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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89056	A further discovery of the mystery of the last times; as an addition to a little book, called Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus. Set forth for the good of all men; but especially of those who in these dissenting times (wherein Ephraim envieth Juda, and Juda vexeth Ephraim) know not where to settle themselves, or to what society of Christians to joyn themselves: wherein is (as simply and plainly, as the author was able to open those mysterious scriptures quoted in this following treatise) shewed the cause of all our divisions and contentions about matters pertaining to form and order in the church of Jesus Christ; and wherein is moderately proved from those scriptures these particulars. 1. The flourishing and building condition of the church of Jesus Christ in the time of the gospel. ... 7. Lastly, that the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those enemies, and deliver his people, when the restoration of all things shall be.	Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651.; Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651. Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus].	1651 (1651)	Wing M1732; Thomason E637_16; ESTC R206616	80,538	60

failing by his open violence of persecution he now out of that afflicted estate of the Church wherein persecution followed upon persecution like the waves of the sea I say out of this sea of persecution and troubles of the Church raises a beast for no sooner did the Roman Empire become Christian under Constantine but immediately the Church fals asleep and loseth her integrity and by ease and riches pleasure and profit she in time becomes of a sufferer a persecuter and what the divels could not attain one way he now tryeth another way and prevailes and whereas Sathan acted by the Roman Empire heathen by open violence and could do no good now by the Roman Empire becoming Christian he gaines his desire and the Roman Empire or beast Christian in conclusion under the name of Christ persecutes as much as did the Roman Empire being heathen But this being a matter of great consequence needs much proofe which I shall endeavour to prove as the Lord shall direct me As for proofes from history of time I have but little being a man unlearned therefore my proofe must be from Scripture therefore pray mind you have the dragon in the 12. of the Revelation and 3. verse set forth by those marks viz. A great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven Crownes upon his heads which I conceive was the severall Emperours which were Enemies to the people of God and did persecute them signified by the number of seaven and the Crowns were upon these heads that is the government rested upon them he had also ten hornes which signified the severall nations which were a strength to the Roman Empire and were under the subjection of the Roman Monarch now pray mind in the beginning of the 13. chapter it is said And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise out of the sea having seven heads and ten hornes and upon his horns ten crownes and upon his heads the names of blasphemy and the beast which I saw was like a leopard and his feet were as the feet of a beare and his mouth as the mouth of a lyon and the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great Authority Now pray mark that whereas the dragon or Roman Empire heathen had his crowns upon his heads that is the government remained among the Emperours touching the administration of the common wealth and had the ten hornes or ten nations as a strength to the Empire subject unto them so the beast which did rise out of the sea or the Empire Christian had his crownes upon his horns that is upon the nations which were a strength unto the Empire Christian and had authority in all civill things so far as to do the commandments of the Roman bishops and whereas the heads of the beast had upon them the name of blasphemic this I take to be the Popes of Rome being the heads did arrogate the name of supreme bishop and did begin to sit in the temple of God shewing himself as if he were God forgiving sins and doing what he listed in the Church of God which without a sufficient warrant from Scripture rule for him to do so was no better then blasphemy this beast also was like unto a leopard that is all spotted with sin and uncleanness as his doings in future times makes it appeare his feet as the feet of a beare scraping together the goods of the nations unto himself as is witnessed in Acts and Monuments of the Church of England the first volume in many places and his mouth as the mouth of a lion speaking cruell things and commanding all men by his Excommunications and cursing them to hell if they did not obey all his commandments and the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority and this the experience of things testifieth for the Emperours by degrees did give unto the Popes great power insomuch as in time the Popes began to depose Emperours and set up others in their stead and left them in time wholly their seat which was Rome Now I am perswaded to beleeve that the beast which did arise out the sea to be the Empire Christian under the Pope by these ensuing reasons first because this beast which did arise out of the sea is as it were a compound of the three beasts which did arise out of the sea Daniel the 7. having his body like unto a leopard imitating the Macedonian Monarch and his feet as the feet of a bear like unto the Persian Monarch and his mouth as the mouth of a lion speaking with such a commanding voyce as did the Babylonian Monarch