AN EXPOSITION OF THE 13. CHAPTER OF THE REVELATION OF IESVS CHRIST By Iohn Wilkinson Revelation 14. 9. ANd the 3. Angel followed them saying with a lowd voice If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his marke in his forehead or in his hand V. 10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shal be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb V. 11. And the smoake of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever Imprinted in the yere 1619. IT was the purpose and desire of the Authour of this Treatise to haue published his Iudgment of the whole booke of the Revelation But through the malice of the Prelates who divers times spoyled him of his goods and kept him many yeres in prison he was prevented of his purpose After his death some of his labours comming to the hands of his friends in scattred and unperfect papers they laboured with the help of others that heard him declare his judgement herein to set forth this little treatise wherin they have not varied from the Authours Iudgement but onely in one opint in the 3. verse which is concerning the wounded head wherein for the clearing of the matter they have added the lines thus marked Which a litle differeth from the Authours understanding of it the which should not haue been altered if the worke had been left perfect AN INTERPRETATION OF THE 13. CHAPTER OF THE REVELATION OF IESVS CHRIST THE Eternall whose power is over all from the beginning hath put enmitie between the Serpent the Gen. 3. 15. Woman and between the seede of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent whereupon it hath come to passe in all ages that the seed of the woman hath laboured to break the serpents head that is to destroy his workes tread him under foot and triumph in victory over him He on the contrarie hath laboured as earnestly to resist God to deceive the Nations and to bring all into condemnation and destruction with himself And amongst the manifold wayes meanes which Satan hath devised and practised to manifest his malice against God and his Saincts none hath been more dangerous nor more availeable to further iniquitie and cause destruction then the Antichristian generation which under the title of the Church and Spowse of Christ and Ministers of the Gospell have corrupted the earth and brought the Nations into miserable bondage and slaverie In this 13. chapter is declared the state policy and proceeding of the Antichristian Dominion and Kingdome as the same was signified and foreshewed to Iohn the servant of Iesus Christ in a threefold forme First by a beast rising up out of the sea having 7. heads 10. hornes verses 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Secondly by a beast coming up out of the earth having two hornes like the lambe but spake like the dragon verses 11. 12. 13. 14. Thirdly by an image of the first beast which the second beast caused them that dwelt on the earth to make as in vers 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. As the Dominion of the Medes Persians and Grecians which persecuted Dan. 8. and destroyed the holy people of God the Iewes were signified and foreshewed to Daniel in a vision vnder the formes of severall beasts according to the qualities of those dominions so here the Antichristian dominion which persecuted the Churches and people of Christ was foreshewed to Iohn under the formes of such beasts as are here described whereby we may learne that as reason and judgment is not to be expected in a beast so equitie and right is not to be expected in this dominion but the contrarie Concerning the first of these beasts Iohn sayth That as I stood upon the sea sand I saw a Beast rise up out of the sea having 7. heads and 10. hornes and upon his hornes 10. Crownes and upon his heads the names of Blasphemy And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his feet as the feet of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon and the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authoritie That by this first Beast was signified and represented some state of people and body politique I presume no reasonable man exercised in the Scriptures will deny because as it hath been sayd it is there to be seene that such States and Dominions as God hath used as rodds and scourges to chastise correct his Church and people withall have been represented by beasts States and Dominions they are of two sorts eyther Ecclesiastical or Civil but of which sort the State here ment is there hath been and is great opposition Many understand it to be the Romane Empire to which I cannot consent because the Romane Empire is ordeyned of God and is therefore a lawfull Dominion But the Dominion here represented is sayd to be from the Dragon that old Serpent the Divell who is sayd to give his power and his throne and great authoritie unto it and therefore unlawfull neither can I conceive it to be any other civil dominion for the same reason But to be short I understand it to be an Ecclesiasticall Sate or Dominion and in particular that dominion which is called The Catholike Church representative consisting of the Prelacy and Preisthood of many Nations as Patriarches Cardinalls Archbishops Bishops with divers other elected persons who being called and gathered into counsells or synodes usually called generall Counsells did usurpe and take on them the office of Christ Iesus in making Lawes and Canons erecting Courts instituting offices and officers in matters of Religion as for the goverment of the Church and for the worship of God to be of all men observed obeyed These generall counsells or as the Catholicks call it the catholike Church representative