boasting and bragging or prae se ferens as Beza translates it pretending that he is God or as Tremellius saith ostentet seipsum ac si Deus esset he will carry himself as if he were a God that is in Gods stead the true King to rule the people and the right Bishop to govern the Church of Christ or That the Antichrist will wholly direct the Clergy and dispose of all things in the Church and about the service of God as some do read it he would be esteemed and taken tanquam sit Deus for such a supream Monarch and chief Governor over Gods Church as God said unto Moses he should be to Aaron his God to direct him in all the service of the Tabernacle and the whole worship of God so will the Antichrist be such a God to order direct and dispose of all the worship of God and how all the Clergie in order and without order should behave and carry themselves in the whole service of the Church which I take to be the true meaning of the Apostle in this place For this shewing himself or bragging that he is God is not to be understood that he would have himself believed to be the true and everliving God and worshiped with divine worship as the Historians tell us Alexander Antigonus Augustus Caligula Domician and divers others of the Caesars and Emperors were transported to that height of pride and ambition as believing themselves to be more than men to require the people their subjects to take them for Jupiter Apollo or some other of those anciently esteemed Gods and to ascribe the honor and worship that was usually given to those Gods unto themselves as Altars Sacrifices and the like whereof Virgil speaking of Augustus saith Virgilius eglog 1. Illius aram Saepe tener nostris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus And Horace also saith Horatius epist. l. 2. Jurandásque tuum per nomen ponimus aras But the meaning of the Apostle is that this man of sin the Antichrist will bragge and boast unto the people that he is all for God and for the honor and service of God and therefore sits in the temple of God to set out the right directory of serving God that so God through him and by his only means and endeavors might be rightly served and worshipped according to his directory as the Mahometans worship Mahomet according to his Alcoran and we formerly worshipped God according to the form prescribed unto us by our Governors in the book of Common-prayer and so he sheweth that he is God that is most godly and so a God by the participation of the godliness and holiness of God which exposition doth most fitly agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he sheweth himself to be which is the rediest way to deceive the people And whether the long Parliament hath not usurped this ecclesiastical power and jurisdiction over all the holy things Let the Reader judge whether this be not fulfilled in the long Parliament and to set forth the sole Directory of Gods service tanquam sit Deus as if they alone had Aarons Office to order all the other Priests and Levites or had the spirit of S. Paul infallibly to direct the Church of Christ as well as Moses his Authority and the power of a King to rule the people Let the Parishes and people of God that have none other form of Gods service but what the Parliament Preachers and the observers of their Directory do use be the Judges both of what service and of what Doctrine is brought unto them I make small account though I will not pass it unsaluted of that Observation which some men have made that the Parliament House where the members of the long Parliament sate Arise Evans in his Voice from heaven was a Chappel consecrated by King Edward the 3. to be the Temple of God as appeareth by many Records because many other Parliaments have sate in that Chappel and yet not any of them all have usurped this power to be the supream disposers and directors of all the holy service of God the Commanders of all the Bishops and Priests of the most high God how to do his service and what service should be done unto him and to make themselves the sole Possessors the right owners to dispose sell or give all the Revenues lands states Tythes and offerings of the Church as it is said the Antichrist would do and which he may no better nor so well do as Scyrus and Procrustes the two vilest robbers that we read of could take thy purse and all thy mony by the High-way side And here also I cannot omit to observe Note the word fit in the temple that the Apostle saith that the man of sin shall not stand but sit in the Temple of God where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth to fit as where it is said that Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 4.6 and 20.12 sate by the well and so the two Angells were seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sitting in white raiments is to be distinguished from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which betokeneth and signifieth collocare to place or to set a thing in some place as it is where the Apostle saith if you have judgments of things pertaining to this life 1 Cor. 6.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set such or place them to judg who are least esteemed in the Church and so where it is said that the Disciples brought the Asse and the Colt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it is in some Copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they set him Matth 21.7 or placed him thereon And therefore it is rightly concluded by Maresius that this sitting in the Temple of God is ill applyed by Grotius to Caius Caligula his causing of his Statue to be placed in the Temple at Hierusalem but it may most properly signifie the sitting of the Parliament Let the Reader judge of this or the like society of men in that place where they intend to acquiesce and rest themselves whether the place be physical or Metaphysical And whether the Parliament resolved not only to stand in that their dignity and Authority for a while or intended to sit and acquiesce and continue themselves and their Successors for ever in the Parliament-House and in the Temple of God to govern the Church of God as God themselves know best I will not judge of their Intention CHAP. VI. That the Antichrist is a great Professor of Religion and a seeming Saint That he belyeth his Profession and is indeed the greatest Hypocrite in the world What the great Lye of the Antichrist is What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth What it is to deny Jesus to be the Christ And how the Father and the Son may be denied two manner of waies 2. THough I might go on
