yet Junius doth expound it of the civil Empire of the Romans Alcazar saith it is to be understood de Romano imperio athnico of the Romane Ethnick Government under the Heathen Emperors Mr. Mede understands it of the Caesarian Empire parted into ten Kingdomes and Dr. Hammond makes it to signifie the Heathen Idoll worship of the Romans and so as St. Augustine saith of the like case alij atque alij aliud atque aliud opinati sunt and it is not my purpose neither will my time and my book give me leave to shew the mistakes and to confute all and every one of the assertions of these learned men that be they never so learned may be easily deluded by the strength of their own fancies especially when they are byassed to some wrong end or carryed away with any prejudicate conceit but I hope the Testimonyes of so many ancient and worthy Fathers that I have before named and the particular description of this Beast which I shall explaine unto you and likewise his acts and doings together with many other circumstances and particularities That this Beast signifieth the Wicked state and Government of the Antichrist that are hereafter to be specified will overweigh the opinions of these and other worthy men that think otherwise then I set downe and will make it plaine unto you that by this Beast is signified the great and greatest Antichrist that should come into the world or the flagitious State and Government of the Antichrist opponent and set up against the true Government of Christ though pretending very strongly to be the very same in all things with that Government which Christ himself hath instituted and for the inlargement of the Church and Kingdome of Christ for 1. 1. The Beast had 7 heads This Beast is said to have seven heads and these seven heads say some of them that by this Beast do understand the Ethnick Empire of Rome are the seven principall persecutions of the Christians betwixt the time of Nero and of Julian the Apostata Ut refert Cornelius alapide as first Domitian second Traian third Antoninus fourth Severus fifth Decius sixt Valerianus seventh Dioclesian and those of Maximinus and Aurelianus Dr. Hammond in c. 17 pagina 985. c. 13. pag. 967. are not accounted as any heads of the Beast because the commands of Aurelianus were not executed and that of Maximinus was not universall but only against the Pastors and Preachers of the people or as some others do account these seven heads first Claudius second Nero third Galba fourth Otho fifth Vitellius sixth Vespasian seventh Titus But against this Caracotta strigil pag. 52. it is justly objected that six of these never made any Cruel edict against the Christians and if these seven be the seven heads of the Beast then these being taken away the Beast shall remaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a body without a head and if Domitian be the Beast that was and is not as both Grotius and Dr. Hammond think then these seven heads must be heads without a body because they had all been and had all past before Domitian came Alapide saith C. a lapide in loc Mr. Mede hac septem capita sunt septem reges qui praecesserunt Antichristum these seven heads are seven Kings which have gone or shall come and go before the Antichrist commeth Mr. Mede takes these seven heads for the seven states of the Roman Government pag. 49. 1 Kings 2 Consuls 3 Tribunes 4 Decemviri 5 Dictators 6 Emperors 7 Popes And so Maresius saith these seven heads do signifie not the seven Kings which Grotius nameth Mares pag. 17.2 pag. 118. but the seven politique formes of Government whereof five were now already past the sixt that was of the Caesars was then in being and the seventh which was to continue but a very short time under Odoacer was to succeed in his time for whereas Mr. Mede maketh the 7th Order of their Government to be that of the Popes Maresius makes it of Odoacer King of the Heruli which extinguished the Government of the Caesars in Augustulus Baron ad ann 476. n. 1. when the Westerne Empire wholly ceas't and was divolved unto the Barbarians and the forme of Government quite altered because saith he nomen regis assumsit Odoacer cum tamen nec purpura nec regalibus uteretur insignibus Alcazar saith they be the seven deadly sins that are the seven heads of this Beast Which Endaemon confuteth pag. 122. c. and 128. c. Apud Thomson pag 53. as first the pride of a Lyon second the Covetuousness of a Tygar third the Luxury of a Bear fourth the Anger or wrath of a Viper fifth the Gluttony of a Wolfe sixth the Envy or malice of a Serpent seventh the Sloath and Laziness of an Ass seven heads that are very great and very bad heads indeed and he must needs be a very bad Beast that hath all these seven bad Heads but The Holy Ghost expounding these seven Heads saith they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven Mountaines and Theodore Beza c. 17.9 Francis Junius with the most part of our latter Interpreters that would faine make the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy of the Pope to be the Beast and Rome to be his seat do expound them to be the seven hills whereupon the City of Rome was built which are Mount 1. Palatine 2. Capitoline 3. Quirinall 4. Caelius 5. Esquiline 6. Aventine 7. Viminall In respect whereof the Grecians call the City of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and varro calls it Septiceps seven headed Rome and others call it the City of seven Hills Virgilius georgic lib. 2. versus sinem as Virgil speaking thereof saith Scilicet rerum facta est pulcherrima Roma Septemque una sibi muro circumdedit arces and Propertius saith Vrbs Septem alta jugis toti quae presidet orbi and Ovid saith Ovid. trist l. 1. eleg 4. Sed quae de Septem totum circum spicit orbem Montibus imperij roma deumque locus But though the Greeks and Latines call Rome the City of seven Hills That the seven Hills are not the seven Heads of the Beast yet this seemeth not to me to be the meaning of the Holy Ghost in this Text to understand these seven Hills by the seven Heads of the Beast Reason 1 1. Because that besides these seven Hills Rome had three other Hills that were of speciall note though not included within the pomaerium so soon as the other Hills were as 1. Collis Hortulorum where the cirque or shew place of Flora was 2. Janiculus where Janus was buried and which is now called Montorius Rosinus antiquit l. 1. c. 11. or Mons aureus the golden Hill 3. Vaticanus from vaticinium from whence they had their predictions and Prophesies and therefore seeing this City had ten Hills it is not likely that the Holy Ghost meant the first
the Book of Psalms where the Prophet calleth God the horn of his salvation and thanketh God that he had delivered him from the horns of the Vnicorns that is from the strength and power of his enemies and he saith that the horns of the ungodly shall be broken but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted that is the strength and power of the former shall vanish away but the strength of the other shall flourish the horn being an emblem of power as we see the strength and confidence of all horned Beasts are in their horns and by ten is signified the perfection of a thing The number of 10. a note of perfection and comprehends all numbers be they never so many as all numbers are contained under 10. or made of their reduplication as when we give the 10th to God we intend to ascribe all perfection unto him because as Aquinas well observeth after we reckon and account by figures unto 9. we add the Cipher o which is circular and as God hath neither beginning nor ending to make up 10 and then we have no more figures but to duplicate and triplicate the former figures in infinitum and the Cipher onely makes up the number And so by the 10. horns of the Beast we may very aptly understand the great strength and the perfect power of the Parliament that was able to subdue the King whose strength is so amplified by Zorobabel and his Companion as you may see in the 1. of Esdras 4.1 and v. 28. and which the Holy Ghost had set down in the 2d verse and yet repeateth the same again here by this Epitkite v. 4. to shew the greatness of their strength and the perfection of their power which is no lesse then 10. horns and so a perfect power But lest we might mistake by the sight of their great power from whence and by whom the Beast had received his great strength the Holy Ghost omitteth not to set down it was from the Dragon which doth every where denotate the Devil though the Beast braggeth and boasteth all his Victories and Successes are from God when as indeed all just Histories are from God but when injusties gets the best Judges 20.25 as it useth to do not seldome God doth justly suffer the Devil to give power and strength unto the wicked to prevail against the righteous as the Tribe of Benjamin did and many others in like manner against the prosecutors of truth and right and the true servants of God 3. 