have challenged and exercised spirituall authoritie and dominion according to the text over all kinreds toungs and Nations By their lawes canons they have guided and governed them as one vniversall or Catholick Church and made them also to observe their decrees and commaundements for doctrine This they have doen both before and also since the Pope was exalted to his dignitie as all histories of the Church doe testify So that it hath been and is a great question among the Catholicks whether the authoritie of the Pope or the Catholick Church in cases of Religion be the greater And whereas it is sayd in the 12. vers that the second Beast exercised all the power of the first Beast before him therby is confirmed the trueth of this exposition For the second Beast being the Pope as hereafter is shewed hath exercised the whole power of the Catholick church or generall counsells and not of any other State or Dominion Further that this is the first beast here presented that which followeth
the chiefest of the Prelates and Clergie of diverse dominions should be gathered togither to make lawes and canons which all men should be constreyned by penall lawes to observe and yeild obedience unto that so peace and vnitie might be preserved and kept amongst them And in short time it came to passe that whatsoever these Synods or Counsells did agree upon and set downe how false soever was to be held canonicall and those that contradicted the same were therfore cast out and condemned as Heretickes This was the manner the occasion of the rising of this Beast out of this turbulent Sea And here by the way observe That * Every good giving and perfect gift is from above Iames 1. 17. from the father of lightes But this beast is from the Sea beneath not from above and therfore not belonging to the kingdome of Christ but an adversary and enemie thereof Of this Beast it is sayd that he had 7. heads a thing which is monstrous in nature And therfore by this was foreshewed that the dominion represented by this Beast should be a monstrous dominion Concerning these heads let this be considered That the whole state or societie of the Antichristian Sea is of two sorts of people the one sort they call the Clergie the other sort the Layetie Of these the Clergie are as heads and guides to direct and goe before And the Layetie as the body or rather the tayle to follow after Agayne by the same policie their clergy are sorted into 7. orders or degrees namely to speak in their language 1. Ianitores seu ostiarij 2. Lectores 3. Exorcistae 4. Acolithi 5. Subdraconi 6. Diaconi 7. sacerdotes These are the 7. orders of the Antichristian Clergy As for Popes Cardinalls Patriarchs Arch Bishops Bishops Arch deacons c. they are titles of dignitie and not of orders For the Pope is but a Preist concerning his orders and when he stands at the Altar and sayth Masse he doth that as a Preist and not as a Pope and so of all other degrees This considered it way well be saide of the Antichristian Sinagogue and State that it is as a Monster with 7. heads As for the Ministers which God hath ordeyned to be in his Church they are first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. 1 Cor. 12. 28. c. See also Rom. 12. 6. 7. 8. Ephes 4. 11. 12. 13. And these onely were given for the gathering together of the Saincts for the work of the Ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ Not some to have a bunch of keys with a charge of the doores of this or that Temple or Cathedrall Church Another to have a booke to read to the people things which neither he nor they did understand A third to have a booke of Coniurations or Charmes with charge to read them or say by heart to such as were distracted of their witts or possessed with divills and to put their hands vpon them A fourth to have a Taper or wax candle with a candlestick to carry before the preists and deacons in doeing their service A fift to receive of the people oblations and offrings and to deliver them to the Deacon to carry to the Altar To reade the Epistle and to stand by the Preist while he was saying the Masse A sixth to be the Bishops spye and intelligencer to informe him of such as be irregular and observe not their orders To read the Gospell attend the preist at the Altar c. A seventh to consecrate the Hoast as they call it and then to offer it as a sacrifice propitiatory for the quick and dead These are not they which God hath given to be in the Church But these are they wherof the Antichristian clergy consisteth for whosoever is one of that clergy is one of these 7. orders be he Pope Prelate or els whatsoever and to note and foreshewe this point of policie this Beast which Iohn saw had seven heads If any shall think this to be a vaine frivolous and straunge interpretation to understand by the 7. heads of the beast these 7. orders of the Clergie as thinking those heades to betoken things of greater note and importance Let such consider what account and reckoning is made of such persons as have received the Sacrament of Orders and holy tonsure in the kingdome of the Beast and they shall find the interpretation not impertinent but very agreable For a time there was since the writing of this prophecy * when the meanest shrimpe that was within these holy orders as they call them was held to be of that dignitie that Vide Concil Matisconen secundum Canon 9. 