unto God and where were those converts whereby they might approve themselves unto the people to be the true Ministers of God as they could do by the confession of their Proselytes and I answered that I feared their converts were but perverted and that I conceived it was not in mans power to convert soules when as the Prophet cryeth who hath believed our report and again all day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and a gainsaying people and if it had been in mans poower to work faith in the hearts of the hearers then questionlesse Rom 10 1. c. 9.3 We have not the power to convert souls this great Prophet would have done it in the children of Israel and Saint Paul would have converted the Jewes his own brethren according to the flesh whom he did so dearly love as himself doth testify to have believed in Christ but we know that although the false Prophets may easily pervert men to disloyalty and wickednesse because the devill is alwayes ready to help them and natural men are prone to evill yet we cannot convert men to the true faith and to goodnesse Acts 15.19 unlesse the Spirit of God cooperateth with us to open the hearts of our hearers as he opened the heart of Lydia when the Apostle preached unto her because as Saint Hierom saith inanis est sermo docentis nisi intus sit qui docet the Preacher may say with the Prophet in vacuum laboravi I have laboured in vain if God by his spirit doth not preach unto the heart And therefore their wonderful brags of converting soules are but lying wonders not to be regarded by any man that regards the truth Psal 15.12 and these hornes are not the hornes of the Lamb but ungodly horns and the horns of the ungodly which as the Prophet saith shall be broken by the Lord all to pieces That the two horns may signifie the two Testaments Torres in sua Philosophia morali pag. 849. Texeda pag. 6. of his miracles unmasked Or else these two horns as Cornelius à lapide saith to whom I subscribe may signify the two testaments which are robora ornamenta Christi the strength and ornament of Christ and the language of the lambe which bring men to believe in Christ rather then then all the miracles of Christ for as Torres out of Lactantius saith non idcirco à nobis creditur Christus quia mirabilia fecit sed quia vidimus facta esse omnia quae nobis annuciata sunt vaticinio prophetarum Christ is not therefore believed by us because he wrought miracles which Vespasian did and the idolatets of China do and the false Prophets by our Saviours testimony may do but because we have seen all things accomplished which were foretold us of him by the Prophets The paralell This is infallibly fulfilled in the Paesbyterians And the beast layeth claim to these hornes and so of all the Preachers and Prophets Papists or Protestants it is well known that none pretend more love and more right to these hornes then the Presbyterians and the Independant and Lay-Preachers do for they reject all other learning and all authorities of Counsells Fathers Poets Orators Histories and all other Books and will allow of nothing but the pure book of the holy Scripture they will have none other horns but these which they say are the hornes of our Lamb and no Christian will denie them to be so nor gainsay the strength and authority of these hornes And yet as A lapide rightly observeth as I told you before of it A good obserservation of Cornel à lapide in loc this beast is said to have not the two hornes of the Lamb but two hornes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to the horns of the Lamb and every Sophister can tell you that nullum simile est idem that which only is like a thing is not the thing and therefore though they cry out with the false Prophets of the Jewes os Domini loquutum est the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it for they preach nothing but Gospel and the pure Scriptures of the two Testaments and it is we and not they if you believe them that run to the puddles of humane authorities yet in very deed it is no such matter for the holy Ghost that best understandeth both the language of the Lamb and of this beast tells us plainly in the very next words that although their horns be like the horns of the Lamb yet in truth Why this second beast is said to speak like the Dragon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