now these put together will make the fourth beast which was dreadfull and terrible Now what people or government hath been in the world that hath had and exercised the like cruelty as hath the Roman Empire Christian under the Pope especially upon his own subjects for when I consider what blood hath been spilt by that Romish beast upon such as any way differed from him in Religion being put to death with all the rigour that could be imagined wherof burning is the highest and all to uphold that blasphemous title of Head of the Church and also when I diligently ponder that infinite blood which hath been spilt among Christian Princes stirred up thereto by the Pope somtime for the patrymony of the Church as they call it fighting for the temporall possessions of the Church somtime raised to destroy Hereticks as he called them which were protected by their Princes against his fury somtime by means of schism which happened between the Popes there being somtimes two and somtimes three at one time which amounts to such a summ as I think cannot be paralelld in the world for infiniteness no not among the most barbarous nations And which is to be much more lamented it being among such men and such people as acknowledge themselves to be subjects to the Lord Jesus which is King of peace which how well it hath agreed to their profession I leave it to themselves to judge so that I conceive that the description of the fourth beast cannot in all likelyhood be applied to any other then the Roman Empire heathen but more especially to the Roman Empire Christian Daniel 7. 7. A second reason moving me to beleeve that the beasts which did arise out of the sea to be the Empire Christian under the Pope is from the dragon giving him his power and his seat and great authority for how can we expound the dragon to be any other then the Roman Empire heathen and did not the Empire as soon as it turned Christian almost come into the Popes hands by degrees at the least spiritually So also was not Rome the seat of the Emperor but it quickly became the feat of the Pope so likewise how quickly had the Bishop of Rome such Authority as he made Emperours and again deposed them A third reason I ground from these prophesies as

mystically commanded to fly to the mountains Matthew the 24. when speedily followed the waking of the servants in which they did desire to deliver themselves and began to see the grosse and wicked idolatry which was committed and began to fly and avoid it and did hope to gather thetares from the good seed or at least to separate them and to draw themselves out from amongst them but alas too late for antichrist had goten possession then immediately followed persecution in such a measure as I think there was more bloud shed for cause of conscience then there was in any time of the persecution of the Empire heathen as it is yet fresh in memory and may be abundantly seen in the Acts and Monuments of the Church of England Now sixthly as the servants began to wake and to look about them and to increase in knowledg and the time of the prosperity of the beast began to be at the height and should decay Martin Luther steps forth and fulfils that prophesie Revelation the 13. 3 for he gives a wound unto the beast for whereas the doctrine of merits by works was one of the principal heads of the beast and the greatest of all his power this Martin Luther did oppose with great might and with much successe insomuch as he gave a deadly wound unto the beast but we have sinc eseen by experience this deadly wound healed and all the world wondreth after the beast in a manner for they see order in the Church of Rome though by a wrong power but amongst us nothing but disorder and this we may speak with grief of heart and there is reason for it which I have abundantly proved already and may further God assisting me cleer it hereafter besides the loosnesse of Protestants at large as I may term them and our divisions and loosnesse in our practices makes him get heart and to hope to gaine all againe of what he hath lost or at least to hold that which he hath and this St. John seems to intimate unto us in Revelation the 17. 8. where he saith When they beheld the beast that was and is not and yet is shewing as I conceive that at the change of the beast he should so lose his power as he should as it were seem not to be and yet after he should recover strength againe and have a being untill the Lord destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and with the brightnesse of his coming Isaiah the 11. 42 Thes. 2. 8. which can in reason be expounded to be no other but Rome under the Pope as I have proved by ten reasons Now forasmuch as there is one principal text Matthew 24. 15. upon which text dependeth almost all the following part of the chapter as an exhortation of the Lord Jesus unto his disciples how they should carry themselves when once the abomination which makes desolate is set up and therefore I shall shew what I take this abornination to be and therefore pray mind I take this abomination not to be the destruction of Jerusalem which did follow within 40. years after the passion of Christ as I have already proved But I take this abomination of desolation to be that Idol of the bread which in the Church of Rome is transubstantiated into the reall body of Christ as the Papists teach or in short the real presence of the sleshly body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar as they call it which Idolatry I take to be the grossest Idolatry that ever was committed by any civill or religious nation or nations and about which there hath so much bloud of the Saints of Jesus Christ been spilt in the kingdome of the Pope as the like hath not been seen in any age for one thing But because this is a matter of much consequence I shall produce severall reasons for the proofe thereof Wherefore my first reason shall be from the text it self where it is said When you shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place that is something that standeth in the holy place which drives the presence of Gods spirit out of that place that was once holy A second reason I take from that text Daniel the 11. 