3. The ten horns had ten Crowns c. 13.1 The Parable It is said that these ten horns though they had no Kingdome yet they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ten Crowns that is all the honour service and observance that could be given to any Kings the same was done and shewed to these horns wheresoever they came and this was agreeable to the Generals and Commanders of that Parliament their Excellencies did expect as much and the people durst offer them no lesse nor deny them whatsoever they required when their lives were in their hands and all their Estates and goods were at their disposal this needs not many Arguments to prove it And thus from all the aforesaid particulars I hope it is apparent that the Roman Empire cannot be signified by this Beast which was the error that brought forth many other errors after it as to recapitulate all in brief 1. The recapitu lation of the reasons that prove the Roman Empire cannot be the Beast here spoken of Because this Beast is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little diminutive creature and the Roman Empire one of the greatest States in the world 2. Because the seven heads of this Beast had no Crowns whereas the seven Orders of the Roman Government especially those of the Kings and Emperors should have the Crowns upon their heads rather then the horns if they had been meant by these heads and so should the seven Emperors that others make to be the heads if the Holy Ghost had meant them for the heads 3. Because the seven heads of the Beast which Mr. Mede saith are the seven Orders of Rulers of the Roman Government The Decemviri ruled but two years and the Tribunes but fifteen years and all of them to Augustus not above 700 years and they make the sixt to cease in the time of Boniface the third which was an 607. or thereabouts so that the Popes Government is almost as long as all the other 6 which was but 1300. and since Boniface there is above 1000. years and which Junius and others make to be seven of the Roman Emperors are no where either in the Vision or in the Exposition of it stiled seven Kings but after the Holy Ghost had expounded what these heads are namely seven Mountains he addeth immediately and there are seven Kings meaning as I shewed that had been and would be great persecutors of Gods children to signifie unto us that he meant not that these seven heads are those seven Kings nor indeed any Kings at all otherwise he needed not to have said any more but the seven heads are seven Kings whereof five are fallen and one is 4. Because that if this Beast be the eight and the Caesarean Order of Government be but the sixth and in respect of the changed Caesarianship but the seventh then this Beast is not signified by the seventh and the changed Caesarean order of Government cannot be this Beast but as the Holy Ghost tells us plainly this Beast is the eighth and of the seventh 5. Because that if either the seven Orders of the Roman Rulers or any other seven Emperors or Kings be the seven heads of the Beast then are they some part of the Beast but not any of them is termed the Beast nor said to be any part of the Beast but they all are stiled Kings and the eighth onely is said to be the Beast therefore they are not meant by these heads of the Beast 6. Because that if the Roman Empire be signified by this Beast then the ten Kings must be the horns that is the strength of the Roman Empire but these Kings having rebelled and fallen off from the Roman Empire they cannot be said to be the horns of the Empire but rather horns against the Empire which I take to be an Argument unanswerable 7. Because that if the Beast of seven heads and ten horns be the Roman Empire then the Roman Empire and not the Pope must needs be the Antichrist but according to these men the Pope is the Antichrist and not the Roman Empire therefore the Roman Empire is not the Beast And I hope I have more clearly shewed unto you who may be conceived to be the Beast and what we may understand by the seven heads and ten horns of the Beast But to proceed Fourthly it is said 4. Upon the heads of the Beast were names of blasphemie which may be committed two wayes 1. Way John 10.33
Golden Calfe and therefore this beast this Ecclesiastical beast who may be said to be the Assembly of Presbyters and Independants and Lay-preachers is onely said in this 14. verse The mischievous perswasions of the false Prophet to dcceive them that dwell on the earth that is all those that are like to themselves risen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the earth and are worldly minded men and no marvell for it is most consonant to reason and more likely for the false Prophet then it is for the violent soldiers that dispute the matter with the sword and will compell rather then perswade or the City Senators that trade only in worldly Merchandize To deceive the people poor people that are deceived by their leaders and carried on the right way to bell when they think they are led streight to heaven But O thou false Prophet thou deceitful Presbyterian and the lawlesse lay-preacher how wilt thou answer for all the injuries that have been done and all the blood that hath been shed in our last war through thy deceitful perswasions cum surrexerit ad judicandum Deus when God shall come to make inquisition for blood for it is more then most likely plain enough to them that have their eyes open the Parliament had never prevailed as they did to overthrow the King to destroy the Bishops to rob the Church and to gain so many victories to make so many poor widowes and Fatherlesse children and distressed infants if thou hadst not most perfidiously and spitefully used all the rhetorical art to perswade the simple worldly men to adhere and to assist that long Parliament as the onely Patrones of their liberty protectors of their estates and the true propagators of the Gospel against a King that invaded upon their estates and incroached upon their priviledges and such a Hierarchy of Bishops and Episcopal Clergy as did most palpably ayme and strive to bring in Popery like a deluge among the people which was the string that the Presbyterians perpetually harped upon and the onely song the false song of their Sion And therefore 6. 6. What is meant by the image of the beast ver 15. Doctor Sbelden pag. 13. Junius in annot in loc Mr. Mede pag. 67. It is said verse 15. that this second beast gave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life or breath or spirit which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to the image of the beast where the question is what is here meant by the image of the beast and some Expositors not much amisse do understand hereby the representation of the State and government of the first beast Junius meanes the setting up of images to be worshipped in the second Councill of Nice Mr. Mede saith the Roman Empire in the seventh head that is under the ten Kings is the image of that Empire as it was under the sixt head that is the Caesarian Empire which had the wound by the sword whose mistake herein I have shewed unto you even now The impieties and wickednes of the beaff ete the image of the beast that the present German Empire is but a very ill Image of the old Roman Empire therefore I conceive that to give life to the image of the beast signifieth nothing else but to be a speciall means and the chiefest instruments to uphold and justify the Practices impieties and proceedings of the beast which is indeed to maintain the State and Government of the beast as Doctor Sheldon saith because the injustice impieties and wicked practises of the beast do most fully resemble and are the very perfect image of the beast for as an image sheweth the similitude and likenesse of a thing to the life Geu 1.27 and as a man is said to be made in the image of God which must not be understood of any externall form or outward shape which God being a pure spirit Ephes 4.24 cannot have but must be understood of that holinesse and true righteousnesse wherein man was created as the Apostle sheweth like unto God Levit. 