Beast but by confounding the Beast with Antichrist some look upon the Beast onely as Antichrist whereas there be many Antichrists which are to be rejected and avoided besides the Beast though they have more specious pretences than the Beasts pretences now are and are thereby the more like to prevail upon the more knowing professors of the time So much for this particular Deduction 11. Eleventhly In the eleventh place it serves to justifie the Parliament and all that joyned with them in the late defensive war Now although they have been branded with the odious titles of Rebels and Traitours and what not yet here their justice and righteousnes in that act appears as clear as the Sunne For first we see here that the enemies which they did oppose was the Beast that did ascend out of the bottomlesse pit And who the Beast is and how the Beast did appear to be he that did wage the late warre in England and Ireland is made evident in the explicatory part of this Discourse Now since it was the Beast that cursed enemy of Jesus Christ and all his Saints that raised this warre it was a most righteous act in the Parliament and all that did adhere to them to oppose him and his party in it But here by the way I desire to declare That though I doe affirme that that warre was raised by the Beast that cursed enemy of Jesus Christ yet doe I not hereby condemn every particular man that did engage in this warre nor any particular man high or low for I know not but that it might be possible for some by colourable pretences to be drawn to engage in this warre that never intended to fight for the Beast but on the contrary hated him But this I affirm that the generality of those especially of the chiefest that engaged in this warre were such as were thereunto incited by the Beast and intended the advancement of the Beast And now I say seeing the warre that was raised against the Protestants in Ireland and against the Parliament and such as were stiled Puritans and round-heads in England was a warre made by the Beast that ascended out of the bottomlesse pit and contrived in Rome and hell it was a most righteous thing for the Parliament and those that adhered to them to defend themselves against it God having put a power into their hands to do it and yet were they no Rebels unlesse it were rebellion to oppose the Pope and the devil And secondly The righteousnesse of the Parliament and those that adhered to them is made further evident by considering the ends for which the Beast did raise this war and they were First To destroy the Witnesses to make an utter end of all the Saints and servants of Jesus Christ and to leave none that should oppose or speak against the Beast the Pope that so he might bring all men into a professed subjection to himself And knowing that the Puritans were the only obstructers hereof for others would easily enough have been perswaded unto a uniformity and would say that there was little or nothing in the Romish doctrines but might have been imbraced rather then to make any division if the Puritans were removed out of the way therefore one main end the Beast had in this warre was to overcome the Witnesses Now this being one end of the Beast in that warre it was a righteous thing for the Parliament and those that adhered to them to oppose the Beast for the rescuing of and preserving of the Saints of Jesus Christ from the tyranny of the Beast It being a righteous act in Abraham to rescue and deliver one just Lot from those that would have captivated him and his family It is much more a righteous act in the Parliamentary party to rescue and deliver all the precious Saints of Jesus Christ for al Saints had a share in this deliverance from the cruelty and tyranny of the Beast that sought their ruine But Secondly Their righteousnesse in that act will appear if we consider the other end of the Beast in the late warre and that was to thrust out Jesus Christ from raigning as King and to set up his owne Kingdome by subjecting the consciences of all that professe Jesus Christ both in this Kingdome and all others unto his laws Now this being his other great design in that war it was a most righteous thing to oppose him in it And it had been a great sinne for the Parliament to stoop themselves and to suffer all the rest in the Kingdome thus to be subjected to the Beast and lay aside the Regall power of Jesus Christ God having put power into their hands to oppose the Beast herein Thus the righteousnesse of those that did oppose the Beast appears if we look upon the ends of the Beast in that warre And Thirdly Their righteousnesse in that act of opposing the Beast is made the farther evident because it is in part a fulfilling of that righteous sentence which God hath past upon the Beast Revel 18. 6 7. where God saies to his people thus Reward her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double how much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Now this sentence is in this warre wherein the Beast hath been overcome and his designs frustrated and a tenth part of Babylon is fallen in part fulfilled for in this warre Babylon hath in part had of the same cup which she filled to the Saints as she overcame them so they have in part overcome her and this is the beginning of her torments which are coming on apace and ere long the cup that she hath filled shall be filled to her double Now the Parliament and those that adhered to them having in the late defensive warre in part fulfilled that righteous sentence of God upon Babylon it doth therein most clearly appear to be a righteous act Deduction 12. Twelfthly In the next place here is a discovery of the reason why the Parliamentary Army did not more prevail for the first three years and an half and why after that period of time it was so successefull and victorious The reason of it here plainly appears to be because it was according to fore-appointment the minde of God to have his people brought to a low ebb for such a period of time so that they should be lookt upon as dead men and the enemy should rejoyce over them as if they were all totally overcome for three years and an half And since it was so it was not possible for the instruments that were then imploied if they had been never so faithfull so active and diligent to do any more then that which God had raised them up for which was only to keep the dead bodies of his people from being buried and so much they did they still defended the cause of the