31. which is the place of the prophet as I conceive which our Saviour meant where it is said speaking of Antiochus And armies shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength and they shall take away the daily sacrifice and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate Which text was fulfilled the first of Maccabees the first chapter 54. ver which was a type of that abomination which our Saviour speaketh of meaning as I conceive that of Daniel the 11. 31. now as Antiochus by his power did pollute the temple of the Lord by commanding the daily sacrifice to cease and did set up the Idol of abomination upon the Altar of God where by the spirit of God departed from that worship even so in the mystery the Pope hath changed the communion into the sacrifice of the Masse and real presence in the Sacrament and caused the people to worship it so that by reason of that idolatry the spirit of God is departed from that administration Thirdly that whereas the Lord Jesus having instituted his last supper to be practised in Remembrance of his death till he come and made no mention of worshipping it the Pope contrarily maketh it a sacrifice and commandeth the people to worship it thereby forcing the spirit of God from that worship Luke 22. 19. 1 Corinthians 11. 24. Fourthly That whereas the Lord hath commanded Exodus the 20. that his people should make no graven image nor the likenesse of any thing in any place thereby to worship it the Pope contrary to his command maketh the reall presence in the Sacrament daily under the form of bread and commandeth the people to worship it without any warrant from the word for their practice thereby forcing the people to commit Idolatry and so driveth the spirit of God from that dispensation Fifthly That as the Jews in time of the standing of the Temple by their Idolatry and by their setting up the image of jealousie in the temple did cause the spirit of God to depart from that worship Ezekiel the 8. 5 6. even so the Pope and his clergy in the mystery hath set up the image of jealousie in the Church in turning the communion of the Lords supper from its first Institution into the real presence of Christs fleshly body in forme of bread in the Sacrament and commanded the people to worship it thereby grieving the Spirit of God and causing it to depart from that worship Sixthly that as the pastours or shepherds of the Jewes in the time of the standing of the Temple did eat up the good pasture and drank the deep waters which I conceive was the ordinances of the Temple with the sacrifices and did tread

content with the Earths helping the woman that is in swallowing the floud up which the serpent had cast out of his mouth to carry the woman away which is now well aswaged blessed be God therefore that it is to be feared that our Contentions will be a means to ruine our selves and so the beast rise and bring us into bondage to worship his Image or else to be killed for the Lord may for a punishment unto us for our dissention in matters perteining to outward order stir up such as may give power to the Image of the beast that the Image of the beast may both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed Seventhly gentle Reader If none of these Scriptures move thee which I have quoted in this following treatise to believe the people of the Lord Jesus must lie in these severall dispensations before the generall Restoration of all things by the Lord Jesus himself then let the experience of the times perswade thee For if thou diligently consider of the times thou shalt find that the Church flourished for a time it then declined or slumbred for another time the servants have been awake for another time and for the Jews they have been asleep or dead in respect of any temple and worship for many ages and there is a time for the people of the Lord Jesus to be asleep or dead Matthew 25. 5. in respect of Gospel order before the great restoring which we ought with much earnestness to cry unto the Lord for and this the Scriptures which I have alledged do abundantly prove in my sense which I am forced to believe untill I see a better given Eightly all that I shall desire of thee will be but this all those Reasons considered in this following Treatise that it may but worke some moderate conformity among Christians or at least that enmity and bitterness may be laid aside among Christians in profession and the edge of hatred abated amongst them in resisting one another unto bloud for matter pertaining to form and discipline in the Church of Jesus Christ and let Christians remember that if what they profess be truth that it is of a prevailing nature and will stand when Errour falls and let them remember that Gamaliels Counsell will prove true that if it be of God it will stand in spite of all opposition and if it be not it will fall though we strive never so much to hold it up Ninthly Christian Reader I shall desire thee that if thou find any thing of God in this following treatise then let him have the glory which is worthy of it and let me have thy prayer that have need of it and if in this worke God be but so much glorified as it be but to the setling of our soules that were distracted by means of our distempers and contentions about Religion I have my reward Lastly I desire thee Christian Reader whosoever thou art though the greatest lover of order in this time of disorder that if thou see that I have erred in the body of this Treatise or in any branch thereof that if thou know my face or canst with conveniency come to the knowledg of me that thou wouldst admonish me of it and if thou know me not that thou wouldest make it appear wherin I have erred and if it arise to such a sum as thou thinkest is worthy of an answer I promise thee by the word of a Christian that I will to use Job's expression in Job 31. 