up to attention to look after the Messiah of whom so much was sooken in the Prophecies So in the like case many things being foretold in the writings of the Apostles concerning the coming of Antichrist when that time should begin to draw near the Lord was pleased to suffer such a dust to be raised between Constantinople and Rome to rouze up the spirits of men to examine those things which were foretold in the Scriptures In the Book of the Revelation there is much spoken concerning the Name of the Beast and the Mark of the Name Now when this Name or Headship was come to the beginning thereof Gregory did plainly declare That the formality of Antichristianism did consist in this Title and that the Man of sin was then at the doors And I wish one day his sayings do not strongly witness against all his Successors who with one joynt consent down from the year of our Lord 606 have appropriated this Title to themselves to the great dishonour of Christ the true Head of the Church But if they alledge That the Bishop of Rome is only a Ministerial head as Christ's Vicar To this I Answer However they may evade by subtilty of words indeed and in truth they have taken for many Ages together the Dignity of Christ and have made him only the titular Head of the Church For is it not clear by the Stories That all doth depend upon the Authority of the Romane See The credit of Scripture the interpretation of Scripture the making of Laws the abrogation of divine Laws and all things in a manner have depended upon the Authority of the Roman Bishop What he would he hath set up what he would he hath plucked down And when all this is done is he only a titular Head Indeed and in â—…uth the Headship of Christ hath been made but a cypher and the words of Gregory have been found too true in the event But for the passages out of him two things are briefly to be observed First If we go to the 600 years immediately after the birth of Christ there was then no Oecumenical Bishop For though the Man of sin had gone very far and had made many progressions in the Mysterie of Iniquity yet the Authority it self was not publickly established in all that time If it were so we may believe that Gregory would not have inveighed against that Headship as he did Secondly In the year of the Lord 606 the Decree was Enacted That the Bishop of Rome should be Head over all Churches which Dignity the whole Succession have enjoyed now above this 1000 years And that which Gregory did call Antichristian in others that all his followers have assumed to this very day Therefore Thuanus in his 67 Book doth speak very pithily Phocas Bonifacio tertio insignes Episcopi Universalis titulos quos nuper Gregorius in Iohanne Constantinopolitano improbaverat prolixè attribuit Phocas did largely ascribe to Boniface the third those eminent titles of Universal Bishop which Gregory did lately inveigh against in Iohn of Constantinople Now then to gather all into one sum we may see how the Prophecies and the Stories of the Church do agree First That the two-horned Beast had a determinate time when he rose up out of the Earth Secondly That this time is after the rising of the ten-horned Beast or the ten Kings out of the ruines of the Empire Thirdly It is to be applied to such a time only when the Name and the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome began publickly to be set up All these three laid together do necessarily bring us to the Decree of the Headship under the Emperor Phocas And so we do Conclude that this is the Number of the Name of the Beast as it is mentioned in the Prophecie Now by what Accompt the Number is 666 we will shew in the Two Chapters following CHAP. V. That the Roman is the Fourth and Last Metal-Kingdom in Daniels Image and the truth of this is proved against the Positions of Junius Broughton Piscator Dr. Willet and others FOr the carrying on of our matter we need not imbark in that great Question Whether the Roman be the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Or Whether the Opinion of Junius and his followers be received We are sure both wayes to make the Accompt good That the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome is 666. The matter is so firmly grounded upon the event Let us then proceed according to Iunius his Method let us say that the Babylonian is the first Metal-Kingdom that the Mede-Persian is the second that the Macedonian in Alexander is the third that the Seleucian is the fourth Here according to this Analogie there must be an end of all the four Metal-Kingdoms at the destruction of the Seleucian when Syria Iudaea and all that Oriental tract came under the Obedience of the People of Rome Now then if you reckon from the final Conclusion of all the four persecuting Empires and from the beginning of the Roman as that Nation did succeed in the Rule over the Church there will be an exact period of 666 years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome And so we do concord with the Principles of Iunius But we do not say That there was a dissolution of all four Metal-Kingdoms but only a dissolution of the third and a beginning of the fourth Now from the beginning of the Roman or the fourth Kingdom we make the accompt And for the clearer manifestation of the truth we will Debate this Point more fully for it is a ruled case in Daniel and the Revelation That one and the same thing is variously repeated for clearer explication As for ensample The Antichristian Kingdom is more obscurely delivered Revel 11. Now if we compare it with the description chap. 13 and chap. 17. all three Scriptures will exceedingly illustrate one and the same truth And so in the present case if it can be solidly proved that the fourth Beast in Daniel is the Roman Kingdom we may safely conclude that the same matter is repeated more largely in the Book of the Revelation Mr Medâ—… speaketh to very good purpose concerning the description of the ten-horn'd Beast Rev. 13. These are his words Toâ—…a autem haec descriptio petita est ex Propheâ—…iâ Danielis cap. 7. ubi de eâdem agitur quâ hic Bestiâ Romanâ status novissimi sed quae ibi Danieli ab Angelo succinctius narrantur ea hîc Iohanni interjectâ quasi explicatione fusius deducuntur Comment Apocal. pag. 190. From which words of his it is clear that one and the same Roman Dominion in the last and Antichristian State thereof is the subject matter of both Scriptures And so we have a certain and a demonstrative Principle to build upon For not only the Book of the Revelation it self will be cleared by comparing one part with another that which is more dark with that which is more
