and 4. living Creatures one like a Lion another like a Calfe another like a man and unotherâ—like an Eagle this alludes to the Ministry of Priests who had their Habitation near the Tabernacle being in 24. Courses and the 4 beasts were the 4. chief Tribes which had the rest of the Tribes divided equally under these 4. Banners to pitch on the North East West and South of the Tabernacle to defend it â—these 4. round and the Priests tipified a Gospel Magistracy set to protect the Church and the Ministry from enemies without This godly Magistracy and Ministry I humbly conceive are called Rev. 10. 1. â— the feete of Christ the right foot and the left Zach. 14. 4. there Zachariah saw the feet of Christ stand on Mount Olivet i. e. the witnesses assend as Rev. 11. 11. 12. to Heaven these are also called Rev. 11. 3. twoe witnesses and v. 4. two Olive Trees and two Candle-sticks Olive-Trees to give svpply of Oyle to the Candle-sticks and Candle-sticks to contene that Oyl the two chief Instruments of light in the Church v. 5. these have fire in their mouthes therefore Ezek. 1. 13. they were like fire and like Lamps there the wheeles and the beastâ—signified the Magistracy and Ministhy as the beasts draw the wheeles and the wheeles support the Arke which was brought home so the Magistracy and Ministry act for the good of the Church when the beasts went the wheeles went and when the beasts were lifted up the wheeles were lifted up to note that as it fares with the Magistracy so it fares with the Ministry if one goes up the other goes up if one goes down the other goes down Ezek. in that Chapter prophesies principally of the glorious Gospel-day which the Jews shall enjoy at the end of the Roman Monarchy but more of this hereafter these two witnesses are called as I conceive Rev. 4. 15. 18. the Angel of the Temple and the Angel of the Altar Solomon the King was he that built the Temple he was the Angel of the Temple but the High Priest was the Angel of the Altar there he sacrificed and offered and he had power over the fire of the Temple these 5. Lam. 3. are called Fathers and Mothers in the Church These are called Revel 20. 4. the soules of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and those which did not worship the beast nor his Image nor had taken his mark on their foreheads or on their hands This verse shews the punishment which the Magistrates shall undergoe they should be cut off with the Axe so Beza reads it and the other to wit the Ministâ—y they should suffer for not subscribing the beasts Ingagement they will not worship his Image nor subject unto it they will neither with forehead nor hand give or receive the mark of the beast 4. Propos That the Vials then begin to be powred out when the witnesses arise and this beast goeth to ruine that 's to be proved by the Vials Objects The first is the beast of the earth The second the beast of the Sea The third is the Prince of the ayr that 's the seventh Vial which falls on the ayr which leads to the 5. proposition 5. Propos That the great Battel Revel 19. 19 and the Vials powring out are one and the same thing for they have one and the same Object to wit the beast of the Sea the false Prophet Rev. 19. 20. and the Dragon the Devil the Prince of the ayr Rev. 20. 2. and 3. 6. Propos That the thousand years binding of Satan and the thousand years Raign of the Witnesses with Christ do not begin until the great battel against the beast and the false Prophet be fought after this Battel the twelve Tribes of Israel shall be converted to the Gospel and return to their own Nation and be united under one King All these propositions fall under the discourse of the beasts ruine and the witnesses rising I will not undertake to discourse particularly at large on each of these particulars for then I should swell my discourse into to a large volom but only occasionally as they fall in under the general proposition of the beast of the earths ruine and the witnesses rising The exceeding many rubs that I have in my way especially those that English Expositers lay in my way I mean Protestant Writers either English or translated into English As Brightman Pareus Meade Bernard Napier with several others do not only puâ— me to infinite pains in uniting ravelled truth but put me out of a pleasing method for in this work I am put to as much pains as Alexander when at once he answered six Embassador how much I am contrary to the opinion of the most English Expositers my seaven forenamed Propositions shew but how agreable these propositers are to the mind of the Holy-Ghost by the help of the Holy-Ghost I will make it my work to shew to the world from the Scriptures themselves which are the best expositions of themselves 2. The second general conclusion is that which I shall how treat of viz That the beast of the earth that overcame and slew the Witnesses shall be overcome and the witnesses that were overcome and slain by him shall rise again about of this yeare 1651. For the proofe whereof the first proposition must be laid before the Reader viz. that as the Holy-Ghost shews John the first troubles of the Church under the Seales unto Constantine which were the persecutions of the Heathen Emperors called the red Dragon and the persecutions of the Church under the beast of the Sea and the beast of the earth from the time of Antichrists rising after Constantine under the Trumpets all which reacheth to the 14. Chapter so from the 14. Chapter to the 21. Chapter the Holy Ghost sets forth the rising of the Church and the ruine of the enemy in Chap. 13. He sets forth the Raign and Tyranny of the beast of the Sea and the beast of the earth the beast of the earth we have seen him in his rising and in his Government and we have numbered him in both and plainly uncased him to the world Revel 14. In the 14. Chapter there is the Church coming out of affliction there is the slaying of the witnesses set forth with the cause and a Prophesie of the beast of the earths ruine Rev. 15. In Chapter the 15. you have the witnesses risen you must note the Witnesses slaying and rising again alludes much to Christs death and Resurrection for as they must be confirmable to him in sufferings so the Holy Ghost useth the like expression to note that such like glorious effects shall be at the Witnesses rising as at Christsâ—Resurrection Rev. 16. In Chap. 16. You have the witnesses powring out the Vials on the beast of the earth on the Sea i. e. the beast of the Sea and the last Vial into the ayre that is on the Prince of the ayre these three are the onely
Iudgment come this the world hath warning of in v. 8. the next Angel follows saying v. 9. Babylon is fallen is fallen then the third Angel follows with a loud voice as the others do observe now is the time of loud voices in the Church which are heard untill the 7th Trumpet sound he forewarns every man of the danger of worshipping the Beast and his Image for saith he v 10. If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his forhead or on his hand the same shall drink the wine of the wrath of God v 11. Yea of the pure wine which is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. v 12. And they have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image and receive the mark of his name there is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Iesus These words are but once used before and that is in Rev. 13. 10. immediately before the rising of the Beast of the Earth Now here they are repeated to shew the cause of the Saints sufferings it shall be for opposing this Beast of the Earths new Government and not subscribing to be true and faithfull to it which is here set down by worshipping the Beast and his Image and receiving his mark this shall be one great cause of the Witneses slaying therefore in vers 13. there is a heavenly voice that says Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord and the Spirit gives two reasons 1. Because they rest from their exceeding pressure of calamity for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which coms from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 2. Their works follow them To read it according to the Greek copie 't is but their works follow them to note though the Witnesses be slain and that Reformation which they so laboured in be for a time plucked out of their hands so that they are forced as Nehemiah to cease from their labors yet that work shall follow them the work of Reformation shall follow the slain Witnesses Blessed are the dead this is either to set out the horrible tribulation of these times as in Matth. 24. Mark 13. and Luke 21. they are called so that he shall be blessed that is taken to God from out of these troubles or rather for incouragement to the godly Magistracy and Ministery which are persecuted imprisoned and banished and in danger of their lives for keeping their Covenant and their integrity and not breaking Gods commandements either the first or the second Table Therefore Ver. 12. it is added Here are they that keep the commandements of God it seems it shall be a time of trampling Gods Law under foot so that they that keep Gods commandements shall be rare and eminent men it shall be a rare thing to find a faithfull man When Christ comes 't is spoken of this time of his coming in the white cloud as followes shall he find faith on the earth 'T will be a rare thing to find either faithfull Magistrate or Minister or men of a strong faith most men will comply and ingage through the weaknesse of their faith Observe what followes this time of slaying the Witnesses vers 14. And I looked and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one like the Son of Man having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle After the slaying of the Witnesses immediately followes Christ in the cloud with his sickle in his hand Observe that in the 14 15 16. Chapter they all make one vision and every verse from the 14. Chapter to the end of the 16. begins with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except when the sense is continued in two Verses or a reason in one is given of the former which is not above thrice throughout the three Chapters there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be found the matter in the three Chapters is copulative In the first part of this Chapter you have the Witnesses finishing their testimony the Church coming out of Babylon having made a progresse in reformation the chief instruments are slain the Magistrates and the Ministers who had taken infinite pains had thrown down Superstition Prelacy and Popery and covenanted to establish the Gospell in its purity these on a suddain when they had finished their testimony are cast out of their Offices imprisoned banished and beheaded In Rev. 20. 4. there is the manner of the Witnesses punishment and the cause of their sufferings For the cause of Christ and for the Word of God for going about to establish the truth of Christ according to the Word of God for so the Covenant runs they were cut off with the axe There 's both the Magistrates punishment and the cause plainly set down And which did not worship the Beast neither his image neither had taken his mark on their foreheads or on their hands that is they refused to acknowledge or own the authority of the Beast of the Earth 't is certain that this can be meant of none but the Beast of the Earths government for this power of setting up an Image and inforcing men to worship it is attributed to none but him And whether the punishments prescribed be not now inflicted upon the Covenant-keeping Ministery this day let all the world judge There hath nothing been so clearly fulfilled in the eyes of the world this thousand years as this of the slaying of the Witnesses this day in our eyes Oh that we had hearts to conceive aright of it Vers 4. But now followes the glorious day Christ in a white cloud Here two Propositions must be cleared First Here begins the seventh trumpet to sound Secondly The seventh sounding causeth all the vialls to be powred out on the Beast of the Earth on the Beast of the Sea and on the Prince of the Ayre Then begins the seventh trumpet to sound when Christ begins to take the Kingdoms of the world and make them his own and reigne over them Rev. 11. 15. But in Rev. 14. 14. then Christ is crowned with a golden crown when he sits on his white cloud therefore the time of Christs coming in the cloud is the time of the seventh trumpets sounding and for this cause saith the Holy Ghost lest men should mistake the time Rev. 11. 14. The second woe is past and the third woe cometh quickly when the two Witnesses stand upon their feet and are called up to heaven then the seventh trumpet coms swiftly and without delay for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies therefore Rev. 16. 15. in the very middle of the narration of the great battell that the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet shall fâ—ght against the Lamb when they gather together to that great battell Christ gives this warning to the Church that when