36. take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a Crown unto me and if it weigh too heavy for me that is if I be not able to reply to it by arguments drawn from Scripture Rule then I promise thee by the same word that I wil God assisting me as publickly revoke what I have done as I have now publickly divulged this in print however I shall take thine admonition as an oyntment to my head and count the stripes of a friend better then the kisses of an enemy And so leaving thee to the protection of the Almighty and wishing thee as much happiness both of body and soul as I would wish my self I remain thine in the Lord in the duties of Christianity RICHARD MERCER A further Discovery of the Mystery of the last Times c. THat great Creatour and Governour of all things the mighty God which hath in diverse manners and Administrations spoke unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in this last age spoken unto us by his Son this Son which is the Lord Jesus hath also spoken unto us by himself and by his Apostles in these last ages in divers manners and administrations which is that Prophet which we ought to hear in all things Deut. 18. 15. and to observe his word revealed unto us and to follow him in all his wayes and dispensations in which he delivereth himselfe unto his people For the cleering of which and to shew the divers wayes of the Lord in his making out of himselfe unto his people I shall propound these severall particulars unto the consideration of all men First That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel Secondly That there is a declining and falling off or slumbring condition of the said Church Thirdly That there is a sleepy or dead condition of all the outward face of the said Church Fourthly That there is to be a most glorious restoring of the said Church by the Lord Jesus himself Fifthly That this Restoring will be most sudden and unexpected Sixthly I shall shew according to the light I have received the severall formes and goverments in severall ages which shall be enemies unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these severall administrations which the Lord Jesus doth suffer his people to ly under Lastly That the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those Enemies of his people at his next appearing without the help of any humane power Now for my more orderly proceeding in the cleering of the truth of these particulars I shall handle them as they ly in order and shall answer all the objections I have heard made against any of them And therefore of the first That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel is a truth so cleer as it needs no cleering for all men know that it did abundantly flourish in the first Gospell times but for time how long it will be necessary to treat of therefore pray note I conceive the Church did flourish and spread during the time of our Saviour and his Apostles and during the time of the ten persecutions untill the time of Constantine the first Christian Emperour in all which time notwithstanding the Church was persecuted and afflicted with sundry miseries yet by the grace of Christ Jesus she did continually flourish to the spreading of her self to

and upon her head a crown of twelve starrs now I think no man will deny but the Church which undoubtedly was the woman which was cloathed with the sun when she had such abundance of the spirit that it sat upon them as fire and they were filled with the holy Ghost and spake with tongues and were enabled with power to distribute the ordinances of the Gospel unto whom they did appertain and when the Church was crowned with twelve stars namely the twelve Apostles But it is yet objected Be it so that this is true yet is there no workings of the spirit are all things so dead as there is no appearance of God by gifts and ordinances I answer I do beleeve that there are some breathings of the Spirit in the Saints for it is not said the sun is wholly darkened but darkned that is doth not give that light as it did in the first Gospel times and this the very experience of times doth evince but for the ordinances which are likened to the moon they are in a manner wholly darkened from that they were in the first times and as for the stars the third part of them was darkned in the sounding of the fourth trumpet Rev. 8. 12. and 12. 4. and they which persisted in the faith are killed by the beast Rev. 11. 7. It is further objected that though it be said The powers of the heavens shal be shaken yet it follows not that they are removed no more then trees that are shaken of a mighty wind are removed To which I answer that shaking in Scripture sense is removing and this is cleer from that of Haggai 2. 6. where it is said for thus saith the Lord of hoasts yet once it is but a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land which shaking is expounded by the Authour to the Hebrews to be a removing Hebrews the 12. 27. And thus I hope I have fully answered these objections Another objection is made against that exposition which I make upon that text Luke 17. 