Lords Table though Christ admitted Judas whom he knew far better then these men do know those whom they reject and cast away and we can and ought to do no more to the lewdest offenders but to shew them the danger of the unworthy receivers and exhort them to repent and to believe in Christ and upon the confession of their faults and profession of their Faith and repentance we ought to believe them to be Gods children and receive them among the Faithfull and leave them all for Christ to judge which of the guest doth want his wedding garment Yet we confess That the Apostles had two manner of gifts 1. Extraordinary it is true that the Apostles had a double qualification 1. The one extraordinary which was requisite for the planting of a new Church and that consisted chiefly in these two things 1. Infallibility of the Doctrine which they taught 2. A powerful working of miracles to confirm that doctrine and to win the hearers to give credit and to believe the same And when the Churches were converted these graces determined and ceased with the Apostles 2. Ordinary which were either 2. The other was ordinary which was requisite for the instructing guideing and ruling of the Church so long as the Church should continue till Christ should come to judgement And these graces that were thus requisite for the continuance of the Church in the service of God were likewise of two sorts 1. Common 1. Common to the Apostles and Presbyters and Deacons as reading the Scriptures preaching or expounding the word administring the Sacraments provision for the poor and other like christian duties 2 Proper which the Apostles reserved unto themselves 2. Proper which consisted in two things and to the Bishops that were to be their successors to guide and to govern the Church after them And this proper qualification of the Apostles which they left as peculiar to the Bishops that were to succeed the Apostles was and is likewise two-fold 1. Ordination 1. Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons to read the word and to preach and to administer the Sacraments and to do all the other common duties of the Church 2. Jurisdiction which was twofold 1. The lesser censure 2. The greater censure 2. Jurisdiction in censuring those that were refractory and walked disorderly in the Church and this Ecclesiasticall censure is either 1. The lesser which is a debarring of the offendor from the Lords Supper 2. The greater censure which was by such an excommunication as excluded the offender quite from the Churh and was not received into it untill he had satisfied the Church by his confession of his fault and repentance shewed for the scandall he had given Now such is the pride and ambition of every Presbyterian that he would have nothing left proper unto the Bishop but that all must be common as well to him as to the Bishop How the Presbyterians do usurp the authority of the Bishop he cannot indure to be excluded or debarrd from any thing but cryeth out as Corah Dathan and Abiram did against Moses and Aaron that the Bishops take too much upon them And therefore 1. They usurp and assume unto themselves the office of ordination and do make Priests themselves the which boldnesse of theirs I intend not to stand now to confute but do assure the people Lay-preachers and tradesmen to execute the Ecclesiastical function have as good authority and calling as the new Presbyterian Priests that the Priests of their making have no better calling nor authority to enter upon that sacred function then he that is made a Judge or a Justice of Peace to rule the countrey by a company of high-way thieves and robbers and the Lay-preachers be they what they will husband-men or trades-men Taylors Shoemakers or Weavers or the like may as lawfully and perhaps more blamelesly do all the service of the Church as any of them that have their ordination from these Presbyters 2. They usurp the jurisdiction over the Church as well as the ordination of the Priests unto themselves and they are more rigid in their censures that are also more illegally done then either Bishop or Pope See the translation of Grallae pag 69. to pag. 90. and you shall find how these Presbyterian censures do exceed the tyranny of the Pope who exercised their discipline and censures in open Court in forma juris and secundum allegata probata when the Presbyterians do it secundum beneplacitum as it seemeth good in their own eyes because they have the discerning spirit to know who are worthy to be received and who ought to be excluded both from Christ and from the Church of Christ And yet I do not wonder so much that the Presbyters should be so ambitious to lay hold of this authority as I do admire that the people should be so foolish as to hate us for telling the truth unto them for their own benefit and shewing the other mens iniquity But I remember a story that Sir Thomas Moore tells us of two famous Philosophers that by their great skill in astronomy foresaw that at such a constellation A pretty story of Sir Thomas Moor. there would fall such a shower of pestiferous rain upon the earth that all the men which scaped not the drops of that rain should presently prove frantick and be distracted of their sences whereupon those Philosophers concluded that they would hide themselves in a Cave untill that shower was passed over and so they did and all things succeeded as they expected for when they came out of their hole where they were hidden they found all the people like mad-men playing the Anticks and therefore they being sober thought to do them good by advising them to leave their fooleries and to follow after sobriety but the mad people told the Philosophers that they themselves were mad and they would take a course with them for saying that they were out of their wits and knew not what they did and so they laid hold on the Philosophers and beat them and they had much adoe to escape from these mad people with their lives this was the reward they had for their well-wishes and desire to do those mad people good to guide them and to direct them in the right courses I wish it may not be so with us that the people prove not themselves like those upon whom that fatal shower descended and that they would not deal with us It is easier to find few wise men then to find many wise men for telliug the truth of these mens doings for their good as those mad men did with those Philosophers And I would the people that are so affected to the Presbyterian government would consider whether it be as easie to find ten thousand wise and sober moderate men as to finde out ten The Kings and Emperours heretofore were very careful to make choice of the best and wisest men that
wholly submit my self to thy blessed will and praise thee for the same while I live And for mine endeavours to explain those mysteries which thou hast revealed unto thy servant John I do most humbly and most earnestly entreat thee to inspire me with thy blessed Spirit and enlighten me with thy grace that I may truly understand them rightly explain them unto thy people and if thou seest it for thy glory and the benefit of thy Church I pray thee help and assist me strengthen and enable me to finish the same and to publish them unto the world or if thou seest it not for thy glory and the benefit of thy Church I beseech thee let them be like the unntmely fruit of a woman that perisheth before it seeth the Sun because I desire nothing hereby neither praise nor profit but onely to discharge my duty to the uttermost of mine ability for the setting forth of thy praise and glory and the benefit of thy Church and people by reducing those that are in errour unto the true faith and the right service of thee O God and confirming those that are in the right to continue constant therein unto the end And to this end I beseech thee to restore our King and Governour and all the exiled persons that are with him unto their places and dignities again that they may be the instruments whereby thy service may be rectified thy people truly instructed and thy name religiously glorified by the acknowledgement of thy justice in our punishment for our transgressions thy great mercy and goodnesse in relieving and helping us in our necessities and thine infinite power wisdome and goodnesse in suppressing our enemies and delivering us out of their hands that