publick prayers unto God to blesse him in his undertakings for him and his cause after which he proceeds to act the highest murther treason and rebellion and succeeding well in it he câ—yes out to the people behold providence behold a return of prayers we fasted yesterday and to day we have had success this is the fire which comes down but observe it 't is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be made fire Observe that 't is fire of his own making he plotted the design and then fasted he conveies the fire under his own sacrifice 't is false fires that he makes I conceive it alludes to that in 1 Kings 18. 36. 38. where Elias that eminent Servant of God proved himself to be a true Prophet and all the rest to be but Baalls Prophets by the fire which God sent from Heaven on the earth in the sight of men so doth this Beast of the earth endeavour by his signes to prove himself as prevalent with God as Elias and as true sincere a worshipper of God as Elias and all that oppose him or crosse his designs to be put Baalls Priests and thus he proves it I fast saith he and my enemies fast they fast to preserve the ancient Government I fast to throwe it down after I have fasted I prevail but though my enemies fast God hears them not they have no fire comes near their sacrifice though they cry and weep day and night but so soone as I fast the things I fast for is presently accomplished and this his success in this audacious villainy murther rebellion against Gods Law natures Law and his own solemn Vows and Covenants he makes the silly people believe is the return of his prayers the fire of Gods sending from heaven upon his sacrifice This notes that this Beast in his slaying of the witnesses shall pretend to act eminently for Christ and make the world believe he is an eminent Saint and that all the godly faithful Ministers are but Baalls Priests as they are now termed to him But observe the next verse v. 14. And be deceived them that dwell on the earth he for all his signes is but a cheater therefore he is called Rev. 19. 20. the false Prophet He pretends to be such as Elias who was a true Prophet but he is a false Prophet and only cheats the people therefore Mat. 24. 24. he is said with his company of seducers like himself to seduce if it were posible the very Elect and for this end he cheats them to submit to his Government which he hath set up by the power of his sword that 's the meaning of these words saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an Image of the Beast which was wounded with the sword and did live This is the end of all his pretences and pious acts it is to subject the people to that Government which he sets up he fasts and prayes and humbles himself but 't is to cheat the people and all this he doth in the sight of the Beast that is the Pope for there is no other beast in being but the Pope that the Holy Ghost intends now to do it in the sight of the Beast saith the Roman Glossary is to do it with the beasts good liking so that what he doth the Pope approves of and likes well of Indeed I believe the Pope will never frown at the beheading of a Protestant King and blowing up of a Protestant Parliament who resolved and were agreed to unhorse his â—surped holiness power in the three Kingdoms The Pope cannot but look on with great content yea and triumph in this year of Jubilee which falls out according to the Prophesie Rev. 11. 10. when they give thanks for the removing of the witnesses it shall be a year of rejoycing with the enemy to see a King and Parliament utterly broken who covenanted to break Rome and to see an Assembly of Divines battered and broken and their labor in a reformation utterly frustrated this cannot but rejoyce the Pope and his Conclave What To have that accomplished now which Digby Faux Catesby Winter and Garnet and all those Gunpowder-Saints could never accomplish to have it now accomplished by his new canonized Saints This cannot but be well liking to the Pope V. 15. And it was given to him to give life to the Image of the beast that the Image of the beast should speak and should cause that whosoever would not adore the Image of the beast should be slain This Image of the beast hath allusion either to that Image which Nebuchadnezer set up in the plain of Dura enjoyning all men upon pain of death to fall down and worship it which the consciencious godly Jews refusing great and extraordinary provision was made for their destruction but when the Souldiers had bound the three consciencious Saints and all the great men of the times came to see their destruction behold they that threw them into the fire were destroyed and the poor Saints stood upon their feet Christ appears amongst them in the Furnace forthwith they are released and immediately after all the Kingdoms in the world are made to know that the persecuted Saints God is the true God by sound of Trumpet so shall 〈◊〉 be with the Saints in this beasts Raign he that will not adore this beasts Image that is subject to his Government subscribe to be true and faithful to his usurped and unlawful Government shall be killed or in a civil sence he shall be out-lawed and made incapable of bearing Office in Church or State Nebuchadnezers Image was 60. Cubits high and 6. Cubits broad a high Image but the number of this beast who sets up this Image is 666. he is exceeding in cruelty and wickedness all the enemies of the Church that went before him at least 600. times Or else Image alludes to that in Dan. 11. 38. where the King there is said to honour the God Mauzzim that is a sword-sword-power And this Image here is the same for 't is a sword-power such as Cesar erected by the sword and supported by the sword until he had compleated his Conquests There in Daniel he makes his God Mauzzim to rule over many and here in the Revelation he causeth that as many as will not submit to this Image of the beast should be killed I conceive that these two Texts agree with each other And it was given him Observe this beast is one single person that sets up this Image I am very prone to believe that the Image that this beast sets up is that mentioned in Revel 17. 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which yet have received no Kingdoms but receive power as Kings one hour with the beast 'T is absurd to say these ten Kings are the ten Kings under the Roman Emperor which denominate Rome the beast as they say with ten horns 1. Because the ten Kings subject to Rome they were distinct
the earth became Christs and here in the Text John saw Thrones and Judgment was given to them rhat is to the Saints now what Saints these are to whom those Thrones are given John in the next words declares and I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded or as Beza reads it smitten with the Ax for the testimony of Jesus here are two infallible marks whereby to know that those that sit on these thrones are the slain Witnesses 1. By their sufferings they are beheaded 2. By their actions which was the cause of their sufferings It was for the testimony of Jesus for finishing their Testimony Rev. 11. 7. that the Witnesses were cut off this gives us a wonderfull clear Character of the slain Magistracy which by the Ax and the Sword were removed cut of the way when they were resolved to root out Popery and to establish true Religion then comes the fatall Ax and Sword and removes these Witnesses this is so cleer that he that will not be obstinately blind must of necessity see it fulfilled in his sight this day and positively conclude That the Magistracy of England is that Witnesse that was thus cut off but then the Ministry you shall see in the next clause And which had not worshipped the Beast nor his Imagt nor received his mark in their foreheads or in their hands As the precedent clause sets forth the Magistracy by their doings and sufferings so this clause seems to me to describe the Ministers doings and sufferings Indeed the English translation seems to joyn it with the other because they leave out the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or translate it not right few of the Latine Translations render it full enough for it may well be rendred as I conceive thus and certain some who have not adored the Beast nor his Image nor receives his Mark These are those that suffered for not acknowledging the Beasts of the earths God Mauzzim his sword power his new erected Government they would not submit to his Government nor subscribe to his Ingagement nor pray for them nor Preach for them These suffer for not subscribing to the Government set up as the Magistracy suffered for opposing the setting of it up here is a cleer discription of the two Witnesses by their suffering under the Beast of the earth for this Image and number and mark can be attributed to nothing but the Beast of the earths new Government and way of establishing it so that this Text cleerly tels us 1. Who shall possesse the Throne viz the Witnesses riâ—ing 2. When it is when the Beast the false Prophet and the Dragon are overthrown by Christ and when the Witnesses arise up and ascend above their enemies that slew them This time is called v 5. The first resurrection for two reasons first to distinguish this time from the day of Judgment the last resurrection for that shall not be untill a thousand years after this resurrection if in v 7. by a thousand years be meant a definite time which is disputable 2. It is called a resurrection because this is the time of the Witnesses rising from their slaine condition and standing upon their legs again Rev. 11. 11. A Covenant reformation of Covenanting reformers shall stand up again to the terror of all that oppose it this resurrection of the witnesses alluds to that of Christ for as the Witnesses must be conformable to Christ in their sufferings so â—he dâ—y of the resurrection of the Witnesses shall produce such like effects for as after Christs great and unexpected loud voice on the Crosse there was an earth-quake and the Vale of the Temple rent that the holy of holies might be seen of all and the day was also a dark day so at the slaying of the Witnesses Rev 11. 13. there shall be a great earthquake and loud voices crying It is finished it shall be a dark day and the Temple of the Tabernacle of the testimony in Heaven shall be opened and the Jews shall rise out of their spiritual graves of unbelief as the fore-cited texts tell us And as at Christs resurrection an Angel appeared like lightening and his raiment as white as snow and Christ appears on the Mount with his disciples Math. 28. 16. And makes known his monarchicall power making his Disciples Apostles and sending them forth to conquer the world so shall it be at the Witnesses rising the glorious Angel shall appear the earth shall quake the Soldiers that slew the Witnesses shall quake the Lamb and his sealed ones shall stand on Mount Sion and Christs power by his Witnesses successefull progresse against his enemies shall be manifest to the world And to this I might adde another Reason why t is called a resurrection because at this time God will call the Jews out of their graves of unbelief unto spirituall life by subjecting them to the Gospel As Ezek. 37. 12 13. in those two verses he promiseth foure times to call them out of their graves v 9. from the foure winds And Dan. 12. 1 2. after the Beast that sets up the god Mazzim is destroyed in the mountain of holinesse that is the Beast that slâ—ys the Witnesses is destroyed in that kingdom where the Gospel Magistracie Gospel Ministery Gospel ordinances and Gospel purity is preserved then immediately follows the seventh Trumpet where Christ stands up for the people and at that time the Jews shall be delivered and they that sleep in the dust shall awake the Jews that have long lyen in the dust shall awake they shall be brought from unbeleif to make profession of the Gospel Though all shall not be internally called to everlasting salvation yet they shall all be called into an externall profession so that in these respects I conceive this time of the Enemies overthrow And the Church her rising may well be called the first resurrection after these three grand Enemies destruction within the Church the Church shall have a large time of freedome from spirituall enemies as from Hereticks and Idolaters and blasphemers which are the proper subjects of these three Arch Enemies And after this large time of tranquillity both to the Jews and Gentiles v 7 8. Satan shall gather both open and secret covered and uncovered Enemies Gog and Magog in infinite numbers against the Saints And then v 10 11 12 13. comes absolutely the day of judgement And then the state of the Saints in perfect and eternall blisse and happinesse is set forth in Revel 21. but of the day of judgement and the state of blisse I le daily meditate and forbear to write at this time There is onely one Question that I intend to answer and then I le shut up this Discourse and that is since the Beast of the Sea is at Rome and hath his râ—sidence there and the Beast of the earth is now in Scotland and the devill is reigning thorowout the world either by Paganisme or Mahomatisme or Popish Idolatry or by Independencie under
gets to his Kingdom not by open force but by pretences of peace to settle the Kingdom in peace this Party must be disbanded and the other Party thrust out of the Kingdom and another Party must be supplanted and all under pretence of Peace the King must be taken off and the Nobles degraded and the Commons secluded and all for the settling of peace his motto is Pax quaeritur bello I have read it in his Standart all his pretences are peace and restoring the Free-born people to their Liberties Two things discover him clearly First he succeeds in the room of a King which is destroyed neither in wroth nor battel v. 20. how then if neither by wroth nor battel then certainly he must be destroyed by a deliberate act of pretended Justice against him and so destroyed by cutting off his head as a malefactor Now that King so destroyed this vile fellow must succeed Nay v. 22. he shall proceed to overthrow the Prince of the Covenant Now we see how it hath succeeded with the Covenant-keeping Party at the stern of government The like Paraphrase may run in the following verses setting out this beasts designes against the King of the South but I will not be too bold since the times are comments on these texts let this be sufficient to make us know that the Beast of the earth and the little horn and this vile fellow are none and the same Beast even he that slayes the Witnesses and his two horns and his Dragons tongue are but to set forth his hypocriticall pretences as the Serpents tongue beguiled Eve so this fellow beguiles innocent persons to their ruin His two horns signifie his power his Army they are like Lambs horns Rev. 13. 12. 't is not said the horns of the Lamb but horns like a Lamb that is harmlesse he pretends that his Army shall lay down Arms whensoever the Parliament will command them they are Conscientious men who professe it s against their Principles to fight but to suffer for their Religion This Beasts Army are all innocent Doves and harmlesse Lambs all Saints persecuted Saints forsooth that count all men bitter-spirited men that beleeve not every word they say but he hath the tongue of a Dragon It alludes to the Serpent in Paradice that deceived Eve and so overthrew Adam the only Monarch of the world So doth this Beast with his Lambs horns through his lying cheating swearing forswearing and cheating of effeminate silly people overthrow the only true Christian Monarch in the world I wish it be not proved that they have had a hand in Adams ruin through the subtilty of Jesuits those Christian-State Serpents therefore this horn is said to have Dan. 7. 8. the eyes of a man that is aboundance of humane policy saith Theodoret and much dissimulation saith Maldonatus and then he speaks like the Dragon that 's another note of this beast like unto which you have that Dan. 7. 