Appellation that consisteth only of Letters and syllables how will this redound to the benefit or perfection of the Beasts Kingdom if men of all Degrees and Orders shall receive a Name meerly consisting of Numeral Letters and such-like trifles But if you take the Name for the sovereign Power and Headship there is nothing more rational and common than for the Kingdoms of this world to make Laws that all should live in subjection to their Power and Authority And Experience plainly sheweth That in all the Kingdoms of the Christian world stricter Laws have been made for the Preservation of the Dignity of the Catholick Apostolick Roman See as they call it and for the maintenance of the Decrees made by that Authority than there have been for the support and Defence of their own Communities Among many take this one Instance of the Statute Ex Officio made here in England in the times of Hen. 4. In which Statute it was provided That all they should be Burned publickly in the sight of the People that did maintain teach inform openly or in secret any thing contrary to the Catholick Faith and the determination of the Holy Church And so in the times following by vertue of this Law the faithful Martyrs under the Title of Lollards have been publickly burned for speaking preaching writing and declaring against the Decrees and Superstitions established by the Authority of the Church of Rome And it is as plain That neither the Scripture nor any Article of the Creed nor any other Point of the Christian Faith is received among them but that which is warranted by this Authority From whence we may easily collect what is meant by the Law and Injunction of the Beast That none might buy nor sell but such only that had the Mark and the Number of the Name We are not to take the Name Alphabetically For to what end should he command men to receive such a Name as this But if you take the Name for the Universal Headship and the Mark for the publick owning of subjection to this Headship there is great Reason given for the making of such a Statute and it is fully proved by the event The Seventh Argument is taken from the Essence of the great Antichrist as he is set forth 2 Thess. 2. For the Pith and Marrow of the Apostle in this description is to express the great sublimity of Power that the man of sin should assume to himself in and over the Church of God These are the words of the Text He as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God vers 4. From these words we may gather the Essence of the Antichristian Kingdom lieth in the affectation of a kind of godlike Dominion and Headship in and over the Church of God Now then as the â—…on of God hath merited of his Father to be only Head and only Lord So must our subjection be rendered to him without communicability of such a prerogative to any other For though there be gods many and lords many there is but one Universal Head on whom the whole Body of the Church doth depend In this sense as the Son hath merited of the Father to be the Supreme Lord and Head there is none de jure can be but himself only Now then when Paul in the Thessalonians doth describe the Essence of the Beast's Kingdom he doth shew that it doth chiefly confist in the Headship and Dominion over the Church And this is that which Iohn in the Revelation calls the Name of the Beast And so far we have gone in the Discovery of the Subject of the Number We have shewed by many Reasons That the Name is The Headship of the Beast Now we shall in the next Chapter endeavour to Calculate and Compute the Number CHAP. IV. Concerning the Number of the Name of the Beast where it is shewed That the Name or Universal Headship began publickly to be Established under the Emperor Phocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fâ—…th Metal Kingdome FOr the carrying on of this Complicate Proposition we are to make Two things clear First That the Name or Sovereign Dominion of the Beast began precisely at that time of the Universal Headship under the Emperor Phocas Secondly That there is a Câ—…in of 666 years from the begining of the Roman as the Fourth Metal Kingdom to the Name or Universal Headship afcreâ—…aid First Concerning the Eâ—…sion of the two-horned Beast out of the Earth I find a great consent in the Commentaries Controversies and Stories of the Church That the Two-Horned Beast began in the Universal Headship under the Emperor Phocas Crackanâ—…orp in his Treatise against Spalaâ—… calleth it the Câ—… one of the Building And in very deed though many Authors do stiffly maintain That the Name is the word Lateinos and that the Number is made out of the Numeral Letters of that Name yet if you put them upon it to state the Original of the Beast's Kingdom they do generally in a manner pitch upon the year aforesaid But we will not depend upon Authority Therefore to the right computing of â—…he true Apocalyptical time we will Observe these ensuing Principles Principle 1. There must be some particular instant of time when the Antichristian state Typed by the Beast with Two Horns had its first visible rising out of the Earth This is proved from the words of the Text And I beheld another Beast coming out of the Earth and he had Two Horns like the Lamb and he spake as the Dragon Rev. 13. 11. And therefore as there was a certain and determinate time when the Babylonian Lyon and the Persian Bear came up out of the Sea that is As there was a certain time when the Babylolonian and Persian Monarchies began so there must be a particular and certain term of time when the Antichristian Monarchy must come up out of the Earth also If this be well observed it will cut off a multitude of superâ—…luous Diâ—…putes concerning the Infancy Childhood Middle age and other degrees of the Antichristian state In these points every man may abound in his own Fancy but sure I am according to the true Apocalyptical process there is mention made but of one visible and remarkable beginning of the Two-Horned Beast And this is at the time of his rising ouâ—… of the Earth Princ. 2. Secondly The time of the rising of this Beast must be after the dissipation of the old Empire and the beginning of the Ten Kings Typed and Figured by the rising of the Ten-Horned Beast out of the Sea There are Two Branches in this Principle The First is this That the time of the beginning of the Two-Horned Beast must needs be placed after the Fall of the Empire This is clearly proved from the Scope of the 13 and 17 Chapters of the Revelation Both these Scriptures do pitch upon this that there must be a taking away of the Imperial Majesty and a kinde of Chasm