a devilish power and authority and is one with the devil This is he of whom it is said All the world wondered after the Beast and worshipped the Dragon that gave power unto the Beast and worshipped the Beast saying Who is like unto the Beast Who is able to make warre with him And of whom it was said That there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue fourty and two months c. As you have it pages 46 and 47. But secondly If it be queried What that Woman is that is said Chapter 17. 3. to sit upon this Beast We have an Answer to this in the 18 verse of this 17. Chapter in these words And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which raigneth over the Kings of the earth Now what that great City was that did then raign over the Kings of the earth though it were not so apparent in severall other histories as it is yet the Scriptures could sufficiently inform us for it informs us that Tribute was paid to Caesar Matth. 22. 17. And that because Caesar was he that raigned over the kings of the earth the Jews said to Pilate If thou let this man go thou art not Caesars friend And that Paul appealed to Caesar as being the highest authority that then was as appears Acts 25. 10 11. Now the place where Caesars royall seat was then was the City of Rome as appears in that Paul was sent thither So that Rome was the City that then raigned over the Kings of the earth And therefore it was that it was accounted such a priviledge to be a Roman Acts 22. 25 26. Now since it is clear in Scripture and all histories do acknowledge it that Rome was the great City that raigned over the Kings of the earth Then it appears That Rome is that Woman that is said to sit upon the Beast Now this being apparent it doth appear the more clearly what the Beast is It was clear before That the Beast was a wicked one in whom the Devill raigned that had received power and a seat and great Authority from the Devil but it did not so clearly appear who that wicked one in particular is But here it appears that it is particularly he upon whom the City of Rome sitteth he that supports it Now it is apparent that it is that wicked one the Pope that is the support of the cursed City He it is that bears her up in her pompe and pride and filthy abominable Sodomiticall practises He is the Beast upon which that great Whore sitteth And the City of Rome hath been and to this day is such a fountain of filthinesse and whoredoms and all cursed abominations as this name appears so perspicuously in her forehead as he that runs may reade it MYSTERIE BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And it is apparent that She is drunken with the blood of Saints and the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus But thirdly If the Question be What the seven heads of the Beast are The Angel gives an answer to that at the 9 verse of the 17. Chapter The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the Woman sitteth The Woman being the City of Rome the seven heads of the Beast are said to be the seven mountains upon which that City was built And with this Historians agree 〈◊〉 say that the City of Rome was founded upon seven mountains Now these may as properly be said to be the seven heads of the Beast as the ten Kings may be said to be his ten horns as will appear by and by Fourthly If it should be enquired What the ten horns are mentioned Chap. 12. 3. and 13. 1. 17. 3 The Angel answers that in the 12 verse of the seventeen Chapter in these words And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power as kings one hour with the Beast These have one minde and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast these shall make war with the Lamb c. In these words the Angel unveils this also and tels us that those which are mysteriously exprest by the ten horns of the Beast are the ten Kings which did give up their power and strength unto the Beast with one consent one mind and thus it came to passe for when the devil gave the Pope that power and authority whereby the Emperor of Rome was subjected to him then the ten Kingdomes that were under Rome did likewise willingly give up their power to him also and were subjected to the Beast and as he so they also made warre with the Lamb the Lord Jesus in his Saints and so became the ten horns of the Beast by which he became the more dreadfull and terrible for he had not been so dreadful if he had but only had the strength of his seven heads of that great City that is seated upon seven hils but having these ten horns also these ten Kingdoms he was become very terrible But fifthly If it should be queried What the many waters are upon which the Woman sitteth mentioned Chap. 17. 1. 13. 1 The Angel answers that also in the 15. verse of the 17. Chapter in these words The waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues So that this is not left in the mysterie neither but the Angel plainly declares That by the waters is meant the peoples and nations and multitudes and tongues And the Whore is said to sit upon them because they have willingly subjected themselves unto her to be as it were vassals to her Now by this time it appears from these 12 13 and 17. Chapters what those Gentiles mentioned in the text to whom the Temple and the holy City was given are in particular for it appears that as though the Church of old had many enemies yet they were particularly given to the Babylonians the Chaldeans So now the Church is particularly given to be trodden under foot of mysticall Babylon Rome and of that wicked one the Pope that hath received from the devil his power and his seat and great authority Now that these particular enemies did as the text declares Tread the holy City under foot appears also in these following passages Rev. 12. 13 14 15. The Dragon persecuted the Woman which brought forth a man-childe and to the Woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the wildernesse into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent and the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the Woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood That by the Dragon here mentioned is meant the Pope who is one with him appears page 49. 50. Now he is here said to persecute