8. he hath a mouth speaking great things observe this beast hath not the Teeth nor the Tayl nor the Sting but the Tongue of the Dragon so that Fabritius Hectors comment on those words seemeth to me very good Os loquens injentia i.e. eloquens Superbus malledicus jactabundus fallax mirax divinitatem sibi arogat he is eloquent proud an evil speaker full of boasting a deceitfull fellow and a threatner and he arrogates divinity to himself this is something near the matter for he akes upon him to preach divinity this puts me in minde of their interpretations who by the Beast of the earth understand the earthly power of Antichrists Preachers which shall be excâ—eding numerous towards the later end of the world when Enoch and Elias are by them to be slain by Enoch and Elias they mean the two Witnesses this is the opinion of Haymo the ordinary Glosse Viega Rodolphus Richardus Beda Ausburtus Pannoâ—ius Rupertus and others it is very much for these Authors so long ago to foretell us that in these dayes we should have an army of Preachers rise up and slay the Witnesses I am sorry that I must be so tedious but I cannot let passe the words of Petrus Bullingerus upon the two horns of the Beast of the earth Scripturas in hypocâ—isin gerunt faciuntque faciunt ex ejus Cornua bestiae dum adulterant verbum Dei non nisi ad confirmanda Satanae mendatiae illis utantne they professe the Scriptures saith he in hypocrisie and out of it they make horns for the Beast while they adulterate the word of God and make no use at all of the Scriptures but only to confirm the lies of Satan in an ancient manuscript which I found in Bibliotheca Bodliana I found this passage in it speaking of the Horns of the Beast saith he he hath two Horns either to note that he pretends to be the defender of the two Testaments or that he would seem to be the protector of the Gospel-Church amongst the Gentiles and the great friend to the Jews this he pretends to in the sight of the world said Sybillâ— frandulentia Enoch et Elias preditet but under that deceit he shall slay the Witnesses believe it these passages are not to be sleighted for my own part when I consider the times we live in and see how exactly the ancient writers words are fulfilled I rather count them Prophets then Dâ—eamers Now because we will if possible inforce the Dr. to see his mistakes we will yet make out this Beast more clearly by his Horns take but that of E Lapide Josephus A Costa C. E Lapide saith that Cornu â—ignum erat Regni so that belike these two Horns must be two Kingdoms that this Beast shall wear Josephus Acosta l. 2. de novissimis Temporibus Cap 17. thinks that these two Horns signifie Episcopal dignity which is the Miter that Bishops wore which Miter hath two parts like two Horns upon the Head crit ergo quispiam Apostata â—t simulator religionis ecclesiae honoris proditor that these two â—eâ—uites may not fall together by the eares wee 'le reconcile them would Cornelius E Lapide have this Beasts two Horns two Kingdoms wee 'le grant it would Josephus A Costa have it a Myter like to Horns wee 'le grant that also England and Ireland are the two Kingdoms that the Beast hath gotten by his policy and power take the Harp and the Crosse as they are now joyned by the Beast that hath joyned them and put them on his head they make a perfect Miter and thus I have reconciled these two learned Jesuites which I hope none will judge but that 't is a work of charity in real truth Oh! but that Beast in Daniel subdueth three Kings how then hath he but two horns Sol. he shall cut off the King of three Kingdoms and in that sence he shall pluck up three Kings in one person or he shall defeat the power and forces of three Kingdoms he shall cause them to fall and fly
before him but the third Kingdom he shall never subdue to his obedience he may wear the Crosse and the Harp in his Miter but he shall never wear the Lion for in that Kingdom he shall come to his ruine as anon we shall shew I now passe on to make a further description of this Beast as the Holy ghost sets him forth we shall proceed v. 12. And he did all that the first Beast could do before him and he caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed I think the Text may be better translated into English I am sure nearer to the Greek Copy and he did all the power of the first Beast in his presence so reads Pagnine Montanus Biblia Fanensis Sixtus Quinâ—us Lyra. This verse sets forth the manner how he got to his greatness which is described by his acting and the end of his acting in the end you have the manner of his acting in the other the effect of â—is acting in the Text there are two first Beasts and both distinct and different from each other though few interpreters have discerned it the former first Beast he makes his example or pattern by which he proceeds and acts the latter first Beâ—st he makes the pattern of his end Observe how the Holy Ghost differeth these the first Beast is that which acted immediately before him and that must necessarily be the Beast of the Sea for that Beast is immediately before him in the same 13. Chapter verse 21. This is none other but the Pope now he doth all that the first Beast could do in the sight of him that is in the presence or sight or with the approbation of the Pope he exerciseth his power Now what power hath the Pope surely none at all but what 's usurped the Pope is called the first Beast in regard of this last Beast of the earth he is called the first because he is the first great enemy of the Church within the Church the Heathen Emperors were Rulers over the Church but they were without the Church but the Pope is the great tyrant of the Church within the Church now professing Christ he was the first that drove the witnesses into the Wilderness and made them wear Sack cloth now the last Beast that slayes the witnesses which is the Beast we are here treating of is he that gets up into his power by exercising the power of the first Beast that is the Pope now it is well known that the Popes exercise no power but what is usurped they got their power by their dissembling and pretending Saintship and advancing the interest of the Gospel and all the Saints they got it by lying perjury Covenant-breaking rebelling against their leige Master the Emperors by throwing them down they got into their Thrones which to this day they possess now all this usurped power doth this Beast of the earth exercise in the sight of the Pope in conspecta ejus adest Antichristo adjuvante et mandante saith Viega that is Antichrist the Pope helping and commanding him to dethrone his soveraign Lord the King to sleight the Counsel of the godly Ministery and persecute them for such power the Pope exerciseth to pretend godliness and Saint-ship and to write and speak in the eares of all the world like a Saint and yet act in the sight of all the world like a Devil herein he follows the steps of his predecessors the Popes the Pope by independency gets his usurped greatness and this Beast by independency gets to his usurped greatness he makes the Popes former devilish stratagems which exalted them engins to exalt himself And he causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed here is his end 't is to subject the people of the earth to the first Beast whose deâ—dly wound was healed in verse 3. The Caesarian head was wounded the Pope healed this wound as to the recovering of the Roman pomp and State Now Caesar was the first Beast in respect of the Popes who succeeded the Emperor and the Pope is also the first in relation to the Beast of the earth who succeeds him and in relation to the precedent matter which altogether treated of the first Beast that should rise within the Church to make the Antichrist which were Popes now these words whose deadly wound was healed clearly distinguish this Beast from the Popes for they were never since their rising wounded with a deadly wound but 't is known that the Goths and Vandalls gave a deadly wound to the Caesarian Government in Rome which was made up and healed by the Popes So that the Government that this Beast of the earth sets up and makes people submit unto 't is the Government of Caesars now in a word the Government of Caezar was by the power of his sword he against the votes of the Senat of Rome advanceth with his Army to Rome pulls down all the grave and honest-hearted Senators and only sets up his own packt party in the Senate which being done by his Conquests he enlargeth their territories and they inlarge his honour at last he makes himself sole Emperor and they his Subjects to act and vote what he commanded them thence Rome became that seat of the Beast having ten horns for so Alcazer seems to understand ten horns to be Polyarchiam Senatorum so another saith of the Senate of Rome tot erant reges quot Senatores and possibly the ten horns crowned under the Pope may be meant the Conclave those infulati mystae those crowned Cardinals who make up the Government to drive the wiâ—nesses into the Wildernes as this last beast and his ten horns that is his packt party of Senators who give one vote with the Beast Rev. 17. in the slaying of the witnesses this gives us a clear insight into that hard Text Rev. 17. 8. of the Beast that was and is not and yet is this Text clears it that he is the eight because he is one distinct from the Pope and yet he is of the seven because he doth what he doth in the sight of the Pope with his good likeing The Pope all men know maketh the 7. head of Rome distinct from the other Governments and this eight Beast is one of the seven because he beats up the woman with seven hâ—ads and ten horns Rev. 17. 7. had not the beast of the earth slain the witnesses the witnesses would have destroyed the woman they had resolved to saw off three of her horns England Scotland and Ireland but when the witnesses were agreed to root out Popery and to establish the Proâ—estant Religion then up starts the Beast of the earth this Beast here menâ—ioned and sâ—ayes the witnesses therefore John in his vision Rev. 17. 2. when the Angel comes to shew him the damnation of the whore saw this Beast that bears the woman well may he have the title of
that exerciseth their faith and patience whiles he raigns the Saints shall have little else to live upon his Government also is the same for in Dan. 11. 38. he sets up the God Mauzim the sword-sword-power and in Revel 13. 12. he inforceth people to subject to the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed that is to a packt party of Rebels to the Common-wealth such as the Senate of Rome was when Caesar forced away all the honest men out of the Senate and set up his own party to govern this was upheld by the sword and set up by the sword he is also the same in the matter of duration for that in Dan. 7. 25. continues a time times and the dividing of time and this in Rev. 11. riseth and triumphs over the slain witnesses three dayes and a half which is both one time both making three years and a half Lastly He is the same both in Daniel and Revelation in his ruine and in the time of his ruine The time of this Beasts ruine is set-forth in Dan 7. 11. the Beast was slain and his body was destroyed this the Fathers call the 11. King because he is divers from any of the Kings that were before him under the western Empire he being the last and this was at that time v. 13. when the Son of man came in the Clouds of Heaven and v. 14. there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages might serve him these phrases we shall see Christ borrows in Mat. 24. 30. 3â— immediately after those dayes what dayes the dayes of tribulation how verse 24. there shall be false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great wonders see Rev. 19. 20. the false Prophet was taken that wrought miracles before the Beast Mark how Matthew goeth on insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. In Rev. 13. 13. and he did great wonders so that he made fire come down from Heaven on the earth By the signes which were permitted him to do in the sight of the Beast who doth not see that these expressions are all to set out this one Beast Immediately after these dayes of tribulation which are dayes of blasphemy and heresie and separation from the true Church v. 30. ye shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds with power and great glory and v. 31. he shall send his Angels with the sound of a great Trumpet and gather the Elect those that belong unto the election of grace from one end of Heaven to the other this is the same with that forecited place in Rev. 11. great voyces in Heaven saying the Kingdoms of the world are our Lord and his Christs and when was this this was when the witnesses were risen and stood upon their leggs v. 11. v. 13. near that hour when the great Earthquake is which time of shaking Heaven and Earth is foretold in Luke 31. 24. immediately after the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled now the time of the Gentiles is 42. moneths Rev. 11. 2. which is according to the Doctors account 1260. years which being up then the signes in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Starres that is the Antichristian state shall be shaken down and then the Son of Man shall appear in the Clouds with glory and great power and then the elect redemption draweth nigh the great voices Matth. 24. 31. allude to Christs passion when he yielded up the Ghost he cryed with a loud voice it is finished and after three dayes he arose and called his Disciples to a mount in Galâ—lee where he appeared to them and proclaimed all power in Heaven and in Earth was given to him and then the Disciples were made Apostles such are the effects of the rising of the Witnesses Oh how do I adore the infinite wisdom of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures how clear might this truth be made to the weakest capacity were there but a worthy pen about it The time of the beasts reign is expressed in Dâ—â— 7. 22. to be when the ancient of dayes come â— when the Kingdom becomes the Lords Rev. 11. 15. and the Saints possessed the Kingdom that is the witnesses stand upon their feet Rev. 11. 11. 12. and they i.e. the godly Magistracy and Ministry did ascend up to heaven that is they possess that place of dignity from which they were cast it cannot be otherwise understood in Dan. 7. for v. 25. the Saints of the most high are they that he tyrannizeth over three years and a half so he doth in Rev. 11. 7. 9. which Saints of the most high are the Magistracy and Ministry the two witnesses principally meant There is one notable place more in Dan. 12. 45. which points at time and the place of the ruine of the Beast This Beast of the earth or this King as Daniel calls him shall plant the Tabernacles of his pallace between the Seas in the glorious holy Mountains yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him this holy Mountain learned men on all sides conclude is some eminent Kingdom for holiness therefore the Independent Pulpit-men say 't is England this day eminent in exalting the Saints and holiness certainly 't is that Kingdom which hath kept its Garments clean from spiritual fornication and hath not received the marks of the Beast nor bowed down to his Image that is engaged to be true and faithful to his unlawful new Government And of all the Kingdoms in the world I think it is Scotland where the Beast of the earth hath placed his Tabernacles where he now is where I believe he shall come to ruine But mark what imediately follows this Dan. 12. 1. And at that time shall Michael and Christ stand up and it shall be a time of trouble as in Mat. 24. and Luke 21. And at that time the elect shal be all delivered that is as much to say as all the Kingdoms in the world shall become Christs both Jews and Gentiles shall be brought to Christ this glorious day is in several places called a day of Resurrection it shall be to the Jews as a day of Resurrection now all this is to be at the 7. Trumpet sounding and therefore the ruine of Daniels Beast and Johns Beast are at one and the same time and therefore 't is but one and the same Beast that they both mention As for those that affirm this Beast is Antiochus who raigned in the time of the Grecian Monarchy was destroyed before the Roman Monarchy was in being it is so wide from the Text that 't is impossible to be true for this little horn ariseth not only after the Grecian Monarchy but after the Roman Monarchy became ten horned he riseth the last distinct from them all and therefore I will say to such men as Aquinas saith to Porferrius upon the same text holding the same opinion haec interpretatio tam fatua est ut