34. where it is said In that night there shall be two men in one bed the one shall be taken the other shall be left which say they is meant when the Lord appeareth then shall one that is a Christian be at work with an unbeliever and where it is said There shall be two in one bed the one shall be taken the other shall be left say they it is meant the husband may be a believer and the wife an unbeleever as it was in the first Gospel times To which I answer That the text saith it is two men and two women and therefore it cannot be meant of that matrimonial coupling of man and wife and touching the two men being in the field together as it is Matth. 24. that it may be expounded at work together the one a beleever the other an unbeleever this the words going before will cleer for it is said Luke 17. 26. As it was in the dayes of Noe so shall it be in the dayes of the Son of man likewise as it was in the dayes of Lot they did eat and drink they bought they sold they planted they builded but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all Now we all know there was no difference between Noe and the world and Lot and the Sodomltes in any outward worship but onely they were preachers of righteousnesse which is cleer by that speech of Abraham where he prayeth for Sodom Gen. 18. 24. and saith Peradventure there be found fifty righteous so likewise in the dayes of the coming of the Son of man those that are truly Christians and watch and pray cannot but be preachers of righteousnesse forasmuch as that man that is addicted to sin and uncleannesse cannot be said in reason to watch over his actions and he that is praying or prepared alwayes to pray cannot be voyd of righteousness towards man Another Objection is made touching the raising of the Witnesses for say they It is true the Witnesses are to lie dead but there is a time for their raising again and this is our practice sor we are raising the Witnesses from death to meet the Lord in Sion To which I answer That it is true that the Witnesses are to rise and to stand upon their feet but the question is when this should be which I beleeve upon examination will appear to be when the Lord appears from heaven which I shall prove thus as it is said Rev. 11. 11. and after three dayes and a half the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon all that saw them which compared with Ezekiel 37. and Rev. 20. 5. will appear to be that resurrection spoken of in those two places But it may be said Those places speak of the raising of the dead out of their graves to meet the Lord in Sion but this of Revel 11. must be meant of the raising the people of the Lord Jesus out of that darkness wherein they lay in the Antichristian state To which I answer It is true it seems to be so but mark well the sense of the place and you shall finde it is at the Lords appearing as to mee it seems cleer from the 12 verse where it is said And they heard a great voice from heaven saying Come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them which compared with 1 Thes. 4. it will appear to be when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven with a shout and the voyce of the archangel as it is in ver 16. besides mark the effects that did follow upon the rising of the witnesses for it is said verse 13. And the same hour there was a great Earth-quake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the earth-quake were slain of men 7000 and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven so that I think no man will affirm there is any such effects wrought by any arising from death of the witnesses in these our days and thus I hope I have answered this objection It is yet further objected that the changes that are wrought in this nation are some tokens of the Lords hand for we may plainly see that there be many men that were before wicked persons both swearers and lascivious in their lives and conversations that upon their coming in are changed in their lives likewise there are many young men that were of no gifts and parts in the sight of the world are now able to dispense the word and to pray very heavenly somtime to the admiration of the hearers insomuch as they are forced to say God is in you of a truth and therefore this must needs be a testimony that the hand of God is in this work and that he will prosper it To this I answer

said Revelation 11. 2. But the court which is without the temple meaning as I conceive the ordinances leave out and measure it not that is take no care of it for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy city shall they tread under foot 42. mouths By Gentiles I understand not gentiles in profession for so much as it cannot be said that the Gentiles or heathen do tread under foot the holy city but by Gentiles in this place I understand men that are gentiles in manners having in effect forsaken the faith of Christ which I take to be the Church of Rome having possession of the Church or holy city of God and tread under feet the people of God and dispense with the ordinancts of God at their pleasure which is the court or outward part of the temple which is given to them to tread under feet 42. months And it is said in the 13. chapter and 5. verse And there was given unto him speaking of the beast which did arise out of the sea a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy and power was given unto him to continue 42. months which two texts I conceive do mean one and the same thing which is counting a day for a year 1260. years Now if this time do begin at the ceasing of the persecution by Licinas Emperour of the East as I suppose it doth which was according to Mr. Foxe's Accompt in the year of the nativity