10. the chiefest and worthiest secular Iudge in a kingdome was held vnworthie to judge or censure them for any trespasse or fact how notorious wicked and manifest soever because they had received holy Tonsure were therby consecrated and set a part unto God to be his portion and heritage to pray for the people and therfore were exempted from all secular jurisdiction and power such was their dignitie accounted to be and still is where that kingdome prevayleth and hath the dominion yea even in this land that quarrell hath cost the King his Crowne as is to be seen in the Historyes of the Reigne of King Iohn and not his Crowne onely but his life also Now if the meanest of them be above the dominion of any King or secular Iudge and secular Iudges be the heads of the people whome God hath appointed to beare rule over them well may these be said to be as heads in the kingdome of the Beast wherin these shavelings are holden to be so holy and high in dignitie and degree As this Beast which Iohn saw had 7. heads so likewise it had 10. hornes whereby was foreshewed that as the kings of the Medes and Persians were shewed and represented to Daniel by the 2. hornes of the Beast which he saw in his vision so the kings of many kingdomes should be as guarders and defenders of the Antichristian kingdome and state And that this scripture hath beene fulfilled to the vttermost by the kings of the Nations is so manifest that none can be ignorant of it that are of judgment and experience And it was just with the Lord to make the Kings of the earth vassels to this Beast because they received not the love of the truth but tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse they would not forsake their sinnes to liue godlily righteously and soberly as all must doe that will attaine salvation but they would liue after their lusts and for their sinnes they would make satisfaction by building of Churches and Monasteries c. and endowing them with lands rents and other revenewes by meanes whereof those which traded like Marchants in those many waters the kingdome of the Beast grew rich and wealthy and became the great men of the earth Furthermore Iohn saith of the Beast which hee saw that it was
thorough Gods helpe shall make manifest and apparant But before I doe proceed I desire the Reader to observe that I doe not condemne all use of Counsells or Synods but doe hold that diverse men of divers churches may lawfully be assembled together to consult and advise of matters concerning Religion and the worship of God for their instruction and better information of their Iudgments and so a good holy use may be thereof But that any counsells have such power over the churches of Christ as to impose upon them thrir commaundements for doctrine and to vsurp the goverment of the Churches and to rule and reigne over them by their lawes and canons and prescribe rules and formes how God wil be worshipped as these generall counsells have done that I doe deny as being contrary to the perfection of the holy * 2 Tim. 3. 17. Deut. 4. 2. Revel 22. 18. Scriptures and the practise of the Apostles and Elders of the Church of Ierusalem who being assembled togither did professe it to be †Act. 15. 10. a tempting of God to lay such a yoke on the disciples necks as the observing of the Iewish ceremonies which being unlawfull to doe it is much more unlawfull to devise and impose any other and therfore the said assembly of the Apostles and Elders concluded to lay no greater burden vpon the disciples then to absteyne from such necessary things as either were simply evill in themselves as fornication or els evill in respect of Act. 15. 18. 19. c. offence as meats offred to Idols blood and things strangled Now to proceed First it is sayd of this Beast That he did rise up out of the sea By his rising up was foreshewed that the Antichristian policie should arise from a poore and meane estate to great riches and honour in the world which we and former generations have seene to the vttermost fulfilled For dayes there were when the Churches of Christ both Ministers and people were hated despised and persecuted in the world syoyled of their goods made gazingstocks and wonders and afflicted with all kinde of crueltie as histories both sacred and humane doe abundantly specifie and declare The Apostle Paul saith of himself his fellow brethren the Ministers of the Gospel that they were as men appointed to death and in the account of the world as the filth refuse ofscouring of all things But since this beastly generation hath succeeded the church and under the titles of Ministers of the Gospell and the Bishops over Gods people have found meanes by little and little to rise up and to exalt themselves over the Nations and to bring the multitudes and peoples and Nations and Tounges under their Iurisdiction rule and Reu 18. 3. 2. Thes 2. 7. Dominion and they have so risen up that they are become the great men of the earth and are waxed rich through the abundance of their delicacies This mistery of iniquitie was working in the Apostles tyme for there were then crept into the church those that desired worldly pompe and promotion and were not contented with the portion of the Lordes heritage but their ambicious desires could not then be satisfied there was a lett in the way that hindered it which lett being removed their purposes soone after tooke effect fitly therefore is this generation said to rise up in respect of those whose successors they boast themselues to be The former hold no certaine dwelling places but were exposed to hunger thirst cold nakednesse buffetings c. But these latter have their Lordly Houses warrelike Castles Prince like Pallaces they have their rents revenues and abundance of riches in great excesse they are pompously arayed in stately robes and rich apparell they rule like lords over the people have power to afflict all that will not beare the yoke of their Dominion thus is this generation risen up and exalted as all may see that list to minde it The place from whence this Beast is sayd to rise up is the sea The Naturall Sea we know is the gathering togither of many waters Gen. 1. 