we might serve thee without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Hear us O Lord our God and grant these our requests unto us and whatsoever else thou knowest to be requisite and necessary for us for Jesus Christ his sake and dispose of me to do all things according to thy most holy and blessed will so shall I praise and glorifie thee for ever and ever Amen TO THE KINGS Most Excellent MAJESTY May it please your Majesty MY present mean condition bids me to lay my hand upon my mouth to stop my speech to so high a Majesty but my place and calling chargeth me to tell you what you have best reason to know how the long Parliament have put your most religious and renowned Father of ever blessed memory to death the first and chiefest of the two witnesses of Jesus Christ which as the Angel saith the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit should kill And now according to his promise God hath raised this first witnesse in your Majesty to stretch forth your royall hand to the other witness and as Christ said unto S. Peter Tu conversus confirma fratres so your Majesty being risen it is our undoubted hope you will put life into the other slain witnesse of Jesus Christ and like another good Josias purge the Church from all false Priests and restore the Episcopal government to its pristine lustre for the building of Gods Church And the good will of him that dwelt in the bush and walked with your Majesty in all your travels will dwell with you and blesse you and preserve you from all dangers for he tells us plainly that he will honour them that honour him and they that honour not him shall be lightly regarded And therefore I could wish that all the Monarchs of the world would consider Davids entrance into his kingdom and Jeroboams entrance into his kingdom how like one another almost they were in all things for 1. 1 Sam. 16. David is said to be the son of Jesse none as I conceive of the prime Princes of Israel 1 Reg 11.26 and Jeroboam is said to be the son of Nebat and to be a mighty man of valour and of an eminent place in King Solomons Court 2. 1 Sam. 16.13 The Prophet Samuel told David that he should be King 2 Reg. 11.31 and the Prophet Ahijah told Jeroboam that God would make him King 3. 1 Chron. 17.23 The Lord told David that he would build him an house and settle the throne on his seed 2 Reg. 11.38 and the Lord told Jeroboam that if he would walk in his wayes he would build him a sure house and would be with him and would give Israel unto him 4. 1 Sam. 13.14 The kingdom was transferred unto David for the disobedience of Saul 1 Reg. 11.12 and the kingdome was conferred upon Jeroboam for the sin of Solomon 5. 2 Sam. 4.7 David took away the kingdom from Ishbosheth the son of Saul and Jeroboam took away his kingdom from Rehoboam the son of Solomon 2 Reg. 12.20 6. David was elected and chosen to be their King by all the tribes of Israel in Hebron 2 Sam. 5.1 1 Chron. 11.1 and Jeroboam was elected and chosen to be their King by all the ten tribes of Israel and the Prophet forbad Rehoboam and all Juda to war against Jeroboam for their revolt 1 Reg 21.20 v. â—4 because this thing was from the Lord. 7. 2 Sam. 17.8 David was a mighty man of war and so was Jeroboam a mighty man of valour 1 Reg. 11.28 But you may observe this difference betwixt David and Jeroboam that David had many wives and concubines which we do not read that Jeroboam had and David committed more personal and particular sins as his adultry and the murdering of Urias and the numbring of Israel and his rash judgement against honest Mephibosheth then we find in all the 22. years reign of Jeroboam And yet David hath this Elogie and commendation to be a man according to Gods own heart and God hath setled and established his kingdom and his throne to him and his seed for ever but Jeroboam is said to have made Israel to sin and the Prophet told his wife that the Lord would bring evill upon the house of Jeroboam and would take away the remnant of his house as a man taketh away the dung till it be all gone 1 Reg. 14.10 And what is the reason of all this that David who seemed to be more vitious and tainted with more sins then Jeroboam was should notwithstanding be so perpetually blessed and the other so severely and so suddenly punished It may be answered that although David had as well as other men many humane frailties wherein it cannot be said he was according to Gods own heart yet his principal care was and his heart was wholly set to see the true God rightly honoured and his service to be duly and truly performed as you may find how zealous he was to bring the Ark of God and to set it in his place in the midst of his Tabernacle that he had pitched for it and to offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the Lord and how
without adding the prevalent faction as sometimes for brevity sake I may omit I desire my Reader to remember that I mean only those and that party of whom it is demanded Whether they have not all and every one of the notes and marks of the great Antichrift and have done all the things and fulfilled all the Prophesies that should be fulfilled and done by the Antichrist And because the event of things are the best commentaries upon Prophesies The Events of things are the best Comments upon Prophesies if so it be apparent that all the things sayings and doings that are prophesied and foretold should be done by the great Antichrist are all manifestly seen to be done and fulfilled in them and by them aforenamed and by their confederates and adherents I know not how to give satisfaction to them that demand this question or how to deny them to be the Antichrist and to acquit them from that suspicion But I will leave the answer of these demands and resolution of those Questions to be de ermined by those unpartial Judges that are quicker sighted than I am and I will proceed not to foretel any thing but to explain unto you what the Prophets have foretold us should come to pass and should be done in the time and by the members of the great Antichrist and for the application of those Prophesies as fulfilled in these dayes and by these men I leave it to the better observers of the transactions of our time whether they can rightly do so or not And first That Apostasie or rebellion is the door through which the Antichrist entereth into the Church I finde the Apostle telling us that the door and breach or gap whereby the Antichrist shall have way to enter into the Church and sheepfold of Christ to destroy his flock will be apostasie or rebellion for when the Thessalonians had heard that such a great egregious Antichrist should come and thereupon did presently expect him and then thought the day of Christ his coming to judgment should instantly follow because they had heard that his coming should be towards the end of the world and but a little before the day of Christ his coming the holy Apostle to rectifie their misapprehension of what they had heard and to explain the truth and time of both their comings saith the day of Christ shall not come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quin venerit defectio prius until there be first a failing or falling away 2 Thess 2.3 as Beza translates it or nisi venerit prius rebellio unless there comes a rebellion first as the Syriac hath it and as very many of the best Interpreters say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth because every rebellion is a falling away from