of Christ 324. then the time of the Raign of the beast was compleat according to this accompt 1584. which is since according to the accompt of the Church of England 66. years so that all this time of the Raign of this beast from the year 324. at the ceasing of the persecution untill the year 1584. this beast did go on and encrease in power and did persecute the people of the Lord Jesus Now if it be said That there was a time between the raising of persecution by the Dragon or Empire Heathen and the persecution by the beast Christian which according to Mr Fox's accompt was a thousand years To this I answer First That this was the slumbring or sleepie condition of the Church For as soon as the Church began to have case and riches given her she fell asleep and declined which opportunity being offered the enemy sowed tares amongst the wheat and as the tares sprung up and brought forth fruit they shewed themselves In which time of the Churches declining the tares were not discovered and therefore for that time there could not be in reason any persecution because of the sleep of the servants and these tares by reason of the sleep of the servants grew too many for the good seed and had gotten possession of the Church of God and did in time grow so wicked as they caused the servants to awake But secondly Although there was no persecution for causes of Religion yet the Pope or beast Christian was an enemy unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these particulars as First The Pope or bishop of Rome was an enemy unto the people of God by intruding himself into the Church of God in claiming to himself to be Universal Bishop and thereby doing injury to his fellow bishops and causing contention to arise in the Church of God contrary to any rule of Scripture Secondly he having gotten this universall title unto himself was an enemie unto the people of God by his negligence in suffering and permitting such grosse errors by degrees to grow in the Church of God and therby the Pope was an enemy to the people of Jesus Christ in claiming to himself to be head of the Church of Jesus Christ which is a title peculiarly belonging to the Lord Jesus and having gotten this title to suffer the people of the Lord Jesus to be seduced But then Thirdly Though there was no persecution in the Church of Rome or during the raign of the beast christian for neer one thousand years in respect of religion and in respect of any people walking contrary to the common multitude yet neverthelesse the Pope with his Clergy were enemies to the people of the Lord Jesus and did cause abundance of bloud to be shed by the wars which were raised in the Empire by means of the Pope striving with the Emperour and other Princes for temporall possessions and also in striving with the Emperour and other Christian Princes to gain them to submit unto the Popes yoke for many temporall matters in desposing Emperours and Princes and setting up others in their steads whereby followed miserable wars and devastations in the world which is lamentable to relate and in striving with the Emperour and other Christian Princes to gain out of their hands the election of Bishops and other head officers in the Church which the Pope by degrees did wrest out of the hands of the Emperour and other Christian Princes contrary to the ancient custome of the nations and for which there was much contention and bloud-shed in the Christian world besides the oppression of him and his officers and legats in raking together the goods of the Churches in the nations and setting up of alians and forrainers in the benefices of the nations but especially here in England to the impoverishing of the nations and to the ruine of the people for want of teaching as may be seen at large in Acts and Monuments of the Church of England volume the first in many places Fourthly The Pope or beast Christian were great enemies unto the people of the people of the Lord Jesus in respect of divisions and schisms which were in the Popes Church by means of several Popes there being somtime two sometime three as was in the beginning of the councell of Constance the Emperour and Christain Princes falling in dissention and taking parts about them each maintaining his Pope which that government had set up insomuch as King Henry the fourth of England writing to the Pope to be a means to cease the Schisme in the Church relates to him that by the vote of men there were to the number of 200000 men slain in the parts of the world among Christian Princes about the division of the Popes by means of wars raised up in that quarrel As also 30000 souldiers slain in war about the Bishopprick of Leodiem between two set up one by the authority of one Pope the other by the authority of the other Pope which relates to such a summe as I think all men will acknowledg that the Pope or beast Christian hath been an enemie to the people of God before he began to persecute for the cause of religion as may be seen in the same letter of King Henry the fourth Acts and Monuments page the 720. the first volume Then fifthly After the abomination was fully set up which I take to be in the year 1215. then began to follow persecution for the cause of religion it being the time that the people of the Lord Jesus were