responsionem non mereatur So that you have the time of rising the time of continuance the actions and the ruine of the Beast to be one and the same both in Daniel and the Revelation But that we may not be mistaken in this beast of the earth take a more exact view of this beast as the Holy Ghost describes him in Rev. 13. 13. And he doth great wonders for that he made fire come down from Heaven on the earth in the sight of men and deceived them that dwell on the earth by the signs which were permitted him to do in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an Image of the beast which had the wound in the head and did live And he did great wonders 't is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great signes Upon the same occasion Christ useth the same words setting out the parties that shall do these signes Mat. 24. 24. There shall arise false Priests and false Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall give out great signes these signes shall be held forth to the world immediately before the ruine of the Roman Monarchy v. 29. and the calling of the Jews v. 30. 31. and making all the Nations in the world submit and come into the Gospel To this Text directly answers that in Rev. 19. 20. there the false Prophet is taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wrought miracles in the presence of the other beast whereby he deceived them that received the mark of the beast this clearly demonstrates that it is the same beast in Rev. 13. 14. for there he deceiveth the people and to that the Holy Ghost alludes Rev. 19. 20. I will intreat the Reader to observe how this beast of the earth gets to his power in v. 11. of chap. 18. 't is by the horns of a Lambe and by the tongue of a Dragon What more innocent then a Lambs horns and what more fair and smooth and deceitful then a Dragons tongue Observe this that the two last enemies of the Gospel Church shall arise out of the purest Churches Rome was the purest Church in the world it had the famousest Magistracy and Ministry in the world yet in that Church starts up an Independent Government amongst the Churchmen which is called the Pope-dom and strips both the Magistracy and Ministry of its glory this is called Rev. 11. the Sack-cloth condition of the two witnesses so that out of that pure Church arose the great enemy that drove the wiâ—nesses into the wilderness and now when the Pope-dom is ready to fall and the witnesses have finished their testimony that is resolved to cast off Independency Prelacy which in its exorbitancy is nothing else but Independency then up-starts this beast of the earth who ariseth out of the purest Church and out of the purest part of the Church he is one that professeth piety beyond all others one that holds all the principles of Religion to be true that cries out against Antichrist more then any As the Popes by pretending the advancement of Christ and Peters chair advanced themselves to that excessive pride and tyranny over Church State so doth the beast of the earth by his pious preâ—ences of setting up Christ advance his own wicked designs and slayes the witnesses As the beast of the Sea arose out of the Church where the famousest witnesses viz. Magistracy and Ministry were and drove them into Sack-cloth and into the wilderness that is into some remote Kingdom in Europe where they remain 1260. years so must the beast of the earth in this wilderness arise amongst the witnesses where they are finishing their testimony and there he must kill them therefore when John comes to see the judgement of the whore he was carried into the wilderness i.e. that remote Countrey whither the witnesses by the beast of the Sea were driven Rev. 11. 3. But this place only in the world is England for here only a lawful Magistracy and Ministry hath for 1200. years been visible in Sack-cloth so that you must expect this last enemy of the Church to be more cunning cruel and subtil to deceive then any that ever were before him for he hath all the politick tricks of Rome he doth all that the first beast could do before him did the Pope fall from his first principles so doth he did the Pope depose and murther and rebel agoinst his liege Master the Emperor so doth he against his Soveraign did the Pope persecute the Ministers that would not comply with his designs so doth this beast Did the Pope impudently and ridiculously profess to the world that all his Rebellion murthering of Emperors and Kings and deposing of them was for the promotion of the Gospel and the good of the Church even so doth this beast So that he doth all that the first beast could do before him yea and more too for he doth greater wonders he maketh fire to come down from Heaven on the earth in the sight of men this is one of his great signes whereby he deceives people Observe this his pretences and designs are on purpose to deceive the people and he deceives the people mearly to set up his new Government he sets it up by his doing wonders this is an eminent Character of a cheater and the Antichrist to prove his honesty by his signes and wonders That power is an usurped power that hath no other title then signes and wonders to maintain it 'T is an Antichristian power the Holy Ghost tells us for Antichrist comes with lying wonders 2 Thess 2. I omit to repeat the several strange opinions of both Protestants and Papists upon these words and he maketh fire come down from Heaven neither shall I shew the difference in the Copies because I possibly may do that hereafter At this time I shall only deliver the soundest and most clearest opinions Brocard comes nearest the mark of any Englishman for he conceives it alludes to 2 Kings 1. 10. where Elias proved himself to be a man of God by causing fire to come down and consume those that came against him his allusion is good had he rightly applyed it for this beast of the earth pretends to be by his good success as prevalent with God to destroy those that were against him as Elias was But Cornelius è lapide comes nearer the mark for he conceives this expression of fire coming from heaven alludes to that in the 2 Chron. 7. 1. where Solomon sacrificed in the sight of all the people after he had made his publick prayer in the sight of all the people had by fire coming down from heaven upon his sacrifice an unquestionable evidence of Gods acceptance of his prayers This allusion is also good for this beast of the earth pretends to be the only man to build Gods house and for that end makes a glorious profession and proclaims Fasts wherein as if indued with Solomons spirit he makes
Kingdoms but these ten here mentioned have no Kingdoms nor any Crowns on their head 2. Neither are they real Kings they only have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power as Kings they write we inact and be it inacted as if they were Kings but they are not really Kings 3. These rise and reign with the beast which beast cannot be meant the Pope for v. 1. the whore is the Pontifick state that sits on many waters this beast is called verse 33. the scarlet-coloured beast because he slayes the witnesses he is as the heathen Emperors red with blood therefore they are called the red Dragon Chap. 12. 3. he is full of names of blasphemy because he is the tolerator and supporter of blasphemies he hath seven heads and ten hornes because he beares up Rome with 7. heads and 10. horns Rome had fallen by the hands of the witnesses had not he slaine them v. 7. This beast bears up the woman with 7. heads and 10. horns v. 8. The beast is called he that was and is not and ascendeth out of the bottomless pit this can be no other but that beast that slayes the witnesses Rev. 11. 7. This beast v. 11. is called the eight and of the seven now this cannot be the Pope unless wee 'l make Rome have 8. heads which is ridiculous and by the learnedst irreconciliable v. 12. These Kings receive power an hour with the beast if these 10. horns should be meant 10. Kings or Kingdoms subject to the Pope 't is known they had Kingdoms before there was a Pope but these rise with this beast which is he that slayes the witnesses 4. These 10. Kings have but one Dominion or Kingdom amongst them all therefore v. 17. they are said to give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Kingdom and how do they give it the Text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they make one vote the former part of the verse translated from the original runs thus â—for God hath given to the hearts of them that they fulfill the sentence of him and that they make one vote and give their Kingdom to the best so that t is clear these 10. Kings sit and vote together in one Kingdom by which 't is manifest that they are not the 10. Kingdoms subject to the Roman Empire But here we must be careful to avoid one mistake that is not to take these 10. horns Rev. 17. 16. for the same persons v. 12. but only the same Office in distinct parties hands this is clear for those v. 12. rise and fall with the beast but those v. 16. give their Kingdom to the beast therefore they had a Kingdom before the beast was in being 2. Those in v. 12. go to reign with the beast but these v. 16. bring the Pontificality to ruine Those in v. 12. are that faction that the beast sets up as Kings these are said to be ten because they are poliarchia senatorum as Alcazar calls them for 10. is but indefinitly as 10. Virgins and 10. Husbands for many Virgins and many Husbands so here 10. Kings that is many men exercising the Authority of Kings who have voted themselves the supreme power of the Kingdom hi decem Reges erunt tempore Antichristi unde dicuntur nondum accepisse potestatem saith Alcazar the 10. Kings shall be in the time of Antichrist he means this beast of the earth therefore they are said not as yet to have received power and they receive power one hour i. e. a very short time cum bestia saith E. lapide quia bestia primariam habet potestatem Reges autem abea sunt secundi because the beast hath the chief power but the Kings have but a secundary power from them The beast may well have the primarypower for by his sword-sword-power they were set up and upheld by it so that it is evident who the beast is and what the Image of the beast is his giving life to the Image is by putting Authority into their hands to act and inforce the people to subject to their Taxes edicts and Commands and to out-law every man that will not engage to be true and faithful to them Thus the Reader may perceive who this beast is and what kind of Government he sets up and the tyranny and cruelty of this beasts Government when 't is set up Before it was set up they pleaded nothing but liberty for tender Consciences they shewed nothing but the horns of a Lambe and the tongue of a Dragon speaking smoothly pleading for brotherly love and tender bowels over the Saints until they were got into the Throne and then nothing but treason and high treason to be laid to their charge who should dare to question any of their actions or not subject to their power so as to subscribe to be true and faithful to it thus you may perceive his Government in the form of it Now followes the Subjects of this new Government v. 16. And he made all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their foreheads so the English and many Latine Translations read it The Subjection is universal 't is a Catholique tearme as well as design all men of what rank or condition soever must submit and subject Their manner of subjection is set forth by giving a marke I am inforced here to vindicate the Text not in the Copy for I find no difference worth troubling the Reader in the Greek Copies but both the Latine and the English Translations I humbly conceive may be corrected The vulgar Latine the complutence reading and others render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habere and learned Beza which I wonder at renders it accipiant as they give no reason so I see no reason why it should so be read the Greek Copies reade it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a word it is read thus That they should give a marke to them upon their right hands or upon their foreheads so the Siriack Interpreter reads it and Montanus Now I conceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which to a word is read upon because it properly signifies super or in should be rendred in this place cum my Reasons are scriptural for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture signifies Revel 7. 15. with he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell with them There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies with this is not only usual in the Greek Language but also in the Hebrew saith Drusius 't is frequent to put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies super for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth cum so that I conceive the verse may well be translated thus And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor bond and free that they give a mark to them with their right hands or with their forehead so that this Text clearly holds out as the former the kind of Government erected the kind of worship and subjection that people shall be inforced to give to it Other Kings make