give them a Mark as if the intent of the Beast were by this that they should give testimony that they are his They are also said to receive a Mark Chap. 14. To have the Mark Chap. 16. Now then we are sure that to give receive or have the Mark of the Beast is no other but that Act by which the Consciences of men are obliged to the Authority of the Pope and his Church When also they do prosess That by their Swords Wits Goods Lives and by all that they have they will maintain the Decrees and Laws made by that Authority The Mark in the Forehead is the publick Profession of the Universal Headship in the view of men and the Mark in the Right-hand is the solemn Resolution and Obligation to defend and maintain the Authority of the Beast against all that do oppose it And truly the event of things doth notably answer the prediction For we see by plain experience That the Papists such is their zeal to the Catholick Cause do out-strip us by many degrees The Jesuiâ—…es are never idle they compass Sea and Land they â—…urn themselves into all forms and are still animating of Princes and People against the Protestant Cause Yea they have so wrought that almost no man among them seemeth to spare either Labour Wealth Counsel or Life it self to uphold the Name and Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome God grant that one day they do not rise up in Judgment against us for we do not come near them in the least degree in promoting the Kingdom of Christ or in setting up the Gospel as the Regent-Law among the Nations But the Papists will not hear that they are enemies or that they go against the Lord and his Word They hold That the Bishop of Rome is the Vicar of Christ and that he hath all his Authority by delegation from him These are specious shews But in deed and in truth they are real enemies against Christ For the Scriptures and the words of the Gospel they can do nothing but meerly as the Pope and the Church of Rome do give life vigour and authority to them and as they do interpret them which always they do to their own advantage There is no truth more clearly delivered in Scripture then the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ and yet the Pope saith on the contrary That there is a Purgatory after this life and that the souls there detained are freed by Masses Indulgences Pardons and such like means God and his Word say Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve The Pope on the contrary saith Thou shalt worship Saints Images Crosses Reliques and the like God and Christ have commanded all men to search the Scriptures and to try the Spirits of what nature they be Now the Pope on the contrary commandeth that men should forbear the doing of this and that they should depend upon him alone God and Christ say Marriage is honourable amongst all men and the bed undefiled The Pope on the contrary forbiddeth Marriage to the Ministry By these and sundry such-like instances it is apparent That the Name and Soveraignty of the Beast is every way contrary to the Name and Soveraignty of the Lamb. For what the Lamb doth command the Beast doth countermand for the most part From hence it is clear then say the Papists what they will when they leave Christ to follow the Laws of the Pope in sense and substance they make him their Christ their Spiritual King Head and Governour and so in effect are no true Christians Now on the contrary seeing the Lord Christ is given as a Leader and Commander to his people they who refuse the Laws of the Pope to yield subjection to Christ in the times of the greatest persecution are every where mentioned in the Revelation to have the Name of the Father written in their Forehead Chap. 14. ver 15. To be the remnant of the seed of the woman that keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Iesus Christ Chap. 12. ver 17. The Papists then in receiving the Doctrines and Decrees of the Bishop of Rome under that formality as they do believe him Universal Head of the Church are positively directly and immediately Antichristian This Truth being laid down a stream of excellent Uses do naturally flow from it First We may here contemplate and behold the truth and infinite Wisdome of God speaking in the Scriptures It is now above 1500 years since that Iohn wrote the Revelation in which he spake of the Beast his Name Mark Image and the Number of his Name Now if we go to experience What have all ages for this thousand years last past but verified and fulfilled the truth of that which he spake of long before He that shall diligently reade the present Treatise will finde it to be true as we have said Secondly here is matter for our prayers and tears yea for our bowels to yern over those great Countries Kingdomes and Commonweals which do as yet own the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome They do continue in a great sin against the Kingly Office of Christ their profession is no other but Apostacy from the true Head of the Church and unless they repent they will one day feel the great Plagues contained in the words of the Prophecy Thirdly here is cause for the Protestant Churches to be thankful to the Lord For did they rightly understand it he hath delivered them from a bondage and slavery which far surpasseth the bondage of Egypt or Babylon For in the present case if men under this Government refuse to Worship the Beast and to receive his Mark the penalty is that they shall have no liberty to buy nor sell they shall be killed with the Sword they shall have their blood spilt they shall be subjected to sundry kindes of death On the contrary if they do worship the Beast and receive his Mark the Lord Christ doth threaten on the other side that they shall be tormented day and night and the smoke of their burning shall ascend for ever and ever Rev. Chap. 14. ver 7 8 9 10. The day of the deliverance of the Churches from Romish Tyranny was a day of deliverance from a Tyranny over their Souls over their Consciences over their Bodies over their Estates But all Treatises are full of Uses of this kinde We will proceed â—…o that which is Antichristian by Analogie and Reduction for this is more immediate to our purpose CHAP. XIII Concerning that which is Antichristian by Analogie and 〈◊〉 IN the progress of the Discourse we have shewed That the formality of Antichristianism is in the Headship of the Beast By this Standard of the Market we may prove all other things that do more remotely symbolize and agree with the Great Anti-Christ First the power of the Magistrate when it hath no bounds or limits but he doth all by his Will and Prerogative in