12.44 Luke 6.36 and whereunto we are now exhorted to conform our selves when the Lord biddeth us to be holy as he is holy to be mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull and so in all other imitable points and attributes of goodnesse and piety whereby we may renew the lost image of God in our selves so the wickednesse the rebellion the ungodlinesse injustice subtlety and cruelty of the beast John 8 44. may as well be said to be the image of the beast even as our Saviour saith the Jewes were of their father the devill that is the very image of the devil Gen 5.3 because they were lyars and murderers and replenished with all other wicked conditions like unto the devill and as Adam is said to have begotten a child in his own image that is not onely in the feature and liniaments of his body but especially in the deformity mortality and corruptibility that Adam by his disloyalty had brought upon himself and upon all his posterity and as you know it is a common thing to say that a subtle crafty fellow is a fox a cruell man a Tygar an innocent man a sheep a foolish fellow an asse and so forth because of the likenesse and similitude they bear not to the shapes and figures but to the properties and conditions of these beasts And so in this sence What it is to give life to the image of the beast taking the image of the Beast for the wicked Government and leaud practises and proceedings of the beast the second beast that came out of the earth is said to give life to the image of the first beast that is to the wickednesse and impieties of the first beast because that as the true Preachers and the Orthodox Ministers of Christ do together with the inward helpe of Gods Spirit renue and revive the image of God in men in bringing the life of Grace unto them and destroying the image of the beast and of the devill in them by killing their vices and rooting out their impieties aud the lustfull corruptions of the flesh so the false Prophet and the apostaticall earthly beast together with the helpe of the Devill doth give life and breath unto the impieties and wickednesse of the first beast even as the true Propets of God tell us the Priests of Baal did animate The parallele and give life to the Idolatry of the Jewes And thus it cannot be said that the Pope and his Cardinalls did animate The Presbyterians animated all the proceedings of tha Parliament and give life to the Tyranny and cruelty or any other impiety of any Civill State either of Kings or Emperors that I read in any History but I suppose it is not unknown to any man in these parts how the Preshyterians and Independants and Lay Preachers did animate and give life to all the injustice and the impieties and all the unjust proceedings that were done
miseries to our sorrowes taxes upon taxes oppressions upon oppressions and troubles upon troubles more and more shall be powred out and heaped together to fill up the measure of the second woe that shall be inflicted for the killing of Gods two witnesses But if this stroke that makes them speechless be the last blow that killeth them and that our late ever blessed King and Bishops be the very witnesses that are here meant in this Chapter as I conceive they are then do I expect their rising and do hope their restauration will be about June 1660. that is just about 3 years and a half after this last blow was given and is the very time prescribed for their rising by the holy Ghost for you must observe that although the actuall and litterall killing of the King and the Arch Bishop was done long before yet this mysticall metaphoricall and civilly finall slaughtering of the Ecclesiasticall witness the rest of the Bishops was not till about Novemb. 1656. when this last blow was given them and therefore seeing the spirit of God doth not say that the two witnesses shall be killed by the beast at the same time but that after they are both killed and lain both dead 3 dayes and a half though the one of them hath lain dead somewhat longer the spirit of God shall raise them up What time should we expect the restoring of the King and the Bishops it cannot be expected that the time of their rising taken to be as most Interpreters take it for the set time of 3 years and a half or thereabout can be to either of them untill about June 1660. and it may be to the other a while after and not both raised together as they were not killed together but that as the one was the longer before he was killed so he should be the longer before he should be raised and to expect the help of him that shall be first raised to raise him also which we hope will soon be effected that we may render the prayses and thanks that follow in this Chapter unto our God CAP. II. Who is here meant by the Woman Cloathed with the Sun Cap. 12. Of the Revelation treateth who is meant by the Dragon and by the Man child when the Church began to be freed from her bloody persecution how long she was freed from it what is meant by the War of Michael and the Dragon the last bloody War and persecution of the Dragon how long it lasteth how the Church is relieved in this bloody persecution and Junius his interpretation of this Woman rejected 2ly AS the Holy Ghost setteth down the slaughtering of the two Witnesses 1. Of the Vision of the Woman and what it signifieth the Magistracy and Ministry the Civil and the Ecclesiasticall Governours of Gods Church by the Beast that ascendeth from the Bottomless pit that is the Antichrist and the reviving of them againe in their Successors and restoring them to their former state and condition to execute their Offices as before by the Spirit of God that hath done all this for them in the 12th Chapter of this book so here in this 12th Chapter he setteth down the State and condition of the Church it self how she shall be persecuted and afflicted both at first and at last in her beginning and throughout her continuance especially in the time and by the meanes of this beast that is the great Antichrist for as the Apostle saith V. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there appeared a great Wonder in Heaven that is in the aire which in this place is signified by Heaven as where the birds of the Aire are called the Fowles of Heaven and what may that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great wonder be Psal 104.12 Jer. 7.33 Ezech. 31.6 It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Woman Cloathed with the Sun and what meaneth that surely this Woman signifieth the Spouse of Christ that is the Church of God and this Church is Cloathed that is inlightened not with the new lights of Phantastick upstarts that are but old errours and heresies heretofore buried and now revived by our Novices Deut. 32.17 even as Moses saith unto the Idolatrous Israelites that their new Gods were nothing else but old Devills but this Church and Spouse of Christ was Cloathed with the old and unspotted light of the Sun which is the Fountaine of our light wherewith she was girded and compassed about as with a bright shining garment for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that cometh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circundo cingo to gird about signifieth and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sun wherewith she was inlighted and cloathed is none other then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of God Malachie 4.2 John 1.9 Jesus Christ who as the Prophet saith is the Sun of Righteousness and the garment that the Apostle biddeth every Christian man to put on and so she was Cloathed and enlightened with the true light What is meant by the Moon that lighteneth every man that commeth into the World And this woman thus Cloathed had the Moon under her feet that is the true Church of Christ trampled all sub-lunar and mutable things as is the Moon under her feet as deeming them no better then dust and dross and things of no value as the Apostle speaketh or as Mr. Mede saith by the Moon we may understand the Mosaicall Ceremonies as the Jewish feasts of new Moones Mr. Mede Pag. 33. of the Passover of Pentecost and of Tabernacles that were all ordered and observed according to the motion of the Moone all which the Christian Church Colloss 2.14 as they were shadowes of things to come as the Apostle sheweth trampled under her feet and cast them all away when Christ the true substance of them came in place or else the Moon which God made to rule the night may signifie the power of darkness Gen. 1.16 What is meant by the Crown of 12 Starrs as the Worshipping of Idols and all the gentile superstitions there following after their Oracles and the like works of darkness which the Church of Christ quite Cashiered and abandoned And this Woman had upon her head a Crown of twelve stars that is as St. Ambrose saith the glorious and Heavenly Doctrine of the twelve Apostles that is briefly comprised and knit together like an unvaluable Crowne in the twelve Articles of our Christian Faith which these twelve Apostles have composed and delivered to this Woman for the instruction of her Children and which therefore should be deerer unto them then the fairest Crowne of the purest Gold v. 2. though now our Presbyterians have cast them quite away And she being with Child cryed travelling in Birth and pained to be delivered even as other women that are with Child use to do for the Church as Rabbi Kimchi saith is compared to a Mother Rabbi Kimchi Hos 2.2.3 in respect of Vniversality and