their Courts nor egress and regress at their Garrisons he shall not passe the Countrey from City to City without this Certificate this marke must be a subscription for how else can it be conceived that they should give the markes and have the marke I hope the Reader will pardon me if for brevity sake I pick not up their Arrowes which shoot wide at this mark Viega conceives the marke the name and the number of the name are three distinct Characters of this beast 1. He thinks 't is the frame of Antichrists Government to the life If Viega meane in policy I think he is right for this beast is like the Pope in his politick devilish designs hee 'l lie and cheat and supplant and flatter and forswear and murther and yet pretend fair like the Pope therefore he doth all in the sight of the Pope and Revel 17 He is of the seven 2. Viega conceives he hath a name written in plain Letters whereby he may be known This I have much adoe to believe yet wee 'l give the Jesuite fair play and if that will content him wee 'l shew him one whose numeral letters in his name conteine the full measure of time alotted him by the Holy Ghost which in Dan. 7. 25. is three years and an half now that makes forty two moneths and 1260 dayes so many years is alotted to the Pope to raign as to this beast of the earth there is dayes alotted The Pope keeps the witnesses in Sackcloth 1260 years this beast slayes the witnesses raigns 3. years a half which makes 1260 dayes this beast ariseth not until towards the end of the Popes raign and then upstarts this Antichrist this witness-slayer and he raigns but so many dayes as the Pope raigns years which is 1260 dayes which makes 3. years and an half now in the numeral Letters of Olaverus Cr. you may find 1260. which if we begin to count from December 1647. or thereabouts when he set up this Image his God Mauzzim his sword-power his time of tyrannizing over the Saints will be up about June next 1651. for near about that time his 42. moneths is out about the evening of the day of 1651. this present year by this account the afflicted Church is in great hopes to see light And oh that I had time but to shew how many clear old Testament prophesies there are which give light unto this matter but I passe this Primasius and others as Hypolitus de consummatione seculi think the name and the Character of Antichrist to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is saith the Authour nego Creatorem nego baptismum nego adorationem à me Deo praestari solitam if this be the Character of Antichrist we in England need not go far to look for Antichrist if to deny God and to deny Baptisme and to deny the worship of God and his Ordinances be Antichrists Character as doubtless 't is Perorius is of this opinion Inter plura hoc convenit fore insigne Antichristi nego baptismum nego Jesum But above all give me Mr. Thomas Goodwin a Cambridge-man now head of a Colledge in Oxford he speaks in his Manuscript which he said the times would not then bear when he writ it upon the Revelation chap. 13. v. 17. by number he understands a Company taking part with Antichrist in a more remote kind of subjection and then a little after that he tells us that the name of this beast is to be found out in Europe where the Company is that powres out the Vials on the beast and farther he saith that his name is to be found amongst those in these Kingdoms that receive the name by the number of his name he understands such as do hold and bring in such Doctrines and opinions and practises in worship or shall reckon and account them Papists in heart and affection and so they are of the number of his name that is in account such numerantur Papistae they aim at Popery and though their profession deny it yet when their actions and corruptions in Doctrine and Worship shall speak it in all mens Consciences especially all Orthodox reformed Protestants cannot but so judge their wayes and actions to be such as speak to all mens hearts the Pope they only fear and worship Farther he saith they are those in Titus who deny God in their practises they shall profess the Protestant Religion and in their practises and under-hand-dealings and policies depressed it and advance the Popish Religion and party These are justly to be accounted Papists and receive the marke of his name did you ever reade such a bitter spirited man against the heads of the Common-wealth of England yet he proceeds It imports saith he a secret cleaving to him and so to be of his Company and truly as those that receive his name but yet inprofession go not so farre as to take that name or the open owning of him yet really to do that which shall cause all men so to reckon them nor is this all though this were enough to hang a Presbyterian if he should so lay out the Common-wealths knavery but he proceeds and tells when these with the beasts number shall appear in the world They are saith he the last Champions before the Popes fall the Prophesie is of a Generation of men in the last dayes who are lively set out in 2 Tim. 3. 1. 10. self-lovers covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural affection Covenant-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those which are good Traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power of it they are such as creep into Widowes houses leading captive silly women This their folly saith he shall appear to all men and being discovered it will be their ruine Amen but yet they must proceed further even to the slaying of the witnesses in that Kingdom which is the tenth part of the City these are called the last because they are the last Champions of the beast and are said to be overcome by the Witnesses All this Reader I assure thee I have from Mr. Thomas Goodwins Manuscript now whether he have not spoken high treason according to the late Acts I leave thee to judge Without all doubt he hath spoken truth and that 's a wonder in this age for though Independents may say any thing yet they seldom speak truth now adayes But Mr. Goodwin may be forgiven for this truth of his is an old truth and old truths are out of date he wrote this above ten years agoe as I am informed and men change Religion and opinions and principles in ten dayes now and perhaps he is one of them for 't is incident to the Goodwins to walk the Antipodes to their own writings By having the name of the beast I humbly conceive is to make an open profession of his Authority and Power
shall this beast cause sore prosecution to fall upon the Saints of God yea this beast shall be farre more cruel then any of the enemies of the Church before him he shall be more monstrous in his attempts against the Church and he shall reach higher then ever any enemy before him the tallest we reade of before was but 66. but this is 666. all the enemies the most hellishest Traytors could never yet root up the Protestant Government in England they could never blowe up King Lords and Commons by their most secret plots but this beast doth it at noon-day in the face of all the world Oh that I had but room here to write his History I should make the eares of all that heard it tremble to remember these horrid unnatural villanies that this beast of the earth whose nummber is 666. hath committed all the conspiracies of Rome and Spain though they have not now been idle could never yet do the tenth part of that mischief to the Magistry and Ministry of England as he hath done how hath he overthrown them even when they had finished their Testimony how miserably is our covenanted Reformation broken in pieces by the prevailing Treason and rebellion of this beast As for those who seek to find the beast in the number of his name I conceive they stumble upon these two grosse mistakes they take the word number in a literal sence which is to be interpreted in another sence it signifying there the due proportion of the beast in number weight and measure thereby shewing he is an usurper a thief and a robber none of Gods appointment 2. There is another stumbling-block at which Interpreters not a few fall they go about to find the number of this beast in his name whereas the Holy-Ghost doth not bid us number his name for that the fooles of the world do but he bids them count the number of the beast count him in his rising he rose by his Lambs horns and Dragons tongue by flattering and hypocrisie blasphemies and deceits count him in his acting he acts by the Devils and the Popes Commission count him in his power he sets up his Sword-power a tyranical unlawful power count him in his means of obtaining that power and 't is his signes and wonders whereby he cheateth the people into a compliance with and subjection to his Power and Dominion Look upon him and count him in his several Acts of power and he is extreme tyranical he makes it death speak against the new Government and then he forceth men even against their own Consciences to subscribe to his new Government or publickly to own it by observing his publick edicts and keeping and solemnizing his Fast-dayes and Feâ—st-dayes and if not to deprive them of the priviledge of buying and selling to out-law them and God only knowes what worse thing thus count the number of the beast and his number is none of Gods but the Devils number he is full weight no where but in the Devils scales In plain truth he is a hydeous monstrous Tyrant against the Church exceeding all that went before him for the Popes they only drove the witnesses into Sackcloth but this beast slayes them Thus have I tediously though not impertinently shewed thee Reader the beast that slayes the witnesses and the time when he doth slay them and by this time I doubt nor but thou seest that those whom the Dr. my Antagonist makes the holy ones are those that slay the witnesses and those for whose destruction he impudently gave thanks are the slain witnesses I meane the lawful Governours and Government in the State and the lawful Governours and Government in Church for 't is the Offices of both which being destroyed may justly be called the slaying of the Witnesses all rational sober-minded Protestants may easily find the slain witnesses if hee 'l but look to the casting down of the Covenant-Reformation and the Instruments of that Covenant In the Covenant he may find their testimony the which both Magistrate and Ministers having finished that is fully agreed upon and resolved effectually to put in practice up comes this beast of the earth and with his sword-Sword-power slayes them and their reformation and this is the time of slaying of the witnesses now this as we have proved he did when he set up his God Mauzzim Dan. 11. 38. that is his Sword-power the which was set up in Anno 1647. about August or December when he got the strength of the Kingdom by Sea viz. the Navy into his hands and 〈◊〉 Cinque-ports Castles Strong-Holds and fortifications of the Kingdom Together with the general Command of all the forces in the Kingdom of England and Wales at which time he seized on the royal perâ—on of the King of England marched up in Arms against the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament charged illegally persumptiously and unjustly the chief of the Members of the House of Commons with Treason put them to flight imprisoned divers of the Lords and several of the Commons and the chiefest and honourablest of the Magistrates of the City of London and by his Sword-power set up his packt party of fagitive Members which fled from the Parliament and openly subscribed to live and die with this fellow whose designs were to blow up King and Parliament as since all the world hath seen it true I humbly conceive we may reckon the name of this beast to begin then and the slaying of the witnesses then to begin so that the next conclusion or proposition for me to prove will be this That the beast of the earth that did slay these witnesses shall be destroyed the witnesses that he slew shal rise again about this year 1651 by slain witnesses rising again I do not mean the same persons that were slain but the same Offices that were pulled down shall rise again the lawful State Government and lawful Church-Government shall rise again for the more plain and clear demonstration of this we must lay down some few Propositions to be premised 1. That as the former part of the Revelation sets forth the enemies of the Church and the Church her sad condition under those enemies especially these 3. enemies the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet so from Rev. 14. to the end you have the vision of the Raign of the beast the Dragon and the false Prophet and the rising of the Church to a glorious State 2. That the beasts distruction that slayes the witnessests and the witnesses rising again are at one and the same time for as the beasts rising and the witnesses ruine were at once Rev. 11. 7. so the witnesses rising and the beasts ruine shall be at once as the cause and the effect The beasts rising was the cause of the witnesses falling and the witnesse rising again is the cause of the beasts ruine 3. That those witnesses are a goodly Magistracy and a goodly Ministry which are called Rev. 4. 4. 6. 7. 24. Elders