conjectural Knowledge and go no further So in the present case touching the Beast his Name Mark and Number men do only take up with a Topical Knowledge yet I am perswaded if they would look to the Principles laid down in the whole Bodie of the Prophecie they would finde that here is a certain Demonstration to be had and that they need not go to literal Names to numeral Letters to Anagrammatisms and to such-like uncertainties Thus I have passed through the two Prooemial Points The First Concerning the Profit and Use of the Discovery The Second Concerning the Possibility thereof and that there are true Principles of Demonstration to Discover the meaning of the Spirit Now I will come to the Body of the Treatise CHAP. III. That the Name of the Beast is not the word Lateinos or any other Grammatical word but the name is The Universal Power and Headship of the Beast immediately opposed to the Power Dominion and Headship of the Lamb. FOr the carrying on of the whole Work we will divide the Matter into Two Parts into that which is Doctrinal which concerns the Truth of the thing and into that which is Practical which is for Use. For the Doctrinal Part We will First handle the Substance of the Interpretation Secondly We will prove it by sundry places of Scripture and by the Harmony of the Prophecie For the Truth of the Interpretation We will First shew what is meant by the Name Secondly What is meant by the Number of the Name For the Name It is most necessary that we should begin with the Exposition what it signifieth For the right Stating of the Name doth much conduce to the Knowledge of the Number It is the Number of the Name and therefore unless we shew what the Name is we cannot finde out the Number All true Learning sheweth That in every Demonstration we are to begin with a right Exposition of the Subject And whereas in a manner all the Learned down from the times of Irenaeus have taken Lateinos for the Name and the Numeral Letters for the Number of the Name Herein they have been greatly deceived as we can prove by many solid Reasons And some of our own Interpreters also have suspected the vanity of this way These are the words of Iunius in his Notes upon the Revelation Chap. 13. vers 18. I am not ignorant saith he that men bring other Interpretations of the place but by their leave I also have brought my Interpretation to be compared and that for this reason specially because to me it seemeth not probable nor like That the Number of the Beast or the Name of the Beast ought so to be taken as the common strain of Interpretors will have it For saith he this Number of the Beast he scil the Beast teacheth giveth and imprinteth as the publick Note of his own which Note he highly rateth above others as the Note of his beloved Ones Now these Interpretations seem to be so far wide from the Propriety and Condition of this Number whether we respect the Name Latinus or Titan or any such like For these the Beast doth not teach give nor imprint but with the greatest care forbiddeth them to be taught and boldly denieth them He doth not allow but disallow them and those which do so esteem of this Number he doth persecute with a direful hatred So far Iunius Let us now adde the words of Chamier in his Panstratia Tom. 2. lib. 17. cap. 8. sect 5 6. Truly saith he this way of Interpretation that I may speak freely what I think seemeth to be far wide from the manner of the Spirit and to come too neer to the dreams of the Cabalists Whereas we read in the Sybils Verses That Iesus is described by 888 this is a bable and not from the Spirit of God Secondly This cannot be the proper Name of one Man seeing we have formerly shewed the Error of them who will have Antichrist to be one Individual Person Therefore of necessity it must be either a Name common or a Name proper to some State But by what right may the Name of the Beast be called common and for a Name proper to some particular State no man hath brought that to Light Thirdly It is not said that it is the Number of the Name only but here is a prohibition to men That they shall not buy nor sell that have not the Number of the Name How this may be understood of that Cabalistical supputation of the Letters I cannot discern Neither can I discern how other men may have the Number of the Name Farther What is the way of Computing Is it Hebrew Greek or Latin But it is not the manner of the Latines to count by Letters therefore it must be a Greek or an Hebrew Name But how can Antichrist assume such a Name to himself that is only peculiarly known in the Schools So far Chamier I might here recite the words of Danaeus Mr Forbes and others but these Testimonies shall suffice to take away prejudice from me because I do forsake the ordinary stream of Interpreters and do look after such a Name of the Beast which is more true The Work which I have more specially to perform is positively to prove That the Name of the Beast is the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome and by the same Reasons by and through which I will disprove Lateinos I will prove the Universal Headship to be the Name of the Beast And the Reasons are as followeth First I argue from the main Scope of the Text concerning the Beast as he is a Monarchical King and here I say his Name must necessarily be his Sovereign Power and Headship The Rabbins have a good Observation What God himself is that his Name is So I may say What the Beast himself is that his Name is The Beast not only in this Text but all the Prophecie throughout is described as a Monarchical King therefore the Name of the Beast must be his Universal Power and Headship Object Seeing the Name of a thing person or State is of so doubtful a meaning what warrant is there to take the Name of the Beast for his Sovereign Power and Headship Answ. I confess That the Name of a thing person or State is ambiguously taken But yet for all this it is not so Obscure if we will take the right course to understand the Scripture Inst. You will say The great Question lieth in finding the right course Rep. The right course lieth in this By looking to the main sense in each text respectively and the main sense will guide the Interpretation Let us come to give some Instances out of the Scripture but more specially out of the Book of the Revelation For Instances out of the Scripture VVe often read of calling upon the Name of the Lord of trusting in the Name of the Lord. Now is not the calling upon the Name of the Lord the calling upon God himself the trusting