chief Prelate were killed about the same time by the same persons and for the same cause as it seemes the two witnesses of Christ were to be and our King and Bishops were for the pretence of fear of bringing in Popery as here it did 1. The King which is the supreme Magistrate and 2. The Bishop which is the chief Praelate Pastor of the People should be killed about the same time by the same persons and indeed upon the matter for the same cause whatsoever pretences should be alledged the which cause is shewed to be the malice of the Dragon to the woman and her Child and to slay the witnesses And I do verily believe that if learned Junius Beza and others the like wise and learned men had lived in these times and had seen the things that were and are done in these dayes of the last Century of years among Protestants and in the best reformed Churches they would have interpreted this and many other parcels of Scriptures far otherwise then they have done and no marvel nor any disparagement to their learning and wisdom because as I said before Prophesies and Predictions mystically set down are not perfectly understood untill they be fully accomplished and fulfilled And therefore as the Holy Ghost had set down in the 11th Chapter how the two witnesses of Gods truth and the Governours of his Church should be used persecuted and killed by the Ministers of the Antichrist the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit so here in the 12th Chapter he sheweth how the Church her self and all her members should be molested afflicted and persecuted by the Serpent that had formerly seduced her out of Paradise and now followeth her into the Wilderness makes Warre against her and throwes a whole flood of miseries and mischiefs upon her to see if he can utterly destroy her and being exceedingly vexed and filled with wrath that the woman should be any wayes helped as she was by the earth and earthly members that opened their mouthes to speak for the innocent Children of the woman and thereby swallowed up many of those bitter waters that the Dragon had spued upon her that all the Servants of Christ and the observers of the witnesses should not be wholly and irrecoverably destroyed he goeth about to make warre with the remnant of the womans seed and yet it is not said that he made this warre with the remainder of the womans seed after the death of the witnesses because they were so few that they were not able to warre with him but he went about to make warre with them and to that end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he stands upon the Sands of the Sea for these words are the conclusion of the 12th Chapter and not the beginning of the 13th Chapter and they are to be referred to the Dragon and not to St. John as our English Translation mistakes it and the meaning is that the Dragon intending to prosecute this warre against the remainder of the faithfull Christians that observed the witnesses and did their duties in the service of God as they ought to do and so kept the Commandements of God and had the Testimony of Jesus Christ that they were 〈◊〉 true and faithfull servants stands upon the Sands that is upon the rest of the Preachers of Gods word and those faithfull Clergy-men and other zealous and conscionable Christians that used and observed the right form of divine service or the right mazner of serving God Who are meant by the Sands upon which the Dragon standeth which the faithfull and slain witnesses of Christ had prescribed and obeyed their Governours and submitted themseives to the Discipline and to the uttermost of their abilities justified and defended the same Government which the true Governours of Gods Church had ordained and he trezdeth and trampleth these Sands under his feet for as the Sands are placed by God to keep in the Seas within their bounds that they should not overflowe the Lands so is the Lawes and Discipline of the Church and those faithfull Ministers and others that observe the same a stop and a bridle to refrain the people and to hinder them from passing over the bounds of equity and piety and though the Discipline and sentence of the Church seemes but a weak fence to keep out the wild beasts and to retain in the fold of Christ his sheep and of little force like a paper bullet to terrifie the wicked from any evill yet as the Sands that are but of a small substance do notwithstanding keep in the raging Seas and as the twigs that tie the hoopes of a Hogs-head or Tun are but very small and yet are the preservatives of the Wine so are the Lawes and Discipline of the Church though not capitall nor bloody yet sufficiently able like the Sands to suppress the raging waves of wickedness from all the Children of the Church How the Dragon stands upon the Sands But now saith the Angel the Dragon stands upon these Sands treads down all holy orders rageth against all the Discipline of the Church throwes the observers of them out of their Churches deprives them of their livings stops their mouthes with terrors and threatnings and as he had formerly slain the witnesses so now he raiseth the windes stirreth up storms and all the Tempests that he can Judge if this also be not fulfilled in the time of the long Parliament to blow away these Sands that adhered to the witnesses and endeavoured to keep in and to restraine the waters of the Seas and the wickedness of the people from overflowing and wheresoever these windes do blow and these Sands are stood upon I pray God to give them patience to overcome these stormy winds and Tempests Amen CAP. III. The three principall enemies of Gods Church Satans 1000 years imprisonment when begun and when ended when the Christian Religion tryumphed over the Idolls of the Gentiles and over all the Gods of the Heathens that the beast signifieth the great Antichrist and a pack or confederacy of most wicked men from whence it sprung of the seven heads of the beast what they are handled at large and the Authours opinion of the seven Kings and the eighth that is the beast and the Antichrist 3. AFter that the Angel which Christ sent unto St John had informed him of those sad accidents that should befall unto the witnesses in the 11th Chapter and the state and condition of the Church of God under the person and title of the woman for the space of 1200 and 60 years and the persecutions that she must undergo after the end and expiration of those years that began as I shewed unto you about 382. and ended in or about 1642. in the 12th Chapter he proceedeth in this 13th Chapter to shew unto him the Instruments that the red Dragon raiseth up and the Devill useth to become the murtherers of the witnesses and the persecuting enemies of Gods Church and I
the great Antichrist Bestia haec non Idolo atria non magia non Trajanus ut piscator videtur suspicari non Domitianus ut Grotius sed imperium Rom. significat inquit Maresius pag. 173. Irenaeus l. 5. c. 28. Nazian in Jam. 5. Cornelius a Lapide in apoc 13. That this beast signifieth the Antichrist for which the Aeolians use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fera which signifieth not every kind of wild beast but a fierce cruel and savage beast doth here betoken the great Antichrist that the Dragon stirred up to kill the witnesses of Christ and to persecute the true Church of God for though Haymo Albertus and Pineda do by this beast understand Lucifer the Prince of Devills and Beda Primasius and Richardus do expound it to signifie Corpus diaboli the body of the Devill that is caetum multitudinem impiorum all the whole multitude of wicked Reprobates that as all the elect and godly men are termed the Church and body of Christ so are they termed the Synagogue of Satan and the body of the Devill who is the head of this monstrous body and so indeed it signifieth this whole multitude of Reprobates in some places as in c. 19. 19. 20. when all them shall be taken and cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone and Antoninus Euthymius and Salmeron do by this beast understand Mahomet the first founder of the Turkish Empire and the first inventor of that wicked Alcoran yet Irenaeus Tertullian Victorinus Hypolitus Prudentius Prosper Ribera Thomas Rupertus and long before them Greg. Nazianzen that saith Quid est antichristus vir opibus amplis Apostata ille pessimus bellua venenum vomens And many more even of the most ancient do by this beast understand the great Antichrist that the Apostle speaketh of 2 Thes 2.3 and that St. John saith should come into the world that is to do the feats which we have seen lately done and Cornelius a Lapide whom not onely all the Divines in Europe but also all good Christians are obliged to honour for the great pains that he took for the good of Gods Church saith this is the common received opinion of Divines to understand the Antichrist by this beast and our learned Bishop of Worcester Dr. Prideaux saith that antichristus typice demonstratur a Daniele topice a paulo sed plenissime a Johanne Apoc. 13.1 and I should shew my self too bold Dr. Hammond in apoc 13. ante eum Comentator m. c. 13. in v. 1. p. 32. without apparant extraordinary good reasons to depart from the judgement of such a Cloud of Interpreters as I could cite as well of the modern as of the ancient Doctors that do with such unanimous consent expound this beast to signifie the Antichrist and nto the Heathen I doll Worship of the Romans as some Learned Divines conceive it nor the Ethnick Empire of Rome as Alcazar takes it For though the Commentator supposed to be Grotius a man more then ordinarily learned doth understand by this 7. headed and 10. horned beast the Idolatry of the Romans or Ethnick Rome as Alcazar thought and by the horns of this beast he conceives those Kings that were subject to the Roman Empire ought to be understood Yet Caracotta in his strigil against this Commentator doth most fully convince this conceit of these men because Daniel Dan. 8.20 and v. 2. whom this our Evangelist seemes to imitate even in the very Phrases of him by the beasts that he nominates understandeth not any vices or errors but the domineering Kings that reigned and ruled over the people as the Ram which thou sawest having two horns are the Kings of Media and Persia and the rough Goat is the King of Grecia and the great horne that is between his eyes is the first King so the four Beasts which he saw c. Dan. 8.20 v. 21. 