feet were as the feet of a Bear and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion and the Dragon gave him his power and seat and great authority And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the Beast and they worshipped the Dragon which gave power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying Who is like unto the Beast Who is able to make war with him And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue fourty and two months And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwelt in heaven And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world The third place where the enemies of the Temple and the holy City viz. The Saints are described is Rev. 17. 3 4 5 6. as it followeth And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns and the woman was arraied in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthinesse of her fornication and upon her forehead was a name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And I saw the woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her I wondred with great admiration Thus now the enemies of the Church the Temple or holy City which in the text in hand are only described by this word the Gentiles in these passages are more largely characterized But these expressions used in these descriptions of these enemies being for the most part very mysterious we have these mysteries opened and unveiled in the 17. Chap. from the 7 vers to the end of the Chapter as it followes And the Angel said unto me wherefore didst thou marvel I will tell thee the mystery of the woman and of the Beast that carrieth her which hath the seven heads and ten horns The Beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomelesse pit and goe into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the World when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is And here is the minde which hath wisdome The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth and there are seven Kings five are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come and when he commeth he must continue a short space And the Beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seven and goeth into perdition And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kindome as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast These have one minde and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast These shall make warre with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull And he saith unto me the waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire for God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their Kingdom unto the Beast untill the words of God shall be fulfilled And the woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth In these words we have the mysterie opened of what is delivered in the 12 13 and 17. Chapters concerning the Beast and the Woman and the Heads and the Horns and the many waters which are all mysterious expressions and hard to be understood as those were Dan. 7. from the 1 to the 9 ver untill the interpretation was given to Daniel at the 16 verse and so on but the Angel having in this 17 Chap. opened these mysteries now the meaning of them is more apparent So that First If it be queried What is the Beast We have it answered verse 8. in these words The Beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and go into perdition Now by comparing this with some passages in the 12 and 13. Chapters we shall plainly see what the Beast is In the 11. Chap. at the 9 verse the Dragon there mentioned is said to be That old serpent called the Devill and Satan which deceiveth the whole world And in the 13. Chap. at the 1 and 2. verses it is said That a Beast did rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the names of blasphemy and the Beast was like unto a Leopard and his feet were as the feet of a Bear and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion and the Dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority So then The Beast that hath seven heads and ten horns and is like unto a Leopard c. is some wicked one in whom the devil raigns who hath power and a seat and great authority in the earth which power and seat and great authority was given unto him of the devil And though that wicked one that hath that devilish power and authority be distinct from the devil as he that receives is distinct from him that gives yet they are so one as the devill is said to be in the Beast for what the Beast is said to doe the devill is said to doe for in the 13. Chapter at the 7 vers it is the Beast that is said to make war with Saints but in the 12. Chapter at the 17 verse the devill is said to doe it And again they are so one as the Beast is said to be the devill and therefore when the Angel comes to declare what the Beast is in the fore-mentioned place saies he The Beast shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit It is not said he shall receive his authority from him that ascends out of the bottomlesse pit though that be the meaning of it as before appears but He shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit to shew the onenesse of the devil and the Beast Thus the mysterie of the Beast is unfolded and it appears that the Beast is a wicked one that hath