Graecian nor the Roman can be set forth by this Character sith the Graecian is described in the Scripture in the nature of a Tetrarchy or a Kingdom divided into Four parts and the Roman in the nature of a Decarchy or a Kingdom divided into ten inferiour Realms These are the Three False Principles on which Interpreters do usually build and therefore the interpretation cannot be good that standeth upon such a sandy foundation For the mixture of Marriages which Piscator calleth Evidentem collationem an evident collation I do acknowledge that the mixture of Marriages mentioned chap. 2. is again repeated chap. 11. In the one text it is said That they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men And in the other That there is an interchangeable Marriage one or two betwixt the Seleucidae and the Lagidae But what of all this They that are like in some things are not altogether the same If that general rule Omne simile non est idem were observed in the Exposition of Daniel and the Revelation we should have a cleerer sense of some Visions then now we have But this great Fallacy hath imposed upon Interpreters they have taken that for the same which is parallel in some things only There are some that have gone so far in these times as that they have taken the little Horn for some late Princes some for Mahomet and some for this and some for that Here I confess there may be a similitude in some particulars and the Allusion may hold in some few Circumstances But if you go to the whole Body of the notes of the little Horn and to the scope of the text here it will be very hard to make good the Assertion There is a resemblance only between the Marriages mentioned chap. 2. and chap. 11. But if we go to the main scope the whole carriage of the text doth plainly shew That the Roman is the Fourth Kingdom and so consequeâ—…ly the mixture of Marriages and the mingling 〈◊〉 the seed of men must necessarily be in the Roman Kingdom And yet further To satisfie the doubt They who do look more diligently into the sense of the Prophecie they find many things in the Graecian which are but as Types and Figures of some notable events in the Roman Kingdom Let us take for Instance the little Horn mentioned in the Eighth of Daniel Now here all do agree That Antiochus Epiphanes is the little Horn meant in this Chapter yet whosoever he is that diligently readeth the words of St. Paul in 2 Thess. 2. he shall find that the Apostle doth apply many things to the Roman Antichrist and so doth Iohn in the Revelation that are here ascribed to Antiochus Epiphanes To salve the matter Interpreters tell us That Antiochus is the Figure of the Antichrist to come We may proceed in the same Method and so we may say That the interchangeable Marriages between the Seleucâ—…dae and the Lagidae are but Figures of the future mingling with the seed of men and of all other means that shall be used to the keeping up of the Roman Kingdom in the last and Antichristian State thereof But let us proceed Piscator The same thing also may be cleerly demonstrated from the words vers 34 35. where Daniel among many other things doth speak unto the King Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands which smote the Image upon the Feet that were part of Iron and part of Clay and brake them to pieces And the stone which smote the Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth This Stone Daniel doth expound vers 44. to be the Kingdom that never shall be destroyed and is the Kingdom of Christ for the Kingdom of Christ began then to fill the whole Earth by the preaching of the Gospel after the overthrow of those Four Kingdoms as it is evident from the text And truly about the beginning of the Roman Empire Christ was Born when Augustus did bear Rule c. In the 35 year from his Birth he sent the holy Spirit from Heaven into the Apostles with whose Power they being endued did Preach the Gospel first at Ierusalem to the Iews and then afterward everywhere in the whole world to the Gentiles as the Book of the Acts doth testifie Therefore sith at the Rising of the Kingdom of Christ and at his filling the whole Earth the Fourth Kingdom prefigured by this Image was already destroyed and seeing also that the Roman Empire did continue at that time it doth necessarily follow That that Fourth Kingdom cannot any way be understood of the Empire of the Romans Answer That the Stone cut out of the Mountain is the Kingdom of Christ to this we freely Assent But whereas Piscator doth alledge That all the Four Metal-Kingdoms did expire at the beginning of Christ's Kingdom this we Deny Let us consider the words of the text for they must govern in this case First It is said concerning the Kingdom represented by the Stone cut out of the Mountain That in the dayes of these Kingdoms will the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed If this be so it will necessarily follow That the Roman must be one of the Four Metal-Kingdoms because our Saviour was Born his Gospel was Preached the Gentiles were brought to the Faith in those times when the Romans had the Sovereign Dominion over the Earth and particularly over those parts where the Church was seated The Seleucian Kingdom was destroyed and all that tract of Land from Euphrates to the Border of Egypt was wholly brought under the power of the Romans Therefore sith the Kingdom of Christ began in the times of the Roman the Roman must necessarily be the Fourth and the last Kingdom Secondlâ—… It is said That the Stone became a great Mâ—…untain and filled the whole Earth Now when did thiâ—… come to pass The Kingdom of Christ was weak and small at his Inâ—…arnation and in the times immediately following But after that the Stone smote the Image upon the Feet and Toes after that he had broken the Roman Kingdom in the last and Antichristian state thereof then and not till then it became a Mountain and filled the whole Earth Now this was not at the Incarnatioâ—… but we look for the performance thereof at the setting up of the Majestical Kingdom of Christ as it is plainly discovered in the whole Book of the Revelation Thirdly It is said That the Stone smote the Image upon the Feet and Toes that were part of Iron and part of Clay This sheweth plainly That the Seleucidae and the Lagidae cannot be the Fourth and the last Metal-Kingdom For the Kingdom of Christ did never so much as touch these Kingdoms They were all utterly destroyed by the power of the Romans before the Coming of Christ in the Flesh. Now if you apply this to the Roman as to the last of the Four Persecuting Empires the Kingdom of Christ in these last