7. are said to be four Domineering Kings as the first of the Assyrians the second of the Medes and Persians the third of the Grecians and the fourth of the domineering Senate and people of Rome under their Counsells and their Emperors And therefore the spirit of God This Beast signifieth a domineering Senate following the same stile and the same expression here to our Evangelist as he had formerly done unto the Prophet by this Beast that rose out of the Sea doth meane some domineering Senate that like unto the fourth Beast in Daniel that is the Senate and people of Rome should reigne and rage over Gods people And so it is to be observed that the Antichrist expressed by the Apostle under the name and title of the man of the Sin and here by the Evangelist under this Beast That the Beast here spoken of signifieth a pack and society of most wicked Hypocriticall men doth not betoken any one particular man either Mahomet or the Pope or any other Tyrant or imposter how great or how wicked soever he be but as I shewed before a pack or knot and a confederate company of the most nefarious and most ungodly Hypocriticall reprobates that either were before or should ever come after their time And though Beda Primasius and Richardus do by this beast understand the whole multitude of the ungodly yet we do more especially and particularly take it in this place and attribute it to the worser part and a confederated united pack of that whole multitude of wicked and ungodly men and do conceive that as Solomons Song for the excellency thereof is termed Canticum canticorum the Song of Songs And why called the Beast and the Antichrist So this transcendent wicked pack of extraordinary sinners that is like the Catelinarian Conjuration or rather far worse then that when as that sought only to subvert the Common-wealth and this to ruine both the Church of Christ and secular state for the extreme impiety thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called the Beast and the Antichrist And so August de civitate dei l. 20. c. 9. c. 14. c. 20. St. Augustine long since understandeth this Beast to signifie not any one impious wicked man but a society or company of wicked Christians and the confederate communion of naughty men that Hypocritically under the name of Christ and upon pretence to propagate the Gospel of Christ do fight against Christ Et faciunt unitatem contra unitatem and do binde themselves together in juncto Esay 28.15 Who are to be understood by this Beast by a most solemne oath and Covenant such as the Prophet speaketh of to fight against the City of God to overthrow the true Saints and Servants of Jesus Christ to slay the Witnesses of God and to prophane his House and to prohibite his accustomed Service these men are the Beast that is bellua multorum capitum the beast of many heads such as the Heathen Philosophers and Orators termed and deemed the vulgar people especially when they do madly and maliciously run on in their Wickedness
because the spirit of God here in this Book setteth down the state and condition of his Church The main end and scope of the whole Book of the Revelation The fourfold enemies of the Church 1. The beast conceived to be 2. The Ecclesiasticall Whore or false Church which is the Church of Rome 3. The secular Whore or worldly Professors 4. The false Prophet or lying Preachers what piety they pretend and what great mischief they do and foresheweth her what afflictions and persecutions she should undergo through the malice of the Devill and by the meanes of those wicked Tyrants his Instruments that brought the first 10 great persecutions upon the Church and especially by those quaternion of adversaries that towards the end of the world should arise and seek to make an end of the true Church as 1. The beast the man of the sin the great Antichrist that would be an Antichrist that is an adversary unto Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most eminently and therefore is termed the beast that ascendeth out of the buttomless pit 2. The Ecclesiasticall Whore that breaks her faith with Christ and makes the Kings of the Earth and the Inhabitants of the Earth drunk with the wine of her fornication that is the fair glosses and the sweet conceits of her Idolatries and superstitions and makes her self drunk with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and that is because they will not imbrace and follow her in her fornications 3. The secular Whore that followes after the World and will not take upon her the yoke of Christ but hateth all them that seek to withdraw her from the sweet pleasures of the flesh and the deceitfull vanities of the world 4. The false Prophet that by a pretended zeal to reclaim the Whores and to reduce the one from the world and the other from her errors unto Christ deceiveth all them that dwell on the earth and instigateth spurreth and setteth on the beast to proceed and to go on in all his villanies and wickedness against the Servants of Christ all which that should happen unto the Church from the time of the Angels revealing them before the end of the world the spirit of God would foreshew unto St. John that St. John might foreshew them unto the Church And this I take to be the main end and the chiefest scope of the whole Book of this Prophesie and therefore after he had told us of the beast that should so extremely persecute his Church in the 13th Chapter and would now further decipher him here in the 17th Chapter he addeth and there are 7 Kings that is which have and shall in like manner vex and persecute my Servants and this he saith Why the persecutions and afflictions of the Church are foreshewed and foresheweth to this end videlicet to teach the true believers in Christ by the examples of those former Martyrs that had already suffered under those five persecutors that were fallen and dead to be now in the time of this 6th and after in the 7ths time and under the Tyranny of the beast which is the 8th most patient in all their sufferings and to comfort themselves in all their miseries and afflictions when they do consider and weigh their own present state and condition with the precedent condition of those holy Martyrs that have suffered as much or more then they and are now for their constancy and patience in their persecutions crowned by Christ with eternall glory and also to put his servants in mind from what divine providence and to what end these persecutions are sent unto them when they do consider they come not by chance being thus foretold so long before they come but by the speciall appointment of Almighty God that knoweth what is best and disposeth all things for the best and for the speciall good of them that love him and then lastly to assure them of a glorious success and an undoubted Victory to become Conquerours even when they are conquered and do suffer their persecutions unto death because the same spirit that foretells us of their coming tells us also how our Brethren that went before us overcame all their sufferings and how we shall overcome them in like manner even when our enamies seem to overcome us And therefore immediately after the description of our enemies Chap. 13. and the setting down of our sufferings v. 7. the spirit of God addeth v. 9. v. 9 Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints that is their patience in suffering and their faith concerning their sufferings to believe that they come from God for their good and shall produce all good success unto them But these forenamed Emperors that are alledged to be here meant The foresaid Emperours not all so great persecutors of the Church were not all such great persecutors of the Christians but some of them were very Gentle and meek as Titus the Son of Vespasian who was therefore called deliciae generis humani the delight of mankind though indeed he was not altogether so delightfull nor so gentle to the Christians and others ruled but a very short space as Galba reigned but seven moneths and nine dayes Otho but four moneths Vitellius but eight moneths and we read of no great evills that these three men did unto the Christians though they were no good men and after these Vespasian reigned but nine years and eleven moneths and Titus but two years and twon moneths So that all these five from Nero to Domitian reigned not above fourtee years and therefore I conceive that these five could not be meant to be set in the Catalogue of the chief persecutors of Gods Church nor be ranked in the same Class with the beast and his adherents when as neither Eusebius nor any other Ecclesiasticall Historian reckoneth the first three amongst the persecutors And whereas Junins That the 8th is not said to be a King which ought to be specially observed in his Annotations annexed to our Bibles makes Trajan to be the 8th and others make Nerva and others Domitian I say that neither of them is here meant to be the eight and of the seven for I would have it observed that the eight is not said to be a King but there are seven Kings saith the Holy Ghost and but seven Kings are said to be and the Antichrist which is the beast and the eight is no where said to be a King or to have a Crowne upon his Head but upon his Hornes So that if either of these or any one of the other Roman Emperours or any other King whatsoever had been here meant to be the eight the Holy Ghost in all likelihood would have said and there are eight Kings Divers attributes of the the 8th not ascribed to any of the other seven whereas he saith and there are seven Kings Besides you may observe many other speciall marks and additionall differences that are