9. 10. A like thing must that be out of which this Beast was to rise But in the 17. chapter Multitudes and nations peoples and Toungs are resembled by waters therfore the gathering together of such into one body politike may rightly be resembled by the Sea Thus then the trueth standeth By the rising up of this beast out of the Sea was foreshewed That those many waters that is the people and multitudes and Nations and Toungs not onely under the Romane Empire but most nations and people of the world being gathered into one sea or ecclesiasticall State should breed and bring forth this Monster For they being of two contrary sorts the seed of the Serpent the seed of the Woman children of the kingdome and children of the wicked vnto the one sort the word of God in the administration therof is the savour of life unto life unto the other sort it is the savour of death unto death The one sort feare God and wil obey him rather then man The other feare and reverence the arme of flesh more then they doe the living God These as light and darknesse being contrary one to another the one being of Christ the other of Belial how therfore should they in things concerning God and Christ Faith and Religion agree together Those which be of God cannot but witnesse against those that be of the world because their deeds are evill Those which are of the world are heady high minded proud boasters wise in their owne conceit and therfore scorne to be rebuked and hate to be reformed These being together in the world as Wheate and Tares in one Field and as Sheep and goates in one Flocke the true end of the administration of the word of God had beene to call and separate the one from the other the precious from the vile beleevers from insidells But notwithstanding this generation thought it to be wisedome to take a contrary course namely to bring all people of all sorts to be one Church and likewise unto vniformitie in Religion And because it could not be effected by the power of the Word of God that sword of the spirit they procured the helpe of worldly governours to bring it to passe by their power and cōmaund By which devise and policie these many waters that is the Nations and people have beene gathered into one Church and eccleasticall body politike here represented by the Sea and have been brought to use all one order of worship service and government But this conformitie not being procured thorough love but constrayned by feare was but an humane devise and worldly policie and no divine Institution And therfore could not be upholden maynteyned and continued by the word of God and the administration of a serviceable Ministerie but by the over-ruling power of a Lordly Prelacie whereupon it was thought meet that Synods or Counsells of
considered vvho vvas the giver Not Christ hee gaue his Disciples no power to make lawes but gaue them charge to teach beleevers to obserue all things vvhatsoever he had commanded them it is certain therfore that this power vvas given them not by God but by men namely by Kings Princes for the states degrees of men considered it is plaine that none can giue power to make lawes but such as be Soveraignes by such therefore this power to make lawes vvas given unto this Beast But vvhat should moue Soveraignes to giue power to Bishops Ministers to make lawes for the Church Nothing verily but blind devotion for they being ignorant of God of his Word thought it the best vvay to keep peace unity in the Church vvheras indeed it vvas the cause of strife dissention at length by that meanes iniquity vvas established for a law Gods Word vvholly reiected cast aside as unmeet for Lay-men to use Now as in all lavvfull proceedings Princes are Gods ministers in Gods stead unto their subiects and people so in giving this povver to this Beast they are the Dragons ministers and instrumēts Wheras it is said that power was givē unto the Beast to make but it is not noted what should be made it argueth that the things made are of that nature and qualitie that they are not worthy of any name the makers themselues use to call their Acts Canons Constitutions and Lawes but falsly for if they were such indeed then men might haue some good use of them but that no man can haue therefore it is but falshood and deceit so to name them It is like the calling of one carved Image S. Peter another S. Paul another S. Iohn c. that is to name things that which they be not and that is to lie In that it is sayd that power was given unto the Beast to make 42. Monethes It sheweth that the beasts time is limited And seing that the time is limited we must finde that the time of making of the Catholick church agreeth with this stint before we can be sure that it is the Beast here represented wherefore consider that the ecclesiasticall state began to make about the yere of our Lord 304. the Ancyran counsell being the first whose constitutions took the effect and force of lawe And made not an end of making untill the yere 1564. the Counsell of Trent being the last wherin the beast acted the last act of this making and fulfilled the measure of that iniquitie and therfore is now to receive judgment and condemnation from the Lord as is hereafter in this prophesie declared So that if we account a yeare for a day and thirtie dayes for a moneth it will amount to 1260. dayes which is the just some of 42. moneths that this beast was a making which is a strong argument that by this beast was signified the ecclesiasticall estate or Catholick church