what we should be And this rebellion is conceived by some Authors to be that which the people made in Rome against Nero and by others it is thought to be that which the Jews made against Florus or that which the grand rebell Barchochebas made against Rufus in the time of the Emperour Adrian who did therefore sufficiently chastice the Jews for their apostasie and revolt and others of no small esteem do understand it of the ruine of the Roman Empire and the Provinces revolt from the Roman Empire under the Turk and other apostate Governors of the Provinces as Niger Albinus and the rest that proved false against their Emperors but Mr. Calvin which is ever held the best textuary B. Hall in his Revelation unrevealed Ensebius l. 4. c. 6. even since the Apostles time as B. Hall saith wonders that so many learned men as understood these words of the Apostasie or rebellion of those revolters from the Roman Empire should so far mistake the Apostles meaning nisi quod cum errasset unus turmatim alii sine judicio sequuti sunt eum unles sit be that when one hath erred others without judgement or any further search for the truth have followed him which is an usual fault and a great fault amongst many writers where they see one run they are often ready like sheep without reason to follow after him And yet I wonder not so much herein as Mr. Calvin doth because the Apostle might well mean The rebellion against the Magistrate doth ever precede a recession from the faith and Gods service both the apostasie and rebellion from the temporal Monarchy of Rome as the type or Prodromos and also from the spiritual Kingdome of Christ which is the Church as Estius Anselmus and very many more of our best Protestant writers do interpret it because commonly they that rebel against the one will never stick at the other but when they kick against the Magistrate they will presently spurn against the Priest and God requireth obedience to be observed towards the civil Magistrate as well as to the spiritual Minister neither shall you ever finde that any departed from his true and obliged obedience to his lawfull Governor but he presently apostatized and made a recession from the true service of God as when Jeroboan◠rebelled and made a recession from his obedience to his King he presently made a defection from the true God and a discession from his worship to serve his golden calves and when the Satrapasses and Tetrarchs of the Provinces rebelled against the Roman Emperors they presently fell away from the Church and instead of Christ took Mahomet for their Prophet and the Jews tell us plainly we have no King or will have no King because we feared not the Lord to shew unto us Hosea 10.3 that a discession from Gods service doth ever accompany the rebellion from the civill Government and the rebellion against our Governors is the fore-runner of our discession from the true service of God and the faith of Christ because that our Governors which have the charge to see that the true faith and right service of God be preserved do while they are obeyed hinder this Apostasie and falling away from Gods service but when they are resisted and the bond of our obedience to them broken there is no stop of this apostasie but that every one may be of what faith and do what service he pleaseth and as he pleaseth unto God And therefore I take this apostasie and rebellion that the Apostle speaketh of here What apostasie or rebellion is here meant by the Apostle to be chiefly meant for a civil rebellion against the supreme Magistrate as he is custos utriusque tabulae the defender of the faith and preserver of Gods publique service and a spiritual opposition or withstanding of our spiritual Governors and the discipline of Christ his Church and so a falling from the true Doctrine and the faith of Christ which is the end of that progression and last step of this apostafie that begins in our disobedience and rebellion against Moses and Aaron and ends with our discession from God and Gods service for thus S. Paul saith the Spirit
the Civill State decayed and the Power of the Emperors was so usurped and transferred unto the Pope because this Power which they now unjustly exercise was the just Power of the Emperor and of other Kings whom the Pope and his Cardinalls subjected Volater l 22. Authropolog in Alexand. 3. Hoveden Math. Paris in Reg. Joh. ursburgens in Fred. 1. as the Histories do relate unto themselves Sol. I answer that the Holy Ghost meaneth not that this second Beast took away and usurped the Power and Authority of the first Beast but did all Acts and exercised all his jurisdiction and his function by vertue of the power and under the protection and the countenance that he received by and from the authority of the first beast as the Sheriff exerciseth the power of the King for the service of the King for so the words do plainly intimate that this two horned Beast exercised the Power of the former beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the presence of him or before him that is for the service and to the use and behoofe of the former Beast because that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In conspectu Jehovae saith Tremelius 1 Sam. 2.18 is here equivalent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dative case as when it is said that Samuell was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring in the presence of the Lord or before the Lord it signifieth as it is also expressed Cap. 3. 1. that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring to the Lord so this second Beast exercised all the Power of the first Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the use service and setting forward the practises and designes of the first Beast and this appeareth very cleare from the words immediately following in that this second Beast causeth the Earth and them that dwell therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 13.12 that they should worship the first Beast that is not to ascribe any Divine Honor but to submit themselves to obey and to serve and assist the first Beast And we know the Pope and his Cardinalls and so all the Roman Clergy That the Bishop of Rome and his Clergy cannot be meant by the second Beast cause all the Rulers of the Earth and all the Iuhabitants thereof to worship Honour and serve themselves as those that are most worthy of Honour for the care that they take to save the soules of the people rather and before the other Beast that is the Civill Magistrate which careth onely for our Temporall estates and the things of this present life and therefore deserves not so much worship as the other that by the Testimony of the Apostle are worthyer of double Honour because they labour to bring us to eternall life in which respect we find how the Popes exacted Platâ—na in vita ejus French Epit. p. 93. and required the greatest Kings and Emperors to serve and to worship them as Gregory the third did to Leo Iconomachus Gregory the seventh to Henry the fourth Pope Zachary the first to Childerick King of France Allexander the third to Frederick Barbarossa Celestine the third to Henry the sixth Speed in the life of King John Hoveden Annal p. 2. sub Rich. 1. Innocent to King John Adrian the fourth that made the Emperor to hold his stirrop and the like that you may find in the Annalls and the lives of the Kings and the Emperors and therefore questionless the Pope Cardinalls and Clergy of Rome cannot be