and new as well Protestants as Papists do believe the testimonie of Irenaeus and assent to his opinion that lived long before Epiphanius and therefore could better inform us of the time of his banishment then Epiphanius could that he wrote this Revelation in the later end of Domitiani reign and Doctor Hammonds reason to confirm his supposition doth no wayes infringe the allegation of Irenaeus which is the banishment of all the Jews out of Rome by Clandius Caesar for though Claudius banished them out of Rome yet we do not find that he confined any of them to this or that place but rather gave them libertie to go to dwell where they pleased so they departed out of Rome as it appeareth by Aquila and Priscilla that were driven out of Rome Act. 18.2 but were permitted to go to inhabit where they would and therefore these and the rest of the Visions of this book that were after the revealing of them to be fullfilled cannot be understood to be referred to any times or persons before Domitians time And though the holy Ghost saith these Revelations were of things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 1.1 v. 3. which must shortly or suddenly come to passe and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time i. e. of their fullfilling is at hand yet doth not this any way prove but that many of them might continue unfulfilled to these our times and many remain to be accomplished after our time in the ages that are yet to come because all the time from the first coming of Christ on earth to the second coming of Christ to the last judgement which is the last Age of the World is termed by this our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last hower John 2.18 Pet. 4.7 and by St. Peter it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last time And he saith further 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end of all things is at band and St. Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet a very little little while Heb. 10.37 he that is to come will come and will not tarry And Christ speaking of his coming to the last judgement as appeareth plainly by the manner of his coming with his reward with him to render unto every man according as his work shall be useth the very same word as is here alleaged for the speedy fullfilling of these Prophesies Revel ult v 12. saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold I come suddenly and therefore whensoever any of these Visions is or shall be fulfilled it is shortly and suddenly absque mora without delay even as the holy Ghostsaith And he that would see this error of Grotius more fully discovered and confuted Mares p. 169. let him look into Maresius in his dissertati◠de antichrist◠where he shall find the truth of what I say more largely and most excellently confirmed And so Hyppolitus Carocotta saith Epiphan heresi Alogor c. 33. that the authority of Epiphanius who in the herefie of the Alogors affirmeth St. John to be in Patmos and to have written this Revelation in the time of Claudius is of no validity And he further saith that solenne est Epiphanio caespitare in Historia Epiphanius faileth often in the History and he sheweth how Petavius the Jesuite noteth in the Margin Epiphanium mendose Claudium posuisse pro Domitiano and then produceth St. Hierom. de script Eccles and Eusebius in Chron. and Baronius that putteth this his banishment in the ninth year of Domitian Baron an Christi 92. Sect. 1. Three others understand by this beast the preachers of the Antichrist Bellar. l. 3. c. 15. de rom pontifice Junius annot c. 13.11 in c. 17.12 which was 35. years after the death of Claudius But to return to this beast other learned men as St. Greg. Aretas Rupertus and as Bellarm saith Richardus Anselmus and Haymo by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beast that rose out of the earth do understand the Preachers and Proclaimers of the greatnesse and the worthinesse of the Antichrist And so Junius likewise in his Annotations saith it signifieth the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie quam pseudo prophetissam vocat and further addeth that à Johanne pseudo prophetae appellatione donatur the Evangelist St. John calleth this very beast the false prophet as you may see in cap. 16.13 and cap. 19.20 therefore this beast must signifie some Preachers that pretend to reach the wayes and will of God unto the people And truly I am in part of Junius his opinion and I do subscribe to the judgement of the aforesaid Fathers that by this beast we are to understand some Ecclesiastical Persons that undertake the preaching of Gods word either lawfully called or illegally intruding themselves into the Sacred Function of the Ministery and both sorts most wickedly corrupting the truth and seducing the flock of Christ and so Irenaeus one of the most Antient Interpreters of this book of the Apocalyps hath observed and it will so appear to any one that will compare cap. 13. v. 13.14.15.16 where you may see how this beast is subservient to the other beast with the 19. chap. v. 20. where the other ten horned beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that wrought miracles before him and with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast Mr Mede p. 65. So this beast is none other then the false prophet And so Mr. Mr Mede p. 65. Mede taketh this beast to signifie some Ecclesiastical Persons and so do I. But with their favour I take them not as Junius takes them for the Roman Clergy nor as Mr. Mede meaneth for the Pope and his Cardinals which is the same that Junius meant This second beast exerciseth all the power of the first beast c. 13.12 but the Pope exerciseth his own power but I say that this beast cannot signifie these men because the practice of this beast doth no waies agree with those Prelates nor those Prelates of the Roman Church do any whit cohere with the particulars of those things that are here mentioned to be acted by this beast for the Pope and the Cardinals of Rome as all men know and our men tax them for it do exercise their own power and use their own authority and not the power of the other beast which Junius and his followers make to be the Rom. civil state or imperial dignity and those Prelates say as you may obviously see it in Bellarm. Becanus and the rest of that Church that as the Moon borroweth her light from the Sun so should the Civil state take and receive all her directions and form of Government from the Church and the Governors of the Church of which they pretend to be the chief Object And if you say as our men do that would have the Pope and his Cardinalls to be this second Beast that they exercised the Power of the first Beast when the Empire was weakned and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beast speaketh like the Dragon that is though their words are pretended to be the words of Christ yet that which they aim at to effect are the plots of the Dragon and I beseech you mark it the first beast had a mouth like a Lion but this second beast spake like the dragon and why so because the first spake Magnalia great and glorious things what would they not do The paralel if they might have what they desired so you may remember what fair promises the Parliament made unto the King and the second spake mendacia lies and falshood which is the first language of the old Serpent the devill who is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lyes saith our Saviour Job 8. John 8. and so is the false Prophet and as the Dragon cloathed his lyes with sair speeches and large promises saying you shall be like Gods knowing good and evill so the Apostle tells us Rom. 16.18 2 Pet. 3.26 Mat. 4.6 these false teachers that make divisions in the Church and Rebellions in the Common-Wealth and dissentions among neighbours do with good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple and what are those good words but the very words of the Holy Scriptures then which no words can be better yet St. Peter tells us the Scriptures may be wrested abused and misapplyed as the Devill did to Christ and so do the false Prophets Trenens l. 1. c. 1. for seeing they come in sheeps clothing it behoves them to bring nothing but good words even the most blessed words of the Holy Scriptures in their mouthes but as Ireneus