as is shewed before page 1. Further it is sayd of this Beast that he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven In that this Beast by the ministerie of false Prophets and Teachers as by her mouth hath seduced the Nations and made them beleeve That God by the Ministerie of his holy Apostles and Prophets hath not left us a sure and sufficient rule of faith in the holy Scriptures but that the want therof must be supplied with unwritten verities the writings of auncient fathers determinations of counsells and the Popes decretals otherweise all people would runne into confusion it may truely be sayd that she hath opened her mouth unto blasphemie against God First it maketh the eternall who hath created all things and for whose wills sake all things are and were created To be but a rude and grosse beginner of a work which he hath left and given up for vayne man to finish make perfect Secondly if there be particular lawes left out of the Scriptures for want of which all people would runne into confusion then God hath not shewed himself to be a God of order Thirdly the word of God is not sufficient to make the man of God perfect in every good worke as the Apostles sayth But thus to think is a horrible errour Thus to speake is wicked blasphemy and thus to teach is hellish iniquitie For how wil it stand with the glory of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ not to give unto his people a perfect Law and sure Testimonie whereunto they might trust and wherin they might rest and live by faith but must depend upon other men to see as it were with their eyes and not with their owne and so to hold their faith in respect of other mens persons to beleeve as they beleeve c as though Gods people their leaders excepted were not reasonable creatures but as beasts without understanding But blessed be our God wee have a sure word of the Prophets which is as a light shining in a dark place wherunto we shall do well if wee take heed Gods people haue no need of unwritten verities mens precepts and traditions They have surer lights to walk by then the writings of the Schoole men and other writers of auntient times They haue surer Rules and righter Testimonies wherby to decide and end controversies and doubts then the determinations of counsells and Popes decrees and they which speake to the contrary open their mouth to blaspheme against God Concerning blaspheming the name of God amongst other attributes or titles whereby he is sett forth unto us he is called the Holy one of Israel and the high Priest in Israel did beare this inscription upon his forehead graven in gold Holynesse to the Lord. First therfore we may truely and boldly say of the Lord that Holy is his name Secondly we may likewise truely and boldly affirme that to give the title of Holynesse unto any unholy prophane and abhominable thing is to blaspheme the name of God But thus the Beast hath done many and sundrie wayes They ascribe Holynes unto their Antichristian orders and preisthood to their Idolatrous Masse to their exorcised or conjured Bread Water Oyle Tapers Ashes Vestures Vessells and many other implements in and by all which they blaspheme the name of God And as they blaspheme the name of God So likewise they blaspheme his Tabernacle That is to say the true visible Church of Christ vnder the Gospel which is the place of Gods presence which he hath chosen to put his name there * Math. 18. where two or three or more are gathered together in the name of Christ there is Christ present and where Christ is present there hath God put his name there he is to be sought and there hee may bee found and there is his Tabernacle To come together in the name of Christ is when Gods people ioyne themselues together in a spirituall body politicke separated from the common multitudes of
a two-fold power and jurisdiction both Civill and Ecclesiasticall not in earth onely but in heaven also what he bindeth in earth is bound in heaven and whom he will he can release from the paines of Purgatorie and place them in heaven Therefore in token of this his power he is armed with two swords which thing was plainely signified by the two Hornes which he had like the Lamb. But though the Beast would be the Lambs equall and resemble him in power yet his voyce bewrayes him to bee but a counterfeit and a dissembling hypocrite he speakes like the Dragon he pretendeth property to that which is not his own and exalteth himselfe against those unto whom he should submit and giue honour Even as the Dragon said of the Kingdomes of the world All these are in my power I giue them to whom I will So likewise saith this Luk. 4. 6. Beast his Vicar the Prelate of Rome The Empire and Kingdomes of the earth are in my power and at my disposition and to me it belongeth to depose and set up Emperours and Kings at my pleasure as shall bee behoofull for the peace of the Church And thus may the Beast in this bee knowne by his voyce likewise in divers other particular blasphemous speeches and divelish doctrines Further it is said of this Beast That he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast before him and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to Vers 12. worship the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed In that this Beast is said to exercise All the power of the first Beast before him thereby was signified That what the first Beast could doe by her motherly authority and power under the usurped title and name of the holy Church the same could this Beast doe by the authority power of his fatherhood under the title pretence of Christs Vicar Peters successor universall Bishop c. But that this Beast