understood by this second Beast But all that is here specified and spoken of the second Beast The Parallel That the Assembly of Presbyterians and the Independant and Lay Preachers of the Parliament are the second Beast and the false Prophet doth in every particular point agree and most aptly cohere with the Parliaments Heterâ—geniall and Laâ—dicean Assembly of Divines that sat at Westminster together with their dispersed Disciples wheresoever inhabiting within these Kingdomes and with the swarme of Independant and Lay-Preachers that sprang up since the beginning of that Parliament for these Presbyterian Divines that contrary to their Oathes contrary to the Commands of their King and contrary to their Faith given in the presence of God and in Gods House when they were admitted to Holy Orders and the rest of the Independant and Lay-Preachers have as the Text saith exercised all the Power of the Parliament they sat in Westminster under the wings of the Parliament and with the rest of their Associates wheresoever dispersed trusting to the Power and Protection of the Parliament they Preached Consulted and Determined all things by the Power and Authority and for the service and advancement and behoofe of the Parliament for the overthrowing of the King See also what the Author of the last Will and Testament of Sir John Presbyter saith Edwards in his Gangraena p. 26. the rooting out of the Bishops and the utter defacing of Gods Church And I think all the people of this Land knoweth this to be so true that I need not use any argument to confirm it and so the Independant Sectaries do avouch that the Presbyterian Government is the false Prophet and the Beast here spoken of and the third part of the great Citty Revel 16.19 and on the other side the proud Presbyterians do as confidently aver that the Independants and Lay-Preachers are this Beast and so Clodius accusat moechum Catelina Caethegum and I out of their own mouthes will take it pro confesso and conclude them both to be partes constitutivas the chiefest constituting parts that make up the second Beast That the false Prophet is three foldâ— and the false Prophet And this false Prophet is like the three-headed Cerberus consisting of three speciall branches or three sort of Preachers 1. The Presbyterians And to begin with the last 2. The Independants And to begin with the last 3. The Lay Preachers And to begin with the last 1. The Lay Preachers may rightly be said to be one of the heads of Cerberus and the false Prophet in two speciall respects 1. In respect of his eutrance into his Office 2. In respect of his ignorance to discharge the duties of his Office For 1. 1. The Lay Preacher a false Prophet in two respects 1. His unjust entrance Malach. 2.7 that the Priest is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts and the Apostle tells us that no man taketh this Honour unto himselfe that is to be a Messenger and an Embassador sent from God but he that is called of God as was Aaron and how was Aaron called First by the inward inspiration of Gods Spirit Secondly least he should be mistaken in the inspiration of the Spirit because there are many spirits by the appointment and Ordination of Moses that had his Authority from God to approve of his Vocation and to confirm him in his Priestly Office thus was Aaron called and yet more then this Heb. 5.4 the Apostle saith that Christ himself who is the
to deceive them and St. Paul saith this I know that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves that is questionlesse among the Lay people shall men arise and not be sent speaking perverse things Act. 20.29 to draw away disciples after them and these are the young novices and Lay Trades men that as St. John saith went from us but were never of us that is neither called nor approved by us but intruding themselves into our Office and separating themselves from the old way which as the Prophet saith Jerem. 6.16 is the good way do preach strange doctrines to gather to themselves Churches out of the Church of Christ and to lead them out of the fold of Christ unto the dens of the destroyer from whence as out of Cacus den vestigia nullae retrorsum there can be no deliverance without great repentance Saint Peter likewise saith 2 Peter 2.1 that as there were false Prophets amongst the people of the Jews so there should be false Teachers among us who privily should bring in damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious wayes and these be our itinerant Preachers that wander from Parish to Parish and go from house to house and so privily as the Apostle saith do lead men into Schismes and most damnable heresies and of these Saint Jude prophesied saying Jude v. 12 and 13. that they were wandring stars without light and clouds without water carried away with the wind Nay more then all this St. Paul tells us the time would come as we see now it is come when men would not endure to hear sound Doctrine but after their own lusts should heap to themselves Teachers having itching eares which they shall turn away from the truth unto fables 2 Tim. 4.3 4. for if you search all times from St. Pauls time to these very times I would fain know when was there such heapes of Teachers and such an inhibition to hear the truth and to Preach sound Doctrine as now it is for whereas before the Teachers of errors and heresies were not endured now very few Congregations where I live are permitted to be content and to injoy their old setled and well known Pastors but they must have some wandring starrs to inlighten them and such Teachers to instruct them as neither understand the state of the Flocks which we should be carefull to know as Solomon saith Prov. 27.23 nor know the diseases of the sheep and therefore must needs be ignorant how to apply any remedies to them lest they should give them poyson in stead of medicines And if the old Doctors and the Faithfull Ministers of Christ undertake to Preach they are affronted as I foreshewed and so threatned and terrified that the people are afraid to hear them whereby you may see that as the Apostle saith the sound Doctrine and True Service of God cannot be endured to be heard by reason of such heapes of false Prophets and wandring stars that are sprung up amongst us And yet our Saviour tells you how these false Teachers should come unto you How the false Prophets deale with the people and exclaim against true Prophets in sheepes cloathing that is with smooth flattering speeches pretending that they come for your salvation but withall he tells you that in very deed they are inwardly ravening wolves and their wayes lead you to destruction for they speak you faire and cry out against the trus Governours of Gods Church that never admitted such intruders to be Gods Ministers and they roare and raile against all the Learned Preachers of the Gosspell as if wisdom and knowledg and learning were odious unto God and to be excluded out of Heaven where they think none shall come but folly and ignorance 2 Chron. 