was in it it typified the Jewish Church which onely were the people of God and had the true worship and knowledge of God no other Nation were in covenant with God but they untill Christ came the water in the sea was a type of Christs bloud which was to other Nations conspicuous But now in the Gospel-Church here John sees a glasse sea with fire in it which may be beheld of all that come neer it or stand afar off it John baptized with water but Christ with the Holy Ghost and fire this Gospel-Church now shall have abundance of splendor when the Witnesses rise for those that stand upon this glass sea are the slain witnesses who now are risen again they are they that after the Lord Jesus hath reaped the Earth as Habak 3. 4 5 6. with his horns in his hand with pestilence and fire measuring the Earth are said to have gotten the victory over the beast of the Earth and his Image that is his government and his mark and the number of his name that is over his Ingagement and subtil-insnaring stratagems these sing the song of Moses that is they sing Hallelujah Rev. 19. for the wonderful deliverance of the Church out of great danger they keep solemn and serious Thanksgiving dayes to God for restoring again their Church and State-Reformers After that followes the seven Angels who after the Temple was open went forth with great power and Rev. 16. pour out the Vials to say directly who these Angels are or what the Vials are I dare not for these things are to come and have not been as yet fulfilled This I think may cleerly be made out that the Beast of the Earth shall be destroyed when the Witnesses rise and then shall follow all the Vials upon Rome and the other Enemies of the Church professing Christianity for in all these Vials I do not find a word that is applicable to the Turk but onely to the Beast of the Earth the Beast of the Sea and the Dragon which are all within the Church 2. This also may be made out from what we have said that the Vials shall all be poured out within a short space of time for if the Vials shall not be poured out untill Antichrists raign be accomplished and before the Jews are converted then they must be speedily poured out because the Jews conversion immediatly follows the ruine of the Roman Monarchy therefore in Mat. 24. 29. after the Vials are poured out upon the Roman Monarchy then ver 30. the Kindreds of the Earth shall mourn Such a mourning as Zachary speaks of They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn over him I conceive Christ borrows that expression For here they shall see the sign of the Son of man and mourn and vers 31. and he shall send his Angel with a sound of a Trumpet this is the seventh Trumpet and they shall gather together all his Elect from the four winds The sounding of the Trumpet was a sign that some solemn day or publick good was at hand the Pharisees therefore sounded a Trumpet in the Market-place to proclaim the glad tidings of Almes to the poor but especially to which the Holy Ghost alludes the joyful year of Jubilee was proclaimed by sound of Trumpet which set the ingaged free so shall this seventh Trumpet proclaim the joyful time of the Jews conversion and freedom from all bondage spiritual and temporal As the seventh Trumpet blew down Jericho walls which was the great city that hindered the Hebrews from passing into Canaan so the seventh Trumpet sounding shall blow down Rome which hinders the Jews conversion to the Gospel these very expressions you shall find in Esai 11. 12 13 14. which speaks of the calling of the Jews in the end of the Roman Monarchy This is not as Chrysostome thinks spoken of the day of Judgment for that day Christ would not have us curious in searching after but this Christ would have us diligently to inquire after and therefore gives us a parable from the Fig-tree to assure us that by the precedent simptome viz. of subtil deceivers and blasphemous hereticks and cruel persecutors of the true Church we may as certainly conclude that this day drawes nigh as we may be certain the Summers coming when we see the trees bud forth and blossome Indeed v. 36. he saith that of that day and houre knoweth no man but what day and houre is that 'T is the day and houre of the heaven and earths passing away that is of the day of Judgment that the Angells know not but of the day of powring out the Vialls on Rome and on the enemies of the Church and of the Jews conversion I am confident it is cleerly held out in Scripture Having laid down these things to prove that the Witnesses rising the Beasts ruine the Vialls powring out and the Jews conversion shall be neer together For a stronger confirmation we may bring two texts Rev. 11. 15. the seventh Trumpet sounds and then the Vialls are powred out there the seventh trumpet begins Romes ruine and Rev. 10. 7. when the seventh Angell shall sound the mystery of God shall be finished that is the mystery that Paul would not have the Roman Church ignorant of Rom. 11. 25. If this be meant of Gods work against Antichrist then the seventh trumpet finisheth as well as begins Romes ruine Compare it with Rev. 16. 17. The seventh Viall is powred into the ayre that is on the Devills kingdom who is the Prince of the ayre for the seven Vialls are powred out either on the earth that 's the seat of the Beast of the Earth or on the sea and rivers and Sun and throne that is the Pontifick State which hath many strong holds and politick props to uphold it the Sea that is the Ecclesiastick state that 's the Popes place on this the vials must be powred or els on the ayre that 's the Devills Kingdome so that the seven Vialls set forth the complete conquest that God will make over all his enemies which in Rev. 19. is more cleerly described where Christ goeth forth to battell against his enemies The parties that fight this battell against Christ are those that are under the Beast of the Earth for Rev. 17. 13 14. those ten horns rule as Kings but are not Kings who with one consent give their power and authority unto the Beast these shall fight with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is the Lord of lords and King of kings and they on his side called and chosen and faithfull this Lamb is the same that fights the great battell Rev. 19. for v. 16. he hath the same title of honor the King of kings and Lord of lords that is making good his promises which he hath made both to the Jews and Gentiles he will now make himself known by his name Jehovah not only making but fulfilling promises and which is worth observing here you see Christ
v. 15. treading the wine-presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of God almighty as in Rev. 14. 19. where when Christ comes against the Beast of the Earth with his sickle he useth the same expression to note 't is one and the same Beast both here and there In Rev. 19. 19. there Iohn saw the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their hosts gathered together to make battell against him that sate on the horse and against his army it may be this Beast is that in Rev. 17. which is the Beast of the Earth Rev. 13. 11. and the Kings of the earth are those ten horns Rev. 17. 12. which gave their power to the Beast and v. 14. make war with the Lamb By Beast is meant the Beast of the Sea who by his Emissaries and Polititians promotes a war prosecutes it with all vigor and malice against Christ and his faithfull people and so stirs up the Kings of the earth to make war with them Observe in this battell the Beast is taken and with him that false Prophet which deceived them that received the Beasts mark and them that worshipped his Image these in this battell were both cast alive into the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone that is destroyed with a terrible destruction I cannot I dare not peremptorily say where this battel shall be fought but certainly it must be where the Witnesses are slain and where the Beast of the Earth sets up his new Government for when the victory was got it was got over the Beast and the image of the Beast And Rev. 20. 4. After this victory the Witnesses that were beheaded for Christs cause the same Offices were exalted and the Ministery that suffered for not worshipping the image and receiving his mark these also were exalted therefore this battell must be fought by the Witnesses Christ being the conqueror for in this battel the Lords mighty hand shall eminently appear and it must be fought against the Beast of the Earth and his party now the Beast of the Earth hath set up his new government no where but in England Ireland and Scotland in Scotland he is now endeavouring to set it up That this great Battel and the Vials pouring forth are one and the same thing to me is cleer First From the actors and parties on both sides who are the same both in pouring out the Vialls and fighting the Battel and these act at the same time for Rev. 15. 5. When the Temple in heaven was opened then the Angels came forth in white linnen to pour out their Vialls and in Rev. 19. 11. where the great Battel is fought John saw Heaven opened and Christ on a white horse who Rev. 14 14. he saw in a white cloud and his Army clothed in white linnen Rev. 15. 6. He treads the Vine-presses of Gods fierce wrath by the sword of his mouth Rev. 19. 15. and Rev. 14. 14 20 he treads it with a sharp sickle By all which 't is apparent that neither the Vialls nor this Battel are to be fought untill the Witnesses put off their sackcloth and put on their white linnen and then by the same parties at the same time both are accomplished which indeed are both one and the same thing in action though several wayes expressed for the cleering of the thing to the understanding of the Reader For as the cutting down of the Vine and the pressing of it in the Vine-press notes the utter passing away of the Vine and the Vintage So doth that other expression of casting the Beast of the Earth into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone signifie his utter ruine and this is cleer by another argument taken from the parties against which the Battel is fought and the Vialls are poured out they are the self-same Enemies viz. the Beast of the Earth the Beast of the Sea and the Prince of the Ayr and their Kingdoms these as we have shewed already are the Objects of the Vialls and the Enemies which Christ overcomes Rev. 18. 19 20. Rev. 20. 3. are the Beast of the Sea the false prophet which is the Beast of the Earth and the Prince of the Ayr which is called the Dragon the old Serpent now they are at one time also Rev. 16. 16. when the enemies come to Harmaggaddan to battel then the seven Vials which is the final wrath of God goe forth in thundering and voices and earth-quakes and the great victory is expressed by casting alive both the Beast and the false Prophet into the burning Lake and chaining the Devil in Hell 1000 years This great Battel cannot be fought before nor after the Vialls be poured out ergo they must be both at one time First Not before the vials be powred forth because this great Battel utterly confounds these three chief Enemies of the church the Devil who sets up the Pope who keeps the Witnesses in sackcloth and the Pope who sets up the Beast of the Earth who slays the Witnesses and the Beast of the Earth who doth uphold the Popes and the Devils Kingdom Therefore I conceive the great Battel shall be fought against him in whose ruine the Devil and the Popes Kingdom shall be overthrown and that 's the reason I conceive why after this great Battel Rev. 19. 20. 't is said that the Beast that is the Pope was taken when onely the false Prophet sought in person and was ruined because in the false Prophets who is the Beast of the Earth cause the Pope is most nearly concerned Farewell Popery in these three Kingdoms for ever when once the Beast of the Earth goeth to ruine all the Statutes shall be in force then against Popery which are now repealed Esa 59. 18. This is the day of repaying vengeance to those Islands the Pope shall be utterly ruined in Scotland England and Ireland but now if these Enemies should be destroyed before the Vialls be powred out then Vialls must be powred out in vain for these three are the onely Enemies of the Church and when they are overcome there are none to stand against the Church the rest shall fear and give glory to God I do not believe for my part that the Turk shall be destroyed by the sword non credo quia non lego as Augustine saith I do not find it any where in Scripture that they shall be destroyed by the sword unless they be put under the Devils Banners as well they may and so be destroyed with the Devil But my hope is that their Religion onely shall be destroyed and they brought in by a mighty conversion to the Gospel my reason is because both the Hebrecians and Grecians are inslaved most to the Pope in spiritual thraldom therefore the Pope is called both Abaddon and Apallion now when the Pope shall be ruined both Jews and Gentiles shall come in to Christ with more glory and fulness then ever which may be in the destruction of the Western Antichristian Gentiles but not in
forth into captivity and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the City Here is a particular Narration of the Churches affliction in this day This must be understood saith Diodate of the spirituall and corporall Wars which Antichrist shall make against the Church I do believe this Exposition to be really true for as he saith God shall suffer a great part of his Church to be discomfited and subdued Rev. 11. 7. as Diodate is excellent in his Annotations so on this text he is most excellent for he turns us to the right place to find out the Enemy that afflicts the Church with this sore affliction and that is in Rev. 11. 7. the Beast that slays the Witnesses Dan. 7. 25. wears out the Saints he makes war with them and overcomes them Cornelius è Lapide in one sense understands this in Zachary of Antichrists tyranny over the Church so that this verse gives a description of the Beasts tyranny that slayes the Witnesses Indeed some of the Rabbins understand it literally of Antiochus rifling Jerusalem but their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore we pass them of all men Oecolampadius comes neerest the sense of this text in the explication he paralels the first verse with Matth. 24. which speaks of the great tribulation of the Church towards the end of the world per Antichrist ver 2. By Jerusalem he understands the visible Church of true Believers by all Nations or Gentiles He chiefly understands Antichrist who subdues poor soules by the insnaring of their consciences in his Trap of Deceit and Fetters of Tyranny so he understands the taking of the City Sicut enim milites domus devastant virgines stuprant ita Antichristus Christi sponsas animasque vitiat This text agrees with that kind of Government the Beast sets up Rev. 13. 11 17. and with the actions of that King Dan. 11. 36 37 41. He shall enter into the glorious Land and many shall be overthrown by him and ver 39. He shall divide the Land for gain There 's the spoyl divided this is a type of the affliction the Gospel-Church shall be in when she is going out of Babylon to a Reformation It shall be a day wherein all these Vipers of Hell shall appear which Paul tells us of 2 Tim. 3. 12. 3 4 5 6. Rebels and Traytors Hereticks and Blasphemers who assault Government as a Town and rifle the glory of a Kingdom as a City taken by storm They commit spiritual Rapes by leading silly women captive after their heresies Therefore Christ tells us Mat. 24. it shall be a time of tribulation with the Church for false Christs and false Prophets shall deceive many the Church of God shall be miserably torn as a City taken by storm but what follows Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those Nations as when he fought in the day of battel and his feet shall stand in ver 3. that day upon the Mount of Olives in eo loco saith Oecolampadius ubi pseudochristi pravaluerunt ibi veniet Dominus in majestate So that we must look for the rising of the Witnesses in that Kingdom where false Christs and false Prophets prevail this learned man is mistaken in that he applies it to the Day of Judgment Observe how this suits with Rev. 13. 11. to the end and Rev. 14. 1. After the Holy Ghost had described the Tyranny of the Beast in Rev. 13. immediatly follows Rev. 14. 1. Christ standing on Mount Zion with his sealed Ones and here you see him standing on Mount Olivet This is that day which the Church of the Jews I mean the godly Jews longed to see These feet of Christs Solomon in his Song commends and Isa 52. 7. There the Church admiring saith How beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him that bringeth glad tydings that is Christ I conceive by feet are meant the Witnesses which Rev. 10. 