holy one into others the Spirit as it floweth from them sometimes penitrates into those that are strangers aliens to Jesus Christ whereby they are brought home to the imbraces of Jesus Christ and then Saints are excellent in their eyes also And so David cals them Psal 16. 2 3. My goodnesse extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight And excellent they are Secondly Because they are not only as Olive-trees but as Candle-sticks For as it is said of Jesus Christ so it is said of them They are the light of the world Mat. 5. 14. They are as light shining in a dark place Now how precious is light to them that are continually in a sensible darknesse Light is one of the most precious things in the world it puts a beauty upon other things it chears and comforts the heart it causes men to see the dangers that are in their way that so they may avoid them and many others are the excellent properties of this naturall light but many more are the precious effects of spirituall light And this is that that Saints have though others are in the darknesse of hell yet they enjoy the light of heaven The Lord God almighty and the Lamb are a light unto them Rev. 21. 23. And in this respect also Saints are excellent and precious ones But I would be brief in this particular and therefore shall not further enlarge it Deduction 8. Eighthly The next Deduction in which I shall be brief also is to discover from the fifth verse the dangerous condition of those wicked men that are enemies to Saints Though Saints seem to be poor weak despicable creatures and their enemies in outward appearance seem to be strong and potent and to be overcomers of them yet these seeming weak Saints are strong and mighty for they can but send up a message to heaven and bring secret and invisible arrows from thence which shall destroy their enemies The breath of their mouth kindles coals of fire that destroies their enemies And if any man will hurt them he must with this fire be killed Little doe wicked men think that when they deal cruelly with Saints they bring coals of fire upon their owne heads yet so they doe if they continue irreconcilable enemies unto them There is a notable place to shew the danger men run upon when they offer to wrong the Saints of God it is Zech 12. 3. In that day saith the Lord will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth shall be gathered together against it Though the spirituall Jerusalem the Saints of God had all the people of the earth gathered together against them yet so potent and strong are they through the Lord of host their God as they should overcome them all they should be as a burdensome stone and should crush in pieces all that burden themselves with them Therefore it would be wisdome in men to beware how they offer any violence to any one of the Saints of God either to their lives or liberties how colourable so ever the pretences be upon which they doe it seeing it is such a dangerous thing to abuse Saints as that in wronging them men be devoured or destroied by them And so I have done with this particular also Deduction 9. Ninthly In the next place from the sixth verse might be discovered the reason why there hath been such a hardnesse of heart and impenitency upon the Beast and the Babylonish crew namely because that as a judgement upon them for persecuting the Saints of God the heavens have been so shut up against them as that none of the waters of the spirit have descended upon them But I passe this by with some other particulars that might be observed in that verse Deduction 10. The tenth Deduction is from the seventh verse where it is said The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre c. It doth enform us that this title The Beast is the most proper title of the Pope as is evident in the comparing of the several passages in this prophesie where the Beast is mentioned together which is done in the explicatory part of this Discourse where it appears evidently that by the Beast is meant the Pope Now in all the other passages of the prophesie of this book where the Pope is mentioned and in this seventh verse he being called the Beast it is evident that this is his most proper title Though it is true the Pope is Antichristian yet we doe no where in the prophesie of this book nor in any other Scripture where he is expressely spoken of finde the title of Antichrist given to him But generally in the prophesie of this book and in the prophesie of Daniel where there are some things spoken of him he is called the Beast And for the 2 Thess 2. where he is also expresly spoken of and plainly described he is not called there Antichrist neither but is there called That man of sin the son of perdition and that wicked Now it is said there are many Antichrists 1 John 2. 19. But it is no where said There are many Beasts and therefore he is called The Beast and that man of sinne the sonne of perdition and that wicked As we use to say The King of such a Kingdome and The Governour of such a place and The Maior of such a City or Town importing there is but one So the Pope is called The Beast For though there be many Antichrists yet there is but one Beast but one Pope who is The Beast I doe the rather observe this first to discover the exceeding greatnesse of the wickednesse and the abominablenesse of the Pope who for his opposition to God and his enmity to the Saints is exprest by a peculiar title that is proper only to that wicked one to shew that he is above al others hateful and cursed And secondly I doe the rather speak of this because some doe confusedly speak of the Beast and Antichrist confounding the Beast with Antichrist whereas there be many that are and may be called Antichrists especially some that are risen up lately That deny that Jesus is the Christ making themselves equal with the Lord Jesus Christ and who do also deny That Jesus Christ is come in the flesh or at least have a light esteem of Christs coming in the flesh by looking upon that flesh which was so united unto the God-head as when the life of it was laid down it was said to be the life of God 1 John 3. 16. as no more to be esteemed then the flesh of a common man I say these and such as these are Antichrists as is clear 1 John 2. 22. and 1 Joh. 4. 3. But though there be many Antichrists yet there is but one that may be called the