may yet further be discerned it is said of him That he caused the earth and those which dwell therein to worship the first Beast c. By causing the earth to worship the first Beast was foreshewed that the Pope would exact of the earth the tenth part of the fruits therof for the maintenance of the holy Church this is indeed to worship For as the paying of Tithes in the time of the Law was a part of the true outward worship of God so this is the worship of the Beast And further by causing the Inhabitants of the earth also to worship the first Beast was shewed that he would carefully see due homage service and obedience to be yeelded and performed to the holy Church so that though the Prelate of Rome as a sonne of perdition did exalt himselfe aboue measure yet still doth he maintaine the power and dignity of the Catholick Church the estimation of her Motherhood must still bee maintained her voyce must still be heard and obeyed not to come when she calls is contumacie and contempt not to be indured they that dare so farre to despise her authoritie as not to obey her Paritors Processe are by her doome to bee accounted cursed children and worthy of no lesse censure and punishment then to be struck with that terrible Thunderbolt of her Excommunication the violence whereof is such as who can indure it Who will not rather ride runne dance attendance crouch kneele pay pray or doe any thing else which Maister Officiall or his Register wil enioyne them then undergoe so heavy a burthen as the censure of Excommunication Thus will the Pope haue the magnificence of this Diana to bee maintained The earth and those which dwell in it must yeeld unto her the Tithe of all their increase as also Mortuaryes Offerings and many other Church duties which she requireth of them for she is a goddesse and must bee worshipped And this diminisheth the Popes glorie never a jot the two estates of the Whoore and false Prophet can well agree and stand together as father and mother in one family and therefore the second Beast as father of all wil haue the first Beast worshiped that is obeyed maintained in glorie as mother of all And further obserue in that the Pope hath executed all authoritie of the Catholike Church thereby is confirmed the truth of the exposition that the first Beast was the Catholike Church and the second Beast the Pope as hath beene before observed And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire to come downe from Vers 13. heaven on earth in the sight of men First by the wonders which he did was foreshewed what wonderfull things the Prelate of Rome that false Prophet should bring to passe as namely under the title of the servant of the servants of God which indeed all Ministers of the Word and other Church Officers ought to be to creep up and exalt himselfe aboue Emperours and Kings and all other estates in the earth which being considered is indeed a thing wonderfull for first the Prelacie and Clergie in respect of the pretended holines of their Orders were exempted and freed from being subiect to any secular jurisdicton and power the meanest of them might not be produced before any secular ludge for any crime or offence how Vide Consilium Matis Can. 9. 10. havnous soever yet unto this Beast they must be obedient in all things as servants to their Lord upon him they must depend with all observation as children upon their fathers And as for Emperours and Kings and other worldly States it is plaine to bee seene that though they stand highly upon their titles and dignities not to haue them empayred or in any thing diminished which is a thing which they will withstand to the shedding of aboundance of bloud yet to be made such vassals to this Beast as to hold his stirrop to leade his horse by the bridle to kisse his feete they thought it no abasement but an honour And notwithstanding that very many of that beastly ranke haue been notorious wicked men and abominable livers yet haue they the craft so to delude and besot all people of all degrees in the world as to bring them to beleeue that the truth is so infallibly annexed to that seate of the Beast that it is not possible for him to erre in iudgement yea he made the world to beleeue it as an Article of faith that his determination and iudgement of any controversie or point of doctrine is a more indifficient and infallible rule of faith then is the holy Scriptures That these and the like grosse doctrines are beleeved and received are great wonders Further He maketh fire to come downe from heaven on the earth in the sight of men c. By fire in this place was fore-shewed the punishment which should be inflicted on the Saints which was burning with fire And in that the fire was sayd to come from heaven thereby was foreshewed that the Iudges of the earth Who
the Beast is hath been before shewed Secondly the name of the Beast is to be considered For the manifestation whereof let us consider and minde that those which did preach and professe Christ and his doctrine are said to haue and to beare his name The Lord Christ Iesus said unto Ananias in a Vision concerning Paul That hee was a chosen Vessell to Acts 9. 15. beare his Name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel By the name of the Lord here was meant that Paul should preach the doctrine of Christ and those that beleeved by his Preaching were said to beleeue in the name of Christ and were therefore baptized into his name and called Christians †Acts 11. 