speaketh adaptare â—upientes ea quae bene dicta sunt iis quae male adinuenta sunt ab ipfis they are alwayes striving to fit those things which are well spoken in the Scriptures to what they have misinvented so did the Valentinians to establish their thirty couples of Gods and Goddesses so did the Arians to deny the Divinity of Christ so do the Papists to justifie their Purgatory and so this Beast the Presbyterians and their Disciples do to uphold all the wicked Tenents that they have invented to oppose their King to expell their Bishops and to extirpate our Lyturgy and service of the Church out of the Church and to spread many other points of their desperate Doctrine which is if any thing be the Language of the Dragon though they speak it in the good words of the Holy Scriptures and fair speeches which is a counterfeit shew of much purity and holiness that so with this shadow of piety they might the sooner make the people believe they are the onely Saints Stap in his counter blast and their words the very truth and language of the Lamb. And I think the adherents of the Long Parliament and this false Prophet scattered as many lies in their Bookes and Pamphlets as Stapleton collecteth out of Bishop Horne if we had but such another Stapleton to pick them out and if you can name any Pope that published more lies then this false Prophet I shall subscribe to the opinion of the Prosbyterians that he is the beast which speaks like the Dragon But Sir John Presbyter confesseth that although they pretend nothing but Scripture yet the Blasphemies Treasons Heresies Incongruities Tantalogies and Absurdities of his brethren and children the Presbyterians in the large measure of their Prayers and Sermons observed by the people hath been a great cause of his untimely death p. 5. 3. It is said v. 12. that this two horned beast exerciseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Power of the first beast or rather all the Authority which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth more properly fignifie and he causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast Bezius de regno Ital. l. 4. c. 5 1. c. 6. which cannot be applyed to the Pope and his Cardinalls that say the Temperall Sword is and ought to be subject to the Spirituall as Bozius Hostiensis Bellarmine and the rest of that Church do avouch and I shewed you before how this false Prophet the Presbyterians Independants and Lay-Preachers did all that they acted by the Authority aud under the Power of the Parliament Hostien in can quod supor his c. Bellarm. de rom pontif l. 5. c. 5. The parallele Of the power of the second beast plainly fulfilled in the Presbyterians and therefore they Preached and perswaded all men especially the Inhabitants of the earth as the holy Gh. saith all such as were as earthly and as worldly minded as themselves to adhere and to assist the Parliament against the King and his Party which is just as is the worshipping of the first beast that is the temporall state and which is and hath been alwayes the property and practice of all false Prophets to shelter themselves as the Arians did under Constantius and to further their Projects under the wings of their Powerfull Protectors whom they do therefore magnifie perswade all others to worship them that they might thereby effect their own wicked deeds and be secured from the Power of the Church Then 4. Of the miracles of the false prophet 4. It is said v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he doth great wonders where I take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not for a disjunctive or causative as Mr. Mede takes it but as it is commonly used for a copulative to that which went before as that this second beast used the Power and Authority of the first beast and being protected and furthered by the Power and strength of the first beast they did thereby great wonders and so St. Paul saith 2 Thes 2.9 the Antichrist should come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with signes and lying wonders and our Saviour saith Bellar. Antichr prodigia potius praestigia daemonum mera mira quam vera miracula statuit de notis eccles c. 14. the false Christs and Prophets that are the followers and promoters of the Antichrist should arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and should shew great signes and wonders whereby you may see that both the beast and his instruments the Antichrist the false Prophet and the whole troope of his disciples shall pretend to shew signes and wonders to deceive the people and the signes that they shew are just like the signe that Judas gave unto his followers a kisse which is a pretence of love and great kindnesse but it was both destructive to Christ and deceitfull to the followers of Christ so the beast and the false Prophet do kisse those their Proselites with good words and faire promises whom they intend to allure to foule acts and to betray them to evill enemies and so the people are thereby deceived and the Church of Chrift destroyed But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wonder which the false Prophets are said by Christ to do Aquinas in 2 Thes 2. Prodigia quasi
speak like the Dragon I know not who can be the true Prophet of Jesus Christ But If you look into the translation of Grallae that was made in vindication of Vedelius to answer Apollonius and his Wallacrian Classis which are the Transmarine Presbyterians you shall see if that Author proves them not to be all Popes in every point but the ignorant people are not yet acquainted with them for he demandeth if their pride and arrogancy as is seen in the Wallacrian Classis be setled in their Classis how much will the world be eased of the Roman Antichrist that is the Pope because they are such birds so like the Romish Pope that they deservedly fall into AEsops fable of the Cuckowe which asked the rest of the birds why they did all flye about him and pecke at him as if he were a hawke that did often molest them whereas he was a weake and feeble bird that neither did nor wisht them any hurt at all to whom the birds answered they did it because that in his feathers he was so like an hawke that they were afraid and believed that in a very short time he would become an hawke so the actions and the doings of these Presbyterians like the Cuckowes feathers are so agreeable to the pride and presumption of the PoPe and all the rest of his practises over Gods Flock that you may assure your selves assoon as ever they shall have their Classes setled Puerilis Sapientiae cothurnus pag. 43. and their Government established you shall have so many imperious Popes amongst you as will vex you more then ever the Pope of Rome hath done qui ante non cavet post dolebit CHAP. III. Of the image of the first Beast what is meant thereby what it is to give life to the Image of the Beast the two things that the Beast animated by the false Prophet immediately acted and the two things that the Long Parliament Acted immediately after they were justified incouraged and animated by the Assembly of the Presbyterians of the marke of the Beast and of the ingagement and of the great iniquity of the ingagement ANd therefore it followeth in the next v. 14. that by the meanes of these their pretended miracles 5. Of the Image of the first beast that they do that is to convert soules and to bring this fiery zeale out of Heaven unto their followers they deceive them that dwell on the eartth and being thus deceived by them they perswade them to make an Image to the first Beast that had the seven heads and ten hornes for this was the usuall Honour and the worship that the people in those dayes and in the eastern Countreyes especially did use to do unto their Emperors and Kings or chiefe Governors whom they chiefly honoured and obeyed which was the first step and occasion of the idolatry of the Gentiles when they began to ascribe Divine Honour unto these images as they did to the image of Belus or Nimrod which was the first Image that we read of Rubenus de idololatrie l. 1. so the false Prophet perswaded the people to make an Image to the beast and so to honour and to worship the beast And the Image of any thing must be a speciall resemblance of them whereof it is an Image and f the Image be perfect and natural as the Son is the Image of his Father then must it have a likenesse not onely representative but also in nature and being of existence and if the Image be imperfect and artificial as the Image of a man drawn by the Painter on a Tablet then though it be different from the thing whereof it is an Image in nature and being yet it must have a representative forme of likenesse to the thing it representeth as the Image drawen by the Painter doth resemble the person or thing that the Painter draweth therefore I say the making of this Image to the beast is not That the Empire caused to be set up by the Pope is not here meant as the image of the old Caesarem Empire as Mr. Mede and all those that would have the Pope and his Cardinalls to be this false Prophet do say the setting up of the Roman Empire in the ten hornes or ten Kings that revolted