or Madrid which are the head cities of these three nations but Saint John treats of things in a mystery speaking of materiall things which have a spirituall sense and this is eleer in Revelation the 10. 7. where he saith But in the voyce of the seventh Angel when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God shall be finished as he hath declared by his servants the Prophets wherein is plainly declared that the prophets in severall ages of the world have for the most part declared their prophesie in a mystery and for proof of it I shall alledg two places of many namely Mat. 2. 15. where it is said That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet out of Egypt have I called my son And in ver 17. it is said Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah saying In Rama was a voyce heard In which two places can in reason be no other but a mysticall sense meant and are taken out of Hos. 11. 1. Jer. 31. 15. Now to speak something of this Beast I desire that these severall places of Scripture may be considered as touching the rising of this beast for it is said Rev. 9. 11. speaking of the Locusts that they had a King over them which is the King or Angel of the bottomless pit and then in chap. 11. 7. it is said And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that did ascend out of the bottomless pit shall make warr against them And in chap. 13. 11. he saith And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he had two hornes like a lamb and he spake like the dragon which three places I suppose mean one and the same beast which may be seen by the coherence and the agreement of the three texts being duly considered Now whether we may take the two hornes to signifie strength as two Kingdomes or whether we may take the two hornes to mean some mysticall things I dare not judg for so much as I suppose the beast is not yet fully appeared but only a preparation for him but this we may remember that in the last times according as our Saviour foretold there should arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Mat. 24. 24. and Rev. 9. 7. And the shapes of the Locusts were like unto horses prepared to battell and on their heads were as it were Crownes of Gold and their faces were as the faces of men and they had haire as the hair of women and in chap. 13. 13. And he doth great wonders so that he makes fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and in chap. 16. 13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the false prophets In all which places there is mention made of false prophets which should deceive the people and should stir up the nations to fight against the Lord Jesus in his people saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an Image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live and he had power to give life unto the Image of the beast that the Image of the beast should speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed All which things considered and insomuch as we are fallen into the last times notwithstanding I dare not a ffirm any thing of certain by means of the darknesse of the mystery so that untill the prophesies are fufilled we cannot attain to the opening of them yet neverthelesse these exhortations will be necessary for all men to take notice of first that insomuch as there shall come such false prophets as if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect and that the beast which did arise out of the Earth had two hornes like a lamb and that by Saint Johns words he should cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men that is the spirit as he pretends therefore that they would be very wary whom they trust And secondly that within the compasse of this ten years we have had such fair pretences made of reformation among the clergie and yet I beleeve had the time suted with them they would something have spoken like the dragon in persecuting such as could not submit themselves to their reformation as may be seen fully if men diligently consider their carriages in this age And thirdly I shall admonish all those of the nations which have the rule of the government in their hands that they would beware what government they set up in the worship of God and that for these reasons First left they make an Image of the beast which had a wound by a sword and yet did live Secondly that they beware of all such as come in sheeps cloathing and inwardly are ravening wolves left by their perswasion they cause the Image of the beast both to speak and to cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed that is by inciting the magistrates to fall to persecuting and killing the servants of the Lord Jesus which cannot submit to their government in spirituall things which is set up And thirdly for so much as the government of the nations ceases to bear the image or any image of the beast so long as they do Justice and relieve the distressed and defend their people committed to their charge and for bear to persecute for cause of conscience in spirituall things because it is the nature of beasts that prey upon others to devour and kill the innocent sheep and other creatures that are subject to their tyranny And thus much by way of Exhortation to all men that they be no occasion of setting up the beast I shall now come to speak of the time of standing and prevailing of this beast which I take hath his time of beginning though not yet discerned at the decaying of the beast which did arise out of the sea which was according to my former accompt in the yeer 1584 according to Rev. 13. 18. which will be the yeer of our Lord according to our vulgar accompt 2250. And this I shall prove from the prophesie of Daniel in chap. 8. 13. where it is said Then I heard one saint speaking and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation to give both the sanctuary and the hoste to be trodden under foot And he said unto me unto 2300 dayes then shall the sanctuary be cleansed And it is said Hos. 6. 2. After two dayes will he revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Where pray take notice a day for 1000 yeers