doth intend them in such or such a particular Scripture Now that this may appear to be a right Interpretation we will compare it with every Circumstance in the Text. These are the words that follow And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to Receive a Mark in their right hand and in their forehead and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the Mark or the Name of the Beast or the Number of the Name Here is Wisdom Let him that hath Understanding â—…ount the Number of the Beast for it is the Number of a Man and his Number is six hundred threescore and six In these words we are to Note Four Particulars 1. The matter of the Law which the Beast doth impose he causeth all men to receive a Mark in their right Hand and in their Forehead and that they have the Name of the Beast and the Number of it 2. The maker of the Law soil The Beast with Two Horns He causeth men to receive the Mark by his coercive power 3. The Persons on whom he doth impose the Law He causeth all both small and great bond and free rich and poor to receive a Mark. For though there is great difference in civil Relations between poor-men and rich bondmen and free yet in this matter none are exempted All must receive the Mark one as well as the other there is no difference of Condition 4. The Penalty inflicted on him that will not submit to the Law He must have no civil Commerce with men he must not buy nor sell that hath not these Three Things First The Mark Secondly The Name Thirdly The Number of the Name Now that men might rightly conceive what is meant by these things the same Spirit doth exhort them to Calculate the Number the Point that we are now upon For the Calculation of the Number these Four Particulars also ought to be Observed First The Person exhorted who it is that must make the Discovery And this is every such one as hath a mind given him of God more accurately to search into the meaning of the Prophecies The matter is not easio to be understood at the first sight there must be some Wisdom used to the Discovery thereof Secondly The manner It must be by the way of Reckoning or Numbering Let him that hath Wisdom reckon the Number of the Beast Thirdly The Rule and Method of Account There is some way of Reckoning called The Number of a Man by and through which the Calculation is to be made Fourthly The particular Number it self and in this Method or way of Account it is 666. These are the Natural distributions of the words of the text Now according to this Pattern or Platform let us proceed to shew the truth of our Interpretation and what apt coherence it hath with the Circumstances and with the Natural scope of the text To begin therefore with the matter of the Law It is expresly said That the Beast did cause all to receive a Mark to have the Name and the Number of the Name For the Mark we are not to take it for a material Character but it is the publick Profession of the Faith of a Roman Catholick by and through which he doth publickly acknowledg his subjection and Allegeance to the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome For as in the words immediately following when Iohn saw the Lamb stand upon Mount Sion and with him 144000 having their Father's Name written in their Forehead We do not take the Name of the Father written in the Forehead for a literal Character but for the visibility of their Profession that yield subjection to the Commands of God the Father as their Sovereign Lord So on the other side The followers of the Beast the Mark in their Forehead and in their right hand is not a visible brand or print-mark consisting of Letters and syllables but it sheweth the visibility of their Profession that do own the Bishop of Rome's Universal Headship over all Churches and that they are in Conscience bound to be subject to his Laws as to another Christ. Paraeus upon the place speaketh to the same effect Unde secundò liquet cum Bestia Antichristiana sit Papa Romanus exuviis Romani Imperii tunicâ Christi indutus Characterem Bestiae esse Professionem Papistici cultus sicut supra Character Christi non fuit nota materialis sed professio Christiani cultus But that in this matter we may not altogether depend upon Authority we will prove by many Arguments that the publick Profession of the Catholicism or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome is the Mark in the Forehead and in the right Hand First This agreeth omni to every Subject in the Beast's Kingdom He causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a Mark. And such a Mark is the Profession of the Faith of a Roman Catholick And though all are not Cardinals all are not Archbishops all are not Bishops yet all are Roman Catholicks all agree in this To profess the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome This is Nota maximè communis Secondly The Mark agreeth Soli only to such a one as is a Subject of the Beast's Kingdom For as Princes have Marks and Cognizances to distinguish their Servants and Subjects So the Beast hath a peculiar Character to discern between those that are his and those that are none of his Now if you apply this to the Profession of a Roman Catholick all that whole Society and Body of men as they are one among themselves in their publick Profession So in this they are distinguished from all other kinds of men in the whole world Here is nota maximè propria Thirdly The Mark agreeth to the Subjects of the Beast's Kingdom at all times For not only at the first beginning of the spiritual Monarchy he caused every man to receive a Mark but in all the times of his Kingdom he did impose this Law upon his Subjects And therefore we reade in the latter end of his Dominion That the first Vial was poured out upon them that had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image chap. 16. vers 2. And those Souls that lived again to Reign with Christ 1000 years were such as were beheaded in all the times of the Beast's Kingdom because they had not worshipped the Image nor received the Mark. The receiving of the Mark in the Forehead it must be semper in all the times of the Beast's Kingdom Now such a Mark is the Profession of a Roman Catholick This hath been received in all times There are some things received by that Society of men which are not much more ancient than the Council of Trent which were not established de fide till that time And though in the dayes of Queen Mary the Critical Question was What say you to the Sacrament of the Altar Yet it is well known That Transubstantiation