from the Caesarean Empire as the image of that former Caesarean Empire that was wounded but now is healed and revived in this image that the Pope and his Cardinals caused to be set up and to be obeyed Reason 1 1. Because as I shewed to you before the old Caesarean Empire is not meant by this beast that rose out of the sea and the Pope and his Cardinals cannot be meant by this second beast and the false Prophet Reason 2 2. Because as I said there must be some proportionable similitude betwixt the image and the person or thing represented by the image but there is small resemblance and abundance of difference and dissimilitude as much and more then was betwixt Pharaohs lean kinn and his fat ones or Hectors Ghost to the living Heros betwixt the old Caesarean Empire and the other new Empire that was setled in the ten Kings that being the most glorious Monarchy that ever was upon earth and this that was established by the Pope but a skeleton a shadow and the bare name of an Empire onely of far lesser power then some Kings of this small Island and therefore if by the beast that was wounded we understand the old Caesarian Empire and this new setled Empire by the Pope to be the image of it I say the wound is but very ill and meanly healed in that which is thus revived by the Pope that gave a shadow and lost the substance and the Pope is a very bad Painter that can draw his images no better But the making of this image to the first beast signifieth nothing else What the making of an Image to the beast signifieth but the abetting furthering and setting forward of the doings proceedings and impieties of the first beast because the works and acts the plots and practices of the beast are the very image and the most lively representation of the beast as by and by I shall make it plain unto you But so the Pope and his Cardinals never furthered and assisted the Emperonrs or civil State in their tyranny or impiety but they required all Kings and Emperours to aid and assist them for the advancement and inlargement of the Church Yet it is notoriously known The Parallel the Presbyterians and Lay-preachers perswaded all men to adhere to worship and to do all the honour and service that they could do unto the Parliament and seduced the people so far that the very women were ready to part with their rings their thimbles and their bodkins to make money for to help and to further the proceedings of the Parliament Exod. 32.2 3 even as the Israelites parted with their ear-rings and their Jewels to erect their
because the varietie of numbers had bin to no purpose if an uncertain number had been to be understood thereby when he might as well have said 40. monthes as 42 months neither shal you finde that ever the greater number signified a determinate lesser number as a year tosignifie a month or a week or a month to signifie a week or a day Therefore these 42. months wherein this beast shall raign and rage over Gods servants must be litterally and precisely understood to signifie three years and a halfe or as some do expound a time and times and the dividing of time for three years and halfe three years or there abouts or as I said even now for some short time and smal space though not so exactly and precisely determined as containing the just and full measure of three years and a half without somewhat either more or less And thus it is observed The prevalent time of the long Parliament just three yeers and a halfe that the long Parliament which is answerable to the first beast continued prevalent in their good successes just so long or much about that time for Ingland was proclaimed a free state the ninth of May 1648. and the Dutch did beat them at Sea which was the beginning of their declination upon the ninth of November in 1651. which from their first peeping to be masters to this first blow that they received is the just time of three years and a half and in Aprill the 22 Anno. 1653. which was but a little more then four years and a halfe the Lord generall Oliver alias Crumwell disolved that Parliament with a word of his mouth even as the Apostle foreshewed how easily and after what manner the Lord of heaven would consume or rather dissolve that man of sin and this beast here spoken of that signifieth a knot of rebels which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Apostle useth 2. Thessal 2.8 most properly signifieth with the breath of his mouth saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the Lord wil unbinde and separate or scatter as the Clouds are scattered by the wind which both the words And so this man by the will of God did put an end to that long Parliament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betoken with the breath of his month The which dissolution of the long Parliament and the suppression of their more then most bloody Ingagement that was formerly done by the same hand the Lord General Crumwel did and was the only good deed that ever he did to the oppressed Cavaleers and to all disaffected to that long Parliament Ob. But is it like that the head will destroy his body how shall he then subfiff when his body is lost Sol I answer that it is not alwayes alike with the politique head as it is with the naturall nor with the Head of the Church of God as with the head of the beast and the Synagogue of Satan but as Christ which is our Head saveth his body that is the Church so the head of the beast and of the Antichrist A special observation Revel 17.27 will everie way destroy his body and dissolve the knot and scatter the pack of those wicked reprobates for I would have it well observed how the Holy Ghost saith that God hath put it in the hearts of the ten hornes of the beast and I told you these ten hornes may be taken for ten or many of the Comanders to fulfil his wal to agree to give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shal be fulfilled no longer but when they have fulfilled his will they shall be no more hornes of the beast nor give their kingdom unto him but hornes against the beast to take away their kingdome from the beast to dissolve his members and to sever them from their Head so the body of the beast shall continue together intire and with his Head and horns on but 42 months or thereabouts and after that time it shall be disjointed and dissolved by his head and seperated from his head which will then become the head of another body and to remain to fulfill more of the will of God it may be to doe further mischeif and to give the lsst deaths wound unto the witnesses or rather to restore the witnesses against his will and to setle the right King in these kingdomes and the Bishops in the Church of Christ 2. We must consider that although the Lord by the breath of his mouth 2. The declining and de jected time of the beast after his dislolution 2. Theffal 2.8 dissolveth and scattereth this proud beast here spoken of as the Lord Generall disjointed and dissolved the long Parliament with a word of his lips so that now the beast and his adherents are like an armie routed yet he is not quite destroyed for as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord will destroy him with the brightnesse of his coming and this can be understood of no other time then of his coming to the last judgement as Faber Stapulensis rightly collected for howsoever Grotius thinks that both these expressions tend to signifie the same thing after the manner of the Hebrews who in setting down any thing certainly and vehemently do often use to expresse the same by a double form of speech yet with that learned mans favour I rather conceive that this Apostle by these two fold expressions meaneth two speciall things that should come to passe The two fold expressions doe shew two things at two severall times 1. The dissolution and dispertion of the beast and his members by the breath of the Lord. 2. The destruction and finall dissipation and ruine of him 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dissipation dissolution and scattering of the beast and of all his adherents at the last day by the brightnesse of his coming And for the 1. I am of Cornelius a lapides mind that the breath and spirit of Christ his mouth doth not here signifie the preaching of the Gospel as those interpreters that make the Pope and papacie to be this beast that should be overthrown by the faithfull preaching of Gods truth doe imagine because the Antichrist and his followets regard not the truth of any preaching but being Sermon proof he slayeth the witnesses silenceth the preachers and destroyeth all that preach anything against him and his proceedings as you know the Parliament Protector did but the disjointing of the beast with the breath of his mouth signifieth as Grotius well observeth the facilitie of the work Tho facilitie of the work as we commonly say of a weak adversarie that we will blow him away so easily Christ can scatter and dissolve this beast sooner and easier then Alexander could untie the Gordian knot when with his sword he cut it all to peices and so did Christ most easily scatter that companie
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