18.23 and simplicity and therefore they smite their Governours and these Learned men on the cheekes as Zedechia did to Michaiah that is they throw dirt in their faces and beslubber their reputation with most scandalous aspersions that they are Popish superstitious and the very limbs of the Antichrist and that they have not Gods Spirit which they presume to know as if they were of Gods Counsell and all is to no other end then to seduce the people to renounce their true Pastors as they have now done and to take them for their gracious Protectors But How King Philip sought to seduce the Athenians and how Demosthenes prevented him let the people take heed lest these new Teachers deale with them as Philip of Macedon intended as Demosthenes said to deale with the Athenians when before he Warred upon them he sent unto them word that all his quarrell was against their Philosophers and Orators that suggested rebellions and disobedience unto the people and therefore if they would renounce them apprehend them and transmit them unto him he would become their true friend and loving Patron whereupon the learned Orator told the Athenians that the wolves on a time sent unto the sheep to tell them that their shepherds dogs hunted them and worried them and very often bit them sore and sometimes killed them and therefore advised them to lay hold upon their dogs and send them bound to them and so they should be freed from their persecutors and they would become their friends to protect them from all dangers whereupon the silly sheep being glad to be freed from their dogs and itching after novelties and desirous to make triall of their new masters found a way to catch their dogs and so delivered all their faithful preservers unto the faithless wolves who as soon as ever they got the dogs into their hands fell upon the sheep without resistance and destroyed them all at their pleasure without pitty even so said Demosthenes will King Philip deale with you when you have delivered your learned Philosophers and grave Oratours into his hands and he was herein a very true Prophet And I pray God these false Prophets upstart novices and unlawful unlicenced intruders into the sacred calling of the Ministery deale not so or worse with our people for if the blind lead the blind Matth. 15.14 both must needs fall into the ditch if young ignorant Schollars lead old ignorant men both must fall into new and old errours and if the tradesmen teach the husbandmen and the country-men teach the citizens and the souldiers teach them both the way to heaven I fear they will but walk apace towards hell when as this is but the devils new policy to obstruct the old way of verity and a hellish trick to put out the heavenly light for as Moses tells the Israelites Deut. 32.17 that their new Gods that came newly up whom their fathers feared not were but old devils so I may truly say that these new teachers are but old bereticks and false Prophets and their new lights are but ignis fatuus infernall torches to lead the people to everlasting darknesse
they could find to put these offices and the government of the Churches into their hands and they thought it well in such a kingdom as this of Ingland if they found 26. men that with the help and advice of their brethren their Deans and Prebends were sufficient to govern the Churches so wisely and so orderly as they ought to do it and do you think it is as easie to finde 6000. men that are fit to do it that you may place a Bishop in every Parish I think you will faile and your selves at last will see your own folly and smart for your mistaking when every Parish Priest will be as imperious over you as Hildebrand was over Henry the fourth But 2. Touching the working of strange miracles we say it was a great miracle 2. To work strange miracles 1 Reg. 17.23 Acts 9.4 John 11.44 that Elias did to raise the dead child of the widow of Sarepta and a great miracle that Saint Peter did to raise Dorcas an old widow that was dead to life again and it was a greater miracle that Christ did to raise up Lazarus out of his grave when he had been dead four dayes And yet besides their many meaner miracles that these Presbyters say they do they pretend if you will believe them to do things that are far more miraculous and greater wonders then any of these or them either that Moses or Elias or any other of all the Prophets or Apostles ever did for we are sure that neither of all those either did or could raise a soule dead in trespasses and sins to the life of grace but this being as it were a new creation it must be left alone to God for ever whose proper work it is to create a new heart and to renew a right spirit within us yet this beast and the disciples of this false Prophet do boast and brag unto the people of the multitude of Saints that they have begotten to God when as indeed they have of late seduced them to be as false and as rebellious as themselves What wonderful thing the Presbyters do Psalm 51.10 The discourse of a Presbyterian with the Authour Esay 53. â—â— And so one of them asked me where were the Seales of our Apostleship the signes and evidences of our Bishops and Prelatical mens ministery how many soules had they converted unto God and where were those converts whereby they might approve themselves unto the people to be the true Ministers of God as they could do by the confession of their Proselytes and I answered that I feared their converts were but perverted and that I conceived it was not in mans power to convert soules when as the Prophet cryeth who hath believed our report and again all day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and a gainsaying people and if it had been in mans poower to work faith in the hearts of the hearers then questionlesse Rom 10 1. c. 9.3 We have not the power to convert souls this great Prophet would have done it in the children of Israel and Saint Paul would have converted the Jewes his own brethren according to the flesh whom he did so dearly love as himself doth testify to have believed in Christ but we know that although the false Prophets may easily pervert men to disloyalty and wickednesse because the devill is alwayes ready to help them and natural men are prone to evill yet we cannot convert men to the true faith and to goodnesse Acts 15.19 unlesse the Spirit of God cooperateth with us to open the hearts of our hearers as he opened the heart of Lydia when the Apostle preached unto her because as Saint Hierom saith inanis est sermo docentis nisi intus sit qui docet the Preacher may say with the Prophet in vacuum laboravi I have laboured in vain if God by his spirit doth not preach unto the heart And therefore their wonderful brags of converting soules are but lying wonders not to be regarded by any man that regards the truth Psal 15.12 and these hornes are not the hornes of the Lamb but ungodly horns and the horns of the ungodly which as the Prophet saith shall be broken by the Lord all to pieces That the two horns may signifie the two Testaments Torres in sua Philosophia morali pag. 849. Texeda pag. 6. of his miracles unmasked Or else these two horns as Cornelius à lapide saith to whom I subscribe may signify the two testaments which are robora ornamenta Christi the strength and ornament of Christ and the language of the lambe which bring men to believe in Christ rather then then all the miracles of Christ for as Torres out of Lactantius saith non idcirco à nobis creditur Christus quia mirabilia fecit sed quia vidimus facta esse omnia quae nobis annuciata sunt vaticinio prophetarum Christ is not therefore believed by us because he wrought miracles which Vespasian did and the idolatets of China do and the false Prophets by our Saviours testimony may do but because we have seen all things accomplished which were foretold us of him by the Prophets The paralell This is infallibly fulfilled in the Paesbyterians And the beast layeth