Beast is no other but his Universal Power and Headship over the Church of God then I will leave any man to consider Whether one and the same thing is not here spoken by S. Paul in the Epistle to the Thessalonians He as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And hath not the Bishop of Rome for 1000 years put himself in the place of Christ as the Head and Law-giver to the Church of Christ But the Apostle goes on Vers. 5. Remember you â—…ot when I was with you I told you these things We reade in Acts 20. when the 〈◊〉 sent to Ephesus he called for the Eâ—…ders of the Church he told them that grievous Wolves should come and that they should not spare the stock The same things in effect he spake among the Thessalonians when he did foreshew the decay of the Christian faith and the revelation of the Man of Sin Now for the time of his coming and the knowledge they had oâ—… that time he hath these words Vers. 6. And now ye know what with holâ—…eth 〈◊〉 he may be revealed in his time â—…y the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing that doth withhold all Interpreters for the most part 〈◊〉 understand the Great Empire of the Romans For as long as the Mâ—…jesty of that Empire did stand it would keep 〈◊〉 the dominion of Antichrist who should ariâ—…e What knowledge the 〈◊〉 Thessalonians had of this is doubtful yet there iâ—… nothing more â—…ure then that the Ancient Writers 〈◊〉 as lived before the fall of the Empire did believe That when this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come then the Man of Sin should be revealed Among many others when Hierom heard of the taking of Rome by the Râ—…me he did make application of this Scripture that then the Man of Sin was at the doors Now whereas some Interpreters think that we cannot shew any precise time of the coming of Antichrist they divide themselves into sundry opinions And therefore some speak of his Conception some of his Birth some of his higher advancement into the Throne and some of the full Perfection of his Power Others there are that take all these together and tell us That he was conceived in the Primitive Times born about the times of Constantane set up in the Throne under the Emperor Phocas and raised to the high pitch when he did assume the Power of both Swords But all these are but conceits of mens own Commenting For the time of the revelation of the Man of Sin must not be as every one will feign it at his own pleasure but as it is positively and plainly set down in the Word of Truth Now if we go to the scope of the Context the Great Empire of the Roman the impediment that hindred must be taken away and then after that the Man of Sin must be revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his definite and determinate time There is then a precise definite and determinate time for the revelation of the Man of Sin and this must be after the fall of the old Empire Nâ—…w according to these grounds there can be no other time intended but when he was installed Oecumenical Bishop under the Emperor Phocas It is clear by the Stories of the Church That the Empire fell and the Kings arose in the fifth Century And after that in the year 606 from the birth of the Lord and in the year 666 from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome the Bishop of Rome was declared Universal Head over all Churches in the times of the Emperor Phocas In this year he was revealed and declared to the world in such a manner as the Apostle doth describe him for in this year he did begin to sit in the Church or in the Temple of God as in Cathedrá as Oecumenical and Universal Bishop and Head of the Church And so we have the particular time when Antichrist was revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his definite time This we take to be the natural sense of the Text for if these two things be supposed First that the beeing of the Man of Sin lies essentially in his Headship over the Church and Temple of God Secondly that he did appear in his proper time after the fall of the old Empire What other thing can here be signified or decyphered but that which we speak of to wit that the Number 666 in the Revelation doth point out the time of the rising of this Spiritual Monarchy For as we have formerly shewed the year 606 according to the calculation of the times in Daniel is the Number 666 the Number of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast And thus we see how the scope of the Apostle in this Scripture doth fully answer our Interpretation concerning the Name of the Beast and the Number of the Name Now let us go to the words of the Apostle as they follow Vers. 7 8. For the Mystery of Iniquity doth already work onely he who now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way and then shall that wicked one be revealed Here Interpreters do inquire what is meant by the Mystery of Iniquity Some do think that the Apostle doth refer to those Heresies in the first times that were previous to the bringing in of the Man of Sin But how could those gross Heresies be so called The Mystery of Iniquity did incroach upon the Church and upon godly men under the appearance of the greatest holiness Secondly suppose that in those first times there were some beginnings of Free-will Justification by the Merit of Man yet these things are not to our purpose for we are here specially to look after such a working of the Mystery of Iniquity as makes way for the Papacy or the Papal Government or the Universal Headship of Antichrist that he shall sit as Lord or chief Ruler in and over the Church and Temple of God The question is What previous workings were there in the Apostles days and so downwards towards the setting up of the Universal Headship For this is to the scope of the Text and this doth answer the matter in hand Let us therefore consult with other Scriptures S. Iohn saith Ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even so the spirit of Antichrist is already in the world 1 Joh. 4. 3. What doth he mean by this that the spirit of Antichrist was already in the world He doth explain himself in his third Epistle and the 9th verse I would have wrote unto the Church but Diotrephes who loveth to have the pre-eminence suffereth us not It appears from hence then that in those first times men did affect that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Primacy or Headship in and over the Church of God Here then the Mystery of Iniquity did begin to work in those first times But lest any man might alledge that these incroachments were too gross and that the Mystery of Iniquity must be carried on with greater shews