26. The Disciples were first called Christians in Antioch Also the disciples and followers of Christ are said to haue the Lambs Fathers name written in their forehead According to this is the meaning of the name of this Beast which the Holy Ghost setteth down in a mysterie in the 17. chapter and 5. verse Babylon the great the mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth But the Papists call it not Babylon the great but the great universall or Catholick Church not the mother of Harlots but the mother of all true Beleevers not the mother of all abominations of the earth but the Pillar and ground of Truth that cannot erre This is the difference betwixt the name which God giveth them and which they take and attribute unto themselues But let them speak the best of themselues and let us consider and answer them in their own language they call themselues the Catholick Church and their professed vassals and subiects are therfore called Catholicks and whatsoever they bee that do either preach or professe the Catholick faith that is beleeue as this Catholick Church beleeveth that it is mother of all true Beleevers that it cannot erre c. they are Catholicks such persons wheresoever they liue if they thus beleeue although they never receiued the marke of the Beast nor can receiue it yet this profession is enough to entitle them in the right of buying or selling these foresaid wares such persons haue the name of the Beast and therefore they may buy pardons of the forgiuenesse of part or all their sinnes and use any of these things which they suppose necessary for their soules health but indeed destruction yea after their death they may for a summe of mony given to the foresaid Marchants by their charitable successors be released out of Purgatorie thus by their owne description wee haue found out the name of the Beast and who they are that haue received it The third condition is the number of his name as the Beast had one generall name which the Catholick Church whereby he was known from all other States and Kingdomes in the world so it hath a number of names belonging to the particular parts and members thereof to distinguish one from another as in the 17. Chap. and third verse The Beast was full of names of blasphemy As the true Church which is that body whereof Christ Iesus onely is the Head is compleate and furnished when it is coupled and knit together by every ioynt and member which Christ Iesus hath given for the furniture thereof namely Apostles Prophets 1. Cor. 12. Ephe. 4. 11. Evangelists Pastors and Teachers So this false Church being furnished with those parts and members which that great red Dragon hath invented and set up under the title of Ministers of Christ to worke upon the children of disobedience namely the Pope Patriarches Cardinalls Arch-bishops Bishops Deanes Arch-deacons Abbots Priors Prebends Canons Chancellors Commissaries Registers Doctors with the rest of the selected Synode or Councell so I say this Church or Beast being furnished with these his parts and members is an intire body and these members are the full number of his name that is they are the number of whom the Catholick Church consisteth and from them all inferiour power and offices of Ministerie as Monkes Fryars Parsons Vicars Curats and Iesuits are derived This I understand to be the number of his name and this exposition agreeth with that in the verse following where it is said let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast By the number of the Beast what can bee understood but the Number of the particular parts whereof he consisteth And where it is said For it is the number of a man What can bee understood but that it beareth the resemblance and likenesse of a man as followeth to be declared Thus wee see who may buy and sell in this Kingdom and who may not Here is wisedome let him that hath understanding count the number of the Vers 18. Beast for it is the number of a man and his number is 666. Here is shewed first what is required in searching out this mysterie and that is wisedom and understanding not such as is from beneath but from aboue which commeth down from the Father of lights from whom commeth every good and perfect gift hee it is that giveth wisedome to the simple and the understanding of his secrets to those that feare him which should teach those that desire to know the Mysteries of his will to labour to be such as to whom he hath promised to reveale them then whatsoever we aske we shall receiue of him for to such hee giveth liberally and upbraideth not Secondly here is shewed a direction how to imploy a mans wisedom in finding out this Mysterie and that is by counting or reckoning the number of this Beast Thirdly a reason why the number of the Beast is to be counted Because it is the number of a man that is it agreeth with and is answerable to the parts of a man and so is the more easily to be found for as wee know the true Church of Christ is compared in the Scriptures to the naturall body of a man as in 1. Cor. 12. 12. For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ Jesus And in the 27. verse the Apostle speaking of the church of Corinth hee saith Yee are the body of Christ and members in particular c. So in the Ephes 1. 22. 23. Christ is given to be head ouer all things to the Church which is his Body Thus as the true Church is called and compared to a body so the catholicks affirme that they onely are that church and that body and that the particular parts and members of their church are the full number thereof Now whereas they say they are the church let us say they are the Beast and whereas they say their particular parts and members make up the number of the Church let us say their particular parts and members make up the number of the Beast and so we finde the true interpretation of this Scripture Further here is set downe the number