claim to these hornes and so of all the Preachers and Prophets Papists or Protestants it is well known that none pretend more love and more right to these hornes then the Presbyterians and the Independant and Lay-Preachers do for they reject all other learning and all authorities of Counsells Fathers Poets Orators Histories and all other Books and will allow of nothing but the pure book of the holy Scripture they will have none other horns but these which they say are the hornes of our Lamb and no Christian will denie them to be so nor gainsay the strength and authority of these hornes And yet as A lapide rightly observeth as I told you before of it A good obserservation of Cornel à lapide in loc this beast is said to have not the two hornes of the Lamb but two hornes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to the horns of the Lamb and every Sophister can tell you that nullum simile est idem that which only is like a thing is not the thing and therefore though they cry out with the false Prophets of the Jewes os Domini loquutum est the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it for they preach nothing but Gospel and the pure Scriptures of the two Testaments and it is we and not they if you believe them that run to the puddles of humane authorities yet in very deed it is no such matter for the holy Ghost that best understandeth both the language of the Lamb and of this beast tells us plainly in the very next words that although their horns be like the horns of the Lamb yet in truth Why this second beast is said to speak like the Dragon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Bellarmine well observeth out of Arâ—thas this beast is said to do his wonders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sight of menj that is so appearing to men whose sight and judgement are thereby deceived for that they do nothing of what they pretend and seemed to do but the things that they do are no such things indeed in the sight of God 4. 4. Difference Whereas true miracles do exceed all naturall causes tam occultas quam manifestas as well the hidden secrets of nature as those causes that are knowen to us and are done onely by the hand and Power of God and therefore they are wonders and not onely in the fight of men but also in the sight of Angells and Devills the wonders of the Antichrist and his adherents the Presbyterians and Lay-Preachers have all of them their naturall causes though they be hidden from the sight and understanding of the people as the victories of the beast and his successes are obtained meerely by his subtle tricks his cunning carriage of the war and the desperate valour of his soldiers God giveth them leave so to prevaile over the pufillanimity and security of his children that offendeth him and they are not obtained by the immediate hand of Gods active Power The Presbyterians gaining so many Proselites to what it is ascribed and a miraclous effecting Providence from heaven as the beast pretendeth and so desperately blasphemeth God in making him the author of all his bloody cruelties and the shedding of all the innocent blood that was spilt which can no wayes stand either with the goodness or justice of God and the Presbyterians winning of so many simple men to follow after them and to become their disciples to believe their erronius heresies and damnable positions it is to be ascribed to their sedulity vehemency and good oratory wherewith Aeschines Demosthenes and Cicero perswaded their Auditors to follow them and not to the powerfull working of Gods Holy Spirit who though for their sins he permitteth the simple people to believe strong delusions and to be misled into most damnable conclusions by this beast yet he never worketh and leadeth them into the same And therefore what Vulteius Remensis saith of some Franciscan Monkes that played many jugling tricks in Orleance Anno 1534. the same may be rightly applyed to these Presbyterians Cum clamat larvas furiosa caterua leonum Infestare suam nocte dieque domum Res vera est falsi larvati denique fratres Quos vestis sanctos prodigiosa facit Sunt lemures larvae furiae vulpesque lupique Qui infestant vitiis seque suamque domum Which I may very well thus translate When Presbyters do cry that scisme and heresie Do spoile the Church of Christ The thing is true for so these Saints in shew Are furious Fiends the limbs of Antichrist That with their Lies and Heresies given in a golden Cup Have poysoned all the whole Flock of Christ And so themselves are the Mischief that have spoyled all things both in the Church and Common-wealth But though all the wonders and workings of this false Prophet be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lying wonders and no truth in them yet hereby he deceiveth the people and especially when as the Holy Ghost sayth He maketh fire to come down from heaven on the earth Touching which fire What is here meant by the fire that the beast maketh to come down from heaven 1 Reg. 18.38 we must not understand it to be such a fire as Elias brought down to consume the two fifty men that the King sent to fetch him nor such a fire as by his prayers came down to consume the Sacrifice upon Mount Carmel because those fires were true fires and truly miraculously brought down by the Prophet when as the sire that this false Prophet pretendeth to bring down is no such thing neither must we take it for such a fire as Philostratus sayth Apollonius Tyanaeus fetched down from Heaven in the fight of many people because this was some elfe-fire that he procured to appear as the flash of a Meteor by the help and procurement of the Devil when as this false Prophet pretendeth not to bring down any such a fire neither yet can I yeild it should be taken as Mr. Mr. Medes Expofition rejected Mede and others of our late Writers do expound it for the lightnings and thunders of the Popes Buls and Excommunication against those that submit not themselves to him and to his Decrees because as I shewed to you before the Pope and his Cardinals cannot be understood by this false Prophet But I take it as a proverbial Hyperbole for the application of that which was sayd before That this Beast doth great wonders so that he maketh fire to come down from Heaven The parallel The fire that Christ came to send on earth the Beast pretendeth to bring from heaven because the Jews do commonly attribute so much to the miraculous fire of Elias that they use for all wonderful works proverbially to say He bringeth down fire from heaven sayth Graserus Or else it must be taken as I rather conceive in that sense as our Saviour takes it when he sayth I came to send fire upon the earth because this Prophet would fain seem to imitate Christ and to do all the things that he should do and can do as Christ did and therefore he pretendeth to bring the same fire that Christ brought down and that is the fire of zeal and a most ardent affection to Christ and to the truth of his Religion and this fire the Presbyterians and the Independant and Lay-preachers pretend to bring down from heaven to the earth above all other men whatsoever but in very deed this fire of their is but an ignis fatuus a deceitful fire and their seeming zeal as well as all the rest of their doings is but as the Apostle saith a lying-wonder for the true fire that these men do bring is of another kinde from another place and to another end and that is the fire of hatred and persecution which they bring from Hell Not the fire of persecution and not from Heaven and they bring it into the Church and upon the true Members of Christ and not on the earth but this their fire is not to be understood in this place Reason 1 1. Because the Holy Ghost sayth The Beast bringeth the fire upon the earth that is the earthly minded men whom only he perswadeth to worship the Beast and to adhere unto him as being deceived by his false wonders and this he doth by the fiery zeal of Gods worship which he pretends to bring unto them and the persecution of the Beast is against the Saints and not against these earthly men that by the sight of this fire are perswaded to serve and assist the beast and to afflict the Saints Reason 2 2. Because it is immediatly sayd that hereby he deceiveth them that dwell