1 2. are called Christs right foot and left foot for they are the Instruments that Christ makes use of for the propagating the Gospel It cannot be meant literally of Christs feet but of a godly Magistracy and Ministery which the Lord shall eminently promote Rev. 11. 11 by restoring them to that condition they were in when they finished their Testimony immediatly before the Beast of the Earth slew them yea to a far higher state God shall set the Magistracy in the Throne again and Ministery in their places again they shall stand on their feet again they shall be higher in power and greatness then ever they were therefore ver 12. they are said to be called up to Heaven Observe as the Beast that slew the Witnesses and his party brought the Witnesses into as much disgrace as might be ver 9. in not suffering their dead bodies to be buried that is using them with the highest acts of insulting cruelty For the expression as I conceive is taken from insulting Warriours whom in a vaporing bravado to shew how much they disdain their Enemy and how basely they esteem of him tell him they 'l give his body to the Fowls of the Ayr that is disdain to give him the honour of a burial thou shalt die as a Dog In the great Duel fought betwixt David and Goliah before they fought you shall find these insulting expressions proceeding from each of them to the other in the 1 Sam. 17. 44. said the Philistin to David Come to me I will give thy flesh to the Fowls of the Ayr and the Beasts of the Field The self-same saith David to Goliah ver 46. They could not throw more indignominious expressions into the face of each other then these Now this is practised against the Witnesses by the Beast and his party that slayes them but as their cruelty towards them is exceeding so shall their honour in their exaltation be exceeding and their enemies repayed with the same ignominy and reproach Rev. 18. 6. Reward her as she hath rewarded you How is that Why he gave their carcasses to the Fowls of the Ayr and the Witnesses must now give the Beast and his Army's carcasses to the Fowls of the Ayr and therefore Rev. 19. 11. When Christ rides on his white horse and ver 14. his Army followes him on white horses these are the Witnesses risen and when the Kings of the Earth and their Armies gather together as in Zech. 14. 2. they do for 't is one and the same battel then Christ ver 17 18. calls the Fowls to a great Supper even to the carcasses of his Enemies Here Christ payes them home in their own coyn they would not suffer the Witnesses to be laid in grave and God will not suffer them to be put in grave for the Fowls shall eat them this Battel in Zech. 14. 3. and Rev. 19. is one and the same because 't is fought by the same person Christ and the same Army and in the same place and at the same time
god Mauzzim that he sets up both these are one and the same thing and signifie a sword-power that this Beast shall set up I have many learned Expositors on my side in the interpretation of both texts and some of the Fathers with whom I fall full jump in the explication for they say that the Beast in both places is that Antichrist that shall arise when the Roman Monarchy shall be destroyed and slay the Witnesses and reigne three years and an half Now we must reckon the beginning of this Beasts reign the time that he set up his god Mauzzim and exalted himself above all other government and this was when he got the ships at sea the Forts Castles Forces Magazines whole power of the sword into his own hands at land This was done in the year 1647. and about September or October In the same year so that near about that time we must begin the Beasts raign and then about the evening of the day that is the latter end of that year when he divides the two Kingdoms the Beasts three years an half wil be out but mark what shal come to pass immediately before this year of division Dan. 12. 40. At the time of the end shall the King of the South push at him and the King of the North shall come up against him like a whirlwind with Chariots with Horsemen with many ships In Zach. 14. 14. there you have the Mountain divided into North and South Here you have in this verse the North and the South joyned together to overthrow the Beast of the Earth which hath set up his God Mauzzim his sword-Sword-power This was cleerly fulfilled in the Northern Invasion and the Southern Insurrection I will not inlarge here in so plain a thing but what shall be their success they shall be overthrown by him and he shall enter into the Countries and shall overflow and pass over He that is he that sets up the God Mauzzim he shall overtop both the Northern Invaders and the Southern Insurrections neither the King of the North nor the King of the South shall overcome him he shall pass over them v. 41. He shall enter into the glorious Land I am of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs opinion that Scotland is the gloriousest Land in the world for holiness therefore I think it is meant Scotland that he should enter as he did after he had defeated Hambleton's forces he entred the Kingdom of Scotland and many shall be overthrown Some read and many Countries shall be overthrown but there is no such word as Countries in the Hebrew Therefore I humbly conceive 't is better read and many shall be overthrown that is many noble families many great persons and many people shall but these shall escape out of his hand Edom and Moab and the chief of the children of Amon the ancieut and the latter Expositors have mistook this text in allowing it onely a literal sense which the Holy Ghost intends not for by Edom and Moab and Ammon are meant the Enemies of the Church who plead the same priviledges that the Church pleads as Esau was the eldest son of Isaac by birth but he sold his birth-right and became an apostate and so did his posterity who were from him called Edomites But these Apostates pretended as the Church of Rome doth that they were the true Church because they came from the eldest son of Isaac and so Moab and Ammon though most abominable Idolaters yet said that their father was Lot and they were the true Church though they were begotten in incest as all Heresies and Hereticks are gotten by corrupting the Holy Word and Truth of God so that by Edom and Moab and Ammon that escape this Beasts clutches may be understood Hereticks and Apostates if so how cleerly doth this point out of the Beast to us or if by Ammon and Moab may be meant those murtherers of the King Traytors for in 2 Chron. 24. 46. a Moabite and an Ammonite one of the chief of the children of Ammon conspired against the King and slew him so that Apostates Covenant-breakers Hereticks and Traytors conspirers against the King shall escape him wheresoever he comes you may know this beast by his followers for none but such are protected by him and beloved of him By Moab may be meant the malicious party who pretend religiously to curse the Church of God by their hypocritical hirelings such as Balam who for a good place or office will vilifie that cause which they once professed to be a righteous cause V. 42. And the Land of Egypt shall not escape that is Ireland which were more bloudy to the people of God then Egypt to Israel Egipt that is a Kingdom full of abominable Idolatry therefore Rome is called spirituall Egypt V. 43. He shall have power over the Treasures of gold and silver and the precious things of Egypt that is He shall be Governour of Ireland for who hath power over the Treasury but the Governour By Lybians and Ethiopians are meant the common sottish and slavish sort of people which will bow to any body these shall subscribe to him But when he is in Ireland what follows next V. 44. But tidings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him Holland is East and Scotland is North from Ireland now the Treaty in Holland with the King by the Scots shall trouble him V. 45. Tydings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him Ireland the place where the Beast of the Earth shall be that Witness-slaying Beast hath Holland on the East of it and Scotland on the North of it Now tydings from the North and East shall trouble him that is the King of Scotland shall be in Holland that 's to the East of him and the Scots in the North call a Parliament and send Commissioners from Scotland to treat with the King in Holland and so tydings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him This Treaty shall trouble him and call him out of Ireland into England from whence he shall go with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many He shall go with an Army resolving to destroy and utterly to make away the Covenanters in Scotland and this is plainly set down in vers 45. V. 46. And he shall plant the Tabernacles of his palace Some read The Tabernacle of the wrath of his judgment so Brightman reades it Others read it And he shall plant his Tabernacle Aphadno keeping the Hebrew word intire Others there are that translate Aphadno and read the text thus And he shall spread the Tabernacles of his stables This word Aphadno which is read Palace though I know not why Brightman very learnedly unfolds This word saith he is compounded of three words Aph and Din and the affix of the third person Daleth the wrath of his judgment as if he should say He shall plant the Tabernacles of wroth whereby he shall procure to
Lord of the three Kingdoms this all the Fathers have told us from Dan. 7. 24 25. and we see it fulfilled in our eys Now they say this vile fellow shall reign but three years and an half and then he shall fall with an utter ruine I have proved that in all probability 't is this year that he shall fall and have shewed from Scripture what probability there is of his fall in Scotland it being the mountain of delights and no other Kingdom in the world maintains such a lawfull Magistracy and rightly constituted Ministery and so reall right and glorious a reformation as Scotland doth It hath been shewed also what probability there is from the time alotted to Antichrist the Pope the Beast that keeps the Witnesses in sackcloth to reigne which is 1260. years which time is up about 1651. and then from the time of the Beast of the Earth the Beast that coms out of the bottomlesse pit his reign which began in 1647. and continues three years and an half so that 't is probable his reign will be expired in 1651. about the middle of this year then 't is probable from his actions for he throws down a lawfull and unquestionable Magistracy and then he most bitterly and violently persecutes the Ministery which lawfull Magistracy and Ministery shall have a mighty victory over him and so rise up to their former dignity again but immediately before this victory they must be in an exceeding low condition and in the eyes of the people of the world past recovery All this we have made out clearly from Scripture and how clearly and manifestly these Scriptures are in part fulfilld hastning to be accomplished I leave to every sober-minded man to judg so that my merry Dr. that is so confident of his holy Democracy and holy Army unlesse he can prove them to be the slain Witnesses that were slain and persecuted by the Beast arising out of the bottomlesse pit and thrown down and worn out by the little horn Dan. 7. that riseth and reigneth over three kingdoms where the Gospel is purely professed three years and an half in which time he changeth their Lawes and Customs unlesse he prove them so out of his own mouth we shall clearly overthrow him for p. 33. 34. there he undertakes to prove from Dan. 7. 14. v. 27. that Monarchy shal be thrown down and now 't is on the tragicall stage for that end and all to make way for Christs visible Kingdom on earth This honor of throwing down Monarchy and exalting Democracy is given he saith to his holy ones according to that text Dan. 7. 27. the kingdom and Dominion and greatnesse of the kingdom under the heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high Let me intreat the Reader to observe but the time when the kingdom shall be given to the Saints in Dan. 7. it is at that time v. 8. when the little horn that riseth after the other states subject to Rome and plucks up three of the first hornes or kingdoms observe this the Doctor confesseth is in the end of the Roman Monarchy if so which is undeniable then let all the world judge what little horn is lately rose to usurp three kingdoms is not this text visibly fulfilled in the sight of all Europe But then observe v. 9 10. Christ comes is in Rev. 10. 1 2. and in v. 11. this little horn was slain and given to the burning flame 't is the same with Rev. 19 20. where he was cast into the lake burning and then v. 13 14. Christ set up his Kingdom which is both a glorious and everlasting kingdom and v. 24 25. this little horn is cleerly described to be the Witnesse slaying Beast who shall continue three years and an half and then immediately followes Christ v. 26 27. coming forth to destroy this Beast and then as in Rev. 11. all the kingdoms in the world become Christs Rev. 20. 4. thrones are set then the Saints i. e. the Witnesses sit upon them so that the meaning is not that Christ will throw down Kingly Government or Monarchy in the Church but that he will raise a godly Magistracy and a godly Ministery to a higher degree of power then ever before and thereby the reall Saints of God shall have greater freedome then formerly The two Witnesses shall goe no more in sackcloth but put on white linnen 'T is true Usurpers and Tyrants shall bee throwne downe the Tyrannicall Independent Monarcy of Rome shall be thrown down and the tyrannicall usurped Democracy of England shall be thrown down who give the Beast of the Earth their power and strength Rev. 17. 13. and with that strength go forth against the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is the King of kings and Lord of lords that 's his Motto in Rev. 19. 19. When he fights against this Beast and overcomes him 't is one and the same battel these shall be overcome and overthrown for ever but the Witnesses though they are slain and the Doctor and all the Antichristian Rabble make merry and keep Thanksgiving days yet they shall arise again stand upon their legs and ascend in power and authority and glory above their Enemies But why do I stand to confute the Doctor when he confutes himself in his own book in p. 9. He approves that there was Kingly Government from Noah for Sem he saith was King of Salem and yet in p. 39. of the same book he accounts of Kings as Antichristian and saith that they that uphold Kings uphold Antichrist so that by this account as p. 22. confirms it for there he useth this as a motive to prase because Monarchy is turned into Democracie it seems Antichristian power was in the World as soon as Abraham if Kings be Antichristian in the Church But why do I say so much when I have heard the man within this these two years in a publick Auditory profess himself no Enemy to Kingly Government or Monarchy but onely to the excess of Monarchy and tyranny of Kings and yet here he puts on with all vehemency the people to praise God for the destruction of Kingly Government and the promotion of Democracie But why did I meddle at all with him who knoweth not what he saith For if we begin with him we shall find him in a gross mistake he saith in p. 2. that we are now under the sixth Seal and sixth Trumpet of that Seal and under the end of the fourth Viall of that Trumpet or the fifth Whereas the sixth Seal was opened Revel 6. 12. when Constantine the great overthrew the Pagan Empire and cast out of office all the persecuting Tyrants both in Rome and throughout the Romane Empire which was at least 1300. yeers since and yet we are but under the opening the sixth Seal whereas none of the Trumpets sounded untill the sixth Seal was past and the seventh Seal was opened as is manifest