of holiness that very godly men themselves might be deceived by it For the clearing of this let us consider That the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome is built upon the Primacy of Peter over the rest of the Apostles and for the Primacy of Peter there were some beginnings thereof in the very Apostles days His Authority was so great that it seemed to be a Law Paul chargeth him that he did compel the Gentiles to be circumcised Gal. 2. 13 14. I demand then How did he compel them Not by Precept or Command not by any coercive Power but by his Example His Authority was so great in the Consciences of the People of those times that is seemed to be a Law And Barnabas himself also was drawn away with their dissimulation S. Paul also an eminent Apostle seemed to be nothing in comparison of Peter for so he expresseth himself Iames and Iohn and Cephus which seemed to be Pillars Gal. 2. 9. Such credit had Peter with the Faithful in those first times And truly after his death it was not diminished for the ancient Fathers of the Church conceiving him to be Bishop of Rome did ascribe more then too much to his Successors and to that Succession for his sake At least the Bishops of Rome themselves did take too much upon them under that consideration And this did go on and increase so by degrees that it did never leave till it came at that pitch at last that the Bishop of Rome was declared Universal Head of the Church And this Universal Headship we call the Name of the Beast and the time of the Institution and remarkable appearance thereof the Number of the Name And look as the ancient Church having a Promise of the coming of Christ were held in expectation about the time of his coming So the Christian Church being forewarned of the coming of Antichrist were also buâ—…ied about the times of his coming Now for the means to understand the time when it should be First they were to look to the Revolution of Empires Secondly to the Number of years to the setting up of that State or Government For the Revolution of Empires the Apostle saith He that letteth will let till he be taken out of the way All the Ancients did understand this of the fall of the Empire and when the Empire should be removed then they did believe that the Man of Sin should be revealed in his time Again we have further proved That the time of his coming is not onely discoverable by the Changes and Revolutions of Empire but by the Number of years For if you reckon 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome you will come punctually precâ—…ely and determinately to the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas And this is that which the Apostle dâ—… mainly treat of in this Chapter That when Aâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…e shall sit as God in the Temple of God that is he 〈◊〉 sit in the Church as in his Epâ—…opal â—…ee From the â—…ope of the whole it is clear That the formality of 〈◊〉 dâ—…h lie in the Universal Headship And for the time of the revelation thereof the Apostle saith It must be after the removal of the old Empire and then the Man of Sin shall be revealed in his time Now this time can be no other but in the decree of the Universal Headship under the Emperor Pâ—…ocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome And so Iohn in the Revelation and Paul in the Thessalonians do agree in one and the same sense and both Scriptures do facere paria Now then to gather up all into one sum Seeing the truth of our Interpretation is verified in all the particulars of the Text Rev. 13. Seeing also it is confirmed by the whole sense of the Chapter Rev. 17. Seeing also it agreeth with all the Principles and Grounds throughout the whole Prophecy And last of all seeing it doth fully conâ—…ent with the scope of the Apostle in the Epistle to the Thâ—…ssalonians We may safely conclude That we have given a right Exposition of the meaning of the Spirit and have truly shewed what is meant by the Beast his Name Image Mark and the Number of his Name Now we will come to the practical part to the use of the Point CHAP. XII The Application of the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made first of those things tâ—…at are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HEre if we apply our selves to the Times we shall finde That the term â—…ntichristian is used by sundry sorts of men for sundry kindes of Intereâ—… â—…ome do use it aright and others do dangerouslâ—… and schismatically traduce by the misapplication thereof For seeing the great sin of the world hath consisted in this In subjecting themselves to an Anti-Christian Authority and to the Laws maâ—…e by that Power And seeing iâ—… is the duty of all true Christians to separate and depart from such an Authority as being so diametrally contrarâ—… to the Crown and Dignity of Christ their Soveraign Lord In this point it is not to be doubted but the Protestant Churches have rightly rejected the Beast his Name Mark Image and the Number of his Name as they have cast away the Authority of the Bishop of Rome and the Laws as they stand by that Power and Headship In all the passages of the â—…atise afâ—…regoing we have largely proved That the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome is the Name directâ—… opposed to the Name Pâ—…wer and Headship of the Lamâ—… And therefore the Protestant Churches as formerly so now â—…ave just Reason to depart from the Church of Rome as she haâ—…h departed from Christ. Now the Friends and the Followers of the Separation do endeavor in these times to go in tâ—…e same method for by this they think to free themselves from Schism When they are put upon it to give a Reason Why they depart from the Ministery from the Ordinances and the Publick Worship they tell us The Ministery is Antichristian they have not renounced their Calling by the Bishops In a word they call all that Antichristian which hath been used in Antichristian times and hath a conveyance and transmission down to us by the means of Antichristian men Which Position of theirs as it is most erroneous and false so it doth draw many dangerous consequences along with it Therefore to prevent such cunning Tricks of Legerdemain we will lay down the truth distinctly First we will shew the things that are directly Antichristian Secondly the things that are Anti-Christian by Analogie and Reduction Thirdly the things that are Antichristian by the Position of some Circumstances as they are truly Christian by the Position of others Fourthly the things that are Antichristian falsly so called For that which is â—…ruly Antichristian all such are said to have the Mark of the Beast in their Forehead and Right-hand For the Mark in the Greek it is said He caused all to