his Father with his Angels And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which fignifieth to appear to be made manifest or to be brought to light because the proper signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in lucem proferre to bring into the light that which was not seen doth here signifie that coming of Christ which in the most proper sense is called his glorious coming The glorious Majestie of of Christ his coming to judgment 1. In respect of the person coming Rev. 13 14. or his coming in great Majestie and that is onely his coming to judgment when as his coming in the flesh was manifested but to few and his coming by his spirit is invisible to all imperceptible and unperceviable to most men but his coming to judgment shall be made manifest to all the men in the world and therefore is and may most rightly be termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most glorious appearance and that both in respect of the person that cometh clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle his hairs as white as Snow his eyes as a flame of fire his feet like unto fine brass his voice as the sound of many waters his mouth sending out a sharp two edged sword and his countenanc as the Sun shineth in his strength and everie way glorious as he appeared to this our Evangelist and secondly in respect of the glorious train and companie that shall attend and wait upon him 2. In respect of the companie that attend him which are thousand thousands of Angels and all the heavenly saints of Almighty God And though this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glorious manifestation of him doth sufficiently shew the time of the quite rooting out and totall destruction of the Antichrist not to be till the last judgment yet here is another word that the Apostle useth which putteth the matter out of all doubt for he saith that the man of the sin shall be destroyed by the glorious appearance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the coming of the Person of Christ of his Personal presence for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 co vel ad sum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentia doth import and must needs expresse the coming of the Person of Christ to destroy the Antichrist which made some expositors to suppose as I shewed before that his coming will be to begin the 1000 years felicitie here on earth whereas St. Peter tels us plainly that Christ never cometh in his own Person but the heavens must containe him untill the times of the restitution of all things which is the day of judgment and therefore the whole body of the beast Act. 3.21 Ob Et sic Hugo Grotius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christi interpretatur de ilius adventum suum ad particulare judicium iâ— Judaeos v. 1. and all the adherents of the Antichrist shall not be quite rooted out till Christ shall come to the last judgement But against this E. H. and others do object that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth doth not alwayes signifie the Personall presence or the essential appearance of Christ and to prove this besides the judgment of Mr. Leigh whom he rightly termeth our noble English Greek Critick that saith fateor quidem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe illum juditii adventum significari sed id perpetuum non est this word I confesse doth often fignifie his personal coming to judgement but not alwaies he quoteth certain places of Scripture where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the powerful coming of Christ by his Spirit and not the personal appearance of Christ as where St. Peter saith we have made known unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.16 which saieth he signifieth his powerful coming by his Spirit to convert the Souls of his people But Sol. I say that both the precedent and subsequent words and the very scope of the Apostle in that place doth most plainly prove that he meaneth not his spiritual coming to worke his graces in us but rather the first coming of Christ in the flesh which he saith was no devised fable because they were eye witnesses of his Majestie which they could not be of his powerfull coming by his spirit and therefore this place is wrested to make good their sence but clear enough to prove the word to signifie his personal presence whereof they were eye witnesses 1 Jo. 1.3 when the word was made flesh as St. John likewise testifieth 1 John 1.3 Obj. 2 2. He saith our Saviour vseth the like phrase in S. Mat. c. 16 28. There be some standing here Mat. 16.28 which shall not tast of death until they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdome and that is his powerful coming by his Spirit to work faith in his elect to increase his kingdome of Grace which is his Church and not his personal coming to receive his Saints to the Kingdome of glory before which time all and every one of them did tast of death Sol. but I say these words are no thing and of no force to prove that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth this his coming in his Kingdome or any other his powerful coming by his Spirit either to propogate his Gospel as some do understand that place of S. Mat. or to execute Judgement upon the Jewes as some others do understand it or upon any other enemies of Christ as some of our late interpreters think because the words which our Saviour useth are they shall not tast of death until they see the Son of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming in his Kingdome where you see our Saviour doth not use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie this his Spiritual and powerful coming by his Spirit but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we deny not the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie his gracious and powerful coming by his Spirits but we say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is never found to signifie such a coming or any other besides his personal coming yet Obj. 3. He produceth the 24 of St. Mat. v. 3. and 30. Maâ— â—4 v. 3. and 30. where in the 3. v. indeed we have the Disciples asking the question of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what shall be the signe of thy coming and and here you see they use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the coming of Christ but I demand what or which of his comings do they mean his gracious and powerful coming by his Spirit to build his Church and to destroy his enemies or his glorious personal coming in all Majesty to the last judgement I hope the next immediate words that are subsequent will shew you plainly