which Banner he leads his troops of Traitors and squadrons of blasphemers and Hereticks how shall all these be overthrown at one set battell about this yeer 1651. since t is impossible all these three Enemies shall be at the battell in person The Question is somewhat hard to be determined positively yet this is clear from the Scripture that this great battell Revel 19. 19 20. is that battell that shall be fought by the Witnesses after they are risen from their slain condition and this battell is fought against the Beast that slays the Witnesses that is the Beast of the Earth that little Horn in Dan. 7. 26 27. and Dan. 11. 4 5. and against the Beast of the bottomlesse pit and his company which makes merry Rev. 11. 10. for the destruction of the Witnesses now how can it be said that when this Beast and his party are overcome that then the Beast and the false Prophet and the Dragon are over-come A. 1. To this we answer in two words 1. They may virtually and potentially all three fall when one fals so the whole hosts of the Philistines fell when Goliah fell 2. Then when this Beast of the Earth fals all the three begin to fall and from that day never rise more their chief plots and devices shall be discovered and broken and their villanie shall be discovered to the whole world which shall make the ten Horns to hate the Whore and burn her with fire Or who can tell but that at this battell the cheif strength of the Pope the grand Hereticks who are the devils Esquires and the cheif and grand Traitors against the Laws and Religion of England may be all in that battell overcome Or thus at three Kings in one person by the Beast of the earth were overthrown so the three grand enemies of the Church in that one person of the Beast of the earth may be overthrown And to me it is very probable in Revel 17. where John saw Rome in that year when she was to go to destruction in v 3. He saw the last Beast that did bear up Rome and uphold her in her pomp the Beasts is called v 8. the Beast that cometh out of the bottomlesse pit to let us know that that Beast which slaies the Witnesses bears up Rome when she is going to damnation this Beast v 3. is called the Beast bearing up Rome because he slays the Witnesses that would have pulled down Rome he is called therefore a scarlet coloured Beast because of his bloody cruelty against the true Church and then he is said to have seven Heads and ten Horns because he supports that City Rome with seven Heads and ten Horns Popery by the Covenanteers had long â—ince been in the dust but that he broke the Covenanteers and their Reformation by his bloody treason and his blasphemous troops So then as this Beast is said to bear up Rome though he be far distant from Rome by his slaying Romes enemies so Rome may be said to fall and the Pope may be said to fall and the Devil who is said to be the father of Hereticks and blasphemers may be said to fall when he that hath supported them fals And in this sence at this battell when this Beast is overthrown the Beast and that false Prophet and the Dragon may be said to fall and be sure of it when the Witnesses have got their victories over this Beast down goeth Popery and blasphemie and heresie so that though in the downfall of this Beast of the earth it cannot be said that the Pope and the Devil shall personally and universally in their power be overthrown yet it may truly be said that virtually they are overcome it may well and truly be said that the Pope and the Devil are overcome when this Beast is overcome because the Beast is the support of Popery by which Romes pomp is supported and the support of Hereticks and blasphemers by whom the Devils kingdom is upheld hath he not caused those to fall who went about to overthrow Rome and hath he not granted a toleration to all Hereticks to lord it over the orthodox Christians Who is so blinde as doth not see that he doth support this day the state pomp and Religion of Rome and of the Divels kingdom there Satans throne is where the Witnesses are slain Rev. 2. 13. In a word it may truly be said when the Beast of the earth is overthrown that then the Popes cause and interest and the Devills interest will with him be overthrown in these three kingdoms for who is it but he that hinders the Covenant-reformation and if he shall by the Covenanteers as I do undoubtedly believe he will when his three years and a halfs Raign is up be overcome be assured that the rising Witnesses prosecuting the ends of the Covenant will be the ruine of the Popes and the devils Kingdom in England Indeed the Tenor of the Covenant is nothing else but to establish the Witnesses and throw down Popery and Heresie that is the Pope and the Devils kingdom Shall I yet go a little further I am confident that when this Beast of the earth is overcome his cursed Hellish conspiracies with the Court of Rome and the Court of Spaine to overthrow the Kings of Europe that acknowledg not the Popes supremacie will be made so apparent that all the Kings in Europe especially France and Portugall and these thre Kingdoms England Scotland and Ireland will both abominate and utterly reject the Romish Court as a den of abominable Theeves and Murtherers And I trust utterly forsake that accursed Religion which can change it self into any shape and pretend any interest on purpose to overthrow kingdoms and murther Kings Now put all these together consider but from the time of the Popes rising when he got to be the head of Rome to be independent which as on all hands is concluded was about the yeer 390. and consider but the time of the Beasts of the earth who riseth out of Independency and slaies the Witnesses in the yeer 1647. consider how cleerly the holy Ghost holds out the Beast in his rising in his government in his time of duration and in the manner and place of his ruine compare but Scripture with Scripture compare Dan. 7. and 11. and Matth. 24 Mark 13. Luke 21. Rev. 11. the 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Chapters and Zach. 14. together with severall other Texts in Ezek and Isiah I say compare the severall texts as we have set them one with another and compare with these texts the occurrences of these three yeers last past in England Scotland and Ireland and from all it may be concluded I would fain say positively probably that immediately after 1650. is ended when the Beast of the earth hath â—aged a Prophetick day that is one year in Scotland then comes the ruine of the Church her enemies for then the Church of Romes time of keeping the Witnesses in Sackcloath is expired and the three years and an half of the great Independent Beast that shall slay the Witnesses is expired then he and his Poliarchy of Senators who Raign as Kings must go to their eternall graves and then the Witnesses must rise and take possession of their seats from which they were thrown and the Covenanted-reformation by them must be carried on to the utter destruction of the Pope and his faction and the binding of the devil and utter casting of him out of the Church with his faction All which the Lord of his infinite mercy through Jesus Christ for his elect sake both of Jews and Gentiles unconverted and alreadie converted hasten Even so come Lord Jesus Come quickly Amen FINIS
upholding Rome by slaying the witnesses for otherwise Rome by the witnesses had been shaken I have not 〈◊〉 enough to vindicate this 17. Chapter from the false glosses put upon it it shall be the work of a longer day only I hint this by the way that this Beast is he that was that is as Junius saith in the Caesarian head and is not that is in the same Family 't is not but yet is that is in the same Government for the likeness and for the kind it is the same Governnest and the qualities of the Beast are such this very Beast Daniel describes after the self-same manner Dan. 11. 36. 37. 38. And the King shall do according to his will and he shall exalt himself and magnifie himself above every God and shall speak marvelous things against the God of Gods and shall prosper until the indignation be accomplished for that that is determined shall be done Neither shall he regard the God of his Fathers nor the desire of women nor regard any God for he shall magnifie himself above all But in his estate he shall honour the God of forces and a God whom his Fathers knew not shall he honour with gold and silver and precious stones and pleasant things This King Hierome conceives is Antichrist this King as Cothiâ—s on Rev. 1. 3. calls him the eighth there mentioned in Rev. 17. because he is the last great enemy of the Church which by slaying the witnesses bears up Rome which stands tottering in the 7. head the Pontificality so he is called by Hierom Dan. 7. 8. the eleventh King because he is the last uâ—start usurper which erects a new Government amongst the ten European Kingdoms formerly belonging to the Roman Empire so that by the Fathers confession this King must not arise until the end of the Roman Monarchy now 't is concluded by all learned men that the Roman Monarchy is now near its end and what little horn that is which is now started up and hath pulled down tres Reges Christum purè profitentes for so Viega saith he must do I give all this world leave to judge that are sound in the principles of this present Religion it is well known that only England Scotland and Ireland were the three Kingdoms in the world that of late professed the principles of the Protestant Religion purely and that is to profess Christ purely Ireland might justly whiles it was subjected to the English be called one of the three Kingdoms purely professing the Gospel though since it may justly be called Egypt for that bloudy cruelty to the true Church now who it is that hath usurped these three by distroying the lawful King of the three Kingdoms every Child can tell Observe but Bright mâ—ns Comment upon this Text he calls this King Antichrist Hiâ—râ—m calls him Antichrist and so do many of the Fathers indeed Brightman applies it to the Pope but I see no reason for it I do not deny but that the Popedomâ— is that state under which the Church shall be afflicted 1260 years but it is questionable whether the Popedom be the Antichrist exclusively I do acknowledge that it is that Antichristian state out of which Antichrist shall arise but I huâ—bly conceive yet not I alone but all the Fathers that the man Antichrist is he that slayes the witnesses I do not deny but that the Pontifick state since it got the Key of independency is that man of sin spoken of 2 Thes 2. 4. who opposeth himself to all that is called God The likeness of the expression here in Daniel and this made Brightman conclude that it was the Pope but it is no wonder if the Holy Ghost use like expressions to set forth the Beast of the earth which all the Fathers and most of the Papists call Antichrist because there is a neer relation betwixt the Pope and him the Pope made the Keys of the bottomles pit and this Beast of the earth Rev. 11. 7. comes out of the bottomlespit the Pope is the 7. head of Rome and this is of the seven he doth all that the Pope did before him the Pope rose by lying cheating forswearing rebelling against his Soveraign deposing of him and sitting in his seat tolerating blasphemies and setting up Hereticks upon design yet professing much holiness and Saint-ship and so doth the Beast of the earth he treads in the path of Roman policy doing the same things in the presence or with the good liking of the Pope The Pope set up a strange Government in Rome and so doth this Beast of the earth in the Kingdoms that he threw down his usurpation is set out by his magnifying himself above all Gods that is Magistrates the strange Government he shall set up is the God Mauzzim that is the Government of force the sword-Government such a Government as his Fathers never heard of he shall honour it with gold and silver that is he shall make his Officers rich and his packt party he shall make them rule over many his word shall give them power to write as the Popes did volumus et mandamus we enact and be it enacted and the next thing they shall do is to divide the Land for gain yes that 's it We have a large coÌ„ment upon this Text already written in large Characters upon the Kingdoms burthened back so that by this you see how the Holy Ghost agrees both in Daniel and Revel in the describing of this Beast by his Government In Revel 13. he sets up a Government of his own forcing by his sword and in Daniel he sets up the God Mauzzim which is the Government of force If any should doubt whether the Beast in the Revelations and this in Daniel which we have so often quoted be one and the same I prove it thus if Daniel agree with the Revelation and the Revelation with Daniel in the identity of time of action of rule and ruine of the Beast then most probable that Daniels little horn and Johns Beast of the earth are one and the same but the time of the Beast in both is one and the same for that in Daniel riseth in the end of the Roman Monarchy and that in Rev. 7. riseth when the witnesses have finished their Testimony that is at or near the end of the 1260 years raign of the Beast of the Sea Rev. 13. after which immediately John saw the Beast of the earth arise and her actions are the same in Dan. and Revel for in Dan. 25. he wears out the Saints of the most high and thinks to change times and Lawes and Rev. 1â— 7. he shall make warre with the witnesses overcome them and slay them and in Rev. 13. 10. 11. when he that led captivity is to go into captivity then the faith and patience of the Saint is tryed then their two suffering graces shall be eminently exercised and then v. 11. shall the other Beast the Beast rising out of the earth appear this Beast is he